Ajay Sharma named new British High Commissioner to Malaysia
Mr Ajay Sharma CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to Malaysia in succession to Ms Ailsa Terry CMG.
Mr Ajay Sharma CMG
This is Ajay’s fourth Head of Mission role. He was the UK Chargé d’affaires to Iran from 2013 to 2015, the British Ambassador to Qatar from 2015 to 2020 and Chargé d’affaires to Turkey from 2022 to 2023. Ajay has also served in Moscow and in Paris as the Deputy Ambassador to France.
Prior to taking up this role, Ajay was a Director International Affairs in the National Security Secretariat of the Cabinet Office and a Director in the Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office.
During his 30-year career as a diplomat, Ajay has been involved in several international negotiations, including as the UK Representative for a Cyprus Settlement from 2021 to 2022 and as the Deputy Negotiator for the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).
Born in London, Ajay is a graduate of Oxford University. He is fluent in French and Turkish, and is currently learning Bahasa Melayu.
Ajay is set to arrive in Malaysia with his family in the next few weeks to commence his appointment. David Wallace remains the Acting High Commissioner until Ajay arrives.
MOFA response to statements by Swedish Defence Minister Jonson opposing China’s threats and supporting deepening relations with Taiwan
Date：2025-04-04 Data Source：Department of European Affairs
April 4, 2025
Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson stated in response to a question from Member of the Riksdag Björn Söder on April 2 that the security of Europe and Asia was closely linked, that Sweden and the European Union were paying close attention to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, that China’s actions towards Taiwan were worrying, and that military threats were unacceptable. Sweden reiterated that differences across the Taiwan Strait must be resolved peacefully and that the will of the Taiwanese people must be respected.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely thanks the Swedish government for monitoring cross-strait peace and stability and expresses Taiwan’s hope of continuing to deepen relations with Sweden through long-term and comprehensive cooperation. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will work with like-minded partners to urge China to stop threatening Taiwan and unilaterally escalating the situation in the region.
MOFA response to US, Japan, ROK joint statement reaffirming importance of cross-strait peace and stability
Date：2025-04-04 Data Source：Department of North American Affairs
April 4, 2025
On April 3, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met in Brussels. The joint statement issued after their meeting emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community. They expressed concern about provocative actions, particularly the recent military drills around Taiwan, and called for an end to further destabilizing actions. The three countries encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion. They also voiced support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks the US, Japanese, and ROK foreign ministers for again affirming their support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and expressing concern over China’s provocative actions and military exercises. The latest pronouncement echoes the statement following their meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February. It is a further demonstration that maintaining cross-strait peace and stability has become a matter of international consensus and common interest. Countries around the world clearly recognize that it is China that is a destabilizing force in global society and is attempting to change the status quo. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to work with the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other democratic partners to jointly ensure regional and cross-strait peace, stability, and prosperity.
MOFA response to IPAC statement strongly condemning China’s military exercises around Taiwan
Date：2025-04-05 Data Source：Department of European Affairs
April 5, 2025
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) issued a statement on April 4 strongly condemning Beijing’s recent military exercises around Taiwan. It pointed out that the actions of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command were escalatory, provocative, and without justification. It also stated that Beijing’s calculated escalations around Taiwan had gone on for far too long and that the international community could not stand idly by as the cross-strait status quo was eroded, harming the people of Taiwan and global stability. It added that Taiwan’s security was inextricably linked to the security of the global economy. IPAC called on governments worldwide to condemn the PLA’s military activities and violent rhetoric and reiterated its appeal to the international community to develop a coordinated response plan to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.
The IPAC statement has already been signed by 43 members of parliament as well as prominent political figures from 25 countries and the European Parliament, underscoring a high degree of international consensus on the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomes the statement, thanks like-minded friends for supporting Taiwan through concrete action, and urges democratic countries to unite in the face of China’s military threats. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable to global security and prosperity and that Taiwan will continue to work hand in hand with the international community to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
MOFA response to G7 foreign ministers’ statement on China’s large-scale military drills
Date：2025-04-07 Data Source：Department of North American Affairs
April 7, 2025
On April 6, the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers and the European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy issued a joint statement expressing deep concern about China’s provocative actions, particularly the recent large-scale military drills around Taiwan. They stressed that these increasingly frequent and destabilizing activities were raising cross-strait tensions and putting global security and prosperity at risk. They pointed out that G7 members and the larger international community had an interest in the preservation of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The G7 members said they opposed any unilateral actions that threatened peace and stability, including the use of force or coercion. They also continued to encourage the peaceful resolution of issues through constructive cross-strait dialogue.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely thanks the G7 foreign ministers for again taking concrete action to voice concern over China’s recent provocative large-scale military exercises. The latest pronouncement follows a joint statement supporting cross-strait peace and stability after the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Quebec this March. These actions underscore the international consensus on maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the fact that cross-strait peace and stability are indispensable to global security and prosperity. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to work with democratic partners to jointly safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and across the Taiwan Strait.
MOFA response to second EU-Japan Strategic Dialogue reaffirming importance of cross-strait peace and stability
Date：2025-04-07 Data Source：Department of European Affairs
April 7, 2025
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya held the second EU-Japan Strategic Dialogue on April 4 in Brussels. In a statement issued after the meeting, they reaffirmed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were of strategic importance for regional and global security and prosperity. They expressed opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. In addition, they highlighted the interconnected security environments of Europe and the Indo-Pacific and agreed on the need to maintain close coordination and cooperation on key global and regional foreign policy priorities under the Group of Seven (G7) framework.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely welcomes and appreciates the continued concern shown by like-minded partners such as the EU and G7 over peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that Taiwan will continue to work with democratic partners to uphold the rules-based international order. Taiwan will do its utmost to maintain cross-strait peace and stability and safeguard regional prosperity and development.
The comments on the draft Directions are invited from public/stakeholders till May 12, 2025. Comments/feedback may be submitted through the respective links under the ‘Connect 2 Regulate’ Section available on the RBI’s website or may alternatively be forwarded to:
The Chief General Manager Credit Risk Group Department of Regulation, Central Office Reserve Bank of India, 12/13th Floor, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort Mumbai – 400 001 Or by email
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Tokyo Canteen offers a delicious Japanese curry. Image: VisitCanberra
Few foods are as comforting as a curry – especially on a cold Canberra day. Curries encompass dishes from many different cuisines, meaning there is a curry for every taste and mood.
We asked Canberrans on the WeAreCBR page to name their favourite curries. Here are the best, as voted by you:
This restaurant is tucked away at Manuka shops. Its menu includes thali, a Nepalese dish with a choice of curry sauce and proteins. There are also options for vegetarians.
Canberrans from Woden and beyond have flocked to Pearce for Rama’s curries for 29 years. The fusion menu offers a fresh take on Indian cuisine.
Spice Affair offers dishes from different regions of India. Whether you’re craving a korma, madras, daal, vindaloo or rogan josh, their extensive menu has it all.
Locals love Spice Route for its flavourful dishes. The menu includes many traditional Indian dishes and an Indo-Chinese section.
This Belconnen favourite is a short drive from Melba shops. Its menu boasts butter chicken, korma, jalfrezi, rogan josh, vindaloo and many more Indian curry dishes.
No. 8 Thai is at Griffith shops. The menu includes Thai curries like green curry, red curry, yellow curry, massaman, and panang.
Taj Agra is another longstanding Canberra favourite, having opened here 20 years ago. The menu is packed with north Indian classics including tandoori dishes, chettinad, tikka masala and more.
Kinn Thai has an extensive menu that includes barramundi curry, panang curry, green curry, massaman beef curry and a red duck curry.
Mirchi features mainly north Indian dishes, with a handful from southern India too. There are fragrant, spiced dishes on the menu for vegetarians and meat eaters.
The former owners of Sukothia and the Red Hill Tea House have opened Myanmar Corner to celebrate their native Myanmar dishes. The menu is a unique fusion of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine.
Indo Café, Canberra City
A lunchtime favourite for hungry city workers. Indo Cafe is well-known for its delicious curries. Their lunch specials are quick, affordable and the perfect remedy for chilly winter days.
The Mustang offers a section of traditional dishes from Nepal and the surrounding region. There are many curries, including palak paneer, butter chicken, prawn curry and more. They cater to vegetarians, vegans and those who are gluten-free.
Lamb shank massaman, wagyu panang, and salmon green curry are just some of the dishes you’ll find at Chong Co. There are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options on the menu.
The menu at Blu Ginger is reflective of India’s diverse cuisine. You’ll find the seafood allepy curry from Kerala, Goanese fish curry and Punjabi saagwala curry among many others.
Dum Dickson offers traditional Indian curries including madras, korma, saag, vindaloo, rogan josh and more. They have a range of protein options on their menu, and a large vegetarian section.
7 Village has a large menu that’s a mix of Indian and Sri Lankan dishes. There are traditional curries and chef’s specials. They also offer meal deals and lunch specials.
Yogi’s fragrant curries have made them a firm favourite for those in the inner south. They offer authentic Indian dishes, with options for vegetarians.
For a Japanese take on curry, visit Tokyo Canteen for their kare raisu Japanese curry. Choose from either panko chicken, tempura prawn or tofu.
Did we miss your favourite? Send us an email at ourcanberra@act.gov.au.
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At the recently held AD/PD 2025 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases (PD), Annovis Bio reported buntanetap’s potential to improve both motor and cognitive functions in early-stage PD patients with mild dementia. This underscores the growing need for effective dementia treatments in PD, noting the drug’s promising sub-group outcomes as a critical step in addressing this significant unmet medical need, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Reportedly, buntanetap failed to reach the primary endpoint in the total intention-to-treat (ITT) population. But, showed potential at improving motor and non-motor functions in patients with early PD and mild dementia.
Following sub-group analysis of early PD patients with mild dementia, as measured by a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) of 20-26, cognitive decline was prevented in patients who received 20mg of buntanetap for six months. In addition, buntanetap demonstrated improvements in MDS-UPDRS Parts I, II, III, and IV, Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGIS), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale fourth edition (WAIS-IV), and Participant Global Impression of Change (PGIC) clinical endpoints, meeting all primary and secondary endpoints in this sub-group. As such, improvements in both cognition and motor function signal a promising therapy for patients with early PD with mild dementia.
Christie Wong, Managing Neurology Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The key opinion leaders (KOLs) previously interviewed by GlobalData overwhelmingly cited dementia as the most difficult-to-treat non-motor symptom of PD. The development of more effective therapies for dementia is a major unmet need in PD, as the current therapies provide only modest benefit. KOLs stated that dementia is a common problem in PD patients that further affects medication compliance and remains difficult to treat.”
However, drug development for this indication has historically been challenging. For example, IRLAB Therapeutics recently announced that while the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) indicated an improvement in cognitive impairment for patients treated with 600mg of pirepemat, it did not reach statistical significance in a Phase IIb study (REACT-PD [NCT05258071]).
Moving forward, Annovis Bio plans to explore biomarkers to differentiate patients with PD from patients without PD, as well as understanding the differences between PD patients with cognitive impairment and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the company has requested a Type C meeting with the FDA, with the intention to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase II/III study in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and PD dementia.
Wong concludes: “In the late-stage pipeline, there are currently three assets that investigate cognitive function in PD patients; buntanetap is set to compete with Anavex’s blarcamesine and IRLAB Therapeutics’ pirepemat. Pipeline agents that address cognitive complications, including PD dementia, will likely see a high initial uptake following approval due to the limited availability of approved treatments for this indication and high unmet need.”
*7MM = The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan.
Following the news that the 10% US import tariff, including a 46% hike specifically targeting Vietnamese goods, will take effect on 09 April 2025;
Annapurna Pillutla, Analyst, Economic Research atGlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:
“In response to the US tariffs, Vietnam reaffirmed its commitment to fair trade and transparency. Diplomatic engagement has been stepped up, with efforts to negotiate exemptions and clarify Vietnam’s trade and monetary policies. Vietnam is eliminating tariffs on US imports following Trump’s announcement of a 46% levy. Vietnam also proposed zero tariffs on the US goods and requested a delay of 45 days in tariff implementation, aiming for a mutually beneficial agreement.
“Vietnam’s economy is heavily dependent on the export of goods and services, which constitute nearly 100% of its GDP. In 2024, goods exports to the US amounted to $136.6 billion, representing 30.1% of Vietnam’s GDP. The sharp escalation in tariffs on Vietnamese imports signals a critical juncture in Vietnam-US trade dynamics. Given the US accounts for close to a third of Vietnam’s GDP through goods exports, the latest measures introduce significant downside risks, particularly to export-reliant industries such as textiles and footwear, where cost pressures and competitive positioning are already under strain. “Against this backdrop, GlobalData has revised the forecast of Vietnam’s GDP growth to 6.5% in 2025, down from 6.7%, as demand from one of its largest trading partners softens.
“This development is expected to fast-track Vietnam’s strategic shift toward economic diversification. Beyond intensified trade negotiations, the government is now likely to double down on initiatives to attract high-value foreign investment, scale up digital capabilities in manufacturing, and strengthen bilateral trade ties with economies in the EU, India, and Latin America. Over time, such moves could reduce Vietnam’s exposure to single-market volatility and set the foundation for more resilient and balanced growth.”
PICC Property and Casualty and Assicurazioni Generali shares surge 40%
Elevance Health and Cigna Group lose over 15%
Berkshire Hathaway retains top spot
The aggregate market capitalization (MCap) of the top 25 global insurers grew 17% to $3.5 trillion year-on-year (YoY) during the first quarter (Q1) ended on 31 March 2025. Most of the stocks recorded a sharp growth in Q1, benefiting from the higher premium pricing amid inflationary trends, improved investment income driven by elevated interest rates, and favorable underwriting performance due to fewer large-scale catastrophic events in the period, according to GlobalData, a leading data analytics and research company.
Murthy Grandhi, Company Profiles Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The global insurance industry showed signs of recovery in early 2024, with property and casualty insurers implementing premium increases to counter inflation and rising natural disaster claims, while life insurers continued adapting to shifting interest rate environments. The sector accelerated digital transformation efforts through AI and automation investments, expanded parametric insurance offerings for climate risks, and focused on customer experience improvements.”
PICC P&C, the largest non-life insurance company in mainland China, shares registered a remarkable 40.5% growth in market value during the period, driven by strong FY2024 results on the back of strategic optimization of its motor vehicle insurance business structure with 38.8% market share in household motor vehicle insurance, coupled with accelerated growth in non-motor vehicle insurance segments and enhanced operational efficiency through technology-enabled expense management.
Generali’s excellent 2024 results exceeded financial targets and completed the “Lifetime Partner 24” strategic plan through consistent organic growth and successful business integrations, positioning the company to pursue its new “Lifetime Partner 27” plan focusing on earnings growth, cash generation, and increased shareholder returns while leveraging AI capabilities to address evolving customer needs. Consequently, the company’s market valuation also rose by 39.5%, reaching $55.1 billion by the end of Q1 2025.
Grandhi continues: “Berkshire Hathaway witnessed a 25.7% increase in market value attributed to its strong investment portfolio performance, particularly in energy and infrastructure assets, and resilient insurance underwriting results across GEICO and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group. Furthermore, strategic investment decisions by Warren Buffett, and investor confidence in the company’s substantial cash reserves perpetuated the stock’s upward trajectory, affirming Berkshire Hathaway’s status as a coveted asset.”
Elevance Health and The Cigna Group saw sharp YoY declines of -18.6% and -17.0%, respectively. This downturn was largely influenced by declining enrolment in individual and group health plans, elevated medical loss ratios, and ongoing antitrust scrutiny affecting sentiment. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) also fell 15.4% due to underwhelming policy growth, weak equity market returns in India and limited foreign institutional investment.
Grandhi concludes: “Looking ahead to Q2 2025, the global insurance industry faces a nuanced outlook. The US Federal Reserve has signalled a potential pause in interest rate hikes, which could stabilize fixed-income yields and benefit life insurers’ investment portfolios. However, geopolitical developments—such as recent tariff escalations between the US and China—may pressure global trade insurance demand and raise claims risk, particularly in marine and credit insurance lines.
“Moreover, inflationary pressures in Europe and selective tightening in Asian economies could compress margins, though they also prompt upward repricing, supporting premium growth. On the positive side, increased awareness of climate and cyber risks are expected to drive further growth in specialty insurance lines.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2
BEIJING, April 9 — “On the pretext of honoring bilateral treaties, the US is meddling in the South China Sea issue, undermining China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and attempting to threat and coerce China. This approach will simply not work,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Wednesday.
It is reported that the US Secretary of Defense reiterated US commitment to the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty to counter “China threat” on his visit to the Philippines. During his visit, the Philippines, the US and Japan conducted a joint patrol in the South China Sea. Recently, the US approved selling F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines.
When being asked to share comment, the Chinese defense spokesperson pointed out that the Philippine side has repeatedly made infringements and provocations against China. Outside countries led by the US have made continued efforts to destabilize the South China Sea through playing up tensions and providing weapons.
“It fully exposed their true intention of making troubles in the region. To the Philippine side, relying on foreign support to ‘make waves at sea’ will backfire and being a pawn will only be used and discarded,” added the spokesperson.
In the end, the spokesperson urged the Philippine side to give up unrealistic illusions and come back to the right track of dialogue and negotiation at an early date.
Cabinet approves doubling of Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi single railway line Section (104 km) in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with total cost of Rs.1332 crore Initiative will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations
Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx.400 villages and about 14 lakh population
The project aims to enhance connectivity to Tirupati which is home to the revered Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The temple receives about 75,000 pilgrims daily, and during auspicious occasions, footfall reaches 1.5 lakh per day
The project will also generate direct employment for about 35 lakh human-days during construction
Posted On: 09 APR 2025 3:06PM by PIB Delhi
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the doubling of Tirupati – Pakala – Katpadi single railway line Section (104 km) in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with total cost of Rs.1332 crore (approx.).
The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The project is in line with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s Vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities.
The project is result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
The project covering three Districts in two States i.e., Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 113 Kms.
Along with connectivity to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, project section also provides rail connectivity to other prominent destinations such as Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, Chandragiri Fort, etc. attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country.
Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 400 villages and about 14 lakh population.
This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, agricultural commodities, cement and other minerals etc. The capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 4 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (4 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (20 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of one Crore trees.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the period 2025-2026 with an initial total outlay of Rs.1600 crore.
The scheme aims for modernization of the irrigation water supply network to supply of irrigation water from existing canals or other sources in a designated cluster. It will make robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation by farmers from established source to the Farm gate upto 1 Ha with underground pressurized piped irrigation. The use of SCADA, Internet of things technology will be used for water accounting and water management. This will increase the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level, increase agriculture production & productivity; and thereby increase the income of farmers.
The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to the Water User Society (WUS) for management of irrigation assets. The Water User Societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing Economic Entities like FPO or PACS for five years. The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation.
The initial approval is for taking up pilot projects across various agroclimatic zones in the country by challenge funding to the states. Based on the learning’s in design and structuring of these projects, National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched starting from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Construction of 6 lane Zirakpur Bypass starting from Junction with NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and ending at Junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) with a total length 19.2 Km in State of Punjab and Haryana under NH(O) on Hybrid Annuity Mode with a significant step to facilitate integrated transport infrastructure development under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principle.
The total capital cost of the project is Rs.1878.31 crore.
The Zirakpur Bypass starts from the junction with NH-7 (Chandigarh-Bathinda) in Zirakpur and follows the Punjab Government Master Plan in Punjab and terminates at the junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) in Panchkula of Haryana, thus avoiding the highly urbanized and congested stretch of Zirakpur in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.
The primary purpose of the project is to ease up congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula and surrounding areas by diverting traffic from Patiala, Delhi, Mohali Aerocity and providing direct connectivity to Himachal Pradesh. The current proposal aims at reducing the travel time and ensuring hassle-free traffic movement in the congested urban section of NH-7, NH-5 and NH-152.
Government has taken up decongestion of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali urban agglomeration with development of road network which would take shape of ring road as indicated in the map. The Zirakpur bypass is an important component of this plan.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Domain of economic activities comprising Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries and corresponding economic performance announced The process of manufacturing and production involves a variety of other economic activities, such as product design, technological development, data services and software development, testing and certification, as well as professional and technical services etc, all of which qualify as important elements in the development of new industrialisation. To facilitate the growth of new businesses, new industries and new modes of production in Hong Kong brought about by the integrated development of innovation and technology (I&T) and emerging industries, and to more effectively drive the development of new industrialisation, having considered the characteristics of economic development in Hong Kong, the ITIB has, in collaboration with the C&SD, formulated a domain of economic activities that comprises Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries. The C&SD has also defined the corresponding statistical coverage based on the existing framework of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, with a view to reflecting the economic performance of these new industries of importance more precisely through objective statistical figures. In 2023, the value added of Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries amounted to $76.8 billion, representing an increase of 7.6 per cent over the previous year, and accounted for around 2.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Hong Kong is in the midst of a key transitional period of its economic model, and the development of I&T and a new real economy has become a broadly accepted consensus in Hong Kong society. Furthering the development of innovation technology and the integrated development of emerging industries are crucial objectives of the country and Hong Kong as of present and in the future, and are altering the economic and industrial composition of Hong Kong. Driving new industrialisation is of paramount importance to Hong Kong’s high-quality development. To assist us in formulating various policies with more precision and to effectively guide social resources towards supporting and encouraging the upgrading and transformation of the traditional manufacturing industry, as well as the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong to realise the developmental targets outlined in the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, we must specifically identify a range of economic activities to be covered, and from time to time conduct reviews along with the ever-changing technological and innovative landscape and the development of emerging industries. At the same time, we need to compile relevant statistics to objectively measure the progress of the development of innovation and new industrialisation.”
To realise high-quality economic growth, the Government has, through a multitude of means, furthered the development of manufacturing and new industrialisation-related industries in Hong Kong, such as by launching the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme, and the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. The Government is also preparing to launch the Pilot Manufacturing and Production Line Upgrade Support Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Accelerator Pilot Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Enhanced Scheme, and the Innovation and Technology Industry‑Oriented Fund.
A spokesperson for the C&SD said, “To couple with the work of the Government in driving the development of I&T and new industrialisation-related industries, it is necessary for the society to monitor relevant developments over time through objective and accurate statistical figures. The C&SD has made use of the existing framework of industry classification and further defined the statistical coverage that corresponds to the Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries, and compiled statistics as appropriate to reflect the economic performance of the relevant industries. We will continue to keep abreast of the latest developments and suitably review the relevant statistical framework from time to time with the ITIB and other stakeholders.”
Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries in Hong Kong encompass manufacturing and economic activities relating to I&T and emerging industries:
Manufacturing: For instance, the manufacturing of food products, pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products, computer, electronic and optical products, and new energy equipment, etc;
Science, product design and technology development: For instance, industrial and product design, chip design, new drug development, AI model development and application, and technical consulting services, etc;
Data services and software development: Information technology activities such as data and computing centre services, data storage and processing, related cloud services, and software development, etc;
Verification, testing and certification: For instance, functional testing and verification, technical and prototype testing, and compliance certification, etc;
Professional technical services: For instance, system design, integrated delivery and maintenance services, etc; and
Environmental engineering and green business: For instance, sewage treatment, waste recovery, sorting, and disposal, etc. Issued at HKT 14:00
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates the Navkar Mahamantra Divas Navkar Mahamantra is not just a mantra, it is the core of our faith: PM
Navkar Mahamantra embodies humility, peace and universal harmony: PM
Navkar Mahamantra along with the worship of Panch Parmeshthi symbolises the right knowledge, perception and conduct, and the path leading to salvation: PM
Jain literature has been the backbone of the intellectual glory of India: PM
Climate change is today’s biggest crisis and its solution is a sustainable lifestyle, which the Jain community has practiced for centuries and aligns perfectly with India’s Mission LiFE: PM
PM proposes 9 resolutions on Navkar Mahamantra Divas
Posted On: 09 APR 2025 11:06AM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and participated in Navkar Mahamantra Divas at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today. Addressing the gathering, he highlighted the profound spiritual experience of the Navkar Mantra, emphasizing its ability to bring peace and stability to the mind. He remarked on the extraordinary feeling of tranquility, which transcends words and thoughts, resonating deeply within the mind and consciousness. Shri Modi underscored the significance of the Navkar Mantra, reciting its sacred verses and described the mantra as a unified flow of energy, embodying stability, equanimity, and a harmonious rhythm of consciousness and inner light. Reflecting on his personal experience, he shared how he continues to feel the spiritual power of the Navkar Mantra within himself. He recalled witnessing a similar collective chanting event in Bengaluru years ago, which left a lasting impression on him. The Prime Minister highlighted the unparalleled experience of millions of virtuous souls across the nation and abroad coming together in a unified consciousness. He remarked on the collective energy and synchronized words, describing it as truly extraordinary and unprecedented.
Remarking on his roots in Gujarat, where the influence of Jainism is evident in every street, the Prime Minister highlighted how, from a young age, he had the privilege of being in the company of Jain Acharyas. “Navkar Mantra is not just a mantra but the core of faith and the essence of life”, he emphasised. He underlined its significance, which extends beyond spirituality, guiding individuals and society alike. He highlighted that every verse and even every syllable of the Navkar Mantra holds profound meaning. He added that when reciting the mantra, one bows to the Panch Parmeshthi and elaborated on the same. Shri Modi said Arihants, who have attained “Keval Gyan” and guide “Bhavya Jeevas,” embody 12 divine qualities while the Siddhas, who have eradicated eight karmas, attained Moksha, and possess eight pure qualities. He added that Acharyas follow Mahavrat and serve as pathfinders, embodying 36 virtues while Upadhyayas impart knowledge of the Moksha path, enriched with 25 qualities. He further added that Sadhus refine themselves through penance and progress toward Moksha, possessing 27 great qualities. He highlighted the spiritual depth and virtues associated with each of these revered beings.
“One bows to the 108 divine qualities and remembers the welfare of humanity when reciting the Navkar Mantra”, said Shri Modi highlighting that the mantra reminds us that knowledge and action are the true directions of life, with the Guru as the guiding light, and the path emerging from within. He emphasized the teachings of the Navkar Mantra, which inspire self-belief and the initiation of one’s own journey. He stated that the true enemy lies within—negative thoughts, distrust, hostility, and selfishness—and conquering these is the real victory. He underlined that Jainism motivates individuals to conquer themselves rather than the external world. “Self-conquest leads one to become an Arihant”, he added, stating that the Navkar Mantra is not a demand but a path—a path that purifies individuals from within and guides them toward harmony and goodwill.
“Navkar Mantra is truly a mantra of human meditation, practice, and self-purification”, exclaimed the Prime Minister highlighting its global perspective and its timeless nature, which, like other Indian oral and scriptural traditions, has been passed down through generations—first orally, then through inscriptions, and finally through Prakrit manuscripts—continuing to guide humanity even today. “The Navkar Mantra, along with venerating the Panch Parmeshthi, embodies right knowledge, right perception, and right conduct, serving as a path to liberation”, he emphasised. Underlining the importance of the nine elements of life, which lead to completeness, Shri Modi noted the special significance of the number nine in Indian culture. He elaborated on the prominence of the number nine in Jainism, mentioning the Navkar Mantra, nine elements, and nine virtues, as well as its presence in other traditions, such as the nine treasures, nine gates, nine planets, nine forms of Durga, and Navadha Bhakti. He highlighted that the repetition of chants—whether nine times or in multiples of nine like 27, 54, or 108—symbolizes the completeness represented by the number nine. The Prime Minister explained that the number nine is not just mathematics but a philosophy, as it represents completeness. He remarked that after achieving completeness, the mind and intellect stabilize and ascend, free from the desire for new things. Even after progress, one remains rooted in their essence and this is the essence of the Navkar Mantra, he stated.
Underlining that the philosophy of the Navkar Mantra aligns with the vision of a developed India, the Prime Minister reiterated his statement from the Red Fort, emphasizing that a developed India signifies both progress and heritage—a nation that will neither stop nor falter, will reach new heights, yet remain rooted in its traditions. He highlighted that a developed India will take pride in its culture. He emphasized the preservation of the teachings of the Tirthankaras. Recalling the nationwide celebration of the 2550th Nirvana Mahotsav of Lord Mahavir, Shri Modi noted the return of ancient idols, including those of the Tirthankaras, from abroad. He proudly shared that over 20 Tirthankara idols have been brought back to India in recent years. He highlighted the unparalleled role of Jainism in shaping India’s identity and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to preserving this legacy. Referring to the new Parliament building in New Delhi, describing it as the temple of democracy, he pointed out the visible influence of Jainism. He mentioned the depiction of Sammed Shikhar in the architectural gallery at the Shardul Gate entrance, the Tirthankara idol at the entrance of the Lok Sabha, which was returned from Australia, the magnificent painting of Lord Mahavir on the ceiling of the Constitution Gallery and the depiction of all 24 Tirthankaras together on the wall of the South Building. The Prime Minister remarked that these philosophies guide India’s democracy and provide the right path. He highlighted the profound definitions of Jainism, encapsulated in ancient Agama scriptures, such as “Vatthu Sahavo Dhammo,” “Charittam Khalu Dhammo,” and “Jivana Rakkhanam Dhammo.” He reaffirmed that the government is advancing with the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” inspired by these values.
“Jain literature has been the backbone of India’s intellectual heritage, and preserving this knowledge is a duty”, said Shri Modi, highlighting the government’s decision to grant classical language status to Prakrit and Pali, enabling further research on Jain literature. He emphasized that preserving language ensures the survival of knowledge, and expanding language leads to the growth of wisdom. The Prime Minister noted the existence of centuries-old Jain manuscripts in India, describing each page as a mirror of history and an ocean of knowledge, quoting profound Jain teachings. He expressed concern over the gradual disappearance of many significant texts and mentioned the launch of the “Gyan Bharatam Mission”, announced in this year’s Budget. He shared plans to survey millions of manuscripts across the country and digitize ancient heritage, connecting antiquity with modernity. He described this initiative as an ‘Amrit Sankalp’. “New India will explore possibilities through AI while guiding the world with spirituality”, he stressed.
Highlighting that Jainism is both scientific and sensitive, offering solutions to global challenges such as war, terrorism, and environmental issues through its core principles, the Prime Minister said the Jain tradition’s emblem, which states “Parasparopagraho Jivanam,” emphasises the interdependence of all living beings. He underscored Jainism’s commitment to non-violence, even at the most subtle levels, as a profound message of environmental conservation, mutual harmony, and peace. He acknowledged the five major principles of Jainism and emphasized the relevance of the philosophy of Anekantavada in today’s era. He stated that belief in Anekantavada prevents situations of war and conflict, fostering understanding of others’ emotions and perspectives. He emphasized the need for the world to embrace the philosophy of Anekantavada.
Underscoring that the world’s trust in India is deepening, with India’s efforts and results becoming a source of inspiration, Shri Modi highlighted that global institutions are now looking towards India because of its progress, which opens pathways for others. He connected this to the Jain philosophy of “Parasparopagraho Jivanam,” emphasizing that life thrives on mutual cooperation. He noted that this perspective has raised global expectations from India, and the nation has intensified its efforts. Addressing the pressing issue of climate change, he identified sustainable lifestyles as the solution and highlighted India’s launch of Mission LiFE. He remarked that the Jain community has been living the principles of simplicity, restraint, and sustainability for centuries. Referring to the Jain principle of Aparigraha, he emphasized the need to spread these values widely. He urged everyone, regardless of their location, to become flag bearers of Mission LiFE.
Prime Minister remarked that in today’s world of information, knowledge is abundant, but without wisdom, it lacks depth. He emphasized that Jainism teaches the balance of knowledge and wisdom to find the right path. He highlighted the importance of this balance for the youth, where technology must be complemented by human touch, and skills must be accompanied by the soul. He stated that the Navkar Mahamantra can serve as a source of wisdom and direction for the new generation.
Shri Modi urged everyone to take nine resolutions after the collective chanting of the Navkar Mantra. The first resolution being ‘Water Conservation’, he recalled the words of Buddhi Sagar Maharaj Ji, who predicted 100 years ago that water would be sold in shops. He emphasized the need to value and save every drop of water. The second resolution is to ‘plant a tree in Mother’s Name’. He highlighted the planting of over 100 crore trees in recent months and urged everyone to plant a tree in their mother’s name and nurture it like her blessings. He also recollected his efforts in Gujarat in this regard to plant 24 trees related to 24 Tirthankaras which could not be completed due to non-availability of few trees. Stressing the importance of cleanliness in every street, neighborhood, and city, urging everyone to contribute to this mission, Shri Modi mentioned ‘cleanliness mission’ as the third resolution. ‘Vocal for Local’ being the fourth resolution, he encouraged the promotion of locally made products, turning them global, and supporting items that carry the essence of Indian soil and the sweat of Indian workers. The fifth resolution is to ‘explore India’ and he urged people to explore India’s diverse states, cultures, and regions before traveling abroad, emphasizing the uniqueness and value of every corner of the country. ‘Adopting Natural Farming’ being the sixth resolution, the Prime Minister referred to the Jain principle of One living being should not harm another and called for freeing Mother Earth from chemicals, supporting farmers, and promoting natural farming. He proposed ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ as the seventh resolution and advocated for a return to Indian dietary traditions, including millets (Shri Anna), reducing oil consumption by 10%, and maintaining health through moderation and restraint. He proposed ‘Incorporating Yoga and Sports’ as the eighth resolution and emphasized making yoga and sports a part of daily life, whether at home, work, school, or parks, to ensure physical health and mental peace. Highlighting the importance of assisting the underprivileged, whether by holding a hand or filling a plate, as the true essence of service, he proposed ‘Helping the Poor’ as the ninth and final resolution. He emphasised that these resolutions align with the principles of Jainism and the vision of a sustainable and harmonious future. “These nine resolutions will infuse new energy into individuals and provide a fresh direction to the younger generation. Their implementation will foster peace, harmony, and compassion within society”, he added.
Noting that the principles of Jainism, including Ratnatraya, Daslakshan, Solah Karan, and the festivals like Paryushan, pave the way for self-welfare, Shri Modi expressed confidence that the World Navkar Mantra Day will continuously enhance happiness, peace, and prosperity globally. He expressed satisfaction at the unity displayed by all four sects coming together for this event, describing it as a symbol of unity, emphasising the importance of spreading the message of unity across the nation. He stated that anyone who chants “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” should be embraced and connected, as this energy strengthens the foundation of a developed India.
Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the blessings of Guru Bhagwants being received at various locations across the country. He extended his respects to the entire Jain community for organizing this global event. He offered his salutations to Acharya Bhagwants, Muni Maharajs, Shravak-Shravikas, and all those participating in the event from across India and abroad. He congratulated JITO for their efforts in organizing this historic event and acknowledged the presence of Home Minister of Gujarat, Shri Harsh Sanghavi, JITO Apex Chairman Shri Prithviraj Kothari, President Shri Vijay Bhandari, other JITO officials, and dignitaries from around the world, extending his best wishes for the success of this remarkable event.
Background
Navkar Mahamantra Divas is a momentous celebration of spiritual harmony and ethical consciousness that seeks to unite people through the collective chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra—the most revered and universal chant in Jainism. Rooted in the principles of non-violence, humility, and spiritual elevation, the mantra pays homage to the virtues of enlightened beings and inspires inner transformation. The Divas encourages all individuals to reflect on the values of self-purification, tolerance, and collective well-being.
People from more than 108 countries joined the global chant for peace and togetherness. They participated to foster peace, spiritual awakening, and universal harmony through the sacred Jain chant.
Navkar Mahamantra embodies humility, peace and universal harmony. Delighted to take part in the Navkar Mahamantra Divas programme. https://t.co/4f4r6ZuVkX
Climate change is today’s biggest crisis and its solution is a sustainable lifestyle, which the Jain community has practiced for centuries. This aligns perfectly with India’s Mission LiFE. pic.twitter.com/4p1FzlYyEB
The National Museum, New Delhi, in collaboration with the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM), Nalanda, and the Light of the Buddhadharma Foundation International, India (LBDFI), hosted the release and screening of two important documentary films at the National Museum Auditorium, New Delhi, on April 8th or 9th, 2025.
In the opening address, Professor Siddharth Singh, Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, mentioned that their university is working to raise awareness about the footsteps of the Buddha. These documentary films are part of this initiative. He added that the current ‘in the footsteps of the Buddha’ pilgrimage is limited to a few popular sites, whereas there exists an extensive Buddhacarika (footsteps of the Buddha) that the world is unaware of. Their effort is to increase the scope and span of the Buddhist Pilgrimage.
During the event, Prof. Buddha Rashmi Mani, Director General of the National Museum, delivered the Presidential address. In his speech, Prof. Mani highlighted the significance of preserving and promoting India’s Buddhist heritage. He emphasized the important role these documentaries play in showcasing the rich history of Buddhism and its cultural legacy. Prof. Mani further remarked on the importance of such initiatives for both academic and public awareness.
Ms. Wangmo Dixey, the Executive Director of LBDFI, also spoke at the event, offering her insights on the occasion. She emphasized the significance of the event, highlighting how it represents a crucial step in the nation’s collective effort to preserve and promote the teachings of Buddhism, ensuring that the legacy of this ancient tradition continues to inspire generations to come.
About the Films
Nalanda: A Journey through Time
The documentary Nalanda: A Journey through Time is a groundbreaking film that showcases the unparalleled contributions of Sri Nalanda Mahavihara (Ancient Nalanda University) to the development of Buddhist literature, philosophy, art, and architecture. From the Sth to the 13th centuries, Nalanda played a pivotal role in the spread of Buddhism across Asia. It was a hub fora global exchange of ideas, influencing Buddhist thought, art, and iconography across countries such as China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet.
The film aims to document the critical role Nalanda played in shaping Buddhist traditions and philosophies. It features insightful interviews with Dr. BR Mani, Director General of the National Museum and a renowned Indian archaeologist, along with other subject matter experts, including the former Vice Chancellor of NNM and Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director of Tibet House, New Delhi. This film was previously showcased at the first edition of The Bodhipath Film Festival, held on March 11, 2025, at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
Gurpã: The Last Footsteps of Mahakasyapa
Gurpã: the Last Footsteps of Mahakasyapa traces the pilgrimage of 25 international monks from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and India as they retrace the final journey of Mahakasyapa from Veluvana (Rajgir) to Gurpã Mountain. The film combines documentary storytelling with cinematic techniques to present the sacred walk of the Venerable Mahasangha of the ITCC and the profound significance of Mahäkasyapa’s last journey.
The documentary highlights the historical, prophetic, and spiritual aspects of Mahakasyapa’s life, and the sacredness of Gurpā Mountain, one of the most significant locations in Buddhism. The film underscores the connection between the Buddha’s teachings and the Buddhacarika, the geographical entity encompassing the areas of the Buddha’s sublime wanderings and those of his principal disciples.
Director, Shri Surinder M. Talwar is an acclaimed Indian filmmaker with over 40 years of experience in the audio-visual industry. He has directed a wide range of films, including research-based documentaries, short features, docu-dramas, corporate films, and award-winning music videos. His films have been showcased at various forums, including the United Nations. In recent years, Talwar has focused solely on projects related to Buddhismand Indian Buddhist heritage. His film Buddhism: A Spiritual Journey has won numerous awards both in India and internationally.
This project, conceived by the Light of the Buddha Dhamma Foundation International – India (LBDFI) and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM), seeks to revive the 70 km trail that Mahakãsyapa took over 26 centuries ago to reach his final resting place at Gurpã Mountain. The film aims to raise awareness of Mahakasyapa’s contributions to Buddhism and promote the revival of the ancient Cetiya Carikã tradition. This significant documentary will also be showcased at the upcoming United Nations Vesak Celebration 2025.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CSTB convenes meeting to co-ordinate preparations for visitor arrivals to Hong Kong during Labour Day Golden Week of Mainland ??? Relevant parties will continue to maintain close communication before the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland and take forward various preparations for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong. They will also make timely reports on the latest situation to the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Issued at HKT 12:56
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following are the speaking notes of the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on welfare, poverty alleviation and children policy areas tabled at the special meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee today (April 9):
Chairman and Honourable Members,
In 2025-26, government recurrent spending on social welfare is estimated to be $130.4 billion, accounting for 22.2 per cent of the total recurrent government expenditure of the year, first amongst all policy area groups. Compared with the revised estimate for 2024-25 of $118.7 billion, there is an increase of about $11.7 billion in recurrent spending on social welfare. The increase is about 9.8 per cent. Now, let me highlight how the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) will make use of these resources.
Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ($2 Scheme)
The Financial Secretary has announced in the 2025-26 Budget the adjustments of the $2 Scheme. On the basis that the targeted beneficiaries remain unchanged, the Government will change the concessionary fare to “$2 flat rate cum 80 per cent discount”, which means that beneficiaries will continue to pay $2 for trips with full adult fare below or equal to $10. For trips with full adult fare above $10, the beneficiaries will have to pay the amount after 80 per cent discount of the full fare. Furthermore, the number of concessionary trips will also be limited to 240 per month. This fine-tuned proposal preserves our policy intent while striking a balance between enhancing the sustainability of the scheme and minimising the impacts to the beneficiaries. Our preliminary estimate at the time of the Budget announcement was that the “$2 flat rate cum 80 per cent discount” proposal would be implemented no later than September 2026. Upon liaison with the Octopus Cards Limited and public transport operators, the “$2 flat rate cum 80 per cent discount” proposal can be implemented in April 2026, which is around five months earlier than the original estimate. The amount of additional savings is about $260 million. As for the “concessionary trips limit” proposal, we expect that it will be implemented about one year after the implementation of the “$2 flat rate cum 80 per cent discount” proposal.
Elderly services
The recurrent government expenditure on elderly services this year is estimated to reach about $17 billion, representing an increase of about 50 per cent over about $11 billion five years ago (i.e. 2020-21).
The Government will continue to strengthen residential and community care services for the elderly. We will add 1 000 Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly (RCSV) and 1 000 Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly (CCSV) starting from the second quarter this year, so that the numbers of RCSV and CCSV will reach 6 000 and 12 000 respectively. The annual expenditure involved is about $1,710 million and $900 million respectively.
Cash assistance
This year’s Budget proposes to provide a one-off extra half-month allowance to eligible recipients of social security payments, which will incur an expenditure of about $2,988 million and is expected to benefit about 1.71 million persons. Similar arrangements will apply to recipients of the Working Family Allowance Scheme. It is expected that around 56 000 households will benefit from this initiative, incurring an expenditure of about $96 million.
Enhance support for persons with disabilities
Starting from the third quarter of this year, the Government will regularise the Pilot Project on Enhancing Vocational Rehabilitation Services to enhance services and training models in Sheltered Workshops and Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services Centres to build a better vocational rehabilitation and training ladder for persons with disabilities. This initiative involves an annual expenditure of about $100 million, and it is expected to benefit about 10 000 people.
The Government will set up 14 Integrated Community Rehabilitation Centres across the territory in phases to provide persons with disabilities who require medium to high-level care with flexible and integrated community support services through a case management approach. Moreover, 1 280 additional day community rehabilitation and home care service places will be provided for persons with severe disabilities. Additional annual expenditure involved is around $160 million.
In addition, in view of the remarkable effectiveness of peer support services for persons in mental recovery, the Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that peer support services will be expanded to other types of disabilities, with 90 additional peer supporter posts added in District Support Centres for Persons with Disabilities and Parents/Relatives Resource Centres. Annual expenditure involved is around $21 million.
Online youth emotional support platform
The Government will enhance the services of the five existing Cyber Youth Support Teams in the second quarter of 2025 by providing an online youth emotional support platform. Total additional expenditure involved is around $150 million.
District Services and Community Care Teams – Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers
The Government launched the District Services and Community Care Teams – Pilot Scheme on Supporting for Elderly and Carers in Tsuen Wan and Southern Districts in March last year. Care Teams were engaged to help identify households of singleton/doubleton elderly persons and carers of elderly persons/persons with disabilities in need, providing them with caring and support services. In light of the satisfactory results of the Pilot Scheme, the Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the Scheme will be extended to across the territory in the second quarter of 2025, supporting elderly persons and carers in all 18 districts. This initiative involves an annual expenditure of about $111.9 million.
Rehabilitation services places
The Government is committed to building an inclusive society and supporting persons with disabilities in developing their physical, mental social capabilities to the fullest possible extent, and to promote their integration into the community. To this end, the Government is committed to increasing the number of rehabilitation (including day, residential and respite care) service places from about 37 300 in 2023-24 to about 39 900 by 2028-29 and providing about 1 040 additional day care, residential care and pre-school rehabilitation service places in 2025-26. These involve an annual expenditure of about $186 million.
Assist working families in childbearing
Over the three years starting from 2024, the Government is setting up 11 more aided standalone Child Care Centres (CCCs) in phases, increasing the number of CCCs from 15 to 26, and increasing the service places from about 1 000 to about 2 000. Four of the new CCCs have commenced service in 2024, providing a total of 344 service places. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will also further enhance the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project by further increasing the number of service places from 2 000 to 2 500, with the estimated number of beneficiaries to be increased from 20 000 to 25 000.
Child protection
The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance will come into effect on January 20, 2026, creating a wider and more effective protection web for children. In this connection, the Government will provide an additional annual provision of $186 million to increase the number of emergency places for residential childcare service and strengthen professional support for child abuse victims and their families.
To strengthen the prevention of child abuse at its source, the Government will allocate an additional provision of $96.9 million from 2025-26 to 2029-30 for setting up four Community Parents and Children Centres on a pilot basis. The Centres will promote parent-child interaction through play-based services and instil positive parenting skills in parents, and render support for families with parenting needs. The four Community Parents and Children Centres will commence operation progressively starting from 2026.
Implementation of Productivity Enhancement Programme (PEP)
The Financial Secretary has announced in the 2025-26 Budget that the Government would step up the PEP. On the premise that the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and Social Security Allowance will not be affected, the rate of reduction of recurrent government expenditure will be increased from the original 1 per cent to 2 per cent in 2025-26. This arrangement will be extended for two more years to 2027-28. Taking into account the 1 per cent cut in 2024-25, the cumulative rate of reduction will be 7 per cent in total. After considering various factors and trying the best to redeploy internal resources, the LWB and the SWD rolled out four support measures to assist non-governmental organisations operating subvented welfare services (subvented NGOs) in implementing the PEP, including (i) shouldering part of the financial impact on subvented NGOs and exempting multiple items that are subject to reduction in expenditure; (ii) increasing subvented NGOs’ flexibility and certainty in utilising the reserves of Lump Sum Grant subvention; (iii) reducing the workload of handling cost apportionment; and (iv) enhancing Funding and Service Agreements.
I have met with heads of subvented NGOs immediately after the announcement of the Budget to explain the support measures. I would like to thank the senior management of the subvented NGOs for leading their staff to rise to the challenges, and for working with the Government in a concerted manner to make the best use of public resources to implement the PEP together and continue to provide quality services to the needy.
Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. Members are welcome to raise questions.
Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda Chairs 8th Central Institute Body Meeting of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences Launches Inter AIIMS Referral portal made by AIIMS Delhi
Out of 22 AIIMS approved under the scheme, 18 AIIMS are operational and providing state of the art, affordable tertiary care health services to people in underserved and remote areas of the country
Highest standards of quality in processes and outcomes should be ensured through appropriate accreditation/certification and IT should be effectively used for improved governance and patient convenience: Shri JP Nadda
Posted On: 08 APR 2025 10:30PM by PIB Delhi
The 8th Central Institute Body meeting of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences was held under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, here today.
The meeting was attended by all the Presidents and Executive Directors of new AIIMS set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana besides the Institute Body members of AIIMS Delhi. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt Anupriya Patel; Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr V.K Paul; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Smt. Bansuri Swaraj; Union Health Secretary, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Department of Health Research, Dr. Rajiv Bahl and Secretary, AYUSH, Dr Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha were present in the meeting. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav attended the meeting virtually.
During the meeting, various agenda items relating to developing AIIMS as Institutes of Excellence in teaching learning, clinical care and research were discussed in detail. It was noted that out of 22 AIIMS approved under the scheme, 18 AIIMS are operational and these institutes are providing state of the art, affordable tertiary care health services to the people in underserved and remote areas of the country.
Union Health Minister launched the Inter AIIMS Referral portal made by AIIMS Delhi. He emphasized that all the AIIMS should come together as a community and share good practices and learn from each other. He stated that “highest standards of quality in processes and outcomes should be ensured through appropriate accreditation/certification and Information Technology should be effectively used for improved governance and patient convenience”. He also emphasized that while maintaining uniformity in principles, flexibility in operation is essential to bring out the best from each institute.
The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, will attend the grand cultural production ‘Mahanatya’ on the life of the legendary emperor, Samrat Vikramaditya, on 12th April 2025 at Madhavdas Park, located at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi. ‘Mahanatya’ is a spectacular theatrical presentation that brings to life the inspiring saga of Samrat Vikramaditya — the iconic emperor of Ujjain, renowned for his valour, sense of justice, and patronage of arts and learning.
On this occasion several distinguished dignitaries including Shri Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel, Hon’ble Governor of Madhya Pradesh; Shri Mohan Yadav, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh; Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of India; and Smt. Rekha Gupta, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi will also be present.
After unleashing dozens of destructive tornadoes, a slow-moving storm system dumped heavy rain across the U.S. Midwest and Southeast in early April 2025. In some areas, 10-15 inches (25-38 centimeters) fell between April 1 and 6. According to hydrograph data from the National Weather Service, the rain fueled major floods on several tributaries of the Mississippi River, particularly within the Ohio River watershed in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana, and along the Black River and White River in Arkansas. A break in the clouds on April 7, 2025, revealed to satellites the widespread flooding that spanned several states. The image above (right) was acquired by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-21 satellite. The other image, also acquired by VIIRS, shows the same area before the deluge. Both images were assembled from false-color data using a combination of infrared and visible light (VIIRS bands M11-I2-I1). Floodwater appears navy or black; vegetation is bright green; and bare ground is brown. This band combination makes it easier to spot changes in river dimensions. Western Kentucky was particularly hard hit, according to news reports. In Frankfort, floodwater destroyed dozens of homes as the Kentucky River rose to 48.27 feet (14.71 meters) on April 7, the second-highest level on record. Floods swamped many buildings downtown, as well as America’s oldest continuously operating distillery and part of a water treatment plant. Though rain in the region has stopped and flooding on some rivers has crested, forecasts from the National Weather Service show that water levels on the Mississippi River will continue to rise in the coming days as water works its way downstream through networks of lakes, reservoirs, and rivers in the region. While scientists and water managers use many types of data to anticipate flooding, they have a relatively new source of information from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite. Since early 2023, this NASA-CNES satellite has been measuring the height of nearly all water on Earth’s surface at least once every 21 days, including in the Ohio River Basin. With this information, researchers are developing new ways to incorporate SWOT data into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Model, which predicts the potential for flooding and its timing along U.S. rivers. SWOT data can help fill in spatial gaps in observations from ground-based water gauges, improve estimates of streamflow, and help quantify how much water lakes and reservoirs can store in ways that will help scientists build better flood models. NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System has been activated to support federal partners in the identification of damage, flooding, and landslide risks following the severe weather in the southern U.S. The team will be posting maps and data products on its open-access mapping portal as new information becomes available. NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Adam Voiland.
Almost One in Five (17%) Canadians Reported Losing Money Due to Fraud in Last Year with Median Loss of $2,013
Gaming, Government and Communities were Most Targeted Sectors by Digital Fraudsters in Canada
Key Study Findings:
39% of Canadians surveyed said fraud concerns is the top reason why they abandon online shopping carts.
46% prioritize security of personal data as the #1 quality (more than cost savings or quality of goods and services) when deciding what online company to do business with.
13% report taking no action when discovering they became a victim of fraud.
43% who said they were targeted by fraud involved phishing.
11% of attempted digital gaming transactions (including online betting, poker, etc.) where consumer was in Canada were suspected of digital fraud in 2024.
TORONTO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to the newly-released TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) H1 2025 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, more than half (56%) of 1,000 Canadians surveyed said they were targeted by fraudsters through email, online, phone call or text messaging channels from August to December 2024. Nearly one in 10 (9%) of those reporting being targeted said they fell victim to it. Furthermore, when surveyed from Nov. 21 to Dec. 6, 2024, nearly one-fifth of Canadians (17%) said they lost money due to email, online, phone call or text messaging in the past year. The number of Canadians targeted and who fell victim may be significantly higher, but people may be unaware they were targeted.
“Our research indicates that many Canadians don’t take the proper steps if they have fallen victim to Digital Fraud,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada. “These steps should include reporting the suspected fraud to your bank or credit card company to freeze accounts and changing all passwords. Consumers should also notify credit bureaus, including TransUnion, to place a fraud alert on their file, as well as report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If personal information was compromised or large sums of money were involved, it should be reported to the local police as well.”
Fraud concerns have major influence on who Canadians choose to do business with online. When engaging online, concerns around security and fraud has a significant impact on Canadians’ preferences and behaviours, including when making purchases or choosing who to do business with.
According to the survey that was part of TransUnion’s State of Omnichannel Fraud Report:
91% of Canadians said having confidence that their personal data will not be compromised is important when choosing who to transact with online.
46% said security of personal data is the number one consideration when deciding what company to do business with online, significantly higher than prioritizing cost savings (25%) and quality of goods and services (19%).
70% said fraud concerns would cause them not to return to a website.
31% said they have switched doing online transaction to another website due to fraud or security concerns.
39% said fraud and/or security concerns is a top reason to abandon their online shopping cart. Conversely, 16% said having too many security steps is a top reason to abandon their online cart.
35% said they have abandoned an online application for a financial or insurance product before completing it.
While many Canadians took various actions after discovering they had become a victim of fraud, more than 1 in 10 (13%) reported no action at all. Among Canadians who said they fell victim to email, online, phone call or text messaging fraud from August to December 2024, they reported taking the following actions:
51% contacted relevant impacted companies such as credit card issuers, retailers, etc.
48% placed a freeze on their credit.
29% placed a fraud alert on their credit report.
16% called the police.
15% contacted a company that compiles and provides credit reports.
13% said they took no action.
While Canadians were targeted by a mix of fraud schemes, phishing was the most reported kind. Among those who said they were targeted by email, online, phone call or text messaging fraud in the second half of last year, the most common reported method by them was phishing (43%). Phishing is when a fraudster uses an email, website, social post or QR code that appears to legitimate meant to trick a consumer into sharing personal information. Other common fraud attempt methods reported by those who said they were targeted include:
Smishing (40%), where fraudulent text messages try to trick recipients into revealing data.
Vishing (35%), where fraudulent phone calls try to induce recipients into revealing personal information.
Third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites (19%).
Gaming, Government and Communities Were the Top 3 Industries Targeted by Digital Fraudsters in Canada. Gaming (including online betting, poker, etc.) had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud1 attempts where the consumer or fraudster was in Canada when transacting. Over 11% of all attempted digital gaming-related transactions were suspected of fraud in 2024, an 80% increase from 2023. This was followed by government (9%), communities which includes online dating sites and forums (7%) and video gaming (6%).
The logistics industry, which has seen growth in shipping fraud (often perpetrated by organized crime rings), saw the greatest suspected digital fraud attempt rate and volume growth among industries analyzed, up 203% and 180% respectively for transactions from Canada YoY compared to 2023. However, the suspected digital fraud attempt rate for that industry was a relatively modest 2% in 2024. Conversely, telecommunications saw the biggest YoY suspected digital fraud attempt rate and volume decrease from 2024 (-88% and -86%) from Canada in that time period.
Canadian Sectors that Experienced Shifts in YoY Suspected Digital Fraud in Many Cases Differed from Global Changes:
Industry
Canada suspected digital fraud attempt rate 2024
Change from 2023
Global suspected digital fraud attempt rate 2024
Global change from 2023
Gaming (online sports betting, poker, etc.)
11.1%
+80%
7.8%
+20%
Government
8.5%
+21%
1.7%
+6%
Communities (online dating, forums, etc.)
7.0%
-19%
11.6%
+9%
Video gaming
6.4%
+15%
10.8%
-23%
Financial services
4.7%
+13%
4.9%
+3%
Retail
4.6%
+9%
7.6%
-45%
Insurance
3.3%
+54%
2.0%
-29%
Logistics
1.9%
+203%
2.6%
+101%
Telecommunications
0.3%
-88%
3.0%
-79%
Travel & leisure
0.2%
-26%
0.9%
-38%
Source: TransUnion TruValidate™
“While cybercriminals will attack at any time using any channel, they appear to focus on channels most popular in the regions they are targeting,” added Boudreau. “Emails are widely used in Canadians’ personal and business lives, while many use their mobile phones for everything from work calls to ordering groceries and organizing their families’ lives. Fraudsters view these channels as the most likely way that they’ll be able to trick people into sharing personal information, which is why all Canadians need to be vigilant about responding to messages of any kind on their digital platforms.”
TransUnion came to its conclusions about digital fraud based on intelligence from TransUnion TruValidate.
Specific country and regional data in the report includes Canada, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H1 2025 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report for more information and insights about the global fraud trends.
About TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU) TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including Canada, where we’re the credit bureau of choice for the financial services ecosystem and most of Canada’s largest banks. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this by providing an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care.
Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
For more information or to request an interview, contact: Contact: Katie Duffy E-mail:katie.duffy@ketchum.com Telephone: +1 647-772-0969
1 The rate or percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts reflects those which TransUnion customers determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) fraudulent upon customer investigation, or 4) a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation — compared to all transactions assessed. The country and regional analyses examined transactions in which the consumer or suspected fraudster was located in a select country or region when conducting a transaction. Global statistics represents every country worldwide and not just the select countries and regions.
TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — One of the world’s most influential events in the Web3 space, the 2025 Hong Kong Web3 Festival, concluded successfully at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 6th to 9th. Co-hosted by Wanxiang Blockchain Labs and HashKey Group, the event attracted over 50,000 attendees, 300+ top industry leaders, and 150 cutting-edge projects. As a pioneering innovator in Web3 infrastructure, InitVerse stood out as one of the spotlight projects at the festival with its strong technical foundation and global strategy. Hakan Sezikli, Chief Business Officer of InitVerse, was invited to participate in several major panel discussions, sharing with global developers and investors how InitVerse is reshaping the future of Web3 through privacy protection and automation.
Since its debut in 2023, the Hong Kong Web3 Festival has become a key bridge connecting blockchain ecosystems across Asia and Europe. This year’s theme, “Web3 Globalization: Technology, Compliance, and Innovation,” brought together notable guests such as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, Binance founder CZ, and Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. Covering hot topics like infrastructure, DeFi, and AI+Web3, the event once again positioned Hong Kong—Asia’s first Web3 event with full government support—as a magnet for global capital and innovation. InitVerse’s participation not only highlighted its globally competitive technical solution but also marked a strategic step forward in the Asia-Pacific region.
On the main stage and across various sub-events, InitVerse showcased the core strengths of its next-generation Web3 infrastructure to developers worldwide. Built on the INIChain blockchain, InitVerse is an all-in-one platform committed to offering full-lifecycle solutions for DApps—from development to deployment and scaling. Thanks to its technological innovation, InitVerse has already garnered significant attention from industry media and top-tier investment institutions.
During the panel discussion titled “AI + DePIN: New Possibilities for All Things,” InitVerse CBO Hakan Sezikli remarked:
“The core contradiction facing current cloud and AI ecosystems lies in the imbalance between data utilization and privacy protection. InitVerse’s TfhEVM technology combines Fully Homomorphic Encryption (TFHE) with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), delivering a highly secure, private, and fully functional decentralized computing environment. This allows developers to run AI models directly on encrypted data—without needing to decrypt the original information. This breakthrough is crucial for fields like healthcare and finance, where compliance and trust are paramount.”
InitVerse adopts a modular architecture, separating the INIChain base layer, privacy computing layer, and AI service layer. This ensures decentralization and security while allowing INICloud to dynamically scale computing resources. Developers can flexibly access computing power based on their needs, ensuring DApps maintain high performance even during traffic surges.
In the forum, Hakan Sezikli further elaborated on InitVerse’s technical vision and community ecosystem. He emphasized that InitVerse’s tech roadmap always seeks a balance between decentralization, performance, and usability. He also revealed that InitVerse is collaborating with multiple institutions to build the next generation of encrypted applications.
The Hong Kong Web3 Festival marks the third stop in InitVerse’s 2025 globalization strategy. With the unique value of its technology stack, InitVerse has drawn attention from top institutions including **HashKey Capital**, and plans to expand its global influence through the following events:
Jakarta, Indonesia (April 12): Community meetup with local leaders to explore the Southeast Asian market
Moscow (April 23): First appearance at the Eastern European Blockchain Forum, pushing for enterprise collaborations in Russian-speaking markets
Dubai (April 30): Participation in Token2049, expanding into regulated financial use cases in the Middle East
(More locations are being planned and will be announced soon)
InitVerse’s globalization efforts are not only reflected in technology deployment but also in its ongoing efforts to build a decentralized community. Through incentive programs and outreach, the official community grew by over 2,000 new members during the event—demonstrating the market’s strong demand for privacy technology.
The 2025 Hong Kong Web3 Festival once again proved that the future of Web3 belongs to projects that can balance technical innovation with real-world needs. With TFHE encryption, modular architecture, and AI empowerment, InitVerse is offering developers the ultimate toolkit for privacy and performance. As Hakan Sezikli aptly put it during the panel: “If the future of AI is private, encrypted, and decentralized—InitVerse is building it.”
About InitVerse
the next-generation platform designed to simplify the development, deployment, and scaling of decentralized applications (DApps). Powered by INIChain, an advanced blockchain infrastructure, InitVerse provides a secure, efficient, and scalable ecosystem for Web3 projects.By leveraging INIChain’s robust blockchain processing and dynamic scalability, InitVerse offers developers a complete solution for the entire DApp lifecycle. From secure deployment to seamless scaling, InitVerse makes Web3 development accessible and efficient for developers at all levels.
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JAKARTA, 9 April 2025 – The ASEAN Secretariat today announced its participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, during a press conference held at its headquarters. The Expo, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” will take place from 13 April to 13 October.
The press conference commenced with opening remarks from Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs and Commissioner-General of ASEAN Secretariat at the World Expo Nararya Soeprapto, alongside Ambassador Kiya Masahiko, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN. This was followed by a live report from the ASEAN Expo team in Osaka and a Q&A session with the media.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce ASEAN’s participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka,” stated DSG Nararya. “The World Expo, administered by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), serves as a crucial platform for nations to collaborate on addressing global challenges. ASEAN’s presence underscores our commitment to a more integrated, resilient, and people-centered region.” It is also an important year when the ASEAN Vision 2045 is expected to be adopted.
Ambassador Kiya Masahiko expressed Japan’s strong support for ASEAN’s participation in the Expo and encouraged people from ASEAN to take this opportunity to visit the Expo and explore the rest of Japan.
ASEAN’s participation, themed “Building Bridges,” aims to foster connections with participating countries, organisations, and the public. The ASEAN Pavilion will showcase the region’s diversity and dynamism, highlighting its role as a key trade and investment destination, and promoting its rich cultural heritage. The ASEAN Pavilion will be officially opened by Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
“The ASEAN Pavilion will feature its cooperation initiatives, including the ASEAN-Japan partnership, interactive games like the ASEAN Trail Challenge, and captivating cultural and musical performances,” he further added. “We are also excited to commemorate the 58th ASEAN Day on August 8 both here and in Osaka, celebrating the enduring friendship between ASEAN and Japan.
”The ASEAN Secretariat highlighted its gratitude to Japan for their valuable assistance and support, emphasising that its participation embodies the spirit of “wa” (harmony) and “ikigai” (purpose), aligning with the ASEAN Community’s values and principles.
“With the support of our associated entities, centres, and stakeholders, we strive to make the ASEAN Pavilion a beacon of collaboration and innovation,” DSG Nararya concluded. “As Commissioner-General of ASEAN for the Osaka Expo 2025, I look forward to welcoming everyone to our pavilion.
”ASEAN’s participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is supported through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF)
Trastuzumab deruxtecan approved to treat adults with HER2-positive cancer that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery
As with all products, the MHRA will keep its safety under close review.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today (9 April 2025) approved trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) to treat people with solid tumours that have mutations in human epidermal growth factor 2 (known as HER2 positive cancers) that have spread to other parts of the body (metastatic disease) or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable), and who have no alternative treatment options.
This approval is an extension to the indication (use) of the medicine, which has previously been approved for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancers, who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens for non-small cell lung cancer with an activating HER2 mutation and HER2-postivie gastric cancer.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan has been approved through Project Orbis, a global partnership between the MHRA, the Therapeutics Goods Administration in Australia, Health Canada, the Health Sciences Authority in Singapore, Swissmedic, Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária in Brazil and Israel’s Ministry of Health, coordinated by the US Food and Drug Administration. This programme reviews and approves promising cancer drugs, helping patients to access treatments more quickly.
As with any medicine, the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of trastuzumab deruxtecan under close review. Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.
Notes to editors
The variation to the marketing authorisation was granted on 9 April 2025 to Daiichi Sankyo UK Ltd.
The aim of Project Orbis is to deliver faster patient access to innovative cancer treatments with potential benefits over existing therapies. For more information, see: Project Orbis
More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
The final meeting of UNDRR’s Polish Aid-funded “Strengthening Critical Infrastructure Resilience in the Republic of Moldova” project called on the government and development partners to take action to protect critical infrastructure from growing disaster risks.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIRD) hosted a meeting to present the final findings of the project, gathering key stakeholders, including Secretaries of State from MIRD and other government ministries, the Polish Ambassador, the UN Resident Coordinator, UN agencies, development partners, and international financial institutions.
Launched in July 2024 with financial support from the Government of Poland, the project applied a global methodology developed by UNDRR and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure to assess the resilience of Moldova’s critical infrastructure, focusing on energy, ICT, transport, and water sectors. Moldova became the first country in Europe and Central Asia to adopt this approach, which has been implemented in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.
Moldova is highly vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods, storms, and droughts, as well as broader impacts of climate change. These risks pose significant threats to critical infrastructure, which is vital for providing essential services and supporting key economic sectors.
The final meeting in Chisinau brought stakeholders together to advance the risk-informed recommendations from the project’s national roadmap report, aimed at strengthening Moldova’s resilience across sectors and governance levels.
The roadmap report examines vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems against disaster risks, highlighting systemic and cascading impacts, as well as interdependencies during disruptions. It identifies gaps and proposes improvements in policies, regulations, and their implementation, along with areas for enhanced coordination across sectors and governance levels. The report outlines cross-sectoral and sector-specific Resilience Action Plans, balancing short-term preparedness with long-term strategies, aligning with Moldova’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and the EU National Accession Programme.
Mr. Corneliu Cirimpei, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development said that “effective disaster risk management in Moldova is currently focused more on response, rather than on proactive disaster risk reduction measures, and therefore there is a significant opportunity in updating and harmonizing the regulatory framework to strengthen preparedness and ensure the continuity of essential services in the face of disruptions.”
H.E. Tomasz Kobzdej, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland, underlined the “importance of efforts to strengthen critical infrastructure resilience in the face of complex disaster risks and threats in Moldova”, emphasizing “the linkages of the project recommendations with Moldova’s EU accession process.”
Ms. Yesim Oruc, UN Resident Coordinatorin the Republic of Moldova, welcomed “the findings of this comprehensive initiative as a steppingstone for developing both sectoral and cross-sectoral plans to strengthen infrastructure resilience in Moldova”, underlining “the resilience of critical infrastructure systems and the key services as a prerequisite for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”
Ms. Natalia Alonso Cano, Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, called for a “whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder approach to advance the priority actions identified in the roadmap report, ensuring continuity and coherence across partners in strengthening infrastructure resilience”, adding that “UNDRR remains committed to supporting Moldova in building its critical infrastructure resilience across sectors, in alignment with national priorities and global best practices.”
The project was supported by a Technical Working Group co-chaired by UNDRR and MIRD, comprising representatives from six ministries, the State Chancellery, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, and the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, along with UN agencies and civil society organizations. The initiative included consultations, webinars, and workshops, such as the Stress Test and Resilience Scorecard Workshop held in Chișinău in November 2024, with participation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
About the project
Launched in July 2024 with financial support from the Government of Poland, the “Strengthening critical infrastructure resilience in the Republic of Moldova” employs a global methodology developed by UNDRR and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure to assess the level of critical infrastructure resilience, identify gaps, foster collaboration among key stakeholders, and to formulate an implementation plan to enhance governance and investments in infrastructure resilience, in line with government priorities.
About UNDRR
UNDRR is the lead agency in the United Nations on disaster risk reduction. It provides leadership, expertise, and tools to enable countries to understand and act on disaster risks before they become disasters. UNDRR’s work is guided by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which aims to achieve a substantial reduction in disaster risk and losses by the year 2030.
The first batch of three non-locally trained dentists recruited by the Department of Health started working at government dental clinics in the first quarter.
The Legislative Council passed the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 in July 2024, which introduced new pathways for admitting qualified non-locally trained dentists, including limited registration for all dentists, and special registration targeting specialist dentists.
The department launched a global recruitment drive in the same month. It received over 90 applications from non-locally trained dentists and issued 12 letters of appointment after a rigorous selection process.
Three of the applicants, after obtaining the Dental Council of Hong Kong’s approval for limited registration in February, took up their appointments with the department on March 10.
The three newly recruited dentists have practised in the Mainland, the UK and Australia after obtaining their professional qualifications in dentistry from Mainland and overseas institutions respectively.
Proficient in Cantonese, they have been assigned to work in government dental clinics with general public sessions after taking a one-week induction course.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following are the speaking notes of the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on labour, manpower development and retirement protection policy areas tabled at the special meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee today (April 9):
Chairman and Honourable Members,
Recurrent government spending on labour and manpower development in 2025-26 is estimated to be $3,480 million, representing an increase of about $350 million (11.1 per cent) over the revised estimate of $3,140 million last year. It accounts for 0.6 per cent of the total recurrent government expenditure. I will highlight the key areas of work in respect of the relevant areas in the coming year.
Abolishing the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) offsetting arrangement
The abolition of the MPF offsetting arrangement will take effect on May 1 this year, alongside the launch of a 25-year subsidy scheme on the same date. I would like to remind employers again that the abolition has no retrospective effect, and the pre-transition portion of severance payment (SP) and long service payment for existing employees can still be offset after May 1. Dismissing employees before the abolition takes effect will not save money.
Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS)
The Labour Department (LD) has implemented the ESLS since September 4, 2023, to suspend the general exclusion of the 26 job categories as well as unskilled or low-skilled posts from labour importation under the previous Supplementary Labour Scheme for two years. As at March this year, the ESLS received over 12 000 applications for importing about 107 000 workers. During the period, over 7 800 applications involving around 54 000 imported workers were approved. The LD is reviewing the ESLS, including its coverage, operation and implementation arrangements; measures to promote and ensure employment priority for local workers; measures to protect the rights and benefits of imported workers; as well as other requirements and matters relating to the ESLS. The Government will take full account of the views of stakeholders, including employer associations and labour organisations, in mapping out the way forward.
Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW)
The SMW rate will be raised from the prevailing level of $40 per hour to $42.1 on May 1, providing further protection to low-income employees. Moreover, the Government is firming up a new annual review mechanism for future SMW rates. The first rate derived under the new mechanism is expected to take effect on May 1 next year.
Amending the Trade Unions Ordinance (TUO)
The Government also proposes to amend the TUO to better safeguard national security and strengthen the regulatory regime for trade unions. The Labour Advisory Board (LAB) and the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Manpower supported the amendment proposals. The Government will introduce the Bill into the LegCo this month.
Relaxing the “continuous contract” requirement under the Employment Ordinance (EO)
Based on the consensus reached by the LAB, the Government is amending the EO to relax the working hours threshold of the “continuous contract” requirement, enabling more employees to enjoy fuller protection. The Government will introduce the Bill into the LegCo this month.
Increasing the ceiling of ex gratia payment on SP under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund (PWIF)
The Government on March 21 this year increased the ceiling of ex gratia payment on SP under the PWIF from $100,000 plus 50 per cent of any excess entitlement to $200,000 plus 50 per cent of any excess entitlement, further strengthening the protection for the rights of employees affected by business closures.
Strengthening youth employment services
The LD in January this year enhanced the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Youth Employment Scheme to relax the eligibility requirements to include young people aged 29 or below with sub-degree or higher qualifications, and increase the limit of allowance granted to enterprises to $12,000 per young person per month. The LD also raised the upper age limit for participants of the Youth Employment and Training Programme to 29 and introduced workplace attachment opportunities in the GBA to enhance young people’s employability.
Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme
The LD on July 15 last year launched the three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme. The response is very favourable. As at March this year, the Scheme recorded over 38 000 participants and more than 16 000 placements, mobilising more older and middle-aged persons to join the employment market.
Enhancing occupational safety and health (OSH)
The LD is highly concerned about the levels of OSH risks across different industries, as well as the changes in these risks, with a particular focus on the construction industry. On top of routine OSH inspections, the LD conducts special enforcement operations, safety audit inspections and in-depth inspections targeting high-risk processes and construction sites with poor safety performance. In addition, the LD has stepped up district patrols targeting minor repair, maintenance, alteration and addition works to curb unsafe work activities.
The LD will also enhance the application of technology by introducing small unmanned aircraft in the second half of this year to assist with inspections, evidence collection, law enforcement operations, etc.
Last year, the LD brought the remaining four elements of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation into operation and revised the Code of Practice on Safety Management to strengthen the safety management system. The LD also revised the Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety and the Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces to further strengthen bamboo scaffolding safety and enhance OSH in confined space works. Following the revision of the Guidance Notes on Prevention of Trapping Hazard of Tail Lifts in March this year, the LD will revise the Code of Practice for Safe Use of Tower Cranes and the Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms in 2025-26 to enhance the safety requirements for operating the relevant machinery.
Talent attraction
To address the labour shortage across industries, the Government, on top of the ongoing promotion of local training, has also implemented various well-received talent attraction measures, including the launch of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) since the end of 2022.
As at end-March this year, over 460 000 applications were received under various talent admission schemes, of which over 300 000 were approved. During the same period, a total of about 203 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong. Some of them brought along families to settle in Hong Kong, and about 189 000 spouses of the approved applicants and their children under the age of 18 arrived in Hong Kong. These incoming talents and their families bring about a positive impact on Hong Kong’s labour force and add new impetus to the local economy. The first batch of visas under the TTPS have started to expire from end-December last year, with nearly 10 000 TTPS visas estimated to expire by the middle of the year. As only a small number of applications have been processed at present, we will analyse in detail the relevant statistics when a certain number of applications for extension of stay have been accumulated and release them at an opportune time.
The Government is reforming various aspects of the talent admission regime to continue to strive to trawl for and retain talents. We have also initiated the arrangements under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme for proactively inviting top-notch and leading talents to come to Hong Kong for development, which have been endorsed by the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents led by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Under the new mechanism, we will, having regard to various development needs of our country and Hong Kong, proactively persuade the target top-notch talents to settle in Hong Kong, promoting Hong Kong as the focal point of international high-calibre talents. The Government will provide throughout the process various personalised facilitations to the invitees. It is well appreciated that these top-notch talents are highly sought after worldwide. To avoid affecting the lobbying, we will not disclose the specific operational details about the invitation mechanism.
In addition, to address the acute manpower shortage in the local skilled trades, we will enhance the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals to allow young and experienced non-degree talents with relevant professional and technical qualifications to come to Hong Kong to join the skilled trades facing acute manpower shortage. Meanwhile, the 2023 Policy Address announced the launch of the two-year pilot Vocational Professional Admission Scheme (VPAS). The number of eligible programmes in the 2025/26 admission cohort will be increased to 34. While applications will be only open next year upon the graduation of the first batch of eligible non-local students, we have noticed that since the announcement of VPAS, many non-local students have been attracted to enrol in the eligible programmes that had difficulties enrolling local students in the past. The Vocational Training Council will enhance its promotional efforts and support non-local graduates in applying under the scheme for staying in Hong Kong for one year to seek jobs relevant to their disciplines.
Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) provides comprehensive one-stop support to incoming talents. It organises online and offline workshops (including Cantonese learning courses), seminars and job fairs centred on living, employment and entrepreneurship in Hong Kong, as well as social inclusion activities (including the Talent+ Volunteer Programme), to help incoming talents settle in Hong Kong, and promote Hong Kong’s advantages to the world and recruit talents. HKTE organised the inaugural Global Talent Summit．Hong Kong (GTS) in May 2024 and will organise the second GTS early next year to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for high-calibre talents.
Reform of the Employees Retraining Board
The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) is taking forward its reform and has since early this year implemented short-term measures to enhance its services, including lifting the restriction on educational attainment of trainees. In the medium to long term, the ERB will rename the organisation, enhance training and employment support services, strengthen research capabilities, and formulate a pertinent training framework. The ERB will submit an implementation plan to the Government by the end of this year. The Government will continue to work with the ERB to implement the reform, with a view to enhancing local manpower training, upskilling and re-skilling.
To encourage more young people to participate in the Apprenticeship Scheme and join the relevant trades, each registered apprentice, for a period of three years starting from 2024-25, is provided with an additional training allowance of $1,000 per month, and graduated apprentices will be subsidised to undertake upskilling courses of relevant trades. Meanwhile, the VTC receives subvention to organise short in-service training courses with a view to meeting the market demand.
Manpower projection
The LWB released the report on the 2023 Manpower Projection in 2024, projecting that Hong Kong will face an overall manpower shortage of 180 000 by 2028, with over one-third being skilled technical workers. We would commence a mid-term update of the 2023 Manpower Projection in late 2025, with the findings expected to be available in 2026.
Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. Members are welcome to raise questions.