Category: Vehicles

MIL-OSI: ACT-ion Raises $7.5 million in Pre-Series A Round Led by BASF Venture Capital

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DALLAS, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ACT-ion Battery Technologies, a startup in the field of lithium ion battery cathode active materials (CAM), announced today the successful closing of its Pre-Series A funding round. Founded in 2019, ACT-ion has developed both an efficient and cost-effective means to produce single crystalline cathode active materials. This chemistry agnostic process addresses a critical challenge in the lithium-ion battery value chain: the need to both reduce CAM production costs and increase production throughput.

The USD 7.5 million round was led by BASF Venture Capital, with participation from Hunt Energy Enterprises, Mirae Asset Capital, Arosa Capital Management, and LG Technology Ventures. ACT-ion will use the proceeds to accelerate its innovative CAM production technology, aiming to establish an operational pilot facility by 2025, with validations from leading industry partners.

ACT-ion is the recent recipient of a R&D 100 award which recognized the Company’s innovation to overcome the complexity and cost of CAM manufacturing. ACT-ion’s continuous process generates coated single crystal CAM leading to higher performance and longer cycle life lithium-ion batteries. ACT-ion has successfully demonstrated this manufacturing platform for a variety of chemistries.

“We are excited to have the support of Pre-Series A investors who share our vision for battery materials and manufacturing,” said Jin Lim, CTO and Interim CEO of ACT-ion. “This funding will allow us to bring our innovative solutions to market faster and make a meaningful impact on the global energy landscape.”

“We are excited to have led this financing round and to support ACT-ion as a partner. With the market need for novel battery materials, and the processes to produce them, ACT-ion’s mission to improve CAM aligns well with BASF efforts to deliver innovation to our customers,” said Joshua Speros, Investment Manager at BASF Venture Capital.

“The domestic production of battery materials at cost will mark a significant milestone in the US CAM industry,” said Lillian Shattock, Director of Private Investments at Arosa Capital Management. “We are thrilled to support ACT-ion, as we believe their technology can be a pivotal enabler of domestic CAM manufacturing.”

Incubated within and spun-out of Hunt Energy Enterprises LLC, “the ACT-ion venture was developed to target the largest cost constraint within lithium batteries and thereby help enable growth for markets such as electric drones, electric vehicles and power tools,” said Victor Liu, Chairman of ACT-ion.

About ACT-ion Battery Technologies

ACT-ion Battery Technologies is a leading lithium battery cathode active material (CAM) technology company. As an advanced manufacturing technology company, ACT-ion’s rapid continuous process produces coated single crystal CAMs for lithium batteries through a novel, clean, and chemistry-agnostic process, requiring lower energy and cost. For more information, please visit www.act-ion.com.

About Hunt Energy Enterprises

Hunt Energy Enterprises is the corporate energy technology venture group within Hunt Energy Company, LP. As such, Hunt Energy Enterprises has incubated several technologies that leverage its operations and knowledge to create new energy companies and partnerships with entrepreneurs in both the conventional petroleum business and cleantech power. It is part of a larger privately-owned group of companies managed by the Ray L. Hunt family that engages in oil and gas exploration, refining, power, real estate, ranching and private equity investments. For more information, please visit www.huntenergyenterprises.com.

About BASF Venture Capital GmbH

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF Venture Capital GmbH also contributes to this corporate purpose. Founded in 2001, BASF Venture Capital invests in Europe, the United States, Canada, China, India, Brazil, and Israel. Our goal is to generate new growth potential for current and future business areas of BASF by investing in innovative startups. The focus of our venture investments includes decarbonization, circular economy, Agtech, new materials, digitalization and new, disruptive business models. For more information, please visit https://www.basf.com/global/en/who-we-are/organization/group-companies/BASF_Venture-Capital

About Arosa Capital Management

Arosa Capital Management is an alternative investment manager that focuses on investments in alternative energy, traditional energy and related sectors. Founded in 2013, Arosa’s approach is rooted in rigorous fundamental analysis and deep sector expertise to invest in private and public companies as well as in credit and commodities on a cross asset basis. The focus of Arosa’s ventures strategy is investments in private companies that primarily pursue alternative, renewable, or efficient energy technologies. For more information, please visit www.arosacapital.com.

About Mirae Asset Capital

Mirae Asset Capital is a leading financial institution specializing in fostering innovation and driving new growth opportunities as a trusted financial partner. Established in 1997, the firm invests in groundbreaking ideas across sectors including AI, robotics, energy, and biotechnology. Leveraging the extensive global network of the Mirae Asset Financial Group, Mirae Asset Capital operates across key markets such as Korea, the United States, India, and China. For more information, please visit vc.miraeassetcapital.com.

About LG Technology Ventures

LG Technology Ventures is the venture capital investment arm of the LG Group. LG Technology Ventures was established in 2018 and its team consists of experienced investors, entrepreneurs, technologists, and industry domain experts. Currently, LG Technology Ventures is managing over $805 million of fund assets and invests in early-stage start-ups in artificial intelligence, mobility, advanced materials, life-sciences, next generation display, mobile, and 5G. We strive to create value for our portfolio companies by helping them develop strategic partnerships with LG Companies. For more information, please visit https://www.lgtechventures.com/.

For more information, please contact: ACT-ion Communications, Email: inquiry@act-ion.com

The MIL Network –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: A Stronger Engine for Middle East and North Africa’s Growth

Source: IMF – News in Russian

The Managing Director’s Keynote Speech at the Ninth Arab Fiscal Forum, Dubai, UAE

February 10, 2025

Assalamu alaikum, your excellencies. I would like to thank Minister Al Hussaini for the United Arab Emirates’ continued warm hospitality in hosting this important annual event, as well as his excellent leadership of the World Bank’s Development Committee.

It is a privilege to address you at the ninth Arab Fiscal Forum. Over the years, the IMF and Arab countries have always had a strong and productive partnership. Today, this partnership is more vital than ever as the world and this region undergo significant economic, technological, and geopolitical shifts—a point that I will reflect on later.

In my remarks, I will explore how Arab countries can leverage fiscal policy to transform their economies for the future, and harness technology and investment opportunities for the benefit of their people.

Global outlook and transformations

Let me start with an overview of the global and regional economic outlook.

Global growth is projected to hold at 3.3 percent this year and the next, and then to slow over the next five years, to just above 3 percent. This is well below the historical average.

For the Middle East and North Africa, we expect growth to rebound to about 3.6 percent in 2025, driven by a recovery in oil production and an easing of regional conflicts. However, as with the global economy, our medium-term outlook still sees growth weaker than before the pandemic.

Policymakers have generally succeeded in taming inflation, but not everywhere, with inflation picking up again in some countries. This could lead to a divergence in interest rates across countries and higher borrowing costs for emerging market and developing economies.

On the fiscal side, the legacy of the multiple shocks from the last years leaves public finances under significant strain in many countries. Global public debt is projected to hit 100 percent of global GDP by 2030. Many countries in this region face similar pressures, with debt levels exceeding 70 percent of GDP. This poses the risk of them becoming trapped in a low-growth, high-debt scenario.

Governments have the difficult task of containing high debt levels in the face of rising spending needs. This region faces the pressing need to create jobs, enhance social safety nets, build resilience to more frequent natural disasters, and support economic diversification. The demands of national security and post-conflict reconstruction are also substantial.

This is all happening at a time of significant global transformations, which are creating a more uncertain and challenging environment for policymaking. We know, for instance, that trade is no longer the engine of growth that is used to be—unlike the decades of the 1990s and 2000s when global trade grew much faster than global GDP, the two are now growing at roughly the same rate. Governments around the world are shifting policy priorities: the new US administration has been clear that it intends to take action in the areas of trade, tax and spending, deregulation, and technology/digital assets. And the technology revolution—especially AI—is upon us and is set to transform the way we live and work, perhaps as early as the next five years.

These rapid transformations mean the recipes of the past may no longer provide the path to prosperity. Economies will need to be agile, adaptable and resilient—these will be the ingredients for future success.

How can the MENA region find these ingredients for success and avoid a low-growth, high-debt scenario?

Building adaptable and more resilient economies

First, focus on structural changes that increase economic resilience, agility, and long-term growth potential. Too often, countries use fiscal stimulus to boost short-term domestic demand. While this “sugar rush” provides temporary growth, it often fuels inflation and financial turbulence. Instead of merely stepping on the gas, we need a stronger engine.

Productivity growth is essential for stronger growth and driving up economic performance. Our research in the Arab region shows how to do it: accelerate digitalization, reduce the state’s footprint in the economy, foster trade diversification, and encourage the free flow of capital to dynamic firms.

Countries in the region that are more digitalized have substantially higher productivity than less-digitalization ones. Some countries are among the most developed in the world in this area. Digital innovation, with AI technologies, is expected to raise UAE’s GDP significantly by 2030. More R&D spending will further enhance productivity.

Reducing the state’s footprint in the economy and strengthening governance can yield significant benefits. For example, Saudi Arabia’s regulatory improvements have fostered private sector investment, especially in the non-oil economy. The UAE’s National Agenda for Entrepreneurship has supported a vibrant startup community, and Morocco’s New Model of Development aims to spur markets by improving public sector governance.

Encouraging employment is also a key ingredient for stronger growth. With a growing working-age population, the region has to make the most of its demographic advantage. Creating more private jobs, for women and youth in particular, can lead to more vibrant and inclusive economies. This requires more-flexible labor markets, and investment in education and vocational training. We have recently seen impressive developments in this regard in Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain.

A second priority is economic diversification. Today’s transformations provide an excellent opportunity to stimulate and reallocate resources toward new economic sectors and services. This could become a robust new growth engine, particularly for oil-exporting countries. Many countries are already investing in new technologies, such as batteries for electric cars; in improving connectivity and in green supply chains, for example.

Third, in a world where patterns of cooperation are shifting, countries need to look for opportunities to cooperate in new ways. In many cases, this means deepening regional cooperation. The GCC is an excellent example of the benefits of regional integration—one that I can imagine can be emulated elsewhere.

Building fiscal buffers and institutions

Let me turn to the fiscal side.

Prudent fiscal stance is essential for macroeconomic stability — a prerequisite for a vibrant private sector and economic growth. An overarching priority today is to decisively use fiscal policy to build fiscal buffers, which is essentially the capacity to spend when needed – for example, to respond to shocks, manage and mitigate risks, and meet pressing development and climate-related needs.

Many countries will need to pursue fiscal consolidation. It is crucial to carefully calibrate the size, pace, and composition of fiscal adjustments, to avoid unduly hampering growth. Tailoring budgetary reforms to each country’s circumstances, with a helping hand for those who lose out, is vital to ensure public support.

In this context, increasing tax revenues remains a priority. Our research finds significant potential in strengthening domestic tax systems. This requires expanding tax bases, especially as economies diversify. For example, as new sectors grow, including through digitalization, they can become an important source of tax revenues. In addition, digitalization and AI can help modernize tax administrations.

Domestic taxes will remain the primary source of funding government spending. However, private domestic and external financing will be needed to support the spending needs in the region. Addressing the impact of more frequent natural disasters will potentially require a cumulative $1 trillion in investment by 2030. The financial sector must play a larger role, while governments can enable an investment-friendly environment.

Several countries in the region require special attention, either to resolve ongoing conflicts or to advance post-conflict reconstruction. I pray that peace and stability can be delivered in Sudan and Yemen. I hope that the ceasefire in Gaza, along with political changes in Syria and Lebanon, can mark new beginnings. The international community’s reconstruction efforts provide a unique opportunity to rebuild better and lay the foundations for stronger growth.

Let me conclude

In a world of rapid transformations, it is critical for countries to become more agile, adaptable, and resilient. They need to look for new engines of growth, which will also help avoid a low-growth, high-debt trap.

The private sector has to be in the lead in transforming economies in the region through entrepreneurship, job creation, and innovation.

The role of governments is to foster the right environment for this private sector-led growth: by strengthening governance, modernizing public institutions, reducing bureaucracy, encouraging youth and female employment, and improving access to capital. And by designing and communicating policies that put people first and increase social support.

The IMF remains fully committed to supporting the Middle East and North Africa. Since early 2020, we have approved about $33 billion in financing for the region, most recently in 2024 to help mitigate the impact of conflict. We have also recently reformed our surcharge policy, resulting in important savings for some countries. We have also expanded our capacity development and strengthened our regional presence with resident representative offices, technical assistance centers, and the new regional office in Riyadh.

We are now stepping up our efforts to support the private sector, with the creation of a new IMF Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth. I can assure you, this region will be represented on it. And we look forward to the upcoming Al-Ula conference with emerging market economies, to discuss key issues affecting your economies. Jobs, innovation, and productivity—combined with a sound fiscal approach—will mean better prospects for citizens in this region and ultimately more peace and stability.

Let’s get to work, or as you say, “linabda al-âmal”—let’s start the work together!

I wish you all many insightful discussions and meaningful outcomes today.

Shukran!

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER:

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/10/sp-021025-md-keynote-speech-ninth-arab-fiscal-forum

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Irradiator Removal Saves Millions of Dollars While Making Campuses Safer

Source: US State of Connecticut

In a milestone move intended to increase campus safety and lower operational costs, safety officials at UConn Storrs and UConn Health recently coordinated the removal of four cesium-sourced irradiators used for research and medical purposes.

The disposal operation – a costly, highly-choreographed effort at each site that involved cranes, giant disposal casks, flatbed trucks, and campus and state police escorts – was made possible through the Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project (CIRP), a voluntary initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offering financial incentives to medical and research institutions willing to replace cesium-137 irradiators with new x-ray-based devices. Run by DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Radiological Security (ORS), the program covers 100% of the cost of disposing cesium-137 based irradiators and reimburses up to 50% of the purchase price of new equipment.

Kevin Higgins, the radiation safety officer at UConn Health, estimates it would have cost roughly $580,000 each – a total of $1.74 million – had UCH attempted to dispose its three irradiators on its own. Another $450,000 to $500,000 in savings was realized, he says, thanks to CIRP covering half the cost of two new X-ray irradiators that replaced the two cesium-based devices used by researchers and the blood bank at UCH. A third cesium irradiator no longer in use, was removed but not replaced.

At Storrs CIRP helped offset roughly $882,000 in costs associated with the removal and replacement of its single cesium-sourced irradiator, a 1969-era model housed in the Pharmacy Biology Building and used for genetics and cell research, says Amy Courchesne, the radiation safety officer at UConn Storrs. The program also reimbursed the cost of add-ons for the new X-ray irradiator, which included specialized accessories, and $16,000 for modifications to the room it occupies, and a service contract.

“If we decided not to go with CIRP, the University would have had to cover those costs,” she says.

The primary goal of CIRP is to reduce the security risks associated with the institutional use of cesium-137 and cobalt-60 sourced irradiators. The irradiators are safely shielded to protect users from exposure but contain highly radioactive isotopes with a long half-life that could pose a significant health risk if dismantled from their protective shielding or released into the environment.

While radioactive source irradiators have benefits, such as scientific research and the irradiation of blood, they would pose a grave risk to communities should they be lost or stolen. In the wrong hands, even a small amount of high-activity radioactive material could be used in an act of radiological terrorism.

Contributed photo.

UConn is among the hundreds of academic, medical, and other institutions to participate in CIRP since its inception in 2014. In course of 10 years, the program has facilitated the replacement of 67% of the radio-isotopic irradiators in the United States, according to Evan Thompson, a foreign affairs specialist with NNSA.

As of Sept. 5, 2024, some 235 cesium-137-sourced blood irradiators have been replaced through the program and 82% of self-shielded cesium-137-based blood irradiators in the U.S. have been replaced, removed, or are slated for removal by contract or pledge.

Replacing the irradiators at both sites required a great deal of planning, teamwork, and coordination. At UCH, the new research irradiator was installed prior to the cesium irradiator being removed. For the blood bank, an entirely new location for blood irradiation was constructed.

On removal day, UConn, state, and local police were onsite to secure the site and manage traffic flow. The irradiators were then disassembled to access the shielded containers housing the radioactive sources. The containers, which weigh several thousand pounds, were then moved under police escort to a loading dock, lifted from there to a loading dock and placed on the ground. A crane then hoisted them up and into a specially designed shipping cask securely fastened to the flatbed tractor-trailer. As a last step, the cask was pressure tested to ensure proper assembly and escorted offsite by state and local police.

The advantages of participating in the program go well beyond the cost savings associated with removal and replacement, notes Courchesne. The bureaucratic and regulatory aspects of operating the cesium-sourced irradiators were significant.

“Due to security, FBI background checks were required for unescorted access,” she says. “After 9/11, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission put additional security orders into effect, including 24/7 monitoring, fail-safe monitoring with backup power, contingency planning and more.”

The stricter rules prohibited the university from publicly disclosing that it owned a cesium-sourced irradiator, which limited use of the device to researchers within the university. Individuals interested in using the irradiator for research had to contact Courchesne and take an exam to ensure they had the capability to safely use it, then be escorted by radiation safety personnel when they used it.

Under CIRP, the cradle-to-grave custodianship of the cesium-sourced devices shifts from the owning institution to the federal government, freeing UConn and UCH from that responsibility and any associated costs.

At Storrs, the removal was facilitated by UConn’s Office of Vice President for Research (OVPR). Jeremy Blasbaugh, director of UConn’s Center of Open Research Resources (COR²E), will oversee the installation and the new X-ray irradiator at that site and its future use by researchers.

“As the radiation safety officer, I’m excited that researchers will be able to use the replacement X-ray irradiator,” says Courchesne. “We can share about it and promote collaboration. We don’t have the liability and regulatory restrictions around the device anymore.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: Pando Launches Pi – AI Teams for Logistics, Enabling Autonomous Freight Procurement, Planning, and Payments for Global Brands

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pando, the leading Logistics AI company, today announced the launch of its AI Teams for Logistics, a groundbreaking suite of AI Agents designed to automate freight procurement, dispatch planning, and freight audit and payment processes for global brands. Purpose-built to transform logistics operations, its new ‘Logistics Services as Software’ model enables manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to replace manual, error-prone tasks with intelligent automation to unlock unprecedented efficiency and cost savings by replacing the need for hiring additional staff or more software with AI agents. Pi redefines both logistics and talent strategies, accelerating the shift toward a world where Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence work together to drive complex business processes. Pando’s AI Agents act as a team of smart analysts, empowering logistics managers to delegate important yet repetitive decisions to these agents, who execute them with unmatched accuracy.

Pando’s CEO Nitin Jayakrishnan and global technology executive, public and private company board director Suja Chandra will showcase Pando’s AI Teams through a live demonstration at Manifest 2025 in Las Vegas from February 10-12 at booth #1408, giving industry leaders an exclusive look at how AI is reshaping global transportation management.

Automating Routine Decisions with AI Teams

For decades, logistics teams have been weighed down by time-consuming processes —coordinating with carriers, negotiating rates, verifying invoices, tracking shipment delays, and ensuring contract compliance and service delivery. These tasks, while critical, are cumbersome, and distract teams from focusing on strategic initiatives that drive top and bottom line for the brands they serve. Teams can now break this cycle by hiring AI Teams that can automate routine tasks such as invoice audits, payments processing, carrier collaboration, and freight spend analysis and reporting.

Pando’s AI Teams are already deployed at some of the world’s largest brands. Seamlessly integrated with business systems, third-party tools, and market data Pando creates an enterprise-specific supply chain knowledge graph. This dynamic, real-time representation of the logistics network continuously trains enterprise-specific Logistics Language Models^® (LLMs) that not only understand multi-modal global logistics but precisely understand the context of individual businesses and their networks. This allows Pando’s AI Teams to execute repetitive tasks and decisions in freight and transportation management with high precision.

“At Accuride, on-time delivery to our global commercial vehicle customers is paramount. This in turn demands seamless collaboration with our global suppliers in Asia,” said Skotti Fietsam, SVP Global Supply Chain. “Pando’s AI agents have transformed our supplier collaboration in this context of inbound logistics. What once took days of painstaking manual review of booking reports and packing lists from suppliers now happens in minutes. Pi, Pando’s AI agent, automatically extracts critical data from supplier emails, generating shipment records ready for review. This frees our team from tedious tasks, allowing us to focus on strategic priorities and ensure we meet our customers’ demands. Pando is a true game-changer with its cutting-edge AI capabilities, dramatically boosting our team productivity and ensure we maintain our competitive edge.”

From Automation to Intelligence: AI Teams That Execute Complex Logistics Decisions

With more data and continuous learning, AI Teams take on increasingly complex and high-value logistics decisions. For example, Pando’s AI Teams now procure freight across multiple modes and geographies, ensuring optimal pricing and carrier selection for both spot and long-term contracts autonomously. It determines the best modal mix, optimizes carrier allocations, bundles lanes, negotiates rates, and finalizes contracts, all while ensuring alignment with broader service level expectations. AI Teams can also audit, validate invoices, execute claims processes, and pay freight invoices across all modes, services, and currencies, identifying discrepancies and even resolving disputes by collaborating directly with carriers to resolve invoice disputes.

The Future of Logistics: AI Teams Partnering with Human Teams

Pando represents a fundamental shift in how logistics teams operate. Moving beyond simple automation, it creates a model where human intelligence and artificial intelligence collaborate seamlessly. Instead of spending their time on routine decisions, logistics professionals can now focus on strategy, innovation, and higher-value problem-solving, supported by AI Agents that execute with precision and reliability.

“Logistics teams are burdened with too many ‘keep-the-lights-on’ tasks—chasing carriers, negotiating spot rates, validating invoices—leaving little room for strategic initiatives. With Pando, we are bringing the power of AI to logistics decision-making, freeing teams to focus on what truly matters. This isn’t about automation for automation’s sake; it’s about super-powering logistics to be true revenue partners to the business,” said Nitin Jayakrishnan, CEO of Pando.

Experience Pi at Manifest 2025

As AI continues to reshape global supply chains, AI is set to become an indispensable tool for logistics teams worldwide, accelerating the industry’s shift toward autonomous operations.

Pando will be showcasing Pi at Manifest 2025 in Las Vegas (Booth #1408, February 10-12), where attendees can experience firsthand how AI Teams can drive efficiency, accuracy, and autonomy in logistics management.

About Pando

Pando is a global leader in AI-powered logistics technology, helping manufacturers, distributors, and retailers automate the procure-to-pay lifecycle of freight to build agility, control freight spend, and reduce carbon footprint. Trusted by Fortune 500 enterprises with global customers across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions, Pando is pioneering the future of autonomous logistics with cutting-edge AI.

Pando is recognized by Gartner for its transportation management capabilities, by World Economic Forum (WEF) as a Technology Pioneer, by G2 as a Market Leader in Freight Management, and named one of the fastest-growing technology companies by Deloitte. For more information, visit www.pando.ai.

Media Contact
Courtney Meints
Skyya PR for Pando
+1 651-329-9098
pando@skyya.com

The MIL Network –

February 11, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Boosting Food Processing & Storage Infrastructure in India

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 10 FEB 2025 1:02PM by PIB Delhi

Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) was envisaged as a comprehensive package which will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet. It will not only provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also improve the capacity of food processing units which help in providing better returns to farmers and creating employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

However, standalone cold storages are not supported under PMKSY. The state-wise number of storages approved for captive use under PMKSY since inception in 2017 are at Annexue-1. Further, under the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure a sub-scheme of PMKSY, 06 projects are approved in the state of Telangana in the last five years. The details district –wise are at Annexure-2.

As informed by Food Corporation of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in order to upgrade and modernize the storage facilities, Government of India approved Action Plan for construction of steel silos on PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode in the country. Under this plan, Silos with capacity of 24.25LMT at various locations throughout country are under implementation. Out of which silos with a capacity of 17.75LMT have been completed and remaining 6.5LMT are under various stages of development. In addition to above, silos of 5.5LMT capacity at 7 locations have already been constructed and put to in use in 2007-09 under circuit base model. Further, under phase –I of Hub & Spoke model Silos of 10.125 LMT at 14 locations on FCI owned land awarded and 24.75 LMT at 66 locations on private land have been awarded and are in development stage. As per the data of Food Corporation of India (FCI), the status of Grain Silos construction as on 30.11.2024 is placed at Annexure-3

MoFPI has been implementing Central Sector Umbrella Scheme – PMKSY since 2016-17 to create post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities to boost the overall development of the food processing sector including reduction in post-harvest losses. The component schemes under PMKSY provide credit linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing/preservation infrastructure which, inter-alia, includes cold storages and refrigerated vehicles to minimize post-harvest losses.

As per the Evaluation Study conducted and submitted by NABARD Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. (NABCONS) in 2020 on “Impact of Units Implemented under Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure assisted by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)”, it was highlighted that due to interventions of the Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme of Ministry of Food Processing Industries, while all sectors had shown some decrease in wastages, but Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy and Fisheries sector had shown significant reduction in wastages.

Apart from MoFPI, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has also launched the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme in July 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package in order to improve post-harvest infrastructure and create community farming assets. The AIF Scheme facilitates sanction of medium to long term loans by Banks and other lending institutions for the setting up of cold storage facilities, warehouses and processing units, aimed at reducing crop wastage and enhancing value addition.

This information was provided by the minister of state for food processing industries Shri Ravneet Singh in a written reply to rajysabha.

*****

ANNEXURE-1

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 578 FOR ANSWER ON 07^TH FEBRUARY, 2025 REGARDING “STORAGE FACILITIES UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJNA”

Ministry is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY). Under PMKSY standalone Cold storages/ frozen storage/ CA/ MA are not supported. The number of storages approved for captive use under PMKSY since inception in 2017 are as follows:

S.No	State	No of Cold storages/ frozen storage/ CA/ MA	Capacity (LMT/Annum)
1	Andaman & Nicobar	2	0.29
2	Andhra Pradesh	31	7.88
3	Arunachal Pradesh	1	0.14
4	Assam	8	6.97
5	Bihar	1	7.44
6	Chandigarh	0	0.0
7	Chhattisgarh	6	2.61
8	Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	0	0.05
9	Delhi	0	0.0
10	Goa	0	0.06
11	Gujarat	35	20.28
12	Haryana	30	8.89
13	Himachal Pradesh	28	4.34
14	Jammu & Kashmir	16	1.99
15	Jharkhand	0	0.0
16	Karnataka	35	12.17
17	Kerala	12	4
18	Ladakh	0	0.0
19	Lakshadweep	0	0.0
20	Madhya Pradesh	17	8.17
21	Maharashtra	93	72.71
22	Manipur	5	0.09
23	Meghalaya	0	0.12
24	Mizoram	9	0.58
25	Nagaland	3	0.35
26	Orissa	8	2.54
27	Puduchery	0	0.0
28	Punjab	61	14.69
29	Rajasthan	29	7.18
30	Sikkim	0	0.0
31	Tamil Nadu	59	10.6
32	Telangana	16	9.49
33	Tripura	1	1.11
34	Uttar Pradesh	38	16.92
35	Uttarakhand	64	11.61
36	West Bengal	35	8.06
	TOTAL	643	241.33

ANNEXURE-2

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 578 FOR ANSWER ON 07^TH FEBRUARY, 2025 REGARDING “STORAGE FACILITIES UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJNA”

Details of sanctioned projects in the state of Telangana under the scheme of Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure, a component of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY) in the last five years (as on 31.12.2024)
Sr.No.	Project	Sector	District	State	Total project cost (₹ in crore)	Approved grant (₹ in crore)	Amount of grant released (₹ in crore)	Status
1	Sri Krupa RGR Agrogatros	F&V	Nalgonda	Telangana	36.22	9.36	2.22	Under Implementation
2	VNR Dairy Products	Dairy	Nalagonda	Telangana	26.20	6.84	4.56	Under Implementation
3	Dadus	Dairy	Malkajgiri	Telangana	77.31	7.35	2.45	Under Implementation
4	Almond House Private Limited	Dairy	Hyderabad	Telangana	56.81	7.62	2.54	Under Implementation
5	Manjeera Dairy Products	Dairy	Sangareddy	Telangana	22.71	6.51	0	Under Implementation
6	AL QAWI Frozen Foods Pvt Ltd	Meat	Sangareddy	Telangana	32.71	8.68	0	Under Implementation
	TOTAL				251.96	46.36	11.77

ANNEXURE-3

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 578 FOR ANSWER ON 07^TH FEBRUARY, 2025 REGARDING “STORAGE FACILITIES UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJNA”

(Position as on 30.11.2024)

STATEMENT SHOWING AGENCY-WISE STATE-WISE STATUS OF SILO CONSTRUCTION

(Fig. In LMT)

Agency	State	Target as per Action Plan	Completed	Under Construction	Grand Total
FCI	Assam	0.5	0.5	0	0.5
	Bihar	4.5	1.5	2.0	3.5
	Chattisgarh	1	0	0	0
	Delhi	1	0	0	0
	Gujarat	1	1.50	0	1.5
	Karnataka	0.25	0	0	0
	Haryana	3	2.50	0	2.5
	Maharashtra	1	0	0	0
	Punjab	4.25	3.75	0	3.75
	Rajasthan	1.5	0	0	0
	Uttar Pradesh	7	1.50	2.0	3.5
	West Bengal	4	0	1.0	1
Total		29	11.25	5.00	16.25
CWC	Punjab	2.5	0	0	0
State Govt.	Andhra Pradesh	3.5	0	0	0
	Bihar	5	0	0	0
	Gujrat	2	0	0	0
	Haryana	6.5	0	0	0
	Madhya Pradesh	10	4.5	0	4.5
	Maharashtra	0.5	0	0	0
	Orrisa	2	0	0	0
	Punjab	24.25	2.0	0	2.0
	Rajasthan	4.75	0	0	0
	Telangana	1.5	0	0	0
	Uttar Pradesh	5	0	1.5	1.5
	West Bengal	3.5	0	0	0
Total		68.5	6.50	1.50	8.00
Grand Total		100	17.75	6.50	24.25

Note: In addition the silos under process, it has been decided to construct further silos under Hub & Spoke model.

STK

(Release ID: 2101244) Visitor Counter : 48

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 11, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: IEW’ 25 to Witness Unprecedented Global Participation and Innovation

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 10 FEB 2025 4:38PM by PIB Delhi

“India Energy Week 2025 (IEW’25) is set to be the first major global event on the energy calendar and the most comprehensive and inclusive energy gathering of the year, especially in light of recent global developments that are expected to have a transformative impact on the energy market,” said Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, while interacting with the media today.

Speaking on the sidelines of IEW’25, which will be held at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, from February 11 to 14, 2025, Shri Puri highlighted India’s growing stature in the global energy landscape. He stated that IEW’25 is set to be even larger, more diverse, and more impactful than its previous two editions. Covering over 1 lakh square meters, IEW’25 will be the second-largest energy event globally in terms of ministerial and CEO participation, exhibition space, and the number of sessions.

IEW’25 is set to be a landmark event in the global energy calendar, continuing its rapid growth from previous editions. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, highlighted key metrics showcasing this expansion: a 65% increase in exhibition space over 2024 (28,000 sqm), 105 conference sessions (15% higher than 2024, 24% higher than 2023), 70,000+ delegates (55% higher than 2024, 89% higher than 2023), 500 speakers (38% higher than 2024, 58% higher than 2023), and 700+ exhibitors (57% higher than 2024, 115% higher than 2023). He touched upon some more key milestones, including a 35% increase in abstracts received as compared to last year (2,702 submissions) and a rise in international speakers at the Strategic Conference from 33% in 2024 to 48% in 2025.

The Minister said that on the sidelines of IEW’25, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas will host a Clean Cooking Ministerial, bringing together global policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to accelerate the transition to clean cooking solutions. The event will showcase India’s success with the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) as a model for global adoption. It aims to foster international collaboration, drive policy discussions, and facilitate technology sharing to ensure clean, affordable, and accessible cooking energy for households worldwide.

Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Puri, underlined the event’s unprecedented scale, with 10 country pavilions (including Canada, Germany, Japan, the USA, and the UK) and 8 thematic zones covering areas such as hydrogen (1951 sqm), biofuels (1164 sqm), and net zero initiatives ( 350 sqm).

The event will see participation from major Indian energy ministries, including the Ministry of Power, MNRE, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Mines, reflecting India’s commitment to integrated energy solutions, the Minister said. The Sustainable Mobility Pavilion, set up by SIAM, will showcase 15 cutting-edge vehicle models from 10 OEMs, under the theme “People-Centric Mobility Ecosystem.”

Minister Shri Puri encouraged attendees to explore pioneering technologies developed by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Key exhibits include ONGC’s deep-sea simulation game, HPCL’s indigenous Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System, BPCL’s LPG cylinder ATM, and CSIR’s e-tractor for sustainable agriculture.

With its scale, innovation, and global participation, IEW’25 is poised to position India at the forefront of the global energy transition.

*****

MONIKA

(Release ID: 2101335) Visitor Counter : 77

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EMSD announces test results of LPG quality in January 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (February 10) announced that the department collected 10 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) samples from auto-LPG filling stations and LPG terminals on a random basis in January 2025 for laboratory tests. The results show that the LPG quality of all these samples complied with auto-LPG specifications.

     The detailed test results are available on the EMSD’s website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/gas_safety/lpg_vehicle_scheme/publications/general/results_of_lpg_sample_analysis/index.html). Enquiries can also be made to the EMSD’s hotline on 2333 3762.

     In addition, the EMSD has been vetting independent third-party test reports submitted by LPG supply companies for each shipment to ensure that the quality of imported LPG complies with the specified requirements.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: NFG SA Secures Strategic Institutional Investment From Private Equity Firm, NMS Capital Group

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NFG SA (“NFG”), a Swiss private investment firm, today announced it has entered into a binding agreement with Beverly Hills-based NMS Capital Group (“NMS Capital”) for a capital investment aimed at strengthening NFG’s balance sheet and liquidity.

NFG, with offices in Geneva, London and Los Angeles, is a global investment firm specializing in insurance and reinsurance, financial services, asset management, energy, and real estate. The firm operates extensively across Europe, the USA, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Asia Pacific region.

NMS Capital, a family office-backed private equity and venture capital firm based in Beverly Hills, California, was established in 2010 as the dedicated investment vehicle for the Saliba Family Office. Since its inception, NMS Capital has expanded its investment portfolio and evolved into a leading private equity firm. It has consistently ranked among the top firms in Los Angeles, most recently placing #17 on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2024 list.

NMS Capital’s latest investment in NFG builds on a series of prior investments in NFG affiliates, which began in 2021. While specific terms of the new investment remain undisclosed, both parties confirm that the additional capital investment imputes a valuation of NFG at approximately $2.5 billion. The transaction is expected to close before the end of first quarter of 2025, subject to customary board and committee approvals and procedures.

Keith D. Beekmeyer, Chairman and CEO of NFG, remarked “With this new investment capital from NMS and the Saliba family, NFG has solidified its balance sheet strength, thereby enhancing our capacity to execute strategic objectives and drive long term growth.”

Trevor M. Saliba, NMS Capital Group Chairman and CEO commented “Over the past three years, as we worked closely with Keith and Andy to refine NMS Capital’s investment strategy – focusing on insurance, energy, infrastructure and real estate – it became evident that channeling our investment into a strategic platform company like NFG was the optimal course of action to strengthen our position in the insurance sector.”

Saliba further added “The NFG business model has proven to be a “go to” solution for investment capital in the insurance, specialty insurance, and reinsurance sector, achieving stratospheric growth over the past two to three years. This momentum remains strong, as reflected in NFG’s recent and current targeted closed investments and acquisitions, which are projected to significantly enhance NFG’s top-line revenues for 2025 and 2026.”

About NFG SA
NFG SA is a global private investment firm specializing in private equity and structured finance investments in companies across the insurance, financial services, energy, infrastructure, and real estate sectors. NFG focuses on transformative business combinations within North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, establishing a strategic international presence. NFG was originally founded by Keith Beekmeyer and Andy Bye in 2017, emerging from the insurance industry to address the financing needs of underbanked companies. The firm quickly expanded its capabilities through key acquisitions, including a dedicated reinsurance company, asset manager and a Lloyd’s insurance brokerage, enhancing its position within the sector. For more information, please visit www.nfgsa.com.

About NMS Capital Group
NMS Capital Group was established in 2010 as the dedicated investment vehicle for the Saliba Family Office, which was formed for the benefit of certain decadents of the late billionaire Naseeb M. Saliba whose businesses have generated billions of dollars in revenue since 1941 within the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors cementing a family legacy in the construction industry dating back to the 1890s. Since its inception, NMS Capital Group has evolved into a global private investment firm, specializing in private equity, venture capital, and structured financing investments having closed transactions in businesses across multiple asset classes ranging from business and financial services, real estate, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology. In 2024 it ranked number seventeen on the list of the Top Private Equity Firms by the Los Angeles Business Journal. For more information, please visit www.nmscapital.com.

NFG Media Contact
Jessica Starman
media@elev8newmedia.com

The MIL Network –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: AI and satellites speed up planning approvals by tracking wild habitats across England
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

New records reveal the government is utilising AI and technology to enhance public services, including streamlining MOT inspections and speeding up planning with satellite habitat mapping.
How AI is improving public services and new AI Playbook will drive public sector use.

New records reveal how government is using AI and tech to deliver for the public – including by streamlining MOT garage inspections and using satellite habitat mapping to speed up planning

Comes alongside practical tips to help public sector build tech to speed up decision making and transform services for working people – delivering the Plan for Change

Guidance shares top tips from development of GOV.UK Chat and other advanced tech on using safeguards to ensure the tech works in the public’s interest

AI and satellite images are being used to predict how natural habitats are changing across the country, so more current data can be used to accelerate planning proposals and stop NIMBYism getting in the way of growth and the Plan for Change.

Satellite images and machine learning – a type of AI – are being used by Natural England to build a detailed map of “Living England”, showing the current extent of habitats across the country. Rather than the manual surveys of the past, changes to English habitats will now be tracked more efficiently and across the country – speeding up decisions around planning and land use while better protecting nature.

Details of the project are being released today alongside 13 other examples of how AI and algorithmic tools are used to speed up decision making and improve public services – spanning examples including how AI is being used to better predict the weather and keep standards high at MOT testing centres.

A new AI Playbook, published today, gives public sector technical experts top tips and guiding principles on how to replicate this work and build AI to help their organisations fix services for citizens – ultimately delivering on the government’s ambition to transform public services with AI.

Civil servants are guided on how to buy and manage the development of AI technology in their departments and encouraged to work with AI companies closely so the technology can be put to work more quickly.

Today’s announcement comes as world leaders gather for the AI Action Summit in Paris, and follow’s the publication of the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month. 

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Every corner of the public sector can be using technology to save money, speed things up, and crucially, improve public services for people across the UK, driving our Plan for Change forward.

The publication of our AI Playbook today comes with a call to arms for tech specialists across the public sector – use the guidance we are sharing to put AI to work in your organisations at whiplash speed, so we can repair our broken public services together.

Natural England’s Chief Scientist, Professor Sallie Bailey said:

Nature restoration, development and economic growth are not opposing forces – they can and must work together to create a sustainable future for both people and wildlife.

Our Living England project is harnessing the power of AI to inform and support planning decisions far more efficiently. This means we can make the biggest impact for Nature recovery, while helping to deliver the new homes and infrastructure the country needs.

The AI Playbook, published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, outlines ten principles civil servants building AI should follow, making sure they:

Have meaningful human control at the right stages, so any decisions recommended by technology can be monitored properly, and changed rapidly if needed.

Choose the right tool for the right job and avoid using AI where more basic technology can fulfil the same task.

Work with teams responsible for buying technology right from the start, to make sure agreements struck with private sector companies can be utilised to maximum potential in this rapidly evolving market.

The Playbook also insists that public servants working with AI do so openly and collaboratively, making sure the public know how technology is being used and allowing other public sector organisations to benefit from work that has already taken place.

Other records being released today detail how the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) uses AI to prioritise which of the 23,000 active MOT testing garages should receive an inspection next.

Producing a traffic light rating for every garage, the AI tool takes in data from MOT tests to spot anomalies and identify which garages should be checked first, so inspectors can confirm they are working to crucial safety standards. Previously, inspections were based only on the amount of time that had passed since the last check.

Today’s release follows the Technology Secretary publishing the blueprint for a modern digital government, setting out how his department will use AI and technology to help the public sector improve their services and target £45 billion in potential efficiency savings every year. This is as well as announcing a bundle of tools to be known as “Humphrey” and set to be made available to all civil servants soon.

Among other things, the tools will help civil servants assess responses to consultations, take minutes at meetings and analyse decades of debate from the Houses of Parliament.

Notes to editors

Find the AI Playbook here.

The full list of Algorithmic Transparency Records being published today is as follows.

Met Office (DSIT)

Weather and climate forecasting: A combination of multiple different algorithmic tools used to produce weather forecasts.

Natural England (Defra)

Living England map: Habitat mapping for the whole of England using satellite imagery, targeted field survey and machine learning.

DVSA (DfT)

MOT Risk Rating: An algorithmic to identify potential non-compliance in MOT testing, and prioritise visits to MOT garages.

Wilton Park

Data Cleaning Tool: Enables compliance with The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by identifying and automatically cleaning personal data from the Wilton Park customer database.

OSCB (DBT)

Interest Calculator: Assists small business owners to calculate the amount of interest due on an overdue invoice.

National Highways (DfT)

Highways webchat: provides customers with an additional communication channel to get immediate answers to their questions using publicly available information (such as traffic information).

DSIT: GOV.UK site search

The search engine for GOV.UK. It enables users to search for information and services on GOV.UK by entering a search query to view results that are relevant to their query.

NHS Business Services Authority (DHSC)

Residency Checker for EHIC/GHIC/PRC: A process to support confirmation of UK residency for entitlement to healthcare in an European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Employment and Support Allowance Online Medical Matching: A tool which helps Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) officials process claims more quickly.

Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

Budget Planner: A free online tool that helps users track and categorize their spending, provides a detailed breakdown of their finances, and offers personalized tips to improve their money management.

Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

Redundancy Pay Calculator: Online tool designed to help individuals who have been or are at risk of being made redundant understand their legal rights, calculate their potential redundancy pay, assess their financial situation, and explore available benefits and support.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

The Effective Proposal Framework: Used by Probation Practitioners at pre-sentence stage and as part of pre-release planning to identify requirements, licence conditions and interventions for individuals based on their risk and need profile.

Health Research Authority (DHSC)

Proportionate Review Toolkit: A toolkit to help Research Ethics Committee applicants determine whether their project would be eligible for proportionate review.

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

Logo Detection and Classification Toolkit: A tool to detect unauthorised uses of HMRC’s logo.

DSIT media enquiries

Email press@dsit.gov.uk

Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 10 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Job opportunities up for grabs in new year

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

China is experiencing a surge in job fairs following the Spring Festival holiday, aimed at helping urban and rural workers and college graduates secure employment.

On Wednesday, a large-scale recruitment event was held in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in Henan province. BYD, a leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, announced plans to hire 20,000 workers in a single recruitment drive, drawing a massive crowd of applicants. BYD’s Zhengzhou base is offering various positions with salaries ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 yuan ($686 to $1,234) per month.

“Our company is part of the manufacturing sector, and those who join us will gain exposure to automotive manufacturing equipment, processes and skill standards. We also hope to contribute to Henan’s development,” said a manager at Zhengzhou BYD Auto Co who requested anonymity.

Wei Wei, head of the talent service center at the personnel department of the Party working committee in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, said: “This job fair not only ensures the resumption of work and production for enterprises, but also provides more opportunities for job seekers. It plays a role in boosting the local economy.”

On Thursday, in Jingzhou, Hubei province, 150 companies offered nearly 5,000 positions at the first job fair after Spring Festival. The available jobs spanned various fields, including services and commerce.

“I’m not planning to look for work elsewhere this year; I want to see if there are suitable jobs available locally,” said Yao, a job seeker who gave only his surname.

After reviewing the job requirements and benefits from a local biotechnology company, he learned that the salary could exceed 5,000 yuan per month, which he said was “very attractive”.

Jingzhou has organized over 200 job fairs, with an estimated 400 expected by March.

Many migrant workers are considering returning to their hometowns for employment this year.

On Wednesday, at a job fair in Hanchuan, Hubei, job seeker Li Xiaolin said: “I had moved to Guangdong province and was looking for a job as an electrician. However, I visited several companies at the fair and found promising opportunities here. If I find a suitable position, I might stay and work in Hanchuan.”

On the first day of job fair activities in Hanchuan, approximately 8,600 people attended, with livestream viewers reaching 55,000.

During Spring Festival, Jiangxi province also hosted numerous large-scale job fairs, both online and in person. One of them, held in Gao’an city, was a three-day fair aimed at assisting key groups such as college graduates and retired military personnel in finding employment or starting businesses.

At the Gao’an fair, more than 100 companies offered over 6,000 job positions, and more than 1,200 people expressed interest in employment on-site. The Gao’an city employment and entrepreneurship service center said it will continue post-holiday employment support efforts, matching job seekers with companies and providing online and offline job services to guide local workers to opportunities and attract migrant workers to return to the city.

MIL OSI China News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Youth charged in relation to evade and crash at Bridgewater

Source: Tasmania Police

Youth charged in relation to evade and crash at Bridgewater

Monday, 10 February 2025 – 4:23 pm.

A youth has been charged in relation to an evade incident and crash on the Bridgewater Bridge yesterday.
The 15-year-old has been charged with aggravated evade, motor vehicle stealing, unlicensed driving, and traffic offences.
They will appear before the Youth Justice Court tonight.

MIL OSI News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Sales push as brands brace for tough 2025

Source: China State Council Information Office

Right after the Spring Festival holiday, automobile markets in China have become hectic, touting new features, offering discounts and even appearing in movies to woo potential car buyers.

Tesla announced on Wednesday, the first working day after the weeklong holiday, a time-limited discount of up to 8,000 yuan ($1,098) on its Model 3. On the same day, Xpeng unveiled five-year installment and interest-free loan offers.

But at the head of the pack was Nio, whose offer — which includes interest-free five-year loan plans — came days before the Spring Festival holiday ended.

Meanwhile, Great Wall Motor’s Tank, BAIC’s Arcfox and Dongfeng’s off-road brand Mengshi have either starred in Chinese New Year blockbusters including Ne Zha 2 or partnered with their producers in publicity campaigns.

Behind the diverse tactics is the same sense of urgency: after a brutal 2024 they believe the vehicle market this year will be more cruel, despite the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expecting the overall market size to go up 4.7 percent to 32.9 million units.

The elimination phase has begun and many of the car manufacturers are struggling to “beat the count”, said analysts from consulting firm McKinsey in a report released on Thursday.

“Those which cannot come up with decent electric vehicles in one or two years, and those which are deep in the red but cannot offer a convincing strategy to go green, will be forced to leave the race,” they said.

In the bigger picture, Chinese brands, whose rise is the defining feature of the current market landscape, are relatively safe.

Over the past five years, the number of Chinese car brands selling more than 600,000 vehicles annually jumped from 11 in 2020 to 13 in 2024, signaling a dramatic shift toward greater market concentration.

More tellingly, for the first time, Chinese brands have broken into the ranks of those with sales exceeding 1.2 million units annually — a mark that was once the exclusive domain of foreign brands.

In January, seven out of the 10 bestselling carmakers in the country were Chinese; Geely topped the chart, followed by BYD and Changan.

These domestic brands have not only capitalized on China’s rapid push toward NEVs but positioned themselves as leaders in the transition to intelligent mobility.

However, smaller Chinese brands, especially startups, are yet to gain a firm foothold. There are currently 37 active NEV brands in China. Of them, 12 are independent startups and the rest, such as Zeekr, Voyah and Avatr, are offshoots of larger traditional manufacturers.

Now at least five of the NEV brands have become profitable. Those who cannot go green in the next 12 to 18 months, or at least come up with a feasible plan, may trigger speculation, said McKinsey.

This is particularly true after Jidu, a partnership between Geely and Baidu, and Neta got into financial trouble in late 2024, leaving car owners and even employees nowhere to resort to.

For foreign carmakers, the picture is far from rosy. Once the undisputed leaders of China’s car market, their position is becoming precarious.

A combination of technology lag, reduced brand loyalty and aggressive pricing strategies from domestic players has eroded their dominance, according to McKinsey.

It projects the market share of foreign carmakers, which once commanded over half of all car sales in China, to fall to just 30 percent by the end of this year from 40 percent now.

The decline is a direct result of the seismic shift toward electric vehicles and smart driving technology — areas where many foreign brands have struggled to keep pace.

The profit margins of joint-venture carmakers have taken a significant hit. McKinsey’s analysis reveals that, from 2017 to 2023, the profits of the top 10 leading Chinese joint-venture companies dropped by 34 percent in the country.

For many foreign brands, the situation is compounded by a weakening consumer base, especially as new domestic models with cutting-edge features flood the market.

Some foreign companies, such as Volkswagen and its premium Audi brand, have responded by forming strategic partnerships with Chinese manufacturers, seeking to import Chinese technological innovations into their own models.

However, these collaborations, though beneficial in the short term, are unlikely to be a silver bullet, said McKinsey analysts.

They said the strategy may help bridge the gap in the short term, but it does little to address the core issue: foreign brands are increasingly irrelevant to a generation of Chinese consumers that are growing more attached to homegrown offerings.

New tech prospects

Looking to the future, the next frontier in China’s automotive revolution is clear: intelligent driving and smart in-car experiences.

In 2024, intelligent driving technologies — once seen as futuristic — have become mainstream, with major manufacturers offering vehicles equipped with features that can drive themselves on highways and in cities.

The market for intelligent driving technology is growing at a blistering pace, and consumers are increasingly embracing these innovations.

A McKinsey poll shows that 76 percent of respondents tried smart driving in 2024, up from 65 percent in 2023.

Despite the rising consumer interest, however, McKinsey cautions that the industry faces challenges.

While intelligent driving technologies are rapidly improving, they have yet to find a sustainable business model.

The growing trend of “free” software upgrades, for example, has left carmakers struggling to monetize these features.

More promising is the rise of the “smart cockpit”, where cars transform from mere transportation tools into living rooms.

As intelligent driving systems become standard, the focus is shifting to in-car experiences, with carmakers investing heavily in creating more personalized, intuitive environments for consumers, said McKinsey.

MIL OSI China News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Congestion on SH1 north of Kaiwaka
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

10 February 2025 3:54 pm | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising people traveling on State Highway 1 north of Kaiwaka to plan ahead and expect delays.

Contractors resealed a 650m section of the state highway last night and, due to the high volume of traffic in this area, vehicles are moving very slowly over the new surface, causing significant congestion.

It’s important to slow down and, where possible, maintain a steady speed through newly sealed sections of road because small chips can be flicked up from the road surface and damage vehicles – especially windscreens. That’s why we often keep temporary speed limits in place even after it looks like the work has been completed. As well as safety, the temporary speed limit also helps ensure the quality of the reseal. Travelling at the posted temporary speed limit allows for the chips to be embedded into the road surface and for them to remain in place as the seal cures.

Contractors have made some tweaks to traffic management to reduce delays. They are also working to protect the new surface from static traffic by using water carts and additional chip.

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience.
Tags
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: One dead, 28 missing after landslide in SW China

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

Rescuers search for missing people in Junlian County in the city of Yibin, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
As of 11 a.m. Sunday, a landslide in southwest China’s Sichuan Province had left one person dead, 28 missing and two injured, local authorities said.
The landslide occurred at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin.
The province has mobilized 949 personnel from the armed police, firefighting, emergency response, transportation, medical, telecommunication, and other forces to carry out or assist the rescue efforts.
Over 200 rescue vehicles and equipment, including excavators, fire engines and ambulances, have been deployed for on-site rescue operations. The search and rescue efforts are being carried out in 10 grid zones.
A total of 360 people in 95 households have been evacuated. Temporary shelters have been set up, with 162 individuals currently resettled on a household basis.

MIL OSI China News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Nursery supercharges Rakitata restoration

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 10 February 2025

Arowhenua Native Nursey was developed in 2021. Since then, staff have raised and planted more than 600,000 plants, all eco-sourced and native to the area.

Tony Doy, the nursey’s restoration supervisor, says the team is proud to be helping increase numbers of threatened plants in the local area, with the nursery cultivating 50 different species, ranging from common to rare and threatened.

“Many of the nursery’s plants have gone into wetland areas beside the Rakitata River to help reduce nutrients and sediment entering the water. Wetlands increase the resilience of land around them by reducing the impacts of extreme events of flooding and drought.

“Our plants will become seed sources along the river, and birds will spread them into new areas to create a native corridor. Hopefully, in the future landowners will realise the benefits of such native areas, and maybe plant some on their land,” Tony says.

Jobs for Nature funding has enabled many organisations, like Arowhenua, to kickstart their operations and get established as sustainable businesses working in the environmental sector.

The project started out at the marae but moved to larger commercial nursery premises on the outskirts of Temuka as it quickly outgrew its initial site. The nursey is now transitioning to a commercial wholesale model, with the Jobs for Nature funding finishing at end of last year.

The nursery’s general manager Lex Evans died suddenly in late 2023, but the nursery has tried to carry on his ethos.

Tony says Lex was an amazing role model.

“His favourite saying was, ‘We not only grow plants, we grow people’. Staff who joined through Jobs for Nature have gained valuable skills and love what they do. The work is outside, and they can see they’re making a real difference. Lex worked incredibly hard to ensure the success of the project. He was, and still is, an inspiration to the staff here to continue his Kaupapa.

“Under Jobs for Nature, 15% of the time was spent on training, so we did first aid, Level 3 horticulture, chainsaw use, herbicide application, predator control, 4WD and light utility vehicle driving.

“We have also undertaken a river safety course, because a lot of our work is beside waterways. To build staff confidence when using chainsaws, our former restoration manager Matt Rudd organised an arborist to spend a day with us.

“Our people loved it. They now have great CVs that will give them an advantage on others who are also at the beginning of their careers. We look forward to seeing them on their journey.

“The Jobs for Nature project also offers our kaimahi the chance to gain skills in planting, weeding, maintenance and pest control on a daily basis.”

Nursery General Manager Felicity McMillian says, “I whakapapa to Arowhenua, so the Rakitata is extremely significant for me and our whānau. It was an awa that our tīpuna gathered kai and resources from. 

“Experiencing the awa and its diversity when collecting seeds is very good for our wairua. It’s like a full circle. We gather seeds from the Rakitata and once they are ready, we plant them there again to restore the health of the awa.” 

Felicity says the nursery grows native plants that are particularly suitable for conditions at the project’s restoration sites.

“We want to replicate what would have been there in the past. The main plants we grow are Carex secta, tī kōuka, harakeke, mānuka and kānuka. These plants will restore the Rakitata awa, improve the quality of the water, and encourage native manu (birds) and insects to return to the river.” 

DOC River Ranger Brad Edwards says the funding has supercharged conservation work in the catchment through DOC’s Ngā Awa river restoration programme.

“Funding of $11.45 million from Jobs for Nature went to projects focused on the lower Rakitata, managed by Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua. The Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group received a $7.3 million grant to lead restoration work in the upper river, including planting a lot of what’s grown at the nursery and carrying out extensive fencing and pest control.”

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) also provided funding for pest and weed control in the Rakitata catchment as part of its biosecurity programme.

Background information

Rakitata is the preferred name for the Rangitata River as it recognises the local Kāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu) dialect, which replaces ‘ng’ with ‘k’. So ‘taonga’ becomes ‘taoka’ for example.

The Rakitata River Revival Programme began as a partnership between Te Rūnaka o Arowhenua and DOC through the Ngā Awa river restoration programme. It now includes Environment Canterbury, Toitū te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, Central South Island Fish & Game and Timaru and Ashburton District Councils.

Rakitata River revival programme

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Golf courses can be safe havens for wildlife and beacons of biodiversity

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacinta Humphrey, Research Fellow in Urban Ecology, RMIT University

Golf courses are sometimes seen as harmful to the environment. According to the popular notion, the grass soaks up too much water, is cut too short and sprayed with dangerous chemicals. But in reality, golf courses can act as safe havens for native wildlife, especially in cities.

Cities are home to a wide range of plants and animals, including 30% of Australia’s threatened species. But ongoing population growth and urban development threatens this biodiversity. We’re still losing green space and tree cover, leaving less habitat and resources for native birds, bats, possums, lizards, frogs, beetles and butterflies.

This is where golf courses can play a role. Australia is one of the golfing capitals of the world, with more than 1,800 active courses. These courses represent large, continuous green spaces often with native vegetation, mature trees, lakes and wetlands. Given their ubiquity, golf courses could help conserve urban biodiversity.

This week, the annual LIV Golf tournament returns to Grange Golf Club in South Australia. Grange is one of 30 Australian golf courses certified for its commitment to sustainability, partly due to its extensive woodland, natural habitats and wildlife. So what makes a golf course good or bad for biodiversity?

Grange Golf Club has a Biodiversity Manager.

The gold in the rough

From a biodiversity perspective, the most valuable part of a golf course is the area all golfers seek to avoid: the “rough”. These spaces between the green, manicured fairways can include remnant or restored bushland with dense leaf litter, long grass, thick shrubs, and both living and dead trees. This vegetation is often native and features a diversity of plant species.

Collectively, this can provide a range of resources for native wildlife including food, shelter and tree hollows for nesting. In Melbourne, research found golf courses provided better habitat for wildlife than nearby suburban streets and parklands. They were also home to a greater diversity of birds and bats.

Golf courses also have relatively little human activity. Golfers are only allowed on the course during certain hours of the day. Courses usually do not allow dogs. And there are few cars and roads, so there’s less noise and light pollution than in other urban areas. This makes golf courses pretty attractive to native animals looking for somewhere to live.

Many golf courses are heavily irrigated to ensure high-quality playing surfaces. This ample water supply (typically from recycled sources) is fantastic for wildlife, especially in warmer and drier climates. Birds are known to flock to water resources during drought – a behaviour likely to become more common under future climate change.

Much-feared water hazards for golfers, such as lakes and ponds, actually provide valuable habitat for aquatic birds, frogs, fish and insects. These water bodies are particularly important in cities where wetlands are regularly cleared to make way for new houses, shops and roads.

Importantly, once constructed, golf courses are rarely threatened by clearing or development. In Perth, research found golf courses helped protect native vegetation as development spread through surrounding suburbs. The mere existence of a golf course can help secure a home for native species for many decades to come.

Golf courses are not a perfect solution

However, not all land on golf courses is valuable for wildlife. Large open areas such as fairways typically only benefit species adapted to life in cities such as the aggressive noisy miner.

Golf courses can also harbour pests such as cane toads, rats and common mynas. These undesirable species may pose a threat to native biodiversity.

The use of pesticides and fertilisers can affect soil quality, contaminate water sources, and make frogs sick.

Frequent lawn mowing can reduce insect diversity, particularly among bugs, bees, wasps and ants. This is likely to have flow-on effects for animals that feed on insects, and for flowering plants that depend on insects for pollination and seed dispersal.

Some urban golf courses may also be physically isolated from other suitable habitats, making it hard for wildlife to safely move around to find food, water and a mate. To get in and out, animals may need to cross busy roads or move through dangerous areas where they are exposed to predators such as cats and foxes.

Four golf courses in Adelaide are working together to improve and connect habitat.
Glenelg Golf Club

So, how can we best manage golf courses for biodiversity?

In an ideal world, golf courses should only be constructed in developed areas. That’s because constructing courses in natural, undisturbed areas is likely to involve clearing vegetation for fairways, greens, car parks and club houses.

As a result, the biodiversity value of a golf course increases the closer it is to a city.

Existing golf courses can help protect biodiversity by retaining and restoring diverse bushland patches in the rough. Important conservation areas can also be fenced off and deemed “out of bounds” to golfers.

The use of harsh chemicals should be reduced to minimise risks to soil, water and wildlife. “Organic golf courses” overseas are already making progress in this space, but they are far from mainstream.

Finally, efforts must be made to connect golf courses to nearby parks and reserves through wildlife corridors, road underpasses, and special crossing structures such as rope bridges. This will enable animals to safely move around the urban landscape.

Many golf courses now have biodiversity management plans and are working hard to make their practices more sustainable. In other cases, disused golf courses are even being converted into conservation reserves, such as the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve in Elsternwick, Melbourne.

While golf courses cannot replace natural habitats, they can provide a useful alternative for many species that call our cities home.

Jacinta Humphrey receives funding from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, the Ecological Society of Australia, BirdLife Australia, Australian Wildlife Society, and the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria.

– ref. Golf courses can be safe havens for wildlife and beacons of biodiversity – https://theconversation.com/golf-courses-can-be-safe-havens-for-wildlife-and-beacons-of-biodiversity-246673

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: State Highway 3 blocked, Te Mapara

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police are responding to a single vehicle crash involving a truck on State Highway 3, Te Mapara reported just before 3pm.

No injuries have been reported however the road is expected to be closed for several hours.

Diversions are in place at Eight Mile Junction and Arapae near Troopers Road.

Those travelling from Te Kuiti will be diverted via State Highway 30.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect significant delays.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Foreign investment upgrades amid transformation

Source: China State Council Information Office

For Anna An, president for China of German industrial and consumer goods group Henkel, 2025 is undoubtedly shaping up to be a busy year.

The company’s new plant, with a total investment of 900 million yuan ($124 million), is set to begin test production in Yantai, Shandong province, later this year. This facility is expected to raise the company’s production capacity to supply high-end adhesives for industries such as electronics and automobiles.

“We are also planning to launch our new inspiration center for adhesive technologies in Shanghai this year, boosting our innovation capabilities for industrial businesses across China and the broader Asia-Pacific region,” said An.

“The tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December emphasized technological innovation and the promotion of consumption, creating significant opportunities for multinational companies like Henkel,” she added.

Echoing that sentiment, Nathan Stoner, vice-president of Cummins Inc, a US engine manufacturer, said his company aims to increase its market share in key application sectors within China, including power generation equipment for data centers, high-tech manufacturing, and the engineering, procurement and construction sectors this year.

Highlighting that the company’s hydrogen fuel cell products successfully powered 239 transit buses and trucks, and the accumulated mileage of over 16 million kilometers across China in 2024, Stoner, who is also chairman of Cummins China, said the company will continue to innovate on the internal combustion engine system, including high efficiency diesel, natural gas and hydrogen internal combustion engines in China this year.

“We are targeting our investments in zero-emission solutions into various Chinese regional markets where we see demand and adoption happening sooner, and iterating those products to be the best they can be, when customers want more of them,” he added.

These examples highlight the growing optimism among multinational corporations regarding the long-term potential of the Chinese market, fueled by the country’s economic resilience and its commitment to innovation and openness.

Initially, foreign companies were attracted by China’s cost advantages and abundant labor force, using it as a base for producing competitive goods, said Xu Wei, head of the macroeconomic research department at the Development Research Center of the State Council.

As China advanced its infrastructure and industrial systems, it remained a low-cost production hub while evolving to offer sophisticated, high-value manufacturing, allowing foreign companies to integrate more advanced production processes, Xu said.

“With China entering a new era of green and innovation-driven growth in recent years, global investments have increasingly focused on supply chain optimization, high-end manufacturing, customized innovation, and digital and green solutions,” he said, adding that sectors such as trade in services and healthcare have also become key areas of foreign investment.

For instance, in addition to announcing a record high of over 657,000 electric vehicle sales in the Chinese mainland in 2024, marking an 8.8 percent year-on-year increase, Tesla Inc, the US EV maker, is currently conducting trial production to manufacture energy-storage batteries at its Shanghai factory.

The US automaker said mass production at this facility is expected to commence fully within the first quarter.

China has been revising its sector list to attract more foreign investment. These efforts, along with the removal of all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector last year, reflect the country’s proactive approach to openness.

Li Yongjie, deputy international trade representative of the Ministry of Commerce, said China will further open up its services sector, with a particular focus on accelerating pilot programs in key areas such as telecommunications, healthcare and education.

A total of 59,080 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in 2024, an increase of 9.9 percent year-on-year, according to information released by the Ministry of Commerce.

Wang Xiaohong, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing, said that China’s ongoing commitment to further opening-up and fostering innovation is positioning the country as both a key player in global supply chains, and a prime destination for investment and strategic expansion.

This evolving environment is expected to create new opportunities for business growth, particularly as China adapts its policies to align with the shifting dynamics of the global economy, she said.

More than half of companies from the United States plan to increase their investments in China this year, according to the 2025 China Business Climate Survey Report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) in late January.

The survey, conducted from Oct 21 to Nov 15, involved a total of 368 member companies of AmCham China. It found that nearly half of the participants rank China as one of their top three global investment priorities.

About 68 percent of the US responding companies expect industry markets to see growth in 2025. Two-thirds of them plan to focus on growing their core business activities in China as their primary objective for 2025. Meanwhile, the consumer and services sectors are increasingly focused on driving growth by targeting new customer segments.

Jeff Losch, vice-president and business manager for coating additives technologies at Milliken & Company, a US specialty chemical and performance materials firm, said China is a key market for Milliken, not only because of its vast scale, but also due to its forward-thinking approach to sustainability.

“We have observed a strong demand in the EV and industrial coating businesses. China’s EV industry is extremely strong and has led the global market this year, with Chinese manufacturers making their presence felt in markets across many countries,” said Losch.

He said that the quick growth of China’s EV market has clearly created significant opportunities for the coatings industry. EV manufacturing requires coatings with high durability and environmental standards, which align closely with Milliken’s innovation goals.

Eager to seize more market share, the US company plans to continue investing in its innovation unit, expand sales networks and enhance supply chain operations within China.

As China undergoes a profound transformation, making business navigation more challenging than before, Denis Depoux, global managing director at German consultancy Roland Berger, suggested multinational corporations make targeted investments to navigate the unique characteristics of the Chinese market and local competition.

“This strategy emphasizes enhancing localization efforts, particularly by tapping into China’s innovation ecosystem, while also adapting to increasingly differentiated norms and standards,” he said.

Affected by shrinking global investments in recent years, together with factors like slower economic growth, rising geopolitical risks, weak demand and stricter investment reviews in certain countries, foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland in actual use totaled 826.25 billion yuan in 2024, dropping 27.1 percent on a yearly basis, statistics from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

The adjustment of China’s domestic industrial structure and rising labor costs have diminished the country’s low-cost advantages, said Cui Fan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

As a result, some labor-intensive industries have shifted gradually due to changes in comparative advantages. This reflects the evolution of China’s economic development stage and factor endowments. This is a natural and expected process, said Cui.

Driven by China’s stable political, economic and social environment, as well as its large-scale production capabilities and efforts to grow strategic emerging industries, FDI flow is expected to continue recovering within the country in 2025, said Gao Lingyun, a researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, which is affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.

Strategic emerging industries in China include sectors such as energy-saving and environmental protection, next-generation information technology, biotechnology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, advanced materials and EVs.

For efficiency-driven multinational companies, regions with dense and well-connected networks are emerging as primary targets for strategic expansion. This emphasis is closely tied to factors like strong industry integration, complementary capabilities and easy accessibility, and all these factors enable streamlined operations and growth, said Gao.

MIL OSI China News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Israeli army says struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

Source: China State Council Information Office

The Israeli military said Sunday that it has launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in eastern and southern Lebanon.

An Israeli aircraft struck an underground tunnel used by Hezbollah for arms transfers in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region, which extended from Syria into Lebanese territory and had previously been targeted by Israeli forces, an Israeli military spokesperson said.

The Israeli Air Force also struck sites in southern Lebanon that contained “munitions and rocket launchers that posed an imminent threat,” the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli fighter jets carried out multiple airstrikes on Sunday evening targeting areas in the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon, the rugged outskirts of Hermel near the Lebanese-Syrian border, and areas in the eastern Bekaa region.

A ceasefire that took effect in November 2024 halted nearly 14 months of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. Despite the truce, Israeli forces launched sporadic attacks in Lebanon, saying they were targeting Hezbollah positions that violated the ceasefire agreement.

The Lebanese government has repeatedly condemned the Israeli attacks. After Israel failed to meet the initial deadline to withdraw from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese authorities extended the deadline to Feb. 18.

MIL OSI China News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash – Daly River Region

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force have responded to a serious crash involving 12 people in the Daly River Region on Saturday night.

About 5:40pm, police were notified of a single vehicle rollover about 1.5km South-East of Tipperary Station, near Dorat Road at the end of Daly River Road.

Members from Naiyu and Peppimenarti Police attended Naiyu Clinic where all 12 passengers presented following the crash. Adelaide River and Batchelor Police deployed to the crash scene to continue investigations.

At the clinic, 9 of the 12 people were identified with varying injuries; including fractures and head injuries before being transported to the Royal Darwin Hospital by Careflight for treatment.

A 5-year-old female among those injured, was identified with a serious head injury.

The driver tested negative for alcohol.

Acting Superintendent Erica Gibson said, “When a vehicle this overloaded crashes, regardless of the cause, it is just pure luck that no one is killed.

“This behaviour was incredibly dangerous and irresponsible. It goes without saying that the maximum number of passengers in any vehicle is the same as the number of seats.”

MIL OSI News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Second suspect arrested over Mitchell Park break-in

Source: South Australia Police

A second man has been arrested over a Mitchell Park break-in last month and will face court today.

Just after 6.30pm on Friday 24 January the victims returned home and were confronted by a group of intruders leaving their Handley Avenue property.

The suspects stole property including a Play Station, jewellery and cash and left in a silver Holden VE Commodore.

Thankfully there were no physical injuries.

A 20-year-old Elizabeth North man was arrested on 27 January and charged with serious criminal trespass, theft, aggravated robbery, assault, theft, illegal use of motor vehicle and fail to truly answer questions.

Following investigations, a second suspect was arrested yesterday, Sunday 9 February.

The 24-year-old Prospect man was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, illegal use and drive while disqualified. He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information that may assist is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.

CO2500003741, C02500005663

MIL OSI News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: NZ households will be slightly worse off if Trump triggers a trade war – new modelling

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niven Winchester, Professor of Economics, Auckland University of Technology

Getty Images

Donald Trump has already made good on his threat to impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese goods, and is due to announce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminium imports into the United States.

While he has paused proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports for the time being, a trade war between the US and the rest of the world remains a real possibility.

Mexico, Canada and China responded to Trump’s tariff plans by drafting retaliatory tariffs and countermeasures. But Trump’s threatened tariffs extend well beyond North America and China.

During his 2024 election campaign he said all trading nations could expect similar treatment, and he explicitly stated his intention to target the European Union (EU):

They don’t take our cars, they don’t take our farm products, they take almost nothing and we take everything from them. Millions of cars, tremendous amounts of food and farm products.

While it’s true the EU exports more to the US than it imports, it’s simplistic to use bilateral trade balances as a gauge of the overall economic benefits. International trade allows countries to concentrate on producing the goods and services they do well, and to exchange them for ones more costly to produce domestically.

Ultimately, trade allows everyone to consume more. A trade war therefore makes nations worse off: tariffs divert trade flows and reduce the exchange of goods. And, of course, this filters down to affect ordinary household incomes.

Households worse off

The impact of a trade war on any given country will depend on several factors, including the share of a nation’s exports exposed to new tariffs, and the importance of trade to each economy.

Small countries tend to trade more than large ones because they specialise in producing a relatively small number of goods, and rely on trade to consume a variety of products.

To quantify the impacts of a trade war, I consider a scenario where the US imposes additional tariffs of 25% on all merchandise imports (the figure Trump has consistently used), and all other countries respond with similar tariffs on US goods.

I simulate the tariffs in a global model of production, trade and consumption similar to that used by the New Zealand Productivity Commission’s inquiry into improving economic resilience. The model uses input-output tables that describe production of 32 commodities in each country, and data on bilateral trade in each commodity between nations.

National-level impacts are measured by calculating the equivalent impact on aggregate household income. This metric converts the effects from the tariffs – including changes in product prices, wages and business profits – into changes in household income.

In New Zealand, the trade war decreases aggregate household income by 0.1% or NZ$322 million per year. Divided among the country’s nearly two million households, this means each household is worse off by NZ$163 per year.

Global income declines

The impacts of the simulated trade war are larger in North America. It decreases US annual aggregate household income by 1.5%, which equates to US$262 billion, or US$2,963 per household.

In Canada and Mexico, for which the US is both a major export market and source of imports, average household income decreases by 3.6% (US$2,963) and 4.6% (US$1,192), respectively, each year.

Across all nations, the tariff war results in an equivalent decrease in aggregate household income of 0.7% (US$414 billion) per year.

The simulated tariff war also results in a reshuffling of trade. New Zealand merchandise exports to the US decrease by NZ$4.4 billion, but exports to other nations increase by a similar amount (due to their price advantage relative to US goods).

Likewise, New Zealand merchandise imports from the US decrease by NZ$4.7 billion and imports from other nations increase by about the same amount. As a result, the trade war has little impact on New Zealand’s total exports and imports.

Aggregate trade changes are largest in the US, which imposes new tariffs on all its imports and faces new tariffs in all export markets. US merchandise exports and imports both decrease by around US$565 billion (NZ$1 trillion).

Overall, the modelling confirms the well known result that trade wars decrease global economic activity and routinely make all nations worse off.

Niven Winchester has previously received funding from the Productivity Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to estimate the impacts of potential trade policies. He is affiliated with Motu Economic & Public Policy Research.

– ref. NZ households will be slightly worse off if Trump triggers a trade war – new modelling – https://theconversation.com/nz-households-will-be-slightly-worse-off-if-trump-triggers-a-trade-war-new-modelling-249120

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Man arrested after officers threatened with machete

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Attribute to Inspector Lincoln Sycamore

A man faces a raft of charges after allegedly swinging a machete at Police in Napier overnight.

A 21-year-old Taradale man has been charged with dangerous driving; possession of an offensive weapon; assaulting Police; injures with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; resisting Police; threatening to kill; and driving with excess breath alcohol. He is due to appear in the Hastings District Court today, Monday 10 February.

About 1.30am, a vehicle was seen driving at speed on Kennedy Road in Napier with its headlights off. Police lost sight of the car, but a member of the public pointed Police toward Clive, where the vehicle was located travelling at double the speed limit.

As plans were being put in place to set up cordons and stop the vehicle, it crashed into a fence on Waitangi Road, Awatoto, causing significant damage to the car and fence. Police were not pursuing the vehicle.

A unit located the vehicle and the sole occupant, who was initially compliant. As Police approached him, the man allegedly pulled a machete from the vehicle and began chasing one of the officers while swinging the weapon.

Both officers deployed Tasers, which were ineffective in stopping the man, before he was subdued with OC spray.

Neither officer was injured by the weapon.

The officers involved were stood down for the rest of their shift. One officer was treated at the scene for a minor injury but did not require hospitalisation.

I’m incredibly proud of their efforts. They were faced with a dangerous and unpredictable situation where a moment’s delay could have been fatal. They used training and experience to bring the alleged offender into custody without serious injury to him, or themselves.

Sadly, this is a reminder of the needless violence Police face, often with little to no warning. While Police are trained to make decisions rapidly and under pressure, nothing prepares you for seeing your colleague being threatened with a machete.

I am proud of the way both officers executed their duty bravely – the community is safer because of their actions.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025
Source: Government of India

Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

Showcasing air power, cutting-edge innovations & potential new global collaborations, the five-day event to provide thrust to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047

Aero India 2025 will advance our vision of a strong, capable, secure & self-reliant India: Shri Rajnath Singh

Participation of over 900 exhibitors & 90 countries set to make it the biggest-ever Aero India till date; Approx. 30 Defence Ministers & over 100 OEMs to attend

Domestic defence production expected to cross Rs 1.60 lakh crore by 2025-26, with exports touching Rs 30,000 crore mark: RM

Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

The 15^th edition of Aero India, Asia’s biggest aerospace and defence exhibition, will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 10, 2025. With the broad theme of ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’, the five-day extravaganza will showcase India’s aerial prowess and indigenous cutting-edge innovations alongside state-of-the-art products of global aerospace companies. In line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision, the event will also provide a stage to forge international collaborations to fast-track the indigenisation process, thereby providing a thrust to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s resolve of making the country Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on the eve of the event, Raksha Mantri described Aero India as a crucial platform, which will drive forward the Government’s vision of a strong, capable India, secure and self-reliant India. “Aero India is a platform that showcases the strength, resilience, and self-reliance of New India. It is not just crucial for India’s defence preparedness, but it also plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of our nation. It will demonstrate our defence capabilities and forge global partnerships. Our goal is to enhance collaboration in areas of common interest with our friendly nations, fostering deeper cooperation and shared progress. The event is not just a showcase of technology and innovation, but will also serve as a source of inspiration for our youth, fostering scientific temperament and a spirit of innovation,” he said.

Organised in a total area of over 42,000 sq m and with the confirmed participation of over 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies, the event is set to be the biggest-ever Aero India till date. Shri Rajnath Singh termed the participation of more than 90 countries as a testament to the growing global confidence in India’s aerospace and defence capabilities. “Defence ministers or representatives from about 30 countries have come to participate in this event. The presence of Air Chiefs and Secretaries from 43 countries further highlights the significance of this event – not just for India, but for the entire international defence community,” he said.

Highlighting the transformation of the defence and aerospace sector in the recent years, Raksha Mantri asserted that, today, India is not only capable of designing and developing major platforms and equipment within India, it has also successfully established a vast supply chain within the country. “Advanced platforms like Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand and C-295 Transport Aircraft are now being produced in India. We have also taken a firm resolve to manufacture fifth-generation fighter aircraft within the country. From the advanced variants of the Agni missile, the Astra missile system, and the Pinaka missile system to the cutting-edge Hypersonic missile system and the Akash air defence system, we have built numerous success stories. These achievements have played a crucial role in strengthening our defence sector, making India more self-reliant and secure,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh added that post corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board, the newly formed companies have started performing exceptionally well in defence production. “Under a well-considered and well-developed plan, we have actively worked to empower the private sector in the defence and aerospace industries. Today, India has a thriving private defence industry that has firmly established itself and is making significant contributions to our national security,” he said.

Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that defence production, having crossed the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore, will exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26. Defence exports, which touched the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore, he said, will surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the crucial role being played by the defence industrial sector in making India an economic super power. He stated that any breakthrough in the defence sector not only strengthens national security, but also impacts the economy. Technologies developed for defence applications promote innovation in the civil sector as well, leading to employment generation and economic development, he said. He termed Aero India a significant driver of economic strength, contributing to the overall growth and development of the economy. He expressed confidence that Aero India will be remembered as a historic milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a global leader in the aerospace and defence sector.

The 15^thAero India will be held between 10^thand 14^thFebruary 2025. February 10^thto 12^thhave been reserved as business days, with 13^th& 14^thset as public days for people to witness the show. The event comprises Defence Ministers’ Conclave; CEOs Roundtable; inauguration of India & iDEX Pavilions; Manthan iDEX event; Samarthya Indigenisation event; Valedictory function; seminars; breath-taking airshows and an exhibition of aerospace companies.

Defence Ministers’ Conclave

With the aim to strengthen defence cooperation with friendly nations amidst a rapidly-evolving global security landscape, Raksha Mantri will host the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on February 11 in hybrid mode. The theme this year ‘Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement (BRIDGE)’ underscores the importance of supply chain resilience and strategic collaboration in defence.

The last edition witnessed the participation of 27 Defence Ministers and Deputy Defence Ministers alongside 15 Defence & Service Chiefs and 12 Permanent Secretaries. This year, the participation has expanded as representatives from more than 80 countries are likely to participate in the conclave. Approx. 30 Defence Ministers in addition to Defence/Service Chiefs and Permanent Secretaries from friendly nations will attend the event.

The conclave will provide a crucial platform to address key aspects such as Defence capacity building through investment, joint ventures & co-production, Collaboration in R&D, training & technological advancements in AI & space, Maritime security cooperation and strategic partnerships.

CEOs Roundtable

CEOs Roundtable 2025 will be chaired by Raksha Mantri on February 10, on the theme ‘Enabling Defence Cooperation through Global Engagement (EDGE)’. Over 100 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have confirmed their participation in the event. These include 55 from 19 countries (USA, France, Russia, South Korea, UK, Japan, Israel & Brazil etc), 35 Indian (Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Ltd, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd, BrahMos Aerospace & Ashok Leyland Defence) and 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). Shri Rajnath Singh had addressed over 73 CEOs of 28 Foreign OEMs and 45 Indian OEMs in the 2023 edition of the event.

Major foreign OEMs including Airbus (France), Ultra Maritime (USA), GNT (South Korea), John Cockerill Defence (UK), Mitsubishi (Japan), Rafael Advance Defence System (Israel), Safran (France) and Liebherr Aerospace (France) are expected to highlight their future plans, Joint Ventures, collaborations, partnerships with Indian companies for production of spares parts, development of aero-engines, setting up of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) facilities and establishment of R&D facilities etc.

India Pavilion

The India Pavilion will provide an opportunity to Indian Defence Industries to showcase their design, development, innovation and manufacturing capabilities. It will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. The grandeur show at India Pavilion would signify the ‘Flight of Self-Reliance’ which encapsulates India’s journey towards becoming a global aerospace and defence powerhouse.

India Pavilion will be divided into five distinct zones displaying indigenous capabilities in aero aviation, land aviation and naval aviation, def-space and niche technologies domains. More than 275 exhibits will be at display through various mediums, represented by complete defence ecosystem of the country which includes DPSUs, design houses, private corporates including MSMEs and start-ups. The Central Area exhibits will include a striking display of marquee platforms including Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, Combat Air Teaming System, Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter.

iDEX Pavilion

The iDEX Pavilion will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. It will showcase cutting-edge indigenously developed products and technologies, marking a significant milestone in India’s defence innovation journey. Leading innovators will display their indigenously-developed products spanning a wide-range of advanced domains including Aerospace, DefSpace, Aero Structures, Anti-drone systems, Autonomous Systems, Robotics, Communication, Cybersecurity, Surveillance & Tracking, Unmanned Ground Vehicles etc. The Pavilion will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the winners of Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme, showcasing their ground-breaking work in critical and niche technologies.

iDEX has successfully onboarded over 600 start-ups and MSMEs, marking a significant milestone in fostering innovation. Furthermore, 40 prototypes developed under iDEX have received official clearance for procurement, with 31 procurement contracts worth Rs 1,560 crore already signed.

Manthan

Manthan 2025, the flagship annual defence innovation event, will be graced by Raksha Mantri on February 12. Organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), the event will bring together stakeholders of the defence innovation ecosystem including innovators, industry leaders, academia, incubators, investors, thought leaders, senior government officials etc.

Manthan will deliberate on emerging challenges and opportunities in the sector, with a focus on supporting defence start-ups and MSMEs, enhancing innovation capabilities, and fostering strategic collaborations within the defence ecosystem. It stands as a testament to the scale and speed of iDEX, showcasing the rapid strides made in defence innovation and the pivotal role of start-ups in transforming India’s defence capabilities.

Samarthya

On the success story of indigenisation and innovation in the defence sector, an Indigenisation event on the theme ‘SAMARTHYA’ will be held on February 12 alongside the Valedictory function which will be graced by Raksha Mantri. This event is first-of-its-kind during Aero India, as it will showcase India’s indigenous ingenuity in defence manufacturing by demonstrating some of the major items indigenised by DPSUs, DRDO and Services with the involvement of the private sector.

Bilateral Meetings

Bilateral meetings at the levels of Raksha Mantri/Raksha Rajya Mantri/Chief of Defence Staff/Service Chiefs/Defence Secretary/Secretary (Defence Production) will take place on the sidelines of Aero India 2025.

Seminars

A number of seminars on a variety of topics will be organised as part of Aero India 2025. On February 11, Raksha Mantri is scheduled to address a seminar organised by the Indian Air Force on the theme ‘Manned Unmanned teams for Aerial Warfare – concept to targeting’ and another organised by DRDO on the theme ‘DRDO Industry Synergy towards Viksit Bharat’.

Other seminars on the themes – Mission DefSpace: From Vision to Reality – A Progress Report; Indigenous Development of Aerospace Materials: Strengthening India’s Self-Reliance; Transition to Aatmanirbhar Indian Naval Aviation 2047 and its associated ecosystem; Transformation of Maritime Aviation by Adopting Technological trends and Indigenisation; Aligning Technologies to Future Conflicts; and Investment Opportunities for Aerospace & Defence Manufacturers in Karnataka – will also be held as part of the event.

Historic First – Su-57 and F-35 at Aero India

For the first time in history, Aero India 2025 will witness the participation of two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft – the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II. It marks a milestone in global defence collaboration and technological advancement, offering aviation enthusiasts and defence experts an unparalleled prospect to witness these state-of-the-art warplanes.
- Su-57: Russia’s premier stealth multirole fighter is designed for superior air superiority and strike capabilities. Equipped with advanced avionics, supercruise capability, and stealth technology, it is making its debut at Aero India 2025. Visitors can expect high-speed aerial manoeuvres and tactical demonstrations that highlight the fighter’s agility, stealth and firepower.
- F-35 Lightning II: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the most widely-deployed fifth-generation fighter, integrates advanced stealth, unparalleled situational awareness and networked combat capabilities. Its presence at Aero India 2025 will enable visitors to witness the flagship of US Air Force.
The inclusion of both the Su-57 and F-35 highlights India’s position as a key hub for international defence and aerospace collaboration. Aero India 2025 will provide a rare side-by-side comparison of Eastern and Western fifth-generation fighter technology, offering defence analysts, military personnel and aviation enthusiasts valuable insights into their respective capabilities.

Visitor-Friendly Experience

With key infrastructure upgrades and improved amenities, Aero India 2025 promises to be bigger, smoother and more visitor-friendly than ever before.
- Enhanced Infrastructure & Traffic Management: Recognising past challenges, extensive improvements have been made to facilitate seamless entry, movement and connectivity and there has been close coordination between Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force (IAF), various arms of Karnataka State Government like Bengaluru Traffic Police, BBMP, NHAI, and Namma Metro. Approach roads have been widened to optimise traffic flow around Air Force Station Yelahanka so as to ease congestion and improve movement around the venue.
- Security and Emergency Preparedness: Red drone zones have been designated and published with countermeasures in place to tackle unauthorised drone activity. Rapid Mobile Units will be deployed strategically to provide quick assistance and emergency support. Continuous mock drills with multiple agencies are being conducted to ensure practical and implementable contingency plans.
- Exhibitor & Visitor Experience Enhancements: To enhance the experience for exhibitors and business delegates, the exhibition area has been revamped with several key upgrades:
- Expanded and better-ventilated exhibition halls to accommodate more exhibitors and visitors comfortably.
- Improved seating and rest zones throughout the venue.
- Additional food courts and refreshment kiosks, including Indira Canteens (at parking areas).
- Lost and found counters and ATM kiosks for visitor convenience.
- Multiple water points, medical aid posts, and a dedicated cardiac aid post for emergencies, including medical evacuation.
- Multi-Layered Security Measures: Ensuring the safety of all attendees, a multi-layered security system is being deployed in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bengaluru Police, CISF, and Intelligence Agencies. Measures include:
- Enhanced security protocols and faster access control.
- An operational Command and Control Centre for real-time responses to security concerns.
- 24/7 CCTV monitoring for situational awareness.
- Dedicated screening zones for visitors, exhibitors, and VIPs.
- Disaster management and fire safety committees to handle emergencies.
- Connectivity & Digital Infrastructure: To address connectivity challenges, all telecom service providers are deploying temporary mobile towers and network boosters for uninterrupted communication. A dedicated Aero India 2025 mobile app has also been launched which will provide live updates, navigation assistance, and event scheduling. Secure digital communication channels have also been established for coordination among agencies. Additionally, provisions have been made to support increased electricity demands during the event while ensuring safety.
- Airspace Management & Demonstrations: Aero India demonstrations and aircraft movements are a major highlight of Aero India 2025. In coordination with AAI and HAL, the Indian Air Force has structured a dedicated Airspace management plan including:
- Temporary flight restrictions around Aero India Force Station Yelahanka to maintain safety during scheduled demonstrations.
- Strategic Aircraft parking and refuelling plans for domestic and international participants.
- Business and Innovation Support: The Aero India provides a platform for collaborations and to facilitate B2B, G2B interactions and hosting roundtable discussions to showcase technological advancements. Special focus will be given to supporting start-ups and MSMEs by providing them with a global platform to present indigenous innovations.
- Sustainability Initiatives: Aero India 2025 is committed to sustainability and has incorporated several eco-friendly measures in its conduct like:
- Reduced vehicle movement to minimise pollution and enhance pedestrian comfort.
- Exclusive use of more than 100 E Karts for movement of visitors in the exhibition venue.
- Comprehensive waste management, including increased recycling bins, waste segregation zones, and timely disposal of waste.
With these multi-agency collaborations, Aero India 2025 is set to be one of the most well-coordinated and better organised editions to date.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff & Secretary, Department of Military Affairs General Anil Chauhan, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, other senior officials of Ministry of Defence and industry leaders attended the curtain raiser press conference.

*******

VK/SR/SPS/Savvy

(Release ID: 2101170) Visitor Counter : 115

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Nowhere to hide for dangerous driver

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

A driver who allegedly fled from Police, drove with no lights on and attempted to hide inside a roof cavity, will now appear in court.

Just after midnight, an officer reported seeing a black Honda Integra travelling at speed through the Hillsborough area.

Auckland City West Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Wayne Kitcher, says the vehicle was signalled to stop but failed to do so and fled from Police.

“We did not pursue, but were able to follow the vehicle using cameras as it travelled along State Highway 20 without its lights on through the Waterview tunnel before heading west onto State Highway 16.

“The vehicle was tracked until the Police Eagle helicopter was able to continue observations as it exited the motorway towards Swanson.”

Inspector Kitcher says one occupant fled from the vehicle of Hetherington Road before the driver abandoned the vehicle on Urlrich Drive.

“The driver and another occupant then ran across a reserve and into a nearby address.

“One person was located inside the roof cavity and both occupants were taken into custody without issue.

“Police take this type of driving as a very serious risk to all road users.”

A 22-year-old will appear in Auckland District Court on 14 February charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop.

A 15-year-old has been referred to Youth Aid Services.

The vehicle was also impounded for six months.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Obituaries – In Loving Memory – the passing of Raymond Thompson MNZM

Source: Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group

Message: 9th February 2025 – Beloved, respected and cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, confidante, mentor, motivator, inspiration and guiding light, Ray passed away suddenly but peacefully in his sleep in Australia on January 15th, 2025.

Ray had great respect and esteem for his friends and colleagues in the music, film & television entertainment industries, as well as the New Zealand wine industry (through Tirohana Estate), and a deep appreciation and love for the many fans around the world who were touched by his creative endeavours.

A force of nature and larger than life, Ray’s passing is a catastrophic loss to his family and they respectfully ask for ongoing privacy during this very difficult time.

A private family service has been held but it would mean a great deal if in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the non-profitable charity founded by Ray in New Zealand, the Cloud 9 Children’s Foundation ( https://withyoueverystepoftheway.com) which supports and assists children and teenagers (and their families) touched by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A writer, musician, producer, creator, viticulturist, philanthropist and dreamer, Ray’s legacy lives on in us all and his music, works and projects will live on. Ray’s beloved Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment will continue, as will Tirohana Estate in Martinborough.

‘You cannot ignore the whisper of mortality that inhabits every fading sunset’.

Keep the Dream Alive.

For more information – https://www.entercloud9.com/cloud-9-company/people/

BIOGRAPHY AND OBITUARY – RAYMOND THOMPSON MNZM

Raymond was a veteran of the television and film industries, where he began as a writer (having also had a career as a songwriter and musician). His first novel, The Number To Call Is… was a bestseller and achieved critical acclaim in 1979.

As lead writer/script consultant he worked on several motion pictures and television series. His credits range from Hotshot to Squadron (for the BBC), Trainer to the icon series Howards Way (also for the BBC), which is regarded by many as one of Britain’s best loved drama series (and which regularly achieved the highest ratings during its six-year run).

From 1989-1994 Raymond was also Head of Development for BBC Television Drama, and also retained as a consultant to the Controller of BBC Television Drama Series, where he had a production/creative liaison on a wide range of successful BBC titles – many of which are still being broadcast today.

In 1994 Raymond founded the Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group in association with the Sanctuary Group PLC.

Cloud 9 evolved to be of the most prolific independent production companies (with its titles being show in over 100 countries around the world) and helped contribute to the revitalisation of the Wellington entertainment industry (‘Wellywood’) by supporting and ushering in a new generation of talent in the Wellington and New Zealand television and film communities.

In addition to being Chief Executive of the Cloud 9 Group, Raymond has also Executive produced Cloud 9’s portfolio of titles from inception to the current day- many of which Raymond also created.

Credits include The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson, Return to Treasure Island, William Shatner’s A Twist in the Tale, The Enid Blyton Adventure Series, The Enid Blyton Secret Series, The Legend of William Tell, within Cloud 9’s Classic Collection in association with CLT-UFA.

His numerous other credits include the iconic series The Tribe (5 seasons of 260 episodes), Atlantis High, Revelations -The Initial Journey, and The New Tomorrow (all created by Raymond).

In 2000, Ray was the Founder and Chairman of The Cloud 9 Children’s Foundation, a non-profit charity which supports and assists families touched by Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder..

In 2001 Raymond returned to his musical roots and composed the Spirit Symphony, which premiered at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington via a performance by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Kenneth Young). The symphony is performed in other parts of the world and has been released on CD (and digital release) worldwide. Raymond also composed many of the soundtracks of Cloud 9’s programming.

In December 2002 Raymond was appointed an Adjunct Professor by Queensland University of Technology in the Creative Industries Faculty as a vehicle for guest lecturing, mentoring and to consult in both the private and public sector on the television and motion picture industries.

In 2003 Raymond was honoured (along with Ray Bradbury) for the cult series, The Tribe, at the Dragoncon Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

In recognition of Raymond’s achievements, he was appointed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2003 Honours List in recognition of his services to television and entertainment.

Raymond adjudicated at many festivals including BAFTA and was a member of the jury for the 2004 Emmy finalists.

In 2005, Raymond acquired Tirohana Estate ( www.tirohanaestate.com) to pursue his hobby and love of premium wine and was a regular visitor to Martinborough in New Zealand and could often be found participating in each vintage, driving the tractor or ute, and enjoying a chat with diners and clients having a glass of Tirohana Estate’s wines.

In 2011, Raymond released his memoir book ‘Keeping The Dream Alive’. Raymond was active in bringing together and overseeing the ‘continuing story’ of The Tribe through the official series of tie-in novels released by A.J. Penn from 2012 and the audiobooks (narrated by several members of the original cast of The Tribe). Raymond wrote and Executive Produced The Tribe video game that was released in 2022 (and has since been released in 2024 as an Apple iOS mobile version). ‘The Tribe Collector’s Edition Screenplay’ was released as a book (and eBook) in December 2022.

Raymond was still heavily involved in philanthropy including his charity The Cloud 9 Children’s Foundation and as well as continuing to oversee Cloud 9’s ongoing activity with its catalogue of titles, was also busy writing original screenplays which he was actively developing in line with Cloud 9’s expansion into the motion picture industries.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Update three-car crash Bridgewater Bridge

Source: Tasmania Police

Update three-car crash Bridgewater Bridge

Sunday, 9 February 2025 – 11:46 am.

Two youths have been taken into custody following an evade incident on the Bridgewater Bridge this morning.
The pair were observed driving a stolen vehicle south on the Midland Highway around 8:30am, when they failed to stop for police. Officers deployed road spikes on the Midland Highway near the Bridgewater causeway.
The driver continued to drive the vehicle crashed into two other vehicles causing minor damage. The two 15-year-old youths ran from the vehicle and were apprehended by police nearby.
One of the youths has been taken to hospital as a precaution. No other injuries were reported.
Traffic was diverted via New Norfolk and the Bowen Bridge.
The Bridgewater causeway will remain closed until around midday.
Investigations are ongoing, and police urge anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at crimestopperstas.com.au

MIL OSI News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash at One Tree Hill

Source: South Australia Police

A man has died in a fatal crash at One Tree Hill overnight.

Emergency services were called to Uley Road, One Tree Hill about 1.30am on Monday 10 February by reports of a single vehicle collision.

The Holden station wagon failed to negotiate a bend and hit a pole, the impact splitting the car in half.

Sadly, the driver, a 35-year-old One Tree Hill man, died at the scene.

Major Crash investigators attended and examined the scene overnight.

The man’s death is the 16th life lost on South Australian roads so far this year.

Anyone who witness this vehicle driving prior to the crash or has any further information that may assist the investigation into the fatal crash can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

MIL OSI News –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Respect your elders: Driving change for vintage vehicles
Source: New Zealand Government
- The Government will consult on reducing the frequency of Warrant of Fitness and Certificate of Fitness inspections for vintage light vehicles and private heavy motorhomes.
- At present these vehicles must be inspected every six months.
- The consultation proposes to extend this to a year.
The Government is looking to reduce unnecessarily onerous compliance requirements for owners of vintage cars, vintage motorcycles and privately owned motorhomes, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

“Everyone loves seeing a lovingly maintained vintage car out on the road for a Sunday drive, and cruising around our beautiful country in a motorhome is a quintessential Kiwi dream,” Mr Bishop says.

“There are around 128,000 vintage vehicles in New Zealand, and about 39,000 private motorhomes. At present the owners of these vehicles must spend time and money on Warrant of Fitness (WOF) or Certificate of Fitness (COF) inspections every six months.

“That’s despite motorhomes and vintage light vehicles travelling much less per year compared to most modern cars, and evidence showing that faults in these vehicles are half as likely to have contributed to serious crashes involving these vehicles. That’s true even when factoring in the smaller numbers of motorhomes and vintage vehicles on our roads.

“Evidence also shows that initial pass rates for vintage vehicles are higher compared to all vehicles under 40 years old.

“In fact, light vehicle WOF pass rates actually improve as vehicles age from 40 years old showing that, with proper care, some things really do get better with age.”

“That’s why we’re consulting on easing the overly onerous compliance requirements on these types of vehicles, so that owners of vintage cars and private motorhomes can spend less time waiting in line at the VTNZ, and more time tinkering happily in the garage or cruising the open road.”

The consultation is being run by NZTA, and proposes to:
- Reduce WOF check frequency for vehicles over 40 years old from every 6 months to every year, and
- Reduce COF check frequency for privately owned heavy motorhome vehicles from every 6 months to every year.
“Extending the time between WOF and COF inspections is a sensible approach to ensuring vehicles are safe while not going overboard on compliance.”

Public consultation on the proposed changes will begin on 24 February 2025. Visit nzta.govt.nz to share your feedback. The last day for feedback is 4 April 2025.

Note to Editors:
- Vintage light vehicles refers to cars and motorcycles over 40 years old.
- In total there are around 4.4 million light vehicles in New Zealand. Around 128,000 of them are vintage.
- WOF pass rate statistics refer to initial WOF inspections only, and not re-checks.
- To make a Rule change through this process, the Minister of Transport is required to consult with the public / interested parties.
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
February 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: A century in motion: how stop-motion films went from obscure ‘creature features’ to winning Oscars

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack McGrath, Lecturer in Animation, University of Newcastle

Netflix

The 2025 Academy Awards could shape up to be a big one for stop-motion animation. Australian director Adam Eliott’s Memoir of a Snail (2024) has raked in a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film, alongside Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024).

Read more:
Overtly handmade and so very moving: Adam Elliot’s Memoir of A Snail is a stop motion triumph

Coincidentally, this recognition comes in what is already an historic year for stop motion. A century ago, on February 8 1925, The Lost World hit cinemas. This film is widely considered the first feature-length stop-motion production, as well as the first “creature feature”.

Audiences were captivated as they watched animated dinosaurs share the screen with live actors. The animators positioned and photographed miniature dinosaurs made of rubber, one frame at a time, to create moving sequences that accompanied full-scale shots with human actors.

This method drew from earlier works such as Georges Méliès’s 1902 short film A Trip to the Moon (Le voyage dans la lune).

Guillermo del Toro won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film with Pinocchio.
Netflix

Dynamation: the beginnings

After animating on The Lost World, stop-motion pioneer Willis O’Brien went on to animate King Kong (1933) and the lesser-known Mighty Joe Young (1949), where he mentored Ray Harryhausen.

Harryhausen himself would later design and animate some of the most celebrated stop-motion sequences of all time, including the famous skeleton fight in Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and the fictional Rhedosaurus from The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953).

The blend of animated miniatures and live actors become known as Dynamation, as Harryhausen pushed to create ever-more integrated and dynamic sequences in which animated puppets “interacted” with real actors.

Back then it wasn’t possible to review animation as it was being shot; you could only see the puppet as it was in the moment. Sequences were shot on celluloid film, and animators had to wait for the film to develop before they could see the results.

The famous skeleton fight in Jason and the Argonauts required Harryhausen to remember the movements of seven skeletons and line up a fight sequence with two pre-recorded actors, one frame at a time. He would often work for months before being able to review his work.

In Eastern Europe, filmmakers such as Karel Zeman were also combining live action with miniature special effects and stop motion – extending a long history of Eastern European puppet theatre into cinema.

In 1958, Zeman brought Jules Vernes’ whimsical vehicles and underwater worlds to the screen in his feature film Invention for Destruction (Vynález zkázy).

Zeman’s work went on to influence famous animators such as Jan Švankmajer and Terry Gilliam.

Invention for Destruction was later named The Fabulous World of Jules Verne. Zeman used a combination of puppetry, stop motion and live action effects for the film.
IMDB

Technology advances

In the 1970s, Phil Tippet and others working at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) – a studio founded by George Lucas – pushed the medium further through the development of “go-motion”.

This invention used a custom-made control rig that precisely moved a puppet while it was being photographed – resulting in a subtle motion blur that emulated live-action movement.

This technique allowed for more realistic animation and was used in productions such as Dragon Slayer (1981) and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980).

In the 1980s, however, Star Wars began a trend towards photorealism and audiences became more scrutinising of visual effects. Harryhausen’s creatures in Clash of the Titans (1981) appeared especially hammy and outdated even for the time.

The CGI scare

In the early 90s, Phil Tippet and colleagues at ILM, in the pursuit of perfecting the craft, developed test dinosaur sequences for Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993). Tippet animated the original test sequences in stop motion.

Also at ILM, Dennis Muren was experimenting with a new kind of animation for creatures made entirely using computer software. These were the early days of computer-generated imagery (CGI).

When Tippet saw an early Jurassic Park test of CGI dinosaur footage, he said to Steven Spielberg “I’m extinct”.

Nonetheless, once it was decided the dinosaurs would be created with CGI, Tippet continued working on the film. He used a dinosaur-shaped physical rig, which allowed changes to the rig’s position to translate to CGI movements onscreen. Stop-motion animators were helpful in this process because “CGI animators” as we know them didn’t yet exist.

Amid a CGI-induced scare, Tim Burton and Henry Selicks’ The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) became the first fully stop-motion animated feature to be produced by a major studio. This film proved stop motion could be achieved at a Hollywood scale.

Stop motion took a backseat to CGI in the years that followed. Pixar’s Toy Story (1995), the world’s first fully CGI animated feature, cemented CGI as the way of the future.

The only other noteworthy stop-motion cinematic release came at the turn of the century, when DreamWorks teamed up with Aardman Animations to produce Chicken Run (2000), following a number of successful stop motion shorts, starting with Wallace and Gromit’s A Grand Day Out in 1989.

The comeback

Eventually, innovations in digital cameras and motion control paved the way back to stop motion, giving us films such as Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) and The Corpse Bride (2005).

Working on Coraline (2008), Laika studios introduced 3D printing technology for a sophisticated form of replacement animation, in which different body and facial pieces are swapped to create character movements and expressions.

Traditionally, this technique was achieved by carving individual wooden models and swapping them out between capturing frames. This is how filmmaker George Pal made his Puppetoons films in the 1930s.

Embracing new tech brought stop motion back onto the world stage, with studios such as Laika leading the charge. Since then, we’ve seen the release of features including ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), Missing Link (2019) and Guillermo del Toro’s Academy Award-wining Pinnoccio (2022).

A new era of stop-motion features

Despite huge developments in CGI, audiences still appreciate the painstaking work of bringing inanimate objects to life frame by frame.

There are more stop motion films being made than ever before, with independent filmmakers and students creating quality sequences for a fraction of what it cost 30 years ago.

Some directors use the medium for its connection with real materials, and out of respect for the art form. Phil Tippet spent more than 30 years on his stop motion feature Mad God (2021) – an experimental and intense horror magnum opus that embodies the materiality of stop motion.

Wes Anderson says his approach to stop motion in Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) was “very much about bringing to life the [characters’] performance.”

In Pinocchio (2022), Guillermo del Toro tells the touching story of a puppet, using real puppets, in which imperfection and human frailty are emphasised.

We’re also seeing the return of stop-motion creature effects, such as with Disney’s Star Wars series Skeleton Crew (2024–25), in which live action is once again integrated with stop-motion puppets.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is now pushing audiences and creators to question what they value in animation, cinema and art more generally.

If AI could generate high-quality films with a stop-motion aesthetic, would we value them as much as those productions that were laboured over for years on end? The recent Oscar nominees may hold the answer.

Jack McGrath 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. A century in motion: how stop-motion films went from obscure ‘creature features’ to winning Oscars – https://theconversation.com/a-century-in-motion-how-stop-motion-films-went-from-obscure-creature-features-to-winning-oscars-248008

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 10, 2025

Category: Vehicles

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

Notes to editors

Met Office (DSIT)

Natural England (Defra)

DVSA (DfT)

Wilton Park

OSCB (DBT)

National Highways (DfT)

DSIT: GOV.UK site search

NHS Business Services Authority (DHSC)

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

Health Research Authority (DHSC)

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

Share this page

Updates to this page

Tags

Background information

Contact

The gold in the rough

Golf courses are not a perfect solution

So, how can we best manage golf courses for biodiversity?

Households worse off

Global income declines

Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025Showcasing air power, cutting-edge innovations & potential new global collaborations, the five-day event to provide thrust to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047

Source: Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group

Dynamation: the beginnings

Technology advances

The CGI scare

The comeback

A new era of stop-motion features

Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

Showcasing air power, cutting-edge innovations & potential new global collaborations, the five-day event to provide thrust to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047