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Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Zambia Bolsters Copper Exploration Ahead of 2031 Target

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 2, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Zambia has launched a series of strategic initiatives in 2025 to accelerate copper drilling and meet its target of producing 3.1 million tons per annum by 2031. In February 2025, the country introduced the Zambia Integrated Mining Information System (www.MMMD.Gov.zm), a digital platform designed to enhance efficiency and transparency in mining license management. The system is expected to streamline the approval process and help Zambia attract more investors and fast-track exploration.

    In line with efforts by Zambia to enhance copper exploration, the upcoming African Mining Wee conference and exhibition, taking place from October 1-3 in Cape Town, will provide a platform to showcase lucrative investment opportunities within the country’s upstream industry.

    Government Programs

    To create a more conducive environment for copper drilling, Zambia is implementing several government-led initiatives. In February 2025, the country announced a non-compliance monitoring project, which led to the repossession of over 1,000 mining licenses (apo-opa.co/4j7kjrc) in 2024 alone. These licenses are now being reallocated to new investors to accelerate exploration efforts and help achieve its 2031 production goal. Zambia has also recorded a 79% increase in mining licenses granted in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. The government – in partnership with the Geological Survey of Finland – is implementing a nationwide high-resolution aerial geophysical survey to map mineral resources and open new exploration basins. Additionally, the government established the Zambia Minerals Investment Corporation Limited, a special-purpose vehicle to facilitate joint venture investments in exploration, production and mineral processing. On January 16, 2025, the country signed a cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to facilitate human capital development, technology transfer and investments in copper exploration and production. The government has also played a key role in reopening previously inactive mining operations, including Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines, unlocking new opportunities for exploration.

    Private Sector Contributions

    Private sector players are also contributing to Zambia’s copper drilling expansion agenda. In January 2025, Barrick Gold (apo-opa.co/3FSagrR) announced its plans to utilize a new exploration license in northern Zambia and continue drilling at Lumwana as part of its commitment to Zambia’s 2031 production goal. The UK-based Jubilee Metals Group (apo-opa.co/4lcH5zH) is undertaking several drilling projects to support growth at its Roan and Sable Refinery sites, while Handa Resources (apo-opa.co/3YfapvA), a joint venture between Arc Minerals and Anglo American, began drilling across three newly approved licenses in Zambia in January 2025.

    As Africa’s premier mining investment platform, African Mining Week will bring together key stakeholders, government officials and global investors to discuss and optimize opportunities within Zambia’s copper exploration and production industry.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/THAILAND – Immediate intervention of the Camillian Missionaries in response to the populations affected by the earthquake in Myanmar

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 2 April 2025

    Cadis

    Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) – “At the moment, the biggest obstacle is reaching the affected areas. In addition, many volunteers and foreign organizations have not yet received authorization to enter the country, in accordance with government protocols. However, the Catholic Church is monitoring the situation so that aid can be better received and facilitated,” said Father Rocco Sriprasert (MI), Director of Camillian Disaster Service International (CADIS) in Thailand and Caritas Thailand, who participated in a meeting organized by Caritas Asia, in collaboration with the Church of Myanmar and Caritas Myanmar (Karuna Mission Social Solidarity, KMSS), where an assessment of the situation on the ground was presented.”The survivors need emergency shelter, canned food, water, and medicine. The political situation is also putting pressure on humanitarian organizations, which must accelerate their aid programs,” emphasizes KMSS, with which CADIS will collaborate on the ground to begin planning the initial response.During an online conference convened by CADIS yesterday, April 1, members from Thailand, India, and their partners – St. John’s Medical College and Mission Calcutta – discussed possible interventions, establishing contacts on the ground, and launching a fundraising campaign. They also discussed the possibility of networking with the government of Myanmar to mobilize disaster relief teams and collaborate with medical and nursing teams to address specific medical needs. According to CADIS, a joint emergency response team is being prepared to assist the survivors of the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, with its epicenter in Sagaing (see Fides, 28/3/2025). According to Myanmar’s Army Chief of Staff Min Aung Hlaing, more than 2,700 people have been killed so far, and the number is expected to rise in the coming hours. Traumatized survivors sleep on the streets near the epicenter in the devastated cities of Mandalay and Sagaing, while the stench of bodies buried under rubble fills the area. There are shortages of food, medicine, and water, and the monsoon season is expected to begin in May. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 2/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ12: Promoting the setting up of family offices in Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
     
    Question:
     
         The Government has proposed in the latest Budget that it will formulate proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, and develop a vibrant ecosystem for family offices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles) Bill 2022 was passed by this Council in 2023, which sought to provide profits tax concessions for family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices in Hong Kong, whether the authorities have assessed the adequacy of such tax concession measures and their effectiveness in encouraging family offices to establish a business presence in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) as it is learnt that a single family office is not required to apply for any licence under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) if it does not carry on a business of regulated activity in Hong Kong, whether the Government has estimated the number of family offices in Hong Kong which have not applied for such licence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) of the progress and details of the Government’s formulation of proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest this year; and
     
    (4) whether it will study encouraging more Mainland high-net-worth individuals to make cross-border investments through family offices set up in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Family office (FO) business is an important segment of the asset and wealth management sector. According to the Asset and Wealth Management Activities Survey 2023 published by the Securities and Futures Commission, the size of private banking and private wealth management business attributed to FOs and private trusts clients reached $1,452 billion as of end-2023, providing huge business opportunities for the asset and wealth management sector and other related professional services. In consultation with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
     
    (1) and (3) The Legislative Council passed the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles) Bill 2022 in May 2023, under which family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single FOs in Hong Kong fulfilling the minimum asset threshold of HK$240 million and substantial activities requirement can enjoy profits tax exemption for qualifying transactions. The Government have maintained communication with the industry to evaluate the effectiveness of the tax concession regime, and announced in the 2025-26 Budget the proposals to further enhance the preferential tax regimes for funds, single FOs and carried interest, including expanding the scope of “fund” under the tax exemption regime, increasing the types of qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions for funds and single FOs, enhancing the tax concession arrangement on the distribution of carried interest by private equity funds. The Government have completed the industry consultation on the enhancement measures on the preferential tax regimes. The Government are formulating the relevant enhancement measures with financial regulators based on the feedback received. The Government target to work out the details of the proposals by this year and submit the legislative proposals to the Legislative Council for consideration in 2026. If approved, the relevant measures will take effect from the year of assessment 2025/26.
     
    (2) and (4) A single FO is not required to apply for a licence under the Securities and Futures Ordinance if it does not carry on a business of regulated activity in Hong Kong. According to the research findings of the consultant commissioned by InvestHK and publicised in March 2024, there were around 2 700 single FOs operating in Hong Kong as of end-2023, with over half of them set up by ultra-high-net-worth individuals having a wealth of US$50 million or above. Meanwhile, since its establishment in June 2021 up to end-February 2025, the dedicated FamilyOfficeHK team of InvestHK has assisted over 160 FOs to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong (including 135 FOs having set up or expanded their business in Hong Kong after the profits tax exemption regime for single FOs has taken effect), including 98 single FOs and 63 multi-FOs. Currently, around 150 FOs have indicated that they are preparing or have decided to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong as tabulated below by geographical region:
     

    Region FOs preparing or having decided to set up or expand business in
    Hong Kong
    Mainland and Taiwan, China 82
    Europe and Americas 34
    Asia Pacific and Oceania 22
    Middle East 9
    Total 147

     
         InvestHK will continue to conduct diversified investment promotion activities (e.g. roundtables, seminars, meetings with investors, media interviews and external visits) to proactively reach out and encourage more high-net-worth individuals (including high-net-worth individuals from the Mainland) to set up FOs in Hong Kong. Furthermore, investors from the Mainland currently can make investment in Hong Kong through various mutual access arrangements. The Government has been actively exploring opportunities to introduce further expansion initiatives, including enhancements to the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect has been further enhanced since February 2024 to increase individual investor quota, lower the threshold for participating in the Southbound Scheme, expand the scope of participating institutions, the scope of eligible investment products, and enhance the promotion and sales arrangements. The Government will continue to discuss with financial regulatory authorities in the Mainland on various cross-boundary remittance arrangements, including how to provide more facilitation arrangements while ensuring that the risks are manageable.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ17: Efforts in promoting waste reduction and recycling

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
     
         According to a paper submitted by the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Environmental Protection Department to the Panel on Environmental Affairs and the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of this Council in December last year on the latest progress and achievements of the efforts in promoting waste reduction and recycling, the authorities were conducting a study on how to enhance the municipal solid waste (MSW) charging scheme, and would continuously monitor and assess public views and participation in waste reduction and recycling. It is expected that they will report to members again in the middle of this year on the relevant work progress and the Government’s views on implementing MSW charging. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the specific measures currently put in place by the Government to enhance MSW charging scheme; of the expected time for implementing MSW charging;
     
    (2) how the Government assesses the level of public participation in the process of promoting waste reduction and recycling, and of the factors affecting such participation;
     
    (3) how the Government plans to increase the number of Food Waste Recycling Spots, and of the specific timetable; and
     
    (4) as regards the implementation of the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Plastic Beverage Containers and Beverage Cartons, of the challenges the Government expects to face; how it ensures that the implementation of the scheme can balance the interests of various parties?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Although the Government announced the suspension of the implementation of municipal solid waste (MSW) charging scheme, our determination to reduce MSW has never wavered. The reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung is as follows:
     
    (1) and (2) The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is continuously enhancing the community recycling network and strengthening public education to promote a green waste reduction and recycling culture in our society. We will assess public participation in waste reduction and recycling based on data such as the usage of public collection facilities, the amount of recyclables collected, and the total quantity of MSW disposed of at landfills. In this regard, the latest figures show that the number of visits to GREEN@COMMUNITY (G@C) in 2024 surged to approximately 12.7 million, representing an increase of about 80 per cent compared to that of 2023, while the quantity of recyclables collected (by weight) rose by nearly 60 per cent year-on-year. We have also successfully reversed the rising trend of waste disposal. Since 2021, the daily average quantity of MSW disposed of at landfills has decreased for three consecutive years from 11 358 tonnes per day in 2021 to 10 510 tonnes per day in 2024, representing a 3.4 per cent decrease from 2023 and a 7.5 per cent decrease from 2021. 
     
         Convenient community recycling facilities and continuous public education are crucial in promoting and encouraging public participation in waste reduction and recycling. As revealed by the abovementioned figures, with the gradual enhancement of the community recycling network, public participation in waste reduction and recycling has risen continuously. To this end, the EPD has substantially increased the number of public collection points under G@C to over 800 in the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, we are promoting the Waste Reduction and Recycling Charter (the Charter) to encourage private residential premises to set up convenient waste separation and recycling facilities, and to strengthen education and encourage residents to practise waste reduction at source and clean recycling. As of the end of February 2025, a total of 826 private residential premises have signed the Charter, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of the total number of households in private residential buildings with property management companies/owners’ corporations/residents’ organisations in Hong Kong and covering around 700 000 households.
     
         On the other hand, through the outreaching services of the Green Outreach, the EPD has strengthened the publicity and education as well as the community support for waste reduction and recycling. In 2025-26, the Green Outreach will focus on territory-wide or district-based waste reduction and recycling publicity programmes, including “We-recycle@School” and Programme on Source Separation of Waste. The Green Outreach will also make more use of mass media platforms such as social media and the Internet to carry out publicity and promotional activities, and strengthen collaborations with G@C operators, local groups, non-governmental organisations, etc. to promote a green waste reduction and recycling culture to the public. Besides, the EPD launched the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme (GREEN$ ePIS) in 2020. Through providing incentives, it has successfully motivated many members of the public to participate in waste separation and recycling. The EPD has further expanded the electronic redemption options since February 2024, allowing members of the public to convert their GREEN$ points into a more diverse range of electronic rewards, including free MTR tickets, local eco-tours and supermarket items, thereby integrating waste reduction and recycling habits into their daily lives. As of the end of February 2025, the number of user accounts of GREEN$ ePIS has reached over one million.
     
         The total quantity of MSW disposed of at landfills has begun to decline steadily, and the recovery rate has risen. These results demonstrate that the public is actively participating in waste reduction and recycling, and that the community starts to build up a green waste reduction and recycling culture. Taking on the current positive momentum, we will continue to strengthen waste reduction and recycling initiatives, along with publicity and education, so as to encourage more public participation. At the same time, the Government is reviewing the MSW charging scheme. During the process, we will engage with relevant stakeholders, such as representatives from the property management, food and beverage, and cleaning sectors, to continuously and comprehensively evaluate public sentiments and the level of public participation in waste reduction and recycling. The Government will report on the work progress in promoting waste reduction and recycling and present the way forward of MSW charging scheme to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Environmental Affairs in mid-2025 as planned.
     
    (3) As at the end of 2024, the EPD installed around 1 200 food waste smart recycling bins (FWSRBs) in residential buildings across the territory, and will increase the number of FWSRBs or food waste collection facilities in residential premises to around 1 600 in 2025. The EPD will also progressively install additional FWSRBs in public rental housing estates with higher usage rates, with a view to achieving the “one FWSRB per block” target. For premises without sufficient space to install food waste recycling bins (e.g. single-block residential buildings and “three-nil” buildings), the EPD has set up approximately 200 fixed or mobile Public Food Waste Recycling Points, of which 76 are Food Waste Recycling Spots operating as night-time kerbside booths at fixed times and locations for the convenience of small business operators and nearby residents. To expand the service coverage, the EPD is preparing to increase the number of Food Waste Recycling Spots gradually to around 100 in 2025, with priority given to more densely populated districts where fixed food waste collection points have yet to be set up. By taking forward various initiatives, the overall quantity of food waste recovered is expected to increase progressively from an average of about 280 tonnes per day in 2024 to about 350 tonnes per day in 2025, representing an increase of nearly 30 per cent.
     
    (4) The Government plans to introduce an amendment bill to the LegCo in April this year to establish a common legislative framework for the producer responsibility schemes (PRSs) applicable to different products. After the passage of the bill, we will extend PRSs to more products (including plastic beverage containers, beverage cartons, electric vehicle batteries, vehicle tyres and lead-acid batteries) as and when appropriate by means of subsidiary legislation. The Government continues the ongoing discussion with the trades about the implementation details and their readiness. Only if the trades are ready shall we consult the LegCo on various PRSs (including the PRS on Plastic Beverage Containers and Beverage Cartons) and gradually implement them in light of the prevailing circumstances.
     
         We will maintain close communication with the trades and consider their views when fine-tuning the operational details of the schemes as appropriate, with a view to alleviating the compliance costs of the trades, setting appropriate recycling targets, assisting the trades in establishing recycling networks, and considering the provision of exemptions as appropriate, etc. In addition, we will provide sufficient preparatory and adaptation periods as well as strengthen publicity and education for members of the public, so as to ensure the smooth implementation of various PRSs in the future.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TD urges public to plan their cross-boundary trips in advance during long weekend of Ching Ming Festival holiday

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    TD urges public to plan their cross-boundary trips in advance during long weekend of Ching Ming Festival holiday 
    For public transport services, the TD has liaised with local and cross-boundary public transport services operators to strengthen their services during the long weekend. The waiting time for public transport services, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus), may be longer. Passengers are encouraged to make their journeys during non-peak hours, observe order and heed advice from on-site Police and staff of the public transport service operators concerned. Passengers of cross-boundary coaches are also advised to reserve their coach tickets in advance.
     
    Motorists are advised that, subject to actual traffic conditions, special traffic arrangements may be implemented at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point and the Shenzhen Bay Port from April 4 to 6 to allow smooth access of public transport vehicles to the above control points. Cross-boundary private cars may need to queue up for crossing the BCPs. Motorists should pay extra attention to variable message signs and traffic signs along the road. They are also advised to be patient in case of traffic congestion and follow the instructions of on-site Police.

    For the HZMB, in order to plan their journey ahead, the public can make use of the TD’s HKeMobility mobile application to access snapshots of traffic conditions at inbound and outbound vehicle plazas of the Hong Kong Port. They can also check real-time situations of the vehicle clearance plaza of the Zhuhai port through the WeChat official accounts “hzmbzhport” or “zhuhaifabu” (traffic-info.gzazhka.com:5015/#/ 
    The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will continue to operate 24 hours to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of different districts including various BCPs and major stations. The TD will disseminate the latest traffic information through various channels. Members of the public are advised to check the latest traffic news through radio, television broadcasts, and HKeMobility.
    Issued at HKT 12:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic arrangements for race meeting in Happy Valley

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Special traffic arrangements for race meeting in Happy Valley- Traffic along eastbound Queen’s Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
    – Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
    – Traffic along Queen’s Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road, except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel;
    – Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen’s Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen’s Road East; and
    – Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.- Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
    – Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of the HKJC;
    – Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
    – Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen’s Road East.- Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
    – Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
    – Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
    – Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
    – Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.- Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
    – Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
    – Canal Road East; and
    – The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.Issued at HKT 9:41

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Arrests – Aggravated burglary – Palmerston

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested two male youths relation to an aggravated burglary in Palmerston this morning.

    Earlier today, police received intelligence that the alleged offenders were at an address in Moulden.

    Serious Crime, Strike Force Trident and the Fugitive Task Force attended the location and arrested two males aged 13 and 14.

    Both offenders remain in police custody with charges expected to follow.

    The stolen motor vehicle has since been located abandoned in Woodroffe.

    Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Alicia Harvey said, “The actions of these individuals are despicable.

    “I would like to commend the swift actions of all those involved in these arrests.

    “We will continue to ensure those who engage in criminal behaviour are held accountable and are brought before the courts.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Man Group PLC : Form 8.3 – International Distribution Services plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: Man Group PLC
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		  
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 International Distribution Services plc
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:  
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 01/04/2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 YES / NO / N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 1p ordinary
      Interests  
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:        
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives: 10,137,152.00 1.06    
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        

            TOTAL:

    		 10,137,152.00 1.06    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    1p ordinary Equity Swap Increasing a long position 28,815 3.629 GBP
    1p ordinary Equity Swap Increasing a long position 6,946 3.629 GBP

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    None

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

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

    None

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 02/04/2025
    Contact name: Mackenzie Terry
    Telephone number: +442071441555

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Operation Shanela continues to make strides 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Operation Shanela continues to register commendable progress in the fight against crime with 13 633 suspects having been arrested through the multidisciplinary operation.

    “Through high visibility patrols, stop and searches and the tracing of wanted suspects, police are hard at work in stamping the authority of the state,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

    A number of takedowns and major drug busts were recorded which include the confiscation of R50 million worth of crystal meth during an intelligence driven operation in Aliwal North in the Eastern Cape.

    Another major success was the interception of a truck and vehicle car hijacking syndicate in which four suspects were arrested. In this case, numerous truck trailers, vehicle parts, heavy-duty machinery, forklifts, and copper plates all valued at R10 million were discovered at a farm in Ventersdorp in the North West.

    Additionally, 145 stolen sheep were recovered in Qumbu within 24 hours after they were stolen during a farm attack while also 18 000 units of Abalone to the value of R15 million was also seized in the Eastern Cape.

    Other arrests made across the country include the arrest of 2 192 wanted suspects for crimes such as murder and attempted murder. A total 137 suspects were arrested for murder, with a majority of these suspects being arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (32).

    Additionally, 259 suspects were arrested for rape, 95 of the arrests were made in KwaZulu-Natal and  220 drug dealers were arrested in the past week with the majority of these suspects arrested in the Western Cape (57).

    “[A total] 113 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, with the majority of these suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (36),” said the SAPS adding that the 1072 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested.

    The police also recovered 131 firearms and 1510 rounds of ammunition that were confiscated.

    Additionally, a joint operation conducted by Gauteng Counterfeit Unit, Vispol, Commercial Crime unit, Brand Protectors, and border police resulted in the seizure of counterfeit and illicit goods including clothing, consumables, toys and cellphone accessories worth over R35 million.

    “Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country,” said the SAPS. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    • Date：2025-03-30
    • Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    March 30, 2025
    No. 084

    A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, causing significant casualties and vast property damage. In response, Taiwan’s government and nongovernmental organizations quickly mobilized needed resources. Through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Myanmar, the Taiwan government expressed concern to the government of Myanmar and conveyed Taiwan’s readiness to assist in rescue operations.

    While Myanmar was formulating a coordinated response, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung instructed TECO in Myanmar to establish a single contact window (email: mmr@mofa.gov.tw; phone: +95-9-427355550) to ensure that Taiwan’s assistance efforts could proceed smoothly. It would be responsible for coordinating and tallying the forms of assistance that related Taiwan agencies and groups could provide and then contacting the Myanmar government, affected areas, and related institutions, as appropriate.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stresses that the government of Taiwan is both able and willing to provide assistance. It also appreciates that Taiwanese NGOs have shown initiative and are working together to extend care and support to people in affected areas, highlighting Taiwan’s humanitarian concern. MOFA hopes that the concerted efforts by the Taiwan government and civil society can help speed up postdisaster reconstruction in Myanmar so that people there can rebuild their homes and resume a normal life. (E) 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fast times, fast tech: DASA launches new phase of fast paced themed competition

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Fast times, fast tech: DASA launches new phase of fast paced themed competition

    DASA launches Phase Two of Innovation in Support of Operations – a Themed Competition seeking fast paced scalable proposals across five new challenge areas

    • DASA has launched Phase Two of Innovation in Support of Operations
    • Funded by the Ministry of Defence
    • Three competition cycles closing on 20 May 2025 12:00 Midday (BST); 05 August 2025 12:00 Midday (BST); 14 October 2025 12:00 Midday (BST)

    The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch Phase Two of our fast paced Themed Competition Innovation in Support of Operations. Run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, this competition is looking for innovative proposals that are cost competitive, designed for manufacture, and can be scaled in an approximate twelve-month timeframe.

    Competition key information

    Phase Two – expected to consist of three cycles:

      Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6
    Competition Launch 2 April 3 June 19 August
    Open For 7 Weeks 9 Weeks 8 Weeks
    Comp Closes 20 May 12:00 5 August 12:00 14 October 12:00

    All above time BST

    • We expect proposals to cost no more than £350,000
    • A number of proposals may be funded

    Background: Why we need innovation in this area

    The UK Government continuously evaluates insights from global events, to rapidly implement solutions that strengthen military and economic advantage.

    This competition aims to identify and accelerate innovative solutions and techniques, ensuring they can be scaled and deployed faster than our adversaries.

    If you think you have an innovation that could be deployed at pace, please read the full Competition Document and submit a proposal

    Competition challenges

    This competition has five new challenge areas:

    1. UAS Propulsion

    In this challenge area we are looking for:

    • Novel means of propulsion for small to medium UAS.
    • Novel means of manufacture/design of traditional UAS engines for small to medium UAS to increase scale of manufacture at a market leading price.

    2. 155mm Artillery Barrel Repair/Recondition

    We are looking for innovative solutions to repair, recondition and extend barrel life.

    3. Autonomous navigation systems for UAS and USVs

    In this challenge we are seeking autonomous navigation systems for air vehicles and/or maritime surface vessels.

    4. Seekers

    We are looking for novel systems directed against:

    1. RF transmitters at frequencies ranging from 200 MHz to 40 GHz
    2. Class I(d), Class II and Class III UAS
    3. Medium to large maritime surface targets.

    5.UAS defeat

    This challenge relates to the ability to:

    1. Detect UAS. We are seeking solutions to detect (and potentially defeat) UAS, including those that are not reliant on RF links.

    2. Destroy UAS.  We are looking for novel solutions to destroy UAVs around the Class 1(d) size, once detected.

    These challenges are designed to identify innovations that could be deployed, at an appropriate scale, in operational areas within 12 months.

    For full details of the competition Challenge Areas, please read the Competition Document

    Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

    For this competition we are seeking technology output and demonstration to reach  technology readiness level (TRL) 6 by the end of the project.

    If you think your innovation could meet one of the Challenges, why not read the full Competition Document and submit a proposal?

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: STATUS OF THE UMBRELLA SCHEME ON WOMEN’S SAFETY

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:20PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Home Affairs is implementing six projects under Umbrella Scheme for “Safety of Women” in collaboration with States and Union Territories for ensuring timely intervention and investigation in cases of crime against women and enhanced efficiency in investigation and crime prevention in such matters. Details of the project are as under-

      • 112 Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)
      • Upgradation of Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories, including setting up of a National Forensic Data Centre
      • Strengthening of DNA Analysis, Cyber Forensic capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs)
      • Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children
      • Capacity building and training of investigators and prosecutors in handling sexual assault cases against women and children
      • Women Help Desk & Anti-human Trafficking Units

    The Ministry of Home Affairs is funding for the setup of Women Help Desks (WHDs) in police stations, to improve women’s access to police services. So far, 14,658 WHDs are operational across all States and UTs, out of which 13,743 WHDs are led by women officers. Additionally, 827 Anti- Human   Trafficking   Units   (AHTUs)   have   been   established   across   all States/UTs. The Cyber Crime Prevention against Women & Children project is implemented in all States and UTs. So far, Cyber Forensic Training Laboratories have been setup in 33 States/UTs and over 24,624 officials including police officers, judges and prosecutors have been trained. A portal for reporting cyber-crime against women and children is also active. Under the Nirbhaya fund, projects worth ₹245.29 crore have been approved for enhancing DNA and Cyber Forensic capabilities in State Forensic Labs across 30 States/UTs.    DNA   Analysis facility   has   been  established in Chandigarh. Six National Cyber Forensic Labs, along with a National Forensic   Data   Centre   has   been   approved.   34,626   officials   including Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers have been trained on DNA evidence management     and the use of Sexual Assault

    Evidence Collection Kits. Also, 18,020 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits has been distributed to States/UTs.

    The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) is operational across all 36 States/UTs. The upgraded ERSS (2.0) enhances emergency services with improved data centers, wider district coverage, higher call capacity, vehicle tracking, and disaster recovery. Disaster Recovery facilities are functional at C-DAC centers in Noida and Thiruvananthapuram. ERSS is now integrated with other emergency helplines such as Railway Helpline, Women Helpline, Child Helpline, and Disaster Response services.

    This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

    ***

    RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2117800) Visitor Counter : 72

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool and Dublin reignite twin city agreement

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool and Dublin have begun the process of reinvigorating their twinning agreement.

    A sister city arrangement was signed back in 1997 as a mark of the long and shared history between the two.

    Now, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, has visited Liverpool to meet with her counterpart Cllr Richard Kemp, Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.

    They have discussed mutually beneficial ways in which the two cities can work together in areas such as culture, tourism and the wider economy.

    Councillor Robinson said: “Here in Liverpool, 75% of us have some form of Irish heritage, so it was brilliant to welcome the Lord Mayor of Dublin, so we could talk about how we reinvigorate our partnership.

    “We have a great opportunity to work together post-Brexit, and focus on some of the economic links that we share as two cities and how we can strengthen that over the years ahead.”

    Lord Mayor Blain said: “It is my immense pride and pleasure to visit the city of Liverpool to reactivate the twinning agreement between Dublin and Liverpool.

    “Our two cities have long shared a much cherished connection and I hope that this visit will help strengthen those bonds.

    “Dublin and Liverpool have strong historic cultural, social and economic connections which extend across all aspects of Liverpool’s renowned reputation for music and arts, commerce and industry, sport and education.

    “I am looking forward to visiting the University of Liverpool Materials Innovation Factory and Institute of Irish Studies as part of my visit, and wish to thank them for hosting us.

    “Like many Dubliners, I have a family connection to the City of Liverpool, it is a place I have visited many times and am always struck by the warmth and welcoming of the people. I hope that my visit will be seen as a reciprocation of this warmth and welcoming from the people of Dublin.

    “My sincere thanks to The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Richard Kemp CBE, and to the Leader of Liverpool City Council, Liam Robinson, for their gracious invitation and their eagerness to develop this connection even further.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Plantro Ltd. Announces Premium All-Cash Tender Offer to Acquire up to 15% of Class A Limited Voting Shares of Information Services Corporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Premium tender offer of $27.25 per Class A Share in cash for up to 2,777,342 Class A Shares, representing an attractive premium of approximately 9% to the trailing 10-day VWAP, for a total value of approximately $75.7 million.
    • Plantro’s Tender Offer provides shareholders with an opportunity to receive cash consideration in a stock that has been highly illiquid for many years.
    • Plantro is optimistic that the Board will recommend in favour of this opportunity for shareholders to receive liquidity for their stock at a premium to the market price and avoid entrenching behaviours that deprive shareholders of value.

    ST. MICHAEL, Barbados, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”), today announced an offer to acquire up to 2,777,342 Class A Limited Voting Shares (the “Class A Shares”) in the capital of Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the “Company”), (the “Tender Offer”) at a price of $27.25 per Class A Share, payable in cash (the “Tender Price”). The Tender Price represents an attractive premium of approximately 10% to the closing price of the Class A Shares on March 31, 2025, and an approximately 9% premium to the volume-weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Class A Shares for the ten trading days preceding the announcement of the Tender Offer. The total value of the Tender Offer, if fully taken up, is approximately $75.7 million. The Tender Offer is not a “take-over bid” under Canadian securities laws.

    Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer should contact Carson Proxy, information agent for the Tender Offer, at 1-800-530-5189 (North America Toll Free), 416-751-2066 (Local and Text), or by email at info@carsonproxy.com. Tender Offer materials will be available on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    The Plantro Tender Offer

    The Tender Offer is open for acceptance by shareholders of the Company until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on April 11, 2025 (the “Expiry Time”), unless the Tender Offer is extended, varied or withdrawn. Plantro is making the Tender Offer to all shareholders of the Company (other than Class A Shares held by the Crown Investment Corporation of Saskatchewan or any other entity wholly-owned by the Province of Saskatchewan). If the Tender Offer is withdrawn, Plantro shall cause all Class A Shares delivered pursuant to the Tender Offer to be returned to shareholders. The Tender Offer is not subject to any financing condition and Plantro confirms that it has sufficient cash resources to pay for all Class A Shares subject to the Tender Offer.

    If more than the maximum number of Class A Shares for which the Tender Offer is made are delivered in accordance with the Tender Offer and not withdrawn at the time of take up of the Class A Shares, the Class A Shares to be purchased from each depositing shareholder will be determined on a pro rata basis according to the number of Class A Shares delivered by each shareholder, disregarding fractions, by rounding down to the nearest whole number of Class A Shares.

    The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer will be set out in an offer letter to shareholders, which will be publicly disclosed by way of a separate press release, as well as a form of letter of transmittal (the “Letter of Transmittal” and together with the offer letter to shareholders, the “Offer Documents”) to be used to accept the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer is subject to certain conditions as set out in the Offer Documents which, unless waived, must be satisfied. In particular, the Offer Documents provide that each depositing shareholder whose Class A Shares are taken up and paid for will appoint representatives of Plantro as its nominees and proxy for the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 13, 2025.

    Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to the circular requirements of applicable Canadian proxy solicitation laws. For further details, please see below under the heading “Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law”. The Tender Offer is not a formal or exempt take-over bid under Canadian securities laws and regulations. In no event will Plantro (or its affiliates or associates) make any such purchases of Class A Shares that would result in Plantro, together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owning or exercising control or direction over more than 15% of the outstanding Class A Shares upon completion of the Tender Offer.

    Full details of the Tender Offer are included in the Offer Documents and will be available online on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Reasons to Accept Plantro’s Tender Offer:

    (a)   All-Cash Premium. Shareholders will receive liquidity at an attractive premium to the current trading price of the Class A Shares (a premium of approximately 10% to the closing price of the Class A Shares on March 31, 2025, and approximately a 9% premium to the VWAP of the Class A Shares on the TSX for the ten (10) trading days preceding the announcement of the Tender Offer).
         
    (b)   Limited Liquidity. Plantro believes that another liquidity event for shareholders is unlikely. There is persistent and extreme lack of trading volume and liquidity in the Class A Shares and the Tender Offer represents a unique opportunity for shareholders to receive liquidity at an attractive premium to the current trading price of the Class A Shares, in cash.


    Background to the Tender Offer:

    Plantro is making the Tender Offer to all shareholders of the Company (other than Class A Shares held by the Crown Investment Corporation of Saskatchewan or any other entity wholly-owned by the Province of Saskatchewan) following a recent unsuccessful attempt to open discussions with the board of directors (the “Board”) and management of the Company, on issues that included Board refreshment and a potential strategic investment.

    Plantro also considered acquiring Class A Shares in the market, but the extreme and persistent lack of liquidity in the stock, made this impossible. For example, on Friday, March 28, 2025, only 251 Class A shares traded on the TSX. This represents a meager $6,144 of value traded versus a market capitalization of almost $0.5 billion.

    Plantro is drawn to ISC because it believes that ISC enjoys a durable competitive moat around its core offerings, which drive healthy cash flow and a strong balance sheet. Plantro remains hopeful that the Board will engage constructively with Plantro, and recommend in favour of the Tender Offer.

    Plantro’s Advisors

    Plantro has engaged Goodmans LLP as its legal advisor, Carson Proxy as its information agent, Odyssey Trust Company as depositary, and Gagnier Communications as its strategic communications advisor.

    About Plantro

    Plantro is a privately-held company, with an established track record of making successful investments in undervalued and high quality legal, financial, and information services businesses.

    Shareholder Questions

    Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer, or who need assistance in depositing their Class A Shares, please contact the depositary and information agent for the Tender Offer:

    Depositary: Odyssey Trust Company

    Toll Free (US & Canada): 1-888-290-1175
    Calls (All Regions): 587-885-0960
    Email: corp.actions@odysseytrust.com

    Information Agent: Carson Proxy

    North America Toll Free: 1-800-530-5189
    Local and Text: 416-751-2066
    Email: info@carsonproxy.com

    Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law

    Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to make this public broadcast solicitation. The following information is provided in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations.

    This solicitation is being made by Plantro, and not by or on behalf of management of ISC. The information agent will receive a fee of up to $250,000 for its services as information agent under the Tender Offer, plus ancillary payments and disbursements. Based upon publicly available information, ISC’s registered and head office is located at 300 – 10 Research Drive, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 7J7, Canada. Plantro is soliciting proxies in reliance upon the public broadcast exemption to the solicitation requirements under applicable Canadian corporate and securities laws, conveyed by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication, and by any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian securities laws. In addition, this solicitation may be made by mail, telephone, facsimile, email or other electronic means as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by representatives of Plantro. All costs incurred for such solicitation will be borne by Plantro.

    A registered shareholder who has given a proxy under the terms of the Letter of Transmittal may, prior to its Class A Shares being taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer, revoke the proxy by instrument in writing, including a proxy bearing a later date. The instrument revoking the proxy must be deposited at the registered office of ISC at least 48 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, preceding the date of the meeting or an adjournment or postponement thereof, or with the Chair of the meeting on the day of the meeting, or in any other manner permitted by law, provided that, in each circumstance, a copy of such revocation has been delivered to the depositary, at its principal office in Toronto, Ontario, Canada prior to the Class A Shares relating to such proxy having been taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer.

    A non-registered shareholder may revoke a form of proxy or voting instruction form given to an intermediary at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered shareholder by its intermediary. Non-registered shareholders should contact their broker for assistance in ensuring that forms of proxies or voting instructions previously given to an intermediary are properly revoked.

    None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of ISC’s most recently completed financial year, or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or will materially affect ISC or any of its subsidiaries. None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at any upcoming shareholders’ meeting, other than as set out herein.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This press release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Specifically, certain statements contained in this press release, including without limitation statements regarding the Tender Offer, taking up and paying for Class A Shares deposited under the Tender Offer, Plantro’s assessment of the consequences of what it believes to be governance failings at ISC, as well as Plantro’s assessment of ISC’s future prospects, contain “forward-looking information” and are prospective in nature. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements.

    Statements containing forward-looking information are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future outcomes expressed or implied by the statements containing forward-looking information.

    Although Plantro believes that the expectations reflected in statements containing forward-looking information herein made by it (and not, for greater certainty, any forward-looking statements attributable to the Company) are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting the Company’s operations will continue substantially in the current state, including, without limitation, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, continuity and availability of personnel, local and international laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, that there will be no unplanned material changes to the Company’s operations, and that the Company’s public disclosure record is accurate in all material respects and is not misleading (including by omission).

    Plantro cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. While these factors and assumptions are considered by Plantro to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances as of the date of this press release, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Plantro and there is no assurance that they will prove correct.

    Important facts that could cause outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information include, among other things, actions taken by the Company in respect of the Tender Offer, the content of subsequent public disclosures by the Company, the failure to satisfy the conditions to the Tender Offer, general economic conditions, legislative or regulatory changes and changes in capital or securities markets. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the opinions, estimates or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results or future events might vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Although Plantro has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to Plantro or that Plantro presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information.

    Statements containing forward-looking information in this press release are based on Plantro’s beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and there should be no expectation that such forward-looking information will be updated or supplemented as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, and Plantro disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements.

    1380-9916-3157

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    Date：2025-03-30
    Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    March 30, 2025No. 084A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, causing significant casualties and vast property damage. In response, Taiwan’s government and nongovernmental organizations quickly mobilized needed resources. Through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Myanmar, the Taiwan government expressed concern to the government of Myanmar and conveyed Taiwan’s readiness to assist in rescue operations.While Myanmar was formulating a coordinated response, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung instructed TECO in Myanmar to establish a single contact window (email: mmr@mofa.gov.tw; phone: +95-9-427355550) to ensure that Taiwan’s assistance efforts could proceed smoothly. It would be responsible for coordinating and tallying the forms of assistance that related Taiwan agencies and groups could provide and then contacting the Myanmar government, affected areas, and related institutions, as appropriate.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stresses that the government of Taiwan is both able and willing to provide assistance. It also appreciates that Taiwanese NGOs have shown initiative and are working together to extend care and support to people in affected areas, highlighting Taiwan’s humanitarian concern. MOFA hopes that the concerted efforts by the Taiwan government and civil society can help speed up postdisaster reconstruction in Myanmar so that people there can rebuild their homes and resume a normal life. (E) 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark Taiwan offshore wind deal receives UK backing, unlocking £55 million in contracts for British exporters

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 4

    Press release

    Landmark Taiwan offshore wind deal receives UK backing, unlocking £55 million in contracts for British exporters

    UK Export Finance has guaranteed £184 million in financing for one of Taiwan’s largest offshore wind projects.

    Credit: Copenhagen Offshore Partners

    • The deal secures £55 million in manufacturing and service contracts for British suppliers, supporting local jobs and economic growth.

    • Export breakthrough enabled by collaboration with other export credit agencies and with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners – one of the world’s largest fund managers for renewable energy investments.

    UK Export Finance (UKEF) is providing a £184 million credit guarantee to support the construction of the 495 MW Fengmiao 1 offshore windfarm in Taiwan, securing £55 million in manufacturing and service export contracts for British suppliers.

    UKEF is the government’s export credit agency, providing support to help exporters win and deliver new overseas contracts.

    Cadeler – a company with operations based in East Anglia – will be contracted to supply an installation vessel together with crew, sea-fastening services and crane operators.

    This latest Buyer Credit Guarantee from UKEF forms part of a wider $3.7 billion financing package by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). This involves export credit agencies from Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, and Taiwan.

    Located off the west-coast of Taichung City, the offshore wind site is due to be completed in 2027.

    The Fengmiao 1 project will result in estimated annual greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to emissions from a quarter of a million cars.

    Promoting investment into British businesses and employers, UKEF’s decision to back the project supports this government’s Plan for Change to boost economic growth across all regions and promote the UK’s clean-growth expertise.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    Being absolutely committed to delivering economic growth under the Plan for Change means we are using every tool at our disposal to enable British businesses to succeed.

    This deal harnesses the power of commerce to drive the energy transition whilst securing lucrative new opportunities for UK businesses and supporting job creation in local communities.

    Mikkel Gleerup, Chief Executive Officer at Cadeler added:

    We are grateful to UKEF for the support they are providing to the Fengmiao 1 Project—an important milestone in Cadeler’s continued expansion into Taiwan’s offshore wind market.

    UKEF’s backing highlights the importance to Cadeler and its clients of our operations in the United Kingdom, with our UK-owned installation vessels and East Anglia-based team supporting offshore wind development both at home and abroad. Cadeler remains committed to advancing offshore wind in the APAC region and beyond.

    Thomas Wibe Poulsen, Partner and Head of Asia-Pacific at CIP, said:

    Financial close on Fengmiao I is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the project team, suppliers, contractors, banks, ECAs and offtakers. It is the first offshore wind project in Taiwan to be supported by a portfolio of corporate offtakers in Taiwan and Fengmiao I sets a new benchmark for the country’s rapidly maturing offshore wind market.

    Contact 

    Media enquiries:

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Director: ‘Sandstorm’ blends mystery with social commentary

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Director Tan Jiayan described his new series, “Sandstorm,” as both a gripping suspense drama and a social cautionary tale, exploring how choices made in times of hardship ultimately shape people’s destinies.

    A poster for “Sandstorm.” [Image courtesy of Youku]

    “After reading the script, I found it brilliant and deeply literary, exploring the relationships between people and their environment, and between individuals and fate,” Tan said. “This is truly a great story.”

    “Sandstorm,” directed by Tan and written by Zhao Dongling, stars Duan Yihong, Wang Qiang, Zhang Jianing and Zhang Yao. The online series, which premiered on Youku on March 28, follows two detectives – one a seasoned veteran, the other a young newcomer – as they reopen an 8-year-old murder case, risking everything to expose the truth.

    At a March 24 preview, screenwriter Zhao revealed the show was inspired by a prosecutor’s account of a disturbing case. The image of a charred body retrieved from an industrial boiler became the foundation for the story that examines the human condition under extreme circumstances.

    Tan highlighted Zhao’s admiration for the American series “Fargo,” which influenced her storytelling style. He also reflected on the symbolic significance of the series’ title: “It suggests how a sandstorm engulfs everything, including the complexities of human nature, leaving it all trapped in the tempest.”

    Set in a small town, “Sandstorm” delves into universal tensions that echo through communities across China. Praised for its suspense and intensity, the series reveals how a close-knit frontier community hides connections that link seemingly unrelated lives with dramatic consequences.

    “We repeatedly discussed the series’ core theme, which is how the environment shapes people’s lives,” Tan said. “Here, we see some striving to leave this town, while others are forced to stay. Once this theme crystallized, we realized that a desert town would be the ideal setting.”

    The cast and crew of “Sandstorm” ventured deep into the deserts, working in harsh conditions and using a documentary-style approach to capture the region’s essence. The landscape also sharpens the series’ core tensions: light and darkness, secrets and truth, sin and redemption. The rugged landscape is a character in its own right, grounding the story and heightening its emotional depth.

    The script went through multiple revisions as the team worked to develop each character’s arc, including creating a character who writes a book titled “Sandstorm” in the series. “In this small town, some yearn to leave, others choose to stay, and some are forced to remain. These are all ordinary people living on society’s margins. Once we understood each character’s psychological motivations, their choices and destinies naturally fell into place,” Tan explained.

    Tan was particularly struck by the lead role of a veteran policeman, played by Duan Yihong. The character originally planned to leave the town but is forced to stay due to unforeseen circumstances. Burdened by guilt and self-reproach over his mentor’s fate, he opts for self-exile, working at a prairie police station. Years later, when the murder case is reopened, he returns to confront his past and uncover new truths.

    “What’s remarkable about Duan Yihong is that, despite playing many iconic police roles throughout his career, his character in ‘Sandstorm’ is entirely unique – a new archetype unlike anything he’s done before. For an actor to consistently reinvent the same profession with such breakthroughs isn’t just surprising; it’s extraordinary,” Tan said.

    The cast and crew of “Sandstorm” pose for a photo with the audience at a preview event in Beijing, March 24, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Youku]

    In just 12 episodes, “Sandstorm” weaves together two cases spanning eight years while delving into multiple character arcs, each with fully developed stories.

    Tan stressed the importance of realist storytelling throughout the creative process. “At its core, realism explores human nature and interpersonal dynamics,” Tan said. “Works grounded in realism share a universal truth: They depict a world where characters act according to their own logic and perspectives.”

    Screenwriter Zhao revealed that the story took three years to perfect, from concept to final script. She credited Tan’s analytical rigor for strengthening the narrative’s logic and the cast for bringing emotional depth to their roles.

    “Ultimately, tragedy should be more than a puzzle to solve – it ought to function as a mirror that reflects both our era and human nature,” Zhao said. “I hope ‘Sandstorm’ can serve as that mirror, allowing viewers to see, even after the dust settles, the people caught in the currents of time still struggling to find their way.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fantastic early results from food waste campaign

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Fantastic early results from food waste campaign

    Over the last few weeks, you may have noticed we have been out and about putting stickers on black household bins, encouraging residents not to put their food waste in them but instead to recycle it using a food bin/caddy.

    And to help with this, we have been offering discounted outdoor food caddies, reduced to £10 for a limited period.

    There has been a great response to the campaign so far, with lots of people ordering caddies and starting to recycle their leftover food, and we would like to thank everyone for their support.

    Early results have shown an overall 11 per cent increase in food waste tonnages collected since we launched this campaign seven weeks ago, with a bigger increase of 16.7 per cent across weeks four to six.

    And last week, week seven, as the deliveries of the food bins that were ordered really gathered pace, the increase was 22 per cent, which is a fantastic result.

    The extra bit of good news is that, although the sticker roll out is now complete, we still have a few outdoor food caddies left at the discounted price of £10.

    But you need to be quick and get your order in by the end of this Thursday (3 April) – just go to our website:

    Food caddies are emptied weekly using a separate vehicle and are easy to rinse out and keep clean.

    Residents can place any raw or cooked food in their caddy to be recycled, but not anything that is not solid food, such as oils, liquids or packaging of any sort.

    This project has been jointly organised and paid for by us and Kent County Council, and because recycling food uses less energy and is less costly than burning food waste mixed with general rubbish, the money spent on it should be recovered by lower disposal costs in the future.

    When food waste is recycled, it creates gas to power homes and a fertiliser for farms, so it’s a win all round.

    Once again, your support for what we have been seeking to achieve with this campaign has been really appreciated and we look forward to emptying those new food caddies for many years to come.

    Published: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Val Kilmer’s macho action figures held a melancholy just below the surface

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Aaron Humphrey, Lecturer, Media and Digital Humanities, University of Adelaide

    Leading man of 1990s Hollywood, Val Kilmer, has died at 65 from pneumonia. Battling cancer since 2014, he has not been a frequent presence on our film screens for most of this century. While he has recently done some interesting projects, he never recaptured his fame and box-office draw of the 1980s and ‘90s, when he appeared in iconic films such as Top Gun (1986) and Batman Forever (1995).

    His standout performance as Tom Cruise’s swaggering, self-assured rival Iceman in Top Gun made him a star. But the film that really cemented his reputation as a leading man was Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), in which he played Jim Morrison to astonishing effect. He is the best thing about that film.

    Kilmer starred as Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone – a kind of cross between a superhero film and a western.
    IMDB

    In 1993, he starred as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, a stylish modern western, which he co-headlined with Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp. It was perhaps the most ’90s of the ’90s westerns. Kilmer’s performance was crowd-pleasing and critically acclaimed. His 2020 memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, took its name from a line Kilmer spoke in the film.

    In some ways, it is a superhero film with cowboys – as you can see so clearly in the poster. It was this performance that put Kilmer on the radar of Warner Bros when they were looking to cast a new Batman after Michael Keaton abandoned the suit.

    Batman Forever

    We’ve got used to superhero films having cinematic universes and narrative continuity between films, but in the 1990s that had not quite been established.

    Warner Bros had struck cinematic gold with the first modern superhero blockbuster, Superman (1978) starring Christopher Reeve, but faced diminishing critical and financial returns with each subsequent film in the series. After Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) failed to connect with audiences, the studio turned to Batman to be its cinematic icon. In those days, one superhero film every couple of years was seen as sufficient. Fortunately, Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), two dark takes on the Batman story both starring Michael Keaton, were hits.

    However, Batman Returns was regarded by audiences and critics as too “dark”, and too Burton. Both Burton and the studio felt a change of pace was needed for a third film. Joel Schumacher was brought on as director and, perhaps due to the departure of Burton, Keaton also chose to leave the series.

    Fresh off Tombstone, Kilmer was cast as the superhero.

    Batman Forever took a goofier tone, inspired just as much by the campy 1960s TV series as the dark gothic noir style of Burton. It is still brooding, but the film is more bombastic, more colourful. Noted for performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey as the villains – and the costumes that famously featured nipples and codpieces – Kilmer’s performance got lost.

    Val Kilmer and Chris O’Donnell in Batman Forever (1995).
    IMDB

    Worse for Kilmer, rumours of being difficult to work with on the set of Batman may have set his career back in subsequent years. But, despite these difficulties, Kilmer makes a good Batman.

    He performed the role with a brooding physicality, as well as playfulness. He was underrated, and certainly better than George Clooney, who took over in Batman and Robin (1997) after Kilmer declined to return.

    The non-Keaton Batman films are sometimes overlooked by fans, or not seen as living up to the heights of the Burton movies. In recent years, Burton’s movies have become more or less canonised as the “real” Batman of the era. A series of comic books, Batman ’89, has been published since 2021 that continues the story from Batman Returns, bypassing the developments of Kilmer’s Batman Forever and Clooney’s Batman and Robin.

    Keaton has since reprised his role as the caped crusader on the silver screen as a major supporting character in The Flash (2023), which also featured cameos from Batman alumni Clooney and Ben Affleck as alternate universe versions of the Dark Knight. Kilmer and Christian Bale were the only retired big-screen Batmans not to appear in the film.

    But Batman Forever stands the test of time. It is an entertaining film that walks the line between the dark and brooding Batman from Burton, and the parody of the 1960s television series starring Adam West.

    Soulful melancholy

    Batman Forever was the pinnacle for Kilmer in terms of critical and commercial success. He followed it with great performances in films such as The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), but he was often the supporting character rather than the lead. These films, too, weren’t box-office smashes like his films up to and including Batman had been.

    One of his best performances of the 2000s was in the David Mamet film Spartan (2004). Kilmer plays a retired marine corps sergeant in a good leading turn. He gave a muscular performance that still had a soulful melancholy at its heart, which can be seen in a lot of his roles. He plays action figures who are tough and macho on the outside, but have a melancholy just below the surface.

    Although he never reprised his role as Bruce Wayne, a fitting coda for Kilmer’s career was the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022), in which he gives a cameo as an ailing version of Iceman.

    Kilmer will be missed for his iconic roles as the quintessential performer of the late 1980s and ’90s. In 2021, a documentary about Kilmer, Val, was released, based on decades of archive footage. I would recommend it to audiences who want to know more about the man, his life, his career and his health battles over the past decades.

    Aaron Humphrey 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. Val Kilmer’s macho action figures held a melancholy just below the surface – https://theconversation.com/val-kilmers-macho-action-figures-held-a-melancholy-just-below-the-surface-253631

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Val Kilmer’s macho action figures held a melancholy just below the surface

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Humphrey, Lecturer, Media and Digital Humanities, University of Adelaide

    Leading man of 1990s Hollywood, Val Kilmer, has died at 65 from pneumonia. Battling cancer since 2014, he has not been a frequent presence on our film screens for most of this century. While he has recently done some interesting projects, he never recaptured his fame and box-office draw of the 1980s and ‘90s, when he appeared in iconic films such as Top Gun (1986) and Batman Forever (1995).

    His standout performance as Tom Cruise’s swaggering, self-assured rival Iceman in Top Gun made him a star. But the film that really cemented his reputation as a leading man was Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), in which he played Jim Morrison to astonishing effect. He is the best thing about that film.

    Kilmer starred as Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone – a kind of cross between a superhero film and a western.
    IMDB

    In 1993, he starred as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, a stylish modern western, which he co-headlined with Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp. It was perhaps the most ’90s of the ’90s westerns. Kilmer’s performance was crowd-pleasing and critically acclaimed. His 2020 memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, took its name from a line Kilmer spoke in the film.

    In some ways, it is a superhero film with cowboys – as you can see so clearly in the poster. It was this performance that put Kilmer on the radar of Warner Bros when they were looking to cast a new Batman after Michael Keaton abandoned the suit.

    Batman Forever

    We’ve got used to superhero films having cinematic universes and narrative continuity between films, but in the 1990s that had not quite been established.

    Warner Bros had struck cinematic gold with the first modern superhero blockbuster, Superman (1978) starring Christopher Reeve, but faced diminishing critical and financial returns with each subsequent film in the series. After Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) failed to connect with audiences, the studio turned to Batman to be its cinematic icon. In those days, one superhero film every couple of years was seen as sufficient. Fortunately, Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), two dark takes on the Batman story both starring Michael Keaton, were hits.

    However, Batman Returns was regarded by audiences and critics as too “dark”, and too Burton. Both Burton and the studio felt a change of pace was needed for a third film. Joel Schumacher was brought on as director and, perhaps due to the departure of Burton, Keaton also chose to leave the series.

    Fresh off Tombstone, Kilmer was cast as the superhero.

    Batman Forever took a goofier tone, inspired just as much by the campy 1960s TV series as the dark gothic noir style of Burton. It is still brooding, but the film is more bombastic, more colourful. Noted for performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey as the villains – and the costumes that famously featured nipples and codpieces – Kilmer’s performance got lost.

    Val Kilmer and Chris O’Donnell in Batman Forever (1995).
    IMDB

    Worse for Kilmer, rumours of being difficult to work with on the set of Batman may have set his career back in subsequent years. But, despite these difficulties, Kilmer makes a good Batman.

    He performed the role with a brooding physicality, as well as playfulness. He was underrated, and certainly better than George Clooney, who took over in Batman and Robin (1997) after Kilmer declined to return.

    The non-Keaton Batman films are sometimes overlooked by fans, or not seen as living up to the heights of the Burton movies. In recent years, Burton’s movies have become more or less canonised as the “real” Batman of the era. A series of comic books, Batman ’89, has been published since 2021 that continues the story from Batman Returns, bypassing the developments of Kilmer’s Batman Forever and Clooney’s Batman and Robin.

    Keaton has since reprised his role as the caped crusader on the silver screen as a major supporting character in The Flash (2023), which also featured cameos from Batman alumni Clooney and Ben Affleck as alternate universe versions of the Dark Knight. Kilmer and Christian Bale were the only retired big-screen Batmans not to appear in the film.

    But Batman Forever stands the test of time. It is an entertaining film that walks the line between the dark and brooding Batman from Burton, and the parody of the 1960s television series starring Adam West.

    Soulful melancholy

    Batman Forever was the pinnacle for Kilmer in terms of critical and commercial success. He followed it with great performances in films such as The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), but he was often the supporting character rather than the lead. These films, too, weren’t box-office smashes like his films up to and including Batman had been.

    One of his best performances of the 2000s was in the David Mamet film Spartan (2004). Kilmer plays a retired marine corps sergeant in a good leading turn. He gave a muscular performance that still had a soulful melancholy at its heart, which can be seen in a lot of his roles. He plays action figures who are tough and macho on the outside, but have a melancholy just below the surface.

    Although he never reprised his role as Bruce Wayne, a fitting coda for Kilmer’s career was the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022), in which he gives a cameo as an ailing version of Iceman.

    Kilmer will be missed for his iconic roles as the quintessential performer of the late 1980s and ’90s. In 2021, a documentary about Kilmer, Val, was released, based on decades of archive footage. I would recommend it to audiences who want to know more about the man, his life, his career and his health battles over the past decades.

    Aaron Humphrey 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. Val Kilmer’s macho action figures held a melancholy just below the surface – https://theconversation.com/val-kilmers-macho-action-figures-held-a-melancholy-just-below-the-surface-253631

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Critical medicines running out in Gaza after one month of Israeli blockade

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Jerusalem – A month-long siege imposed by Israeli authorities in Gaza, Palestine, means some critical medications are now short in supply and are running out, leaving Palestinians at risk of losing vital healthcare, warns Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). As Israeli forces continue to bomb the Gaza Strip, depriving people of basic needs, including food, water, and medicines may lead to a high number of health complications and deaths. MSF calls on Israeli authorities to immediately cease the collective punishment of Palestinians, end their inhumane siege of Gaza, and to uphold their responsibilities as an occupying power to facilitate humanitarian aid at scale.

    For over a month, no aid or commercial trucks have entered Gaza, marking the longest period since the start of the war without any trucks entering the Strip and on 2 March, Israeli authorities imposed a complete siege of Gaza. On 9 March they cut the electricity, needed to power water desalination plants. This total blockade of aid and electricity has deprived people of most basic services, amounting to collective punishment.

    “The Israeli authorities have condemned the people of Gaza to unbearable suffering with their deadly siege,” says Myriam Laaroussi, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza. “This deliberate infliction of harm on people is like a slow death; it must end immediately.”

    The siege has forced MSF teams to start rationing medications such as pain killers, providing less effective treatment or turning patients away. Teams are also running out of surgical supplies such as anaesthetics, paediatric antibiotics and medicines for chronic conditions like epilepsy, hypertension and diabetes. As a result of rationing, our teams in some clinics conduct wound dressings for injured people without providing them with any pain relief.

    In addition, MSF teams are no longer able to donate blood bags to Nasser hospital due to a lack of stock, while the influxes of patients war-wounded by relentless Israeli forces attacks continue.

    The lack of soap and clean water for people means in clinics across the Strip, our teams are seeing an increase of people with skin conditions. In February, MSF teams treated 565 cases of skin conditions at the Al-Hekker clinic in Deir Al-Balah and 1,198 cases at the Al-Attar clinic in Khan Younis. Just in two weeks in March, the number of cases at Al-Hekker had already reached 437—nearly 80 per cent of February’s total—while at Al-Attar, 711 cases had been treated, almost 60 per cent of the number seen in February.

    A Palestinian child with scabies is receiving medical treatment at MSF Mawasi Rafah clinic, south of Gaza Strip, Palestine, March 2025.
    Nour Alsaqqa/MSF

    The blockade has left MSF teams unable to provide medication to treat skin conditions, just small amounts of lotion to alleviate the pain. Skin conditions like scabies require treatment for the entire family to prevent spread and reinfection, but without medications and clean water this is impossible.

    For people with non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, the consequences of the lack of treatment may lead to severe complications, such as permanent disabilities and in some cases even death. Since the blockade, we have only been able to give patients medication to cover their needs for seven to 10 days.

    “I don’t have any blood pressure medication left. My son searched for two days and couldn’t find any,” explains Sobheya Al-Beshiti, a patient of the MSF clinic in Al-Attar, Khan Younis. “What can I do? Stay without treatment? If I don’t take my blood thinner, my nose starts bleeding, and I start coughing blood.”

    During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid, patients in MSF clinics are reporting weight loss and lack of access to proper food.

    “Right now, my blood levels are low, and my weight is also low. There aren’t enough food supplies to help me gain weight or increase my blood levels,” explains a pregnant mother in an MSF clinic in Mawasi, Khan Younis. “The rising prices are a huge problem in the city: people simply cannot afford to buy necessities because of how expensive everything is.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Speeding backwards: Greenpeace slams Coalition commitment to neuter vehicle efficiency standards

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MELBOURNE, 2 APRIL 2025–Greenpeace Australia Pacific has slammed the Coalition’s promise to neuter the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) by removing fines from the scheme as policy that bends the knee to the petrol car lobby while costing Australians and increasing carbon pollution

    “The NVES finally brought Australia onto the same playing field as other major countries, which have strong standards for the efficiency of cars. Sabotaging this policy by removing penalties shunts us to the back of the pack once again,” said Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace Australia Pacific. 

    “Removing the thing that makes the NVES an effective policy—penalties for car importers insistent on dumping their most polluting cars in Australia—is a capitulation to the petrol car lobby and overseas companies like Mitsubishi Motors, at the expense of Australian drivers and businesses. 

    “The NVES will prevent 80 million tonnes of car-related carbon pollution from entering our atmosphere by 2035—as much as the entire state of Victoria emits in a year.

    “Emissions from petrol and diesel cars constitute a third of all greenhouse gases in Australia, and the sector is on track to be the top polluter in our economy. There are already low-emissions vehicles for sale around the world that address this challenge. 

    “Giving foreign car companies a free pass to continue selling polluting cars in Australia, which they cannot sell anywhere else, pushes the burden of reducing emissions onto other Australian industries and businesses. 

    “This ill-considered policy U-turn, which flies in the face of a mountain of evidence from around the world on the benefits of strong efficiency standards, will also make it harder for Australians to access more affordable, cheaper-to-run electric cars. 

    “It will keep more polluting cars on our roads for longer, prolonging Australians’ exposure to toxic tailpipe emissions while other countries move quickly towards cleaner, safer cars on their streets. 

    “Removing fines from the NVES and making it essentially unenforceable is like selling a car without brakes, and simply hoping it will stop when needed. Instead of removing this important enforcement mechanism, it is important to ensure that Australia’s car industry stays the course towards lower emissions, and cleaner, more affordable cars.

    “Greenpeace Australia Pacific fought hard to secure this essential legislation, which brought Australia in line with other major economies. We will resist the Coalition’s plans to neuter this legislation every step of the way.” 

    —ENDS—
    For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 / [email protected].

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: IceMOS Technology Closes $22 Million Series E Investment to Fund Launch of New Power Semiconductor Device Technology mSJMOS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Semiconductor manufacturer, IceMOS Technology Corporation today announced it has completed Series E funding from a London-based investor, 57 Stars LLC , and earlier stage USA investors.

    The company headquartered in Paradise Valley, Arizona, has a manufacturing center of excellence located in Northern Ireland, an advanced research innovation center in Arizona, and a design center in Tokyo, Japan. IceMOS Technology is an industry-leading developer of next generation silicon power devices. These products, called mSJMOSTM, are developed using a novel semiconductor technology based on IceMOS Intellectual Property of which the company holds over 70 patents. The silicon-based mSJMOSTM, exhibits a new phenomenon resulting from the integration of Silicon MEMS manufacturing techniques with mature node CMOS Super-junction Power MOSFET structures resulting in power MOSFETs that deliver dramatic semiconductor energy efficiency.

    The investment, which values IceMOS at a market capitalization of $110 million USD (£85million) post money, will enable IceMOS to increase strategic manufacturing in Northern Ireland, device design capability, applications engineering, marketing and sales worldwide as it starts preparation to launch mSJMOSTM platforms.

    “Our sensing and power technologies are paving the way for more energy-efficient and CO2-saving solutions that support decarbonization,” said Dr. Samuel J. Anderson, MBE, IceMOS Technology Founder and Chairman. “Products based on this advanced technology represents a new class of semiconductors, essential to serve the efficiency demands of the massively complex market segments like artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), big data, renewables wind and solar, electric vehicles and aerospace applications. The merging of mSJMOSTM structures and MEMS manufacturing techniques presents a revolutionary silicon-based technology that can compete with wideband gap devices at 650 Volts, 750Volts, 900Volts, and 1200Volts.”

    IceMOS will be expanding its global workforce to more than 100 employees on post funding. IceMOS is pleased to announce that Niall Lyne has accepted the position of IceMOS Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Global Sales. Niall an Industry veteran held numerous positions with Analog Device, Inc., Intersil and more recently Renesas Electronics. In this position, he will be responsible for optimizing company objectives, operations, and revenue growth.

    The new Investors in the IceMOS Series E attended the Northern Ireland Investment Summit in September 2023 which was a collaboration by the Department for Business and Trade, the Northern Ireland Office, and Invest Northern Ireland, which hosted around 200 investors from across the world to visit Belfast with the aim of turbocharging inward investment into all corners of Northern Ireland.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “Northern Ireland’s track record of delivering innovation, its supportive business environment, competitive operating costs and the creative ingenuity of its people make it an attractive destination for businesses of all sizes to start up and scale up. Northern Ireland has huge potential for significant economic growth, so it’s great to see IceMOS secure this funding as a result of the Northern Ireland Investment Summit, leading to investment and job creation.”

    Dr. Caoimhe Archibald, Minister for the Economy, added: “IceMOS Technology’s multi-million funding success showcases the North’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and engineering. This investment highlights the confidence global investors have in the North and aligns with my vision to drive innovation, productivity, and technological advancement. The 2023 Investment Summit played a key role in showcasing the opportunities here and it’s encouraging to see significant outcomes like this. I look forward to seeing IceMOS continue to push the boundaries of semiconductor technology, creating high-value jobs in West Belfast and pioneering solutions in sectors from AI to renewable energy.”

    Bernard McGuire, Managing Director of 57 Stars LLC: “IceMOS’ new architecture for silicon semiconductors represents break-through technology for power management systems in high-growth sectors such as electric vehicles and data centers,” said Bernard McGuire, Managing Director of 57 Stars. “The hiring of industry veteran Niall Lyne both validates the strength and potential of its innovative products and enhances the management team to start scaling the business.” 57 Stars is the largest investor in this round of financing, having committed $7.5 million dollars. McGuire further commented: “Given the company sits squarely in our sustainability and technology focus sectors, 57 Stars invested in IceMOS out of multiple private equity funds we manage and are thrilled to be partnering with and supporting the Company at this pivotal moment for its growth and development.” 57 Stars was supported by EY on financial and tax due diligence, Tughans LLP and Purrington Moody Weil LLP on legal advisory, and SLR Consulting on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) due diligence assessment.

    Hugh Griffin, Chief Sales Officer (Eng Sub & Sensor Products) & Chief Strategy Officer, IceMOS Technology: “Building on our 2024 ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ award, this investment will further strengthen our manufacturing excellence in Belfast, expand our global workforce, and deepen our export footprint—already serving hundreds of customers worldwide. As a leader in advanced semiconductor exports, we are poised to diversify markets, enhance R&D, and deliver cutting-edge solutions that solidify the UK’s position as a hub for high-tech innovation. Together with our investors and partners, we’re not just scaling operations; we’re powering a sustainable future.”

    About IceMOS Technology
    IceMOS is an equity-financed private Delaware semiconductor corporation and manufacturer of a new class of Silicon MEMS based Power MOSFETs and Sensing Device technology that serves wide-ranging applications anywhere that power efficiency and sensing matters. The company has a manufacturing center of excellence located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, an advanced research innovation center in Arizona, and a design center in Tokyo, Japan.

    Company and Media Contact:
    Brenda Monaghan
    Investor Relations
    IceMOS Technology
    Email: brendamonaghan@icemostech.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5c918f39-bf4f-4b25-989a-7aade69e17eb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Gaza: Critical medical supplies running out one month into deadly siege imposed by Israeli authorities – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Shortage of medication is forcing MSF teams to dress wounds with no pain relief and ration essential medicines. Israeli authorities must end collective punishment of people in Gaza.

    Jerusalem, 2nd April – A month-long siege imposed by Israeli authorities in Gaza, Palestine, means some critical medications are now short in supply and are running out, leaving Palestinians at risk of losing vital healthcare, warns Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). As Israeli forces continue to bomb the Gaza Strip, depriving people of basic needs, including food, water, and medicines may lead to a high number of health complications and deaths. MSF calls on Israeli authorities to immediately cease the collective punishment of Palestinians, end their inhumane siege of Gaza, and to uphold their responsibilities as an occupying power to facilitate humanitarian aid at scale.

    For over a month, no aid or commercial trucks have entered Gaza, marking the longest period since the start of the war without any trucks entering the Strip and on 2 March, Israeli authorities imposed a complete siege of Gaza. On 9 March they cut the electricity, needed to power water desalination plants. This total blockade of aid and electricity has deprived people of most basic services, amounting to collective punishment.

    “The Israeli authorities’ have condemned the people of Gaza to unbearable suffering with their deadly siege,” says Myriam Laaroussi, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza. “This deliberate infliction of harm on people is like a slow death; it must end immediately.”

    The siege has forced MSF teams have already to start rationing medications such as pain killers, providing less effective treatment or turning patients away. Teams are also running out of surgical supplies such as anaesthetics, paediatric antibiotics and medicines for chronic conditions like epilepsy, hypertension and diabetes. As a result of rationing, our teams in some primary health care clinics conduct wound dressings for injured people without providing them with any pain relief.

    In addition, MSF teams are no longer able to donate blood bag donations to Nasser hospital due to a lack of stock, while the influxes of patients war-wounded by relentless Israeli force’s relentless continue.

    The lack of soap and clean water for people means in primary health care clinics across the Strip, our teams are seeing an increase of people with skin conditions. In February, MSF teams treated 565 cases of skin conditions at the Al Hekker clinic in Deir Al Balah and 1,198 cases at the Al Attar clinic in Khan Younis. Just in two weeks in March, the number of cases at Al Hekker had already reached 437—nearly 80 percent of February’s total—while at Al Attar, 711 cases had been treated, almost 60 percent oof the number seen in February.

    The blockade has left MSF teams are unable to provide medication to treat skin conditions, just small amounts of lotion to alleviate the pain. Skin conditions like scabies require treatment for the entire family to prevent spread and reinfection, but without medications, and clean water this is impossible.

    For people with non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, the consequences of the lack of treatment may lead to severe complications, such as permanent disabilities and in some cases even death. Since the blockade, we have only been able to give patients medication to cover their needs for seven to 10 days.

    “I don’t have any blood pressure medication left. My son searched for two days and couldn’t find any,” explains Sobheya Al-Beshiti, a patient of the MSF clinic in Attar, Khan Younis. “What can I do? Stay without treatment? If I don’t take my blood thinner, my nose starts bleeding, and I start coughing blood.”

    During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid, patients in MSF clinics are reporting weight loss and lack of access to proper food.

    “Right now, my blood levels are low, and my weight is also low. There aren’t enough food supplies to help me gain weight or increase my blood levels,” explains pregnant mother in an MSF clinic in Mawasi, Khan Younis. “The rising prices are a huge problem in the city: people simply cannot afford to buy necessities because of how expensive everything is.”

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Five cities eye globally attractive consumption

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China will accelerate the transformation of five major cities — Shanghai; Beijing; Guangzhou, Guangdong province; Tianjin; and Chongqing — into global consumption centers on par with New York and London, and create globally attractive retail environments, as part of the country’s latest moves to boost consumption.

    The document, formulated by the Ministry of Commerce, said China aims to further expand domestic demand and promote high-standard opening-up.

    The country will actively promote the debut economy by supporting high-quality domestic and foreign brands to launch new products and exhibitions, and providing Customs clearance convenience for new imported products.

    The government will support the holding of events such as fashion weeks and car expos in these five cities. It will also work to attract high-quality global brands to launch their first stores, establish research and development design centers as well as regional headquarters, the document said.

    It is critical to adapt to local conditions for developing the debut economy. Shanghai has been doing well in attracting debuts of global brands in China and launching pop-up stores, the ministry said.

    In the recently delivered Government Work Report, boosting consumption was listed as a top priority among this year’s tasks.

    As part of measures to build global consumption centers, China plans to further expand its unilateral visa-free entry policy in an orderly manner, and better leverage the role of tax refund stores and tax refund policies by opening more such stores and optimizing tax refund procedures for overseas visitors.

    Since late 2023, China has launched unilateral visa-free policies for multiple countries, encouraging more overseas travelers to visit the nation. Last year, the number of inbound foreign visitors in the above-mentioned five cities doubled the 2023 figures, said the National Immigration Administration.

    “In those five cities, the number of tax refund stores for overseas visitors accounted for 60 percent in the country last year, and total sales made up for over 70 percent of the value nationwide,” said Li Gang, director-general of the department of market operation and consumption promotion of the Ministry of Commerce, during a news conference earlier in Beijing.

    Besides trendy products, foreign tourists have also favored domestic time-honored brands and specialty products. Tong Ren Tang, a venerable traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy, has seen a growing number of foreign visitors take advantage of tax refund procedures at its stores in the Qianmen area of Beijing, and the products they buy mainly include traditional Chinese patent medicines and medicinal materials.

    Compared to overseas metropolises, there is still a gap between China and developed countries. The government will guide the building of a group of featured commercial complexes, and encourage sales of more domestic trendy products at tax refund stores, the ministry said.

    In addition, China plans to organize various large-scale consumption promotion activities, support the hosting of more high-level international sporting events and performances, and increase the supply of high-quality services.

    In late March, the 2025 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix took place in Shanghai, attracting fans from home and abroad. The guideline noted that China plans to hold more motor racing events, foster new consumption scenarios such as recreational vehicle camping, and further expand the aftermarket consumption of automobiles.

    Meanwhile, China will encourage the innovative growth of the cruise market and low-altitude tourism. The country will also promote the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and big data in the consumption market, and accelerate the promotion of smart home appliances, new energy vehicles and other smart products, the document said.

    In the first two months, total retail sales of consumer goods in China reached 8.37 trillion yuan ($1.15 trillion), up 4 percent year-on-year, with the growth rate 0.5 percentage point higher than the whole year figure last year, the ministry said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Joins Booker’s Marathon Floor Block to Condemn Trump Administration’s Attacks on the Environment, California’s Climate Action

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Joins Booker’s Marathon Floor Block to Condemn Trump Administration’s Attacks on the Environment, California’s Climate Action

    WATCH: Padilla slams Trump Administration for gutting climate progressWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in holding the Senate floor to stand up to President Trump’s relentless attacks on the environment and attempts to roll back decades of California’s climate action. Booker broke the record for time holding the Senate floor to give voice to the millions of Americans being harmed and ignored by the Trump Administration. Padilla praised Booker for his passion and empathy while speaking on the floor to highlight the consequences of the President’s reckless actions for public health, disaster aid, and the climate crisis.
    “Senator Booker has every right to be angry because of what’s going on. I know I’m angry with so much of what’s going on, and the American people have every right to be angry with what’s going on because none of what we’re seeing come out of the Trump White House is normal. But every day, this approach of ‘flooding the zone’ with more and more extreme actions runs the risk of making people grow numb to these attacks. And we certainly can’t surrender to the feeling of just being overwhelmed by their tactics.”
    Padilla underscored the devastating impacts of climate inaction and pollution on California, emphasizing the catastrophic toll of the Los Angeles County fires and his own personal experience with toxic school bus emissions. Last month, Padilla and Booker joined federal officials for a tour and briefing on cleanup and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena.
    “Growing up, I can tell you not just about the smell of diesel exhaust, which I’ll never forget, sitting on a school bus going to and from school. Or the regular days where school would be shut down early, we’d all be sent home because of the smog, toxic smog, in the air in the Greater Southern California area. These were concrete reminders of the real threat that emissions pose to our health.”
    “California also knows the dangers posed by extreme weather. We know the droughts, we know the floods, and yes, all too often, we’ve come to know wildfires — devastating wildfires, like the ones we experienced in Los Angeles County at the beginning of this year.”
    As Senator Padilla highlighted, California has long been at the forefront of fighting against pollution and climate impacts, from creating the first tailpipe emissions standards for passenger vehicles in 1966, to setting ambitious conservation goals, to establishing the first Earth Day. He criticized the Trump Administration’s attacks on California and the nation’s environmental progress, including the reversal of the endangerment finding, funding freezes of Congressionally appropriated project funds, and the roll backs of 31 critical environmental rules. He also slammed the Trump Administration for politicizing disaster aid, proposing to eliminate FEMA, implementing federal freezes on hazardous fuel removal and the hiring of seasonal firefighters, and illogically and irresponsibly opening up dams and flooding the Central Valley, claiming to “turn on the water” to fight the Los Angeles fires after they had already been contained.
    “Earlier this month, the EPA, Trump’s EPA, announced that they would be rolling back more than 30 environmental rules. By doing so, they’re not just going to make Americans less healthy; they’re also going to hurt our economy, and it’s going to clear the way for China to become the world leader in green technology. So much for America First if they continue down that road.”
    “They’re not just refusing to act or to help — they’re making matters worse for states like California and many others.”
    Padilla concluded by stressing the importance of fighting against Trump’s anti-environment agenda, asking Senator Booker how young Americans can make their voices heard.
    “So that’s what this fight is about. Our fight for the environment is about America’s health and safety. It’s about American jobs and it’s about America’s future.”
    “For the next generation of Americans, for the young people who are tuning in and wondering, well what is it that I can do? Do I have a voice? Do I have any power? What would you say to them? How can they take action?”
    Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available here.
    Footage of his speech can be downloaded here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council looks to buy land for new food waste service

    Source: City of Derby

    Space for a new weekly food waste collection service will be created if plans to buy land are approved at Council Cabinet on Wednesday 9 April. 

    The current depot at Stores Road is already operating at capacity so more space is needed for the new service. A 7.5-acre brownfield site (the same size as 5 football pitches) has been identified on Stores Road. The new site will be home to a Highways Hub, creating space in the Council’s existing depot for the new food waste service. Funding for the purchase of the site will come from the Stores Road Depot Scheme, part of the current Capital Programme. 

    Under ’Simpler Recycling’ regulations, the Council has to implement separate, weekly food waste collections to residents in April 2026. As the Council currently provides fortnightly food waste collections mixed with garden waste, £1.6m of capital funding has been provided by Defra to enable the purchase of 14 new collection vehicles, food waste caddies and hiring new colleagues to collect the waste. 

    Defra announced an additional £0.5m in revenue funding for Derby in March 2025 to support delivery of the service including communicating to residents about the new service and delivery of caddies.

    Weekly food waste collections mean residents won’t have to use their black or brown bins for their food waste and will only need to present a small collection caddy. Households will receive a kitchen caddy and a collection caddy. Residents using their brown bins to recycle food waste need to ensure they don’t place food waste in the brown bin from April 2026. 

    Ahead of the service launching, the Council will be sharing messages with residents about their food waste collection day, how to present their caddies and what can be placed in them as well as how to reduce food waste. Any food waste collected in caddies will be sent for recycling, contributing positively to Derby’s recycling rate and reducing the cost of disposal of general waste. 

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure commented: 

    “We know that food waste makes up a big chunk of the waste in some black bins in the city and costs a significant amount to dispose of. Introducing weekly food waste collections brings a lot of benefits to residents including helping them reduce food waste which saves money but ensuring food waste in the city is recycled is also far better for the environment. 

    “We’re undertaking the groundwork now to help make Derby a cleaner, greener city in the future.” 

    The next Cabinet meeting takes place on Wednesday 9 April and can be watched on the Derby City Council YouTube channel. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stolen car drives onto O-Bahn track

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Two teenagers have been arrested after driving a stolen car on the O-Bahn bus track.

    Just after 6am on Wednesday 2 April, a red 2016 Ford Mustang was reported stolen from the driveway of a Rosslyn Park home.

    Police spotted the Mustang travelling south out of Bute about 11.15am before heading east on the Copper Coast Highway through to Port Wakefield.

    Patrols set up cordons around the area and awaited PolAir to commence tracking the vehicle from the air.

    The Mustang was tracked through Two Wells and Virginia and into the northern suburbs.

    About 12.45pm the Mustang drove onto the O-Bahn track at Tea Tree Plaza and travelled south for about 2km’s before becoming stuck near Welloch Street, Modbury.

    Two people ran from the car and over fences of nearby houses but were quickly arrested by patrols.

    Two Port Augusta teens aged 14 and 19 have been arrested and are currently being interviewed by police.

    The O-Bahn track remains closed until a crane can remove the vehicle.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Night closure ahead for Hawke’s Bay Expressway this Sunday 6 April

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    A stretch of State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closing overnight this Sunday for wire rope barrier repairs.

    SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closing from 8pm this Sunday 6 April to 4am Monday, between Meeanee Road and Links Road/Pākōwhai Road roundabout, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    During the closure crews will be carrying out repairs to flexible median barrier, damaged in a crash last weekend.

    Detour details light vehicles up to 44 tonnes

    A signposted detour will be place for all vehicles up to 44 tonnes.  Southbound vehicles will be detoured onto Meeanee Road, Awatoto Road, and right onto State Highway 51, through Clive to Te Ara Kahikatea, right onto Pākōwhai Road before rejoining the expressway. The reverse will apply for northbound vehicles.

    Emergency services will be assisted through the site if required.

    HPMV no suitable detour

    As there’s currently no suitable detour for HPMV (over 44 tonne), as Waitangi Bridge on SH51 has a 44 tonne MAX weight restriction, HPMV drivers will be required to wait at the closure points and crews will let them through the worksite as often as possible during the closure. 

    NZTA thanks all drivers for planning their journeys around this overnight closure for essential repairs.

    Hawkes Bay roadworks updates(external link)

    View larger map [PNG, 415 KB]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Transport – Truck dashcams capture some hair-raising impatient driving

    Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
    National road freight association Transporting New Zealand has shared dashcam footage from members showing some hair-raising near-misses, and says that impatient driving is endangering lives.
    Transporting New Zealand has been calling for members to submit footage of dangerous driving, highlighting the need for all road users to observe safe speeds, pass and merge safely, and observe appropriate following distances.
    Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the footage shows just how dangerous impatient and reckless driving can be.
    “Truck drivers spend more time on the roads than almost anyone else. Transporting New Zealand is consistently hearing concerns from our road freight members about incidents of impatient and unsafe driving they’re seeing while going about their work.
    “The roads are the workplace for truck drivers, and that’s a workplace where a moment’s impatience or inattention can shatter lives forever.”
    He says the maximum speed limit for heavy vehicles is 90 km/h, even on sections of road with 110 km/h speed limits, requiring patience from all road users when overtaking and merging.
    “Please be patient and wait until there’s a passing lane or a clear section of road before overtaking.
    “Think about how far you have to go to get clear of a truck and possibly a trailer. The combined length of both can be up to 23 metres – that’s a significant distance to cover and you need a safety gap at the other side.”
    Transporting New Zealand has shared three videos where disaster was narrowly avoided.
    Kalasih says that impatient or reckless driving is never worth the risk.
    “It’s not worth risking your life or anybody else’s for the sake of saving a few minutes. That’s how horrible wrecks happen.”
    Videos
    In Not the Foggiest there’s a van, a plan, and no visibility. You can almost hear the paint squeak as the over-taking vehicle ducks in. Submitted by a freight operator in Taupo.
    The next video was recorded near Waipawa in the Hawke’s Bay. A stock truck is carrying a load of bulls and has to swing wide to get into a driveway. Just as one of the team mentions what a tricky spot it is with some people trying to pass on the outside, a vehicle decides it will try a different approach. Some dialogue has been redacted.
    This next merging incident took place about 10 minutes outside of Rotorua.
    Reporting dangerous driving
    – If you believe someone’s driving is dangerous enough to be life-threatening, call the Police on 111.
    – You can call -555 from a mobile phone to report road incidents which are urgent but not life-threatening.
    About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
    Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
    Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –