NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Tariffs, geopolitical tensions and a turning tide on inflation: here’s what CommBank’s economists are looking out for in FY26 – CBA

    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

    While global risks remain elevated, Australia’s economy is showing signs of resilience.

    “If anyone was still in any doubt that we had entered a new global economic era, the last few months have put those doubts to rest,” according to CBA’s Chief Economist Luke Yeaman and his team, today publishing ‘The CommBank View’, an in-depth analysis of economic issues in the year ahead.

    The report presents a cautiously optimistic outlook for FY26. Despite persistent global headwinds—including trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainty—the domestic economy is expected to remain resilient, buoyed by falling interest rates, stabilising inflation, and a rebound in household spending.

    Global Landscape: A New Economic Era

    CBA economists describe the current global environment as a departure from the stability of the “Great Moderation,” likening it instead to the economic volatility seen in the 1970s. The report notes:

    “Conflict, volatility, and economic nationalism will remain defining features of the global economy in FY26.”

    US trade policy is a major source of uncertainty. Tariff rates have tripled since 2024, and further hikes could again disrupt markets. Despite these tensions, the report highlights a willingness among global powers to avoid a full-scale breakdown of economic ties between major economies:

    “The US and China chose to step back from the brink and avoid full economic decoupling — for now the costs are simply too high.”

    Domestic Outlook: On the Path to a Cautious Recovery

    Australia’s economic growth is expected to step up from 1.3% to 2.3% by June 2026, with inflation settling in the RBA’s target band. In light of this, CBA economists expect the RBA to deliver 25 basis point rate cuts in both July and August, bringing the cash rate to 3.35% and then hold at those neutral levels.

    However, consumer behaviour remains a wildcard. While discretionary spending is beginning to recover, the report warns:

    “Consumers may be experiencing some scarring from the sustained cost-of-living crunch. This could see the recovery in household consumption disappoint in FY26.”

    https://youtu.be/bJt4917N5ts

    Key Tr

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 1 July 2025 Sakhalin Region to appear at EEF Far East Street as Asia-Pacific energy and logistics hub Sakhalin Region will again participate in the Far East Street exhibition, scheduled to take place on 3–9 September as part of the 2025 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The exhibition is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District. The country’s only island region will present major investment and social projects, share its unique history and culture, and touch on the development of unmanned aviation.

    Source: Eastern Economic Forum

    1 July 2025

    Sakhalin Region to appear at EEF Far East Street as Asia-Pacific energy and logistics hub

    Sakhalin Region will again participate in the Far East Street exhibition, scheduled to take place on 3–9 September as part of the 2025 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The exhibition is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District. The country’s only island region will present major investment and social projects, share its unique history and culture, and touch on the development of unmanned aviation.

    “Sakhalin Region is one of the Far East’s investment leaders. It ranks fourth on the National Investment Climate Rating and first out of the constituent entities of the Far Eastern Federal District. The manufacturing, coal, and construction industries are all growing. Awaiting entrepreneurs are TAD and free port benefits and preferential treatment in the Kurils. Science and technology are booming in the region. The President has ordered that an international campus be created. An engineering school and electrical engineering laboratory are currently in operation, the first phase of the Oil and Gas Industrial Park has been launched, and a scientific and production centre for the development of unmanned systems established, all contributing to new production facilities, new talent, and train for a new generation of specialists. The local master plan is reinventing Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. There’s no denying there is much to showcase and be proud of in the region,” Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev said.

    The Sakhalin Region’s main pavilion on Far East Street, located next to the investor pavilion in the shape of a scallop shell, will take the form of waves and be decorated with installations related to logistics: a hydrogen train, a UAV, an aircraft, and the port of Korsakov.

    “The EEF has long played an important role in Sakhalin Region’s economic development. We have signed more than 60 agreements here in the past five years, good for some 5,700 jobs, and launched important projects in energy, transport, and education, modernizing the power grid, developing hydrogen energy, spreading gas throughout the region, modernizing port infrastructure, building medical clinics, and developing science as part of the construction of the SakhalinTech campus. It is important to us that Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands become more comfortable and that people want to visit and live here, a goal we will continue to pursue in the future,” Governor of the Sakhalin Region Valery Limarenko said.

    Inside the pavilion, there will be an installation dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, with the exhibition ‘Roads to Victory’ telling the story of the Battle of Sakhalin and the Landing on Shumshu and a film about the expedition to the island and videos reconstructing battles in the Kholmsky and Smirnykhovsky.

    “The President of the Russian Federation has tasked us with creating a memorial complex on Shumshu, one the islands of the Kuril chain, dedicated to the Kuril landing operation, which essentially marked the end of World War II and the defeat of the Kwantung Army. Our soldiers defeated superior forces, demonstrated outstanding heroism, parachuted into the water fully equipped, and attacked tanks and firing points located on high ground. It is one of the most significant pages in our history,” Trutnev said.

    The Tourism zone will feature new historical tours like ‘The Battle of Shumshu’ and ‘The Liberation of Southern Sakhalin’, winter and summer holidays, culinary tours, and the ‘Far East – Land of Adventure’ project.

    The Sakhalin – Russian Showcase zone will feature important projects like the agglomeration master plan and regional development in medicine, science and education, logistics, culture, and the urban environment.

    Another zone has been dedicated to the results of the Sakhalin Region Development Corporation’s work over the last decade and will use multimedia technologies, among others, to report on initiatives by the Mersi Agro Sakhalin livestock complex, the Horizon residential complex, the Uyun territory development project, the agro-park, and the oil service park.

    The UAV and USV zone will showcase the island’s efforts to lead the development of unmanned systems in Russia, with a separate exhibition promoting Sakhalin’s achievements in the field.

    There are plans to host three international forums in Sakhalin Region in 2025: ‘Wings of Sakhalin’, ‘Energy of Sakhalin’, and ‘Islands of Sustainable Development: Climate’ at the new Pushisty Drone Port. The Sakhalin Expo exhibition will be dedicated to the development of congress and exhibition activities in the region.

    The main pavilion will be located next to the ‘Made in Sakhalin’ stand, which will showcase regional clothing, jewellery, souvenir, food, and health brands as well as achievements in the film industry and computer graphics. The pavilion will incorporate works by Sakhalin photographers and musicians into its design and feature a variety of murals, including an image of the Aniva lighthouse, the unofficial symbol of the region.

    The art installation ‘Happy Motherhood’ will symbolize family values in honour of 2025 as the Year of Happy Motherhood on the islands and the focus of the regional government’s social policy on demographic issues and the conditions necessary for women to be mothers without having to sacrifice their careers or their families.

    This year’s cultural programme from the Sakhalin Region will seek to promote local authors and musicians, with songs by Sakhalin composer and poet Georgy Zobov to be performed by artists from the Stage Academy and accompanied by the Aritmia dance studio and Dreambox band. Guests can look forward to performances by the duo Vishnya, who will present a combination of electronic music, songs, and ethnic music, the Larisa Dolina Academy of Pop Music ensemble, which will perform cover versions of well-known Russian hits, and stilt walkers from the 2233 theatre studio.

    A regional delegation will present a series of unique performances entitled ‘Sea Meditation’. Over the course of three days, Sakhalin artist Konstantin Kolupaev will employ his own unique technique to create paintings dedicated to the beauty and power of nature on a huge canvas as viewers observe the master at work.

    The Sakhalin Region sports programme will feature an interactive VR platform, where visitors can try their hand at downhill skiing, ski jumping, or parachuting, and the Beat the Champion chess platform.

    The Eastern Economic Forum will be held on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok from 3–6 September, during which time the Far East Street exhibition will be open to Forum participants, before opening to the general public on 7, 8, and 9 September. The Eastern Economic Forum is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

    Read more

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Showcases AI-Enhanced Appliances at First 2025 India Tech Seminar

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung hosted its first-ever India Tech Seminar in Gurugram. The landmark event was the first of its kind ever held by Samsung in the country, and it brought together around 30 journalists and tech influencers for an immersive, hands-on experience with Samsung’s latest AI-enhanced home appliances.
     
    The seminar included presentations from engineers specializing in refrigeration, laundry, and air conditioning, as well as a customer experience (CX) planner and software engineer. It showcased the enhanced capabilities of its latest products while reaffirming the company’s continued commitment to intelligent living through its “AI Home” vision.
     
    The event began with a welcome address by Ghufran Alam, Vice President, Digital Appliances Business, Samsung India, followed by a presentation from Saurabh Katyal, Head of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business at Samsung India. He introduced the India 2025 Bespoke AI lineup, which includes models already available in the Indian market — such as the Bespoke AI WindFree Air Conditioner, Bespoke AI Double Door Refrigerator, Bespoke AI Top Load Washer and the recently released Bespoke AI Laundry Combo — as well as the soon-to-launch Bespoke AI Refrigerator with AI Home.
     
    To meet the high level of interest that consumers in India have for the SmartThings ecosystem, a live demo led by Samsung’s multi-device experience (MDE) team highlighted how connected technologies support Samsung’s four core values, which are Easy to Use, Saving, Care and Secured. The demo was conducted using the 9” display on the Bespoke AI Refrigerator, serving as a central control hub that ideally showcases the SmartThings experience.
     
     

     
    Key features that were demonstrated included Map View for intuitive device control, Bixby voice commands for seamless interaction, the Knox Security Dashboard for home monitoring, and SmartThings Energy for power usage tracking and optimization. The MDE team also showcased the convenience of SmartThings Routines, which are preset automations that manage devices when users leave their homes, with the capability to automatically turn off appliances and activate security features.
     
    Additionally, Samsung engineers introduced other enhanced features and explained how AI Energy Mode, which is part of SmartThings Energy, functions across the appliance lineup.
     
    Refrigerators
     
    • The Bespoke AI Refrigerator with AI Home features the upgraded AI Vision Inside, which recognizes a wider range of food items to help users manage groceries more efficiently.
     
    • The Bespoke AI Double Door Refrigerator is equipped with Twin Cooling Plus for independent fridge and freezer cooling, and the Convertible 5-in-1 feature, which allows users to flexibly adjust compartments to meet their storage needs. AI Energy Mode helps reduce power consumption through optimized temperature control.
     

     
    Washing Machines
     
    • The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is a heat pump washer-dryer newly launched in India, featuring AI Wash, which detects load weight, fabric type, and soil level to adjust washing performance, and a heat exchanger for faster, energy-efficient drying.
     
    • The Bespoke AI Top Load Washer is Samsung’s first top-load washer in India with AI features, offering AI Wash, AI VRT+ for noise and vibration reduction, and AI Energy Mode to optimize energy usage based on user habits.
     
     

    Air Conditioners
     
    • The Bespoke AI WindFree Air Conditioner offers draft-free cooling via 23,000 micro-holes, AI Fast & Comfort Cooling, and AI Energy Mode, which learns user behavior to reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.
     
    “The Tech Seminar was a great opportunity to deliver detailed insights into our innovative and trustworthy technologies directly from our engineers to the Indian media,” said Ghufran Alam, Vice President of the DA Business at Samsung India. “We’re proud to continue building meaningful connections with our customers through smarter, AI-enhanced experiences.”
     
    For more information on Samsung’s latest AI-powered home appliances and SmartThings innovations, please visit www.samsung.com.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • Iran enacts law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian put into effect on Wednesday a law passed by parliament last week to suspend cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, Iranian state media reported.

    Iran has threatened to halt cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel’s air strikes, which began a day after the IAEA board voted to declare Iran in violation of obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

    The law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency needs approval by Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council.

    Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview with CBS News that the U.S. bombing of Iran’s key Fordow nuclear site has “seriously and heavily damaged” the facility.

    (Reuters)

  • NIPCCD renamed as Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) has been officially renamed as the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development. The move reflects a renewed focus on region-specific, mission-driven support for the development of women and children across the country.

    Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi, announced the renaming, describing it as a reaffirmation of the Ministry’s commitment to women and child-centric development across the country.

    The Ministry will inaugurate a new Regional Centre in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 4 July as part of its efforts to strengthen outreach and regional capacity-building. The Centre will address specialized training and research needs for the Ministry’s flagship programmes—Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, and Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0—with particular attention to the Eastern region, covering Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.

    Earlier, training requirements for these states were partially met through Regional Centres in Guwahati and Lucknow, often causing logistical hurdles for field functionaries due to long travel distances. The Ranchi Centre is expected to ease these challenges by bringing training and capacity-building closer to over seven lakh frontline workers spread across 115 districts in the region.

    The Centre will also offer the Advance Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling and support research, counselling, and extension activities focused on child development, mental health, and adolescent well-being.

    Speaking on the occasion, Annpurna Devi said the renaming of the Institute is a tribute to the legacy of Savitribai Phule, one of India’s pioneering social reformers. The Minister noted that setting up new regional centres will decentralise capacity-building efforts and strengthen the implementation of the Ministry’s flagship programmes at the grassroots level.

    “The inauguration of the new Regional Centre in Ranchi marks a major step towards ensuring that no woman or child is left behind in our journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047,” she added.

    Headquartered in New Delhi, the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development currently has regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore, and Mohali. The Institute serves as the apex body for training, research, documentation, and capacity building in the field of women and child development.

  • The Amarnath Yatra: Journey to Shiva’s Himalayan Abode

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath Yatra from Jammu to the Kashmir Valley, marking the start of the 36-day pilgrimage, which officially begins on Thursday.

    Every year thousands of devotees embark on the Amarnath Yatra amid tight security arrangements in the Kashmir Valley.

    According to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), the Holy Amarnath Cave is situated at a high altitude of 3,888 metres in a narrow gorge at the end of the Lidder Valley. The Shrine is located approximately 46 kilometers from the Pahalgam base and 14 kilometers from the Baltal base.

    While ancient traditions prescribed Srinagar as the starting point for the pilgrimage, most modern-day pilgrims now start their Yatra from Chandanwari for a five-day trek. The traditional Pahalgam base camp itself is located about 96 kilometers from Srinagar.

    The cave shrine is considered one of the major Hindu Dhams and is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, according to the Shrine Board. Inside the cave, a naturally formed ice stalagmite, or lingam, symbolizes Lord Shiva. This sacred formation is said to wax and wane with the phases of the moon, enhancing its mystical allure for devotees.

    Although references to the Holy Cave appear in ancient texts such as the Puranas, its re-discovery is credited to a local shepherd, Buta Malik, says the Shrine Board. Since then, the site has become a major center of Hindu pilgrimage.

    The Amarnath Yatra can be undertaken via two routes: the traditional Pahalgam route, approximately 32 kilometers long, and the shorter, steeper Baltal route, about 14 kilometers in length. The Baltal base camp is located near Sonamarg in Ganderbal district, roughly 95 kilometers from Srinagar. The Pahalgam base camp is located at Nunwan in Anantnag district, around 90 kilometers from Srinagar.

    Access control gates for the Yatra are set up at Domail, 2.5 kilometers from Baltal, and at Chandanwari, 12 kilometers from Nunwan. Both Jammu and Srinagar offer year-round connectivity by road, rail, and air, making the pilgrimage accessible to devotees from across the country.

  • Japan PM says determined to protect national interests amid tariff stalemate

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Wednesday he was determined to protect his country’s national interests as trade negotiations with the U.S. struggled and President Donald Trump threatened even higher tariff rates on the Asian ally.

    “Japan is different from other countries as we are the largest investor in the United States, creating jobs,” Ishiba said in a public debate with opposition party leaders.

    “With our basic focus being on investment rather than tariffs, we’ll continue to protect our national interest,” he said.

    Trump on Tuesday cast doubt on a possible deal with Japan, indicating that he could impose a tariff of 30% or 35% on imports from Japan – well above the 24% rate he announced on April 2 and then paused until July 9.

    Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi reported on Wednesday that Japan’s tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa was organising his eighth visit to the United States for trade talks as early as this weekend.

    (Reuters)

  • Youth turning entrepreneurs with government-backed training & startup support

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    n a fast evolving economic landscape, youth entrepreneurship is fast gaining momentum, driven by government-backed initiatives focused on skill development and startup support. With various schemes in place and partnerships between local administrations and organizations like SkillingYou, young Indians are being equipped with practical training, business mentorship, and financial guidance.

    These efforts aim to foster self-reliance, reduce unemployment and encourage innovation at the grassroots level. By providing structured support- from aptitude testing to startup launch assistance, the government is enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs who can contribute meaningfully to country’s growth story.

    At district level also, such efforts are being made by the state administrations. To encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of the district, the District Industries Center (DIC) Ghaziabad and SkillingYou, an organization known for its quality technical and educational training, have signed an agreement.

    Through this partnership, young people will get practical business knowledge, structured training, mentorship, and continuous support to help them start and grow their own ventures. Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udhyami Loan Yojana, eligible youth will also be guided in securing financial assistance for their businesses.

    The agreement was formalized in the presence of Abhinav Gopal (IAS), Chief Development Officer (CDO), Ghaziabad, who played a key role in shaping this initiative. Also present were Nath Paswan, General Manager, DIC Ghaziabad, and Praveen Kumar Rajbhar, Founder and CEO, SkillingYou.

    CDO Abhinav Gopal said, “We want our youth to have the right training and mentorship so they can confidently set up their businesses. Real change happens when timely information and support reach the right people.”

    The program begins with the selection of youth who wish to start their own businesses, for which they will fill out an application form. After applying, they will take a free Yuva Udhyami Aptitude Test through the SkillingYou mobile app to assess their skills in areas such as market understanding, business knowledge, learning mindset, risk-taking ability and financial awareness. Based on the test results, selected participants will be provided with a one-month business training program covering everything from launching a startup to marketing, sales, finance, legal requirements, social media, and the use of AI in business.

    After completing the training, they will receive certificates. Further support will be provided to help them access government loan schemes and set up their businesses with step-by-step guidance and handholding. This initiative is expected to boost new enterprises, create employment opportunities, and strengthen economic growth across the district.

  • Youth turning entrepreneurs with government-backed training & startup support

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    n a fast evolving economic landscape, youth entrepreneurship is fast gaining momentum, driven by government-backed initiatives focused on skill development and startup support. With various schemes in place and partnerships between local administrations and organizations like SkillingYou, young Indians are being equipped with practical training, business mentorship, and financial guidance.

    These efforts aim to foster self-reliance, reduce unemployment and encourage innovation at the grassroots level. By providing structured support- from aptitude testing to startup launch assistance, the government is enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs who can contribute meaningfully to country’s growth story.

    At district level also, such efforts are being made by the state administrations. To encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of the district, the District Industries Center (DIC) Ghaziabad and SkillingYou, an organization known for its quality technical and educational training, have signed an agreement.

    Through this partnership, young people will get practical business knowledge, structured training, mentorship, and continuous support to help them start and grow their own ventures. Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udhyami Loan Yojana, eligible youth will also be guided in securing financial assistance for their businesses.

    The agreement was formalized in the presence of Abhinav Gopal (IAS), Chief Development Officer (CDO), Ghaziabad, who played a key role in shaping this initiative. Also present were Nath Paswan, General Manager, DIC Ghaziabad, and Praveen Kumar Rajbhar, Founder and CEO, SkillingYou.

    CDO Abhinav Gopal said, “We want our youth to have the right training and mentorship so they can confidently set up their businesses. Real change happens when timely information and support reach the right people.”

    The program begins with the selection of youth who wish to start their own businesses, for which they will fill out an application form. After applying, they will take a free Yuva Udhyami Aptitude Test through the SkillingYou mobile app to assess their skills in areas such as market understanding, business knowledge, learning mindset, risk-taking ability and financial awareness. Based on the test results, selected participants will be provided with a one-month business training program covering everything from launching a startup to marketing, sales, finance, legal requirements, social media, and the use of AI in business.

    After completing the training, they will receive certificates. Further support will be provided to help them access government loan schemes and set up their businesses with step-by-step guidance and handholding. This initiative is expected to boost new enterprises, create employment opportunities, and strengthen economic growth across the district.

  • Youth turning entrepreneurs with government-backed training & startup support

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    n a fast evolving economic landscape, youth entrepreneurship is fast gaining momentum, driven by government-backed initiatives focused on skill development and startup support. With various schemes in place and partnerships between local administrations and organizations like SkillingYou, young Indians are being equipped with practical training, business mentorship, and financial guidance.

    These efforts aim to foster self-reliance, reduce unemployment and encourage innovation at the grassroots level. By providing structured support- from aptitude testing to startup launch assistance, the government is enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs who can contribute meaningfully to country’s growth story.

    At district level also, such efforts are being made by the state administrations. To encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of the district, the District Industries Center (DIC) Ghaziabad and SkillingYou, an organization known for its quality technical and educational training, have signed an agreement.

    Through this partnership, young people will get practical business knowledge, structured training, mentorship, and continuous support to help them start and grow their own ventures. Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udhyami Loan Yojana, eligible youth will also be guided in securing financial assistance for their businesses.

    The agreement was formalized in the presence of Abhinav Gopal (IAS), Chief Development Officer (CDO), Ghaziabad, who played a key role in shaping this initiative. Also present were Nath Paswan, General Manager, DIC Ghaziabad, and Praveen Kumar Rajbhar, Founder and CEO, SkillingYou.

    CDO Abhinav Gopal said, “We want our youth to have the right training and mentorship so they can confidently set up their businesses. Real change happens when timely information and support reach the right people.”

    The program begins with the selection of youth who wish to start their own businesses, for which they will fill out an application form. After applying, they will take a free Yuva Udhyami Aptitude Test through the SkillingYou mobile app to assess their skills in areas such as market understanding, business knowledge, learning mindset, risk-taking ability and financial awareness. Based on the test results, selected participants will be provided with a one-month business training program covering everything from launching a startup to marketing, sales, finance, legal requirements, social media, and the use of AI in business.

    After completing the training, they will receive certificates. Further support will be provided to help them access government loan schemes and set up their businesses with step-by-step guidance and handholding. This initiative is expected to boost new enterprises, create employment opportunities, and strengthen economic growth across the district.

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New report: Uber shifted millions offshore, avoiding $56m in NZ tax – Workers First Union

    Source: Workers First Union

    A new report from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR), commissioned by Workers First Union, argues that multinational rideshare and delivery giant Uber appears to be shifting hundreds of millions in misclassified profits out of New Zealand, costing the country millions in tax revenue.
    The report examines Uber’s local and global business practices and approach to revenue and taxation, concluding that Uber’s practice of misclassification ext

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: China: Authorities must end interference in Tibetan religious practices as Dalai Lama announces succession plan – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    Responding to the Dalai Lama outlining the process for his spiritual succession ahead of his 90th birthday, amid longstanding efforts by Chinese authorities to control the reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:

    “The Chinese authorities’ ongoing efforts to control the selection of the next Dalai Lama are a direct assault on the right to freedom of religion or belief. Tibetan Buddhists, like all faith communities, must be able to choose their spiritual leaders without coercion or interference by the authorities.

    “The Chinese authorities have a long history of systematically suppressing religious freedom and tightening control over Tibetan Buddhism. For example, in 1995 the authorities forcibly disappeared Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama; Beijing has yet to properly explain his fate and whereabouts.

    “This climate of secrecy, coupled with the imposition of numerous state-appointed religious figures within Tibetan Buddhism, highlights a concerning pattern of state control over religion in China.

    “The Chinese authorities must immediately end political interference in Tibetan religious practices and cease using religious succession as a tool for control and coercion. Authorities must uphold the right of everyone to freedom of religion or belief. They must also immediately allow independent access to Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and take steps to end 30 years of impunity for his disappearance.”

    Background

    His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, announced on Wednesday (2 July) in Dharamshala, India that he will have a successor after his death. He said only the Gaden Phodrang Trust, which he founded, had the authority to recognize his future reincarnation.

    Chinese government policy asserts that all reincarnations of Tibetan Buddhist “Living Buddhas” must be approved by state authorities. This position is detailed in legal instruments such as the 2007 Measures on the Management of Reincarnation of Living Buddhas, which require official vetting and approval by multiple levels of government depending on the religious figure’s influence.

    In its March 2025 white paper, “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era,” the Chinese government reaffirmed this position, stating that the reincarnation system operates “under the guidance of Buddhist associations and the administration of the government.” The paper boasts that 93 reincarnated Living Buddhas had been confirmed following government approval by the end of 2024, highlighting state control as a key achievement.

    Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was six years old when he was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama in May 1995. Three days later, he and his family were forcibly disappeared by Chinese authorities. He has not been seen in public since. The Chinese government has since made vague claims that he is “living a normal life”.

    Under international human rights law, including Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), all individuals and communities have the right to adopt and manifest a religion or belief of their choice without coercion. Although China has signed but not ratified the ICCPR, it remains obliged not to defeat the treaty’s object and purpose. Enforced disappearance is a continuous violation under international law until the fate of the individual is clarified.

    The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances have repeatedly requested information on the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief has emphasized that religious communities must be free to determine their leadership without state interference.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USEUCOM Welcomes New Commander in Stuttgart Ceremony

    Source: United States EUROPEAN COMMAND

    STUTTGART, Germany – July 1, 2025 —U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich assumed command of U.S. European Command from U.S. Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli during a formal Change of Command ceremony at Patch Barracks today.

    As one of the United States’ six geographic combatant commands, USEUCOM plays a critical role in deterring aggression, supporting NATO allies, and defending U.S. national interests across a vast area of responsibility that includes Europe, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and the Arctic.

    Cavoli, who led the command since June 27, 2022, oversaw a period marked by increased U.S. and NATO interoperability, rotational deployments, and defense posture adjustments in Eastern Europe.

    “Like many others, I have stood in awe of you,” Cavoli said speaking to members of USEUCOM. “The thing that drives you to great heights is that you perform for our country in front of others and with our allies. The one privilege I will always remember, I will always cherish, is the privilege to stand in the ranks with you, all of you at EUCOM.”

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, presided over the ceremony. He spoke to the importance of integrated operations, and both Cavoli’s and Grynkewich’s leadership, saying, “The world can shift in a matter of hours, and that’s why we prepare, why we shift, and why we train and operate as an integrated force – to be ready. General Grynkewich is prepared for this job. He is the right leader who is humble, credible and approachable to follow the great leader before him.”

    Grynkewich previously served as the Director of Operations, J-3, Joint Staff. He assisted the Chairman in carrying out responsibilities as the principal military advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense. He has served as an instructor pilot, weapons officer and operational test pilot in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor. Grynkewich has commanded at the squadron, wing, and Air Expeditionary Task Force levels.

    “Today, a protracted war rages in Europe for the first time in decades, and our operations in the Mediterranean are helping to contain conflict in the Middle East. More broadly our adversaries are aligning, working together more than ever before as they seek to dominate their regions and even the globe, thus the good work done here across the command is more important than ever,” said Grynkewich. “These are consequential times, demanding bold and innovative leadership at all times. The men and women of EUCOM deliver this every single day, and my pledge to you is that I will do everything in my power to do the same for you.”

    USEUCOM is dedicated to proactively safeguarding the homeland while enhancing security across the Euro-Atlantic region. It is responsible for planning and executing military operations within its area of responsibility, which includes conducting joint and multinational training, providing military assistance to partner nations, and fostering military-to-military relationships with Allies and partners.

    For more information please contact USEUCOM public affairs at eucom.media@mail.mil

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USEUCOM Welcomes New Commander in Stuttgart Ceremony

    Source: United States EUROPEAN COMMAND

    STUTTGART, Germany – July 1, 2025 —U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich assumed command of U.S. European Command from U.S. Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli during a formal Change of Command ceremony at Patch Barracks today.

    As one of the United States’ six geographic combatant commands, USEUCOM plays a critical role in deterring aggression, supporting NATO allies, and defending U.S. national interests across a vast area of responsibility that includes Europe, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and the Arctic.

    Cavoli, who led the command since June 27, 2022, oversaw a period marked by increased U.S. and NATO interoperability, rotational deployments, and defense posture adjustments in Eastern Europe.

    “Like many others, I have stood in awe of you,” Cavoli said speaking to members of USEUCOM. “The thing that drives you to great heights is that you perform for our country in front of others and with our allies. The one privilege I will always remember, I will always cherish, is the privilege to stand in the ranks with you, all of you at EUCOM.”

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, presided over the ceremony. He spoke to the importance of integrated operations, and both Cavoli’s and Grynkewich’s leadership, saying, “The world can shift in a matter of hours, and that’s why we prepare, why we shift, and why we train and operate as an integrated force – to be ready. General Grynkewich is prepared for this job. He is the right leader who is humble, credible and approachable to follow the great leader before him.”

    Grynkewich previously served as the Director of Operations, J-3, Joint Staff. He assisted the Chairman in carrying out responsibilities as the principal military advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense. He has served as an instructor pilot, weapons officer and operational test pilot in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor. Grynkewich has commanded at the squadron, wing, and Air Expeditionary Task Force levels.

    “Today, a protracted war rages in Europe for the first time in decades, and our operations in the Mediterranean are helping to contain conflict in the Middle East. More broadly our adversaries are aligning, working together more than ever before as they seek to dominate their regions and even the globe, thus the good work done here across the command is more important than ever,” said Grynkewich. “These are consequential times, demanding bold and innovative leadership at all times. The men and women of EUCOM deliver this every single day, and my pledge to you is that I will do everything in my power to do the same for you.”

    USEUCOM is dedicated to proactively safeguarding the homeland while enhancing security across the Euro-Atlantic region. It is responsible for planning and executing military operations within its area of responsibility, which includes conducting joint and multinational training, providing military assistance to partner nations, and fostering military-to-military relationships with Allies and partners.

    For more information please contact USEUCOM public affairs at eucom.media@mail.mil

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England

    Suwatchai Pluemruetai/Shutterstock

    The horrific allegations of child abuse by an early childhood educator in Victoria came to light at a time when the early learning sector was already under fire for previous abuse revelations and safety breaches.

    Parents of young children in early learning services have good reason to be concerned, and it’s important to understand the way learning environments and grooming behaviours interfere with supervision.

    Recent worrying developments

    In March this year, an ABC Four Corners investigation revealed a rising number of breaches and safety concerns in Australian early childhood services.

    Recently, in Queensland, a paedophile was allowed to keep abusing children in services for years because agencies didn’t share complaints about an educator’s sexually abusive behaviour.

    In Australia, 50.4% of children aged five and under, and 35.3% of children aged 12 and under use approved care services such as daycare or after-school care. That’s more than 1.4 million children from more than a million families.

    The vast majority of services and educators are doing an excellent job of educating and caring for our children.

    But due to the recent spate of incidents, many parents have raised important questions about the level of supervision of children, and how acts of abuse can occur in busy services where there are a large number of people.

    Supervision policies and ratios

    There are national standards, laws and regulations about ratios applicable to services in all states and territories, with some very minor variations.

    The ratios between educators and children depend on the type of service and the age of the children. Babies up to 24 months need one educator for every four children. For 24-36 months, this generally increases to one educator for every five children.

    Preschoolers (3-5 years) require one educator for up to 11 children.

    According to government regulations, children should not be alone with educators.

    But challenges to active supervision include:

    • educator leave

    • a lack of casual educators

    • attrition

    • educator burnout and busyness

    • times of stress (including assessment and rating) when vast amounts of paperwork need to be done, reducing active supervision

    • loopholes such as “under the roof” ratios where every adult in the building (such as cleaners, administration staff and cooks) are illegally counted as educators

    • one-to-one times between children and educators, such as nappy changing and toileting

    • quiet and secluded spaces for children which can be very difficult to supervise, like tents and cubby houses.

    Grooming and supervision

    Grooming interferes with effective supervision in early childhood services.

    Abusers of children make the child feel special by giving them special presents, treats and sharing secrets with them. The child then feels cherished, seeking out the abuser.

    Using a variety of tactics, they usually isolate the child from those they are closest to, meaning they are less likely to disclose abuse.

    Abusers groom not only children but also parents, other educators and management. During this process, they are building trust and dependence.

    Children who are being groomed seek out the abuser, which means the child looks happy spending time with the adult, which seems innocent to those supervising.

    What changes are needed?

    While some improvements have been made, much more needs to happen to fix the long-neglected issues that allow abuse in early learning settings.

    Attracting more staff is a starting point, with more than 20,000 educators needed in Australia. This may require equal pay to school teachers with the same qualifications, and an overall improvement in wages.

    And the status of early childhood educators needs to be lifted within the community.

    Effective child protection training is also needed for educators that covers grooming behaviours.

    Additionally, parents need training on these behaviours and how to recognise signs their child might be being abused.

    Children need to learn ways to protect themselves from harm. They need to know what to do if someone asks them to keep secrets (different to surprises), pressures them to do something they don’t want to do, or uses threats.

    Overall, we need agencies responsible for child protection within and between states and territories to talk to each other and systems that work together to keep our children safe.

    If this story has raised any issues for you, please contact one of the services below:

    • 1800 Respect, National counselling helpline: 1800 737 732
    • Bravehearts, counselling and support for survivors of child sexual abuse: 1800 272 831
    • Child Wise, counselling provider: 1800 991 099
    • Lifeline, 24-hour crisis support and suicide preventio: 13 11 14
    • Care Leavers Australia Network: 1800 008 774
    • PartnerSPEAK, peer support for non-offending partners: (03) 9018 7872

    Marg Rogers received Commonwealth funding for her postdoctoral fellowship with the Manna Institute.

    – ref. Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done? – https://theconversation.com/supervision-gaps-can-lead-to-child-abuse-what-can-be-done-260284

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week, which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

    The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples. It’s also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to materially improve the lives of Indigenous communities and individuals.

    On this podcast, we’re joined by Senator Kerrynne Liddle, an Arrernte woman and the first Aboriginal federal parliamentarian from South Australia. Senator Liddle is shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and shadow minister for social services on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s frontbench.

    On the Closing the Gap targets, which shows progress being made on only four of the 19 targets, Liddle says a stronger focus is required on early intervention.

    Across all of these areas we know that a very small amount of money goes into prevention and early intervention. And if I take incarceration specifically, in the prison system, we know that 60% of people that are in there actually are often return people. So recidivism is a major issue.

    When you look at the reason why many people are in custody, it is because of violence. So addressing the key issue of violence – hopefully before it begins – is going to be really, really important here.

    But also responding quick enough to support those victim-survivors, who need to be able to remove themselves from that situation, or remove the perpetrator from that situation. That’s going to be crucial for people to able to improve outcomes for themselves. Because if there is much disruption and dysfunction in a family, everyone is affected.

    Liddle says the problems are known, but money isn’t getting to the right places fast enough.

    Only two weeks ago, I was in Mutitjulu in Central Australia, at Uluru. People there were talking about how infrastructure is failing to keep up with demand. They were talking about how people struggle to navigate the service system. They talk about how children don’t have enough activities out of school and they didn’t have enough sports and recreation people.

    This is not new, these are things we hear over and over again. The frustration is money flowing, in a timely manner, and actually ensuring that there is accountability that the money has flowed effectively and for the purpose that it was intended.

    Liddle says her focus will remain on having those “unpleasant conversations” focused on real outcomes, rather than on symbolic causes.

    I just want to say that conversations about acknowledgement of country, welcome to country, and the flags frustrate me when I know that there are children who are deaf before they actually get to school. There are children who aren’t attending school. There are children who are hungry and are finding themselves wandering the streets at night, because it’s not safe to go home.

    They’re the kinds of things I want to continue to talk about, because those are the issues that affect children every single night.

    Drawing on her experience before entering politics, Liddle says helping Indigenous workers integrate into the broader economy can improve personal outcomes.

    These are not intractable [problems]. We can find solutions. I saw that myself, when I was working at [Indigenous tourism company] Voyages. I saw it when I was working in Santos. There were so many good stories about people that just wanted an opportunity. And when it was given to them in sufficient measure, with the right supports that they needed to be successful, they took it up every single time.

    And what was really valuable for them was they were part of the general economy. They were part of the general society. They were a part of the workplace.

    They weren’t relegated to a special Aboriginal employment programme that they could sit on for the rest of their life. It was about saying, ‘you know what? You belong in the economy with all of us and here’s a place for you and we’re going to help you to take that up’. As a person who’s worked in this area, it is extremely satisfying when you identify that opportunity, create that opportunity, and people do respond to that opportunity.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-kerrynne-liddle-on-seizing-more-opportunities-with-indigenous-australians-260288

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • India’s captive and commercial coal mines register strong growth in June 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Coal production from India’s captive and commercial mines reached 15.57 million tonnes (MT) in June 2025, while coal dispatches stood higher at 17.31 MT, according to data released by the Ministry of Coal.

    The first quarter of the financial year 2025–26 has shown robust year-on-year growth, with production rising by 16.39% and dispatches by 13.03% compared to the same period last year. The Ministry attributes this positive trend to enhanced operational efficiency and better utilization of mining capacity across the sector.

    The Ministry also highlighted consistent improvement in performance over the last three years, with steady growth in both coal production and dispatch levels at the end of each Q1 period. A comparative graph has been shared to illustrate these gains.

    Among key developments in June 2025, mine opening permission was granted for the Utkal A Mine, which has a maximum mining capacity  of 25 million tonnes. Additionally, vesting orders for three coal blocks were issued, bringing the total number of allocated coal blocks to over 200.

  • India’s captive and commercial coal mines register strong growth in June 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Coal production from India’s captive and commercial mines reached 15.57 million tonnes (MT) in June 2025, while coal dispatches stood higher at 17.31 MT, according to data released by the Ministry of Coal.

    The first quarter of the financial year 2025–26 has shown robust year-on-year growth, with production rising by 16.39% and dispatches by 13.03% compared to the same period last year. The Ministry attributes this positive trend to enhanced operational efficiency and better utilization of mining capacity across the sector.

    The Ministry also highlighted consistent improvement in performance over the last three years, with steady growth in both coal production and dispatch levels at the end of each Q1 period. A comparative graph has been shared to illustrate these gains.

    Among key developments in June 2025, mine opening permission was granted for the Utkal A Mine, which has a maximum mining capacity  of 25 million tonnes. Additionally, vesting orders for three coal blocks were issued, bringing the total number of allocated coal blocks to over 200.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: From Idea to Exhibition: Moscow to Host Educational Course for Artists

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Agency for Creative Industries capital Department of Culture opens a free practice-oriented course for artists and students of specialized universities “Art. Practicum”. Anyone can join nine classes, where industry experts will teach students how to design a creative portfolio, submit applications to Russian and foreign exhibitions and fairs, and also correctly present the idea of their project.

    The lectures will be held both online and in person from July 8 to August 15 at the Moscow Workshops creative center. It opened in May of this year in the Sofia Meeting Place district center.

    Participants will learn how to turn creative ideas into compelling proposals and presentations for potential exhibition curators, organizations, and foundations. The lectures will cover how to correctly describe the concept of a work, justify the budget, present visual materials, and adapt the project to the requirements of the venues. Listeners will also learn about key strategies for building a professional reputation in the digital space, how to design a portfolio and a website with artists’ works. You can apply for participation at website Moscow creative industries agencies.

    “We decided to make this stream of the Art. Workshop course accessible to a wide audience: it will be interesting and useful for both beginning artists and those who have been in the art industry for a long time. The course gives participants not only the opportunity to acquire relevant knowledge and tools for promoting their work, but also a chance to become part of the artistic community, establish valuable professional contacts and receive feedback on their project from industry professionals,” said Gulnara Agamova, head of the Agency for Creative Industries.

    The partner of the course “Art. Practicum” is the Moscow School of Contemporary Art, which trains specialists for the local and global art scene – artists, curators, gallery owners, PR specialists in the field of culture, art managers. The technological partner will be the Russian digital platform Nethouse, whose experts will conduct a master class on creating portfolio websites.

    Course program

    On July 8, at a lecture by Zhanna Bobrakova (Moscow School of Contemporary Art), listeners will learn how to correctly identify the key theme of a project, explain its artistic significance and correlate it with the requirements of curators of potential exhibitions.

    On July 15, together with Alexey Mandych (Moscow School of Contemporary Art), participants will master methods of searching for relevant materials and sources for inspiration, as well as their integration into the concept of their project.

    On July 16, Vladimir Opredelenov (Deputy Director of the A.S. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and Head of the Department of IT in Culture at the National Research University Higher School of Economics) will reveal key strategies for forming and maintaining a professional reputation in the digital space.

    On July 22, Anastasia Khaustova (Spectate digital magazine) will teach listeners how to formulate the essence of a project in a short but expressive text for an application for participation in exhibitions.

    On July 24, under the guidance of Andrey Ermak (Nethouse), artists will learn about existing website trends, requirements for a modern portfolio website, and get acquainted with the stages of its creation using the Nethouse constructor as an example.

    On July 29, Mikhail Levin (Moscow School of Contemporary Art) will tell you how to find a visual solution, adapt an idea to a specific site, take into account important technical parameters, and will also introduce you to the basic principles of budgeting.

    On July 31, again with Andrey Yermak (Nethouse), participants will analyze the main mistakes in creating portfolio sites and key elements necessary for artists. In addition, they will study the mechanisms of promoting authors in the digital environment.

    On August 1, Lada Pozdeeva will talk about how artists can enter international markets in Asia. The lecture will share key directions and visual trends presented at the Art Basel Hong Kong and Art SG exhibitions.

    On August 15, residents and guests of the Moscow Workshops creative center will demonstrate practical and theoretical skills acquired during the course, and will also receive recommendations on how to refine their projects from industry experts.

    Thanks to the Agency for Creative Industries, favorable conditions are created in the capital for the development of representatives of various fields, such as cinema, fashion, design, contemporary art, video games, music and publishing. In addition, the Agency for Creative Industries promotes products on international markets and forms a positive image of the capital as an international center of creative industries.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/156153073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Conference Holds Multistakeholder Round Table on Upholding Multilateral Trading System, Harnessing Potential of Science, Technology and Innovation

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Conference holds its fourth multi-stakeholder round table this morning on “Upholding the multilateral trading system, and harnessing the potential of science, technology and innovation”.

    Co-Chaired by Nadia Fettah, Minister for Economy and Finance of Morocco, and Melita Gabrič, Deputy Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Minister for Development of Slovenia, it will feature a special address by Pedro Sánchez, President of Spain. 

    Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), will moderate the discussion.

    Panelists will include:  Shane Reti, Minister for Science and Innovation, Minister for Pacific Peoples, Minister for Statistics and Universities of New Zealand; Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabè Abroad of Burkina Faso; Philip Gough, Secretary of Economic and Financial Affairs of Brazil; and Enrique Javier Ochoa Martinez, Under Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.

    Representatives of the Customs Cooperation Council and a civil society organization will be the discussants.

    …

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: The Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ14: The Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints 
    Question:
     
    It is mentioned in the website of the Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints (JO) that “under normal circumstances, seepage caused by the penetration of rainwater through roofs, flat roofs, balconies, external walls or windows of a building or from leaking water pipes will not have public health implications and is not nuisance actionable by the Regional Joint Office under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132)”. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the number of requests for assistance relating to water seepage received by JO in each year since 2022 and, among them, the number of those in which the seepage was caused by the penetration of rainwater through roofs, flat roofs, balconies, external walls or windows of a building or from leaking water pipes, and thus could not be handled by JO;
     
    (2) as there are views that JO currently carries out water seepage investigations by issuing nuisance notices or orders under Cap. 132, the scope of which is confined to the wilful damage to drains, cesspools, wells or nuisance to any sanitary convenience, but the existing mechanism fails to effectively address the predicament faced by members of the public who have long been suffering from water seepage caused by defective waterproofing layers on rooftops, whether the authorities will consider amending Cap. 132 to gradually include important water seepage problems (e.g. rooftop leakage) in the definition of “nuisance”, so as to expand the enforcement responsibilities of JO, such that the affected members of the public will be provided with assistance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) given that under section 34H of the Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344) concerning the “duty to maintain property”, “where a person who owns any part of a building, has the right to the exclusive possession of any part of a building or has the exclusive right to the use, occupation or enjoyment of that part, as the case may be, but the deed of mutual covenant in respect of the building does not impose an obligation on that person to maintain the part in good repair and condition, that person shall maintain that part in good repair and condition”, whether the authorities will consider amending the relevant provisions to stipulate that all the owners or owners’ corporations owe an obligation to undertake maintenance works to keep the property in “good repair and condition”, and at the same time expanding the powers of JO to issue warnings to and impose penalties on defaulters; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    Proper management and maintenance of private property is the responsibility of property owners. If water seepage occurs in private buildings, the owners concerned may first co-operate among themselves to engage professionals or consultancy firms for carrying out water seepage investigation to identify the source of seepage and conducting necessary repair works to fulfill owners’ responsibility of proper management, maintenance and repair of buildings. Consultancy firms or professionals are also available in the market to provide services for investigating and handling water seepage problems. A list of consultancy firms and experts providing professional advice and services on water seepage problems has been uploaded onto the websites of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Buildings Department (BD) for public reference. When the water seepage condition concerned has caused health nuisance, risk to structural safety of the building or water waste, the Government will take enforcement action in accordance with the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) (PHMSO), the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) (BO) and the Waterworks Ordinance (Cap. 102) respectively.
     
    If owners are unable to resolve water seepage problems in consultation with their neighbours, they can seek assistance from the Joint Office (JO) jointly set up by the FEHD and the BD. Through inter-departmental co-ordination, the JO seeks to identify the source of water seepage using one-stop and systematic testing methods and requires the owners concerned to carry out repair works by exercising the powers conferred by the law, leveraging the expertise of relevant departments and with co-operation of the owners or occupants concerned.
       
    Having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB), the FEHD and the Home Affairs Department, the replies to the various parts of the question are as follows:

    (1) If the water seepage constitutes a health nuisance, the JO will follow up on the case in accordance with the PHMSO and take criminal prosecution action as appropriate. If rainwater seepage through rooftops, podiums, balconies, external walls or windows of buildings poses building safety risks (e.g. concrete spalling from ceilings, corrosion of reinforcement), or if the seepage is related to defective drainage pipes such as rainwater pipes or foul water pipes of the buildings, the JO will refer the case to the BD for action in accordance with the BO. If water supply pipes are found to be defective and resulting in wastage of water supply, the JO will refer the case to the Water Supplies Department (WSD) for action under the Waterworks Ordinance. 
    For rooftop water seepage, the JO will refer the case to the BD under the aforementioned mechanism. Based on the investigation results, the BD will issue an advisory letter to the owner concerned to carry out water seepage investigations and follow-up actions as soon as possible. If the seepage is found to constitute building structural safety risk, the BD may issue a building repair order, an investigation order or a drainage repair order in accordance with the BO as appropriate. With regard to defective buildings or drains, a person is liable to an offence for failing to comply with a statutory order served under the law to carry out remedial works.
     
    Since the aforesaid mechanism for handling rooftop water seepage has been serving its purpose, the EEB considers that currently it is not necessary to amend the PHMSO. 
    The Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 (the Amendment Ordinance) was passed by the Legislative Council and will come into operation on August 17, 2025. To expedite the handling of public health nuisances such as water seepage in buildings, the Amendment Ordinance will extend the hours during which public officers are allowed to enter premises from the existing 7am to 7pm to 7am to 10pm, and non-compliance with the Notice of Intended Entry will be an offence punishable by a fine up to level 2 (i.e. $5,000). To enhance the deterrent effect, the penalty for non-compliance with Nuisance Notices and Orders will be increased from a fine at Level 3 to Level 4 (i.e. $10,000 to $25,000) and from a fine at Level 4 to a fine at Level 5 (i.e. $25,000 to $50,000).
    Issued at HKT 16:01

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appointments of Under Secretary for Health, as well as Chairman and Chief Executive of Hospital Authority (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government announced today (July 2) the following appointments:
     
     (1) Dr Cecilia Fan Yuen-man has been appointed as the Under Secretary for Health and will assume office on July 14, 2025;
     (2) Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA) with effect from August 1, 2025, for a term of three years; and
     (3) Mr Henry Fan Hung-ling, the incumbent Chairman of the HA, has been reappointed for a term of one year with effect from December 1, 2025.
     
         The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, has appointed Dr Cecilia Fan as the Under Secretary for Health to succeed Dr Libby Lee.  Dr Lee has tendered her resignation and will leave her post on July 14, and Dr Fan will assume the post of Under Secretary for Health on the same day.
     
         The HA Board commenced open recruitment of its Chief Executive this January to succeed Dr Tony Ko, who will not seek reappointment upon completion of his contract at the end of July this year. The Selection Board was led by the HA Chairman and, after a global recruitment process and prudent consideration, recommended the appointment of Dr Lee as the Chief Executive of the HA. The appointment has been endorsed by the HA Board and approved by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
     
         Dr Lee will join the HA to assume the post of Chief Executive on August 1. Advice from the Advisory Committee on Post-office Employment for Former Chief Executives and Politically Appointed Officials has been sought on the appointment.
     
         The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, welcomed the newly appointed Under Secretary for Health, Dr Fan, to the Health Bureau, and looked forward to jointly promoting healthcare reform and innovation in the HKSAR as well as improving and protecting public health with her. “Dr Fan has extensive experience in public health management, and participated in the co-ordination of anti-epidemic and disaster relief efforts on multiple occasions, receiving commendations from the Chief Executive and the National Health Commission and demonstrating the leadership and adaptability skills necessary to promote reform,” he said.
     
         Professor Lo also thanked Dr Lee, who will soon leave the post of the Under Secretary for Health and take up the post of the Chief Executive of the HA, and said, “Dr Lee joined the HA after graduation from medical school and had long been serving in the public healthcare system until she took up the post of the Under Secretary in 2022. Dr Lee has served as the Under Secretary for almost three years and has showcased her excellent leadership, presentation and interpersonal skills. She also has a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by the healthcare system and the strategies on a macro level and will surely lead, in her new capacity, the HA to drive reform and innovation, enhancing public healthcare services.
     
         “As the cornerstone of the healthcare system, the governance of the HA is the most important part of the deepening of the healthcare system reform. I am thankful to Mr Fan for continuing to serve as the Chairman and supporting the reform pursued by the Government. I trust that the HA, under the leadership of Mr Fan and Dr Lee, will further take forward the relevant work in the future to ensure that the public healthcare system will provide the public with healthcare services of higher quality, safety and effectiveness.
     
         “I would also like to take this opportunity to express once again my appreciation for Dr Ko, who most earnestly made significant contributions to the development of the public healthcare system over the years. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
     
         Following are the biographical notes on the appointed Under Secretary for Health and Chief Executive of the HA:
     
    Dr Cecilia Fan Yuen-man
    �����
         Aged 57, Dr Cecilia Fan is currently Consultant Family Medicine (Elderly Health Service) of the Department of Health (DH).
     
         Dr Fan joined the DH in 1992 and has served therein for over 30 years.  Apart from family medicine and elderly health services, she co-ordinated and participated in work in various areas, including the Professional Development and Quality Assurance Service. She also took part in co-ordination work at medical posts of quarantine centres during multiple epidemics, including outbreaks of the severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, human swine influenza in 2009, and COVID-19during 2020-2022. In February 2023, Dr Fan led the DH’s medical team to join the HKSAR search and rescue team in frontline search and rescue work at the quake-stricken areas in Türkiye. She was the only person from the SAR who received the National Outstanding Individuals in the Foreign Medical Aid commendation by the National Health Commission.
     
         Dr Fan holds a medical degree from the University of Hong Kong and a master’s degree in public health from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as a number of professional qualifications. She is trained as a family physician.

    Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun
    �����
         Aged 53, Dr Libby Lee has been the Under Secretary for Health since July 2022.
     
         Dr Lee joined the executive team of the HA in 2008 and was promoted to Director of Strategy and Planning in 2016.  During her tenure as the Director of Strategy and Planning, she oversaw the formulation of strategies and operational plans, the co-ordination of community and primary care services, and the planning and implementation of capital works projects in relation to the HA’s provision of healthcare services. Her duties at that post also included conducting studies and analyses in relation to demographic changes and challenges faced by the HA and projecting corresponding resource requirements. Dr Lee has served on various professional bodies including as Council Member for the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists and the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine.
     
         Dr Lee holds a medical degree and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Hong Kong as well as a number of professional qualifications. She is trained as an anaesthesiologist and a practitioner in administrative medicine.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Post-office employment for Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Post-office employment for Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun 
    Mr Simon Ip Sik-on (Chairman)
    Mrs Margaret Leung Ko May-yee
    Mr Cheng Yan-kee
    Ms Lo Wing-sze
    Dr Miranda Lou Lai-wah
    Issued at HKT 16:08

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Indian pharma exports strong at $4.9 billion in April-May, says Pharmexcil

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Pharmaceutical exports in India stood strong at $4.9 billion in April-May FY26, according to the latest update by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).

    Pharmexcil is an authorised export promotion agency under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

    The data showed that the sector has made a 7.38 per cent expansion compared with the same period last year. This indicates that the industry is continuing with its upward trajectory and marking a significant presence globally.

    This growth is due to “strategic initiatives focused on sustainable manufacturing, expanded global market presence, and digital innovation,” Pharmexcil said, adding that the efforts may bolster India’s ambitious goal of achieving a trillion-dollar trade target for its pharma industry.

    “India’s pharmaceutical exports continue to demonstrate a steady year-over-year growth, with drug formulations and biologicals continuing to dominate the export category,” Namit Joshi, chairman of Pharmexcil, was quoted as saying in a media report.

    “We attribute this growth to rising global demand, streamlined regulatory approvals, technological innovations, strategic partnerships, and economic stability,” Joshi added.

    Notably, formulations and biologicals accounted for 75.74 per cent of the total of the pharma exports. Bulk drugs and drug intermediates also expanded by 4.40 per cent in May.

    Vaccine exports saw a 13.64 per cent increase and reached $190.13 million, while surgical items (up 8.58 per cent) and Ayush and herbal products (up 7.36 per cent) also saw healthy growth.

    According to Pharmexcil, about 76 per cent of India’s pharmaceutical export destinations include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region, as well as Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

    However, the US remains the top destination. In May, exports to the country were valued at $1.7 billion in May — representing 34.5 per cent of total pharma exports and a 1.5 per cent expansion.

    While Europe and Africa saw moderate growth, the ASEAN region emerged as a newly contracted area.

    According to Joshi, the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions showed it will significantly enhance supply chains and improve access to affordable medicines. It will also attract foreign direct investment, particularly in contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) and joint research.

    (IANS)

  • Indian pharma exports strong at $4.9 billion in April-May, says Pharmexcil

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Pharmaceutical exports in India stood strong at $4.9 billion in April-May FY26, according to the latest update by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).

    Pharmexcil is an authorised export promotion agency under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

    The data showed that the sector has made a 7.38 per cent expansion compared with the same period last year. This indicates that the industry is continuing with its upward trajectory and marking a significant presence globally.

    This growth is due to “strategic initiatives focused on sustainable manufacturing, expanded global market presence, and digital innovation,” Pharmexcil said, adding that the efforts may bolster India’s ambitious goal of achieving a trillion-dollar trade target for its pharma industry.

    “India’s pharmaceutical exports continue to demonstrate a steady year-over-year growth, with drug formulations and biologicals continuing to dominate the export category,” Namit Joshi, chairman of Pharmexcil, was quoted as saying in a media report.

    “We attribute this growth to rising global demand, streamlined regulatory approvals, technological innovations, strategic partnerships, and economic stability,” Joshi added.

    Notably, formulations and biologicals accounted for 75.74 per cent of the total of the pharma exports. Bulk drugs and drug intermediates also expanded by 4.40 per cent in May.

    Vaccine exports saw a 13.64 per cent increase and reached $190.13 million, while surgical items (up 8.58 per cent) and Ayush and herbal products (up 7.36 per cent) also saw healthy growth.

    According to Pharmexcil, about 76 per cent of India’s pharmaceutical export destinations include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region, as well as Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

    However, the US remains the top destination. In May, exports to the country were valued at $1.7 billion in May — representing 34.5 per cent of total pharma exports and a 1.5 per cent expansion.

    While Europe and Africa saw moderate growth, the ASEAN region emerged as a newly contracted area.

    According to Joshi, the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions showed it will significantly enhance supply chains and improve access to affordable medicines. It will also attract foreign direct investment, particularly in contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) and joint research.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Pakistan to expand Gwadar port to facilitate maritime trade, regional connectivity

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ISLAMABAD, July 2 (Xinhua) — Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Tuesday announced a comprehensive plan to expand operations at Gwadar Port by establishing new shipping lines and introducing ferry services to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the ministry said in a statement.

    Chairing the meeting, Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the initiative was part of a larger strategy to strengthen regional connectivity, expand Pakistan’s maritime trade and make Gwadar a major transhipment and logistics hub in the Arabian Sea.

    The minister added that the expansion would facilitate growing trade with Central Asia and the Middle East, while positioning Gwadar as a central hub in regional supply chains.

    As part of this initiative, the Ministry also plans to launch ferry services from Gwadar to the GCC countries to provide affordable and direct sea transportation for passengers and cargo.

    Located in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the port is a key component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

    Launched in 2013, the flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative links the port of Gwadar with Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing’s largest airport expects passenger traffic to rise in summer months

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — Beijing Daxing International Airport, the largest airport in the Chinese capital, expects passenger traffic to rise to over 9.52 million in July and August, the peak summer holiday period.

    From July 1 to August 31, Daxing Airport is expected to handle 60,400 flights, receiving and sending 9.52 million passenger times, up 4.18 percent and 4.41 percent, respectively, compared to a year earlier. The peak of traffic is expected on August 5, when up to 1,031 flights will pass through the airport, and the passenger flow will amount to 170,500 passenger times.

    The surge is driven by a mix of students, tourists and relatives visiting, with destinations such as the relatively cooler cities in China’s northeast and southwest, Southeast Asian countries and some European cities including London, Moscow and Amsterdam becoming particularly popular.

    The simplified visa procedures are helping to boost cross-border tourism. In July and August, the peak summer holiday season, the Daxing Airport checkpoint is expected to handle an average of 100 international flights per day, with an inbound and outbound passenger flow of 17,000 people. Since the beginning of this year, the airport’s total inbound and outbound passenger flow has exceeded 2.7 million people. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ12: Attracting Mainland and overseas residents to visit Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ12: Attracting Mainland and overseas residents to visit Hong Kong 
    Question:
     
    It has been reported that in recent years, our country has continued to expand the scope of its visa-free policy by, apart from expanding its unilateral visa-free policy to 47 countries, implementing a visa-free transit policy for 55 countries, thereby facilitating overseas visitors’ travel to the Mainland. For Hong Kong, the Central Government added 10 Mainland cities (such cities) eligible for travelling to Hong Kong under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) in March and May last year, and resumed and expanded the multiple-entry IVS for Shenzhen residents to visit Hong Kong in December. Regarding efforts to attract Mainland and overseas residents to visit Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of, each month since June last year, (i) the number of overseas travelers entering the Mainland via Hong Kong, (ii) the number of overseas travelers leaving the Mainland via Hong Kong, (iii) such travelers’ average length of stay in Hong Kong, and (iv) their nationalities (i.e. the top 10 nationalities with the highest number of visitors);
     
    (2) in light of our country’s relaxation of its visa-free transit policy for overseas travelers and extension of their maximum stay on the Mainland to 240 hours, whether the authorities have sought from the Central Government the inclusion of all Hong Kong checkpoints into the scope of the aforesaid national policy to further enhance Hong Kong’s role as a tourism hub, thereby attracting more overseas travelers to enter and leave the Mainland via Hong Kong, and to travel around and consume in Hong Kong;
     
    (3) of the monthly number of visitors from such cities to Hong Kong and their average length of stay in Hong Kong during the period from May last year to May this year;
     
    (4) of the measures taken by the authorities (including publicity and promotional campaigns, encouraging airlines to increase flights between Hong Kong and such cities, and promoting co-operation between the tourism industries of Hong Kong and such cities) to attract more visitors from such cities to Hong Kong;
     
    (5) since the resumption and expansion of the multiple-entry IVS for Shenzhen residents in December last year, of the monthly number of Shenzhen permanent residents and Shenzhen non-permanent residents holding residence permits visiting Hong Kong and their average length of stay in Hong Kong; and
     
    (6) whether the authorities has discussed with the Central Government and sought to open up the multiple-entry IVS for residents of Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai to visit Hong Kong, with the aim of promoting trade and business exchanges and attracting more overnight visitors to Hong Kong; if so, of the details and the results of the discussions; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) expressed gratitude to the Central Government for the high regard and care for the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry as well as rolling out a number of measures benefiting Hong Kong’s tourism industry in 2024, including the optimisation of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) to cover all provincial capitals in our country, and the resumption and expansion of the multiple-entry IVS for Shenzhen. The HKSARG will continue to make good use of the Central Government’s measures benefitting Hong Kong to reinforce the Mainland visitor source market, and continue to liaise with the Mainland on facilitating international visitors’ entry arrangements to the Mainland via Hong Kong, thereby underpinning Hong Kong’s role as the international gateway to our country.
     
    In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), the Security Bureau and the Immigration Department (ImmD), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Hon Yiu Pak-leung is as follows:

    (1) and (2) According to the statistics provided by the ImmD, from June 2024 to May 2025, the number of overseas visitor arrivals entering and leaving the Mainland via Hong Kong is tabulated below by month:
     

    Month 
    The ImmD does not maintain information on the average length of stay of the above visitors in Hong Kong. According to the information provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), amongst the inbound non-Mainland visitors from June 2024 to May 2025, 7.62 million arrivals were overnight visitors and their average length of stay in Hong Kong was 3.2 days.

    According to the statistics provided by the ImmD, from June 2024 to May 2025, the top 10 nationalities of overseas visitors entering the Mainland via Hong Kong are tabulated below by month:
     

    Month/ Ranking2024202420252025According to the statistics provided by the ImmD, from June 2024 to May 2025, the top 10 nationalities of overseas visitors leaving the Mainland via Hong Kong are tabulated below by month:
     

    Month/ Ranking20242024202520252025Hong Kong has long been the gateway for overseas visitors to enter the Mainland, as well as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” linking up the Mainland with the rest of the world. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) has been committed to strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an international tourism hub, and has been closely monitoring the visa-free policies introduced by our country. The CSTB will, on the basis of the existing 144-hour visa-free policy for Guangdong province, continue to discuss with the relevant ministries of the Central Government the arrangements to facilitate international visitors to enter the Mainland via Hong Kong, with a view to attracting more international visitors to take Hong Kong as their first stop or transit point in their multi-destination travel itineraries to our country, leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a connector.

    (3) to (6) The The IVS was expanded to Xi’an and Qingdao on March 6, 2024, and further expanded to Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi on May 27, 2024. For the period from May 2024 to May 2025, the number of Mainland visitor arrivals from the aforesaid 10 newly added cities is tabulated below by month:
     

    MonthThe number of visitor arrivals to Hong Kong holding the multiple-entry IVS since its resumption and expansion in Shenzhen on December 1, 2024, is tabulated below by month:
     

    MonthThe ImmD does not maintain information on the average length of stay of the above visitors in Hong Kong. According to the information provided by the HKTB, of the inbound Mainland visitors from May 2024 to May 2025, overnight visitors and same-day visitors were 16.11 million and 21.94 million respectively, and the average length of stay of overnight Mainland visitors in Hong Kong was 3.1 days.

    To attract more residents from the 10 cities to visit Hong Kong, the CSTB, in collaboration with the HKTB, have rolled out a series of promotional activities.  After the expansion of the IVS to Xi’an and Qingdao in March 2024, the CSTB and the HKTB led a delegation to visit the two cities, and launched large-scale advertisements in local commercial districts, achieving a total exposure of 23.8 million views. After the expansion of the IVS to all provincial capitals, trade representatives from the eight newly added IVS cities, including Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin and others, were invited for a familiarisation trip to Hong Kong in June 2024 to have an in-depth exploration of Hong Kong’s local culture.
     
    Starting from April 2024, the HKTB has distributed over 40 000 sets of discount vouchers, each valued at HK$200, to visitors from the 10 newly added IVS cities through travel agents and airlines, stimulating visitor spending in Hong Kong.
     
    Moreover, the TLB has been working closely with the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) to strategically attract both local and non-local airlines to open new routes and increase flight frequencies through outreach teams, incentive schemes and policy facilitation measures, thereby further strengthening the air connectivity between Hong Kong and Mainland cities. Notably, the AA launched in June last year the Air Network Development Programme, which has so far attracted 29 airlines to open 60 new routes and increase flight frequencies to 14 destinations, including passenger flights to Xi’an, Qingdao, Lhasa, Lanzhou, and Urumqi. The current passenger flight services between the Mainland and Hong Kong have completely covered the 10 newly added the IVS cities last year. Compared to the period before the expansion of the IVS, the total number of flights to and from these cities has increased by 80 per cent.
     
    Regarding the promotion of trade collaboration, the CSTB provided funding support to the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to organise trade visits to Harbin and Taiyuan in February and June 2025 respectively and will visit Xi’an in October 2025.  Through business exchanges with the representatives from the cultural and tourism departments and trade organisations of those cities, we foster business co-operation between the tourism trade of Hong Kong and those cities, facilitating exchange of visitors and developing business opportunities.
     
    In terms of suggestions to orderly optimise the IVS, namely the expansion of the multiple-entry IVS to other Mainland cities, the CSTB will continue to discuss with relevant ministries of the Mainland, with a view to enabling Mainland visitors to visit Hong Kong in a more convenient and flexible manner, thereby fostering the development of the tourism-related industries.
    Issued at HKT 15:50

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Dalai Lama says he will be reincarnated, his Trust will lead search for his successor

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that he will be reincarnated and that his non-profit institution will have the sole authority to identify his reincarnation, countering China’s insistence that it will choose the successor of the Tibetan Buddhist leader.

    The remarks by the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 on Sunday, end speculation among millions of followers about whether there would be another Dalai Lama after his death. The Nobel peace laureate was speaking during a week of celebrations to mark his birthday which was expected to be closely watched by the U.S., India and China for clues about his successor for strategic reasons. There was no immediate comment from China.

    “I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” the Dalai Lama said in a video message to a gathering in Dharamshala, a town in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, that was attended by more than 100 monks in maroon robes, journalists from around the world and long-time supporters including Hollywood star Richard Gere.

    Beijing views the Dalai Lama, who fled to India from Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, as a separatist. The Dalai Lama has previously said his successor will be born outside China and urged his followers to reject anyone chosen by Beijing. In previous years, he had also said it was possible that there might be no successor at all.

    The Dalai Lama added that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the non-profit organisation that he set up to maintain and support the tradition and institution of the Dalai Lama, has the sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation in consultation with the heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

    “They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition … no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” the Dalai Lama said.

    Tibetan tradition holds that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated in the body of a child upon his death.

    Born as Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, to a farming family in what is now Qinghai province, the 14th Dalai Lama was identified as such a reincarnation when he was just two years old by a search party on the basis of several signs, such as a vision revealed to a senior monk, the Dalai Lama’s website says.

    He is now regarded as one of the world’s most influential religious figures, with a following extending well beyond Buddhism, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

    ‘NO INSTRUCTIONS ON SUCCESSION’

    Samdhong Rinpoche, a senior official of the Gaden Phodrang Trust told reporters that the Dalai Lama was in good health and he has not given any written instructions yet on the succession.

    He said the successor can be of any gender and that their nationality would not be restricted to Tibet.

    China says its leaders have the right to approve the Dalai Lama’s successor, as a legacy from imperial times. A selection ritual, in which the names of possible reincarnations are drawn from a golden urn, dates to 1793, during the Qing dynasty.

    Chinese officials have repeatedly said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should be decided by following national laws that decree use of the golden urn and the birth of reincarnations within China’s borders.

    Penpa Tsering, leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government-in-exile in India, said the Dalai Lama would be open to visiting Tibet if his health permits and if there were no restrictions from China.

    He also said that the U.S. had lifted some restrictions on funds for Tibetans in exile and that the Tibetan government was looking for alternate sources of funding.

    The United States, which faces rising competition from China for global dominance, has repeatedly said it is committed to advancing the human rights of Tibetans. U.S. lawmakers have previously said they would not allow China to influence the choice of the Dalai Lama’s successor.

    (Reuters)

  • Wimbledon: Sinner remains ice cool as Gauff, Pegula and Zverev join bonfire of seeds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    World number one Jannik Sinner stayed ice cool to move serenely into the Wimbledon second round but it was a second successive day of upsets at a sizzling All England Club as a succession of seeded players crashed and burned on Tuesday.

    American second seed Coco Gauff, chasing a French Open-Wimbledon double after her Paris triumph, was the day’s most surprising casualty, losing 7-6(3) 6-1 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska as the sun set on a sultry day.

    Gauff’s compatriot Taylor Fritz, the world number five, survived a five-set firefight by the skin of his teeth against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

    But the same could not be said of 13 of the men’s seeds who fell at the first hurdle – a Wimbledon record since 32 seeds were introduced in 2001.

    Nine seeds also perished in the women’s first round while the eight top-10 seeds to go out across both singles draws amounted to the highest at a Grand Slam in the professional era.

    Germany’s Alexander Zverev was the most notable men’s casualty, the third seed losing 7-6(3) 6-7(8) 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4 to France’s Arthur Rinderknech in a marathon duel that began on Monday and was locked at one set apiece overnight.

    “I’m not sure he’s ever played a match like that in his life,” said Zverev, who is still chasing a first Grand Slam title after 38 attempts.

    Italian Lorenzo Musetti, seeded seventh, was bundled out on Court Two by Nikoloz Basilashvili – the same court where earlier American women’s third seed Jessica Pegula was sent packing 6-2 6-3 by Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

    A red-hot Sinner never looked like joining the exodus as he beat fellow Italian and close friend Luca Nardi 6-4 6-3 6-0 in a victorious return to the Grand Slam stage after his epic French Open final defeat by Carlos Alcaraz last month.

    “I tried to put the friendship away for a couple of hours,” Sinner, who conceded only four points when he landed his first serve, told reporters.

    Novak Djokovic closed out the day’s action on the main showcourt by getting past Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1 6-7(7) 6-2 6-2 despite being hampered by a stomach bug midway through his match. He will face Briton Dan Evans next.

    After seven British players won singles matches on Monday – a professional era record at Wimbledon – home fans had more to cheer on Tuesday as fourth seed Jack Draper, his nation’s big hope, avoided any dramas by easing past Argentina’s Sebastian Baez who retired hurt trailing 6-2 6-2 2-1.

    In total, 10 British players have reached round two.

    KREJCIKOVA TESTED

    Women’s defending champion Barbora Krejcikova was tested by promising 20-year-old Filipina Alexandra Eala but after a slow start she found her form to win 3-6 6-2 6-1 on her return to Centre Court after last year’s surprise triumph.

    “I mean, what the hell (kind of tennis) she played in the first set?” said Krejcikova, praising her opponent.

    “She was smashing the ball and cleaning the lines, so wow, wow. She’s going to be really good in a couple of years.”

    Five-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, seeded eight, has yet to conquer Wimbledon but showed positive signs when she beat Polina Kudermetova 7-5 6-1 while Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva advanced after a 6-3 6-3 victory over Mayar Sherif.

    Both might have expected Gauff to be a major obstacle but the world number two subsided against Yastremska.

    “I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards,” Gauff said about the spell following her Paris triumph last month.

    “I didn’t feel I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it.”

    The women’s draw is now without three of its top five seeds after number five Zheng Qinwen of China, the Olympic champion, suffered a third successive Wimbledon first-round defeat, beaten 7-5 4-6 6-1 by Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova.

    “I believe if I get through the first match, I will start to play better and better (on grass),” Zheng said. “The problem is the first match for me is complicated.”

    Many will lament the exit of Wimbledon dark horse Alexander Bublik, seeded 28th. The Kazakh showman is guaranteed entertainment with his array of trick shots but he was unable to avoid the exit door, as he was dragged into battle by Spaniard Jaume Munar and beaten 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-2.

    Late in the day yet another seed fell when Frenchman Ugo Umbert was beaten by veteran countryman Gael Monfils, again defying his 38 years to edge a five-setter.

    American Fritz survived, though, letting out a huge roar as he beat Perricard 6-7(6) 6-7(8) 6-4 7-6(6) 6-4 in a match carried forward from Monday. Perricard’s consolation for losing the cliffhanger was a 153 mph serve – a Wimbledon record.

    Tommy Paul took out Briton Johannus Monday with little fuss, the 13th seed cruising through 6-4 6-4 6-2, but it was the end of the road for fellow American and 30th seed Alex Michelsen who fell 6-2 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-6(6) to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.

    Zeynep Sonmez became the first Turkish woman to reach the second round at the grasscourt Grand Slam when she battled past Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 7-6(3) 6-3.

    Victoria Mboko found out a few hours before she faced Magdalena Frech that she had entered the main draw as a Lucky Loser due to Anastasia Potapova’s withdrawal and the Canadian teenager rode her luck to stun the 25th seed 6-3 6-2.

    Fourteen years after first adding her name to the Wimbledon honours board, twice champion Petra Kvitova performed her last dance on the lawns, the Czech losing 6-3 6-1 to American 10th seed Emma Navarro.

    (Reuters)