Category: Business

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ22: Treatment of waste lead-acid batteries

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ22: Treatment of waste lead-acid batteries
Question:

     Under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (the Convention), member countries (Parties) are expected to treat and dispose of wastes as close as possible to their place of generation and to prevent and minimise the generation of wastes at source, and waste lead-acid batteries are hazardous waste regulated under the Convention. China is a Party to the Convention, the Convention is therefore applicable to Hong Kong as well. It has been reported that at present, most of the waste lead-acid batteries in Hong Kong were exported to other places (including Korea) after treatment, and those recycled locally only accounted for a small portion. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the quantity of waste lead-acid batteries generated in Hong Kong in each of the past three years, as well as the respective quantities of waste lead-acid batteries preliminarily processed locally, exported to overseas advanced facilities for recycling (with a breakdown by export areas) and recycled locally;

(2) of the respective maximum annual treatment capacities of the facilities for (i) preliminary treatment and (ii) recycling of waste lead-acid batteries in Hong Kong;

(3) of the details of projects relating to waste lead-acid batteries subsidised by the Recycling Fund in the past three years (including but not limited to the amount of subsidy granted for each project and the content of the subsidy);

(4) of the current progress of the implementation of the Producer Responsibility Scheme on waste lead-acid batteries, as well as the recovery target for local waste lead-acid batteries after the implementation of the Scheme; and

(5) whether the authorities have formulated a contingency plan to cope with the situation where the collection of treated waste lead-acid batteries exported from Hong Kong will be suspended in the event of policy adjustments by Korea or other places; if so, of the specific proposals; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Handling of waste lead-acid batteries is strictly regulated under the Waste Disposal Ordinance, and the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation including registration as chemical waste producers, applications for chemical waste collection and disposal licences, reporting the quantities of waste lead-acid batteries produced, collected and disposed of, and regulating the transboundary movements of waste lead-acid batteries according to the Basel Convention (the Convention).

    Any person intending to export waste lead-acid batteries for recycling should apply to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) for an export permit. Prior to issuing the permit, the EPD will obtain written consent from the relevant authority of the concerned state of import to ensure that the waste lead-acid batteries will be transported to an approved recycling facility in the destination location for recycling in an environmentally sound manner.

     The Convention encourages the Parties of the Convention to dispose of controlled waste within the country of origin as far as possible, but it does not prohibit the import or export of such waste under certain conditions, including that the state of import needs the waste as a raw material for recycling or recovery use. Currently, the waste lead-acid batteries exported from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region comply with the above principles. Under the permit control system, approval from the competent authority of the concerned state of import must be obtained prior to the export of waste lead-acid batteries, which must be recycled in facilities equipped with processing capacity in waste lead-acid batteries.

     The EPD will continue to combat illegal collection and disposal of waste lead-acid batteries, and promote proper disposal of waste lead-acid batteries and the relevant legal requirements to the trade.

     The reply to the question raised by the Hon Judy Chan is as follows:

(1) and (2) Currently, there are approximately 700 000 fuel-powered or gas-powered vehicles in Hong Kong, amounting to an estimation of around 3 000 tonnes of waste lead-acid batteries generated annually. In addition to other applications including uninterruptible power supply systems (e.g. data centres and emergency lighting), non-road mobile machineries (e.g. forklifts), vessels, and emergency generators in industrial and commercial buildings, an additional 3 500 to 4 000 tonnes of waste lead-acid batteries are generated each year. Thus, it is estimated that a total of 6 500 to 7 000 tonnes of waste lead-acid batteries are generated in Hong Kong annually. In recent years, the number of electric vehicles in Hong Kong has been steadily increasing. There were 110 014 electric vehicles in Hong Kong in 2024, representing about 12.2 per cent of the total number of vehicles. As newly launched electric vehicles no longer use lead-acid batteries, it is expected that the quantity of waste lead-acid batteries generated will gradually decline in the future.

     Currently, there are eight licensed disposal facilities for disposal of waste lead-acid batteries, seven of which conduct preliminary treatment such as sorting, insulation, and packaging before exporting the waste lead-acid batteries to overseas facilities for recycling. According to the capacity stipulated in their licences, these seven facilities can collectively process up to approximately 42 000 tonnes of waste lead-acid batteries annually. Another licensed facility located at the EcoPark in Tuen Mun processes waste lead-acid batteries into lead bullion by dismantling waste lead-acid batteries into lead grid and lead paste by means of high temperature smelting. The maximum annual disposal capacity (for lead bullion production) stipulated in its licence is about 8 000 tonnes.

     In the past three years, the quantities of waste lead-acid batteries treated locally and exported overseas are listed as follows:

Year
(3) Over the past three years (i.e. 2022 to 2024), the Recycling Fund approved a total subsidy of about $1.03 million for seven waste lead-acid batteries recyclers. The approved funding was to subsidise the purchase of equipment, such as packaging machine, scissor lift and electric pallet truck for enhancing their productivity, and provide a one-off subsidy to frontline recycling staff to help the recycling industry to cope with the COVID-19 epidemic.

(4) The Government has introduced the Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal of Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 (Amendment Bill) to the Legislative Council on April 2 this year to establish a common legislative framework for the producer responsibility schemes (PRSs) applicable to different products. After the passage of the Amendment Bill, we will extend PRSs to more products (including lead-acid batteries) as and when appropriate by means of subsidiary legislation.

The EPD has conducted consultations on the proposed PRS on lead-acid batteries from June 2023 to April 2025. We hitherto have met with more than 40 companies or organisations including trade associations of automotive batteries and tyres industry, traders of automotive parts, suppliers of uninterrupted power supplies, medical devices and forklifts, as well as engineering contractors and recyclers, with a view to considering the trade’s opinions when drawing up the implementation details. We will maintain a close communication with the trades and take into account their views for the sake of fine-tuning the operational details of the scheme as appropriate, including setting appropriate recycling targets in light of the prevailing circumstances.

(5) After proper treatment of waste lead-acid batteries, valuable lead materials can be recovered, which have considerable value in the international recycling market. Therefore, there is a market for purchasing waste lead-acid batteries for recycling. Apart from Korea, many countries including Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Mexico, Greece, and Canada, possess the capability to process waste lead-acid batteries and import them from other places for recycling purposes. The local recycling facility located at the EcoPark is also capable of treating locally generated waste lead-acid batteries. Therefore, even if certain places adjust their policies and cease importing treated waste lead-acid batteries, the market is still capable of handling them.
Issued at HKT 12:15

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Nominations for Young Astronaut Training Camp 2025 to start tomorrow

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The nomination for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Young Astronaut Training Camp 2025 will open for local secondary schools starting from tomorrow (May 1) until May 31. Selected participants will experience astronaut training on the Mainland free of charge this summer to learn about space science, astronomy and China’s aerospace achievements.

The training camp will run from July 25 to August 2. During the nine-day training camp, participants will visit Beijing, Jiuquan and Xi’an. The itinerary includes visiting various key astronomy and aerospace facilities such as Beijing Aerospace City, the Xinglong Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatories and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. In addition, participants will experience astronaut training activities and have a chance to meet with astronauts and aerospace experts.

The quota for the training camp is 30. Candidates must be local full-time students currently enrolled in Secondary Two to Secondary Six for the 2024/25 academic year, aged 12 or above and be nominated by their respective schools. Each school can nominate two students at most. There will be three rounds of selection – a quiz, a pre-camp training and an interview. Candidates with outstanding performance will be selected to join the camp. A briefing on the Camp will be conducted on May 6, at 5pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Please visit the Hong Kong Space Museum website at hk.space.museum/en/web/spm/activities/yatc.html for more details.

The training camp is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in association with the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. The training camp is organised by the Hong Kong Space Museum and sponsored by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.

The camp is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.ccpo.gov.hk/en/.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ20: Reforming GEM

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ20: Reforming GEM
Question:

     In 2023, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) conducted a consultation on the GEM (formerly known as “Growth Enterprise Market”) Listing Reforms and completed the amendment to the GEM Listing Rules. However, it has been reported that upon the introduction of a series of enhancement measures, only three enterprises were listed on GEM last year. Some members of the sector are of the view that GEM has still failed to perform its functions properly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows if the HKEX has assessed the effectiveness of the GEM reform, including whether the expected targets (not limited to the number of new listings and the amount of funds raised) have been achieved, and of the specific data or indicators showing that the attractiveness of GEM to issuers has been enhanced after the reform; if an assessment has been conducted, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) as there are views pointing out that insufficient market liquidity and relatively low investor participation are the core problems of GEM, of the concrete measures put in place by the Government to enhance the market liquidity of GEM, so as to attract the participation of more overseas and local investors, thereby strengthening the vitality and resilience of the market;

(3) whether the Government will join hands with the HKEX to review afresh the positioning of GEM and formulate strategies for its long-term development, as well as to work for co-ordination with other financial policies to ensure competitiveness and sustainable development of Hong Kong’s investment and capital raising markets;

(4) as many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have relayed that their desire to go listing on GEM has been dampened by the costs of listing which are on the high side, whether the Government will encourage the regulatory bodies to carry out reforms or relax the relevant listing requirements, so as to alleviate the financing costs of SMEs when going listing on GEM; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) how the Government will provide a suitable financing platform to enable SMEs which are unable to meet the listing requirements of the Main Board to go listing in Hong Kong (irrespective of whether they are listed on the GEM or other new boards)?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), the reply to the five parts of the question is as follows:

     GEM is positioned to provide a fundraising platform for small and medium enterprises to support their innovation and development, value creation and business growth. To enhance the attractiveness of GEM to issuers and investors, the HKEX implemented a series of GEM reform measures in January 2024. These include introducing a new financial eligibility test for high growth enterprises that are heavily engaged in research and development activities; introducing a new “streamlined transfer mechanism”; aligning the continuing obligations of GEM issuers with those of the Main Board, etc.

     The Government, regulators and the HKEX have been closely monitoring the development of stock markets in different places and the effectiveness of relevant measures, as well as continuously reviewing the implementation experience and market conditions. Overall speaking, the initial public offering (IPO) market had gradually become more vibrant in 2024, and enterprises have been increasingly confident about Hong Kong’s financing prospects. In 2024, the amount of total IPO funds raised in Hong Kong exceeded $87 billion, an increase of close to 90 per cent year-on-year and ranking fourth globally. Since the GEM reform, three companies were listed on GEM in 2024. As of the end of March this year, the HKEX was processing over 100 listing applications including that for listing on GEM. As regards liquidity, trading volume in the securities market hit new highs, with the overall average daily turnover of the Main Board and GEM increasing by 26 per cent year-on-year. The overall average daily turnover for the first three months of this year increased by 144 per cent year-on-year. The average daily turnover of GEM in March this year was about $78 million, up 77 per cent year-on-year. Under the newly implemented “streamlined transfer mechanism”, one company was successfully transferred to the Main Board for listing in February this year.

     There are many factors that affect IPO listing activities and liquidity of GEM. For example, geopolitics affects global markets and capital flows, where investors’ risk appetite has become more conservative, placing more attention on mature companies supported by business track records. The demand of small and medium enterprises for listing and fundraising is also affected by various external factors such as economic growth slowdown, industry prospects, market investment sentiment, interest rate policies, etc.

     To dovetail with the latest economic trends and corporate needs, and thereby further enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an all-rounded fundraising centre, the SFC and the HKEX are taking forward a comprehensive review on reforming the listing regime, including reviewing listing requirements and post-listing ongoing obligations, evaluating listing-related regulations and arrangements to improve the vetting process, optimising the thresholds for dual primary listing and secondary listing, and reviewing the market structure. The reform will study the functions and positioning of different segments to better serve the financing needs of enterprises of different types and backgrounds, including small and medium enterprises and start-ups. The HKEX and the SFC target to put forward enhancement proposals in different areas by batches when they are ready within this year for market consultation.

     Vetting of listing applications is an important step to review the compliance of listing applicants and maintain market quality. Its fundamental objective is to protect the rights and interests of the investing public who subscribe to the relevant stocks, especially some retail investors who may not have professional knowledge of corporate finance. According to the information of the HKEX, for the listing applications presented to the Listing Committee for consideration in the 12 months ended March 31, 2025, the median of total business days taken by the HKEX from listing application acknowledgement to issuance of hearing bundle letter was 28 days, while the median number of days required by listing applicants (Note) was 49 days. In maintaining certainty in listing schedule of enterprises, in addition to having clear and standardised procedures, efficient services provided by various professional institutions are also crucial to assist listing applicants in submitting the required information and responding to relevant issues raised by regulators. Currently, the cost of listing of enterprises mainly includes fees paid to sponsors, legal advisors, accountants and other professional services. The relevant fees are determined between listing applicants and professional institutions in accordance with market mechanism based on the circumstances of individual listing applications, which are not directly related to the requirements of regulators for approval of listing applications.

Note: Including the time to respond to comments from the HKEX and the regulator, etc.
Issued at HKT 14:30

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CategoriesMIL-OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ11: Sale of electricity generated by waste-to-energy facilities

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ11: Sale of electricity generated by waste-to-energy facilities
Question:

It is learnt that the Government is currently selling the surplus electricity generated by waste-to-energy facilities to the power companies at the prevailing fuel costs of the power companies. It has been reported that the relevant sale prices of electricity are too low, but the power companies are selling electricity to consumers at normal prices. There are views that the Government should make public the criteria for determining the sale prices of electricity, so as to ensure that the electricity generated by waste-to-energy facilities can be sold to the power companies at reasonable prices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) since the commissioning of T·PARK, O·PARK1 and O·PARK2, of (i) the amount of electricity generated by such facilities, (ii) the prices at which the surplus electricity generated by them was sold to the power companies, (iii) the criteria for the sale of electricity (including why the surplus electricity from such facilities was sold to the power companies at fuel costs), and (iv) the respective prevailing average tariffs charged by the power companies; the revenue received by the Government from the sale of such electricity;

(2) given that the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (i.e. I·PARK1) is expected to come into operation within this year, whether the authorities have drawn up plans for the sale of electricity in respect of the facilities;

(3) as it is learnt that the Government sells the surplus electricity generated by waste-to-energy facilities to the power companies at the prevailing fuel costs of the power companies, whether the tariff revenue concerned has been deducted from the permitted rate of return stipulated in the Scheme of Control Agreements (SCAs); if so, of the details; if not, whether the relevant provision will be added when formulating SCAs in the future; and

(4) whether it will require the power companies to offer corresponding tariff discounts to the grass roots, or residents living in the vicinity of waste-to-energy facilities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

To achieve the goals of “Zero Landfill” and carbon neutrality set out in the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 and Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050, the Government is pressing ahead with the development of a network of advanced and highly efficient modern waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities, including modern WtE incineration facilities and food waste treatment facilities, with a view to moving away from the reliance on landfills for direct disposal of municipal solid waste and transforming waste into energy for the daily operation of such facilities, while the surplus electricity generated can be exported to the power grid of the power companies. According to the existing arrangement, the Government would sell the surplus electricity to the power companies at the prevailing fuel costs of the power companies. The relevant revenue generated would be paid into the general revenue of the Government. My reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Hak-kan is as follows:

(1) and (3) T·PARK, Organic Resources Recovery Centre Phase 1 (O·PARK1) and Phase 2 (O·PARK2) are all WtE facilities. T·PARK is a sludge incineration facility dedicated to treating sludge generated from sewage treatment works. The heat energy generated from the sludge incineration process is recovered to generate electricity. On the other hand, O·PARK1 and O·PARK2 adopt anaerobic digestion technology to convert food waste into biogas for electricity generation. From their commencement of operation till December 2024, the cumulative amount of electricity generated and surplus electricity exported to the power grid by T·PARK and O·PARK1 are tabulated below:

Facility(million kWh)(million kWh)O·PARK2 began receiving food waste for operational testing in March 2024, during which the contractor was required to test and fine-tune each combined heat and power generation unit in phases. The electricity generated and utilised during normal operation was not reflected, and there was no surplus electricity exported to the power grid. Hence, there are no detailed records for O·PARK2 from March to December 2024.

The sale of surplus electricity generated by WtE facilities to the power companies by the Government does not cause an increase in overall electricity demand. Its actual effect is saving the fuel that power companies would otherwise need to generate an equivalent amount of electricity. If the sale price is set at a level higher than the fuel cost thus saved, it will lead to an increase of the fuel cost. On the contrary, if the sale price is set at a level lower than the fuel cost thus saved, it will be equivalent to subsidising the fuel cost by the Government. The Government has therefore used the prevailing marginal fuel cost of electricity generation saved by the power companies for purchasing such surplus electricity as a basis for setting the price of the surplus electricity, to avoid affecting the tariff. According to the Scheme of Control Agreements (SCAs) signed between the Government and the power companies, the amounts paid by the power companies for purchasing the surplus electricity generated by the Government’s renewable energy systems are counted as part of their fuel costs, which are accountable expenses. The power companies are not permitted to earn a return from such electricity purchases.

Over the years, the surplus electricity generated by T·PARK and O·PARK1 has been sold to CLP Power Hong Kong Limited at actual prices ranging from approximately $0.2 to $0.8 per kWh, while the average net tariffs have been charged at rates ranging from approximately $1.1 to $1.5 per kWh. The sale has yielded a total revenue of around $52 million to the Government.

(2) The Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (I·PARK1) is expected to commence operation this year. The aforementioned existing arrangement will apply to I·PARK1. Upon full operation of I·PARK1, apart from generating electricity for its daily operation, it is estimated that approximately 480 million kWh of surplus electricity can be exported to the power grid each year.

(4) Under the framework of the SCAs, the power companies have provided the energy saving rebate scheme and concessionary tariff schemes to offer discounts in the electricity bills to low consumption customers and customers in need, thereby encouraging energy saving and reducing their expenditure on electricity tariff. In addition, through programmes under their respective Community Energy Saving Fund and Smart Power Care Fund, the power companies would assist the disadvantaged in alleviating their expenses on electricity tariff, including the provision of cash subsidies to eligible grassroots families and households of sub-divided units. The Government will continue to encourage the power companies to provide assistance for customers in need having regard to their operating situations.
Issued at HKT 11:55

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ3: Enhancing effectiveness of waste management

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Carmen Kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

The Government has indicated in the 2024 Policy Address that it will continue to promote waste reduction and recycling, including expanding the community recycling network, and reviewing the tender arrangements and requirements for the GREEN@COMMUNITY project to enhance its cost-‍effectiveness and improve service quality. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that, under the 2024 Legislative Programme, the Government plans to amend the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354) to require the property management companies and owners’ organisations of major housing estates and single-block residential buildings with relatively large number of flats (the property management sector) to separately collect common types of recyclables and pass them to downstream recyclers for processing, but the relevant legislative proposals have yet to be submitted to this Council, and the Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal of Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 (the Bill), which involves amendments to Chapter 354, does not include the aforesaid legislative proposals, of the reasons for that; whether the Government has assessed the impact of its failure to implement the aforesaid legislative proposals on the effectiveness of its efforts to expand the community recycling network as indicated in the 2024 Policy Address; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) given that the Waste Reduction and Recycling Charter (the Charter) was launched in June last year for private residential premises to enhance residents’ awareness of recycling, of the following information on the signing of the Charter by management groups of private residential premises each month since its launch (set out in a table): the number of private residential premises involved (and their proportion to the total number of private residential premises in Hong Kong), the number of households involved, and the recycling data for such premises; whether the authorities have studied the reasons why some management groups of private residential premises have not signed the Charter, and when legally-binding waste reduction and recycling regulatory measures will be implemented for the property management sector based on the implementation experience of the Charter;

(3) given that the plastic shopping bag (PSB) charge under the existing Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme (the Charging Scheme) is retained and handled by business operators on their own, whether the authorities have required business operators to submit information on the number of PSBs distributed and the amounts of income involved for each of the past five years (i.e. 2020-2021 to 2024-2025); if so, of the relevant annual data, with a tabulated breakdown by business sectors; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) given that the fixed penalty under the current Charging Scheme can be paid via electronic platforms (e.g. the Faster Payment System), and taking into account the current fiscal position of the Government, whether the authorities will consider adjusting the policy and drawing on the practice of penalty payment to allow members of the public to pay the PSB charge to the Government directly via electronic payment methods; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) given that, based on the information provided by the Government in response to my question regarding the Estimates of Expenditure for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the operating expenditure of the GREEN@COMMUNITY project has increased annually, with the budget for 2025-2026 being $507 million, an increase of 61.98 per cent over the actual expenditure of $313 million in 2023-2024, there are views that the operational model of the project is unsustainable, and the Government has indicated in the 2024 Policy Address that it will review the tender arrangements and requirements for the project to enhance its cost-effectiveness, of the details and specific timetable of the relevant work?

Reply:

President,

The Government continues to vigorously promote waste reduction and recycling, enhance the community recycling network and strengthen public education to promote a green culture of waste reduction and recycling in our society. The recycling network, comprising the Programme on Source Separation of Waste and GREEN@COMMUNITY, has reached a coverage over 90 per cent of the population in Hong Kong. The various waste reduction and recycling initiatives implemented have achieved encouraging results to date. The current-term Government has reversed the rising trend of waste disposal amount. The daily average quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposed of at landfills has consistently declined for three consecutive years since 2021. The daily quantity of MSW disposed of at landfills decreased from 11 358 tonnes in 2021 to 10 510 tonnes in 2024, amounting to a total reduction of 7.5 per cent.

The reply to the question raised by the Hon Carmen Kan is as follows:

(1) and (2) Having consulted the property management trade and owners’ organisations, we consider that prior to implementing legislation to regulate separation and recycling of domestic waste, it would be appropriate to further promote participation of residential premises and increase the quantity and variety of domestic waste recycling facilities by way of enhancing publicity and public education first. In this connection, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Waste Reduction and Recycling Charter (the Charter) in June 2024 to encourage private residential premises (PRPs) to set up more waste separation and recycling facilities which are easily accessible within the premises. In addition to the collection of common types of recyclables including paper, metals and plastics, the signees of the Charter are required to collect glass containers, beverage cartons and food waste, and ensure that the collected recyclables are handed over to downstream recyclers. The signees are also obligated to maintain delivery records of various types of recyclables and regularly publish recycling data for residents’ information with a view to enhancing the performance management of recyclables and instilling residents’ confidence in the practice of waste separation and recycling. The Charter has received very positive feedbacks from the housing estates. In about nine months, as at the first quarter of 2025, 858 PRPs have already signed the Charter, covering about 740 000 households, representing about 40 per cent of the total number of households in PRPs with property management companies/owners’ corporations/residents’ organisations across the territory. About 2 000 waste separation and recycling facilities have been set up additionally. According to the preliminary data, the average recovery rate per household participating in the Charter is showing an increasing trend.

The number of signees of the Charter by quarter is tabulated below:

Quarter for signing the Charter	Number of PRPs signing the Charter	Number of households in PRPs signing the Charter	Percentage of households in PRPs with property management companies/owners’ corporations/residents’ organisations
Q3 2024	215	168 597	9.5 per cent
Q4 2024	480	409 019	23.0 per cent
Q1 2025	163	163 020	9.2 per cent
Total	858	740 636	41.7 per cent

The EPD will continue to encourage more PRPs to join the Charter through various channels such as publicity at district level and engagement with property management sector, in order to provide enhanced recycling facilities for more members of the public. Some PRPs have reflected that they have not joined the Charter due to inadequate space. The EPD will continue to maintain communication with these premises and explore whether we could offer any assistance.

(3) and (4) During the initial phase of the Plastic Shopping Bag (PSB) Charging Scheme from 2009 to 2015, retailers subject to the regulation were required to submit returns and remit their levy income to the Government on a quarterly basis. When the Scheme was extended to cover the entire retail sector in 2015, the Government decided to adopt a “retention” approach after public consultation, under which retailers are allowed to retain and handle the PSB charges on their own without the need of remitting to the Government or submitting returns, so as to reduce the administrative burden and compliance costs on small and medium enterprises. Following the implementation of the Enhanced Scheme on December 31, 2022, the number of PSBs disposed of in 2023 decreased significantly by around 31.5 per cent compared to that in 2022, among which the flat-top bags disposed of dropped by more than 60 per cent alone. In view of the effectiveness of the Enhanced Scheme, the EPD so far has no plan to adjust the existing mode of operation. As retailers are not required to remit the PSB charges to the Government, the EPD does not have the figures of PSBs distributed by retailers or the PSB charges involved in the past five years.

(5) As mentioned above, the EPD is continuously expanding the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY to strengthen the recycling facilities at district level. The number of GREEN@COMMUNITY public collection points has notably increased from around 250 in 2023 to over 800 at present. These include 12 Recycling Stations focusing on both environmental education and recycling support, 82 Recycling Stores located in close proximity to clusters of single-block buildings or set up in public rental housing (PRH) estates, around 600 Recycling Spots, and over 100 sets of smart recycling bins. As the 50 Recycling Stores set up in PRH estates mainly commenced operation progressively in the first half of 2024, their expenditures were not reflected in 2023-24. Together with an increase in some 470 Recycling Spots thereafter, the estimated operating expenditure of 2025-26 increases to some extent compared to that of 2023-24. However, the quantity of recyclables collected by GREEN@COMMUNITY has been continuously increasing remarkably at the same time from around 26 900 tonnes in 2023 to around 41 800 tonnes in 2024, with a year-on-year increase of nearly 60 per cent. The quantity of recyclables collected in the first quarter of 2025 was around 11 270 tonnes, representing a further increase compared to the same period last year.

To enhance the overall cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the operation of GREEN@COMMUNITY, the EPD is reviewing the tender arrangements and requirements for GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities. For example, in the tendering for the follow-on contracts of 12 Recycling Stores conducted early this year, different types of operators (including private enterprises) have been included, with a view to reducing cost through enhanced competition. The EPD will also relocate some of the Recycling Stores to suitable government facilities and make greater use of smart recycling devices to gradually transform the operation of Recycling Stores into self-service recycling facilities, so as to reduce the rental expenses and operating costs. The EPD will review the operation of GREEN@COMMUNITY from time to time and adjust the service arrangements as necessary, with a view to enhancing its cost-effectiveness.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Pet-inclusive facilities of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hoi-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

â€‹It has been reported that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has progressively established more pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets in recent years. However, some members of the public have relayed that the hygiene conditions and locations of such facilities are unsatisfactory, and that the ancillary facilities are inadequate with some already damaged. Furthermore, most other recreation and leisure facilities under the LCSD, including public bathing beaches and holiday camps, still prohibit the entry of animals. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of complaints received by the Government in each of the past five years involving the use of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets, and the three most common types of these complaints together with their respective numbers;

(2) of the respective numbers of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets that the LCSD (i) has currently established and (ii) plans to establish in the coming three years in the various districts throughout the territory (and their proportions in the total number of LCSD gardens and parks in the respective districts), and the respective land areas of such gardens and parks (and their proportions in the total areas of LCSD gardens and parks in the respective districts), together with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory; whether the LCSD will proactively examine the demand for such gardens and parks in the various districts with a view to setting the relevant targets and a timetable for their establishment;

(3) of the conditions and minimum standards set by the LCSD in relation to the size, facilities and management, etc. of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets when they are established; the guidelines and requirements put in place by the LCSD to govern the management of these gardens and parks by outsourced management companies, such as the daily frequency of emptying dog excreta collection bins and the time taken to repair damaged facilities;

(4) of the number of complaints received by the Government in each of the past five years involving the bringing of pets into the various recreation and leisure facilities (including public bathing beaches and holiday camps) under the LCSD, and the number of enforcement actions taken in this regard;

(5) whether the LCSD will, by drawing on the experience of establishing pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets, consider creating pet-‍friendly spaces in facilities under its management, such as public bathing beaches and holiday camps; if so, of the details and implementation timetable; if not, the factors to be considered; and

(6) given that the arrangement to establish Inclusive Parks for Pets has been regularised for four years, when the LCSD plans to review the effectiveness of implementing the pet-inclusive concept in parks and assess the long-term feasibility of completely lifting the ban on allowing pets to enter parks and gardens?

Reply:

President,

My reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Hoi-yan is as follows:

(1) The number of complaints received by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) involving the use of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets in the past five years are as follows:

Year Number of complaints received (cases)

2020 82

2021 287

2022 858

2023 1 029

2024 695

Among the above complaints, the three most common categories are environmental hygiene (1 348 cases), venue facilities (383 cases), as well as relevant policies and arrangements such as requests for or objections to the establishment of more pet gardens or Inclusive Parks for Pets (352 cases).

(2) As at March 2025, the LCSD has set up a total of 55 pet gardens and 180 Inclusive Parks for Pets in the 18 districts across Hong Kong. Information on the number of LCSD parks and playgrounds, the number of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets, as well as the proportion of these facilities in the total number and site area of LCSD parks and playgrounds by district are set out at the Annex.

The LCSD keeps an open mind and opens up its venues as pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets proactively, and will duly review public feedback. The LCSD plans to set up a total of over 20 additional pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets in the 18 districts across Hong Kong in the next three years. The proposed addition of pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets is subject to the support of relevant District Councils. Hence, the actual number and site areas are yet to be confirmed. More information will be released by the LCSD in due course when more concrete details of the plan are available.

(3) Pet gardens, which are for exclusive use by pets, are normally equipped with fences and double pet gates at entrances/exits to prevent pets from getting lost. Pets are allowed to move around freely in the venues without leashes. At present, the newly provided pet gardens under the LCSD normally cover an area of no less than 400 square metres, and are equipped with ancillary facilities (e.g. dog excreta collection bins/dog latrines and hand-washing facilities) for owners or their pets. Subject to the actual environment, some pet gardens are even furnished with lawns, drinking fountains and play equipment, etc. for exclusive use by pets. Separate areas for large/small pets are also designated in some of the pet gardens where feasible, with a view to catering to the varying needs of the users and their pets.

Inclusive Parks for Pets are not designed for exclusive use by pets. The concept is to allow members of the public to bring their pets to the parks and share the passive leisure facilities therein with other users. To facilitate the shared use of park facilities among different users, the LCSD will make minimal changes to the existing environment and facilities of the parks, and require owners to keep their pets leashed in the venues. In addition, depending on the actual environment and needs, additional basic ancillary facilities, such as dog excreta collection bins/dog latrines and hand-washing facilities will also be provided in the venues for the convenience of pet owners.

To ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of venues, cleansing service contractors will arrange frontline cleansing staff to conduct regular cleaning in accordance with the contractual requirements and actual operational needs. In general, frontline cleansing staff will empty the dog excreta collection bins daily, and step up the cleansing frequency in view of the actual operational needs. LCSD staff will also carry out regular inspections of various facilities in the pet gardens and Inclusive Parks for Pets. If the facilities are found to be damaged, the LCSD will request the works departments or arrange for contractors to carry out repair works as soon as possible. The time taken to repair damaged facilities depends on individual circumstances and the parts involved, making it difficult to generalise.

(4) The number of complaints received by the LCSD about pets being brought into leisure facilities by members of the public and the number of prosecutions instigated by the LCSD in this regard in the past five years (from 2020 to 2024) are as follows:

Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Number of complaints 114 120 114 167 211 726

Number of prosecutions 1 0 5 2 1 9

(5) Unlike passive parks or leisure facilities that are generally open for public use, holiday camps mainly provide venues for active recreation and sports activities such as archery ranges, rope courses, and sports climbing walls for campers. Water sports centres are also active recreation facilities, and among which, the water sports training venues comprise various zones for coaching, equipment assembling/disassembling and on-land practice etc. Pet-friendly spaces, if added, may hinder the flow and procedures of training, and even affect the safety of venue users and pets. In addition, the public beaches under the LCSD are mainly for members of the public to engage in recreation activities such as swimming, sand sculpting and sunbathing etc. Allowing pets on beaches will lead to hygiene issues such as the excreta of pets on beaches, which are more difficult to manage and may affect other users. Therefore, the LCSD does not consider the provision of pet-friendly spaces at venues such as public beaches, water sports centres and holiday camps currently.

(6) At present, members of the public have varying views and levels of acceptance regarding whether pets should be allowed in LCSD venues. The LCSD has to consider the actual environment as well as views and needs of members of the public, balance environmental hygiene and public health issues and consult the District Councils concerned before ascertaining whether to open up existing venues to pets or designate newly constructed venues as pet gardens or Inclusive Parks for Pets.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ6: Reduction of civil service establishment

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Lai Tung-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

The Government has announced that it will reduce the civil service establishment by two per cent each year in 2026-2027 and 2027-2028, based on the establishment of the preceding financial year. Together with the civil service establishment reduced under the zero-growth policy for the civil service establishment implemented since 2021-2022, about 10 000 posts are expected to be deleted from the civil service establishment by April 1, 2027, within the term of the current Government. In addition, since March 31, 2021, there has been a cumulative reduction of around 2 000 posts in the civil service establishment, of which about 1 200 posts have been reduced between 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the cumulative number of posts in the civil service establishment that have been deleted since the current Government’s term of office;

(2) of the changes in the civil service establishment of policy bureaux/government departments/offices since the current Government’s term of office;

(3) as the authorities have indicated that the two per cent reduction in the civil service establishment in 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 will be achieved by treating each policy bureau and its subordinate government departments as a unit and reducing their total establishment by a uniform percentage, of the total establishment of each policy bureau and the government departments under its purview at present;

(4) whether, in conjunction with the reduction of the civil service establishment, the authorities will engage outsourced contract staff or non-civil service contract staff to maintain staffing levels; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) given that the Government is actively implementing computerisation to increase efficiency, whether the Government will study the abolition of obsolete grades or further reduction of posts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

Regarding the question raised by the Hon Lai Tung-kwok, the consolidated reply is as follows:

To ensure the sustainability of public finances, the civil service establishment (Note) has maintained zero-growth since 2021-22 with the overall establishment controlled at a level not exceeding that as at end-March 2021 (about 196 000 posts). It does not mean there is no growth in the establishment of each bureau/department (B/D), which may still increase having regard to operational needs and with full justifications. Posts no longer required for operation will be deleted. It is anticipated that by March 31, 2026, the civil service establishment will have a reduction by approximately 3 000 posts on a cumulative basis. The current Government’s term of office commenced in July 2022. The change in the civil service establishment by bureaux/departments/offices and the total establishment of each bureau and its departments in 2022-23 and 2025-26 are set out in Annex.

To optimise the use of manpower resources and to control public expenditure, the 2025-26 Budget proposed that the Government will reduce the civil service establishment by two per cent each in 2026-27 and 2027-28 basing on the establishment of the preceding financial year. Together with the civil service establishment reduced under the civil service establishment zero-growth policy implemented before 2026-27 by this term of Government, about 10 000 posts are expected to be deleted from the overall civil service establishment by April 1, 2027 within the current-term Government.

The Government will reduce the establishment on a bureau basis, reducing the total establishment of each bureau and its departments by an across-the-board percentage (i.e. two per cent each in 2026-27 and 2027-28). The reduction rates within a bureau and its departments need not be standardised. A bureau can determine the civil service posts to be deleted and ranks combination after itself and its departments have considered factors like the overall service demand, operational needs and vacancy situations, etc. The resources saved will be counted towards the two per cent savings of the recurrent expenditure of the B/Ds concerned for the respective financial years under the Government’s Productivity Enhancement Programme (PEP).

Under the PEP, B/Ds adopt the most suitable mode of public service delivery, like employing civil servants or non-civil service contract (NCSC) staff, or service outsourcing, having regard to such factors as operational needs, financial resources, service nature and effectiveness, etc. At the same time, B/Ds adopt management measures and digitalisation with a view to enhancing efficiency and optimising the use of manpower resources through reprioritisation, internal redeployment, streamlining of work processes and application of technology, such that high-quality public services will continue to be provided to the citizens, while the civil service establishment is being streamlined in parallel. If B/Ds adopt methods of public service delivery that incur additional expenditure, such as employing NCSC staff or service outsourcing, they must bear in mind that their recurrent expenditure will be reduced by two per cent in the respective financial years under the PEP and they should spend within their means.

The Government will continue to monitor from time to time whether the manpower requirements and functions of different grades and ranks need adjustments due to the changes in operations or circumstances, or due to technology application. For individual grades, if their future manpower needs are uncertain, such as those with surplus staff or those undergoing institutional reviews, they will be classified as “Controlled Grades”. These grades require the approval of the Civil Service Bureau before conducting recruitment exercises, which is not lightly granted unless they have clear prospect for development and the demand for manpower is obvious and certain. Besides, B/Ds will also delete posts which are no longer required for their operations. For grades that no longer have any establishment and strength, we will seek the approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for deletion of those grades in due course.

Note: The civil service establishment does not include (i) Judges and Judicial Officers, (ii) Independent Commission Against Corruption officers and (iii) locally engaged staff of overseas Economic and Trade Offices.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Commerical Operations begins at Multi Modal Logistic Park in Nagpur

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 30 APR 2025 8:53AM by PIB Delhi

Under the PM Gati Shakti initiative of Hon’ble Prime Minister with the aim to provide seamless and efficient connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services across various modes of transport, thereby enhancing last-mile connectivity and reducing travel time, and under the guidance of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Multi Modal Logistics Park Limited, Nagpur (MMLP Nagpur) at Sindi, near Wardha commenced its commercial operations with a goal to establish a faster link.

The MMLP Nagpur established by National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a 100% owned company of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) received its first rake of 123 Maruti Cars from Ex-Farukhnagar on 28th April marking a major achievement for the facility.

NHLML has signed an agreement with a private developer for the Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in an area of 150 acres in three phases under Public-Private Partnership model with Concession Period of 45 years, at an estimated cost of Rs.673 crore. Phase-I will be developed with an investment of Rs. 137 crore.

An Authority SPV, Maharashtra MMLP Pvt. Ltd., is formed between National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA). The Authority SPV has to provide land, external rail and road connectivity as well as water and power supply for development of MMLP.

The MMLP will provide facilities such as warehouses, cold storages, intermodal transfers, handling facilities for container terminals, bulk / break-bulk cargo terminals along with Value Added Services such as sorting / grading and aggregation / desegregation areas, bonded warehouse and customs facilities as well as support logistics facilities such as offices for freight forwarders and transporters and truck terminals.

Development of MMLP Nagpur will help improve country’s freight logistics sector by enabling efficient inter-modal freight movement to lower overall freight costs and time; providing efficient warehousing, improved tracking and traceability of consignments, thereby enhancing efficiency of the Indian logistics sector. It will further create employment opportunities and bring in economic development in the region.

***

GDH/HR

(Release ID: 2125325) Visitor Counter : 77

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Provisional financial results for year ended March 31, 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Provisional financial results for year ended March 31, 2025
     Expenditure and revenue for the year ended March 31, 2025 amounted to HK$753.2 billion and HK$564.9 billion respectively, resulting in a deficit of HK$80.3 billion after taking into account HK$130 billion received from issuance of Government Bonds and repayment of HK$22 billion principal on Government Bonds.

     Expenditure and revenue for the year were 3 per cent (HK$23.7 billion) and 10.8 per cent (HK$68.1 billion) lower than the original estimate respectively.

     The consolidated deficit for the year was HK$80.3 billion, i.e. HK$6.9 billion lower than the revised estimate of HK$87.2 billion. Revenue was HK$5.3 billion (1 per cent) higher than expected, mainly attributable to stamp duties ($5.9 billion higher) and salaries tax ($0.9 billion higher). Expenditure was HK$1.5 billion (0.2 per cent) lower than the revised estimate mainly due to lower-than-expected requirements.

     The fiscal reserves stood at HK$654.3 billion as at March 31, 2025.

     A Government spokesperson said that these are provisional figures pending the final closing of the annual accounts. According to experience, any changes to the provisional figures are unlikely to be significant.

     Detailed figures are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

TABLE 1. CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT (PROVISIONAL) (Note 1)

March 31, 2025
HK$ millionMarch 31, 2025
HK$ millionand repayment of
Government Bondsissuance of
Government BondsGovernment Bonds*and repayment of
Government BondsGovernment Debts as at March 31, 2025 (Note 3)
HK$299,344 million
Debts Guaranteed by Government as at March 31, 2025 (Note 4)
HK$127,472 million

TABLE 2. FISCAL RESERVES (PROVISIONAL)

March 31, 2025
HK$ millionMarch 31, 2025
HK$ millionissuance and repayment of
Government Bonds(Note 5)Notes:

1. This Account consolidates the General Revenue Account and the following eight Funds: Capital Works Reserve Fund, Capital Investment Fund, Civil Service Pension Reserve Fund, Disaster Relief Fund, Innovation and Technology Fund, Land Fund, Loan Fund and Lotteries Fund. It excludes the Bond Fund, the balance of which is not part of the fiscal reserves. The Bond Fund balance as at March 31, 2025, was HK$225,261 million.
(i) the Green Bonds (equivalent to HK$194,375 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme. They were denominated in US dollars (US$9,950 million with maturity from January 2026 to January 2053), euros (4,580 million euros with maturity from February 2026 to November 2041), Renminbi (RMB34,000 million with maturity from June 2025 to July 2054) and Hong Kong dollars (HK$42,000 million with maturity from May 2025 to October 2026);

(ii) the Infrastructure Bonds (equivalent to HK$50,177 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Infrastructure Bond Programme. They were denominated in Renminbi (RMB13,500 million with maturity from December 2025 to November 2034) and Hong Kong dollars (HK$35,730 million with maturity from November 2025 to March 2045); and

(iii) the Silver Bonds with nominal value of HK$54,792 million (with maturity in October 2027 and may be redeemed before maturity upon request from bond holders) issued under the Infrastructure Bond Programme.

They do not include the outstanding bonds with nominal value of HK$176,340 million and alternative bonds with nominal value of US$1,000 million (equivalent to HK$7,778 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Government Bond Programme with proceeds credited to the Bond Fund. Of these bonds under the Government Bond Programme (including Silver Bonds with nominal value of HK$96,340 million, which may be redeemed before maturity upon request from bond holders), bonds with nominal value of HK$6,500 million were repaid upon maturity on April 14, 2025; bonds with nominal value of HK$68,590 million will mature within the period from May 2025 to March 2026 and the rest within the period from April 2026 to May 2042.Issued at HKT 16:30

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ7: Developing the halal market

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Yung Hoi-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

     It has been reported that the global Muslim population currently exceeds 2 billion, representing about 25 per cent of the world’s total population. Based on the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2022 released by DinarStandard in 2023, Muslims spent US$2.29 trillion in 2022 on, among others, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fashion and travel, and the global Islamic finance assets are expected to reach US$5.96 trillion by 2026. There are views that Hong Kong should expand its share of the international halal market in the countries along the Belt and Road, and strengthen industrial co-operation with the relevant countries. Regarding the development of the halal market, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has kept information on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributed to Hong Kong by the halal industry; if so, of the respective GDP generated in Hong Kong in each of the past five years by the products or industries in the halal market (i.e. (i) food and beverages, (ii) pharmaceutical and health products, (iii) cosmetics, (iv) fashion, (v) hotel and tourism, and (vi) financial services); if not, whether it has plans to compile statistics and keep the relevant information from now on;

(2) whether it has kept information on Hong Kong enterprises which have exported goods to Muslim countries; if so, of the number of Hong Kong enterprises which have exported goods to Muslim countries in each of the past five years, the types of their goods and the respective GDP involved; if not, whether it has plans to compile statistics and keep the relevant information from now on;

(3) whether it knows if the products currently re-exported through Hong Kong can be sold in the relevant Muslim countries after being certified by the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong in accordance with Islamic law and procedures; if so, of the details; if not, what channels are available for such re-exported products to be sold in Muslim countries; and

(4) whether it has plans to introduce a “halal certification system” and conduct mutual recognition of halal certification with major Muslim countries, so as to become a core corridor for certification and trade between related Mainland production enterprises and the halal consumer market, thereby promoting a steady growth in the trading volume of halal products in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Upon consulting the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the consolidated reply to the Hon Yung Hoi-yan’s question is as follows:

     Emerging markets such as the Middle East, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) have been the Government’s valued trade and economic partners. These countries’ economic development is growing rapidly and their markets possess vast potential, alongside enormous population of Muslims. The Government has been actively encouraging various sectors of society to seize business opportunities in these markets, so that they can develop in areas such as trade, tourism and finance and provide products and services tailored to the needs of these emerging markets, including the Muslim population therein.

     According to the information provided by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the total value of Hong Kong’s domestic exports to Muslim countries (Note) increased from HK$2.7 billion in 2020 to HK$5.5 billion in 2024 whilst the total value of Hong Kong’s re-exports to Muslim countries increased from HK$178.8 billion in 2020 to HK$215.8 billion in 2024, recording an average annual growth rate of about 19.0 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively in the past five years. The values of Hong Kong’s domestic exports and re-exports to individual Muslim countries in the past five years are at Appendices 1 and 2 respectively. Amongst others, major commodities of Hong Kong’s domestic exports to Muslim countries include “beverages”, “jewellery, goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials” and “petroleum, petroleum products and related materials”, whilst major commodities of Hong Kong’s re-exports to Muslim countries include “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment”, “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” and “office machines and automatic data processing machines”. The C&SD does not separately maintain information about the number of companies in Hong Kong exporting products to Muslim countries nor the relevant value of gross domestic product.

     Besides, although the “halal industry” does not have standard international industrial classifications like the retail and the catering industries rendering it impossible to draw up corresponding statistical coverage of the “halal industries” for compiling relevant information, the Government has been actively encouraging various sectors of society to seize opportunities in these halal markets, including promoting developments in areas such as trade, tourism and finance.

     In terms of trade, meeting the requirements for relevant halal product certifications and understanding the opportunities and challenges within the relevant markets are crucial. In this regard, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has been conducting research on individual key halal markets to understand their latest developments, and providing practical information to Hong Kong businesses, including the information on relevant product certification bodies. Furthermore, the HKTDC has also been providing various platforms to promote business opportunities in the halal market. For example, the HKTDC has been promoting different high-quality halal products and food, as well as related trading of products, at its annual Food Expo PRO to help the catering industry to expand its network and businesses. To assist Hong Kong enterprises in grasping the opportunities of the halal food market and facilitate buyers in procurement, the HKTDC introduced the Halal Showcase and added halal food and beverage labels to relevant exhibitors in the 2024 Food Expo PRO. The event also offered different seminars, explaining the requirements of halal food certification and analysing market opportunities and challenges, in order to promote multi-faceted business opportunities relevant to halal food to the businesses.

    In 2025-26, the HKTDC will arrange for local halal food manufacturers to participate in its Food Expo PRO to strengthen their collaboration with other halal food markets, as well as set up relevant pavilions at the Food Expo PRO to showcase more halal food and products and further explore Islamic business opportunities.

     At the same time, the Government strives to assist Hong Kong enterprises in developing more diversified markets and enhancing their competitiveness through various funding schemes and support measures. Among others, the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales provides funding support for enterprises to develop business in 40 economies with which Hong Kong has signed free trade agreements and/or investment promotion and protection agreements (IPPAs), including seven Muslim countries. Also, the SME Export Marketing Fund provides funding support for enterprises to participate in export promotion activities, promoting appropriate products and services to the Muslim population in markets outside Hong Kong.

     The Government will continue to actively explore emerging markets, including ASEAN, the Middle East and markets along the B&R, which have large Muslim population. The Government has been actively visiting ASEAN Member States to maintain close communication. For example, from 2022 to 2024, the Chief Executive led delegations to visit seven ASEAN Member States, concluding nearly 90 memoranda of understanding (MOU) and agreements, which helped create business opportunities for Hong Kong and strengthened friendships between the two places. The Government has also been actively reaching out to potential partners in the region, and signed an IPPA with Bahrain in March 2024, which is the third IPPA signed with economies in the Middle East region after the ones with Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, we are exploring the signing of IPPAs with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt and Peru.

     In view of the huge economic potential of the countries along the B&R (including those with large Muslin population), Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) set up consultant offices in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and Izmir, the third largest city in Türkiye, within 2024-25 according to the 2023 Policy Address and 2024-25 Budget. This will be beneficial to attracting capital and enterprises from these two member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and seizing relevant business opportunities.

     In respect of tourism, the Chief Executive stated in the 2024 Policy Address that the Government would actively develop visitor sources from the Middle East and ASEAN which have large Muslim population to seize opportunities. It is estimated that by 2028, there will be 250 million Muslim visitors worldwide and tourism receipts will reach US$225 billion.

     To encourage the travel trade to enhance Muslim-friendly tourism facilities, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has commissioned the internationally recognised halal travel promotion company CrescentRating since 2024 to carry out a series of work to study how Hong Kong can further enhance its “Muslim-friendly” tourism facilities, and assess local hotels, attractions and meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) venues based on categories and standards on par with international benchmarks while taking into account Hong Kong’s actual situation. As at mid-April this year, 61 hotels, and five attractions and MICE venues have successfully applied for and obtained the ratings from CrescentRating.

     Besides, to encourage restaurants to obtain halal-related certification, the HKTB works with local halal certification authority, the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong (Board of Trustees, BOT), to promote existing accreditations in the city and encourage food and beverage establishments to apply for certification. As at mid-April this year, the number of certified restaurants has increased from about 100 at the beginning of 2024 to more than 170, which also include high-end Chinese restaurant, Cantonese restaurant and contemporary Hong Kong-style noodle restaurants. In addition, four brands in the city are now offering halal-certified bakery products to provide more choices of souvenirs for Muslim visitors.

     Regarding financial services, the Government amended the laws in 2013 and 2014 to provide a tax structure for sukuk comparable with that for conventional bonds, and to allow for the issuance of sukuk under the Government Bond Programme. Thereafter, the Government issued three sukuk, totalling US$3 billion, under the Government Bond Programme, to demonstrate the viability of Hong Kong’s finance platform and that our legal, regulatory and taxation framework can readily support sukuk issuances of different structures. Besides, an array of Islamic financial products and services have been introduced in Hong Kong, including the listing of global sukuk on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), Shariah-compliant equity indices and Islamic banking windows. Asia’s first exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracking the Saudi Arabia market was also listed on the HKEX in November 2023.

     In the area of investment co-operation, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority signed an MOU with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) to jointly anchor a new investment fund of US$1 billion to facilitate companies with nexus to Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to develop their business in Saudi Arabia. The Government will continue to expand market development efforts, including promoting the advantages of Hong Kong’s financial system and market, so as to explore further collaboration with Islamic markets in the area of finance.

Note: The “Muslim countries” as mentioned in this reply refer to the 57 Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Judicial appointments

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

The Judiciary today (April 30) announced the appointment of one Recorder and the reappointment of two incumbent Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. All appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

Mr Eric Kwok Tung-ming, SC, is newly appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. The appointment will be effective from May 1, 2025, for a term of three years.

Miss Maggie Wong Pui-kei, SC, and Mr Derek Chan Ching-lung, SC, are reappointed as Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. The reappointments will be for three years commencing on May 1, 2025, upon expiry of their current terms.

The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:

Mr Eric Kwok Tung-ming, SC

Mr Kwok, SC, was born in 1959 in Hong Kong. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Reading, United Kingdom, in 1983. He completed the Bar Final Examination of the Council of Legal Education in the United Kingdom in 1984. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1985. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2004. He served in the then Attorney General’s Chambers between 1985 and 1988. He has been in private practice since 1988. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2022 to 2025.

Miss Maggie Wong Pui-kei, SC

Miss Wong, SC, was born in 1973 in Hong Kong. She obtained her LL.B. from the University of Hong Kong in 1995. She further obtained her P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1996. She was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2000, and in Brunei Darussalam on an ad hoc basis in 2004 respectively. She has been in private practice in Hong Kong since 2001. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2018. She was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2020 to 2022. She has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2022.

Mr Derek Chan Ching-lung, SC

Mr Chan, SC, was born in 1979 in Hong Kong. He obtained his LL.B. and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2001. He further obtained his P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 2003. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2004. He has been in private practice in Hong Kong since 2004. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2018. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2020 and 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2022.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: Costs of developing and operating public housing

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ1: Costs of developing and operating public housing
Question:

The 2025-2026 Budget mentioned that the total public housing supply would reach 190 000 units in the next five years. Regarding the costs of developing and operating public housing, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Government has been granting land for the development of public housing at nominal premium, premium below the market value or nil premium, of the respective amounts of land premium waived for public housing projects of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) as well as the number of units involved in each of the past five and the coming three financial years, and set out in the table below a breakdown by projects (i.e. (i) public rental housing (PRH)/Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) and (ii) other subsidised sale flats under HA, as well as (iii) rental estates and (iv) subsidised sale housing projects under HKHS):

Financial year(2) of the respective average construction costs (including (i) per square foot of the construction floor area and (ii) per flat) of PRH/rental housing units and subsidised sale flats constructed by HA and HKHS in each of the past five and the coming three financial years, with a breakdown by type of projects;

(3) of the respective expenditures spent by HA and HKHS on site formation and infrastructural works for public housing in each of the past five and the coming three financial years, and the respective numbers of flats involved, as well as the respective ratios of expenditures on PRH/rental estates and subsidised sale flats;

(4) given that according to the paper on the budgets and financial forecasts issued by HA in January this year (the paper), the largest expenditure item under the rental housing operating account is the item “other recurrent expenditure”, of the expenditure/estimates incurred by each of the sub-items of this item in each of the past five and the coming three financial years;

(5) of the actual expenditure involving government rent and rates in HA’s rental housing operating account in each of the past five financial years, and the amount of rates concession provided by the Government in each of these years; and

(6) given that according to the paper, HA’s construction expenditure included items such as “Government non-reimbursement projects”, “Government-funded projects” and “in-house supervision and administration costs”, of the specific work covered by these items?

Reply:

President,

In consultation with the Lands Department, the reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Wendy Hong is as follows:

(1) In the past five and coming three financial years, the number of units involved in the public housing projects of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), and the respective amounts of land premium waived, are set out by year at Annex.

(2) As a financially autonomous public body, the HA funds its public housing programmes with its own resources. Each year, the Housing Department (HD) prepares the average construction costs per flat of Public Rental Housing (PRH)/Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) and other Subsidised Sale Flats (SSF) projects based on the cost of building tenders approved by the HA in the preceding financial year. The construction costs will be released by the HA Finance Committee after being considered in its meeting.

As the number of building tenders approved by the HA in each financial year and factors such as scale and design of projects, market conditions, etc. are different, the average construction cost per flat varies year to year. From 2020-21 to 2023-24 financial years (Note 1), the average construction costs per flat of PRH/GSH projects and other SSF projects based on the cost of building tenders approved by the HA are set out below:

Financial YearEach year, the HD also reports the average construction costs for superstructure (Note 2) of the preceding financial year to the HA. From 2020/21 to 2023/24 financial years (Note 3), the average construction costs per square foot of construction floor area (ft2-CFA) for superstructure are set out below:

Financial Yearfor superstructure ($) (approx.) According to existing mechanism, the HD closely monitors changes in market conditions. In compiling and managing the cost budget of new projects, the HD will take various factors into consideration, including tender price trend, anticipated rate of price increase, development programmes, etc. to ensure smooth implementation of public housing schemes.

To further enhance cost-effectiveness of public housing construction, the HD will continue to explore and implement enhancement measures on construction cost control.

The study direction includes the development of a framework for optimising construction cost control, covering areas such as planning, design, application of advanced technologies and innovative construction methods, procurement models, and approval processes. The framework enables a thorough review and optimisation of various processes to effectively manage the construction costs. It also acts in concert with the inter-departmental “Action Group for Expediting Construction for Public Housing” led by the Secretary for Housing, which identifies, streamlines, and resolves inter-departmental issues encountered during public housing developments through strengthening inter-departmental co-operation so as to expedite the progress and further enhance cost-effectiveness of public housing projects.

According to the information provided by the HKHS, from 2020/21 to 2023/24 financial years (Note 4), the average construction cost per rental flat remained at around $1.1 million based on the project contract sum awarded by the HKHS. As for the HKHS’s SSF, each of which is equipped with a green balcony and utility platform, interior finishes such as tiled flooring, partition walls and doors for each room, as well as household appliances such as air conditioners, water heater, cooking hobs, etc., the average construction cost per flat was around $1.6 million.

Due to the differences in design and provisions of the HKHS’s and the HA’s projects, generally speaking, the average construction cost per flat of the HKHS would be about 15 to 30 per cent higher than that of the HA.

The HKHS is actively enhancing its cost efficiency as well as promoting construction digitalisation by applying Digital Works Supervision System and Smart Site Safety System, with a view to enhancing quality control and project management efficiency.

(3) The Government’s expenses under the Capital Works Reserve Fund (CWRF) Head 711 are for the implementation of public housing-related site formation and infrastructure projects undertaken by the Government, while the HA is responsible for the expenditure on the construction of public housing. Besides, quite a number of projects associated with the supply target of public housing are funded by other heads of expenditure under the CWRF.

As for Head 711 under the CWRF, the yearly expenditures of works projects in the past five and current fiscal year (Note 5), including infrastructure works with funding approved or pending funding approval by the Finance Committee to support the implementation of public housing developments undertaken by the HA, are tabulated below:

Financial Year($ million) As for Head 711 under the CWRF, the expenditures for the past five financial years involve about 98 000 flats for completion in 2024/25 or before, comprising about 83 000 PRH/GSH flats and about 15 000 other SSF flats. The expenditure ratio of the two is about 74 per cent and 26 per cent.

Besides, for Head 711 under the CWRF, some 64 000 flats are estimated to be completed in the coming five-year period (Note 7) (i.e. 2025/26 to 2029/30), comprising about 44 000 PRH/GSH flats and about 21 000 other SSF flats. The expenditure ratio of the two is about 56 per cent and 44 per cent. During project development, the HA will maintain flexibility in housing types and make timely adjustments of the respective supply in order to respond more appropriately to the needs of the community.

As regards the HKHS’s rental and SSF projects, most of the sites handed over to the HKHS by the Government have had the site formation and infrastructure works completed. From 2020/21 to 2025/26 financial years, the HKHS’s total expenditure on site formation works (such as slope maintenance and stabilisation) and infrastructure works (such as temporary roads, road widening, etc.) was approximately over $300 million, concerning six projects.

(4) “Other recurrent expenditures” of the Rental Housing Operating Account are mainly expenses related to estate management, including security, cleansing, electricity charges, estate property management and management fees for estate common areas. The related expenditure for the past five financial years and the next three financial years are as follows:

Financial Year($ million)(5) The actual annual expenditure on government rent and rates of Rental Housing Operating Account in the past five financial years, as well as the rates concessions provided by the Government each year, are as follows:

Financial Year($ million)($ million)# The rates of public rental housing as assessed by Rating and Valuation Department are on a block/floor basis, the HA will pass on the rates concession to tenants according to the respective unit’s share of internal floor area against the total rates of the whole domestic block. As the amount of rates concession is deducted from the rates payable of individual properties, the HA has not calculated the actual total amount of rates concession.

(6) Government non-reimbursable projects mainly include public transport interchanges (PTI) within development projects. Except individual projects which have been committed, the HA is no longer responsible for committing the expenditure related to PTIs after 2007.

The HA provides supervision services and construction of Government-funded projects in new development projects including welfare and community facilities such as schools, residential care homes for elderly, day care centres for the elderly, child care centres, etc.

In-house supervision and administration costs are mainly expenses of the relevant divisions of the HA responsible for supervision of construction projects, including personal emoluments, administrative costs, etc.

Note 1: The figure for 2024/25 financial year is not yet available.
Note 2: The construction cost for superstructure excludes costs of demolition, site formation, foundation, underground drainage, external works, other separate contracts for works such as utilities connection/road diversion, etc. These costs vary a lot from project to project subject to site constraints.
Note 3: The figure for 2024/25 financial year is not yet available.
Note 4: The figure for 2024/25 financial year is not yet available.
Note 5: As the estimate beyond 2025/26 financial year will be subject to the project implementation schedule and works progress, the estimated expenditures of 2026/27 and 2027/28 will be published in the related budgets of the Government in future.
Note 6: 2020/21 to 2023/24 are actual expenditures; 2024/25 expenditures refer to the Revised Estimate; and 2025/26 expenditures refer to the Estimate.
Note 7: Based on the forecast as at December 2024.
Note 8: The figures from 2020/21 to 2023/24 are actual expenditures. The figure of 2024/25 is the Revised Budget and 2025/26 is the Approved Budget.
Issued at HKT 17:15

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM to visit Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh on 1st and 2nd May

Source: Government of India

PM to visit Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh on 1st and 2nd May

PM to inaugurate the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai

India to host the Global Media Dialogue with Ministerial participation from around 25 countries

PM to dedicate to the nation Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala

It is India’s first dedicated container transshipment port

PM to lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 58,000 crore in Amaravati

In a major boost to connectivity in the region, PM to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple road and rail projects in Andhra Pradesh

Posted On: 30 APR 2025 1:00PM by PIB Delhi

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh on 1st and 2nd May. He will travel to Mumbai on 1st May, and at around 10:30 AM, he will inaugurate the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES).

Thereafter he will travel to Kerala and on 2nd May, at around 10:30 AM, he will dedicate to the nation Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

Further, he will travel to Andhra Pradesh and at around 3:30 PM, he will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 58,000 crore in Amaravati. He will also address the public function.

PM in Maharashtra

Prime Minister will inaugurate WAVES 2025, India’s first-of-its-kind World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai. The four-day summit with tagline “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries” is poised to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment, and digital innovation by bringing together creators, startups, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the world.

In line with Prime Minister’s vision of leveraging creativity, technology, and talent to shape a brighter future, WAVES will integrate films, OTT, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and emerging tech, making it a comprehensive showcase of India’s media and entertainment prowess. WAVES aims to unlock a $50 billion market by 2029, expanding India’s footprint in the global entertainment economy.

At WAVES 2025, India will also host the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time, with ministerial participation from 25 countries, marking a milestone in the country’s engagement with the global media and entertainment landscape. The Summit will also feature the WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace with over 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects. It aims to connect buyers and sellers locally and globally, ensuring wide-reaching networking and business opportunities.

Prime Minister will visit the Creatosphere and interact with creators, selected from the 32 Create in India Challenges launched nearly a year ago, which garnered over one lakh registrations. He will also visit the Bharat Pavilion.

WAVES 2025 will witness participation from over 90 countries, with more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups. The summit will feature 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses spanning diverse sectors including broadcasting, infotainment, AVGC-XR, films, and digital media.

PM in Kerala

Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport worth Rs 8,900 crore. It is country’s first dedicated container transshipment port that represents the transformative advancements being made in India’s maritime sector as part of the unified vision of Viksit Bharat.

Vizhinjam Port, having strategic importance, has been identified as a key priority project which will contribute in strengthening India’s position in global trade, enhance logistics efficiency, and reduce reliance on foreign ports for cargo transshipment. Its natural deep draft of nearly 20 meters and location near one of the world’s busiest sea trade routes further strengthens India’s position in global trade.

PM in Andhra Pradesh

Prime Minister will inaugurate, lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 58,000 crore in Amaravati.

In line with his commitment to ensure world-class infrastructure and connectivity across the country, Prime Minister will inaugurate 7 National Highway projects in Andhra Pradesh. These Projects include widening of various sections of National Highways, construction of Road over bridge and subway among others. These projects will further enhance road safety; create employment opportunities; provide seamless connectivity to religious and tourist places like Tirupati, Srikalahasti, Malakonda and Udayagiri Fort among others.

Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation railway projects aimed at enhancing connectivity and boosting capacity. These projects are doubling of the rail line between Bugganapalle Cement Nagar and Panyam stations, enhancing connectivity between Rayalaseema and Amaravati and construction of a third rail line between New West Block Hut Cabin and Vijayawada stations.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of 6 National Highway projects and one Railway project. These Projects include widening of various sections of National highways; construction of elevated corridor, half clover leaf and Road over bridge among others. These projects will improve connectivity, inter-state travel, reduce congestion and improve overall logistics efficiency. Construction of Rail over Rail between Guntakal West and Mallappa gate stations aims to bypass freight trains and reduce congestion at the Guntakal Junction.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for multiple infrastructure projects that include the Legislative Assembly, High Court, Secretariat, other administrative buildings and housing buildings for over 5,200 families, worth over Rs 11,240 crore. It will also include trunk infrastructure and flood mitigation projects featuring a 320 km world-class transport network with underground utilities and advanced flood management systems, worth over Rs 17,400 crore. The Land Pooling Scheme Infrastructure projects will cover 1,281 km of roads equipped with central medians, cycle tracks, and integrated utilities across the capital city of Amaravati, worth over Rs 20,400 crore.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Missile Test Range at Nagayalanka in Andhra Pradesh worth around Rs 1,460 Crore. It will comprise a launch center, technical instrumentation facilities, Indigenous Radars, Telemetry and Electro-Optical systems enhancing the country’s defence preparedness.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of PM Ekta Mall at Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam. It has been envisioned with the objective of fostering national integration, supporting the Make in India initiative, promoting One District One Product, generating employment opportunities, empowering rural artisans, and enhancing the market presence of indigenous products.

***

MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2125406) Visitor Counter : 96

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: GPTBots Integrates Alibaba’s Qwen3 Model to Continuously Deliver Cutting-Edge AI for Enterprises
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HONG KONG, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GPTBots, a leading enterprise-grade AI platform, is excited to announce the integration of Alibaba’s Qwen3 model family, marking a significant step forward in delivering state-of-the-art AI solutions tailored for enterprise needs. This integration enhances GPTBots’ ability to provide businesses with unparalleled performance, multilingual capabilities, and advanced reasoning, further solidifying its position as a leader in AI-powered enterprise transformation.

Enhancing Multilingual Capabilities and Hybrid Reasoning to Drive Business Innovation
The integration of Qwen3 into GPTBots brings a host of advanced capabilities that are perfectly aligned with the demands of modern enterprises:
- Hybrid Reasoning for Complex and Routine Tasks
  Qwen3’s hybrid reasoning functionality allows GPTBots to handle a wide range of tasks with precision and efficiency. The “thinking” mode is ideal for solving intricate problems, while the “non-thinking” mode delivers rapid responses for routine inquiries, ensuring businesses can optimize both speed and accuracy.
- Enhanced Multilingual Support
  With support for 119 languages and dialects, Qwen3 significantly strengthens GPTBots’ ability to serve global enterprises. This ensures seamless communication and localization, empowering businesses to engage with diverse audiences and markets effectively.
- Flagship Model Breakthrough: The All-in-One Task Expert
  Powered by the Qwen-3-235B flagship model and the Qwen-3-30B lightweight version, GPTBots’ integration of the Qwen 3.0 matrix delivers industry-leading performance in code generation, mathematical reasoning, and instruction execution.
  • Qwen-3-235B: With exceptional computational power, it excels in complex logical reasoning and multimodal content generation, making it ideal for heavy-duty tasks such as enterprise-level data analysis and strategic decision-making.
  • Qwen-3-30B: Optimized for private deployment, this lightweight model is designed for efficient resource utilization in localized servers and private cloud environments. Tailored for industries like finance, government, and manufacturing, it ensures data sovereignty and compliance while allowing parameter fine-tuning to adapt to specific business workflows. This ensures system stability and flexible AI deployment.
- Seamless Integration with Enterprise Systems
  GPTBots leverages Qwen3’s capabilities to seamlessly integrate with ERP, CRM, CMS, and other enterprise systems. This ensures businesses can break down data silos, streamline workflows, and achieve real-time insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational performance.
Streamlining SOPs to Redefine Enterprise Operations
The integration of Qwen3 aligns seamlessly with GPTBots’ mission to “Reimagine Enterprise Efficiency with AI.” By combining advanced technology with scenario adaptability, GPTBots delivers three core value enhancements:
- Automated SOPs: Unlocking Workforce Potential
  GPTBots’ AI agents enable 24/7 automation for SOP-driven tasks like customer support, data entry, and report generation, significantly boosting efficiency and cutting labor costs. Supporting 90+ languages, the platform handles high-frequency queries such as order tracking, logistics updates, and return policies with over 90% automation accuracy, reducing customer service costs by 70%. Additionally, real-time integration with ERP and CRM systems automates multi-dimensional reporting, minimizing errors and enabling employees to focus on strategic and creative tasks.
- Global, Round-the-Clock Service: Reaching Diverse Audiences
  With robust multilingual capabilities, GPTBots ensures “native-level” service experiences across 119 languages and dialects, facilitating seamless cross-cultural communication. From English support in North America to Spanish after-sales in Latin America, the platform adapts to local languages and cultural nuances, enhancing customer satisfaction and boosting repurchase rates.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-Time Insights
  Powered by Qwen3’s advanced reasoning capabilities, GPTBots provides real-time, actionable insights by analyzing operational data. It identifies potential best-sellers from sales data, uncovers customer pain points for personalized recommendations, and monitors market trends to inform proactive strategies. Seamless integration with ERP, CRM, and BI systems ensures real-time data updates, improving decision-making efficiency by 50%.
Aurora Mobile Founder, Chris Lo, stated, “The integration of Qwen3 marks a significant upgrade in our technological capabilities. By addressing operational pain points in standardized processes, we aim to deliver ‘cost reduction without compromise, efficiency with intelligence.’ Moving forward, we will continue to integrate cutting-edge technologies to empower our clients in building sustainable competitive advantages during their digital transformation journey.”

About GPTBots.ai
GPTBots.ai is an enterprise AI agent platform that empowers businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Offering end-to-end AI solutions across customer service, knowledge search, data analysis, and lead generation, GPTBots enables enterprises to harness the full potential of AI with ease. With seamless integration into various systems, and support for scalable, secure deployments, GPTBots is dedicated to reducing costs, accelerating growth, and helping businesses thrive in the AI era.

For more information, visit www.gptbots.ai.

Media Contact:
Silvia
Senior Marketing Manager
marketing@gptbots.ai

The MIL Network –
April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: ConocoPhillips President for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to Speak at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025

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

PARIS, France, April 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

Steinar Vaage, President – Europe, Middle East and Africa at ConocoPhillips, has been confirmed to speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4d15jtk), taking place in Paris next month.

Underscoring the strategic importance of Libya’s energy sector to global operators and ConocoPhillips’ ongoing commitment to the country’s future, Vaage will join the Libya in Focus session, a key platform for dialogue around one of Africa’s leading energy markets.

IAE 2025 is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

ConocoPhillips is among the major international oil companies maintaining a presence in Libya’s upstream sector. As a long-term partner, the company is working to enhance production following years of disruption, undertaking upgrades to existing infrastructure and targeting underdeveloped reserves.

Current efforts are focused on increasing output at the concession – which presently produces around 375,000 barrels per day (bpd) – to between 600,000 and 700,000 bpd through new collaboration agreements, workover programs and pipeline integrity initiatives. ConocoPhillips’ continued investment (https://apo-opa.co/4lUjJiC) signals renewed optimism in Libya’s ability to stabilize output and reemerge as a significant oil producer.

The Libya in Focus session at IAE 2025 will explore new investment opportunities and operational strategies in Libya’s energy sector, as the country seeks to increase oil production, launch new gas-focused expansion initiatives and strengthen infrastructure to support sustainable growth. Discussions will address ongoing sector reforms, the resurgence of upstream activities and frameworks for securing long-term growth amid a dynamic political environment. As Libya works to unlock its full production potential, the session aims to foster renewed international engagement and support the country’s efforts to drive economic recovery through energy development.

MIL OSI Africa –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: Aurora Mobile’s GPTBots.ai Integrates Alibaba’s Qwen3 Model to Continuously Deliver Cutting-Edge AI for Enterprises
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SHENZHEN, China, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aurora Mobile Limited (NASDAQ: JG) (“Aurora Mobile” or the “Company”), a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China, today announced the integration of Alibaba’s Qwen3 model family into its leading enterprise-grade AI platform GPTBots.ai, marking a significant step forward in delivering state-of-the-art AI solutions tailored for enterprise needs. The integration enhances GPTBots.ai’s ability to provide businesses with unparalleled performance, multilingual capabilities, and advanced reasoning, further solidifying its position as a leader in AI-powered enterprise transformation.

Enhancing Multilingual Capabilities and Hybrid Reasoning to Drive Business Innovation

The integration of Qwen3 into GPTBots.ai brings a host of advanced capabilities that are perfectly aligned with the demands of modern enterprises:
- Hybrid Reasoning for Complex and Routine Tasks
  Qwen3’s hybrid reasoning functionality empowers GPTBots.ai to handle a wide range of tasks with precision and efficiency. The “thinking” mode excels at solving intricate problems, while the “non-thinking” mode delivers rapid responses for routine inquiries, ensuring businesses can optimize both speed and accuracy.
- Enhanced Multilingual Support
  With support for 119 languages and dialects, Qwen3 significantly strengthens GPTBots.ai’s ability to serve global enterprises. This ensures seamless communication and localization, empowering businesses to engage with diverse audiences and markets effectively.
- Flagship Model Breakthrough: The All-in-One Task Expert
  Powered by the flagship Qwen-3-235B model and the Qwen-3-30B lightweight version, GPTBots.ai’s integration of the Qwen 3.0 matrix delivers industry-leading performance in code generation, mathematical reasoning, and instruction execution.
- Qwen-3-235B: With exceptional computational power, it excels at complex logical reasoning and multimodal content generation, making it ideal for heavy-duty tasks such as enterprise-level data analysis and strategic decision-making.
- Qwen-3-30B: Optimized for private deployment, this lightweight model is designed for efficient resource utilization in localized servers and private cloud environments. Tailored for industries like finance, government, and manufacturing, it ensures data sovereignty and compliance while allowing parameter fine-tuning to adapt to specific business workflows. This ensures system stability and flexible AI deployment.
- Seamless Integration with Enterprise Systems
  GPTBots.ai leverages Qwen3’s capabilities to seamlessly integrate with ERP, CRM, CMS, and other enterprise systems. This ensures businesses can break down data silos, streamline workflows, and achieve real-time insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational performance.
Streamlining SOPs to Redefine Enterprise Operations

The integration of Qwen3 aligns seamlessly with GPTBots.ai’s mission to “Reimagine Enterprise Efficiency with AI.” By combining advanced technology with scenario adaptability, GPTBots.ai delivers three core value enhancements:

● Automated SOPs: Unlocking Workforce Potential
GPTBots.ai’s AI agents enable 24/7 automation for SOP-driven tasks like customer support, data entry, and report generation, significantly boosting efficiency and cutting labor costs. Supporting 90+ languages, the platform handles high-frequency queries such as order tracking, logistics updates, and return policies with over 90% automation accuracy, reducing customer service costs by 70%. Additionally, real-time integration with ERP and CRM systems automates multi-dimensional reporting, minimizing errors and enabling employees to focus on strategic and creative tasks.

● Global, Round-the-Clock Service: Reaching Diverse Audiences
With robust multilingual capabilities, GPTBots.ai ensures “native-level” service experiences across 119 languages and dialects, facilitating seamless cross-cultural communication. From English support in North America to Spanish after-sales in Latin America, the platform adapts to local languages and cultural nuances, enhancing customer satisfaction and boosting repurchase rates.

● Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-Time Insights
Powered by Qwen3’s advanced reasoning capabilities, GPTBots.ai provides real-time, actionable insights by analyzing operational data. It identifies potential best-sellers from sales data, uncovers customer pain points for personalized recommendations, and monitors market trends to inform proactive strategies. Seamless integration with ERP, CRM, and BI systems ensures real-time data updates, improving decision-making efficiency by 50%.

GPTBots.ai Founder, Chris Lo, stated, “The integration of Qwen3 marks a significant upgrade in our technological capabilities. By tackling operational pain points in standardized processes, we aim to deliver cost reduction without compromise and efficiency powered by intelligence. Moving forward, we will continue to integrate cutting-edge technologies that empower our clients to build sustainable competitive advantages throughout their digital transformation journey.”

About GPTBots.ai

GPTBots.ai is a complementary general-purpose LLM AI bot featuring private data input and continuous fine-tuning, which can replace ‘rule-based’ chatbots, improve user experience, and reduce costs. GPTBots.ai aims to provide users with an end-to-end business platform that can seamlessly integrate robots into existing applications and workflows via plug-ins. GPTBots.ai also allow users to have great access to, and more efficiently and effectively using, AIGC to improve overall corporate productivity and output quality.

To know more, please visit https://www.gptbots.ai.

About Aurora Mobile Limited

Founded in 2011, Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) is a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China. Since its inception, Aurora Mobile has focused on providing stable and efficient messaging services to enterprises and has grown to be a leading mobile messaging service provider with its first-mover advantage. With the increasing demand for customer reach and marketing growth, Aurora Mobile has developed forward-looking solutions such as Cloud Messaging and Cloud Marketing to help enterprises achieve omnichannel customer reach and interaction, as well as artificial intelligence and big data-driven marketing technology solutions to help enterprises’ digital transformation.

For more information, please visit https://ir.jiguang.cn/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the Business Outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Aurora Mobile’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Aurora Mobile may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Aurora Mobile’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Aurora Mobile’s strategies; Aurora Mobile’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Aurora Mobile’s ability to attract and retain customers; its ability to develop and effectively market data solutions, and penetrate the existing market for developer services; its ability to transition to the new advertising-driven SAAS business model; its ability to maintain or enhance its brand; the competition with current or future competitors; its ability to continue to gain access to mobile data in the future; the laws and regulations relating to data privacy and protection; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Aurora Mobile undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Aurora Mobile Limited
E-mail: ir@jiguang.cn

Christensen

In China
Ms. Xiaoyan Su
Phone: +86-10-5900-1548
E-mail: Xiaoyan.Su@christensencomms.com

In U.S.
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: linda.bergkamp@christensencomms.com

The MIL Network –
April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: ESET Research analyzes tools from the China-aligned TheWizards group, with targets across Asia and the Middle East
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- ESET discovered and analyzed both Spellbinder and WizardNet, tools used by the China-aligned TheWizards APT group.
- Spellbinder is used by the TheWizards to conduct local adversary-in-the-middle attacks and to redirect traffic from updating applications to an attacker-controlled server.
- That server delivers WizardNet, TheWizards’ signature backdoor, which is being deployed by legitimate Chinese software update mechanisms to victims’ machines.
- ESET also details the links between TheWizards and the Chinese company Dianke Network Security Technology, also known as UPSEC.
SAN DIEGO, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET researchers have analyzed Spellbinder, a lateral movement tool used to perform adversary-in-the-middle attacks by the China-aligned threat actor TheWizards. Spellbinder enables adversary-in-the-middle attacks through IPv6 stateless address autoconfiguration spoofing, which allows the attackers to redirect the update protocols of legitimate Chinese software to malicious servers. Then the legitimate software is tricked into downloading and executing the malicious components that launch the backdoor WizardNet.

TheWizards has been constantly active since at least 2022 until the present and, according to ESET telemetry, targets individuals, gambling companies, and unknown entities in the Philippines, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, mainland China, and Hong Kong.

“We initially discovered and analyzed this tool in 2022, and observed a new version with a few changes that was deployed to compromised machines in 2023 and 2024,” says ESET researcher Facundo Muñoz, who analyzed Spellbinder and WizardNet. “Our research led us to discover a tool used by the attackers that is designed to perform adversary-in-the-middle attacks using IPv6 SLAAC spoofing to intercept and reply to packets in a network, allowing the attackers to redirect traffic and serve malicious updates to legitimate Chinese software,” explains Muñoz.

The final payload in the attack is a backdoor that we named WizardNet – a modular implant that connects to a remote controller to receive and execute .NET modules on the compromised machine. ESET researchers have focused on one of the latest cases, in 2024, in which the update of Tencent QQ software was hijacked. The malicious server that issues the update instructions is still active. This variant of WizardNet supports five commands, three of which allow it to execute .NET modules in memory, thus extending its functionality on the compromised system.

TheWizards and the Chinese company Dianke Network Security Technology (also known as UPSEC) – supplier of the DarkNights backdoor (also known as DarkNimbus), appear to be linked. According to NCSC UK, this malicious backdoor also has Tibetan and Uyghur communities among its primary targets. While TheWizards uses a different backdoor – the WizardNet, the hijacking server is configured to serve DarkNights to updating applications running on Android devices.

For a more detailed analysis and technical breakdown of TheWizards’ tools, check out the latest ESET Research blogpost “TheWizards APT group uses SLAAC spoofing to perform adversary-in-the-middle attacks” on WeLiveSecurity.com. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter (today known as X), BlueSky, and Mastodon for the latest news from ESET Research.

About ESET

ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown — securing businesses, critical infrastructure and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e64e1152-5dee-4ed7-ad08-e0d87d089a16

The MIL Network –
April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai

Source: New Development Bank

On April 29, 2025, H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, visited the New Development Bank (NDB) Headquarters in Shanghai.

President Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed by H.E. Mrs. Dilma Rousseff, NDB President, four Vice-Presidents of the Bank and its staff.

President Xi Jinping congratulated Mrs. Dilma Rousseff on her re-election as President of NDB and noted that the Bank is the world’s first multilateral development institution established and led by emerging markets and developing countries.

In his remarks, President Xi Jinping called the Bank “a pioneering initiative for the unity and self-improvement of the Global South,” and said that it conforms to the historical trend of reforming and improving global governance. During the meeting, President Xi Jinping said that the NDB “is the first multilateral development institution initiated and led by emerging markets and developing countries, and that it has grown over the past decade into an emerging force in the international financial system and a symbol of South-South cooperation.” He added that, “as BRICS cooperation enters a phase of high-quality development, NDB is ready to embark on its second golden decade.”

President Xi Jinping called on NDB to always consider the development needs of the Global South, and to provide more high-quality, low-cost and sustainable infrastructure financing.

The Bank needs to improve its management and operations, implement more technology and green finance projects, and help developing countries bridge the digital divide and accelerate green and low-carbon transformation, said President Xi Jinping.

In discussions on the reform of international financial architecture, NDB should amplify the voice of the Global South, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South, and support the countries of the Global South in their pursuit of modernization.

President Xi Jinping noted that as the Bank’s host country, China will always support the operations and development of the New Development Bank. China is willing to strengthen project cooperation with the Bank and focus on green, innovative and sustainable development to achieve more results, he added.

China is also willing to share its development experience through the NDB with other member countries and stands ready to provide more international public goods, said President Xi Jinping.

In her remarks, President Dilma Rousseff expressed her gratitude to China for its enduring strong support for the NDB.

NDB President noted the remarkable development achievements under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, highlighting China’s important role in enhancing global governance. She also emphasized that, in a world marked by turbulence, the Chinese Government protects the interests of the Global South, supports multilateralism, and upholds international fairness and justice, setting an example for the international community. She also commended China’s open approach to technology cooperation, offering important opportunities for the Global South.

President Dilma Rousseff emphasized that the NDB remains strongly committed to its guiding principles and mandate, consistently contributing to sustainable development of all member countries.

NDB President stated that the Bank has already approved more than 120 investment projects, totaling USD 40 billion, focused on logistic and digital infrastructure as well as social infrastructure, such as water supply and sanitation, investments in education, health, and housing — “crucial for improving the quality of people’s lives”. She stressed that NDB is committed to action against climate change, support energy transition, prevention and mitigation of natural disasters. Another goal is to transform NDB in a truly 21st century bank by adopting the newest AI, and Big Data technology.

Strengthening the use of local currency has became a distinguishing feature of NDB. Currently, 31% of the financing projects are carried out in member countries’ currencies.

In this sense, NDB President also mentioned that the Bank is the largest issuer of Panda Bonds — the name given to Chinese currency-denominated bonds issued by non-Chinese institutions — which have already totaled 68.5 billion yuan. “We are expanding this strategy to other local capital markets, supporting our partners in reducing currency mismatch risks, strengthening their local capital markets, and utilizing currency swaps,” said NDB President.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Amid Dutton’s ‘hate media’ and Trump’s despotism, press freedom is more vital than ever

COMMENTARY: By Alexandra Wake

Despite all the political machinations and hate towards the media coming from the president of the United States, I always thought the majority of Australian politicians supported the role of the press in safeguarding democracy.

And I certainly did not expect Peter Dutton — amid an election campaign, one with citizens heading to the polls on World Press Freedom Day — to come out swinging at the ABC and Guardian Australia, telling his followers to ignore “the hate media”.

I’m not saying Labor is likely to be the great saviour of the free press either.

The ALP has been slow to act on a range of important press freedom issues, including continuing to charge journalism students upwards of $50,000 for the privilege of learning at university how to be a decent watchdog for society.

Labor has increased, slightly, funding for the ABC, and has tried to continue with the Coalition’s plans to force the big tech platforms to pay for news. But that is not enough.

The World Press Freedom Index has been telling us for some time that Australia’s press is in a perilous state. Last year, Australia dropped to 39th out of 190 countries because of what Reporters Without Borders said was a “hyperconcentration of the media combined with growing pressure from the authorities”.

We should know on election day if we’ve fallen even further.

What is happening in America is having a profound impact on journalism (and by extension journalism education) in Australia.

‘Friendly’ influencers
We’ve seen both parties subtly start to sideline the mainstream media by going to “friendly” influencers and podcasters, and avoid the harder questions that come from journalists whose job it is to read and understand the policies being presented.

What Australia really needs — on top of stable and guaranteed funding for independent and reliable public interest journalism, including the ABC and SBS — is a Media Freedom Act.

My colleague Professor Peter Greste has spent years working on the details of such an act, one that would give media in Australia the protection lacking from not having a Bill of Rights safeguarding media and free speech. So far, neither side of government has signed up to publicly support it.

Australia also needs an accompanying Journalism Australia organisation, where ethical and trained journalists committed to the job of watchdog journalism can distinguish themselves from individuals on YouTube and TikTok who may be pushing their own agendas and who aren’t held to the same journalistic code of ethics and standards.

I’m not going to argue that all parts of the Australian news media are working impartially in the best interests of ordinary people. But the good journalists who are need help.

The continuing underfunding of our national broadcasters needs to be resolved. University fees for journalism degrees need to be cut, in recognition of the value of the profession to the fabric of Australian society. We need regulations to force news organisations to disclose when they are using AI to do the job of journalists and broadcasters without human oversight.

And we need more funding for critical news literacy education, not just for school kids but also for adults.

Critical need for public interest journalism
There has never been a more critical need to support public interest journalism. We have all watched in horror as Donald Trump has denied wire services access for minor issues, such as failing to comply with an ungazetted decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

And mere days ago, 60 Minutes chief Bill Owens resigned citing encroachments on his journalistic independence due to pressure from the president.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is so concerned about what’s occurring in America that it has issued a travel advisory for journalists travelling to the US, citing risks under Trump administration policies.

Those of us who cover politically sensitive issues that the US administration may view as critical or hostile may be stopped and questioned by border agents. That can extend to cardigan-wearing academics attending conferences.

While we don’t have the latest Australian figures from the annual Reuters survey, a new Pew Research Centre study shows a growing gap between how much Americans say they value press freedom and how free they think the press actually is. Two-thirds of Americans believe press freedom is critical. But only a third believe the media is truly free to do its job.

If the press isn’t free in the US (where it is guaranteed in their constitution), how are we in Australia expected to be able to keep the powerful honest?

Every single day, journalists put their lives on the line for journalism. It’s not always as dramatic as those who are covering the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but those in the media in Australia still front up and do the job across a range of news organisations in some fairly poor conditions.

If you care about democracy at all this election, then please consider wisely who you vote for, and perhaps ask their views on supporting press freedom — which is your right to know.

Alexandra Wake is an associate professor in journalism at RMIT University. She came to the academy after a long career as a journalist and broadcaster. She has worked in Australia, Ireland, the Middle East and across the Asia Pacific. Her research, teaching and practice sits at the nexus of journalism practice, journalism education, equality, diversity and mental health.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two Trustees appointed to the Natural History Museum board for four year terms commencing 17 March 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Two Trustees appointed to the Natural History Museum board for four year terms commencing 17 March 2025

The Prime Minister has appointed Kate Robson Brown and Tanuja Randery as Trustees of the Natural History Museum.
Kate Robson Brown

Professor Kate Robson Brown is Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, at University College Dublin, Ireland. In this role she leads both UCDResearch (discovery and applied research) and NovaUCD (enterprise and commercial activities), and is the University AI Champion. She is Professor of Engineering Mathematics and Biological Anthropology. She is a member of the Ireland National Advisory Forum for Space Research, Honorary Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute for Data Science and AI, President of the European Low Gravity Research Association, co-chair of the UK Space Academic Network, and a Visiting Professor in Data Science at Strathmore University in Nairobi. Her previous role was Director of the Jean Golding Institute for Data Science and AI at the University of Bristol. Her research explores the computational modelling of the microstructure and performance of living tissues and manufactured materials and their response to changing and extreme environments, including space. She has a collaborative ESA and UKSA funded experiment currently in orbit on the ISS.

Tanuja Randery

Tanuja is Managing Director of Amazon Web Services EMEA, responsible for setting EMEA strategy and guiding the company’s growth across the region. She leads multi-country, cross-functional teams who work closely with customers to support digital transformation, from start ups through to the world’s largest enterprises. Tanuja has more than 25 years of strategic, commercial and operational experience. She was previously Partner at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where she was responsible for leading enterprise transformation projects in the technology and industrial sectors.

Prior to this she served as CEO, UK & Ireland for Schneider Electric, the global energy management firm. Tanuja serves as non-executive director on the board of BusinessLDN and was previously a trustee for Save the Children UK. She is committed to diversity projects and founded the PowerWomen Network—a cross-industry network for senior women business leaders. She was recognised as a top-50 Champions for Women in Business by the Financial Times’ HERoes in 2017 and 2018. She was ranked number 6 on the UK Tech50 2022 list of most influential people in IT and was recognised in the Yahoo Finance 2022 Heroes Women Role Model Lists. Tanuja also hosts a podcast, PowerWomen Speak, on what it takes for women to be successful in business. Born and educated in India, with a Master’s degree from Boston University, Tanuja has lived in London for the past 19 years.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Natural History Museum are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s [Governance Code on Public Appointments].

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Kate Robson Brown and Tanuja Randery have not declared any significant political activity.

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Published 30 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Respite facility gets sensory area boost

Source: Scotland – City of Perth

The team at Woodlea Cottage in Perth provides personalised family support programmes to help families where children have complex needs, including respite stays at the purpose-built provision.

Through the Council’s Angel Share initiative, aimed at supporting innovative project ideas to come to fruition, the team received £3000 funding to develop a sensory area in Kirsty House, an existing outdoor playhouse at Woodlea Cottage, along with new play facilities, for respite service users. The funding has enabled the purchase of sensory equipment and toys, and outdoor play equipment including a mud kitchen and trampoline to create an inviting, enjoyable and exciting space.

A number of local businesses also got involved to transform the community facility. Robertson Construction Tayside agreed to manage the transformation at zero cost and also donated the outdoor play equipment. Members of its supply chain including Kilmac, Sidey, Lesterose, Devar Flooring, Presdec and Caledonian Play, further supported the project by donating materials, resources and labour to give back to the community facility.

On Monday 28 April 2025, Council officials, elected members and representatives from the companies gathered at Woodlea Cottage to see the completed improvements for the first time.

Perth and Kinross Council Depute Chief Executive, Clare Mailer said: “Angel Share looks to support fresh ideas that will make a difference for communities within Perth and Kinross. The children and young people who use Woodlea Cottage have significant challenges in their everyday lives, and the team here who support them and their families came up with a great proposal to improve the facilities further. I was very pleased also that local companies were willing and ready to assist with making the sensory area project a reality and contribute positively to their communities.”

Kevin Dickson, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Tayside, commented: “This project has been a true team effort together with the Council and our supply chain partners to create an inclusive, engaging and vibrant new space. In total, 12 people dedicated 210 hours alongside in-kind donation to support a truly deserving cause.

“We are committed to delivering meaningful, long-lasting benefits in the communities where we work, and we hope the young people at Woodlea Cottage enjoy this new space for years to come.”

Lauren Pratt, Social Value Manager for Kilmac said: “Kilmac is passionate about supporting the local community, particularly when it comes to assisting with disability-related needs. By improving the play area’s accessibility and safety, we created a more inclusive environment. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these improvements will have on the families and children who use Woodlea Cottage. ”

Jamie Bruce Jones, Managing Director of Caledonia Play commented: “Caledonia Play were delighted to provide a range of play equipment for the sensory area at Woodlea Cottage. We believe that play is essential for a child’s development and to add fun and joy to their daily routine. The area created will offer a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of play with sensory stimulation.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU became the only university beyond the Urals to receive government support for training specialists in the field of AI

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation together with the ANO “Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation” completed the competitive selection of universities that will train highly qualified specialists in the field of artificial intelligence until 2030. Grant support is provided in the form of subsidies from the federal budget, an essential condition is co-financing from industrial partners in the amount of at least 30%. NSU was included in the list of winners, taking fourth place in the ranking of universities, and became the only university beyond the Urals to receive support.

Grant support will be provided for the development and implementation of a new bachelor’s degree program in “Applied Artificial Intelligence” in Institute of Intelligent Robotics NSU, admission to study will begin this academic year. The first intake will consist of at least 150 students.

— One of the key research areas that will be developed on the basis of infrastructure modern campus of NSU, being built within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, is the theme “Advanced areas of applied mathematics: artificial intelligence and big data processing, applied engineering”. The new educational program was developed to solve technological problems of the new direction. Graduates of the program will be able to configure existing AI models, further train such models, use previously created software libraries and frameworks to solve applied problems, – commented the rector of NSU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.

The Institute of Intelligent Robotics is the youngest educational division of NSU, where the number of undergraduate students in the Mechatronics and Robotics. Artificial Intelligence program has grown more than 7 times in 5 years, including due to foreign students. In 2024, according to the results of the university ranking for the quality of training specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, NSU became the leader among universities in the Siberian Federal District and entered the top 15 best universities in the country.

— The grant competition was aimed at supporting the best Russian universities with strong educational programs in the field of AI and great potential for training new-level personnel. The high final score of the NSU application, which was prepared jointly by the Institute of Intelligent Robotics and Research Center in the field of artificial intelligence of NSU, confirms the significant potential of the university for training personnel to ensure technological leadership of the country. It is assumed that students in the new bachelor’s program will actively participate in the implementation of strategic technological projects of the NSU Development Program within the framework of “Priority”, – noted Svetlana Sablina, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of NSU.

The key feature of the training is the focus on the practical application of AI and solving real problems from industrial partners, who provide co-financing of educational programs in the amount of at least 30% of the grant amount. This became one of the essential conditions of the competition.

— Rostelecom. Information Technologies acted as the university’s partner in implementing the new educational program. We have been cooperating with Rostelecom for over a year within the framework of the NSU Artificial Intelligence Center. Among the main joint projects are the development of an intelligent system for managing urban transport flows, a security system, etc. The second company that supported our initiative is T1 Innotech. This is a large company working in the field of IT and AI, our new partner, with whom we are just starting to work. Thanks to such cooperation, the educational program will be focused on the needs of the market and solving the problems of the modern AI industry. Even during the training, we will attract practicing teachers and involve students in work on real projects, — emphasized Alexander Lyulko, Director of the NSU Artificial Intelligence Center.

Reference:

The competition for government grants was held as part of the implementation of the events of the federal project “Artificial Intelligence” of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State”. The competitive selection of universities was carried out at two levels – “TOP DS” and “DS”. In total, 22 universities from 14 regions of Russia became winners, which will train top specialists in the field of AI. The final list included HSE, MIPT, ITMO, St. Petersburg State University and other leading universities in the country. By 2030, more than 10 thousand students are planned to be trained under the new educational programs.

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 –

April 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Election Diary: post-election rate cut and phone call from Trump in the pipeline

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

It used to be de rigueur for the prime minister and opposition leader to turn up to the National Press Club in the final week of the election campaign. But now Liberal leaders are not so keen.

Scott Morrison gave it a miss in 2022, although he was there in 2019. Nobody expected Peter Dutton, who has often been reluctant to face the Canberra press gallery in the past three years, to front the club this week.

It’s also happened in the past that a leader has said something significantly newsworthy during the Q&A session on these final big occasions.

Bob Hawke, days away from becoming prime minister in 1983, flagged he would be willing to break election promises if he found, on reaching office, that fiscal circumstances were different from what was anticipated. They were, and he did.

Anthony Albanese on Wednesday made his appearance, but he was not going to grab a headline with anything unexpected.

He delivered a spirited stump speech concentrating on everything Labor is offering voters – improvements to Medicare, tax cuts all round, and much else. He played and replayed his familiar mantra about nobody being left behind or held back. When it came to questions, the prime minister defended and deflected.

Are Australians better off than before he was elected? Well, they’d be worse off if Dutton had had his way.

Will whoever is in government need to increase the tax base in the next decade? “We’ll have not one but two income tax cuts.”

Would he consider a compromise on Labor’s plan to tax unrealised capital gains on some superannuation balances? “We have our policy.”

Is there something he regrets from the last three years? “I don’t pretend to be perfect.” So no regrets? “I’m not saying that at all.”

What he is saying is that the final sprint of the campaign is not the time to enter the confessional.

With the polls, and even most Liberals, at least privately, expecting Albanese to still be PM next week, whether in minority or majority government, he knows he has two challenges in these last days: to avoid being caught on any sticky paper, and to continue to project a sense of momentum by going full tilt (Labor people remember Bill Shorten easing up just before polling day in 2019). He is visiting every state, before he votes in his home electorate of Grayndler where, he indicated, his talisman dog Toto will accompany him to the polling booth on Saturday.

Before his press club appearance, Albanese had encouraging news from the latest consumer price index quarterly figures, which showed underlying inflation falling to 2.9%. This points to another cut in interest rates.

Westpac said, “Inflationary pressures have moderated, and the door is open for a rate cut in May”.

The Reserve Bank doesn’t meet until May 19-20, but the prospect of a cut can be a mood lifter for stretched households – just as the pre-campaign February decrease was.

Also able to be cast positively, US President Donald Trump, who has proved elusive in the face of the government’s attempts to get him to pick up the phone to discuss a tariff deal, confirmed a call would come. Asked whether he would speak to Albanese about trade, the president said, “they are calling, and I will talk to him, yes.”

There is no detail of whether, or what, deal could be in the offing, but Trump, by signalling the call, has given (inadvertently) another bit of help to the government in an election in which the “Trump factor” has played all Albanese’s way.

Instead of the press club, Dutton had done an hour’s “Ask Me Anything” appearance on Tuesday with Paul Murray on Sky, taking around a dozen viewers’ questions. It was an easy, friendly gig, directed squarely at his base. That might be one thing if he’s seeking the preferences of those voting One Nation or Trumpet of Patriots, but it is not where the middle-ground swinging voters are.

In this last week, Dutton has put his anger at a section of the media on display. Earlier in the week he lashed out at the ABC, Guardian and “other hate media”.

On Wednesday he doubled down, in a bit of pointed but embittered humour on FM radio when quizzed on tips for a good election night party. “I think alcohol is the first essential ingredient, I’m sure of that. Responsible drinking as well, but not watching the ABC would be a good start. For any young ones listening at home, forget the ABC.”

Dutton’s disdain for the ABC is long-standing and well-known. But in an election campaign, why he thinks it is a good tactic to expose it so blatantly is a mystery. It shows questionable judgement and a lack of discipline.

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

– ref. Election Diary: post-election rate cut and phone call from Trump in the pipeline – https://theconversation.com/election-diary-post-election-rate-cut-and-phone-call-from-trump-in-the-pipeline-255615

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Igniting Gen Z Innovation: Samsung India Launches ‘Solve for Tomorrow 2025’ Competition with Over INR 1 Crore In Grants

Source: Samsung

(Left to right) Shubham Mukherjee, Head of CSR & Corporate Communication at Samsung Southwest Asia; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY; JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia; Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India; Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi; Dr Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, unveiled the fourth iteration of its Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ initiative – a nationwide contest designed to inspire students to create innovative solutions to address some of society’s most pressing challenges by leveraging technology.

Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow 2025’ will provide INR 1 crore to the top four winning teams to support the incubation of their projects, along with hands-on prototyping, investor connects, and expert mentorship from Samsung leaders and IIT Delhi faculty.

This recognition highlights the significance of nurturing solutions that not only excel in the competition but also transcend it, ultimately evolving into scalable and sustainable ventures that will play a pivotal role in shaping communities across India.

The programme, spanning six months, invites students aged 14-22 to submit their tech ideas as either individuals or groups. This year, participants are encouraged to create solutions across four key themes: AI for a Safer, Smarter, and Inclusive Bharat; Future of Health, Hygiene, and Well-being in India; Social change through Sports and Tech for Education and Better Futures; and Environmental Sustainability via Technology.

“With Solve for Tomorrow, we are inspiring young innovators across every corner of India to dream big, tackle real-world challenges, and shape a smarter, more inclusive future through technology. This year, Solve for Tomorrow is going to be even bigger and more inclusive. We are reaching more cities, engaging students from more schools and colleges, and creating avenues for them to innovate, while applying the principles of design thinking. Solve for Tomorrow stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to the Government of India’s pioneering #DigitalIndia initiative that empowers our youth to become architects of the future,” said JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia.

“IIT Delhi is excited about fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world problem solving among youth. Our collaboration with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow offers mentorship, research infrastructure, and technical guidance to help the young turn their ideas into products that impact society. We are delighted to be part of this initiative that enables socially conscious innovation and contributes to Viksit Bharat,” said Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi.

“India’s young innovators are at the heart of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. With more young minds to tap solutions than any country ever before, India is uniquely positioned to lead with ideas that address local challenges and inspire global change. Initiatives like Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow provide a vital platform for young people to turn their ideas into solutions for the global good, using technology to drive inclusive and sustainable progress. The UN in India is proud to support such collaborations, especially with the private sector, that uplift youth leadership, innovation, and action, ensuring that we leave no one behind,” said Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India.

“Young people hold the key to solving today’s most urgent global challenges. Initiatives Iike Solve for Tomorrow 2025 empower them to turn their ideas into reality using technology. We are excited to see solutions that help scale youth-led ideas to drive real change across communities,” said Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

The fourth iteration of Samsung India’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aims to involve thousands of participants, offering more than 82,000 hours of extensive training in Design Thinking, Hands-on Prototyping, Go-to-Market Strategies, and Business Planning. In the final phase, teams selected as finalists will benefit from specialized training and mentorship provided by Samsung, IIT Delhi, and industry professionals.

‘Solve for Tomorrow 2025’ was inaugurated at IIT Delhi in the presence of all partners on Tuesday. Present at the event were Dr Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Shardul Rao, Scientist C, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and P. S. Madanagopal, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub.

From ideas to impact: Programme stages
The application window for the initiative will be open from April 29 to June 30, 2025. During this period, Samsung will host immersive design-thinking workshops in schools and colleges across the nation, empowering participants with essential problem solving and ideation skills.

After the initial application phase, the top 100 teams will be chosen, with 25 teams selected from each of the themes. At this stage, participants will undergo online training led by thematic experts, followed by a video pitch round where 40 teams will be shortlisted – 10 teams from each theme.

The top 10 semi-finalist teams from each theme will then progress to an intensive mentorship program guided by Samsung’s industry veterans and subject matter experts. These teams will also participate in curated learning visits to Samsung’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Samsung R&D Institute India in Bengaluru, Noida, and Delhi, as well as Samsung Design Delhi, offering them first-hand exposure to world-class innovation ecosystems.

This phase will culminate in an experiential, hands-on Prototyping Programme at Delhi’s state-of-the-art labs, in collaboration with ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ alumni. There will also be a Residential Bootcamp focused on refining ideas and preparing for the final pitch. The top 20 teams will be finalized after this phase, with five teams from each theme advancing to the grand finale. These top five teams from each theme will receive exclusive one-on-one mentoring sessions with Samsung experts. They will participate in a Prototyping Day, Pitch Presentation, Investor Meet, and Awards Ceremony, all held over the last three days of the competition.

What is in it for the participants
The top 100 teams will receive certificates of achievement. The top 40 teams will receive INR 8 lakh and the latest Samsung laptops for every member. The top 20 will receive with INR 20 lakh and the latest Samsung ZFlip smartphones for each member.

In addition, special awards include the Goodwill Award, Young Innovator Award, and Social Media Champion, with a total prize amount of INR 4.5 lakh.

The four winning teams will collectively receive a grant of INR 1 crore for incubation at IIT Delhi, providing substantial resources to accelerate their innovative projects. This funding aims to nurture their ideas into reality.

First launched in the US in 2010, ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ is currently operational in 68 countries globally and has seen over 3 million young people participate worldwide.

The Global CSR vision of Samsung Electronics – ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’ – is determined to provide education to young people around the world and empower them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Read more stories on Samsung Electronics’ CSR efforts on our CSR webpage https://csr.samsung.com/en-in/localMain.do

MIL OSI Economics –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: SPbPU at the exhibition in Tashkent: how to choose the profession of the future and enter a leading technical university

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

The 27th international exhibition “Education and Profession 2025” was held in Uzbekistan. The largest international educational event of the republic was organized by the Agency for Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan and the company “My Fair” with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo and the National Bank of Uzbekistan. The event, which covered 12 cities of the country, brought together a record 100 universities from 15 countries for Central Asia. Our university was also represented at the exhibition.

The Education and Profession 2025 exhibition is a unique opportunity for applicants, students and young professionals to take a look into the future of their careers. Here you can learn about the requirements for admission to universities and colleges, scholarships and grants that make education more accessible, as well as about the professions that will determine the labor market in a few years – from IT development and bioengineering to sustainable development and digital art. Experts from leading universities reveal right at the exhibition which skills are critically important today. For example, the ability to work with data, adapt to change, manage a team or solve interdisciplinary problems.

Deputy Head of the Agency for Youth Affairs Dilnozahon Kattakhanova emphasized the significance of the event: More than 100 universities are more than 100 opportunities for self-realization, discovering potential and choosing a decent education. Young people will be able to contribute to the development of science, technology and all spheres of life in the country.

Head of Rossotrudnichestvo in Uzbekistan Irina Staroselskaya emphasized the importance of choice: Young people can choose not only a university, but also a country, a direction. The main thing is that education brings pleasure – after all, we spend most of our lives at work. Let the choice be conscious!

Over the course of two days of the exhibition, the stand of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was visited by more than 1,700 high school students from Uzbekistan considering the possibility of studying in Russia. The main audience was senior students who studied in detail the prospects of entering Russian universities.

Leading Advertising Manager of the SPbPU Center for International Recruitment and Communications Zhanna Trunkova and specialist of the Department for Work with Foreign Students Evgeniya Borodina held individual consultations for the guests. They explained in detail the conditions of enrollment, the range of available educational programs, as well as scholarship and financial support options for foreign students of the university.

Uzbek schoolchildren received information about scholarships, admission requirements and promising professions. The speakers thanked the partners for their contribution to the organization of the largest educational project in the region.

International educational exhibitions help not only to obtain information, but also to immerse yourself in a dialogue with universities. Personal consultations, career guidance tests and live communication with representatives allow you to compare your interests with the real demands of the economy. This is a chance to rethink career goals, choose an educational trajectory that corresponds to both personal ambitions and global trends, and also to begin building a professional path without gaps in knowledge, – emphasized the head of the International Education Department of SPbPU Evgeniya Satalkina.

You can find out more about the admission procedure at Polytechnic University atSPbPU website, and fill out the form inin the applicant’s personal account.

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 –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin signs agreement with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ramírez on mutual visa exemption for regular passport holders of Taiwan and Paraguay

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin signs agreement with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ramírez on mutual visa exemption for regular passport holders of Taiwan and Paraguay

Date：2024-11-30
Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

November 30, 2024
No. 442

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano on November 29 signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual visa exemption for regular passport holders from Taiwan and Paraguay. After the conclusion of the ceremony, which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Lin hosted a banquet for the Paraguayan delegation. The two sides exchanged views on such issues as further deepening the diplomatic alliance between Taiwan and Paraguay, promoting bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and pursuing trilateral cooperation together with the United States.

Minister Lin welcomed Minister Ramírez back to Taiwan, following an earlier trip in May to accompany President Santiago Peña to President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration. Minister Lin noted that this demonstrated the deep friendship and close relations between Taiwan and Paraguay. During their meeting, the two ministers discussed international political and economic developments and bilateral cooperation projects. They also exchanged opinions on economic, trade, and investment issues related to Taiwan’s electric bus, food processing, and textile industries and the import of agricultural and livestock products. Minister Ramírez said he was pleased that Taiwan had implemented the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in Paraguay, which he hoped would bring mutual benefits and prosperity to both nations.

Minister Ramírez reaffirmed the staunch support extended to Taiwan by President Peña and the government and people of Paraguay and conveyed sincere greetings on their behalf. He expressed the hope that by building a model of trilateral cooperation, Taiwan, the United States, and Paraguay could jointly safeguard the core values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. He affirmed the earlier signing of the agreement on mutual visa exemption for regular passport holders of the two countries, adding that this would foster people-to-people exchanges and afford greater convenience to Taiwanese businesses investing in Paraguay. (E)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Taiwan donates €4 million to EBRD’s Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Guarantee Facility to help revitalize Ukrainian insurance market

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Taiwan donates €4 million to EBRD’s Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Guarantee Facility to help revitalize Ukrainian insurance market

Date：2024-12-14
Data Source：Department of European Affairs

December 14, 2024
No. 461

To assist Ukraine in revitalizing its domestic insurance market and to boost international investment interest in Ukraine, Taiwan has agreed to allocate €4 million from the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund for the Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Guarantee Facility (URGF) initiative led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The donation agreement was signed in Taipei on December 2 at a ceremony witnessed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang. It was signed on behalf of Taiwan by Jonathan C. Y. Sun, Director General of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by Director for Donor Partnerships Camilla Otto on behalf of the EBRD.

The EBRD held a ceremony to launch the URGF in its London headquarters on December 12, which was attended by Taiwan Representative to the United Kingdom Vincent C. H. Yao. In his remarks at the event, Representative Yao said that Taiwan staunchly supported Ukraine and looked forward to working with like-minded democratic allies to assist in Ukraine’s reconstruction through the URGF mechanism.

Due to the Russia-Ukraine war, international reinsurance companies have had reservations about providing coverage for businesses operating in Ukraine. The EBRD thus aims to raise €110 million via the URGF mechanism so as to provide additional guarantees for potential losses incurred by war-related risks. This will increase international investor confidence and, in turn, accelerate economic recovery and improve the lives of the Ukrainian people. France, the United Kingdom, Norway, the European Union, and Switzerland have also pledged to donate to the URGF. (E)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI: UAB„Orkela“ Publishes Audited Financial Statements for the Year, Ended 31 December 2024.

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

UAB „Orkela“ (hereinafter – the Company) publishes audited financial statements for the year. Ended 31 December 2024.

The main activity of the Company is real estate development and construction. The Company

owns a land plot and a building complex located on Vasario 16-osios st. 1, Vilnius.

Key events in 2024

During 2024, the Company issued 15,156 units of secured non-convertible bonds, each with a nominal value of EUR 1,000.As of 31 December 2024, the Company issued 38,658 units of secured non-convertible bonds.
During 2024, the Company leased 4,333 sq m of administrative space in an object under development located on Vasario16-osios st. 1, Vilnius.

Key events after the end of the financial year

As of 31 December 2024, the bonds were due to be redeemed in January 2025. The Company, having received the approval of the bondholders, extended the term until 19 July 2025.
Q I 2025 The Company leased an additional 922 sq m of space, thus increasing the occupancy of the object to 92%.
On 10 April 2025, the State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate under the Ministry of Environment approved the completion of the construction of the administrative part of the project.

The decision of the sole shareholder

According to the Law on Companies of Republic of Lithuania, the annual financial statements prepared by the management must be approved by the General Shareholders’ meeting. The shareholders of the Company have the right to approve or not to approve the financial statements and to demand the preparation of new annual financial statements.

On 30 April 2025 the Company’s shareholder made a decision regarding the approval of the Company’s financial statements for the year 2024 and the distribution of profit (loss) as indicated below:

Article	Sum, EUR
Retained earnings (losses) – at the beginning of the financial year	(10,921,587)
Comprehensive income for the reporting period – net profit (loss) of the reporting year	1 412 324
Profit transfer to the legal reserve	–
Payment of dividends from undistributed profit	–
Retained earnings (losses) – at the end of financial year	(9 509 263)
Profit distribution:
To be paid out as dividends	–
Transfer to the legal reserve	–
Retained earnings (losses) for 2024 and prior financial years	(9 509 263)

More information:

Director of UAB „Orkela“

Anastasija Pocienė

Anastasija.Pociene@lordslb.lt

+370 671 16 232

Attachment

uaborkela-2024-12-31-en

The MIL Network –

April 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Economics: CBB Governor meets Senior Deputy Governor of Banca d’Italia

Source: Central Bank of Bahrain

Published on 30 April 2025

Manama, Bahrain, 30 April 2025– HE Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, met with Mr. Luigi Federico Signorini, Senior Deputy Governor of Banca d’Italia, as part of the Bahrain’s delegation’s visit to Italy which aims to strengthen economic and trade ties between both countries. HE Mr. Osama Abdullah Al-Absi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Italian Republic and other officials were also in attendance.

During the meeting, HE the Governor emphasized the importance of further development of the financial services sector, through the adaptation and implementation of numerous policies and strategic initiatives in line with the latest innovative financial technologies. HE the Governor also highlighted the importance of sharing views on best practices and experiences with regional and global financial institutions to promote economic development and support sustainable growth.

The meeting also discussed means of enhancing cooperation in financial services and other topics of mutual interest.

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MIL OSI Economics –

April 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Official Statement

Source: Central Bank of Bahrain

Published on 30 April 2025

Manama, Bahrain, 30 April 2025– The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) reaffirms its ongoing commitment to ensuring the compliance of licensed financial institutions with regulatory requirements and taking the necessary measures in response to any violations, in line with its supervisory mandate.

With reference to what has been circulating regarding Safaghat W.L.L. (the “company”), licensed by the CBB to provide crowdfunding platform operator services, and following a thorough evaluation using the CBB’s regulatory instruments, the CBB had previously conducted an investigation and taken the following actions based on its findings:
• Instructing the company to immediately cease providing services to existing clients and to refrain from onboarding new ones.
• Initiating the necessary regulatory measures with respect to the company.
• Directing the company to uphold the highest standards of transparency by clearly communicating with customers regarding the status of their current investments.

The CBB remains committed to working in coordination with the relevant authorities to safeguard the soundness and stability of the financial system.

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MIL OSI Economics –

April 30, 2025

Year	Number of complaints received (cases)
2020	82
2021	287
2022	858
2023	1 029
2024	695

Category: Business

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Two Trustees appointed to the Natural History Museum board for four year terms commencing 17 March 2025

Kate Robson Brown

Tanuja Randery

Remuneration and Governance Code

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PM to visit Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh on 1st and 2nd May

PM to inaugurate the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai