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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of Vice-President’s address at the 83rd CSIR Foundation Day Celebrations at the NASC Complex, New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 3:06PM by PIB Delhi

    Good morning, all of you. 

    It could not have been more delightful for me, everyone present in this room is a role model for me. Your contributions are spinal, your contributions in silence are resonating with the last man in the last row, your efforts are changing Bharat. A great occasion for me to be here, this is a very distinguished premium platinum category that is defining the growth history of Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity. 

    Professor Ajay K. Sood, rightly honoured with the civilian distinction of Padma Shri, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, his address though brief on account of constraints of time, was illuminating. He indicated synergetic stance being generated with all stakeholders to ensure sustainability of the rise of Bharat. 

    Dr. K. Radhakrishnan his lecture will be a feast to intellect, team excellence, team itself in hears excellence, team is something which is harmonious. Harmony doesn’t mean keeping your point of view to yourself, harmony means having enough space to voice the other’s point of view. It is heard with respect, not rejected by drop of a hat. Team excellence is the ultimate sublime evolution of it, then, Indian Space Odyssey and your life lessons.

    I have instructed my team to record it, I will have a look at it, as will millions, through our platform in Rajya Sabha and Parliament. 

    Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR, normally we say, the man is always in the move, gone are those days, she is always on the move, always in action, with passion, mission, and execution. 

    I very fondly remember the visit I had where she was there, I had the occasion to see for myself how the aviation landscape of skilling will be changed by what her team has created. I had the occasion to visit Dehradun and another institute in her absence, we are proud of her because she sacrificingly gives credit to everyone except herself. I was greatly touched by this reflection of Indian civilisational ethos.

    Dr. G. Mahesh he is a Chairperson of the CSIR Foundation Day Celebration, we are gratified and honoured by the presence of those who laid the firm foundations of CSIR who headed it as DGs Dr. Mashelkar is present here. 

    Dr. Samir Brahmachari  is amongst us but science is all about finding out. Everyone present here, particularly in the front row, is to be respected by us. Because like education, education never ends when you leave an institution, education is life long learning same they may have left legally CSIR but their bond continues. 

    I must mention the Central Electronics Limited chairperson, Mr. Jain, for one reason, the honourable minister, who is very passionate about this sector, he wanted to come, I dissuaded him please won’t, he was preoccupied unavoidably.

    Distinguished scientists, researchers, staff, and esteemed audience, my greetings to the entire scientific community in the country, we are beholden to this category for the contributions they have made to make a Viksit Bharat which is before us today. This day is a special day, not just for CSIR alone. This is a very special day for the nation because if we go into our historical perspective, we will find that ages ago, our Bharat had scientific prowess. We were global leaders, we were the centre of the globe when it came to scientific knowledge, the kind of discoveries and inventions that were made by us made the world proud, we lost our way somewhere, we are regaining that way. 

    It is your foundation day, but it is integrally connected with the firm foundations of Bharat, you are firming up those foundations of the most vibrant, functional democracy on the planet. You are firming up the foundations of a nation that is on the rise as never before, and this rise is unstoppable, the rise is incremental, and the destination of a developed nation by 2047 will be realised, if not earlier.

    What I see here is your activities and activities of your sister’s concerns.  It is an endorsement that we are on the way to regaining our past pristine glory in the world of science. As I said, your contributions are in silence, I am using the word “silos” in a positive sense, your activities are in silos, but they physically, positively, and affirmatively impact the lives of 1.4 billion people.

    CSIR can be defined as a catalyst scientifically and imaginatively for Ras. C for catalyst, S for scientifically, I for imaginatively, and R for rashtra. 

    Distinguished audience, it is my great honour and privilege, and it will forever be etched in my memory, that I am associating with the 83rd Foundation Day of CSIR. This is an occasion to commemorate and commend the past achievements, and also to look ahead, unfold a roadmap to be more significantly involved with the nation’s rise and global rise, because Bharat stands for Vasudev Kutumbakam.

    A journey that started in 1960, when I was in class four, and where we have come, is a recognition of the hard work you all have done. I am fully aware of the headwinds you face, the air pockets you endure, the difficult terrain you negotiate, and, on occasions, the lack of due recognition therefore an ecosystem existed earlier where you were contributing, but recognition was not forthcoming in the right form. Soothing to note that, in the last few years, recognition for the scientific community has increased. It has increased in several ways, including the government’s serious focus on it. The Prime Minister’s heart and soul are deeply connected to the scientific community. His belief in your power, prowess, and capacity to generate, at global level, those aspects of science which matter to humanity is evident. I am sure, therefore, that we are in good times.

    Now, there is an ecosystem in place where our scientists can fully exploit and expand their energy, exploit their talent, and contribute to the nation by unleashing their innovative skills. I was not surprised, because that was my expectation, but I was in disbelief when I went through the thematic exhibition, amazing things are happening. Imagine if, from bamboo, you can have wooden flooring. Imagine if, from bamboo, you can have something which far superior or equivalent to sagon teak wood and sagon teak wood life is 4 decades or so. It helps the farmer, and it creates wealth. I am making a reference only to only one, there were many such things, I was greatly touched. 

    These developments reaffirm my confidence, and the confidence of the nation, that Bharat is a factor to reckon with globally. Your tremendous accomplishments have emboldened me to assert that, in research and development, it is matter of time when we will be having our due share at the moment, we are on way to it., much remains to be done. Several energies have to converge, they have to converge diligently, they have to work togetherness and in tandem, there has to be the right amount of fiscal input.

    I am so glad that the Principal Scientific Advisor that is uppermost in his mind, you may not be aware, and it may not have been covered in the media, but he is your star batsman when it comes to securing everything for your scientific community. 

    Let me make a brief reference to the Union Budget 2024-25. He must have put his foot down, I am sure of it when the budget is formed, there are always too many claimants. He fought for your segment, got the due, and it can only be incremental henceforth. It emphasises the budget. Innovation, Research and Development, and Anusandhan – the National Research Foundation has been started. I leave it at that; you know it when a beginning is made, even by a toddler, it takes shape over the years, unstoppably. My congratulations to him, for being your advocate with the government, you are an able advocate. I am so glad. 

    The growth engine of the nation, any nation in the world, is driven by science and technology and this is fuelled by research and development, this makes the focus on research and development of paramount importance. I call upon you from this platform to come forward and generously invest in research and development. I look forward to the day when our corporates will figure in the top 20 global corporates that invest in research and development at the moment, there is none, that doesn’t mean our corporates are not doing enough, they are doing enough. In automobile and in information technology, much is being done but looking at our nation’s size, its potential, its position, and the growth trajectory on which it is, our corporates need to come forward to engage in research and development.

    The investment in research and development is lasting and this, distinguished audience, please note, has another cutting edge: soft diplomacy, if you get something, nations flock to you. We have that power, research and development is so integrated with security these days therefore, investment is for the nation. Investment is for growth. Investment is for sustainability. 

    I am concerned about one aspect in particular, and that aspect, fortunately for me, was voiced in a survey by CSIR, the sample size was 3,000. We must not do lip service to research and development, our contribution has to be substantial, the result has to be substantial, not cosmetic or superficial. We cannot just take pride in saying so much for research and development. The one doing research or development in academic institutions should not be in pursuit only of academic information. Research is not a simulation. Research is research, and I therefore appeal to everyone concerned to have SOP for it. Invest in that human resource or institution that can authentically engage in research and development. The two are separate, when I went to one of the IITs – all IITs are doing well, I am not naming the IIT for that reason – I was amazed that research and development were excellent, it was being done by professors and students. So, we will have to be on guard that merely because physical resources are committed, we cannot take pride, saying, “Oh, I have spent so much for research and development.”

    Investment in research and development, distinguished audience, has to be correlated to tangible outcomes and there are people in the front row who can evaluate what is a tangible outcome. 

    Friends, there is enough to say, but I will conclude by focusing on the state of the nation, state of the nation today is beyond my dreams. I never imagined it. I did not conceive of the earth as it is today, I did not have that contemplation. I am referring to 1989, when I was elected to the Lok Sabha. In 1990, I was a union minister. I will focus on four aspects. 

    One, we went to Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, as a member of the Council of Ministers. We stayed at a hotel near Dal Lake, everything was dull, not even twenty souls could be seen on the road, a state of dejection and hopelessness and it was declared in the Rajya Sabha, which I preside as chairman, that last year, two crore tourists went to Jammu and Kashmir. Where is the figure of twenty? Two crores, article 370, a temporary article of the constitution – the only article labelled as temporary was taken by some people, including those who had taken oath under the constitution to be permanent. It is no longer there.

    Second, I suffered the pain because, as a student, हमें पढ़ाया गया था कि भारत सोने की चिड़िया है। As a minister, I had the occasion to see our gold physically airlifted, to be placed in two Swiss banks to sustain our fiscal credibility, because our foreign exchange was around one billion US dollars. Now it is more than six hundred billion US dollars, mind you. We are getting things back rather than giving. I suffered the pain then when the World Bank and IMF would give us not advisories or advice, but peremptorily direct us: “Do this, otherwise…”  and now the same institutions, IMF says, India is a favourite global destination of investment and opportunity. World Bank says, digitisation of India and its penetration that happened in six years is otherwise not achievable in four decades or more. We are a role model, according to the World Bank, of digitisation, that happened there.

    Another aspect was that we had a system where corruption was rampant in power corridors, nothing could catalyse without a middleman, your pedigree was a password to opportunity and a job or a contract. Now power corridors are fully sanitised, the middleman has disappeared from the one-sixth of humanity, at least. Do we see middlemen around? No. All transactions are taking place digitally, without human interface. That is the change I never imagined. This change I am seeing myself. We were living in an era where there was privilege pedigree.some thought law was not for them, they were immune to law. They were not accountable to law, it was a concept not known to them but now, the privileged pedigree is feeling the heat of law and why not? Equality before the law is an inalienable facet of democracy. How can we call a nation a democratic nation if some people pass away more equal than others? That is the benefit to young minds and as a result of that, our youth are energised.

    The fourth point I wish to make is about the economy. I can’t even tell you the size of the Indian economy in 1990 was smaller than the city of London or Paris. Imagine. A decade ago, we were counted amongst the fragile five nations. A cliff hanging economy, a concern to the global community. Now we are a robust economy, we are amongst the five great economies of the world, we are the fifth largest, on the way to becoming the third, ahead of Japan and Germany, in two years. Our economic rise is like a plateau, affecting everyone. 

    In all this, the contribution of science is there, technology is there, corruption would have been there, Transparent, accountable governance would not have been there unless there was technology. Digitisation and penetration would not have happened but for democracy. People are adept at technology, they may not be very literate, but they know how to use the internet, how to avail themselves of services. This means the Great Marathon March for Viksit Bharat@2047. You are the major stakeholders. You may not be that visible on the screen, but you are the driving force of it. You will have to be contributing 24X7. 

    My best wishes to you, CSIR exemplifies excellence, academic brilliance and cutting-edge research. In the near future, we will doubtlessly see Bharat emerging as a global pioneer in the domains of science and technology that will help us script a new chapter in our growth story.

    Thank you so much.

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    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2058962) Visitor Counter : 5

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Health commences visit to Beijing (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Secretary for Health commences visit to Beijing (with photos)
    Secretary for Health commences visit to Beijing (with photos)
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         The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to begin their visit to Beijing today (September 26) and called on the National Health Commission (NHC), the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) to introduce to the Mainland officials the latest developments of various healthcare reforms in Hong Kong to keep deepening synergistic collaboration on healthcare-related areas with the Mainland.     During the meeting with Vice-minister of the NHC Mr Yu Xuejun, Professor Lo engaged in an in-depth discussion on how to further deepen cross-boundary collaboration on health and medical innovation between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Professor Lo also actively put forward to the NHC multiple proposals on measures for promoting cross-boundary flow of innovation elements (including entry and exit of human genetic resources) in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Development Plan for Shenzhen Park) promulgated by the State Council, with a view to supporting and encouraging innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies with full effort.      Professor Lo said that the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park emphasises co-ordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong through the establishment of an internationally competitive base for industrial pilot-scale testing and transformation in Hetao to support the innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies. “The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address” also proposed the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. To this end, the Health Bureau (HHB) strives to push forward with multiple key initiatives as follows: (1) To reform Hong Kong’s evaluation, approval and registration mechanism for drugs and medical devices and prepare for the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation, with a view to progressing towards the “primary evaluation” approach; (2) To join forces with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to set up in the Hetao Area an international clinical trial collaboration platform for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area under the “one zone, two parks” model in expectation of simultaneous commencement of operation in the fourth quarter of this year;(3) To promote cross-boundary real-world data research; and(4) To introduce world-leading enterprises of advanced therapeutic products as well as innovative drugs and medical devices.     He continued, “The development of innovative drugs and medical devices not only enhances healthcare standards but also transforms the industry, thus realising the vision of introducing good drugs for use in Hong Kong, bringing benefits to citizens with research and development, fostering transformation of innovation and technology, and driving the development of the industry. The healthcare system of Hong Kong must keep abreast of times and pursue transformation with innovation. With the staunch support of national policies in various areas, the HHB will certainly make greater efforts to motivate the local healthcare and medical sector to actively integrate into the overall national development by fully utilising the unique advantages of the HKSAR and playing an active role in the country’s comprehensive deepening of reforms, thereby serving the nation’s needs with the strengths of Hong Kong.”      Professor Lo and the delegation today also met with the Commissioner of the NATCM, Professor Yu Yanhong, and discussed issues related to the promotion of the development of Chinese medicine (CM). He said, “The HKSAR Government expresses sincere gratitude to the NATCM for its robust support for the development of CM in Hong Kong, particularly with regard to the establishment of the first Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute as well as collaboration on rolling out the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Talent Training Programme, etc. The HKSAR Government will continue to press ahead with the high-quality development of CM in Hong Kong on all fronts by giving full play to the characteristics of CM in Hong Kong and the city’s strengths in areas such as service delivery, standard-setting, international connectivity and clinical research in a bid to foster the better integration of Hong Kong into the construction of CM highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the overall development of the country, thereby assisting our nation to propel CM to go global.”     Separately, at the meeting with the Head of the Department of Political Affairs of the GACC, Ms Lyu Weihong, Professor Lo said that, since the signing of the Co-operation Arrangement for Entry-exit Health Inspection and Quarantine between the GACC and the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government by the HHB and the GACC in November last year, the HKSAR Government has been maintaining close co-operation with the entry-exit health inspection and quarantine authorities of the Mainland as well as strengthening the joint efforts in disease prevention and control in terms of entry-exit health inspection and quarantine between the Mainland and Hong Kong, with a view to safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of residents and travellers of the two places. The two parties also exchanged views on the promotion of cross-boundary flow of innovation elements as mentioned in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park.           Members of the delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Sam Hui; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko. The delegation will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Medical Products Administration tomorrow (September 27) before departing for Hong Kong in the evening.

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 19:12

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appointment of Over 15000 Youth in First 100 Days of Modi 3.0 by Central Ministries and Departments Paving the Path to VIKSIT BHARAT

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 10:28PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always accorded the highest priority to generation of employment opportunities and empowerment of youth in the country. The Prime Minister has always held that our demographic dividend is one of the biggest strengths of our country and the Government of India is according the highest priority to ensure the talent of the youth is fully utilized in the nation building to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat.

    First 100 days of the third term of the present Government have been marked by several key initiatives and decisions which have positively impacted the lives of people and laid a strong foundation for Vikshit Bharat@2047. The citizen-centric decisions have been driven by the vision of the Prime Minister to enhance ease of living and make life better for the poor & middle class, dalit, vanchit, adivasis, Nari shakti and Yuva shakti.

    During the period of 100 days, appointment letters have been issued to over 15000 youth for government jobs by Central Ministries and Departments. The new appointments comprised of various ranks, posts and groups, including the following:

    Ministry of Home Affairs- Inspector, Assistant Sub Inspector, Constable, Head Constable, Sub Inspector, Carpenter, Store, Driver, Constable (Executive) in Delhi Police etc.

    Ministry of Coal– Surveyor (Mining), Senior Medical officer, Medical Specialist, Executive Trainee, Dumper Operator etc.

    Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – Doctor, Nursing Officer, Professor, Assistant Professor, Medical Specialist, Pharmacist, MTS, Lower Division Clerk, Radiographer, and Library Clerk, Laboratory Attendant.

    Department of Higher Education – Assistant Professor, Registrar, Multi-Tasking Staff, Private Secretary, Controller of Examination, Technical Officer, Sports Officer, Executive Engineer, Counselor, Law Officer.

     

    Department of Revenue –Inspector, Examiner, Preventive Officer, Tax Assistant, Multi -Tasking Staff etc.

     

    Ministry of Power- Engineer (Trainee), Manager, Dy. Manager etc.

    Ministry of Defence (Civilian)– Scientist, Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), Tradesman, Civilian Motor Driver, Clerk, etc.

    The newly inducted appointees will also be getting an opportunity to train themselves through “Karmayogi Prarambh”, an e-learning module on iGOT Karmayogi portal, where more than 1200 high quality e-learning courses have been made available for ‘anywhere any device’ learning format. More than 43 Lakh Karmayogis have so far been onboarded onto the portal Mission Karmayogi, launched in September 2020, aiming at promoting citizen-centric governance.

    The new appointees will be able to serve the Nation by joining their services in various roles and will be witness to India@2047 and are expected to play a significant role in nation building. They will be, inter alia, involved in the task of strengthening Industrial, Economic and Social Infrastructure of the nation thereby building New India with their innovative ideas, cutting edge technology and public participation in governance. The momentum of transformative change continues to shape the nation’s rise at the global stage.

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    AG

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah

    Source: Government of India (2)

    7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah

    Empowering Women through Nutrition

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 10:18AM by PIB Delhi

    Click here for more detail:- 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah

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    Santosh Kumar/ Sheetal Angral/ Madiha Iqbal/Kamna Lakaria

    (Release ID: 2058870) Visitor Counter : 31

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi chairs a review meeting of United Nations World Food Programme- Country Programme Advisory Committee

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 11:38AM by PIB Delhi

    Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi chaired a meeting of the Country Programme Advisory Committee (CPAC) to review the implementation of the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027 with representatives of the United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP) and members from concerned Ministries/Departments.

    To address the national priorities in food security and nutrition through capacity building and technical support, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and the United Nations World Food Programme. Under the MoU, the CSP 2023-27 addresses four strategic outcomes which includes (i) more effective and efficient national food-based social protection systems; (ii) increasing consumption of diverse, nutritious, and fortified foods; (iii) enhancing the social and financial mobility of women; and (iv) strengthening the adaptive capacity to build climate-resilient livelihoods and food systems.

    To coordinate and review the progress on initiatives under Country Strategic Plan, a Country Programme Advisory Committee has been constituted under the chairperson of Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi and Joint Secretaries of concerned Ministries and NITI Aayog as its members. The committee meets at least annually.  This was the first meeting of CPAC under CSP 2023-27 to review and discuss the progress and accomplishments of the ongoing Country Strategic Plan (CSP).

    The Country Director of WFP Ms Elizabeth Faure informed the committee about the status of various targeted outcomes of the CSP. WFP informed about various ongoing initiatives which includetransforming agriculture and enhancing food security for smallholder farmers in states like Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; nationwide efforts for mainstreaming millets; building resilience in fishing communities through the ‘Secure Fishing’ App; initiative for optimizing the Public Distribution System (PDS); Annapurti initiative provides grain ATMs; school nutri-gardens; andrice fortification etc.

    Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi highlighted that the department and WFP have maintained a long-standing partnership, driven by shared goal of achieving food and nutrition security. He suggested the officers toidentify the scalable interventions and initiatives and prepare mechanism for including the same in ongoing programmes of ministries/departments. He further advised WFP to organise a one-day workshop to present and discuss the important initiatives and pilots exclusively in the Agriculture Sector with officers of the department. He also emphasised that while accessing the nutritional outcomes of the programmes we should also look at the standards on nutrition applicable for Indian population. Along with ongoing fortified varieties of different cereals, existing local varieties of red and black rice and millet, which are nutritious, should also be popularised. He also advised exploring the possibilities of bringing the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) intodifferent initiatives.  

    The meeting was also attended by officers and representatives from D/o Food & Public Distribution, M/o Women and Child Development, D/o Rural Development, M/o Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, D/o School Education & Literacy, M/o External Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority, India Meteorological Department and M/o Earth Sciences.

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    SS

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BCCL’s Strategic Moves Boost Domestic Coking Coal Consumption

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 11:06AM by PIB Delhi

    Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) and India’s largest producer of coking coal, has made significant strides in reducing the country’s reliance on imported coal through its active role in the “Mission Coking Coal” initiative under the Aatmnirbhar Bharat vision.

    The import of coking coal puts a burden on India’s valuable foreign reserve, and to cutting down on these imports, BCCL has undertaken substantial reforms to make its coking coal auction processes more flexible, transparent, and attractive for the country’s steel producers.

    One of BCCL’s major efforts came after the Tranche VI auction, where none of the offered coal was booked. In response, BCCL reassessed its strategy and made several improvements. Key among them was the introduction of consortium bidding, which allowed smaller consumers to collaborate and participate collectively in the auction, broadening the pool of bidders and making the process more accessible.

    In a bid to attract more participants, BCCL proposed amendments to the eligibility norms for linkage auction bidders. The proposal was approved at the Functional Directors’ Meeting of BCCL and subsequently forwarded to CIL for further consideration. This proposal included the participation of consortiums comprising steel plants, existing or new coking coal washeries, and other plants capable of consuming the power coal by-products of washeries. CIL quickly embraced this idea, leading to the development of a new Scheme Document for Tranche VII of the Linkage Auction for the steel sub-sector.

    Before the official notification of the Scheme Document and to ensure broad engagement, BCCL and CIL hosted a Consumer Meet in Delhi, gathering feedback from steel producers and industry associations. This effort, also coupled with continuous follow-up with potential bidders and proactive engagement, regular communication significantly improved participation in the auction process.

    As a result of these initiatives, BCCL achieved record-breaking success in the recently concluded long-term linkage e-auction (Tranche VII) for the steel sub-sector. Of the 3.36 MT of coking coal offered, 2.40 MT was successfully booked, setting a new benchmark in coal bookings.

    These efforts by BCCL are poised to significantly enhance the use of domestic coking coal, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen the steel industry in India. The successful implementation of consortium bidding and clear communication regarding the auction process has ensured higher participation, benefiting both consumers and the country’s broader goal of import substitution under the vision of Aatmnirbhar Bharat.

    Expressing satisfaction with the success of Tranche VII, CMD, BCCL, Shri Samiran Dutta, said the concerted efforts to make the auction process more inclusive and transparent have paid off significantly. The successful bookings are a testament to commitment to boosting domestic coking coal production and reducing import dependency.

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    ST

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India-Mauritius Talks for collaboration in Capacity Building programme “Positive and Successful”

    Source: Government of India

    India-Mauritius Talks for collaboration in Capacity Building programme “Positive and Successful”

    High Level Official Delegation from Mauritius Visits National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) Indiafrom 23rd – 25th September, 2024 to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

    Two sides discuss the roadmap for collaboration between the NCGG and the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms for conducting capacity building programs including faculty development programs

    Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, DARPG and DG, NCGG led the Delegation level talks with the High Level Mauritius Delegation led by Mr K. Conhye, Secretary for Public Service, Mauritius

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 1:22PM by PIB Delhi

    The High-level official visit of the Mauritius Delegation concluded successfully with strategic meetings and productive deliberations. The Delegation level talks was led by Shri V. Srinivas, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, DARPG, and Director General, NCGG with the Mauritius Delegation led by Mr. K. Conhye, Secretary for Public Service, Mauritius&comprising of Mr. S. Ramgolam, Director, Public Sector Business Transformation Bureau and Mr. S. D. Jannoo, Director, Human Resource Management, Mauritius. The Official visit of the Mauritius Delegation was from September 23-25, 2024.

    Secretary for Public Service, Mauritius, Mr. K. Conhye and H.E. High Commissioner of Mauritius to India Mr. Haymandoyal Dillum were received by Secretary, DARPG and DG, NCGG, Shri V. Srinivas on 23rd September, 2024. The two sides discussed avenues for collaboration between the NCGG and Ministry of Public Services, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, Mauritius on capacity building programs for Mauritius Public Officers including faculty development programs.

     

    The Delegation had an interaction with the DCs/DMs of PM Awarded initiatives led by Secretary, DARPG & DG, NCGG. The interactions were held with Smt. Varnali Deka, DC Nalbari, Assam; DM & Collector, Lakhimpur Kheri, UP, Smt. Durga Shakti Nagpal;  DM & Collector, Meerut, UP, Shri Deepak Meena;  Addl. Secretary to Governor, Uttarakhand, Smt. Swati Bhaduria and Smt. Bhavya Mittal, DM Burhanpur, MP. The roles & responsibilities of District Collectors in India, governance challenges and reforms aimed at enhancing public service delivery were also shared during the interaction.

     

    The Mauritius delegation engaged with experts from PM GatiShakti, GeMand UIDAI. The delegation met Shri S.N. Tripathi, Director General, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and were briefed on educational frameworks on public administration, governance structures and decentralization. India’s best governance practices in action was showcased in their visit to Paryavaran Bhawan where they met Shri Amandeep Garg, IAS, Additional Secretary, MoEF&CC. An interaction with Shri Arun Singhal, IAS, Director GeneralNational Archives of India (NAI) provided insights into record sharing, data quality checks, and digitization projects that preserve India’s extensive historical documents. The Mauritius delegation was exposed to Zero Tolerance to corruption approachby Central Vigilance Commission in an interaction with Shri. P. Daniel, Secretary, CVC.The Delgaetion met the Chief Information Commissioner, Shri Heeralal Samariya.; the Information Commissioners Smt. Anandi Ramalingam and Shri Vinod Kumar Tiwari and also the Secretary, CIC, Smt. Rashmi Chowdhary and were briefed on the promotion of transparency through RTI.The Capacity Building Programs through Mission Karmayogi was presentedto them by Shri Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, CBC.

    The 3-Day official visit successfully ended with a clear roadmap for enhanced bilateral cooperation and capacity building programs for Senior and Mid-Level Public Officers of Mauritius.  In the concluding De-briefing meeting the contours of the Capacity Build programs for the Public Officers of Mauritius was discussed and the Draft MoU for collaboration between the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, Mauritius and National Centre for Good Governance were exchanged for being taken forward.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) conducted its 52nd Annual General Meeting

    Source: Government of India

    Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) conducted its 52nd Annual General Meeting

    SAIL will continue to strive to stay ahead of curve at the 52nd AGM: Chairman, SAIL

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 1:44PM by PIB Delhi

    Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) conducted its 52nd Annual General Meeting (AGM), today at Company’s headquarters at Lodi Road, New Delhi. Shri Amarendu Prakash, Chairman, SAIL addressed the shareholders in the meeting, held through a virtual platform.

    While addressing the Company’s shareholders, he said, “Reflecting on the performance of the previous year ad looking forward in the future reinforces my belief that as an organisation, we can aspire to be ‘Number One’, i.e the best in our industry”. He added that the Indian Government’s continuous push to transform the social, digital and physical infrastructure of the country with a vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 has fueled steel demand in the Country across all sectors.

    He summarized the performance of SAIL during FY 23-24 and said that SAIL created new benchmarks by producing 20.5 Million Tonnes (MT), 19.24 MT and 18.44 MT of Hot Metal, Crude Steel and Saleable Steel respectively during FY’24, registering growth of 5.6%, 5.2% and 6.9% respectively over the previous year. He mentioned that the Company achieved the best Sales Turnover of Rs 1,04,545 Crore during FY’24.

    He added that SAIL is on track to excel in two focus areas which are to ma  ximise capacity utilisation and provide best value to customers. He said, “SAIL would continue to engage with stakeholders, improve the asset utilization and proactively be ahead of the curve”.

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    MG/SK

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Heavy Industries continues to Conduct Nationwide Campaign on Swachhata under Special Campaign 4.0

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 1:38PM by PIB Delhi

    Drawing inspiration from Prime Minister’s vision to institutionalize Swachhata and minimize pendency in Government, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) alongwith its Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Autonomous Bodies (ABs) is working out extensive plan to actively participate in the 4th consecutive year of the Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters (SCDPM) 4.0 which is being implemented in two phases namely Preparatory Phase from 15th – 30th September 2024 and Main Phase from 2nd – 31st October 2024.

    MHI had been a leading performer during the Special Campaign 3.0 on Swachhata. During the Special Campaign 3.0, the Ministry achieved 2nd Position in space freed by disposal of scrap and created 21 Lakh Sq. Ft. and achieved 5th Position in revenue generation by generating a Revenue of Rs. 4.66 Crore as a proceed of sale of redundant material.

       

    Scrap Identified for cleaning by HMT International Limited, Space Identified for cleaning at AYCL Bengaluru, Karnatak  Basmatia Tea Estate, Assam With an objective to repeat its past performance, MHI alongwith its CPSEs and ABs has so far planned to conduct 111 outdoor campaigns during main phase of Special Campaign 4.0. 1.91 lakh Sq. Ft of space has been identified which is to be freed and approximately 28,000 physical files have been identified for review out of which, 5,700 (approx) are to be weeded out.  Similarly, 1.05 Lakh (approx) digital files have been identified for review out of which, 86,000 (approx) are to be closed.

    *****

    MG/PD

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESIDENT OF INDIA VISITS SIACHEN BASE CAMP AND INTERACTS WITH THE TROOPS

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 2:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu visited Siachen Base Camp today (September 26, 2024) and paid her tributes at the Siachen War Memorial, which is a symbol of the sacrifice of soldiers and officers who have been martyred since the Indian Army began Operation Meghdoot on the Siachen Glacier on April 13, 1984. She also addressed the soldiers posted there.

     

    Addressing the soldiers, the President said that as the supreme commander of the armed forces, she felt very proud of them and that all citizens salute their bravery.

     

    The President said that since the commencement of Operation Meghdoot in April 1984, the brave soldiers and officers of the Indian Armed Forces have ensured the security of this region. They face severe weather conditions. In difficult situations like heavy snowfall and minus 50 degrees temperature, they remain deployed at their front with full devotion and vigilance. They present extraordinary examples of sacrifice and tolerance in protecting the motherland. She told soldiers that all Indians are aware of their sacrifice and bravery and we respect them.

     

    Click here to see the President speech

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    MJPS/SR/BM

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TRAI Mandates Whitelisted URLs, APKS, or OTT links for SMS Traffic

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 1:54PM by PIB Delhi

    In a major step to curb the misuse of URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) in messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a Direction on 20th August 2024, instructing all Access Providers to block any traffic containing URLs, APKs (Android Package Kit), or OTT (Over The Top) links that have not been whitelisted. The Direction is set to be implemented by 1st October 2024.

    To ensure smooth flow of SMS traffic containing URLs, TRAI advises registered senders to promptly upload their whitelisted URL/APK/OTT links to the portal of the respective Access Providers. So far, over 3,000 registered senders have complied with this requirement by whitelisting more than 70,000 links. Senders who fail to whitelist their links by the due date will not be able to transmit any messages containing URL/APK/OTT links.

    This initiative by TRAI is designed to safeguard consumers from unsolicited messages containing malicious links while fostering a transparent and secure communication system. By complying with these new rules, both Access Providers and registered senders can help in creating a more reliable and safe messaging environment.

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    MG/SB/DP

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ADM DINESH K TRIPATHI, CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO GREECE

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 1:46PM by PIB Delhi

    Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), is on a four day official visit to Greece from 26 to 29 Sep 24. This visit is part of ongoing efforts to further consolidate bilateral defence relations between India and Greece, with a focus on enhancing Naval Cooperation.

    During the visit, the CNS will engage in bilateral discussions with senior Greek defence officials, including Mr Ioannis Kefalogiannis, Deputy Minister of Defence, Vice Admiral Dimitrios E Kataras, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (HGNS), Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos, Deputy Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff.

    The discussions are expected to cover a broad spectrum of defence cooperation areas, particularly maritime security, joint training initiatives, and exploring avenues for future operational collaboration between the two navies.

    As part of his visit, Adm Dinesh K Tripathi shall be visiting the Salamis Bay, the base of the Hellenic Naval Fleet as well as the Hellenic Naval Academy. Through demonstrations and visits to Hellenic naval assets, the Hellenic Navy has planned to introduce Greece’s naval capabilities and training methodologies to the CNS.

    The Hellenic Navy Chief shall be hosting the Indian CNS onboard the renowned Georgios AVEROF, the Hellenic naval museum ship, offering him a glimpse into Greece’s rich maritime history and naval heritage.

    The visit underscores the strong naval relations between India and Greece, which include joint exercises, port visits, and capacity-building initiatives. Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi’s engagements in Greece are expected to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two navies, ensuring enhanced collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

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    VM/SPS                                                                                           

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Gears Up for Special Campaign 4.0 from 2nd October to 31st October 2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Gears Up for Special Campaign 4.0 from 2nd October to 31st October 2024

    Preparatory Steps Taken to Institutionalize Swachhata and Reduce Pendency across MoPSW and its Organizations/PSUs

    164 Cleanliness Drives Targeted and Over 21,000 Files Identified for Review during Campaign Phase

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 3:57PM by PIB Delhi

    In alignment with the Special Campaign 4.0 for institutionalizing Swachhata (cleanliness) and reducing pendency, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) is taking comprehensive preparatory steps to ensure these values are embedded into daily operations. The guidelines of the campaign have been shared with all organizations and PSUs under the Ministry’s administrative control. Secretary MoPSW has held multiple review meetings with Ministry officials and the heads of all organizations/PSUs to facilitate campaign readiness and target setting.

    During the Preparatory Phase (16th September to 30th September 2024), reviews of pending references and physical and electronic files/records are being conducted across MoPSW and its organizations/PSUs to determine the targets to be achieved during the campaign phase, which runs from 2nd October to 31st October 2024. So far, 164 cleanliness campaigns have been planned, and approximately 21,200 physical and electronic files have been identified for review during this period.

    In the previous iteration of the campaign, Special Campaign 3.0, the Ministry achieved substantial progress in reducing the backlog of references from Members of Parliament, State Governments, other Ministries, and the public, as well as clearing Parliamentary Assurances. Approximately 2,12,000 files were reviewed, with around 28,000 files weeded out. Additionally, about 1,18,000 e-files were closed, and 36 rules were simplified. The Ministry generated revenue of Rs. 21.25 crore through scrap disposal, freeing up nearly 72,000 sq. ft. of space.

    Regular high-level reviews are being conducted within the Ministry to ensure the successful execution of Special Campaign 4.0.

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    NB/AK

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mere commitment of fiscal resources and lip service to R&D is not enough; focus on tangible outcomes, says VP

    Source: Government of India

    Mere commitment of fiscal resources and lip service to R&D is not enough; focus on tangible outcomes, says VP

    PM’s heart and soul is deeply with scientific community-VP

    Ecosystem in place where scientists can fully exploit their potential, says VP

    R&D contributions have to be substantial not cosmetic-VP

    Research is integral to soft diplomacy and security-VP

    Shri Dhankhar calls on corporates to invest in research and development

    CSIR stands for Catalyst for Scientifically Imaginative Rashtra, underlines VP

    R&D in institutions should not be in pursuit of gaining academic information alone-VP

    Vice-President addresses the 83rd Foundation Day Celebrations of CSIR at New Delhi today

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 3:22PM by PIB Delhi

    The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that contributions to R&D must be “substantial, the result has to be substantial, not cosmetic or superficial”, he stressed. He said that mere commitment of fiscal resources is not enough and significance of any research should be measured in terms of tangible outcomes.

    “We will have to be on guard that merely because fiscal resources are committed, we cannot take pride, oh, I have spent so much for research and development. Investment in research and development has to be correlated to tangible outcomes,” he added.

    Addressing the gathering at the at the 83rd CSIR Foundation Day Celebrations, Pusa Road, New Delhi today, the Vice-President invited attention to the significance of research and development in the contemporary scenario, Shri Dhankhar emphasised that research and development is integral to soft diplomacy and national security.

    “The investment in research and development is lasting…..Research and development is so integrated to security these days. And therefore investment is for the nation. Investment is for growth. Investment is for sustainability”, he asserted.

    Highlighting the current environment, Shri Dhankhar expressed satisfaction that recognition for the scientific community has significantly increased. “Soothing to note that in last few years recognition for the scientific community has gone up. It has gone up in several ways including government being very serious about it, and Prime Minister’s heart and soul is deeply in scientific community”.

    Shri Dhankhar further lauded Prime Minister’s deep respect for and belief in the potential of India’s scientists.

    Reflecting on the past where the contributions of scientists were not always appropriately recognized, Shri Dhankhar remarked “I am fully alive of the headwinds you face, air pockets you suffer, difficult terrain you negotiate and on occasions there is no due recognition. Therefore, an ecosystem that existed earlier where you were contributing and recognition was not coming in the right form”, he added.

    Recognising the current change in ecosystem, Shri Dhankhar underlined, “Now there is an ecosystem in place where our scientists can fully exploit and expand their energy exploit their talent and contribute for the nation by unleashing their innovative skills”.

    Calling upon corporate to invest more in research and development, he said “significant contributions being made by Indian companies in sectors like automobile and information technology. Looking to our nation’s size, its potential, its position, and the growth trajectory on which it is there, our corporates need to come forward to engage in research and development”.

    Terming CSIR as Catalyst for Scientifically Imaginative Rashtra, Shri Dhankhar highlighted, “It is your Foundation Day, but it is integrally connected with the firm foundations of Bharat. You are firming up those foundations of the most vibrant, functional democracy on the planet. You are firming up the foundations of a nation that is on the rise as never before, and the rise is unstoppable” 

    He further emphasized the crucial role of science and technology as the growth engine for any nation, underscoring that this engine is primarily driven by research and development (R&D).

    Expressing his deep concern about the current approach to research and development (R&D) in India’s institutions, Shri Dhankhar highlighted the need for substantial contributions rather than mere lip service. “I am concerned about one aspect in particular, and that aspect, fortunately for me, was voiced in a survey by CSIR,” he stated.

    He further stressed that those engaged in research within academic institutions should not be motivated solely by academic gains, asserting, “Research is not a simulation. Research is research.”

     He appealed for the establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that investments in human resources and institutions are directed towards authentic and impactful research.

    Acknowledging the critical role played by CSIR in shaping modern India’s scientific and technological landscape, Shri Dhankhar emphasized the historical legacy of India’s scientific stating “if we go into our historical perspective we will find ages ago our Bharat had scientific prowess. We were global leaders; we were centre of the globe when it came to scientific knowledge”.

    He also noted that while the country lost its way for a period, it is now on the path to regaining our past pristine glory in the world of science. “The kind of discoveries and inventions that were made, we made the world proud, we lost way somewhere, we are beginning that way”, he remarked. 

    Earlier the Vice-President also inaugurated the ‘CSIR Thematic Exhibition 2024’ at NASC Complex. 

    Shri Prof. Ajay K. Sood, PSA to GoI, Dr. K. Radhakrishanan, CSIR Foundation Day Speaker, Former Chairman, ISRO, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR, Dr. G Mahesh, Chairperson, CSIR Foundation Day Celebration and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

    Read full text here: pib.gov.in/PressRelese

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DRDO & INAE organise 11th Engineers Conclave in Hyderabad to discuss emerging technologies & advancements in indigenisation

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 4:08PM by PIB Delhi

    The 11th Engineers Conclave, jointly organised by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) in Hyderabad, commenced on September 26, 2024. The aim of the two-day annual conclave is to deliberate on two strategic priorities i.e., ‘Additive Manufacturing for Defence Applications’ and ‘Defence Manufacturing Technologies’. The event, being held at Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) of DRDO, brings together engineers, scientists, academicians and industry leaders to discuss emerging technologies & advancements in indigenisation. 

    The conclave was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anil Kakodkar and Guest of Honour, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat. DRDL Director (Hyderabad) Shri GA Srinivasa Murthy, Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems Shri U Raja Babu, and INAE President Prof Indranil Manna addressed the gathering.

     

    SR/KB

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD to present “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years” Exhibition Series to showcase developments and achievements of China (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCSD to present “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years” Exhibition Series to showcase developments and achievements of China (with photos)
    LCSD to present “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years” Exhibition Series to showcase developments and achievements of China (with photos)
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         To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years” Exhibition Series, at the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) and the Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) from tomorrow (September 27) to illustrate the important developments and achievements of China over the past 75 years from a variety of perspectives. Admission to the exhibitions is free.           Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition today (September 26), the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, said that China is a force to be reckoned with in the areas such as economy, manufacturing, trade, technology, infrastructure, culture and sports. Today, China is the world’s second-largest economy, the largest industrial manufacturing country, the largest goods trading country and the largest foreign exchange reserve holding country. These are the results of the people’s forging ahead steadfastly and also the pride of all Chinese people. This exhibition series is one of the signature events organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, to promote the spirit of patriotism in the community. Its three exhibitions, namely “Leapfrog Development”, “Scientific Breakthroughs” and “Era of Intelligence”, showcase the country’s modernisation process from the perspectives of economy, education, technology, culture, sports and people’s livelihood. It aimed to enhance the understanding of the public, especially the younger generation, of the achievements of New China over the past 75 years, thereby enhancing their sense of national identity and sense of belonging.           Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Yin Zhonghua; Vice President and Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology, Mr Meng Qinghai; Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR Mr Fang Jianming; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, Mr Li Dahong; the Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Ms Starry Lee; the Chairperson of the History Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Joshua Mok; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu.           The “Leapfrog Development” exhibition, located in the Lobby, 1/F, HKMH, presents the developments and achievements of the economy, infrastructure, culture, sports and ecological conservation initiatives of China through text and images. It also displays medals won by athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games to showcase their spirit of perseverance and hard work. They include the first gold medal won by Hong Kong, China windsurfer Ms Lee Lai-shan at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics for the HKSAR, the gold medal won by So Wa-wai, representing Hong Kong, China in the men’s 100m races (T36) at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games, the gold medal won by Chinese diver Ms Guo Jingjing in the women’s three-metre springboard event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the silver medal won by Ms Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, representing Hong Kong, China in the women’s 100m freestyle events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. For details of the exhibition, please visit hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/75A-Exhibition.html.           The country’s scientific and technological endeavours have made remarkable progress over the past 75 years. The “Scientific Breakthroughs” exhibition at the 2/F Exhibition Hall, HKScM is divided into three parts, namely “The Lifeblood of the People’s Republic of China”, “Silent Thunder”, and “A Chip-driven Patriotic Heart”, based on three significant historical events: the 65th anniversary of the discovery of the Daqing Oil Field, the 60th anniversary of the successful detonation of China’s first atomic bomb, and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the State Preeminent Science & Technology Award. The exhibition showcases China’s outstanding achievements in science and technology through graphics, videos, objects, and interactive exhibits, demonstrating the patriotic spirit and steadfast beliefs of Chinese scientists. Highlight exhibits include the Core Sample from Songliao Basin No.3 Stratigraphic Well (replica), which is important historical evidence for the discovery of the Daqing Oil Field; the immersive space “Big Bang in the East”, which explores significant historical events such as the launch of the Dongfeng-1 missile, atomic bomb detonation, hydrogen bomb detonation, and the launch of the Dongfanghong-1; and the model of the Zuchongzhi Superconducting Quantum Computer, developed independently by a Chinese research team, which is the only one in China and one of only two globally to achieve “quantum advantage”.           The “Era of Intelligence” exhibition at the Special Exhibition Hall, G/F, HKScM introduces the transformative technology of artificial intelligence, which has experienced rapid developments in recent years. The application of artificial intelligence in daily life will also be demonstrated at the exhibition. The exhibition features a total of 22 exhibits, with about 70 per cent of them being interactive. These include the immersive zone “Gravitational Battlefield”, which is based on Mainland writer Liu Cixin’s science fiction novel “The Three-Body Problem” and integrates artificial intelligence and mixed reality technologies; a simulation of autonomous driving; and an artificial intelligence model named Master Guess, with which visitors can train and play paper-scissors-stone. Visitors can engage directly with multiple artificial intelligence models to understand how they function in various scenarios such as chess playing, music composition, painting and the implementation of mixed reality. For details of the “Scientific Breakthroughs” and “Era of Intelligence” exhibitions, please visit hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/75A2024.html.           The exhibition series is presented by the LCSD. The “Leapfrog Development” exhibition is organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office and the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, in collaboration with the HKMH, and supported by the Academy of Chinese Studies and the Hong Kong China Sports Alliance. The “Scientific Breakthroughs” exhibition is organised by the HKScM and the China Science and Technology Museum, in collaboration with the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the China Association for Science and Technology and the Beijing – Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. The “Era of Intelligence” exhibition is organised by the HKScM, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, the Hong Kong Institution of Science and Innovation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and SenseTime. The exhibitions will run until February 5 next year.           Apart from museums, a display titled “Trendsetting Travel in China”, which showcases the remarkable achievements of the motherland through a stunning array of media photographs and a relaxed curatorial approach, will be held at the covered walkway of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park from September 28, providing members of the public an additional opportunity to learn more about the country’s achievements.           The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 18:55

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal concludes 3-day visit to Australia

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 SEP 2024 4:25PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal concluded his productive 3-day visit to Australia (23-26 September, 2024) today.

    The Minister co-chaired the 19th Joint Ministerial Commission meeting with Senator The Hon. Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia at Government House in Adelaide on August 25, 2024. Discussions focussed on areas of cooperation and economic priorities for India and Australia; implementation of Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) initiatives; progress on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations etc.   The Ministers reiterated the target of achieving AUD 100 billion bilateral trade by 2030. They also discussed enhancement of cooperation at multilateral and other regional forums- G20, IPEF and WTO, including the Domestic Services Regulation issue.

    At the Joint Press Conference after the meeting, the Minister announced the opening of an Investment, Trade, Technology and Tourism (ITTT) office in Sydney which will have representatives of Invest India, NICDC, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation and DGFT, including industry bodies like CII and FICCI. Minister Farrell announced a new grant of AUD 10 million for Australian businesses, organisations and universities to boost cooperation with India. Under the new grant, AUD 5 million will be extended to Australian organisations working on projects that boost trade and innovation, cultural ties and community leaders, and a further AUD 5 million for scholars and fellowships to support Australian universities to host Indian students in their research, on shared challenges.

    Both sides agreed that the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Future Made in Australia’ initiatives are complementary and present opportunities to both sides to work together. In this context, Minister mentioned that India marked yesterday, the 10th anniversary of Prime Minister’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative, aimed at scaling domestic manufacturing in India. The initiative had created employment opportunities, boosted Indian exports and improved the lives of millions of people in India.

    The Governor of South Australia, The Hon Frances Adamson AC, hosted a lunch for Minister and the accompanying delegation at the Government House. The lunch was attended by The Hon Joe Szakacs MP Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister for Local Government of South Australia and Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, reflecting the strong bipartisan support to India-Australia partnership.

    Later in the day, Minister Goyal accompanied by Minister Farrell visited the Australian Space Agency at Lot Fourteen Innovation precinct where they interacted with Australian space companies, including, Space Machine Company, which is working with New Space India Limited (NSIL) to launch the largest satellite built in Australia onboard an Indian Small Satellite Launch Vehicle. This Mission, named MAITRI exemplifies the close friendship between the two countries and marks a significant milestone in the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

    The Minister’s visit will impart further momentum to the enhanced economic and commercial engagement between India and Australia. The visit allowed both sides to review progress of CECA and implementation of ECTA initiatives. In addition, several interactions with Australian and Indian businesses in Sydney will lead to enhancement of trade and investment ties between the two countries.

     

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    AD/VN/CNAN

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ingrid Yeung attends Govt career fair

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung today attended a Government Career Fair at the Polytechnic University (PolyU) and called on those who aspire to serve the community to join the civil service.

    The fair was the first to have taken place at PolyU. Thirty government bureaus and departments, covering over 50 civil service grades, took part.

    Besides the general grades, professional grades and the disciplined services were included in the fair.

    In view of the courses offered by PolyU, Mrs Yeung outlined that the Government has arranged for officers from relevant departments to introduce their grades to students.

    She said the fair highlighted civil service job opportunities related to surveying and maritime studies and would give PolyU students who are studying these subjects a better understanding of the relevant grades.

    The Government has strengthened its recruitment efforts in recent years. Mrs Yeung stressed that a number of grades have seen a noticeable increase in the number of applicants.

    She highlighted that the number of candidates applying for Administrative Officer (AO), Executive Officer II (EOII) and other grades under the joint recruitment exercise in 2023-24 surged by nearly 40%, adding that this illustrated that job seekers view a career in the Government as attractive.

    The Government has launched a joint recruitment exercise for the appointment of four civil service grades, namely AO, EOII, Assistant Trade Officer II and Transport Officer II. Students graduating in 2025 or 2026 may also apply this year.

    Mrs Yeung reminded those interested in applying for four civil service graduate posts to submit their applications by 11.59pm on October 4.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: The MND: The Philippine Side Should Not Have Miscalculation and Should Stop Making Risky and Futile Provocations 2024-09-26 We will take firm countermeasures against any act that infringes China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Actions that violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and undermine regional peace and stability are unwelcomed.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

      Question: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship 9701 has withdrew from Xianbin Jiao and the PCG said it would send another ship to the reef and would not let it become a second Huangyan Dao. Philippine Defense Secretary said that if China removes the Philippine ship grounded at Ren’ai Jiao, it would be an act of war. What’s your comment?

      Zhang Xiaogang: The Philippine side recently pulled out PCG 9701 which had been illegally anchored in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao. It is the only right way forward and is conducive to restoring peace and stability in relevant waters. China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Ren’ai Jiao and Xianbin Jiao. We will take firm countermeasures against any act that infringes China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Actions that violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and undermine regional peace and stability are unwelcomed. We urge the Philippine side not to have illusion and miscalculation and stop making any risky and futile provocations.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fresh beef sample found to contain sulphur dioxide

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Fresh beef sample found to contain sulphur dioxide
    Fresh beef sample found to contain sulphur dioxide
    **************************************************

         The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (September 26) that a fresh beef sample was found to contain sulphur dioxide, a preservative which is not permitted to be used in fresh meat. The CFS is following up on the case.     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS took the fresh beef sample from a fresh provision shop (FPS) at the Sunshine City market in Ma On Shan for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained sulphur dioxide at a level of 13 parts per million. The CFS is following up with the FPS concerned about the irregularity. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted.”     According to the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD), it is an offence to add sulphur dioxide to fresh or chilled meat. The maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment.     Sulphur dioxide is a preservative which can be used in a variety of foods including dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products, but under the Regulation it is not permitted in fresh or chilled meat. Individual meat traders have been found illegally using sulphur dioxide to make meat look fresher. Sulphur dioxide is water-soluble, and most of it can be removed through washing and cooking. However, susceptible individuals who are allergic to this preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headaches and nausea after consumption.     The spokesman reminded the food trade to comply with the law and not to sell fresh or chilled meat adulterated with sulphur dioxide. Members of the public should purchase meat from reliable market stalls or FPSs. They should avoid buying or consuming meat which is unnaturally red and maintain a balanced diet to avoid malnutrition or excessive exposure to chemicals from a small range of food items.     ???The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 18:40

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic arrangements for National Day Fireworks Display on October 1

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Police will implement special traffic arrangements on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon to facilitate the National Day Fireworks Display to be held on October 1 (Tuesday).Kowloon——-Crowd safety management measures in Tsim Sha Tsui————————————————-     Police will implement crowd safety management measures in Yau Tsim District and Hung Hom Waterfront Promenade, including pedestrianising roads at Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom Waterfront Promenade in phases.      Depending on the prevailing crowd situation, Police will implement safety measures within the pedestrianised areas including the closure of pedestrian subways and putting up barriers. One-way flow will be applied on overcrowded footbridges and in the vicinity of the waterfront promenade. If necessary, restrictions on access to MTR stations will be put into force by the MTR Corporation Limited.      The Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the vicinity of the Clock Tower, and the Avenue of Stars are known to be popular gathering and vantage points. When these areas are saturated, the crowd will be diverted to other areas.      At present, there are some construction works at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The contractors have erected hoardings and barriers to seal off the area concerned with relevant notices displayed. Members of the public are urged not to enter these sites and not to climb or lean against the barriers.      Members of the public should follow the instructions given by Police officers and take heed of Police signage and broadcasts at scene.Special traffic arrangements—————————-     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented by phases until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:A. Road closure and traffic diversionsPhase I (from 6pm onwards)    The following roads will be closed:- Eastbound and westbound Hung Hom Bypass between Salisbury Road and Hung Hom Road;- Southbound and northbound Hung Hom Bypass between Salisbury Road and Metropolis Drive;- Southbound Salisbury Road between Hong Chong Road and Hung Hom Bypass;- Eastbound and westbound Salisbury Road between Science Museum Road and Kowloon Park Drive, including Salisbury Road’s eastbound and westbound underpass;- The U-turn slip road of Salisbury Road leading from eastbound Salisbury Road U-turn to westbound Salisbury Road;- Hong Wan Path;- Mody Lane;- Mody Road;- Mody Square;- Granville Square;- Granville Road between Chatham Road South and Science Museum Road, except for franchised buses and green minibuses (GMBs) (the road will be will be re-routed to one-way eastbound);- Southbound Chatham Road South between Cheong Wan Road and Salisbury Road;- Southbound Chatham Road South between Cheong Wan Road and Granville Road, except for franchised buses and GMBs;- Northbound Chatham Road South between Granville Road and Salisbury Road;- Southbound and northbound Carnarvon Road between Granville Road and Nathan Road;- Hau Fook Street;- Cameron Lane;- Cameron Road;- Humphreys Avenue;- Prat Avenue;- Hart Avenue;- Hanoi Road;- Bristol Avenue;- Minden Row;- Minden Avenue;- Blenheim Avenue;- Middle Road;- Northbound Nathan Road between Austin Road and Salisbury Road;- Southbound Nathan Road between Granville Road and Salisbury Road;- Southbound Kowloon Park Drive between Canton Road and Salisbury Road;- Southbound Canton Road between Kowloon Park Drive and Salisbury Road;- Ashley Road;- Hankow Road;- Lock Road;- Haiphong Road;- Ichang Street; and- Peking Road.    During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:- Traffic along southbound Hung Hom Road will be directed from Hung Hom Bypass to Cheong Tung Road South roundabout;- Traffic along eastbound Metropolis Drive cannot turn right to southbound Hung Hom Bypass;- Traffic along southbound Hung Hom Bypass must turn right to westbound Metropolis Drive;- Traffic along westbound Cheong Wan Road leading to Chatham Road South must turn right to northbound Chatham Road South or go straight to westbound Austin Road, except for franchised buses and GMBs;- Franchised buses and GMBs along southbound Chatham Road South must turn left to eastbound Granville Road;- Franchised buses along southbound Nathan Road must turn right to westbound Public Square Street or westbound Jordan Road;- Traffic along westbound Jordan Road cannot turn left to southbound Canton Road. Vehicles must go straight to Nga Cheung Road direction or turn left to southbound Wui Man Road;- Traffic along southbound Canton Road must make a U-turn to northbound Canton Road outside China Hong Kong City;- Traffic along northbound Kowloon Park Drive cannot turn left to southbound Canton Road;- Traffic along eastbound Salisbury Road must turn left to northbound Kowloon Park Drive;- Traffic along northbound Kowloon Park Drive cannot turn right to Peking Road;- Westbound Granville Road between Nathan Road and Carnarvon Road will turn to eastbound contraflow. Traffic along southbound Nathan Road will be instructed to turn left to eastbound Granville Road;- Traffic along Science Museum Road cannot turn to Mody Road and Granville Road;- Traffic along southbound Salisbury Road near Hong Chong Road will be diverted to Tsim Sha Tsui East; and- Traffic along eastbound Granville Road must turn left to northbound Chatham Road South.Phase II (from 6.30pm onwards)     The following roads will be closed:- Northbound Kowloon Park Drive between Canton Road and Salisbury Road; and- Eastbound and westbound Salisbury Road between Canton Road and Kowloon Park Drive.Phase III (from 7pm onwards)     The following roads will be closed:- The U-turn slip road of Austin Road West near the Xiqu Centre leading from westbound Austin Road West U-turn to eastbound Austin Road West;- The first lane of Austin Road West leading to Austin Road West roundabout;- The U-turn slip road of Austin Road West near The Harbourside leading from eastbound Austin Road West U-turn to westbound Austin Road West;- Museum Drive; and- Cultural Drive.    During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:- Traffic along eastbound and westbound Austin Road West cannot enter the slip roads of Austin Road West; and- Traffic along southbound Nga Cheung Road entering Austin Road West roundabout cannot turn to Museum Drive. Vehicles will be directed to eastbound Austin Road West or northbound Nga Cheung Road.Phase IV (from 8.45pm onwards)     The following roads will be closed:- Southbound and northbound Nathan Road between Jordan Road and Austin Road;- Eastbound Bowring Street between Pilkem Street and Nathan Road;- Eastbound Tak Shing Street between Tak Hing Street and Nathan Road;- Southbound Nathan Road between Austin Road and Granville Road;- Pine Tree Hill Road;- Hillwood Road;- Carnarvon Road between Kimberley Road and Granville Road;- Shun Yee Street;- Granville Circuit;- Northbound Chatham Road South between Observatory Road and Granville Road;- Kimberley Road between Nathan Road and Observatory Road;- Kimberley Street;- Granville Road between Nathan Road and Chatham Road South;- Southbound and northbound Canton Road between Austin Road and Kowloon Park Drive;- Austin Road West roundabout between the entrance of Austin Road West and the exit and entrance of Museum Drive; and- Southbound and northbound Nga Cheung Road between Jordan Road and Austin Road West.    During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:- Traffic along southbound Nathan Road must turn right to westbound Jordan Road;- Traffic along westbound Jordan Road cannot turn left to southbound Nathan Road;- Traffic along westbound Austin Road and southbound Cox’s Road cannot turn to Pine Tree Hill Road;- Traffic along Observatory Road cannot turn to westbound Kimberley Street;- Traffic along northbound Pilkem Street cannot turn right to eastbound Bowring Street;- Traffic along eastbound Bowring Street must turn left to northbound Pilkem Street;- Traffic along southbound Canton Road cannot go straight. Vehicles must turn left to eastbound Austin Road or turn right to westbound Austin Road West;- Traffic along eastbound Austin Road West cannot turn right. Vehicles must turn left to northbound Canton Road or go straight to eastbound Austin Road;- Traffic along northbound Gateway Boulevard must leave from northbound Kowloon Park Drive;- Traffic along westbound Jordan Road must turn to the Kowloon Station Public Transport Interchange after turning left to southbound Nga Cheung Road;- Traffic along westbound Austin Road West must go straight to Nga Cheung Road elevated road; and- Traffic along southbound Nga Cheung Road entering Austin Road West roundabout must turn left to eastbound Austin Road West.Contingency plan     If necessary, the following roads will be closed:- Hung Luen Road between Wa Shun Street and Hung Lok Road;- Oi King Street; and- Kin Wan Street.     During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:- Traffic along westbound Hung Luen Road must turn left to Wa Shun Street;- Traffic along Wa Shun Street must turn right to eastbound Hung Luen Road;- Traffic along southbound Hung Lok Road cannot turn left to eastbound Hung Luen Road; and- Traffic along eastbound Hung Luen Road must turn left to northbound Hung Lok Road.B. Suspension of Bus Terminus and Public Transport Interchange     The following Bus Terminus and Public Transport Interchange will be suspended, until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:     The Mody Road Bus Terminus will be suspended from 6pm.     The Star Ferry Bus Terminus will be suspended from 6.30pm.     The China Hong Kong City Public Transport Interchange will be suspended from 8.45pm.C. Suspension of car park     Vehicles will not be permitted to access or leave car parks in the affected areas during the road closure period.D. Suspension of on-street parking spaces     All on-street parking spaces located at Tsim Sha Tsui South (i.e. South of Austin Road) will be suspended from noon on October 1 to 0.01am of the following day.Hong Kong Island—————-A. Road closurePhase I (Before the fireworks display)Central District—————     Tramway Lane outside Lower Peak Tram Station leading from Garden Road to the office of World Wild Fund for Nature Hong Kong will be closed from 2pm to 11.59pm, except for franchised buses.Wan Chai North————–     Expo Drive East at the north of Expo Drive outside Golden Bauhinia Square including the pick-up and drop-off areas will be closed from 4pm to 11.59pm.     The following roads will be closed from 7.30pm onwards:Central District—————- Man Kwong Street;- Man Fai Street;- Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and Man Po Street;- Loading and unloading area outside Central Ferry Piers 7, 8 and 9; and- Unnamed Road near Lung Wo Road outside General Post Office.Central – Wan Chai Bypass————————- – The slip road linking eastbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass to Expo Drive;- The slip road linking Lung Wo Road to eastbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass; and- The slip road linking westbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass to Lung Wo Road.Wan Chai North————— Eastbound Fenwick Pier Street;- Lung King Street;- Eastbound Harbour Road;- Expo Drive;- Expo Drive Central;- Expo Drive East;- Lung Wo Road between Lung Hop Street and Fleming Road;- Lung Tat Path;- Convention Avenue;- Fleming Road Flyover;- Fleming Road between Expo Drive and Harbour Road;- Northbound Tonnochy Road between eastbound Harbour Road and Hung Hing Road;- Southbound Tonnochy Road between Hung Hing Road and Gloucester Road;- Marsh Road between Gloucester Road and Hung Hing Road;- Marsh Road Flyover;- Marsh Road between Hennessy Road and Lockhart Road;- Hung Hing Road;- Hung Hing Road Flyover;- Wan Shing Street; and- Wan Ying Street.Peak Area———- Northbound Peak Road beyond the car park entrance of Peak Galleria, except for residents’ vehicles;- Barker Road, except for residents’ vehicles;- All laybys along Stubbs Road between Peak Road and Stubbs Road roundabout; and- All laybys along Magazine Gap Road between Peak Road and May Road.     The following roads will be closed from 8pm onwards:Eastern District————– Watson Road;- Whitfield Road;- Glass Street;- King Ming Road;- Hing Fat Street northward of Whitfield Road; and- Victoria Park Road (Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter).     The following roads will be closed from 8.15pm onwards:Central District————— Yiu Sing Street;- Lung Wo Road;- Edinburgh Place;- Tim Wa Avenue;- Legislative Council Road;- Tim Mei Avenue;- Lung Wui Road;- Lung Hop Street;- Unnamed road between Harcourt Road and Performing Arts Avenue;- Performing Arts Avenue; and- Edinburgh Place.Wan Chai North————— Tonnochy Road Flyover;- Northbound Tonnochy Road between Gloucester Road and Harbour Road;- Westbound Harbour Road;- Harbour Drive;- Fleming Road between Gloucester Road and Harbour Road; and- Fenwick Street between Gloucester Road and Harbour Road.Phase II (During the fireworks display)     The following roads will be closed from 8.55pm to 9.28pm:Eastern District—————– Westbound Island Eastern Corridor between Victoria Park Road and Man Hong Street, except for franchised buses;- Slip roads leading to westbound Island Eastern Corridor from Healthy Street Central and Tong Shui Road; and- Westbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass.Phase III (After the fireworks display)     The following roads will be closed from 8.55pm onwards:Central District————— Man Yiu Street between Man Cheung Street and Man Po Street;- Man Po Street; and- Finance Street between Man Yiu Street and Man Po Street.Wan Chai South————— Lockhart Road between Percival Street and Luard Road;- Jaffe Road between Percival Street and Luard Road;- Southbound Luard Road between Gloucester Road and Jaffe Road;- O’Brien Road;- Fleming Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;- Stewart Road;- Tonnochy Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;- Marsh Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;- Canal Road West between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;- Canal Road East between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;- If necessary, Percival Street between Lockhart Road and Gloucester Road; and- If necessary, westbound Gloucester Road service road between Percival Street and Canal Road East.B. Traffic Diversions     In connection with the above road closure, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:From 7.30pm onwards:- Rumsey Street between Chung Kong Road and Connaught Road Central will be re-routed to one-way southbound; and- All uphill traffic along Peak Road towards Harlech Road, Lugard Road and Mount Austin Road will be diverted downhill via the slip road beside the car park entrance at the Peak Galleria, except for residents’ vehicles or vehicles with permits.From 8.55pm to 9.28pm:     Traffic along westbound Island Eastern Corridor will be diverted to Man Hong Street.From 8.55pm onwards:     Traffic along eastbound Connaught Road West Flyover will be diverted to Finance Street.C. Suspension of parking spaces     All on-street metered, motorcycle and disabled parking spaces (Meter nos: 3186 to 3188, 3190 to 3193 and 3197) at Tramway Lane outside Lower Peak Tram Station will be suspended from 1pm to 11pm.     All on-street parking spaces at Expo Drive East at the north of Expo Drive outside Golden Bauhinia Square will be suspended from 4pm to 11.59pm.     All on-street metered and motorcycle parking spaces at Victoria Peak Garden and Mount Austin Road (Meter nos: 1515(A/B) to 1518(A/B), 1523(A/B) to 1526(A/B), 1519A, 1520A, 1521(A/B) and 1522B) will be suspended from 7pm to 11.59pm.     All parking spaces at the following locations will be suspended from 3pm to 11.59pm:- Man Kwong Street;- Ying Sing Street;- Lung Wo Road;- Unnamed Road near Lung Wo Road outside General Post Office;- Edinburgh Place;- Lung Wui Road; and- Lung Hop Street.     All parking spaces at the following locations will be suspended from 4pm to 11.59pm:- Hung Hing Road;- Expo Drive;- Expo Drive East;- Convention Avenue;- Wan Shing Street;- Gloucester Road service road;- Stewart Road between Jaffe Road and Gloucester Road service road;- Marsh Road between Hennessy Road and Lockhart Road;- Jaffe Road between Percival Street and Luard Road; and- Lockhart Road between Percival Street and Luard Road.     All parking spaces at the following locations will be suspended from 7pm to 11.59pm:- Watson Road; and- Whitfield Road.D. Suspension of Public Transport Interchange     The Exhibition Centre Station Public Transport Interchange and Man Yiu Street Public Transport Interchange will be suspended from 6.30pm to 11.59pm.E. Suspension of car parks     Vehicles parked in car parks within the above closed areas at North Point, Wan Chai North, Wan Chai South and Central District will not be permitted to enter/leave the car parks during the road closure period.     If necessary, the vehicular entrance/exit along on westbound Gloucester Road between Paterson Street and Percival Street will be closed without prior notice.     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts mentioned above will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.     Members of the public are advised to use public transport to access the above areas. They should pay attention to the latest special traffic arrangements announced by the Transport Department and the latest weather news released by the Hong Kong Observatory. Actual implementation of the crowd safety management measures and traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.     If the cancellation of the fireworks display is announced by the organiser, the above-mentioned crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements will not be implemented.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Children get creative with plants and poetry to illustrate their hopes as child rights mark 100 years

    Source: Save The Children

    Photo: Oksana Parafeniuk/Save the Children
    LONDON/GENEVA, 26 September 2024 – Using flowers, shells, leaves, and paper clips, children from Indonesia, Syria and Ukraine have created photo montages and written poems to show what is most important to them to mark 100 years of the global recognition of child rights.
     
    Working with three award-winning photographers, children were encouraged to get creative by combining photos of themselves with everyday items for mixed media projects that celebrate their optimism and hopes for the future but also risks if progress on their rights stalls or is reversed.  

    The montages and poems are being used to commemorate the agreement on 26 September 1924 of the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the groundbreaking document drafted by Save the Children founder Eglantyne Jebb that affirmed for the first time the existence of rights specific to children.  

    Elin, 15 from Sumba, Indonesia, said she was passionate about protecting the ocean but worried about the impact of climate change. She collected sand and shells while swimming and combined them with her photo portrait, writing the following poem. “In this scorching world, I have the right to be happy. I have the right to breathe fresh air. I have the right to access clean water, because my study time is not to fetch water. Together, we can protect the nature, because I am human, you are human, we are human.”

    Anjar,18, from Indonesia tackles the lack of access to clean water in his friend Sandi’s village. Together, they designed a borehole that brought running water to the village for the first time. Anjar is worried about the impact of deforestation and used his artwork to portray himself as a warrior protecting the trees that he loves, using rocks and plants he has gathered. 

    “We have to learn and guard our nature, so it won’t be destroyed”, said Anjar, who was supported by Save the Children’s Inclusive Incubator for Young Changemakers (i2Change) programme which gives young people the chance to learn how to create a project that will change their community. 

    In Romania, eight-year-old Marko* is trying to rebuild his life and make new friends after he fled Ukraine with mother when the war broke out.  

    It took him months to settle into school, but with support from Save the Children’s hub in Romania, he is now more at ease. He made a collage by decorating his printed portrait with colourful clips and pegs. His montage represents his personality, his big dreams for the future and how important his homeland and school are to him.

    “I want to be a captain because I would like to travel all over the world”, he said. 

    Shehab*, 16, is living in Za’atari, Jordan, the world’s largest camp for displaced Syrian refugees. She was born with a disability and bullied at school which made her drop out. At the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Centre, run by Save the Children and the United Nations Population Fund, Jordan  is learning self-defence, art and yoga which is helping her find her inner strength. 

    Her portrait shows the importance to her of the rights to education and protection and includes a caption saying, “Women of the world, unite!” 

    “I was destroyed before I came to the centre, now I have more self-esteem and confidence” she said. “When I came here, I learned what children’s rights are and I started raising awareness for others and the younger ones. It’s a very good feeling because I felt like I was doing something for society, I was changing something. I felt like I was a leader for those children.”

    The project that ran over three months involves the photographers Ulet Ifansasti from Indonesia, Kate Stanworth from the UK and Oksana Parafeniuk from Ukraine. 

    Despite much progress over the last century, children’s rights are today at risk of being eroded and inequality is growing.

    One in five children globally is growing up in a conflict zone [1] and one in 50 is forcibly displaced- twice the number a decade ago, according to Save the Children analysis. [2] Thirty-three children were born into hunger each minute last year [3], while every year, extreme weather events interrupt learning for about 40 million children, a figure likely to rise as the intensity and frequency increase due to climate change [4]. 

    Inger Ashing, Save the Children International’s Chief Executive Officer said:     “So much has changed for children in 100 years. Most children now live to see their fifth birthday. Almost nine in 10 primary and six in 10 secondary-age school children complete their education. The vast majority are no longer forced to engage in the kind of work that deprives them of their childhood and harms their development.  “Today, every child has rights – including the right to health, to education, to protection, and to security. They have the right to be themselves, to have their voices heard and to design their futures.  “But this wasn’t always accepted or supported – and still isn’t in many places around the world.  Children currently face a world in crisis where their rights are systematically undermined and violated. The vital progress made over the past 100 years is being reversed with catastrophic conflicts for children while children also experience all-too-frequent climate disasters, poverty and inequality. “Standing up for children’s rights is our history, present, and future. Our work to support children to claim their rights is just as urgent and relevant today as it was 100 years ago and we will not stop until children’s rights are respected, supported, and protected worldwide.”Save the Children is calling on leaders to listen to children and to provide safe, meaningful, child-friendly spaces where children can speak freely and their ideas are respected.  
    The child rights organisation is also calling for: 
    •  States to hold perpetrators of crimes against children in conflict to account and ensure adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law.  
    • At the upcoming Ministerial Conference to Ending Violence against Children, states should  make concrete, ambitious and funded commitments to protect children and end all forms of violence against them 
    • Children’s rights and views to be prioritised in climate policy and financing, including climate loss and damage and adaptation, 
    • Leaders to put children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goals at the centre of policy and financing decisions to create a safer, greener and more sustainable world.  
    For further enquiries please contact:  
    Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409. Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: RBC iShares Expands Access to BlackRock’s Award-Winning Investment Platform with Active ETFs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Today, RBC iShares expands access to BlackRock’s award-winning investment platform with the launch of two active bond ETFs (collectively the iShares Funds).1 The iShares Funds provide clients with the best of BlackRock’s fixed income investment insights in liquid, transparent and cost-effective ETFs.

    The iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (XFLI, XFLI.U) invests in the BlackRock Flexible Income ETF (BINC)2, managed by Rick Rieder, Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock. The strategy will also be available hedged to the Canadian dollar with the listing of the iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged)(XFLX). The iShares Funds seek to deliver monthly income by primarily allocating to hard-to-reach global fixed income sectors, such as high yield, emerging markets debt and securitized assets.

    The iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF has now closed the initial offering of its units and the units will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) when markets open today. The units of the iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged) are expected to be listed on the TSX when markets open on October 1, 2024.

    The iShares Funds are designed to complement core bond exposures by providing enhanced yield across the global fixed income opportunity set, unconstrained by traditional benchmarks. They leverage the scale of BlackRock’s US$2.8 trillion fixed income platform,3 providing clients with unparalleled market access.

    Rick Rieder, Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income, BlackRock:

    “Today’s investment environment presents a golden age for fixed income. Investors can achieve high yields without taking on excessive risk. By staying active, agile, and well-diversified, these ETFs aim to capture historic opportunities across fixed income markets whenever and wherever they become available.”

    Helen Hayes, Head of iShares Canada, BlackRock:

    “The launch of these ETFs brings the alpha generation capabilities of BlackRock’s global fixed income platform to Canadian investors. The deep resources and specialized market insights of our Fundamental Fixed Income Team will provide investors exposure to less accessible sectors of fixed Income, further enabling opportunities to capitalize on the strong yield environment.”

    The new iShares Funds are noted in the table below and will be managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.

    Fund Name Ticker Management Fee4 Listing Date
    iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF XFLI
    XFLI.U    		 0.55 % September 26, 2024
    iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged) XFLX 0.55 % October 1, 20245

    RBC iShares aims to help clients achieve their investment objectives by empowering them to build efficient portfolios and take control of their financial futures. RBC iShares is committed to delivering a truly differentiated ETF experience and positive outcomes for clients.

    For more information about RBC iShares, please visit https://www.rbcishares.com.

    About BlackRock        

    BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit http://www.blackrock.com/corporate.

    About iShares ETFs

    iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1400+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$3.86 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.

    iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.
      
    About RBC

    Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 100,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

    We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

    About RBC Global Asset Management
    RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to institutional, high-net-worth and individual investors through separate accounts, pooled funds, mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds and specialty investment strategies. RBC Funds, BlueBay Funds, PH&N Funds and RBC ETFs are offered by RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (RBC GAM Inc.) and distributed through authorized dealers in Canada. The RBC GAM group of companies, which includes RBC GAM Inc. (including PH&N Institutional) and RBC Indigo Asset Management Inc., manage approximately $660 billion in assets and have approximately 1,600 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

    RBC iShares ETFs are comprised of RBC ETFs managed by RBC Global Asset Management Inc. and iShares ETFs managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

    ® / TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license. iSHARES is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. Used under license. © 2023 BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited and RBC Global Asset Management Inc. All rights reserved.

    Contact for Media:
    Reem Jazar
    Email: reem.jazar@blackrock.com

    1 Rick Rieder, Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock, was awarded the U.S. Morningstar Award for Investing Excellence: Outstanding Portfolio Manager on March 21, 2023.
    2 Currently, the iShares Funds will, directly or indirectly, invest all or substantially all of their assets in BINC.
    3 Source: BlackRock Q2 2024 Earnings, as of June 30, 2024.

    4 As an annualized percentage of the iShares Fund’s daily net asset value. If applicable, BlackRock Canada or an affiliate is entitled to receive a fee for acting as manager of each iShares ETF in which this iShares Fund may invest (an “underlying product fee” and together with the management fee payable to BlackRock Canada, the “total annual fee”). As the underlying product fees are embedded in the market value of the iShares ETFs in which this iShares Fund may invest, any underlying product fees are borne indirectly by this iShares Fund. BlackRock Canada will adjust the management fee payable to it by this iShares Fund to ensure that the total annual fees paid directly or indirectly to BlackRock Canada and its affiliates by this iShares Fund will not exceed the percentage of the NAV set out above. The total annual fee is exclusive of HST. Any underlying product fees borne indirectly by this iShares Fund are calculated and accrued daily and are paid not less than annually.
    5 Listing date is subject to regulatory approvals.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: KMIN GROUP Corp.’s Skincare Brand O’CLEARIEN Expands Globally and Participates in major events

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEOUL, KOREA, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KMIN GROUP Corp.’s premium skincare brand, O’CLEARIEN, is solidifying its position in the global market. Since being named “Rookie of the Year” at the Cosmo Beauty Expo in May, O’CLEARIEN has actively participated in major events such as The Hyundai Pop-Up Store, Mexico Brand Expo, and CosmoProf Las Vegas. Furthermore, the brand has recently completed its European export certification (CPNP) and U.S. export certification (MoCRA), enhancing its credibility in the global market.

    O’CLEARIEN’s main product lineup includes toners, mists, serums, creams, cleansers, and sunscreens, which will be showcased at Seoul Beauty Week (October 1–3, 2024) and the K-Beauty Expo (October 17–19, 2024). Seoul Beauty Week will be held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), while the K-Beauty Expo will occur at KINTEX in Ilsan. These events will allow attendees to experience O’CLEARIEN’s product lines firsthand and explore collaboration opportunities with global beauty partners and buyers.

    Currently, O’CLEARIEN exports to 10 countries, including the U.S., Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Germany, France, and Mauritius. The brand is gaining recognition globally as a rapidly growing clean beauty brand. O’CLEARIEN products, which are made from the finest natural ingredients, provide gentle yet effective skincare, meeting the standards of clean beauty and receiving high praise.

    KMIN GROUP Corp., founded in 2019, specializes in beauty and women’s fashion and has received positive feedback from consumers who prefer clean beauty products made with natural ingredients through its premium product development and sustainable production practices. O’CLEARIEN, as an inclusive clean beauty brand catering to all generations, has garnered significant acclaim for its highly effective skincare products.

    Regarding distribution, O’CLEARIEN sells through offline and global e-commerce platforms, with special emphasis on sales through its online store, oclearien.com. This multi-faceted distribution strategy has allowed more consumers to experience O’CLEARIEN’s products, with serums and creams receiving particularly favorable reviews.

    An O’CLEARIEN representative stated, “We are delighted to introduce our premium skincare philosophy and top-quality natural ingredients to the world through global certifications and participation in major beauty events. We look forward to continuing our global expansion and reaching more consumers with our products.”

    O’CLEARIEN’s best-selling products will be featured at Seoul Beauty Week and the K-Beauty Expo, and the brand plans to further strengthen its presence in the global beauty market through continued participation in various international events and activities.

    Media Contact

    Company: Kmin Group Corp.

    Contact: Jeongbeen Lee

    Telephone: +82 1054912616

    Email: sales@oclearien.com

    Website: http://www.oclearien.com

    SOURCE: Kmin Group Corp.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “Celebration of National Day – The Next Generation Chorus Performance” to be held on September 30

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, “Celebration of National Day – The Next Generation Chorus Performance” organised by the Tourism Commission, with East Union Foundation Limited as an implementing organisation, will be held in Art Park of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) from 8.30pm to 9.10pm on September 30 (Monday).
          
         The show will cover a wide array of performances, including a drone show with 2 099 drones symbolising “2024” in the year of 2024 and “75” from the 75th National Day, 1 000 students singing patriotic songs on site, and performances by multiple youth groups. The show will showcase the country’s achievements through three themes, namely “Standing Up”, “Growing Prosperous”, and “Becoming Strong”. In addition, Ms Cally Kwong will sing the patriotic education theme song “Our Home”.
          
         Due to space constraints, members of the public may enjoy the drone show from certain parts of the lawn areas in the WKCD. As there may be a restricted view of the drone show in some other areas in the WKCD, members of the public may also enjoy the show on TV screens at designated viewing areas (map enclosed). Participants are advised to use public transport and avoid driving private cars to the vicinity of the WKCD whenever possible. During the show, they should keep public areas clean and take care of public property. Participants are also advised to pay attention to safety in crowded places.
          
         RTHK TV 32, China Central Television, HOY TV, Now TV, Phoenix TV, TVB, ViuTV will live broadcast the show, and members of the public can enjoy the show at home to celebrate National Day.
          
         As the event may be affected by weather conditions, participants should pay attention to public announcements on the event day to obtain the latest information of the event.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bybit to Host WSOT 2024 Livestream: Featuring Past Champions, Industry Insights, and Special Giveaways

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit’s World Series of Trading (WSOT) 2024, the longest-running and most rewarding trading competition of its kind by the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, invites the crypto community to meet former WSOT legends and unlock auspicious rewards on livestream. Joining the trading champions will be other crypto insiders, including co-host Gareth Jenkinson, Managing Editor at Cointelegraph for the first time.

    Themed WSOT Legends: What’s New, What’s Next on Bybit Livestream, viewers can tune in for insights from iconic crypto traders from the past WSOT and try their luck in a live giveaway of 750 CATI and 350 USDT in airdrops and red packets.

    Streaming live on Sep. 27 at 8AM UTC, the event will feature industry insiders and master traders and official Top Captains in WSOT 2023. The session is guaranteed to be lively with speakers celebrating past victories and embracing new possibilities. The champions will review their 2023 performances, their first-hand experience with formulating winning strategies, summoning and maintaining powerful squads in WSOT, delving into new trends such as the convergence of centralized and decentralized exchanges in Web3, and exploring the newly added Web3 segment in the 2024 competition.

    “What better way to gear up for WSOT 2024 than going live with the champions,” said Joan Han, Sales and Marketing Director at Bybit. “Each year the games are evolving, and the stakes are higher as our community grows. We are filled with excitement for the WSOT season this year for all the new features and innovative ways of competing, and we hope to spread the joy with this livestreaming event,” she added.

    Toh Shun Gui, Master Liquidator at Bybit and Kate Panchenko, Senior BD for the CIS region at Bybit will be joined by co-host Gareth Jenkinson at Cointelegraph.

    Featured Speakers:

    • Mr. Ken, Top Captain in WSOT 2023 (Japan)
    • Leonid Maloletov, Top Captain in WSOT 2023 (Russia)
    • AZ, Web3 Evangelist, Bybit
    • Ye, CEO, Character X
    • Argiris Sotirakis, Co-Founder, Cryptominder and Cryptominder Academy
    • Gianluca Grossi, Editor in Chief, Criptovaluta.it®️

    What to Expect:

    • Certified champions: Past winners will shed lights on their top performance in 2023 and uncover new developments in WSOT and in the crypto space this year. 
    • New possibilities: Upcoming squad leaders and Web3 project leads will have a chance to pitch. 
    • Livestream giveaways: Participants of the live chat may raise questions to share a 500 CATI prize pool, others may send a love note Bybit WSOT for a chance to win 250 CATI airdrop. Another 350 USDT prize pool awaits for new users when the session hits 15k viewers.

    Users can join the Livestream Here: WSOT Legends: What’s New, What’s Next

    #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk

    About Bybit
    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 50 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.

    For more details about Bybit, users can visit Bybit Press 
    For media inquiries, users can contact: media@bybit.com
    For more information, users can visit: https://www.bybit.com
    For updates, users can follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

    Contact

    Head of PR
    Tony Au
    Bybit
    tony.au@bybit.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs seizes smuggled goods worth about $150 million (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs seizes smuggled goods worth about $150 million (with photo)
    Hong Kong Customs seizes smuggled goods worth about $150 million (with photo)
    *****************************************************************************

         Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels on September 9 and 19. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $150 million were seized.     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Strategies were thus formulated, with two suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Singapore, and one suspicious container prepared to be shipped to Taiwan, via ocean-going vessels selected for inspection.     Customs inspected the three containers that were declared as carrying “household electric items” and “screen, wafer of IC, backlight, computer, game console base, cosmetics and DVD player” on September 9 and 19. Upon examinations, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including mobile phones, accessories, cosmetics, circuit boards and integrated circuits, in the containers.     An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 17:59

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Exports up 6.4% in August

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The value of Hong Kong’s total exports increased to $381.3 billion in August, up 6.4% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

    The value of the city’s imports rose 7.9% to $414.4 billion in the same period.

    A trade deficit of $33.1 billion, or 8% of the value of imports, was recorded for the month.

    Comparing the three-month period to August with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of Hong Kong’s exports rose 0.3%, while that of its imports increased 3.8%.

    The Government said the value of merchandise exports grew solidly in August over a year earlier. Exports to the Mainland, the US and the European Union registered increases of varying degrees, while exports to other major Asian markets were of mixed performance.

    Looking ahead, the Government said that performance of Hong Kong’s exports should remain positive if external demand continues to hold up, but noted that geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts will present risks.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Postal services to Lebanon subject to delay

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Postal services to Lebanon subject to delay
    Postal services to Lebanon subject to delay
    *******************************************

         Hongkong Post announced today (September 26) that, as advised by the postal administration of Lebanon, due to the recent events in the region leading to a number of flight cancellations and road closures, mail delivery services to Lebanon are subject to delay.

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 17:35

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Lam Sai-hung visits Tianjin

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung today attended the 11th China Air Finance Development (DFTP) Summit in Tianjin.

    Themed “Openness Leads, Multi-dimensions Surge, New Chances for China’s Air Finance”, this year’s summit brought together representatives from various sectors of the industry to discuss opportunities and challenges in the country’s aviation financing, as well as current and future trends among international aircraft leasing enterprises.

    Addressing the summit’s opening ceremony, Mr Lam said the global aircraft leasing market has changed rapidly in recent years. The Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone (FTPZ) is the largest hub for aircraft leasing in China and the second largest in the world. Delivery of the domestic C919 aircraft has also brought greater momentum to Dongjiang’s rapid growth.

    Mr Lam said co-operation between Hong Kong and Dongjiang will provide new impetus and opportunities for the development of the aircraft leasing industry.

    “Hong Kong, together with the Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone, will establish closer co-operation to jointly promote the development of the aircraft leasing industry, offering more opportunities and options for airlines around the world and making more contributions to the global air transport industry.”

    At a meeting with representatives of the Tianjin Dongjiang FTPZ Administrative Commission and aircraft leasing and financing companies, Mr Lam briefed them on Hong Kong’s advantages in the aviation industry, including the latest developments in the city’s aircraft leasing policies and its preferential tax regime.

    Having conclude his two-day visit to Beijing and Tianjin, Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong this evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –