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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Harnessing Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 1:41PM by PIB Delhi

    In order to harness the potential and to optimally tap constructive and creative energies of the youth, the Department of Youth Affairs pursues the twin objectives of personality-building and nation-building, that is, developing the personality of youth and involving them in various nation-building activities through its field organizations and various schemes.

    National Service Scheme (NSS) is engaged in developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. ‘Education through Service’ is the purpose of the NSS.

    Similarly, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) through its various programmes and interventions is reaching out to the rural youth for their empowerment and civic engagement.

    Moreover, recently, an overarching enabling mechanism- Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), an autonomous body under the Department of Youth Affairs has been established, which is powered by technology, for youth development and youth led development through ‘Kartavya Bodh’ and ‘Seva Bhaav’, during the Amrit Kaal.

    A digital platform for MY Bharat (https://www.mybharat.gov.in/) has been developed on which the youth across the country can register and signup for various volunteering opportunities being made available on the portal. The envisioned phygital (physical + digital) ecosystem is to empower young individuals to become catalysts for community transformation. So far, more than 1.65 Crore Youth have registered on the MY Bharat Portal.

    To advance the goal of developed India by 2047 among youth, the “Yuva Connect” program has been conceptualized with the aim to foster youth engagement and leadership in the developmental transformation of India. The events are organised around discussions on the concept of Viksit Bharat with young people in educational institutions throughout India. Youth also get an opportunity to interact with eminent speakers.

    Through these programs, emphasis is laid on values such as national identity, civic engagement, social cohesion, human capital development, critical thinking, and empowerment, so that students are better prepared to contribute positively to their societies. These interactions not only enhance individual growth but also strengthen the fabric of the nation as a whole. 

    This information was given by Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2099075) Visitor Counter : 78

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CFS urges public not to feed infants with several kinds of prepackaged baby food imported from US

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CFS urges public not to feed infants with several kinds of prepackaged baby food imported from US
    CFS urges public not to feed infants with several kinds of prepackaged baby food imported from US
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         ​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 3) urged the public not to feed infants with several kinds of prepackaged baby food imported from the United States (US), as the products may pose a choking hazard. The trade should stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess any of them.     Details of the products are as follows:Product name:(1) Gerber Soothe ‘N’ Chew Teething Sticks – Strawberry Apple (Net weight: 90 grams per pack)(2) Gerber Soothe ‘N’ Chew Teething Sticks – Banana (Net weight: 90g per pack)(3) Gerber Soothe ‘N’ Chew Teething Sticks – Banana (Net weight: 45g per pack)Brand: GerberPlace of origin: USBatch: all lotsImporter: Nestle Hong Kong Limited     ​A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS noted notices issued by the Food and Drug Administration of the US and the Canadian authorities respectively that the above-mentioned products are under recall as they possess a choking hazard. The CFS confirmed that the above-mentioned importer has imported the products concerned into Hong Kong.”     The importer has stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a voluntary recall. Members of the public may call the hotline of the importer at 2179 8333 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the products concerned.     ​The CFS has alerted the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 3, 2025Issued at HKT 16:02

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic and transport arrangements for Hong Kong Marathon 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Special traffic and transport arrangements for Hong Kong Marathon 2025
    Special traffic and transport arrangements for Hong Kong Marathon 2025
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         The Transport Department (TD) today (February 3) reminded members of the public that, to facilitate the holding of the Hong Kong Marathon 2025 this Sunday (February 9), temporary road closures will be implemented at various locations in phases from Saturday (February 8) at 11.30pm and will be reopened subject to the progress of the race. It is anticipated all closed roads will be reopened by about 2pm on Sunday.      This year, the full and half marathon races will start at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The full marathon race will route through major road sections including Nathan Road (from Granville Road to Argyle Street), Argyle Street, Lin Cheung Road, West Kowloon Highway, Stonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Kwai Highway, the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), Connaught Road West flyover, Lung Wo Road, Expo Drive, Hung Hing Road, Lockhart Road, Percival Street, Hennessy Road, Yee Wo Street and Sugar Street, and finish at Victoria Park. The half marathon race route will follow that of the full marathon race from the starting point at Nathan Road to Lin Cheung Road with the turning point at Tsing Kwai Highway and then rejoin the full marathon race route at West Kowloon Highway.      As for other races, the starting point will be set at different locations on Hong Kong Island while all the finishing points will be set at Victoria Park. The 10-kilometre race will start at the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) near the exit/entrance of Central-Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel (CWBT) and run along the IEC eastwards to the turning point near Oi Tak Street and then return to the finishing point. The 10-kilometre wheelchair race will start at Wan Chai Sports Ground and route through Hung Hing Road, Expo Drive, Lung Wo Road and Central Ferry Piers area and then return to run along Lung Wo Road, Hung Hing Road, Marsh Road, Lockhart Road and Hennessey Road heading for the finishing point. The Wheelchair Trial and Leaders Cup will also start at Wan Chai Sports Ground and route through Hung Hing Road and Marsh Road and then rejoin the 10-km wheelchair race route heading for the finishing point.      According to the arrangements for the full and half marathon race routes, temporary closures of major road sections and their vicinities in Yau Tsim Mong area will be implemented extensively, including (i) the whole section of Nathan Road (in both directions) between Salisbury Road and Gascoigne Road, (ii) the northbound carriageway of Nathan Road between Gascoigne Road and Argyle Street, and (iii) the westbound carriageway of Argyle Street between Nathan Road and Tong Mi Road. The above road sections will be reopened at or before about 10.30am in phases, subject to the progress of the races. At the same time, public transport services in this area will also be subject to extensive adjustments. Members of the public heading to this area are advised to use railway services.      Moreover, since the full marathon will use the Kowloon-bound carriageways of Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel and Nam Wan Tunnel as the race route, vehicles on Lantau Link (Tsing Ma Bridge) heading to Kowloon will be diverted to use North West Tsing Yi Interchange, Tsing Yi North Coastal Road, Tsing Tsuen Road, Tsuen Wan Road, Kwai Chung Road, Cheung Sha Wan Road and Lai Chi Kok Road. It is anticipated that traffic congestion along North Lantau Highway, Tsing Ma Bridge and the vicinity of North West Tsing Yi Interchange may occur.      The above road closures will not affect vehicles from Hong Kong Island/Kowloon/New Territories East heading for Hong Kong International Airport and Lantau Island. Vehicles from the New Territories West to the airport and Lantau Island could travel via Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel. Due to the closure of the Kowloon-bound carriageway of Ting Kau Bridge, vehicles travelling via Tuen Mun Road or Tai Lam Tunnel to the airport and Lantau Island will be diverted to use Tsuen Wan Road, Tsuen Tsing Interchange, Tsing Tsuen Road, Tsing Tsuen Bridge and Tsing Yi North Coastal Road to enter Tsing Ma Bridge.      During the races, the Kowloon-bound tube of the WHC will remain opened, while the Hong Kong-bound tube of the WHC will be temporarily closed from 0.45am on Sunday till about 1.15pm, subject to the progress of the races. Motorists in Kowloon West heading for Hong Kong Island are advised to use the Cross-Harbour Tunnel or Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC). For the race routes in Causeway Bay, Yee Wo Street eastbound will be temporarily closed to serve as a race route. Most of the public transport services operating along Yee Wo Street (in the direction of North Point) will be diverted to use Percival Street, Leighton Road and Pennington Street during the closure period.      According to the arrangements for the 10-km race, both bound carriageways of the IEC between Victoria Park Road and Shau Kei Wan, and the CWBT linking to and from the IEC will be closed from 1.15am on Sunday in phases, and traffic will be diverted via appropriate alternative routes such as Connaught Road Central, Gloucester Road, King’s Road, Shau Kei Wan Road, etc. Traffic to and from the EHC will be diverted to the Sai Wan Ho or Kornhill exit/entrance. Depending on the progress of the races, different sections of the CWBT will be reopened in phases to minimise the impact on traffic. Upon the anticipated reopening of the IEC before noon, the section of the CWBT between Central and North Point will be reopened while the Wan Chai North exit from and entrance to the CWBT will be closed for most of the race time.      In connection with the road closure arrangements, starting from 11.15pm on Saturday until the reopening of the roads, 211 daytime bus routes and 33 daytime green minibus (GMB) routes will be subject to suspension, truncation or diversion, and the stopping points concerned of the affected bus and GMB services will be relocated accordingly in phases. Also, 49 overnight bus routes and six overnight green minibus routes to be affected by the road closures will be subject to the associated service adjustments. These affected bus routes include the cross-harbour routes and bus services operating in the following areas:     Hong Kong Island – bus routes operating along the IEC, the CWBT, in Central and Western District, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay areas;     Kowloon – bus routes operating along Nathan Road, Argyle Street, Shanghai Street, Jordan Road and Yau Tsim Mong areas; and New Territories – bus routes operating along Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel and Nam Wan Tunnel.     The following bus termini and public transport interchanges on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon will be suspended: Hong Kong Island – Tin Hau Station Public Transport Interchange, Expo Drive East Bus Terminus, Central Ferry Piers Bus Terminus and Whitfield Road Bus Terminus; and      Kowloon – China Ferry Terminal Public Transport Interchange and Star Ferry Bus Terminus.     To enable participants of the full/half marathon and 10-km races that start in the early morning to go to Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay, the first departures of eight rail lines of MTR services will be advanced suitably on Sunday, with the first departures on the Tuen Ma Line and East Rail Line to be operated at 3.25am. In addition, 28 special bus routes will also be operated to serve participants going to Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay on Sunday.      During the road closure period, bus stops, taxi stands, taxi pick-up/drop-off points, public light bus/GMB stands, roadside parking spaces and private car parks within the closed roads and their vicinities may be suspended subject to the situation.      The commencement time of the pedestrian precinct on Lockhart Road, East Point Road and Great George Street in Causeway Bay will be postponed to 3pm on Sunday subject to the road reopening situation in the vicinity of Causeway Bay.     Members of the public and tourists heading for Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, Hong Kong Station and Kowloon Station of the Airport Express Line, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, China Ferry Terminal (China Hong Kong City) or Ocean Terminal are advised to plan their journeys early to avoid any delays caused by road closures and traffic diversions.      The TD anticipates that the traffic at various locations on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon and the New Territories will be more significantly congested when compared with normal Sundays, including:     Hong Kong Island – King’s Road, Shau Kei Wan Road, Victoria Park Road, Leighton Road, Hennessy Road, Gloucester Road, Queensway, Connaught Road Central, Aberdeen Tunnel (Wan Chai bound) and Central Ferry Piers areas;     Kowloon – Nathan Road and its vicinity, Argyle Street, Wylie Road, Gascoigne Road flyover, West Kowloon Corridor and Cross-Harbour Tunnel (both bounds), with a higher chance of long traffic queues along Gascoigne Road flyover and West Kowloon Corridor; and     New Territories – Lantau Link (Kowloon bound) and North West Tsing Yi Interchange.     Motorists should avoid driving to the above affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, they should exercise patience and drive with care, and follow the instructions of the Police on-site.      Members of the public should plan their journeys early and use alternative routes to avoid unexpected delays, and take railway services as far as possible. Public transport users are advised to pay attention to the arrangements of route diversions and changes of stop locations.      Other ad-hoc traffic and public transport measures, including adjusting the extent of road closures, traffic diversions, alterations and suspensions of public transport services, may be implemented by the Police on-site at short notice depending on the actual traffic and crowd conditions. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary. Members of the public are advised to stay alert to the latest traffic news through the media.      For information about the above special traffic and transport adjustments, members of the public may browse the TD’s website at www.td.gov.hk or the “HKeMobility” mobile application.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 3, 2025Issued at HKT 15:45

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bureau of Indian Standards strengthens engagement with African and Latin American Nations on Standardization

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 1:00PM by PIB Delhi

    The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hosted a high-level roundtable discussion to foster collaboration in the field of standardization with African and Latin American nations. The event saw participation from Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and representatives of over 25 countries from these regions, along with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

    Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India and Mr. Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General, BIS, led the discussions alongside senior officials from Bureau.

    Consumer Affairs Secretary acknowledged BIS’s comprehensive standards ecosystem, which ensures product quality and safety while facilitating seamless trade across borders. She underscored the importance of harmonizing standards to strengthen international trade and quality infrastructure.

    Smt. Khare said that BIS plays a crucial role in facilitating international trade by setting standards that ensure compatibility, safety, and quality. She emphasized India’s strong commitment to international standardization and its active participation in ISO and IEC at both technical and governance levels. With seven decades of expertise in standardization, BIS continues to lead in this domain.

    She highlighted how BIS has been organizing capacity-building programs for developing countries under the ITEC program. So far, 30 African nations and 10 Latin American countries have benefited from these initiatives. Additionally, BIS has established Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with these countries to facilitate knowledge-sharing and the exchange of best practices.

    The Secretary reiterated BIS’s commitment to extending cooperation to any interested country, offering support on standardization principles and sector-specific matters. The organization has also developed comprehensive codes for the National Building Code (NBC) and the National Electrical Code (NEC), which contribute to safe and sustainable infrastructure development.

    For developing countries with limited resources and expertise, she stressed that there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they can adopt Indian standards through harmonization, benefiting from the experience and expertise that BIS has cultivated.

    All dignitaries present appreciated the efforts and support provided by BIS. The representatives encouraged more such programs in collaboration with National Standards Bodies (NSBs). African and Latin American countries expressed keen interest in furthering mutual cooperation with BIS, strengthening their standardization frameworks.

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    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

    (Release ID: 2099057) Visitor Counter : 74

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of the Chairman’s Opening Remarks at Commencement of 267th Session of Rajya Sabha

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 12:21PM by PIB Delhi

    Hon’ble Members, the 267th Session of the Rajya Sabha is a milestone in the constitutional journey of Bharat, being the first one convened as we march into the last quarter of the century of adoption of our Constitution on November 26, 1949.

    An occasion of expression of profound gratitude to visionary founding fathers, whose wisdom and foresight endowed us with a Constitution that has remarkably shaped the destiny of our Republic.

    In this journey of 75 years, we have embraced modernity without forsaking our timeless wisdom and heritage. Our collective dreams and aspirations have enabled strides in digital innovation and sustainable development to space exploration and infrastructure.

    Guided by the mantra of Vikas with Virasat, the march forward towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047 must be the north star that anchors our collective efforts. It is incumbent upon us, as members of this august House, to rise to this calling with unwavering resolve.

    As the Council of States—the House of Elders—we must serve as both guardians of constitutional values and torchbearers of progressive thought. Let us emulate our founding fathers, and seize this moment in history to leave our indelible footprints upon the sands of time.

    Our conduct must be exemplary; our deliberations, wise and constructive; and our actions, driven by the welfare of the 1.4 billion citizens who place their faith in us.

    A vibrant and functional Parliament is the lifeblood of democracy. In this sacred chamber, the voices of a pluralistic, dynamic, and aspirational society converge, particularly those of our youth, who represent our nation’s boundless energy and dreams. By empowering youth with education, opportunity, and a sense of responsibility, we can craft a more inclusive and sustainable future.

    The great Mahakumbh, a resplendent celebration of India’s spiritual and cultural essence, offers profound lessons for our journey—unity in diversity, collective well-being, and an abiding commitment to truth, tolerance, and harmony.

    As we engage with the global community, let these principles remain the touchstones of our actions, ensuring that the well-being of every citizen remains at the heart of our endeavours.

    Hon’ble Members, our task is monumental, so has to be our resolve. Let us pledge to uphold the sanctity and dignity of this House. Let our debates and decisions be guided by the noble aspirations of service to the nation. Let us work together, across all divides, to forge policies that elevate Bharat’s standing on the global stage.

    In the words of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the architect of our Constitution: “Democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards our fellow men.”

    May we be ever mindful of this wisdom.

    As we embark upon this session, let us deliberate with purpose, cooperate with dignity, and legislate with vision—mindful always that we carry the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts.

     Together, let us chart a course toward a future that fulfills the promise made in the Constitution.

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    (Release ID: 2099044) Visitor Counter : 85

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Registrations and nominations invited for Labour Advisory Board By-election of Employee Representative

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Registrations and nominations invited for Labour Advisory Board By-election of Employee Representative
    Registrations and nominations invited for Labour Advisory Board By-election of Employee Representative
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         The Labour Department (LD) is inviting employee unions registered under the Trade Unions Ordinance (TUO) to register as electors, appoint authorised representatives to vote and nominate candidates for the 2025 Labour Advisory Board (LAB) By-election of Employee Representative.     “Registration as electors, appointment of authorised representatives and nomination of candidates start today (February 3) and will close on February 25, 2025 (Tuesday),” a spokesman for the LD said.     The LAB is a tripartite consultative body comprising representatives of employees and employers to advise the Commissioner for Labour on labour matters. There is a vacancy in the current 2025-2026 term of the LAB arising from the resignation of an elected employee representative.     The 2025 LAB By-election of Employee Representative will be held at Function Rooms, 3/F South Tower, The Salisbury – YMCA of Hong Kong, 41 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, on March 29 (Saturday). Authorised representatives may cast their votes at the above polling station between 9am and 5pm. Upon the appointment by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare with authority delegated by the Chief Executive, the elected representative will become an LAB member for the current term up to December 31, 2026.     Employee unions registered as electors in the LAB elections held in 2006 or thereafter need not re-register as electors but have to submit forms to appoint authorised representatives in order to vote in the by-election.     “We have sent out today related forms and copies of the rules and procedures for the by-election to all employee unions registered under the TUO,” the spokesman said.     Enquiries on matters relating to the by-election can be made at 2852 4024.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 3, 2025Issued at HKT 15:00

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mineral and non-ferrous Metal Production on Growth Track in FY 2024-25 (April-December)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Mineral and non-ferrous Metal Production on Growth Track in FY 2024-25 (April-December)

    Robust Growth in Production of Key Minerals and non-ferrous Metals

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 12:16PM by PIB Delhi

    Production of some key minerals in the country has continued to witness strong growth during FY 2024-25 (April-December), after reaching record production levels in FY 2023-24. Iron ore accounts for 69% of the total MCDR mineral production by value. Production of iron ore was 274 million metric tonne (MMT) in FY 2023-24.

    As per provisional data, production of iron ore has increased from 203 MMT in FY 2023-24 (April-December) to 208 MMT in FY 2024-25 (April- December), showing a healthy 2.5% growth. Production of manganese ore has risen by 8.3% to 2.6 MMT in FY 2024-25 (April- December) from 2.4 MMT during the corresponding period of previous year. Production of Chromite has risen by 9.5% to 2.3 MMT in FY 2024-25 (April- December) from 2.1 MMT during the corresponding period of previous year. Additionally, production of bauxite has also risen by 6.5% to 18.1 MMT in FY 2024-25 (April- December) from 17.0 MMT in FY 2023-24 (April- December).

    In the non-ferrous metal sector, primary aluminium production in FY 2024-25 (April- December) posted a growth of 1.6% over the corresponding period last year, increasing to 31.56 lakh ton (LT) in FY 2024-25 (April- December) from 31.07 LT in FY 2023-24 (April- December). During the same comparative period, refined copper production has grown by 7.3% from 3.69 LT to 3.96 LT.

    India is the 2nd largest Aluminium producer, among top-10 producer in refined copper and 4th largest iron ore producer in the world. Continued growth in production of iron ore in the current financial year reflects the robust demand conditions in the user industry viz. steel. Coupled with growth in aluminium and copper, these growth trends point towards continued strong economic activity in user sectors such as energy, infrastructure, construction, automotive and machinery.

     

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    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2099042) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coal Sector Records Steady Growth: Production Up by 5.88% and Dispatch Up by 5.73% Upto January 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 12:14PM by PIB Delhi

    India’s coal sector continues to demonstrate resilience and growth, achieving steady progress in both production and dispatch during April 2024 – January 2025. Total coal production during January 2025 has reached 104.43 MT, reflecting 4.38% increase over 100.05 MT recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year. The contribution from Captive, Commercial and Other Entities for January 2025 has also been particularly strong, with production surging to 19.68 MT, 31.07% rise from 15.01 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

    On a broader scale, the cumulative coal production up to January 2025 has climbed to 830.66 MT, marking a 5.88% increase from 784.51 MT recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year.

     

    Similarly, Coal dispatch has also kept pace with this growth. The total coal dispatch during January 2025 stands at 92.40 MT, registering 6.31% increase from 86.92 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

    Coal dispatch from Captive and Other Entities for January 2025 has also shown remarkable growth, reaching 17.72 MT as compared to 13.64 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting 29.94% increase. Meanwhile, the cumulative coal dispatch up to January 2025 has risen to 843.75 MT, marking 5.73% increase from 798.02 MT recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year.

    These figures underscore the sector’s strong performance in ensuring a consistent energy supply. The Ministry of Coal remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the sector’s productivity, ensuring energy security, and supporting the country’s economic growth.

     

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    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2099041) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coal Production and Dispatch from Captive and Commercial Mines Cross Last Financial Year’s Total; Production in January crosses 19 MT

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 12:04PM by PIB Delhi

    In furtherance of the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, India’s coal sector continues to set new benchmarks. As on January 2025, the total coal production from Captive and Commercial mines for the financial year 2024-25 has surged to 150.25 million tonnes (MT), surpassing last financial year’s total of 147.12 MT by January 27, 2025, 64 days ahead of schedule. This marks an impressive 34.05% YoY growth from 112.08 MT at the end of January 2024, underscoring the resilience and accelerated pace of India’s coal industry.

    Similarly, coal dispatch has mirrored this success, with the total dispatch for the financial year reaching 154.61 MT, surpassing last financial year’s total of 142.79 MT by January 11, 2025. This reflects a robust 33.75% increase from 115.57 MT in January 2024, ensuring a consistent and uninterrupted coal supply to key industries, including power, steel, and cement.

    With coal production reaching an all-time high of 19.20 MT in January 2025, this milestone represents the highest-ever monthly output from Captive and Commercial mines. This achievement marks a 33.15% increase YoY from 14.42 MT in January 2024. Coal dispatch in January, similarly surged to 17.26 MT, a 32.45% rise YoY from the previous year, further securing the supply for industrial growth.

    Additionally, the Ministry of Coal has granted Mine Opening Permissions for three new mines—Bhaskarpara, Utkal E, and Rajhara North (Central and Eastern). Notably, Rajhara North (Central and Eastern), allocated to Fairmine Carbon Pvt. Ltd., is the first commercial coal mine in Jharkhand to receive Mine Opening Permission. This development will significantly contribute to boosting coal production and enhancing the role of commercial mining in the region.

    The Ministry of Coal remains unwavering in its commitment to augmenting domestic coal production, reducing import dependency, and ensuring energy security for the nation. The sector continues to play a pivotal role in the realization of Viksit Bharat—a self-reliant and developed India.

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    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2099037) Visitor Counter : 24

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Celebrating a decade of empowering girls: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme in Jharkhand

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Celebrating a decade of empowering girls: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme in Jharkhand

    Administration and Social Welfare Office of Palamu  launched series of awareness programmes in sync with 100 Din Sankalp Abhiyan in Jharkhand under  BBBP initiative

    Significant positive changes in Palamu district brought about thorough multi-faceted approach of BBBP initiative

    Posted On: 03 FEB 2025 12:01PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated the 10th  anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme on 22 January 2025. Launched in 2015, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme aims to protect, educate and empower girls and address gender imbalance and declining child sex ratio in India. To achieve the objectives of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme, States, Union Territories and Districts are implementing programmes tailored to local and stakeholder needs.

    Palamu district of Jharkhand, known for its rich cultural heritage, has long been facing social challenges affecting girls and women, especially the rural communities.

    In sync with the 100 Din Sankalp Abhiyan in Jharkhand under the BBBP initiative, the Administration and Social Welfare Office of Palamu had launched a series of awareness programmes. The initiative was aimed at addressing the critical issues of gender inequality, women’s rights and child protection.

    Palamu district of Jharkhand has achieved remarkable success in promoting a culture of gender equality and girls’ empowerment by adopting targeted weekly themes and organizing impactful programs through the “100 Din Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign. The campaign addressed critical issues like education, health and safety, ultimately enhancing the welfare and rights of girls.

    In this special 100-day campaign, more than 70 programs were organized in Palamu district on various topics, including four programs involving 125 government officials and 22 field representatives and 216 beneficiaries were enrolled.

    Similarly, BBBP Week, a dedicated week within the 100-day campaign and the Pre-Conception Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Enforcement Drive, organised three programmes with the participation of 54 officials and 8 local representatives, enrolling 178 beneficiaries. These programmes were specifically designed to address issues related to gender equality and child protection and their success underlined the impact of the initiative.

    The primary goal of the BBBP initiative in Palamu was to protect the rights of girls, promote gender equality and raise awareness about the importance of education for girls.

    Mission Shakti Week saw the highest enrollment of beneficiaries, with 280 participants, underlining the reach of the initiative. In total, 379 government officials and 104 representatives of local governing bodies supported these efforts, reaching out to 1,999 beneficiaries through thematic weeks focused on gender equality, skill development, legal awareness and community mobilisation. In addition, volunteers conducted door-to-door awareness campaigns, distributing stickers and pamphlets emphasizing gender equality and prevention of child marriage. Community Engagement Programs The success of the campaign in spreading awareness on issues such as ending early marriage (ECM) and violence against women and children (EVAWAC) in Palamu through rallies, street plays and group discussions is a testament to the community’s involvement and value in the initiative. Schools conducted essay competitions, signature drives and tree planting ceremonies, encouraging children to advocate for gender equality and environmental responsibility. The community’s commitment to girls’ education and development was evident in the distribution of annual Shishu Kits and Academic Excellence Awards. These initiatives were designed to support new born girls and motivate students, emphasizing the community’s dedication to their education and development.

    The initiative included various activities including inauguration ceremonies, awareness meetings with adolescents, oath taking programs, rallies and discussions on important issues such as child marriage and gender-based violence. The level of participation varied across different programmes, with some activities such as oath taking and rallies involving 59,640 women participants.

    Posters displaying key messages were made and put up in 165 out of 265 selected panchayats in Palamu and in 14 ICDS projects through Lok Sabha (LS), AWW, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), gender community resource persons (CRPs), self-help groups (SHGs) and NGO representatives. Short video clips, campaign messages and social media posts addressing child protection were disseminated through local channels. IEC material was distributed to all AWC and JSLPS teams to promote awareness efforts at the grassroots level. The initiative involved a variety of activities including inaugural ceremonies, awareness sessions with adolescents, oath taking events, rallies and discussions on important issues such as child marriage and gender-based violence. Many community members participated, especially women, who were particularly active in community engagement events such as rallies.

    All age groups participated meaningfully in the initiative, particularly in the 7-18 and 18-55 age groups. Participants were significantly higher among women, reaching 180,965, as well as 1,440 men and 82 individuals identified as disabled or transgender. The initiative verified its reach and impact through photo documentation, video recordings and attendance records. The campaign outputs reflect increased awareness within the community, which is likely to lead to long-term reduction in child marriage rates and stronger support for girls’ education.

    The Central Government also appreciated these initiatives under BBBP in Palamu.

    Collaborative efforts between the Government, Schools and NGOs increase the reach and impact of gender equality initiatives. Early involvement of parents and teachers ensures more significant community participation and promotes sustained engagement. The BBBP campaign promoted substantial community participation while achieving significant milestones.

    The multi-faceted approach of the BBBP initiative brought about significant positive changes in Palamu district, including increased community participation, improved educational outcomes, and improved safety measures, providing solid evidence of the program’s success.

    **** 

    SS/MS

    (Release ID: 2099035) Visitor Counter : 50

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Temporary suspension of LCSD’s Mobile Library 5, 6 and 7 services

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Temporary suspension of LCSD’s Mobile Library 5, 6 and 7 services
    Temporary suspension of LCSD’s Mobile Library 5, 6 and 7 services
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         Mobile Libraries 5, 6 and 7 will suspend services during designated periods in February and March for maintenance, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (February 3).     Mobile Library 6 will suspend services from February 10 to 15. The affected service points are Shau Kei Wan Market on Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Lei Tung Estate and Ap Lei Chau Estate in Ap Lei Chau, the First Aid Station at Shek O Beach and Tsui Lam Estate in Tseung Kwan O. For enquiries about Mobile Library 6 services, please call 2505 4690.     Mobile Library 5 will suspend services from February 17 to March 1. The affected service points are Ta Kwu Ling in North District; Hin Keng Estate, Kam Ying Court, Kam Tai Court, Mei Tin Estate, Yan On Estate and Yiu On Estate in Sha Tin; Ming Tak Estate, Yee Ming Estate and Mang Kung Uk Road in Sai Kung; and Tai Wo Estate, Nai Chung, On Ho Lane, Fu Shin Estate and Fu Heng Estate in Tai Po. For enquiries about Mobile Library 5 services, please call 2696 5842.     Mobile Library 7 will suspend services from February 24 to March 8. The affected service points are Hoi Fu Court in Mong Kok West, Sceneway Garden in Lam Tin, Chuk Yuen (South) Estate and Fung Tak Estate in Wong Tai Sin and Kai Yip Estate in Kowloon Bay. For enquiries about Mobile Library 7 services, please call 2926 3056.     Readers are welcome to use other public libraries during the service suspension periods. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833, or via www.hkpl.gov.hk.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 3, 2025Issued at HKT 14:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TD launches bus safety roving exhibition with first stop at West Kowloon Government Offices (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    TD launches bus safety roving exhibition with first stop at West Kowloon Government Offices (with photos)
    TD launches bus safety roving exhibition with first stop at West Kowloon Government Offices (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Transport Department (TD) will hold the “Safe Journey Begins with You and Me” bus safety roving exhibition at nine government buildings from today (February 3) to mid-May to feature the efforts of both the Government and franchised bus operators (FBOs) in improving bus safety and enhancing public awareness on passenger safety. Its first stop is the G/F Lobby, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices. Members of the public are most welcome to visit.     The Commissioner for Transport, Ms Angela Lee, said, “Franchised buses carry over 3.7 million passenger journeys per day on average, accounting for about 30 per cent of the total public transport patronage. Safe and convenient bus services are key to the public’s daily commuting. Enhancing the safety of franchised buses is the shared priority of the Government and FBOs. We are committed to improving bus and passenger safety through four major areas, namely bus captains and passengers, technology, safety performance management, and road safety, with a view to preventing accidents.”     The rich content of the exhibition panels and educational videos covers bus captains’ daily work to uphold passenger safety, passenger safety tips, Safety Performance Indicators drawn up by the TD to assess FBO’s performance, FBOs’ extensive application of technology to enhance bus safety as well as an array of road safety and bus-friendly measures implemented by the Government. Visitors can participate in quiz games on site and receive souvenirs.     The bus safety roving exhibition will be open from 9am to 7pm. Admission is free. Details are as follows: 

    Date
    Venue

    February 3 to 8
    G/F Lobby, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices

    February 10 to 15
    2/F, Harbour Building

    February 17 to 22
    G/F Lobby, Revenue Tower

    February 24 to March 1
    1/F, Trade and Industry Tower

    March 3 to 8
    G/F Lobby, North Point Government Offices

    March 10 to 15
    G/F Lobby, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices

    April 14 to 18
    2/F, Tsuen Wan Government Offices

    April 28 to May 3
    G/F Lobby, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building

    May 12 to 16
    G/F Lobby, Tuen Mun Government Offices

         To engage with the community to promote bus safety, the TD has held interactive sharing sessions and game activities at primary schools and District Elderly Community Centres in various districts since late 2024, aiming to raise the awareness of students and the elderly on bus and pedestrian safety. Publicity has also been regularly rolled out via the Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk) in the past month. This exhibition is part of the TD’s series of bus safety promotion measures.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 3, 2025Issued at HKT 14:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kumbh Mela Reflects India’s Inclusivity and World-Class Management, States VP

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Kumbh Mela Reflects India’s Inclusivity and World-Class Management, States VP

    India’s Aspirational Population Is No Less Than Nuclear Power, Emphasizes VP

    Budget Booster for Taxpaying Populace Has Generated Radiance All Around, Highlights VP

    Achieving Developed Nation Status Requires Eightfold Per Capita Income Rise, Asserts VP

    Chartered Accountants Must Nurture the Spirit of Economic Nationalism, says VP

    Vice-President Addresses 75th Annual Function of ICAI at World Forum of Accountants at New Delhi

    Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 9:32PM by PIB Delhi

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said, “There has been a budget booster and for me, there has been a Kumbh booster. The two are coupled.” He explained that the budget booster, particularly for the taxpaying populace, has generated radiance all around. Reflecting on his visit to the Kumbh Mela—an event of unparalleled consequence for humanity—he noted, “When I took the holy dip in an event that celestially occurs after 144 years, the population beyond America had already visited the place. Excellent Management!”

    Drawing a unique parallel, He further elaborated that world-level arrangements were evident at the Kumbh. “How in such a small area, such a large human congregation has been taken care of, reflects India’s inclusivity and peace within us,” he said. While acknowledging a mishap during the event, Shri Dhankhar praised the management’s swift and effective response: “The management thereof, the response was electric, nuclear. It was done in a moment.” He commended the health facilities, law and order arrangements, and the availability of helping hands, concluding, “I, therefore, as an Indian, take pride that we as a nation have come of age where such a large human gathering, infatuated by commitment to religiosity, sublimity, spirituality, and our civilizational ethos, has come together and peacefully handled situations. I salute everyone associated with such exemplary management.”

    Addressing the gathering at the 75th Annual Function of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at the World Forum of Accountants held at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, the Vice-President observed that the people of India have now entered an aspirational mode. “This aspirational mode is premised on the fact that in the last decade, no nation has progressed as much on the development aspect as Bharat,” he stated. He pointed out that when people witness development, they naturally desire more, and this has converted one-sixth of humanity into the most aspirational population. “Therefore, this descending, demanding population is an asset. But it is also a challenge. If it is restive, it is a ticking time bomb. And if energy is channelised, it is no less than nuclear power,” he emphasized.

    He further highlighted that India has had an unparalleled and remarkable economic rise and upsurge, alongside significant infrastructure development, technology penetration, and deep digitization in the last few years. Amongst large economies, its growth stands out. He emphasized that an environment of hope and possibility is all-pervasive.

    Expressing his confidence in the role of professional bodies, Shri Dhankhar stated, “I strongly feel bodies like yours have the capacity to convert the youth dividend into nuclear power and keep it away from restive temperament.”

    Shifting focus to economic concerns, the Vice-President shared his apprehensions: “I am deeply concerned when I notice that when balance sheets shine, premised on avoidable imports, and finances blossom on raw material exports, the national economy bleeds as there is an avoidable drain of foreign exchange, loss of employment, and impeding of entrepreneurial growth.” He emphasized that this was a challenge that only the chartered accountants could address. “There is a need to imbibe the spirit of economic nationalism. As a distinguished class, chartered accountants are imminently positioned and suited to propagate and nurture this spirit of nationalism. Such an approach will be highly beneficial to the economy and save us billions in foreign exchange—billions of dollars—while creating millions of jobs and accounting for the growth of entrepreneurship,” he asserted.

    Recognizing the pivotal role of chartered accountants, Shri Dhankhar remarked, “As the architects of economic stability, watchdogs of financial integrity, and guardians of fiscal discipline, you are particularly enjoined to contribute optimally to the nation’s march towards unprecedented growth and prosperity.” He highlighted that in contemporary times, influencers from various walks of life matter significantly, but as a professional class, chartered accountants are the most potent influencers for transformative change in the economy.

    “There is no other class other than chartered accountants who can bring about revolutionary positive change in business ethics and business promotion,” he added. He further noted, “Your unique position at the intersection of business, finance, and governance enables you to bring about and catalyse reforms from the grassroots to the highest corporate achievements. You have the potential to be the nerve centre for big changes that will contribute to our economy.”

    Concluding his address, the Vice-President emphasized the challenge and importance of achieving developed nation status. “A challenge to be a developed nation has to be understood at your level,” he stated. He explained that while a developed nation status is not explicitly defined, certain global parameters can be identified. “In my modest understanding of economics, our per capita income has to rise eightfold. A daunting challenge, but achievable,” Shri Dhankhar affirmed.

    CA. N.D. Gupta, MP, Rajya Sabha, Shri P.C. Mody, Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha, CA. Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal, President, ICAI, CA. Abhinav Aggarwal, Chairman, NIRC and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2099020) Visitor Counter : 15

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN/ANGELUS – Pope Francis on the day of the Presentation of the Lord: “In Jesus dwells all the fullness of God”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Sunday, 2 February 2025

    Vatican Media

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “This always leaves us astounded: universal salvation concentrated in just one! Yes, because in Jesus dwells the fullness of God, of His Love”, said Pope Francis during the Sunday Angelus prayer with the pilgrims and believers gathered in St. Peter’s Square on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.Commenting on the Sunday Gospel, which tells of the meeting of the Holy Family with Simeon and Anna in the Temple of Jerusalem, the Pope noted how the “moving voices” of the two old people “resound among the ancient stones of the Temple, announcing the fulfilment of Israel’s expectations. Truly God is present in the midst of His people: not because He dwells within the four walls, but because He lives as a man among men. And this is the novelty of Jesus”.In this context, the Bishop of Rome referred to the three words with which Simeon describes Jesus: He is “salvation”, “light” and “a sign of contradiction”.But above all, Jesus is salvation, “the salvation of the world is concentrated in everyone”, “because in Jesus dwells the fullness of God”. Jesus is also the light, because he “will redeem it from the darkness of evil, pain and death. How much we need light, this light, even today!”.And then Jesus is “a sign of contradiction. Jesus reveals the criterion for judging the whole of history and its drama, and also the life of each one of us”, namely love.After the blessing, the Pope recalled the “Day for Life” that the Italian Church is celebrating today: “I join with the Italian bishops in expressing gratitude to the many families who eagerly welcome the gift of life and in encouraging young couples not to be afraid of bringing children into the world”.And speaking of the primary value of human life, the Pontiff reiterated the ‘no’ to war, which destroys, it destroys everything, it destroys life and induces us to disregard it”. In this Jubilee Year, he renewed his appeal “especially to Christian governors, to do their utmost in the negotiations to bring all the ongoing conflicts to an end. Let us pray for peace in tormented Ukraine, in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and North Kivu.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 2/2/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Udbytter i Investeringsforeningen Nordea Invest for 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bestyrelsen i Investeringsforeningen Nordea Invest vil indstille nedenstående udbytter for afdelinger i Investeringsforeningen Nordea Invest til godkendelse på foreningens ordinære generalforsamling den 7. april 2025.

    Udbytterne fragår kursen den 4. februar 2025 og udbetales den 6. februar 2025.

    Hvis en afdeling ikke fremgår af listen, skyldes det, at der ikke udbetales udbytte.

    Afdeling ISIN Udbytte i kr. i alt pr. andel Aconto udbytte i kr. pr. andel Udbytte i kr. pr. andel til udbetaling den 6. februar 2025
    Aktier Ansvarlig KL 1 DK0061116027 8,8 0,0 8,8
    Aktier KL 1 DK0010250158 17,8 0,0 17,8
    Aktier II KL 1 DK0015357065 59,5 0,0 59,5
    Basis 2 KL 1 DK0016195944 5,4 0,0 5,4
    Basis 3 KL 1 DK0016196082 9,5 0,0 9,5
    Basis 4 KL 1 DK0060075893 9,0 0,0 9,0
    Danmark KL 1 DK0010265859 12,6 0,0 12,6
    Danske aktier fokus KL 1 DK0060012466 15,9 0,0 15,9
    Emerging Markets Enhanced KL 1 DK0060950111 1,8 0,0 1,8
    Emerging Markets KL 1 DK0010308170 6,1 0,0 6,1
    Europe Enhanced KL 1 DK0060949964 6,7 0,0 6,7
    European Small Cap Stars KL 1 DK0015960983 8,2 0,0 8,2
    European Stars KL 1 DK0010265693 8,3 0,0 8,3
    Global Enhanced KL 1 DK0060949881 8,1 0,0 8,1
    Global Small Cap Enhanced KL 1 DK0061112893 14,5 0,0 14,5
    Global Small Cap KL 1 DK0016050974 3,7 0,0 3,7
    Global Stars KL 1 DK0010301324 14,7 0,0 14,7
    Globale Aktier Indeks KL 1 DK0060451623 14,5 0,0 14,5
    Globale obligationer KL 1 DK0010170398 2,25 0,0 2,25
    Globale UdbytteAktier KL 1 DK0010265503 19,1 0,0 19,1
    HøjrenteLande KL 1 DK0016254899 2,0 0,0 2,0
    Japan Enhanced KL 1 DK0060950038 2,5 0,0 2,5
    Klima og Miljø KL 1 DK0060192185 11,0 0,0 11,0
    Korte obligationer Lagerbeskattet KL 1 DK0060014678 2,0 0,0 2,0
    Korte obligationer KL 1 DK0060268506 1,2 1,2 0,0
    Mellemlange obligationer KL 1 DK0015168686 1,4 1,4 0,0
    Nordic Small Cap KL 1 DK0015974695 33,6 0,0 33,6
    Nordic Stars KL 1 DK0060095735 3,5 0,0 3,5
    North America Enhanced KL 1 DK0060831451 19,3 0,0 19,3
    North American Stars KL 1 DK0010265776 4,0 0,0 4,0
    Obligationer Ansvarlig KL 1 DK0061139748 1,5 0,0 1,5
    Stabil Balanceret KL 1 DK0060014595 2,0 0,0 2,0
    Stabile Aktier KL 1 DK0060048304 8,7 0,0 8,7
    Virksomhedsobligationer Højrente KL1 DK0016067432 2,5 0,0 2,5

    Med venlig hilsen
    Nordea Fund Management, filial af Nordea Funds Oy, Finland

    Rasmus Eske Bruun
    Filialbestyrer

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor’s dumping of Australia’s new nature laws means the environment is shaping as a key 2025 election issue

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University

    Controversy over land clearing at the Lee Point (Binybara) housing development site, near Darwin, highlights the urgent need for environmental law reform. Euan Ritchie

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shelved the proposed reforms to Australia’s 25-year-old environment laws, citing a lack of parliamentary support for the changes.

    The decision breaks Labor’s 2022 election commitment to overhaul the protections. The Albanese government is now the latest in a string of governments that have tried and failed to reform the law known formally as the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

    This is despite two major independent reviews calling for wholesale change.

    Labor’s capitulation does not, however, change the facts. Australia’s natural environment is deteriorating rapidly. Laws are urgently needed to protect our nation’s valuable natural assets.

    Establishing effective laws is an investment that will benefit Australia’s biodiversity, economy, cultural values, health and wellbeing. Nature is now a key 2025 election issue.

    How did we get here?

    An independent review of the EPBC Act, known as the Samuel Review, was completed in 2020 under the former Coalition government. It found that without urgent changes, most of Australia’s threatened plants, animals and ecosystems will become extinct.

    Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek promised to act on the review’s recommendations, via a plan Labor badged as “Nature Positive”.

    The centrepiece of reform is to set national environmental standards that would be overseen by an independent regulator and watchdog called Environmental Protection Australia (EPA). But reform was split into three stages.

    Stage one legislated for national markets in nature repair and expanded the requirement to assess potential impacts on water resources under the EPBC Act. The so-called “water trigger” now captures “unconventional gas” projects such as shale gas recovery in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin. The law passed in December 2023, but the markets are not yet functioning.

    Stage two of the reforms, including establishing a federal EPA, came before the Senate in late 2024. Plibersek had reportedly made a deal with the crossbench to secure passage. But this deal was scuttled by Albanese at the eleventh hour.

    Stage two was relisted for discussion in the upcoming first parliamentary sitting week of 2025, this week. But on Saturday, Albanese told The Conversation the government would, again, not be proceeding with the reform this term.

    The reforms have been delayed for so long that we are now closer to the next statutory review of the laws, due in 2029, than to the last one.

    Stage three, which covers the bulk of substantive reform recommended in the Samuel Review, is yet to be seen publicly.

    What will happen after the next election?

    Albanese must go to the polls by May 17, but there is speculation the election may be as early as March. So what is the likely fate of these environmental reforms in the next term?

    A Roy Morgan poll on Monday found if a federal election were held now, the result would be a hung parliament. So the result is looking tight.

    Government control of the Senate is rare. So whoever is in power after the election is very likely to rely on crossbench support for any reforms.

    Albanese has ruled out forming a coalition with the Greens or crossbenchers in the event of a hung parliament. However, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he would negotiate with independents to form government.

    A returned Albanese majority government would probably revisit the scuttled deal on stage two. With elections in the rear-view mirror, Albanese may be prepared to wear some political pain early in the next term to secure a deal. He would also still need to roll out the bulk of the Nature Positive reforms, the detail of which remains hidden behind a vague “stage three” banner.

    A minority Albanese government may face a tougher ask: demands from an environmentally progressive crossbench for major commitments to environmental reform in return for promises of support on budget and confidence.

    A Coalition government would be coming from a very different angle. Dutton has painted Nature Positive as a
    “disaster” for the economy, expressing particular concern about impacts on the mining sector.

    The Coalition’s environmental agenda is increasingly focused on “cutting green tape” – in other words, reducing bureaucratic hurdles for developers – and repealing bans on nuclear power stations. Finding crossbench support in the Senate for this agenda could be challenging.

    The Greens have vowed to make environmental protection a key election issue, urging voters to cast their ballot for nature this election.

    A recent poll published by the Biodiversity Council shows 75% of Australians support strengthening national environmental law to protect nature. Only 4% are opposed and the rest are undecided.

    But converting a high level of broad support into votes is another thing altogether – especially during a cost-of-living crisis.

    Crystal clear consequences

    The political crystal ball remains cloudy. But when it comes to the state of Australia’s environment, the picture is clear.

    The environment continues to decline and the consequences are increasingly serious. These consequences extend beyond further irreversible loss and the increasing cost of environmental repair, to include the economic and social consequences of losing more of the natural assets on which our quality of life depends.

    The building blocks of successful reform are all on the table, where the Samuel Review put them in 2020.

    When will governments accept that kicking the can down the road is selling us all down the drain?

    Peter Burnett is affiliated with the Biodiversity Council, an independent expert group founded by 11 Australian universities to promote evidence-based solutions to Australia’s biodiversity crisis.

    Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society, and President of the Australian Mammal Society.

    Jaana Dielenberg was employed by the now-ended Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program, which led an earlier stage of this research. She is a Charles Darwin University Fellow and is employed by the University of Melbourne and the Biodiversity Council.

    – ref. Labor’s dumping of Australia’s new nature laws means the environment is shaping as a key 2025 election issue – https://theconversation.com/labors-dumping-of-australias-new-nature-laws-means-the-environment-is-shaping-as-a-key-2025-election-issue-248872

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/LAOS – Farewell to Father Titus Banchong: “It was Jesus who was interested in me, not me in him”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    by Paolo AffatatoVientiane (Agenzia Fides) – “I am ready for Jesus and will be his martyr if I am worthy and if he wants me. I now believe that the time is very close,” wrote the Laotian priest Titus Banchong Thopanhong, shortly before he was arrested by the security forces of the “Pathet Lao” in 1976.Titus Banchong Thopanhong, Apostolic Administrator of Luang Prabang from 1999 to 2019, died in Vientiane on January 25 at the age of 78. He succumbed to a long illness, also due to the hardships he had suffered for 50 years. Father Titus was a member of the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and was imprisoned for seven years. During his entire imprisonment, nothing was heard from him. Many thought he had been killed. Instead, he was released and was able to resume his life as a simple pastor for the small Catholic community in Laos, which today numbers about 60,000 Catholics.Titus is the name given to Banchong Topagnong at the age of 8 when he was baptized with his family in the Hmong village of Kiukiatan in northern Laos, where he was born in 1947. In this village, from 1957 to 1958, he was one of the altar boys of Father Mario Borzaga, the missionary who was to be beatified in 2016. “Titus still retains a precious memory of this priest who profoundly marked his life,” recalls his confrere Fabio Ciardi, who had a deep human and spiritual friendship with Father Titus. With the missionaries, young Titus had the opportunity to deepen his journey of faith: during these years, between 1958 and 1969, he attended Seminaries first in Vientiane and then in Luang Prabang. Father Angelo Pelis, also an OMI missionary who was then director of the Seminary in Luang Prabang, remembers him as a “simple, reserved, gentle and smiling boy”. “The character trait that was to mark him throughout his life was humility: a humility modeled on Jesus Christ,” says Father Pelis. Young Titus decided to continue his formation with the Oblates in Italy and in 1970 Monsignor Alessandro Staccioli (OMI), then Apostolic Vicar of Luang Prabang, sent him to study in Italy, where he studied philosophy and theology first in San Giorgio Canavese and then, from 1973, in Vermicino (near Rome).Father Titus writes in one of the letters collected in the book “Even in prison I can love”, edited by Michele Zanzucchi: “I was still uncertain about my vocation, but little by little I felt in my heart the desire to follow Jesus in a radical way, that is, to follow the Lord who seemed to want me to love him. It was he who was interested in me, not I in him. He had taken me little by little and made me understand that in him I would always find the true meaning of my life.” While he was in Italy, his country experienced a change of regime, with the communist resistance fighters of the “Pathet Lao” taking power and in 1975 all missionaries were expelled from the country.Father Titus felt a strong desire to return to his homeland and to be a priest for the people of Laos, a desire to be a witness for Christ there and not elsewhere. This is what drives Father Titus to return to Laos. “I have chosen the Church of Laos and I feel that God wants me there and not anywhere else,” he writes. “Even if I am a priest for just one day, I will return to Laos.” And he continues: “I have decided to return to Laos because there is no one there for the apostolate. I am returning so that we can all be stronger, I am returning to help the faithful. When I returned, I chose God alone; it is He who makes me return and that is why I am returning.” He was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Vientiane on 28 September 1975 by the then Bishop of Vientiane, Thomas Nantha, the first of the Hmong ethnic group. The next day he wrote: “I am no longer afraid because I belong to the Lord. I am ready for anything. I am very happy. No one can separate me from Him. Every day I discover more and more that He is with me. I have Him… He asks me for everything, I give Him everything.”He began a strictly controlled pastoral ministry, with the threat of arrest, first in Luang Prabang, then in Vientiane, and finally in Paksane. He travels through the villages on his motorbike, visits people and administers the sacraments to Catholic families. Although he never used critical words against those in power, Father Titus was imprisoned three times and “learned to find even in the cruelest hardships the tenderness of God’s love”, Pelis recalls his imprisonment: “You could say that the other prisoners in prison were all converted, they became good. With love you can also break the bonds of hatred.” After his release from prison he did not complain: “I was released,” he writes. “After they released me, I was able to visit all the Christians in the province of Siam and I found them. Many who had been there for over 30 years no longer had priests,” he said.After being appointed “Apostolic Administrator” of Luang Prabang, the old capital, he lived the life of a missionary, dedicating himself with zeal and charity to serving his people. In 2005, with joy and enthusiasm, he told Fides that in the Vicariate of Luang Prabang he had received permission to open the first Catholic church in northern Laos since the painful times of 1975, after the communist revolution. And he said he was “very edified by the faith and devotion of the local families”. In his pastoral work he went “step by step, we go as far as the Lord allows us”. This hope was realized when he saw the first new vocations to the priesthood blossom in the small Laotian community and when he participated in the beatification liturgy in 2016 of 17 Laotian missionaries and lay people killed by communist resistance fighters between 1954 and 1970. Among the six Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) beatified was the young Italian missionary Mario Borzaga, who died in 1960 at the age of 27 along with the local catechist Paul Thoj Xyooj. Titus had taken them close to his heart. (Agenzia Fides, 1/2/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: DPRK condemns Rubio’s ‘rogue state’ remarks

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A foreign ministry spokesperson of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has condemned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling the country a “rogue state,” saying the remarks showed no change in the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK, the DPRK’s state media reported on Monday.

    In a release published on Sunday and carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, the spokesperson expressed the DPRK’s strong denunciation of and opposition to the hostile remarks made by Rubio, calling it a grave political provocation completely contrary to the principle of international law of respecting each other’s sovereignty and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

    Rubio’s remarks reaffirmed the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and indicated the new U.S. administration’s wrong attitude toward the country, according to the release.

    The foreign ministry spokesperson said the DPRK will not tolerate any U.S. provocations and will take tough counteractions accordingly, as always.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: WILMINGTON (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Issued on
    03 Feb 2025 17:26

    Issued for
    WILMINGTON in  the Flinders Ranges.

    Warning level
    Advice – Stay Informed

    Action
    CFS is responding to a fire near Alligator Gorge in Mount Remarkable National Park.

    If you are in this area, stay informed and monitor local conditions. More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches Double Deposit Bonus, $50 Welcome Bonus and 100x Leverage Crypto Trading No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the price of Bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark and many analysts believe that it will enter a long-term high-volatility market. Holding spot positions may not continue to generate profits in the short term. BexBack Exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and a 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 200,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba4465dd-d4e3-4374-8385-806fd259e6e3
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82e163a9-5f5b-4738-9c9e-8085324358fb
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3872672-3b1c-489b-8492-34196f339656
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/941d5ac9-9048-4b49-b919-4b4f5922bbf8

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Baker Hughes and Hanwha Announce Partnership to Develop Small-Size Ammonia Turbines

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Agreement to focus on creation of 100% ammonia combustion dual fuel with natural gas small-size turbines
    • Ammonia is a low-carbon fuel that can play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sector, including marine transportation
    • Collaboration to deliver efficiency comparable to reciprocating engines while minimizing carbon emissions

    FLORENCE, Italy, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR), an energy technology company, Hanwha Power Systems and Hanwha Ocean announced Monday a Joint Development and Collaboration Agreement (JDCA) for a new small-size turbine for ammonia applications that will leverage Baker Hughes’ small-size gas turbine technology and Hanwha’s ammonia combustion system. The agreement was signed during the Baker Hughes 2025 Annual Meeting in Florence. The new ammonia turbine will be suitable for marine applications but also for onshore and offshore applications, and for electric generation and mechanical drive.

    Ammonia is a critical fuel in enabling the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, including marine, oil and gas, and power. Hanwha Ocean, one of South Korea’s leading shipbuilders, will be the main beneficiary of the JDCA and will adopt the new solution as a propulsion system for their future vessels, thus enabling maritime decarbonization.

    Hanwha already tested successfully a proof-of-concept of the combustor, with 100% ammonia as the fuel gas, and Baker Hughes completed its initial turbine feasibility studies in 2024. The two companies target to complete the full engine test with ammonia by the end of 2027, after which the turbine (~16MW power range) will be commercially available for orders.

    “Decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries and transportation is one of the most pressing but high-potential opportunities of our time,” said Alessandro Bresciani, senior vice president of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes. “We believe fuel switching to ammonia will play a key role in achieving significant emissions reductions across these sectors, and to realize this ambition, the industry needs more partnerships such as this. Together, we will continue to lead by example and take energy forward.”

    “We are very excited to be collaborating with Baker Hughes to deliver an innovative and efficient solution to enhance the adoption of ammonia as a fuel for the propulsion system for future vessels. This collaboration marks a significant turning point in accelerating the transition to low-carbon fuel propulsion in the global maritime industries,” said James Shon, senior executive vice president and head of Product Strategy and Technology at Hanwha Ocean.

    “The transition to low carbon fuels is a mission for everyone in the marine sector. We aim to play a key role in the decarbonization of the sector, together with Baker Hughes, by supporting ammonia combustion and packaging systems,” said Nuno Kim, executive vice president and head of Hanwha Power Systems Ship Solution Division.

    Baker Hughes is currently exploring how its small-size gas turbines can accelerate the transition from diesel motors to turbines powered by ammonia and hydrogen. In January 2024, the company announced the completion of the successful testing of the world’s first 100% hydrogen turbine, which is now commercially available and with orders under execution.

    About Baker Hughes
    Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

    About Hanwha
    Founded in 1952, Hanwha has grown quickly by anticipating and responding to changing business environments with a balanced business portfolio that includes energy & materials, aerospace, finance and retail & services. Our expertise and synergy in key areas have catapulted us into the seventh-largest business in South Korea and a Fortune Global 500 company. Hanwha continues to grow rapidly as we strive to pursue global leadership in all of our businesses. We are building a robust foundation for sustainable development and a brighter future for everyone. For more information, visit: www.hanwha.com

    For more information, please contact:

    Baker Hughes Media Relations
    Chiara Toniato
    +39 3463823419
    chiara.toniato@bakerhughes.com

    Hanwha Power Systems Media Relations 
    Sung Jae Park 
    +70 7147 4895 
    sungjae.park@hanwha.com 

    Baker Hughes Investor Relations
    Chase Mulvehill
    +1 346-297-2561
    investor.relations@bakerhughes.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Making Data Easily Accessible: Leveraging Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The brief highlights how SDMX can simplify data activities and improve statistical interoperability, noting its growing use among national statistics offices, central banks, and statistical data producers. The brief also emphasizes the importance of capacity building to ensure the successful adoption of SDMX.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Sir Collin Tukuitonga criticises RFK Jr’s measles claims, slams health misinformation

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific Waves presenter/producer

    The chair of a World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory group is urging world leaders to denounce misinformation around health.

    Sir Collin Tukuitonga is reacting to comments made by US Senator Robert F Kennedy, who claimed that measles was not the cause of 83 deaths in Samoa during a measles outbreak there in 2019.

    Samoa’s Head of Health Dr Alec Ekeroma rejected Kennedy’s claim, calling it a “complete lie”.

    Speaking to RNZ Pacific Waves, Sir Collin said leaders had a duty to protect people from inaccurate public health statements.

    He said he was “absolutely horrified” that the person who “is the most influential individual in the US health system” could “tell lies and keep a straight face”.

    “But [I am] not surprised because Kennedy has a history of subscribing to fringe, incorrect knowledge, conspiracy theories, and odd things of that type.”

    He said Dr Ekeroma was very clear and direct in his condemnation of the lies from Kennedy and the group.

    ‘Call it for what it is’
    “I encourage all of our people who are in a position to call these people for what it is.”

    Sir Collin is the chair of the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.

    He said Kennedy’s comments and attitude toward vaccination will feed the anti-vaxxers and and discourage parents who might be uncertain about vaccines.

    “So, [it is] potentially going to have a negative impact on immunisation programmes the world over. The United States has a significant influence on global health policy.

    “These kinds of proclamations and attitudes and ideologies will have disastrous consequences.”

    He believes that the scientific community should speak up, adding that political and business leaders in the region should also condemn such behaviour.

    Sir Collin Tukuitonga . . . “horrified” that the “most influential individual in the US health system” could “tell lies and keep a straight face”. Image: Ryan Anderson/Stuff/RNZ

    Withdrawal of US from WHO
     Sir Collin described President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the WHO as “dangerous”.

    He said Washington is a major contributor to the money needed by WHO, which works to protect world health, especially vulnerable communities in developing countries.

    “I understand they contribute about a fifth of the WHO budget,” he said.

    “The United States is a world leader in the technical, scientific expertise in a number of areas, that may not be as available to the rest of the world.

    “Research and development of new medicines and new treatments, a large chunk of which originates in the United States.

    “The United States falling out of the chain of surveillance and reporting of global outbreaks, like Covid-19, puts the whole world at risk.”

    He added there were ‘a good number of reasons” why the move by the US was “shameful and irresponsible”.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: End The Gender Pay Gap Campaign

    Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

    Meet Sage, the star of WGEA’s new campaign to increase awareness and understanding of Australia’s gender pay gap. 

    Because it is your gender pay gap. 

    Perhaps you’re a woman earning, on average, $550 a week less than men in your workplace.

    Or maybe you’re a man who is finding it hard to access paid parental leave or flexible working arrangements which would significantly help improve you and your family’s wellbeing.

    These are some of the contributors to the gender pay gap, which ripples throughout Australian life and impacts every one of us.

    And we need to work together to help fix it and help make workplaces fairer.

    On March 4, WGEA will publish the gender pay gaps of over 9,200 private sector employers. 

    Many companies are making progress, but it’s slow. Far too slow for the many women and men disadvantaged by it.

    Did you know only 56% of employers improved their gender pay gap over the past 12 months?

    Men made up just 17% of people who took up primary carer’s parental leave.

    And 1 in 4 boards still don’t have a single woman on them.

    The evidence shows fixing these imbalances is possible. It leads to greater productivity and profitability, and healthier, happier workers. Which means a happier, more productive, Australia.

    In the lead up to the publishing of gender pay gaps, we all need to work together to speed up change.

    At the centre of this campaign is an interactive game – hosted by our friendly and hopeful quizmaster Sage – to  encourage Australians to test your knowledge and learn more about gender equality in the workplace.

    We hope it will spark conversations, and we encourage you to share your experiences with us through our social channels, as well as with your colleagues, family and friends.

    Play the game and inform yourself of the facts.

    You can then check your employer’s data – everything from the gender pay gap, the demographics of who is employed in what roles, to their policies on parental leave and flexible work.

    Take a look for yourself at www.wgea.gov.au/Data-Explorer

    If you want to take it further you can talk to your manager or HR. Ask questions. What is causing your employer’s gender pay gap? How does it affect you? And what steps are they taking to improve it?

    Dig into the data. Find the causes. And help to end the gender pay gap. #sageadvice

    End the Gender Pay Gap Quiz | WGEA

    Currently, women in Australian earn, on average, just 78 cents for every $1 men earn.

    WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge invites Australians to join the campaign, take the quiz and help mobilise their employers to take action to address the issues that create the gender pay gap.

    “We encourage everyone to work with our quizmaster Sage and learn about Australia’s gender pay gap and help share that knowledge – as well as their own experiences – with their colleagues, family and friends.

    “We hope this campaign prompts a conversation, and encourages employees to seek answers for themselves about where their employer stands on gender equality.

    “Every conversation reminds managers and executives of the importance of a workplace where people are fairly represented and equally valued.”

    WGEA supports employers to help them work towards this goal.

    “WGEA has lots of tools and resources on the Take Action page of our website to help employers investigate and act on their gender pay gaps,” Ms Wooldridge says.

    “The first step is to conduct a gender pay gap analysis to see where inequalities exist and WGEA has masterclasses, guides and advice to help employers to do this.

    “Once they have identified any gaps in their composition or pay, they can use our Action Planning Playbook which will help them work towards a solution.” 

    One in three employers have not yet done a gender pay gap analysis to find out where their inequalities exist.

    And too many people are still confused and conflate the gender pay gap with equal pay.

    Equal pay is the legal requirement to pay people the same amount for doing the same job, or a job of similar value. This has been the law for over 50 years.

    The gender pay gap, meanwhile, shows the difference between the average or median amount men earn in a workplace compared with women.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Circuits Integrated Hellas Selected as Laureate for Paris Space Week 2025 Innovation Challenge

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATHENS, Greece, Feb. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Circuits Integrated Hellas (CIH), a pioneering innovator in advanced satellite communication (SatCom) technology, has been selected as a laureate startup to compete in the Innovation Challenge at Paris Space Week 2025 (PSW), taking place February 4-5 at Espace Champerret. As one of a handful of promising startups chosen for the challenge due to their technology’s potential to play a disruptive role in the space sector, CIH will present its groundbreaking flat panel antenna (FPA) chip solution to a group of the world’s top space industry contractors and investors.

    CIH’s proprietary FPA approach combines III-V compound semiconductors with silicon in a three-dimensional (3D) package, enabling lightweight, cost-efficient, and high-performance antenna systems tailored for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite applications. The FPA chip design is executed within a compact system-in-package (SiP) and antenna-in-package (AiP) configuration, housing III-V antenna front ends and silicon circuitry in a minimized footprint.

    The prestigious PSW Innovation Challenge elevates visibility for promising innovations in aerospace technology while fostering collaboration between participants and key aerospace industry stakeholders. Following a rigorous evaluation process laureates are selected to give quick, high-level live presentations that explain their ideas and demonstrate their potential impact for the space industry. This year’s challenge will be held on February 4 at 3:00 p.m.

    “Our selection for the Innovation Challenge underscores the value of our mission to reshape the future of satellite communications by making advanced, high-efficiency FPA chips accessible to the SatCom industry,” said Paolo Fioravanti, CEO and co-founder of CIH. “We are honored to be part of this event and to the opportunities it affords for potential funding, partnerships, and further development opportunities in the aerospace sector.”

    CIH’s 3D chip stacking technology reduces antenna weight and size by 60% compared to traditional FPA chipsets, dramatically improving scalability and cost-effectiveness – both critical for the growing demands of LEO satellite deployment. In addition to participating in the Innovation Challenge, CIH will present “Semiconductor Innovation for the Satellite Sector” during the general conference program on February 4. Attendees can learn more about the company and its transformative roadmap for next-generation satellite communications by visiting CIH in booth E02 at Paris Space Week.

    This recognition follows CIH’s recent selection – from among more than 200 applicants – as one of the four winners of the ESA Partnership Initiative for Commercialization (EPIC) European-Singaporean Space Start-up Competition. The inaugural award recognizes the most promising European space-related start-ups with strong relationships and opportunities in Singapore. Together with the other winners, CIH will participate in the Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition 2025, scheduled for February 26-27, 2025, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Company executives will be available to meet with attendees interested in learning more about CIH’s game-changing FPA chip technology.

    About Circuits Integrated Hellas
    Headquartered in Athens, Greece, CIH is revolutionizing space communications with advanced semiconductor technologies, merging III-V materials and silicon in groundbreaking 3D IC stacks for flat panel antennas (FPAs). Focused on miniaturization, cost efficiency, and unparalleled performance, CIH enables next-generation satellite connectivity, powering a future where seamless global communication knows no boundaries. For more information, visit circuitsintegrated.com.

    For media inquiries, contact:

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on February 01, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 31,331.38 6.04 3.50-6.65
         I. Call Money 1,388.90 6.24 5.50-6.65
         II. Triparty Repo 29,352.60 6.06 5.00-6.55
         III. Market Repo 589.88 4.60 3.50-6.00
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 25.00 6.10 6.10-6.10
         II. Term Money@@ 0.00 – –
         III. Triparty Repo 0.00 – –
         IV. Market Repo 0.00 – –
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Sat, 01/02/2025 1 Sun, 02/02/2025 167.00 6.75
      Sat, 01/02/2025 2 Mon, 03/02/2025 350.00 6.75
    4. SDFΔ# Sat, 01/02/2025 1 Sun, 02/02/2025 1,09,459.00 6.25
      Sat, 01/02/2025 2 Mon, 03/02/2025 10,052.00 6.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -1,18,994.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo Fri, 24/01/2025 14 Fri, 07/02/2025 1,62,096.00 6.51
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo Fri, 31/01/2025 3 Mon, 03/02/2025 1,00,013.00 6.51
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Fri, 31/01/2025 2 Sun, 02/02/2025 0.00 6.75
      Fri, 31/01/2025 3 Mon, 03/02/2025 1,910.00 6.75
    4. SDFΔ# Fri, 31/01/2025 2 Sun, 02/02/2025 0.00 6.25
      Fri, 31/01/2025 3 Mon, 03/02/2025 5,176.00 6.25
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       9,556.71  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     2,68,399.71  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     1,49,405.71  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on February 01, 2025 9,49,696.17  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending February 07, 2025 9,12,544.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ January 31, 2025 1,00,013.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on January 10, 2025 -40,102.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2024-2025/2066

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The AEC wants to stop AI and misinformation. But it’s up against a problem that is deep and dark

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Grantham, Lecturer in Communication, Griffith University

    From the moment you open your social media feed, you’re stepping into a digital battleground where not all political messages are what they seem.

    The upcoming federal election will see an influx of deepfakes, doctored images, and tailored narratives that blur the line between fact and fiction.

    Last week, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) relaunched its Stop and Consider campaign. The campaign urges voters to pause and reflect, particularly regarding information about how to vote. But its message applies to all forms of misinformation.

    AEC Commissioner Jeff Pope warns:

    A federal election must be held in the next few months, so now is the perfect time to encourage all Australians to have a healthy degree of scepticism when it comes to what they see, hear or read.

    The simple directives outlined in this campaign are designed to slow the spread of misleading information in a digital age where algorithms boost engagement at speed.

    So how effective is it likely to be in helping voters sift the real from the fake? While the campaign benefits from the AEC’s credibility and its accessible message, it also faces significant hurdles.

    Digital deception in action

    In 2024, AI made a notable impact on international political campaigns.

    In the US, the Federal Communications Commission fined a political consultant $6 million for orchestrating fake robocalls that featured an AI-generated deepfake of President Joe Biden’s voice.

    During India’s 2024 election, Meta (which owns Facebook) approved AI-manipulated ads spreading disinformation and hate. This exacerbated divisive narratives and failing to regulate harmful content.

    Meanwhile, the Australian Labor Party deployed an AI-generated video of opposition leader Peter Dutton as part of its online efforts.

    Additionally, the Liberal Party has again engaged duo Topham Guerin, who are known for their use of AI and controversial political tactics.

    Political leaders are increasingly turning to platforms like TikTok to attract votes. But one of the problems with TikTok for users is that it encourages endless scrolling and can cause users to miss subtle inaccuracies.

    Adding to these concerns is a recent scam in which doctored images and fabricated celebrity headlines were circulated. It created the illusion of legitimacy and defrauded many Australians of their money.

    These incidents are a stark reminder of how quickly digital manipulation can mislead, whether in commercial scams or political messaging.

    But are we taking it seriously?

    South Korea has taken a decisive stance against AI-generated deepfakes in political campaigns by banning them outright. Penalties include up to seven years in prison or fines of 50 million won (A$55,400). This measure forms part of a broader legal framework designed to enforce transparency, accountability, and ethical AI use.

    In Australia, teal independents are calling for stricter truth in political advertising laws. The proposed laws aim to impose civil penalties for misleading political ads, including disinformation and hate speech.

    However, combating misinformation created by anonymous or unknown parties, such as AI-generated deepfakes, remains a challenge that may require further regulatory measures and technological solutions.

    All of this is unfolding at a time when the approach to fact-checking is itself in flux. In January, Meta made headlines by scrapping its third-party fact-checking program in the US. This was done in favour of a “community notes” system. The change was championed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg as a way to reduce censorship and protect free expression.

    However, critics warn that without independent oversight, misinformation could spread more easily, potentially leading to a surge in hate speech and harmful rhetoric. These shifts in digital policy only add to the challenge of ensuring that voters receive reliable information.

    So, will the AEC’s campaign have any effect?

    Amid these challenges, the “Stop and Consider” campaign arrives at a critical moment. Yet despite scholars’ repeated calls to embed digital literacy in school curriculums and community programs, these recommendations often go unheard.

    The campaign is a positive step, offering guidance in an era of rapid digital manipulation. The simple message – to pause and verify political content — can help foster a more discerning electorate.

    However, given the volume of misinformation and sophisticated targeting techniques, the campaign alone is unlikely to be a silver bullet. Political campaigns are growing ever more sophisticated. With the introduction of anonymous deepfakes, voters, educators, regulators, and platforms must work together to ensure the truth isn’t lost in digital noise.

    A robust foundation in digital literacy is vital. Not only for this campaign to work but to help society distinguish credible sources from deceptive content. We must empower future voters to navigate the complexities of our digital world and engage more fully in democracy.

    Globally, diverse strategies provide valuable insights.

    While Australia’s “Stop and Consider” campaign takes a reflective approach, Sweden’s “Bli inte lurad” initiative is refreshingly direct. It warns citizens: “Don’t be fooled.”

    By delivering clear, actionable tips to spot scams and misleading content, the Swedish model leverages its strong tradition of public education and consumer protection.

    This no-nonsense strategy reinforces digital literacy efforts. It also highlights that safeguarding the public from digital manipulation requires both proactive education and robust regulatory measures.

    It may be time for Australian regulators to act decisively to protect the integrity of democracy.

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

    – ref. The AEC wants to stop AI and misinformation. But it’s up against a problem that is deep and dark – https://theconversation.com/the-aec-wants-to-stop-ai-and-misinformation-but-its-up-against-a-problem-that-is-deep-and-dark-248773

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: With the Gaza ceasefire in the balance, all eyes are on Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University

    The brittle Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues against all odds, given the depth of distrust and animosity between the warring parties.

    Since its enactment nearly three weeks ago, Hamas has released more than a dozen Israeli hostages captured on October 7 2023, in return for some 400 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Should the process move forward as relatively smoothly as it has so far, more hostages and prisoners are set to be freed during the remainder of the first stage of the truce.

    This is cause for a degree of optimism. However, negotiating the length, terms and implementation of the second and third stages of the ceasefire will prove very rocky.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for instance, has already declared the ceasefire to be “temporary”.

    During the second stage, all Israeli hostages (alive and dead) are supposed to be freed in exchange for hundreds of prisoners. Israel is also expected to withdraw all its forces from Gaza as a prelude to the reconstruction of the coastal enclave in the final stage of the ceasefire.

    There are many issues that could derail the process, two of which are crucial:

    • Israel’s unrealised goal of wiping out Hamas and securing Gaza for itself

    • Hamas’ resolve to regain sovereign control over Gaza.

    Another factor is the influence of the new US president, Donald Trump. While
    Netanyahu has the full support of Trump, it remains unclear how much appetite the US leader has for more conflict in the Middle East.

    A meeting between the two in Washington this week could be pivotal to the success of the next phase of the ceasefire – or the resumption of the Gaza war.

    Hamas’ survival at odds with Israel’s war aims

    Israel has certainly degraded Hamas over the past 15 months of its scorched-earth operations in Gaza, which it launched in response to Hamas’ attacks on October 7 2023. However, it has not eliminated the group.

    The appearance of well-armed and well-composed Hamas fighters in the choreographed three rounds of hostage transfers in the areas that Israel has demolished testifies to the group’s survival.

    It essentially signals the failure of Netanyahu and his extremist supporters to achieve their main goals of uprooting Hamas and securing the release of the hostages through military action.

    Netanyahu’s acceptance of the ceasefire at this point clearly underlines the futility of the use of force as the only means to seek vengeance against Hamas. With the conflict in a stalemate for months, he could have embraced the ceasefire much earlier, thereby securing a quicker hostage release without more lives lost or more damage to Israel’s already-tarnished international reputation.

    Hamas’ survival means it is still a dangerous force, former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in mid-January. He said the group has “recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost” in the war.

    Reports also indicate Hamas has also maintained its control over Gaza’s administration and security forces, despite Israel’s efforts to destroy it.

    If that is the case, Israeli citizens – who have been highly polarised between those wanting the return of the hostages via a ceasefire and those backing Netanyahu’s government to continue the war – have the right to seriously question the prime minister’s leadership.

    The same applies to Israel’s outside supporters, especially the United States.

    Yet, this may not happen. The war-makers may win over the peace aspirants. For Netanyahu and his backers, the job is not finished. Many observers believe the very survival of Hamas can only motivate them further to resume the war once all the hostages are freed.

    What does Trump want?

    The future of the ceasefire now seems to hinge on Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump in Washington. According to media reports, the Israeli leader is keen to see where Trump stands on the second phase of the deal before negotiations continue.

    Trump recently doubled down on his suggestion to “clear out” Gaza’s 2.3 million citizens – though he has mentioned a figure of 1.5 million – by relocating them to Egypt and Jordan. Given the previous statements of the extremists in Netanyahu’s shaky coalition, nothing would please them more than a depopulated and annexed Gaza.

    Cairo and Amman, as well as other Arab countries, have firmly rejected the idea. Hamas and the enfeebled Palestinian Authority in the West Bank have outrightly condemned it.

    But Trump has insisted the Egyptian and Jordanian leaders would eventually come around because the US does a lot for them – referring presumably to their dependence on substantial annual American aid.

    If this plan were to transpire, it would not only be a recipe for more bloodshed and instability in the Middle East, but also more betrayal of the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution by the international community.

    While a ray of hope exists for the continuation of the ceasefire and the implementation of the ceasefire’s second stage, it is still very possible that Netanyahu will return to military action to destroy Hamas and annex part or all of Gaza along the lines of what Trump has suggested.

    The Trump-Netanyahu bond is so strong that it could even enable the Israeli leader to declare sovereignty over the West Bank.

    Given these uncertainties, the third stage of the ceasefire regarding the reconstruction of Gaza, which is estimated to be upwards of US$80 billion (A$1.3 trillion), is at this point nothing more than words on a piece of paper.

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

    – ref. With the Gaza ceasefire in the balance, all eyes are on Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington – https://theconversation.com/with-the-gaza-ceasefire-in-the-balance-all-eyes-are-on-benjamin-netanyahus-trip-to-washington-248873

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Supersonic jets are making a comeback – but despite the hype, don’t expect to book yet

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris James, UQ Amplify Senior Lecturer, Centre for Hypersonics, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland

    Rendering of Boom Supersonic’s proposed Overture supersonic airliner. Boom Supersonic

    Late last week, American company Boom Supersonic flew faster than the speed of sound with its XB-1 supersonic demonstrator aircraft. It’s now the first piloted non-military aircraft to break the sound barrier since the Concorde was retired from service in 2003.

    It’s the first step in Boom’s ambitious goal to have supersonic airliners carry passengers by 2029.

    But what exactly is supersonic travel? There are good reasons why it’s not more common, despite the hype.

    Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 supersonic demonstrator aircraft during its 11th test flight where it became the first civilian aircraft to fly supersonically since the Concorde.
    Boom Supersonic

    What is supersonic flight?

    The Mach number is defined as a plane’s speed divided by the speed that sound waves move through the air. To “break the sound barrier” means to fly faster than the speed of sound, with Mach numbers greater than 1.

    The Mach number is an important ratio: as a plane flies, it disturbs the air in front of it. These disturbances move at the speed of sound. In supersonic flight these disturbances combine to form shock waves around the vehicle.

    When people say you can see a fighter jet before you hear it, they’re referring to supersonic flight: fighter jets can travel at around Mach 2.

    The sound from the fighter jet is trapped inside its shock wave; until the shock wave moves to your position on the ground, you won’t hear the plane.

    Illustration of how disturbances propagate in subsonic, Mach 1, and supersonic flow.
    Chabacano/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    The allure of supersonic travel

    For efficiency reasons, most passenger jets cruise slightly slower than the speed of sound, at around Mach 0.8 (this is subsonic flight).

    Boom plans to build an airliner called Overture that can fly at Mach 1.7. Flying supersonically can drastically decrease flight times. The company claims a trip from New York to Rome on Overture could take just four hours and 40 minutes, instead of eight hours.

    Boom isn’t the only company working on this lofty goal. American firm Spike Aerospace is also developing a supersonic business jet, with the tagline “delivering the world in half the time”.

    This is the value proposition of supersonic passenger travel.

    In limited ways, it did already exist in the 20th century. However, due to timing, bad luck and the laws of physics, it didn’t continue.

    Remember the Concorde?

    Designs for supersonic airliners began in the mid-20th century, and by the 1970s we had supersonic passenger flight.

    There was the little-known Russian Tupolev-144 and Concorde, a Franco-British supersonic airliner operated by British Airways and Air France from 1976 to 2003.

    Concorde had a capacity of up to 128 passengers and cruised at Mach 2. It regularly travelled from London to New York in around three hours. The flights were expensive, mainly shuttling business people and the rich and famous.

    British Airways Concorde in flight.
    Wikimedia Commons/Eduard Marmet, CC BY-SA

    Why supersonic passenger flight didn’t take off

    Concorde was designed in the 1960s when it seemed like supersonic passenger transport was going to be the next big thing.

    Instead, the Boeing 747 entered commercial service in 1970. Cheap, large and efficient airliners like it blew Concorde out of the water.

    Designed to cruise efficiently at supersonic speeds, Concorde was extremely fuel inefficient when taking off and accelerating. Concorde’s expensive, “gas guzzling” nature was a complaint levelled against it for most of its lifetime.

    A catastrophic 1973 Paris air show crash of the competing Russian airliner, Tupolev Tu-144, also shifted public perception on supersonic flight safety at a time when many airlines were considering whether or not to purchase Concordes.

    Only 20 Concordes were manufactured out of the planned 100. It is still disputed today whether Concorde ever made money for the airlines who operated it.

    Illustration of a shock wave propagating from a supersonic aeroplane and hitting the ground to produce a sonic boom.
    Cmglee/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Noise is a real problem for supersonic flight

    Remember the fighter jets? When a plane travels supersonically, its shock waves propagate to the ground, causing loud disturbances called sonic booms. In extreme cases they can shatter windows and damage buildings.

    In the early 1970s, sonic boom concerns led the United States government to ban supersonic passenger flight over land in the US. This hurt the Concorde’s potential market, hence its only two regular routes were trans-Atlantic flights principally over the water.

    The Concorde was also a very loud plane at take off, since it needed a lot of thrust to leave the ground.

    Video footage of the final Concorde takeoff from New York’s JFK airport.

    The future of supersonic travel

    A future for supersonic travel relies on solving some or all of the issues Concorde faced.

    NASA and Lockheed Martin’s Quesst project aims to show sonic boom can be dissipated to manageable levels. They plan to fly their X-59 supersonic aircraft over US cities and gauge responses from citizens.

    Quesst aims to use the geometry of the X-59, with a long elongated nose, to dissipate sonic booms to a weak “thump”, hopefully allowing supersonic airliners to travel over land in the future.

    NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft.
    NASA/Steve Freeman

    Spike Aerospace’s Spike S-512 Diplomat concept also aims to be a “quiet” supersonic aircraft with a less disruptive sonic boom.

    Can Boom surpass Concorde?

    Boom Supersonic don’t plan to fly supersonically over land. Their plan is to fly over land at Mach 0.94, which they claim will allow 20% faster overland travel than standard passenger airliners, even subsonically.

    They also claim the design of their engines will ensure Overture is no louder than modern subsonic airliners when it takes off.

    Rendering of Boom Supersonic’s Overture supersonic airliner on the runway.
    Boom Supersonic

    In terms of gas guzzling, they plan to use up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel to reduce emissions and their carbon footprint.

    Concorde was made of aluminium using design tools available in the 1960s. Modern design methods and modern aerospace materials such as titanium and carbon fibre should also allow Overture and similar craft to weigh much less than Concorde, improving efficiency.

    While Boom are currently receiving a lot of interest, with orders from many airlines, Concorde did have similar commitment before it become available. Most of it didn’t eventuate.

    Additionally, Concorde was the product of an analogue era when the idea of flying to London or New York for the day for an important business meeting seemed like a necessary thing. In a world of remote work and video meetings, is there still a need for a supersonic airliner in the 2020s?

    For now, supersonic airliners like Overture are likely to remain in the realm of the rich and famous, like Concorde did. But with modern technological advances, it will be interesting to see whether supersonic passenger travel once again becomes reality – or even goes mainstream. Only time will tell.

    Chris James receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Commonwealth Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), and the US Office of Naval Research.

    – ref. Supersonic jets are making a comeback – but despite the hype, don’t expect to book yet – https://theconversation.com/supersonic-jets-are-making-a-comeback-but-despite-the-hype-dont-expect-to-book-yet-248656

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Poison baits were used on 1,400 feral cats, foxes and dingoes. We studied their fate to see what works

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pat Taggart, Adjunct Fellow in Ecology, University of Adelaide

    Bee Stephens, CC BY

    Poisoned baits are the main way land managers control foxes, feral cats and dingoes. Baiting is done to reduce livestock and economic losses, or pressure on endangered wildlife.

    Millions of baits are laid annually. But we still don’t understand how effective baiting actually is. Current evidence paints a mixed picture. That’s a problem, because baiting can have unintended consequences, such as killing native animals we don’t want to target. Some research suggests baiting can actually increase attacks on livestock, or that poisoning dingoes can increase feral cat and fox numbers and worsen the damage to native wildlife.

    We need better evidence on what baiting does and doesn’t do. Our new research draws on data from 34 previous studies assessing baiting effectiveness. In total, these largely Australian studies summarised the fate of more than 1,400 cats, foxes and dingoes. We used these data sets to conduct the most comprehensive analysis of baiting effectiveness to date.

    Biosecurity officers drying meat baits for a baiting program in Broken Hill in 2019.
    NSW Government, Local Land Services, Western Region, CC BY

    Baiting is ubiquitous

    Baits can be purchased commercially or produced in-house. In some states, land managers can bring meat baits to government authorities to have poison added free of charge. They are then distributed by vehicle along tracks and roads or dropped from aircraft across vast areas of Australia, New Zealand and islands worldwide.

    Single baiting programs can sometimes cover areas larger than 9,000 square kilometres – a land area similar to Puerto Rico or Cyprus.

    So how can we best undertake these baiting programs?

    1. Baiting does work

    Across the 34 studies, baiting cut predator survival in half (51.7%) – substantially higher than the death rate in unbaited areas (16%).

    This finding was broadly consistent regardless of whether baits were placed along tracks and roads or scattered over broader areas.

    In some cases, predator numbers can recover rapidly following baiting. Under favourable conditions, feral cat and fox populations can double in a year, while dingo populations can grow 50% annually. But, under average conditions, such high rates of population increase are likely uncommon.

    Predators from outside the control area can rapidly repopulate areas after a baiting program. For example, multiple studies have found no change in fox numbers even when baiting was conducted at monthly intervals. Similar results have been found after intensive fox shooting.

    But there are also examples where prolonged, broad-scale baiting has worked well. To protect the threatened yellow footed rock wallaby, researchers baited around wallaby populations in New South Wales and South Australia and largely eliminated foxes from large areas. Wallaby numbers then increased.

    2. Feral cats take baits too

    Feral cats are opportunistic ambush predators and hunt a wide range of prey. They’re visually driven and prefer fresh meat. For these reasons, it’s long been thought they are less likely to eat poisoned bait than foxes and dingoes.

    Feral cats are silent, stealthy hunters who prefer to hunt rather than scavenge.
    Vanessa Westcott, CC BY

    But our analysis doesn’t support this – feral cats appeared to be just as susceptible to baits as foxes and dingoes. That’s good news for wildlife.

    Significant and ongoing work has been put into designing better baits for feral cats to increase consumption rates. The most widely known of these baits is Eradicat, a sausage-style bait.

    While this bait is aimed at feral cats, our analysis didn’t provide strong evidence showing Eradicat actually killed more feral cats than other poison bait recipes. This suggests any bait is more effective than no bait when it comes to cat control.

    Eradicat baits have to be sweated to bring out the oils and make them more appealing.
    Luke Bayley, CC BY

    3. Blanket coverage works better

    In land manager circles, there’s a long-running debate over how best to bait. Some advocate putting out more baits over the same area, while others suggest more frequent baiting is better.

    So which is it? Our analysis shows more baits in an area is likely to equate to better control of predators, while distributing baits more frequently may not have the same effect.

    Why is this? Like people, animals are individuals, with their own behavioural tendencies. Wary animals may never take baits. Some foxes are known to store baits to eat later, by which time the baits may be less toxic, sickening rather than killing the animal.

    This is believed to lead to bait aversion, where foxes avoid baits in the future due to previous bad experiences – just as we might avoid foods which made us sick.

    A single, more intensive application of bait is likely to work better because susceptible predators eat the bait and die, and there is limited opportunity for bait aversion to develop. In contrast, more frequent baiting in a short period of time are of limited benefit because animals learn to avoid them.

    Dingoes have been routinely baited for decades.
    Ian Mayo, CC BY

    Fresh baits have long been believed to be eaten more readily than dry baits.

    But our analysis shows this may not always be true. Overall, the type of bait had little impact on whether or not it led to reduced predator survival.

    Optimising baiting

    More efficient control of predators will mean fewer baits are needed to achieve the same result. That, in turn, means less risk of harming other native animals, as well as reducing how much work and money it costs to control feral cats, foxes and dingoes.

    Our research shows baiting does indeed cut the number of predators prowling an area. But it also shows many factors we thought were important in making a baiting program effective may only have a limited effect.

    The goal of poison baiting is to reduce the damage predators do to livestock and wildlife. Baiting is an important and effective tool in reducing predator pressure on threatened species. But its efficacy – and the risk other animals could take the bait – means we have a responsibility to continually optimise its use and ensure its application is targeted.

    Pat Taggart receives funding from the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

    Daniel Noble receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Yong Zhi Foo receives funding from the the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Poison baits were used on 1,400 feral cats, foxes and dingoes. We studied their fate to see what works – https://theconversation.com/poison-baits-were-used-on-1-400-feral-cats-foxes-and-dingoes-we-studied-their-fate-to-see-what-works-246324

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –