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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rennie Naidoo, Professor of Information Systems, University of the Witwatersrand

    If you visit a commercial mining operation anywhere in the world today, some sights and sounds – workers descending in elevators to underground shafts, the roar of truck engines – will be much the same as they have been for decades.

    But, like many other industries, mining is changing. Digital mining involves the use of digital technologies to make mining operations more efficient, safer, and sustainable. This industry emerged about a decade ago and has developed quickly over the past few years. This uptick is the result of recent advances in sensor technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning.

    However, while technology improves, old problems persist. Large-scale mining causes massive deforestation in regions like the Amazon. It also threatens and displaces communities, as in the case of Brazil’s Xikrin and Kayapó people. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the mining of cobalt, copper and coltan (all crucial for modern technology) contaminates local water supplies and puts workers – including children – in danger.

    Read more: What coltan mining in the DRC costs people and the environment

    Is it time to make mining obsolete? This is not a realistic solution, at least not in the near future. Many modern technologies, like smartphones, electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines, depend on minerals extracted through mining. The global move towards renewable energy and low-carbon technologies means demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt is rising.

    So, while mining has environmental costs, it’s also critical in the shift to a greener economy. And mining is economically important in many parts of the world. In African countries it supports millions of jobs and contributes significantly to GDP.

    This is why sustainable mining is crucial. I am a professor of information systems. I investigate the complex interactions between technology, people and organisations in achieving sustainability goals. In a recent paper with a co-author, I examined how digital technologies could help mining operations to balance economic objectives with environmental and social sustainability.

    The findings make it clear that digital technologies can transform mining practices and achieve sustainability goals at the same time.

    Economic outcomes

    Our paper took the form of a case study. We interviewed professionals from a leading digital mining solutions company. It has operations in South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Chile and the United States. The interviewees were engineers, senior managers and executives. They offered a glimpse into how their large-scale mining clients were using digital technologies like automated haul trucks and collision avoidance systems.

    We wanted to know how their clients saw the role of digital technology in balancing business and other goals. They outlined some successful cases and others where companies were struggling to align all their aims.

    It was clear that the company and its clients recognised the importance of safety and environmental issues in their work. But they saw these issues through the lens of business sustainability. For instance, while some mining companies pursued safety improvements, they did it primarily to boost productivity and bring down costs.

    One interviewee gave the example of collision avoidance systems. Companies valued these because they reduced downtime and improved productivity. They focused on immediate business needs.

    A balancing act

    It’s time for mining companies that are serious about sustainability to shift their focus. Rather than simply looking to make immediate profits, they need to consider environmental and social impacts – and the role digital technology can play.

    As a simple example, AI can predict when machinery is likely to fail. This allows companies to carry out timely maintenance. Equipment lifespan is extended. Downtime and repair costs are reduced. And worker safety is improved because there are fewer unexpected breakdowns. This is the kind of sustainable approach, underpinned by digital technology, that can help mining companies tick all the right boxes.

    Mining leaders must not exclude employees and stakeholders when considering these issues. Environmental advocates have a role to play, too: companies must work with these groups and with local communities. A shared understanding of how digital technologies can meet both financial and sustainability targets is key.

    Mining companies are more likely to change if there are clear financial benefits or penalties tied to sustainability. Governments can help by introducing stricter environmental regulations and offering incentives to adopt sustainable digital technologies. In South Africa, for instance, there are tax incentives and subsidies to encourage the use of renewable energy in mining. These measures, expanded recently in response to the country’s energy crisis, have sparked significant investment in solar power.

    Read more: Africa doesn’t have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

    When paired with digital monitoring systems, renewable energy solutions can enhance efficiency by optimising energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. Technologies like AI-driven energy management systems can help mines integrate renewable sources with less energy wastage. Thus, tax breaks or subsidies for digital solutions that support green energy adoption could motivate companies to embrace greener and more tech-driven mining practices.

    Consumers and investors, meanwhile, should invest in those mining companies that demonstrate responsible practices. Ethical investment funds need to support companies with strong environmental, social, and governance credentials.

    – Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in
    – https://theconversation.com/mining-must-become-more-responsible-and-sustainable-where-hi-tech-solutions-fit-in-240558

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: President appoints Jakub Seidler as a new member of the Bank Board

    Source: Czech National Bank

    Jakub Seidler is to become a new member of the Bank Board of the Czech National Bank (CNB), taking office on 1 December 2024. President Petr Pavel appointed him to the Czech central bank’s supreme governing body today.

    Jakub Seidler graduated in economics from the Institute of Economic Studies at Charles University in Prague, where he also completed his PhD. He has also undertaken a number of research stays abroad and courses in econometric methods, financial stability and central banking. He returns to the CNB after ten years. In 2008–2014, he held various expert positions at the central bank, specifically in the Financial Stability Department, the Economic Research Department and the Monetary Department. He also served as chief economist at ING Bank and the Czech Banking Association.

    The Bank Board is the supreme governing body of the CNB. Its main activities include setting monetary and macroprudential policy and the instruments for implementing them, and making decisions on measures in the area of financial market supervision. It has seven members appointed by the President of the Czech Republic for up to two terms of six years.

    The current members of the CNB Bank Board are Governor Aleš Michl, Deputy Governor Eva Zamrazilová, Deputy Governor Jan Frait and Bank Board members Karina Kubelková, Jan Kubíček, Jan Procházka and Tomáš Holub. Jakub Seidler will fill a vacant position on the Bank Board after Tomáš Holub’s mandate expires on 30 November 2024.

    Jakub Holas
    Director, Communications Division

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Sudan: Urgent need for civilian protection in wake of escalating violence  

    Source: Amnesty International –

    All parties to the ongoing conflict in Sudan must end attacks on civilians, said Amnesty International, in the wake of escalating violence in towns and villages across Gezira state over the past week.

    Relatives of victims interviewed remotely by Amnesty International said that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked Tamboul, Rufaa, Al-Hilaliya, Al- Seriha and Al-Uzibah in eastern Gezira state, killing people in their homes, in markets and on the streets, and looting property including from markets and hospitals. Thousands of people have also been displaced according to the UN.

    “All countries fueling this brutal conflict must immediately cease direct and indirect supplies of all arms and ammunition to both sides and respect and enforce the UN Security Council’s arms embargo regime on Darfur.”

    “The reports of extreme violence coming out from Sudan’s Gezira state are alarming. Amnesty International calls on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to end all indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilians across the country.  All parties to the conflict must also allow safe passage to civilians trying to flee conflict areas and ensure that they facilitate unimpeded and unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to all in need without discrimination,” said Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah.

    “All countries fueling this brutal conflict must immediately cease direct and indirect supplies of all arms and ammunition to both sides and respect and enforce the UN Security Council’s arms embargo regime on Darfur.”

    All countries fueling this brutal conflict must immediately cease direct and indirect supplies of all arms and ammunition to both sides and respect and enforce the UN Security Council’s arms embargo regime on Darfur.

    Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

    A close relative of some of the victims, who is currently in Kassala city, said:

    “On 20 October, my 42-year-old cousin and three other close relatives were killed by the RSF in Tamboul. My cousin was killed in his home and the other relatives were killed in the market.”

    Three other people whose relatives were impacted by the attacks in Gezira told Amnesty International that some of their family members are still missing. One relative said:

    “My father, my aunt, my stepmother, my two uncles, my younger brother and my grandmother are all missing, they lived in Tamboul – which was attacked on Sunday 20 October by the RSF and that is the last time we heard from them. We do not know if they are alive or dead, we are completely devastated.”

    On 20 October, my 42-year-old cousin and three other close relatives were killed by the RSF in Tamboul. My cousin was killed in his home and the other relatives were killed in the market.

    Relative to victims of latest attacks

    Background

    Following the defection to the SAF of Abu Aqla Keikel, a former RSF commander in Gezira state, on 20 October, the RSF launched retaliatory attacks on towns and villages in the eastern part of Gezira state targeting communities in that area.

    According to the UN, at least 25 cases of sexual violence were reported in several villages in Sharq Al-Jazira locality.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rennie Naidoo, Professor of Information Systems, University of the Witwatersrand

    Digital technologies can make mining more sustainable. Sunshine Seeds/Shutterstock/For editorial use only

    If you visit a commercial mining operation anywhere in the world today, some sights and sounds – workers descending in elevators to underground shafts, the roar of truck engines – will be much the same as they have been for decades.

    But, like many other industries, mining is changing. Digital mining involves the use of digital technologies to make mining operations more efficient, safer, and sustainable. This industry emerged about a decade ago and has developed quickly over the past few years. This uptick is the result of recent advances in sensor technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning.

    However, while technology improves, old problems persist. Large-scale mining causes massive deforestation in regions like the Amazon. It also threatens and displaces communities, as in the case of Brazil’s Xikrin and Kayapó people. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the mining of cobalt, copper and coltan (all crucial for modern technology) contaminates local water supplies and puts workers – including children – in danger.



    Read more:
    What coltan mining in the DRC costs people and the environment

    Is it time to make mining obsolete? This is not a realistic solution, at least not in the near future. Many modern technologies, like smartphones, electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines, depend on minerals extracted through mining. The global move towards renewable energy and low-carbon technologies means demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt is rising.

    So, while mining has environmental costs, it’s also critical in the shift to a greener economy. And mining is economically important in many parts of the world. In African countries it supports millions of jobs and contributes significantly to GDP.

    This is why sustainable mining is crucial. I am a professor of information systems. I investigate the complex interactions between technology, people and organisations in achieving sustainability goals. In a recent paper with a co-author, I examined how digital technologies could help mining operations to balance economic objectives with environmental and social sustainability.

    The findings make it clear that digital technologies can transform mining practices and achieve sustainability goals at the same time.

    Economic outcomes

    Our paper took the form of a case study. We interviewed professionals from a leading digital mining solutions company. It has operations in South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Chile and the United States. The interviewees were engineers, senior managers and executives. They offered a glimpse into how their large-scale mining clients were using digital technologies like automated haul trucks and collision avoidance systems.

    We wanted to know how their clients saw the role of digital technology in balancing business and other goals. They outlined some successful cases and others where companies were struggling to align all their aims.

    It was clear that the company and its clients recognised the importance of safety and environmental issues in their work. But they saw these issues through the lens of business sustainability. For instance, while some mining companies pursued safety improvements, they did it primarily to boost productivity and bring down costs.

    One interviewee gave the example of collision avoidance systems. Companies valued these because they reduced downtime and improved productivity. They focused on immediate business needs.

    A balancing act

    It’s time for mining companies that are serious about sustainability to shift their focus. Rather than simply looking to make immediate profits, they need to consider environmental and social impacts – and the role digital technology can play.

    As a simple example, AI can predict when machinery is likely to fail. This allows companies to carry out timely maintenance. Equipment lifespan is extended. Downtime and repair costs are reduced. And worker safety is improved because there are fewer unexpected breakdowns. This is the kind of sustainable approach, underpinned by digital technology, that can help mining companies tick all the right boxes.

    Mining leaders must not exclude employees and stakeholders when considering these issues. Environmental advocates have a role to play, too: companies must work with these groups and with local communities. A shared understanding of how digital technologies can meet both financial and sustainability targets is key.

    Mining companies are more likely to change if there are clear financial benefits or penalties tied to sustainability. Governments can help by introducing stricter environmental regulations and offering incentives to adopt sustainable digital technologies. In South Africa, for instance, there are tax incentives and subsidies to encourage the use of renewable energy in mining. These measures, expanded recently in response to the country’s energy crisis, have sparked significant investment in solar power.



    Read more:
    Africa doesn’t have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

    When paired with digital monitoring systems, renewable energy solutions can enhance efficiency by optimising energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. Technologies like AI-driven energy management systems can help mines integrate renewable sources with less energy wastage. Thus, tax breaks or subsidies for digital solutions that support green energy adoption could motivate companies to embrace greener and more tech-driven mining practices.

    Consumers and investors, meanwhile, should invest in those mining companies that demonstrate responsible practices. Ethical investment funds need to support companies with strong environmental, social, and governance credentials.

    Rennie Naidoo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in – https://theconversation.com/mining-must-become-more-responsible-and-sustainable-where-hi-tech-solutions-fit-in-240558

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Africa’s flagship universities have a proud history – but are they serving local communities?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By James Ransom, Researcher: societal challenges, UCL

    Students pictured in 1955 in a reading room at what is today the University of Ibadan. Flagship universities have long histories. Evans/Three Lions/Getty Images

    Universities play a number of crucial roles in society. They educate students, research solutions to problems and serve as spaces for national debate. This is especially true for large public institutions, often referred to as flagship universities. A number were launched with great fanfare around the time of a country’s independence from colonial rule. They were tasked with driving national development by training skilled graduates to fill workforce gaps and conducting applied research to address societal challenges. Many have done well in their historic national missions. But how are they performing today when it comes to serving their local communities?

    Higher education researcher James Ransom set out to answer this question in his new book, Revisiting Africa’s Flagship Universities: Local, National and International Dynamics. He analysed local engagement at ten African flagship universities: Ethiopia’s University of Addis Ababa; Makerere University in Uganda; the universities of Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe; the University of Cape Town in South Africa and Nigeria’s University of Ibadan. He tells The Conversation Africa what he learned.

    What is a flagship university?

    They are pillars of the nation: their campuses are intertwined with history as sites of protest and revolution; their researchers lead the way in publications and research; their students are tomorrow’s leaders.

    Sometimes there is one flagship in a country. Sometimes a country will be home to several. In Nigeria, the University of Ibadan is joined by the University of Nigeria at Nsukka.

    Small, specialist institutions and private universities all play important roles in national higher education systems. But flagships are the trendsetters. They often mentor new universities by seconding senior staff to lead them, and helping design the curricula. Their staff sit on government committees. They have international partnerships and projects.

    The term “flagship” has been used elsewhere in the world, not just in post-colonial countries. In the book I focused on Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa, including countries that were not traditional colonial states, such as Ethiopia.



    Read more:
    The untold story of how Africa’s flagship universities have advanced

    What made you write this book and why now?

    In the UK, where I live, we have seen a shift in the expectations placed upon universities.

    The “redbrick” universities, such as Birmingham and Liverpool, are a good example. They were founded in the 19th century to meet local needs. Then they developed strong global ambitions over the next hundred years, excelling in world-leading research and innovation.

    During the past couple of decades, the local question returned: what are you doing to serve your local community? The redbricks (and many others) have responded – nudged along by national policies and frameworks – with serious programmes of civic engagement. These include projects designed with communities, seconding staff into local planning organisations, and opening up their campuses to communities – from 5-a-side football pitches to photography exhibitions.

    The shift I witnessed in the UK, and mirrored in my work across Europe and Canada, made me wonder: has a similar shift, from a historic national mission to a local one, taken place for African universities?

    The question is timely. Societal challenges may be national or global in scale. But they need local knowledge and local partnerships to solve at the local level. This means universities working with local government, which is a key focus of my work. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has calculated that 100 of the 169 UN Sustainable Development Goal targets can only be achieved if local governments are involved. Universities can play an important supporting role.

    What did you find?

    It is clear that flagship universities’ local work is growing and will continue to grow. For instance, Addis Ababa University established a railway engineering centre to train engineers to maintain the city’s light rail transit system, with students employed by the Ethiopian Railway Corporation. The University of Ghana runs satellite campuses in all ten regional capitals. This allows it to reach remote areas and to establish a local presence in different regions.

    Successful projects often emerge from deep links with local communities. Ibadan has worked closely with a few communities over many decades. These “field laboratories” include a community health programme in the village of Ibarapa, which began in the early 1960s with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and technical support from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

    The programme has trained hundreds of medical students in community medicine through practical work in rural areas, while also improving health services and conducting research on health issues in the Ibarapa community. An example is studying and addressing neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and guinea worm.

    In 2020 the University of Ibadan signed a memorandum of understanding with the local government on the Ibarapa programme. Over half a century after it began, local partnerships continue to sustain the programme.

    However, a national focus continues to dominate at all ten institutions I studied. This is perhaps best illustrated by the University of Rwanda. Local engagement activity is secondary to the nation’s development strategy spearheaded by its Vision 2050, an ambitious effort to become an upper-middle income country in the next 25 years.

    There is some local activity, of course. Students provide health services to the community, staff run community workshops on informal housing, and there are plans to open model farms to showcase irrigation and agricultural mechanisation. But all of this ultimately serves the national vision.

    Rwanda is a small country, but this finding – of national priorities dominating at the expense of local programmes – was consistent across all the flagships I studied, in large countries like Nigeria as well as in other small countries like Mauritius and Namibia.

    What can other universities on the continent learn from your findings?

    Flagships are complex institutions, with rich histories and often complicated relationships with government. They are survivors, skilled at balancing multiple roles. There is much that other universities can learn from flagships, and that flagships can learn from each other – and more of these partnerships are needed.

    But one senior staff member at a flagship university told me that many African university heads

    feel rather oppressed by the narratives from higher education leaders in other parts of the world

    They were talking about international benchmarking, unequal research partnerships, and models of “best practice”. These constrain the local role of flagships, creating identikit institutions. The result is a race to local irrelevance. Relevance can only emerge from an approach that reflects the local and national context.

    Universities that capture the work they do locally, effectively communicate this, and can demonstrate how it is relevant to society, will be in a good place to chart their own path as a pillar of the nation.

    James Ransom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Africa’s flagship universities have a proud history – but are they serving local communities? – https://theconversation.com/africas-flagship-universities-have-a-proud-history-but-are-they-serving-local-communities-240813

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Steel Calls on Biden Administration to Hold North Korea Accountable for Human Rights Abuses

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Michelle Steel (CA-48)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of a coming United Nations review of the human rights situation in North Korea, U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel is calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to hold Kim Jong-un’s regime accountable for failing to respect human rights obligations under international law.

    Steel, a first-generation immigrant whose parents fled North Korea, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighting a series of concerns including North Korea’s campaign of torture, unlawful detainment and improper refugee treatment, among other issues.

    The United States will have an opportunity to raise areas of concern as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s review process.

    “Decades after my parents fled following a communist takeover, North Korea’s government continues to abuse basic human rights and aggressively persecute its own citizens,” said Rep. Michelle Steel. “Innocent North Koreans, defectors, and detained foreign citizens need the United States’ help now more than ever. I will continue fighting for their freedoms while urging the Biden Administration to hold North Korea accountable for violating international human rights standards.”

    Steel’s letter calls on Secretary of State Blinken to address numerous issues as part of the UN review, including but not limited to:

    • Refugee repatriation from China back to North Korea
    • Citizens of America’s allies (South Korea and Japan) held against their will in North Korea
    • North Korea’s political prison camps
    • North Korea’s failure to ratify international treaties to prevent torture

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK budget: A drop in the ocean compared to the change needed

    Source: Scottish Greens

    30 Oct 2024 Finance

    Labour could have taxed the super rich to bring in the funding needed to undo cruel Tory policies and drop Labour’s own cuts

    More in Finance

    A response from Scottish Green finance spokesperson Ross Greer on the UK budget.

    Mr Greer said: “This timid budget is a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of change that is actually needed. Labour has under-promised and still somehow under-delivered. 

    “The failure to end the cruel two child cap or the Winter Fuel Payment cut will have dire consequences for vulnerable people and families across the UK. Children will continue to live in poverty and pensioners will die this winter, all entirely avoidably.

    “The Chancellor could have targeted the super rich to bring in the funding needed to undo cruel Tory policies and drop Labour’s own cuts. Instead she has chosen to hike up bus fares in England and pour £3 billion into keeping a climate-busting fuel duty freeze. 

    “A responsible government would invest in cheaper public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure. The Scottish Greens did both of those during our time in government, delivering free bus travel for young people and removing peak rail fares. Labour have instead chosen to encourage even more car journeys while the climate crisis spirals out of control.

    “There are a few important steps in the right direction in this budget, such as the increase in tax on private jets. The Scottish Greens have led calls for this and whilst it doesn’t go as far as we would like, it is progress on one of the most incredibly polluting forms of travel.
     
    “What was missing was any confirmation from the Chancellor that she will take the necessary steps to finish the ten-year process of devolving Air Passenger Duty and allowing Scotland to make these decisions for ourselves.

    “There were also some deeply disappointing announcements. The social security section of the speech could have been lifted straight from the nastiest Tory conference speeches. Labour are continuing the Conservative tactic of punching down at vulnerable people when there is so much more money being lost through tax avoidance by the super-rich.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jim Allister comments on Budget

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    The North Antrim MP said:

    “Whereas restoration of the City Deals is welcome, this is a budget which will stymie growth, especially in an economy like Northern Ireland’s which is so dominated by SMEs.

    “Small business is bearing the burden of this budget with the broken promise hike in national insurance and above inflation increase to the living wage.

    “Swinging tax increases suppress, not encourage, growth.

    “The assault on inheritance tax relief for farmers is a big blow to many family farms.

    “Also, with no assured additional funding beyond 2026/27, the NI budget has not received the stability it needs.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/30/2024, 11:25 (Moscow time) the values of the lower limit of the price corridor for swap transactions and the range of interest rate risk assessment for the KZTRUBTODTOM instrument were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/30/2024

    11:25

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the foreign exchange market and the precious metals market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by the NCC (JSC) on 10/30/2024, 11:25 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the price corridor for swap transactions (up to -0.0196 rubles) and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -0.0276 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 51.43%) for the KZTRUBTODTOM instrument were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74420

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/30/2024, 13:45 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/30/2024

    13:45

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on October 30, 2024, 13:45 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 78.44) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 900.74 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 22.5%) of the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

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

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

    http://www.moex.com/n74424

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of facilities within the framework of the Blagoveshchensk master plan and held a meeting with investors from the Amur Region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region

    October 30, 2024

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region

    October 30, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region

    During his working visit to the Amur Region, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of a number of facilities included in the Blagoveshchensk master plan. Among them are the cross-border cable car and the multifunctional pavilion “Tribuna Hall”. The Deputy Prime Minister also held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region.

    Before inspecting the master plan facilities, Yuri Trutnev visited the site of the second stage of construction of engineering structures to protect against flood waters on the Zeya River in the Blagoveshchensk village of Vladimirovka and got acquainted with the progress of construction of the coastal protection structure. The dam is being built as part of the state program “Construction”. The structure will protect the territory, where more than 2 thousand people live, from floods. The site involves 210 people and 91 units of equipment. The work is ahead of schedule.

    The management of the contractor company has submitted an initiative to postpone the construction of the dam from 2027 to 2025 with the allocation of the necessary funding for this. Yuri Trutnev instructed the region to work on this issue together with the Ministry of Construction and submit relevant proposals to the Government of Russia.

    The Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the Golden Mile facilities, a project within the framework of the integrated development of Blagoveshchensk. The first was the site of the cross-border cable car across the Amur. It will connect Blagoveshchensk and the Chinese city of Heihe. This will be the world’s first cable car between two countries. On the Russian side, a four-level passenger terminal with a total area of 26 thousand square meters will be built to accommodate the terminal station of the cable car, a platform and technological equipment for the cable car, a checkpoint across the state border of Russia, a duty-free shop, restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities. Art spaces for passengers and city residents to relax will be created both inside the terminal and in the open air: on cascading terraces and observation decks. Work on the international facility is ongoing around the clock in two shifts.

    On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a world-class Russian-Chinese business cooperation center is being created in the Amur Region. With the support of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Russian Government, a large city center, Tribuna Hall, is being built. Funds from the federal budget are being allocated through a single presidential subsidy. The construction of the facility has entered the home stretch. The building is 70% complete. The builders should complete the work by January, and the center will welcome its first visitors at the end of next year.

    The unique project on the Amur embankment includes a landscape park, a fountain complex, sports and children’s playgrounds. Next to the Tribuna Hall pavilion there is a square – an open space for holding mass events. In May of this year, the Fountain Alley began operating. It belongs to the Tribuna Hall cultural center and has become the largest light and music fountain complex in Eurasia.

    On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister met with investors from the Amur Region. “The region occupies one of the leading places in the Far East in this indicator. At the same time, we must remember that a significant part of this flow is created by fulfilling direct instructions from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. This is the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome, the Amur Gas Processing Plant, and the Amur Gas Chemical Complex. Of course, investment activity is not limited to this. The activity of the head of the region in attracting investment for the Golden Mile projects deserves a positive assessment. These projects will benefit the Amur Region and the country. Federal measures to support projects in the Far East are working. In total, 51 investment projects with a total value of 2.3 trillion rubles are being implemented in the region. 16 projects have been implemented, about 12 thousand jobs have been created. It is important that this work does not stop, and investors come to the region to implement new projects. It is the attraction of investments that creates the conditions for all other work, for improvements in the social sphere, the improvement of cities and territories,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.

    “Over the past five years, about 2.4 trillion rubles of investments have been attracted to the Amur Region. We reached a record volume of over 751 billion rubles last year. The main increase in funds attracted to the region was provided by the implementation of gas investment projects, the reconstruction of the Eastern Polygon of the BAM and the development of the construction industry. Today, 85 promising investment projects are being developed that will attract over 450 billion rubles and create 7.5 thousand jobs. Projects that involve the creation of manufacturing industries remain a priority for us. We are implementing the “turn to the East” concept, within the framework of which we plan to build a logistics complex and, in the future, a railway bridge across the Amur River in the Jalinda-Mohe area. We have developed and are constantly improving comprehensive support measures for investors,” said Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Amur Region.

    The new cross-border bridge between the Amur Region and China – Jalinda – Mohe will open a shorter exit to China and will reduce the route for transporting goods and raw materials by almost 2 thousand km. The new transport corridor will not only provide an alternative option for communication with Russia’s main trading partner and relieve the load on existing crossings, but will also speed up the delivery of raw materials from Yakutia and the north of the Amur Region to China. “A forecast for the cargo base has been formed for the Jalinda – Mohe project, the location and basic technical parameters of the future bridge have been agreed upon in the course of work with the Chinese side, and a joint conclusion has been made on the technical and economic feasibility of construction. The project has been included in the agenda of the Russian-Chinese subcommittee on cooperation in the field of transport, and there is an agreement to hold interstate consultations. Several models for implementing the project have been considered with the participation of the Russian Ministry of Transport and Russian Railways,” commented Vasily Orlov.

    The construction and launch of a mining and processing plant for processing nickel ore from the Kun-Manyo deposit was discussed. The investor will use the capabilities of the Amurskaya priority development area to build the plant. The project is at the stage of geological exploration and design and survey work. More than 1.7 thousand jobs will be created.

    Ogodzhinskaya Coal Company LLC presented a project for the development of the Sugodinsko-Ogodzhinskaya coal-bearing area in the Selemdzhinsky District. The investor has begun construction of a processing plant with a capacity of 2 million tons. Investments in the project will amount to about 100 billion rubles. Earthworks and concrete works have already been completed, the main frame of metal structures has been erected, and the completion of the main equipment of the plant is ongoing. The productivity of the complex of factories will be 30 million tons of coal per year. In total, it is planned to build seven processing plants. Construction of the first stage of the Ogodzhinskaya railway continues – 45 km of rails and sleepers out of 72 km have been laid. As a measure of state support, the investor plans to receive the status of a resident of the Amurskaya priority development area.

    A resident of the Amurskaya priority development area, the Far Eastern Agroterminal company, will invest more than 40 billion rubles in the framework of comprehensive business development in the Far East, including more than 26 billion rubles in the project to build an oil extraction plant as part of a production and logistics complex in the city of Belogorsk. At present, the site has already been prepared with landfill and water drainage. An industrial railway station with a capacity of 1.4 million tons of freight turnover per year is being built. The launch of production is scheduled for the end of 2026. The company also plans to develop the direction of a railway logistics operator with a fleet of wagons and tanks of 1.2 thousand units of rolling stock in the Far East to service the flow of finished products of the enterprise under construction.

    Lyubov Brish, CEO of Gazprom Helium Service, reported on the operation of the first small-tonnage natural gas liquefaction complex in the Amur Region in Svobodnensky District. The new production facility was built using tax breaks and preferences of the Amurskaya Priority Development Area. The natural gas liquefaction complex with a capacity of 1.5 tons of LNG per hour (12.6 thousand tons per year) was created to organize the infrastructure for autonomous gasification of socially significant facilities and to provide consumers in the Amur Region with gas motor fuel. “A comprehensive project has been implemented in the Far East using liquefied natural gas as a gas motor fuel and for autonomous gasification. This became possible thanks to the development of our own production and transportation capacities for LNG in the region – from Primorsky Krai to Amur Region – and successful experience in organizing LNG transportation routes,” Lyubov Brish said.

    In Blagoveshchensk, the Specialized Developer PIK Blagoveshchensk LLC is building housing as part of the Far Eastern Quarter program. 334 thousand square meters of housing will be built. In addition to residential development, the project provides for the construction of social infrastructure facilities – a school, kindergartens, and landscaping of courtyards. The total investment in the project will amount to 33.9 billion rubles. Construction and installation work is currently underway in six buildings, the arrangement of foundations and basements has been completed, and work is underway to install the monolithic frame of the buildings of the first stage, the total area of which will be 45.8 thousand square meters.

    “Today, the head of the region and I looked at the Golden Mile – work is in full swing there, Blagoveshchensk has begun to change. I always follow this very closely when I come. And I see that the ice has broken in Blagoveshchensk. The city is getting better. This is very important both for the mood and comfortable living of people, and for attracting Russian and foreign tourists,” said Yuri Trutnev.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Cybersport reaches a new level: GUU Vice-Rector took part in a discussion of the future of online competitions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 30, 2024, Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Vitaly Lapshenkov took part in a round table on the topic “Development of student eSports in the international arena”, which was held in the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

    The meeting participants were addressed with a welcoming speech by the President of the Russian Computer Sports Federation Dmitry Smith and the head of the working group under the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports “Development of High-Tech Sports in the Russian Federation” Amir Khamitov.

    Next, the floor was taken by the Vice-President of the Russian Computer Sports Federation, President of the Association “National Student League of Computer Sports” Alexey Shemyakin. Literally the other day, the first international competitions under the official name “Open Cyber-Sports Student Games for the Prizes of the Governor of Krasnodar Krai” ended in Sochi. Teams from 16 countries came to participate in the large-scale competitions. Alexey Shemyakin summed up the results of the tournament.

    Together with the Director of the Public Relations Department of the Russian Federation of Computer Sports Dmitry Tereshchenko, those gathered discussed the coverage of the international tournament, future work and the possibility of increasing the number of events held.

    Next to speak was Vice President of the Russian Federation of Computer Sports Oksana Gural, who spoke about the directions of international scientific research in the field of computer sports.

    At the end of the meeting, all participants of the round table discussed strengthening the position of the Russian Federation in the international arena in the field of student computer sports.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/30/2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin held meetings with the Governor of Perm Krai and the Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin held working meetings with the Governor of Perm Krai Dmitry Makhonin and the head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Rashid Temrezov, at which the parties discussed the socio-economic development of the regions.

    “Speaking about the preliminary results of work in the Perm region, I would like to note that the implementation of state programs and national projects in the region is progressing quite well. Over the nine months since the beginning of the year, more than 1.2 million square meters have been commissioned. I would also like to note that the region shows good results in the implementation of the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”: 85% of roads in urban agglomerations and 78.6% of regional roads are in standard condition,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The region uses mechanisms of integrated development of territories in its work. Currently, Perm Krai has concluded 18 agreements on integrated development of territories, the total area of territories is about 182 hectares. By attracting investments, it is planned to resettle residents from dilapidated houses, renew buildings, modernize social, road and communal infrastructure, as well as improve public spaces.

    In turn, the Governor of Perm Krai Dmitry Makhonin thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for supporting the region’s projects.

    “Thanks to federal support, the region has managed to implement many large infrastructure projects in the road, construction, and transport development sectors in recent years. With federal co-financing, sections of the TR-53 highway and Stroiteley Street were commissioned ahead of schedule. They influence the development of the entire city’s road network: they improve transport links between districts, make traffic more comfortable and safer, and provide an incentive for housing construction. This creates new opportunities for the development of Perm and the Perm Region,” said Dmitry Makhonin.

    At a meeting with the head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Rashid Temrezov, the region’s participation in the new national project “Infrastructure for Life” was discussed, among other things.

    “The Karachay-Cherkess Republic is succeeding in many areas. Thus, the region has completed the resettlement of emergency housing, recognized as such before January 1, 2017, ahead of schedule, and has already begun a new program. Over the first nine months of this year, more than 286 thousand square meters have been commissioned. An important part of the comfortable life of citizens is the improvement of populated areas. Since the beginning of the year, 11 public spaces and 37 courtyards have been improved in the republic,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The region also uses the mechanisms of infrastructure budget and special treasury loans. As part of the integrated development of a residential area in Cherkessk, it is planned to build water drainage networks at the expense of the IBC. Also, at the expense of the SCC, the region received 20 new buses. The fleet of Cherkessk has been updated by 85%.

    In addition, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic is carrying out restoration work in the sponsored Starobelsk district of the Luhansk People’s Republic. Work is currently underway to replace the emergency section of the sewer collector. An apartment building will also be built.

    “First of all, I would like to thank you, Marat Shakirzyanovich, for your constant and systematic support of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, in particular, in the development of transport accessibility, social and communal infrastructure, as well as the creation of comfortable public spaces. All activities within the framework of the national projects supervised by you affect the improvement of the quality of life of the residents of Karachay-Cherkessia, create conditions for the development of various sectors of the economy, and contribute to ensuring road safety. We are focused on 100% implementation of all activities of the national projects, and we also consider readiness for new national projects as one of the priority tasks for the future as part of the implementation of the strategic goals and objectives set by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his Address to the Federal Assembly,” Rashid Temrezov emphasized.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisville Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking Resulting in Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – This week, a Louisville, Kentucky, man pleaded guilty to carjacking which resulted in the death of teenage motorist.  

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Moore made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Michael Dewitt, pleaded guilty to a single count indictment charging him with carjacking resulting in death. According to court records, Dewitt committed a carjacking at gunpoint on March 1, 2021, and stole a 2011 Ford F350 from its owner in Simpsonville, Kentucky. During the immediate flight from the carjacking, and while still in possession of the stolen truck, Dewitt collided with a vehicle on Dixie Highway in Louisville, causing the death of 17-year-old.

    Sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2025. The maximum penalty is life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. If the plea agreement in the case is accepted by the court, the defendant will be sentenced to serve 29 years and 4 months in prison.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is being investigated by the FBI Louisville Field Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Bonar and Mac Shannon are prosecuting this case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Happy Valley-Goose Bay — Happy Valley Goose Bay investigates mischief, seeks public’s assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Happy Valley Goose Bay RCMP is seeking assistance from the public following a recent incident that occurred on Mitchell Street in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

    In the early morning hours of October 24, 2024, around 1:30 a.m., a suspect approached a parked vehicle in a residential driveway with a gas can in hand and poured a substance from the gas can into the gas tank of the vehicle.

    See surveillance images attached.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about this crime is asked to contact Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP at 709-896-3383 . To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NSWC PCD hosts NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge Integration Experiment

    Source: United States Navy

    More than 45 participants from four NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge partner commands—Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), the Naval Research Lab (NRL) Stennis, the Naval Meteorological and Oceanography Command (CNMOC), and Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO)—collaborated to demonstrate the acceleration of technology development. This exercise successfully integrated multiple unmanned systems from contracting partners to collect and transmit real-time environmental data to a forward-deployed shore station. The experiment also tested novel data exfiltration methods, demonstrated regional partnering, and leveraged prior Navy and non-Navy development efforts to advance subsea warfare (SSW) mission capabilities.

    “This experiment was important because it demonstrated a process for rapidly moving from focusing on the warfighter need, sourcing technologies and industry partners, understanding lessons learned from the fleet from using relevant systems, understanding how to accelerate capabilities, and then executing an experiment to demonstrate the sourced capabilities,” said Holly Gardner, NSWC PCD director of Strategic Engagement and NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge director. “It highlights our command’s capabilities and expertise as leaders not only in unmanned systems, but also in systems engineering, integration and test and evaluation. It also highlights NSWC PCD’s role as the lead command in the NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge.”

    This exercise illustrated a process for rapidly moving from focusing on warfighters’ needs, to sourcing technologies, and executing successful experiments to demonstrate emerging capabilities. The initial integration testing was completed on schedule, followed by at-sea testing, real-time data collection and processing.

    “As a project lead in developing systems, I really appreciate events that focus on integration and forward progress versus ‘demos’ that show the same capabilities over and over,” said Erica Davis, NSWC PCD Skylla Project lead. “This event allowed for development and integration of the systems with the people who support them at other commands. Instead of reinventing the wheel, we worked directly with the teams who are experts in their systems and we all gained a lot of knowledge in other systems and came away with creative ideas how we could integrate in the future.”

    This effort was the culmination of nearly a year’s worth of planning that began with an initial workshop focused on developing a collaborative vision for the Gulf of Mexico ranges and selecting capabilities that address undersea warfare mission needs. The experiment included at-sea testing, the collection, fusing and display of data collected from those systems in real-time at a forward-deployed shore station, and transmission of the data to NAVO for further analysis. The experiment is a precursor to CNMOC’s Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) 2025 event series, which consists of technical vignettes occurring throughout FY24 & 25 and ends with a culminating event which will be held in conjunction with the Marine Technology Society’s (MTS) Gulf Coast Oceans-In-Action Workshop in April 2025.

    It also included four Navy STEM students from programs like SSEP (STEM Student Employment Program), Pathways, and NREIP (Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program) who participated in a real-life, mission scenario experiment. They provided at-sea support and gained exposure to cutting-edge concept of operations, demonstrating the Navy’s commitment to fostering future STEM leaders.

    “The demonstration team’s success is the result of planning, passion, commitment and a lot of hard work dedicated to delivering capabilities to the fleet,” said CNMOC Commander Rear Adm. Ron Piret. “Over the past year, our ANTX 2025 team, which is comprised of industry, academia and Navy partners, has focused on proving and integrating technologies through a series of test cases in preparation for the OCEANS In Action 2025 culminating event. The results have been inspiring, and by gauging the team’s enthusiasm – innovation can be great fun.”

    The geographical location of NSWC PCD demonstrates the value of the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range, the largest military test and training range in the continental United States, a national asset. The experiment took place in the Panama City Operations Area’s Surface and Subsurface Range and also highlights the multi-domain SSW operations, which play a critical role in its recent organizational re-alignment to support the U.S. Navy.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Russian threat actor Midnight Blizzard conducting large-scale spear-phishing campaign

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Russian threat actor Midnight Blizzard conducting large-scale spear-phishing campaign

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eu-west-1-aws.mil-be[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.mil-pl[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.minbuza[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.quirinale[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.s3-be[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.s3-de[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.s3-esa[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.s3-nato[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.ua-sec[.]cloud eu-west-1-aws.ukrainesec[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.amazonsolutions[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.dep-no[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.difesa-it[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.gov-pl[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.gov-sk[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.gv-at[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.mil-be[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.mil-pl[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.minbuza[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.mindef-nl[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.msz-pl[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.mzv-sk[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.quirinale[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.s3-be[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.s3-de[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.s3-esa[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.s3-nato[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.s3-ua[.]cloud eu-west-2-aws.ua-sec[.]cloud eu-west-3.amazonsolutions[.]cloud eu-west-3.aws-ukraine[.]cloud eu-west-3.mil-be[.]cloud eu-west-3.mil-pl[.]cloud eu-west-3.minbuza[.]cloud eu-west-3.mindef-nl[.]cloud eu-west-3.msz-pl[.]cloud eu-west-3.mzv-sk[.]cloud eu-west-3.presidencia-pt[.]cloud eu-west-3.s3-be[.]cloud eu-west-3.s3-ua[.]cloud eu-west-3.ukrainesec[.]cloud eu-west-3.ukrtelecom[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.aws-ukraine[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.dep-no[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.difesa-it[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.gov-pl[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.gov-sk[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.gov-trust[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.mil-be[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.mil-pl[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.mil-pt[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.minbuza[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.mindef-nl[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.msz-pl[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.mzv-sk[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.quirinale[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.regeringskansliet-se[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.s3-be[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.s3-ua[.]cloud eu-west-3-aws.ua-mil[.]cloud us-east-1-aws.mfa-gov[.]cloud us-east-1-aws.s3-ua[.]cloud us-east-1-aws.ua-gov[.]cloud us-east-1-aws.ua-sec[.]cloud us-east-2.aws-ukraine[.]cloud us-east-2.gov-ua[.]cloud us-east-2.ua-sec[.]cloud us-east-2.ukrainesec[.]cloud us-east-2-aws.gov-ua[.]cloud us-east-2-aws.ua-gov[.]cloud us-east-2-aws.ukrtelecom[.]cloud us-east-console.aws-ukraine[.]cloud us-east-console.ua-energy[.]cloud us-west-1.aws-ukraine[.]cloud us-west-1.ua-energy[.]cloud us-west-1.ua-gov[.]cloud us-west-1.ukrtelecom[.]cloud us-west-1-amazon.ua-energy[.]cloud us-west-1-amazon.ua-mil[.]cloud us-west-1-amazon.ua-sec[.]cloud us-west-1-aws.gov-ua[.]cloud us-west-2.gov-ua[.]cloud us-west-2.ua-energy[.]cloud us-west-2.ua-sec[.]cloud us-west-2-aws.mfa-gov[.]cloud us-west-2-aws.s3-ua[.]cloud us-west-2-aws.ua-energy[.]cloud

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Icymi: Manchin Attends The Thomas Orthopedic Hospital Grand Re-Opening, Ribbon -Cutting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    October 30, 2024
    Charleston, WV – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) attended the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for West Virginia University Health System’s (WVU Medicine) Thomas Orthopedic Hospital in Charleston.
    “WVU Medicine continues to be a leader in high-quality patient care and cutting-edge medical research,” said Senator Manchin. “This hospital is set to be at the forefront of orthopedic medicine, focused on bone and joint issues. I am certain all West Virginians will be able to receive quality, specialized treatment from experienced professionals using the latest medical technology. I look forward to returning to the hospital soon to hear all about its positive impacts on the community and the continued great work of everyone involved.”
    Photos from the event are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 2024 release wave 2 for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform launches with hundreds of Copilot capabilities

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: 2024 release wave 2 for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform launches with hundreds of Copilot capabilities

    We’ve launched 2024 release wave 2 for Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, and role-based Microsoft Copilot offerings—introducing a rollout of new features and enhanced capabilities releasing between October 2024 and March 2025. These updates include advanced Copilot capabilities for Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales, Copilot for Service, and Copilot for Finance to empower your workforce, optimize business processes, and enhance customer engagement.

    Catch all the highlights and demos from today’s Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event. In addition to newly-announced features, you’ll learn how companies like Lynk & Co, Lifetime Products, Stoneridge Software, AIS, and Schneider Electric are leveraging these new features to drive transformation.

    Copilot and agents are the future of AI for business

    2.1 million users engage with Copilot across Microsoft business applications every month, including employees at companies like PayPal, HP, Lumen, and McKinsey & Company. These Copilot experiences can drive new levels of productivity and efficiency while offering high standards of privacy, security, and compliance.

    Moving forward, we envision AI-first organizations will comprise people, Copilot, and agents. Copilot is your AI assistant, designed to work for you. With Microsoft Copilot Studio, you can create, manage, and connect agents to Copilot. Organizations will have a network of agents, ranging from simple prompt-and-response systems to fully autonomous entities, that will operate on behalf of individuals, teams, or functions to execute and orchestrate business processes. Copilot serves as the interface for interacting with these agents, which can handle tasks such as accelerating lead generation, processing sales orders, and automating supply chains. At the Business Applications Launch Event, we showcased new features across Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform that demonstrate what’s possible with Copilot and agents.

    Thrive with customer experience applications

    2024 release wave 2 brings exciting new features to Dynamics 365 customer experience apps designed to deliver connected and personalized experiences for both customers and employees. These innovations focus on optimizing customer interactions and streamlining sales processes across your organization.

    New capabilities for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales include a multilingual bot (supported languages), Copilot-generated prompts, in-line email functionality, and more. These features are set to transform how businesses engage with customers and manage internal processes.

    During the launch event, we showcased how Lynk & Co, an innovative car company, is leveraging the multilingual Copilot Studio bot in Dynamics 365 Customer Service. By using AI-powered voice recognition and Copilot-generated prompts, they’ve been able to optimize customer wait times and improve case resolution speed. These tools have enabled Lynk & Co to significantly reduce case review times while keeping their sales team in the loop, thanks to seamless data sharing between service and sales teams.

    With Copilot’s intelligent automation, sales managers at Lynk & Co can now focus on building customer relationships rather than manually sorting through documents. By streamlining workflows and providing actionable insights, Copilot empowers sales professionals to work more efficiently and drive business growth. These new capabilities—combined with tools like real-time prompts, the Sales Qualification Agent, and account summaries generated by Copilot—offer businesses a modern, intuitive way to stay connected with customers and make smarter decisions faster.

    Explore the release plans for Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Dynamics 365 Contact Center, and Dynamics 365 Sales.

    Defining autonomous enterprise resource planning (ERP) with innovative agents

    Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP solutions introduce significant enhancements aimed at improving both core functionalities and autonomous capabilities. These updates include the introduction of five autonomous agents for Dynamics 365 designed to streamline processes and boost organizational efficiency. By automating routine tasks, businesses can focus more on strategic decision-making and adapt to the dynamic market landscape.

    For Lifetime Products, a leading global producer of outdoor consumer goods, these improvements have substantially enhanced the productivity of their finance team. The Account Reconciliation Agent for Dynamics 365 Finance autonomously identifies discrepancies between subledgers and ledgers, offering actionable recommendations and reducing manual effort. Additionally, automated bank reconciliation now matches transactions and summarizes histories, saving time and improving accuracy. These features have streamlined their month-end close process across multiple legal entities, enhancing both efficiency and compliance.

    In parallel, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central updates have improved operations for more than 40,000 customers. The Sales Order Agent enables businesses like Stoneridge Software’s clients to manage sales orders without needing additional staffing, speeding up order processing while maintaining service quality. Interoperability between Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service has streamlined service order management, reducing manual data entry and errors. This automation allows technicians to work more efficiently, improving the overall customer experience and ensuring timely service delivery.

    Explore the release plans for Dynamics 365 Finance, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Human Resources, and Dynamics 365 Business Central.

    Unlock value everywhere with Microsoft Power Platform and Copilot Studio

    Microsoft Power Platform offers new capabilities that enhance automation and app development using AI-powered tools. Copilot simplifies workflows, generates apps, and assists with complex processes, enabling businesses to manage tasks more effectively. With new AI-driven features across Microsoft Power Platform you can create solutions across your organization in record time.

    At the launch event, we highlighted how Applied Information Sciences (AIS) is improving workforce efficiency in vendor invoice management using AI-enabled features in Microsoft Power Automate. With Copilot, automating processes such as routing and approvals based on predefined rules, AIS can handle a large volume of invoices daily, reducing manual input and increasing productivity. Users can easily update workflows with a few clicks, and the new summary functionality ensures clear tracking and sharing of updates.

    AIS’s onboarding process for new consultants supports ongoing training with Copilot in Microsoft Power Apps. “Search with Copilot” allows users to retrieve records using natural language queries, while the AI-enabled paste feature efficiently fills out onboarding forms, reducing manual data entry. Copilot Studio improves IT Helpdesk automation with task assignment and grounding third-party data sources through knowledge management.  This provides analytics for monitoring agent performance and improves accuracy while also enabling a continuous improvement process.

    Explore the release plans for Power Apps, Microsoft Power Pages,  Power Automate, and Copilot Studio.  

    Bring automation to your business with Copilot

    The latest improvements in Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales, Copilot for Service, and Copilot for Finance focus on enhancing user experience by automating routine tasks and providing actionable insights through autonomous agents. These advanced functionalities allow sales teams, customer service representatives, and finance professionals to offload repetitive activities, enabling them to concentrate on strategic initiatives. As a result, organizations can optimize efficiency and improve overall productivity.

    For instance, companies like Lumen and Genpact have experienced significant time savings with Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales and Microsoft 365 Copilot for Finance capabilities. Lumen reported a 94% reduction in research time for sales data, while Genpact achieved over a 50% decrease in payroll processing time through automated reconciliation. These enhancements demonstrate how Copilot agents are not only improving workflows but also positively impacting the workforce’s efficiency.

    Schneider Electric is another example of a company benefiting from these advancements. Its sales team can now effectively prioritize leads with the help of the Lead Intelligence Agent, which analyzes customer interactions and external data to deliver enriched insights. This streamlined approach allows sales representatives to engage with prospects more strategically, ultimately supporting their goal of enhancing efficiency and driving revenue growth.

    Explore the release plans for Microsoft Copilot for Finance, Microsoft Copilot for Service, and Microsoft Copilot for Sales.

    Business Applications Launch Event

    Dive deeper into the new and enhanced AI capabilities included in the 2024 release wave 2.

    Watch the virtual Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event

    Join us for the on-demand Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event to discover the latest enhancements in Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, and Microsoft Copilot apps. The event features in-depth demos of new autonomous agents and other capabilities designed to optimize your workflows and streamline operations.

    Don’t forget to review the detailed release plans for Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. Stay updated on the latest features and upcoming enhancements, and create your personalized release plan using the release planner to ensure you’re equipped with the knowledge needed to maximize these new capabilities.

    Charles Lamanna

    Corporate Vice President, Business & Industry Copilot—Microsoft

    Charles leads the design, product development, and engineering teams responsible for creating intelligent business applications and low-code platforms with generative AI. This spans products and services across Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Copilot Studio, Copilot apps, and Nuance Enterprise. These products include business applications for Microsoft Copilot, low-code/no-code tools, industry cloud solutions, conversational AI, RPA, CRM, and ERP applications.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Garcia Hosts Veterans Roundtable in Antelope Valley

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25)

    ANTELOPE VALLEY, CA – Representative Mike Garcia (CA-27) gathered veteran advocacy leaders from across the district to address the urgent challenges our veteran community faces daily. Leaders from veteran service organizations joined Rep. Garcia and Jon Clark, Staff Director for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, at City of Hope for a roundtable on the issues impacting those who’ve sacrificed for our country.

    “The top priority is making sure our veterans in CA-27 get the care and respect they deserve. They shouldn’t be forced to travel hours for basic healthcare or face roadblocks to services,” said Rep. Garcia. “These men and women answered the call when our nation needed them, and now it’s our turn to have their backs.”

    From understaffed clinics to canceled appointments, attendees shared firsthand the unacceptable gaps in care, particularly with the Antelope Valley Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Rep. Garcia underscored his commitment to ensuring access to quality care while advocating for a well-staffed, fully operational Antelope Valley VA clinic by 2025 to prevent more veterans from slipping through the cracks.

    This roundtable was a critical opportunity to hear directly from those on the frontlines of supporting veterans. Rep. Garcia remains focused on bringing real solutions back to Washington to address the needs of veterans in CA-27.

    Read more about Rep. Garcia’s work to champion veterans’ issues here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update following round 5 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The fifth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 14 and 18 October 2024

    The fifth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 14 and 18 October 2024.

    The talks were the UK’s first with the Swiss since the Secretary of State for Business and Trade announced the government’s intention to deliver the UK’s FTA negotiations programme in July.  

    FTAs have an important role to play in achieving economic growth. A stronger trade relationship with Switzerland will contribute to growth, jobs and prosperity in the UK, providing long-term certainty on UK business travel to Switzerland and helping data and ideas flow seamlessly between two world-leading services powerhouses. Total trade between the UK and Switzerland was worth £50.8 billion in 2023.  

    UK negotiators made good progress in this round and covered almost all areas of the negotiation.

    Talks continue to be constructive, with both countries working towards agreeing ambitious outcomes in key areas, including services, investment and digital.

    Round 6 of negotiations is expected to take place in Switzerland in early 2025. The government will continue to work towards delivering outcomes in the FTA that secure economic growth for the UK. 

    The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, including protections for the National Health Service.   

    Any organisations or individuals interested in speaking to the Department for Business and Trade about negotiations with Switzerland should do so by emailing ch.fta.engagement@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications open for the Portsmouth Older Persons Energy Payment

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Portsmouth pensioners can now apply for a payment from Portsmouth City Council which is open to some households who will miss out on the national Winter Fuel Payment.

    The Portsmouth Older Persons Energy Payment offers a one-off £200 or £300 payment for this winter only, to pension-aged Portsmouth residents, who will be eligible if:

    • They receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support
    • They are not receiving any of the qualifying benefits for the Winter Fuel Payment – Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related Employment Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit.

    A £200 payment will be given to eligible pensioners under the age of 80, and £300 to those 80 or over.

    The scheme is live and applications can be made through the council’s website. Those who need help applying can call the council’s cost of living helpline 023 9284 1047 (open 9-5pm Monday-Friday, closes 4.30pm Friday).

    Portsmouth City Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said: “Older residents can now apply for our energy payment scheme. We have launched it to support around 2,000 households who we believe will be impacted most by their Winter Fuel Payment being stopped.

    “It will be a one-off support to help these people transition to no longer receiving the payment from government this year. We know a lot of people rely on that money each winter and they won’t have had time to budget for losing it.

    “We unfortunately don’t have the financial resources to make this scheme permanent or to help all 18,000 Portsmouth households who won’t get the payment after the government’s change this year. But a range of support is available for all ages this winter.”

     2,500 households missing out on Pension Credit

    It’s estimated that nearly 2,500 Portsmouth households aren’t claiming the Pension Credit they’re entitled to, and are missing out on an average of £3,900 per person a year, or £300 a month. People receiving Pension Credit will automatically receive the government’s Winter Fuel Payment.

    The council is urging everyone of pension age, their families and friends to check if they are eligible. You can find out if you are eligible and claim Pension Credit online on the government website or by phone on 0800 99 1234, where you can also request a form through the post. Check if you’re eligible using the online Pension Credit Calculator.

    Support for all ages

    Cost-of-living helpline and online information hub: For help around essential costs, health and wellbeing, jobs, money and housing, and hardship funding people can apply for. The helpline is open weekdays from 9am-5pm (closes 4.30pm Fridays) on 023 9284 1047, or visit: www.portsmouth.gov.uk/costofliving

    Switched On Portsmouth: For help reducing energy bills, including referring to energy saving schemes and offering free advice. Call on 0800 260 5907 or visit www.switchedonportsmouth.co.uk

    Household Support Fund: The council will continue to use government grants to support residents of all ages. Following the recent six-month extension of the grant, the team are setting up new schemes to assist people in need. Information on the help available will continue to be updated on the Household Support Fund webpages.

    Warm Spaces: Our libraries are again now offering hot drinks in all nine libraries over the winter, along with other community settings. Find the fantastic, free activities happening in our libraries on the website, on Facebook or by popping into your local library.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Banks Introduces End Executive Branch Amnesty Act to Reform TPS and CHNV

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03)

    Today, Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03) introduced the End Executive Branch Amnesty Act, extensive immigration legislation to secure our border by stopping the Biden-Harris administration’s abuse of Temporary Protected Status and the CHNV Parole Program, limiting the use of immigration parole, banning the use of the CBP One application as a form of identification, and reforming treatment of unaccompanied minors. Read the bill text HERE and a one pager HERE.

    Said Rep. Banks: “Small towns across our nation like Logansport, Indiana, are bearing the brunt of the Biden-Harris White House’s reckless open border policies. It’s time for Congress to secure our border once and for all.”

    “The Biden-Harris administration has abused the laws on the books to grant millions of non-citizens legal status. Republicans must restore our immigration system to Congress’s original intent and ensure parole is only used as a last-ditch humanitarian measure to help foreign nationals in times of catastrophe. Over the past three years, millions of foreigners have made the dangerous and illegal journey across our southern border because of the Biden-Harris administration’s promise of future amnesty. Democrats broke our immigration system, and my bill would help fix it by ending mass parole and other magnets drawing people here illegally.”

    Background:

    Logansport, Indiana, a small town of just 18,000 residents, has recently been overwhelmed by an influx of an estimated 5,000 Haitian migrants in just two years. Logansport resident Candice Espinoza told Fox News that, “We don’t have space for everybody, so the housing has been taken over and our schools have been taken over; pretty much the whole town has been taken over.”

    The Biden-Harris administration has granted parole to over 2.1 million foreigners since October 2021.

    Currently over 850,000 foreign migrants from sixteen different nations are protected from deportation and authorized to work in the U.S. through Temporary Protected Status.

    The Biden-Harris administration’s Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela Parole Program (CHNV), which was never authorized by Congress, has flown over 520,000 foreign nationals into America since January 2024. An internal report by USCIS found rampant fraud in the CHNV Parole Program. As a result, the CHNV Parole Program was paused in July 2024, before the Biden-Harris administration restarted it several weeks later.

    In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration began allowing illegal aliens to use the CBP One mobile app to submit identification and schedule appointments at ports of entries to be processed and then released into the U.S. A DHS OIG report from September 2024 found widespread fraud on the application.

    The Biden-Harris administration has lost track of 325,000 unaccompanied migrant children.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces New Members of Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced four new members of the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. The new members were appointed to four-year terms and will join the 14 current Commission-appointed committee members.

    “I thank the new members for their willingness to serve on the Advisory Committee, which plays an important role in our work to facilitate capital formation for companies of every size,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Small businesses employ nearly half of America’s workforce and make up more than 99 percent of America’s businesses. The new members named today understand this well, and I am pleased the SEC will benefit from their valuable experiences and insights.”

    The new Commission-appointed committee members are:

    • Jennifer Newton – Managing Attorney and Founder, StartSmart Counsel; Miami
    • Rose Standifer – Partner, Foley Hoag LLP; Denver
    • Wendy Stevens – Partner, Forvis Mazars LLP; New York
    • Emily Underwood – Clinical Professor of Law, Bluhm-Helfand Director of the Innovation Clinic, The University of Chicago Law School; Chicago

    In addition to the 14 appointed members, the current committee members include the SEC’s Small Business Advocate, and three non-voting members appointed by the SEC’s Investor Advocate, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and the Small Business Administration, respectively. The committee also has an observer appointed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

    The committee provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, including smaller public companies. Committee members represent a diverse spectrum of entrepreneurs, investors, and advisers who work with early-stage private companies and smaller public companies, including minority- and women-owned small businesses. Additional information about the committee, its members, and prior meeting materials is available on the committee webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Samson Cree Nation — Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigate homicide in Maskwacis – Update

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Jan. 28, 2024, at 11:30 a.m., Maskwacis RCMP was called to assist EMS with a 25-year-old male. The male was transported to the hospital where he was declared deceased. The circumstances of the victim’s death were considered suspicious.

    RCMP Major Crimes Unit (MCU) took carriage of the investigation, and the autopsy determined that the manner of death was a homicide.

    On Sept. 28, 2024, RCMP MCU arrested a 24-year-old individual and a 25-year-old individual, both residents of Maskwacis, Alta. The 24-year-old individual has been charged with second-degree murder.

    After a judicial interim release Hearing, the 24-year-old individual was remanded to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Wetaskiwin on Oct. 3, 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Edmonton — Alberta RCMP coordinate with communities to curtail copper wire crooks

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Alberta RCMP is launching a community initiative in response to concerns about ongoing copper wire theft in eastern Alberta.

    To reduce the amount of theft, the RCMP’s Eastern and Central District’s Crime Reduction Units, along with K Division Criminal Analysis Section (K/DCAS), and Community Safety and Well-being Branch will be working with industry partners to determine areas that are being targeted and develop strategies to investigate, identify and ultimately arrest the individuals who are causing the most harm related to copper wire and precious metal thefts.

    Precious metals like copper are used in a variety of projects ranging from large scale industrial sites like power plants, cellphone towers and pipelines to smaller uses like the wiring in homes.

    Copper wire and other precious metals can be difficult to track making them ideal targets for criminals to steal. The theft of copper wire can have a large impact on the public; whether it’s having spare wire stolen from your personal property or damage caused to vital infrastructure across the province.

    Last year, in Alberta losses from copper wire theft including damages to property was in excess of 10 million dollars. There are a variety of things that the public and companies can do to help reduce the likelihood of copper wire theft in your communities:

    • Consider installing an alarm system with remote monitoring of surveillance cameras.
    • Ensure each entrance and exit of your commercial property has proper lighting and surveillance cameras clearly visible to deter criminal activity.
    • Arrange to have your precious metals laser engraved, so they can be easier identified and returned if recovered.
    • For metal purchasers, be cautious about purchasing material from unknown or suspicious sellers.
    • Always secure your valuables in a secure area.
    • Invest in fencing for extra protection and ensure it’s well-maintained
    • Always report suspicious persons you see at work sites, or on your property.

    “The reality of the situation is because copper wire is so common and can be almost impossible to identify if it isn’t laser engraved, catching and charging copper wire thieves can be very difficult,” said Staff Sergeant John Pike District Advisory non-commissioned officer of the RCMP Eastern Alberta District. “There are thousands of sites using copper wire, and we can’t be at all of them. That’s why it’s so important for everyone do their part whether it is securing your property, reporting suspicious activity or questioning sellers.”

    If you have any information about crimes in your community, please call your local RCMP detachment. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: John D’or Prairie — Alberta RCMP Community Response Team arrest four individuals

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Oct. 1, 2024, the Alberta RCMP Community Response Team engaged in a proactive traffic stop in John D’or Prairie with a vehicle that had been suspected of being involved in a recent occurrence in the community. During the police interaction with the occupants of the vehicle, the driver drove into two police cars and attempted to evade police. A pursuit was initiated and the suspect vehicle became disabled in a field south of John D’or Prairie, where five suspects fled on foot.

    A sixth occupant was located in the vehicle and was identified and determined to have been the victim of kidnapping that took place immediately prior to the traffic stop. Four suspects were arrested with assistance from Fort Vermillion and John D’or Prairie RCMP Detachments as well as RCMP regional Police Dog Services. A sawed-off shotgun and a replica handgun were seized during the search for the suspects. One suspect remains at large; his identity is known and a warrant for his arrest is being sought.

    The victim of the kidnapping was airlifted to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

    A 29-year-old individual, a 21-year-old individual, a 24-year-old individual and a 21-year-old individual, all residents John D’or Prairie, have been charged with the following offences:

    • Kidnapping
    • Forcible confinement
    • Assault causing bodily harm
    • Flight from Police Officer
    • Failure to stop after accident
    • Dangerous Operation of a motor vehicle
    • Using a firearm in the commission of an offence
    • Careless use of a firearm
    • Pointing a firearm
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose x2
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm
    • Possession knowing it is unauthorized
    • Unauthorized possession of firearm in motor vehicle
    • Possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition
    • Assault police officer with a weapon

    All four suspects were taken before a justice of the peace and were remanded into custody. They are scheduled to appear on Oct. 9, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Fahler, Alta.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Hisense Named Official Partner of FIFA Club World Cup 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, announced its official partnership with the FIFA Club World Cup™ during an event at Shanghai Tower attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, and Hisense Group Chairman Jia Shaoqian.

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “We are delighted to welcome Hisense, a global market-leading brand, as an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Hisense’s commitment to innovation and technology aligns with our vision for this tournament, which will bring together the 32 best teams from around the world for an unforgettable celebration of our game that will revolutionise club football.

    “This partnership will offer fans unique ways to engage with the tournament, both on and off the pitch, while laying a technological and innovation-led foundation for the FIFA Club World Cup to flourish.”

    The FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ will unite the world’s top 32 clubs every four years. This inaugural edition will provide an excellent platform for Hisense to grow its global brand among fans of the world’s most popular sport and showcase its cutting-edge technology, particularly Hisense TVs, prominently displayed throughout the tournament.

    Hisense Group Chairman Jia Shaoqian added: “We are proud to be an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, which is a competition among the top clubs from all six confederations, representing a dialogue between champions, a collision of first-class excellence. This perfectly aligns with Hisense’s pursuit of the champion spirit and our latest corporate goal to build a world-class enterprise and brand.

    “As the pioneer in AI televisions, Hisense’s newly launched AI TV series is a perfect match for the FIFA Club World Cup™. The technological foundation of Hisense AI TV is the independently developed Xinghai large model, which supports continuous smart upgrades across various appliance categories, significantly enhancing the user experience and market competitiveness. Together with FIFA, Hisense will present the best Club World Cup™ for global audiences.”

    Hisense aims to build a world-class enterprise and brand while focusing on top-tier sports assets. By partnering with the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, Hisense is advancing its sports marketing strategy and global expansion.

    Hisense has been a global partner for two consecutive FIFA World Cups™ and three UEFA European Championships. The company continues to innovate across its product lines, including a 100-inch TV with an AI picture quality chip, and smart home appliances interconnected through its ConnectLife platform.

    About Hisense
    Hisense is a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand. According to Omdia, Hisense ranked No. 2 globally for TV shipments and No. 1 in 100″ TVs in both 2023 and H1 2024, operating in more than 160 countries.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07595008-6a1e-4083-a5eb-9ea0f31eff74

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: A Budget to fix the foundations and deliver change for Northern Ireland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget today (Wednesday 30 October 2024)

    Autumn Budget 2024

    • Chancellor takes long-term decisions to restore stability, rebuild the United Kingdom and protect working people across Northern Ireland.
    • No change to working people’s payslips as employee national insurance, income tax and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay their fair share.
    • Record £18.2 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive in 2025/26 including an additional £1.5 billion through the Barnett formula.
    • City and Growth Deals confirmed to continue to unlock growth and investment, while over £45 million is provided for counter-terrorism and security funding.

    The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She set out plans to rebuild the United Kingdom, while ensuring working people across Northern Ireland don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.

    The UK Government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, an unrealistic forecast for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.

    This Budget takes difficult decisions to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the UK Government can invest in the economic future of Northern Ireland and lay the foundations for growth across the UK as its number one mission.

    The Chancellor announced that the Northern Ireland Executive will be provided with a £18.2 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes a £1.5 billion top-up through the Barnett formula, with £1.2 billion for day-to-day spending and £270 million for capital investment.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said:

    This is the biggest real terms settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution. 

    The Northern Ireland Executive will get an additional £640 million in Barnett consequentials this year, and an additional £1.5 billion next year. 

    This will provide  a strong foundation for stability and growth, and sees the UK Government delivering real change for the people of Northern Ireland.

    We have also confirmed the UK Government’s investment in Northern Ireland’s City and Growth deals, which is a huge boost to communities in both rural and urban areas. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals alone will receive a combined investment from the UK Government of £162 million, and I look forward to seeing them progress and make a real impact now and in years to come. 

    Meanwhile, measures such as the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone, continuing support for Northern Ireland integrated schooling and the UK-wide investment of over £500m in digital infrastructure through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network benefit people across Northern Ireland’s communities.

    The increase to £37.8 million in funding for the Police Service of Northern Ireland through the Additional Security Fund, combined with £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, underscores the UK Government’s continuing and steadfast commitment to security.

    This budget is positive news for people across Northern Ireland, encouraging economic growth and enabling the conditions for a brighter future.

    Protecting working people and living standards

    While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the UK Government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT on working people in Northern Ireland, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip.

    • The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage.
    • The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also see a record rise from £8.60 to £10 an hour.
    • Working people will benefit from these increases, with there estimated to be around 100,000 minimum wage workers in Northern Ireland in 2023.
    • The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people in Northern Ireland from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be unfrozen from 2028-29 onwards. 
    • The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year – a tax cut worth £3 billion, with the temporary 5p cut extended to 22 March 2026. This will benefit an estimated 1.3 million people in Northern Ireland, saving the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
    • To support pubs and smaller brewers in Northern Ireland, the UK Government is cutting duty on qualifying draught products by 1p, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This measure reduces duty bills by over £70 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The relief available to small producers will be updated to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.  

    Rebuilding the United Kingdom

    This UK Government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain and lay the foundations for growth in Northern Ireland. This includes £760 million of targeted funding for the Northern Ireland Executive, of which £662 million is as committed in the 2024 restoration financial package and £90 million is for capital investment.

    • The UK Government today confirmed that investment in the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens City Deals will continue, supported by a value for money assessment as part of the review of the business cases for projects to ensure best value is being delivered. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals deliver a combined investment from UK Government of £162 million over 15 years to rural areas in Northern Ireland.
    • The Chancellor committed the UK Government to working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Industrial Strategy, 10-year infrastructure strategy and the National Wealth Fund – to ensure the benefits of these are felt UK-wide and as part of the relationship reset between governments. These will mobilise billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading clean energy and growth industries.
    • The UK Government has today reaffirmed its commitment to develop an Enhanced Investment Zone in Northern Ireland and will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop proposals.
    • The UK Government has increased funding to £37.8 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Additional Security Fund and confirmed £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime to ensure that people and communities are kept safe from violence and harm.
    • To support community cohesion the UK Government is providing £730,000 of additional funding in 2025-26 to support schools in Northern Ireland through the transformation process as they work towards integrated status.
    • Under-served parts of Northern Ireland will benefit from the rollout of digital infrastructure enabled by over £500 million of UK-wide investment in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
    • A corporate tax roadmap will provide businesses with the stability and certainty they need to make long-term investment decisions and support our growth mission. It confirms our competitive offer, with the lowest Corporate Tax rate in the G7 and generous support for investment and innovation.
    • The UK Government will also proceed with implementing the 45%/40% rates of the theatre, orchestra, museum and galleries tax relief from 1 April 2025 to provide certainty to businesses in Northern Ireland’s thriving cultural sector.

    Repairing public finances

    The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations of the UK economy.

    • The rate of Employers’ National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15%. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers start paying national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
    • The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000, allowing firms in Northern Ireland to employ four National Living Wage workers full time without paying national insurance on their wages.
    • Capital Gains Tax will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate.
    • To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
    • The lifetime limit of BADR will be maintained at £1 million. The lifetime limit of Investors’ Relief will be reduced from £10 million to £1 million.
    • The OBR say changes to CGT will raise over £2.5 billion a year and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
    • Inheritance Tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will be outside of its scope. From April 2027 inherited pensions will be subject to Inheritance Tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.
    • From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. It will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance Tax reforms in total are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion to support stability.

    The Budget also announced a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:

    • Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).  
    • Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking. 
    • To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will rise in line with inflation every year going forward.
    • The UK Government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI on 1 February 2025, except for most drinks in pubs

    The UK Government has set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, this Budget delivers the UK Government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for First Steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:  

    • A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
    • Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangement in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
    • The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.
    • Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.

    • The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.

    • The Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings surcharge of Stamp Duty Land Tax will rise from 3 to 5%, providing those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, with a comparative advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and businesses purchasing residential property.

    • The UK Government will also introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge by private schools from 1 January 2025.

    The Chancellor also doubled down on fiscal responsibility through two new fiscal rules that put the public finances on a sustainable path and prioritise investment to support long-term growth, and new principles of stability. Spending Reviews will be held every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money. 

    One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes, while giving the Northern Ireland Executive greater clarity for in its own budget-setting.  A Fiscal Lock will also ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKHSA detects first case of Clade Ib mpox

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox.

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    This is the first detection of this Clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox Clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).

    UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox Clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.

    The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of Clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox Clade Ib causes more severe disease than Clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage Clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this Clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.

    The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:

    I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

    The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

    This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

    We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.

    Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:

    The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

    Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

    Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

    Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

    The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.

    The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.

    Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring Clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.

    The wider risk to the UK population remains low.

    UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –