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  • MIL-OSI Global: 5 kinds of American evangelicals and their voting patterns

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

    Evangelicals may share the same basic theology, but they are not a monolithic group. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    Polls and analyses from journalists, scholars and even religious leaders often seem to assume that evangelicalism represents a singular religious and social identity. Former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump, who received 81% of the white evangelical vote in the 2016 election, is predicted to garner a majority share of this vote again in 2024.

    Yet, the reality is much more complex. In 2016, for example, evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell Jr. and Robert Jeffress celebrated Trump’s victory and evangelicalism’s role in bringing America back to God. Others – such as Russell Moore, currently editor of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today – saw Trump as the opposite of what evangelicalism represents.

    Led by prominent figures such as the late Jerry Falwell, contemporary evangelicalism emerged as a political force in the 1970s and 1980s and championed conservative religious values. Since then, evangelicals have been regarded as a uniform, monolithic group who are opposed to gay rights, abortion and more, and that they are a reliable conservative voting bloc.

    As a scholar of American religion who has studied the evangelical movement for over 30 years, I was dissatisfied with this interpretation. At University of Southern California’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture, we decided to bring together our collective research on evangelicalism to develop a broader template to understand the dynamics of American evangelicalism. The result was a report first published in 2018 that we continue to update.

    We have identified and described five varieties, or “types,” within the broader evangelical movement.

    Evangelicals and their beliefs

    At its core, evangelicalism is characterized by a belief in the literal truth of the Bible.

    For example, evangelicals believe that the world and humans were created by God; that Jesus was literally God’s son and also born as a human; that Jesus died and physically rose from the dead; and that God currently acts through humans to achieve his ends for humanity. A hallmark belief for evangelicals is having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and a focus on encouraging others to be “born again” or “saved” through Jesus.

    Despite sharing the same basic theology, there are differences within evangelicalism politics and social engagement.

    We used three criteria to develop our five categories: First, each type shares a basic agreement on evangelical theology. Second, they each understand themselves as existing within the larger tradition of American evangelicalism. And third, their theology motivates how they act in the world, including appropriate social and political actions.

    Typologies simplify in order to explain, but they also can blur some of the finer distinctions between categories. Still, the perspectives these different varieties of evangelicals maintain shape not only who they will vote for but also why they vote a certain way.

    1. MAGA-vangelicals

    MAGA-vangelicals consist of the white Christian nationalist core of the “Make America Great Again” or MAGA, movement, with some Latino, Asian and Black American pastors aligning themselves with this movement.

    MAGA-vangelicals have been the most vocal and visible group of evangelicals since the 2016 election.

    The origins of this group trace back to the 1980s – the time of the emergence of the religious right. MAGA-vangelicals echo many of the same issues – such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and support for anti-immigration policies. One significant shift, however, since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, is an increased acceptance of political violence. “Jan. 6 was not an insurrection,” evangelical leader Lance Wallnau has falsely asserted. “It was an election fraud intervention.” The baseless election fraud myth was the pretext for the violence on Jan. 6.

    2. Neo-fundamentalist evangelicals

    Neo-fundamentalists are evangelicals who are as theologically or politically conservative as MAGA-vangelicals but maintain a [theological commitment] to remain separate from any relationships – whether personal, social or political – that would, in their view, compromise the teachings of evangelical Christianity and their own identity as evangelical Christians.

    For example, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler and Christianity Today editor Russell Moore have opposed Trump due to his, by evangelical standards, lack of values and amoral lifestyle.

    The Rev. Russell Moore.
    AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File

    However, they support how the Trump administration furthered the political goals of evangelical Christianity. In particular, they support the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and supporting evangelicals’ religious freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in their businesses.

    Yet there has recently been some qualified support among neo-fundamentalists offered for Trump himself, despite their opposition to his personal morals. For example, Mohler has argued that Trump is the better candidate to achieve their goals in 2024, despite his personal shortcomings. Mohler takes the position, though, that this support largely depends on Trump remaining committed to evangelical goals on issues such as abortion.

    3. iVangelicals

    iVangelicals are evangelicals primarily focused on personal faith and the weekly worship experience in their churches. They are mainly concentrated in the evangelical megachurch movement.

    iVangelicals want to reach large numbers of people through their popular worship services, varied social programs and small group ministries.

    iVangelicals are particularly adept at borrowing and adapting elements of popular culture to provide a “relevant” church atmosphere.

    For example, most iVangelical megachurches include music that, other than the lyrics, is nearly indistinguishable from secular pop and rock bands, in both style and quality. Although they are generally conservative in their theology and politics, they tend to stay away from overtly political messages in their churches.

    There is, however, a range of beliefs and commitments among iVangelicals, with some being attracted to groups such as Evangelicals for Harris, a new effort to mobilize evangelicals to move away from Republicans, Trump and MAGA and to vote for Harris. Their approach uses biblical examples and references to argue that true Christian teachings and actions are more aligned with Democrats than Republicans.

    Evangelicals for Harris.

    4. Kingdom Christians

    Kingdom Christians are evangelicals who, in their churches and ministries, strive to mirror the demographic and socioeconomic mix of the neighborhoods where they are rooted.

    They tend to have a more diverse racial and ethnic mix of members than other evangelical churches. Their focus is to be a part of, and to serve, their local communities in a manner that mirrors their conception of the kingdom of God on Earth.

    Leaders among Kingdom Christians often critique the economic and political systems that produce poverty and racial injustice. The focus of their efforts, however, is on creating relationships with local businesses and activists in the local community and contributing to policy through engagement with local officials.

    Kingdom Christians are present-oriented; the kingdom of God is to be realized in the communities where believers live, as well as in some future spiritual world.

    5. Peace and Justice evangelicals

    Peace and Justice evangelicals are a loose network of pastors, nonprofit leaders, professors and activists. They are a small segment within evangelicalism often embedded in larger organizations, and they focus their work on key social and political issues such as racial justice, immigration reform and environmental issues. They seek to have a wider impact than just a focus on the local community.

    Peace and Justice evangelicals trace their origins to the late 1960s publication, The Other Side, originally Freedom Now, which represented a freshly emerging evangelical social consciousness around issues of racial justice. Following close behind was the Sojourners community, and Sojourners magazine, which is still active today.

    In 1973, a group of evangelical college professors wrote the Chicago Declaration of Social Concern, which ultimately led to the launch of Evangelicals for Social Action as a national organization in 1978.

    This is a small but growing minority in the larger evangelical world, with many belonging to traditional evangelical institutions. For example, Alexia Salvatierra, at Fuller Seminary, is a longtime “faith-rooted” community organizer and has more recently been instrumental in forming Matthew 25/Mateo25, a group that aids immigrants and “defends the vulnerable.” Shane Claiborne, a long-time urban activist, is currently head of Red Letter Christians, a movement that combines “Jesus and justice” and seeks to “live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.”

    Several Christians work with organizations that help immigrants.
    AP Photo/Russell Contreras

    Evangelicals and the future

    Following historical evangelical voting patterns, it is likely that most white evangelicals will vote for Trump in 2024. I believe many will do so with enthusiasm, while others will vote for him because of his policies, while remaining troubled by his rhetoric.

    Of the evangelicals who oppose Trump, some will refuse to vote for either Trump or Harris, refusing to cast a vote for president. Others will vote for Harris, following the example of many Republican leaders who are seeking to move beyond the damage that Trump and the MAGA movement have done to the Republican Party and to conservatism.

    Meanwhile, for the Kingdom Christians and Peace and Justice evangelicals, the true values of evangelical Christianity will be supported by the more progressive policies of the Democratic Party.

    Regardless of how they vote in the 2024 election, evangelicals in all of these categories will continue to promote their distinct vision of evangelicalism and educate members on how they should bring their faith to bear on important social and political issues in American culture.

    Richard Flory has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment.

    – ref. 5 kinds of American evangelicals and their voting patterns – https://theconversation.com/5-kinds-of-american-evangelicals-and-their-voting-patterns-238470

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The woman who revolutionized the fantasy genre is finally getting her due

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Dennis Wise, Professor of Practice in English Literature, University of Arizona

    Hugo Award-winner Arthur C. Clarke called Judy-Lynn del Rey the ‘most brilliant editor I ever encountered.’ Artwork by Adriano Botega. Courtesy of Inspiration Films, LLC.

    Think of your favorite fantasy or science fiction novel. You’ll know the author and title, of course. But can you think of its editor or publisher?

    In publishing, the people who work behind the scenes rarely get their due. But on Oct. 1, 2024, at least, one industry pioneer got the limelight. On that day, PBS aired “Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal,” the first episode of its new documentary series “Renegades,” which highlights little-known historical figures with disabilities.

    A woman with dwarfism, Judy-Lynn del Rey was best known for founding Del Rey Books, a science fiction and fantasy imprint that turned fantasy in particular into a major publishing category.

    As a scholar of fantasy literature, I had the good fortune to serve as research consultant for the PBS project. Due to time constraints, however, the episode could tell only half of del Rey’s story, passing over how she affected science fiction and fantasy themselves.

    Judy-Lynn del Rey, you see, had very clear notions on what kind of stories people wanted to buy. For some critics, she also committed the unforgivable sin of being right.

    The Mama of ‘Star Wars’

    Over the course of her career, del Rey earned a reputation as a superstar editor among her authors. Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the screenplay for “2001: A Space Odyssey,” called her the “most brilliant editor I ever encountered,” and Philip K. Dick said she was the “greatest editor since Maxwell Perkins,” the legendary editor of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    She got her start, though, working as an editorial assistant – in truth, a “gofer” – for the most lauded science fiction magazine of the 1960s, Galaxy. There she learned the basics of publishing and rose rapidly through the editorial ranks until Ballantine Books lured her away in 1973.

    Soon thereafter, Ballantine was acquired by publishing giant Random House, which then named del Rey senior editor. Yet her first big move was a risky one – cutting ties with Ballantine author John Norman, whose highly popular “Gor” novels were widely panned for their misogyny.

    Del Rey’s acquisition of the rights to ‘Star Wars’ was a boon for Ballantine.
    The Internet Speculative Fiction Database

    Nonetheless, del Rey’s mission was to develop a strong backlist of science fiction novels that could hook new generations of younger readers, not to mention adults. One early success was her “Star Trek Log” series, a sequence of 10 novels based on episodes of “Star Trek: The Animated Series.”

    But del Rey landed an even bigger success by snagging the novelization rights to a science fiction film that, at the time, few Hollywood executives believed would do well: “Star Wars.”

    This savvy gamble led to years of lucrative tie-in products for Ballantine such as calendars, art books, sketchbooks, the Star Wars Intergalactic Passport and, of course, more novels set in the Star Wars universe – so many different tie-ins, in fact, that del Rey dubbed herself the “Mama of Star Wars.”

    Afterward, she became someone who, as reporter Jennifer Crighton put it, radiated “with the shameless glee of one of the Rebel forces, an upstart who won.”

    A big player in big fiction

    Del Rey’s tendencies as an editor were sometimes criticized – often by competitors who could not match her line’s success – for focusing too much on Ballantine’s bottom line. But she also chose to work within the publishing landscape as it actually existed in the 1970s, rather than the one she only wished existed.

    In his book “Big Fiction,” publishing industry scholar Dan Sinykin calls this period the “Conglomerate Era,” a time when publishing houses – usually small and family run – were being consolidated into larger corporations.

    One benefit of this shift, however, was greater corporate investment in the industry, which boosted print runs, marketing budgets, author advances and salaries for personnel.

    Ballantine’s parent company, Random House, was also known as an industry leader in free speech, thanks to the efforts of legendary CEOs Bennett Cerf and Robert L. Bernstein.

    Accordingly, Random House gave their publishing divisions, including Ballantine, immense creative autonomy.

    And when del Rey was finally given her own imprint in 1977, she took her biggest risk of all: fantasy.

    The Del Rey era

    In prior decades, fantasy had a reputation for being unsellable – unless, of course, your name was J.R.R. Tolkien, or you wrote Conan-style barbarian fiction. Whereas the top science fiction magazines often had distinguished runs, fantasy magazines often folded due to lack of sales.

    The popular film version of ‘The Princess Bride’ was aided by del Rey’s earlier advocacy for reissuing the novel.
    The Internet Speculative Fiction Database

    In 1975, though, del Rey hired her husband, Lester del Rey, to develop a fantasy line, and when Del Rey Books launched two years later, it landed major successes with bestsellers such as Terry Brooks’ “The Sword of Shannara” and Stephen R. Donaldson’s “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.” Yet even though Lester edited the fantasy authors, Judy-Lynn oversaw the imprint and the marketing.

    One lesser-known example of her prowess is “The Princess Bride.”

    Today, most people know the 1987 film, but the movie originated as a much earlier novel by William Goldman. The original 1973 edition, however, sold poorly. It might have faded into obscurity had del Rey not been determined to revive Ballantine’s backlist.

    She reissued “The Princess Bride” in 1977 with a dazzling, gate-folded die-cut cover and a new promotional campaign, without which the novel – and the film – might never have found its later success.

    Accolades accumulate

    Thanks to these efforts, Del Rey Books dominated genre publishing, producing more bestselling titles through 1990 than every other science fiction and fantasy publisher combined. Yet despite complaints that the imprint prioritized commercial success over literary merit, Del Rey authors earned their fair share of literary accolades.

    The prestigious Locus Poll Award for best science fiction novel went to Del Rey authors Julian May and Isaac Asimov in 1982 and 1983. Other Locus awardees include Patricia A. McKillip, Robert A. Heinlein, Larry Niven, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Barbara Hambly.

    Barry Hughart’s “Bridge of Birds” was one of two winners for the World Fantasy Award in 1985 and won the Mythopoeic Society Award in 1986. Even more impressively, Del Rey ran away with the Science Fiction Book Club Award during that prize’s first nine years of existence, winning seven of them. The imprint’s titles also won three consecutive August Derleth Fantasy Awards – now called the British Fantasy Award – from 1977 through 1979.

    Yet despite these accolades, Del Rey’s reputation continued to suffer from its own commercial success. Notably, Judy-Lynn del Rey was never nominated for a Hugo Award for best professional editor. When she died in 1986, the Hugo committee belatedly tried granting her a posthumous award, but her husband, Lester, refused to accept it, saying that it came too late.

    Although the current narrative continues to be that Del Rey Books published mainly formulaic mass-market fiction in its science fiction and fantasy lines, the time may be ripe to celebrate the foresight and iconoclasm of a publisher who expanded speculative fiction beyond the borders of a small genre fandom.

    I was research consultant for the PBS episode mentioned in the article, but I am not an employee of PBS or any other organization mentioned in this article.

    – ref. The woman who revolutionized the fantasy genre is finally getting her due – https://theconversation.com/the-woman-who-revolutionized-the-fantasy-genre-is-finally-getting-her-due-240198

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: DEA could reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category – a drug policy expert weighs the pros and cons

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Meyers, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, George Washington University

    The move would not make marijuana legal at the federal level for recreational use and would require dispensaries to comply with medical marijuana requirements. Nathalie Jamois/SOPA Images, LightRocket via Getty Images

    The Drug Enforcement Administration announced in early 2024 that it would act on President Joe Biden’s call to reclassify marijuana, moving it from the tightly controlled Schedule I category that it has been in since 1970 to the less restrictive Schedule III status of the Controlled Substances Act. That triggered a long process of hearings and reviews that will not be completed until after the presidential election in November.

    The news drew strong reactions from critics: 25 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland protesting any changes to federal marijuana laws. They argued that the decision “was not properly researched … and is merely responding to the popularity of marijuana and not the actual science.”

    As a philosopher and drug policy expert, I focus on assessing arguments and evidence rather than politics or rhetoric. So, what are the arguments for and against rescheduling cannabis?

    Scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act

    The Controlled Substances Act places each prohibited drug into one of five schedules based on known medical use, addictive potential and safety. Schedule I drugs – which, along with marijuana, also includes heroin, LSD, psilocybin, ecstasy (MDMA) and quaaludes – is the most restrictive category.

    Schedule I substances cannot be legally used for any purpose, including medical use or research, though an exception for research can be made with special permission from the DEA. The criteria for inclusion in the Schedule I category is that the substance has a high potential for abuse, is extremely addictive and has “no currently accepted medical use.”

    Schedule II, which is slightly less restrictive than Schedule I, includes drugs that are addictive and potentially unsafe but also have some accepted medical use. These include strong opioids such as fentanyl, as well as cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine. Though they are still tightly regulated, Schedule II drugs can be used medically with a prescription or administered by a licensed physician.

    Schedule III is much less restrictive and is intended for substances with legitimate medical use and only moderate risk of abuse or dependency. This category includes low-dose morphine, anabolic steroids and ketamine.

    Schedule IV – which includes the sedative valium, the weak opioid tramadol and sleep medicines such as Ambien – is even less restrictive.

    The least restrictive category is Schedule V, which includes cough syrups with codeine and calcium channel blockers such as gabapentin and pregabalin. All scheduled drugs require a doctor’s prescription and can be distributed only by licensed pharmacies.

    What rescheduling would mean for marijuana

    The push to reschedule is largely to make federal laws consistent with state medical marijuana programs that – as of October 2024 – are legal in 38 states plus the District of Columbia.

    Moving marijuana to Schedule III would not change its legal status in states where it is banned. It would make marijuana legal at the federal level but only for medical use. Recreational use would still be federally prohibited, even though it is currently legal in 24 states plus Washington.

    Rescheduling, however, might not make medical marijuana any easier for patients to access and could even make it much harder for some. Currently, getting a medical marijuana card is quite easy in most states. In Washington D.C., where I live, patients can self-certify.

    Reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug would legitimize its medical use.

    If marijuana is reclassified as Schedule III, medical marijuana programs will have to start requiring a doctor’s prescription, just like with all other scheduled substances. And it could be distributed only by licensed pharmacies, which would put medical dispensaries that are now selling it without a license from the Food and Drug Administration out of business.

    Rescheduling, however, would give medical marijuana legitimacy as a bona fide medicine. And the intent of the move is to increase access, even if it is unclear how rescheduling would achieve that.

    So, assuming that rescheduling would have the intended effect of expanding access to medical marijuana, should it be rescheduled?

    Medical uses of marijuana

    Though there are three criteria for Schedule I in the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA in fact relies on only the medical use criterion. This was the basis of the DEA’s proposal to reschedule marijuana. The fact that almost 75% of Americans live in a state with a medical marijuana program suggests that marijuana has an accepted medical use.

    More importantly, Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act already includes dronabinol, which is delta-9 THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Although dronabinol is synthesized in the lab rather than extracted from the cannabis plant, it is the exact same molecule. The FDA approved THC in the form of dronabinol in 1985 for treating anorexia caused by HIV/AIDS as well as nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy. Placing marijuana in the same schedule as its primary active ingredient makes a lot of sense.

    Another argument in favor of rescheduling is that it would open up new opportunities for medical research into marijuana’s effects, research that is currently hampered by its Schedule I status. This work is critical because the system of cannabinoid receptors through which marijuana causes its therapeutic and psychoactive effects is crucial for almost every aspect of human functioning.

    Research has shown that cannabis is effective not only in treating nausea and AIDS but also chronic pain and some symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

    There is also good evidence that marijuana can help treat other conditions, including Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS), glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, migraine, post-traumatic stress disorder and Tourette syndrome. Keeping marijuana in the Schedule I category severely hampers research that might establish more effective treatments for these conditions.

    Researchers have been extremely limited in their abilities to study marijuana because of its Schedule I classification.

    Balancing risks and benefits

    Those opposed to rescheduling cite possible health risks associated with marijuana consumption. Heavy use is linked to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. However, the increased risk of schizophrenia from cannabis use is comparable to that caused by watching excessive television, eating junk food or smoking cigarettes.

    Long-term marijuana use can also lead to sleep problems and diminished visuospatial memory. It can also cause gastrointestinal trouble, such as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, which is characterized by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The symptoms, while extremely unpleasant, are temporary and occur only after consuming marijuana. The condition disappears in people who stop using.

    Marijuana use can also be addictive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about three out of every 10 regular marijuana users meet the diagnostic criteria for cannabis use disorder.

    All of the concerns above are legitimate, though it is worth noting that virtually no effective medicine is free from undesirable side effects. And although marijuana can be habit-forming, it is not as addictive as alcohol, tobacco, oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamine or benzodiazepines. None of those other drugs are categorized as Schedule I, and alcohol and tobacco are not scheduled at all.

    Unlike most other prescription medications, marijuana use is associated with many benefits. For example, in states where marijuana has been legalized, worker’s compensation payments have fallen by an average of 21% among people over 40. Researchers think that this is because marijuana helps workers better manage chronic pain. The use of marijuana for pain management also helps to reduce dependency on opioids. One study found that U.S. counties with one or two marijuana dispensaries had an average of 17% fewer opioid-related fatalities compared with counties with no dispensaries.

    Research also shows that marijuana use can help to prevent Alzheimer’s by blocking the enzymes that produce amyloid plaques. It also shows promise for reducing a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by helping the body regulate insulin and glucose levels.

    All of these benefits add up to marijuana users having an overall lower rate of premature death than nonusers.

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

    – ref. DEA could reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category – a drug policy expert weighs the pros and cons – https://theconversation.com/dea-could-reclassify-marijuana-to-a-less-restrictive-category-a-drug-policy-expert-weighs-the-pros-and-cons-237199

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Danmarks National­bank’s comments on the Economic Council’s discussion paper, Autumn 2024

    Source: Danmarks Nationalbank

    Danmarks Nationalbank generally shares the Chairmanship’s assessment of the outlook for the Danish economy and the risk outlook. Interest rate rises in recent years have contributed to slowing growth in the Danish and international economy and to a fall in inflation. This has prompted the European Central Bank (ECB) and others to ease monetary policy again. Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the development of the Danish economy has been characterised by a dichotomy in recent years. On the one hand, there has been a slowdown in growth in most parts of the domestic economy, while on the other, there has been an increase in exports, in particular driven by production abroad under Danish ownership, known as merchanting and processing (M&P). Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank assesses that M&P activities as such have only a minor impact on the domestic cyclical position. M&P is expected to make a significant contribution to growth in the Danish economy over the next few years, while the rest of the export-oriented industries are also expected to grow. Domestic demand is expected to pick up as real wage growth and gradually looser monetary policy translate into increased private consumption and investment.

    The Chairmanship believes that the Danish economy is currently experiencing a boom with more than normal pressure on the labour market. Danmarks Nationalbank shares the view that there is still some pressure on the labour market, although it has eased compared to a few years ago. However, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the pressure on the labour market, measured by the employment gap, has eased to a greater extent and that it is currently smaller than the Chairmanship’s assessment. This is supported by a number of indicators such as the labour shortages and number of vacancies reported by companies, both of which indicate that the pressure has eased compared to a few years ago. Unlike the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the Danish economy is currently in an approximately neutral cyclical position.

    Danmarks Nationalbank share the Chairmanship’s expectations that wage growth will slow down next year due to less pressure on the labour market and significantly lower inflation. However, Nationalbanken also expect lower wage increases than the Chairmanship. Inflation is currently fuelled by domestic factors, and Danmarks Nationalbank expects to a larger extend than the Chairmanship that the current high wage increases will lift inflation going forward. Nationalbanken therefore expect slightly higher consumer price increases than the Chairmanship next year.

    Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that monetary and fiscal policy is still needed to contribute to an appropriate development in the business cycle in Denmark, which will support stable price development. Nationalbanken has raised interest rates significantly since the summer of 2022 as a result of the tightening of monetary policy implemented by the ECB in the euro area to bring down inflation. The Chairmanship believes that monetary policy has dampened activity in recent years and will also dampen activity next year, whereas fiscal policy is expected to counteract this in 2025. Specifically, the Chairmanship estimates that fiscal policy has been eased by around 1 per cent of GDP in 2025 compared to 2023. Based on the assessment of the current situation of high capacity pressures, the Chairmanship believes that fiscal policy should be tightened. From a purely stabilisation point of view, it is considered appropriate to tighten fiscal policy to return it approximately to the level of 2023.

    In the current situation with continued high wage increases and some pressure on the labour market, including low unemployment, Danmarks Nationalbank shares the Chairmanship’s assessment that this is a good time to ease fiscal policy to the extent proposed in the government’s proposal for the 2025 budget. However, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that a tightening of the magnitude recommended by the Chairmanship would be too much. This is due to the fact that inflation has fallen sharply and that pressure on the labour market has been reduced over the past few years. Danmarks Nationalbank also believes that monetary policy and financial conditions remain tight in Denmark.

    Danmarks Nationalbank agree with the Chairmanship that the green tripartite agreement (“Agreement on a Green Denmark”) is a step towards uniform taxation of carbon emissions in Denmark, but that the effective tax level, including the proposed basic deduction, is still lower in agriculture than in other industries. Danmarks Nationalbank also shares the Chairmanship’s assessment that there is a risk of the reductions assumed in the agreement not being realised, partly because the agreement involves untested technologies. Thus, it remains unclear whether the carbon tax level is sufficient to ensure the fulfilment of the objectives of the Climate Act. Clarity on future tax levels contributes to price and financial stability by clarifying risks associated with emission-intensive business models.

    Danmarks Nationalbank contributed to the work of the “Expert Group for a Green Tax Reform” in 2023 by assessing the impact of carbon taxes on agriculture on banks and mortgage credit institutions. Danish banks and mortgage credit institutions are generally expected to be well equipped to handle any losses resulting from a carbon tax. This is due to their ongoing profits, a decrease in the institutions’ total lending to the industry and a generally high level of security in underlying collateral.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: To accelerate the pace of economic development in Donbass, it is necessary to change the quality of roads

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Marat Khusnullin: To accelerate the pace of economic development in Donbass, it is necessary to change the quality of roads

    The economic component of new regions depends, among other things, on the condition of the road surface on federal and regional highways. In order to develop the potential of the subjects, the road from Dokuchaevsk to Starobeshevo has been repaired in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and in the Lugansk People’s Republic, sections of the strategically important federal highway Znamenka – Lugansk – Izvarino are being updated. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    “In order to accelerate the pace of economic development and expand cooperation ties in the new Russian regions, it is necessary to ensure a qualitative change in the transport and logistics component. It is also important to put in order the roads of Donbass bordering other entities. For example, as part of this work, 30 km of one of the main highways of the DPR – the highway from Dokuchaevsk to Starobeshevo – have been repaired. It will provide a comfortable exit to the federal highway R-150 Belgorod – Starobelsk – Lugansk – Donetsk – Mariupol, and will also create conveniences for travel in the direction of the Uspenka and Shramko checkpoints on the border with the Rostov Region,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    The work was carried out under the supervision of specialists from the State Company “Avtodor”.

    “About 500 people are working at the facilities in the LPR, and over 250 units of equipment are involved. They are currently renovating the Znamenka-Lugansk-Izvarino highway. At the moment, work is nearing completion on the section from the village of Samsonovka to the settlement of Izvarino. We are also completing the renovation of 23 km of the Raygorodka-Slavyanoserbsk-Mikhailovka highway, which connects the federal highway R-150 with the regional highway on the section from Lugansk to Lisichansk,” said Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of the State Company “Avtodor”.

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/52945/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Banzai Announces Strategic Business Initiatives to Improve Net Income by up to $13.5 Million Annually

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Plan Substantially Extends Cash Runway while Maintaining Growth Plan with
    Continued Investment in Software Platform and Marketing

    SEATTLE, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Banzai International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNZI) (“Banzai” or the “Company”), a leading marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions, today announced a comprehensive initiative designed to significantly improve its Net Income while maintaining its growth outlook. The Company plans to accomplish this through a reduction of its annual operational expenses by up to $9.9 million by March 31, 2025, along with a reduction in other expenses by up to $3.6 million.

    Overall improvement in Net Income is expected to be approximately $13.5 million annually when fully implemented.

    The strategic initiative includes a broad range of measures including strategic workforce adjustments, operational consolidation, and various other cost-saving actions. These measures are aimed at increasing efficiency and improving scalability while continuing to build Banzai’s leadership position in the marketing technology industry. Specifically, Banzai expects to:

    Implement Workforce Adjustments

    Banzai has undertaken a strategic adjustment to reduce its staffing and independent contractor expenses by 27%, which will preserve the company’s agility and innovation capacity. Affected employees will be supported with comprehensive severance packages and resources for career transition. The Company anticipates that the total cost to implement this plan will be $0.1 million.

    Reduce Interest Expense

    Banzai has restructured its long-term debt with Columbia Pacific Advisors (“CP BF”) such that the long-term debt maturity is extended until February 19, 2027 from February 19, 2025, and 100% of interest expense is now Payable-in-Kind (“PIK”) instead of payable in cash. This substantially reduces the Company’s cash expenses. If fully converted to equity under the restructured note, the entire $1.9m annual expense would be eliminated.

    Realize Vendor Cost-Savings

    Banzai has begun implementing, and will continue to implement, a series of additional measures to further reduce expenses. These will include curtailing discretionary spending, cost-reduction measures for certain legal and accounting expenses, reduction of real-estate expenses, and leveraging automation and digital technologies to enhance operational efficiency.

    “Alongside the $5m private placement transaction and debt restructuring transactions the company has executed in the last two weeks, we believe that implementing this strategic initiative, if fully achieved, will enable us to substantially extend our cash runway and invest in growth,” said Joe Davy, CEO of Banzai. “We are dedicated to managing costs efficiently while still advancing innovative products and maintaining the exceptional service our customers rely on, all without sacrificing growth. We will continue to invest in our software platform, sales and marketing and product development. We are confident that this strategic realignment will strengthen our competitive position and contribute to our long-term success.”

    About Banzai

    Banzai is a marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions for businesses of all sizes. On a mission to help their customers achieve their mission, Banzai enables companies of all sizes to target, engage, and measure both new and existing customers more effectively. Banzai customers include Square, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Thinkific, Doodle and ActiveCampaign, among thousands of others. Learn more at http://www.banzai.io. For investors, please visit https://ir.banzai.io.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often use words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “target,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “propose,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar variations and expressions. Forward-looking statements are those that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Examples of forward-looking statements may include, among others, statements regarding Banzai International, Inc.’s (the “Company’s”): future financial, business and operating performance and goals; annualized recurring revenue and customer retention; ongoing, future or ability to maintain or improve its financial position, cash flows, and liquidity and its expected financial needs; potential financing and ability to obtain financing; acquisition strategy and proposed acquisitions and, if completed, their potential success and financial contributions; strategy and strategic goals, including being able to capitalize on opportunities; expectations relating to the Company’s industry, outlook and market trends; total addressable market and serviceable addressable market and related projections; plans, strategies and expectations for retaining existing or acquiring new customers, increasing revenue and executing growth initiatives; and product areas of focus and additional products that may be sold in the future. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and development of the industry in which the Company operates may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include changes in the markets in which the Company operates, customer demand, the financial markets, economic, business and regulatory and other factors, such as the Company’s ability to execute on its strategy. More detailed information about risk factors can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading “Risk Factors,” and in other reports filed by the Company, including reports on Form 8-K. The Company does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

    Investor Relations:
    Chris Tyson
    Executive Vice President
    MZ Group – MZ North America
    949-491-8235
    BNZI@mzgroup.us
    http://www.mzgroup.us

    Media
    Rachel Meyrowitz
    Director, Demand Generation, Banzai
    media@banzai.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Celebrates ENERGY STAR Day with Facility Efficiency & Green Shipping

    Source: Samsung

    As we celebrate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR Day on October 9 and Energy Awareness Month throughout October, Samsung Electronics America is proud to spotlight two significant milestones that reflect our unwavering commitment to sustainability. From energy-efficient operations to greener transportation methods, Samsung continues to lead by example in reducing our environmental impact. Our Logan, Utah facility recently earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry recognition, and we’ve also joined the EPA’s SmartWay® Transport Partnership, both reflecting our dedication to creating a more sustainable future.
    Leading by Example: EPA Recognition for Energy Efficiency at Logan, Utah Facility
    In a major achievement aligned with the spirit of Energy Awareness Month, the Prismview – A Samsung Electronics Company commercial display manufacturing facility based in Logan, Utah, was recognized by the EPA for reducing its energy intensity by 10% in just one year, earning the prestigious ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry designation. This challenge encourages industrial sites worldwide to reduce their energy intensity by 10% over five years. Samsung’s Logan site accomplished this goal far ahead of schedule, thanks to the efforts of our Workplace Operations and Facility Management teams, who developed and implemented energy demand mitigation strategies across our enterprise.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: SCOR announces the filing of a tender offer for the entire share capital of MRM

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release
    October 9, 2024 – N° 14

    SCOR announces the filing of a tender offer
    for the entire share capital of MRM

    To read this information in full, please confirm that you have read and understood the disclaimer on SCOR’s website here.

    *

    *        *

    SCOR, a leading global reinsurer

    As a leading global reinsurer, SCOR offers its clients a diversified and innovative range of reinsurance and insurance solutions and services to control and manage risk. Applying “The Art & Science of Risk”, SCOR uses its industry-recognized expertise and cutting-edge financial solutions to serve its clients and contribute to the welfare and resilience of society.

    The Group generated premiums of EUR 19.4 billion in 2023 and serves clients in around 160 countries from its 35 offices worldwide.

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

    		 Media Relations
    Alexandre Garcia
    media@scor.com

    Investor Relations
    Thomas Fossard
    tfossard@scor.com

    Follow us on LinkedIn
     

    All content published by the SCOR group since January 1, 2024, is certified with Wiztrust. You can check the authenticity of this content at wiztrust.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Delaware State Dental Society Endorses Five iCoreConnect Products

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OCOEE, Fla., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iCoreConnect Inc. (NASDAQ: ICCT) (“iCore” or the “Company”), a leading provider of cloud-based software and technology solutions, announced a new endorsement agreement with the Delaware State Dental Society (DSDS). This partnership marks another milestone in iCoreConnect’s continued growth among state dental associations nationwide.

    With this endorsement, DSDS joins numerous other state dental associations that have recognized the value of iCoreConnect’s innovative solutions. iCoreConnect now holds over 180 product endorsement agreements across various states, solidifying its reputation as a trusted partner in the dental industry.

    Robert McDermott, CEO of iCoreConnect, commented, “DSDS, along with other state dental associations, plays a crucial role in advocacy, education, practice management, and public health initiatives. This endorsement highlights DSDS’s commitment to advancing the dental profession and enhancing patient care in Delaware.”

    The endorsed iCoreConnect products include:

    Dr. Tom Howley, Executive Director of DSDS, shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “We are excited to announce this endorsement. iCoreConnect’s cutting-edge solutions enhance the productivity and efficiency of our members. Their proven success with state associations nationwide makes us eager to welcome them to Delaware.”

    iCoreConnect’s involvement in continuing education, networking, and practice management support positions it as a valuable partner for state dental associations. With its growing number of endorsements, the company now serves approximately 155,000 dental professionals across the U.S., using these endorsements as key tools for product distribution and lead generation.

    For more information about iCoreConnect or to schedule a demo, visit iCoreConnect.com.

    About iCoreConnect

    iCoreConnect Inc. is a market leader in cloud-based software and technology solutions designed to improve workflow productivity and profitability in the enterprise, healthcare and dental sectors. Through its innovative platform of applications and services, iCoreConnect helps organizations optimize their operations and achieve better business outcomes.

    About the Delaware State Dental Society

    The Delaware State Dental Society (DSDS) represents 80% of Delaware’s licensed dentists. The mission of DSDS is to advocate for the highest continuing education for member dentists as well as community engagement across the state of Delaware through coordinated volunteer programs.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including ‘believes,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘expects,’ ‘plans,’ ‘projects,’ ‘intends,’ ‘potential,’ ‘may,’ ‘could,’ ‘might,’ ‘will,’ ‘should,’ ‘approximately’ or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently filed Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and updated from time to time in its Form 10-Q filings and in its other public filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    Investor Contacts:
    IR@icoreconnect.com
    888.810.7706, ext 5

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SIMPPLE Ltd. Announces New Contracts and Partnerships in Australia and New Zealand

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Singapore, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SIMPPLE Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPPL) (“SIMPPLE” or “the Company”), a leading technology provider and innovator in the facilities management (FM) sector, today announced the closing of multiple contracts and strategic partnerships in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The contracts included agreements to provide:

    • an end-to-end integrated cleaning services and compliance solution incorporating workforce management, IoT sensors and robotics, at two international and one regional Australian airport, to the aviation services arm of a global Danish outsourcing company with annual revenue of over $11 billion;
    • a cleaning services and compliance solution, at five campuses of an Australian university, to the education services arm of that same Danish company;
    • a cleaning services and compliance solution, at a food manufacturing plant in Sydney, to the manufacturing services division of a global UK-headquartered facilities management services company with annual revenue of over $2 billion; and
    • a cleaning services and compliance solution, at a major retail centre in Sydney, for another division of that same UK-headquartered company.

    Aggregate revenue from these four contracts is projected at approximately $2.35 million.

    SIMPPLE’s recently completed strategic partnerships include five collaborations aimed at distributing SIMPPLE Robotics and software capabilities and building a service delivery, maintenance and support network across ANZ. These new partners include:

    • a provider of robotic solutions and services to the hospitality, retail and healthcare industries in Australia;
    • a Sydney-headquartered supplier of autonomous security robots and other technology solutions to major corporate and government customers in Australia;
    • a Sydney-headquartered retailer and wholesaler of cleaning equipment and supplies;
    • a Brisbane-headquartered supplier of cleaning, catering, hospitality, health and hygiene supplies to businesses in Australia; and
    • a supplier of A.I. robotic solutions in New Zealand.

    Spearheading the closing of these contracts and partnerships was the new leadership team at the recently established SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd subsidiary in Brisbane. This team includes Aloysius Chong, SIMPPLE’s former CEO relocated in February 2023 to Australia to serve as SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd’s Director of Brand and Product Strategy; James Yatras, appointed in February 2023 as SIMPPLE’s Head of Australia and New Zealand; and Greg Crisp, appointed in June 2024 as the Company’s Regional Sales Director for Australia and New Zealand.

    “These contracts and partnerships mark a significant step in our strategic expansion into the lucrative Australia and New Zealand markets,” said SIMPPLE Ltd CEO Norman Schroeder. “These agreements also highlight our Company’s capability to venture into a wide range of new sectors covering aviation, education, healthcare, and manufacturing – a significant expansion from our existing retail, institutions, and commercial office sectors.”

    The new agreements, he said, also stem from the unique position, held by SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd and its ANZ partners, of being that region’s only supplier of end-to-end facilities management solutions able to integrate software, robotics, ESG auditing and reporting, IoT sensors and other diverse data collection technologies into a single platform.

    This platform, he added, is built modular to accommodate small businesses, yet can be scaled up and/or down to meet the variable requirements of large enterprise-wide organizations.

    “Going forward,” said the CEO, “we believe the ANZ region offers SIMPPLE major growth potential. I am confident that our Australia Pty Ltd team is expertly positioned to drive this growth by providing targeted best of breed solutions to facility owners, operators, and service providers in this market.”

    Mr. Schroeder underscored the Company’s potential in the ANZ market by referencing SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd’s announcement, on September 12, that its new range of AI spot cleaning robots had received the Excellence Award (Innovation) for Large Equipment at the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) Cleaning & Hygiene Expo in Sydney.

    According to recent data from Expert Market Research, the Australia facility management market was valued at $37.37 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% to reach a value of $56.93 billion by 2032. This growth, said the study, is expected to be driven by rising numbers of infrastructure development projects, increased focus on sustainability and cost optimization, and the growing need for outsourcing of technology integration services within facilities.

    A Mordor Intelligence report projected that the facilities management markets in Australia and New Zealand are expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% and 2.5%, respectively, from 2024 through 2029. Growth in Australia, said Mordor, is expected to be fuelled by multiple industries adopting integrated FM services models that can meet all core customer needs on a large scale, and by those FM models incorporating newer technologies allowing for intelligent buildings and work environments. Future New Zealand FM sector growth, said the report, will be spurred by increasing end-user awareness of the need for energy conservation and developed building infrastructure.

    “The possibilities for SIMPPLE in ANZ are plentiful,” concluded Mr. Schroeder. “We look forward to announcing further progress for this region in the near future.”

    About SIMPPLE LTD.

    Headquartered in Singapore, SIMPPLE LTD. is an advanced technology solution provider in the emerging PropTech space, focused on helping facilities owners and managers manage facilities autonomously. Founded in 2016, the Company has a strong foothold in the Singapore facilities management market, serving over 60 clients in both the public and private sectors and extending out of Singapore into Australia and the Middle East. The Company has developed its proprietary SIMPPLE Ecosystem, to create an automated workforce management tool for building maintenance, surveillance and cleaning comprised of a mix of software and hardware solutions such as robotics (both cleaning and security) and Internet-of-Things (“IoT”) devices. 

    For more information on SIMPPLE, please visit: https://www.simpple.ai

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement.

    Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur.

    For investor and media queries, please contact:
    SIMPPLE LTD.
    Investor Relations Department
    Email: ir@simpple.ai

    Visit the Investor Relation Website: https://www.investor.simpple.ai/

    Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC
    Scott Powell, President
    1177 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor
    New York, NY 10036
    Tel: (646) 893-5835
    Email: info@skylineccg.com  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Click Holdings Limited Announces Pricing of $5.6 Million Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Hong Kong, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Click Holdings Limited (“CLIK” or the “Company”), a Hong Kong-based human resources solutions provider primarily focusing on talent sourcing and the provision of temporary and permanent personnel to customers including accounting and professional firms, Hong Kong-listed companies, nursing homes, individual patients, logistics companies and warehouses, today announced the pricing of its firm commitment initial public offering of an aggregate 1,400,000 Ordinary Shares (the “Offering”). The Offering is priced at $4.00 per share (the “Offering Price”) for gross proceeds of $5.6 million to the Company, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses.

    The Company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the closing of this Offering, to purchase up to an additional 210,000 Ordinary Shares at the Offering Price, representing 15% of the Ordinary Shares sold in the Offering (the “Over-allotment”).

    The Ordinary Shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “CLIK” on October 9, 2024. The Offering is expected to close on or about October 10, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    R.F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. (“Lafferty”), a full-service broker/dealer, is acting as the primary underwriter for the Offering. Revere Securities LLC (“Revere”), a full-service broker/dealer, is acting as the co-manager for the Offering. Dorsey & Whitney LLP, David Fong & Co, Beijing Dacheng Law Offices, LLP (Shenzhen) and Ogier are acting as U.S., Hong Kong, PRC, and BVI legal counsels to the Company, respectively. Wei, Wei & Co., LLP is acting as the independent accountants of the Company. VCL Law LLP is acting as the U.S. legal counsel to Lafferty and Revere for the Offering.

    The Offering is being conducted pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-280522), as amended, which was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 30, 2024. The Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus, forming part of the registration statement. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents the Company has filed or will file with the SEC for more information about the Company and the Offering. Copies of the final prospectus related to the Offering may be obtained, when available, from R.F. Lafferty & Co., Inc., 40 Wall Street, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10005, by phone at +1 212 293 9090 or by email at offerings@rflafferty.com; or Revere Securities LLC, 560 Lexington Ave 16th floor, New York, NY, 10022, by phone at +1 212 688 2350 or by email at contact@reveresecurities.com. In addition, a copy of the final prospectus, when available, relating to the Offering may be obtained via the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

    This press release has been prepared for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Click Holdings Limited

    Click Holdings Limited is a human resources solutions provider, specializing in offering comprehensive human resources solutions in three principal sectors, namely (i) professional solution services, (ii) nursing solution services, and (iii) logistics and other solution services. We are primarily focused on talent sourcing and the provision of temporary and permanent personnel to customers. Our primary market is in Hong Kong and our diverse clientele includes accounting and professional firms, Hong Kong listed companies, nursing homes, individual patients, logistics companies and warehouses. We specialize primarily in placing professional accountants and company secretaries, registered nurses and healthcare workers, as well as other blue-collar workers, for direct hire and contract staffing roles. For more information, please visit http://www.clicksc.com.hk.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Certain statements contained in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected trading commencement and closing dates. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Click Holdings Limited specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    For more information, please contact:

    offerings@rflafferty.com
    Equity Capital Markets
    R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc.
    40 Wall Street, 27th Floor, 
    New York, NY 10005
    212.293.9090

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [ECKOH PLC – 08 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    		 08 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: 21,018,836 7.2337    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 21,018,836 7.2337    

    NOTE: 26,785 shares were transferred in by a discretionary client on 08/10/2024.

    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 23,435 40.26p

    (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: 09 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 Security: Teenager jailed for murder in Newham

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A Met detective has called on parents to make sure they are aware of their children’s online purchases after a youth, who murdered a teenager in Newham with a knife bought from a website, was jailed.

    Following a five-week trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found the 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, guilty of the murder of 16-year-old Rahaan Ahmed Amin.

    He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 9 October to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 15 years.

    Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, the lead investigator from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “The defendant’s claim that he acted in self-defence was completely rejected by the jury. Rahaan was murdered in cold blood after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him within seconds of arriving, giving him no opportunity to react.

    “This case demonstrates how easy it is for young people to purchase deadly knives online. I would urge all parents to be aware of their child’s online activity and what purchases they are making. It is also important for parents to keep their ID documents secure to ensure they are not misused by their children.”

    The court heard Rahaan was fatally attacked in West Ham Park on 9 July 2023 after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him in the chest. Rahaan died in hospital the next day.

    Homicide detectives launched an investigation immediately and a long red knife was found in a tree in the park. Forensic testing recovered the 17-year-old’s fingerprint and Rahaan’s blood.

    A number of eye-witnesses were also spoken to and CCTV was collated to piece together what had happened.

    A photograph was also identified on a Snapchat account linked to the 17-year-old that showed a collection of nine knives lined up on a bed. One of those knives was identical in appearance to the knife found in the tree at West Ham Park – and also identical in appearance to a knife ordered on the internet through an online shop on 12 June 2023.

    Detectives traced the transaction details of that order, along with two similar orders, which had been placed using the name of the father of one of the 17-year-old’s friends. When the police told the man about these transactions, he had no knowledge of them at all. The last of the three orders for knives had a delivery address the same as the 17-year-old’s.

    The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder two days after Rahaan died in hospital (12 July) and he was charged on 13 July.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the President of the AIIB

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), H.E. Jin Liqun, on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR today. SG Dr. Kao commended the AIIB’s efforts in advancing connectivity and infrastructure development and looked forward to having deeper cooperation between ASEAN and AIIB in enhancing connectivity in the region.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the President of the AIIB appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN joins ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Youth

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN joined the ASEAN Leaders in a dialogue with youth representatives during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with ASEAN Youth, held on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. The session highlighted the critical role of youth in driving the region’s future, aligned with ASEAN’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and forward-looking community.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN joins ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Youth appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Sailor Performs Lifesaving CPR on Freeway Accident Victim

    Source: United States Navy

    PORT HUENEME, Calif. — Information Systems Technician 2nd Class (IT2) Donovan Asberry, performed CPR on a crash victim on the I-5 freeway in Downey, potentially saving the man’s life. The incident occurred on August 19th 2024 when IT2 Asberry, driving home from work, noticed a car collide with the freeway median. After pulling over and observing the driver breathing abnormally, IT2 Asberry, alongside other concerned motorists, took immediate action to help.

    IT2 Asberry, who had a recent CPR certification, noticed the driver exhibiting unusual breathing patterns. “It was a deep breath followed by pauses. I hadn’t seen anything like it, not even in movies,” IT2 Asberry recalled. Acting quickly, he and another bystander worked together to break the car window, unlock the doors, and pull the driver to safety.

    Emergency responders arrived after 30 minutes of IT2 Asberry administering chest compressions. According to paramedics on the scene, the driver’s pulse was weak but present, and they credited IT2 Asberry’s quick thinking and persistence with helping keep the man alive.

    “I’m just glad I was there at the right time,” said IT2 Asberry , reflecting on the ordeal. “It’s a reminder of how important it is to be ready to help others when you can.”

    The crash occurred in Downey, impacting traffic on the busy freeway for hours as authorities cleared the scene. Witnesses described the incident as chaotic but were inspired by the efforts of civilians who intervened.

    IT2 Asberry’s actions are a testament to the value of CPR training, a skill that, as he learned, can make the difference between life and death.

    IT2 Asberry’s efforts serve as a powerful reminder of community responsibility and readiness, and highlighting how training can be crucial in emergency situations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: MSCPAC Bids Farewell to USNS Pecos

    Source: United States Navy

    SAN DIEGO — Military Sealift Command Pacific (MSCPAC) bids fair winds and following seas to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Pecos (T-AO 197) as it made its last departure from the San Diego Bay today. The ship will transit to the East Coast, where it will be deactivated and removed from service.

    Christened in 1989, Pecos served as part of the MSC fleet for 35 years. During its career, Pecos served in the Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.

    In 2006 Pecos deployed with the MSC Hospital Ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) for five-months, delivering aid and humanitarian assistance to the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, following the humanitarian assistance missions in the wake of the tsunami in Indonesia. Missions like this evolved into what is now known as the Pacific Partnership missions. These missions continue to provide medical and humanitarian assistance, while building international friendships throughout Southeast Asia.

    In 2011, following the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Pecos rendezvoused with United States Seventh Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) near Kyushu, Japan as part of Operation Tomodachi. Blue Ridge transferred 96 pallets of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief material to Pecos for delivery to the Essex Amphibious Group and Carrier Strike Group 5. The pallets consisted of water containers and water purification tablets, first-aid products, tarpaulins, blankets, and other supplies. During her support effort to Operation Tomodachi, Pecos completed nine underway replenishments and delivered more than 2.3 million U.S. gallons of fuel to other supporting ships.

    On November 28, 2018, the United States Navy sent Pecos and guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) through the Taiwan Strait as a demonstration of the “U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
    Most recently, Pecos provided logistics support to the multi-national maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific 2024, delivering nearly 4 million gallons of diesel fuel and 2.2 million gallons of jet fuel through 36 underway replenishment events.

    “This ship and its crew have answered all bells, time and time again. ” said Capt. Micah Murphy, commander, Military Sealift Command Pacific (MSCPAC). “The ship’s longstanding success, highlighted by this year’s RIMPAC, is really a testament to the professional mariners abilities, dedication to duty, and relentless pursuit of quality customer service to the fleet. It is fitting that one of the longest tenured Masters in MSC, Captain Keith Walzak, was at the helm during the last phase of this ship’s prolific career, capping off a storied career for them both. While it is sad to see a ship’s service end, it is special to be here to say fair winds and following seas to a ship as rich in MSC history as Pecos. Her spirit will live on in the new John Lewis class of oilers that her crew embarks and brings to life.”

    Ahead of Pecos’ departure, Murphy and the MSCPAC team boarded the ship and took a moment to recognize members of the crew, for their outstanding support to the MSC mission, specifically to RIMPAC 2024, and to honor the retirement of Capt. Keith Walzak, Pecos’ civil service master, as he brings to end a 45-year career with MSC.

    “I have served on a lot of ships during my career, but Pecos will be the one I really remember,” Walzak said as he addressed the crew. “I might remember this ship, because it is my last, and will be foremost on my mind, but I think I will also remember it, because of the hard work and dedication of all of you. We have a real team here, and that is why we were able to work through a lot of the challenges we’ve had, and to do the great work we’ve done this summer. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I am proud to have served with you.”

    Walzak graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1980 and was recruited directly into MSC. Over the course of his career, Walzak served 40 ship assignments, 30 as ship’s master. He is the Plank owner of USNS Butte (T-AE 27), USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34), and USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14), the latter as the first master, something he considers a career highlight.

    “Looking over my whole career, I would have to say that one of the most memorable moments would have to be in 2012, standing on the dais with my wife, as USNS Cesar Chavez, the last-AKE built, was being christened and launched into San Diego Bay, as the first Master on the last T-AKE,” said Walzak.

    On behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, Murphy presented Walzak with the Civilian Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his, support to RIMPAC 2024.

    “In 45 years of service I have gotten two certificates from the Secretary of the Navy,” joked Walzak. “The first was my discharge from the Navy Ready Reserve, and this one, that I received today. I appreciate the recognition, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to serve with MSC and to have had the long career that I’ve had. I’ve seen a lot, done a lot, and now I am ready to do whatever my wife wants me to do. She’s spent 41 years waiting for this day. We will travel about, visit family, and get in some relaxation time.”

    Pecos is one of the 15 ships of the Henry J. Kaiser class fleet replenishment oilers which are operated by Military Sealift Command. As the class ages out of the MSC fleet, it is being replaced by the new John Lewis class which includes USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) and USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), all currently operating under MSC.

    MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Comstock returns to San Diego after Indo-Pacific deployment

    Source: United States Navy

    SAN DIEGO — The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) returned to homeport in San Diego, following a nearly four-month deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, Oct. 8.

    Along with its more than 400 Sailors, Comstock participated in multiple exercises and operations, displaying interoperability and the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    “The Sailors aboard Comstock performed their duty in an exemplary manner to support tasking in U.S. 7th Fleet,” said Cmdr. Byron Stocks, commanding officer of Comstock. “The mission execution afforded the opportunity to demonstrate joint force capability.”

    With a focus on joint operations, Comstock and its embarked units supported the America Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) during advanced integrated training and MEU certification. Comstock also successfully integrated with motorized weapons company of 31st MEU and Combat Logistics Battalion 31.

    During the deployment, Comstock embarked two landing crafts utility from Naval Beach Group 7 to rehearse and demonstrate capability of the amphibious Navy’s shore connectors.

    Comstock also participated in Exercise Ssang Yong 24. During the decisive action phase of Ssang Yong, Republic of Korea and U.S. combined and joint forces conducted large-scale maneuvers from sea and air to showcase the overwhelming power of the alliance and its capability to carry out combined amphibious operations.

    Since 2012, the ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have regularly conducted Ssang Yong to enhance defensive posture on the Korean Peninsula while improving naval and amphibious capabilities.

    After Ssang Yong, Comstock transited home to San Diego following a nearly four-month deployment.

    When not at sea, Comstock Sailors had the opportunity to enjoy foreign cultures during port visits to Guam, Japan, and Republic of Korea.

    USS Comstock is homeported at Naval Base San Diego and assigned to Amphibious Squadron 1.

    An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.

    For more information on Comstock, please visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lsd45/

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Chinese Film Panorama 2024 opens tonight (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Chinese Film Panorama 2024 opens tonight (with photo)
    Chinese Film Panorama 2024 opens tonight (with photo)
    *****************************************************

         The opening ceremony for the Chinese Film Panorama 2024 was held tonight (October 9) at Hong Kong City Hall, followed by a screening of the opening animated film “Into the Mortal World” (2024) directed by Zhong Ding.      The Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Film and Television Artistic Director of the Bauhinia Culture Group, Mr Deng Wugui; the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Lin Nan; the Chairman of the Southern Film Culture Foundation, Mr Ding Kai; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; the Chairman of the South China Film Industry Workers Union, Mr Cheung Hong-tat; and the executive producer of the opening film, Mr Huang Long, officiated at the opening ceremony.      The Panorama is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Southern Film Culture Foundation in association with Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd, the China Film Foundation and the South China Film Industry Workers Union, and supported by the Bauhinia Culture Group. Ten distinctive feature-length animated films and two short film programmes produced on the Mainland will be shown at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive, and lecture halls of the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC), Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong from today to November 16.       The opening film, “Into the Mortal World”, is a reinterpretation of the mythology of “The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl”. The weaver girl’s son is reconnected with his long-lost sister when he is demoted to the mortal world and embarks on an adventure in the divine realm.      Other selected films include “Princess Iron Fan” (1941) (4K restored version), “The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven” (First and Second Parts) (1961-1964), “Peacock Princess” (1963), “Nezha Conquers the Dragon King” (1979), “The Legend of Sealed Book” (1983) (4K restored version), “To the Bright Side” (2021), “Chang An” (2023), “The Storm” (2024) , and “Boonie Bears: Time Twist” (2024). Apart from animated feature films, two collections of animated short films will also be screened.      “Into the Mortal World” is in Cantonese while other films are in Putonghua. “Chang An” will be screened on October 14 at Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong and on November 16 at the EKCC for free. Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) will offer a free screening of “Peacock Princess” on October 12. The admission tickets for the screening at Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong have been available at The University of Hong Kong Staff Association located at 5/F, T T Tsui Building of the University of Hong Kong starting from September 30. The admission tickets for the free screenings at Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the EKCC are available at the respective screening locations from September 30 and November 1. Each person can obtain up to two tickets per screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Other film tickets priced at $70 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please call 2734 2900 (LCSD) or 2780 5355 (for screenings at Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the University of Hong Kong) or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=66.      The Chinese Film Panorama 2024 is one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 9, 2024Issued at HKT 21:28

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New trade in services pact signed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Ministry of Commerce today signed the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services (Amendment Agreement II).

    Chief Executive John Lee witnessed the signing of the new agreement by Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Deputy China International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce Li Yongjie this afternoon.

    Scheduled to be implemented on March 1, 2025, the Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across several service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, such as financial services, construction and related engineering services, testing and certification, telecommunications, motion pictures, television and tourism services.

    The Trade & Industry Department explained that the liberalisation measures take various forms, including removing or relaxing restrictions on equity shareholding and business scope in the establishment of enterprises, relaxing qualification requirements for Hong Kong professionals providing services, and easing restrictions on Hong Kong’s exports of services to the Mainland market.

    Most of the measures apply to the whole Mainland, while some of them are designated for pilot implementation in the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it added.

    The Chief Executive thanked the central government for its care and support for the Hong Kong SAR, as well as the Ministry of Commerce and relevant authorities for actively working towards the Hong Kong SAR Government’s proposal of further opening up the Mainland market to Hong Kong in trade in services.

    “The Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across different service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, making it easier for Hong Kong service suppliers to establish enterprises and develop business on the Mainland, enabling more Hong Kong professionals to obtain qualifications to practise on the Mainland, allowing more of Hong Kong’s quality services to be provided to the Mainland market, and contributing to and serving the country’s development,” he said.

    “The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to encourage different sectors of the community to leverage the unique advantages of ‘one country, two systems’ and join hands with their counterparts on the Mainland to promote the competitiveness of the professional services sector, in order to inject new impetus to economic development and achieve high-quality development.”

    Speaking at a media session after the signing ceremony, the Financial Secretary pointed out that the further relaxation under CEPA will enable Hong Kong firms and professional sectors to get into the Mainland market a lot easier.

    “Depending on specific sectors, the progress will be different. But I am sure for the professional sectors, people are very keen to expand their foothold into the Mainland by using the Greater Bay Area as the starting point. So this will have a very positive impact on Hong Kong,” Mr Chan said.

    An example of the measures regarding construction and related engineering services is that Hong Kong general practice surveying enterprises will be allowed to provide professional services in Guangdong Province through filing of records.

    For tourism services, there will be measures to optimise the implementation of the 144-hour visa-exemption policy for foreign group tours entering Guangdong from Hong Kong.

    Mr Chan said the Government will be communicating with the different sectors and working with the different stakeholders to move as fast as possible, to materialise the various implementation details, so that the businesses and professionals in Hong Kong would find it useful and easier to expand into the Mainland.

    Furthermore, the department noted that the Amendment Agreement II brings institutional innovation and collaboration enhancement, including the addition of allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law and allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong.

    It also added commitments regarding domestic regulation to ensure the transparency, predictability and efficiency of regulations on trade in services.

    In addition, the new agreement removed the period requirement on Hong Kong service suppliers to engage in substantive business operations in Hong Kong for three years in most service sectors.

    This will allow Hong Kong startups to enjoy the preferential treatment under CEPA in a shorter time and attract enterprises and talent from around the world to establish a presence in Hong Kong and explore the Mainland market, the department noted.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Matawa’s Animal Pilot Project: Fostering Safer Communities for both Animals and Humans

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Thunder Bay, Ontario — Please be advised that David Paul Achneepineskum , CEO of Matawa First Nations Management Company, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, will highlight and celebrate the success of Matawa’s Animal Services Pilot Project. 

    Date: Friday, October 11, 2024
    Time: 9:00 a.m. (ET) 

    Where: North Star Air 
    Thunder Bay Airport
    405 John Paterson Drive 
    Thunder Bay, ON 
    P7E 6M8
    Google Maps Link
    (Parking available in the lot across the street)

    Jennifer Kozelj
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu
    Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor  
    jennifer.kozelj@sac-isc.gc.ca 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New rules to prevent contraband in correctional facilities come into force

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the final regulatory amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act that limits the use of dry cells and improves the search and seizure of contraband in federal correctional institutions.

    October 9, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the final regulatory amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act that limits the use of dry cells and improves the search and seizure of contraband in federal correctional institutions.

    The regulations provide direction on the use of body scanner searches in federal correctional institutions. Adding body scanner technology to the Correctional Service of Canada’s toolkit gives them a fast and efficient way to detect contraband that is located on, or inside, an offender’s body. These new regulations will be monitored, evaluated, and improved as needed.

    Dry cells are detention cells without conventional plumbing fixtures that allow for close monitoring of the offender while awaiting the expulsion of contraband. The new framework specifies when dry cells can be used, limits the duration of dry cell detention, and improves the monitoring of the physical and mental health of those detained. It also expands data collection on the use of dry cells to better inform decisions going forward.

    These regulations, including the cap on dry cell placement duration, are a direct response to recommendations from the Office of the Correctional Investigator. They have also been informed by the advocacy and policy proposals of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society, and a public consultation through the Canada Gazette, Part I held in May 2023.

    Gabriel Brunet
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
    819-665-6527
    gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: StepStone Private Wealth Surpasses $5 Billion in AUM Milestone

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StepStone Private Wealth (“SPW”) today announced it has surpassed $5 billion in global assets under management, making it one of the fastest growing private market asset managers serving financial professionals and their high net worth clients.

    Powered by StepStone Group, one of the largest global institutional allocators to the private markets, SPW was founded in 2019 to expand access to these assets for the private wealth market.

    “In 2019, the mission of our founding team was to design a platform where financial professionals could more easily access private markets, reducing the friction and burden of investing in these opportunities,” said Bob Long, CEO of StepStone Private Wealth. “Reaching $5 billion in AUM in five years demonstrates that advisors are eager to allocate client assets to portfolios curated by an organization as globally respected as StepStone – comprised of world-class expertise and top talent across investing, operations, data & analytics, legal, marketing and distribution. We expect that our team, with their focus on bringing convenience, transparency and efficiency to private markets investing for our clients and prospective clients, will be central to our success as we continue our global expansion.”

    SPW launched its first registered closed-end evergreen fund – the StepStone Private Markets Fund or SPRIM, ticker: XPMIX – in 2020, allowing accredited investors to gain exposure to private equity, real assets, and private debt through one convenient vehicle. SPRIM transitioned to daily admittance and daily valuation in 2023, among the first in the industry to introduce a daily NAV for a multi asset-class private markets fund. As of September 30, 2024 the fund now stands at $3.1 billion of AUM and has produced an annualized return of 23.08% since inception.

    The firm has since expanded its investment offerings to include venture capital and growth equity through the StepStone Private Venture and Growth Fund, or SPRING; infrastructure through the StepStone Private Infrastructure Fund or STRUCTURE, ticker: STRUX; and private credit through the StepStone Private Credit Income Fund or CRDEX, ticker: CRDEX. SPW offers offshore options for each of its funds for investors outside the US.

    “We are grateful for the support of our distribution partners across the registered investment advisor, independent broker dealer, wire house, and international channels,” said Neil Menard, Partner & President of Distribution at StepStone Private Wealth. “Through their collaboration, we have been able to reach tens of thousands of new investors who have been seeking private markets solutions like ours. We look forward to working in partnership with more firms and their advisors across the globe to advance their ability to provide clients with institutional-caliber allocations to private markets portfolios.”

    About StepStone

    StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP) is a global private markets investment firm focused on providing customized investment solutions and advisory and data services to its clients. As of June 30, 2024, StepStone was responsible for approximately $701 billion of total capital, including $170 billion of assets under management. StepStone’s clients include some of the world’s largest public and private defined benefit and defined contribution pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies, as well as prominent endowments, foundations, family offices and private wealth clients, which include high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals. StepStone partners with its clients to develop and build private markets portfolios designed to meet their specific objectives across the private equity, infrastructure, private debt and real estate asset classes.

    Contacts

    Shareholder Relations:
    Seth Weiss
    shareholders@stepstonegroup.com
    +1 (212) 351-6106

    Media:
    Brian Ruby / Chris Gillick / Matt Lettiero, ICR
    StepStonePR@icrinc.com
    +1 (203) 682-8268

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION

    Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the SPRIM, SPRING, STRUCTURE, and CREDX prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained from StepStone Private Wealth at 704.215.4300 or by visiting stepstonepw.com. An investor should read the prospectus carefully before investing.

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance shown is net of fees. For the most recent month end performance please call 704.215.4300 or visit stepstonepw.com.

    An investment in the Funds involve risks. The Funds should be considered speculative investments that entail substantial risks, and a prospective investor should invest in the Funds only if it can sustain a complete loss of its investment. Fund shares are illiquid and appropriate only as a long-term investment. There is no secondary market for the Funds’ Shares and the Funds expect that no secondary market will develop in the foreseeable future. Investments may consist of loans to small and/or less well-established privately held companies that have reduced access to the capital markets, resulting in diminished capital resources and the ability to withstand financial distress. While the Fund provides transparent disclosure of structure, strategy, holdings, and financial condition, the valuation of the Fund’s investments in Private Markets Investment Funds is ordinarily determined based upon valuations provided by the Investment Managers on a quarterly basis. A large percentage of these securities do not have a readily ascertainable market price and are fair valued by the Investment Manager subject to future adjustment or revision. Please see the prospectuses for details of these and other risks.

    The Funds are distributed by UMB Distribution Services, LLC which is not affiliated with StepStone Group.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: No. 12/2024 – CeMat A/S acquires right of perpetual usufruct to land plot in Bielany, Warsaw

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nasdaq Copenhagen                                                                                   
    Nikolaj Plads 6
    DK-1067 Copenhagen K   

    Copenhagen, 9 October 2024
    ANNOUNCEMENT no. 12/2024

    CeMat A/S acquires right of perpetual usufruct to land plot in Bielany, Warsaw

    CeMat A/S is pleased to announce that it has obtained a binding decision confirming its acquisition by law of the right of perpetual usufruct (RPU) to 75% of the shares in an undeveloped plot of land on Wólczyńska Street, in the Bielany district of Warsaw. The decision relates to a land plot covering a total area of 6,720 sqm, and grants the company the right of perpetual usufruct until 2089. This binding decision provides the legal basis for registering the RPU in the land and mortgage register.

    The acquired plot is currently being used by the company for internal roads, which are a key component of the street layout within the property complex, contributing both to the company’s current rental operations and future investment plans for CeMat in Warsaw’s Bielany district. The road provides access to a public road for all plots earmarked for future development within the Bielany complex. The Bielany complex covers a total area of 159,300 sqm.

    The final value of the acquired property will be determined following an independent valuation process.

    Obtaining legal title to the plot marks a significant milestone in fulfilling CeMat’s goals for 2024, as well as its long-term strategy. As part of the Group’s strategy, this acquisition represents the first step in the value creation chain, which includes securing legal title, receiving re-zoning decisions, obtaining building permits, and commencing the pre-sale and construction phases.

    The newly issued decision is an important factor that will facilitate the development process.  In addition to the zoning decision, the road connection is one of the elements required to obtain a building permit in the future. This additional road will improve the site’s utility connections and increase the overall attractiveness and value of the Bielany complex.

    Cemat A/S

    Frede Clausen
    Chairman

    This announcement has been prepared in a Danish-language and an English-language

    version. In case of doubt, the Danish version prevails.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Xage Security Awarded $1.5 Million Contract by United States Navy to Advance Zero Trust Initiatives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xage Security Government (Xage), a global leader in Zero Trust access and protection, today announced a $1.5 million Sequential Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the United States Navy to prove out Xage’s Zero Trust Access and Protection and Federated Identity Management capabilities in support of multiple strategic initiatives.

    This initiative supports compliance with the U.S. Department of Defense Chief Information Officer (DOD CIO) Zero Trust Target Strategy to enhance the protection of data, systems, and services with a Zero Trust model/architecture by 2027. Additionally, Xage will be used in pursuit of the strategic goal shared by the U.S. Navy’s Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I), Tactical Shore & Expeditionary Integration program office (PMW 790) and Program Executive Office Digital and Enterprise Services (PEO Digital) to create an extraordinary future involving battle networks to support the warfighter. This will support the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) DevSecOps (DSO) Overmatch Software Armory (OSA) to deliver the Navy’s contribution to Combined Joint All Domain Command & Control (CJADC-2) and tactical edge cloud Battlenet Landing IT Zone Engineering Development Model (BLITZ EDM) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) tactical edge capability.

    Xage Meets Robust Navy Security Requirements
    The Xage Fabric Platform is a resilient, highly available cybersecurity mesh, that underpins three core capabilities––Zero Trust identity and access management (IAM), Privileged Access Management (PAM), and Zero Trust remote access (ZTRA)––to enable secure, least privilege access both for internal users and external coalition partners. Xage also provides Zero Trust data exchange capability to ensure the integrity and authenticity of data as it is shared internally and with coalition partners.

    Fulfilling the DOD’s Zero Trust Mandate
    The selection of Xage as a key technology solution provider is based on its robust Zero Trust capabilities in critical areas such as microsegmentation, data integrity and management, least privilege, and multi-factor authentication (MFA). These features are essential across all domains—whether IT, operational technology (OT), or cloud environments—ensuring comprehensive Zero Trust security at every layer.

    Unique Architecture to Support the Warfighter
    In addition to fulfilling DOD Zero Trust requirements, Xage was selected for its ability to fulfill unique requirements for Navy environments.

    The Xage Fabric Platform, deployed as a secure overlay with a distributed architecture and equips the Navy with the following three key capabilities, among others:

    • DDIL: Xage enables the Navy to provide Zero Trust Access and protection to any asset without requiring internet connection, while maintaining the operation of its identity and access functions even in denied, disrupted, intermittent, and limited impact (DDIL) environments. Access and privilege enforcement can still be enforced, even if a remote site or edge device loses connectivity to the central network.
    • Agentless: The Xage Fabric allows the Navy to deploy Zero Trust access and protection without requiring the installation of agents on any endpoints nor the replacement of any existing infrastructure, eliminating a significant management burden and attack vector. The approach enables the Navy to extend the lifespan of legacy mission-critical assets.
    • Data Exchange: The Xage Zero Trust data exchange enables the Navy to securely exchange data with joint coalition and allied partners by providing just enough access, just in time. When access is no longer needed, administrators can easily wipe the identity and access of these external users within seconds. All user activity is tracked, logged, and recorded by Xage and all activity is untraceable by an adversary.

    “Xage was built to cyber-harden the most challenging and mission critical environments and we proudly partner with entities like the USSF Space Systems Command to do so, which will now include an extension of our ‘Never Trust, Always Verify’ support to the Navy,” said Xage Security CEO, Geoffrey Mattson. “Legacy devices, DDIL environments, as well as allied and coalition data exchange are just some of the critical use cases that the Navy is responsible for keeping secure and has an unwavering commitment to defend. Xage is proud to be in service of this mission and national security.”

    About the Contract

    PMW 790 delivers resilient, adaptable, interoperable, and affordable shore and expeditionary C4I capability for the Navy, enabling all domain mission success. PEO Digital is the service office that helps the Navy and Marine Corps with accelerating innovation and security.

    The contract awarded to Xage is spearheaded by PMW 790 and PEO Digital, in collaboration with USSF Space Systems Command (SSC). Together, PMW 790 and PEO Digital are responsible for testing Xage’s Zero Trust capabilities against simulated sophisticated attacks. The PMW 790 Program Manager is requesting this special study to evaluate the approach to Zero Trust across multiple efforts within the Navy. The special study will establish the overarching applicability of Zero Trust concepts across multiple networks to support modern and legacy operational systems.

    It will also test Xage’s ability to establish an enterprise data analytics architecture to provide a subset of data collection goals as stated in the DOD Data Strategy across the Navy enterprise. Included in these concepts is the reduction of the potential attack surface associated with network complexity and controls used today to connect the operational unit networks to larger more accessible enterprise networks and systems. The objective is to demonstrate and test secure data access and exchange across complex network types between systems while ensuring data integrity and authenticity services to various applications where data is being consumed. Zero Trust for the Navy requires a cohesive strategy to reach effective adoption of Zero Trust principles across a diversity of missions within the Navy’s domain.

    PMW 790 is requesting BLITZ onboard Xage Security Government as a Zero Trust Identity software candidate. Xage’s software will also be added to the OSA, which is the Navy’s Tactical DSO ecosystem that supports accelerated application development.

    PMW 790 is looking to leverage the USAF Cloud One DSO accreditation of Xage that supports the DOD CIO Zero Trust and reciprocity directives supported by complementary Department of the Navy CIO and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA) directives for cloud, Zero Trust and starting with dollar one focusing on Identity.

    Other focus areas of Zero Trust principles are data integrity and management in support of Chief Digital and Artificial Office (CDAO) initiatives as well as leveraging microsegmentation edge cloud technology for Zero Trust governance.

    About Xage Security Gov
    Xage Security Gov, LLC is a wholly-owned affiliate of Xage Security, Inc., a global leader in Zero Trust access and protection on a mission to pioneer a secure tomorrow. Xage’s solutions and services accelerate and simplify the way organizations secure, manage, and transform digital operations across Operational Technology, IT, and the cloud. Xage products include zero trust access, privileged access management, zero trust data exchange, all powered by the Xage Fabric Platform. Learn why organizations like the U.S. Space Force, PETRONAS, and Kinder Morgan choose Xage at xage.com.

    Xage PR Contact
    press@xage.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cash payments withdrawn from city council car parks Lancaster City Council is to temporarily remove cash payments from most of its car parks following a string of thefts and damage to its pay and display machines.

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Lancaster City Council is to temporarily remove cash payments from most of its car parks following a string of thefts and damage to its pay and display machines.

    One of the damaged pay and display machines

    Ten machines have been damaged in car parks across Lancaster and Morecambe since the end of August, with four of these coming in just the last week. On each occasion the cash boxes attached to the machines have been cut open and the coins removed.

    It’s estimated that the cost of replacing the machines, along with the theft of the coins inside the machines, brings the total loss to the taxpayer to around £40,000.

    To prevent any more machines being damaged while the police investigate the thefts, the council has taken the decision to remove the coin boxes from all of its machines except at St Nics in Lancaster, which is locked overnight.

    Customers are instead being asked to pay by card or via the RingGo system.

    Councillor Jean Parr, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and placemaking, said: “We know that this decision will be disappointing for those who like to pay by cash, but we have no other option while a gang of thieves is actively targeting our car parks. Each time a machine is damaged there’s a cost to replace it.

    “Hopefully the police will be able to catch the culprits and we will be able to resume normal service as soon as possible.

    “In the meantime, we’d ask people to be patient and if anyone has any information about who may be responsible, please contact the police.”

    Motorists are reminded that paying for parking at all the councils pay & display car parks is still required and card payments and RingGo is still available.

    Non-payment of parking fees may result in a penalty charge notice being issued.

    Last updated: 09 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Isle of Wight Carers Support Service, share your experience 9 October 2024 carer survey, support services

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    During 2025 the Isle of Wight Council will be renewing its contract to provide information, advice, guidance and support for unpaid carers across the Isle of Wight.

    We want to make sure that the views of local unpaid carers, about the support they need in this area help us to shape theses services moving forward. If you are, or were, or are likely to become and unpaid carer, the council would like to hear from you. Your experience, knowledge and comments are invaluable.

    All you need to do to share your thoughts is to complete a very short survey which can be found at Isle of Wight Carers Support Service – User Experience Survey 2024  The survey should take 5 – 10 minutes to complete and all feedback will be taken on-board and considered to shape the service plan. The closing date for the survey is Saturday 30 November. If you would prefer a paper version of the survey this can be arranged by contacting Liz.Hennessy@iow.gov.uk

    Laura Gaudion, director of adult social services ‘’The Isle of Wight Council recognises unpaid carers as the ‘quiet heroes’ in our Island’s community and want to ensure that they have the help and support to enable them to carry out their caring responsibilities while improving and protecting their own wellbeing.  We want to make sure that the carers services we put in place for local people are of the highest quality so that carers on the Island receive the best possible support to enable them to look after the people they care for.’’

    Carers who would like to discuss views or receive help to complete this survey can attend a public meeting and drop-in session on Tuesday 22 October between 2pm and 5pm at the Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2QR.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Is Contacting People Affected by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Is Contacting People Affected by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene

    FEMA Is Contacting People Affected by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene

    ATLANTA – Georgians who apply for disaster assistance for Tropical Storm Debby or Hurricane Helene may be eligible for assistance for both disasters. FEMA is placing calls to survivors in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long, and Screven counties who only registered for one of the disasters to inform them that they can apply for assistance for both disasters if they sustained damaged from both storms. 

    These calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. FEMA may also send a text message if they are unable to reach you by phone. If you are concerned about verifying if it is FEMA, you can call 800-621-3362. FEMA representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications. Their services are free.

    Applications for both storms must be submitted separately. Eligible survivors affected by both storms may receive funds for food, water, baby formula and other emergency needs as well as money to help pay for a temporary place to stay. Federal grant funds may help with survivors’ immediate housing needs and can be used for the cost of staying with friends and family or hotel/motel lodging. If applicants already created a Login.gov account, they may use that same account in accessing both applications.

    Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362 to apply for FEMA assistance. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    When applying, people will need to describe what damage occurred and on what date, to ensure federal disaster assistance from the two storms is not duplicated. Keep all receipts for expenses associated both disasters, including:

    • Home repairs
    • Repairs to a septic system, water well or private road
    • Purchase of a generator or chainsaw
    • Replacement of personal property items such as appliances
    • Vehicle repairs or replacement
    • Insurance settlement or denial

    For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4821 and fema.gov/disaster/4830. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    sandra.habib

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smart New Laser Technology Can Monitor Greenhouse Gases Faster, More Sensitively

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Esther Baumann works in the lab where a team of researchers has developed an improved version of a laser-based measurement technique called dual-comb spectroscopy. 

    Credit: R.Jacobson/NIST

    Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new laser-based technique that could dramatically improve our ability to analyze a variety of materials and gases, including greenhouse gases. This new method, called “free-form dual-comb spectroscopy,” offers a faster, more flexible and more sensitive way to analyze substances in the air and other materials.

    In this specific study, published in Nature Photonics, researchers demonstrated that their laboratory-based system could detect a single gas, in this case the potent greenhouse gas methane, with 22 times higher sensitivity than a traditional dual-comb system. This increased sensitivity could one day help identify small leaks or emissions that might otherwise go unnoticed, potentially aiding in efforts to combat climate change.

    Technological Advancements

    Spectroscopy is a sophisticated technique that allows scientists to identify and measure different materials by observing how they interact with light. Just as a prism separates white light into a rainbow of colors, spectroscopy separates the light coming from or passing through a substance, revealing its unique “fingerprint” and providing valuable information about its properties and composition.

    The NIST researchers have created an improved version of a laser-based measurement technique called dual-comb spectroscopy. Dual-comb spectroscopy is a particularly high-resolution form of spectroscopy that allows many colors of light to be examined at the same time and in fine detail.

    The new laser measurement technique improves on older methods by allowing scientists to control the timing of laser pulses with incredible precision. This precise control lets them focus on the most important parts of a sample’s fingerprint and ignore areas that don’t provide useful information. As a result, the smarter system can detect and measure substances much faster than before.

    This new approach can be used in several ways. For example, scientists can use it to quickly create images showing how the gas is distributed in space. Alternatively, if researchers don’t know exactly what kind of gas is in the area they are investigating, they can use a generic technique called compressive sampling. This is a “smart” method of making measurements, concentrating on areas likely to have important information and taking fewer measurements elsewhere. This strategy makes the whole process 10 to 100 times more efficient than traditional methods.

    Visualizing Gas Plumes

    This technology can create fast, detailed images of a variety of gas clouds. In this study, researchers created real-time images of methane plumes. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, so being able to detect and address these leaks efficiently could one day help protect the environment and improve air quality. By quickly generating images of methane plumes, scientists could quickly identify where gas is escaping. 

    Methane cloud with free-form dual-comb spectroscopy

    Researchers use free-form dual-comb spectroscopy to make videos like this 2D methane cloud. Dark areas mean there’s little or no methane present, while brighter colors show where there’s more methane. Because it can take pictures very quickly, this technology can show how the methane cloud creates swirling patterns and changes in real time, which wasn’t possible previously. This technology can be easily adjusted to look for different gases, not just methane.

    This technique is useful not only for detecting greenhouse gases but for any situation in which scientists need to identify and measure gases.

    Two Lasers Are Better Than One

    Free-form dual-comb spectroscopy may be a mouthful to pronounce, but understanding how this technology works can be more easily digested by breaking it down into several parts that work seamlessly together.

    The heart of this method lies in the Nobel Prize-winning optical frequency comb, a laser tool that produces light at a series of equally spaced, precise frequencies that resemble the teeth of a comb. These frequency combs are used for a variety of purposes, from precision timekeeping to medical diagnostics and even the search for elusive dark matter.

    The “dual-comb” aspect of this technology refers to the use of two optical frequency combs working together. This approach enables rapid, precise measurements of substances by analyzing how they interact with the light from both combs. This technique is much faster than a single comb and can provide more detailed information than many traditional spectroscopy methods.

    “Free-form” refers to the flexibility in highly precise frequency comb control that has recently become possible. The frequency combs emit light pulses that are just 100 femtoseconds in duration. Inside each of these brief light bursts, there’s an electric field that vibrates extremely rapidly, millions of millions of times per second. The ability to quickly and accurately control this fast light allows researchers to improve and adjust how they take measurements.

    Dual-Comb’s Next Big Leap

    As the world grapples with environmental challenges and the need for improved safety measures, this innovative laser technology offers a promising new tool. By enabling smarter detection of gases and other substances, it could play a crucial role in protecting both public health and the environment in the years to come.

    The researchers plan to continue improving their system in the laboratory, making it even faster and adapting their approach to work with a wide range of laser wavelengths.

    “The flexibility of our system means it could be adapted for a wide range of applications,” said NIST researcher Esther Baumann. “In the future, we might see more versatile and efficient sensors based on this technology in everything from air quality monitors to food safety detectors to studying how materials burn or assessing muscle health noninvasively.”

    Paper: Fabrizio R. Giorgetta, Simon Potvin, Jean-Daniel Deschênes, Ian Coddington, Nathan R. Newbury and Esther Baumann. Free-form dual-comb spectroscopy for compressive sensing and imaging. Nature Photonics. Published online Sept 30, 2024. DOI:10.1038/s41566-024-01530-y

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Vuk Talks Season 2 Episode 22 Joseph Maraba Electricity Regulation Amendment Act

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act which sets out far-reaching reforms of South Africa’s electricity sector, including the establishment of a competitive electricity market.

    The Bill assented to by the President amends the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 to respond to current realities in the electricity sector and open up pathways to greater competition and reduced energy costs; increase investment in new generation capacity to achieve energy security; establish an independent transmission company as the custodian of the national grid; and impose severe penalties for damage to and sabotage of infrastructure.

    Joseph Maraba breaks down this act and its implications.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0kW_nMYDZ0

    MIL OSI Video –