NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Webinar: A JSA overview – The data tools, research and advice that can help you

    Source: Jobs and Skills Australia

    Webinar: A JSA overview – The data tools, research and advice that can help you

    Ebony


    News and updates
    Webinar: A JSA overview – The data tools, research and advice that can help you

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Show’s over for man arrested with instruments of burglary

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police have arrested a man committing a string of burglaries this morning in Napier, in what a local officer is calling great back-to-basics Police work.

    Senior Sergeant Su Robinson, Napier Response Manager, says: “At around 8am, a male was seen trying to open a person’s garage door, before leaving in a vehicle of interest.

    “Officers had seen the vehicle acting suspiciously earlier and quickly identified the driver as a person of interest, also.

    “Police were able to track the man to an industrial area where it is believed he was going to dispose of property stolen from another address.

    Senior Sergeant Robinson says the quick actions of Police meant officers were able to stop the vehicle and arrest the male without incident.

    “Using the knowledge we have around local people of interest, acting quickly, and using the technology we have available has led to an excellent result.

    “The community can be assured, their homes and property are safer due to actions taken,” Senior Sergeant Robinson says.

    The 51-year-old man is now facing two charges of burglary, one charge of possessing instruments for burglary, and one of receiving stolen property.

    The man was due to appear in Napier District Court today.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Regulatory Standards Bill passes first reading

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the passing of a Bill for transparent and principled lawmaking, with the Regulatory Standards Bill passing its first reading in Parliament today.
    “New Zealand’s low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation. To raise productivity, we must allow people to spend more time on productive activities and less time on compliance,” says Mr Seymour.  
    The Regulatory Standards Bill:

    provides a benchmark for good legislation through a set of principles of responsible regulation
    enables transparent assessment of the consistency of proposed and existing legislation with the principles
    establishes a Regulatory Standards Board to independently consider the consistency of proposed and existing legislation, and
    strengthens regulatory quality by supporting the Ministry for Regulation in its regulatory oversight role.

    “In a nutshell: If red tape is holding us back, because politicians find regulating politically rewarding, then we need to make regulating less rewarding for politicians with more sunlight on their activities. That is how the Regulatory Standards Bill will help New Zealand get its mojo back. It will finally ensure regulatory decisions are based on principles of good law-making and economic efficiency,” Mr Seymour says. 
    “Ultimately, this Bill will help the Government achieve its goal of improving New Zealand’s productivity by ensuring that regulated parties are regulated by a system which is transparent, has a mechanism for recourse, and holds regulators accountable to the people.
    “The law doesn’t stop politicians or their officials making bad laws, but it makes it transparent that they’re doing it. It makes it easier for voters to identify those responsible for making bad rules. Over time, it will improve the quality of rules we all have to live under by changing how politicians behave.
    “In a high-cost economy, regulation isn’t neutral – it’s a tax on growth. This Government is committed to clearing the path of needless regulations by improving how laws are made.”
    Notes to editors: The Regulatory Standards Bill can be found here: Regulatory Standards Bill 155-1 (2025), Government Bill Contents – New Zealand Legislation

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investment Boost tax incentive takes effect immediately

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    Investment Boost has passed into law, meaning a major new tax incentive to encourage businesses to invest, grow the economy, and lift wages is now in place, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
    “Investment Boost takes effect immediately. This means businesses that go out today and buy machinery or tools or equipment or vehicles or technology can immediately deduct 20 per cent of that cost from taxable income – meaning a much lower tax bill.
    “The feedback to Investment Boost has already been massive, with businesses telling us it will be a game-changer.
    “This change will benefit farmers, tradies, hairdressers, manufacturers, and other businesses by helping them invest in productivity improving assets. It is all designed to help firms become more competitive and, therefore, able to lift workers’ wages.
    “The Treasury and Inland Revenue estimate Investment Boost will improve economic growth, lifting New Zealand’s GDP by 1 per cent, wages by 1.5 per cent and our capital stock by 1.6 per cent over the next 20 years, with around half these gains expected in the first five years.
    “Investment Boost applies to new assets purchased in New Zealand as well as new and used assets imported from overseas. It includes commercial buildings but excludes land, residential buildings, and assets already in use in New Zealand.
    “There’s no cap on the value of eligible investments. All businesses, regardless of size, can benefit.
    “Investment Boost delivers more bang for buck than a company tax cut because it only applies to new investments, not those made in the past.
    “The policy will reward businesses who make new investments by reducing their tax bills in the year they purchase new assets. For example, with Investment Boost, an advanced manufacturing firm that purchases a $200,000 environmental test chamber would reduce its tax bill by more than $10,000 in the year of purchase.
    “After many difficult years, New Zealand is once again on a steady economic growth path, thanks to our careful economic management supporting lower inflation, lower interest rates, and more business-friendly policies.
    “Businesses have been knocked around by challenging local and international economic conditions. This tax incentive shows that we are backing them to succeed. 
    “Now is the right time to support New Zealand’s economic recovery by making it easier for businesses to invest, hire more workers, pay them better, and contribute more to our long-term prosperity. 
    “It is only through a strong economy we can create jobs, lift incomes and afford the frontline public services like schools, hospitals and Police that Kiwis deserve.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on May 22, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 6,19,034.06 5.78 1.00-6.03
         I. Call Money 19,706.01 5.85 4.85-5.90
         II. Triparty Repo 4,18,840.25 5.79 5.60-5.91
         III. Market Repo 1,78,992.80 5.78 1.00-6.03
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 1,495.00 5.93 5.90-6.00
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 84.50 5.77 5.45-5.90
         II. Term Money@@ 1,255.00 – 6.05-6.15
         III. Triparty Repo 3,348.00 5.82 5.75-5.90
         IV. Market Repo 695.06 5.85 5.85-5.85
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo Thu, 22/05/2025 1 Fri, 23/05/2025 4,341.00 6.01
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Thu, 22/05/2025 1 Fri, 23/05/2025 616.00 6.25
    4. SDFΔ# Thu, 22/05/2025 1 Fri, 23/05/2025 1,38,547.00 5.75
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -1,33,590.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo Thu, 17/04/2025 43 Fri, 30/05/2025 25,731.00 6.01
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,735.56  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     34,466.56  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -99,123.44  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on May 22, 2025 9,62,288.12  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending May 30, 2025 9,48,817.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ May 22, 2025 4,341.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 02, 2025 2,34,873.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    ^ As per the Press Release No. 2025-2026/91 dated April 11, 2025.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2025-2026/391

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling international students, threatens broader crackdown

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students on Thursday, and is forcing current foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, while also threatening to expand the crackdown to other colleges.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the department to terminate Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification effective for the 2025-2026 school year, the department said in a statement.

    Noem accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”

    Harvard said the move by the Trump administration – which affects thousands of students – was illegal and amounted to retaliation.

    The decision marked a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the elite Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has emerged as one of Trump’s most prominent institutional targets. The move came after Harvard refused to provide information that Noem demanded about some foreign student visa holders at Harvard, the department said.

    Harvard enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in the 2024-2025 school year, amounting to 27% of its total enrollment, according to university statistics.

    In 2022, Chinese nationals were the biggest group of foreign students at 1,016, university figures showed. After that were students from Canada, India, South Korea, Britain, Germany, Australia, Singapore and Japan.

    The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” Noem said in a statement.

    In a letter to the university, Noem gave Harvard “the opportunity” to regain its certification by turning over within 72 hours a raft of records about foreign students, including any video or audio of their protest activity in the past five years.

    Harvard called the government’s action “unlawful” and said it was “fully committed” to educating foreign students.

    “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the university said in a statement.

    Congressional Democrats denounced the revocation, with U.S. Representative Jaime Raskin calling it an “intolerable attack on Harvard’s independence and academic freedom” and saying it was government retaliation for Harvard’s previous resistance to Trump.

    Trump has already frozen some $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard in recent weeks, leading the university to sue to restore the funding.

    In a separate lawsuit related to Trump’s efforts to terminate the legal status of hundreds of foreign students across the U.S., a federal judge ruled on Thursday that the administration could not end their status without following proper regulatory procedures. It was not immediately clear how that ruling would affect the action against Harvard.

    During an interview with Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” Noem was asked if she was considering similar moves at other universities, including Columbia University in New York.

    “Absolutely, we are,” Noem said. “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”

    TRUMP TARGETS UNIVERSITIES

    Trump, a Republican, took office in January pledging a wide-ranging immigration crackdown. His administration has tried to revoke student visas and green cards of foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

    He has undertaken an extraordinary effort to revamp private colleges and schools across the U.S., claiming they foster anti-American, Marxist and “radical left” ideologies. He has criticized Harvard for hiring prominent Democrats for teaching or leadership positions.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Monday that it was terminating a further $60 million in federal grants to Harvard because it failed to address antisemitic harassment and ethnic discrimination.

    In a legal complaint filed earlier this month, Harvard said it was committed to combating antisemitism and had taken steps to ensure its campus is safe and welcoming to Jewish and Israeli students.

    Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council, a pro-immigration advocacy group, said the action against Harvard’s student visa program “needlessly punishes thousands of innocent students.”

    “None of them have done anything wrong, they’re just collateral damage to Trump,” he said on the social media site Bluesky.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Demand notes for Government rent issued

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Lands Department announced today (May 23) that demand notes for Government rent in excess of $100 per annum for the half year ending June 24 in respect of properties subject to the Government Leases Ordinance (Cap. 40) and certain other properties have been issued.

    Payers can settle Government rent through various electronic means, including autopay, bank automated teller machines, e-Cheque/e-Cashier’s Order, the Faster Payment System, payment by phone service (PPS), and bill payment services provided by banks and PPS on the Internet. Payment may also be made in person and in cash or through the Easy Pay System at designated convenience stores. For details, please visit the Treasury’s website at www.try.gov.hk.

    Payment may be made by sending a crossed cheque to PO Box No. 28000, Sham Shui Po Post Office, Hong Kong, or in person to any post office. Please ensure sufficient mailing time and postage to make the delivery in order. Underpaid mail will be rejected. For locations of post offices and their opening hours, please call Hongkong Post’s enquiry hotline at 2921 2222 or visit its website at www.hongkongpost.hk.

    Government rent payers who have not received their demand notes should enquire at the Government Rent and Premium Unit of the Lands Department at 1/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or call 2231 3033.

    Purchasers of properties are strongly advised to instruct their solicitors to ensure that Government rent has been paid to date at the time of purchase. Enquiries on outstanding accounts can be made at 2231 3033 or email to landsd@landsd.gov.hk. An enquiry fee is payable for each property if a written confirmation of accounts position is needed.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gazettal of amendments to subsidiary legislation relating to intellectual property registration and litigation matters

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government today (May 23) gazetted the Rules of the High Court (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2025, the Patents (General) (Amendment) Rules 2025, the Registered Designs (Amendment) Rules 2025 and the Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules 2025 to streamline the intellectual property (IP) litigation processes in the High Court and the proceedings before the statutory registries of the Intellectual Property Department (IPD).
     
         The three statutory registries of the IPD are responsible for registration matters of patents, registered designs and trade marks. The proceedings before and the operation of the registries are governed by the relevant IP subsidiary legislation. The amendments to the subsidiary legislation introduce provisions on the reference of proceedings to the court for determination, and enhance other proceedings before the registries and their operational arrangements.
     
         In addition, the Rules of the High Court (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2025 repeal the existing Orders 100 and 103 of the Rules of the High Court, substitute new Orders 100 and 103 and introduce a new Order 122. The new Orders respectively govern trade marks, patents and registered designs litigation processes in the Court of First Instance of the High Court, enabling more effective management and handling of cases by the High Court.
     
         “Establishing legal rights in IP through registration and enforcing such rights through litigation in court are essential elements of the IP system. The legislative amendments will further enhance Hong Kong’s IP legal framework, aligning with the national strategies of building an IP powerhouse and developing new quality productive forces. The legislative exercise is also one of the policy measures under the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a regional IP trading centre,” a spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said.
     
         The above amendments to the subsidiary legislation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on May 28 for negative vetting. Subject to the completion of the necessary legislative process, they will come into effect on October 1 this year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic and transport arrangements for Kai Tak Sports Park concerts on May 24 and 25

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Transport Department (TD) today (May 23) said that, to facilitate the holding of concerts at the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) on May 24 and 25 (hereunder referred to as event dates), special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented to provide convenience for spectators to travel to and from the KTSP. Cross-boundary travellers are urged to plan their journeys early and those who plan to return to the Mainland using cross-boundary coach services should purchase tickets in advance.

         As the traffic in the vicinity of the KTSP is expected to be heavy, concertgoers should opt for public transport and avoid driving. There will be no private car pick-up/drop-off area (PUDOA) for public use at the KTSP during the event period.

         For public transport services, the TD has co-ordinated with local and cross-boundary public transport operators to strengthen their services during the dispersal period on the event dates. The MTR will enhance the interval between trains of the Tuen Ma Line. Franchised bus companies will provide a total of 11 special bus routes at the Sung Wong Toi Road PUDOA to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange (PTI), the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port/Airport and major districts across the territory.

         In addition, the KTSP will arrange cross-boundary coach services during the dispersal period to facilitate travellers’ return to the Mainland via the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang (LMC/HG) Port. Passengers should purchase tickets in advance. On-site ticket sales will not be available during dispersal. They should refer to the operators’ website (Eternal East Bus: www.myeebus.com/eebusfans; CTG Bus: m.hkctgbus.com/#/layout/home) for the latest ticket information.

         For taxi services, the Sung Wong Toi Road PUDOA will be opened from 3pm to midnight for taxi pick-up/drop-off on the event dates. The waiting time will be longer amid an outflux of spectators during dispersal and passengers’ patience is appreciated.

         Of note, cross-boundary travellers should pay special attention that, according to the event organiser, this concert is expected to start and end slightly later than past events, and the last MTR train to Lo Wu Station via interchanging at Tai Wai Station on the East Rail Line (ERL) will depart from Sung Wong Toi Station at 10.59pm and Kai Tak Station at 11.01pm respectively. Those who opt for railway services should plan their journeys ahead and arrive at the station platform in advance. Travellers may also take the ERL to Sheung Shui Station and then the KMB route No. 276B or N73, or take the special bus route No. SP12 directly at the Sung Wong Toi Road PUDOA to the Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) PTI, and transfer to the LMC-HG cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) for their journey to the Mainland. As a large number of travellers may use the LMC/HG Port after the concert, it is expected to be very busy and the clearance time will be longer. Temporary traffic arrangements will be implemented along roads to the LMC/HG Port when necessary to ensure the smooth operation of public transport services. The TD has steered operators to reserve standby vehicles and manpower to meet passengers’ demand.

         Spectators are advised to heed the real-time information via the on-site broadcast and the “Easy Leave” platform (easyleave.police.gov.hk) as well as the latest traffic news through the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk), the “HKeMobility” mobile app and radio and television broadcasts.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong Ordinance takes effect upon gazettal

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government published in the Gazette today (May 23) The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong Ordinance (Ordinance), which takes effect on the same day. The Ordinance aims to protect the exclusive right to use the titles of The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and make technical amendments to other relevant enactments that are generally applicable to public hospitals or private healthcare facilities (PHFs), enabling these relevant provisions to apply equally to CMHHK under the same circumstances, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of CMHHK.

         CMHHK is scheduled to commence services in phases starting from the end of this year, marking an important milestone in the development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong. As a flagship CM institution in Hong Kong, CMHHK will undertake five key missions of development, namely the provision of government-subsidised and market-oriented healthcare services, training and education, research, collaboration, and creation of health values. CMHHK will also serve as a change-driver in close collaboration with the CM sector and stakeholders to drive the overall development of CM in Hong Kong, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the international community. 

         As a hospital controlled by the Health Bureau, CMHHK is neither a public hospital managed by the Hospital Authority under the Hospital Authority Ordinance (Cap. 113) nor a PHF specified under the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance (Cap. 633). References to “hospitals” in the existing legal provisions generally only include public hospitals or PHFs and therefore may not be applicable to CMHHK. In this connection, a number of technical amendments have been made to the Ordinance to ensure that other relevant enactments generally applicable to public hospitals or PHFs are also equally applicable to CMHHK under the same circumstances, meeting the practical operational needs of CMHHK.

         The Ordinance also specifies and offers protection for the Chinese title 香港中醫醫院 and the English title “The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong” of CMHHK, located at 1 Pak Shing Kok Road, Tseung Kwan O in the New Territories, with the titles intended for exclusive use by CMHHK. Any person who is involved in the unauthorised use of or unauthorised association with these titles commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000) upon conviction.

         To complement the implementation of the Ordinance, the Government and the operator of CMHHK will implement a series of support measures, including establishing a notification mechanism between the Health Bureau and the Companies Registry to refuse registration of company names with unauthorised association with CMHHK; conducting a series of promotional activities by the Health Bureau and the operator before CMHHK commences services in phases; uploading information about its partner organisations, among others, by CMHHK to its official website for public access; and the Health Bureau and CMHHK will immediately issue public announcements for clarification in case of suspicious cases of misleading or misappropriation of titles and will consider if enforcement action is required on a case-by-case basis; as well as reviewing the relevant penalties in a timely manner.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SITI at Opening Ceremony of HK Tech 300 Expo (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Opening Ceremony of HK Tech 300 Expo today (May 23):
     
    Chairman Ngai (Chairman of the Council, City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Mr Michael Ngai), President Boey (President and University Distinguished Professor of CityU, Professor Freddy Boey), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

    Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you today at the opening ceremony of the HK Tech 300 Expo and the launch ceremony of the HK Tech 300 International Start-up Competition.
     
    I would like to first commend City University of Hong Kong and its partners for their instrumental role in supporting young talent and nurturing deep-tech start-ups in our community. Today at the Expo, I am delighted to see approximately 300 innovative start-ups and projects incubated by the HK Tech 300 programme. These initiatives demonstrate their success in translating research and innovative ideas into practical applications. I am particularly encouraged to see the programme expanding its footprint into Mainland China, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
    　　
    Over the years, the Government has implemented various policies and made significant investments to nurture and enhance support for start-ups. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme was launched in 2023 to fund, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D (research and development) outcomes. I am pleased to see that several awarded CityU projects have already shown promising development and I look forward to seeing their research results in successful market applications.
     
    To attract more venture capital to co-invest in local I&T (innovation and technology) start-ups, we launched the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund enhanced scheme recently by redeploying up to $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market, also on a matching basis, to invest in start-ups of strategic industries, thereby empowering start-ups with more financing support. We are also preparing for the launch of the Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme to attract professional start-up service providers with proven track records in and beyond Hong Kong to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong to foster the robust growth of start-ups and enhance the I&T ecosystem.
     
    As I always emphasise, interactive collaboration between the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors is essential for Hong Kong’s I&T development. CityU and the HK Tech 300 programme play a crucial role in this, creating a vibrant ecosystem that fosters cross-disciplinary, cross-sector and cross-industry collaboration. We must continue our efforts to work together to support our young entrepreneurs, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship and opportunities they need to turn their ideas into impactful solutions, further bolstering the development of Hong Kong as an international I&T hub.　
       
    The start-up journey is undoubtedly challenging, but with the right direction and enthusiasm, even a small idea can have a significant impact and benefit society. I encourage all of you to stay creative and innovative, and I look forward to witnessing our start-ups to grow into gazelles, unicorns or even industry giants in the near future.
     
    In closing, may I wish you a fruitful and inspiring experience over the next two days at the HK Tech 300 Expo. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government proposes amendments to update regulations on merchant shipping for compliance with international standards

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government proposes amendments to update regulations on merchant shipping for compliance with international standards(b) Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Navigational Equipment and Safety of Navigation) Regulation (Cap. 369BA);
    (c) Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Construction and Survey) Regulation (Cap. 369BD);
    (d) Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Fire-fighting Appliances and Fire Protection) Regulation (Cap. 369BE);
    (e) Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Ships Operating in Polar Waters) Regulation (Cap. 369BF);
    (f) Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) Regulation (Cap. 548F);
    (g) Merchant Shipping (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations (Cap. 413C);
    (h) Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution) Regulation (Cap. 413P); and
    (i) Merchant Shipping (Control of Ballast Water and Sediments) Regulation (Cap. 413Q).
    A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said, “As an Associate Member of the IMO, Hong Kong is committed to fulfilling our responsibilities to support the protection of the marine environment and the prevention of pollution, as well as to promote safe navigation. The proposed legislative amendments will keep our local laws up to date and in line with international standards on those fronts.”Issued at HKT 11:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tenders invited for management, operation, installation and maintenance of public lighting system in Hong Kong Island and Islands

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Highways Department (HyD) today (May 23) invited tenders for a four-year term contract for the management, operation, installation and maintenance of the public lighting system in Hong Kong Island and Islands (Contract No. 01/HY/2025) from October 2025 to September 2029.
     
         The contract, which will be supervised by the Lighting Division of the HyD, covers the design, management, operation, installation and maintenance of the public lighting system in Hong Kong Island and Islands. The public lighting system generally consists of conventional road lighting, village lighting, gantry sign lighting, roadside directional sign lighting, public transport interchange lighting, underpass lighting and the associated cables, ducts, peripheral items and system. Within the designated contract area, there are about 31 400 road and village lighting points and about 900 lighting installations on illuminated gantry signs and roadside directional signs.
     
         Tenderers shall submit completed tenders in electronic format via the Electronic Tendering System for works contracts. In addition to the electronic submission, tenderers may opt to submit its tender in hard copy. Submission in hard copy is optional and it will not be used unless falling within the exceptions stated in the conditions of tender. The hard copy of the tender submission must be placed in the Government Secretariat Tender Box located at the lobby of the Public Entrance on G/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. Submission of tenders will close at noon on July 4, 2025 (Friday).
     
         For enquiries, please call the Chief Engineer/Lighting of the HyD at 3903 6550.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Very Hot Weather Warning issued

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Attention TV/radio announcers:

    Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

    The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning.

    To prevent heat stroke, avoid prolonged activities outdoors.

    If engaged in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible.

    Drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

    If you feel sick, consult a doctor right away.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Record visitors to Beyond Expo shows China’s tech momentum

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

    UBTech’s humanoid robots steal the show at Beyond Expo 2025’s opening ceremony in Macao, May 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

    The fifth annual Beyond Expo kicked off in the Macao Special Administrative Region this week with its biggest turnout yet, reflecting China’s rising prominence in global tech innovation.

    More than 1,200 exhibitors, 500 startups and 80 unicorn companies crammed into the Venetian Macao Cotai Expo on Thursday, with organizers expecting 30,000 visitors. The event has tripled in size since its 2021 debut.

    “When we first established Beyond Expo in 2021, we wanted to showcase the technological advancement of Asia,” said the expo’s co-founder Gang Lu. “We are delighted to be celebrating our fifth year with over 800 companies — the largest number of participants to date from all over the world.”

    This year’s expo rides China’s tech sector hot streak, following DeepSeek’s splashy launch earlier this year. And the Wednesday night opening ceremony wasted no time showcasing the country’s technological prowess, with UBTech’s humanoid robots stealing the show.

    The Shenzhen company recently partnered with Huawei to combine AI systems with robotics expertise — a marriage that could cement China’s already formidable position in the sector. Mass production will begin this year, company officials said.

    The opening ceremony also celebrated China’s cosmic ambitions. Wang Jian, founder of Alibaba Cloud and now head of Zhejiang Lab, outlined plans for a 1,000-satellite network functioning as a space-based computing system. His lab launched the first dozen satellites earlier this month.

    A humanoid robot performs a piano demonstration at the Beyond Expo in Macao, May 22, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

    These high-profile innovations reflect broader trends in Asian tech development. Asia filed 70% of global patents in 2024, with China alone holding 60% of worldwide AI patents.

    “Asia is no longer just a manufacturing base — it’s now a global hub for innovation in AI, robotics and smart manufacturing,” said AI expert Kai-Fu Lee in a video address. “The scale of our markets, the speed of our adoption and the boldness of our entrepreneurs are shaping the future of technology.”

    But Lee emphasized that innovation cannot happen in silos. “It takes openness, exchange and collaboration. That’s why Beyond matters. It brings together the best of Asia and the world to share ideas, build partnerships and co-create the future.”

    This is not just aspirational talk — Beyond has assembled a speaker lineup that crosses borders, sectors and rivalries.

    Featured speakers include OpenAI’s former marketing chief Zack Kass, NBA champion and tech investor Metta Sandiford-Artest, Chinese internet pioneer Mike Cai, and esports leader Mario Ho, son of Macao’s casino magnate Stanley Ho.

    “Beyond is a platform from Asia and for Asia — creating a global stage where the world can see the region’s immense potential,” said co-founder Jason Ho, outlining the event’s core mission.

    Haofeng Fu, CEO of Japan’s Regacy Innovation Group, backed Ho’s perspective: “Asia has immense technological potential, but there’s still no truly representative platform that unites Asian innovations and connects them with the global stage. I hope that Beyond Expo can take on that mission.”

    The expo is delivering on these aspirations. This fifth edition has seen the launch of several new initiatives, including the Beyond Global Network for market entry support and the Beyond Founder’s Club, a network for high-growth startup founders across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

    Beyond has also become a significant funding hub. More than 300 investment firms will attend this year’s Global Investment Summit, looking for new opportunities in the region. Meanwhile, the expo’s Fund at First Pitch contest will see over 150 startups compete for immediate investment, after last year’s winners cashed in with $15 million in funding.

    A futuristic air taxi prototype is displayed at the fifth annual Beyond Expo in Macao, May 22, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

    Beyond’s Macao setting is no accident. The city anchors the southern edge of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), China’s $1.9 trillion economic zone that is home to 87 million people and the country’s densest concentration of tech talent.

    “All the new kids on the block are linked to Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area,” said Laurent Le Pen, CEO of Shenzhen-based tech wearables firm Omate. “You can think about DJI, Insta360, the smartphone kings — Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Nothing — and now cars like XPeng and Huawei.”

    Le Pen emphasized the importance of hosting the expo in the GBA, adding: “We’re all cooperating in the internationalization of Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area.”

    Beyond Expo 2025 runs until May 24.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have you seen Michael?

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Wellington Police are continuing to appeal for sightings of missing man Michael, who was reported missing on 19 May.

    Police and Michael’s family are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety.

    It has now been established that the last known sighting of him was on CCTV at the intersection of Bouverie Street and Udy Street in Petone at about 2:45pm on 19 May 2025.

    He was wearing the clothing pictured in the images shared here.

    Police are asking anyone who was in the Petone or Alicetown areas on the afternoon of 19 May who may have information, or may have seen Michael, to contact Police through our 105 service, quoting reference number 250520/2542.

    We are also asking for anyone with dashcam footage, or residents or businesses with CCTV footage, to review their footage for any sightings of Michael on the afternoon in question.

    Anyone who believes they see Michael is urged to call 111 immediately.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Building consent exemption for granny flats a step closer

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    New Zealanders are a step closer to being able to build a granny flat of up to 70 square metres in their backyard following the successful first reading of the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Bill in Parliament. 
     
    “It’s currently far too hard to build the homes New Zealanders need, with even the simplest dwellings requiring time-consuming and costly consent processes,” RMA Reform and Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. 

    “We know increasing housing availability directly translates to lower living costs for our communities. That’s why the coalition Government is committed to making it faster and more affordable to build granny flats. These simple dwellings have the potential to be part of the solution for providing families with more housing options, particularly for grandparents, people with disabilities, young adults and workers in the rural sector.  

    “Following public consultation which received huge support, the Government agreed earlier this year to allow granny flats of up to 70 square metres to be built without resource or building consents.

    “We’re removing the requirement for a resource consent through our updated package of National Direction under the Resource Management Act which will be in place by the end of this year, and today’s first reading of the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Bill ensures we’ll remove the requirement for a building consent at around the same time.” 

    Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says removing consent requirements for granny flats will boost productivity in the building sector.  
     
    “Tradies will be able to get on with the job without being bogged down by costly and time-consuming paperwork, while homeowners can have confidence their granny flat project won’t be hit by unexpected costs from delays waiting for council inspections. 
     
    “The consent exemption is expected to deliver about 13,000 more granny flats over the next ten years. That’s thousands of homes built faster and more affordably, and more consistent work for builders – without frustrating hold-ups.”  
     
    The legislation delivers on a New Zealand First–National coalition commitment to reform the building and resource consent system to simplify granny flat construction.  
     
    Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says the changes will help lift living standards and support multigenerational living. 
     
    “This will allow older New Zealanders to maintain their independence while staying close to whānau. It’s also a practical solution for young adults, especially in rural areas where housing options are limited. 
     
    “I look forward to seeing this Bill passed by the end of the year, so families can start building these much-needed homes without delay.”

    Note to editors:

    • The Bill will exempt granny flats of up to 70 square metres from needing a building consent if:
      • The granny flat meets the requirements of being a simple design and meets the Building Code
      • Building work is carried out by authorised building professionals
      • Homeowners notify their local council before they commence building and once it is completed.
    • To support local infrastructure in growing communities, councils will charge development contributions for granny flats when issuing a Project Information Memorandum (PIM).
    • The proposed consent exemption will not apply to any building work currently in progress or existing structures that fit the specifications of a granny flat under the final exemption criteria. It will apply only to granny flats built after the exemption is in force.
    • Anyone who is unsure whether their building work needs a building or resource consent should check with their local council. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Labour Department to hold courses and public talks on prevention of heat stroke at work and occupational health

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Labour Department (LD) regularly organises courses and public health talks on the prevention of heat stroke at work and occupational health to raise awareness of occupational health among both employers and employees.

         Details of eight courses and health talks on the prevention of heat stroke at work in June are as follows:

    (1)
    Dates and time: June 5, 17 and 27 (Half-day (am)); June 9 and 25 (Half-day (pm))
    Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre of the LD, 13/F, KOLOUR·Tsuen Wan I, 68 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
    Enrolment method: Download the application form (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/form.htm)
    Enquiry hotline: 2940 7057

    (2)
    Date and time: June 5 and 26 (Half-day (am))
    Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Centre of the LD, G/F, Kwun Tong Community Health Centre Building, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon
    Enrolment method: Online registration of courses in Occupational Safety and Health Centre (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
    Enquiry hotline: 2361 8240

    (3)
    Date and time: June 4 (3.30pm to 5pm)
    Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
    Enrolment method: Online registration for public talks on occupational health (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
    Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

         In addition, the LD will hold the following occupational health public talks in June:

    (1)
    Topic: Prevention of Lower Limb Disorders and Guidance Notes on Standing at Work
    Content: The talk will introduce symptoms of common lower limb disorders, such as plantar fasciitis, varicose veins of lower limbs and osteoarthritis of the knee, as well as their treatment and preventive measures. Demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises and a briefing on the LD’s publication “Guidance Notes on Standing at Work and Service Counter Design” will be included.
    Date and time: June 2 (6.30pm to 8pm)
    Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
    Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
    Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

    (2)
    Topic: First Aid in the Workplace
    Content: The talk will cover basic knowledge of first aid and explain how to assist and handle employees injured in workplace accidents through case illustrations.
    Date and time: June 16 (3.30pm to 5pm)
    Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
    Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
    Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

    (3)
    Topic: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Confined Space Workers
    Content: To enhance workers’ OSH awareness of working in confined spaces, the talk will explain the related hazards as well as their preventive measures.
    Date and time: June 18 (3.30pm to 5pm)
    Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
    Enrolment method: Online registration (www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en)
    Enquiry hotline: 2852 4040

         All courses and public talks will be given by the LD’s occupational hygienist, occupational safety officer or occupational health nurse in Cantonese. Admission is free.

         The LD also provides a free-of-charge outreach occupational health education service. For details, please visit the department’s webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content7.htm) or call 2852 4062.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: S for Housing concludes Paris visit (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    S for Housing concludes Paris visit  
    In the morning, Ms Ho met with a representative of CDC Habitat, a social housing association in France, to learn more about the mode of operation, development strategies, and challenges of social housing in France. She also shared Hong Kong’s situation and the various housing initiatives being implemented by the Housing Bureau.
     
    Ms Ho then visited an integrated residential and commercial community comprising social housing, which was transformed from the Olympic Athletes’ Village, to learn about sustainable urban development.
     
    Moreover, Ms Ho exchanged views with a renowned urban planner, Associate Professor of the IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School, Professor Carlos Moreno, and shared her vision and thoughts on sustainable urban planning and design. Professor Moreno put forward the urban planning concept of the “15-minute city”, which aims to enable residents in a community to meet their daily needs for food, clothing, housing and transport within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance and to enhance environmental sustainability. Ms Ho pointed out that this coincides with the planning concept of the new public housing estates of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) and cited Queen’s Hill Estate as an example, demonstrating the HKHA’s planning of a resident-oriented, self-sufficient community that embraces cultural heritage and blends with nature to create a sustainable community. Professor Moreno showed great interest in Hong Kong’s public housing planning model and expressed his wish to have the opportunity to visit Hong Kong in the future.
     
    In the evening, Ms Ho met with the Advisor to the Mayor on housing, urban planning, architecture, land development, Mr Renaud Paque, and Director of Housing and Habitat, Ms Doan Lebel, to exchange views on public housing policies and experiences on sustainable urbanisation and urban planning concepts.
     
    Concluding the trip, Ms Ho said, “This visit tied in with the HB’s Housing•I&T initiative this year, introducing the latest developments of advanced technology companies from Hong Kong and the Mainland in the areas of construction technologies, public housing, green building, etc, as well as demonstrating to the world the application of technologies such as Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) and construction robots that help enhance construction efficiency and safety. We will actively make reference to overseas experiences on decarbonisation and energy-saving technologies. At the same time, we will fully capitalise on Hong Kong’s unique advantages, reinforce connectivity, and play the role as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’. I expect that the two cities will maintain liaison and strengthen exchanges in areas such as innovative building technologies, public housing construction, green buildings, well-being communities, and enhancing the housing ladder to give new impetus to public housing construction.”
     
    Ms Ho will return to Hong Kong this afternoon (May 23).
    Issued at HKT 12:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Durant Resident Sentenced to 32 Years for Second Degree Murder

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyle Hunter Laws Duffner, age 27, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 384 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On December 4, 2024, Duffner pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing a child with malice aforethought.  According to investigators, on June 27, 2021, law enforcement responded to a 911 call of a non-responsive infant.  The child was life-flighted for care but succumbed to injuries shortly after transfer.  During treatment, medical professionals discovered signs of acute rib fractures, older rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a possible head injury.  A post-mortem examination revealed a skull fracture symptomatic of blunt force impact in the early stages of healing, multiple contusions to the forehead, jaw, and chest, and rib fractures consistent with at least three events of blunt force trauma.

    The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Duffner will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-Led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the Northern District of Oklahoma

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – The Department of Justice announces the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “Over a five-day period in April, the Justice Department charged and the FBI arrested more than 200 offenders of child sexual abuse crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The success of this operation would not be possible without the collaborative effort of law enforcement across the United States.”

    FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater stated, “Operation Restore Justice is not just about upholding the rule of law – it’s about standing up as a society for the safety of children and showing predators that we will not allow them to rob kids of their innocence.  The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice.”

    Two individuals in the Northern District of Oklahoma were arrested and indicted last week, during Operation Restore Justice.

    • Jonathan Gross, 36, of Mounds, was arrested and indicted for Possession of Child Pornography; and
    • Kaleb Smith, 23, of Bartlesville and a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, was arrested and indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country

    Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

    In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

    This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

    The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

    The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    Other online resources:
    Violent Crimes Against Children
    How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

    Jonathan Gross’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert. Kaleb Smith’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office with the assistance of the Bartlesville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: North Korea launches full-scale investigation into incident during launch of new destroyer

    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

    PYONGYANG, May 23 (Xinhua) — A North Korean investigative team has launched a “full-scale investigation” into a serious incident that occurred during the launch of a new destroyer at the Chongjin shipyard on Wednesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

    The investigation team into the accident includes representatives of the prosecutor’s office and relevant experts, KCNA said in a statement.

    “A detailed underwater and internal inspection of the destroyer confirmed that, contrary to the initial announcement, there were no holes in the bottom of the vessel, the starboard side of the hull was scratched, and a small amount of water flowed into the stern through a structural channel,” KCNA reported, citing the results of the investigation.

    Experts estimate that it will take two to three days to pump out the sea water, and more than 10 days to restore the ship’s side. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murray County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Eluding a Peace Officer

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jayson Geoffrey Evans, age 50, of Sulphur, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000.00 fine, and one count of Eluding Peace Officer in Indian Country, punishable by not less than one year imprisonment and up to five years imprisonment, and a fine of not less than $1,000.00 and up to $5,000.00.

    The Indictment alleged that on December 30, 2023, Evans assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm.

    The Indictment further alleged that on December 30, 2023, Evans willfully attempted to elude a peace officer while operating a motor vehicle after receiving a visual and audible signal directing him to stop.

    The crimes occurred in Murray County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

    The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

    A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Evans will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Woman Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Narcotics Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 100 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on her convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, crack, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Jessica Wilson, 39, on May 8, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, from in and around January 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, crack, and methamphetamine. Wilson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others. During a separately charged offense, from in and around April 2024 to June 2024, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of mixtures containing fentanyl and crack.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Wilson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs detects money laundering case involving about $61 million following narcotics investigation

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 22) detected a suspected money laundering case involving about $61 million in crime proceeds subsequent to a follow-up investigation of a dangerous drug case identified last year. Two local women and one local man suspected to be connected with the case were arrested.
     
    In October last year, Customs detected a dangerous drug case involving about $1.9 million worth of drugs and arrested two local persons suspected to be connected with the case. A subsequent financial investigation and fund-flow analysis revealed that there were numerous suspicious transactions, which were suspected to be crime proceeds, in the personal bank accounts of one of the arrestees. Meanwhile, the investigation also revealed that a 55-year-old local woman and a 30-year-old local man transferred or received the suspected crime proceeds. During the period between January and December 2024, the total amount of the suspicious transactions handled by the three arrestees reached about $61 million.
     
    Upon further investigation, Customs arrested the 55-year-old local woman and 30-year-old local man yesterday for “dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offenses” (commonly known as money laundering) under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO) and searched their residential premises in Ho Man Tin and Tung Chung. Three mobile phones were seized in the operation. On the same day, Customs officers also further arrested a 63-year-old local woman who has been remanded due to the related drug trafficking case, for money laundering.
     
    Two of the arrested persons have been released on bail pending investigation, while one arrested person continues to be remanded in custody. The investigation of the case is still ongoing, and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
     
    Under the OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
         
    Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shohini Sinha Named Assistant Director of the Victim Services Division

    Source: US FBI

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Shohini Sinha as the assistant director of the Victim Services Division. Ms. Sinha most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Ms. Sinha joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001. She was first assigned to the Milwaukee Field Office, where she worked in counterterrorism investigations. She also served temporary assignments at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in London, and the Baghdad Operations Center.

    Ms. Sinha was promoted in 2009 to supervisory special agent and transferred to the Counterterrorism Division in Washington, D.C. She served as program manager of Canada-based extraterritorial investigations and facilitated liaison efforts with Washington-based Canadian liaison officers.

    In 2012, Ms. Sinha was promoted to assistant legal attaché in Ottawa, Canada, working counterterrorism matters in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. In 2015, she was promoted to field supervisor in the Detroit Field Office, where she led squads responsible for investigating international terrorism matters.

    In early 2020, Ms. Sinha transferred to the Cyber Intrusion squad, which worked both national security and criminal cyber intrusion matters. Later in 2020, she was promoted to assistant special agent in charge for national security matters, and later criminal matters, in the Portland Field Office.

    Ms. Sinha was selected to serve as the executive special assistant to the director in 2021. She has been serving as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office since July of 2023.

    Prior to her employment with the FBI, Ms. Sinha worked as a therapist and later as an administrator for a private, not-for-profit clinic. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Purdue University in Indiana.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McAlester Resident Sentenced to 11 Years for Maiming in Indian Country

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Cody Ray McFadden, age 36, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for one count of Maiming in Indian Country.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On December 16, 2024, McFadden pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 16, 2022, McFadden invited a visitor to his residence. Once inside, McFadden beat the victim, forced the victim into a cage, and padlocked the door.  During the next 36 hours, McFadden proceeded to assault and torture the victim, threatening to kill the victim with a cross bow and intentionally striking at the victim with an axe.  The victim, who sustained a head laceration, burns, bruises, and a broken arm, managed to break free, escape through a window, and run to a neighbor’s home.  Law enforcement responding to the neighbor’s emergency call took McFadden into custody after a brief standoff.  The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    “This defendant demonstrated a complete lack of humanity, subjecting the victim to an extended period of violence resulting in unimaginable physical and mental trauma,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.  “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out violent offenders through aggressive investigations and prosecutions.”

    “This is the stuff of nightmares, but unfortunately, it was sickeningly real,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “I commend the bravery of this survivor, the quick work of law enforcement in securing an end to this horrifying ordeal, and the steadfastness of investigators and prosecutors who ensured that McFadden spends the next decade in prison answering for his ruthless crimes.”

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  McFadden will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced to Over 20 Years for Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brett Wayne Pigeon, age 45, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The terms will be served consecutively.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department.

    On January 6, 2025, Pigeon pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement responding to reports of shots fired discovered the victim deceased from apparent gunshots to the back, head, and hip.  Pigeon was identified as a suspect, and later admitted shooting the victim with a 12-gauge shotgun.    The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Pigeon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Disaster or digital spectacle? The dangers of using floods to create social media content

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    Almost 700 rescues had been carried out in New South Wales by Friday morning as
    record-breaking rainfall pounds the state. Tragically, four people have died in floodwaters.

    Amid the chaos, videos posted on social media show people deliberately entering or standing above swollen rivers and flooded roads. It is a pattern of dangerous behaviour that occurs frequently during natural disasters in Australia.

    Filming unsafe acts for social media is not just risky for participants. It may inspire copycat behaviour, and, if things go wrong, can endanger the lives of rescuers. It’s a public health problem which requires new remedies.

    Selfies in floods: a risky business

    During a flood, water can be deceiving. Just 15cm of water can knock an adult off their feet or cause a car to lose traction and float. Submerged debris and contaminated water add to the dangers.

    Emergency services routinely warn the public not to enter floodwaters – on foot or in vehicles. But many people ignore the warnings, including those out to create social media content.

    In a startling example posted on Tiktok during the current floods, a young man stands on a mossy log which has fallen over a flooded river. The video, accompanied by dramatic music, shows swirling floodwaters surging beneath him. One wrong step, and the man could easily have drowned.

    In other examples posted on Tiktok in recent days, a woman wades through murky floodwaters, and a person films as the car they are travelling in drives down a flooded road.

    Similar behaviour was observed during floods in Townsville earlier this year. Residents filmed themselves diving and wading into floodwaters, and towing each other on inflatable rafts.

    And during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, social media was filled with images of people in Queensland surfing dangerous swells and wading in rough surf.

    A worrying trend

    Our research explores the links between social media and adverse health outcomes.

    Selfie-related injury has become a public health concern. People are increasingly venturing off-trail, seeking out attractive but hazardous locations such as cliff edges and coastal rock platforms.

    These behaviours can lead to injury and death. They can also put emergency services personnel in harm’s way. In 2021, for example, a woman fell into a swollen river on Canberra’s outskirts while trying to take a selfie with friends, prompting a police official to warn:

    There is no photo or social media post that is worth risking your life to get. Any water rescue puts the lives of not only of yourself but those of emergency services personnel at risk.

    Getting to grips with the problem

    How should the problem be tackled? Previous research by others has recommended “no-selfie zones”, barriers, and signs as ways to prevent selfie incidents. But our research suggests these measures may not be enough.

    The phenomenon of selfie-related incidents requires a public health approach. This entails addressing the behaviour through prevention, education, and other interventions such as via social media platforms.

    In the latest floods, unsafe behaviour has occurred despite a series of official flood, weather and other warnings. Residents also continue to drive into floodwaters, despite repeated pleas from authorities.

    Official warnings compete with – and can lose out to – more emotionally compelling, visually rich content. If the public sees other people behaving recklessly and apparently unharmed, then even clear, fact-based warnings can be ignored.

    This is especially true in communities experiencing “alert-fatigue” after having gone through disasters before.

    Sometimes, vague terminology in warnings means the messages don’t necessarily cut through. We’ve seen this before in relation to surf safety. Technical phrases such as “hazardous swell” don’t change behaviour if people don’t understand what they mean.

    For warnings to work, they need to be clear and provide instruction – stating what the danger actually is, and what to explicitly do, or not do.

    For social media users, that might mean spelling out not to go into floodwaters to capture content for social media.

    We’ve also previously called on social media companies to be held more accountable for the dangerous content they publish – by flagging risky content and supporting in-app safety messaging, especially at high-risk locations or during extreme weather events.

    What to do right now

    If you’re in or near a flood zone, follow guidance from emergency services to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

    When it comes to using social media in an emergency:

    • stay entirely out of floodwaters, even for a quick photo

    • think before you post. Your safety is more important than your content. No post is worth risking your life

    • avoid glamourising risk. Sharing risky photos or videos can influence others to do the same, potentially with worse outcomes

    • follow official advice. Floodwaters are unpredictable. Warnings are issued for a reason

    • use your platform for good. Share verified information, support affected communities and help amplify safety messages.

    As extreme weather becomes more frequent in Australia under climate change, so too will the urge to document them. But we risk turning disasters into digital spectacles – at the expense of our lives and that of rescuers.

    Samuel Cornell receives funding from Meta Platforms, Inc. His research is supported by a University of New South Wales Sydney, University Postgraduate Award. His research is supported by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia to aid in the prevention of drowning. Research at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia is supported by the Australian government. He has been affiliated with Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving NSW in a paid and voluntary capacity.

    Amy Peden receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Meta Platforms, and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. She holds an honorary affiliation with Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.

    – ref. Disaster or digital spectacle? The dangers of using floods to create social media content – https://theconversation.com/disaster-or-digital-spectacle-the-dangers-of-using-floods-to-create-social-media-content-257350

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Qatar boosts FIFA Arab Cup prize fund to record $36.5 million

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup will have a record prize fund of more than $36.5 million, Qatar’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the regional tournament announced on Thursday.

    The competition, which features senior men’s national teams from the 22-member Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA), representing both Asia and Africa, takes place from December 1 to 18.

    “This announcement further elevates the stature of the FIFA Arab Cup, a tournament we reinstated in 2021, and reflects Qatar’s leading role in developing football across the region and beyond,” said Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth and LOC Chairman in a statement.

    Having taken over the organisation from UAFA, which initially ran the event, FIFA has been in charge since the tournament’s revival in 2021, when it had a reported prize fund of $25.5 million.

    The draw will be held in Doha on Sunday, with defending champions Algeria among the favourites.

    -Reuters