Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
As the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled all typhoon warning signals, the Civil Engineering and Development Department today (June 16) announced that the Chai Wan Public Fill Barging Point will be reopened at 11am for public use.
Source: China State Council Information Office
For centuries, China and Central Asian nations have shared close bonds through mutual learning and exchanges underpinned by deep historical ties, solid public support and strong practical needs.
Two years ago, the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit was held in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. Since then, cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has yielded even more tangible and fruitful outcomes.
At the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, from June 16 to 18. The summit is expected to take the six countries on a new journey toward building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
A drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China’s Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
GROWING PARTNERSHIP
More than 2,100 years ago, Han Dynasty envoy Zhang Qian’s journey to western regions ushered in China-Central Asia friendly exchanges. The legacy of the ancient Silk Road has evolved and acquired more profound significance nowadays.
Xi first proposed in Kazakhstan in 2013 the initiative to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt, an essential component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
With the launch of the China-Central Asia mechanism and the regular China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting mechanism in 2020, collaboration has deepened across sectors.
In January 2022, Xi chaired a virtual summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries. During the summit, the parties proposed upgrading the China-Central Asia mechanism to the level of heads of state.
Moreover, the decision to establish a mechanism for meetings among the heads of state of China and Central Asian countries was announced at the first China-Central Asia Summit held in May 2023.
Deepening China-Central Asia cooperation is in line with the prevailing trend of the world and the expectations of the people, said Xi when addressing a welcome banquet for Central Asian leaders attending the first summit held in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province.
With the upgrading of the all-around and multifaceted framework, efficient ministerial mechanisms now support cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, customs, public security and more.
Today, China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships, signed Belt and Road cooperation documents and implemented the vision of building a community with a shared future at the bilateral level with all five Central Asian countries.
Ismail Dairov, director of Kyrgyzstan’s think tank the Regional Mountain Center of Central Asia, noted that Central Asia and China share a thousand-year history of exchanges. Today, within the framework of the BRI, both sides are strengthening ties and cooperation at an unprecedented pace, he said.
The Sixth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, April 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)
TOWARD MODERNIZATION
On April 29, the work to build three key control tunnels in Kyrgyzstan’s section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway commenced. The railway is an iconic BRI project backed by the three nations’ leaders, symbolizing shared efforts to boost connectivity and prosperity in the region.
Kyrgyz political scientist Kubanychbek Taabaldiev called the move “a great achievement of bilateral relations between China and Central Asia” that would take the ongoing projects into a new phase and “bring benefits from both economic and political points of view.”
“The world needs an interconnected Central Asia,” said Xi in his keynote speech at the first China-Central Asia Summit. Since then, the two sides have explored further cooperation to enhance infrastructure development for seamless and efficient connectivity.
Much progress has been achieved: Central Asia freight trains are running regularly as official railway data showed 4,725 trips were made in the first four months of 2025, up 21 percent year on year; the Kazakhstan-Xi’an Terminal officially began operations in February 2024 and is currently operating at a high level of quality; and the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor has made steady progress.
New logistics routes, including rail, road and air, now transport Chinese appliances, consumer goods and electric vehicles to Central Asia, while high-quality Central Asian products such as fertilizers, cotton, beef and mutton are reaching China faster than ever.
Beyond transport and logistics networks, cooperation is expanding into agriculture, IT, clean energy and cross-border e-commerce, supporting industrial upgrades and better livelihoods.
According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China-Central Asia trade reached 94.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, a record increase of 5.4 billion dollars from the previous year.
Strengthening regional connectivity cannot only promote economic integration, but also deepen exchanges and understanding between civilizations, laying a solid foundation for regional stability and development, said Zaynidin Kurmanov, vice president of the Diplomatic Academy of Kyrgyzstan and former Kyrgyz Parliament speaker.
Students learn skills at the Luban Workshop in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, May 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)
CLOSER HEARTS
From tourism to vocational education cooperation, from cultural exchanges to archaeological cooperation, Chinese and Central Asian people are being brought closer through in-depth and lasting dialogues at all levels, as well as mutual learning among civilizations.
Recently, a tourist train accomplished the first cultural trip between Xi’an, China and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Special train services for cultural tourism in Central Asia are among a series of programs to strengthen dialogue between civilizations as promoted by Xi at the first China-Central Asia Summit.
This year marks the China tourism year in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s year of tourism in China. More and more Chinese tourists enjoy the convenience provided by visa-free travel agreements between China and Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. China’s seaside cities have also become common destinations for Central Asian visitors.
China and Central Asian countries have also actively promoted vocational education cooperation programs. The Luban Workshop, which has been operating in Tajikistan for more than two years, has also been launched in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to cultivate future technical talents and provide opportunities for Central Asian youths.
“We are training engineers under the Luban Workshop project. It’s not just about education, but also cultural exchange,” said Mirlan Chynybaev, rector of Kyrgyz State Technical University that manages the workshop.
With the establishment of Chinese Cultural Centers and Confucius Institutes, Chinese language fever and “China fever” are heating up in Central Asian countries, bringing more and more young people to study in China.
According to Yagshy Ayjanov, a startupper from Turkmenistan who operates a company with his Chinese friends in Xi’an, their company in 2024 has provided various kinds of study services for over 800 people who want to come to China, and most of them were from Central Asia.
“After the first China-Central Asia summit, we can clearly feel that Central Asian students have shown a stronger willingness to study in China as China means more opportunities and better employment prospects,” Ayjanov said.
Ruslan Kenzhaev, deputy editor-in-chief of the leading Uzbek newspaper Narodnoe Slovo, pointed out that through deepening economic cooperation, promoting infrastructure development, advancing technology and people-to-people exchanges, Central Asian countries and China have developed a model of sustainable cooperation based on mutual respect and shared visions.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China and Central Asia have enjoyed a friendship spanning millennia rooted in the ancient Silk Road. Since the first China-Central Asia Summit, tourism exchanges between the two sides have become increasingly closer, with a noticeable increase in mutual tourist visits.
Now, the two sides are writing a new chapter of tourism exchanges and cooperation, deepening mutual understanding among civilizations.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Israel and Iran kept up their attacks, killing and wounding civilians and raising concern among world leaders at a G7 meeting in Canada this week that the biggest battle between the two old enemies could lead to a broader regional conflict.
The Iranian death toll in four days of Israeli strikes, carried out with the declared aim of wiping out Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, had reached at least 224, with 90% of the casualties reported to be civilians, an Iranian health ministry spokesperson said.
Early on Monday, the Israeli military said it had detected more missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.
“At this time, the (Israeli Air Force) is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat,” the Israeli Defence Forces said. Live video footage showed several missiles over Tel Aviv and Reuters witnesses said explosions could be heard there and over Jerusalem.
At least 10 people in Israel, including children, have been killed so far, according to authorities there.
Group of Seven leaders began gathering in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday with the Israel-Iran conflict expected to be a top priority.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his goals for the summit include for Iran to not develop or possess nuclear weapons, ensuring Israel’s right to defend itself, avoiding escalation of the conflict and creating room for diplomacy.
“This issue will be very high on the agenda of the G7 summit,” Merz told reporters.
Before leaving for the summit on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked what he was doing to de-escalate the situation. “I hope there’s going to be a deal. I think it’s time for a deal,” he told reporters. “Sometimes they have to fight it out.”
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday.
FIRST DAYLIGHT ATTACK ON ISRAEL
Explosions shook Tel Aviv on Sunday during Iran’s first daylight missile attack since Israel’s strike on Friday. Shortly after nightfall, Iranian missiles hit a residential street in Haifa, a mixed Jewish-Arab city, and in Israel’s south.
In Bat Yam, a city near Tel Aviv, residents braced on Sunday evening for another sleepless night after an overnight strike on an apartment tower.
“It’s very dreadful. It’s not fun. People are losing their lives and their homes,” said Shem, 29.
Images from Tehran showed the night sky lit up by a huge blaze at a fuel depot after Israel began strikes against Iran’s oil and gas sector – raising the stakes for the global economy and the functioning of the Iranian state.
Brent crude futures were up $1.04, or 1.4%, to $75.39 a barrel by 0115 GMT, having jumped as much as $4 earlier in the session. While the spike in oil prices has investors on edge, stock and currency markets were little moved in early trading in Asia on Monday.
“It’s more of an oil story than an equity story at this point,” said Jim Carroll, senior wealth adviser and portfolio manager at Ballast Rock Private Wealth. “Stocks right now seem to be hanging on.”
TRUMP VETOES PLAN TO TARGET KHAMENEI, OFFICIALS SAY
In Washington, two U.S. officials told Reuters that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan in recent days to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
When asked about the Reuters report, Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday: “There’s so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that.”
“We do what we need to do,” he told Fox’s “Special Report With Bret Baier.”
Israel began the assault with a surprise attack on Friday that wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military command and damaged its nuclear sites, and says the campaign will escalate in the coming days.
The intelligence chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Kazemi, and his deputy were killed in attacks on Tehran on Sunday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said.
Iran has vowed to “open the gates of hell” in retaliation.
TRUMP WARNS IRAN NOT TO ATTACK
Trump has lauded Israel’s offensive while denying Iranian allegations that the U.S. has taken part and warning Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include U.S. targets.
Two U.S. officials said on Friday the U.S. military had helped shoot down Iranian missiles that were headed toward Israel.
The U.S. president has repeatedly said Iran could end the war by agreeing to tough restrictions on its nuclear program, which Iran says is for peaceful purposes but which Western countries and the IAEA nuclear watchdog say could be used to make an atomic bomb.
The latest round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the U.S., due on Sunday, was scrapped after Tehran said it would not negotiate while under Israeli attack.
(Reuters)
Source: NZCTU
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is dismayed by the Government’s decision to abstain from the new International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on biological hazards that would strengthen worker protections.
“This Convention provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and managing biological workplace health and safety issues,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“Representatives of Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations at the 113th International Labour Conference have resoundingly voted for the adoption this new Convention and accompanying Recommendation on protection against biological hazards in the working environment.
“There is strong international support for this Convention which has been ratified by more than 95% of representatives from the 187 ILO member states. The New Zealand workers’ delegation voted in favour of this convention which embeds the importance of healthy and safe work as a fundamental aspect of good work for everyone.
“Unfortunately, the New Zealand Government has joined Bangladesh, Djibouti, Panama, Algeria, Guatemala, and India as the only Governments to vote against or abstain in the vote for the Convention. New Zealand Business representatives did not vote at all.
“The failure of the Government to support this convention reflects its total disregard and disinterest in workers’ safety and health and shows how isolated New Zealand has become from global efforts to improve safeguards at work,” said Wagstaff.
James Ritchie, the Spokesperson for the biological hazards Convention stated:
“This is the first international instrument that specifically addresses biological hazards in the working environment at the global level. It follows the Covid pandemic, and the 2022 decision to include a safe and healthy working environment in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.
“The New Zealand Government rejection of this historic convention is not a theoretical exercise, implementing its provisions would save lives now and during future outbreaks of infectious diseases,” said Ritchie.
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government has signed a new halal cooperation arrangement in Jakarta over the weekend to strengthen trade access to Indonesia and create new opportunities for New Zealand’s red meat and dairy exporters, Agriculture and Trade Minister, Todd McClay announced today.
“Indonesia is an important growth market for dairy and meat products – worth over $1.1 billion in exports last year. With a population of 280 million and a large middle-class Indonesia is a focus market for the Government,” Mr McClay says.
The Halal Cooperation Arrangement (HCA) supports ongoing collaboration between New Zealand and Indonesia on halal standards, certification, and product assurance – helping exporters meet requirements and streamline trade.
“There’s huge potential for our premium products, and this agreement will give exporters confidence in maximising that opportunity.”
“Importantly, the HCA was developed with close input from our dairy and red meat sectors —delivering value for our world best producers,” Mr McClay says.
“This is another step in our plan to grow the economy by boosting exports and delivering stronger returns for Kiwi farmers and processors.”
“When rural New Zealand does well, all New Zealanders do well.”
Source: Panasonic
Headline: Panasonic launches services for VIXELL Container
Tokyo, Japan, June 16, 2025 – Panasonic Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masahiro Shinada; hereinafter referred to as Panasonic) today announced that it has launched rental and other services for the VIXELL Container, after adding it to the VIXELL product lineup, vacuum-insulated cooling boxes used to transport pharmaceuticals and investigational drugs that require strict temperature control. The VIXELL Container is a large-capacity cooling box that can load palletized cargo as is and keep it refrigerated for up to 10 days without a power source.
Active containers equipped with a cooling system are generally used for the international transportation of pharmaceuticals that require strict temperature control. With a power source, they can maintain a constant temperature for a prolonged period, while posing possible temperature excursion issues, including a sudden failure of the cooling system or exposure to outside air when reloading cargo into refrigerated trucks. As part of measures to address these risks, passive containers are increasingly being used. They do not require a power source, as they use coolants. However, typical passive containers can only keep cargo refrigerated for a short period of three to five days. If the duration of transportation increases due to flight delays or customs clearance issues, the cargo must be removed and stored in a refrigerated area, or the coolants inside the containers must be replaced.
Panasonic’s new VIXELL Container can keep cargo refrigerated for up to 10 days, the longest duration in the industry for passive containers.*2 This will avoid the need to replace coolants even if transportation is prolonged for a few days due to flight or customs procedural delays. Furthermore, since cargo can be transported in the VIXELL Container without having to reload it into refrigerated trucks, it will reduce the risk of temperature excursions due to exposure to outside air. The VIXELL Container can accommodate a T11 pallet (1100 x 1100 mm) used in Japan as well as pallets sized 1000 x 1200 mm, common in Europe and the U.S., allowing palletized cargo to remain loaded. Also, a structure that allows radio waves to pass through the cooling box for communication, one of the features of VIXELL, is also incorporated in the VIXELL Container, enabling remote access to shipping temperature data and location information via a real-time data logger.*3
In addition to the box and pallet types, VIXELL now offers the container type, meeting a wide range of temperature-controlled transportation needs through a diverse lineup of products. Moreover, aside from renting and leasing the VIXELL Container, Panasonic has also launched rental services for overseas transportation, in which the used VIXELL Container will be collected and reused by leveraging its robustness. This initiative will contribute to a circular economy by establishing a recycling system that reduces waste.
Notes:
*1: Cooling period at an outside temperature of 30°C
*2: As of June 2025, according to Panasonic’s research
*3: Device for recording real-time measurement data (e.g. temperature, humidity, pressure)
■Product features
1. Keeping cargo refrigerated for up to 10 days
An aluminum-free vacuum insulation case (VIC: Vacuum Insulated Case) prevents cold air from escaping through joints, ensuring cold retention up to 10 days. Since the container does not require reloading or a power source, it reduces the risk of temperature excursions and enables prolonged cold transportation at low cost.
2. Robust and reliable
The VIC’s envelope, three to ten times thicker than common vacuum insulation panels (VIP: Vacuum Insulated Panel), protects the VIC’s vacuum state from vibrations during transportation and drop impacts from cargo handling. It is difficult to identify a decrease in insulation performance of common containers due to damage sustained in transit. On the other hand, this product is equipped with a wireless vacuum sensor, which instantly assesses its insulation performance before use.
3. Easy to use and accurate
The product’s structure allows palletized cargo to be loaded as is. It can accommodate a standard pallet (T11, 1100 x 1100 mm) used in Japan as well as pallets sized 1200 x 1000 mm, common in Europe and the U.S. The container door features a locking mechanism, and the design allows radio waves to pass through, enabling remote access to shipping temperature data and location information via a real-time data logger.
■Product specifications
External dimensions: 1549 mm (w) x 1462 mm (d) x 1567 mm (h)
Internal dimensions: 1246 mm (w) x 1135 mm (d) x 1090 mm (h)
Payload: 1541 L
Cooling temperature range: Below -20°C, 2°C to 8°C, 15°C to 25°C
Cooling period (at an outside temperature of 30°C): 10 days
Weight: 635 kg (Below -20°C), 565 kg (2°C to 8°C), 565 kg (15°C to 25°C)
Services provided: Rental or lease for single-use in Japan (including precooling and product delivery)Rental for overseas transportation (including container collection, see the diagram below)
VIXELL temperature-controlled transportation solutions websitehttps://www.panasonic.com/global/business/vixell.html
About Panasonic Corporation
Panasonic Corporation offers products and services for a variety of living environments, ranging from homes to stores to offices and cities. There are five businesses at the core of Panasonic Corporation: Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, Cold Chain Solutions Company, Electric Works Company and China and Northeast Asia Company. The operating company reported consolidated net sales of 3,584.2 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2025. Panasonic Corporation is committed to fulfilling the mission of Life Tech & Ideas: For the wellbeing of people, society and the planet, and embraces the vision of becoming the best partner of your life with human-centric technology and innovation. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global/about.html
Source: Panasonic
Headline: Panasonic launches services for VIXELL Container
Tokyo, Japan, June 16, 2025 – Panasonic Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masahiro Shinada; hereinafter referred to as Panasonic) today announced that it has launched rental and other services for the VIXELL Container, after adding it to the VIXELL product lineup, vacuum-insulated cooling boxes used to transport pharmaceuticals and investigational drugs that require strict temperature control. The VIXELL Container is a large-capacity cooling box that can load palletized cargo as is and keep it refrigerated for up to 10 days without a power source.
Active containers equipped with a cooling system are generally used for the international transportation of pharmaceuticals that require strict temperature control. With a power source, they can maintain a constant temperature for a prolonged period, while posing possible temperature excursion issues, including a sudden failure of the cooling system or exposure to outside air when reloading cargo into refrigerated trucks. As part of measures to address these risks, passive containers are increasingly being used. They do not require a power source, as they use coolants. However, typical passive containers can only keep cargo refrigerated for a short period of three to five days. If the duration of transportation increases due to flight delays or customs clearance issues, the cargo must be removed and stored in a refrigerated area, or the coolants inside the containers must be replaced.
Panasonic’s new VIXELL Container can keep cargo refrigerated for up to 10 days, the longest duration in the industry for passive containers.*2 This will avoid the need to replace coolants even if transportation is prolonged for a few days due to flight or customs procedural delays. Furthermore, since cargo can be transported in the VIXELL Container without having to reload it into refrigerated trucks, it will reduce the risk of temperature excursions due to exposure to outside air. The VIXELL Container can accommodate a T11 pallet (1100 x 1100 mm) used in Japan as well as pallets sized 1000 x 1200 mm, common in Europe and the U.S., allowing palletized cargo to remain loaded. Also, a structure that allows radio waves to pass through the cooling box for communication, one of the features of VIXELL, is also incorporated in the VIXELL Container, enabling remote access to shipping temperature data and location information via a real-time data logger.*3
In addition to the box and pallet types, VIXELL now offers the container type, meeting a wide range of temperature-controlled transportation needs through a diverse lineup of products. Moreover, aside from renting and leasing the VIXELL Container, Panasonic has also launched rental services for overseas transportation, in which the used VIXELL Container will be collected and reused by leveraging its robustness. This initiative will contribute to a circular economy by establishing a recycling system that reduces waste.
Notes:
*1: Cooling period at an outside temperature of 30°C
*2: As of June 2025, according to Panasonic’s research
*3: Device for recording real-time measurement data (e.g. temperature, humidity, pressure)
■Product features
1. Keeping cargo refrigerated for up to 10 days
An aluminum-free vacuum insulation case (VIC: Vacuum Insulated Case) prevents cold air from escaping through joints, ensuring cold retention up to 10 days. Since the container does not require reloading or a power source, it reduces the risk of temperature excursions and enables prolonged cold transportation at low cost.
2. Robust and reliable
The VIC’s envelope, three to ten times thicker than common vacuum insulation panels (VIP: Vacuum Insulated Panel), protects the VIC’s vacuum state from vibrations during transportation and drop impacts from cargo handling. It is difficult to identify a decrease in insulation performance of common containers due to damage sustained in transit. On the other hand, this product is equipped with a wireless vacuum sensor, which instantly assesses its insulation performance before use.
3. Easy to use and accurate
The product’s structure allows palletized cargo to be loaded as is. It can accommodate a standard pallet (T11, 1100 x 1100 mm) used in Japan as well as pallets sized 1200 x 1000 mm, common in Europe and the U.S. The container door features a locking mechanism, and the design allows radio waves to pass through, enabling remote access to shipping temperature data and location information via a real-time data logger.
■Product specifications
External dimensions: 1549 mm (w) x 1462 mm (d) x 1567 mm (h)
Internal dimensions: 1246 mm (w) x 1135 mm (d) x 1090 mm (h)
Payload: 1541 L
Cooling temperature range: Below -20°C, 2°C to 8°C, 15°C to 25°C
Cooling period (at an outside temperature of 30°C): 10 days
Weight: 635 kg (Below -20°C), 565 kg (2°C to 8°C), 565 kg (15°C to 25°C)
Services provided: Rental or lease for single-use in Japan (including precooling and product delivery)Rental for overseas transportation (including container collection, see the diagram below)
VIXELL temperature-controlled transportation solutions websitehttps://www.panasonic.com/global/business/vixell.html
About Panasonic Corporation
Panasonic Corporation offers products and services for a variety of living environments, ranging from homes to stores to offices and cities. There are five businesses at the core of Panasonic Corporation: Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, Cold Chain Solutions Company, Electric Works Company and China and Northeast Asia Company. The operating company reported consolidated net sales of 3,584.2 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2025. Panasonic Corporation is committed to fulfilling the mission of Life Tech & Ideas: For the wellbeing of people, society and the planet, and embraces the vision of becoming the best partner of your life with human-centric technology and innovation. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global/about.html
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command on Saturday conducted a joint sea-air patrol in the South China Sea, a spokesperson said on Sunday, noting that the armed forces stay on high alert for any destabilizing activities in the region.
Tian Junli, the spokesperson, said the Philippines’ attempt to rally extraregional countries to carry out so-called “joint patrols” had heightened security risks and undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea.
All military activities that seek to stir up trouble or create flashpoints in the region are under full control, Tian added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, addresses the 17th Straits Forum in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian province, June 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The main conference of the 17th Straits Forum was held Sunday in the coastal city of Xiamen in east China’s Fujian province, kicking off a series of events within its framework.
Under the theme of “expanding people-to-people exchanges and deepening integrated development,” the forum features 56 exchange activities covering primary-level, youth, cultural and economic exchanges, drawing the attendance of over 7,000 people from all walks of life in Taiwan.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, attended the main conference, and emphasized the importance of staying resolute in safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait and working together to promote national reunification.
Wang noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the recovery of Taiwan — a shared national memory for people on both sides of the Strait. He stressed that the fruits of that victory must be preserved.
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, he said, emphasizing the importance of upholding the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. He called for resolutely opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and external interference to jointly safeguard peace and stability of the Strait.
Wang underscored that the mainland will always provide staunch support for Taiwan compatriots and is firmly committed to deepening the integrated development of both sides of the Strait to give Taiwan compatriots a greater sense of gain, happiness and belonging.
Ahead of the main conference, Wang met with guests from Taiwan who are attending the forum.
Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, also attended the main conference and said that the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations is a shared aspiration of people on both sides.
Ma expressed hope that, based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence,” cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation will be strengthened.
Since its launch in 2009, the forum has featured nearly 800 events, attracting more than 350,000 people from across the Strait, including over 140,000 Taiwan compatriots.
Before this year’s forum, Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities had escalated their obstruction of cross-Strait exchanges, repeatedly smeared the forum, and sought to intimidate and deter Taiwan compatriots from participating.
Nevertheless, many Taiwan compatriots overcame difficulties to attend the event, demonstrating both their willingness and sense of responsibility to engage in exchanges and cooperation.
“There are so many natural bonds and bridges between people on both sides of the Strait — they won’t be severed by the obstruction of any particular political party,” said Yu Chi-hsuan, a young Taiwan participant at the forum, who is with her husband from the eastern Zhejiang province.
Noting that her mother also traveled from Taiwan to join them at the forum, Yu said that many of her young friends hope to visit the mainland to watch movies like the animated blockbuster “Ne Zha” and check out the trendy toy shops here.
“The forum further opens wide the door for cross-Strait exchanges, and we should walk further down the path of integrated development,” said Chiu Ching-ling, a veteran variety show producer from Taiwan. He believes that there will always be friends from Taiwan attending the Straits Forum, and the exchanges will continue to flourish.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
People stand beside the debris of an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad of India’s Gujarat state, June 13, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Both the black boxes of Air India flight 171, including the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), have been found, P.K. Mishra, principal secretary to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in an official statement late on Sunday.
According to the Hindustan Times early on Monday, the second black box found was the CVR, and the previous one was the FDR.
India’s federal civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has said that the first black box was found on June 13, and the crash investigation report will be released within three months.
According to The Hindu, downloading and analyzing the black boxes may take four to five days, and several international investigating agencies have reached Ahmedabad to assist India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with the inquiry into the crash that killed 274.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will roll out a second policy statement to nurture the development of digital assets, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan said in a blog post on Sunday.
Chan said Hong Kong had licensed ten digital assets trading platforms since the first policy statement came out in 2022 and is currently processing license applications from eight other.
The new statement will feature measures aimed at combining the respective advantages of traditional financial services and digital assets, ensuring the safe and flexible use of digital assets in the real economy and encouraging local and global firms to explore relevant technologies, Chan said.
Chan expects demand for stablecoins to balloon further as the digital assets market expands. On May 21, the Legislative Council of the HKSAR passed the Stablecoins Bill, which will come into effect on Aug. 1.
The HKSAR will foster the development of stablecoins in a steady and prudent manner to create a new paradigm in the global stablecoins market.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo taken on June 12, 2025 shows guests talking prior to the opening ceremony of the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, themed “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization,” opened on Thursday in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province.
The expo takes place half a year after China granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of product categories to all least developed countries (LDCs) with which it has diplomatic relations, including 33 African countries, starting from Dec. 1, 2024.
Following the implementation of the zero-tariff policy, bilateral economic ties have gone from strength to strength, as vividly demonstrated in the dynamic economic and trade cooperation at the expo.
Expo of cooperation
According to statistics, 83 percent of signed projects during the first three versions of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo had been implemented since its launch in 2019.
Nearly 4,700 Chinese and African companies as well as over 30,000 participants are attending this year’s expo. During the event, 176 cooperation projects worth 11.39 billion U.S. dollars were signed, covering diverse sectors including construction and manufacturing, power and energy, transportation, information services, as well as culture and healthcare.
At the four-day event, more than 800 African products, ranging from Kenyan black tea to Congolese framed artwork, either debuted or expanded their presence in the Chinese market, a stable and promising destination supported by favorable policies and platforms.
In recent years, many African countries have actively embarked on expanding trade with China, especially in the wake of the zero-tariff policy.
Gambian Ambassador to China Masanneh Nyuku Kinteh highly valued China’s implementation of the zero-tariff treatment, expressing the belief that it presents a significant opportunity for Africa by turning China’s vast market into a shared platform for development.
At present, some Gambian seafood products have been exported to China, he said, adding that many more Gambian goods will be available in the coming years.
From December to March, China’s imports from African LDCs rose 15.2 percent year on year, reaching 21.42 billion dollars, said an official from China’s Ministry of Commerce recently. In the first quarter of 2025, Chinese imports of African coffee surged by 70.4 percent, while cocoa bean imports rose by 56.8 percent.
Calling the zero-tariff policy “extremely good,” Dr. Isaac Shinyekwa, head of Trade and Regional Integration Department at the Economic Policy Research Centre of Makerere University of Uganda, noted that with the preferential zero-tariff treatment now in place, African countries need to “develop the products and the standards.”
Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye, former editor-in-chief of the Senegalese News Agency, said in an interview that in recent years, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation — particularly between China and Senegal — has seen remarkable growth in several strategic sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and digital services.
China’s zero-tariff policy for products from African LDCs with diplomatic relations to China serves as a tangible boost for exporting higher value-added African products, which gives African producers easier access to the vast Chinese market, he said.
Visitors learn about an agricultural machine during the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo at Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Why China
According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade volume surpassing 2 trillion yuan for the first time in 2024 to reach 2.1 trillion yuan (about 292.7 billion dollars).
From January to May 2025, China-Africa trade totaled 963.21 billion yuan (about 134.27 billion dollars), marking a 12.4 percent year-on-year increase and hitting a record high for the period.
Despite global economic uncertainties, Ndiaye, the former editor-in-chief, noted that China-Africa trade has shown strong resilience, driven by several key factors.
The structural complementarity between the two sides creates a strong foundation, and cooperation mechanisms like the FOCAC ensure continuous and pragmatic coordination between the two sides, he said.
Most important of all, China’s engagement with Africa is grounded in mutual respect and equality, said Ndiaye, adding that China’s policy is more inclusive, stable, non-political, and aligns with the development priorities of African nations.
Africa will continue to shift its focus toward Asia, particularly China, said Carlos Lopes, former executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and currently an honorary professor at the Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town.
“The engagements (with China) are often more pragmatic, less moralizing, and increasingly strategic,” said Lopes.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Toys themed on Labubu, a popular furry doll from Chinese toy company Pop Mart, are pictured during the opening ceremony of a new offline store of Pop Mart in Bangkok, Thailand, July 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Sun Weitong)
Labubu — a toothy, fluffy figure toy from Chinese brand Pop Mart — has sparked a global frenzy, demonstrating how the country’s enterprises are reshaping their international image through innovation, cultural storytelling and the globalization of homegrown intellectual property (IP).
China has long been the world’s largest producer and exporter of toys. Historically, much of this output consisted of low-cost goods manufactured for foreign brands. Today, however, a new generation of collectible designer toys such as Labubu is redefining the industry by exporting not only products but also stories and sentiment.
Pop Mart, the Beijing-based toymaker behind Labubu and other original-IP characters, is among those leading the shift. Propelled by international hype, the company registered year-on-year revenue growth of 165 to 170 percent in the first quarter of 2025, with overseas revenues soaring 475 to 480 percent.
Pop Mart is not alone in stepping up brand-building efforts in the global toy market. Chinese toymaker TOP TOY now operates over 280 stores worldwide, and 52TOYS reported a 300 percent increase in its business in Thailand in 2024.
The viral popularity of Labubu and similar toys has spotlighted China’s burgeoning cultural industry, which is emerging as a calling card for Chinese exports.
China’s cultural industry sustained steady growth in 2024, with 78,000 surveyed enterprises generating 14.15 trillion yuan (about 1.97 trillion U.S. dollars) in revenues, up 6 percent year on year. These firms reported combined profits of 1.29 trillion yuan — a 10.8 percent increase from 2023.
The gaming industry is another striking example of how Chinese culture is reaching global consumers. “Black Myth: Wukong,” a 3A video game with cutting-edge graphics, has attracted a sizable international following, with one-third of its players based outside China. Meanwhile, established gaming hits like “Genshin Impact” and “Honkai: Star Rail” continue to rank among the top downloaded items in over 100 countries and regions.
Data from the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association shows that China’s self-developed game products reported overseas revenues of 18.56 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, up 13.39 percent from the previous year.
China’s vast network of factories, spanning every industrial category classified by the United Nations, remains the backbone of this cultural ascent. For Pop Mart, manufacturing excellence is a key part of bringing creative visions to reality. Years of experience have enabled Chinese factories to meet even the most meticulous design requirements, such as crafting a specific component solely to make a doll’s eyes glossier and more expressive.
“If you can make toys for Pop Mart, you can make any designer toy in the world,” the owner of a factory that works with Pop Mart once said.
The transition from exporting products to exporting brands and IP is a natural result of China’s economic evolution, said Lan Qingxin, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.
“It demonstrates the upgrading of China’s industrial structure and the growing maturity of Chinese enterprises in their international operations,” Lan added.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today (June 16) launched a public consultation for the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address. The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, will deliver his fourth Policy Address this September.
“I have endeavoured to transform the culture of the Government into one that is result-oriented, works at a faster pace, and is proactive. My team and I have been listening to the views of the public and focusing on serving the community. We are committed to developing the economy and improving people’s livelihoods to ensure our initiatives effectively respond to the needs of members of the public,” Mr Lee said.
“Hong Kong continues to forge ahead with its unique advantages under the principle of ‘one country, two systems’, benefitting from the strong support of the motherland and remaining closely connected to the world. Hong Kong is currently facing economic restructuring. The Government will continue to lead all sectors of society in consolidating and enhancing the factors for Hong Kong’s success while upholding our principles and being innovative in advancing reforms. We will endeavour to explore new growth areas, trade markets and frontiers, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, and enhance regional collaboration to foster economic growth and development.
“I invite you all to give your views on the 2025 Policy Address. My team and I will listen to and consider your views carefully, and we look forward to receiving your input to build a better Hong Kong together.”
The Government will hold more than 40 consultation sessions to receive the views and suggestions of Legislative Council Members, representatives of different sectors, and members of the public. The Chief Executive and the Principal Officials will also conduct district visits to meet with members of the public and representatives of different sectors and listen to their views directly.
Starting from today, members of the public can offer their views through the Policy Address website (www.policyaddress.gov.hk), via the dedicated Facebook page for the Policy Address public consultation (www.facebook.com/PolicyAddressConsultation), or by email (policyaddress@cepu.gov.hk), phone (2432 1899) or fax (2537 9083).
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Host China lost to Turkey 3-0 at the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League Xi’an leg on Sunday, wrapping up the opening leg with two wins and two defeats.
After conceding its opener to Japan, China bounced back with back-to-back victories over Serbia and the Netherlands. Turkey, meanwhile, had suffered three consecutive losses before the encounter with China.
Ramazan Efe Mandiraci (L) of Türkiye vies with Jiang Chuan of China during the Pool 3 match between China and Türkiye at the Men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025 in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, June 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)
Turkey came out strong in the first set, taking advantage of powerful attacking to win 25-22. China raced to a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Turkey’s superior blocking shut down China’s attack to win the second set 25-21.
China once again started fast in the third set, surging into a 5-2 lead, but Turkey countered with a four-point run to flip the score. In the final stages, Turkey pulled away with a decisive 6-2 run to close out the match 25-20, registering its first win of the season.
China captain Jiang Chuan admitted frustration after the defeat, pointing to execution and endurance issues as key factors. “After the first three matches, we were quite fatigued physically in the fourth match, but that’s not an excuse. We need to learn how to handle such situations,” he said.
Despite the loss, China head coach Vital Heynen expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, especially with key players like Zhang Jingyin and Wang Jingyi sidelined with injury. “We have to be realistic that we came here without two core players. We made one good step already, winning two matches in the tournament,” he said.
According to the schedule, China will next compete in the Chicago leg in late June, followed by the Gdansk leg in mid-July.
Heynen emphasized that his team will not fear strong opponents, whether at home or abroad. “This year in VNL, a lot of teams are at the same level, so there will be a chance in other matches also. It will be about us. When we get better, we will get more matches,” he added.
In other matches on Sunday, Poland beat Serbia 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-23) to stay undefeated, while Japan swept the Netherlands 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-18).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Mui Wo Temporary Public Fill Reception Facility will be reopened
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
As the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled all typhoon warning signals, the Civil Engineering and Development Department today (June 16) announced that the Mui Wo Temporary Public Fill Reception Facility will be reopened at 8.30am for public use.
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Source: Samsung
▲ Hedi Mertens’s Gruppo di quadrati sulla base di un quadrato (1966) shown on Neo QLED by Samsung.
Samsung Electronics, the Official Art TV of Art Basel, today announced the launch of the Art Basel in Basel (ABB) Collection, an exclusive curation of digital art available across Samsung TVs with Samsung Art Store.1 Representing the most extensive Art Basel collection to date, the ABB Collection introduces 38 curated works from globally renowned artists and galleries — marking a new milestone in Samsung and Art Basel’s mission to bring world-class art to a wider audience.
The ABB Collection stands apart for its emphasis on diversity, with works that span continents, mediums and voices. For the first time, the collection features representation from an Africa-based gallery, deepening the global reach and cultural richness of the Samsung x Art Basel initiative. Some of this collection will be displayed at the Art Basel, from June 19-22, at Messe Basel in Switzerland.2
A Curated Vision of Global Expression
Handpicked from over 100 submissions, the 38 pieces in the ABB Collection were carefully curated with a focus on artist diversity, medium variety and geographic representation. The collection celebrates both emerging talent and established visionaries, aligning with Art Basel’s dedication to championing contemporary art from all corners of the world.
Highlights include:
Roméo Mivekannin, “Young woman with peonies after Frédéric Bazille” (2023): A compelling reimagining of classical portraiture from a postcolonial perspective.
Basim Magdy, “An Intergalactic Messenger Teleported us to a Cave Settlement Ruled by Shared Compassion and Humility” (2022): A vibrant exploration of utopian futurism.
Zandile Tshabalala, “Pink Blossoms” (2024): A powerful portrait celebrating Black femininity and nature.
Antonia Kuo, “Willo” (diptych) (2024): A striking dual-panel composition that fuses digital manipulation with analog techniques.
The collection also includes works by iconic names such as Jo Baer, Kibong Rhee and Lynn Hershman Leeson, further enriching the visual and thematic depth of this year’s selection.
ArtCube: An Interactive Hands-on Experience at Art Basel
▲ Jo Baer’s Untitled (1961-1962) shown on Neo QLED by Samsung.
To further highlight the intersection of art and technology, Samsung will present an interactive lounge titled ArtCube3 at Art Basel. This immersive showcase will demonstrate how The Frame, MICRO LED and Neo QLED 8K redefine digital art experiences by displaying artwork — including selections from the Art Basel Collection — with breathtaking detail and depth.
ArtCube invites visitors to engage with the Samsung Art Store’s exclusive collections and freely experience the premium picture quality. Visitors can also make customized portraits of moving art pieces only available through ArtCube’s tailored curation. In addition to the ArtCube lounge experience, Samsung will host a series of panel discussions featuring influential voices from the contemporary art scene, sparking conversations around technology’s expanding role in artistic expression and accessibility.
Strengthening a Cultural Partnership
Samsung and Art Basel have partnered to introduce curated digital collections that began with the 2024 Art Basel Miami Beach, 2025 Art Basel Hong Kong, and now includes the 2025 Art Basel in Basel. Artworks from Art Basel Hong Kong, launched in March, have gained global popularity among Art Store users, ranking them in top 10 most-viewed art pieces.4 This ongoing collaboration highlights the shared vision of expanding the role of displays as vibrant platforms for storytelling and artistic dialogue.
“With the launch of a new collection in the Samsung Art Store for Art Basel in Basel 2025, we’re thrilled to offer our global audiences new ways to engage with our show,” said Maike Cruse, Director of Art Basel in Basel. Our global partnership with Samsung extends the visitor experience beyond the Messe and into people’s homes — creating new entry points to discover the exceptional artists and galleries that define our flagship fair in Basel.”
Completing a Unique Art Experience on Samsung Art TVs
▲ Lynn Hershman Leeson’s Seduction (1985) shown on Neo QLED 8K by Samsung.
Samsung Art Store offers the best way to transform your TV and elevate your home decor with the perfect piece of art for every season, holiday and mood. You can choose from 3,500+ works of art spanning over 800 artists, including the ABB Collection.
Spanning the Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, QLED, The Frame and The Frame Pro, which are powered by Samsung Vision AI for AI-enhanced picture and sound, Samsung Art Store is newly available across the Samsung 2025 TV lineup. These TV models also come with new personalized features that bring users closer to all the shows, movies and sports they love. Across the lineup, Samsung offers more ways than ever to transform TV screens into personalized art galleries.
The Art Basel in Basel Collection is now available exclusively on the Samsung Art Store to all Samsung Art TV users.
For more information, visit www.samsung.com.
About Art Basel
Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary art, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong and Paris. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. Art Basel’s engagement has expanded beyond art fairs through new digital platforms including the Art Basel App and initiatives such as the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report and the Art Basel Awards. Art Basel’s Global Lead Partner is UBS. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.
1 Samsung Art TV includes MICRO LED, The Frame, The Frame Pro, Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED and QLED models starting from Q7F and above.
2 Event is open to the public from June 19-22, after VIP opening from June 16-18.
3 Samsung Lounge ‘ArtCube’ is in Halle 1, the main exhibition floor inside Messe Basel.
4 The information provided is based on the results collected during April 2025.
Source: Samsung
At the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC)1 in Nice, held to mark World Oceans Day on June 8, Samsung Electronics hosted a premiere event for “Coral in Focus,” a new documentary that brings the global coral crisis into sharp relief. The event, held at Ocean House, featured a screening of the film followed by a panel discussion with leading voices in marine science, conservation and technology.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Quentin van den Bossche, “Coral in Focus” follows scientists, engineers and local conservationists as they confront the urgent threats facing coral reefs — ecosystems that support up to a billion people and a quarter of all marine life. This work is part of a broader effort announced at Galaxy Unpacked in January 2025, where Samsung unveiled its partnership with Seatrees to support the restoration of coastal ecosystems with communities in Fiji, Indonesia and the United States, leveraging Galaxy camera technology to document and aid in the recovery of marine environments.
The documentary spotlights the urgent threats facing coral reefs and showcases how innovative technology and global collaboration can drive meaningful impact for marine ecosystems.
A Crisis Hidden Beneath the Surface
As ocean temperatures shattered records, more than 80% of the world’s reefs have suffered from mass bleaching. When corals bleach, they lose not just their color but their lifeblood — the algae that feed them. This crisis, largely invisible to the public, threatens biodiversity, food security and coastal resilience. Long-term climate action is crucial to safeguarding coral reefs, while short-term restoration efforts — informed and supported by innovative technology — can help them withstand rising ocean temperatures.
A Galaxy Smartphone That Sees Beneath the Waves
Samsung collaborated with Seatrees, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring marine ecosystems, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, a global leader in reef research, to pioneer a new frontier in coral restoration by exploring new, innovative solutions. Ocean Mode,2 a specialized camera feature created specifically for this partnership, was developed, introduced and validated in real-world conditions in Indonesia and Fiji. This process has created a credible foundation for broader scientific use while improving the overall accessibility of this new technology.
By enabling more scientists, conservationists and even citizen scientists with the ability to photograph, map and monitor reefs, Ocean Mode can help restoration efforts scale, and make it possible for anyone to protect more reefs, in more places, with greater impact.
Innovation With Measurable Impact
Ocean Mode transforms the Galaxy S24 Ultra into a mobile marine research tool, enabling vivid, high-resolution image capture even in challenging underwater conditions. It corrects the excessive blue and green hues typical of underwater photography, allowing for a more accurate representation of coral health and diversity.
The camera adjusts shutter speed and leverages multi-frame image processing to reduce motion blur caused by water movement or diver activity, ensuring sharp, detailed images. With its interval shooting capability, the device can automatically capture thousands of images in a single dive, dramatically improving both efficiency and consistency. These images can then be used to generate 3D models of coral reefs using technology known as photogrammetry, giving researchers a powerful way to visualize and study the drivers of the structure and health of reefs over time.
Over the past year, the project has delivered extraordinary results. With these coral restoration initiatives, 17 3D models of coral reefs have been made with the help of scientists and Samsung to analyze the impact of coral restoration efforts and validate the precision of Galaxy devices for photogrammetry. In total, Seatrees project partners planted more than 14,046 coral fragments to restore 10,705 square meters of coral reef habitat.
A Premiere With Purpose
The “Coral in Focus” premiere at Ocean House, in partnership with Project Everyone, brought together scientists, storytellers and sustainability leaders for a powerful conversation on the role that technology and global collaboration play in the future of coral reefs.
▲ (From left) Alex Heath, Cassie Smith, Dr. Daniel Wangpraseurt, Michael Stewart and Quentin van den Bossche
▲ “Ocean Mode became its own character in the documentary,” said Quentin van den Bossche, director of “Coral in Focus.” “This helped us illustrate some of the complex, specific challenges that reef conservationists encounter. And showing the difference between photos taken with and without Ocean Mode helped ground the technology in something visual and even emotional. This is where the impact of partnerships among companies, research institutes and nonprofits truly comes to life.”
▲ Michael Stewart, co-founder of Seatrees, holds a Galaxy S24 Ultra to show Ocean Mode Year 1 impact metrics — about 14,046 coral fragments planted across three restoration sites.
“A key focus of the coral restoration efforts is being able to monitor what’s working and what’s not. And that starts with capturing high-quality images of our supported reefs,” said Michael Stewart, co-founder of Seatrees. “Our local partners have really appreciated Ocean Mode because it has improved their ability to capture higher-quality images with Galaxy phones to make the 3D models created by the scientists at Scripps more accurate.”
“Mobile technology is a powerful way to connect communities with ecosystems they may never physically encounter but are deeply tied to through climate, biodiversity and cultural heritage,” said Daniel Wangpraseurt, Ph.D., associate research scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “Smartphones are now capable of taking high-resolution imagery to help generate more accurate 3D models. They also hold unique potential to increase the pace at which we share this information with people around the world who may never get to experience a coral reef themselves.”
▲ “Through our partnership with Seatrees, we saw how Galaxy technology could play a role not just in responsible sourcing but in supporting coral reef restoration,” said Cassie Smith, Senior Manager, Corporate Sustainability and U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics America. “The documentary tells that story beautifully — showing what happens when like-minded partners, engineers, scientists and local communities come together with shared purpose and the right tools.”
▲ Attendees of the “Coral in Focus” documentary premiere included Swati Thiyagarajan, award-winning documentary filmmaker, environmental journalist with the Sea Change Project and associate producer and production manager of the Academy Award-winning “My Octopus Teacher”; Titouan Bernicot, founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners and National Geographic Explorer; and Beverly Camhe, writer, producer and entertainment executive.
“It’s essential for the private sector to be involved and help get impactful solutions off the ground,” said Lefteris Arapakis, co-founder of Enaleia. “We need all parties working together to protect and scale ocean conservation efforts. I’m especially excited about Ocean Mode — tools like this make our work more efficient and help us create greater impact.”
“It was a beautiful film, and I love how it left us with a sense of hope and something we could do about the problem,” said Dana Habib, associate at the Institute for Integrated Transitions.
▲ Panelists and attendees discuss the “Coral in Focus” film and project.
The discussion was moderated by Alex Heath, Managing Director, U.S. Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Edelman. The event also featured 3D reef models generated from photogrammetry data created with Galaxy S24 Ultras used in the field.
Exploring Ocean Conservation at UNOC
In addition to the premiere of “Coral in Focus,” Samsung representatives spoke on two panels hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO-IOC) at the UNESCO-IOC “Beyond Borders: Ocean Futures” pavilion. First, Generation17 Young Leader José Francisco Ochoa spoke about the importance of digital technology and community partnership during the panel “Showcasing the Diversity of Ocean Literacy Practices Around the World,” where he shared insights on how Generation17 elevates his work to advance ocean literacy.
Samsung also participated in a panel discussion titled “The Role of Corals in Unlocking the Secrets of Biodiversity,” highlighting its commitment to marine conservation. Cassie Smith, Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability and U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics, presented how Galaxy technology, including Ocean Mode, serves as a tool to support marine ecosystem protection through environmental monitoring, data collection and community engagement. The panel was part of a full day of programming held during UNOC that promotes ocean literacy and awareness of ocean preservation.
A Continued Commitment to Ocean Health
The collaboration with Seatrees builds on Samsung’s broader commitment to ocean health. Since 2022, the company has incorporated over 150 tonnes of recycled fishing nets into Galaxy devices. Now, with Ocean Mode, Samsung is redefining the role of mobile technology in climate action — expanding research capabilities, raising awareness and making the invisible visible.
To watch the full documentary and access more information about the initiative, visit the Samsung x Seatrees partnership landing page.
1 Held every three to five years, UNOC serves as a global platform uniting governments, scientists, businesses and civil society to promote ocean action and implement Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. The 2025 conference in Nice emphasizes scaling science-based solutions to protect marine ecosystems and ensure a sustainable future for the world’s oceans.
2 Ocean Mode was exclusively developed for this project and is only available to participating partners.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 15) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Repulse Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKPF launches Traffic Fixed Penalty Notices Digitalisation (with photo)- All SMS tickets are issued under the SMS sender name “#HKPF-eTT”. Therefore, if the purported SMS ticket was not sent under this sender name, it must be fake;
– All SMS or email tickets do not contain any hyperlinks. Members of the public should stay vigilant and avoid clicking on any suspicious hyperlinks or providing any personal information; and
– The Platform’s thematic portal has a domain ending with “.gov.hk”. Websites that do not end with “.gov.hk” are not government official websites.Issued at HKT 10:53
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
InvestHK promotes Hong Kong’s biotech edge at BIO International Convention 2025
A delegation of 16 Hong Kong life science and health technology companies will be joining InvestHK and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to the BIO International Convention 2025, the world’s premier biotechnology event, running June 16 to 19 (Boston time) at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. This joint effort underscores the strong partnership between InvestHK and the HKSTP to promote Hong Kong’s vibrant biotech ecosystem on a global stage.
At the Hong Kong pavilion, the delegation will showcase the city’s unrivalled advantages and opportunities for American biotech companies seeking to expand into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Asia Pacific. InvestHK will connect with global industry pioneers, sharing insights and forging partnerships to spotlight Hong Kong’s strategic strengths as a biotech powerhouse. Through dynamic presentations, one-on-one discussions, and interactive showcases, InvestHK will highlight the city’s cutting-edge ecosystem, which is tailored to empower American biotech firms to thrive in Asia’s fast-growing markets.
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Charles Ng said, “Amid a climate of global economic uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, businesses are increasingly focused on resilience, diversification, and innovation. Hong Kong, as a global biotech hub and one of the world’s leading fundraising hubs for life science and biotech, offers unique advantages for American biotechnology companies. These include a top-tier academic research and talent pool, world-class research and development infrastructure, financial strength, robust intellectual property protection, high-quality clinical trial data and strong government commitment. All these make Hong Kong an ideal location for establishing a regional headquarters to expand into the GBA and Asia-Pacific region.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the HKSTP, Mr Albert Wong, said, “The United States is the world’s largest healthcare market. For technology companies to succeed in the US market, it is essential to understand how the local healthcare system operates and effectively communicates the unique value of their R&D capabilities to investors. The goal of this visit goes beyond seeking immediate investment – it is also about building long-term bridges between innovation ecosystems; offering a globally connected environment to exchange ideas, collaborate and scale. I expect the delegation will begin to see tangible results within the next 12 to 18 months.”
Hong Kong’s biotech sector is driven by innovations such as smart hospitals and telehealth, addressing rising healthcare demands with sustainable solutions. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is enhancing the city’s capabilities through the establishment of the InnoLife Healthtech Hub in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. The 2024 Policy Address also introduced a HK$10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to channel investment into strategic industries, including life and health technology.
The GBA presents significant opportunities for American biotech firms. Designated GBA healthcare institutions can utilise Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices approved for public hospitals, with 51 drugs and 63 medical devices having been allowed by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration as of April 30, 2025. Additionally, the Listing Rules reform by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has positioned it as a leading exchange for biotech initial public offerings, enabling pre-revenue biotech companies to list on the main board and access robust capital markets.
InvestHK has seen strong momentum in attracting innovation and technology (I&T) companies to establish or expand their presence in the city. In 2024, the number of I&T companies assisted by InvestHK rose to 120, up from 82 in 2023, making it the top-performing sector among all sectors supported by the department. This growth reflects both the increasing global confidence in Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem and the city’s strategic role as a springboard for I&T businesses looking to access Mainland China and Asia-Pacific markets.
The BIO International Convention 2025 unites over 20 000 global industry leaders, representing virtually the entire biotechnology ecosystem. In an era of transformative discovery, biotechnology is revolutionising healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability, offering hope and solutions to global challenges.
Issued at HKT 10:00
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
55th round of computer ballot registration for submitting applications for Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles to be open June 16 to 19
Eligible applicants for the scheme can register for computer balloting through the designated website (www.hzmbqfs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 10:00
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Charles Ng today (June 14) concluded his visit to Canada, deepening economic and business ties with Canadian investors and enterprises.
During his visit June 8 to 14 to Waterloo, Toronto, and Montreal, Mr Ng met with investors, family offices, start-ups, academia, and business leaders, emphasising Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub and gateway to Mainland China and international markets. He hosted roundtables highlighting Hong Kong’s strengths in wealth management and cross-border investments and discussed how Canadian enterprises can leverage Hong Kong for global expansion. He toured innovation labs and facilities at universities and discussed Asian expansion plans with Canadian founders. The meetings connected researchers and ecosystem builders across life sciences, medtech, cleantech, AI, and more.
Mr Ng also highlighted the upcoming Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2025, inviting Canadian investors and entrepreneurs to visit Hong Kong from November 3 to 7 and explore Asia’s dynamic markets. The event offers unparalleled access to industry leaders, cutting-edge fintech trends, and high-growth opportunities for positioning companies at the forefront of innovation.
Mr Ng said, “The visit was highly fruitful, underscoring the strong economic relationship and vibrant investment exchanges between Hong Kong and Canada. It highlighted Hong Kong’s distinctive role as a ‘super connector’ linking global markets, offering Canadian businesses valuable pathways for expansion into Asia. This engagement not only reinforced ties between the two markets but also unlocked exciting collaborative opportunities.”
Participants at the events expressed keen interest in Hong Kong’s business environment and connectivity. Investor Relations Officer, Velocity Incubator, University of Waterloo, Mr Andrew Martinko, said, “We learned from Invest Hong Kong about their strong commitment to driving tech innovation through action. They presented a dynamic and expanding start-up ecosystem, clearly focused on welcoming talented Canadian founders and connecting them with high-potential Asian markets and diverse funding opportunities, all within close geographic reach.”
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of XSIM AI Canada Inc, Ms Shan Tao, said “Participating in the StartmeUpHK Festival was a pivotal moment for XSIM AI Canada Inc. The support and insights from InvestHK and the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association helped us uncover the unique opportunities within Hong Kong’s ecosystem. It ultimately led to a conditional offer from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation’s Soft Landing Programme, and the establishment of our business there. Hong Kong is where our vision for practical, scalable, purpose-driven industrial AI found both strategic alignment and real momentum – advancing economic value and environmental impact.”
Partner at DS Avocats and Honorary Secretary of the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide, Ms Cindy Ho, facilitated high-level connections during the trip and shared her insights. She said, “Canada and Hong Kong share a robust and time-tested business relationship, driving trade, investment, and innovation. With Hong Kong serving as a vital hub for Canadian businesses expanding into Asia, and Canadian expertise fuelling innovation in Hong Kong, this dynamic exchange is unlocking new opportunities and reinforcing bilateral trade and investment in the global economy. As a legal professional working closely with international businesses, I have seen firsthand how Canada and Hong Kong businesses can benefit namely through the Hong Kong-Canada Income Tax Agreement. Together, we are building a future of shared prosperity and ambition, backed by strong trade and investment agreements and a long-term commitment to sustainable growth.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Millions will take part in clinical trials under the 10 Year Health Plan which will speed up clinical research.
Patients will receive the most cutting-edge treatments years earlier than planned under the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which will speed-up clinical trials so the UK becomes a hotbed of innovation.
Millions of people will now be able to search for and sign up to lifechanging clinical trials, via the NIHR Be Part of Research service on the NHS App, allowing patients to browse and find the trials best suited to their interests and needs.
Eventually the plan will see the NHS App automatically match patients with studies based on their own health data and interests, sending push notifications to your phone about relevant new trials to sign up to.
It comes as the NIHR launches a UK-wide recruitment drive for clinical trials – the biggest ever health research campaign – to get as many people involved in research as possible. Adults across the UK are being urged to register, with underrepresented groups including young people, Black people and people of South Asian heritage particularly encouraged to sign up, at bepartofresearch.uk
The 10 Year Health Plan will bring transparency to which Trusts are performing well in clinical trials – and which are not. All NHS Trusts and organisations will need to submit data on the number of trials being conducted and the amount of progress being made – as we rebuild the country’s global status as the epicentre of research.
Public reporting will show the number of trials sponsored by both commercial and non-commercial sponsors at specific Trusts and other organisations, including universities or Primary Care sites. It will reveal to the government, patients, investors, and Trust boards which NHS organisations are performing well and which are falling behind. Government investment will only be prioritised for the Trusts that can prove they can support the NHS to deliver the treatments of tomorrow.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
The UK was has been at the forefront of scientific and medical discovery throughout our history. Some country will lead the charge in the emerging revolution in life sciences, and why shouldn’t it be Britain?
The 10 year plan for health will marry the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, with the care and compassion of our health service, to put NHS patients at the front of the queue for new cutting-edge treatments.
The NHS App will become the digital front door to the NHS, and enable all of us as citizens to play our part in developing the medicines of the future. The British people showed they were willing to be part of finding the vaccine for Covid, so why not do it again to cure cancer and dementia?
By slashing through red tape and making it easier for patients to take part, reforms in our ten year plan will grow our life sciences sector, generate news funds for the NHS to reinvest in frontline care, and benefit patients through better medicines.
In recent years, the UK has fallen behind as a global destination for these trials, with patients and the wider economy missing out. It takes around 100 days to set up a trial in Spain, but around 250 days in the NHS. The plan will see commercial clinical trial set-up times fall to 150 days or less by March 2026 – this will be the most ambitious reduction in trial set-up times in British history.
Currently set up processes for clinical trials take too long as a result of unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication of activities across different agencies and sites.
Government will cut set up times for clinical trials. Currently, trials have to agree separate contracts with each part of the NHS they want to be involved. The plan will introduce a national standardised contract which can save months of wasted time, as well as simplifying paperwork to remove duplication on technical assurances.
This means if any authority asks for evidence from a study, they can provide it once without having to spend time reframing that evidence differently to meet a separate criteria for another authority.
In the coming weeks, the government will publish its 10 Year Health Plan. Through the plan, we will restore our position as a world leader in clinical trials, so we attract the world’s greatest minds and drive vital investment into the UK. This will spur economic growth, improve the standard of care to support a healthier population, and make the NHS more financially sustainable.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR said:
We know the benefits of embedding clinical research across the NHS and beyond. It leads to better care for patients, more opportunities for our workforce and provides a huge economic benefit for our health and care system. Integrated into the NHS App, the NIHR Be Part of Research service enables members of the public to be matched to vital trials, ensuring the best and latest treatments and care get to the NHS quicker.
Ensuring all sites are consistently meeting the 150-day or less set-up time will bring us to the starting line, but together we aim to go further, faster to ensure the UK is a global destination for clinical research to improve the health and wealth of the nation.
Dr Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, said:
The NHS App is transforming how people manage their healthcare, with new features letting them see their test results or check when prescriptions are ready to collect – all at the tap of a screen.
We’re making it easier to sign up for clinical trials through the NHS App so patients can access new treatments and technologies earlier, improving their quality of care.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – which makes sure that medicines and healthcare products available in the UK are safe and effective – has already improved its performance.
All clinical trial approval backlogs are cleared, and performance targets are now being met. Building on this, the 10 Year Health Plan will see the MHRA focus its attention on the most complex and potentially transformational new treatments – like individually personalised cancer vaccines, and the regulation of artificial intelligence.
Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said:
Clinical trials are good for patients, the NHS and the economy. But both commercial and non-commercial trials in the UK have closed because of failures to recruit.
Today’s announcements will help to maximise opportunities for everyone to take part in research and speed up access to innovative treatments. We warmly welcome the focus on driving up the participation of diverse and under-served groups – something that is incredibly important to our member charities.
It’s encouraging to see the government recognise that boosting access to clinical trials must be a key part of the 10 Year Health Plan. Transforming clinical trials is an important step in truly embedding research in the NHS, securing the UK’s position as a leader in life sciences and offering a lifeline to patients.
Professor Andrew Morris CBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
This announcement marks a significant commitment to strengthening the UK’s leadership in clinical research. The global clinical trials market is estimated to be worth at least $80 billion by 2030 and countries that can demonstrate speed, quality and cost will have a competitive edge.
This commitment is very welcome as streamlined trial set-up times and enhanced public access through the NHS App will accelerate the translation of cutting-edge treatments from laboratory to bedside, directly benefiting patients whilst driving economic growth and ensuring policymakers have the evidence needed for informed healthcare decisions.
The focus on improving participation from under-represented communities is important, though success will depend on earning trust and addressing the broader barriers to diverse participation. By embedding research throughout the NHS and making it accessible to all communities, we can ensure that medical innovation benefits reach every corner of society whilst strengthening the UK’s position as a hub for life sciences investment and discovery.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO, June 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abaxx Technologies Inc. (CBOE:ABXX)(OTCQX:ABXXF) (“Abaxx” or the “Company”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd., the owner of Abaxx Commodity Exchange and Clearinghouse (individually, “Abaxx Exchange” and “Abaxx Clearing”), and producer of the SmarterMarkets™ Podcast, today announced active trading in its physically-deliverable Gold Singapore Futures following the product’s official launch on June 12, 2025.
As the only physically-deliverable, U.S. dollar-denominated gold futures contract based in Asia’s primary trading center of Singapore, this product provides a regionally relevant tool for price discovery, hedging, and delivery, and offers global access to a contract designed for today’s trade flows.
The Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract is a USD-denominated, kilobar-sized product aligned with the format preferred by the regional physical bullion trade. Deliverable into approved vaults in Singapore, the contract is purpose-built to serve refiners, industrial consumers, banks, and physical traders seeking to hedge kilobar transactions in Asia’s key delivery hub.
The launch comes at a time when gold prices are reaching record highs and demand for regional price transparency is growing.
Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures saw active trading during their first two trading sessions. Eight market makers participated, including firms from Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Thailand, with more market makers and commercial firms expected to connect in the coming weeks.
“KGI Securities Singapore is delighted to be cleared for trading on the Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract,” said Ken Ong, CEO of KGI Securities Singapore. “This new offering directly addresses the growing demand for regional price transparency and a physically-deliverable gold product tailored for the Asian market. We are excited to facilitate access for our clients to this critical new instrument and to further strengthen our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions in the commodities market.”
“We congratulate Abaxx on the launch of their Gold Futures contract,” said Golf Hirunyasiri, CEO, MTS Gold Group. “MTS Gold is pleased to be the first physical market participant committed to supporting delivery under Abaxx’s Gold Futures contract. We are excited about the synergy and participation and wish Abaxx continued success.”
The Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract is available for trading 14 hours per day, Monday through Friday. For full contract specifications and onboarding information, visit abaxx.exchange/resources-clearing-members-brokers.
About Abaxx Technologies
Abaxx Technologies is building Smarter Markets: markets empowered by better tools, better benchmarks, and better technology to drive market-based solutions to the biggest challenges we face as a society, including the energy transition.
In addition to developing and deploying financial technologies that make communication, trade, and transactions easier and more secure, Abaxx is the majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte. Ltd., the owner of Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing, and the parent company of wholly owned subsidiary Abaxx Spot Pte. Ltd., the operator of Abaxx Spot.
Abaxx Exchange delivers the market infrastructure critical to the shift toward an electrified, low-carbon economy through centrally-cleared, physically-deliverable futures contracts in LNG, carbon, battery materials, and precious metals, meeting the commercial needs of today’s commodity markets and establishing the next generation of global benchmarks.
Abaxx Spot modernizes physical gold trading through a physically-backed gold pool in Singapore. As the first instance of a co-located spot and futures market for gold, Abaxx Spot enables secure electronic transactions, efficient OTC transfers, and is designed to support physical delivery for Abaxx Exchange’s physically-deliverable gold futures contract, providing integrated infrastructure to deliver smarter gold markets.
For more information, visit abaxx.tech | abaxx.exchange | abaxxspot.com | basecarbon.com | smartermarkets.media
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Steve Fray, CFO
Tel: +1 647-490-1590
Media and investor inquiries:
Abaxx Technologies Inc.
Investor Relations Team
Tel: +1 246 271 0082
E-mail: ir@abaxx.tech
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “project”, “intend”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “target”, “purpose”, “goal”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “potential”, “likely” or the negative thereof or similar expressions.
In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits and impact of the Gold Kilobar Futures contract and Abaxx Spot platform, the Company’s business strategies, plans, and objectives, the development of new markets and products, expectations regarding Abaxx’s partnerships, demand for Abaxx’s products and market adoption and regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors impacting forward-looking information include, among others: risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; Abaxx’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for Abaxx to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on Abaxx and the industry; acquiring and maintaining regulatory approvals for Abaxx’s products and operations; the ability to list Abaxx’s securities on stock exchanges in a timely fashion or at all; network security risks; the ability of Abaxx to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future results of the business of Abaxx include but are not limited to: operations in foreign jurisdictions; protection of intellectual property rights; contractual risk; third-party risk; clearinghouse risk; malicious actor risks; third- party software license risk; system failure risk; risk of technological change; dependence of technical infrastructure; and changes in the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labor and international travel and supply chains, and the risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+. Abaxx has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of Abaxx’s normal course of business.
Abaxx cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. In addition, although Abaxx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. When relying on forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Abaxx has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraphs will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Abaxx as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Abaxx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and information. Cboe Canada does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Petrie, Earth Observation Researcher, Swinburne University of Technology
In a few days, a new satellite that can detect changes on Earth’s surface down to the centimetre, in almost real time and no matter the time of day or weather conditions, is set to launch from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre near Chennai.
Weighing almost 3 tonnes and boasting a 12-metre radar antenna, the US$1.5 billion NISAR satellite will track the ground under our feet and the water that flows over and through it in unprecedented detail, providing valuable information for farmers, climate scientists and natural disaster response teams.
Satellites that image the Earth have been an invaluable scientific tool for decades. They have provided crucial data across many applications, such as weather forecasting and emergency response planning. They have also helped scientists track long-term changes in Earth’s ecosystems and climate.
Many of these Earth observation satellites require reflected sunlight to capture images of Earth’s surface. This means they can only capture images during daytime and when there is no cloud cover.
As a result, these satellites face challenges wherever cloud cover is very common, such as in tropical regions, or when nighttime imagery is required.
The NISAR satellite – a collaboration between the national space agencies of the United States (NASA) and India (ISRO) – overcomes these challenges by using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology to take images of the Earth. This technology also gives the satellite its name. NISAR stands for NASA-ISRO SAR.
SAR technology was invented in 1951 for military use. Rather than using reflected sunlight to passively image the Earth’s surface, SAR satellites work by actively beaming a radar signal toward the surface and detecting the reflected signal. Think of this as like using a flash to take a photo in a dark room.
This means SAR satellites can take images of the Earth’s surface both during the day and night.
Since radar signals pass through most cloud and smoke unhindered, SAR satellites can also image the Earth’s surface even when it is covered by clouds, smoke or ash. This is especially valuable during natural disasters such as floods, bushfires or volcanic eruptions.
Radar signals can also penetrate through certain structures such as thick vegetation. They are useful for detecting the presence of water due to the way that water affects reflected radar signals.
The European Space Agency used the vegetation-penetrating properties of SAR signals in its recent Biomass mission. This can image the 3D structure of forests. It can also produce highly accurate measurements of the amount of biomass and carbon stored in Earth’s forests.
Sang-Ho Yun, Director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore’s Remote Sensing Lab, is a key proponent of using SAR for disaster management. Yun has previously used SAR data to map disaster-affected areas across hundreds of natural disasters over the last 15 years, including earthquakes, floods and typhoons.
NISAR, which is due to launch on June 18, will significantly build on this earlier work.
The NISAR satellite has been in development for over a decade and is one of the most expensive Earth-imaging satellites ever built.
Data from the satellite will be supplied freely and openly worldwide. It will provide high-resolution images of almost all land and ice surfaces around the globe twice every 12 days.
This is similar in scope to the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 SAR satellites. However, NISAR will be the first SAR satellite to use two complementary radar frequencies rather than one, and will be capable of producing higher resolution imagery compared with the Sentinel-1 satellites. It will also have greater coverage of Antarctica than Sentinel-1 and will use radar frequencies that penetrate further into vegetation.
The NISAR satellite will be used to monitor forest biomass. Its ability to simultaneously penetrate vegetation and detect water will also allow it to accurately map flooded vegetation.
This is important for gaining a deeper understanding of Earth’s wetlands, which are important ecosystems with high levels of biodiversity and massive carbon storage capacity.
The satellite will also be able to detect changes in the height of Earth’s surface of a few centimetres or even millimetres, because changes in height create tiny shifts in the reflected radar signal.
The NISAR satellite will use this technique to track subsidence of dams and map groundwater levels (since subsurface water affects the height of the Earth’s surface). It will also use the same technique to map land movement and damage from earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity.
Such maps can help disaster response teams to better understand the damage that has occurred in disaster areas and to plan their response.
The NISAR satellite will also be useful for agricultural applications, with a unique capability to estimate moisture levels in soil with high resolution in all weather conditions.
This is valuable for agricultural applications because such data can be used to determine when to irrigate to ensure healthy vegetation, and to potentially improve water use efficiency and crop yields.
Further key applications of the NISAR mission will include tracking the flow of Earth’s ice sheets and glaciers, monitoring coastal erosion and tracking oil spills.
We can expect to see many benefits for science and society to come from this highly ambitious satellite mission.
Steve Petrie has previously received funding for satellite data analysis projects from XPrize Foundation, from Ernst & Young, and from the Cooperative Research Centre for Smart Satellite Technologies and Analytics (SmartSat CRC, which is funded by the Australian Government).
– ref. A 3-tonne, $1.5 billion satellite to watch Earth’s every move is set to launch this week – https://theconversation.com/a-3-tonne-1-5-billion-satellite-to-watch-earths-every-move-is-set-to-launch-this-week-258283
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Farington, England, June 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As XRP appears poised to surge to $3 in June, leading XRP mining platform PFMCrypto has launched a 48-hour exclusive XRP mining promotion, giving away $1 million USD in rewards to its global user base. This limited-time event aims to help users capitalize on XRP’s bullish momentum and unlock substantial returns.
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