Category: Asia

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)
19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)
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The 19th Eco Expo Asia is being held at AsiaWorld-Expo from today (October 30) to November 2. The theme of the Expo this year is “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”. About 190 officials from around 40 official delegations from various cities and provinces in Mainland China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Belt and Road countries have been invited, bringing together international exhibitors, industry professionals to showcase cutting-edge green solutions, exchange views and share experiences. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, “Eco Expo Asia is a golden opportunity for us to discuss and advance our shared commitments to a sustainable future. Green innovation solutions are of paramount importance in our decarbonisation journey. During the Expo, we will see the latest innovations and technologies around the world in new energy, climate adaptation and other environmental areas.” Mr Tse remarked that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The documentary series “Enchanting China” was produced by the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department, in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. “Beautiful Hong Kong” was produced by the EEB. The two documetaries showcase the contributions and achievements made by the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in environmental protection and nature conservation. An extract of “Enchanting China” and “Picturesque Bays of Hong Kong”, the first episode of “Beautiful Hong Kong”, was shown at the opening ceremony. Mr Tse stressed that although Hong Kong’s carbon emissions peaked in 2014, and compared to the peak carbon emissions today have been reduced by about a quarter already, achieving carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050 is still a significant challenge. The HKSAR Government is boosting the promotion of green low-carbon transformation and the development of new energy, new productive forces and green scientific research industries through multiple measures, leading Hong Kong towards carbon neutrality. The Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Sun Jinlong, was invited to give a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. The Expo’s feature event, the Eco Asia Conference, is being held from today to November 1. In the Government Session, the Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Director of the Department of National Economy, Mr Yuan Da, and the Director-General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Resources Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wang Peng, introduced the latest environmental policies of the Mainland. In addition, the Vice Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr Phouvong Luangxaysana; the General Manager of Saudi Arabia’s Corporate Communications and Media of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mr Saleh Abdulmohsen S Bindakhil; the Permanent Secretary of Myanmar’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Mr Hla Maung Thein; the Director of Brunei’s Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation of the Ministry of Development, Ms Hajah Martinah binti Haji Tamit; and the Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, Dr Le Ngoc Cau, shared their countries’ latest environmental and conservation policies. The Conference will once again feature the Hydrogen Economy Forum, allowing Hong Kong to capitalise on the environmental and economic opportunities brought by the global development of hydrogen energy, helping Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality, developing new quality productive forces, and maintaining international competitiveness. The EEB continued to participate in the Expo this year by setting up four exhibition zones, namely: “Smart Technology”, “Energy-saving and Green Buildings”, “Community Waste Reduction”, and “Green Transportation”, highlighting the HKSAR Government’s various measures and achievements in decarbonisation. The “Smart Technology” zone introduces high-tech applications in daily environmental protection work, including artificial intelligence (AI) environmental air disturbance detection mechanical dogs, 5G mesh network sampling robot teams, AI coastal cleaning monitoring systems, and AI construction noise recognition systems; the “Energy-saving and Green Buildings” zone covers the sustainable development of an online platform for electromechanical innovation and regional cooling systems; the “Community Waste Reduction” zone introduces smart recycling; and the “Green Transportation” zone highlights Hong Kong’s latest development of hydrogen energy and displays the first hydrogen-powered street-washing vehicle in Hong Kong. To tie in with the “Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong” announced by the EEB this year, visitors can try riding on the hydrogen fuel cell double-deckers on the second day (October 31) and the fourth day (November 2) of the Expo. The Expo is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the EEB. In addition, 10 government bureaux/departments, namely the Architectural Services Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Highways Department, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Housing Department, the Transport Department, and the Water Supplies Department are participating in the exhibition to introduce their initiatives in environmental protection and achieving carbon neutrality for Hong Kong. Eco Expo Asia will open to the public for free on the last day of the event (November 2) to encourage citizens to participate in environmental protection and promote green living. For details, please refer to the Eco Expo Asia’s website (www.hktdc.com/event/ecoexpoasia/en).

Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 20:05

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Crude oil imports from Canada reached a record after pipeline expansion

Source: US Energy Information Administration

In-brief analysis

October 30, 2024

U.S. imports of crude oil from Canada reached a record of 4.3 million barrels per day (b/d) in July 2024 following the expansion of Canada’s Trans Mountain pipeline. July is the most recent month for which data are available in our Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM).

The Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) tripled the line’s previous 300,000-b/d capacity when it began commercial operation in May 2024, bringing additional crude oil produced in the landlocked province of Alberta to Canada’s west coast, where it can be exported. Historically, most crude oil exports out of Alberta have made their way either to refiners in the U.S. Midwest via pipeline or to the U.S. Gulf Coast by rail shipments, where they are either consumed by refiners or loaded onto tankers for seaborne re-exports. TMX was added alongside the previous Trans Mountain pipeline to move larger volumes of crude oil to the coast of British Columbia to then be exported directly to Pacific Ocean buyers.

Since TMX came online in May, early data indicate that refiners on the U.S. West Coast have been key buyers of the new export volumes. Between June and September, the U.S. West Coast accounted for just over half of all maritime crude oil exports out of Western Canada, with the rest going to destinations in Asia, according to data from Vortexa Analytics. The U.S. West Coast imported 498,000 b/d of crude oil in July 2024, according to our PSM, a record high for the region and an increase of 115% compared with July 2023.

Data source: Vortexa Analytics

The Western Canadian Select (WCS) crude oil spot price at Hardisty is used as a benchmark price to reflect regional crude oil production in Alberta. Historically, WCS spot prices are significantly discounted to other benchmarks because of WCS’s quality and the region’s landlocked geography, which limit its market. Unlike Brent (the global crude oil benchmark grade), WCS has a higher sulfur content and a lower API gravity, and additional costs are necessary to move WCS from its inland pricing location to a coastal seaborne export location.

Data source: Bloomberg L.P.
Note: Price premiums are calculated using the Dated Brent price minus the WCS spot market price at Hardisty.

Since TMX came online in May, added takeaway capacity has had a mixed impact on WCS prices. In July 2024, the monthly average Brent price premium to WCS was $21 per barrel (b), $5/b higher than it was at the same time last year despite the additional capacity provided by TMX. The August price differential was between the five-year (2019–23) average and last year’s level. The September average price differential, however, was slightly below the five-year average level. As of October 29, the Brent price premium to WCS for October is narrower by $10/b compared with October 2023.

The WCS price differential to Brent and other benchmarks often widens in the fall, when Midwestern refiners reduce runs to undergo maintenance, limiting the pool of buyers from Alberta’s primary customers. If the price differentials remain near current levels through the end of the year, it may suggest that the added TMX capacity has helped to insulate Canada’s crude oil producers from the operational decisions of refiners in the U.S. Midwest.

Principal contributor: Kevin Hack

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Health chief joins medical conference

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau led a delegation to attend the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Medical Products Administration Conference in Zhuhai today.

During the conference, he introduced the latest initiatives of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub as put forth in the 2024 Policy Address.

The conference is co-organised by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.

It serves as a platform for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau to share their work experience in drug regulation, enhance the work mechanism for collaboration on drug and medical device regulation in the bay area, and foster the innovation development of drug and medical device regulation in the region.

National Medical Products Administration Deputy Commissioner Zhao Junning also attended the conference.

During the conference, representatives from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau exchanged views on the current situation of regulation over drugs and medical devices in the three places, as well as the mechanism for regulatory collaborations on drugs and medical devices in the bay area.

They also covered bay area standards for Chinese medicines, in addition to the feasibility of streamlining the registration and approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macau-registered traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for oral use for sale on the Mainland, and had an in-depth discussion on the way forward.

Prof Lo updated the conference attendees on the latest developments of Hong Kong’s healthcare policies put forward in the 2024 Policy Address.

These included complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation through expediting the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, strengthening biomedical technology research and development and translation, and promoting the internationalisation of Chinese medicines.

Prof Lo said the Hong Kong SAR Government is determined to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, and expedite the provision of advanced diagnostic and treatment services to patients by leveraging the advantages of “one country, two systems” and Hong Kong’s healthcare professional system.

He also noted that Hong Kong will actively integrate into the national development by dovetailing with the national initiative of fostering new quality productive forces in biomedical technology as set out in the Resolution of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization and the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will enhance Hong Kong’s clinical trial capability and facilitate the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications by rendering firm support to innovation and application of advanced biomedical technology, with a view to attracting the world’s top-notch biomedical enterprises and research and development institutions to set up operations in Hong Kong,” Prof Lo added.

The delegation will return to Hong Kong this evening.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Direct all-cargo air route links China’s Hubei, Hong Kong

Source: China State Council Information Office

A direct all-cargo air route between Hubei Province in central China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was launched on Wednesday, according to SF Airlines.

On Wednesday morning, a Boeing 737-400 freighter took off from the Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei, China’s first cargo-focused airport. It is also the airport’s first all-cargo route to Hong Kong, said the cargo airline.

Three round-trip flights are scheduled to shuttle on this route every week, providing about 100 tonnes of air transport capacity weekly.

This direct air route will provide air express capacity to this year’s Double Eleven online shopping festival, also known as the Singles’ Day shopping festival and a Chinese version of Black Friday.

It will help facilitate transportation of e-commerce express and enhance consumption experience for customers, said SF Airlines.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines is China’s largest air cargo carrier in fleet size. To date, it has cultivated an international route network from Ezhou Huahu International Airport to totalling more than 60 destinations at home and abroad, said the cargo carrier.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Former Malaysian PM ordered to enter defense in 1MDB case

Source: China State Council Information Office

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been ordered to enter his defense against 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) on Wednesday.

The High Court has called on Najib to enter his defense on four charges of power abuse and 21 charges of money laundering involving 2.28 billion ringgit (520 million U.S. dollars) after Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said it had conducted a maximum evaluation and found the prosecution had proven prima facie in its case against the former prime minister.

The 1MDB trial now has 97 hearing dates scheduled from Dec. 2 this year until November 2025, with trial dates for every month during this period except for July next year.

Najib, 71, has been serving a sentence since Aug. 23, 2022, after being convicted in a separate criminal trial over misappropriating 42 million ringgit from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former unit of 1MDB.

Following his conviction, he successfully filed a petition for a royal pardon, which resulted in a reduction of his 12-year imprisonment to six years and a fine cut from 210 million ringgit to 50 million ringgit in February. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollar)

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: UN human rights council to open office in Bangladesh

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has decided to set up an office in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka to strengthen its activities in the South Asian country.

Bangladeshi interim government’s Social Welfare Advisor Sharmeen S. Murshid said following a meeting with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Dhaka Tuesday.

“It is a very important decision. The interim government agreed over establishment of the U.N. human rights office in Dhaka,” the advisor said.

She said that the office’s presence here will strengthen the country’s position on human rights.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: ADB approves $500M loan for Pakistan to support climate resilience

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday it has approved 500 million U.S. dollars in policy-based loan to support climate and disaster resilience efforts in Pakistan, said a statement.

The bank’s Pakistan office said that the Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program will strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity for planning, preparedness, and response.

According to the bank, the program will increase inclusive investment in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience and support the scale-up of disaster risk financing using a risk-layered approach.

The ADB added that Pakistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and disasters, with average losses from disaster events exceeding 2 billion U.S. dollars annually.

“This program builds on the ADB’s long-standing work in Pakistan to understand and reduce climate and disaster risks and support effective disaster response,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov.

The bank added that the program aims to strengthen disaster resilience in Pakistan by advancing disaster risk mapping and modeling to guide development and investment decisions.

The program would further support a solidarity fund to promote risk transfer solutions, including agricultural insurance, and will implement shock-responsive social protections to provide cash assistance to those affected by future disasters, added the bank.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: AI Company Brand Engagement Network Announces Agreement to Acquire German Media Technology Leader Cataneo Gmbh

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

JACKSON, Wyo., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brand Engagement Network, Inc.(BEN) (NASDAQ: BNAI), a global leader in secure and reliable conversational AI solutions for businesses and consumers, today announced it has agreed to acquire 100% of Cataneo Gmbh (Cataneo), a privately-owned media technology company based in Munich, Germany, in a cash and stock transaction.

Cataneo, a leader in media technology, offers an all-in-one solution for ad sales, inventory management, and campaign optimization. The company has been profitable throughout the years, with its platform helping broadcast and entertainment companies streamline operations, increase revenue, and enhance audience engagement. By integrating BEN’s advanced Generative AI, Cataneo is poised to strengthen its offerings and deliver even greater value to its brands and customers.

Cataneo’s Mydas platform is a rapidly growing, highly sophisticated air-time sales management and ad traffic system managing over 5 billion euros in annual media spending. Supporting over 5,000 users and more than 1,000 media brands across four continents, the Mydas platform operates on a robust recurring revenue model. It offers a fully integrated, 100% SaaS cloud solution consolidating all advertising inventories into a common currency on a single platform.

Combined Synergies Enhance Conversational Gen-AI for Global Media Brands

“We believe the combination of BEN’s safe, intelligent, and scalable Generative AI platform, with Cataneo’s Mydas tools, can transformhow brands engage with their customers,” said Paul Chang, Chief Executive Officer of BEN. “This acquisition marks a significant step towards the future of interactive advertising, where consumers are not just marketed to, but actively engaged with, leading to more meaningful and enhanced online experiences.”

Cataneo’s Chief Executive Officer, Renato Rocha Pinto, expressed his excitement about the partnership. He stated, “We believe combining our technologies will significantly enhance consumer engagement and substantially benefit our global clients. BEN’s AI has the capability to generate deep insights and explore innovative consumer engagement opportunities across various media outlets, extending beyond traditional platforms.”

The acquisition underscores BEN’s commitment to strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions, enabling BEN to expand the reach of its core AI platform to over 1,000 media brands. This positions BEN to lead the next generation of conversational Gen-AI engagement, providing consumers with real-time, accurate, and helpful information across various channels, including while on the move and driving.

While Cataneo will continue to serve its existing clients independently, the company plans to collaborate closely with BEN to integrate AI into its internal processes and provide enhanced customer tools. The combined strength of BEN’s Generative AI and Cataneo’s platform is expected to expand Cataneo’s global presence significantly.

Transaction Details
The total purchase price for the acquisition is $19.5 million, comprised of $9.0 million in cash and 4.2 million shares of BEN common stock at an agreed-upon value of $2.50 per share. Depending on certain conditions before closing, a portion of the shares may be converted into the right to receive up to $3.0 million in cash. Upon closing, Cataneo will become a wholly owned subsidiary of BEN, with plans to expand operations in the U.S. and Latin America. This acquisition positions both companies for significant growth in the broadcast and agency premium advertising workflow management solutions market, a $2.0 billion segment within the broader $45 billion global media technology market. Renato Rocha Pinto will continue as Cataneo’s Chief Executive Officer after the acquisition.

The transaction is subject to securing financing on mutually agreeable terms and obtaining customary regulatory approvals and guarantees by certain BEN shareholders. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024.

For more information about BEN’s safe, intelligent, scalable AI, please visit www.beninc.ai. For details about Cataneo, please visit www.cataneo.tv.

About BEN
Brand Engagement Network is a global leader providing secure and reliable conversational AI solutions for businesses and consumers. With offices in Jackson, Wyoming, and Seoul, South Korea, BEN offers a powerful and flexible platform that enhances customer experiences, boosts productivity, and delivers business value. At the heart of BEN’s offerings are AI-powered digital assistants and lifelike avatars, providing more personal and engaging experiences through browsers, mobile applications, and even life-size kiosks. These safe, intelligent, and inherently scalable AI solutions empower businesses to efficiently serve customers using validated data delivered through SaaS, Private Cloud, and On-Premises technology. BEN’s commitment to data sovereignty ensures that consumer and business data remain private, protected, and wholly owned by the respective parties. BEN’s mission is to make AI friendly and helpful for all, ensuring more people benefit from the AI-enhanced world.

About Cataneo
Cataneo is a global provider of comprehensive media management solutions for linear, non-linear, and digital media, headquartered in Munich, Germany. Cataneo’s platform is highly customizable and scalable and offers end-to-end solutions for advertising sales, traffic management, and campaign optimization across multiple media channels. With over two decades of experience, Cataneo supports over 1,000 media brands across 200+ channels in 4 continents, providing cutting-edge tools for inventory management, yield optimization, and programmatic ad sales. The company’s flagship platform, MYDAS, empowers media businesses to optimize revenues and streamline operations with advanced data analytics, CRM integration, and real-time reporting. Cataneo’s mission is to bridge the gap between media buyers, sellers, and platforms, offering a unified ecosystem for seamless media transactions and enhanced audience engagement.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results, including the closing and anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Cataneo (the “Cataneo Acquisition”). Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.

There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: (i) uncertainties as to the timing of the Cataneo Acquisition; (ii) the risk that the Cataneo Acquisition may not be completed on the anticipated terms in a timely manner or at all; (iii) the failure to satisfy any of the conditions to the consummation of the Cataneo Acquisition, including the ability to obtain financing to fund the Cataneo Acquisition on terms that are agreeable to the parties or at all; (iv) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the Cataneo Acquisition may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals) or required major shareholder guarantees; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the purchase agreement; (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement on BEN’s ability to retain and hire key personnel, its ability to maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, or its operating results and business generally; (vii) risks related to diverting management’s attention from BEN’s ongoing business operations; (viii) uncertainty as to the timing of completion of the Cataneo Acquisition; (ix) risks that the benefits of the Cataneo Acquisition are not realized when and as expected; and (x) (A) the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and (B) the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.

Media Contact
Amy Rouyer
BEN – Safe, Intelligent, Scalable AI
E: amy@beninc.ai
P: 503-367-7596

Investor Relations
Christine Marchuska
E: ir@beninc.ai
P: 917-232-0852

Source: Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (BEN)

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: US-ROK Security Consultative Meeting Preview

Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)

This week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will host South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun for the Security Consultative Meeting to deepen and modernize our ironclad alliance with the ROK. Later, they will join Secretary of State Blinken and ROK Foreign Minister Cho for a 2+2 Ministerial at the State Department. Watch as Dr. Jay Finch, Director of the Korea Office at the Pentagon, discusses this important meeting.
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Your military is an all-volunteer force that serves to protect our security and way of life, but Service members are more than a fighting force. They are leaders, humanitarians and your fellow Americans. Get to know more about the men and women who serve, who they are, what they do, and why they do it.

For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
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Like the DoD on Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeptofDefense
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybjWZ44kLNM

MIL OSI Video –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Eco Expo Asia opens

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The 19th Eco Expo Asia opened today and will run until November 2.

Themed “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”, some 190 officials from around 40 official delegations from various cities and provinces in Mainland China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Belt & Road countries have been invited to showcase cutting-edge green solutions, exchange views and share experiences.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan said: “Eco Expo Asia is a golden opportunity for us to discuss and advance our shared commitments to a sustainable future.

“Green innovation solutions are of paramount importance in our decarbonisation journey. During the expo, we will see the latest innovations and technologies around the world in new energy, climate adaptation and other environmental areas.”

Mr Tse also stressed that although Hong Kong’s carbon emissions peaked in 2014, achieving carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050 is still a significant challenge. As such, he said the Government is boosting the promotion of green low-carbon transformation as well as the development of new energy, new productive forces and green scientific research industries through multiple measures, with a view to leading the city towards carbon neutrality.

The Environment & Ecology Bureau, which continues to participate in the expo this year, has set up four exhibition zones: Smart Technology, Energy-saving & Green Buildings, Community Waste Reduction, and Green Transportation, to highlight the Government’s measures and achievements in decarbonisation.

Additionally, to tie in with the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong announced by the bureau this year, visitors can ride on the hydrogen fuel cell double-deckers on October 31 and November 2 during the expo.

The expo will be open to the public for free on its final day, to encourage citizens to participate in environmental protection and promote green living, the bureau noted.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Commissioner of Customs and Excise meets Director General in Shenzhen Customs District (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (October 30) met with the Director General in Shenzhen Customs District, Mr Zheng Jugang, in the Customs Headquarters Building (CHB) to exchange views on further deepening co-operation between the two Customs administrations.

     Ms Ho welcomed Mr Zheng’s visit to Hong Kong Customs with his delegation and chaired a meeting with the delegation. During the meeting, the two Customs administrations discussed multiple issues, including refining the point-to-point express co-operation and liaison between Shenzhen and Hong Kong Land Boundary Control Points, strengthening information exchange and mutual assistance in law enforcement amongst boundary control points, combating smuggling activities of parallel traders, mounting joint operations in fighting against cross-boundary crimes, improving the prevention and control of risks, and promoting the Single E-lock Scheme.

     Ms Ho said that Hong Kong Customs will continue to promote and deepen high-level collaboration with the Shenzhen Customs District in different areas, thereby enhancing the enforcement capabilities of both administrations and contributing to the developments of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the country.

     The delegation today also toured the CHB Exhibition Gallery and Customs Computer Forensic Laboratory to learn about the department’s historical developments, key functions and work on tackling advanced technology crimes.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/JAPAN – Archbishop Kikuchi: “Abolition of nuclear weapons for a lasting peace”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) – The government of Japan, whatever it may be, “should be the first to approve the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”, says the Archbishop of Tokyo, Isao Kikuchi (SVD), recently appointed Cardinal by Pope Francis, while his country is going through a period of political uncertainty.In the elections held in Japan on Sunday 27 October, the coalition that had previously ruled, made up of the Liberal Democratic Party and the small Buddhist Komeito Party, lost its majority in Parliament, which it had held continuously since 2012. According to analysts, a period of uncertainty is now beginning for Japanese politics, normally characterized by great stability. The Archbishop points out some points that, in his opinion, should guide the policy of the Japanese government, regardless of which party or politician is in power now or in the future: “We hope that the Japanese government will continue the discussion on how to build trust among nations to abolish nuclear weapons, drawing inspiration from the recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Nihon Hidankyo organization, which brings together the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and advocates for a world free of nuclear weapons. “As a Catholic Church, we actively call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, especially during the annual Ten Days of Prayer for Peace in August. The Ten Days of Prayer begin with the commemoration of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, August 5, and continue until August 15, the commemoration of the end of the war in the Pacific in 1945,” stresses the Archbishop.This prayer goes hand in hand with a commitment to peace. The Archbishop of Tokyo notes: “Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to Hiroshima in 1981, which sent a strong message of peace. The Japanese bishops were encouraged by this message from the Pope and therefore launched the Ten Days of Prayer for Peace”. Pope Francis’ visit in 2019 confirmed and renewed this approach: the Pope called for “never again war, never again the noise of weapons, never again so much suffering” and reiterated during his trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki: “The use of nuclear energy for war purposes is immoral, just as the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral”. “Today”, continued the Archbishop of Tokyo, “the Diocese of Hiroshima and the Diocese of Nagasaki, and with them the entire Catholic community of Japan, call together for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the establishment of peace, also involving the Bishops of the United States in a step of great symbolic value”. He concludes: “The Church in Japan will continue to work with all men and women of good will who seek peace, to call on world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons and thus create lasting peace.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN/GENERAL AUDIENCE – Pope Francis: Confirmation must not become the sacrament of “departure” from the Church

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Vatican Media

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “The problem is how to ensure that the Sacrament of Confirmation is not reduced, in practice, to “last rites”, that is the Sacrament of “departure” from the Church, but is rather the Sacrament of participation, of active participation in the life of the Church”. This is what Pope Francis said at today’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, continuing his catechesis on the Holy Spirit and today reflecting on the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church through the Sacraments.Last week the Pope spoke about the action of the Holy Spirit in marriage, today he reflected on Confirmation, which “par excellence, according to Pope Francis, is the sacrament of the Holy Spirit”. The Pope recalls that in the New Testament, in addition to baptism with water, “another rite is mentioned, that of the imposition of hands, which has the purpose of communicating the Holy Spirit visibly and in a charismatic way, with effects analogous to those produced by the Apostles at Pentecost”.With the passing of time, “the rite of anointing took shape as a Sacrament in itself, assuming diverse forms and content in the various ages and different rites of the Church”. To better suggest what this sacrament represents, the Pope quotes the Catechism of adults of the Italian Episcopal Conference. It states: “Confirmation is for all the faithful what Pentecost was for the entire Church. … It reinforces the baptismal incorporation into Christ and the Church and the consecration to the prophetic, royal and priestly mission. It communicates the abundance of the gifts of the Spirit. … If, therefore, Baptism is the Sacrament of birth, Confirmation is the Sacrament of growth. For this very reason it is also the Sacrament of witness, because this is closely linked to the maturity of Christian existence”.”The problem,” said the Bishop of Rome, “is how to ensure that the Sacrament of Confirmation is not reduced, in practice, to “last rites”, that is the Sacrament of “departure” from the Church.” “It is said that it is the farewell Sacrament, ” cintinued the Pope, “because once young people do it they go away and then return for marriage. This is what people say”. On the contrary, Confirmation is “the Sacrament of participation, of active participation in the life of the Church”. The Bishop of Rome continued: “It is a milestone that can seem impossible, given the current situation throughout the Church, but this does not mean that we should stop pursuing it. It will not be so for all Confirmands, children or adults, but it is important that it is at least for some who will then go on to be the animators of the community”, continues the Pope who proposes that it can be useful, for this purpose “to be helped in preparing for the Sacrament by lay faithful who have had a personal encounter with Christ and have had a true experience of the Spirit. Some people say that they have experienced it as a blossoming of the Sacrament of Confirmation received as children”.But this, he stresses, “does not relate only to future Confirmands; it relates to all of us and at any time. Together with Confirmation and anointing, we have received” what Saint Paul calls “the first fruits of the Spirit”.”We must “spend” this bond, savour these first fruits, not bury underground the charisms and talents received. Here is a good goal for the Jubilee year! To remove the ashes of habit and disengagement, to become, like the torchbearers at the Olympics, bearers of the flame of the Spirit. May the Spirit help us to take a few steps in this direction!”, the Pope concluded.Before the final blessing, Pope Francis once again recalled the countries at war and asked for constant prayers for peace: “War is increasing, let us think of the countries that are suffering so much, such as the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu. Let us pray for peace. Peace is a gift of the Spirit, war is always a defeat. In war, no one wins, everyone loses”.”Yesterday,” the Pope added referring to the recent massacre in the Gaza Strip, “I saw 150 innocent people shot with machine guns. What do children and families have to do with it? They are the first victims of war, let us pray for peace,” the Pope concluded. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Protection of indigenous peoples: the work of the Catholic Church in the face of exploitation and expropriation

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Manila (Agenzia Fides) – In October, the month dedicated to the protection of indigenous peoples in the Philippines, the Catholic Church organized various events, meetings and local celebrations aimed at calling institutions to address the problems faced by these peoples in continuing their lives on their ancestral lands, a life threatened above all by mining exploitation.The Philippines has emerged on the international scene as a major supplier of raw materials for the global energy transition, with reserves of minerals such as nickel, a key material for electric car batteries. However, this boom and the mining concessions granted by the government in Manila to multinational companies are leading to displacement and habitat destruction among indigenous peoples, who are being deprived of their ancestral lands and their livelihoods. According to the 2023 State of Indigenous Peoples Address report published by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Centre (LRC), land and environmental conflicts have increased by 6% in one year, with more than 70,000 additional hectares of land affected. Resource conflicts, especially those related to mining, “have a direct impact on the lives of indigenous peoples themselves. Their lives are truly at stake,” the LRC notes, explaining that between 2022 and 2023, over 45,000 indigenous people were victims of land theft in areas such as the islands of Palawan or Mindoro. Another example concerns the mountainous Cordillera region (north of Luzon island), where the Philippine government has approved 99 hydroelectric projects that are part of a broader plan to develop renewable energy sources. The projects have divided rural communities into those who believe that the dams will bring jobs and money and those who fear damage to water sources and cultural sites.The Philippines is estimated to be home to between 14 and 17 million indigenous people belonging to 110 ethnic-linguistic groups. In the various regions where they are located – such as the Cordillera (in Luzon, in the North), the Visayas (in the center of the archipelago), the Bagsamoro region (in Mindanao, in the South) – these peoples are subject to social discrimination, economic marginalization and political deprivation, phenomena that are exacerbated by mining, which deprives them of their land rights. Over the last hundred years, the Philippine government has increasingly taken away land from indigenous peoples precisely because it is rich in natural resources. The country has begun to promote the dignity and rights of these peoples, thanks in part to the educational work carried out by the Catholic Church and missionaries. Under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), passed in 1997, indigenous peoples have ownership rights to their ancestral lands if they receive a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title. The holder of this certificate has the power to approve or reject projects that affect the land, such as in the mining sector. However, obtaining the certificate involves a lengthy bureaucratic process that requires legal representation, and is a process that many indigenous groups have not even begun. In 2003, the government declared October as “Indigenous Peoples’ Month,” establishing a Day of Recognition for Indigenous Peoples, set for October 29, to renew the commitment to ensure fair treatment of these peoples. The Catholic Church in the Philippines, through the Episcopal Commission for Indigenous Peoples, Diocesan Groups and Religious Institutes, has undertaken to “listen to our indigenous brothers and sisters who are members of the family of God, to respond to their aspirations as members of our society” and to protect their lives. An example of this commitment is the award of the National Prize named after Saint Theresa of Calcutta to Sister Minerva Caampued for her work in favor of the indigenous peoples in the province of Cagayan, after thirty years of tireless work for the indigenous Agta community in the areas of environmental protection, health care, nutrition and educational programs. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol

Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol.

The leaders discussed recent developments and expressed their deep concern and condemnation over North Korea’s troop deployment to support Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Prime Minister and the President welcomed Canada and Korea’s first High-Level Foreign and Defence Policy Dialogue (2+2) between ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence later this week. They also noted the value of our growing defence partnerships and reaffirmed the importance of bilateral co-operation on regional and global issues, including in the Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Yoon agreed to remain in close contact and looked forward to meeting soon.

Associated Links

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: Exciting Opportunity to Leverage Triller’s Underutilized Assets to Create Next-Gen Entertainment Platform
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Triller Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ILLR) (“Triller Group” or “the Company”) today announced the release of its latest Fact Sheet, providing initial insights into the Company’s mission to become the next generation Entertainment Platform.

“I could not be more excited about our future prospects, as an App, as a brand and as a group of leading-edge companies”, said Bob Diamond, Chairman of the Board. “We have the disruptive fighting brand in BKFC, the next generation streaming platform in TrillerTV, sophisticated AI tools helping Presidential candidates and NFL franchises find their audiences, and an App upon which we will build an integrated vertical video and connected TV multimedia entertainment platform.”

With the creator economy valued at a massive $180 billion and experiencing robust growth, Triller Group is well positioned to address emerging issues driven by ongoing technological disruption. Issues such as creators or professional content providers struggling to protect, leverage, or monetize their content. Or users looking for better ways to discover and engage with exciting new content. These unmet needs of creators, brands and users create huge market opportunities for Triller Group.

As the Company develops and implements strategies to meet these needs, Triller Group is not starting from scratch. The Company already has a strong foundation with powerful assets and brands in vertical video (Triller App), connected TV (TrillerTV) and content and events (BKFC) that foster passionate user engagement through authenticity and trust. The transformation journey has already started as evidenced by the fact that the Company has:
- A content-rich Triller App, with 36% of users actively creating content.
- A highly sophisticated, AI-driven suite of tools and services, currently serving top creators and leading brands globally on the Triller App and across the social media landscape.
- More than 3,000 events live-streamed annually without a glitch through TrillerTV.
- Proof of concept with BKFC, the world’s fastest-growing combat league, featuring highly successful events and unique content made accessible across all media distribution channels, including vertical video and connected TV, on a global scale.
As Triller Group connects and integrates these underleveraged assets, Triller Group will start to occupy a truly unique position as an entertainment platform, translating into unparalleled value for all our stakeholders.

Over the next few weeks, the Company will provide further updates as an experienced management team renowned for its execution and integrity is being put into place under the leadership of Kevin McGurn, the Company’s previously announced incoming CEO. More details on the transformation plan and associated business plan will also be provided during a planned investor and media day in November 2024.

Triller Group is excited to embark on this journey to redefine entertainment and create unparalleled opportunities for creators, brands and audiences alike.

The Fact Sheet is available on the Company’s Investor Relations page at the following address: https://trillercorp.com/ir/.

About Triller Group Inc.

Triller Group is a US-based company that operates two main businesses: the newly merged US-based social media operations (Triller Corp.), and the legacy operations of the Company in Hong Kong (“AGBA”).

Triller Corp. is a next generation, AI-powered, social media and live-streaming event platform for creators. Pairing music culture with sports, fashion, entertainment, and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology, Triller Corp. uses proprietary AI technology to push and track content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks, enabling them to reach millions of additional users. Triller Corp. additionally owns Triller Sports, Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC); Amplify.ai, a leading machine-learning, AI platform; and TrillerTV, a premier global PPV, AVOD, and SVOD streaming service. For more information, visit www.triller.co.

Established in 1993, AGBA is a leading, multi-channel business platform that incorporates cutting edge machine-learning and offers a broad set of financial services and healthcare products to consumers through a tech-led ecosystem, enabling clients to unlock the choices that best suit their needs. Trusted by over 400,000 individual and corporate customers, the Group is organized into four market-leading businesses: Platform Business, Distribution Business, Healthcare Business, and Fintech Business. For more information, please visit www.agba.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us following the consummation of the business combination; expectations regarding our strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and our ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in Hong Kong and the international markets the Company plans to serve and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC, the length and severity of the recent coronavirus outbreak, including its impacts across our business and operations. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

Investor & Media Relations:

Bethany Lai
ir@triller.co
investorrelations@triller.co

Anthony Silverman
ads@apellaadvisors.com

# # #

The MIL Network –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: Haivision Releases Free Video Player for Real-Time ISR Streams
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MONTREAL, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haivision Systems Inc. (“Haivision”) (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, today announced the general availability of Haivision Play ISR, a free and easily-available desktop video player designed specifically for defense and ISR professionals.

Haivision Play ISR prioritizes low-latency playback of live video with KLV metadata. It enables users to see events unfolding in real-time with metadata providing more awareness than just video alone. The geospatial information contained within KLV-formatted MISB/STANAG metadata provides the crucial context needed for a more complete understanding of mission-critical situations.

Combined with market-leading solutions such as the Makito video encoder and Kraken video processing platform, Play ISR completes Haivision’s end-to-end ISR ecosystem by providing customers with a suite of products that support each critical step along ISR video workflows – from contribution from the field of operation, to distribution to command and control centers, and visualization for real-time analysis and decision-making.

“Playback of low latency video alongside KLV metadata in a free, easy-to-use desktop application, empowers Play ISR users with the real-time situational awareness they need to make faster, more informed decisions in the field,” says John Leipper, Defense Product Manager, Haivision. “This combination of features is unmatched in the market and underscores Haivision’s commitment to supporting the work of defense and ISR teams.”

Available for download as an application for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, Haivision Play ISR features a user-friendly interface suitable for all users.

Key features:
- Playback low-latency video for real-time situational awareness.
- Decodes and displays KLV-formatted MISB geospatial metadata.
- View live video encoded in H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC.
- Play video streams with UDP and SRT protocols.
- Download for free for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
- Easily setup and configure.
Haivision Play ISR equips defense and ISR professionals with the tools they need to make informed decisions in real-time. Download Haivision Play ISR for free today and experience the benefits of low-latency video and KLV metadata for ISR workflows.

About Haivision
Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision making. We provide high quality, low latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open sourced its award-winning SRT low latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To learn more, visit Haivision at haivision.com.

Jennifer Gazin
514.334.5445 ext 8309
jgazin@haivision.com

The MIL Network –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at breakfast meeting hosted by HKEX in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (English only) (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today (October 30): Carlson (Chairman of HKEX, Mr Carlson Tong), Mohammed (CEO of Saudi Exchange, Mr Mohammed Al-Rumaih), Bill (Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered PLC, Mr Bill Winters), Darryl (Deputy Chief Executive of HKMA, Mr Darryl Chan), Bonnie (CEO of HKEX, Ms Bonnie Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Good morning, everyone. It is a great pleasure to join you today at this important breakfast session hosted by HKEX, right at the heart of the FII (Future Investment Initiative). Before we begin, I want to extend my appreciation to HKEX for organising this session and to FII for providing a forum that brings global leaders together to address the future of investment. My special thanks to Mohammed, CEO of Saudi Exchange, and Bill, Global CEO of Standard Chartered, for joining this panel. A moment for co-operation There couldn’t be a better time for us to gather and discuss how we can strengthen our capital market connectivity. The transformative agenda set forth by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 seeks to foster a dynamic society through extensive infrastructure projects, green transition, and digitalisation. This ambitious vision is driving significant reforms across various sectors, positioning the Kingdom as a leader in economic diversification and innovation. In light of the evolving geopolitical landscape and shifts in global economic gravity, Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East are actively deploying their capital towards Asia. In this context, Hong Kong emerges as a pivotal player, serving as an international financial centre and a gateway to China and the wider Asian market. Hong Kong’s value proposition Hong Kong’s unique strengths are anchored in the “one country, two systems” framework, which China has committed to maintain over the long term. This arrangement allows Hong Kong to benefit from both the advantages of being part of China and the defining characteristics as an international city. We enjoy convenient, and at times privileged, access to the Mainland market while retaining our distinctive features, including a common law system, a judiciary that exercises powers independently, the free flow of capital, goods, information, and talent, a low and simple tax regime, and a currency pegged to the US dollar. Hong Kong is one of the top three international financial centres globally, alongside New York and London. We have also recently been recognised by the Fraser Institute as the freest economy in the world. Our world-class professional services adhere to the highest international standards, bolstered by a wealth of international experience and extensive connections. In short, Hong Kong presents unique advantages that can create significant value for Middle Eastern investors and capital. Hong Kong is an attractive destination for investment and collaboration, particularly in such areas as fund-raising, asset and wealth management, and green and sustainable finance. Allow me to elaborate. Fund-raising markets First, our fund-raising market. Carlson will provide a comprehensive overview of how Hong Kong serves as the prime connector between the capital markets of the Mainland and the rest of the world. Our stock market has a capitalisation of over US$4.5 trillion, which is 12 times of our GDP. It went through some challenging times in 2023 and the earliest part of this. It is making a comeback, particularly following the recent announcement of a stimulus package by the central authorities, aimed at injecting liquidity into the banking sector and supporting the real estate market. Since then, the market has increased by about 15 per cent with high volume. We have seen strong buying interest from American and European investors, who accounted for approximately 85 per cent of the buy side by value. Notably, 90 per cent of these investors are long-term fund managers and investment banks. Over the past few years, we have continuously reformed our listing regime. These reforms have broadened our market’s appeal and positioned Hong Kong as a leading listing hub for innovative enterprises. For example we are now the second-largest biotech fund-raising hub after the United States. Our country, China, has consistently supported the development of Hong Kong’s stock market. Just this April, the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced five measures to bolster the development of Hong Kong’s capital markets, including, for example, expanding the Connect Schemes we have with the Mainland to cover more ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and REITs (real estate investment trusts), and facilitating the listing of more leading Mainland companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. By the way, we are also actively enhancing our connectivity with new markets. Last year, we reached an agreement with the Saudi Exchange and Indonesia Stock Exchange to allow companies in these countries to secondary list on our Stock Exchange. As they come to Hong Kong, they are able to access both international capital and capital from the Mainland under the Connect Schemes. The upcoming listing of two ETFs investing in Hong Kong stocks on the Saudi Exchange will be further reinforcing our links with Saudi Arabia. Beyond stock market, we boast a vibrant private equity sector, which manages over US$230 billion in assets, making us number two in Asia, only after the Mainland. Indeed, Hong Kong has a comprehensive chain of funds supporting companies at various stages of growth. Looking to the future, our stock market is poised to grow deeper and more robust. We are determined to attract more quality issuers from around the globe, and new capital sources, particularly Middle East and Asia. Asset and wealth management hub Second, asset and wealth management. Many Middle Eastern families and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are increasingly recognising the need to diversify their asset allocation and look beyond traditional American and European markets. They can certainly look to Hong Kong. We manage over US$4 trillion in assets, with more than half coming from outside Hong Kong and Mainland China. We are also home to 2 700 single-family offices. Beyond diversified investment offerings, we have established a robust network comprising private banks, accounting and legal firms, trusts, and other professional service providers, forming a strong nexus that caters to their needs. This is further complemented by our strong philanthropic culture and programmes for families to leave a lasting legacy, making a difference in the world and shaping a better future for generations to come.Green and sustainable finance Finally, green and sustainable finance. As a key component of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has embarked on the Saudi Green Initiative, with clear targets to increase the share of renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance land and sea protection. This vision resonates with us well, and we stand ready to contribute. Hong Kong is Asia’s green finance capital, demonstrated by our leading position in arranging green and sustainable debt, averaging over $63 billion per year over the past three years, accounting for over one-third of Asia’s total. Beyond volume, we are committed to building a green reporting system that meets the highest international standards, by adopting taxonomies interoperable with other international classification frameworks, and adhering to global sustainable reporting standards. Clearly, Hong Kong is an ideal platform for Saudi and Middle Eastern green and sustainable projects looking to access funds in our part of the world.Concluding remarks Ladies and gentlemen, I have just outlined some of the areas that Hong Kong can play in connecting capital, investments, and opportunities between our markets. I am eager to hear the valuable insights from our panelists this morning on how our capital markets can further collaborate and innovate. I wish you all the best of health and business in the years to come. May our discussions today inspire new ideas and fruitful collaborations that lead to shared prosperity and growth for all. Thank you!

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in McCormick County

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in McCormick County

Disaster Recovery Center Opening in McCormick County

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center will open in McCormick County to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene. McCormick CountyMcCormick County Library 201 Railroad Ave. McCormick, SC 29835Open Oct. 30 – Nov. 5, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Additional Disaster Recovery Centers are scheduled to open in other South Carolina counties. Click here to find centers that are already open in South Carolina. You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
gerard.hammink
Wed, 10/30/2024 – 14:08

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: South Burlington Man Charged with Enticing Minors to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Jason McGrath, 44, of South Burlington, Vermont has been charged by criminal complaint with enticing minors to produce child sexual abuse material.

On October 29, 2024, McGrath appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that McGrath be detained pending a detention hearing on Friday, November 1, 2024.

According to court records, between March 25, 2023 and September 26, 2024, McGrath used an on-line chat application to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce minors to produce child pornography, now referred to as child sexual abuse material. McGrath explicitly sought young girls via the on-line application, requested others to sexually abuse them, and sought video and visual depictions of the abuse. McGrath also is alleged to have paid money in exchange for child sexual abuse materials, including by sending funds through an online payment system to a country in Southeast Asia known to law enforcement as a location where child-sex-trafficking networks operate.

On the afternoon of October 28, 2024, McGrath was detained by Customs and Border Protection while reentering the United States from Canada. While McGrath was detained, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his South Burlington residence. During the search warrant execution, law enforcement located a substantial amount of computing equipment, including a high-performance gaming computer, an enterprise-level server rack (including a router, network switch, and network area storage), and other equipment that collectively is capable of storing and processing large amounts of data. Review of this equipment by law enforcement is ongoing.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that McGrath is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. McGrath faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and up to life imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, and thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. McGrath is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Steel Calls on Biden Administration to Hold North Korea Accountable for Human Rights Abuses
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Michelle Steel (CA-48)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of a coming United Nations review of the human rights situation in North Korea, U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel is calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to hold Kim Jong-un’s regime accountable for failing to respect human rights obligations under international law.

Steel, a first-generation immigrant whose parents fled North Korea, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighting a series of concerns including North Korea’s campaign of torture, unlawful detainment and improper refugee treatment, among other issues.

The United States will have an opportunity to raise areas of concern as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s review process.

“Decades after my parents fled following a communist takeover, North Korea’s government continues to abuse basic human rights and aggressively persecute its own citizens,” said Rep. Michelle Steel. “Innocent North Koreans, defectors, and detained foreign citizens need the United States’ help now more than ever. I will continue fighting for their freedoms while urging the Biden Administration to hold North Korea accountable for violating international human rights standards.”

Steel’s letter calls on Secretary of State Blinken to address numerous issues as part of the UN review, including but not limited to:
- Refugee repatriation from China back to North Korea
- Citizens of America’s allies (South Korea and Japan) held against their will in North Korea
- North Korea’s political prison camps
- North Korea’s failure to ratify international treaties to prevent torture
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MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Banks Introduces End Executive Branch Amnesty Act to Reform TPS and CHNV

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03)

Today, Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03) introduced the End Executive Branch Amnesty Act, extensive immigration legislation to secure our border by stopping the Biden-Harris administration’s abuse of Temporary Protected Status and the CHNV Parole Program, limiting the use of immigration parole, banning the use of the CBP One application as a form of identification, and reforming treatment of unaccompanied minors. Read the bill text HERE and a one pager HERE.

Said Rep. Banks: “Small towns across our nation like Logansport, Indiana, are bearing the brunt of the Biden-Harris White House’s reckless open border policies. It’s time for Congress to secure our border once and for all.”

“The Biden-Harris administration has abused the laws on the books to grant millions of non-citizens legal status. Republicans must restore our immigration system to Congress’s original intent and ensure parole is only used as a last-ditch humanitarian measure to help foreign nationals in times of catastrophe. Over the past three years, millions of foreigners have made the dangerous and illegal journey across our southern border because of the Biden-Harris administration’s promise of future amnesty. Democrats broke our immigration system, and my bill would help fix it by ending mass parole and other magnets drawing people here illegally.”

Background:

Logansport, Indiana, a small town of just 18,000 residents, has recently been overwhelmed by an influx of an estimated 5,000 Haitian migrants in just two years. Logansport resident Candice Espinoza told Fox News that, “We don’t have space for everybody, so the housing has been taken over and our schools have been taken over; pretty much the whole town has been taken over.”

The Biden-Harris administration has granted parole to over 2.1 million foreigners since October 2021.

Currently over 850,000 foreign migrants from sixteen different nations are protected from deportation and authorized to work in the U.S. through Temporary Protected Status.

The Biden-Harris administration’s Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela Parole Program (CHNV), which was never authorized by Congress, has flown over 520,000 foreign nationals into America since January 2024. An internal report by USCIS found rampant fraud in the CHNV Parole Program. As a result, the CHNV Parole Program was paused in July 2024, before the Biden-Harris administration restarted it several weeks later.

In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration began allowing illegal aliens to use the CBP One mobile app to submit identification and schedule appointments at ports of entries to be processed and then released into the U.S. A DHS OIG report from September 2024 found widespread fraud on the application.

The Biden-Harris administration has lost track of 325,000 unaccompanied migrant children.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKHSA detects first case of Clade Ib mpox
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.

This is the first detection of this Clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox Clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).

UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox Clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.

The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of Clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox Clade Ib causes more severe disease than Clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage Clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this Clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.

The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:

I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.

Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:

The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.

Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.

The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.

Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring Clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.

The wider risk to the UK population remains low.

UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.

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Published 30 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The Secret of Creativity: What is Needed for Industry Development

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

On the first day of the conference, four thematic sessions were held. The first was dedicated to creative cities. “This is a complex topic, and now in Russia it is very acute, very relevant, popular. In 2020, this was completely different, four years have changed everything. Our measurements show that creative industries are incredibly unevenly distributed across regions and cities and are concentrated in certain places. That is, they are very selective. This is very important knowledge, and of course, I want to understand what kind of cities and spaces are that attract the creative industry, and what their secret is,” shared the session moderator, Director Center “Russian Cluster Observatory” Evgeny Kutsenko, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Head of Department “Creative Industries Research Laboratory” Victoria Boos, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics, presented Rating of innovative attractiveness of world citieswith an analysis of the distribution of creative industries around the world.

“The key feature of our rating is that it provides an information base for making management decisions in the field of urban management. Another feature is a truly unique system of indicators: we do not use municipal statistics, we do not use expert assessments, we use data from independent platforms that aggregate information about the best representatives of creative industries, that is, about the leaders of creative industries,” she said.

The study included eight industries that together account for about 90% of the income of the entire creative sector in the world. These are cinema and animation, computer games, music, fashion, advertising and PR, architecture, industrial design and art, which includes literature, performing arts and contemporary art.

The top 5 cities with the highest concentration of creative industry leaders include London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris. “If we look at this rating, we will see that in the top twenty there is parity between the East and the West, and in the top thirty there are more Western cities. Accordingly, we can say that the East is declaring itself as a full-fledged participant in the creative industries market,” Victoria Boos noted.

At the same time, the study showed that the top five cities are distinguished by a very large gap from all other cities. “You shouldn’t think that mega-creative cities only do what they do, pull creative leaders away from other settlements. The fact is that these mega-creative cities develop themselves and create creative leaders themselves,” the speaker emphasized.

The researchers also noted that over the past two years, the proportion between developed countries and the Global South in terms of the number of creative industry representatives has changed. Today, every tenth artist who has released the most downloaded music tracks is a representative of Latin America, while 150 of the most popular fashion brands, designers, and architectural firms are concentrated in the countries of North Africa and West Asia.

Creative industries are also developing in small towns – they have their own special style of creativity. It turned out that in some industries, more than 5% of stars are concentrated in cities with a population of less than 250 thousand people.

Over the past year, many cities have shown impressive dynamics, the speaker noted. For example, Dubai rose from 76th to 38th place, and Tokyo entered the top three. Victoria Boos emphasized that creative support measures are needed to develop creative industries. For example, a special economic zone for creative industries is being developed in Dubai. Similar zones have recently begun to appear and develop in China. In Australia, there are three professional associations in the field of architecture and sustainable construction. In Chile, localized music streaming services are developing. Korea subsidizes cable TV prices. India and Russia are creating film cities.

Also speaking at the session were the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Creative Initiatives and Cultural Heritage Foundation (Kazakhstan) Dina Abdrakhmet, the co-founder and Chairman of the Expert Council of the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER” Sergey Georgievsky and the Chairman of RuGBC Guy Ims.

The second session was devoted to the management of creative industries in Russia, the third to strategic planning of creative industries and best global practices, and the fourth to education and skills in this area.

On the second day of the session, October 31, the IV International Forum of Young Researchers of the Creative Economy will take place. The authors of scientific papers that have passed the competitive selection will present their reports.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Ministerial Breakfast on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to end Plastic Pollution [as delivered]

Source: United Nations secretary general

Excellencies, Friends,

We are here today as we enter the last stretch of a crucial negotiation.

Next month, Member States will meet in Busan, Republic of Korea to negotiate a multilateral solution to end plastic pollution.

A solution that is vital for people, planet and prosperity alike.

My thanks to the Government of Colombia for bringing us together today.

And I commend you for leading by example – with ambitious national measures to reduce single-use plastics.

Excellencies, dear Friends,

We are here because we know the obvious.

Plastic pollution is everywhere – all around us and even inside us – from our seas to our blood, to our brains.

We are choking on plastic.

Every year, people may ingest the equivalent of up to 50 plastic bags due to microplastics in food.

Each year, humanity produces over 460 million metric tonnes of plastic.

Half of it is designed for single-use purposes – used once and tossed away.

By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

And so, it is clear that we need action, and fortunately, people are now demanding it.

Excellencies, dear Friends,

We would not be here today but for the historic step taken by Peru and Rwanda in introducing a joint proposal that paved the way for the adoption, in 2022, at the UN Environment Assembly, of a landmark resolution to begin the process to end plastic pollution.

Since then, solidarity has been the hallmark of these negotiations.

We see this solidarity enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that has reinforced the importance of addressing pollution from all sources to reduce the impacts of pollution on ecosystems and biodiversity.

And we see this solidarity in the Pact for the Future, through which Member States recommitted to work towards the conclusion of a plastics agreement “with the ambition of completing negotiations by the end of 2024”.

In Busan, Member States will have the chance to deliver on these promises and agree on a global treaty to end plastic pollution – once and for all.

This has not been a road without challenges, but it has been a journey of progress.

I thank the Chair of the International Negotiating Committee, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, as well as his predecessor Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, for getting us through five rounds of complex negotiations.

This is an opportunity to demonstrate that multilateralism, while not always easy, can deliver for people, health and the environment.

The ball is now in the court of Member States to land an agreement that is ambitious, credible and just.

An agreement that addresses the life cycle of plastic – tackling single-use and short-lived plastics;

An agreement that responds to the needs of people and communities and that unleashes a just transition for all – including 20 million waste pickers around the world.

Excellencies, dear Friends,

As the Montreal Protocol demonstrated almost forty years ago, international cooperation underpinned by meaningful legally binding agreements remains the most fruitful avenue to address global environmental challenges.

I urge you to step up for human health, equity and justice.

To step up for the future of people and planet.

An ambitious agreement is the only way to end plastic pollution.

Thank you.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scene set for Leicester Diwali Day celebrations

Source: City of Leicester

THE Diwali lights and decorations are up on Leicester’s Belgrave Road, the Wheel of Light is turning, and the scene is set for the city’s annual Diwali Day event, which takes place tomorrow (31 October).

The city council’s festivals and events team is busy putting the finishing touches to the organisation of the event – one of the biggest on Leicester’s festival calendar.

They are working closely with the police and emergency services, and the council’s highways, public safety and licensing teams, to ensure the tens of thousands of visitors expected have a great Diwali experience.

Visitors from all over the city and beyond are expected to head to Leicester to join in the celebrations.

The city council’s head of festivals & events, Graham Callister said: “The council works with a number of organisations to put on the biggest Diwali Day celebrations in the UK, and we are very grateful for their support.

“We are also grateful for the work of the Leicester Hindu Festival Council, which arranges the stage entertainment each year.

“Now Diwali Day is almost here, and we look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to the Golden Mile on Thursday.”

The festivities will begin at 3pm with the opening of the Diwali Village on Cossington Street Recreation Ground. A children’s funfair and arts and crafts will be among the activities on offer, as well as Indian food and drinks.

Sponsored by Lidl GB, the Diwali Village will also feature a Fire Garden, offering a peaceful spot amid the hustle and bustle on the park.

Leicester’s annual Rangoli exhibition will open at 4pm on Diwali Day. Brought to the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre by the city council and Tilda, it will feature modern, and traditional Rangoli patterns, celebrating the ancient form of folk-art using bright powders, often seen on doorsteps at Diwali.

Entertainment including Indian dancing will begin at 5pm on the park’s main stage, with performances organised by the Hindu Festival Council. At the same time, the Red Bull DJ truck will be providing music and energising the Belgrave Road. A family-friendly programme of street art and processions will also take place on the road throughout the evening.

This year a giant LED screen showing a live stream of the stage show on the park, will be located at the end of Belgrave Road near to the big wheel.

The finale to the celebrations will be a stunning firework display, starting at around 7.30pm.

This year’s festivities are being sponsored by Malabar Gold & Diamonds, which recently opened its second UK showroom on Leicester’s Golden Mile.

A guide to all of the activities on offer, and information about ways to travel to the event is available from the Visit Leicester website.

Diwali is an ancient festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world. Often described as the festival of lights, it celebrates light over darkness and good over evil. It’s a time for exchanging presents and wishing goodwill to all.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting and 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Fact Sheet
Source: United States Department of Defense

During the 56th U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on October 30, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and ROK Minister of National Defense Kim Yong Hyun advanced numerous initiatives that deepen our extended deterrence cooperation, modernize our alliance capabilities, and strengthen our contributions to regional security.

On October 31, Secretary Austin and Minister Kim will join U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul for a Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting (2+2 Meeting) to align our diplomatic and defense efforts, ensuring that bilateral activities are synchronized to advance our Alliance’s shared values and interests.

ENHANCING EXTENDED DETERRENCE

The United States reaffirmed that its extended deterrence commitment to the ROK is ironclad. The United States and the ROK are enhancing our combined deterrence and response posture by:
- Enhancing extended deterrence cooperation through Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) workstreams that enable integrated planning, decision-making, and execution of conventional-nuclear operations, as laid out in the “Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula.”
- Conducting large-scale field training exercises to maintain a strong combined defense posture, such as Freedom Shield and Ulchi Freedom Shield, and enhance the Alliance’s crisis management capabilities and strengthen deterrence.
MODERNIZING ALLIANCE CAPABILITIES

The United States and the ROK are modernizing our capabilities to strengthen the combined defense architecture of the Alliance, empowering us to work together more seamlessly by:
- Enhancing combined abilities to deter and respond to DPRK missiles by upgrading Shared Early Warning Systems and missile defense capabilities against advanced and novel threats.
- Expanding science and technology cooperation through the new Defense Science and Technology Executive Committee (DSTEC) to guide defense innovation and accelerate the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies in areas such as autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies.
- Deepening industrial collaboration and supply chain resiliency by strengthening and connecting our defense industrial bases through our participation in the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities, allowing our forces to field the most modern, interoperable weapons systems.
STRENGTHENING REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION

The United States and the ROK resolved to jointly strengthen activities with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific by:
- Launching a new Regional Cooperation Framework to better coordinate efforts to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Areas of focus under this framework include maritime security, multilateral exercises, capacity building, defense industrial cooperation, technical cooperation, and information sharing.
- Deepening U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral security cooperation through a Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework that institutionalizes high-level dialogues, missile warning data sharing, and an increased scope, scale, and frequency of trilateral multi-domain exercises.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max
Source: Apple

Headline: Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max

October 30, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max

M4 Pro and M4 Max join M4 to form the most advanced family of chips ever built for a personal computer

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced M4 Pro and M4 Max, two new chips that — along with M4 — bring far more power-efficient performance and advanced capabilities to the Mac. All three chips are built using industry-leading, second-generation 3-nanometer technology, which improves performance and power efficiency. The CPUs across the M4 family feature the world’s fastest CPU core, delivering the industry’s best single-threaded performance, and dramatically faster multithreaded performance.¹ The GPUs build on the breakthrough graphics architecture introduced in the previous generation, with faster cores and a 2x faster ray-tracing engine. M4 Pro and M4 Max enable Thunderbolt 5 for the Mac for the first time, and unified memory bandwidth is greatly increased — up to 75 percent. Combined with a Neural Engine that’s up to 2x faster than the previous generation and enhanced machine learning (ML) accelerators in the CPUs, the M4 family of chips brings incredible performance for pro and AI workloads. And they deliver blazing performance for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy.

“Apple silicon has taken the Mac to unprecedented heights, and the rapid pace of innovation continues with M4 Pro and M4 Max,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “With the world’s fastest CPU core, immensely more powerful GPUs, and the fastest Neural Engine ever, the power-efficient performance and capabilities of the M4 family extend its lead as the most advanced lineup of chips in the industry.”

M4: Phenomenal Performance and New Capabilities

For entrepreneurs, students, creators, and more, the phenomenal performance of M4 comes to Mac for the first time. M4 features an up to 10-core CPU, with four performance cores and up to six efficiency cores. It’s up to 1.8x faster than M1, so multitasking across apps like Safari and Excel is lightning fast. A 10-core GPU provides incredible graphics performance, up to 2x faster than M1, making everything from editing photos to AAA gameplay exceptionally fast and smooth. And the faster 16-core Neural Engine is great for Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and other AI workloads.

M4 supports up to 32GB of unified memory and has higher memory bandwidth of 120GB/s. The display engine of the M4 family is enhanced to support two external displays in addition to a built-in display. And M4 now supports up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing fast data transfer speeds and even more flexibility across peripherals.

M4 Pro: Far More Powerful and Capable than Any AI PC Chip

M4 Pro takes the advanced technologies debuted in M4 and scales them up for researchers, developers, engineers, creative pros, and other users with more demanding workflows. M4 Pro features an up to 14-core CPU consisting of up to 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores. It’s up to 1.9x faster than the CPU of M1 Pro, and up to 2.1x faster than the latest AI PC chip.² The GPU features up to 20 cores for graphics performance that is 2x that of M4, and up to 2.4x faster than the latest AI PC chip.² This huge boost in performance makes building and testing apps across multiple simulators in Xcode quicker than ever. And with the improved hardware-accelerated ray-tracing engine in the M4 family GPU, games like Control look more compelling, and pro 3D renderers can produce stunning imagery in even less time.

M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of fast unified memory and 273GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is a massive 75 percent increase over M3 Pro and 2x the bandwidth of any AI PC chip.³ This, combined with the faster Neural Engine of the M4 family, means on-device Apple Intelligence models run at blazing speed. M4 Pro also supports Thunderbolt 5 on Mac, delivering up to 120Gb/s data transfer speeds, which more than doubles the throughput of Thunderbolt 4. For professionals working on larger file sizes across AI, video, code bases, and more, M4 Pro offers stunning performance and Apple silicon’s legendary power efficiency.

M4 Max: The Most Powerful Chip for a Pro Laptop

M4 Max is the ultimate choice for data scientists, 3D artists, and composers who push pro workflows to the limit. It has an up to 16-core CPU, with up to 12 performance cores and four efficiency cores. It’s up to 2.2x faster than the CPU in M1 Max and up to 2.5x faster than the latest AI PC chip.² The GPU has up to 40 cores for performance that is up to 1.9x faster than M1 Max and up to an astounding 4x faster than the latest AI PC chip.² So heavy workloads like de-noising raw video footage in DaVinci Resolve Studio can now run in real time.

M4 Max supports up to 128GB of fast unified memory and up to 546GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is 4x the bandwidth of the latest AI PC chip.³ This allows developers to easily interact with large language models that have nearly 200 billion parameters. The enhanced Media Engine of M4 Max includes two video encode engines and two ProRes accelerators, making it the ultimate choice for video professionals. And like M4 Pro, M4 Max also supports Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gb/s data transfer capability. M4 Max rips through the most challenging pro workloads and, thanks to the energy efficiency of Apple silicon, delivers exceptional battery life in a laptop.

Apple Silicon Powers Apple Intelligence

M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max are built for Apple Intelligence.⁴ Ushering in a new era for the Mac, Apple Intelligence brings personal intelligence to the personal computer. Combining powerful generative models with industry-first privacy protections, Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon and the Neural Engine to unlock new ways for users to work, communicate, and express themselves on Mac. It is available in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. With systemwide Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write. With the newly redesigned Siri, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac and other Apple products. New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months. Image Playground gives users a new way to create fun original images, and Genmoji allows them to create custom emoji in seconds. Siri will become even more capable, with the ability to take actions across the system and draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. In December, ChatGPT will be integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, allowing users to access its expertise without needing to jump between tools.

Apple Intelligence does all this while protecting users’ privacy at every step. At its core is on-device processing, and for more complex tasks, Private Cloud Compute gives users access to Apple’s even larger, server-based models and offers groundbreaking protections for personal information. In addition, users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.

Better for the Environment

The power-efficient performance of M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max helps the all-new MacBook Pro lineup meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and deliver up to 24 hours of battery life.⁵ This results in less time needing to be plugged in and less energy consumed over its lifetime. And for desktop systems like iMac and Mac mini, the energy efficiency of Apple silicon also reduces the total amount of energy used. Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
2. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using select industry-standard benchmarks. AI PC chip performance data from testing MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo (A2VMG-014US) with Core Ultra 7 258V.
3. Based on published technical specifications of shipping competitive chips as of October 2024.
4. Apple Intelligence is available now as a free software update for Mac with M1 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English. The first set of features is in beta and available with macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
5. Testing was conducted by Apple from August through October 2024. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/macbook-pro for more information.
Press Contacts

Todd Wilder

Apple

wilder@apple.com

Apple Media Helpline

media.help@apple.com
MIL OSI Economics –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: New MacBook Pro features M4 family of chips and Apple Intelligence
Source: Apple

Headline: New MacBook Pro features M4 family of chips and Apple Intelligence

October 30, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Apple’s new MacBook Pro features the incredibly powerful M4 family of chips and ushers in a new era with Apple Intelligence

With an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, Thunderbolt 5 on M4 Pro and M4 Max models, and an all-new nano-texture display option, MacBook Pro gets even more capable and even more pro

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today unveiled the new MacBook Pro, powered by the M4 family of chips — M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max — delivering much faster performance and enhanced capabilities. The new MacBook Pro is built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. Now available in space black and silver finishes, the 14-inch MacBook Pro includes the blazing-fast performance of M4 and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, starting with 16GB of memory, all at just $1,599. The 14- and 16-inch models with M4 Pro and M4 Max offer Thunderbolt 5 for faster transfer speeds and advanced connectivity. All models include a Liquid Retina XDR display that gets even better with an all-new nano-texture display option and up to 1000 nits of brightness for SDR content, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, along with up to 24 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac.¹ The new MacBook Pro is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning November 8.

“MacBook Pro is an incredibly powerful tool that millions of people use to do their life’s best work, and today we’re making it even better,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “With the powerful M4 family of chips, and packed with pro features like Thunderbolt 5, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, an all-new nano-texture display option, and Apple Intelligence, the new MacBook Pro continues to be, by far, the world’s best pro laptop.”

Supercharged by the M4 Family of Chips

Built using second-generation 3-nanometer technology, the M4 family is the most advanced lineup of chips for a personal computer. The M4 family features phenomenal single-threaded CPU performance with the world’s fastest CPU core,² along with outstanding multithreaded CPU performance for the most demanding workloads. Combined with machine learning accelerators in the CPU, an advanced GPU, and a faster and more efficient Neural Engine, Apple silicon is built from the ground up to deliver incredible performance for AI. Together with faster unified memory, each chip also includes increased memory bandwidth, so large language models (LLMs) and other large projects run smoothly and on device. Additionally, the industry-leading performance per watt of the M4 family means that users get up to 24 hours of battery life, raising the bar of what users can do on a single charge.

New 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 is the ideal choice for entrepreneurs, students, creators, or anyone doing what they love. Featuring a more powerful 10-core CPU, with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, and a faster 10-core GPU with Apple’s most advanced graphics architecture, the new MacBook Pro starts with 16GB of faster unified memory with support for up to 32GB, along with 120GB/s of memory bandwidth. With M4, MacBook Pro is up to 1.8x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 for tasks like editing gigapixel photos, and even more demanding workloads like rendering complex scenes in Blender are up to 3.4x faster.¹ With a Neural Engine that’s over 3x more powerful than in M1, it’s great for features in Apple Intelligence and other AI workloads. The M4 model also supports two high-resolution external displays in addition to the built-in display, and now features three Thunderbolt 4 ports so users can connect all their peripherals.

MacBook Pro with M4 delivers:¹
- Up to 7x faster image processing in Affinity Photo when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 1.8x faster when compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1.
- Up to 10.9x faster 3D rendering in Blender when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 3.4x faster when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1.
- Up to 9.8x faster scene edit detection in Adobe Premiere Pro when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 1.7x faster when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1.
MacBook Pro with M4 Pro: A Pro Powerhouse

For researchers, developers, engineers, creative pros, or anyone that needs even faster performance for more demanding workflows, MacBook Pro with M4 Pro offers a tremendous performance boost. M4 Pro features a powerful 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores for a jump in multicore performance, along with up to a 20-core GPU that is twice as powerful as M4. With M4 Pro, the new MacBook Pro gets a massive 75 percent increase in memory bandwidth over the prior generation — double that of any AI PC chip.³ The new MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is up to 3x faster than models with M1 Pro, speeding up workflows like geo mapping, structural engineering, and data modeling.¹

MacBook Pro with M4 Pro offers:¹
- Up to 4x faster scene rendering performance with Maxon Redshift when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 3x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
- Up to 5x faster simulation of dynamical systems in MathWorks MATLAB when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 2.2x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
- Up to 23.8x faster basecalling for DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 1.8x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
MacBook Pro with M4 Max: The Ultimate in Pro Performance

Designed for pros like data scientists, 3D artists, and composers who constantly push workflows to the limit, MacBook Pro with M4 Max empowers users to work on projects that were previously only imaginable on a desktop. M4 Max brings up to a 16-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU, over half a terabyte per second of unified memory bandwidth, and a Neural Engine that is over 3x faster than M1 Max, allowing on-device AI models to run faster than ever. With M4 Max, MacBook Pro delivers up to 3.5x the performance of M1 Max, ripping through heavy creative workloads like visual effects, 3D animation, and film scoring.¹ It also supports up to 128GB of unified memory, so developers can easily interact with LLMs that have nearly 200 billion parameters. And with the powerful Media Engine in M4 Max, which features two ProRes accelerators, MacBook Pro performance is amazing even when taking 4K120 fps ProRes video captured with the new iPhone 16 Pro and editing it in Final Cut Pro.

MacBook Pro with M4 Max enables:¹
- Up to 7.8x faster scene rendering performance with Maxon Redshift when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 3.5x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
- Up to 4.6x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 2.2x faster when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
- Up to 30.8x faster video processing performance in Topaz Video AI when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 1.6x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
Industry-Leading Liquid XDR Display Gets Even Better

The new MacBook Pro introduces an all-new nano-texture display option that dramatically reduces glare and distractions from reflections. In bright lighting conditions, the new MacBook Pro can now show SDR content at up to 1000 nits and still displays HDR content at up to 1600 nits of peak brightness. All together, it’s a game-changing experience for users working outdoors.

New 12MP Center Stage Camera

MacBook Pro includes a new 12MP Center Stage camera that delivers enhanced video quality in challenging lighting conditions. Video calls are even more engaging with Center Stage, which automatically keeps users centered in the frame as they move around. The new camera also supports Desk View, which adds a whole new dimension to video calls. And with studio-quality mics and a phenomenal six-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio, MacBook Pro delivers an incredibly immersive audio experience whether users are listening to music or watching a movie in Dolby Atmos.

Thunderbolt 5 Comes to the Mac

MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max features Thunderbolt 5 ports that more than double transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s, enabling faster external storage, expansion chassis, and powerful docking and hub solutions. For example, by connecting just a single cable, pros like music producers can now light up their entire studio. All MacBook Pro models feature an HDMI port that supports up to 8K resolution, a SDXC card slot, a MagSafe 3 port for charging, and a headphone jack, along with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

A New Era with Apple Intelligence on the Mac

Apple Intelligence ushers in a new era for the Mac, bringing personal intelligence to the personal computer. Combining powerful generative models with industry-first privacy protections, Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon and the Neural Engine to unlock new ways for users to work, communicate, and express themselves on Mac. It is available in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. With systemwide Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write. With the newly redesigned Siri, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac and other Apple products. New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months. Image Playground gives users a new way to create fun original images, and Genmoji allows them to create custom emoji in seconds. Siri will become even more capable, with the ability to take actions across the system and draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. In December, ChatGPT will be integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, allowing users to access its expertise without needing to jump between tools.

Apple Intelligence does all this while protecting users’ privacy at every step. At its core is on-device processing, and for more complex tasks, Private Cloud Compute gives users access to Apple’s even larger, server-based models and offers groundbreaking protections for personal information. In addition, users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.

An Unrivaled Experience with macOS Sequoia

macOS Sequoia completes the new MacBook Pro experience with a host of exciting features, including iPhone Mirroring, allowing users to wirelessly interact with their iPhone, its apps, and notifications directly from their Mac.⁴ Safari, the world’s fastest browser,⁵ now offers Highlights, which quickly pulls up relevant information from a site; a smarter, redesigned Reader with a table of contents and high-level summary; and a new Video Viewer to watch videos without distractions. With Distraction Control, users can hide items on a webpage that they may find disruptive to their browsing. Gaming gets even more immersive with features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode, along with a breadth of exciting titles, including the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Easier window tiling means users can stay organized with a windows layout that works best for them. The all-new Passwords app gives convenient access to passwords, passkeys, and other credentials, all stored in one place. And users can apply new beautiful built-in backgrounds for video calls, which include a variety of color gradients and system wallpapers, or upload their own photos.

The Perfect Time to Upgrade or Switch to a Mac

Upgraders will get monumental improvements over Intel-based MacBook Pro models, including the amazing features of Apple Intelligence. When compared to an Intel-based MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Pro provides nearly 10x faster performance for AI-based workloads,¹ and for graphics-intensive workloads, users get up to 20x faster performance.⁶ With battery life on the new MacBook Pro now up to 24 hours, upgraders will also experience up to 14 additional hours. And with the Liquid Retina XDR display, a new 12MP Center Stage camera, an immersive six-speaker sound system, the unrivaled experience of macOS Sequoia, and more, there’s never been a better time to upgrade or switch to MacBook Pro.

MacBook Air: The World’s Most Popular Laptop Now Starts at 16GB

MacBook Air is the world’s most popular laptop, and with Apple Intelligence, it’s even better. Now, models with M2 and M3 double the starting memory to 16GB, while keeping the starting price at just $999 — a terrific value for the world’s best-selling laptop.

Better for the Environment

The new MacBook Pro is built to last and incredibly durable, created from a custom alloy that uses 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure. It also uses 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled tin soldering, gold plating, and copper in multiple printed circuit boards. The packaging for the 14-inch MacBook Pro is now entirely fiber-based, joining the 16-inch MacBook Pro and bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from its packaging by 2025.

Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

Pricing and Availability
- Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Pro starting today, October 30, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, beginning Friday, November 8.
- The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 starts at $1,599 (U.S.) and $1,499 (U.S.) for education; the 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro starts at $1,999 (U.S.) and $1,849 (U.S.) for education; and the 16‑inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499 (U.S.) and $2,299 (U.S.) for education. All models are available in space black and silver.
- Additional technical specifications, including the nano-texture display and configure-to-order options, are available at apple.com/mac.
- MacBook Air with M2 and M3 comes standard with 16GB of unified memory, and is available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray, starting at $999 (U.S.) and $899 (U.S.) for education.
- New accessories with USB-C — including Magic Keyboard ($99 U.S.), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID ($149 U.S.), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad ($179 U.S.), Magic Trackpad ($129 U.S.), Magic Mouse ($79 U.S.), and Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable ($69) — are available at apple.com/store.
- Apple Intelligence is available now as a free software update for Mac with M1 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English. The first set of features is in beta and available with macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come.
- Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
- With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
- AppleCare+ for Mac provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know Mac best.
- Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1. Testing was conducted by Apple from August through October 2024. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/macbook-pro for more information.
2. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
3. Based on published technical specifications of shipping competitive chips as of October 2024.
4. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. Requires that the user’s iPhone and Mac are signed in with the same Apple Account using two-factor authentication, their iPhone and Mac are near each other and have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and their Mac is not using AirPlay or Sidecar. Some iPhone features (e.g., camera and microphone) are not compatible with iPhone Mirroring.
5. Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari for more information.
6. Results are compared to previous-generation 1.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.
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MIL OSI Economics –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Six poems that tell stories about monsters and monstrosity

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jon Stone, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, Anglia Ruskin University

Master1305/Shutterstock

Poetry isn’t a medium typically associated with towering beasts. Lyric poems tend to be short, tender and concerned with minor everyday incidents. That, or abstract concepts like love and death. Poems also tend to be thought of, wrongly or not, as true accounts – the inverse of creature feature films with preposterous special effects.

But poets, like everyone else, live in a world of disastrous events bigger than themselves. And the monster – particularly the giant monster – is an archetype that goes right back to ancient myth.

Talos, the bronze guardian of Crete, and Humbaba, the ogre of the Epic of Gilgamesh, are just two dangerous titans of literary history. It’s tempting to think that today we know enough about our surroundings to no longer be awed by the possibility of giants. But the truth is that there is still much that makes us feel small and vulnerable. Writing about huge monsters is one way of confronting that.

Two different anthologies of monster poetry are published this month in the UK. Ten Poets Defend Their Cities from Giant, Strange Beasts is edited by myself and Kirsten Irving and published by Sidekick Books. In it, poets envisage the outcomes of giant monster attacks on London, Cambridge, Glasgow and Liverpool, among other cities. These confrontations are frequently surreal, or representations of other kinds of epic battle.

Alex Adams and Aaron Kent’s Devastation Songs, meanwhile, is a compilation of writing about kaiju, the Japanese term for gargantuan fantasy creatures. In the foreword, Adams writes about how the monster movie is often used as a vehicle for “powerfully resonant social and political ideas”, pointing to recent Oscar winner Godzilla Minus One (2024) as an example.

Here are six more poems that deal in different ways with giant monsters:

1. Beowulf

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem about the defeat of Grendel – a creature whose exact form is still debated. Depending on which translation you read, Grendel is either a “grim demon”, a berserker, a “miscreated thing in man’s form”, or a “horrible stranger”.

Two things are certain, though: he is very large, and he is a violent murderer who must be destroyed.

Read more:
Publishing Tolkien’s Beowulf translation does him a disservice

2. La Géante (The Giantess) by Charles Baudelaire

This poem is from Baudelaire’s collection Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil, 1840-1867), which was dubbed “an insult to public decency” on publication.

The Giantess reflects some of the book’s controversial themes, revelling in erotic fascination. Far from opposing the giantess, the poem’s narrator wants to see her “grow without restraint”, imagining an expedition across her vast body. Here, Baudelaire proposes monstrosity as a realm of wonder and temptation.

The Jabberwock, as illustrated by John Tenniel, (1871).
Wiki Commons

3. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

One of Carroll’s (1832-1989) most famous poems, Jabberwocky is teeming with nonsense words (manxome, whiffling, burbled). This strange language keeps the titular Jabberwock obscured even as its fiery approach and defeat is recounted.

It makes for a faithful representation of monstrosity as a quality: we can perceive it, dream up words for it, even kill it, but we can never fully understand it.

4. The Man-Moth by Elizabeth Bishop

The epigraph to The Man-Moth explains that it was inspired by a misspelling of the word “mammoth”. Bishop’s man-moth isn’t necessarily a giant, but several lines allude to his having a giant’s perspective (“The whole shadow of Man is only as big as his hat”, “He thinks the moon is a small hole at the top of the sky”).

He is a sad, lonely creature who sheds a tear at the end of the poem. Bishop often wrote about the darkness in the human psyche, and her take on the subway-dwelling city beast is an allegory for urban alienation.

5. The Loch Ness Monster’s Song by Edwin Morgan

Scottish poet Edwin Morgan (1920-2010) specialised in linguistic play. The Loch Ness Monster’s Song is almost unintelligible – a brief burst of transcribed watery noises. But it could easily be a poem written in another language.

It challenges us to recognise that what we call “monstrous” might just be unfamiliar – not a threat, but an opportunity for connection.

6. Dragons by Matthew Francis

Every line of this poem, from Francis’ 2001 collection of the same title, ends in the word “dragons”. But the narrative is one of failing to find a single dragon.

This contrast is used to illustrate how monsters and creatures of myth loom large in our minds primarily as the result of our imaginations. In other words, we invent them to fill the gaps in reality. We need them, because without them there are too many clues pointing nowhere.

The poem isn’t available to read online, but you can read my own pastiche of it (framed as a “DVD extra”).

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Jon Stone is an editor at Sidekick Books.

– ref. Six poems that tell stories about monsters and monstrosity – https://theconversation.com/six-poems-that-tell-stories-about-monsters-and-monstrosity-239335

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025