NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Interview: China’s Indigenous C909 Airliner Opens New Horizons in Regional Aviation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    SHANGHAI, June 30 (Xinhua) — China’s commercial jet airliner C909, formerly known as ARJ21, celebrated the ninth anniversary of its maiden flight on Saturday.

    The C909 is a turbofan regional airliner developed by China itself, seating 78 to 97 people and having a range of 2,225 km to 3,700 km. It complies with international civil aviation regulations and is the first of its kind independently developed by China.

    According to the data, a total of 166 C909 aircraft have been delivered to the market to date, serving more than 700 air routes and carrying more than 24 million passengers.

    The C909 was a breakthrough in the commercial operation of domestic jet airliners and explored the development path of the entire life cycle of Chinese-made commercial aircraft, Chen Yong, chief designer of the aircraft, told Xinhua News Agency.

    LINKING BORDER CITIES

    The C909 aircraft were first put into service in China’s border areas, including the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR, northwest China), the northeast region and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (north China). By expanding the regional air route network, they improve travel convenience, support people’s mobility and stimulate local economic development.

    Since the C909’s debut in Xinjiang in June 2023, a total of 22 aircraft of this model have entered service, opening more than 120 routes and carrying more than 1.3 million passengers safely, according to Chen Yong, who is also the chief engineer of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the developer of the C909.

    In June 2025, when Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region entered its peak tourist season, four daily round-trip flights were launched between the popular cities of Kashi (Kashgar) and Yining. The flights are operated by C909 aircraft of Chengdu Airlines and China Express.

    “We have received positive feedback from various airlines, including Chengdu Airlines, which confirmed that in terms of performance, this model of aircraft is very well suited to operating conditions in regions such as Xinjiang,” Chen Yong said.

    In addition, these airliners have expanded the international route schedule. On October 26, 2019, the C909 launched its first international flight, connecting Harbin in northeast China and Vladivostok in Russia. The airline promotes economic, cultural and tourism exchanges and integration between cities on both sides of the border.

    MARKET EXPANSION TO SOUTHEAST ASIA

    On 18 April 2023, the C909 made its maiden flight in Indonesia, thus initiating regional inter-island routes and expanding services to cross-border trunk routes. Notably, the Manado-Guangzhou route, with a length of over 2,700 km, is the longest commercial route served by the C909 to date.

    Chen Yong believes that the advanced airport infrastructure, flexible route configuration and comfortable passenger conditions make the C909 particularly suitable for the operational needs of the Southeast Asian aviation market. The aircraft has pioneered a new business model for domestic passenger aircraft in the region: it is leased to airlines under dry lease and wet lease agreements.

    The term “dry lease” means the provision of only the aircraft by the lessor, while aircraft package leasing means the provision of not only the aircraft but also the flight crew, safety management, maintenance and operational control.

    For example, two C909 aircraft that Chengdu Airlines wet leased to Vietnam’s Vietjet Air operate daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao, respectively.

    “The runway length of Con Dao Airport is only 1,800 meters, and the sea serves as a natural boundary on both sides. This fully confirmed the C909’s short and narrow runway performance and its suitability for the humid climate of Southeast Asia,” Chen Yong added.

    Today, three Southeast Asian airlines – Indonesia’s TransNusa, Laos’ Lao Airlines and Vietnam’s Vietjet Air – operate a total of seven C909 aircraft. Fifteen new routes have been opened, providing air service between 18 cities, and the combined passenger traffic on these routes has exceeded 370,000 person-times.

    EXPANSION OF SERIAL PRODUCTION

    Developing variants of aircraft models is a characteristic feature of the commercial aviation industry. Currently, four variants of the C909 jet airliner are available to the public: a cargo aircraft, a command aircraft for emergency response, a medical aircraft, and a business jet.

    Chen Yong says the C909 cargo aircraft can meet various air cargo needs, covering the special cargo market, highland market and short-haul international cargo routes. The rescue command aircraft version can provide situational awareness, decision-making and coordination in disaster relief. Its versatility extends to applications such as transporting rescue forces and establishing temporary communication networks in disaster-stricken areas.

    The medical aircraft model is capable of performing rescue and air ambulance missions, as well as aeromedical transportation of patients. The business jet is flexible, efficient, quiet and comfortable. Its functionality package can be easily adjusted to meet specific customer requirements.

    “Over its nine-year operational history, the C909 has undergone a series of upgrades and optimizations. These modifications have been aimed at improving various aspects of the aircraft, including its performance, crew experience and passenger cabin comfort,” Chen Yong said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 8 killed, 26 injured in chemical plant blast in India

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    NEW DELHI, June 30 (Xinhua) — At least eight people were killed and 26 injured on Monday when a reactor exploded at a chemical plant in India’s southern Telangana state, police said.

    The blast took place in the Pashamilaram industrial area, located about 48 km northwest of Hyderabad, the state capital.

    Police believe the death toll could rise given the critical condition of some of the victims.

    There were reportedly about 150 workers at the plant at the time of the explosion.

    A preliminary investigation by police has shown that the reactor exploded during routine operations at the plant. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • PM Modi shares article highlighting policy and innovation driving India’s rise as a global steel leader

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared an article emphasizing the crucial role of policy initiatives and innovation in propelling India’s steel industry toward global leadership.

    In reply to a social media post by Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on X, the Prime Minister said, “From infrastructure and defence to electric mobility and clean energy, steel is the backbone of a rising India.”

    “Union Minister Shri @hd_kumaraswamy outlines how policy push and innovation are shaping India’s journey to becoming a global steel leader,” the PM added in his post.

    https://rb.gy/rruno

  • Digital India in action: Citizen-first reforms take centre stage

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Monday emphasized the pivotal role of citizen-centric digital reforms in shaping India’s administrative future while inaugurating the Southern Regional Conference of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) at Pondicherry University. The conference, themed “Empowering Citizens in Digital India: Administrative, Management and Organizational Reforms,” brought together over 350 delegates, including senior bureaucrats, academics, and industry professionals.

    In his keynote address, the Union Minister underscored India’s transition from “minimum government, maximum governance” to a digitally empowered and citizen-first governance model. Citing landmark initiatives such as DigiLocker, Direct Benefit Transfer, and the JAM Trinity, he said these reforms have simplified service delivery, enhanced transparency, and ensured dignity for citizens—especially in remote regions.

    He also launched a new Governance Cell at Pondicherry University to promote research and awareness on public service and reforms among students and young professionals. Highlighting India’s digital journey, the Minister pointed to advances like self-attestation, digital life certificates, and facial recognition systems, stating, “It’s not just about adopting technology—it’s about ensuring ease of living and dignity for every Indian.”

    The Union Minister praised initiatives like Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana for widening access to healthcare and housing and lauded the “One Nation, One Subscription” programme for democratizing access to academic resources. He noted India’s rising global stature, with improvements in innovation, patents, and startup rankings, and said the country is on track to becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2027.

    Jitendra Singh released a book titled “Digital Governance in India – Transforming Public Service Delivery” by Dr. T. Gopinath and felicitated retired IAS officer Vallavan for his service in public administration. The event also featured presentations of over 80 academic papers from across Southern India and saw participation from IIPA branches in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry.

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Standing Deposit Facility and Marginal Standing Facility – Change in Timings

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    At present, Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) are available between 5:30 PM and 11:59 PM on all days.

    2. In light of the extension of market timings for call money to 7:00 PM, it has been decided that the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) will be available between 7:00 PM and 11:59 PM with effect from July 01, 2025.

    3. All other terms and conditions of the current SDF and MSF schemes remain unchanged.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/625

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • India’s industrial output grows by 1.2% in May 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s industrial production recorded a modest growth of 1.2 per cent in May 2025, according to the latest Quick Estimates released under the revised calendar for the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

    The latest data shows a slight moderation in growth when compared to April 2025, when the IIP had registered an increase of 2.7 per cent. The overall index for May stood at 156.6, up from 154.7 in the corresponding month last year. Sector-wise, the manufacturing segment was the main driver, recording a growth of 2.6 per cent, even as the mining sector saw a marginal contraction of 0.1 per cent. The electricity sector, however, registered a significant decline, contracting by 5.8 per cent.

    The detailed figures highlight the resilience of key industry groups within the manufacturing sector. Of the 23 industry groups at the two-digit level of the National Industrial Classification, 13 recorded positive growth. The manufacture of basic metals grew by 6.4 per cent, driven by strong production of items such as MS blooms, billets, ingots, pencil ingots, MS slabs and flat products of alloy steel. The manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified rose by 11.8 per cent, supported by healthy output of separators, decanter centrifuges, various types of pumps and stationary internal combustion piston engines for non-automotive uses. The manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products grew by 6.9 per cent, boosted by production of cement, cement clinkers and glassware.

    Under the use-based classification, the index for primary goods stood at 157.9, while capital goods recorded a notable jump to 120.1, reflecting a robust growth of 14.1 per cent compared to May 2024. Intermediate goods rose to 168.1 with a growth of 3.5 per cent, while infrastructure and construction goods registered an index of 198.1, translating into a year-on-year growth of 6.3 per cent.

    On the consumer front, the scenario appeared mixed. While the index for consumer durables stood at 129.3, it marked a marginal decline of 0.7 per cent over the same period last year. Consumer non-durables slipped further, with the index dropping to 150.3, showing a contraction of 2.4 per cent.

    The latest release also included the final revision for April 2025, compiled with a weighted response rate of 93 per cent, while the Quick Estimates for May 2025 were compiled with a response rate of 89.5 per cent.

    The Central Statistics Office will now release the Quick Estimates on the 28th of every month, or the next working day if the date happens to be a holiday.

  • Which countries are quitting a key landmine treaty and why?

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Ukraine has joined other countries bordering Russia in signalling that it will withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, in the face of what they say are growing military threats from Russia.

    NATO members Finland, Poland and the three ex-Soviet Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – have either withdrawn from the convention or indicated that they would do so, citing the increased military danger from their neighbour.

    The moves threaten to reverse decades of campaigning by activists who say there should be a global ban on a weapon that blights huge swathes of territory and maims and kills civilians long after conflicts have abated.

    Countries that quit the 1997 treaty – one of a series of international agreements concluded after the end of the Cold War to encourage global disarmament – will be able to start producing, using, stockpiling and transferring landmines once again.

    COUNTRIES EXITING

    All European countries bordering Russia have announced plans to quit the global treaty,apart from Norway which has only a 200 km (125 mile) border with Russia in its remote Arctic far north, andsaid it was important to maintain stigma around landmines.

    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that he had signed a decree to pull Ukraine out of the Convention because Russia has used anti-personnel mines extensively in parts of Ukraine during the 40-month-old war.

    Anti-personnel mines, Zelenskiy said, are “often the instrument for which nothing can be substituted for defence purposes”.

    Some European countries have said they fear that Russia could use any pause in fighting to re-arm and target them.

    Officials have suggested a withdrawal could put them on more of an equal footing with Russia which has not signed or ratified the treaty. Other major powers that have not signed include the United States and China.

    U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres in mid-June raised grave concerns about recent withdrawal announcements, and urged all states to adhere to existing treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal.

    FUNDING CUTS

    As countries quit the convention, global demining efforts are also backsliding amid “crippling” U.S. funding cuts under President Donald Trump, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Washington had provided more than $300 million a year, or 40% of total international support for removing mines, according to the Landmine Monitor report in 2024.

    A State Department official said in March it had restarted some global humanitarian demining programmes and activities, without giving details. It has previously run major programmes in Iraq, Afghanistan and Laos.

    Anti-personnel landmines are generally hidden in the ground and designed to detonate automatically when someone steps on them or passes nearby. More than 80% of mine victims are civilians, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

    The convention includes provisions to assist victims, many of whom have lost limbs and suffer from other permanent disabilities.

    In June 2025 the U.N. reported that Ukraine had become the most mined country in the world. It said there had been around 800 civilian casualties due to unexploded ordnance.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Academic Council about People”: competition of teaching staff, remuneration, awards and incentives

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    © Higher School of Economics

    The final meeting of this academic year took place on June 25. Academic Council of the National Research University Higher School of Economics. And if at previous meetings issues of technological development, international cooperation and financial stability of the university were considered, now the emphasis was placed on social issues.

    “Today, the Academic Council is about people,” said HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov, opening the meeting. Before discussing the main agenda, he reported that the day before, on June 24, in accordance with the decree of the President of Russia, several university employees became recipients of state awards.

    The Order of Friendship was awarded to full professors Viktor Bolotov and Anton Ivanov, and the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree, was awarded to research professor FSN Leonid Polyakov. The honorary title “Honored Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation” was awarded to full professor Andrei Klimenko, “Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation” – to full professor Vladislav Podinovsky.

    Nikita Anisimov also recalled that in the recent elections to the Russian Academy of Sciences, four HSE employees elected academicians, seven – corresponding members. “This is evidence of the good potential and power of our university, the dynamics of its development and the attitude towards it,” the rector emphasized.

    The first item on the agenda was the traditional summer competition for filling positions of professorial and teaching staff (PTS). Its preliminary results were reported by HSE Vice-Rector Alexey Koshel and Head of the Commission on Personnel and Awards of the Academic Council Marina Oleshek.

    Alexey Koshel noted that the number of recommended candidates for three- and four-year contracts in Moscow has increased compared to the winter competition. The vice-rector noted that the St. Petersburg campus demonstrated high activity in terms of staff renewal: there are almost as many external candidates for professor vacancies there as internal ones.

    All this speaks to the effectiveness of the chosen vector of development of personnel policy: the university attracts talented teachers and scientists to the positions of teaching staff, with whom it is ready to enter into long-term cooperation. At the same time, the status of a professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics is highly attractive on the market, ensuring serious competition and stable renewal of the academic environment.

    The second issue on the agenda is the system of material motivation of HSE employees. The key element of this system is the Regulation on Remuneration, adopted back in 2015. At that time, it represented a set of the most modern solutions in the education system. Since then, many changes have occurred at the university, in legislation and in the labor market, the requirements and basic expectations of employees have been transformed, the range of best practices for working with material motivation has expanded, so there was a need to develop a new version of the document.

    “A high level of guaranteed wages for full-time employees and a system of academic bonuses have been and remain a serious factor and incentive for the development of the university. The revision of the Regulation on wages has become a logical and necessary step to maintain leadership and motivation of the team, which today works on global projects in science and education, and faces serious professional challenges,” said Alexey Koshel.

    The new regulation includes a support system for young professionals: financial support for the period of adaptation to professional activity, a paid mentoring system, and an allowance for defending dissertations for the degree of candidate of science. The regulation revises and supplements the list of incentive payments and social measures. The model for remuneration of external part-time workers has been changed, and business processes for concluding civil law contracts have been simplified. In addition, digital tools are being developed that allow employees to see all the financial incentives available at the university.

    Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Alexander Balyshev also noted the importance of maintaining the volume of the university’s investments in academic allowances taking into account inflation. Changes in their structure are possible, but they will remain an incentive tool.

    The proposed innovations were approved by the relevant commissions of the Academic Council, as well as Trade Union of HSE Employees, as its chairman, ordinary professor Dmitry Kuznetsov, spoke about.

    The Academic Council supported the changes: they will come into force in 2026. As Nikita Anisimov emphasized, the material motivation system is a framework that is designed to streamline wages and make people’s lives easier. The new system will become more balanced, transparent and fair, aimed at a systematic increase in the salaries of university employees.

    The meeting also focused on non-material motivation. The Academic Council approved the Regulation on the system of awards and incentives at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. This system exists at the university, but, like the remuneration system, it needs to be modernized. “Its principles should also be clear to the team,” Nikita Anisimov noted. Alexey Koshel spoke in more detail about the innovations in this matter.

    He noted that professional recognition as a tool of non-material motivation does not lose its relevance. “Today, it is important to focus efforts on ensuring that managers at all levels have complete and up-to-date information about the award system and actively use the available tools. The University plans to develop the practice of presenting awards in a solemn atmosphere and make professional recognition a significant event for colleagues and the University as a whole,” said Alexey Koshel.

    The incentive system includes a letter of gratitude and a thank-you note, which will be available to any employee from the first days of work (according to the previously effective rules – with at least one year of experience). The award system includes a certificate of honor from HSE, medals from HSE, honorary badges from HSE and honorary titles (statuses). Two new statuses are “Honorary Worker of HSE” and “Honorary Professor of HSE”, and the latter can be assigned to external colleagues – partners, trustees of the university.

    About the results XXV Yasinsky (April) International Scientific Conference on Problems of Economic and Social Development said the chairman of its program committee, full professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics Fuad Aleskerov.

    He stated that it was possible to preserve all the advantages of the scientific conference: a stable brand, an interdisciplinary program, the involvement of different scientific schools, and the attraction of young scientists, including those from Russian regions. The top 10 countries by the number of foreign speakers included China, India, Qatar, the USA, Belarus, Brazil, Kazakhstan, the UK, South Africa, and Kyrgyzstan.

    The Academic Council decided to rename the conference. Now it will be called the April International Scientific Conference named after E.G. Yasin.

    Concluding the meeting, Nikita Anisimov thanked his colleagues for the involved discussion and for their effective work in the past academic year. He recalled that the admissions campaign had begun at the Higher School of Economics, which would continue after the vacation period.

    “It is important that the university has formed a united and diverse team, which is well represented in the Academic Council. In this unity and diversity lies our strength and our future,” the HSE rector concluded.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appointments to Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Appointments to Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development 
    A government spokesman said, “Since its establishment in 2023, the Task Force has been rendering valuable advice that is both innovative and practical in respect of the potential and direction of Web3 development in Hong Kong. The newly appointed and reappointed members are all leaders and professionals in the relevant sectors. As the Government recently promulgated the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, their expertise and experience will contribute to promoting the continued and prosperous development of the digital asset ecosystem in Hong Kong, with a view to establishing Hong Kong as a leading global hub for digital assets.”
     
    The Financial Secretary announced in the 2023-24 Budget the establishment of the Task Force to provide recommendations on the sustainable and responsible development of Web3 in Hong Kong. The Task Force was established in July 2023. Chaired by the Financial Secretary, in addition to non-official members from the relevant market sectors, the Task Force also comprises relevant key government officials and representatives from financial regulators.
     
    The membership of the Task Force, with effect from July 1, 2025, is as follows:
     
    Chairman
    ———–
    Financial Secretary
     
    Non-official members
    (in alphabetical order of family names)
    ————————
    Professor Alex Au Wai-chi
    Mr Cai Wensheng (newly appointed member)
    Mr Norman Chan Tak-lam
    Mr Duncan Chiu
    Mr Lawrence Chu Sheng-yu
    Dr Jack Kong Jianping
    Mr Kwock Yin-lun (newly appointed member)
    Ms Joy Lam
    Mr Marco Lim Jun-kit (newly appointed member)
    Professor Lin Chen
    Mr Robert Andrew Lui Chi-wang
    Mr Henry Ma Chi-to (newly appointed member)
    Dr Johnny Ng Kit-chong
    Professor Jack Poon Sik-ching
    Mr Alessio Quaglini (new appointed member)
    Ms Elizabeth Quat
    Mr Siu Yat
    Mr Neil Tan
    Mr John Wang Jiachao
    Dr Xiao Feng
     
    Official members
    ——————-
    Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
    Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services)
    Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry
    Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
    Commissioner for Digital Policy
    Director-General of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong
    Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited
    Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
    Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Futures Commission
    Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Authority
    Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
    Issued at HKT 19:21

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Museum of History’s “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Great Unity – Civilisation of the Qin and Han Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” exhibition receives its 200 000th visitor (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Great Unity – Civilisation of the Qin and Han Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) has been widely welcomed by the local public and visitors since its opening on April 16. The exhibition received its 200 000th visitor today (June 30), and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, presented a souvenir to the 200 000th visitor who is a primary school teacher. Jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the exhibition features 130 sets of treasured exhibits from Shaanxi and archaeological finds from Hong Kong, such as the world-renowned terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shihuang and a dazzling array of warrior of Emperor Jing of Han. Admission is free. The exhibition will run until July 7, and members of the public are welcome to seize the opportunity to visit this exhibition in the remaining week.
     
         The 200 000th visitor is Ms Woo, a primary school teacher from LKWFS Lau Tak Yung Memorial Primary School. She has led over 30 Primary Five students to visit the exhibition today. She said that the students had studied the history of the Qin and Han dynasties in the Chinese language course, so the school arranged this museum visit. The most remarkable exhibits for her are the Terracotta General from the Qin dynasty and the pottery acrobat figurine from the Han dynasty, which highlight the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient artisans. The HKMH presented a teaching kit specially produced for primary and secondary schools as a souvenir. The teaching kit includes Qin and Han dynasties matching games, a timeline of the Qin and Han dynasties, multi-perspective relic boxes, and worksheets for extended learning, allowing students to enhance their understanding of the history of the Qin and Han dynasties in a lively way. Teaching kits are also available free of charge to primary and secondary schools, and the museum will gradually distribute them to schools.
     
         The exhibition is the second major exhibition of the General History of China Series. In addition to the local public and tourists from the Mainland and overseas, the exhibition has also been well received by schools. More than 4 700 students from over 120 kindergartens and primary and secondary schools have visited the exhibition. The HKMH has organised a series of fascinating educational and extension programmes for free, including public lectures by experts from Shaanxi and scholars from Hong Kong, guided tours as well as workshops for making mini terracotta warriors and clay mirrors, which have been highly popular. Additionally, the museum has collaborated with the Hong Kong Public Libraries to organise outreach programmes, attracting over 60 000 participants.
     
         For information about the exhibition, please visit hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/The-Great-Unity.html. After the exhibition concludes, the Chinese Culture Promotion Office (CCPO) plans to produce a virtual exhibition featuring selected exhibition content, which will be uploaded to the websites of the CCPO and the HKMH in July for online revisits. Please visit www.ccpo.gov.hk/en.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Marex Group plc added to membership of Russell 3000® Index

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Marex Group plc (‘Marex’ or the ‘Group’; NASDAQ: MRX), the diversified global financial services platform, announces its membership of the broad-market Russell 3000® Index and inclusion in the small-cap Russell 2000® Index, effective after US market open today, as part of the 2025 Russell indexes reconstitution.

    Ian Lowitt, CEO of Marex commented: “Joining the Russell US Indexes is an important milestone in our evolution as a public company. This membership will enhance our profile among a broader base of investors and aligns with our commitment to long-term value creation for our shareholders.”

    Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. According to data as of the end of June 2024, about $10.6 trillion in assets are benchmarked against the Russell US indexes, which belong to FTSE Russell, the global index provider.

    For more information on the Russell 3000® Index and the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the “Russell Reconstitution” section on the FTSE Russell website.

    Forward-Looking Statements:
    This press release contains forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including expected impact of the inclusion in the Russell Index and Marex’s commitment to long term value creation. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions.
    These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and our other reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this press release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this press release, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

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

    Enquiries please contact:

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

    FTI Consulting US / UK
    +1 716 525 7239 / +44 7976870961
    marex@fticonsulting.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Diginex’s AI-Driven Enhancements Poised to Accelerate Customer Adoption and Drive Revenue Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DGNX), a leading provider of Sustainability RegTech solutions, today announced additional government funding support for its innovative AI-powered compliance solutions. Diginex’s AI-powered compliance solutions will continue to focus on helping companies comply with sustainability disclosure requirements set by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and now with the enhanced scope of AI-powered compliance solutions will additionally offer features including multi-variant drafts, risk reduction through automation, future-proofing against new regulations as well as enhanced scalability for users of the Company’s ESG SaaS reporting product, diginexESG. Diginex’s expanded AI features will streamline ESG reporting processes, thereby empowering businesses and financial institutions to meet regulatory requirements efficiently while driving transparency in corporate social responsibility and climate action, and will be jointly developed with a leading financial institution through a co-creation collaboration model promoting commercialisation and wider adoption.

    The upgraded AI functionality of Diginex’s AI-powered compliance solutions is expected to further accelerate customer adoption, and thereby, contribute to Diginex’s revenue growth in 2025 and beyond. Industry research from Verdantix forecasts that the global market spend on ESG reporting software will grow from over $1.3 billion in 2023 to over $5.6 billion in 2029, at a CAGR of 26%. Diginex is well-positioned to capture this opportunity, combining its award-winning platform with blockchain, machine learning, and data analytics to deliver unparalleled value to clients worldwide.

    This latest recognition from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (“HKMA”), which provides development stage funding support for innovative fintech projects, builds on the Company’s earlier selection in February 2025 by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of Hong Kong (“FSTB”) for the Green and Sustainable Fintech PoC program, as well as Diginex’s 2023 HKMA award in the “Sustainability or Climate-related Disclosure and Reporting” category.

    “We are honored to receive this further recognition from the HKMA, which underscores our commitment to revolutionizing ESG reporting through AI-driven innovation,” said Mark Blick, CEO of Diginex Limited. “Our enhanced diginexESG platform is designed to meet the growing global demand for sustainable finance solutions, and this acknowledgment from a leading regulatory authority validates our mission to democratize sustainability compliance.”

    This latest recognition follows Diginex’s recently disclosed signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on June 5, 2025, for Diginex’s strategic acquisition of Resulticks Global Companies Pte. Limited, a global leader in AI-driven customer engagement and data management solutions, for $2 billion. This acquisition aims to enhance Diginex’s AI and data management capabilities, enabling hyper-personalized, real-time sustainability solutions across compliance, supply chain intelligence, and risk analytics. Additionally, Diginex has recently entered into strategic alliances with firms like Forvis Mazars, Russell Bedford International, and Baker Tilly Singapore to expand the distribution of its diginexESG and diginexLUMEN platforms.

    About Diginex

    Diginex Limited (Nasdaq: DGNX; ISIN KYG286871044), headquartered in London, is a sustainable RegTech business that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. The Company utilizes blockchain, AI, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate regulatory reporting and sustainable finance. Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software. 

    The award-winning diginexESG platform supports 17 global frameworks, including GRI (the “Global Reporting Initiative”), SASB (the “Sustainability Accounting Standards Board”), and TCFD (the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures”). Clients benefit from end-to-end support, ranging from materiality assessments and data management to stakeholder engagement, report generation and an ESG Ratings Support Service.

    For more information, please visit the Company’s website:

    https://www.diginex.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

    Diginex
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@diginex.com 

    IR Contact – Europe
    Anna Höffken
    Phone: +49.40.609186.0
    Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de 

    IR Contact – US
    Jackson Lin
    Lambert by LLYC
    Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593
    Email: jian.lin@llyc.global 

    IR Contact – Asia
    Shelly Cheng
    Strategic Financial Relations Ltd.
    Phone: +852 2864 4857
    Email: sprg_diginex@sprg.com.hk 

    The MIL Network –

  • Sensex, Nifty snap four-day winning streak amid profit booking

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    After four consecutive sessions of gains, benchmark equity indices ended lower on Monday as investors chose to book profits in the absence of strong domestic cues.

    The BSE Sensex declined by 452 points, or 0.54 per cent, to settle at 83,606.46. The index oscillated between an intra-day high of 84,099.53 and a low of 83,482.13. The NSE Nifty also lost ground, shedding 120.75 points, or 0.47 per cent, to close at 25,517.05, after moving within a narrow range through the session.

    Despite the subdued performance of the headline indices, the broader market continued to display resilience. The Nifty Midcap100 rose by 0.6 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap100 added 0.52 per cent, suggesting sustained investor interest in mid- and small-cap stocks.

    Among the Sensex constituents, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finance, Reliance Industries, Tata Steel and Bharti Airtel were among the major laggards. On the other hand, Trent, State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics, Titan, Bajaj Finserv and Eicher Motors recorded notable gains.

    Sectorally, performance was mixed. PSU banks outperformed, with the Nifty PSU Bank index jumping 2.66 per cent. Shares of Maharashtra Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, UCO Bank, Indian Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank advanced sharply during the session.

    Other sectors including IT, consumer durables, pharma, healthcare, media and energy indices ended in positive territory. However, indices tracking automobiles, banking, financial services, FMCG, metals, realty, private banks and oil & gas sectors closed in the red.

    Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, observed that while global cues have turned marginally positive on hopes of easing geopolitical tensions and progress in a potential US trade agreement, the domestic market paused to consolidate recent gains.

    “Investors are now looking ahead to the upcoming corporate earnings season, with mid- and small-cap segments showing strength in anticipation of improved results supported by healthy consumer demand and better margins,” he said.

    The India VIX, which measures market volatility, rose by 3.2 per cent to 12.78, indicating a slight uptick in investor caution.

    Meanwhile, the rupee weakened by 0.21 per cent to trade near 85.70 against the US dollar, as profit booking and long unwinding weighed on the currency following recent gains.

    “The rupee came under pressure ahead of a crucial week marked by key US data releases and the expiry of the 90-day extended tariff deadline. The domestic unit is expected to remain volatile in the 85.35–86.00 range,” said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst at LKP Securities.

    -IANS

  • Sensex, Nifty snap four-day winning streak amid profit booking

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    After four consecutive sessions of gains, benchmark equity indices ended lower on Monday as investors chose to book profits in the absence of strong domestic cues.

    The BSE Sensex declined by 452 points, or 0.54 per cent, to settle at 83,606.46. The index oscillated between an intra-day high of 84,099.53 and a low of 83,482.13. The NSE Nifty also lost ground, shedding 120.75 points, or 0.47 per cent, to close at 25,517.05, after moving within a narrow range through the session.

    Despite the subdued performance of the headline indices, the broader market continued to display resilience. The Nifty Midcap100 rose by 0.6 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap100 added 0.52 per cent, suggesting sustained investor interest in mid- and small-cap stocks.

    Among the Sensex constituents, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finance, Reliance Industries, Tata Steel and Bharti Airtel were among the major laggards. On the other hand, Trent, State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics, Titan, Bajaj Finserv and Eicher Motors recorded notable gains.

    Sectorally, performance was mixed. PSU banks outperformed, with the Nifty PSU Bank index jumping 2.66 per cent. Shares of Maharashtra Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, UCO Bank, Indian Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank advanced sharply during the session.

    Other sectors including IT, consumer durables, pharma, healthcare, media and energy indices ended in positive territory. However, indices tracking automobiles, banking, financial services, FMCG, metals, realty, private banks and oil & gas sectors closed in the red.

    Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, observed that while global cues have turned marginally positive on hopes of easing geopolitical tensions and progress in a potential US trade agreement, the domestic market paused to consolidate recent gains.

    “Investors are now looking ahead to the upcoming corporate earnings season, with mid- and small-cap segments showing strength in anticipation of improved results supported by healthy consumer demand and better margins,” he said.

    The India VIX, which measures market volatility, rose by 3.2 per cent to 12.78, indicating a slight uptick in investor caution.

    Meanwhile, the rupee weakened by 0.21 per cent to trade near 85.70 against the US dollar, as profit booking and long unwinding weighed on the currency following recent gains.

    “The rupee came under pressure ahead of a crucial week marked by key US data releases and the expiry of the 90-day extended tariff deadline. The domestic unit is expected to remain volatile in the 85.35–86.00 range,” said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst at LKP Securities.

    -IANS

  • Wildfires burn in Turkey and France as early heatwave hits

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Firefighters battled wildfires in Turkey and France on Monday as an early heatwave hit the region.

    In Turkey, the wildfires raged for a second day in the western province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said, forcing the evacuation of four villages and two neighbourhoods.

    Media footage showed teams using tractors with water trailers and helicopters carrying water, as smoke billowed over hills marked with charred trees.

    Turkey’s coastal regions have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires, as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists say is a result of human-induced climate change.

    In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern Aude department, where temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), burning 400 hectares and forcing the evacuation of a campsite and an abbey, authorities and local media said.

    The fires were under control but not yet extinguished, authorities said on Monday.

    Weather service Meteo France put a record 84 of the country’s 101 departments on an orange heatwave alert from Monday until midweek. About 200 schools will be at least partially shut over the next three days because of the heat, the Education Ministry said.

    HEATWAVE IMPACTS RHINE SHIPPING

    The heatwave has lowered water levels on Germany’s Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners, commodity traders said.

    The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals and oil products. Forecasters said temperatures as high as 40 C are possible in Cologne.

    In Seville, southern Spain, where global leaders were gathering for a United Nations conference, temperatures were expected to hit 42 C.

    Tourists were trying to deal with the heat. “Really hard currently,” Mehrzad Joussefi, from the Netherlands, said.

    Spain is on course for its hottest June on record, the national meteorological service AEMET said.

    Most of the country remains under alert for heat, with AEMET forecasting the peak of the heatwave on Monday.

    “Over the next few days, at least until Thursday, intense heat will continue in much of Spain,” said Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for the weather agency.

    Italy’s Health Ministry issued heatwave red alerts for 21 cities, including Rome and Milan. Weather forecast website IlMeteo.it said temperatures on Monday would go as high as 41 C in Florence, 38 C in Bologna and 37 C in Perugia.

    The Lombardy region, part of Italy’s northern industrial heartland, is planning to ban open-air work in the hottest times of the day, heeding a request from trade unions, its president said on Monday.

    Heat can affect health in various ways, and experts are most concerned about older people and babies, as well as outdoor labourers and people struggling economically.

    Globally, extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually, surpassing the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, and poses growing risks to infrastructure, the economy and healthcare systems, Swiss Re said earlier this month.

    Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 C higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said earlier this month.

    Scientists say the main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

    (Reuters)

  • Wildfires burn in Turkey and France as early heatwave hits

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Firefighters battled wildfires in Turkey and France on Monday as an early heatwave hit the region.

    In Turkey, the wildfires raged for a second day in the western province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said, forcing the evacuation of four villages and two neighbourhoods.

    Media footage showed teams using tractors with water trailers and helicopters carrying water, as smoke billowed over hills marked with charred trees.

    Turkey’s coastal regions have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires, as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists say is a result of human-induced climate change.

    In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern Aude department, where temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), burning 400 hectares and forcing the evacuation of a campsite and an abbey, authorities and local media said.

    The fires were under control but not yet extinguished, authorities said on Monday.

    Weather service Meteo France put a record 84 of the country’s 101 departments on an orange heatwave alert from Monday until midweek. About 200 schools will be at least partially shut over the next three days because of the heat, the Education Ministry said.

    HEATWAVE IMPACTS RHINE SHIPPING

    The heatwave has lowered water levels on Germany’s Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners, commodity traders said.

    The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals and oil products. Forecasters said temperatures as high as 40 C are possible in Cologne.

    In Seville, southern Spain, where global leaders were gathering for a United Nations conference, temperatures were expected to hit 42 C.

    Tourists were trying to deal with the heat. “Really hard currently,” Mehrzad Joussefi, from the Netherlands, said.

    Spain is on course for its hottest June on record, the national meteorological service AEMET said.

    Most of the country remains under alert for heat, with AEMET forecasting the peak of the heatwave on Monday.

    “Over the next few days, at least until Thursday, intense heat will continue in much of Spain,” said Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for the weather agency.

    Italy’s Health Ministry issued heatwave red alerts for 21 cities, including Rome and Milan. Weather forecast website IlMeteo.it said temperatures on Monday would go as high as 41 C in Florence, 38 C in Bologna and 37 C in Perugia.

    The Lombardy region, part of Italy’s northern industrial heartland, is planning to ban open-air work in the hottest times of the day, heeding a request from trade unions, its president said on Monday.

    Heat can affect health in various ways, and experts are most concerned about older people and babies, as well as outdoor labourers and people struggling economically.

    Globally, extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually, surpassing the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, and poses growing risks to infrastructure, the economy and healthcare systems, Swiss Re said earlier this month.

    Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 C higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said earlier this month.

    Scientists say the main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

    (Reuters)

  • 2003 Bihar electoral rolls uploaded on ECI website to aid ongoing revision drive

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has uploaded the 2003 Electoral Rolls of the state on its official portal, providing access to details of approximately 4.96 crore electors.

    In line with the ECI’s instructions dated June 24, 2025, Chief Electoral Officers, District Electoral Officers, and Electoral Registration Officers have been directed to make the 2003 rolls freely available to all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in both hard copy and digital formats. This allows electors and officials to easily verify details while filling out the Enumeration Form.

    The availability of the 2003 Electoral Roll is expected to ease the documentation process for nearly 60% of Bihar’s electorate, who now only need to verify their details from the roll and submit the form without any additional documents. Those not listed in the 2003 roll may still use the relevant extract for their parents, eliminating the need for other supporting documents for them, though personal documents will still be required.

    The ECI emphasized that the revision of electoral rolls before every election is a legal mandate under Section 21(2)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Rule 25 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. For 75 years, the Commission has consistently carried out annual roll revisions – both intensive and summary – to ensure accuracy.

    Given the dynamic nature of the Electoral Roll, which changes due to deaths, migration, and the addition of new voters turning 18, such revisions are critical. As per Article 326 of the Constitution, only Indian citizens aged 18 and above who are ordinarily resident in a constituency are eligible to be registered as electors.

  • PM Modi highlights policy and innovation driving India’s rise as a global steel leader

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared an article emphasizing the crucial role of policy initiatives and innovation in propelling India’s steel industry toward global leadership.

    In reply to a social media post by Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on X, the Prime Minister said, “From infrastructure and defence to electric mobility and clean energy, steel is the backbone of a rising India.”

    “Union Minister Shri @hd_kumaraswamy outlines how policy push and innovation are shaping India’s journey to becoming a global steel leader,” the PM added in his post.

    https://x.com/PMOIndia/status/1939593900177457650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1939593900177457650%7Ctwgr%5E0d7f26acc5c3a0bacd63479d7a3c69afccad16d2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pib.gov.in%2FPressReleasePage.aspx%3FPRID%3D2140718

  • Blast in Telangana chemical factory kills at least eight; PM Modi announces ₹2 lakh ex-gratia

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    At least eight people were killed and 26 others injured in an explosion at a chemical factory in Telangana’s Sangareddy district on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

    In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister’s Office said:
    “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a factory in Sangareddy, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000: PM @narendramodi.”

    V. Satyanarayana, Inspector General of Police, Multi Zone II, said, “There was a blast at Sigachi Pharma, a chemical production factory in Pasamailaram. The incident occurred between 8:15 and 9:35 am, and the police were informed within 10 minutes. We reached the spot within 20 minutes. NDRF, SDF, and other rescue teams, along with 10 fire engines, arrived at the scene. So far, six bodies have been recovered, and two more people died while undergoing treatment at Chanda Nagar.”

    “A total of eight people have died, and 26 are injured, with two or three in critical condition. Government officials are providing all necessary medical care. There were 150 workers on shift, with 90 present in the blast area. Firefighting operations are ongoing, and the rescue mission is still in progress. Further details will be shared soon,” he added.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDRR ONEA and GETI Newsletter 46: Apr-Jun 2025

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In the second quarter of 2025, UNDRR ONEA & GETI and its partners have recently led a series of capacity-building initiatives to strengthen disaster risk reduction (DRR), urban resilience, and climate adaptation across regions. Highlights include Korea’s contributions were showcased at the 8th GP2025, including school safety training and smart city operations for Incheon educators, technical workshops in Togo on DRR tools and early warning systems, innovative masterclasses on resilient housing and infrastructure, and training programs for urban and private sector resilience. Collaborative events such as the UNDRR–WCCD workshops in Vaughan and Ajman emphasized data-driven resilience, while webinars with CCFLA and MCR2030 explored climate finance and project implementation. Other notable efforts included advancing disability inclusion in DRR, an online workshop on risk-informed governance and climate finance co-hosted with UNPOG and UNITAR, and a partnership with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and KPMG India to bolster urban resilience in Mumbai.

    Download

    Links last checked: 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNDRR ONEA and GETI Newsletter 45: Jan-Mar 2025

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In the first quarter of 2025, UNDRR ONEA & GETI continued to promote disaster risk reduction (DRR) through diverse regional and global initiatives, with a focus on inclusion, cooperation, and innovation. 

    In Northeast Asia, DRR training with the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) emphasized integrating a DRR perspective into trilateral collaboration. The global launch of the Disaster Displacement Addendum to the Scorecard marked a major step forward in addressing displacement risks. In Central Asia, the CCFLA Local Hub Forum explored project preparation synergies to accelerate energy-efficient building renovation. A regional Scorecard training for Asia-Pacific strengthened urban resilience planning and assessment. Meanwhile, the 2025 UNDRR–UNOSSC–PAHO Joint Certificate Training Program focused on leveraging South-South and triangular cooperation to drive inclusive, tech-based solutions for urban health and DRR, with its first session dedicated to disability inclusion in DRR strategies.

    Download

    Links last checked: 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI releases the Financial Stability Report, June 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Today, the Reserve Bank released the June 2025 issue of the Financial Stability Report (FSR), which reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) on the resilience of the Indian financial system and risks to financial stability.

    Highlights:

    • Elevated economic and trade policy uncertainties are testing the resilience of the global economy and the financial system.

    • Financial markets remain volatile, especially core government bond markets, driven by shifting policy and geopolitical environment. Alongside, existing vulnerabilities such as soaring public debt levels and elevated asset valuations have the potential to amplify fresh shocks.

    • Despite an uncertain and challenging global economic backdrop, the Indian economy remains a key driver of global growth, underpinned by sound macroeconomic fundamentals and prudent macroeconomic policies.

    • The domestic financial system is exhibiting resilience fortified by healthy balance sheets of banks and non-banks. Financial conditions have eased supported by accommodative monetary policy and low volatility in financial markets. The strength of the corporate balance sheets also lends support to overall macroeconomic stability.

    • The soundness and resilience of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) are bolstered by robust capital buffers, multi-decadal low non-performing loans ratio and strong earnings.

    • Results of macro stress tests affirm that most SCBs have adequate capital buffers relative to the regulatory minimum even under adverse stress scenarios. Stress tests also validate the resilience of mutual funds and clearing corporations.

    • Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) remain healthy with sizable capital buffers, robust earnings and improving asset quality.

    • The consolidated solvency ratio of the insurance sector also remains above the minimum threshold limit.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/624

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP investigates suspected food poisoning case related to calcium oxalate raphide

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 30) investigating a case of suspected food poisoning caused by eating wild taro and reminded the public not to consume self-picked wild plants in order to avoid poisoning by accidental consumption of vegetables containing calcium oxalate raphide.

         The case involves an 81-year-old woman who developed swollen lips and a sore throat shortly after consuming wild taro at home today. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Pok Oi Hospital and was admitted for treatment. She is now in stable condition. The clinical diagnosis was suspected calcium oxalate raphide poisoning.

         Preliminary investigations revealed that the patient had cooked and consumed wild taro that she had picked from a flower bed on a footbridge near Long Ping Estate in Yuen Long. The CHP’s investigation is ongoing.

         Taro is a popular ingredient used in dishes and desserts. However, some plants look like taro (e.g. giant alocasia) but contain toxins, including calcium oxalate raphide. Accidental comsumption of plants containing calcium oxalate raphide can cause stinging and irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, such as numbness and a burning sensation of the tongue, mouth and lips, and swelling of the tongue and lips. Consumption of vegetables accidentally mixed with calcium oxalate raphide-containing plants may also cause food poisoning.

         Members of the public should take heed of the following when consuming vegetables:
     

    • Do not pick and consume wild plants;
    • Purchase vegetables from reliable suppliers; and
    • Remove any plants mixed with edible vegetables for consumption and wash them thoroughly before cooking.

    ​​The public may visit the pages on Food Poisoning Related to the Giant Alocasia and Calcium Oxalate Food Poisoning of the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for more information and health advice.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix Enters Into Cooperation Agreement With Investor Group Led by Chain of Lakes Investment Fund LLC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX) (the “Company”), a global leader in compute and connectivity IoT solutions enabling Edge AI intelligence, today announced that it has entered into a cooperation agreement with Lantronix stockholders Chain of Lakes Investment Fund LLC (“Chain of Lakes”), Haluk L. Bayraktar and Emre Aciksoz. Under the terms of the agreement, James (Jim) C. Auker will be appointed to the Lantronix Board of Directors (the “Board”) and will be nominated for election at the Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The date of the Annual Meeting has not yet been announced.

    “Lantronix is committed to maximizing value for all Lantronix shareholders,” said Saleel Awsare, CEO and president of Lantronix. “We appreciate the constructive discussions with Chain of Lakes and are pleased to welcome Jim Auker to our Board. His perspective and experience will be valuable as we continue to execute on our strategic priorities.”

    “We value the collaborative approach taken by Saleel and the Lantronix Board to reach a positive outcome for the benefit of all Lantronix shareholders,” said Tim O’Connell, chief investment officer of Chain of Lakes. “We believe Jim Auker will be a strong addition to the Board and are confident his contributions will help guide Lantronix in its efforts to explore opportunities to enhance shareholder value.”

    Pursuant to their agreement with the Company, Chain of Lakes, Mr. Bayraktar and Mr. Aciksoz have agreed to customary standstill and voting commitments, among other provisions. The full agreement and required information in connection with the election of Mr. Auker to the Board will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    About Lantronix

    Lantronix Inc. is a global leader in compute and connectivity IoT solutions that target high-growth industries, including Smart Cities, Automotive and Enterprise. Lantronix’s products and services empower companies to achieve success in the growing IoT markets by delivering customizable solutions that address each layer of the IoT Stack. Lantronix’s leading-edge solutions include Intelligent Substations infrastructure, Infotainment systems and Video Surveillance, supplemented with advanced Out-of-Band Management (OOB) for Cloud and Edge Computing.

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements concerning management’s expectations about the future benefits of our entry into the cooperation agreement and the election of Mr. Auker to our Board. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We have based our forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about trends affecting our business and industry and other future events. Although we do not make forward-looking statements unless we believe we have a reasonable basis for doing so, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our results or experiences, or future business, financial condition, results of operations or performance, to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. Other factors which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or which could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to: the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to a pandemic or similar outbreak, wars and recent conflicts in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, hostilities in the Red Sea, or other causes; our ability to successfully convert our backlog and current demand;  the impact of a pandemic or similar outbreak on our business, employees, customers, supply and distribution chains and the global economy; our ability to successfully implement our acquisition strategy or integrate acquired companies; uncertainty as to the future profitability of acquired businesses, and delays in the realization of, or the failure to realize, any accretion from acquisition transactions; acquiring, managing and integrating new operations, businesses or assets, and the associated diversion of management attention or other related costs or difficulties; our ability to continue to generate revenue from products sold into mature markets; our ability to develop, market, and sell new products; our ability to succeed with our new software offerings; our use of AI may result in reputational, competitive or financial harm and liability; fluctuations in our revenue due to the project-based timing of orders from certain customers; unpredictable timing of our revenues due to the lengthy sales cycle for our products and services and potential delays in customer completion of projects; our ability to accurately forecast future demand for our products; delays in qualifying revisions of existing products; constraints or delays in the supply of, or quality control issues with, certain materials or components; difficulties associated with the delivery, quality or cost of our products from our contract manufacturers or suppliers; risks related to the outsourcing of manufacturing and international operations; difficulties associated with our distributors or resellers; intense competition in our industry and resultant downward price pressure; rises in inventory levels and inventory obsolescence; undetected software or hardware errors or defects in our products; cybersecurity risks; our ability to obtain appropriate industry certifications or approvals from governmental regulatory bodies; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to protect patents and other proprietary rights and avoid infringement of others’ proprietary technology rights; issues relating to the stability of our financial and banking institutions and relationships; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; the impact of rising interest rates; our ability to attract and retain qualified management; and any additional factors included in our Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024, including in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I of that report; in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2025, including in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part II of such report; and in our other public filings with the SEC. In addition, actual results may differ as a result of additional risks and uncertainties of which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business. For these reasons, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements we make speak only as of the date on which they are made. We expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations, except as required by applicable law or the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. If we do update or correct any forward-looking statements, investors should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections.

    Important Additional Information Regarding Proxy Solicitation

    We intend to file a proxy statement and proxy card with the SEC in connection with the solicitation of proxies for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Proxy Statement” and such meeting, the “2025 Annual Meeting”). The Company, our directors and certain of our executive officers are participants in the solicitation. Information regarding such participants, including their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the Proxy Statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC.

    Additional information regarding the participants and their respective interests in the Company by security holdings or otherwise is set forth under the captions “Corporate Governance and Board Matters,” “Executive Compensation” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” in our proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on Sept.30, 2024 (the “2024 Proxy Statement”) and available at sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1114925/000114036124042340/ny20032265x1_def14a.htm.

    To the extent holdings of such participants in our securities have changed since the amounts described in the 2024 Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Details concerning the nominees of our Board of Directors for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting will be included in the Proxy Statement. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC, INCLUDING THE COMPANY’S DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. These documents, including the definitive Proxy Statement (and any amendments or supplements thereto) and other documents filed by us with the SEC, are available for no charge at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and at our investor relations website at https://www.lantronix.com/investor-relations/sec-filings.

    © 2025 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved. Lantronix is a registered trademark. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

    Lantronix Media Contact:        
    Gail Kathryn Miller
    Corporate Marketing &
    Communications Manager
    media@lantronix.com
    949-212-0960

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:        
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: POET Technologies Provides Results of 2025 Annual General and Special Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), the designer and developer of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), light sources and optical modules for the AI and data center markets today reported the voting results of its Annual General and Special Meeting (the ”Meeting” or “AGSM”), which was held virtually on Friday, June 27, 2025.

    The Company’s VP Finance and Administration, Kevin Barnes, delivered customary introductions and the call to order, and POET’s Chairman of the Compensation Committee, Glen Riley, conducted the formal business of the Meeting, which included the approval of all proposals outlined in the Company’s management information circular and voting material as previously distributed to shareholders.

    Following the completion of the formal business portion of the Meeting, the Company presented a video highlighting the transformation of its operations—from product development through to manufacturing. This was followed by a presentation from Chief Executive Officer Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, who provided an overview of the Company’s 2024 activities and outlined near-term opportunities. A brief Q&A session concluded the presentations.

    The video presentation can be accessed from the Company’s website at: https://poet-technologies.com/videos.

    AGSM Voting Results Summary
    A detailed Report on Voting Results of the AGSM follows. In summary, the shareholders of the Company approved the following proposals:

    • Re-election of Suresh Venkatesan, Jean-Louis Malinge, Theresa Lan Ende, Glen Riley and Robert “Bob” Tirva as directors, with no director receiving less than 94% of the votes cast;
    • Appointment of Davidson & Company LLP as the Company’s auditors by 96% of the votes cast;
    • Approval of the Corporation’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan by 84% of the votes cast, which included an increase in the number of awards available to 17,007,771, representing 20% of the 85,022,787 common shares issued at the time of the meeting.

    Detailed Report of AGSM Voting Results
    In accordance with section 11.3 of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations, this report briefly describes the matters voted upon and the outcome of the votes at the annual general and special meeting of shareholders of POET Technologies Inc. (the “Company“) held virtually via the MEETNOW.GlOBAL platform on June 27, 2025 (the “Meeting“). Each of the matters is described in greater detail in the Company’s management information circular dated May 1, 2025 (the “Circular“)

    1.      Election of Directors.

    Each of the nominees set for in the Circular were elected as directors to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders, or until their respective successors are elected or appointed. The following table sets forth the vote of the shareholders at the Meeting with respect to the election of directors:

    Nominee For Withheld
    Number of Votes Percentage of Votes Number of Votes Percentage of Votes
    Glen Riley 6,475,012 94.43% 382,060 5.57%
    Jean-Louis Malinge 6,573,485 95.86% 283,586 4.14%
    Robert “Bob” Tirva 6,557,820 95.64% 299,251 4.36%
    Suresh Venkatesan 6,645,609 96.92% 211,462 3.08%
    Theresa Lan Ende 6,541,010 95.39% 316,061 4.61%
             

    2.      Appointment of Davidson & Company LLP.

    The Company’s shareholders approved the appointment of Davidson & Company LLP as auditors of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company at such remuneration as may be fixed by the directors of the Company. The following table sets forth the vote of the shareholders at the Meeting with respect to the appointment of Davidson & Company LLP:

    For Withheld
    Number of Votes Percentage of Votes Number of Votes Percentage of Votes
    20,178,708 95.67% 914,338 4.33%
           

    3.      Amendment to Omnibus Plan

    The Company’s shareholders approved by an ordinary resolution an amendment to the Company’s omnibus equity incentive plan (the “Omnibus Plan”). The following table sets forth the vote of the shareholders at the Meeting with respect to the Omnibus Plan:

    For Against
    Number of Votes Percentage of Votes Number of Votes Percentage of Votes
    5,786,541 84.39% 1,070,529 15.61%
           

    The Company had 85,022,787 issued and outstanding shares at the time of the meeting. The awards issuable under the Omnibus Plan has been amended to 17,007,771.

    Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”)
    Following the AGSM, the POET Board of Directors met to elect officers and to determine RSU grants for directors. For their service on the Board of Directors until the next Annual General Meeting, the directors were granted a total of 72,340 RSUs which will vest on the first anniversary of the grant. Should a director resign prior to the first anniversary of the grant, the RSUs will be vested pro-rata based on the time served as a director from the date of grant to the date of resignation. The number of RSUs granted was based on the allocation of total compensation to equity, using a per share price of CAD$7.23, being the closing price of the Company’s shares on June 27, 2025. The cash portion of each director’s compensation is paid over four quarters. Both are paid in accordance with an established formula for director compensation. The RSUs were granted subject to provisions of the Company’s 2025 Omnibus Incentive Plan and are subject to the TSX Venture Exchange policies and applicable securities laws. For further details on the Company’s share capital, refer to the Company’s Financial Statements and MD&A for the three-months ended March 31, 2025, which may be found on SEDAR+ and EDGAR.

    About POET Technologies Inc.
    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical modules, optical engines and light source products to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges in 5G networks, machine-to-machine communication, self-contained “Edge” computing applications and sensing applications, such as LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles.  POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Shenzhen, China, Penang, Malaysia and Singapore.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
    120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: First Merchants Corporation to Report Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results, Host Conference Call and Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MUNCIE, Ind., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq:FRME) will release second quarter 2025 financial results on July 23, 2025. The Corporation will host a second quarter 2025 earnings conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

    To access via phone, participants will need to register using the following link where they will be provided a phone number and access code: (https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI605c2e360ce04cfc9c4221bda7f67a49)

    In order to view the webcast and presentation slides, please go to (https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/ced58zg3) during the time of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available until July 24, 2026.  

    About First Merchants Corporation

    First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

    First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

    FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    For more information, contact:
    Nicole M. Weaver, First Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration
    765-521-7619
    http://www.firstmerchants.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: First Merchants Corporation to Report Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results, Host Conference Call and Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MUNCIE, Ind., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq:FRME) will release second quarter 2025 financial results on July 23, 2025. The Corporation will host a second quarter 2025 earnings conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

    To access via phone, participants will need to register using the following link where they will be provided a phone number and access code: (https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI605c2e360ce04cfc9c4221bda7f67a49)

    In order to view the webcast and presentation slides, please go to (https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/ced58zg3) during the time of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available until July 24, 2026.  

    About First Merchants Corporation

    First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

    First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

    FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    For more information, contact:
    Nicole M. Weaver, First Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration
    765-521-7619
    http://www.firstmerchants.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Welcomes Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station

    Source: NASA

    A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom Mission 4 crew docks to the space-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module on June 26. Axiom Mission 4 is the fourth all-private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, welcoming commander Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut and pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and mission specialists ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
    The crew is scheduled to remain at the space station, conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities, for about two weeks. This mission serves as an example of the success derived from collaboration between NASA’s international partners and American commercial space companies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News Release – DOH Confirms Ninth Travel-Related Dengue Virus Case of 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    News Release – DOH Confirms Ninth Travel-Related Dengue Virus Case of 2025

    Posted on Jun 27, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

     

    1. KENNETH FINK

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    DOH REPORTS NINTH TRAVEL-RELATED DENGUE VIRUS CASE OF 2025

    25-073

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    June 27, 2025

    HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a new travel-related case of dengue virus on Oʻahu, bringing the total number of cases reported in Hawai‘i in 2025 to nine (eight on Oʻahu, one on Maui). The individual was likely exposed to the virus while traveling in a region where dengue is common.

    DOH teams have been deployed to conduct inspections and implement mosquito control measures in the affected area. The public is encouraged to follow best practices to help prevent local transmission, as outlined below.

    Dengue virus is spread when a mosquito bites an infected person and then bites another individual. Although Hawai‘i has mosquitoes capable of transmitting dengue, the disease is not currently endemic in the state. All confirmed cases in 2025 have been travel-related. Dengue is a year-round risk in the tropical and subtropical areas of Central and South America, Asia (including the Republic of the Philippines), the Middle East, Africa and several Pacific Islands, such as U.S. territories like American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. Many popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, are also affected.

    Anyone who plans to travel to or has recently visited an area with dengue risk is vulnerable to infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises travelers to take standard precautions when visiting such areas. This includes using an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants outdoors, and sleeping in air-conditioned rooms, rooms with window screens or under insecticide-treated bed nets.

    Some countries are reporting increased dengue cases, including Fiji, French Polynesia, Tonga, the Republic of the Philippines, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. Travelers should review up-to-date country-specific travel information for guidance on dengue riskand prevention measures at least four to six weeks before traveling.

    Travelers returning from dengue-endemic areas should take precautions to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks. If dengue symptoms develop within two weeks of return, travelers should seek medical evaluation.

    Symptoms of dengue can range from mild to severe and include fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and body aches. Symptoms typically last two to seven days, and while severe illness can occur, most people recover within a week. Individuals who have recently traveled and are experiencing these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider. Healthcare providers and individuals who suspect a dengue infection are advised to call the Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586.

    In areas with suspected or confirmed dengue cases, DOH personnel from the Vector Control Branch (VCB) are conducting inspections and mosquito-reduction activities. Reducing mosquito populations lowers the risk of dengue transmission to others. In areas without reported dengue cases, eliminating mosquito breeding sites around the home is a helpful preventive measure.

    Mosquitoes need only small amounts of standing water to breed. Common breeding sites include buckets, water-catching plants (such as bromeliads), small containers, planters, rain barrels and even cups left outside. Pouring out containers of standing water can significantly reduce the potential for mosquito breeding.

    For more information, visit the Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) and Vector Control Branch (VCB) websites.

    # # #

    Media contact:

    Adam LeFebvre

    Information Specialist

    Hawaiʻi State Department of Health

    Mobile: 808-436-6195

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 6.27.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 27, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
     
    Neal Payton, of Santa Monica, has been appointed to the State Historical Resources Commission. Payton has been Senior Principal at Torti Gallas + Partners since 1996. He was Associate Professor of Architecture at The Catholic University of America from 1987 to 1996. He is a member of American Institute of Architects and the Congress for New Urbanism. He earned a Master of Architecture degree from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Carnegie Mellon University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Payton is a Democrat.

    Yong Ping Chen, of Camarillo, has been reappointed to the California Acupuncture Board, where she has served since 2020. Chen has been a Professor at Alhambra Medical University since 2020 and an Acupuncturist at Chen’s Chinese Medicine Clinic since 2002. She was Director of the Experimental Acupuncture Teaching Department and Laboratory at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from 2000 to 2002. Chen was Associate Professor and Deputy Chief Physician at Southern Medical University from 1989 to 1997. She was a Physician and Proctologist at Linhai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from 1984 to 1986. Chen is a Member of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association. She earned a Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, a Master of Science degree in Classical Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Chen is a Democrat.

    Hyun “Francisco” Kim, of Fremont, has been reappointed to the California Acupuncture Board, where he has served since 2018. Kim has been an Acupuncture Practitioner at Harmony Holistic Wellness Center since 2019, Clinic Director and Acupuncturist at Healtones Medical Clinic since 2014, and Adjunct Clinical Instructor at Touro University California, College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2014. He was Partner at Eastridge Medical Group from 2012 to 2013. Kim was Owner of St. Francis Clinic from 2004 to 2012. Kim is a Member of the Association of Korean Asian Medicine and Acupuncture. He earned a Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture from South Baylo University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Kim is registered without party preference.

    Gregory Leung, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California Acupuncture Board, where he has served since 2024. Leung held several roles at the California Department of Public Health from 2001 to 2023, including Health Facilities Evaluator Nurse, Health Facilities Evaluator Supervisor, and Health Facilities Evaluator Nurse. He was a Medical Nurse at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center from 2000 to 2001. Leung was a Medical Charge Nurse at Willow Tree Convalescent Hospital from 2000 to 2001. He was a Home Visit Nurse at Corinthian Medical Services from 1990 to 2001. Leung was an Assistant to the Nurse Director at Parc Pacific Convalescent Hospital from 1998 to 1999. He was a Nurse Assistant at Chinese Hospital from 1997 to 1998. Leung was a Nurse Assistant at Jesuit Community Infirmary from 1993 to 1996. He is a member of the Chinese American Democratic Club and the Lions Club. Leung earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from California State University, San Francisco and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of San Francisco. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Leung is a Democrat.

    Justin Huft, of Colton, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences where he has served since 2021. Huft has been a Marriage and Family Therapist in Private Practice since 2023, an Adjunct Lecturer for the Psychology and Sociology Departments at El Camino Community College since 2018, and an Adjunct Lecturer in the Psychology Department at California State University, Fullerton since 2016. He was a Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Program Director at Creative Care Calabasas from 2016 to 2023. He is a Member of the California Marriage and Family Therapy Association, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, American Sociological Association and Pacific Sociological Association. Huft earned a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University, a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Behavior and Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Huft is a member of the Peace and Freedom Party.

    Kelly X. Ranasinghe, of El Centro, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, where he has served since 2020. Ranasinghe has served as a Deputy County Counsel in the Imperial County Counsel’s Office since 2020. He was Managing Partner at Henderson and Ranasinghe LLP from 2017 to 2020. Ranasinghe was Senior Program Attorney at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges from 2014 to 2017. Ranasinghe served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Imperial County Public Defender’s Office from 2011 to 2014. He was a Deputy Public Defender at the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office from 2008 to 2010. He is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Association of Counsel for Children. Ranasinghe earned a Juris Doctor degree in Criminal Justice from the California Western School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ranasinghe is a Democrat.

    Annette Walker, of Corona, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, where she has served since 2021. Walker has been the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ReinventU! since 2024. She was a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant at DEI Consulting from 2021 to 2024. Walker was Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Life Chiropractic College West from 2020 to 2021. She was Director of Graduate Admissions at California State University, East Bay from 2005 to 2019. Walker was a Personnel Commissioner at Hayward Unified School District from 2010 to 2011. She was a General Counselor and Instructor at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District from 1998 to 2004. Walker was a Bilingual Elementary School Teacher at Ravenswood City School District from 1993 to 1997. She earned a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from University of San Francisco, a Master of Science degree in Education and Psychological studies from California State University, East Bay, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Walker is a Democrat. 

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: The federal Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful bill” would eliminate health coverage for up to 3.4 million Californians, cut at least $28.4 billion in federal Medicaid funding, and put food assistance at risk for the hundreds of thousands of…

    Jun 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: Continuing Governor Newsom’s build more, faster agenda, the state is awarding nearly $5 billion today to infrastructure projects that improve roads, expand transportation, bus and rail options while improving public health and safety….

    Jun 27, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its ruling on Trump v. CASA, Trump v. Washington, and Trump v. New Jersey: In a challenge to the Trump Administration’s blatantly…

    MIL OSI USA News –