NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI: Compass Diversified Director James Bottiglieri Announces Retirement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WESTPORT, Conn., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI) (“CODI” or the “Company”), an owner of leading middle market businesses, announced today that current director James J. Bottiglieri (“Jim”) advised the Board of Directors (the “Board”) on February 14, 2025 that he plans to retire prior to the Company’s 2025 annual shareholders meeting (the “2025 Annual Meeting”). Mr. Bottiglieri will remain on the Company’s Board and as a member of each of the Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Audit Committee up and until the Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting. Mr. Bottiglieri joined the Board in December of 2005. He served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and as an Executive Vice President of the Company’s Manager from 2005 to 2013. The Company does not currently intend to fill the Board vacancy created by Mr. Bottiglieri’s retirement.

    Elias Sabo, CEO of CODI, commented: “It has been an absolute honor and privilege to work with Jim over the past 20 years. He has been a great leader, director, mentor, and friend. It is difficult to measure the many contributions Jim has made to our organization, beginning with our initial public offering in 2006. His accounting expertise and superior integrity were fundamental in establishing the groundwork we rely on today to ensure strong financial controls and provide transparency to our shareholders. On behalf of our entire organization, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Jim for his years of dedicated service and wish him all the best following his retirement.”

    Larry Enterline, Board Chair, added: “I am happy for Jim to have the opportunity to enjoy a well-earned retirement. Jim is a consummate professional and has worked collaboratively during his tenure to pass along his significant institutional knowledge and assist with the development of the next generation of Board leadership. Although Jim will be missed, his retirement is the culmination of a years-long strategy to refine CODI’s Board and recruit and retain a highly capable group of leaders who are well-equipped to oversee our business and represent the interests of our shareholders.”

    Jim Bottiglieri stated: “I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded during my tenure with CODI. Being able to support this unique organization through its transformational growth over the past 20 years has been a highlight of my career. At its core, CODI is an organization comprised of exceptional people and has many exciting opportunities for growth in the years ahead.”

    About Compass Diversified (“CODI”)

    Since its IPO in 2006, CODI has consistently executed its strategy of owning and managing a diverse set of highly defensible, middle-market businesses across the branded consumer, industrial, healthcare, and critical outsourced services sectors. The Company leverages its permanent capital base, long-term disciplined approach, and actionable expertise to maintain controlling ownership interests in each of its subsidiaries, maximizing its ability to impact long-term cash flow generation and value creation. The Company provides both debt and equity capital for its subsidiaries, contributing to their financial and operating flexibility. CODI utilizes the cash flows generated by its subsidiaries to invest in the long-term growth of the Company and has consistently generated strong returns through its culture of transparency, alignment and accountability. For more information, please visit compassdiversified.com.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains 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, including statements with regard to the expectations related to the future performance of CODI. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “will,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “continue,” “projects,” “potential,” “assuming,” and “future” or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions, some of which are not currently known to CODI. In addition to factors previously disclosed in CODI’s reports filed with the SEC, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements: changes in the economy, financial markets and political environment; risks associated with possible disruption in CODI’s operations or the economy generally due to terrorism, natural disasters, social, civil and political unrest or the COVID-19 pandemic; future changes in laws or regulations (including the interpretation of these laws and regulations by regulatory authorities); general considerations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the markets in which we operate; and other considerations that may be disclosed from time to time in CODI’s publicly disseminated documents and filings. Further information regarding CODI and factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein can be found in CODI’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by law, CODI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Investor Relations

    Compass Diversified
    irinquiry@compassdiversified.com

    Gateway Group
    Cody Slach
    949.574.3860
    CODI@gateway-grp.com

    Media Relations

    Compass Diversified
    mediainquiry@compassdiversified.com

    The IGB Group
    Leon Berman
    212.477.8438
    lberman@igbir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Abacus Life Completes the Rebranding of FCF Advisors with New ETF and Fee Reductions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abacus Life, Inc. (“Abacus” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ABL), a pioneering global alternative asset manager specializing in leveraging longevity data and actuarial technology to offer uncorrelated investment opportunities, today announces the rebranding of FCF Advisors to Abacus FCF Advisors, a subsidiary of ABL Wealth.

    This rebrand highlights the manager’s position as a leader in free cash flow investing and analytics by pioneering the FCF Leaders Model, which serves as the foundation for the firm’s quantitative investment process that identifies the most profitable companies. As part of the rebrand, Abacus FCF Advisors announced the launch of the Abacus FCF Small Cap Leaders ETF (ticker: ABLS), and management fee reductions of 5-10 basis points across all ETFs. An 18-month fee waiver of 20 basis points was also introduced on four of the ETFs.

    Ticker Fund Name
    ABFL Abacus FCF Leaders ETF
    ABLG Abacus FCF International Leaders ETF
    ABLD Abacus FCF Real Assets Leaders ETF*
    ABOT Abacus FCF Innovation Leaders ETF*
    ABLS Abacus FCF Small Cap Leaders ETF*
    ABHY Abacus Tactical High Yield ETF*

    *Effective 2/1/2025, a fee waiver of 20 basis points will be offered to these funds for 18 months.

    To celebrate this iconic event, the Abacus FCF Advisors team, along with other executives from ABL Wealth, is ringing the Cboe Global Markets Exchange opening bell today, Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

    “We are thrilled to ring the Cboe bell,” said Jay Jackson, CEO of Abacus Life. “The FCF acquisition, including the rebranded funds and new ETF, constitute significant milestones in Abacus’ ongoing expansion of ABL Wealth and its suite of innovative products, as well as our goal of delivering comprehensive, lifespan-based financial advisory services and products. FCF aligns perfectly with our strategy of providing clients with holistic and tailored financial solutions throughout their lives.”

    About Abacus FCF Advisors

    Abacus FCF Advisors is a leader in free cash flow investing and analytics, having pioneered the Free Cash Flow Leaders Model, which serves as the foundation for the firm’s quantitative investment process. Based on our research for the past decade, constructing a high-conviction portfolio through comprehensive analysis of Free Cash Flow Return on Invested Capital has historically outperformed and delivered superior long-term capital growth. This model prioritizes prudent capital expenditure, low accruals, high cash flow margins, and strong asset turnover. Abacus FCF Advisors has a suite of core and thematic free cash flow equity strategies and offers over 50 customizable free cash flow index strategies covering 8 global equities allocation categories available in ETFs, SMA/white label SMA and model delivery.

    www.abacusfcf.com

    About Abacus

    Abacus is a pioneering global alternative asset manager and market maker specializing in uncorrelated financial products. The company leverages its proprietary, cutting-edge longevity data and actuarial technology to purchase life insurance policies from consumers seeking liquidity. This creates a high-return asset class uncorrelated to market fluctuations for institutional investors.

    With nearly $3 billion in assets under management, including recently-completed acquisitions, Abacus is the only publicly traded global alternative asset manager focused on lifespan-based financial products.

    Abacus is expanding its leading expertise in longevity and lifespan into new growth areas:

    • ABL Wealth – Leverages decades of data and proprietary algorithms to offer longevity-based wealth management platforms that enable financial advisors to create customized plans and provide access to uncorrelated investments.
    • ABL Tech – A groundbreaking technology service that delivers advanced real-time data tracking and analysis for pension funds, governments, insurance companies, retirement associations, and more.

    Through each new channel, Abacus is revolutionizing the future of asset management and financial planning, centered on longevity and lifespan.

    www.Abacuslife.com

    Contacts:

    ABL Wealth

    Fei Xue, CAIA – Vice President, ABL Wealth
    fei@abacuslife.com
    (321) 710-5957

    Abacus Life Investor Relations

    Robert F. Phillips – SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
    rob@abacuslife.com
    (321) 290-1198

    David Jackson – IR/Capital Markets Associate
    djackson@abacuslife.com
    (321) 299-0716

    Abacus Life Public Relations
    press@abacuslife.com

    Important Information:

    Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the statutory and summary prospectuses, a copy of which may be obtained by visiting the Fund’s website at www.abacusfcf.com/ABFL, www.abacusfcf.com/ABLG, www.abacusfcf.com/ABLD, www.abacusfcf.com/ABOT,  www.Abacusfcf.com/ABLS, www.Abacusfcf.com/ABHY. Please read the prospectus or summary prospectus, if available, carefully before you invest.

    Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

    Free Cash Flow (FCF) represents the cash that a company is able to generate after accounting for capital expenditures.

    Distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. Quasar is not related to Abacus or ABL.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxford Lane Capital Corp. Announces Offering of Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENWICH, Conn., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXLC) (NasdaqGS: OXLCP) (NasdaqGS: OXLCL) (NasdaqGS: OXLCO) (NasdaqGS: OXLCZ) (NasdaqGS: OXLCN) (NasdaqGS: OXLCI) (the “Company”) today announced the commencement of a registered public offering of notes (the “Notes”). The public offering price and other terms of the Notes are to be determined by negotiations between the Company and the underwriters. The Company also plans to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional Notes on the same terms and conditions to cover over-allotments, if any.

    The Notes are expected to be listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and to trade thereon within 30 days of the original issue date.

    The Company expects to use the net proceeds from this offering to acquire investments in accordance with its investment objective and strategies and for general working capital purposes.

    Lucid Capital Markets, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering, and Clear Street LLC, InspereX LLC, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. are acting as lead managers for the offering.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in this offering or any other securities nor will there be any sale of these securities or any other securities referred to in this press release in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

    A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and effective. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from the following investment banks: Lucid Capital Markets, LLC, 570 Lexington Ave, 40th Floor, New York, NY 10022 or by telephone number (646) 362-0256; Piper Sandler & Co., Attn: Debt Capital Markets, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10020 or by e-mailing fsg-dcm@psc.com. The preliminary prospectus supplement, dated February 19, 2025, and accompanying prospectus, dated November 8, 2024, each of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, contain a description of these matters and other important information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Company before investing.

    About Oxford Lane Capital Corp.

    Oxford Lane Capital Corp. is a publicly-traded registered closed-end management investment company principally investing in debt and equity tranches of collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) vehicles. CLO investments may also include warehouse facilities, which are financing structures intended to aggregate loans that may be used to form the basis of a CLO vehicle.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions, including statements with regard to the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the Company’s offering of the Notes. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates” and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These factors are identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect subsequent events, except as may be required by law.

    Contact:

    Bruce Rubin
    203-983-5280

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Laidlaw & Co. Announces Appointment of Douglas M. Jacoby to General Counsel

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Douglas M. Jacoby brings over 25 years of experience to the position at Laidlaw & Co. as General Counsel
    • Douglas M. Jacoby previously served as the Director of Enforcement and Commissioner of Securities for the State of Missouri

    NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Laidlaw & Company (“Laidlaw & Co.” or “Laidlaw” or the “Company”), an established international investment banking and securities brokerage firm serving high-net-worth individuals and institutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Douglas M. Jacoby to the role of General Counsel effective February 3, 2025.

    With over 25 years of experience as in-house legal counsel, Jacoby brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. In his appointment, Laidlaw & Co. anticipates advancing continuous improvement and adaptation within the evolving regulatory environment. Jacoby will strategically advise the board and senior management on all compliance matters.

    “I look forward to assuming this new venture at Laidlaw as their General Counsel,” commented Doug Jacoby. “My commitment is to support Laidlaw’s business objectives while upholding the highest ethical standards and best practices, ensuring their continued success. Moreover, I look forward to collaborating with their exceptional team, offering legal counsel and providing ongoing strategic guidance that reinforces the company’s goals and maintains its leadership in ethical standards and best practices.”

    “We are pleased to welcome Doug to Laidlaw as our General Counsel,” commented Matthew D. Eitner, Chief Executive Officer of Laidlaw & Co. “His extensive experience in securities regulation, enforcement, and investment banking legal counsel will be invaluable in reinforcing our firm’s strong compliance framework and commitment to excellence.”

    Jacoby previously served as the Commissioner of Securities and Director of Enforcement for the State of Missouri Securities Division, a role in which he managed and oversaw all aspects of the Division’s three sections: Registration, Examinations and Enforcement, regulating broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers and their representatives.

    Prior, Jacoby was in-house counsel for several Wall Street investment banks in New York City and London. He worked for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as Senior Counsel for Market Regulation Enforcement, was Executive Director of the Legal Department at Nomura Securities International, Inc., Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel at Lehman Brothers Inc./Barclays Capital Inc. and Vice President, Legal & Compliance Department at Credit Suisse First Boston LLC. Jacoby has also served as an adjunct faculty member at The Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University.

    About Laidlaw & Co.

    For nearly two centuries, Laidlaw & Company has maintained a legacy of independent investment banking and securities brokerage, tailored to the specific needs of both domestic and international companies, corporate entrepreneurs, institutions, and private clients worldwide.

    Our expansive and continually growing network spans across the United States and Europe. These professionals operate under our FINRA registered subsidiary and extend our influence through an FCA authorized subsidiary based in London.

    Additionally, our team in healthcare-focused investment banking and capital markets comprises mainly senior professionals. These experts seamlessly merge ‘bulge’ bracket experience with the unique perspective of an entrepreneurial ‘independent’ firm. Their primary objective is to offer in-depth, hands-on transaction management and holistic solutions. One of our distinctive capabilities lies in aiding emerging companies to swiftly secure capital, courtesy of our robust retail sales force. This ensures our corporate clients enjoy the financial latitude they need to thrive and expand.

    At our core, we foster an entrepreneurial spirit, marked by a robust work ethic and an innovative “think outside the box” approach. We specialize in gathering assets and delivering financial solutions through both our in-house and independent sales offices.

    Media Contact

    Jessica Starman
    media@laidlawltd.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Atos Successfully Supports Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Reach New Heights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                                                   News

    Atos Successfully Supports Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Reach New Heights

    Atos services were instrumental in helping participants share their extraordinary resilience and passion on-site and with audiences worldwide

    Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, and Paris, France, February 18, 2025 – Atos, a global leader in digital transformation and the Official Technology Partner of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, today announces it has successfully delivered the full range of critical IT services that helped make the games, which took place from February 8 to 16, 2025, a unique event.

    This event brought together up to 550 competitors from 23 nations, introducing winter sports to the Invictus Games for the first time. Atos provided the entire range of essential services, including data processing, timing and scoring, public scoreboards, TV graphics, as well as live results for a total of 11 sports: Wheelchair Basketball, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Rugby, Indoor Rowing, Swimming, Wheelchair Curling, Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Biathlon, Nordic Skiing, and Skeleton.

    The Invictus Games is an international adaptive multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, for wounded, injured, and sick service members and Veterans. Launched in London in 2014, the Games aim to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their countries. Participants compete in a spirit of brotherhood, sharing their experiences and showcasing their resilience, determination and courage. 

    Adaptative sports come with a unique set of rules and categories based on competitors’ health, where Atos’ experience and advanced sports technologies play a crucial role. These solutions significantly enhance the readiness and deployment capabilities, ensuring a seamless experience for athletes and organizers.

    Atos relied on the unparalleled expertise of its 25 on-site professionals and 10 remote technicians from its Sport Technology Center of Excellence in Spain to ensure operational excellence throughout the 8 days of competition. More than 110 computers were deployed across various sports disciplines, in addition to providing over 300 TV graphics for the live broadcast of the event. One of the highlights of Atos’s collaboration at the Invictus Games was the implementation of a remote On-Venue Result system (OVR) for certain sports, including Wheelchair Basketball, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Rugby, and Indoor Rowing. Atos experts perfectly managed, deployed, and monitored the entire spectrum of the Games’ technology, ensuring that all services run smoothly and efficiently during the entire competition.

    “We believe this event beautifully showcases the spirit of sportsmanship and the incredible resilience of the competitors” said Nacho Moros, Head of Major Events, Atos. “We are proud that our cutting-edge technology and all the experience we accumulated in supporting the largest sport events worldwide in the past decades created an amazing experience for the Invictus Games 2025 competitors and fans alike. We are looking forward to pursuing this journey, and keeping integrating new, exciting features in future editions.”

    Atos has been serving its partners and customers through a dedicated in-house sports and major events division (“Major Events”) for over 30 years, giving it an unmatched experience and the flexibility to serve its customers regardless of their exposure, size and scale. From global events to local competitions such as the next 2025 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival to be held in Bakuriani (Georgia), Atos consistently strives to deliver technology excellence to its entire customer base. 

    Atos has been involved with the Olympic Movement since 1992 and the Paralympic Movement since 2002 and is the Official Digital Technology Partner of the European Olympic Committee 2027 edition of the European Games, as well as the official Digital partner for Special Olympics International. In addition, the company is also the Official Information Technology Partner of UEFA National Team Football. Most recently, Atos has been instrumental in delivering successful leading-edge IT services for iconic events such as UEFA EURO 2024™ in Germany and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. 

    To learn more about Atos solutions for sporting events and major events, visit Atos major events. 

    ***

    About Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025

    The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, is an international sporting competition for wounded, injured, and sick service members and Veterans. From February 8-16, 2025, the seventh Invictus Games brought together up to 550 competitors from up to 25 nations in 11 adaptive sports in the natural beauty of British Columbia, Canada. Invictus means unconquered and the Games celebrate courage, resiliency and the strength of the human spirit. Through the power of sport, the Games will inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country.   

    The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 were held on the traditional territories of the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. True Patriot Love Foundation, the Government of Canada, and the Province of British Columbia are the valued Founding Partners of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.   

    Visit invictusgames2025.ca for the latest updates, supporting materials and full Games details. 

    About Atos

    Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 82,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 10 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

    The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

    Press contact

    Laurent Massicot | laurent.massicot@atos.net | +33 (0)7 69 48 01 80

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 18 02 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 FEBRUARY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 0.375p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 9,156,276 1.1554    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 9,156,276 1.1554    

    NOTE: On 18/02/2025 there was a transfer in of 6,421 shares by a discretionary client.

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 174,151 99.153p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 19 FEBRUARY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Progressive Reports January 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAYFIELD VILLAGE, OHIO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) today reported the following results for the month ended January 31, 2025:

      January
    (millions, except per share amounts and ratios; unaudited)  2025    2024   Change
    Net premiums written $ 6,481   $ 5,496   18   %
    Net premiums earned $ 6,586   $ 5,386   22   %
    Net income $ 1,117   $ 701   59   %
    Per share available to common shareholders $ 1.90   $ 1.18   61   %
    Total pretax net realized gains (losses) on securities $ 109   $ 17   NM    
    Combined ratio   84.1     87.3   (3.2 ) pts.
    Average diluted equivalent common shares   587.7     587.3   0   %
    NM = Not Meaningful                  
      January 31,
    (thousands; unaudited) 2025   2024   % Change
    Policies in Force          
    Personal Lines          
    Agency – auto 9,882   8,393   18
    Direct – auto 14,224   11,350   25
    Special lines 6,540   5,984   9
    Property 3,535   3,128   13
    Total Personal Lines 34,181   28,855   18
    Commercial Lines 1,146   1,096   5
    Companywide 35,327   29,951   18
               
               

    See Progressive’s complete monthly earnings release for additional information.

    About Progressive

    Progressive Insurance® makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance, home insurance, and other protection needs. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us however it’s most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, via the Progressive mobile app, or in-person with a local agent.

    Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is the second largest personal auto insurer in the country, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers. 

    Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price®, Snapshot®, and HomeQuote Explorer®.

    The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE: PGR.

    Company Contact:
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    (440) 395-3707
    investor_relations@progressive.com
     
    The Progressive Corporation
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    http://www.progressive.com

    Download PDF: Progressive January 2025 Complete Earnings Release

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ecowas breakup could push up food prices and worsen hunger in west Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Danielle Resnick, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

    The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) lost three of its founding members on 29 January 2025. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger comprised 16% of the bloc’s population of 424 million and 7% of its economy.

    Some commentators have labelled their departure – first announced a year ago – as “Sahelexit”. The decision to leave Ecowas was made by the three countries’ military leaders and is now poised to take effect legally. The three countries have created the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel, AES), a mutual defence and security pact formalised through the Liptako Gourma Charter in 2023.

    The decision to leave Ecowas was prompted after the military leaders launched coups against democratically elected leaders in Mali in 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023. The Ecowas Democracy and Governance Protocol prohibits unconstitutional changes of government. The regional body therefore imposed economic, financial and travel sanctions on each country after each coup.

    Food was exempted from the sanctions. But the resulting increase in transport times and other logistical hurdles contributed to substantial levels of food price inflation in the region. In Niger, for instance, the average market price of rice rose by 38% between July 2023, when sanctions were first imposed, and February 2024, when they were lifted.

    Remaining Ecowas countries were also badly affected. Benin’s revenues at the port of Cotonou, the main transit source for goods going into Niger, fell dramatically. The sanctions on Mali badly hurt revenue generation at the port of Dakar in neighbouring Senegal.

    All sanctions were lifted in February 2024. But the damage was done, and the three states began preparing their departure from the regional body.

    Ecowas has given these three states a transition period until July 2025 in case they backtrack and want to return. But the Alliance of Sahel States leaders have said their decision is irreversible.

    The exit from Africa’s largest political and economic union threatens to disrupt flows of goods, services and people. As a political economist who focuses on agriculture and nutrition policy in much of Africa, I worry that these developments will have serious consequences for food security in a region where almost 17 million children under five are already acutely malnourished.

    Already, the cost of a daily nutritious diet in the three Sahel alliance countries is 110% higher than the daily minimum wage in the west African region. The countries are also among the world’s hunger hotspots. In early 2025, 7.5 million of their population were classified as in crisis, emergency or famine conditions.

    The exit will also imperil regional cooperation on conflict. Insurgent attacks are moving further south of the Sahel.

    This will reduce access to safe, affordable food and deter investments in agro-processing.

    A blow to trade

    The implications of exit are most obvious for trade relations. Although the three countries will remain in the eight-member francophone West African Economic and Monetary Union, they are departing the Ecowas customs union, which includes the region’s anglophone countries. A customs union removes tariffs among its member states and establishes a common external tariff on non-member states. Members experience freer trade with each other while protecting their domestic industries from external competition. Since 2015, import tariffs for intra-Ecowas goods have been eliminated. A common external tariff is levied on imports from non-Ecowas countries.

    Leaving Ecowas means the three countries will have to adhere to the common external tariff rates for their imports into Ecowas member countries. They will also revert to using the World Trade Organisation’s Most Favored Nation rates on imports from Ecowas countries, which are higher for some categories of goods than the Ecowas tariff.

    In other words, for some goods, including agricultural products, imports will be more expensive for all countries. The three states will be further hurt by the community levy, the 0.5% tax Ecowas imposes on goods from non-Ecowas member states to fund the bloc’s budget.

    All three countries are landlocked. Leaving Ecowas means they lose access to ports like Tema in Ghana and Lagos in Nigeria. There will be implications for some of their biggest exports. For instance, almost 60% of Burkina Faso’s vegetable exports and 90% of its live animal exports go to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

    Ghana, along with Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, is a key export market for Niger’s onions. Niger also imports a large share of its food products from Nigeria, one of its largest trading partners in the region.

    The tariff and levies therefore could increase the cost of food for consumers in both the Alliance of Sahel States and remaining Ecowas countries.

    The withdrawal of the three countries will also affect food production through diminished access to electricity as well as wheat flour and edible oils. The trio face possible exclusion from the Ecowas West African Power Pool, which aims to increase members’ access to the regional electricity market. Burkina Faso and Niger import most of their electricity from Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

    Finally, the livelihoods of Sahelian migrants living in Ecowas countries remain uncertain. Due to the Ecowas freedom of movement protocol, more than 1.3 million Burkinabes and half a million Malians live in Côte d’Ivoire. Many of them run small, informal sector businesses to support their families back home.

    Future scenarios

    Ecowas marks its 50th anniversary in 2025. What could the future look like?

    Junta leaders are proposing various ways in which the relationship between the Alliance of Sahel States and Ecowas will proceed. For instance, they have claimed that they will maintain visa-free travel from Ecowas countries into theirs. But all 12 remaining Ecowas states would have to approve that proposal. The alliance also launched its own passport, but it’s not clear how Ecowas states will treat citizens who use it.

    Another possible scenario is that they will negotiate bilateral agreements with their major Ecowas trading partners and with other countries that offer sea access, such as Mauritania and Morocco. This scenario obviously undermines efforts to enhance regional trade integration.

    Finally, the problems surrounding the “Sahelexit” embody a larger set of tensions. These include whether political objectives should be embedded within trade arrangements — a debate also central to the possible renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act this year – and whether concerns over national sovereignty will undermine regional cooperation on increasing cross-border climate, conflict, and health threats to food security.

    – Ecowas breakup could push up food prices and worsen hunger in west Africa
    – https://theconversation.com/ecowas-breakup-could-push-up-food-prices-and-worsen-hunger-in-west-africa-249195

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB Supports Digital Transformation of Uzbekistan’s Water Sector

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    MANILA, PHILIPPINES (19 February 2025) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $125 million loan to support the Government of Uzbekistan in modernizing water management, improving water security, and increasing access to safe and reliable water in the country. 

    The Climate-Smart Water Management Improvement Project will improve asset management and sustainability of service delivery, while strengthening the institutional capacity of the country’s national water utility. This will help decision making and enhance water management and energy-use efficiency, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

    “Uzbekistan’s water resources are under acute threat from climate change and inefficient usage,” said ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan Kanokpan Lao-Araya. “ADB’s project introduces smart water management systems to improve water usage, reduce energy consumption, and increase operational efficiency to lower Uzbekistan’s carbon footprint.” 

    The project will support the Joint Stock Company Uzsuvtaminot (the national water utility) and its regional branches in completing the installation of an ongoing nationwide bulk flow metering and telemetry system on the main water resource’s locations. The project will also carry out an asset inventory and prepare onsite geographic mapping for all existing water supply and wastewater infrastructure, including about 4 million customer connections. 

    An integrated package of climate-smart, IT-based utility management systems will be launched, including relevant training for the national water utility staff. The project will also improve customer centers by providing new financial management software that will lead to transparent financial statements based on international standards. 

    The project will promote transformative digital solutions and technologies to decrease operational expenditure, increase workforce efficiency, and enhance customer engagement and satisfaction.

    This year marks the 30th anniversary of the partnership between ADB and the Republic of Uzbekistan. Since the Republic of Uzbekistan joined ADB in 1995, the bank has committed public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance totaling $14.3 billion to the country.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The floor is yours, Vyacheslav Butusov! The legendary rock musician met with polytechnicians

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On the eve of the 126th anniversary of the university, the Polytechnics received an extraordinary gift – the legendary rock musician, leader of the Nautilus Pompilius group Vyacheslav Butusov performed on the stage of the White Hall. He answered questions and performed several compositions. The meeting was the tenth, anniversary, within the framework of discussion club “You have the floor!” ecosystem “Lepota” and was a sold-out event.

    Before meeting with fans, Vyacheslav Butusov visited the Technopolis Polytech research building on a tour. He looked at the model of the SPbPU campus, gave an interview in a TV studio, and got acquainted with the university’s capabilities.

    At this time, there were no free seats left in the White Hall, as there were many people who wanted to talk to the famous musician. Registration ended a few minutes after it began, which is not surprising. The Nautilus Pompilius group began its creative activity in 1982 in Sverdlovsk and during its existence, it has given many beloved hits. In the early 2000s, the U-Piter group became a new chapter in the life of Vyacheslav Butusov, and now he is actively creating new songs with the Order of Glory.

    The Polytechnicians greeted the guest with thunderous applause. The head of the news portal department of the SPbPU USO Evgeny Gusev asked questions from the Polytechnic Telegram channel, and there were also questions from the audience – an impressive queue formed at the microphone.

    I am very glad to be here with you today, on the eve of a holiday. 126 years is a good age, congratulations, – Vyacheslav Gennadyevich greeted.

    The conversation began with a question about spiritual development and the path to God.

    We all go to God, but not everyone knows about it. When you wake up in the morning, first of all you need to thank God. The first thing I always say is: “Glory to God.” In the morning, first of all you need to read the prayer rule, which for everyone consists of a certain set of prayers. A very important point is church services, because they discipline. I am not the kind of person who can be an example of an Orthodox Christian, I am just learning for now. I can say with absolute certainty that we live in a world where miracles happen. This is not just encouraging, it is inspiring, – noted Vyacheslav Butusov.

    The meeting participants were interested in how the musician evaluates modern youth.

    There are wonderful young people now. I was young myself, so I understand all the emotional trepidation, the element of hypersensitivity, how difficult it can be sometimes. It is we, already polished, hardened, who perceive everything with prepared attention. My son Daniil, who has the good fortune to study at the Polytechnic University, for me is the standard that I represent today in relation to young people, – said Vyacheslav Gennadyevich.

    Guests of the White Hall learned that the musician, who was educated as an architect, dreamed of becoming an engineer.

    When I was a schoolboy, the ultimate dream for us was to become an engineer. At 14-15 years old, I already knew for sure that I would go to the Polytechnic, but it didn’t work out: my parents took me to the North. Now my son, a student at SPbPU, is making my dream come true, – shared Vyacheslav Gennadyevich.

    The Polytechnicians asked about their attitude to music and where they get their inspiration from.

    “Music, due to its abstractness and breadth of perception, is so polysemantic that there is no need to ever limit this polysemanticity. It gives every person the opportunity to see what is close to them and what they need at the moment. It is even, in a sense, therapy, a panacea. When I am in a state of perceiving music, I feel like an absolutely happy person. It is some kind of miraculous process.

    I am inspired by communication with children, they give me the opportunity to continue working, because I draw on their wild energy,” said Vyacheslav Butusov.

    Viewers asked about their favorite places:

    My favorite place now is Tsarskoe Selo, where we live. For me, there is no better place in the world. Of course, it is connected with Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. We live in a place where Alexander Sergeevich spent a significant period of time, I see all this, I walk around these places. Everything is so fabulous!

    And about protest in songs:

    We never protested against anyone, because it is a bad thing. We described what was happening at the moment. Just a chronicle. What I categorically rebel against is what the devil is doing in this world.

    The Polytechnicians had time to talk about many things with the legend: about overcoming creative crises, attitudes towards artificial intelligence, new formations in the Russian language, about the release of the album “Adam’s Lament” from the symphonic cycle of the same name by Vyacheslav Butusov based on the Holy Scriptures, about filming the movie “Brother”, friendship with Alexey Balabanov and Sergey Bodrov, about the golden age of the Leningrad Rock Club, Konstantin Kinchev from “Alisa” and Viktor Tsoi from “Kino”, about Yekaterinburg and happy student years.

    The meeting at the Polytechnic University continued with the performance of popular songs by the group Nautilus Pompilius. Of course, Vyacheslav Butusov was called for an encore and then was not let go for a long time, having organized an impromptu photo and autograph session.

    Polytechnicians shared unforgettable emotions on social networks:

    “The best day ever!! Thanks to the organizers for such a gift and a wonderful evening”;

    “Butusov at the Polytechnic. A hall full of students. “Goodbye, America”, “I Want to Be with You” and other hits. Calm, intelligent conversation. Excellent guitar playing, wonderful voice. Absolute delight”;

    “This is amazing!!! I’ve watched the whole video a million times already!!!”

    “It touched me right to the soul…”

    “I want to say thank you very much! I will carefully keep the memories of this day in my heart!”

    Photo archive

    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 United Nations: Human Rights Council to Hold its Fifty-Eighth Regular Session from 24 February to 4 April 2025

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold its fifty-eighth regular session from 24 February to 4 April 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, starting with its high-level segment from 24 to 26 February, when dignitaries representing more than 100 Member States will address the Council.

    The session will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, 24 February under the Presidency of Ambassador Jürg Lauber of Switzerland. Delivering statements at the opening will be the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres; the President of the United Nations General Assembly , Philemon Yang; the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk; as well as the Chief of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis. The Council will be meeting in room XX of the Palais des Nations.

    On Monday, 3 March, the Council is scheduled to hear a global update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights around the world. The general debate on his global update will start following his presentation of a number of country-specific reports and updates.

    During the session, the Council will hold 30 interactive dialogues with the High Commissioner, his Office and designated experts, with Special Procedure mandate holders and investigative mechanisms, and with Special Representatives of the Secretary-General. The Council will also hold five enhanced interactive dialogues and one high-level dialogue, as well as nine general debates.

    The Council will also hold the annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming with a focus on the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; the biennial high-level panel on the death penalty ; panel discussions on early warning and genocide, HIV response and leaving no one behind, and on rights to work and to social security ; the annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities; the annual discussion on the rights of the child; and a commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

    The Council will examine the situation of human rights in a number of countries under its various agenda items, including the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Myanmar under agenda item two; in Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Ukraine, Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Myanmar under agenda item four; and in Mali, Haiti, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic under agenda item 10.

    The final outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 States will also be considered, namely those of Norway, Albania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Portugal, Bhutan, Dominica, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Brunei Darussalam, Costa Rica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Qatar and Nicaragua. 

    Towards the end of the session, the Council will appoint three new members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    A detailed agenda and further information on the fifty-eighth session can be found on the session’s webpage . Reports to be presented are available here. 

    First Week of the Session 

    The fifty-eighth regular session will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, 24 February with a short opening meeting, followed by the start of the high-level segment, which will continue until 26 February, and during which the Council will hear addresses by more than 100 dignitaries. Intervening during the high-level segment will be the annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming in the afternoon of 24 February and the biennial high-level panel on the death penalty in the morning of Tuesday, 25 February. The general segment will follow the conclusion of the high-level segment in the afternoon of Wednesday, 26 February.

    On Thursday, 27 February, the Council will hold an interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, followed by enhanced interactive dialogues on the situation of human rights in Eritrea and on the High Commissioner’s report on Sudan, with the assistance of the designated Expert. Friday, 28 February, will see the conclusion of the discussion on Sudan, followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue on the report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan. This will be followed by three interactive dialogues, the first on the report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, the second with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and the third on the High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar.

    Second Week of the Session 

    At the beginning of the second week, on the morning of Monday, 3 March, the Council will hear the High Commissioner’s global update, then conclude the interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral update on Myanmar. This will be followed by the presentation of reports on the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner in Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras, and of another report on Cyprus, and oral updates on Sri Lanka and Nicaragua. The Council will then begin the general debate under agenda item two, namely the annual report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, which will conclude on Tuesday, 4 March. The Council will subsequently begin its considerations under agenda item three on the promotion and protection of all human rights, holding interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

    On the morning of Wednesday, 5 March, the Council will hold a panel on early warning and genocide prevention, then conclude its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. This will be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue on the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on transitional justice. Another panel will be held on Thursday, 6 March on HIV response and leaving no one behind, in addition to two interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights. A third panel will be held in the morning of Friday, 7 March on rights to work and to social security, followed by two interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and the Independent Expert on the rights of persons with albinism.

    Third Week of the Session 

    The Council will start its third week on Monday, 10 March with a focus on disability, beginning with an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, to be followed by the annual debate on the rights of persons with disabilities. The day will conclude with an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on foreign debt, which will continue in the morning of Tuesday, 11 March. Two more interactive dialogues will also be held on Tuesday with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

    Wednesday, 12 March will see a further three interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, and the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General on violence against children and on children and armed conflict, the latter of which will conclude on Thursday, 13 March. The focus on children will continue on Thursday, with the Council also holding its annual discussion on the rights of the child, the theme of which will be early childhood development, and starting an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, which will conclude on Friday, 14 March.

    On Friday, an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment will precede the presentation of reports by the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner and his Office, followed by the start of the general debate on agenda item three.

    Fourth Week of the Session

    The first day of the Council’s fourth week, Monday 17 March, will be devoted to concluding the general debate on agenda item three. From Tuesday, 18 March, consideration of agenda item four, human rights situations that require the Council’s attention, will begin. First on the schedule is a joint interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur and the independent international fact-finding mission on the situation of human rights in Iran, followed by interactive dialogues with the independent international commission of inquiry on Syria, the fact-finding mission on Venezuela and the independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine.

    On Wednesday, 19 March, after the conclusion of the dialogue with the commission of inquiry on Ukraine, three more separate interactive dialogues will be held with the group of independent experts on the situation of human rights in Belarus and with the Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and in Myanmar.

    Thursday, 20 March, will see the Council hear the presentation of the High Commissioner’s report on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and his oral update of the situation of human rights in Venezuela. This will be followed by the general debate on agenda item four, which will conclude on the morning of Friday, 21 March. On Friday, the Council will also hold an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, before beginning considerations under agenda item five on human rights bodies and mechanisms. After hearing the presentation of reports by the Forum on Minority Issues, the Social Forum, and the Special Procedures of the Council, it will commence the general debate on agenda item five.

    Fifth Week of the Session 

    The Council will start its fifth week on Monday, 24 March with its consideration under agenda item six of the final outcomes of the Universal Periodic Reviews of 14 States: Norway, Albania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Portugal, Bhutan, Dominica, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Brunei Darussalam, Costa Rica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Qatar and Nicaragua. This consideration will continue through to the morning of Wednesday, 26 March, after which the Council will hold a general debate on agenda item six. This will be followed by the presentation of the reports of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General under agenda item seven, namely the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, and the general debate on this agenda item. The general debate under agenda item eight – follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action – is also scheduled to commence on Wednesday afternoon.

    Ending racism will be the Council’s theme for Thursday, 27 March. After concluding the debate under agenda item eight, it will hear the presentation of the report of the intergovernmental working group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, then hold its general debate on agenda item nine, namely racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the Council will also hold a meeting in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

    Friday, 28 March will begin with the conclusion of the debate under agenda item nine, followed by three interactive dialogues conducted under agenda item 10 on technical assistance and capacity-building. The first dialogue will be with the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali; the second on the High Commissioner’s report on the situation of human rights in Haiti, with the participation of the Independent Expert on the subject; and the third on the High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

    Sixth Week of the Session 

    Monday, 31 March is a United Nations holiday. On Tuesday, 1 April, the Council will hold an enhanced interactive dialogue on oral updates by the High Commissioner and by the team of international experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by an interactive dialogue on the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on technical assistance and capacity building for South Sudan and a high-level dialogue on the Central African Republic. At the end of the day, the Council will hear the annual presentation of the High Commissioner on technical cooperation and his oral update on Georgia, and the presentation of the report of the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation, followed by the general debate on agenda item 10.

    The general debate will conclude on Wednesday, 2 April, and the Council will then start to act on draft decisions and resolutions, appoint three new members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and adopt the report of the fifty-eighth regular session, before closing the session on Friday, 4 April.

    The Human Rights Council 

    The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system, made up of 47 States, which is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them.

    The composition of the Human Rights Council at its fifty-eighth session is as follows: Albania (2026); Algeria (2025); Bangladesh (2025); Belgium (2025); Benin (2027); Bolivia (2027); Brazil (2026); Bulgaria (2026); Burundi (2026); Chile (2025); China (2026); Colombia (2027); Costa Rica (2025); Côte d’Ivoire (2026); Cuba (2026); Cyprus (2027); Czechia (2027); Democratic Republic of the Congo (2027); Dominican Republic (2026); Ethiopia (2027); France (2026); Gambia (2027); Georgia (2025); Germany (2025); Ghana (2026); Iceland (2027); Indonesia (2026); Japan (2026); Kenya (2027); Kuwait (2026); Kyrgyzstan (2025); Malawi (2026); Maldives (2025); Marshall Islands (2027); Mexico (2027); Morocco (2025); Netherlands (2026); North Macedonia (2027); Qatar (2027); Republic of Korea (2027); Romania (2025); South Africa (2025); Spain (2027); Sudan (2025); Switzerland (2027); Thailand (2027); and Viet Nam (2025).

    The term of membership of each State expires in the year indicated in parentheses.

    The President of the Human Rights Council in 2025 is Jürg Lauber (Switzerland). The four Vice-Presidents are Tareq Md Ariful Islam (Bangladesh), Razvan Rusu (Romania), Paul Empole Losoko Efambe (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and a fourth Vice-President to be elected later from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States. Mr. Efambe will also serve as Rapporteur of the Geneva-based body.

    The dates and venue of the fifty-eighth session are subject to change.

    Information on the fifty-eighth session can be found here , including the annotated agenda and the reports to be presented.

    For further information, please contact Pascal Sim (simp@un.org), Matthew Brown (matthew.brown@un.org) or David Díaz Martín (David.diazmartin@un.org)

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    HRC.25.001E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ecowas breakup could push up food prices and worsen hunger in west Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Danielle Resnick, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

    The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) lost three of its founding members on 29 January 2025. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger comprised 16% of the bloc’s population of 424 million and 7% of its economy.

    Some commentators have labelled their departure – first announced a year ago – as “Sahelexit”. The decision to leave Ecowas was made by the three countries’ military leaders and is now poised to take effect legally. The three countries have created the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel, AES), a mutual defence and security pact formalised through the Liptako Gourma Charter in 2023.

    The decision to leave Ecowas was prompted after the military leaders launched coups against democratically elected leaders in Mali in 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023. The Ecowas Democracy and Governance Protocol prohibits unconstitutional changes of government. The regional body therefore imposed economic, financial and travel sanctions on each country after each coup.

    Food was exempted from the sanctions. But the resulting increase in transport times and other logistical hurdles contributed to substantial levels of food price inflation in the region. In Niger, for instance, the average market price of rice rose by 38% between July 2023, when sanctions were first imposed, and February 2024, when they were lifted.

    Remaining Ecowas countries were also badly affected. Benin’s revenues at the port of Cotonou, the main transit source for goods going into Niger, fell dramatically. The sanctions on Mali badly hurt revenue generation at the port of Dakar in neighbouring Senegal.

    All sanctions were lifted in February 2024. But the damage was done, and the three states began preparing their departure from the regional body.

    Ecowas has given these three states a transition period until July 2025 in case they backtrack and want to return. But the Alliance of Sahel States leaders have said their decision is irreversible.

    The exit from Africa’s largest political and economic union threatens to disrupt flows of goods, services and people. As a political economist who focuses on agriculture and nutrition policy in much of Africa, I worry that these developments will have serious consequences for food security in a region where almost 17 million children under five are already acutely malnourished.

    Already, the cost of a daily nutritious diet in the three Sahel alliance countries is 110% higher than the daily minimum wage in the west African region. The countries are also among the world’s hunger hotspots. In early 2025, 7.5 million of their population were classified as in crisis, emergency or famine conditions.

    The exit will also imperil regional cooperation on conflict. Insurgent attacks are moving further south of the Sahel.

    This will reduce access to safe, affordable food and deter investments in agro-processing.

    A blow to trade

    The implications of exit are most obvious for trade relations. Although the three countries will remain in the eight-member francophone West African Economic and Monetary Union, they are departing the Ecowas customs union, which includes the region’s anglophone countries. A customs union removes tariffs among its member states and establishes a common external tariff on non-member states. Members experience freer trade with each other while protecting their domestic industries from external competition. Since 2015, import tariffs for intra-Ecowas goods have been eliminated. A common external tariff is levied on imports from non-Ecowas countries.

    Leaving Ecowas means the three countries will have to adhere to the common external tariff rates for their imports into Ecowas member countries. They will also revert to using the World Trade Organisation’s Most Favored Nation rates on imports from Ecowas countries, which are higher for some categories of goods than the Ecowas tariff.

    In other words, for some goods, including agricultural products, imports will be more expensive for all countries. The three states will be further hurt by the community levy, the 0.5% tax Ecowas imposes on goods from non-Ecowas member states to fund the bloc’s budget.

    All three countries are landlocked. Leaving Ecowas means they lose access to ports like Tema in Ghana and Lagos in Nigeria. There will be implications for some of their biggest exports. For instance, almost 60% of Burkina Faso’s vegetable exports and 90% of its live animal exports go to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

    Ghana, along with Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, is a key export market for Niger’s onions. Niger also imports a large share of its food products from Nigeria, one of its largest trading partners in the region.

    The tariff and levies therefore could increase the cost of food for consumers in both the Alliance of Sahel States and remaining Ecowas countries.

    The withdrawal of the three countries will also affect food production through diminished access to electricity as well as wheat flour and edible oils. The trio face possible exclusion from the Ecowas West African Power Pool, which aims to increase members’ access to the regional electricity market. Burkina Faso and Niger import most of their electricity from Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

    Finally, the livelihoods of Sahelian migrants living in Ecowas countries remain uncertain. Due to the Ecowas freedom of movement protocol, more than 1.3 million Burkinabes and half a million Malians live in Côte d’Ivoire. Many of them run small, informal sector businesses to support their families back home.

    Future scenarios

    Ecowas marks its 50th anniversary in 2025. What could the future look like?

    Junta leaders are proposing various ways in which the relationship between the Alliance of Sahel States and Ecowas will proceed. For instance, they have claimed that they will maintain visa-free travel from Ecowas countries into theirs. But all 12 remaining Ecowas states would have to approve that proposal. The alliance also launched its own passport, but it’s not clear how Ecowas states will treat citizens who use it.

    Another possible scenario is that they will negotiate bilateral agreements with their major Ecowas trading partners and with other countries that offer sea access, such as Mauritania and Morocco. This scenario obviously undermines efforts to enhance regional trade integration.

    Finally, the problems surrounding the “Sahelexit” embody a larger set of tensions. These include whether political objectives should be embedded within trade arrangements — a debate also central to the possible renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act this year – and whether concerns over national sovereignty will undermine regional cooperation on increasing cross-border climate, conflict, and health threats to food security.

    Danielle Resnick receives funding from the Gates Foundation and the Open Society Foundation.

    – ref. Ecowas breakup could push up food prices and worsen hunger in west Africa – https://theconversation.com/ecowas-breakup-could-push-up-food-prices-and-worsen-hunger-in-west-africa-249195

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s effect on critical minerals could be crucial for the future of green energy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jorge Valverde, PhD Fellow, Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), United Nations University

    Nickel laterite in an open pit mine. Nickel is one of the critical minerals

    There’s a chance Donald Trump’s second term as US president could have a long-term negative impact on the demand for and supply of what are known as critical minerals. These include copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and the “rare earth elements”, such as lanthanum and yttrium.

    They are vital for the green energy transition, being used in electric car batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. Trump’s decision to pull out of the UN’s Paris agreement to control global warming has led to some pessimistic perspectives on this policy’s impacts.

    If Trump’s move towards oil and gas is interpreted by the markets as permanent, the price incentive for new mining projects for critical minerals will fall, along with long-term supply. This could potentially threaten the green energy transition.

    However, there are reasons to doubt this pessimistic scenario. Contrary to this, we believe that the new US administration policy is just a temporary shock without a significant change to the world’s energy transition trajectory. Therefore, critical mineral markets will remain buoyant in the medium and long term. This position is based on three main arguments.

    1. The US holds a competitive position in critical mineral markets

    There’s a generalised perception that the US depends on importing critical minerals from other countries, such as China. This is true for a handful, but, overall, America is one of the most competitive countries in producing the minerals needed for green technology.

    Indeed, the US has a revealed comparative advantage in exporting a wide variety of minerals and, among them, the most critical ones.

    Supplies of germanium are tightly controlled by China.
    RHJPhtotos

    Therefore, it will be in the US’s interests to keep the lucrative critical mineral markets dynamic. Even if the US reduces its sustainability ambitions, slowing its demand for new clean technologies, it is likely to do it carefully, so as not to harm its own industries.

    Indeed, we expect the US to increase its interest in developing processing industries to recover some minerals from electronic waste or intermediate stages in some manufacturing processes. These include germanium and gallium, which are tightly controlled by China (their biggest producer) but which are vital for computer chips and renewable energy technology, as well as night-vision goggles.

    2. The US produces and uses only a small share of clean technologies

    China and Europe drive these markets. The US does not drive either the demand or the supply for new clean technologies. On the demand side, the US only represents 10% of world electric car sales, while China and Europe account for 66% and 20% of the market respectively.

    China represents over 43% of installed solar energy capacity.
    Wang An Qi Shutterstock

    Similarly, for the world installed solar energy capacity, China represents over 43% of the market, Europe 20%, and the US only 10%. On the supply side, the US produces around 15% of the world’s electric cars, while China represents more than 50% of the market.

    For other clean technologies, statistics are similar with a remarkable leadership of China in the production of solar panels and wind turbines.

    So the policies followed by China and Europe are likely to have a much larger impact on the energy transition than the US’s. In the likely event that these countries continue pushing forward the green transition, the cost of slowing its technological catch up for the US will be too high.

    Moreover, oil producer countries of the Middle East are heavily betting for new clean technologies, which could offset the lower appetite for green assets from the US. So regardless of what Trump’s administration will decide on this matter, its influence on the market for clean technologies will be limited.

    3. New tariffs could further increase some minerals’ criticality

    Import tariffs imposed by Trump’s first administration to promote local production damaged US exports of those industries using imported intermediate, or partly finished, goods. In other words, international trade along global value chains has modified the textbook dynamics of protectionism, and exports are hindered – and not fostered – by import protection.

    President Trump plans to impose 25% new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. This could increase the criticality of some minerals for the US. For example, nickel and aluminium could become even more critical to the US economy because Canada supplies almost 40% of the nickel employed by US industry, and 70% of the aluminium.

    As a consequence, new tariffs could indeed increase the criticality of some minerals. Indeed, this was probably in some way behind the decisions to postpone the tariff increases and to only impose them on selected products.

    The energy policies of the new American administration will have ripple effects. But these are likely to be temporary and the market in critical minerals is unlikely to be affected long term. The global transition to clean energy seems safe, for now.

    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 effect on critical minerals could be crucial for the future of green energy – https://theconversation.com/trumps-effect-on-critical-minerals-could-be-crucial-for-the-future-of-green-energy-249058

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Brutalism: Oscar-nominated film has revived interest in a controversial architectural legacy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gleb Redko, PhD Researcher in Punk, Brutalism & Psychogeography, School of Architecture Art & Design, University of Portsmouth

    With ten Oscar nominations, The Brutalist has reignited the debate over the legacy of brutalism. The polarising architectural style was shaped by post-war hopes for a better future. But it was also, as historian Adrian Forty argues in his book Concrete and Culture (2012), an “expression of melancholy, the work of a civilisation that had all but destroyed itself in the second world war”.

    The fictional architect at centre of The Brutalist, László Tóth, is an Austro-Hungarian modernist and concentration-camp survivor who moves to America to rebuild his life. His designs, described as “machines”, are inspired by the trauma of camps like Buchenwald and Dachau.

    Emerging from the rubble of the second world war, brutalism became an architectural response to devastation and the pressing need for urban renewal. The destruction caused by the Blitz provided architects with opportunities to design environments reflecting the ideals of the new welfare state: equality, accessibility and functionality for the collective good.

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

    This ethical foundation aimed to address the social needs of the post-war era, particularly in housing, education and public welfare infrastructure. Notable examples of the style include the Barbican estate and Southbank Centre in London.

    Architectural critic Reyner Banham, who coined the term brutalism in his 1966 work Brutalism: Ethic or Aesthetic, argued that the movement was more than an aesthetic choice. He championed the work of Alison and Peter Smithson, young British architects who played a crucial role in shaping brutalism through projects like Robin Hood Gardens in London’s Tower Hamlets. For Banham, brutalism was an ethical stance and a form of “radical philosophy” aiming to address the social needs of the post-war era.

    The brutalist style has, however, often been criticsed for what many perceived to be its unappealing, “ugly” aesthetic and alienating qualities. In 1988, King Charles famously compared the National Theatre in London to a nuclear plant, encapsulating the public’s mixed reactions. Similarly the situationists (a French anti-capitalist art movement) denounced brutalist housing estates as “machines for living”. They saw them as oppressive structures that stifled human connection.

    The perception of brutalism is highly dependent on context. In warmer climates like Marseille in France, the play of sunlight on raw concrete gave structures a sculptural quality. In the UK’s wet climate, however, exposed concrete weathered quickly, making buildings appear grey and neglected.

    Yet for brutalist architects, this was never just about aesthetics. They saw their designs as expressions of honesty and social progress, rejecting ornamentation in favour of raw, functional materials that symbolised a new egalitarian society. The very qualities that critics saw as oppressive were, to its proponents, what made brutalism a radical and hopeful architecture.

    Rebellion and reclamation

    Despite their ethical intentions, brutalist buildings often appeared to have an alienating impact on their residents. In his book Making Dystopia (2018), architectural historian James Stevens Curl discusses the Canada Estate in Bermondsey, London, built in 1964, where tenants expressed their disaffection for the environment through acts of vandalism.

    By the 1970s, the optimism surrounding modernist and brutalist projects had begun to collapse, both figuratively and literally. One of the most infamous moments symbolising this failure was the Ronan Point disaster in 1968. A gas explosion on the 18th floor of this newly built tower block in east London caused a partial collapse. Four people were killed and serious concerns were raised about the safety and quality of post-war high-rise housing.

    This tragedy pushed the Clash’s Joe Strummer to write one of the band’s most notable songs, London’s Burning, in 1976. In the late 1970s and 1980s, punks splattered brutalist architecture with graffiti slogans echoing situationist critiques of modern urban life.

    Some referenced punk band names or song lyrics, showing how punk didn’t just adopt the attitude of the situationists but also their language and tactics. Jamie Reid, the architect of the Sex Pistols’ aesthetic, often used images of brutalist structures as a stark backdrop to his punk visuals.

    The punk movement reinterpreted the failure of brutalism not just as an architectural problem but as a broader societal collapse, highlighting issues of alienation, neglect and the erosion of post-war utopian ideals.



    Read more:
    Jamie Reid: the defiant punk art of the man behind the Sex Pistols’ iconic imagery

    Yet, in recent years, the brutalist aesthetic has found a new audience. Online communities, such as Reddit’s 1.5 million-member r/EvilBuildings reflect on buildings and surroundings captured by community members and the impressions these structures leave. Brutalist buildings frequently top the list.

    This renewed interest highlights the complex legacy of a style that was once widely criticised but continues to captivate a broader audience beyond architects.

    Brutalism’s dual legacy, a movement intended to create community but often seen as alienating, continues to shape debates in architecture and urban planning. The controversial nature of this style is evident in the demolition of prominent structures like the Smithsons’ Robin Hood Gardens (2018), the Tricorn Centre in Portsmouth (2004), and the currently ongoing demolition of Cumbernauld town centre in central Scotland.

    These demolitions highlight both brutalism’s polarised reception and the public reassessment of its value. These spaces are more than just concrete. They are sites of memory, rebellion, and ongoing cultural significance, continuously shaping and being shaped by the society around them.

    Gleb Redko 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. Brutalism: Oscar-nominated film has revived interest in a controversial architectural legacy – https://theconversation.com/brutalism-oscar-nominated-film-has-revived-interest-in-a-controversial-architectural-legacy-249627

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ19: Attracting strategic enterprises in advanced manufacturing industries

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Yim Kong and a written reply by the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):Question:     The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) commenced operation in December 2022, which was tasked with attracting industries of strategic importance to Hong Kong (including advanced manufacturing industries) to pursue development in Hong Kong. Some analyses have pointed out that investments in advanced manufacturing industries focus on technology and capital, and the number of jobs created is limited. There are also views that although automation and intelligentisation may reduce the number of jobs in traditional manufacturing industries, they also create jobs in technical maintenance, research and development as well as management. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) how it will assess the effectiveness of OASES’ work carried out in 2023 and last year;(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the investment amount and the numbers of employees hired by the enterprises related to advanced manufacturing industries; how the Government will assess the effectiveness of the policies implemented in 2023 and last year on attracting strategic enterprises in advanced manufacturing industries covering such aspects as taxation, financing and talents, so as to ensure that the objectives of attracting investments and creating employment opportunities can be achieved; and(3) whether it has assessed if the manpower trained by local universities caters for the needs of the future development of advanced manufacturing industries; whether the Government will, in attracting the strategic enterprises concerned, implement plans to support manpower training in the light of the development needs of the enterprises, such as setting up vocational training funds and encouraging enterprises to collaborate with universities and vocational training schools to offer training courses related to advanced manufacturing industries to nurture the required talents for the enterprises?Reply:President,     The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) is dedicated to attracting enterprises from industries of strategic importance to Hong Kong. Its work includes identifying target strategic enterprises, understanding their needs and providing customised facilitation support and one-stop services to strategic enterprises that are establishing their presence in Hong Kong. My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Yim Kong is as follows:(1) Since its commencement of operation in December 2022, OASES has reached out proactively to high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe. Despite the complicated and ever-changing economic environment in recent years, substantive progress has been achieved by OASES over the past two years. So far, 66 strategic enterprises have been brought to Hong Kong, and they are from the four strategic industries, i.e. life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, financial technology and advanced manufacturing and new energy technology. Among them, around 80 per cent plan to establish their global or regional headquarters in Hong Kong. It is estimated that in the coming years, they will invest about $42 billion in total and create more than 17 000 jobs.     OASES also continues to follow up on the development and needs of strategic enterprises that have established their presence in Hong Kong. By assisting and accelerating the plans of strategic enterprises to use Hong Kong as their base to tap into the Mainland market or expand overseas, it would thereby speed up the diversification and transformation of Hong Kong’s industries. This would also further strengthen Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, and attract more overseas enterprises to use Hong Kong as a base to tap into the Mainland market, while supporting Mainland enterprises to “go global”.(2) Based on the information from OASES, amongst the 66 strategic enterprises that have established their presence in Hong Kong, 12 belong to the advanced manufacturing and new energy technology industry. They include companies with a market capitalisation/valuation of over $10 billion, and are engaging in cutting-edge technologies. The enterprises have either established or plan to establish research and development (R&D) centres and/or production bases in Hong Kong, while 75 per cent of them plan to establish international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong. OASES has closely followed up on the development and needs of these strategic enterprises, and provided them with customised facilitation support. For example, a series of matching activities with parties such as innovation and technology (I&T) parks, universities and research institutes, chambers of commerce and professional bodies were arranged to speed up their commencement of operation in Hong Kong. It is estimated that in the coming few years, the aforementioned advanced manufacturing enterprises alone will invest around $5.6 billion in Hong Kong and create more than 1 800 jobs. By establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong, these strategic enterprises from the advanced manufacturing sector will also attract upstream, midstream and downstream partners from their industry chains to come to Hong Kong. This would accelerate the development of the advanced manufacturing industry, and assist the upgrading and transformation of the traditional manufacturing industry, thereby building a more vibrant ecosystem for the industry and creating more high-quality job opportunities.     In fact, with a view to promoting the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong, the Government has been using various measures to encourage the manufacturing industry (including the advanced manufacturing industry) to upgrade and transform through the use of I&T. The implementation of such measures is progressing as scheduled. On tax measures, the Government offers tax concessions to enterprises engaging in R&D activities in Hong Kong. The qualifying R&D expenditures of such enterprises enjoy an enhanced tax deduction, with the first $2 million of the total expenditure eligible for a 300 per cent tax deduction, and the amount beyond $2 million eligible for a 200 per cent deduction. There is no cap on the amount of enhanced tax deduction, and it applies to all eligible enterprises. The Inland Revenue Department is still processing the tax returns and assessments for the year of assessment 2023/24 and does not further classify the relevant statistics into traditional or advanced manufacturing mode in the assessment of profits tax so is unable to provide the relevant statistics.     The Government also provides funding support to further promote new industralisation. For instance, the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme (NIFS), aiming to subsidise manufacturers to set up new smart production lines in Hong Kong, targets to increase the cumulative number of smart production lines funded under the scheme to at least 130 in 2027. As at January 2025, 63 applications have been supported by the NIFS Vetting Committee (Vetting Committee), involving more than 100 production lines in total. The progress is satisfactory. Besides, the $10 billion New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme (NIAS) was set up by the Government in September 2024 to provide funding support on a matching basis for enterprises in strategic industries including advanced manufacturing and new energy technology. The first project under NIAS was supported by the Vetting Committee in early 2025, with the total project cost estimated at around $600 million and the expected NIAS funding amount at around $200 million. With enterprises actively participating in the two funding schemes, the Government is glad to see that they are making use of I&T to achieve smart production so as to enhance competitiveness.     Meanwhile, the Government is increasing investment and guiding more market capital to invest in I&T industries. For instance, it was announced in the 2024 Policy Address to set up a $10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to create a fund-of-funds and channel more market capital to invest in specified emerging and future industries of strategic importance, including areas such as advanced manufacturing, so as to systematically build an I&T ecosystem. Furthermore, the Policy Address also announced the optimisation of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund by redeploying at most $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market, on a matching basis, to invest in start-ups of strategic industries including advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, thereby strengthening the Hong Kong I&T ecosystem.(3) Post-secondary institutions in Hong Kong can flexibly offer programmes that meet market needs and to engage with relevant industry stakeholders for timely adjustment of programme content to enhance the learning experience of students. The Education Bureau has also been supporting different policy bureaux/departments in policy areas related to manpower and training needs.     In order to nurture local talents, the New Industrialisation and Technology Training Programme was launched in August 2018. It subsidises local enterprises on a 2 (Government): 1 (enterprise) matching basis to train their staff in advanced technologies, especially training related to new industrialisation.     OASES has all along been promoting and encouraging strategic enterprises that have established their presence in Hong Kong to consider participating in the talent training programmes launched by the Government to support talent nurturing. Meanwhile, OASES has also been promoting and encouraging these enterprises to engage with universities and research institutes to discuss potential research collaborations and matters related to talent development, so that there would be more avenues to nurture talents to meet the needs of the enterprises.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at Consensus Hong Kong 2025 (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by FS at Consensus Hong Kong 2025 (English only)
    Speech by FS at Consensus Hong Kong 2025 (English only)
    *******************************************************

         Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at Consensus Hong Kong 2025 today (February 19): Michael (Chairman of Consensus Hong Kong, Mr Michael Lau), Sara (Chief Executive Officer of CoinDesk, Ms Sara Stratoberdha), distinguished guests, industry leaders and innovators, friends from around the world,      It is my pleasure to be here at Consensus Hong Kong 2025. Let me begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to CoinDesk for choosing Hong Kong as the first Asian city for hosting this iconic conference. Your decision underscores Hong Kong’s growing prominence as a global hub for Web3 and crypto innovation. This event also reflects our commitment to building a thriving digital asset ecosystem.  Vast potential of Web3 and AI      Consensus 2025 is a congregation of Web3 talent from around the world, and its agenda reflects the most pressing topics and trends in the Web3 space today. From the convergence of AI and blockchain to the tokenisation of real-world assets (RWA), crypto and consumers, and DeFi 2.0 (decentralised finance), the discussions here are set to shape the future landscape of digital finance and the digital economy.      One of the most exciting developments is, of course, the intersection of AI and blockchain, where “dencetralised AI” can unlock many new applications and opportunities. For example, AI can assist blockchain platforms in performing more accurate credit assessments, improving smart contract audits, providing tailored investment advice, and more.      Globally, the application of Web3 in finance is gaining traction. Blockchain innovations not just reduce transaction costs but also enhance market transparency, and the efficiency and accessibility of financial services. Indeed, we are seeing more institutional adoption where traditional banks, asset managers and brokers increasingly integrate digital assets into their offerings. The benefits are clear. The World Economic Forum, for example, estimates that financial institutions could free up some US$100 billion per year by leveraging distributed ledger technology for collateral management.      Hong Kong, with its advanced financial infrastructure and robust regulatory environment, is at the forefront of this transformation. Hong Kong has already made history by issuing the world’s first tokenised government green bonds in 2023, followed by a groundbreaking multi-currency issuance in 2024.       Beyond finance, Web3 plus AI innovations are inspiring a host of applications in the real economy. From streamlining supply chain management to enhancing game players’ experience; and from improving healthcare management to making agricultural and industrial production more intelligent, they are empowering and transforming business operations and public services.        Rapid tech innovation does not come without challenges. Often, the progress of innovation outpaces regulatory response, creating gaps that can lead to substantial risks. The fallout from several crypto exchanges’ failures in recent years serves as vivid reminders that we must pay attention to market integrity, investor protection, money laundering and cybersecurity risks, as financial products and services continue to innovate and digitalise.      On a positive note, the history of financial innovations shows that we learnt and adapted fast, and put in better guardrails and became more resilient. The key to success lies in maintaining an open, fair, balanced and forward-looking regulatory approach that is conducive to the sustainable and responsible development of financial innovation, including Web3. Hong Kong’s unparalleled advantages      This is the path taken by Hong Kong. While some major jurisdictions have recently begun to embrace cryptocurrencies, which has undoubtedly fuelled a boom of the crypto market, Hong Kong stands out as a market with consistent, predictable, forward-looking policies, and a balanced regulatory framework. For innovators and companies committed to building the future of Web3, or financial institutions looking to bridge traditional and digital finance, Hong Kong is where you want to be.       Our regime is premised on the “same activity, same risk, same regulation” principle, which ensures a level playing field for all market participants. In this regard, Hong Kong has already put in place a licensing regime for digital asset trading platforms. Our Securities and Futures Commission has already issued nine such licences, with more in the pipeline. We are also advancing on the regulation of stable coins, and have introduced the relevant piece of legislation.      To facilitate further innovation, regulatory sandboxes have been set up by our regulators to allow innovators to test and refine their ideas, and to get early regulatory feedback. Besides, initiatives like the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Project Ensemble are accelerating the development of tokenisation ecosystems, covering RWAs like fixed income, investment funds, green finance and trade finance.      Indeed, this pro-innovation and collaborative regulatory approach is a unique value proposition of Hong Kong to Web3 innovators and participants.      AI is constantly evolving and increasingly applied to finance. Its convergence with blockchain will create more use cases, with both new opportunities to be captured, and challenges to be addressed. Hong Kong has set out a clear policy stance on the use of AI in financial services. The Government and financial regulators are working closely with the industry to monitor technology and market development and establish a transparent supervisory framework.      Hong Kong’s commitment to Web3 extends beyond regulation. We are investing heavily in the related infrastructure and talent development. Our Cyberport and Science Park have become vibrant hubs for Web3 innovation and fintech, while our universities and partnerships with the industry are nurturing generations of blockchain experts. Through talent admission schemes, we are also attracting top-notch professionals from around the world, ensuring that Hong Kong remains at the cutting edge of technological advancement. Concluding remarks      Ladies and gentlemen, while the tides of change may ebb and flow, the quest for innovation has never stopped. The digital asset market today may somewhat resemble the early days of all great transformative paradigms: as new frontiers emerge, there will always be champions of progress and cautious observers. What remains true is that the market ultimately rewards those who dare to innovate, and adapt and persevere.      The tides of change are upon us, and Hong Kong is ready to ride the wave. As the Web3 ecosystem continues to evolve, Hong Kong will remain a stable, open and vibrant market for digital assets. I am confident that global companies and institutions will join force with us to lead its development.      Once again, my heartfelt thanks to CoinDesk for hosting this event in Hong Kong. I wish you all a productive and inspiring event over the next two days. And do remember to take some time to enjoy Hong Kong, Asia’s world city. Thank you.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 19, 2025Issued at HKT 12:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ17: Cracking down on online defamation and cyber-bullying

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ17: Cracking down on online defamation and cyber-bullying
    LCQ17: Cracking down on online defamation and cyber-bullying
    ************************************************************

         Following is a question by Prof the Hon Chow Man-kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (February 19): Question:      In September 2023, the Mainland issued the Guiding Opinions on Punishing Illegal and Criminal Acts of Cyberviolence in accordance with the Law (the Opinions), with a view to punishing illegal and criminal activities of cyberviolence in accordance with the law, effectively safeguarding citizens’ rights and interests, and maintaining order in the cyberspace. There are views that the Government should draw on the experience and improve the legislation concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the respective numbers of persons who were prosecuted and convicted in each of the past three years for allegedly disseminating inappropriate information or making inappropriate speech on the Internet (including contravening data protection principles under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), and committing offences such as criminal intimidation, blackmail or defamation, etc.), and set out the details of each case by the nature of crimes; (2) given that it has been reported that the Government has completed a consultancy study on addressing the issue of false information, whether the authorities have examined if the existing legislation is adequate in combating false information, defamation and bullying behaviour in the cyberspace; if they have, of the details; and (3) given that the Opinions stresses that “the focus must be on cracking down on malicious initiators, organizers, malicious promoters, and those who refuse to take corrective action after repeated education”, and crimes committed under specific circumstances (such as cyberviolence committed against a minor or disabled person, and cyberviolence committed by organizing an “Internet water army” and “thugs”) “carry a harsh penalty in accordance with the law”, whether the authorities will make reference to the aforesaid principles in reviewing and updating the existing legislation, particularly focusing on Internet users who publicly or privately make speech not based on facts and intend to launch malicious attacks, and add a provision to enable victims to recover losses through legal channels from users or service providers who publish defamatory statements, so as to combat defamation and bullying behaviour online in a more targeted manner; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply:President,         The Internet is not an unreal world that is beyond the law. As far as the existing legislation in Hong Kong is concerned, most of the laws enacted to prevent crimes in the real world are in principle applicable to the online world, including social media and mobile communication softwares. Any illegal acts involving criminal offences would be regulated by the relevant legislation, regardless of whether such acts occur online.         After consulting the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Department of Justice (DoJ), consolidated reply in response to the Member’s question is provided as follows: (1) Disseminating inappropriate information or making inappropriate remarks on the Internet may constitute an offence under section 64 of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) (PDPO), which provides for disclosure of personal data without consent, commonly known as the “doxxing” offence. Since the offence came into effect in October 2021, as at December 31, 2024, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data arrested a total of 63 persons, with 32 of them being convicted. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) conducted investigations targeting the offence of doxxing causing specified harm to the data subject or any family member of the data subject under section 64(3C) of the PDPO. As at the third quarter of 2024, 34 persons were arrested, with 18 of them being convicted.      According to the records of the DoJ, no prosecution for “publishing libel known to be false” provided under section 5 of the Defamation Ordinance (Cap. 21) was initiated in the past three years. As of the third quarter of 2024, a total of 1 006 persons have been prosecuted for offences such as criminal intimidation under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200) or blackmail under section 23 of the Theft Ordinance (Cap. 210), of which 450 have been convicted.           The above figures include cases committed on the Internet. The Government does not maintain breakdown of online and offline figures. (2) HYAB has earlier hired consultant to study the experiences and measures of other countries and regions in dealing with false information. According to information provided by HYAB, the Government has completed a consultancy study on how to deal with false information, and will continue to closely monitor the issue of false information. Generally speaking, the dissemination of information by the media in Hong Kong has improved compared to the past, but this does not mean that we do not need to be wary of false information and other online defamation and bullying. (3) As mentioned in the first part of the reply, the existing laws in Hong Kong for preventing crimes are, in principle, applicable to the online world and the above-mentioned relevant offences are applicable to online conduct. Making inappropriate comments online may also constitute other offences, such as contravention of the data protection principles as set out in Schedule 1 of the PDPO.      As regards online remarks or information which are not based on facts, there are mechanisms under the existing legal framework demanding the removal of inappropriate messages to combat online defamation and cyber-bullying. For instance, under section 159AAL of the Crimes Ordinance, in cases where intimate images (including falsified ones that have been altered) are published without consent, the court, having regard to the circumstances, may order the defendant or any other persons to remove, delete or destroy the intimate images concerned. Section 66M of the PDPO also empowers the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data to demand actions to cease disclosure of “doxxing” contents. Upon noticing the circulation of inappropriate messages on the Internet, the HKPF will actively investigate and take enforcement action in a timely manner. They will also require service providers to remove the messages as appropriate. The parties concerned may also apply to the High Court for an injunction as and where necessary.           The Government reinstates that members of the public have to act legally and responsibly when using the Internet, and should not commit any criminal offence. We will devote full efforts to crack down unlawful acts on the Internet, and take enforcement actions in accordance with the existing legislation, as well as to review the applicability and effectiveness of the laws from time to time.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 19, 2025Issued at HKT 12:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Making good use of spaces released from toll collection facilities of road harbour crossings

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Chan Chun-ying and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):      Question:     In order to implement the HKeToll free-flow tolling service, the Highways Department is demolishing the toll booths, toll islands and toll plaza shelters of the three road harbour crossings (RHCs) and adjusting the traffic lane arrangements. On making good use of the spaces released from the toll collection facilities of RHCs, will the Government inform this Council:(1) as it is learnt that the demolition works of the toll booths, toll islands and toll plaza shelters of the three RHCs have basically been completed, but many water-filled barriers and traffic cones used for the purposes of road works have not yet been removed from the road surfaces in the vicinity of the three RHCs, causing vehicles entering and exiting RHCs to reduce their speed, thus affecting the smooth flow of traffic, and that the Government indicated in its reply to a question from a Member of this Council on November 13 last year that the demolition works involving the three RHCs were not expected to be completed until the second quarter of this year, of the complexities of the remaining works and whether the Government has explored early completion of such works; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;(2) given that in its reply to a question from a Member of this Council on October 18, 2023, the Government indicated that the demolition of all the manual toll booths could release land with an estimated total area of about 23 000 square metres at the three RHCs, whether, apart from using the land to provide more bus stops or improve the existing ones and increase the number of buffer zones, the Government has considered landscaping the RHC entrances to create three scenic cityscapes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and(3) as it is learnt that there are many advertising spaces at the three RHCs, whether the Government has studied taking this opportunity to revamp these advertising spaces to provide digital advertising screens, three-dimensional advertising screens and projection advertising screens, etc, thereby attracting more advertisers and increasing government revenue; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?Reply:President,     The HKeToll, a free-flow tolling service, has been implemented in all government-tolled tunnel since end-2023 and will be implemented at the Tai Lam Tunnel after the Government takes over it in May this year. The HKeToll enables vehicles to pay tolls remotely without having to stop at the toll booths, thereby enhancing the efficiency of toll collection, and providing more effective traffic management as well as safer and smoother commuting for motorists; and the freed-up areas following the removal of manual toll booths will be utilised to improve the traffic at the tunnel entrances and exits.          Having consulted the Development Bureau and the Transport Department (TD), my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan Chun-ying is as follows:(1) All HKeToll related works at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT) and Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) have been completed, including the removal of toll islands and toll plaza canopies, and adjustment of lane arrangements. The traffic cones currently placed on site mainly aim at guiding vehicles along the lanes and preventing them from entering the shadow area of the central dividers, so as to rationalise the traffic near the tunnel entrances and exits and maintain road safety.     As for the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), we are currently carrying out road resurfacing and related works in the vicinity of the former toll plaza, which requires removal of the existing concrete pavement of the main traffic lanes at the former toll plaza for repaving the road base as well as the bituminous pavement. As the works are close to existing traffic lanes, bus stops, branch road entrances and exits, etc, they need to be carried out in phases to ensure that the project will not cause significant impact on tunnel operations, traffic conditions and road safety. Upon the completion of the works at the main traffic lane, we will continue the remaining works at the freed-up areas and remove temporary traffic management measures such as water barriers after completion. The relevant departments will complete the works as soon as possible, and it is expected the works at WHC will be completed in the second quarter of this year.(2) The freed-up areas following the removal of toll booths will be used for improving the traffic at the tunnel entrances and exits, including widening the existing space for loading/unloading of buses and access to bus stops, increasing the number of lane-side buffer zones to ensure the safe operation of the tunnels, as well as rationalising traffic lane arrangements, with consideration given to road safety and landscaping. In the long run, the TD will continue to review the future traffic condition of the road section and the spaces available, and proactively consider how to complement the development of the neighbouring areas and improve the traffic and cross-harbour bus service. Besides, taking the CHT as an example, at the Government’s invitation, the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) has conducted a study to re-plan the sites in the vicinity of the Hung Hom Station and the waterfront, including exploring ways to enhance the pedestrian connectivity between Hung Hom and Tsim Sha Tsui East, and improve the passenger bus waiting environment at the CHT. The Government is currently considering MTRCL’s report, and expects stakeholder consultation on the land use proposals will take place by mid-2025.(3) At present, there are a total of 95 advertising panels located at the tunnel entrances and exits, tunnel buildings (such as administration buildings and ventilation buildings) and bus stops of the three road harbour crossings. The tunnel operators under the TD appoint advertising agents through open tender to sell advertising spaces, and the relevant advertising revenue goes to the Government.     The TD has been closely monitoring the market demand for advertising display within the tunnel areas with a view to optimising the use of advertising spaces. The TD also reviews the number and types of advertising panels from time to time, taking into account factors such as cost-effectiveness, avoiding distraction to motorists, road safety and visual impact to nearby residents. To tie in with the market demand and changes to the toll plaza, the TD has commissioned a total of four new advertising panels from November 2024 to January 2025 at the EHC to increase advertising revenue.     The TD will continue to maintain close liaison with tunnel operators and advertising agents to keep in view the market demand for displaying advertisements within the tunnel area, and consider the feasibility of different options, including the proposal in the question, with a view to increasing advertising revenue.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: Protecting rights and interests of spouses after marital breakdown

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Nixie Lam and a reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):
     
    Question:
     
         It has been reported that while quite a number of prospective couples have drawn up prenuptial agreements through lawyers to make advance arrangements for the distribution of property and protection of their rights and interests in the event of divorce, prenuptial agreements are not legally binding under the existing legislation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it will consider enacting legislation to ascertain the legal effect of prenuptial agreements; if so, of the details; if not, the relevant legal considerations; 

    (2) whether it will, by drawing reference from the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, categorise a person’s property into prenuptial and postnuptial property, without converting prenuptial property into joint property between spouses as a result of marriage; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and 

    (3) as it is learnt that while quite a number of members of the public protect their interests in property in matrimonial causes through the trust services provided by banks and trust companies, some banks require their clients to have a minimum of US$1 million in liquid assets or US$3 million in non-liquid assets, and some trust companies’ minimum asset requirements for their clients are also very high, whether the Government will consider taking measures to provide members of the public whose assets have not met the relevant thresholds with a similar asset protection mechanism, so as to further enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international asset management centre? 

    Reply:
     
    President,

         When applying for a divorce, both parties to the marriage would normally apply to the court for the settlement of financial matters, such as the division of property and application for maintenance. According to existing legislation, the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Ordinance (Cap 192) (the Ordinance) empowers the court to order either party to the marriage to make to the other financial provision, or to make order for transfer of property, etc., when granting decree of divorce, decree of nullity of marriage or decree of judicial separation, or at any time thereafter.
     
         In consultation with the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau and the Department of Justice, my reply, on behalf of the Government, to the question raised by the Hon Nixie Lam is as follows:
     
    (1) According to section 7(1) of the Ordinance, the court shall have regard to the conduct of the parties to the marriage and all the circumstances of the case when dealing with matters in relation to financial provisions, transfer and sale of property, etc. The circumstances of the case include the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources which each of the parties to the marriage has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future; the age of each party to the marriage and the duration of the marriage; as well as the contributions made by each of the parties to the welfare of the family. As the circumstances of the parties to the marriage and family in each case vary, each application shall be handled according to the actual situation. Under the current law, the court has broad discretionary powers to enable it to properly deal with different situations and make fair arrangements for the division of property.
     
         Although Hong Kong currently does not have relevant legal provisions made for prenuptial agreements, the court will, based on the circumstances of the case and the conduct of both parties, consider adopting some or all of the contents of the prenuptial agreement. With reference to local cases, the Court of Final Appeal also pointed out in its judgment that although a prenuptial agreement could not override the powers of the court to grant ancillary relief, it carries considerable weight in relation to the exercise of the court’s discretion when granting such relief. If prenuptial agreement is made between a couple prior to their marriage as to the manner in which their financial affairs should be settled upon divorce, the court should give weight to such agreement where it was fair to do so. Conversely, mandatory enforcement of a prenuptial agreement may, due to the unique circumstances of individual cases, such as something unforeseen at the time of the agreement occurred after the marriage, result in an unfair division of property and harm the interests of one party. It can thus be seen that the current regime effectively ensures that the court can, after fully considering the contents of the prenuptial agreement and all other factors related to the division of property, make an arrangement for division of property which is the fairest for both parties to the marriage to safeguard their interests.
     
    (2) For the second part of the question, the division and definition of matrimonial property and non-matrimonial property depend on the specific circumstances of each case. As I have just mentioned, the court will consider a basket of factors in determining the division of property when the parties to the marriage divorce. According to Section 7(1)(f) of the Ordinance and with reference to local cases, the contributions made by each party to the welfare of the family and the source of the assets are factors that the court would take into account when dealing with the division of property. In fact, in accordance with the principle of fairness, the court must also take into account the financial needs of both parties and/or their children, as well as the standard of living they enjoyed before the divorce. Therefore, due to the uniqueness of each case, the court may not be able to deal with pre-marital property in a uniform approach. The division of property upon divorce involves various complex legal principles and issues, which must be considered comprehensively and carefully. We believe that the current arrangement is effective and will keep in view the relevant situation.
     
    (3) Regarding trust companies, the Government is committed to promoting the industry to offer diversified products, with a view to better satisfying the market needs and facilitating the long-term healthy development of the sector. There is no uniform standard on the asset threshold for setting up a trust. Trust companies in the market formulate different asset thresholds based on their business models, types of trust solution, clients’ need and their levels of risk exposure. Trust companies offer diversified products and professional services to clients with different asset scales, providing them with greater flexibility and more choices when conducting asset allocation.
     
         The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) regulates the trust business of banks, so as to enhance clients’ confidence in entrusting assets to banks in Hong Kong. At present, the HKMA does not impose any regulatory requirements on the minimum asset thresholds for the provision of trust services to clients. Banks may decide the conditions applicable to the provision of trust services to their clients, taking into account their own specific circumstances, such as target clientele, operational costs, resource allocation and market demand, among other factors. Banks will review and adjust their trust business, with reference to market developments and their own business considerations. The HKMA will continue to keep in view market developments, and enhance the regulations on the trust business of banks as appropriate.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ21: Supporting development of public light bus trade

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Luk Chung-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):

    Question:

         It is learnt that public light buses (PLBs) are an important supplementary feeder transport means in Hong Kong, with an average daily patronage in the millions. However, some members of the trade have pointed out that due to factors such as rising fuel expenses and the increase in Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT) tolls resulting from the rationalisation of traffic flow among the three road harbour crossings (RHCs), the operating costs of PLBs have increased, thereby affecting the livelihood of drivers. Regarding the support for the development of the PLB trade, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it has compiled statistics on the average monthly number of red minibuses using CHT in the two years before and one year after the rationalisation of traffic flow among RHCs; whether the average monthly number of red minibuses using CHT has decreased after the rationalisation of traffic flow at CHT;

    (2) whether it will consider the trade’s request to lower the RHC toll for PLBs to $25 to bring it in line with that for taxis; if so, of the relevant adjustment arrangements; if not, the reasons for that;

    (3) whether it will consider opening up the bus-only lanes and drop-off points for tunnels to PLBs; if so, of the relevant arrangements; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (4) whether it has plans to introduce other measures to support the development of the PLB trade?

    Reply:

    President,

         In consultation with the Transport Department (TD), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Luk Chung-hung, is as follows: 

    (1) As the toll collection systems only record the use of tunnels by vehicle type “light bus” (including private light buses and public light buses (PLBs)), the TD does not have figures on the use of tunnels by red minibuses (RMBs).

         Since the implementation of time-varying tolls, taking December 2024 as an example, there is no significant change in the total weekday cross-harbour light bus (including private light buses and PLBs) traffic compared with that before the implementation. Some of the light bus traffic at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel has been diverted to the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), thus resulting in a more even distribution of cross-harbour traffic of light bus among the three road harbour crossings (RHCs).

    (2) Generally speaking, the tolls for commercial vehicles (CVs) (including goods vehicles, light buses and buses) are generally higher than that for private cars as CVs take up more road space and cause more wear and tear to road surfaces. With the implementation of time-varying tolls, the Government has taken into account the “efficiency first” principle, the passenger-carrying efficiency and the socio-economic benefits of CVs in the past, and has brought the higher tolls for CVs closer to a level comparable to that for private cars during busy hours. The tolls for PLBs using WHC have been substantially reduced compared to the previous tolls (from $85 to $50, a reduction of about 41 per cent), and the tolls are comparable to the average tolls of the three RHCs in the past (about $44). For taxis, journeys are mainly passenger-driven and passengers are required to pay the tolls for both the outward and return cross-harbour journeys, i.e. a total of $50, which is in line with the CHT tolls for PLBs.

         With the implementation of time-varying tolls, the distribution of cross-harbour traffic is becoming more even and the capacity of the three RHCs can be better utilised. The overall traffic queues and congestion at the tunnel portals has also been alleviated, thus effectively improving the overall cross-harbour traffic. RMBs have been operating with a high degree of flexibility in terms of routeings, frequencies and fares. In planning cross-harbour routes for PLBs, most operators will take into account a number of factors besides tolls. These factors include target passengers, routeings and destinations, accessibility and journey time. With the implementation of time-varying tolls, the overall cross-harbour traffic has improved, saving cross-harbour travel time and helping to reduce fuel costs. It will also enhance the efficiency of PLB services and attractiveness of PLBs to passengers.

         The Government is now collecting and consolidating the cross-harbour traffic data of 2024, including data on the traffic flow, speed and queues of the three RHCs at different times of the day/quarters/directions, as well as the distribution of traffic flow by vehicle types, so as to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the time-varying tolls on the cross-harbour traffic, and then examine whether the toll levels of various vehicle types need to be adjusted. The review is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
         
    (3) As road-based mass carriers with high patronage, buses have relatively higher passenger carrying capacity and efficiency. Therefore, the TD will give priority to buses in the use of roads as far as practicable, such as providing bus-only lanes and designated bus gate to optimise the capacity of busy roads. If bus-only lanes are opened for use by other vehicles, the effectiveness of bus-only lanes and the journey time of buses may be affected. Therefore, the TD currently has no plan to open bus-only lanes for use by other vehicles.

         At present, there are bus stops for a number of cross-harbour bus routes near the entrances and exits of the RHCs. Their usage has reached saturation. To avoid affecting bus operation and passengers’ boarding and alighting, the TD has no plan to open the cross-harbour tunnel bus stops as drop-off points for PLBs.

    (4) The Government has been paying close attention to the operating situation of the PLB trade and has implemented various measures to help improve the operating environment. In respect of day-to-day operations, the TD provides appropriate and practicable support on the request of the trade to meet operational needs, for example, suitably relaxing or rescinding some passenger pick-up/drop-off restricted zones or prohibited zones for RMBs, taking into account the actual road conditions of individual locations; and permitting overnight parking of PLBs at designated PLB stands where it does not impact road safety or other road users, with a view to meeting operational needs of the PLB trade.

         The Government also noted that the PLB sector has been facing continuous and acute shortage of drivers. To this end, the Government launched the Labour Importation Scheme for Transport Sector – PLB/Coach Trade in July 2023, to allow importation of non-local drivers by eligible PLB operators on the premise of safeguarding the employment priority for local workers. A total of 900 quotas for imported PLB drivers have been approved under two rounds of application. As of end January 2025, over 600 imported drivers have successfully obtained the driver license required and have been deployed to services. In addition, the TD and the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) have introduced a pilot placement scheme in late 2024. The placement-tied driving training scheme, using the PLB trade as pilot, is jointly launched by the ERB, green minibus (GMB) operators and third-party training organisations to encourage local workers to join the PLB trade.

         On the other hand, it has been the Government’s established policy to encourage the conversion of RMBs to GMB operations, which has a wider catchment area and a relatively stable operating environment, with a view to improving their operating conditions and allowing for more effective monitoring by the TD to ensure the service quality. To align with this policy, the TD has been planning and developing new GMB route packages in light of district development and passenger demand and has been inviting applications from interested parties (including RMB operators) to run these routes through the annual GMB Operators Selection exercise. At the same time, in August 2024, the TD invited operators of 11 selected RMB routes meeting specific conditions to apply for conversion to GMB route operations. The operators of the two approved RMB routes have started the gearing-up work for conversion to GMB route operations. The two routes are expected to commence service in March 2025. 

         The Government will continue to closely monitor the operation of PLB trade and maintain close communication with relevant stakeholders to explore more feasible measures to improve the operating environment of the trade.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ13: Electric wheelchairs

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):Question:     It is learnt that in recent years, more and more people with disabilities and elderly people with impaired mobility have chosen to use electric wheelchairs as a substitute for traditional manual wheelchairs. However, it has been reported that an electric wheelchair user collided with a motorcycle in July last year, arousing public concern about the safety of electric wheelchairs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) of the number of cases in which the Police (i) issued advice to electric wheelchair users and (ii) instituted prosecutions against electric wheelchair users for contravening traffic regulations in each of the past three years, as well as the respective reasons for issuing such advice and instituting such prosecutions;(2) as the Consumer Council has earlier on recommended that the Government tighten regulation of the use of electric wheelchairs, including limiting their maximum travelling speed, requiring users to take out insurance, etc, whether the Government will, in accordance with the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), formulate regulations on the use of electric wheelchairs for outdoor travel (e.g. restrictions on the modification of electric wheelchairs, loading requirements, insurance requirements, fire safety standards, prohibition on the carriage of passengers, and maximum speed limits), so as to protect the safety of electric wheelchair users and other road users; if so, of the specific details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and(3) as there are views that pavements in many districts in Hong Kong are so narrow that electric wheelchair users may easily come into conflict with pedestrians due to competition for road space, whether relevant government departments will provide additional barrier-free facilities for electric wheelchair users when planning and constructing roads for new towns and new development areas in the future; if so, of the specific details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?Reply:President,     Having consulted the Health Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and the Transport Department (TD) in respect of electric wheelchair, my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Rock Chen is as follows:(1) The Police does not maintain statistics on enforcement against electric wheelchair users.(2) Proper use of electric wheelchairs can help ensure the safety of both the wheelchair users and others. The allied health professionals of Hospital Authority (HA) hospitals, when prescribing electric wheelchairs, will teach patients how to use the wheelchairs safely and correctly according to the needs of individual patients. In addition, the Community Rehabilitation Service Support Centre under the HA provides systematic group training for electric wheelchair users so that they could familiarise the skills and attitudes of using the wheelchairs safely in order to cope with different situations including using public transport and public facilities and handling outdoor obstacles.     Under section 4(8) of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228), it is an offence if any person, in any public place, drives recklessly or negligently or at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public. As regards the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), as it seeks to regulate road traffic and the use of vehicles, it is not suitable for further regulation of electric wheelchairs. Nevertheless, the TD will continue to help promoting the safe use of electric wheelchairs to enhance the safety of road users (including pedestrians).(3) It is the Government’s established policy objective to provide barrier-free environment for people in need (including manual or electric wheelchair users) with a view to enabling them to access premises and make use of the facilities and services therein on an equal basis with others, thereby facilitating them to live independently and integrate into the community.     In planning the pedestrian network in new towns and new development areas, the Government will fully consider the needs of pedestrians (including wheelchair users and other people in need), provide footpaths of sufficient width and set up appropriate pedestrian crossing facilities to enhance the travel experience of wheelchair users and other pedestrians.     The Government will keep in contact with organisations of persons with disabilities, and pay heed to their views on the circumstances which they encounter in the daily use of barrier-free access and facilities.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ20: Quality of lunch boxes of primary school lunch suppliers

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ20: Quality of lunch boxes of primary school lunch suppliers
    LCQ20: Quality of lunch boxes of primary school lunch suppliers
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         Following is a question by Dr the Hon So Cheung-wing and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (February 19): Question:      It is learnt that as most primary schools in Hong Kong are whole-day schools now, students of these schools have to have lunch at school, and many students eat lunch boxes pre-ordered by schools from lunch suppliers (pre-‍ordered lunch boxes). However, many parents have relayed that the quality of pre-ordered lunch boxes varies, and some students find them unpalatable or discard them just after having a few bites, causing worries about inadequate nutrition uptake in students. There are views that while requiring lunch suppliers to provide nutritious lunches, the Nutritional Guidelines on Lunch for Students published by the Department of Health provide no specific recommendations on the overall food quality of the lunches. On the other hand, it has been reported by Mainland media that many primary schools on the Mainland are equipped with their own canteens, providing students with lunches prepared by cooks on site that are both nutritious and delicious. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it will consider formulating guidelines on the overall food quality of pre-ordered lunch boxes to ensure that students can enjoy lunches that are both nutritious and delicious; (2) in the past three years, whether it received complaints from parents about the food quality of pre-ordered lunch boxes; if so, how the complaints were dealt with; and (3) whether it will consider emulating the practice of some primary schools in our country and set up canteens at subsidised schools to provide students with nutritious and delicious lunches prepared on site? Reply: President,      The Government attaches great importance to healthy eating among children and has been encouraging schools to formulate a policy on healthy eating conducive to promoting students’ good eating habits and healthy lifestyle. Schools generally take into account factors like scales of suppliers, food quality and hygiene, prices, views of parents holistically when choosing school lunch suppliers.      In consultation with the Health Bureau, the Department of Health (DH), and the Environment and Ecology Bureau, our consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon So Cheung-wing is as follows: (1) The current Nutritional Guidelines on Lunch for Students was published by the DH in 2006 and has been updated ever since. The main objectives of the Guidelines are to ensure that primary and secondary school students can have nutritionally balanced school lunches that meet the needs of their growth and development, and serve as a reference for the quantity and quality of food as stipulated in the contracts signed between schools and lunch suppliers. The Guidelines also recommend the use of ingredients low in oil, salt, and sugar, and more natural ingredients, herbs, and spices to enhance the flavour of dishes, making lunches more appetising. The Education Bureau (EDB) has also issued circulars to call on schools to refer to relevant guidelines when arranging lunch for students and observe the principles of healthy eating such as the suggested ratio of grains, vegetables and meat in a lunch box, and reducing intake of fat, salt and sugar by students. Moreover, it was announced in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address that the Whole School Health Programme launched by the DH will be strengthened. Health reports will be compiled for each participating school to recommend targeted school-based health promotion measures, which will include diet arrangements focusing on nutrition, growth and development needs. (2) The EDB has been promoting home-school co-operation to encourage schools to explain to parents the schools’ policy on healthy eating and encourage parents to echo with schools’ efforts by guiding their children to consume food with high nutritional value and having the meals with them in order to help children develop healthy eating habits. Schools are also encouraged to engage parents in the discussion of lunch arrangements such as inviting them to join the lunch supplier selection team to formulate lunch requirements, selection criteria and marking scheme. Schools should also maintain communication with parents on the nutritional value and quality of the lunch provided, collect views from parents and students regularly and provide timely feedback to the lunch suppliers so as to jointly monitor and improve the quality of school lunch. If necessary, parents may prepare healthy lunchboxes for their children. From the 2022/23 school year up to January of the current school year, the EDB received a total of two complaints about the food quality of school lunch boxes from parents. The cases were found unsubstantiated after investigation.  (3) Given the different conditions and needs of schools, schools may opt for lunchboxes prepacked by lunch suppliers, or adopt on-site meal portioning as encouraged by the EDB. In on-site meal portioning, school lunch suppliers may cook rice and vegetables on-site and reheat other food (e.g. meat) at the school campuses. Schools built according to the EDB’s Schedule of Accommodation updated in 2009/10 are provided with a tuck shop-cum-central portioning area as part of the standard provision of school facilities for implementation of on-site meal portioning.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, February 19, 2025Issued at HKT 11:40

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):

    Question:

         The Labour Department (LD) launched on May 2 last year the revised “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work” (GN) and introduced the optimised Heat Stress at Work Warning system. However, some labour unions have relayed that GN and the optimised measures are virtually non-existent (including the fact that some companies still do not arrange rest time or shaded areas for rest breaks for their employees), failing to help employees in preventing heat stroke. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the number of cases of heat stroke-related work injury cases registered at LD in the past three years; whether it has reviewed if the number of heat stroke-related work injury cases registered has decreased after the revision of GN; if it has reviewed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the details; if the outcome of the review is in the negative, whether it has studied the reasons for that;

    (2) after the revision of GN, of the respective numbers of advice or warnings given by the authorities against employers who have not taken sufficient measures to prevent heat stroke; as the Secretary for Labour and Welfare indicated in a media interview in May last year that for employers who deliberately do not follow GN, the authorities will invoke the provision of general responsibility of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Cap. 509) to institute prosecutions, of the number of such prosecutions so far; and

    (3) of the specific timetable for reviewing GN; whether the authorities will consider legislating to mandate employers to conduct workplace heat stress risk assessment for their employees so as to further ensure the safety of employees; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,
     
         My reply to the Hon Lam So-wai’s question is as follows:
     
    (1) The number of work injury cases related to heat stress in the past three years is listed below:
     

    Year
    2022
    2023
    2024

    Total number of cases
    16
    31
    29*

    * As some suspected cases are still under investigation, the number of cases in 2024 is provisional and subject to change based on the investigation outcome.

         The increase in the number of cases is probably related to the issuance of the “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work” (GN) by the Labour Department (LD) in 2023 and the extensive publicity carried out in collaboration with the Occupational Safety and Health Council. The GN raised employers’ and employees’ awareness and concern about heat stroke at work, as well as their understanding that heat stroke at work can be considered and handled as work injuries, thus resulting in an increase in the reporting of relevant cases in 2023 and 2024.

    (2) In the summer of 2024, the LD conducted a total of 23 620 inspections related to risk control measures against heat stress and issued 1 031 warnings to relevant stakeholders. The warnings were mainly related to failure to conduct a heat stress risk assessment in accordance with the GN to ensure the implemented heat stroke preventive measures are appropriate and effective, failure to keep records of heat stress risk assessment, or failure to take adequate preventive measures to reduce the risk of heat stroke at work. We did not find any serious contravention in the period of inspection that warranted prosecution under the general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (OSHO). We believe that most employers recognise the need to prevent their employees from getting heat stroke at work and are willing to take necessary measures against heat stress in accordance with the recommendations in the GN.

    (3) In 2023, the LD issued the GN and introduced the Heat Stress at Work Warning (HSWW) based on the Hong Kong Heat Index to enable employers and employees to formulate, with reference to the GN and according to the heat stress level, appropriate and risk-based control measures to reduce the risk of heat stroke posed to employees at work.

         Taking into account the views of various stakeholders, the LD expedited the review in May 2024 with parts of the GN revised and strengthened in order to enhance the employers’ and employees’ understanding of the criteria and recommendations provided in the GN. At the same time, the HSWW system was optimised by linking its warning with the Hong Kong Observatory’s “Extremely Hot” special alert and adjusting the cancellation mechanism of HSWW further so that the re-issuance of warning within a short time after cancellation was significantly reduced in 2024.

         Under the general duty clauses of section 6 of the OSHO, every employer must, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure the safety and health at work of all the employer’s employees, including the provision or maintenance of a working environment and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health of the employees. Employers are required to conduct heat stress risk assessments for employees working in hot environment, and take necessary risk control measures based on the assessment results to prevent employees from getting heat stroke at work. The LD will conduct inspection and law enforcement work. In particular, inspection of workplaces with a higher risk of heat stroke will be stepped up during summer time to ensure that employers have taken appropriate measures to safeguard employees against heat stroke at work. If irregularities are found during inspection, relevant law enforcement actions will be taken based on the seriousness of the circumstances and the evidence available.

         We believe that the GN can raise the awareness and capacity of employers and employees in preventing heat stroke at work, and we will continue to conduct various publicity and promotional activities as well as education and training work to remind and assist them to take appropriate heat stroke preventive measures in accordance with the GN. Moreover, the LD will continue to perform inspection and law enforcement work to monitor the implementation of heat stroke prevention measures in high-risk industries and ensure that employers have taken appropriate measures to prevent employees from getting heat stroke at work.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India and Argentina Strengthen Cooperation in Lithium Exploration and Mining with a MoU

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 FEB 2025 5:37PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, along with Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and senior officials of the Ministry of Mines, held a meeting with H.E. Raúl Alejandro Jalil, Governor of Catamarca, Argentina, in New Delhi today. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in the mining sector, particularly in lithium exploration and investment opportunities. A key highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL), a PSU under the Ministry of Mines, and the Provincial Government of Catamarca, Argentina, which will pave the way for deeper collaboration in exploration and resource development of critical minerals.

    Argentina, known for its vast lithium reserves as part of the ‘Lithium Triangle,’ is a crucial partner for India in securing essential minerals required for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. The discussions covered ongoing lithium exploration efforts by Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) & Greenko in Catamarca and the possibilities of increasing participation of Indian companies in mining projects of Argentina. Both sides explored avenues for investment, long-term supply agreements, and joint ventures that would help strengthen India’s access to this critical mineral.

    Senior officials from both sides engaged in discussions on policy frameworks, regulatory aspects, and sustainable mining practices to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership. Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on knowledge exchange and infrastructure support to enhance India’s engagement in Argentina’s mining sector.

    With the signing of the MoU, India and Argentina have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties in the critical minerals domain. This collaboration is expected to accelerate lithium exploration projects, enhance resource security, and create new opportunities for Indian companies in the Latin American mining landscape.

    ****

    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2104761) Visitor Counter : 162

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Eclipses to Auroras: Eclipse Ambassadors Experience Winter Field School in Alaska

    Source: NASA

    In 2023 and 2024, two eclipses crossed the United States, and the NASA Science Activation program’s Eclipse Ambassadors Off the Path project invited undergraduate students and amateur astronomers to join them as “NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassadors”. This opportunity to partner with NASA, provide solar viewing glasses, and share eclipse knowledge with underserved communities off the central paths involved:

    Partnering with an undergraduate/amateur astronomer
    Taking a 3-week cooperative course (~12 hours coursework)
    Engaging their communities with eclipse resources by reaching 200+ people

    These Eclipse Ambassador partnerships allowed participants to grow together as they learned new tools and techniques for explaining eclipses and engaging with the public, and Eclipse Ambassadors are recognized for their commitment to public engagement.
    In January 2025, the Eclipse Ambassadors Off the Path project held a week-long Heliophysics Winter Field School (WFS), a culminating Heliophysics Big Year experience for nine undergraduate and graduate Eclipse Ambassadors. The WFS exposed participants to career opportunities and field experience in heliophysics, citizen science, and space physics. The program included expert lectures on space physics, aurora, citizen science, and instrumentation, as well as hands-on learning opportunities with Poker Flat Rocket Range, the Museum of the North, aurora chases, and more. Students not only learned about heliophysics, they also actively participated in citizen science data collection using a variety of instruments, as well as the Aurorasaurus citizen science project app. Interactive panels on career paths helped prepare them to pursue relevant careers.
    One participant, Sophia, said, “This experience has only deepened my passion for heliophysics, science communication, and community engagement.” Another participant, Feras, reflected, “Nine brilliant students from across the country joined a week-long program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ (UAF) Geophysical Institute, where we attended multiple panels on solar and space physics, spoke to Athabaskan elders on their connection to the auroras, and visited the Poker Flat Research Range to observe the stunning northern lights.”
    This undertaking would not have been possible without the coordination, planning, leadership of many. Principal Investigators included Vivian White (Eclipse Ambassadors, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, ASP) and Dr. Elizabeth McDonald (Aurorasaurus, NASA GSFC). Other partners included Lynda McGilvary (Geophysical Institute at UAF), Jen Arseneau (UAF), Shanil Virani (ASP), Andréa Hughes (NASA), and Lindsay Glesener (University of Minnesota), as well as knowledge holders, students, and scientists.
    The Eclipse Ambassadors Off the Path project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSS22M0007 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. To learn more, visit: www.eclipseambassadors.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Sets Briefings for Next International Space Station Crew Missions

    Source: NASA

    NASA and its partners will discuss the upcoming Expedition 73 mission aboard the International Space Station during a pair of news conferences on Monday, Feb. 24, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
    Mission leadership will participate in an overview news conference at 2 p.m. EST live on NASA+, covering preparations for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch in March and the agency’s crew member rotation launch on Soyuz in April. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    NASA also will host a crew news conference at 4 p.m. and provide coverage on NASA+, followed by individual crew member interviews beginning at 5 p.m. This is the final media opportunity with Crew-10 before the crew members travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch.
    The Crew-10 mission, targeted to launch Wednesday, March 12, will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the orbiting laboratory.
    NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, scheduled to launch to the space station on the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft no earlier than April 8, also will participate in the crew briefing and interviews. Kim will be available again on Tuesday, March 18, for limited virtual interviews prior to launch. NASA will provide additional details on that opportunity when available.
    For the Crew-10 mission, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy. The three-person crew of Soyuz MS-27, including Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
    United States-based media seeking to attend in person must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at 281-483-5111 or at jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. U.S. and international media interested in participating by phone must contact NASA Johnson by 9:45 a.m. the day of the event.
    U.S. and international media seeking remote interviews with the crew must submit requests to the NASA Johnson newsroom by 5 p.m. on Feb. 21. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
    Briefing participants include (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
    2 p.m.: Expedition 73 Overview News Conference

    Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington

    Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy
    Bill Spetch, operations integration manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
    William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build & Flight Reliability, SpaceX
    Mayumi Matsuura, vice president and director general, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA

    4 p.m.: Expedition 73 Crew News Conference

    Jonny Kim, Soyuz MS-27 flight engineer, NASA
    Anne McClain, Crew-10 spacecraft commander, NASA
    Nichole Ayers, Crew-10 pilot, NASA
    Takuya Onishi, Crew-10 mission specialist, JAXA
    Kirill Peskov, Crew-10 mission specialist, Roscosmos

    5 p.m.: Crew Individual Interview Opportunities

    Crew-10 members and Kim available for a limited number of interviews

    Kim is making his first spaceflight after selection as part of the 2017 NASA astronaut class. A native of Los Angeles, Kim is a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander and dual designated naval aviator and flight surgeon. Kim also served as an enlisted Navy SEAL. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of San Diego and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston. He completed his internship with the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. After completing the initial astronaut candidate training, Kim supported mission and crew operations in various roles, including the Expedition 65 lead operations officer, T-38 operations liaison, and space station capcom chief engineer. Follow @jonnykimusa on X and @jonnykimusa on Instagram.
    Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013, this will be McClain’s second spaceflight. A colonel in the U.S. Army, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. The Spokane, Washington, native was an instructor pilot in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. McClain has more than 2,300 flight hours in 24 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including more than 800 in combat, and was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team. On her first spaceflight, McClain spent 204 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 58 and 59, and completed two spacewalks, totaling 13 hours and 8 minutes. Since then, she has served in various roles, including branch chief and space station assistant to the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. Follow @astroannimal on X and @astro_annimal on Instagram.
    The Crew-10 mission will be the first spaceflight for Ayers, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Ayers is a major in the U.S. Air Force and the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class named to a crew. The Colorado native graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a minor in Russian, where she was a member of the academy’s varsity volleyball team. She later earned a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers served as an instructor pilot and mission commander in the T-38 ADAIR and F-22 Raptor, leading multinational and multiservice missions worldwide. She has more than 1,400 total flight hours, including more than 200 in combat. Follow @astro_ayers on X and @astro_ayers on Instagram.
    With 113 days in space, this mission also will mark Onishi’s second trip to the space station. After being selected as an astronaut by JAXA in 2009, he flew as a flight engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He also constructed a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, the station’s Japanese experiment module. After his first spaceflight, Onishi became certified as a JAXA flight director, leading the team responsible for operating Kibo from JAXA Mission Control in Tsukuba, Japan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo, and was a pilot for All Nippon Airways, flying more than 3,700 flight hours in the Boeing 767. Follow astro_onishi on X.
    The Crew-10 mission will also be Peskov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School and was a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft for airlines Nordwind and Ikar. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2020, he has additional experience in skydiving, zero-gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.
    Learn more about how NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
    -end-
    Joshua Finch / Jimi RussellHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
    Kenna Pell / Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Undergraduate Students Get Medical Experience Through Unique Classes

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn students who are interested in various medical careers are able to enroll in two innovative courses that provide them with clinical research opportunities unique to undergraduates.

    The courses are under the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and taught by Elizabeth Kline and Dr. Sharon Smith.  Kline is an assistant professor in molecular and cell biology and Smith is an affiliate professor at UConn Health and the associate program director of the pediatric residency program at Connecticut Children’s (CT Children’s) in Hartford.

    By name, the courses are Molecular and Cell Biology 3100 and 3189 and called the University Research Assistant Program (URAP). In practice, students taking these classes gain experiences that include an interactive classroom setting and real-life experience at CT Children’s.

    Students learn to approach and engage with patients and their families in the hospital for current research projects and often shadow physicians, residents, and medical students. Many UConn students develop and conduct their own capstone projects through these courses.

    Program participants have also presented their research at regional and national pediatric medical meetings, another rare opportunity for an undergraduate.

    The courses started with a simple email that Smith received from a UConn student about 20 years ago.

    “I was a new faculty member at Connecticut Children’s and I got an email from a student on the UConn campus,” says Smith. “She said she wanted to go to medical school and heard that I did research and she wanted to work with me. I told her she could but I could not pay her and did not have any grant money to offer her. She was able to do the work as an independent study and joined me on campus every Friday for a semester. She was awesome.

    “Then I got an email from two more UConn students with the same story, and I had them come and work with me and then my inbox got flooded.”

    The class became a formal University offering in fall 2008, and Smith has been impressed over the years by how motivated and interested the students are. She has used student feedback about what to teach and what they find helpful.

    The introductory class enrolls 12 students a semester, with many continuing with the senior course. Students can take this course several times and some transition into independent studies as seniors.

    “The students present the research projects they are working on to the rest of the class,” says Smith. “It might be a subject like increasing physical activity among children, or how to approach families in the hospital setting. We break out in groups in the classroom and discuss how to go through study documents and how to be motivational.”

    Students who take the classes have a lab requirement of working at CT Children’s four hours a week.

    “The students enroll people in research projects and actually learn how to knock on the door of a hospital room, introduce themselves, and develop what we call soft skills by working with patients and families,” says Smith.

    Smith says students also get to learn what life is like at nursing stations.

    “It is a real learning experience for them,” says Smith. “It helps them decide if they want to go on to medical or dental school or maybe do research, go on to a Ph.D. program, or become an advanced-level provider.

    “It’s a really cool class that I am very passionate about. The students get to do so many things. It’s a huge potpourri of research and ideas,” she adds.

    Almaas Ghafoor ’26 (CLAS) is a molecular cell and biology major from Monroe who is enrolled in these classes. She hopes to attend medical school.

    “I learned about these classes from a recommendation I received as a freshman in the STEM Scholars program,” says Ghafoor. “It’s a great way to get into research and work on my capstone project. We get some great shadowing opportunities and see what different departments of hospitals are really like.”

    “I really value interacting with the patients at CT Children’s. It’s different than practicing with each other in class. We get to see families that are going through so much and having an impact on them. It’s a very unique experience.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Opens ‘Moral Courage’ Metanoia Event to All Interested Community Members

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn’s recent first day of Metanoia discussions were so thought-provoking and popular with participants that the follow-up event will be open to all interested members of the University community, rather than through invitation only.

    Professor Irshad Manji, founder and chief executive of the Moral Courage Network, visited UConn Storrs for a series of teaching and training events that began Feb. 5, including a keynote presentation livestreamed for all UConn community members.

    The second day of events was postponed on Feb. 6 due to inclement weather, but will now be held Feb. 25 with two sessions of screening the film “Mississippi Turning” and interactive workshops.

    Participants are asked to RSVP in advance on or before Friday through a form on the event website, which also includes a link to the recording of the Feb. 5 keynote address and more information on the five skills used in the Moral Courage method of engaging across divides.

    UConn invited Manji as part of embracing its tradition of Metanoia, in which members of the University community work together to examine difficult topics in a spirit of candor, respect, and collaboration.

    Manji, who is a New York Times best-selling author, works through her organization to unify people with the skills needed to communicate in a polarized world, which is among the areas of focus that prompted the University to launch its current Metanoia process.

    She teaches with the Oxford Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights and was a prize-winning leadership professor at New York University for many years. Her latest book is “Don’t Label Me: How to Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars.”

    UConn observed its first Metanoia in 1970 and has convened more than a dozen in the years since then to examine issues of shared importance, often involving political or racial issues that have resulted in divisions on campus and throughout the nation.

    This year’s Metanoia, which organizers announced in spring 2024, came out of a need for the UConn community to better foster an environment of equity, inclusion, and understanding when engaging in challenging conversations, organizers said.

    Planning is currently underway for additional events and people are invited to suggest an event or program in keeping with the mission of creating pathways to productive and civil discourse.

    Like other campuses nationwide, UConn has been home to a wide range of views on hotly disputed topics in recent months and years. Against that backdrop, the University Senate called for the Metanoia in spring 2024 with approval from President Radenka Maric and Provost Anne D’Alleva.

    “This will be a time for the University to come together and delve deeply into important topics and concerns. It’s meant to be an intellectual spark for the entire university: for faculty, staff, and students,” Jennifer Lease Butts, one of the organizers, told the Board of Trustees in a presentation about the Metanoia.

    Lease Butts, who is also director of the UConn Honors Program and is associate vice provost for enrichment programs, co-chairs the University’s Metanoia Committee with UConn President Emeritus Susan Herbst, who is also a professor of political science.

    “The first Metanoia in 1970 was held during a period of great positive change in the United States, but it was also an era marked by violence, incivility, and fear,” Herbst said.

    “UConn faculty and staff, who have always been outward-looking and intent on social justice, tackled those issues right here in Storrs, inspiring students – and each other – to discuss difficult issues as one community,” she added. “Let us carry on this tradition in 2025, another extraordinarily challenging year for American democracy and culture.”

    The current Metanoia kicked off with a 2024 event, “Pathways to Productive Civil Discourse,” in which participants discussed ways to communicate across differences and listen with empathy, which will be underlying themes of events throughout the coming year.

    The event was followed later in the day “UConn Strong: A Dialogue on Mental Health & Resilience,” a Democracy & Dialogues Initiative event hosted by the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, in which students led a discussion on the escalating importance of mental health on UConn’s campuses.

    The previous events epitomized the kind of thoughtful give-and-take that the yearlong Metanoia seeks to foster and set the tone for planning future events to take place, and Metanoia committee members say they look forward to continuing this conversation with the UConn community this semester.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor — News Release — Gov. Green Signs Executive Order for Expedited State Hiring

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    Office of the Governor — News Release — Gov. Green Signs Executive Order for Expedited State Hiring

    Posted on Feb 18, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom, Office of the Governor Press Releases

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI 
    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI 
     
    JOSH GREEN, M.D. 
    GOVERNOR
    KE KIAʻĀINA 
     

    GOVERNOR GREEN SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO IMPLEMENT
    OPERATION HIRE HAWAIʻI

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    February 18, 2025

    HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green, M.D., today signed an executive order to implement Operation Hire Hawaiʻi (OH-HI), a targeted outreach initiative featuring an expedited state hiring process, fast-tracking qualified candidates into job opportunities throughout Hawaiʻi.

    “The state of Hawaiʻi is committed to respecting and valuing its employees,” said Governor Green. “As we witness the very quickly changing landscape of the federal government, federal workforce and federal policies, this order directs state agencies to review candidates and make a conditional job offer within 14 days of receiving an individual’s application.”

    Candidates who apply through the OH-HI project will be referred immediately to hiring agencies for consideration. The state is currently recruiting for a wide range of careers, from engineering, IT professionals, planners, accountants, HR specialists, registered nurses, investigators and much, much more.

    “The Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) is committed to working closely with our state agencies to ensure that those looking to join our ‘ohana can do so quickly,” said Director Brenna Hashimoto. “We are eager to welcome those impacted by the changes at the federal level to our workforces, as we believe they will make an immediate, positive impact.”

    For more information on Operation Hire Hawaiʻi, visit the DHRD website at dhrd.hawaii.gov/OHHI.

    A copy of the executive order can be found here.

    # # #


    Media Contacts:
    Erika Engle
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
    Office: 808-586-0120
    Email: [email protected] 

    Makana McClellan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
    Cell: 808-265-0083
    Email: [email protected]

    Erin Conner
    Public Information Officer
    Hawai‘i Department of Human Resources Development
    Phone: 808-587-1120
    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release-Community-Built Comfort Station at Hā‘ena State Park Gets Land Board Approval

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release-Community-Built Comfort Station at Hā‘ena State Park Gets Land Board Approval

    Posted on Feb 18, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    COMMUNITY-BUILT COMFORT STATION AT HĀ‘ENA STATE PARK GETS LAND BOARD APPROVAL 

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Feb. 15, 2025

    HĀ‘ENA, Kauaʻi  – The state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) Friday gave approval to Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana (Hui), the nonprofit steward of Hā‘ena State Park, for the construction of a comfort station and septic system improvements at the popular park.

    The Hui, chartered in 1999, has an ‘aina-based mission dedicated to perpetuating and protecting the natural and cultural resources of Hā‘ena State Park. It was the driving force behind the establishment of the first Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) in Hawai‘i, and continues working closely with the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) in its ongoing management.

    The comfort station project is being done under the auspices of the DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP) and is the first of its kind, where a nonprofit community group has not only led the design and planning process but is paying for the entire capital improvement project with non-government funding.

    The Hui and its nonprofit partner, The Hanalei Initiative, operate the parking and shuttle system at the park. Over the past four years, operating revenues have been set aside for the construction of the new comfort station in the parking lot where visitors and residents arrive.

    This strategic location will not impact any cultural sites in the park, and it will reduce the dependence on the only existing bathroom in the park by Kē‘ē Beach and the Kalalau Trailhead. This is an environmentally and culturally sensitive area.

    This unprecedented project is not only important to the Hā‘ena community, it is leading the way for a transformation within DLNR and the Division of State Parks (DSP), which are looking to partner with additional community groups to better care for special areas across the state.

    DSP Administrator Curt Cottrell said, “Over the years, many people have commented on the lack of restroom facilities at the parking lot. It’s a five-to-15-minute walk to the comfort station near the beach. Moreover, the new station should reduce the number of people who head into the trees to relieve themselves, which will help protect the natural and cultural resources of Hā‘ena.

    While the number of parking spots will be reduced during construction, it’s anticipated to residents and visitors can be accommodated via the modified parking plan and increased shuttle capacity.

    Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana intends to turn ownership of any newly constructed improvements over to the state upon completion.

    # # #

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video Courtesy: DLNR)

    HD video – Relief for Hā‘ena State Park Visitors (web feature):

    [embedded content]

    HD video – Hā‘ena State Park media clips (Jan. 14, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/htraezmi2067tyk6iajd1/Ha-ena-State-Park-New-Comfort-Station-media-clips-Jan.-14-2025.mov?rlkey=q898ya935x9nc2pvkg3m7u4w2&st=gs8t6uqg&dl=0

    (Shot sheet attached)

    HD video – Hā‘ena State Park comfort station SOTS (Jan. 14, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x2f8u3hr6a7t6i41whd00/Ha-ena-State-Park-SOTS-Jan.-14-2025.mov?rlkey=wo0gh9wiwyozwjln1hbt7ppsm&st=04njmikc&dl=0

    (Interview transcription attached)

    Photographs – Hā‘ena State Park (Jan. 14, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/owgz3yvqfm1xb7i68hyth/AMOF8WiKRAyYefb15jVx9XI?rlkey=a60qfev7u84shzwse10pqzjpb&st=rfzjboa1&dl=0

    Media Contact:

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396

    [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –