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MIL-OSI Africa: NPA scores Steinhoff victory

Source: South Africa News Agency

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has secured its first conviction, sentence and confiscation order related to the Steinhoff case.

This after the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria sentenced former Steinhoff physician, Dr Gerhardus Burger, to some five years imprisonment – wholly suspended for five years, if he is not found guilty of contravention of section 78(2) of the Financial Markets Act within that period.

According to the NPA spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, Burger also has to “testify in the criminal proceedings against his accomplices”.

“The court also issued a confiscation order for €90,000 which is about R1.8 million seized by Swiss authorities after the collapse of Steinhoff. This is after Dr Burger pleaded guilty to three counts of insider trading and was convicted as such when he appeared in court.

“The Steinhoff case, one of the biggest cases of corporate fraud in the history of South Africa, has been one of the most complex commercial crime cases that the [Hawks] and the NPA have had to deal with.

“At a point when a significant breakthrough was made to enrol the case earlier this year, the main accused, ex-CEO of Steinhoff, Markus Jooste, took his life on the eve of his arrest, thus escaping the hands of justice when it mattered the most,” she said.

The spokesperson explained that just before the Steinhoff collapse, the late CEO sent Dr Burger who accompanied Steinhoff directors on overseas trips to look after their health, a text advising him to sell his Steinhoff shares.

“Burger thereafter sold all the Steinhoff shares held under the Dieter Burger and Lane Burger Trusts where his children are beneficiaries. He also sold 39,722 Steinhoff shares held at Stefana Overseas Ltd, where Dr Burger was also the beneficiary, on the Swiss stock exchange.

“Shortly after the sale of the shares, Steinhoff shares plummeted and became almost worthless. At that point the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) instituted investigations where Dr Burger was convicted and found guilty of insider trading for the same transactions and paid a penalty of R3 million to FSCA. FSCA then referred the matter to the NPA for criminal prosecution.

“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the conviction and sentence. It is important for the public to understand that criminal prosecutions require patience, preparation, and a certain measure of certainty,” Mahanjana said. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Phase II project of China’s self-developed deepwater gas field starts operation

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

The phase II project of China’s first independently-developed ultra-deepwater gas field Shenhai Yihao, or Deep Sea No. 1, became operational on Friday in waters southeast of Hainan, China’s southernmost island province.
The operation of this project marks that China’s capacity to develop oil and gas resources under complex conditions ranks among the top in the world, said the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), its operator, on Friday.
The phase II project, with a proven reserve of over 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas, has a peak annual natural gas output of more than 1.5 billion cubic meters.
The project includes 12 deepwater gas wells, a comprehensive processing platform weighing over 14,000 tonnes and five submarine pipelines with a total length of about 250 km, among other facilities.
Upon full operation of the project, the peak annual natural gas output of Deep Sea No. 1 is expected to increase from 3 billion cubic meters to 4.5 billion cubic meters, becoming an important source of gas supply and helping to ensure China’s energy security, according to the CNOOC.
Jiang Ping, general manager of the CNOOC’s Hainan branch, said that the development and construction of the phase II project had lasted for nine years. During this process, its builders faced various challenges, such as high temperatures and high pressure, and managed to achieve several key technological breakthroughs.
Deep Sea No. 1, located 150 km from the city of Sanya in south China’s island province of Hainan, is able to operate at a maximum depth of over 1,500 meters in the sea. It began operation in June 2021.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Holiday travel to see around 2B cross-regional trips

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

China is poised to experience an estimated 1.94 billion cross-regional trips during the upcoming week-long National Day holiday, starting Tuesday, Li Yang, vice-minister for transport, said in Beijing on Friday.
This translates to an average of 277 million daily trips, reflecting a 0.7 percent increase from last year and a significant 19.4 percent rise compared to 2019.
Notably, around 80 percent of these journeys will be made via self-driving vehicles, amounting to about 1.53 billion road trips. The remaining 20 percent will utilize commercial public transportation options, including trains, planes, and ferries.
Family travel is expected to dominate domestic tourism, with inter-provincial trips becoming increasingly common. Anticipated popular destinations include major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Chongqing and the provinces of Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Sichuan. In terms of international travel, neighboring Southeast Asian countries are forecast to attract a significant number of travelers.
As the holiday approaches, Li emphasized that the transportation sector is prepared to meet the anticipated challenges, aiming to fulfill traveler expectations and government mandates. Preparations are already underway to implement effective travel support plans designed to enhance safety and convenience for all holiday travelers.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Shigeru Ishiba elected Japan’s ruling party leader

Source: China State Council Information Office

Shigeru Ishiba casts his ballot at Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) leadership election in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 27, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba won Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election on Friday, virtually ensuring that he will become the country’s next prime minister.

The 67-year-old lawmaker, in his fifth attempt to lead the party, was elected as the new LDP president by securing 215 votes in a runoff to defeat his female contender Sanae Takaichi, who received 194 votes.

As the LDP-led coalition constitutes a majority in both chambers of the parliament in Japan, the new party president is almost certain to be elected prime minister in the extraordinary Diet session scheduled to be held on Oct. 1, succeeding the incumbent Fumio Kishida, who is not seeking re-election due to mounting criticism over the LDP slush fund scandal.

LDP parliamentarians cast 367 votes in the first round of voting, while another 368 votes were allotted to rank-and-file members. Ishiba, winning 154 votes, entered the runoff vote round with Takaichi who took the lead at 181 votes.

In the runoff voting, the LDP lawmakers cast the same number of votes, but the rank-and-file members’ votes were reduced to one for each of the LDP’s 47 prefectural chapters.

Shigeru won the final race with advantages in the votes from both LDP parliamentarians and local chapters.

43-year-old Shinjiro Koizumi, who is former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, lost out in the nine-candidate race in the first round of voting earlier in the afternoon.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Europe: Judicial integrity and transparency in focus at regional conference on strengthening judicial responses to organized crime and corruption

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

Headline: Judicial integrity and transparency in focus at regional conference on strengthening judicial responses to organized crime and corruption

Judicial integrity and transparency in focus at regional conference on strengthening judicial responses to organized crime and corruption | OSCE
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MIL OSI Europe News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston’s Faith Communities come together at Town Hall

Source: City of Preston

27 September 2024

Meetings took place at the Town Hall and Quwwatul Islam yesterday where Muslim and Jewish members of Preston communities met to talk about their personal experiences relating to the conflict in the Middle East, struggles and concerns in their respective communities and across Preston, and listen to each other’s point of view.

The town hall meeting was well attended by Councillors and Cabinet members, with good representation from across political parties.

Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council said:

We are pleased with the interfaith dialogue and the honest and open discussions that have taken place across our different communities today, and welcome any future interactions that strengthen our multicultural and multifaith relationships and community cohesion. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with different groups in the future, as well as an upcoming meeting with leading members of the Muslim community. We hope that it is insightful and as educational as it has been today.”

Mark Levy, Jewish Leadership Council, said:

It was a pleasure to visit Quwwatul Islam Mosque and Preston City Council. We held frank and open discussions with community members and councillors about the conflict in the Middle East and the effect on community cohesion. We are grateful to the council for facilitating these discussions and look forward to working together to maintain open channels of communication between communities.”

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

September 27, 2024

Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

September 27, 2024

Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

September 27, 2024

Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela, in a meeting with Alexander Novak

September 27, 2024

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Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak held a meeting with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, and Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez on the sidelines of the international forum “Russian Energy Week”.

“Venezuela remains a reliable partner and ally of Russia in Latin America and in the world as a whole. The strategic nature of our relations is based on a mutual desire to build a more just polycentric world order, coincidence of positions on most issues on the global agenda, mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade and economic, credit and financial, investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

The parties discussed cooperation in the oil and gas sectors, including coordination of positions within the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and OPEC, terms of equipment supply for industrial projects in the Venezuelan fuel and energy complex, as well as prospects for implementing joint projects in the non-energy applications of nuclear technologies to solve problems in medicine, agriculture, education and industry as part of expanding cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The meeting participants touched upon the topic of promoting trade with settlements in national currencies and issues of financial and credit relations.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the positive trend in bilateral trade, the volume of which has grown by almost 50% over the past six years. In January-July of this year, Russian-Venezuelan trade turnover increased by 80% compared to the same period last year. The volume of tourist flow from Russia to Margarita Island also increased over this period to 12 thousand people.

Alexander Novak invited a delegation from Venezuela to participate as guests of honor in the International Export Forum “Made in Russia”, which will be held on October 14, 2024 in Moscow.

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/52815/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Multitude P.L.C.

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MULTITUDE P.L.C. (C 109441)

ST Business Centre, 120, The Strand

Gzira, GZR 1027

Malta

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF MULTITUDE P.L.C.

Notice is given to the shareholders of Multitude P.L.C. (previously Multitude SE) (“Company” and/or “Multitude”) that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the shareholders of the Company is to be held on 23 October 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (EEST / Finnish time) (the “Meeting”).

The Meeting will be held at the offices of Castrén & Snellman Attorneys Ltd, Eteläesplanadi 14, Helsinki, Finland. Instructions for participation are provided in section 3 of this notice.

The Meeting is being convened following the transfer of the Company’s registered office from Finland to Malta in accordance with Article 8 of the Council Regulation (EC) No 2157/2001 of 8 October 2001 on the Statute for a European company (SE) on 30 June 2024, in order to adopt the Company’s final accounts as required pursuant to Section 11 of the Finnish European Companies Act (742/2004, as amended) (the “Finnish European Companies Act”) and to make certain related resolutions. Accordingly, for the purposes of Section 11 of the Finnish European Companies Act, the Meeting is deemed to be a meeting of shareholders (in Finnish: “osakkeenomistajien kokous”).

The Meeting will be conducted in the English language and will be held in person.

1        MATTERS ON THE AGENDA OF THE MEETING

At the Meeting, the following matters will be considered:

General:

(1)        Opening of the Meeting and appointment of chairman

The appointment of the chairman shall be carried out in terms of article 59 of the Company’s articles of association (the “Articles”).

(2)        Quorum

In terms of article 56 of the Articles at least one (1) shareholder, present in person or by proxy, entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting shall constitute a quorum.

(3)        Calling the Meeting to Order

(4)        Election of Persons to Scrutinise the Minutes and to Supervise the Counting of Votes

(5)        Recording the Legality of the Meeting

(6)        Recording the Attendance at the Meeting and Adoption of the List of Votes

Special business (ordinary resolutions):

(7)        Presentation and approval of the Final Accounts

Pursuant to Section 11, Subsection 1 of the Finnish European Companies Act, the board of directors and the chief executive officer of a European company transferring its registered office from Finland must prepare final accounts as soon as possible after the transfer. The final accounts must include the financial statements and the board of directors’ report for the period for which financial statements have not yet been presented at the shareholders’ general meeting. The Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) has approved the Company’s final accounts including the financial statements and the board of directors’ report for the period running from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024 (the “Final Accounts”). The Final Accounts are available on the Company’s website at www.multitude.com.

The Board proposes that the Meeting resolves to adopt the Final Accounts.

(8)        Resolution on Discharging the Members of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer from Liability

Insofar as permitted under the Maltese Companies Act (chapter 386 of the laws of Malta), and in line with Finnish market practice, the Board proposes that the Meeting resolves to discharge the members of the Board and the chief executive officer of the Company (the “CEO”) from liability for the period covered by the Final Accounts (i.e., while the Company was still registered in Finland). The discharge of the members of the Board and the CEO from liability is a standard procedure under Finnish law following the approval of financial statements for a particular period.

(9)        Closing of the Meeting

2        MEETING MATERIALS

This notice (which includes the proposals of the Board of Directors relating to the agenda of the Meeting) as well as the Final Accounts and the auditors’ report thereon are available on the Company’s website (www.multitude.com). Such documents will also be (a) sent to shareholders who so request and who inform the Company of their mailing address and (b) made available at the Meeting.

The minutes of the Meeting will be made available on the Company’s website no later than one week after the date of the Meeting.

3        PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT NOTE: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE DIFFERENT TO THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN IN PREVIOUS GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE COMPANY WHICH WERE HELD WHILE THE COMPANY WAS STILL REGISTERED IN FINLAND. YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND SEEK ADVICE WHERE NEEDED. YOU ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT YOUR RESPECTIVE CUSTODIAN / NOMINEE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO agm@multitude.com FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

3.1        Record date

To be entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting (and for the Company to be able to determine the number of votes that may be cast), shareholders must have been entered in the register of members maintained by Clearstream Banking AG (“Clearstream”) on 23 September 2024.

3.2        Preliminary

Shareholders are advised to ask their custodian bank / nominee without delay for the necessary information regarding registration for the Meeting, the issuing of proxy documents and voting instructions. In any case, shareholders should ensure that all relevant instructions are submitted by their custodian / nominee to Clearstream as soon as possible, within any applicable deadline. Clearstream will process all instructions received and will transmit them to the Malta Stock Exchange (as ‘issuer CSD’). In turn the Malta Stock Exchange will transmit the aggregated instructions to the Company.

In terms of the Company’s articles of association, the Company must receive all relevant shareholder instructions from the Malta Stock Exchange (as ‘issuer CSD’) no later than 10:00 a.m. (EEST / Finnish time) on 21 October 2024, and any instructions submitted to the Company after this deadline shall not be treated as valid. Accordingly, shareholders are encouraged to reach out to the respective custodians / nominees as soon as possible in order to ensure that their respective instructions are submitted to Clearstream within any applicable deadline.

The Meeting will be held in person at the address indicated above. Shareholders and proxy representatives who wish to attend the Meeting will therefore be required to follow the Meeting registration requirements and will be required to make their own arrangements to attend the Meeting.

3.3        Participation in person

Shareholders who wish to attend and vote at the Meeting in person must notify their intention to their respective custodians / nominees as soon as possible. Custodians / nominees will in turn be required to notify shareholders’ intention to participate at the Meeting by electronic instruction to Clearstream as soon as possible and in line with any deadlines that may be imposed by Clearstream, which instructions must be delivered in terms of Clearstream’s existing procedures.

Custodians/nominees may request shareholders’ full names, passport numbers/company registration numbers (or similar), full addresses, date of birth and daytime telephone number, number of shares in the Company, as well as, if applicable, details of proxies. Information submitted in connection with the notification will be computerised and used exclusively for the Meeting.

3.4        Proxy representatives

A shareholder, who is entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting, is also entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote on such shareholder’s behalf. A proxy does not need to be a shareholder. The appointment of a proxy must be in writing and (a) where the shareholder is an individual, be signed by him/her or (b) where the shareholder is a corporation, be signed by a duly authorised officer of the corporation. The proxy form to be used by shareholders is available on the Company’s website: www.multitude.com.

Proxy forms must clearly indicate whether the proxy is to vote as she/he wishes or in accordance with the voting instructions sheet attached to the proxy form. Shareholders are advised that by submitting voting instructions they will effectively be voting in advance.

The signed proxy form and, where the shareholder is a corporation, a certified copy of a certificate of registration, constitutive documents or similar document evidencing the signatory right of the officer signing the proxy form, must be submitted to each shareholder’s respective custodian / nominee as soon as possible. Custodians / nominees will in turn be required to deliver shareholders’ proxy data to Clearstream as soon as possible, within any applicable deadline, which data must be delivered in terms of Clearstream’s existing procedures.

Shareholders are, therefore, encouraged to send or deliver their proxy forms (and, if applicable certified copies of certificates of registration or similar) as soon as possible.

Notice for the Malta Stock Exchange (as issuer CSD): Aggregated attendance notifications and proxy data processed by and received from Clearstream must be sent by the Malta Stock Exchange to the Company by email at agm@multitude.com not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the Meeting and in default shall not be treated as valid.

3.5        Right to ask questions

Each shareholder (or proxy holder) shall have the right to ask questions which are pertinent and related to items on the agenda of the Meeting to the Company by e-mail to agm@multitude.com by not later than 16 October 2024 by 23:59 (EEST / Finnish time).

An answer to a question will not be given in those cases specified in article 70 of the Articles (a copy of which is available on the Company’s website).

3.6        Other information

As at the date of this notice the total number of shares in the Company is 21,723,960 and each of these shares carries one vote. As at the date of this notice, the Company holds 154,993 of its own shares as treasury shares. Pursuant to article 109 of the Maltese Companies Act, those shares which the Company holds in itself do not carry voting rights. Accordingly, the number of voting rights carried by the outstanding shares is 21,568,967.

Please refer to the document titled ‘Privacy Notice – Extraordinary General Meeting 2024’ available at www.multitude.com for additional information on the processing of personal data. Kindly also refer to Clearstream’s Notice of European Union Data Protection Terms which sets out how sets out how personal data is used, stored, transferred or otherwise processed by Clearstream (https://www.clearstream.com/clearstream-en/about-clearstream/due-diligence/gdpr/dataprotection).

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

In Malta on 27 September 2024

MULTITUDE P.L.C.
The Board of Directors

Contact:

Lasse Mäkelä 
Chief Strategy and IR Officer
Phone: +41 79 371 34 17
E-Mail: Lasse.makela@multitude.com
 

About Multitude P.L.C.:

Multitude is a listed European FinTech company, offering digital lending and online banking services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other FinTechs overlooked by traditional banks. The services are provided through three independent business units, which are served by our internal Banking-as-a-Service Growth Platform. Multitude’s business units are Consumer Banking (Ferratum), SME Banking (CapitalBox), and Wholesale Banking (Multitude Bank). Multitude Group employs over 700 people in 25 countries and offers services in 16 countries, achieving a combined turnover of 230 million euros in 2023. Multitude was founded in Finland in 2005 and is listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘E4l’. www.multitude.com

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: Twaao Launches Incubation Center and Data Services to Enhance User Investment Value

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, Twaao Exchange announced a series of innovative business initiatives, including the launch of an incubation center, an enhanced wallet, and new data services. These innovative solutions will be rolled out gradually, aiming to provide users with more comprehensive and professional digital asset management solutions. Through continuous innovation and service upgrades, Twaao is committed to creating higher investment value and more profit opportunities for its users.

The Twaao Incubation Center is a core component of this innovation initiative. It will offer comprehensive support to promising blockchain projects, including funding, technology, marketing, and management consulting. Through a rigorous project selection and evaluation process, the incubation center will assist high-quality projects in achieving rapid growth and market success. Twaao aims to drive the development of the blockchain ecosystem through the incubation center, providing users with more premium investment opportunities.

The product manager at Twaao stated, “Our incubation center is not just about providing resources and support to projects, but about building a bridge for users to discover and invest in promising projects. Through the incubation center, we hope to help more blockchain innovation projects come to fruition and promote the prosperity of the industry.”

Twaao has also launched a data service platform. This platform uses big data and artificial intelligence technologies to analyze market trends and trading data in real-time, providing users with precise investment advice and decision support. The data service platform will regularly publish market analysis reports and research findings to help users grasp market trends and investment opportunities.

This series of innovative initiatives marks a significant step for Twaao in enhancing digital asset management services. With the introduction of the incubation center, digital wallet, and data services, Twaao offers users more comprehensive and professional solutions to better manage and invest in digital assets.

Looking ahead, Twaao will continue to increase its investment in innovation and service upgrades, continuously optimizing and enhancing the service quality of the platform. Through close collaboration with partners both within and outside the industry, Twaao will keep exploring more possibilities in digital asset management, creating higher investment value and more profit opportunities for users.

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Closed migrant detention centres in the EU – P-001784/2024
Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-001784/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)

The uncontrolled influx of illegal migrants represents a serious threat to the EU’s security, social cohesion and economic stability. As Europe’s bulwark, Greece suffers a disproportionate burden as a result of the mass migratory flows, which undermine national sovereignty and drain the country’s resources. The immediate adoption of strict measures, such as closed detention centres, is an urgent step in preventing illegal entry and protecting European borders and values.

In view of the above:

1.Are closed migrant detention centres permitted to operate in the EU, including in Greece? If so, subject to which conditions?

2.How does the Commission view the impact of closed detention centres on the management of migrant flows and the prevention of illegal entry into the EU?

3.Are there EU funds available to finance such establishments in Greece and other Member States? If so, how much funding is available and what are the conditions for its provision?

Submitted: 23.9.2024
Last updated: 27 September 2024
MIL OSI Europe News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The rule of law in Cyprus and the case of Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides – P-001794/2024

Source: European Parliament

Priority question for written answer P-001794/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Fidias Panayiotou (NI)

In its capacity as guardian of the EU Treaties, we inform the Commission about the particular case of former Auditor General of Cyprus, Odysseas Michaelides, who was removed from his position by the Supreme Constitutional Court.

Considering that the Audit Office is a key institution in matters related to the use of public funds and that it conducts independent external audits of the executive authority, there are serious concerns that Odysseas Michaelides was removed because of his well-known anti-corruption activities.

In this context:

Will the Commission launch an official investigation into possible breaches of the rule of law in Cyprus with regard to the situation of former Auditor General, Odysseas Michaelides, and if justified, will the Commission propose an infringement procedure?

Submitted: 24.9.2024

Last updated: 27 September 2024

MIL OSI Europe News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Europe: B10-0013/2024

Source: European Parliament

B10‑0013/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the attempt by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior to impose a media ban

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 149 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

A. Whereas on 16 July 2024 the German Federal Ministry of the Interior issued a ban on the media associations COMPACT-Magazin GmbH and CONSPECT FILM GmbH;

B. having regard to the fact that on 14 August 2024 the Federal Administrative Court suspended in part the immediate enforcement of the ban on ‘Compact’ on the grounds that a ban was disproportionate and that less severe means should have been used to guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of the press;

1. Notes with concern that, in banning ‘Compact’, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior attempted to restrict the freedom to express political dissent;

2. Warns against governments controlling and restricting the flow of information through legal trickery, for example by imposing media bans by the backdoor in the guise of bans on associations;

3. Calls for a fundamental debate to be carried out on the threats to freedom of expression and freedom of the press and the arbitrary decisions affecting them, as well as on the successful and unsuccessful media bans in Germany and other Member States of the European Union, in order to raise awareness of the dangers of increasing censorship.

MIL OSI Europe News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oxford City Council response to planning inspectors’ findings on its draft Local Plan 2040

Source: City of Oxford

Oxford City Council’s plans to tackle Oxford’s housing crisis face a setback as planning inspectors have recommended the withdrawal of its draft Local Plan 2040.

The Council submitted the plan for public examination by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) in March. Inspectors then held an initial set of public hearings in June to decide whether the Local Plan 2040 satisfies national planning policy and other legal requirements.

The urgent need for homes

The PINS has accepted the Council’s approach to maximising the number of new homes that can be built within city boundaries by 2040, with 481 a year proposed.

However, inspectors have rejected the Council’s assessment that 1,322 homes a year are needed in total, with 841 of these needing to be built outside Oxford’s boundaries.

Oxfordshire’s thriving life science and technology sectors mean the county has been one of the few hotspots in a stagnating UK economy for some time. Economic growth creates the need for more homes than allowed for in the National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF) default ‘standard method’ for calculating how many homes are needed.

Inspectors had previously agreed Oxfordshire’s exceptional circumstances justified the need for more homes. Oxford’s existing Local Plan 2036 and those of its neighbouring districts are based on this foundation and the districts have already agreed to build 14,300 homes to meet Oxford’s needs.

The Local Plan 2040 takes a similar approach in using job and population growth forecasts to assess how many homes are needed. The inspectors have now U-turned and said there are no exceptional circumstances justifying the need for more homes, even despite continued strong economic growth.

This means the Council would need to use the standard method calculation of 762 homes a year.

This is not enough to meet the need for new homes, even if economic factors are disregarded. The need for affordable housing alone would require 700 new homes a year.

Oxford is one of the least affordable places to live in the UK, with average house prices more than 12 times household earnings and more than 3,300 households on the waiting list for council housing.

The PINS U-turn also flies in the face of the new Labour government’s intention to set new mandatory housing targets requiring a 59% increase in the number of homes to be delivered in Oxfordshire – an extra 1,900 a year countywide.

Duty to cooperate

Despite a long history of collaborative working with stakeholders and neighbouring councils on planning issues affecting Oxfordshire, the PINS has also concluded the council failed to meet its ‘duty to cooperate’ in preparing the Local Plan 2040.

This finding relates to a single five-month period in 2022 after the collapse of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 that involved all five district councils. In this period, the Council was working with Cherwell District Council to commission the HENA as a joint evidence base for their respective plans.

Oxfordshire’s other districts declined the invitation to take part in this project. However, they were offered the opportunity to engage with the findings of the work.

While the Council strongly disputes the inspectors’ findings as it is confident it engaged appropriately with neighbouring councils, the NPPF provides no mechanism to appeal them.

The Council is currently considering its options. However, any amendment to the Local Plan 2040 would mean the need for further public consultation and delay any implementation of the plan.

Comment

“We are alarmed and extremely disappointed by the recommendation to withdraw our Local Plan 2040 from public examination.

“The planning inspectors have failed to grasp the seriousness of Oxford’s housing crisis and the number of new homes we need to tackle this crisis – and don’t appear to have heeded the clear message from government which requires all councils to up their housing delivery ambitions.

“The logical outcome of the inspectors’ conclusions will be a delay to proactively planning for the homes we need. The reality is that while the City Council are builders, there are others elsewhere who are blockers. Waiting for a situation where all councils in Oxfordshire are agreed on housing numbers and cross-boundary matters is just not realistic. That’s why the government is planning the reintroduction of mandatory housing delivery targets.”

“Our approach hasn’t changed. Yet the PINS now says there are no exceptional circumstances and we should now use the current ‘standard method’ – already rejected by the new government – for working out how many homes we need. This would mean fewer homes being built, and far fewer than we actually need.

“The current standard method is not fit for purpose and flies in the face of the government’s policy intention to overhaul a broken national planning system and deliver 1.5 million homes. The current standard method does not even take account of population increases that have already happened in Oxford and across Oxfordshire recorded in the census. Using this discredited method to calculate how many homes we need would make the city’s housing crisis worse.

“Oxford City Council also disputes the finding it has not met the duty to cooperate. We have a longstanding history of working collaboratively with neighbouring councils and other stakeholders on planning issues affecting Oxfordshire – including during the preparation of this plan.

“The duty to cooperate is not a duty to agree. Nor should it be a charter for those who object the loudest to be able to block the building of desperately needed homes.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council

The inspectors’ recommendation (PDF), the Council’s response (PDF) and a summary briefing note are on the Council’s website.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Embassy Launches #GreatBritishStories Phone Booth Library
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

The British Embassy is launching the #GreatBritishStories campaign through an interactive literary Phone Booth display at Fully Booked BGC.
The British Embassy Manila is starting a new chapter with the launch of the #GreatBritishStories campaign, featuring an interactive literary Phone Booth display at Fully Booked BGC from September 28 to October 18.

Featuring a life-size replica of the iconic British red telephone booth, the phone booth is filled with British stories – from beloved classics like Jane Austen novels to contemporary works, such as books penned by Dolly Alderton.

With a campaign called #GreatBritishStories, the British Embassy aims to showcase the UK’s rich literary heritage and promote British culture in the Philippines, inviting audiences to explore the depth and diversity of British literature.

Captured on display is a wide range of British authors and books, with a special emphasis on female characters and writers. By showcasing both classic and contemporary works, #GreatBritishStories demonstrates the enduring appeal and global influence of British literature.

Laure Beaufils, British Ambassador to the Philippines says,

I’m thrilled to bring a little piece of Britain to the Philippines with our phone booth library. I hope this will generate a lot of excitement for British literature,

We’ve got so many authors – classic or modern – to inspire Filipino readers. I hope they take the time to explore and enjoy these stories, and learn more about the UK and the values that Britain holds dear,

This collaboration with Fully Booked underscores the strong cultural links between the UK and the Philippines, as well as the universal appeal of great literature.

Jaime Daez, Managing Director of Fully Booked Philippines says,

We’re excited to host the phone booth display at our flagship store. This unique exhibit aligns perfectly with our mission to promote a love of reading and literature. It’s like having a small corner of Britain right here in our store, inviting customers to explore the wide range of storytelling the UK has to offer,

Patterned after the iconic red British phone booth, the design of which turns 100 years old this year, the #GreatBritishStories phone booth will be on display at Fully Booked BGC from September 28 to October 18.

Everyone is invited to channel their inner Alice in Wonderland, and get curiouser and curiouser about the interactive exhibit by taking the special quiz and getting a photo inside the phone booth to share on social media using #GreatBritishStories.

The phone booth library even has a phone so visitors can leave an audio message about their favourite British book or author, or even inspire someone else’s next great read.

Whether you’re a fan of Elizabeth Bennet’s strength, Matilda’s brilliance, or Dolly Alderton’s reflections, the British Embassy Manila invites readers to see things differently through the literary phone booth display. After all, every great reader’s journey starts with a single book.

The #GreatBritishStories campaign is a prologue to the Great British Festival, happening on 19-20 October at the BGC Amphitheatre. This year’s Great British Festival promises to be one for the books! It’s the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in British culture, from books to music, food, and more.

Head over to Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street and celebrate #GreatBritishStories and discover the enduring connection between British literature and Filipino readers.

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Published 27 September 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coming up next week at the London Assembly W/C 30 September
Source: Mayor of London

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Thursday 3 October

2024 Mayor of London and London Assembly Elections

Elections Review Working Group – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

In the second meeting of its investigation into the planning, conduct and cost of the May 2024 GLA elections, the Elections Review Working Group will ask representatives from London Boroughs, and agents and political organisers about their experiences.

Panel 1 – Boroughs (10am – 11.30am)
- Ian Buckle, Head of Electoral and Democratic Services, London Borough of Waltham Forest
- Zoe Wilkins, Chair of AEA London branch and Electoral Services Manager, Hammersmith & Fulham
- John Bailey, Vice Chair of AEA London branch and Head of Electoral Services, Barnet
Panel 2 – Agents and political organisers (11.35am – 12.35pm)
- Brian Jarvis, Head of Field, London, Conservative Campaign Headquarters
- Further guests to be confirmed
MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Hunt on 07763 252 310 / [email protected]
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: The second summit of Slavic universities took place at the Polytechnic University

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

On September 26, the Polytechnic University hosted the second summit of Slavic universities “Slavic Horizon-2024”. The event was organized by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The summit was attended by delegations from four Slavic universities: Russian-Armenian, Belarusian-Russian, Kyrgyz-Russian and Russian-Tajik, as well as representatives of Russian universities involved in the project.

The plenary session was opened by the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova: It was not for nothing that we called the event a discussion platform, we discuss all aspects of education – from teaching methods to interaction with employers. Collaboration with the second summit of Slavic universities “Slavic Horizon-2024” will allow us to expand the boundaries and transfer the best educational practices.

Dean of the Physics and Technology Faculty of Tomsk State University Yulia Ryzhikh presented in her report a new image of the higher education system using the TSU case as an example.

Today, the system of higher education in the Russian Federation is undergoing significant changes. And it is very important to understand in what context we should build further cooperation in order to ensure the quality of the educational process, – emphasized Yulia Nikolaevna.

Svetlana Barabantseva, Head of the Department for Working with Young Talents at Severstal, and Zoya Makarovskaya, Chairperson of the Union of Higher Education Methodologists, also spoke.

Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev opened the topic of the global presence of Russian education in the world space and presented in his report the approaches and tools that the Polytechnic University is implementing.

At the session “Expanding the Russian Presence in the Global World,” colleagues from Slavic universities spoke about their experience of educational cooperation with Russian universities.

We have been meeting for the second year at the Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, which is our strategic partner in the development of educational, scientific and educational processes. The presence of such a platform gives us the opportunity to communicate with the management of other Russian universities, with the administration and our curators from the Polytechnic University, to develop common points of view, to form platforms and, in general, a common view on the development of Slavic universities, – believes Natalia Vologina, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at BRU.

Vice-Rector for International and Scientific-Innovative Activities of KRSU Viktor Denisenko noted the steps towards modernization in the educational process that were taken with the participation of the Polytechnic this year.

Director of the Center for Social and Cultural Adaptation and Intercultural Communication of the Russian Language Institute of RUDN University Maria Alimova spoke about joint work in the field of support and promotion of the Russian language with Slavic universities, events and programs being implemented.

Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of RAU Marina Khachatryan shared her experience in implementing educational programs with Russian universities, including the Polytechnic University.

The international experience of educational cooperation was presented by the consortium “Russian-African Network University” represented by the Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of SPbPU and Secretary of RAFU Alla Mazina.

At the summit, SPbPU and KRSU signed an agreement on nine network educational programs in the following areas: infocommunication technologies and communication systems, electronics and nanoelectronics, instrument making, electric power engineering, mechanics, architectural environment design, software engineering, construction, and technosphere safety.

The main thing in the “Slavic Universities” project is to support our partners in developing a development program based on the experience of the Polytechnic University, in focusing on its acceleration, so that they become leaders in their countries, models of quality education, noted Dmitry Arsenyev.

The business part of the day ended with a seminar for heads of development programs, where each university presented the current status of their implementation.

The Slavic Summit is a unique format that was created a year ago and has proven to be very effective. “Slavic Universities”, each in its own country, with its own specifics, are united by a common task set by the relevant ministries and leaders of the countries. In solving these tasks, they face similar problems. The summit provides an opportunity for an open discussion that helps find solutions to common problems, share unique specifics and national characteristics, understand what mechanisms can work, and how to apply experience and ideas in different countries. We plan to continue this format of interaction, as it allows synchronization and gives a powerful impetus for development for the next year, – summed up the head of the Slavic Universities project office, deputy head of the International Cooperation Department Nikita Golovin.

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

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

https://www.spbstu.ru/media/news/international_activities/v-politekhe-sostoyalsya-vtoroy-summit-slavyanskikh-universitetov/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: García, Democratic Members Introduce Migration Stability Resolution
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

The resolution calls for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), along with Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), co-founder of the Global Migration Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52)introduced a new resolution calling for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while affirming the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the United States.

“Over the past decades, millions of people have been forced to migrate from their homes—and more people are displaced now than ever before. This is the result of converging crises, including climate change, political instability, and violence, some of which are impacted by U.S. policy,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “Yet, our immigration and asylum policies have become more restrictive and punitive, disregarding the role our government has played in creating this crisis. It’s time we acknowledge the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to forced migration and displacement, and advance reforms that address the root causes of migration.”

Democrats can build an orderly, humane, and stable immigration system. We should create more legal pathways for migration and citizenship, while also changing the failed U.S. policies that cause displacement abroad and force people to flee their home countries,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Let’s tackle the climate crisis. Let’s remove broad-based sanctions that increase poverty. Let’s prioritize policies to support stability abroad while creating a welcoming and predictable immigration process at home.”

“Too many people around the world face violence, poverty, and persecution and see the United States as a beacon of hope,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). “We must make the immigration system more humane, more orderly, and more effective to welcome immigrants who come to this country rather than turn them away and to recognize not only the contributions they make to this country, but also the moral duty we have to protect people who come here fleeing horrible conditions. We can and must do better for immigrants.”

“Republicans’ dangerous rhetoric about immigration endangers our immigrant communities and completely ignores the root causes of migration,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Migration is not just a border issue but a foreign policy issue. With migration on the rise worldwide and conflict, food insecurity, climate change, and political violence driving immigration to the U.S., it’s imperative that we reshape our immigration policy to address these global crises. This resolution calls upon Congress to do just that.”

“Climate instability, democratic backsliding, economic exclusion, sanctions, and human rights violations are just some of the conditions driving unprecedented levels of global displacement and migration,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Stricter border enforcement, harsh asylum laws, and the vilification of immigrants have consistently failed us and our neighbors. Instead, we need to address how our own policies contribute to the crises and adopt a coordinated regional and global strategy to tackle the root causes of displacement.”

“It’s past time for comprehensive immigration reform. And a critical piece to this is addressing the factors that force families to flee their home countries in the first place,” said Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.). “From combating climate change to humanitarian assistance, we need to implement productive policies that address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while also working to restore faith in our legal immigration system and creating pathways to citizenship.”

Specifically, this resolution calls for comprehensive legislation that:
- Addresses U.S. policies contributing to forced migration and displacement;
- Ensures a humane and sustainable immigration system that appropriately addresses the root causes driving migration; and
- Affirms the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S.
Over the last few weeks, MAGA Republicans have fabricated xenophobic and racist stories about Haitian immigrant families, adding to a long track record of perpetuating false narratives, conspiracy theories, and racist tropes. This MAGA rhetoric has incited physical violence against many migrant families. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize the value migrants bring to our communities and to call for policies that will make our immigration system more stable and humane.

The following Members are co-sponsors of the resolution: Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07).

It is endorsed by ActionAid USA, Ayudemos por una vida mas digna, Border Vigil of Eagle Pass, CASA, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Center for International Policy, Climate Refugees, Eagle Pass Border Coalition, Global Exchange, Justice is Global, Mira Feminisms and Democracies, Movimiento de los pueblos por la paz y la justicia y México negro ac, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Transnational Villages Network/Red de Pueblos, United We Dream, and Win Without War.

“This resolution is the step forward Congress desperately needs to reframe the issue of immigration towards more productive and effective solutions that will ensure migrants’ lives take precedence over politics,” saidJuliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy at United We Dream. “The vast majority of Americans want to see a humane, efficient and fair policies that honor everyone’s freedoms to live safely in their homes without being forcibly displaced, whether here or abroad, and provides the opportunity to become citizens in the U.S. Congress has a clear roadmap in front of them with this resolution that proves that safety, humanity, fairness and justice in our foreign policy and immigration system are not contradictory values but instead deeply interconnected.”

“We need to dig in our heels and end the racism and xenophobia that’s rampant in our immigration and asylum debates in the U.S.,” said Eric Eikenberry, government relations director for Win Without War. “This new resolution lays the groundwork to do just that: welcome people who want to build their lives here, while ensuring that — from arms sales to climate policy and beyond — our government doesn’t create the conditions that force them from their homes and communities.”

“For too long, the U.S. approach to migration has focused on barricading our borders rather than addressing the realities compelling people to leave their homes — including crises exacerbated by U.S. policies. We applaud Congressman Casar and his colleagues for taking this critical step to review and move toward better U.S. policies to address the conditions giving rise to increased migration and displacement,” said Dylan Williams, Center for International Policy Vice President for Government Affairs.

“There’s been a lot of talk over the years about ‘root causes’ of migration, but this is the first legislation of its kind to home in on the elephant in the room: U.S. policy and its role in fueling the involuntary migration and displacement of millions of people in the region and the world,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “This groundbreaking resolution helps us all better understand how vulnerable communities in the Global South have been devastated by U.S. broad-based sanctions, U.S.-backed trade agreements that put corporate greed over people, U.S. security assistance that props up repressive governments, and lax gun laws that provide criminals with easy access to U.S. weapons. Most importantly, this legislation proposes bold strategies to undo harmful policies and help truly mitigate ‘root causes’ including through far-reaching reforms to US sanctions policy and foreign assistance, the removal of harmful ISDS provisions from US-backed trade agreements, and the provision of robust support to developing countries fighting inequality and climate change, including through new issuances of debt-free IMF Special Drawing Rights. This resolution is long overdue, and we’re proud and delighted to be supporting it today.”

“Rather than ‘blaming the victims’—immigrants, it is important to acknowledge how failed U.S. foreign (or economic and military) policies have contributed to the spiraling poverty and violence from which people have been fleeing for their lives,” Jean Stokan, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “Forced migration is often the result of U.S. foreign policies that prioritize the interests of foreign investors over those of impoverished populations. Thus, this resolution importantly names U.S. responsibility to address those root causes and the need for justice-based pathways to citizenship.”

“To design a just and humane policy response to immigration, we have to ask the question – why are people moving? As an international development organization, ActionAid USA strongly supports this resolution for acknowledging the root causes of migration, including and especially those for which the United States is directly responsible,” said Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns for ActionAid USA. “A human rights-based approach to immigration policy should start with fixing harmful foreign policies, ongoing climate inaction, and unjust international economic systems that all contribute to force people to leave their homes.”

Background:

The resolution text can be foundhere.
MIL OSI USA News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: NHC minister meets with health minister of Rwanda

Source: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Health

Lei Haichao, minister of China’s National Health Commission (NHC), met with Rwandan Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana on Sept 3 in Beijing. The pair discussed further strengthening bilateral health cooperation.

During his meeting with Nsanzimana, Lei introduced the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as well as the goals and key tasks in health reform.

He said that China is ready to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and deepen exchanges between the health departments of China and Rwanda under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries.

China is willing to intensify the work of the medical teams assisting Rwanda and further strengthen cooperation in areas such as hospital management and operations, high-end medical equipment development, big data and artificial intelligence related to healthcare, and personnel training, so as to make a greater contribution to the building of a China-Africa health community, he noted.

Nsanzimana thanked the Chinese side for presenting the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and expressed particular appreciation for China’s long-term selfless assistance to Rwanda’s healthcare development.

He said Rwanda is willing to work on strengthening bilateral health exchanges and cooperation and looks forward to China’s further assistance in promoting the development of Rwanda’s healthcare system.

Officials of related NHC departments were present at the meeting.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Green becomes defining feature of development in China: official

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, Sept. 27 — Green is the defining feature of China’s development in the new era and remarkable progress has been made in the country’s green and low-carbon transformation, said Tian Chunxiu, deputy director of the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

She made the remarks during the China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk platform hosted by Xinhua News Agency, on Friday.

In the energy sector, for example, China’s annual energy consumption growth averaged 3 percent in the new era since the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress in 2012, while its average annual economic growth exceeded 6 percent and its energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 26.8 percent, making it one of the countries with the fastest reduction in energy intensity worldwide, she revealed.

The installed capacity of renewable energy currently exceeds that of thermal power plants in China, and China’s scale of development and utilization of renewable energy ranks first in the world.

China, in the new era, has created many successful practices, as the world’s largest developing country has managed to effectively protect its ecological environment, while also achieving rapid economic and social development, Tian said, citing significant improvements in China’s ecological environment.

China has witnessed steady improvement in its air quality, with average PM2.5 density, a key indicator of air pollution, dropping to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023 from 46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015, she said.

In terms of water quality, the proportion of surface-water bodies nationwide classified as having “fairly good” water quality had reached 89.4 percent in 2023, she added.

Using key rivers as examples, Tian said the Yangtze River’s main stream has maintained Grade II water quality for four consecutive years, while the main stream of the Yellow River has maintained the same level for two successive years.

China has a five-tier water quality system, with Grade V representing the lowest level.

China has steadfastly advanced its “Beautiful China” initiative, emphasizing ecological and environmental protection as a top priority in its social and economic development.

During the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in July 2024, Chinese leadership pledged to “prioritize ecological protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development.”

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: China strictly follows nuclear policy of no first use of nuclear weapons: Defense Spokesperson 2024-09-26 “China’s nuclear policy is very stable, consistent and predictable. We strictly follow a nuclear policy of no first use of nuclear weapons and pursue a nuclear strategy of self-defense,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang at a press conference on Thursday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2
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MIL OSI China News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of Vice-President’s address on the occasion of World Tourism Day 2024

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 2:12PM by PIB Delhi

The transformation that has taken place in the last decade by doubling the number of airports, having world-class infrastructure for connectivity railroads, various facets of it, highways, expressways highways that match the best in the world.

Diplomats, grateful for your gracious presence, all stakeholders in tourism, and distinguished audience. On the occasion of World Tourism Day, it is very significant for the entire planet because it connects those bonds of humanity which are much needed at the moment, my greetings.

This is an event to celebrate the profound impact of tourism on global economic development, social progress, and cultural exchange. Friends, these are just not words, you realise them on the ground. They are reflected tangibly, economic development is intertwined with the tourist industry, with tourism.

The theme this year is very thoughtful and bears huge contemporary relevance, tourism and peace. The theme underlines something very deep. It connects amongst human resources, connects amongst people, and people-to-people contact. That is conducive to harmony and generates an ecosystem of exchange of ideas. Therefore, rightly so, tourism contributes massively to peace, the theme is not a day too soon, the entire world is yearning for peace.

We are traumatised by conflagrations, any conflagration in any part of the globe is torture to every part of the land. It disrupts supply chains, disrupts planning, a pain and therefore, tourism and peace have great relevance.

The theme is particularly befitting for Bharat, the largest, vibrant, and functional democracy, home to one-sixth of humanity, tourism globally is a thriving industry. It is so thriving that some countries thrive only on tourism, their economy is sustained by tourism, it is the spine of their economy when it comes to Bharat. A statement was made, taking note of the phenomenal, exponential progress this nation has witnessed in a decade.

I go back to more than three decades when I was a Member of Parliament in 1989 and a Minister in the Union Government then, the size of our economy was smaller than that of the city of Paris and London. When I went to Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, as part of the Council of Ministers, I could not see more than dozens of people on the streets, We were staying at a hotel by Dull lake and now imagine where we have come. Two crore people visited Kashmir as tourists last year.

The economy today of Bharat has traversed in a decade from a fragile five to the five largest global economies. In the next two years, by all indications, we will be ahead of Japan and Germany to be the third. That is where Bharat is at the moment. So much has changed in the ecosystem by affirmative governance, technological advancement, transparent, accountable mechanisms in place for every governmental dealing that the International Monetary Fund reflected. India is a favourite global destination for investment and opportunity.

India, that is Bharat, is favourite global destination for tourism, go to any part of India, and the diplomats present here who have been to various parts, I am sure, will bear me out. We have tourism for all seasons, come to this land of spirituality, land of sublimity, land of knowledge, land of Vedas, and the civilisational ethos of 5000 years. Any time of the year, you will have the occasion to feast on tourist destinations.

The economic growth engine of this nation, destined to reach 2047 as a developed nation, will be fuelled majorly by tourism and I have no doubt you will leave no effort to tap the potential waiting to be exploited. And why not? All that is needed for the exploitation of our tourist resources and tourism destinations is, one, you need an image of the nation.

An image of Bharat in the world is very different from what it was a decade ago, the leadership of Bharat is recognised globally. Which other economy in the world of this size can claim to be rising around 8% GDP annually? and so, predicted for many years to come. Look at 1.4 billion people being serviced with last-mile delivery with respect to toilets, electricity, internet, education, and tap water. ‘हर घर नल, हर नल में जल, जल निश्चित रूप से, जल क्वालिटी का होI, tested him stringently when he called upon me to inaugurate one of his pilot projects.

I said Mr. Minister, go to Jhunjhunu, my home district, click off the button, go to my Tehsil Chirawa click off the button, I said, go to my village, Kithana click off the button and tell me how many houses have नल with जल. My house had, the name was there. Some houses did not have, and faithfully, they were also reflected with one indicator, the work is in progress.

Moved by this great achievement, accomplishment, and credentials, he has now been given the daunting task where he will have to deal with everyone. He is very tactful, go to the Civil Aviation Minister here. He will get the Railway Minister, you will have to get all the Ministers. Because, if I say

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Signing of MoUs Between Institutes Of Hotel Management (IHMS) and Leading Hospitality Groups

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 2:10PM by PIB Delhi

Central Institutes of Hotel Management (CIHMs) under the purview of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, entered dedicated Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with 8 leading national and global hospitality groups – Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, ITC Group of Hotels, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, Radisson Group of Hotels, and Lemon Tree Hotels, on 27^th September, 2024, the World Tourism Day.

These MoUs were signed and exchanged in the presence of national heads of leading hospitality chains and senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

With an objective to go global with Indian hospitality and skill in India for the world, in tourism and hospitality, Ministry of Tourism invited interest from hospitality groups across the country to become ‘Industry Partners’ for Institutes of Hotel Management to facilitate student engagement & mentorship, faculty development & exposure, and institutional development. In the 1^st phase, 8 hospitality groups were chosen to be declared as ‘Industry Partners’ for specific Central Institutes of Hotel Management.

As part of the MoU, indicative areas of collaboration and suggestive activities between the ‘Industry Partner’ and the ‘Institute’ have been provided, with the parties free to choose amongst areas of collaboration and suggestive activities, while also adding new areas of collaboration and activities as deemed fit. A snapshot of the same is shared below:

Area of Collaboration	Suggestive Activities
Student Engagement	Pairing of students with industry mentors and mentoring sessions Periodic classroom sessions on industry specific skills by experts Masterclasses and bootcamps On-site learning by doing sessions Offering career guidance and counselling Facilitating internships and placement opportunities for students Any other activities to boost quality of skilling & education at ‘Institute’ as per industry needs and requirements
Faculty Development	Training & industry exposure sessions for faculty members Short-term refresher courses for faculty Facilitating access to manuals, guidelines, and case studies that outline best practices in the hospitality and homestays industry Research collaborations with faculty members Any other activity to ensure development of faculty from time to time as per industry trends and requirements
Short-term tourism & hospitality skilling & education	Conduct of short-term courses on tourism & hospitality from time to time for various stakeholders – homestays, MSMEs, local hotels & restaurants, Self Help Groups, faculty of other tourism & hospitality institutes, etc.
Institutional & Infrastructural Development	Assisting in identifying resources and opportunities to improve infrastructure and upgrading facilities as per industry standards Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives within the institutes Taking up concerns for effectively addressing issues of providing satisfying work environment and compensation at entry level for students Developing recommendations and reforms to develop the institute into a Global Centre of Excellence for tourism & hospitality skilling in India, for the world

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BeenaYadav

(Release ID: 2059411) Visitor Counter : 55

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Tourism Launches Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi – A National Responsible Tourism Initiative

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 2:03PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India launched a national responsible tourism initiative by the name of ‘Paryatan Mitra & Paryatan Didi’ on September 27^th, World Tourism Day,

Based on the vision of the Prime Minister for enabling tourism as a vehicle for social inclusion, employment, and economic progress – Ministry of Tourism piloted Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi in 6 tourist destinations across India namely – Orchha (Madhya Pradesh), Gandikota (Andhra Pradesh) Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Aizawl (Mizoram), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), and Sri Vijaya Puram (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).

Through this initiative, Ministry of Tourism aims to elevate the overall experience for tourists in destinations, by having them meet ‘tourist-friendly’ people who are proud Ambassadors & Storytellers for their destination. This is being done by providing tourism related training and awareness to all individuals who interact and engage with tourists in a destination.

Driven by ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’, cab drivers, auto drivers, staff at railway stations, airports, bus stations, hotel staff, restaurant workers, homestay owners, tour guides, police personnel, street vendors, shop keepers, students, and many more were provided training and awareness on the importance of tourism, general cleanliness, safety, sustainability, and also on the importance of providing tourists with the highest standards of hospitality and care.

These individuals were also made aware of the local stories of the destination along with its lesser-known tourism wonders, so that every person a tourist interacts with in these destinations, turn out to be local Ambassadors and Storytellers, who strive to create a positive tourist experience in every manner.

Through Paryatan Mitra & Paryatan Didi, special emphasis is being placed on the training of women and youth to enable them to develop new tourism products & experiences like heritage walks, food tours, craft tours, nature treks, homestay experiences, and other innovative tourism products based on the potential of the destination. It is also envisioned that locals leverage these skills to obtain gainful employment going forward as homestay owners, food & cuisine experience providers, cultural guides, natural guides, adventure guides, and other roles in tourism.

Tourism-specific training is being followed by general training in digital literacy and digital tools to ensure that the experiences they create are discoverable and visible to tourists, nationally and globally. Since the pilot of this program on August 15th this year, around 3,000 people have been trained in the 6 pilot destinations on the importance of creating a positive experience for tourists, thereby being a Paryatan Mitra.

Impact

Due to the efforts of Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi, there has been visible enthusiasm from locals to be a part of tourism training programs and become a part of the tourism ecosystem.

Going forward, the Ministry will be recognizing Paryatan Mitra’s & Didi’s in destinations with a dedicated badge and identity, offering tourists a way to be assured of an incredible experience when with a Paryatan Mitra.

On World Tourism Day 2024, Ministry of Tourism has launched Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi across the following 50 tourist destinations in the country:

State/Union Territory	Destination 1	Destination 2
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Sri Vijaya Puram
Andhra Pradesh	Gandikota	Tirupati
Arunachal Pradesh	Tawang
Assam	Guwahati
Bihar	Bodhgaya	Nalanda
Chandigarh	Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh	Raipur
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	Daman
Delhi	Delhi
Goa	Goa
Gujarat	Ahmedabad	Kevadia
Haryana	Kurukshetra
Himachal Pradesh	Shimla
Jammu & Kashmir	Srinagar
Jharkhand	Ranchi
Karnataka	Hampi	Mysore
Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram	Kochi
Ladakh	Leh
Lakshadweep	Kavaratti
Madhya Pradesh	Orchha	Ujjain
Maharashtra	Aurangabad	Nasik
Manipur	Imphal
Meghalaya	Shillong
Mizoram	Aizawl
Nagaland	Dimapur
Odisha	Puri
Puducherry	Puducherry
Punjab	Amritsar	Patiala
Rajasthan	Jodhpur	Jaipur
Sikkim	Gangtok
Tamil Nadu	Mahabalipuram	Thanjavur
Tripura	Agartala
Telangana	Hyderabad
Uttar Pradesh	Varanasi	Agra
Uttar Pradesh	Ayodhya
Uttarakhand	Haridwar	Rishikesh
West Bengal	Darjeeling	Kolkata

The vision of Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi is to welcome one and all to experience Incredible India through Incredible Indians, thereby creating a more welcoming, hospitable, and memorable experience for tourists when in India.

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BeenaYadav

(Release ID: 2059407) Visitor Counter : 23

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate Research

Source: Government of India

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate Research

The New HPC Systems named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’ – Reflecting their Connection to Surya, the Primary Energy Source for the Earth System

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:42PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated the High-Performance Computing (HPC) system – tailored for weather and climate research, acquired by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The ambitious project represents an investment of ₹850 crore, marking a significant leap in India’s computational capabilities for more reliable and accurate weather and climate forecasting particularly extreme events. Located at two key sites—the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) at Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) at Noida.

The IITM system is equipped with an impressive capacity of 11.77 Peta FLOPS and 33 petabytes of storage, while the NCMRWF facility features 8.24 Peta FLOPS with 24 petabytes of storage. Additionally, there is a dedicated standalone system for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications with a capacity of 1.9 Peta FLOPS.

With this augmentation, the Ministry of Earth Sciences will enhance its total computing power to 22 Peta FLOPS, a substantial increase from the previous capacity of 6.8 Peta FLOPS.

In keeping with tradition, these state-of-the-art systems have been named after celestial entities connected to the sun. Previous systems were named Aditya, Bhaskara, Pratyush, and Mihir. The new HPC systems are aptly named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika,’ reflecting their connection to Surya—the sun, the primary energy source for the Earth system.

The enhanced computational framework will enable the development of sophisticated models leveraging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, thereby significantly improving the last-mile services rendered to various stakeholders.

The enhanced computational capabilities provided by the HPC System will allow the Ministry of Earth Sciences to further improve existing data assimilation capabilities and refine physics and dynamics of its global weather prediction models at higher horizontal resolution. Furthermore, regional models will achieve finer resolutions of 1 km or less over select Indian domains. These high-resolution models will significantly enhance the accuracy and lead time of predictions related to tropical cyclones, heavy precipitation, thunderstorms, hailstorms, heat waves, droughts, and other extreme weather phenomena.

Leveraging these advanced HPC Systems, the Ministry of Earth Sciences aims to significantly improve the precision and reliability of weather forecasts, ensuring better preparedness and response to the challenges posed by climate variability and extreme weather events.

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AG

(Release ID: 2059397) Visitor Counter : 43

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Voter turnout of 57.31 % recorded in Phase-2 of J&K Assembly Elections

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:36PM by PIB Delhi

In continuation of ECI’s two press notes no. 139 & 140 dated 25.09.2024, Voter turnout of 57.31 % has been recorded in phase-2 for 26 ACs in the ongoing J&K Assembly Elections 2024. The gender wise voter turnout figures for phase 2 are given below:

Phase

Male Turnout

Female turnout

Third gender turnout

Overall turnout

Phase 2

(26 ACs)

58.35%

56.22%

30.19%

57.31%

2. Voting turnout trends at the polling stations on the poll day was facilitated by the Commission through its Voter turnout App, every two hours starting 9:30 am onwards. CEO J&K has confirmed that all polling parties have returned safely and scrutiny has completed in the presence of the candidates/their authorised agents. The Assembly Constituency and gender wise voter turnout data for Phase 2 of J&K Assembly Elections is given at Table 1. Further, a copy of Form 17C is also provided to the candidates through their polling agents.

The voter turnout given in Table 1 is at the polling stations and final votes polled will be available post-counting with counting of postal ballots. Postal Ballots include Postal Ballots given to service voters, absentee voters (85+, PwD, Essential Services etc.) and Voters on Election Duty. Daily account of such Postal ballots received, as per established guidelines, are given to all candidates.

Table 1: AC wise and Gender wise Voter turnout at polling stations for Phase 2 of J&K Assembly Elections

Sl. No.	AC No.	AC Name	Total Electors Count	Voter Turnout in Percentage
Sl. No.	AC No.	AC Name	Total Electors Count	Male	Female	TG	Total
1	17	KANGAN(ST)	78904	72.58%	71.76%	Nil	72.18%
2	18	GANDERBAL	129114	61.50%	52.80%	Nil	57.12%
3	19	HAZRATBAL	113014	37.08%	27.71%	Nil	32.39%
4	20	KHANYAR	91294	30.93%	21.30%	0.00%	26.09%
5	21	HABBAKADAL	95752	22.96%	16.70%	55.56%	19.81%
6	22	LAL CHOWK	107553	39.12%	29.22%	100.00%	34.15%
7	23	CHANNAPORA	85806	34.00%	25.10%	100.00%	29.53%
8	24	ZADIBAL	113034	36.08%	25.47%	40.00%	30.78%
9	25	EIDGAH	62080	41.09%	32.76%	0.00%	36.95%
10	26	CENTRAL SHALTENG	108141	35.96%	27.67%	0.00%	31.84%
11	27	BUDGAM	125605	57.42%	47.01%	0.00%	52.27%
12	28	BEERWAH	98371	69.01%	64.80%	50.00%	66.95%
13	29	KHANSAHIB	94319	71.96%	72.21%	25.00%	72.08%
14	30	CHRAR-i- SHARIEF	104734	71.19%	69.31%	66.67%	70.27%
15	31	CHADOORA	88835	60.99%	53.39%	0.00%	57.19%
16	56	GULABGARH(ST)	95388	72.95%	74.31%	50.00%	73.60%
17	57	REASI	85311	70.14%	74.20%	100.00%	72.06%
18	58	SHRI MATA VAISHNO DEVI	56506	80.78%	80.08%	Nil	80.45%
19	83	KALAKOTE – SUNDERBANI	97826	63.95%	74.21%	0.00%	68.82%
20	84	NOWSHERA	86608	68.61%	77.80%	0.00%	73.05%
21	85	RAJOURI(ST)	89189	66.59%	74.85%	0.00%	70.57%
22	86	BUDHAL(ST)	95641	65.62%	75.00%	0.00%	70.04%
23	87	THANNAMANDI(ST)	122744	70.36%	75.58%	Nil	72.88%
24	88	SURANKOTE(ST)	113572	71.78%	78.29%	Nil	74.94%
25	89	POONCH HAVELI	129122	72.54%	76.68%	Nil	74.56%
26	90	MENDHAR(ST)	109636	69.18%	78.16%	Nil	73.56%

*NIL means there are no registered third gender electors

******

PK/RP

(Release ID: 2059395) Visitor Counter : 50

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Power Finance Corporation Ltd. Undertakes Series of Swachhata Initiatives in New Delhi

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:21PM by PIB Delhi

As part of the “Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024” campaign, launched by the Government of India with the theme ‘Swabhaav Swachhata, Sanskar Swachhata,’ the Ministry of Power has organized various activities to integrate cleanliness into daily life.

Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC), under the initiative, has actively participated by organizing a series of cleanliness drives and public health activities aimed at promoting hygiene and safety in high-traffic public spaces. These activities were carried out in key locations across New Delhi and Bhopal, reaffirming PFC’s dedication to contributing to a cleaner and safer environment for all.

One of the major initiatives led by PFC was a cleanliness drive outside Shivaji Bridge Railway Station in New Delhi. High-footfall public spaces like this often face waste accumulation, and PFC’s efforts helped significantly improve the cleanliness of the station’s surroundings.

In addition, PFC distributed safety kits to street vendors in Connaught Place, one of the busiest commercial hubs in Delhi, as part of the “Swachh Food Street” initiative. These kits, consisting of face masks, hair masks, gloves, and sanitizers, were provided to encourage vendors to maintain hygiene while serving the public, contributing to better food safety and health standards in the area.

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Sushil Kumar

(Release ID: 2059387) Visitor Counter : 63

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PMO shares an article by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal titled “The world wants to Make in India”

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:15PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister’s Office has shared an article written by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal titled “The world wants to Make in India”.

Sharing the X post of Union Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office posted;

“Union Minister Shri @PiyushGoyal highlights how the @makeinindia mission has positioned India as a preferred investment destination, empowering businesses, especially MSMEs, to produce high-quality goods and transforming several sectors from being importers of substandard products to exporters of world-class goods.”

Union Minister Shri @PiyushGoyal highlights how the @makeinindia mission has positioned India as a preferred investment destination, empowering businesses, especially MSMEs, to produce high-quality goods and transforming several sectors from being importers of substandard… https://t.co/Hq5lEKsvIO

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 27, 2024

***********

MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2059383) Visitor Counter : 47

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu meets Prime Minister

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:13PM by PIB Delhi

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri M.K.Stalin today met with Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister’s Office posted on X;

“Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru @mkstalin, met Prime Minister @narendramodi. @CMOTamilnadu”

**********

MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2059380) Visitor Counter : 53

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Asian Development Bank conclude the Climate and Health Solutions India Conclave with Strategic Insights for Future Action

Source: Government of India (2)

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Asian Development Bank conclude the Climate and Health Solutions India Conclave with Strategic Insights for Future Action

Discussion on “Climate Resilient and Responsive Health Systems and Infrastructure”, chaired by representatives from 19 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu

The conclave served as vital platform to develop concrete, actionable, and forward-thinking solutions, highlighting the urgency of integrating climate action with public health strategies

As India stands at a critical juncture, we have the opportunity—not just to respond to the challenges of climate change and public health, but to lead the global agenda on these issues: Union Health Secretary

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:07PM by PIB Delhi

The second day of the Climate and Health Solutions (CHS) India Conclave, co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), concluded successfully in Delhi. The two-day conclave focused on the urgent intersection of climate change and public health in India, convening policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to develop actionable strategies for the health sector in the face of these pressing challenges.

The day’s proceedings began with a series of insightful roundtables. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on critical issues, including Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Mental Health, Nutrition, Climate-Ready Healthcare Human Resources, Blended Finance for Climate-Health Bold Bets, Digital Technologies and Data, and the development of Climate-Resilient and Responsive Health Systems and Infrastructure.

With over 330 participants at the conclave, one of the highlights of Day 2 was a roundtable discussion on “Climate Resilient and Responsive Health Systems and Infrastructure”, chaired by representatives from 19 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. This session emphasized the urgent need for adaptive infrastructure capable of withstanding the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

The roundtable on “Non-Communicable Diseases, Nutrition and Mental Health” had key discussions featuring varied contributions. Dr. Cherian Varghese discussed the Kerala floods and how climate change is impacting the social determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly livelihoods, access to healthcare, and the disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable. Dr. Naveen Kumar C discussed mental health implications and its direct and indirect implications, while Dr. Bhuvaneswari Balasubramanian, from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), highlighted the integration of climate change and nutrition.

In the session on “Blended Finance for Climate-Health Bold Bets,” Ms. Jaya Singh, Policy and Programme Lead for the Asia Pacific Region at United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office, underscored the government’s role in establishing regulations and safeguards for private sector investors in climate and health. She also called for attractive funding models, such as green catalytic funding and guarantee-based grants, to support targeted sectors including infrastructure, health, and education. Himanshu Sikka, Program Lead, Pahal Samridh, highlighted that despite 25% of the global disease burden being linked to environmental risk factors, only 0.5% of international climate finance goes to health.

The session also showcased innovations on the conclave sub-thematic areas, such as a Climate Risk Observatory Tool for heat and health mapping and management, Pluss Technologies, Blackfrog Technologies, and Redwings for climate resilient health infrastructure and the work of ARTPARK, IISc Bangalore for climate and health early warning systems.

Culminating in a focused workshop on climate and health Transformational at Scale led by senior government officials and ADB representatives, participants comprehensively showcased the sub-thematic outcomes of the two-day conclave aligning health systems with climate objectives. The conclave served as a vital platform to develop concrete, actionable, and forward-thinking solutions, highlighting the urgency of integrating climate action with public health strategies. Participants from various states and sectors successfully initiated dialogues and action plans that will shape India’s approach to health and climate in the years to come.

In his closing remarks at the Valedictory Conclusion, Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary of MoHFW, expressed gratitude to all participating stakeholders, experts and policymakers. He stated, “As we conclude this significant Climate and Health Solutions Conclave, our focused discussions over the past two days have illuminated the intertwined crises of climate change and public health, showcasing the power of collective action. The solutions presented in our deep-dive sessions have paved the way for actionable strategies that integrate climate-conscious thinking into health policies. As India stands at a critical juncture, we have the opportunity—not just to respond to these challenges but to lead the global agenda on climate and health. Let us translate the insights gained here into tangible actions for a resilient future.”

Going forward, ADB and MoHFW will publish an outcome document detailing the eight key conclave topics, identified outcomes, and an accompanying bouquet of activities that will inform national, regional and sub-national climate and health action plans. The Climate and Health Solutions (CHS) Multi-Stakeholder Thought and Action India Conclave will serve as a blueprint for future climate-health provincial sprints, bootcamps, and initiatives in India.

Ms. LS Changsan, Additional Secretary, Public Health, MoHFW, and Ms. Latha Ganapathy, Joint Secretary, Public Health, MoHFW, lauded the gathering as a monumental conclave that is a turning point in India’s health sector. Ms. Ayako Inagaki, Senior Director, Human and Social Development Sector Office, and Dr. Dinesh Arora, Principal Health Specialist, Health Practice Team from the Asian Development Bank echoed that the India experience will serve as a precedent for climate and health agenda building and operationalization initiation across Asia, the Pacific and beyond.

*****

MV/AKS

HFW/ CHS India Conclave Day 2/27^th September 2024/2

(Release ID: 2059375) Visitor Counter : 61

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministries/Departments of Government of India Actively Undertaking Preparatory Phase Activities for Special Campaign 4.0

Source: Government of India

Ministries/Departments of Government of India Actively Undertaking Preparatory Phase Activities for Special Campaign 4.0

Union Ministers, Ministers of State and Secretaries spearheading the Ministry/Department’s Implementation Plans and Strategies for a Successful Campaign.

Large Scale Awareness Generation and Campaign Advocacy resorted through Electronic, Print and Social media with 1562 Tweets, 72 PIB Statements, #Specialcampaign4 Gaining Traction on Social media

The 3rd Meeting of Nodal Officers held to Review the Significant Progress of Preparatory Phase

Ministries/Departments to Take Campaign to The Last Mile under Saturation Approach

Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 12:44PM by PIB Delhi

The Special Campaign 4.0 launched by the Government, with Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances as the nodal department, has gained significant momentum in its preparatory phase. The Special Campaign 4.0 enters the implementation phase from 2^nd October to 31^st October 2024, preceded by Preparatory Phase from 16^th September 2024 to 30^th September, 2024.

During this phase, Ministries/Departments, nominated nodal officers in each of their campaign offices in attached / subordinate offices/ PSUs / autonomous organizations and trained them on their roles in the campaign. It involved various activities such as mobilizing field functionaries, identifying pending references, finalizing the list of offices for Swachhata Campaign, assessing the volume of electronic/ automobile/ office scrap to be disposed and finalizing the procedures for their disposal. They also undertook plans for enhancement of office spaces, digitization practices, procedures for scrap disposal, sanitation protocols, inclusivity measures and record management practices for weeding of records and preservation of historical records.

The progress of Special Campaign 4.0 is monitored through a dedicated web-portal (https://scdpm.nic.in/specialcampaign4/). All Ministries/Departments have uploaded targets for the Preparatory phase of the Campaign on the Special Campaign 4.0 web portal. The preparatory phase began on 16^th September 2024 and as on 26^th September 2024, 55 Ministries/Departments have identified 1,64,268 cleanliness campaign sites; 12,78,740 physical and e-files for review; 4,07,704 pending public grievances and appeals for disposal.

Union Ministers, Ministers of State, Secretaries of Ministries/Departments have led the Special Campaign 4.0 preparations, and provided leadership on the strategies to be adopted to make the Special Campaign a huge success. Records due for review have been transferred by the Record Officers from record rooms to the Officers concerned for review. Nodal Officers have inspected record rooms to identify records for historical preservation. An exhibition of historical records transferred to National Archives of India during Special Campaigns 1.0 – 3.0 during the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 would be presented in October 2024.

The Third Meeting with Nodal Officers of Special Campaign 4.0 for Swachhata and Disposal of Pending Matters was held under the Chairmanship of the Secretary DARPG, Shri V. Srinivas to review the preparatory phase activities. The meeting was attended by 184 senior officers from 84 Ministries/Departments. Special campaign 4.0 implementation roadmap was formulated during the meeting. All Ministries/Departments are geared up for the Implementation Phase of Special Campaign 4.0 beginning from 2^nd October to 31^st October 2024.

Large scale awareness generation and campaign advocacy is resorted through electronic, print and social media and till date, 1562 tweets under the #SpecialCampaign4 and 72 PIB statements have been issued indicating widespread participation in Special campaign 4.0. A collation of best practices under the Special Campaign 4.0 would be brought out by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances as part of Good Governance Week 2024 activities.

*****

AG

(Release ID: 2059355) Visitor Counter : 38

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024

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Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council said:

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Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

Alexander Novak met with the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Economy, Minister of People’s Power for Oil of Venezuela, in a meeting with Alexander Novak

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The resolution calls for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate ResearchThe New HPC Systems named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’ – Reflecting their Connection to Surya, the Primary Energy Source for the Earth System

Ministries/Departments of Government of India Actively Undertaking Preparatory Phase Activities for Special Campaign 4.0Union Ministers, Ministers of State and Secretaries spearheading the Ministry/Department’s Implementation Plans and Strategies for a Successful Campaign.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate Research

The New HPC Systems named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’ – Reflecting their Connection to Surya, the Primary Energy Source for the Earth System

Ministries/Departments of Government of India Actively Undertaking Preparatory Phase Activities for Special Campaign 4.0

Union Ministers, Ministers of State and Secretaries spearheading the Ministry/Department’s Implementation Plans and Strategies for a Successful Campaign.