NewzIntel.com

Category: Vehicles

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Delhi: Rain brings much-needed relief from humid weather

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Several parts of Delhi received rainfall on Monday morning, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid conditions that had gripped the city over the past few days.

    Rain began early in the day, with low-hanging clouds blanketing the sky across the capital. The showers helped bring down temperatures and eased the persistent humidity.

    However, the downpour also led to waterlogging in several areas, including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, where vehicles were seen wading through waterlogged streets.

    “Whenever it rains, the roads get waterlogged for up to five kilometres,” said one stranded commuter.

    Amit, another commuter, added, “It’s very problematic. The roads get waterlogged in just an hour of rain. My car also got a puncture.”

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Monday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls across all districts of Delhi, including North, North-East, North-West, South, South-West, South-East, and West Delhi.

    As of now, no such alerts have been issued for the upcoming days.

    According to the IMD, the weather in Delhi is expected to remain normal, with a forecast of “generally cloudy skies, very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning” over the next two to three days. Parts of Delhi had also received rainfall on Sunday morning.

    The IMD reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently passes through Suratgarh, Sirsa, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Daltonganj, Bankura, Digha, and then southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Additionally, an upper-air cyclonic circulation lies over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy showers, is likely over Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and East Madhya Pradesh on July 7. The IMD also predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Northwest India, the West Coast, and Northeast India over the next 6–7 days.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Trump calls Musk’s formation of new party ‘ridiculous’ and criticizes his own NASA pick

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Donald Trump on Sunday called Elon Musk’s plans to form a new political party “ridiculous,” launching new barbs at the tech billionaire and saying the Musk ally he once named to lead NASA would have presented a conflict of interest given Musk’s business interests in space.

    A day after Musk escalated his feud with Trump and announced the formation of a new U.S. political party, the Republican president was asked about it before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, as he returned to Washington upon visiting his nearby golf club.

    “I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party. We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion,” Trump told reporters.

    “It really seems to have been developed for two parties. Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”

    Shortly after speaking about Musk, Trump posted further comments on his Truth Social platform, saying, “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.”

    Musk announced on Saturday that he is establishing the “America Party” in response to Trump’s tax-cut and spending bill, which Musk said would bankrupt the country.

    “What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??” Musk wrote on X on Sunday, referring to the government downsizing agency he briefly led. Critics have said the bill will damage the U.S. economy by significantly adding to the federal budget deficit.

    Musk said his new party would in next year’s midterm elections look to unseat Republican lawmakers in Congress who backed the sweeping measure known as the “big, beautiful bill.”

    Musk spent millions of dollars underwriting Trump’s 2024 re-election effort and, for a time, regularly showed up at the president’s side in the White House Oval Office and elsewhere. Their disagreement over the spending bill led to a falling out that Musk briefly tried unsuccessfully to repair.

    Trump has said Musk is unhappy because the measure, which Trump signed into law on Friday, takes away green-energy credits for Tesla’s electric vehicles. The president has threatened to pull billions of dollars Tesla and SpaceX receive in government contracts and subsidies in response to Musk’s criticism.

    NASA APPOINTMENT ‘INAPPROPRIATE’

    Trump in his social media comments also said it was “inappropriate” to have named Musk ally Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator considering Musk’s business with the space agency. In December Trump named Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut, to lead NASA but withdrew the nomination on May 31, before his Senate confirmation vote and without explanation.

    Trump, who has yet to announce a new NASA nominee, on Sunday confirmed media reports he disapproved of Isaacman’s previous support for Democratic politicians.

    “I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life,” Trump said on Truth Social. “My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!”

    Musk’s announcement of a new party immediately brought a rebuke from Azoria Partners, which said on Saturday it will postpone the listing of its Azoria Tesla Convexity exchange-traded fund because the party’s creation posed “a conflict with his full-time responsibilities as CEO.” Azoria was set to launch the Tesla ETF this week.

    Azoria CEO James Fishback posted on X several critical comments about the new party and reiterated his support for Trump.

    “I encourage the Board to meet immediately and ask Elon to clarify his political ambitions and evaluate whether they are compatible with his full-time obligations to Tesla as CEO,” Fishback said.

    (Reuters)

  • Trump calls Musk’s formation of new party ‘ridiculous’ and criticizes his own NASA pick

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Donald Trump on Sunday called Elon Musk’s plans to form a new political party “ridiculous,” launching new barbs at the tech billionaire and saying the Musk ally he once named to lead NASA would have presented a conflict of interest given Musk’s business interests in space.

    A day after Musk escalated his feud with Trump and announced the formation of a new U.S. political party, the Republican president was asked about it before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, as he returned to Washington upon visiting his nearby golf club.

    “I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party. We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion,” Trump told reporters.

    “It really seems to have been developed for two parties. Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”

    Shortly after speaking about Musk, Trump posted further comments on his Truth Social platform, saying, “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.”

    Musk announced on Saturday that he is establishing the “America Party” in response to Trump’s tax-cut and spending bill, which Musk said would bankrupt the country.

    “What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??” Musk wrote on X on Sunday, referring to the government downsizing agency he briefly led. Critics have said the bill will damage the U.S. economy by significantly adding to the federal budget deficit.

    Musk said his new party would in next year’s midterm elections look to unseat Republican lawmakers in Congress who backed the sweeping measure known as the “big, beautiful bill.”

    Musk spent millions of dollars underwriting Trump’s 2024 re-election effort and, for a time, regularly showed up at the president’s side in the White House Oval Office and elsewhere. Their disagreement over the spending bill led to a falling out that Musk briefly tried unsuccessfully to repair.

    Trump has said Musk is unhappy because the measure, which Trump signed into law on Friday, takes away green-energy credits for Tesla’s electric vehicles. The president has threatened to pull billions of dollars Tesla and SpaceX receive in government contracts and subsidies in response to Musk’s criticism.

    NASA APPOINTMENT ‘INAPPROPRIATE’

    Trump in his social media comments also said it was “inappropriate” to have named Musk ally Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator considering Musk’s business with the space agency. In December Trump named Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut, to lead NASA but withdrew the nomination on May 31, before his Senate confirmation vote and without explanation.

    Trump, who has yet to announce a new NASA nominee, on Sunday confirmed media reports he disapproved of Isaacman’s previous support for Democratic politicians.

    “I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life,” Trump said on Truth Social. “My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!”

    Musk’s announcement of a new party immediately brought a rebuke from Azoria Partners, which said on Saturday it will postpone the listing of its Azoria Tesla Convexity exchange-traded fund because the party’s creation posed “a conflict with his full-time responsibilities as CEO.” Azoria was set to launch the Tesla ETF this week.

    Azoria CEO James Fishback posted on X several critical comments about the new party and reiterated his support for Trump.

    “I encourage the Board to meet immediately and ask Elon to clarify his political ambitions and evaluate whether they are compatible with his full-time obligations to Tesla as CEO,” Fishback said.

    (Reuters)

  • Typhoon Danas lashes southern Taiwan with record winds, injuring hundreds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Typhoon Danas lashed southern Taiwan with record winds and strong rain early on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 330 in a rare hit to the island’s densely populated west coast, where businesses and schools were shut.

    Taiwan is regularly struck by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

    Typhoon Danas, at one point listed by Taiwan’s weather authority at the second-strongest level, headed northerly towards the Taiwan Strait after making landfall along its southwestern coast late on Sunday.

    It has greatly weakened since and was forecast to hit eastern China later this week.

    “The typhoon track is rare… the whole of Taiwan will be affected by the wind and rain one after another,” President Lai Ching-te said in a post on Facebook, urging citizens to make preparations.

    Power to more than half a million homes was cut and over 300 domestic and international flights were cancelled, government data showed. The north-south high-speed rail line scaled back services.

    The National Fire Agency said one person was killed by a falling tree while driving and another died after their respirator malfunctioned due to a power cut.

    Record winds of around 220 kilometres per hour were recorded in the southwestern county of Yunlin, while more than 700 trees and street signs were blown over across western cities and towns, government data showed.

    There was no major report of damage in the Tainan Science Park that houses tech giants such as TSMC 2330.TW.

    (Reuters)

  • Typhoon Danas lashes southern Taiwan with record winds, injuring hundreds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Typhoon Danas lashed southern Taiwan with record winds and strong rain early on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 330 in a rare hit to the island’s densely populated west coast, where businesses and schools were shut.

    Taiwan is regularly struck by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

    Typhoon Danas, at one point listed by Taiwan’s weather authority at the second-strongest level, headed northerly towards the Taiwan Strait after making landfall along its southwestern coast late on Sunday.

    It has greatly weakened since and was forecast to hit eastern China later this week.

    “The typhoon track is rare… the whole of Taiwan will be affected by the wind and rain one after another,” President Lai Ching-te said in a post on Facebook, urging citizens to make preparations.

    Power to more than half a million homes was cut and over 300 domestic and international flights were cancelled, government data showed. The north-south high-speed rail line scaled back services.

    The National Fire Agency said one person was killed by a falling tree while driving and another died after their respirator malfunctioned due to a power cut.

    Record winds of around 220 kilometres per hour were recorded in the southwestern county of Yunlin, while more than 700 trees and street signs were blown over across western cities and towns, government data showed.

    There was no major report of damage in the Tainan Science Park that houses tech giants such as TSMC 2330.TW.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Young person arrested in relation to aggravated robberies

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Please attribute to Sean Cairns, Area Investigations Manager, Southern District Police:

    A young person is set to appear in front of the Youth Court today, after he was arrested in relation to two aggravated robberies in Invercargill on Saturday morning.

    At around 6am on Saturday, Police responded to two robberies at commercial premises on Tay Street and Dee Street.

    The youth fled from the scene of the second robbery in a stolen vehicle, however was located and arrested by Police a short time later near Otepuni Ave.

    Enquiries into the two incidents remain ongoing, however Police are not seeking anybody else in relation to them.

    We’d also like to thank the members of the public who assisted Police with information at the time.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Continued appeal for missing person in Whanganui

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are continuing to make enquiries to locate missing man Kahu, who was last seen on Friday 27 June.

    A vehicle was located in the Whanganui River, matching the description of the vehicle belonging to Kahu.

    Kahu is still yet to be located, and we’re asking the public for any sightings of him in the Whanganui area.

    He was last seen wearing a black hoody, with red text on the sleeves, and camo cargo pants.

    We’re asking anybody who is walking along or near the river or coastline near Whanganui to report any unusual findings or clothing matching the description of what Kahu was wearing.

    If you have any information, please contact Police via 105 either over the phone or online, and reference file number 250702/3842.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Anhui’s Suzhou intensifies efforts to build computing power hub

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

    A screen displays real-time data and operations at the Bianshui Riverside Supercomputing Center, part of the Suzhou Computing Power Industrial Park in Suzhou city, Anhui province, July 5, 2025. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn]

    Suzhou, a city in eastern China’s Anhui province, is ramping up efforts to grow its computing power industry, with plans to build an industrial cluster expected to be worth 100 billion yuan ($13.8 billion).

    Not to be confused with Suzhou in neighboring Jiangsu province, Suzhou in Anhui is seeking to become a regional center for advanced computing and data services.

    At the center of this push is the Suzhou Computing Power Industrial Park, which opened in 2012 and spans about 15 hectares. The park is currently being expanded to include 100,000 square meters of data center facilities.

    Equipped with extensive network infrastructure, the site serves major clients such as Huawei, QuantumCTek and Inspur, along with academic institutions including Tsinghua University, Peking University and the Beijing Institute of Technology. It also provides resources to research organizations specializing in atmospheric physics and automation.

    The park supports sectors including big data, software development, mobile gaming, animation rendering and e-commerce livestreaming, according to Liang Xixi, a staff member at Suzhou Huarui Network Information Service, which helped develop the project.

    Liang told China.org.cn that the park offers both supercomputing and intelligent computing services, which are used for distinct purposes.

    “Supercomputing is used for high-precision tasks, such as tracking typhoon paths or analyzing protein structures, mostly serving research institutions,” Liang said. “Intelligent computing, by contrast, is used in everyday applications. For example, animation rendering for games like ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ and films such as ‘Ne Zha 2’ relied on intelligent computing.”

    Key projects at the park include the Huaihai Intelligent Computing Center and the Bianshui Riverside Supercomputing Center. Plans are underway for additional facilities, including a China Mobile computing power center and a Baidu intelligent cloud computing center.

    Suzhou currently hosts 465 enterprises related to the computing power sector, generating nearly 7.5 billion yuan in annual revenue. The city plans to increase its computing power capacity to 6,000 petaflops this year and aims to ultimately reach 8,000 petaflops.

    Officials are also cooperating with partners across the Yangtze River Delta to establish an integrated computing power network that can meet rising regional demand.

    The city will continue supporting integrated industrial development, according to the Suzhou City Development and Reform Commission. Priorities include a regional low-altitude intelligent computing center to improve flight route optimization and safety, as well as a data service platform for smart connected vehicles and tests of vehicle-to-road collaboration technology.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Drug offences – Darwin CBD

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have charged a 26-year-old male with several drug and traffic offences following a traffic apprehension on Friday night.

    Around 11:45pm, Darwin Traffic Operations members apprehended a vehicle on Tiger Brennan Drive, after it was detected speeding at 136km/h in a 100km/h speed limit area.

    The driver of the vehicle was subjected to a roadside drug test which returned a positive result for cocaine, methamphetamine, and opiates.

    Whilst being taken into custody, the driver was searched and was found to have a less than traffickable quantity of cocaine in his possession.

    Darwin Traffic Operations members conducted a further lawful search of the man’s vehicle and located a commercial quantity of MDMA, traffickable quantity of cannabis and a less than traffickable quantity of cocaine. The vehicle was seized by police.

    The man was arrested, and the matter was referred to detectives from the Drug & Organised Crime Squad. Detectives executed a search warrant at the male’s residence, where the following was located and seized:

    • A less than traffickable quantity of cocaine

    • A less than traffickable quantity of MDMA

    • A less than traffickable quantity of cannabis

    • Items indicative of drug supply

    The man has been charged with:

    • Supply Dangerous Drug Commercial Quantity – schedule 1

    • Possess Dangerous Drug Commercial Quantity – schedule 1

    • Possess Dangerous Drug Traffickable Quantity – schedule 2

    • Possess Dangerous Drug less than Traffickable Quantity – schedule 1

    • Receiving or Possessing Tainted Property

    • Driver with Prohibited Drug in Blood

    • Exceed Speed – 31-45km/h Over Limit

    He is remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court today.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 73 per cent positive feedback on school lunches

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is pleased to see the Healthy School Lunch Programme Term 3 menu has received positive feedback from three quarters of students, and complaints have fallen by 92 per cent, while at the same time taxpayers are saving over $130 million.
    “The menu for Term 3 is being tested with students across the lower North Island. The result is 73 per cent positive feedback. Any parent knows getting children to like something is no easy task. I’d say if you’re winning 73 per cent of the time, that’s a great result”, Mr Seymour says.
    Taste testing took place at schools across Taranaki, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, and the Bay of Plenty. In total more than 120 students provided feedback during these sessions, forming the basis for the 73 per cent positive rating.
    “Since the beginning of Term 1 2025, the Programme has delivered over 13.8 million nutritious meals, to 242,000 students, in 1011 schools,” says Mr Seymour.
    “This marks the first time a single national supplier has provided meals at such scale, let alone meals which children enjoy, are nutritious, and are delivered on time. We are providing a high-quality service which is affordable for taxpayers.
    “The Programme has taken on feedback and responded to issues as they arise. For example, in Term 1, students were unhappy with menu variation and meal quality. The variation and quality improved in Term 2, and students say they’ve been enjoying their lunches.
    “The Programme must also be financially responsible. That’s why we are committed to reducing surplus meals. We are working towards this by ensuring students enjoy the meals and adjusting order volumes to better align with student attendance. 
    “Previously there were issues with meals not arriving on time. The Programme got more trucks, streamlined delivery routes, and heard from principals and schools how they could address concerns. Now they deliver on-time, more than 98 per cent of the time, every day. 
    “Many of the previous issues arose from the use of ‘stop gap’ frozen meals, exacerbated by Libelle’s liquidation. This has been fixed. Equipment was upgraded, and staff numbers increased, to increase meal production and control quality better. Production is now exceeding daily targets, and two million meals are expected to be ready for distribution by the start of Term 3.
    “Since March, complaints to the Ministry have reduced by 92 per cent. The transparent feedback system has allowed the programme to be responsive and effective at improving processes.
    “The programme has also already realised taxpayer savings of over $130 million. $8 million of those savings will go to ensuring 10,000 children in early learning services receive a taxpayer funded lunch every day. 
    “When the Government manages its accounts like families and businesses have to, money goes a lot further.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘World’s supermarket’ embraces foreign trade talents

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

    A merchant (L, front) from Nepal watches dragon dance performance outside the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In a city long famed as the “world’s supermarket,” foreign businesspeople are no longer just visitors — they are being officially recognized as vital drivers of China’s future development.

    Yiwu City, a bustling hub in east China’s Zhejiang Province that trades with over 230 countries and regions, has launched China’s first standardized system for formally certifying foreign trade talents.

    The pilot program, launched in June, marks a shift away from traditional talent criteria that focus solely on education or technical credentials, instead rewarding foreign entrepreneurs for their real-world business contributions.

    Under the new guidelines, any foreign national with a valid work permit and a registered company in Yiwu can be classified as A or B-level talent if they meet key performance metrics, such as import-export volume, job creation, or long-term local operations.

    B-level talent now enjoys two- to four-year work permits, rather than having to renew them annually. At the same time, A-level recognition offers five-year permits, along with priority services and faster approvals.

    “Foreign businesses and investors are essential participants in China’s modernization,” said Wang Liqin, head of the talent and cooperation section at Yiwu’s science and technology bureau. “This pilot program offers institutional support for their entrepreneurship and serves as a model of high-quality development in trade and foreign investment.”

    As of late June, over 609 foreign businesspeople in Yiwu had been certified under the program, part of a community of more than 8,600 foreign work permit holders that makes Yiwu the top city in Zhejiang for foreign employment.

    Yiwu’s decision to pioneer this reform reflects its long-standing international DNA. On any given day, more than 28,000 foreign merchants work in the city, a density unmatched in most of China.

    For Sakhi Brahim, a Moroccan businessman who first learned about China at a Confucius Institute back home, Yiwu represents the ideal place to build a career bridging cultures.

    “Foreigners are afraid of miscommunication,” he said. “So I decided to be that bridge.”

    Brahim arrived in Yiwu in 2013 after studying at Beijing International Studies University. He now runs a kitchenware export business while helping Moroccan clients understand the Chinese market and ensuring local suppliers profit.

    “The work opportunities here are very good. Even getting a driver’s license is easy — they offer the theory test in Arabic,” said Brahim.

    Brahim credits the city’s infrastructure, openness, and new certification system for creating a foundation of trust. “It shows they recognize our contribution. That trust is why I can succeed here,” he said.

    Nidal R.A. Sabarneh, who calls himself “Ni Dale” in China — a name he chose to express his hope that the support and opportunities he finds in China can reach his homeland, Palestine — also found a professional home in Yiwu.

    Born in 1994, he was inspired by his father’s trade trips to China and chose to study international economics at Wuhan University, central China’s Hubei Province.

    He arrived in Yiwu in 2016 and now runs his own company that sells automotive repair tools. His supply network includes over 80 factories across Zhejiang.

    “Honestly, if it wasn’t Yiwu, a modern, open trade city, I doubt I could get so many factories to work with me,” he said.

    His products reach 36 countries, with demand rising thanks to China’s own booming new energy vehicle exports. Yet for him, Yiwu’s greatest advantage is security.

    “My home is in a war zone. I’ve traveled to many countries, and China is the safest place I know. That security is what allows us to do business,” he said.

    For Dumaru Bishnuprasad, head of the Nepal-China chamber of commerce and industry in Yiwu, Yiwu has been both a business base and a family home for over two decades. He first arrived in 2002, married a local from Ningbo, and is raising three children in China.

    “Yiwu is a great platform for foreigners,” he said. He pointed to opportunities created by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the dedicated China-Nepal railway cooperation.

    Bishnuprasad’s businesses encompass trade and logistics, with a focus on selling hardware, stationery and footwear. As chamber head, he often mediates disputes between merchants and suppliers. “Ninety percent of problems can be solved inside the chamber,” he said.

    He also praised Yiwu’s attentiveness to foreign families. “I take my parents to local senior centers and dining halls. It’s convenient and reassuring,” he said.

    As Yiwu deepens its role as a testbed for comprehensive trade reforms, officials say the new talent certification system is only the beginning. Future plans include refining criteria, expanding service support, and sharing lessons with other regions in China.

    For foreign merchants in Yiwu, the new system is not just about paperwork. It represents a formal invitation to build a lasting life in China — a place where trade ties turn into personal connections and foreign investment becomes local development.

    “Yiwu isn’t just a city of small commodities,” Bishnuprasad said. “It’s a city that really takes care of people.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Optimism as sales see strong growth

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

    Visitors learn about new energy vehicles of Chinese carmaker BYD during the 27th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Auto Show at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, June 16, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Major carmakers in China have concluded the first half with positive growth, bracing themselves for possible record-high deliveries in the year.

    BYD topped the chart with deliveries of 2.14 million vehicles, up 33 percent year-on-year. It sold 377,628 passenger vehicles in June, up 11 percent from a year earlier.

    Of its half-year sales, 472,000 were sold in overseas markets, up 132 percent year-on-year. That was even more than the total of its overseas sales in 2024.

    Data released by JATO Dynamics indicated the Chinese automaker almost matched Tesla’s European registrations in May, building on its initial outperformance of its US rival in April.

    It nearly quadrupled European sales in the first four months of 2025, figures from researcher Dataforce show.

    BYD was followed by SAIC, which was the second carmaker to deliver more than 2 million units in the first half.

    The Shanghai-based giant saw its wholesale figure reach 2.05 million units from January to June, up 12.4 percent year-on-year.

    Its retail figures were even higher, at 2.2 million units. SAIC’s sales target for 2025 is 4.5 million units.

    Also of note is that SAIC is now less reliant on its joint ventures with GM and Volkswagen respectively.

    In the first half, the Chinese carmaker’s indigenous brands saw their combined sales reach 1.3 million units, up 21.1 percent year-on-year.

    The figure accounted for 64 percent of its total deliveries, up 4.6 percentage points from the same period of 2024.

    FAW, which owns the iconic Hongqi brand, and has joint ventures with Toyota and Volkswagen, delivered 1.57 million units, up 6.1 percent year-on-year.

    Changan, Chery and Geely each saw record-number deliveries in the period, standing at 1.36 million units, 1.26 million units, and 1.41 million units respectively.

    Geely’s sales were up 47.45 percent year-on-year. This strong performance was primarily driven by the Geely Galaxy sub-brand and the robust performance of battery electric vehicle models.

    In the first half of 2025, Geely’s BEV sales reached 510,803 units, a year-on-year growth of 173.09 percent. Its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle sales for the same period were 214,348 units, up 61 percent year-on-year.

    Geely has raised its full-year 2025 sales guidance from 2.71 million units to 3 million units.

    It said that this is due to the group’s strong sales performance so far this year, and it will strive to achieve this target.

    Data showed that it sold 236,036 vehicles in June, marking the 10th consecutive month since September 2024 that sales have exceeded 200,000 units.

    The three were trailed by BAIC and Great Wall Motors, whose sales stood at 817,000 units, up 6 percent year-on-year, and 571,000 units, up 1.8 percent.

    NEV startups saw robust momentum as well. XPeng delivered 34,611 cars in June, the eighth-straight month where it delivered more than 30,000 cars.

    Nio reported 24,925 car deliveries in June, a slight increase from May, thanks to growth across its premium Nio brand and lower-priced Onvo and Firefly brands.

    Li Auto reported 36,279 vehicle deliveries in June, an 11.2 percent drop from May. But its total deliveries in the second quarter came in at 111,074 units, better than the company’s lowered guidance of 108,000 cars.

    Overseas brands are starting to catch up with Chinese rivals.

    General Motors and its joint ventures in China posted the biggest quarterly sales surge in four years in the second quarter of this year, driven by the strong performance of its growing new energy vehicle lineup and high-volume nameplates.

    The US carmaker said its Q2 deliveries exceeded 447,000 units, marking its second consecutive quarter of year-over-year sales growth in China with a 20 percent increase — the highest annual gain for a single quarter since the first quarter of 2021.

    Sales of NEVs, including pure battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and extended range electric vehicles, soared 50 percent in the quarter compared to the same period of 2024.

    Its cumulative sales in the first half of 2025 exceeded 890,000 units, up 9.4 percent from a year earlier.

    Meanwhile, GM achieved year-over-year market share growth in both the second quarter and the first half of 2025.

    “Our strong Q2 performance reflects the sustainable growth trajectory we are building in both sales and market share through local innovations,” said Steve Hill, GM senior vice-president and president of GM China.

    “We remain committed to driving profitable growth for China business by focusing on strong execution, business agility, and customer choices,” said Hill.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Andy Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland

    The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon, it serves as one of the vital arteries of the state capital, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily.

    But a recent report revealed serious structural issues in the 85-year-old bridge. These included the deterioration of concrete, corrosion and overloading on pedestrian footpaths.

    The findings prompted an urgent closure of the footpath for safety reasons. They also highlighted the urgency of Brisbane City Council’s planned bridge restoration project.

    But this example – and far more tragic ones from around the world in recent years – have also sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ageing bridges and other urban infrastructure. A simple, proactive step known as structural health monitoring can help.

    A number of collapses

    In January 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States collapsed and injured several people. This collapse was caused by extensive corrosion and the fracturing of a vital steel component. It stemmed from poor maintenance and failure to act on repeated inspection recommendations. These problems were compounded by inadequate inspections and oversight.

    Three years earlier, Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed. Exposure to damp, salty sea air had severely weakened its suspension cables. Six people beneath the bridge died.

    In August 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge fell, killing 43 people. The collapse was due to corrosion in pre-stressed concrete and steel tendons. These factors were worsened by inspection and maintenance challenges.

    In August 2007, a bridge in the US city of Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This collapse was primarily due to previously unnoticed problems with the design of the bridge. But it also demonstrated how ageing infrastructure, coupled with increasing loads and ineffective routine visual inspections, can exacerbate inherent weaknesses.

    A technology-driven solution

    Structural health monitoring is a technology-driven approach to assessing the condition of infrastructure. It can provide near real-time information and enable timely decision-making. This is crucial when it comes to managing ageing structures.

    The approach doesn’t rely solely on occasional periodic inspections. Instead it uses sensors, data loggers and analytics platforms to continuously monitor stress, vibration, displacement, temperature and corrosion on critical components.

    This approach can significantly improve our understanding of bridge performance compared to traditional assessment models. In one case, it updated a bridge’s estimated fatigue life – the remaining life of the structure before fatigue-induced failure is predicted to occur– from just five years to more than 52 years. This ultimately avoided unnecessary and costly restoration.

    Good structural health-monitoring systems can last several decades. They can be integrated with artificial intelligence techniques and bridge information modelling to develop digital twin-based monitoring platforms.

    The cost of structural health monitoring systems varies by bridge size and the extent of monitoring required. Some simple systems can cost just a few thousand dollars, while more advanced ones can cost more than A$300,000.

    These systems require ongoing operational support – typically 10% to 20% of the installation cost annually – for data management, system maintenance, and informed decision-making.

    Additionally, while advanced systems can be costly, scalable structural health monitoring solutions allow authorities to start small and expand over time.

    A model for proactive management

    The design of structural health monitoring systems has been incorporated into new large-scale bridge designs, such as Sutong Bridge in China and Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in the US.

    But perhaps the most compelling example of these systems in action is the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada.

    Opened in 1930, it shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. And, like many ageing structures, it faces its own challenges.

    Opened in 1930, the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge.
    Pinkcandy/Shutterstock

    However, authorities managing the Jacques Cartier Bridge have embraced a proactive approach through comprehensive structural health monitoring systems. The bridge has been outfitted with more than 300 sensors.

    Acoustic emission monitoring enables early detection of micro-cracking activity, while long-term instrumentation tracks structural deformation and dynamic behaviour across key spans.

    Satellite-based radar imagery adds a remote, non-intrusive layer of deformation monitoring, and advanced data analysis ensures that the vast amounts of sensor data are translated into timely, actionable insights.

    Together, these technologies demonstrate how a well-integrated structural-health monitoring system can support proactive maintenance, extend the life of ageing infrastructure – and ultimately improve public safety.

    A way forward for Brisbane – and beyond

    The Story Bridge’s current challenges are serious, but they also present an opportunity.

    By investing in the right structural health monitoring system, Brisbane can lead the way in modern infrastructure management – protecting lives, restoring public confidence, preserving heritage and setting a precedent for cities around the world.

    As climate change, urban growth, and ageing assets put increasing pressure on our transport networks, smart monitoring is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity.

    Andy Nguyen receives funding from the Queensland government, through the Advance Queensland fellowship. He is on the executive committee of Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring.

    – ref. Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them – https://theconversation.com/ageing-bridges-around-the-world-are-at-risk-of-collapse-but-theres-a-simple-way-to-safeguard-them-260005

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: To employees and veterans of JSC “Kurgan Machine-Building Plant”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    July 6 marks the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Kurganmashzavod.

    Dear friends!

    I congratulate you on this significant date – the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant.

    Your enterprise has made a great contribution to the development of domestic mechanical engineering and strengthening the country’s defense capability. Over the years, the labor of many generations of engineers, designers, and skilled workers has created the only enterprise in the country for the production of infantry and airborne combat vehicles.

    Today, the unique technical potential of the plant allows it to fulfill state defense orders in a high-quality and timely manner, and to produce the latest models of military equipment that confirm their reliability and combat characteristics during a special military operation.

    It is important that you use progressive design solutions and modern materials. You pay special attention to the implementation of innovations, increasing labor productivity. This allows you to increase the volume of high-tech products for civilian and dual purposes.

    I am confident that love for their profession and a responsible attitude to work will allow the team of the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant to continue to ensure the protection of national interests and the defense capability of our state.

    I wish you and your families success in your work, health, happiness and prosperity.

    M. Mishustin

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Trentham trio honoured for brave storm rescue

    Source:

    Left to right – Ethan Brown, Pat Sutton and David Wheeldon. Image: Uniform Photography

    Three members of Trentham Fire Brigade have been recognised for their extraordinary bravery after they ventured into a severe storm to assist isolated community members in need.

    CFA volunteers David Wheeldon, Pat Sutton and Ethan Brown each received the distinguished Unit Citation for Courage, at a ceremony at the Trentham Community Hub on Sunday (6 July).  

    On the night of 9 June 2021, destructive winds exceeding 160km/h tore through central Victoria, felling hundreds of trees, blocking roads, and cutting power and water to entire Trentham community for days. 

    Faced with dangerous conditions, David, Pat and Ethan recognised the need for immediate action after receiving an urgent call for help from a woman who had been left stranded by the storm damage and urgently needed access to an oxygen cylinder due to a health condition.  

    With roads blocked and no way for vehicles to get through, the trio set out to deliver the oxygen themselves. 

    Joined by a Victoria Police officer, they began to cut their way through a road strewn with dozens of trees. 

    David, who is now the captain of the brigade, said they didn’t give the rescue a second thought. 

    “You don’t think, you just go. The road was completely blocked, some of the fallen trees were huge and the weather just kept getting worse,” David said.  

    “I’ve never experienced winds like that, it was over 100 miles an hour, and trees continued to come down around us as we worked.” 

    Despite their efforts, the road proved to be impassable, but using local knowledge of backroads and paddocks, the crew was able to reach the person in need and deliver the oxygen in time. 

    “We thought we were responding to help the one person, but when we finally got through, there were six or seven cars out there with around 10 people trapped,” David said. 

    The crew moved the group to a nearby farmhouse, providing them with blankets, water and supplies to ensure their safety. 

    “We couldn’t bring them back it was too dangerous,” David said. 

    “So, we gave them any essentials we had on hand to ensure they were comfortable.” 

    After confirming the group was safe, and catching a few hours rest, response efforts resumed at first light. 

    David added that it was an honour to be recognised alongside Pat and Ethan.  

    “I couldn’t have asked for two better people to be out there with,” David said. 

    CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, who presented the trio with their awards, praised the crew’s bravery and dedication. 

    “These volunteers placed themselves in harm’s way to protect others, without hesitation and under incredibly dangerous conditions,” Jason said. 

    “Their courage, teamwork and community mindedness perfectly reflect what CFA stands for.” 

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • Death toll from Texas floods reaches 78; Trump plans visit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day and fears of more flash flooding as rain fell on saturated ground prompted fresh evacuations.

    Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 confirmed missing. The governor did not say how many of the dead outside Kerr were children.

    Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp. Sheriff Leitha said on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing.

    “It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.

    The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday.

    Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kiddsaid at the press conference on Sunday afternoon the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County.

    “You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,” said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday.

    Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.

    “Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.

    A WALL OF WATER

    Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of “an additional wall of water” flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday’s rains.

    He said aircraft were sent aloft to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in harm’s way were alerted to pull back from the river in the meantime.

    The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

    U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.

    SCALING BACK FEDERAL DISASTER RESPONSE

    Trump, who said on Sunday he would visit the disaster scene, probably on Friday, has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.

    Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.

    Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.

    Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.

    Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.

    “When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.

    ‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’

    Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.

    Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.

    “Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.

    Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.

    The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).

    A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.

    -Reuters

  • Death toll from Texas floods reaches 78; Trump plans visit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 78 on Sunday, including at least 28 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day and fears of more flash flooding as rain fell on saturated ground prompted fresh evacuations.

    Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said 68 people had died in flooding in his county, the epicenter of the flooding, among them 28 children. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 confirmed missing. The governor did not say how many of the dead outside Kerr were children.

    Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp. Sheriff Leitha said on Sunday that 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor were still missing.

    “It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.

    The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday.

    Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kiddsaid at the press conference on Sunday afternoon the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green County, five in Travis County and one in Williamson County.

    “You will see the death toll rise today and tomorrow,” said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, also speaking on Sunday.

    Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.

    “Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.

    A WALL OF WATER

    Kidd said he was receiving unconfirmed reports of “an additional wall of water” flowing down some of the creeks in the Guadalupe Rivershed, as rain continued to fall on soil in the region already saturated from Friday’s rains.

    He said aircraft were sent aloft to scout for additional floodwaters, while search-and-rescue personnel who might be in harm’s way were alerted to pull back from the river in the meantime.

    The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

    U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.

    SCALING BACK FEDERAL DISASTER RESPONSE

    Trump, who said on Sunday he would visit the disaster scene, probably on Friday, has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.

    Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.

    Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.

    Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.

    Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.

    “When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.

    ‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’

    Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.

    Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.

    “Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.

    Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.

    The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).

    A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.

    -Reuters

  • Death toll from Texas floods reaches 69, including 21 children

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The death toll from catastrophic floods in Texas reached at least 69 on Sunday, including at least 21 children, as the search for girls missing from a summer camp entered a third day.

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, said the death toll in Kerr county, the epicenter of the flooding, had reached 59, while another 10 had died elsewhere in Texas and 41 remained missing.

    Among the most devastating impacts of the flooding occurred at Camp Mystic summer camp, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp, where 11 girls and a counselor are still missing.

    “It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through,” said Abbott, who said he toured the area on Saturday and pledged to continue efforts to locate the missing.

    The flooding occurred after the nearby Guadalupe River broke its banks after torrential rain fell in the central Texas area on Friday, the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Larry Leitha, the Kerr County Sheriff in Texas Hill Country, said earlier that 21 children have died in the flooding.

    Officials speaking at the press conference on Sunday afternoon said the destruction killed three people in Burnet County, one in Tom Green county, five in Travis county and one in Williamson county.

    Officials said on Saturday that more than 850 people had been rescued, including some clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain across the region, about 85 miles (140 km) northwest of San Antonio.

    “Everyone in the community is hurting,” Leitha told reporters.

    The National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for central Texas that were to last until 4:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT) as rains fell, potentially complicating rescue efforts.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency was activated on Sunday and is deploying resources to first responders in Texas after President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

    U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and planes are helping the search and rescue efforts, the department said.

    Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves.

    Some experts questioned whether cuts to the federal workforce by the Trump administration, including to the agency that oversees the National Weather Service, led to a failure by officials to accurately predict the severity of the floods and issue appropriate warnings ahead of the storm.

    Trump’s administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service’s parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said.

    Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees NOAA, said a “moderate” flood watch issued on Thursday by the National Weather Service had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system.

    Joaquin Castro, a Democratic U.S. congressman from Texas, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that fewer personnel at the weather service could be dangerous.

    “When you have flash flooding, there’s a risk that if you don’t have the personnel … to do that analysis, do the predictions in the best way, it could lead to tragedy,” Castro said.

    ‘COMPLETE DEVASTATION’

    Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flooding.

    Katharine Somerville, a counselor on the Cypress Lake side of Camp Mystic, on higher ground than the Guadalupe River side, said her 13-year-old campers were scared as their cabins sustained damage and lost power in the middle of the night.

    “Our cabins at the tippity top of hills were completely flooded with water. I mean, y’all have seen the complete devastation, we never even imagined that this could happen,” Somerville said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.

    Somerville said the campers in her care were put on military trucks and evacuated, and that all were safe.

    The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet (9 meters).

    A day after the disaster struck, the summer camp was a scene of devastation. Inside one cabin, mud lines indicating how high the water had risen were at least six feet (1.83 m) from the floor. Bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings caked with mud were scattered inside. Some buildings had broken windows, one had a missing wall.

    -REUTERS

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal Crash – Arnhem Highway

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force are currently investigating a fatal crash that occurred along the Arnhem highway overnight.

    Around 9pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received report that a vehicle had rolled on the Arnhem Highway, approximately 40km outbound from the Marrakai turnoff. The vehicle was carrying a 32-year-old male driver, a 14-year-old female and an 8-year-old male.

    St John Ambulance, Police and the NT Fire and Rescue Service attended and conducted first aid.

    The 8-year-old male was declared deceased at the scene, with the 32-year-old man and 14-year-old female conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital via CareFlight.

    Both currently remain in stable conditions. It is believed the occupants are all family members.

    The Major Crash Investigation Unit are investigating and the Arnhem Highway remains closed from the Bark Hut Inn for 11km outbound.

    Police advise motorists to avoid the area as delays are expected to remain until midday July 7.

    Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25181329.

    The lives lost on Territory roads now stands at 22.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Copper thief caught at Beulah Park

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A man was arrested after allegedly being caught red-handed stealing copper from a communications pit at Beulah Park overnight.

    About 1.30am on Monday 7 July, police were notified of an alarm activation within a cabling pit on the corner of The Parade and Shipsters Road, Beulah Park.

    Police attended and located the suspect and his vehicle nearby.

    A large quantity of copper piping was found inside the vehicle.

    A 40-year-old man from Leabrook was arrested and charged with property damage and theft.  He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

    His vehicle was seized for further forensic examination.

    The extent of damage to the cabling and communications equipment is not yet known.

    CO TBA

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland

    The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon, it serves as one of the vital arteries of the state capital, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily.

    But a recent report revealed serious structural issues in the 85-year-old bridge. These included the deterioration of concrete, corrosion and overloading on pedestrian footpaths.

    The findings prompted an urgent closure of the footpath for safety reasons. They also highlighted the urgency of Brisbane City Council’s planned bridge restoration project.

    But this example – and far more tragic ones from around the world in recent years – have also sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ageing bridges and other urban infrastructure. A simple, proactive step known as structural health monitoring can help.

    A number of collapses

    In January 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States collapsed and injured several people. This collapse was caused by extensive corrosion and the fracturing of a vital steel component. It stemmed from poor maintenance and failure to act on repeated inspection recommendations. These problems were compounded by inadequate inspections and oversight.

    Three years earlier, Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed. Exposure to damp, salty sea air had severely weakened its suspension cables. Six people beneath the bridge died.

    In August 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge fell, killing 43 people. The collapse was due to corrosion in pre-stressed concrete and steel tendons. These factors were worsened by inspection and maintenance challenges.

    In August 2007, a bridge in the US city of Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This collapse was primarily due to previously unnoticed problems with the design of the bridge. But it also demonstrated how ageing infrastructure, coupled with increasing loads and ineffective routine visual inspections, can exacerbate inherent weaknesses.

    A technology-driven solution

    Structural health monitoring is a technology-driven approach to assessing the condition of infrastructure. It can provide near real-time information and enable timely decision-making. This is crucial when it comes to managing ageing structures.

    The approach doesn’t rely solely on occasional periodic inspections. Instead it uses sensors, data loggers and analytics platforms to continuously monitor stress, vibration, displacement, temperature and corrosion on critical components.

    This approach can significantly improve our understanding of bridge performance compared to traditional assessment models. In one case, it updated a bridge’s estimated fatigue life – the remaining life of the structure before fatigue-induced failure is predicted to occur– from just five years to more than 52 years. This ultimately avoided unnecessary and costly restoration.

    Good structural health-monitoring systems can last several decades. They can be integrated with artificial intelligence techniques and bridge information modelling to develop digital twin-based monitoring platforms.

    The cost of structural health monitoring systems varies by bridge size and the extent of monitoring required. Some simple systems can cost just a few thousand dollars, while more advanced ones can cost more than A$300,000.

    These systems require ongoing operational support – typically 10% to 20% of the installation cost annually – for data management, system maintenance, and informed decision-making.

    Additionally, while advanced systems can be costly, scalable structural health monitoring solutions allow authorities to start small and expand over time.

    A model for proactive management

    The design of structural health monitoring systems has been incorporated into new large-scale bridge designs, such as Sutong Bridge in China and Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in the US.

    But perhaps the most compelling example of these systems in action is the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada.

    Opened in 1930, it shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. And, like many ageing structures, it faces its own challenges.

    Opened in 1930, the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge.
    Pinkcandy/Shutterstock

    However, authorities managing the Jacques Cartier Bridge have embraced a proactive approach through comprehensive structural health monitoring systems. The bridge has been outfitted with more than 300 sensors.

    Acoustic emission monitoring enables early detection of micro-cracking activity, while long-term instrumentation tracks structural deformation and dynamic behaviour across key spans.

    Satellite-based radar imagery adds a remote, non-intrusive layer of deformation monitoring, and advanced data analysis ensures that the vast amounts of sensor data are translated into timely, actionable insights.

    Together, these technologies demonstrate how a well-integrated structural-health monitoring system can support proactive maintenance, extend the life of ageing infrastructure – and ultimately improve public safety.

    A way forward for Brisbane – and beyond

    The Story Bridge’s current challenges are serious, but they also present an opportunity.

    By investing in the right structural health monitoring system, Brisbane can lead the way in modern infrastructure management – protecting lives, restoring public confidence, preserving heritage and setting a precedent for cities around the world.

    As climate change, urban growth, and ageing assets put increasing pressure on our transport networks, smart monitoring is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity.

    Andy Nguyen receives funding from the Queensland government, through the Advance Queensland fellowship. He is on the executive committee of Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring.

    – ref. Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them – https://theconversation.com/ageing-bridges-around-the-world-are-at-risk-of-collapse-but-theres-a-simple-way-to-safeguard-them-260005

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China ready to advance flagship project within Belt and Road, stimulate trade and investment with Ethiopia – Premier of State Council of China /more details/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    RIO DE JANEIRO, July 6 (Xinhua) — China is willing to work with Ethiopia to promote the sustainable development of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, a flagship project of the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and expand bilateral trade and investment, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

    The head of the Chinese government made this statement during a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

    Li Qiang noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ethiopia 55 years ago, the two countries have always treated each other sincerely and helped each other despite the changes in the international situation. According to the Premier of the State Council, cooperation between the two countries has long been at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation.

    Li Qiang recalled that in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the participants of the ministerial meeting of the coordinators of the implementation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FCAC), announcing new important measures such as the introduction of zero import duties on 100 percent of goods for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

    The head of the Chinese government stressed that China is ready to use the new measures together with Ethiopia as an opportunity to promote the full practical implementation of the results of the Beijing FCAC summit.

    He called for deepening all-round cooperation between the two countries and making bilateral relations a model for building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

    As the premier pointed out, China will continue to support Ethiopia in independently exploring a development path suited to its own conditions, and is willing to deepen bilateral cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, new energy vehicles, green industry, e-commerce and artificial intelligence, and enhance exchanges in tourism, youth and education.

    Noting that China and Ethiopia are important countries in the Global South, Li Qiang stressed that China is willing to work with Ethiopia to strengthen communication and coordination within multilateral structures such as the UN and BRICS, promote joint efforts by all parties to realize true multilateralism, firmly safeguard economic globalization and free trade, and bring more stability and positive energy to the world.

    Abiy Ahmed, for his part, said that Ethiopia and China are reliable all-weather strategic partners and his country sincerely appreciates China’s long-term support and assistance in Ethiopia’s socio-economic development.

    The Ethiopian side, he continued, also highly appreciates China’s efforts in implementing the results of the Beijing FCAC summit.

    Noting that China plays a very important role in international affairs, especially in global development, Abiy Ahmed assured that Ethiopia is willing to intensify high-level exchanges with China and deepen political mutual trust.

    The Ethiopian side, the head of the Ethiopian government emphasized, expects to jointly increase cooperation with China in such areas as economy and trade, industry, mining, communications, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, tourism, as well as strengthen communication and interaction on multilateral platforms, contributing to the sustainable and deep development of Ethiopian-Chinese relations.

    The Chinese leader arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday to attend the 17th BRICS summit. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China ready to advance flagship project under Belt and Road, boost trade, investment with Ethiopia – Chinese Premier

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    RIO DE JANEIRO, July 6 (Xinhua) — China is willing to work with Ethiopia to promote the sustainable development of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, a flagship project of the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and expand bilateral trade and investment, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

    The head of the Chinese government made this statement during a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

    Li Qiang noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ethiopia 55 years ago, the two countries have always treated each other sincerely and helped each other despite the changes in the international situation. According to the Premier of the State Council, cooperation between the two countries has long been at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation.

    Li Qiang recalled that in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the participants of the ministerial meeting of the coordinators of the implementation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FCAC), announcing new important measures such as the introduction of zero import duties on 100 percent of goods for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

    The head of the Chinese government stressed that China is ready to use the new measures together with Ethiopia as an opportunity to promote the full practical implementation of the results of the Beijing FCAC summit.

    He called for deepening all-round cooperation between the two countries and making bilateral relations a model for building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

    As the premier pointed out, China will continue to support Ethiopia in independently exploring a development path suited to its own conditions, and is willing to deepen bilateral cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, new energy vehicles, green industry, e-commerce and artificial intelligence, and enhance exchanges in tourism, youth and education.

    Noting that China and Ethiopia are important countries in the Global South, Li Qiang stressed that China is willing to work with Ethiopia to strengthen communication and coordination within multilateral structures such as the UN and BRICS, promote joint efforts by all parties to realize true multilateralism, firmly safeguard economic globalization and free trade, and bring more stability and positive energy to the world.

    China’s premier arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday to attend the 17th BRICS summit. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China puts domestically developed seven-functional deep-sea robotic manipulator into operation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TIANJIN, July 6 (Xinhua) — China has put into operation its first domestically-made seven-functional robotic manipulator for deep-sea oil and gas operations, the developer of the device, China’s Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC), said Sunday.

    A manipulator mounted on a remotely operated deep-sea vehicle (ROV) performed its tasks with precision during its first deployment in the Pearl River estuary. The device’s maximum operating depth is 7,000 m, COOEC said.

    The manipulator is capable of seven operations – extension, retraction, swing, rotation, opening, gripping and clamping. It has performed valve work and installed equipment in strong currents.

    The 60-kilogram device, which is 35 percent lighter than its global counterparts, can carry a payload of 125 kg when fully extended. Its cost is 40 percent lower than imported alternatives.

    The COOEC noted that the new manipulator allowed China to enter the elite group of countries capable of producing deep-sea robotics of this level. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President highlights investment opportunities at SA-Austria Business Forum

    Source: Government of South Africa

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties with Austria, highlighting a range of mutually beneficial opportunities across key economic sectors.

    Speaking at the South Africa-Austria Business Forum in Pretoria on Friday, President Ramaphosa underscored the importance of deepening economic collaboration between the two countries.

    “It is my pleasure to address the South Africa-Austria Business Forum at this important time, as we seek to further deepen economic ties between our countries. 

    “Austria and South Africa enjoy strong bilateral trade and investment relations spanning energy, industrial technology, pharmaceuticals and vocational training,” he said.

    The President noted that trade between the two countries has been steadily increasing, with several Austrian companies operating in South Africa through direct investments, distribution, sales offices and service projects.

    “There are many more opportunities for investment by Austrian companies in South Africa. There are opportunities in areas such as renewable energy generation, agro-processing and component manufacturing opportunities. 

    “There are also opportunities in critical minerals beneficiations, pharmaceuticals, technology and innovation, among others,” President Ramaphosa said.

    South Africa, he said, is showing signs of recovery following recent economic challenges. The improvement in electricity supply and a moderation in inflation are among the encouraging signs.

    “We have embarked on a massive infrastructure drive, with key investments concentrated in energy, transport and logistics, water and sanitation, and digital infrastructure,” the President said.

    He detailed the role of the country’s Infrastructure Fund, which has mobilised blended financing to support major projects across several sectors. At the same time, structural reforms are being implemented to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of energy and logistics sectors.

    As the global economy transitions towards greener alternatives, President Ramaphosa said South Africa is positioning itself as a front-runner in the green and digital economy.

    “South Africa has developed a regulatory framework to harness the potential of the hydrogen economy. We are actively developing an industrial plan to support the growth of electric vehicle and battery production,” he said. 

    This industrial strategy includes incentives for manufacturers, investment in charging infrastructure and localisation of components. It is supported by an enabling policy environment, including the expansion of special economic zones and active participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 

    “Our special economic zones offer an internationally competitive value proposition with an attractive suite of incentives,” he noted.

    President Ramaphosa said the AfCFTA will remove trade barriers and unlock greater investment opportunities, particularly for Austrian businesses looking to enter new markets across the continent.

    “It will drive a wave of industrialisation and create dynamic regional value chains. This presents opportunities for Austrian businesses and investors,” he said.

    Highlighting South Africa’s role as an anchor in regional value chains, he said the country’s manufacturing sector sources inputs from across the continent, which are then exported as finished goods.

    South Africa also offers rich reserves of critical minerals for the energy transition, especially platinum group metals, giving it a competitive edge in producing sustainable energy technologies.

    Beyond investment, President Ramaphosa said, South African businesses are keen to explore Austrian opportunities, particularly in organic food markets, renewable energy, and supply chains across mining, automotive and other sectors.

    “There is high demand for our agricultural products in the EU, including high-quality South African wines and speciality foods like rooibos,” he said.

    On tourism, the President expressed the country’s desire to see more Austrian tourists visiting South Africa and vice versa, with a particular interest in eco, sports, and heritage tourism.

    He also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding earlier in the day on technical and vocational training.

    “We want to learn from Austria on how to achieve the delicate balance between building the workforce of the future and growing the skills needed by the economy today,” President Ramaphosa said. 

    Closing his address, the President affirmed the South African government’s continued commitment to private sector collaboration as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation.

    “By working together with all social partners, we have embarked on a new era of growth, progress and inclusive, shared prosperity. I am confident that the engagements, discussions and networking sessions from this forum will yield great benefits for both South African and Austrian companies. 

    “It is clear from this Business Forum that there are abundant opportunities for even greater partnership, progress and shared prosperity,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za 

    MIL OSI Africa –