NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Malaysia agree to build high-level strategic community with shared future

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — China and Malaysia have agreed to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future to accelerate their modernization efforts and jointly promote regional and global prosperity and stability.

    The two countries made the announcement on Thursday in a joint statement released in the context of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia.

    In the statement, China and Malaysia vowed to strengthen strategic coordination, deepen synergy of development, tighten people-to-people bonds, maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, strengthen regional cooperation, and conduct multilateral cooperation.

    Malaysia reiterated its firm commitment to the one-China policy, recognizing the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, Taiwan is an inalienable territory of the People’s Republic of China, and in order for China to achieve national reunification, will not support any call for the independence of Taiwan.

    The two sides agreed to become a pacesetter for regional cooperation on new quality productive forces and further synergize development strategies.

    Focusing on four key areas of digital economy, green economy, blue economy and tourism economy, the two sides pledged to expand future economic cooperation, promote integrated, coordinated and complementary development, achieve deep integration of industrial and supply chains, value chains, data chains and talent chains, so as to further improve the level and quality of China-Malaysia cooperation.

    The two countries also agreed to jointly build a safe and stable industrial and supply chain and strengthen cooperation.

    According to the statement, the Malaysian side welcomes Chinese enterprises to participate in the construction of Malaysia’s 5G network. Both sides look forward to exploring potential cooperation in the semiconductor industrial chain to the extent practicable to maintain the stability of the industrial and supply chains.

    The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening rail transportation and infrastructure cooperation and contributing to the realization of the Pan-Asian Railway vision.

    China said it welcomes Malaysia to continue promoting Malaysian products and expanding exports to China through platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the Global Digital Trade Expo and the China-ASEAN Expo.

    As a way to tighten people-to-people bonds between the two countries, the two sides agreed to continue to conduct joint research on panda protection and expect to achieve more progress in this field.

    In a bid to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, the two countries agreed to resolve disputes by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations, said the statement, noting that both sides recognized that the involvement of parties not directly concerned could be counter-productive.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why can’t I keep still after intense exercise?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Do you ever feel like you can’t stop moving after you’ve pushed yourself exercising? Maybe you find yourself walking around in circles when you come off the pitch, or squatting and standing and squatting again when you finish a run.

    Sometimes the body knows what’s best for us, even if we’re not aware of the science.

    Moving around after intense exercise actually helps the body recover faster. Here’s how it works – plus a tip for if you feel exactly the opposite (and just want to lie down).

    What is ‘intense’ exercise?

    There are different ways to measure exercise intensity. One is simply how hard it feels to you, known as the “rating of perceived exertion”.

    This takes into account how fast you’re breathing, how much you’re sweating and how tired your muscles are. It also considers heart rate.

    The average resting heart rate when you’re not exerting yourself is around 60–80 beats per minute, although this can vary between people.

    The maximum healthy heart rate is based on subtracting your age from 220. So, if you’re 20 years old, that’s 200 beats per minute when you’re exercising as hard as you can.

    This decreases as you age. If you’re 50 years old, your maximum heart rate would be around 170 beats per minute.

    An increased heart rate helps pump blood faster to deliver fuel and oxygen to the muscles that are working hard. Once you stop exercising your body will begin its recovery, to return to resting levels.

    Let’s look at how continuing to move after intense exercise helps do this.

    Removing waste from the muscles

    Whenever the body converts fuel into energy it also produces leftover substances, known as metabolic byproducts. This includes lactate (sometimes called lactic acid).

    During intense exercise we need to burn more fuel (oxygen and glucose) and this can make the body produce lactate much more quickly than it can clear it. When lactate accumulates in the muscles it may delay their recovery.

    We can reuse lactate to provide energy to the heart and brain and modulate the immune system. But to do this, lactate must be cleared from the muscles into the bloodstream.

    After intense exercise, continuing to move your body – but less intensely – can help do this. This kind of active recovery has been shown to be more efficient than passive recovery (meaning you don’t move).

    Intense exercise can mean your muscles produce more metabolic byproducts.
    Tom Wang/Shutterstock

    Returning blood to the heart

    Intense exercise also makes our heart pump more blood into the body. The volume pumped to the muscles increases dramatically, while blood flow to other tissues – especially the abdominal organs such as the kidneys – is reduced.

    Moving after intense exercise can help redistribute the blood flow and speed up recovery of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. This will also clear metabolic byproducts faster.

    After a long run, for example, there will be much more blood in your leg muscles. If you stand still for a long time, you may feel dizzy or faint, thanks to lowered blood pressure and less blood flow to the brain.

    Moving your legs, whether through stretching or walking, will help pump blood back to the heart.

    In fact around 90% of the blood returning from the legs via veins relies on the foot, calf and thigh muscles moving and pumping. The calf muscle plays the largest role (about 65%). Moving your heels up and down after exercising can help activate this motion.

    What if you don’t feel like moving?

    Maybe after exercise you just want to sit down in a heap. Should you?

    If you’re too tired to do light movement such as stretching or walking, you may still benefit from elevating your legs.

    You can lie down – research has shown blood from the veins returns more easily to the heart after exercise when you’re lying down, compared to sitting up, even if you’re still. Elevating your legs has an added benefit, as it reverses the effect of gravity and helps circulation.

    Ken Nosaka does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why can’t I keep still after intense exercise? – https://theconversation.com/why-cant-i-keep-still-after-intense-exercise-247555

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB Provides Infrastructure for Ethnic Minorities in Phu Yen and Quang Tri

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    ADB and the Government of Viet Nam signed a $60 million financing package to upgrade and construct transport and water supply infrastructure in five upland districts with the highest concentration of ethnic minority communities in the central coastal provinces of Phu Yen and Quang Tri, Viet Nam.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: How MES helps students learn about the history and culture of the capital

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The textbook “My Moscow, I’m proud of you!” “Moscow Electronic School”(MESh) was used almost 125 thousand times. Cartoons, audio books, a dictionary, projects and interactive tasks are available to first-graders, their parents and teachers. They introduce the historical and cultural heritage of Moscow, its present and future.

    “Introducing children to the history and culture of their home city is an important part of the educational process. For this purpose, the educational project “My Moscow, I am proud of you!” was launched in 2023. Thanks to it, children can study the architecture, monuments, museums and other iconic objects of the capital in a playful way,” the press service of the capital said.

    Department of Education and Science.

    The chapters of the manual can be either read or listened to in audio format. An educational cartoon is available for each topic. In the “Tasks” section, children can consolidate their acquired knowledge by solving game tests with automatic verification, and in the “Dictionary” section, they can learn the meanings of new words and view a collection of illustrations.

    In the “Projects” section, you can learn how to create models using various techniques. Using step-by-step instructions, children cut out, glue and paint parts, assemble structures, and then combine them into a large three-dimensional model of the Kremlin, modern Moscow, or others. Printed patterns, cardboard, colored paper, yarn, colored pencils, markers, glue, and other materials are used for work.

    For the “Flowers of Victory” competition, which took place last year, the children created models of Moscow in different historical periods – from the times of Yuri Dolgoruky to the present day. The capital’s first-graders presented more than 300 projects. Based on the results of the selection, an exhibition was organized in the Victory Museum, where the authors of the best works were awarded.

    “Thanks to the educational manual “My Moscow, I am proud of you!” the children are beginning to take an interest in the history of the city. It is great that everything is so visual. The children see what is being discussed, are surprised and ask questions,” said Svetlana Lysaya, a primary school teacher at School No. 338 named after Hero of the Soviet Union A.F. Avdeev.

    The textbook “My Moscow, I’m proud of you!” is available in the MES library. You can find out how to use it in the instructions.

    “Moscow Electronic School” — a joint project of the capital’s Departments of Education And information technology. It was created in 2016. The unified digital educational platform is available to Moscow teachers, students and their parents. Among the main services of “MESh” are a library of educational materials, an electronic diary and journal, “Moskvenok”, “Student Portfolio” and “Olympiads”.

    Providing Moscow schoolchildren with modern digital services increases the efficiency of the educational process, helps young Muscovites plan their time wisely and is in line with the objectives of the “All the Best for Children” national project “Youth and Children”.

    MES now offers computer science assignments with automatic checkingEasy knowledge: schoolchildren have access to more than 40 digital textbooks in “MESh”

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152701073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Serbian parliament approves new gov’t led by Djuro Macut

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Djuro Macut takes the oath of office at the Serbian Parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, on April 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The National Assembly of Serbia on Wednesday elected a new government led by endocrinologist Djuro Macut.

    A total of 153 members of parliament voted in favor, 46 opposed, while 51 lawmakers were absent from the session. The new cabinet will comprise 31 members.

    Macut presented his government’s program and cabinet lineup on Tuesday, the first day of the special session of the National Assembly, outlining the key priorities of his administration.

    Macut emphasized that his government would focus on domestic stabilization and strategic foreign policy. In response to ongoing youth-led protests and institutional disruptions, he pledged to uphold the rule of law and encourage open dialogue while safeguarding the rights of all citizens.

    “Protests and expressions of discontent are natural for the youth,” Macut stated, “but blockades and the denial of others’ rights to work, study, or live normally are unacceptable.”

    He announced the formation of a Council for Youth and Talents, which he will personally oversee. The council aims to nurture young talent and harness their potential for the country’s development.

    On international affairs, Macut reaffirmed Serbia’s sovereign and balanced approach. While underscoring Serbia’s commitment to the European Union (EU) accession process, he emphasized the country’s independence in policymaking.

    “Serbia does not approach the EU from a position of pleading, but from one of conviction. This relationship is a partnership founded on mutual respect, not asymmetry,” he said.

    He also stressed that domestic reforms are guided by national priorities rather than external demands. “Our reforms are not a response to EU requirements. They are a response to the needs of our citizens,” Macut added.

    Furthermore, he reaffirmed Serbia’s dedication to broad international cooperation, stating that the country will “extend hands of cooperation to all.”

    Macut also addressed the Kosovo issue, calling it the highest national priority. “We do not abandon our principles, but we do not reject dialogue. Peace is impossible without justice,” he asserted.

    Macut’s nomination follows the resignation of former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who stepped down on Jan. 28 amid mounting tensions following the deadly canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which resulted in 16 fatalities. The National Assembly officially confirmed Vucevic’s resignation on March 19.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese embassy urges fairness, impartiality in addressing issue of British Steel

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Chinese embassy in Britain on Wednesday urged the British government to follow the principles of fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination in dealing with the issue of British Steel to make sure that the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies in Britain are protected.

    The anti-China rhetoric of some individual British politicians regarding the issue of British Steel is “extremely absurd,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Britain said in a statement.

    The spokesperson made the remarks as several politicians attacked Chinese companies and the Chinese government following the British government’s recent takeover of British Steel from private Chinese enterprise Jingye Group, which has owned the company since 2020.

    The attacks by some individual British politicians reflected “their arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset,” said the spokesperson.

    The spokesperson stressed that the Jingye Group is a private Chinese enterprise that makes business investments in Britain on the basis of market principles and conducts operation on its own.

    British Steel had been losing money for many years before its acquisition by Jingye and actually went into compulsory liquidation in 2019, noted the spokesperson.

    “After taking over, Jingye put in substantial funding to keep the company afloat to this day. Had it not been for the involvement of this Chinese company, British Steel workers might have already faced the risk of unemployment,” said the spokesperson.

    It is understood that, under the British government’s net-zero strategy, steel companies that use iron ore to produce steel must achieve net-zero emissions by 2035. To that end, British steel companies including British Steel have all negotiated with the government to find a path to decarbonization transition. Among them, the Port Talbot Steelworks in Wales closed its blast furnace in July 2024.

    “British Steel’s plan to close its blast furnaces and build electric arc furnaces is a normal decision, and it is understandable that the company conducted negotiations with the government on investment for the transition,” said the spokesperson.

    Generally speaking, Chinese companies in Britain have operated in compliance with the law and achieved steady progress, and have made positive contributions to the local economy, the spokesperson said. According to statistics available, Chinese companies in Britain have contributed over 115 billion pounds (152.6 billion U.S. dollars) to the British economy and created nearly 60,000 jobs.

    Any words or deeds that politicize or maliciously hype up business issues will undermine the confidence of Chinese business investors in Britain and damage China-Britain economic and trade cooperation, said the spokesperson.

    “It is hoped that the British government will continue to engage in consultations and negotiations with Jingye to actively seek a solution acceptable to all parties,” said the spokesperson.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s Malaysia visit sets new milestone in bilateral ties, regional cooperation

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for a group photo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ongoing state visit to Malaysia marks a significant step in strengthening China-Malaysia all-round cooperation as the two sides have agreed to work together to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future.

    On Wednesday, Xi met with Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, respectively. Both sides emphasized their commitment to enhancing economic cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and developing future industries such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and green economy.

    High-level exchanges

    When meeting the king, Xi said that China is ready to work with the Malaysian side to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, so as to usher in new “Golden 50 Years” for bilateral ties.

    China and Malaysia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners who visit each other as often as family, Xi said, adding that bilateral relations have gone through a magnificent half-century and are embracing an even brighter future.

    Xi called on the two sides to ensure good implementation of major projects such as the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” program and the East Coast Rail Link, and to actively foster cooperation in future industries such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and green economy.

    China supports Malaysia in its role as the 2025 ASEAN chair and stands ready to work with the country to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, Xi said.

    For his part, King Sultan Ibrahim expressed his belief that Xi’s visit will comprehensively upgrade bilateral relations and promote vigorous development of cooperation in various fields, adding that China’s impressive development achievements are attributable to the foresight of President Xi and the hard work of the Chinese people.

    Malaysia attaches great importance to its relations with China and will work with China toward win-win cooperation and promote the building of the high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future no matter how the international situation evolves, he said.

    Malaysia values regional economic integration, firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative, and stands ready to strengthen trade and investment cooperation with China, jointly stabilize industrial and supply chains, enhance connectivity and boost people-to-people and educational exchanges, said the king.

    While meeting the prime minister, Xi urged joint efforts to resist decoupling, supply chain disruptions, “small yard with high fences” and arbitrary imposition of tariffs with openness, inclusiveness, unity and cooperation.

    He also called for responding to the law of the jungle with Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and responding to an unstable and uncertain world with a stable and certain Asia.

    Thriving cooperation, flourishing ties

    China-Malaysia ties run deep. From the voyages of renowned Chinese navigator Zheng He in the 15th century to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974, and to the building of a community with a shared future today, the two countries have long enjoyed cultural affinity and strategic trust.

    During Xi’s 2013 visit, the two countries upgraded ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. A decade later, the relationship was elevated again to a China-Malaysia community with a shared future.

    In a signed article published in Malaysian media ahead of his arrival, Xi said the decision on building the China-Malaysia community with a shared future marked “a new milestone in the bilateral relations.”

    “Our bilateral cooperation potential is being progressively realized in the digital economy, green development, industrial investment and transport infrastructure construction,” he wrote.

    As a vital node along the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Malaysia is among the first to participate in Belt and Road cooperation. Thanks to joint efforts and Xi’s steadfast push, bilateral collaboration within the framework has achieved many results.

    In 2024, China-Malaysia trade reached 212 billion U.S. dollars, nearly 1,000 times the level at the inception of diplomatic relations. China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.

    On top of that, bilateral initiatives like the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” program, which pairs industrial zones in Qinzhou and Kuantan, have emerged as a model for regional collaboration. This partnership has spurred the expansion of port collaboration and infrastructure connection.

    A notable example is the East Coast Rail Link, a 665 km railway whose construction is in full swing. The railway, once completed, will bridge Malaysia’s less-developed east coast with its economic powerhouse on the west coast, enhancing connectivity and fostering balanced growth.

    Samirul Ariff Othman, an economist at Malaysia’s Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, said, “the flourishing economic ties between Malaysia and China demonstrate the resilience and mutual benefits of our bilateral relationship.”

    “The continued expansion of investments in high-value sectors such as technology, green energy and manufacturing will further deepen our cooperation,” said Othman.

    Multilateral collaboration

    Experts believe that the significance of Xi’s visit goes beyond bilateral relations. “It will greatly impact ASEAN-China relations, injecting new momentum into regional development and stability,” said Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific.

    In the signed article, Xi noted that China was the first ASEAN dialogue partner to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the first to establish a free trade area and a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN.

    Bilateral cooperation between China and ASEAN is more robust than ever, he said, adding that in 2024, China-ASEAN trade exceeded 980 billion dollars, making the two sides each other’s largest trading partner for five consecutive years.

    According to China’s General Administration of Customs, ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner in the first two months of 2025. During this period, trade between China and ASEAN countries reached a total of 1.03 trillion yuan, or 15.8 percent of China’s overall trade value.

    China fully supports Malaysia in its role as the ASEAN chair for 2025 and looks forward to Malaysia serving as a stronger bridge between the two sides as the country coordinator for China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, Xi said.

    China will work with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, as well as the countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism, said the Chinese leader.

    “We must brave the waves ahead and advance the high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, and jointly build a stronger China-ASEAN community with a shared future,” Xi said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic HD develops SegLLM, an interactive segmentation technology that allows for image referencing, enabling recognition under complex conditions

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic HD develops SegLLM, an interactive segmentation technology that allows for image referencing, enabling recognition under complex conditions

    Osaka, Japan, April 17, 2025 – Panasonic R&D Company of America (PRDCA) and Panasonic Holdings Co., Ltd. (Panasonic HD), in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), have developed SegLLM, an interactive segmentation technology that allows users to specify recognition targets using language and reference images.
    Segmentation is a technology that divides an image into multiple regions at the pixel level. By integrating with image recognition, it enables the detection of specific objects and accurately captures their position and shape. This makes it applicable to various fields, such as object recognition in factories, environmental recognition around vehicles and object manipulation by robots. Recently, in the field of image recognition, there has been an increasing use of large language models (LLMs) to specify recognition targets using text. However, when providing instructions interactively, if new instructions are based on objects recognized in past interactions, the text can become complex, leading to a higher likelihood of misrecognition. The newly developed SegLLM addresses this issue by allowing the input of both text and reference images into prompts, enabling the recognition of hierarchical relationships between objects and interactions among objects, even for untrained objects. It also makes it possible to recognize only specific objects in more complex scenes where there are many similar looking objects.
    This technology has been internationally recognized for its advanced capabilities and has been accepted at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR 2025), a leading conference in AI and machine learning technologies. It will be presented at the conference held in Singapore from April 24 to April 28, 2025.

    Future Outlook:

    The newly developed SegLLM is a technology that significantly enhances the performance of interactive segmentation. Panasonic HD plans to implement this technology into the automatic annotation tool they are developing with FastLabel. By expanding the range of application to include targets that are difficult to detect with traditional text-only instructions, such as untrained objects or items held by specific individuals, this tool will evolve into a more versatile solution. Leveraging the characteristics of SegLLM, it can reduce training costs on-site in factories and production lines where a wide variety of instruments and tools exist. This will accelerate optimization in factories and similar environments through applications in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS).
    Panasonic HD will continue to accelerate the implementation of AI in society and promote research and development of AI technologies that will contribute to improving our customers’ lives and workplaces.
    * [Press Release] Panasonic R&D Company of America Develops New Multimodal Foundation Model That Can Perform Image Recognition and Segmentation in Response to Any Text Input (Nov 21, 2023)https://news.panasonic.com/global/press/en231121-5

    Related Information:

    “SegLLM: Multi-round Reasoning Segmentation”This research is the result of a collaborative effort between Konstantinos Kallidromitis from PRDCA, Xudong Wang from UC Berkeley, and Yusuke Kato and Kazuki Kozuka from Panasonic HD.https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.18923Panasonic × AI websitehttps://tech-ai.panasonic.com/en/

    About the Panasonic Group
    Founded in 1918, and today a global leader in developing innovative technologies and solutions for wide-ranging applications in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, industry, communications, and energy sectors worldwide, the Panasonic Group switched to an operating company system on April 1, 2022 with Panasonic Holdings Corporation serving as a holding company and eight companies positioned under its umbrella. The Group reported consolidated net sales of 8,496.4 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2024. To learn more about the Panasonic Group, please visit: https://holdings.panasonic/global/

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Inflation rises and families feel the squeeze

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Inflation is rising again and it’s landing hardest on families already stretched thin.

    “For the second time this week, families already stretched by rising costs are hit with the news that prices are going up again,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

    “It’s not just grocery prices that are high, it’s rates and rents too.”

    On Tuesday, figures from Stats NZ showed food prices up 3.5 percent over the past year, with butter up a staggering 64 percent, milk up 16 percent, and meat up more than five percent. Now, new figures show that inflation is up across the board, including rates which have gone up 12.2 percent and rent, up 3.7 percent.

    “With the shift to final year fees-free, prospective students are also being hit with a 22.6 percent increase in the cost to study right now. Coupled with rents and food prices, it’s a particularly hard time to be a student,” Barbara Edmonds sai

    “The Government has spent billions on tax cuts but made life more expensive for people at the same time. The small amount each week is quickly eaten up by rising costs.

    “They scrapped free prescriptions, cancelled half-price public transport, and chose not to lift the minimum wage in line with inflation. These are their choices, and it’s made life harder for New Zealanders.

    “Nicola Willis also won’t say if she’s about to cut the Best Start or Winter Energy Payments. These are vital safety nets which help new parents pay the bills and older New Zealanders heat their homes in winter.

    “These price hikes occurred before U.S. tariffs hit and there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead. Families need reassurance and real support, not more cuts and complacency,” Barbara Edmonds said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Levin Host Roundtable with Veterans and Service Providers in San Diego to Highlight Impact of VA Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Levin Host Roundtable with Veterans and Service Providers in San Diego to Highlight Impact of VA Cuts

    WATCH: Padilla discusses importance of protecting essential VA benefits

    SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49) hosted a roundtable in San Diego alongside veterans, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) service providers, and regional stakeholders to highlight the importance of protecting veterans’ benefits and discuss concerns regarding the Trump Administration’s plan for mass cuts to the VA workforce. The Administration is planning to cut more than 80,000 VA jobs, threatening access to the health care, housing services, educational opportunities, and other essential benefits veterans deserve.

    The demand for VA services is high. The VA delivered a record number of health care appointments and benefits in 2024, including over 127 million appointments. Nearly 800,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care since the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was signed into law in 2022, expanding VA benefits to those exposed to toxic substances. Padilla promised to continue fighting to defend these essential PACT Act benefits for the hundreds of thousands of now VA-eligible veterans.

    Padilla also highlighted his bipartisan legislation introduced last week, the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act, to ensure veterans experiencing homelessness and receiving disability payments maintain access to crucial housing support. California has the most veterans in the nation and was home to 28 percent of all veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States last year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s January 2024 point-in-time count. There are 9,300 homeless veterans across the state, including 865 homeless veterans in San Diego, according to the same count.

    “Veterans who have dedicated their lives to support our nation deserve our complete, enduring support, but they are facing serious threats as the Trump Administration proposes sweeping cuts to the VA workforce,” said Senator Padilla. “Our veterans earned their benefits through their service in uniform — and it’s offensive that they could now be on the chopping block. We should be doing more for our veterans, not less, and I’m going to keep speaking out against these indiscriminate, massive cuts and make sure our veterans can continue to access essential health care, housing, and education services.”

    “When Americans enlist, they swear an oath to defend our nation. And in return, we owe it to them to thank them for their sacrifice and take care of them after their service. Is this Elon’s way of saying thank you? With every day that goes by, more and more veterans are at risk of being fired,” said Representative Levin. “I won’t stand for it, and I will fight to ensure it won’t happen anymore. This constant chaos is eroding the public trust and is testing the limits of the American public’s patience. I want to be clear: I support efficiency as much as anyone and I don’t support bureaucracy for bureaucracy’s sake. But what Trump and Musk are doing is not making government work better, and on top of that it is unconstitutional. While the Trump Administration is hell-bent on cutting critical programs for our veterans, Senator Padilla and I are committed to serving them.” 

    Padilla also joined registered nurses and veterans at the VA Medical Center-San Diego today to deliver remarks at a rally organized by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) demanding an end to the devastating VA staffing cuts.

    WATCH: Padilla criticizes VA cuts during rally with nurses and veterans

    Senator Padilla has strongly opposed the Trump Administration’s mass cuts and hiring freeze at the VA. Padilla is a cosponsor of the Putting Veterans First Act — comprehensive legislation to protect veterans, military spouses, and VA employees indiscriminately targeted by the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts at the VA and across the federal government. He has also co-signed multiple letters to the Administration and joined a resolution condemning these VA cuts. Padilla and his Senate colleagues also called on the Trump Administration to reverse its cancellation of 585 contracts with the VA, including those that help veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins access lifesaving health care as guaranteed under the PACT Act. In January, Padilla joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 23 other Senators in demanding President Trump put veterans first and immediately exempt all VA employees from the Administration’s federal hiring freeze.

    Additionally, last year, Padilla passed a bipartisan amendment into law to increase and streamline veterans’ access to HUD-VASH housing vouchers through the FY24 appropriations package. Padilla and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) also led the Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act, which was signed into law last year and will improve VA oversight to ensure veterans receive access to quality higher education from reputable institutions.

    Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks from today’s roundtable is available here and can be downloaded here.

    Additional photos from the roundtable and rally are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 1 in 6 New Zealanders is disabled. Why does so much health research still exclude them?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachelle Martin, Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation & Disability, University of Otago

    Getty Images

    Disabled people encounter all kinds of barriers to accessing healthcare – and not simply because some face significant mobility challenges.

    Others will see their symptoms not investigated properly because it’s assumed a problem is related to their disability rather than another medical condition. Or they will have decisions made for them rather than with them.

    This often means they experience worse – and avoidable – outcomes compared to others. But despite this, health research – which is meant to reduce these disparities – frequently excludes disabled people.

    For instance, a 2023 global review of 2,710 clinical trials found 35% reported excluding disabled individuals specifically. Researchers sometimes assume (without a good ethical or scientific reason) that disabled people can’t give consent, don’t meet the study criteria, or will struggle to follow instructions and collaborate.

    Even when researchers are more inclusive, their plans can fail to account for the difficulties disabled people face with travel, communication and physical access. All of which makes it harder for them to participate.

    This creates a vicious circle. Health research is vital for shaping the policies, treatments and community interventions that underpin modern healthcare. However, for disabled people, who make up one-sixth of the national and global population, too much research does not reflect their experiences and needs.

    Beyond clinical and scientific research

    The active participation by disabled people in health research is good science, good economics and the right thing to do. When people with lived experience contribute to the design and delivery of health care and research, it means services are used more and fairer outcomes are achieved.

    But this is far from the reality in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. Scientific and clinical research is still often viewed as being more important than research addressing the needs of patients and people, as prioritised by them.

    There is increasing interest in public and patient involvement in health services, and to a lesser extent health research. But this is not sufficiently embedded or formalised. Research priorities are still set primarily by clinicians and medical researchers.

    Most funding still goes to research investigating the causes, genetics and treatment of health conditions. And while these are important to study, there is still too little research focused on how people can live well with disability.

    A recent review of research funding for autism, for example, found the most money and number of grants were awarded to biological research. But a survey of about 500 people from New Zealand’s autistic and autism communities found people wanted more research into their mental health, wellbeing and practical skills development.

    If research aims to improve health outcomes for everyone, it must involve all populations – particularly those most at risk of poorer health outcomes.

    This extends beyond people with disability to include all marginalised and often excluded communities. But this kind of change will need action at different levels of research, and to be led by researchers themselves. The rules and funding systems must also support a more inclusive approach.

    Practical steps to make a difference

    Some of the key strategies needed to ensure health research becomes more representative, ethical and effective have been outlined by the Disability Inclusion in Research Collaboration, a global network of researchers:

    • Making sure disabled people are visible in research grant applications: funding bodies must actively require and reward the inclusion of disabled participants in health research studies.

    • Including disability perspectives from the very start: disabled people should be involved in formulating research questions, designing studies and advising on accessibility measures.

    • Ensuring disabled people are research participants whenever possible: researchers must clearly explain and justify any exclusion criteria related to disability, which need to be grounded in legitimate safety or ethical concerns rather than mere assumptions.

    • Making it routine to report on disability status: research studies should use data to identify, track and report on participants’ disability status, so it is easier to monitor inclusion efforts and outcomes.

    By committing to these basic measures, health research can become more representative, ethical and effective. It will also help the research produce insights relevant to a broader range of people, ultimately leading to stronger and fairer healthcare systems.

    This is about more than justice for disabled people. It is about ensuring medical research achieves its true purpose: to improve health for everyone.

    Rachelle A Martin receives funding from the NZ Health Research Council.

    Kaaren Mathias receives funding from the Health Research Council and CURE Kids.

    – ref. 1 in 6 New Zealanders is disabled. Why does so much health research still exclude them? – https://theconversation.com/1-in-6-new-zealanders-is-disabled-why-does-so-much-health-research-still-exclude-them-254280

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Oil and gas services company Qteq attempted to induce cartel arrangements

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Federal Court has today found oil and gas services company Qteq Pty Ltd and its executive chairman Simon Ashton engaged in cartel conduct in relation to the supply of goods and services in the oil and gas industry, following court action by the ACCC.

    The Court found that between 2017 and 2019, on five occasions, Qteq and Mr Ashton attempted to induce suppliers in the industry to enter into contracts, arrangements or understandings with them which contained one or more cartel provisions.

    Qteq and Mr Ashton were found to have attempted to induce competitors or likely competitors in the upstream phase of production in the oil and gas industry to enter into cartel arrangements or understandings, which included provisions not to supply particular services to large oil and gas companies, to share markets and to rig a multi-million-dollar tender.

    “We brought this action because we believed these attempts had the potential to impact competition between Qteq and other current or likely competitors for the supply of goods and services in the oil and gas industry,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    “Cartels are the most fundamental attack on competition in our economy, and taking actions against them is a high priority for the ACCC.”

    “Today’s decision should send a strong warning to all businesses and senior managers that attempting to enter or induce collusive agreements with a competitor is illegal and will be met with strong enforcement action by the ACCC,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The Court did not find in favour of the ACCC in relation to one additional instance of alleged cartel conduct.

    The Court will set a date for a further hearing to consider submissions about penalties and other orders.

    Publication of the judgment is pending confidentiality review by the respondents.

    Background

    Qteq is a Queensland-based company which provides mining equipment and technology services to support the upstream oil and gas industry.

    Its primary business is the sale, installation, and servicing of downhole pressure gauges to coal seam gas producers, which is known as ‘gauge works’. At the relevant time, Qteq was the market leader in providing gauge work services.

    Gauge works are a form of monitoring and measurement where a downhole gauge system is inserted into a well to monitor the water level so that the rate at which water is pumped out of the coal seam can be controlled.

    The ACCC filed civil cartel proceedings against Qteq and Mr Ashton in December 2022.

    Notes for editors

    A cartel exists when businesses agree to act together instead of competing with each other. Conduct can include price fixing, sharing markets, rigging bids and controlling the output or limiting the amount of goods and services.

    Anyone who thinks they may be involved in alleged cartel conduct is urged to call the ACCC Cartel Immunity Hotline on (02) 9230 3894. More information about the immunity process is available on the ACCC website at Cartels. They can also report alleged cartel conduct by using the anonymous cartel portal. 

    The ACCC investigates cartel conduct and can take civil cartel proceedings in the Federal Court or refer serious cartel conduct to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

    For corporations, the maximum penalty for each cartel offence before 9 November 2022 is the greater of:

    • $10 million,
    • three times the total benefits that have been obtained and are reasonably attributable to the commission of the offence, or
    • if the total value of the benefits cannot be determined,10 per cent of the corporation’s annual turnover connected with Australia.

    An individual found to have been involved in civil cartel conduct before 9 November 2022 is subject to a maximum penalty of $500,000 for each act or omission. 

    The maximum civil penalties for cartel conduct by corporations and individuals were substantially increased with effect from 9 November 2022.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Easter and Anzac Day long weekend opening hours

    Source: South Australia Police

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The City of Wanneroo acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we are working on, the Whadjuk people. We would like to pay respect to the Elders of the Noongar nation, past, present and future, who have walked and cared for the land and we acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contributions made to the life of this City and this region.

    TermsAll content © 2025 City of Wanneroo. 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo WA 6065 | Locked Bag 1, Wanneroo WA 6946

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 17, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 17, 2025.

    Most bees nest in the ground. Offering rocks and gravel is a simple way to help them thrive
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Marie Jackson, PhD Candidate, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University _Lasioglossum dotatum_ kerrysturat/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC-ND Of the more than 20,000 bee species in the world, 70% nest in the ground. And like many of their counterparts that nest above ground, these bees are facing

    Thailand’s fragile democracy takes another hit with arrest of US academic
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia Despite the challenges faced by local democratic activists, Thailand has often been an oasis of relative liberalism compared with neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Westerners, in particular, have been largely welcomed and provided with

    In the trade war, China has moved to curb supply of critical minerals. Can Australia seize the moment?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor, Technology and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney China has placed curbs on exports of rare germanium and gallium which are critical in manufacturing. Shutterstock In the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one notable exception stood out: 31 critical

    ‘The pay is not worth the stress’: research finds 10% of lawyers plan to quit within a year
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vivien Holmes, Emerita Professor, Australian National University Momentum studio/Shutterstock No one goes into the legal profession thinking it is going to be easy. Long working hours are fairly standard, work is often completed to tight external deadlines, and 24/7 availability to clients is widely understood to be

    Contemporary television is rarely as good as The Narrow Road to the Deep North
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Prime The Narrow Road to the Deep North stands as some of the most visceral and moving television produced in Australia in recent memory. Marking a new accessibility and confidence to director Justin Kurzel, it reunites him with

    NZ’s over-reliance on roads for freight means natural disasters hit even harder. But there is a fix
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cécile L’Hermitte, Senior Lecturer in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, University of Waikato In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the driving time between Napier and Wairoa stretched from 90 minutes to over six hours, causing major supply chain delays. Retail prices rose and shoppers faced empty shelves.

    ‘They are like my children’: research reveals 4 types of indoor plant owners. Which one are you?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Le Busque, Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of South Australia maramorosz/Shutterstock Walk into any home or workplace today, and you’re likely to find an array of indoor plants. The global market for indoor plants is growing fast – projected to reach more than US$28 billion (A$44

    Cracks in social cohesion – the major parties must commit to reinvigorating multiculturalism
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Jakubowicz, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Technology Sydney In the run up to the May 3 election, questions are being raised about the value of multiculturalism as a public policy in Australia. They’ve been prompted by community tensions arising from the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the

    State of the states: six experts on how the campaign is playing out around Australia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The federal election campaign has passed the halfway mark, with politicians zig-zagging across the country to spruik their policies and achievements. Where politicians choose to visit (and not visit) give us some insight into their electoral

    People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University MillaF/Shutterstock Injectable medications originally developed for the treatment of diabetes are also effective for weight loss, and have surged in popularity for this purpose around the world. In Australia, Ozempic is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes,

    With the end of Flybuys NZ, what happens to the personal data of nearly 3 million Kiwis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Doctoral Candidate, Business School, University of Sydney JuSun/Getty Images After almost three decades in New Zealand, loyalty programme Flybuys announced it would be closing in 2024. The company behind the scheme, Loyalty New Zealand, has since entered liquidation, leaving the future of one

    New Aussie film The Correspondent is an extraordinary retelling of Peter Greste’s story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash University Maslow Entertainment The Correspondent is a film every journalist should see. There are no spoiler alerts. It is based on the globally-publicised jailing in Cairo in 2013 of Australian journalist Peter Greste (played by Richard Roxburgh) and his

    Fiji defence minister draws flak for six-week trip to meet peacekeepers
    RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs is facing a backlash after announcing that he was undertaking a multi-country, six-week “official travel overseas” to visit Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East. Pio Tikoduadua’s supporters say he should “disregard critics” for his commitment to Fijian peacekeepers, which “highlights a profound dedication to duty and

    Election Diary: there were a couple of ‘moments’ in second Albanese-Dutton encounter
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two “moments” stuck out in Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, the second head-to-head of the campaign. Peter Dutton cut his losses over his faux pas this week when he wrongly named Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto as having said there had been a

    Second leaders’ debate is a tame affair befitting a ‘deeply uninspiring’ campaign
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their second showdown of the 2025 federal election campaign. The debate, hosted by the ABC, was moderated by David Speers in the national broadcaster’s studios in

    Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in alliance
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll. Despite this, 80% of people say the

    NZ’s Palestine Forum calls on Luxon to take ‘firm stand’ over Israeli atrocities with temporary ban on visitors
    Asia Pacific Report A Palestinian advocacy group has called on NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to take a firm stand for international law and human rights by following the Maldives with a ban on visiting Israelis. Maher Nazzal, chair of the Palestine Forum of New Zealand, said in an open

    We compared the Labor and Coalition’s income tax proposals to see who benefits most
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock We now have the competing bids for our votes by the alternative governments on income tax policy. From Labor, future cuts to the lowest marginal tax rate and new standard deductions for

    Half of Australian landlords sell their investments after 2 years, adding to renters’ insecurity
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjodh B. Singh, Senior Economics and Finance Lecturer, Curtin University Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock Australia’s renters have to battle rising rents and a lack of available properties. They also face ongoing instability. Our new research suggests half of all landlords sell their investment properties after only two years, adding

    Labor and the Greens likely to gain Senate seats at the election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne As well as the election for the full House of Representatives, there will be an election on May 3 for 40 of the 76 senators. The 72

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Buddhist practitioners visit key Tibetan sites

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Foreign monks and officials visit an exhibition on the reincarnation system of Living Buddhas in Beijing on Monday, gaining insights into the centuries-old spiritual succession system in Tibetan Buddhism. [Photo/China Daily]
    Foreign Buddhist practitioners and religious affairs officials said visits to key Tibetan sites and research institutions in China this week have deepened their understanding of the reincarnation system of Living Buddhas and the development of Tibetan Buddhism in the country.
    More than 20 monks and officials from 12 countries visited the Lama Temple and the China Tibetology Research Center in Beijing, as well as the Sera Monastery, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Tibet University in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, from Monday to Wednesday.
    At the Lama Temple, monks expressed strong interest in the Discourse of Lama, an inscription carved in Manchu, Han, Mongolian and Tibetan. Written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the piece outlines the policy of selecting reincarnated Living Buddhas through a lot-drawing process using a golden urn.
    Emperor Qianlong granted two golden urns in 1792, placing one at the Lama Temple in Beijing and the other at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. The current procedure for identifying reincarnated Living Buddhas in China has been standardized and legalized based on historical practice, according to Hu Xuefeng, abbot of the Lama Temple.
    “According to the procedure, the reincarnation of a Living Buddha must be carried out in China and approved by the central government,” Hu said during a briefing on the temple’s history and development.
    Lharkyal Lama, vice-chairman of Nepal’s Lumbini Development Trust, said Living Buddhas play a vital role in promoting Tibetan Buddhism and that their reincarnation has a long and rich history.
    After viewing an exhibition on the reincarnation of Living Buddhas — including the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama — at the Museum of Tibetan Culture at the China Tibetology Research Center, Penh Vibol, a member of the Secretariat of the Supreme Sangha Council of Cambodia, said the visit helped him better understand the background of the reincarnation tradition in China.
    “I think it’s a very good lesson and experience for us to come here and learn about the reincarnation story,” Vibol said.
    Monks said they were also pleased to see that Buddhist heritage sites and relics are well protected and that Buddhism remains vibrant in China.
    “The Lama Temple is a symbol of cultural connection between many different places,” said Lharkyal Lama. “You can see scriptures in different languages, including Tibetan and Chinese, and the architecture and relics have been beautifully preserved.”
    Phra Sophonvachirabhorn, assistant abbot of Wat Arun Ratchawararam in Thailand, said he was surprised to see so many young people worshiping at the Lama Temple.
    Hu, the abbot, said the temple receives an average of 20,000 visitors and worshipers daily — a sign that religious freedom is fully protected in the country.
    Nguyen Van Tan, a member of the General Buddhist Association of Vietnam, said he was impressed by the grandeur of the Sera Monastery in Lhasa. “I’m glad to have the opportunity to visit it for the first time. There are so many worshipers here, which shows that Buddhism has been well promoted,” he said.
    Mendbayar Demberel, an abbot from Mongolia, said he had in-depth exchanges with local Buddhist practitioners during visits to the Sera Monastery, Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, which he described as both pleasant and fruitful.
    Jampa Choipel, a monk from the Sera Monastery, said the number of visitors from both China and abroad has grown in recent years.
    “Such exchanges have boosted understanding of Buddhism among practitioners from different parts of the world,” he said. “Together, we can contribute more to the harmonious development of local communities.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Contemporary television is rarely as good as The Narrow Road to the Deep North

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University

    Prime

    The Narrow Road to the Deep North stands as some of the most visceral and moving television produced in Australia in recent memory.

    Marking a new accessibility and confidence to director Justin Kurzel, it reunites him with screenwriter Shaun Grant. Having produced some of the most compelling and confronting cinema on Australia’s darker history, this latest collaboration is no exception.

    Their previous features Snowtown (2011), True History of the Kelly Gang (2020) and Nitram (2021) focused on disturbed psychopaths wanting to unleash their fury onto a society they blame for their own wrongs and injustices.

    The Narrow Road to the Deep North, the World War II five episode miniseries, continues their exploration of Australia’s violent past while navigating a new direction in how they depict confused and damaged men.

    Trauma of survival

    Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi/Ciarán Hinds) is a doctor sent to World War II. Captured during the Battle of Java he is taken as a prisoner of war (POW), where he is forced to lead his Australian soldiers on the building of the Burma-Thailand Railway.

    Rather than an executor of violence, he is a pacifist and victim. Ultimately he has to make peace with his own trauma and guilt of survival when many around him perished – some of whom he knowingly sent to their inevitable death to ensure his own survival.

    Faithfully adapted from Richard Flanagan’s novel, this production effectively creates interchanging timelines (seamlessly edited by Alexandre de Francesch) including prewar, war and postwar, and then flashes forward to Dorrigo in his mid-70s.

    Elordi’s younger depiction of Dorrigo is filled with nuance and subtleties, often exuded through his stillness. This is harmoniously taken up by Hinds, who has to carry the weight of Dorrigo’s trauma and guilt decades later, with a worn and damaged quietness. Hinds is remarkable when faced to confront his celebrity as a war hero, desperate to give the truth over the expected yarns of mateship and heroism.

    How do we tell the truth?

    The Narrow Road to the Deep North has been scheduled to be released close to ANZAC Day, which always provokes broader conversations around the mythmaking and truth-telling of our war service and human sacrifice.

    This production arrives as a thought-provoking essay on how military history continues to be told. Does the public really want accurate accounts, or more stories on mateship and heroism? Such questions filter dramatically across each episode and up to the final shot leaving us with much to consider.

    As a war drama, The Narrow Road to the Deep North is almost entirely static. The combat the battalion engages in is eclipsed by the soldiers held as starving and malnourished prisoners, brutally forced in several graphic scenes to continue as slaves on the building of the railway at all costs.

    The brutal and endless beating of Darky Gardiner (Thomas Weatherall), who crawls to the latrine full of excrement to drown himself, rather than endure more beating, is horrific but necessary to see the endless torture these skeletal and sick POWs are subjected to.

    90,000 Asian civilians and 2,800 Australian prisoners of war died constructing the Burma Railway.
    Prime

    One misleading depiction Grant and Kurzel disappointingly do not amend from Flanagan’s novel is the view that the Burma Railway was constructed almost entirely by the bloody hands of Australian soldiers. In reality more than 90,000 Asian civilians died, and 16,000 POWs from several nations, including 2,800 Australians.

    Moving across time

    Cinematogropher Sam Chiplin brings a sense of gothic dread. The framing of every shot is masterful.

    Odessa Young as Amy, Dorrigo’s true love, is a standout. She gives us someone struggling in a loveless marriage and desiring her husband’s nephew while she watches him sent to war. Her sense of entrapment in the quiet seaside Tasmanian coastal town is quite brilliantly realised.

    Elordi’s Dorrigo is filled with nuance and subtleties. Odessa Young as Amy, Dorrigo’s true love, is a standout.
    Prime

    Other performances worthy of mention are the Japanese soldiers tasked with the project of building the leg of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Major Nakamura (Shô Kasamatsu) is compelling as the scared and conflicted guard who ultimately spends his post-war years hiding among the ruins of Shinjuku to avoid capture as a war criminal.

    Moving across the scenes and contrasting time frames is the haunting, unsettling and dissonant score by Jed Kurzel. Like the memories and trauma of the past, the music follows the characters across time and space.

    Immaculate

    Structurally immaculate, The Narrow Road to the Deep North is not defined by its brutal torture of the POWs or comradeship of the starving soldiers (though they are powerful to watch). Instead, it points us towards the quieter visions of characters having to sit alone with their distorted memories.

    The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a deeply compelling contribution to the Australian war genre.
    Prime

    The tonal inspiration may be drawn from earlier literary anti-war novels such as All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and The Naked and the Dead (1948), but The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a work of its own depth and beauty. It will deserve its place as one of the most compelling contributions to the Australian war genre.

    The final moments of cutting between the faces of Elordi and Hinds left me silent and reaching for a reread of Flanagan’s novel.

    Contemporary television is rarely this good.

    The Narrow Road to the Deep North is on Prime from April 18.

    Stephen Gaunson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Contemporary television is rarely as good as The Narrow Road to the Deep North – https://theconversation.com/contemporary-television-is-rarely-as-good-as-the-narrow-road-to-the-deep-north-253611

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘The pay is not worth the stress’: research finds 10% of lawyers plan to quit within a year

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vivien Holmes, Emerita Professor, Australian National University

    Momentum studio/Shutterstock

    No one goes into the legal profession thinking it is going to be easy. Long working hours are fairly standard, work is often completed to tight external deadlines, and 24/7 availability to clients is widely understood to be a norm, particularly in commercial and international practice.

    But too often, the demands of law can create an unhealthy workplace environment. In 2021, the stress of high workloads, low job control, and risks of secondary trauma led SafeWork NSW to categorise legal work as “high risk” for fatigue hazards – putting it alongside night shift work, emergency services, and fly-in, fly-out roles.

    To investigate this problem, we surveyed about 1,900 lawyers across Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia in March and April last year.

    We asked them about their workplace culture and its impact on wellbeing, about their levels of psychological distress, and whether they had experienced disrespectful behaviours at work.

    We also asked whether they intended to leave either their employer or the legal profession in the near future.

    Their answers allowed us to identify the type of workplace culture that is harmful to lawyers’ wellbeing. Here’s why fixing this problem matters to us all.

    Unhealthy environments

    Among the professionals we surveyed, about half found themselves in a workplace culture with negative effects on wellbeing.

    A third of this group said their workplaces were characterised by poor working relationships, self-interest and pressure to cut corners or bend rules.

    Alarming numbers of lawyers currently want to leave their current employer or quit the profession entirely.
    Pormezz/Shutterstock

    These poorer workplace cultures involved higher levels of psychological distress and more disrespectful behaviours from superiors and coworkers.

    They were also characterised by a lack of effective wellbeing supports such as mental health leave arrangements or workload allocation practices.

    Long working hours were common. More than half of participants (53%) said they worked more than 40 hours per week and 11% said they put in more than 60 hours.

    About a third of the lawyers we surveyed wanted to quit their firm, while 10% planned to leave the profession, within a year.

    Society can’t afford to ignore this problem. Lawyer wellbeing can directly affect the quality of legal services and may even lead to disciplinary action against individual lawyers. All of this can undermine public trust and confidence in the justice system.

    Workload ‘cannot be sustained’

    We invited participants to explain why they intended to leave the profession. Their answers are telling.

    One mid-career lawyer at a large firm said:

    I am in my 11th year of practice working as a Senior Associate at a top-tier firm. To put it bluntly, the work rate at which I am currently operating, which is required to meet the billable targets and budgets set for us, cannot be sustained for my whole working life – it’s too much.

    A small-firm junior lawyer talked of the workload issues described by many:

    The pay is not worth the stress. I can’t sleep because I’m constantly worried about deadlines or making mistakes, and I got paid more when I was a bartender. I love the work, but it’s a very tough slog and damaging my own wellbeing – for what?

    Our data showed junior lawyers take a lot of the pressure, reflected in higher-than-average levels of psychological distress. Equally concerning was the extent to which senior lawyers with practice management responsibilities also reported above average distress.

    Our research also showed the challenges extended beyond private practice and into government, legal aid and corporate “in-house” settings.

    As one mid-career legal aid lawyer put it:

    Lack of debriefing and supports, lack of formal mentoring and supervision, mental health toll, high workload and poor workplace culture, lack of training and supports to deal with clients in crisis, [mean it’s] not [a] family-friendly profession.

    The positives

    There was also good news. Three themes stood out in the responses from the 48% who told us they worked in positive workplace cultures. This suggests where support should be targeted.

    For nearly two thirds of our sample, having good colleagues was the most important wellbeing support. As one mid-career lawyer put it:

    Informal support such as debriefing with colleagues has been most beneficial for me.

    Good flexible working and (mental health) leave arrangements came across as the most important practical support employers could provide.

    Good workload allocation practices – and a willingness from managers to “reach out to discuss work-life balance” – make a real difference to peoples’ experience.

    Support from colleagues was the most important wellbeing support.
    UM-UMM/Shutterstock

    It matters to the rest of us

    The legal profession and its regulators have been engaging with the wellbeing problem for a while now. Our findings suggest there is still more to be done.

    For the profession as a whole we felt that there was still a need to develop greater understanding of the specific wellbeing needs of both junior lawyers and those managing them, as these are the two groups experiencing the most distress.

    Legal regulatory bodies should work to better understand how economic drivers of legal practice, such as high workloads and billing expectations, can have negative consequences for wellbeing, and whether any regulatory levers could lessen these impacts.

    The authors would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Stephen Tang, clinical psychologist, in undertaking data analysis and coauthoring the original report.

    This research was supported by the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner (VLSB+C), the Law Society of New South Wales, and the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. Matched funding for the data analysis was provided by the VLSB+C and industry research seed funding from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne.

    – ref. ‘The pay is not worth the stress’: research finds 10% of lawyers plan to quit within a year – https://theconversation.com/the-pay-is-not-worth-the-stress-research-finds-10-of-lawyers-plan-to-quit-within-a-year-254699

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In the trade war, China has moved to curb supply of critical minerals. Can Australia seize the moment?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor, Technology and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney

    China has placed curbs on exports of rare germanium and gallium which are critical in manufacturing. Shutterstock

    In the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one notable exception stood out: 31 critical minerals, including rare earth elements, were strategically exempted from tariffs.

    This was not a gesture of goodwill. It was a tacit acknowledgment of the United States’ deep dependence on China for materials essential to its technological competitiveness, clean energy transition and national defence.

    Beijing’s response was swift and calculated. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced expanded export controls and a shift in pricing principles. The move reflects China’s long-standing effort to shift rare earth pricing from market supply and demand to pricing based on their strategic value.

    The impact was immediate. Rare earth exports from China effectively ground to a halt, as exporters awaited approvals under a new, opaque licensing regime.

    The announcement prompted President Trump to issue a new executive order directing a review of national security risks stemming from the US reliance on imported, processed critical minerals.

    As global supply chains reel from these disruptions, Australia finds itself in a unique strategic position. As a trusted US ally, it possesses the resources, partnerships and political capital to step into the breach. But can Australia seize this opportunity – or will it come with strings attached?

    China’s new playbook

    China’s latest restrictions target seven rare earths – such as dysprosium and terbium – crucial for electric vehicles, wind turbines, fighter jets and missile systems.

    While stopping short of a full export ban, the policy functions as a chokepoint. It leverages China’s near-total global control of rare earth refining (around 90%) and its monopoly on heavy rare earth processing (98%).

    Domestically, China’s rare earth sector is dominated by two state-owned giants which together control nearly 100% of national mining quotas.

    These measures have exposed the vulnerability of Western supply chains. The US has only one operational rare earth mine – Mountain Pass in California – and minimal domestic refining capacity. A new processing facility in Texas owned by Australia’s Lynas is under development, but it will take years to establish a self-sufficient supply chain.

    Rare earths have become a source of contention in the tariff war.
    Shutterstock

    Europe faces similar challenges. While rare earths are vital to the EU’s green transition, domestic production remains limited. Efforts to diversify through partners like Australia and Canada show promise but are hindered by high production costs and continued reliance on Chinese technology.

    China is also working to redefine how rare earths are priced. One proposal would tie the value of key elements like dysprosium to the price of gold, elevating them from industrial inputs to geopolitical assets. Another would settle rare earth transactions in yuan rather than US dollars, advancing Beijing’s broader ambition to internationalise its currency.

    For China, this strategy goes beyond economics. It is a deliberate national resource policy comparable to OPEC’s management of oil, designed to link pricing to the strategic significance of critical minerals.

    Australia’s window?

    Investors
    are closely watching Australian producers. Strategic deposits such as Mt Weld in Western Australia have drawn renewed interest from Japan, Europe and the US.

    Industry observers argue Australia is better positioned than the US to develop secure supply chains, due to its rich geological endowment and transparent regulatory environment.

    To seize this opportunity, the government has begun to act.

    Under its Future Made in Australia initiative, the federal government is considering measures such as strategic stockpiling, production tax credits and expanded support for domestic processing. Iluka Resources has secured A$1.65 billion to build a rare earth refinery, due to be operational by 2026.

    Emerging projects like Browns Range and Lynas’s Malaysian refinery already serve as alternative nodes in the global rare earth supply chain network.

    However, structural barriers remain. The Western allies, including Australia, still lack key processing technologies and have potentially high environmental compliance costs. Lynas’s Texas plant was intended to expand allied capacity but has faced delays due to environmental approvals.

    Walking a diplomatic tightrope

    Geopolitical tensions add another layer of complexity. Australia’s dual role – as a major upstream supplier to China and a strategic ally of the US – places it on a diplomatic tightrope.

    Aligning too closely with the US could invite Chinese retaliation. Appearing overly aligned with China may provoke scrutiny from Washington.

    Ownership concerns are also rising. The government has blocked or forced divestment of Chinese stakes in rare earth and lithium companies including Northern Minerals.

    Market volatility compounds these challenges. Prices are currently buoyed by geopolitical risk, but have been volatile. Moreover, China’s ability to undercut global prices could erode the competitiveness of Australian exports.

    A strategic opportunity – but with strings attached

    Australia stands at the centre of a rare strategic inflection point. It is both a beneficiary of China’s retreat and a potential casualty of intensifying great power competition.

    In a world where resources confer influence, the question for Australia is not simply whether it has the mineral deposits but whether it has the strategy to match.

    If the government can capitalise on this moment – diversifying partnerships, investing in capabilities, and navigating allies and rivals with strategic care – it could emerge as a leader in a more diverse critical minerals landscape.

    In the era of mineral geopolitics, possessing the resources is no longer enough. The real test is whether Australia has the foresight and the will to lead.

    Marina Yue Zhang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. In the trade war, China has moved to curb supply of critical minerals. Can Australia seize the moment? – https://theconversation.com/in-the-trade-war-china-has-moved-to-curb-supply-of-critical-minerals-can-australia-seize-the-moment-254574

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thailand’s fragile democracy takes another hit with arrest of US academic

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

    Despite the challenges faced by local democratic activists, Thailand has often been an oasis of relative liberalism compared with neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

    Westerners, in particular, have been largely welcomed and provided with a measure of protection from harassment by the authorities. Thailand’s economy is extremely dependent on foreign tourism. Many Westerners also work in a variety of industries, including as academics at public and private universities.

    That arrangement now seems under pressure. Earlier this month, Paul Chambers, an American political science lecturer at Naresuan University, was arrested on charges of violating the Computer Crimes Act and the lèse-majesté law under Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code for allegedly insulting the monarchy.

    Chambers’ visa has been revoked and he now faces a potential punishment of 15 years in jail.

    The lèse-majesté law has become a common tool for silencing Thai activists. At least 272 people have been charged under the law since pro-democracy protests broke out in 2020, according to rights groups.

    Its use against foreigners has, until now, been limited. No foreign academic has ever been charged with it. Because of the law, however, most academics in Thailand usually tread carefully in their critiques of the monarchy.

    The decision to charge a foreign academic, therefore, suggests a hardening of views on dissent by conservative forces in the country. It represents a further deterioration in Thailand’s democratic credentials and provides little optimism for reform under the present government.

    Thailand’s democratic deficit

    Several other recent actions have also sparked concerns about democratic backsliding.

    Following a visit by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to China in February, the government violated domestic and international law by forcibly returning 40 Uyghurs to China.

    The Uyghurs had fled China a decade earlier to escape repression in the western Xinjiang region and had been held in detention in Thailand ever since. They now potentially face worse treatment by the Chinese authorities.

    Then, in early April, Thailand welcomed the head of the Myanmar junta to a regional summit in Bangkok after a devastating earthquake struck his war-ravaged country.

    Min Aung Hlaing has been shunned internationally since the junta launched a coup against the democratically elected government in Myanmar in 2021, sparking a devastating civil war. He has only visited Russia and China since then.

    In addition, the military continues to dominate politics in Thailand. After a progressive party, Move Forward, won the 2023 parliamentary elections by committing to amend the lèse-majesté law, the military, the unelected Senate and other conservative forces in the country ignored the will of the people and denied its charismatic leader the prime ministership.

    The party was then forcibly dissolved by the Constitutional Court and its leader banned from politics for ten years.

    In February, Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission criminally indicted 44 politicians from Move Forward for sponsoring a bill in parliament to reform the lèse-majesté law. They face lifetime bans from politics if they are found guilty of breaching “ethical standards”.

    Even the powerful former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who is also the uncle of the current prime minister, is not immune from the lèse-majesté law.

    He was indicted last year for allegedly insulting the monarchy almost two decades ago. His case is due to be heard in July.

    This continued undermining of democratic norms is chipping away at Thailand’s international reputation. The country is now classified as a “flawed democracy” in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, with its ranking falling two years in a row.



    Read more:
    Thailand’s democracy has taken another hit, but the country’s progressive forces won’t be stopped

    Academic freedom at risk

    The lèse-majesté law has always represented something of a challenge to academic freedom in Thailand, as well as freedom of speech more generally. Campaigners against the law have paid a heavy price.

    The US State Department has provided a statement of support for Chambers, urging the Thai government to “ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression”. However, given the Trump administration’s attacks on US universities at the moment, this demand rings somewhat hollow.

    Academic freedom is a hallmark of democracies compared with authoritarian regimes. With the US no longer so concerned with protecting academic freedom at home, there is little stopping flawed democracies around the world from stepping up pressure on academics to toe the line.

    The undermining of democracy in the US is already having palpable impacts on democratic regression around the world.

    With little international pressure to adhere to democratic norms, the current Thai government has taken a significant and deleterious step in arresting a foreign academic.

    In the future, universities in Thailand, as in the US, will find it harder to attract international talent. Universities – and the broader society – in both countries will be worse off for it.

    Adam Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Thailand’s fragile democracy takes another hit with arrest of US academic – https://theconversation.com/thailands-fragile-democracy-takes-another-hit-with-arrest-of-us-academic-254706

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, STANDING WITH ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES VETERANS AT THE CANANDAIGUA VA, SOUNDS ALARM ON ‘DOGE’ CUTS TO SLASH LOCAL JOBS & PROGRAMS, ELIMINATE 80,000+ VA WORKERS NATIONWIDE; SENATOR SAYS WE CAN’T…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Thousands Of Vets & VA Workers Were Already Fired, Including In The Rochester-Finger Lakes; Canandaigua VA Workers Say Cuts Creating Chaos, With Local Vet Suicide Crisis Line Workers Even Being Mistakenly Fired & Rehired, Elsewhere NY Addiction Services Staff & Other VA Programs Staff Have Been Slashed

    Now With ‘DOGE’ Plan To Slash 80,000+ VA Jobs– NEARLY ONE-FIFTH OF ALL VA WORKERS – Schumer Says Places Like Canandaigua VA, Which He Saved From Being Closed, Could Face Devastating Damage

    Schumer: We Can’t Let ‘DOGE’ Attack Health Care For Over 33,000 Vets In Finger Lakes

    With ‘DOGE’ and the Trump administration’s plans to fire over 80,000 workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) looming, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood outside the Canandaigua VA to sound the alarm on the devastating impacts for the over 33,000 veterans in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. The senator said across Upstate NY, VA workers, many of whom are veterans, have already been fired, creating chaos in the workforce and new massive cuts would spell disaster for both the Canandaigua VA and the care for vets across NY. Schumer called on the Trump administration to restore fired veterans and VA workers and stop any plans to further decimate the VA workforce.

    “This is not how you treat our veterans – it’s not just unacceptable, it’s un-American. Firing over 80,000 VA workers, many of whom are veterans themselves, will undoubtedly hurt the healthcare and benefits for the 33,000 veterans here in the Rochester-Finger Lakes. We have already seen the chaos firsthand, VA workers fired without warning across Upstate NY, chaos across the VA workforce. Here in Canandaigua they even fired workers on the veterans suicide crisis hotline before reversing themselves after public outcry. It is gut wrenching to think this is how we are treating the services of those who defended our freedoms,” said Senator Schumer. “Make no mistake, these cuts are a direct assault on our veterans here in Upstate NY. These cuts don’t just mean fewer VA workers, they mean longer wait times for our veterans to get the help they need. It means they won’t get the most advanced treatment, and ultimately it means many will likely be denied healthcare they deserve. Our nation told our veterans that if they put their lives and health on the line to protect our freedoms, we would take care of them, and the Trump administration is breaking that promise by cutting the VA to the bone. We need to make sure these cuts never happen. Not in Canandaigua or at any VA across America, and that they rehire all the veterans and VA workers who only were trying to serve those who served our country.”

    “Canandaigua VA workers, including our Veteran Crisis Line professionals are literally on the front lines every day saving veterans lives minute by minute, all while now dealing with the additional stress of their own jobs needlessly being as risk of termination.  They are fielding an increasing number of calls from stressed veterans worried that the VA cuts will affect their care or worse,” said Ronnie Orlowski, Canandaigua VA employee and President of AFGE Local 3306 that represents Canandaigua VA workers including Veteran Crisis Line workers. “A significant number of our VA workers are veterans themselves, and they bring a personal commitment and empathy to their jobs which is why it was unconscionable that dozens of Canandaigua VA workers on the Veteran Crisis Line and Homeless Veterans Hotline -several veterans themselves – were terminated earlier this year.  This includes workers who alert first responders to dispatch ambulances and police in real time to the location of a veteran in crisis calling on the line who needs immediate emergency intervention.  We fought back and while they were eventually reinstated, many do not feel their jobs are safe with the looming threat of 83,000 additional layoffs.  These proposed layoffs strike at the very heart of services that are essential to our veteran’s wellbeing, including those who have shared how the VA has been crucial in their post-service lives, from critical medical procedures and PTSD therapy to ongoing support. I thank Senator Schumer for his steadfast opposition to the proposed staffing cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and urge others to stand firm with him in ensuring our nation’s continued commitment to its veterans.” 

    Schumer said ‘DOGE’ has already fired thousands of veterans across the country, many of whom have service-connected disabilities. 2,400 VA employees, many of whom are veterans themselves, have already been terminated. The VA, however, has refused to even explain where all these cuts have been in New York, leading to chaos, and with 80,000 more looming, the senator said it could turn into a real crisis.

    Schumer said these broader ‘DOGE’ firings are especially cruel as veterans make up 30% of the federal workforce, with approximately 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. The federal government has long made it a priority to hire veterans and military spouses, encouraging them to do so as a continuation of public service, making these cuts by the Trump Administration uniquely hurtful. Schumer has repeatedly highlighted this, including bringing a Western NY disabled Army veteran who served in Afghanistan who was fired from the Buffalo VA, as his personal guest to attend President Trump’s Joint Session of Congress

    Dozens of workers in the VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System have already been caught in the crossfire of Trump’s firing chaos:

    1. Last February according to the AFGE, 9 Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) workers at the Canandaigua VA were fired, only to be reinstated days later after public outcry across the country. These included workers whose job is to call local first responders to dispatch intervention rescues when a veteran on the line is in crisis.
    2. 10 workers in the Finger Lakes VA system were fired.
    3. Additionally, VA union officials report that VA Homeless Hotline workers hired through Canandaigua VA as remote workers are under a pending return-to-work order which has already led the call center to lose 30 percent of its workforce which will reduce the line’s effectiveness.
    4. An office manager at the Veteran’s Mental Health Center in Rochester was fired, and though the manager was rehired, a supervisor has been fired since then.
    5. Spectrum News reported layoffs at the Bath VA’s Detox and Substance Use Rehab Center, risking its shutdown due to staffing shortages. Every Veteran Court in Monroe County sends their defendants to Bath for rehab, and the Bath facility is one of the only facilities that can provide in-patient detox care in the greater Rochester-Finger Lakes region.

    ‘DOGE’ has also directed the VA to cancel over 800 contracts that support chemotherapy treatment, screenings for veterans suffering from toxic exposure, detecting and preventing waste, fraud, and abuse, digitizing veterans’ disability claim records, and more. Schumer said these cuts have already hurt health care services that the VA can offer veterans and are just a small example of what’s to come. While Secretary Collins claimed the contract cancellations will have no negative impact on veterans’ health care, VA employees claim the contracts being cancelled are “central to patient safety.”

    Schumer added, “I am all for cutting out inefficiency, but you use a scalpel, not a chainsaw. Jobs and care for our veterans in Upstate NY is not government waste – full stop. This will hurt our veterans and their families.”

    These cuts also come at potentially the worst time, as more veterans had just started receiving healthcare than ever before thanks to Schumer leading the PACT Act to passage through Congress, which after years of denying vets treatment extended health coverage for exposure to burn pit smoke and other environmental hazards that caused cancers and other illnesses during their service In 2023 alone, the VA hired more than 60,000 new employees to serve thousands of new patients seeking care after the passage of the PACT Act. Trump’s plan to gut the VA workforce will reverse progress made in recent years to provide quality and continuous care to veterans suffering from diseases brought on by exposure to toxic burn pits. Schumer said if proposed firings go through, health care services for 33,000 veterans in the Finger Lakes and millions more across the country will be at risk.

    These drastic workforce cuts to the VA will cripple the agency’s ability to serve the 400,000 veterans enrolled in benefits between March 2023 and March 2024. VA employees and advocates indicate when these cuts take place, wait times, as well as delays or denial in care, will worsen as the longstanding staffing shortage problem at the VA will be significantly exacerbated. Cuts to the VA research workforce will prevent VA from delivering enhanced, tailored care to the veterans they are still able to serve, undoubtedly resulting in worse health outcomes for veterans suffering from service-connected illnesses.

    Ontario County U.S. Marine Corps and Vietnam Era Veteran Wayne Thompson said, “As a veteran, I know firsthand how important the role VA services and programs play in supporting those of us who have served. The proposed staffing cuts would be detrimental, not only to veterans in need of assistance but also to the remaining employees who provide these vital services. Reductions like these are likely to overburden the already dedicated staff and risk leaving many veterans without the support they desperately need. The current White House’s chaotic administration of multiple aspects of citizens lives is raising havoc with Veterans and the general public’s mental and physical wellbeing. It needs to stop before it’s too late! I join Senator Schumer to oppose these proposed cuts and to protect our access to essential VA services.”

    Nick Stefanovic, Director of the Monroe County Veterans Service Agency said, “The Department of Veterans Affairs is crucial in providing life-saving rehabilitation and mental health services to our veterans, and any cuts to this vital resource could have devastating consequences. With positions at critical medical facilities already being lost, I am very concerned about the direct impact on the care our veterans receive. I am thankful for Senator Schumer’s strong stance against these reductions. His commitment is vital in our fight to ensure that our veterans continue to have access to the care they need.”

    Senator Schumer has a long history both fighting to keep the Canandaigua VA Medical Campus open, and delivering robust federal funding to modernize the campus to boost the quality of care for Finger Lakes veterans. In 2003, the VA released its Capital Asset Realignment for Enhancement Services (CARES) Draft National Plan which recommended closing the Canandaigua Veteran’s Medical Campus, which would have forced local veterans to travel much farther to VA hospitals in other cities to receive the care they needed, and removing one of the region’s major employers. Schumer launched an all-out campaign to keep the Canandaigua Medical Campus open, even convincing the former VA secretary to visit in person. Since then, Schumer has secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars to modernize and expand the facility to provide Rochester-area veterans with the new state-of-art medical facilities and housing they have long deserved. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Doggett, Murphy Call for Independent Investigation into Medicare Advantage Organizations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

    Contact: Alexis.Torres@mail.house.gov

    Washington, D.C.—Today, Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Health Subcommittee member Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) made a bipartisan request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for a detailed investigation and report on the vertical consolidation of Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAO) and its effect on Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) calculations.

    “The acquisition of related businesses such as health care providers by MAOs could undermine the effectiveness of MLR requirements. A recent study suggested that MAOs may be able to circumvent MLR requirements through payments for medical expenses to related businesses such as health care providers,” wrote the Members. “This is because payments to a related business are considered medical expenses for purposes of calculating the MLR, even though a portion of these payments may ultimately be profits for the MAO. MAOs’ provider acquisitions in recent years further increase the potential for MAOs to circumvent MLR requirements in this manner.”

    As MAOs continue to rapidly purchase surgery centers, primary care practices, home health agencies, pharmacy benefit managers, health technology firms, and more, there must be accountability for the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars paid to these organizations, including tens of billions of wasteful overpayments. For example, UnitedHealth Group is now the nation’s largest insurer and the largest employer of physicians. These ownership structures may also create perverse incentives for physicians to add unsupported diagnoses codes to medical charts, refer patients to commonly owned providers and pharmacies, and other potentially fraudulent, wasteful, and abusive practices.

    The Members’ request specifically seeks a detailed investigation of the payments and trends in vertically consolidated MAOs, including any differentiated treatment of owned vs. independent businesses and providers.

    The full letter can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ’s over-reliance on roads for freight means natural disasters hit even harder. But there is a fix

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cécile L’Hermitte, Senior Lecturer in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, University of Waikato

    In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the driving time between Napier and Wairoa stretched from 90 minutes to over six hours, causing major supply chain delays. Retail prices rose and shoppers faced empty shelves.

    Natural hazards such as earthquakes and flooding can wreak havoc on Aotearoa New Zealand’s freight system. These crises can cause extensive road damage, isolating communities and creating disruptions in supply chain operations.

    Cyclone Gabrielle was by no means a one-off. The 2021 flooding in Canterbury, for example, forced trucks to travel nearly 900 extra kilometres between Christchurch and Timaru, extending the travel time from two to 13 hours.

    Severe weather events, the pandemic and the ongoing dispute about replacing the Cook Strait ferries have made the fragility of the freight system more apparent than ever.

    To be fair, natural hazards are beyond our control. But resilience can be increased. Our new research identified the main vulnerabilities in the country’s freight system and analysed the factors leading to post-disaster disruptions and shortages on shelves.

    The key to reducing freight disruptions, we found, is embracing and investing in the different ways goods can be moved around the country. In particular, using the thousands of kilometres of coastline offers another way to get items from one region to another.

    Rather than relying almost exclusively on the road network to move products, the government should invest in shipping infrastructure.
    Rachel Moon/Shutterstock

    Over-reliance on roads

    New Zealand’s freight system is heavily reliant on roads, with trucks carrying close to 93% of the domestic freight tonnage.

    But as they are currently organised, other potentially useful forms of transport such as rail and coastal shipping are not great alternatives. Non-road options run on timetables, for example, resulting in longer transit times.

    And unlike road transport, which can move products directly between two points, rail and coastal shipping require multiple points of contact from where the goods are produced through to where they are sold.

    As a result, when a disaster hits, alternative road routes are typically used to maintain freight deliveries. The limited alternatives in the road network and the lack of roads that can withstand heavy freight can cause problems for trucking companies. Both travel distances and transit times can increase.

    When this happens, more trucks and drivers are needed, but these are already in short supply. The transport industry has been struggling to fill positions, with an estimated shortfall of thousands of drivers across the country.

    This is compounded by the shortage of trucks, particularly specialised vehicles such as refrigerated units, which are essential for transporting perishable goods.

    NZ’s long coastlines offer options

    Government policy has a key role to play in addressing these problems and the lack of resilience in the national infrastructure system. In a country with long coastlines, reducing reliance on road transport and developing coastal shipping should be considered.

    By shifting a portion of freight to coastal shipping, the demand for trucks and drivers can be reduced. This would also ensure reliable freight movements between the North and the South Islands when the ferry services are disrupted.

    Finally, investing in coastal shipping would create a more flexible and resilient transport system where goods can shift rapidly from road to sea after a disaster.

    Achieving this would require infrastructure improvements at our domestic seaports and additional vessels to increase the frequency of service. There would also need to be operational integration between road, rail and sea, with synchronised timetables for shorter transit times.

    There will inevitably be another natural disaster that disrupts the freight system, causing delays, empty shelves and increased prices. Diversifying the transport options would increase resilience and keep those goods moving.

    Cécile L’Hermitte receives funding from Te Hiranga Rū QuakeCoRE, a Centre for Research Excellence funded by the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission.

    – ref. NZ’s over-reliance on roads for freight means natural disasters hit even harder. But there is a fix – https://theconversation.com/nzs-over-reliance-on-roads-for-freight-means-natural-disasters-hit-even-harder-but-there-is-a-fix-253008

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior Chinese official urges to improve people’s livelihood

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Seniors of the First Social Welfare Home of Chongqing interact with eldercare robot Peipei in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, March 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China will push forward reforms in its elderly care services and improve its civil services, State Councilor Shen Yiqin said during a visit to south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which began on Sunday and ended on Wednesday.
    Shen urged efforts to improve the efficiency of elderly care services and build a comprehensive, three-tier service network that covers both urban and rural areas.
    Providing tailored, sustainable paid-meal services for the elderly was highlighted as a priority.
    Shen also stressed the importance of enforcing newly revised marriage registration regulations that aim to improve marriage services and ease registration pains.
    She called for enhanced dynamic monitoring and regular assistance for low-income groups, improved support for children in difficult situations, and reinforced social safety nets.
    Efforts should also be made to improve the social security system for people with disabilities, particularly care services for those with severe disabilities, she said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Media release: QLD voters oppose Greens’ gas ban, back long-term role for gas: poll – Australian Energy Producers

    Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association

    Headline: Media release: QLD voters oppose Greens’ gas ban, back long-term role for gas: poll – Australian Energy Producers

    A majority of voters in the key federal electorates of Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan believe that natural gas has a long-term role in the state’s energy mix and oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas developments, new polling shows.

    A recent poll of over 2500 voters across the three electorates found that more than 80 per cent of voters see a role for gas in Queensland’s energy mix, with around 58 per cent citing a long-term role. More than 60 per cent of voters also believe the natural gas industry is important to the state’s economy.

    The JWS Research poll commissioned by Australian Energy Producers surveyed more than 800 voters in each of the electorates of Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan, held by Greens MPs Stephen Bates, Max Chandler-Mather and Elizabeth Watson-Brown respectively.

    The poll found that 58 of voters across the three seats oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, and only one in five support it. It also found 57 per cent support Queensland’s gas industry, and fewer than one in five don’t support the industry.

    Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the results showed Queenslanders understood the critical role of gas for the state’s economic prosperity and energy security.

    “Queensland runs on natural gas, which provides 20 per cent of the state’s primary energy needs, contributes $25 billion a year to the state economy and supports more than 57,000 jobs across the state,” Ms McCulloch said.

    “Voters in these electorates understand the value of Queensland’s gas and LNG sector because they directly benefit from the sector’s investment. A recent study found Queensland’s gas industry spent $27.8 billion with 1,100 local businesses in the seats of Ryan, Griffith and Brisbane over the past 10 years, supporting 22,000 local jobs.”

    The poll also found that cost-of-living and energy affordability is the biggest issue for voters this election.

    “With cost-of-living pressures front of mind for Queenslanders this election, these results send a strong message to all candidates contesting this election about the importance of a strong Queensland gas sector to the state’s economic growth and energy security,” Ms McCulloch said.

    “Recent analysis by EnergyQuest found The Greens’ reckless energy policy to ban new gas projects would mean higher energy bills, increased risk of blackouts, and higher emissions as more coal and diesel would be needed to keep the lights on.”

    Key results of JWS Research polling in Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan 

    JWS conducted the poll on 8-9 April on behalf of Australian Energy Producers, with over 800 respondents in each electorate.

    Brisbane

    • 80% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 54% citing long-term role. Only 6% saw no role.
    • 53% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 21% oppose.
    • 57% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 12% consider it unimportant
    • 53% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 23% neutral or undecided. Only 24% support the policy.
    • 31% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by climate change and the environment (14%), the economy and jobs (12%) and housing supply and affordability (12%).

    Griffith

    • 78% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 54% citing long-term role. Only 11% saw no role.
    • 53% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 24% oppose.
    • 56% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 16% consider it unimportant
    • 54% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 23% neutral or undecided. Only 24% support the policy.
    • 38% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by hospitals, healthcare and ageing (16%), housing supply and affordability (11%) and the economy and jobs (11%).

    Ryan

    • 85% believe natural gas has a role in Queensland’s energy mix, with 66% citing long-term role. Only 6% saw no role.
    • 66% support the natural gas industry in Queensland, only 14% oppose.
    • 66% consider the natural gas industry important to the state’s economy. Only 7% consider it unimportant
    • 66% oppose the Greens’ policy to ban all new gas projects in Australia, with 21% neutral or undecided. Only 13% support the policy.
    • 35% ranked cost of living including energy affordability as the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election, followed by crime (18%), housing supply and affordability (16%), climate change and the environment (11%).

    Media contact: 0434 631 511

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Delays following truck crash, East Tāmaki

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Motorists are being advised to expect delays following a crash between two trucks in East Tāmaki.

    Emergency services are responding to reports of the two vehicles colliding at the intersection of Highbrook Drive and El Kobar Drive, reported to Police at midday.

    Early indications suggest one person has been injured.

    Highbrook Drive is closed and diversions are in place between El Kobar Drive and Business Parade.

    Motorists are being advised to expect delays or seek an alternative route.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Tours Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Highlights Importance of Federal Funding Amid Trump Attacks on Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ***PHOTOS, B-ROLL HERE***
    Lakewood, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, toured Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) in Lakewood, met with students, educators and workforce readiness partners, and heard about how the college utilizes essential federal funding streams to support their students—support that could now be at risk with the Trump administration’s all-out assault on American education and their plans to dismantle the Department of Education, which provides critical resources for students and colleges in Washington state and across the country. Last year, the Department of Education distributed over $40 million in annual funding for career and technical education and workforce development in Washington state, and over $100 million in federal financial aid and support to help students across Washington attend and complete college.
    During the visit, Senator Murray spoke with educators and their partner workforce readiness organizations about the programs that teach students transferrable professional skills that are vital for today’s workforce. Senator Murray met with educators and students in the college’s manufacturing, welding, and health sciences programs to learn about the hands-on approach their classes have been taking to prepare them for jobs. Clover Park receives over $3.2 million in annual federal financial aid and $1.1 million in federal loans to support students, through Pell Grants and programs including the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Emergency Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (EFSEOG) and Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS), which Senator Murray has long championed.
    “It’s important to hear about and see firsthand the many unique workforce training programs Clover Park Technical College offers—and how students from different backgrounds are succeeding and integrating into the local workforce. It is schools and programs like these that help make Washington state’s economy stronger and prepare our students for the future,” said Senator Murray. “Right now, President Trump is taking a wrecking ball to education in America and trying to dismantle the Department of Education—which provides critical support to students and colleges, everything from Pell Grants to workforce development programs. The billionaires running our government may not understand why federal funding for our students and colleges matters—but the students and educators I met with today do. I will not sit back quietly while Trump tries to destroy public education in America.”
    “We are thankful to Senator Patty Murray for visiting Clover Park’s Lakewood campus. We always welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our programs and to provide real-life examples of how education in a technical field can change students’ lives. Federal support for higher education not only allows our students to access the means to fund their education, it also builds capacity for small colleges like ours to equip our faculty to become exceptional teachers,” said Joyce Loveday, President of Clover Park Technical College. Joyce has been President since June 2016 and has been working with the CPTC community since 2002.  
    A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.
    Earlier this month, Senator Murray led a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a new policy the Department of Education announced recently that suddenly upended departmental policy and imposed new red tape on states, which will prevent them from accessing pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students’ learning. Senator Murray also led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the mass firings and other detrimental actions which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier March 6 letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.
    During Secretary Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing, Senator Murray pressed McMahon on whether she will ensure approved funding gets out to serve students as the law requires and whether she would protect students’ data from DOGE. She also asked McMahon to name a single requirement of ESSA—and McMahon couldn’t name any. Ahead of McMahon’s confirmation, Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against her nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
    A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Trump Admin Withholding Nearly $1 Billion in Funding for Head Start—Crunching Centers Nationwide and Forcing Devastating Closures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – As President Trump finalizes his proposal to eliminate Head Start, shutters half of the regional offices running the program, and fires scores of staff who ensure Head Start centers can serve kids and families—new data shows his administration has issued nearly $1 billion less in federal grants to Head Start centers nationwide so far this year compared to the same period last year (a steep -37% decline year-over-year).

    The Trump administration’s withholding of nearly $1 billion in Head Start funding is impacting Head Start centers nationwide—already forcing center closures, which hurt families and teachers, and risking many more. Just this week, news broke that a Head Start program in Lower Yakima Valley, Washington state, is indefinitely closing—impacting more than 400 young children and 70 staff—because it has not yet received the Head Start award it typically receives and depends on from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

    In response, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), said:

    “As he works to give more tax breaks to billionaires like himself, Donald Trump is doing everything he can to destroy Head Start—without a care in the world for the hundreds of thousands of working families across the country who depend on it.

    “So far this year, Trump has slow-walked $1 billion in funding from going out the door to Head Start programs, and we are beginning to see the devastating consequences: centers closing, kids kicked out of the classroom, teachers losing their jobs, and entire communities losing out. In Washington state, hundreds of kids will be kicked out of Head Start programs—sending their parents scrambling—if this isn’t immediately rectified.

    “But Trump isn’t content to simply hold up funding for Head Start—he wants to eliminate the program altogether and rip pre-K and essential support away from families nationwide. Democrats won’t let a proposal like that go anywhere in Congress—but make no mistake: Trump is already doing all he can to wreck the program on his own, withholding funding and shuttering the offices and firing the people who get local Head Start centers what they need to serve families. Now, we’re seeing the ruinous consequences. I’m going to keep fighting back with all I’ve got—because we’ve got to keep mobilizing and opposing this administration’s cruel agenda to help billionaires and hurt working families.”

    Head Start programs’ grants are generally renewed at the same time each year, and Head Start programs depend on these strict funding cycles to continue serving kids and families. In fiscal years 2024 and 2025, Head Start has been funded at $12.27 billion. In 2024, $2.548 billion in Head Start funding went out from the start of the year through April 15. But during the same period this year, only $1.604 billion has so far gone out—a $943 million, or -37%, decline. Any delays in funding going out the door can have devastating consequences for Head Start programs.

    A state-by-state breakdown of the Head Start funding being slow-walked by the Trump administration is below:

    State Head Start Funding Disbursed
    1/1/24 – 4/15/24    		 Head Start Funding Disbursed
    1/1/25 – 4/15/25    		 Delta
    AK $14,132,700 $5,956,913 -$8,175,787
    AL $29,096,748 $32,472,362 $3,375,614
    AR $28,933,943 $26,312,413 -$2,621,530
    AZ $38,906,843 $20,426,555 -$18,480,288
    CA $254,342,881 $125,679,575 -$128,663,306
    CO $45,394,001 $14,954,520 -$30,439,481
    CT $30,961,127 $17,957,670 -$13,003,457
    DC $3,143,844 $3,150,870 $7,026
    DE $1,833,375 $2,247,984 $414,609
    FL $151,861,319 $113,491,955 -$38,369,364
    GA $85,763,676 $56,505,581 -$29,258,095
    HI $16,041,208 $8,151,946 -$7,889,262
    IA $30,889,346 $17,841,445 -$13,047,901
    ID $125,000 $62,500 -$62,500
    IL $110,601,332 $50,868,206 -$59,733,126
    IN $51,404,133 $39,258,390 -$12,145,743
    KS $32,615,581 $11,997,982 -$20,617,599
    KY $4,472,516 $2,288,208 -$2,184,308
    LA $57,055,929 $33,700,234 -$23,355,695
    MA $35,497,518 $28,777,639 -$6,719,879
    MD $19,698,940 $13,499,156 -$6,199,784
    ME $6,133,783 $0 -$6,133,783
    MI $95,179,153 $52,370,863 -$42,808,290
    MN $68,262,114 $48,723,519 -$19,538,595
    MO $89,436,511 $58,625,706 -$30,810,805
    MS $30,345,853 $29,597,042 -$748,811
    MT $9,870,318 $5,423,149 -$4,447,169
    NC $71,876,328 $64,568,678 -$7,307,650
    ND $13,301,820 $3,674,611 -$9,627,209
    NE $24,126,039 $16,924,930 -$7,201,109
    NH $4,003,251 $1,560,464 -$2,442,787
    NJ $44,066,382 $45,936,255 $1,869,873
    NM $28,763,786 $4,812,435 -$23,951,351
    NV $13,796,473 $5,857,497 -$7,938,976
    NY $224,253,647 $159,182,341 -$65,071,306
    OH $108,320,709 $71,144,537 -$37,176,172
    OK $59,903,809 $44,028,886 -$15,874,923
    OR $47,190,763 $14,675,885 -$32,514,878
    PA $40,242,350 $25,140,592 -$15,101,758
    PR $80,274,531 $67,429,424 -$12,845,107
    RI $7,706,350 $9,332,709 $1,626,359
    SC $30,672,204 $17,443,686 -$13,228,518
    SD $26,218,040 $14,271,096 -$11,946,944
    TN $355,049 $175,000 -$180,049
    TX $198,073,398 $136,125,773 -$61,947,625
    UT $29,458,693 $18,592,918 -$10,865,775
    VA $16,236,945 $11,977,110 -$4,259,835
    VT $8,873,357 $362,257 -$8,511,100
    WA $50,086,577 $13,677,798 -$36,408,779
    WI $69,527,406 $34,517,013 -$35,010,393
    WV $1,991,744 $1,425,565 -$566,179
    WY $2,902,382 $1,777,707 -$1,124,675
    TOTAL $2.548 billion $1.605 billion -$943 million

    DATA SOURCE: HHS

    _________________________________________________________________

    Head Start currently serves over 750,000 kids nationwide, and the program has served nearly 40 million children and their families nationwide since its inception in 1965. There are over 17,000 Head Start centers nationwide that help kids and families thrive, and these centers are particularly important in serving rural communities with fewer options for care.

    A state-by-state breakdown of the number of kids and families served by Head Start is available HERE.

    Since taking office, President Trump has gutted the offices that keep Head Start centers and child care programs across the country running. In late February, the Trump administration fired scores of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care. Earlier this month, Trump continued to hollow out HHS, including by shuttering half of the regional offices at the Office of Head Start, which are responsible for ensuring high-quality Head Start services are available to families nationwide. The Trump administration has failed to articulate how it will ensure that uninterrupted services are available to families and that appropriate oversight will be carried out despite gutting the very offices charged with these responsibilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks, Hoyer Introduce Major Russian Sanctions, Ukraine Assistance Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer today introduced a comprehensive bill to support Ukraine and thwart Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war there. Like the Senate bill introduced earlier this month by Senator Lindsey Graham, this legislative package imposes numerous sanctions and other economic measures against Russia should it fail to cease its war of aggression against Ukraine. But this legislation also includes further vital provisions to sustain security assistance to Ukraine for its defense, generate resources for post-war reconstruction, and override presidential actions to terminate existing sanctions without cause. The bill also imposes new sanctions and export control authorities to place additional pressure on Russia, including to curb tankers carrying Russian oil above the international price cap and to ensure dual-use controls on semiconductors and other technologies that could be used to support Russia’s weapons capabilities.

    A section by section of the legislation can be found here. A PDF of the bill can be found here. 

    Additional cosponsors of the bill include Representatives William Keating, Ranking Member of the Europe Subcommittee; Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Lloyd Doggett. 

    “The US-led international response to Russia’s illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine has isolated Moscow as a global pariah, devastated the Kremlin’s capacity to fund this war, and provided essential support to the Ukrainians fighting for freedom. Now is not the time to ease up on this successful approach nor put pressure solely on the victim, Ukraine. The U.S. must remain committed to shoring up Ukraine’s ability to negotiate a just, acceptable end to this war and to holding Russia – and those supporting its illegal invasion – accountable for as long as Putin’s war of choice continues. This weekend’s missile attack in Sumy that claimed dozens of civilian lives, including children, further demonstrates the barbarity Russia has used to sow terror throughout this war, and the need to impose serious consequences for its atrocities. Make no mistake – Vladimir Putin started this war. He is a bully with no respect for peace, Ukrainian sovereignty, or international norms, and he will only end this illegal war when the world compels him to,“ said Ranking Member Meeks.

    “Our allies in Ukraine are on the front lines of freedom – fighting not only for their nations’ sovereignty but also against authoritarianism worldwide. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing urgently needed legislation that will support our allies in Ukraine and invest in their recovery through tougher sanctions on Russian oil exports, security and military assistance, and dual use export provisions. Importantly, this legislation also includes provisions that will allow the Congress, a coequal branch of government, to advance resolutions of disapproval if the President waves his authority – and assert with our own voice that Ukraine has bipartisan support in the United States,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer. “I thank Ranking Member Greg Meeks for his work to put together comprehensive legislation that reflects our values, strengthens our democracy, and ensures the United States remains on the right side of history. We must not give aid and comfort to our enemy, Russia, and we must remain steadfast in the battle for democracy.”

    “I am co-sponsoring this legislation because it reaffirms the American people’s unwavering commitment to a sovereign, democratic Ukraine,” said Ranking Member Keating. “As Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion, it is critical that the United States stands firmly by its side—not just militarily, but economically and diplomatically. This legislation includes key provisions from my own bills that aim to support Ukraine across multiple fronts. It provides war risk insurance to ensure the continued flow of international commerce with Ukraine, blocks illegal U.S. technology exports to Iran where they are used to manufacture drones deployed by Russia, and promotes the diversification of Ukraine’s energy supply. Ukraine’s victory requires more than military support – it demands a comprehensive strategy to help rebuild its economy, secure its infrastructure, and restore its independence.”

    “Our friends in Ukraine are fighting for the democratic ideals we share against a war criminal, Vladimir Putin, and the rising threat of authoritarianism globally,” said Ranking Member Connolly. “The American commitment to Ukraine, its sovereignty, and its recovery must be lasting and ironclad. We must stand firmly behind the Ukrainian people by countering Russian disinformation, advocating for multilateral support for Ukraine’s reconstruction, providing additional U.S. security assistance, and implementing crippling sanctions on Russia and its enablers to force Putin to the negotiating table. That’s why this bill includes provisions from my bipartisan legislation to expand sanctions on North Korea for its material support for Russia’s illegal invasion. The war in Ukraine is a battle between dictatorship and democracy. Between freedom and oppression. The United States must remain on the right side of history. Slava Ukraini.” 

    “Pleased to join Rep. Meek’s comprehensive bill, including provisions I authored to stop laundered Russian oil imports and to use frozen Russian assets for compensation to Ukrainians. We support Ukraine and reaffirm our recognition of Putin as a war criminal with sole responsibility for the war. We reject appeasement by Trump and his Republican enablers of Putin, who should bear the ever-mounting costs of his ongoing destruction. The world is watching whether America will remain a beacon of hope, standing with our democratic allies, or drift itself into Russian-style authoritarianism,” said Rep. Doggett.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Euronet Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call Details

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEAWOOD, Kan., April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Euronet (or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: EEFT) announced today it will release first quarter 2025 earnings results prior to the market opening on Thursday, April 24, 2025. Euronet will hold a conference call the same day at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results.

    The conference call and accompanying slide show presentation will be accessible via webcast by following the link posted on http://ir.euronetworldwide.com. Participants wanting to access the conference call by telephone must register at   Euronet Worldwide First Quarter 2025 Earnings Call to receive dial-in information. While not required, it is recommended participants join the call five minutes prior to the event start.

    A webcast replay will be available beginning approximately one hour after the event at http://ir.euronetworldwide.com and will remain available for one year.

    About Euronet Worldwide, Inc.

    Starting in Central Europe in 1994 and growing to a global real-time digital and cash payments network with millions of touchpoints today, Euronet now moves money in all the ways consumers and businesses depend upon. This includes money transfers, credit/debit card processing, ATMs, POS services, branded payments, foreign currency exchange and more. With products and services in more than 200 countries and territories provided through its own brand and branded business segments, Euronet and its financial technologies and networks make participation in the global economy easier, faster, and more secure for everyone. 

    A leading global financial technology solutions and payments provider, Euronet has developed an extensive global payments network that includes 55,248 installed ATMs, approximately 1,160,000 EFT POS terminals and a growing portfolio of outsourced debit and credit card services which are under management in 64 countries; card software solutions; a prepaid processing network of approximately 777,000 POS terminals at approximately 362,000 retailer locations in 64 countries; and a global money transfer network of approximately 607,000 locations serving 197 countries and territories. Euronet serves clients from its corporate headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, USA, and 67 worldwide offices. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.euronetworldwide.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Cambodia ties set model for building community with shared future — Chinese ambassador

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China-Cambodia ties set model for building community with shared future — Chinese ambassador

    PHNOM PENH, April 16 — The friendly and close cooperation between China and Cambodia has become a model for building a community with a shared future for mankind and a new type of international relations as well, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin has said.

    Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cambodian leaders, the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future has entered a new era of high quality, high level and high standard, Wang said in a written interview with Xinhua.

    China and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1958, and their traditional friendship fostered by successive generations of Chinese and Cambodian leaders has been continuously advanced, becoming a model of mutual respect and equal treatment between countries with different social systems and different sizes, he said.

    Recent years have seen steady growth in their friendly and practical cooperation under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two countries, said the Chinese ambassador.

    The two sides, he said, have been working to implement a new action plan on building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, not least by promoting the synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy, enriching the dimensions of the Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework and accelerating the building of the “industrial development corridor” and the “fish and rice corridor.”

    The efforts have yielded fruitful results, Wang said.

    First, two-way trade has expanded remarkably thanks to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade deal and the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). China has been Cambodia’s largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. And in 2024, two-way trade reached 17.83 billion U.S. dollars, up by 20.7 percent year-on-year.

    The approval for high-quality Cambodian agricultural and fishery products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, longans, coconuts and basa fish to enter the Chinese market has not only graced the dining tables of Chinese consumers but also boosted the incomes of Cambodian people.

    Second, investment cooperation has continued to deepen. China has remained Cambodia’s largest source of foreign investment for 13 consecutive years, with investments spanning a wide range of sectors, including transportation, power, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, special economic zones, as well as information and communications technology, characterized by extensive coverage, large scale and strong results.

    Take the power sector. By the end of 2024, Chinese companies had completed and put into operation 10 hydropower plants and two thermal power plants in Cambodia, with a total installed capacity accounting for over 60 percent of the country’s total. This has provided a robust guarantee for Cambodians to “access electricity” and “enjoy reliable electricity.”

    Third, mutually beneficial cooperation has improved people’s livelihoods. Major China-Cambodia landmark projects of Belt and Road cooperation, such as the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, have become key drivers of Cambodia’s economic and social development, creating tens of thousands of local jobs.

    Additionally, China has helped Cambodia build or upgrade approximately 4,000 km of roads and construct over 10 mega bridges, and implemented multiple “small yet smart” public wellbeing projects, including rural roads and water supply systems, significantly improving the living conditions of local residents.

    Wang said that China-Cambodia people-to-people exchanges, as a key pillar of China-Cambodia friendship and cooperation, were boosted by the China-Cambodia People-to-People Exchange Year 2024. Over the years, the medical cooperation programs including “Love Heart Journey,” “Bright Journey” and “Smile Journey” have provided quality healthcare service to grassroots populations in more than 20 Cambodian provinces and cities.

    The envoy said he expects people-to-people exchanges to continue to expand under the guidance of the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative, which, according to him, will benefit areas ranging from culture, youth, media, think tanks, tourism and technology, to healthcare and cultural relics restoration.

    As history and reality have both proven, he said, China and Cambodia are good neighbors, good brothers, good friends and good partners who share weal and woe and stand together through thick and thin.

    The friendship between the two countries is not a transactional relationship, nor a stopgap measure, still less a bloc confrontation, he said.

    Rather, it is rooted in the practical needs of our respective national development and rejuvenation, serves the common interests of both nations and peoples, and aligns with the historical trend of solidarity, self-strengthening and shared development among Global South countries, Wang said.

    Facing an international landscape of turbulence and transformation along with ever-emerging global challenges, both China and Cambodia are committed to advancing peace, development and progress in the world, he said.

    China will continue working hand in hand with Cambodia to carry forward their everlasting friendship, enhance strategic mutual trust and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation so as to elevate their traditional friendship to new heights and make fresh contributions to promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity both regionally and globally, Wang added.

    MIL OSI China News –