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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Vegetable hide-and-go-seek

    Source: Ministry of Education

    Vegetables are a major component of the meals that will be served to more than 240,000 students as part of Ka Ora, Ka Ako – the healthy school lunches programme.
    Sean Teddy, Hautū (Leader) Operations and Integration at the Ministry of Education says the meals delivered from the School Lunch Collective meet the same nutritional standards the programme has always done. These standards are based on Ministry of Health guidance. Every meal will include vegetables or salad ingredients.
    “We’re doing what a lot of parents do when they cook for their children at home – we’ll include vegetables, but they won’t always be visible. Schools have told us that that hiding the carrots, parsnip, pumpkin, spinach, cauliflower and other vegetables in the sauces works well for children,” Mr Teddy says.
    Schools say the hot meals that will be provided are popular with children and the recipes selected are the ones they know.
    Fruit and vegetable suppliers, such as Wattie’s and Fresh Connection will provide ingredients to the School Lunch Collective.
    Compared to what they get now, students in Year 0 to 3 will receive more to eat. All students will receive the same size meals – around 240g.
    “For students in Year 9 and above, two supplementary items will be served with each meal, such as baking that contains vegetables – chocolate brownie made with kumara and pumpkin is expected to be a popular choice – along with fresh fruit, or fruit yoghurt,” Mr Teddy says.
    “We will continue to support schools making lunches for their students to meet the required meal sizes and nutritional standards.
    “We’ll work closely with the School Lunch Collective to deliver high-quality meals and will monitor, measure, and respond to any requests for changes.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LC: Speech by CS in presenting Government Minute in response to Report No. 82 of Public Accounts Committee

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech (translated from Chinese) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, in presenting the Government Minute in response to Report No. 82 of the Public Accounts Committee in the Legislative Council today (October 23):

    President, 

         Laid on the table today is the Government Minute (GM) responding to Report No. 82 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented to the Legislative Council (LegCo) on July 17, 2024.

         I welcome the Report of the PAC and am grateful for the time and efforts devoted by the Chairman of the PAC, Mr Shiu Ka-fai, and members of the PAC. The Government accepts all the PAC’s various recommendations and sets out in detail in the GM the specific responses of the relevant bureau and departments (B/Ds). The PAC conducted public hearings on the chapters on “Emergency dental services and elderly dental care support” and “Provision and monitoring of Rehabus services”. I would like to highlight the key follow-up measures taken and progress made by the Government and relevant organisations in response to the recommendations.

         Regarding improvements to the services of the General Public (GP) Sessions, the Department of Health (DH) has adjusted the preliminary registration time at nine dental clinics to prevent elderly persons from waiting until midnight. Among these, the time of disc distribution and formal registration at the Mona Fong Dental Clinic have also been adjusted so that patients can receive service after formal registration as soon as possible. The DH will roll out an online electronic disc distribution and registration system before the end of this year. By then, members of the public will no longer need to queue in person for obtaining discs, and will receive real-time information on the remaining disc quotas, i.e. they will know the number of disc quotas remaining on a real-time basis, so as to ensure that all quotas can be fully utilised. The system will give registration priority to elderly persons aged 65 or above. In addition, the Government will enhance emergency dental services targeting the underprivileged groups with financial difficulties in collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under a new service model in 2025. The target is to provide additional service capacity which will be at least two times the current capacity of GP sessions. To ensure limited resources can be deployed to those in need (in particular the underprivileged groups), the Government will examine the cost-effectiveness and service arrangement of the GP sessions, and consider the need of introducing means tests or other eligibility criteria for emergency dental services, or other proposals such as replacement by provision of services to underprivileged groups in need by NGOs. This is to ensure the effective use of public healthcare resources.

         Regarding dental services in public hospitals, the DH has convened joint service meetings with the Hospital Authority (HA) and maintained relevant information as recommended in the Report. The HA also regularly monitors the achievement of targets on the waiting time for new case appointments at its Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinics, and assess patients’ conditions in a timely manner so as to arrange their first appointments as soon as possible. Furthermore, the DH and the HA have initiated discussions on the merging of hospital dental services and will take into account the observations and recommendations in the Audit Report.

         To alleviate the manpower shortage, the DH is conducting the year-round recruitment of local full-time and part-time dentists, provides incremental credits based on the applicants’ work experience, and relaxes the Chinese language proficiency entry requirements for the positions. The latest batch of 10 part-time contract dentists took office sequentially from July to September 2024, and 42 full-time dentists took office in September 2024. In addition, following the passage of the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the LegCo on July 10, 2024, the DH has been working with the Dental Council of Hong Kong to admit the first batch of non-locally trained dentists to Hong Kong through the new mechanism in the first quarter of 2025 so as to serve the public.

         As for elderly dental care support, the DH has further ascertained the reasons for non-participation in the Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly (ODCP) of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), day care centres for the elderly, and NGOs. The DH has also established a new mechanism with the Social Welfare Department to follow up with non-participating RCHEs and strengthen promotional work in encouraging the RCHEs to join the ODCP. Moreover, the DH has taken measures to ensure the participating NGOs’ fulfilment of their responsibilities according to the funding and service agreement terms. Except for during the COVID-19 epidemic when there were restrictions on visits to the RCHEs, the overall target number of service in 2023-24 were met.

         The DH has encouraged more private dentists to enrol in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (EHVS) through various means, such as introducing the EHVS at meetings or events organised by the Hong Kong Dental Association. The DH will continue to send reminder notifications and messages through the eHealth System (Subsidies) to healthcare service providers enrolled in the Scheme regularly, reminding them to update their enrolment particulars. Upon receiving notifications of change of particulars from healthcare service providers, the DH will process them and update the information on the website of the EHVS as soon as practicable. In addition to making use of private dental services in Hong Kong, eligible elderly persons may make use of the Elderly Health Care Vouchers (EHCVs) to pay for outpatient dental services at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH) and its Huawei Li Zhi Yuan Community Health Service Center (Huawei CHC) since 2015 and 2023 respectively. Moreover, the Government launched the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme (Pilot Scheme) in 2024. From June to September this year, the Pilot Scheme has been implemented in seven integrated services medical institutions or dental healthcare institutions that provide dental services in Guangzhou, Nansha, Zhongshan, Dongguan and Shenzhen, and eligible Hong Kong elderly persons may choose from more service points. Together with the two service points at the HKU-SZH and the Huawei CHC, elderly persons may pay for outpatient dental service fees with the EHCVs at a total of nine services points of the medical institutions in Mainland cities within the Greater Bay Area.

         Regarding the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme (EDAP) funded by the Community Care Fund, the services under the programme have been optimised from July 2, 2024 with the essential requirement of fitting removable dentures relaxed. This allows eligible elderly persons to receive dental services specified under the EDAP even if they are not suitable for dentures. This enhancement measure aims to encourage eligible elderly persons to manage dental diseases at an early stage by opting for preventive and curative dental services, thereby retaining their natural teeth as much as possible and avoiding tooth extractions and denture fittings. To further encourage the elderly persons to apply for services under the EDAP, the Health Bureau (HHB) is promoting the above programme through district service units. The implementing agent has held briefing sessions to introduce the EDAP to dentists and encourage their participation. Apart from strengthening its communication with the implementing agent, the HHB has taken measures to ensure that improvements have been made to the EDAP implementation, including enhancing the eligibility checking mechanism to cover all eligibility criteria, publishing a list of participating dentists and dental clinics, and revising the guidelines provided to service units to specify the appointment scheduling process for applicants who have not indicated their preferred dentist and dental clinic. To expedite the processing of long outstanding cases, the implementing agent has amended the guidelines issued to dentists and dental clinics to clearly include the time limit for claiming fees, and has increased manpower and enhanced computer performance.

         Based on the recommendations of the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care, the Government will strive to develop and promote primary dental care services in the future to help citizens manage their oral health, and to put prevention, early identification, and timely intervention of dental diseases into practice. The Government will also explore how to continue developing appropriate dental care services targeted at the underprivileged groups, including persons with financial difficulties, persons with disabilities or special needs and high risk groups. The target of the Working Group is to issue the Final Report before the end of its term by late 2024, and to present to the Government recommendations on implementing various policy directions and the development of dental services.

         Regarding Provision and monitoring of Rehabus services, the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Transport Department (TD) have actively followed up on the comments and recommendations made by the Audit Commission and the PAC on the provision and monitoring of Rehabus services.

         The TD is collecting data on the travelling needs of persons with disabilities through the Rehabus operators (the operators) for assessing the demand for Rehabus services. The LWB will review the policy and models of service delivery of Rehabus services upon receipt of relevant data and assessment. The TD is also reviewing the existing arrangement of signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the operators and considering the adoption of other legally binding regulatory approaches for more effective monitoring of Rehabus services.

         To monitor the performance of the operators, the TD implemented various measures to ensure the operators’ strict compliance with the requirements stipulated in MOUs, including convening meetings of the Rehabus Management Committee and the Users’ Liaison Group as required, submitting the financial documents in a timely manner, etc. The TD also increased its regular meetings with the operators from once every quarter to once a month, and will conduct service reviews on an annual basis and set additional performance pledges.

         Regarding the procurement of vehicles, the TD updated the relevant procurement guidelines with the operators and formulated an action checklist to ensure that staff concerned strictly comply with the relevant procurement requirements and procedures.

         As regards the provision of scheduled route service, the TD is closely monitoring the operator’s review of the existing services and progress of route consolidation. In addition, as per the TD’s advice, the operator has provided connecting services to nearby railway stations or interchanges since September 2024 as an option for applicants who have been waiting for the service for some time. This arrangement will help reduce the number of applicants for the service, hence will shorten the waiting time as well.

         As for the provision of dial-a-ride (DAR) service, the TD urged the operator to step up its efforts in recruiting drivers. The shortage of drivers has improved, and the rate of rejected orders of DAR service due to insufficient drivers also dropped. The TD is also closely monitoring the operator’s adoption of the new integrated computer system in arranging shared-use service, with a view to exploring the feasibility of further enhancing the shared-use arrangement.

         Regarding the provision of feeder service, the TD reviewed with the operator the hospital routes and recreational routes with low patronage, and will continue to consolidate and enhance the service to improve operational efficiency. Subject to the manpower arrangement of drivers, the TD is also exploring with the operator the feasibility of further shortening the booking time of recreational route service.  Furthermore, the TD explored with the operators the setting of a limit on the maximum number of carers for DAR service and feeder service, and will consult the stakeholders in due course. The TD will continue to monitor the operator’s implementation of various service enhancement pledges, increase the number of monitoring surveys, step up spot checks on the operator and accounting records, etc.

         President, I would like to thank the PAC again for its efforts and suggestions. The B/Ds concerned will strictly adhere to their responses and implement various improvement measures as set out in the GM with full efforts.

         Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin told how administrators are being prepared for work in Moscow medical institutions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The My Administrator project has been running for four years. It first started working in outpatient clinics, and then in outpatient oncology centers, hospital admissions departments, and flagship emergency centers. About the project and the people who are bringing it to life, in his blog Sergei Sobyanin.

    “Since the first days of work, the calling card of Moscow public service centers “My Documents” has been sincere service. And four years ago, friendly, responsive administrators, capable of finding an approach to solving any problem, came to the city’s healthcare institutions,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote.

    Today, more than two thousand administrators work in 347 buildings of medical organizations in the city. Specialists help patients understand the work of the unified medical information and analytical system, register with a polyclinic, and sign up for examinations. They also maintain contact with relatives and resolve many other organizational and everyday issues. In total, over four years, administrators have come to the aid of patients more than 195 million times.

    To become an administrator, you first need to work in the My Documents offices: hone your skills in confident and friendly communication with people, immerse yourself in the corporate culture of government service centers and, finally, understand whether all this suits you.

    Then you need to undergo training at the educational center “Academy of Sincere Service”. Here, future administrators are introduced to the specifics of work in clinics, flagship centers and admissions departments, their proactive behavior skills are developed, and they are also taught options for solving non-standard situations. And only after that can they begin to perform their duties in medical institutions.

    Guided by the principle of “people first” that was laid down in multifunctional centers, administrators strive to devote time to each patient. They already have many good stories in their collection.

    Marina Grigoryan, an administrator at the City Clinical Hospital No. 67 named after L.A. Vorokhobov, told about one of them. One day, a neurosurgeon approached her and asked her to help a patient. The girl lost consciousness on the street, and passersby called an ambulance. Sofia (that was the patient’s name) came to visit her boyfriend from another city and went for a run, where everything happened. The girl did not remember her friend’s phone number or the address of his apartment. And only after remembering his nickname on a social network, Sofia was able to write a message using the administrator’s account. The young man came to pick her up, and everything ended well.

    “Once a patient with a head injury was admitted to the emergency room. This in itself is very unpleasant. But it was clear that the woman was upset about something else. After talking to her, I found out that the patient was in a hurry to catch the bus, slipped and fell, hitting her head hard. Because of this, she will not be able to meet her grandchildren who came to visit and spend the long-awaited weekend with them. Then we helped her call her grandchildren via video link. And after she was discharged, we called a taxi home,” Olga Shibaeva, an administrator at the V.P. Demikhov Hospital, shared her story.

    Tatyana Belikova, administrator of Diagnostic Center #3, Branch #1, told how, while working in the information terminal area, she was helping a visitor reschedule her appointment for a fluorography and noticed that the woman’s hands were shaking and her face was sweating. When asked about her health, she replied that she was dizzy and had difficulty breathing. But the woman was in a hurry to get the examination done quickly so that she could make it to work. But Tatyana saw that the person needed urgent help. She promised to reschedule the fluorography for another time and insisted on an immediate visit to the doctor on duty. And as it turned out, she was right: the woman began to lose consciousness. She was immediately seated in a wheelchair and taken to the doctor. It was a heart attack. The clinic’s cardiologist provided emergency assistance and gave the order to call an ambulance. The patient was hospitalized and given the necessary treatment.

    And Elina Evgrafova, an administrator at Branch No. 4 of City Children’s Polyclinic No. 10, recalled how during her shift a father with five small children came to the doctor on duty. He looked confused and did not understand what to do. Elina met the family at the entrance, taught the children how to use the shoe cover machines, helped them undress and make an appointment with the doctor. And then she and the children, while they were waiting for an appointment, played “The Swan Flew.” The kids were happy, and the head of the family was very grateful for the sincere and friendly attitude. The visit to the polyclinic turned out to be not only successful, but also fun.

    Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the introduction of sincere service in healthcare institutions

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11917050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men jailed after murdering teenager yards from his home in Edmonton

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been jailed after being found guilty of murdering a teenager in Edmonton.

    The court heard how Bernard Carroll, 20 (26.12.23) of Church Street, Enfield and Josiah James Semper, 19 (31.03.05) of Cromie Close, Enfield pursued and fatally stabbed 16-year-old Taye Faik as he fled towards his home. Both were found guilty of Taye’s murder following the conclusion of a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 16 October.

    At the same court on Tuesday, 22 October, both men were sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum term of 22 years.

    Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, led the investigation. She said: “This was a shocking and brutal attack on a teenage boy who was yards from his front door.

    “Semper was armed with a flick knife and inflicted the fatal wound, while Carroll drove the car to Kendal Gardens, fully in the knowledge that Semper was armed and in no doubt that significant violence would take place. It was evident from the investigation that there was a significant degree of planning involved.

    “Taye’s family have had to endure the trauma of losing him and then hearing evidence of the attack throughout the trial process. While nothing can be done to ease their pain, I hope that the fact Carroll and Semper have been held to account for their part in Taye’s murder brings them a small degree of comfort.

    “This conviction and the subsequent sentence should demonstrate the serious consequences and loss of life that is associated with carrying a knife. The sentencing today should act as a deterrent to anyone else in possession of such dangerous weapons.”

    An investigation was launched after police were called at 23:27hrs on 1 October 2023 to reports of a stabbing in Kendal Gardens, N18. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, Taye died at the scene.

    Taye had been out walking his dog and was yards from his home when he was attacked by at least two occupants who had got out of a waiting car. Witnesses reported hearing the attack and seeing the car driving at speed as it left the area. Taye made it back to his house where he collapsed in the hallway, fatally injured.

    Detectives quickly began to piece together the events of that evening, initially using CCTV to plot the movements of a car that the attackers had used.

    This car was later found abandoned in a nearby car park – it was on false registration plates and had been stolen a couple of weeks earlier.

    A thorough investigation enabled officers to plot the movements of the vehicle and its occupants on the day Taye was attacked and fatally injured.

    Bernard Carroll was arrested on 6 November 2023 after officers tracked him down to an address in Edmonton. He refused to answer any questions about the attack on Taye.

    Josiah Semper had fled to Antigua shortly after the murder, but was arrested when he returned to the UK on 17 November 2023. Again, when questioned about the attack on Taye, he declined to answer any questions.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kowloon City youth hostel approved

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau today approved a youth hostel project located in the Regal Oriental Hotel in Kowloon City, with a total of 80 rooms that will provide up to 160 hostel places.

    Named YOT Hub, the project is the fifth one under the Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels & Guesthouses as Youth Hostels. 

    The project will be launched by the Yan Oi Tong company and the Regal Hotels Group.

    One of the features of the project is to help youth tenants enrich their understanding of the national development opportunities through trainings, and exchange and internship programmes.

    It will also provide young people with self-enhancement and support services in different aspects, such as financial management courses, career development workshops and mental health seminars.

    In addition, Yan Oi Tong will form a youth service team and invite young people to collaborate in organising community activities.

    It also plans to arrange volunteer services regularly to encourage young people to contribute to the community and establish their sense of belonging to society and responsibility.

    The bureau said YOT Hub is well connected by public transport with comprehensive community facilities in the vicinity.

    It added that the project not only provides young people with a comfortable living environment but also enables them to broaden their horizons and achieve their personal development goals through various self-enhancement activities. 

    The bureau expressed that it is delighted that the subsidy scheme continues to gain support from hotel and guesthouse operators to provide youth with an enabling environment and hope for the future.

    It added that it intends to continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders who share its vision to take forward youth hostel projects.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: More than 14 thousand people received housing under the renovation program in the North-Eastern Administrative District

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Residents of 83 old houses received apartments in 45 new buildings built under the renovation program in the northeast of the capital. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “In the north-east of Moscow, the renovation program began in 2018 and today covers 14 of the 17 districts. Residents of 83 old houses – more than 14.4 thousand people – signed contracts for new apartments in 45 new buildings. The largest number of housing units under the renovation program were received by residents of the Babushkinsky District. Here, more than 3.5 thousand people became title holders, about 2.3 thousand city residents registered documents for apartments in the Losinoostrovsky District, and almost two thousand residents – in Yuzhnoye Medvedkovo,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

    In two districts of the North-Eastern Administrative District, the renovation program has been fully implemented. In Yuzhnoye Medvedkovo and Severny, all of its participants — about 1.9 thousand and almost two thousand people, respectively — have moved to modern residential complexes.

    “Since the beginning of the year, more than 2.1 thousand people have signed contracts for new apartments with the Department of City Property in the North-Eastern Administrative District. This year, active resettlement is taking place in the Losinoostrovsky and Ostankinsky districts, as well as in Maryina Roshcha, where in total more than 1.3 thousand Muscovites have received new housing,” clarified the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the Department of City Property

    Maxim Gaman.

    In total, 499 buildings in the North-Eastern Administrative District, in which more than 86 thousand city residents live, are included in the renovation program. As reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy Vladislav Ovchinsky, 63 houses have already been resettled in the north-east of the capital. Of these, 20 buildings are located in the Babushkinsky District, 10 each in Yuzhnoye Medvedkovo and Losinoostrovsky. City residents received modern apartments with high-quality finishing and improved repairs in accordance with the standards of the renovation program.

    Currently, 28 new buildings are being designed in the north-east of the city, and another 27 houses are under construction. Near the residential complexes there are landscaped adjacent territories, comfortable recreation areas, sports and children’s playgrounds.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin reported, that 1.2 trillion rubles have been allocated in the draft budget for three years to implement the renovation program.

    Renovation program approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. In 2023 alone, 59 new buildings in the capital were handed over for settlement and the resettlement of over 47 thousand people was ensured. The Mayor of Moscow instructed increase the pace of implementation of the renovation program has doubled.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction rates and volumes. In recent years, within the framework of the federal project “Housing” of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment” the volume of construction and commissioning of residential facilities in the capital has doubled – from three million to five to seven million square meters per year. More information about this and other national projects being implemented in Moscow can be found find out here.

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145643073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cuba: Amnesty International designates four persons as prisoners of conscience in the midst of a new wave of state repression

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In a context of systematic human rights violations, a completely restricted civic space and the criminalization of any form of dissent, Amnesty International today declared political dissident Félix Navarro, independent journalist and Dama de Blanco Sayli Navarro, 11J protester Roberto Pérez Fonseca and activist Luis Robles as prisoners of conscience.

    “These designations are a recognition of the dozens of people who remain in prison in Cuba for peacefully exercising their rights, and of all those who live under constant surveillance, harassment and the threat of criminalization. A recognition of the courage and resistance of the people of Cuba who are standing up to constant and generalized repression and fighting for their rights and the rights of all people,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.

    Félix Navarro is a 71-year-old political dissident and founder of the “Pedro Luis Boitel” Party for Democracy. For over 30 years, he has been the coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba and has been associated with the Cuba Decides platform and the Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba. Félix is currently serving his third prison sentence for political reasons. He was imprisoned in 1992 on charges of “enemy propaganda” for putting up “anti-revolution” posters in his home town. In 2003, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the criminal proceedings following the crackdown known as the “Black Spring”, along with 75 other dissidents, journalists and activists. In this context, he was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. He was released on extra-penal leave on 23 March 2011, together with fellow prisoner of conscience José Daniel Ferrer, as the last of the group of 75 to be freed after previously refusing to be released in exchange for exile.

    Sayli Navarro, his daughter, is a 38-year-old activist and cofounder of the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), a group of mothers, wives and daughters of the group of 75 people arrested during the “Black Spring”. Sayli has lived with the consequences of the state repression exercised against her father since she was a child. She was expelled from university in 2010 because of her “counter-revolutionary links”, and has been arbitrarily detained, subjected to interrogation and threatened on a number of occasions by state security agents and police authorities.  

    Félix and Sayli Navarro were sentenced in March 2022 to 9 and 8 years in prison respectively for events related to the protests of 11 and 12 July 2021. Both were violently arrested on 12 July at their local police station in the town of Perico, Matanzas province, when they went to enquire about the situation of members of their movement who had been arrested during the protests the day before.  

    Luis Robles, 32, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison in March 2022 on charges of enemy propaganda and disobedience for peacefully protesting on a pedestrian street in central Havana in December 2020. Luis was holding up a sign that read ‘’Freedom‘’, ‘’No+Repression‘’ and ‘’#Free-Denis‘’ and walking in circles as dozens of people began to film him. Luis Robles held up the sign for several minutes until the police approached him, took the sign from him and arrested him, with Luis putting up no resistance. This happened a few days after the San Isidro Movement staged a lockdown and hunger strike to demand the release of rapper Denis Solís. Luis wanted to express his solidarity with the rapper and his support for the San Isidro Movement.

    Roberto Pérez Fonseca, 41, was sentenced in October 2021 to 10 years’ imprisonment for his participation in the protests of 11 July 2021. Roberto was charged with the offences of contempt, assault, public disorder and incitement to commit a crime, all of which are typically used by the Cuban authorities against those who exercise their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Roberto’s detention to be arbitrary and motivated by the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of assembly and association, as well as to freedom of opinion and expression. It also found that Roberto’s right to a fair and impartial trial had been violated.

    These designations come in the context of renewed repression by the Cuban authorities against activists, human rights defenders, journalists, intellectuals and independent media in the last weeks of September. This includes an alarming increase in ill-treatment, harassment, arbitrary detentions, new threats of criminalization, denial of prison benefits and worrying reports of deterioration in the health and physical integrity of detainees.

    “Following the widespread state repression unleashed by the July 2021 protests, and with many activists, political opponents and dissidents unjustly imprisoned, the Cuban state seems intent on eradicating any capacity for resistance within Cuban society, which now extends to projects, spaces and activism not linked to traditional political opposition or dissidence,” added Ana Piquer.

    Independent media organizations El Toque, Periodismo de Barrio and Cubanet have claimed in editorials and on social media that their contributors have received threats of criminalization from the authorities in recent weeks. According to these reports, contributors have repeatedly been summoned by police and state security agents and informed of possible criminal prosecution for “mercenarism”. In addition, activists and independent media contributors reported on their social networks that they had received arbitrary summonses followed by interrogations by the authorities and state security agents about their journalistic work and their links to certain individuals or media outlets considered to be “counter-revolutionary”. In this context, Amnesty International has had access to the testimonies of at least 20 activists, who have reported being threatened with imprisonment, forced to record themselves and sign declarations of self-incrimination, and deprived of their mobile phones and computers. Similarly, Cuban human rights organizations reported that at least three independent media contributors were forced to write public resignations on their social networks, expressing their intention not to work with independent media. On 16 September, the cultural magazine PM Magazine announced that it was closing down permanently due to increasing pressure and harassment against its director by state security agents.

    “This climate of constant fear and intimidation adds to our concern at the continuing reports of the deteriorating health and ill-treatment of prisoners of conscience Loreto Hernández, Pedro Albert and José Daniel Ferrer, and the increasing and systematic harassment of journalist Carlos Michael Morales, and Damas de Blanco leader Berta Soler. It is imperative that the international community show solidarity and demand the immediate release of those imprisoned for exercising their rights, and an end to the repression and harassment of dissidents in Cuba,” said Ana Piquer.

    Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoners of conscience, and of all those unjustly imprisoned solely for exercising their human rights. The organization also calls on the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel to respect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, to repeal repressive legislation, and to end the repression of dissidents.

    In order to determine whether a person is a prisoner of conscience, Amnesty International uses the information available to it regarding the circumstances leading to their detention. By designating a particular person as a prisoner of conscience, Amnesty is affirming that this person must be immediately and unconditionally released but is not endorsing their past or present views or conduct.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Supporting high-risk elderly persons

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ5: Supporting high-risk elderly persons
    LCQ5: Supporting high-risk elderly persons
    ******************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Tang Ka-piu and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (October 23): Question:      It has been reported that elderly-related tragedies have happened in Hong Kong one after another this year, resulting in a rise in the community’s concerns over families of elderly doubletons featuring “the elderly taking care of the elderly” as well as families of elderly singletons featuring the “hidden elderly”. On the other hand, the Labour and Welfare Bureau has indicated that the Government will study the establishment of a databank on high-risk cases, and it is learnt that some labour unions have repeatedly proposed the establishment of a register of high-risk elderly persons. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it has devised a timetable for the establishment of a register of high-risk elderly persons; if so, of the details, including the time for establishing the register and the interval between each update; if not, the reasons for that; (2) whether it has grasped the situation among the elderly in respect of the installation of indoor emergency alarm systems (EAS) at homes, and whether it has plans to install EAS for high-risk elderly persons free of charge; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) as it is learnt that about 80 per cent of the elderly in Hong Kong have applied for various social security schemes and that health condition assessments would also be conducted for the elderly under the Government’s Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services, whether the Government has consolidated the data of elderly applicants for various schemes in order to identify the families of elderly doubletons and elderly singletons as well as conduct standardised assessments for such families with a view to establishing a register of high-risk elderly persons for high-risk families; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President,      I reply to the Member’s question as follows: (1) and (3) There is no unified definition of “high-risk” elderly persons. Health conditions, living arrangements, changes in family support, etc, will affect risks faced by elderly persons. Relevant risks may also change over time. The Government approaches and identifies elderly persons in need through different means, with a view to providing timely assistance to them.      The Social Welfare Department (SWD) piloted the District Services and Community Care Teams – Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers in Tsuen Wan and Southern District in March this year. The SWD assisted in training the Care Teams of these two districts to proactively reach out to and identify households of singleton/doubleton elderly persons, carers of elderly persons and persons with disabilities in need. In the past six months, the Care Teams visited about 4 700 families and referred over 730 elderly cases to social welfare organisations for follow up. The 2024 Policy Address announced that the Government would extend the scheme to all 18 districts across the territory next year.      The SWD commissioned the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in September 2023 to launch the 24-hour Designated Hotline for Carer Support, providing instant consultation and emotional support, outreaching/emergency support, service referrals, etc. The hotline has received over 50 000 calls so far, and referred about 850 cases to relevant community support service units for service matching as appropriate, of which about 270 elderly cases were referred to elderly service units or respite service. In addition, the hotline provided crisis handling for 56 cases through outreaching.      A total of 214 District Elderly Community Centres (DECCs) and Neighbourhood Elderly Centres (elderly centres) throughout the territory provide a wide range of support services to elderly persons at the district level. Support Teams for the Elderly (STEs) are set up in all DECCs to identify elderly persons with potential service needs through outreaching and networking, and provide suitable assistance to them. Elderly centres have about 280 000 members in total, including 47 000 elderly persons receiving services from STEs and 8 000 elderly persons receiving casework service.       Upon identifying elderly persons with potential service needs, social welfare units will arrange for them to undergo Standardised Care Need Assessment for Elderly Services according to their conditions. Frail elderly persons assessed as having long-term care needs can join the Central Waiting List for Subsidised Long Term Care Services. They may also apply for Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly and receive subsidised community care services without queuing; elderly persons with lower impairment level can apply for subsidised Home Support Services. In addition, social welfare service units will assist elderly persons with financial needs applying for suitable cash assistance.       The Government will continue to make good use of different channels to early identify elderly persons with potential service needs and provide timely and effective support. (2) The Government has put in place different measures to subsidise elderly persons in need to install emergency alarm system (EAS). The SWD provides a special grant to eligible elderly Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients for installing and using indoor or mobile EAS. Currently, about 26 000 elderly persons are receiving such a grant. The Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society provide subsidies to eligible elderly households in their housing estates to install and use EAS, benefiting about 26 900 elderly persons in total. Care Teams will also refer elderly persons, persons with disabilities and their carers in need to the relevant service provider for installing and using EAS.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2024Issued at HKT 15:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: How Strengthened Regulations and Healthcare Can Prevent Lead Poisoning

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Lead exposure remains a significant public health threat in Asia and the Pacific, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The global effort to address lead poisoning must focus on stricter regulations, enhanced healthcare capacity, and coordinated international action to protect vulnerable populations.

    The harmful effects of lead poisoning have been well-established since ancient times, with the First Century Roman writer Vitruvius warning of the health hazards of the widely-used metal. Today, we know that “there is almost no function in the human body which is not affected by lead toxicity.” 

    Lead exposure increases deaths from cardiovascular diseases among adults, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The long-term storage of lead in bones can lead to a wide range of health effects, including high blood pressure and renal failure.

    For pregnant women and their babies, lead exposure is particularly devastating—it can cross the placental barrier, causing complications of pregnancy, miscarriages, stillbirths, and low birth weight. 

    In children, lead exposure has long-term and irreversible impacts on mental function reducing educational performance and employment opportunities. Together, these health consequences for individuals compromise the economic growth and social stability of entire countries.

    While high income countries have significantly reduced lead exposure through rigorous testing, targeted research, and robust policy interventions, low- and middle-income countries, including several in Asia and the Pacific, continue to grapple with dangerously high levels of lead exposure. 

    An estimated 95% of the world’s IQ loss and 90% of cardiovascular deaths from exposure to lead is in low and middle-income countries, according to a 2023 study. The economic costs of lead exposure are staggering, with losses in total GDP of 10.5% in East Asia and the Pacific, 9.1% in South Asia, and 8.9% in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

    With effective interventions, high-income countries have reduced this economic impact of lead exposure to losses of 5.0% of total GDP but have not yet eliminated all sources of lead exposure.

    The scale of the challenge is immense. Lead exposure causes three times as many deaths as exposure to unsafe water and sanitation and just as many deaths as air pollution. South Asia has some of the highest blood lead levels in the world with India alone home to 275 million children affected by lead poisoning —this amounts to half of all India’s children and one-third of the children affected by lead globally. 

    Bangladesh struggles with chronic lead exposure, largely due to contaminated spices, while Afghanistan faces a “silent epidemic” linked to lead-leaching cookware. 

    In the Philippines, 2021-2022 data from the Expanded National Nutrition Survey shows that over a million Filipino children ages 6-9 years have elevated blood lead levels. In Indonesia, more than 8 million children are estimated to have high blood lead levels with millions more at risk from lead paint covering homes and public facilities.  

    Across Asia and the Pacific, the informal recycling of used lead-acid batteries continues to poison communities, contaminating air, soil, and water.

    The different sources of lead exposure complicate the challenge to remove the problem, however, the scope of the health and socioeconomic damage from lead demands decisive and comprehensive action. But we are not starting from zero. 

    The evidence base is robust, and the solutions are within reach. What remains is the political will and coordinated action across sectors to implement them effectively. The recent launch of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future at the United Nations General Assembly marks a watershed moment in the global fight against lead poisoning.

    Exposure to lead is one of the most preventable public health threats, and yet it remains a pervasive environmental poison.

    Health systems are at the forefront of the response toward a lead-free future. 

    Developing countries must strengthen health regulatory frameworks and enforce existing standards for lead content in products such as food, cosmetics, paints, and water. Inconsistent enforcement has been a major barrier in reducing exposure, and this must be addressed with urgency. 

    Stronger regulatory oversight and harsher penalties for non-compliance will be key, particularly in industries known for high lead usage. International development partners, through technical advice and policy-based lending, can play a pivotal role in incentivizing reforms and ensuring their effective implementation.

    Building healthcare capacity is crucial. Healthcare professionals have low knowledge of the symptoms of lead poisoning, such as irritability and lethargy in mild doses and tremors and other neuropathies in higher doses. 

    Training is needed so that health workers identify lead poisoning and provide timely referrals for treatment. Developing the necessary healthcare infrastructure—from rural clinics to urban hospitals—is fundamental to ensuring that testing, treatment, and prevention measures can be implemented from communities, primary care facilities to hospitals. 

    Health actions should support the establishment of systematic, large-scale testing and data collection systems. Reliable data plays an essential role in understanding the full scope of lead exposure and to inform targeted interventions. Alongside quantitative measurements, the use of qualitative and ethnographic data is invaluable tool to understand how and why lead-contaminated products are used – and who is exposed to them.

    Public awareness is critical. Surveys reveal that knowledge about the dangers of lead exposure is shockingly low. Large-scale educational and health promotion campaigns must be launched to raise awareness of the sources and effects of lead poisoning, particularly in communities most at risk.

    While the health sector has a role in addressing lead poisoning, whatever the source, the scale and complexity of the problem demands coordinated action well beyond a single sector. 

    Governments, civil society, multilateral institutions, development agencies and the private sector must all come together to share resources, knowledge, and best practices. Only through collaboration can we hope to reduce and ultimately eliminate lead from our environment. The launch of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future is a vital step in bringing stakeholders together. 

    Exposure to lead is one of the most preventable public health threats, and yet it remains a pervasive environmental poison. The science is clear; the solutions are known. A lead-free future is not just a possibility—it is a necessity. 

    By acting now, we can safeguard the health and potential of millions of children, secure the economic and social well-being of developing countries, and ensure a healthier, brighter Asia and Pacific for generations to come.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: ​1st Tianwen sci-fi awards announce winners

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The inaugural Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest handed out trophies to respective winners over the weekend in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

    Author Liu Yang gives his acceptance speech for Best Novel on stage during the Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest’s award ceremony held in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest Organizing Committee]

    During the award ceremony, ten main awards were handed out, which included Liu Yang winning Best Novel for “A City in the Well,” Fractal Orange being awarded Best Novelette for “Descartes’ Evil Genius” and Hai Ya’s “Spring Outside the Earthen Building” taking home Best Short Story.

    Other award winners included “Honor of Kings – Amber Era” for Best Science Fiction Video Game Script and “The Wandering Earth II,” which won Best Sci-fi Film and Television Script. “The Three-Body Problem, Part One,” a comic book adaptation of Liu Cixin’s sci-fi trilogy, won Best Sci-fi Comic Book. Writers He Shan, Liu Ziheng, Pang Yujie, Long Teng and Ren Keye all received the award for best young sci-fi writers. Science Fiction World magazine was named the best sci-fi literature organization. The award for best new sci-fi writer was won by Liu Maijia.

    Ten international sci-fi works were also honored at the ceremony with the Tianwen Special Award. These international works included Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” Arthur C. Clarke’s “Rendezvous with Rama,” Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Found and the Lost” and Robert L. Forward’s “Dragon’s Egg: A Novel,” and represented the top translated works in China over the past decade, as voted by members of last year’s World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Chengdu and this year’s Tianwen members.

    Supported by the China Writers Association and hosted by the Chengdu municipal government, the contest received 1,162 submissions from both domestic and international sci-fi writers and practitioners, with submissions ranging from novels, short stories and comic books to films, TV series and games. The jury stated that the first Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest advocated for diverse and widespread participation. 

    “Last year at Worldcon, we launched the Tianwen Program to inspire sci-fi creators and stimulate the creation of high-quality works, promoting the exchange and integration of Chinese-language sci-fi with the rest of the world,” said Shi Zhanjun, a secretary of the secretariat of the Chinese Writers Association. “The launch of the Tianwen Program and this contest aim to foster cross-disciplinary integration in sci-fi literature, leading to a more fascinating and diverse sci-fi world.”

    During the award ceremony, a camp for young sci-fi writers was also initiated under the Tianwen brand as an important component to the Tianwen Program. The camp aims to provide a series of professional creative training sessions for young writers with potential.

    Launched last year during the 81st Worldcon in Chengdu, the Tianwen Program is named after a poem composed over 2,300 years ago by the esteemed poet Qu Yuan that explores the principles of the cosmos and probes the origins of the universe. In English, the Chinese term “Tianwen” means “questions to heaven.”

    “‘Tianwen’ embodies traditional Chinese culture and a modern exploratory spirit, which is about how we advance into the universe and explore the future of humanity,” said Qiu Huadong, vice chairman and a secretary of the secretariat of the China Writers Association at the award ceremony for the Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest. “As a foundation for sci-fi films and television, launching superior sci-fi literary works is crucial. With these high-quality works, the growth of sci-fi animation, film, television and other adaptations will flourish.”

    Award winners and performers pose for a group photo during the Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest award ceremony held in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Tianwen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest Organizing Committee]

    In the past year, the national sci-fi industry has advanced from the “ten billion level” to the “hundred billion level,” achieving a revenue of 113.29 billion yuan ($15.94 billion), according to the 2024 China Science Fiction Industry Report.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Becoming a rural animal technician the aim for EIT student | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    42 seconds ago

    Ella Cooke, 19, is currently studying Year One of the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing.

    A love for animals and a desire to work as a rural animal technician is what is driving an EIT student to succeed.

    Ella Cooke, 19, is currently studying year one of the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing. She has grown up with animals and currently lives on an orchard outside Hastings with her parents.

    She attended Iona College last year and came into EIT with a number of scholarships. One was a Year-13 Scholarship from EIT, which is offered annually, and covers one year of tuition fees. The Scholarship supports school leavers across the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti regions to study any one of EIT’s degrees or selected level 5 diploma programmes that lead into a degree by providing one year FREE study.

    She also won a scholarship from Vet Services Hawke’s Bay, as well as a Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award.

    “I just love animals and love to care for animals and I’ve had four dogs and a cat in my life.”

    Ella says that she is loving the programme, especially the hands-on work with animals.

    “It is not just about attending lectures, but we also actually get to work with animals. We get to learn how to handle the animals properly.”

    “I want to get my qualification, and then I eventually want to work with large animals – livestock – and visit farms.”

    One of the things that Ella loves about EIT, is that it is close to home and she did not have to move out of Hawke’s Bay to achieve her tertiary education dreams.

    Work experience is an important part of the programme, and Ella is due to return to Vet Services in Hastings, where she has been before.

    Emma Martin, EIT’s Veterinary Nursing Programme Co-ordinator said: “Ella has been a pleasure to have in the programme this year. She has come out of her shell, taking full advantage of every learning opportunity and making the most of her experiences. “

    “Ella has received excellent feedback from her clinical placement at Vet Services in Hastings, where she has impressed with her skills and professionalism. She works exceptionally well in a team and has built a strong network of classmates, combining fun with learning experiences. We are excited to see what the future holds for Ella as we continue to support her in reaching her final goals.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ7: Combating vaping of “space oil”

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):

    Question:

         “Space oil” is a kind of liquid to which harmful substances have been illegally added. Usually, its main ingredient is etomidate, an anaesthetic that can only be prescribed by a doctor according to the law. Anyone who illegally possesses and uses the substance commits an offence. It has been reported that space oil, often vaped through e-cigarettes, can produce transient euphoria and cause addiction, and has gained popularity amongst youth communities since last year, with some sellers even blatantly putting space oil up for sale on social media platforms. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the respective numbers of persons arrested for illegal sale and possession of space oil in the past three years, together with a tabulated breakdown by age;

    (2) whether it will bring etomidate under the control of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap. 134); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (3) whether the authorities have put in place measures to prevent members of the public (especially young people) from vaping space oil by, for example, stepping up education and proactively taking law enforcement actions such as decoy operations; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,

         “Space oil” is a kind of liquid to which harmful substances have been illegally added and is often inhaled through electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). There is no standard formula for “space oil”, but its main ingredient is usually etomidate, an anaesthetic which can only be prescribed by a doctor according to the law. Etomidate is regulated as Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A). Illegal supply or use of etomidate is liable to imprisonment upon conviction. Abuse of “space oil” will cause harm to one’s health and lead to addiction. It will also lure abusers to try other kinds of drugs. Taking “space oil” is equivalent to taking drugs.

         â€‹My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Lam So-wai is as follows:

    (1) Frontline anti-drug workers noticed an emergence of “space oil” in Hong Kong in 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic, and it had begun to gain traction among local young people and some of them even started taking it. Records of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have reflected the same trend. In 2023, we started to observe persons arrested for offences involving “space oil” containing etomidate by the Hong Kong Police Force and the Customs and Excise Department. The number of persons arrested in the past three years by age groups are set out at Annex.
         
    (2) To ensure that the LEAs can effectively respond to the drug abuse situation and enhance deterrence, it is indicated in the Supplement to “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” published last week that the Government will step up control on etomidate. Specifically, we propose bringing etomidate under control of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO) (Cap. 134). We have already consulted the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) and relevant stakeholders, with a view to listing etomidate as a dangerous drug in the first half of 2025. By then, illegal possession or smoking, inhaling, ingesting and injecting “space oil” containing etomidate is liable to a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1 million. Trafficking or illegal import of such a substance is liable to a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.
       
    (3) The Government has all along been closely monitoring the trend of emerging drugs. Apart from strengthening the control on etomidate by way of legislation, the Government has taken prompt actions to combat “space oil” through reducing demand and intercepting supply.

         Preventive publicity and education is the backbone of demand reduction and forms the first line of defense for our anti-drug work. Targeting the emergence of “space oil” among the youth, we have started with the school sector. First, earlier this year, the Commissioner for Narcotics from the Security Bureau (SB) wrote to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong alerting them to the problem of “space oil” inhaling through e‑cigarettes. In addition, the Narcotics Division (ND) of the SB is in the course of including information on the harmful effects of “space oil” in its anti-drug educational talks and interactive drama for schools. 

         To further enhance the vigilance against and responsiveness to “space oil” among the school sector and anti-drug community, the ND in collaboration with the Hong Kong Poison Control Centre of the Hospital Authority and a frontline social service organisation organised two seminars on the issue of “space oil” abuse in August and October with a total attendance of nearly 500 people. At the seminars, different professionals, anti-drug workers, social workers, and teaching staff from over 100 primary and secondary schools shared their observations of the abuse situation of “space oil” among young people and the related harms. There were also exchanges of views on how to prevent “space oil” abuse and handle abusers. After the seminars, the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force distributed an infographic to all schools in Hong Kong. As young people often inhale “space oil” through e-cigarettes, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health also gave a presentation on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes in one of the aforementioned seminars. 

         As regards publicity, to raise public awareness of the harmful effects of “space oil”, a new zone dedicated to “space oil” was set up at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre in mid-September with promotional videos, publications and exhibition panels showing the harms of “space oil” on display. Since the middle of this year, the ND has been starting to publish social media posts and has launched an animated video on the harmful effects of “space oil”. They serve to alert the public, in particular young people, to the harms of “space oil”. The animated video has been uploaded onto the ND’s website and social media platforms, and schools and anti-drug organisations have been encouraged to show it often. We will continue to work with ACAN, other departments and various sectors of the community to step up preventive education and publicity efforts in view of the “space oil” abuse situation.

         To intercept the supply of “space oil”, the LEAs have stepped up various inspections including cyber patrol and carried out intelligence-based law enforcement actions. For example, the Police seized 2.17 kilograms of a substance claimed to be “space oil” during the past summer. More recently in mid-October, the Police raided a residential unit in Tai Kok Tsui, which was used as a drug storage and distribution centre, resulting in the seizure of “space oil” and other drugs. Upon the commencement of control of etomidate under the DDO (Cap. 134), the LEAs will definitely step up their enforcement against all etomidate-related offences.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Despite overwhelming hype, Jabra research finds only 26% of office workers use AI in daily work

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Workplaces believe in the power of AI, with 84% of leaders saying AI can enhance work, but 82% are unprepared for integration of the tech into the workplace
    • 90% of knowledge workers wouldn’t trust AI for tasks that require human judgement or creativity
    • Workers are equally not using AI in their personal lives, with only 26% reporting regular use

    LOWELL, Mass., Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jabra, a global leader in enterprise audio and video solutions, released a new report, Great ExpectAItions – Work in the Age of AI, which reveals that while many business decision-makers (84%) express high levels of trust in AI, very few office workers (26%) are using it in their daily roles due to a variety of perceived challenges. This disconnect suggests that even though leadership is optimistic about AI’s potential, they may yet lack the necessary vision or skills to effectively implement it across the workforce.

    The study, conducted among 1,800 AI decision makers surveyed across 6 countries and 4,200 employees from 14 countries, highlights that despite strong enthusiasm for AI, there is a clear disconnect between trust in the technology and its actual use in the workplace. While 85% of decision-makers express high interest in AI, the vast majority (82%) acknowledge they need to better understand how AI can improve workplace efficiency.

    Additionally, although 54% of employees believe AI can improve their work and 54% feel confident in their ability to collaborate successfully with AI, there’s still a significant gap in actual adoption in regular use at work. Jabra’s data found this appears due to several perceived challenges and demographic considerations:

    • 90% of employees wouldn’t trust AI for tasks that require creativity and innovation. This reluctance isn’t just about trust, it’s also about the satisfaction that comes from being personally involved in these more meaningful tasks.
    • There’s a clear generational divide in AI adoption, with 47% of Millennials and 37% of Gen Z indicating they feel positive about AI versus only 15% of Boomers. Adoption wise, 28% of Millennials and Gen Z use AI day to day at work, versus just 15% of Boomers.
    • AI decision-makers are relatively young – 58% are between the ages of 18 and 39 – and 71% are not from the IT department.

    Paul Sephton, Head of Brand Communications at Jabra, said: “We see many organizations eager to jump on the AI wave, but some are still dancing in the dark when it comes to effective implementation and meaningful use. As tools rapidly shift toward voice-driven input rather than text alone, it’s crucial for organizations to recognize how this evolution will change our interactions with AI and enhance productivity.”

    “To avoid what we call ‘AI-washing’ – simply jumping on the AI bandwagon – organizations must carefully evaluate the productivity gains that AI can offer and actively involve their employees in this journey. At Jabra, we believe in harnessing the power of AI not just to enhance productivity, but to foster a more connected and capable workforce, driving innovation and collaboration at every level.”

    Read more and download full report here:

    https://www.jabra.com/thought-leadership/ai-at-work

    Note to Editors
    The Great ExpectAItions – Work in the Age of AI Report leveraged two quantitative surveys conducted in August 2024. The first surveyed 1800 AI decision-makers from six countries (300 per country) – USA, UK, France, Germany, Japan and India. The second surveyed 4200 knowledge workers from 14 countries (300 per country) – USA, UK, France, Germany, Poland, UAE, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, India, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.

    PR contact
    Hayley Minardi
    Manager, PR & Communications, Jabra
    hminardi@jabra.com

    About Jabra

    Jabra is a world leading brand in audio, video and collaboration solutions – engineered to empower consumers and businesses. Proudly part of GN Group, we are committed to bringing people closer to one another and to what is important to them. Jabra engineering excellence leads the way, building on over 150 years of pioneering work within GN. This allows us to create integrated tools for contact centers, offices, and collaboration to help professionals work more productively from anywhere; and true wireless headphones and earbuds that let consumers better enjoy calls, music, and media. http://www.jabra.com

    Founded in 1869, GN Group employs more than 7,000 people and is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (GN.CO). GN’s solutions are sold in 100 countries across the world. Visit our homepage GN.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

    © 2024 GN Audio A/S. All rights reserved. Jabra® is a registered trademark of GN Audio A/S. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners (design and specifications are subject to change without notice).

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/70547059-e2bb-4ea5-866f-e1e9f844fb5b

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: WHO – Ten additional countries in the Western Pacific Regionpledge to invest in WHO

    Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

    MANILA, 23 October 2024 – In a historic show of support, 10 more countries in the Western Pacific Region pledged to provide an additional US$ 12.1 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) through its first-ever Investment Round. This comes in addition to US$ 18 million announced by Singapore in May. The WHO Investment Round aims to secure predictable, flexible, and resilient resources for WHO’s core work over the next four years.

    The seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific began on Monday with Member States formally endorsing the new regional vision Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025-2029): Working together to improve health, well-being and save lives.

    The financial commitments were made during a Special Event on the Investment Round at the Regional Committee today. Governments and partners from across Asia and the Pacific in attendance emphasized the importance of ensuring WHO has robust financing to implement its global strategy for the 2025-2028 period, the 14th General Programme of Work, which was approved by Member States at the World Health Assembly in May 2024.

    The Government of the Philippines co-hosted the Special Event and made a historic pledge of US$ 10 million to the WHO Investment Round. During his remarks, Secretary of Health Dr Teodoro J. Herbosa of the Philippines said “A robust, reliable, and sustainably funded WHO is crucial for the Western Pacific Region and the world to address inequities and inequalities in health which were amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we have taken a significant first step towards a future where health and well-being are accessible to everyone.”

    Malaysia also demonstrated its support of WHO’s work through a US$ 2 million pledge towards the Investment Round.

    In a powerful symbol of Pacific leaders’ commitment to health and WHO’s pivotal role in supporting them, eight Pacific Island countries pledged to double their funding contributions to WHO for 2025.  First-ever voluntary contributions to WHO were announced today by Papua New Guinea, and Cook Islands, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

    Speaking to the Regional Committee through a live video connection on Tuesday morning, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that to support the implementation of the Organization’s new global strategy, “we have launched the first WHO Investment Round, which aims to mobilize the sustainable and predictable resources we need to do our work. Thank you all for your commitment to promoting, providing and protecting health, for all people of the Western Pacific.”

    During the Investment Round Special Event, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, thanked Member States and partners for their pledges, which will enable the Organization to support countries more effectively.

    “The commitments made today are truly historic,” Dr Piukala said. “They include a doubling of financial contributions from several of our small island developing states, and significant sums from the Philippines and Malaysia.

    “It’s a sign of governments’ confidence in WHO as their partner in health, and a recognition of the need for sustainable financing in order to deliver on the vision of weaving health for families, communities and societies in the Western Pacific,” he said.

    Prior to the meeting, WHO launched the document All for Health, Health for All: WHO Investment Case 2025-28 Western Pacific to capture the impact of a fully-funded Western Pacific Region over the next four years.

    Partners joined Members States in statements of support for WHO. Organizations including the Asian Development Bank, the Institute of Philanthropy and Temasek Trust committed to working closely with WHO during the next four years. Earlier this month, the Institute of Philanthropy made a US$10 million pledge to the Investment Round during the World Health Summit in Berlin, following a $1.2 million pledge in May at the World Health Assembly. The Temasek Foundation also pledged $10 million on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    “We are off to a great start for the Investment Round in the Western Pacific based on today’s event,” said Dr Piukala. “Today we also heard that we should expect to see more countries and partners stepping up to provide additional resources in the coming weeks.”

    With a fully and sustainably funded operating budget for 2025–2028, WHO will be better able to tackle emergencies and outbreaks that jeopardize health security and threaten lives, reduce the burden of both infectious diseases and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and continue working to improve the health and well-being of everyone, especially the most vulnerable.

    Launched at the World Health Assembly in May 2024, the Investment Round aims to mobilize contributions that are flexible and thereby aligned with WHO’s strategy as approved by its Member States, predictably provided at the start of the four-year programme cycle to enable strategic decision-making, and resilient in that they will derive from a larger, more diverse set of donors.

    WHO’s Investment Round will culminate at the G20 leaders’ summit chaired by Brazilian President Lula da Silva next month.

    Notes:

    The seventy-fifth session of the Western Pacific Regional Committee began on 21 October and runs through 25 October at WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines. The agenda (https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wpro—documents/regional-committee/session-75/wpr-rc75-01-provisional-agenda.pdf ) and timetable (https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wpro—documents/regional-committee/session-75/tentative-timetable_rc75.pdf ) are available online. A livestream of proceedings, all other official documents, as well as fact sheets and videos on the issues to be addressed can be accessed here. https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/governance/regional-committee/session-75

    Working with 194 Member States across six regions, WHO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for public health. Each WHO region has a regional committee – a governing body composed of ministers of health and senior officials from Member States. Each regional committee meets annually to agree on health actions and to chart priorities for WHO’s work.

    The WHO Western Pacific Region is home to more than 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas: American Samoa (United States of America), Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Guam (United States of America), Hong Kong SAR (China), Japan, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macao SAR (China), Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Caledonia (France), New Zealand, Niue, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (United States of America), Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Pitcairn Islands (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), the Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna (France).

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) – 23 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Watch PMQs with British Sign Language (BSL) –

    Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

    In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

    The Leader of the Opposition, Rishi Sunak MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

    Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWlUy6vEdWo

    MIL OSI Video –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Prime Minister’s Questions with British Sign Language (BSL) – 23 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

    In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

    The Leader of the Opposition, Rishi Sunak MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

    Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqvw5q64AtM

    MIL OSI Video –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Emergency beds for people experiencing rough sleeping this winter

    Source: City of Oxford

    As the nights get colder and longer, Oxford City Council has confirmed how it will offer emergency beds to people experiencing rough sleeping this winter.  

    The Council activates its severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) during freezing weather.  

    While the Council commissions St Mungo’s to deliver an intensive outreach service helping people off the streets all year round, not everyone is usually entitled to support – for example, people from abroad with no right to claim benefits or housing. 

    Other people experiencing rough sleeping may have previously refused all offers of support or have returned to the streets even though they have accommodation available to them.  

    SWEP is emergency accommodation for anyone experiencing rough sleeping. 

    The Council will activate SWEP on every night the Met Office forecasts freezing overnight temperatures. It will also use its discretion to open emergency beds in other severe weather conditions. 

    These can include snow on the ground, sub-zero ‘feels like’ temperatures or a warmer night in the middle of a prolonged freezing spell.  

    SWEP provision 

    Working with a range of partners, the Council has secured a minimum of 41 bed spaces in Oxford.  

    SWEP was activated on 24 nights last winter, providing 534 stays for 104 different people. The number of people accessing a SWEP bed on any one night ranged from 15 to 34.  

    While weekly estimates for the number of people sleeping rough are now typically in the mid-40s, not everyone will accept the offer of an emergency bed and others will already have accommodation available to them.  

    The Council therefore believes there will be enough SWEP beds to meet likely demand. Contingency plans are in place to provide more spaces if the need arises.  

    Accessing SWEP  

    The St Mungo’s outreach and assessment team will allocate SWEP beds to people experiencing rough sleeping during the day – letting them know where and when they need to go.  

    People who have not been allocated a SWEP bed in advance will be able to present at O’Hanlon House between 11 pm and midnight.  

    One of the SWEP venues is suitable for people with dogs and St Mungo’s can also arrange free kennels if necessary. Kennels must be arranged in advance and are not available on the night.  

    Find out more about how SWEP works on the Council website 

    Comment  

    Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “Nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxford and SWEP provides a lifeline for people at risk during freezing winter weather. SWEP also gives us another chance to offer the support they might need to leave the streets behind for good.  

    “SWEP relies on people in Oxford’s homelessness services stepping up and taking on extra shifts on top of their day jobs, and I’m grateful for everyone who will help us deliver this vital service.  

    “St Mungo’s works intensively with people on the streets and will allocate SWEP rooms during the day, telling them how to access the service and where and when to go. If you are concerned about someone experiencing rough sleeping, please contact the outreach team.”   

    How to report concern about someone experiencing rough sleeping  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Housing maintenance and improvement

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    A SERIES of major policy documents aimed at protecting and enhancing public housing in Dundee are set to be discussed by councillors.
    Updated versions of Dundee City Council’s empty homes strategy, five-year strategic investment plan and the annual review of rents will be tabled next week.
    Mark Flynn, convener of the neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee said: “To be able to deliver strong communities where people feel empowered, safe, and proud to live and where the root causes of poverty are being tackled needs a good supply of warm, easy to heat homes.
    “But these things do not appear from nowhere, they need detailed, well thought out and realistic documents like these to put down in black and white what we need to do, how we are going to do it and how long it is going to take to get where we want to be.”
    Lynne Short, the committee’s deputy convener added: “The framework that these policies and others provides is crucial not only to delivering on our goals, but also in allowing people to see what progress is being made towards them over time.”
    The new 22-page empty homes strategy aims to build on the 132 empty homes already brought back into use by using the 1,067 unoccupied houses in the city to provide accommodation. This figure is put into context in the report which notes that there were 1,430 new homeless applications made to Dundee City Council in 2022/2023.
    Empty homes are classified as dwellings that have been empty for six months or more and are liable for council tax. The most recent figures published by the Scottish Government in September 2023, show that almost 75% of the long-term empty properties in Dundee are privately owned.
    It has been developed through a clear understanding of the impact of empty homes across Dundee on neighbourhoods, communities, homeowners and residents.
    The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2025-2030 sets out Dundee’s affordable housing priorities for the next five years and aims to ensure that the city continues to successfully deliver new-build affordable housing for rent.
    It reveals that 286 new build social homes are expected to be completed before spring 2027, with more than 500 more “in the pipeline” with start dates between 2025 and 2028.
    According to the SHIP. the council will work with partners to ensure that all new build properties constructed within the investment programme meet or surpass the current building regulations.
    In addition, where possible energy efficiency measures such as insulation, solar energy, wind power or other suitable measures will be integrated into the construction to help reduce carbon emissions, address fuel poverty and ensure that tenants live in warm, affordable homes.
    It also includes additional accessible housing for adults with learning, physical or mental health disabilities, to allow them to receive the appropriate care and support that they need within their local community.
    Members of the neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee will be asked to approve discussions with tenants on annual increases ranging from an average of £3.92 to £4.36 per week.
    Council house tenants could be consulted on three proposed rent increases between 4.5% and 5% if councillors back the move.
    During the two-month consultation as many tenants as possible will be encouraged to share their views on the three options before a report is prepared and considered in January.
    Cllr Flynn added: “Every year we try to offer tenants a balanced choice between services remaining at the same high standard they have now or giving the council additional resources to spend more on the things tenants have told us that they want, such as tackling anti-social behaviour.”
    As well as using as many ways as possible of gauging tents’ opinions including face to face engagement, social media and continued collaboration with Dundee Federation of Tenants Association and registered tenants’ organisations; information will also be made available about the support services available for people affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
    The neighbourhood resources, housing and estate management committee meets on Monday (October 28).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ4: Application for refund of stamp duty in respect of redevelopment project

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Louis Loong and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
     
    Question:
     
         During the past decade or so when demand-side management measures for residential properties were in place, the Government levied the Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) on residential property transactions and applied a higher rate of ad valorem stamp duty (AVD) to collect AVD. Under sections 29DD and 29DE of the Stamp Duty Ordinance, an applicant may apply for a refund of the BSD paid and a partial refund of the AVD paid upon redeveloping a residential property, thereby reducing the effective stamp duty rate after the refund to no more than 4.25 per cent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the respective numbers of refund applications involving BSD and AVD and the amounts involved in the past three years, as well as the time taken by the authorities from receipt of applications to completion of refunds (set out in a table);
     
    (2) among the applications mentioned in (1), of the respective numbers of those for which refunds have been completed and those still being processed; and
     
    (3) as it is learnt that the Government is not required to pay interest on the refund amounts concerned, what measures the Government has put in place to expedite the processing of applications and the completion of refunds under the current high interest rate environment?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         To maintain steady development of the private residential property market, the Government had implemented a series of demand-side management measures for residential properties before, which included imposing Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) and charging Ad Valorem Stamp Duty (AVD) at higher rates (i.e. the rates at Scale 1). BSD applied to acquisition of residential properties by a non-Hong Kong permanent resident (HKPR) or a company. The higher rates of AVD applied to all transactions of residential properties except for circumstances where the buyer was a HKPR and did not own any other residential property in Hong Kong at the time of acquiring the relevant property. The Government has been closely monitoring changes in the residential property market and timely adjusted relevant measures. Since the end of February this year, all stamp duty measures relating to demand-side management of residential properties have been abolished.
     
         When formulating demand-side management measures for residential properties, the Government established a duty refund mechanism in order not to hinder redevelopment projects. Any person acquiring a residential property for redevelopment purpose may apply for refund of the BSD paid and part of the AVD paid under sections 29DD and 29DE of the Stamp Duty Ordinance respectively. The refundable amount of AVD paid is the difference between the duties calculated at the higher and lower rates.
     
         My reply to Hon Loong’s question is as follows:
     
    (1) In the past three financial years, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) received 2 724 applications for refund of BSD in respect of redevelopments, involving about $8.1 billion, and 2 688 applications for refund of part of the AVD in respect of redevelopments, involving about $5.4 billion. The breakdown by each financial year is set out in Table (1):
     

    Table (1)：The number of applications and the amounts involved in applications for refund of part of the stamp duty in respect of redevelopment projects

    Financial Year in which the application was received
    BSD
    Part of AVD

    No. of applications
    (Note 1)
    Amount of refund applied for
    No. of applications
    (Note 1)
    Amount of refund applied for

     
    $ million
     
    $ million

    2021-22
    723
    3,100
    688
    2,100

    2022-23
    828
    2,147
    831
    1,331

    2023-24
    1 173
    2,860
    1 169
    1,967

    Total
    2 724
    8,107
    2 688
    5,398

    Note 1: As an applicant may apply for refund of BSD and part of AVD in respect of the same residential property transaction, there is overlap in the properties involved in the applications in Table (1).
     
         In the past three financial years, the time taken by the IRD from receipt of applications to completion of processing them is set out in Table (2):
     

    Table (2)：Time taken to complete the refunds of BSD and part of the AVD (Note 2)

    Financial Year in which the application was received
    Below three months
    Three months to below five months
    Five months to below nine months
    Nine months or above

    2021-22
    25
    352
    292
    738

    2022-23
    94
    127
    642
    709

    2023-24
    24
    337
    480
    363

    Total
    143
    816
    1 414
    1 810

    Note 2: As at end of September 2024

         The time taken set out in Table (2) includes the time for the IRD to wait for some applicants to submit all the required information and documents. Almost all the applicants of applications that took five months or above to process failed to submit all the required information and documents when submitting the applications, and needed to make further submission(s) afterwards. Some applicants would take a few months or even more than a year to submit all the required information and documents. Generally speaking, the IRD is able to complete the approval and refund procedures within three to four months after receiving all the required information and documents.
     
    (2) In respect of the applications received from 2021-22 to 2023-24, as at end of September this year, the IRD has finished processing 2 097 applications for refund of BSD and 2 086 for refund of part of AVD. A total of 627 applications for refund of BSD and 602 for refund of part of AVD are still being processed, involving 11 redevelopment projects. As an applicant may apply for refund of BSD and part of AVD in respect of the same residential property transaction, there is overlap in the properties involved in the above approximately 1 200 applications.
     
    (3) Redevelopment projects typically involve dozens, or even more than a hundred stamp duty refund applications, involving a significant amount of stamp duty. Therefore, the IRD needs to carefully examine a large number of documents, including the agreement for sale and purchase, information about the applicant and the associated body corporate(s), the consent or approval issued by the Building Authority in respect of the new development, etc. for each application, so as to avoid any abuse of the refund mechanism. As previously mentioned, most applicants whose applications took five months or longer to complete processing needed to submit supplementary information after making the applications. In order to reduce correspondence between the IRD and the applicants regarding the submission of required information and to shorten the time to wait for applicants to supplement required information, the IRD will update the stamp duty refund application form and guidelines by the end of this year. The updated form will provide a detailed list of all necessary documents and remind applicants that their applications will only be considered valid after all documents have been submitted. Following the updating of the stamp duty refund application form, the IRD will organise a briefing session for the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong and developers to help the industry understand the IRD’s requirements. The IRD will also publish guidelines to explain the common issues encountered during the processing of stamp duty refund applications and how the IRD handles them. Furthermore, the IRD will review the current application processing procedures and deploy resources to expedite the processing of applications.
     
         After implementing the aforementioned enhancement measures, the IRD anticipates that most of the stamp duty refund applications can be completed within two months after receiving all the documents.

         Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bazaar Carnival in Celebration of 75th Anniversary of Founding of People’s Republic of China to run from October 25 to 29

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Bazaar Carnival in Celebration of 75th Anniversary of Founding of People’s Republic of China to run from October 25 to 29
    Bazaar Carnival in Celebration of 75th Anniversary of Founding of People’s Republic of China to run from October 25 to 29
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Home Affairs Department and 28 provincial-level Clansmen Associations will hold the Bazaar Carnival in Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China from October 25 to 29 at Sha Tin Park, sharing the joyful atmosphere of the National Day with members of the public. The Bazaar Carnival is free for entry and does not require admission tickets.     The five-day Bazaar Carnival will feature 75 market stalls, offering specialty foods and hometown products from across the country. There will also be diverse cultural performances, film screenings and culture introductions of the different provinces, enabling members of the public and tourists to experience a rich variety of customs and unique cultures from across the country.     For information about celebratory events of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, please visit http://www.nationalday75.gov.hk.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2024Issued at HKT 17:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Local Government Association of Queensland Annual Conference

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    I’d like to thank LGAQ CEO, Alison Smith, for the warm invitation to this year’s annual conference.

    It’s really great to be here with you.

    It’s also nice to be in QLD without my kids! 

    Don’t get me wrong, I know how important family holidays are for your economies across Queensland.

    But it’s actually quite nice not to be running around in swimmers at a water park!

    Just don’t tell my kids I said this!

    I’d also like to give a huge shout out to Mayor Matt Burnett, and congratulate him on his appointment as the new Australian Local Government Association National President.

    He’s a strong, passionate voice for the sector and I look forward to working with him in this new capacity.

    Once a regional mayor myself, I’m can’t help but note that Matt and the two new Vice Presidents all hail from regional Australia!

    Like all of you in the room, I’m committed to strengthening the local government sector. 

    The Albanese Government takes this seriously, because when we work together, we get the best outcomes for our communities.

    You are a trusted deliver partner of the services every community across Queensland relies on.

    We value this, and we’re investing in it.

    We’ve brought you back to the national conversation, at both National Cabinet, and at our two successful Australian Council of Local Government forums. 

    We had over 770 people from the local government sector participate this year, many from the Sunshine State! 

    This open-door, collective dialogue is incredibly important, because there’s nothing worse than decisions being made for you – without you – from Canberra. 

    It’s how we can deliver funding where it’s needed, so that we can continue to get projects that matter to your communities off the ground. 

    It’s why your input into the federal inquiry into local government sustainability underway right now is incredibly important, because it will help us shape how we can deliver the support you need.

    This is one of the reasons we’ve significantly increased road funding to all local councils across Queensland – acting on feedback from you.

    Much like my home state of NSW, your roads have more people on them than ever before.

    Many of them are regional, and many of them have been totally washed away by extreme weather events.

    We are progressively doubling Roads to Recovery from $500 million to $1 billion nationally, which will have a huge impact on how you upgrade and maintain your local roads.

    Almost $900 million is flowing to local governments in Queensland over the next five years, a boost of over $353 million thanks to the Albanese Government. 

    A pipeline of new work will build on the thousands of projects being delivered under Roads to Recovery.

    Projects on the roads your communities drive every day – the ones they call or email you about to improve!

    This builds on funding under our Road Black Spot program – which is also increasing from $110 million to $150 million per year. 

    Under this program in this financial year, we’re already supporting 31 Black Spot sites across Queensland, with more than two thirds of this funding supporting projects in regional areas.

    Projects like upgrading Kajabbi Road in the Cloncurry Shire – fixing a problem which often saw this road closed during wet weather.

    But it’s not just roads that our local communities want to see delivered.

    We obviously need safe and reliable roads to get around, because we all have somewhere to go – from work, holidaying, to catching up with family and friends.

    That’s why we’re also investing in projects that bring our communities together.

    Projects that unlock new jobs and economic opportunities.

    We’ve introduced our Growing Regions and Thriving Suburbs programs.

    For the first time, a funding opportunity for everyone community – regardless of your postcode.

    Projects supported through these programs will be truly region-shaping.

    Out of the 40 successful projects under Round 1 of Growing Regions, nine are in Queensland.

    Among them is the Agnes Water Skate Park Revitalisation at Gladstone.

    This is something long called for by the community – and will really be a whole community facility, because skate parks really are for all ages.

    Trust me, there’s vision on my socials to prove that! 

    I don’t know how good I was, but there’s vision!

    In Mackay, the Regional Council will construct the Northern Beaches Community Hub.

    This will be a central gathering place for the community, and really change how they come together for major events and activities.

    Applications for Round 2 – now with a single stage process, which is updated after feedback from you – closed earlier this month.

    A further $393 million is available, and we look forward to seeing many more amazing projects under this round! 

    One of the big things councils across Queensland talk to me about is housing.

    It’s why we’re investing $32 billion in housing initiatives – the biggest investment in over a decade.

    This will see 1.2 million new homes built over the next five years, including many in our regions.

    But increasing housing supply requires collaboration and investment across all levels of government.

    It’s why we launched our $1.5 billion Housing Support Program, to get enabling infrastructure underway, and build more homes sooner. 

    And they say imitation is the best form of flattery, and I note the Opposition have copied this program, so good on them.

    $7 million is flowing to Queensland under Round 1 of our program to 16 projects, with 15 of these in regional locations.

    This is where we know more people are moving to, but where we need more housing to attract and retain the workers our community needs.

    Among the Queensland funding is support for precinct planning around the new Bundaberg Hospital development.

    Support for developing and delivering a Townsville Housing Strategy.

    Plus funding to the Torres Shire Council, to develop and deliver a Horn Island Housing Growth Master Plan.

    Getting more people under a safe and secure roof starts with strengthen your planning abilities.

    The second phase of this program is support for the enabling infrastructure we need to get underway. 

    Successful applications for those programs will be announced later this year. 

    I mentioned before roads getting washed away – and that’s just one of the things that happens when our communities are struck by disasters.

    All of us in the room can agree that when a disaster does hit us, response and recovery is led from the local level up.

    I had this experience myself as Mayor of Bega Valley Shire in NSW – where I had nine declared disasters.

    Black Summer bushfires, which were only put out from extreme floods!

    Ensuring communities are in the best possible position to recover, but that they’re also better prepared, is something very close to my heart.

    My community is still rebuilding, as are so many across Queensland.

    I’m really proud of our $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund.

    We not long had 165 successful projects under Round 2 this program announced nationally.

    This included over $55 million for 29 local projects across Queensland.

    Among them is funding for the Burke Shire towards establishing a multi-sensor warning system.

    Funding towards a back-up generator for the Badu Council Administration Centre in the Torres Straits.

    And funding for a 120-metre long stepped concrete seawall in Deception Bay, to replace a failed rock and shotcrete seawall.

    When we work together we get more done – and this is especially the case for Disaster response and recovery.

    A partnership approach has been our focus since we came to government.

    You’re central to turning federal funding into local results – and I want to thank you for this.

    I’d also like to thank LGAQ for your continued support of the sector, and for your advocacy.

    I know there will be many productive conversations today, so I’ll let you get to it. 

    MIL OSI News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SHYA expresses sorrow over passing of Mr Michael Suen

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, today (October 23) expressed sorrow over the passing of Mr Michael Suen, and extended her sincere condolences to his family.
          
         Mr Suen served as Secretary for Home Affairs from November 1991 to March 1997 and was the first Secretary for Home Affairs from July to early August 1997 after Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.
          
         “With decades of service in the Government, Mr Suen was dedicated to serving the Government and the people of Hong Kong. He made significant contributions when he took charge of matters in relation to home affairs in the period following Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. I am saddened by the passing of Mr Suen and would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family,” Miss Mak said.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government welcomes passage of Rating (Amendment) Bill 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government welcomed the passage of the Rating (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Legislative Council today (October 23). The Bill gives effect to the progressive rating system for domestic tenements, which will take effect from the fourth quarter of this financial year (i.e. January to March 2025), to uphold the principle of “affordable users pay”.

         Starting from the fourth quarter of this financial year, for domestic tenements with a rateable value (RV) of $550,000 or below, rates will continue to be charged at 5 per cent of the RV. For domestic tenements with an RV exceeding $550,000, rates will be charged at the same rate of 5 per cent for the first $550,000, 8 per cent for the next $250,000, and 12 per cent for the remaining RV.

         Non-domestic tenements, including tenements used for business activities or social services, e.g. commercial building, industrial building, shop, hotel, nursery, home for the elderly, youth hostel, holiday camp, etc, will not be subject to the progressive rating system.

         The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “The progressive rating system endeavours to strike a balance between upholding the ‘affordable users pay’ principle and minimising the number of ratepayers affected. In formulating the progressive rating system, the Government has taken into account a basket of factors, including the affordability of ratepayers of domestic tenements, the market rentals as reflected in the RV, the number of affected ratepayers and the amount of additional rates to be paid, the estimated increase in revenue from rates, as well as the fundamental principle of maintaining a simple rating system. The progressive rating system is part of the Government’s comprehensive fiscal consolidation programme. It is expected that government revenue will increase by about $820 million each year. The affected domestic tenements account for about 1.9 per cent of the total number of private domestic tenements in Hong Kong.”

         The Bill will be gazetted on November 1. The Rating and Valuation Department will inform the affected ratepayers. The quarterly demands to be issued in the fourth quarter of this financial year will reflect the progressive rates for applicable cases.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: South China Sea conference 2024: speech by UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Minister Catherine West gave a keynote speech to the South China Sea conference in Ha Long, Vietnam.

    Location:
    Ha Long, Vietnam
    Delivered on:
    23 October 2024 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Good morning everybody, and it’s lovely to be here on such a perfect morning with those beautiful mountains and sea in front of us.

    As we’ve heard from Dr Dung and Vice Minister Viet, thank you to our local government partners who’ve put on such a beautiful event for us. And thank you to our Indonesian collaborator who spoke first, it was so good to hear from him.

    In the UK we have a relatively new government, elected in July this year…

    … and many people have asked me as the new Minister for the Indo-Pacific, “how do we know that the UK is committed to the Indo-Pacific?”.

    After three weeks my boss, David Lammy, who is the Foreign Secretary, visited Vientiane as part of the ASEAN discussions and this is my third country in the region to visit since July.

    So we know that working together with European partners and with others in the region, we can be allies with all of the partners in ASEAN and we can join together to have a very good discussion about peace and security.

    On Monday, I will go to Manila for the Women, Peace and Security conference, which will I think create a really deep understanding for myself as a new Minister as to the challenges in the region. And also the importance of promoting women’s leadership around this area of partnerships, rooted in respect and mutual trust. 

    Positioning the UK as a long-term reliable partner of the Indo-Pacific, underpinned by a shared respect for ASEAN leadership and centrality. And after that conference I will return to the UK, bringing back news of the conference and your thoughts.

    Because we know that after nearly 25 years of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325,… 

    …in which the UK played a leading role,… 

    …I will underline that our commitment to advancing participation in conflict prevention, reduction and resolution is unwavering, both in ASEAN but also globally.  

    And it is in the same spirit that I join you here today, to set out the UK’s support for collective efforts to maintain regional security and uphold international law.

    Global Maritime Security  

    Let me begin by stating unambiguously that the UK wants a free and open Indo-Pacific.  

    Because put simply, our collective global prosperity hinges on keeping the vital sea-lanes in the South China Sea open. Or the East Sea, as I believe in Vietnam you call it.

    Our shared security interests also demand that we stand-up for principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity… 

    …through the international legal framework that protects these principles,… 

    …for example, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – or UNCLOS as we call it.    

    But it’s not just the Indo-Pacific.   

    Undermining international law in any situation, in any context… 

    … has the potential to corrode the wider system of global governance that protects security and prosperity. 

    Take for example the sustainable development goals.  

    We can hardly hope to achieve those goals without peace and security spurring on economic growth.  

    And all of that relies heavily on having stable seas where the rule of law is upheld.  

    And this year we’ve seen a serious and sustained series of incidents,… 

    …representing one of the sharpest spikes in tensions over recent years.  

    The use of water cannons, blocking, and ramming manoeuvres have interfered… 

    …with Philippine rights and freedom of navigation.  

    These actions, and the responses they may incite, raise the risk of serious miscalculation… 

    …as well as posing a direct threat to international law. 

    And last month Chinese law enforcement attacked Vietnamese fishermen, leaving them seriously injured.  

    The grave risk of instability and escalation that these incidents pose is a significant concern for the international community. 

    Not just because of the impact it could have on global prosperity and security, but also on livelihoods and local biodiversity.   

    That is why the UK has and will continue to protest any action which threatens peace and stability… 

    …or seeks to undermine the primacy of UNCLOS.  

    Keeping the South China Sea safe is our priority. 

    And the only way we can achieve that is by working together with partners including those represented here today.  

    Climate and nature security 

    Now another crucial element to our security and prosperity is climate and nature.

    After this session I will be going to visit some of the areas affected by Typhoon Yagi, to understand more deeply how the Red Cross is working to mitigate those terrible floods and hear from local people as to how they’re managing about those floods.

    We were among the first countries to sign the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement… 

    …and we remain focussed on its ratification.   

    Home to over a third of world’s coral reefs – this region is critical… 

    …to halting and reversing the loss of the natural ecosystem. 

    Rising sea levels risk leading to worsening maritime disputes. 

    And we cannot tackle the various risks unless we understand them well.  

    So the UK is using its expertise to help.  

    For example, the UK Met Office is studying how changes in sea surface temperature affect migratory fish and coastal ecosystems,… 

    …playing a role not just on food security but also on addressing the poor environmental impact of rising temperatures.

    Back home, we have also set a landmark goal – to be the first major economy to deliver clean energy power by 2030.  

    But acting alone is not a solution.  

    That is why we want to work with you and partners across the world to accelerate the clean energy transition. 

    So we are boosting progress by building on existing programmes. 

    Such as the Just Energy Transition Partnerships – JETP – in Indonesia and Vietnam,… 

    …supporting innovative clean energy… 

    …and the expansion of grids and storage. 

    Growth and Technology 

    Technology also plays a key role… 

    …and is something the UK is keen to harness to help solve global challenges.  

    Modern maritime ecosystems is becoming increasingly interconnected and digital in its nature.  

    And more and more sophisticated technology supports improved port operations across the globe,… 

    …the development of Autonomous Surface Ships will reduce the number of seafarers needed to operate a vessel. 

    We know how essential undersea telecoms cables are.  

    And they will only grow in importance with the use of AI becoming more widespread.  

    That is why the UK is working transparently with partners to develop inclusive global norms and standards… 

    …for the responsible and ethical use of technology and AI, including in maritime contexts. 

    Working together 

    Finally, we know that we live in a rapidly changing world where the more closely we work, the stronger we are.   

    Next year, the UK will hold its third Regional Maritime Security Symposium in Southeast Asia to discuss collaboration on a range of maritime issues. 

    It’s so encouraging to be here today and to work with Asia-Pacific partners, and as I speak, HMS Spey and HMS Tamar, our two Offshore Patrol Vessels, continue their operations in the Indo-Pacific,… 

    …exercising with partners,… 

    …responding to humanitarian disasters,… 

    …and tackling maritime challenges.

    Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak today, and I look forward to questions afterwards.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: Waivers of land lease restrictions of industrial buildings

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Jimmy Ng and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
     
    Question:
     
         At present, the Lands Department allows owners of industrial building (IB) units to put their units to uses other than those permitted under the land leases through applications for waivers to temporarily relax the restrictions under the land leases. However, some owners have relayed to me that the fee for a waiver application is very high, and the original amount of the fee must be paid in the first place even if the appeal lodged by the owner against the amount of the fee is yet to be concluded. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the respective numbers of waiver applications in respect of IB land leases received, approved and rejected by the Government in each of the past five years; the number of approved applications for which waiver fees had been paid, as well as the respective amounts and floor areas involved; the respective numbers of appeals lodged against the amount of the waiver fee and successful appeals;
     
    (2) whether it will enhance the mechanism of appeal against the amount of the waiver fee to allow owners to pay the fee only after the appeal has been concluded; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) given that at present, the Government has put in place an arrangement for relaxing waiver application in respect of IB land leases, under which owners are allowed to put their units to specific non-industrial uses without applying for a waiver, and such arrangement will expire on January 31, next year, whether the Government will extend or regularise the arrangement and expand the scope of the relevant specific non-industrial uses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Under land leases granted in earlier years, many existing industrial buildings (IB) may only be used for industrial use. In general, if owners wish to convert all or part of the units in such IBs for non-industrial uses, applications for waivers must first be made to the Lands Department (LandsD), subject to payment of a waiver fee and an administrative fee.
          
         With a view to encouraging the transformation of aged IBs, and making good use of the floor space of IBs in the urban area to meet the needs of economic development, the Government has rolled out concessionary measures, through exemption of waiver fees, to encourage owners to carry out wholesale conversion of IBs aged 15 years or above and situated in designated planning zones for non-industrial uses.

         If owners simply convert individual IB units for non-industrial uses, subject to compliance with the regulations of land planning and fire safety, the Government has also put in place measures to facilitate approval currently, including:
     

    Under the policy support of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, if some units in an IB are converted for the use of operating data centres or testing and calibration laboratories, the LandsD would exempt the waiver fees payable for such units;
     
    If the individual IB units are used for some common non-industrial uses such as office, information technology and telecommunication premises, offices for professionals, etc (Note), the LandsD has since 2003 promulgated standard rates for waiver fees for those designated uses , so as to expedite the approval process. The LandsD would make reference to market information to review and adjust the standard rates annually so as to reflect the changes in market rent;

         As for those cases where the abovementioned waiver fee exemption or standard rates are not applicable, the relevant waiver fees would be assessed and determined on a case-by-case basis under the conventional assessment mechanism. If applicants do not agree with the fees proposed by the LandsD, they may lodge an appeal with the LandsD.

         In this policy context, my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Ng is as follows:
     
    (1) In the past three years, the LandsD received 198 applications for waivers relating to individual IB units. Setting aside those rejected or withdrawn cases, there are 154 cases approved or under processing, over half of which, or some 80 cases, are exempted from waiver fees or are subject to calculation of waiver fees at standard rates. Among the 87 approved cases in the past three years, 31 cases are subject to individual assessment for waiver fees, including three cases in respect of which appeal on the fees have been lodged and are under processing. Details of the relevant figures are set out at Annex. Given the time constraint, the LandsD could only provide the figures for the past three years.

    (2) As I mentioned earlier, the LandsD promulgates the standard rates for waiver applications for designated uses. The merit of the standard rates is to allow the applicants to know the fee calculation method upfront and decide whether to make the applications. This would help shorten the processing time. Therefore, applications calculated at standard rates are not subject to appeal.

         As for other cases under the conventional assessment mechanism, applicants may lodge an appeal against the fees assessed by the LandsD, which would consider the justifications received to make a decision. If the premises has not yet been used for the proposed non-industrial uses at the time of application, applicants do not need to pay the waiver fees immediately during the appeal period.

         If the premises has already been used for non-industrial uses at the time of application, which means that the use has already changed before the application is approved, the relevant use is indeed in breach of the user restriction of industrial use under the lease. Before accepting the appeal on waiver fees for handling, the LandsD would request the applicants to pay upfront the administrative fee and the fees already assessed by the LandsD, so as to avoid the continuation of non-compliant uses without any payment by the applicant through making an appeal. Subject to the review result, if the applicants have overpaid, the relevant amount would be deducted accordingly in the next quarter.

         Even though the above mechanism operates relatively smoothly, the Development Bureau and the LandsD would conduct a review, covering whether there is room for applying standard rates to more uses under waiver applications, and whether standards and targets can be set for the appeal procedures in terms of processing time, so as to optimise and expedite the approval procedures for facilitating businesses.

    (3) To continue encouraging redevelopment and wholesale conversion of aged IBs, the Policy Address delivered last week announced the extension of an array of measures under the revitalisation scheme for IBs to end-2027, including the measures of concern to the Hon Ng as cited in the question, i.e. the conversion of individual units into the non-industrial uses designated by the Government without the need for applying for waivers in the case of those IBs that may not have been able to undergo wholesale conversion due to multiple ownership. The Government has introduced this measure (waiver measure) since 2019, permitting these units to be used for the following uses, including (a) Art Studio; (b) Office (Audio-visual Recording Studio); (c) Office (Design and Media Production); (d) Office (used by “specified creative industries” only); and (e) Research, Design and Development Centre. As no waiver application is required, no waiver fee is payable. For public safety, the designated non-industrial uses under the waiver measure should not involve any uses or activities with direct provision of services or goods, to prevent attracting the public to visit buildings that still have industrial activities..

    Note: Designated non-industrial/non-residential uses are: (1) headquarters or back-office operations; (2) offices for professional consultants, such as architects, engineers, surveyors, planning consultants, solicitors and accountants; (3) offices for business services, such as advertising agencies, management consultants, public relations agencies and interior/graphic designers; (4) information technology and telecommunications industries; (5) cargo handling and forwarding facilities; (6) recyclable collection centres; and (7) such other uses for non-industrial/non-residential purposes not involving direct provision of customer services or goods to the general public.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cuba: Amnesty declares four new prisoners of conscience in midst of new wave of state repression

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Widespread state repression has been enforced since the July 2021 protests, but a renewed effort to suppress dissent began this September

    Félix Navarro, Dama de Blanco Sayli Navarro, Roberto Pérez Fonseca and Luis Robles have been named as prisoners of conscience

    ‘This is a recognition of the courage and resistance of the people of Cuba who … fighting for their rights and the rights of all people’ – Ana Piquer

    Amnesty International has declared political dissident Félix Navarro, independent journalist Dama de Blanco Sayli Navarro, 11J protester Roberto Pérez Fonseca and activist Luis Robles as prisoners of conscience.

    These designations come in the context of renewed repression by the Cuban authorities against activists, human rights defenders, journalists, intellectuals and independent media in the last weeks of September. This includes an alarming increase in ill-treatment, harassment, arbitrary detentions, new threats of criminalisation, denial of prison benefits and worrying reports of deterioration in the health and physical integrity of detainees.

    Ana Piquer, Director of the Americas at Amnesty International, said:

    “These designations are a recognition of the dozens of people who remain in prison in Cuba for peacefully exercising their rights, and of all those who live under constant surveillance, harassment and the threat of criminalisation. This is a recognition of the courage and resistance of the people of Cuba who are standing up to constant and generalised repression and fighting for their rights and the rights of all people.

    “Following the widespread state repression unleashed by the July 2021 protests, and with many activists, political opponents and dissidents unjustly imprisoned, the Cuban state seems intent on eradicating any capacity for resistance within Cuban society, which now extends to projects, spaces and activism not linked to traditional political opposition or dissidence.

    “It is imperative that the international community show solidarity and demand the immediate release of those imprisoned for exercising their rights, and an end to the repression and harassment of dissidents in Cuba.”

    Prisoners of conscience

    • Félix Navarro is a 71-year-old political dissident and founder of the “Pedro Luis Boitel” Party for Democracy. For over 30 years, he has been the coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba and has been associated with the Cuba Decides platform and the Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba. Félix is currently serving his third prison sentence for political reasons. He was imprisoned in 1992 on charges of “enemy propaganda” for putting up “anti-revolution” posters in his hometown. In 2003, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the criminal proceedings following the crackdown known as the “Black Spring”, along with 75 other dissidents, journalists and activists. In this context, he was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty. He was released on extra-penal leave on 23 March 2011, together with fellow prisoner of conscience José Daniel Ferrer, as the last of the group of 75 to be freed after previously refusing to be released in exchange for exile.
    • Sayli Navarro, Félix Navarro’s daughter, is a 38-year-old activist and co-founder of the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), a group of mothers, wives and daughters of the group of 75 people arrested during the “Black Spring”. Sayli has lived with the consequences of the state repression exercised against her father since she was a child. She was expelled from university in 2010 because of her “counter-revolutionary links”, and has been arbitrarily detained, subjected to interrogation and threatened on a number of occasions by state security agents and police authorities.  

    Félix and Sayli Navarro were sentenced in March 2022 to 9 and 8 years in prison respectively for events related to the protests of July 2021. Both were violently arrested on 12 July at their local police station in the town of Perico, Matanzas province, when they went to enquire about the situation of members of their movement who had been arrested during the protests the day before.  

    • Luis Robles, 32, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison in March 2022 on charges of enemy propaganda and disobedience for peacefully protesting on a pedestrian street in central Havana in December 2020. Luis was holding up a sign that read “Freedom”, “No+Repression” and “#Free-Denis” while walking in circles as dozens of people began to film him. Luis held up the sign for several minutes until the police approached him, took the sign from him and arrested him, with Luis putting up no resistance. This happened a few days after the San Isidro Movement staged a lockdown and hunger strike to demand the release of rapper Denis Solís. Luis wanted to express his solidarity with the rapper and the San Isidro Movement.
    • Roberto Pérez Fonseca, 41, was sentenced in October 2021 to 10 years imprisonment for his participation in the protests of July 2021. Roberto was charged with the offences of contempt, assault, public disorder and incitement to commit a crime, all of which are typically used by the Cuban authorities against those who exercise their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Roberto’s detention to be arbitrary and motivated by the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of assembly and association, as well as to freedom of opinion and expression. It also found that Roberto’s right to a fair and impartial trial had been violated.

    Climate of repression

    Independent media organisations El Toque, Periodismo de Barrio and Cubanet have claimed in editorials and on social media that their contributors have received threats of criminalisation from the authorities in recent weeks. According to these reports, contributors have repeatedly been summoned by police and state security agents and informed of possible criminal prosecution for “mercenarism”. In addition, activists and independent media contributors reported on their social networks that they had received arbitrary summonses followed by interrogations by the authorities and state security agents about their journalistic work and their links to certain individuals or media outlets considered to be “counter-revolutionary”.

    Amnesty has had access to the testimonies of at least 20 activists who have reported being threatened with imprisonment, forced to record themselves and sign declarations of self-incrimination, and deprived of their mobile phones and computers. Similarly, Cuban human rights organisations reported that at least three independent media contributors were forced to write public resignations on their social networks, expressing their intention not to work with independent media.

    On 16 September, cultural magazine PM Magazine announced that it was closing down permanently due to increasing pressure and harassment against its director by state security agents.

    Ana Piquer said:

    “This climate of constant fear and intimidation adds to our concern at the continuing reports of the deteriorating health and ill-treatment of prisoners of conscience Loreto Hernández, Pedro Albert and José Daniel Ferrer, and the increasing and systematic harassment of journalist Carlos Michael Morales, and Damas de Blanco leader Berta Soler.”

    Amnesty calls for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoners of conscience, and of all those unjustly imprisoned solely for exercising their human rights. The organisation also calls on the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel to respect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, to repeal repressive legislation, and to end the repression of dissidents.

    In order to determine whether a person is a prisoner of conscience, Amnesty uses the information available to it regarding the circumstances leading to their detention. By designating a particular person as a prisoner of conscience, Amnesty is affirming that this person must be immediately and unconditionally released but is not endorsing their past or present views or conduct.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Flock is a refreshing play about the complex reality of growing up in care

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Eva A Sprecher, Research Fellow in Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, UCL

    Flock follows Robbie (Jamie Ankrah) and his older sister Cel (Gabriella Leonardi).
     Playing On, CC BY

    There are over 100,000 children and young people living in care in the UK, either with foster carers, in residential children’s homes or in other settings. Flock, currently playing at the Soho Theatre in London before embarking on a UK tour, follows the lives of two young people who have spent time in care, Robbie (Jamie Ankrah) and his older sister Cel (Gabriella Leonardi).

    The play was written by Lin Coughlan and directed by Jim Pope after three years of development with Raising the Roof, a project working with young people aged 16-25 who have lived in care, to develop fictional narratives informed by their own lives.

    The voices of young people who have lived in care give this play its beating heart. And they’re also vitally important for authentic representation of first-hand care-stories that are notably missing in mainstream media.

    Historically, characters who have grown up in the care system tend to be represented as villains or criminals in popular culture. Think Paul Spector in The Fall, or Loki from the Marvel universe. Exceptions can be found in many heroes in the Marvel comics created by Stan Lee, like Spider-Man or Daredevil.

    Researchers who have first-hand experience of the care system have commented on the prevalence of stigmatising narratives around “damage” and negative stereotypes associated with experience of care, alongside idealised “happy-ever-after” foundling stories.

    Important work is being done to archive the work of creators with experience of the care system and to capture a variety of care stories. However, nuanced work taking into account the complexity of going through the care system is rare and public attitudes reflect harmful misconceptions about young people living in care.

    Trailer for the touring production of Flock.

    In England, it’s estimated that at least one in three children who enter care are separated from their siblings. In Flock, Robbie is desperately waiting for his 18th birthday, when he hopes he will be able to live reunited with his sister Cel.

    While Robbie and Cel are not living together, they find ways to connect – taking trips to McDonalds or going bowling. Maintaining connections with siblings, while sometimes complex, can make a big difference to supporting the sense of belonging, mental health and wellbeing experienced by young people in care.

    Cel is one of the only people who shares Robbie’s memories of his nan and their valued moments with her before coming into care. There is evidence that sibling separation has a long-lasting impact for adults with experience of care, associated with complicated feelings of loss. However, when planning for young people’s living arrangements, sibling reunification or connection is not always prioritised.

    Young carers and their siblings

    Sibling reunification is not always easy. While Cel loves Robbie, she often feels more like his parent, and the responsibility of supporting him to manage his emotions while she is still a child weighs heavily on her. Cel might be described as a young carer, taking on daily tasks and personal care for her sibling when adults were not able to do so.

    While young carers who have spent time caring for a sibling do often express feeling more resourceful, greater responsibility and prioritising their sibling’s needs can impact their own wellbeing. Cel dreams of going to university and the freedom of leaving her responsibility as an older sister, even as she loves Robbie and wants the best for him.

    Cel is not the only person that Robbie can rely on. He also has a strong connection with his best friend Miko (Deshaye Gayle) and somewhat reluctantly meets with his personal advisor, Mrs Bosely (Jennifer Daley). As Robbie’s relationship with Cel comes under threat, these connections become especially important.

    Coming into care can cause disruption to more than sibling relationships. Children often lose touch with family, friends and communities and often move school and neighbourhood. Most young people living in care, like Robbie, have had difficult and possibly traumatic early experiences before, during and after moving into care.

    After difficult early experiences, some young people may experience changes to their brain and behaviour that allows them to survive loss, neglect or abuse. These adaptations may look like an increased alertness to danger or an unwillingness to trust others.

    While these changes may help children stay safe when living in unsafe circumstances, they might also make it harder to maintain close relationships. This negative impact of these understandable adaptations on relationships is called “social thinning”. At moments, Robbie’s mistrust is clear – when he fears that Miko is only his friend out of pity or when he finds it hard to accept any support Bosely offers him. However, we also see that the consistent, warm and understanding support of Miko and Bosely helps Robbie to stay connected in his lowest moments.

    This play represents both the very difficult experiences of young people living in care, alongside real moments of joy, strength, hope and connection. Flock provides a refreshing and much-needed story of the complex reality of the lives of young people living in care in the UK, putting real voices at its centre.

    Flock is on at the Soho Theatre, London until November 2, when it embarks on a UK tour.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Eva A Sprecher 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. Flock is a refreshing play about the complex reality of growing up in care – https://theconversation.com/flock-is-a-refreshing-play-about-the-complex-reality-of-growing-up-in-care-241620

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Trump’s messaging is becoming more extreme, a mathematician explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dorje C. Brody, Professor of Mathematics, University of Surrey

    “Talk about extreme.” That was the response of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at September’s televised debate, after her rival, Donald Trump, made the baseless claim that migrants had been eating the dogs and cats of their neighbours in Springfield, Ohio.

    Despite mounting criticism, Trump doubled down on the accusation. Likewise, during the more recent vice-presidential debate, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, falsely claimed that the migrants in Springfield are illegal.

    The arrival of hurricanes Milton and Helene then gave them more opportunities to disseminate disinformation. Trump’s team attacked the government over its response to the disaster, claiming that government money earmarked for disaster victims has been spent on migrants who crossed illegally into the US.

    “Kamala spent all her Fema [Federal Emergency Management Agency] money – billions of dollars – on housing for illegal migrants”, Trump said at a rally in Michigan. This point was also repeated by Vance in an opinion piece on October 8 in the Wall Street Journal.

    The claim is false. But does it make sense for Trump’s team to spread such extreme disinformation? Mathematical analysis suggests it can.

    The positions of the candidates on the various issues, such as migration, can be represented on the political spectrum from the left to the right. It is fair to say that Trump places himself at the right end of the spectrum, while Harris sits at the centre.

    If you are at the far end of the spectrum, left or right, then you want to move people as far in your direction as possible. So, given that these days, in the US at least, there appear to be no consequences for disseminating disinformation, you want your messages to be extreme.

    By consistently hyping up the dangers of migrants, for example, more voters will start feeling that something needs to be done, even if they have never encountered an issue themselves.

    Indeed, mathematical models show that the probability of a candidate positioned at the end of the spectrum winning an election can, at least theoretically, reach 100%, if the messages are nothing but extreme. The same does not apply to a candidate positioned in the middle.

    We have seen this effect manifesting itself in the recent elections in Germany and France. Unless the public already has a strong appetite for the centre ground, which was the case for July’s general election in the UK, positions at the centre are often precarious.

    The path to victory for Harris therefore remains steep. But there are means for an effective counteroffensive.

    Clear communication

    Political messages have two purposes: communicating where the candidate stands on the various issues, and making the voters feel that those positions are desirable. We can apply the mathematics of communication, which explains our cognitive response to digesting information, to infer the impact of political messages.

    In particular, we can study how different messages on a given issue combine and interact. This, of course, only concerns voters who consume a variety of information sources, as opposed to those confined to an information echo chamber.

    For those who consume both Democratic and Republican messages, the effect of combining them can be subtle. But, in many cases, they combine in an additive way with some weights on each message.

    You can think of it as a weighted average of the two information sources. For example, if Harris says one thing and Trump says something opposite on a particular issue, then the net effect is each message muting the other slightly.

    So, if Trump says the illegal Haitian migrants in Springfield are eating people’s pets, and Harris says the migrants are there legally and are not eating anyone’s pets, then people might come to the conclusion that, while there may be illegal Haitian migrants in Springfield, they may not be eating pets.

    However, in some cases, one of the weights can take a negative value. This means that rather than adding them, the receiver of the two messages will subtract them. When this happens, the effect of that message is unexpectedly reversed.

    For example, when clear and convincing evidence of the legal status of the migrants in Springfield is presented, the prevailing noise about their pet-eating habits will, in anything, strengthen people’s belief that the claim is false.

    This can happen when the message from Harris is sufficiently loud and clear. Importantly, this does not mean Harris should loudly deny the disinformation. Provided that Harris sticks to her own messages in a clear and transparent manner, the mathematics of communication predicts that disinformation can turn itself against its spreader, for the following reasons.

    The idea, roughly speaking, goes as follows. Suppose that a recipient of the messages is unaware of the prevalence of disinformation, and that there is a considerable gap between the unsubstantiated disinformation and reliable information, with the latter being communicated very clearly.

    In this situation, communication theory shows that the receiver will dismiss disinformation more strongly than someone who is aware of the prevalence of disinformation.

    It is reminiscent of the Japanese martial art judo where the ultimate aim is to use your opponent’s momentum, rather than your own force.

    Disinformation should be challenged. And, indeed, both Harris and her predecessor Joe Biden have come out to condemn Trump’s “onslaught of lies” in relation to the two hurricanes.

    But merely focusing on challenging disinformation is counterproductive. What is more important is for their own message to be communicated loud and clear.

    No crystal ball can tell us whether the Democrats will retain the White House in November. But simply repeating the point that Trump is a threat to democracy, as Biden was prone to do, will not cut it.

    Dorje C. Brody has received funding from UKRI.

    – ref. Why Trump’s messaging is becoming more extreme, a mathematician explains – https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-messaging-is-becoming-more-extreme-a-mathematician-explains-239421

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens call for introduction of ‘mansion tax’ in Scottish budget

    Source: Scottish Greens

    23 Oct 2024 Economy

    Scottish Greens are calling for a range of revenue-increasing levies such as ‘mansion tax’ to protect people and planet from budget cuts.

    More in Economy

    The introduction of a ‘mansion tax’ on the sale of the most expensive homes is one of a number of property tax changes proposed by the Scottish Greens, with the money raised being used to protect public services from further cuts.

    Scottish Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer has called for the Scottish Government to use the upcoming budget to introduce a new band of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, set at 15% for the purchase of homes costing over £1 million.

    Currently, the top rate of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax for residential properties is 12% on £750,000 and above. The Scottish Greens are proposing a new 12% rate starting at £650,000 and a 15% rate from £1 million.

    Mr Greer said: “14 years of Tory cuts have left Scotland’s budget in a dire state. Sadly, the new Labour government shows every sign of going further and deeper with their own cuts to public services. We must use every tool available to us here in Scotland to protect people and planet from the damage these budget cuts would do.

    “A mansion tax on the biggest and most luxurious houses is one of many ways we can raise more money to support services like the NHS while only impacting the very wealthiest people.

    “There is more than enough wealth in Scotland to end child poverty tomorrow, but far too much of it is in the hands of a very small number of extremely rich people and big companies. The powers needed to tax them fairly mostly sit at Westminster rather than Holyrood, but we can use tools like Scottish property taxes to make sure the richest people in society pay a bit more when they are buying a new house.

    “A mansion tax could be introduced by the SNP now. It would raise crucial funds we could use to tackle child poverty and the climate emergency.”

    Mr Greer added: “The Scottish Greens have already delivered an income tax system for Scotland which raises £1.5 billion more every year for public services like our schools. If we want to protect these services though, we need to go further. That’s why we are proposing a range of options to the SNP. 

    “If they want Green votes to pass the government’s budget, they know that the price of our support is more funding to tackle child poverty and the climate crisis. We are being clear about where that money could be raised from.”

    In 2023, the Scottish Greens delivered new powers to double Council Tax on second homes and increased the Additional Dwelling Supplement, which is paid by those purchasing a property which is not their primary home, such as “buy to let” landlords and those buying second homes. The purpose of these changes was to raise additional funds and to discourage the purchase of holiday homes in areas where they are causing acute housing shortages.

    The Party also introduced the Housing Bill which is currently working its way through Parliament. If passed, this would provide permanent rent controls and protections for tenants.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City council celebrates the contribution of children of foster carers

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 23rd October 2024

    The city council held a Kids of Carers Celebration Day last weekend to thank all the children in Stoke-on-Trent who welcome children into their home.

    It’s part of the city council celebrating The Fostering Network’s Children of Foster Carers Month, a UK-wide campaign to celebrate the significant contribution of children of foster carers to successful foster care. It marks the importance of the children of foster carers and the vital role they play in the lives of fostered children.

    The Kids of Carers group offers support to foster carers’ own children and thanks them for all that they do. It recognises that being the child of a foster parents means sharing your home and family and welcoming another child into your life.

    Lauren, aged 15, said: “I think Kids of Carers makes the kids of foster parents feel valued and appreciated and is also a good opportunity to speak with other people who understand what it like living in a fostering family with fostered children. It’s also nice to meet other people who are doing the same thing.”

    Tia, aged 11, said: “I have been part of Kids of Carers for over 4 years now and I have enjoyed meeting other children that also foster and everybody is so friendly. I enjoy all the activities and know that there is always somebody I can talk too if I need too. I would encourage all children to and meet new friends and have a good time with people that understand fostering.”

    Daisy aged 15, said: “I wanted to start Kids of Carers due to how much fun my older sister had when she was there. When dropping her off to all the fun activities, I was so excited when I was seven so I could join.

    “When I first started I was scared but I was made to feel welcome and I really enjoyed it. I met so many amazing people who were in the same boat as me and understood what it was like fostering – something I had never experienced before and it was so lovely. I highly recommend everyone going, as I have been going for 8 years now and it is so good every time and if you join you will never regret it.”

    Kole aged 13, said: “I enjoy Kids of Carers because you get to meet new people, and Marie and her team always make you feel special. We get to do fun things that are just for us.”

    Kids of Carers thanks children for their support through activities and days out including:

    • Bowling
    • Games
    • Craft activities
    • Trips to football matches

    … and much more.

    New initiatives in the city like higher skills payments and grants for adaptations to home to make them suitable for fostering mean that more people in the city can now foster. Here, there is no typical foster carer and Stoke-on-Trent City Council fostering team is keen to hear from anyone who wants to find out more about opening their heart and home to a child.

    We encourage applications from all people who want to make a difference to children regardless of age, gender, religious, or cultural background, sexual orientation or relationship status. We are looking for people from all walks of life whether you are interested in fostering full time, or can only offer short breaks or emergency care.

    Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services said: “I’d like to thank all the children and young people who welcome children into their homes. We know it’s not always easy to share your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles so we want to give you a huge thank you. We want to support you all as much as possible through things like our support group, Kids of Carers.

    “We’re always on the look out for more foster carers to enable more children to be cared for locally in a supportive home environment. I’d urge anyone who has a spare bedroom and wants to make a difference to the lives of children in Stoke-on-Trent to consider fostering. As a city council we’re committed to reducing the number of children in care and finding children safe, loving homes.”

    Anyone who would like to know more about becoming a foster carer in Stoke-on-Trent can visit https://fostering.stoke.gov.uk or call 01782 234555.

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025
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