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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Parkes Bypass project enters heavy lifting phase

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Two bridges being built as part of the Parkes Bypass project (in central west NSW) will move one step closer to carrying traffic, as massive girders to support the bridge decks are lifted into place.

    The $287.2 million Parkes Bypass project will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.

    The Australian Government is contributing $229.7 million towards this project, with the NSW Government contributing the remaining $57.4 million. 

    Preliminary work including construction of the abutments, or bridge ends, at either end of the bridges is now nearing completion and two giant cranes will be mobilised to the bypass site to lift six girders into place at each of the bridges.

    Each of the 60-tonne girders will be hoisted high in the air and lowered into place on the bridge supports weather permitting – on 15 October. 

    These girders, to be installed near the northern end of the bridge add to the 30 girders lifted into place in October 2023.

    Once the cranes are set up, a 600-tonne crane will pass the girders one-by-one to the 750-tonne crane so they can be installed between the northern abutment and the next pier.

    The process will be repeated on 5 November, when one of the cranes is again used to lift six more girders into place for the new Victoria Street Bridge.

    When completed, the 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes will reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency on the Newell Highway, improve pedestrian access through Parkes and benefit traffic flow in and around the town.

    For further information visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/parkes-bypass

    Images and video:

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/4hww6mgbx85eab3d9l5l3/ABzlYRT6LTwTTNrfT3ZprKk?rlkey=fxj4964qjjs5t1vev5lxibpsb&st=gnhag3x4&dl=0

    Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “All the pieces of the Parkes Bypass project are continuing to come together to ensure the Newell Highway is upgraded to be a safer and more efficient major inland transport route through the centre of New South Wales. 

    “The Newell Highway contributes to the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural and mining sectors by enabling access to essential freight networks not only in NSW, but also Victoria and Queensland.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

    “These upgrades are vital to better connect our regional communities and improve efficiency on one of our busiest regional routes. 

    “It will be a spectacular sight as these crucial links in the Parkes Bypass of the Newell Highway comes together, as we move closer to delivering this key regional project with the Australian Government.” 

    Quotes attributable to Senator for New South Wales Deborah O’Neill:

    “The Parkes Bypass project is a critical investment in a key regional area of NSW and will help underpin the area’s future prosperity.

    “This project has supported around 350 jobs during construction and we appreciate the patience of Parkes motorists, tourists and freight operators as they have navigated the necessary traffic changes along the way.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Orange Stephen Lawrence MLC:

    “The local community has been calling for a Parkes bypass for decades and I’m delighted to see it finally being delivered.

    “Importantly, this bypass will not only ease congestion and increase efficiency on the Newell Highway; it will also improve road safety and better protect our community.”

    MIL OSI News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Nadia Mitsopoulos, Perth Mornings, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    NADIA MITSOPOULOS:

    Well, we have spoken a lot about that fee you are charged when you use your debit card. Put simply, you hate it and it feels particularly unfair when you are forced to use that card by a business which is no longer taking cash. Well, the federal government is finally listening and it looks like it will get rid of these charges. How far will it go? When will this happen, if it does? Let’s get more from Stephen Jones, who is the Assistant Treasurer. Good morning and thank you for joining me.

    STEPHEN JONES:

    Nadia, good to be back with you.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    First of all, these fees, how much are they costing Australians every year?

    JONES:

    Look, industry sources say as much as $4 billion a year is being charged in one fee or another. All of that ends up with the consumer in one way or another. So, that’s a lot of money. We’re particularly concerned about debit card fees. That’s the one where you get charged a surcharge to access your own money to pay for a cup of coffee. Consumers are rightly had enough of it. As you said in your introduction, they feel like it’s harder and harder to get cash, harder and harder to use it, and then you’re getting whacked with a surcharge fee when you’re paying with a tap‑and‑go everywhere from a coffee shop to a restaurant to a hotel, and we’ve had a look at it, the practice has got to stop. Consumers are being ripped off. It’s time to end the rip‑off.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    Ok, I’ll talk more about ending the rip‑off in a moment. But who pockets it? Is it the bank, the business or the merchant?

    JONES:

    Really good question. The one we’re pretty certain it’s not is the small business. And if you look at the fees that are being charged small businesses, sometimes they’re being charged twice the fee that a large retailer like a Coles or a Woolworths would be charged to use those electronic payment methods. So, it’s definitely not the small business. They’re passing on a cost which is imposed on them by the bank, by the payment service providers and by the card provider. So, that’s your Visa cards, your Mastercards, your EFTPOS’. Then there’s the system that nobody knows about, which is the payments network, which transmits all the payments traffic around the country from bank to bank and from system to system. And the banks are in there as well. They’re at the front end of all of it. So, there’s at least 3 different players here, very opaque about the way the costs are charged. They all end up at a consumer. They look like a small charge, but they all add up and they punch a big hole in the wallet of the consumer in the takings of a small business.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    Do you agree that, well, first of all, these charges have been creeping up, but it’s more than the cost of doing that transaction. What consumers are being charged?

    JONES:

    Well, for the small business, they’re passing on, in most instances, some, but not all of the cost. Some small businesses say that they’ll just lose market share if they’re passing on the entire cost of using those charging mechanisms that they don’t. Many of them do if they’re able to. So, it’s not the cost of the small business. But if you’re asking me, are the banks or the card providers or the payment system providers making a healthy profit out of all of this, the answer is absolutely.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    Okay, so what’s your plan? What do you plan to do?

    JONES:

    We want to do this in a smart way. We want to ensure that whatever we do, particularly around banning of debit charge surcharges, debit card surcharges, we don’t just whack the small business. So, you stop the small business charging it, but they’re still copying that fee from the bank and the payment system providers. So, we’ve got to ensure that we get all ends of this sorted out so that we don’t save the consumer a dollar, but that just gets passed on in another way by the small business. So, we’ve got the Reserve Bank having a look at it using its powers over the next couple of months. They’ll hand us a report by the end of the year. We’ll look at the proposals in the first few months of next year. But we’re sending a very clear message to the market, to the operators, the banks, the card providers, the payment system providers, a very clear message to all of them – this has got to stop. And we are willing to impose a ban on it by the beginning of 2026 at the latest if these guys do not get their act together.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    And so you would then be banning the banks and the merchants from charging this fee because the concern is the small business could still be charged the fee and then can’t pass it on.

    JONES:

    Yeah, and you’ve got to the heart of it. That’s what we’re adamant we don’t want to do. We don’t want to create an elusive benefit for consumers, but the small business cops it in the neck. So, we’re not going to do that. We’ve got to ensure that we protect the position of the small business and the consumer. And somebody somewhere further up the chain, they’re going to have to review their pricing mechanisms. A lot of really opaque and tricky things have gone on over the last year or so in this area. Things like blended pricing, where they’re charging the same for a credit card transaction as they are for a debit card transaction when they’re completely different. So, a bunch of these things we’re going to get to the bottom of. But the thing that your listeners can be absolutely certain of, we’re going to protect the interests of small business. We’re going to protect the interests of consumers.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    Stephen Jones, the Assistant Treasurer, is my guest this morning. So, this will only apply if you go down this path, will only apply to debit cards, not credit cards.

    JONES:

    That’s where the biggest problem is, and they are very different transactions. As your listeners and all know, when you’re using a debit card, you’re accessing your own money to pay for something. It’s the modern form of cash.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    It’s the tap‑and‑go.

    JONES:

    It’s the tap‑and‑go, and it’s the modern form of cash, particularly for young people. Increasingly, young people won’t have a credit card, but they will have a debit card, or they might have some other form of buy now, pay later, but most of their transactions will go on a debit card for good reasons. They don’t want to rack up an interest bill. They also don’t want to rack up all the charges that they’re getting through these opaque surcharges. So, that’s why we’re focusing on this. It’s the biggest part of the big problem.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    Minister, why can’t you do this now? Why do you have to wait till 2026?

    JONES:

    Because we don’t want to do something that looks popular but actually ends up hitting small business in the neck. We want to ensure that we do this in a way that protects the interests of small business and gets the benefit for consumers. That’s why we’ve got to work through these things, and we’ll probably have to use a couple of different levers. Nothing is stopping the banks and the payment system providers getting ahead of the game by the way.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    And when we look at retail transactions, only about 12 per cent of those are now made using cash. Is using a card a cheaper way of doing business? I mean, again, we’re being charged for it, but is that cheaper than moving cash around?

    JONES:

    Certainly cheaper for the banks. It’s certainly cheaper for the big retailers and probably a lot of the smaller ones as well. If you think of it like – there’s always been a cost involved in using cash. It’s just not very transparent. When somebody’s got to go to the bank, get the money out to put the float in the till, somebody’s then got to add all of that up at the end of the day and take the bags of money back to the bank for safekeeping. There’s a cost involved in all of that and it’s just embedded in the price of the goods. The difference between the cost involved in money and the cost involved in electronic transactions is that they are very, very transparent from a consumer point of view because you can see them on your bill. We need to ensure that all of it’s transparent all the way upstream so that all the payment providers, the banks, the card providers are being very clear about what they’re charging and for what, and then we get a better deal for consumers.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    But a ban, are you certain that a ban is on the cards?

    JONES:

    Absolutely.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    You’ve just got to work out how to do it.

    JONES:

    Best way of doing it. That’s exactly right.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    When we look at bank profits, the feeling is they could probably absorb this charge. Do you agree?

    JONES:

    I agree that between the banks, the payment system providers, the card providers, all of these are participants in the scheme. It’s not always obvious to consumers. They just think it’s the bank. But there’s actually 3 or 4 different players in there and there is people in all up the stream who are clipping the ticket. The consumers are paying and it’s got to stop.

    MITSOPOULOS:

    I’ll leave it there. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

    JONES:

    Good to be with you.

    MIL OSI News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Atos appoints Philippe Salle Chairman of the Board of Directors with effect from October 14, 2024 and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from February 01, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Press release

    Atos appoints Philippe Salle Chairman of the Board of Directors with effect from October 14, 2024

    and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from February 01, 2025

    Paris, France, 15 October 2024 – Atos today announces the appointment of Philippe Salle as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company with immediate effect and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with effect from February 01, 2025.

    In the context of the Group’s financial restructuring, the Nominations and Governance Committee chaired by Lead Independent Director Elizabeth Tinkham, conducted a rigorous selection process with the support of an internationally renowned recruitment firm and in consultation with selected Company creditors.

    At its meeting on October 14, 2024, the Board of Directors approved unanimously, on the recommendation of the Nominations and Governance Committee:

    • the co-optation of Philippe Salle as a Director, subject to ratification by shareholders at the next Annual General Meeting;
    • his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors with immediate effect; and
    • his appointment as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st February 2025.

    With extensive experience as CEO, notably in listed companies, Philippe Salle will bring invaluable skills and insights to support the deployment of the business plan and the restructuring of the Group.

    Jean-Pierre Mustier will act as Chief Executive Officer of the Company until January 31, 2025, and remain a member of the Board of Directors, ensuring an orderly, constructive and effective transition. In particular, he will be responsible for monitoring and ensuring the proper implementation of the accelerated safeguard plan, which is essential for the Group.

    The Board meeting of October 14, 2024 also noted Philippe Salle’s intention to participate in the financial restructuring of the Company by investing a total amount of at least €9 million in the Company. This investment would take the form of a subscription to the right issue with preferential subscription rights, decided in the context of the accelerated safeguard plan, if the conditions for completion so permit, or subsequently directly on the market.

    Jean-Pierre Mustier, Chief Executive Officer of Atos, said: ” I am delighted to welcome Philippe Salle to the Board. Philippe Salle is a highly experienced executive whose qualities and expertise in leading blue-chip companies will be a crucial asset as Atos looks to the future. He has also an extensive track record in creating shareholders value. We will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition and the effective deployment of the Group’s business and restructuring plan, in the interests of all stakeholders.”

    Philippe Salle, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atos, said: “It is with great enthusiasm and conviction that I join the Atos Group. I am aware of the challenges that lie ahead, but also of the Group’s strengths, from the quality of its services to the ongoing commitment of its employees, which will enable us, together, to open a new chapter in the Group’s history.”

    About Philippe Salle

    Philippe Salle began his career with Total in Indonesia in 1988. He then joined Accenture in 1990 where he was promoted to senior consultant. He joined McKinsey in 1995 and became senior manager in 1998. He joined the Vedior group in 1999 (now Randstad, a company listed on Euronext Amsterdam), and became Chairman and CEO of Vedior France in 2002. He became a member of the Executive Board in 2003 and was appointed Head of Southern Europe in 2006. In 2007, he joined the Geoservices group (sold to Schlumberger in 2010), a technology company in the oil sector and under LBO, first as Deputy CEO and then as Chairman and CEO. In June 2011, Philippe Salle was appointed Chairman and CEO of Altran Group (a company listed on Euronext Paris), an engineering consultancy and world leader in innovation. In April 2015, Philippe Salle was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Elior Group (a company listed on Euronext Paris), a world leader in catering and services. In December 2017, Philippe Salle was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Emeria (a company under LBO), the world’s leading provider of real estate services and technologies.

    Philippe Salle has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viridien (formerly CGG) since 26 April 2018, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Banque Transatlantique since 2010.

    Philippe Salle is a graduate of the Ecole des Mines de Paris and holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University (Chicago, USA). He is a Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur and Commandeur de l’ordre du Mérite de la République italienne.

    ***

    About Atos

    Atos is an international leader in digital transformation with around 92,000 employees and annual revenues of €10 billion. The European leader in cloud computing, cybersecurity and supercomputing, the Group provides integrated solutions to all sectors, in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonisation services and products, Atos is committed to delivering secure, decarbonised digital solutions to its customers. Atos is an SE (Société Européenne) listed on Euronext Paris.

    Atos’ raison d’être is to help shape the information space. With its skills and services, the Group supports the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contributes to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Everywhere in the world, Atos enables its customers and employees, and more generally the greatest number of people, to live, work and progress sustainably and with complete confidence in the information space.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations: David Pierre-Kahn | investors@atos.net | +33 6 28 51 45 96

    Individual shareholders: 0805 65 00 75

    Press contact: globalprteam@atos.net

    Attachment

    • PR – Atos appoints Philippe Salle

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Public alerted to fake websites

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Transport Department today alerted the public to fraudulent websites’ addresses which pretend to be HKeToll and seek to deceive users into making payments to obtain their credit card information.

    The two fraudulent websites’ addresses are “https://hketoll[.]shop/hk” and “https://hketollo[.]cc/hk”.

    Vehicle owners wishing to pay an outstanding toll online must log in to the HKeToll website or mobile app.

    While the case has been referred to Police for investigation, the department urges the public to stay alert when receiving unidentified messages.

    For enquiries about HKeToll, call 3853 7333.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Policy to boost cotton industry in Xinjiang

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has pledged more support to help the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region reclaim its vast areas of infertile land and expand its competitive edge in growing long-staple cotton — a crop that underpins a sprawling supply chain that stretches from textile production in Guangdong province to the fashion industry in Shanghai.

    Minister Han Jun had a meeting with regional government officials on Saturday, during which he announced that his administration would enhance policy measures to support Xinjiang in increasing its comprehensive crop production capacity, including for long-staple cotton, according to a media release on the ministry’s website.

    The support will be provided in areas such as treating saline-alkali land, promoting water-efficient irrigation technologies, and sponsoring the research, development and dissemination of homegrown cotton-picking machines.

    “Continued efforts will be made to promote the development of high-quality long-staple cotton,” the release quoted the minister as saying.

    Home to more than 90 percent of China’s annual cotton output, Xinjiang has remained the top provincial-level jurisdiction in terms of both cotton output and productivity for the past three decades.

    The use of machines in cotton harvesting in the region has also soared in recent decades to over 85 percent, with domestic branded machines emerging as the predominant choice in the industry, Xinhua News Agency has reported.

    As part of a national campaign to raise China’s crop output and self-sufficiency, Xinjiang launched a program earlier this year to boost cotton productivity through initiatives such as promoting higher-yielding varieties.

    Data published earlier this month by local authorities revealed significant progress.

    Output has surpassed 11.5 metric tons per hectare in an experimental field spanning approximately 7 hectares, with over 8.4 tons achieved in a demonstration zone covering about 670 hectares.

    These figures represent a substantial improvement compared to the mainstream cotton varieties planted across Xinjiang, which typically yield from 6 to 7.5 tons per hectare.

    More importantly, the increased yield had not affected the quality of the harvest, local authorities stressed.

    In some areas, including Kashgar, a major cotton-growing region, AI-powered breeding techniques have been deployed to develop cotton varieties endowed with traits such as drought tolerance and pest resistance.

    The next-generation varieties, coupled with smart farming management that has minimized the use of fertilizers and pesticides, have improved productivity to almost 8 tons per hectare at a local experimental field.

    The ministry’s announcement coincided with an increased effort to utilize otherwise infertile areas for crop production as China aims to expand planting areas and ensure self-sufficiency for key materials amid vulnerable global supply chains and more frequent extreme weather events.

    At a meeting in July last year, central authorities emphasized the need to tap the potential of saline-alkali land and increase overall agricultural production capacity.

    They called for better use of abandoned and nonconventional farmland, and more funding for related research. They also highlighted the significance of development model innovations in overcoming the natural constraints of farmland scarcity.

    Efforts to enhance the cotton industry in Xinjiang, once home to some of the nation’s most entrenched poverty, are also part of a national rural vitalization initiative.

    Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the region, said at the meeting that efforts will be made to vigorously increase the production of important agricultural products, including cotton, and strengthen the development of high-standard farmland that is more resilient to extreme weather.

    He said the government will spare no effort in promoting the prosperity and stable income growth of agricultural and pastoral areas, and make more contributions to ensure national food security and the supply of important agricultural products.

    With an aim to improve the added value of cotton production, Liang Yong, a national political adviser and director of Xinjiang’s cotton industry development leading group office, told China Daily that there is a need to further bolster the development of Xinjiang’s cotton-textile-apparel industry chain.

    “This entails facilitating more cotton-related manufacturing in Xinjiang relocated from the eastern regions, and driving forward the convergence of the cotton and petrochemical industries,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Human-centered Design Improves Transport in Ulaanbaatar’s Ger Areas

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    ADB used human-centered design for the Improving Transport Services in Ger Areas project. Prior to the start of the project, ADB conducted a detailed needs assessment, engaging residents in Ulaanbaatar’s ger areas to understand what improving transport meant for community members instead of defaulting to usual problem statements and solutions. The project conducted focus group discussions with residents including persons with disabilities, older people, school children, women and other community members. 

    The team then engaged closely with four community representatives—a person with disability, an elderly woman, a young girl, and a mother with three young children—to deeply understand their experiences through visual journey maps.  

    Using body cameras, the residents went through their daily travels to show pain points and issues they encountered along their journeys. The project addressed the identified challenges of accessibility and usability, personal safety and security, and road safety through system-wide interventions.  

    At the end of the project, the residents visually mapped their journeys again, but this time, they tried out the improved infrastructure and systems that they wanted addressed at the project’s start.  Ramps, low-floor buses, bus announcement speakers, better located stairs and crossings responded to accessibility issues. Bus driver training, security cameras, crime-prevention through environmental design, public communication on harassment, and feedback mechanisms responded to concerns about personal safety. Pedestrian crossings, lane demarcation, clear signage, footpaths, speed bumps, and better designed bus shelters with relevant information on routes, schedules and other transport information addressed road safety concerns.  

    The project was supported by the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, the Public Transport Department, JFPR and EAPKF.

    Watch the other videos on the individual stories of the person with disability, mother with young children, young girl and an elderly woman, and how their inputs influenced the project’s technical design:

    Transcript

    Stories helped design this project. Partnerships built it.

    The project, Improving Transport Services in Ger Areas used human-centered design to understand user needs and design appropriate interventions.

    Byambadorj’s story filmed before the project started told us that designs cannot ignore those who travel differently.  

    The slope is very steep. 

    To go down, I have to go inch by inch, like this.

    I can only go up this steep ramp with someone else’s assistance.  

    Curb ramps should be done according to standards.

    For a person on a wheelchair, boarding a bus is a miracle.  

    It would be better if buses have ramps.

    Using Byambadorj’s story, discussions with other users, and technical review, we built new ramps in strategic places for safety and access.  

    The Public Transport Department ensured accessible low-floor buses with ramps would be used on the Chingeltei corridor to aid in mobility.

    Before the project started, Tserenbadam’s stories and stakeholder consultations emphasized that commuters deserve safer driving practices, accurate information, and a way to easily report incidents.

    Sometimes there is a long wait for the bus.

    Those with better legs would run to the bus stop.

    Bus drivers talk on the phone a lot while on the road.

    One bus is racing with another bus.

    They often race with each other to get more passengers.  

    From Tserenbadam’s stories and other user insights, we developed a customer feedback system for commuters to report issues.  

    Bus schedules and other information are visibly displayed in new bus stops.    

    Bus drivers were trained in safe driving and customer service. CCTV cameras inside buses monitor driver and passenger behavior for improved commuting experiences.

    Uzmee’s stories highlighted that infrastructure must accommodate the needs of vulnerable road users across seasons.

    There should be barriers on roadsides because children have high risk of running onto the road.

    We should analyze the frequently used exits and entrances, then put stairs where necessary.  

    A proper bus shelter would be a refuge from the cold for children.

    These stories, with road safety auditing and information from the traffic police, helped identify key areas to add speed bumps, pedestrian crossings, and stairs.

    We installed bus shelters for weather protection, comfort and information.  

    Infrastructure design removed blind spots, enforce security and prevent crime.    

    Throughout the project, we engaged with civil society and established a community council for sustainable change.  

    Infrastructure built.  

    Systems installed.  

    Enforcement in place.  

    Driver behavior improved.  

    Community mobilized.

    Stories helped design this project.

    Partnerships built it.  

    With ADB, JFPR and EAPKF support, the local government and community are taking ownership of people’s safe, and inclusive mobility. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Inquiries – Auditor General inquiry into Oranga Tamariki welcomed, but must go wider – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Auditor General’s inquiry into Oranga Tamariki’s cuts to funding community services must go further with the axe hanging over social service providers funded by other government agencies.
    “The inquiry is welcome as this was a botched and heartless process which impacted critical support for children, flying in the face of the Government’s promise that its cuts would not hit the frontline,” said Melissa Woolley, Assistant Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “Oranga Tamariki was blind to the damage inflicted on tamariki, rangatahi and whānau from this rushed cut to contracts. In many cases there was no evidence to justify contracts being axed or funding being reduced.
    “Oranga Tamariki failed to communicate with providers, many of which had built up services over many years. There was little warning, and they had salt rubbed into their wounds by the Minister for Children, claiming many were abusing the funds, labelling Oranga Tamariki a ‘cash cow’ for them. They deserved better.”
    The sudden and deep cuts left many of those providing the services scrambling to make ends meet, resulting in job losses and the loss of critical support for many.
    “Many of our members including social workers now face losing their jobs, or hours being cut, and at a time of a cost-of-living crisis, many were already struggling to make ends meet.
    “These workers take pride in the difference they make to lives of the young every day. They care deeply about the children and whānau in their care. They too deserved better.
    “The Government’s drive to cut spending is impacting the whole funded sector – other community providers supporting various social services receive funding from agencies like the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health. We know many are facing cuts which we believe are poorly thought through just like Oranga Tamariki.
    “The PSA urges the Auditor General to expand the scope if his inquiry before more damage is inflicted on providers and their workers who are doing the mahi to improve the health and wellbeing of so many in our community.
    “The blame must ultimately be sheeted home to the Government which has embarked on this cost cutting campaign with little regard to the consequences,” said Melissa Woolley.
    Other recent PSA releases on this issue:
    3 September: Govt cuts mean Salvation Army frontline workers face axe https://www.psa.org.nz/our-voice/govt-cuts-mean-salvation-army-frontline-workers-face-axe/
    7 August: Minister’s statement about community providers false and offensive https://www.psa.org.nz/our-voice/ministers-statement-about-community-providers-false-and-offensive/
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: ING completes share buyback programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ING completes share buyback programme

    ING announced today that it has completed the share buyback programme which was announced on 2 May 2024. The total number of ordinary shares repurchased under the programme is 155,990,753 at an average price of €15.94 for a total consideration of €2,486,329,696.95.

    During the last week of the programme, from 7 October 2024 up to and including 11 October 2024, 11,348,429 shares were purchased. These shares were repurchased at an average price of €15.78 for a total amount of €179,022,796.36.

    As previously announced, we will give an update on our capital planning with the presentation of our third quarter 2024 results, which is scheduled for 31 October 2024.

    For detailed information on the daily repurchased shares, individual share purchase transactions and weekly reports, see the ING website at https://www.ing.com/Investor-relations/Share-information/Share-buyback-programme.htm .

    Note for editors

    For more on ING, please visit http://www.ing.com. Frequent news updates can be found in the Newsroom or via X @ING_news feed. Photos of ING operations, buildings and its executives are available for download at Flickr.

    ING PROFILE
    ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is: empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank’s more than 60,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 40 countries.

    ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N).

    ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. ING’s sustainability efforts have been recognised externally by environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating agencies and other benchmarks. In 2023, Sustainalytics assessed our management of ESG material risk as ‘strong’. In August 2024, ING’s ESG rating by MSCI was reconfirmed as ‘AA’. ING’s shares are included in the sustainability indices of Euronext, STOXX, FTSE Russell and Morningstar. Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. Follow our progress on ing.com/climate.

    Important legal information

    Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about ING Groep N.V. and/ or ING Bank N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/2014 (‘Market Abuse Regulation’).

    ING Group’s annual accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (‘IFRS- EU’). In preparing the financial information in this document, except as described otherwise, the same accounting principles are applied as in the 2023 ING Group consolidated annual accounts. All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding.

    Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions and customer behaviour, in particular economic conditions in ING’s core markets, including changes affecting currency exchange rates and the regional and global economic impact of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and related international response measures (2) changes affecting interest rate levels (3) any default of a major market participant and related market disruption (4) changes in performance of financial markets, including in Europe and developing markets (5) fiscal uncertainty in Europe and the United States (6) discontinuation of or changes in ‘benchmark’ indices (7) inflation and deflation in our principal markets (8) changes in conditions in the credit and capital markets generally, including changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness (9) failures of banks falling under the scope of state compensation schemes (10) non-compliance with or changes in laws and regulations, including those concerning financial services, financial economic crimes and tax laws, and the interpretation and application thereof (11) geopolitical risks, political instabilities and policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, including in connection with the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and the related international response measures (12) legal and regulatory risks in certain countries with less developed legal and regulatory frameworks (13) prudential supervision and regulations, including in relation to stress tests and regulatory restrictions on dividends and distributions (also among members of the group) (14) ING’s ability to meet minimum capital and other prudential regulatory requirements (15) changes in regulation of US commodities and derivatives businesses of ING and its customers (16) application of bank recovery and resolution regimes, including write down and conversion powers in relation to our securities (17) outcome of current and future litigation, enforcement proceedings, investigations or other regulatory actions, including claims by customers or stakeholders who feel misled or treated unfairly, and other conduct issues (18) changes in tax laws and regulations and risks of non-compliance or investigation in connection with tax laws, including FATCA (19) operational and IT risks, such as system disruptions or failures, breaches of security, cyber-attacks, human error, changes in operational practices or inadequate controls including in respect of third parties with which we do business and including any risks as a result of incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise flawed outputs from the algorithms and data sets utilized in artificial intelligence (20) risks and challenges related to cybercrime including the effects of cyberattacks and changes in legislation and regulation related to cybersecurity and data privacy, including such risks and challenges as a consequence of the use of emerging technologies, such as advanced forms of artificial intelligence and quantum computing (21) changes in general competitive factors, including ability to increase or maintain market share (22) inability to protect our intellectual property and infringement claims by third parties (23) inability of counterparties to meet financial obligations or ability to enforce rights against such counterparties (24) changes in credit ratings (25) business, operational, regulatory, reputation, transition and other risks and challenges in connection with climate change and ESG-related matters, including data gathering and reporting (26) inability to attract and retain key personnel (27) future liabilities under defined benefit retirement plans (28) failure to manage business risks, including in connection with use of models, use of derivatives, or maintaining appropriate policies and guidelines (29) changes in capital and credit markets, including interbank funding, as well as customer deposits, which provide the liquidity and capital required to fund our operations, and (30) the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the most recent annual report of ING Groep N.V. (including the Risk Factors contained therein) and ING’s more recent disclosures, including press releases, which are available on http://www.ING.com.

    This document may contain ESG-related material that has been prepared by ING on the basis of publicly available information, internally developed data and other third-party sources believed to be reliable. ING has not sought to independently verify information obtained from public and third-party sources and makes no representations or warranties as to accuracy, completeness, reasonableness or reliability of such information.

    Materiality, as used in the context of ESG, is distinct from, and should not be confused with, such term as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or as defined for Securities and Exchange Commission (‘SEC’) reporting purposes. Any issues identified as material for purposes of ESG in this document are therefore not necessarily material as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or for SEC reporting purposes. In addition, there is currently no single, globally recognized set of accepted definitions in assessing whether activities are “green” or “sustainable.” Without limiting any of the statements contained herein, we make no representation or warranty as to whether any of our securities constitutes a green or sustainable security or conforms to present or future investor expectations or objectives for green or sustainable investing. For information on characteristics of a security, use of proceeds, a description of applicable project(s) and/or any other relevant information, please reference the offering documents for such security.

    This document may contain inactive textual addresses to internet websites operated by us and third parties. Reference to such websites is made for information purposes only, and information found at such websites is not incorporated by reference into this document. ING does not make any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of, or take any responsibility for, any information found at any websites operated by third parties. ING specifically disclaims any liability with respect to any information found at websites operated by third parties. ING cannot guarantee that websites operated by third parties remain available following the publication of this document, or that any information found at such websites will not change following the filing of this document. Many of those factors are beyond ING’s control.

    Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of ING speak only as of the date they are made, and ING assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason.

    This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction.

    Attachment

    • ING completes share buyback programme

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Banning debit card surcharges could save $500 million a year – if traders don’t claw back the money in other ways

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Associate Professor of Finance, RMIT University

    Galdric PS/Shutterstock

    In a move that could reshape how Australians pay for everyday purchases, the federal government is preparing to ban businesses from slapping surcharges on debit card transactions.

    This plan, pending a review by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), promises to put money back into consumers’ pockets.

    The RBA, which is accepting submissions until December, released its first consultation paper on Tuesday to coincide with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ joint announcement.

    But as with any significant policy shift, it’s worth taking a closer look to see what it really means for all of us.

    How much are we really saving?

    Based on RBA data, the potential savings are huge – up to $500 million a year if surcharges on debit cards are banned.

    And if the government goes one step further and includes credit card transaction fees in the ban, those savings could hit a massive $1 billion annually.

    While these figures sound impressive, when you break it down, the savings per cardholder would amount to around $140 annually.

    It’s not a life-changing amount, but for frequent shoppers or anyone making larger purchases, it could add up.

    Of course, not everyone will benefit equally. Those who shop less might not notice the difference.

    How does Australia stack up globally?

    RBA data shows Australians are paying more in merchant service fees than people in Europe, but less than consumers in the United States.

    These fees are what businesses pay to accept card payments, and they get passed on to us in the form of surcharges.

    The proposed ban on debit card surcharges occupies a middle ground in the global regulatory landscape. The European Union, United Kingdom and Malaysia have implemented comprehensive bans on surcharges for most debit and credit card transactions.

    But in the US and Canada, businesses can still charge you for using a credit card, though debit card surcharges aren’t allowed.

    The merchant’s perspective

    While the surcharge ban seems like a clear win for consumers, it’s essential to consider the impact on merchants, especially small businesses. The reality is not all merchants are created equal when it comes to card payment fees.

    In Australia, there’s a significant disparity between the fees paid by large and small merchants. In fact, RBA data shows small businesses pay fees about three times higher than what larger businesses pay.

    It all comes down to bargaining power. Bigger businesses can negotiate better deals on fees. This difference is primarily driven by the ability of larger merchants to thrash out favourable wholesale fees for processing card transactions.

    For small businesses, the cost of accepting cards can range from under 1% to more than 2% of the transaction value, which can eat into profits, especially for those working with tight margins.

    While the ban may sound like good news for consumers, there’s still a need to fix the bigger issues in the payment system. Innovations like “least-cost routing”, which allows businesses to process transactions at the lowest possible cost, could potentially help level the playing field.

    How businesses might exploit the loopholes?

    If payment costs are entirely passed on to merchants, they might find ways to recover those expenses through other means. We’ve seen this happen in other countries that abolished surcharges. Some potential strategies include

    • slightly raising overall prices to cover lost surcharge revenue
    • implementing or increasing minimum purchase requirements for card payments
    • introducing new “service” or “convenience” fees for all transactions, or increasing weekend and holiday surcharges.

    Most of these tactics have been around for a while. The challenge for regulators will be to monitor and address any new practices that emerge in response to the new rules.

    Credit cards: the elephant in the room

    While the ban on debit card surcharges is a step in the right direction, it raises an obvious question: why not extend it to credit cards?

    The option to ban credit card surcharges along with debit cards is proposed in the RBA’s review consultation paper. The answer lies in the complex web of interchange fees and merchant costs associated with credit card transactions.

    Credit card transactions cost merchants more to process because of additional services and rewards programs offered by credit card issuers.

    Banning surcharges on these could potentially lead to merchants increasing their base prices to cover these costs. This could effectively result in users of lower-cost payment methods subsidising those opting for premium cards.

    The absence of surcharges could also reduce the competitive pressure on card networks to keep their fees in check, potentially leading to higher costs in the long run.

    Some countries have managed to ban surcharges on credit cards, but they usually have stricter regulations around interchange fees than we do in Australia.

    As policymakers grapple with this complex issue, they must weigh the benefits of consumer simplicity against the risk of distorting market signals and potentially increasing costs for both merchants and consumers alike.

    Angel Zhong 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. Banning debit card surcharges could save $500 million a year – if traders don’t claw back the money in other ways – https://theconversation.com/banning-debit-card-surcharges-could-save-500-million-a-year-if-traders-dont-claw-back-the-money-in-other-ways-241354

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Felon Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    MINNEAPOLIS – An Oakdale man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

    According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, an officer from the New Hope Police Department initiated a traffic stop after observing a maroon Chevy Suburban commit several traffic violations. The officer noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in the center console. Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and found a Glock model 17 GEN5 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a switch and a large capacity magazine hidden in a compartment underneath the cupholders. They also found a second large capacity magazine and additional ammunition on the driver’s side of the vehicle. DNA from the firearm’s textured grip and slide serrations matched the driver, Detroit Davis-Riley, 35. It was also later discovered that the firearm had previously been reported as stolen.

    Because Davis-Riley has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

    On March 14, 2024, Davis-Riley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.

    This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the New Hope Police Department, Crystal Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    FLORENCE, S.C. — Joshua Levon West, 39, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 9, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department discovered West in possession of a loaded, stolen firearm.  West is prohibited from possessing a firearm based on his prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, attempted strong arm robbery, and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.  

    United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced West to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Extensive renewable energy collaboration foreseen

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China and Africa are poised for extensive collaboration in the realm of renewable energy, as the continent’s abundant resources align with China’s advanced expertise in wind and solar power technologies, said experts recently.

    This partnership not only guarantees energy security but also propels Africa toward green, low-carbon practices and sustainable development, yielding a host of mutually beneficial outcomes, they said.

    Currently, the African economy is undergoing sustained growth with a continuous rise in energy demand. According to the Continental Power System Masterplan currently being developed by the African Union Development Agency, Africa’s electricity consumption may reach 3,842 terawatt-hours by 2040.

    The International Renewable Energy Agency predicts that by 2030, nearly a quarter of Africa’s energy demand can be met by new energy sources.

    While Chinese companies have implemented hundreds of renewable energy projects in Africa, aiding African nations in mitigating energy shortages and achieving sustainable development, experts said that the localization of technology and production, as well as green finance and talent development can further deepen and broaden China-Africa renewable energy cooperation.

    Lu Junling, chief economist at China’s National Energy Administration, said that energy cooperation between China and Africa aligns with the mutual interests of both parties, offering a solid foundation and promising prospects. He advocated for enhanced practical cooperation facilitation for future China-Africa energy projects, emphasizing the importance of exchanging energy project information, creating collaboration opportunities and maximizing the role of energy think tanks to realize more cooperative outcomes.

    “Now is an opportune moment for clean energy collaboration between China and Africa. Further efforts are needed to advance the cooperation mechanisms between the two regions, help with planning research and policy alignment, foster deeper technological innovation cooperation, and explore tailored green projects that benefit communities,” said Li Sheng, head of the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute.

    A recent report on China-Africa renewable energy cooperation, jointly prepared by the CREEI and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, an economic program of the African Union, underscores Africa’s significant potential in renewable energy development, while highlighting the need for improvements in production and consumption levels. In 2022, renewable energy accounted for a modest 9.67 percent of its total energy consumption.

    Regarding production, Africa’s total installed power generation capacity reached 252.8 gigawatts in 2023, with fossil fuels remaining the primary electricity source, constituting about three-quarters of total installed capacity. Among renewable energy sources, hydropower (excluding pumped storage) had an installed capacity of 37.1 GW, representing 3 percent of global hydropower capacity, while wind and solar power capacities were 8.7 GW and 13.5 GW, respectively, each accounting for less than 1 percent globally.

    However, over the past five years, Africa’s total installed capacity of renewable energy, excluding pumped storage, has grown by 23.2 percent, a substantial 16.8 percentage points higher than the growth rate of fossil fuel power generation capacity (6.4 percent) during the same period.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closed following vehicle fire, State Highway 16, Whenuapai

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Motorists are advised to expect delays travelling westbound on State Highway 16 in the Whenuapai area, following an incident this evening.

    Emergency services attended after receiving a report at 6.50pm of a vehicle on fire on the road. The fire has been extinguished and no injuries are reported.

    The westbound lane is closed and traffic management is in place, thankyou for your patience while the vehicle is towed and the roadway is cleared.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Global sci-tech experts to address sustainability at annual forum

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The sixth World Science and Technology Development Forum will be held in Beijing from Oct. 22 to 24, the organizer announced Thursday.
    This year’s session, themed “Science and Technology for the Future,” will focus on six key ideas: intelligence, interdisciplinary, infrastructures, innovation, interaction, and integration.
    Since its initiation in 2019 by the China Association for Science and Technology, the annual forum has addressed various sustainability challenges. Previous sessions have covered topics ranging from food security to disaster prevention.
    At the inaugural session, Vania G. Zuin Zeidler, professor of green chemistry and sustainable chemistry at the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil and visiting professor at the Green Chemistry Center of Excellence at the University of York, U.K., said about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted annually. She discussed how the farm-to-table model can prevent food waste and how São Paulo produces healthy food through sustainable agricultural systems.
    At a previous subforum on food security during the fourth session, Deng Xingwang, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and dean of the School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences of Peking University, discussed the advantages of third-generation hybrid rice breeding technology. He emphasized that this internationally leading technology is cost-effective and safe, making it easier to apply. It has already been successfully validated and commercialized in China.
    At a subforum on carbon reduction during the fourth session, Lei Xianzhang, a member of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering, introduced electric-hydrogen coupling technology. This technology supports carbon peaking and neutrality by enabling efficient conversion between hydrogen and electricity, using clean energy sources like wind, solar and hydropower to produce hydrogen or hydrogen-based energy. 
    At the NexTus SDGs Youth Innovators’ Assembly during the fourth session, Yan Luhui, founder of Carbonstop, introduced a carbon management SaaS platform. Yan explained how big data and artificial intelligence can visualize carbon, analyze data and help companies improve carbon reduction efficiency.
    At a subforum on disaster prevention and mitigation at the fourth session, Ge Yonggang, director of the Science and Technology Division at the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, detailed how Sichuan province combines weather monitoring with tracking mountain floods and debris flows. This innovative approach aims to create a more precise early warning system. The research, currently focused on Liangshan, is set to expand to Chengdu and Mianyang.
    Cui Peng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, described a new platform for predicting mountain disasters. He explained how the platform includes a risk baseline database, physical parameter library and risk analysis system. With these tools, the platform can forecast mountain disasters every hour in real-time, pinpoint specific disaster locations and their features, and provide precise early warnings. Cui also suggested combining disaster management with efforts to restore nature and develop eco-friendly industries.
    The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution in August 2023 declaring 2024-2033 the “International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development.” The upcoming forum will be held during the first year of this decade. 
    The organizer said the event will continue to gather global expertise to promote high-quality development and enhance international scientific and cultural exchanges.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China releases space science development program for 2024-2050

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China unveiled a national mid and long-term development program for space science on Tuesday, which will guide the country’s planning of space science missions and space research from 2024 to 2050.
    The program, the first of its kind at the national level, was jointly released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the China National Space Administration and the China Manned Space Agency at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.
    The program outlines the development goals of China’s space science, including 17 priority areas under five key scientific themes, as well as a three-phase roadmap.
    The five key scientific themes include the extreme universe, space-time ripples, panoramic view of Sun-Earth, habitable planets, and biological and physical sciences in space, Ding Chibiao, vice president of the CAS, said at the press conference.
    The theme of extreme universe focuses on exploring the origin and evolution of the universe, revealing the physical laws under extreme cosmic conditions. The priority areas range from dark matter and extreme universe to the universe’s origin and evolution, as well as the detection of cosmic baryonic matter, according to the program.
    The theme of space-time ripples centers on detecting medium to low-frequency gravitational waves and primordial gravitational waves, with the goal of uncovering the nature of gravity and space-time. The priority area within this theme is space-based gravitational wave detection, Ding said.
    The Sun-Earth panoramic view theme involves the exploration of the sun, the Earth, and the heliosphere to unravel the physical processes and laws governing the complex interactions within the Sun-Earth system. Priority areas include Earth’s cycle systems, comprehensive observations of the Earth-Moon, space weather observation, three-dimensional solar exploration, and heliosphere exploration, according to the program.
    Scientists will also explore the habitability of celestial bodies in the solar system and exoplanets, as well as search for extraterrestrial life. Key areas in the subject cover sustainable development, the origin and evolution of the solar system, characterization of planetary atmospheres, the search for extraterrestrial life, and exoplanet detection.
    The theme of biological and physical sciences in space seeks to reveal the laws of matter movement and life activities under space conditions to deepen the understanding of fundamental physics, such as quantum mechanics and general relativity. Priority areas encompass microgravity science, quantum mechanics and general relativity, and space life sciences, Ding added.
    The program also outlines a roadmap for the development of space science in China through 2050.
    In the first phase, leading up to 2027, China will focus on the space station operation, implementing the manned lunar exploration project, and the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program as well as the planetary exploration project. Five to eight space science satellite missions will be approved during the period, according to the program.
    The international lunar research station initiated by China will be constructed during the second phase from 2028 to 2035, and approximately 15 scientific satellite missions will be carried out during this period.
    In the third phase from 2036 to 2050, China will launch over 30 space science missions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin and his wife host welcome luncheon for Guatemala First Lady Peinado and her delegation

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin and his wife host welcome luncheon for Guatemala First Lady Peinado and her delegation

    • Date：2024-10-10
    • Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

    October 10, 2024

    No. 346

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and his wife hosted a welcome luncheon on October 9 for a delegation from the Republic of Guatemala led by First Lady Lucrecia Peinado. On behalf of the government, Minister Lin warmly welcomed First Lady Peinado on her first visit to Taiwan and thanked her for representing President Bernardo Arévalo at the 2024 National Day celebrations, thereby enhancing bilateral diplomatic relations.

     

    Minister Lin stated that Taiwan and Guatemala were loyal partners that had enjoyed remarkable success in joint endeavors in such domains as public health, medicine, agricultural technology, higher education, and basic infrastructure. He pointed out that under proactive efforts by the governments of the two countries, economic and trade exchanges had grown closer. Noting that numerous Taiwanese businesses were interested in investing and setting up manufacturing facilities in Guatemala, Minister Lin said that this was a concrete outcome of economic and trade diplomacy promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its implementation of integrated diplomacy.

     

    First Lady Peinado conveyed President Arévalo’s congratulations on Taiwan’s National Day and thanked Taiwan for its long-standing assistance to Guatemala’s development in various areas. Emphasizing that Taiwan was an important member of the global community, she said that Guatemala would continue supporting Taiwan’s international participation. First Lady Peinado reaffirmed the importance that President Arévalo placed on attracting business investment, as well as his keen interest in developing the semiconductor sector. She expressed the hope that the two countries would further deepen cooperation and jointly help transform Guatemala into a technologically advanced country. 

     

    Minister Lin and First Lady Peinado also exchanged in-depth views on several issues, including women’s empowerment, care for disadvantaged groups, talent cultivation, and bilateral collaboration. Both agreed that Taiwan and Guatemala, building on the existing solid foundation, would continue to bolster reciprocal and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Auction of traditional vehicle registration marks to be held on November 2

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Auction of traditional vehicle registration marks to be held on November 2
    Auction of traditional vehicle registration marks to be held on November 2
    **************************************************************************

         The Transport Department (TD) today (October 15) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on November 2 (Saturday) in Meeting Room S221, L2, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.     “A total of 350 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said.     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.(4) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.(5) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, October 15, 2024Issued at HKT 14:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner for Tuvalu Prime Minister Teo and his wife

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner for Tuvalu Prime Minister Teo and his wife

    • Date：2024-10-10
    • Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    October 10, 2024
    No. 345

    Prime Minister of Tuvalu Feleti Penitala Teo and Madame Tausaga Teo led a delegation to Taiwan to attend National Day celebrations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a dinner for the delegation on October 9, extending a heartfelt welcome on behalf of the government.

    Minister Lin welcomed Prime Minister Teo on his second visit to Taiwan since assuming office in February. He said that Prime Minister Teo’s presence, this time as a guest of honor at National Day celebrations, underscored the immense importance he placed on the diplomatic partnership between Taiwan and Tuvalu. Minister Lin noted that this year marked the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations and that Tuvalu was Taiwan’s longest-standing Pacific ally. He said that Taiwan would build on this existing robust foundation to further deepen cooperation with Tuvalu in such important domains as climate change, ICT, medicine and health care, talent cultivation, women’s empowerment, and basic infrastructure.

    Minister Lin expressed special appreciation for Prime Minister Teo’s staunch support for Taiwan’s international participation over the years. He thanked Prime Minister Teo for speaking up for Taiwan at this year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), for reiterating that UNGA Resolution 2758 did not preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN, and for strongly urging the UN to include Taiwan so as to truly “leave no one behind.”

    Prime Minister Teo began his remarks by thanking Taiwan for inviting him to visit and wishing Taiwan a happy National Day and continued prosperity. He stated that in addition to attending National Day celebrations, he would also travel to southern Taiwan to engage in exchanges with fisheries operators so as to enhance bilateral fisheries cooperation. Stressing that Taiwan and Tuvalu had enjoyed an enduring friendship and realized significant achievements in many areas of collaboration, Prime Minister Teo said that the two countries would continue to work together to enhance the well-being of both their peoples. 

    As October 9 also happened to be Prime Minister Teo’s birthday, Minister Lin had prepared a birthday cake to celebrate the occasion. In the warm and cordial atmosphere of the gathering, members of the visiting delegation performed traditional Tuvaluan songs in a show of Austronesian culture. Colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sang a selection of Taiwanese songs in return. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Final practise run at Ara for Global Chef competition

    Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

    It’s 20 years since Southland’s Cameron Davies graduated with his cookery qualification from what is now Ara Institute of Canterbury. But last week he was back on campus cooking up a storm enroute to the prestigious Global Chef competition in Singapore.
    It was the final rehearsal for the Ara “dream team” made up of Davies, recent graduate Quinn Ojala and Ara tutor Mark Sycamore as coach. They worked under competition conditions to prepare 12 portions of the set menu (four courses) twice over three days. Each run through a seven-hour marathon effort.
    Now owner of the famed Fat Duck restaurant in Te Anau, it’s been a long haul for Davies and his team involving several rounds of qualifying, then test runs in training kitchens in Christchurch and Invercargill, spending hours getting to the point of perfection.
    “I’m excited. The final test runs have gone extremely well here at Ara. I’m privileged to represent New Zealand and now I can’t wait,” Davies said.
    The competition will see 16 international chefs cook four courses over seven hours with 20 judges constantly roaming by their benches, scrutinising their every move.
    Davies will be assisted by Ojala, an exceptional young chef currently working at Christchurch’s Inati restaurant and winner of Outstanding Emerging Chef at the recent Christchurch Hospitality awards.
    “I’m just incredibly excited. This will be an amazing experience on my chef’s journey,” Ojala said. 
    Sycamore, former NZ Chef of the Year is one of the very few New Zealanders to claim a spot in the famed Global Chef Challenge. He was impressed by what he saw in the Ara kitchen and said the team was ready for the pressure of international competition.
    “It can come down to tiny margins with mere points in it as 48 plates of food are prepared,” Sycamore said. “Just 60 percent of the marking is on food, forty percent of the mark is based on how they are in the kitchen, their set up, preparation, how they interact and their technique.”
    The competition menu is strictly set but Davies is getting as much “Kiwi” in there as he can including green lipped mussels, seaweed, New Zealand black garlic, mushrooms, clover honey, as well as Southland beetroot and hazelnuts.
    His own tutor, David Spice, who still wears a white coat at Ara, couldn’t resist keeping an eye on the final cook. Invited to dine at one of the rehearsals, Spice remembered Davies as a student “who had that drive to go a little bit further”.
    Singapore’s a long way from the Sheffield A&P show where Davies first entered competition cooking – winning awards with his grandmother’s jam recipes – but he says he’s ready for the international stage and grateful for his training and support from Ara.
    “I had amazing tutelage and amazing chefs around me when I was learning. Now having Quinn here alongside me and Mark in our team it almost feels like coming full circle,” Davies said.
    Twenty years since he honed his craft, Davies will be doing his all to taste success in Singapore on October 24.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: SCOR Investment Partners launches SCOR Real Estate Loans V, dedicated to value-add projects

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE | October 15th, 2024 N° 03- 2024

    SCOR Investment Partners, the asset management subsidiary of leading reinsurer, SCOR Group, announces the launch of SCOR Real Estate Loans V, the fifth vintage in its successful series of senior value-add debt funds. Since 2013, SCOR Investment Partners has held a unique position in the value-add market by financing real estate projects focused on renovations, restructurings, repositioning, or development of assets.

    SCOR Real Estate Loans V is strategically positioned to capitalize on structural market changes and to respond to energy transition stakes in the real estate sector. The latter is driven by European regulatory changes, the growing demand for new or restructured and certified assets, and the need for investments to ensure ongoing functionality of assets.

    This new fund aims to offer investors an attractive risk/return profile by leveraging the currently favorable conditions for lenders in the real estate debt market. It will finance projects located in the heart of major European cities, using a multi-sectoral approach that includes top-tier, senior, and whole loans.

    In line with SCOR Investment Partners’ sustainable investment philosophy, the fund’s investments will focus on improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings. SCOR Real Estate Loans V is classified Article 9 under the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and has obtained the LuxFLAG ESG -Applicant Fund Status.

    This new vintage reinforces SCOR Investment Partners’ commitment to the value-add real estate debt market. Our historical presence positions us as a preferred partner for such operations, whether collaborating directly with sponsors or initiating them in partnership with banks.

    Targeted towards institutional investors, the fund has already secured a EUR 100 million investment commitment from SCOR Group, thus ensuring a strong alignment of interests, and aiming for a total size of EUR 500 to EUR 700 million.

    Pierre Saeli, Head of Real Estate Loans at SCOR Investment Partners, commented: “We are thrilled to launch SCOR Real Estate Loans V, a new vintage specifically designed to adapt to the structural changes in the real estate market, prioritizing assets in city centers, logistics, and housing sectors, as well as renovation projects. This fund highlights our unique expertise in the value-add real estate debt market, which offers historically attractive returns.”

    Louis Bourrousse, CEO of SCOR Investment Partners, added: “Our real estate debt strategy has consistently adapted to market trends. Our team has an in-depth knowledge of the sector which allows for a diversified portfolio construction. We are convinced that real estate debt is an ideal vehicle for investors looking to gain or regain exposure to the underlying real estate via levels of leverage that allow to absorb eventual fluctuations of the value of the assets.”

    Over the past decade, SCOR Investment Partners’ real estate debt strategy has successfully deployed EUR 2.2 billion across 87 transactions, spanning over various debt types including senior, whole loan, junior, and mezzanine. This extensive experience has enabled SCOR Investment Partners to be more agile in evolving its strategy in response to rapid market trends and aligning with broader sustainable and responsible investment objectives.

    – End –
     CONTACTS

    About SCOR Investment Partners

    Financing the sustainable development of societies, together.

    SCOR Investment Partners is the asset management company of the SCOR Group. Created in 2008 and accredited by the Autorité des Marches financiers, the French financial market regulatory body, in May 2009 (no. GP09000006). SCOR Investment Partners has more than 80 employees and is structured around seven management desks: Fixed Income, Corporate Loans, Infrastructure Loans, Direct Real Estate, Real Estate Loans, Insurance-Linked Securities and Fund Selection. Since 2012, SCOR Investment Partners has given institutional investors access to some of the investment strategies developed for the SCOR Group. Assets managed for outside investors totaled EUR 7.6 billion as of June 30, 2024. As of that same date, SCOR Investment Partners had total assets under management of EUR 20.5 billion (including undrawn commitments).

    Visit the SCOR Investment Partners website at: http://www.scor-ip.com

    This advertising communication, intended exclusively for journalists and professionals of the press and media, is produced for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer, solicitation, invitation, or recommendation to purchase any service or investment product.

    Before making any final investment decision, you must read all regulatory documents of the Fund, available free of charge upon request, from the Sales & Marketing team of SCOR Investment Partners SE.

    All content published by the SCOR group since January 1, 2024, is certified with Wiztrust. You can check the authenticity of this content at wiztrust.com.

    Attachment

    • SCOR IP_PR_2024 10_RELV_VEN Wiztrust

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: New S32J Family of Safe and Secure Ethernet Switches Enables Scalable Vehicle Networks, Extending NXP CoreRide Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • New S32J family of high-performance switches (80Gbps) share a common switch core with NXP S32 processing devices to maximize software re-use and simplify network configuration and integration 
    • Production-grade networking functions with pre-integrated software from NXP and market-leading software partners helps reduce development efforts and optimize system performance
    • NXP CoreRide networking solution, built on the S32J family, will help OEMs and Tier 1s navigate complex network challenges associated with software-defined vehicles (SDVs)

    EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI), the worldwide leader in automotive processing and networking, has introduced the new S32J family of high-performance Ethernet switches and network controllers.

    The S32J family shares a common switch core, NXP NETC, with NXP’s latest S32 microcontrollers and processors, allowing them to operate together as one expanded virtual switch. The common networking switch core simplifies integration and software re-use with other solutions within the recently announced NXP CoreRide platform and offers OEMs more efficient and re-configurable networking choices.

    The S32J provides 80Gbps bandwidth with ports ranging from 10Mb to 10Gb, and powerful dual Arm® Cortex®-R52 cores to address diverse requirements of new vehicle architectures. The S32J devices meet time-sensitive networking (TSN) automotive standards and provide robust ASIL-D safety, hardware security engine (HSE) and MACsec ports for mixed-critical data traffic.

    The combination of the S32J family with the NXP CoreRide platform provides production-grade networking solutions with pre-integrated software and tooling. The solutions include a complete software enablement kit for HSE and MACsec security, TSN stacks and remote configuration and monitoring capabilities. A virtual development kit for the S32J family will be available by the end of 2024. The solution will be available to OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers in 2025.

    The building blocks for SDV networks
    “The transition to software-defined vehicles requires OEMs to simplify their network architectures and reduce the software and hardware integration complexity,” said Meindert van den Beld, senior vice president and general manager of in-vehicle networking at NXP. “The S32J and NXP CoreRide networking solutions provide production-ready building blocks for these new software-defined network architectures.”

    NXP CoreRide Networking ecosystem voices
    Dr. John Heinlein, Chief Marketing Officer at Sonatus
    “Sonatus is a longstanding partner of NXP, with our combined technologies already in millions of production vehicles. This new NXP CoreRide networking solution deepens our support for vehicle networking and the NETC networking foundation across NXP products, enabling OEMs to accelerate development of more adaptable, upgradable architectures for software-defined vehicles.”

    Dr. Stefan Poledna, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of TTTech Auto
    “At TTTech Auto, we are excited about the advancements in vehicle networking solutions through NXP’s CoreRide networking platform. The integration of scalable and dynamically re-configurable network management capabilities for TSN-based, advanced Ethernet networks is crucial for the development of software-defined vehicles. TTTech’s MotionWise platform complements the NXP CoreRide networking solution, delivering safe and flexible communication solutions that help OEMs and Tier-1s accelerate development cycles, enhance system reliability, and enable seamless end-to-end communication across vehicle networks.”

    NXP CoreRide platform
    The NXP CoreRide platform marks a major step forward in helping automakers overcome software and hardware integration barriers, while scaling development efforts for new architectures in software-defined vehicles. The platform integrates NXP’s S32 compute, networking and system power management with middleware, OSes and other software from the world’s leading automotive software providers, including Accenture ESR Labs, ArcherMind, BlackBerry QNX, Elektrobit, ETAS, Green Hills Software, Sonatus, Synopsys, TTTech Auto, Vector Informatik GmbH, and Wind River, Tier-1 suppliers like Valeo, as well as integration service providers like Foxconn.

    About NXP Semiconductors
    NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) is the trusted partner for innovative solutions in the automotive, industrial & IoT, mobile, and communications infrastructure markets. NXP’s “Brighter Together” approach combines leading-edge technology with pioneering people to develop system solutions that make the connected world better, safer, and more secure. The company has operations in more than 30 countries and posted revenue of $13.28 billion in 2023. Find out more at http://www.nxp.com.

    NXP and the NXP logo are trademarks of NXP B.V. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. © 2024 NXP B.V

    For more information, please contact:

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f3e09b2d-d109-44df-afbd-eb4df8197b0e

    NXP-Corp
    NXP-Auto

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Zscaler Identifies More Than 200 Malicious Apps in the Google Play Store, with Over 8 Million Installs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Key Findings:

    • Mobile remains a top threat vector, with 111% growth in spyware and 29% growth in banking malware
    • Technology, education, and manufacturing sectors continue to be most susceptible to attacks
    • The United States remains the top target for IoT, OT, and mobile cybersecurity attacks

    SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today published its Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report, which offers an overview of the mobile and IoT/OT cyber threat landscape from June 2023 through May 2024. The findings in this report stress the urgency for organizations to reevaluate and secure mobile devices, IoT devices and OT systems. ThreatLabz identified more than 200 malicious apps in the Google Play Store, with more than 8 million collective installs, and the Zscaler cloud blocked 45% more IoT malware transactions than last year–indicative of botnets continuing to proliferate across IoT devices.

    “Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting legacy exposed assets which often act as a beachhead to IoT & OT environments, resulting in data breaches and ransomware attacks,” said Deepen Desai, Chief Security Officer at Zscaler. “Mobile malware and AI driven vishing attacks adds to that list making it critical for CISOs and CIOs to prioritize an AI powered zero trust solution to shut down attack vectors of all kinds safeguarding against these attacks.”

    Financially motivated mobile attacks remain a top threat vector
    With 29% growth in banking malware attacks and a 111% rise in spyware year over year, cyberattacks have never been more profitable for threat actors, either through monetary gain via direct extortion or passthrough use of stolen personally identifiable information (PII) and user credentials that can be sold and leveraged in future attacks.

    Anatsa, a known Android banking malware that uses PDF and QR code readers to distribute malware, has targeted more than 650 financial institutions, and more specifically, users in Germany, Spain, Finland, South Korea and Singapore.

    Verticals most targeted by bad actors
    The technology (18%), education (18%) and manufacturing (14%) sectors are the most frequent targets of mobile malware. Education in particular saw a dramatic 136% increase in blocked transactions compared to the previous year.

    Additionally, for the second year in a row, manufacturing experienced the highest volume of IoT malware attacks, accounting for 36% of all IoT malware blocks observed on the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform. When analyzing unique devices across different verticals, this sector stands out with the highest implementation of IoT devices due to its extensive use of IoT applications, ranging from automation and process monitoring to supply chain management.

    The United States remains the top target for IoT cyberattacks
    With its central role in global communication and data processes, the US also stands out as the primary destination for IoT device traffic, accounting for 81% of IoT cyberattacks. The top five countries that receive the most IoT traffic are:

    • United States
    • Japan
    • China
    • Singapore
    • Germany

    The report also revealed that India (28%) is now the country most targeted by mobile malware. The other four are:

    • United States
    • Canada
    • South Africa
    • The Netherlands

    Legacy and end-of-life operating systems leave OT systems vulnerable
    Once air-gapped and isolated from the internet, OT and cyber-physical systems have rapidly become integrated into enterprise networks, enabling threats to proliferate. OT deployments can involve thousands of connected devices spread across dozens of sites, creating a substantial attack surface for external threats, such as those that exploit known zero-day vulnerabilities. Additionally, this also creates a large attack surface between internal (east-west) OT traffic, increasing the risk of lateral movement and the potential blast radius of a successful attack.

    How to secure mobile, IoT and OT
    With today’s hybrid-work environments, users can work from anywhere with internet access, SaaS apps and private applications, whether in the cloud or the data center. To enable secure hybrid work and provide seamless access to any application, enterprises need to retire network-centric approaches, which hamper productivity and leave them vulnerable to lateral movement. Instead, organizations must adopt a zero trust architecture that enables secure remote access from any user device to any application, from any location.

    Zscaler for IoT and OT enables enterprises to reduce cyber risk while embracing IoT and OT connectivity to drive business agility and increase productivity. Powered by the Zero Trust Exchange, these capabilities protect IoT devices against compromise and prevent lateral movement with device segmentation and deception–all while allowing for remote access to OT systems without risky VPN connectivity.

    The findings of the 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report stress the need for organizations to better secure their mobile endpoints, IoT devices, and OT systems. Download the full report here.

    Research Methodology
    The Zscaler ThreatLabz team analyzed a data set collected from the Zscaler Security Cloud between June 2023 and May 2024, comprising more than 20 billion threat-related mobile transactions and associated cyberthreats.

    About Zscaler
    Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally, the SSE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

    Media Contact:

    Zscaler PR
    Natalia Wodecki
    press@zscaler.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6430484e-f976-4e51-9584-160090d397e6

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance issues EUR 25 million notes under its MTN programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    15 October 2024 at 10:00 am (EEST)

    Municipality Finance issues EUR 25 million notes under its MTN programme

    Municipality Finance Plc issues EUR 25 million notes on 16 October 2024. The maturity date of the notes is 16 October 2029. MuniFin has a right, but no obligation, to redeem the notes early on 16 October 2025 and every year thereafter. The notes bear interest at a fixed rate of 2.75% per annum until 16 October 2025, after which the interest is paid at 2.40% per annum, unless MuniFin redeems the notes early.

    The notes are issued under MuniFin’s EUR 50 billion programme for the issuance of debt instruments. The offering circular, the supplemental offering circular and the final terms of the notes are available in English on the company’s website at https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/for-investors.

    MuniFin has applied for the notes to be admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki. The public trading is expected to commence on 16 October 2024.

    NATIXIS SA, Paris acts as the dealer for the issue of the notes.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

    Joakim Holmström
    Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability
    tel. +358 50 444 3638

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The company is owned by Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the Republic of Finland.
    The Group’s balance sheet totals over EUR 50 billion.

    MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. MuniFin’s customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations nominated by the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA). Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/

    Important Information

    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia MEA Mobile Broadband Index 2024: 5G driving rapid digital transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia MEA Mobile Broadband Index 2024: 5G driving rapid digital transformation

    • 5G adoption in MEA expected to reach one in four subscriptions by 2029, highlighting its critical role in future connectivity towards digital transformation.
    • 5G subscriptions in MEA expected to reach 519 million by 2029, representing 23% of total mobile connections.
    • GCC region to lead 5G adoption with 90% of subscriptions projected to be on 5G networks by 2029.
    • 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) subscriptions set to grow from 11% in 2022 to an estimated 38% of MEA’s total FWA subscriptions by 2029, driven by 5G advancements.

    15 October 2024
    Dubai, UAE – Research from Nokia reveals that 60% of CSPs in MEA region are adopting 5G to enhance their digital transformation. While 4G subscriptions are projected to stabilize by 2027, 5G adoption is anticipated to surge dramatically, signifying a pivotal shift in the region’s technological landscape.

    In addition, Nokia’s Mobile Broadband Index Report 2024 highlights the continued rapid adoption of 5G technology in the region, projecting that by 2029, 5G subscriptions will reach 519 million, with 48% of total data traffic expected to be driven by 5G.

    5G is playing a critical role in the region’s future connectivity landscape, with nearly 23% of all mobile subscriptions in the MEA region expected to be 5G by 2029. This accelerated adoption is particularly evident in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) sub-region, where 90% of all mobile subscriptions are projected to be 5G by 2029. This growth is largely driven by significant government investments in 5G infrastructure and robust support for advanced connectivity solutions.

    The rise of 5G technology is not only increasing the number of subscriptions but also transforming the region’s data traffic dynamics. By 2029, 5G and 4G networks are expected to account for over 90% of the total data traffic in the MEA region. In the GCC alone, 90% of all data traffic is predicted to be carried over 5G networks.

    Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) powered by 5G technology is also increasingly being adopted, growing from 11% in 2022 to 38% by 2029. This surge in FWA adoption is driven by the need for faster internet speeds and lower latency, particularly in underserved or remote areas.

    Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President for Mobile Networks, MEA at Nokia, said: “The adoption of 5G is increasingly important for countries across MEA to meet the rising demand for data services. This transition accelerates digital transformation while allowing CSPs to unlock new revenue opportunities. Nokia’s services empower CSPs to unlock the full potential of their networks, delivering advanced connectivity solutions that are critical for the region’s development.”

    Download the full Nokia MEA Mobile Broadband Index report here.

    Resources and additional information
    Webpage: Mobile networks

    About Nokia 
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
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    The MIL Network –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lindab required to sell sites in Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent after ventilation merger investigation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments

    The CMA found Lindab’s acquisition of HAS-Vent reduced competition in 2 areas of the UK.

    iStock

    Having carried out an in-depth Phase 2 merger inquiry, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today ordered Lindab – a supplier of circular ducts and fittings used in ventilation systems in buildings – to sell 2 sites after finding its deal with HAS-Vent could lead to reduced choice and higher prices for installers of ventilation systems in both Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent. 

    The independent CMA group leading the inquiry scrutinised a wide range of evidence, including the parties’ internal documents and evidence from installers of ventilation systems and other suppliers of circular ducts and fittings. Based on this evidence, the group found that competition for these products occurs at a local level. 

    Having assessed the impact of the deal in various local areas, and then consulted on its provisional findings published in August, the inquiry group has concluded the deal has resulted in a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of circular ducts and fittings in the local areas centred around Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent. 

    To resolve the loss of competition, the CMA is requiring Lindab to sell 1 site in each of the impacted areas. To ensure the largest pool of potential purchasers and given the different operating models in the industry (which means that some purchasers may want a site with manufacturing assets, while others may not), Lindab is required to market for sale all 4 sites it owns in the two areas and put forward potential buyers for the CMA to approve. 

    Kirstin Baker, Chair of the independent inquiry group, said: 

    Circular ventilation ducts and fittings are essential components in the construction of buildings, such as new offices and flats.  

    Our investigation found this deal – by removing one of two main suppliers of these products in the Nottingham and Stoke areas – risked installers and developers having to pay more for these products. 

    As a result, we are requiring Lindab to sell one site in each of the two areas, which should ensure local installers and businesses can benefit from effective competition.

    More information, including the CMA’s final report, can be found via the Lindab / HAS-Vent case page.

    Notes to editors: 

    1. The CMA will require Lindab to market for sale each of the following potential divestment sites: Lindab Nottingham, Lindab Stoke-on-Trent, HAS-Vent Nottingham and HAS-Vent Stoke-on-Trent.  

    2. Lindab is a ventilation company headquartered in Sweden and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. In the UK, Lindab is primarily active through subsidiaries Lindab Limited (Lindab UK) and Ductmann Limited (Ductmann), which both manufacture and distribute ventilation system products, including circular ducts and fittings. 

    3. HAS-Vent is a UK company headquartered in Wombourne, also active in the manufacture and distribution of ventilation system products, including circular ducts and fittings, in England and Wales. 

    4. Whilst this decision marks the end of the CMA’s investigation, it will closely monitor the parties progress in implementing the remedy. 

    5. For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office on 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk.

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    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin and his wife host welcome luncheon for Guatemala First Lady Peinado and her delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    Foreign Minister Lin and his wife host welcome luncheon for Guatemala First Lady Peinado and her delegation

    Date：2024-10-10
    Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

    October 10, 2024
    No. 346

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and his wife hosted a welcome luncheon on October 9 for a delegation from the Republic of Guatemala led by First Lady Lucrecia Peinado. On behalf of the government, Minister Lin warmly welcomed First Lady Peinado on her first visit to Taiwan and thanked her for representing President Bernardo Arévalo at the 2024 National Day celebrations, thereby enhancing bilateral diplomatic relations.
     
    Minister Lin stated that Taiwan and Guatemala were loyal partners that had enjoyed remarkable success in joint endeavors in such domains as public health, medicine, agricultural technology, higher education, and basic infrastructure. He pointed out that under proactive efforts by the governments of the two countries, economic and trade exchanges had grown closer. Noting that numerous Taiwanese businesses were interested in investing and setting up manufacturing facilities in Guatemala, Minister Lin said that this was a concrete outcome of economic and trade diplomacy promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its implementation of integrated diplomacy.
     
    First Lady Peinado conveyed President Arévalo’s congratulations on Taiwan’s National Day and thanked Taiwan for its long-standing assistance to Guatemala’s development in various areas. Emphasizing that Taiwan was an important member of the global community, she said that Guatemala would continue supporting Taiwan’s international participation. First Lady Peinado reaffirmed the importance that President Arévalo placed on attracting business investment, as well as his keen interest in developing the semiconductor sector. She expressed the hope that the two countries would further deepen cooperation and jointly help transform Guatemala into a technologically advanced country. 
     
    Minister Lin and First Lady Peinado also exchanged in-depth views on several issues, including women’s empowerment, care for disadvantaged groups, talent cultivation, and bilateral collaboration. Both agreed that Taiwan and Guatemala, building on the existing solid foundation, would continue to bolster reciprocal and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner for Tuvalu Prime Minister Teo and his wife

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner for Tuvalu Prime Minister Teo and his wife

    Date：2024-10-10
    Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    October 10, 2024No. 345Prime Minister of Tuvalu Feleti Penitala Teo and Madame Tausaga Teo led a delegation to Taiwan to attend National Day celebrations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a dinner for the delegation on October 9, extending a heartfelt welcome on behalf of the government.Minister Lin welcomed Prime Minister Teo on his second visit to Taiwan since assuming office in February. He said that Prime Minister Teo’s presence, this time as a guest of honor at National Day celebrations, underscored the immense importance he placed on the diplomatic partnership between Taiwan and Tuvalu. Minister Lin noted that this year marked the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations and that Tuvalu was Taiwan’s longest-standing Pacific ally. He said that Taiwan would build on this existing robust foundation to further deepen cooperation with Tuvalu in such important domains as climate change, ICT, medicine and health care, talent cultivation, women’s empowerment, and basic infrastructure.Minister Lin expressed special appreciation for Prime Minister Teo’s staunch support for Taiwan’s international participation over the years. He thanked Prime Minister Teo for speaking up for Taiwan at this year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), for reiterating that UNGA Resolution 2758 did not preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN, and for strongly urging the UN to include Taiwan so as to truly “leave no one behind.”Prime Minister Teo began his remarks by thanking Taiwan for inviting him to visit and wishing Taiwan a happy National Day and continued prosperity. He stated that in addition to attending National Day celebrations, he would also travel to southern Taiwan to engage in exchanges with fisheries operators so as to enhance bilateral fisheries cooperation. Stressing that Taiwan and Tuvalu had enjoyed an enduring friendship and realized significant achievements in many areas of collaboration, Prime Minister Teo said that the two countries would continue to work together to enhance the well-being of both their peoples. As October 9 also happened to be Prime Minister Teo’s birthday, Minister Lin had prepared a birthday cake to celebrate the occasion. In the warm and cordial atmosphere of the gathering, members of the visiting delegation performed traditional Tuvaluan songs in a show of Austronesian culture. Colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sang a selection of Taiwanese songs in return. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cassowary alert – keep your windows up and your speed down

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 10 Oct 2024

    An adult cassowary is risking its life and bringing traffic to a standstill along a narrow, winding stretch of road at the top of Gillies Range.

    The cassowary has been sighted repeatedly meandering in and out of traffic along a five-kilometre stretch of Gillies Range Road, where the verges on each side are extremely steep.

    Manager Northern Wildlife Operations Dave Woods from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation has asked drivers on Gillies Range Road to reduce their speed, keep an eye out for the bird and keep their windows wound up.

    “Wildlife officers have reviewed videos taken by members of the public, and believe this bird has been previously fed by people from cars,” Mr Woods said.

    “It is not wary of vehicles, and it can be seen approaching vehicles as they slow down or stop, hoping to be fed.

    “We have conducted several site inspections and observed the cassowary’s behaviour, but the section of road presents operational challenges.

    “Due to the narrow road, high volume of traffic and steep landscape, it would be dangerous and difficult for wildlife officers to conduct behavioural modification on the animal.

    “We are currently working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland Police Service about management options to address the risk to road users and the cassowary.”

    Mr Woods said the cassowary had been reported to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service by concerned members of the public.

    “We would like to thank everyone who made those reports out of concern for the safety of road users and welfare of the cassowary,” he said.

    “Cassowaries are an endangered, iconic species, and every bird is precious. We don’t want anything to happen to this animal and we want drivers to remain safe.

    “We’re asking everyone who uses Gillies Range Road to keep their windows up, not discard any food and drive with caution near the top of the range.

    “If people stop offering the cassowary food, it will return to the rainforest and go back to foraging for food without any further human intervention.

    “It is illegal to feed cassowaries, because it can alter their behaviour, puts them at risk of vehicle strike or dog attack and they can act aggressively towards people if they are expecting food.

    “Cassowaries have been around for millions of years, and they know how to find their own food in the rainforest.”

    The southern cassowary is considered endangered, and its population is limited to rainforest areas of the Wet Tropics and Cape York.

    Cassowaries can inflict serious injuries to people and pets by kicking out with their large, clawed feet. People are asked to Be cass-o-wary at all times in the Wet Tropics.

    • Never approach cassowaries.
    • Never approach chicks – male cassowaries will defend them.
    • Never feed cassowaries – it is illegal, dangerous and has caused cassowary deaths.
    • Always discard food scraps in closed bins and ensure compost bins have secure lids.
    • Slow down when driving in cassowary habitat.
    • Never stop your vehicle to look at cassowaries on the road.
    • Keep dogs behind fences or on a leash.

    MIL OSI News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Students were told about construction industry specialties

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    On October 10, Petr Chernobay, CEO of the construction company OOO YUPITER, gave a lecture to students of the construction faculty of SPbGASU about choosing a specialty in the construction industry. According to him, this could be the development of construction projects, the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, and technical inspection of buildings and structures.

    “Determining your calling in the construction industry is key to a successful career. To do this, you need to analyze your interests, abilities and values, as well as explore possible options and directions in construction. Follow your aspirations to find your own place in this exciting field of activity,” he urged the students.

    Petr Chernobay explained how to determine professional preferences and inclinations to identify the construction specialty that suits you, and invited students to come on a tour of a construction site.

    “Career guidance in construction includes the process of determining the ideal match between a person’s personality, their interests, abilities and the requirements for specialists in this field. To do this, it is important not only to understand what specialties exist in construction, but also to assess in which of them the student will be able to reveal his potential to the fullest. Determining one’s own place in the construction industry begins with an analysis of one’s interests, abilities, as well as a constant desire for self-improvement and professional growth. Therefore, such meetings of students with representatives of construction organizations are extremely important for career guidance,” noted Alexander Glukhanov, Deputy Dean of the Construction Faculty for Career Guidance, Associate Professor of the Department of Technosphere Safety.

    Alla Kadyrova, a specialist at the Center for Student Entrepreneurship and Career at SPbGASU, reminded that student years are a unique period when a person has the opportunity to explore different areas of activity. After all, graduates often face difficulties in choosing a future path and do not have time to reveal their strengths during their studies, and, accordingly, become competitive candidates for employment. If students start thinking about their career path now, they will be able to achieve success faster and avoid uncertainty in the future. That is why events such as getting to know companies are an important addition to obtaining higher education.

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

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

    http://www.spbgasu.ru/nevs-and-events/nevs/students-told-about-specialties-in-the-construction-industry/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU took part in the campaign “Scientists – to schools”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On October 11, young scientists from the State University of Management held popular science lectures in Moscow schools as part of the All-Russian campaign “Scientists to Schools”, timed to coincide with the All-Russian Science Festival “Science 0”.

    Associate Professor of the Department of Innovation Management at the State University of Management Denis Serdechny gave a lecture to students of School No. 1363 on the topic of “Inventive Work and Instruments for Protecting the Results of Intellectual Activity”. Schoolchildren learned about the importance of innovation in the modern world and how to properly protect their ideas and inventions using various legal instruments.

    Associate Professor of the Department of Transport Complex Management at the State University of Management Artem Merenkov gave a lecture to senior students of School No. 1363 entitled “Russian Automobile: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”. The young scientist spoke about the development of the domestic auto industry, the challenges that the industry faced in the past, and the prospects for its development.

    On the same day, the Head of the Department for Coordination of Scientific Research of the State University of Management, Maxim Pletnev, introduced students of School No. 1420 to the specifics of transport in large cities, the main difficulties in managing urban transport, and the prospects for developing modern technologies to improve the city’s infrastructure.

    The annual project “Scientists to Schools” is designed to form a communication channel between the scientific community and educational institutions of the city. Scientists’ presentations help popularize science among schoolchildren, increase the attractiveness of scientific activity and form the image of a successful and promising scientist.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/15/2024

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

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

    GUU took part in the campaign “Scientists – to schools”

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 23, 2025
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