NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Australia: A LEGO-lover’s guide to Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Join Roundabout Canberra, with special thanks to Goodies Junction, for the Great LEGO Sale 2025.

    In brief:

    • There are lots of things for LEGO and block enthusiasts to do in Canberra.
    • This article includes a list of upcoming events and activities for all ages.

    Does your child love blocks and LEGO?

    Young builders can find plenty of options right here in Canberra.

    From epic exhibitions to rainy-day activities, we’ve gathered some ideas to satisfy every brick-head.

    Of course, many of these are just as relevant to Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) too.

    Libraries ACT Brick Club Challenge

    Libraries ACT run a Brick Club Challenge.

    It’s a great option for some school holiday fun or rainy-day activity.

    Kids can find inspiration in online story time videos. There’s a list of fun ideas to get their creative juices flowing. Once they’ve chosen, it’s time to get stuck into their LEGO, or other building materials.

    Keen builders can have their grown-up share a photo of their handiwork on the Libraries ACT Facebook page.

    Find the Challenge on the Libraries ACT website.

    The Canberra Brick Show

    The Canberra Brick Show is Canberra’s ultimate LEGO fan event.

    Hosted by the Canberra LEGO User Group, this year’s event will be on 1–2 November at Thoroughbred Park.

    Grab a ticket to see over 300 tables of amazing displays, exhibits and vendors from around Australia.

    LEGO fans of all ages are welcome at this weekend of brick-filled fun.

    Learn more about the event.

    Join the Canberra LEGO User Group (CLUG)

    CLUG is a non-profit association which aims to share techniques and ideas for building LEGO projects.

    Members also showcase projects at local and interstate Lego exhibitions.

    Join the CLUG private Facebook group.

    The Roundabout Canberra Great LEGO Sale 

    Looking to add to your collection while supporting Canberra families in need?

    Each year, Roundabout Canberra runs its Great LEGO Sale.

    Organised in partnership with Goodies Junction, the sale is at the Albert Hall.

    Every dollar raised goes directly to Roundabout Canberra. This helps them provide essential baby and children’s items to families in need.

    Visit the Roundabout Canberra website for more details.

    Bricks @ Woden School

    The Bricks @ Woden School takes place each year to wow LEGO lovers young and old.

    This family-friendly event is held at the school. Funds go towards important projects for students with special needs.

    Visit to see amazing LEGO displays of all sizes.

    This event is coordinated by the Woden School in association with the Canberra Lego User Group and the Woden School Parents & Citizens Association.

    Find out on The Woden School website.

    A different type of block: BlocHaus Bouldering

    BlocHaus Fyshwick has a dedicated space for kids aged 5–12 years. This area allows kids and their families to enjoy climbing together.

    The gym also runs facilitated kids’ programs. Kids learn to get the most from bouldering and their developing skills.

    As with every LEGO build, every climb is a puzzle. The key is experimenting with how your body moves to figure it out.

    BlocHaus’s Mitchell gym is for visitors aged 12+.

    Find out more about BlocHaus.

    The family-friendly Bricks @ Woden School event is held annually.

    Read more like this

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: P1 allocation results to be released

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Education Bureau today said that it will inform parents about the results of the Central Allocation for Primary One Admission 2025 on June 4 and 5.

     

    A total of 19,489 children took part in the central allocation this year, with 15,538 being allocated to schools of their first three choices.

     

    Taking into account discretionary places and the number of children allocated to schools of their first three choices in the allocation exercise, the overall satisfaction rate is 90%.

     

    Parents who have activated their Primary One Admission e-Platform account via iAM Smart or iAM Smart+ can check the allocation results through the platform from 10am on June 4.

     

    Meanwhile, parents who have provided a mobile phone number on the Choice of Schools Form and indicated their consent to receive the allocation results via the mobile phone number will be notified via SMS on June 4.

     

    Parents will also receive the Primary One Registration Form with the allocation results, which will be delivered on June 4 and 5 through Hongkong Post’s Local CourierPost service. If parents have not received the documents or a Mail Collection Notification Card issued by Hongkong Post by June 6, they can collect the Primary One Registration Form at a designated collection centre on June 7 or 8.

     

    The Education Bureau reminded parents that they are required to register their child with the school allocated on June 10 or 11 during school hours.

     

    For enquiries, call 2832 7610 (Hong Kong Island and Islands), 2832 7620 (Kowloon), 2832 7635 (New Territories West), 2832 7659 (New Territories East).

     

    For general enquiries, call 2832 7700 or 2832 7740.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sinner sends Gasquet into retirement, Djokovic marches on

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

    World No. 1 Jannik Sinner advanced with a commanding straight-sets victory over French veteran Richard Gasquet, bringing an emotional close to the 38-year-old’s career, while Novak Djokovic progressed smoothly in his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open on Thursday.

    The day held special significance for Gasquet, who was making his 22nd and final appearance at Roland Garros, as he had announced he would retire after the tournament. Facing the formidable Sinner, Gasquet battled valiantly but was ultimately overcome 6-3, 6-0, 6-4, ending his run in the second round.

    “Thank you for being very fair with me today, I know what was at stake. It’s your [Gasquet’s] moment. Congrats on an amazing career,” Sinner said post-match.

    Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return during the men’s singles second round match against Corentin Moutet of France at French Open tennis tournament 2025 in Paris, France, May 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

    Djokovic also booked his spot in the last-32 with a straight-sets win over Frenchman Corentin Moutet, triumphing 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1).

    Although the 38-year-old Serbian required a medical timeout for a blister on his foot during the match, he displayed characteristic composure and stability. Djokovic will next play Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic.

    “I came to Roland Garros with more confidence, good feelings. Hopefully I can continue like that,” he said.

    Women’s second seed Coco Gauff of the United States delivered a solid performance to beat last year’s junior champion Tereza Valentova 6-2, 6-4.

    Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva, who made a remarkable run to the semifinals here last year, continued her good form. Having already captured two WTA 1000 titles earlier this season in Dubai and Indian Wells, the 18-year-old defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4.

    Elsewhere, reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova suffered an early exit, falling 6-0, 6-3 to Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbekistan is ready to strengthen cooperation in tourism with China

    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

    Beijing, May 30 /Xinhua/ — Uzbekistan attaches particular importance to strengthening cooperation with China in the field of tourism, said Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China Saidkamol Agzamkhodjaev.

    S. Agzamkhodjaev made this statement on Wednesday in Beijing at the presentation of the Strategy “Uzbekistan-2030”, organized jointly by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China and the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CAS).

    In December 2024, Uzbekistan and China signed an agreement on a visa-free regime, and the “Year of Tourism of Uzbekistan in China” began.

    “As part of the Year of Tourism of Uzbekistan in China, forums and presentations of the tourism potential of Uzbekistan are being held in various cities of the PRC,” said S. Agzamkhodjaev.

    On June 1, 2025, the Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on mutual exemption from visa requirements will come into force.

    According to the document, citizens of both countries are exempt from visa requirements when entering, leaving or transiting through the territories of the two countries for a period of no more than 30 days for each individual stay and for a total period of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period.

    “Undoubtedly, this will contribute to the development of the tourism sector and increase the tourist flow,” noted S. Agzamkhodjaev, adding that Uzbekistan intends to increase the number of Chinese tourists visiting Uzbekistan annually to one million people.

    Currently, China and Uzbekistan airlines operate 58 flights per week on routes linking nine cities in the two countries, including Beijing, Urumqi, Xi’an, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tashkent, Samarkand and Fergana. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fusion cell disrupts scam job networks targeting Australians

    Source:

    The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) has just published the final report of the job scam fusion cell, highlighting the combined efforts of government, law enforcement, academics, and the private sector in tackling the rise in job and employment scams.
    In 2024, Scamwatch received more than 3000 reports of job scams, with reported losses totalling $13.7 million. Average losses to these scams were 5.1% higher than the average for all other scam types.
    The NASC’s job scam fusion cell removed more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and 1850 fake job advertisements from September 2024 to March 2025
    Job scams result in significant financial losses and put people at risk of identity theft. The scams disproportionately affect people on low incomes, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, international students, non-resident visa holders, people with caring responsibilities, and others with limited employment options.
    What the job scams fusion cell has done
    The job scams fusion cell:

    worked with Meta to remove 29,000 accounts sharing job scam content
    referred 836 scammer cryptocurrency wallets to digital currency exchanges for analysis and investigation, leading to blocking and blacklisting of wallets

    referred 1850 scam enablers such as websites and scam job advertisements for removal

    disrupted scammer impersonations of Australian Government entities, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, and APSJobs
    held awareness and prevention forums with organisations across the tertiary education sector to enable them to deliver scams awareness messaging
    coordinated a social media campaign
    created guides for businesses, including about how to protect themselves and the community
    established data sharing arrangements with cryptocurrency platforms.

    Be aware of job scams
    Scammers advertise job opportunities so they can steal money and personal information. Stop and check any job ad that requires you paying money to make money. It could be a scam.
    Find out more about job and employment scams and how to protect yourself.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-supported peacebuilding and mediation capabilities event a success

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK-supported peacebuilding and mediation capabilities event a success

    A four-day colloquium on Peacebuilding and Mediation Capabilities successfully concludes in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Friday 30 May 2025.

    A group photo of all the women participants with British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner.

    Supported by the UK International Development and Australian Aid and organised by the Pacific Women Mediators Network (PWMN), the inaugural colloquium aims to commemorate and uplift the legacy of the Pacific Islands Women-led peacebuilding initiatives, reaffirming the role of women in peace and security efforts.

    It also aims to demonstrate the intersectionality of feminist perspectives and the Gender, Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in the Pacific Islands region. Additionally, the meeting also aims to reaffirm gender equality, women’s rights, and the inclusion of women’s voices and experiences in all aspects of peace and security work.

    Enhancing visibility of Pacific Islands women-led and civil society led mediation and peacebuilding initiatives responding to priority issues including Climate Security and Climate Justice, Self Determination and Gender Equality are also part of the meeting.

    The regional meeting that began on Tuesday 27 May 2025 also aims to connect national conversations with regional inter-governmental and global processes including the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR).

    It is a cross – regional learning opportunity that will enable the founding members of PWMN and youth leaders, civil society allies, including faith and traditional leaders to identify ways to move beyond surface-level calls to implement WPS and towards realising the full vision of the Gender and WPS agenda in practice.

    Speaking at the inaugural colloquium on Tuesday 27 May, British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner said:

    Women have been at the forefront of peace movements across the world. I saw this first hand when I was working on Northern Ireland and Bosnia in the 1990s. It was women who reached out across communities in these places, who refused to let walls of blood divide people and keep them in conflict. The UK Government remains steadfast in its support for this initiative as we strengthen the global network of women in peace building.

    Held ahead of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security), and the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting that will convene in Honiara in September 2025, it is expected Pacific Forum Leaders will adopt their Guidance Note on Women, Peace and Security and the Ocean of Peace Declaration.

    The UK has a global commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We are proud to support the ambitions of the Pacific Islands Forum in promoting this agenda and supporting its members to embed its ideals across the region, as well as grassroots networks and organisations working to protect and uplift women in the Pacific.

    The UK has five Strategic Objectives for Women Peace and Security in its National Action Plan, which are as relevant in the Pacific as elsewhere in the world. They include:

    • increasing women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes
    • preventing gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, and supporting survivors to cope, recover and seek justice
    • supporting the needs of women and girls in crises and ensuring they can participate and lead in responses
    • increasing the accountability of security and justice actors to women and girls and ensuring they are responsive to their rights and needs
    • ensuring we respond to the needs of women and girls as part of our approach to transnational threats

    The colloquium concluded on Friday 30 May 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Nepal’s royalists demand restoration of monarchy dumped 17 years ago

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Thousands of supporters of Nepal’s former king rallied in the capital Kathmandu on Thursday, calling for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy that was abolished 17 years ago, amid rising unhappiness with successive elected governments.

    Flag-waving protesters marched into the city centre from different directions shouting: “Our king is dearer than lives … king come back and save the country,” as riot police stood guard but did not intervene.

    At a similar rally in March, two people were killed and several injured.

    The 239-year-old monarchy was voted out in 2008 following weeks of bloody street protests. The last king of the Himalayan nation, 77-year-old Gyanendra, has lived with his family in a private house in Kathmandu as a commoner since being toppled.

    He has not commented on Thursday’s demonstration but expressed sorrow at the violence that killed two people in March.

    Demonstrators are also calling for the country of 30 million people, wedged between China and India, to become a Hindu state again, a status it lost with the monarchy.

    “Governments formed in the last 17 years have failed to deliver on their promises of development, creation of jobs and improvement of the living conditions of people,” said 35-year-old street vendor Rajendra Tamang.

    “Thousands of young people are forced to leave the country in search of work as they see no hope here,” he said.

    Millions of young Nepalis are working in the Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia, mainly at construction sites, and the money they send home is a key source of income for Nepal.

    Supporters of the government staged a separate but smaller rally nearby in support of the republican system that replaced the monarchy.

    The three major political parties that jointly control nearly 200 of the 275 seats in parliament say the monarchy was consigned to history and cannot be restored.

    All three jointly campaigned against the monarchy and voted it out in 2008 and say their faith in the republican system was unshakeable.

    The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which is campaigning for the monarchy, holds only 13 seats in parliament.

    A two-thirds majority or 184 lawmakers is needed to change the constitution, which was adopted in 2015, turning Nepal into a federal democratic republic.

    The royalists say their protests will continue until the monarchy is restored.

    (Reuters)

  • PM Modi to launch ₹48,500 crore development projects in Bihar today

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil development projects worth ₹48,500 crore during his visit to Bikramganj in Bihar’s Rohtas district on Friday. His address at a large public rally will mark the launch and foundation laying of key infrastructure and welfare initiatives aimed at accelerating Bihar’s growth across sectors like transportation, energy, and connectivity.

    Ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan are expected to reach the venue. The rally site, sprawling across 444 acres, has been extensively prepared with a large stage, massive canopy, and elaborate floral decorations, with flowers sourced from Kolkata and Patna. Local artisans worked through Thursday to complete the arrangements.

    Security has been tightened with over 5,000 personnel deployed at the venue. The force includes 10 Superintendents of Police, 50 Deputy SPs, and over 1,000 inspectors and sub-inspectors. A total of 250 checkpoints have been established, and temporary police stations, ambulances, and fire engines are also stationed on-site. The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police are personally overseeing the arrangements.

    From the rally platform, PM Modi will inaugurate or lay the foundation stone for several big-ticket projects. These include key road and railway upgrades such as the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane road, a four-lane elevated corridor in Gopalganj, and third railway lines between Sonnagar-Muhammadganj and Kajart Nawadih-Sonnagar. He will also inaugurate three 800 MW power units under Phase II of the Navinagar thermal plant and major national highways including the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata six-lane expressway.

    Additional projects include the automatic block signalling system from Sasaram to Anugrah Narayan Road, a new Ganga bridge between Buxar and Bharauli on NH-92, and the extension of NH-119D from Ramnagar to Kachchi Dargah. PM Modi will also inaugurate the new five-platform railway terminal at Harding Park in Patna, as well as facilities like hostels and staff quarters in Jehanabad.

    With thousands of supporters expected to attend, the rally is not only a platform for announcing development projects but also carries political significance. The visit is seen as a key moment for strengthening the BJP’s organisational base in the state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. 

    -IANS

  • Musk aiming to send uncrewed Starship to Mars by end of 2026

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Two days after the latest in a string of test-flight setbacks for his big new Mars spacecraft, Starship, Elon Musk said on Thursday he foresees the futuristic vehicle making its first uncrewed voyage to the red planet at the end of next year.

    Musk presented a detailed Starship development timeline in a video posted online by his Los Angeles area-based rocket company, SpaceX, a day after saying he was departing the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump as head of a tumultuous campaign to slash government bureaucracy.

    The billionaire entrepreneur had said earlier that he was planning to scale back his role in government to focus greater attention on his various businesses, including SpaceX and electric car and battery maker Tesla.

    Musk acknowledged that his latest timeline for reaching Mars hinged on whether Starship can accomplish a number of challenging technical feats during its flight-test development, particularly a post-launch refueling maneuver in Earth orbit.

    The end of 2026 would coincide with a slim window that occurs once every two years when Mars and Earth align around the sun for the closest trip between the two planets, which would take seven to nine months to transit by spacecraft.

    Musk gave his company a 50-50 chance of meeting that deadline. If Starship were not ready by that time, SpaceX would wait another two years before trying again, Musk suggested in the video.

    The first flight to Mars would carry a simulated crew consisting of one or more robots of the Tesla-built humanoid Optimus design, with the first human crews following in the second or third landings. Musk said he envisioned eventually launching 1,000 to 2,000 ships to Mars every two years to quickly establish a self-sustaining permanent human settlement.

    NASA is currently aiming to return humans to the surface of the moon aboard Starship as early as 2027 – more than 50 years after its last manned lunar landings of the Apollo era – as a stepping stone toward ultimately launching astronauts to Mars sometime in the 2030s.

    Musk, who has advocated for a more Mars-focused human spaceflight program, has previously said he was aiming to send an unmanned SpaceX vehicle to the red planet as early as 2018 and was targeting 2024 to launch a first crewed mission there.

    The SpaceX founder was scheduled to deliver a livestream presentation billed as “The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary” from the company’s Starbase, Texas, launch site on Tuesday night, following a ninth test flight of Starship that evening.

    But the webcast was canceled without notice after Starship spun out of control and disintegrated in a fireball about 30 minutes after launch and roughly halfway through its flight path without achieving some of its most important test goals.

    Two preceding test flights in January and March failed in more spectacular fashion, with the spacecraft blowing to pieces on ascent moments after liftoff, raining debris over parts of the Caribbean and forcing scores of commercial jetliners to change course as a precaution.

    Musk shrugged off the latest mishap on Tuesday with a brief post on X, saying it produced a lot of “good data to review” and promising a faster launch “cadence” for the next several test flights.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mediation body established in HK

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee

    I am delighted to join you on this historic occasion: to celebrate with you the signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed).

    Gathered here today, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, are high-level representatives of over 80 countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe; and from the United Nations and about 20 international organisations. A very warm welcome to Hong Kong!

    It is a privilege for us to host this signing ceremony, and to serve as the IOMed headquarters, once the convention enters into force.

    This singular occasion is made possible by the ongoing and dedicated efforts of China, our country, in working with around 20 states, since late 2022, to establish an intergovernmental organisation devoted to mediation. After five rounds of intensive negotiation since 2023, co-ordinated by the IOMed Preparatory Office, the negotiating states concluded the very convention signed today.

    The IOMed will become the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. It also reflects our shared confidence in mediation as a peaceful means to maintain international peace and security, as stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.

    The IOMed will provide a pathway for countries – regardless of culture, language and legal system – to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding. This is increasingly important amid mounting geopolitical tensions. When protectionism threatens to derail the international trade order, and when unilateralism looms over global supply chains, it is dialogue – not division – that restores balance.

    China has long championed equity and unity. The Chinese virtue of “和而不同”, meaning “harmony in diversity”, is deeply rooted in our community and culture. This value of mutual respect in spite of differences also sits at the heart of mediation, the IOMed, and a world that seeks co-operation over conflict.

    Despite geopolitical turbulence, Hong Kong builds bridges, not walls. Under our unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong is the only world city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. With the support of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong has risen as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region.

    We are the only common law jurisdiction in China, and the only jurisdiction in the world with a bilingual common law system in both Chinese and English. We have a long tradition of the rule of law, and our courts exercise their judicial power independently. Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, which is vested with the power of final adjudication, has on its bench eminent jurists from both Hong Kong and overseas common law jurisdictions.

    Our robust, efficient and well-respected legal system is supported by world-class legal and dispute resolution professionals. Often bilingual or even multilingual, they are well-versed in international rules and practices, and help to position Hong Kong as a preferred venue for dispute resolution.

    In this year’s International Arbitration Survey, Hong Kong is the most preferred seat of arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region, and shares second place globally with another jurisdiction. Our economy also came first in business legislation and international trade in the World Competitiveness Yearbook. In the latest Business Ready Report published by the World Bank Group, Hong Kong ranks eighth in dispute resolution among the 50 economies covered.

    All this underscores Hong Kong’s effectiveness as a super connector and super value-adder among many economies. We contribute to cross-border investment and economic activity through our top-notch professional services. Our “one country, two systems” advantages make us well-placed to be the headquarters of the important institution of the IOMed.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is devoted to supporting the IOMed’s provision of friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services. We actively promote a vibrant culture of mediation. In fact, it is a general policy to incorporate a mediation clause in all government contracts. We are also enhancing the system on local accreditation and disciplinary matters of the mediation profession.

    And we go all out to build bridges with the world. Hong Kong will actively promote the IOMed’s valuable work in settling international disputes through mediation, and advocate mediation as a global tool for peace and justice across borders.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the establishment of the IOMed’s headquarters in Hong Kong is a great honour for our city. The headquarters, as you may know, will be based in the building that once housed the Wan Chai Police Station, just a stone’s throw away from here. Built in 1932, this iconic building has a long association with law and order in Hong Kong. From its prime downtown location, it has also witnessed the transformation of our city that has long treasured unity. In its new role as the IOMed headquarters, the building will play a vital part in the future of Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services.

    We are working to complete the conversion of the building for its new mission. I am happy to say that it could open its doors as early as the end of this year. We look forward not only to welcoming its new occupants, but also to supporting them in building new bridges for a more connected, peaceful and prosperous future through mediation.

    I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the central government for its staunch support of Hong Kong, allowing Hong Kong the honour of housing the IOMed headquarters here. My sincere gratitude also goes to the international community, for placing your trust and confidence in our city. Let’s renew our commitment to peace, justice and the rule of law. Let’s cultivate a mediation culture together. Let’s build a strong IOMed for a global community of shared future founded on peace and prosperity. Please enjoy the day and enjoy Hong Kong. Thank you.

    Chief Executive John Lee gave this speech at the Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation on May 30.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) on the first report covering DPRK-Russia military cooperation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Joint Statement of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) on the first report covering DPRK-Russia military cooperation

    Several countries gave a joint statement following the publication of the first report of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT).

    Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand,
    Republic of Korea, the UK and the USA gave a statement following the publication of the first report of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT):

    We, the participating states of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), released today its first report. This multilateral mechanism was established in October 2024 to monitor and report on the implementation of United Nations sanctions measures on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The report is available on the official MSMT website.

    The report, which focuses primarily on unlawful DPRK-Russia military cooperation including arms transfers and Russia’s training of DPRK troops, consolidates information provided by MSMT participating states on violations and evasions of sanction measures stipulated in relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). The report also contains information provided by open source intelligence organizations.

    This report is a product of our efforts to address the monitoring gap arising from the disbandment of the UN Security Council’s 1718 Committee Panel of Experts in April 2024 which was caused by Russia’s veto in March 2024. The report will assist with the full implementation of UN sanctions by the international community. The opportunity for dialogue to reestablish the Panel of Experts as a central element of the UN sanctions framework remains open, provided the Panel is restored to the full form it had prior to disbandment.

    With the release of the first MSMT report, we underscore once again our shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs. We urge the DPRK to engage in meaningful diplomacy, and call on all states to join global efforts to maintain international peace and security in the face of ongoing threats from the DPRK and those that facilitate its illicit activities in contravention of relevant UNSCRs.

    We will continue our efforts to monitor the implementation of UNSCRs on the DPRK and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Extra hydro generation secured to support energy security

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Guardians of Lakes Manapōuri and Te Anau and Meridian Energy have agreed on changes to the Operating Guidelines for how the lake levels are managed, that will boost New Zealand’s hydro generation and energy security, Energy Minister Simon Watts has announced.
    “These changes will deliver an extra 45 GWh of energy from the Manapōuri Power Scheme each year that’s enough energy to power around 6,000 homes. It is an important step in the Government and the sector’s work to protect the security of our energy supply for the future,” Mr Watts says.
    “Last Winter, New Zealand faced an energy shortage that led to significant price increases for consumers, in part due to low hydro lake levels. This Government will not accept a repeat of last winter and is working at pace to ensure we have a reliable and affordable energy supply.
    “Lake Manapōuri and Lake Te Anau are not only environmentally and culturally significant, but they are also essential to New Zealand’s energy system. However, in recent years the lower operating ranges of these lakes have been underutilised, impacting our energy supply and risking the health of plant life along their shorelines.
    “The agreement reached today allows for more flexible drawdown rates once the lakes reach lower operating levels, enabling Meridian to continue generating when lake levels are low. The changes balance the needs of our country’s electricity system with the environmental impact on the lakes and their surrounding areas.
    “I am pleased to have enacted the Guardians and Meridian’s recommendations by amending the relevant legislation and publishing in the New Zealand gazette.
    “I acknowledge the expertise of the Guardians, who are responsible for advising on environmental, ecological and social effects of the power station on the lakes, and Meridian, as operator of the Manapōuri power station.
    “I thank them for working together to recommend a path forward that better protects the existing patterns, ecological stability and recreational values of the lakes, while optimising hydro generation.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Joins Solana Summit 2025 as Major Partner to Advance Crypto Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has announced its official partnership with the Solana Summit 2025 as a major sponsor, marking a significant step in its efforts to expand real-world crypto adoption. The summit, taking place from June 5 to 7 in Da Nang, Vietnam, is expected to gather over 1,000 developers and founders from across the global Solana ecosystem.

    At the event, Bitget Wallet will debut new in-app payment features that enables users to scan QR codes and complete transactions instantly on-site. Visitors to its branded coffee booth can enjoy complimentary drinks when paying with Bitget Wallet. Additional activations include live product demonstrations, developer workshops, and exclusive merchandise giveaways, all centered around Bitget Wallet’s expanding PayFi suite. Designed to streamline crypto payments across currencies and networks, the wallet’s PayFi roadmap includes upcoming support for both national QR codes and Solana Pay, unlocking seamless QR-based transactions across currencies and blockchains.

    “We’re excited to partner with Solana Summit to showcase the potential of real-world crypto payments,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “Bitget Wallet is no longer just a place to store and send tokens — it’s becoming the starting point for how people trade, earn, pay, and explore onchain, delivering smarter, simpler experiences that solve real user pain points and bring crypto closer to everyday life.”

    On June 5, Bitget Wallet will open with a product announcement introducing its QR-based payment integrations, including Solana Pay and VietQR for seamless, multi-currency payments. A developer workshop will follow, showcasing how Solana dApps can integrate and scale within the wallet ecosystem. On June 6, Xavier Ow Yeong will join a panel discussion on how on-chain finance is reshaping payment, financing, and spending behaviors. That evening, Bitget Wallet will co-host a community meetup with Saros, featuring a preview of its upcoming VietQR payment integration and a $500 incentive pool for attendees who test the functionality.

    Bitget Wallet offers a full Solana feature set across Trade, Earn, Pay, and Discover. Users can access Solana-native limit order trading through integration with Jupiter DEX, perform cross-chain swaps, and stake SOL via the wallet’s Earn suite. The wallet also supports reclaiming idle SOL through Solana account rent refunds, provides built-in MEV protection, and enables gas fee coverage using GetGas with Solana Paymaster support. Additionally, users can explore a wide array of Solana-based DApps directly within the app. These capabilities reflect Bitget Wallet’s broader commitment to making onchain finance more accessible, efficient, and secure for users engaging with the Solana network.

    Find out more on Bitget Wallet’s official channels.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.
    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c05961d3-ca9c-4cbe-8607-241ef5e550bc

    The MIL Network –

  • Indian stock market opens flat amid stable institutional investments

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian benchmark indices opened on a flat note on Friday, tracking weak cues from Asian markets and early pressure in IT and auto stocks. Analysts suggest the market is likely to remain in a consolidation phase in the near term due to the absence of strong positive triggers.

    At 9:29 a.m., the Sensex was marginally up by 11.77 points at 81,644.79, while the Nifty gained 13.20 points to trade at 24,846.80.

    The Nifty Bank index rose by 81.20 points (0.15%) to 55,627.25, and the Nifty Midcap 100 climbed 0.44% to 57,707.65. The Nifty Smallcap 100 also edged higher by 0.21% to 17,927.15.

    Despite subdued trade in early hours, analysts noted a positive technical signal from Thursday’s session, where the Nifty staged a smart rebound towards the end. Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities, said, “Yesterday’s recovery showed a bullish lower shadow and small real body close to the day’s high, suggesting potential upward momentum.” He identified 24,677 and 25,000 as immediate support and resistance levels, respectively.

    In the Sensex pack, top losers included Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, Bharti Airtel, Titan, and Hindustan Unilever. On the gaining side were Adani Ports, Eicher Motors, Maruti Suzuki, and Sun Pharma.

    Weakness persisted across Asian markets, with indices in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, China, and Japan trading in the red.

    Meanwhile, US markets closed higher in the previous session. The Dow Jones added 117.03 points to settle at 42,215.73, the S&P 500 rose by 23.62 points to 5,912.17, and the Nasdaq gained 74.93 points to close at 19,175.87.

    Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, highlighted a key reason for the market’s range-bound nature. “India’s macroeconomic fundamentals are strong and improving, but this is not yet being reflected in corporate earnings,” he said.

    On the institutional front, FIIs were net buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹884.03 crore on May 29. DIIs were also strong buyers, investing ₹4,286.50 crore.

    -IANS

  • US proposes 60-day ceasefire for Gaza, plan shows

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A U.S. plan for Gaza seen by Reuters on Friday proposes a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 28 Israeli hostages alive and dead in the first week and the release of 125 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life and the remains of 180 dead Palestinians.

    The plan, which says it is guaranteed by U.S. President Donald Trump and mediators Egypt and Qatar, includes sending aid to Gaza as soon as Hamas signs off on the ceasefire agreement.

    The plan stipulates that Hamas will release the last 30 hostages once a permanent ceasefire is in place.

    The White House said on Thursday that Israel has agreed to the U.S. ceasefire proposal.

    The Palestinian militant group Hamas told media it was reviewing the plan and will respond on Friday or Saturday.

    Deep differences between Hamas and Israel have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March.

    Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force and that all 58 hostages still held in Gaza must be returned before it will agree to end the war.

    Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war.

    Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the devastating Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 Israelis taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

    The subsequent Israeli military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say, and left the enclave in ruins.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Check it out: Auckland Council Libraries trial board game lending

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council Libraries have announced a new offering – board games lending, giving Aucklanders the opportunity to borrow popular tabletop games like Catan and Ticket To Ride: Europe to ramp up their game night.

    Launched as a trial across 10 library branches, the board game lending programme gives Aucklanders the opportunity to connect, play and learn together, with modern strategy games that appeal to a wide range of adults.

    Councillor Julie Fairey, deputy chair of the Community Committee, says the new initiative shows how libraries are evolving to meet our community’s changing needs.

    “Our libraries are so much more than just books – they’re places for fun and connection, and they are always looking for new ways to serve Aucklanders,” says Councillor Fairey.

    “My whānau loves board games and we will definitely be accessing this new collection now available through our public libraries.  Often these games are quite expensive to buy and this is a way people can play a wide range of games and find new favourites to enjoy.”

    The popular titles, which include games such as Exploding Kittens and Wingspan are available for borrowing by any library card holder aged 18+ for a two-week loan.

    While the games are on display at 10 sites, customers can place holds, collect and return the board games from any of our 56 libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau.

    Auckland Council’s Head of Library and Learning Services, Catherine Leonard, says the new offering is an exciting way to welcome more Aucklanders into libraries.

    “International trends show board games are booming, especially among 20–30-year-olds – a group we don’t see as often in our libraries,” says Ms Leonard.

    “Board games are a fantastic tool for learning, collaboration and fun – but above all, they bring people together. We’d love to see more Aucklanders heading into our libraries and taking home a sought-after title to level up their next game night.”

    This initiative aligns with the Belonging and Participation aspect of the Auckland Plan by increasing educational achievement, lifelong learning and training.

    As with books, there are no late fees for board games, and borrowers won’t be charged for the occasional missing piece — but if a game is returned unplayable, a replacement fee will apply.

    The trial will run for 12 months with a view to rolling it out to more libraries and adding more board games in the future.

    To find out more about the board game collection and reserve a game, go to Auckland Council Libraries website.

    Love this initiative and want the best for Auckland’s future? Stand for council in Auckland’s Local Elections 2025. Nominations open 4 July 2025 and close 1 August 2025, midday. If you’d like to learn more about what’s involved in standing, visit Vote Auckland.

    Available board games:

    • 7 Wonders: Duel 
    • Betrayal at House on the Hill
    • Catan
    • Codenames: Pictures
    • Exploding Kittens
    • Root
    • Ticket to Ride: Europ
    • The Resistance: Avalo
    • Tokaido
    • Wingspan (Oceania Expansion)

    Participating libraries:

    North/West Region

     

    Glenfield Library

    East Coast Bays Library

    Waitākere Central |
    Te Kōpua

    Central/East Region

     

    Central City Library

    Mt Albert Library

    Onehunga Library

    Botany Library
     

    South Region

     

    Māngere Bridge Library

    Manurewa Library

    Papatoetoe Library

     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “Hong Kong Filmography Volume IX” now on sale (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    “Hong Kong Filmography Volume IX” now on sale  
         The Hong Kong Filmography series aims at outlining the history of Hong Kong cinema and offering readers a valuable resource for further research by providing information of Hong Kong films, including genres, release dates, production companies, casts and crews, synopses, filmmakers’ notes, film stills and more. The Hong Kong Filmography series, from Volume I (revised edition) to Volume VIII, covers over 7,000 films produced between 1914 and 1979. The newly released Volume IX documents 339 Hong Kong films from 1980 to 1982, including 328 fiction films and 11 documentaries.
     
         The 1980s was a golden era for Hong Kong films. In the early part of the decade, local films outperformed foreign ones at the box office. Well-developed cinema circuits competed fiercely with one another, while Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest and Cinema City stood out as the three major film production companies. In addition, an increase in the volume of film productions, the numerous acclaimed works of the emerging new wave directors, and the establishment of the Hong Kong Film Awards were all testaments to the vibrancy of the local film industry during this period.
     
         Hong Kong Filmography Volume IX is printed in traditional Chinese, with 240 pages including six full-colour pages. It is priced at $280 and now available at the HKFA box office. From now until July 31, during the period of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2025, a 10 per cent discount is available for a purchase of two or more copies of the Hong Kong Filmography series at the HKFA box office while stocks last. For more details on the publication and sales outlets, please visit: https://www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/rp-hk-filmography-series.html 
         This year, the LCSD presents the third Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, themed “More Than Joy”. For more information, please visit     www.pcf.gov.hk/enIssued at HKT 12:55

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: West Coast warrants

    Source: New Zealand Police

    West Coast Police have executed 10 search warrants across the Westport and Greymouth area this week, in relation to organised crime in the wider region.

    West Coast staff worked alongside colleagues from the Te Waipounamu Gang Distribution Unit (GDU) and the Tasman District Organised Crime Unit (TDOCU).

    While undertaking the warrants Police located :
    – More than a kilo of cannabis
    – A vehicle sought in relation to a hit and run crash
    – A pistol
    – An illegal bar operating.

    Two men appeared at Greymouth District Court on Wednesday the 28th May charged with Assaults police and Possession of cannabis for supply, to further appear on the 18th June.

    Two more men will appear at Greymouth District Court on Wednesday the 4th June, facing charges of Unlawful possession of a firearm and Operating a bar without a licence.

    Police have gained further information from the execution of these warrants and further arrests have not been ruled out.

    West Coast Area Commander, Inspector Hamish Chapman says, “The activities this week demonstrate the commitment Police has to drive down and disrupt organised and gang related crime and the harm it has on our communities.”

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: High Arctic Overseas Announces 2025 First Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — High Arctic ‎Overseas Holdings Corp. (TSXV: HOH) (“High Arctic Overseas” or the “Corporation”) has released its first quarter 2025 financial and operating results. The unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements (the “Financial Statements”) and management’s discussion & analysis (“MD&A”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All amounts are denominated in United States dollars (“USD”), unless otherwise indicated.

    The common shares of the Corporation began trading on the TSXV on August 16, 2024 under the trading symbol HOH.

    Mike Maguire, Chief Executive Officer commented on the Corporation’s first quarter 2025 financial and operating results:

    “Having established High Arctic Overseas Holdings Corp. with dedicated Management and a resilient core business, this Corporation is well placed to participate meaningfully in anticipated future major project developments.

    Our experience combined with ideal drilling equipment for the challenging PNG environment positions us well.

    I remain excited about our prospects to play a strategic role servicing the major projects anticipated in PNG over the second half of the decade.”

    2025 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

    • Drilling rig 103 remains suspended and drilling rigs 115 and 116 remain cold-stacked;
    • Manpower and rental services maintained similar activity levels to Q4 2024;
    • Revenue and operating margins significantly reduced compared to Q1 2024, largely as a result of rig 103 operating in Q1 2024 versus being suspended in Q1 2025; and
    • Disciplined cashflow management resulted in exiting Q1 2025 with working capital of over $20 million.

    Business strategy

    Our business strategy focused on Papua New Guinea is underpinned by the following cornerstones:

    • Leveraging our core PNG planning and logistics capability to diversify ‎our service offerings;
    • Deploying idle assets into profitable operations;
    • Strengthening local content & participation in the PNG finance and investment communities;
    • An established and efficient corporate structure; and
    • Seeking opportunities to expand and root the business in the Australasian region.

    2025 Strategic Objectives

    • Relentless focus on safety excellence and quality service delivery;
    • Reduce general and administrative expenditures;
    • Grow the manpower business in Papua New Guinea;
    • Maximize potential participation in future major Papua New Guinea projects; and
    • Pursue expansionary transactions that increase shareholder value.

    Since the Corporation and HAES-Cyprus were both wholly-owned by HWO, the transfer of all of the outstanding ordinary shares of HAES-Cyprus to the Corporation was deemed a common control transaction. The Corporation’s Financial Statements are presented under the continuity of interests basis. Financial and operational results contained within this Press Release present the historic financial position, results of operations and cash flows of HAES-Cyprus for all prior periods up to August 12, 2024, under HWO’s control. The financial position, results of operations and cash flows from April 1, 2024 (the date of incorporation of the Corporation) to August 12, 2024, include both HAES-Cyprus and the Corporation on a combined basis and from August 12, 2024, forward include the results of the Corporation on a consolidated basis upon completion of the Arrangement.

    For reporting purposes in the Financial Statements, the MD&A and this Press Release, it is assumed that the Corporation held the PNG business prior to August 12, 2024, and as such, information provided includes the financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2025, including all comparative periods.

    In the above results discussion, the three months ended March 31, 2025 may be referred to as the “quarter” or “Q1 2025” and the comparative three months ended March 31, 2024 may be referred to as “Q1 2024”. References to other quarters may be presented as “QX 20XX” with X/XX being the quarter/year to which the commentary relates.

    FIRST QUARTER 2025 SELECT FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL RESULTS OVERVIEW

        Three months ended March 31,
    (thousands of USD except per share amounts)       2025     2024  
    Operating results:        
    Revenue       2,510     11,134  
    Net income (loss)       (1,225)     2,501  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.10)   $0.20  
    Operating margin (3)       714     4,315  
    Operating margin as a % of revenue (3)       28.4%     38.8%  
    EBITDA (3)       (286)     3,588  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.02)   $0.29  
    Adjusted EBITDA (3)       (202)     3,530  
    Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenue (3)       (8.0%)     31.7%  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.02)   $0.28  
    Operating income (loss) (3)       (998)     2,720  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.08)   $0.22  
    Cash flow:        
    Cash flow from operating activities       (825)     5,348  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.07)   $0.43  
    Funds flow from operations (3)       (256)     3,314  
    Per share (basic and diluted) (1)(2)     ($0.02)   $0.27  
    Capital expenditures       74     550  
         
    (thousands of USD except per share amounts and common
    shares outstanding)    		     March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
    Financial position:        
    Working capital (3)       20,212     20,602  
    Cash and cash equivalents       13,902     14,930  
    Total assets       34,133     35,287  
    Shareholder’s equity       29,766     30,953  
    Per share (4)     $2.39   $2.49  
    Common shares outstanding       12,448,166     12,448,166  
    (1)  For periods when the Corporation incurred a net loss the shares outstanding under the Corporation’s equity incentive plans for the periods presented are excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average number of common shares as the outstanding options were anti-dilutive.
    (2)  For the purposes of computing per share amounts, the number of common shares outstanding for the periods prior to the Arrangement is deemed to be the number of shares issued by the Corporation to the shareholders of HWO upon completion of the Arrangement. See “2024 Corporate Reorganization” section of this Press Release and the Corporation’s Financial Statements for additional details.
    (3)  Readers are cautioned that Operating margin, Operating margin as a % of revenue, EBITDA (Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization), Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenue, Operating income (loss), Funds flow from operations and Working capital do not have a standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. See “Non IFRS Measures” in this Press Release for additional details on the calculations of these measures.
    (4)  Shareholders’ equity per share calculated based on the number of common shares outstanding as at the relevant date.
     

    Operating Results

        Three months ended March 31,
    (thousands of USD, unless otherwise noted)     2025   2024  
    Revenue     2,510   11,134  
    Operating expenses     (1,796)   (6,819)  
    Operating margin (1)     714   4,315  
    Operating margin percentage (1)     28.4%   38.8%  
    (1)   See “Non-IFRS Measures”
     

    Customer-owned rig 103 has been suspended since the second half of 2024 compared to being operational in the first 5.5 months in 2024. As such, the majority of Q1 2025 revenue is from the provision of equipment rental and skilled personnel to key customers within PNG’s oil and gas industry. While minor, the Corporation is seeing increased equipment rental revenues from other industries within PNG. As noted above, revenues for Q1 2024, were inclusive of rig 103 drilling activities plus revenue from the provision of equipment rental and skilled personnel into PNG’s oil and gas industry.

    The Corporation owns two heli-portable drilling rigs (Rigs 115 and 116) which remain preserved and maintained ready for deployment.

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

        Three months ended March 31,
    (thousands of USD)     2025   2024  
    Cash provided by (used in) operations:        
    Operating activities     (825)   5,348  
    Investing activities     (74)   (550)  
    Financing activities     (117)   (124)  
    Effect of foreign exchange rate changes     (12)   –  
    Increase (decrease) in cash     (1,028)   4,674  
    (thousands of USD, unless otherwise noted)     As at
    March 31, 2025    		   As at
    Dec 31, 2024    		  
    Current assets     24,230   24,706  
    Working capital(1)     20,212   20,602  
    Working capital ratio(1)     6.0:1   6.0:1  
    Cash and cash equivalents     13,902   14,930  
     (1)  See “Non-IFRS Measures”
     

    Liquidity and Capital Resources
    Cashflows from Operating Activities

    For the three months ended March 31, 2025, cash used in operating activities was $825 (Q1 2024 – cash generated was $5,348). The change in operating cash flow was driven by reduced revenue generating activities and changes in non-cash working capital. Changes in non-cash working capital are listed in Note 13 of the Financial Statements and represent temporary differences as inventory is purchased in support of anticipated sales, deferred revenue is earned and related party balances post the Arrangement.

    Cashflows from Investing Activities

    For the three months ended March 31, 2025, cash used in investing activities was $74 (Q1 2024 – $550). Cash outflows associated with investing activities were directed towards capital expenditures for additional rental assets. The Corporation continues to seek opportunities to invest in additional capital assets, in particular where it can do so with support of customer take-or-pay agreements.

    Cash flows from Financing Activities

    For the three months ended March 31, 2025, cash used in financing activities was $117 (Q1 2024 – $124). Cash outflows associated with finance activities were directed towards lease obligation payments.

    Outlook

    Consistent with the outlook provided by the Corporation in Q4 2024 the outlook for the Corporation’s core business in PNG for the remainder of 2025 remains subdued. Current quarter operating results were largely driven by manpower and rental services delivered to its key customers in PNG’s oil and gas industry. With no near-term drilling activity currently contracted, the Corporation expects equipment rental and manpower to continue as the primary revenue generating activity for 2025. The second half of 2025 is expected to see a decline in these activities as certain projects supported by the Corporation are expected to conclude, and customers have deferred non-essential work as they realize low and volatile near-term commodity prices.

    The Corporation is buoyed by an increase in recent enquiries for services and requests for pricing which may lead to a future upswing in revenue generating activity. The Corporation remains engaged with its principal customer on planning for future drilling activity and continues to focus on enhancing and optimizing its existing rental fleet deployment and manpower solutions offerings. The Corporation also continues to pursue business expansion opportunities in PNG, participating in requests for tender and actively engaging with potential customers for its services in PNG and the wider region while also taking actions to protect its capability to realize the future potential of the business.

    Our rationale for a business strategy focussed on PNG is unchanged. Papua New Guinea possesses substantial deposits of natural resources including significant reserves of oil and natural gas and has emerged as a reliable low-cost energy exporter to Asian markets, particularly for liquefied natural gas (“LNG”). A significant investment in the country’s oil and gas industry was evidenced by the successful construction of the PNG-LNG project in 2014, with the primary partners in the venture being customers of the Corporation. In the period following, the Corporation’s predecessor company committed to the purchase and upgrade of drilling rigs 115 and 116 and expansion of the Corporation’s fleet of rentable equipment including camps, material handling equipment and worksite matting. These investments contributed to a substantive lift in revenues and earnings as PNG enjoyed its highest period of exploration and development activity.

    Since the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, there has been a substantive reduction in drilling services in PNG. This follows some consolidation among the active exploration and production companies and evolving political and economic influences. In the longer term, High Arctic believes PNG is on the precipice of a new round of large-scale projects in the natural resources sector. ‎The next significant ‎LNG project currently being planned is Papua-LNG, a project lead by the French oil and gas super-major TotalEnergies, with a final investment decision anticipated in late 2025. There is an expectation for increased drilling activity through the latter half of this decade, ‎not only to develop wells for the supply of gas to the Papua-LNG export facility, but also to explore for and ‎appraise other discoveries. The signing of a fiscal stability agreement between the P’nyang gas field joint venture and the government of PNG is another positive signal for that expansionary project to follow Papua-LNG.

    The Corporation is strategically positioned to support these developments, given its dominant position for drilling and associated services in PNG, existing work relationships with the operating companies, and proximity to the proposed sites of operation. The Corporation’s drilling rigs 115 and 116 are portable by helicopter and have been maintained and preserved for future use.

    There are a number of other petroleum projects and substantive nation-building projects including infrastructure, ‎electrification, telecommunications and defense projects planned for the development of PNG. ‎These ‎projects will require access to transport and material handling machinery, quality worksite and temporary ‎road mats and a substantive amount of labour including skilled equipment operators, qualified tradespeople and engineers, ‎geoscientists and other professionals. ‎High Arctic’s business continues to position itself to be a meaningful supplier of services, equipment and manpower for this market.

    NON-IFRS MEASURES

    This Press Release contains references to certain financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and may not be comparable to the same or similar measures used by other companies. High Arctic Overseas uses these financial measures to assess performance and believes these measures provide useful supplemental information to shareholders and investors. These financial measures are computed on a consistent basis for each reporting period and include Oilfield services operating margin, EBITDA (Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization), Adjusted EBITDA, Operating loss, Funds flow from operating activities, Working capital and Net cash. These do not have standardized meanings.

    These financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss), cash from operating activities, current assets or current liabilities, cash and/or other measures of financial performance as determined in accordance with IFRS.

    For additional information regarding non-IFRS measures, including their use to management and investors and reconciliations to measures recognized by IFRS, please refer to the Corporation’s Q1 2025 MD&A, which is available online at www.sedarplus.ca.

    About High Arctic ‎Overseas Holdings Corp.

    High Arctic Overseas is a market leader in Papua New Guinea providing drilling ‎and specialized well completion services, manpower solutions and supplies rental equipment including rig matting, camps, material ‎handling and drilling support equipment.

    For further information, please contact:

    Mike Maguire
    Chief Executive Officer
    1.587.320.1301

    High Arctic Overseas Holdings Corp.
    Suite 2350, 330–5th Avenue SW
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 0L4
    www.higharctic.com
    Email: info@higharctic.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This Press Release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “seek”, “propose”, “estimate”, “expect”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Corporation’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Corporation’s actual results, performance, or achievements to vary from those described in this Press Release.

    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this Press Release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Specific forward-looking statements in this Press Release include, among others, statements pertaining to the following: general economic and business conditions; the role of the energy services industry in future phases of the energy industry; the outlook for energy services both globally and within PNG; the impact of conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine; the timing and impact on the Corporation’s business related to potential new large-scale natural resources projects and increased drilling activity in PNG; the impact, if any, related to existing or future changes to government regulations by the government of PNG; the impact, if any, on the Corporation’s future financial and operational results related to non-resource development opportunities in PNG; market fluctuations in commodity prices, and foreign currency exchange rates; restrictions on repatriation of funds held in PNG; expectations regarding the Corporation’s ability to manage its liquidity risk; raise capital and manage its debt finance agreements; projections of market prices and costs; factors upon which the Corporation will decide whether or not to undertake a specific course of operational action or expansion; the Corporation’s ongoing relationship with its major customers; customers’ drilling intentions; the Corporation’s ability to position itself to be a significant supplier of services, equipment and manpower for other resource and non-resources based projects in PNG; the Corporation’s expectations related to financial and operational results in 2025, including the expectation that the equipment rental and manpower services portion of the Corporation’s business will be the primary revenue generating activity for fiscal 2025; the timing and ability of the Corporation to put its own administrative infrastructure in place; the Corporation’s ability to invest in additional capital assets, including the impact on the Corporation’s future financial and operational results; the impact, if any, of geo-political events, changes in government, changes to tariff’s or related trade policies and the potential impact on the Corporation’s ability to execute on its 2025 business plan and strategic objectives; the ability of the Corporation to expand its geographic customer base outside of PNG, and the deploying idle heli-portable drilling rigs 115 and 116 and securing future work with other exploration companies in PNG.

    With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release, the Corporation has made assumptions regarding, among other things, its ability to: maintain its ongoing relationship with major customers; successfully market its services to current and new customers; devise methods for, and achieve its primary objectives; source and obtain equipment from suppliers; successfully manage, operate, and thrive in an environment which is facing much uncertainty; remain competitive in all its operations; attract and retain skilled employees; and obtain equity and debt financing on satisfactory terms and manage liquidity related risks.

    The Corporation’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors set forth in this Press Release and in the Corporation’s annual 2024 MD&A, which is available on SEDAR+.

    The forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. These statements are given only as of the date of this Press Release. The Corporation does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the ‎policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • Without Musk, DOGE likely to fizzle out, says ex-staffer

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Without billionaire Elon Musk in the Trump administration, his cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency project is likely to sputter out, a former DOGE staffer said in his first interview since leaving the team.

    Tesla CEO Musk announced on Wednesday evening that he was ending his time as a special government employee but vowed that DOGE would continue without him. Administration media representatives also said in statements to Reuters that DOGE would continue its work.

    DOGE has overseen job cuts at nearly every federal agency as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempts to shake up the federal bureaucracy.

    However, software engineer Sahil Lavingia, who spent almost two months working for the group of pro-Musk technologists, said he expects DOGE to quickly “fizzle out.”

    “It’ll just die a whimper,” Lavingia, who was fired from DOGE earlier this month, told Reuters. “So much of the appeal and allure was Elon.” He said he expected DOGE staffers to “just stop showing up to work. It’s like kids joining a startup that will go out of business in four months.”

    That would cap a remarkable undoing for DOGE, which Musk initially vowed would cut $2 trillion in federal spending. Instead, DOGE estimates its efforts have saved around $175 billion so far and the group’s tallies have been riddled with errors.

    “DOGE is integral to the federal government’s operations, and its mission, as established by the President’s executive order, will continue under the direction of agency and department heads in the Trump administration,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said.

    Lavingia, the 32-year-old founder and CEO of creator platform Gumroad, said he was recruited by DOGE through a personal contact and joined the team in March.

    While he said he was proud of certain achievements at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including modernizing the agency’s internal artificial-intelligence chatbot, he said he was often at a loss about what work he was expected to do.

    “I got dropped into the VA with an HP laptop. What are we supposed to do? What is the road map?” Lavingia said he asked, to no avail. “I felt like I was being pranked.”

    Veterans Affairs press secretary Pete Kasperowicz said in a statement to Reuters: “VA looks forward to continuing to work with its DOGE liaisons to help the department improve its performance, customer service, and convenience to Veterans.”

    Lavingia said Steve Davis, the president of Musk’s tunneling enterprise the Boring Company, ran day-to-day operations while Turkish-born venture capitalist Baris Akis helped with DOGE recruitment and DOGE logistics.

    When instructions did come through, they were usually communicated through phone calls or small chats on the encrypted Signal messaging app that would typically auto-delete in one day, Lavingia said.

    Lavingia said instructions included moving faster to increase mass layoffs at the VA, the federal government’s second-largest agency.

    The only time he met Musk, Lavingia said, was at an all-hands meeting in March with what he estimated was between 40 and 60 fellow DOGE staffers.

    Lavingia said he asked to open-source, or make freely available, some of his computer code, which Musk approved.

    He then asked if they could livestream DOGE meetings to increase transparency.

    “Elon said: ‘That’s a great idea. We’ll do it next week.’ He then caught himself and said: ‘Maybe we pre-record it because of security risks.’”

    Lavingia said he never heard back.

    In early May, after he spoke to media outlet Fast Company about working at DOGE, Lavingia said his computer access was revoked in what amounted to a firing. He said Musk and team leaders never explicitly told him he should not talk to journalists.

    “My DOGE days were over,” Lavingia wrote in a blog about his experience.

    (Reuters)

  • Trump aims to exceed first term’s weapons sales to Taiwan, officials say

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The United States plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding President Donald Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the democratic island, according to two U.S. officials.

    If U.S. arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump’s commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense U.S.-China relationship.

    The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expect U.S. approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump’s first term, with one of the officials saying arms sales notifications to Taiwan could “easily exceed” that earlier period.

    They also said the United States is pressing members of Taiwan’s opposition parties not to oppose the government’s efforts to increase defense spending to 3% of the island’s budget.

    The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately $18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around $8.4 billion during Joe Biden’s term, according to Reuters calculations.

    The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei.

    Even so, many in Taiwan, which China claims as its own, worry that Trump may not be as committed to the island as past U.S. presidents.

    On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei.

    China has vowed to “reunify” with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.

    The U.S. officials said administration officials and Trump himself were committed to “enhancing hard deterrence” for Taiwan.

    “That’s where the president is. That’s where all of us are,” one U.S. official said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when Taiwan secured domestic funding.

    Taiwan’s Presidential Office told Reuters the government is determined to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defense spending.

    “Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the United States,” Presidential Office spokesperson Wen Lii said.

    Taiwan’s defense ministry declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by the island’s defense minister, Wellington Koo, about the importance of “solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies.”

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: McClay to champion NZ’s trade interests at OECD and in Brussels

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Europe this weekend to advance New Zealand’s trade and investment interests 

    Minister McClay will visit Switzerland, Paris and Brussels for high level ministerial and business meetings.  

    In Switzerland he will attend the first in person meeting of a new pro-trade group with ministers from UAE, Singapore and Switzerland where he will focus on removing trade barriers and the promotion of paperless trade. 

    In Paris he will attend the annual OECD Trade Ministers, a CPTPP ministers discussion, ACCTs Ministers meeting, and a WTO Mini Ministerial meeting. He will also hold discussions with ministers from Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, USA.

    He will also undertake a bilateral French programme and meet the French Minister responsible for Trade.

    In Brussels Mr McClay will hold talks with EU Commissioner for Trade, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, and EU Vice President responsible for sustainability.  He will also speak at an event to mark the first year of the NZ EU FTA. 

    “One in four Kiwi jobs depend on Trade, and strong trade relationships mean more opportunities for New Zealander.

    The Government’s is committed to the ambitious goal of doubling exports by value in the next ten years to deliver higher paying jobs for all New Zealanders,” Mr McClay says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • Judge blocks Trump ban on Harvard’s international students

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A federal judge said on Thursday she would extend an order blocking President Donald Trump’s administration from immediately revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, a victory for the Ivy League school that is entangled in multiple battles with the administration.

    U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston announced her intention to issue a preliminary injunction, six days after she first granted Harvard a temporary order blocking the Trump administration’s move.

    As the court hearing unfolded on Thursday morning, thousands of Harvard students were receiving their degrees at the school’s commencement ceremony on campus about 5 miles (8 km) away.

    University President Alan Garber, who received a standing ovation, welcomed graduating students “from down the street, across the country and around the world,” drawing applause for the last words.

    “Around the world – just as it should be,” he added.

    The Trump administration has launched a multifront attack on the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university, freezing billions of dollars in grants and other funding, proposing to end its tax-exempt status and opening an investigation into whether it discriminated against white, Asian, male or straight employees or job applicants.

    Revoking Harvard’s ability to enroll international students would be damaging, the school says. More than a quarter of the student body is international; nearly 60% of the graduate students at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School hail from other countries.

    The attack on Harvard is part of the administration’s broader effort to pressure higher education institutions to align with its policy agenda.

    On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would start “aggressively” revoking visas issued to Chinese students attending U.S. schools, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in critical fields, which he did not specify.

    More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of U.S. colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for U.S. technology companies. The decision prompted despair and frustration among students who have offers to attend next year.

    Prior to Rubio’s announcement, the offensive against U.S. colleges had largely been confined to Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, which it has accused of left-wing bias and antisemitism.

    Lynn Pasquerella, president of the advocacy group American Association of Colleges and Universities, said the Trump administration’s targeting of international students would have negative consequences for schools and the U.S.

    “Chinese students, in particular, now that they’re being faced with hyper-scrutiny, are looking elsewhere,” she said. “That is a huge loss for us. It’s a brain drain.”

    JUDGE SKEPTICAL

    The court hearing before Burroughs took place shortly after the administration softened its stance in an apparent effort to refute Harvard’s legal arguments in advance.

    Late Wednesday night, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a notice to Harvard saying it would now give the university 30 days to submit evidence contesting the administration’s plan to revoke Harvard’s right to enroll non-U.S. students.

    The notice signaled a change in course for DHS, which had said last week that the revocation was effective immediately. In its lawsuit challenging the move, Harvard argued that DHS had violated federal administrative procedure.

    During the court hearing, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Tiberius Davis argued there was now no need for a court order blocking the administration’s actions, since Harvard could challenge them via an administrative process.

    But Burroughs, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama, said she believed a broad preliminary injunction protecting Harvard and students was necessary while that process played out.

    She expressed skepticism that Harvard’s fate would be any different at its conclusion, saying, “Aren’t we still going to end up back here at the same place?”

    She also questioned whether the administration had fully complied with her temporary restraining order, pointing to a declaration Harvard submitted on Wednesday that said visas for incoming students had been recently revoked.

    Burroughs said the temporary order would remain in effect while lawyers for both sides negotiate over the terms of the injunction.

    Harvard has called DHS’s action part of an “unprecedented and retaliatory attack on academic freedom.” The school is pursuing a separate lawsuit challenging the administration’s decision to terminate nearly $3 billion in federal research funding.

    Harvard argues the Trump administration is retaliating against it for refusing to accede to its demands to control the school’s governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students.

    In announcing the initial decision to revoke Harvard’s certification, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, without providing evidence, accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”

    She accused the school of refusing to comply with wide-ranging requests for information on its student visa holders, including whether they engaged in any activity that was illegal, violent or subjected them to discipline.

    The department’s move would prevent Harvard from enrolling new international students and require existing ones to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI China: NHC vice-minister visits Hong Kong, Macao

    Source: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Health

    Cao Xuetao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission (NHC), led a delegation to the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions from May 25 to 28.

    During his stay in Hong Kong, Cao addressed the opening ceremonies of the 2025 Hospital Authority Convention and the Asia Summit on Global Health. In his speeches, he focused on latest developments and priorities for the health sector on the Chinese mainland as well as achievements in participating in global health governance. He said he hoped to deepen practical cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong in professional fields, and promote scientific and technological innovation and the development of the health industry so as to jointly build a Healthy China and address global health challenges. The delegation also visited the State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology and the State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

    In Macao, Cao met with Sam Hou-fai, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, and O Lam, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao. Discussions focused on advancing practical health cooperation projects between the mainland and Macao, supporting the development of Macao’s big health industry and jointly participating in global health governance. Cao also conducted on-site research on the operations of the Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, an islands healthcare complex, acknowledging its current achievements and offering suggestions for future development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police to have visible presence in Central Hawke’s Bay over long weekend

    Source: New Zealand Police

    To be attributed to Inspector Lincoln Sycamore, Hawke’s Bay Area Commander:

    Hawke’s Bay Police will be maintaining a visible presence in Central Hawke’s Bay over King’s Birthday Weekend, with a large gathering of gang members taking place in the area.

    While the gathering will take place over the weekend at a marae that is away from main roads, Police do expect some travel around Central Hawke’s Bay by the gang members, particularly on the morning of Sunday 1 June.

    Hawke’s Bay Police have planning in place to minimise disruption to Central Hawke’s Bay residents, as well as holidaymakers visiting our region for King’s Birthday weekend.

    We have spoken to those organising the gathering and encourage all attendees to respect our local communities and not engage in any unsafe driving behaviour or unlawful activity.

    If anyone does witness unsafe driving behaviour or unlawful activity, please report it immediately to 111.

    ENDS
     

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST meets government financial officials and financial leaders in Ottawa and Vancouver (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, met with Canadian financial officials in Ottawa, Canada on May 28 (Ottawa time) and continued his visit to Vancouver on May 29 (Vancouver time).

    Mr Hui went to Ottawa on May 28 (Ottawa time) to meet with the Canadian Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Chris Forbes. They discussed the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, and how Hong Kong and Canada could collaborate to achieve mutual benefits in areas such as the gold market and virtual assets. Mr Hui told Mr Forbes that as the global economic gravity continues to shift eastwards, Hong Kong has been exploring new growth areas and expanding international co-operation, including the development of international gold trading currently pursued by the working group on promoting gold market development. 
    Mr Hui then met with Senator Mr Woo Yuen-pau at the Parliament Hill. He briefed Mr Woo on Hong Kong’s effort in maintaining its status as an international financial centre through various measures. He mentioned the recent affirmations of Hong Kong’s credit ratings by Fitch, S&P and Moody’s, all with “stable” outlooks. These affirmations fully demonstrate Hong Kong’s resilience in maintaining stability amid increasing global economic and financial uncertainties. In addition, both S&P and Moody’s provided positive evaluations of Hong Kong’s credit profile, including its substantial fiscal buffers and foreign exchange reserves, a strong external balance sheet, and high per-capita income levels. Mr Hui said, with its effective policy framework and solid financial market built over the years, Hong Kong is definitely a trusted partner for Canada at a time when the global political and economic landscape is fraught with uncertainties.  
    On May 29 (Vancouver time), Mr Hui started his visit to Vancouver where he met with Mr Mark Scott who is the Board Chair of Fraser Institute, the most influential think-tank in Canada, and some other prominent business figures to update them of Hong Kong’s latest financial development. The Director, Head (Policy Research) of the Financial Services Development Council, Dr Rocky Tung, also joined the meeting. Mr Hui welcomed that Hong Kong was ranked as the world’s freest economies among 165 economies in Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World 2024 Annual Report. Among the five areas of assessment, Hong Kong topped in the areas of “Freedom to trade internationally” and “Regulation”, and came third in “Sound money”. Looking ahead, Hong Kong will continue to undertake a series of initiatives covering areas in which it has competitive edges, including stocks, bonds, and asset and wealth management, as well as emerging opportunities such as green and sustainable finance and the development of Web3, with a view to keeping the momentum to boost the high-quality development of Hong Kong’s financial market.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gazettal of Chinese Permanent Cemeteries (Amendment) Rules 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Gazettal of Chinese Permanent Cemeteries (Amendment) Rules 2025 
    The Amendment Rules mainly allow the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries (BMCPC) to implement arrangements for extendable niches, where the initial interment period is 20 years, which upon expiry may be extended every 10 years thereafter. The Amendment Rules also allow the BMCPC to develop a new facility: Family Gardens for Ashes, set fees relevant to the operation of the BMCPC, and introduce other technical amendments relevant to the operations of its cemeteries.
     
    A spokesperson for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau said, “The amendments aim to optimise the BMCPC’s management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries and the related arrangements. Implementation of the extendable niches arrangement will contribute to the circulation of niches and hence be conducive to meeting the growing public demand for niches in the long term. Separately, the development of Family Gardens for Ashes will allow the BMCPC to optimise the use of idle grave spaces in less accessible locations, thereby further enriching the options on cemetery services that it provides.”
     
    The Amendment Rules will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on June 4 and will commence on August 1. 
    Issued at HKT 12:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Have your say on the City’s new website

    Source: South Australia Police

    The City of Wanneroo is building a new website and we want your help to make it better.

    Our aim is to create a modern, user-friendly website that makes it easier for you to find information and access services online. To make sure it works for everyone, we’re asking our community to get involved.

    Have your say

    Take our short survey to tell us what you want from the new website. Your feedback will help shape the design and how the site works. The survey is open now and closes on Friday 20 June 2025.

    Join our reference group

    We’re also looking for 12 community members to join a reference group. This group will take part in workshops and testing to make sure the site is easy to use and accessible for all. We’re aiming for a diverse group that reflects our community.

    For more information and to get involved, visit the dedicated Your Say page. Need more help? Call us on 9405 5007 or email communityengagement@wanneroo.wa.gov.au

    There will be more chances to get involved as the project continues. Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: California’s ports face economic devastation as tariffs cripple trade with Asia-Pacific

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

    Ships loaded with containers are pictured at the Port of Los Angeles, California, the United States, on April 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    California’s ports are experiencing worse conditions than during the COVID-19 pandemic as U.S. President Donald Trump’s reckless trade war with China and other Asia-Pacific economies harmed the state’s economy, triggering widespread job losses and forcing billions of dollars in budget cuts.

    “The vessel calls, or cancellations, that we’re seeing today are starting to exceed the number that we saw in COVID-19,” Mario Cordero, chief executive of the Port of Long Beach, told CalMatters, an independent news agency focusing on California, in an interview published Wednesday.

    The Port of Long Beach alone supported 2,714,707 jobs across the United States, representing one out of every 77 American jobs, according to a comprehensive economic impact analysis completed on May 12 by the Port of Long Beach. In California, the port said it supported 1.1 million jobs, accounting for approximately five percent of the state’s total employment.

    Trade expert Paul Bingham of S&P Global Market Intelligence confirmed the unprecedented nature of the crisis during another recent interview with Cordero.

    “There’s nothing like this that any of us that are still active in our careers have seen before,” Bingham said. “From an economics perspective, we’d have to go back over 90 years to the 1930s to find tariff levels for the United States on a trade-weighted basis close to what they are right now.”

    The Golden State, the strongest state in the field of economy in the country, faced a 12-billion-U.S.-dollar budget deficit, with Governor Gavin Newsom directly blaming Trump’s “chaotic tariffs strategy” during his May 14 state budget announcement.

    The of Port Long Beach operations had seen dramatic deterioration. According to Cordero, the port received typically 20 container vessels weekly, but the number dropped to 14 vessels two weeks into May 2025 and current schedules showed only 18 this week.

    At the Port of Los Angeles, Executive Director Gene Seroka said during a media briefing that the facility had expected 80 ships to arrive in May, but 17 were subsequently canceled.

    The Port of Oakland in Northern California saw a 15 percent month-over-month drop in container activity in April, according to port spokesperson Matt Davis.

    The human cost also proved devastating across California’s supply chain network. Part-time port workers received no hours while full-time longshoremen struggled to reach 40 hours per week, according to Gary Herrera, president of the International Longshore Workers Union Local 13, speaking at a media briefing with Long Beach officials.

    Eric Tate, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 848 representing about 8,000 truck drivers in Southern California, said in May that some drivers worked only one to two days weekly.

    “When there’s no work for longshoremen, there’s very little work for us except gate monitoring,” Luisa Gratz, president of International Longshore Workers Union Local 26, told CalMatters. “It’s heartbreaking. It’s putting people out of work.”

    California has deep economic ties with the Asia-Pacific markets. Chinese goods account for 40 percent of imports at the Port of Los Angeles, 63 percent at the Port of Long Beach, and 45 percent at the Port of Oakland, according to CalMatters’ data.

    The Port of Long Beach’s economic impact analysis showed the facility generates 309 billion dollars in national gross domestic product (GDP) and 84.4 billion dollars in tax revenues annually.

    The agricultural sector, California’s economic backbone worth 59 billion dollars annually, faced significant losses. “We got hammered. We lost the whole Chinese market to Australia. At this point, I’m on the verge of losing everything,” Christine Gemperle, an almond farmer of Stanislaus County, told The Los Angeles Times last month.

    Almond prices crashed from 2.5 dollars per pound to 1.4 dollars per pound due to tariffs imposed by Trump during his first term in 2018, according to research from the University of California’s Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.

    Furthermore, the uncertainty caused by tariff policies has resulted in substantial economic damage for businesses, said experts.

    “The uncertainty here is not something because we have a virus we don’t understand, it’s the uncertainty around policy and what that has done to business, where there’s a lack of certainty, a lack of ability to plan has imposed costs on all of us,” Bingham said during his interview with Cordero.

    Economic analysts have warned of broader recession risks. The International Monetary Fund slashed its U.S. and global economic growth forecasts, citing Trump’s tariffs. Apollo Global Management’s chief economist, Torsten Slok, forecasts a “self-inflicted recession” by summer 2025, with layoffs spreading from trucking to retail.

    “You can’t put the toothpaste back into the tube — once you squeeze it, it’s out,” Constance Hunter, chief economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told The Washington Post on April 28.

    On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade invalidated Trump tariffs. In the ruling published on the court’s website, “The court holds for the foregoing reasons that IEEPA does not authorize any of the Worldwide, Retaliatory, or Trafficking Tariff Orders.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Delhi-NCR braces for rain, thunderstorms today as IMD issues orange alert

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Delhi-NCR is set to witness more rain and stormy weather on Friday, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the region, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds reaching speeds of 50-60 km/h. 

    According to the IMD forecast, partly cloudy skies will persist throughout the day, with light to moderate rainfall expected across various parts of the city. Maximum temperatures are likely to hover between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may range from 26 to 28 degrees Celsius.

    The alert was upgraded from yellow to orange following observations of intensified weather activity. On Thursday, parts of Delhi had already experienced light showers and gusty winds reaching up to 60 km/h.

    Friday could see stronger winds of up to 70 km/h, the IMD said, increasing the likelihood of waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and minor damage to infrastructure.

    The orange alert signifies potentially severe weather conditions that could disrupt normal life, prompting the public to remain cautious and take necessary precautions. The alert is issued when heavy rainfall is anticipated, typically exceeding 115.6 mm and up to 204.4 mm within 24 hours.

    Delhi has already witnessed an unprecedented 186.4 mm of rainfall so far this May, making it the wettest May on record for the city. This irregular precipitation pattern is linked to the early advancement of the southwest monsoon, which reached Kerala on May 24, a week ahead of schedule, and Mumbai on May 26, significantly earlier than its usual onset date of June 11.

    While the monsoon typically hits Delhi around June 27, the IMD has yet to specify when it will arrive in the capital this year. “We are closely monitoring the progress,” an IMD official said.

    Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Thursday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 151 at 4 p.m., slightly worse than the 133 measured at the same time a day earlier.

    Evening showers on Thursday brought temporary relief. However, the rainfall was not intense enough to significantly offset the prevailing humidity and heat. The IMD advises residents to stay indoors during stormy periods, avoid sheltering under trees, and secure loose outdoor items to prevent accidents or damage. (IANS)