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  • MIL-OSI Video: New Report on Circumstances Resulting in UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld’s Death in 1961

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    A new report concerning the investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in fatal crash in 1961that killed then-United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld assesses it to remain plausible that an external attack or threat was a cause, a United Nations spokesman said today. The report, written by the designated Eminent Person, Mohamed Chande Othman, notes that the alternative hypotheses that appear to remain available are that the crash resulted from sabotage, or unintentional human error. Spokesman Farhan Haq said the Secretary-General calls for renewed resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth of what happened on that fateful night in 1961.

    ————————–

    One of the most enduring mysteries in United Nations history – the 1961 plane crash that killed Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and all on board as he sought to broker peace in the Congo – will linger on, with a new assessment announced today (18 Oct) suggesting that “specific and crucial” information continues to be withheld by a handful of Member States.

    According to the UN’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, “significant new information” has been submitted to the inquiry for this latest update.

    This included probable intercepts by Member States of communications related to the crash, the capacity of Katanga’s armed forces, or others, to mount an attack on SE-BDY and the involvement of foreign paramilitary or intelligence personnel in the area at the time.

    It also included additional new information relevant to the context and surrounding events of 1961.

    Over the years, the UN General Assembly has mandated a series of inquiries into the death of Hammarskjöld and those of his party. The most recent, in December 2022, was led by Mohamed Chande Othman, former Chief Justice of Tanzania, with the formal title of “Eminent Person.”

    Othman, Haq said, “assesses it to remain plausible that an external attack or threat was a cause of the crash,” and “notes that the alternative hypotheses that appear to remain available are that the crash resulted from sabotage or unintentional human error.”

    However, Haq continued, Othman assessed so far that it is “almost certain” specific, crucial and so far undisclosed information exists in the archives of Member States.

    He noted that Othman has not received, to date, specific responses to his queries from some Member States believed to be holding useful information.

    Haq said, “the Secretary-General has personally followed up on [Mr. Othman’s] outstanding requests for information and calls upon Member States to release any relevant records in their possession,” and added that “with significant progress having been made, the Secretary-General calls on all of us to renew our resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth of what happened on that fateful night in 1961.”

    Appointed at just 47 years old, Hammarskjöld of Sweden remains the youngest UN Secretary-General.

    Widely regarded as a visionary diplomat and reformer, Hammarskjöld is credited with strengthening the role of the newly established UN during a period of intense global tensions, including the drive to decolonise Africa and Asia.

    His leadership was pivotal during the tumultuous events of 1956. He led a ceasefire mission to the Middle East and continued through the Suez crisis, where he helped negotiate the withdrawal of foreign forces from Egypt and oversaw the deployment of the Organization’s first emergency peacekeeping mission, the UN Emergency Force.

    Hammarskjöld was known for his integrity and dedication to public service, earning the Nobel Peace Prize for developing the UN into an effective and constructive international organization capable of giving life to the principles and aims expressed in the UN Charter.

    Hammarskjöld served as Secretary-General from April 1953 until his death aged 56, when the chartered Douglas DC6 aircraft he was travelling in with others, registered as SE-BDY, crashed shortly after midnight on 17-18 September 1961, near Ndola, then in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

    He was en route to negotiate a ceasefire between UN peacekeepers and separatists from the breakaway Congolese region of Katanga, and possibly even a peace agreement encompassing the whole of newly independent Congo.

    Fourteen of the 15 passengers died on impact, and the sole survivor succumbed to their injuries a few days later.

    An initial inquiry by Rhodesian authorities reportedly attributed the crash to pilot error but the finding was disputed.

    On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres transmitted Othman’s latest report to the Assembly.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqA7GqfAIPY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Supporting North Carolina After Hurricanes Helene & Milton

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    We’re working together to repair roads and support communities hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

    Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Governor Roy Cooper in North Carolina, where our department has already sent $100 million to repair roads; there’s more to come as we rebuild.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eniwJ7Y2XQ

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Gaza: Report of Severe Violations of Food, Water & Housing Rights- Press Conference | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    After presenting their annual reports to the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteurs on the rights to food, water, and housing – Michael Fakhri, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, and Balakrishnan Rajagopal, respectively, today (18 Oct) discussed how these rights are being violated in Gaza.

    Fakhri said his report “answers a very specific question; how was Israel able to starve 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza so quickly and so completely?” and noted that “we have never seen in modern history this speed of starvation ever.”

    He explained that “this doesn’t start on October 7th,” and pointed out that “from 2000 to 2023, Israel has a profound degree of control over Gaza.”

    Fakhri said, “it’s like a faucet that you tighten and loosen. And they would make sure that the Palestinians in Gaza were just hungry enough to not raise alarms. They were counting calories and measuring what is allowed in to make sure that everyone remained hungry in Gaza, but not so hungry that it raised alarm bells in the international humanitarian world so that on October 6th, 2023, half of people in Gaza were food insecure and 80 percent depended on humanitarian aid.”

    The Special Rapporteurs on the Right to Food said, “this is an attempt to use starvation to displace people, to kill people, to annihilate people as an attempt to erase the Palestinians from history and from their land in order for Israel to fully annexe Palestinian territory. And we see that their annexation plan continues now into Lebanon.”

    Arrojo-Agudo explained that because of population pressure on the costal aquifer, “the only way of having water for drinking water was the desalination plant. And an amount of water sold by Mekorot, the public owned company, Israeli company, to the Palestinians.”

    He said, “with the beginning of the war, this water was cut off at the beginning completely and then, a little bit more or less, but cut it essentially and with a cutting of the energy, the desalination plants collapsed.”

    For his part, Rajagopal said, “we need to back up a little bit from October of 2023, because the question of how much of Gaza has been destroyed should not give the mistaken impression of assuming that Gaza was fully built and intact before that. No part of Palestine, whether it’s East Jerusalem or West Bank or Gaza, have been exempt from a gradual and sometimes violent pummelling given by Israel using military force or using home demolitions, which have been a chief tool of occupation and land annexation, including settlement activity in the West Bank over decades.”

    Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and work on a voluntary basis. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTt7B613nuk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams Help People Register for FEMA Assistance and More

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    We have Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams spread out across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia in areas impacted by #Milton, #Helene and #Debby.

    Our teams can assist survivors with:
    · applying for assistance
    · provide application updates
    · provide referrals to additional resources

    fema.gov/about/glossary/disaster-survivor-assistance

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIFDuX-VWsY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: IMF Today | 2024 Annual Meetings

    Source: International Monetary Fund – IMF (video statements)

    The 2024 IMF-WBG Annual Meetings are here! Throughout these hashtag#IMFmeetings, we will discuss global topics like growth, inflation, AI, climate, digitalization, debt, and more. Working better together and fostering broad support for policies that benefit people are key commitments for us!

    From Oct 21-25, we’ll go beyond the day’s headline and speak to the experts to reflect on specific topics from different angles in our live broadcast, IMF Today. Tune in at: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Seminars/Conferences/2024/10/18/IMF-Today-AM24

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkXzRFps20c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Global Crisis of Freedom of Expression – Special Rapporteur | Press Conference | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Deadly attacks on journalists in Gaza and double standards and discrimination against those advocating for Palestinian rights have created a global crisis of freedom of expression, Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression said.

    Presenting her report to the General Assembly, Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, highlighted the widespread violations of freedom of expression arising from the conflict in Gaza, including the killing of journalists in Gaza, the crushing of protests worldwide against the carnage, the muzzling of Palestinian advocacy and the upsurge of disinformation, misinformation and hate speech online and offline.

    Speaking to reporters in New York today (18 Oct), Khan said, “The target killings of journalists, arbitrary detention of dozens of them, the extensive destruction of press facilities and equipment in Gaza, the denial of access to international journalists, as you know, I think only one has been permitted to enter by Israel. The banning of Al Jazeera, the tightening of censorship within Israel and in the Occupied Territories, seem to indicate a strategy of the Israeli authorities to silence critical journalism and obstruct documentation of possible international crimes. We all know the deliberate killing of a journalist is a war crime, yet not a single killing of a journalist this past year, or for that matter, in previous years in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has ever been properly investigated, prosecuted or punished. Impunity is total.”

    The Special Rapporteur also said, “Bans, including some blanket bans of pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been imposed in many European countries. Campus protests, as you know, in the United States earlier this year, were crushed harshly. Public display of Palestinian national symbols like the flag or the keffiyeh and certain slogans have been prohibited, even criminalized in some countries. Such blanket discriminatory prohibitions of speech, protest and slogans are inherently incompatible with international human rights because they fail to meet the test of necessity, proportionality and the principle of non-discrimination.”

    Khan added, “We also see the silencing and sidelining of dissenting voices in academia and in the arts. Some of the best academic institutions in the world, as you know, have failed to ensure equal protection to all members of their academic communities, whether Jewish, Palestinian, Israeli, Arab, Muslim or otherwise, and intellectual intercourse has been diminished. Artistic freedom is being censored in many institutions in Western countries.”

    She said, “While Arabs, Jewish Israelis and Palestinians are all targeted online, many companies, most companies, actually have shown a bias in their responses. As far as I could see, all of them were showing a bias in their responses, being more lenient regarding Israel and more restrictive about Palestinian expression. And from what I can see, it seems that inherently biased policies, opaque, inconsistent content moderation and heavy reliance on automated tools have led to this over restrictive, unbalanced content moderation.”

    The Special Rapporteur also said, “Online and offline, international legal standards are being distorted and misinterpreted to conflate criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-semitism. Anti-semitism is racial, the worst form of racial and religious hatred of Jews, and must be unequivocally condemned. But conflating protected speech which is political criticism with prohibited speech which is hate speech undermines the fight against anti-semitism, and it also chills freedom of expression.”

    Khan added, “The point I want to make is equality is a fundamental principle of human rights, and States, companies and private institutions are obliged uphold that right to equality in the context of the right to freedom of expression of all persons, and any restriction, there are very clear guidelines laid down in international law as how they should be made and those guidelines are not being followed.”

    The Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KheCFH9R6DM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Replacing America’s aging pipelines

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Aging, leak-prone natural gas pipes are bad for safety, bad for the environment, and bad for energy bills.

    That’s why President Biden and Vice President Harris are investing in replacing outdated pipelines. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re supporting communities nationwide with new projects that will protect public safety and keep down energy costs for hundreds of thousands of Americans.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh9oT2I9Fao

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Timor Leste : Irrigation Infrastructure and Agroforestry | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    In a remote village on the island nation of Timor Leste, communities are turning the tide against food insecurity with innovative irrigation and agroforestry techniques.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSSE2tIYcio

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Reporters Without Borders War Reporters’ Memorial in Bayeux: RSF pays tribute to slain journalists

    Source: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) (Video Release)

    #EDITORSF: RSF pays tribute to the journalists slain every year in Bayeux, and this year there was a special homage to the journalists of Gaza. 57 new names were engraved in white marble, the names of reporters who paid with their lives for their dedication to keeping the world informed.

    Thibaut Bruttin, RSF’s Director General, reflects on the memorial ceremony in the presence of RSF’s Gaza correspondent, Ola Al Zaanoun, who testified about what it means to be a reporter in Gaza, a blockaded enclave where journalism has been stifled since the start of the war.

    #pbcn24 #media #journalisme #freespeech #freepress #journalists #journaliste #condemningabuses #reportersindanger #libertédelapresse #journalismisntacrime #fightfortruth #humanrights #freemedia #violence #justicenow #picoftheday #libertedelapresse #rsf

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbY1e-HDZ1c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What does class mean today in Britain? Podcast

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Hood, Host, Know Your Place podcast, The Conversation

    Gig economy workers take a break in Chinatow, London. Shutterstock/Grant Rooney

    Social class continues to influence British people’s opportunities and the way they think about them, even if the boundaries between those classes have shifted.

    In the third part of Know Your Place: what happened to class in British politics, a podcast series from The Conversation Documentaries, we explore how class is defined and measured, and how the UK’s changing class identity interacts with identity politics.

    Over the course of the last half century, there’s been a big shift in the make up of the labour market, and a decline in what are traditionally considered working class jobs, such as in manufacturing. And yet, data from the annual British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey run by the National Centre for Social Research, found that 52% of people identify as working class compared with 43% who identify as middle class.

    According to Oliver Heath, professor of politics at Royal Holloway University of London, who co-authored the chapter on class for the BSA report in 2023, people still think about themselves in class terms to exactly the same degree as they did 40 years ago.

    There’s been no decline in terms of whether people think of themselves as identifying with a class, and no decline in whether they identify with being working class or not. So that seems remarkably stable and if anything showed some signs of actually increasing.

    The growth of self-employment, and in particular the gig economy, has disrupted the UK’s traditional class structure, according to Daniel Evans, a lecturer of criminology, sociology and social policy at Swansea University.

    The size of the formally self-employed has absolutely exploded. It’s close to about 5 million,  which is coming very close to the size of the entire public sector. This is absolutely unprecedented. In the early 1970s, it was about 1 million self-employed people.

    Evans argues this has also muddled what it means to be part of the petit bourgeoisie, someone who own the means of your own production in a Marxist sense.

    So many people are doing almost like bogus forms of self-employment. Whereas in the past, lots and lots of people are doing this voluntarily, a lot of working class people aspired to join the ranks of the self-employed because they wanted to be their own boss … more and more people have been forced, basically, into self-employment.

    Education, education, education

    Amid these shifts, education has become a dominant force in recent years, overriding class defined by occupation or income as the most influential factor in voter behaviour. According to Paula Surridge, professor of political sociology at the University of Bristol, this was true for the Brexit vote too, she says.

    Education is a stronger predictor of Brexit vote than class, with those with degree or higher level education more likely to vote remain than those with lower level qualifications. And the reason for that is the Brexit vote was primarily driven by a set of social values that don’t relate to economics.

    Town and gown: Britain’s modern political divide.
    Shutterstock

    This can be a tricky dynamic to talk about. The education divide is not a term intended to deliver a value judgement but describes two distinct experiences of life. The university population in the UK has exploded since the 1990s and going to university has a profound effect on a person’s outlook, according to John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at Natcen:

    The experience of university, where people get mixed with people from diverse backgrounds, they’re encouraged, particularly in the humanities, to be critically reflective about culture, etc. that that seems to create a rather more socially liberal ambience.

    For more analysis, listen to the full episode of Know Your Place: what happened to class in British politics on The Conversation Documentaries.

    A transcript is available on Apple Podcasts.

    Know Your Place: what happened to class in British politics is produced and mixed by Anouk Millet for The Conversation. It’s supported by the National Centre for Social Research.

    Newsclips in the episode from BBC Newsnight, Financial Times, The Frost Report, CBC News, Sky News, France24 English, AP Archive, BBC News, Official Jeremy Corbyn Channel and Channel 4 News.

    Listen to The Conversation Documentaries via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    John Curtice receives funding from UKRI-ESRC. Tim Bale has previously received funding for research on the Conservative Party and party members from the Leverhulme Trust and from the Economic and Social Research Council. Oliver Heath 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. Paula Surridge 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. Daniel Evans 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. Know Your Place: what happened to class in British politics is supported by the National Centre for Social Research.

    – ref. What does class mean today in Britain? Podcast – https://theconversation.com/what-does-class-mean-today-in-britain-podcast-241412

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Business committed to secure robust and workable benefit sharing regime at COP16, says ICC  

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Business committed to secure robust and workable benefit sharing regime at COP16, says ICC  

    Sustainability

    The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has called on governments to agree on a robust and workable multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism to advance biodiversity conservation at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 in Cali, Colombia.

    With nearly one million species at risk of extinction according to the 2019 Global Assessment Report, global biodiversity is severely at risk. At COP15 in 2022, world leaders agreed on a goal of living in harmony with nature by 2050 and adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to help achieve that vision. This year’s COP 16 will review progress on the GBF and decide how to monitor and fund its implementation.

     With regard to the latter, governments are also expected to determine the design of a multilateral mechanism for the sharing of benefits from the use of “digital sequence information”.

    Daphne Yong D’Herve, Director of Global Network
    Policy Engagement at ICC said : 

    “Businesses are ready to engage fully at COP16, as they can and must be a key part of the solution to halting biodiversity loss. A benefit sharing mechanism with a broad contributor base would help ensure a meaningful stream of funds, help raise awareness of the principle of benefit sharing, and encourage a sense of collective responsibility among all sectors benefiting from biodiversity.” 

    Ahead of the start of the conference, ICC has outlined key elements of any new multilateral deal on benefit sharing – calling for a workable mechanism that provides legal certainty to businesses through innovation and commercialisation processes. The business organisation has also emphasized the imperative to ensure that any new mechanism:

    • incentivises participation by both countries and a broad base of private sector contributors;
    • ensures contributions collected are used to fund biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, including supporting the role of indigenous peoples and local communities as stewards of biodiversity;
    • support research and innovation by providing open access to data; and
    • recognise that tracking and tracing through value chains is not practical.

    Ms. Yong D’Herve added : 

    “Business continues to engage at COP16 and beyond, in the further work needed to build a workable mechanism which could provide legal certainty and have the broadest possible engagement from countries, rightsholders and stakeholders.” 

    Find out more about the Business Views on a multilateral benefit sharing mechanism.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Queen Street to close for 5 nights in November

    Source: City of York

    City of York Council has published information to support residents and visitors as a key road near York Station closes over 5 nights in November.

    As an essential part of works to transform the area to the front of York Station, the new Queen Street diversion road will be closed for five consecutive weeknights. The road will reopen to traffic during the day.

    The road will be closed from:

    • 7.30pm on Monday 4 November 2024 until 6.00am Tuesday 5 November 2024
    • 7.30pm on Tuesday 5 November 2024 until 6.00am Wednesday 6 November 2024
    • 7.30pm on Wednesday 6 November 2024 until 6.00am Thursday 7 November 2024
    • 7.30pm on Thursday 7 November 2024 until 6.00am Friday 8 November 2024
    • 7.30pm on Friday 8 November 2024 until 6.00am Saturday 9 November 2024

    These closures are to allow the removal of the remaining part of Queen Street Bridge, which was left in place while further work took place to protect the city walls.

    This follows two weekend closures in April 2024 which saw the removal of the majority of Queen Street Bridge and the construction of the diversion road.

    The council has now published information to offer advice for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelers, blue badge holders, bus users, taxis and drivers.

    Trains to and from York will be running as usual. Buses will continue to operate throughout the closure, but some routes will change as a result of the road closures. This will include the temporary relocation of some bus stops.

    Free shuttle buses will also be running until midnight, between Blossom Street and stops RF-RJ opposite the station. The shuttle buses will run regularly and will stop at all regular bus stops along the route.

    The station car park will be open during these works. Residents and businesses on Queen Street will be able to access their premises at all times. Lowther Terrace gates will be open as usual.

    York remains open for business. Residents and visitors are being asked to please plan ahead if travelling in the area and, if possible, consider other ways to travel in to the city during these closures.

    Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said:

    “Removing the remaining sections of Queen Street Bridge is an important milestone for the project, as we move closer to seeing the benefits of this exciting transformation.

    “We understand how disruptive these closures are and will continue working to keep disruption to a minimum.

    “As with the closures earlier in the year, we encourage everyone to plan ahead and give themselves extra time if travelling in the area and check the travel information online.

    “We appreciate the efforts to help keep York moving throughout these works, and want to thank residents, visitors and businesses for their continued patience.”

    This major scheme is being delivered in partnership by City of York Council, Network Rail, LNER and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority alongside contractor for the highways works for the project, John Sisk & Son.

    The project will completely transform the area to the front of the station, providing an effective transport interchange, enhanced public space and an improved setting for the city walls.

    Read the latest information and plan ahead.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: September 2024 Transaction Data

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in Septemer 2024.

    NicoElNino/Shutterstock.com

    Please note this data shows what HM Land Registry has been able to process during the time period covered and is not necessarily a reflection of market activity.

    In September:

    • HM Land Registry completed more than 1,934,910 applications to change or query the Land Register 
    • the South East topped the table of regional applications with 437,185

    HM Land Registry completed 1,934,916 applications in September compared with 1,876,215 in August and 1,730,767 last September 2023, of which: 

    •  286,474 were applications for register updates compared with 285,515 in August
    • 1,119,845 were applications for an official copy of a register compared with 1,073,999 in August
    • 197,651 were search and hold queries (official searches) compared with 197,468 in August
    • 77,774 were transactions for value compared with 78,219 in August
    • 16,471 were postal applications from non-account holders compared with 18,417 in August

    Applications by region and country 

    Region/country July applications August applications September applications
    South East 468,348 425,070 437,185
    Greater London 404,408 350,059 362,510
    North West 236,256 210,417 219,362
    South West 203,566 185,961 188,834
    West Midlands 178,188 158,505 163,947
    Yorkshire and the Humber 166,385 149,177 155,258
    East Midlands 148,285 138,813 142,378
    North 103,651 95,160 95,537
    East Anglia 87,080 79194 80,620
    Isles of Scilly 194 259 159
    Wales 96,036 83,463 89,016
    England and Wales (not assigned) 157 137 110
    Total 2,092,554 1,876,215 1,934,916

    Top 5 local authority areas 

    September 2024 applications

    Top 5 Local authority areas September applications
    Birmingham 28,173
    City of Westminster 27,432
    Leeds 23,152
    North Yorkshire 22,058
    Buckinghamshire 19,858

    August 2024 applications

    Top 5 local authority areas August applications
    Birmingham 27,866
    City of Westminster 25,959
    Leeds 22,776
    North Yorkshire 20,844
    Buckinghamshire 19,900

    Top 5 customers 

    September 2024 applications

    Top 5 customers September applications
    Infotrack Limited 194,207
    Landmark Information Group Ltd 39,195
    Orbital Witness Limited 34,008
    Enact 30,413
    O’Neill Patient 29,616

    August 2024 applications

    Top 5 customers August applications
    Infotrack Limited 182,701
    Landmark Information Group Ltd 44,136
    Orbital Witness Limited 32,623
    Enact 28,071
    O’Neill Patient 27,852

    Access the full dataset on our Use land and property data service.

    Next publication 

    Transaction Data is published on the 15th working day of each month. The October 2024 data will be published at 11am on Thursday 21 November 2024.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Eclipse Zenoh 1.0.0 Debuts, Redefining Connectivity for Robotics and Automotive

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BRUSSELS, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Eclipse Foundation, a leading open source foundation, today announced the release of Eclipse Zenoh 1.0.0, a breakthrough open source protocol that seamlessly integrates communication, storage, and computation in embedded systems and across cloud platforms. This milestone release builds on years of development and real-world deployment experience, delivering new features tailored for developers and engineers in robotics, automotive, and broader edge and IoT sectors.

    “Eclipse Zenoh has proven to be a valuable protocol for innovative robotics and automotive applications, and with this release, we expect that trajectory to accelerate,” said Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation. “Its unique blend of abstraction, scalability, and high performance make it ideal for complex, real-time applications like advanced robotics.”

    Eclipse Zenoh, which has been in use for several years, unifies data in motion, data at rest, and computations. The 1.0.0 release represents a significant evolution, incorporating insights from industrial deployments to deliver a mature, production-ready solution.

    “The Eclipse Zenoh 1.0.0 release represents a carefully considered step forward,” said Angelo Corsaro, CEO & CTO of ZettaScale, the creator of the Zenoh project. “We’ve taken the time to learn from real-world implementations, refining Zenoh to meet the complex needs of modern network communication. This release offers developers an efficient, scalable toolset that streamlines development and communication across critical technology stacks.”

    Key enhancements in Eclipse Zenoh 1.0.0 include shared memory and zero-copy support, advanced end-to-end protection, high-performance access control, and specific extensions for robotics and automotive protocols. As the 1.0.0 release, the update also introduces backward compatibility and enables long-term support.

    Eclipse Zenoh has gained significant adoption across industries such as manufacturing, transportation, medical, and industrial automation. To see a list of industry adopters, visit https://zenoh.io/adopters/  

    Eclipse Zenoh has also been recognised by the Robot Operating System (ROS) community as the leading protocol for robotics, further validating its capabilities in robotics applications.

    Eclipse Zenoh 1.0.0 is now available for download at https://github.com/eclipse-zenoh/zenoh/releases

    About the Eclipse Foundation
    The Eclipse Foundation provides our global community of individuals and organisations with a business-friendly environment for open source software collaboration and innovation. We host the Eclipse IDE, Adoptium, Software Defined Vehicle, Jakarta EE, and over 420 open source projects, including runtimes, tools, specifications, and frameworks for cloud and edge applications, IoT, AI, automotive, systems engineering, open processor designs, and many others. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the Eclipse Foundation is an international non-profit association supported by over 385 members. Visit us at this year’s Open Community Experience (OCX) conference on 22-24 October 2024 in Mainz, Germany. To learn more, follow us on social media @EclipseFdn, LinkedIn, or visit eclipse.org.

    Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

    Media contacts:
    Schwartz Public Relations (Germany)
    Gloria Huppert/Marita Bäumer
    Sendlinger Straße 42A
    80331 Munich
    EclipseFoundation@schwartzpr.de
    +49 (89) 211 871 -70/ -62

    514 Media Ltd (France, Italy, Spain)
    Benoit Simoneau
    benoit@514-media.com
    M: +44 (0) 7891 920 370

    Nichols Communications (Global Press Contact)
    Jay Nichols
    jay@nicholscomm.com
    +1 408-772-1551

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Grab to Announce Third Quarter 2024 Results on November 12, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GRAB, the “Company”  or “Grab”), plans to announce its unaudited third quarter 2024 results after the U.S. market closes on November 12, 2024.  

    The Company’s management will hold a conference call to discuss the third quarter 2024 results at:

    Date and time: 7:00 PM U.S Eastern Time on November 11, 2024
    8:00 AM Singapore Time on November 12, 2024

    A link to the call will be posted on the Company’s investor relations website at investors.grab.com prior to the call time.  Following the call, a replay of the call, along with the earnings press release and presentation slides, will be available at the same website.

    About Grab

    Grab is a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, operating across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors. Serving over 700 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – Grab enables millions of people everyday to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending and insurance, all through a single app. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line – we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.

    For more information, visit http://www.grab.com.

    For enquiries, please contact:
    Investors: investor.relations@grab.com
    Media: press@grab.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Tower Semiconductor Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel – October 21, 2024 – Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/ TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, will issue its third quarter 2024 earnings release on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its third-quarter 2024 financial results and fourth-quarter 2024 guidance on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (09:00 a.m. Central, 08:00 a.m. Mountain, 07:00 a.m. Pacific and 05:00 p.m. Israel time).

    The call will be webcast and available through the Investor Relations section of Tower Semiconductor’s website at https://ir.towersemi.com/, where the pre-registration form required for dial-in participation is also accessible. Upon completing the registration, participants will receive the dial-in details, a unique PIN, and a confirmation email with all necessary information. The teleconference will be available for replay for 90 days.

    About Tower Semiconductor         
    Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, provides technology, development, and process platforms for its customers in growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, mobile, infrastructure, medical and aerospace and defense. Tower Semiconductor focuses on creating a positive and sustainable impact on the world through long-term partnerships and its advanced and innovative analog technology offering, comprised of a broad range of customizable process platforms such as SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, non-imaging sensors, displays, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), photonics, and MEMS. Tower Semiconductor also provides world-class design enablement for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as process transfer services including development, transfer, and optimization, to IDMs and fabless companies. To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended capacity for its customers, Tower Semiconductor owns two facilities in Israel (150mm and 200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm), two in Japan (200mm and 300mm) which it owns through its 51% holdings in TPSCo, shares a 300mm facility in Agrate, Italy, with ST as well as has access to a 300mm capacity corridor in Intel’s New Mexico factory. For more information, please visit: http://www.towersemi.com.

    ###
    Contact Information:
    Tower Semiconductor Investor Relations                        
    Noit Levy, SVP Investor Relations                
    noitle@towersemi.com | +972-74-7377556                 

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [KEYWORDS STUDIOS PLC – 18 10 2024] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 KEYWORDS STUDIOS PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 OCTOBER 2024
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,345,039 1.6701    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 1,345,039 1.6701    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    1p ORDINARY SALE 1,000 2438.04p
    1p ORDINARY SALE 300 2440.1743p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    NONE

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

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

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 21 OCTOBER 2024
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 18 10 2024] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 OCTOBER 2024
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 0.375p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 10,058,448 1.2697    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 10,058,448 1.2697    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 12,500 92.908p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    NONE

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

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

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 21 OCTOBER 2024
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [ECKOH PLC – 18 10 2024] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 ECKOH PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 OCTOBER 2024
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 10p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 20,624,891 7.0982    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 20,624,891 7.0982    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    10p ORDINARY SALE 17,450 43.0755p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    NONE

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

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

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 21 OCTOBER 2024
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The receding waters of Nuphar Lake, near Norris Geyser Basin

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

    Nuphar Lake is a small, non-thermal body of water—more pond than lake, really—adjacent to the entrance road to Norris Geyser Basin.  It was mostly unremarkable until the past few years, when some interesting changes began occurring.

    In 2021 and 2022, the lake level started to rise dramatically, by several feet (about a meter), and the water changed color from dark green to a bright milky blue.  These changes were caused by the input of hot water from hydrothermal features on a ridge just above the lake.  Those features normally sent water into the adjoining Porcelain Basin of Norris Geyser Basin—a plain full of colorful and active geysers and hot springs.  When the hot water started to flow instead into Nuphar Lake, the water changed color to the milky blue that is typical of many hydrothermal ponds and pools, and the water level began to rise.  By early 2024 the lake was threatening to overtop its edges and possibly flow into Porcelain Basin. 

    High-resolution satellite images of Norris Geyser Basin showing the area of Porcelain Basin and Nuphar Lake (both images cover the same area).  In the left image, acquired on April 2, 2024, springs on Porcelain Terrace are full of water, and warm hydrothermal water is flowing into Nuphar Lake from the area circled in yellow.  This warm water kept the north part of the lake free of ice, the lake level is high, and the color is a milky blue.  Boardwalks in the area appear as white lineations because they are covered in snow. In the right image, acquired on August 20, 2024, the lake level is lower, and the color is a deep green.  The variations in lake level and color were caused by the cessation of thermal water flowing into the lake from nearby hydrothermal features—a change that was coincident with a hydrothermal explosion in the area on April 15, 2024.  Imagery were processed by R. Greg Vaughan (USGS), and data were collected by WorldView-3 satellite and made available thanks to the NEXTVIEW End User License Agreement between Maxar (formerly DigitalGlobe, Inc.), which supports Earth science research and applications.

    By the end of summer in 2024, however, the lake level had receded, and the water had returned to its previous deep green color.  What happened?

    An explosion happened. That’s what.

    Photo of dead trees along the edge of Nuphar Lake.  The white staining at the base of the trees is a telltale sign that the trees were immersed in thermal water containing silica.  USGS photo by Mike Poland, September 1, 2024.

    On April 15, 2024, a newly installed monitoring station in Norris Geyser Basin detected an explosion from the direction of the hydrothermal features above Nuphar Lake.  Inspection of the area in May revealed a crater measuring about 10 feet (about 3 meters) across, surrounded by cracked and disrupted ground.  Also, the nearby hydrothermal features were no longer emitting water—not into Nuphar Lake, and not into Porcelain Basin.  Instead, only some vigorous steam vents and a pool of hot, but not boiling, water were present in the area.

    It appears that pressure had been building beneath the hydrothermal features above Nuphar Lake during the preceding years.  This pressure resulted in an increase in hot water and steam emissions, but the plumbing must have become clogged and sealed in April.  The explosion on April 15—similar to, but smaller than, the well-observed explosion in Biscuit Basin on July 23, 2024—broke that seal and disrupted the hot-water plumbing to the features.

    Because hot water was no longer flowing into Nuphar Lake after the explosion, the lake level dropped over the course of the summer of 2024, and the milky blue color faded as silica settled out of the water and was not replaced.  The changes are especially visible in satellite images of the area.

    The formerly high level of thermal water still left its mark, though.  Nuphar Lake is now surrounded by a ring of dead trees along the shoreline. These trees, some of which have already fallen into the lake, were killed when they were inundated by the silica-rich water, marked by telltale white stains on the tree trunks.

    Hydrothermal activity in the area of Nuphar Lake seems to have calmed significantly since 2021–2022, but the lesson of Yellowstone is one of change.  The thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park are dynamic, so it would not be a surprise if the pools and vents above Nuphar Lake surged to life in the future and sent their hot, silica-laden water coursing into the lake once again.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Students and teachers of the State University of Management participate in the VII Youth Forum “Heritage”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 19, 2024, as part of the educational program of the VII Youth Forum “Heritage”, Associate Professor of the Department of Public and Municipal Administration of the State University of Management Irina Milkina held an open lecture for the Forum participants.

    The lecture was held in the Urban Studies section on the topic of “Revitalization of cultural heritage sites in the context of sustainable development”. Irina Milkina spoke about global challenges and sustainable development goals, about how the restoration and revitalization of cultural heritage sites affects the creation of new opportunities for the social, economic and environmental development of cities and improving the quality of life of the population.

    The educational program also included lectures on other topics that help Forum participants in developing a project: economics, history, management, jurisprudence, sociology, design and architecture, PR.

    The grand opening of the VII Youth Forum “Heritage”, organized by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the City of Moscow, took place on September 28 at the “Youth of Moscow” site. The opening ceremony was attended by students from the State University of Management, the Higher School of Economics, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Moscow University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and others. SUM was represented by 3rd and 4th year students of the “Urban Studies and City Management” program.

    The forum was opened by the head of the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage, Alexey Yemelyanov: “This year, a record number of students are participating in the competition program of the VII Youth Forum “Heritage” — more than 300. The number of universities has also increased — from 23 in 2023 to 28 now. Over the past two years, the guys have been working on restoration and adaptation projects for Moscow estates, and now they will have to prepare a concept for including a constructivist monument — the Palace of Culture of the “Serp i Molot” plant — into the life of a modern metropolis.”

    Participants were drawn and divided into interdisciplinary teams. The teams consist of specialists in architecture, restoration, urban studies, sociology, management, economics, law, design, IT and PR.

    In two months, the Forum participants will have to prepare a restoration project for the Hammer and Sickle Palace of Culture by architects Ignatius Milinis and Aleksandr Vilesov. The 1930 constructivist building is located in the Tagansky District of Moscow and is a cultural heritage site of regional significance.

    From October 5 to 7, a tour of the site was organized for each team, where the participants were able to become familiar with the history of the place in detail, discuss the further work plan of each specialist, and develop a concept for including the site in the life of the city.

    The defense of the finished projects will take place on November 22. At the defense, the jury will evaluate the work done by the participants and select the best projects for the restoration and adaptation of the cultural heritage site.

    Also, within the framework of the Forum, the organizers will hold educational events for participants: lectures, master classes, excursions to restoration workshops, workshops and job fairs.

    Comments from participants:

    Alexandra Nenarokomova, 3rd year student: “I have been participating in the project for the third year now, and I can say that for me this is an opportunity to demonstrate my professional skills, meet specialists in my field, and learn something new about my city.”

    Anastasia Kupreeva, 3rd year student: “I am glad to take part in the Forum this year. We will have to work with a unique object and improve the existing concept.”

    Vladislav Zelensky, 4th-year student: “This year, for the first time, we will be able to work with a Soviet-era monument, which is pleasing and creates additional interest in the forum. In the past two years, as part of this event, my teams and I worked on pre-revolutionary buildings, which had more design restrictions.”

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 21.10.2024

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

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

    Students and teachers of the State University of Management participate in the VII Youth Forum “Heritage”

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Eight-year ban for director of home improvements firm which failed to complete more than £300,000 of building work

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The company accepted payments for projects when it was insolvent

    • Samantha Fairweather was the sole director of Fairweather Construction Ltd when it took payments from customers for home improvements it did not complete 

    • The company had already failed to finish building work such as new conservatories and windows when it accepted the additional payments  

    • Fairweather Construction had substantial debts at the time it took the payments, including owing more than £100,000 in tax 

    The boss of an Essex construction firm which took more than £300,000 in deposits for home improvements work it never completed has been disqualified as a director for eight years. 

    Samantha Fairweather, 53, was the sole director of Fairweather Construction Ltd when it sought advice from an insolvency practitioner in April 2022, owing more than £100,000 in unpaid tax. 

    The company had taken deposits from homeowners worth more than £150,000 by this time for building work such as the installation of new windows or conservatories which it had not finished. 

    However, Fairweather Construction then proceeded to take a further £177,900 in payments for further building projects it did not complete, including £37,370 in deposits for new work, before it was liquidated in the autumn of 2022.  

    Neil North, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Samantha Fairweather knew, or ought to have known, that the company she was a director of had unpaid debts to HMRC and had been unable to fulfil its obligations to existing customers. 

    The company then took significant amounts of money from homeowners for house extensions and projects which were never done. 

    Members of the public need protection from this kind of activity which is why Fairweather will no longer be able to act as a company director until October 2032. 

    Fairweather, of Maitland Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, was the only director of Fairweather Construction since it was established in December 2014. 

    The company marketed itself as a home improvement specialist, with its work mainly focused on properties around the Essex and Hertfordshire border. Its registered office address was more than 150 miles away on Wood Lane, Heskin, Lancashire. 

    However, homeowners from further afield also lost out as a result of the company’s actions. 

    One couple from south London paid Fairweather Construction £12,500 for new windows in July 2022, but the order was never placed with the manufacturer. 

    Similarly, a woman from Saffron Walden paid the company £4,500 for new windows in August 2022, which were never fitted. 

    In the same month, Fairweather Construction took £18,000 from customers in the Bishop’s Stortford area for a new conservatory and extensions to an existing one which were not built. 

    Numerous excuses were made by the company for why the orders were not fulfilled. 

    Fairweather also caused her company to breach the Covid Bounce Back Loan Scheme in May 2020 by using £11,000 of the £50,000 she obtained to repay a director’s loan. 

    These payments were not for the economic benefit of the business as they had to be under the rules of the scheme. 

    Fairweather Construction entered liquidation in September 2022 with liabilities of more than £700,000. 

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Fairweather, and her eight-year ban began on Monday 21 October. 

    The disqualification prevents her from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Road Conditions Report – Monday 21 October 2024

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.  It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.

    Maps of the Council’s gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at winter road maintenance (external link).

    Drivers should take extreme care this morning. Windblown debris is affecting roads and sea blown debris is affecting coastal roads particularly in the west. Roads operatives are working to clear roads this morning.

    The Corran Ferry is running as normal this morning.

    Follow our social media channels to keep up-to-date with all Highland Council road issues today – @HighlandCouncil

    Details as of 10am today are as follows – 

    Badenoch and Strathspey
    Roads damp. Positive road surface temperatures. No known problems.

    Nairn
    Roads damp. Positive road surface temperatures. No known problems.

    Sutherland
    The C1054, Coal Pit Road at Brora, approximately 100m off the  A9 is currently blocked due to a fallen tree. Operatives are in attendance to clear road. Earlier this morning, trees were down on the Lothmore side road (the U2766) off the A9 between Brora and Portgower but these have been cleared.

    Lochaber
    A861 Clovullin road is reduced to single lane for approximately 100 metres. The Corran Ferry is operating as normal this morning.

    Wester Ross
    Positive road surface temperatures. The A834 slip road at Contin War Memorial is closed with a tree blocking the road. Operatives are on their way to clear the road.

    Caithness
    No winter action required. No other known issues to report.

    Inverness
    Roads are dry / damp with no known problems.

    East Ross-shire
    Positive temperatures. No winter action.

    For information on Trunk Roads follow @trafficscotland or visit: https://www.traffic.gov.scot/ (external link) (external link).

    SSEN information –  https://www.ssen.co.uk/ (external link) (external link).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Germany: EIB and Deutsche Leasing support the green transformation of small businesses and mid-caps

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • Deutsche Leasing will provide new leases on favourable terms to small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and mid-caps in Germany and countries in Eastern Europe.  
    • The second tranche of this operation, started in February, has been signed.  
    • The loan has a two-fold focus on cohesion, accounting for 50% of the projects, and green investments, with 30% of green leases.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Deutsche Leasing have announced the second tranche of a project designed to support small business and mid-cap leases for a total project cost of €560 million, with a total of €200 million of EIB financing approved. A first tranche of €50 million of the €200 million has been signed in February.

    Under the cooperation programme, Deutsche Leasing will finance machinery and technologies that lead to energy savings, low-carbon mobility and other environmental solutions, thereby supporting the green transformation of small businesses and mid-caps.

    Deutsche Leasing will use the EIB loan to finance small and medium-sized companies (SMEs, with fewer than 250 employees) and midcaps (with up to 3 000 employees) in Germany and countries in Eastern Europe. The beneficiaries will be able to use the funds for long-term investment projects. The focus of the second tranche lies on climate investment. It is foreseen that at least 30% of the EIB funds will be used to support climate and the environment, such as financing of energy efficient industrial equipment and agricultural machinery, including climate adaptation measures.

    As the EIB has the highest possible credit rating (AAA), it can raise funds on the capital markets on favourable terms. The advantages of the EIB-backing will be passed on to the SMEs and midcaps to enable them to invest into growing their businesses and investing in their green transition.  By facilitating access to financing, this partnership will promote long-term economic growth as well as job security. This operation should support approximately 570 SMEs and thus approximately 47,300 employees.

    “SMEs and MidCaps are the backbone of our European economy”, EIB-Vice-President Nicola Beer said. “Supporting them is one of the core missions of the EIB. Together with financing partners like Deutsche Leasing, we provide long-term, stable financing for the Mittelstand to invest in innovative projects for the green and digital transition and help foster the European competitiveness.”

    Deutsche Leasing supports SMEs and midcaps in successfully managing the upcoming transformation to a Green Economy that lies in innovative technologies, by disseminated those technologies largely in its target markets across the EU and beyond. Deutsche Leasing will also provide advisory expertise for corporates and public entities in the sustainable transformation and plays a key role in the circular economy.

    The use of intermediated lending via Deutsche Leasing will provide EIB financing to reach smaller scale projects that are often unable to demonstrate sufficient volume for a standalone EIB-financed project.

    “We are pleased to continue our good cooperation with the EIB, as well in the context of financing the green transformation. With the EIB’s refinancing, we as the Deutsche Leasing Group offer our SME customers the opportunity to realize green transformation projects on the European market”, Deutsche Leasing CEO Kai Ostermann said.

    This operation continues the EIB’s cooperation with Deutsche Leasing and complements the synthetic securitisations of 2020 and 2023 signed with Deutsche Leasing Romania, part of the same group, consisting of guarantees for financing small businesses and mid-caps.

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union. It finances sound investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects strengthen competitiveness, sustainable development, and social and territorial cohesion. They promote innovation and accelerate the transition to climate neutrality. The EIB Group – which also includes the European Investment Fund – signed a total of €88 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2023. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €320 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.4 million jobs.

    The Deutsche Leasing Group is the solution-oriented asset finance partner for the German SME sector. The company provides support for investment projects in Germany and other countries and offers a wide range of financing solutions (asset finance) and supplementary services (asset services) for current and non-current assets. The company helps its customers to finance change and innovation when it comes to the key transformative issues of our time – in the areas of decarbonisation, digitalisation and forward-looking infrastructure. As a central and international group partner, the Deutsche Leasing Group is Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe’s centre of excellence for leasing, factoring as well as other alternative forms of financing.

    Deutsche Leasing
    Germany: EIB and Deutsche Leasing support the green transformation of small businesses and mid-caps
    ©EIB
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    Deutsche Leasing
    Germany: EIB and Deutsche Leasing support the green transformation of small businesses and mid-caps
    ©EIB
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor announces winner of innovation challenge to help more Londoners into work

    Source: Mayor of London

    • Mayor announces £50,000 for three winners of his No Wrong Door Open Innovation Challenge to develop innovative ways to help Londoners enhance their skills and move into new or better jobs
    • The winning ideas are designed to help London’s diverse communities including refugees, diverse communities, young people and women get back to work
    • Five runners up will also receive £5,000 in additional funding, helping Londoners to access skills and training for green jobs, enhanced CV writing, and access to job opportunities for young Londoners

     

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced the three winners of his No Wrong Door Open Innovation Competition, which will help to pioneer new ways to help disabled Londoners, women, refugees, young and older Londoners access high-quality skills and employment support to better thrive in our economy. For Londoners, the No Wrong Door innovation challenge means that no matter their starting point or what service they access first, they can be connected to the right type of support at the right time to help them into good work.     

    Sadiq’s No Wrong Door Open Challenge encouraged innovators to address the challenges that London’s diverse communities can face when accessing the labour market. These include lack of necessary additional support when navigating employment applications or systems; insufficient understanding from employers when tailoring jobs; and lack of support for physical or mental health barriers.  

    The three winners are:

    • Earlybird, an AI-driven platform will equip individuals with the skills and support they need to overcome barriers to employment, helping them secure and retain meaningful jobs.
    • Facework Group CIC, an online platform providing training and workspaces for refugees, that will provide training in employability skills, mental health support, self-employment opportunities, and social integration.
    • Tailored Futures, an AI-powered platform providing support to individuals within the criminal justice system by connecting them with employers, helping them access job opportunities and rebuild their lives, ultimately reducing reoffending rates.

     

    Research commissioned by City Hall(1) in the summer of 2023 has shown that integration of employment and skills services could be improved through human centred, technology and innovative solutions to address barriers that make it harder for various Londoners to access support. 

    Alongside the winners, five runners up were chosen and will receive £5,000 in additional funding, along with monthly coaching sessions provided by delivery partner, Allia Impact, to help them further their ideas. These ideas range from helping Londoners to access skills and training for green jobs, enhanced CV writing, upskilling for mothers returning to the workplace and support to access job opportunities for young Londoners.  

    The Mayor’s adult skills programmes have already supported over one million learners. As part of the Mayor’s commitment to help grow London’s economy, Sadiq is focused on ensuring that Londoners furthest from the labour market to get the support they need to help them build their skills and move into new and better jobs. 

    One of the Mayor’s 10 key priorities is the new London Growth Plan, with a target of helping to create more than 150,000 good jobs by 2028 and increasing living standards for all Londoners. The new growth plan aims to grow London’s economy, so we can improve the lives of all Londoners, drive London’s green transition and support prosperity in London and across the country.  

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “These innovative solutions will help those Londoners struggling to gain the skills they need to move ahead in the job market, ensuring our economy has the talented workforce it needs to thrive. 

    “In the face of a cost-of-living crisis, increased rents and mortgages and rising energy bills, it is more important than ever for Londoners to get the right employment support, as we continue to build a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.” 

    Claudine Adeyemi-Adams, Founder of Earlybird, said: “We are so honoured to be selected for Phase II of the NWD Innovation Challenge. It’s real validation for us that the judges, who are experts in employment support and, we hope, future Earlybird users, can see the significant value that our innovation creates. We are really looking forward to deepening our relationships with partners in the GLA network and NWD community and driving greater impact as we scale our solution, particularly for employment support organisations and people who are out of work.”  

    Titi Solarin, Founder of Tailored Futures CIC, said: “We’ve been working on the concept of this app for several years, and it’s incredible to finally see it moving towards the development stage. This app is designed to help people navigate the complexities of reintegrating into the community after involvement with the criminal justice system. I’m beyond excited about the potential impact it will have, making support and opportunities more accessible to those who need it most.” 

    Stephen Carrick-Davies CEO of the Facework Group said: “We have proved that with training and support those with the lived experience of migration can play an important role in supporting other refugees to access better quality work or self-employment.  For this to be effective it has to be personalised, human-centric and address wider issues of mental health and integration into the wider community.  We are thrilled that Facework has received NWD support for us to now scale our approach and build partnerships with Local Authority job teams and wider stakeholders.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – List of applicants for strategic projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act – P-002102/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    16.10.2024

    Priority question for written answer  P-002102/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Carola Rackete (The Left)

    A key feature of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) is the recognition and support of strategic projects along the critical raw materials value chain. The Commission received 170 applications by the 22 August 2024 deadline for strategic projects under the CRMA. Following assessment and completeness checks, in Q4 of 2024 the European Critical Raw Materials Board will discuss the proposed projects and the Commission will decide on the applications, taking the board’s opinion into account. It will then notify applicants.

    • 1.Will the Commission publish a list of the applicants for strategic projects under the CRMA?
    • 2.Does it intend to publish lists of applicants for strategic projects under the CRMA with regard to future deadlines?
    • 3.If not, can it explain the basis for its decision?

    Submitted: 16.10.2024

    Last updated: 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – EU Commissioners-designate confirmation hearings in committees – Committee on Transport and Tourism

    Source: European Parliament

    The designated candidates of the von der Leyen Commission will be heard by the EP committees dealing with their respective portfolios from 04/11/2024 until 12/11/2024.

    During each confirmation hearing, the commissioner-designate will give an opening speech and then answer questions by committee members. More detailed information, including the candidates’ portfolios, the procedure, the schedule, the latest news and a live webstreaming during and record after the hearing, can be found on the dedicated webpage.

    Commissioners-designate hearings:https://elections.europa.eu/european-commission/en/

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – German authorities’ extradition of Maja T. to Hungary – E-001970/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001970/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ilaria Salis (The Left), Martin Schirdewan (The Left)

    On 28 June 2024, German authorities extradited Maja T. to Hungary, despite the German Federal Constitutional Court’s decision to halt the extradition. On 2 August 2024, the court raised ‘considerable concerns’ regarding the compatibility of this extradition with requirements for effective legal protection, and expressed doubts as to whether Maja T.’s rights would be adequately protected in Hungarian custody.

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of the case of Maja T., and engaging, or planning to engage, with the German and/or Hungarian authorities regarding this matter and in relation to the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW)?
    • 2.How does the Commission evaluate the extradition of Maja T. by the German authorities, particularly in relation to Article 15(2) of the EAW Framework Decision[1], given Maja T.’s right to a fair trial under the Charter, given that Maja T. is non-binary, and the concerns of systemic and generalised deficiencies in the rule of law in Hungary raised in the Commission’s July 2024 Rule of Law Report?
    • 3.Hungary is facing challenges with overcrowding in prisons (ECtHR pilot judgment Varga and Others v Hungary and NGO reports[2]). Is the Commission aware of this situation, and what steps does it plan to take, also in light of the Commission Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on procedural rights of suspects and accused persons subject to pre-trial detention and on material detention conditions[3]?

    Submitted: 7.10.2024

    Last updated: 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – EU Commissioners-designate confirmation hearings in committees – Committee on Regional Development

    Source: European Parliament

    The designated candidates of the von der Leyen Commission will be heard by the EP committees dealing with their respective portfolios from 04/11/2024 until 12/11/2024. During each confirmation hearing, the commissioner-designate will give an opening speech and then answer questions by committee members. More detailed information, including the candidates’ portfolios, the procedure, the schedule, the latest news and a live webstreaming during and record after the hearing, can be found on the dedicated webpage.

    The Committee on Regional Development will conduct the hearing of Rafaele Fitto, Commissioner-designate for Cohesion and Reforms on 12 November.

    This Committee will participate also in the hearings of the Commissioners-designate Dan Jørgensen, Energy and Housing portfolio and Teresa Ribera, Clean, Just and Competitive Transition portfolio on 5 and 12 November respectively.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Compensation for President von der Leyen’s special adviser – E-001991/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001991/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE), Gerolf Annemans (PfE), Barbara Bonte (PfE), Anna Bryłka (PfE), Tomasz Buczek (PfE), Jorge Buxadé Villalba (PfE), Ton Diepeveen (PfE), Roman Haider (PfE), Malika Sorel (PfE), Virginie Joron (PfE), Julien Leonardelli (PfE), Jorge Martín Frías (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Hermann Tertsch (PfE), Tom Vandendriessche (PfE), António Tânger Corrêa (PfE)

    According to a recent report[1], President von der Leyen offered German academic Peter Strohschneider a fee of EUR 150 000 for six months’ work as a special adviser for the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture. This compensation is 64 % higher than the standard daily rate for Commissioners’ special advisers.

    This decision raises serious questions about the management of public resources and transparency in the selection and compensation processes for the Commission’s special advisers. It is particularly concerning that Mr Strohschneider is not an expert on agricultural issues or foresight, but in medieval history.

    Could the Commission please clarify:

    • 1.What qualifications does Mr Strohschneider possess that make him an expert suited to coordinating the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture and justify a fee that exceeds the normal daily rate paid to European Commissioners’ special advisers by 64 %?
    • 2.What criteria will be used to evaluate Mr Strohschneider’s performance and ensure value for money from this particular appointment?
    • 3.How is transparency and meritocracy ensured in the selection and compensation of the Commission’s special advisers?

    Submitted: 8.10.2024

    • [1] https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/von-der-leyens-very-special-e150k-adviser/.
    Last updated: 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –