NewzIntel.com

Category: Statistics

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Illegal Immigrant Killers, Rapists Aren’t Scholars — They’re Criminals

    Source: The White House

    In a strong contender for dumbest statement of the year, disgraced “filmmaker” Michael Moore lamented illegal immigrant criminals being apprehended because they might’ve “discovered the cure for cancer” or “stopped that asteroid.” The only thing more foolish than that statement are the politicians who oppose the deportations.

    These are the types of cold-blooded criminals he’s talking about:

    • A Portuguese national convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor—child pornography, apprehended in Philadelphia.
    • A Guatemalan national charged with armed home invasion, kidnapping, intimidation, and assault with a dangerous weapon, apprehended in Rhode Island.
    • A Haitian national charged with three murders, apprehended in North Carolina.
    • A Salvadoran national and MS-13 gang member convicted of aggravated assault with bodily injury and DWI, apprehended in Houston.
    • A Guatemalan national charged with multiple counts of child rape, apprehended in Massachusetts.
    • A Brazilian national and confirmed gang member convicted of assault and battery, apprehended in Boston.
    • A Honduran national convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, apprehended in Minnesota.
    • A Salvadoran national convicted of sodomy/anal intercourse with a child less than 13 years of age, apprehended in Washington.
    • An Ecuadorian national convicted of rape, arrested in Buffalo.
    • A Guatemalan national charged with multiple counts of child rape, apprehended in Massachusetts.
    • A Dominican Republican national convicted of sexual conduct against a child, apprehended in Buffalo.
    • A Mexican national convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, apprehended in San Francisco.
    • A Turkish national who is a known or suspected terrorist, apprehended in New York City.
    • A Mexican national convicted of drug trafficking, apprehended in Texas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: The IT industry has become one of the fastest growing in the Russian economy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko presented the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” at the National Center “Russia”.

    “Over the past five years, the IT industry has become one of the fastest growing in the Russian economy. Its contribution to the country’s GDP has almost doubled, and the number of specialists has increased by one and a half times – today almost a million people work in this area. These figures show that the industry is actively developing. And the national project “Data Economy” is the next step in the digital development of Russia. We make technologies accessible to everyone: from residents of megacities to residents of the most remote corners of the country. The key focus is the development of solutions that work on the basis of accumulated data, and the creation of technological tools that allow increasing the efficiency of any task. First of all, this is artificial intelligence, robots, the Internet of Things and others. At the same time, we pay special attention to security: we form a legal environment that not only protects against cyber threats, but also creates conditions for the development of innovations,” said Dmitry Grigorenko.

    The Deputy Prime Minister outlined the key goals and results of the national project “Data Economy” by 2030.

    Within the framework of the federal project “Internet Access Infrastructure”, a domestic low-orbit satellite group of 292 satellites will be launched, which will provide 100% Internet coverage of the entire territory of Russia and the world. This will allow even the most remote regions of the country to be connected to the network.

    The federal project “Digital platforms in social sectors” is aimed at introducing a platform model of interaction between citizens, businesses and the state. By 2030, industry platforms such as “My School”, “Universities”, “Science”, “Safe Environment” and “Smart City” will be created. All schools and colleges will be equipped with IT infrastructure and Wi-Fi, and 634 thousand teachers will receive domestic tablets.

    The federal project “Digital Public Administration” provides for the complete digitalization of public administration and the transition to 100% paperless document flow. This will simplify processes and increase the efficiency of government agencies.

    As part of the federal project “Domestic Solutions,” by 2030, 100% of cellular network equipment and software will be produced in Russia, which will strengthen the country’s technological independence.

    The Federal Project “Artificial Intelligence” provides for the introduction of AI technologies in the economy, social sphere and public administration. One of the key tasks will be the provision of personalized government services based on the principle of “life situations”. This means that citizens and businesses will no longer have to fill out applications or visit departments – at least 100 services will be provided proactively, based on the analysis of data and user preferences. For example, if a person changes their place of residence, the system itself will offer to issue the necessary documents or update information. This approach will make interaction with the government more convenient and effective.

    The Federal Project “Information Security” provides for the creation of a security infrastructure for the Russian Internet. By 2030, an assessment of the security of 100% of key state information systems will be conducted.

    The federal project “Advanced Developments” is aimed at developing quantum and telecommunication technologies. In particular, it is planned to increase the power of a quantum computer from 50 to 300 qubits.

    Within the framework of the federal project “State Statistics”, a digital analytical platform (GIS “TsAP”) will be created for collecting, processing and analyzing large volumes of data in real time. This will allow 100% automation of the provision of official statistics.

    The federal project “Personnel for Digital Transformation” will ensure the training of qualified IT specialists. By 2030, with the participation of businesses, at least 250 thousand students will be trained, and the total number of employees in the IT industry will grow to 1.4 million people.

    These initiatives are aimed at ensuring the technological sovereignty of the country, digitalization of economic and social sectors, improving the quality of life of citizens and the efficiency of governance based on big data.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea suspended
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         The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 26) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Gunsan-si of Jeollabuk-do Province in Korea, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 80 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 21.9 million poultry eggs from Korea last year.     “The CFS has contacted the Korean authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 18:10

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method
    LCQ5: Modular Integrated Construction method
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         Following is a question by the Hon Eunice Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (February 26): Question:      ​There are views pointing out that in recent years, the Government has been actively promoting the construction of buildings by adopting the Modular Integrated Construction method (MiC), but the buildings constructed by adopting MiC vary in quality (e.g. more serious water leakage or seepage), and there are more design constraints (e.g. thicker walls and standardised flat layouts). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it has compiled statistics on the following information on buildings constructed by adopting MiC: (i) the number of buildings (set out by types of buildings); (ii) the respective numbers of buildings and units provided under transitional housing, public rental housing, Home Ownership Scheme and private developments constructed by adopting MiC in each of the past five years; and (iii) the number of complaints about building quality problems received by the Government in the past five years and, among them, the respective numbers of cases which were successfully handled and could not be handled, with a breakdown by the contents of the complaints (including (a) water leakage, (b) ‍water seepage and (c) others); (2) of the following information on buildings constructed by adopting MiC and involved alteration of layouts in the past five years: (i) the number of applications for change of layout plans received by the Government, as well as the number of applications approved and the reasons for unsuccessful applications; and (ii) the number of cases in which the Government found that the buildings concerned involved unauthorised alterations to the layouts, and the details of the follow-up actions taken; (3) as there are views that more buildings problems have occurred in buildings constructed by adopting MiC, whether the Government has conducted studies in this regard and whether it has plans to further enhance regulation so as to improve the quality of such buildings; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether the Government has plans to further promote the adoption of MiC; if so, how the Government will ameliorate the problems related to building quality and design arising from the adoption of MiC, and how it will encourage the industry to adopt MiC; if not, of the reasons for that? Reply: President,      ​Hong Kong construction industry has been facing challenges, including declining productivity, relatively high construction costs, and site safety issues. In recent years, the industry has been encouraged to adopt innovative construction technologies, new construction materials, and new construction methodologies to address these challenges comprehensively. Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) is one of the key initiatives  promoted by the Development Bureau (DEVB) since 2017. MiC is based on the “factory assembly followed by on-site installation” concept, which transfers the traditional on-site construction processes to factories. Freestanding MiC modules, including structure, interior fitting-outs and mechanical and electrical installations, are pre-fabricated off-site in factories and then transported to the site for assembly into buildings.      My reply in response to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Eunice Yung is as follows: (1) Completed MiC Projects in the past five years (2020-2024) (excluding emergency anti-epidemic facilities established in past years): 

    MiC Project
    Completed Projects (MiC Units)

    A. Public Works Programme

    4 (approx. 120)

    Elderly Care Homes

    1 (approx. 290)

    5 (approx. 4 300)

    Government Offices

    1 (approx. 20)

    B. Public Housing

    Transitional Housing

    32 (approx. 15 900)

    Elderly Housing

    1 (approx. 60)

    Subsidised Sale Housing

    1 (approx. 300)

    C. Private Housing
    1 (approx. 200)

    D. Others (Single-unit building)
    5 (approx. 5)

              Among the above completed MiC projects, according to records maintained by the relevant management parties, approximately one per cent of the units experienced cases of water leakage or water seepage. This percentage is lower than that of traditional construction methods, and there is no evidence to suggest that the water leakage or water seepage was related to the use of MiC. Most of these cases have been resolved, with only a few remaining under processing. (2) For MiC projects that are planned, under construction, or already completed as aforementioned, government departments have not received any applications for modifications to MiC partitions. (3) In terms of quality, MiC modules are assembled in factories using advanced automation and process management technologies. This allows manufacturers and supervisors to accurately and effectively monitor every detail of the assembly process, including material quality and deployment, assembly procedures, and product testing, ensuring that all completed MiC modules meet quality requirements.  Taking product testing as an example, each MiC module undergoes a series of tests related to structure, finishes, and electrical and mechanical installations before leaving the factory, including comprehensive water leakage and water seepage tests. If any quality issues arise, the causes can be easily and accurately identified and rectified. Additionally, each MiC module is equipped with an identification code to facilitate future maintenance. In terms of design, MiC is suitable for various layouts and building types, including housing, hostels, elderly care homes, schools, office buildings, data centres, and medical buildings. Large rooms such as classrooms and medical wards can be formed by combining multiple MiC modules. Currently, MiC construction technologies can minimise wall thickness and avoid double partition between modules, thereby enhancing the usability of indoor space. Besides its high quality and versatility, MiC also helps reduce on-site labour demand and shorten construction time, improving construction efficiency, reducing material waste, and enhancing site safety.      The University of Hong Kong conducted research on MiC pilot projects and found that the construction time for MiC is shortened by approximately 30 per cent to 50 per cent compared to traditional construction methods, on-site productivity increased by 100 per cent to 400 per cent, and construction costs are reduced by at least 10 per cent. In addition, the research confirmed that MiC outperforms traditional construction methods in terms of quality, environmental protection, and safety.      To enhance industry confidence in MiC quality, the DEVB has commissioned the Building Technology Research Institute (BTRi) to implement the MiC Manufacturer Accreditation Scheme, which started accepting applications in November last year. This scheme ensures that certified MiC manufacturers meet project requirements in management, production, and transportation, while also complying with relevant laws and regulations. (4) The Government leads by example through pilot projects and public works projects that adopt MiC, gaining experience and sharing it with the industry to promote wider use of MiC. To improve project design, the DEVB has established a MiC Dedicated Section that provides advice, technical support, and shares past project experiences during the MiC project design phase to optimise MiC design and fully leverage its advantages.      To encourage wider use of MiC by developers, the Government has introduced several measures, including a 10 per cent concession on MiC gross floor area and site coverage, a four per cent storey height concession for MiC floors, subsidies under the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund, and enhanced communication and collaboration with relevant departments to facilitate project approvals.      Additionally, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council, Hong Kong Institute of Construction, and related associations are collaborating to enhance MiC site personnel training, including workers, supervisors, technicians, and project managers. They are also encouraging construction professionals to engage in more technological innovation and high-quality design to promote the development of the MiC industry.      In March of last year, the DEVB and the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province signed the Letter of Intent on Strengthening Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation in Construction and Related Engineering Sectors, deepening co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong in construction and engineering sectors. This includes developing MiC as a quality productive force to contribute to the high-quality national development. The goal is to make the Greater Bay Area a centre of MiC technology centre, turning MiC into a strategic industry that facilitates the exploration of overseas markets.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 17:02

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EDB progressively relaxes quota for admission of Mainland students by self-financing institutions

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (February 26) that an agreement by the Ministry of Education (MoE) has been obtained to progressively relax the quota for admission of Mainland students by the six self-financing institutions with the approval to admit Mainland students to degree programmes, and to allow relevant institutions to admit students from all provinces (regions/municipalities) of the country, with a view to further supporting the healthy and sustainable development of the self-financing post-secondary education sector, making more proactive contributions to Hong Kong’s development into an international post-secondary education hub. The six institutions concerned are Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Tung Wah College, and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong under the Vocational Training Council.
     
         The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said, “I am very grateful for the support of the MoE towards the capacity expansion and quality enhancement of self-financing post-secondary institutions. Following the doubling of the enrolment ceilings for non-local students of Government-funded post-secondary institutions to 40 per cent from the 2024/25 academic year, this relaxation arrangement can help harness the advantages of Hong Kong’s self-financing sector in terms of its flexibility and diversity to nurture talent for the country and Hong Kong, supporting the high-quality development of the country, while adding impetus to Hong Kong.”
     
         She said, “The EDB has long been supporting the healthy development and continuous quality enhancement of the self-financing sector by providing targeted support and strengthening regulation, including the plan to introduce a bill to amend the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320) into the Legislative Council shortly. The EDB will continue to keep in view institutions’ track record of operating self-financing programmes, performance in student admissions and utilisation of the prevailing quota, and liaise with the MoE to explore feasible further enhancements as and when appropriate. The EDB will also continue to collaborate with institutions to attract more students from around the world to build Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent.”
     
         With effect from the 2025/26 academic year, the quota for Mainland, Macao and Taiwan (MMT) students of full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes of relevant institutions will be increased in phases to 40 per cent, in accordance with an orderly and progressive approach having regard to the utilisation of the prevailing quota by relevant institutions. The EDB will require relevant institutions to submit reports on matters and statistics pertinent to, among others, their admission arrangements and student support services to determine the quota applicable to each institution.
     
         At the same time, the EDB will rationalise the calculation methodology of the relevant quota, with a view to providing self-financing institutions with greater certainty in admission planning and more effectively utilising the educational resources of institutions. The EDB will maintain communication with relevant institutions to facilitate their understanding and implementation of the relevant admission arrangements, while upholding a robust quality assurance mechanism to ensure the quality of self-financing post-secondary programmes and safeguarding students’ interests.
     
         In accordance with the prevailing policy, save for MMT students, there is no quota restriction on the admission of non-local students to full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Currently, the quota for MMT students enrolling in full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes is 10 to 20 per cent. There is no quota restriction for postgraduate programmes. So far, there are a total of six local self-financing institutions which have been approved by the MoE to admit Mainland students to their degree programmes (including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes). 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ17: Unleashing elderly labour force

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         ​Following is a question by the Hon Lee Chun-keung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):Question:      ​According to the statistics of the Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of elderly persons aged 65 or above accounts for about 23 per cent of Hong Kong’s total population in 2023. There are views that while the silver-haired group is a huge potential labour force in society, it is learnt that at present, elderly persons aged between 65 and 70 living with their family in public rental housing (PRH) flats will have their income counted towards the PRH income limits, and the monthly income limit for the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) is $10,770 for a single person, which in effect hinder elderly persons from engaging in employment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the number of elderly persons aged 65 or above in the labour force and their average monthly income over the past five years; (2) whether it has plans to relax the PRH income limit requirements for households with elderly members, for example, excluding the income of elderly members aged between 65 and 70 when calculating the income limit for such households; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (3) whether it has considered relaxing the monthly income limit requirements for OALA recipients, so as to increase the incentive for the elderly to rejoin the workforce; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) of the future plans to unleash the elderly labour force in Hong Kong and encourage employers to consider hiring more elderly persons?Reply: President,      ​The Government is committed to encouraging and promoting the employment of older persons. In response to the Member’s question and after consulting the Housing Bureau and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), a consolidated reply is provided as follows:(1) According to survey results of the General Household Survey of the C&SD, the statistical figures for the labour force and median monthly employment earnings of employed persons aged 65 and over in Hong Kong from 2019 to 2023 (excluding foreign domestic helpers) are listed at Annex.(2) Under the “Well-off Tenants Policies” of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), public rental housing (PRH) tenants who have been residing in PRH for ten years or more are required to declare their income, assets and whether they own any domestic property in Hong Kong biennially. The income and asset limits for ordinary households are set according to the household size. Under the existing policy, a PRH household will only be required to vacate their flat if their average monthly household income exceeds five times the prevailing income limit for PRH. For example, a four-person household with a monthly income limit of about $150,000 is required to vacate their flat. If all members of the same PRH flat are aged 60 or above, they are exempted from the “Well-off Tenants Policies” and are not required to declare their income and assets. The above exemption has been set up in recognition of the fact that retirees and near-retirees may need to rely on their savings and assets to support themselves in the future, and thus a more lenient standard has been adopted. We have no plan to further relax the existing arrangement for the time being.(3) As part of Hong Kong’s social security system, the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) aims to supplement the living expenses of elderly persons aged 65 or above in need of financial support. OALA recipients are not required to make any contributions, but must pass a means test by meeting income and asset limits. The Government adjusts the income and asset limits annually in accordance with an established mechanism. In addition, the Normal OALA and the Higher OALA have been merged since September 2022 with more lenient asset limits adopted across-the-board. This allows elderly recipients to retain more assets, while receiving the payment rate of Higher OALA. Mindful of targeting finite welfare resources at the needy elderly, the Government has no plan to relax the income limits of the means test for the OALA at this stage. (4) With a view to supporting the employment of older persons and encouraging employers to engage older employees, the Government will continue strengthening the provision of training and employment services as well as staging publicity and promotion, which include:(i) The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) provides around 700 market oriented training courses straddling across 28 industries and generic skills for eligible persons including older persons. The ERB also provides training courses which gear towards the employment needs of older persons aged 50 or above to encourage the potential workforce to enter the labour market. Apart from general training courses, the ERB organises the Post-50 Internship Programme for older persons aged 50 or above to facilitate their understanding of the current employment market situation. Under the “Hire and Train” Scheme, the ERB encourages the participating employers to provide suitable job vacancies for trainees (including persons who have recently retired), adjust the working hours and leave arrangements to cater for trainees’ family and personal situations, and provide on-the-job training and other related support measures so as to encourage the potential workforce to enter the labour market. The ERB will continue to implement these measures, and explore the provision of more measures that meet the market demand to support older persons with training and employment needs.(ii) The Labour Department (LD) provides diversified employment services to job seekers including older persons, and launched the three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme (REA Scheme) on July 15 last year to encourage older or middle-aged persons aged 40 or above who have not been in paid employment for three consecutive months or more to re-join the labour market. The REA Scheme covers full-time jobs, part-time jobs, and qualified “casual work” promoting flexible employment for older and middle-aged persons. During the implementation period of the Scheme, each eligible participant who has worked for 12 consecutive months can receive a maximum re-employment allowance of $20,000. As at end-January 2025, the REA Scheme recorded over 32 000 participants and over 12 000 placements. Of which, about 23 per cent of participants and 24 per cent of placements are older persons aged 60 or above. The response is very favourable. The re-employment allowance is not counted as income under the means test for the OALA.      In tandem with the REA Scheme, the LD implements the Employment Programme for the Elderly and Middle-aged (EPEM) to encourage employers to hire persons aged 40 or above and provide them with on-the-job training (OJT). Employers engaging each job seeker aged 60 or above who has left the workforce can receive a maximum OJT allowance of $5,000 per month for six to 12 months, while engaging each unemployed job seeker aged 40 to 59 is entitled to a maximum OJT allowance of $4,000 per month for three to six months. EPEM covers all industries, as well as full-time and part-time jobs. The Government welcomes employers taking on participants of the REA Scheme to join the EPEM. (iii) The Government will continue to encourage employers, having regard to their individual circumstances, to adopt elderly-friendly employment practices to facilitate more older persons to stay in or re-join the labour market. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Cases of child maltreatment

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by Dr the Hon Tik Chi-yuen and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):
     
    Question:
     
         The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (the Ordinance) will take effect on January 20 next year. According to the data of the Child Protection Registry Statistical Report, the number of maltreatment cases involving children with disabilities is rising rapidly. For example, the number of children with disabilities who had been subjected to sexual abuse increased from 125 in 2022 to 175 in 2023. There are views pointing out that this trend attracts little media coverage or attention, and the actual situation of child maltreatment is not well-known. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) as there are views pointing out that some victims of child maltreatment cases choose to cover up the incident and refrain from reporting to the Police or the Social Welfare Department’s Family and Child Protective Services Unit, given the “secondary damage” caused to them by the fact that they have to recall the course of the incident when facing judicial proceedings (e.g. taking statements and giving evidence in court proceedings), how the Government will deal with such situation upon commencement of the Ordinance; whether it will consider amending the legislation to mitigate the secondary damage caused to the victims; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) given the increase in the number of child maltreatment cases (especially sexual abuse), whether the Government has conducted any in-depth investigation into this trend; if so, of the main reasons for such trend according to the findings of the investigation; whether it has formulated preventive measures targeting schools or youth groups;
     
    (3) as it is learnt that children with mental and physical disabilities are the major group of victims of child abuse cases involving children with disabilities, whether the Government has provided additional resources or protective measures to address the special needs of this group of people;

    (4) as the Secretary for Labour and Welfare has pointed out that the anticipated number of reported child abuse cases will increase substantially after the commencement of the Ordinance, whether the Government has sufficient resources to support child victims, such as enhancing the relevant psychological counselling, placement and rehabilitation mechanisms;
     
    (5) whether it will consider setting up a dedicated committee or organization to monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of the Ordinance, coordinate the relevant policies and initiatives, and regularly disclose to the public the data on case reports and the effectiveness of its efforts in handling the cases; and
     
    (6) as it has been reported that the Budget is going to propose a reduction in the funding for social welfare organisations, how the Government will tackle an increasing number of child maltreatment cases in the light of reduced funding and shortage of social workers, and whether it has estimated the average number of relevant cases that each social worker will need to handle after the reduction in funding?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (the Ordinance) mandates specified professionals in the social welfare, education and healthcare sectors to report serious child abuse cases, creating a comprehensive and effective protection web for children and sending a strong deterrent message to potential perpetrators that their abuse behaviours will be easily exposed. The consolidated reply to the Member’s question, in consultation with Education Bureau (EDB) and Security Bureau (SB), is as follows:

    (1) Various government departments and the Judiciary have been protecting child victims and witnesses through administrative procedures, guidelines and measures to encourage and facilitate them to report and give evidence in child harm/abuse cases and to lessen their trauma in the process. The Social Welfare Department (SWD), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Judiciary, has taken a number of measures to protect children. For example, during criminal investigations, the relevant departments may arrange children to give evidence through video-recorded interviews (VRI) in appropriate circumstances. These VRIs are conducted in a comfortable home-like environment by specially trained police officers, social workers, and/or clinical psychologists. The video-recorded evidence can be admitted as valid evidence at the trial, saving the children from recounting the incidents in the courtroom, thereby alleviating their embarrassment and trauma. During trials, the children can enter and exit court rooms through special access. In addition, they can also testify in another room by means of live television link in the company of trained witness-support persons to avoid facing the defendant and the public directly, thereby alleviating their psychological stress. In addition, the HKPF and the Department of Justice jointly established the Vulnerable Witness and Child Protection Task Force in 2022 to speed up and improve the evidence collection, prosecution and follow-up investigation work with collective efforts. The SWD and the HKPF will continue to organise training courses and review the procedures for handling sexual violence cases to enhance the skills and sensitivity of different professionals in order to effectively assist child victims and ensure that they receive appropriate protection and support.

    (2) Through the Child Protection Registry, the SWD has been collecting and compiling statistics on information of registered cases involving children who have been harmed/abused or currently at risk of being harmed/abused. The annual statistics are uploaded onto the SWD’s website for public reference. There were 1 367 newly registered child protection cases in 2021 and 1 457 cases in 2023, representing an increase of about 6.6 per cent in three years. Among them, there were 448 sexual abuse cases in 2021 and 509 sexual abuse cases in 2023, representing an increase of about 13.6 per cent. According to the SWD’s analysis, possible reasons for the increase in registered cases include: growing public awareness on child protection and more proactive reporting of cases as a result of the legislative exercise of the Ordinance as well as publicity and public education on child protection in recent years; more children are using social media, messaging apps, chat applications, or online games in recent years; and children having more opportunities to interact with others in resumption of normalcy after the epidemic.
     
         On publicity and education in the community, the SWD has been launching the publicity campaign on “Strengthening Families and Combating Violence” to raise public awareness on child protection and prevention of domestic violence and encourage those in need to seek help early through large scale publicity events and district-based activities. In 2022, the SWD has produced a series of videos on “Heart and Hut Classroom: Online Sexual Abuse Pitfalls” and broadcasted on social media to remind young people and parents of the risk factors, prevention and handling of online sexual abuse. The HKPF has been organising the “Let’s T.A.L.K. Child Protection Campaign” every year since 2021 to raise public awareness of child protection through a series of publicity and promotional activities. In addition, the HKPF organised a multi-disciplinary seminar on “Child Sexual Abuse in the Cyber World” on March 21, 2024, together with experts and representatives from relevant sectors and discussed with more than 500 parents, principals, teachers, social workers, Police officers and child service workers online and offline on how to effectively protect children from online sexual crimes, thereby enhancing their understanding of children’s online safety and their awareness and response capabilities to protect children from such crimes, and promoting collaboration among different professions.
     
         In respect of preventive work targeting schools or youth groups, the EDB has all along been assisting schools in the prevention, early identification and appropriate intervention of suspected child abuse cases through various measures. These measures include issuance of circulars and guidelines requiring schools to devise relevant mechanisms, procedures and measures to handle such cases; strengthening school social work service to assist schools in the early identification of suspected abused students and potential issues in their families; encouraging schools to implement Comprehensive Student Guidance Service, under which all teachers collaborate with school social workers, other student guidance personnel or specialists to provide comprehensive and extensive guidance service to students in need; as well as supporting schools to adopt a whole school approach, through cross-sector collaboration among professionals from different disciplines in schools (including student guidance personnel, school social workers and school-based educational psychologists), to intervene and follow up as early as possible, and to provide students with appropriate support. At the same time, the EDB actively promotes the “Positive Parent Campaign” to foster parents’ positive attitude and understanding in nurturing their children, so as to enable students grow up healthily and prevent child abuse incidents. In addition, the EDB has been working closely with the SWD and the HKPF to organise various training activities with a view to strengthening school staff’s knowledge, skills and abilities in handling suspected child abuse cases.

    (3), (4) and (6) The Government has allocated an additional provision in 2023-24 for enhancing the Government’s enforcement and support capacity, providing appropriate training to practitioners in the relevant professions and strengthening the promotion and public education work on child protection, with a view to supporting the implementation of the mandatory reporting regime (MRR) for child abuse cases.
     
         The Government has further allocated an additional provision in 2024-25 to increase emergency places for residential child care service and strengthen professional support for child abuse victims and their families to prepare for the potential increase in the reported child abuse cases upon the implementation of the MRR. Among which, two new residential child care centres will commence operation before the Ordinance comes into effect, offering a total of 96 additional service places each year and are expected to provide emergency placement for 384 children in need (in the estimation that each place of residential child care centre can take care of 4 children on average per year).
     
         The SWD will also strengthen the professional support to actual or suspected child abuse victims (including pre-primary children with special needs) and their families. Starting from March 2025, the SWD will subsidise non-governmental organisations to implement various child protection support services, including Home Visitation Support, therapeutic/psycho-social groups, educational and family enrichment activities, to complement the work of social workers of the Family and Child Protective Services Unit of the SWD or related casework service units in providing focused support services for children and families in need.
     
         Child protection (including pre-primary children with special needs) work and cases are being handled and followed up in a multi-disciplinary manner (including social welfare, education, law enforcement, healthcare). Professionals from different service units, including social workers, work together to provide professional support to children and families in need. The SWD does not maintain information on the average number of child protection cases handled by each social worker.

    (5) The Labour and Welfare Bureau, the EDB, the Health Bureau and the SB have formed a Cross-bureaux Working Group to make preparations for the implementation of MRR in January next year. The SWD and the HKPF are jointly developing the internal work flow and mandatory reporting platform to facilitate mandated reporters in making reports and collecting relevant data, ensuring efficient and effective follow-up on reported cases. Relevant bureaux and departments will continue to monitor the operation of MRR and the trend of the number of reports after its implementation. The number of cases reported through the MRR will be incorporated into the statistics of the Child Protection Registry and disseminated to the public.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ3: Enhancing prevention of potential non-refoulement claimants at source

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Carmen Kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):

    Question:

         The Immigration Department officially launched the Advance Passenger Information (API) System on September 3 last year to prevent undesirables, including potential non-refoulement claimants, from boarding flights heading to Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether the authorities have, since the launch of the API System, compiled statistics and kept information on the number of undesirables prevented from boarding flights heading to Hong Kong each month, the distribution of their nationalities, points of embarkation, and the airlines they chose; if so, of the details (set out in a table); if not, the reasons for that;

    (2) of the number and names of aircraft operators which have connected to the API System since its launch, and their percentage in the total number of aircraft operators operating inbound flights to Hong Kong (set out in a table); among the aircraft operators which have connected to the API System, of the number of those which have successfully prevented undesirables from entering Hong Kong by providing API, and the reasons why some aircraft operators have not yet connected to the API System;

    (3) as there are views that the authorities should take the opportunity to review the entire mechanism of preventing undesirables from boarding flights heading to Hong Kong by the time when all aircraft operators are required to connect to the API System after the 12-‍month transitional period, whether the authorities have, in the light of the operational experience gained during the transitional period, reviewed the direction of optimising the aforesaid mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (4) given that the API System can only prevent undesirables from coming to Hong Kong by flights, whether the authorities have stepped up efforts to prevent entry of such persons through other channels; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (5) given that as stated in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government has since October 16, 2024 relaxed the criteria for nationals of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar applying for multiple-entry visas for travel and business, and extended the validity period of multiple-entry visas from two years to three years for these countries (as well as Vietnam which has enjoyed the relaxation since 2023), of the number of undesirables from these four countries coming to Hong Kong each month since the implementation of the relaxation, and whether there is a rising trend;

    (6) as there are views that with the relaxation of the visa-free entry policies by the Mainland earlier on, undesirables may possibly come to Hong Kong via the Mainland (including by legal and illegal means), how the authorities step up co-operation with the Mainland in preventing entry of such persons to Hong Kong via the Mainland; and

    (7) as there are views that there are signs of an increasing number of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) who prematurely terminate their employment contracts and subsequently lodge non-refoulement claims in order to extend their stay in Hong Kong for the purpose of applying for government subsidies or engaging in illegal employment, etc., of the number of such cases in each of the past five years, the nationalities of the FDHs involved, and the average number of days of their extended stay in Hong Kong (with a tabulated breakdown by quarter); of the measures put in place by the authorities to prevent and curb the abuse of the non-refoulement claim mechanism by such individuals?

    Reply:

    President,

         To meet the aviation security requirements of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and to align Hong Kong with other aviation hubs worldwide, as well as to enable the Immigration Department (ImmD) to further enhance its passenger clearance and enforcement capabilities to prevent undesirables, including potential non-refoulement claimants, from boarding flights heading to Hong Kong, the ImmD has implemented the Advance Passenger Information (API) system since September 3, 2024, requiring aircraft operators to comply with the Immigration (Advance Passenger Information) Regulation (Cap. 115Q) (the Regulation) by transmitting advance information to the ImmD about flights and passengers heading to Hong Kong.

         To allow sufficient time for aircraft operators to connect to the API system and to ensure the system will run in a smooth and orderly manner, the rollout has been carried out in phases. A transitional period of around 12 months was also adopted. The offences and defences, and the miscellaneous provisions under Part 4 and 5 of the Regulation will come into effect after the transitional period, starting from September 1, 2025.

         In consultation with the ImmD and the Labour Department (LD), my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Carmen Kan is as follows:

    (1) to (3) Since the rollout in phases of the API system on September 3, 2024, as at February 21, 2025, 82 airline operators have been connected to the system, including Hong Kong-based airline operators, such as the Cathay Pacific Airways, the Hong Kong Airlines, the Greater Bay Airlines and the Hong Kong Express Airways, etc. As for the nearly 70 remaining airline operators, the ImmD will continue to maintain close communication with them with a view to ensuring that relevant system connection works will be completed in an orderly manner before September 1, 2025. The list and number of airline operators connected to the API system, and the percentage out of the total number of relevant airline operators are at Annex.

         In just a few months of operation, the API system has been effective in successfully identifying and denying boarding of flights by ineligible persons, including persons who had lodged non-refoulement claims in Hong Kong but were eventually rejected and repatriated to their places of origin. As regards the relevant figures, as well as the nationality distribution, the places of departure and the airlines chosen for the cases concerned, it is considered not suitable to disclose such information due to security reasons as sensitive internal procedures are involved.

         The ImmD will make reference to the operational experience of the API system during the transitional period and maintain close communication with the airline operators and relevant stakeholders, with a view to continuously reviewing and optimising the system and the related operational procedures.

    (4) and (6) In addition to the API system, the ImmD will continue to examine arriving passengers in a stringent manner at all control points and enhance intelligence exchanges with law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong and other places through various channels to prevent the entry of undesirable persons into Hong Kong. 

         On the other hand, the Government will also continue to spare no efforts in preventing entry of illegal immigrants (IIs) into Hong Kong. In view of the general resumption of international flights on the Mainland after the pandemic, the Mainland visa-issuing authorities abroad have resumed issuing visas to Mainland China to foreigners since March 2023. Coupled with rumours inducing IIs to come to Hong Kong, the number of non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) IIs intercepted had once increased in the second half of 2023. The Mainland and local law enforcement agencies have worked together to strengthen intelligence exchange; tighten the issuance of visas to Mainland China and control over the entry of NEC tourists into the Mainland; investigate syndicates organising cross-boundary illegal immigration; conduct interception at black spots in the Mainland and joint patrols at sea to deter NEC IIs from entering Hong Kong.

         With the concerted efforts of various parties, the number of NEC IIs intercepted in Hong Kong dropped significantly by 84 per cent from the peak of 364 in October 2023 to a monthly average of 57 in 2024, and the number of NEC IIs intercepted further reduced to 37 in January 2025. The ImmD will continue to maintain intelligence exchange with the law enforcement agencies in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao through the established anti-smuggling collaborative mechanism, and timely conduct joint enforcement operations to deter NEC IIs smuggling into Hong Kong on all fronts.

    (5) Following the relaxation of criteria for Vietnamese nationals applying for multiple-entry visas for travel or business on October 25, 2023, to foster closer ties with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ImmD has extended the relaxation to include nationals of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar starting from October 16, 2024. Meanwhile, the validity period of multiple-entry visas for nationals of these four ASEAN countries has also been extended from two years to three years. Since the commencement of relevant measures and up to end-January 2025, the ImmD has issued some 4 700 multiple-entry visas to applicants from those four countries. The ImmD does not maintain the number of persons refused entry by nationality.

         The ImmD has all along been playing a stringent gatekeeping role to ensure that only applicants meeting the relevant requirements will be granted visas. During immigration examination on arrival, in addition to considering whether the visitor possesses a valid travel document (including visas (if necessary)) and meets normal immigration requirements, the ImmD also decides whether to allow entry of relevant visitor with due consideration to the actual circumstances, having regard to the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and prevailing immigration policies.

    (7) Over the past five years, the number of non-refoulement claims raised by former foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) are tabulated below, with breakdown by nationality and quarter:
     

    Year
    Indonesian
    Filipino
    Others
    Total

    2020
    1st quarter
    13
    13
    8
    34

    2nd quarter
    28
    15
    8
    51

    3rd quarter
    22
    11
    6
    39

    4th quarter
    52
    35
    23
    110

    Full Year
    115
    74
    45
    234

    2021
    1st quarter
    161
    47
    37
    245

    2nd quarter
    305
    109
    79
    493

    3rd quarter
    86
    41
    27
    154

    4th quarter
    106
    30
    13
    149

    Full Year
    658
    227
    156
    1 041

    2022
    1st quarter
    41
    13
    3
    57

    2nd quarter
    134
    36
    16
    186

    3rd quarter
    186
    46
    21
    253

    4th quarter
    157
    52
    22
    231

    Full Year
    518
    147
    62
    727

    2023
    1st quarter
    133
    45
    21
    199

    2nd quarter
    139
    25
    10
    174

    3rd quarter
    134
    26
    21
    181

    4th quarter
    135
    31
    16
    182

    Full Year
    541
    127
    68
    736

    2024
    1st quarter
    128
    32
    13
    173

    2nd quarter
    89
    23
    15
    127

    3rd quarter
    101
    31
    14
    146

    4th quarter
    111
    38
    19
    168

    Full Year
    429
    124
    61
    614

         â€‹The Government actively combats the abuse of premature termination of employment contracts by FDHs to change employers (commonly known as job-hopping), including stringently vetting employment visa applications from FDHs who have frequently changed employers. In May 2024, the LD also promulgated a revised Code of Practice for Employment Agencies to request employment agencies to clearly brief FDH job seekers on the relevant immigration regulations, and not to adopt business practices such as providing monetary incentives to induce FDHs in employment to prematurely terminate their employment contracts. The Government has also all along been maintaining close communication and co-operation with Consulates-General of the major source countries of FDHs. The relevant Consulates-General agreed to step up efforts in providing correct information to their nationals about the non-refoulement claim mechanism and the fact that illegal employment is a serious offence liable to imprisonment in Hong Kong.

         Under the Government’s multi-pronged strategy in handling the relevant issue, the situation of former FDHs raising claims has improved. The number of claims raised by former FDHs in 2024 was reduced by 41 per cent compared to the peak in 2021, while the portion to the total claims received in the respective year also dropped from 41 per cent to 22 per cent. The Government will continue to actively co-operate with relevant stakeholders and step up publicity and education. The ImmD does not maintain the breakdown of other statistics mentioned in this question.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: Promoting development of aviation industry

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):Question:     It has been reported that Hong Kong’s aviation industry has started to recover in terms of, among others, passenger volume and cargo handling capacity, after being hard hit by the epidemic, and Hong Kong-based airlines have been actively expanding their aviation business. There are views that with the recovery of the tourism industry and the commissioning of the Three-‍Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport (Airport), the passenger and cargo throughput of the Airport will increase substantially. Regarding the promotion of the development of the aviation industry, will the Government inform this Council:(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of direct flights between Hong Kong and overseas places in each of the past two years, with a tabulated breakdown by companies operating such flights;(2) whether it knows if there is a situation in which air routes between Hong Kong and the rest of the world (excluding the Mainland) have been granted air traffic rights but not yet commenced service; if there is, of the number of destinations for which local airlines (i) have been granted air traffic rights and their flight quotas and, among them, the number of those for which (ii) air traffic rights and flight quotas have not yet been utilised, with a tabulated breakdown by airlines;(3) of the measures the authorities have put in place to encourage the local airlines mentioned in (2) to fully utilise their air traffic rights or flight quotas, so as to operate more flights between Hong Kong and overseas places;(4) of the authorities’ specific expectations and requirements regarding the social responsibilities to be shouldered by Hong Kong-based aviation enterprises; the measures the authorities have adopted or will adopt to effectively enable such enterprises to better fulfil their social responsibilities and play the role of helping Hong Kong consolidate its status as an international aviation hub; and(5) whether the authorities have examined if there is a situation in which the supply of flight quotas for air routes between Hong Kong and overseas places which have been granted air traffic rights falls short of demand and hence a quota increase is required; if there is, of the relevant measures the authorities will adopt to solve the relevant problem?Reply:President,     Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continued to demonstrate strong recovery momentum in 2024, with significant growth recorded in air traffic data. In the recent month of January 2025, HKIA reached another post-pandemic high in both flight movements and passenger throughput, representing a full recovery of passenger traffic peak to the pre-pandemic level. Compared to the same month last year, all passenger segments, including Hong Kong residents, visitors and transfer/transit passengers, experienced double-digit increase. Traffic to and from Southeast Asia, Mainland China and Japan recorded the most significant increase during the month. Meanwhile, cargo throughput continued to gain momentum, with positive growth recorded across all cargo sectors. Cargo traffic to and from the Middle East, Europe and Australasia grew the most among key trading regions during the month. In consultation with the Civil Aviation Department, the reply to the question raised by the Hon Chow is as follows:(1) In 2024, the number of direct scheduled flights (including both passenger and cargo flights) between HKIA and overseas destinations (excluding Mainland and Taiwan) increased significantly by approximately 30 per cent compared to 2023. Additionally, the number of airlines operating these flights in 2024 also recorded a notable increase, rising by approximately 20 per cent compared to 2023. Details are provided in the Annex.(2) and (5) With a view to further expanding the passenger and cargo air transport capacity and connectivity of HKIA so to meet the market demand for air services, the Government has been making good use of Hong Kong’s unique civil aviation status under “one country, two systems” to conduct air services negotiations with our aviation partners under the authorisation of the Central People’s Government. As of the end of January 2025, we have signed 80 bilateral air services documents. Over the past two years, Hong Kong has expanded bilateral air services arrangements with multiple aviation partners, increasing the capacity limits for relevant passenger and cargo services by at least 60 per cent. This allows airlines to readily increase passenger and cargo services in response to market demand.     The overriding principle for traffic rights allocation is that public resources can be fully utilised to consolidate or enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s aviation industry and meet future needs. The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) will take into account a range of factors, including encouraging healthy competition, maintaining Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub, and promoting the overall development of Hong Kong’s aviation industry, in considering the allocation of traffic rights to local airlines, with a view to promoting the overall interests of Hong Kong.     As for the specific details of traffic rights allocation, since the traffic rights negotiated between the Government and other countries or regions are recorded in the form of bilateral Confidential Memoranda of Understanding, which contain sensitive information such as details of bilateral negotiations, we are not in a position to disclose more of the relevant information to third parties. The TLB will continue to closely monitor the utilisation of traffic rights by local airlines to ensure that these precious traffic rights are put to good use, and will adopt a more forward-looking perspective in expanding traffic rights with our aviation partners.(3) When launching new routes or increasing flight frequencies, airlines will consider factors such as market demand and the allocation of company resources. In addition, the Government has all along encouraged local airlines to launch and increase flights to support Hong Kong’s overall development. Local airlines have responded positively. Following the launch of direct passenger services to Vientiane (Laos), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Sendai and Yonago (Japan), as well as Cairns and Gold Coast (Australia) last year and earlier this year, they will gradually commence direct flights to Dallas (the United States of America), Hyderabad (India), Munich (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), and Rome (Italy) later this year. They will also increase the frequency of flights between Hong Kong and North America.     At the same time, the Airport Authority Hong Kong has implemented several related measures, such as the Airport Network Development Programme launched in June 2024, which provides financial incentives to encourage airlines to open new routes and increase flight frequencies on existing routes. To date, the Programme has attracted 24 airlines, covering 53 destinations.(4) The Government maintains a regular communication mechanism with local airlines to monitor their operations and ensure the healthy development of the aviation industry.     With the commissioning of the Three-Runway System, the passenger and cargo handling capacity of HKIA will increase significantly. The Government will continue to maintain close communication with local airlines to ensure that they enhance their service quality continuously, providing stable and reliable services that deliver an excellent experience to passengers. At the same time, the Government has requested that local airlines’ network planning should support the Government’s strategy to enhance Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub and to meet Hong Kong’s strategic development needs.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ11: Prevention of telephone fraud

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by Dr the Hon Dennis Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):
     
    Question:
     
         The Office of the Communications Authority announced at the end of last year that starting from December 31 last year, local mobile service providers would play a voice alert message to local users for calls made from newly activated local prepaid Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, stating, “This call is made from a new prepaid SIM card”, so as to further assist members of the public in staying vigilant against suspicious calls. On the other hand, it has been reported that the number of telephone fraud cases has remained high since the Government introduced the Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it has estimated the effectiveness of the aforesaid voice alert measure;
     
    (2) of the number of telephone fraud cases received by the Police last year and the total amount of money involved;
     
    (3) of the respective numbers of cases received by the Police last year concerning the purchase and registration of local SIM cards using false identity documents, and the sale of SIM cards registered in the names of others;
     
    (4) of the respective numbers of cases in which telecommunications service providers rejected SIM card registration requests and deregistered suspicious SIM cards last year;
     
    (5) of the number of cases received by the Police last year concerning the use of artificial intelligence image synthesis technology to create falsified images and commit fraud through video calls; and
     
    (6) the number of downloads of “Scameter+” since its launch, and the number of suspicious calls it has successfully blocked?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards (RNR Programme) has been fully implemented since February 24, 2023, requiring that all SIM cards issued and used locally (including SIM service plans and pre-paid SIM cards (PPS cards)) must complete real-name registration before service activation. The RNR Programme helps plug the loophole arising from the anonymous nature of PPS cards used in conducting illegal activities in the past, and assists law enforcement agencies in the detection of crimes involving the use of PPS cards (including phone deception). To combat phone deception, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) has been collaborating with the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and telecommunications operators to devise and implement a series of measures from the telecommunications services perspective to combat such illegal activities by tackling the problem at source. Regarding the question raised by Dr the Hon Dennis Lam, having consulted the Security Bureau, the Police and OFCA, our reply is as follows:
     
    (1) and (4) To assist the public in guarding against suspicious calls, local mobile service providers have been required since December 31 last year to send voice alerts to local mobile and fixed service users for calls made from newly activated local PPS cards to raise users’ awareness of suspicious calls. The voice alerts are applicable to newly activated local PPS cards while the SIM service plans are not affected. The measure has been implemented for about two months and has been operating smoothly overall. OFCA will continue to review the implementation of the measure, and make appropriate adjustments as necessary to ensure its effective implementation.
     
         In addition, to ensure the effective implementation of the RNR Programme, OFCA has been requiring telecommunications operators to continuously enhance their registration platforms taking into account the implementation experiences, including the request for telecommunications service providers to adopt “iAM Smart” as the default registration method for Hong Kong identity (HKID) card holders under the RNR Programme since October last year or otherwise, telecommunications operators must manually verify the registration information submitted upon receipt of a registration request for completing the necessary procedures before activating the PPS cards. At the same time, telecommunications operators have to conduct full manual verification of the registration information submitted on the online registration platforms by all non-HKID holders (e.g. holders of valid travel documents or passports) for PPS cards. Moreover, telecommunications operators are required to conduct regular sampling checks on the registration information of registered PPS card users and manual checks on suspected cases. If users subject to sample checks are unable to verify the registration information following the instructions of the respective telecommunications service providers, the relevant PPS cards may be deregistered and cannot be used further.
     
         Since the implementation of the RNR Programme, as of the end of January this year, around 4.1 million PPS cards were rejected as the clients failed to provide information in compliance with the registration requirements. In addition, telecommunications operators have cancelled the registration records of about 3.2 million non-compliant PPS cards. OFCA will continue to maintain close liaison with telecommunication operators and will refer any suspicious cases to the Police for follow-up action as soon as possible.
     
         To further enhance the RNR Programme, the Government is reviewing the overall implementation of the RNR Programme, including the limit on the number of PPS cards, as well as prohibiting the resale of registered SIM cards. The Government plans to introduce the relevant legislative amendments to the Legislative Council within this year.
     
    (2) and (3) The Police received a total of 9 204 telephone deception cases in 2024, involving a total amount of $2.91 billion. The Police does not keep statistics on the number of cases concerning the purchase and registration of local SIM cards using false identity documents or the sale of SIM cards registered in the names of others.
     
    (5) and (6) The Police received a total of three fraud cases related to deepfake technology in 2024, involving fraudsters impersonating senior executives of companies to lure victims to make money transfers, and cases of deepfake technology being used to lure victims in Hong Kong, the Mainland and various places in Southeast Asia to invest in cryptocurrencies.
     
         In addition, the Police launched a one-stop scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, in September 2022, and a mobile application version, “Scameter+”, in February the following year, to help members of the public distinguish suspicious online platform accounts, payment accounts, telephone numbers, email addresses, websites, etc, and to provide anti-fraud tips. As of the end of last year, “Scameter+” had been downloaded for over 874 000 times, and had alerted users to over 90 000 suspicious calls and over 600 000 suspicious websites. In addition, since September 2022 and up to the end of last year, the Police have asked telecommunications operators to block more than 8 300 local and non-local suspicious telephone numbers and nearly 30 000 suspicious website links.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting the UK aviation sector

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Supporting the UK aviation sector

    Secretary of State for Transport outlines next steps for airport expansion during the Airlines UK annual dinner.

    Good evening, everyone.

    I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of you over the last couple of weeks individually. But I will be honest with you, not only did I not expect to find myself in this job, I also didn’t envisage spending quite so much time talking about airports.

    But I am glad I have because aviation not only underpins the growth we want, but our approach to it says a lot about the country we want to be.

    Now some might say the current debate about airport expansion highlights a fundamental tension between growing the economy, whilst protecting the environment. 

    I say: we must do both. 

    We could put our head in the sand and pretend that people don’t want to fly. Pretend that families aren’t dispersed across the globe. That they don’t work hard for, and enjoy, their summer holidays. We could pretend that businesses don’t have international clients and colleagues and that air freight isn’t a significant part of the UK’s trade by value. We could pretend that aviation isn’t critical to the economy of an island nation. But we would be knowingly detaching ourselves from reality.

    We live in an increasingly interconnected world. Whilst technology has in some respects brought us all so much closer together, there are some things that smartphones, streaming or Zoom just can’t replicate. So as a government, we have a choice – either engage with the world as we find it, or we fail. We know demand for air travel is only going in one direction. Record-breaking stats from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last week confirm passenger levels were 7% higher in 2024 than the previous year. Demand is up – and if we don’t meet it, then we will lose out to our European competitors and risk being on the wrong side of public aspirations.  

    So the Chancellor has been clear: we will do all we can to support the sector and take the brakes off growth. It’s why we’ve approved London City Airport’s plans to expand to 9 million passengers per year by 2031 and it’s why we welcomed Stansted’s additional £1.1 billion investment to extend its terminal. But there remain capacity problems – particularly at airports in the southeast.

    So, as you know, planning applications for Gatwick and Luton are literally on my desk. And as you might have picked up, the government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once received, we will move at speed to review the Airports National Policy Statement. But let me be clear – this is in no way a blank cheque. My job as decision maker on all of these schemes will be to strike a balance – between expansion’s potential benefits of jobs, trade and tourism, with tough questions on:

    • whether this is compatible with our climate and air quality obligations
    • whether we can minimise noise and disruption to local communities
    • whether this will benefit airlines and passengers, and how we make sure costs are shared fairly

    This government believes in increasing airport capacity. We’re ambitious for the sector, but these strict criteria must be met if we are to balance the needs of today with the necessities of tomorrow.  

    But it’s not just about airport expansion – I want us to take a holistic look at aviation. Our Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, has worked with many of you for years on what are now some of this government’s key manifesto commitments. He has seen first-hand this sector re-emerge stronger from one of its toughest periods and stand today at the cusp of what could be the biggest transformation in its 100-year history. Now more than ever, you need a government that is a willing partner you can trust, whose electoral mandate provides stability, and whose policy agenda provides certainty.

    But I would ask that you judge me and the government not on what we say – because goodness knows you’ve had enough of politicians promising you things. But judge us on the choices we make. While this government is only 8 months old, our choices are clear. Every decision measured against the yardstick of growth:

    • planning reforms – delayed by successive governments as just too hard, now allowing us to finally build again
    • a national wealth fund – now creating thousands of jobs and unlocking investment
    • the first industrial strategy in years – due this summer
    • work accelerated on modernising our airspace, that critical national infrastructure which gets forgotten far too often

    Right across the board, it’s clear, we’re choosing growth. For us here tonight, that means running hell for leather towards greener and quieter flights. Stand still and we risk making ourselves poorer in every way. I, therefore, see both decarbonisation and modernisation, above all, as a moral mission.

    Let me be clear, I have no intention of clipping anyone’s wings. I am not some sort of flight-shaming eco-warrior. I love flying – I always have. For me, there is something intrinsically optimistic about taking to the sky. I’d even go as far as saying that EasyJet’s bacon sandwich on an early morning flight from Gatwick is up there with my favourite things in life. Other airports, operators and snacks are of course available!

    I believe it is incumbent on all those in public life to give businesses the tools for success and increase opportunities for people to improve their lot. That means more passengers and freight in the air, not less. But I am equally clear that this must also mean less carbon, not more. That’s why sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is so important. Over its lifecycle, it will reduce emissions by 70% when compared with jet fuel. And just weeks into office, we reiterated our commitment to the SAF Mandate and, in November, we signed it into law.

    Throughout, we’ve listened to your concerns. You rightly said demand without supply will mean higher costs – and that’s on top of pressures you’re already facing on many fronts. Harming your competitiveness doesn’t help anyone. So I don’t suggest for a second that SAF is a silver bullet, but it is integral to reaching net zero aviation by 2050 – that’s why we are backing it to the hilt. And by legislating for a price guarantee, we will send a clear signal to investors: that this is a serious opportunity for you.

     It will give certainty to producers looking to grow their UK production, and our £63 million investment in the Advanced Fuels Fund will ensure we start becoming more self-sufficient. 

    I know it is early days, and many technologies are not yet scaled, but SAF sits alongside a range of other levers that we must pull to decarbonise the sector. More efficient aircraft and engines will burn less fuel and play a key role. We are even starting to get ready for zero emission flights. These projects – and more – are supported by nearly £1 billion in government funding for the aerospace technology programme as well as the CAA’s hydrogen in aviation regulatory challenge. And I’ve mentioned it already, but our ongoing commitment to airspace modernisation is key for both growth and decarbonisation, with the potential for quicker and greener flights. 

    Getting all this right matters – it matters for the planet and for the next generation. I don’t have children, but I know what I want for my nieces and nephew.

    A world ravaged by climate change and extreme weather events? Of course not.

    A world where they have been denied the opportunities to travel that I have? No.

    I want them to live life. To fly. To see different places. Experience different cultures. To understand that those who would see countries retreating into their own corners of the globe are on the wrong side of history.  

    So this matters – for the next generation, but also for today. Decarbonising aviation could be worth billions to the economy, and support thousands of jobs. It is an important enabler to our industrial strategy.

    And if we are to be successful, we must embrace partnership.

    I am grateful to many in this room for your involvement in the Jet Zero taskforce, it’s crucial that we pool our resources and expertise – both government and industry – to secure this industry’s future.  

    So, I’ll finish by saying this – the government’s Plan for Change depends on aviation’s success, on the economic value you bring, on the jobs you support, on the trade you facilitate. But that growth depends on us running as fast as we can towards cleaner aviation. It’s the only way to break out of the paralysis successive governments have tolerated.

    The new aviation futures forum will be a crucial vehicle for that work. Some of you may remember this as the Aviation Council – and I’m sorry that we seem to have to rename everything when there’s a change of government. But I hope it’s clear that our commitment is immutable: we are as determined as you are to tackling our shared challenges.

    I don’t just want to talk about challenges though. Because if we continue making the right choices, we will achieve our shared vision of a growing, thriving aviation sector. One that improves both the lives and the livelihoods of people right across the country. Not many sectors so visibly and tangibly sustain both our economy and people’s lives. So let’s make sure, together, that we secure more of those benefits in the future.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than £100 million in Indian investment creating UK jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More than £100 million in Indian investment creating UK jobs

    New Indian investment deals worth over £100 million demonstrate investors’ confidence in the UK.

    • UK welcomes latest Indian investments, demonstrating investors’ confidence in doing business 

    • New deals will create jobs as the government continues to focus on delivering economic growth under the Plan for Change 

    • Recent Indian budget drives more opportunity for UK insurance companies to expand presence in India 

    Recent investment wins for the UK worth over £100 million from Indian companies are being celebrated as proof the government’s Plan for Change is providing global investors with the confidence they need to do business in the UK. 

    Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has been in New Delhi this week, as the UK Government relaunched talks on a trade deal with India to bring more opportunity to UK businesses and deliver on its core mission to grow the economy, as part of the Plan for Change.  

    UK Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson is in Bangaluru on the second leg of a two-city visit to India to bang the drum for Britain, champion free trade and promote exciting investment opportunities in the UK economy.   

    Recent Indian investments in the UK cover a range of sectors including AI, professional services and textiles and are expected to create hundreds of new jobs over the next three years. 

    This continues the trend of strong Indian investment into the UK in recent years, with the last year-on-year change showing the value of inward FDI stock from India having increased 28% at the end of 2023. India has remained the second largest investor in terms of number of projects into the UK for five consecutive years. 

    The deals come as UK insurance companies gain more potential to expand in India thanks to the recent Indian budget which increased the amount of FDI permitted in the insurance sector from 74% to 100%. 

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    “These investment deals will deliver more than £100 million for the UK economy, creating jobs, strengthening growth, and helping working people.  

    “They prove that the government’s Plan for Change is giving Indian businesses the confidence they need to continue investing in Britain.  

    “Now the UK will strive to be more ambitious and collaborative than ever before as we show the world why the UK is the best place to invest.” 

    The investment announcements include: 

    • Aaseya Technologies, professional services company specialising in digital transformation through automation, is growing its presence in London and creating up to 250 new jobs over three years with a £25 million investment.  

    • Sastra Robotics is investing £8 million in Manchester over three years, creating 75 new jobs. The investment aims to expand the company’s robotics innovation and development. This is the first time a robotics company from South India has invested in the UK. 

    • AI CyberIntel company Deepcytes has set up its global headquarters in London, investing £5 million and creating 80 jobs in the next three years to combat problems of anti-bullying and cyber frauds.  

    • University Living, a global student housing managed marketplace, plan to open a new UK office, investing £10 million and creating 50 jobs over three years. 

    • One of the largest producers of hand-knotted rugs in India, Jaipur Rugs have opened a store in London and are looking to create 75 jobs through a £5 million investment over the next three years.  

    • Time Cinemas have established their global headquarters in the UK, introducing The Black Box by Time, an innovative, patent applied, cloud platform solution that empowers filmmakers, content creators, producers, and distributors to reach out to a much wider cinema audience across geographies. This expansion will create 75 new jobs in London over the next three years, supported by a capital expenditure of £20 million. 

    • Novigo solutions, a technology-focused organisation specialising in end-to-end IT services, technology consulting, business consulting, analytics, and robotic process automation, has started its operation in Warwick by investing £12 million and creating 75 jobs over three years.  

    • Test Yantra, one of India’s largest testing and training services companies, is investing £10 million and creating 100 jobs over the next three years.  

    • Zoondia software, a leading provider of technology solutions, AI solutions, custom software development, IOT, data analytics and resource augmentation areas, is investing £10 million and creating 60 jobs over three years.   

    Notes to editors 

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q4 2024

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q4 2024

    Q4 2024 saw fewer published exploits for Windows and Linux compared to the first three quarters. Although the number of registered vulnerabilities continued to rise, the total number of Proof of Concept (PoC) instances decreased compared to 2023. Among notable techniques in Q4, attackers leveraged undocumented RPC interfaces and targeted the Windows authentication mechanism.

    Statistics on registered vulnerabilities

    This section contains statistics on registered vulnerabilities. Data is sourced from the CVE portal: cve.org.

    Total number of registered vulnerabilities and number of critical ones, Q4 2023 vs. Q4 2024 (download)

    In Q4 2024, the trend of documenting software flaws that create vulnerabilities continued to gain momentum. The share of vulnerabilities labeled as critical was slightly higher than in Q4 2023. In general, more and more vulnerabilities are being assigned CVE identifiers through Bug Bounty programs and general software security research. Let’s also examine the number of public exploits.

    Number of vulnerabilities, the share of critical ones, and those for which exploits exist, 2019–2024 (download)

    As shown in the graph, the number of published exploits for vulnerabilities ended up at around 6%, which is 4 p.p. lower than in 2023. This decline may be due to vendors’ requirements not to disclose information about exploitation methods for discovered vulnerabilities and corresponding exploits—we believe researchers are increasingly encountering such requests. Thus, the main trends of 2024 were the growth in the number of registered vulnerabilities, the decrease in the number of PoCs, and the share of critical vulnerabilities remaining at 2023 levels.

    Let’s examine the most popular types of vulnerabilities exploited in real attacks in 2023 and 2024.

    Number of vulnerabilities by the most prevalent CWEs used in attacks on users in 2023 (download)

    Number of vulnerabilities by the most prevalent CWEs used in attacks on users in 2024 (download)

    As in 2023, the top three in the list are the following software issues:

    • CWE-78—Improper or insufficient neutralization of command-line inputs (OS Command Injection);
    • CWE-20—Improper input filtering and validation. This includes most vulnerabilities that allow attackers to take control of applications;
    • CWE-787—Memory corruption vulnerabilities (Out-of-bounds Write).

    These types of flaws have been known for a long time and remain actively exploited by attackers. The number of associated vulnerabilities has remained at the same level over the past two years.

    Next are software flaws that are less common but no less critical. In 2024, some of the most popular CWEs included the following:

    • CWE-416—Improper use of dynamic memory resources (Use After Free);
    • CWE-22—Improper handling of file system path formats (Path Traversal);
    • CWE-94—Improper control of code generation (Code Injection);
    • CWE-502—Deserialization of untrusted data;
    • CWE-843—Improper handling of data types (Type Confusion);
    • CWE-79—Improper neutralization of input during web page generation (Cross-site Scripting);
    • CWE-122—Heap-based Buffer Overflow.

    Compared to 2023, CWE-119—associated with performing operations outside buffer bounds—was the only one to drop out of the TOP 10. However, it was replaced by a similar type, CWE-122, associated with buffer overflow—so memory corruption vulnerabilities remained on the list. This confirms that the landscape of software flaws leading to exploitable vulnerabilities has remained unchanged over the past two years.

    Exploitation statistics

    This section contains statistics on the use of exploits in Q4 2024. The data is based on open sources and our telemetry.

    Windows and Linux vulnerability exploitation

    Among the exploits detected by Kaspersky solutions for Windows, the most popular throughout 2024, including Q4, were vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office applications:

    • CVE-2018-0802—Remote code execution vulnerability in the Equation Editor component;
    • CVE-2017-11882—Another remote code execution vulnerability also affecting the Equation Editor;
    • CVE-2017-0199—A vulnerability in Microsoft Office and WordPad that allows an attacker to take control of the system.

    Following these, the most common vulnerabilities in Q4 included those in WinRAR and various Windows subsystems:

    • CVE-2023-38831—A vulnerability in WinRAR related to improper handling of objects contained in an archive;
    • CVE-2024-38100—A vulnerability known as Leaked Wallpaper, which allows an attacker to obtain a NetNTLM hash used in user authentication protocols;
    • CVE-2024-21447—A vulnerability in improper link handling within the file system. It resides in the UserManager service and, if exploited, allows privilege escalation;
    • CVE-2024-28916—A vulnerability similar to CVE-2024-21447 in the Xbox Gaming Service.

    Each of the above vulnerabilities can be used to compromise the system and gain the highest possible privileges, so we recommend regularly updating the corresponding software.

    Dynamics of the number of Windows users encountering exploits, Q1 2023—Q4 2024. The number of users who encountered exploits in Q1 2023 is taken as 100% (download)

    Kaspersky products for the Linux operating system triggered on exploits for the following vulnerabilities:

    • CVE-2024-1086—Improper resource handling vulnerability in the nf_tables component of the kernel. Exploiting it allows privilege escalation in the system;
    • CVE-2024-0582—A memory leak vulnerability in the io_uring component, which can be used to escalate privileges on the vulnerable system;
    • CVE-2022-0847—A widespread vulnerability known as Dirty Pipe, allowing privilege escalation and control over running applications;
    • CVE-2022-34918—Improper handling of kernel objects related to the netfilter component. Exploiting the vulnerability allows privilege escalation in the system.

    Dynamics of the number of Linux users encountering exploits, Q1 2023—Q4 2024. The number of users who encountered exploits in Q1 2023 is taken as 100% (download)

    For the Linux operating system, it is critically important to keep kernel components up to date, as well as any software used.

    Most common published exploits

    The distribution of published exploits for vulnerabilities by platform, Q3 2024 (download)

    The distribution of published exploits for vulnerabilities by platform, Q4 2024 (download)

    In Q4 2024, operating systems remained the most popular category of software in terms of the number of publicly available working exploits. At the same time, the share of exploits targeting Microsoft Office tools decreased, and no exploits for SharePoint vulnerabilities were published.

    The distribution of published exploits for vulnerabilities by platform, 2024 (download)

    Data for 2024 shows that the overall trend of attacks on operating systems continues to grow, increasingly displacing other categories of software. Researchers and attackers are finding new operating system components that still contain potentially exploitable vulnerabilities.

    Vulnerability exploitation in APT attacks

    We analyzed which vulnerabilities were most commonly used in APT attacks in Q4 2024. The ranking below is based on our telemetry, research, and open sources.

    TOP 10 vulnerabilities exploited in APT attacks, Q4 2024 (download)

    The list of vulnerabilities commonly used in APT attacks shows changes in the software exploited by attackers. Microsoft Office applications, whose vulnerabilities were not used as much in 2023, have returned to the top ten most frequently exploited types of software. In addition, vulnerabilities for PAN-OS appeared on the list for the first time. Moreover, remote access systems and corporate data processing solutions once again appeared among the vulnerable applications. These statistics highlight the issue of delayed patch installation, which attackers quickly exploit. We strongly recommend promptly updating the software listed.

    Interesting vulnerabilities

    This section contains the most interesting vulnerabilities published in Q4 2024.

    CVE-2024-43572—Remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Management Console

    The Windows operating system has many useful features and mechanisms that allow users to customize it for their convenience. One such feature is the Microsoft Management Console (MMC)—an interface for running applications that contain strictly structured information. These applications are called “snap-ins.” The operating system provides a number of built-in tools for working with MMC, such as services.msc—an interface for managing services. This is an XML file that interacts with individual COM objects and allows you to set parameters for them in the management console.

    According to Microsoft documentation, .msc files can be used for system administration. Attackers exploited this functionality to run commands on user systems: inside the .msc file, they specified the URI urn:schemas–microsoft–com:xslt and commands in JavaScript and VBScript. These files were distributed as email attachments.

    Header of the main .msc file

    CVE-2024-43451—NetNTLM hash disclosure vulnerability

    This vulnerability is also related to the functionality of the Windows operating system, specifically to the NTLM authentication mechanism with the SSPI interface, which is automatically launched in all versions of the OS up to and including Windows 10. During the transmission of the NetNTLM hash, an attacker can intercept it or redirect it to another service, resulting in the compromise of the victim’s credentials. In common legitimate Windows scenarios, users frequently need to authenticate using the NTLM protocol, which may attract attackers. In 2024, we observed the active use of files of various formats with the .url extension in attacks: these files contained links to resources that triggered authentication using NTLM mechanisms.

    CVE-2024-49039—Elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Task Scheduler

    Our 2024 reports mainly included vulnerabilities that were used either solely for privilege escalation or for initial system access. However, CVE-2024-49039 stands out because it allows stealthy persistence within the system, privilege escalation, and command execution.

    This vulnerability exploits an undocumented RPC endpoint on the server side, which contains interfaces with a misconfigured security descriptor, enabling privilege escalation.

    In recent versions of Windows, when a scheduled task is registered, applications can run in AppContainer, which generally limits their privileges. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker needs to create a scheduled task that, upon execution, calls the undocumented RPC endpoint. The Task Scheduler contains a vulnerable application launch algorithm, and as a result of the RPC call, the application will be relaunched without AppContainer with the privileges of a regular or system user.

    Conclusion and advice

    The total number of vulnerabilities registered in the Q4 2024 continues to grow compared to 2023, but the number of published exploits decreased. This may be due to the fact that software vendors have not yet released patches because of the traditional lull during the holiday period. Notably, attackers continue to invent new methods of privilege escalation, as seen in the Task Scheduler vulnerability.

    To stay safe, it is essential to respond promptly to the evolving threat landscape. Also, make sure that you:

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Devereux, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies

    At least 15 million South Africans suffer from food insecurity. That means they don’t have enough nutritious food to live healthy lives.

    This is due to a combination of factors, including unemployment, poverty, inequality and food system failures.

    More than 1,000 children die from malnutrition each year. This compares unfavourably with 350 child deaths from malnutrition in Brazil, which has more than three times South Africa’s population, and 269 child deaths in Colombia, which has about the same per capita income as South Africa.

    A robust indicator of chronic hunger is child stunting. Stunting in South Africa has flatlined at around 25%, or one in four children, since the early 1990s. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil and Peru have made impressive progress. Peru halved its rate from 28% in 2008 to 13% in 2016, after the president committed to reducing stunting.

    Read more: South Africa’s hunger problem is turning into a major health crisis

    How can South Africa’s government deliver on the right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger?

    We have worked on food security and food justice for many years. We’ve researched the links between social protection and hunger and between food systems and nutrition, and the cost of hunger.

    Based on this experience, our view is that food shortages are not a cause of hunger in South Africa. The country produces and imports all the food it needs. Instead, the problem is unequal access to food. While some South Africans live in a world of abundance, with no budget constraints, millions more survive below the food poverty line, unable to afford even a basic nutritious diet for their families.

    We believe that the government must deliver on the constitutional right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger. It can do this by expanding the social grant system, extending the school nutrition programme, reducing food waste, and ensuring access to land for low-income rural and peri-urban households.

    Above all, a coherent and coordinated strategy for tackling hunger is needed, led by a minister of food, following models like Brazil’s Zero Hunger initiative. In December 2024, Brazil handed over the G20 presidency to South Africa, after it launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. South Africa should embrace the embrace the spirit and focus of the alliance to develop its own Zero Hunger strategy.

    Four steps to end hunger

    The South African government pays out 19 million social grants a month, or 26 million if the 9 million recipients of the special social relief of distress grant are included. Without these cash transfers, poverty and malnutrition in the country would be even higher. But they are inadequate, especially in a context of high and rising food prices.

    Read more: South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work

    Pregnant women must receive a maternal grant. Shutterstock

    Firstly, the following changes should be made to social grant payments.

    • An immediate increase in the child support grant, followed by further increases. The goal should be to get this grant, which is currently below the food poverty line at R530 a month (US$28), to R1,634 (US$34). This is the minimum amount of money needed to meet basic needs, including nutritious food, clothing and shelter.

    • Pregnant women should receive a maternal support grant from 12 weeks of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of low birth weight.

    • Social grants should increase to match inflation every year.

    Secondly, the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides one nutritious meal to all learners in poorer primary and secondary schools, has limited impact because meals are provided only on weekdays during school terms.

    The programme should be boosted in the following ways:

    • The Department of Basic Education must deliver adequate nutrition to all children in early learning programmes, all year round.

    • Programmes for school-age children should be extended to ensure that they all receive at least one nutritious meal every day, including on weekends and school holidays.

    • Adequate funding should be given to school food gardens and nutrition education. Moreover, the national school nutrition programme starts too late to address under-5 stunting. It only begins when children enter grade R, aged 5.

    Read more: Malnutrition in South Africa: how one community wants resources to be spent

    Thirdly, interventions are needed in the food system.

    • Prices of essential food items should be regulated, to keep them affordable for low-income South Africans and to encourage shifts in consumption choices towards healthier, more nutritious diets.

    • Positive dietary choices can also be promoted through the use of subsidies, discounts or vouchers on “best buy” foods, either for all consumers or for shoppers receiving social grants. They could be given vouchers for nutritious food items along with their cash transfers. Food subsidies or vouchers must include foods that are protein-rich (meat, fish, eggs, dairy), since protein is highly inaccessible to the poor.

    Read more: How do people choose what food to buy? Answers depend on what you ask – so we built a research tool for African countries

    • Government must extend social security protections to seasonal and informal workers during periods of unemployment and underemployment. Seasonal hunger requires specific attention. Seasonal farm workers – most of whom are women – have low incomes, few savings, and limited access to unemployment insurance. They face food insecurity and hunger during the off-season winter months.

    • The government’s land redistribution programme should prioritise securing access to land for poor agrarian or peri-urban households, and providing support (water, inputs, extension advice) to farm that land. This would help vulnerable groups which derive most of their food from production.

    Agrarian households (smallholder farmers, farm workers, farm dwellers) are poorer and more food insecure, especially the female-headed households who survive below the food poverty line. When farm women with food gardens have direct access to fresh vegetables, their dietary diversity improves, and they earn income by selling produce to meet their basic needs.

    Reforms are needed to bolster smallholder farmers. Shutterstock

    Lastly, steps must be take to reduce loss and waste in the food system.

    A third of food produced in South Africa, 10 million of 31 million tons, goes to waste each year. This is equivalent to 30 billion meals, in a context where an estimated 20 billion meals would be enough to end hunger. The government has committed to halving food waste by 2030, in its draft food losses and waste strategy of 2023. It must be finalised and operationalised.

    Next steps

    These interventions would cost money. And the government will argue that it is doing all it can to address hunger with the resources available.

    There are many options for raising additional resources to address the hunger crisis – as seen when the government found R500 billion (US$33 billion) to address the COVID-19 crisis in 2020.

    The government should also consider raising additional revenue by introducing a wealth tax targeting high-net-worth individuals. This could be used to increase social grants or subsidise nutritious foods.

    Read more: Urban food gardens produce more than vegetables, they create bonds for young Capetonians – study

    Finally, government needs to tackle hunger in a coordinated way. Several government departments, including agriculture, social development and health, address issues related to food security. However, no government ministry focuses specifically on hunger.

    The president should appoint a minister of food to address the hunger crisis along the lines of the special minister of electricity position established in 2023 to deal with the country’s energy supply problem.

    Read more: South Africa needs to change direction on maternal health to solve child malnutrition

    At the same time, a national food commission should be established, to monitor and coordinate all initiatives that focus on the goal of eradicating hunger.

    The government should be guided by the priorities set down by a new coalition – the Union Against Hunger – which is due to be launched on 26 February. The initiative is a coalition of civil society organisations and academics (the authors are among the founding members). It has compiled a list of 10 demands that reflect our analysis of the causes of hunger and recommended solutions. They include realising everyone’s constitutional right to food, halving child stunting by 2030 and making nutritious food accessible to all.

    – 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions
    – https://theconversation.com/15-million-south-africans-dont-get-enough-to-eat-every-day-4-solutions-250700

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Devereux, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies

    At least 15 million South Africans suffer from food insecurity. That means they don’t have enough nutritious food to live healthy lives.

    This is due to a combination of factors, including unemployment, poverty, inequality and food system failures.

    More than 1,000 children die from malnutrition each year. This compares unfavourably with 350 child deaths from malnutrition in Brazil, which has more than three times South Africa’s population, and 269 child deaths in Colombia, which has about the same per capita income as South Africa.

    A robust indicator of chronic hunger is child stunting. Stunting in South Africa has flatlined at around 25%, or one in four children, since the early 1990s. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil and Peru have made impressive progress. Peru halved its rate from 28% in 2008 to 13% in 2016, after the president committed to reducing stunting.



    Read more:
    South Africa’s hunger problem is turning into a major health crisis

    How can South Africa’s government deliver on the right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger?

    We have worked on food security and food justice for many years. We’ve researched the links between social protection and hunger and between food systems and nutrition, and the cost of hunger.

    Based on this experience, our view is that food shortages are not a cause of hunger in South Africa. The country produces and imports all the food it needs. Instead, the problem is unequal access to food. While some South Africans live in a world of abundance, with no budget constraints, millions more survive below the food poverty line, unable to afford even a basic nutritious diet for their families.

    We believe that the government must deliver on the constitutional right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger. It can do this by expanding the social grant system, extending the school nutrition programme, reducing food waste, and ensuring access to land for low-income rural and peri-urban households.

    Above all, a coherent and coordinated strategy for tackling hunger is needed, led by a minister of food, following models like Brazil’s Zero Hunger initiative. In December 2024, Brazil handed over the G20 presidency to South Africa, after it launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. South Africa should embrace the embrace the spirit and focus of the alliance to develop its own Zero Hunger strategy.

    Four steps to end hunger

    The South African government pays out 19 million social grants a month, or 26 million if the 9 million recipients of the special social relief of distress grant are included. Without these cash transfers, poverty and malnutrition in the country would be even higher. But they are inadequate, especially in a context of high and rising food prices.



    Read more:
    South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work

    Firstly, the following changes should be made to social grant payments.

    • An immediate increase in the child support grant, followed by further increases. The goal should be to get this grant, which is currently below the food poverty line at R530 a month (US$28), to R1,634 (US$34). This is the minimum amount of money needed to meet basic needs, including nutritious food, clothing and shelter.

    • Pregnant women should receive a maternal support grant from 12 weeks of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of low birth weight.

    • Social grants should increase to match inflation every year.

    Secondly, the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides one nutritious meal to all learners in poorer primary and secondary schools, has limited impact because meals are provided only on weekdays during school terms.

    The programme should be boosted in the following ways:

    • The Department of Basic Education must deliver adequate nutrition to all children in early learning programmes, all year round.

    • Programmes for school-age children should be extended to ensure that they all receive at least one nutritious meal every day, including on weekends and school holidays.

    • Adequate funding should be given to school food gardens and nutrition education. Moreover, the national school nutrition programme starts too late to address under-5 stunting. It only begins when children enter grade R, aged 5.



    Read more:
    Malnutrition in South Africa: how one community wants resources to be spent

    Thirdly, interventions are needed in the food system.

    • Prices of essential food items should be regulated, to keep them affordable for low-income South Africans and to encourage shifts in consumption choices towards healthier, more nutritious diets.

    • Positive dietary choices can also be promoted through the use of subsidies, discounts or vouchers on “best buy” foods, either for all consumers or for shoppers receiving social grants. They could be given vouchers for nutritious food items along with their cash transfers. Food subsidies or vouchers must include foods that are protein-rich (meat, fish, eggs, dairy), since protein is highly inaccessible to the poor.



    Read more:
    How do people choose what food to buy? Answers depend on what you ask – so we built a research tool for African countries

    • Government must extend social security protections to seasonal and informal workers during periods of unemployment and underemployment. Seasonal hunger requires specific attention. Seasonal farm workers – most of whom are women – have low incomes, few savings, and limited access to unemployment insurance. They face food insecurity and hunger during the off-season winter months.

    • The government’s land redistribution programme should prioritise securing access to land for poor agrarian or peri-urban households, and providing support (water, inputs, extension advice) to farm that land. This would help vulnerable groups which derive most of their food from production.

    Agrarian households (smallholder farmers, farm workers, farm dwellers) are poorer and more food insecure, especially the female-headed households who survive below the food poverty line. When farm women with food gardens have direct access to fresh vegetables, their dietary diversity improves, and they earn income by selling produce to meet their basic needs.

    Lastly, steps must be take to reduce loss and waste in the food system.

    A third of food produced in South Africa, 10 million of 31 million tons, goes to waste each year. This is equivalent to 30 billion meals, in a context where an estimated 20 billion meals would be enough to end hunger. The government has committed to halving food waste by 2030, in its draft food losses and waste strategy of 2023. It must be finalised and operationalised.

    Next steps

    These interventions would cost money. And the government will argue that it is doing all it can to address hunger with the resources available.

    There are many options for raising additional resources to address the hunger crisis – as seen when the government found R500 billion (US$33 billion) to address the COVID-19 crisis in 2020.

    The government should also consider raising additional revenue by introducing a wealth tax targeting high-net-worth individuals. This could be used to increase social grants or subsidise nutritious foods.



    Read more:
    Urban food gardens produce more than vegetables, they create bonds for young Capetonians – study

    Finally, government needs to tackle hunger in a coordinated way. Several government departments, including agriculture, social development and health, address issues related to food security. However, no government ministry focuses specifically on hunger.

    The president should appoint a minister of food to address the hunger crisis along the lines of the special minister of electricity position established in 2023 to deal with the country’s energy supply problem.



    Read more:
    South Africa needs to change direction on maternal health to solve child malnutrition

    At the same time, a national food commission should be established, to monitor and coordinate all initiatives that focus on the goal of eradicating hunger.

    The government should be guided by the priorities set down by a new coalition – the Union Against Hunger – which is due to be launched on 26 February. The initiative is a coalition of civil society organisations and academics (the authors are among the founding members). It has compiled a list of 10 demands that reflect our analysis of the causes of hunger and recommended solutions. They include realising everyone’s constitutional right to food, halving child stunting by 2030 and making nutritious food accessible to all.

    Stephen Devereux receives funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF). He holds a Research Chair in Social Protection for Food Security, affiliated to the DSI–NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and the Institute for Social Development at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

    Busiso Moyo previously received funding from the Centre of Excellence in Food Security – UWC and the IDRC-Canada. He is affiliated with the Union Against Hunger (UAH) initiative.

    Mark Heywood previously headed Section 27, which receives funding and received funding for the Justice and Activism Hub. He is affiliated with the Union Against Hunger initiative.

    – ref. 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions – https://theconversation.com/15-million-south-africans-dont-get-enough-to-eat-every-day-4-solutions-250700

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Your super fund is invested in private markets. What are they and why has ASIC raised concerns?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney

    If you are a member of a super fund, some of your long-term savings are probably invested in private markets.

    Public markets are familiar to most of us – the stock market and government and corporate bond markets. Private markets include unlisted assets such as companies owned by private equity firms, infrastructure investments and private credit markets.

    Corporate watchdog the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has today released a discussion paper that emphasises the growth in private capital, seemingly at the expense of public markets. While the number of listed companies and the value of initial public offerings has shrunk, private equity and infrastructure funds have boomed.

    Should we be worried about this?

    Public vs private markets

    Public markets tend to be transparent, tightly regulated and liquid. Companies listed on the stock exchange publish their financial accounts, hold annual general meetings and their shares can be readily traded.

    In contrast, private markets are lightly regulated. Private capital investments are more opaque, less liquid and, hence, more risky. But they can deliver much higher returns (or losses).

    Often, obtaining capital from private sources makes sense. For example, entrepreneurs whose startup firms are short of revenue, profit and tangible assets are unlikely to be able to raise capital in public markets, or from banks. Instead, they turn to private equity firms for funding.

    What are the concerns?

    In its report, ASIC raises several concerns:

    • the shrinking of Australia’s public equity markets might hurt the economy

    • the rise of private markets may create new or amplified risks

    • the lack of transparency of private markets poses a challenge for investors and regulators.

    Public markets play an important role connecting investors with companies seeking capital. The shrinking of public markets, therefore, has important economic implications. Will private markets be able to pick up the slack?

    Notwithstanding the growth in private capital markets, they are still small compared to their public counterparts. The total capitalisation of the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) is $3 trillion. Total private capital funds under management are only $150 billion.

    The lack of disclosures in private capital markets might also create more and different risks for financial markets and the economy; risks that regulators may not understand, nor know how to anticipate or effectively mitigate.

    The role of Australian super funds

    ASIC is concerned about the implications for the superannuation industry of the growth of private capital markets and decline in public markets.

    Australia’s superannuation assets now total $4.1 trillion, greater than the value of Australia’s GDP and more than the total value of all companies listed on the ASX. Anything that alters the playing field for Australian super has the potential to create outsized risk (or opportunity) for the Australian economy.

    The ASIC report highlights the growing involvement of Australia’s superannuation funds in private markets. Australia’s two largest super funds, Australian Super and Australian Retirement Trust, each have about 20% of their total funds invested in private markets.

    The fact is that Australia’s superannuation sector has outgrown Australian public markets. They cannot trade shares on the ASX without moving share prices significantly to their detriment. On the other hand, having super funds, which are highly regulated to protect member savings, investing in unregulated private capital markets is jarring, if not potentially risky.

    Having said this, the size of Australia’s super funds means they can set the terms and price at which they invest. This power is most valuable in private deals; less so in public markets where a company’s stock price and its financial accounts are public knowledge.

    Increasingly, super funds directly invest in infrastructure projects such as ports and airports rather than buy shares in listed infrastructure firms.

    What’s behind the shift in markets?

    The ASIC report points the finger at the usual culprits for the shift from public to private capital markets, including the regulatory burden on public companies and the rise of technology companies that prefer to tap private capital.

    However, another problem is bedevilling policymakers everywhere: too much capital is chasing too few profitable investment opportunities. Companies have lots of cash on their books and nothing to spend it on.

    Increasingly, such companies have resorted to share buybacks (reducing the number of their shares on issue) to reward investors in a tax-effective way. A lot of the shrinkage in public equity is due to share buybacks that in 2022 alone totalled US$1.3 trillion.

    Why does all this matter?

    The ASIC report is notable for what it does not say; nothing, for example, on its own chequered history of investigative and enforcement action.

    The growing importance of opaque private markets matters more if regulators are asleep at the wheel. ASIC’s tendency for weak oversight and sclerotic enforcement can hardly have raised investor confidence in Australia’s public capital markets.

    Its oversight of initial public offerings (IPOs) has also been questionable over a long period. How can ASIC be expected to adequately manage complex private capital market risks given its woeful performance managing simpler public market risks?

    The apparent decline of public markets has been spooking even sophisticated private financial market players – including, most notably, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan. If Dimon is concerned, then ASIC – and all of us – should probably also be concerned.

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

    – ref. Your super fund is invested in private markets. What are they and why has ASIC raised concerns? – https://theconversation.com/your-super-fund-is-invested-in-private-markets-what-are-they-and-why-has-asic-raised-concerns-250788

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Macron-Trump meeting highlights divide on Ukraine between Europe, US

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    French President Emmanuel Macron, following extensive discussions with European leaders over the past few days, met with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in the White House on Monday in a bid to let the collective voice of Europe on the Ukraine crisis be heard.

    Despite the outwardly cordial atmosphere, the meeting underscored a noticeable divide between Europe and the United States on how to achieve a comprehensive resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

    Noticeable divide

    Trump and Macron on Monday agreed on realizing lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, but Macron publicly refuted Trump’s claim that the situation was “unfair” to the United States in terms of how the country and its European allies provided aid to Ukraine.

    “Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They’re getting their money back,” Trump said as he made the case for Washington’s ongoing effort to press Ukraine into signing a deal that would give the United States the right to extract Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as a way to recoup the aid money provided by Washington during the conflict.

    Grabbing Trump’s arm to interject, Macron said, “No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60 percent of the total effort.” He went on to clarify that European aid to Ukraine was structured similarly to American aid. “It was like the United States: loans, guarantees, grants.”

    Shrugging off Macron’s interjection, Trump said, “If you believe that, it’s OK with me. They get their money back, and we don’t. But now we do.”

    Coveting Ukraine’s mineral wealth

    On Monday, Trump said that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “this week or next” at the White House, and that a final deal on “rare earths and various other things” was very close.

    Separately, European Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stephane Sejourne said on Monday that during a visit to Kiev, together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he offered Ukrainian officials a mutually beneficial agreement on critical minerals.

    “Twenty-one of the 30 critical materials that Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine as part of a mutually beneficial partnership,” Sejourne said after a meeting with Ukrainian officials, AFP reported.

    “The added value that Europe offers is that we will never demand a deal that is not mutually beneficial,” he added.

    A stronger partner

    During his talks with Trump in Washington, Macron said that Europe is ready to become a stronger partner and do more in terms of defense.

    “As Europeans, we have committed to being stakeholders in these security guarantees,” Macron told the press conference.

    For Macron, European peacekeeping troops could be one of the guarantees for a long-standing peace in Ukraine.

    “We want peace swiftly, but we don’t want an agreement that is weak,” he said, adding Europeans understand they need to do more to strengthen regional security.

    For Trump, the cost and burden of security must be borne by Europe and not the United States alone.

    He has made clear that no U.S. boots will be on the ground in Ukraine. However, he assured his French counterpart that Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept the presence of European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.

    After almost three decades of reducing defense spending, Europe has been stepping up its own defense in recent years.

    According to statistics published by the European Council, between 2021 and 2024, the European Union (EU) member states’ total defense expenditure rose by more than 30 percent. In 2024, it reached an estimated 326 billion euros (341.3 billion U.S. dollars), about 1.9 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP). Expenditure is expected to rise by more than another 100 billion euros (105 billion dollars) in real terms by 2027.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: BusinessNZ – Tourism provides boost to NZ economy

    Source: BusinessNZ

    BusinessNZ welcomes data released by Statistics New Zealand showing an increase in tourism spend and agrees the sector has potential to boost the economy even further.
    Business New Zealand Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the tourism sector continues to bounce back from the damage caused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    “The 59 percent increase in tourism spend translates to more than $16 billion in the year to March 2024, but the benefits to New Zealand’s economy go much deeper than the dollar value. As our second largest export industry, tourism employs more than 180,000 people across all regions in both rural and urban settings.
    “BusinessNZ agrees with Tourism Industry Aotearoa in saying the industry has the potential to grow its economic contribution and attract more visitors from key markets in Asia and Europe.
    “The stats out today show positive signs of recovery, but we cannot afford to be complacent.
    “If we want New Zealand to remain a top tourism destination, we must continue investing in much-needed infrastructure, so visitors can enjoy a high-quality experience which is unmatched by anything in the world.”
    The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ignore the ‘ivory tower’ clichés – universities are the innovation partners more Kiwi businesses need

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Aliasghar, Senior Lecturer, Management and International Business, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    NicoElNino/Shutterstock

    When it comes to turning research into real-world success, New Zealand has a problem.

    Despite the country’s NZ$3.7 billion research and development spending in 2023 – a 17% jump from the previous year — too many New Zealand businesses fail to commercialise innovation.

    According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, New Zealand ranks 21st for innovation inputs. This means we’re good at investing in research and development. But we rank 45th in knowledge outputs and 78th in industry diversification. Essentially, we’re spending more but getting less.

    So, what’s holding the country back? In a lot of cases, it can boil down to a lack of collaboration with universities.

    Universities are typically focused on generating novel or new-to-the world knowledge, with researchers, cutting-edge technology and deep industry connections.

    Working with universities can connect businesses to researchers, government agencies, private industry and global networks. Collaboration can also offer businesses credibility. It signals to investors, partners and customers that they are serious about innovation.

    Yet many businesses underestimate their value. They assume collaboration is slow, academic or bureaucratic.

    Our study – based on a digital survey of 541 firms across a wide range of industries and regions in New Zealand – looked at whether collaborating with universities could help businesses to bring ideas to market, sell intellectual property and develop technology.

    We also considered whether there was a difference in working with international universities versus collaborating with local institutions. While identifying details of the individual businesses were kept confidential, here is what we learned.

    The case for foreign university partnerships

    Our research found partnering with foreign universities allowed New Zealand businesses to tap into global expertise and advanced research. It also provided access to diverse knowledge networks, where businesses could learn from various real-world applications of scientific knowledge.

    For example, a New Zealand business specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) can gain game-changing insights by collaborating with top universities in the United States.

    The partnerships can provide access to leading AI models, advanced algorithms, and global industry connections. These partnerships can enable the business to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

    Additionally, many universities had well-established technology transfer offices. These had experience in helping businesses commercialise research.

    In short, foreign university collaborations opened doors to the world’s best knowledge and technology – critical for firms operating in fast-moving industries.

    New Zealand technology businesses have benefited from partnering with universities based in the United States on artificial intelligence projects.
    Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

    The strength of local university collaborations

    We also found local university collaborations had their own advantages, including
    an understanding of New Zealand’s specific challenges, from climate change impact on agriculture to AI adoption in small businesses.

    This contextual knowledge made their expertise highly relevant for firms aiming to commercialise innovation within New Zealand’s unique market conditions.

    Working with local universities also allowed businesses to build strong, personal relationships with researchers, fostering faster and more effective knowledge exchange.

    Unlike foreign partnerships, where interactions may be limited to emails and virtual meetings, local collaborations allowed for regular in-person brainstorming, experimentation and problem solving.

    Finally, collaborating with New Zealand’s universities gave businesses access to top local talent, helping them recruit skilled graduates familiar with the domestic market and its needs.

    A balanced approach

    Investing in research and development alone won’t drive innovation for businesses. Without strategic collaboration, firms risk wasting resources on ideas that never reach the market.

    Businesses should take a balanced approach. Foreign university collaborations can offer groundbreaking advances, cutting-edge knowledge and global networks. At the same time, local university collaborations offer accessible knowledge, local expertise and stronger working relationships.

    By embracing these partnerships, New Zealand businesses can turn research into commercial success, drive national economic growth, and position themselves as global innovation leaders. The question is no longer if firms should collaborate with universities – it’s how quickly they can start.

    This research was completed with Annique Un (Northeastern University), Kazuhiro Asakawa (Keio University), Jarrod Haar (Massey University) and Sihong Wu (University of Auckland).

    Omid Aliasghar receives funding support for this research provided by Building New Zealand’s Innovation Capacity Spearhead within the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.

    – ref. Ignore the ‘ivory tower’ clichés – universities are the innovation partners more Kiwi businesses need – https://theconversation.com/ignore-the-ivory-tower-cliches-universities-are-the-innovation-partners-more-kiwi-businesses-need-249129

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Neil Ward, Professor of Rural and Regional Development at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia

    William Edge / shutterstock

    If the UK is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, over one-third of its sheep and cows will have to go, with their fields being replaced by huge new areas of woodland. That’s one conclusion of the latest report by the the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the UK government’s independent advisor on climate change.

    The CCC is tasked with outlining how much greenhouse gas the UK can emit if it is to achieve its climate targets – its “carbon budget”. The committee also recommends how the country might reduce its emissions to get within that budget. It sets future budgets every five years or so. This latest report, the seventh carbon budget, looks at emissions in the period 2038 to 2043. It updates the sixth carbon budget produced in 2020.

    The UK has almost halved its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, but that was the easy half. Most dirty industries are long gone, for instance, and coal power plants have been replaced with gas and renewable energy.

    Next, the country will be grappling with the most challenging sectors including the focus of my academic research: agriculture and land use. This challenge will be worsened by the impacts of climate change and geopolitical uncertainties that raise doubts about the UK’s food security.

    Currently, agriculture makes up about 11% of UK emissions, but this proportion will rise considerably over the next 15 years as other sectors decarbonise further. Cattle and sheep contribute most of these emissions, and the latest carbon budget suggests their numbers will have to be reduced by 22% by 2035 and by over 38% by 2050.

    This is principally to release land to plant tens of thousands of hectares of new woodland each year (60,000 hectares a year by 2040) and to grow energy crops (38,000 hectares a year by 2040). It will also mean fewer emissions from the animals themselves and from growing animal feed.

    The UK needs a lot more of this.
    Callums Trees / shutterstock

    Less meat and dairy

    The latest carbon budget suggests that dietary change is key to this anticipated change in farming and land use. While British people won’t need to give up meat entirely, they will need to reduce consumption of meat and dairy products by around 35% by 2050 compared to 2019 levels.

    Meat and dairy consumption are already falling, however, and the trend has accelerated since 2020. To meet the budget, the decline would need to continue but more rapidly than the long-term trend.

    The CCC is in the business of advising on what government should do to address climate change, not in the business of telling people what to eat. It hopes that food labels with additional information about emissions will help people make better choices for themselves.

    Emphasising non-meat options and altering the layout of supermarkets may also help change the “choice environment” and so change consumption practices. Nevertheless, before long, the UK and devolved governments will have to grasp the nettle of diet change, land use and livestock. There have already been successful legal challenges for having inadequate plans in this area.

    It helps that diets good for the planet are also good for people’s health. In October 2024, the House of Lords food, diet and obesity committee estimated diet-related ill health and obesity cost £98 billion a year. This is a significant drag on productivity and places acute pressures on the NHS.

    Plant-based foods are better for food security

    Energy security is currently prompting much thought and action, but food security has not. Dietary change can also help improve the UK’s food security, however, since meat and dairy take up more land per calorie than healthier alternatives. A large-scale shift in diet and land use could render the UK more resilient to future wars, pandemics or anything else that causes shocks to food prices and supplies.

    For farmers and landowners there has been increasing interest in greener approaches to production, sometimes called regenerative farming. Some within, or clustered around, farming will protest about the scale of reduction in animal numbers implied by net zero.

    Faced with the basic maths, a marked reduction looks unavoidable. The sooner the conversation can shift from whether change is needed to how it might best be fairly and equitably pursued, the better.

    This carbon budget brings positive opportunities for nature restoration, diversifying rural economies and improving the appearance and ecology of the countryside. But for net emissions to come down enough, the amount of wooded land will need to increase from 13% to 19% by 2050 – that’s over a million extra hectares, or roughly equivalent to Cornwall, Devon and Dorset combined.

    These are very stretching targets, and tree planting over the past few years has fallen far short of the rates required. Because afforestation is such an important factor in the carbon budget, if the UK fails to meet its targets, the dietary changes may need to be even greater.

    Heightened international instability threatening UK food security could mean the same. Indeed, some food, health and environmental organisations will point to the seventh carbon budget and say the CCC has not gone far enough.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Neil Ward receives funding from UKRI in his role as Co-lead of the AFN (AgriFood4NetZero) Network+.. He is a member of the Labour Party and the National Trust.

    – ref. The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-must-make-big-changes-to-its-diets-farming-and-land-use-to-hit-net-zero-official-climate-advisers-250158

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2024 – 26 February 2025 – Alcohol available for consumption statistics provide information on the volume of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits, and spirit-based drinks) available for consumption in New Zealand.

    Key facts
    All comparisons are between the year ended December 2024 and the year ended December 2023, except where otherwise stated.

    The total volume of alcoholic beverages available for consumption was up 1.2 percent to 482 million litres.

    • The volume of beer rose 5.4 percent to 296 million litres.
    • The volume of wine fell 4.1 percent to 95 million litres.
    • The volume of spirits (including spirit-based drinks) fell 5.5 percent to 92 million litres.
    • The equivalent total volume of pure alcohol in all alcoholic beverages for consumption fell 3.1 percent.
    • The volume of available alcohol, expressed in terms of the number of equivalent standard drinks per person aged 18 years and over, fell 4.9 percent to 1.77 standard drinks per person per day.

    Files:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Tourism satellite account: Year ended March 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Tourism satellite account: Year ended March 2024 – 26 February 2025 – Tourism satellite account (TSA) provides an overview of tourism’s role in New Zealand, highlighting the changing levels and impact of tourism activity. It presents information on tourism’s contribution to the economy in terms of expenditure and employment.

    This release covers provisional figures for the year ended March 2024 and detailed results for 2023.

    Key provisional estimates

    For the year ended March 2024 (expressed in nominal terms):

    • total tourism expenditure was $44.4 billion, up 14.6 percent ($5.6 billion) from 2023
    • international tourism expenditure was up 59.9 percent ($6.3 billion) to $16.9 billion, returning to levels similar to 2019 ($17.2 billion)
      • international student expenditure (studying less than 12 months) was $3.8 billion, up 76.2 percent ($1.6 billion)
      • GST from international tourists totalled $1.7 billion, up $689 million
      • international tourism’s contribution to total exports of goods and services was 17.2 percent, up 6.0 percentage points
    • overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand increased 44.8 percent to 3,183,376
    • domestic tourism expenditure decreased 2.5 percent ($697 million) to $27.5 billion
      • household tourism expenditure decreased 5.8 percent ($1.3 billion)
      • business and government expenditure increased 8.4 percent ($559 million)
    • tourism’s direct contribution to GDP was $17.0 billion (4.4 percent of GDP), up 16.0 percent ($2.3 billion)
    • indirect value added of industries supporting tourism was $11.7 billion (3.1 percent of GDP)
    • the number of people directly employed in tourism was 182,727, up 13.5 percent (21,729 people)
      • the number of tourism employees was 159,030, up 13.3 percent (18,624 people)
      • the number of tourism working proprietors was 23,697, up 15.1 percent (3,102 people)
      • direct tourism employment as a share of the total number of people employed in New Zealand was 6.4 percent.

    More details:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2024 – 26 February 2025 – Alcohol available for consumption statistics provide information on the volume of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits, and spirit-based drinks) available for consumption in New Zealand.

    Key facts
    All comparisons are between the year ended December 2024 and the year ended December 2023, except where otherwise stated.

    The total volume of alcoholic beverages available for consumption was up 1.2 percent to 482 million litres.

    • The volume of beer rose 5.4 percent to 296 million litres.
    • The volume of wine fell 4.1 percent to 95 million litres.
    • The volume of spirits (including spirit-based drinks) fell 5.5 percent to 92 million litres.
    • The equivalent total volume of pure alcohol in all alcoholic beverages for consumption fell 3.1 percent.
    • The volume of available alcohol, expressed in terms of the number of equivalent standard drinks per person aged 18 years and over, fell 4.9 percent to 1.77 standard drinks per person per day.

    Files:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Tourism satellite account: Year ended March 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Tourism satellite account: Year ended March 2024 – 26 February 2025 – Tourism satellite account (TSA) provides an overview of tourism’s role in New Zealand, highlighting the changing levels and impact of tourism activity. It presents information on tourism’s contribution to the economy in terms of expenditure and employment.

    This release covers provisional figures for the year ended March 2024 and detailed results for 2023.

    Key provisional estimates

    For the year ended March 2024 (expressed in nominal terms):

    • total tourism expenditure was $44.4 billion, up 14.6 percent ($5.6 billion) from 2023
    • international tourism expenditure was up 59.9 percent ($6.3 billion) to $16.9 billion, returning to levels similar to 2019 ($17.2 billion)
      • international student expenditure (studying less than 12 months) was $3.8 billion, up 76.2 percent ($1.6 billion)
      • GST from international tourists totalled $1.7 billion, up $689 million
      • international tourism’s contribution to total exports of goods and services was 17.2 percent, up 6.0 percentage points
    • overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand increased 44.8 percent to 3,183,376
    • domestic tourism expenditure decreased 2.5 percent ($697 million) to $27.5 billion
      • household tourism expenditure decreased 5.8 percent ($1.3 billion)
      • business and government expenditure increased 8.4 percent ($559 million)
    • tourism’s direct contribution to GDP was $17.0 billion (4.4 percent of GDP), up 16.0 percent ($2.3 billion)
    • indirect value added of industries supporting tourism was $11.7 billion (3.1 percent of GDP)
    • the number of people directly employed in tourism was 182,727, up 13.5 percent (21,729 people)
      • the number of tourism employees was 159,030, up 13.3 percent (18,624 people)
      • the number of tourism working proprietors was 23,697, up 15.1 percent (3,102 people)
      • direct tourism employment as a share of the total number of people employed in New Zealand was 6.4 percent.

    More details:

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Par Pacific Reports Fourth Quarter and 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PARR) (“Par Pacific” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

    • Fourth quarter Net Loss of $(55.7) million, or $(1.01) per diluted share; Adjusted Net Loss of $(43.4) million, or $(0.79) per diluted share; Adjusted EBITDA of $10.9 million
    • Full year net loss of $(33.3) million, or $(0.59) per diluted share; Adjusted Net Income of $21.2 million, or $0.37 per diluted share; Adjusted EBITDA of $238.7 million
    • Record annual Retail and Logistics segment Adjusted EBITDA
    • Repurchased 5 million common shares during 2024, or 9% of year end shares outstanding

    Par Pacific reported a net loss of $(33.3) million, or $(0.59) per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to net income of $728.6 million, or $11.94 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. Adjusted Net Income for 2024 was $21.2 million, compared to $501.2 million for 2023. 2024 Adjusted EBITDA was $238.7 million, compared to $696.2 million for 2023.

    Par Pacific reported a net loss of $(55.7) million, or $(1.01) per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to net income of $289.3 million, or $4.77 per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2023. Fourth quarter 2024 Adjusted Net Loss was $(43.4) million, compared to Adjusted Net Income of $65.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Fourth quarter 2024 Adjusted EBITDA was $10.9 million, compared to $122.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. A reconciliation of reported non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures can be found in the tables accompanying this news release.

    “Our 2024 results underscore our strategic diversification with strong contribution from Hawaii Refining and record profitability in our Retail and Logistics segments,” said Will Monteleone, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Completing the Montana turnaround prior to the summer driving season and starting up our capital efficient Hawaii Sustainable Aviation Fuel project position us for earnings growth.”

    Refining

    The Refining segment generated operating income of $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $676.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Refining segment in the year ended December 31, 2024 was $618.3 million, compared to $995.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2023.

    Refining segment Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $139.2 million, compared to $621.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

    The Refining segment reported an operating loss of $(65.4) million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to operating income of $174.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Refining segment was $92.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $227.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Refining segment Adjusted EBITDA was $(22.3) million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $106.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Hawaii
    The Hawaii Index averaged $5.52 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $12.48 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2023. Throughput in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 83 thousand barrels per day (Mbpd), compared to 81 Mbpd for the same quarter in 2023. Production costs were $4.42 per throughput barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $4.80 per throughput barrel in the same period of 2023.

    The Hawaii refinery’s Adjusted Gross Margin was $7.36 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2024, including a net price lag impact of approximately $(5.4) million, or $(0.71) per barrel, compared to $16.73 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Montana
    The Montana Index averaged $5.75 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $14.80 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Montana refinery’s throughput in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 52 Mbpd, compared to 50 Mbpd for the same quarter in 2023. Production costs were $10.48 per throughput barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $12.03 per throughput barrel in the same period of 2023.

    The Montana refinery’s Adjusted Gross Margin was $3.70 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $11.55 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Washington
    The Washington Index averaged $(0.62) per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $5.23 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Washington refinery’s throughput was 39 Mbpd in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 38 Mbpd in the fourth quarter of 2023. Production costs were $4.34 per throughput barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $4.53 per throughput barrel in the same period of 2023.

    The Washington refinery’s Adjusted Gross Margin was $1.05 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $7.87 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Wyoming

    The Wyoming Index averaged $13.36 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $16.58 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Wyoming refinery’s throughput was 14 Mbpd in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 17 Mbpd in the fourth quarter of 2023. Production costs were $11.49 per throughput barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $8.03 per throughput barrel in the same period of 2023.

    The Wyoming refinery’s Adjusted Gross Margin was $11.11 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2024, including a FIFO impact of approximately $(2.2) million, or $(1.75) per barrel, compared to $13.90 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Wyoming Refining Operational Update

    The Wyoming refinery experienced an operational incident on the evening of February 12, 2025, and has remained safely idled through the extreme winter weather conditions. We expect to restart the refinery in mid-April at reduced throughput and return to full operations by the end of May.

    Retail

    The Retail segment reported operating income of $64.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $56.6 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Retail segment was $164.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $155.3 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

    For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, Retail Adjusted EBITDA was $76.0 million, compared to $68.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, the Retail segment reported fuel sales volumes of 121.5 million gallons, compared to 117.6 million gallons for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. 2024 same store fuel volumes and inside sales revenue increased by 2.2% and 4.6%, respectively, compared to 2023.

    The Retail segment reported operating income of $19.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $14.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Retail segment was $43.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $40.5 million in the same quarter of 2023.

    Retail segment Adjusted EBITDA was $22.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $17.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Retail segment reported sales volumes of 30.3 million gallons in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 29.8 million gallons in the same quarter of 2023. Fourth quarter 2024 same store fuel volumes and inside sales revenue increased by 2.1% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to fourth quarter of 2023.

    Logistics

    The Logistics segment generated operating income of $89.4 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $69.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Logistics segment was $135.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $121.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

    Adjusted EBITDA for the Logistics segment was $120.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $96.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

    The Logistics segment reported operating income of $24.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $15.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin for the Logistics segment was $36.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $35.3 million in the same quarter of 2023.

    Logistics segment Adjusted EBITDA was $33.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $24.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Liquidity

    Net cash provided by operations totaled $83.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, including working capital outflows of $(18.1) million and deferred turnaround expenditures of $(73.5) million. Excluding these items, net cash provided by operations totaled $175.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. Net cash provided by operations totaled $579.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

    Net cash used in operations totaled $(15.5) million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, including working capital inflows of $19.9 million and deferred turnaround expenditures of $(15.7) million. Excluding these items, net cash used in operations totaled $(19.6) million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Net cash used in operations totaled $(2.3) million for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

    Net cash used in investing activities totaled $(47.7) million and $(134.0) million for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to $(27.3) million and $(659.0) million for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2023, respectively. Net cash used in investing activities for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, includes $(47.7) million and $(135.5) million in capital expenditures, respectively.

    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities totaled $72.1 million and $(37.0) million for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to net cash used in financing activities of $(56.6) million and $(135.6) million for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2023, respectively.

    At December 31, 2024, Par Pacific’s cash balance totaled $191.9 million, gross term debt was $644.2 million, and total liquidity was $613.7 million. Net term debt was $452.3 million at December 31, 2024. In February 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized management to repurchase up to $250 million of common stock, with no specified end date. This replaces the prior authorization to repurchase up to $250 million of common stock.

    Laramie Energy

    In conjunction with Laramie Energy LLC’s (“Laramie’s”) refinancing and subsequent cash distribution to Par Pacific during the first quarter of 2023, we resumed the application of equity method accounting for our investment in Laramie effective February 21, 2023.

    During the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, we recorded $(3.2) million and $(0.3) million of equity losses. Laramie’s total net loss was $(11.3) million in the fourth quarter of 2024, including unrealized losses on derivatives of $(5.2) million, compared to net income of $42.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Laramie’s total net loss was $(15.5) million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, including unrealized losses on derivatives of $(3.6) million, compared to net income of $96.6 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

    Laramie’s total Adjusted EBITDAX was $11.0 million and $45.8 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to $19.6 million and $89.7 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023, respectively.

    Laramie’s balance sheet position is strong with $68.6 million of cash and $160.0 million of debt at December 31, 2024. Laramie’s 2024 production was 96.6 million cubic feet of gas equivalent per day (MMcfe/d) and its management team plans to run a one-rig program throughout 2025. Approximately 79% of Laramie’s 2025 production is hedged at $3.20 per million British thermal unit (MMBtu).

    Conference Call Information

    A conference call is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time). To access the call, please dial 1-833-974-2377 inside the U.S. or 1-412-317-5782 outside of the U.S. and ask for the Par Pacific call. Please dial in at least 10 minutes early to register. The webcast may be accessed online through the Company’s website at http://www.parpacific.com on the Investors page. A telephone replay will be available until March 12, 2025, and may be accessed by calling 1-877-344-7529 inside the U.S. or 1-412-317-0088 outside the U.S. and using the conference ID 2219355.

    About Par Pacific

    Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PARR), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a growing energy company providing both renewable and conventional fuels to the western United States. Par Pacific owns and operates 219,000 bpd of combined refining capacity across four locations in Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies, and an extensive energy infrastructure network, including 13 million barrels of storage, and marine, rail, rack, and pipeline assets. In addition, Par Pacific operates the Hele retail brand in Hawaii and the “nomnom” convenience store chain in the Pacific Northwest. Par Pacific also owns 46% of Laramie Energy, LLC, a natural gas production company with operations and assets concentrated in Western Colorado. More information is available at www.parpacific.com. 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release (and oral statements regarding the subject matter of this news release, including those made on the conference call and webcast announced herein) includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about: expected market conditions; anticipated free cash flows; anticipated refinery throughput; anticipated cost savings; anticipated capital expenditures, including major maintenance costs, and their effect on our financial and operating results, including earnings per share and free cash flow; anticipated retail sales volumes and on-island sales; the anticipated financial and operational results of Laramie Energy, LLC; the amount of our discounted net cash flows and the impact of our NOL carryforwards thereon; our ability to identify, acquire, and develop energy, related retailing, and infrastructure businesses; the timing and expected results of certain development projects, as well as the impact of such investments on our product mix and sales; the anticipated synergies and other benefits of the Billings refinery and associated marketing and logistics assets (“Billings Acquisition”), including renewable growth opportunities, the anticipated financial and operating results of the Billings Acquisition and the effect on Par Pacific’s cash flows and profitability (including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income and Free Cash Flow per share); and other risks and uncertainties detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any other documents that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends, and uncertainties, such as changes to our financial condition and liquidity; the volatility of crude oil and refined product prices; the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Palestine conflict, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Iranian activities in the Strait of Hormuz and their potential impacts on global crude oil markets and our business; operating disruptions at our refineries resulting from unplanned maintenance events or natural disasters; environmental risks; changes in the labor market; and risks of political or regulatory changes. We cannot provide assurances that the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based will prove to have been correct. Should any of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. We do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. We further expressly disclaim any written or oral statements made by a third party regarding the subject matter of this news release.

    Contact:
    Ashimi Patel
    VP, Investor Relations & Sustainability
    (832) 916-3355
    apatel@parpacific.com

    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (Unaudited)
    (in thousands, except per share data)

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Revenues $ 1,832,221     $ 2,183,511     $ 7,974,457     $ 8,231,955  
    Operating expenses              
    Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation)   1,678,273       1,799,898       7,101,148       6,838,109  
    Operating expense (excluding depreciation)   139,893       155,441       584,282       485,587  
    Depreciation and amortization   34,911       31,943       131,590       119,830  
    General and administrative expense (excluding depreciation)   21,522       25,299       108,844       91,447  
    Equity losses (earnings) from refining and logistics investments   941       (7,485 )     (11,905 )     (11,844 )
    Acquisition and integration costs   32       269       100       17,482  
    Par West redevelopment and other costs   3,500       2,907       12,548       11,397  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   108       (59 )     222       (59 )
    Total operating expenses   1,879,180       2,008,213       7,926,829       7,551,949  
    Operating income (loss)   (46,959 )     175,298       47,628       680,006  
    Other income (expense)              
    Interest expense and financing costs, net   (21,073 )     (20,476 )     (82,793 )     (72,450 )
    Debt extinguishment and commitment costs   (270 )     (1,500 )     (1,688 )     (19,182 )
    Other loss, net   (422 )     (354 )     (1,869 )     (53 )
    Equity earnings (losses) from Laramie Energy, LLC   (3,163 )     14,279       (296 )     24,985  
    Total other expense, net   (24,928 )     (8,051 )     (86,646 )     (66,700 )
    Income (loss) before income taxes   (71,887 )     167,247       (39,018 )     613,306  
    Income tax benefit (expense)   16,192       122,077       5,696       115,336  
    Net income (loss) $ (55,695 )   $ 289,324     $ (33,322 )   $ 728,642  
    Weighted-average shares outstanding              
    Basic   55,252       59,403       56,775       60,035  
    Diluted   55,252       60,609       56,775       61,014  
                   
    Income (loss) per share              
    Basic $ (1.01 )   $ 4.87     $ (0.59 )   $ 12.14  
    Diluted $ (1.01 )   $ 4.77     $ (0.59 )   $ 11.94  
                                   

    Balance Sheet Data
    (Unaudited)
    (in thousands)

      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Balance Sheet Data      
    Cash and cash equivalents $         191,921           $         279,107        
    Working capital (1)           488,940                     190,042        
    ABL Credit Facility           483,000                     115,000        
    Term debt (2)           644,233                     550,621        
    Total debt, including current portion           1,112,967                     650,858        
    Total stockholders’ equity           1,191,302                     1,335,424        
               

    _______________________________________

    (1) Working capital is calculated as (i) total current assets excluding cash and cash equivalents less (ii) total current liabilities excluding current portion of long-term debt. Total current assets include inventories stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value.
    (2) Term debt includes the Term Loan Credit Agreement and other long-term debt.
       

    Operating Statistics

    The following table summarizes key operational data:

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Total Refining Segment              
    Feedstocks throughput (Mbpd) (1)   187.8       186.0       186.7       170.3  
    Refined product sales volume (Mbpd) (1)   199.4       194.4       199.9       183.1  
                   
    Hawaii Refinery              
    Feedstocks throughput (Mbpd)   83.3       80.6       81.1       80.8  
                   
    Yield (% of total throughput)              
    Gasoline and gasoline blendstocks   27.0 %     25.2 %     26.2 %     26.3 %
    Distillates   41.1 %     39.3 %     38.9 %     40.4 %
    Fuel oils   29.2 %     31.8 %     31.3 %     28.9 %
    Other products (0.2)%   (0.2)%     0.2 %     1.1 %
    Total yield   97.1 %     96.1 %     96.6 %     96.7 %
                   
    Refined product sales volume (Mbpd)   93.7       89.0       89.3       89.1  
                   
    Adjusted Gross Margin per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (2) $ 7.36     $ 16.73     $ 9.34     $ 15.25  
    Production costs per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (3)   4.42       4.80       4.58       4.57  
    D&A per bbl ($/throughput bbl)   0.32       0.54       0.43       0.65  
                   
    Montana Refinery              
    Feedstocks Throughput (Mbpd) (1)   51.9       49.8       49.9       54.4  
                   
    Yield (% of total throughput)              
    Gasoline and gasoline blendstocks   43.9 %     45.1 %     48.0 %     48.1 %
    Distillates   32.7 %     38.8 %     31.9 %     32.0 %
    Asphalt   15.2 %     8.7 %     10.9 %     12.1 %
    Other products   2.7 %     2.5 %     3.9 %     3.2 %
    Total yield   94.5 %     95.1 %     94.7 %     95.4 %
                   
    Refined product sales volume (Mbpd) (1)   52.9       51.5       53.2       58.6  
                   
    Adjusted Gross Margin per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (2) $ 3.70     $ 11.55     $ 11.37     $ 21.14  
    Production costs per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (3)   10.48       12.03       12.42       10.78  
    D&A per bbl ($/throughput bbl)   2.26       1.10       1.83       1.45  
                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Washington Refinery              
    Feedstocks throughput (Mbpd)   39.0       38.4       38.2       40.0  
                   
    Yield (% of total throughput)              
    Gasoline and gasoline blendstocks   23.6 %     23.8 %     23.9 %     23.5 %
    Distillate   34.6 %     34.1 %     34.5 %     34.5 %
    Asphalt   19.4 %     20.6 %     18.8 %     19.7 %
    Other products   19.3 %     18.6 %     19.3 %     18.7 %
    Total yield   96.9 %     97.1 %     96.5 %     96.4 %
                   
    Refined product sales volume (Mbpd)   37.9       37.0       39.2       41.7  
                   
    Adjusted Gross Margin per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (2) $ 1.05     $ 7.87     $ 3.25     $ 9.41  
    Production costs per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (3)   4.34       4.53       4.28       4.12  
    D&A per bbl ($/throughput bbl)   1.91       2.22       1.97       1.91  
                   
    Wyoming Refinery              
    Feedstocks throughput (Mbpd)   13.6       17.2       17.5       17.6  
                   
    Yield (% of total throughput)              
    Gasoline and gasoline blendstocks   51.5 %     50.3 %     46.9 %     47.1 %
    Distillate   43.1 %     45.0 %     47.1 %     46.7 %
    Fuel oils   1.7 %     2.3 %     2.4 %     2.5 %
    Other products   1.7 %     1.0 %     2.1 %     1.5 %
    Total yield   98.0 %     98.6 %     98.5 %     97.8 %
                   
    Refined product sales volume (Mbpd)   14.9       16.9       18.2       17.9  
                   
    Adjusted Gross Margin per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (2) $ 11.11     $ 13.90     $ 13.73     $ 25.15  
    Production costs per bbl ($/throughput bbl) (3)   11.49       8.03       8.10       7.50  
    D&A per bbl ($/throughput bbl)   3.55       2.71       2.71       2.69  
                   
                   
    Par Pacific Indices ($ per barrel)              
    Hawaii Index (4) $ 5.52     $ 12.48     $ 7.21     $ 13.06  
    Montana Index (5)   5.75       14.80       14.39       23.71  
    Washington Index (6)   (0.62 )     5.23       4.13       9.81  
    Wyoming Index (7)   13.36       16.58       16.47       24.48  
                   
    Market Cracks ($ per barrel)              
    Singapore 3.1.2 Product Crack (4) $ 11.69     $ 19.44     $ 13.36     $ 19.50  
    Montana 6.3.2.1 Product Crack (5)   15.31       23.56       21.59       30.15  
    Washington 3.1.1.1 Product Crack (6)   8.29       10.83       12.11       17.91  
    Wyoming 2.1.1 Product Crack (7)   16.00       18.70       18.48       27.52  
                   
    Crude Oil Prices ($ per barrel) (8)              
    Brent $ 74.01     $ 82.85     $ 79.86     $ 82.17  
    WTI   70.32       78.53       75.76       77.60  
    ANS (-) Brent   1.00       2.21       1.55       0.95  
    Bakken Guernsey (-) WTI   (1.22 )     (2.20 )     (1.26 )     (0.65 )
    Bakken Williston (-) WTI   (2.54 )     (2.50 )     (2.45 )     (0.09 )
    WCS Hardisty (-) WTI   (12.27 )     (22.78 )     (13.90 )     (17.92 )
    MSW (-) WTI   (3.68 )     (7.34 )     (4.03 )     (3.70 )
    Syncrude (-) WTI   (0.42 )     (4.12 )     0.18       1.32  
    Brent M1-M3   0.74       1.01       1.10       0.81  
                   
    Retail Segment              
    Retail sales volumes (thousands of gallons)   30,287       29,840       121,473       117,550  

    _______________________________________

    (1) Feedstocks throughput and sales volumes per day for the Montana refinery for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023 are calculated based on the 92 and 214-day periods for which we owned the Montana refinery during the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, respectively. As such, the amounts for the total refining segment represent the sum of the Hawaii, Washington, and Wyoming refineries’ throughput or sales volumes averaged over the three months and year ended December 31, 2023 plus the Montana refinery’s throughput or sales volumes averaged over the periods from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023 and June 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, respectively. The 2024 amounts for the total refining segment represent the sum of the Hawaii, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming refineries’ throughput or sales volumes averaged over the three months and year ended December 31, 2024.
    (2) We calculate Adjusted Gross Margin per barrel by dividing Adjusted Gross Margin by total refining throughput. Adjusted Gross Margin for our Washington refinery is determined under the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) inventory costing method. Adjusted Gross Margin for our other refineries is determined under the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) inventory costing method.
    (3) Management uses production costs per barrel to evaluate performance and compare efficiency to other companies in the industry. There are a variety of ways to calculate production costs per barrel; different companies within the industry calculate it in different ways. We calculate production costs per barrel by dividing all direct production costs, which include the costs to run the refineries, including personnel costs, repair and maintenance costs, insurance, utilities, and other miscellaneous costs, by total refining throughput. Our production costs are included in Operating expense (excluding depreciation) on our condensed consolidated statements of operations, which also includes costs related to our bulk marketing operations and severance costs.
    (4) Beginning in 2025, we established the Hawaii Index as a new benchmark for our Hawaii operations. We believe the Hawaii Index, which incorporates market cracks and landed crude differentials, better reflects the key drivers impacting our Hawaii refinery’s financial performance compared to prior reported market indices. The Hawaii Index is calculated as the Singapore 3.1.2 Product Crack, or one part gasoline (RON 92) and two parts distillates (Sing Jet & Sing gasoil) as created from a barrel of Brent crude oil, less the Par Hawaii Refining, LLC (“PHR”) crude differential.
    (5) Beginning in 2025, we established the Montana Index as a new benchmark for our Montana refinery. We believe the Montana Index, which incorporates local market cracks, regional crude oil prices, and management’s estimates for other costs of sales, better reflects the key drivers impacting our Montana refinery’s financial performance compared to prior reported market indices. Beginning in 2025, market cracks have been updated to reflect local market product pricing, which better reflects our Montana refinery’s refined product sales price compared to prior reported market indices. The Montana Index is calculated as the Montana 6.3.2.1 Product Crack less Montana crude costs, less other costs of sales, including inflation-adjusted product delivery costs, yield loss expense, taxes and tariffs, and product discounts. The Montana 6.3.2.1 Product Crack is calculated by taking three parts gasoline (Billings E10 and Spokane E10), two parts distillate (Billings ULSD and Spokane ULSD), and one part asphalt (Rocky Mountain Rail Asphalt) as created from a barrel of WTI crude oil, less 100% of the RVO cost for gasoline and ULSD. Asphalt pricing is lagged by one month. The Montana crude cost is calculated as 60% WCS differential to WTI, 20% MSW differential to WTI, and 20% Syncrude differential to WTI. The Montana crude cost is lagged by three months and includes an inflation-adjusted crude delivery cost. Other costs of sales and crude delivery costs are based on historical averages and management’s estimates.
    (6) Beginning in 2025, we established the Washington Index as a new benchmark for our Washington refinery. We believe the Washington Index, which incorporates local market cracks, regional crude oil prices, and management’s estimates for other costs of sales, better reflects the key drivers impacting our Washington refinery’s financial performance compared to prior reported market indices. Beginning in 2025, market cracks have been updated to reflect local market product pricing, which better reflects our Washington refinery’s refined product sales price compared to prior reported market indices. The Washington Index is calculated as the Washington 3.1.1.1 Product Crack, less Washington crude costs, less other costs of sales, including inflation-adjusted product delivery costs, yield loss expense and state and local taxes. The Washington 3.1.1.1 Product Crack is calculated by taking one part gasoline (Tacoma E10), one part distillate (Tacoma ULSD) and one part secondary products (USGC VGO and Rocky Mountain Rail Asphalt) as created from a barrel of WTI crude oil, less 100% of the RVO cost for gasoline and ULSD. Asphalt pricing is lagged by one month. The Washington crude cost is calculated as 67% Bakken Williston differential to WTI and 33% WCS Hardisty differential to WTI. The Washington crude cost is lagged by one month and includes an inflation-adjusted crude delivery cost. Other costs of sales and crude delivery costs are based on historical averages and management’s estimates.
    (7) Beginning in 2025, we established the Wyoming Index as a new benchmark for our Wyoming refinery. We believe the Wyoming Index, which incorporates local market cracks, regional crude oil prices, and management’s estimates for other costs of sales, better reflects the key drivers impacting our Wyoming refinery’s financial performance compared to prior reported market indices. Beginning in 2025, market cracks have also been updated to reflect local market product pricing, which better reflects our Wyoming refinery’s refined product sales price compared to prior reported market indices. The Wyoming Index is calculated as the Wyoming 2.1.1 Product Crack, less Wyoming crude costs, less other cost of sales, including inflation adjusted product delivery costs and yield loss expense, based on historical averages and management’s estimates. The Wyoming 2.1.1 Product Crack is calculated by taking one part gasoline (Rockies gasoline) and one part distillate (USGC ULSD and USGC Jet) as created from a barrel of WTI crude oil, less 100% of the RVO cost for gasoline and ULSD. The Wyoming crude cost is calculated as the Bakken Guernsey differential to WTI on a one-month lag.
    (8) Beginning in 2025, crude oil prices have been updated and expanded to reflect regional differentials to Brent and WTI, which better reflect our refineries’ feedstock costs compared to prior crude oil pricing.
       

    Non-GAAP Performance Measures

    Management uses certain financial measures to evaluate our operating performance that are considered non-GAAP financial measures. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes or alternatives to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies since each company may define these terms differently.

    We believe Adjusted Gross Margin (as defined below) provides useful information to investors because it eliminates the gross impact of volatile commodity prices and adjusts for certain non-cash items and timing differences created by our inventory financing agreements and lower of cost and net realizable value adjustments to demonstrate the earnings potential of the business before other fixed and variable costs, which are reported separately in Operating expense (excluding depreciation) and Depreciation and amortization. Management uses Adjusted Gross Margin per barrel to evaluate operating performance and compare profitability to other companies in the industry and to industry benchmarks. We believe Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below) are useful supplemental financial measures that allow investors to assess the financial performance of our assets without regard to financing methods, capital structure, or historical cost basis, the ability of our assets to generate cash to pay interest on our indebtedness, and our operating performance and return on invested capital as compared to other companies without regard to financing methods and capital structure. We believe Adjusted EBITDA by segment (as defined below) is a useful supplemental financial measure to evaluate the economic performance of our segments without regard to financing methods, capital structure, or historical cost basis.

    Beginning with financial results reported for the second quarter of 2023, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Net Income (Loss), and Adjusted EBITDA also exclude our portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation expense from our refining and logistics investments acquired on June 1, 2023, as part of the Billings Acquisition.

    Beginning with financial results reported for the fourth quarter of 2023, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Net Income (Loss), and Adjusted EBITDA excludes all hedge losses (gains) associated with our Washington ending inventory and LIFO layer increment impacts associated with our Washington inventory. In addition, we have modified our environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustment to include only the mark-to-market losses (gains) associated with our net RINs liability and net obligation associated with the Washington Climate Commitment Act (“Washington CCA”) and Clean Fuel Standard. This modification was made as part of our change in how we estimate our environmental obligation liabilities.

    Beginning with financial results reported for the fourth quarter of 2023, Adjusted Net Income (loss) excludes unrealized interest rate derivative losses (gains) and all Laramie Energy related impacts with the exception of cash distributions. We have recast Adjusted Net Income (Loss) for prior periods when reported to conform to the modified presentation.

    Beginning with financial results reported for the first quarter of 2024, Adjusted Net Income (loss) also excludes other non-operating income and expenses. This modification improves comparability between periods by excluding income and expenses resulting from non-operating activities.

    Effective as of the fourth quarter of 2024, we have modified our definition of Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA to align the accounting treatment for deferred turnaround costs from our refining and logistics investments with our accounting policy. Under this approach, we exclude our share of their turnaround expenses, which are recorded as period costs in their financial statements, and instead defer and amortize these costs on a straight-line basis over the period estimated until the next planned turnaround. This modification enhances consistency and comparability across reporting periods.

    Adjusted Gross Margin

    Adjusted Gross Margin is defined as Operating income (loss) excluding:

    •   operating expense (excluding depreciation);
    •   depreciation and amortization (“D&A”);
    •   Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and D&A expense from refining and logistics investments;
    •   impairment expense;
    •   loss (gain) on sale of assets, net;
    •   Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments;
    •   inventory valuation adjustment (which adjusts for timing differences to reflect the economics of our inventory financing agreements, including lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments, the impact of the embedded derivative repurchase or terminal obligations, hedge losses (gains) associated with our Washington ending inventory and intermediation obligation, purchase price allocation adjustments, and LIFO layer increment and decrement impacts associated with our Washington inventory);
    •   Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments (which represents the mark-to-market losses (gains) associated with our net RINs liability and net obligation associated with the Washington CCA and Clean Fuel Standard); and
    •   unrealized loss (gain) on derivatives.
         

    The following tables present a reconciliation of Adjusted Gross Margin to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, operating income (loss), on a historical basis, for selected segments, for the periods indicated (in thousands):

    Three months ended December 31, 2024 Refining   Logistics   Retail
    Operating income (loss) $ (65,399 )   $ 24,772   $ 19,477
    Operating expense (excluding depreciation)   114,706       3,829     21,358
    Depreciation and amortization   24,524       7,140     2,566
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   456       1,101     —
    Inventory valuation adjustment   5,929       —     —
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (937 )     —     —
    Unrealized loss on commodity derivatives   9,220       —     —
    Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments   3,856       —     —
    Loss on sale of assets, net   8       —     —
    Adjusted Gross Margin (1) $ 92,363     $ 36,842   $ 43,401
                       
    Three months ended December 31, 2023 Refining   Logistics   Retail
    Operating income $ 174,038     $ 15,709   $ 14,594  
    Operating expense (excluding depreciation)   120,810       11,272     23,359  
    Depreciation and amortization   21,190       7,321     2,885  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   765       952     —  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   (24,089 )     —     —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (15,672 )     —     —  
    Unrealized gain on commodity derivatives   (50,024 )     —     —  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   219       —     (308 )
    Adjusted Gross Margin (1) (2) $ 227,237     $ 35,254   $ 40,530  
                         
    Year Ended December 31, 2024 Refining   Logistics   Retail
    Operating income $ 17,412     $ 89,351   $ 64,800  
    Operating expense (excluding depreciation)   479,737       15,676     88,869  
    Depreciation and amortization   91,108       27,033     11,037  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   2,493       3,651     —  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   (490 )     —     —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (19,136 )     —     —  
    Unrealized loss on commodity derivatives   43,281       —     —  
    Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments   3,856       —     —  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   8       124     (10 )
    Adjusted Gross Margin (1) $ 618,269     $ 135,835   $ 164,696  
                         
    Year Ended December 31, 2023 Refining   Logistics   Retail
    Operating income $ 676,161     $ 69,744   $ 56,603  
    Operating expense (excluding depreciation)   373,612       24,450     87,525  
    Depreciation and amortization   81,017       25,122     11,462  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   1,586       1,857     —  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   102,710       —     —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (189,783 )     —     —  
    Unrealized gain on commodity derivatives   (50,511 )     —     —  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   219       —     (308 )
    Adjusted Gross Margin (1) (2) $ 995,011     $ 121,173   $ 155,282  

    _______________________________________

    (1) For the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, there was no impairment expense in Operating income.
    (2) For the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, there was no impact in Operating income from accounting policy differences at our refining and logistics investments.
       

    Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA

    Adjusted Net Income (Loss) is defined as Net income (loss) excluding:

    •   inventory valuation adjustment (which adjusts for timing differences to reflect the economics of our inventory financing agreements, including lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments, the impact of the embedded derivative repurchase or terminal obligations, hedge losses (gains) associated with our Washington ending inventory and intermediation obligation, purchase price allocation adjustments, and LIFO layer increment and decrement impacts associated with our Washington inventory);
    •   Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments (which represents the mark-to-market losses (gains) associated with our net RINs liability and net obligation associated with the Washington CCA and Clean Fuel Standard);
    •   unrealized (gain) loss on derivatives;
    •   acquisition and integration costs;
    •   redevelopment and other costs related to Par West;
    •   debt extinguishment and commitment costs;
    •   increase in (release of) tax valuation allowance and other deferred tax items;
    •   changes in the value of contingent consideration and common stock warrants;
    •   severance costs and other non-operating expense (income);
    •   (gain) loss on sale of assets;
    •   impairment expense;
    •   impairment expense associated with our investment in Laramie Energy;
    •   Par’s share of equity (earnings) losses from Laramie Energy, LLC, excluding cash distributions; and
    •   Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments.

    Adjusted EBITDA is defined as Adjusted Net Income (Loss) excluding:

    •   D&A;
    •   interest expense and financing costs, net, excluding unrealized interest rate derivative loss (gain);
    •   cash distributions from Laramie Energy, LLC to Par;
    •   Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and D&A expense from refining and logistics investments; and
    •   income tax expense (benefit) excluding the increase in (release of) tax valuation allowance.
         

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, net income (loss), on a historical basis for the periods indicated (in thousands):        

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income (loss) $ (55,695 )   $ 289,324     $ (33,322 )   $ 728,642  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   5,929       (24,089 )     (490 )     102,710  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (937 )     (15,672 )     (19,136 )     (189,783 )
    Unrealized loss (gain) on derivatives   8,729       (48,539 )     42,485       (49,690 )
    Acquisition and integration costs   32       269       100       17,482  
    Par West redevelopment and other costs   3,500       2,907       12,548       11,397  
    Debt extinguishment and commitment costs   270       1,500       1,688       19,182  
    Changes in valuation allowance and other deferred tax items (1)   (12,553 )     (126,219 )     (3,315 )     (126,219 )
    Severance costs and other non-operating expense (2)   154       100       14,802       1,785  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   108       (59 )     222       (59 )
    Equity (earnings) losses from Laramie Energy, LLC, excluding cash distributions   3,163       (14,279 )     1,781       (14,279 )
    Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments   3,856       —       3,856       —  
    Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (3) (4)   (43,444 )     65,243       21,219       501,168  
    Depreciation and amortization   34,911       31,943       131,590       119,830  
    Interest expense and financing costs, net, excluding unrealized interest rate derivative loss (gain)   21,564       18,991       83,589       71,629  
    Laramie Energy, LLC cash distributions to Par   —       —       (1,485 )     (10,706 )
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   1,557       1,717       6,144       3,443  
    Income tax expense (benefit)   (3,639 )     4,142       (2,381 )     10,883  
    Adjusted EBITDA (3) $ 10,949     $ 122,036     $ 238,676     $ 696,247  

    _______________________________________

    (1) For the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a non-cash deferred tax benefit of $12.6 million and $3.3 million, respectively. This tax benefit is included in Income tax expense (benefit) on our consolidated statements of operations. For the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a non-cash deferred tax benefit of $126.2 million primarily related to the release of a majority of the valuation allowance against our federal net deferred tax assets.
    (2) For the year ended December 31, 2024, we incurred $13.1 million of stock-based compensation expenses associated with accelerated vesting of equity awards and modification of vested equity awards related to our CEO transition and $0.8 million for a legal settlement unrelated to current operating activities.
    (3) For the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, there was no change in value of contingent consideration, change in value of common stock warrants, impairment expense, impairments associated with our investment in Laramie Energy, or our share of Laramie Energy’s asset impairment losses in excess of our basis difference. Please read the Non-GAAP Performance Measures discussion above for information regarding changes to the components of Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA made during the reporting periods.
    (4) For the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, there was no impact in Operating income from accounting policy differences at our refining and logistics investments.
       

     

    The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per share (in thousands, except per share amounts):

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023     2024     2023
    Adjusted Net Income (Loss) $ (43,444 )   $ 65,243   $ 21,219   $ 501,168
    Plus: effect of convertible securities   —       —     —     —
    Numerator for diluted income (loss) per common share $ (43,444 )   $ 65,243   $ 21,219   $ 501,168
                   
    Basic weighted-average common stock shares outstanding   55,252       59,403     56,775     60,035
    Add dilutive effects of common stock equivalents (1)   —       1,206     657     979
    Diluted weighted-average common stock shares outstanding   55,252       60,609     57,432     61,014
                   
    Basic Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per common share $ (0.79 )   $ 1.10   $ 0.37   $ 8.35
    Diluted Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per common share $ (0.79 )   $ 1.08   $ 0.37   $ 8.21

    _______________________________________

    (1) Entities with a net loss from continuing operations are prohibited from including potential common shares in the computation of diluted per share amounts. We have utilized the basic shares outstanding to calculate both basic and diluted Adjusted Net Loss per common share for the three months ended December 31, 2024.
       

    Adjusted EBITDA by Segment

    Adjusted EBITDA by segment is defined as Operating income (loss) excluding:

    •   D&A;
    •   inventory valuation adjustment (which adjusts for timing differences to reflect the economics of our inventory financing agreements, including lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments, the impact of the embedded derivative repurchase or terminal obligations, hedge losses (gains) associated with our Washington ending inventory and intermediation obligation, purchase price allocation adjustments, and LIFO layer increment and decrement impacts associated with our Washington inventory);
    •   Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments (which represents the mark-to-market losses (gains) associated with our net RINs liability and net obligation associated with the Washington CCA and Clean Fuel Standard);
    •   unrealized (gain) loss on derivatives;
    •   acquisition and integration costs;
    •   redevelopment and other costs related to Par West;
    •   severance costs and other non-operating expense (income);
    •   (gain) loss on sale of assets;
    •   impairment expense;
    •   Par’s portion of interest, taxes, and D&A expense from refining and logistics investments; and
    •   Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments.
         

    Adjusted EBITDA by segment also includes Gain on curtailment of pension obligation and Other income (loss), net, which are presented below operating income (loss) on our condensed consolidated statements of operations.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA by segment to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, operating income (loss) by segment, on a historical basis, for selected segments, for the periods indicated (in thousands):

      Three Months Ended December 31, 2024
      Refining   Logistics   Retail   Corporate and Other
    Operating income (loss) by segment $ (65,399 )   $ 24,772   $ 19,477   $ (25,809 )
    Depreciation and amortization   24,524       7,140     2,566     681  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   5,929       —     —     —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (937 )     —     —     —  
    Unrealized loss on commodity derivatives   9,220       —     —     —  
    Acquisition and integration costs   —       —     —     32  
    Par West redevelopment and other costs   —       —     —     3,500  
    Severance costs and other non-operating expense   —       —     154     —  
    Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments   3,856       —     —     —  
    Loss on sale of assets, net   8       —     —     100  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   456       1,101     —     —  
    Other loss, net   —       —     —     (422 )
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ (22,343 )   $ 33,013   $ 22,197   $ (21,918 )
                               
      Three Months Ended December 31, 2023
      Refining   Logistics   Retail   Corporate and Other
    Operating income (loss) by segment $ 174,038     $ 15,709   $ 14,594     $ (29,043 )
    Depreciation and amortization   21,190       7,321     2,885       547  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   (24,089 )     —     —       —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (15,672 )     —     —       —  
    Unrealized gain on commodity derivatives   (50,024 )     —     —       —  
    Acquisition and integration costs   —       —     —       269  
    Par West redevelopment and other costs   —       —     —       2,907  
    Severance costs and other non-operating expenses   100       —     —       —  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   219       —     (308 )     30  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   765       952     —       —  
    Other loss, net   —       —     —       (354 )
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) (2) $ 106,527     $ 23,982   $ 17,171     $ (25,644 )
                                 
      Year Ended December 31, 2024
      Refining   Logistics   Retail   Corporate and Other
    Operating income (loss) by segment $ 17,412     $ 89,351   $ 64,800     $ (123,935 )
    Depreciation and amortization   91,108       27,033     11,037       2,412  
    Inventory valuation adjustment   (490 )     —     —       —  
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments   (19,136 )     —     —       —  
    Unrealized loss on commodity derivatives   43,281       —     —       —  
    Acquisition and integration costs   —       —     —       100  
    Severance costs and other non-operating expenses   642       —     154       14,006  
    Par West redevelopment and other costs   —       —     —       12,548  
    Par’s portion of accounting policy differences from refining and logistics investments   3,856       —     —       —  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   8       124     (10 )     100  
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments   2,493       3,651     —       —  
    Other loss, net   —       —     —       (1,869 )
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 139,174     $ 120,159   $ 75,981     $ (96,638 )
                                 
      Year Ended December 31, 2023
      Refining   Logistics   Retail   Corporate and Other
    Operating income (loss) by segment $         676,161             $         69,744           $         56,603             $         (122,502 )
    Depreciation and amortization           81,017                       25,122                     11,462                       2,229          
    Inventory valuation adjustment           102,710                       —                     —                       —          
    Environmental obligation mark-to-market adjustments           (189,783 )             —                     —                       —          
    Unrealized gain on commodity derivatives           (50,511 )             —                     —                       —          
    Acquisition and integration costs           —                       —                     —                       17,482          
    Severance costs and other non-operating expenses           100                       —                     580                       1,105          
    Par West redevelopment and other costs           —                       —                     —                       11,397          
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net           219                       —                     (308 )             30          
    Par’s portion of interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense from refining and logistics investments           1,586                       1,857                     —                       —          
    Other loss, net           —                       —                     —                       (53 )
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) (2) $         621,499             $         96,723           $         68,337             $         (90,312 )

    _______________________________________

    (1) For the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, there was no change in value of contingent consideration, change in value of common stock warrants, impairment expense, impairments associated with our investment in Laramie Energy, or our share of Laramie Energy’s asset impairment losses in excess of our basis difference.
    (2) For the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, there was no impact in Operating income (loss) from accounting policy differences at our refining and logistics investments.
       

    Laramie Energy Adjusted EBITDAX

    Adjusted EBITDAX is defined as net income (loss) excluding commodity derivative loss (gain), loss (gain) on settled derivative instruments, interest expense, gain on extinguishment of debt, non-cash preferred dividend, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion, exploration and geological and geographical expense, bonus accrual, equity-based compensation expense, loss (gain) on disposal of assets, phantom units, and expired acreage (non-cash). We believe Adjusted EBITDAX is a useful supplemental financial measure to evaluate the economic and operational performance of exploration and production companies such as Laramie Energy.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of Laramie Energy’s Adjusted EBITDAX to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, net income (loss) for the periods indicated (in thousands):

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income (loss) $ (11,250 )   $ 42,538     $ (15,546 )   $ 96,586  
    Commodity derivative (income) loss   4,766       (40,338 )     (11,055 )     (73,289 )
    Loss on settled derivative instruments   389       1,594       14,609       161  
    Interest expense and loan fees   4,845       5,366       20,628       20,108  
    Gain on extinguishment of debt   —       —       —       6,644  
    Non-cash preferred dividend   —       —       —       2,910  
    Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion   8,158       7,714       32,841       30,179  
    Phantom units   3,328       2,325       2,825       5,496  
    Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net   —       —       (8 )     307  
    Expired acreage (non-cash)   770       441       1,492       553  
    Total Adjusted EBITDAX (1) $ 11,006     $ 19,640     $ 45,786     $ 89,655  

    _______________________________________

    (1) For the three months and years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, there was no exploration and geological and geographical expense, bonus accrual, or equity-based compensation expense.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 6:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Smart Solutions for Ad Spend Optimization

    Introduction

    The AdSpend Optimizer Hackathon part of the WAVES Create India Challenge Season 1 is an exciting event that brings together industry experts to revolutionize ad spend optimization using predictive analytics. Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), this hackathon offers a platform to address key challenges, share expertise and drive growth in the advertising sector. With 35 registrations so far, including 1 international participant the event is gaining momentum.

    The World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in its first edition is a unique hub and spoke platform poised for the convergence of the entire Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector. The event is a premier global event that aims to bring the focus of the global M&E industry to India and connect it with the Indian M&E sector along with its talent.

    The summit will take place from May 1-4, 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre & Jio World Gardens in Mumbai. With a focus on four key pillars—Broadcasting & Infotainment, AVGC-XR, Digital Media & Innovation, and Films-WAVES will bring together leaders, creators and technologists to showcase the future of India’s entertainment industry.

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon is a part of the Broadcasting & Infotainment pillar. It invites young advertising and marketing professionals from India and beyond to showcase their expertise in ad optimization. Participants will use data science, machine learning and statistical modeling to create solutions that help advertisers make data-driven decisions, maximize ROI and achieve their marketing goals.

    Participation Criteria

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon invites professionals to craft innovative ad strategies:

    • Participate individually or in teams (max 3 members), with a mix of skills in data science, Machine Learning, statistics, software, marketing and advertising.
    • Open to professionals from advertising agencies (full service, media, digital) or marketing departments, with at least 1 year of experience.
    • Develop a strategy to meet TrimMaster’s marketing objectives within a set budget.
    • Participants are required to submit their solution in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.

    Shaping TrimMaster’s Brand Strategy

    Participants can use the case “TrimMaster – Enhancing Brand Strategy for Male Grooming” to elevate top-funnel marketing efforts.

    Background: TrimMaster is a well-known direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in male grooming products. Their main product the PrecisionTrim trimmer has become popular among customers. However, even with a great product and growing customer base TrimMaster faces challenges in taking its brand awareness to the next level.

    Current Situation: TrimMaster’s research shows a strong link between brand searches and unaided awareness. Currently, the brand has an unaided awareness score of 52 which is solid but leaves room for growth. With increasing competition in the male grooming market TrimMaster aims to boost brand searches to improve overall brand recall and awareness.

    Challenges: TrimMaster’s marketing team faces key challenges in optimizing top-funnel marketing efforts:

    Objective: TrimMaster aims to raise its unaided brand awareness score from 52 to 75 through an optimized ad spend strategy across multiple channels, ensuring measurable impact on brand lift and ROI. The budget is Rs 2,00,00,000/- (Two Crore). Focus on:

    Evaluation Criteria

    Participants’ brand strategies will be evaluated based on these key parameters:

    Prizes

    The winning individuals and teams will receive:

    • The top 3 will present their solutions at the WAVES event (details to be announced) with travel expenses reimbursed.
    • Exciting prizes for exceptional presentations.
    • AAAI will cover the registration costs for the top 3 to participate in Advertising Festivals/Conferences in India.

    Conclusion

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon part of the WAVES Create India Challenge invites professionals to develop innovative strategies to optimize ad spend and boost brand awareness for TrimMaster. With exciting prizes and the chance to present at WAVES, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of advertising and make a real impact.

    References

    Click here to see PDF.

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Kamna Lakaria

    (Release ID: 2106195) Visitor Counter : 34

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $19.5M Commitment to Improve Public Safety in Albany

    Source: US State of New York

    February 25, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Commits $1 Million to Albany Police Department and $500,000 to Albany County Sheriff for Supplemental Safety and Enforcement Activities

    Dedicates a Record $2.4 Million Investment To Combat Gun Violence in Albany Through GIVE Initiative

    Strengthens Albany County Law Enforcement Agencies With $2.5 Million Commitment for New Technology and Equipment

    Governor Has Deployed Over $47.6 Million To Strengthen Public Safety and Law Enforcement Efforts Within City of Albany

    Build on Governor’s $400 Million Executive Budget Proposal To Revitalize Downtown Albany

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $19.5 million in State investments to improve public safety in Albany, including a new $1 million commitment to the City of Albany Police Department and $500,000 for the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Governor Hochul’s announcement came after convening a roundtable with local elected officials and public safety leaders to discuss a comprehensive plan to reduce crime in the City of Albany.

    “Our State’s capital should be a vibrant, thriving city that reflects the best qualities New York has to offer,” Governor Hochul said. “By increasing investments in public safety, we’re not only strengthening local law enforcement, but also ensuring all Albany residents and businesses feel safe and secure. When New Yorkers feel safe, our cities and towns thrive and I’m committed to ensuring that Albany’s future is bright, safe and prosperous.”

    [embedded content]

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    After meeting with local elected and law enforcement leaders, Governor Hochul detailed the State’s investment in the City of Albany and Albany County, administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, $47.6 million in funding has already been invested in strengthening public safety and law enforcement efforts throughout the city. Following recent investments, illegal gun seizures have increased by 170 percent and gun violence statewide has dropped by 49 percent. In Albany, crime decreased by 7 percent from January to September 2024 compared to the previous year and shootings decreased from 101 in 2020 to 52 in 2024.

    The $1.5 million investment builds on the Governor’s $47.6 million total commitment to support Albany’s city and county law enforcement since taking office. The funding will enable the City of Albany to expand resources in locations that have seen a persistent increase in crime and will supplement existing funding to expand tactics that prove most impactful in suppressing crime. By engaging, supporting and funding local law enforcement agencies and community partners; leveraging technology and data; and implementing evidence-based strategies, the State can help localities address their unique public safety needs while healing and strengthening neighborhoods and families.

    Governor Hochul’s latest public safety investment follows the recent allocation of funding for programs in Albany’s city and county including:

    • $2.4 million for GIVE Initiative
    • $2.5 million for LETech/Body-Worn Cameras
    • $2 million for SNUG Street Outreach
    • $2 million for Project RISE

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership on public safety and comprehensive approach to helping keep our communities safe and strong. These new investments will help our partners within the City of Albany and Albany County continue to drive down violence and reduce crime. We look forward to building a brighter future for all who live, work, and visit the Capital Region.”

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said,“The New York State Police is proud to stand alongside Governor Hochul and our local law enforcement partners in the shared mission of ensuring the safety and security of Albany’s residents. This significant investment in public safety—particularly in technology, enforcement, and crime prevention initiatives—demonstrates a firm commitment to making our communities safer. By working together, we can continue to reduce violent crime, disrupt illegal gun activity, and enhance public trust in law enforcement. The New York State Police remains dedicated to supporting these efforts and safeguarding the future of our state’s capital.”

    When New Yorkers feel safe, our cities and towns thrive and I’m committed to ensuring that Albany’s future is bright, safe and prosperous.

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    State Senator Patricia Fahy said, “Investing in our law enforcement partnerships and evidence-based gun violence prevention programming is how we combat the scourge of gun violence and crime. These investments will help Capital Region communities disrupt cycles of violence and provide law enforcement the tools they need to get the job done. Thank you to Governor Hochul for again investing in Albany and the Capital Region—I look forward to working with her, our community, and partners in law enforcement to continue making our communities safer.”

    Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said, “The Governor’s announcement for additional public safety support and resources for the Capital City of Albany is sincerely appreciated. As a former Mayor and former representative for the Capital City, I understand the importance of this commitment and the impact that it will have. When it comes to public safety, despite statistics showing crime has decreased, public perception at times trails the reality and we must be responsive to give our residents peace of mind. The dedication of additional resources to assist the Albany Police Department and Albany County Sheriff along with supporting the efforts of the City of Albany Mayor and Albany County Executive will work toward addressing the complex issues cities face at this time, especially the challenges related to those who experience homelessness and/or have mental health issues.”

    Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero said, “Albany is a capital city that should make every New Yorker proud. We need serious investments to make that a reality. The Governor’s commitment to fund public safety and downtown revitalization is a huge step to make our city the capital we all deserve.”

    Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “Public safety is a top priority for our residents, and this funding will help ensure that local law enforcement has the resources they need to tackle the violence in our community and address the root causes of crime. The City of Albany is the heart of Albany County, and by working together at the state and local level, we can create an environment where residents and visitors can confidently explore what our city has to offer. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to this issue and look forward to the positive impact this investment will have.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “As always I have to applaud Governor Hochul’s leadership and commitment to the residents of the City of Albany. Throughout her administration she has focused on quality of life issues people face in our city and across the state of New York. Her continued investments in public safety through GIVE, funding to train law enforcement professionals, equipment, personnel, and the state’s first crime analysis center have led to proven results. We’ve seen a reduction in crime throughout the city, we’ve seen faster response times from our law enforcement personnel and closure rates higher than the national average. Through the Governor’s $1 million investment for the City of Albany, we will continue to keep Albany safe for residents and visitors.”

    Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox said, “This funding and support marks a step forward in joint efforts to enhance the safety and security of our community. With this funding, we can strengthen our focus on community policing, fostering trust and collaboration between our officers and the neighborhoods they serve. We thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing public safety, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with our community as well as business owners to create a secure vibrant environment for everyone.”

    Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, Sr. said, “l would like to thank the Governor for $500,000 in grant funding from New York State to continue its efforts to strengthen public safety in the City of Albany. These monies will help to provide proactive enforcements throughout the City. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working with our State and local partners as well as the community to improve public safety, end the cycles of violence, and eliminate the root causes of criminal recidivism.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s claim that US debt calculation may be fraudulent could put the economy in danger

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gabriella Legrenzi, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Finance, Keele University

    Deacons docs/Shutterstock

    The US president, Donald Trump, is challenging official figures around the country’s federal debt, suggesting possible fraud in its calculation. The president’s remarks have added a controversial twist to an issue that is both complex and consequential for the United States. And it has implications for the global economy and financial markets too.

    US federal debt is the total amount of money the US government owes from years of borrowing to cover budget deficits (spending beyond its revenues). Over time, this amount has grown significantly, becoming a focal point for political debates and economic forecasts.

    The US debt clock indicates an amount of debt of above US$36 trillion (£28.5 trillion), corresponding to US$107,227 (£84,795) per US citizen.

    This figure is based on the US total public debt series. It is undeniable that the US debt has grown remarkably since the 2008 recession, with a further acceleration during the COVID pandemic. This brings the US federal debt in at around 121% of the size of the entire economy (GDP). For comparison, the UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility puts British national debt at 99.4% of GDP in 2024.

    This pattern is common across advanced economies, given the necessity to spend to support their economies during recessions.

    Trump has also claimed that, as the result of this alleged fraud, the US might have less debt than was thought. Potential fraud aside, it is common knowledge that the headline debt figure overstates the amount of federal debt. This is because it includes debt that one part of the US government owes to another part, as well as debt held by the Federal Reserve Banks.

    Subtracting these debts from the US federal debt data gives us the debt held by the public. This is much lower but it still shows a similar growing pattern over time.

    How US national debt has grown as a share of GDP:

    The conventional wisdom (courtesy of Mr Micawber, a character in Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield) is that an income greater than expenditure equals happiness, while the opposite results in misery. But this does not necessarily apply to public debt.

    This is ultimately a debt we have with ourselves (and our future generations). What really matters is its long-term sustainability, meaning that the debt-to-GDP ratio is not following an explosive pattern. This kind of pattern could increase the risk premium (effectively the interest) demanded by investors, with a negative impact on private investments and growth prospects. Also, it potentially raises the risk of default.

    Our research has shown that there is no universally accepted threshold where debt becomes unsustainable. Instead, each case requires context-specific analysis looking at macroeconomic fundamentals such as inflation and unemployment, financial crises as well as the (potentially self-fulfilling) market expectations.

    Trump’s take

    Recently, Trump has questioned not only the size of federal debt but also the integrity of the methods used to calculate it, without presenting any evidence. He claims that the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has uncovered potential fraud. If confirmed, these findings could significantly alter perceptions of the country’s financial position.

    Reports have also highlighted his controversial allegation that the US is “not that rich right now. We owe US$36 trillion … because we let all these nations take advantage of us.” These claims are puzzling, as the large size of US debt reflects decades of fiscal policy decisions in the wake of numerous shocks to the economy. Debt itself is not a cause of alarm for analysts.

    While the amount of US federal debt held by foreign stakeholders has risen over time, it is currently less than 30% of GDP. This is down from an all-time high of 35% during Trump’s first term back in 2020 during the pandemic.

    Of the US federal debt held by foreign countries, the largest amounts are owned by Japan, China, and the UK. Yet, when other countries hold US federal debt, it has nothing to do with “taking advantage” of the US.

    In fact, the US dollar is the world’s dominant vehicle currency. It is on one side of 88% of all trades in the foreign exchange market, which has a global daily turnover of US$7.5 trillion.

    As such, the US benefits from a so-called “exorbitant privilege”. This advantage comes from the international demand for the “safe haven” status of US Treasury securities and the US dollar, and has allowed the US to issue debt at a relatively low interest rate.

    Research suggests that this “safe haven” status of the US dollar has increased the maximum sustainable debt for the US by around 22%. What’s more, it’s estimated to have saved the US government 0.7% of GDP in annual interest payments.

    These advantages rely on the fact that US Treasury bonds are traditionally viewed as risk-free assets. This is particularly the case during times of global financial stress, as they are backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. The US has a longstanding record of meeting its debt obligations.

    But Trump’s comments risk shaking the confidence of financial markets, leading traders to reassess the reliability of official data and the potential risks associated with US Treasury bonds. Whether truth or tale, such remarks touch on sensitive issues regarding fiscal responsibility and transparency in government.

    Any suggestion that the US government’s debt figures are unreliable could be destabilising. This is because they could call into question the reliability of the US fiscal system among the international investors and foreign governments that hold these securities.

    Much like Trump’s tariff threats, alleging other countries who hold a substantial portion of US federal debt have been opportunistic could be risky.

    The president could end up straining diplomatic bilateral relations with key creditors, which may cause broader uncertainties in global financial markets.

    With Trump in the White House, distinguishing between politically charged rhetoric and fiscal sustainability of the US federal debt will be essential for maintaining trust in the US economy and the health of the global financial system.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump’s claim that US debt calculation may be fraudulent could put the economy in danger – https://theconversation.com/trumps-claim-that-us-debt-calculation-may-be-fraudulent-could-put-the-economy-in-danger-250538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Child given detention for getting less than 90% on a test – psychology shows there are far better ways to motivate students

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Wilkinson, Lecturer in Educational Psychology, University of Manchester

    Connect Images – Legacy/Shutterstock

    An 11-year-old at a school in Essex was recently reported to have been given a detention for not achieving 90% on his maths homework (he got 81%). This measure by his school comes in an environment when schools in England seem to be increasingly reaching for severe methods of punishment: more and more children are being suspended or excluded. But the 11-year-old’s detention suggests a use of sanctions not only to deal with bad behaviour, but also to drive improved academic achievement.

    While this is a particularly overt example, many schools adopt strict behavioural policies in part to improve results. And the 2019 Timpson review of school exclusion in England reported allegations that a small number of schools were excluding pupils in order to boost the school’s academic attainment by removing them.

    But research in educational psychology shows there are better ways to motivate learners than the threat of sanctions.

    Since the 1988 Education Reform Act, which offered parents preference for their children’s schools and placed increased emphasis on measurable data, the education system has become a market in which schools compete against one another.

    Today, you can view a host of statistics for schools. These include how much progress students have made since joining secondary school and how many students received a pass in English and maths GCSE, as well as the percentage of students who have stayed in education or gained employment after leaving Year 11. These results can be compared with local schools and the national average.

    While the introduction of this visible data was introduced in a bid to improve schools and student outcomes, perhaps it is time to take stock of how this has changed the ways schools operate.

    The toll on schools and pupils

    The costs for schools failing to deliver on these statistics are high. They have included increased Ofsted inspections, the removal of the headteacher and the forced move of a school from local authority control into an academy trust.

    These accountability measures may lead schools to more punitive, pressuring approaches in order to push students to work hard to achieve good results, as well as to remove disruptive pupils from classrooms so as not to jeopardise the attainment of others.

    The headteacher of the boy given a detention over his maths score told the BBC that the school was under pressure after receiving a “requires improvement” rating from Ofsted.

    But increasing the focus on achievement and punishing students when they do not meet set standards comes with a cost. Pupils are at risk of becoming disengaged and unhappy at school, and may suffer damage to their self-esteem.

    When students feel their self-esteem is at risk they are more likely to engage in what are known as “defensive strategies” in a bid to protect their self-esteem. For example, students may decrease their effort or procrastinate. This allows them to attribute their potential poor performance to factors such as not trying hard enough, rather than it being a reflection of their own poor ability.

    Often feeling like a failure can lead to learned helplessness. This happens when, following a series of negative results or stressful situations, people can feel that the outcomes of their life are beyond their control and that negative events are unavoidable.

    These perceptions can result in beliefs that there is little point in trying to change the inevitable. It can lead to helpless behaviour and reduced motivation and belief in their own ability.

    A different strategy

    Self-determination theory is a psychological theory that offers a perspective beyond the traditional reward and punishment approach to motivation. It posits that as humans we are naturally keen to learn and grow, but environmental conditions can diminish this innate drive.

    To feel in control of our own actions and therefore motivated to act, we need to feel that we are competent, with opportunities to exercise our capabilities. We need to feel that we have autonomy – that we are responsible for our own behaviour. And we need to have a sense of belonging with others.

    When these three “needs” are satisfied, we are more likely to be highly motivated and to engage in tasks with enthusiasm. However, these needs can be thwarted if we receive high levels of criticism and negative performance feedback, are set work which is too challenging, or face threats and imposed goals.

    When success criteria is too high, students will not feel competent in their ability to achieve these high standards. Working just to avoid punishment means students’ behaviour is being driven by external influences and therefore they will not feel autonomous.

    Furthermore, harsh punishments will reduce students’ sense of belonging within their school environment as they will not feel valued. These punitive behaviours are more likely to result in decreased effort and disengagement.

    While it’s not an easy task for schools and teachers working in a high-stakes, results-based system, there are ways to amend practices to support rather than thwart students’ innate motivation.

    This can include ensuring that work is set at an appropriate level and expectations for success are achievable. Schools can try to foster an environment which promotes respect and care, by acknowledging students’ views and providing them with opportunities to offer their voice and provide feedback.

    In order to support students’ autonomy, where possible, schools could provide them with choice. This could include deciding what topic they want to carry out a project on. Students could choose the format for presenting their homework, such as bullet points or a letter, or handwritten or digital, that allows them to work to their strengths.

    Even providing students with a clear rationale for decisions – such as why a class is focusing on a certain topic – can help to make them feel more involved and engaged.

    By encouraging students to set their own targets which suit personal goals and aspirations for their future, rather than those set by governments and schools, we can help them to redefine their view of success and prioritise their efforts on being the best that they can be. This can help protect their self-esteem and support their motivation towards working towards these goals.

    If schools are able to focus more on the individual needs and goals of their students this could harness their natural motivation to learn and thrive.

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

    – ref. Child given detention for getting less than 90% on a test – psychology shows there are far better ways to motivate students – https://theconversation.com/child-given-detention-for-getting-less-than-90-on-a-test-psychology-shows-there-are-far-better-ways-to-motivate-students-249804

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Courts Need More Judgeships, Judge Tells Congress

    Source: United States Courts

    With federal courts across the country contending with mounting caseloads, Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, urged Congress today to create new district and court of appeals judgeships to meet growing workload demands.

    A hearing on “Justice Delayed: The Crisis of Undermanned Federal Courts” was held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Tymkovich testified on behalf of the Judicial Conference (pdf), the federal Judiciary’s national policy-making body. He previously served as chair of the Conference’s Committee on Judicial Resources, which is responsible for evaluating judgeship needs.

    “Substantial delays chip away at the public’s respect for the Judiciary and erode public confidence in the judicial process and the timely administration of justice,” Tymkovich wrote in his prepared testimony (pdf). “The problem is so severe that potential litigants may be avoiding federal court altogether, not having the resources or time to wait for their case to be heard or resolved. One cannot imagine the situation will improve on its own, without additional judges.”

    District court filings have grown by 30 percent since 1990, when the last comprehensive judgeship bill was enacted. Since 1991, the overall number of authorized district court judgeships increased by only four percent.  

    Burgeoning caseloads can lead to significant case delays. Delays result in increased costs for litigants and raise access to justice concerns, especially in civil cases that may take years to get to trial. Over the past 20 years, the number of civil cases pending more than three years rose 346 percent, from 18,280 on March 31, 2004, to 81,617 on March 31, 2024.

    In 2023, the Judicial Conference recommended to Congress adding two judgeships to the courts of appeals and 66 judgeships to the district courts. In addition, the Conference recommended converting seven temporary district court judgeships to permanent judgeships and extending two temporary district court judgeships for an additional five years.

    In developing judgeship recommendations, the Conference and its Committee on Judicial Resources use a formal survey process to study and evaluate Article III judgeship needs. Before a judgeship recommendation is transmitted to Congress, it undergoes several levels of careful consideration and review. The surveys are conducted every two years and the resulting recommendations are based on established criteria, including current workload factors and empirical standards.

    Weighted filings data for each district court are published in Federal Court Management Statistics.

    MIL OSI USA News –