#Hong Kong business regulations

[panchitacarmensita]

Aligning Corporate Strategy with Legal and Regulatory Standards in Hong Kong

When establishing and growing a company in Hong Kong, it is vital that business leaders factor in the region's complex legal and regulatory environment into strategic planning. Failure to adhere to employment ordinances, tax codes, intellectual property laws and other standards can undermine your entire China/HK growth agenda. This article provides best practices on aligning organizational strategy with key compliance benchmarks.

Start by Building a Legal/Regulatory Risk Profile

Gather input from your Hong Kong legal advisors on the primary laws and regulations that will impact core business functions based on your growth roadmap. Recruit specialists for insights across domains – an employment lawyer to advise on ordinances around pay, working conditions and termination requirements; a corporate attorney familiar with documentation needs as outlined under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance and Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO); and a team with nuanced understandings around taxation in Hong Kong/Mainland China.

Emphasize Governance and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

With your risk map complete detailing major compliance pressure points around formation, sales, trading, hiring, operations and more, use this framework to drive governance moves that harden the organization against illegal or unethical actions. Expand procedures around everything from acquiring entities in China to information sharing standards that prevent insider trading incidents that might imperil your HK stock listing. Appoint board oversight committees on ethics and regulatory policy.

Monitor Regulatory Trends Proactively

Laws and policies do not remain static – from 2023 increases to statutory severance pay to tightening rules against monopolistic practices among Mainland businesses by the State Administration for Market Regulation, regulations shift frequently. Continuously follow key policy proposals and moves by agencies like InvestHK, while participating in trade associations that can help represent your interests in government discourses.

Align Business Objectives with Compliance Mandates

Finally, let mandatory requirements guide corporate strategy itself by identifying opportunities. With crackdowns on corruption and tax evasion, build competitive advantage via best practices in transparency and disclosure around transactions, modeling anti-bribery across China operations. Where competitors resist minimum wage increases or workplace improvements, embrace these to attract top talent across Hong Kong and Shenzhen centers tapping young professional desire for purpose-driven leadership.

By viewing ongoing legal and regulatory reform as intrinsic to strategy rather than counterweights to growth, foreign companies can sustainably thrive across Hong Kong and mainland China's vast ecosystem, while accelerating competitive edge, financial performance and positive societal impact.

[darkautomaton]

Corporate Secretary in navigating legal and regulatory frameworks in Corporate Hong Kong

In the bustling corporate landscape of Hong Kong, the Corporate Secretary emerges as a pivotal figure. This professional's expertise lies in guiding companies through the complex maze of legal and regulatory requirements. In Hong Kong, a global financial hub, the importance of this role is magnified due to the stringent regulatory environment.

The Corporate Secretary ensures compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations, a critical task in Hong Kong's dynamic business environment. They are the custodians of corporate governance, ensuring that the company's operations align with legal standards and ethical norms. Their role extends beyond mere compliance; they also provide valuable counsel to the board of directors, influencing strategic decisions.

Advising on corporate governance is another key aspect of the Corporate Secretary's role. They stay abreast of changes in laws and regulations, ensuring that the company adapts swiftly to new requirements. This includes overseeing corporate policies, managing risk, and ensuring that the board's decisions are implemented effectively and legally.

In the realm of shareholder engagement, the Corporate Secretary plays a crucial role. They facilitate communication between the board and shareholders, ensuring transparency and fostering trust. This includes organizing annual general meetings, managing shareholder queries, and maintaining shareholder records. Their role is vital in enhancing investor relations and protecting shareholder interests.

Moreover, the Corporate Secretary is instrumental in corporate transactions. They oversee due diligence processes, manage regulatory filings, and ensure that all corporate actions are in compliance with legal requirements. Whether it's mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures, their expertise is indispensable in navigating these complex transactions smoothly.

In conclusion, the Corporate Secretary in Hong Kong is a linchpin in ensuring that companies navigate the legal and regulatory frameworks effectively. Their role is multifaceted, encompassing compliance, governance, shareholder relations, and transactional support. As Hong Kong continues to evolve as a global financial center, the importance of the Corporate Secretary in steering companies through this landscape cannot be overstated.

[telomeke]

MICHELLE YEOH – HER INSANE STUNTWORK

So Michelle Yeoh has won a best actress SAG award and has also been nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

You may know her from her steely turn as Eleanor Young in Crazy Rich Asians, or from her charismatic portrayals of the elegant older woman in productions such as The Lady and Memoirs of a Geisha. Or her butt-kicking turns in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Tomorrow Never Dies (if your memory can reach that far back).

She's been in numerous other productions, but what many may not know is that when she first started out in Hong Kong showbiz (after winning the Miss Malaysia pageant in 1983) she was only allowed to be just another huaping or flower vase actress. The term huaping is pejorative, and refers to actresses whose role in a film is primarily decorative, i.e., they sit around and look pretty, but don't really mean much to the narrative, or have much else to do as characters themselves. (OK so there was a movie in 1985 called Yes, Madam where she got to stretch her range as a fightworthy police inspector, but that seems like more an exception.)

Anyway, after her marriage to HK magnate Dickson Poon ended around 1991, Michelle blew the harmful stereotype of the huaping actress totally out of the water when she returned to show business in Jackie Chan's movie Police Story 3: Supercop (she'd taken a hiatus from filmwork during her marriage).

She did her own stunts in that movie (filmed in Malaysia, Michelle's country of birth), and the stuntwork was beyond insane. It wasn't the hand-to-hand combat (although there are fight scenes). Michelle rides a motorcycle during a chase scene, and it completely obliterates the bike ride she shared with Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies. Plus there's a scene of her bouncing off a moving car too.

Not to spoil the surprise (and shock) but there's also a train involved somewhere – just watch the video clip that follows.

Michelle herself says she must have been insane to do all those stunts (and there's no way this would pass OSHA regulations today). Take a look at the following (remember – this was in 1992 and there was no CGI technology involved) and then don't miss the outtakes after (Jackie was really concerned for her).

You may close your mouth now. This lady kicks some serious ass! 👀

[jourdepluie91]

Kowloon: inside Hong Kong's lawless 'walled city' — the most crowded place on Earth for 40 years

Written by Harrison Jacobs for Business Insider

Slightly north of Hong Kong Island there once stood one of the most densely populated places on earth.

From the 1950s until 1994, over 33,000 people lived and worked in Kowloon Walled City, a massive complex of 300 interconnected buildings that took up a city block.

Caught between China and the British-run Hong Kong government, the city was essentially lawless, equally known for its opium dens and organized crime as its dentists' offices. 

Photographer Greg Girard spent years investigating and documenting the strange place before it was demolished. 

The city began as a low-rise squatter village during the early 20th century. After World War II, Hong Kong experienced a massive influx of Chinese immigrants. This led to a lack of housing in the city. In response, entrepreneurs and those with "squatter's rights" in Kowloon built high rise buildings on the space to capitalize on the housing demand.

At its peak, more than 33,000 people lived in the 6.4-acre city. It was considered by many to be the most densely populated place on earth.

While located in Hong Kong, the Walled City was legally a Chinese military fort. This put the settlement in legal purgatory as both China and the British-run Hong Kong government ignored it.

Laws, regulations, and building codes were not enforced.

"There was never any top-down guidance or planning about how the place should be. It grew as an organic response to people's needs," says Girard.

The only regulation enforced at Kowloon was the height of the building. Because the airport was so close, the building was not allowed to be taller than 13 or 14 stories.

The Walled City was controlled by the Chinese mafia, called the Triads, from the 1950s through the 1970s. It gained a reputation as a haven for prostitution, gambling, and drugs.

But by the time Girard explored the city in 1987, it had become considerably safer. "The city normalized, but the reputation stayed until the end. It was a place your parents told you to never go to," says Girard.

The streets and alleyways of the Walled City were narrow. Most were barely wider than six feet and some were so narrow that one had to walk sideways through them. A massive network of passageways in the upper levels also made it possible to travel the distance of the city without walking on a ground level street.

The Walled City was not the kind of place that you wanted to wander around, especially at night. Most residents stuck to the roads or alleys that they knew best on their way to work and home.

Mr. Lui, the city's postman, was assigned to Kowloon in 1976. By the time that Girard met him, he was one of the few people who knew all the ins and outs of the city. He wore a hat to protect him from the constant dripping from the ceiling.

Because regulations and licenses weren't enforced in the city, it was easy to set up a business. Rents, primarily controlled by those with "squatter's rights," were low compared to the rest of the city.

Many businesses took advantage. Ho Chi Kam ran a hairdressing salon with his wife in the city until 1991. After Ho was forced out of the Walled City, he had to go back to working for others because he could not afford the rent elsewhere.

Doctors, dentists, and other accredited professionals who emigrated from China found that their licenses were not valid in Hong Kong. Many took up offices in the Walled City because laws were not enforced there.

The city became known as a place where Hong Kong's working class went to the doctor or dentist. Appointments were cheaper because the doctors and dentists could not practice anywhere else in the city.

The lack of regulations was even more important for the many meat processors in Kowloon.

Food was a big part of the Walled City’s culture. Hong Kongers often visited to eat at one of the city's many dog-meat restaurants. Dog-meat stew, traditionally made from six-month-old Chow puppies, was a popular dish in Hong Kong until it was banned by the British.

Hui Tuy Choy opened his noodle factory in 1965. He chose the Walled City because the rents were low and you didn’t need a license to open a store. In Hong Kong, shop owners had to get licenses from the labor, health, and fire departments.

Kowloon was a major manufacturing center for many businesses in Hong Kong. One of its biggest products was fishballs, which were sold to restaurants around the city.

This rubber factory was run entirely by two men.

Often, commercial spaces like this grocery store would double as a living room or a space for the children to do homework after the working day was over.

According to Girard, the Walled City had a village culture because of the tight living and working quarters. 90-year-old Law Yu Yi lived with her son's wife in a cramped third-floor apartment. It is typical for women to look after her in-laws.

The Walled City had its own micro-climate, according to Girard, due to the massive amounts of tubing, wires, and open gutters snaking through the building. The lower levels were constantly hot, humid, and damp.

Because of the smelly, humid conditions down below, the rooftops of Kowloon would turn into a communal hangout during the afternoons and evenings. People would hang out, do laundry or homework, or practice instruments.

"It was like a strange, urban garden. There was tons of household refuse. It was a bit of an eyesore, but compared to the area below, the air was light and breezy. It was nice to come up there after living and working on the lower floors," says Girard.

After evicting the 33,000 residents over the next five years, demolition began in 1993. Residents were given monetary compensation, but many protested that it was not enough.

Photos by Greg Girard

[mariacallous]

Shortly before noon on Aug. 19, 2023, a Russian cruise missile sliced past the golden onion domes and squat apartment blocks of the Chernihiv skyline in northern Ukraine. The Iskander-K missile slammed into its target: the city’s drama theater, which was hosting a meeting of drone manufacturers at the time of the attack. More than 140 people were injured and seven killed. The youngest, 6-year-old Sofia Golynska, had been playing in a nearby park.

Fragments of the missile recovered by the Ukrainian armed forces and analyzed by Ukrainian researchers found numerous components made by U.S. manufacturers in the missile’s onboard navigation system, which enabled it to reach its target with devastating precision. In December, Ukraine’s state anti-corruption agency released an online database of the thousands of foreign-made components recovered from Russian weapons so far.

Russia’s struggle to produce the advanced semiconductors, electrical components, and machine tools needed to fuel its defense industrial base predates the current war and has left it reliant on imports even amid its estrangement from the West. So when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, major manufacturing countries from North America, Europe, and East Asia swiftly imposed export controls on a broad swath of items deemed critical for the Russian arms industry.

Russia quickly became the world’s most sanctioned country: Some 16,000 people and companies were subject to a patchwork of international sanctions and export control orders imposed by a coalition of 39 countries. Export restrictions were painted with such a broad brush that sunglasses, contact lenses, and false teeth were also swept up in the prohibitions. Even items manufactured overseas by foreign companies are prohibited from being sold to Russia if they are made with U.S. tools or software, under a regulation known as the foreign direct product rule.

But as the war reaches its two-year anniversary, export controls have failed to stem the flow of advanced electronics and machinery making their way into Russia as new and convoluted supply chains have been forged through third countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, which are not party to the export control efforts. An investigation by Nikkei Asia found a tenfold increase in the export of semiconductors from China and Hong Kong to Russia in the immediate aftermath of the war—the majority of them from U.S. manufacturers.

“Life finds a way,” said a senior U.S. intelligence official, quoting the movie Jurassic Park. The official spoke on background to discuss Russia’s evasion of export controls.

Some of the weapons and components analyzed by investigators were likely stockpiled before the war. But widely available Russian trade data reveals a brisk business in imports. More than $1 billion worth of advanced semiconductors from U.S. and European manufacturers made their way into the country last year, according to classified Russian customs service data obtained by Bloomberg. A recent report by the Kyiv School of Economics found that imports of components considered critical for the battlefield had dipped by just 10 percent during the first 10 months of 2023, compared with prewar levels.

This has created a Kafkaesque scenario, the report notes, in which the Ukrainian army is doing battle with Western weapons against a Russian arsenal that also runs on Western components.

It is an obvious problem, well documented by numerous think tank and media reports, but one without an easy solution. Tracking illicit trade in items such as semiconductors is an exponentially greater challenge than monitoring shipments of conventional weapons. Around 1 trillion chips are produced every year. Found in credit cards, toasters, tanks, missile systems, and much, much more, they power the global economy as well as the Russian military. Cutting Russia out of the global supply chain for semiconductors is easier said than done.

“Both Russia and China, and basically all militaries, are using a large number of consumer electronic components in their systems,” said Chris Miller, the author of Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology. “All of the world’s militaries rely on the same supply chain, which is the supply chain that primarily services consumer electronics.”

Export controls were once neatly tailored to keep specific items, such as nuclear technology, out of the hands of rogue states and terrorist groups. But as Washington vies for technological supremacy with Beijing while also seeking to contain Russia and Iran, it has increasingly used these trade restrictions to advance broader U.S. strategic objectives. For instance, the Biden administration has placed wide-ranging prohibitions on the export of advanced chips to China.

“At no point in history have export controls been more central to our collective security than right now,” Matthew Axelrod, the assistant secretary for export enforcement at the U.S. Commerce Department, said in a speech last September. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has described export controls as “a new strategic asset in the U.S. and allied toolkit.”

Russia’s ability to defy these restrictions doesn’t just have implications for the war in Ukraine. It also raises significant questions about the challenge ahead vis-à-vis China.

“The technological question becomes a key part of this story and whether or not we can restrict it from our adversaries,” said James Byrne, the director of open-source intelligence and analysis at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.

In the Russian city of Izhevsk, home to the factory that manufactures Kalashnikov rifles, shopping malls are being converted into drone factories amid a surge in defense spending that has helped the country’s economy weather its Western estrangement. Arms manufacturers have been urged to work around the clock to feed the Russian war machine, while defense is set to account for one-third of the state budget this year.

“We have developed a concept to convert shopping centers—which, before the start of the SMO [special military operation], sold mainly the products of Western brands—to factories for assembly lines of types of domestic drones,” Alexander Zakharov, the chief designer of the Zala Aero drone company, said at a closed event in August 2022, according to the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti. “Special military operation” is what the Russian government calls its war on Ukraine. Zala Aero is a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Concern that, along with Zakharov, was sanctioned by the United States last November.

Defense companies have bought at least three shopping malls in Izhevsk to be repurposed for the manufacture of drones, according to local media, including Lancet attack drones, which the British defense ministry described as one of the most effective new weapons that Russia introduced to the battlefield last year. Lancets, which cost about $35,000 to produce, wreaked havoc during Ukraine’s offensive last year and have been captured on video striking valuable Ukrainian tanks and parked MiG fighter jets.

Like a lot of Russia’s weapons systems, Lancets are filled with Western components. An analysis of images of the drones published in December by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security found that they contained several parts from U.S., Swiss, and Czech manufacturers, including image processing and analytical components that play a pivotal role in enabling the drones to reach their targets on the battlefield.

“The recurring appearance of these Western products in Russian drone systems shows a keen dependence on them for key capabilities in the drone systems,” the report notes. Lancets are not the only drones found to contain Western components. Almost all of the electronic components in the Iranian Shahed-136 drones, which Russia is now manufacturing with Iranian help to use in Ukraine, are of Western origin, a separate analysis published in November concluded.

Early in the war, the Royal United Services Institute analyzed 27 Russian military systems, including cruise missiles, electronic warfare complexes, and communications systems, and found that they contained at least 450 foreign-made components, revealing Russia’s dependence on imports.

One of the principal ways that Russia has evaded Western export controls has been through transshipment via third countries such as Turkey, the UAE, and neighboring states once part of the Soviet Union. Bloomberg reported last November that amid mounting Western pressure, the UAE had agreed to restrict the export of sensitive goods to Russia and that Turkey was considering a similar move. Kazakh officials announced a ban on the export of certain battlefield goods to Russia in October.

Suspected transshipment is often revealed by striking changes in trade patterns before and after the invasion. The Maldives, an island chain in the Indian Ocean that has no domestic semiconductor industry, shipped almost $54 million worth of U.S.-made semiconductors to Russia in the year after the invasion of Ukraine, Nikkei Asia reported last July.

Semiconductor supply chains often span several countries, with chips designed in one country and manufactured in another before being sold to a series of downstream distributors around the world. That makes it difficult for companies to know the ultimate end user of their products. This may seem odd—until you realize that this is the case for many everyday products that are sold around the world. “When Coca-Cola sells Coca-Cola, it doesn’t know where every bottle goes, and they don’t have systems to track where every bottle goes,” said Kevin Wolf, a former assistant secretary for export administration at the U.S. Commerce Department.

While a coalition of 39 countries, including the world’s major manufacturers of advanced electronics, imposed export restrictions on Russia, much of the rest of the world continues to trade freely with Moscow. Components manufactured in coalition countries will often begin their journey to Moscow’s weapons factories through a series of entirely legal transactions before ending up with a final distributor that takes them across the border into Russia. “It starts off as licit trade and ends up as illicit trade,” said a second senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The further items move down the supply chain, the less insight governments and companies have into their ultimate destination, although sudden changes in behavior of importers can offer a red flag. In his speech last September, Axelrod, the assistant secretary, used the example of a beauty salon that suddenly starts to import electronic components.

But the Grand Canyon of loopholes is China, which has stood by Moscow since the invasion. In the first days of the war, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo warned that Washington could shut down Chinese companies that ignored semiconductor export controls placed on Russia. Last October, 42 Chinese companies were added to export control lists—severely undercutting their ability to do business with U.S. companies—for supplying Russian defense manufacturers with U.S. chips.

But as the Biden administration carefully calibrates its China policy in a bid to keep a lid on escalating tensions, it has held off from taking Beijing to task. “I think the biggest issue is that we—the West—have been unwilling to put pressure on China that would get China to start enforcing some of these rules itself,” said Miller, the author of Chip Wars.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said: “Due to the restrictions imposed by the United States and key allies and partners, Russia has been left with no choice but to spend more, lower its ambitions for high-tech weaponry, build alliances with other international pariah states, and develop nefarious trade networks to covertly obtain the technologies it needs.

“We are deeply concerned regarding [Chinese] support for Russia’s defense industrial base. BIS has acted to add over 100 [China]-based entities to the Entity List for supporting Russia’s military industrial base and related activities.”

Export controls have typically focused on keeping specific U.S.-made goods out of the hands of adversaries, while economic and financial sanctions have served broader foreign-policy objectives of isolating rogue states and cauterizing the financing of terrorist groups and drug cartels. The use of sanctions as a national security tool grew in wake of the 9/11 attacks; in the intervening decades, companies, government agencies, and financial institutions have built up a wealth of experience in sanctions compliance. By contrast, the use of export controls for strategic ends is relatively novel, and compliance expertise is still in its infancy.

“It used to be that people like me could keep export controls and sanctions in one person’s head. The level of complexity for each area of law is so intense. I don’t know anyone who is truly an export control and sanctions expert,” Wolf said.

Export controls, experts say, are at best speed bumps designed to make it harder for Russia’s defense industrial base to procure Western components. They create “extra friction and pressure on the Russian economy,” said Daniel Fried, who as the State Department coordinator for sanctions policy helped craft U.S. sanctions on Russia after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia is now paying 80 percent more to import semiconductors than it did before the war, according to forthcoming research by Miller, and the components it is able to acquire are often of dubious quality.

But although it may be more cumbersome and expensive, it’s a cost that Moscow has been willing to bear in its war on Ukraine.

Western components—and lots of them—will continue to be found in the weapons Russia uses on Ukraine’s battlefields for the duration of the war. “This problem is as old as export controls are,” said Jasper Helder, an expert on export controls and sanctions with the law firm Akin Gump. But there are ways to further plug the gaps.

Steeper penalties could incentivize U.S. companies to take a more proactive role in ensuring their products don’t wind up in the hands of the Russian military, said Elina Ribakova, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “At the moment, they’re not truly motivated,” she said.

Companies that run afoul of sanctions and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a U.S. federal law that prohibits the payment of bribes, have been fined billions of dollars. Settlements of export control violations are often an order of magnitude smaller, according to recently published research.

In a speech last month, Axelrod said the United States would begin issuing steeper penalties for export control violations. “Build one case against one of the companies extremely well, put out a multibillion-dollar fine negotiation, and watch everybody else fall in line,” Ribakova said.

And then there’s the question of resources. BIS has an annual budget of just $200 million. “That’s like the cost of a few fighter jets. Come on,” said Raimondo, speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum last December.

The agency’s core budget for export control has, adjusted for inflation, remained flat since 2010, while its workload has surged. Between 2014 and 2022, the volume of U.S. exports subject to licensing scrutiny increased by 126 percent, according to an agency spokesperson. A 2022 study of export control enforcement by the Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended a budget increase of $45 million annually, describing it as “one of the best opportunities available anywhere in U.S. national security.”

When it comes to enforcement, the bureau has about 150 officers across the country who work with law enforcement and conduct outreach to companies. The Commerce Department has also established a task force with the Justice Department to keep advanced technologies out of the hands of Russia, China, and Iran. “The U.S. has the most robust export enforcement on the planet,” Wolf said.

But compared with other law enforcement and national security agencies, the bureau’s budgets have not kept pace with its expanding mission. The Department of Homeland Security has more investigators in the city of Tampa, Florida, than BIS does across the entire country, Axelrod noted in his January speech.

On the other side, you have Russia, which is extremely motivated to acquire the critical technologies it needs to continue to prosecute its war. The Kremlin has tasked its intelligence agencies with finding ways around sanctions and export controls, U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in a speech last year. “We are not talking about a profit-seeking firm looking for efficiencies,” the second senior U.S. intelligence official said. “There will be supply if there is sufficient demand.”

[theinternetisaweboflies]

Jägermeister

Chapter Eight: Silence

Newt came out of his third drift with a tremor that wouldn't go away. 

His wrists and ankles vibrated themselves raw against the zip-ties attaching him to a folding chair (the kind from Hong Kong IKEA). 

His teeth chattered in concert with the clicking of the Precursors, which Newt had the unfortunate feeling he was starting to understand. He could certainly sense their roiling fury, not only at humanity in general, but at Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Newton Geiszler in particular. 

Snitches got stitches. 

When the truck stopped, Chau had grabbed Newt by the collar of his freshly-repaired leather jacket, hauled him to his feet, and started pulling the jacket off him. Before Newt could finish asking for dinner first, Chau had zip-tied his wrists together and dropped the jacket over them. 

“Now shut the fuck up,” he had said, “or you get gagged too.”

“I'll definitely need dinner before that,” said Newt. 

So Chau had gagged him. 

Someone opened the truck doors from the outside, and Chau dragged Newt out into the sunlight. When he finished blinking, Newt realized they were back in the Kowloon bone slums, not far from the apothecary at Fong and Tull. 

That was exactly where Chau led him, accompanied by several of his bodyguards. They unlocked the front door and ushered Newt past the shattered apothecary jars, past the sliding shelves that now stood empty except for a series of perfect circles in the dust, and into the room where he had first met Hannibal Chau. 

Newt had started to get his hopes up, which was almost certainly stupid, but hope was a weed, and he was its ideal fucking soil conditions.

The PPDC knew about Hannibal’s base of operations. They would find him before anyone could hook him up to another kaiju brain and count down from three.

Then Chau shoved Newt towards his office, where he activated a second secret doorway. This one was behind a bookshelf, because: Of course it was. 

They had walked down a small, dark hallway, through a blast door, and into a room approximately the size of the K-Science lab, complete with kaiju brain. Leatherback’s residual spinal cord seemed to be waving Newt a lazy hello through the yellow formalin. 

“Oh, yeah,” Hannibal had said, snapping his fingers. “Forgot to mention. I also sold them my private kaiju bunker. Well, I sold it to one of their shell companies. They even let me pick out the name. I’m still workshopping names for my next business venture. I was thinking about going into human organs, but it seems like such a lateral move.”

Hannibal Chau’s private kaiju bunker was modest compared to the twelve-story fallout shelter complete with pool, spa, and top-of-the-line integrated smart home technology that had gone rogue and killed Elon Musk earlier that year, but it was certainly a nice bunker. There was even a Nespresso machine. 

A cultist in a red robe was making a cup of Hazelino Muffin. The smell permeated the relatively small space, and Newt must have been too used to crap coffee, because it made him fight to keep down his three cups of PPDC-regulation brake fluid. 

“Well….” Chau had said, almost awkwardly. “We probably won't be seeing each other again. I’d wish you luck with the next chapter of your life, but I think we both know this is the denouement.”

Newt was still gagged so he couldn't reply, but he did give Chau the middle finger. 

Then Chau had left him to the cultists. 

The cultists ignored Newt at first. They were preoccupied with his PONs unit, which looked sufficiently different from the official PPDC assembly drawings they had probably bought from Chau (who had probably bought them from Pentecost) to give them some trouble. Most PONs units didn't include a Milking Machine. 

Newt wondered if his net chance of survival would go up or down if he offered to help. Hermann could probably tell him. 

Thank fuck they didn't have Hermann. 

He began to work Chau's silk handkerchief out of his mouth, wishing sincerely all the while that he had not used it to blow his nose. 

Newt decided not to help on principle, but he did explain politely to the cultists that crashing a semi into a delicate piece of equipment required for an experiment was not, in fact, a practice supported by the larger scientific community. They ignored him. 

Next, he tried explaining politely to the cultists that they had angered the almighty kaiju with their mistreatment of the Messiah. 

They broke his index finger. 

Newt shut up after that. At least, until they hooked him up to Leatherback and started counting down. Then he begged a little bit. 

After what felt like years, they let him up for air. It still seemed hard to find. They were taking readings now, vitals, and pupil dilation. An IV port had been installed in his left elbow. He could taste the saline flush in the back of his mouth, but he had no way of knowing what had been in his IV during the drift. He hadn’t even felt them insert it.  

He felt narcotized. Maybe that was just the Precursors. Either way, Newt’s mind was not working quite right. 

Not that it had ever worked in a way that could be called neurotypical. In addition to several strains of anxiety, Newt had been diagnosed with Borderline Personality by a psychiatrist at MIT Health, who had at least followed that diagnosis up with a helpful breathing technique when it gave Newt a panic attack: in through your blunt, out through your mouth. 

Of course Newt had a personality disorder.

Although people were trying to change the name to Emotional Regulation Disorder, since the popularity of naming mental health issues after how much they annoyed other people was finally starting to wane. 

People with BPD experienced emotions with higher than average sensitivity and intensity. That was the root cause for a collection of seemingly disparate diagnostic criteria, from abandonment issues to suicidal ideation. 

One of the foremost non-academic texts on the subject, titled “I Hate You- Don't Leave Me,” described people with BPD as the third-degree burn victims of mental health, because they simply did not have any skin.

Eventually the cultists stopped shining penlights in Newt’s eyes and started strapping the PONs unit back onto his head. 

“Please stop! I’ll tell you about the kaiju! Just don’t-”

“Sam,” said the cultist at the controls. 

“Please!”

“Ji.”

“No!”

“Jat.”

...

@lastdaysofwar

[bloghrexach]

🇨🇩 … there is so much to learn!! So much is happening in this world!!

By: LaillaB, founder of ‘Reclaim the Narrative’, from LinkedIn …

“Western imperialism continues to leave a dark and enduring legacy across the globe, from The Congo to Palestine.

The devastating effects of exploitative inequality persist in these regions, corrupting communities and wreaking havoc on generations of natives.

Through the theft of land, exploitation of resources, and imposition of foreign rule, Western powers have left a trail of devastation in their wake.

The state of Israel was created on land that was illigitamelty taken from the Palestinian people, leading to decades of human rights violations and displacement against the natives.

The ongoing colonisation of Palestine continues to fuel violence and instability in the region, with devastating consequences for the Palestinian people … Genocide.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a victim of Western exploitation, with its vast mineral wealth being plundered by foreign powers for centuries.

During “The Butcher of Congo”, Belgium’s King Leopold II's brutal colonisation of the Congo Free State, estimates suggest that up to 10 million Congolese lost their lives and their rights are still being sacrificed as the wealth around them is stripped away.

Growing demand for so-called clean energy technologies has created a corresponding demand for certain metals, including copper, and cobalt, which is essential for making most lithium-ion batteries. The DRC has the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, and the seventh largest reserves of copper.

… Israel’s the worlds leader in exporting diamonds.

The intrusion by israel in 1997 marked a turning point as the DRC spiralled into chaos, highlighting the perilous consequences of external economic interests in politically fragile regions.

“Israel turns over about $28 billion in diamonds a year,” the Jerusalem Post pointed out, solidifying the industry's position as a cornerstone of the nation's economic power.

Israeli companies import rough diamonds for cutting and polishing, adding significantly to their value, and export them globally via distribution hubs in Antwerp, London, Hong Kong, New York and Mumbai.

Despite the introduction of the Kimberley Process in 2003 to regulate the trade of conflict diamonds, the narrow definition excludes cut and polished diamonds, allowing the flow of revenue to fund contentious activities.

This loophole enables the trade of de facto blood diamonds from Israel to persist in the global market, perpetuating a cycle of deceit and destruction.

Candy Ofime and Jean-Mobert Senga, Amnesty International researchers said: “We found repeated breaches of legal safeguards prescribed in international human rights law and standards, and national legislation, as well as blatant disregard for the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”

From The Congo 🇨🇩 to Palestine 🇵🇸 …

“The greatest menace to the world today is the growing, exploiting, irresponsible imperialism”

Mahatma Gandhi.

#reclaimthenarrative — 🍉🕊 — #FreePalestine … #FreeCongo … @hrexach

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Picks and Shovels is a new, standalone technothriller starring Marty Hench, my two-fisted, hard-fighting, tech-scam-busting forensic accountant. You can pre-order it on my latest Kickstarter, which features a brilliant audiobook read by Wil Wheaton.

#15yrsago ATM skimmer — could you spot it in the wild? https://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/01/would-you-have-spotted-the-fraud/

#15yrsago Italy proposes mandatory licenses for people who upload video https://web.archive.org/web/20100119020907/http://www.thestandard.com/news/2010/01/15/proposed-web-video-restrictions-cause-outrage-italy

#10yrsago Leaked US cybersecurity report singles out crypto as essential for security of private data https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/15/-sp-secret-us-cybersecurity-report-encryption-protect-data-cameron-paris-attacks

#10yrsago New editor at the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction https://locusmag.com/2015/01/finlay-named-editor-of-fsf/

#5yrsago Five steps for thinking about climate change without being overwhelmed by hopelessness https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/opinion/sunday/how-to-help-climate-change.html

#5yrsago The ten types of movie: orange and blue, sexy legs, blurry cop… https://twitter.com/leesteffen/status/1217167850009440257

#5yrsago American conspiracy theorists keep insisting on their right to trial by combat https://www.loweringthebar.net/2020/01/kansas-man-seeks-trial-by-combat.html

#5yrsago Major brands’ ads are showing up on climate deniers’ Youtube videos https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/16/21066906/youtube-climate-change-denial-avaaz-samsung-uber-nintendo

#5yrsago Hong Kong shoppers patronize “yellow” stores that support the uprising; while “blue” businesses that support the mainland are vandalized https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/hong-kong-protest-shoppers-build-yellow-economy-reward-businesses-that-support-their

#5yrsago Carriers ignore studies that show they suck at preventing SIM-swap attacks https://www.issms2fasecure.com/assets/sim_swaps-01-10-2020.pdf

#5yrsago Bill from Missouri’s Rep Ben Baker threatens librarians with prison sentences for allowing minors to read books banned by town committees https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/16/missouri-could-jail-librarians-for-lending-age-inappropriate-books-parental-oversight-of-public-libraries-bill

#5yrsago Court case lays bare KPMG’s crimes: poaching employees from its own regulators and making them steal government secrets https://www.pogo.org/investigations/how-accountants-took-washingtons-revolving-door-to-a-criminal-extreme

#1yrago American education has all the downsides of standardization, none of the upsides https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/16/flexibility-in-the-margins/#a-commons

Check out my Kickstarter to pre-order copies of my next novel, Picks and Shovels!

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 6.16 (after 1910)

1911 – IBM founded as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in Endicott, New York. 1922 – General election in the Irish Free State: The pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party wins a large majority. 1925 – Artek, the most famous Young Pioneer camp of the Soviet Union, is established. 1930 – Sovnarkom establishes decree time in the USSR. 1933 – The National Industrial Recovery Act is passed in the United States, allowing businesses to avoid antitrust prosecution if they establish voluntary wage, price, and working condition regulations on an industry-wide basis. 1940 – World War II: Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of State of Vichy France (Chef de l'État Français). 1940 – A Communist government is installed in Lithuania. 1948 – Members of the Malayan Communist Party kill three British plantation managers in Sungai Siput; in response, British Malaya declares a state of emergency. 1955 – In a futile effort to topple Argentine President Juan Perón, rogue aircraft pilots of the Argentine Navy drop several bombs upon an unarmed crowd demonstrating in favor of Perón in Buenos Aires, killing 364 and injuring at least 800. At the same time on the ground, some soldiers attempt to stage a coup but are suppressed by loyal forces. 1958 – Imre Nagy, Pál Maléter and other leaders of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising are executed. 1961 – While on tour with the Kirov Ballet in Paris, Rudolf Nureyev defects from the Soviet Union. 1963 – Soviet Space Program: Vostok 6 mission: Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. 1963 – In an attempt to resolve the Buddhist crisis in South Vietnam, a Joint Communique was signed between President Ngo Dinh Diem and Buddhist leaders. 1972 – The largest single-site hydroelectric power project in Canada is inaugurated at Churchill Falls Generating Station. 1976 – Soweto uprising: A non-violent march by 15,000 students in Soweto, South Africa, turns into days of rioting when police open fire on the crowd. 1977 – Oracle Corporation is incorporated in Redwood Shores, California, as Software Development Laboratories (SDL), by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates. 1981 – US President Ronald Reagan awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor, Canada's former ambassador to Iran, for helping six Americans escape from Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979–81; he is the first foreign citizen bestowed the honor. 1989 – Revolutions of 1989: Imre Nagy, the former Hungarian prime minister, is reburied in Budapest following the collapse of Communism in Hungary. 1997 – Fifty people are killed in the Daïat Labguer (M'sila) massacre in Algeria. 2000 – The Secretary-General of the UN reports that Israel has complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 22 years after its issuance, and completely withdrew from Lebanon. The Resolution does not encompass the Shebaa farms, which is claimed by Israel, Syria and Lebanon. 2002 – Padre Pio is canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. 2010 – Bhutan becomes the first country to institute a total ban on tobacco. 2012 – China successfully launches its Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, carrying three astronauts, including the first female Chinese astronaut Liu Yang, to the Tiangong-1 orbital module. 2012 – The United States Air Force's robotic Boeing X-37B spaceplane returns to Earth after a classified 469-day orbital mission. 2013 – A multi-day cloudburst, centered on the North Indian state of Uttarakhand, causes devastating floods and landslides, becoming the country's worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami. 2015 – American businessman Donald Trump announces his campaign to run for President of the United States in the upcoming election. 2016 – Shanghai Disneyland Park, the first Disney Park in Mainland China, opens to the public. 2019 – Upwards of 2,000,000 people participate in the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, the largest in Hong Kong's history.

[panchitacarmensita]

A Guide to Navigating Corporate Legal Requirements in Hong Kong

Operating a business in Hong Kong comes with ample opportunities but also an array of legal and regulatory requirements that corporations must comply with. Failing to adhere to the rules around company formation, securities trading, taxation, employment and other key areas can land your business in hot water. This guide outlines the major legal landscape that HK corporations should be aware of.

Choosing a Business Structure

One of the first steps is deciding how you will formally constitute your HK company. Common structures for small to mid-sized companies include a Private Limited Company and Limited Company. Key legal paperwork includes filing Articles of Association and a Memorandum that specifies company objectives and structure. You’ll also need to formally issue company shares and understand share classes as well as share types like ordinary or preference shares with varying ownership rights. Statutory meetings must be held annually.

Following Securities Trading Laws

If your company seeks investment from the public, then you must comply with Hong Kong securities regulations around registering prospectuses, issuing financial reports and disclosing shareholder equity changes, governed overall by the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO). Listed firms face continuing regulatory burdens around price sensitive information – any data that may impact share prices must be announced. Insider trading is also tightly regulated under SFO, least employees use undisclosed financial information for profit.

Paying Taxes and Filing Returns

As a HK corporation, key taxes will include Profits Tax on company earnings as well as potential Withholding Tax on payments like royalties or service fees sent overseas. Proper calculation of tax residency status is essential to determine tax exposure. Audited accounts may be required, and tax returns generally must be filed annually under strict guidelines. FAILURE_DETECTED

Meeting Employment, Payroll Regulations

Critical employment law issues span offering employment contracts that meet government standards on pay, overtime, leave policies and more per Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance. Preventing discrimination and sexual harassment is also mandated. Retirement schemes equivalent to at least the Minimum Wage level (currently HK$37.5 hourly) must be provided. Consult deeply on hiring and termination best practices.

Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

Register trademarks and patents early to establish legal ownership over key company innovations and brands in the Hong Kong market. Also enact document management procedures focused on retaining contracts, transaction records, board minutes and other materials that may be involved in potential disputes or investigations for 6-7 years as best practice.

The regulatory pressures on HK corporations are significant, but with proper legal guidance around formation, trading, hiring, tax policies and IP rights, your company can securely navigate the Hong Kong landscape. Government agencies like InvestHK provide additional resources on ongoing compliance requirements as corporate policies evolve. Taking a conservative approach with oversight from your company secretary or legal team is wise as your business grows and expands.

[tinazb]

Completing career placement over the kiosk as a customer service representative at YYZ, terminal#3 with Cathay Pacific Airways has provided a fantastic experience and feeling.

Technically, it is my second week working as a customer service representative at Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is an excellent opportunity to grow my knowledge and experience in the workplace with such a successful and popular airline as Cathay Pacific.

There are many passengers every day who are looking for their boarding passes and bag tags by the kiosk and our job is to handle with them.

Let’s have an in-depth look at various classes of tickets in CX airline. It breaks down into by Economy, which has three subsequences;

light, essential, flexi

Premium Economy,

Business class

And it’s good to know that Cathay Pacific Airways is a Part of One world alliance with memberships like Emaraled, diomond, gold, silver, Ruby.

According to transport Canada and based on the Cathay Pacific policy and regulation each passenger in Economy light class is allowed to have one piece of checked bag no more than 23 Kilograms and also can have one hand bag and one cabin bag no exceeding than 7 kilograms in total. However, all passengers in premium economy and essential and flexi economy + business class can carry 2 checked bags and 2 pieces of cabin bags with the weight limit of 15 kilograms.

Here is my scenarios with two passengers who were traveling to Hong Kong while one of them had a luggage with broken handles at two sides and I had an issue to place the tag on his bag which has only one strap around it that looks firm enough to be tagged on. Anyway, I tagged it and sent him to the drop bag counter and I just reported his bag with that condition at the counter.

Another passenger was a young student who wanted to check her carry 0n through the kiosk. I took her a bag tag and stuck it on the carry-on’s hand, but I missed checking another side of the bag, which already had an old tag. I usually check the bags for any old tags to be removed before they get the new ones, but I forgot to check about this one, and it caused me a notice and reminder from the manager on duty. So, every day is a new experience and learning new things. “Never stop learning since life never stops teaching. “😊🌹

[s4g2]

Harnessing Global SEO Power: Tailoring Strategies to Flourish in International Markets

The world is more connected than ever. Businesses, irrespective of their size, have the potential to reach a global audience. But as opportunities expand, so does the complexity of tapping into new markets. Each country, with its distinct cultural and digital footprint, demands a unique SEO approach. At S4G2 Marketing Agency, we delve deep into these intricacies, crafting tailor-made strategies for each nation. Let's embark on a journey across the world, exploring our specialized SEO services for various countries.

Australia and New Zealand: SEO Down Under

Whether it's Sydney's bustling marketplaces or Auckland's thriving hubs, businesses in the Australasian region need a unique approach. Localized content that resonates with the ANZAC spirit combined with mobile-optimized strategies makes for a winning formula here.

European Majors: France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain

Europe is a melting pot of cultures, languages, and digital behaviors. Each country, be it the fashion-centric Parisians or the tech-savvy Berliners, demands a distinct strategy. Our approach leans into cultural nuances while respecting GDPR and other regional regulations.

Emerging Powerhouses: India, Brazil, Nigeria, Indonesia

Rapidly growing economies with a vast digital footprint, these countries present immense opportunities. Local languages, mobile-first approaches, and understanding the pulse of the youth are key here.

Asian Tigers: Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia

With a strong emphasis on technology and innovation, businesses here need to be ahead of the curve. Incorporating the latest in tech trends, like AI and AR, into SEO strategies can be particularly rewarding.

North American Giants: United States and Canada

Arguably the most competitive markets, the US and Canada require a blend of localized and broad-reaching strategies. Keeping up with the ever-evolving algorithms of major search engines is paramount.

Nordic Nations: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark

Known for their tech-savviness, the Nordic countries appreciate well-structured, user-friendly websites. Transparent, ethical SEO practices resonate well with the audience here.

Eastern European Blend: Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria

A mix of languages and cultures, Eastern Europe demands regional and local SEO. Focusing on local directories and integrating with regional social networks can yield great results.

Middle Eastern Gems: UAE, Israel, Iraq

Businesses looking to penetrate these markets need to understand the delicate balance of modernity and tradition. Multilingual SEO, especially with Arabic content, is key.

African Potential: South Africa, Zimbabwe

While still in the nascent stages of the digital revolution, Africa presents vast opportunities. Mobile-focused strategies, combined with local content, are the way forward.

Latin American Charm: Mexico, Belize, Brazil

Spanish, Portuguese, and a host of indigenous languages make this region unique. Engaging with local influencers and creating culturally resonant content is vital.

Rest of the World: From Austria to Vietnam

Every nation, be it the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland or the bustling streets of Tokyo, has its own digital signature. At S4G2 Marketing Agency, we understand and respect these distinctions. By crafting bespoke strategies, we ensure businesses don't just reach their target audience; they resonate with them.

Conclusion:

In today's digital age, the world is your marketplace. But global reach demands global understanding. At S4G2 Marketing Agency, our expertise spans continents, ensuring your business's voice is heard, understood, and appreciated, no matter where your audience is. Dive into the world of possibilities with our tailored global SEO solutions.

Find SEO Services & SEO Expert on Facebook Below:

SEO Services Australia

SEO Services Bangladesh

SEO Services Cameroon

SEO Services Nepal

SEO Services Greece

SEO Services Indonesia

SEO Services Jordan

SEO Services Lebanon

SEO Services New Zealand

SEO Services Pakistan

SEO Services Canada

SEO Services Singapore

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SEO Services United States

SEO Services Cambodia

SEO Services Afghanistan

SEO Services Albania

SEO Services Algeria

SEO Services Angola

SEO Services Argentina

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SEO Services Azerbaijan

SEO Services Bahrain

SEO Services Barbados

SEO Services Belarus

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SEO Services Benin

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SEO Services Brazil

SEO Services Bulgaria

SEO Services Chile

SEO Services China

SEO Services Costa Rica

SEO Services Cyprus

SEO Services Czech Republic

SEO Services Dubai

SEO Services Egypt

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SEO Services France

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SEO Services Hong Kong

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SEO Services Malaysia

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SEO Services Jamaica

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SEO Services Kenya

SEO Services Kuwait

SEO Services Malta

SEO Services Mauritius

SEO Services Mexico

SEO Services Moldova

SEO Services Morocco

SEO Services Nigeria

SEO Services Philippines

SEO Services Russia

SEO Services Saudi Arabia

SEO Services Somalia

SEO Services South Africa

SEO Services Sri Lanka

SEO Services Sudan

SEO Services Sweden

SEO Services Switzerland

SEO Services Venezuela

SEO Services Zimbabwe

SEO Services Thailand

SEO Services Vietnam

SEO Services Botswana

[percypaints]

I couldn't believe that as someone who grew up in Hong Kong, I was also propagandised. It's really no different from the credit score systems in the West (it wasn't even for citizens originally!! But for regulating businesses). By 2023, it wasn't even in common use anymore.

Important conversations happening over here.

[fortuneviews]

Alchemy Pay Funds UK’s LaPay for Worldwide Web3 Growth

Alchemy Pay, a prominent player in the Web3 payment solutions sector, has recently expanded its global footprint by investing in LaPay, a UK-based FinTech firm specializing in fostering international business growth. LaPay, which boasts an Authorized Payment Institution (API) license and is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), represents a significant step for Alchemy Pay in its strategic plan to obtain more than 20 licenses across key global markets, including the U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and South Korea.

For more details please visit our website : https://www.fortuneviews.com/alchemy-pay-funds-uks-lapay-for-worldwide-web3-growth/

[dreamcountry-visas]

🇰🇳 Unlock Global Mobility with St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP).

Looking for a hassle-free way to secure a second citizenship? St. Kitts & Nevis offers one of the most well-established and respected Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP), allowing individuals to gain citizenship through a straightforward investment process.

Why Consider the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program?

Visa-Free Access: Holders of a St. Kitts & Nevis passport can enjoy visa-free travel to more than 150 destinations, including the EU, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Family Inclusion: This program allows you to include your spouse, children, and other dependent family members in your application.

Appealing Investment Choices:

(a) Real Estate Investment: You can invest in approved real estate projects starting at $200,000 for a share or $400,000 for full ownership.

(b) Contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF): A donation begins at $150,000 for individual applicants.

(c) Quick Processing: Known for its swift and efficient processing, the program can often be completed in just 3 to 6 months. (d)Tax Advantages: Benefit from favorable tax regulations, including no wealth, inheritance, gift, or income tax.

How to Get Started?

Step 1: Select your investment route: Real Estate or SIDF Donation. Step 2: Submit your application through an authorized agent or agency. Step 3: The government will conduct due diligence. Step 4: Once approved, make your investment and receive your St. Kitts & Nevis passport.

More Than Just Travel Benefits: In addition to global mobility, obtaining a second citizenship can offer your family a safety net, enhanced financial flexibility, and access to business opportunities in the Caribbean and beyond.

Ready to Move Forward? If you're interested in the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program, connect with an authorized agent who can assist you throughout the process.

2.St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP): Your Pathway to Global Opportunities. The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) stands as one of the most established and reliable avenues for obtaining a second citizenship worldwide.

Launched in 1984, it offers a swift and effective route to citizenship in one of the Caribbean's most beautiful and economically sound nations. Whether you seek enhanced travel freedom, tax advantages, or new business ventures, the St. Kitts & Nevis CIP has plenty to offer.

In this article, we will explore the costs involved, the eligibility requirements, the citizenship application process, and even the option of acquiring St. Kitts citizenship through descent.

#Overview of the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program: St. Kitts & Nevis is a sovereign federation in the Caribbean, made up of two islands celebrated for their stunning scenery, pristine beaches, and friendly locals. The CIP enables individuals to secure full citizenship by making a qualifying investment in the nation. Through this initiative, applicants and their families can obtain a St. Kitts & Nevis passport, which grants access to numerous benefits, including visa-free travel to over 150 countries, tax incentives, and the peace of mind that comes with holding a second passport.

#Investment Options for the St. Kitts & Nevis CIP: The St. Kitts CIP provides two main investment pathways Real Estate Investment: Applicants can invest in government-approved real estate projects, with a minimum investment of $200,000 (for a share in the property) or $400,000 (for full ownership). These investments can be sold after 7 years, offering the potential to recover some of the initial investment.

#Contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF): This option requires a non-refundable donation to the SIDF, which funds national development initiatives. The starting cost is $150,000 for a single applicant.

3. Cost Overview for St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program

(i) Single Applicant Donation (SIDF): Starting at $150,000 (ii) Family of Four (SIDF): Starting at $195,000 (iii)Real Estate Investment (Full Ownership): Begins at $400,000 (iv) Real Estate Investment (Share Ownership): Begins at $200,000

In addition to the investment amounts, applicants should also consider government fees, due diligence fees, legal fees, and processing fees, which can vary based on family size and the chosen investment option.

Government Processing Fees: Generally range from $25,000 to $50,000 for the main applicant, depending on family size.

Due Diligence Fees: Typically between $7,500 and $10,000 per applicant.

Legal Fees: These can vary by agent, but you can expect to pay around $5,000 to $10,000.

4. St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Descent Besides the investment route, individuals may qualify for St. Kitts & Nevis citizenship by descent. This option allows descendants of Kittitian or Nevisian citizens to apply for citizenship, even if they were born outside the nation. To pursue citizenship by descent, applicants must demonstrate that at least one of their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents was a citizen of St. Kitts & Nevis. This can be a beneficial choice for those with Caribbean heritage, as it often provides a quicker and more cost-effective path to citizenship compared to the investment program.

(a) Eligibility for Citizenship by Descent:

> A direct bloodline to a St. Kitts & Nevis citizen (parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent).

>Proof of the ancestor’s citizenship through birth, marriage, or other official documents.

>Application forms and supporting materials, including a birth certificate, family tree, and relevant legal documents.

(b) St. Kitts & Nevis Passport: Benefits & Advantages Acquiring a St. Kitts & Nevis passport through the CIP or descent offers several significant benefits, such as: > Visa-Free Travel: Holders of a St. Kitts & Nevis passport can travel to over 150 countries without needing a visa or can obtain a visa upon arrival. This includes popular destinations like the Schengen Area, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore, making it a fantastic advantage for those looking to explore the world.

>Tax Benefits: St. Kitts & Nevis boasts a very appealing tax structure, with no inheritance tax, estate tax, capital gains tax, or wealth tax. This makes it a prime choice for individuals who value financial independence and confidentiality.

>Security & Stability: This Caribbean nation provides a serene and stable atmosphere, coupled with a growing economy, making it a perfect place for families in search of safety and a high standard of living.

>Business Opportunities: A St. Kitts & Nevis passport opens doors to numerous business prospects in both local and international markets, especially within the Caribbean.

>Dual Citizenship: The country permits dual citizenship, allowing applicants to keep their original citizenship while reaping the benefits of being a citizen of St. Kitts & Nevis.

5.The Application Process for St. Kitts & Nevis CIPThe process to apply for the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program is quite simple but requires careful attention to detail. Here’s a general outline of the steps involved:

Choose Your Investment Route: Decide whether you want to invest in real estate or make a donation to the SIDF.

Select an Authorized Agent: Applicants must go through an authorized agent who will assist you throughout the process and ensure that all documentation is correctly completed.

Due Diligence & Documentation: Provide all required documents, including passports, birth certificates, and proof of funds, for the due diligence phase. This step is critical in the application process.

Government Approval: Once you pass the due diligence check, your application will be forwarded to the government of St. Kitts & Nevis for approval.

Make the Investment: After receiving approval, you will be required to proceed with your investment (either real estate or donation).

Receive Citizenship & Passport: After your investment is confirmed, you and your family will be awarded citizenship and will receive your St. Kitts & Nevis passports. This process typically takes between 3 to 6 months, making it one of the quickest ways to secure second citizenship in the Caribbean.

Conclusion The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program is an excellent option for those seeking enhanced freedom, business prospects, and global mobility. Whether you choose to invest in real estate or make a contribution to the SIDF, St. Kitts & Nevis provides one of the most appealing and efficient pathways to second citizenship.Moreover, for individuals with ancestral connections to the islands, citizenship by descent offers a more cost-effective way to obtain a St. Kitts & Nevis passport.If you're thinking about applying for the St. Kitts & Nevis CIP, it's crucial to collaborate with an authorized agent who can help you navigate the intricacies of the process and ensure your application fulfills all necessary criteria.

With the added perks of visa-free travel, tax benefits, and a robust passport, St. Kitts & Nevis can be a smart choice for those looking to broaden their global horizons.

[gowine7172]

The Role of Bare Metal Servers in Cloud Infrastructure

Introduction to Security in Tier 3+ Data Centers

Security is one of the top priorities for businesses using Tier 3+ data centers to host their bare metal servers. These data centers provide robust physical and network hong kong dedicated server security features designed to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyberattacks, ensuring the safety and integrity of critical infrastructure and data.

Physical Security: Limiting Unauthorized Access

Tier 3+ data centers employ strict physical security measures to safeguard hardware and data. These include biometric authentication systems, multi-factor access controls, and security guards. Entry points are monitored around the clock through video surveillance, ensuring only authorized personnel have access, preventing physical theft or tampering with servers and equipment.

Fire Suppression and Disaster Recovery Systems

Fire suppression systems are critical in protecting servers from fire hazards. Tier 3+ data centers use advanced fire detection and suppression systems, such as gas-based fire extinguishing agents. Additionally, these data centers incorporate disaster recovery systems that ensure backup power and data storage are available in case of an emergency or natural disaster.

Network Security: Preventing Cyberattacks

Protecting against cyberattacks is essential for any data center. Tier 3+ facilities implement state-of-the-art network security features, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and advanced encryption techniques. These measures prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data, helping businesses secure their networks and minimize the risk of cyber threats.

DDoS Protection in Tier 3+ Data Centers

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are a significant concern for businesses with high online traffic. Tier 3+ data centers offer DDoS protection, using advanced traffic filtering mechanisms to identify and block malicious traffic before it reaches the servers. This ensures that services remain available even during an attempted DDoS attack.

Compliance with Industry Regulations

Tier 3+ data centers are designed to meet various industry security standards and regulatory requirements. These facilities comply with standards like ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SSAE 16. This ensures that businesses utilizing these data centers are also meeting compliance obligations related to data privacy and security, which is critical for regulated industries.

Redundant Security Systems for Maximum Protection

Redundancy is built into every layer of security in Tier 3+ data centers. Backup systems ensure continuous operation of security protocols, even if one system fails. Redundant power supplies, network connections, and cooling mechanisms all ensure that servers remain protected in any scenario. This multi-layered approach strengthens overall security.

Data Encryption for Enhanced Privacy

Data encryption is a key feature in maintaining privacy and security. Tier 3+ data centers use both at-rest and in-transit encryption protocols to protect data from unauthorized access. This ensures that any sensitive information, whether stored or being transferred, is encrypted and secure from potential data breaches and cyber-attacks.

Continuous Monitoring for Threat Detection

Tier 3+ data centers are equipped with advanced monitoring systems that continuously track both physical and network-based threats. These systems can detect anomalies or potential vulnerabilities in real time, enabling rapid response and mitigation. Continuous monitoring ensures that any security breaches are identified immediately, preventing potential damage to infrastructure.

Conclusion: Strengthening Security with Tier 3+ Data Centers

The security features of Tier 3+ data centers provide businesses with peace of mind when hosting critical infrastructure and bare metal servers. With advanced physical security, network protection, and compliance with industry standards, these data centers ensure that your data and operations remain safe. Robust security is vital for successful business continuity.