Hong Kong – EPD responds to Advisory Council on the Environment’s resolution on San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node EIA report
EPD responds to Advisory Council on the Environment’s resolution on San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node EIA report
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In response to the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE)’s decision to endorse the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node with conditions in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) after discussion at its meeting today (April 22), an Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said:
“The statutory EIA process in Hong Kong is a professional, objective and open system. The Technical Memorandum on EIA Process (TM) and EIA Study Briefs lay down objective and clear principles, procedures, guidelines, requirements and criteria for various EIA matters. The EIAO aims to assess the environmental acceptability of the development proposal submitted by the project proponent.
“The Director of Environmental Protection will review in detail the EIA report with comprehensive and careful consideration of the requirements of the EIA Study Brief and the TM, as well as comments on the environment raised by the public and the ACE during the public inspection period, before making the decision on whether to approve the EIA report and the conditions to be imposed if the EIA report is approved.”
DH to adopt new growth charts in second half of 2024 (with photo)
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A spokesman for the DH said that growth charts serve as an important reference tool for clinical assessment of an individual child, and facilitate the monitoring of growth trends of the entire population of children and the timely adjustment of public health measures and strategies on enhancing children’s health. To study the growth of contemporary Hong Kong children and review the existing growth charts developed in 1993 (HK1993), the DH, the Department of Paediatrics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of the University of Hong Kong jointly conducted the Hong Kong Growth Study (HKGS) which was funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) of the Health Bureau. The research team also reviewed whether the Child Growth Standards developed by the World Health Organization for children 0 to 5 years old in 2006 (WHO2006) was suitable to be adopted for use in Hong Kong.
The key characteristics of the HKGS and the development of the HK2020 include the following:
Based on the data collected in the growth survey and advice from local and overseas experts, four sets of gender-specific growth charts for children 0 to 18 years are developed in the HK2020, namely (1) Weight-for-age charts; (2) Length/height-for-age charts; (3) Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age charts; and (4) Head circumference-for-age charts. Comparing the new and old growth charts, the weight and height in HK2020 were higher than that in HK1993, particularly at pubertal ages. Notably, an increase of about 2 centimetres in median height was found for boys and girls at the age of 18.
Moreover, the data of Hong Kong children 0-5 years in the survey also fitted the WHO2006 reasonably well. The HKGS concluded that HK2020 for 0 to 18 years and WHO2006 for 0 to 5 years are suitable for use for Hong Kong children. Also, as the distribution of body fat for children changes with age, the study recommended an updated definition and assessment for overweight/obesity by using BMI-for-age instead of weight-for-height. The growth assessment in many places (including the Mainland, the United Kingdom and the United States) are also using BMI as a reference. The DH will continue its healthy lifestyle promotion among children and parents and various health promotion programmes (such as the Whole School Health Programme) in order to better prevent and improve the overweight situation of the children.
To provide an updated reference tool to assess and monitor the growth of children and adolescents, the DH will adopt the HK2020 at its Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) and Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs) for growth monitoring of children aged 0 to 5 years and 6 to 18 years respectively. The new growth charts are expected to be deployed in July this year for MCHCs and in September this year for SHSCs. Starting from September this year, the Hospital Authority will implement the new growth charts in its hospitals in phases, with a view to rolling out to all its hospitals by end of 2024. The District Health Centres currently providing services targeted at children, including group classes and outreach health risk assessment, will also support the launching of the new growth charts. In addition, the DH will also send letters to healthcare professional bodies and stakeholders to inform them of the study and the new growth charts. Moreover, the new growth chart shall also be made available in the eHealth app for use and viewing.
Relevant information of the study will be made available at the HKGS website as well as the website of DH for reference and use by professionals. For more information on the updated set of growth charts, please visit www.dh.gov.hk/english/useful/useful_PP_Growth_Chart/useful_PP_Growth_Chart.html and www.dh.gov.hk/english/useful/useful_HP_Growth_Chart/useful_HP_Growth_Chart.html.
Hong Kong presents innovative projects at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photo)
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A Hong Kong delegation of close to 700 participants from 40 institutions, including universities, research and development (R&D) centres, laboratories, technology companies, government departments, and primary and secondary schools, exhibited more than 360 projects at the exhibition. Among over 1 000 inventions this year, the Hong Kong delegation won 28 Gold Medals with Congratulations of Jury and 114 Gold Medals, totalling a record high of over 350 prizes.
The Government accords top priority to promoting innovation and technology (I&T) development and establishing Hong Kong as an international I&T centre. Speaking at the reception, the Director of the HKETO Berlin, Ms Jenny Szeto, highlighted the Government’s commitment and recent policies to foster an innovation-friendly environment in Hong Kong, in particular supporting R&D activities and commercialisation of their outcomes.
“In this year’s Budget, we have doubled the maximum funding to the Technology Transfer Office of each specified university, and will also be providing annual subsidies to nurture start-up development within the universities. And just last year, we have launched the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme to promote the ‘1 to N’ transformation. The scheme aims to encourage the commercialisation and technology transfer of universities’ R&D outcomes, and will fund at least 100 research teams from local universities which have good potential to become successful start-ups,” Ms Szeto explained.
In addition, the Government has also been spearheading efforts to attract I&T talent. To accelerate the expansion of the talent pool, the Government has launched the Technology Talent Admission Scheme, providing a fast-track arrangement for companies to admit young tech talent from abroad to undertake R&D work in Hong Kong.
Founded in 1972, the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva is the largest global exhibition exclusively devoted to inventions. This year’s event showcased a record high of more than 1 000 inventions from about 40 countries and regions.
About HKETO Berlin
HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Switzerland as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
SINGAPORE, Apr 22, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – As the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) commemorates its 75th year of enriching Singapore’s cultural landscape, it has announced two key highlight events of the much-anticipated SIFAS Festival of Arts, which will be held at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay on April 27 and 28. The celebration by SIFAS is jointly organised with SIFAS Productions Limited (SPL). Established in 1949, SIFAS has been a cornerstone of Indian cultural heritage in Singapore, fostering art and cultural appreciation through its diverse disciplines. 2024 marks SIFAS’ Diamond Jubilee, a significant milestone for the non-profit organisation committed to nurturing talent and promoting Indian fine arts in the region. As Singapore transitions into a global arts hub, SIFAS continues to uphold its mission of preserving and promoting Indian cultural heritage while embracing multiculturalism. The SIFAS Festival OF Arts 2024, in its 20th year, is an iconic event in SIFAS’ cultural calendar, which celebrates the institution’s legacy as the heart and hub of Indian arts in Singapore. Themed ‘Virasata: Celebrating a Timeless Legacy of Arts,’ this year’s festival also serves as a curtain-raiser to SIFAS’ 75th-year anniversary celebrations that will extend throughout the year. Event Details are as follows: Event: “Rukmini Kalyanam”, Dance Drama by Kalakshetra Foundation in collaboration with SIFAS Event: “Classical Confluence”, Hindustani & Carnatic Jugalbandhi by Jayateerth Mevundi and Abhishek Raghuram For the detailed schedule, please visit https://www.sifas.org/sifas-festival-of-arts-2024.html or for further information please contact +65 6299 5929 About Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) https://www.sifas.org/ Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) is Singapore’s pioneer academy in imparting knowledge of Indian classical music, dance, and visual arts. Founded in 1949, SIFAS is a non-profit Indian cultural organisation characterised by a high level of artistic and academic excellence across all disciplines. Its philosophy is portrayed in its motto in Sanskrit, which states: ‘Kala Samskrithi Lakshanam’ – Art Characterises Civilisation. Academic excellence underlies SIFAS’ approach with a structured curriculum, internationally accredited examinations, and in-depth teaching and artistic guidance. More than 60,000 (approx.) graduates and students educated and trained at SIFAS provide principal support to other Indian cultural groups and contribute to the development of the Arts in Singapore and the region by further pursuing their education in the Arts locally and internationally and sustaining their commitment and passion as artistes, producers, programmers, managers, teachers and leaders in the Arts industry. The Society began humbly with only 12 members. Today, it has over 2000 members and 1800 students, and 30 teachers, with a pan-Indian curriculum of 18 disciplines that reflects the cultural diversity of a vast country with an ancient heritage. LOGOS: 75th year celebration of Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) SIFAS Productions Limited (SPL) Media contacts: Luxembourg, Apr 22, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Moolec Science SA (NASDAQ:MLEC)(“The company”), a Molecular Farming food-ingredient company, announced today that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) has concluded its Regulatory Status Review (“RSR”) for Moolec’s genetically engineered (“GE”) soybean Piggy Sooy™. See post online here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/23-234-01rsr-response.pdf [1]. The USDA-APHIS RSR determines that Moolec’s genetically engineered soybean, accumulating animal meat protein, is unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk relative to non-engineered soybeans. Therefore, it is not subject to the APHIS regulation that governs the movement of organisms modified or produced through genetic engineering (as described in 7 CFR part 340). “Moolec embraced Nasdaq’s slogan ‘Rewrite Tomorrow’ and took it literally! We achieved an unprecedented milestone in biotechnology with the first-ever USDA-APHIS approval of this kind,” stated Gastón Paladini, Moolec Science’s CEO & Co-Founder. “We are unlocking the power of plants by leveraging science to overcome climate change and global food security concerns. I am very proud of the Moolec team, creating value for shareholders and the planet at the same time.” This milestone reinforces Moolec’s B2B go-to-market strategy for Piggy Sooy™ product, an innovative, functional, and nutritious ingredient. By adding a well-known animal meat protein (porcine myoglobin) to the standard soybean proteins, the company expects to provide food manufacturers with a unique ingredient that will have a positive carbon and water footprint. Martin Salinas, Chief of Technology & Co-Founder at Moolec, enthusiastically announced: “We believe this milestone sets the stage for a revolution in the food-industrial biotech landscape, paving the way for expedited adoption of Molecular Farming technology by other industry players. Also, this compelling advancement signifies a stride in enhancing our operational efficiency, transforming our methods of raw material sourcing, and optimizing our downstream crushing and processing operations.” In June 2023, the company announced that Piggy Sooy™ seeds had achieved high levels of expression of pork protein (up to 26.6% of the total soluble protein) and had patented their technology. The company clarifies that Piggy Sooy™ development is set to keep moving forward completing the necessary consultation with the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Moolec declares to be engaged in the consultation process with the FDA, representing the next pivotal regulatory milestone preceding the commercial availability of Piggy Sooy™ ingredient. About Moolec Science SA Moolec is a science-based ingredient company leader in the use of Molecular Farming technology for food and dietary supplementation markets. The Company’s mission is to create unique food ingredients by engineering plants with animal protein genes. Its purpose is to redefine the way the world produces animal proteins, for good and for all. Moolec’s technological approach aims to have the cost structure of plant-based solutions with the nutrition and functionality of animal-based ones. Moolec’s technology has been under development for more than a decade and is known for pioneering the production of a bovine protein in a crop for the food industry. The Company’s product portfolio and pipeline leverages the agronomic efficiency of broadly used target crops, like soybean, pea, and safflower to produce oils and proteins. Moolec also has an industrial and commercial R&D capability to complement the company’s Molecular Farming technology. Moolec secures a growing international patent portfolio (25+, both granted and pending) for its Molecular Farming technology. The Company is run by a diverse team of Ph.Ds and Food Insiders, and operates in the United States, Europe, and South America. For more information, visit moolecscience.com and ir.moolecscience.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “forecast,” “intend,” “seek,” “target,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” “outlook,” and “project” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements with respect to performance, prospects, revenues, and other aspects of the business of Moolec are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this press release, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors, about which we cannot be certain. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this press release will prove accurate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results, including, among others, changes in applicable laws or regulations, the possibility that Moolec may be adversely affected by economic, business and/or other competitive factors, costs related to the scaling up of Moolec’s business and other risks and uncertainties, including those included under the header “Risk Factors” in Moolec’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as well as Moolec’s other filings with the SEC. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Accordingly, you should not put undue reliance on these statements. Contacts: Contact Information Investor Relations Related Files Moolec Becomes First Molecular Farming Company to Achieve USDA Approval for Plant-Grown Animal Proteins – 2024.04.22 SOURCE: Moolec Science View the original press release on newswire.com.
Hong Kong – DH to adopt new growth charts in second half of 2024 (with photo)
The Department of Health (DH) today (April 22) announced that a new set of growth charts, i.e. the Hong Kong 2020 Growth References (HK2020), with new references and definitions will be adopted by the DH starting from the second half of this year as a better tool to assess and monitor the growth of children and adolescents.
Hong Kong – Hong Kong presents innovative projects at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photo)
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) hosted a reception on the occasion of Hong Kong’s participation in the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva on April 19 (Geneva time). SIFAS Festival of Arts 2024 to captivate audiences on April 27 and 28 at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Date: April 27 (Saturday)
Venue: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
Time: 7:00 PM
Open to: Public
Tickets: SISTIC – https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/rukmini0424
– Karthik Nagraj on Violin
– Arjun Kumar on Mridangam
– Pandurang Pawar on Tabla
– Milind Kulkarni on Harmonium
Date: April 28 (Sunday)
Venue: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
Time: 7:00 PM
Open to: Public
Tickets: SISTIC – https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/classical0424
Topic: Press release summaryMolecular Farming Company to Achieve USDA Approval for Plant-Grown Animal Proteins
USDA Piggy Sooy
Press & Media inquiries: comms@moolecscience.com
Investor Relations inquiries: MoolecIR@icrinc.com | ir@moolecscience.com
Catalina Jones
Chief of Staff & Sustainability
comms@moolecscience.com
ir@moolecscience.com
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