NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Francis Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Arson and Burglary of a Home

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced two St. Francis, South Dakota men in a case that involved charges of Arson and Third-Degree Burglary.

    Michael Valandra, Jr., age 28, and Donald Aquallo, Jr., age 26, were indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024.

    On July 24, 2024, Valandra pleaded guilty to Arson. On October 29, 2024, Valandra was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    On December 2, 2024, Aquallo pleaded guilty to Third-Degree Burglary. On March 5, 2025, he was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victim Fund.

    On the evening of January 5, 2024, Valandra and Aquallo broke into an unoccupied residence in St. Francis. Valandra intentionally set multiple fires within the residence, with the intent to burn it down.  The two men then fled the scene on foot. The owner of the residence noticed the fire and called 911, but the residence was completely destroyed. Multiple security cameras in the neighborhood recorded Valandra and Aquallo approaching the residence and then running away shortly before the fire was visible. The offense occurred within the Rosebud Indian Reservation.

    This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

    Valandra and Aquallo were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencings.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Convicted of Sabotaging his Employer’s Computer Systems and Deleting Data

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A federal jury in Cleveland convicted a Texas man today for writing and deploying malicious code on his former employer’s network.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Davis Lu, 55, of Houston, was employed as a software developer for the victim company headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, from November 2007 to October 2019. Following a 2018 corporate realignment that reduced his responsibilities and system access, Lu began sabotaging his employer’s systems. By Aug. 4, 2019, he introduced malicious code that caused system crashes and prevented user logins. Specifically, he created “infinite loops” (in this case, code designed to exhaust Java threads by repeatedly creating new threads without proper termination and resulting in server crashes or hangs), deleted coworker profile files, and implemented a “kill switch” that would lock out all users if his credentials in the company’s active directory were disabled. The “kill switch” code — which Lu named “IsDLEnabledinAD”, abbreviating “Is Davis Lu enabled in Active Directory” — was automatically activated upon his termination on Sept. 9, 2019, and impacted thousands of company users globally. Lu named other code “Hakai,” a Japanese word meaning “destruction,” and “HunShui,” a Chinese word meaning “sleep” or “lethargy.” Additionally, on the day he was directed to turn in his company laptop, Lu deleted encrypted data. His internet search history revealed he had researched methods to escalate privileges, hide processes, and rapidly delete files, indicating an intent to obstruct efforts of his co-workers to resolve the system disruptions. Lu’s employer suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses as a result of Lu’s actions.

    The jury convicted Lu of causing intentional damage to protected computers, for which he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Gregory D. Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.

    Senior Counsel Candina S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Brian S. Deckert for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Convicted of Sabotaging his Employer’s Computer Systems and Deleting Data

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal jury in Cleveland convicted a Texas man today for writing and deploying malicious code on his former employer’s network.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Davis Lu, 55, of Houston, was employed as a software developer for the victim company headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, from November 2007 to October 2019. Following a 2018 corporate realignment that reduced his responsibilities and system access, Lu began sabotaging his employer’s systems. By Aug. 4, 2019, he introduced malicious code that caused system crashes and prevented user logins. Specifically, he created “infinite loops” (in this case, code designed to exhaust Java threads by repeatedly creating new threads without proper termination and resulting in server crashes or hangs), deleted coworker profile files, and implemented a “kill switch” that would lock out all users if his credentials in the company’s active directory were disabled. The “kill switch” code — which Lu named “IsDLEnabledinAD”, abbreviating “Is Davis Lu enabled in Active Directory” — was automatically activated upon his termination on Sept. 9, 2019, and impacted thousands of company users globally. Lu named other code “Hakai,” a Japanese word meaning “destruction,” and “HunShui,” a Chinese word meaning “sleep” or “lethargy.” Additionally, on the day he was directed to turn in his company laptop, Lu deleted encrypted data. His internet search history revealed he had researched methods to escalate privileges, hide processes, and rapidly delete files, indicating an intent to obstruct efforts of his co-workers to resolve the system disruptions. Lu’s employer suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses as a result of Lu’s actions.

    The jury convicted Lu of causing intentional damage to protected computers, for which he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Gregory D. Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.

    Senior Counsel Candina S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Brian S. Deckert for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy: Six Weeks In, This White House Is On Its Way To Being The Most Corrupt In U.S. History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to expose the unprecedented corruption of the Trump administration’s first six weeks in office. Murphy condemned Trump’s normalization of pay-to-play politics, where billionaire donors dictate policy and taxpayer money is funneled into the pockets of the president, Elon Musk, and the corporate elite.

    “In the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, Trump and Elon Musk and their billionaire friends have engaged in a stunning rampage of open public corruption,” Murphy said. “It’s not fundamentally different than what happened in Russia. These are efforts to steal from the American people to enrich themselves. And their strategy is to do it all out in the open, to do it at such a dizzying pace that the country just gets overwhelmed or anesthetized or dulled into a sense that we just all have to accept the corruption – or, maybe more charitably, that this is just how government works, that government is just corrupt, and so the fact that it’s happening out in the open instead of happening secretly, well, it’s really nothing new.”

    Murphy laid out more than 20 examples of blatant corruption from just the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, including:

    1. The launch of Trump’s meme coin, enabling anyone seeking to influence the administration to privately funnel money directly to the president.
    2. The gutting and manipulation of watchdog agencies like the NLRB, CFPB, and OSHA to benefit Elon Musk, the billionaires in Trump’s cabinet, and other elites.
    3. The Eric Adams quid pro quo and the weaponization of the DOJ to reinforce a system of political retribution and favoritism.
    4. The use of government contracts and stock deals to reward Trump’s allies, enriching them through taxpayer-funded opportunities and further consolidating political power.

    “This is how democracies die,” Murphy continued. “Democracies die when the very powerful people steal from us so regularly, so openly, so unapologetically, that we come to believe that it’s normal. And listen, I understand that many Americans may think that all of this stuff just used to happen quietly, and the only difference is that Trump and Musk are just putting it all out in the open. And I’m not saying that there haven’t been instances of corruption. Democrats and Republicans in this body have been accused of, and convicted of, acts of corruption. It has been a fact of life in American politics for a long time. But never before has the corruption happened this openly or this frequently. And so I lay it all out for you this afternoon in the hopes that it is not too late for us to decide to stand up, as a body and as a nation, to say that this isn’t okay.”

    He concluded: “The Trump meme coin is not okay. It’s not okay for people who have interest before the federal government to be able to anonymously funnel money to the president of the United States. It’s not okay for Elon Musk to have access to Department of Labor enforcement data, against him or his competitors, that nobody else gets access to. It’s not okay to just cancel contracts that were going to Musk’s competitors and substitute in his own business, just because he has the ability to do it as a friend of Donald Trump. The rule of law matters. Doing things by the rules matter. This level of corruption was not occurring behind the scenes prior. It is not just that the cover got pulled off of it all. And it’s our decision, as a body and as a country, to decide not to normalize this scale of corruption.”

    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

    MURPHY: “Mr. President, I’m a big Boston Red Sox fan. One of the most famous players in Red Sox recent history is Manny Ramirez. Manny Ramirez was a good baseball player, but he had a habit of doing some pretty ridiculous things on the field and off the field that were really detrimental to the team, some really bizarre on-field behavior – cutting off throws from other outfielders before they got to the infield – bizarre off-the-field behavior that disrupted the team. It became so regular that a phrase was adopted among the Red Sox fans: ‘That’s just Manny being Manny.’ Over the years it just was accepted that every year Manny Ramirez was going to do a whole bunch of stuff that was really detrimental to the team. And over time, it just kind of became accepted, that that was a fact of life, a way of life with Manny Ramirez. And as time went on, people reacted less hostilely. It barely got noticed in some cases when he was engaged in these detrimental forms of conduct. 

    “And I tell that story because it stands for kind of a universal concept: when bad behavior gets normalized, it no longer feels like bad behavior. Even if that behavior is hurting people. Today, the world is littered with corrupt governments, governments where the leaders and the really rich men who surround the leaders – the oligarchs – steal from people. That’s what they do, the leaders and the leaders’ friends just keep a hand constantly in the government treasury and they steal taxpayer dollars. They rig the rules of the economy in order to make themselves fabulously rich. They hurt the citizens of those countries. 

    “Vladimir Putin, for instance, has never had a job outside of government, but he’s reportedly worth $200 billion. One of his many houses cost $1.4 billion to build, supposedly the landscaping costs on an annual basis for that house are $2 million alone. That $1.4 billion house was paid for by money he stole from the Russian treasury. In other words, he stole it from the Russian people. Putin and his friends have been doing it for so long and doing it so openly and brazenly – Putin, for instance, wears a watch that retails for half a million dollars, even though his official salary is only $140,000. They’ve been doing this so openly and brazenly, they’re so public in their corruption in Russia, that it’s just accepted. It’s just mainstream, the fact that Putin and his cronies steal from the Russian people. 

    “That’s what’s happening in America today. And it’s heartbreaking for me to say this, but in the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, Trump and Elon Musk and their billionaire friends have engaged in a stunning rampage of open public corruption. It’s not fundamentally different than what happened in Russia. These are efforts to steal from the American people to enrich themselves. And their strategy is to do it all out in the open, to do it at such a dizzying pace that the country just gets overwhelmed or anesthetized or dulled into a sense that we just all have to accept the corruption – or, maybe more charitably, that this is just how government works, that government is just corrupt, and so the fact that it’s happening out in the open instead of happening secretly, well, it’s really nothing new. 

    “But this is not how government works. The things that have happened over the last six weeks are unprecedented. The president and his billionaire friends are not supposed to steal from us. They are not supposed to use their power and their access to power – their access to government levers – to rig the rules to enrich themselves. That has always been wrong. It is still wrong. And we do not have to accept this. 

    “And so in the next few minutes, I want to try out an exercise. I want to try to lay out for you as quickly as I can just some of the most significant instances of blatantly corrupt activity that’s happened in just the first six weeks of Trump’s presidency. When you see it all together, there is no way to avoid a simple conclusion. This White House is on its way to being the most corrupt in the history of the country. And just because they are doing it out in the open for everybody to see doesn’t mean that it’s not corrupt. 

    “My hope is that if you see it all in one place, the gravity of this moment may hit you. My hope is that my colleagues and the public choose not to normalize a president or his advisors using the Oval Office as a blunt mechanism to make themselves even wealthier. It is our decision – our decision – to have zero tolerance for corruption. It’s also our decision to just decide to become a place like Russia where our leaders are allowed to routinely steal from us. 

    “This is a heartbreakingly long list. This is just 20 or so examples of corrupt behavior in the first six weeks of the Trump presidency. So here it goes. We’re going to start on January 17. 

    “On January 17, Trump launches the meme coin. This is maybe the most corrupt of all of the acts, because what is the meme coin? The meme coin is essentially a mechanism by which Russian oligarchs or corporate CEO’s can literally send money privately directly to Donald Trump. Nobody knows who buys the meme coin, but Trump makes money when people buy it. And so it is just an open sewer valve that allows for anybody who is trying to influence the Trump administration to be able to secretly funnel money to Donald Trump. He reserves 80% of the coin. He waits to release that coin until the price jumps back up again, which essentially means he’s waiting for people who want favors from him to buy a bunch of the coin to inflate the value so that he releases more and makes more money. It’s a disgusting kind of corruption because this is essentially Trump just posting his Venmo for anybody secretly to wire him as much money as they want. We’ve never seen something like this before where anybody who has anything to gain from the Trump administration, through a manipulation of the value of Trump’s meme coin, can funnel money directly to the president, whisper in his ear, ‘That was me. That was me that purchased all that coin, that jumped up the value that allowed you to release new coin. Hey, take care of me on the back end.’

    “On January 20, when he’s sworn in, he institutes his new energy agenda. Now, open reporting suggested that during the campaign he met with the oil and gas industry and they cut a deal in which the oil and gas industry would give him a billion dollars of campaign contributions in order to receive favorable treatment when Trump was sworn in. And guess what happens on January 20? Trump unveils his energy strategy, and what does it do? It preferences oil and gas and it punishes oil and gas’ competitors. It, for instance, freezes all permits on wind projects, both for the land and the sea. It undercuts permitting processes, not for oil and gas but for oil and gas’ competitors. Oil and gas got exactly what they asked for. They gave a campaign contribution and they got the favorable treatment. Five days later, Trump fires 17 inspectors general. What do inspectors general do? They look for corruption inside of these agencies. What do you do if you are trying to engage in corruption, if you are trying to steal from the American people? You fire the inspectors general. 

    “Two days later, on January 27, Trump fires Gwynne Wilcox from the NLRB, the National Labor Relations Board. When she’s fired, the National Labor Relations Board cannot function any longer? Why does this matter? Because the person that’s been put in charge of reviewing the hirings and firings of these agencies is Elon Musk, who, by the way, has lots of cases before the NLRB. So do the people that are standing behind Trump during the inauguration. Almost all of them have active cases before the NLRB. The billionaires supporting Donald Trump now don’t have to worry about the NLRB because on January 27, the NLRB is rendered powerless. 

    “Three days later, on January 30, Trump awards more than $800,000 worth of stock to several of the board members of the Trump Media and Technology Group. This is the publicly traded company behind his social media platform. So now his Cabinet members – people like Kash Patel and Linda Mcmahon – are owning equity in Trump’s media platform; equity that can be cashed out, sold to people who want to buy them out of their interest at any time. Those people who might want to buy them out, Cabinet members, could be individuals with issues before the Department of Education, before the FBI. Yet another avenue in which people who have influence, who want to gain influence inside the Trump administration, have a conduit to be able to move cash from their pocketbooks, from their treasury, from their bank accounts, into the bank accounts of Trump cabinet members. 

    “Shortly thereafter, we start to see the weaponization of the DOJ. On February 23, a civil complaint from DOJ that had been pending against SpaceX– Elon Musk’s signature company – is dropped. Eight days later, the DOJ drops a case against a Republican Congressman. On February 19, two or three weeks later, the DOJ opens up something called Operation Whirlwind, which threatens anyone who dares to criticize the work of Elon Musk and DOGE. Over the course of the next three weeks, the DOJ is turned into an entity that drops cases against those who are loyal to Donald Trump and pursues aggressively investigations against those who are trying to criticize Donald Trump. 

    “On February 1, Trump fires the director of the CFPB and announces plans to shut down – to shutter – the Consumer Financial Protection Board. Again, very much like the NLRB, this is an agency that was, at the moment that it was rendered powerless, investigating Elon Musk and many of the biggest financial backers of Donald Trump. So once again, those that have access to Donald Trump, the billionaires that are close to him, now don’t have to worry about labor violations being investigated by the NLRB, now they don’t have to worry about consumer protection actions being taken against them by the CFPB.

    “On February 4, there is the first of two extraordinary meetings in the White House in which Donald Trump convenes his business partners – his business patterns – the Saudi Golf League and the PGA to try to negotiate a solution to the dispute between those two golf leagues. Why? Because Trump has a business interest in that dispute being resolved. The Saudi Golf League plays tournaments at Trump’s courses in the United States, so if the White House, using its official power, can try to negotiate a settlement between those two groups, Trump stands to make money. 

    “On February 6, something absolutely stunning happens. Pam Bondi, the AG, issues a memorandum in which she proposes to dull the criminal enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

    If you are representing a foreign government before the United States, you have to register so that we know if you are acting on behalf of American interests or you are acting on behalf of foreign interests. In the prior Trump administration, Trump officials got in big trouble for secretly working for, and getting paid by, foreign governments without registering. Well, what does Trump announce? That they are going to limit the applicability of the enforcement of that statute, making it much easier for Trump’s friends – for his MAGA crowd, for the people who show up to Mar-a-Lago – to get paid quietly by foreign governments in order to influence Donald Trump.

    “On February 10, maybe aside from the meme coin, the most stunning act of corruption: the Eric Adams quid pro quo, in which Eric Adams, indicted for corruption, is let off the hook. His charges are dismissed in exchange for the mayor’s pledge of political loyalty to Donald Trump. They literally went on TV and announced the deal that we’re getting rid of the charges against Eric Adams, as long as the mayor pledges political loyalty to the President. That was so corrupt that six or seven DOJ officials resigned, because they refused to withdraw those charges, but the deal went through because the seventh, or the eighth, or the ninth official finally filed the withdrawal. 

    “And now in America, it is 100% clear that if you want to get away with corruption, if you want to steal from your constituents and you’re an elected official in this country, all you have to do is just sign up for political loyalty with Donald Trump, and he will instruct the Department of Justice to let you get away with it.

    “On February 10, Donald Trump directs the DOJ to pause enforcement of U.S. laws that prohibit companies from paying bribes overseas. Come on! Like, come on! He instructs the DOJ to pause enforcement of U.S. laws that prohibit companies to pay bribes overseas. Here’s an example: Goldman Sachs was engaged in outright bribery–they were paying bribes to Malaysian officials, so that they could get a contract to manage the resources of the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. 

    “American companies should not be overseas bribing foreign governments. That compromises America’s reputation and America’s national security. But now, we are going to pause enforcement of the laws that stop American companies from bribing foreign governments, because corruption is now being normalized. This is what you do if you want to normalize corruption, is that you make it legal for American companies to engage in corruption overseas. That makes it easier for Trump to get away with corruption here.

    “Two days later, on February 12, the announcement comes out that the State Department is going to buy $400 million of armored Teslas. Okay, so now it’s getting even more blatant. It’s getting even more brazen. The State Department is just going to buy a whole bunch of product from Elon Musk, product they were not previously scheduled to buy. It is true that the Biden administration had a blueprint that was going to buy some electric vehicles, but it was around $483,000-worth of vehicles. Trump revises that blueprint of spending so that now the federal government is going to spend $400 million on armored Teslas from Elon Musk.

    “Let’s see: that’s February 12. That same day, Elon Musk’s people infiltrate the Department of Labor. And reporting suggests that during that infiltration, Elon Musk’s personal representatives get access to enforcement information at OSHA, not only against Elon Musk’s companies–and by the way, SpaceX has an employee injury rate that is nine times higher than the industry average–but also workplace safety violations against Elon Musk’s competitors. Here’s the message: if you are close to Donald Trump personally, if you support him politically, you can get secret access to enforcement data against your companies and your companies’ competitors. That’s what happens on February 12. 

    “Three days later, there’s some suspicious firings at the FDA. Again, related to Elon Musk’s personal financial interests. Elon Musk owns a medical device company called Neuralink. It is currently being reviewed by the FDA. And guess what? On February 15 and 16, all over a weekend, there are 20 people fired from the FDA’s Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices. Fired by DOGE, run by Elon Musk. Clear message: you’re going to get fired if you aren’t on the right side of Elon Musk’s application. Now, whether that was explicit or not, if the guy who is firing you has a pending application before your department, aren’t you going to think twice? Aren’t you going to think twice about ruling against his interests? This is why this is all unprecedented. Again, this feels normal because it’s been happening every day. But never before in American history have we allowed someone who has a pending application for approval of a medicine or a medical device to be able to personally decide who gets hired and who gets fired at the regulatory agency making the decision over that medical device.

    “But now, this stuff is happening every day. Because on February 15 as well, that same weekend, there’s an announcement that the FDA cuts are going to be even deeper, perhaps as big as 50%. That means that hundreds of drugs and devices won’t get approved at the FDA. And you know who benefits from that? The folks that are selling the snake oil products. And guess who’s selling the snake oil products? The people who work for Donald Trump, selling vita-gummy scams. The Director of the FBI is selling vaccine reversal pills. When the FDA gets gutted, it’s the people who sell those unregulated products who stand to gain.

    “On February 19, four days later, we find out that the IRS is going to be cut by 7,000 people. And the biggest chunk of the folks who are going to be laid off are the people who do the audits of the billionaires, and the millionaires, and the corporations. And so once again, Elon Musk and the people standing behind Donald Trump on Inauguration Day are going to get off, because the IRS just had its enforcement powers–its audit powers–absolutely gutted.”

    “That same day, on February 19, you start to receive word that advertising on Elon Musk’s platform is starting to grow again. And the reporting on February 19 indicates that American companies have come to the collective decision that they need to keep advertising on Elon Musk’s platform, because Elon Musk has so much regulatory power inside the federal government. That they need to make sure they’re paying Musk through Twitter and through X, so that if they ultimately need something from the federal government, they can get it. This, again, is why we have never, ever in the history of this country, allowed for the richest man in the world, somebody who controls major companies, to also have an official position inside the government. Because, of course, of course, it opens up these clear avenues where people are going to do business with him privately to try to curry favor with him publicly.

    “I’m not done. It just keeps going. The next day, on February 20, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’s monthly meeting is canceled and not rescheduled. And so we were very worried that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who makes money off of his attacks on vaccines, would continue those attacks when he took over HHS. Because if faith in vaccines continues to plummet, it is very likely that RFK Jr. will make money. Why? Because the not-for-profit that he will likely return to, the company that he will return to after he leaves, makes money as vaccine misinformation spreads, and he also continues to collect fees for referring cases to a company that handles claims of personal injury due to vaccines. And so when the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is canceled, it is a clear indication that yes, this campaign of assault on vaccines is going to continue, which, not surprisingly, is likely to make RFK Jr. even more money.

    “On February 26, we see Trump’s MAGA hats, that are for sale on his website, displayed in the Oval Office. And it’s just a reminder that so many people inside Trump’s universe continue to sell merchandise on the side in order to make money. Donald Trump has always done this, and we’ve just accepted it, even though it is a kind of corruption in and of itself. But Kash Patel, the Director of the FBI, is still selling Kash-branded merchandise even while he’s going to run the FBI. Elon Musk and others are selling DOGE merchandise. So as they trumpet their brand inside the government, they’re making money off their brand outside of the government.

    “On February 26, maybe the third-most significant [instance] of brazen corruption happens. News breaks that Elon Musk is just going to have the FAA cancel a contract with Verizon that has been in the works for years, and instead just substitute in Starlink for Verizon. Just extraordinary that this is happening in plain view of everybody. Elon Musk takes his private company, uses his access to government to just shove out of the way his competitors, and instead insert himself and his company. Again, we’ve never seen this ever before in American history, and now it’s happening on a daily basis.

    “And now we get to this week. This week, Wired reports that guests are paying millions of dollars to dine with Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago, and business leaders are being targeted with advertisements that sell access to a one-on-one meeting with the President of the United States for $5 million. Come on! Like, seriously! There’s advertisements that say if you’re a business CEO and you pay $5 million to Donald Trump, you can get a meeting with him. This isn’t okay! And yet, because it happens every single day, every single day they’re asking for us to pretend that this is normal. This is just six weeks. It’s just six weeks. And the last thing on the list is an offer to meet with the president for $1 million or $5 million. If any previous president had sent out an advertisement suggesting that you can meet with them for a payment to them of $1 million to $5 million, in and of itself we would deem that to be unacceptable. But Donald Trump and Elon Musk believe that because they have arranged this dizzying pace of corruption, in which not a day goes by in which something doesn’t happen inside our government in which Elon Musk or Donald Trump use their power in order to rig the rules to enrich themselves, that we are all going to feel that it’s normal.

    “This is how democracies die. Democracies die when the very powerful people steal from us so regularly, so openly, so unapologetically, that we come to believe that it’s normal. And listen, I understand that many Americans may think that all of this stuff just used to happen quietly, and the only difference is that Trump and Musk are just putting it all out in the open. And I’m not saying that there haven’t been instances of corruption. Democrats and Republicans in this body have been accused of, and convicted of, acts of corruption. It has been a fact of life in American politics for a long time. But never before has the corruption happened this openly or this frequently. And so I lay it all out for you this afternoon in the hopes that it is not too late for us to decide to stand up, as a body and as a nation, to say that this isn’t okay.

    “The Trump meme coin is not okay. It’s not okay for people who have interest before the federal government to be able to anonymously funnel money to the president of the United States. It’s not okay for Elon Musk to have access to Department of Labor enforcement data, against him or his competitors, that nobody else gets access to. It’s not okay to just cancel contracts that were going to Musk’s competitors and substitute in his own business, just because he has the ability to do it as a friend of Donald Trump. The rule of law matters. Doing things by the rules matter. This level of corruption was not occurring behind the scenes prior. It is not just that the cover got pulled off of it all. And it’s our decision, as a body and as a country, to decide not to normalize this scale of corruption. I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces 30-Day FEMA Extension for Individual Assistance

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces 30-Day FEMA Extension for Individual Assistance

    Governor Stein Announces 30-Day FEMA Extension for Individual Assistance
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, FEMA granted Governor Josh Stein’s request for a 30-day extension for disaster survivors to apply for FEMA’s individual assistance (IA) program. The new deadline is April 7, 2025. Governor Stein released the following statement on the extension: 

    “Thank you to FEMA and the Trump Administration for granting North Carolina’s request to extend the individual assistance program and to our Congressional delegation for its support. This is a positive step forward, and I urge affected residents from western North Carolina to apply for FEMA funding to help them get back on their feet.

    “We continue to seek adequate funding from Congress and the General Assembly for the ongoing recovery efforts. The people of western North Carolina need more federal support to build back stronger.”

    Homeowners and renters in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with uninsured losses from Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible to apply for FEMA assistance.

    Last month, Governor Stein requested an additional $19 billion in federal funds to restore infrastructure, support home repair and renovation, and reduce impacts from future natural disasters. He also invited North Carolinians to participate in the finalization of an Action Plan for distributing $1.4 billion awarded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    There are several ways to apply: 

    1. (Most Recommended): Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in your community. Visit fema.gov/drc to locate the closest location.
    2. Call the FEMA hotline at 1-800-621-3362 between the hours of 7am and midnight.
    3. Go online to disasterassistance.gov 

    Survivors who have insurance are encouraged to file a claim for disaster-caused damage with your insurance company before they apply for FEMA assistance. Survivors do not need to wait for an insurance settlement to apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA may provide financial assistance to eligible survivors who are uninsured or underinsured. 

    If you have been denied for FEMA assistance, you can submit an appeal by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center in your community, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or by going online to disasterassistance.gov. You can also visit https://legalaidnc.org/project/disaster-relief-project/ .

    Finally, disaster survivors that need assistance or resources to aid in recovery can call the North Carolina Disaster Case Management Program (NC-DCM) at 1-844-746-2326 or visit ncdps.gov/Helene/dcm. NC-DCM is currently assisting over 2,700 cases and has taken over 8,500 calls since December. With over 500 resources and partnerships available, the NC-DCM case managers can help to find solutions for individual disaster survivor needs to help facilitate their recovery.  

    Mar 7, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ARB IOT GROUP LIMITED EXPANDS AI FOOTPRINT INTO EAST MALAYSIA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARB IOT Group Limited (“ARB IOT” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ARBB) today announced that it has, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, ARB R1 Technology Sdn Bhd, appointed Whizzl Sdn Bhd (“Whizzl“) as its exclusive wholesaler, sole distributor, and system integrator for the ARB AI workstations and servers in the regions of Sabah and Sarawak. ARB IOT has strengthened its commitment to meeting the surging demand in AI and supporting the Malaysian government’s initiatives to foster digital innovation and sustainability development.

    The ARB AI workstations and servers consist of ARB 222 and ARB 333 models, designed to support both server and edge computing devices within the AI supply chain. By deploying a suite of high-performance immersible computing servers and solutions, the ARB AI workstations and servers ensure seamless integration across the entire AI ecosystem. The rapid expansion of cloud services has driven ARB IOT to introduce more competitive products to the market that are able to deliver superior performance and efficiency to meet the growing demands of the industry.

    Dato’ Sri Liew Kok Leong, CEO of ARB IOT said, “The expansion to East Malaysia will be a new milestone for the Company. ARB IOT has a robust growth prospect given the evolving demand for new technology trend in AI, which continues to gain momentum. With the collaboration with Whizzl, the Company will be able to achieve greater market penetration and wider customer base.

    Whizzl is granted the exclusive rights to sell, distribute, and integrate the ARB AI workstations and servers in the regions of Sabah and Sarawak, within the territory of Malaysia.

    We are confident that Whizzl will be well-positioned to grow and generate more value for our shareholders. Going forward, our Company is in a good position to expand its business and will accelerate the expansion by gaining new market share.”

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: PDF Solutions Completes Acquisition of secureWISE, LLC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDF Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: PDFS), today announced it has closed the acquisition of secureWISE, LLC, a widely used secure, remote connectivity solution in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, from Telit IOT Solutions Inc.

    By acquiring secureWISE, PDF Solutions expects to extend its leadership in data, analytics, and connectivity for the semiconductor industry ecosystem by significantly expanding PDF Solutions’ manufacturing connectivity network to include most of the 300mm fabs in the world. PDF’s footprint in the outsourced semiconductor assembly and test market is expected to accelerate the rate at which secureWISE moves into that part of the supply chain as well.

    “We are pleased to welcome secureWISE to the PDF Solutions team,” said Dr. John Kibarian, President, CEO, and co-founder of PDF Solutions. “We provide a leading analytics platform for the semiconductor industry, which, with secureWISE, we believe will further support the type of secure integration and collaboration needed across the industry.”

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company’s expectations regarding the expected benefits of the secureWISE LLC acquisition and other statements identified by words such as “could,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms, that are subject to future events and circumstances. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially include risks associated with: the effectiveness of the PDF Solutions’ business and technology strategies; current semiconductor industry trends and competition; rates of adoption of PDF Solutions’ solutions by new and existing customers; project milestones or delays and performance criteria achieved; cost and schedule of new product development and investments in research and development; the continuing impact of macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, changing interest rates and tariffs, the evolving trade regulatory environment and geopolitical tensions, and other trends impacting the semiconductor industry, PDF Solutions’ customers, operations, and supply and demand for its products; supply chain disruptions; the success of PDF Solutions’ strategic growth opportunities and partnerships; recent and future acquisitions, strategic alliances and relationships and PDF Solutions’ ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and technologies, including secureWISE LLC and its business; whether PDF Solutions can successfully convert backlog into revenue; customers’ production volumes under contracts that provide Gainshare; the sufficiency of PDF Solutions’ cash resources and anticipated funds from operations; PDF Solutions’ ability to obtain additional financing if needed; PDF Solutions’ ability to use support and updates for certain open-source software; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in PDF Solutions’ periodic public filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. All forward-looking statements and information included herein is given as of the filing date of this press release and based on information available to PDF Solutions at the time of this press release and future events or circumstances could differ significantly from these forward-looking statements. Unless required by law, PDF Solutions undertakes no obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements.

    About PDF Solutions 

    PDF Solutions (Nasdaq: PDFS) provides comprehensive data solutions designed to empower organizations across the semiconductor and electronics industry ecosystem to improve the yield and quality of their products and operational efficiency for increased profitability. The Company’s products and services are used by Fortune 500 companies across the semiconductor and electronics ecosystem to achieve smart manufacturing goals by connecting and controlling equipment, collecting data generated during manufacturing and test operations, and performing advanced analytics and machine learning to enable profitable, high-volume manufacturing. 

    Founded in 1991, PDF Solutions is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company (directly or through one or more subsidiaries) is an active member of SEMI, INEMI, TPCA, IPC, the OPC Foundation, and DMDII. For the latest news and information about PDF Solutions or to find office locations, visit https://www.pdf.com. 

    Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, PDF Solutions also operates worldwide in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. For the Company’s latest news and information, visit https://www.pdf.com. 

    About secureWISE 

    The secureWISE platform is designed to enable secure and controlled remote connectivity, collaboration and service enablement in the semiconductor industry. The secureWISE suite of products and services is designed to give OEM suppliers role-based, real-time and on-demand access to their equipment that is installed at the production facilities of their customers, to deliver valuable operational insights, mission-critical performance, substantial time and cost savings, and new service revenue opportunities. As a remote access tool built around the ISMI guidelines, secureWISE is installed in over 90% of the world’s 300mm semiconductor fabs and also numerous solar and chemical plants across the globe.

    PDF Solutions, secureWISE, and the PDF Solutions logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of PDF Solutions, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Telit is a trademark or registered trademark of Telit. Other trademarks used herein are the property of their owners. 

    Company Contacts:      
    Adnan Raza    Sonia Segovia 
    Chief Financial Officer    Investor Relations 
    Tel: (408) 516-0237    Tel: (408) 938-6491 
    Email: adnan.raza@pdf.com    Email: sonia.segovia@pdf.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fairfax India Holdings Corporation: Executive Announcements

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    TORONTO, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fairfax India Holdings Corporation (“Fairfax India” or the “Company”) (TSX: FIH.U) is pleased to announce that Debbie Chalkley will be appointed Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of Fairfax India effective March 10, 2025. Debbie has been part of the Fairfax family for over 13 years, with her most recent role being the CFO of Onlia Insurance. Prior to being CFO of Onlia Insurance, Debbie held a number of roles, with increasing responsibility, at Northbridge Financial Corporation, including Vice President in both finance and information technology.

    Amy Sherk, who is the current CFO of Fairfax India, will be appointed CFO of Fairfax, the controlling shareholder of Fairfax India, effective March 10, 2025. Amy will remain a Vice President of Fairfax India to ensure a seamless transition for her successor and to continue to contribute to the growth of the Company over the long term.

    Prem Watsa, Founder of Fairfax India, commented, “Fairfax India is fortunate to have had the benefit of Amy’s leadership, expertise, dedication and financial acumen for the past six years. I have no doubt Amy will continue to thrive in her new role as CFO of Fairfax. We are also excited to welcome Debbie to the Fairfax India team and look forward to working with her during the next phase of Fairfax India’s growth. As I have said many times, we are lucky to have the executive depth within the Fairfax family to continue to execute sound succession planning.”

    About Fairfax India

    Fairfax India is an investment holding company whose objective is to achieve long term capital appreciation, while preserving capital, by investing in public and private equity securities and debt instruments in India and Indian businesses or other businesses with customers, suppliers or business primarily conducted in, or dependent on, India.

       
    For further information, contact: John Varnell, Vice President, Corporate Affairs
      (416) 367-4755

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced After Kicking in Door and Shooting at Ex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Bryce Tyler Pyle, 36, for First Degree Burglary in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Judge Russell ordered Pyle to 168 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.

    In July 2024, Pyle drove to his former girlfriend’s home with their child in the car. At some point, Pyle kicked open the former girlfriend’s door and pointed a handgun at her and another person in the home. The former girlfriend demanded that Pyle leave. When Pyle returned to his car, he intentionally fired his gun toward the house before leaving. The former girlfriend noticed their child crying in the backseat of the car when Pyle drove off.

    The former girlfriend called Pyle and convinced him to return their child. Pyle then entered the home a second time and began destroying property. While Pyle was in the home, police officers intercepted and detained him.

    Pyle is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clinton, Indiana, Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    URBANA, Ill. – A Clinton, Indiana, woman, Davetta Cox, 32, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025, to using facilities of interstate commerce in a murder-for-hire scheme. Sentencing for Cox has been set for July 18, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.

    At the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Cox admitted to seeking to hire someone she believed to be a hitman to kill another individual. During the hearing, the government provided information that Cox had offered the supposed hitman $6,000 to murder another individual.

    Cox was arrested in January 2024 and remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, pending sentencing. Cox faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; up to a $500,000 fine; and up to a six-year term of supervised release.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Champaign Resident Agency, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the government in the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WCP Mexico: Joint research workshop

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WCP Mexico: Joint research workshop

    Distinguished guests, WCP Chairs, and representatives,
    It is undeniable that we need to make trade more inclusive. But what does that mean? Why does it matter? These are questions that deserve attention.
    With this in mind, the Latin American and Caribbean Network of the WTO Chairs Programme has once again brought us together through their work on trade and inclusivity. I extend my thanks to the different teams involved in organizing this workshop – especially the WCP Chair in Mexico – which is held in collaboration with the WTO Trade and Gender Office as an activity under the Chairs Programme, and with the support of the Ministry of Economy.
    This event will consolidate discussions on the seven different pillars of inclusivity with the goal of publishing an extremely relevant book.
    This book will include perspectives from different regions of the world, drawing on experience from trade negotiators and policy makers in Africa, New Zealand, Asia, and Europe. I would like to thank each of the other WCP Chairs involved as well – the network in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Peru. We recognize that your efforts on this topic have boosted its visibility.
    There is of course no part of the world where the diverse needs of women, indigenous peoples, youth, individuals with disabilities and other marginalized groups are not important.
    Trade and women
    Trade contributes to SDG 5 by creating economic opportunities for women and increasing their income. Firms that export employ more women than men and provide them with formal jobs. This secures their economic empowerment. Similarly, women entrepreneurs can gain from expanding to foreign markets, as trade can help them strengthen and diversify their economic activities. Evidence shows that this leads to changes in women’s social status and improves their rights.
    However, trade is not gender-neutral. Women face higher barriers than men in accessing the opportunities created by trade. Data shows that these barriers are often grounded in negative social norms. In fact, according to the World Bank, women have only less than two thirds of rights of men. This is why governments have been developing gender-responsive trade policies, with measures supporting women in reaping the benefits of trade and sometimes directly addressing these social imbalances.
    Women are highly active in targeting international markets. Globally, women comprise two fifths of entrepreneurs (40%) serving a national or international market, while men comprise three fifths (60%) in both cases.
    Discussions at the WTO
    At the WTO, in the last 8 years, members have joined forces to ensure that trade acts for the benefit of women’s empowerment. Over two-thirds of the membership are actively working to address the trade barriers faced by women.
    In 2020, we reached an important milestone and established the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender.
    This initiative, which began in 2017 on the sidelines of the 11th Ministerial Conference, brought together 118 WTO members and observers to promote women’s participation in global trade. The primary goal of this Working Group is to mainstream gender in the work of the WTO and in trade policies.
    At the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, ministers collectively acknowledged the intrinsic links between women’s economic empowerment, trade and sustainable development. Furthermore, the co-chairs of the Informal Working Group issued a powerful statement that reaffirmed our commitment to advancing gender equality within the trade sphere, highlighting the significant achievements of WTO members’ joint work and taking bold commitments.
    At the Ministerial Conference, members have also launched the first gender-responsive trade policy tool, in the form of a compendium mapping all the measures they implement to support women entrepreneurs’ access to finance.
    Our approach to this issue has been both cross-cutting and collaborative, particularly through the World Trade Gender Research Hub.
    Created in 2021, the Hub gathers 45 researchers and experts on trade and gender, including some Chairs.
    The WCP Latin American and Caribbean Network is well known for its work on trade and gender – and I’m proud to congratulate the WCP Co-Chair in Costa Rica on his appointment as a member of the Hub, bringing the total number of Chairs in this group to four.
    This year, the WTO will host the second edition of the World Trade Congress on Gender, under the theme “Gender Equality and Innovation, the Keys to Sustainable Trade”. We will organise this research conference in partnership with UN Women and jointly with the Hub. This year, it will gather more than 60 researchers to present groundbreaking work on trade, gender and innovation.
    Beyond research, the WTO has partnered with different organizations such as the World Bank, UNCTAD, the FAO and UN Women to develop effective solutions and drive progress.
    As you will also see from the discussions, inclusivity has several different facets.
    Our economies should not leave any communities at a disadvantage.
    Trade and disabilities
    Another stark reality we are faced with is that globally, one in six adults lives with some form of disability. They are a significant part of our global population, yet their economic needs and perspectives are frequently pushed aside in discussions about trade and economic policy. This does a tremendous disservice to them, and to economies as a whole.
    Our recent establishment of an informal, staff-level Inter-Agency Working Group on Trade and Disability Inclusion is a promising step forward in this area. Alongside UNCTAD, the ITC, and the ILO, we aim to empower governments to bring disability inclusion into their policy discussions, ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully supported and included in the global economy.
    Indigenous communities
    Trade is also significant for indigenous communities, in particular those that have been historically marginalized. In 2024, the WTO’s Small Business Champions Winners initiative focused on leveraging international trade to foster economic development and innovation for indigenous peoples worldwide.
    Trade provides them with essential economic opportunities, reducing poverty and economic disparities.
    Through their businesses, which emphasize environmental stewardship, it also benefits the wider economy by promoting sustainable and ethical consumption patterns. Supporting indigenous trade helps preserve unique cultural expressions, crafts, and arts that have been passed down through generations.
    Youth
    Also with the next generation in mind, the WTO has launched two major initiatives jointly with the WTO Gender Research Hub.
    In 2023, we organised the Youth Trade Summit on Gender with the objective of building the next generation of trade and gender experts. As an outcome of the Summit, in July 2024, we launched the WTO Youth Talent Incubator Programme to support young professionals from academia and government in integrating gender into their work.
    Let me add that the Chairs Programme itself expands access to trade-related education. Last year alone, over 330 WTO related courses took place through the programme. I hope you yourselves do not underestimate the significance of your work in this area.
    Conclusion and looking ahead to MC14
    Researchers at this event will talk about all of these inclusivity issues and expand them in new directions. It is also important for WTO Members to consider the complexities of how these factors interact.
    As we look ahead to the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in 2026, Members will be putting their focus on several areas that have also been part of the WCP network’s research.
    The second wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations, investment facilitation for development, and environmental sustainability are on the horizon. Members are also exploring new ways of making progress and breaking through on agricultural reform, and further engagement will continue under the multilateral programme on electronic commerce. I look forward to seeing the continued contributions of the Chairs Network in these areas.
    Let me end by saying that the WTO remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing inclusive trade. Our mission is to create a trade framework that reflects the diversity and needs of all societies, promoting equity and opportunity for all. With this objective in mind, I would certainly and strongly encourage continued collaboration between the WCP and the WTO Trade and Gender Office.
    Together, we can ensure that the multilateral trading system contributes to a more just and equitable global economy. And the book discussed today has its place in making this happen.
    Thank you.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Video: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Launch (Official NASA Broadcast)

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Watch with us as the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission launch to the space station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT (2348 UTC) on Wednesday, March 12.

    SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander; and Nichole Ayers, pilot; along with mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the orbiting laboratory for a science mission of about four months. This is the 10th crew rotation mission and the 11th human spaceflight mission for NASA to the space station supported by the Dragon spacecraft since 2020 as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

    Following the launch of Crew-10, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will depart the station for a splashdown off the coast of Florida.

    About Crew-10’s scientific mission: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/what-you-need-to-know-about-nasas-spacex-crew-10-mission/
    Crew-10 mission updates: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/crew-10/

    Credit: NASA

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RTehiOVIDw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: March Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Natividad Castillo Avena. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Avena, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-064

    Adan Alberto Bazaldua-Pichardo. Fraud and Misuse of Visas and Permits. Bazaldua-Pichardo, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully and knowingly possessing a fake social security card to gain entry or employment in the United States. The Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-061

    Jose Ricardo Borrayo-Gomez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Borrayo-Gomez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-062

    Carlos Daniel Calderon-Ponce. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Calderon-Ponce, 49, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-063

    Aldrin Jhovani Solis Castellanos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Castellanos, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-073

    Joseph John Ronald Chavoya. Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun. Chavoya, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly and unlawfully possessing a machine gun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-075

    Jose Darvin Chicas-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chicas-Castro, 35, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2011. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-065

    Adrian Lasean Foster. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Foster, 24, of Muskogee and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with breaking into an occupied home with intent to commit a crime. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-076

    Julio Gonzalez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez-Ramirez, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-066

    Luis Enrique Guereca-Castrellon. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Guereca-Castrellon, 67, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2020. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-067

    Jose Alberto Hernandez-Casimiro. Fraud and Misuse of Visas and Permits. Hernandez-Casimiro, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully and knowingly possessing a fake legal permanent resident card to gain entry or employment in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-068

    Jose Abraham Joya. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Joya, 38, a Salvadoran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-069

    Felipe Jesus Mendoza-Lopez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Mendoza-Lopez, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm, knowing he was an alien illegally in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-070

    Alexander Enemias Ortiz-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ortiz-Gonzalez, 22, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-071

    Juan Reyes-Ochoa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reyes-Ochoa, 33, a Guatemala national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-072

    Joshawa Wayne Wildcat. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Wildcat, 33, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with strangling his spouse. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-077

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investment Summit to grow New Zealand’s future

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealand will showcase its infrastructure pipeline and exciting growth sectors to companies managing about $6 trillion in capital at next week’s Infrastructure Investment Summit, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says.

    “The upcoming Summit is all about attracting investment into the infrastructure projects New Zealanders need to get ahead, so that we can grow our economy, create opportunities for New Zealanders, and raise the standard of living for Kiwi families,” Mr Bishop says.

    “We’re going to show our international visitors in no uncertain terms that New Zealand is open for business, and we are a country worth investing in.

    “New Zealanders can be proud that some of the world’s biggest investment and infrastructure entities are keen to learn about the opportunities New Zealand has to offer. 

    “The financial companies and institutions attending the summit manage assets and funds worth around $6 trillion of capital and they are headquartered across the world. They include pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and major banks. We also have delegates from the construction and engineering sectors.

    “Their decision to come here demonstrates that New Zealand is held in high regard internationally as an economy that is worth investing in.

    “We’ll also have representatives from our own investment and construction community, including a number of iwi investment entities, ACC and the New Zealand Super Fund.

    “Across the two-day summit, Ministers will showcase our ambitious pipeline of projects in transport, health, education, courts and corrections, and the resources sector. Iwi representatives will highlight the strength of the Māori economy and their own upcoming opportunities for these investors.

    “We’ll also highlight four growth sectors – aquaculture, renewable energy, clean technology and advanced transportation which includes some exciting opportunities in space.

    “The Government is moving quickly to create a regulatory environment that welcomes international capital and makes it easier to get projects off the ground. We’re reforming foreign investment laws and immigration settings, and our Fast Track Approvals regime is up and running.

    “This Government is serious about growing New Zealand’s economy and creating more opportunities for Kiwis to get ahead. The summit is just one part of our ambitious agenda to grow New Zealand’s economy and make life better for Kiwis.” 

    Attached:

    • The Infrastructure Investment Summit programme.

    Note to Editors:

    • All companies are attending the summit at their own cost, including travel and accommodation.
    • International attendees come from 14 countries: Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GIFT City will give India’s aviation sector further confidence, commitment, collaboration to develop a competitive aircraft leasing hub: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 8:54PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Ministry of Civil Aviation jointly with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) with the support of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA), organised the second “India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit” at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The inaugural was graced by Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu.

    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, said that today, the GIFT City is comparable with any global financial centers. He emphasised that we are not trying to compete with anyone only complement the global centre. The idea is that we should not miss out on the huge opportunity due to the large market which can accommodate more such players. “GIFT City will give India’s aviation sector the further required confidence, commitment and collaboration to develop a competitive aircraft leasing hub,” he added.

    The Minister further stated that aircraft leasing is a key financial innovation that India’s growing civil aviation sector needs. “Fueled by the UDAN scheme and doubling of India’s airports in 10 years, India has become the 3rd largest domestic aviation market in the world,” he emphasized.

    The Minister also stated that by 2047, the Government is planning to build 350 airports out of which 34 will function as mega airports handling two crore passengers annually. In the next five years, we are planning to build 50 more airports. “The UDAN scheme is also extended for another 10 years which will connect four crore passengers in the country along with creating 120 new destinations in India. He urged to create a strong ecosystem for aircraft financing and leasing in the country to become globally competitive. “GIFT City represents a transformative opportunity to bring home the values created by India’s civil aviation industry,” added Shri Ram Mohan Naidu.

    The Union Minister further chaired Insightful sessions, followed by a plenary discussion focusing on ‘Establishing an Aircraft Lessor Ecosystem in GIFT IFSCA’ and ‘Bridging Financial Gaps: Unlocking Growth in Aviation Financing through Policy & Investment’.

    In his concluding remarks, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu emphasized that the issues raised during the sessions remain a priority for the government, assuring full support for the implementation of the proposed initiatives. He further highlighted the importance of complementing the existing global leasing hubs rather than competing with them, reinforcing India’s commitment to fostering a robust and collaborative aircraft leasing ecosystem.

    Addressing the gathering, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel, said that GIFT City has today established itself as the Fintech hub of India; at such a time, this Summit will prove to be important for the development of the aviation sector and Aircraft Leasing & Financing and towards India’s self-reliance in the aviation sector.

    The Chief Minister further added that due to the changes in the aviation sector in the last ten years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a strong aviation ecosystem has been created in India today. “Our government is determined to make Gujarat the leader in the aviation sector. We are committed to providing the necessary production capacity, adequate infrastructure and encouragement to the industry for the development of the aviation sector,” he emphasized.

    Civil Aviation Secretary Shri Vumlunmang Vualnam said that the government is committed to provide a stable regulatory framework. “The Indian carriers are looking at doubling their aircrafts they will acquire in the next 5 years from 800 to around 1500 aircrafts,” he added.

    The sessions were extremely interactive with active interventions and suggestions from delegates. The delegates represented all stakeholders in the aircraft leasing including global lessors, Banks, Insurance companies, Legal experts and airlines.

    *****

    Pawan Singh Faujdar/Divyanshu Kumar

    (Release ID: 2109267) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launches the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign Programme

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launches the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign Programme

    The Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign Programme is a remarkable step in India’s mission for food and nutrition security: PM

    The Food Security Saturation Campaign launched in Surat will be an inspiration for other districts of the country as well: PM

    Our government always stands with the poor as their partner: PM

    Nutritious food has a big role in the journey of Viksit Bharat: PM

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 8:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign Programme in Limbayat, Surat, today. The Prime Minister also distributed the benefits under the National Food Security Act to over 2.3 lakh beneficiaries. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister emphasized the unique spirit of the Surat city, highlighting its strong foundation of work and charity. He expressed how the city’s essence cannot be forgotten, as it is defined by collective support and celebrating the growth of all.

    Shri Modi stated that Surat is known for its culture of mutual support and progress, where people work together for the benefit of everyone. He emphasized that this spirit is visible in every corner of Surat. The Prime Minister pointed out that today’s program aims to further promote and strengthen this spirit, fostering unity and growth for all in the city. “Surat is a leading city in Gujarat and India, and now also taking the lead in ensuring food and nutrition security for the poor and marginalized. The city’s food security saturation campaign will serve as an inspiration for other districts across the country” Shri Modi added.

    Shri  Modi  emphasized that the campaign ensures no one is left out, no one is cheated, and there is no discrimination. It moves beyond appeasement and focuses on the noble spirit of satisfaction for all. “When the government reaches the beneficiary’s doorstep, no one will be excluded. With a commitment to benefit everyone, those attempting to exploit the system are kept away”, Shri Modi added.

    The Prime Minister highlighted that under the food security saturation approach, the Surat administration has identified over 2.5 lakh new beneficiaries. Among them are many elderly women, elderly men, widowed women, and differently-abled individuals. These new family members will now receive free rations and nutritious food. The Prime Minister congratulated all the new beneficiaries for being included in this important initiative.

    The Prime Minister emphasized that the pain of the poor worrying about food is not something he needs to learn from books, but something he can experience. “And this is why over the past years, the government has focused on addressing this very concern by ensuring food security for those in need. The government has stood with the poor as a true partner and servant”, Shri Modi stated. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country needed support the most, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana was launched to ensure that the poor’s kitchens continued to function. This scheme, one of the largest and most unique in the world, is still ongoing. He also expressed happiness that the Gujarat government extended the scheme by increasing the income limit to allow more beneficiaries to benefit. The government is spending nearly ₹2.25 lakh crore annually to ensure that the poor’s kitchens stay lit.

    Highlighting the crucial role of nutritious food in India’s journey towards development, Shri Narendra Modi stated that the government’s goal is to provide adequate nutrition to every family in the country to eliminate issues like malnutrition and anemia. “Under the PM Poshan Scheme, approximately 12 crore school children are being provided with nutritious food. The Saksham Anganwadi Program focuses on the nutrition of young children, mothers, and pregnant women. Additionally, under the PM Matru Vandana Yojana, pregnant women are provided with financial support for nutritious food” Shri Modi highlighted.

    The Prime Minister  emphasized that nutrition goes beyond just food, with cleanliness being an essential aspect. He praised Surat for its efforts in maintaining cleanliness. “The government’s continuous effort is to ensure that every city and village in the country works towards eliminating filth. The global organizations have acknowledged that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has helped reduce diseases in rural areas” Shri Modi added. He also highlighted the importance of the “Har Ghar Jal” campaign, led by Shri C.R. Patil, which aims to deliver clean water to every household, contributing to a decrease in various diseases.

    Shri Narendra Modi acknowledged the significant impact of the government’s free ration scheme, which has made life easier for millions. He noted that today, the rightful beneficiaries are receiving their full share of ration, a possibility that wasn’t available 10 years ago. He pointed out that the government has removed over 5 crore fake ration cardholders and linked the entire ration distribution system to Aadhaar cards. The Prime Minister addressed the issue faced by migrant workers in Surat, who previously couldn’t use their ration cards in other states. “The “One Nation, One Ration Card” scheme was introduced to ensure that no matter where a person’s ration card is from, they can avail benefits in any city across the country. Many workers in Surat are now benefiting from this scheme, which demonstrates that when policies are made with true intentions, they benefit the poor” Shri Modi added.

    The Prime Minister outlined the government’s efforts over the past decade to empower the poor through a mission-mode approach. He emphasized the creation of a safety net around the poor, ensuring they never have to beg for help. Providing concrete homes, toilets, gas connections, and tap water connections has instilled new confidence in the poor.The government also introduced insurance schemes for poor families, ensuring that nearly 60 crore Indians have access to free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh. “Life and accident insurance, which were previously out of reach for poor families, are now a reality. Today, more than 36 crore people are enrolled in government insurance schemes. Over ₹16,000 crore in claims have been paid to poor families, helping them during difficult times” Shri Modi highlighted.

    Shri Narendra Modi recalled how, in the past, the poor faced immense challenges in starting their own businesses, with banks refusing to offer loans without guarantees. Shri Modi highlighted how he personally took  the responsibility to guarantee loans for the poor, launching the Mudra Yojana. “Under the Mudra Yojana, nearly ₹32 lakh crore has been provided as loans without any guarantee, directly benefiting the poor. This initiative has helped millions of people, despite the opposition’s lack of understanding of the magnitude of such an amount”, the Prime Minister emphasized.

    Addressing the struggles of street vendors and workers who previously had no financial support,  Shri Narendra Modi mentioned that these individuals often had to borrow money from moneylenders, only to pay back more than they borrowed. The government’s PM SVANidhi Yojana has helped these vendors by providing them access to bank loans. The Prime Minister further announced in this year’s budget the introduction of a special credit card for such workers. “The introduction of the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, which supports traditional craftsmen by providing them with training, modern tools, and financial assistance to improve and expand their skills. These efforts contribute to the country’s development through inclusive growth, with over 25 crore people moving out of poverty in the past decade” Shri Modi stated.

    The Prime Minister  acknowledged the significant contribution of the middle class to the country’s development, especially in Surat, where a large number of middle-class families reside. He outlined the government’s efforts in the past decade to empower the middle class, including the relief provided in this year’s budget.  “The tax relief given, particularly the zero tax on income up to ₹12 lakh, is a step many never expected. Additionally, employees will now be exempt from taxes on income up to ₹12.87 lakh. New tax slabs have also been introduced to benefit all taxpayers. This will allow middle-class families in Surat, Gujarat, and across the country to retain more of their earnings, which they can invest in their needs and their children’s future”, the Prime Minister highlighted.

    The Prime Minister recognized Surat as a hub for entrepreneurship with a significant number of small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which provide employment to millions. He highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen the local supply chain by offering substantial support to MSMEs. “The budget announced loans up to ₹2 crore for SC/ST, Dalit, tribal, and women entrepreneurs, helping them thrive in the MSME sector. The youth of Surat and Gujarat should take advantage of these opportunities, and the government stands ready to support them” Shri Modi stated.

    Shri Modi acknowledged Surat’s significant role in India’s development, particularly in the textiles, chemicals, and engineering sectors. He highlighted the government’s efforts to expand these industries in the city. “The new integrated terminal building at Surat Airport, the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and the upcoming Bullet Train, the Surat Metro project, will further enhance the city’s connectivity, making it one of the most well-connected cities in the country. These initiatives are improving the quality of life for Surat’s residents and making their lives easier”, Shri Modi emphasised.

    Shri Narendra Modi urged women across the country to share their inspiring stories on the NaMo app. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister announced that he will be handing over his social media accounts to some of these inspirational women who have contributed significantly to the country’s and society’s development. He highlighted the role of women in various sectors, especially in Gujarat, and emphasized that this day is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements. He also shared that he will be attending a major event in Navsari dedicated to women’s empowerment. The Prime Minister acknowledged the large number of women attending the event in Surat, noting that they would benefit greatly from the ongoing program.

    The Prime Minister expressed his commitment to the continued development of Surat as a mini India and a remarkable city on the global stage. “For vibrant and dynamic people like those in Surat, everything must be exceptional. I congratulate all beneficiaries of the ongoing initiatives, wishing them continued success and progress” Shri Modi concluded.

    Background

    The Prime Minister launched the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign Programme in Limbayat, Surat and distributed the benefits under National Food Security Act to over 2.3 lakh beneficiaries.

    Women empowerment has been a cornerstone of the work done by the government. Guided by the vision of the Prime Minister, the government has been committed to taking steps towards their all round development.

     

     

    ***

    MJPS/VJ

    (Release ID: 2109256) Visitor Counter : 74

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: On International Women’s Day, Indian Railways decides to equip Women RPF personnel with Chilli Spray Cans

    Source: Government of India

    On International Women’s Day, Indian Railways decides to equip Women RPF personnel with Chilli Spray Cans

    This initiative to empower women personnel with a non-lethal yet effective tool to handle challenging situations

    RPF has the highest proportion of women (9%) personnel among all Central Armed Police Forces

    During the Mahakumbh, RPF’s women personnel tirelessly assisted thousands of women pilgrims alongside their male counterparts at Prayagraj

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 8:36PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Railways has decided to equip women personnel of the Railway Protection Force with chilli spray cans. This non-lethal yet effective tool will help women RPF personnel tackle challenging situations swiftly, particularly while safeguarding female passengers traveling alone or with children for ensuring safer train journeys for women passengers.

    This innovative move reflects Indian Railways’ strong commitment to gender inclusivity, women empowerment, and enhanced security across its vast network. By providing chilli spray cans, women RPF personnel will have an additional layer of security, allowing them to deter threats, respond to incidents of harassment, and handle emergencies effectively — especially in sensitive areas like isolated stations, running trains, and remote railway locations where immediate backup might not be available.

    Backing this initiative, the Director General of RPF, Shri. Manoj Yadav stated “The initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of empowering women and ensuring safer public spaces. Indian Railways has consistently introduced several measures to improve the travel experience for women passengers. Our women RPF personnel stand as symbols of strength, care and resilience. By equipping them with chilli spray cans, we are enhancing their confidence and operational capability, while sending a clear message that passenger safety — especially the safety of women — is our highest priority.”

    One such impactful policy has been the deliberate induction of more women into the RPF. Today, the RPF proudly boasts the highest proportion of women (9%) among all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Many of these women RPF personnel are part of the ‘Meri Saheli’ teams, whose core responsibility is to ensure safe journey for women travellers. Over 250 ‘Meri Saheli’ teams interact with nearly 12,900 female passengers daily, offering both security and reassurance.

    The role of women RPF personnel extends far beyond security. They frequently assist female passengers in distress, including expectant mothers who go into labor during train journeys. Under ‘Operation Matrishakti’, women RPF personnel have helped 174 women safely give birth onboard trains in 2024 alone, ensuring privacy, dignity, and timely medical aid. During major events like the Mahakumbh, RPF’s women personnel worked tirelessly alongside their male counterparts, offering prompt assistance to thousands of women pilgrims who arrived for the holy dip at Prayagraj.

    Armed with the new tool in hand, women RPF personnel will embody strength, compassion and resilience, reaffirming Indian Railways’ dedication to safe and secure journey for women passengers.

    ****

    Dharmendra Tewari/ Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2109254) Visitor Counter : 6

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Shri Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Udan Yatri Café at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Shri Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Udan Yatri Café at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad

    Café starts serving budget-friendly and delicious food to passengers

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 8:07PM by PIB Delhi

     Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated Udaan Yatri Café at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad, marking a significant milestone in the Government’s initiative to enhance passenger facilities at airports across the Nation.

     

    Located at the check-in hall of Terminal 1, the new café will provide passengers access to snacks starting at Rs 20. The Udan Yatri Café aims to provide quality food at accessible prices, making airport dining more affordable for passengers. The café’s introduction is part of a broader strategy to modernise airport infrastructure, while ensuring that air travel remains a viable option for more people.

    With the launch of the Udaan Yatri Café, passengers at Ahmedabad Airport can now enjoy high-quality refreshments at prices that align with the Government’s mission to make flying more inclusive. This initiative reflects the ongoing efforts to provide affordable and high-quality amenities, further enhancing passenger satisfaction and convenience.

    *******

    Pawan Singh Faujdar/Divyanshu Kumar  

    (Release ID: 2109233) Visitor Counter : 36

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CIL joins hands with IIT, Hyderabad for R&D in clean coal tech

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:53PM by PIB Delhi

    Coal India Limited (CIL) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H), on 7 March, for establishing a Centre of Clean Coal Energy and Net Zero (CLEANZ) at Hyderabad.

    The joint initiative between CIL and IITH aims to develop clean coal technologies and diversification in coal utilization. Both the entities will synergize their efforts in developing cutting edge technology readiness level (TRL) for sustainable utilization of Indian coal. This is in line with the country’s Net Zero commitments. The Coal Ministry is also keen in developing research capabilities in coal sector and advised to take up research projects relevant to India’s coal and energy sectors.

     

     

    Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal & Mines was the Chief Guest, and the pact was formally signed in his presence by P M Prasad, Chairman, CIL and Prof. B S Murty, Director, IITH in Hyderabad.

    CIL’s management has green flagged a grant of Rs.98 Crores to IITH for a duration of five years for setting up this Centre of Excellence. It is anticipated that the project will be financially self-sustainable beyond the initial five year funding received from CIL.

    CIL’s Board earlier in July 2024 has given its nod to focus on providing grants to reputed government institutions and research organizations under R&D expenditure. The objective is to enhance research capabilities and establishment of Centres of Excellence.

    The current collaborative model is an R&D endeavour under the umbrella of National Centre for Coal and Energy Research (NaCCER). This is an independent R&D unit of CMPDI, the mine development and consultancy arm of CIL.

    CLEANZ envisions net zero utilization with special emphasis on low grade and rejected coal. The thematic areas under CLEANZ are enhanced coal bed methane and coal mine methane recovery, carbon capture technologies, coal gasification and syngas utilization, energy efficiency and conservation, artificial intelligence and machine learning among others.

    Other salient features are training and assisting CIL officials in tech adoption, skill and capability enhancement, extraction and beneficiation technologies for critical minerals.

    ****

    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2109226) Visitor Counter : 109

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Nourishing the Nation

    Source: Government of India

    Nourishing the Nation

    Poshan Abhiyan’s Holistic Approach to Nutrition and Wellness

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:48PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    Poshan Abhiyaan was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 8th March, 2018 in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan. The focus of Abhiyaan is to lay emphasis on nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers and children from 0-6 years age. The programme, through use of technology, convergence and community involvement with a targeted approach strives to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight in children, as also focus on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition.

    Objectives

    • Prevent and reduce stunting in children (0- 6 years)
    • Prevent and reduce under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) in children (0-6 years)
    • Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among young Children(6-59 months)
    • Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls in the age group of 15-49 years
    • Reduce Low Birth Weight (LBW)

     

    Strategic Pillars of Poshan Abhiyaan

    The Abhiyaan operates through four strategic pillars:

     1. Access to Quality Services: Providing essential health services through schemes like Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) , National Health Mission (NHM), and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), especially during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

    2. Cross-Sectoral Convergence: Coordinating efforts across multiple ministries, including water and sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission and drinking water access through the National Drinking Water Mission.

    3. Leveraging Technology: Tools like the Poshan Tracker application enable real-time data collection and intervention.

    4. Jan Andolan: Community engagement is key to driving mass awareness and encouraging behavioral change around nutrition.

    POSHAN Abhiyaan Programme Priorities

    To accelerate improvements in nutrition, POSHAN Abhiyaan prioritises on:

    1. The first 1000 days – A critical window of opportunity:  The initial 1,000 days, from conception to a child’s second birthday, play a crucial role in ensuring optimal nutrition and healthcare for both mother and baby, laying the foundation for long-term health and development.

     

    Ensuring Access to Essential Services: The Government of India is dedicated to expanding and enhancing the reach of critical, evidence-based interventions to improve nutrition and overall well-being. This is achieved through the integration of multiple schemes and programs focused on health, nutrition, and holistic development.

     

    1. Jan Andolan for behaviour change: Recognizing that sustainable improvements in nutrition require collective action, the Prime Minister has called upon multiple stakeholders to drive a mass movement (Jan Andolan) for a malnutrition-free India.
    1. Multi-sectoral convergence: To facilitate effective multi-sectoral coordination, a National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges under the Chairpersonship of Vice Chairman NITI Aayog has been established. The Council provides policy directions and reviews convergence between Ministries and programmes for nutrition on a quarterly basis.
    1.  Service delivery through technology

    POSHAN Abhiyaan delivers services through existing schemes like ICDS-CAS. This is a mobile application to strengthen delivery of Anganwadi Services. Anganwadi workers capture the data on their mobiles. This information is available at State and Ministry level on a real-time basis on a web-based dashboard. The information is used to monitor interventions and take fact-based decisions.

     

    Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

    The Government of India approved “Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0” (also referred to as Mission Poshan 2.0) which is a strategic shift in mission mode to develop practices that nurture health, wellness, and immunity from malnutrition. With 14,00,117 Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) operating across 36 States/UTs and 781 districts, the mission aims to enhance the health, wellness, and immunity of children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. Supported by 13,30,966 Anganwadi Workers, it ensures nutritional benefits reach 10,08,89,775 eligible beneficiaries. Infrastructure improvements include 6,77,843 AWCs with their own buildings, 10,07,635 with functional toilets, and 12,43,472 with access to drinking water.

    Conclusion

    Poshan Abhiyaan represents a landmark initiative in India’s fight against malnutrition. By integrating technology, cross-sectoral collaboration, and community-driven efforts, the program has made significant strides in improving maternal and child nutrition. The success of this mission depends on sustained efforts in service delivery, behavioural change, and policy innovation. With continued government support and active community participation, Poshan Abhiyaan is poised to create a healthier and more nourished future for India’s women and children.

    References

    https://poshanabhiyaan.gov.in/

    https://wcdhry.gov.in/schemes-for-children/poshan-abhiyan/

    https://nirdpr.org.in/crru/docs/health/A%20call%20to%20action%20for%20Poshan%20Abhiyaan.pdf

    https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/oct/doc2024103406901.pdf

    Click here to see PDF:

    Santosh Kumar/ Sheetal Angral/ Madiha Iqbal

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Education observes International Women’s Day

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:50PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Education celebrated International Women’s Day at its premises at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi today, bringing together women employees from all departments to acknowledge their contributions, share inspiring stories. The event aimed to recognize the contributions of women in the Ministry of Education and promote their well-being through an interactive session. 

    Secretary, Department of Higher Education Shri Vineet Joshi; Additional Secretary, Sunil Kumar Barnwal; Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy Shri Anandrao Vishnu Patil; Joint Secretary, Higher Education, Smt. Rina Sonowal Kouli; graced the occasion with their presence. The event was further honored by the participation of the Vice Chancellor of NIEPA Shashikala Wanjari, who attended as the Guest of Honour.

                                

    During the event, Shri Vineet Joshi, highlighted the dedication and efficiency of women in task execution, emphasizing their responsiveness and sense of responsibility. He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining a gender-inclusive workforce, ensuring equal opportunities for all. He highlighted the leadership demonstrated by women across various roles, acknowledging their contributions in strengthening the institution.

                              

                     

    Prof. Shashikala Wanjari emphasized the extraordinary role of women in the Indian context, drawing inspiration from figures like Ahilyabai Holkar and Jijabai. She highlighted how these icons efficiently managed both family and administration, setting an example for society.            

    To inspire and empower the attendees, Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, psychiatrist at Moolchand Hospital, delivered a session focusing on the general well-being and professional growth of women employees. The session provided valuable insights on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

    All women employees of the Ministry of Education joined the celebration, reflecting the ministry’s commitment to acknowledging the hard work and dedication of its female workforce.

    *****

     

    MV/AK

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP invokes Stage-I of revised GRAP in the entire NCR

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:23PM by PIB Delhi

    Today, Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 202 (‘Poor’ category), as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In wake of the average/ overall air quality of Delhi recording ‘Poor’ air quality category ranging between 201-300, the Sub-Committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) met today to take stock of the current air quality scenario of Delhi-NCR. While comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD/IITM forecasts and air quality index of Delhi, it was observed as under:

    • AQI of Delhi has shown increasing trend due to calm winds and unfavorable meteorological conditions in Delhi-NCR. The AQI of Delhi has been recorded as 202 for 07.03.2025 (in ‘Poor’ category). Further, the forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts AQI to mainly remain in ‘Poor’ category due to, low ventilation coefficient, decrease in wind speeds and unfavorable meteorological conditions.

    As per the unanimous decision of the Sub-Committee on GRAP, all 27 actions as envisaged under Stage-I of revised GRAP – ‘POOR’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 201-300), to be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in NCR, with immediate effect. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP including Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR States and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have been addressed to ensure strict implementation of actions of Stage-I under GRAP during this period.

    Further, the Sub-Committee also urges the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP and follow the steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter of Stage I of GRAP as under:

    • Keep engines of your vehicles properly tuned.
    • Maintain proper tyre pressure in vehicles.
    • Keep PUC certificates of your vehicles up to date.
    • Do not idle your vehicle, also turn off the engine at red lights.
    • Prefer hybrid vehicles or EVs to control vehicular pollution.
    • Do not litter / dispose wastes, garbage in open spaces.
    • Report air polluting activities through 311 App, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App etc.
    • Plant more trees.
    • Celebrate festivals in an eco-friendly manner – avoid firecrackers.
    • Do not drive/ ply end of life/ 10/15 years old Diesel/ Petrol vehicles.

    A 27-point action plan as per Stage-I of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. This 27-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by various agencies including Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and DPCC. The comprehensive schedule of GRAP is available on the Commission’s official website and may be accessed on https://caqm.nic.in

    These steps are:

    1. Ensure proper implementation of Directions/ Rules/ guidelines on dust mitigation measures in Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities and sound environmental management of C&D waste.
    2. Ensure strict compliance of Direction Nos. 11-18 dated 11.06.2021 and do not permit C&D activities in respect of such projects with plot size equal to or more than 500 sqm which are not registered on the ‘web portal’ of the respective state / GNCTD and / or which do not fulfil the other requirements as per the above noted statutory directions, for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures.
    3. Ensure regular lifting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste, and Hazardous wastes from dedicated dump sites and ensure that no waste is dumped illegally in open land areas.
    4. Carry out periodic mechanized sweeping and water sprinkling on roads and ensure scientific disposal of the dust collected in designated sites/landfills.
    5. Ensure that C&D materials & waste are properly stored/ contained, duly covered in the premises.  Ensure transportation of C&D materials and C&D waste only through covered vehicles.
    6. Strictly enforce the Statutory directions and yardsticks for use of anti-smog guns at C&D sites, in proportion to the total built-up area of the project under construction.
    7. Intensify use of anti-smog guns, water sprinkling and dust suppression measures in road construction / widening / repair projects and maintenance activities.
    8. Stringently enforce prohibition on open burning of bio-mass and municipal solid waste. Impose maximum EC upon violations in accordance with Hon’ble NGT’s orders dated 04.12.2014 and 28.04.2015 in OA 21/2014.
    9. Strict vigil to ensure that there are no burning incidents in the landfill sites/ dumpsites.
    10. Deploy traffic police for smooth traffic flow at all identified corridors with heavy traffic and congestion prone intersections.
    11. Strict vigilance and enforcement of PUC norms for vehicles.
    12. No tolerance for visible emissions – Stop visibly polluting vehicles by impounding and/ or levying maximum penalty.
    13. Strictly enforce the Hon’ble Supreme Court order on diversion of non- destined truck traffic for Delhi, through Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
    14. Strictly enforce NGT / Hon’ble SC’s order on overaged diesel / petrol vehicles and as per extant statutes.
    15. Ensure strict penal/ legal action against non-compliant and illegal industrial units.
    16. Stringently enforce all pollution control regulations in Industries, brick kilns and hot mix plants etc. – strict compliance of the prescribed standards of emissions.
    17. Ensure that only approved fuels are used by the industries in NCR including in brick kilns and hot mix plants and enforce closure in case of violations, if any.
    18. Stringently enforce emission norms in thermal power plants and strict actions be taken against non-compliance.
    19. Strictly enforce Hon’ble Courts / Tribunal orders regarding ban on firecrackers.
    20. Ensure regular lifting and proper disposal of industrial waste from industrial and non-development areas.
    21. DISCOMS to minimise power supply interruptions in NCR.
    22. Ensure that diesel generator sets are not used as regular source of power supply.
    23. Strictly enforce the extant ban on coal / firewood as fuel in Tandoors in Hotels, Restaurants and open eateries.
    24. Ensure hotels, restaurants and open eateries use only electricity / gas-based / clean fuel – based appliances.
    25. Information dissemination including through social media and bulk SMS etc. Mobile Apps to be used to inform people about the pollution levels, contact details of control room, enable them to report polluting activities / sources to the concerned authorities and inform them about actions that would be taken by Government.
    26. Ensure quick actions for redressal of complaints on 311 APP, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App and other such social media platforms to curb polluting activities.
    27. Encourage offices to start unified commute for employees to reduce traffic on road.

     

    All the agencies concerned are also required to take note of various actions and the targeted timelines as envisaged in the comprehensive policy issued by the CAQM to curb air pollution in the NCR and take appropriate actions accordingly in the field, particularly the dust mitigation measures for C&D activities & Roads/Open areas, which becomes a pre-dominant factor in the coming months determining the air quality in Delhi-NCR.

    The Commission shall be closely monitoring the situation and will review the air quality scenario on a regular basis in the coming days. The detailed schedule of GRAP is available on the Commission’s official website and may be accessed on https://caqm.nic.in

     

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    Gaurav Sharma

    (Release ID: 2109208) Visitor Counter : 5

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh interacts with women crew members of Navika Sagar Parikrama (NSP) II online on the eve of International Women’s Day

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh interacts with women crew members of Navika Sagar Parikrama (NSP) II online on the eve of International Women’s Day

    “Their courageous journey aboard INSV Tarini, tackling the immense challenge of circumnavigating the globe, stands as a beacon of Nari Shakti”: Raksha Mantri

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:02PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh interacted with the crew members of Navika Sagar Parikrama II (NSP II), Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A of the Indian Navy, through video conferencing today on 7 March, 2025 on the eve of International Women’s Day in New Delhi. Their sailing vessel INSV Tarini, currently in the South Atlantic Ocean at a distance of 450 nautical miles from the previous port of call Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, is heading to Cape Town, South Africa.

    During the interaction, the Raksha Mantri lauded the courage, dedication, and resilience of the NSP II crew, who have embarked on a challenging voyage of circumnavigating the globe, as part of India’s continued efforts to showcase Nari Shakti in high-endurance missions. He congratulated the crew for the remarkable milestones of crossing Point Nemo, the world’s most isolated waters and sailing through the Drake Passage, one of the most treacherous water bodies.

    Raksha Mantri reiterated the government’s vision of a gender-inclusive armed force, encouraging more young women to aspire for careers in defence and adventure sports. He acknowledged the invaluable role of women in bolstering national security and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women in the defence sector.

    Navika Sagar Parikrama II (NSP II) is a flagship initiative of the Indian Navy, aimed at circumnavigating the globe through a two-women crew on board.  NSP II symbolises India’s resolve to encourage women’s participation in maritime and defence sectors, fostering leadership and self-reliance.  The crew, comprising two women officers of the Indian Navy, underwent rigorous training in navigation, weather management, and ocean survival techniques before undertaking this prestigious journey, which was flagged off on 02 October 2024 at Goa by the Chief of the Naval Staff.

    The Ministry of Defence has been at the forefront of ensuring greater representation of women in the Indian Defence Forces. Various initiatives, including permanent commission opportunities, increased intake in the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA), and leadership roles in combat and aviation branches, have significantly contributed to a more inclusive force. 

    *******

    VK/SR/GC

    (Release ID: 2109200) Visitor Counter : 43

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coal India Limited Organizes Kantha Fair to Empower Women Artisans in West Bengal

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 6:58PM by PIB Delhi

    Coal India Limited (CIL) under the aegis of Ministry of Coal in a remarkable step towards women empowerment and socio-economic development, organized a day-long Kantha Fair to showcase the exquisite embroidery work of 200-250 women artisans from West Bengal at its Atrium, Coal Bhawan, New Town, today.  The artisans are the beneficiaries of the Kantha Skill Centre constructed under CSR of CIL.

    CIL and its subsidiaries celebrated the empowerment of women to recognize the achievements of women in their respective offices and areas. 

    As a lead company, Central Coalfields Ltd, Ranchi, Jharkhand organised a mega programme where tribal art, women led businesses and technical skills were showcased. Others subsidiaries like BCCL, CMPDIL, ECL, NCL SECL, MCL and WCL too conducted programme on common theme of Women Empowerment.

    Smt. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal and Dr. Vinay Ranjan, Director (P&IR), CIL, Headquarters were present during the function in virtual modes.

    Smt. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal while addressing in virtual mode said that this new initiative is a part of CIL’s commitment to fostering sustainable livelihoods. “CIL and its subsidiaries are committed to implement impactful programs across the nation, positively transforming lives and communities. We are ensuring empowering women through skill development, entrepreneurship and social initiative under CSR projects,” Smt. Brar further added. 

    Dr. Vinay Ranjan, Director (P&IR), CIL said: “We are proud to promote self-reliance among women by empowering them. CIL and its subsidiaries remain committed to uplifting marginalized communities and fostering opportunities for women to thrive in economic and social spheres. Through such initiatives, CIL continues to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress while preserving its rich artistic legacy.”

    Initially, Dr. Vinay Ranjan, Director (P&IR), CIL, Shri Mukesh Agrawal, Director (Finance), CIL, Shri Brajesh Kumar Tripathy, Chief Vigilance Officer, CIL jointly inaugurated Kantha Fair in presence of women artisans. Three women artisans were felicitated by the company.   Shri OP Mishra, Executive Director (CD), Smt. Renu Chaturvedi, GM(CSR), CIL and other senior officials were present during the function at CIL Hq, Kolkata.

    ****

    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2109196) Visitor Counter : 53

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Aadhaar Drives Digital Transformation: 225 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions and 43 crore e-KYC transactions carried out in February, marking 14% yearly Growth

    Source: Government of India

    Aadhaar Drives Digital Transformation: 225 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions and 43 crore e-KYC transactions carried out in February, marking 14% yearly Growth

    Aadhaar face authentication sees record growth: 12.54 crore transactions in February, 115 crore Cumulatively

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 6:48PM by PIB Delhi

    Aadhaar continues to drive India’s digital transformation, with nearly 225 crore authentication transactions and 43 crore e-KYC transactions carried out in February 2025 alone. The increasing adoption of Aadhaar-based verification highlights its growing role in banking, finance, and other sectors, making processes more seamless, secure, and efficient.

    The total number of eKYC transactions (42.89 cr) carried out during February 2025 is almost 14% more than the numbers during the same period last year.

    Aadhaar e-KYC service continues to play an important role for banking and non-banking financial services by providing transparent and improved customer experience, and helping in ease of doing business.

     

    By the end of February 2025

    • The total number of Aadhaar authentication transactions has crossed 14,555 crore.
    • The total e-KYC transactions have gone beyond 2,311 crore.

     

    Face authentication using Aadhaar gaining popularity

    Aadhaar face authentication transactions continue to get good traction. In February 12.54 crore Aadhaar face authentication transactions were carried out. This is a monthly all time high, since this authentication modality was first introduced in October 2021.

    At least 97 entities have so far on-boarded to use face authentication. Kotak Mahindra Prime Ltd, PhonePe, Karur Vysya Bank and J&K Bank were the new entrants who have on-boarded to use face authentication.  

    Cumulatively, Face Authentication transaction numbers have crossed 115 crore, since it was first rolled out. Of the total numbers, nearly 87 crore such transactions were carried out this financial year, alone.

    The AI/ML based face authentication solution, developed in house by the UIDAI, is being used across sectors including finance, insurance, fintech, health and telecommunications. Several Government departments both at the centre and states are using it for smooth delivery of benefits to targeted beneficiaries.

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith /Shatrunjay Kumar

     

    (Release ID: 2109194) Visitor Counter : 26

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) releases “Cyber Security Handbook for Mahila Suraksha” Booklet on International Women’s Day

    Source: Government of India

    The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) releases “Cyber Security Handbook for Mahila Suraksha” Booklet on International Women’s Day

    India’s CERT-In: Safeguarding Cyberspace with Round-the-Clock Security Services

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 6:44PM by PIB Delhi

    The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India has been designated to serve as National agency for incident response under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000. CERT-In operates 24×7 incident response Help Desk for providing timely response to reported cyber security incidents. CERT-In provides Incident Prevention and Response services as well as Security Quality Management Services.

    CERT-In is regularly carrying out awareness activities to educate the users about cyber security best practices to protect them against cyber security threats. CERT-In also publishes awareness booklets and posters through its website and social media handles on a regular basis to promote cyber awareness across the country.

    On the occasion of International Women’s Day, CERT-In has released the “Cyber Security Handbook for Mahila Suraksha,” a comprehensive guide aimed at empowering women across the country with essential cyber hygiene practices. The booklet provides the best practices that women can adopt to safeguard their online presence and stay protected in today’s digital world.

    The booklet can be read from

    https://www.cert-in.org.in/PDF/Mahila_Suraksha_Booklet25.pdf

     

    About CERT-In

    CERT-In, a functional organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, is responsible for securing Indian cyberspace by providing Incident Prevention, Response services, and Security Quality Management. With a vision of proactively securing India’s cyberspace, its mission is to enhance the security of India’s Communications and Information Infrastructure through proactive measures and effective collaboration. CERT-In focuses on preventing cyber attacks, responding to incidents to minimize damage and recovery time, and raising cybersecurity awareness among citizens. Designated as the national agency under the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008, CERT-In performs key functions such as collecting, analyzing, and disseminating cyber incident information, issuing forecasts and alerts, implementing emergency response measures, and coordinating national cyber incident response activities.

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Naven Sreejith /Shatrunjay Kumar

     

    (Release ID: 2109192) Visitor Counter : 57

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Tourism participated in ITB Berlin 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 6:44PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, participated at ITB Berlin 2025, held from 4th – 6th March at Messe Berlin. ITB Berlin (Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin) is a major meeting point for the global industry including tour operators, travel agencies, hoteliers, transport companies, destinations, and tech companies. It offers unparalleled networking opportunities, facilitating partnerships and collaborations that help businesses grow and expand into new markets.

    The India pavilion was inaugurated by the Ambassador of India in Federal Republic of Germany H.E Ajit Gupte in the presence of Mr Kandula Durgesh, Minister of Tourism, Andhra Pradesh and Mr Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, Minister of Tourism, Madhya Pradesh.

    Germany continues to be one of the top ten source markets for inbound tourists to India, with 0.20 million Germans visiting India in 2023. State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala amongst other States are participating at ITB to showcase their new destinations and products for the global market.  Ministry of Tourism is leading a delegation of almost 40 stakeholders from the Indian travel industry to showcase India’s vibrant cultural diversity and the vast range of tourism products and immersive experiences. This initiative aligns with India’s strategic goal to enhance inbound tourism and position the country as a premier 365 days global travel destination. The participation of the Ministry of Tourism at ITB Berlin provides a significant opportunity to the private stakeholders to reconnect and establish business connections with their counterparts and also promote new itineraries and immersive experiences.  

    The India Pavilion at ITB 2025 showcased the India’s rich kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, and traditions, each contributing to its rich tourism landscape but also the gamut of niche tourism experiences such as spiritual & wellness, wedding, adventure and ecotourism and gourmet. The theme of the Pavilion revolves around sustainable tourism. The co-exhibitors at the India Pavilion included travel Agents, State Tourism departments from Andhra Pradesh & Chandigarh, IRCTC and other Tourism service providers.

    Recently, gratis e tourist visa for foreigners travelling to India under the Chalo India initiative was announced, which is valid till 31st March 2025. The Chalo India initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of India to engage the Indian diaspora for promoting India to their non-Indian friends. As part of this initiative, the Indian diaspora can invite their non-Indian friends to explore the grandeur of Incredible India, to visit the country on gratis e tourist visa.

    A revamped Incredible India digital portal www.incredibelindia.gov.in has also been launched recently along with the Incredible India Content Hub. The Incredible India Content Hub is a comprehensive digital repository for the use of diverse range of stakeholders and travellers. The Incredible India Digital Portal is a tourist-centric one stop digital solution designed to enhance the travel experience for visitors to India.

    The Mahakumbh, which is one of the largest and breath-taking religious congregations in the world, recently concluded at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The sacred event, which lasted about 44 days, reaffirmed India’s stature as a global spiritual destination.

    For more details on ITB Berlin click here: – https://www.itb.com/en/itb-berlin-for-visitors/itb-convention/

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    Sunil Kumar Tiwari

    tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2109193) Visitor Counter : 47

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Jan Aushadhi Diwas celebrated with the theme of ““Jan Aushadhi: Low price, excellent medicine” by organizing week-long events in different states/UTs across the country from 1st of March 2025 to 7th March 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    The Jan Aushadhi Diwas celebrated with the theme of ““Jan Aushadhi: Low price, excellent medicine” by organizing week-long events in different states/UTs across the country from 1st of March 2025 to 7th March 2025

    Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda visits Jan Aushadhi Kendra at AIIMS Bilaspur and interacts with beneficiaries on the occasion of 7th JanAushadhi Diwas

    Chief Ministers of the State/UTs and Central and State level ministers participate in events conducted across the country

    More than 350 different events conducted across the country in which approx. 50,000 people participated in week long celebrations on the occasion of 7th Jan Aushadhi Diwas

    More than 200 new Jan Aushadhi Kendras open: taking tally to a total of 15291

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:07PM by PIB Delhi

    On 7th  day of the week long celebrations, PMBI (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India) celebrated the 7th  Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2025 today across the country by conducting more than 100 major events where the Hon’ble Chief Ministers of the State/UTs, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assemblies, Councilors and other public representatives including many senior Government officials of the Central and the States have marked their presence to grace the event by elaborating upon the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya JanAushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP) so that awareness and benefits may be availed by the public.

    Union Minister Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda visited Jan Aushadhi Kendra at AIIMS, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh and interacted with beneficiaries. Kendra owners and beneficiaries of Jan Aushadhi scheme also shared their experiences.

    Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers Ms Anupriya Patel, shared video message through social media and wished everyone a very Happy 7th Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2025 to all the citizens of the country.

    Also, Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms. Rekha Gupta, also visited a Jan Aushadhi Kendra at Ashok Vihar, Delhi today where she explained the benefits of this Pariyojana and encouraged people to become a part of this noble project which is aimed at providing quality medicines at affordable rates.

    On the occasion of 7th Jan Aushadhi Diwas, renowned sand artist Padmashree Sudarshan Patnaik created a divine sand art depicting the theme of ‘Daam Kam Dawai Uttam’ on the shores of Niladri Beach, Puri, Odisha. Its grandeur is not only attracting people but also reflecting the vision of the Prime Minister.

    Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the implementing agency of PMBJP is celebrating the 7th Jan Aushadhi Diwas 2025. The programme commenced with Jan Aushadhi Jan Chetna Abhiyan on 1st March across the country and ended with the celebration of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2025 on 7th March. The events that took place continued from Jan Chetna Abhiyan/Padyatra, Heritage Walks and Health Camps, Jan Aushadhi Bal Mitra, Ek Kadam Matri shakti ki Ore, Pharmacist Awareness programme, Aao Jan Aushadhi Mitra Banein and the Jan Aushadhi Diwas on 7th March.

    The large-scale activities focused on inclusion and ensured holistic participation of people, beneficiaries and multi-level stakeholders of the PMBJP. The major highlight of the event was flagging off Jan Aushadhi Rath (mobile van) by Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda to generate mass awareness among the people of the country. The mobile vans had travelled throughout the National Capital of the country to reach the people. On the same day, Jan Aushadhi Pratigya Yatras were conducted across the country. Pad Yatras were conducted to create a mass fervor among the people. The pad yatras were attended by school children wearing the Jan Aushadhi T-shirts and Caps.

    On 2nd March, 2025, Heritage walks with the theme – Jan Aushadhi Virasat Ke Sath were organised on pan India level at 25 major historical locations like Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Gwalior Fort, Beyond Taj Mahal, Imambara, Lucknow, etc.  at 500 locations across the country, Health Camps were organised for the senior citizens of the country.

    On 3rd March, 2025, Jan Aushadhi Bal Mitra Participation was conducted at different schools across the country to persuade children into various activities through which the message of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana was spread.

    On 4th March, 2025 women beneficiaries were present at 30 locations in all States/UTs at Jan Aushadhi Kendras where interaction was conducted in the presence of women public representatives, women doctors, NGO’s and information sharing about Health benefits of Jan Aushadhi medicines was done.

    On 5th March, 2025 seminars were conducted at Pharmacy Colleges/Universities across the country to guide Pharmacy students with the information about the employment opportunities under Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana. Pan India seminars and workshops on PMBJP in Pharma colleges and Universities were conducted.

    On the 6th Day of week-long celebration of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2025. PMBJP has organized ‘Aao Jan Aushadhi Mitra Banein’ to register citizens as volunteers across the nation.  Qutub Minar was also illuminated with beautiful lights, spreading the message of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.

    As part of the weeklong celebration, more than 1.12 crore Digital messages to national pensioners and beneficiaries of Jan Aushadhi and other schemes were sent across the country to spread awareness about this noble project. In order to educate the youth of the country, various competitions such as essay writing, poster making, quiz etc. were organised through MyGov portal. Winners of the quiz/competitions have been awarded. Through the MyGov portal more than 7 crore messages were also sent to generate awareness. Community Radio stations at 300 locations were also used as a medium to spread the message and create awareness among the masses. 

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    MV/AKS

    (Release ID: 2109203) Visitor Counter : 54

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: S for S talks about co-ordinating rescue of six Hong Kong residents detained in Southeast Asia

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    S for S talks about co-ordinating rescue of six Hong Kong residents detained in Southeast Asia
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    ​Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after returning from Thailand at Hong Kong International Airport this afternoon (March 7): Reporter: Aside from the Hong Kong Alliance, how many times has the Government used NSL powers to demand information from foreign agents? Are you worried about those other NSL Notices being unlawful and also being challenged in court? My second question is a Hong Kong student died last week during a school trip to China, does the case involve a criminal element? Is Hong Kong law enforcement involved in the investigation? Secretary for Security: First of all, regarding the figures that you would like to know, I think my Press Secretary would provide you with the figures a bit later. For the issuance of (notices with) any of those powers under NSL (National Security Law), we are based on evidence and facts.     Regarding the case you mentioned in the Mainland China, because it happened in the Mainland China, and the authority rests with the Mainland authority. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks)

    Ends/Friday, March 7, 2025Issued at HKT 21:50

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs detects illicit cigarette smuggling cases involving air passengers and raids illicit cigarette storage centre (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs detects illicit cigarette smuggling cases involving air passengers and raids illicit cigarette storage centre (with photos)
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    ​Hong Kong Customs over the past two weeks enhanced enforcement actions at Hong Kong International Airport and detected illicit cigarette smuggling cases involving air passengers. Also, Customs raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Yuen Long yesterday (March 6), seizing a total of about 6.7 million suspected illicit cigarettes and about 570 000 suspected alternative smoking products, with a total estimated total market value of about $33 million. The duty potential of the illicit cigarettes was about $22 million.           In the small hours today (March 7), Customs officers intercepted a male outside a hotel in Tin Shui Wai and seized a total of about 90 000 sticks of suspected illicit cigarettes and about 110 000 suspected alternative smoking products in his nylon bag and the hotel room he was staying in. The man was subsequently arrested. After investigations, Customs believes that illicit cigarette syndicate made use of air passengers to smuggle illicit cigarettes and alternative smoking products, which were then stored in hotel rooms for further distribution.            The arrested man, aged 36 and claiming to be unemployed, was charged. He will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 8). The suspected alternative smoking products seized will be handed over to the Department of Health for follow-up action.           At the same time, Customs detected 20 illicit cigarette smuggling cases with 13 men and eight women arrested at the airport over the past two weeks. A total of about 600 000 suspected illicit cigarettes and about 460 000 suspected alternative smoking products, with an estimated total market value of about $4 million and a duty potential of about $2 million, were seized.           It is believed that the syndicate that smuggle illicit cigarettes and alternative smoking products through passengers was smashed.           Moreover, after an in-depth investigation, Customs carried out a strike-and-search operation at a logistics warehouse in Yuen Long yesterday. Customs officers intercepted a man who was moving goods to a vehicle and seized about 6 million suspected illicit cigarettes in the vehicle and the warehouse. The 44-year-old man, who claimed to be a driver, was arrested. He has been released on bail pending further investigation.           Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.           Customs stresses that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.           Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    Ends/Friday, March 7, 2025Issued at HKT 22:53

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