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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Security: Japan’s Reports on Conditions at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 21 February 2025

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    On 21 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during November, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent to all international Missions in Japan.

    The report contains information on discharges from the subdrain and groundwater drain systems, as well as on groundwater bypassing conducted during the month of November. In both cases, in advance of the action, TEPCO analyzes the quality of the groundwater to be discharged and announces the results. These results confirm that the radiation level of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets set by TEPCO.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary article on defence spending: February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Authored article

    Foreign Secretary article on defence spending: February 2025

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy writes in the Guardian about the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war.

    There are moments in history when everything turns, but the extent of change is not perceived until later when the fog has cleared. These are hinge points that require clear leadership and bold action. In the late 1940s, my [political content redacted] predecessor and hero Ernie Bevin, alongside Clement Attlee, saw through the fog when they led Britain into Nato and the UN, and secured the development of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

    In the 1960s, Harold Wilson saw through the paranoia of the cold war, refusing Lyndon Johnson’s request to send British troops to Vietnam. In the 1990s, Tony Blair understood that unless we stopped the president of Serbia, Slobodan Milošević, there would be no peace in the Balkans.

    Three years into Vladimir Putin’s brutal war, this is again a hinge point for Britain. Keir Starmer’s commitment to dramatically raise defence spending in both this and the next parliament shows his leadership through the fog. Putin’s Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and its neighbours, but to all of Europe, including the UK.

    Over successive administrations, our closest ally, the US, has turned increasingly towards the Indo-Pacific, and it is understandably calling for Nato’s European members to shoulder more of the burden for our continent’s security. Around the world, the threats are multiplying: from traditional warfare to hybrid threats and cyber-attacks.

    The first duty and foundation of this government’s Plan for Change is our national security. Seven months ago, the public gave us this responsibility, and we hold it with a profound sense of duty. [political content redacted] We will deliver the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war (political content redacted).

    So we will hit our 2.5% promise in 2027 and, subject to economic conditions, go further, with defence spending rising to 3% during the next parliament. This is a pledge to safeguard our future – and act as a pillar of security on our continent –in a world plagued by more active conflicts than at any time since the second world war.

    To make this commitment, and stick within our fiscal rules, we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to lower our spending on international development. As the Prime Minister said, we do not pretend any of this is easy.

    This is a hard choice that no government (political content redacted)makes lightly. I am proud of our record on international development. It helps address global challenges from health to migration, contributes to prosperity, and supports the world’s most vulnerable people.

    It grows both our soft power and our geopolitical clout, while improving lives. For all of those reasons, this government remains committed to reverting spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of gross national income when the fiscal conditions allow.

    But we are a government of pragmatists not ideologues – and we have had to balance the compassion of our internationalism with the necessity of our national security.

    As we reduce the overseas aid budget, we will protect the most vital programmes in the world’s worst conflict zones of Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. But there can be no hiding from the fact that many programmes doing vital work will have to be put on hold. The work of making further tough choices about programmes will proceed at pace over the weeks and months ahead, but our core priorities will remain the same.

    My vision for a reformed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office fit for this more contested and dangerous world, in which diplomacy is more important than ever, remains paramount. We are working closely with the Treasury to ensure our diplomatic, intelligence and development footprint will align with our priorities. In a tough fiscal environment, all our spending must be laser-focused on delivering the maximum possible impacts for our national security and growth, equipping the FCDO to deliver the government’s plan for change internationally.

    At the height of the cold war, defence spending fluctuated between about 4% and 7% of GDP. At this moment of fiscal and geopolitical flux, not meeting the moment on defence would mean leaving Britain ill-prepared for a more dangerous world, potentially requiring even tougher choices down the line.

    I have written previously about this government’s foreign policy being founded on progressive realism. Being clear about our values, but treating the world as it is, not as we would wish it to be. These are the principles that guide our choices through these dangerous times. We will always do what is necessary to keep the public safe.

    This article was first published in The Guardian on 25 February 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Parrotfish support healthy coral reefs, but they’re not a cure-all, and sometimes cause harm

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, Professor of Marine Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

    Rainbow and midnight parrotfish feed at Alacranes Reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, CC BY-ND

    After two years of record-breaking ocean heat, scientists are assessing the impacts of the world’s fourth mass bleaching event on coral reefs around the globe. At least 74 countries and territories are confirmed to have experienced coral bleaching since the spring of 2023.

    As coastal development, pollution and climate change put increasing stress on the world’s oceans, tropical reefs are losing reef-building corals at unprecedented rates. These corals – species with rigid skeletons, such as elkhorn and brain corals – are the architects of these ecosystems, providing the foundations for coral reef communities.

    Coral reefs perform many important functions, such as buffering coastlines and providing habitat for one-fourth of all marine species. In the U.S. alone, these ecological services are worth an estimated US$3.4 billion yearly.

    Over the past several decades, many studies have spotlighted the role of “grazers” – fish who feed on algae – in keeping coral reefs clean and healthy. Protecting parrotfish, a family of some 90 species of large, colorful grazers, has become a tenet of reef conservation policies.

    We have analyzed indicators of reef health and resilience and assessed the roles parrotfish play in controlling seaweed, promoting coral growth and eroding reefs. While it is clear that parrotfish are an important part of coral reef communities, management strategies focusing on them, in our view, have not fully proved effective. In a review of recent science, we showed why conservation programs need to rethink the role parrotfish can play as a conservation tool to improve reef health.

    The coral bleaching event that started in 2024 is the largest such episode on record.

    The parrotfish paradigm

    Corals and the reef bottom they live on need to stay clean to prevent seaweed from growing on their surfaces. Excessive seaweed growth on reefs can block sunlight from corals’ surfaces, release chemicals that affect coral survival, slow the corals’ growth and make it harder for new corals to establish themselves and build reef structures.

    When disease or bleaching kills corals on a reef, other fast-growing organisms, including seaweed, rapidly colonize the dead corals’ skeletons. This impedes new corals from settling and surviving on the reef, and locks the ecosystem into a state of low growth and poor recovery.

    In this context, it is easy to see why protecting algae-eating fish has become a cornerstone of coral reef conservation. This paradigm assumes that restoring populations of “grazing” species by protecting them from fishing is essential for controlling seaweeds, improving reef health and promoting coral recovery.

    This strategy has spurred governments in many countries, including Belize, Bermuda, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia and the U.S., to create marine protected areas, restrict fishing in designated zones and ban parrotfish harvesting.

    Fishermen in Indonesia with a green humphead parrotfish.
    Thierry Tronnel/Corbis via Getty Images

    Missing pieces of parrotfish protection

    Evidence shows that conservation measures have increased parrotfish populations in some places, such as Bonaire and Belize, with positive effects on reefs. However, parrotfish increases have not always reduced algae growth or increased coral cover. In our review, we highlight three main factors that may be hindering the success of this approach in the Caribbean.

    First, parrotfish management has traditionally treated all species as if they consume the same amount of algae. This notion leads to using measures like the total number or total weight of parrotfish present in a given reef as proxies for seaweed consumption.

    However, not all parrotfish are the same. Some species, such as the redband parrotfish, effectively remove algae, while others, such as the blue parrotfish, barely eat it. More precise and targeted conservation measures would consider each species’ specific impact on seaweed growth.

    Second, while parrotfish help reefs to grow by keeping them clean, they also can cause gradual erosion of reef structures. Some parrotfish species graze by biting off chunks of coral, especially from dead skeletons, and grinding it in their digestive systems, excreting it as sand.

    Humphead parrotfish are among the species that consume coral, grinding it in their powerful jaws and excreting fine sand that creates tropical beaches.

    This bioerosion process is natural and essential. But on highly degraded reefs with low coral cover, large numbers of eroding parrotfish can accelerate reef breakdown.

    Increases or declines in populations of parrotfish influence the intensity of erosion. But focusing so closely on parrotfish has unintentionally overlooked the erosive capacity of these fishes by assuming all parrotfish have the same effect on the ecosystem. This raises an important question: Which species are favored by restrictions on harvesting parrotfish?

    Our research shows that key bioeroding species that break down dead coral, such as the queen parrotfish and the stoplight parrotfish, are more vulnerable to overfishing because they are larger and take longer to mature. This means that reducing or restricting their catch might unintentionally increase bioerosion. For these ecosystems, increasing parrotfish numbers might not reduce algae growth enough to fully offset higher rates of bioerosion.

    A stoplight parrotfish breaks down dead coral while feeding.

    Conservation strategies that evolve

    As science progresses and new evidence emerges, it is crucial to reexamine conservation strategies and see whether they need to be updated or even scrapped. This ongoing process of refining plans based on evolving knowledge is known as adaptive management and is widely used in ecology and conservation.

    We are not calling for an end to protecting parrotfish. However, no single strategy can be a comprehensive tool for conserving coral reefs, which are very complex ecosystems.

    Rather, we want to encourage people – especially reef managers and scientists – to recognize the different roles that various parrotfish species play and the varying challenges each species faces, and tailor reef protection efforts accordingly. We also believe it is critical to do more to counter the causes of coral mortality, including climate change, coastal development and water pollution. Along with grazers to keep them clean, coral reefs need cleaner waters and cooler oceans to ensure their long-term survival.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Parrotfish support healthy coral reefs, but they’re not a cure-all, and sometimes cause harm – https://theconversation.com/parrotfish-support-healthy-coral-reefs-but-theyre-not-a-cure-all-and-sometimes-cause-harm-242270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: How ticket-splitting voters could shape the 2026 midterms

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ian Anson, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Even in polarized times, some American voters still cross party lines to support both Democratic and Republican candidates. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images

    With the 2024 U.S. election over and done with, political analysts and both major parties are already turning their attention to the upcoming midterm elections in 2026.

    All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33 Senate seats will be up for grabs. The Democrats are as desperate to retake control of Congress as Republicans are to keep it. A Democratic-controlled Congress in 2026 would do everything in its power to halt President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda in its tracks.

    To edge out their opponent, candidates in highly competitive districts will have to win over some voters who rejected their own party’s presidential candidate in 2024. Democratic candidates will need to get support from at least some Trump voters; Republicans will need some support from Kamala Harris voters.

    Despite the intensely polarized U.S. political environment, a significant number of Americans routinely cross party lines to support both Democratic and Republican candidates at the polls. When it happens on the same ballot, this is called ticket-splitting.

    Just who are these voters, and when do they choose to split their tickets?

    I am a political scientist who studies American voting behavior. I see these questions as key to understanding how long Trump’s total control of government will last.

    Split tickets in North Carolina and Arizona

    Ticket-splitting created some surprising election returns in 2024, mostly benefiting down-ballot Democrats.

    For instance, Republican Donald Trump won North Carolina by around 3 percentage points, but voters elected a Democrat, Josh Stein, for governor by a margin of almost 15 percentage points. Several hundred thousand North Carolinians split their tickets to produce this outcome.

    More than 100,000 Arizonans likewise split their tickets in 2024, electing Trump with 52% of the vote, yet rejecting the Trump-aligned Senate candidate Kari Lake in favor of Democrat Ruben Gallego.

    Many experts believe that candidates such as Gallego and Stein were simply perceived as less extreme than their opponents, and so they lured moderate voters and even some Republicans.

    In this theory, extreme MAGA-aligned candidates win primary elections because they attract the most partisan voters. But they turn off many people in the general electorate.

    Marylanders split their tickets

    One of the most extreme examples of ticket-splitting in 2024 was in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland.

    Partyliners or ticket-splitters? Maryland voters cast their ballots in Baltimore on Nov. 5, 2024.
    J. Countess/Getty Images

    Cardin was a retiring three-term Democrat who had last won reelection in 2018 by an astronomical margin of over 34 percentage points. Initially, many expert analysts saw the seat as safe for Democrats.

    Then, in February 2024, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who had previously ruled out a Senate run, surprised political analysts by entering the Republican primary. After winning the primary handily, Hogan eventually squared off against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat, in the general election.

    Suddenly, a matchup that should have been Alsobrook’s to lose got competitive.

    Hogan, who left office in 2023, was a successful Republican governor who won election twice in reliably blue Maryland. Perceived by many voters as an ideological moderate, he was also a vocal Trump opponent in a state that supported Biden over Trump in 2020 by around 33 percentage points. During his governorship, Hogan routinely outperformed MAGA-aligned Republicans who ran for Congress in Maryland.

    Ultimately, Hogan did lose to Alsobrooks. She became Maryland’s first female U.S. senator and first Black U.S. senator. Yet Hogan came an incredible 17 percentage points closer to winning than Trump did. Kamala Harris beat Trump by 1.9 million votes, winning 63% of the electorate to Trump’s 34%.

    This means that Hogan exceeded Trump’s vote total by over 300,000 votes. That’s an immense amount of ticket-splitting by Marylanders in 2024.

    Who are the Hogan Democrats?

    To better understand ticket-splitting in Maryland’s 2024 election, I analyzed a survey that my university conducted in Baltimore County. Baltimore County is a bellwether county that has backed the winning gubernatorial candidate in every election since 2006.

    The UMBC Battleground Exit Poll surveyed 1,119 voters at election precincts across Baltimore County during early voting and on Election Day 2024. The results were weighted to ensure demographic representativeness.

    This extensive survey shows that around 10% of all voters in Baltimore County supported the surprising combination of the Democrat Harris and the Republican Hogan.

    In contrast, fewer than 2% of Trump voters split their tickets to back the Democratic Senate candidate Alsobrooks.

    My team’s data analysis shows that roughly half of Harris-Hogan voters – 51% – were Democrats. These ticket-splitters included a higher percentage of white voters than the Democrats who supported both Harris and Alsobrooks. Around 37% of Harris-Hogan voters identified as Black, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern or another nonwhite racial category, compared with 55% of Harris-Alsobrooks voters.

    We found virtually no gender differences between Democrats who split their tickets to back a woman for president and a man for Senate and those who backed two women candidates.

    Harris-Hogan Democrats tended to be better educated than other voting groups. Around 68% reported having a college degree, compared with around 51% of all survey respondents.

    Perhaps the most striking feature of Harris-Hogan voters is their self-declared moderation.

    On a seven-point ideological scale ranging from “very liberal” to “very conservative,” around 61% of Harris-Hogan ticket-splitters put themselves at the exact midpoint of the scale. Only around 42% of the full sample of Maryland voters categorized themselves as centrist.

    Can moderates survive in Trump’s shadow?

    As our study shows, Hogan’s popularity in Maryland is due in part to his appeal among moderates. This finding helps to explain how this Republican has remained popular among Democrats and independent voters.

    However, Hogan still lost. Unlike in Arizona, where the Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego won by wooing moderate Republicans, the tenuous balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate may have prevented some Democratic and independent voters in Maryland from crossing the aisle to support a moderate Republican.

    Of course, Hogan also faced a formidable opponent. Alsobrooks had already emerged victorious in a tight primary against a well-funded and popular incumbent U.S. House representative, David Trone. I suspect a less-skilled Democratic candidate would have created even more Harris-Hogan voters.

    Ultimately, my analysis of ticket-splitting in 2024 reveals that even in an era of entrenched polarization, many voters approach congressional and presidential races with different mindsets.

    This dynamic will likely influence the next election cycle, too.

    The party of the president often takes heavy losses in midterm elections. In 2026, congressional candidates – and Democrats in particular – will be doing everything they can to woo moderates.

    This will be especially true if Trump’s aggressive policies, such as widespread government layoffs and mass deportations, prove unpopular.

    Let the campaigning begin.

    Ian Anson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How ticket-splitting voters could shape the 2026 midterms – https://theconversation.com/how-ticket-splitting-voters-could-shape-the-2026-midterms-246017

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mainland student intake relaxed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Education Bureau announced today that the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) agreement has been obtained to progressively relax the quota for admission of Mainland students by the six self-financing institutions to join their degree programmes.

    They are also allowed to admit students from all provinces of the country, with a view to supporting the development of the self-financing post-secondary education sector, making contributions to Hong Kong’s development into an international education hub.

    The six institutions are Metropolitan University, Shue Yan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Tung Wah College, and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong under the Vocational Training Council.

    Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin said she is grateful for the support of the MoE towards the capacity expansion and quality enhancement of self-financing post-secondary institutions, noting that the relaxation arrangement can harness the advantages of Hong Kong’s self-financing sector to nurture talent for the country and the city.

    “The bureau will keep in view institutions’ track record of operating self-financing programmes, performance in student admissions and utilisation of the prevailing quota, and liaise with the MoE to explore feasible further enhancements as and when appropriate.”

    From the 2025-26 academic year, the quota for Mainland, Macau and Taiwan (MMT) students of full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate programmes of these institutions will be increased in phases to 40%, in an orderly and progressive manner with regard to their utilisation of the prevailing quota.

    Concurrently, the bureau will rationalise the calculation methodology of the relevant quota to provide self-financing institutions with greater certainty in admission planning and more effectively utilising the educational resources of institutions.

    Under the prevailing policy, save for MMT students, there is no quota restriction on the admission of non-local students to full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

    The quota for MMT students enrolling in full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate programmes is 10% to 20% at the present, and there is no quota restriction for postgraduate programmes.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Varonis Opens Data Centers in India to Support Expanding Customer Base and Minimize Cloud Data Risk 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI and MUMBAI, India, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Varonis Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRNS), a leader in data security, today announced new data centers in India. Located in Mumbai and Pune, the centers will support customers using the Varonis cloud-native Data Security Platform to protect sensitive data, maintain privacy regulations, and stay on top of threats with AI-powered automation.

    New draft rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act require Indian businesses to navigate the country’s intricate legal landscape skillfully. Varonis’ new data centers will support customers who must comply with regulatory frameworks from the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India — all without disrupting the business.

    “Varonis’ new data centers in India help us meet strict data localization requirements while strengthening our security,” said Makesh Chandramohan, the Group CISO of Aditya Birla Capital. “Varonis will help us ensure compliance, reduce latency, and improve our overall cybersecurity posture.”

    “Our new data centers underscore Varonis’ dedication to providing our customers with deep data visibility wherever it lives — in the most important data stores and applications across SaaS, IaaS, on-prem, and hybrid environments,” said Scott Leach, Varonis VP of APAC. “The launch demonstrates our ongoing commitment to helping customers automatically reduce their data security risk with a unified platform.”

    With data growing at a rate that surpasses the ability to secure it, organizations turn to Varonis to protect their sensitive cloud data.

    “Varonis establishing its data centers in India demonstrates our commitment to our customers and partners in the region and helps ensure their requirements around data sovereignty and regional regulatory compliance are met comprehensively,” said Maheswaran Shanmugasundaram, Country Manager for India at Varonis. “This move will accelerate our mission to help customers protect their most valuable and vulnerable asset — data — automatically and help ensure they are compliant and secure.”

    Additional Resources

    About Varonis

    Varonis (Nasdaq: VRNS) is a leader in data security, fighting a different battle than conventional cybersecurity companies. Our cloud-native Data Security Platform continuously discovers and classifies critical data, removes exposures, and detects advanced threats with AI-powered automation.

    Thousands of organizations worldwide trust Varonis to defend their data wherever it lives — across SaaS, IaaS, and hybrid cloud environments. Customers use Varonis to automate a wide range of security outcomes, including data security posture management (DSPM), data classification, data access governance (DAG), data detection and response (DDR), data loss prevention (DLP), and insider risk management.

    Varonis protects data first, not last. Learn more at www.varonis.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Tim Perz
    Varonis Systems, Inc.
    646-640-2112
    investors@varonis.com

    News Media Contact:
    Rachel Hunt
    Varonis Systems, Inc.
    877-292-8767 (ext. 1598)
    pr@varonis.com

    The MIL Network –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Relm Insurance and Liva Group Empower Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Web3 and AI Through Strategic Insurance Partnership

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Liva and Relm focus on businesses in high-growth innovative sectors often not covered by traditional insurance products.
    • From digital asset insurance to AI-related risk management and solutions, the partnership ensures businesses operating in these industries can secure the coverage they need to thrive.
    • Partnership will initially support companies in the UAE and Bahrain, with plans to extend services to Oman, Saudi Arabia, and other key markets in MENA.

    Dubai, UAE, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liva Group, a leading insurance group operating across the GCC, and Relm Insurance — the only insurer dedicated to dedicated to emerging sectors — today signed a strategic partnership aimed at empowering innovation and entrepreneurship in emerging sectors such as digital assets, biotech, and AI.

    The union will deliver tailored insurance solutions that address the unique and complex needs of tech companies.

    The partnership was formally signed by Martin Rueegg, CEO of Liva Group, and Joseph Ziolkowski, Global CEO and Founder of Relm Insurance, at DIFC AI Campus as part of DFS Dialogues. DFS Dialogues are exclusive strategic conversations that take place in invite-only gatherings in the lead-up to the Dubai FinTech Summit.

    Whether they’re start-ups or established players, firms in emerging sectors often struggle to get the right insurance due to a lack of understanding of their industries’ rapidly evolving landscape, which stifles innovation and deters investment. By combining Liva Group’s deep market knowledge with Relm’s deep expertise in specialised insurance, the partnership will provide unparalleled support to these companies, empowering them to tackle complex challenges and seize new opportunities.

    The alliance will initially support companies in the UAE and Bahrain, with plans to extend services to Oman, Saudi Arabia, and other key markets in MENA, supporting the region’s development as a leader in digital transformation, AI innovation, and blockchain technology.

    Martin Rueegg, Group CEO of Liva Group, said: “Sectors such as digital assets and AI are critical to the next phase of growth in this region. We believe that unlocking their full potential requires fostering an environment where creativity, collaboration, and innovation can thrive. At Liva, we recognise that technology is a key enabler of this transformation. By leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions, we are not only improving customer experiences but also enhancing our ability to anticipate and respond to evolving market needs. A key aspect of this is providing entrepreneurs and investors with the confidence to embrace new challenges and explore fresh ideas. This mission is at the heart of our partnership with Relm.”

    Joseph Ziolkowski, Global CEO & Founder of Relm Insurance, added: “Our priority is to support clients and brokers by providing the insurance solutions tailored for innovative businesses in this region. This collaboration enables brokers to offer their clients the security they need to thrive in complex and dynamic sectors.”

    Operating through its Dubai-based affiliate, Relm Insurance holds a Category 4 licence issued by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). With its new headquarters in DIFC and regulation under the Bermuda Monetary Authority, Relm is well-positioned to provide its specialised insurance solutions in the region.

    -ENDS-

    About Liva Group

    Liva is an insurance group operating across the GCC, founded on the belief that insurance is a pillar that supports both personal and professional lives. As one of the pioneering insurance players in the region, Liva’s team of 1,200 employees is dedicated to offering products and services centred on customer needs, empowering individuals, businesses, and communities to thrive. Serving more than 1.5 million customers, Liva has a strong and growing presence in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain across motor, home travel, health, life, and commercial insurance, as well owning subsidiaries such as NSSPL (India) and Inayah TPA (UAE), supporting its long-term strategy to scale and diversify the business. The word “Liva” signifies “protection” or “life”, reflecting the Group’s commitment to protecting what matters most to its people, its partners, and, most of all, its customers.

    About Relm Insurance

    Relm Insurance Ltd. (Relm) is a Bermuda-domiciled specialty insurance carrier that supports emerging industries driving innovation and next-generation technologies. Launched in 2019, Relm offers a wide range of insurance products to high-growth markets, including digital assets, blockchain, AI, biotech, and the space economy. With a Financial Stability Rating of ‘A, Exceptional’ from Demotech, Relm is widely recognised for its industry expertise and solutions-driven approach, making it a trusted risk partner for businesses operating at the frontier of technological innovation.

    Media Contacts

    Sarah Abdelbary
    Brunswick Group
    sabdelbary@brunswickgroup.com

    Reannah Smith  
    Luna PR  
    reannah@lunapr.io

    The MIL Network –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Bridgetown Research raises $19M from Lightspeed and Accel to deploy AI business research agents

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Seattle, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Strategic business decisions have traditionally been expensive and slow for a fundamental reason: they don’t happen enough. This means companies lack both historical data to learn from and experts who have seen enough similar cases. Bridgetown Research is changing that. Today, the AI decision science startup announced $19 million in Series A funding led by Lightspeed and Accel, with participation from a leading research university.

    Bridgetown Research has developed AI agents that autonomously execute research. Most notable amongst these agents are voice bots trained to recruit and interview industry experts, gathering primary data that can be analyzed alongside alternative data sourced from their partners. 

    Bridgetown Research founder Harsh Sahai.

    Founded by Harsh Sahai, who previously led machine learning teams at Amazon before leading strategy engagements at McKinsey & Co., Bridgetown Research was born from a simple observation: the majority of business analyses are a permutation of a small number of automatable tasks. The founding team, comprising former professionals from McKinsey, Bain, Amazon, and leading tech startups, brings together extensive experience across strategy consulting and technology.

    “We are excited to be a catalyst for change. We are working with multiple private equity firms, management consulting firms, and corporate teams to help make strategic decisions better and faster. This in turn is driving up demand for advisory and information services downstream. We enable $10+ of advisory and information services revenue for every $1 we make. Together with leading institutions, we’re building something bigger than ourselves—an ecosystem where everyone thrives,” commented Harsh Sahai, CEO & founder of Bridgetown Research.

    While many AI solutions focus on searching and summarizing information using LLMs, real world business decisions require much more than synthesising the open web. They need proprietary data such as primary data from experts and customer surveys, along with frameworks to understand markets, what Harsh Sahai calls “ontologies”. Moreover, outputs need to be repeatable and auditable for a business to use them to make decisions with tens of millions of dollars at stake. Bridgetown Research is the only player using agents to gather primary data and systematically find patterns in it to generate original insights. 

    Bridgetown Research: (L to R) Founder Harsh Sahai with Director of Engineering Mohak Singh. 

    “AI is causing widespread disruptions across many enterprise functions, and Bridgetown Research is riding that wave by assisting executives in making important strategic decisions. We are pleased to see Bridgetown serving several marquee customers, with users likening its platform to having a team of top-tier consultants at their fingertips. We are excited to partner with Harsh, who, with his background as an ace AI research scientist turned management consultant, blends a unique combination of skills and insight needed to imagine this whole new category of applied AI,” said Anagh Prasad, Investor at Accel.

    Bridgetown Research started with a focus on private equity deal screening diligence. Multiple top-tier PE & VC firms already use Bridgetown Research for deal screening and deeper commercial diligence. They’re able to screen their pipeline much faster with initial analysis taking 24 hours instead of weeks without Bridgetown enabling teams to focus on actual decision making instead of research and analysis. For other customers Bridgetown has enabled voice of customer conversations that cover hundreds of respondents in parallel, and within days. 

    Ishaan Preet Singh, Investor at Lightspeed added “Companies are built on the quality of strategic decisions, and the research and analysis behind it. Bridgetown Research enables the smartest executives and investors to make these decisions with an order of magnitude more information, and at a pace that was earlier impossible. Harsh and Bridgetown are already creating immense value for their customers, but are still just scratching the surface of the leverage that AI can create.”

    As global markets become increasingly complex, the demand for efficient and effective decision-making tools continues to rise. With this funding round, Bridgetown Research plans to invest further in training its AI agents to perform a broader set of analyses across a broader range of domains, and deepening industry partnerships to enhance access to domain-specific intelligence.

    Ends

    Media images can be found here. 

    About Bridgetown Research
    Bridgetown Research builds AI agents for decision research. Its voice agents and web crawlers find and clean data, while its analyses agents produce repeatable, auditable, and reliable analyses. The team consists of computer scientists, econometricians, software engineers, investors and business consultants, working across geographies. For more information please visit https://www.bridgetownresearch.com/ 

    About Accel 
    Accel is a global venture capital firm that aims to be the first partner to exceptional teams everywhere (Facebook, Flipkart, etc.), from inception through all phases of private company growth. Accel has been operating in India since 2008, and its investments include companies like BookMyShow, Browserstack, Flipkart, Freshworks, FalconX, Infra.Market, Chargebee, Clevertap, Cure Fit, Musigma, Moneyview, Mensa Brands, Myntra, Moglix, Ninjacart, Swiggy, Stanza Living, Urban Company, Zetwerk, and Zenoti, among many others. We help ambitious entrepreneurs build iconic global businesses. For more, visit: www.accel.com

    About Lightspeed
    Lightspeed is a global multi-stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations and trends in the Enterprise, Consumer, Health, and Fintech sectors. Over the past two decades, the Lightspeed team has backed hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped build more than 500 companies globally including Affirm, Acceldata, Carta, Cato Networks, Darwinbox, Epic Games, Faire, Innovaccer, Guardant Health, Mulesoft, Navan, Netskope, Nutanix, Physics Wallah, Razorpay, Rubrik, Sharechat, Snap, OYO Rooms, Ultima Genomics, Zepto and more. Lightspeed and its global team currently manage $25B in AUM across the Lightspeed platform, with investment professionals and advisors in the U.S., Europe, India, Israel, and Southeast Asia. www.lsip.com

    The MIL Network –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour: Transforming banking and advancing sustainability

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Since its inception 58 years ago, ASEAN has evolved to become a significant force in global trade, investment and diplomacy. ASEAN now stands as the world’s fourth-largest economic bloc, with an estimated GDP of USD4.13 trillion.1 Looking ahead to 2025, ASEAN is poised for another strong year. GDP is expected to grow by 4.7%,2 significantly outperforming the global average. Much has been said about ASEAN’s pivotal role in global supply chains, our geopolitical neutrality and our strategic location for global trade. However, ASEAN’s driver for sustainable economic growth also comes from within: robust domestic consumption from a youthful demographic, strong growth of individual member states and increasing regional integration. In 2023, for example, intra-ASEAN trade accounted for 21.5% of the region’s total trade in goods.

    Let me touch briefly on Malaysia’s growth outlook. After a strong performance last year, Malaysia is expected to record steady growth going into 2025 despite the challenging global environment. The diversified export structure will help cushion against external demand shocks. But, more importantly, key factors within the economy, particularly the robust expansion in investment activity and resilient household spending, will be important to drive growth this year. Exports are also expected to continue expanding with support from tech upcycle and forthcoming tourist arrivals. We acknowledge that the growth outlook is highly subject to risks from trade and investment restrictions. However, growth could potentially be higher from greater spillovers from the tech upcycle, more robust tourism activities and faster implementation of investment projects in the country.

    The financial sector lies at the core of ASEAN’s progress over the years. The sector acts as the central engine to our economy, facilitating financial flows within ASEAN. Indeed, over the last few decades, we have made progress in facilitating regional capital flows, connecting our payment infrastructure and introducing a framework to support the integration of our banking system through the ASEAN Banking Integration Framework (ABIF). However, the potential for intra-ASEAN investments remains untapped, and there is still much to be done to achieve regional regulatory coherence. My vision is for the financial sector to become the critical enabler for the next phase of economic integration under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2045. This would require the sector to strategically harness the three driving forces: funding, technology and talent.

    Mobilising funds to unlock new growth sectors, bridge financing gap and drive sustainable growth for ASEAN

    Let’s start with funding, which is a crucial driver of ASEAN economic growth. ASEAN is facing significant funding gaps that demand our urgent attention. Let me share a few examples. The Asian Development Bank reports that ASEAN economies will need infrastructure investments of at least USD2.8 trillion from 2023 to 2030 to sustain economic growth, reduce poverty and respond to climate change. Key projects in the region that require large financing include the ASEAN Power Grid, which is pivotal to advancing the region’s climate and energy security agenda, and various ASEAN highway and railway projects, such as the Asian Highway Network, which are cornerstones of regional economic development and integration. Our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) also face a daunting financing gap, exceeding USD300 billion annually.3

    These figures underscore the urgent need for strategic investments and collaborative efforts to secure a resilient and sustainable future for ASEAN. This need is even more pressing in a region where over 90% of all social infrastructure development has traditionally relied on public resources,4 and public funding faces increasing constraints. How, then, can the financial sector step in as a catalyst to crowd in diverse sources of funding and facilitate long-term investments to ensure sustainable economic expansion and build more resilient supply chains and communities?

    This is where blended finance, the strategic use of public, private, and philanthropic finance sources and development finance, can be a critical tool to mobilise additional private capital flows toward sustainable development in ASEAN. The financial sector is pivotal in advancing blended finance to meet funding gaps in ASEAN, by enabling acceptable risk-taking levels based on various funding sources. This approach leverages the willingness of development finance and philanthropic funders, including sovereign funds within ASEAN to assume greater risk exposure, utilising tools like partial credit guarantees to attract additional investors. Multilateral development banks and development finance institutions play a critical role by offering concessional financing and technical assistance, which supports local companies in accessing capital markets and structuring deals, thereby encouraging participation by private financial institutions through co-funding arrangements.

    I also believe that this is an opportunity for Islamic finance to demonstrate its unique role and impact. In recent years, Islamic finance has gained momentum within the ASEAN region. It offers alternative solutions to conventional financial structures through the use of risk sharing and social finance instruments that can be mobilised towards the development of productive economic sectors such as healthcare, transportation and green sectors. Notably, the deployment of blended capital using instruments such as waqf and zakat in Malaysia and a few neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Brunei have significantly contributed to financial inclusion for the underserved and strengthened support for the MSMEs. An example of this is Malaysia’s iTEKAD initiative, a social blended finance programme for low-income microentrepreneurs that provides social and commercial funding, which comes together with training and mentorship to empower them in generating sustainable income. In the capital market structure, Islamic finance has also been mobilised for infrastructure, climate and green projects. In Malaysia, for example, a total of USD56 billion of sukuk was issued in 2023 to fund real economic sectors with a high concentration in renewable energy and green real estate.

    Embracing innovative financing structures will involve navigating various complexities that demand careful consideration, collaboration and adaptation. Hence, advancing capacity building within the financial sector is very crucial. In Malaysia, the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) continues to serve as a key focal point in supporting the financial preparedness for climate change. As part of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Bank Negara Malaysia is committed to supporting the region’s transition efforts. During the ASEAN Finance Ministers and Governors Meeting week from 7 to 10 April this year in Kuala Lumpur, we will host several side events to advance these discussions. These events include a closed-door investor roundtable focused on innovative financing solutions for sizeable ASEAN green and transition projects, as well as pitching sessions on sustainable ASEAN Projects. We invite the financial industry to contribute and participate in these events.

    Responsible deployment of technology in financial services is key to maximise its potential while minimising risk

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    There is an immense potential for ASEAN to also leverage technology. This is the second point. With a median age of about 30 and a substantial portion under 35,5 ASEAN’s population is digitally proficient. Indeed, the adoption of digital financial services can be a game-changer in addressing challenges within the region, which include to better serve the needs of large unbanked and underbanked populations in our region.

    The outlook for digital financial services in ASEAN is very bright. Through innovations such as mobile wallets, digital payments and micro-lending, digital finance is expanding access to financial services for individuals who previously had limited options. These services are not just filling gaps – they are creating new pathways to financial inclusion, thereby allowing individuals to save, invest and access credit with unprecedented ease.

    While digital financial services hold tremendous promise, it comes with its own set of risks. Today’s technological advances are progressing at an unprecedented pace, making our response to these developments very crucial. For financial institutions, deployment of technology must be done thoughtfully and responsibly with holistic consideration of the impacts and value to the broader environment and community. This unwavering commitment to enhance financial services and preserve consumer confidence includes addressing cybersecurity risks, strengthening climate resilience, promoting financial literacy and ensuring that digital financial services are secure and accessible to all segments of society.

    As regulators, our commitment is for our policies to strike a balance between embracing technological innovation and, at the same time, preserving financial stability. Our Regulatory Sandbox allows for experimentation and contributes to the recalibration of regulatory policies such as eKYC. We also adapt our regulations to welcome new players into the market, those that have strong value propositions on inclusion, as demonstrated by the issuance of our licensing and regulatory framework for digital banks and digital insurers and takaful operators.

    Investing in talent strategies that not only creates a more agile and adaptive workforce, but also paves the way for regional talent mobility

    Let me move on to the third point. At the heart of economic growth and development lies talent. ASEAN is blessed with a vibrant, young and dynamic workforce. To capitalise on this potential, the financial sector will need to create an environment that nurtures the next generation of leaders and innovators in finance who carry a unique ASEAN identity – one that is not only tech-savvy, but also adept at navigating the complexities of regional regulations and global economic shifts while championing social equity and environmental sustainability.

    I would like to also take this opportunity to share Malaysia’s efforts in developing talent in our financial sector. In July last year, the industry launched the Financial Sector Future Skills Framework, and this is to empower individuals to take charge of their professional development, while creating new talent pipelines and succession pools. I reiterate the call I made during the launch of the framework for the industry to work closely with training institutes, professional bodies and industry associations to ensure that training programmes meet the established quality assurance standards and set high standards in new skill areas.

    Complementing this is a dynamic talent development hub, offering tailored learning programmes and certifications. For example, the Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme (FSTEP) targets fresh graduates interested in launching their career in financial services, while globally recognised financial certifications are available for seasoned professionals.

    Malaysia is also home to regional research and learning hubs such as the SEACEN Centre and is recognised globally as a leader in Islamic finance. With a multitude of well-established talent development institutions and capacity-building providers in Islamic finance, we offer a fertile ground for nurturing specialised skills and thought leadership in this field.

    To truly capitalise on the large working-age population in ASEAN, we need to go beyond domestic efforts. Financial institutions across the region should pursue collaborative initiatives that enhance talent mobility, such as through mutual recognition of qualifications and expertise sharing. ABIF can also be leveraged to intensify efforts to promote greater regulatory coherence through capacity-building initiatives. By doing so, we can improve connectivity across ASEAN markets, paving the way for a more integrated and resilient future for the region.

    In closing, today’s discourse reaffirms the financial sector’s commitment to turning AEC 2045 into a reality. The challenge lies in ensuring that the ASEAN financial sector has the capacity to do so by mobilising funds, leveraging technology, and developing regional talent.

    As I conclude my speech, I leave you with a thought from Peter Drucker: ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’ Together, let’s create a future where the financial sector empowers ASEAN’s growth and integration. On that note, I wish you all productive discussions during the rest of the Summit.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: why negotiations depend on trust

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David J. Wilcox, Part-Time Teaching Fellow, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Birmingham

    Donald Trump may have begun discussions with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, over a possible end to the war in Ukraine, but there currently appears to be something of a stalemate.

    Russia’s stated objectives of holding on to five regions of Ukraine (including Crimea) as well as ensuring Ukraine’s permanent neutrality is unlikely to be acceptable to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, Zelensky and Trump had a very public falling out, with the US president calling Zelensky a “dictator”.

    This seems to have been resolved somewhat now that the pair appear to have agreed a deal for the US to jointly develop Ukraine’s mineral resources. But serious further negotiation to actually end the war will depend on whether the key players can trust each other as well as whether Zelensky perceives anything Putin and Trump have to say as believable.

    Broadly speaking, trust and its development between leaders offers a potential route to overcoming international conflict and bringing about diplomatic agreement. Indeed, a minimum level of trust is needed to enable states to work together.

    An example of this was how the relationship between Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US president Ronald Reagan developed. Arguably it was regular face-to-face interactions between Gorbachev and Reagan (four summits in just over three years) which allowed them to develop a level of understanding and increase trust, allowing them to reduce nuclear weapon stockpiles.

    Nevertheless, it still took time to develop their trust and this remained fragile.

    How is trust won?

    Trust is an important element in effective negotiations and can shape their outcome and influence whether peace talks are successful. The importance of trust in a negotiation can be found throughout history.

    US talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia, February 2025.

    Even if trust has potentially developed between leaders, if other individual decision-makers, such as military leaders, do not share that trust, it can seriously damage negotiations. One example of this is how the Lahore peace process between India and Pakistan in 1999 was undermined by Pakistani military action.

    General Pervez Musharraf, head of the armed forces, conducted a military incursion into the Jammu and Kashmir area, violating the treaty between the two states and leading to a breakdown in trust, undermining the peace deal signed earlier that year between the Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and his Indian counterpart, Atal Bihari Vajpayee

    Who do you trust?

    In international relations terms the key factors that create trust are considered by scholars to be capacity, peaceful intention, integrity and predictability . Trump seems to believe that Putin is a trustworthy negotiating partner because he perceives him as sincere in his desire for peace. This view is not shared by Zelensky, who questions Putin’s sincerity, intentions and integrity .

    Zelensky suggests that Putin’s past actions (including leading a full-scale invasion of Ukraine) point towards his future untrustworthiness. This may be underlined by Russia’s dismissal of the Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, which were an attempt to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine but were never properly implemented. Instead of pursuing implementation, Russia chose further military action against Ukraine in 2022.

    To move forward with negotiations, Zelensky will need to be convinced that Putin is serious in his intentions and willing to act with integrity. The Ukrainian leader will also need to be convinced that Trump is trustworthy and that he can trust that the US will ensure that Putin honours any agreement reached.

    If Trump is to achieve his aim of bringing the war to an end, then he will clearly need to address this lack of trust. One temptation may emerge to simply exclude Zelensky from face-to-face meetings (to sidestep the issue altogether) but there are risks in leaders not meeting opponents.

    When it came to trying to reach an agreement with the Palestinians in the 1990s, the then Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, regretted not having met the PLO chairman, Yasser Arafat, before reaching agreement on the framework for the Oslo accords because he would have better understood how Arafat saw the negotiations. The implication was that Rabin would have proceeded differently if he had known Arafat better.

    Alternatively, Trump could leverage his own relationship with Putin to “encourage” the Russian leader to take steps that demonstrate to Zelensky that he is a trustworthy negotiating partner. Crucially, it will be for Putin to demonstrate his seriousness and sincerity towards meaningful negotiations and a peaceful resolution. Gestures of conciliation could hold the key.

    One famous examples of this is when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat visited Jerusalem in 1978, becoming the first Arab leader to speak to the Israeli parliament. This was seen as vital to peace talks between the two countries and resulted in the 1979 Camp David accords.

    Face-to-face interactions between Putin and Zelensky could provide a way of reassuring the Ukrainian leader. However, much more is required to demonstrate that an individual or even a state is trustworthy than not.

    As Deborah Larson, professor of political science at the University of California, once said,: “People believe that a good person will never do anything bad, whereas a bad person can do occasional good as well as bad deeds. As a result, just one misdeed indicates that an actor is immoral, whereas one good act does not demonstrate much.”

    Another approach would be to start Russian-Ukrainian negotiations at a much lower level and develop them upwards (or in parallel to higher-level negotiations). Individuals representing the key decision makers could develop their own interpersonal relations, while working out how to bridge gaps between the different leaders.

    Any negotiations to end the war will rest ultimately on those two states and their leaders. Ignoring the interpersonal relationships and lack of trust between the two people who will sign off any agreement makes any agreement almost impossible.

    David J. Wilcox does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Ukraine war: why negotiations depend on trust – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-why-negotiations-depend-on-trust-250102

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump and Europe: US ‘transactionalism on steroids’ is the challenge facing leaders now

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Glencross, Directeur d’ESPOL, Professeur de Science Politique, Institut catholique de Lille (ICL)

    Donald Trump has always been an avowed transactionalist rather than a transatlanticist. The author of The Art of the Deal made it clear during his first term as US president that he thought Nato was a bad deal for the US. He publicly berated European allies, notably Germany, for not spending enough on defence and leaving the US to pick up the tab.

    But with his Ukraine policy, Trump 2.0 is forcing Europeans to confront the previously unthinkable: an international order where the US is no longer an automatic ally of European security.

    Lord Ismay, the first secretary-general of Nato, quipped that the purpose of the transatlantic alliance was to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down”. For the following decades, Nato worked pretty much as intended. It provided the political and organisational basis for a significant US military presence, including an active US nuclear deterrent.

    The transatlantic alliance nevertheless witnessed some significant disagreements. In 1966, French president Charles de Gaulle forced US and other allied troops to leave French soil and withdrew from Nato’s integrated military command. The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq generated enormous tension among Nato allies as France and Germany opposed American attempts to get UN backing for military action. Yet within months, these two countries made a major commitment to the Nato force that was deployed to Afghanistan for 20 years.

    Like any international organisation, Nato’s history thus reflects a mix of success, failure, and muddling through. Ukraine-Nato relations encapsulate this reality. In 2008, the US was pushing European allies to welcome Ukraine as a Nato member. Back then, it was the leaders of France and Germany who refused to back the proposal.

    No longer an ally

    In the aftermath of the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea, Ukraine pursued a twin track of seeking EU and Nato membership. This strategy is based on the longstanding complementary nature of European integration and transatlantic collective security. Central and eastern European countries embraced this arrangement after the collapse of the Soviet Union, much to the displeasure of Vladimir Putin.

    But Trump’s actions since January have fundamentally called into question the reliability of the US as a European ally. His insistence on doing a minerals deal to guarantee that Ukraine pays back US support for the war effort is transactionalism on steroids. It is also a unilateral move that contradicts the multilateral approach for supporting Ukraine that the US coordinated via the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an alliance of 57 nations founded in 2022.

    More worrying still is Trump’s break with the underlying common values underpinning Nato. An alliance committed to defending its territorial integrity, including through the use of its nuclear arsenal, requires a commitment to a higher political goal. Since the end of the cold war, that overriding objective has been defined as freedom and democracy.

    The second Trump administration does not even seem to want to pay lip service to these transatlantic values. Trump has labelled Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”. And at the latest UN summit, the US delegation voted with Russia, Belarus and North Korea against a resolution condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.



    Read more:
    US says European security no longer its primary focus – the shift has been years in the making

    EU defence without the US

    Shell-shocked European leaders are adapting to this harsh new reality. An initial reaction, as illustrated by UK prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron, has been to promise more money for defence spending. This move constitutes a hedge: it ought to please Trump, while providing a platform for a future reconfiguration of European security.

    How to defend Europe is now an existential question rather than a purely material one. De Gaulle always insisted that Europe’s defence and foreign policy needed to serve its own interests rather than America’s. He lost that battle, but the newly elected German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is sounding rather Gaullist in his recent calls for a more independent European security policy.

    Another move taken from de Gaulle’s playbook is the EU’s focus on defence industrial strategy. A strong technological and industrial base is a pre-requisite of an independent security policy, and with this in mind, the EU’s defence industry programme was announced in spring 2024. The details of this new policy are currently being hashed out, but are likely to include some type of “made in Europe” requirement.



    Read more:
    Ukraine: prospects for peace are slim unless Europe grips the reality of Trump’s world

    Europe has to renew its purpose

    What is clear is that an independent security policy for Europe is both costly and a political minefield – one reliable estimate puts the cost at 250 billion euros per year. Getting public backing for this big spending increase is not impossible, yet it means tough choices, as shown by Starmer’s cuts to the UK’s foreign aid budget.

    Trickier still is finding the leadership to coordinate defence spending and strategy. European decision-makers and the parties they represent are far from aligned over the need to find an alternative to the US security guarantee. Indeed, Polish president Andrzej Duda responded to Merz’s calls for greater EU independence from the US by offering to host the US troops currently based in Germany.

    Trump has shattered a number of European illusions. Creating a new European security architecture will depend on finding more than just cash – it needs a new shared objective, not just a repudiation of grubby transactionalism.

    Andrew Glencross does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump and Europe: US ‘transactionalism on steroids’ is the challenge facing leaders now – https://theconversation.com/trump-and-europe-us-transactionalism-on-steroids-is-the-challenge-facing-leaders-now-250836

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 26 February 2025 UHC-Partnership: Namibia tackles antimicrobial resistance

    Source: World Health Organisation

    In June 2024, a 66-year-old woman was admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Intermediate Hospital Katutura in Windhoek, Namibia. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, and tests showed that the organism responsible for her severe illness was resistant to all antibiotics except tigecycline. At the hospital, the pharmacy department had to obtain a compassionate clearance permit to procure and import tigecycline for the patient.

    “The patient completed the course, stabilized, and was discharged from the intensive care unit to a general ward. Unfortunately, due to various complicated comorbidities, the patient eventually passed away”, said Ms Taimi Ipinge, a Chief Pharmacist at Intermediate Hospital Katutura.

    Tragically, this type of resistance to antibiotics is all too common in Namibia, as with elsewhere in the world.

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others.

    AMR is one of the top global public health and development threats. It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths.

    In 2019, Namibia recorded 451 deaths attributable to AMR and 1,900 deaths were associated with AMR.

    Acting to stop AMR

    The Government of Namibia recognizes that AMR is a threat to health security across the country and region and that a range of health system interventions are necessary to protect the population’s health and ensure good progress towards universal health coverage (UHC).

    The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), with support from WHO through the UHC Partnership and others, is implementing various activities in line with the AMR National Action Plan in compliance with the Global Action Plan to address AMR.

    The Government responded to the overuse of antibiotics by setting up a national multi-sectoral AMR governance to guide, oversee, coordinate, and monitor AMR-related activities in all sectors to ensure a systematic and comprehensive implementation of Namibia’s National Action Plan on AMR.

    In November 2021, Namibia commemorated its first World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW). In 2023, MoHSS in collaboration with AMR quadripartite organizations, commemorated the week under the theme of ‘Preventing antimicrobial resistance together’ with the slogan ‘Antimicrobials: handle with care’. The event brought together the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

    Namibia launched its infection prevention and control action plan and national guidelines. WHO provided support to a range of activities for this including distribution of information, education and communication materials around infection prevention and control, regional orientation on quality standards, in-service training focal points, and training on water, sanitation, and hygiene for hospital quality improvement plans. Thanks to capacity-building support from WHO, Namibia also reached a significant milestone for the first submission of data on AMR to GLASS in December 2023.

    “AMR is extremely serious. If left unchecked it means we are heading to a world where medical treatment of routine ailments or operations is life threatening and a greater number of people might stop responding to drugs. It challenges all our efforts to strengthen health systems and achieve universal health coverage. WHO commends the Namibian Government for the strategic and multiple approaches taken through collaboration between sectors and work across the region to raise awareness amongst the public,” said Dr Richard Banda, WHO Representative to Namibia.

    Strengthening health security

    Namibia’s response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is part of the broader effort to strengthen health security across the country. By integrating a One Health approach and engaging key sectors, Namibia is actively working to strengthen its health systems, improve surveillance, and ensure that it is prepared to respond to emerging health threats. The launch of the National Tripartite One Health Strategy 2024-2028 further underlines the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health, both within the country and in collaboration with regional and international partners.

    The UHC Partnership operates in over 125 countries, representing over 3 billion people. It is supported and funded by Belgium, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and WHO.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Reviews Research Facilities at CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh, inspects Microbe Repository and takes update on ongoing projects

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Reviews Research Facilities at CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh, inspects Microbe Repository and takes update on ongoing projects

    Dr. Jitendra Singh launches New Tulip Garden & Agri-Startups at CSIR-IHBT, Palampur

    From 50 to 9,000 Startups: India Emerges as Global Biotech Innovation Hub- Dr. Jitendra Singh

    Floriculture Mission Expands to 1,000 Hectares, Generating ₹80 Crores for Farmers

    Science and Technology Minister Dr. Singh Inaugurates Key projects at CSIR-IHBT, Palampur

    Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 5:54PM by PIB Delhi

    CHANDIGARH, February 26: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, inspected Microbe Repository and other facilities at the CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH) here and also took an update on the ongoing projects in the institute.

    During the review, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that microbial technology is a crucial pillar of biotechnology, emphasizing its growing significance in shaping the next generation industrial revolution.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the groundbreaking New BioE3 Policy, which places a renewed focus on biomanufacturing and bio foundries. He underscored India’s rapid progress in the biotech sector, stating, “India’s bioeconomy has witnessed an extraordinary surge from $10 billion in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024, with projections to reach $300 billion by 2030.”

    The Minister also recalled the recent launch of India’s first indigenous antibiotic, Nafithromycin, developed to combat resistant infections. He noted that the number of biotech startups in India has grown exponentially from just 50 in 2014 to nearly 9,000 today, solidifying India’s position as a global hub for biotech innovation. Furthermore, he informed that India now ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region and 12th globally in bio-manufacturing, underscoring the increasing importance of CSIR-IMTECH in driving pioneering research in microbial genetics, infectious diseases, fermentation technology, environmental microbiology, and bioinformatics.

    CSIR-IMTECH, a premier research institute in microbial biotechnology, hosts a repository of over 14,000 microbial strains through its Microbial Type Culture Collection and Gene Bank (MTCC). This national repository not only provides authenticated cultures to researchers and industries but also supports key regulatory authorities, including IPC, BIS, and NBA, in microbe-related concerns. The institute is at the forefront of harnessing microbial resources for scientific and industrial applications, addressing unmet needs in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental sciences.

    Connecting virtually with CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Dr. Singh inaugurated several new facilities and participated in critical scientific discussions. He joined the EMBO Workshop on High Elevation Plant Adaptation in a Changing Climate (HEPACC) and the Industry, Farmer & Academia (IFA) Meet, emphasizing that such initiatives reflect the Government of India’s commitment to scientific advancement, economic empowerment, and sustainable agriculture.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also virtually inaugurated a New Tulip Garden at Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, commending the CSIR-IHBT Palampur team for their scientific interventions that have enabled wider tulip cultivation even in other seasons, a model that can be replicated in other regions. Additionally, he launched products developed by agri-startups that have been supported by the institute, fostering innovation in the agricultural sector.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh lauded CSIR-IHBT for leading multiple national missions, including: CSIR Floriculture Mission – Expanded floriculture to 1,000 hectares, benefiting 3,800 farmers across Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh, generating an income of ₹80 crore. Aroma Mission. Millet Mission. Immunity Mission. Waste to Wealth Mission. Phenome India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase. CSIR Precision Agriculture Mission

    The Minister also inaugurated state-of-the-art facilities, including Autonomous Green House, Heeng Seed Production Centre, Heeng QPM Facility, Ornamental Bulb Processing Facility and Phyto-Analytical Facility.

    Additionally, he laid the foundation stone for the Phyto factory Facility and dedicated a Cement Concrete Road from Floriculture Junction to Chandpur R&D Farm.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that by integrating scientific research, industry collaboration, and government policies, the rich biodiversity of Himalayan states can be harnessed for economic prosperity, benefiting farmers and advancing India’s scientific ecosystem.

    ****

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2106459) Visitor Counter : 76

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘Fiscal balance is clear target’

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Financial Secretary Paul Chan today said that by putting up a fiscal consolidation programme in the 2025-26 Budget, the Government is taking specific steps towards the right direction of achieving fiscal balance.

    At the Budget press conference this afternoon, Mr Chan pointed out that the consolidation plan is able to increase government revenue without impairing the city’s competitiveness. Moreover, expenditure growth is contained in order to reach fiscal balance.

    “That is why, in the coming few years, up to 2027-28 cumulatively, we will be able to slash public government expenditure by about 7% and also cut the civil service establishment.”

    Separately, the finance chief remarked that the Government has no plan to introduce any form of goods and services tax, or sales tax. As he responded to reporters’ questions, he also explained the Government’s considerations when formulating revenue measures.

    “One is the competitiveness of Hong Kong in terms of attracting investment and talent.

    “Secondly, if we are to increase revenue, we will try to minimise the impact on the average citizen.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Public finance measures pragmatic: CE

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee today commented that the 2025-26 Budget proposes pragmatic measures to improve public finances and stressed that he has full confidence in Hong Kong’s development and future.

    In a statement, Mr Lee said Financial Secretary Paul Chan put forward a series of practical and effective measures on Hong Kong’s economic development and public fiscal consolidation, adding that the Budget will reinforce the Government’s financial strength, and create new momentum and new advantages for the city’s economic development.

    As part of its course of action, the Budget proposes nurturing new quality productive forces to strengthen the development of innovation and technology and artificial intelligence; speeding up the development of the Northern Metropolis and the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, fully leveraging the strategic position of “three centres and a hub”, further nurturing and attracting talent, upgrading industries with advantages, and accelerating the development of Hong Kong’s economy.

    He pointed out that such measures are consistent with the directions of the Policy Address.

    Mr Lee also indicated that the Budget puts forward realistic measures to enhance public finances, focusing primarily on strictly controlling government expenditures, supplemented by suitably increasing revenue, to steadily restore fiscal balance while taking into account the actual social situation and Hong Kong’s competitiveness.

    In addition to emphasising that the Budget aims to leverage market forces to promote infrastructure projects through innovative and diversified development models, he made it clear that government bonds will be issued to finance related projects.

    Despite a complicated and volatile external environment, the Chief Executive expressed his confidence that Hong Kong will be able to seize opportunities and continue to give full play to its unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle of having the strong support of the country while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world, and further strengthening its connection with both the Mainland and the world.

    “We will proactively integrate into and align with the country’s national development strategies, foster accelerated economic growth and improve people’s livelihood.

    “Like the Financial Secretary, I have full confidence in Hong Kong’s development and future.”

    Mr Lee called on all sectors of the community to support this Budget.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sarbananda Sonowal unveils ₹4,800 crore plan to transform Assam’s Inland Waterways at Advantage Assam 2.0

    Source: Government of India

    Sarbananda Sonowal unveils ₹4,800 crore plan to transform Assam’s Inland Waterways at Advantage Assam 2.0

    “₹1,500 crore for Green Vessel Transition in Assam by 2030 under ‘Harit Nauka Scheme’”: Sarbananda Sonowal

    “World Class Water Metro Service in Guwahati and Dhubri with an investment of ₹315 crore”: Sarbananda Sonowal

    “Centre earmarks ₹120 crore for Regional Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh”: Sarbananda Sonowal

    “Centre to develop riverine lighthouses along Brahmaputra with ₹100 crore investment:” Sarbananda Sonowal

    Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 4:46PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal announced an investment of more than ₹4,800 crore to transform the inland waterways sector of Assam at the Advantage Assam 2.0 in Guwahati, today. The investment is to enable the immense potential that the complex and dynamic waterways system of the state has to offer to propel the growth and development of the region towards realising the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat, Shri Sonowal asserted at the session on Assam’s Roads, Railway and Riverine Tourism on the second day of the investment summit.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the country is cruising ahead towards realising the vision of Viksit Bharat. Assam along with the Northeast plays an integral part in propelling this journey to realise the vision of Modi ji. Inland Waterways plays a crucial role in this scheme of things as the visionary Modi ji planned its revival since 2014 from near obscurity and neglect of the past. With its rich inter web of riverine system in the region, especially in Assam with Brahmaputra (NW2) and Barak (NW16), the inland waterways aims at rejuvenating its ageless role as the main conduit of trade and commerce. Globally considered as futuristic, the inland waterways provides an opportunity to opt for a more economic, efficient and environment friendly mode of transporting cargo and passengers. With the launch of schemes like ‘Jalvahak’, the Modi government has been incentivising the businesses to switch to inland waterways, thereby, improving the economies of scale, decongesting the railways and roadways and enabling a conducive ecosystem that is vital for pivotal role Assam is set to play towards India’s ascendency to become world’s biggest and an Atmanirbhar economy by 2047.”

    At the summit, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal announced allocation of ₹1,500 crore for a planned transition into Green Vessels by 2030 under the ‘Harit Nauka’ scheme. An amount of more than ₹1,500 crore has been earmarked to facilitate cruise tourism and enhance cargo handling capacity by 2027-28 in NW2 and NW16. This includes construction of jetties with on shore facilities at Silghat, Bishwanath ghat, Neamati Ghat and Guijan along with construction of a new building for Regional Office, MSDC, Guest house and office space for ITAT at Fancy Bazar in Guwahati. An amount of ₹375 crore is pegged for development of Phase II of Ship Repair Facility at Pandu. In order to maintain fairway, the government has entrusted Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) to ensure assured draft of 2.5 meters from Bangladesh Border to Pandu in NW-2 till 2026-27. An amount of ₹191 crore has been earmarked for this, Shri Sonowal stated.

     

    Adding further, he said, “Advantage Assam has always served as a catalyst for the region’s economic revival, providing businesses with a strategic platform to expand their trade and investment opportunities. With the immense support that Assam has received from our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we remain firmly committed to the holistic development of the economy of Assam and the Northeast. Among the various ongoing projects to enable inland waterways of Assam, we are also planning to transform the conventional vessels into Green Vessels under Harit Nauka scheme. This affirms the commitment of our government towards sustainable development, a milestone set by our dynamic leader Narendra Modi ji. Given the immense potential of riverine tourism in the state, we are developing an ecosystem including infrastructure and fairway for smooth, regular and viable operations. You may be happy to know that the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), with its rich experience of dredging at the sea, has been entrusted with dredging the NW2, for the first time on any river in India.”

    The Union Minister also announced the development of Water Metro Service in Guwahati and Dhubri for an estimated investment of ₹315 crore. Based on the success of Kochi Metro Service, the feasibility study is being conducted for this. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal also announced deployment of two Electric Catamarans being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). A world class cruise terminal will also be built in Guwahati with an estimated investment of ₹100 crore. 

    In Dibrugarh, an estimated ₹120 crore has been earmarked for development of Regional Centre of Excellence (RCOE). Adding further to the capital development along the NW2, Riverine Lighthouses will be built at FIVE places — Bogibeel, Biswanath, Nimati, Pandu and Silghat — at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore. In addition, a sum of ₹150 crore has been earmarked for fairway development with LAD of 2.5 meters between Pandu and Bogibeel. TWO Cutter Section Dredger units will also be purchased for Brahmaputra (NW2).

     

    The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for the riverine transportation including national waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), is implementing projects worth ₹1,010 crore along river Brahmaputra (NW2) and river Barak (NW16) in Assam. Among the major projects, the ship repair facility is being built at Panda with an investment of ₹208 crore while an alternate road from Pandu to NH27 is being built at an investment of ₹180 crore. New Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Bogibeel as well as at Jogighopa —- with more than ₹66 crore and ₹82 crore of investment —- are being developed on Brahmaputra to ‘enable possibilities meet opportunities’, Shri Sonowal added.

    An investment of more than ₹646 crore has been earmarked to construct riverine infrastructure across Brahmaputra under the Sagarmala Scheme, the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. For Barak River, the Union Minister announced procurement of Survey Vessel, procurement of THREE Amphibian Dredgers, construction of Crane Pontoon and Gangway for proving Floating Terminal facilities in Karimganj, construction of Steel Pontoon and Gangway for providing Floating Terminal facilities at Badarpur among other projects.

    At this session, the Union Minister was joined by the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma; Minister of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary, Fishery and PWRD, Govt of Assam, Krishnendu Paul; Chairman of IWAI, Vijay Kumar; High Commissioner of Singapore, His Excellency Simon Wong among other officials and corporate leaders from infra, railways and marine sector.

     

    ***

    G.D.Hallikeri / Henry

    (Release ID: 2106438) Visitor Counter : 32

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hospital Authority welcomes 2025-26 Budget

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hospital Authority welcomes 2025-26 Budget
    Hospital Authority welcomes 2025-26 Budget
    ******************************************

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:     The Hospital Authority (HA) Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, welcomed the 2025-26 Budget announced by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Legislative Council today (February 26). The 2025-26 annual subvention for the HA will be $100.2 billion (including $99 billion recurrent), having increased by 3 per cent compared to the 2024-25 revised provision.      Mr Fan is especially grateful that in the face of pressure on public finances, the Government continues to increase the subvention to the HA. The HA co-operates with the Government on the deepening reform of the healthcare system, and remains committed to augmenting and strengthening public healthcare services to benefit the well-being of the community. The HA strives to optimise utilisation, enhance efficiency, minimise wastage and execute targeted allocation of public resources to ensure its purposeful deployment. The structure and levels of subsidisation will be reviewed for the sustainable development of public healthcare. The HA will strive to improve its service comprehensively with a spirit of innovation and change, and active promotion of reform.      Mr Fan said, “With the staunch support of the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the HA will remain dedicated to strengthening its service and provide suitable treatment and care for patients. Measures include launching the first breast milk bank in Hong Kong, executing full-scale preparation on the first stroke centre and the second chest pain centre in Hong Kong in accordance with national accreditation standards, and devotedly expanding the talent hub by attracting healthcare professionals to work in Hong Kong through Mainland and global healthcare talent visiting programmes in order to provide high-quality healthcare services to the public.”      The HA Chief Executive, Dr Tony Ko, thanked the HKSAR Government for supporting the service upgrade in public hospitals. “The HA will actively carry out hospital redevelopment and expansion projects, including Queen Mary Hospital, New Acute Hospital at Kai Tak Development Area, phase 2 of the redevelopment of Kwong Wah Hospital, and the Community Health Centres in various locations, in order to elevate the service capacity of public healthcare to meet community needs,” said Dr Ko.      The HA will continue to execute various measures to promote sustainable development of public healthcare and to be in line with primary healthcare policy. Smart hospital initiatives with advanced technology will be expanded in the clusters so that patients’ experiences and operational processes will be enhanced. In the coming financial year, around 330 additional public hospital beds will be opened and capacity for operating theatre services, endoscopic services and cataract surgeries will be enhanced. Meanwhile, quotas of general outpatient clinics will be increased; triage and referral arrangements for specialist out-patient clinics will also be optimised to strengthen the treatment and care for major chronic diseases, and services of nurse clinics, ensuring comprehensive fulfilment of patients’ healthcare requirements. The HA will implement measures to boost capacity of accident and emergency, radiotherapy and chemotherapy services, as well as improve pharmacy services.      Mr Fan and Dr Ko once again thanked the HKSAR Government for its support of public healthcare services. The HA will utilise the subvention appropriately and strive to implement relevant policies and measures for the benefit of patients.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 19:04

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESS RELEASE – SVSG Village Representatives Launch First Activity to Celebrate 20th Anniversary

    Source: Government of Western Samoa

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    The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) is marking an important milestone this year—20 years of dedicated service to the people of Samoa. Since its inception, SVSG has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection and well-being of vulnerable individuals, particularly women and children affected by violence.

    To commemorate this momentous occasion, the SVSG Village Representative Executive launched their first activity, setting the tone for a year of celebration, reflection, and continued commitment to their mission.

    On February 10th, they visited the children residing at the Campus of Hope, a safe haven for children who have endured various forms of abuse and hardship. The representatives arrived with an abundance of food groceries, ensuring that the children and their caregivers had the necessary provisions to sustain their daily needs.

    Their visit was not just about donations—it was a gesture of solidarity, demonstrating the unwavering support of SVSG’s leadership. During their time at the campus, the village representatives and children engaged in heartfelt prayers, seeking divine blessings for the continued success of SVSG’s work.

    The representatives reaffirmed their commitment to ending violence in Samoa, calling upon every village chief and leader to take an active role in protecting their communities from harm. They emphasized that true leadership is about standing up for the vulnerable and ensuring that no one suffers in silence.

    SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the village representatives for their dedication and willingness to serve. She acknowledged their tireless efforts in being the first point of contact for victims seeking help, often sacrificing their own time and resources to support those in need. “This 20th anniversary is not just a celebration of SVSG’s journey but a recognition of every individual who has contributed with the continued support of its village representatives, partners, and the wider Samoan community.

    END OF RELEASE.

    SOURCE – Samoa Victim Support Group

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    February 26, 2025

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Govt to optimise fiscal resources

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Financial Secretary Paul Chan today announced that the Government will adjust two transport subsidy schemes, including the $2 Scheme, in order to reduce government expenditure by about $6.2 billion in the next five years.

    This measure is part of the Government’s efforts to enhance the fiscal consolidation programme that was put forward in last year’s Budget.

    Unveiling the enhancements to the programme in his 2025-26 Budget this morning, Mr Chan said the Government will focus on strictly controlling its expenditure, supplemented by increasing revenue. The impact to the general public should be minimised.  

    The Government will lead by example to demonstrate its commitment to cutting expenditure while ensuring the delivery of high-standard public services. It will also continue to press ahead with infrastructure works projects in the Northern Metropolis and those related to the economy and people’s livelihood.

    Furthermore, it will maintain the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s simple and low tax regime, avoid a considerable increase in tax rates or introducing new taxes, and uphold the “user pays” and the “affordable users pay” principles as far as practicable while increasing revenue.

    Expenditure growth

    To strictly contain expenditure growth, the Government will step up the Productivity Enhancement Programme by increasing the rate of reduction in recurrent government expenditure from the original 1% to 2% in 2025‑26, and extending this arrangement for two more years to 2027‑28.

    Compared to 2023-24, recurrent government expenditure will decrease by around $3.9 billion in 2025-26, $19.5 billion in 2026-27, and $27.3 billion in 2027-28.

    Meanwhile, Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, Social Security Allowance and statutory expenditure will not be affected.

    The civil service establishment will be reduced by 2% each in 2026-27 and 2027-28.  By April 1, 2027, about 10,000 posts are expected to be deleted within the current-term Government.

    The Government will provide a total of $68.1 billion in funding to the University Grants Committee-funded universities in the coming three years. This funding has reflected a 2% reduction target each year, in line with the magnitude of the Government’s recurrent expenditure cut.

    The finance chief emphasised that such a funding level is still higher than the $63.2 billion in the last triennium.

    Transport subsidies

    After a review, the Government proposed adjustments to the two transport subsidy schemes that incur relatively high expenditure with a rapid growth rate.

    On the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly & Eligible Persons with Disabilities or the $2 Scheme, the concessionary fare will be changed to “$2 flat rate and 80% discount”, while the targeted beneficiaries remain unchanged.

    Under the new arrangement, the beneficiaries will continue to pay $2 for trips with a fare below or equal to $10. For trips with a fare above $10, they will have to pay the full fare amount after the 80% discount. The number of concessionary trips will also be limited to 240 per month. 

    Mr Chan noted that this fine-tuned proposal preserves the Government’s policy intent while striking a balance between enhancing the scheme’s sustainability and minimising the impacts to the beneficiaries. 

    As for the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme, from June 2025 onwards, the threshold of monthly public transport expenses incurred for receiving the subsidy under the scheme will be raised from $400 to $500. 

    The Government will continue to provide a subsidy amounting to one-third of the expenses in excess of $500, and the prevailing subsidy cap will stay at $400 per month.

    Upon implementation of the refined arrangements, the Government is expected to save $6.2 billion in the coming five years.

    Pay freeze

    In addition, the Government put forward that for 2025-26, the executive authorities, the legislature, the Judiciary and District Council members take a pay freeze. 

    This involves the Chief Executive and politically appointed officials; Executive Council non-official members; civil service members; Legislative Council (LegCo) President, members and secretariat; Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice, judges of the courts at all levels, and other Judiciary members; and District Council members.

    Capital works

    The Development Bureau’s Project Strategy & Governance Office will support various departments in enhancing governance of public works projects on all fronts. 

    The office is also formulating policies for the procurement of construction materials and products, through direct procurement by relevant works departments and centralised procurement by a single department. 

    It has reviewed over 540 public works projects, achieving savings in construction costs by over 15%.      

    The Government is also reviewing the scale and mode of delivery of district cooling systems in new development areas, such as Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen and the San Tin Technopole.

    The preliminary estimate of works expenditure savings is at least $40 billion. The Environment & Ecology Bureau will report the review results in the second quarter.

    Mr Chan has also requested the Audit Commission to organise workshops for the management of government department and public bodies to foster their understanding and adoption of principles and best practices in fiscal prudence and optimal use of public money.

    He also asked the relevant bureaus to review the expenditure on social welfare, healthcare and education. They should, having regard to the city’s demographic changes, optimise resources and review the sustainability of the use of resources.

    Increasing revenue

    The rate of air passenger departure tax will be increased from $120 to $200 per passenger starting the third quarter of 2025-26. Government revenue is expected to increase by about $1.6 billion per year.

    An application fee of $600 will be charged under various talent and capital investor admission schemes with immediate effect. The visa fees, to be charged based on the duration of limit of stay, will be raised to $600 or $1,300. It is estimated that government revenue will increase by about $620 million per year.

    The Transport & Logistics Bureau will review the tolls of relevant government tunnels and trunk roads, the annual licence fee for electric private cars, parking meter charges as well as the fixed penalties for traffic offences, for better traffic management. The various adjustments could generate about $2 billion additional revenue per year.

    The Government will explore introducing a boundary facilities fee on private cars departing via land boundary control points. Coaches, goods vehicles and the like will not be affected. Taking a fee of $200 per private car as an example, the measure will bring in revenue of about $1 billion per year.

    In January 2025, the Government submitted a bill to LegCo on the implementation of the global minimum tax proposal drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development to address base erosion and profit shifting. 

    It aims to apply the global minimum tax rate of 15% on large multinational enterprise groups with an annual consolidated group revenue of at least 750 million euros and impose the Hong Kong minimum top up tax.

    Subject to the passage of the bill, the proposal will bring in a tax revenue of about $15 billion for the Government annually starting 2027-28.

    Financial resources

    To consolidate and optimise the use of its financial resources, the Government reviewed the utilisation of the Anti‑epidemic Fund. Taking into account the expenditure requirements, the fund has a remaining balance of about $15 billion, which will be brought back to the Government’s accounts next month. This sum has been reflected in the revised estimate for 2024-25.

    It also reviewed the funds set up outside the Government’s accounts by bureaus and departments for specific purposes from time to time. Some of these funds are seed capital funds that only use investment returns to meet their expenditure.

    The Government proposes bringing back the first six seed capital funds with relatively large unspent balance, totalling about $62 billion, to its accounts in 2025-26, after setting aside resources to meet the necessary expenditure of these funds for the next five years so as not to affect their sustainable operation. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ15: Stepping up monitoring of underground water mains

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ15: Stepping up monitoring of underground water mains
    LCQ15: Stepping up monitoring of underground water mains
    ********************************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Leung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (February 26): Question:      It is learnt that there has been a rising trend in the number of road subsidence incidents on public roads occurred between 2021 and 2023. In addition, a few major road subsidence incidents also occurred in 2024, and in one such incident which took place at Lai Chi Kok Road in Cheung Sha Wan, a taxi fell into a pit and almost caused casualties. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the total number of road subsidence incidents recorded in the whole year of 2024, as well as the location, cause and number of persons affected in each incident; (2) given that two serious road subsidence incidents occurred in Sham Shui Po District between May and September 2024, whether the authorities have assessed if the district is a high-risk area for road subsidence; whether the authorities conducted inspections and repairs for the underground water mains at the locations of the road subsidence incidents 12 months prior to the occurrence of the two incidents; (3) given that the Water Supplies Department completed the Risk-based Improvement Programme of Water Mains in 2015 to replace and rehabilitate aged water mains of about 3 000 kilometres, and has implemented the risk-based asset management programme for water mains since 2015 to replace or rehabilitate specific sections of water mains assessed to be of higher risk, whether the underground water mains at the locations of the two road subsidence incidents mentioned in (2) have been included in the latter programme; if not, whether the authorities will include the underground water mains concerned in the latter programme in the future for replacement and rehabilitation; and (4) given the frequent occurrence of extreme weather in recent years, whether the authorities have stepped up the monitoring of underground water mains facilities in the past year? Reply: President,      Generally speaking, the main causes of road subsidence include damage to underground pipes (e.g. water mains and drainage pipes), resulting in soil surrounding the pipes being washed away or soil and water flowing into the pipes through cracks and being carried away respectively; and improper handling of foundation works in sites adjoining roads (in particular those sites involving deep excavation and lowering of groundwater level), resulting in soil and water of the road base flowing into the excavation area of the works, creating voids. If the filled materials are not properly backfilled and compacted after road excavation works, the road surface may subside as a result of settlement of the underlying soil after being driven over by vehicles.      In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the relevant departments, the reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Leung is as follows: (1) In 2024, the Highways Department (HyD) received a total of 19 cases of road subsidence on public roads, a decrease compared to 2023. Details of the cases are shown in the Annex. In response to road subsidence incidents affecting road traffic, the relevant departments had promptly arranged temporary traffic measures and repaired the damaged road surfaces so as to resume the traffic to normal as soon as possible, minimising the impact of the incidents on the public. (2) Regarding the road subsidence cases that occurred in Sham Shui Po District last year, as shown in the Annex, they were caused by individual factors leading to the subsidence. Therefore, it does not necessarily indicate the presence of the same road subsidence risk in the underground environment of that district.       The Water Supplies Department (WSD) would inspect the underground water mains under its maintenance approximately every 18 months. Based on the inspection results, maintenance works would be carried out in a timely manner to reduce the risk of water mains burst or leak.           Two road subsidence incidents occurred in Sham Shui Po District on May 31 and September 29, 2024 at Hai Tan Street and Lai Chi Kok Road respectively. As there was no underground water mains managed by the WSD and in service at the road subsidence location at Hai Tan Street, the WSD did not conduct inspection or maintenance works for any water mains there in the preceding 12 months before the incident. As for the road subsidence location at Lai Chi Kok Road in Sham Shui Po, the WSD inspected the underground water mains in April 2024 and no irregularities were identified during the inspection. (3) From 2000 to 2015, the WSD carried out a territory-wide replacement and rehabilitation of water mains programme to replace and rehabilitate about 3 000 kilometres long aged water mains (including fresh and salt water mains), raising the operational effectiveness of water supply networks.      Since 2015, the WSD has implemented multi-pronged measures, including implementation of risk-based asset management programme for water mains by assessing the risk of water mains based on a number of factors such as period of usage, material, past burst or leak records, surrounding environment and consequence resulting from burst or leak, to replace or rehabilitate individual pipe sections with higher risk progressively, continue to enhance the overall healthiness of the water supply networks, and reduce the risk of water main bursts or leaks. As at December 2024, a total of approximately 540km long water mains have been included in the programme in which approximately 235km long water mains have been replaced or rehabilitated.      As mentioned in item (2) above, there was no underground water main managed by the WSD and in service at the location of road subsidence at Hai Tan Street. Regarding the road subsidence incident at Lai Chi Kok Road, the subject water main was a 300mm diameter cast iron pipe laid at a depth of about 1.5 metres below the ground in the 1960s. There have been no record of burst and leak in the past, and the inspection conducted by the WSD in April 2024 did not reflect any abnormalities. Therefore, this water main has not been included in the programme and accorded with a higher priority for replacement in the past.      The WSD has reviewed the mechanism of the programme to assess the weighting of the factors contributing to the risk of water main burst or leak. Specifically, we will increase the weighting assigned to factors involving the aged pipe materials (including cast iron pipes and pipes used more than 60 years), and the severity of the consequences for incidents occurring in water mains located at the major road sections, and reassess the risk of all water main bursts or leaks. This reassessment aims to prioritise the replacement or rehabilitation of the water mains at risk of bursting or leaking, expediting the replacement or rehabilitation of the above-mentioned cast iron water pipes commonly used in older designs. This proactive approach aims to avoid serious impact on traffic in the event of pipe burst.           In addition, to speed up the implementation of the works, the WSD set up an inter-departmental task force under the chairmanship of the Director of Water Supplies at the end of last year. The task force includes representatives from various relevant departments such as the Development Bureau, the WSD, the Transport Department, the HyD, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Environmental Protection Department, and the Home Affairs Department. They collaborate to discuss and formulate temporary traffic arrangement schemes and implementation programme, etc, related to the replacement of water mains, and formulate contingency plans earliest to minimise the potential impact of the projects on traffic and the public. (4) In general, if the road surface and road base are in normal condition, heavy rain itself will not cause road subsidence or interference with underground water mains. Nevertheless, the WSD is establishing approximately 2 400 Water Intelligent Network (WIN) district metering areas (DMAs) within the fresh water distribution networks in the territory (covering appropriately 80 per cent of the fresh water distribution networks) which facilitate detection of leakage of water mains and adjustment of the water pressure of the water mains to reduce the risks of water main burst or leak. As of end December 2024, the WSD has completed the establishment of about 2 360 DMAs and the remaining works are anticipated to be completed by the first quarter of 2025.      The WSD has commenced the enhancement of WIN, focusing on the following two aspects:(i) The WSD will expand the monitoring area of WIN to include fresh water trunk mains and the remaining part of the fresh water distribution mains (covering appropriately 20 per cent of the fresh water distribution networks) that are currently not covered by WIN by adding sensors to monitor water flow and pressure at strategic locations to provide more comprehensive coverage of the fresh water supply network.(ii) On the other hand, the WSD has started upgrading the functions of the existing WIN, which includes upgrading the sensors used for monitoring the water flow and pressure in phases to collect real-time data with a view to speeding up detection of any abnormal conditions in the pipe network.     The above expansion and upgrading work are expected to be completed in phases starting from the second quarter of 2025, with the entire project scheduled for completion by 2027.     The WSD would also study the use of advanced technologies, such as acoustic detection and optical fiber, to monitor underground water mains to facilitate early detection of leakage situations.           In addition, the WSD has strengthened emergency management of water supply incidents. The WSD has strengthened its communication mechanisms with various stakeholders through setting up instant messaging platforms to enhance communication with relevant departments and local parties including District Offices, District Council members and Care Teams. In the event of significant water supply incidents, timely updates on the latest information regarding the incident, temporary water supply locations, as well as the locations of water tanks and water wagons, can be rapidly disseminated. The WSD has also developed clear internal guidelines that outline specific factors to be considered for emergency repair of water mains and associated time required, ensuring more accurate communication of anticipated water resumption time and allowing local residents to make appropriate preparations.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 18:50

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Budget

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Budget
    Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Budget
    ******************************************************

    ​The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:                Following are the remarks by the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo), Mrs Regina Ip, at a media session on the 2025-26 Budget in the Legislative Council Complex this afternoon (February 26):Reporter: Does the Executive Council believe that the cuts in measure in this current budget have been enough? Would it be able to lift Hong Kong out of the current deficit that we are encountering now? And the second question, does the city itself need to consider alternate revenue streams to help better balance the books in the long term, as stated by some observers? Will it consider things like sales tax or other forms of revenue increase for the Government? Thank you. Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members: The Financial Secretary made it quite clear that by the year 2027-28, I think, cumulatively, there will be 7 per cent cuts in Government expenditure. And, the Government will delete 10 000 Government positions and will ask the Director of Audit to discuss with Heads of Departments and Bureaux Directors how to achieve further savings. I think the Government is working very hard to cut back unnecessary Government expenditure. As for sources of revenue, I think it is entirely correct to stick to the “user pays” principle. The Government said that it would consider restoring tunnel fees and will consider charging cross-border private vehicles at land control points $200 per private vehicle, which is not a new proposal. It was first proposed by then Financial Secretary Anthony Leung back in 2003. And as the Government said, as the Government implements global minimum tax in accordance with the requirement of G20 nations, in the next five years, there will be $15 billion additional revenue, plus possible revenue after Government has studied the possibility of instituting basketball betting, that sort of thing, to counter illegal online betting. I think the Government is looking at different sources of revenue and also instituting cutbacks of government expenditure, which we fully welcome. Reporter: In this year’s financial budget, civil servants’ pay will be frozen and there is an adjustment on the $2 transport subsidy. What’s your opinion on such adjustment?Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members: I think freezing public servants’ pay, including our pay, legislators’ pay, is the best option forward in the present circumstances. Cutbacks will have ripple effects on the private sector, and it will affect the labour sector as well. As for the $2 transport concession, which has been the focus of much public attention, I think the Government measures introduced to make it sustainable are fairly moderate. No impact on the qualifying age of those benefiting from this concession, but would help to resolve the problem of paying very little fare for very long journeys. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 18:25

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8:Promoting cooperation with the Belt and Road countries

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ8:Promoting cooperation with the Belt and Road countries
    LCQ8:Promoting cooperation with the Belt and Road countries
    ***********************************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Tang Fei and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (February 26): Question:      It has been reported that in recent years, the Government has been actively promoting Hong Kong’s advantages as an international financial, trade and investment hub to the Belt and Road (B&R) countries, in particular the Middle East countries, and has signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Middle East countries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the number of MOUs signed between Hong Kong and the Middle East countries participating in the B&R Initiative (such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt) in the past three years, and set out the names of the countries, regions and relevant organizations which have signed the MOUs; (2) of the following information on the MOUs mentioned in (1): (i) the specific areas of cooperation covered, (ii) the current implementation situation, (iii) the specific assistance expected to be brought to Hong Kong’s economic development, and (iv) how to specifically implement the contents of such MOUs and ensure their effective implementation, so as to leverage their benefits to the fullest extent; and (3) whether it has plans to sign more MOUs or deepen the existing cooperation with the B&R countries, so as to attract more foreign direct investment, thereby enabling local enterprises to “go global” and consolidating Hong Kong’s role as a “super-connector”? Reply: President,      Hong Kong is an active participant, contributor and beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI). We have been fully participating and contributing to the B&RI, utilising the role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) and serving our role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”. The Middle East region is a key area in the B&RI. The Government is committed to deepening the co-operation with B&R countries in the region through various measures.       In consultation with relevant bureaux, the consolidated reply to the Hon Tang Fei’s question is as follows: (1) and (2) The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) and B&R countries in the Middle East region have signed Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) for co-operation to help drive all round, multi field collaboration for mutual benefit to Hong Kong and the Middle East region, thereby laying a solid foundation for long-term exchange and co-operation. In the past three years, the HKSARG signed 11 MOUs with governments and related organisations in various B&R countries in the Middle East region (tabulated at Annex), with scope covering finance, investment promotion, legal, anti-corruption co-operation and customs co-operation. Relevant bureaux and departments of the HKSARG have been implementing and taking forward the related co-operation, and continue to maintain close contact with relevant governments and related organisations in B&R countries in the Middle East region, with a view to boosting the benefits of these co-operation.      In addition, the business sector and relevant organisations in Hong Kong have been actively engaging in co-operation and signing MOUs with various B&R countries in the Middle East region. These non-governmental MOUs are not covered at Annex. (3) The Government will continue to deepen the co-operation with B&R countries in the Middle East region through a range of measures, including: (a) Expanding economic and trade networks      The Government will continue to expand our economic and trade networks, with a view to facilitating Hong Kong enterprises and investors in expanding into the Middle East region markets and promoting the long-term economic development of Hong Kong. The Government established the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Dubai in October 2021 to strengthen Hong Kong’s economic and trade relations with trading partners in the region. The Government is following up on the establishment of an ETO in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) set up a consultant office in Cairo, Egypt in July 2024 and commenced operation of its consultant office in Izmir, Türkiye’s third largest city, in January this year to explore emerging markets in the region; (b) Negotiating and signing bilateral agreements      Hong Kong has signed 24 Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) with 33 overseas economies (including B&R economies), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Government is negotiating an IPPA with Saudi Arabia with a view to concluding the negotiations as soon as possible. We also plan to commence negotiations with Egypt. In addition, Hong Kong has signed Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements with 49 overseas jurisdictions (including B&R jurisdictions), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Türkiye; (c) Organising outbound visits      In February 2023, the Chief Executive led an over 30-strong high-level business delegation, comprising representatives of the Government and the business sectors as well as professionals, to visit the Middle East region, promoting the unique advantages of Hong Kong to local government and business sectors in Saudi Arabia and the UAE;       In May 2024, the Secretary for Justice led a delegation comprising representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, InvestHK and related sectors to visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE to promote Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services and enhance co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the Middle East region;      In October 2024, the Financial Secretary led a business delegation of over 100 members, including representatives from the finance as well as innovation and technology (I&T) sectors, on a visit to Saudi Arabia. This visit aimed to strengthen and deepen connections between Hong Kong and the Middle East in trade, finance, and I&T, and included participation in the 8th Future Investment Initiative (FII) Conference. The visit yielded fruitful results, facilitated a number of joint projects, including the listing of two exchange-traded funds tracking Hong Kong stocks in the local market, investment pitches by over 20 Hong Kong startups during the FII Conference, and 11 co-operation agreements signed between Hong Kong institutions and companies and their Saudi counterparts. These co-operation agreements include an MOU signed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to jointly establish a US$1 billion investment fund focused on investing in companies connected to Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engaged in sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, fintech and healthcare, to expand in Saudi Arabia. This initiative will provide a platform for these companies to expand their international business. Additionally, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation signed a co-operation agreement with the FII Institute to enhance collaboration, exchange, and knowledge sharing;      The Government will continue to organise a number of outbound missions to markets in the Middle East region to assist Hong Kong enterprises and professional services to further expand business opportunities and build long-lasting collaborative relationships with relevant local enterprises and organisations; and (d) Organising major events      The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau will continue to actively organise various major events to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and facilitate business matching and project participation between Hong Kong and the Middle East region. In April 2024, the Belt and Road Office (BRO) partnered with NEOM of Saudi Arabia to organise the “Discover NEOM Hong Kong” roadshow, which attracted around 1 100 participants, including enterprises, investors and professional representatives from the Mainland and Hong Kong. During the roadshow, the BRO organised two business matching sessions, facilitating potential collaborations between 40 Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises and NEOM. Hong Kong has been organising the Belt and Road Summit (Summit) annually since 2016, and the Summit has been recognised by our country as a case of significance for the implementation of the B&RI in building a global community of shared future. The ninth Summit was held on September 11 and 12, 2024, and attracted around 6 000 government officials and business leaders from over 70 B&R countries and regions (including the Middle East region), as well as more than 100 delegations. The BRO has also organised 10 exchange sessions since November 2023, inviting Consul Generals from B&R countries (including relevant countries in the Middle East region) in Hong Kong as well as representatives of professional bodies and enterprises to share the opportunities and relevant experience in B&R countries.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 18:18

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 26) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area 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 80 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 21.9 million poultry eggs from Korea last year.     “The CFS has contacted the Korean authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 18:10

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Animal Welfare Board of India to Honour Champions of Animal Protection on February 27, 2025, in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Animal Welfare Board of India to Honour Champions of Animal Protection on February 27, 2025, in New Delhi

    Union Ministers of State Prof. S.P.Singh Baghel and Shri George Kurian to Grace the Occasion

    Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 2:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has announced its Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award Ceremony, scheduled to be held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 27th February 2025. The occasion will be graced by Union  Ministers of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel and  Shri George Kurian.  Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Chairman AWBI, representatives from State Animal Welfare Boards, District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs), Gau Seva Aayogs, Animal Lovers, Animal Welfare Organizations etc. will be present during the AWBI Award Ceremony.

    The awards will be presented under two major categories: Prani Mitra Award and Jeev Daya Award. The Prani Mitra Award will be conferred under five sub-categories, namely Advocacy (Individual), Innovative Idea (Individual), Lifetime Animal Service (Individual), along with two awards each for Animal Welfare Organizations and for Corporate, PSUs, Government Bodies, or Co-operatives. The Jeev Daya Award will be presented in three sub-categories: Individual, Animal Welfare Organization, and for either Schools, Institutions, Teachers, or Children.

    This initiative aims to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their remarkable contributions to animal welfare and protection. The primary objective of this celebration is to honour and encourage kindness and compassion towards animals in the society while raising awareness among citizens to treat animals in a humane manner.

    Click here to know more about Animal Welfare Board of India :

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    Aditi Agrawal

    (Release ID: 2106411) Visitor Counter : 35

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Budget: Accelerating Development through Reform and Innovation

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Budget: Accelerating Development through Reform and Innovation
    Budget: Accelerating Development through Reform and Innovation
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         The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, unveiled today (February 26) his 2025-26 Budget. He noted that while geopolitical situation might bring risks, technology reform and artificial intelligence (AI) development are remoulding the global landscape, leading to the emergence of new industries, new forms of business, new products and new services. He stressed that Hong Kong must seize the opportunity to make the most out of this critical window to speed up development, establishing the new before abolishing the old. He also emphasised that transformation and innovation will lead the way into the future, and the Government is poised to fast-track the high-quality development of Hong Kong’s economy.      The Budget presents a series of measures aimed at accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces. On innovation and technology (I&T), the Government will promote Hong Kong into an international exchange and co-operation hub for the AI industry. Through frontier research and real-world application, the Government will endeavour to develop AI as a core industry and empower traditional industries in their upgrading and transformation. To spearhead and support Hong Kong’s innovative research and development as well as industrial application of AI, the Government will establish the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute and launch the Pilot Manufacturing and Production Line Upgrade Support Scheme (Manufacturing+). On finance, the Government will continue to take forward reforms to the listing regime, host the Hong Kong Global Financial and Industry Summit, and formulate a plan this year on promoting gold market development.      To seize the opportunities brought about by the rapid advancement of innovation and technology, the Budget highlights the need to accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis, which is an investment in Hong Kong’s future. The Government will continue to accord priority to providing resources for this initiative, which primarily includes providing large tracts of I&T land at the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, together with San Tin Technopole; adopting an innovative mindset in piloting “large-scale land disposal”; developing a data facility cluster at Sandy Ridge; as well as identifying suitable sites in the Northern Metropolis for the construction of conference and exhibition facilities.     On the promotion of tourism, funding will be allocated to pursue the concept of “tourism is everywhere” and implement the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0. A study will be conducted on the development of the waterfront and former sites to the south of the Hung Hom Station into a new harbourfront landmark, including a yacht club.     Regarding land supply, Mr Chan announced that the Government will not roll out any commercial site for sale in the coming year in view of the high vacancy rates of offices in recent years to allow the market to absorb the existing supply. The Government will also consider rezoning some of the commercial sites into residential use and allowing greater flexibility of land use. To tie in with the relevant work, the deadline for completing in-situ land exchange for commercial sites in the town centre of the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area will be extended.     Mr Chan proposed a reinforced version of the fiscal consolidation programme to focus on strictly controlling government expenditure, supplemented by increasing revenue, to restore fiscal balance in the Operating Account, in a planned and progressive manner, within the current term of the Government. For 2025-26, the executive authorities, the legislature, the judiciary and members of the District Councils, including members of the civil service, take a pay freeze. The Government will step up the Productivity Enhancement Programme; compared with 2023-24, the recurrent expenditure in 2027-28 will record a cumulative reduction by 7 per cent and deliver a saving of $27.3 billion. By April 2027, about 10 000 posts of the civil service establishment are expected to be deleted within this term of Government. The Government will also deliver more efficient public services to citizens through leveraging technology, streamlining processes and driving the digital transformation of public services. In the Budget, it is proposed to adjust two transport subsidy schemes, namely putting forward the “$2 flat rate cum 80 per cent discount” in the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ($2 Scheme), and raising the threshold for receiving the subsidy under the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme from $400 to $500, with the prevailing subsidy cap at $400 per month remaining unchanged. He will uphold the “user pays” and the “affordable users pay” principles as far as practicable while increasing revenue, including increasing the air passenger departure tax, and reviewing the tolls of government tunnels and trunk roads. The Government will suitably expand the size of bond issuance on the premise of maintaining healthy public finances and use the funds raised on infrastructure works in a proper and flexible manner to invest in Hong Kong’s future and create value for society.     Mr Chan concluded that he has full confidence in and high expectations for the future of Hong Kong, because Hong Kong people are intelligent, creative and tireless in contributing to the economic development. More importantly, he is confident due to the staunch and unwavering support received from the country and Hong Kong people’s profound insight into the major development trends of the future, as well as the city’s enviable and advantageous position.     For more details on the 2025-26 Budget, click here.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 17:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESIDENT OF INDIA GRACES A MASS WEDDING CEREMONY AT GADHA, CHHATARPUR

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 2:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, graced a Mass Wedding ceremony, organised by Shri Bageshwar Jan Seva Samiti, at Gadha, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh today (February 26, 2025).

    Addressing the gathering, the President said that today, as our country moves from women-development to women-led development, we must all contribute to making our daughters and sisters strong and capable. She urged people to pay attention to women’s education, health, and safety. She said that our small efforts would empower them. She also advised women to make continuous efforts for their education and self-reliance.

    The President said that in our tradition, saints have shown the path to the people for centuries. They have raised their voice against the social evils prevalent in contemporary society. They have also raised their voice against discrimination based on caste, gender, etc. Be it Guru Nanak, Sant Ravidas, Sant Kabir Das, Meera Bai, or Sant Tukaram, all have inspired people to follow the right path through their teachings. Their contribution to Indian society has given them a respectful place. She said that contemporary spiritual leaders could play an important role in building a self-reliant, harmonious, and environment-friendly India.

    Please click here to see the President’s speech – 

     

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    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2106408) Visitor Counter : 65

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method
    LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method
    ********************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Eunice Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (February 26): Question:      ​There are views pointing out that in recent years, the Government has been actively promoting the construction of buildings by adopting the Modular Integrated Construction method (MiC), but the buildings constructed by adopting MiC vary in quality (e.g. more serious water leakage or seepage), and there are more design constraints (e.g. thicker walls and standardised flat layouts). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it has compiled statistics on the following information on buildings constructed by adopting MiC: (i) the number of buildings (set out by types of buildings); (ii) the respective numbers of buildings and units provided under transitional housing, public rental housing, Home Ownership Scheme and private developments constructed by adopting MiC in each of the past five years; and (iii) the number of complaints about building quality problems received by the Government in the past five years and, among them, the respective numbers of cases which were successfully handled and could not be handled, with a breakdown by the contents of the complaints (including (a) water leakage, (b) ‍water seepage and (c) others); (2) of the following information on buildings constructed by adopting MiC and involved alteration of layouts in the past five years: (i) the number of applications for change of layout plans received by the Government, as well as the number of applications approved and the reasons for unsuccessful applications; and (ii) the number of cases in which the Government found that the buildings concerned involved unauthorised alterations to the layouts, and the details of the follow-up actions taken; (3) as there are views that more buildings problems have occurred in buildings constructed by adopting MiC, whether the Government has conducted studies in this regard and whether it has plans to further enhance regulation so as to improve the quality of such buildings; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether the Government has plans to further promote the adoption of MiC; if so, how the Government will ameliorate the problems related to building quality and design arising from the adoption of MiC, and how it will encourage the industry to adopt MiC; if not, of the reasons for that? Reply: President,      ​Hong Kong construction industry has been facing challenges, including declining productivity, relatively high construction costs, and site safety issues. In recent years, the industry has been encouraged to adopt innovative construction technologies, new construction materials, and new construction methodologies to address these challenges comprehensively. Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) is one of the key initiatives  promoted by the Development Bureau (DEVB) since 2017. MiC is based on the “factory assembly followed by on-site installation” concept, which transfers the traditional on-site construction processes to factories. Freestanding MiC modules, including structure, interior fitting-outs and mechanical and electrical installations, are pre-fabricated off-site in factories and then transported to the site for assembly into buildings.      My reply in response to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Eunice Yung is as follows: (1) Completed MiC Projects in the past five years (2020-2024) (excluding emergency anti-epidemic facilities established in past years): 

    MiC Project
    Completed Projects (MiC Units)

    A. Public Works Programme

    4 (approx. 120)

    Elderly Care Homes

    1 (approx. 290)

    5 (approx. 4 300)

    Government Offices

    1 (approx. 20)

    B. Public Housing

    Transitional Housing

    32 (approx. 15 900)

    Elderly Housing

    1 (approx. 60)

    Subsidised Sale Housing

    1 (approx. 300)

    C. Private Housing
    1 (approx. 200)

    D. Others (Single-unit building)
    5 (approx. 5)

              Among the above completed MiC projects, according to records maintained by the relevant management parties, approximately one per cent of the units experienced cases of water leakage or water seepage. This percentage is lower than that of traditional construction methods, and there is no evidence to suggest that the water leakage or water seepage was related to the use of MiC. Most of these cases have been resolved, with only a few remaining under processing. (2) For MiC projects that are planned, under construction, or already completed as aforementioned, government departments have not received any applications for modifications to MiC partitions. (3) In terms of quality, MiC modules are assembled in factories using advanced automation and process management technologies. This allows manufacturers and supervisors to accurately and effectively monitor every detail of the assembly process, including material quality and deployment, assembly procedures, and product testing, ensuring that all completed MiC modules meet quality requirements.  Taking product testing as an example, each MiC module undergoes a series of tests related to structure, finishes, and electrical and mechanical installations before leaving the factory, including comprehensive water leakage and water seepage tests. If any quality issues arise, the causes can be easily and accurately identified and rectified. Additionally, each MiC module is equipped with an identification code to facilitate future maintenance. In terms of design, MiC is suitable for various layouts and building types, including housing, hostels, elderly care homes, schools, office buildings, data centres, and medical buildings. Large rooms such as classrooms and medical wards can be formed by combining multiple MiC modules. Currently, MiC construction technologies can minimise wall thickness and avoid double partition between modules, thereby enhancing the usability of indoor space. Besides its high quality and versatility, MiC also helps reduce on-site labour demand and shorten construction time, improving construction efficiency, reducing material waste, and enhancing site safety.      The University of Hong Kong conducted research on MiC pilot projects and found that the construction time for MiC is shortened by approximately 30 per cent to 50 per cent compared to traditional construction methods, on-site productivity increased by 100 per cent to 400 per cent, and construction costs are reduced by at least 10 per cent. In addition, the research confirmed that MiC outperforms traditional construction methods in terms of quality, environmental protection, and safety.      To enhance industry confidence in MiC quality, the DEVB has commissioned the Building Technology Research Institute (BTRi) to implement the MiC Manufacturer Accreditation Scheme, which started accepting applications in November last year. This scheme ensures that certified MiC manufacturers meet project requirements in management, production, and transportation, while also complying with relevant laws and regulations. (4) The Government leads by example through pilot projects and public works projects that adopt MiC, gaining experience and sharing it with the industry to promote wider use of MiC. To improve project design, the DEVB has established a MiC Dedicated Section that provides advice, technical support, and shares past project experiences during the MiC project design phase to optimise MiC design and fully leverage its advantages.      To encourage wider use of MiC by developers, the Government has introduced several measures, including a 10 per cent concession on MiC gross floor area and site coverage, a four per cent storey height concession for MiC floors, subsidies under the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund, and enhanced communication and collaboration with relevant departments to facilitate project approvals.      Additionally, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council, Hong Kong Institute of Construction, and related associations are collaborating to enhance MiC site personnel training, including workers, supervisors, technicians, and project managers. They are also encouraging construction professionals to engage in more technological innovation and high-quality design to promote the development of the MiC industry.      In March of last year, the DEVB and the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province signed the Letter of Intent on Strengthening Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation in Construction and Related Engineering Sectors, deepening co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong in construction and engineering sectors. This includes developing MiC as a quality productive force to contribute to the high-quality national development. The goal is to make the Greater Bay Area a centre of MiC technology centre, turning MiC into a strategic industry that facilitates the exploration of overseas markets.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 17:02

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Telangana Chief Minister meets Prime Minister

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 1:35PM by PIB Delhi

    The Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri Revanth Reddy met the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today.

    The Prime Minister’s Office handle posted on X:

    “Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri @revanth_anumula, met Prime Minister @narendramodi.

    @TelanganaCMO”

     

     

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    MJPS/SR

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ6: Commemorative activities for 80th anniversary of victory in War of Resistance

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ6: Commemorative activities for 80th anniversary of victory in War of Resistance
    LCQ6: Commemorative activities for 80th anniversary of victory in War of Resistance
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         Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, in the Legislative Council today (February 26): Question:      This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, and it is learnt that the Government will host a series of commemorative activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it will set up a “Preparatory Committee for commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of Hong Kong’s victory in the War ‍of Resistance” led by the Working Group on Patriotic Education, and extensively invite the participation of representatives of community organisations to co-ordinate the relevant activities; if so, of the expected time to commence such work; (2) of the key activities to be hosted to commemorate the 80th ‍anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, so as to strengthen the sense of patriotism among the public while disseminating the message of peace; (3) how it will take the opportunity to make good use of the rich resources of the history of the War of Resistance in Hong Kong to promote the development of red tourism; and (4) how it will collaborate with the relevant Central authorities and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in jointly commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance? Reply: President,      Having consulted the relevant bureaux, a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by the Hon Chan Yung is as follows:           This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance. The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will host commemorative activities to strengthen the sense of patriotism. In terms of implementation, the Working Group on Patriotic Education led by the Chief Secretary for Administration will co-ordinate relevant bureaux and departments in launching a series of commemorative activities, including: (a) The HKSAR Government will host a solemn official ceremony at the Hong Kong City Hall Memorial Garden on September 3, the Victory Day of the War of Resistance, to honour the occasion. The commemoration will feature a rendition of the national anthem, ceremonial flag raising, a Rifle Volley by the Police Rifle Squad, an observation of silence, and bowing in tribute. The attendance at the ceremony will include the Chief Executive and senior government officials, representatives of the organs of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, former Chief Executives, members of the Executive Council, members of the Legislative Council, representatives of war veterans’ groups, HKSAR deputies to the National People’s Congress, HKSAR members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, representatives of District Councils, representatives of Heung Yee Kuk, representatives of district organisations, members of uniformed groups and youth groups, etc; (b) With the funding and support from the Home Affairs Department, three major associations, namely the Hong Kong Island Federation, the Kowloon Federation of Associations and the New Territories Association of Societies, will organise activities on September 3 to commemorate the victory of the War of Resistance. Examples of these activities include a talk by veterans to recount their experiences during the War and a film show about the War, with a view to deepening the understanding among members of the public about the historical events of the War of Resistance on the Mainland and in Hong Kong and fostering their sense of patriotism; (c) The Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is currently liaising closely with the National Museum of China on co-organising a large-scale thematic exhibition scheduled to launch in early September for a period of about three months. The exhibition will mainly feature our country’s unyielding spirit of resistance during the War, as well as contents on Hong Kong people’s support for the Mainland compatriots, and the three years and eight months of Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, with a view to giving Hong Kong citizens (particularly the younger generation) a better understanding of the War of Resistance; (d) The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence (MWRCD) is planning to collaborate with the Guangdong Museum of Revolutionary History to jointly organise a thematic exhibition on the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance. The exhibition will focus on an overview of the anti war activities of the Chinese Communist Party in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong during the War of Resistance. Through the display of valuable exhibits, historical photographs and multi-media programmes, the exhibition aims to enlighten the public about the history of the War, thereby promoting and inheriting the spirit of patriotic education; (e) The LCSD museums will also organise a diverse array of public and educational programmes, including thematic talks, workshops, field trips, and film screenings to raise public awareness of the history of the War of Resistance; (f) The LCSD will, from August to December, organise a thematic talk “Reapproaching the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong from interactive map, 1941-1945” and a book display “Days of War” at the Hong Kong Central Library, as well as book displays, photo exhibitions and thematic talks at public libraries in different districts to introduce relevant collections and information, so as to enable citizens to learn about the history of the War of Resistance as well as the unity and resilience of the Chinese people in the fight for peace. These include the thematic talk cum roving exhibition “War of Resistance in Hong Kong: Sai Kung” to be held in Sai Kung District, guided tours of the Hong Kong Sha Tau Kok Anti-war Memorial Hall to be held in North District, and thematic talk series “Wartime Sham Shui Po” to be held in Sham Shui Po District, etc; (g) In terms of teachers and students, the Education Bureau (EDB) has always attached great emphasis on the education about the history of the War of Resistance, and continuously organises relevant activities for teachers and students to help them understand the history of the War and the heroic deeds of the martyrs, experience the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation, learn to cherish peace through remembering history, as well as cultivate their sense of identity, belonging, responsibility and patriotic spirit. On teacher training activities, the EDB plans to organise an academic seminar on the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, lecture on the contributions of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column, visits to places such as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison Exhibition Center at Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks, the Hong Kong Sha Tau Kok Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall, and the Wu Kau Tang Martyrs Memorial Garden, as well as a study tour for teachers in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area themed on the footprints in relation to the War of Resistance. On student activities, the EDB plans to roll out the “Visual Narrative of the War of Resistance: Territory-wide Creative Competition”, the History e-Reading Award Scheme themed on the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, the second “Learn from Museums – Novice Curator Training Programme” co-organised with the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, as well as field study activities related to the history of the War of Resistance in both the local region and the Mainland; and (h) The Information Services Department is actively planning to collaborate with relevant government organisations on programme production under the theme of “Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance”, so as to promote patriotic education through storytelling in a vivid manner.      To make good use of the abundant resources relating to the history of the War of Resistance in Hong Kong to promoting characteristic tourism, the Tourism Commission, in collaboration with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), has been taking forward the Enhancement of Hiking Trails (the Project) since 2018 to enhance the tourism supporting facilities of 20 hiking trails in country parks which are popular and with tourism potential. The Project covers hiking trails relating to war history, namely Lion Rock Historic Walk, Shing Mun War Relics Trail and Luk Keng War Relics Trail. The AFCD completed the enhancement works at Lion Rock Historic Walk in December 2023, whereas those at Shing Mun War Relics Trail and Luk Keng War Relics Trail are expected to be completed progressively in 2026. In addition, the AFCD installed at the Robin’s Nest Country Park interpretation panels about its war relics and the deeds of nearby villagers at the War of Resistance, and produced a video for broadcasting on social media platforms, thereby showcasing the history of the War of Resistance at the Robin’s Nest Country Park. The HKSAR Government will continue to encourage the trade to make better use of the abundant resources relating to the history of the War of Resistance to develop more unique tourism products covering different themes of in-depth tours.           Besides, to preserve the history of the War of Resistance in Hong Kong, the MWRCD has commenced relevant historical research with a view to providing related historical information for the War of Resistance heritage trails to be set up by responsible government departments in the future. The information will offer the public an insight into the history of the War of Resistance, and enrich their travel experience.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 15:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ4: Tobacco control and combating trading activities of duty-not-paid cigarettes

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Lai Tung-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):Question:     At present, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health is mainly responsible for matters relating to tobacco control and taking enforcement action under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371). From time to time, TACO conducts plainclothes inspections or test purchases, and conducts investigations in the form of joint operations with other law enforcement departments, while the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) combats smuggling and trading activities of illicit cigarettes on different fronts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) of the number of inspections conducted and fixed penalty notices issued by TACO in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by smoking offences;(2) of the respective establishment and strength of frontline law enforcement officers of different ranks in TACO in each of the past three years;(3) of the details and results of C&ED’s efforts to combat smuggling and trading activities of illicit cigarettes in the past three years;(4) on import cases, of the following information in each of the past three years: the number of referrals received by TACO from C&ED and the number of summonses issued, the number of cases convicted in the court, and other details of the relevant cases;(5) on in-town enforcement, of the number and results of various investigation actions (including plainclothes inspections, test purchases, and joint operations) conducted by TACO in each of the past three years; and(6) how the authorities plan to enhance interdepartmental collaboration in the future to combat the sale of duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products?Reply:President,     Having consulted the Department of Health (DH) and the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), the consolidated reply to the various parts of the Hon Lai Tung-kwok’s question is as follows:     The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the DH is the principal enforcement agency for the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) and the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance (Cap. 600) (with the number of full-time enforcement staff in the approved establishment provided at Annex I). The TACO mainly enforces (i) offences relating to illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking area (including aiding and abetting smoking offences and obstruction of inspectors’ duties); (ii) offences relating to tobacco advertisement and sale; and (iii) offences relating to alternative smoking products (ASPs). The C&ED is the principal enforcement agency responsible for the suppression of smuggling activities, including collecting and protecting revenue from dutiable commodities stipulated in the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109). At present, combating illicit cigarettes is mainly the responsibility of the C&ED. The numbers of inspections conducted, fixed penalty notices (FPNs)/summonses issued by the TACO between 2022 and 2024 for smoking and other related offences are at Annex II.     As regards illegal smoking offences, under the prevailing legislation, any person who commits the act of smoking in a designated no smoking area is liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500. To effectively mitigate the impact of secondhand smoking on the public and enhance the deterrent effect against illegal smoking, the TACO has flexibly deployed resources and adopted new enforcement strategies since 2023, which included extending the time of surveillance and inspections in no smoking areas, deploying plain-clothes officers to take proactive enforcement actions, and would issue FPNs to smoking offenders without warning.     The number of prosecutions against illegal smoking has surged due to the aforementioned new enforcement strategies. The number of FPNs issued increased from 6 296 in 2022 to 10 261 in 2023 and 13 488 in 2024. Besides, to step up efforts in targeting venues (e.g. bars and restaurants) that offer waterpipe tobacco to customers, the TACO, on its own and in conjunction with the Police, has taken over 400 enforcement actions in the past three years. In addition to prosecution against illegal smoking, the TACO has also initiated prosecutions against persons suspected of inciting, aiding and abetting smoking offenders (including bar operators who have committed aiding and abetting smoking offences).     As regards smoking product advertisements, under the prevailing legislation, no person shall display or distribute smoking product advertisements (including leaflets) or place smoking product advertisements on the Internet. Offenders are liable to a fine of $50,000. The TACO has been actively conducting market surveillance, and in order to further curb the situation of illicit cigarette leaflets, the TACO has been strengthening joint operations since 2023, including joint operations with the Police, the Housing Department (HD) and the C&ED against complaints of distributing illicit cigarette leaflets. A total of over 250 joint operations were conducted in the past three years. Since 2021, the TACO has successfully prosecuted 17 offenders for distributing smoking product leaflets. The highest penalty for these convicted cases was a fine of $8,000. For online advertisement, apart from conducting investigations and prosecutions upon receipt of complaints or referrals, the TACO also actively carries out online surveillance. Upon identification of smoking product advertisements, the TACO will ask the relevant internet service providers and social media platforms to remove such contents as soon as possible. The TACO has removed over 3 200 webpages and social media accounts or posts involving smoking product advertisements in aggregate in the past three years.     As regards the ASP ban, with effect from April 30, 2022, no person may import, promote, manufacture, sell, or possess for commercial purposes ASPs, in accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) and the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60). The C&ED is responsible for intercepting illegally-imported ASPs at import level with intercepted cases referred to the TACO for follow-up and prosecution, the TACO is also responsible for market surveillance and instituting prosecution.     For cases involving import of ASPs, as at December 31, 2024, the TACO issued 1 272 summonses to offenders of importing cases, of which offenders in 694 cases were convicted by court and were fined $300 to $42,000. During the same period, the C&ED detected 52 cases involving offences under the C&ED’s enforcement and illegal import of ASPs concurrently, of which 26 were convicted and the highest fine and sentence imposed were $5,000 and four months’ imprisonment respectively. Besides, the TACO also monitors the sale of ASP on the Internet, and conducts test buy for follow-up investigation, as well as liaises with relevant organisation to assist in removing the illegal online content. For cases of suspected sale or possession for commercial purposes of ASPs, the TACO issued 24 summonses to offenders, of which 20 cases were convicted by court and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment at most.     The relevant ban on ASPs has been in force for nearly three years. At present, there are no legal channels to import or purchase ASPs, and ASPs purchased for personal use before the ban came into effect should have been largely consumed after a certain period of time. Prevailing legislation does not prohibit the possession of ASPs for non-commercial use. To suppress the continued circulation of ASPs, which are hazardous novel tobacco products, in Hong Kong and to tackle the problem of using e-cigarette devices to abuse drugs at its root, the Health Bureau will further strengthen the regulation of ASPs, including banning the possession of relevant products. Details will be announced later.     On the other hand, as an important pillar under the tobacco control strategy, the Government will spare no efforts in combating illicit cigarettes. At present, combating illicit cigarettes is mainly the responsibility of the C&ED. The C&ED will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach and take stringent enforcement actions at all levels to combat the sale of illicit cigarettes. The C&ED exchanges intelligence with the Police from time to time and conducts joint operations in a timely manner, including combating cases of cigarette smuggling and illicit cigarette storage in downtown. In addition, the C&ED has been maintaining close intelligence exchange and co-operation with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat cross-boundary cigarette smuggling activities.     The enforcement figures against illicit cigarettes (including smuggling, storage and distribution as well as sale) in the past three years are set out at Annex III. The increase in the number of seizures of illicit cigarettes reflects the effectiveness of the C&ED’s stepped-up actions against illicit cigarettes and the success of its enforcement strategy does not denote an expanding scale of illicit cigarettes activities. The Government announced the “10 measures for tobacco control” in June last year. Stepping up actions against illicit cigarettes was accorded the highest priority among the 10 measures, including:(i) introducing a duty stamp system to distinguish duty-paid cigarettes from non-duty-paid cigarettes;(ii) requiring tobacco products being sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty need to be proved duty-paid;(iii) increasing the maximum penalty for handling, possessing, selling or buying duty-not-paid cigarettes; and (iv) listing the relevant offences under the Schedule of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO) (Cap. 455), so as to enable the C&ED to freeze and confiscate illicit proceeds and assets associated with illicit cigarette activities by virtue of the OSCO.     On duty stamp system, taking into account factors such as enforcement effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, the Government proposes to require the affixing of duty-paid labels on the retail packages of cigarettes at this stage. Through the application of anti-forgery features and related digital technologies, frontline officers of the C&ED would be able to distinguish duty-paid cigarettes from duty-not-paid ones in a more effective manner, thereby enhancing enforcement efficiency. The C&ED expects that a pilot scheme on the duty stamp system will be rolled out in the middle of this year to work out the practical operating requirement of the relevant scheme, which will then be launched next year at the earliest. The Government expects that the above measures will increase the deterrent effect and enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement departments in combating illicit cigarettes.      The relevant Government departments, including the TACO, the C&ED, the Police and the HD will continue to work together to enhance intelligence exchange and deepen the co-operation mechanism, as well as to make adjustments to their enforcement strategies having regard to the actual situation, and to take joint enforcement actions and refer suspected illegal cases, with a view to taking forward the work of tobacco control and enforcing the relevant legislation.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 27, 2025
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