SAN FRANCISCO, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRTC), a leading digital health care company focused on creating trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease, today announced that it has published its 2024 Corporate Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s efforts to build a sustainable and inclusive future.
“iRhythm’s core mission is to create a better world for patients by delivering better health and better insights through our trusted solutions and innovative technologies,” said Sumi Shrishrimal, iRhythm’s Chief Risk Officer and leader of Sustainability and Impact. “We accomplish this by being a responsible, ethical, and inclusive company dedicated to the highest standards of quality and excellence across our business as we execute upon our long-term strategic growth plan. I am so proud of the work our teams do every day, and our 2024 Corporate Sustainability Report reflects how we make cardiac monitoring more accessible, how we enable providers to better detect and prevent disease, and how we impact our communities as a global company.”
The 2024 Corporate Sustainability Report details sustainability accomplishments across four key pillars:
Quality and Sustainable Technology Innovation highlights include enhancing our quality systems, improving our customers’ experience through Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration and innovative product launches, securing a strategic licensing agreement to advance connected patient care, and forming an Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) Governance Steering Committee to address AI risks and opportunities in alignment with the company’s strategic goals
Access and Health Equity highlights include expanding globally by launching commercially in four European countries (Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland) and receiving regulatory approval from the Japanese Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency for the Zio® 14-day, long-term continuous ECG monitoring system
Workforce and Inclusion highlights include refreshing our core values to define the workplace culture we would like to shape going forward, revising our code of conduct to provide employees with resources and guidance needed to operate with unquestionable integrity, and introducing new recognition opportunities to celebrate employees who elevate the company’s values through their work
Environmental Impact highlights include completing inventory of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, achieving 89.5% landfill waste diversion across our operations, obtaining ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems Certification, completing a life cycle analysis (LCA) of our products, and being named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Greenest Companies for 2025
For more information about iRhythm’s corporate sustainability efforts, please visit our Corporate Sustainability page here.
About iRhythm Technologies iRhythm is a leading digital health care company that creates trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease. Combining wearable biosensors and cloud-based data analytics with powerful proprietary algorithms, iRhythm distills data from millions of heartbeats into clinically actionable information. Through a relentless focus on patient care, iRhythm’s vision is to deliver better data, better insights, and better health for all. To learn more, please visit https://www.irhythmtech.com/.
MIAMI, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI), also known as Intermex, will release its First Quarter 2025 earnings before the start of trading on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The Intermex management team will be hosting a conference call on the same day at 9:00 am ET.
Interested parties are invited to join the discussion and gain firsthand knowledge about Intermex’s financial performance and operational achievements through the following channels:
A live broadcast of the conference call may be accessed via the Investor Relations section of Intermex’s website at https://investors.intermexonline.com/.
To participate in the live conference call via telephone, please register HERE. Upon registering, a dial-in number and unique PIN will be provided to join the conference call.
Following the conference call, an archived webcast of the call will be available for one year on Intermex’s website at https://investors.intermexonline.com/.
About International Money Express, Inc. Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology, enabling consumers to send money from the United States, Canada, and Europe to more than 60 countries. The Company provides the digital movement of money through a network of agent retailers in the United States, Canada, and Europe; Company-operated stores; our mobile app; and the Company’s websites. Transactions are fulfilled and paid through thousands of retail and bank locations around the world. Intermex is headquartered in Miami, Florida, with international offices in Puebla, Mexico, Guatemala City, Guatemala, London, England, and Madrid, Spain. For more information about Intermex, please visit www.intermexonline.com.
Investor Relations: Alex Sadowski Investor Relations Coordinator Tel: 305-671-8000 IR@intermexusa.com
A national charity will be expanding its services in Coventry – including a new outreach mobile welfare van – to support people with support for substance misuse.
Coventry City Council has commissioned services from Change Grow Live (CGL) providing crucial drug and alcohol services in the city. The Coventry-based service will continue to lead on a series of programmes in the city.
The programmes include an expansion of its services – all aimed at improving accessibility, efficiency and outcomes for individuals and families affected by substance use. Among the expanded services is a new mobile unit that will deliver health outreach support in the community. The mobile welfare van carries the message ‘rooted in the community’ and will be used to increase access to services.
CGLs contract was renewed 1 April 2025, bringing together support for substance use, mental health and broader health inequalities. The new contract will also include extended opening hours, and comprehensive triage assessments, to reduce waiting times, improve continuity of care and enhance access to support.
New parts of the service include:
Alcohol detox programme
The service will deliver an enhanced community alcohol detox programme, providing a higher level of supervision and care for individuals in a community setting. To improve accessibility, a mobile welfare van is being introduced, to enable the delivery of essential health and harm reduction services to hard-to-reach areas of Coventry.
Recovery Hub
A brand-new Recovery Hub will be opened. This will be a free and open space that holds fitness equipment, accessible technology and much more. The hub will continue the joint working and collaboration with partner agencies; Intuitive Thinking Skills and Work4All. The focus will be on ensuring a coordinated, individual and holistic approach.
Family support
The service has also taken the opportunity to expand its family support offering and will be working with ADFAM, a leading organisation specialising in family-focused support. This will build on the current group support available, by providing one-to-one assistance to better support long-term recovery and their families.
Cllr Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, for Coventry City Council, said:
“This highlights our commitment to enhancing the health and wellbeing of Coventry residents. By partnering with CGL, we aim to provide comprehensive, evidence-based interventions that promote recovery and resilience, contributing to a healthier and safer Coventry for all.
“The service offers a vital safety net for vulnerable people in the city as well as their family and friends – and sadly, this can affect people at any age in their life.”
Kevin Ruddock, Service Manager at Change Grow Live, Coventry, said:
“We are delighted to announce that we have successfully retained the contract to continue delivering support to our community, following eight years of dedicated service.
“Our priority remains to provide the highest quality service, ensuring that those who need our support can access it in a way that best meets their needs.”
Allison Duggal, Director Public Health and Wellbeing, added:
“We are pleased that following a recent competitive tender process, Coventry City Council has awarded the new Adult Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Treatment Service contract to Change Grow Live (CGL).
“CGL has demonstrated a strong track record in effectively supporting individuals, families, and communities dealing with substance misuse issues.”
As a leading UK charity, Change Grow Live has garnered a strong national reputation for delivering high-quality services across a diverse range of public health needs.
With over 50 years of experience, the organisation supports thousands of individuals annually, promoting recovery, resilience, and hope.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Katrina is a member of the Transport Canberra occupational violence working group.
Katrina will proudly tell you she has the best job in the world.
For the past five years, she has worked as a bus driver for Transport Canberra. Some days she’s out on the road driving, and other times she’s a supervisor at the bus depot. But no matter what her day brings, she absolutely loves what she does.
“I get my own office, I get to hang out by myself all day, but my office also changes every day depending on the weather and where I am in town. The seasons are so beautiful,” she says.
Both Katrina and her husband applied for bus driver roles with Transport Canberra many years ago, but with their youngest son still in nappies at the time, Katrina opted for a 9-5 role instead. Once the kids were a bit older, Katrina applied again, and says the shift work now suits her family perfectly.
“I’m on a rotating roster. Most weeks I get up before the birds do and come into work. If I’m driving for the day, I hop on a bus and go for a little drive around town for at least eight hours, if not 10, and interact with the public all day. Otherwise, I do duties around the depot. I may have to go and do a bus swap if a bus breaks down or take buses that are out in the shed and move them into the workshop. It’s a bit of everything, it’s pretty good,” says Katrina.
“And then I go home and parent. There’s football training, taking kids to and from work, cooking dinner – all the fun things!”
Just like with any job, there are of course some downsides. On any given day, bus drivers interact with Canberrans from all different walks of life, all dealing with different highs and lows – and sometimes our front-line workers are an unwitting target for frustration. Whether it’s traffic hold-ups causing the bus to be late – or people just having a bad day – in some cases, that frustration can result in passengers becoming aggressive or even violent with drivers.
As a member of the Transport Canberra occupational violence working group, Katrina hears firsthand about the experiences of others as well as contributing towards solutions to help the workforce.
“A lot of the occupational violence, from what I’ve heard around the workplace, has got to do with fare evasion and people not paying for their fares. But the same people don’t call an Uber and not pay for it, or they don’t go down to the supermarket and get the groceries and not pay for it, but then expect to hop on the bus for free.”
Drivers are responsible for getting their passengers where they need to go, safely. That means they need to have a dual focus – not only do they need to be alert to the traffic conditions, but they also need to monitor what’s happening inside their bus. So if passengers get aggressive, it can be a scary predicament. But Transport Canberra has plenty of measures in place, so drivers have the support they need.
‘Drivers sit behind protection screens, plus we’ve got CCTV on all the buses. If you feel you are in danger, you can request immediate assistance and support via a range of methods. This request will be responded to by our Field Transport Officers and when required, ACT Policing.
“I want to go home to my kids without being assaulted. So, if you’re going to get on the bus, just take a seat and be nice.”
Despite it all, Katrina is adamant there’s no other job she’d rather do.
“Especially in customer service roles, there’s always going to be people who give you a hard time. If you are in a customer-facing role, you’ve just got to learn some techniques on how to deal with it. But we’ve got things in place. There’s always someone not far away who can help,” she says.
“Everybody around the depot says it’s the best job in the world. Once you actually hop in the driver’s seat, and you get to drive around in a big vehicle, and the majority of your clients are beautiful people. They say hello, they say thank you when they hop off. It just makes my day and I get to drive around Canberra, it’s so pretty.”
* For personal privacy, surnames of interviewees have been removed.
Government announces preferred candidate for S4C Chair
Delyth Evans is the Government’s preferred candidate for the S4C Chair, the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced today.
Delyth Evans
Delyth started her career as a journalist at HTV Wales, working on the flagship current affairs programme ‘Y Byd ar Bedwar’ for S4C. She subsequently worked as a reporter on BBC Radio Four’s ‘World at One’ and ‘PM’ programmes. Delyth became a Labour Member of the Welsh Assembly (now the Senedd) in 2000, representing the Mid and West Wales constituency, and was a deputy minister for Culture, Environment and Rural Affairs. After stepping down from politics Delyth worked in the charity sector as Chief Executive of Smart Works, a women’s employment charity. Delyth is currently a Board member at Sport Wales, a Governor at Coleg Gwent, and a trustee of the Alacrity Foundation and the Urdd.
Delyth will now appear on 23 April before MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny.
This process for appointing the Chair of S4C is set out in the Broadcasting Act 1990.
Ministers were assisted in their decision-making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a senior independent panel member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Welsh Government and UK Government Wales office were also represented on the Panel.
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“Delyth began her career as a broadcast journalist, and her vision for S4C’s future reflects a deep understanding of the Welsh cultural and media landscape, as well as an enduring commitment to public service.
“I’m pleased to recommend her for the role of Chair, in which she will no doubt be a proud champion of Welsh-language broadcasting. This marks an exciting chapter for S4C as we develop plans to boost the job opportunities and growth potential of the creative industries in Wales and the rest of the UK.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“Delyth has a great track record in broadcasting and wealth of experience in public service to bring to the role of S4C Chair.
“S4C plays a pivotal role in Wales, sustaining and promoting the Welsh language and strengthening our unique identity and culture. The channel is a cornerstone of the strong creative sector in Wales which is vital for economic growth.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“Delyth has a great track record in broadcasting and wealth of experience in public service to bring to the role of S4C Chair.
“S4C plays a pivotal role in Wales, sustaining and promoting the Welsh language and strengthening our unique identity and culture. The channel is a cornerstone of the strong creative sector in Wales which is vital for economic growth.”
Remuneration and Governance Code
S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru, meaning “Channel 4 Wales”) is a British Welsh-language free-to-air television channel.
The Chair of S4C is remunerated at £40,000 per annum and the time commitment will be equivalent to an average of two days a week.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has launched a groundbreaking addition to its affiliate program: the first-ever on-chain affiliate initiative in the crypto exchange sector, offering partners up to 40% in rebates alongside existing commission structures. This innovative program bridges centralized (CEX) and decentralized (DEX) trading ecosystems, empowering affiliates to seamlessly monetize their influence across both worlds.
While traditional affiliate programs reward referrals for spot and futures trading, Bitget’s on-chain extension allows partners to earn rebates when users engage with Bitget Onchain, a product designed to simplify on-chain trading for CEX users. Affiliates can now tap into the booming DeFi market without requiring their audience to navigate complex wallet setups or sacrifice security.
“Bitget has grown to become a top #5 exchange with the support of its 120 million users. To show our gratitude and work more closely with our ecosystem contributors, we’ve decided to reward pioneers who help users discover the full spectrum of crypto opportunities—whether on-exchange or on-chain,” said Vugar Usi Zade, Chief Operating Officer at Bitget. “Our affiliates asked for ways to monetize DeFi interest without technical friction, and we listened. This is yet another step from our side to support a community that thrives at the intersection of CEX convenience and DeFi innovation,” he added.
Bitget’s referral program is open to content creators, influencers, and community leaders with 100+ followers through a simple application process. Participants share unique referral links for both traditional trading and Bitget Onchain transactions. They can earn up to 50% commissions on spot and futures trading fees and up to 40% rebates on on-chain activity. The program features tiered rewards, with top performers eligible for the highest payout tiers, incentivizing sustained growth and engagement.
Bitget Onchain removes the traditional barriers to DeFi participation by allowing users to trade on-chain assets directly from their Bitget spot accounts – no complicated wallet setups or private key management required. All transactions benefit from institutional-grade security backed by Bitget’s $600M Protection Fund, giving users enterprise-level asset protection without sacrificing DeFi’s opportunities. The platform further enhances decision-making with AI-powered asset screening that surfaces high-potential projects in real-time, helping users navigate the vast on-chain landscape with confidence rather than guesswork. From YouTube influencers to Telegram admins, Bitget’s Affiliate Program democratizes access to crypto’s next growth phase.
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.
Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
Kashi Ringing the Bells of Progress Building Modern India
Posted On: 16 APR 2025 2:28PM by PIB Delhi
“Today, Kashi stands not only as a symbol of antiquity but also as a beacon of progress.”
~ Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Introduction
On April 11, PM Modi launched development projects worth ₹3,880 crore in Kashi. The ancient city is getting a modern makeover. Roads are being widened; schools are being upgraded and new power stations are coming up. Kashi is growing while keeping its roots alive. From 2014 to March 2025, 580 projects were taken up under Kashi Development with a total investment of ₹48,459 crore. The aim is to improve infrastructure, preserve heritage and support tourism in Varanasi.
Kashi’s Development Journey: Key Milestones
🗓️November 7, 2014: The Powerloom Service Centre was inaugurated and a ₹2,375 crore revival package was announced for district cooperative banks.
🗓️September 18, 2015: ₹572 crore was announced for Kashi’s upgrade, along with ₹11,000 crore for roads connecting nearby districts.
🗓️December 22, 2016: Projects worth ₹2,100 crore were inaugurated, including foundation stones of various projects.
🗓️September 22, 2017: PM Modi dedicated the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts.
🗓️July 14, 2018: Foundation stone of key projects worth over ₹900 crore was laid.
🗓️March 8, 2019: The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
🗓️November 30, 2020: The 73 km six-lane NH19 built at ₹2,447 crore was inaugurated to ease travel between Prayagraj and Varanasi. The Maha Kaal Express India’s first overnight private train was also launched.
🗓️December 13-14, 2021: Phase 1 of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores inaugurated.
🗓️July 7, 2022: PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over ₹1,800 crore. This includes ₹590 crore under Varanasi Smart City and Urban Projects.
🗓️January 13, 2023: PM Modi flagged off the world’s longest river cruise ‘MV Ganga Vilas.’ 🗓️December 18, 2023:The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation several development projects worth over ₹19,150 crore in Varanasi.
🗓️October 10, 2024: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth Rs 6,100 crores.
From Pilgrimage to Premium Experiences
Tourism in Varanasi is more than just travel, it’s a journey through history, faith and vibrant culture. Below are key initiatives that are reshaping the tourism experience in the city:
1. MV Ganga Vilas: World’s Longest River Cruise
Launched by PM Narendra Modi on January 13, 2023, the MV Ganga Vilas is the world’s longest river cruise, starting from Varanasi and culminating in Dibrugarh on 28th February 2023.
2. Tent City: Riverside Luxury Experience
The Tent City was inaugurated on January 13, 2023 on the opposite bank of the Ganga from the city ghats. Open from October to June annually, the Tent City helps manage the increasing tourist flow by providing a unique and peaceful riverside stay experience.
3. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
Inaugurated on December 13, 2021, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is a transformative ₹355-crore project that spans an area of 5.5 acres. It connects the Kashi Vishwanath Temple directly to the Ganges River via a four-lane pathway, making the temple more accessible to pilgrims.
4. Monument Illumination Projects
To enhance the visual appeal of Varanasi’s historic monuments, several illumination projects have been undertaken: In 2015, ₹5.12 crore was sanctioned for lighting up monuments like Dhamekh Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Tomb of Lalkan, and Man Mahal. In 2017, ₹2.93 crore were sanctioned to illuminate Dashashwamedh to Darbhanga Ghat, Tulsi Manas Mandir, and the Sarnath Museum.
Kashi’s Infrastructure Boost
Kashi’s infrastructure development has seen major progress from 2021 to 2025. The Varanasi-Gorakhpur NH-20 (Package-2), a 72.16 km road was inaugurated on October 25, 2021. The project cost was ₹3,509 crore. The redevelopment of Namo Ghat (Khidkiya Ghat) was completed on November 15, 2024. The cost of the redevelopment was ₹95.2 crore. The ghat now features a cafeteria, viewing platforms and heritage murals. The construction of the jetty at Rajghat costed approximately Rs.10 crore. Each cruise boat was procured at a cost of Rs.20 crore. Furthermore, the tourism circuit along the riverfront will feature the construction of a walkway, a viewing deck, and a food court. The operation of cruise boats started in March, 2023. Additionally, over ₹980 crore is allocated for flyovers, road bridges, and an airport underpass on April 11, 2025.
Urban Transformation in Kashi
Varanasi is undergoing a major urban makeover with focus on sustainability and civic upgrades. To reduce pollution in the Ganga, diesel/petrol boats were converted to CNG. This project, worth ₹29.7 crore, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on July 7, 2022. It is being executed by Varanasi Smart City Ltd. and GAIL. The Goitha Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), with a capacity of 120 million litres per day (MLD), was inaugurated on February 19, 2019. Built at a cost of ₹217.57 crore, it was aimed at treating sewage and reducing pollution in the Ganga. Under the Namami Gange scheme, a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with a capacity of 55 million litres per day (MLD) is also being built at a cost of ₹300 crore. On April 11, 2025, ₹345 crore has been allocated under Jal Jeevan Mission for rural drinking water schemes. Varanasi connected 55,000 houses to sewer lines under AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), using ₹105 crore, by March 2017. For better parking and traffic flow, the Godowlia Multilevel Two-wheeler Parking, a four-storey facility for 375 vehicles, was built for ₹19.55 crore and operates 24/7 with full security.
Varanasi’s Handloom and Handicraft Revival
Varanasi is renowned not just for its spiritual aura, but also for its rich tradition of handlooms and handicrafts. Generations of artisans have mastered the art of silk weaving, wood and stone carving, metalwork, pottery and jewellery making. Their creations reflect incredible skill and cultural heritage. Many of these crafts, like Banarasi sarees, Soft Stone Jali work, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari and Wooden Lacquerware & Toys etc, have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags, marking their authenticity and excellence.
To support and promote these traditional arts the government announced the establishment of a Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum in the 2014-15 Union Budget. This initiative aimed to help weavers, artisans, and entrepreneurs market their products. The complex was built over 7.93 acres with a total cost of ₹300 crore, providing a space for showcasing, training and selling local crafts. The Centre was inaugurated on September 22, 2017 and today stands as a key step in preserving Varanasi’s artistic legacy.
Kashi’s Education and Health Drive
Kashi is witnessing rapid growth through major investments in research, healthcare, energy, and education. The Inter-University Teacher Education Center (IUTEC) at BHU, Varanasi, was inaugurated on December 23, 2021. Built at a cost of ₹107.36 crore, it will offer a two-year M.Ed. program for 1,000 students. In February 2019, PM inaugurated the PARAM Shivay Supercomputing Center at BHU, with a peak performance of 3.3 petaflops and a cost of ₹32.5 crore. In agriculture, ₹105 crore bonus was transferred to Banas Dairy milk suppliers in April 11, 2025. In the power sector, ₹1,820 crore has been allocated for new substations and transmission upgrades. The redevelopment of Sports Stadium in Sigra is an ambitious project with a total budget of ₹180.03 crore (Phase 1: ₹90.01 crore, Phase 2: ₹90.02 crore). It was designed as a world-class hub for sports. It was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on October 20, 2024.
Conclusion
Kashi stands today as a shining example of how heritage and modernity can thrive together. With transformative projects in infrastructure, tourism, health, education, and culture, the city is not just preserving its spiritual essence but also creating a vibrant, future-ready identity. From ghats to gateways of development, Kashi is truly ringing the bells of progress.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Elizabeth Quat and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (April 16):
Question:
According to a research publication released by the Legislative Council Secretariat in October last year, the number of student deaths by suicide in Hong Kong has almost tripled in 10 years to reach at least a decade high of 32 cases in 2023. In addition, it has been reported that from the beginning of the current school year until last month, there have been nearly 20 fatal suicide cases involving students under the age of 19. Regarding the promotion of mental health among students, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of primary, secondary and university students who planned or attempted suicide in the past three years, and among them, the respective numbers of those with special educational needs or a history of mental health issues; whether it has studied the reasons behind these students’ suicide plans or attempts, with a breakdown by primary, secondary and university students;
(2) whether, in response to the reasons behind the suicide plans or attempts mentioned in (1), the Government will strengthen relevant targeted measures or support services to reduce the likelihood of student suicide; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on June 5 last year, the Government indicated that it would engage a consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism, of the results of the evaluation; given that the mechanism is set to expire at the end of this year, whether the Government will explore regularising the mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) as there are views that “schooling problems”, “family relationships” and “interpersonal relationships” are the main reasons for student suicides, (i) whether the Government will study promoting education reform or developing quantifiable indicators for schools to formulate appropriate school-based assignment policies, so as to reduce the learning pressure on students in the long term; and (ii) what targeted measures the Government has in place to combat bullying in schools, in order to safeguard the mental health of students;
(5) whether it will conduct studies to improve the Three-tier Support Model (i.e. the three levels of “Universal”, “Selective” and “Indicated”) which the Education Bureau has encouraged schools to adopt to promote student mental health, including organising an off-campus support network through cross-departmental, cross-professional and cross-sectoral co-operation to enhance support for schools; and
(6) whether it will deploy additional school-based professional counsellors to provide immediate consultation and referral services, and encourage community members, parents and other stakeholders to show greater concern for the issue of student suicide, thereby widening the support available to schools?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) attaches great importance to the mental health of students, and has been proactively providing support for schools in adopting the Whole School Approach at three levels, namely “Universal”, “Selective” and “Indicated” (Three-tier Support Model), to promote student mental health and enhance support for those with mental health needs (including those with suicidal risks). The EDB also collaborates with other bureaux/departments and different stakeholders to take care of students with mental health needs and provide them with support in different aspects through cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. In consultation with the Health Bureau, our reply to the question raised by the Hon Elizabeth Quat is as follows:
(1) As indicated in relevant international and local studies, suicide (including suicidal attempts) is a complicated issue caused by the interplay of multiple factors which are interconnected. These factors are mainly related to interpersonal relationships (including family, social and relationship problems) and personal issues (such as learning and school adjustment, depressed mood and mental illness). Therefore, suicide should not be attributed to any one single factor (such as special educational need or mental illness). The EDB has all along been requiring primary and secondary schools to report suspected fatal suicide cases of students in order to provide appropriate professional support to the schools concerned. However, it is not mandatory for schools to report attempted or planned suicide cases of students, and the EDB does not collect information on cases involving university students.
(2) to (6) Cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration
The Government has been supporting student mental health through cross-departmental and cross-sector collaboration, and established the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (ACMH) in December 2017 to advise the Government on mental health policies. Among others, the EDB, the Department of Health (DH) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have also appointed representatives as ex-officio members of the ACMH to enhance cross-departmental collaboration and facilitate information sharing and co-ordination among departments, with a view to enhancing synergy.
At school level, based on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides, the EDB adopts the Three-tier Support Model through the Whole School Approach and multi-disciplinary collaboration to promote mental health and provide support for students with mental health needs. The Government continues to allocate additional resources to enhance the guidance services in schools. Apart from strengthening teachers’ training, schools have also set up multi-disciplinary teams (including school-based educational psychologists, guidance personnel and school social workers) to provide appropriate support for students with mental health needs. If students are found to be emotionally disturbed, teachers will refer them to professionals in a timely manner. Starting from the 2016/17 school year, the School-based Educational Psychology Service has covered all public sector ordinary primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. In addition, the EDB and the SWD have been implementing the “one school social worker for each school” and “two school social workers for each school ” measures in primary and secondary schools respectively. Each school may, according to its circumstances and students’ needs, flexibly deploy related resources, pool together other school resources, or make better use of community resources and professional support, to employ qualified student guidance personnel or procure related services from organisations to enhance the support for students.
Implemented in all secondary schools in Hong Kong since December 2023, the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism (the Mechanism) is one of the Government’s measures to promote cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. The Mechanism aims to, through collaboration among schools, parents and other stakeholders in society, pool together the schools’ multi-disciplinary teams, the off-campus support network and medical services to achieve early identification and offer support to students at higher suicidal risk. After reviewing relevant circumstances and gauging the views of the sector, the Government decided to extend the implementation period of the Mechanism to the end of 2025 and enhance the related arrangements including strengthening cross-departmental collaboration. The Government has commissioned a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mechanism, and would closely monitor the overall operation and sustainability of the Mechanism by making reference to the evaluation results.
Three-tier Support Model
Under the Three-tier Support Model, the EDB continues to enhance the curriculum, information dissemination, activities, training and professional support on an ongoing basis to promote student mental health. Measures being implemented in the 2024/25 school year include:
Implementing the 4Rs Mental Health Charter (the Charter) to promote mental health in schools in a more comprehensive and systematic manner. As at the end of March 2025, more than 690 schools have participated in the Charter, with a number of partner organisations providing various activities. Schools participating in the Charter also make a pledge to join the Whole School Health Programme taken forward by the DH, thereby taking care of the health of students and school personnel in a comprehensive manner.
Launching the Mental Health Literacy resource packages for students at different learning stages, as well as the one-stop student mental health information website, “Mental Health@School” (mentalhealth.edb.gov.hk), to facilitate teachers, students, parents and the general public to select appropriate resources and strategies.
Collaborating with the SWD to arrange for non-government organisations to visit secondary schools in need to organise mental health-related activities since February 2024, with a view to enhancing students’ awareness of mental health and help-seeking. In addition, the EDB has collaborated with the Shall We Talk Initiative to arrange athletes to visit secondary schools to share the themes of positive thinking and perseverance so as to promote students’ resilience.
Organising about 40 additional thematic teacher training workshops to introduce practical skills, counselling techniques and intervention strategies in supporting students with mental health needs. The EDB also regularly shares the latest information and relevant resources through the “Mental Health@School” Teacher Professional Network, as well as organises thematic workshops for the Teacher Professional Network.
Promoting parent education through organising the “Caring for Their Heart and Soul, Growing along with Your Children” Parent Education Talk Series for parents of primary and secondary school students in the 2024/25 school year, so as to assist parents to acquire the knowledge and skills in supporting the healthy development of their children and taking care of their children’s mental health.
School curriculum and assignments
The aim of education is to foster proper values and positive attitude in students, while leading a healthy lifestyle is one of the learning goals of school curriculum. The EDB released the Primary Education Curriculum Guide (PECG) in 2024, in which clear guidelines and recommended measures for optimising the school assignment policy are provided. The PECG emphasises that schools should adopt the principle of “quality rather than the quantity that matters” in the design and arrangement of homework. Schools should formulate a school-based mechanism to avoid assigning excessive homework to students and monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the mechanism, with a view to creating more space for students. Schools should also arrange a tutorial session in the afternoon as far as possible for students to finish some or all of their homework under teachers’ guidance. The Secondary Education Curriculum Guide (2017) also stresses the importance of prioritising quality over quantity in homework, suggesting that balanced development and healthy lifestyle of students should be schools’ major concerns in setting their homework policy. Excessive homework should be avoided so that students could have enough time for rest, play and leisure. The EDB also reminds schools to review their prevailing assessment policies, including the frequency of dictations, tests and examinations, as well as the contents, scopes and modes of assessment. Measures include replacing traditional written tests and examinations with flexible and diversified modes of assessment; arranging less dictations, tests and examinations, or cancelling term examinations for individual year levels, particularly Primary One, where diversified modes of assessment instead of tests and examinations should be adopted in the first school term. Assessment at different key stages should be planned and arranged in a progressive manner to alleviate the academic pressure on students.
Apart from the enhanced School Development and Accountability framework to promote self-improvement of schools in related areas, the EDB has also been promulgating the above messages and good practices to schools with a view to creating space for students and promote their physical and psychological well-being through various channels, such as the Charter, circulars, letters, featured articles, video and comic series, and onsite workshops for teachers.
School bullying
The EDB has all along been adopting a “zero tolerance” policy on school bullying and has been promoting a caring and harmonious school culture. In addition, we adopt a multi-pronged approach to implement the policy of preventing and handling school bullying, which includes providing schools with resource packages and teaching materials on the prevention of school bullying, helping schools develop school-based Peer Support networks, as well as launching the Peer Mediation Training Project for Peace Ambassadors and the Harmonious School Net. To further support students and parents in handling student peer conflicts or school bullying issues, the EDB has been providing the “Harmonious School: One-Stop Hotline and Counselling Services” since May 2024, for which registered social workers provide advice, counselling and case referral services for students and parents through the hotline and instant messaging software, as well as on-site support services for primary and secondary schools in need.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hoi-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (April 16):
Question:
It is learnt that new public toilets built by the Government generally adhere to the requirements of the Buildings Department’s “Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008” and include accessible toilets. However, some wheelchair users have relayed that some of these toilets are not equipped with power-operated doors and significant physical strength are required to open the doors, thereby causing inconvenience to users. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of public toilets and accessible toilets currently managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and, among them, the number of accessible toilets equipped with power-operated doors;
(2) of the expenditures/estimates involved for constructing public toilets (including modification and refurbishment works) by various government departments in the past year and the coming year;
(3) of the Government’s specific considerations in respect of the installation of power-operated doors in accessible toilets, and the average cost of installing each power-operated door;
(4) whether the Government will increase the number of accessible toilets equipped with power-operated doors; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5) of the following information on the accessible toilets managed by various government departments which have been suspended due to repair or other reasons in the past three years: the names and addresses of the public toilets in which they are located, and the total number of days suspended;
(6) of the respective average daily usage of various public toilets of the Government that have been installed with the Smart Public Toilet System and the accessible toilets in these public toilets in the past three years; and
(7) of the number of complaints received by various government departments about the use of accessible toilets in public toilets under their management in the past three years, as well as the major subject matters of such complaints; whether the Government has formulated clear guidelines and provided relevant training for frontline cleaning staff to improve the management of these public toilets; if so, of the details of the relevant training (including the training contents as well as the number of training and participants); if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities, so as to enable them to have a barrier-free access to premises and make use of the facilities and services on an equal basis with others, thereby enabling them to live independently and fully integrate into the community.
At present, the provision of accessible toilets is a statutory requirement under the Third Schedule to Regulation 72 of the Building (Planning) Regulations (Cap. 123F), while the provision of power-operated doors for accessible toilets is a recommended best practice under Division 11 of Chapter 4 of the Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008 (2024 edition) (Design Manual). The Buildings Department commissioned a consultant in February 2024 to review the Design Manual (including the design requirements for accessible toilets) with the objective of enhancing the standards of barrier-free facilities in private buildings by integrating universal design concepts to meet the latest needs and international trends, and ensuring that the standards are feasible and pragmatic for implementation in the local context. The consultancy study is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The Government does not maintain a consolidated list of public toilets and accessible toilets managed by various bureaux and departments. That said, the vast majority of public toilets and toilet facilities (including accessible toilets) provided for public use in public venues are managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Having consulted the relevant bureaux/departments, I set out below a consolidated reply to the Member’s question:
(1) At present, the numbers of public toilets, accessible toilets and the latter equipped with power-operated doors managed by the AFCD and the FEHD are as follows:
Department
Number of public toilets under its management
Number of public toilets with accessible toilets (number of those equipped with power-operated doors)
AFCD
64
54 (0)
FEHD
812
402 (7)
The LCSD also provides about 1 100 toilets in its leisure, sports and cultural facilities for use by service users. The vast majority of which are furnished with accessible toilets, and among these accessible toilets, about 40 are equipped with power-operated doors.
(2) The expenditure and estimates of the construction of public toilets (including conversion and refurbishment projects) under the AFCD and the FEHD in 2024-25 and 2025-26 are as follows:
Department
Expenditure on the construction of public toilets (including conversion and refurbishment projects) ($ million)
2024-25 (Revised estimate)
2025-26 (Estimate)
AFCD
20.35
83.00
FEHD
88.81
173.77
When developing new or renovating existing leisure, sports and cultural facilities, the LCSD will provide barrier-free ancillary facilities as appropriate, including accessible toilets. The relevant construction costs are part of the overall project estimates, and the LCSD does not maintain breakdown figures.
(3) and (4) According to the Design Manual, the installation of power-operated doors in accessible toilets is a recommended best practice rather than a mandatory requirement. That said, it is the established policy of the Government to follow the recommended best practices in the Design Manual, and where practicable, achieve a higher standard than the statutory requirements in the provision of barrier-free facilities. When considering whether to install power-operated doors in accessible toilets, the departments concerned will take into account a basket of factors, including the usage rate of public toilets, power supply and whether the physical environment (such as location in the suburbs) allows stable operation of power-operated doors. The departments concerned will continue to timely review the usage of accessible toilets and the needs of users, and install power-operated doors in accessible toilets as appropriate. In general, the existing cost of installing each power-operated door is about $50,000 to $60,000.
(5) Information on the accessible toilets managed by the AFCD, the FEHD and the HAD that had been temporarily suspended for maintenance in the past three years are at Annexes 1 to 3 respectively.
Regarding the accessible toilets provided by the LCSD in its leisure, sports and cultural facilities, being part of the facilities/venues, they will not be available for use when the facilities/venues concerned are undergoing repair, renovation and maintenance, etc. The LCSD does not maintain information on the temporary suspension of accessible toilets due to maintenance.
(6) The average daily usage of public toilets installed with the Smart Public Toilet System and the accessible toilets in these public toilets managed by the FEHD in the past three years are at Annex 4.
​Besides, the LCSD has also installed smart systems in the toilets provided in its leisure, sports and cultural facilities, of which seven are located in Kowloon Park and two in Tsuen Wan Sports Centre and Hong Kong Cultural Centre respectively. The LCSD does not maintain information on the average daily usage of these toilets.
(7) In the past three years, the number of complaints about accessible toilets received by the AFCD, the FEHD, the HAD and the LCSD are as follows:
Department
Number of complaints about accessible toilets received between 2022 and 2024
AFCD
About 20
FEHD
About 480
HAD
2
LCSD
About 10
The complaints were mainly about damaged facilities, insufficient facilities, cleanliness, etc. The departments concerned will follow up the complaints and urge cleansing service contractors to deliver the services, and arrange and provide relevant training for their frontline cleansing staff in accordance with the contractual requirements (including the level of cleanliness and service frequency). Site inspections and surprise checks will also be conducted by the departments concerned from time to time to better monitor the contractors’ service performance and ensure service quality. Besides, the FEHD has added new clauses in the dedicated contract for cleansing and management services for public toilets, requiring contractors’ toilet attendants to have received relevant vocational training and possess recognised qualifications.
In a significant step toward enhancing international cooperation and fostering global investment in India’s vibrant North East, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) organized Ambassadors’ Meet in New Delhi on April 15, 2025. Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and senior diplomatic representatives from over 80 countries participated . The event was aimed at showcasing the immense potential of the North Eastern Region (NER) and strengthening bilateral ties for sustainable development.
The Ambassadors’ Meet was graced by Hon’ble Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, who emphasized the strategic importance of the region, both economically and geopolitically. In his keynote address, the Hon’ble Minister highlighted Indian Government’s commitment to transforming the North East into a hub of connectivity, trade, and innovation. He also underlined that each of the eight states of the North East embodies unique strengths, resources and opportunities, making the region an invaluable asset in India’s growth story. From its rich cultural diversity to its natural beauty and strategic location, the North Eastern Region holds immense potential to emerge as one of the country’s leading economic powerhouses. Its proximity to Southeast Asia also positions the North Eastern Region as a gateway to South East Asian countries, aligning with India’s Act East Policy. Hon’ble Minister extended an invitation to the participating countries to explore opportunities in NER, capitalizing on the region’s rich resources and craftsmanship.
Hon’ble Minister of State, MDoNER, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, in his address highlighted the immense potential of North Eastern region. Sharing the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, he explained how North Eastern States offers great aspects for investment opportunities and building a “Viksit Bharat” together. He highlighted the major development initiatives in the infrastructure sector that have taken place in the North Eastern Region under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister during the last 10 years, inter-alia, including expanding air, road and rail connectivity, waterways etc. He also underlined that Hon’ble Prime Minister emphasized North East as India’s Asthalakshmi, a key economic asset poised for rapid industrialization. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey.
Shri Pema Khandu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, spoke about the unique strengths of Northeast Region including Arunachal Pradesh.
Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, Shri S. Jaishankar, through a video message highlighted that NER has been at the forefront of India’s development policies. He mentioned about the importance of Kaladan multi-modal transit project and NER’s potential to be the gateway for south east Asian markets.
Secretary, MDoNER, Shri Chanchal Kumar delivered a detailed presentation on the investment opportunities in NER and highlighted untapped potential of the region. He also highlighted the opportunities available in the region in across various sectors like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey. He stated that MDoNER is committed to work closely with diplomatic missions, international development agencies, and global investors to channel resources and expertise toward projects that will boost employment, infrastructure, and human capital in the North Eastern Region.
Secretary(East), Ministry of External Affairs Shri Periasamy Kumaran in his address stated that the North Eastern Region shares international borders of with neighboring countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar making it a strategic location and the Gateway to Southeast Asia for India. Therefore, the region can be developed as a base for India’s growing economic links not only with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but also with neighbouring countries, viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. He underlined that North Eastern Region is a treasure trove of diverse cultures, traditions, and breathtaking natural beauty. He stated that Ambassadors Meet is a crucial platform for engaging in constructive dialogues, building partnerships, and attracting investments that will drive inclusive growth and prosperity. This platform is an opportunity to come forward and explore the diverse opportunities offered by the Northeast.
The Ambassadors’ Meet was the one of the pre-summit activities of the North East Investors Summit to be organized by MDoNER on 23rd and 24th May, 2025. The event received an overwhelming response, with Ambassadors and diplomatic envoys expressing keen interest in partnering with Indian stakeholders to explore the possibilities offered by the North Eastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. The event not only fostered meaningful dialogue but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, driving economic growth and sustainable development in the region.
The event was seniors officials Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and State Government of NER.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Alexander (Chief Executive Officer Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Germany of Deutsche Bank, Mr Alexander von zur Mühlen), Marco (Head of Emerging Markets of Deutsche Bank Private Bank, Mr Marco), Salman (Vice Chairman of Deutsche Bank Private Bank, Mr Salman Mahdi), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great pleasure to join you all at this year’s Deutsche Bank Emerging Markets Family Office Forum. My sincere thanks to Deutsche Bank for bringing to Hong Kong such a distinguished group of family principals, next-generation leaders and senior decision-makers from across the globe.
Stability, for family offices
While the focus today is on family offices, it would be remiss of me not to address a broader issue: that is, the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” imposed by the US (United States) on its trading partners. And why it further illustrates that Hong Kong is the right destination for family offices.
Much has been said about the flip-flopping of the Trump Administration and the prospects of the tariff war. For family offices, this uncertainty and unpredictability have added new complexities to their asset allocation strategies.
Currently, across the world, sovereign governments and investors are seeking to de-risk their allocations and expand their portfolios to markets that provide policy clarity, consistency and credibility. The same holds true for family offices looking to preserve and grow their wealth in a secure and predictable environment.
In this context, Hong Kong stands out as a robust destination of choice. Allow me to share a few observations.
First, our stock market. With a capitalisation of nearly US$5 trillion, it is deep and liquid, and has demonstrated remarkable resilience. Following the tariff announcements, the Hang Seng Index saw a sharp fall on Monday last week. But the market has since been regaining ground. Trading volumes have been high, indicating the strong underlying liquidity. Over the past week, the average daily turnover of our stock market was about HK$360 billion, about 2.8 times of that in 2024. That speaks volumes about investors’ interest and confidence in our market.
In fact, over the past few years, the Government, along with our financial regulators, have put in place a round-the-clock, cross-market surveillance system to detect and address potential threats associated with market volatility. We focus on whether the markets are functioning in an orderly manner, and whether there are irregularities or systemic risks that will threaten Hong Kong’s financial stability. So far, there has been no cause for concern.
Second, the Hong Kong dollar remains firm, trading on the strong side of its convertibility range, which indicates that there is no capital flight. Indeed, our bank deposits have been on a rising trend over the past year. In February, we had over US$2.2 trillion in bank deposits, rising by some 10 per cent compared to a year ago. Our Linked Exchange Rate System continues to function smoothly, underscoring the strength and stability of our monetary system.
Beyond financial security and stability, Hong Kong offers compelling reasons for family offices to anchor their operations and allocate their assets here.
First, it is the “one country, two systems” principle which provides the foundation for long-term prosperity and reinforces the IFC (international financial centre) status of Hong Kong. President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed on multiple occasions that the “one country, two systems” arrangement will remain in place in Hong Kong in the long run. Hong Kong’s unique position as a gateway between the Mainland and the world is highly cherished by the Central Authorities.
In essence, Hong Kong will continue to uphold the defining features that set us apart from the rest of China: a free port; free trade policy; free flow of capital, goods, people and information; and a freely convertible currency. We remain open, diverse, cosmopolitan and committed to welcoming capital, business and talent from around the world. This is deep in our DNA.
A crucial element of the “one country, two systems” principle is the common law system underpinned by an independent judiciary. Despite misconceptions about our city, the facts are convincing: in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index, Hong Kong ranks ahead of the US and many European countries.
According to a recent survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong released in January this year, 83 per cent of its members expressed confidence in our rule of law. The figure has registered a consistent rise over the past two years.
Our simple, low-tax regime is another strong advantage. We impose no capital gains tax, no estate tax and no tax on dividends, offering a highly enviable environment for wealth preservation and growth.
Our international competitiveness is evident by various global rankings. We are the world’s freest economy, Asia’s top financial centre, and the fifth-most competitive economy globally.
Here in Hong Kong, your capital is safe. Protection of capital and private property is enshrined in our Basic Law. We honour our international obligations and have never implemented any sanctions unilaterally imposed by other jurisdictions.
Opportunities for investments and businesses
Ladies and gentlemen, beyond the above institutional fundamentals, Hong Kong is a city of immense opportunities. Let me highlight three points.
First, beyond the stock market that I mentioned earlier, we offer a full range of options for you to deploy your capital. Our venture capital and private equity sector manages over US$230 billion, which is second only to the Mainland. We are Asia’s No. 1 hedge fund base. Our asset and wealth management sector oversees close to US$4 trillion of assets, with over half of them sourced internationally.
Second, innovation and technology is powering Hong Kong’s next chapter. We are investing heavily to develop AI and other frontier technologies as new pillars of our economy. Our strategy encompasses building infrastructure, providing funding support, attracting strategic enterprises and talent, and engaging in international exchanges. Now, “AI+” is the name of the game, and we are working for its deep integration with various sectors and industries.
To nurture industries of tomorrow, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, or HKIC, was established with US$8 billion in capital. It is patient capital, focusing on deep tech, biotech and new materials, and new energy. It is guiding, channelling and leveraging market capital to support tech industries and segments at their nascent stages to help build the ecosystem. So far, the HKIC has supported over 100 projects, drawing in four dollars of private capital for every dollar it invested. We welcome family offices to form partnerships and co-invest with HKIC.
Third, Hong Kong’s synergistic development with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, or the GBA, which is home to 87 million people with a per capita GDP of US$40,000 on a purchasing power parity basis. It is a young and massive consumer market. The increasingly affluent population has a growing demand for quality financial products and services, and a need for diversified asset allocation.
The GBA is also a technology and innovation hub. Home to many tech giants and start-ups, the GBA has a highly educated workforce, and exceptional commercialisation and advanced manufacturing capabilities. In fact, Hong Kong, together with Shenzhen and Guangzhou in the GBA, is ranked the second most innovative cluster in the world for five consecutive years.
Overall speaking, the GBA is rising as a region combining the advantages of the New York Bay Area and San Francisco Bay Area.
Impact, philanthropy and living
Beyond investments, Hong Kong is also blessed with a vibrant, collaborative philanthropic community. Our financial institutions, businesses, think tanks, local and global foundations and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) have come together to form partnerships that deliver projects that are scalable, and socially and environmentally impactful.
And when it comes to lifestyle, Hong Kong is unmatched in Asia.
Over the past few weeks, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens and Coldplay lit up our brand new Kai Tak Stadium. Indeed, from world-class performances and Michelin-starred dining to vibrant art, heritage and hiking trails, Hong Kong offers a lifestyle that global families would dream for.
This city also offers the best education for children. More than 50 international schools operate in this city, providing a wide range of curricula to meet the diverse needs of global families. Five of our universities are ranked within the global top 100.
And Hong Kong is among the safest metropolitan cities in the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is no surprise that Hong Kong is now home to over 2 700 family offices – half of which manage assets exceeding US$50 million. We expect that number to grow to 3 000 very soon.
To support this growth, we have introduced dedicated tax concessions for single family offices. We are currently working to expand the scope of exemptions and enlarge the eligibility for concessions. There is a bespoke service team under Invest Hong Kong to help family offices with their setup, compliance, talent sourcing, philanthropic engagement, and more. You are most welcome to approach them.
My thanks once again to Deutsche Bank for convening this meaningful Forum. I wish you all a productive forum and an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong – a city which I hope you will call home soon. Thank you very much.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Public welcome to watch 15th National Games Beach Volleyball test event Nine men’s teams and eight women’s teams will participate in the three-day test event. In both the men’s and women’s tournaments, participating teams will be divided into two groups with each playing a single round robin before they reach the knockout stage. There will be two sessions on the first day, which are from 9.30am to 2.30pm, and from 4pm to 8.30pm. For the other two days, matches will be held from noon to 8.30pm on the second day and from noon to 8pm on the last day.
The test event is organised by the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) and co-organised by the Volleyball Association of Hong Kong, China, with the China Volleyball Association as advisor. Tickets have been distributed to the public through the Volleyball Association of Hong Kong, China. Those who possess a ticket will undergo a security check at the public entrance located at a soccer pitch of Victoria Park and watch the event in the public viewing area. The public entrance is accessible from MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit E via Great George Street (please refer to the annex for the location). A small number of tickets have been reserved for distribution on-site. Members of the public who are interested may obtain a ticket at the public entrance for admission while stocks last.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Lam So-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (April 16):
Question:
Regarding promoting the development of the tourism industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the actual effectiveness of various tourism promotional campaigns (including the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” and the “Hello Hong Kong” campaigns) in the past three years, including but not limited to (i) the growth in the number of visitor arrivals, (ii) the consumption pattern and spending of visitors, (iii) the actual economic benefits to the local retail and catering industries, and (iv) the gap between the actual effectiveness and the expected targets;
(2) whether the Government has formulated a specific timetable and effectiveness indicators for the implementation of the 133 measures in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 (Blueprint 2.0); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as given that it is learnt that the tourism industry and related service industries (e.g. retail and catering industries) are currently facing the challenges of manpower shortage and digital transformation, and that Blueprint 2.0 proposes to strengthen the cultivation of talents for the tourism industry and promote the development of smart tourism, of the Government’s specific support measures (including the relevant funding arrangements) in place to assist the industry (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) in overcoming the relevant difficulties?
Reply:
President,
In respect of the question raised by the Hon Lam So-wai, in consultation with the Labour Department, the reply is as follows:
(1) With the re-opening of Hong Kong’s cross-boundary tourism activities in early 2023, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) immediately launched a large-scale global promotional campaign, “Hello Hong Kong”, in February of the same year. Through the launch of a series of promotional activities, the HKTB has made every effort to promote the recovery of tourism, spread the welcome message around the globe, reconnect with global visitors and entice them to experience the excitement and charms of Hong Kong in person.
Highlights of the large-scale global promotional campaign “Hello Hong Kong” included:
Sending the greatest welcome to the world
The HKTB invited trade representatives, celebrities and key opinion leaders (KOLs), etc, to take part in the production of more than 330 video clips featuring travel experiences in Hong Kong to send a welcome message to the world. These videos were broadcast on more than 3 000 different platforms worldwide. During the period, the “Hello Hong Kong” dance challenge launched on social media platform TikTok attracted over 1.2 million video clips from netizens with 1.5 billion global viewership. The challenge became TikTok’s promotional campaign with the highest traffic in the Southeast Asian market in the first quarter of 2023 and brought 300 000 new followers to the HKTB’s official account, increasing the total number of followers to around 2 million.
To welcome inbound visitors from all over the world, provide an additional promotional channel for local merchants and create business opportunities, the HKTB distributed about 2 million Hong Kong Goodies visitor consumption vouchers (each valued at HK$100 or more) for visitors to redeem offers or free welcome drinks at one of the 4 000 designated catering outlets, retailers or attractions across the city.
At the same time, the HKTB supported the promotion of the Airport Authority Hong Kong’s giveaway of 500 000 air tickets in various visitor source markets.
Seeing is believing – inviting guests to Hong Kong for first-hand experience
In 2023, the HKTB invited over 2 000 trade and media representatives, celebrities, KOLs and HKTB’s Hong Kong Super Fans from the Mainland, Southeast Asia and Europe, etc, to visit the city in person for tailor-made thematic itineraries to showcase Hong Kong’s diverse tourism appeal and tell good stories of Hong Kong.
Reaching out to the world – showcasing Hong Kong’s appeal
The HKTB took the initiative in leading the trade to reach out to the world by participating in more than 20 large-scale travel fairs and trade events related to meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions held in the Mainland and overseas markets in 2023, so as to demonstrate Hong Kong’s tourism appeal and help the trade explore business opportunities.
In 2024, the HKTB also actively developed diversified tourism experiences to enhance the city’s appeal as a travel destination by making use of Hong Kong movies to promote tourism, promoting panda tourism and riding on various Chinese and Western festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Halloween, as well as different themes like arts and culture, neighbourhoods, great outdoors, to bring in brand-new experiences and hype up the blissful ambience.
Meanwhile, over the past two years after the pandemic, the HKTB resumed hosting of different mega events covering sports, gastronomy and entertainment elements, including the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, Hong Kong Cyclothon, Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, Hong Kong WinterFest, Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations and International Chinese New Year Night Parade, while injecting new perspectives, elements and experiences to enrich the events. HKTB organised in 2023 the first “Harbour Chill Carnival” at the Wan Chai harbourfront, featuring music shows on water stage, street performances and X-Games performances; “Summer Chill Food Lane” was set up during the 2024 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races; “Cyclothon Carnival” was held in 2024 Hong Kong Cyclothon; and the previously four-day Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival was extended to five-day in 2024, attracting more locals and visitors.
In addition, the HKTB presented a series of drone shows and pyrotechnic displays with different themes to tie in with festivals and events in 2024 such as the Galloping Horse in the Sky drone show and Winter Harbourfront Pyrotechnics Show, which successfully created a vibrant city-wide ambience. The events attracted both local and international media exposure and active participation of both locals and visitors, reinforcing the city’s status as the Events Capital of Asia and bringing global publicity value, thereby creating a vibrant atmosphere in the city and stimulating consumption and economy.
To support the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign launched by the Government in mid-September 2023, HKTB also rolled out a number of mega events and promotions to enhance ambience at night. These included the promotion support for the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, promotion of the “Hallo” Hong Kong Halloween campaign, “Hong Kong Night Treats” dining vouchers, Hong Kong Night Bus Tour visitor exclusive offers and brand-new Temple Street promotion.
The effectiveness of the HKTB’s tourism promotion work cannot be assessed entirely in quantifiable terms. Notwithstanding, the HKTB will set different indicators based on the nature of its promotions and events, such as website views, social media reach, global media exposure, participants’ satisfaction, likelihood to recommend to family and friends and intention to revisit, to measure the effectiveness. The various tourism promotions launched by the HKTB in the past three years received positive feedback. Not only have they successfully showcased Hong Kong’s return to normalcy after the pandemic, but also boosted the city vibe, creating more reasons for visitors to visit Hong Kong and attracting them to visit. The promotions have met their objectives.
(2) The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) announced on December 30, 2024, the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 (Blueprint 2.0) outlining the overall working direction for the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry from 2025 to 2030. Blueprint 2.0 proposes four-pronged positioning for tourism development and four major development strategies, covering product development, visitor source expansion, smart tourism and service enhancement, with a view to promoting the prosperous and healthy development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. At the same time, Blueprint 2.0 proposes 133 specific actions and measures that are conducive to the development of tourism, with a view to stimulating the vitality of the tourism market through diversified strategies, enriching the quality and content of tourism products and services, and further mobilising different industries to jointly promote the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. The implementation schedule of the various measures which are categorised into short- (within three years), medium- (three to six years) and long- (more than six years) term and the related performance indicators are set out in Blueprint 2.0.
(3) The CSTB has been maintaining liaison with tourism-related parties, including the HKTB, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC), the Travel Industry Authority (TIA), the Hong Kong Hotels Association and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, to understand the existing situation of manpower resources among different job categories in the industry and explore feasible remedial measures in a bid to cope with the short, medium and long-term needs of manpower resources.
Blueprint 2.0 sets out the overall working direction and strategy in the next five years and one of the development strategies is to enhance the service quality and support of the tourism industry on all fronts, and to cultivate talents, which covers 31 measures.
Following the related strategy, the CSTB will continue to maintain close communication with the tertiary institutions that provide hotel and tourism-related curriculum, encourage collaboration among tertiary institutions and the trade in organising career expos and seminars to enhance young people’s understanding of the development prospects of the tourism industry, make good use of various tourism volunteer and youth ambassador programmes to nurture more aspiring youth to join the tourist guide profession, as well as continue to explore with the relevant bureau further expansion of the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme to cover hotel management, tourism and hospitality related programmes.
On the other hand, the Government allocated $100 million in 2022-23 to subsidise the training and development of travel trade practitioners. The TIA will continue to utilise the funding to support training for travel trade and implement measures to attract more talents to pursue a career in the tourism industry and enhance the professional standards of the trade including assessing the manpower requirement for tourist guides, tour escorts and different job categories in travel agents through data collection, so that a more detailed and comprehensive manpower resources strategy can be formulated; supporting students of tertiary educational institutions to obtain a tourist guide licence; reviewing and streamlining the curriculum and requirements of the licensing examination and pre-examination training courses; launching a docent-to-tourist guide bridging programme and a specialised tourist guide licensing programme to increase the supply of professional tourist guides in the market; and engaging the TIC as a partner for placement opportunity and talents matching to improve talent supply and demand in the industry.
Besides, the Labour Department has implemented the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) since September 4, 2023, to alleviate the manpower shortage across different industries (including the accommodation services industry). Employers of the hotel sector may apply under ESLS to import workers at technician level or below to fill vacancies which they have genuine difficulties in recruiting suitable staff locally. As at March 31, 2025, employers of the accommodation services industry were approved to import 1 633 workers under ESLS, mainly for posts such as room attendant, waiter/waitress and receptionist.
On assisting the industry in digital transformation, the Government allocated a total of $70 million to the TIC under 2016-17, 2018-19 and 2023-24 Budgets to launch the Information Technology Development Matching Fund Scheme for Travel Agents, under which funding support is provided on a matching basis to each eligible travel agent. Funded projects include efficiency and productivity enhancement through big data, promotion of digital marketing, security of information technology system, development of mobile apps and website enhancement, to encourage the industry to make use of technology for upgrading and transformation, and to enhance the ability of travel agents to expand their business through information technology.
The CSTB will work closely with the relevant bureaux/departments and executing organisations to actively alleviate the manpower shortage in the travel trade and the challenge of digital transformation, thereby improving service quality. This ensures that visitors get to experience Hong Kong’s zealous hospitality, thereby shaping a more attractive tourism brand.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the World Tourism Cities Federation Hong Kong Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2025 – Main Forum II: Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum today (April 16):
(Chairman of the China Tourism Group, Mr Wang Haimin), Dr Peter Lam (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board), distinguished guests, friends from the international tourism community and fellow stakeholders,
Good morning. First of all, a very warm welcome to all of you to Hong Kong once again for this important forum dedicated to the development of the tourism industry. As the Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism, I am truly delighted to see so many passionate and talented counterparts and stakeholders from tourism related industries, home and away, gathered here today with the common goal of enhancing the vibrancy and sustainability of Hong Kong’s tourism development.
For decades, Hong Kong has captivated the world as a premier travel destination. With concerted effort of the Government and our industry partners, Hong Kong’s tourism industry put up a strong comeback after the pandemic in 2023 and sustained with rising momentum in 2024, seeing a 31 per cent growth year-on-year in visitor arrivals. Stepping into the first quarter in 2025, we continued with an encouraging performance, welcoming over 12 million visitors, which represents a year-on-year increase of 9 per cent.
A bright future of tourism development does not lie with increased visitor arrival numbers though. With the advancement in digital technology and changing consumer preferences under the global tourism landscape, we must embrace innovation and adapt our offerings to maintain our competitive edge. We must also be clear about Hong Kong’s uniqueness and positioning in order to emerge stronger for future challenges.
With this in mind, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau promulgated in December last year the second Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry – we call it Blueprint 2.0, setting out our vision and mission for the next five-year period from 2025 to 2030.
Blueprint 2.0 proposes four major development strategies and 133 measures that span every facet of the industry including product development, visitor source expansion, smart tourism and service enhancement.
With Blueprint 2.0 and the strong support from the Central People’s Government in Beijing, I pledge to lead my team to strengthen ties and collaboration with stakeholders both within and outside the Government to implement Blueprint 2.0. I shall also empower and assist our trade practitioners to unleash Hong Kong’s tourism offerings in full.
Tourism is a fast-moving and ever-changing landscape. The spirit of “steering changes” in Blueprint 2.0 is a key to meeting challenges ahead and seizing opportunities for growth. I encourage stakeholders to break out from the boundaries of previous endeavours, even old patterns of success. Let us be bold to come out of our comfort zones and embrace new innovation and technology, and bring out new proposals that can inject fresh impetus into Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Today’s forum offers great opportunity for putting our heads together for the future of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. Hong Kong’s hosting of this year’s Fragrant Hills Summit also showcases our strategic advantages in fostering deeper international exchanges and co-operation in the area of tourism development, and in bringing together industry leaders worldwide for fruitful deliberation and swift actions. I look forward to writing the next chapter of Hong Kong’s tourism story – one filled with innovation, resilience and boundless opportunities, with all of you.
LONDON, UK – 16th April 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd today announced the UK-first launch of Samsung News, a brand-new news app designed to deliver the daily news you need.
Samsung News provides a fresh approach to digital news consumption by offering a full spectrum of news from a range of diverse publications—completely free and without paywalls. The service brings together top publishers, including Sky News, Sky Sports Daily Mail, The Standard, The Independent, Mirror, Business Insider, Reuters, Metro, Indy 100, and OK!, alongside other local news outlets, to create a seamless, high-quality news experience.
A Personalised Way to Read the News
Built for customisation and convenience, Samsung News allows users to tailor their feeds with preferred topics. A team of Editors will curate news based on reading habits, with options to select categories like politics, business, sports, and entertainment, plus up to three regions from a choice of 12*.
Key features include Morning & Evening Briefings for curated news updates at the start and end of the day, Top Stories highlighting a handpicked selection of trending articles, and Subject Spotlights offering in-depth insights on specific news stories with diverse perspectives.
Seamless Integration with the Samsung Ecosystem
Samsung News is designed to work in harmony with the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, adapting to users’ preferences and offering an intuitive reading experience. Whether catching up on the headlines over morning coffee or winding down with evening briefings, the app ensures effortless access to reliable journalism.
Stringent Editorial Standards with Human Oversight
Samsung News has established strict editorial guidelines to provide additional clarity and parity across US and UK standards. These are overseen by our experienced Editors, who have formed an editorial committee that ensures standards are upheld.
This team is also responsible for maintaining a diverse and balanced portfolio of publishers, tracking political leanings to ensure Samsung News remains neutral and using their judgement to curate credible and trustworthy content. Andrew Bailey, Editor-in-Chief, Samsung News, says: “There’s never been a greater need for accurate, verified, and balanced news that doesn’t live behind a paywall. Our goal with Samsung News is to offer Galaxy users a broad selection of free content from premium partners, including breaking news, deep-dives, and briefings hand-picked by our experienced news editors.
“Users will also be able to customise their feeds by following publishers and topics that interest them, such as Sport, Business and Entertainment. With diverse content from hundreds of sources, we aim to provide all sides of a story.”
David Rhodes, Executive Chairman, Sky News Group, says: “Sky News is trusted by millions for fast and accurate breaking news, deep analysis and insight and eyewitness journalism from around the world. We’re delighted, alongside our Sky Sports colleagues, to be partnering with Samsung News allowing us to bring millions more Galaxy users the full story, first.”
Samsung News will be rolled out to users as an update to Samsung Free, previously offering a variety of free multimedia content including TV, news, podcasts, and instant games. Users who already have the Samsung Free app on their device will see the icon change to Samsung News starting on 31st March 2025, when their apps are updated. All other users will be able to access the app by downloading directly from the Samsung Galaxy Store.
To experience a smarter way to stay updated, simply open Samsung News and start personalising your feed today. Or visit the Galaxy Store for further information.
*Regions include: London, South East, South West, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, North West, North East, Yorkshire & Humbar, East Midlands, West Midlands, and East of England.
Details of projects in Dundee that will receive a share of £20millionof UK Government funding are set to be outlined to councillors.
A committee convener is welcoming the award, stressing it is the result of direct lobbying by the council and reflects on the city’s successful record of project delivery.
The city was allocated the cash by the former Levelling Up Partnership, which is now named the Community Regeneration Partnership (CRP) under theMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the city council and MHCLG outlining the expected delivery approach for the CRP.
Some of the projects included are:
• Life Sciences Innovation District (Protein Degradation Centre) £2m
• Legal Tech Education and Incubator Facility £1.1m
• Central Waterfront Phase 3 Office Development £3m
• Historic Buildings Renewal Fund £2m
• Fabric First Grant Fund £1m
• Eastern Quarter Improvements £1m
• Dundee Museum of Transport £1.2m
• Dundee & Angus College Future Skills Programme £4.5m
• Dundee & Angus College Social/ Health Care Facility £500,000
• Drug and Rehabilitation Infrastructure £500,000
• Community Facilities Grant Scheme £2.5m
The city council will be the lead authority for the programme delivery which includes standalone capital projects by the council or third partner parties, challenge funds where organisations and firms are invited to bid, and revenue investment.
Projects are grouped under one of three themes: Accelerating Dundee’s Business Ambitions, Enhancing the City Centre and Bridging the Divide.
The programme will be outlined to the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee at its meeting on April 21.
Committee convener Councillor Steven Rome said: “We welcome thisfundingand I am pleased to see the work that has been ongoing to distribute it to projects across the city that have been identified and agreed with the UK Government.
“The council and its partners want this investment to make a real difference Dundee and its people, so this programme boosts our economy and offers new opportunities for them.
“The council successfully lobbied for this money and was able to prove a long track record of major project delivery.
“I am excited to see this programme move onto the next stages and really enhance our city’s prospects for the future.”
Results of Consultation around Drumgeith Community Campus
The results of a major consultation exercise over delivery of community services in the North East and East End of Dundee will be discussed by councillors next week.
NAMWON, KOREA, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Motivated by the Joseon Dynasty’s Chunhyang love story, the festival sees a growing number of foreign visitors engaging in K-culture experiences.
Korea’s oldest traditional regional festival, soon to mark its 100th anniversary, aims to attract 2 million visitors. A classic Korean love story comparable to “Romeo and Juliet” is now gaining global attention as a cultural festival celebrating K-culture experiences. The spotlight is on the Chunhyang Festival, held in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province, the hometown of love and tradition.
The name ‘Chunhyang’ in the festival comes from the heroine of “The Tale of Chunhyang,” a traditional Korean love story handed down from the Joseon Dynasty, symbolizing love and fidelity. The story has been reinterpreted with a modern sensibility and transformed into a regional cultural festival enjoyed by people of all ages.
The Namwon Chunhyang Festival, which began in 1931 and celebrates its 95th edition this year, is the oldest regional festival in Korea and one of the most beloved traditional cultural events. Selected as an outstanding festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and ranked first in the traditional arts category, it has grown into a nationally recognized regional event. Last year, it welcomed 1.2 million visitors, positioning itself as a global festival that draws international attention.
The 95th Chunhyang Festival will take place from April 30 to May 6 across Namwon’s Gwanghallu Garden and the Yocheon Stream area. Under the theme “The Sound of Chunhyang Opens the World,” the festival will feature 100 diverse programs in anticipation of its centennial anniversary.
Chunhyang Festival Connecting Past, Present, and the World Through Sound
This year’s main concept of Chunhyang Festival is ‘sound’. A variety of musical performances will be presented to allow people from around the world to relate and enjoy together. Aspiring to become a high-quality global music festival, the event will be organized around three themes: the Sound of Korea, the Sound of the World, and the Sound of Fusion.
Highlights include a 300-member civic choir, traditional Korean music performances, international ensemble exchanges, a K-pop dance competition, and the Chunhyang Ball. These diverse performances will be staged throughout Namwon, with nightly shows at Gwanghalluwon Garden offering unforgettable moments.
As the festival is centered on the theme of sound, there will also be performances by band music teams that can communicate with various generations beyond Korean national music. On May 5 and 6, the outdoor stage at Love Square will host the national band contest “Let PungROCK Resound!” Featuring a mix of intense genres like rock, metal, and punk with smoother ones like blues and jazz, the contest will provide citizens and visitors with a rich musical experience.
Throughout the week, the “One Day Spring Dream Concert” will showcase modern Korean traditional music alongside pop artists. Each day will feature performances by pop singers, international artists, music bands, and orchestras, captivating audiences with both sight and sound.
Immersive Korean Traditional Culture Experiences in Hanbok
Hanbok, the traditional Korean attire that gained global fame through BTS and BLACKPINK’s music video and performances, is now a must-do experience for international visitors. With its graceful colors, patterns, and textures, Hanbok rental is available throughout the Chunhyang Festival for guests to fully immerse themselves in Korean culture.
During the week of the Chunhyang Festival, event staff members wear traditional hanbok to greet visitors. Visitors, too, can freely walk around the festival grounds dressed in hanbok of their choice, which they can personally select and rent, fully immersing themselves in the atmosphere of traditional Korean culture.
Not only foreign visitors but also numerous citizens of all ages enjoy the festival programs wearing hanbok. Throughout the festival grounds, photo zones are set up where visitors dressed in hanbok can take commemorative photos, capturing the memorable moments of the Chunhyang Festival.
Hanbok wearers can also take part in various cultural programs for a deeper experience. At Gwanghalluwon Garden, visitors can participate in tea ceremonies using prepared tea leaves, spinning a bowl games, traditional cup and ball games, and enjoy master performances at the historic Gwanghallu Pavilion, a National Treasure No. 281. The comedic “Pumba” performances in the canola flower fields will allow participants to special experience Chunhyang’s world firsthand.
Popular programs such as the “Daedong Street Performance” street parade and “Hanbok Ball” will also be held. The Daedong Street Performance parade, themed after the Tale of Chunhyang, features citizen participation along with special international performers, taekwondo demonstrations, and police motorcycle parades, offering a vibrant spectacle. With people of all ages and nationalities joining the parade, the entire city of Namwon will be filled with music and excitement.
Namwon’s multilingual tourism information system will help all visitors enjoy the festival with ease.
A Feast for the Five Senses: Family Zone, Camping Zone, and Food Zone
Evolving from a traditional cultural festival to a global event nearing its 100th year, the Chunhyang Festival will feature a dedicated “Family Zone” at Love Square, ensuring convenience for families with young children.
The Family Zone includes amusement rides, various performance programs, food trucks, and amenities. Popular attractions like air bouncers, Viking rides, and disco pang-pang, along with circus acts, bubble shows, and magic shows, will keep families entertained. Finger food-friendly food trucks and comfortable rest areas, including nursing rooms, are also provided.
Four free shuttle bus routes will be in operation for easier access to the venue, running every 20 minutes from 10 AM to 11 PM. To accommodate the expected surge in visitors, car camping and camping zones will be established in six areas, including Yocheon Eco Park and Geumam Park, accommodating up to 340 vehicles including caravans and passenger cars.
A wide variety of foods made using local specialties will also be available. A barbecue zone, a traditional food court, and a food truck zone within the Family Zone will be in operation, and visitors will also be able to enjoy cocktails made with Namwon’s traditional liquor at various spots throughout the venue. In particular, the traditional food court operated directly by local residents offers a chance to experience and savor the diverse flavors of K-Food that has recently captured the taste buds of people around the world.
Nights Brighter Than Days: Night Views, Music, and Fireworks
The nights of the Chunhyang Festival shine even brighter than the days. A 3-hectare field of canola flowers along the Yocheon Stream sets the backdrop for breathtaking sunsets and golden blooms. With scenic lighting and photo zones, visitors can also enjoy the canola flower field at night.
Traditional Korean lanterns, Cheongsachorong, placed throughout Namwon, will cast a warm glow, symbolizing love and hope. The fireworks at the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies will add a spectacular finale, leaving lasting memories of this spring’s most special moments.
Hyderabad, India, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Proto Hologram has expanded rapidly across India, with the launch of AI Avatars of Amitabh Bachchan and Sourav “Dada” Ganguly. Based on IP deals created by Hyderbad-based company Ikonz, the Proto avatars are hyper-real, volumetric, digital twins of the icons, that are capable of fully interactive conversations.
The AI Proto Hologram of Mr. Bachchan, one of the biggest international film stars of all time, has already been helping visitors at six branches of IDFC FIRST Bank with information and transactions. It is among the first in the world to enable hologram banking transactions.
Mr. Ganguly’s Proto avatar debuted at an event in Kolkata on April 11th. The newly reappointed chairman of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee became the first ever cricket star to become a Proto hologram, and was there in person to show, side-by-side, how real the hologram looks. Mr. Ganguly joins Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, UFC CEO Dana White, Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali and other top sports execs and athletes to appear as an AI hologram via Proto.
“It’s an incredible honor to have the great Amitabh Bachchan and Sourav Ganguly appear in Proto hologram form,” said Proto Hologram Founder and Inventor David Nussbaum. “Proto’s AI Persona tools let them – and other spokesmen, experts, executives, doctors, or celebrities – have hyper-real, conversational interactions with customers and fans in any language. It’s perfect for India where there are 22 officially recognized languages — and in reality, over 100 more.”
Proto partner Ikonz is a specialist in licensing IP rights. Ikonz has secured exclusive global rights to Mr. Ganguly’s voice, likeness and mannerisms, enabling the creation of an avatar that authentically captures the charisma, energy, and unique presence of one of cricket’s most celebrated figures. Ikonz’ brands the Proto activations in India HXR.
Amitabh Bachchan said, “This initiative by IDFC FIRST Bank highlights the role of technology in creating immersive customer experiences. It is fascinating to see how innovation continues to redefine connections. I am pleased to see my digital avatar playing a part in this journey.”
Shreepad Shende, Head of Business Excellence and Corporate Strategy at IDFC FIRST Bank, said, “This technology makes banking simpler, faster, and more engaging.”
Mr. Ganguly said he is excited to see his digital avatar come to life via Proto Hologram and to explore the technology’s potential across sports, entertainment, education, and beyond. “Ikonz’s commitment to authenticity and respect for my personal brand gives me full confidence in this partnership,” said Sourav Ganguly.
“Dada has always been at the forefront of cricketing excellence and innovation. With this digital avatar, we’re thrilled to bring his spirit to new audiences and industries around the world. The avatar speaks, moves, and emotes exactly as Sourav Ganguly would,” said Abinav Varma Kalidindi, CEO of Ikonz.
Proto also counts dozens of Fortune 500 companies as partners and clients, as well as dozens of major universities, major airports, museums, hospitals, retailers and more. Partners and clients include AARP, Accenture, Amazon AWS, CBS, Delta Airways, HPE, Intec, PwC, Siemens, Softbank, Walmart and Verizon.
The sports world includes over 65 active and retired professional athletes who have invested in Los Angeles-based Proto. The technology has been installed in over 50 major stadiums and arenas, been utilized by the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, Major League Soccer, NCAA, UFC, WWE, PFL and at events such as the Woman’s World Cup. Most recently Tiger Woods appeared via Proto at his TGL Golf arena in Florida in a partnership with Best Buy. Other athletes who have used Proto include Usain Bolt, Lewis Hamilton, Mary Fowler, Nick Kyrgios, Francis Ngannou and Son Hueng-min.
Among other activations in India, Proto has been seen on the show Bigg Boss Telugu, featuring host Nagarjuna.
About its role managing Mr. Ganguly’s IP, Ikonz states, “By securing exclusive IP rights to Dada’s voice, likeness, and mannerisms, Ikonz ensures that any organisation or brand seeking to leverage the digital avatar will engage directly with Ikonz as the sole representative and licensor. This strategic approach safeguards the integrity of Sourav Ganguly’s personal brand while opening limitless possibilities.”
About Proto Inc.: Proto Inc. is the patented leader in hologram technology and AI spatial computing. Proto devices and its platform are in use across enterprise, finance, healthcare, education, retail, hospitality, sports and entertainment. Invented in Los Angeles and with showrooms and distribution partners around the globe, Proto distributes the large Proto Epic and Proto Luma, the desktop-sized Proto M, and a suite of hologram AI and spatial computing services. Learn more at protohologram.com
US President Donald Trump and his team is pursuing a white man’s racist agenda that is corrupt at its core. Trump’s advisor Elon Musk, who often seems to be the actual president, is handing his companies multiple contracts as his team takes over or takes down multiple government departments and agencies.
Trump wants to be the “king” of America and is already floating the idea of a third term, an action that would be an obvious violation of the US Constitution he swore to uphold but is doing his best to violate and destroy.
Every time we hear the Trump team spouting a “return to America’s golden age,” they are talking about 60-80 years ago, when white people ruled and schools, hospitals, restrooms and entire neighborhoods were segregated and African Americans and other minority groups had little opportunity.
Every photo of leaders from that time features large numbers of white American men. Trump’s cabinet, in contrast to recent cabinets of Democratic presidents, is mainly white and male.
This is where the US going. And lest any white women feel they are included in the Trump train, think again. Anything to do with women’s empowerment — including whites — is being scrubbed off the agenda by Trump minions in multiple government departments and agencies.
“Women” along with things like “climate change,” “diversity,” “equality,” “gender equity,” “justice,” etc are being removed from US government websites, policies and grant funding.
The white racist campaign against people of colour has seen iconic Americans removed from government websites. For example, a photo and story about Jackie Robinson, a military veteran, was recently removed from the Defense Department website as part of the Trump team’s war on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Broke whites-only colour barrier Robinson was not only a military veteran, he was the first African American to break the whites-only colour barrier in Major League Baseball and went on to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for his stellar performance with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
How about the removal of reference to the Army’s 442nd infantry regiment from World War II that is the most decorated unit in US military history? The 442nd was a fighting unit comprised of nearly all second-generation American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who more than proved their courage and loyalty to the United States during World War II.
The Defense Department removing references to these iconic Americans is an outrage. But showing the moronic level of the Trump team, they also deleted a photo of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II because the pilot named it after his mother, “Enola Gay.”
Despite the significance of the Enola Gay airplane in American military history, that latter word couldn’t get past the Pentagon’s scrubbing team, who were determined to wash away anything that hinted at, well, anything other than white, heterosexual male. And there is plenty more that was wiped off the history record of the Defense Department.
Meanwhile, Trump, his team and the Republican Party in general while claiming to be focused on eliminating corruption is authorising it on a grand scale.
Elon Musk’s redirection of contracts to Starlink, SpaceX and other companies he owns is one example among many. What is happening in the American government today is like a bank robbery in broad daylight.
The Trump team fired a score of inspectors general — the very officials who actively work to prevent fraud and theft in the US government. They are eliminating or effectively neutering every enforcement agency, from EPA (which ensures clean air and other anti-pollution programmes) and consumer protection to the National Labor Relations Board, where the mega companies like Musk’s, Facebook, Google and others have pending complaints from employees seeking a fair review of their work issues.
Huge cuts to social security Trump with the aid of the Republican-controlled Congress is going to make huge cuts to Medicaid and Social Security — which will affect Marshallese living in America as much as Americans — all in order to fund tax cuts for the richest Americans and big corporations.
Then there is Trump’s targeting of judges who rule against his illegal and unconstitutional initiatives — Trump criticism that is parroted by Fox News and other Trump minions, and is leading to things like efforts in the Congress to possibly impeach judges or restrict their legal jurisdiction.
These are all anti-democracy, anti-US constitution actions that are already undermining the rule of law in the US. And we haven’t yet mentioned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its sweeping deportations without due process that is having calamitous collateral damage for people swept up in these deportation raids.
ICE is deporting people legally in the US studying at US universities for writing articles or speaking about justice for Palestinians. Whether we like what the writer or speaker says, a fundamental principle of democracy in the US is that freedom of expression is protected by the US constitution under the First Amendment.
That is no longer the case for Trump and his Republican team, which is happily abandoning the rule of law, due process and everything else that makes America what it is.
The irony is that multiple countries, normally American allies, have in recent weeks issued travel advisories to their citizens about traveling to the United States in the present environment where anyone who isn’t white and doesn’t fit into a male or female designation is subject to potential detention and deportation.
The immigration chill from the US will no doubt reduce visitor flow resulting in big losses in revenue, possibly in the billions of dollars, for tourism-related businesses.
Marshallese must pay attention Marshallese need to pay attention to what’s happening and have valid passports at the ready. Sadly, if Marshallese have any sort of conviction no matter how ancient or minor it is likely they will be targets for deportation.
Further, even the visa-free access privilege for Marshallese and other Micronesians is apparently now under scrutiny by US authorities based on a statement by US Ambassador Laura Stone published recently by the Journal
It is a difficult time being one of the closest allies of the US because the RMI must engage at many levels with a US government that is presently in turmoil.
Giff Johnson is the editor of the Marshall Islands Journal and one of the Pacific’s leading journalists and authors. He is the author of several books, including Don’t Ever Whisper, Idyllic No More, and Nuclear Past, Unclear Future. This editorial was first published on 11 April 2025 and is reprinted with permission of the Marshall Islands Journal. marshallislandsjournal.com
Freedom of speech at the Marshall Islands High School
Messages of “inclusiveness” painted by Marshall Islands High School students in the capital Majuro. Image: Giff Johnson/Marshall Islands Journal
The above is one section of the outer wall at Marshall Islands High School. Surely, if this was a public school in America today, these messages would already have been whitewashed away by the Trump team censors who don’t like any reference to “inclusiveness,” “women,” and especially “gender equality.”
However, these messages painted by MIHS students are very much in keeping with Marshallese society and customary practices of welcoming visitors, inclusiveness and good treatment of women in this matriarchal society.
But don’t let President Trump know Marshallese think like this. — Giff Johnson
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKMH to showcase over 130 sets of invaluable cultural relics including terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shihuang from Qin and Han dynasties Addressing the ceremony today (April 15), the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established the Chinese Culture Promotion Office (CCPO) last year. The CCPO is dedicated to promoting Chinese culture and history-related activities, exchanges and collaborations, with the aim of promoting Chinese culture and enhancing the public’s cultural confidence and national identity. In collaboration with the HKMH, the CCPO launched the first flagship project, the General History of China Series, allowing the public to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the development of Chinese civilisation. The first exhibition of the series, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province” launched last year, and the inaugural Chinese Culture Festival, have attracted a total of more than 1 million attendance, including 10 000 teachers and students. Nearly 20 per cent of the visitors were tourists. The Government hopes to showcase the unique charm of Chinese culture to the world through the precious historical and cultural treasures of the motherland, pursuing the mission of “telling good China’s stories”.
Mr Chan added that the exhibition launched today is the second major exhibition of the General History of China Series. The Qin and Han dynasties were of great significance and marked the first unified China in history, profoundly influencing the course of the historical development of China for over 2 000 years.
Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Qi Bin; Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration Mr Qian Jikui; the Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Martin Liao; the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Chairman of Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan.
Over 100 sets of carefully selected exhibits will be presented in this exhibition, originating from the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, the Hanyangling Museum, and the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology (Shaanxi Archaeology Museum). More than half of these exhibits will be displayed in Hong Kong for the first time. Among the exhibits, 11 pieces/sets are grade-one national treasures with four of them to be exhibited outside the Mainland for the first time.
Highlight exhibits include three terracottas from the Qin dynasty which are grade-one national treasures, and are on display in Hong Kong for the first time, including the Terracotta General, the highest-ranking warrior yet uncovered at the Terracotta Army Pits; the Terracotta Kneeling Musician believed to be striking a musical instrument; and the Terracotta Kneeling Archer, on which traces of red pigment from over 2 000 years ago can still be seen on the armour. The terracottas are displayed independently in glass showcases transparent on the four sides, allowing visitors to appreciate from all angles.
Another highlight exhibit is Bronze chariot No. 1 (replica), the original set of which was unearthed from the Bronze Chariots and Horses Pit, Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shihuang, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. It authentically replicates the form and structure of ancient chariot.
The exhibition also showcases a series of pottery animal figurines from the Han dynasty, unearthed from the Han Yangling Mausoleum, Shaanxi Province, which reflect the prosperity of animal husbandry at the time. Among them, the pottery goat, wild dog and domestic dog are exhibited outside the Mainland for the first time.
Other highlight exhibits include a bronze wild goose from the Qin dynasty, a pottery cast mould, a gold disc, naked warrior figurines in walking poses, painted cavalry figurines and tile end engraved with “Qian Qiu Wan Sui” from the Han dynasty.
The exhibition will also portray Hong Kong’s development during the Qin and Han periods, featuring over 20 sets of archeological finds from Hong Kong, including “Wuzhu” bronze coins from the Han dynasty unearthed in So Kwun Wat in Tuen Mun, Sham Wan at Lamma Island, and Sham Wan Tsuen in Chek Lap Kok, as well as a pottery model of a house excavated from the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb.
Besides featuring valuable cultural relics, the exhibition is also complemented by multimedia programmes to allow visitors to uncover the terracotta army’s tailoring secrets and learn the Chinese characters and measurements in standardised units from the Qin and Han periods. The reading corner in the exhibition gallery displays a number of collections specially selected by the Hong Kong Public Libraries, covering topics of history of the Qin and Han dynasties and archaeology of Hong Kong. Through these collections, members of the public can learn about the long history, origins and development of China and explore the ancient Chinese civilisation. The interactive zone located in the main lobby on the first floor presents the development of the Lingnan region during the Qin and Han dynasties through displays, animations and interactive games.
To tie in with the exhibition, the HKMH will organise a series of fascinating education and extension programmes, including four free public lectures by experts from Shaanxi and scholars from Hong Kong, free workshops for making items such as mini pottery terracotta warriors and clay mirrors. Teaching kits will be distributed to primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, while outreach programmes and book displays will be arranged at the Hong Kong Public Libraries.
The exhibition is jointly presented by the LCSD and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, jointly organised by the HKMH and the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center, solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, in collaboration with the CCPO. Full support is provided by the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, the Hanyangling Museum, and the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology (Shaanxi Archaeology Museum). For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit the website at hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/The-Great-Unity.htmlIssued at HKT 22:50
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov and Minister Coordinating for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Airlangga Hartarto held the 13th meeting of the Russian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation. Its participants considered a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, investment, transport and energy, as well as science, education and culture.
Despite global challenges, bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia is showing positive dynamics. Over the past five years, mutual trade turnover has grown by more than 80% (to $4.3 billion by the end of 2024), and last year Indonesia was among Russia’s three leading foreign trade partners in ASEAN. “At the same time, the potential for economic cooperation is much broader. This was confirmed, among other things, by the Russian-Indonesian business forum held yesterday in Jakarta. Business circles are demonstrating practical interest in developing mutually beneficial cooperation. Given the success of the format, I propose to continue the practice of combining such business events with commission meetings. I also consider it necessary to encourage the participation of Russian and Indonesian companies in major congress and exhibition events held in our countries,” Denis Manturov noted.
The business dialogue between Russia and Indonesia contributes to the diversification of the trade structure. Thus, along with fuel and energy products, the export of food and mineral fertilizers is growing. In 2023, deliveries of Russian wheat resumed. “We expect to begin shipping meat products that will meet halal standards in the near future. We see opportunities for developing the export of forestry and metallurgy products,” the First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
The conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia, as well as the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters will allow further increase in trade turnover and simplify procedures for mutual access of goods to markets. Denis Manturov also emphasized the importance of ensuring uninterrupted mutual settlements.
Special attention at the meeting was paid to the development of cooperation in the field of digital technologies. Domestic companies are ready to implement their own developments in the field of information security, artificial intelligence and smart city technologies in Indonesia. The First Deputy Prime Minister also confirmed readiness for dialogue on projects in the space industry, including technologies for remote sensing of the Earth, satellite navigation, manned spaceflight and personnel training.
Cooperation in the spheres of culture, education, tourism and sports is developing successfully. Speaking about strengthening partnership relations in the media, Denis Manturov welcomed the plans of the Russia Today TV channel to jointly produce news content in Indonesian for local channels, which will allow objective coverage of both the Russian-Indonesian agenda and global events in the interests of the audience of our countries.
Following the event, a final protocol was signed, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between Rosakcreditatsiya and the Indonesian Halal Product Quality Assurance Agency, which is aimed at improving the conditions for access of halal products to the Indonesian market. In addition, an Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Improving Quality and Business Excellence was signed between Roskachestvo and the Indonesian Association for Quality and Productivity Management, as well as an Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Sports between the Russian National Badminton Federation and the Indonesian Badminton Association.
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.
Nineteen female fourth-year UConn medical students in the Class of 2025 have met their career match in surgery. They are choosing to enter the surgery fields at residency training programs at UConn and across the country. Their surgery-heavy training fields include general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and OB/GYN.
“We have a really amazing group of women – possibly the largest group ever – who matched to a robust set of competitive surgical residency programs,” said Dr. Marilyn Katz, assistant dean for Medical Student Affairs at UConn School of Medicine.
UConn Bound One of the graduating UConn medical students is Kyanna Alleyne, 26, of West Hartford who is staying at UConn for residency training to become a future orthopaedic surgeon.
“I’m so excited to stay at UConn and in Connecticut. My whole family is here. I knew I wanted to be at UConn,” says Alleyne who is so proud to see so many of her fellow female classmates choosing to enter the surgery fields too.
“It’s amazing,” says Alleyne. “I love to see it. We do a lot of work at UConn to get more girls and women interested in surgery careers.”
Future surgeons Kyanna Alleyne and Desiree Dear are both staying in their home state of Connecticut for a UConn surgical residency training program (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
She was inspired to become an ortho expert after being a student athlete playing soccer at American University: “I’ve been around a ton of injuries,” she says. “Daily function of your body, even your hands, is so important.”
Alleyne was also inspired to become an ortho surgeon thanks to her mentor Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Katherine Coyner at UConn Health who is also director of the new Women’s Center for Motion and Performance and an Orthopedic Team Physician for the UConn Huskies college athletes.
“Dr. Coyner has helped me every step of the way during medical school. She takes mentorship of women very seriously and it shows from middle and high school girls to medical students to college athletes at UConn,” she says.
Alleyne has volunteered in Coyner’s numerous workshops for female youth and medical students introducing them to the primarily male-dominated fields like orthopaedic surgery to recognize their potential to succeed in these fields.
Desiree Dear, 28, of Bethel is also thrilled to be staying at UConn for residency too but in ENT. She also attended UConn as an undergrad.
“UConn is such a family. We are very diverse, and UConn trains and show us the diverse fields of medicine too,” says Dear.
Her mentor is Dr. Kourosh Parham, professor of ENT at UConn School of Medicine and UConn Health.
(Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
“Dr. Parham is extremely supportive. I really liked learning about ENT, its surgical field and its outpatient care. Plus, I love the longitudinal relationships you can make with your ENT patients ranging from managing hearing loss to head and neck cancer surgery care,” says Dear.
“UConn always has a focus to increase female representation. Seeing all these women entering diverse fields of surgery specialties is definitely inspiring. I hope it inspires other medical school classes in the future,” says Dear. “I am looking forward to graduation and experiencing the culmination of our medical education and celebrating with my classmates.”
Parham, her mentor, is celebrating the record five UConn medical students who matched into ENT residency this year, and four of the five are women.
“There was an outstanding group of UConn medical students, including Desiree, in the match applying to otolaryngology this year. We could not be more delighted with the result of the match that allowed us to retain a talent like Desiree at UConn. We are excited about the next five years,” shared Parham.
UConn Made Doctors Becoming Future Women Surgeons
It’s a match! Some of the many female graduating UConn medical students choosing a future career in the surgery fields include (top row) Margaret Boudreau, Caitlin Foster, Vedika Karandikar, Carly Malesky, Desiree Dear, Kyanna Alleyne, Emily Orosco, (bottom row) Grace Nichols, Sarishka Desai, Summer Xu, Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, Julia Silverman, and Cailyn Regan. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)
Other Class of 2025 students entering surgery residencies include Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, 27, of Waterbury who matched to General Surgery at Johns Hopkins.
“I’m very excited,” she says. “I have always been interested in oncology, and I want to be a surgical oncologist.”
“Both my grandfathers died of cancer, so becoming a cancer doctor has been a personal mission,” she says after having worked in clinical trials at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute prior to attending medical school at UConn where she loved her learning experiences.
“I chose the surgery field because of the impact you can have. I love the immediacy of the surgical oncology field to be able to remove a patient’s cancer the same day. I saw a colon cancer patient here at UConn Health who got to go home without it! Also, oncology patients are an amazing patient population, and have such resilience,” she says.
Cailyn Regan, 26, of West Hartford matched to General Surgery at Rutgers.
“My Mom is actually a urologist,” Regan shared. “At the time she was the only woman in her urology residency training program. It’s so great to see so many UConn-trained women doctors following in my Mom’s footsteps representing women in all these diverse surgical fields.”
Vedika Karandikar, 26, of Wilton matched to General Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University and is thrilled.
“I feel incredibly grateful to be entering a field that allows me to connect deeply with people, make a direct impact in their lives, and combine science with precision in such a meaningful way,” says Karandikar.
Catherine Qiu is Queens, NY bound. She matched to General Surgery residency training at NY-Presbyterian-Queens.
Catherine Qiu, 25, of Trumbull, is an Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholar at UConn. She matched to General Surgery at NY-Presbyterian-Queens.
“I’m so excited to start my surgical journey in Queens, a community I spent most weekends in growing up. It’s incredibly meaningful to work in a place that helped shape me,” Qiu said.
She says UConn School of Medicine has prepared her well to become a well-rounded surgeon.
“I’ve gained strong clinical skills and learned the value of patient-centered care through hands-on experiences and supportive mentorship. I’m especially proud to join the growing number of women surgeons from UConn—empowered by my inspiring female peers and mentors, and ready to lead in the field!” says Qiu.
Pascale Carrel, 27, of Cos Cob matched into OB/GYN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital is also thrilled to embark on the next step of her career.
“OBGYN, like most other surgical fields, is incredibly competitive nowadays,” she shared and she’s proud of her female classmates entering surgery fields.
“This just goes to prove that women can, and should, pursue their passions in competitive, historically male-dominated, fields. I’m so proud to be one amongst my peers,” says Carrel.
ElizabethSuschana, 29, of Somers also matched to OB/GYN at SUNY HSC Brooklyn.
“Being a woman in medicine is challenging, but the future is female. It’s part of our duty as future female surgeons to empower others to pursue their specialty of choice despite society telling us what is and isn’t a surgeon,” Suschana shared.
Zoe Paige Garvey, 28, of Windsor also matched to OB/GYN at Mount Sinai Morningside-West. She chose to enter medicine after experiencing surgery as a child.
“I am driven to address healthcare disparities and improve the health outcomes of not only the patients and communities I directly serve but also through my advocacy for women on a state and national level,” said Garvey.
Amanda Hernández Rodríguez, 27, of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico matched to OB/GYN at Nuvance Health Consortium, as she admires the important role OB/GYN physicians play in empowering women through education.
Felicia Woron, of East Hartford, matched to OB/GYN at Maimonides Medical Center.
“Although I was always interested in obstetrics and gynecology, I was actually fairly intimidated by the prospect of entering a surgical field until I had the opportunity to be in the OR during rotations. I quickly realized how gratifying and rewarding it could be to work as part of a surgical team and make an immediate impact on patients’ lives.”
Woron concludes, “I am so excited to become a surgeon and proud of all of the other women from UConn entering surgical fields!”
Other UConn women entering the surgical fields also includes:
Margaret Boudreau, 27, of Wilton matched to Ophthalmology at UVA.
Sarishka Desai, 26, of Darien matched to Ophthalmology at Tufts.
Caitlin Foster, 26, of Glastonbury matched to Plastic Surgery at the University of Colorado.
Carly Malesky, 25, of Milford matched to ENT at Montefiore/Einstein.
Grace Nichols, 27, of Wethersfield matched to ENT at Georgetown.
Emily Orosco, 27, of Camarillo, Calif. matched to General Surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Julia Silverman, 25, of West Hartford matched to General Surgery at UNC.
Summer Xu, 26, of Glastonbury matched to ENT at Beth Israel Deaconess.
Some of the many women future surgeons in the UConn School of Medicine’s Class of 2025 donning their white coats including (front row): Summer Xu, Grace Nichols, Margaret Boudreau, (middle row) Emily Orosco Cailyn Regan, Caitlin Foster, Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, Sarishka Desai, Kyanna Alleyne, (back row) Desiree Dear, Vedika Karandikar, Julia Silverman, and Carly Malesky (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
“This is essentially a tax on the consumer.”
“Tariffs radically affect our manufacturing arm.”
“We don’t know how they’re going to affect us, we just know they’re going to affect us.”
“How can you navigate the playbook if you don’t know what the rules of the board are”
“This is long-lasting damage to a relationship and emotional damage takes time to heal.”
“What happens in five months, ten months, 12 months, two years?”
“If a bunch of local kids aren’t going to get to learn to ski and snowboard because millionaires and billionaires are getting a tax cut that really doesn’t sit well with me at all.”
STOWE, VT—On Monday, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), hosted a conversation at The Alchemist Brewery on the impact of President Trump’s trade war on Vermont’s outdoor and tourism economy. Vermont businesses voiced their frustrations with Trump’s tariffs, which are negatively affecting business in Vermont.
Senator Welch’s panel included representatives from The Alchemist Brewery, the Old Stagecoach Inn, Mad River Distillers, Burton, J Skis, Waterbury Sports & Power Play Sports, and Hen of the Wood.
“You’re running a real business, with real employees, with real customers, with real expenses. And every one of you has an obligation to your employees, you have an obligation to your shareholders and owners, you have an obligation to producing a quality product. And it’s pretty inspiring. That is, so much, in contrast with these tariffs. It’s about an abstract policy. It’s not grounded in the reality of your businesses—whether it’s retail, or food, or hospitality. And that’s what is so maddening to me. My colleagues—we represent everybody in the country, and there are a lot of different points of view—but we could have a group just like you in Texas, in Iowa. These are people who have your responsibility in those communities and they would be, I’m sure, saying the exact same thing. My challenge is to bring this to the attention of some of my colleagues who are willing to go down with the ship, which is what is going to happen with these tariffs. And these concrete examples that you’ve given are really compelling,” said Senator Welch at the conclusion of the event.
Read remarks shared during the event by Vermont business leaders:
“These tariffs are really going to affect us a lot. But I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t know how they’re going to affect us, we just know they’re going to affect us. And that’s really the hardest thing as a businessperson—because you want to have a budget; you want to do projections; you want to plan for your year. But we can’t do that. What we do know is that these tariffs are happening. We do know prices are going to go up, but we don’t know how much.” said Jen Kimmich, co-founder of The Alchemist.
On tariffs that will impact production costs, Jen said: “We have a global economy that works. So that recycled aluminum goes from Brazil, goes to Canada where it is made into big, recycled aluminum sheets, and then it comes to the United States…Beyond that, our lids come from Mexico. Those are subject to a tariff, and we don’t know what’s going to happen. All of our malt comes from the U.K. It’s a special malt that we have grown by a small family farm we’ve invested in. Right now, it doesn’t get hit by a tariff because it’s a food product, but we’re told that it might.
“Beyond that, our other big concern is the decline in tourism, so that stings. Third, we have a looming recession. So even with these increasing prices and decreased business, we can’t increase prices. And number four—and this is the thing that concerns me the most, concerns our employees the most—is cuts to local organizations and social services. If Medicaid gets cut and Copley closes down, or Central Vermont, because they can’t stay profitable, then we’re screwed. We do not have a hospital within an hour of The Alchemist. What about our employees that have students that need special education? Our business—we’re scared. But that is a drop in the bucket compared to the fear I feel for our community, our state, and our country, when our services are cut. And then beyond those things, there’s ICE. We have a huge international population here in Stowe—people working—and I know people who are scared,” Jen concluded.
“We sell about 40% of our product in November and December, so we don’t really know how it’s going to affect us until it’s too late for the year-end. The recession, the lack of consumer confidence that’s coming, we need to really hedge our bets. We’ve already planned on cutting 70% of our marketing, and there’s really no other choice. We have to cut because we’re going to pay more for product. Our product is made in Canada, just over the border. I’m very proud to be making it in Canada. I’ve had a relationship with them over a decade…there’s no other factory in North America, that close to us, even as an option. We already placed our order last year for this product. No matter what policy changes are made we can do nothing about it at this point, because our product has been ordered for months. And what we pay we don’t know—depending on where that tariff is it could be anywhere from 10-25%,” shared Jason Levinthal, Founder of J Skis. “And unfortunately, a lot of people in America just don’t understand that this is essentially a tax on the consumer. That’s a huge challenge, and that message has to get out. It needs to be crystal clear, very simple. So, there’s more pressure to change than simply politicians telling them to change. It has to come from the people—the power of the people.”
“Tariffs radically affect our manufacturing arm by raising the price of raw materials. In our case, glass bottles and cardboard packaging sourced from Canada, and the sugar we use to make rum, which is imported from Africa…Although we don’t export abroad, many American whiskey companies do, and we expect there to be an oversupply of domestic whiskey this year that was bound for international markets, particularly Asia. That will now stay in the United States. We anticipate prices will fall even though our raw material prices will increase, as large companies need to liquidate the oversupply. And also keep in mind that everything we’re selling today was made years ago, so yes, we can lower our production because of rising costs but that won’t affect us for years.” said Mimi Buttenheim, President of Mad River Distillers. “On the home front we have retail stores in both Burlington and Stowe, which are typically filled with Canadian visitors over the summer…all of these factors are similar for the 22 members of the Distilled Spirits Council of Vermont. In addition, several of our members who export to Canada have had contracts stalled as the provinces have pulled American spirits off their shelves.
“For our small businesses, it’s the uncertainty that’s the worst part. Because our businesses are seasonal and occasion-based, and they’re susceptible to changing consumer sentiment. We don’t have large reserve coffers to fall back on,” Mimi Buttenheim concluded.
“This is having a major impact on our business…We have over 800 employees around the world, 400 of which are based in the Burlington area, and that’s inclusive of our retail store, but primarily manufacturing, sales, service, marketing, you name it. The way we look at this—the one thing is a distraction for our organization. Our time is being absorbed across all elements of the company to figure out what the hell is going on. We’re trying to navigate in the uncertainty of the reality that we are in. We source two-thirds of our product across far-east Asia—be it Vietnam, China, or in all areas of Europe—and this uncertainty plays everyday with some new level of potential cost. Some level of how we’ll be able to import goods. What are the rules on manufacturing when it comes to raw material? And how that’s all going to add up and impact the consumer…” John Lacy, CEO of Burton Snowboards, shared. “Knowing we’ve got two-thirds of our goods, and you’re looking at 46-145% increases on the cost of goods, it goes directly to the consumer…This is tough as a private company.”
“There’s not a lot of options to pick up and move. It takes three, four years. We had moved to Vietnam 8-10 years ago because it was a safe haven, according to our Administration. There’s nothing safe any longer. We are exploring other alternatives and different areas of manufacturing, but by the time we set up who knows what will happen next,” John Lacy continued. “…We’ve received a lot of input on things to do, but how can you navigate the playbook if you don’t know what the rules of the board are?”
“As an inn, 95% of my business is tourism, and about 5% locals…Of that 95%, typically 15% are Canadian. We were all excited about having a banner ski season and it was good, but it wasn’t amazing. It was down about 4% over last year. When you start to look at it month-by-month and look at the timing of certain events and rhetoric, January was actually up 16%, February down 15%, March down 9%, the trend is continuing…But the other concern for me is some of the forward-leaning indicators—when we look at our web traffic, as people plan a vacation they’re doing web searches and that predicts our revenues for the rest of the year. Canada, last year, represented 27% of our web searches. This year it’s 4%. Last year, five of the top ten locations in our city data were Canadian cities. This year, there isn’t one in the top ten year-to-date. And as you look at the April data, as more of this has had chance to build, there is not a Canadian city in our top 150 cities. And Canadian search volume is 1.6%, down from 27%,” said Christa Bowdish, owner of the Old Stagecoach Inn.
Christa Bowdish shared a letter from a Canadian tourist that canceled because of President Trump’s rhetoric against Canada and Canada’s leaders, and then said: “It’s not just the tariffs. It’s not something that will be solved as soon as we conclude trade negotiations. This is long-lasting damage to a relationship and emotional damage takes time to heal. While people aren’t visiting Vermont, they’ll be finding new places to visit, making new memories, building new family traditions, and we will not recapture all of that.”
“My bigger concerns are more broad, big picture social concerns and bigger economic concerns—and how they’ll be making their way to Vermont. If Burton would have been hiring however-many people next year, and now maybe they’re not hiring anyone. Bigger companies that were going to grow. Kids out of school that thought they were going to have a job and now they’re not going to have one? What happens in five months, ten months, 12 months, two years? That’s where I get a little bit more nervous—the ups and downs of the economy and what happens to people coming to the state of Vermont,” said Eric Warnstedt, the Hen of the Wood. “We’ve had people that have been coming to us for almost 20 years: ‘We love you, thank you, just so you know we’re not coming this summer.’ That hurts, that’s disappointing. I think they know most of us are on their side and my hope is that maybe when some of the heat gets turns down, summer comes, maybe they’ll put that aside.”
“The big challenge for me is going to be supply chain issues. At my two stores, because we’re general sporting goods stores, I work with over 100 vendors who are making products literally across the globe—from Dubai, to China, to right down the road in Waterbury. So now a huge number of those products are going to be affected by these tariffs. Not a day that goes by I’m not getting an email from one of those vendors saying ‘Here’s what we think’ and of course—they don’t know what to do and they don’t know what’s going to happen because nobody knows what’s going to happen because it’s such a moving target,” said Caleb Magoon, Owner of Waterbury Sports & Power Play Sports. “Your quality of life and my bottom line are all being impacted by these decisions…We’re really worried about price increases. Some [vendors] are pausing shipments of their products. We got pretty good gear this year, and that was really nice, But if those products are paused before they get sent over here, we’re worried about availability in the fall. If I don’t have the product, I can’t sell it.”
“As Jason [of J Skis] said, these tariffs are a tax. They are a tax on you and me. We’re all going to pay for it. It’s all going to get passed on to us. And what really is unsettling to me is, where is that money going to go? If a bunch of local kids aren’t going to get to learn to ski and snowboard because millionaires and billionaires are getting a tax cut that really doesn’t sit well with me at all,” Caleb Magoon concluded.
View photos from the event here:
Media Note: A recording of the event is available on request.
Read more about the event.
Alberta is home to people from around the world, many of whom have made significant contributions to the province in numerous ways such as volunteering, artistic endeavours, innovation and excellence in their profession or field. The Alberta Immigrant Impact Awards was created to celebrate the contributions and achievements of foreign-born Albertans, regardless of how long they have been here.
Albertans can recognize the accomplishments of immigrant youth, women, entrepreneurs, academics, artists, athletes, and professionals and community builders by nominating someone for an Alberta Immigrant Impact Award.
“Immigrants play a vital role in Alberta’s growth and success. They support essential industries, drive innovation and contribute to their communities in countless ways – whether through business, science and technology, professional contributions, academia, arts, sports or volunteer efforts. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences make Alberta a richer, more dynamic place to live. It’s important to celebrate their contributions and the positive impact they have on our province.”
Nominations are evaluated on criteria such as the nominee’s overall contribution, how their actions fulfilled a need and affected others, and how they demonstrated leadership and originality when problem-solving. Nominations are open from April 15 until noon on June 18, and an event will be held in fall 2025 to recognize the recipients of the Alberta Immigrant Impact Awards.
Visit Alberta.ca/ImmigrantImpactAwards for details and to nominate someone.
Quick facts
The awards include eight categories: Arts and Sports, Career and Academics Contribution, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Immigrant Excellence, Inclusive Workplace, Small Community Enhancement, Immigrant Women’s Impact and Young Leader.
More than one recipient may be awarded in each category.
To be eligible, nominees must:
be an individual (not a group or organization)
have not received a similar Government of Alberta award
have been born outside Canada (but can have lived in Canada for many years)
be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen
have no criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been received
not be an elected official
reside in Alberta at the time of nomination
have contributed to the economic or social fabric of Alberta
Nominations must be submitted through an online portal.
The Government of Saskatchewan, Royal Canadian Legion – Saskatchewan Command and the Saskatchewan Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) would like to announce the Saskatchewan Veteran Service Club Support Program intake for 2025-26 is currently open.
Introduced in 2019-20, the program provides grants for facility upgrades, operations, events and other activities to advance the work and help strengthen the long-term sustainability of veteran service organizations across the province.
“Our province’s veterans service organizations play a vital role – they enrich our communities, preserve local history and work tirelessly on behalf of veterans who have faithfully served our province and our country,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “We cannot thank them enough for their continued efforts and look forward to continuing to this important work.”
Applications are being accepted until June 1, 2025.
In 2024-25, grants were provided to 81 Legion branches, ANAVETS units and other registered, non-profit veterans organizations across the province.
“The Saskatchewan Veteran Service Club Support Program has resulted in many achievements and accomplishments,” Royal Canadian Legion – Saskatchewan Command President Carol A. Pedersen said. “It is not by chance that our Legion branches in Saskatchewan find success, but by the dedication and hard work of Legion members and the support of the Government of Saskatchewan. This program ensures the work of the Royal Canadian Legion, directed toward veterans and our communities, will continue. I express the deepest gratitude of the Royal Canadian Legion for the Saskatchewan Veterans Service Club Support Program.”
The program is delivered collaboratively by the Royal Canadian Legion – Saskatchewan Command, the Saskatchewan ANAVETS and the Government of Saskatchewan.
“On behalf of the ANAVETS members, staff and directors, I would like to thank the Saskatchewan government for this wonderful grant program,” ANAVETS Saskatchewan Command President Rick Taylor said. “Our units, their members and friends have greatly benefited from these grants during the past years. We have used previous grants for furnishings, flooring, roofs, and appliances. We look forward once again to enhancing our units with this year’s grants. Thank you very much.”
More information about the program, guidelines and applications are available through the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command at 306-525-8739 or admin@sasklegion.ca.
A new, beginner-friendly adaptive mountain-biking trail at Alice Lake Park is now open, giving more people better access to local trails and a more inclusive experience.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy active, outdoor recreation, and as more people choose to spend their weekends and holidays in B.C., we are continuing to ensure our parks are welcoming and inclusive,” said Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks. “The South Coaster Adaptive Trail is a fantastic addition to Alice Lake Park, making it easier for people with diverse abilities to explore our beautiful forests.”
The new one-kilometre South Coaster Adaptive Trail is a $180,000 investment from the Government of B.C., in partnership with the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA). It includes wide and smooth terrain to support adaptive mountain-bike users and links to Miki’s Magic and Cardrona trails, opening access to a nine-kilometre adaptive mountain biking loop. Adaptive mountain bikes are specialized bikes designed for riders with diverse mobility needs; they include things such as extra wheels, hand cranks and custom seating.
“SORCA has been working closely with BC Parks staff for approximately six years to bring this trail to fruition,” said Ian Lowe, executive director, SORCA. “Initially, the focus of the trail was to provide a significantly improved experience for less-experienced riders. However, BC Parks amplified SORCA’s original vision by making this an adaptive mountain-bike friendly trail, which will be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of riders and user groups.”
The new trail addresses a growing need for mountain-biking trail access in the Sea to Sky region, which continues to be a popular area for people to visit. It builds on recent improvements to Stawamus Chief Park and Garibaldi Park. Parking lots have been expanded at Stawamus Chief and the Diamond Head chain-up lot in Garibaldi to provide more opportunities for people to access these popular parks. Trail upgrades are ongoing at Stawamus Chief Park.
With its trailhead located near the parking lots and campground, the South Coaster links to the Bob McIntosh Memorial Trail, expanding year-round trail options for all mountain bikers in the region.
“Everyone should have access to outdoor recreation, and these trails provide a means to experience the joy and beauty of our region,” said Armand Hurford, mayor of Squamish. “The District of Squamish is committed to building an inclusive community in which all people can thrive. Thank you to BC Parks and the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association for creating this opportunity and considering the needs of all trail users, with adaptive mountain bike users in mind.”
The upgrades are part of a five-year, $21.5-million provincial investment to increase and improve opportunities for outdoor recreation in B.C. They also support the Province’s renewed and expanded commitment to make BC Parks more inclusive and accessible spaces.
Accessibility upgrades continue to be made in parks throughout the province. Universal design standards are incorporated in new campgrounds and recreation expansion projects.
Quick Facts:
There are four different types of adaptive mountain bikes that can be ridden on the South Coaster: cross-country, all-mountain, all-mountain (kneeling) and all-electric.
B.C.’s first purpose-built adaptive mountain-biking trail, Spine Trail in the Kootenays, opened in 2017.
In addition to trails, Alice Lake Park offers 108 campsites, 96 of which are vehicle-accessible.
Learn More:
To learn more about adaptive trail standards, visit: https://kootenayadaptive.wordpress.com/adaptive-mountain-biking-trail-standards/
To learn more about Alice Lake Park, visit: https://bcparks.ca/alice-lake-park/
To learn more about the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association, visit: https://www.sorca.ca/
To learn more about BC Parks’ Commitment to Inclusion, visit: https://bcparks.ca/about/commitment-to-inclusion/
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —
APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and leading press release distribution service, is pleased to announce that its Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), has been appointed to the newly formed Advisory Board of the Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG).
With its mission being to position Africa as a leader in critical minerals, CMAG (www.CMAGAfrica.com) is dedicated to advancing responsible sourcing and sustainable development of Africa’s critical mineral resources, while ensuring that local economies benefit from the continent’s mineral wealth. With approximately 40% of the world’s essential minerals reserves estimated to be held in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the region plays a key role in the global energy transition and advanced technologies.
Pompigne-Mognard’s appointment to the Advisory Board follows the announcement of a strategic partnership between APO Group and CMAG aimed at raising the global prominence of Africa’s critical minerals sector. The partnership leverages APO Group’s public relations and strategic communications expertise and CMAG’s industry leadership. Complementing this, Pompigne-Mognard’s ability to connect clients with key stakeholders from governments, private companies, and organisations of all sizes will be invaluable in showcasing Africa’s role in the global essential resources supply chain and elevating the profile of Africa’s critical minerals sector.
Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the CMAG Advisory Board. His vast network across industries, governments, and institutions, his deep understanding of Africa’s media and technology landscapes, and his extensive business experience will equip him to work alongside fellow Advisory Board members to shape positive perceptions of Africa’s critical minerals sector amongst global stakeholders and audiences.
A Franco-Gabonese entrepreneur named among the 100 Most Influential Africans in 2023 and 2024, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard serves on multiple high-profile advisory boards and international committees. These include the Senior Advisory Board of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business and the Leadership Council of the Africa Tech Festival, as well as the Advisory Boards of the African Energy Chamber, World Football Summit, Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), Bloomberg New Economy Gateway Africa, Sports Africa Investment Summit, EurAfrican Forum, and All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). He is also a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal African Society of the United Kingdom, a strategic advisor to the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce, and a special advisor to the President of Rugby Africa, the governing body of rugby in Africa.
Nicolas’ wholly-owned company, APO Group, is the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. It serves more than 300 clients, including global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, UNDP, Network International, the African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa’s Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
“Being appointed to the Critical Minerals Africa Group Advisory Board is an immense honour. CMAG is vital in safeguarding Africa’s critical minerals for future generations. In my advisory role, I look forward to supporting all initiatives as CMAG showcases Africa’s critical minerals potential in a responsible and sustainable manner,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group.
Other members of the Advisory Board include Natznet Tesfay, Executive Director, Head of Insights and Analytics, S&P Global, and Richard Morgan, Former Head of Government Relations, Anglo-American PLC.
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iQor Qares will host its 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, “Swing for a Cause,” April 29-30, 2025, at the world-renowned Copperhead Valspar Classic Golf Course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Florida. As the 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization for iQor CXBPO™, iQor Qares supports iQor employees, their families, and their communities around the world in need of financial assistance due to life-altering or catastrophic events.
This year, the 8th Annual iQor Qares Charity Golf Tournament has raised more than $260,000 in pledges and donations from multiple sponsors, with platinum-level sponsorship from NICE and gold-level sponsorship from Capital One Auto Finance, Joy Systems, Sanas, and Sudo Labs.
“Every year, I’m inspired by the generosity and spirit of our sponsors, partners, and iQor family who come together to support our mission,” said iQor Chief Culture Officer and Chair of iQor Qares Richard Eychner. “The impact of iQor Qares goes far beyond financial aid — it’s about showing up for one another in times of need. This tournament is a celebration of that compassion and commitment.”
One hundred percent of the net proceeds from the event go to ease the burden on iQor employees facing financial hardship due to unforeseen catastrophic events. In 2024, iQor Qares assisted more than 795 iQor employees and their families, and in the first quarter of 2025, more than 219 iQor employees and their families received assistance. Donations have helped beneficiaries rebuild after natural disasters, provide medical and end-of-life care for loved ones, and address food insecurity, in addition to supporting their recovery from many other life-altering events.
“The iQor Qares Charity Golf Tournament reflects the heart of our culture, people helping people,” said iQor President and CEO Chris Crowley. “I’m proud to see how our collective efforts make a real difference in the lives of our employees and their families around the world. This is what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”
For more information about iQor Qares or to donate directly, visit iQorQares.com. iQor Qares welcomes one-time and recurring credit card donations from individuals worldwide. Additionally, iQor employees in the United States and the Philippines have the option to enroll in payroll donations. Every contribution plays a meaningful role in fulfilling the iQor Qares mission.
About iQor CXBPO™
iQor CXBPO™ is a trusted partner in intelligent customer experience solutions, delivering exceptional results for global brands. With 40,000 employees across 10 countries, we combine 30 years of industry expertise with cutting-edge AI-driven innovations to optimize customer interactions at every stage. Our agile, scalable solutions ensure seamless omnichannel engagement, driving loyalty and measurable business success. Recognized as a Great Place to Work® and a leader in CX excellence, we elevate performance through a people-first approach, operational expertise, and secure, technology-enabled solutions. Learn more at iQor.com.
The results of a major consultation exercise over delivery of community services in the North East and East End of Dundee will be discussed by councillors next week.
Hundreds of people responded to the call for views on proposals to relocate council and Leisure and Culture Dundee services from current facilities to the new Drumgeith Community Campus, which is set to open alongside Greenfield Academy in August.
Consultation ran for six weeks late last year and the results of the survey and recommendations for future service delivery will be set out to the City Governance Committee at its next meeting.
Councillors will be asked to
Approve the continued operation of Douglas Community Centre and Library
Approve the closure of The Hub Library and Community facility and redistribution of services within six months for the services and building to be closed after the opening of the Drumgeith Community Campus
Approve the closure of Whitfield Library (The Crescent) and redistribution of services within six months after the opening of the Drumgeith Community Campus
Defer a decision on the closure of Douglas Sports Centre and remit the Chief Executive to further review the operations and report back to a future committee.
Council leader Cllr Mark Flynn said: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to take part in this consultation. Their views have played an important part in formulating the recommendations for future delivery of services.
“Drumgeith Community Campus is the largest investment in education, sport and community provision in the city and will deliver state-of-the-art facilities and services to the area.
“However, we were keen to ensure that existing provision in the wider community was looked at with the perspectives of local people closely considered.
“It became clear that Douglas Community Centre and Library plays a crucial role in delivering vital services for the people of Douglas and that these should be retained in the local area.
“Similarly, there was a high level of concern expressed about the closure of Douglas Sports Centre, and I think that a further review is a sensible way forward.
“A balance is being struck for the community with these proposals, and I hope people can see how seriously their views have been taken in the process.”
Councillors will hear that a review into Douglas Community Centre concluded that it “has an important role in the delivery of many key services for the people of Douglas and these services are best retained in Douglas”.”
A report proposes that Douglas Community Centre and Library and the new campus operate as a hub and spoke model where each site is complementary to the other, and that there is an integrated offer across the communities served by the two facilities.
The report also explains that a review is currently underway to develop an effective single governance and operating model for the Drumgeith Community Campus.
This will ensure that the Drumgeith Community Campus operates efficiently, transparently, and sustainably, meeting the needs of all stakeholders while maintaining high standards of safety, compliance, and community engagement.
Dundee City Council will manage the facility, and a service level agreement will be established for all partners.
Leisure and Culture Dundee would provide services such as sport, leisure, and library activities.
The City Governance Committee meets on Monday April 21.
Philip Grant, who will become the Principal of Writtle College on 1 May
Philip Grant, an established education leader with a background in land-based, general further education and secondary education, will become the new Principal of Writtle College on 1 May.
Writtle College provides education provision for learners aged 16-18, plus courses for adult learners, and is part of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).
As a product of a land-based education, Philip is returning to his roots having trained at Bishop Burton College in the 1990s before graduating from Stirling and Lancaster Universities. During his 30-year career in the sector, he has held senior positions in land-based colleges, general further education colleges and within secondary academy trusts across the UK.
Philip is passionate about the environment, sustainability and self-sufficiency, having previously farmed his own smallholding within a hill farming community in Scotland.
Philip sits on several education boards and has facilitated significant changes to education in deprived areas across the UK, resulting in strong student outcomes. He works closely with local communities and has forged valuable and sustainable collaborations with industry employers.
In 2011, he led the successful merger and relaunch of a land-based college with the University of Cumbria, and his most recent role has been leading curriculum growth and enhancement in a large Merseyside college group.
Originally from a non-equestrian background, Philip is a qualified British Horse Society Riding Instructor, has competed under International Federation for Equestrian Sports rules in both two and three-day events, played polo in the Middle East, and is an experienced British Eventing organiser.
One of Philip’s home-bred horses, Henry (also known as WH Bentley), achieved a gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in 2007.
Writtle College is part of ARU Writtle which is one of the UK’s leading centres for equine education and performance and offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the subject. It houses around 70 horses on campus and has a number of indoor and outdoor riding arenas, livery facilities for students’ horses, and an Equine Academy for talented riders.
“I am thrilled to be joining Writtle College as Principal, and am very much looking forward to becoming part of the team.
“I know from personal experience the power land-based education has in transforming lives. It has been a career-long ambition of mine to lead a prestigious land-based college such as Writtle where every student, no matter their background or experiences, can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
Philip Grant
“I am very pleased to welcome Philip Grant as the new Principal of Writtle College.
“Philip has an excellent track record in land-based education and working closely with employers to deliver better outcomes for students. He is an ideal person to take Writtle College forward.”
Professor Roderick Watkins, Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)