Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishustin and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the DPRK Pak Thae-song took part in the ceremony to start construction of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Construction of a bridge crossing over the Tumannaya River is beginning in Primorsky Krai. The automobile bridge will connect Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Currently, only a railway bridge and air traffic operate between Russia and the DPRK. The automobile bridge will increase cargo traffic and develop passenger transportation.

    The total length of the bridge crossing (with access roads) is 4.7 km. The length of the bridge itself is 1 km. The length of the Russian side is 424 m, the Korean side is 581 m. The width of the bridge is 7 m (two traffic lanes).

    Estimated construction time is one and a half years.

    A vehicle checkpoint will be set up near the bridge crossing.

    Mikhail Mishustin’s speech at the ceremony to mark the start of construction of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River

    Speech by Mikhail Mishustin:

    Dear Comrade Pak Tae-sung! Dear Colleagues! Dear Friends!

    I am pleased to welcome you to a significant event – the ceremony to begin construction of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River at the junction of the borders of the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    This is a truly significant stage for Russian-Korean relations. Its significance goes far beyond a simple engineering task. It symbolizes our common desire to strengthen friendly, good-neighborly relations, and to increase interregional cooperation. We are creating a reliable foundation for closer cooperation, a path for open and fruitful dialogue, the rapprochement of our peoples, an increase in the number of trips, meetings, exchange of new impressions, and acquaintance with the history and traditions of Russia and North Korea.

    Last year, Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Chairman of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un signed a fundamental interstate Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This document secured the entry of our relations to a new qualitative level that meets the requirements of the time, and created the necessary conditions for launching mutually beneficial joint projects.

    Of course, the key priority for us is the construction of a bridge crossing, through which year-round automobile traffic will go. Currently, the only operating route is the railway connection along the Druzhby Bridge across the Tumannaya River. But its capabilities are no longer sufficient.

    The future bridge is of particular importance for the Russian Far Eastern Federal District, and above all for Primorsky Krai, where additional opportunities will appear for businesses and local residents. The transport and logistics infrastructure will begin to develop more actively.

    Another route that will be laid here will allow entrepreneurs to significantly increase the volume of transportation and reduce transportation costs, will ensure reliable and stable supplies of various products, which will contribute to the expansion of trade and economic cooperation between our countries. And of course, good prospects will open up for tourism.

    Dear friends!

    Previous news Next news

    Mikhail Mishustin and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the DPRK Pak Thae-song took part in the ceremony to start construction of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River

    I cannot help but separately mention everyone who makes a significant contribution to the implementation of this project, who participated in the preparation of the design documentation. These are builders, engineers, workers, specialists of many professions on both sides of the border.

    You have months of intense and difficult work ahead of you. We are counting on your experience, work and initiative, which will allow us to do everything efficiently and on time.

    I am convinced that the new bridge will become a lasting symbol of peace and good-neighborliness between Russia and the DPRK.

    I wish you all success. Thank you for your attention.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Data on India’s Invisibles for Third Quarter (October-December) of 2024-25

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank today released data on India’s invisibles as per the IMF’s Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6) format for October-December of 2024-25.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/221

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Monthly Data on India’s International Trade in Services for the Month of March 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The value of exports and imports of services during March 2025 is given in the following table.

    International Trade in Services
    (US$ million)
    Month Receipts (Exports) Payments (Imports)
    January – 2025 34,726
    (12.0)
    16,706
    (12.6)
    February – 2025 31,625
    (11.6)
    14,506
    (-4.8)
    March – 2025 35,600
    (18.6)
    17,475
    (5.3)
    Notes: (i) Data for January-March are provisional; and
    (ii) Figures in parentheses are growth rates over the corresponding month of the previous year which have been revised on the basis of balance of payments statistics.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/222

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Datatec Ltd to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Datatec Ltd (JSE: DTC; OTCQX: DTTLF, DTTLY), an international ICT solutions and services group, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market.

    Datatec Ltd begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbols “DTTLF and DTTLY.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Admission to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors.  For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    Datatec management commented:
    “We are delighted to begin trading on the OTC Market’s premier tier, OTCQX. This additional trading venue will allow US investors access to Datatec shares quoted in US dollars and provides a platform to disseminate Datatec’s corporate disclosure to US investors with transparency. The company remains committed to maintaining the best possible disclosure for its shareholders.”

    About Datatec Ltd
    Datatec is a global digital channels group providing Cybersecurity, Networking and Hybrid Cloud infrastructure solutions and services in more than 50 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Through its core divisions, the group offers Value-added Technology Distribution (Westcon International) and Integration and Managed Services (Logicalis International and Logicalis Latin America). Datatec has been listed on the JSE Limited for the past 30 years.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATSTM are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Fitch updates Marex’s outlook to positive due to strong earnings and diversification of franchise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fitch Ratings (Fitch) yesterday announced that it has revised the outlook of Marex Group plc’s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to positive from stable, and has affirmed its Long-Term IDR at ‘BBB-’.

    The revision of the outlook reflects Marex’s strong and growing earnings across variable market conditions, expansion and diversification of the franchise both organically and through bolt-on acquisitions, well-managed liquidity and adequate buffer over regulatory capital requirements.

    Ian Lowitt, CEO of Marex, commented: “Fitch’s upgrade to our outlook to positive from stable reflects the strength and scalability of our diversified global platform as well as our 10-year track record of sequential growth through a range of market environments. At the core of our strategy is Marex’s risk control framework, which keeps pace with our expanding business. We view our investment grade rating as a differentiator, and this is a further validation of our strategy.”

    Click here for the full Fitch press release.

    About Marex:
    Marex Group plc (NASDAQ: MRX) is a diversified global financial services platform providing essential liquidity, market access and infrastructure services to clients across energy, commodities and financial markets. The Group provides comprehensive breadth and depth of coverage across four services: Clearing, Agency and Execution, Market Making and Hedging and Investment Solutions. It has a leading franchise in many major metals, energy and agricultural products, with access to 60 exchanges. The Group provides access to the world’s major commodity markets, covering a broad range of clients that include some of the largest commodity producers, consumers and traders, banks, hedge funds and asset managers. With more than 40 offices worldwide, the Group has over 2,400 employees across Europe, Asia and the Americas. For more information visit www.marex.com.

    Enquiries please contact:
    Marex:
    Nicola Ratchford / Adam Strachan
    +44 778 654 8889 / +1 914 200 2508
    nratchford@marex.com/ astrachan@marex.com

    FTI Consulting US / UK
    +1 919 609 9423 / +44 777 611 1222
    marex@fticonsulting.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: Confirmed: Australian weapons sold to Israel, reveals Declassified Australia

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific.

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Michelle Fahy

    The Australian counter-drone weapons system seen at a weapons demonstration in Israel recently is actually just one of a few that were sold by the Canberra-based company Electro Optic Systems (EOS) and sent through its wholly-owned US subsidiary to Israel, Declassified Australia can reveal.

    It was the ABC who broke the news of the EOS weapons system being provided for the demonstration trial. In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continued to insist, as he has since the war in Gaza began, that Australia does not sell weapons to Israel.

    However the weapon displayed wasn’t just provided on loan for the demonstration – the weapon has been “sold” to the Israelis. Declassified Australia can reveal that EOS, by its own admission, sold more than one of its R400 weapons systems to the Israelis prior to the demonstration.

    • READ MORE: Other Declassified Australia reports

    An EOS company presentation, titled “2024 Full Year Results”, describes a “potential new customer” for the R400 weapon in the “Middle East” (page 36). The presentation, prepared for EOS shareholders and lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange, is dated 25 February 2025.

    EOS describes this potential new customer for its R400 as a “Preliminary” stage opportunity, valued at less-than-A$100 million, and states that more than one weapon was sold:

    “Sample products sold, demo held, discussions underway.” [Emphasis added]

    The company also points out a sense of urgency with the potential sale:

    “Potential to accelerate due to operational requirements.”

    In another section of the report (page 16), EOS reports a single entry in the “Preliminary” stage of a potential sale of R400 weapons, with the “Bid being prepared or submitted”.

    EOS states (page 36) the “estimated opportunity size” of the sale is up to “$100 million”. At a unit price per system of A$1.55 million that potential contract is enough to purchase 60 of the R400 counter-drone system.

    Under the heading “Notable Demonstrations” (page 15), EOS refers to “Counter Drone evaluation testing with New Customer”, held in January 2025, with an accompanying photograph of its R400 counter-drone cannon with five senior Israeli defence leaders posing beside it at the testing site.

    EOS itself has revealed that the new customer is clearly Israel.

    EOS states it had “supported a local prime [a major local weapons company] to demonstrate counter-drone capabilities in a high profile local demonstration”. EOS states that its R400 weapon system had “performed extremely well, earning high praise from the organisers.”

    An extract from the Electro Optic Systems (EOS) company document titled “2024 Full Year Results”, showing a photograph of the EOS R400 counter-drone weapon system that was demonstrated to gathered Israeli defence and industry officials in January 2025. Image: Electro Optic Systems

    The location of the demonstration of the Australian weapon is verified as being in Israel’s southern Negev Desert by a 5 February press release about the weapon testing, released by Israel’s Ministry of Defence.  [Note: Since publication of this article, the Press Release has been taken down from the Israeli Defense Ministry website, but is still available here, for now.]

    An Israel Defense Force photograph included with the press release, is the same photo of the R400 weapon and Israeli officials, as published in the EOS document. Israel’s Ministry of Defence also posted this video of the final demonstration event, with a firing of the EOS R400 weapons system appearing at 01:06.

    In the photograph standing behind the Australian company’s weapon are four senior Israeli defence officials, together with an Israeli defence industry CEO.

    A photo distributed with an Israel Ministry of Defense press release showing the EOS R400 counter-drone weapons system at operational trials testing advanced counter-drone technologies organised by the Directorate of Defence Research & Development in January 2025. Pictured: Acting director-general of the Israel Ministry of Defence, Itamar Graf (from left); Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz; CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Boaz Levy; Head of Israel Defence Force’s Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, Maj.Gen. Eyal Harel; Head of the Israel Directorate of Defence Research & Development, Brig.Gen. (retd) Dr Daniel Gold. Image: Israel Ministry of Defense

    Countering drone attacks
    EOS’ powerful R400 remote weapons system has a 2km range and is renowned for its lethality and precision in targeting. Using a sophisticated gimbal, its accuracy is maintained even when the system is mounted and used atop a moving vehicle. The weapon can be seen in use on a moving vehicle here in this video clip.

    The EOS R400 is not solely a counter-drone weapons system. It can be configured to fire weapons ranging from machine guns, to 30mm cannons, automatic grenade launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and 70mm rockets, meaning it can be used against multiple types of targets in addition to drones — including people, buildings, armoured vehicles, and tanks.

    The R400 Slinger variation is marketed by EOS as a system designed solely to counter modern drone threats with a single, lethal shot.

    The Australian company’s customer in Israel is noted in the EOS company document as being an Israeli “local prime” arms manufacturer. Both Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems participated in the demonstration trials, each demonstrating a Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) that incorporated a 30mm cannon.

    EOS sees a big future for the R400 and its suite of remote weapons systems. The EOS 2024 Financial Report was lodged with ASX on 25 February 2025. In the “Market Overview”section, it discusses weapons contracts signed in 2024, and notes (page 8) that:

    “[EOS] Defence Systems is in active discussions and contract negotiations for the provision of RWS [Remote Weapons Systems] and related components with other potential customers.”

    “Assuming the evaluation of these systems progresses positively, EOS would hope to move to sell larger, commercial quantities to these customers.” 

    EOS R-400S Mk 2 30mm Remote Weapons Station being fired while mounted to a tactical vehicle. Image: Video screen shot/Defence Technology Review Magazine

    Australia obliged to act on defence transfers
    In October 2024, the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported on the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) findings that Israel may be committing “genocide”.

    As reported by Kellie Tranter in Declassified Australia in November, the Australian government’s international legal responsibilities extend to investigating and regulating individuals and corporate entities who act in and from Australia to support the legally proscribed conduct of the Israeli State.

    The Commission stated:

    “Thus, the Commission recommends that any State engaged in such transfer or trade to Israel shall cease its transfer or trade until the State is satisfied that the goods and technology subject to the transfer or trade are not contributing to maintaining the unlawful occupation or to the commission of war crimes or genocide and thereafter throughout any period when the State is not so satisfied.” [Emphasis added]

    The UN Commission makes clear what trade it refers to:

    On the issue of arms and military transfer and trade relating to Israel’s military capability, States have a duty to conduct a due diligence review of all transfer and trade agreements with Israel, including but not limited to equipment, weapons, munitions, parts, components, dual use items and technology, to determine whether the goods or technology subject to the transfer or trade contribute to maintaining the unlawful occupation or are used to commit violations of international law.” [Emphasis added]

    If the government becomes aware of an impending military transfer of weapons or technology defined above, to Israel – as the stated intentions of EOS reported here make clear – it is obliged to investigate and if necessary intervene to halt the transfer:

    This includes both preexisting agreements and future transfers to Israel. States are obliged to demonstrate that any transfer or trade relating to military capability is not being used by Israel to maintain the unlawful occupation or commit violations of international law.” [Emphasis added]

    Words are not enough
    The Australian government and the Defence Department have continued their obfuscation of Australia’s weapons trade with Israel, as Declassified Australia has been reporting repeatedly.

    ABC television has reported how the government continues to insist no weapons or ammunition had been supplied “directly to Israel” since its latest genocidal war on Gaza began. The addition of the word “directly” is a notable change to the government’s wording, since this EOS news emerged.

    In response to the ABC report, Prime Minister Albanese said: “We do not sell arms to Israel . . .  We looked into this matter and the company has confirmed with the Department of Defence that the particular system was not exported from Australia. Australia does not export arms to Israel.”

    Declassified Australia has previously reported on the Albanese Government’s repeated and misleading use of the phrase “to Israel”. Arms companies are known for exporting their weaponry, or parts and components thereof, via third party countries in an attempt to cover their tracks.

    A defence industry source told the ABC the Australian-made components of the EOS R400 remote weapons system were assembled at the company’s wholly-owned US subsidiary in Alabama USA, before being shipped to Israel without an Australian export approval.

    Military exports, including ammunition, munitions, parts and components, do not need to travel ‘directly’ to Israel to be prohibited under the Arms Trade Treaty.

    Governments are required to find out where their weapons will, or may, end up and then make responsible decisions that comply with the treaty. A government must consider and assess the potential ‘end users’ of its military exports.

    A UN expert panel has issued repeated demands that States and companies cease all arms transfers to Israel or risk complicity in international crimes, possibly including genocide. It stated:

    “An end to transfers must include indirect transfers through intermediary countries that could ultimately be used by Israeli forces, particularly in the ongoing attacks on Gaza.…” [Emphasis added.]

    Greens’ defence spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge, has said, “What we might be seeing here is the impact of what’s called AUKUS Pillar 2, the removal of any controls for the passage of weapons between Australia and the United States, and then Australia permitting the United States to send Australian weapons anywhere”.

    The EOS R400 remote weapon system integrated with the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Image: US Army

    Not the first time
    EOS has a history of supplying its remote weapons systems to military regimes accused of extensive war crimes.

    During the catastrophic Yemen war which started in 2014, despite significant evidence of war crimes, EOS sold its weapons systems to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. EOS enjoyed the full support of the Turnbull coalition government and its defence industry minister Christopher Pyne.

    In early 2019, ABC TV reported, Saudi Arabia awarded Australian weapons manufacturer EOS a contract to supply it with 500 of its R400 Remote Weapons Systems.

    The company has also benefited from the government-industry ‘revolving door’. Former chief of army, Peter Leahy, was on the EOS board from 2009 until late 2022, encompassing the period of the Yemen war. He served as the company’s chair from mid-2021 until his departure.

    The two longest-serving current members of the EOS board are former chief of air force, Geoff Brown (joined 2016) and former Labor senator for the ACT, Kate Lundy (joined 2018).

    The release of a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in 2023 raised serious concerns about EOS and its Saudi Arabian arms deals.

    HRW’s report revealed that hundreds, possibly thousands, of unarmed migrants and asylum-seekers had been killed at the Yemen-Saudi border in the 15 months between March 2022 and June 2023, allegedly by Saudi officers.

    Human Rights Watch says it identified on Google Earth what looks like “a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle” near a Saudi border guard posts north of the Yemeni refugee trail in January 1, 2023.

    The vehicle has what appears to be “a heavy machine gun mounted in a turret on its roof”. This description closely matches the military equipment that Australia sold to Saudi Arabia a few years earlier.

    Declassified Australia put a number of questions to EOS, the Department of Defence, and the offices of the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, and the Foreign Minister. None responded to our questions on this matter.

    Michelle Fahy is an independent writer and researcher, specialising in the examination of connections between the weapons industry and government, and has written in various independent publications. She is on X @FahyMichelle, and on Substack at UndueInfluence.substack.com. This article has been republished from Declassified Australia with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Global: William Morris: new exhibition reveals how Britain’s greatest designer went viral

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marcus Waithe, Professor of Literature and the Applied Arts, University of Cambridge

    Hadrian Garrard, the curator of Morris Mania – an innovative exhibition now showing at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, east London – tells the story of being in King’s Cross Station and spotting someone wheeling a shopping trolley covered in a plasticised Morris pattern. It reminded me of the time when a student thanked me for my teaching with a pair of Morris-themed flip-flops.

    Mugs, tea towels, notepads, handbags and all manner of other incongruous objects make up this world of Morris merchandise. Much of it is made in China and remote from the purposes William Morris had in mind. How did this Victorian designer and socialist, known for championing craftsmanship and preferring substance over style, become an icon of consumer culture?


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    The exhibition’s tagline – How Britain’s Greatest Designer Went Viral – makes good sense. It’s not just that Morris stages an escape from the Victorian decorative world, but that his art proliferates in uncontrolled ways. The walk from Walthamstow station lays the groundwork in this regard: exhibition posters in shop windows, end-of-terrace murals and even the civic architecture, speak of something leaking from the gallery walls.

    The first display in the exhibition tell the story of how we got here. Morris began spreading thanks to the commissions he received from aristocratic and royal clients. They were drawn to the medieval ethos of his work, and its rejection of industrialism in the arts. An important early contract was for the interiors at St James’s Palace.

    But these establishment associations soon morphed and mutated, first among the English middle classes, who welcomed Morris’s designs into their suburban villas despite his new fondness for revolution, and then more remotely: one photograph shows Morris-patterned walls at St Peterburg’s Winter Palace, taken shortly after the Bolsheviks stormed the building. The socialism as it were, is turned inside out.

    The earliest Morris merchandise was printed for a centenary exhibition at the V&A Museum in 1934. One of its patterned postcards appears in a display case, the souvenir of Morris’s own daughter, May, whose handwriting is on the back. In 1966, Morris’s designs went out of copyright, marking a watershed. Pop Victoriana and Laura Ashley floral dresses depended on it for their reproductive freedoms.

    George Harrison’s “golden lily” jacket, from the Chelsea boutique Granny Takes a Trip, stands out as a poignant example of the ways in which Morris was recut and repurposed for the counterculture.

    Morris’s “rose” pattern proves a particularly intrepid traveller, as the design chosen for the officers’ cushions on HMS Valliant, an early nuclear-powered submarine. Its onboard domesticity blends curiously with the menace of its mission.

    Three turning points prepare us for the newest forms of Morris mania. The V&A’s 1996 exhibition repopularised Morris’s work, and thanks to new digital technology, its merchandise included printed mugs.

    Then, in 2001, the British government instructed public collections to open their doors for free. In search of new income streams, museums turned to selling themed objects through their shops. The rise of China as a manufacturing hub complemented this emphasis – less by revolutionising working conditions and democratising design, as Morris had hoped, than with a flood of cheaply produced goods.

    Beyond this revealing timeline, what really impresses is the exhibition’s care in preserving distinctions. It’s particularly careful to show that going viral need not mean selling out. From Nanjing – a major centre of Chinese manufacturing – comes a poster for the 2023 exhibition Beyond William Morris at the Nanjing Museum. It attracted over a million visitors, reminding us that behind the merchandise are new wells of love and respect.

    Something similar applies at the level of making. For every sweatshop Hello Kitty, the same character appears in a beautifully crafted yukata (a casual kimono) in Liberty fabrics made in Japan.

    A Brompton Bike hangs from the wall – manufactured in London, and sporting a handsome “willow bough” livery. Likewise, a neon “strawberry thief” motif, made at Walthamstow’s God’s Own Junk Yard, rekindles the embers of local production. This emphasis extends to the exhibition’s own making. A film documents the weaving of the Axminster carpet that furnishes the main room. Even the labels were dyed by hand with weld, a natural pigment whose use Morris revived.

    In these ways, the exhibition champions ethical and bespoke production, while confronting the darker currents that move objects around our world. It also stays curious enough to push further by exploring the kitsch new frontier of “Morris” patterns generated by AI, or by populating a Victorian dresser with “crowdsourced” Morris bric-a-brac.

    There might have been more space to consider why the surface effects of pattern travel so readily, and to quote Morris’s writings on the subject. But much of that is implicit and there for audiences to follow up.

    Morris Mania excels by nurturing the joy behind all this promiscuous growth. Most pleasingly, that trolley from King’s Cross makes a reappearance, dressed here in an AI-adapted “strawberry thief”, courtesy of Sholley Trolleys, Clacton-on-Sea. Just like Morris himself, it was made in Essex.

    Morris Mania: How Britain’s Greatest Designer Went Viral is at the William Morris Gallery until September 21 2025.

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

    ref. William Morris: new exhibition reveals how Britain’s greatest designer went viral – https://theconversation.com/william-morris-new-exhibition-reveals-how-britains-greatest-designer-went-viral-254761

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Azerbaijan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Azerbaijan

    • Date:2025-04-24
    • Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 24, 2025  

      

    Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited China from April 22 to 24. Following a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on April 23, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Among other spurious content, the statement falsely claimed that Taiwan was an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns the Chinese government for continuing to issue preposterous pronouncements that aim to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty on the international stage. It also expresses deep regret at the Azerbaijani government’s submission to, and compliance with, authoritarian China. 

    MOFA reaffirms that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent, sovereign country and that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the Chinese Communist Party-governed People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. No statement intended to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status or undermine international peace and stability can alter the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

    MOFA calls on the international community to recognize China’s authoritarian nature, as well as its efforts to deceitfully frame the issue of Taiwan as being a domestic matter and block international support for Taiwan. It also urges the international community to continue to respond with concrete action and clearly oppose China’s malicious attempts to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait so as to help jointly maintain peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin concludes successful visit to Eswatini, elevating bilateral relations to new heights

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin concludes successful visit to Eswatini, elevating bilateral relations to new heights

    • Date:2025-04-27
    • Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 27, 2025  

    No. 122  

    On April 26, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, serving as a special presidential envoy, successfully completed a five-day visit to Eswatini and returned to Taiwan.

    On the final day of the trip, Special Envoy Lin announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would cooperate with Big Game Parks, an Eswatini wildlife conservation organization, and contribute one million emalangeni to assist the protection of rhinoceros habitat. The donation was witnessed by Eswatini Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu and Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane. In a gesture symbolizing the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, Special Envoy Lin named a newborn baby rhino in the national park Formosa. The announcement represented a further expansion of the scope of bilateral collaboration into the sphere of preserving ecological diversity.

    In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin thanked Big Game Parks for its contributions to conservation. He said that Taiwan attached great importance to biodiversity and understood that every species played an indispensable role in human survival. Special Envoy Lin explained that as well as prioritizing conservation work, the government of Taiwan had also enacted the Wildlife Conservation Act and incorporated the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora into national law. He added that Taiwan had worked hard to protect plants and animals at home and abroad to stop illegal exploitation of natural resources. Looking ahead, Special Envoy Lin said he hoped Taiwan and Eswatini would continue to jointly engage in related efforts.

    Acting on behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Special Envoy Lin led a large delegation including industry representatives to Eswatini from April 21 to 26 to join celebrations for the 57th birthday of King Mswati III. The visit demonstrated Taiwan’s high regard for Eswatini and further deepened the cordial relations and constructive cooperation between the two countries. 

    During the trip, Special Envoy Lin had audiences with the king and queen mother of Eswatini and met with other senior officials including the prime minister and foreign minister. He discussed bilateral cooperation plans and signed memorandums and joint statements that covered areas such as providing medical care, building 5G infrastructure, countering disinformation, and conserving wildlife. Special Envoy Lin also visited the referral and emergency complex and operating theater of Mbabane Government Hospital, which were built with assistance from Taiwan, as well as a factory that receives investment from local Taiwanese businesspeople.

    The successful trip further strengthened Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic ties, broadened cooperation between the two nations, demonstrated Taiwan’s active contributions to the international community, and laid even more solid foundations for the countries to progress toward common prosperity. (E)

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA demands Somali government immediately revoke notification to airline operators not to accept Taiwan passport for travel to Somalia

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA demands Somali government immediately revoke notification to airline operators not to accept Taiwan passport for travel to Somalia

    • Date:2025-04-29
    • Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 29, 2025  

    No. 128  

    The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) on April 22 issued a notification to all airline operators and stakeholders that, starting from April 30, passports and related travel documents issued by Taiwan and its subordinate authorities could no longer be used to enter, exit, or transit through Somalia. The SCAA stated that the Somali government’s decision was made in line with the “one China principle” based on United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. 

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly protests Somalia’s imposition of restrictions on Taiwan nationals’ freedom and safety of travel at China’s instigation. It demands that the government of Somalia immediately revoke this notification. MOFA also solemnly refutes and strongly condemns the Somali government’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758, conflation of the resolution with the so-called “one China principle,” and propagation of the falsehood that Taiwan is subordinate to the People’s Republic of China.

    MOFA and the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland as well as the government of Somaliland have jointly requested that like-minded nations and international organizations take concrete steps to press for the abjuration of this wrongful action. To ensure Taiwan nationals’ travel safety and convenience, MOFA reminds them not to travel to either Somalia or Somaliland until the Somali government revokes the notification.

    Since declaring independence in 1991, Somaliland has held four presidential elections. It enjoys political stability and a deepening democracy. Somaliland and Taiwan are like-minded countries that uphold freedom and democracy. The Somali government controls Somaliland’s airspace, and its crass efforts to halt interactions between peoples of democratic nations have a deleterious effect on the situation in the Horn of Africa. MOFA will provide timely updates should there be subsequent developments. (E) 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA sincerely thanks United States for condemning China’s misuse of UNGA Resolution 2758 for first time at UN Security Council

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA sincerely thanks United States for condemning China’s misuse of UNGA Resolution 2758 for first time at UN Security Council

    Date:2025-04-24
    Data Source:Department of International Organizations

    April 24, 2025 
    No. 117 

    At a United Nations Security Council meeting on April 23, the United States severely condemned China for misusing UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in its attempts to isolate Taiwan, mischaracterize other countries’ policies, and constrain their choices. The United States also reiterated that the resolution did not preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN system or other multilateral fora. This is the second time that the current US administration has spoken up for Taiwan at the United Nations, following its public statement rejecting China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758 at a meeting of the World Health Organization Executive Board in February. This is also the first time that the United States has clearly expressed its position on the resolution at the UN Security Council, which is of great significance.
     
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks the Trump administration for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the international arena and for denouncing China’s relentless attempts to suppress Taiwan’s sovereign status and international participation by maliciously distorting UNGA Resolution 2758. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country, and neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. This is the objective reality across the Taiwan Strait and an internationally recognized fact. UNGA Resolution 2758 makes absolutely no mention of Taiwan, nor does it state that Taiwan is part of the PRC. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent its 23 million people in the United Nations system and other international organizations. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Azerbaijan

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Azerbaijan

    Date:2025-04-24
    Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 24, 2025  
      
    Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited China from April 22 to 24. Following a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on April 23, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Among other spurious content, the statement falsely claimed that Taiwan was an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns the Chinese government for continuing to issue preposterous pronouncements that aim to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty on the international stage. It also expresses deep regret at the Azerbaijani government’s submission to, and compliance with, authoritarian China. 

    MOFA reaffirms that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent, sovereign country and that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the Chinese Communist Party-governed People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. No statement intended to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status or undermine international peace and stability can alter the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

    MOFA calls on the international community to recognize China’s authoritarian nature, as well as its efforts to deceitfully frame the issue of Taiwan as being a domestic matter and block international support for Taiwan. It also urges the international community to continue to respond with concrete action and clearly oppose China’s malicious attempts to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait so as to help jointly maintain peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin concludes successful visit to Eswatini, elevating bilateral relations to new heights

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Foreign Minister Lin concludes successful visit to Eswatini, elevating bilateral relations to new heights

    Date:2025-04-27
    Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 27, 2025  
    No. 122  

    On April 26, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, serving as a special presidential envoy, successfully completed a five-day visit to Eswatini and returned to Taiwan.

    On the final day of the trip, Special Envoy Lin announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would cooperate with Big Game Parks, an Eswatini wildlife conservation organization, and contribute one million emalangeni to assist the protection of rhinoceros habitat. The donation was witnessed by Eswatini Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu and Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane. In a gesture symbolizing the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, Special Envoy Lin named a newborn baby rhino in the national park Formosa. The announcement represented a further expansion of the scope of bilateral collaboration into the sphere of preserving ecological diversity.

    In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin thanked Big Game Parks for its contributions to conservation. He said that Taiwan attached great importance to biodiversity and understood that every species played an indispensable role in human survival. Special Envoy Lin explained that as well as prioritizing conservation work, the government of Taiwan had also enacted the Wildlife Conservation Act and incorporated the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora into national law. He added that Taiwan had worked hard to protect plants and animals at home and abroad to stop illegal exploitation of natural resources. Looking ahead, Special Envoy Lin said he hoped Taiwan and Eswatini would continue to jointly engage in related efforts.

    Acting on behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Special Envoy Lin led a large delegation including industry representatives to Eswatini from April 21 to 26 to join celebrations for the 57th birthday of King Mswati III. The visit demonstrated Taiwan’s high regard for Eswatini and further deepened the cordial relations and constructive cooperation between the two countries. 

    During the trip, Special Envoy Lin had audiences with the king and queen mother of Eswatini and met with other senior officials including the prime minister and foreign minister. He discussed bilateral cooperation plans and signed memorandums and joint statements that covered areas such as providing medical care, building 5G infrastructure, countering disinformation, and conserving wildlife. Special Envoy Lin also visited the referral and emergency complex and operating theater of Mbabane Government Hospital, which were built with assistance from Taiwan, as well as a factory that receives investment from local Taiwanese businesspeople.

    The successful trip further strengthened Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic ties, broadened cooperation between the two nations, demonstrated Taiwan’s active contributions to the international community, and laid even more solid foundations for the countries to progress toward common prosperity. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA demands Somali government immediately revoke notification to airline operators not to accept Taiwan passport for travel to Somalia

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA demands Somali government immediately revoke notification to airline operators not to accept Taiwan passport for travel to Somalia

    Date:2025-04-29
    Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 29, 2025  
    No. 128  
    The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) on April 22 issued a notification to all airline operators and stakeholders that, starting from April 30, passports and related travel documents issued by Taiwan and its subordinate authorities could no longer be used to enter, exit, or transit through Somalia. The SCAA stated that the Somali government’s decision was made in line with the “one China principle” based on United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. 

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly protests Somalia’s imposition of restrictions on Taiwan nationals’ freedom and safety of travel at China’s instigation. It demands that the government of Somalia immediately revoke this notification. MOFA also solemnly refutes and strongly condemns the Somali government’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758, conflation of the resolution with the so-called “one China principle,” and propagation of the falsehood that Taiwan is subordinate to the People’s Republic of China.

    MOFA and the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland as well as the government of Somaliland have jointly requested that like-minded nations and international organizations take concrete steps to press for the abjuration of this wrongful action. To ensure Taiwan nationals’ travel safety and convenience, MOFA reminds them not to travel to either Somalia or Somaliland until the Somali government revokes the notification.

    Since declaring independence in 1991, Somaliland has held four presidential elections. It enjoys political stability and a deepening democracy. Somaliland and Taiwan are like-minded countries that uphold freedom and democracy. The Somali government controls Somaliland’s airspace, and its crass efforts to halt interactions between peoples of democratic nations have a deleterious effect on the situation in the Horn of Africa. MOFA will provide timely updates should there be subsequent developments. (E) 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA response to Czech Senate adopting resolution on China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA response to Czech Senate adopting resolution on China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758

    Date:2025-04-30
    Data Source:Department of European Affairs

    April 30, 2025 

    The Czech Senate on April 29 adopted a resolution on the misrepresentation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. In the resolution, the Czech Senate opposed China’s mischaracterization of UNGA Resolution 2758, emphasizing that it did not substantiate the “one China principle,” and rejected China’s related claim that Taiwan was part of China. The resolution also reiterated its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the resolution and expresses its sincere appreciation.
     
    The resolution stated that when UNGA Resolution 2758 was adopted on October 25, 1971, it made no mention of Taiwan, the Taiwanese people, or Taiwan’s political status; did not establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan; and did not discuss Taiwan’s status or participation in UN agencies. Moreover, the resolution pointed out that China’s deliberate distortion of UN resolutions endangered the legitimacy of the United Nations and infringed on the basic principles of international law. It called on China to respect the content of UNGA 2758 and stop misusing it for its own political ends.
     
    In addition, the resolution supported Taiwan’s meaningful participation in multilateral organizations and fora such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Criminal Police Organization. It urged the Czech government to address China’s misrepresentation and misuse of UNGA Resolution 2758 in the UN system and support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.
     
    The Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a resolution on December 12, 2024, opposing China’s improper linking of UNGA Resolution 2758 with the “one China principle.” The new Czech Senate resolution therefore once again demonstrates the Czech Parliament’s staunch backing of Taiwan and underscores the close and cordial relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
     
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung expresses sincere gratitude to the Czech Senate for supporting Taiwan through concrete action and calls on the international community to likewise counter China’s false narratives regarding UNGA Resolution 2758. Taiwan will continue to work hand in hand with like-minded partners worldwide to resist the efforts of authoritarian regimes seeking to undermine the international order and to jointly safeguard the core values shared by the global democratic community.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: During visit to Eswatini, Foreign Minister Lin meets with Prime Minister Dlamini and announces additional funding for women’s microfinance revolving fund

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    April 24, 2025
    No. 115

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung is currently visiting Eswatini as President Lai Ching-te’s special envoy. He continues to carry out important engagements in Taiwan’s African ally. 
     
    On the morning of April 23, the second day of his visit, Special Envoy Lin called on Prime Minister Russell Dlamini to thank him for his friendship with Taiwan. Prime Minister Dlamini, who assumed office in November 2023, led a delegation to Taiwan in March 2024. In the same year, he spoke up for Taiwan on behalf of the government of Eswatini at major international events, including the United Nations General Assembly and the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, demonstrating staunch support for the diplomatic alliance between the two countries.
     
    Prime Minister Dlamini warmly welcomed Special Envoy Lin to Eswatini and thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support. He reaffirmed that relations with Taiwan were rock-solid and emphasized that Eswatini, as a sovereign nation, had the right to choose its own friends without being influenced by other countries. He underlined that Eswatini was firmly committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with Taiwan.
     
    Also on the morning of April 23, Special Envoy Lin joined Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu; Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo; and other high-level officials at an event to showcase the results of a microfinance revolving fund implemented by Taiwan and Eswatini to help women start businesses.
     
    In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin stated that Taiwan had announced an investment of US$1 million to establish the revolving fund in September 2023. He said the program provided start-up loans for women in rural areas, increased household incomes, and contributed to the economic and social development of Eswatini. In the past year or more since the fund was launched, over 500 loans had been approved, leading to changes in people’s lives and helping women achieve economic independence, he added. Highlighting a touching result of the initiative, Special Envoy Lin noted that one beneficiary had named her newborn baby Taiwan to thank Taiwan for its assistance. He further announced that the Taiwan government would inject an additional US$500,000 into the fund to further expand the virtuous cycle.  Special Envoy Lin said this underscored Taiwan’s strong commitment to economic empowerment in Eswatini.
     
    Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla recalled her 2019 visit to Taiwan as foreign minister, during which she presented a proposal to the Taiwan government for the revolving fund on behalf of Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala. She said that in 2020 the Technical Mission of the International Cooperation and Development Fund in Eswatini had introduced the Women’s Microenterprise Mentoring and Capacity Building Project, under which more than 6,000 women had received entrepreneurship skills training. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla said this was followed by a bilateral cooperation agreement to launch the fund, signed at a ceremony witnessed by the heads of state of both nations in September 2023. She praised the results that the program had achieved since it was launched just over a year ago in effectively giving women in rural areas of Eswatini an avenue to finance their start-up plans.
     
    Around 100 beneficiaries of the fund attended the event. Participants sang classic Taiwanese songs such as “Fight to Win,” creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Special Envoy Lin presented a stuffed leopard cat to the child named Taiwan, highlighting the profound friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini.
     
    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work with the government of Eswatini to enhance the well-being of the peoples of both countries and further deepen bilateral relations. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin meets with Eswatini king and queen mother, cohosts groundbreaking for strategic oil reserve facility

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Foreign Minister Lin meets with Eswatini king and queen mother, cohosts groundbreaking for strategic oil reserve facility

    Date:2025-04-24
    Data Source:Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    April 24, 2025   No. 116  Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, serving as President Lai Ching-te’s special envoy to Taiwan’s African ally Eswatini, met with Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala and had an audience with King Mswati III on the afternoon of April 23. He and King Mswati III jointly presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for a strategic oil reserve facility, broadening bilateral cooperation into a new area.
     
    The king and the queen mother expressed appreciation for President Lai’s appointment of Minister Lin as special envoy for the king’s 57th birthday celebrations. They thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance in developing Eswatini’s infrastructure, which they said had played an important role in economic growth. The king and the queen mother reaffirmed the robust diplomatic partnership between the two countries and pledged to continue to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
     
    Special Envoy Lin extended birthday wishes to King Mswati III on behalf of President Lai and presented the king with a congratulatory letter from the president as well as special envoy credentials. He also delivered birthday gifts to the king, including cattle in accordance with local customs, high-tech products and delicacies from Taiwan, and a wooden sculpture entitled Infinite Wisdom by Taiwanese artist Kang Mu-xiang. 
     
    In his remarks, Special Envoy Lin thanked King Mswati III for leading a delegation to the inauguration of President Lai in May 2024 to convey support for Taiwan’s new administration. He said that Taiwan, as an important ally of Eswatini, would continue to contribute to the development of key infrastructure projects. He commended the king for fully supporting the launch of the strategic oil reserve facility and noted that it was the largest cooperation project to be undertaken by the two nations since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Special Envoy Lin said the project demonstrated that Taiwan was Eswatini’s steadfast partner, adding that the two countries had always supported each other. He stressed that Taiwan would continue to promote and expand the scope of bilateral exchanges and cooperation to further assist Eswatini in realizing its development goals.
     
    Following their meeting, Special Envoy Lin and King Mswati III jointly presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the strategic oil reserve facility. The milestone in bilateral relations was witnessed by prominent leaders from all sectors of Eswatini society. King Mswati III also hosted a reception for Special Envoy Lin, the delegation, and other guests, demonstrating the high regard of the Eswatini royal family and government for the visitors and the project.
     
    Taiwan and Eswatini established diplomatic relations in 1968. Over the past 57 years, bilateral ties have been stable and cordial. The government of Eswatini has actively and unfailingly supported Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. It is one of Taiwan staunchest allies. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GD scheme’s care service launches

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Social Welfare Department today announced that the New Home Association has been commissioned to provide Social & Care Support Service under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong starting from tomorrow to offer support to elderly participants and their families.

     

    The Social & Care Support Service is one of the measures announced in the 2024 Policy Address to help elderly participants of the scheme better adapt to life in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) on the Mainland and receive timely assistance when needed.

     

    The association will provide support services for the elderly participants under the scheme, especially during the initial six-month trial period upon admission into the RCHEs.

     

    Such services will assist them in understanding the Mainland’s medical systems and care services, maintaining connections with their families in Hong Kong, and providing them with suitable advice and assistance in handling situations such as housing, medical care, and financial matters in Hong Kong.

     

    Continuous support will also be rendered in accordance with their needs upon completion of the trial period.

     

    The Social & Care Support Service will also conduct assessments under the Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services and follow up applications for Hong Kong seniors who have settled in Guangdong Province and are interested in joining the scheme at their places of residence.

     

    Click here for details.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane payable by Sugar Mills to sugarcane farmers for sugar season 2025-26

    Source: Government of India

    Cabinet  approves Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane payable by Sugar Mills to sugarcane farmers for sugar season 2025-26

    Fair and Remunerative Price of Rs. 355/qtl approved for Sugarcane Farmers  

    Decision will benefit 5 crore sugarcane farmers  and their dependents, as well as 5 lakh workers employed in the sugar mills and related ancillary activities

    Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:09PM by PIB Delhi

    Keeping in view interest of sugarcane farmers (GannaKisan), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for sugar season 2025-26 (October – September) at Rs.355/qtl for a basic recovery rate of 10.25%, providing a premium of Rs.3.46/qtl for each 0.1% increase in recovery over and above 10.25%, & reduction in FRP by Rs.3.46/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery.

    However, the Government with a view to protect interest of sugarcane farmers has also decided that there shall not be any deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5%. Such farmers will get Rs.329.05/qtl for sugarcane in ensuing sugar season 2025-26.

    The cost of production (A2 +FL) of sugarcane for the sugar season 2025-26 is Rs.173/qtl. This FRP of Rs.355/qtl at a recovery rate of 10.25% is higher by 105.2% over production cost. The FRP for sugar season 2025-26 is 4.41% higher than current sugar season 2024-25.

    The FRP approved shall be applicable for purchase of sugarcane from the farmers in the sugar season 2025-26 (starting w.e.f. 1st October, 2025) by sugar mills. The sugar sector is an important agro-based sector that impacts the livelihood of about 5 crore sugarcane farmers and their dependents and around 5 lakh workers directly employed in sugar mills, apart from those employed in various ancillary activities including farm labour and transportation.

    Background:

    The FRP has been determined on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and after consultation with State Governments and other stake-holders.

    In the previous sugar season 2023-24, out of cane dues payable of 1,11,782 crores about Rs.1,11,703 crores cane dues have been paid to farmers, as on 28.04.2025; thus, 99.92% cane dues have been cleared. In the current sugar season 2024-25, out of cane dues payable of Rs.97,270 crore about Rs.85,094 crores cane dues have been paid to farmers, as on 28.04.2025; thus, 87% cane dues have been cleared.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves development of Greenfield High-Speed Corridor of 166.80 km (NH-6) from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)

    Source: Government of India

    Cabinet approves development of Greenfield High-Speed Corridor of 166.80 km (NH-6) from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)

    Total capital cost of the corridor is Rs.22,864 crore

    Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:05PM by PIB Delhi

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for Development, Maintenance and Management of  4-lane Greenfield Access Controlled 166.80 km of National Highway No. 06 from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam on Hybrid Annuity Mode as an access controlled greenfield High-Speed Corridor at a total capital cost of Rs.22,864 Crore. The project length of 166.80 km lies in Meghalaya (144.80 km)  and Assam (22.00 km).

    The proposed Greenfield high-speed corridor will improve the service level for the traffic moving from Guwahati to Silchar. The development of this corridor will improve the connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the Barak Valley region of Assam from mainland and Guwahati with substantially reduced travel distance and travel time. This will, in turn, contribute to the enhancement of logistics efficiency of the nation.

    The corridor will improve connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya and will spur economic development, including development of industries in Meghalaya, as it passes through cement and coal production areas of Meghalaya. This corridor will cater to the national and international tourists coming from well-connected Guwahati Airport, Shillong Airport, Silchar Airport (via existing NH-06) connecting Guwahati to Silchar. This would connect scenic places of tourist attraction in the North-East and promote tourism.

    This critical infrastructure project will improve inter-city connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong & Silchar traverses through Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia hills, East Jaintia hills in Meghalaya and Cachar district in Assam reduce congestion on existing NH-06 and enhance transport infrastructure development in line with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

    The project alignment integrates with major transport corridors, including NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, NH-37 providing seamless connectivity to Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Diengpasoh, Ummulong, Phramer, Khlieriat, Ratachera, Umkiang, Kalain..

    Upon completion, the Shillong – Silchar Corridor will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, improving connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl and Agartala. The project aligns with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing infrastructure while generating employment and fostering socio-economic development in Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

    Feature

    Details

    Project Name

    Development, Maintenance and Management of 166.80 km of National Highway No. 06 from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam on Hybrid Annuity Mode

    Corridor

    Shillong – Silchar (NH-06)

    Length (km)

    166.8 Km

    Total Civil Cost

    Rs. 12,087 crore

    Land Acquisition Cost

    Rs. 3,503 crore

    Total Capital Cost

    Rs. 22,864 crore

    Mode

    Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)

    Major Roads Connected

    NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, NH-37, SH-07, SH-08, SH-09, SH-38

    Economic / Social / Transport Nodes Connected

    Airports: Guwahati Airport, Shillong Airport, Silchar Airport

    Major Cities / Towns Connected

    Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Diengpasoh, Ummulong, Phramer, Khlieriat, Ratachera, Umkiang, Kalain.

    Employment Generation Potential

    74 lakh man-days (direct) & 93 lakh man-days (indirect)

    Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) in FY-25

    Estimated at 19,000-20,000 Passenger Car Units (PCU)

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs steps up consumer protection work during Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs steps up consumer protection work during Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland  
    Apart from patrolling popular shopping spots, Customs officers will also drive publicity at medicine shops, dried seafood and ginseng shops, jewellery shops and hawker pitches in different tourist shopping areas such as Yau Tsim Mong and Causeway Bay. Retail shops and practitioners in the tourist industry will be reminded to comply with the requirements of the TDO.
     
    Customs officers will also distribute pamphlets at land boundary control points to remind local consumers and visitors that they should patronise shops with a good reputation. They are also reminded to check carefully the unit price and total price of the goods before making a payment, and to retain transaction receipts and related records which can be served as the basis in case a complaint is lodged in the future. They are additionally reminded to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.
     
    Customs has long been concerned about visitors being misled into making purchases by unfair trade practices, and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-term visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.
     
    Under the TDO, any trader who adopts unfair trade practices, including making false trade descriptions in relation to goods, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices as well as bait and switch practices, or sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
     
    Members of the public may report suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:40

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pilot Study on Annual Survey of Services Sector Enterprises (ASSSE) to capture insights into the Incorporated Service Sector

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi

    The pilot study was carried out in two phases using a GSTN frame primarily with an objective to test the suitability of the GSTN database as sampling frame, verify and update selected frame information (in Phase-I) and to test the operational modalities such as, response of the enterprises, adequacy of the instruction, structure of the questionnaire, collectability of information, etc. (in Phase-II).

    The pilot study covered those service sector enterprises from the GSTN database which are registered under Companies Act, 1956 or, Companies Act, 2013 or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008.

    The pilot provides valuable operational insights and a foundation for launching a robust, full-scale annual survey of incorporated service sector enterprises from January 2026.

    Objective of the Pilot Survey on ASSSE

    1. The service sector is a key driver of India’s economy, contributing more than 50% to the country’s GDP and providing millions of jobs. Accurate and comprehensive data on this sector is crucial for informed policymaking, strategic planning, and investment decisions. While the unincorporated part of the service sector is covered in Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) conducted by National Statistics Office, there is a lack of granular data on the economic and operational characteristics, employment, and other related aspects of the incorporated service sector. This gap in data is primarily due to the absence of a regular national-level survey covering the various sub-sectors of the incorporated non-agricultural non-manufacturing sectors.
    2. The main objective was to test operational processes – enterprise response, clarity of survey instructions, efficacy of the questionnaire and the availability of key data from official records such as books of accounts, profit and loss statements, and labour registers.

    Requirement of Pilot Study before launching full-fledged ASSSE

    To firm up the methodology, survey instruments and other operational aspects of conducting a full-fledged pan-India survey (ASSSE), there was a felt need to undertake a pilot. Accordingly, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has conducted the Pilot Study on ASSSE and releases its findings as a Technical Report in this press note.

    This pilot marks a pioneering effort in the Indian official survey ecosystem, utilizing a GSTN-based enterprise frame for the first time comprising of incorporated enterprises across the Construction, Trade, and Other Services categories including transport, accommodation and food services, information and communication, health, education, real estate, etc. Technical Report available in the website of the MoSPI viz. https://www.mospi.gov.in.

    Modalities of conducting the Pilot Study

    The Pilot Study on ASSSE has been conducted using an ‘enterprise approach’ where the term ‘enterprise’ is referred to as a GSTN unit conducting operations in a particular state. As per GSTN nomenclature, the term enterprise is analogous to ‘principal place of business’ which may have one or more ‘additional place of business’ (establishments) in the state. Combined data of all the additional places of businesses have been collected from the principal place of business in this pilot study.

    The two-phase pilot study, conducted through CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing) on tablets, aimed to test the suitability of GSTN database as sampling frame, validate and update selected frame information, test operational processes, and assess data availability from business records including balance sheets, books of accounts and labour registers maintained by the enterprises for the financial year 2022–2023.

    Phase I of the pilot was conducted during May 2024–August 2024 covering 10,005 enterprises primarily to verify and update address and activity information along with collecting some quantitative information such as gross sale value, employment, etc.

    Phase-II of the Pilot Study on 5020 enterprises selected from the list of eligible enterprises of Phase-I took place during November 2024 to January 2025. Data for this phase were collected under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended in 2017), with notices issued in October 2024.

    Major takeaway from the pilot study

    • Majority of the enterprises were found to be existent and operational.
    • Units with headquarters in other states required significant effort to collect the relevant data. Also, challenges were faced in bifurcating the GSTIN level information pertaining to the selected enterprises from Pan-India centralized records (often CIN based) maintained at headquarter level.
    • Majority of the responding units were found to be cooperative in furnishing information/data.
    • Barring a few blocks, the questionnaire was found to be reasonably easy to fill in.
    • The instructions were found to be mostly clear and unambiguous and easy to understand.

     

    Key finding of the pilot study (based on unweighted i.e without applying any multiplier on sample observations):

    1. Distribution of Enterprises by type of organization

    In Figure 1, distribution of enterprises by type of organization is presented. It can be seen that majority of the corporate entities in the pilot study on ASSSE are Private Limited Companies (82.40% at overall level) during FY 2022-23 followed by Public Limited Company and Limited Liability Partnership (each having nearly 8% share). The same trend is noticeable for all the Broad Activity Categories (BAC) i.e., Construction, Trade and Other Services.

    Figure 1: Distribution of enterprises by type of organization for each BAC

    1. Percentage share of economic indicators by different size classes of output (FY 2022-23)

    Size Class of Output (Rs.)

    No. of enterprises surveyed

    Indicator*

    Fixed Assets

    Net Fixed Capital Formation

    Gross Fixed Capital Formation

    Gross Value Added

    Net Value Added

    Total persons engaged

    Total compensation

    all-India

    Less than 10 cr.

    2720

    2.64

    2.19

    2.44

    1.19

    1.07

    9.28

    3.17

    10 cr. or more, but less than  100 cr.

    927

    9.58

    6.00

    8.32

    9.45

    9.38

    20.03

    11.43

    100 cr. or more, but less than 500 cr.

    326

    25.00

    29.08

    26.96

    19.90

    19.33

    33.73

    22.24

    500 cr. or more

    113

    62.77

    62.73

    62.28

    69.47

    70.21

    36.96

    63.17

    All

    4086

    100.00

    100.00

    100.00

    100.00

    100.00

    100.00

    100.00

     

    The following Table presents the percentage share of different important indicators over different size-classes of output.

    * generated based on sample data without using weights

    The data reveals that larger enterprises with output Rupees 500 crores and above dominate in terms of asset ownership (62.77%), net fixed capital formation (62.73%), gross value added (69.47%) and total compensation (63.17%). Further, data also reveals that enterprises (having output below Rupees 500 crores) make up almost  account for 63.03% of total employment and 36.84% of total compensation.

     

    Fig. 2: Enterprises with additional places of businesses in the state for each Broad Activity Categories.

    The above Figure (Figure 2) shows that overall, 28.5% of enterprises reported having additional places of business within the state. This percentage was observed to be the highest in the Trade sector with around 41.8% of enterprises belonging to this sector reported additional places of business in the state. As per GSTN nomenclature, the term enterprise is analogous to ‘principal place of business’ which may have one or more ‘additional place of business’ (establishments) in the state.

    Way Forward

    1. The pilot study on ASSSE represents a significant milestone in strengthening India’s statistical infrastructure for the service sector, a key contributor to both GDP and employment.
    2. The findings from the pilot study provide a strong foundation for launching the full-scale annual survey starting in January 2026.
    3. The pilot study confirmed the suitability of the GSTN database as a sampling frame for the survey.
    4. It highlighted the importance of proper verification and validation of survey instruments, the collectability of data from records maintained by selected enterprises and the challenges encountered during data collection.
    5. The pilot study offers valuable insights for planning and finalizing the sampling design, determining the sample size and refining the questionnaire for the full-fledged survey in consultation with major stakeholders.
    6. The major indicators of the survey include percentage share of Fixed Assets, Net fixed Capital Formation, Gross Fixed Capital Formation, GVA, NVA, number of persons engaged and compensation etc. over different size-classes of output.

     

    Important Caveat

    The basic purpose of the pilot study was experience gathering on various aspects of the survey (as mentioned in previous paras) rather than generating estimates. Considering the small sample size of only 5020 units and the fact that a number of selected units were found to be non-existing and/or non-responding for various reasons, no design-based estimate (using sampling weights) has been attempted in this pilot study. Hence the estimates of any sector or Broad Activity Category (BAC) obtained by summing the estimates of all enterprises belonging to that sector/BAC tend to be skewed towards the estimates of large units present in that sector/BAC. Thus, the estimates are not indicative of or comparable to the overall actual aggregates of the sector/BAC.

    ****

    Samrat/ Allen

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited to Set Up 75 Space Labs in EMR Schools under ISRO’s Technical Guidance

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited to Set Up 75 Space Labs in EMR Schools under ISRO’s Technical Guidance

    19 states in the country to be benefitted

    Under CSR initiative around Rs 12 crores sanctioned

    It could bridge educational gaps and open new avenues for tribal youth in the fields of space science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM)

    Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi

    In a historic step Ministry of tribal affairs and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) announced the setting up of “Space Labs” in 75 Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) across 19 states in the country.

    Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India establishes EMRS to impart quality education to ST children thereby enabling them to avail of opportunities in high and professional educational courses and get gainful employment in various sectors. EMRS in addition to imparting high quality education also takes care of their nutrition and overall health and development. As on date there are 470 functional EMRS across the country.

    BPCL has announced that it will support the tribal affairs Ministry under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to set up the Space Labs and has sanctioned around Rs 12 crores towards the same.

    Through this initiative, the Ministry seeks to bridge educational gaps and open new avenues for tribal youth in the fields of space science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). By providing exposure to space sciences at a young age, the ministry aims to lay the foundation for nurturing future scientists, technologists, and innovators from tribal communities. This project marks a significant step towards mainstreaming tribal students into India’s scientific advancement. It reflects the Government’s broader efforts under the NEP 2020 framework to create equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for all sections of society.

    The initiative will be technically supported by the Space tutor agencies recognized by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).Each such lab will have the advanced scientific equipment including the following components:

    1. LVM3 Launch Vehicle and EO satellite demo model with all dub system details
    2. Static model launch vehicles (PSLV, HRLV, IRNSS, GSAT)
    3. Table Top demo models of solar System, lunar Eclipse, phases of the moon, day and nights, 4 seasons, globe and time indicator
    4. Star tracker telescope 150/750mm and Cansat working model
    5. Space, Science, and Maths Teaching Learning Material (TLM) kits
    6. ISRO space bookand timelineexhibit

    These labs are to be established in EMRS of 19 states in India and includesAndhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal. More than 50,000 tribal students shall benefit through this initiative.

     

     

     

     *******

    RN/PIB

    (Release ID: 2125464) Visitor Counter : 34

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil reviews the Jalaj initiative and charts a new path for river conservation and livelihood generation

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil reviews the Jalaj initiative and charts a new path for river conservation and livelihood generation

    Along with conservation, Jalaj aims at creating economic opportunities and enhancing community participation in river rejuvenation efforts: Shri C R Patil

    Union minister lauds the innovative models developed under Jalaj and emphasizes the need to scale up successful practices across other major river basins

    Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 members of the boating community and supported more than 2,400 women in 42 districts across nine states

    Posted On: 30 APR 2025 3:50PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of the Wildlife Institute of India’s livelihood-focused project JALAJ. The Jalaj program under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), is a significant component of the Government’s Arth Ganga vision — linking people to rivers through sustainable economic activities. Along with livelihood focus, the project aims at creating societal awareness towards aquatic biodiversity conservation.

    Highlighting its pivotal role, the Union Minister emphasized that along with conservation, JALAJ aims at creating economic opportunities and enhancing community participation in river rejuvenation efforts. Jalaj has successfully connected river conservation with livelihood generation by promoting eco-tourism, sustainable farming, skill development, and artisanal production across the Ganga basin. The initiative aims at establish 75 Jalaj centers, with various models such as Dolphin Safaris, Homestays, Livelihood Centers, and Awareness & Sale Points etc. Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 members of the boating community and supported more than 2,400 women in 42 districts across nine states.

     

    It emerged in the review that JALAJ aims at symbiotic linkage between river and communities and helps in educating people on values of conserved Ganga river. The review noted that Jalaj has conducted 263 training programs and mass outreach efforts through digital and print media, including YouTube channel. Shri C.R. Patil reviewed efforts to further enhance the livelihood potential of Jalaj and stressed its role as a bridge connecting communities to river ecosystems, making river conservation an economically rewarding endeavour. He appreciated the innovative models developed under Jalaj and emphasized the need to scale up successful practices across other major river basins like the Godavari, Periyar, Pampa and Barak whose ecological assessments were also reviewed in the meeting.

    To further strengthen outreach and awareness, a dedicated Jalaj informative website was launched by Sh. C.R. Patil. The website serves as a comprehensive resource hub, offering detailed insights into various Jalaj models such as Homestays, Dolphin Safaris, Livelihood Training Centers, and Awareness and Sale Centers. It also showcases success stories on how the Jalaj initiative has empowered community members, particularly women, by linking them to marketing centers. The website displays a range of eco-friendly products crafted by Ganga Praharis and aims to create widespread awareness about threatened aquatic biodiversity, including the Ganga River Dolphin, crocodilians, freshwater turtles, and water birds.

    Additionally, a Jalaj Products Catalogue was launched which has been developed, profiling sustainably produced goods prepared at Jalaj Production Centers, categorized into stationery items, home décor, apparels, body and skincare, and edibles. Furthermore, “SaanskritikLehren,” a special feature under Jalaj, was released by Sh. C.R. Patil which highlights the cultural ecosystem service value of the Ganga River, emphasizing its deep connection with India’s heritage, traditions, and the livelihoods of millions. Jalaj’s success has been widely recognized. The Hon’ble President of India lauded it during Gaj Utsav 2023, and Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi mentioned Jalaj as a model for freshwater conservation in his “Mann Ki Baat” address and at ICCON 2023, Mysore.

    The Jalaj initiative, by linking conservation efforts with livelihood generation, stands today as a shining example of how environmental protection and socio-economic development can go hand-in-hand — truly realizing the vision of Arth Ganga.

    ***

    Dhanya Sanal K

    Director

    (Release ID: 2125460) Visitor Counter : 98

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Leasing arrangements announced for public market stalls in May

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (April 30) that open auctions for a total of 590 stalls in 45 public markets will be held in May. Market stalls not taken at open auctions will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices on May 23 on a first-come, first-served basis.

    (1) Open auctions

    The types of stalls to be auctioned this time cover cooked food, frozen meat, fresh meat, fresh fish, frozen (chilled) poultry, fruits, vegetables, ready-to-eat food, food-related dry goods and wet goods, non-food related dry goods and wet goods, service trades, siu mei and lo mei, mobile phones/mobile phone accessories/electronic products/electronic parts, pet goods and pet food, hardware/locksmith, etc. The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term from June 1, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on the sizes, locations and vacancy periods of the individual stalls. The upset prices for the stalls in an open auction will be initially fixed at 80 per cent of the open market rent (OMR) if the stalls have been vacant for over six months, and at 60 per cent of the OMR if the vacant period has been over eight months. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.

    The date and the number of stalls are as follows:

    New Territories (1)
    ———————–
    Auction date: May 7 (Wednesday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 89

    New Territories (2)
    ———————
    Auction date: May 8 (Thursday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 76

    Hong Kong Island and Islands District (1)
    ———————————————-
    Auction date: May 12 (Monday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 119

    Aberdeen Market
    ——————-
    Auction date: May 12 (Monday) (pm)
    Number of stalls: 20

    Hong Kong Island and Islands District (2)
    ———————————————-
    Auction date: May 13 (Tuesday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 75

    Hong Kong Island and Islands District (3)
    ———————————————-
    Auction date: May 13 (Tuesday) (pm)
    Number of stalls: 64

    Kowloon (1)
    —————
    Auction date: May 14 (Wednesday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 79

    Lai Wan Market
    ——————–
    Auction date: May 14 (Wednesday) (pm)
    Number of stalls: two

    Kowloon (2)
    —————
    Auction date: May 15 (Thursday) (am)
    Number of stalls: 52

    Kowloon (3)
    —————
    Auction date: May 15 (Thursday) (pm)
    Number of stalls: 14

    The open auctions will be held at Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The admission tickets will be issued 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each auction. Persons who want to attend the auctions must wait at the waiting area of the auction venue and produce their Hong Kong identity card or passport for registration. The registered person will then be provided with an admission ticket for the auctions. In addition, eligible bidders after verification will be issued with a bidding paddle for the auction. The FEHD has also invited representatives of the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to monitor the auctions at the auction venue in order to ensure that the open auctions are conducted in an orderly and fair manner.

    (2) Renting at upset prices on first-come, first-served basis

    The tenancy agreement of market stalls renting on a first-come, first-served basis is a three-year fixed term from July 1, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on their sizes, locations, vacancy periods and the reduced upset prices from the last open auction of the individual stalls. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website after the open auction.

    Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall at its upset price should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm on May 23:
     

    Districts in which the market stalls are located  Venues for selection of market stalls
    Hong Kong Island and Islands District  Hawkers and Markets Section (Hong Kong and Islands) Office,
    8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building,
    225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
    Kowloon Hawkers and Markets Section (Kowloon) Office,
    Room 301-302,
    3/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot,
    87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon
    Kwai Tsing District  Kwai Tsing District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices,
    166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories
    North District North District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    4/F, Shek Wu Hui Municipal Services Building,
    13 Chi Cheong Road, Sheung Shui, New Territories
    Sai Kung District  Sai Kung District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    7/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
    38 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories
    Sha Tin District Sha Tin District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    Units 1201-1207 and 1220-1221, 12/F,
    Tower 1, Grand Central Plaza,
    138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories
    Tai Po District  Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    3/F, Tai Po Complex,
    8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories
    Tsuen Wan District  Tsuen Wan District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    3/F, Yeung Uk Road Municipal Services Building,
    45 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
    Tuen Mun District  Tuen Mun District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    1/F, Tuen Mun Government Offices Building,
    1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories
    Yuen Long District Yuen Long District Environmental Hygiene Office,
    2/F, Yuen Long Government Offices,
    2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long, New Territories

    A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Bidders or applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for or select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls to be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stall in the same market, and will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the second round of auction or to select one stall in the same market on a first-come, first-served basis. The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to bid for a stall in the auction or select a stall on a first-come, first-served basis in the same market, but shall vacate the current stall and return it to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement.”

    ​Details of the open auctions and the public market stalls concerned (including stalls for open auction at reduced upset prices) have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/open_auction_coming.html). Details on renting public market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis will be uploaded to the FEHD website after open auctions (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested bidders or applicants may visit the department website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ9: Planning of Hong Kong Island clusters

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question of the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

    Question:

         It has been reported that according to the population projections, the catchment population in the Hong Kong East Cluster and the Hong Kong West Cluster will be reduced to around one million in future, and that the authorities plan to merge the two clusters (the cluster merger) and will review afresh the second ten-year Hospital Development Plan (HDP), including the plan to expand the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) to provide 500 additional beds. In addition, the Secretary for Health indicated at the special meeting of the Panel on Health Services of this Council on February 21 this year that some specialty services would be adjusted after the cluster merger. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it knows the specific details of the cluster merger, including the arrangements for resource allocation and healthcare services of various hospitals after the merger, as well as the specialty services to be adjusted or merged;

    (2) as it is learnt that after the cluster merger, chest pain treatment services will be centralised at the chest pain centre of Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), whereas the travelling time from Eastern District to QMH is long, and the roads are congested from time to time, how the authorities will ensure that after the merger, patients with acute heart diseases in Eastern District can be transferred in time to the chest pain centre of QMH for treatment within the “golden treatment time”;

    (3) whether it knows if the emergency medical services (e.g. treatment of acute stroke, head trauma, etc.) and obstetric services of PYNEH will be cancelled after the cluster merger; if such services will be cancelled, how the authorities will ensure that emergency patients and pregnant women originally at PYNEH can receive timely and appropriate treatment or services;

    (4) of the expected completion time for the review of the second ten-year HDP; whether it will consider commencing the expansion project of PYNEH upon the cessation of the operation of Chai Wan Laundry at the end of this year; if so, of the timetable of the project; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (5) whether it will consult the staff of PYNEH and representatives of the residents in Eastern District on the detailed arrangements for the cluster merger; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,

         In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip is as follows:

    (1), (2) and (3) Clustering is an administrative arrangement for hospital management involving the delineation of medical facilities and clinical services according to their geographical locations to facilitate planning and service rationalisation. The HA plans to merge the Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) and Hong Kong West Cluster (HKWC) to achieve rationalisation of administration and management, streamlining of administrative procedures, sharing of resources for better cost-effectiveness and enhancement of operational and management efficiency. The plan also has the objectives of improving the overall quality of healthcare services, optimising treatment procedures, as well as enhancing the cost-effectiveness of the utilisation of resources through consolidating the governance structure and enhancing the complementary co-ordination of professional resources of the two clusters. After the merger, the existing acute and critical care hospitals, including the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH), the Ruttonjee Hospital, the Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), the Grantham Hospital and the St. John Hospital will continue to provide acute and critical care services, with general healthcare services and facilities being available to local residents within a reasonable geographical distance to ensure accessibility and convenience, in order that patients may receive a continuum of treatment under the same geographical setting.

         During the planning of services of varying complexity, the HA has all along followed the principle of “localising where possible, centralising where necessary” in designing the system and service networks inside and outside the clusters. It is anticipated that after the merger of the clusters, the majority of the existing patients will be able to continue receiving services in hospitals in the vicinity, including those using the Accident and Emergency services, the general out-patient services and general specialty services with high volume and relatively lower complexity (including medicine, geriatric, general surgery, orthopaedics and traumatology, paediatrics and allied health services) on the Hong Kong Island. Besides, the clusters have non-acute hospitals which render rehabilitation and convalescent in-patient services, psychiatric in-patient services, as well as day surgery services. Following the consolidation, the existing facilities of each hospital will continue to perform their current key functions and uphold their expertise while complementing the strengths of the other hospitals within the cluster, thereby providing comprehensive healthcare services in a more effective manner.

         There are some specialty services with a relatively lower demand whose operation involves personnel with specialised clinical techniques and qualifications, or require sophisticated equipment and advanced technology (such as the organ transplant services and the first chest pain centre established in accordance with national accreditation standards at QMH, and the hyperbaric oxygen treatment at PYNEH). For these services, centralisation of specialists, specialised equipment and complicated cases for handling at designated hospitals will be arranged, with due consideration given to the accessibility of the designated hospitals. The teams of medical experts can accumulate techniques and experiences through an extensive period in treating different complex cases of the same disease, facilitating their acquisition of the most up-to-date medical knowledge to bring about the best treatment outcomes for patients and hence enhancing the clinical quality indicators and minimising the risk of complications. Currently, the major hospitals on the Hong Kong Island have their respective expertise in specialty services. The professional medical teams of the merged cluster will be able to further focus on developing the strengths of their respective specialty services. In addition, by collaborating with various service provision points of the relevant specialty services within the cluster, healthcare services with even better quality will be provided to those of complex medical cases which constitutes only a small number of the patients.

         It is anticipated that the service consolidation will achieve comprehensive enhancement of the set-up of medical teams, strengthen the co-ordination and flexibility of deployment of manpower and other resources of clinical and non-clinical departments, as well as minimise duplication of resources. As a result, the quality of clinical services provided in the cluster will be enhanced in the long run, facilitating the development of specialist services and providing more opportunities for staff training and their accumulation of experiences. To dovetail with the consolidation of cluster services, the HA will, in accordance with the prevailing mechanism, consider and deliberate the major direction(s), work plans and targets of the cluster, through the formulation of the annual plan, with a view to allocating additional resources to services which are newly introduced and with pressing needs.

         Regarding the emergency healthcare services provided by PYNEH, such services would not cease after the merger of the clusters. The hospital will, as mentioned above, continue to provide services to the acute and critical care services after the consolidation of the clusters. Acute and critically ill patients residing in the Eastern District will therefore continue to receive timely and appropriate treatments at the PYNEH which is in the vicinity.

         On cardiology services, apart from the chest pain centre established in accordance with national accreditation standards, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTS) at QMH provides Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) and supports the treatment of severe complications related to acute coronary heart diseases. In collaboration with the Cardiology and Anesthesia departments, it forms a multidisciplinary heart team that manages complex cases and utilises advanced technology to deliver optimal treatment to patients. In addition, QMH and the Grantham Hospital also offer treatment for end-stage heart failure patients, including the implantation of ventricular assist devices and heart transplantation. The consolidation of HKEC and HKWC would further facilitate the development of the specialist strengths and provide patients with cardiology services of better quality.

    (4) The Government announced under the 2018 Policy Address that it has invited the HA to commence planning for the Second Hospital Development Plan (HDP) to meet the expected service demand up to 2036. With the changes in the planning and development situation of Hong Kong, the Health Bureau (HHB) and the HA are currently reviewing the Second HDP. Amongst others, in view of the city-wide and regional planning and development strategies as announced by the Planning Department, including the “Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030” and the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, as well as the corresponding population projections of Hong Kong including the latest changes in overall population, its distribution and demographics, and the population policy and talent attraction initiatives of the Government, the HHB and the HA have to adopt a planning horizon of up to 2040 and beyond for the Second HDP, and to project healthcare services demand and consider the supply and conditions of the land required, for optimising the Second HDP. The Government also considers factors such as the needs for and cost-effectiveness of renovation, refurbishment, redevelopment or addition of facilities for individual hospitals, and the convenience of public access to healthcare services under various major transport infrastructure development plans for determining the distribution, scale and priority, etc. of various hospital development projects (including the expansion of PYNEH and the use of the Chai Wan Laundry site after its relocation). Upon completion of the review, the Government will announce the details of the Second HDP in due course.  

    (5) The HA commenced the preparatory and engagement work for the consolidation of the hospital cluster services on Hong Kong Island early this year. Such work include seven staff forums and three workshop sessions which aim at briefing HA employees on the considerations of the cluster services consolidation and the future development of service provision, as well as listening to employees’ views. The consolidation of services is currently still at the stage of planning and deliberation. Regarding clinical services consolidation, the HA will set up task forces for particular specialties, initially to review existing services on the basis of facilitating the development of specialties and strengthening the existing service delivery models, while the next step will be to consider how to enhance the treatment procedures of patients as well as the efficiency and quality of the healthcare services. After the review, the HA will continue to communicate with stakeholders and service users on the overall direction of the development of the consolidation.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI: Onity Group Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) (“Onity” or the “Company”) today announced its first quarter 2025 results and provided a business update.

    First Quarter 2025:

    • Net income attributable to common stockholders of $21 million; diluted EPS of $2.50; ROE of 19%
    • Adjusted pre-tax income* of $25 million, resulting in annualized adjusted ROE* of 22%
    • Book value per share improved to $58 as of March 31, 2025, up $2.15 year-over-year
    • $17 billion in total servicing additions
    • Average servicing UPB of $305 billion, up $13 billion year-over-year

    2025 Outlook:

    • Confirmed previous guidance including 2025 adjusted ROE* range of 16% – 18%
    • Some or all of $180 million deferred tax valuation allowance (US) as of December 31, 2024, could be released by year-end 2025

             * See “Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below

    “We are thrilled to report another strong quarter, with growth in revenue, adjusted pre-tax income, adjusted ROE, and book value per share compared to a year ago,” said Onity Group Chair, President and CEO Glen Messina. “Our results demonstrate the success of our strategy coupled with strong execution. Our balanced business continues to perform well regardless of interest rate cycles.”

    Messina continued, “We believe our demonstrated resiliency, customer focus, and award-winning servicing platform will enable us to successfully navigate interest rate volatility and economic uncertainties. We expect our actions to deliver balanced MSR and subservicing additions, expand high-margin products, and continuously strengthen recapture performance, will drive our growth in the coming quarters.”

    Additional First Quarter 2025 Operating and Business Highlights

    • Funded recapture volume up 2.7x year-over-year; refinance recapture rate is 1.6x industry average based on ICE Mortgage Monitor report as of April 2025
    • Originations volume of $7 billion, up 53% year-over-year, exceeding 8% industry growth
    • MSR additions (bulk purchases and originations) of $12 billion, up more than 2x year-over-year
    • Expanded high-margin products with launch of enhanced home equity and proprietary reverse mortgage (EquityIQ®) loans
    • Effective MSR hedge strategy resulting in minimal MSR fair value volatility in the quarter and continued alignment with operating and financial performance
    • Total liquidity (unrestricted cash plus available credit) at $239 million as of March 31, 2025

    Webcast and Conference Call

    Onity will hold a conference call on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to review the Company’s first quarter 2025 operating results and to provide a business update. All interested parties are welcome to participate. You can access the conference call by dialing (800) 579-2543 or (785) 424-1789 approximately 10 minutes prior to the call; please reference the conference ID “Onity.” Participants can also access the conference call through a live audio webcast available from the Shareholder Relations page at onitygroup.com under Events and Presentations. An investor presentation will accompany the conference call and be available by visiting the Shareholder Relations page at onitygroup.com prior to the call. A replay of the conference call will be available via the website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call. A telephonic replay will also be available approximately three hours following the call’s completion through May 14, 2025, by dialing (844) 512-2921 or (412) 317-6671; please reference access code 11158988.

    About Onity Group

    Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) is a leading non-bank financial services company providing mortgage servicing and originations solutions through its primary brands, PHH Mortgage and Liberty Reverse Mortgage. PHH Mortgage is one of the largest servicers in the country, focused on delivering a variety of servicing and lending programs to consumers and business clients. Liberty is one of the nation’s largest reverse mortgage lenders dedicated to providing loans that help customers meet their personal and financial needs. We are headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, with offices and operations in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, India and the Philippines, and have been serving our customers since 1988. For additional information, please visit onitygroup.com.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may be identified by a reference to a future period or by the use of forward-looking terminology. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “expect”, “believe”, “foresee”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “estimate”, “goal”, “strategy”, “plan” “target” and “project” or conditional verbs such as “will”, “may”, “should”, “could” or “would” or the negative of these terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words, and includes statements in this press release regarding our 2025 outlook and guidance, our expectation of releasing our deferred tax valuation allowance by year-end 2025, our ability to drive growth, and navigate interest volatility and economic uncertainties. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Readers should bear these factors in mind when considering such statements and should not place undue reliance on such statements.

    Forward-looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. In the past, actual results have differed from those suggested by forward looking statements and this may happen again. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the potential for ongoing disruption in the financial markets and in commercial activity generally as a result of U.S. and global political events, changes in monetary and fiscal policy, and other sources of instability; the impacts of inflation, employment disruption, and other financial difficulties facing our borrowers; whether we will release some or all of the valuation allowance offsetting our net U.S. deferred tax asset, and the timing and amount of such release; the adequacy of our financial resources, including our sources of liquidity and ability to sell, fund and recover servicing advances, forward and reverse whole loans, future draws on existing reverse loans, and HECM and forward loan buyouts and put backs, as well as repay, renew and extend borrowings, borrow additional amounts as and when required, meet our MSR or other asset investment objectives and comply with our debt agreements, including the financial and other covenants contained in them; our ability to interpret correctly and comply with current or future liquidity, net worth and other financial and other requirements of regulators, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (together, the GSEs), and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), including our ability to implement a cost-effective response to Ginnie Mae’s risk-based capital requirements by the extended deadline granted to us by Ginnie Mae of October 1, 2025; our ability to timely reduce operating costs, or generate offsetting revenue, in proportion to the industry-wide decrease in originations activity; the impact of cost-reduction initiatives on our business and operations; the impact of our rebranding initiative; the amount of senior debt or common stock or that we may repurchase under any repurchase programs, the timing of such repurchases, and the long-term impact, if any, of repurchases on the trading price of our securities or our financial condition; breach or failure of Onity’s, our contractual counterparties’, or our vendors’ information technology or other security systems or privacy protections, including any failure to protect customers’ data, resulting in disruption to our operations, loss of income, reputational damage, costly litigation and regulatory penalties; our reliance on our technology vendors to adequately maintain and support our systems, including our servicing systems, loan originations and financial reporting systems, and uncertainty relating to our ability to transition to alternative vendors, if necessary, without incurring significant cost or disruption to our operations; the future of our long-term relationship with Rithm Capital Corp. (Rithm); our ability to close acquisitions of MSRs and other transactions, including the ability to obtain regulatory approvals; our ability to grow our reverse servicing business; our ability to retain clients and employees of acquired businesses, and the extent to which acquisitions and our other strategic initiatives will contribute to achieving our growth objectives; increased servicing costs based on increased borrower delinquency levels or other factors; uncertainty related to past, present or future claims, litigation, cease and desist orders and investigations regarding our servicing, foreclosure, modification, origination and other practices brought by government agencies and private parties, including state regulators, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), State Attorneys General, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Justice or the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); the reactions of key counterparties, including lenders, the GSEs and Ginnie Mae, to our regulatory engagements and litigation matters; increased regulatory scrutiny and media attention; any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings; our ability to effectively manage our regulatory and contractual compliance obligations; our ability to comply with our servicing agreements, including our ability to comply with the requirements of the GSEs and Ginnie Mae and maintain our seller/servicer and other statuses with them; our ability to fund future draws on existing loans in our reverse mortgage portfolio; our servicer and credit ratings as well as other actions from various rating agencies, including any future downgrades; as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed in our reports and filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Anyone wishing to understand Onity’s business should review our SEC filings. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, we disclaim any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This press release contains references to adjusted pre-tax income (loss) and adjusted ROE, both non-GAAP financial measures.

    We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide a useful supplement to discussions and analysis of our financial condition, because they are measures that management uses to assess the financial performance of our operations and allocate resources. In addition, management believes that this presentation may assist investors with understanding and evaluating our initiatives to drive improved financial performance. Management believes, specifically, that the removal of fair value changes of our net MSR exposure due to changes in market interest rates and assumptions provides a useful, supplemental financial measure as it enables an assessment of our ability to generate earnings regardless of market conditions and the trends in our underlying businesses by removing the impact of fair value changes due to market interest rates and assumptions, which can vary significantly between periods. However, these measures should not be analyzed in isolation or as a substitute to analysis of our GAAP pre-tax income (loss) or GAAP pre-tax ROE nor a substitute for cash flows from operations. There are certain limitations to the analytical usefulness of the adjustments we make to GAAP pre-tax income (loss) and GAAP pre-tax ROE and, accordingly, we use these adjustments only for purposes of supplemental analysis. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, Onity’s reported results under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Other companies may use non-GAAP financial measures with the same or similar titles that are calculated differently to our non-GAAP financial measures. As a result, comparability may be limited. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on analysis of the adjustments we make to GAAP pre-tax income (loss) and GAAP pre-tax ROE.

    The Company has not provided reconciliations of guidance for adjusted ROE, in reliance on the unreasonable efforts exception provided under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. The Company is unable, without unreasonable efforts, to forecast certain items required to develop meaningful comparable GAAP financial measures. These items include the change in fair value of our net MSR exposure due to changes in market interest rates and assumptions which can vary significantly between periods and are difficult to predict in advance in order to include in a GAAP estimate.

    Notables

    In the table below, we adjust GAAP pre-tax income for the following factors: MSR valuation adjustments, expense notables, and other income statement notables. MSR valuation adjustments are comprised of changes to Forward MSR and Reverse mortgage valuations due to rates and assumption changes. Expense notables include significant legal and regulatory settlement expenses, severance and retention costs, LTIP stock price changes, consolidation of office facilities and other expenses (such as costs associated with strategic transactions). Other income statement notables include non-routine transactions that are not categorized in the above.

    Beginning with the three months ended December 31, 2024, for purposes of calculating Income Statement Notables and Adjusted Pre-Tax Income, we changed the methodology used to calculate Other Income Statement Notables to include change in fair value due to interest rates for reverse loan buyouts (reported in gain/loss on loans held for sale, at fair value). We made this change to align with the change to our risk management approach to include changes in fair value of reverse loan buyouts due to interest rates in our MSR hedge strategy, consistent with other notables, such as Forward MSR Valuation Adjustments due to rates and assumption changes, net and Reverse Mortgage Fair Value Change due to rates and assumption changes.

    Other Income Statement Notables (a component of Other Notables) for the first three quarters of 2024 have been revised from prior presentations to reflect the methodology we adopted during the fourth quarter of 2024.

     (Dollars in millions) Q1’25 Q4’24 Q1’24
    I Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders 21 (29) 30
      A. Preferred Stock Dividend (1) (1)
    II Reported Net Income (Loss) [I – A] 22 (28) 30
      B. Income Tax Benefit (Expense) 13 6 (2)
    III Reported Pre-Tax Income (Loss) [II – B] 9 (34) 32
      Forward MSR Valuation Adjustments due to rates and assumption changes, net (a)(b) (12) 14 18
      Reverse Mortgage Fair Value Change due to rates and assumption changes (b)(c) 10 (15) 1
    IV Total MSR Valuation Adjustments due to rates and assumption changes, net (2) (1) 19
      Significant legal and regulatory settlement expenses (14) (2) (2)
      Severance and retention (d) (0) (0) (2)
      LTIP stock price changes (e) 0 (1) 3
      Office facilities consolidation (0) (0) (0)
      Other expense notables (f) 1 (0) (1)
      C. Total Expense Notables (14) (4) (2)
      D. Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt (51) 1
      E. Gain on sale of MAV canopy 14
      F. Other Income Statement Notables (g) (0) (3) (2)
    V Total Other Notables [C + D + E + F] (14) (44) (2)
    VI Total Notables (h) [IV + V] (16) (45) 17
    VII Adjusted Pre-Tax Income (i) [III – VI] 25 11 15
    a) MSR valuation adjustments that are due to changes in market interest rates, valuation inputs or other assumptions, net of overall fair value gains / (losses) on MSR hedge, including FV changes of Pledged MSR liabilities associated with MSR transferred to MAV, Rithm and others and ESS financing liabilities that are due to changes in market interest rates, valuation inputs or other assumptions, a component of MSR valuation adjustments, net
    b) The changes in fair value due to market interest rates were measured by isolating the impact of market interest rate changes on the valuation model output as provided by our third-party valuation expert
    c) FV changes of loans HFI and HMBS related borrowings due to market interest rates and assumptions, a component of gain on reverse loans held for investment and HMBS-related borrowings, net
    d) Severance and retention due to organizational rightsizing or reorganization
    e) Long-term incentive program (LTIP) compensation expense changes attributable to stock price changes during the period
    f) Contains costs associated with but not limited to rebranding and other strategic initiatives and transactions
    g) Contains non-routine transactions including but not limited to fair value assumption changes on other investments recorded in other income/expense
    h) Certain previously presented notable categories with nil numbers for each period shown have been omitted
    i) Effective in Q4’24, change in fair value due to interest rates for reverse loan buyouts is now recognized as a notable (previously reported in gain/loss on loans held for sale, at fair value); presentation of past periods has been conformed to the current presentation; without this change, adjusted PTI would be $14M in Q1’24 and $8M in Q4’24; see note titled “Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information
       

    Adjusted ROE Calculation

    (Dollars in millions) Q1’25 Q4’24 Q1’24
      GAAP ROE (after tax) 19% (25%) 29%
    I Reported Net Income (Loss) 22 (28) 30
    II Notable Items (16) (45) 17
    III Income Tax Benefit (Expense) 13 6 (2)
    IV Adjusted Pre-Tax Income (Loss) [I – II – III] 25 11 15
    V Annualized Adjusted Pre-tax Income [IV * 4 for qtr.] 102 46 59
      Equity      
           A Beginning Period Equity 443 468 402
                C Ending Period Equity 460 443 432
                D Equity Impact of Notables 16 45 (17)
           B Adjusted Ending Period Equity [C + D] 477 488 415
    VI Average Adjusted Equity [(A + B) / 2] 460 478 408
    VII Adjusted ROE (a) [V / VI] 22% 10% 14%
    a) Effective in Q4’24, change in fair value due to interest rates for reverse loan buyouts is now recognized as a notable (previously reported in gain/loss on loans held for sale, at fair value); presentation of past periods has been conformed to the current presentation; without this change, adjusted pre-tax income would be $14M in Q1’24 and $8M in Q4’24; without this change, adjusted ROE would be 14% in Q1’24 and 7% in Q4’24; see note titled “Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information
       

    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

    Assets (Dollars in millions) March 31,
    2025
    December 31,
    2024
    March 31,
    2024
    Cash and cash equivalents 178.0 184.8 185.1
    Restricted cash 58.9 80.8 66.1
    Mortgage servicing rights (MSRs), at fair value 2,547.4 2,466.3 2,374.7
    Advances, net 514.0 577.2 602.7
    Loans held for sale, at fair value 1,402.2 1,290.2 1,028.9
    Loans held for investment, at fair value 10,812.5 11,125.3 8,130.5
    Receivables, net 222.3 176.4 152.1
    Investment in equity method investee 37.6
    Premises and equipment, net 10.8 11.0 11.8
    Other assets 106.0 111.3 84.3
    Contingent loan repurchase asset 407.2 412.2 416.3
    Total Assets 16,259.3 16,435.4 13,090.1
           
    Liabilities, Mezzanine & Stockholders’ Equity (Dollars in millions) March 31,
    2025
    December 31,
    2024
    March 31,
    2024
    Home Equity Conversion Mortgage-Backed Securities (HMBS) related borrowings, at fair value 10,587.6 10,872.1 7,945.0
    Other financing liabilities, at fair value 835.5 846.9 906.8
    Advance match funded liabilities 377.5 417.1 440.2
    Mortgage loan financing facilities, net 1,577.4 1,528.2 1,108.9
    MSR financing facilities, net 1,136.0 957.9 964.1
    Senior notes, net 488.0 487.4 552.0
    Other liabilities 340.0 420.6 324.7
    Contingent loan repurchase liability 407.2 412.2 416.3
    Total Liabilities 15,749.2 15,942.5 12,658.0
    Mezzanine Equity 49.9 49.9
    Stockholders’ Equity 460.2 442.9 432.1
    Total Liabilities, Mezzanine and Stockholders’ Equity 16,259.3 16,435.4 13,090.1
           

    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

      For the Quarter Ending
    (Dollars in millions) March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 March 31, 2024
    Revenue      
    Servicing and subservicing fees 203.3 206.0 204.5
    Gain on reverse loans held for investment and HMBS-related borrowings, net 23.8 0.6 15.4
    Gain on loans held for sale, net 11.8 5.9 10.9
    Other revenue, net 10.9 12.4 8.3
    Total revenue 249.8 224.8 239.1
    MSR valuation adjustments, net (38.9) (20.4) (11.6)
    Operating expenses      
    Compensation and benefits 57.4 64.3 53.6
    Servicing and origination 13.0 12.3 15.0
    Technology and communications 15.0 14.1 12.7
    Professional services 22.6 12.5 12.0
    Occupancy, equipment and mailing 8.2 8.3 7.7
    Other expenses 3.6 4.1 3.4
    Total operating expenses 119.9 115.6 104.4
    Other income (expense)      
    Interest income 26.2 28.8 17.5
    Interest expense (67.0) (74.2) (67.4)
    Pledged MSR liability expense (41.9) (42.1) (44.9)
    Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt (51.2) 1.4
    Earnings of equity method investee 16.2 2.7
    Other, net 0.9 0.1 (0.6)
    Other income (expense), net (81.9) (122.4) (91.3)
    Income before income taxes 9.1 (33.7) 31.8
    Income tax expense (13.0) (5.6) 1.7
    Net Income (Loss) 22.1 (28.1) 30.1
    Preferred stock dividend (1.0) (0.5)
    Net Income (Loss) attributable to common stockholders 21.1 (28.6) 30.1
    Basic EPS $2.68 ($ 3.63) $3.91
    Diluted EPS $2.50 ($ 3.63) $3.74
           

    For Further Information Contact:

    Investors:

    Valerie Haertel, VP, Investor Relations
    (561) 570-2969
    shareholderrelations@onitygroup.com

    Media:

    Dico Akseraylian, SVP, Corporate Communications
    (856) 917-0066
    mediarelations@onitygroup.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on CONY (102.91%), FIAT (100.78%), CVNY (86.83%), ULTY (81.75%), YMAX (67.85%), and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group C ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF
    Ticker
    1
    ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    CHPY YieldMax™ Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.6229 87.69% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2926 38.49% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4721 65.90% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3362 43.92% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.4696 56.41% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3110 38.70% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    ULTY YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0936 81.75% 2.21% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1010 35.45% 69.89% 79.99% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1744 67.85% 96.57% 73.04% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6020 64.20% 3.62% 94.97% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3365 62.42% 2.97% 94.47% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6510 102.91% 4.42% 96.77% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    CVNY YieldMax™ CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $2.6816 86.83% 2.44% 68.30% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5618 100.78% 1.73% 0.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5255 42.19% 3.75% 92.04% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.9230 64.06% 3.58% 95.72% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5519 55.23% 4.19% 94.52% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    Weekly Payers & Group D ETFs scheduled for next week: CHPY GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX AIYY AMZY APLY DISO MSTY SMCY WNTR XYZY YQQQ


    Standardized Performance and Fund details can be obtained by clicking the ETF Ticker in the table above or by visiting us at
    www.yieldmaxetfs.com

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

    2The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on April 29, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended March 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.

    5ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDIA – Bishop in Madhya Pradesh: “Pope Francis’ welcoming approach has improved interreligious coexistence”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    CBCI Matters india

    Indore (Fides) – “What surprised us positively is like a surprise from the Holy Spirit: so many people, so many non-Christians, who spontaneously appreciate Pope Francis as a man of dialogue, welcome, and compassion, have somehow changed their attitude towards us Catholics. Many non-Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs came to offer their condolences and express their solidarity. Pope Francis’ approach has had a positive impact on our lives, in terms of coexistence with people of other faiths. And this is very important and a beautiful legacy in our diocese (18,000 Catholics out of a population of 8 million, ed. ) and in a state like Madhya Pradesh, where there are sometimes interreligious tensions, is very important and a beautiful legacy,” Bishop Thomas Mathew Kuttimackal of Indore, a diocese in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the second largest and fifth most populous state in India with over 72 million inhabitants, told Fides.The proportion of Christians in Madhya Pradesh is small: less than 0.3% compared to a national average of 2.3%. Catholics in the Diocese of Indore, as in other dioceses in the central Indian state, watched the funeral Mass for Pope Francis on television and celebrated memorial Masses in memory of the late Pope in their parishes. Bishop Kuttimackal remarked, “We remember him as a shepherd of dialogue and mercy: our Catholic communities feel a sense of gratitude, also because they see how the Pope’s words and gestures in recent years have touched hearts, even here in our area, which is so far from Rome and which Francis never visited in person.”Recently, tensions have also arisen in the state with radical Hindu groups accusing Christians and Muslims of “proselytism.” And the state government, led by the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has at times supported this narrative. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said in a public speech last March that he wanted to “introduce the death penalty to punish what he called ‘forced religious conversion of women.’”Radical Hindu groups sometimes accuse Muslims and Christians of converting members of tribal groups from lower castes using allegedly illicit means, such as money. In Madhya Pradesh, a so-called “anti-conversion law” has been in force since 2021, which provides for penalties of up to 10 years in prison for those who use violence or deception to persuade people to convert to another religion. In this context, according to the bishop, “the faithful of Indore are experiencing the Holy Year as ‘pilgrims of hope’, also with a view to improving the climate of interreligious coexistence.”The evangelical message proclaimed and lived by Pope Francis is also represented in Indore by the “Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace,” a network of Catholic religious communities of men and women who are particularly committed to humanitarian issues and the “care of our common home.” The religious are committed to implementing the “integral ecology” mentioned and described in the encyclical Laudato si’, starting from their closeness to the poorest and most marginalized communities, but also promoting respect for natural resources and the promotion and dissemination of sustainable lifestyles. (PA) ( Fides Agency 30/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Thundery Showers On Most Days In First Fortnight Of May 2025

    Source: Government of Singapore

    Singapore, 30 April 2025 – Inter-monsoon conditions are expected to continue in the first fortnight of May 2025, with winds mainly light and variable in direction.

    2          During the fortnight, thundery showers are expected over parts of the island on some afternoons. The showers may extend into the evening on a few of these days. In addition, Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds in the morning on some days. The total rainfall for the first fortnight of May 2025 is forecast to be near average over most parts of the island.

    3          The daily maximum temperatures are likely to be around 34 degrees Celsius on most days and reach 35 degrees Celsius on some days.

    4          For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.

     REVIEW OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (16 – 29 APRIL 2025)

    5          Inter-monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region with the winds generally light and variable in direction.

    6          In the second fortnight of April 2025, moderate to heavy thundery showers affected parts of the island on most days. On 20 April 2025, regional convergence of winds brought heavy thundery showers over many areas of Singapore in the afternoon. The daily total rainfall of 113.6mm recorded at Bukit Timah that day was the highest rainfall recorded for the second fortnight of April 2025.

     7          The second fortnight of April 2025 was warm, with daily maximum temperatures registering above 34 degrees Celsius on 11 days. The highest daily maximum temperature of 36.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Admiralty on 25 April 2025.

     8          Most parts of Singapore recorded above average rainfall in the second fortnight of April 2025. The rainfall around Bukit Timah was about 110 per cent above average and the rainfall around Tai Seng about 45 per cent below average.

    CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS

     Long-term Statistics for May
     (Climatological reference period: 1991-2020)
    Average daily maximum temperature: 32.3      °C
    Average daily minimum temperature: 25.7 °C
    Average monthly temperature: 28.6 °C
         
    Average rainfall: 164.3 mm
    Average number of rain days: 15  
     
    Historical Extremes for May
     (Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
    Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature: 33.6  °C (1997)
    Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature: 23.5  °C (1974)
         
    Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded:  386.6  mm (1892)
    Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded: 41.6  mm (1997)

     
    METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE SINGAPORE

    30 Apr 2025

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News