Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
LNG receiving terminal in Tianjin witnesses surge in natural gas supply as heating season approaches
Category: China
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MIL-OSI China: LNG receiving terminal in Tianjin witnesses surge in natural gas supply as heating season approaches
Staff members are on duty in the central control room at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in north China’s Tianjin, Oct. 29, 2024. As the heating season approaches in many parts of north China, the LNG receiving terminal of Sinopec in Tianjin has witnessed a surge in arrival of LNG container vessels in recent days. The terminal, which serves the seasonal peak-shaving and gas supply tasks for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, has unloaded 990,000 tonnes of LNG and supplied 900 million cubic meters of natural gas in September and October this year, a year-on-year increase of 87 percent and 20 percent, respectively. [Photo/Xinhua] An aerial drone photo shows a liquefied natural gas (LNG) container vessel docking at a LNG receiving terminal of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in north China’s Tianjin, Oct. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] Staff members check devices at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in north China’s Tianjin, Oct. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] Staff members check devices at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in north China’s Tianjin, Oct. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A drone photo shows a liquefied natural gas (LNG) container vessel docking at a LNG receiving terminal of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) in north China’s Tianjin, Oct. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] -
MIL-OSI China: China unveils new regulation for professional doctorate in engineering
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China has released its first set of guidelines outlining criteria and requirements for theses and practice-oriented outputs in professional doctorate applications in engineering to enhance talent cultivation, according to the Ministry of Education.
The pilot document containing these guidelines encompasses provisions on the scope and quality of dissertations for candidates pursuing a professional engineering doctorate. It also introduces criteria and protocols for awarding the degree based on practical achievements.
The guidelines follow the passage of a law on academic degrees by China’s national legislature this April. The law, set to take effect next year, allows graduate students to earn their degrees either through a thesis or by submitting required practice-oriented outputs.
The new guidelines require dissertations to focus on engineering applications and applied research, highlighting the applicant’s proficiency in fundamental theory, specialized knowledge and independent professional practice.
It is stressed that doctorate applications based on practical achievements should include tangible deliverables and a written summary report.
China regards education, science and technology, and talent development as the fundamental and strategic foundations for modernization. The country has strived to promote the integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms related to these areas in order to boost innovation.
According to an official with the Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee, the guidelines emphasize not only the ability of engineering doctoral students to independently engage in professional practice but also the importance of innovation and diversity.
Experts believe the newly unveiled guidelines underscore the training focus and standards of professional degrees, emphasizing practice-based innovation capabilities.
The regulation will apply to eight categories of professional degrees, including electronic information, mechanical engineering, materials and chemicals, and energy and power engineering.
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MIL-OSI China: China, Canada to increase direct flights to satisfy travel, trade demands
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China and Canada will increase direct flights to meet demands for travel and trade between the two countries, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said Wednesday.
Air Canada plans to increase the frequency of its weekly round-trip flights from Vancouver to Shanghai from the current four to seven from Dec. 7 onwards, according to the CAAC.
Furthermore, Air Canada will resume the operation of its route from Vancouver to Beijing from Jan. 15, 2025 — offering seven round-trip flights per week.
Meanwhile, Chinese airlines are also expediting their application process for additional flights.
The surge in direct flights between China and Canada will help satisfy personnel exchange and economic and trade demands, and promote the further recovery of their shared air transport market, the CAAC said.
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Health chief joins medical conference
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau led a delegation to attend the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Medical Products Administration Conference in Zhuhai today.
During the conference, he introduced the latest initiatives of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub as put forth in the 2024 Policy Address.
The conference is co-organised by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.
It serves as a platform for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau to share their work experience in drug regulation, enhance the work mechanism for collaboration on drug and medical device regulation in the bay area, and foster the innovation development of drug and medical device regulation in the region.
National Medical Products Administration Deputy Commissioner Zhao Junning also attended the conference.
During the conference, representatives from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau exchanged views on the current situation of regulation over drugs and medical devices in the three places, as well as the mechanism for regulatory collaborations on drugs and medical devices in the bay area.
They also covered bay area standards for Chinese medicines, in addition to the feasibility of streamlining the registration and approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macau-registered traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for oral use for sale on the Mainland, and had an in-depth discussion on the way forward.
Prof Lo updated the conference attendees on the latest developments of Hong Kong’s healthcare policies put forward in the 2024 Policy Address.
These included complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation through expediting the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, strengthening biomedical technology research and development and translation, and promoting the internationalisation of Chinese medicines.
Prof Lo said the Hong Kong SAR Government is determined to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, and expedite the provision of advanced diagnostic and treatment services to patients by leveraging the advantages of “one country, two systems” and Hong Kong’s healthcare professional system.
He also noted that Hong Kong will actively integrate into the national development by dovetailing with the national initiative of fostering new quality productive forces in biomedical technology as set out in the Resolution of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization and the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.
“The Hong Kong SAR Government will enhance Hong Kong’s clinical trial capability and facilitate the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications by rendering firm support to innovation and application of advanced biomedical technology, with a view to attracting the world’s top-notch biomedical enterprises and research and development institutions to set up operations in Hong Kong,” Prof Lo added.
The delegation will return to Hong Kong this evening.
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MIL-OSI China: Chinese organization expresses ‘great regret’ after EU’s Chinese EVs tariff ruling
Source: China State Council Information Office
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products on Wednesday expressed “great regret” on behalf of the Chinese automotive industry at the European Commission’s decision to impose anti-subsidy tariffs on electric vehicles originating in China.
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MIL-OSI China: Direct all-cargo air route links China’s Hubei, Hong Kong
Source: China State Council Information Office
A direct all-cargo air route between Hubei Province in central China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was launched on Wednesday, according to SF Airlines.
On Wednesday morning, a Boeing 737-400 freighter took off from the Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei, China’s first cargo-focused airport. It is also the airport’s first all-cargo route to Hong Kong, said the cargo airline.
Three round-trip flights are scheduled to shuttle on this route every week, providing about 100 tonnes of air transport capacity weekly.
This direct air route will provide air express capacity to this year’s Double Eleven online shopping festival, also known as the Singles’ Day shopping festival and a Chinese version of Black Friday.
It will help facilitate transportation of e-commerce express and enhance consumption experience for customers, said SF Airlines.
Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines is China’s largest air cargo carrier in fleet size. To date, it has cultivated an international route network from Ezhou Huahu International Airport to totalling more than 60 destinations at home and abroad, said the cargo carrier.
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MIL-OSI China: China’s first ‘smart factory’ for offshore oil, gas equipment fully operational
Source: China State Council Information Office
China’s first intelligent manufacturing base for offshore oil and gas equipment was put into full operation on Wednesday in north China’s Tianjin Municipality.
Covering an area of about 575,000 square meters, this base built along the coast of the Bohai Sea focuses on producing offshore oil and gas platforms and high-end offshore products such as liquefied natural gas modules, according to its constructor China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC), a subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.
The base consists of four intelligent production workshops, eight production auxiliary centers, 16 final assembly stations and core facilities such as docks facilitating product transportation via large ships. There are also over 600 intelligent production machines at this base.
Compared to the traditional manufacturing process, a series of operations such as material retrieval, pipe coiling, cutting and hydraulic bending can be achieved via a single click through an intelligent manufacturing management platform available at the Tianjin facility.
According to Wang Lei, one of the senior executives of the Tianjin branch of COOEC, there are a variety of offshore oil and gas equipments, and in the past, producing them featured complicated manufacturing processes, and customized and non-standard requirements.
As a result, COOEC opted to develop an intelligent manufacturing management platform to achieve intelligent production under complex conditions, said Wang. “More manufacturing processes are now achieved through the use of equipment, while only a small number of workers are needed to undertake detail adjustment tasks.”
The base was constructed in two phases. The first phase of the project was put into use in June 2022, and delivered 35 offshore oil and gas platforms to countries such as China and Canada, with total weight exceeding 87,000 tonnes.
In the second construction phase of this project, eight final assembly stations and an intelligent pipe production line were added, while the capacity of docks was increased.
“Production efficiency achieved by the intelligent pipe production line has increased by about 20 percent when compared to what was possible in the first phase, and the overall production capacity of the factory has doubled through digital intelligent manufacturing and precise management,” Wang revealed.
In 2023, China’s offshore crude oil production had exceeded 62 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 3.4 million tonnes — accounting for about 70 percent of China’s total crude oil production increase last year.
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MIL-OSI China: Collapse of gold mine in Afghanistan leaves 3 dead
Source: China State Council Information Office
At least three miners were killed following the collapse of a gold mine in northern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, the provincial police office has said.
The accident occurred in the mountainous area of the province’s Arghanchkhwa district. The bodies of the victims were recovered by local residents and a rescue team.
Badakhshan is a remote and mountainous province of Afghanistan, home to numerous untouched mines, especially gold and lapis lazuli mines, some of which are extracted with no modern facilities or equipment.
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MIL-OSI China: US candidates neck-and-neck a week before elections
Source: China State Council Information Office
The race for the White House is neck and neck just a week before Americans cast their ballots for the next president.
Republican candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by an average of 0.4 percentage points in national polls as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. election information website Real Clear Politics.
Trump leads by just a hair in many swing states, including Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina, while Harris leads by half a point in Michigan.
The swing states are likely to determine the election outcome, and both candidates have been actively campaigning there, attending rallies to present their case to voters.
“The presidential race remains tight, but Harris has been outspending Trump by a 2 or 3 to 1 margin in advertising,” Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.
Inflation and the economy are among the main issues. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have overseen an economy with low unemployment, many voters are outraged over the high prices that have taken hold during the current administration.
Besides, Trump’s campaign has been accusing the Biden-Harris administration of leading to a major increase in crime in urban areas.
Stores are now locking up their merchandise, as shoplifters brazenly fill up garbage bags full of goods and simply walk out of the store without paying. Drug addicts shoot up heroin and other hard drugs in broad daylight in many cities. They harass and physically assault passersby, and urinate and defecate on sidewalks in downtown areas.
At the same time, Trump has ruffled several feathers, as he is known to do, with what critics call incendiary rhetoric.
Critics also blasted Trump for his plan to launch the mass deportation operation of millions of immigrants who illegally poured over the border since the current administration took office. Trump’s critics fear this could lead to problems including breaking up families and giving law enforcement too much power.
It remains unknown what undecided voters will do.
“Many undecided voters will not vote at all,” Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua, adding that the people who are unlikely to vote, based on past elections, accounts for a large percentage of adults.
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MIL-OSI China: Russia says U.S. actions against Russian reporters violate freedom of information
Source: China State Council Information Office
Washington’s recent actions against Russian journalists violate the right to access information and media pluralism, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.
A film crew from Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, who arrived in Washington to cover the upcoming presidential election, was detained and subjected to hours of interrogation on Tuesday night, resulting in one member being expelled from the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Zakharova noted that the Russian journalists had notified U.S. authorities of their intentions and received permission before their arrival, adding that this reflects the United States’ readiness to use repressive measures against inconvenient information.
“The arbitrariness of the American authorities will not remain without a proper reaction on our part,” Zakharova said.
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MIL-OSI China: Iraq announces final results of Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections
Source: China State Council Information Office
The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced Wednesday the final results of the parliamentary elections of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leading with 39 seats.
IHEC’s Chairman Judge Omar Ahmed said at a press conference that the final results showed that the KDP led with 39 seats in the regional 100-seat parliament, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan followed with 23 seats and the New Generation Movement with 15 seats.
Ahmed said that the political parties have the right to appeal the results within three days.
Iraq’s Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections kicked off on October 20 to elect 100 lawmakers out of 1,091 candidates.
The elections were originally scheduled for 2022 but have been continuously delayed due to political differences.
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MIL-OSI China: Former Malaysian PM ordered to enter defense in 1MDB case
Source: China State Council Information Office
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been ordered to enter his defense against 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) on Wednesday.
The High Court has called on Najib to enter his defense on four charges of power abuse and 21 charges of money laundering involving 2.28 billion ringgit (520 million U.S. dollars) after Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said it had conducted a maximum evaluation and found the prosecution had proven prima facie in its case against the former prime minister.
The 1MDB trial now has 97 hearing dates scheduled from Dec. 2 this year until November 2025, with trial dates for every month during this period except for July next year.
Najib, 71, has been serving a sentence since Aug. 23, 2022, after being convicted in a separate criminal trial over misappropriating 42 million ringgit from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former unit of 1MDB.
Following his conviction, he successfully filed a petition for a royal pardon, which resulted in a reduction of his 12-year imprisonment to six years and a fine cut from 210 million ringgit to 50 million ringgit in February. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollar)
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MIL-OSI China: UN human rights council to open office in Bangladesh
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has decided to set up an office in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka to strengthen its activities in the South Asian country.
Bangladeshi interim government’s Social Welfare Advisor Sharmeen S. Murshid said following a meeting with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Dhaka Tuesday.
“It is a very important decision. The interim government agreed over establishment of the U.N. human rights office in Dhaka,” the advisor said.
She said that the office’s presence here will strengthen the country’s position on human rights.
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MIL-OSI China: 51 killed by flash floods in eastern Spain: report
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
At least 51 people have died in flash floods in the Spanish province of Valencia as torrential rains continue to ravage the country’s eastern and southern coasts, state broadcaster TVE reported on Wednesday.
Since the authorities declared a red alert for torrential rains on Tuesday, several people have been missing in heavy flooding that has swept away vehicles and disrupted rail services.
Six people were reported missing in the town of Letur, close to Valencia in Albacete. In Valencia, two Civil Guard police officers and a truck driver are still being searched for.
The Spanish government set up a crisis committee on Wednesday to assess the damage caused as rescuers continue to search for victims.
At the opening of the Spanish Congress on Wednesday morning, Francina Armengol, the parliament speaker, called for a minute’s silence for the victims.
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MIL-OSI China: Endless U.S. plotting pushes Panama to seek more global cooperation, says expert
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Decades of the U.S. plotting to make profits at the price of Panama’s interests has pushed the Central American country to seek more global cooperation, a Panama-based international relations expert has said.
Julio Yao, former foreign policy advisor to the late Panamanian leader General Omar Torrijos, recalled the history of nonstop U.S. intervention in Panama since the turn of the 20th century in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Panama gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and from Colombia in 1903, though the latter was in essence “a deception” devised by the United States to gain control of the strategic Panama Canal, Yao said.
“From that moment on, the United States took over the so-called Canal Zone,” starting a long string of unfortunate events for Panama, he said.
On top of the list was the attempt to establish the failed Kellogg-Alfaro treaty in the 1920s, which was rejected because it aimed to legalize the presence of U.S. troops on Panamanian soil.
“That treaty completely turned Panama into a U.S. military base, that is, a military springboard for the rest of Latin America,” the expert said.
Nevertheless, unilateral interventions by the United States persisted in Panama, he said.
For much of the 1970s, the U.S. government was “permanently” pressuring Panama to grant it protection and defense rights over the canal in perpetuity, Yao recalled.
At the time, the career diplomat was advising Torrijos and then Foreign Minister Juan Antonio Tack in drafting treaties, such as the 1974 Tack-Kissinger Declaration, which made a point of setting a deadline on the U.S. occupation of the canal.
“Why did we have to emphasize the fixed deadline? Because the Americans always deceived Panama with a later date and never left Panama,” Yao said.
In September 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed by Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, establishing that the Panama Canal would be turned over to Panamanian control on Dec. 31, 1999.
Prior to that, the U.S. “obsession” with controlling the Panama Canal occasionally turned “explosive,” Yao said.
On Dec. 20, 1989, a date now known as the Day of National Mourning, U.S. troops invaded Panama to capture Panamanian General Manuel Noriega, later convicting him of drug trafficking and money laundering.
To break with the past, Yao said he believes that Panama should look to more “humanist,” multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS.
Such mechanisms have created a counterweight to hegemonic power in several aspects, said the expert.
“The United States is really in a very ruinous position,” Yao said, noting that at such a juncture, concepts such as the Global South are relevant today since they shelve religious or political differences in favor of promoting joint development.
The Global South is “a good concept” because it addresses many similar situations in Africa, Latin America and even the Middle East, Yao said.
People want to emerge from underdevelopment or the lack of development, and to that end, BRICS countries have taken “the right path” towards global development, through measures that go beyond resolving local or regional issues, he said.
“I firmly believe in BRICS and I believe very firmly in the Global South,” Yao said.
“If you look at the new foreign policy of some African countries, they are on the right track. That is a great awakening for a region that has been very impoverished, very dominated, very interfered with, very manipulated, so I think there is reason to feel optimistic,” he said.
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MIL-OSI China: ADB approves $500M loan for Pakistan to support climate resilience
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday it has approved 500 million U.S. dollars in policy-based loan to support climate and disaster resilience efforts in Pakistan, said a statement.
The bank’s Pakistan office said that the Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program will strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity for planning, preparedness, and response.
According to the bank, the program will increase inclusive investment in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience and support the scale-up of disaster risk financing using a risk-layered approach.
The ADB added that Pakistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and disasters, with average losses from disaster events exceeding 2 billion U.S. dollars annually.
“This program builds on the ADB’s long-standing work in Pakistan to understand and reduce climate and disaster risks and support effective disaster response,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov.
The bank added that the program aims to strengthen disaster resilience in Pakistan by advancing disaster risk mapping and modeling to guide development and investment decisions.
The program would further support a solidarity fund to promote risk transfer solutions, including agricultural insurance, and will implement shock-responsive social protections to provide cash assistance to those affected by future disasters, added the bank.
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MIL-OSI China: Nearly half of voters question American democracy: survey
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Nearly half of U.S. voters doubt the government’s ability to serve the common good, with 45 percent saying it fails to represent them, according to a survey released by The New York Times on Sunday.
The survey, conducted nationwide from Oct. 20 to 23 among 2,516 likely voters, found that 62 percent believe the government primarily serves its own interests and elites.
Such frustrations, compounded by economic challenges, partisan divides, and unresolved social issues, have weakened confidence in the nearly 250-year-old democratic system, said the report.
The survey also highlighted a stark partisan divide, with 60 percent of voters blaming former President Donald Trump for worsening it, while 37 percent pointed to Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s not just Democrat or Republican, it’s the Washington elite,” retired farmer Randal Parr was quoted as saying in the report. “The Washington elite control everything, and the will of the people has been ignored.”
Some voters expressed frustration over government inaction on pressing issues. “It’s always a school shooting,” said temporary worker Sarah Washington. “Nothing still being done about it. They talk about it, and then another one happens.”
Roughly one-third of respondents worry that America’s problems are so severe that it could fail as a nation, while 58 percent say the nation’s financial and political systems require significant reforms or a complete overhaul, the survey showed.
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MIL-OSI China: Pakistan condemns Israeli ban on UNRWA operations
Source: China State Council Information Office
Pakistan strongly condemned the latest Israeli attempt to dismantle the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening.
The ministry said that the latest step is yet another violation of international law and the UN Charter by Israel.
“Preventing UNRWA from carrying out its vital tasks is a manifestation of Israel’s systematic campaign to deny the much-needed humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people,” added the ministry.
According to the ministry, Pakistan urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to hold Israel accountable and to protect UNRWA’s work under UN General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 1949.
The statement emphasized that Israel’s actions represent a calculated effort to deny essential aid to the Palestinian population, especially those in Gaza.
In light of the humanitarian crisis, Pakistan also reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and for uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of people.
Earlier on Monday, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed a law prohibiting the UNRWA from operating in Israel.
Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News reported that the new law, which received support from 92 out of 120 parliament members, passed despite opposition from the United States and several European countries.
The law stipulates that the UNRWA will not operate any representation, provide services, or conduct any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israeli territory.
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MIL-OSI China: Postal voting begins for Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election
Source: China State Council Information Office
Postal voting for Sri Lanka’s upcoming parliamentary election on Nov. 14 began Wednesday across polling centers nationwide.
The Election Commission announced that postal voting would be held at designated government institutions, including police stations, district secretariats and district election offices.
The Election Commission added that postal voting would continue on Nov. 1 and Nov. 4.
Sri Lanka only allows postal voting for government employees. According to Election Commission Chairman Ratnayake, the commission received 759,210 applications for postal voting, with 20,551 applications rejected.
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MIL-OSI China: 2 hospitalized after ‘significant fire’ in British nuclear sub shipyard
Source: China State Council Information Office
Two people were taken to hospital after a “significant fire” broke out on Wednesday at the BAE Systems nuclear submarine shipyard in northwestern England, police said.
Local police said there was “no nuclear risk” and two people were sent to hospital after suffering suspected smoke inhalation.
Images circulating on social media showed large flames and thick smoke coming from a tall white building, purportedly at the shipyard.
Emergency services were called at about 0044 GMT to the site, located in the coast city of Barrow-in-Furness, where Britain’s nuclear submarines are built.
Local residents are being advised to remain inside with their doors and windows closed while the incident is ongoing, said police.
The craft that have been built here include the four Vanguard Class submarines that make up Britain’s Trident nuclear program, according to the BBC.
Four new nuclear submarines from the Dreadnought Class and the last of the Royal Navy’s seven new nuclear-powered submarines, part of the Astute Class, are also being built at the site.
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Eco Expo Asia opens
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The 19th Eco Expo Asia opened today and will run until November 2.
Themed “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”, some 190 officials from around 40 official delegations from various cities and provinces in Mainland China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Belt & Road countries have been invited to showcase cutting-edge green solutions, exchange views and share experiences.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan said: “Eco Expo Asia is a golden opportunity for us to discuss and advance our shared commitments to a sustainable future.
“Green innovation solutions are of paramount importance in our decarbonisation journey. During the expo, we will see the latest innovations and technologies around the world in new energy, climate adaptation and other environmental areas.”
Mr Tse also stressed that although Hong Kong’s carbon emissions peaked in 2014, achieving carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050 is still a significant challenge. As such, he said the Government is boosting the promotion of green low-carbon transformation as well as the development of new energy, new productive forces and green scientific research industries through multiple measures, with a view to leading the city towards carbon neutrality.
The Environment & Ecology Bureau, which continues to participate in the expo this year, has set up four exhibition zones: Smart Technology, Energy-saving & Green Buildings, Community Waste Reduction, and Green Transportation, to highlight the Government’s measures and achievements in decarbonisation.
Additionally, to tie in with the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong announced by the bureau this year, visitors can ride on the hydrogen fuel cell double-deckers on October 31 and November 2 during the expo.
The expo will be open to the public for free on its final day, to encourage citizens to participate in environmental protection and promote green living, the bureau noted.
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MIL-OSI China: China’s big-data center system for new materials to be completed by 2035
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China released a plan on Wednesday for the establishment of a big-data center system for new materials, with a projected date of 2035 for completion and steady operation.
The country aims to build a system consisting of one major platform and multiple data-resource nodes by 2027, according to the plan jointly released by three government authorities including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The new-material big-data center is a new type of research and development infrastructure to promote the innovation and development of the new-materials industry.
The plan details tasks for constructing the center, which include establishing the data circulation application system and optimizing the application ecology of new-material big-data technology.
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MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CHAD – After 40 soldiers died in a jihadist attack, the Chadian government promises a harsh response
Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
N’Djamena (Agenzia Fides) – Three days of national mourning in Chad in memory of the victims of the jihadist attack on a military base near Lake Chad were declared by Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who personally traveled to the site of the attack on October 28 and announced the start of a counter-offensive, called “Haskanite”, to find the perpetrators of the massacre.On the night of October 27-28, an armed group attacked the Chadian army garrison on the island of Barkaram, on the border with Nigeria. Of the 200 soldiers present, 40 were killed, including their commander. The attackers occupied the base until dawn and left with a large amount of weapons and ammunition. Chadian authorities claim that the attack was carried out by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram, which has long experienced several splits, the most important of which led to the creation of ISWAP (Islamic State in West Africa Province). Following the death of Boko Haram’s historic leader Abubakar Shekau in 2021, who reportedly committed suicide to avoid falling into the hands of ISWAP’s rivals, the leadership was taken over by Bakura Modu. The group he led continues to lose fighters who join ISWAP and others who join the Nigerian army’s demobilization and reintegration program for jihadists and lay down their arms. If the Barkaram attack was indeed carried out by militiamen led by Bakura Modu, it is seen as an attempt by this militia to assert its leadership role and show the outside world that it is alive and capable of carrying out wide-ranging actions. The Chadian President, in turn, must show determination in the face of the challenge that faces him, as his predecessor Idriss Déby did after the massacre of about 100 soldiers in March 2020 at the Bohama base, also in the Lake Chad region, by Boko Haram (see Fides, 28/3/2020). The father of the current president had gone to the site of the massacre and launched Operation Wrath of Bohama to pursue the perpetrators. Chad is today the only country in the Sahel where Western troops, especially French and American, are stationed. The three countries where military juntas came to power through coups (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger), grouped in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have expelled foreign military missions from their territories (except for the Italian contingent still stationed in Niger). All these countries are facing offensives by various jihadist groups. Chad is trying to maintain good relations both with the West and with countries such as Russia and China, as well as with its AES neighbors. Today it was announced that an important Chadian delegation is visiting Niger. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at breakfast meeting hosted by HKEX in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (English only) (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today (October 30): Carlson (Chairman of HKEX, Mr Carlson Tong), Mohammed (CEO of Saudi Exchange, Mr Mohammed Al-Rumaih), Bill (Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered PLC, Mr Bill Winters), Darryl (Deputy Chief Executive of HKMA, Mr Darryl Chan), Bonnie (CEO of HKEX, Ms Bonnie Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Good morning, everyone. It is a great pleasure to join you today at this important breakfast session hosted by HKEX, right at the heart of the FII (Future Investment Initiative). Before we begin, I want to extend my appreciation to HKEX for organising this session and to FII for providing a forum that brings global leaders together to address the future of investment. My special thanks to Mohammed, CEO of Saudi Exchange, and Bill, Global CEO of Standard Chartered, for joining this panel. A moment for co-operation There couldn’t be a better time for us to gather and discuss how we can strengthen our capital market connectivity. The transformative agenda set forth by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 seeks to foster a dynamic society through extensive infrastructure projects, green transition, and digitalisation. This ambitious vision is driving significant reforms across various sectors, positioning the Kingdom as a leader in economic diversification and innovation. In light of the evolving geopolitical landscape and shifts in global economic gravity, Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East are actively deploying their capital towards Asia. In this context, Hong Kong emerges as a pivotal player, serving as an international financial centre and a gateway to China and the wider Asian market. Hong Kong’s value proposition Hong Kong’s unique strengths are anchored in the “one country, two systems” framework, which China has committed to maintain over the long term. This arrangement allows Hong Kong to benefit from both the advantages of being part of China and the defining characteristics as an international city. We enjoy convenient, and at times privileged, access to the Mainland market while retaining our distinctive features, including a common law system, a judiciary that exercises powers independently, the free flow of capital, goods, information, and talent, a low and simple tax regime, and a currency pegged to the US dollar. Hong Kong is one of the top three international financial centres globally, alongside New York and London. We have also recently been recognised by the Fraser Institute as the freest economy in the world. Our world-class professional services adhere to the highest international standards, bolstered by a wealth of international experience and extensive connections. In short, Hong Kong presents unique advantages that can create significant value for Middle Eastern investors and capital. Hong Kong is an attractive destination for investment and collaboration, particularly in such areas as fund-raising, asset and wealth management, and green and sustainable finance. Allow me to elaborate. Fund-raising markets First, our fund-raising market. Carlson will provide a comprehensive overview of how Hong Kong serves as the prime connector between the capital markets of the Mainland and the rest of the world. Our stock market has a capitalisation of over US$4.5 trillion, which is 12 times of our GDP. It went through some challenging times in 2023 and the earliest part of this. It is making a comeback, particularly following the recent announcement of a stimulus package by the central authorities, aimed at injecting liquidity into the banking sector and supporting the real estate market. Since then, the market has increased by about 15 per cent with high volume. We have seen strong buying interest from American and European investors, who accounted for approximately 85 per cent of the buy side by value. Notably, 90 per cent of these investors are long-term fund managers and investment banks. Over the past few years, we have continuously reformed our listing regime. These reforms have broadened our market’s appeal and positioned Hong Kong as a leading listing hub for innovative enterprises. For example we are now the second-largest biotech fund-raising hub after the United States. Our country, China, has consistently supported the development of Hong Kong’s stock market. Just this April, the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced five measures to bolster the development of Hong Kong’s capital markets, including, for example, expanding the Connect Schemes we have with the Mainland to cover more ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and REITs (real estate investment trusts), and facilitating the listing of more leading Mainland companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. By the way, we are also actively enhancing our connectivity with new markets. Last year, we reached an agreement with the Saudi Exchange and Indonesia Stock Exchange to allow companies in these countries to secondary list on our Stock Exchange. As they come to Hong Kong, they are able to access both international capital and capital from the Mainland under the Connect Schemes. The upcoming listing of two ETFs investing in Hong Kong stocks on the Saudi Exchange will be further reinforcing our links with Saudi Arabia. Beyond stock market, we boast a vibrant private equity sector, which manages over US$230 billion in assets, making us number two in Asia, only after the Mainland. Indeed, Hong Kong has a comprehensive chain of funds supporting companies at various stages of growth. Looking to the future, our stock market is poised to grow deeper and more robust. We are determined to attract more quality issuers from around the globe, and new capital sources, particularly Middle East and Asia. Asset and wealth management hub Second, asset and wealth management. Many Middle Eastern families and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are increasingly recognising the need to diversify their asset allocation and look beyond traditional American and European markets. They can certainly look to Hong Kong. We manage over US$4 trillion in assets, with more than half coming from outside Hong Kong and Mainland China. We are also home to 2 700 single-family offices. Beyond diversified investment offerings, we have established a robust network comprising private banks, accounting and legal firms, trusts, and other professional service providers, forming a strong nexus that caters to their needs. This is further complemented by our strong philanthropic culture and programmes for families to leave a lasting legacy, making a difference in the world and shaping a better future for generations to come.Green and sustainable finance Finally, green and sustainable finance. As a key component of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has embarked on the Saudi Green Initiative, with clear targets to increase the share of renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance land and sea protection. This vision resonates with us well, and we stand ready to contribute. Hong Kong is Asia’s green finance capital, demonstrated by our leading position in arranging green and sustainable debt, averaging over $63 billion per year over the past three years, accounting for over one-third of Asia’s total. Beyond volume, we are committed to building a green reporting system that meets the highest international standards, by adopting taxonomies interoperable with other international classification frameworks, and adhering to global sustainable reporting standards. Clearly, Hong Kong is an ideal platform for Saudi and Middle Eastern green and sustainable projects looking to access funds in our part of the world.Concluding remarks Ladies and gentlemen, I have just outlined some of the areas that Hong Kong can play in connecting capital, investments, and opportunities between our markets. I am eager to hear the valuable insights from our panelists this morning on how our capital markets can further collaborate and innovate. I wish you all the best of health and business in the years to come. May our discussions today inspire new ideas and fruitful collaborations that lead to shared prosperity and growth for all. Thank you!
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MIL-OSI USA: Steel Calls on Biden Administration to Hold North Korea Accountable for Human Rights Abuses
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Michelle Steel (CA-48)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of a coming United Nations review of the human rights situation in North Korea, U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel is calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to hold Kim Jong-un’s regime accountable for failing to respect human rights obligations under international law.
Steel, a first-generation immigrant whose parents fled North Korea, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighting a series of concerns including North Korea’s campaign of torture, unlawful detainment and improper refugee treatment, among other issues.
The United States will have an opportunity to raise areas of concern as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s review process.
“Decades after my parents fled following a communist takeover, North Korea’s government continues to abuse basic human rights and aggressively persecute its own citizens,” said Rep. Michelle Steel. “Innocent North Koreans, defectors, and detained foreign citizens need the United States’ help now more than ever. I will continue fighting for their freedoms while urging the Biden Administration to hold North Korea accountable for violating international human rights standards.”
Steel’s letter calls on Secretary of State Blinken to address numerous issues as part of the UN review, including but not limited to:
- Refugee repatriation from China back to North Korea
- Citizens of America’s allies (South Korea and Japan) held against their will in North Korea
- North Korea’s political prison camps
- North Korea’s failure to ratify international treaties to prevent torture
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MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of facilities within the framework of the Blagoveshchensk master plan and held a meeting with investors from the Amur Region
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region
Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region
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Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region
During his working visit to the Amur Region, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of a number of facilities included in the Blagoveshchensk master plan. Among them are the cross-border cable car and the multifunctional pavilion “Tribuna Hall”. The Deputy Prime Minister also held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region.
Before inspecting the master plan facilities, Yuri Trutnev visited the site of the second stage of construction of engineering structures to protect against flood waters on the Zeya River in the Blagoveshchensk village of Vladimirovka and got acquainted with the progress of construction of the coastal protection structure. The dam is being built as part of the state program “Construction”. The structure will protect the territory, where more than 2 thousand people live, from floods. The site involves 210 people and 91 units of equipment. The work is ahead of schedule.
The management of the contractor company has submitted an initiative to postpone the construction of the dam from 2027 to 2025 with the allocation of the necessary funding for this. Yuri Trutnev instructed the region to work on this issue together with the Ministry of Construction and submit relevant proposals to the Government of Russia.
The Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the Golden Mile facilities, a project within the framework of the integrated development of Blagoveshchensk. The first was the site of the cross-border cable car across the Amur. It will connect Blagoveshchensk and the Chinese city of Heihe. This will be the world’s first cable car between two countries. On the Russian side, a four-level passenger terminal with a total area of 26 thousand square meters will be built to accommodate the terminal station of the cable car, a platform and technological equipment for the cable car, a checkpoint across the state border of Russia, a duty-free shop, restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities. Art spaces for passengers and city residents to relax will be created both inside the terminal and in the open air: on cascading terraces and observation decks. Work on the international facility is ongoing around the clock in two shifts.
On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a world-class Russian-Chinese business cooperation center is being created in the Amur Region. With the support of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Russian Government, a large city center, Tribuna Hall, is being built. Funds from the federal budget are being allocated through a single presidential subsidy. The construction of the facility has entered the home stretch. The building is 70% complete. The builders should complete the work by January, and the center will welcome its first visitors at the end of next year.
The unique project on the Amur embankment includes a landscape park, a fountain complex, sports and children’s playgrounds. Next to the Tribuna Hall pavilion there is a square – an open space for holding mass events. In May of this year, the Fountain Alley began operating. It belongs to the Tribuna Hall cultural center and has become the largest light and music fountain complex in Eurasia.
On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister met with investors from the Amur Region. “The region occupies one of the leading places in the Far East in this indicator. At the same time, we must remember that a significant part of this flow is created by fulfilling direct instructions from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. This is the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome, the Amur Gas Processing Plant, and the Amur Gas Chemical Complex. Of course, investment activity is not limited to this. The activity of the head of the region in attracting investment for the Golden Mile projects deserves a positive assessment. These projects will benefit the Amur Region and the country. Federal measures to support projects in the Far East are working. In total, 51 investment projects with a total value of 2.3 trillion rubles are being implemented in the region. 16 projects have been implemented, about 12 thousand jobs have been created. It is important that this work does not stop, and investors come to the region to implement new projects. It is the attraction of investments that creates the conditions for all other work, for improvements in the social sphere, the improvement of cities and territories,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.
“Over the past five years, about 2.4 trillion rubles of investments have been attracted to the Amur Region. We reached a record volume of over 751 billion rubles last year. The main increase in funds attracted to the region was provided by the implementation of gas investment projects, the reconstruction of the Eastern Polygon of the BAM and the development of the construction industry. Today, 85 promising investment projects are being developed that will attract over 450 billion rubles and create 7.5 thousand jobs. Projects that involve the creation of manufacturing industries remain a priority for us. We are implementing the “turn to the East” concept, within the framework of which we plan to build a logistics complex and, in the future, a railway bridge across the Amur River in the Jalinda-Mohe area. We have developed and are constantly improving comprehensive support measures for investors,” said Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Amur Region.
The new cross-border bridge between the Amur Region and China – Jalinda – Mohe will open a shorter exit to China and will reduce the route for transporting goods and raw materials by almost 2 thousand km. The new transport corridor will not only provide an alternative option for communication with Russia’s main trading partner and relieve the load on existing crossings, but will also speed up the delivery of raw materials from Yakutia and the north of the Amur Region to China. “A forecast for the cargo base has been formed for the Jalinda – Mohe project, the location and basic technical parameters of the future bridge have been agreed upon in the course of work with the Chinese side, and a joint conclusion has been made on the technical and economic feasibility of construction. The project has been included in the agenda of the Russian-Chinese subcommittee on cooperation in the field of transport, and there is an agreement to hold interstate consultations. Several models for implementing the project have been considered with the participation of the Russian Ministry of Transport and Russian Railways,” commented Vasily Orlov.
The construction and launch of a mining and processing plant for processing nickel ore from the Kun-Manyo deposit was discussed. The investor will use the capabilities of the Amurskaya priority development area to build the plant. The project is at the stage of geological exploration and design and survey work. More than 1.7 thousand jobs will be created.
Ogodzhinskaya Coal Company LLC presented a project for the development of the Sugodinsko-Ogodzhinskaya coal-bearing area in the Selemdzhinsky District. The investor has begun construction of a processing plant with a capacity of 2 million tons. Investments in the project will amount to about 100 billion rubles. Earthworks and concrete works have already been completed, the main frame of metal structures has been erected, and the completion of the main equipment of the plant is ongoing. The productivity of the complex of factories will be 30 million tons of coal per year. In total, it is planned to build seven processing plants. Construction of the first stage of the Ogodzhinskaya railway continues – 45 km of rails and sleepers out of 72 km have been laid. As a measure of state support, the investor plans to receive the status of a resident of the Amurskaya priority development area.
A resident of the Amurskaya priority development area, the Far Eastern Agroterminal company, will invest more than 40 billion rubles in the framework of comprehensive business development in the Far East, including more than 26 billion rubles in the project to build an oil extraction plant as part of a production and logistics complex in the city of Belogorsk. At present, the site has already been prepared with landfill and water drainage. An industrial railway station with a capacity of 1.4 million tons of freight turnover per year is being built. The launch of production is scheduled for the end of 2026. The company also plans to develop the direction of a railway logistics operator with a fleet of wagons and tanks of 1.2 thousand units of rolling stock in the Far East to service the flow of finished products of the enterprise under construction.
Lyubov Brish, CEO of Gazprom Helium Service, reported on the operation of the first small-tonnage natural gas liquefaction complex in the Amur Region in Svobodnensky District. The new production facility was built using tax breaks and preferences of the Amurskaya Priority Development Area. The natural gas liquefaction complex with a capacity of 1.5 tons of LNG per hour (12.6 thousand tons per year) was created to organize the infrastructure for autonomous gasification of socially significant facilities and to provide consumers in the Amur Region with gas motor fuel. “A comprehensive project has been implemented in the Far East using liquefied natural gas as a gas motor fuel and for autonomous gasification. This became possible thanks to the development of our own production and transportation capacities for LNG in the region – from Primorsky Krai to Amur Region – and successful experience in organizing LNG transportation routes,” Lyubov Brish said.
In Blagoveshchensk, the Specialized Developer PIK Blagoveshchensk LLC is building housing as part of the Far Eastern Quarter program. 334 thousand square meters of housing will be built. In addition to residential development, the project provides for the construction of social infrastructure facilities – a school, kindergartens, and landscaping of courtyards. The total investment in the project will amount to 33.9 billion rubles. Construction and installation work is currently underway in six buildings, the arrangement of foundations and basements has been completed, and work is underway to install the monolithic frame of the buildings of the first stage, the total area of which will be 45.8 thousand square meters.
“Today, the head of the region and I looked at the Golden Mile – work is in full swing there, Blagoveshchensk has begun to change. I always follow this very closely when I come. And I see that the ice has broken in Blagoveshchensk. The city is getting better. This is very important both for the mood and comfortable living of people, and for attracting Russian and foreign tourists,” said Yuri Trutnev.
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.
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MIL-OSI Russia: The Secret of Creativity: What is Needed for Industry Development
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
On the first day of the conference, four thematic sessions were held. The first was dedicated to creative cities. “This is a complex topic, and now in Russia it is very acute, very relevant, popular. In 2020, this was completely different, four years have changed everything. Our measurements show that creative industries are incredibly unevenly distributed across regions and cities and are concentrated in certain places. That is, they are very selective. This is very important knowledge, and of course, I want to understand what kind of cities and spaces are that attract the creative industry, and what their secret is,” shared the session moderator, Director Center “Russian Cluster Observatory” Evgeny Kutsenko, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
Head of Department “Creative Industries Research Laboratory” Victoria Boos, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics, presented Rating of innovative attractiveness of world citieswith an analysis of the distribution of creative industries around the world.
“The key feature of our rating is that it provides an information base for making management decisions in the field of urban management. Another feature is a truly unique system of indicators: we do not use municipal statistics, we do not use expert assessments, we use data from independent platforms that aggregate information about the best representatives of creative industries, that is, about the leaders of creative industries,” she said.
The study included eight industries that together account for about 90% of the income of the entire creative sector in the world. These are cinema and animation, computer games, music, fashion, advertising and PR, architecture, industrial design and art, which includes literature, performing arts and contemporary art.
The top 5 cities with the highest concentration of creative industry leaders include London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris. “If we look at this rating, we will see that in the top twenty there is parity between the East and the West, and in the top thirty there are more Western cities. Accordingly, we can say that the East is declaring itself as a full-fledged participant in the creative industries market,” Victoria Boos noted.
At the same time, the study showed that the top five cities are distinguished by a very large gap from all other cities. “You shouldn’t think that mega-creative cities only do what they do, pull creative leaders away from other settlements. The fact is that these mega-creative cities develop themselves and create creative leaders themselves,” the speaker emphasized.
The researchers also noted that over the past two years, the proportion between developed countries and the Global South in terms of the number of creative industry representatives has changed. Today, every tenth artist who has released the most downloaded music tracks is a representative of Latin America, while 150 of the most popular fashion brands, designers, and architectural firms are concentrated in the countries of North Africa and West Asia.
Creative industries are also developing in small towns – they have their own special style of creativity. It turned out that in some industries, more than 5% of stars are concentrated in cities with a population of less than 250 thousand people.
Over the past year, many cities have shown impressive dynamics, the speaker noted. For example, Dubai rose from 76th to 38th place, and Tokyo entered the top three. Victoria Boos emphasized that creative support measures are needed to develop creative industries. For example, a special economic zone for creative industries is being developed in Dubai. Similar zones have recently begun to appear and develop in China. In Australia, there are three professional associations in the field of architecture and sustainable construction. In Chile, localized music streaming services are developing. Korea subsidizes cable TV prices. India and Russia are creating film cities.
Also speaking at the session were the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Creative Initiatives and Cultural Heritage Foundation (Kazakhstan) Dina Abdrakhmet, the co-founder and Chairman of the Expert Council of the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER” Sergey Georgievsky and the Chairman of RuGBC Guy Ims.
The second session was devoted to the management of creative industries in Russia, the third to strategic planning of creative industries and best global practices, and the fourth to education and skills in this area.
On the second day of the session, October 31, the IV International Forum of Young Researchers of the Creative Economy will take place. The authors of scientific papers that have passed the competitive selection will present their reports.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Security: Two Members of Transnational Money Laundering Organization Plead Guilty to Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds on behalf of foreign drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (the Jalisco Cartel). Earlier this year, on Aug. 5, a foreign national residing in Illinois pleaded guilty for his role in the same money laundering scheme.
According to court documents, Li Pei Tan, 46, of Buford, and Chaojie Chen, 41, a Chinese national residing in Chicago, worked for an organization that laundered millions of dollars in proceeds related to the importation of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico, and the unlawful distribution of these drugs. Tan, Chen, and their co-conspirators traveled throughout the United States to collect proceeds derived from trafficking in fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs. They communicated and coordinated with co-conspirators in China and other foreign countries to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through financial transactions that were designed to conceal the illicit source of the drug proceeds, including through a sophisticated trade-based money laundering scheme involving the purchasing of bulk electronics in the United States and the shipping of these electronics to co-conspirators in China.
On multiple occasions prior to Chen’s May arrest, law enforcement seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in bulk cash drug proceeds from Chen at locations across the United States. Additionally, Tan was intercepted by law enforcement in South Carolina while attempting to transport over $197,000 in drug proceeds.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are at the heart of the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
Tan and Chen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of their pleas, Tan and Chen agreed to forfeit numerous assets to the government, including a residence, a firearm, body armor, and more than $270,000 in seized currency. Additionally, they agreed to the imposition of money judgments totaling over $23 million. Chen is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14 and Tan is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025. Chen and Tan each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit; DEA offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina; and the Anderson County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Mary K. Daly of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
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MIL-OSI: HP Equips Partners for the AI Era with New Amplify AI Program
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Accelerates partner ability to drive customer AI adoption with innovative tools
News Highlights
- Unveils HP Amplify AI, a persona-based program to enhance partners’ ability to drive AI outcomes
- Introduces advanced AI-powered tools to enhance sales, partner, and customer experiences
- Provides greater global access to AI MasterClass training with localized content
- Expands HP Business Partner Program globally to engage broader partner ecosystem
PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) announced a new HP Amplify program for partners, HP Amplify AI. HP Amplify AI is a customizable program designed to boost partner capabilities in achieving positive AI outcomes offering AI guidance, tools, resources, training, and certification. Other enhancements unveiled today include new AI-powered tools, availability of refreshed HP Future Ready AI MasterClass content in multiple languages, and global expansion of the HP Business Partner Program.
“HP is at the forefront of the future of work, delivering trusted experiences that empower growth and focus on meaningful tasks. As AI transforms industries, we are committed to supporting our partners with AI knowledge, certification, and tools,” said Kobi Elbaz, SVP and General Manager, Global Channel, Sales Innovation and Operations at HP. “Collaboration with our partners fuels growth and enhances capabilities, leading to more meaningful customer experiences and outcomes.”
Empowering Partners to Drive AI Adoption and Sales
With worldwide AI spending expected to reach 632 billion by 2028, partners are exploring opportunities to drive AI adoption both within their own businesses and to help their customers increase productivity by focusing on high-value work. With a history of innovation, strategic partnerships with leading software and hardware providers, and a legacy of trust spanning over eight decades, HP is uniquely positioned to lead in the era of artificial intelligence.To support partners in their increasingly AI-centric advisory role to customers, HP is launching HP Amplify AI, a persona-based program tailored to enhance partners’ unique capabilities and drive AI outcomes. Launching on November 1, 2024, this new program will include HP Amplify AI HUB, a centralized resource for AI training, certification, and tools, offering role-based opportunities to help partners sell AI devices and solutions more effectively.
On top of a comprehensive suite of assets, eligible partners can benefit from coaching and practical use cases that illustrate how AI PCs can improve productivity and drive positive outcomes for customers. Partners can gain certification opportunities and recognition for HP AI proficiency and AI-powered sales tools to track their progress. By developing the necessary AI credentials, partners can support customers on their AI journey and future-proof their businesses with AI-powered products and solutions. The initial rollout of HP Amplify AI will begin worldwide on November 1, 2024.
Additionally, as refresh cycles present a significant opportunity for partners and customers to prepare for future AI advancements, HP is also delivering targeted sales resources to foster the adoption of HP AI products and solutions while driving business growth for partners and their customers.
Improving Partner Experiences and Productivity
Creating better outcomes and experiences starts with driving operational productivity. This quarter, HP is rolling out an AI Chatbot to answer queries and guide partners through the HP Partner Portal, making it easier to find information quickly. In addition, HP is improving collaboration with faster pricing turnaround times using the AI-powered Configured Price Quote (CPQ) platform, available in 108 countries.In May, HP released the HP Future Ready AI MasterClass AI training and certification program to help HP employees and HP Amplify partners gain a competitive edge. The program offers tailored role-based online training for sales representatives, account managers and technical consultants. Over the past six months, more than 12,000 users have enrolled in the AI MasterClass, surpassing expectations. In response to increased adoption, HP has rolled out refreshed content available in new languages allowing users globally to augment their expertise and capabilities to stay ahead in the rapidly changing AI landscape.
Engaging a Broader Ecosystem
The award-winning HP Amplify program drives partner development through a simplified global structure, rewarding performance, collaboration, and capabilities. To provide a clear path to membership, HP has expanded the HP Business Partner Program globally by taking on a larger community of non-HP Amplify partners and boosting SMB growth via Distributors.The HP Business Partner Program offers partner accreditation, brand visibility, and streamlined processes for superior customer experiences. Participants will benefit from quick onboarding, and a consistent global digital experience with instant pricing, product details, training materials, and sales and marketing resources.
About HP Amplify
HP Amplify is an industry leading global 1 partner program optimized to drive dynamic partner growth and deliver consistent end customer experiences and outcomes. It delivers a simplified and easy-to-navigate global structure, which rewards partners based on three pillars: performance, collaboration, and capabilities. Since the launch of HP Amplify, HP has expanded the program with Amplify Data Insights, Amplify Retail, Amplify Online, and Amplify Impact.About HP
HP Inc. is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit http://www.hp.com.Resources:
1 All geographic markets apart from Greater China
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MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank Calls for Increased Collaboration to Accelerate the Green Energy Transition in Africa
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, October 30, 2024/APO Group/ —
The eighth Babacar Ndiaye Lecture held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington D.C., on 26 October 2024, under-scored the need for African nations to strike a balance between short-term development imperatives and long-term climate goals.
Under the theme “Saving Lives Today versus Saving the Planet for the Future: Can the AfCFTA Resolve the Climate Change Dilemma?” discussions centred on how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Africa’s most ambitious trade initiative, could serve as a vehicle for economic growth and environmental sustainability, positioning the continent as a leader in the global green transition.
The Lecture drew a distinguished audience of policymakers, academics, financial experts and climate advocates.
Speaking about Dr. Babacar Ndiaye in his opening remarks, H.E. Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank Group, said “Dr Babacar Ndiaye was most concerned by the long-term threats posed to humanity by climate change. He once said, “Climate change is the greatest threat to development, particularly in Africa, where millions of people depend on the environment for their livelihoods … Africa’s economic transformation cannot happen without addressing climate change.”
Dr. Ndiaye’s reflection on the impact of climate change was spot-on and intellectually deep.” But, “disappointingly, the global debate on climate has been so much focused on emissions reduction with the question of reducing its impact on Africa and other developing countries always reduced to a footnote. A call for Africa to decarbonise, when the continent has not even carbonised, poses a serious threat to the socio-economic development of a gas-rich continent that has at least six hundred million people without electricity.”
The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement “is seen as a potent means of reducing carbon emissions as it is helping to domesticate industrial activities and minimise the carbon emissions caused by shipping of commodities to far-away lands for value addition and reshipping to Africa and elsewhere. We believe that The AfCFTA could offer a pathway to a just transition, enabling local industrial value addition while protecting the planet.”
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, the Immediate Past Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, delivered a powerful address titled “Sustainable Infrastructure for Africa’s Future: Harnessing Innovation and Partnerships.” He spoke passionately about the advantages of the AfCFTA and its potential to transform Africa’s trade landscape, reduce carbon emissions and foster innovation in green industries.
“There are two obvious advantages to a fully operational AfCFTA.The first is that 42% of African countries, aside from North Africa, now have legislation prohibiting the export of raw ores or minerals before being processed. This legislation gives African countries the benefit of jobs and revenues from local processing and manufacturing.
“The second advantage of the AfCFTA is that shipping is a major source of carbon emissions. Under current trade practices, a large share of African raw materials are exported to other regions, where they are processed or manufactured into finished products, usually using fossil fuel power sources, before being shipped back to Africa for consumption. This cycle contributes to higher emissions and constitutes a loss for African countries that do not reap the value chain gain from beneficiation. Intra-African trade in finished goods will substantially reduce this massive cause of global emissions,” he said.
The reduction of emissions by intra-African trade has been the subject of several empirical studies. Professor Osinbajo referred to a recent ECA/ CEPII study titled “Greening the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement’s Implementation” published in December 2023, which found, inter alia, that implementing the AfCFTA can boost intra-African trade by 35% in 2045 while increasing GHG emissions by less than 1%, compared to no AfCFTA or climate policies.
These studies do not factor in using renewable energy sources in the processing and manufacturing of traded goods, an assumption of the Climate Positive Growth paradigm, which would again substantially reduce emissions.
Professor Osinbajo cited mining bauxite in Guinea as an example. If Guinea, which has 25% of global deposits of bauxite, processed the bauxite it mines to aluminium with renewable energy in readiness for export, Guinea could save the world 335 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year, which is approximately 1% of global emissions, and create 280,000 jobs and generate $37 billion of additional revenue. If it chooses to sell the aluminium within Africa, it will again save the huge shipping cost to countries thousands of miles away.
A Bloomberg study done for the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2021 on the manufacture of battery precursors found that manufacturing battery precursors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has plenty of lithium and cobalt, is three times cheaper than manufacturing it in the US, EU and China. Manufacturing in the DRC would extend value chain opportunities to other African countries, they would need manganese from Zambia, Tanzania, Gabon and South Africa to contribute to its capacity to produce these battery precursors. Manufacturing using renewable energy could significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing. Africa’s abundant renewable energy has very low seasonality or intermittency, making it possible to reliably provide a renewable baseload to power continuous industrial production.
“The AfCFTA empowers African countries first to add value to materials and specialise in areas of national comparative advantage, and also to work together to trade more beneficially with the rest of the world,” said Prof Osinbajo.
He futher said that “Most African countries depend on fossil fuels for their energy needs and for fossil fuel rich African countries, this is also a major source of export earnings and fiscal revenues. Ostensibly in keeping with their net zero obligations, there has been a growing trend amongst development finance institutions to withdraw from fossil fuel investment. These actions include the World Bank’s decision to cease funding for upstream oil and gas development in Africa and the restrictions on financing downstream gas development by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Clearly, the implications of these actions are dire, where there are no immediate alternative sources of power and the cost of the transition to cleaner fuels may be prohibitive. Some studies show that divesting from fossil fuels could reduce GDP by as much as USD$30 billion for Nigeria, USD$22 billion for Algeria, and USD$19.3 billion for Angola.”
H.E. Dr Rania A Al-Mashat, Minister for Planning, Economic Development and International Co-operation, Arab Republic of Egypt said that while the “African continent is the least responsible for carbon emissions, it has the biggest burden in terms of financing climate change for developmental needs – such as food and water security, and access to energy.
She called for greater collaboration with national and international stakeholders “We need to work together; we need to bring the experiences from other places so that Africa can push forward with respect to development and sustainable economic growth.”
In her Goodwill Message, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, spoke about the rapidly closing window to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. She addressed the fact that many African countries are mired in debt, exacerbated by extended crises with little access to long-term concessional financing to invest in sustainable development.
“With adequate access to financial resources at a reasonable cost, renewables can dramatically boost economies, grow new industries, create jobs and drive development, including by reaching the over 600 million Africans living without access to power,” said Ms Mohammed.
She also stressed the importance of prioritising inclusive policies that empower women and youth when building climate-resilient economies.
“By harnessing the collective might of the AfCFTA, Africa can make strides in addressing both climate action and sustainable development by promoting regional integration and fostering green industrialisation.
“The AfCFTA can help build climate-resilient economies while creating jobs, reducing poverty and strengthening food security.”
The eighth Babacar Ndiaye Lecture also reinforced Afreximbank’s commitment to leadership in financing sustainable infrastructure and trade policies across the continent.