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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI: Avarga Limited Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Shares of Taiga Building Products Ltd.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Avarga Limited announced that on April 14, 2025, it entered into a share purchase agreement through its wholly owned subsidiary, Avarga Canada Limited, to acquire a total of 2,397,200 common shares (“Common Shares”) of Taiga Building Products Ltd. (“Taiga”), a company with a head office at #800 – 4710 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 4M2, at a deemed purchase price of CDN$4.20 per Common Share for an aggregate purchase price of CDN$10,068,240, from a single vendor. The acquisition will be made by way of a private transaction in reliance on the private agreement exemption set out in section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids. Avarga Limited currently owns, directly or indirectly, or exercises control or direction over 77,708,814 Common Shares, representing approximately 72.0% of the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares. After the acquisition, Avarga Limited will own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over, 80,106,014 Common Shares, representing approximately 74.2% of the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares. This change will represent an increase of approximately 2.2% in the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares controlled by Avarga Limited. Avarga Limited’s acquisition is being made for investment purposes. Avarga Limited may, in the future, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership, control or direction over securities of Taiga.

    For more information, or to obtain a copy of the subject early warning report, please contact:

    Avarga Limited
    1 Kim Seng Promenade
    #13-10 Great World City West Lobby
    Singapore 237994

    Telephone: (65) 6836 5522
    Facsimile: (65) 6836 5500

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Amid the election promises, what would actually help ‘fix’ the housing crisis? Here’s 5 ideas

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, John Curtin Distinguished Professor & ARC Future Fellow, Curtin University

    Shutterstock

    As the election campaign rolls on, housing has been, unsurprisingly, a major campaign focus. We’ve seen a series of housing policy announcements from across the political spectrum, including duelling announcements from the major parties in recent days.

    Labor will expand access to their Help to Buy and Home Gurantee schemes by either raising or removing income limits and price caps.

    The Liberals will allow first homebuyers to access their super for housing and deduct mortgage repayments from their income tax, while lowering the mortgage serviceability buffer.

    While the politicians make big promises, it’s worth thinking about what evidence shows would actually make a meaningful difference. We have five ideas.

    But first, the extent of the problem

    It’s old news that we have a significant housing affordability problem in Australia.

    Between 2004 and 2024, the national dwelling price to income ratio climbed rapidly from five to eight, hitting ten in Sydney.

    Advertised rents have climbed by more than 20% since the start of COVID.

    The public housing waitlist is around 170,000 households, and the number of homeless persons rose from 95,000 to 122,000 in the two decades to 2021.

    Policies of the past decade have not worked, and in some cases they’ve made it worse. So what would help?



    Read more:
    Labor and Coalition support for new home buyers welcome but other Australians also struggling with housing affordability

    1. It’s a cluster problem that needs a cluster solution

    When we talk of the affordability crisis, what we’re really talking about is a complicated cluster of interrelated problems that make housing unaffordable to buy, build and rent.

    Unaffordable housing comes from the interaction between the global economy, interest rates, inefficiencies in our construction and planning systems, as well as the outcomes of poor government policies. We should be wary of hitching our wagon to any of these alone.

    Reform of the planning system, for example, is held up by some as the simple solution. While the planning system needs to be improved, it does not make up the entirety of the housing production pipeline – and it’s definitely not a magical solution.

    Equal attention needs to be given to workforce shortages, productivity concerns in the construction industry, development financial risk and developer behaviour. These are all arguably as important as planning in delivering new supply.

    2. It’s not about supply versus demand. It’s both

    Many major housing policy announcements are either supply-focused or demand-focused. What Australia needs are coherent and integrated policy packages addressing both sides of the problem at the same time.

    During this election campaign, both major parties have made a series of demand-boosting policy announcements in rapid succession, designed to put more cash into the hands of first homebuyers.

    All these measures will further fuel increases in house prices at a pace that income growth cannot match.

    It is true both parties have proposed supply measures, such as Labor’s plan to build 100,000 new homes exclusively for first homebuyers.

    However, supply lags mean these houses will not be delivered in time to offset any rise in demand (and price) from the expansion of the demand-boosting schemes.

    3. Think beyond new supply

    The shortfall of dwellings in Australia is certainly a problem, but even an ambitious construction target is likely to add only about 2% to our existing stock each year.

    We need to look to the homes already built and how they can better meet demand. This might include measures to promote granny flats, or enable additional subdivision.

    4. Aim before shooting

    Too many housing programs are poorly targeted. We need to zero in on those in housing need. We shouldn’t be providing assistance to those who don’t need it.

    Policymakers need to confront the targeting errors that afflict their proposed plans.

    Currently, 11% of aspiring first homebuyers are able to meet deposit and repayment requirements to purchase a home.

    Labor’s plan to lift the income limits and caps on available places will open up the scheme to many homebuyers who don’t need government-funded assistance for a home purchase.

    The Liberals’ super for housing plan will also benefit higher-income and older groups.

    5. Design policies through an intergenerational lens

    As we live longer, policymakers must embrace the challenge of meeting the housing needs of multiple generations. This co-existence in society is the new normal.

    For instance, economists have consistently called for the abolition of stamp duties in home purchases, favouring instead a broad-based land tax. This removes a major upfront sum that would otherwise be paid by both young people looking to buy their first home and older “empty nesters” looking to downsize.



    Read more:
    25 years into a new century and housing is less affordable than ever

    Stamp duty is a major revenue source for state and territory governments. This reform needs Australian government financial support as we move to a more affordable future. Australia’s reliance on stamp duty is second only to South Korea among OECD countries.

    But even if stamp duties are not abolished, we could better use this revenue to meet housing needs, including building additional social housing, bolstering homelessness services and constructing new housing infrastructure.

    The elephant in the housing policy room

    At the end of the day, it’s worth remembering that housing isn’t all about supply, buildings, investment and construction. Our housing is also where we live, sleep and grow old.

    Our population aren’t just passive players in the housing system, they actively shape it, in their choices to buy housing, to rent, seek out major cities and renovate.

    By demonstrating, de-risking, and promoting a broader range of housing options (such as making rental an attractive lifetime tenure, expanding shared equity options, or championing advances in modular and prefabricated construction), governments can shape demand towards more affordable homes.

    Rachel Ong ViforJ is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project FT200100422). She also receives funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

    Andrew Beer receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and the City of Lithgow.

    Emma Baker receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).

    – ref. Amid the election promises, what would actually help ‘fix’ the housing crisis? Here’s 5 ideas – https://theconversation.com/amid-the-election-promises-what-would-actually-help-fix-the-housing-crisis-heres-5-ideas-253332

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: ARB IOT Group Limited Secures Approximately USD53.0 Million Order for Supplying AI Servers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARB IOT Group Limited (“ARB IOT” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ARBB) today announced that it has, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, ARB R1 Technology Sdn Bhd, successfully entered into a contract valued at approximately USD53.0 million to deliver cutting-edge AI data centre server solutions to Whizzl Group. This agreement represents a major step forward in advancing AI infrastructure capabilities for the AI industry in Malaysia.

    Under the terms of the agreement, ARB IOT will supply its state-of-the-art ARB-222 AI servers (“AI Products”) to provide high-performance AI-driven data centre solutions to meet the complex demands of modern data-intensive operations. The solution will empower the customer to accelerate AI model training, enable faster data processing, and unlock deeper insights across its operations.

    “This contract highlights our expertise in AI infrastructure and our commitment to delivering scalable, high-impact solutions,” said Dato’ Sri Liew Kok Leong, CEO of ARB IOT. “We are excited to support Whizzl Group in achieving their AI ambitions through robust, future-ready server technologies.”

    Securing this contract delivers significant strategic value to ARB IOT. It strengthens the Company’s revenue base, reinforces its credibility in delivering enterprise-scale AI infrastructure, and opens the door to further opportunities within the high-growth AI and data centre sectors. Additionally, it supports the Company’s long-term growth strategy by expanding its project portfolio, enhancing client references, and accelerating innovation through real-world deployment at scale.

    About ARB IOT Group Limited
    ARB IOT Group Limited is a provider of complete solutions to clients for the integration of Internet of Things (“IoT”) systems and devices from designing to project deployment. We offer a wide range of IoT systems as well as provide customers a substantial range of services such as system integration and system support service. We deliver holistic solutions with full turnkey deployment from designing, installation, testing, precommissioning, and commissioning of various IoT systems and devices as well as integration of automated systems, including installation of wire and wireless and mechatronic works.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, such as statements regarding our estimated future results of operations and financial position, our strategy and plans, and our objectives or goals, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “should,” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Our actual results may differ materially or perhaps significantly from those discussed herein, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including, but not limited to, those that we discussed or referred to in the Company’s disclosure documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F as well as in our other reports filed or furnished from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

    For further information, please contact:
    ARB IOT Group Limited
    Investor Relations Department
    Email: contact@arbiotgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Goldman, Congresswoman Meng, Assemblymember Lee Host Press Conference Condemning Trump’s Disastrous Tariff War, Highlighting Devastating Impact on AAPI New Yorkers and Small Businesses

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    China Imposes 125% Tariffs on U.S. Goods in Response to 145% U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Imports 

    Trump Trade War Disproportionately Impacting Asian American Communities and Families  

     

    NYC, Home of Many Historic Asian American Communities, Pays Price For Trump’s Recklessness 

      

    View Pictures and Video of Press Conference Here 

     

    New York, NY – Today, Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Assembly Member Grace Lee, Chair of the New York State Assembly Asian Pacific American Task Force (APA Task Force), Council Member Susan Zhuang, and other elected officials and local advocates, hosted a press conference to demand President Trump stop his ongoing trade war which will harm Asian American families and businesses in New York. 

     

    The President’s tariffs are pushing many Asian American-owned small businesses in New York City toward financial ruin, especially those dependent on foreign imports. The trade war, driven by the White House, threatens to devastate historic Asian American neighborhoods. These reckless policies are creating economic volatility and disproportionately affecting businesses reliant on international trade. As a result, many small businesses are uncertain about their future, placing a significant financial strain on Asian American families and entrepreneurs across the city.

     

    “From Manhattan’s Chinatown to Sunset Park and beyond, Donald Trump’s reckless and destructive trade war is crippling New York’s AAPI small businesses and pushing entire communities to the brink of financial ruin,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “Mom-and-pop shops are struggling to make ends meet. Livelihoods are on the line. If Trump doesn’t reverse these tariffs immediately, his dangerous brinkmanship will shutter AAPI small businesses not only in New York City but across the country.” 

     

    Congresswoman Meng said, “As the new Chair of CAPAC, I’m proud to partner with New York State APA Task Force Chair Grace Lee, and my colleague Congressman Goldman to shine a light on the harm that this trade war will have on the Asian American community, in particular Asian-owned small businesses. These tariffs will deliver devastating blows to everybody from our local entrepreneurs to owners of mom-and-pop establishments, with many being forced to pass higher costs onto their customers or suffer financial hits to their livelihoods. Those working to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic will be hit especially hard. It will also impact jobs and investments in our neighborhoods. We will continue pushing for these tariffs to be rescinded.”

     

    Assemblymember Grace Lee said, “Trump’s reckless tariff policies are driving up costs for small businesses and raising prices for everyday people. In Chinatown, family-run shops that have been part of the community for generations are struggling to survive. And when hostility toward China drives policy, it too often leads to racism against the Asian American community. These policies aren’t just bad economics — they’re bad for Asian Americans.”

     

    NY State Senator John Liu said, “Trump’s punitive tariff charade is causing irreparable harm to immigrant communities and small businesses throughout the country, and especially here in New York City. In their pursuit of the American Dream, Asian American small businesses have revitalized our economy and strengthened our communities, but now their livelihoods are on the line as they’re forced to either absorb skyrocketing costs or pass them onto their customers, who are already struggling. It’s time to end this zero sum trade war that is threatening to stall so many economic engines for our city, state and country.” 

     

    Council Member Susan Zhuang said, “As the Councilmember for Brooklyn’s District 43, a majority Asian-American district, I see the direct impact of all federal changes on my constituents.I regularly say immigrant business owners provide essential services for New Yorkers. These tariffs hinder these business owners from doing their work which will put a burden on every single working class New Yorker.” 

     

    Council Member Sandra Ung said, “Just recently hit hard by COVID-19, a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, inflation, and rising rents, the economic recovery remains fragile. Many immigrant-owned small businesses that rely heavily on international trade are still struggling to get back on their feet. Moreover, many budget grocery stores provide a vital lifeline for working-class families. The potential shocks to the market these tariffs will cause follow on the heels of recent cuts by Washington Republicans to the SNAP program that prevent stolen funds from being replaced. We need clear and compassionate federal guidance and targeted local support to protect these businesses from further setbacks and to ensure the economic recovery in our Asian American communities stays on track.”

     

    Council Member Julie Won said, “Federal tariffs threaten the livelihoods of Asian-owned small businesses in District 26. High import fees will force Bangladeshi, Filipino, and Chinese business owners to pay more to purchase goods. Tariffs also hurt working-class New Yorkers who already struggle to pay for rent, groceries, and other necessities. I join my colleagues in Congress and the Assembly to urge Trump to reverse these harmful tariffs.”

     

    Karen Liu, second generation owner of Grand Tea and Imports said, “Almost every business in Chinatown is an import business in some way. These tariffs threaten our ability to restock—and for many of our neighbors, their ability to stay open. As we move through this uncertain time, I hope policymakers remember Chinatown. We shouldn’t have to face this alone.”

     

    All have made protecting and supporting small businesses, as well as the Asian American community, a priority of their time in office.

     

    In March, Congressman Goldman and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand secured $50 million in IRS Employee Retention Tax Credits for 585 small businesses. This release was fought for by Congressman Goldman, Senator Chuck Schumer, and nine of their New York congressional colleagues in the winter of 2024, urging the agency to expedite the processing and resolution of legitimate Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims.

     

    In February, Congressman Goldman joined Senator Smith, and Congresswoman Underwood in introducing the ‘Job Protection Act,’ which would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to millions of workers who are currently unable to take time off to care for themselves or their families. Nearly 2.6 million workers every year decline to take family or medical leave out of fear that they will lose their jobs due to gaps in FMLA coverage.  

     

    In Spring of 2023,  Congressman Goldman joined Congresswoman Meng in introducing the ‘Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act’ which would require Presidential and Congressional Academies’ grant applicants and recipients to include Asian Pacific American history in American history and civics curricula. 

     

    Congressman Goldman is an Executive Board Member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Judge Sentences Cherokee Man To 30 Years In Prison For Second Degree Murder In Indian Country

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Brandon Tyler Buchanan to 30 years in prison for second degree murder, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Buchanan, 33, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay $888,500 in restitution to the victim’s estate.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court records and court proceedings, on November 11, 2022, CIPD officers responded to a 911 call following reports of a shooting. When the officers arrived, Buchanan admitted to shooting someone. CIPD officers discovered the body of the victim, Kobe Toineeta, a short distance away behind a row of trees, who had sustained five gunshot wounds. Court documents show that a Smith & Wesson, Model M&P, .9mm handgun was later found in Buchanan’s apartment. Laboratory testing confirmed that it was the firearm Buchanan used to shoot and kill the victim.

    On May 31, 2024, Buchanan pleaded guilty to second degree murder and remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. 

    In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – Palm Sunday and Holy Week among the rubble: “Christ is among the displaced”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Archdiocese of Mandalay

    Mandalay (Agenzia Fides) – In Mandalay, Palm Sunday was celebrated among the rubble “as a sign of resilience and Christian joy in the midst of devastation and suffering,” says Fr. John Kyaw Thu Ya, parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, a historic church in the municipality of Yamethin, in the diocese of Mandalay, completely destroyed by the earthquake of 28 March. The parish priest wanted to gather the community and celebrate the Eucharist right in front of the rubble of the church, as a sign of faith and hope: “The church has been destroyed, but the faith of the baptised is firm, it is like the house founded on the rock”. It was a touching moment in the parishes wounded by the earthquake. Outside the churches, the priests of Mandalay tell Fides, the rites of Holy Week will be celebrated. The celebration of the Palms, full of ‘hosannas’, joy and acclamation to the ‘King of kings’ was a moment in which the faithful, all displaced, were able to find themselves, gather and renew their faith in Christ, both in the diocese of Mandalay and in the other affected areas.As Fides learns, in the diocese of Myitkyina, capital of the state of Kachin, Bishop John Mung Ngawn La Sam, celebrated Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of St Columbun, encouraging the faithful “not to despair, not to seek the praise of men, but the will of God”. “Remember that the difficulties and adversities of today,” he said, “are the cross we bear with the Lord Jesus, who is a blessing”. “If we commit ourselves to walking according to God’s will, we receive the grace of victory with the Lord Jesus at Easter. Not only will we receive a hundredfold blessings on earth, but we will also receive heavenly treasures.” “Whenever we see and carry the cross,” he continued, “let us remember that the Lord Jesus is on the cross and that in the midst of our suffering, the Lord Jesus is always with us. Christ is with us in the midst of our suffering in Mandalay, Sagaing and the pain of war. The Lord Jesus is with the internally displaced persons suffering today”.In Yangon, an area less affected by the earthquake, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, during the celebration of the Eucharist on Palm Sunday in the cathedral, recalled that this celebration “expresses peace, joy, humility and hope”, inviting the faithful to “rejoice for the gift received from the Lord, salvation”.The Cardinal dwelt on the figure of the lamb, “a humble creature, obedient to God’s will: the people of Myanmar are called to take an example from that lamb,” he said. “Today, in a context of ‘polycrisis’ afflicting our country, we cry out to God and ask: why this suffering? Lord why do you not answer us? We do not know God’s times, his mysterious plans. However, we know by faith that God’s answer for us is the resurrection. We cling to Him amidst difficulties and uncertainty. We pray for unity and a future full of light”.Melvin Aung, a Catholic youth from St Augustine’s Church in Yangon recounts: “I went to church and prayed to the Lord Jesus that, as we raised our palms in remembrance of his entry into Jerusalem, he might enter into our lives, our hearts and our hopes. A light rain and a cool breeze made the moment of the Palm procession even more meaningful, as if nature itself joined in the peace of this holy day. We remembered in prayer all the people of Myanmar, tormented by struggles and difficulties. We prayed for peace and for the healing of our nation”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/4/2025)

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle Push VA to Build Roseburg Veterans’ Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), are calling on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prioritize funding for the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) proposed Roseburg Veterans’ Home project.
    Currently, ODVA operates two high-quality, award-winning Oregon Veterans’ Homes: the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles, a 151-bed skilled nursing facility, and the Edward C. Allworth Veterans’ Home in Lebanon, a 154-bed assisted living facility. These facilities provide skilled and long-term nursing, memory, and rehabilitative care to veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents, allowing veterans to live in a culture of community with fellow veterans and those with shared military experiences. The lawmakers are urging VA Secretary Collins to support the Roseburg Veterans’ Home project to expand this model of small home care to more veterans in the state.
    “Since 2011, ODVA has worked closely with the VA to develop this critical project to serve veterans in southern Oregon — and the time to build the Roseburg Veterans’ Home is now,” the lawmakers said.
    Roseburg has a sizable veteran population, with current estimates suggesting that Douglas County is home to over 10,000 veterans, many of whom served in the Vietnam War era or earlier. A new facility in the community would provide an affordable, high-quality, long-term care option for the estimated 68,000 veterans across the VA Southern Oregon Healthcare System service area which includes Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Lake counties in Oregon as well as Siskiyou and Del Norte counties in California.
    The Oregon lawmakers have long supported the Roseburg State Veterans’ Home project, which remains in the preliminary stages of preconstruction. Currently, the project has secured the required 35 percent funding commitment from the State of Oregon to qualify for federal funding from the VA. With Oregon doing its part to make the long-awaited project a reality, Merkley, Wyden, and Hoyle are urging the VA to do the same. They are calling for Secretary Collins to commit the remaining 65 percent in federal funds in FY25. Additionally, they are encouraging the VA to prioritize the transfer of the more than 13 acres identified for this project on the Roseburg VA Medical Center campus to the ODVA.
    “Veterans have served our country with tremendous courage and sacrifice. We owe them the highest standard of care and services our nation has to offer,” the lawmakers said.
    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Don Pettit, Crewmates Return

    Source: NASA

    NASA astronaut Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, will depart the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft and return to Earth on Saturday, April 19.
    Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner will undock from the orbiting laboratory’s Rassvet module at 5:57 p.m. EDT, heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 9:20 p.m. (6:20 a.m. Kazakhstan time, Sunday, April 20) on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan. Landing will occur on Pettit’s 70th birthday.
    NASA’s live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of platforms.
    A change of command ceremony also will stream on NASA platforms at 2:40 p.m. Friday, April 18. Ovchinin will handover station command to JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi for Expedition 73, which begins at the time of undocking.
    Spanning 220 days in space, Pettit and his crewmates will have orbited the Earth 3,520 times and completed a journey of 93.3 million miles over the course of their mission. The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft launched and docked to the station on Sept. 11, 2024.
    This was Pettit’s fourth spaceflight, where he served as flight engineer for Expedition 71 and 72. He has a career total of 590 days in orbit. Ovchinin completed his fourth flight in space, totaling 595 days, and Vagner has earned an overall total of 416 days in space during two trips to the orbiting laboratory.
    After returning to Earth, the three crew members will fly on a helicopter from the landing site to the recovery staging city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Pettit will board a NASA plane and return to Houston, while Ovchinin and Vagner will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.
    NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to changed based on real-time operations):
    Friday, April 18:
    2:40 p.m. – Expedition 72/73 change of command ceremony begins on NASA+.
    Saturday, April 19:
    2 p.m. – Farewells and hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+.
    2:25 p.m. – Hatch closing
    5:30 p.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+.
    5:57 p.m. – Undocking
    8 p.m. – Coverage begins for deorbit burn, entry, and landing on NASA+. 
    8:26 p.m. – Deorbit burn
    9:20 p.m. – Landing
    For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge, and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA is focusing more resources on deep space missions to the Moon as part of Artemis in preparation for future human missions to Mars.
    Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/station
    -end-
    Claire O’Shea / Josh FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
    Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Summer just got better: Visible+ Pro members can now get tickets to the hottest events of the summer

    Source: Verizon

    Headline: Summer just got better: Visible+ Pro members can now get tickets to the hottest events of the summer

    NEW YORK – Visible is giving its customers even more to look forward to this summer. Starting today, customers who sign up for the new Visible+ Pro plan can receive tickets to some of the biggest music festivals and sporting events across the country, just by being on the plan.

    That’s right—your ticket to the biggest music festivals and hottest games of the summer is the new Visible+ Pro plan. Both new and existing customers who upgrade to the Visible+ Pro plan can receive a limited number of first-come, first served tickets* to some of summer’s most in- demand live events. To participate, customers can visit enterpromo.com/visible/, verify that they’re on the Visible+ Pro plan, and follow the instructions to claim that day’s featured event, while supplies last.

    Thanks to Visible, consumers will be able to dance the night away at top-tier music festivals like EDC Las Vegas, Sueños Music Festival (Chicago), BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival, Festival La Onda By BottleRock (Napa Valley), The Governors Ball (New York City), and Sea.Hear.Now. (Asbury Park). With festivals that have something for everybody, Visible is rewarding its customers with a chance to experience some of the best of live music, just for being on its newest plan.

    Plus, it is not just music lovers who benefit. Sports fans on the Visible+ Pro plan can get in on the action, too. For those who crave high-speed thrills, tickets to premier racing events like the INDYCAR Sonsio Grand Prix and the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are up for grabs. Visible also has New Jersey Devils fans covered with tickets to their final regular season game. It’s all part of Visible’s commitment to putting its members first by delivering premium wireless and unforgettable experiences, all at an unbeatable cost.

    “We’re always looking for ways to bring more value to our customers, and now, to celebrate the launch of our newest plan we’re taking our commitment to the next level,” said David Kim, Chief Revenue Officer at Verizon Value. “It’s just one more reason Visible+ Pro is the best wireless plan in the market today—premium features, unbeatable cost, and now a chance to gain access to some of the best events of the season.”

    How to get Visible tickets:

    1. Establish Service on the Visible+ Pro plan

    • If you’re a new customer, go to visible.com/plans and sign up for the Visible+ Pro plan.
    • If you’re an existing customer, you must have already upgraded to Visible+ Pro or do so before submitting.

    2. Visit the promo site

    • Go to enterpromo.com/visible between April 14, 2025 – April 24, 2025.

    3. Validate your plan status

    • Enter your information in the fields provided, including your name, email, address, and Visible+ Pro Plan Order Number.

    4. Try to score tickets 

    • Each day features a different event. Tickets are limited and will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last, to eligible customers who complete the steps. Submitting does not guarantee a ticket.
    • You can submit as many times as you would like, however, each customer can only receive tickets once during the giveaway, so act fast!

    Visit here for a full list of daily event, and more details.

    This activation builds on the recent enhancements to Visible’s wireless plans. Earlier this month, Visible introduced its best plan yet: Visible+ Pro. For $45/month (taxes and fees included), customers get unlimited premium data, access to Verizon’s fastest network, 5G Ultra Wideband, and our fastest mobile hotspot, with speeds up to 15 Mbps. Unlike the competition, our hotspot won’t slow down based on how much you use, so you can get peak performance across all your devices. It’s premium wireless without the premium cost.

    Visible also upgraded its existing Visible+ plan, increasing premium data from 50GB to unlimited, while still offering unlimited access to 5G Ultra Wideband and unlimited mobile hotspot,, all now at a lower monthly rate of $35/month, with no promotion needed.

    To check out the new plans, please visit visible.com/plans.

    *Note: Selection is based on first-come, first served basis until all 88 tickets are dispersed to customers. Customers can only be selected for one event and this is not a sweepstakes or contest.  Full eligibility criteria, terms and conditions can be found at enterpromo.com/visible.

    Note: The festivals are each not a Sponsor of this offer and is in no way responsible for the administration of the offer, the verification of qualified consumers or distribution of the festival rewards. All inquiries regarding the offer should be directed to Valuemediarelations@verizon.com.

    Sea.Hear.Now, BottleRock, La Onda and The Governors Ball are trademarks of Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.

    Sueños Chicago is a trademark of Collective PBB LLC.

    EDC is a registered trademark of Insomniac Holdings, LLC.

    About Visible

    Visible is the first all-digital wireless service in the US, offering unlimited data, messages, minutes, and hotspot, powered by Verizon, 5G included. On a mission to dramatically change the wireless service experience, Visible has been named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list and has been named “Best Telecom Brand” in Adweek’s Challenger Brand Awards. Known for its commitment to giving back to the community it serves, Visible’s social impact platform, Connection Protection, offers three months of wireless service to eligible members at no cost to ensure those who get laid off won’t lose their wireless plan, too.

    Visible is a division of Verizon and powered by Verizon’s award-winning networks. For more information, visit www.visible.com or search for our service in the App Store or the Play Store.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Houchin Applauds House Passage of America First Budget Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Erin Houchin (Indiana 09)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Republican Budget Resolution:

    “This Budget Resolution is a bold, responsible plan to put our country back on the right track. It reflects the will of the 77 million Americans who are demanding we rein in reckless spending, secure our borders, and restore economic strength. 

    It makes clear that House Republicans will keep our promises to the American people—cutting waste, fraud, and abuse without harming eligible beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. With the budget framework, we will strengthen these critical programs and protect them for future generations, seniors, and families who rely on them. 

    It also begins the reconciliation process, which is essential to delivering the transformational policies of President Trump’s America First agenda in one big, beautiful bill. I proudly voted yes.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at the effect of global warming on persistence and intensity of marine heatwaves

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in PNAS looks at global warming and the intensity of marine heatwaves. 

    Dr Caroline Rowland, Scientific Strategic Head for Ocean Cryosphere and Climate, Met Office, said:

    “We should all care about marine heatwaves because societies around the world depend on the ocean; changes to ocean temperatures can have wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems and fisheries. There is growing evidence that the intensity and frequency of marine heatwaves – driven by climate change – can contribute to impactful weather events both around the UK and globally with obvious impacts for human health.

    “The record-breaking UK land temperatures in June 2023 were amplified by an unprecedented marine heatwave in UK waters that occurred simultaneously with the land heatwave. The increasing intensity and frequency of marine heatwaves due to climate change can increase the severity of storms – including tropical cyclones – and heatwaves on land.

    What are the key points readers should take from the study?

    “Anthropogenic climate change is the major cause of observed increases in intensity, frequency and duration of marine heatwaves (MHW) both globally and regionally

    “Natural year-to-year climate variability does contribute to extreme Marine temperatures, however, MHW are longer and more intense due to the long-term warming of the seas due to anthropogenic climate change.

    “MHWs are shown to increase in length in the tropics and in intensity and length in the mid-latitudes. The North and Baltic Seas have seen a larger increase relative to other regions (likely because of their shallow nature and their lower salinity: their excess heat is less likely exported to the deeper ocean).

    “The results of this paper are largely consistent with the assessment of MHWs in IPCC AR6 WG1 Box 9.2.

    Why are marine heatwaves important for people – why should they care?

    “The public should care about Marine Heatwaves because humans depend on the ocean; changes to ocean temperatures can have wide ranging impacts including to ecosystems and fisheries. There is growing evidence that MHWs contribute to weather events both around the UK and globally which can have significant impacts to human and animal health. Record-breaking UK land temperatures in June 2023 were amplified by an unprecedented Marine Heatwave in UK waters that occurred simultaneously with the land heatwave [1]. The intensity of cyclones in tropical regions has also been shown to be magnified by MHW. The increasing intensity and frequency of MHW due to climate change has the potential to increase the severity of storms and heatwaves on land.

    Are there any important caveats that we should be aware of?

    “Although we know that there are wide ranging impacts to ecosystems and fisheries from global MHW, there are large gaps in our knowledge of MHW impacts to ecosystems in UK waters, particularly coastal regions.

     “This paper also further strengthens the need for evidence to quantify the role of anthropogenic climate change on the frequency and duration of MHWs.”

    1- https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01413-8

     

    Dr Jeffrey Kargel, Senior Scientists, Planetary Science Institute, said:

    “The work by Marta Marcos and colleagues is richly informative about global warming’s oceanic influences. The authors computed sea surface temperatures under the observed atmospheric conditions with global warming included, and then re-doing the sea surface computation by removing the long-term influence of the warming atmosphere and just leaving in the hot spells and cold spells.

    “Interestingly, the authors found that most–but not all–of the observed intensity of extreme hot ocean surface episodes, and about half of the number of days of extreme ocean warmth are explained directly by global warming. This relationship is readily understood. However, when I read this, I zeroed in on the fact that there have been more days and greater intensities of extreme ocean surface warmth than global warming alone accounts for. I suspect that the excess over predictions could be related to the controversial but much-reported slow-down of the jet streams and the frequent “stuck” jet streams. Instead of continuing on their usual eastward migration, jet streams and associated high- and low-pressure systems have frequently become “stuck” in place, leaving parts of the ocean surface (land surface as well) subjected to blistering hot conditions. This is a likely indirect influence of global warming. Global climate change is not only about warming, but about the disruption of all parts of the climate system, including jet streams. That influence, in turn, affects the sea surface temperature in extreme ways, which then affects hurricanes and weather systems that extend into continental interiors.   

    “The weakening and stagnating jet streams in relationship to global warming and melting sea ice was first discovered and explained by Jennifer Francis. If her model is correct, as seems increasingly likely as observations accrue, then combined with this new paper by Marcos and colleagues, it could suggest that the stuck jet streams may impose a multiplier effect on global warming’s influence on sea surface temperatures and extreme weather on land, too.”

    Dr Zoe Jacobs, Ocean and Climate Modeler, UK National Oceanography Centre, said:

    What are the key points readers should take from the study?

    “Human-induced global warming is responsible for nearly half of global marine heatwave (MHW) events since 1940.

    “Human-induced global warming has caused a 3-fold increase in the number of days per year experiencing MHW conditions. Globally, this means that, on average, we are experiencing 34 extra MHW days per year in recent years compared with the early period. This reaches 80 additional MHW days per year in some regions, including the equatorial Western Pacific and Atlantic, and parts of the tropical Indian Ocean.

    “It has also led to a global mean increase in MHW maximum intensity of 1oC, with the greatest increases observed outside the tropics.

    “Overall, their work reveals the dominant contribution of anthropogenic forcing to MHW increases, especially since the year 2000.

    “It is important to note that there will be high variability between individual events. For example, the MHW in the Tasman Sea in 2015-16 is found to almost entirely be due to global warming, whereas the Pacific Blob (2014-15) is found to be due to a mixture of global warming and natural climate variability.

    Why are marine heatwaves important for people – frankly, why should they care?

    “Wide ranging impacts have been documented for marine heatwave events worldwide. They have decimated coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests as well as fisheries and seabird colonies and even impacted larger species like seals and whales.

    “Because of this they pose significant risks to society, with some individual events causing millions of dollars of losses due to impacts on the fishing, aquaculture, and tourism industries. They have also been found to exacerbate heatwaves on land and have amplified extreme weather like hurricanes and storms.”

    Are there any important caveats that we should be aware of?

    “Using sea surface temperature (SST) data before the satellite record (pre-1980s) will have considerable uncertainties. Using a. 0.25o grid will have led to a lot of interpolation between actual observations due to incomplete spatial coverage.

    “The study focuses on summer MHW events only but MHWs can occur year-round, with seasonal differences in persistence and intensity likely.”

    ‘Global warming drives a threefold increase in persistence and 1 ◦C rise in intensity of marine heatwaves’ by Marcos et al. was published in PNAS at 20:00 UK time on Monday 14th April 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2413505122

    Declared interests

    Dr Jeffrey Kargel “I have no conflicts of interest related to this article or my commentary.”

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: South-South and Triangular Cooperation Furthers Efforts to Promote Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Urban Health Resilience

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) concluded the fifth online certificate training programme titled “Leveraging South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Inclusive and Technological Innovations for Urban Health and Disaster Risk Reduction” on 12, 19, and 26 March 2025.

    Building on a successful partnership since 2020, this fifth training programme emphasized the importance of a whole-of-society approach, particularly in addressing the needs of the most at-risk groups—such as women, older persons, and persons with disabilities—in disaster risk reduction, health emergencies, and disaster risk management. Through expert-led discussions and practical case studies, participants gained valuable insights into advancing inclusive, resilient, and healthy cities through technological innovations and South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

    “This training programme embodies the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which explicitly calls for an inclusive approach that considers the needs of all populations and groups. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, we can share valuable lessons and innovative approaches that ensure no one is left behind when disaster strikes.”

    – Piedad Huerta Arneros, Chief of Office of Country and Subregional Coordination in PAHO/WHO, in her Opening Remarks

    The first training session, led by UNDRR Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) on 12 March, emphasized disability-inclusive urban resilience in practice. The session introduced participants to the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities – Annex for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, a practical tool that supports local governments in ensuring meaningful participation and accessibility for persons with disabilities in disaster risk planning and implementation.

    “Persons with disabilities must be decision-makers in resilience strategies that affect their lives. Inclusion is not only a right—it improves the quality and relevance of our actions,” 

    – Carlos Kaiser, Executive Director of ONG Inclusiva

    Practical case studies from Quezon City in the Philippines, and Pudahuel Municipality in Chile—both of which have applied the Disability Inclusion Scorecard provided real-world application insights for participants. “Since the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Scorecard, we have been able to strengthen our approach and adopt the necessary adjustments to close the gaps,” said Maria Elena Opazo, Director of Disaster Risk Management Department of Pudahuel Municipality.

    Ma. Bianca D. Perez, Head of the Disaster Risk and Management Office of Quezon City, also emphasized how they were empowered to cater to the different needs of people with disabilities, “Profile of those capacitated [was collected] to ensure that the interventions were equitable, not just a one-size-fits-all solution, but cater to the different types of disabilities identified.”

    According to UNDRR’s 2023 Global Survey on Disability and Disasters: 84% of persons with disabilities reported being unprepared for disasters and 56% reported lacking access to disaster risk information. These figures highlight the urgency to ensure the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction planning.

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, has offered three recommendations for action to all participants: 

    “First, we must continue building the awareness and capacity of institutions and staff to address this problem. For our part, UNDRR remains committed to supporting capacity development and to fostering all-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to disaster risk reduction. 

    Second, we must ensure that there are mechanisms to engage with at-risk groups and to capture their needs in planning processes. This is why UNDRR developed and piloted the Annex for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, as part of our Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities. We invite all local governments to utilize this tested tool. 

    And third, we need to promote international cooperation and the sharing of good practices among countries, especially South-South and Triangular cooperation. By learning from each other, exchanging good practices, and working collaboratively, countries can accelerate the adoption of new solutions to ensure no one is left behind.”

    – Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR

    A mini quiz at the end of the first training session reinforced key learning messages. A total of 1,362 unique participants from 141 countries and territories joined this session live, reflecting strong global interest in inclusive urban resilience approaches.

    This joint training includes three online training sessions. The second session, led by PAHO/WHO on 19 March, explored the intersection of ageing, disability, and urban health emergencies, highlighting the importance of integrating diverse actors into disaster risk reduction and urban resilience planning to ensure inclusive and accessible solutions. The final session, led by UNOSSC on 26 March, was centered on leveraging technological innovation for urban disaster risk reduction and management. This session facilitated the exchange of knowledge and good practices on cutting-edge, low-cost, and high-impact technologies that can enhance urban resilience through South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

    Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC, called attention to the importance of South-South Cooperation, especially in capacity building activities to further SDGs

    “South-South Cooperation fosters collaboration amongst developing countries by facilitating knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and resource sharing to achieve mutual development goals.”

    – Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC

    The UNDRR-UNOSSC-PAHO Joint Certificate Training Programme 2025 featured 30 expert speakers, with a balanced gender representation, and provided simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, as well as International Sign Language, to ensure accessibility and inclusion.

    The training series has been highly successful, attracting over 9,800 live session participants and 6,500 self-paced learners from 155 countries and territories over the past four training programmes. This year’s training alone attracted over 3,200 registrants, with 1,846 participants including 71 persons with disabilities, reflecting its growing reach and impact.

    For more information and session recordings, please visit https://www.undrr.org/event/undrr-unossc-paho2025

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NCSC celebrates Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti 2025, themed ‘A Journey of 75 years of Constitution of India’, in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    NCSC celebrates Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti 2025, themed ‘A Journey of 75 years of Constitution of India’, in New Delhi

    Youth must imbibe Ideals of Babasaheb and contribute to building an Inclusive and Progressive India: Dr. Virendra Kumar

    True Nation-building is possible only when every Citizen enjoys Equal Rights, Opportunities, and Dignity: Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 8:47PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) paid tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in a celebration on his 135th Birthday Anniversary, in New Delhi today. The primary theme of the event was – ‘A Journey of 75 years of Constitution of India’.

     

     

    Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, presided over the event as the Chief Guest and Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs & Law and Justice as the Guest of Honour.  Other dignitaries on dais included Shri Kishor Makwana, Chairman, NCSC, asking with Commission Members, Shri Love Kush Kumar and Shri Vaddapalli Ramchander.

    In his keynote address, Dr. Virendra Kumar narrated the numerous contributions of Babasaheb Ambedkar addressing the welfare of the community, while being the Chief Architect of the Constitution of India. The mantras of social Equality, Liberty and fraternity were reiterated in detail for the present and future generations. He reflected on the immense personal sufferings and social humiliation endured by Dr. Ambedkar, which only strengthened his resolve to fight for justice, dignity, and equality for all. The Minister called upon the youth to imbibe the ideals of Babasaheb and contribute to building an inclusive and progressive India. The first ever such celebration by NCSC on account of 75 years of Journey of the Constitution of India on such a scale was applauded and appreciated by the Minister.

     

     

    Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal lauded Dr. Ambedkar’s role as the architect of the Indian Constitution and stressed the importance of legal empowerment and representation for Scheduled Castes in all spheres of life. The sufferings and learning from the life history of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s life was narrated by Minister for enlightening the youth of the country. He further emphasized that equality was the cornerstone of Dr. Ambedkar’s vision, and true nation-building is possible only when every citizen enjoys equal rights, opportunities, and dignity.

     

     

    Addressing the gathering, Chairperson (NCSC) highlighted Dr. Ambedkar’s enduring contributions to education, self-respect, and character-building among the marginalized communities. He reaffirmed NCSC’s resolve to safeguard the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes and ensure their holistic development through policy advocacy, awareness, and active monitoring. Member (NCSC) Shri Love Kush Kumar, emphasized the transformative role Dr. Ambedkar played in laying the foundation for a just and equitable society. Member Shri Vaddapalli Ramchander reflected on Dr. Ambedkar’s relentless struggle against caste-based discrimination and his efforts to enshrine social justice in the Constitution.

     

     

    Earlier in his welcome address, Secretary (NCSC), Shri G. Srinivas briefly highlighted the efforts of the present Commission in improving the complaint handling, transparency and continuous response/update to petitioners. The NCSC in its endeavors to reach out to SC communities has been undertaking various steps as part of its prime responsibilities delegated under Article 338 of the Indian Constitution, he informed.

     

     

    During the event, a new NCSC Website was inaugurated by Dr. Virendra Kumar. The event also featured screening of clips on Dr. Ambedkar’s life and felicitation of the dignitaries. The true copy of the Constitution of India was on display along with a digital display of prominent books on Babasaheb Ambedkar.

    The celebrations witnessed wide participation from  MP’s/Ex MP’s,  Members of all other Commissions, Presidents/General Secretaries from various Associations, CMD/MD/ED/Directors from PSB’s/PSU’s, Educational Institutes/Universities and other Dignitaries, Scholars, Social Justice Advocates from across the country.

     

    *****

    VM

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR Government responds to media enquiries on UK parliament member being denied entry

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    In response to media enquiries about a Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK) having been denied entry earlier, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (April 14) issued the following statement:
     
    A HKSAR Government spokesman said that it is the Government’s standing policy not to comment on individual cases. The Immigration Department will deal with each case in accordance with the relevant law and immigration policy. It is the duty of immigration officer to ask questions to ascertain that there is no doubt about the purpose of any visit. The person concerned knows best what he or she has done. It will be unhelpful to the person’s case if the person refuses to answer questions put to him or her for that purpose.
     
    In addition, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today afternoon met with the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, UK, Mr Douglas Alexander, who is visiting Hong Kong, to exchange views on the matter. Mr Chan also reiterated the stance of the HKSAR Government during the meeting.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Highways Excellence Awards to be held in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 8:02PM by PIB Delhi

    To encourage innovative practices and recognise professionals delivering excellence in National Highway development, the sixth edition of ‘National Highways Excellence Awards 2023’ (NHEA 2023) will be held on 15th April 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari along with Shri Ajay Tamta, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways; Shri Harsh Malhotra, Hon’ble Minister of State for MoRTH & Corporate Affairs; Shri V Umashankar, Secretary at MoRTH; senior officials from MoRTH, NHAI and other stakeholders will grace the occasion.   

    NHEA 2023 will serve as a platform to commemorate remarkable achievements within the National Highway infrastructure sector and recognize professionals as well as stakeholders for their contribution in construction & maintenance of the best-performing National Highway assets across the country.

    The daylong event will also feature various ‘Panel Discussions’ with domain experts and will delve into topics such as emerging technologies in Highway construction, highway development in hilly terrains, and the global competitiveness of Indian construction companies. 

    ‘National Highway Excellence Awards’ were institutionalized in 2018 by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, with an aim to incentivize and encourage key stakeholders and to create a spirit of healthy competition amongst all the stakeholders involved in the development of National Highway infrastructure in the country.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EMSD wins Prize of Republic and Canton of Geneva for first time at invention exhibition (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    EMSD wins Prize of Republic and Canton of Geneva for first time at invention exhibition  
    The Director of the Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, said today (April 14), “The Two-phase Immersion Cooling System for High Performance Computer Workstation, the winning project of the prize of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, was developed in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), and has been successfully implemented in the CAD’s workstation within the Control Tower Simulator. Additionally, three other projects were developed in cooperation with the Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), and the CAD respectively.”
     
    Some of the award-winning projects showcased at the Exhibition are the successful cases matched through the E&M InnoPortal (inno.emsd.gov.hk 
    Mr Poon added, “The EMSD will continue to serve as an innovation facilitator, supporting government departments in identifying and applying innovation and technology solutions to improve government services and enhance productivity.”
     
    The awarded projects by EMSD are as follows:
     
    Prize of the Republic and Canton of GenevaGold medals with the congratulations of juryGold medalsSilver medalBronze medalsThe Best International Invention & Innovation (awarded by the National Research Council of Thailand)The International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva is one of the most significant global annual events on inventions. This year, around 1 050 inventions from 35 countries and regions were evaluated by the international jury of specialists.
    Issued at HKT 22:24

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Vision of Dr B R Ambedkar Shaped the Constitution of India that Reflects the Soul of Bharat”: Sarbananda Sonowal

    Source: Government of India

    Vision of Dr B R Ambedkar Shaped the Constitution of India that Reflects the Soul of Bharat”: Sarbananda Sonowal

     Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal pays tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 135th Birth Anniversary

     “Spirit of Equality, Fraternity and Justice that Dr Ambedkar Championed Reiterated as the Guiding Principle towards Viksit Bharat”: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 7:29PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal called upon the youth to do further research and study the works of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for his invaluable contributions, sacrifice and painstaking effort in shaping the modern day democracy of the Republic of India. 

    The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sonowal attended a commemorative programme to mark the 135th Birth Anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution, in Dibrugarh today. 

    Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar ji’s tireless efforts to build an egalitarian society based on law laid the very foundation of modern India. His vision of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity continues to guide our collective journey towards Viksit Bharat. Dr. Ambedkar ji did not merely draft a Constitution—he gave us a blueprint for an inclusive, empowered nation where every citizen has dignity and opportunity. The vision of Dr B R Ambedkar shaped the constitution of India which reflects the soul of Bharat. Ambedkar ji’s mantra of social harmony and constitutional morality remains our compass in shaping a just and developed India.”

    Dignitaries and speakers present on the occasion paid tribute to the unparalleled contributions of Dr Ambedkar and remembered his legacy. Emphasising his vision for a just, progressive, and inclusive India, they urged everyone to actively participate in building a developed and equitable nation. The message of equality, fraternity, and justice that Dr Ambedkar championed was reiterated as the guiding path for a stronger society.

    Adding further, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “During the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the profound legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar has received the recognition it truly deserves. On this Ambedkar Jayanti, I urge the youth of our nation to reflect upon Babasaheb’s monumental role in shaping the Indian Constitution — a document rooted in equality, justice, and the rule of law. His ideals continue to guide us in building an inclusive and egalitarian society, which forms the cornerstone of a truly Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

    The event was jointly hosted by Dibrugarh District Scheduled Caste Council, All Assam Ravidas Youth Students Union, Dibrugarh District Committee and the Harijan Branch Committee. Rituparna Baruah, Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC); Saikat Patra, Mayor of Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC); Ujjal Phukan, Deputy Mayor of DMC; Asim Hazarika, Chairman of Dibrugarh Development Authority (DDA); and Dulal Bora, President of BJP Dibrugarh District, among other notable figures were present on the occasion.

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “The Lucknow CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) bench was established way back in 1987, but it got its own office building only now after 38 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, says Dr Jitendra Singh

    Source: Government of India

    “The Lucknow CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) bench was established way back in 1987, but it got its own office building only now after 38 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, says Dr Jitendra Singh

    In a thoughtful move to mark the Ambedkar Jayanti commemorating the memory of the father of Indian constitution, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today jointly inaugurated the Lucknow CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) building in the Gomti Nagar area of the city;

    All the Central institutes in the State have recorded major breakthroughs in last ten years under PM Modi, said the Minister adding that their public outreach has also increased which is evident from the fact that one of the Lucknow institutes also found mention in Amitabh Bachhan’s popular show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 7:17PM by PIB Delhi

    LUCKNOW, April 15: The Lucknow CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) bench was established way back in 1987, but it got its own office building only now after 38 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    This observation was made by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Minister Incharge DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) which is the administrative Ministry of CAT.

    In a thoughtful move to mark the Ambedkar Jayanti commemorating the memory of the father of Indian constitution, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today jointly inaugurated the Lucknow CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) building in the Gomti Nagar area of the city.

    The entire project at the cost of about Rs 25 crore was accomplished through Central funds by DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) of which the Minister Incharge is Dr Jitendra Singh.

    The new CAT premises in the capital city of Lucknow marks a significant milestone for the administrative justice system.

    Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh noted that the Tribunal had been functioning from rented premises since its inception in 1987 and that the new facility reflects the rapid progress achieved under the double-engine government model led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh. “This inauguration is one of the many examples of how far we’ve come under this collaborative governance approach,” the Minister said.

    Highlighting CAT’s mission of ensuring justice that is affordable, accessible, and efficient, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the Tribunal has disposed of over 8.88 lakh cases out of nearly 9.6 lakh filed since its inception in 1985, achieving a disposal rate of about 93%.

    The Minister emphasised that with a filing fee of just ₹50 and provisions allowing litigants to appear without a lawyer, CAT embodies the principle of justice at the doorstep.

    The Minister also underlined the Tribunal’s consistent track record of judicial excellence, with many of its decisions upheld by High Courts and the Supreme Court.

    Describing the new building as more than just a structure, Dr. Jitendra Singh said it symbolises the Tribunal’s enduring commitment to reform, justice, and transparency. The space is designed to foster a conducive atmosphere for judicial work, reflecting the evolution of CAT from a challenging early phase to a respected institution in the country’s administrative justice system.

    As judicial work commences from this new location, the development stands as yet another testament to the Centre-State synergy in Uttar Pradesh, and the sustained efforts to strengthen institutional infrastructure across the country.

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    NKR/PSM

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM meets Shri Rampal Kashyap who took a vow 14 years ago

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 7:03PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Shri Rampal Kashyap from Kaithal today in Yamunanagar, Haryana. Shri Modi was humbled to learn that Shri Kashyap who had taken a vow 14 years ago to refrain from wearing footwear until he met the Prime Minister after his election to office. He urged citizens to focus their energy on meaningful actions linked to social work and nation building.

    In separate posts on X, he wrote:

    “At today’s public meeting in Yamunanagar, I met Shri Rampal Kashyap Ji from Kaithal. He had taken a vow 14 years ago- that he will only wear footwear after I became PM and he got to meet me.

    I am humbled by people like Rampal Ji and also accept their affection but I want to request everyone who takes up such vows – I cherish your love…please focus on something that is linked to social work and nation building!”

    “हरियाणा के यमुनानगर में आज कैथल के रामपाल कश्यप जी से मिलने का सौभाग्य मिला। इन्होंने 14 वर्ष पहले एक व्रत लिया था कि ‘मोदी जब तक प्रधानमंत्री नहीं बन जाते और मैं उनसे मिल नहीं लेता, तब तक जूते नहीं पहनूंगा।’ मुझे आज उनको जूते पहनाने का अवसर मिला। मैं ऐसे सभी साथियों की भावनाओं का सम्मान करता हूं, परंतु मेरा आग्रह है कि वो इस तरह के प्रण लेने के बजाए किसी सामाजिक अथवा देशहित के कार्य का प्रण लें।”

    https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1911756643777618032?s=46

    https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1911755163636736002?s=46

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SDEV congratulates teams from DEVB and works departments on outstanding achievements at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SDEV congratulates teams from DEVB and works departments on outstanding achievements at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva  
    The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, extended her heartfelt congratulations to the teams from the Works Branch of the DEVB, the EMSD and the DSD for winning multiple awards. She said, “The DEVB and works departments have been continuously promoting technological transformation and actively adopting innovative technologies. This has not only significantly enhanced the operational efficiency of public works projects and services, but also effectively improved the cost-effectiveness. The teams have been dedicated and committed to striving for excellence in technological research and its transformation into practical solutions. The awards received in this international mega event fully demonstrated that their efforts and accomplishments have been recognised internationally.”
     
    The Two-Phase Immersion Cooling System for High Performance Computer Workstation, which was jointly developed by the EMSD and the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), won the prize of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, marking the first time that departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government have received this prize. The system provides highly efficient heat dissipation capability by immersing heat-generating computer components into a sealed container filled with non-conductive cooling liquid. This not only improves equipment performance and extends the equipment life time, but also achieves more efficient energy saving. The system has been successfully applied in the CAD’s air traffic control tower simulator.
     
    The Secretary for Development also appreciated that the SmartEye, a remote site supervision system and integrated site management platform developed by the Works Branch of the DEVB, has won awards. This system adopts advanced technologies, including 4D LiDAR and AI for real-time monitoring of construction projects, ensuring quality and site safety while enhancing supervision efficiency. It has been successfully applied in several public works projects.
     
    The Mosaic Model Map (M³) project by the DSD was awarded the gold medal with the congratulations of jury. This real-time territorial flood risk visualisation system leveraging Hydraulic Model Pre-run, Scenario Mapping and Mosaic Compilation technologies will facilitate the DSD in timely resource deployment for speedy responses to possible flood situations under adverse weather. The Integration of AI and Optical Fiber Technology for district cooling/heating system plants by the EMSD and the Tracking Solution for Outdoor Activity Safety by the EMSD in collaboration with the CAD also garnered gold medals with the congratulations of jury.
    Issued at HKT 21:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CAD and EMSD win awards at 50th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CAD and EMSD win awards at 50th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photo)      
         The exhibition was an annual grand event in the global invention community. It showcased approximately 1 050 inventions from around 35 countries and regions. An international panel of expert judges conducted detailed evaluations of the inventions and selected the winning entries. The advanced technology innovation, jointly developed by the CAD and EMSD, provides a highly efficient heat dissipation capability for the CAD’s high-performance air traffic control tower simulator by immersing heat-generating computer components into a sealed container filled with a non-conductive cooling liquid. Heat dissipation is achieved through the vaporisation of the cooling liquid. It provides a more efficient energy saving system with an extended equipment life time compared with traditional air cooling. The experience gained from developing this new technology could serve as a valuable reference for broader applications and promotions across various fields.
          
         Meanwhile, a Tracking Solution for Outdoor Activity Safety, also jointly developed by the CAD and the EMSD, won the Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury prize at the exhibition.
          
         The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, said, “The CAD is committed to enhancing operational efficiency through innovative technologies. The awards are a recognition of our colleagues’ professionalism and the outcome of cross-departmental innovation and co-operation.”
    Issued at HKT 17:56

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP reminds public to be vigilant in preventing norovirus when travelling outside Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CHP reminds public to be vigilant in preventing norovirus when travelling outside Hong Kong 
         “According to the Japanese authorities, 72 people developed food poisoning symptoms including diarrhoea, fever and vomiting after consuming lunch boxes provided by a catering service in the southern Tochigi on April 9, and one of them died with the cause of death yet to be ascertained. Investigations by the authorities concerned found that the stool samples collected from the affected patients and the staff of the catering service were tested positive for norovirus. As Japan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the vicinity of Hong Kong, and the activity of norovirus in Japan this year is higher than that in the same period in the past five years, I would like to appeal to those who are planning to visit or are currently visiting Japan to remain vigilant and maintain personal, environmental and food hygiene at all times to minimise the risk of being infected,” Dr Tsui said.
     
         “Norovirus is highly contagious and individuals may become infected after being exposed to even a small amount of norovirus. The virus can be transmitted through various means, such as eating contaminated food, contacting with the vomit or excreta of infected persons, and contacting with contaminated objects. It may lead to a large-scale outbreak. Since alcohol is not effective in killing norovirus, alcohol-based handrubs are not a substitute for handwashing with soap and water,” he added.

    Symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, mild fever and malaise. Most patients usually recover on their own and symptoms usually improve within one to three days. Members of the public may visit the CHP’s webpages for more information and preventive advice on norovirus infectionIssued at HKT 20:54

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKMA and Consumer Council jointly launch virtual reality simulation games (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    To strengthen self-protection capabilities of students with special educational needs and senior citizens, the Consumer Council and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have joined hands in launching a series of new virtual reality (VR) simulation games designed to foster proper attitude towards consumption with the use of credit cards, while raising the participant’s awareness of fraud prevention through a gamified learning experience.
     
    The VR simulation games feature two key themes: “Be a Smart Credit Card User”, covering basic knowledge of credit card usage and concepts of rational consumption, and “Beware of Credit Card Fraud”, simulating the scenarios of fraudsters using phishing links and fraudulent calls purporting to be from bank staff. Through the four simulated scenarios (see Annex (Chinese only)) – “Credit card ABC”, “Responsible use of credit cards”, “Beware of phishing links”, and “Beware of fraudulent calls” – the games offer an immersive and interactive experience with vivid decision-making prompts, real-life role play, and simple yet entertaining mini-games with over a hundred interactive options, equipping persons with special needs and senior citizens with the knowledge and skill to use credit cards responsibly and identify scams. Participants can use the VR headsets and handheld controllers for an immersive first-person experience.
     
    The Council and the HKMA recently organised an event at Fortress Hill Methodist Secondary School for students to try out the games for the first time. The Chief Executive of the Consumer Council, Ms Gilly Wong, said, “Consumers with special needs and some senior consumers often have limited knowledge of credit cards. The Council is delighted to collaborate with the HKMA in developing this innovative VR simulation game, allowing them to experience overspending and fraud scenarios firsthand while learning how to respond accordingly. Since credit cards serve both as a payment tool and a loan instrument, it is crucial for consumers to establish proper values and knowledge about responsible usage early on. This VR game will be distributed to social welfare organisations and special schools across Hong Kong, to be used in consumer education workshops and activities for promoting responsible credit card usage and fraud prevention.”
     
         Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA Mr Arthur Yuen, said, “Credit card payments are a common means of transaction, yet they are often exploited by fraudsters as a tool for deception. Members of the public who are not vigilant may fall into the trap of scams. We hope to use interactive games to convey the messages on the proper use of credit cards, as well as the importance of guarding against credit card scams in a simple and vivid way, thereby assisting members of the public to use credit cards with peace of mind and enhancing their awareness of anti-scam measures.”
     
    The HKMA launched the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 (the Charter 2.0) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Association of Banks last year, to assist the public in guarding against credit card scams and other digital frauds. The Council remains committed to consumer education and safeguarding consumer rights. As a supporting organisation of the Charter 2.0, it will continue to enhance public awareness of fraud prevention and self-protection ability.
     
    Since late 2020, the Council has been running the Support Programme for Persons with Special Needs, aimed at promoting consumer education among persons with special needs, including those with autism spectrum disorder, mild intellectual disability, and common mental disorder, in identifying unscrupulous trade practices and scams. The Programme provides a range of educational resources for frontline social workers, teachers and caregivers, including training handbooks, game cards, case study videos and posters, and easy-to-read guides. In 2023, the Programme also piloted its first VR educational tool focusing on the unscrupulous sales tactics of beauty and fitness centres. To date, the Programme has organised more than 180 consumer education sessions for over 4 600 participants from 80 social welfare organisations, self-help groups and special schools.
     
    A desktop version of the credit card VR simulation games is also available. Members of the public may visit the websites of the Consumer Council and the HKMA for relevant information.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SED attends 20th anniversary celebration ceremony of Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, attended the 20th anniversary celebration ceremony of Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) in Zhuhai this afternoon (April 14).
     
         Co-founded by Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University, BNBU was the first university jointly established by the higher education sectors of the Mainland and Hong Kong. At the ceremony, Dr Choi expressed her heartfelt congratulations to BNBU. She said that BNBU adopts the undergraduate curriculum and teaching evaluation system of Hong Kong higher education institutions, setting a good example for joint provision of education services between the Mainland and Hong Kong.
     
         Dr Choi noted that several Hong Kong higher education institutions have taken a proactive approach in providing education services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Mainland cities, and strengthening co-operation by realising complementary advantages with their Mainland counterparts through the establishment of university alliances. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) supports Hong Kong higher education institutions to leverage the characteristics and competitive edges of Hong Kong’s higher education sector through formation of multilateral and cross-discipline partnerships in the GBA Mainland cities. By doing so, favourable conditions for scientific research and development, knowledge transfer and commercialisation can be created to facilitate research activities of high academic standard in the GBA.
     
         She added that the HKSARG will continue to actively participate in and foster higher education co-operation in the GBA by assisting Hong Kong higher education institutions in exploring more flexible and innovative operation models. The HKSARG will also promote closer collaboration between Hong Kong higher education institutions and their campuses in the GBA Mainland cities, and facilitate the flow of faculty members and students, with a view to nurturing outstanding talent for the country’s development through synergising the complementary academic structures and facilities of Hong Kong and Mainland campuses. 
     
         Dr Choi also toured the various facilities of BNBU to understand the development situation of the campus.
     
         She subsequently met the Mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government, Mr Wu Zetong; the Director of the Zhuhai Municipal Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Bureau, Ms Huang Cui; the Director of the Zhuhai Municipal Education Bureau, Mr Xi Enmin, and other officials to exchange views on education issues.
     
         Dr Choi returned from Zhuhai to Hong Kong this evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organised by NFSU in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organised by NFSU in New Delhi

    PM Modi’s vision changed the entire landscape of the country’s criminal justice system

    The use of forensic science is imperative to stop borderless crimes

    In the coming decade, India will have the highest conviction rate in the world

    It is important to make forensic science a part of the criminal justice system so that no injustice is done to both the accused and the complainant

    7 campuses of National Forensic Sciences University have been built across the country, 9 more campuses will be built in another 6 months

    The government is trying to make the society crime-free by finding solutions to all challenges using forensic sciences

    NFSU is promoting trained manpower, research and indigenous technology

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 6:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organized by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in New Delhi today as the Chief Guest. The theme of the conference was ‘Role of Forensic Science in Effective Implementation of New Criminal Laws and Combating Terrorism’. The conference was attended by many dignitaries including Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Attorney General Shri R Venkataramani, Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman, Bar Council of India Shri Manan Kumar Mishra, Union Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan and Vice Chancellor, NFSU Dr. J. M. Vyas.

    Paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that Babasaheb worked to finalize the Constitution of India. It was a Herculean task to finalize the Constitution after thousands of hours of intense discussion on every subject, but Babasaheb composed the Constitution by incorporating all aspects keeping in mind the needs of the country and with the idea of ​​maintaining the relevance of the Constitution for many years. Shri Shah said that our Constitution is not just a book. It has a system for the protection of the body, property and honor of every citizen and forensic science is now playing a very useful role in strengthening the criminal justice system associated with the protection of these three.

    Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are striving to make the justice system people-centric and scientific. Efforts are also being made to ensure that those seeking justice get justice on time and also have the satisfaction of getting justice. Through this, our aim is to create a safe, capable and competent India. Union Home Minister said that to strengthen the criminal justice system, the Government of India has brought three new criminal laws in the form of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).

    Union Home Minister said that forensics is not a new idea in our country. Its detailed description is found in Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Kautilya’s Arthashashtra. Acharya Kautilya has guided the world in detail on topics like toxicology, identification of poison, body language of suspects, and identification of accused on the basis of speech.

    Shri Amit Shah said that without forensic science, it is not possible to deliver timely justice and increase the rate of conviction. He said that the entire scenario of crime has changed today. Now criminals use different means of technology, information and communication, due to which crime has now become borderless. Earlier, crime used to happen in a small part of a district, state or country, but now crime has become borderless. Modern crimes now transcend city, state, national, and even international boundaries. In such a situation, the importance of forensic science has increased a lot. Shri Shah said that when PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and he was the Home Minister, the seed of Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, planted by Shri Narendra Modi in 2009, has now grown into a banyan tree in the form of the National Forensic Sciences University — the first university of its kind in the world. He said that it is a matter of joy for him that when the National Forensic Sciences University was established on 1 October 2020, Shri Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister and he was the Home Minister of the country.

    Union Home Minister said that PM Modi’s visionary leadership has brought significant transformation to the country’s criminal justice system. He emphasized that a system has been established where neither the accused nor the complainant is subjected to injustice. To ensure this balance, integrating forensic science into the criminal justice process is essential. Shri Shah highlighted that the steps taken in 2009 and 2020 to establish the Forensic Science University are not only producing skilled professionals but also paving the way for research across various fields. He noted that the university has become a trusted institution for forensic analysis in complex cases and has also evolved into a hub for equipping the country’s forensic laboratories with modern technology. He further added that the university offers a wide range of programs, including degree, diploma, PhD, and research courses. Additionally, it has developed and adopted numerous indigenous technologies and has created toolkits to supply these innovations to police forces across the nation.

    Shri Amit Shah underlined that following the directive of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to get rid the country of colonial-era laws, work on finalizing new criminal laws was carried out between 2019 and 2024. He noted that extensive discussions during this period revealed the extent to which the outdated laws were harming India’s criminal justice system. He emphasized that if laws are not updated in accordance with changing times, they become obsolete and irrelevant. He added that the original intent of the old criminal laws was not to deliver justice to Indian citizens but to uphold British rule. In contrast, the three new criminal laws introduced under PM Modi’s leadership have been crafted by Indians, for the protection and justice of Indian citizens. Shri Shah said that this represents the most significant legal reform of the 21st century. He further explained that the new laws provide a legal foundation for the use of modern technology and have been designed with a forward-looking approach — incorporating not only current technologies but also anticipating technological developments for the next 100 years.

    Union Home Minister said that the new laws have formally defined e-documents and e-summons. He explained that the method of technology used is irrelevant as long as the law recognizes e-documents, and similarly, once people accept e-summons, the mode of delivery no longer matters. He emphasized that technology has been integrated at every stage of the criminal justice process — from the crime scene to investigation, and through to the trial. Forensic investigation has been made mandatory for all crimes that carry a punishment of more than seven years. He expressed confidence that these changes will lead to India achieving the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the conviction rate in the country is currently stands at 54 per cent. He said that terrorism has been defined in the new laws. Voice logs and digital voice mail have also been given a place. Arrangements have also been made in BNSS to give legal basis to audio, video recordings, videography of forensic evidence and digital records in interrogation. Arrangements have been made to ensure justice within the stipulated period by setting time limits for the police, prosecution and judicial system. He said that its results have also started coming. In some cases, the rapist was convicted in 23 days and within 100 days the triple murder case was solved and the culprit was punished. Union Home Minister said that this was possible because technical evidence was recognized in the trial. He said that efforts have also been made to digitize the digital system of the entire country.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today 100 per cent police stations in the country have been computerized through Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS). About 14 crore 19 lakh FIRs and their related documents have been made available online along with legacy data. 22 thousand courts have been equipped with the e-court facilities. Data of 2 crore 19 lakh is available through e-prison. Prosecution data of 1 crore 93 lakh cases is available through e-prosecution. 39 lakh forensic evidences are available online through e-forensics. He said that 16 lakh alerts have been generated from this. Fingerprints of 1 crore 53 lakh accused are available in the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). These fingerprints have been shared with every police station. National Database of Human Trafficking Offender is also available. Shri Shah added that this data is separate right now, but in the next few years, the Home Ministry will hand over this data to the investigating teams using Artificial Intelligence. He said that then it will become very easy to formulate a strategy to prevent crime and it will also be very beneficial in controlling crime.

    Union Home Minister said that due to the farsightedness of PM Modi, we had established the National Forensic Sciences University in the year 2020 itself, while three new criminal laws came into force in 2024. He said that seven campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University have been established in different states of the country. 9 more campuses will be established in the next 6 months. Apart from these, the establishment of 10 more campuses is proposed. Shri Shah said that there will be no state in the country where there is no campus of National Forensic Sciences University. We will work to make each campus the best unit in the world by giving it one subject. The students of the university will be helped in research and development so that they achieve heights in research and make the campus the best in the allotted subject. Home Minister said that after its completion, every year 36 thousand diploma and degree holder youth will pass out from these campuses and strengthen our criminal justice system.

    Shri Amit Shah said that there is a need for 30,000 trained professionals to visit every crime scene where the punishment is more than seven years. He noted that each year, around 36,000 students will graduate from the National Forensic Sciences University, many of whom will go on to work in private forensic laboratories as well. He further mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is working on an agreement between private and government Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs), allowing certain samples received by government FSLs to also be analyzed by private labs. He added that NFSU is advancing into several emerging fields, including drone forensics, smart city forensics, marine forensics, and corporate forensics. Shri Shah also highlighted the growing international presence of NFSU, stating that around 240 foreign students are currently enrolled, and that the university will continue to expand globally in the coming years.

    Union Home Minister emphasized the need to categorize offenders into habitual criminals, those driven to crime by circumstances, and those who committed crimes out of necessity. He stressed the importance of providing psychological counseling to such individuals within jails, with the goal of encouraging them to become responsible citizens. He expressed confidence that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India will be able to develop a robust forensic science-based system for prisoner rehabilitation within the next couple of years. Shri Shah also said that a Modus Operandi Bureau has been established, which will play a vital role in controlling crime by analyzing criminal behavior patterns.

    Shri Amit Shah acknowledged that the country faces numerous challenges, many of which can be addressed through the effective use of forensic science. He called for close collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Forensic Sciences University to work toward building a crime-free society through scientific solutions. Union Home Minister said that, during the conference, young individuals were recognized for their outstanding performance in the hackathon and their efforts to promote the use of the Hindi language.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Startup selected under NQM develops platform to empower enterprises protect their critical infrastructure

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 5:58PM by PIB Delhi

    QNu Labs, one of the startups selected by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the National Quantum Mission (NQM), has launched world’s first and unique platform, QShield that enables seamless cryptography management across any environment — cloud, on-premises, or hybrid on the occasion of World Quantum Day today.

    QShield empowers enterprises to protect their critical infrastructure at scale -Built with QNu’s patented Quantum Key Distribution (Armos), Quantum Random Number Generator (Tropos), Quantum Hardware Security Module (QHSM) and NIST-compliant Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), QShield provides an end-to-end solution for securing sensitive data in transit and at rest.

    The launch of this platform adds one more step in India’s journey towards global leadership in quantum technology.

    QShield enables various services like Qosmos for key generation, QConnect for secured connectivity, QVerse for secured collaboration, QSFS for secure file storage and sharing, and QVault for key management, empowering enterprises a pathway to quantum-safe their critical and diverse infrastructures. With unified management, flexible deployment options, and easy integration with 3rd party services, QShield empowers enterprises to protect their critical data today — making them ready for a quantum-secured future.

    Incubated at IIT Madras Research Park in 2016, QNu Labs is revolutionizing cybersecurity with quantum-safe solutions, positioning India as a global leader in quantum cryptography.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit explores future of AI and digital technologies (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit explores future of AI and digital technologies  
         The WIC designated Hong Kong to host the Asia-Pacific Summit for the first time, affirming Hong Kong’s pivotal role as an important bridge and two-way platform connecting our country and the world. At the opening ceremony of the Summit this morning, the Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Wang Yong, and the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, delivered their remarks, while the Minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China and Chairman of the WIC, Mr Zhuang Rongwen, gave a keynote speech. The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; the CEO of GSMA Ltd., Mr John Hoffman; the Chair of ZTE Corporation, Mr Fang Rong; the “father of the Internet in Africa”, Mr Nii Narku Quaynor, and other distinguished guests, also spoke at the opening ceremony, sharing their valuable insights on building an open and cooperative community with a shared future in cyberspace.
     
         After the opening ceremony, a government-enterprise dialogue session was co-hosted by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and the Secretary General of the WIC, Mr Ren Xianliang. The session brought together ministerial officials and senior representatives of industry corporations from countries and regions such as Algeria, Tanzania and Oman, as well as business leaders from Intel, Alibaba Cloud, Ping An Group and many more to conduct in-depth exchanges on ways to harness I&T to drive economic development, support enterprises’ overseas expansion, inject new impetus for economic growth, and actively building practical cooperation platforms. The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, also attended the session and delivered a speech, introducing the latest development of Hong Kong’s digital government.
     
         The focus of the Summit in the afternoon was the main forum on the digital intelligence future which covered three key thematic sections: “Building robust foundations for a digital future”, “AI applications across industries” and “Security and governance in the digital era”. The forum had a stellar lineup of speakers, including the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; Professor Sun Dong, alongside Co-Founder and CTO of Manycore Tech, Mr Zhu Hao, from Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” tech cluster; the CEO of Arm China, Mr Chen Feng; the General Manager of IBM Asia Pacific, Mr Hans Dekkers, and other representatives from renowned organisations and corporations. Additionally, the Summit hosted a briefing on Practice Cases and Awards for Pioneering Science and Technology and a workshop on AI governance and sustainable development to further promote exchange and collaboration in related fields.
     
         The Summit will present three sub-forums tomorrow (April 15) morning where internationally renowned speakers will conduct a deep discussion and exchange on “Large Artificial Intelligence Models”, “Digital Finance” and “Digital Government and Smart Life” to explore future development and potential across various domains in digital technology. The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, will deliver a speech at the sub-forum on “Large Artificial Intelligence Models” and publish the “Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline”, showcasing Hong Kong’s leading role in the field of AI governance. Meanwhile, a series of affiliated activities including a cybersecurity emergency response advanced training programme and a “Workshop on AI & Cybersecurity: Strategies for Attack and Defence in the Intelligent Era” will also be held. Details of the Summit are available on the event website wicinternet.org/WICAsiaPacificSummit.html 
         Furthermore, Hong Kong’s annual I&T mega event, the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), takes place concurrently in April, featuring a series of exciting I&T activities, including the InnoEX, Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference, Xiangjiang Nobel Forum, and more, further elevating Hong Kong’s I&T atmosphere to new heights and accelerating its development into an international I&T centre.
    Issued at HKT 18:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets with guest speakers of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit held in Hong Kong for first time (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE meets with guest speakers of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit held in Hong Kong for first time  
    This morning, Mr Lee, accompanied by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, met with Mr Wang. Mr Lee noted that the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress was successfully convened in Beijing last month. A Government work report proposed to develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions and pursue integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation. The HKSAR Government is actively developing new quality productive forces and new industrialisation initiatives, with the innovation and technology industry expected to achieve high-quality development. It is also accelerating the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, striving to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre. Hong Kong will continue to leverage its advantages in connecting the Mainland with the world, further deepening international exchanges and co-operation, and exploring new opportunities in innovation and technology.
     
    In the afternoon, Mr Lee, accompanied by the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, met with Mr Zhuang. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the CAC for its continued support to the HKSAR Government and its collaboration with the ITIB in promoting cross-border data flows within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Noting that data is a key driving force of innovation and high-quality development, Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close communication and co-operation with the CAC to facilitate Hong Kong’s active integration into the national data development and the digital economy development in the GBA.
     
    The WIC Asia-Pacific Summit is being held today and tomorrow (April 15) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre under the theme of “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”. The summit brings together representatives from governments and enterprises, international organisations, leading corporations, experts and scholars from home and abroad to engage in in-depth exchanges on various technological areas, promoting the high-quality development of innovation and technology.
    Issued at HKT 18:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM reflects on Captain Vijayakanth’s service to the society

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 11:04PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today remarked on his friendship with Captain Vijayakanth and reflected on latter’s service to the society.

    In response to post by Smt Premallatha Vijayakant on X, Shri Modi wrote:

    “My dear friend Captain Vijayakanth was remarkable!
    He and I interacted so closely over the years and also worked together. 

    People across generations remember him for the good he did for society. 

    @PremallathaDmdk”

    ***

    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2121682) Visitor Counter : 82

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Urgent humanitarian response in Myanmar following devastating earthquake – E-001385/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001385/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Leire Pajín (S&D), Hana Jalloul Muro (S&D), Elena Sancho Murillo (S&D), Estrella Galán (The Left), Laura Ballarín Cereza (S&D), César Luena (S&D), Erik Marquardt (Verts/ALE), Alessandra Moretti (S&D), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Idoia Mendia (S&D), Matjaž Nemec (S&D), Sandra Gómez López (S&D), Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left)

    The humanitarian situation in Myanmar has reached critical levels, exacerbated by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on 28 March 2025, resulting in a death toll exceeding 1 700 people and widespread destruction, particularly in the area of Mandalay. With the UN’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Myanmar less than 5 % funded and not accounting for earthquake aftermath needs, coupled with the US’s withdrawal of humanitarian funding, the cost of inaction will be devastating for both earthquake survivors and those affected by pre-existing humanitarian needs. The lack of adequate shelter, access to clean water and sanitation, as well as the rapidly approaching monsoon season, amplifies the risk of outbreaks of waterborne diseases. While the recent announcement of an additional EUR 33 million in aid from the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations is welcome, the calculated humanitarian needs go far beyond this figure.

    • 1.What humanitarian support is the Commission currently mobilising on the ground for those affected in Myanmar?
    • 2.What emergency measures does the Commission intend to take to address the immediate needs of survivors in the aftermath of the earthquake?
    • 3.What long-term development assistance is planned to help rebuild and stabilise Myanmar amid its ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises?

    Submitted: 4.4.2025

    Last updated: 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –