NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI: GigaCloud Technology Inc Brings Curated Showroom Spotlighting Strategic Brand Partnerships to 2025 Summer Las Vegas Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EL MONTE, Calif., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GigaCloud Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: GCT) (“GigaCloud” or the “Company”), a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise, today announced its participation in the upcoming Las Vegas Market, held from July 27 to 31 at the World Market Center.

    From its showroom at A610, the Company will showcase its signature product lines alongside a curated selection of partner products. Key highlights include:

    Christopher Knight Home Showcases Modern Take on Signature Collections

    The brand will present its signature product line focused on a more modern, consumer-driven aesthetic, delivering stylish, affordable furniture to today’s design-conscious shoppers.

    Collaboration with Purple®

    GigaCloud will be featured in Purple Innovation’s showroom at C1554. As an integrated partner, GigaCloud supports Purple through the Supplier Fulfilled Retailing® (SFR®) model, helping expand buyer reach through streamlined fulfillment operations. Attendees can see firsthand how GigaCloud’s solutions drive growth and efficiency for leading brands like Purple.

    Broader Expansion into Sleep Solutions

    As part of its growing footprint in sleep solutions, GigaCloud is now featuring new product offerings from key partners in its showroom:

    • Zinus – Featuring its new Dreamvibe line, designed for next-generation sleep comfort.
    • Nubba Sleep – An exclusive mattress line developed for the GigaCloud Marketplace.
    • Instant Comfort® – Presenting its collection of adjustable comfort smart beds.
    • House & Home – Spotlighting signature upholstered beds and bunkbeds.

    “We are thrilled to return to Las Vegas Market with an expanded product portfolio and an increasingly diverse partner network,” said Iman Schrock, President of GigaCloud. “As the B2B landscape continues to evolve, we remain committed to delivering solutions that simplify cross-border commerce, reduce partner costs, and enable scalable growth across the value chain.”

    Email hello@gigacloudtech.com to arrange a meeting or demo at GigaCloud’s showroom (Building A610) during Las Vegas Market, July 27-31.

    About Las Vegas Market

    Las Vegas Market is the premier home furnishings and gift market in the western U.S., presenting 3,500 brands across furniture, home décor, bedding and gift categories, in three permanent showroom buildings and a purpose-built exhibit hall. This dynamic market destination attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 80 countries, offering unmatched opportunities for cross-category commerce among these industries. Owned and operated by ANDMORE℠, Las Vegas Market is held semi-annually at World Market Center Las Vegas. https://www.LasVegasMarket.com.

    About Purple 

    Purple, the leading premium mattress company with the #1 gel grid technology in the world, GelFlex® Grid, thoughtfully engineers products that make restorative sleep effortless for every kind of sleeper. The result of over 30 years of innovation and 150 issued patents in comfort technologies, Purple’s GelFlex Grid is the most significant advancement in mattresses in decades and is proven to reduce aches and pains. It instantly adapts as you move, balances temperature, relieves pressure, and offers support in all the right places. Purple products, including mattresses, pillows, cushions, frames, sheets and more, can be found online at Purple.com, in over 57 Purple stores and over 3,000 retailers nationwide. Less Pain. Better Sleep.

    About GigaCloud Technology Inc

    GigaCloud Technology Inc. is a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise. The Company’s B2B ecommerce platform, the “GigaCloud Marketplace,” integrates everything from discovery, payments and logistics tools into one easy-to-use platform. The Company’s global marketplace seamlessly connects manufacturers, primarily in Asia, with resellers, primarily in the U.S., Asia and Europe, to execute cross-border transactions with confidence, speed and efficiency. GigaCloud offers a comprehensive solution that transports products from the manufacturer’s warehouse to the end customer’s doorstep, all at one fixed price. The Company first launched its marketplace in January 2019 by focusing on the global furniture market and has since expanded into additional categories, including home appliances and fitness equipment. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.gigacloudtech.com/.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    GigaCloud Technology Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@gigacloudtech.com

    PondelWilkinson, Inc.
    Laurie Berman (Investors) – lberman@pondel.com
    George Medici (Media) – gmedici@pondel.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Science Illuminates the Past: How Accelerators Are Powering Cultural Heritage Preservation in Asia-Pacific and Beyond

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    Workshop participants identified novel approaches to complement their analytical capabilities, paving the way for joint research and increased impact.

    “This workshop allowed me to learn from other experts in the region about the techniques they use for better understanding objects and supporting analytical information for their preservation,” said Muhayatun Santoso, Senior Nuclear Scientist at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. “This will help us better support museums in Indonesia.”

    Researchers from outside the region who shared their experience also learned from the work of some of the leading institutions in Southeast Asia. “We have encountered problems with characterizing nanoparticles in our research with ceramics, but at this event I got some ideas on how to do this better and also found institutes to collaborate with,” said Ineke Joosten, a researcher at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, who presented her work on identifying the original colours of prehistoric textiles. “We have also decided to build joint databases of research findings that could be used by the entire community interested in such research.”

    The workshop’s outcomes will be highlighted at the 2nd IAEA International Conference on Accelerators for Research and Sustainable Development, which will be held from 22 to26 June 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

    This international forum on accelerator applications in research and industry will feature presentations on cutting-edge developments and findings in accelerator technology and share best practices  on how accelerator technologies can drive progress not only in science, but also in sustainability and cultural preservation.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Science Illuminates the Past: How Accelerators Are Powering Cultural Heritage Preservation in Asia-Pacific and Beyond

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Workshop participants identified novel approaches to complement their analytical capabilities, paving the way for joint research and increased impact.

    “This workshop allowed me to learn from other experts in the region about the techniques they use for better understanding objects and supporting analytical information for their preservation,” said Muhayatun Santoso, Senior Nuclear Scientist at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. “This will help us better support museums in Indonesia.”

    Researchers from outside the region who shared their experience also learned from the work of some of the leading institutions in Southeast Asia. “We have encountered problems with characterizing nanoparticles in our research with ceramics, but at this event I got some ideas on how to do this better and also found institutes to collaborate with,” said Ineke Joosten, a researcher at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, who presented her work on identifying the original colours of prehistoric textiles. “We have also decided to build joint databases of research findings that could be used by the entire community interested in such research.”

    The workshop’s outcomes will be highlighted at the 2nd IAEA International Conference on Accelerators for Research and Sustainable Development, which will be held from 22 to26 June 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

    This international forum on accelerator applications in research and industry will feature presentations on cutting-edge developments and findings in accelerator technology and share best practices  on how accelerator technologies can drive progress not only in science, but also in sustainability and cultural preservation.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Approves $17 Million to Rebuild Conflict-Affected Northern Mozambique

    Source: APO – Report:

    The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $17 million grant to support recovery and resilient-building efforts in conflict-affected northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.

    The funding will support the Resilient Investment for Socio-Economic Empowerment, Peace, and Security (RISE-PS) Project, a bold new initiative to tackle the root causes of fragility through targeted economic empowerment. It will directly create 24,000 jobs, with 60% of opportunities earmarked for young people aged 18 to 35, and 50% reserved for women. Cumulatively, over 100,000 people are expected to benefit from the initiative.

    Since 2017, violent extremist attacks in Cabo Delgado have killed at least 4,500 people and displaced more than one million. Approximately 4,965 small businesses have been destroyed, leaving communities without livelihoods. Youth unemployment currently stands at 25% in the province, with 35% of young women neither employed nor enrolled in education or training.

    “This is about more than economic recovery – it’s about giving young people a reason to believe in their future,” said Babatunde Omilola, Manager for Human Capital, Youth and Skill Development at the African Development Bank’s Regional Office for Southern Africa. “The project emphasizes  youth as peacebuilding agents, unlocking their potential through skills development, entrepreneurship, and decent work opportunities to drive economic stabilization efforts.”

    A cornerstone of the RISE-PS project is the creation of a Peace and Security Investment Hub, coordinated by Mozambique’s Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN).

    “This hub will coordinate development work across the region and create investment opportunities for both public and private partners,” said Macmillan Anyanwu, the Bank’s Acting Country Manager for Mozambique. “By including local communities in planning and implementing projects — such as letting them choose which infrastructure gets rebuilt — we ensure development truly serves those who need it most.”

    Comprehensive Support for Vulnerable Populations

    • Rehabilitation of 150 community facilities, including 30 schools, 45 youth centers, 14 health posts, 10 rural markets, and 33 water systems — providing immediate employment for 4,500 vulnerable youth and women
    • Training for over 9,200 individuals in market-oriented vocational skills, with 2,000 women and youth-led enterprises receiving grants to restart destroyed businesses, and 5,400 local micro-enterprises equipped to expand or consolidate operations.
    • Construction of a climate-smart SME village in the Afungi Industrial Hub, designed to accommodate 100 small and medium enterprises with modern facilities, including warehouses, workshops, and business incubation centers
    • Private sector partnerships, including TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil, to provide 1,055 youth with 6-month internships, targeting 70% permanent job placement

    The total value of the project stands at $28 million, including the African Development Bank’s $17 million grant through its Transition Support Facility, $4.2 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), $2.4 million from Germany, $3.1 million in parallel financing from private sector partners, and $1.3 million counterpart contribution from the Government of Mozambique.

    MozParks, the national developer of sustainable economic zones, will lead the SME village construction, drawing on 23 years of experience that has attracted $4 billion in investments and created over 12,000 jobs nationwide.

    The project’s conflict-sensitive design specifically targets the drivers of violent extremism. Research shows that 40% of young men join rebel movements due to a lack of economic opportunities. At the same time, women face additional vulnerabilities, including limited education and high rates of gender-based violence.

    Implementation begins on 1 September 2025, under the leadership of the Government, with UNDP as the implementing partner. The project will run until August 2029.

    ADIN will serve as the executing agency, with enhanced institutional support to strengthen its coordination role across northern Mozambique, which is home to 11.6 million people.

    Recent security improvements, and a reduction in the number of internally displaced persons from over one million to 635,000 present an opportunity for sustained development investments and renewed investor confidence.

    The RISE-PS project aligns with Mozambique’s National Development Strategy (2025-2044) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 1 – No Poverty;  SDG 4 – Quality Education;  SDG 5 – Gender Equality; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth).

    It also aligns with the African Development Bank’s Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience (2022-2026), the Bank’s Country Strategy Paper 2023-2028 for Mozambique, its Ten-Year Strategy 2024-2033, and many other strategies or action plans on jobs, gender, skills, private sector development and nutrition. In particular, the Bank’s Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy 2016-2025 aims to create 25 million jobs and positively impact 50 million African youth by 2025.

    – on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Media contact:
    Emeka Anuforo
    Communication and External Relations Department
    media@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Inclusion of “NSDL Payments Bank Limited” in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    RBI/2025-26/67
    DoR.RET.REC.40/12.07.160/2025-26

    July 17, 2025

    All Banks,

    Madam / Sir,

    Inclusion of “NSDL Payments Bank Limited” in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

    It is advised that “NSDL Payments Bank Limited” has been included in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 vide Notification DoR.LIC.No.S2196/16.13.215/2025-26 dated June 19, 2025 and published in the Gazette of India (Part III – Section 4) dated July 10, 2025.

    Yours faithfully,

    (Manoranjan Padhy)
    Chief General Manager

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • G20 finance chiefs meet under tariff cloud in South Africa

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    South Africa urged G20 countries to provide global and cooperative leadership to tackle challenges including rising trade barriers as the club’s finance chiefs met on Thursday under the shadow of President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

    The G20, which emerged as a forum for cooperation to combat the 2008 global financial crisis, has for years been hobbled by disputes among key players that have been exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow.

    Host South Africa, under its presidency’s motto “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, has aimed to promote an African agenda, with topics including the high cost of capital and funding for climate change action.

    In opening remarks, South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the G20 must provide strategic global leadership, cooperation and action in the face of complex challenges.

    “Many developing countries especially in Africa remain burdened by high and rising debt vulnerabilities, constrained fiscal space and high cost of capital that limits their ability to invest in their people and their futures,” he said.

    “The need for bold cooperative leadership has never been greater.”

    Questions, however, are lingering over the ability of the finance chiefs and central bankers meeting in the coastal city of Durban to tackle those issues and others together. The G20 aims to coordinate policies, but its agreements are non-binding.

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend the two-day meeting, his second absence from a G20 event in South Africa this year.

    Bessent also skipped February’s Cape Town gathering, where several officials from China, Japan and Canada were also absent, even though Washington is due to assume the G20 rotating presidency at the end of the year.

    Michael Kaplan, acting undersecretary for international affairs, will represent the United States at the meetings.

    A G20 delegate, who asked not to be named, said Bessent’s absence was not ideal but that the U.S. was engaging in discussions on trade, the global economy and climate language.

    Finance ministers from India, France and Russia are also set to miss the Durban meeting.

    South Africa’s central bank governor Lesetja Kganyago said that representation was what mattered most.

    “What matters is, is there somebody with a mandate sitting behind the flag and are all countries represented with somebody sitting behind the flag?” Kganyago told Reuters.

    U.S. officials have said little publicly about their plans for the presidency next year, but one source familiar with them said Washington would reduce the number of non-financial working groups and streamline the summit schedule.

    Brad Setser, a former U.S. official now at the Council on Foreign Relations, said he expected it to be “kind of a scaled-back G20 with less expectation of substantive outcomes.”

    TARIFF SHADOW

    Trump’s tariff policies have torn up the global trade rule book. With baseline levies of 10% on all U.S. imports and targeted rates as high as 50% on steel and aluminium, 25% on autos and potential levies on pharmaceuticals, extra tariffs on more than 20 countries are slated to take effect on August 1.

    His threat to impose further 10% tariffs on BRICS nations — of which eight are G20 members — has raised fears of fragmentation within global forums.

    German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said in Durban on Thursday that Europe was engaged in constructive talks with the U.S. on tariffs but was prepared to take countermeasures if necessary.

    He also said Germany and Europe must demonstrate they are safe destinations for investment.

    South Africa’s Treasury Director General Duncan Pieterse said the group hoped to issue the first communique under the South African G20 presidency by the end of the meetings.

    The G20 was last able to collectively issue a communique in July of 2024, mutually agreeing on the need to resist protectionism but making no mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    (Reuters)

     

  • G20 finance chiefs meet under tariff cloud in South Africa

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    South Africa urged G20 countries to provide global and cooperative leadership to tackle challenges including rising trade barriers as the club’s finance chiefs met on Thursday under the shadow of President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

    The G20, which emerged as a forum for cooperation to combat the 2008 global financial crisis, has for years been hobbled by disputes among key players that have been exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow.

    Host South Africa, under its presidency’s motto “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, has aimed to promote an African agenda, with topics including the high cost of capital and funding for climate change action.

    In opening remarks, South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the G20 must provide strategic global leadership, cooperation and action in the face of complex challenges.

    “Many developing countries especially in Africa remain burdened by high and rising debt vulnerabilities, constrained fiscal space and high cost of capital that limits their ability to invest in their people and their futures,” he said.

    “The need for bold cooperative leadership has never been greater.”

    Questions, however, are lingering over the ability of the finance chiefs and central bankers meeting in the coastal city of Durban to tackle those issues and others together. The G20 aims to coordinate policies, but its agreements are non-binding.

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend the two-day meeting, his second absence from a G20 event in South Africa this year.

    Bessent also skipped February’s Cape Town gathering, where several officials from China, Japan and Canada were also absent, even though Washington is due to assume the G20 rotating presidency at the end of the year.

    Michael Kaplan, acting undersecretary for international affairs, will represent the United States at the meetings.

    A G20 delegate, who asked not to be named, said Bessent’s absence was not ideal but that the U.S. was engaging in discussions on trade, the global economy and climate language.

    Finance ministers from India, France and Russia are also set to miss the Durban meeting.

    South Africa’s central bank governor Lesetja Kganyago said that representation was what mattered most.

    “What matters is, is there somebody with a mandate sitting behind the flag and are all countries represented with somebody sitting behind the flag?” Kganyago told Reuters.

    U.S. officials have said little publicly about their plans for the presidency next year, but one source familiar with them said Washington would reduce the number of non-financial working groups and streamline the summit schedule.

    Brad Setser, a former U.S. official now at the Council on Foreign Relations, said he expected it to be “kind of a scaled-back G20 with less expectation of substantive outcomes.”

    TARIFF SHADOW

    Trump’s tariff policies have torn up the global trade rule book. With baseline levies of 10% on all U.S. imports and targeted rates as high as 50% on steel and aluminium, 25% on autos and potential levies on pharmaceuticals, extra tariffs on more than 20 countries are slated to take effect on August 1.

    His threat to impose further 10% tariffs on BRICS nations — of which eight are G20 members — has raised fears of fragmentation within global forums.

    German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said in Durban on Thursday that Europe was engaged in constructive talks with the U.S. on tariffs but was prepared to take countermeasures if necessary.

    He also said Germany and Europe must demonstrate they are safe destinations for investment.

    South Africa’s Treasury Director General Duncan Pieterse said the group hoped to issue the first communique under the South African G20 presidency by the end of the meetings.

    The G20 was last able to collectively issue a communique in July of 2024, mutually agreeing on the need to resist protectionism but making no mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    (Reuters)

     

  • Sensex, Nifty decline as IT and banking stocks drag

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s benchmark indices ended lower on Thursday, weighed down by selling in information technology and banking stocks amid weak Q1 earnings and concerns over foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows linked to global trade uncertainties.

    The BSE Sensex closed at 82,259.24, down 375.24 points or 0.45 percent, while the NSE Nifty slipped 100.60 points or 0.40 percent to settle at 25,111.45.

    “Indian equity benchmarks ended marginally lower as investors exercised caution amid subdued Q1 earnings announcements, particularly in the technology and banking sectors,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

    He added that elevated valuations in large-cap stocks and FII outflows continued to dampen sentiment, though any positive catalysts could quickly revive momentum.

    Among the biggest losers on the Sensex were Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Infosys, Eternal, TCS, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, and HDFC. Tata Steel, Trent, Tata Motors, and Titan managed to end in positive territory.

    From the Nifty 50, 19 stocks advanced while 31 declined.

    Broader indices mirrored the weakness. The Nifty Next 50 dropped 159.10 points, the Nifty Midcap 100 lost 100 points, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 closed 22.75 points lower.

    Sectorally, the losses were broad-based. The Nifty IT index plunged 522 points, while Nifty Bank and Nifty Financial Services fell 230 points and 106 points, respectively. However, Nifty FMCG defied the broader trend and closed higher.

    The rupee weakened by 0.12 percent to 86.02 against the U.S. dollar, pressured by capital market weakness and a firm dollar index, which held near 98.70.

    “Nifty remained mostly under selling pressure throughout the day as the index failed to move beyond the crucial resistance level of 25,260, leading to long unwinding. On the hourly chart, a consolidation breakout is visible, indicating weakening bullish momentum,” said Rupak De from LKP Securities.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Future in motion: India’s new dawn, powered by a new generation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    ndia’s growth story is a story of youthful ascent. The country’s demographic dividend is at the core of the fastest-growing major economy in the world. It is expected to play a significant role in India’s promising economic future, when the global economy is projected to slow down. The world’s most populous nation, India is also the youngest among the major economies, with a median age of around 28 years.

    A McKinsey assessment, published in July 2024, puts the median age of the population in India at 27.6 years, a full decade younger than the citizens of most other major economies. Apart from contributing to increased productivity, the demographic dividend has the potential to transform the growth story on a positive social scale. If the nation’s productivity is harnessed well with the demographic advantage it has, and the working-age population base is properly skilled and productively employed, millions could be lifted not only above the poverty line but also be economically empowered.

    “In India, as with other G-20 economies, economic growth and business innovations will be critical to future economic inclusion; in fact, these levers could erase more than 90 percent of the empowerment gap. To put that in human terms, accelerated economic growth and business-led innovation alone could lift about 700 million people above the threshold by 2030,” says the report.

    What is the line of economic empowerment? As defined by the McKinsey Global Institute, being economically empowered means having a decent economic condition that affords a nutritious meal, good education and healthcare, a house that is owned with water and sanitation, and access to energy sources such as a power connection and means of transportation.

    Being economically empowered means having the value addition that life needs, going beyond the economic inclusion threshold. With a minimum of $12 per day in PPP terms, a person, after fulfilling their needs to sustain a good lifestyle, can also save money, meaning they are a level above the risk of falling into the poverty cycle again. The report said that globally there were 4.7 billion people (or 60% of the world’s population) not economically empowered as per this benchmark.

    Harnessing the demographic dividend is a calculated task, demanding sustained investment in education and the promotion of industrial collaboration, together with a thriving skilling system. The foundational ingredients of this requirement prime the nation for an era of unprecedented human-led growth.

    According to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 65% of India’s population is under 35 years of age, and the country has seen a significant positive change in the last decade in the headcount ratio available for employability. Before 2014, the country had 33.9% employable final- or pre-final-year students. This increased by over 17% to 51.3% in 2024.

    The current government in the country is focused on harnessing this demographic dividend, creating a pool of skilled and talented youth to support its national and industrial growth on India’s journey of outstanding economic growth.

    With an aim to become a developed country by 2047, the 100th year of its independence, with an economy crossing the $30 trillion mark in real GDP terms, the focus is on creating millions of trained and skilled youth ready for different industrial sectors. Many flagship training initiatives have been launched for this, including the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) scheme, Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), under the Skill India Mission (SIM), creating millions of trained and skilled youth so far.

    To put it in absolute numbers, over 60 million Indians have been empowered through various government initiatives, says data from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Government of India. PMKVY has trained over 16 million youth across different sectors including advanced emerging training fields like AI, Robotics, and IoT. Last year, in October, another flagship scheme was launched, known as the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme (PMIS). Under the scheme, one crore youth will be given paid internships of 12 months in India’s top 500 companies over five years.

    Also, a young population base as the core of economic growth will have a dual advantage. An assessment published by EY in April 2023 on India’s demographic dividend deciphers this potential advantage. A young population base means more hands to be trained and skilled. A young population base also means a more consumption-based headcount, a factor that is good for markets and the overall economy. Consumption grows. Economy grows.

    By 2030, India’s working-age population, among the major economies, will be the highest in the world, at 68.9% of its total population say the assessment. The country, then, will have 1.04 billion working-age people. It is, and will remain, the largest provider of human resources in the world, with the largest pool of STEM graduates (STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics), says the assessment. And it is an ever-widening pool, with an average annual addition of 2.14 million STEM graduates. India is also the country with the largest number of female STEM graduates. Earlier, the Western world dominated in having STEM graduates. Now it is the turn of emerging economies led by India.

    WorldSkills International, a Netherlands-based not-for-profit organisation with 80 member countries, conducts the WorldSkills Competition every two years with participants under the age of 23. It is the largest skill competition in the world.

    Over 50 skills under six sectors are the main focus areas – construction and building technology, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and engineering technology, information and communication technology, creative arts and fashion, and social and personal services. The outcome of the competition tests vocational excellence and sets a benchmark for high performance, and India’s position has seen a consistent improvement in its overall score tally on the overall points scorecard, from 16th in 2013 to fifth in 2024.

    The roadmap to the $30 trillion target runs directly through India’s burgeoning urban centres. The 2024-25 annual report from the NITI Aayog notes that cities already function as the nation’s primary economic engines, generating between 70% and 80% of the entire national output. Cities are hubs of industrial clusters, housing small-, medium- and large-sized industries, run by manpower engaged directly and indirectly.

    To further amplify this growth tool, or “making city regions growth hubs that can unlock their full potential” as the annual report says, the government launched the Growth Hub (G-Hub) initiative in 2023. “The Growth Hub (G-Hub) initiative aims to redefine urban planning for liveability and sustainability with pilot projects launched in Surat, Mumbai, Varanasi, and Visakhapatnam and blueprints approved for Surat and Mumbai,” the annual report adds. An increase in productivity means more skilled hands at work.

    As one of the most important tools to drive India’s growth, the pool of the country’s skilled youth completes the growth curve of its resilient economy, solid macroeconomic fundamentals, and vast domestic market. While external shocks will inevitably arise, the direction of the journey points firmly upward.

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Micronesia: Regional collaboration strengthens SIDS disaster-risk resilience

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    This case study was collected through a Call for Good Practices on Reducing Risk across SDG Transitions, launched by the UNDRR Focal Points Group in 2024.

    SDGs addressed: 8 | 13

    The North-Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati – share high climate- and disaster-risk exposure but limited technical capacity. After the UN Multi-Country Office for Micronesia (UN MCO) opened in 2021, UNDRR, UNDP and UN MCO initiated the first regional DRR technical-assistance programme covering all five countries. Using participatory workshops, qualitative risk mapping and a shared governance framework, the programme blended traditional ecological knowledge (e.g. mangrove planting, raised housing) with modern methods, aligning with Sendai Framework Priorities 1 & 2.

    Innovation & Success Factors

    • Multi-country strategy enabled peer learning, reduced redundancy and built shared accountability.
    • Community-centric design combined indigenous knowledge with scientific analysis, increasing cultural relevance and buy-in.
    • Innovative finance dialogue with entities such as the Global Green Growth Institute laid the groundwork for sustainable phase-two funding.

    Key impacts

    • Regional DRR framework adopted; inter-island steering group meets twice yearly.
    • Capacity built – 60+ officials trained in risk assessment, contingency planning and early-warning design.
    • Knowledge exchange – traditional practices documented and paired with hazard mapping for all five SIDS.
    • Cost efficiency – pooled workshops, procurement and M&E lowered travel and admin costs.
    • Financing pathway – engagement begun with the Pacific Resilience Facility and other donors for phase II.

    Lessons learned for replication or adaptation

    1. Regional collaboration magnifies UN technical support through mutual learning and lower overheads.
    2. Integrating traditional knowledge with modern tools strengthens community acceptance and policy relevance.
    3. Sustainable finance is essential; strong institutional links and human-resource development underpin long-term resilience.
    4. A regional lens fosters constructive peer pressure, accelerating national DRR commitments.

    Other resources / Explore further

    Organisations involved

    • UN entities: UNDRR; UNDP; UN Multi-Country Office for Micronesia (UN MCO)
    • Regional bodies: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP); Pacific Community (SPC); Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF)
    • National agencies: Palau NEMO; FSM DECEM; Marshall Islands Office of the Minister in Assistance to the President for Environment; Nauru Ministry of National Emergency Services; Kiribati line ministries
    • Technical partner: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)
    • Development partners: Governments of Australia, Ireland and Japan; Global Green Growth Institute (prospective phase II finance)

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Oyster Bay Station works suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government said today that foundation works at the proposed MTR Corporation (MTRC) Oyster Bay Station project on Lantau Island were suspended on Tuesday, after “upheaving” of more than 20mm was recorded at five nearby monitoring checkpoints.

    The upheaving was recorded during precautionary grouting works for socketed steel H-piles. The monitoring checkpoints were installed in accordance with the MTRC’s required railway protection procedures.

    These procedures are intended to facilitate monitoring of settlement data at nearby projects, thereby ensuring the structural safety of railway facilities and the railway’s safe operation.

    On Tuesday, upheaving of 22 to 48 mm was recorded at five monitoring checkpoints installed on a section of the MTRC’s Tung Chung Line railway tracks near Siu Ho Wan Depot, exceeding the pre-set 20mm trigger level for suspension of works.

    The relevant works were thus suspended on the same day, according to established procedures.

    The Buildings Department (BD) and the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) deployed staff to inspect the affected railway tracks at midnight that day.

    The BD confirmed that the supports for the railway tracks are structurally safe.

    The EMSD has reviewed the monitoring data and assessment report submitted by the MTRC in relation to the railway’s safe operation. It agreed with the assessment report and confirmed that the railway’s condition fulfils operational safety requirements.

    The upheaving has not affected the structural safety of railway facilities or the safe operation of the railway.

    The BD, the EMSD and the MTRC will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the structural safety of railway facilities and the railway’s safe operation.

    The BD and the MTRC have requested the registered building professionals responsible for the project to formulate mitigation measures and adopt a construction method that would alleviate possible effects on railway facilities.

    Upon receipt of proposed mitigation measures or amendment plans and of an application for resumption of works, the BD will rigorously scrutinise these.

    Meanwhile, the EMSD has requested that the MTRC implement stringent monitoring measures to ensure the railway’s safe operation.

    When the application for resumption of works has been approved, it will be announced to the public.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Construction tech pact signed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Housing Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Nano & Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) today to establish a strategic partnership in innovative construction technologies.

    Leveraging NAMI’s cutting-edge expertise in advanced materials and the Housing Authority’s public housing practical verification platform, the partnership is expected to accelerate the validation and application of new building materials while creating a sustainable technology development model through patent protection and commercialisation mechanisms.

    The first batch of research technologies includes enhancements to the MiSmartLink co-developed by the Housing Authority and NAMI as well as the development of composite sealing rolls, advanced concrete materials and soundproof materials.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said that the bureau hopes this co-operation can inject innovative and technological power into Hong Kong’s construction industry by providing a practical verification platform through public housing.

    She added that the bureau and NAMI will strive to build a broader partnership network, develop international markets, and position Hong Kong as a regional hub for construction technology intellectual property, reinforcing the city’s role as a “super connector”.

    Addressing the ceremony, Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong remarked that the MOU is a manifestation of positive interaction among the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors in innovation and technology as well as an exemplary model of collaboration between Government, industry, academia and research.

    He further noted that NAMI’s research and development in construction materials is tailored to the Housing Authority’s diverse application scenarios and production requirements, offering a practical implementation platform for NAMI’s research outcomes.

    This synergy is fostering an ecosystem-wide transformation within the industry and realising a more effective public housing supply, Prof Sun highlighted.

    The Government added that the collaboration will lead to the establishment of a complete intellectual property management mechanism, allowing research results to gain patent protection and create revenue through technology licensing and commercialisation.

    A portion of the revenue will be reinvested into a new round of research and development, in order to form a sustainable development model.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tender for re-opening of 3-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds to be held on July 23

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
     
    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced today (July 17) that a tender of 3-year HKD Institutional Government Bonds (Bonds) through the re-opening of existing 3-year Government Bond issue 03GB2804001 under the Infrastructure Bond Programme will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, for settlement on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
     
    An additional amount of HK$2.0 billion of the outstanding 3-year Bonds (issue no. 03GB2804001) will be on offer. The Bonds will mature on April 25, 2028 and will carry interest at the rate of 2.76 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrear. The Indicative Pricings of the Bonds on July 17, 2025 are 101.77 with an annualised yield of 2.109 per cent.
     
    Tender is open only to Primary Dealers appointed under the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Anyone wishing to apply for the Bonds on offer can do so through any of the Primary Dealers on the latest published list, which can be obtained from the Hong Kong Government Bonds website at www.hkgb.gov.hk. Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof.
     
    Tender results will be published on the HKMA’s website, the Hong Kong Government Bonds website, Bloomberg (GBHK ) and Refinitiv (IBPGSBPINDEX). The publication time is expected to be no later than 3pm on the tender day.
     
    HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Information

    Tender information of re-opening of 3-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
     

    Issue Number : 03GB2804001
    Stock Code : 4291 (HKGB 2.76 2804)
    Tender Date and Time : Wednesday, July 23, 2025
    9.30am to 10.30am
    Issue and Settlement Date : Thursday, July 24, 2025
    Amount on Offer : HK$2.0 billion
    Maturity : 3 years
    Remaining maturity : Approximately 2.76 years
    Maturity Date : Tuesday, April 25, 2028
    Interest Rate : 2.76 per cent p.a. payable semi-annually in arrear
    Interest Payment Dates : April 25 and October 25 in each year, commencing on the Issue Date up to and including the Maturity Date, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Institutional Issuances Information Memorandum of the Infrastructure Bond Programme and Government Sustainable Bond Programme (Information Memorandum) published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.
    Method of Tender : Competitive tender
    Tender Amount : Each competitive tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof. Any tender applications for the Bonds must be submitted through a Primary Dealer on the latest published list.

    The accrued interest to be paid by successful bidders on the issue date (July 24, 2025) for the tender amount is HK$340.27 per minimum denomination of HK$50,000.

    (The accrued interest to be paid for tender amount exceeding HK$50,000 may not be exactly equal to the figures calculated from the accrued interest per minimum denomination of HK$50,000 due to rounding).
    Other Details : Please see the Information Memorandum available on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website or approach Primary Dealers.
    Expected commencement date of dealing on
    the Stock Exchange
    of Hong Kong Limited    		 : The tender amount is fully fungible with the existing 03GB2804001 (Stock code: 4291) listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
    Use of Proceeds : The Bonds will be issued under the institutional part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Proceeds will be invested in infrastructure projects in accordance with the Infrastructure Bond Framework published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sport For All Day 2025 free activity coupons to be distributed on July 21

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the Sport For All Day (SFAD) 2025 on August 3 (Sunday). Free recreation and sports programmes will be conducted at designated sports centres across the 18 districts on that day (from 2pm to 6pm). Members of the public may obtain activity coupons from 8.30am on July 21 (Monday) at the LCSD District Leisure Services Offices or designated venues in the 18 districts. Participants should present the coupons to attend the programmes on time. The LCSD will reserve a portion of the coupons for walk-in participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
     
    The theme of SFAD 2025 is “Coalescing together for the National Games”, echoing Hong Kong’s cohosting the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games with the Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region for the first time.
     
    The prime venue is the Kowloon Park Sports Centre, with activities to be provided on August 3 including cheerleading and breaking performances; rugby and golf fun activities; virtual fencing, karting and triathlon; table tennis fun activities for persons with different abilities. Other designated sports centres will organise fitness programmes, health talks, sports demonstrations and a fun day for families, children, youngsters, the elderly and persons with disabilities. On the same day, the LCSD will also open a number of leisure facilities for public use free of charge. Members of the public may make ballot applications via SmartPLAY as individual users from now until July 23.
     
    In addition, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China will hold the “Sport for All Experience Day” at GO PARK Sai Sha on August 3 (from 12 noon to 6pm), where the LCSD will set up an SFAD activity booth to promote the joy of sports. A number of organisations will also open up their facilities or roll out recreation and sports programmes for the public free of charge on the same day.
     
    Details are available on the SFAD 2025 dedicated website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/sfad).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appeal for information on missing woman in Wong Tai Sin (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Police today (July 17) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

    Kwok Oi-kwan, aged 18, went missing after she was last seen in a shopping mall on Junction Road, Wong Tai Sin on July 14 afternoon. Her family then made a report to Police.

    She is about 1.7 metres tall, 55 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a long face with yellow complexion, long black hair with a ponytail and a mole on left chin. She was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, black pants, white shoes, a pair of black glasses and carrying a red backpack.

    Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SHYA visits Sichuan (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, began her visit to Sichuan today (July 17). She visited the Shenshuping Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) and the Wolong Natural Museum of the Giant Panda National Park. She also attended the closing ceremony of the 2025 Youth Internship Programme at Wolong Region of Giant Panda National Park.
     
    In the morning, Miss Mak visited the Shenshuping Base of the CCRCGP. Accompanied by the Hong Kong youth participating in the internship programme, she toured the facilities and the panda base which were rebuilt with Hong Kong’s support. The interns, who served as guides, gave a detailed presentation about nature conservation and the caring and rearing of giant pandas. Miss Mak then visited the Wolong Natural Museum of the Giant Panda National Park, where the interns shared with her their work experiences and the natural ecological conservation work of the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
     
    In the afternoon, Miss Mak attended the closing ceremony of the 2025 Youth Internship Programme at Wolong Region of Giant Panda National Park, witnessing 20 Hong Kong youth successfully completing their internship journeys. In her speech, Miss Mak said that the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) has collaborated with the Sichuan Wolong Nature Reserve Administration and the CCRCGP to organise the internship programme since 2017, providing Hong Kong youth with professional training and practical work experiences in nature conservation and ecotourism. She expressed gratitude to the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Forestry and Grassland, the Wolong Nature Reserve Administration and the CCRCGP for their long-standing support towards Hong Kong youth development, enabling students to gain practical experience through their internships.
     
    Jointly organised by the HYAB and various Mainland official cultural, nature conservation and scientific research institutions, the HYAB Thematic Youth Internship Programmes to the Mainland, offers six internship programmes, providing over 110 specialised internship positions for Hong Kong youth. Among them, the six-week Youth Internship Programme at Wolong Region of Giant Panda National Park is one of the programmes where interns will be guided by experts and scholars in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, and take on roles such as field researchers, ecotour guides, museum docents, giant panda education ambassadors and ecological education promotion experts.
     
    Miss Mak will continue her visit to Sichuan tomorrow.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CSSA caseload for June 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload in June showed a drop of 240 cases, representing a decrease of 0.1 per cent compared with that of May, according to the latest CSSA caseload statistics released by the Social Welfare Department today (July 17).
          
    The total CSSA caseload at the end of June stood at 195 196 (see attached table), with a total of 261 440 recipients.
          
    Analysed by case nature, low-earnings cases registered a month-to-month decrease of 1.4 per cent to 1 312 cases. Permanent disability cases decreased by 0.4 per cent to 16 534 cases. Both ill-health cases and single parent cases declined by 0.2 per cent to 27 723 cases and 18 842 cases respectively. Old age cases dropped by 0.1 per cent to 110 691 cases.
         
    Unemployment cases remained steady at 16 150 cases.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong’s COVID-19 activity declines to low level and private doctors will no longer be provided with free COVID-19 drugs

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 17) said that the recent periodic upsurge of COVID-19 in Hong Kong has ended, with relevant indicators declining to the low levels recorded before April this year. In view of the fact that COVID-19 has been managed in the same way as an upper respiratory tract illness and in response to the significant decrease in the demand for COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs, the special arrangement of providing free oral antiviral drugs to private doctors for prescribing to eligible patients, which has been in place during the pandemic, will be discontinued on July 29. The Government reminded the private doctors to make their own arrangements with the relevant drug dealer if they intend to provide patients with locally registered COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs. Meanwhile, the public medical service will continue to prescribe COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs to patients with clinical needs in accordance with the arrangement for general drugs.
     
    End of COVID-19’s periodic upsurge

    There was a drastic upsurge in the level of COVID-19 activity in Hong Kong since April of this year, reaching its peak in mid-May. According to the latest surveillance data (as of the week ending July 12), all indicators of COVID-19 activity have dropped back to the low levels recorded before April. For sewage surveillance, the per capita viral load of SARS-CoV-2 virus decreased from around 770 000 copy/litre in mid-May to around 140 000 copy/litre in the most recent week; the percentage of respiratory samples tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus also dropped from a peak of 13.80 per cent to 2.53 per cent in the most recent week. 
     
    COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs
     
    COVID-19 has become a common respiratory viral infection. For the general public, symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections are generally mild. Meanwhile, the monthly average number of treatment courses of COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs prescribed by private doctors to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients this year has dropped significantly compared to the past two years. Taking into account the above factors, the Government will end the special arrangement on July 29. This arrangement provided private doctors with free COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs for prescribing to eligible patients during the pandemic. Private doctors can still provide free prescriptions to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients on or before July 28.
     
    The Government reminded private doctors that if they intend to provide patients with COVID-19 oral antiviral drug registered in Hong Kong, they can order them directly from the drug dealer, prescribe the drug to patients and charge them. Members of the public with clinical needs may continue to make appointments for general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services through the GOPC Telephone Appointment System or the “Book GOPC” function on the Hospital Authority’s (HA) one-stop mobile application “HA Go”. GOPCs under the HA will continue to prescribe the relevant drugs to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients with clinical needs according to their treatment guidelines. For more details of the GOPC services, please visit the GOPC website: www.ha.org.hk/goto/gopc/en.
     
    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has been providing two COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs, procured by the HA, to private doctors for free prescription to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients with clinical needs since April 2022. This arrangement was intended to mobilise all available healthcare manpower, including private doctors, for anti-epidemic support during the raging epidemic. Private doctors who have registered with the Electronic Health Record Sharing System could request the provision of the COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs via a dedicated online platform. They must follow the relevant treatment guidelines set out by the HA and are not allowed to charge their patients any fees for the COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs. As of June 30 this year, approximately 200 000 treatment courses were prescribed by private doctors to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients for free.
     
    Severe COVID-19 cases primarily affect the elderly, the children and individuals with underlying illnesses. Scientific data has conclusively proven that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in minimising the risk of severe disease or death. Members of the public who have not received the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (including infants and children) should get vaccinated timely. Those at high risk should receive a booster dose as soon as possible. For more information on COVID-19 vaccination, please visit COVID-19 Vaccination Programme webpage. Although the periodic upsurge of COVID-19 has ended, there has been an upward trend in local influenza activity in Hong Kong recently. Members of the public should remain vigilant and maintain stringent personal, environmental and hand hygiene at all times.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: InvestHK promotes Hong Kong’s business and supply chain management advantages at China International Supply Chain Expo (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Ms Loretta Lee attended the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing today (July 17). There, Ms Lee delivered remarks at the Thematic Event on Supply Chain Service to promote Hong Kong’s business advantages and opportunities to Mainland and overseas companies and media representatives, encouraging enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s unique position as an international financial, shipping, and trade hub to establish their multinational supply chain management expertise.

    Organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the CISCE is the world’s first national-level expo focused on supply chains. InvestHK has joined the CISCE for two consecutive years and delivered speeches on Thematic Event on Supply Chain Service and Thematic Event on Advanced Manufacturing topics this year.

    The Thematic Event on Supply Chain Service topic focuses on upgrading the industrial supply chain and explores new global collaboration efforts. In her remarks, Ms Lee promoted Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” framework and the city’s role as a gateway connecting Mainland China and global markets under the national dual circulation strategy. She said, “Hong Kong as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’ can help Mainland enterprises better cope with the international market and balance the stability and flexibility of the supply chain. The city has rich experience in supply chain management. From infrastructure, professional service talent, international supplier networks to government policy support, Hong Kong can fully meet enterprises’ needs in different stages of business operation such as procurement, trade, and logistics. As a leading international financial centre, Hong Kong boasts a vibrant and diverse capital market. In the first half of this year, Hong Kong led the world in initial public offering fundraising, making it the ideal destination for corporate financing. I encourage Mainland enterprises to establish corporate treasury centres in Hong Kong to facilitate global expansion.”

    CCPIT Vice Chairman Mr Chen Jian’an also delivered a speech at the event.

    On the same day, the Head of Transport, Logistics and Industrials at InvestHK, Mr Benjamin Wong, joined a thematic forum at the Thematic Event on Advanced Manufacturing, sharing insights on the innovation-driven development through green and low-carbon technologies. He noted that the demand for green and low-carbon solutions in industries is currently experiencing a growth momentum. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been supporting the development of the local innovation and technology sector through various measures, including enhanced research and development support, expanded funding channels, and strengthened collaboration among academia, industry, and the Government, with the aim of accelerating Hong Kong’s transformation into a green tech hub. To further enhance green and sustainable economic development, InvestHK has established a dedicated sustainability team, which actively attracts overseas and Mainland enterprises with leading technologies and solutions in carbon neutrality to establish or expand their operations in Hong Kong.

    Following the CISCE, InvestHK will host a roundtable on July 18 to further discuss Hong Kong’s role as a multinational supply chain management centre, and conduct in-depth discussions and exchanges with representatives of Beijing-based companies interested in expanding their business in Hong Kong. Ms Lee will deliver welcome remarks, encouraging Beijing companies to use Hong Kong as their multinational supply chain management centre. In the sharing session, Mr Wong and the Managing Director of Li & Fung Development (China) Ltd, Mr Chang Ka-mun, will discuss the latest environment and trends of global trade and supply chains, and how Hong Kong can help Mainland and overseas enterprises build global supply chain management expertise. Experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers and China Merchants Bank will also share insights at the event on Hong Kong’s tax benefits and financial services for Mainland enterprises looking to expand internationally.

    During the visit, the InvestHK delegation will meet with various enterprises to provide the latest updates on Hong Kong’s latest policies and opportunities, thereby assisting them to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to expand overseas.

    To download event photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720327606368.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Legislative amendments on low-altitude economy development to take effect on July 18

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Order 2025 and the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Amendment) Order 2025 will come into effect tomorrow (July 18) to facilitate the development of the low-altitude economy.

    The amendments to the Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) Order (Cap. 448G) serve to extend the existing regulatory regime to cover SUA weighing over 25 kilograms but not exceeding 150kg. Relevant guidance documents including the updated Safety Requirements Document and Advisory Circulars will be available on the Civil Aviation Department (CAD)’s website (www.cad.gov.hk/english/sua_new.html) from July 18.

    Meanwhile, the amendments to the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Cap. 448C) serve to facilitate the trials of various unconventional aircraft in Hong Kong. New articles are added under Cap. 448C to empower the Chief Executive to permit the trials of unconventional aircraft under specified conditions. Practical guidance in respect of the trials of unconventional aircraft will be published on the CAD’s website (www.cad.gov.hk/english/uca_trials.html) on July 18.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Housing Bureau and NAMI sign MOU on innovative construction technologies (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Housing Bureau (HB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) today (July 17) for the establishment of a strategic partnership to integrate the strengths of both parties and create a complete innovation ecosystem from research and development (R&D) to market application, building possibilities for the future with new ideas and technologies. This partnership will leverage the cutting-edge expertise of NAMI in advanced materials alongside the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA)’s public housing practical verification platform. This will accelerate the validation and application of new building materials while creating a sustainable technology development model through patent protection and commercialisation mechanisms, supporting the development of Hong Kong into a regional intellectual property trading centre.

    The HB and the HKHA have been committed to promoting innovative construction technologies to enhance the efficiency, quality, and safety levels of public housing construction. The HKHA leverages the vast supply, standardised designs, and highly repetitive nature of public housing to provide an ideal practical verification platform for new construction technologies. This diverse application scenario will accelerate technological advancement and marketisation, facilitating the rapid transformation of research results into practical applications. For example, the HKHA and NAMI co-developed the MiSmartLink innovative coupling technology for application in second-generation Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) projects, further simplifying on-site processes and enhancing construction productively. Relevant design patents will protect the research outcomes and promote technology applications in the industry market through technology licensing.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, said that the HB hopes this co-operation can inject more innovative and technological power into Hong Kong’s construction industry by providing a practical verification platform through public housing. At the same time, the collaboration with NAMI will explore the establishment of a broader partnership network to effectively utilise the innovation resources of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by reinforcing connectivity, actively develop international markets, and position Hong Kong as a regional hub for construction technology intellectual property, reinforcing its role as a “super connector”.

    Addressing the ceremony, the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, remarked that the MOU signed by the HB and NAMI effectively demonstrates positive interaction among the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors in innovation and technology in Hong Kong. It further stands as an exemplary model of highly effective collaboration between Government, industry, academia and research. NAMI’s R&D in construction materials is tailored to HKHA’s diverse application scenarios and production requirements, offering a practical implementation platform for outstanding R&D results. This synergy is fostering ecosystem-wide transformation within the industry and realising a more effective public housing supply.

    Witnessed by Ms Ho; Professor Sun; the Under Secretary for Housing, Mr Victor Tai; and the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of NAMI, Professor Cheng Shuk-han, the MOU was signed by the Permanent Secretary for Housing/Director of Housing, Miss Charmaine Lee, and the Chief Executive Officer of NAMI, Mr Andy Fung. The first batch of research technologies includes further enhancements to the MiSmartLink, the development of composite sealing rolls, and advanced concrete materials and soundproof materials, which will help public housing achieve goals of enhancing speed, quantity, quality, and efficiency.

    The collaboration will establish a complete intellectual property management mechanism, allowing research results to gain patent protection and create revenue through technology licensing and commercialisation. A portion of the revenue will be reinvested into a new round of research and development, forming a sustainable development model that injects continuous momentum into the innovation and technology ecosystem.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA to Preview Advanced US-India Radar Mission Ahead of Launch

    Source: NASA

    NASA will host a news conference at 12 p.m. EDT Monday, July 21, to discuss the upcoming NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission.
    The Earth-observing satellite, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), carries an advanced radar system that will help protect communities by providing a dynamic, three-dimensional view of Earth in unprecedented detail and detecting the movement of land and ice surfaces down to the centimeter.
    The NISAR mission will lift off from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, on India’s southeastern coast. Launch is targeted for no earlier than late July.
    NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California will stream the briefing live on its X, Facebook, and YouTube channels. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    Participants in the news conference include:

    Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
    Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, NASA Headquarters
    Wendy Edelstein, deputy project manager, NISAR, NASA JPL
    Paul Rosen, project scientist, NISAR, NASA JPL

    To ask questions by phone, members of the media must RSVP no later than two hours before the start of the event to: rexana.v.vizza@jpl.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. Questions can be asked on social media during the briefing using #AskNISAR.
    With its two radar instruments — an S-band system provided by ISRO and an L-band system provided by NASA — NISAR will use a technique known as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to scan nearly all the planet’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days. Each system’s signal is sensitive to different sizes of features on Earth’s surface, and each specializes in measuring different attributes, such as moisture content, surface roughness, and motion.
    These capabilities will help scientists better understand processes involved in natural hazards and catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, land subsidence, and landslides.
    Additionally, NISAR’s cloud penetrating ability will aid urgent responses to communities during weather disasters such as hurricanes, storm surge, and flooding. The detailed maps the mission creates also will provide information on both gradual and sudden changes occurring on Earth’s land and ice surfaces.
    Managed by Caltech for NASA, JPL leads the U.S. component of the NISAR project and provided the L-band SAR. NASA JPL also provided the radar reflector antenna, the deployable boom, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Near Space Network, which will receive NISAR’s L-band data.
    Multiple ISRO centers have contributed to NISAR. The Space Applications Centre is providing the mission’s S-band SAR. The U R Rao Satellite Centre provided the spacecraft bus. The rocket is from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, launch services are through Satish Dhawan Space Centre, and satellite mission operations are by the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network. The National Remote Sensing Centre is responsible for S-band data reception, operational products generation, and dissemination.
    To learn more about NISAR, visit:
    https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov
    -end-
    Karen Fox / Elizabeth VlockHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov
    Andrew Wang / Scott HulmeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-653-9131andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / scott.d.hulme@jpl.nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/BRAZIL – Father Mario Lanciotti, Xaverian missionary, among myths, tales, and legends of the indigenous people of the Amazon

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Thursday, 17 July 2025

    by Gianluca FrinchillucciRome (Agenzia Fides) – A new light is shining on missionary witness among the peoples of the Amazon. Professor Mario Polia, anthropologist, historian of religions, and profound expert on Andean cultures, has published a valuable collection of oral accounts collected by Father Mario Lanciotti, a Xaverian missionary active in Brazil in the 1960s, and a former missionary in China and Japan.The work brings together myths, tales, legends, and cosmogonic tales passed down orally for generations by the indigenous people of the Amazon. Father Lanciotti heard them directly from the faithful of his missions, during long evenings in the villages, often by moonlight, to the sound of crickets and night frogs. “For me,” he wrote, “it was not a pastime: I considered it indispensable for my missionary work.” “I have always tried to better understand the people to whom I was sent and to help them according to my abilities and capabilities. I have tried to love and accept them as they are, avoiding noise and paternalism,” he recounted in one of his testimonies. Furthermore, in a letter to a friend, he wrote words of luminous serenity: “I am here, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, on the banks of the Xingu River. I am happy. When I came to work in this abandoned place, I was over 71 years old, but now I feel rejuvenated by 40. Here I truly feel at home as a missionary. The Lord has been so good to me in my old age! If you want to be happy, come with me!”“Father Lanciotti,” Polia affirms, “knew how to compile these oral testimonies, even though he was aware that, for many, these beliefs needed to be overcome. As he himself said, old superstitions remain in the deepest layers of the soul, like posters glued one on top of the other: when you tear off the first one, the previous one reappears. Lanciotti’s great intelligence was understanding that, to evangelize, you must first understand the other’s way of thinking. His compilation is an act of respect and listening.”“I spent a long period in the Xingu River area, on the border between the lands occupied by the whites and the forests where the indigenous tribes still live,” Father Lanciotti noted in another account. “I spent many afternoons with the ‘civilized’ Indians. We sat on the grass, in the moonlight, while crickets, toads, and night birds accompanied us. After religious instruction, I encouraged my indigenous interlocutors to tell me stories of the jungle and mythological events handed down through the centuries.” Father Mario Lanciotti (1901-1983), originally from Cupra Marittima (Ascoli Piceno, Italy), was a Xaverian missionary for fifty years in China, Japan, and finally Brazil. He worked in the most difficult areas of Pará and the Xingu, dedicating his life to serving the most disadvantaged. Almost blind, he asked to live out his final years in a nursing home in Belém, “the poorest among the poor.” He was buried in Abaetetuba, on the banks of the Amazon River. (Agenzia Fides, 17/7/2025)

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Stock Yards Bancorp Awarded Raymond James Community Bankers Cup

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: SYBT), parent company of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company, with offices in Louisville, central, eastern and northern Kentucky, as well as the Indianapolis, Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan markets, today announced that it is has been awarded the prestigious Raymond James Community Bankers Cup for its performance in 2024.

    The award recognizes the top 10% of community banks based on various profitability, operational efficiency, and balance sheet metrics. The pool of banks considered for recognition includes all exchange-traded domestic banks, excluding mutual holding companies, with assets between $500 million and $10 billion as of December 31, 2024.

    “We were honored to once again be awarded the 2024 Raymond James Community Bankers Cup. This achievement highlights not only Stock Yards’ strong performance but also our continued commitment to delivering exceptional service to the communities we proudly serve.”

    Stock Yards Bancorp has been awarded the Raymond James Community Bankers Cup a total of 10 times.

    Louisville, Kentucky-based Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc., with $9.00 billion in assets, was incorporated in 1988 as a bank holding company. It is the parent company of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company, which was established in 1904. The Company’s common shares trade on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “SYBT.”

    Contact: T. Clay Stinnett
    Executive Vice President,
    Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
    (502) 625-0890

     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank and Partners Launch a $263.8 Million Infrastructure Project to Transform Urban Development in Abia State

    Source: APO

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, Nigeria’s Federal Government and the Abia State, has launched the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project, a transformative $263.8 million initiative to modernize urban infrastructure, enhance mobility, and promote inclusive, climate-resilient development over the next five years.

    The project addresses critical infrastructure gaps in urban transport, erosion control and waste management which have long constrained mobility, public health and economic productivity in the cities of Umuahia and Aba in Abia State.

    The African Development Bank is contributing $115 million to the project, including $100 million from its ADB window and $15 million from the Canada-AfDB Climate Fund (CACF). The Islamic Development Bank is co-financing with $125 million, while the Federal Government of Nigeria is providing $23.8 million in counterpart funding.

    The project will rehabilitate more than 248 kilometers of roads in the cities of Umuahia and Aba, restore two erosion sites, and catalyze private sector investment in solid waste management through public-private partnerships.

    Abia State, like many rapidly growing regions, has faced mounting infrastructure challenges driven by urban expansion, environmental pressures and limited investment over time. Cities such as Umuahia and Aba are contending with aging roads, erosion threats, and strained waste systems. This project signals a decisive shift toward integrated, climate-resilient urban development that supports inclusive growth and long-term sustainability.

    Speaking at the launch, Dr. Alex C. Otti, Governor of Abia State, said the initiative marked a defining moment in the State’s infrastructure renewal agenda: “The fruits of development are richer when supported by partners who believe in your vision. We are focused on raising living standards, expanding access to education and healthcare, and driving economic productivity. Investor confidence is growing, public optimism is rising, and Abia is emerging as a destination of choice for opportunity and impact.”

    The project is expected to generate over 3,000 temporary jobs during the construction phase, with 30 percent reserved for women, and approximately 1,000 permanent jobs during the operational phase. A key feature of the project is its focus on youth employment and skills development: 50 percent of the permanent roles will go to young people, who will be trained through the State Youth Road Maintenance Corps—a cadre of local engineers drawn from all 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State.

    Dr. Akande Oyebola, Assistant Director at the International Economic Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance, reaffirmed the Government’s support: “This initiative represents a significant milestone in our collective effort to drive economic growth, strengthen infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for the people of Abia State.”

    Dr. Abdul Kamara, Director General of the African Development Bank’s Nigeria Country Department, commended the leadership of the federal and state governments. “This project is rooted in partnership, ambition and long-term impact,” he said.  “At its core, this project is about lives, it is about reducing travel time by half, increasing incomes, improving access to schools and hospitals, and creating space for entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, to thrive.”

    Beyond the physical infrastructure, the project incorporates comprehensive social and environmental safeguards. These include training for women and youth entrepreneurs, resettlement support, HIV/AIDS and STI awareness campaigns, and strengthened systems for procurement and financial management.

    Otumchere Oti, Abia State Commissioner for Works, reaffirmed the State’s commitment to accountable delivery.

    “Today we reassure all stakeholders, our development partners, contractors, communities, and government institutions, that implementation will be guided by diligence, transparency, and accountability. Our monitoring mechanisms are robust, and our resolve is strong. This is a defining moment for Abia State, and we shall rise to it with determination and unity,” he said.

    The African Development Bank will provide technical support, capacity building, and close implementation supervision through its Nigeria Country Department and sector teams.

    The launch of the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project marks a key milestone in the Bank’s commitment to advancing Nigeria’s development priorities through inclusive, sustainable infrastructure investment.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Contact:
    Nkiruka Henrietta Ugoh
    Nigeria Country Department
    media@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Syria’s Sharaa vows to protect Druze rights as ceasefire holds

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority on Thursday, after U.S. intervention helped end deadly fighting between government forces and Druze fighters in the south.

    Overnight, the Islamist-led government’s troops withdrew from the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, where scores of people have been killed in days of conflict.

    One local journalist said he’d counted more than 60 bodies in the streets of Sweida on Thursday morning. Ryan Marouf of Suwayda24 told Reuters he had found a family of 12 people killed in one house, including women and an elderly man. “People are looking for bodies,” he said in a voice recording.

    Violence in Syria escalated sharply on Wednesday as Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus,while also hitting government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze -part of asmall but influential minority that also has followers in Lebanon and Israel.

    Israel, which bombed Syria frequently under the rule of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, has struck the country repeatedly this year, describing its new leaders as barely disguised jihadists and saying it will not allow them to deploy forces in areas of southern Syria near its border.

    Addressing Syrians on Thursday, interim President Sharaa accused Israel of seeking to “dismantle the unity of our people”, saying it had “consistently targeted our stability and created discord among us since the fall of the former regime”.

    Sharaa, who was commander of an al Qaeda faction before cutting ties with the group in 2016, said protecting Druze citizens and their rights was “our priority” and rejected any attempt to drag them into the hands of an “external party”.

    He also vowed to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.

    The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented 193 dead in four days of fighting, among them medical personnel, women and children.

    The Network’s head Fadel Abdulghany told Reuters the figure included cases of field executions by both sides, Syrians killed by Israeli strikes and others killed in clashes but that it would take time to break down the figures for each category.

    A Reuters reporter saw government fighters loot and burn homes during this week’s violence, including just before they departed Sweida overnight. Fighters also shaved off the moustaches of Druze men.

    Moustaches are worn by Druze sheikhs and many other Druze men as a symbol of religious and cultural identity with spiritual significance.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late on Wednesday the United States had engaged all the parties involved and that steps had been agreed that would end “this troubling and horrifying situation”.

    Sharaa credited U.S. Arab and Turkish mediation for saving “the region from an uncertain fate”. A Turkish security source said Ankara played a crucial role in securing the ceasefire.

    The violence has underlined the challenges that Sharaa faces in stabilizing Syria and exerting centralised rule over the country, despite his warming ties with the United States and his administration’s evolving security contacts with Israel.

    Sharaa faces challenges to stitch Syria back together in the face of deep misgivings from groups that fear Islamist rule. In March, mass killings of members of the Alawite minority exacerbated the mistrust. The Druze follow a religion that is an offshoot of Islam.

    ISRAELI STRIKES

    Israel’s airstrikes on Wednesday blew up part of Syria’s defence ministry and hit near the presidential palace as it vowed to destroy government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria.

    “We will not allow southern Syria to become a terror stronghold,” said Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief of staff.

    The United Nations Security Council will meet on Thursday to address the conflict, diplomats said.

    “The council must condemn the barbaric crimes committed against innocent civilians on Syrian soil,” said Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon. “Israel will continue to act resolutely against any terrorist threat on its borders, anywhere and at any time.”

    Scores of Israeli Druze broke through the border fence on Wednesday, linking up with Druze on the Syrian side.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Israeli Druze citizens not to cross the border. The Israeli military said it was working to safely return civilians who had crossed.

    (Reuters)

  • South Korea lashed by heavy rain, four dead and more than 1,000 evacuated

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Four people died and more than 1,000 have been evacuated in South Korea after the country was lashed by torrential rain on Thursday, the safety ministry said.

    A driver was killed after a 10-metre-high (33 ft) roadside wall collapsed on top of a moving vehicle on Wednesday in Osan, some 44 kilometres (27 miles) south of Seoul, fire agency officials said.

    Another person was found with no heartbeat in a flooded car in Seosan, South Chungcheong province, and could not be revived.

    As of 5 p.m. (0800 GMT), some parts of the South Chungcheong region further south of the capital had seen more than 400 millimetres (15.7 inches) of rain since Wednesday, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said.

    The downpours resulted in record rainfall in the area and more wet weather was forecast for Thursday night, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.

    Landslide alerts were raised to the highest level for several regions including Chungcheong as the heavy rains continued, according to the Korea Forest Service.

    In the city of Gwangju, some 267 kilometres (166 miles) south of Seoul, 87 roads and 38 buildings were submerged within about two hours after torrential rain warnings were issued, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

    Some 403 schools were closed and 166 reported property damage from the heavy rain on Thursday, the Ministry of Education said.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix Disrupts Industrial Connectivity With the Debut of Its Affordable, Award-Winning 5G Wireless Router Series

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader in compute and connectivity IoT solutions enabling Edge AI Intelligence, today launched its new NTC-500 Series rugged industrial-grade 5G router, designed to transform the economics of enterprise mobility and connectivity. This NTC-500 Series product launch is a direct result of Lantronix’s acquisition of NetComm Wireless, validating Lantronix’s strategic investment as well as underscoring its global position as a provider of cutting-edge connectivity solutions for enterprise and industrial IoT markets.

    The NTC-500 Series positions Lantronix to capitalize on the accelerating global shift toward wireless industrial infrastructure. With carrier certification, global approvals and a disruptive price point, the NTC-500 Series empowers enterprises to eliminate costly Ethernet infrastructure — potentially thousands of dollars per drop — while retaining the high-speed, low-latency performance traditionally associated with wired networks.

    By addressing key pain points, such as high deployment costs, long installation timelines, limited mobility and the need to support a high density of connected end points, the NTC-500 solution opens new revenue streams across private 5G, edge computing and industrial automation markets. Its flexible, future-ready design supports a wide range of use cases, enabling customers to scale efficiently while reducing total cost of ownership.

    “Lantronix has redefined the economics of industrial 5G mobility and critical connectivity,” said Daniel Quant, head of Industrial IoT Products and Business Line at Lantronix. “The NTC-500 Series delivers a rugged, globally approved and carrier-certified 5G solution at a breakthrough price point, enabling customers to scale digital transformation faster, future-proof their infrastructure investments and significantly reduce operational costs.”

    Private-5G ready, the NTC-500 Series supports the n48-CBRS band, n77 & n78 and more, enabling the rapid digitization of previously stranded or mobile assets. This unlocks new levels of automation, operational agility and productivity across enterprise and industrial segments.

    According to ABI Research’s 1Q 2025 Private Cellular Network Forecasts, the 5G market will grow from $2.7 billion in 2025 to $29 billion by 2030. Private 5G deployments in sectors such as manufacturing and healthcare are accelerating, driven by demand for advanced cellular capabilities in mission- and safety-critical applications.

    Award-Winning 5G Wireless Router

    Lantronix’s NTC-500 5G Series has not only resonated with customers and partners, but it has also earned industry-wide recognition. Lantronix’s innovation was recently honored with the 2025 Industrial IoT Product of the Year Award from IoT Evolution World, a leading authority covering IoT technologies.

    “Lantronix is a worthy recipient of a 2025 Industrial IoT Product of Year Award. Its NTC-500 Series is an outstanding representative of the diverse range of innovation that’s driving the multi-billion-dollar IoT market today. It is my honor to congratulate the Lantronix team for their innovative work and superior contribution to the rapidly evolving IoT industry,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC, publisher of IoT Evolution World.

    Built for High-Scale, High-Impact Deployments

    Supporting the latest 3GPP Release 16 5G features, the NTC-500 Series includes 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) and 5G Standalone (SA) with 4G-LTE fallback and Dynamic 5G Slicing, which enables complex end-to-end, on-demand quality of service solutions in partnership with leading carrier networks.

    Key Capabilities and Use Cases

    • High-Speed Data Transfer: Ultra-fast 5G data transmission for seamless communication between industrial assets and systems. Use Cases: Machine vision, remote inspections and firmware updates.
    • Low Latency for Real-Time Control: Near-instantaneous data, critical for robotics, AGVs, and security systems. Use Cases: Autonomous robotic arms, AGV coordination access control.
    • Cable-Free Connectivity for Improved Agility: Eliminate potentially thousands of dollars in cable runs, enabling flexible asset deployment. Use Cases: Modular production lines, pop-up logistics hubs, and reconfigurable warehouses.
    • Site-Wide Mobility for High-Density Asset Connectivity: Reliable and deterministic wireless communication across large campuses with many endpoints. Use Cases: Smart factories, AGV and Smart Forklift fleets, outdoor logistics yards.
    • Disruptive Price-Point: Enterprise-grade 5G at a price that expands addressable markets. Use Cases: Retail, QSR, mining, construction and cost-sensitive automation.

    About Lantronix

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

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements related to Lantronix products and awards. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent tensions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024; as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. The forward-looking statements included in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix Disrupts Industrial Connectivity With the Debut of Its Affordable, Award-Winning 5G Wireless Router Series

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader in compute and connectivity IoT solutions enabling Edge AI Intelligence, today launched its new NTC-500 Series rugged industrial-grade 5G router, designed to transform the economics of enterprise mobility and connectivity. This NTC-500 Series product launch is a direct result of Lantronix’s acquisition of NetComm Wireless, validating Lantronix’s strategic investment as well as underscoring its global position as a provider of cutting-edge connectivity solutions for enterprise and industrial IoT markets.

    The NTC-500 Series positions Lantronix to capitalize on the accelerating global shift toward wireless industrial infrastructure. With carrier certification, global approvals and a disruptive price point, the NTC-500 Series empowers enterprises to eliminate costly Ethernet infrastructure — potentially thousands of dollars per drop — while retaining the high-speed, low-latency performance traditionally associated with wired networks.

    By addressing key pain points, such as high deployment costs, long installation timelines, limited mobility and the need to support a high density of connected end points, the NTC-500 solution opens new revenue streams across private 5G, edge computing and industrial automation markets. Its flexible, future-ready design supports a wide range of use cases, enabling customers to scale efficiently while reducing total cost of ownership.

    “Lantronix has redefined the economics of industrial 5G mobility and critical connectivity,” said Daniel Quant, head of Industrial IoT Products and Business Line at Lantronix. “The NTC-500 Series delivers a rugged, globally approved and carrier-certified 5G solution at a breakthrough price point, enabling customers to scale digital transformation faster, future-proof their infrastructure investments and significantly reduce operational costs.”

    Private-5G ready, the NTC-500 Series supports the n48-CBRS band, n77 & n78 and more, enabling the rapid digitization of previously stranded or mobile assets. This unlocks new levels of automation, operational agility and productivity across enterprise and industrial segments.

    According to ABI Research’s 1Q 2025 Private Cellular Network Forecasts, the 5G market will grow from $2.7 billion in 2025 to $29 billion by 2030. Private 5G deployments in sectors such as manufacturing and healthcare are accelerating, driven by demand for advanced cellular capabilities in mission- and safety-critical applications.

    Award-Winning 5G Wireless Router

    Lantronix’s NTC-500 5G Series has not only resonated with customers and partners, but it has also earned industry-wide recognition. Lantronix’s innovation was recently honored with the 2025 Industrial IoT Product of the Year Award from IoT Evolution World, a leading authority covering IoT technologies.

    “Lantronix is a worthy recipient of a 2025 Industrial IoT Product of Year Award. Its NTC-500 Series is an outstanding representative of the diverse range of innovation that’s driving the multi-billion-dollar IoT market today. It is my honor to congratulate the Lantronix team for their innovative work and superior contribution to the rapidly evolving IoT industry,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC, publisher of IoT Evolution World.

    Built for High-Scale, High-Impact Deployments

    Supporting the latest 3GPP Release 16 5G features, the NTC-500 Series includes 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) and 5G Standalone (SA) with 4G-LTE fallback and Dynamic 5G Slicing, which enables complex end-to-end, on-demand quality of service solutions in partnership with leading carrier networks.

    Key Capabilities and Use Cases

    • High-Speed Data Transfer: Ultra-fast 5G data transmission for seamless communication between industrial assets and systems. Use Cases: Machine vision, remote inspections and firmware updates.
    • Low Latency for Real-Time Control: Near-instantaneous data, critical for robotics, AGVs, and security systems. Use Cases: Autonomous robotic arms, AGV coordination access control.
    • Cable-Free Connectivity for Improved Agility: Eliminate potentially thousands of dollars in cable runs, enabling flexible asset deployment. Use Cases: Modular production lines, pop-up logistics hubs, and reconfigurable warehouses.
    • Site-Wide Mobility for High-Density Asset Connectivity: Reliable and deterministic wireless communication across large campuses with many endpoints. Use Cases: Smart factories, AGV and Smart Forklift fleets, outdoor logistics yards.
    • Disruptive Price-Point: Enterprise-grade 5G at a price that expands addressable markets. Use Cases: Retail, QSR, mining, construction and cost-sensitive automation.

    About Lantronix

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

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements related to Lantronix products and awards. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent tensions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024; as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. The forward-looking statements included in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

  • Global oil prices likely to decline, India ready for any sanctions fallout: Hardeep Puri

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday expressed confidence that global oil prices could see a decline in the coming months. He also played down concerns about possible US sanctions over India’s continued purchase of oil from Russia.

    “The price of oil will come down as more sources of supplies are coming. We have enough oil around,” Puri said, underlining India’s strategy of tapping into a wider pool of suppliers to ensure energy security.

    In response to questions about potential US secondary sanctions on countries importing Russian energy, Puri said he was “not worried at all.”

    “If something happens, we will deal with it,” he said, adding, “Ek darwaza band hota hai to doosra khul jata hai” (When one door closes, another one opens).

    The minister highlighted that India has significantly broadened its oil import network. “India has diversified the sources of supplies from 27 to 40 countries now. 16 per cent of oil market growth has come from India, and studies show it may go up to 25 per cent.”

    Addressing the global dependence on Russian oil, Puri said that Russia accounts for 10 per cent of global crude production. “Our analysis shows that if Russia were not included, prices would have gone up to 130 dollars a barrel. Even Turkey, China, Brazil, and the EU have purchased oil and gas from Russia,” he said.

    ANI