Source: Reserve Bank of India
|
On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on November 06, 2024, Wednesday, as under:
2. The operational guidelines for the auction as given in the Reserve Bank’s Press Release 2019-2020/1947 dated February 13, 2020 will remain the same. (Puneet Pancholy) Press Release: 2024-2025/1435 |
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mehak Oberai, Senior Research Assistant, Ethos Project, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University
Parts of Australia are currently facing extreme heat, with high temperatures set to continue over the coming days.
Though it’s unclear exactly what the upcoming summer will bring, climate change means Australian summers are getting hotter. Even this year in August we saw temperatures around 40°C in parts of the country.
Heatwaves aren’t just uncomfortable – they can be deadly. Health emergencies related to extreme heat place significant strain on our health-care systems, with data showing increased ambulance callouts and hospital presentations during these periods.
Although heatwaves can affect everyone, older adults are particularly at risk. But our new research has found older Queenslanders don’t necessarily believe heat poses a risk to their health. And this affects how they respond to emergency warnings.
Ageing brings physiological changes, including reduced ability to regulate body temperature, which can put older people at increased risk of issues such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exposure can also worsen the symptoms of existing conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease or kidney disease, which are more common in older people.
The risk is even more pronounced for older people who live in poor quality housing, are economically disadvantaged, or are socially isolated.
A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that, of 2,150 hospitalisations due to extreme heat between 2019 and 2022, 37% were among people aged 65 and older (who make up around 16% of the population).
So there’s an urgent need to prioritise the health of older Australians as the country braces for more intense and prolonged heatwaves in the future.
As we’ve learned more about the risks of heatwaves, there’s been an increased focus on developing population-based early warning systems. These systems play a crucial role in encouraging people to adopt heat-protective behaviours such as staying hydrated, avoiding strenuous physical activity when temperatures are high, and wearing loose or light clothing.
Queensland is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to heatwaves. Since 2015, heatwave warnings have been part of the state’s heatwave subplan, which sets out strategies for managing and mitigating the impacts of extreme heat events.
These warnings involve alerts about upcoming high temperatures, and advice on staying cool. They come as notifications through the Bureau of Meterology’s weather app or via media outlets or social media. However, it’s not clear whether these warnings are reaching those most at risk.
As part of a broader project on extreme heat and older people, we surveyed 547 Queenslanders aged 65 and over to understand their perceptions of heat risks and to determine if heatwave warnings were reaching them.
We also wanted to know what factors influence how they receive and respond to these warnings, with a view to understanding how we can improve heatwave warnings for this group.
Only 25% of respondents were aware of the potential consequences of heatwaves on their health. The majority of participants (80%) perceived themselves to be at lower risk compared to others of their age group. This aligns with previous heat-health research which has similarly found older adults often don’t perceive heat as a personal risk.
While most of the sample (87%) reported having one or more chronic health conditions, 30% were unaware having a chronic health condition increased their vulnerability to heatwaves.
Several cultural and personal factors may explain why older people don’t think heat poses a danger to them. In Australia, heat is typically seen as a normal and even positive part of life. Heat risk messages are often less urgent than warnings for other natural disasters.
We also found nearly half of respondents had not heard a heatwave warning. Of those who had, roughly half took actions to keep themselves cool.
What stood out from our analysis was that participants’ awareness and actions in response to heatwave warnings were significantly influenced by their knowledge and perceptions of heat risks. Factors such as age, gender and education were not so important.
Respondents who believed they were at risk were almost twice as likely to hear the warnings, and 3.6 times more likely to take heat protective actions.
This aligns with other research that highlights the correlation between heat-health risk perception and the efficacy of heatwave warnings.
One limitation of our research is that we conducted the survey in 2022 during and following a La Nina period, where temperatures are usually lower. So there may have been fewer heatwave warnings throughout the season, potentially reducing participants’ perceptions of heat health risks.
With another hot summer likely ahead, we need to rethink how we communicate about heatwaves. These are more than just hot days. We need to recognise heatwaves as a serious health risk, especially for older people, and effectively communicate that risk to the public.
This might include using primary health-care professionals such as GPs, nurses and pharmacists to share heat-health information with older patients and their family members, or developing personalised heat action plans for the summer period.
Text message alerts from the Bureau of Meteorology, along with app notifications, could be a good idea considering some older adults may not have a smartphone or be open to using apps.
To improve heatwave communication, we also need to explore the barriers and facilitators to heat protective behaviours. This includes considering structural factors (such as housing design), environmental factors (for example, access to shade and cool refuges), individual factors (such as financial constraints or health conditions) and social factors (such as access to family and community support).
Strengthening communication around heatwaves and health will not only protect individual wellbeing but enhance community resilience as extreme heat continues to affect our lives.
Mehak Oberai is a Senior Research Assistant working on Ethos project and is also a member of the AAG (Australian Association of Gerontology) Student & Early Career Working Group.
Ella Jackman is a PhD Candidate at Griffith University and a Research Assistant for the Queensland Heat Health Community of Practice (QHHCoP) and the Ethos Project.
Shannon Rutherford co-leads the Climate Action Beacon Griffith University funded, Queensland Heat Health Community of Practice and receives funding from Wellcome and NEMA. She is an affiliate member of the HEAL network
Steven Baker and Zhiwei Xu do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Only 25% of older Queenslanders are aware of the risks heatwaves put on their health – new study – https://theconversation.com/only-25-of-older-queenslanders-are-aware-of-the-risks-heatwaves-put-on-their-health-new-study-238875
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
A unified standard for accessibility of city railway stations on the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) is being introduced in the capital. Sergei Sobyanin spoke about this in his blog.
“Any trip on the metro or MCD begins with leaving the house. A good pedestrian path. A fast bus route with stops as close to the entrance as possible. Convenient parking or a drop-off point for taxi and personal car passengers. Bright street lighting, a cozy little square or park next to the station, where you can wait for your wife or daughter late at night — these “little things” make up the impression of the trip. And they directly affect the desire of city residents to use public transport. Perhaps this has already been forgotten, but in 2011 we began our transport program by cleaning up and improving the area around the city’s main train stations and metro stations,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.
After the opening of the MCD, work began to make the route from residential areas to Moscow’s ground-level metro stations comfortable and safe. It is being carried out according to a single city standard, which provides for the reorganization of public transport routes, improvement of pedestrian accessibility, and the creation of a high-quality urban environment in the immediate vicinity of MCD stations.
An example of a station where the new standard has already been implemented is Sanino MCD-4 in TiNAO.
“Until recently, the only way to get to the city station was on foot along a forest path. Ground transportation did not stop near the station at all. Today, you can get to the Moscow city station Sanino MCD-4 on foot, by car or by public transport. A turning circle has been created for buses, modern waiting pavilions have been installed at the entrance to the station, and new routes have been organized. Pedestrian crossings are equipped with contrasting lighting,” said Sergei Sobyanin.
Not far from Sanino there is another Moscow city railway station – Kokoshkino. To get to it by the shortest route, residents of the new quarters used popular paths. Inconveniently located stops, lack of parking – all this also significantly complicated daily trips.
Thanks to the extension of the road and the well-thought-out planning of the territory, a new direct pedestrian and car route was created. Public transport stops were placed 10 meters from the entrance to the city station. A quick drop-off zone for taxis and private cars was organized. In addition, intercepting parking lots were equipped.
Wide sidewalks with safe crossings across the roadway now lead to residential areas. A small green park has been created near residential buildings.
Among the unique projects implemented is Poklonnaya MCD-4. As a result, the new city station became a link between the Ramenki and Dorogomilovo districts.
For this purpose, a pedestrian bridge was built across the railway tracks and stairways leading to General Dorokhov Avenue, General Yermolov Street and the nature reserve in the Setun River valley.
Now residents of Pudovkina Street and 2nd Mosfilmovsky Lane, who just a few years ago had only one metro station, Kievskaya, which they had to get to by bus for about half an hour, can use the new Poklonnaya station of the MCD-4 and Park Pobedy of the Solntsevskaya and Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya metro lines.
Sergei Sobyanin added that work is currently underway to improve accessibility at several more stations: Shcherbinka MCD-2, Kosina MCD-3, as well as Solnechnaya, Kuskova, Begovaya MCD-4. The first stage of work has been completed near the Serp i Molot station of the fourth Moscow Central Diameter. In 2025, improvements there will continue as part of the second stage.
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://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11982050/
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ2: Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme
LCQ2: Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme
***************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Jimmy Ng and a reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (November 6): Question: The Government has earlier on launched a three-year “Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme” (the Scheme), under which a total funding of $30 million has been earmarked for application by clansmen associations to organise activities promoting hometown culture. It has been reported that the Scheme has received overwhelming responses, and that the Home Affairs Department received 213 applications from 110 clansmen associations this year, of which 39 were approved with funding of about $10 million. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the respective themes of the funded hometown cultural activities; whether it has estimated the number of participants in such activities; if so, of the details; (2) whether it will expand the scope of the subsidy under the Scheme to assist clansmen associations in organizing more activities of different types, so as to promote the vast and profound Chinese culture and enhance public understanding of the latest developments in various provinces and municipalities of the motherland; and (3) whether it will extend the implementation period of the Scheme or even regularise it; whether it will introduce more schemes to help promote clansmen culture; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply:President, Clansmen associations have a long history in Hong Kong, most of which were established by their ancestors who came to Hong Kong in the early days for development and then settled in, with a view to uniting and serving their fellow clansmen as well as promoting solidarity and mutual support amongst them. The associations play a bridging role between their fellow clansmen and hometowns. They have brought the culture of their hometowns to Hong Kong, enabling different hometown cultures and customs to converge here and make Hong Kong unique. Being steadfast patriots supporting the country and Hong Kong, clansmen associations have effectively forged cohesion among clansmen who love the country, Hong Kong and their hometowns through their vast social networks and unique geographical backgrounds. They provide resolute support for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in implementing “one country, two systems”, promoting the development of Hong Kong, and fostering social harmony and stability. They are reliable and staunch partners of the HKSAR Government and a constructive force driving Hong Kong’s development. Clansmen associations have been supporting the work of the HKSAR Government in many areas. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, clansmen associations volunteered to donate supplies and mobilise fellow clansmen to collaborate with the Government in fighting the epidemic. On the improvement of the electoral system of Hong Kong, clansmen associations’ active support and participation helped ensure that the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” was fully implemented. Clansmen associations also strongly supported the improving of district governance, the election of District Councils and the formation of Care Teams. In terms of activities, clansmen associations have been organising various clansmen cultural promotion, caring and exchange programmes to promote exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in different aspects, with a view to enhancing mutual communication and deepening the friendship between the people as well as fostering the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. To deepen the public’s understanding of and sense of belonging to their hometowns, thereby fostering the spirit of loving the motherland, Hong Kong and their hometowns; as well as to recognise and strengthen the longstanding efforts of patriotic clansmen associations, the Chief Executive announced in his 2023 Policy Address the launch of the “Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme” (the Scheme) for a period of three years. In the three consecutive financial years starting from 2024-25, an annual provision of $10 million (i.e. totalling $30 million) is earmarked for application by clansmen associations to subsidise their organisation of activities to promote and preserve hometown culture, unite clansmen in Hong Kong and facilitate exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Home Affairs Department (HAD) began accepting funding applications for the 2024-25 financial year under the Scheme in April this year. Within a one-month application period, a total of 213 applications from 110 clansmen associations were received. By the end of May, the HAD completed the vetting process and approved 39 applications, taking into consideration factors such as the reputation and experience of the applying organisations, as well as the content of their activities and plans. The total amount of subsidy granted is about $10 million. In response to the questions raised by the Hon Jimmy Ng, the replies are as follows: (1) A wide variety of projects were approved in the first year of the Scheme, which included activities for promoting hometown culture and heritage (e.g. hometown markets, cultural festivals), uniting fellow clansmen in Hong Kong (e.g. home visits, organising volunteer work) and promoting exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland (e.g. parent-child heritage tours, youth exchange programmes). From early June to end-October 2024, a total of 20 approved projects were completed, with over 220 000 people participated. For specific events, for example, the “Clansmen Associations Hometown Market Carnival” jointly organised by 28 clansmen associations at Victoria Park for five days in early June attracted approximately 200 000 visitors. The “Min-Kong Youth Maritime Silk Road Cultural Exchange Tour” and the “Hong Kong-Macao Youth Zhejiang Tour” organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations and the United Zhejiang Residents Associations respectively in July were participated by a total of about 1 000 young people to promote youth exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Federation of HK Guangxi Community Organisations and the Hong Kong Federation of Hainan Community Organisations held the “Cultural Celebration for National Day” and the “Hainan and Kowloon City Brilliant Night” carnivals in September respectively, engaging over 10 000 participants in promoting hometown culture. In September and October, the Federation of Hong Kong Beijing Organisations organised the “Thank You for Being There – Hand in Hand to Warm Hearts” event, where volunteer teams formed by its fellow clansmen visited grassroots families of about 1 000 people. From September to December, the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations is conducting the “Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage in Schools” programme to host cultural workshops in various primary and secondary schools. It is expected that nearly 1 000 students and parents will be engaged. (2) The scope of projects subsidised under the Scheme is wide. Any locally registered clansmen associations with good reputation and track record; which have all along been committed to promoting hometown culture and fostering exchanges between Hong Kong and hometowns in order to promote the spirit of loving the motherland, Hong Kong and hometowns; and with experience in organising relevant activities, are eligible to apply for subsidy under the Scheme. The subsidy can be used for funding various types of relevant activities such as those for promoting and preserving hometown culture, uniting clansmen in Hong Kong and facilitating exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland. There is no restriction on the form of the activities, as long as they are non-profit-making in nature and in line with the objectives of the Scheme. Apart from the Scheme, the HAD and the 18 District Offices have been collaborating with clansmen associations and various district organisations from time to time to foster community building, while promoting Chinese culture and enhancing public understanding of the country. For example, the HAD co-organised with 28 provincial clansmen associations the “Bazaar Carnival in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China” (the Bazaar) from October 25 to 29 at Sha Tin Park. It provided a total of 75 market stalls offering a wide variety of local snacks, specialties and traditional crafts, showcasing the unique culinary and cultural traditions of different provinces and cities. The Bazaar also staged diverse cultural performances such as traditional ethnic dances, acrobatics, folk songs, as well as free screenings of patriotic-themed movies and cultural introductions of various provinces, enabling the public to experience the diverse and colourful Chinese culture from all corners of the country. The five-day Bazaar attracted about 180 000 visitors, with the value of total sales estimated to be more than $4.6 million, highlighting the Government’s close collaboration with clansmen associations to further promote patriotic sentiments and love for Hong Kong in the community. Besides, clansmen associations also apply for funding support through the on-going Community Involvement Programme implemented by the HAD to organise different projects such as festivals with local characteristics, hometown cultural carnivals and traditional cultural performances to promote district harmony. Some clansmen associations also actively participate in the “Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland” implemented by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau to apply for funding to organise youth exchange tours to the Mainland, supporting young people to broaden their horizons, deepen their understanding of the country and seize the national development opportunities. (3) In the first quarter of 2025, funding application under the Scheme for the financial year 2025-26 will be launched, with the focus on uniting clansmen in Hong Kong. The HAD will provide funding support for clansmen associations to organise various activities aiming at promoting patriotic education and fostering the spirit of loving the country, Hong Kong and the hometowns. The HAD will timely review the effectiveness and arrangements of the Scheme before the completion of the three-year programme, and will continue to maintain close contact and collaboration with clansmen associations. They have our support in organising all sorts of activities related to hometown culture promotion and patriotic education, and in collaborating with the HKSAR Government to promote the mainstream values of loving the motherland and Hong Kong that are in line with the core principles of “one country, two systems”. Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, November 6, 2024Issued at HKT 13:28
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Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor
This is a rolling guide to articles and audio published by The Conversation in the immediate run-up to and aftermath of the election, with some explainers about the process. This page is updated from the top, so older references are moved down the page.
Good morning world. The United States has made its choice. And, as of 5am Donald Trump and the Republican Party will be the happier contenders, having so far won the most electoral college votes and the first swing state of North Carolina, as well as regaining control of the Senate.
It’s been a turbulent four months since outgoing president Joe Biden announced he was terminating his bid for a second term and the battlelines between the two candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris were drawn. Soon we will know who will lead the US for the next four years.
From here, with the help of some of the sharpest analysts of US politics, we’ll keep you updated and informed as the situation develops.
To get an idea of the scale of the task of counting votes, take a look at the below map of the US colour-coded by poll closing times. How long the count could take is anyone’s guess at this stage. Each state has its own rules.
Ahead of the polls closing Richard Hargy, an expert in US politics from Queen’s University Belfast, wrote a guide to the process, when the votes are counted and when we might start to see results.
Read more:
US election: what time do the polls close and when will the results be known? An expert explains
Delays are baked into the process, such as Pennsylvania, which doesn’t allow votes cast before election day or ballots posted in to be counted until polls close, which was at 8pm (1am GMT).
So we’ll just have to be patient. In the mean time, you can also read Hargy’s explainer on the “electoral college” system, which can mean that the candidate with the most votes may not win the presidency.
Read more:
US election: how does the electoral college voting system work?
Scott Lucas, professor of international politics at University College Dublin, believes that in a cliffhanger election, a clue to the outcome may be in the size of turnout. More than 80 million Americans voted early – around half of the total turnout in 2020 and around one-third of the eligible electorate.
The 80 million figure takes on added significance with the recognition that it is not that distant from the 104 million who participated early in the “pandemic” election four years ago. And that 2020 ballot, with 158.4 million votes and almost 67% participation, was the largest turnout since 1900.
Who does that favour? Probably Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Trumpists will turn out for their man come hell or high water. The large question mark has been whether potential Harris voters would sit on their hands, whether from lack of enthusiasm or dissatisfaction on issues such as Israel’s open-ended war on Gaza.
Any prediction in this election is a risk. But it might be worth setting a marker: if turnout matches or exceeds the record set in 2020, Kamala Harris could be on the way to the White House.
During the campaign there have been two assassination attempts on former president Trump as well as arson attacks on ballot boxes and ballots damaged. In Arizona the Democratic party was forced to close one of its offices after it had been shot at three times.
Dafydd Townley, a fellow in international security at Portsmouth University, believes that there could be a reluctance to accept the result and that this could result in further disturbances. He has written about how much violence there has been during this campaign.
Read more:
US election: officials are issued with panic buttons as attacks on ballot boxes continue
Rhianna Garrett, PhD researcher and global coordinator of the critical mixed race studies executive board at Loughborough University, says that Trump’s campaign has been “littered with attempts to weaponise” the multiracial heritage of his Democrat opponent Kamala Harris.
Much of this has been a dog-whistle attempt to stir up his own base, partly with fairly blatant appeals to latent feelings of racism, but also as a tool to position Harris as deceiving and untrustworthy by apparently blurring and shifting her own background.
In August, not long after Harris took over the Democrat ticket from Biden, Trump appeared at the National Association of Black Journalists conference when he wrongfully claimed that Harris was changing her identity, stating: “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black, So I don’t know. Is she Indian or is she Black?”.
For her part, Harris’s campaign has also used her multiracial heritage to further their political agendas. On the White House website, she is described as “the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American” to hold a vice-presidential position, which has effectively attempted to position her as a winner. Harris herself has also foregrounded “race” on her campaign website. In attempt to attack Trump’s campaign, she strategically aims to promote Black and Latino men specifically, as well as women’s rights. These are key voter groups she has aimed to mobilise through identity politics.
Donald Trump widened his appeal to male voters in this election, with polling indicating that he was picking up more support from Black and Latino men, as well as more young men more widely.
One reason for this may be that in 2024 young men are more conservative than any other group in the US. Another reason why gender has become a divisive issue is the overturning of Roe v Wade, the legal case that gave American women abortion rights.
Read more on the gender divide in this article from Natasha Lindstaedt, a professor of government at Essex University.
Read more:
US election: why more men and fewer white women say they will vote for Trump
Julie Posetti, professor of journalism at City St George’s, University of London, and global director of research at the International Center for Journalists, recently conducted a survey of more than 1,000 Americans on their attitudes to the press.
Breaking down the results, they were able to build a picture of what people in the US think of targeting journalists for criticism and even abuse. You can read all about the study here.
– ref. US election results: Trump takes first swing state of North Carolina – https://theconversation.com/us-election-results-trump-takes-first-swing-state-of-north-carolina-241711
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emily Wilkinson, Principal Research Fellow, ODI
Two years ago, when the curtain fell on the COP27 summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, developing nations on the frontline of climate change had something meaningful to celebrate.
The creation of a new fund for responding to loss and damage was agreed after a hard-fought diplomatic effort, spearheaded by a group of small island developing states (sometimes known as the Sids). The fund would provide much needed support for climate-vulnerable nations faced with a spiralling human and financial toll from sea-level rise, extreme temperatures, droughts, wildfires, and intensifying floods and storms.
Yet two years on, the world’s wealthiest nations – also the largest carbon emitters – are still dragging their feet. They’ve not followed up their pledges with anywhere near the finance required.
Some nations, particularly the 39 Sids, which include places like Barbados, Grenada, Fiji and Vanuatu, are uniquely vulnerable to climate change and are already paying the price.
Sky-high ocean temperatures created the conditions for Hurricane Beryl to develop in July this year, as the earliest-forming Category 5 hurricane on record in the Caribbean. As oceans warm up, climate science tells us that this rapid intensification is becoming more common.
The island nation of Fiji, best known as a tropical paradise, has experienced a frightening series of storms over recent years, linked to climate change. Cyclone Winston in 2016, one of the most intense on record, caused widespread flooding and lead to the loss of 44 lives.
This episode reduced Fiji’s GDP growth by 1.4 percentage points. According to the Asian Development Bank, ongoing losses from climate change could reach 4% of Fiji’s annual GDP by 2100, as higher temperatures and more extreme weather hold back growth.
This isn’t an isolated problem. Tropical cyclones and hurricanes have long battered small islands, but what is new is how often the most extreme storms and floods are happening, as well as our improved ability to measure their economic effects.
Our latest research looked at extreme weather events affecting 35 small island developing nations. We first collected information about the direct consequences of these extreme weather events: the damaged homes, the injured people, and the bridges that must be rebuilt.
We then looked at how these events have affected GDP growth and public finances. These changes are not felt immediately, but rather as the economy stalls, tourism dries up, and expensive recovery plans inhibit spending in other areas.
In all, from 2000 to 2020, these direct and indirect impacts may have cost small island states a total of US$141 billion. That works out to around US$2,000 per person on average, although this figure underplays just how bad things can get in some places. Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused damage to the Caribbean island of Dominica worth more than double its entire GDP. That amounted to around US$20,000 per person, overnight. Almost a decade later, the country is still struggling with one of the largest debt burdens on earth at over 150% of GDP.
Of these huge aggregate losses across all the small island development states, around 38% are attributable to climate change. That’s according to calculations we made based on “extreme event attribution” studies, which estimate the degree to which greenhouse gas emissions influenced extreme weather events.
What is clear is that small island economies are among the worst affected by severe weather. These island states have three to five times more climate-related loss and damage than other states, as a percentage of government revenues. That’s true even for wealthier small island states, like the Bahamas and Barbados, where loss and damage is four times greater than other high-income countries. For all small island nations, the economic impacts will increase, with “attributable” losses from extreme weather reaching US$75 billion by 2050 if global temperatures hit 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Our research helps us to see how far short the richer nations driving climate change are falling in their efforts to both curb emissions and to compensate the nations harmed by their failure to prevent climate change.
One of the key discussions at the forthcoming COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, will be the “new collective quantified goal”. This is the technical name to describe how much money wealthy countries will need to contribute to help vulnerable nations to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
That overall goal must also include a target to finance small islands and other vulnerable countries, with billions more needed per year in the new loss and damage fund. Given the extent of actual and likely losses, nothing less than ambition on the scale of a “modern Marshall Plan” for these states will do.
In addition to this extra financing, the fund will need to work effectively to support the most climate vulnerable nations and populations when severe weather occurs. This can be done in a few ways.
The fund could create a budget support mechanism that can help small island states and other vulnerable countries deal with loss of income and the negative effects on growth. It could make sure loss and damage funds can be released quickly, and ensure support is channelled to those who need it the most. It could also make more concessional finance available for recovery, especially for the most adversely affected sectors like agriculture and tourism.
The world has a troubling history of missing self-imposed targets on climate finance and emissions reduction. But the stakes are ever higher now, and any target for loss and damage finance will need to be sufficient to deal with the challenges posed already by climate change, and in the years to come.
Emily Wilkinson receives funding from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Ilan Noy, Matt Bishop, and Vikrant Panwar do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Extreme weather has already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion – and 38% is attributable to climate change – https://theconversation.com/extreme-weather-has-already-cost-vulnerable-island-nations-us-141-billion-and-38-is-attributable-to-climate-change-242640
Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Gilbert, Lecturer in Zoology, University of Hull
At less than 3mm long, you may not think Dunatothrips aneurae seem like much. And – as I have shown in a new study – you’d be absolutely right. That’s because these may be the world’s laziest insects.
Dunatothrips live in the remote Australian outback where they bother nobody. They almost never leave their near-invisible miniature nests, built on Acacia trees from silk they extrude from their bottom. No known predators bother with Dunatothrips and their biggest threat is drying out in the heat if their nest is damaged. Pacifist vegetarians, they feed harmlessly on the plant surface, with no discernible effect on it.
No bigger than the hyphen on your page, they belong to the thrips, which you may know as thunderbugs owing to a myth that they come out during thunderstorms. Almost everyone gets their name wrong (one thrips is a thrips, not a thrip). Some species make a nuisance of themselves as tomato pests. But for the Dunatothrips I investigated, that sounds a bit much too much like effort.
I spent a few summers studying the social lives of these tiny insects, trying to understand their unusual habit of sometimes living alone and sometimes in groups with their sisters. I was puzzled to discover that some group members appear to do nothing. Not helping out, not breeding, nothing. Few animal societies are known where group members help no one, not even themselves.
If the silk nest was damaged, I found, usually only one or two females inside stepped up to repair it. The remaining group members didn’t do anything. The responders’ repair efforts helped everybody, so the laggards enjoyed the benefits without raising a minuscule finger.
I set out to investigate what these “lazy” thrips were doing. Were they like queen bees, specialising in producing eggs while others acted as workers? Other social insects have this arrangement, including many other Australian thrips.
But no: when I dissected helpers and non-helpers I found it was the helpers
that tended to be the ones carrying eggs.
Maybe they were a reserve workforce, helping when others were lost, as in
some bird societies like carrion crows. But when first responders were removed, their nestmates remained just as unhelpful as before.
I wondered whether they were biding their time, waiting for a chance to breed later, as paper wasps do. I removed all group members except for a lazy one, gifting it a nest of its very own. They declined this opportunity as well, producing few or no eggs and taking up to five times as long to repair the nest as a helpful thrips put in the same situation.
If the lazy non-helpers don’t even help themselves, doesn’t that make them an evolutionary paradox? Not really: while behaviour only evolves if it furthers individuals’ fitness, evolution tends to work on averages. Within a species, individuals are all different, and some are inevitably of poorer quality than others. They may carry mutations, inherit unfortunate gene combinations, experience poor environments, or all of the above. Perhaps they were jostled to the edge of the leaf as a kid.
Animals in this situation will commonly make the best of a bad job. A poor quality thrips can lay only a few eggs, and can only contribute a few strands of silk to repairing a nest. She can’t build the nest she would need to raise offspring on her own. So her best option is to hang around in a group where her young can grow alongside those of others.
It’s still a mystery why nestmates of these wastrels don’t kick them out. But it may involve their being unusually chilled out in the face of any provocation, even by dangerous intruders like their cousins Akainothrips, a new species I discovered with my colleagues. The resident Dunatothrips just stand aside.
This pacifism may be related to how risky nestbuilding is. At any moment, out there on a leaf surface, you might fall, be blown out of the nest, or dry out in the outback sun. Given that you might die at any moment, it pays you to tolerate the presence of others who can carry on your nestbuilding work and help keep everyone’s babies alive.
A simple evolutionary way to achieve this is to drop all aggression towards anyone, including intruders of different species. Some spiders have done this and form cooperative nurseries involving different spider species. For our lucky waster thrips, this means they get a free pass to stay in the group.
It is also possible these bone-idle bugs may actually be helping, just in subtle ways. For example, Dunatothrips nests have rubbish dumps, so they might help by taking out the trash. In many social insects, including some thrips, workers can act as medics. Even just breathing inside the nest may raise humidity and help the group survive – cockroaches form groups at low humidity for just this reason.
So, while non-helper Dunatothrips may be among the world’s least motivated insects, they are certainly not the least interesting. The evolutionary persistence of these laggards is helping us understand how different kinds of societies evolve.
James Gilbert currently receives funding from UKRI (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council). This study was funded by a Marie Curie Fellowship (2011-2014) under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme.
– ref. Are these tiny insects the world’s most bone-idle bugs? – https://theconversation.com/are-these-tiny-insects-the-worlds-most-bone-idle-bugs-242454
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has stressed sound protection of and in-depth research on ancient bamboo and wooden slips.
Xi made the remarks during his visit to an exhibition featuring slips dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-207 B.C.) and the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.) at a museum in Yunmeng County, central China’s Hubei Province, on Monday afternoon.
During his visit, Xi learned about the content of the bamboo and wooden slips, their historical and cultural value, and the local preservation and research efforts.
Noting that these ancient artifacts are extremely precious and are important, physical evidence that supports China’s reliable historical records, Xi urged sound protection of and in-depth research on them.
Xi also called for continuous archaeological excavation to provide more materials that could serve as irrefutable evidence of the nation’s history.
Ancient bamboo and wooden slips are slender, rectangular pieces on which ancient Chinese recorded information using brush and ink. Before the invention of paper, bamboo and wooden slips were the primary writing medium in China.
Unearthed in various parts of China, they offer a rare glimpse into the nation’s administrative, legal and social structures of the time.
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University – This year, out of 348 participants representing dozens of universities across Russia, 19 senior students made it to the finals. The finalists created original projects based on KS (Knowledge Space – a system for digitalizing management processes). Student EhFaculty of Economics, NSUVarvara Lebedinskaya won the prize in the nomination “High-Quality Visual Solution”.
The championship was held in two rounds. In the first round, a video recording was posted on the organizers’ working website system, and the participants had to repeat exactly what was shown in the video. At this stage, a significant number of participants dropped out, since the video had to repeat some details that seemed unnoticeable at first glance. In the second round, it was necessary to create your own project “from scratch”.
— The no-code concept (creating programs and services without writing code) was new to me. More precisely, I had heard about programming languages that include others, but that practically had no code at all… And it was also a revelation to me that there are companies that do this on a professional level. I learned that I have a tendency to make simple mistakes, especially due to carelessness, — Varvara says.
The winners, prize winners and laureates of the championship were representatives of different cities and regions of Russia: St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Orenburg, Moscow. The winners of the competition were Ekaterina Verkhoturova (SPbSU) and Kirill Golovanov (MIREA), who created the most interesting, voluminous and complex projects.
— I saw that there was a difference between me and the winners (at the announcement of the results they showed a few of our projects, noted the strengths and weaknesses) and it was noticeable, so I was not very upset. And the fact that my work was recognized and highly appreciated is very nice, — Varvara shared her emotions.
Reference: The All-Russian KS Championship has been held since 2023, it is dedicated to the processes of modeling and creating IT products based on the no-code platform Knowledge Space. The organizer is the company “Integrated Management Systems”. Undergraduate students of senior years (from 3rd) and graduate students aged 20 to 23 can participate in the Championship.
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.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
While several expats are admiring the intricate animal patterns on an ancient Chinese bronze object, others are carefully listening to a tour guide explain the skill and wisdom behind the craftsmanship.
It was part of the “Exploring China “Henan Tour event in Zhengzhou, Luoyang and Anyang in Central China’s Henan province from Sunday to Tuesday.
Participants of the “Exploring China” Henan Tour admire a bronze ware at Henan Museum in Zhengzhou city. XU LIN/CHINA DAILY
More than 40 foreign experts in classical studies from 13 countries visited Henan’s heritage sites, Longmen Grottoes and the Yinxu Museum, immersing themselves in the rich Chinese culture and civilization.
Two other groups joined the tours in Shandong province, visiting places like the Temple of Confucius, and in Sichuan province, traveling to key archaeological sites like Sanxingdui and Jinsha.
These experts are participants in the World Conference of Classics, being held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.
“I’m excited to visit China for the first time, and I plan to travel to China again with my family, to see more of its deep culture and history,” says Michael Trapp, emeritus professor of Greek literature and thought at King’s College London.
Before setting out, he sought advice from his Chinese doctoral student in London and his brother, a Chinese language translator who often travels to China for work. Both suggested that given his passion for history, archaeology and art, he would find his visit to Henan particularly captivating, which he does.
At the museums, he finds that the use of modern technology has made historical sites more accessible to a modern audience, striking a delicate balance between preserving ancient materials and showing their history vividly via replicas and digital reconstructions. “This endeavor requires considerable effort and creativity,” he says.
He believes that it’s wonderful to see the massive size of the Erlitou Site in Luoyang and the artifacts excavated from it at the nearby museum. It shows the archaeological process of their discovery.
Thomas Michael from the United States, professor at School of Philosophy, Beijing Normal University, who does research into Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, agrees.
“I’ve read about all these places, but it’s the first time to see various artifacts about the origins and downfall of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) and the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC),” he says. “It’s amazing to see the ancient centers of Chinese civilization. These are important periods for Confucianism. … The Confucian tradition goes all the way back to Zhougong (the Duke of Zhou) from the Western Zhou Dynasty.”
The duke was believed to have been a prolific author with humanistic ideas and written Rites of Zhou, a fundamental ancient Chinese classic on organizational theory.
Mary Evelyn Tucker, a senior lecturer and research scholar at Yale University, says: “It’s exciting to have this cultural tour to Henan and see that China is recovering its own traditional past. … China’s modernization has developed very rapidly over the past 40 years since my first visit to the country in 1985.”
Her research fields include Confucianism and ecology. China is moving toward ecological civilization, she says, which has greatly changed its ecology, society and spirituality.
She says that Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have the cultural values for an awakening of environmental consciousness, for example, the concept of “heaven and man are united as one” in Chinese philosophy.
Costas Synolakis, the Chair of Earth Sciences in the Academy of Athens, points out that “it’s great to see the different periods of Chinese history and how its art evolves”.
His research focuses on how people in ancient Greece and Rome understood and dealt with extreme disasters. He’s surprised to find that the ancient Chinese tried to control floods about 4,000 years ago when he visited Henan’s museums. “It’s around the 4th and 5th centuries BC that people in the Mediterranean started to understand that floods and earthquakes are natural phenomena. … It’s motivating for me to learn much more about Chinese culture, especially the recorded floods in its history.”
According to him, many people associate China’s history with its dynasties, but are not familiar with the country’s ancient capitals in Henan and how the Chinese shifted these ancient capitals in history. That’s why the trip has impressed him greatly.
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Department of Justice today issued a Policy Statement on the Incorporation of Mediation Clauses in Government Contracts to set out the Government’s policy stance and approach on promoting the use of mediation to resolve conflicts in an amicable way.
Another central objective for the declaration is to implement the policy initiative under the 2023 Policy Address on deepening mediation culture, consolidating the strategic positioning of Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region under the national policies.
The Mediation Clause Policy requires all government departments to incorporate mediation clauses in future government contracts, so as to further promote the use of mediation to resolve disputes first before resorting to arbitration or litigation.
The department pointed out that the Government has been committed to promoting the development of mediation in Hong Kong, encouraging a wider use of mediation by all sectors as a flexible and constructive approach in resolving disputes outside the courts to produce mutually acceptable settlements while keeping the risks, costs and time in control.
Mediation can help build a harmonious and stable society and foster a culture that embraces mutual support, respect, harmony and inclusiveness, it added.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said that by taking the lead to incorporate mediation clauses in government contracts, the Government hopes to encourage private companies to include similar mediation clauses in their contracts, further promoting a “mediate first” culture.
In conjunction with the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation’s headquarters in Hong Kong, the department will continue to implement policy measures of deepening the mediation culture to build Hong Kong as the capital for international mediation, he added.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Conrad Wasko, ARC DECRA Fellow in Hydrology, University of Sydney
Spain is still reeling from recent floods in the Valencia region. In some areas, a year’s worth of rain fell in a single day. Sudden torrents raced through towns and cities. Over 200 people are dead. Rapid analysis suggests daily rainfall extremes in this region and season have become twice as common over the last 75 years and become 12% more intense.
The World Meteorological Organisation has pointed out that climate change is steadily increasing the risk of extreme floods like these. Warmer air can hold more water vapour, about 7% more per degree Celsius of warming. More moisture generally leads to more intense rainfall, and therefore more extreme floods.
The physics of how temperature influences the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture has been known for close to 200 years. But we’ve learned something worrying more recently. When water vapour condenses to form rain droplets, it releases heat which can fuel stronger convection and boost updrafts of air currents in storms. This means the intensity of extreme rainfall could increase not just 7% per degree of warming, but over twice that rate.
Last week, CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology released their biennial report on the State of the Climate, which found “heavy short-term rainfall events are becoming more intense”. Australia, the report states, has already warmed 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. In recent years, extreme rains have triggered devastating floods in New South Wales and Queensland.
The question now is – are we prepared for these more damaging floods? This year, Australia updated the climate change section of Australia’s flood design guidance. But while this will help ensure that future infrastructure is better able to weather extreme floods, our current bridges, roads and stormwater drains have not been built to weather these increases in extreme rainfall. Similarly, our flood planning levels – used to determine where houses, offices, hospitals and so forth can be built – have generally not factored in the reality of the threat.
Many of us would have learned about the water cycle in school. Water evaporates from seas and lakes before falling as rain and filling lakes and rivers, which eventually makes it back to the sea.
Unfortunately, climate change is making this cycle more intense, as detailed in a recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Rain is more likely to fall in intense short-duration bursts which are more likely to trigger floods.
This year alone, we have seen disastrous and deadly floods from extreme storms across the Americas, Asia and Europe. Scientific analysis has showed these floods were more severe due to human-caused climate change.
Australia is not immune. The devastating northern New South Wales floods of 2022 took 24 lives and ravaged towns such as Lismore. These floods are the most expensive natural disaster to date in Australia, costing A$5.65 billion in damages.
When urban planners set flood planning levels, or engineers begin designing a new bridge or rail line, they have to take floods into account. To do so, they will inevitably reach for the local bible, Australia’s flood design guidance.
Before 2024, this document allowed for a 5% increase in rainfall intensity per degree of global warming, and generally applied it only to infrastructure intended for a very long lifespan. This clashed with most scientific studies on the topic both globally and in Australia, which showed much greater increases, and that these increases are already being witnessed.
To provide better flood guidance, we and our colleagues undertook a comprehensive review of over 300 scientific papers covering climate change in Australia and extreme rainfall.
The review proved we had been underestimating the threat of extreme rains and subsequent floods. Rain events over a 24-hour period leading to flooding are likely to increase at 8% per degree of warming, not 5%. Hourly rainfall extremes are likely increasing even faster, at 15% per degree.
Worse, these are just the central estimates. The wide range of plausible values suggests some rain events could eclipse these. For daily or longer extreme rains, the range is 2–15%. For hourly or shorter periods, that figure is 7–28% for hourly or shorter duration.
Over the month of February in 2022, the Lismore region had about 600–800 mm of rain – much more than a normal February, which might see closer to 150 mm on average. These floods took place with just 1.1°C of warming since the pre-industrial period. On our current path, it’s possible the world could warm another 1.5°C or more by the end of this century. If this happens, these rainfall totals could be substantially higher and more likely to cause even worse flood impacts.
These new figures have now been included in the August update of Australia’s flood design guidance. This is good news. It means future decisions on infrastructure and planning can now be well informed by the latest science on how climate change influences flood risk.
Over time, this will ensure essential infrastructure can be built to endure worse floods. It will affect the design and construction of everything from local stormwater drains to levees, bridges, culverts and dam spillways.
Local councils can use it to set the height of floor levels for property development. State and federal decision-makers can use it in planning for responses to flood emergencies.
Does it mean we can avoid disastrous floods like those in Spain and Lismore? Yes and no. We now have the knowledge and tools to adapt to the increased risk levels already arriving. Yet implementing this will be challenging. In many cases, it will require retrofitting or redesigning existing infrastructure to withstand more intense flooding.
Climate change is no longer something we can file under “problem for the future”. It’s here already. The flood risks we face today are already substantially worse than 25 years ago, and will continue to worsen. We must accelerate how we plan for extreme, rapid rainfall creating catastrophic floods like those in Spain.
Conrad Wasko receives funding from The University of Sydney and the Australian Research Council. Conrad has previously received funding from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Andrew Dowdy receives funding from University of Melbourne, including through the Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and the Melbourne Energy Institute.
Seth Westra is a Professor of Hydrology and Climate Risk at the University of Adelaide, Director of Research for the One Basin Cooperative Research Centre, and Chair of the Systems Cooperative. Seth receives funding from state and federal governments support decision making under hydrological or climatic uncertainty.
– ref. The extreme floods which devastated Spain are hitting more often. Is Australia ready for the next one? – https://theconversation.com/the-extreme-floods-which-devastated-spain-are-hitting-more-often-is-australia-ready-for-the-next-one-242686
Source: US Republican Governors Association
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Governors Association Chair and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued the following statement congratulating Governor Spencer Cox on winning re-election in Utah:
“Governor Spencer Cox’s leadership has transformed Utah into a national model of economic growth, innovation, and commonsense governance. In his first term, he delivered historic achievements, including $1.1 billion in tax cuts, record investments in education, and landmark reforms in water conservation and infrastructure.
“Governor Cox has been a strong advocate for mental health and expanding opportunities for all Utahans, especially in rural areas and diverse communities. The RGA is proud to congratulate Governor Cox on his re-election victory and looks forward to his continued efforts to keep Utah thriving.”
###
By Losirene Lacanivalu of the Cook Islands News
The leading Cook Islands environmental lobby group says that if Donald Trump wins the United States elections — and he seemed to be on target to succeed as results were rolling in tonight — he will push back on climate change negotiations made since he was last in office.
As voters in the US cast their votes on who would be the next president, Trump or US Vice-President Kamala Harris, the question for most Pacific Islands countries is what this will mean for them?
“If Trump wins, it will push back on any progress that has been made in the climate change negotiations since he was last in office,” said Te Ipukarea Society’s Kelvin Passfield.
“It won’t be good for the Pacific Islands in terms of US support for climate change. We have not heard too much on Kamala Harris’s climate policy, but she would have to be better than Trump.”
The current President Joe Biden and his administration made some efforts to connect with Pacific leaders.
Massey University’s Centre for Defence and Security Studies senior lecturer Dr Anna Powles said a potential win for Harris could be the fulfilment of the many “promises” made to the Pacific for climate financing, uplifting economies of the Pacific and bolstering defence security.
Dr Powles said Pacific leaders want Harris to deliver on the Pacific Partnership Strategy, the outcomes of the two Pacific Islands-US summits in 2022 and 2023, and the many diplomatic visits undertaken during President Biden’s presidency.
Diplomatic relationships
The Biden administration recognised Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign and independent states and established diplomatic relationships with them.
The Biden-Harris government had pledged to boost funding to the Green Climate Fund by US$3 billion at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
Harris has said in the past that climate change is an existential threat and has also promised to “tackle the climate crisis with bold action, build a clean energy economy, advance environmental justice, and increase resilience to climate disasters”.
Dr Powles said that delivery needed to be the focus.
She said the US Elections would no doubt have an impact on small island nations facing climate change and intensified geopolitics.
Dr Powles said it came as “no surprise” that countries such as New Zealand and Australia had increasingly aligned with the US, as the Biden administration had been leveraging strategic partnerships with Australia, New Zealand, and Japan since 2018.
She said a return to Trump’s leadership could derail ongoing efforts to build security architecture in the Pacific.
Pull back from Pacific
There are also views that Trump would pull back from the Pacific and focus on internal matters, directly impacting his nation.
For Trump, there is no mention of the climate crisis in his platform or Agenda47.
This is in line with the former president’s past actions, such as withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement in 2019, citing “unfair economic burdens” placed on American workers and businesses.
Trump has maintained his position that the climate crisis is “one of the great scams of all time”.
Republished with permission from the Cook Islands News and RNZ Pacific.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement in response to election returns indicating that Republicans have won the majority in the Senate:
“Tonight, the American people have roundly rejected Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrat majority’s years of disastrous border policies, reckless spending, and failed management that has caused the Senate to lurch from one avoidable crisis to the next. Chuck Schumer has broken the Senate, but I’m confident our new conservative majority can restore our institution to the essential role it serves in our constitutional republic.
“From my experience both as Whip advancing President Trump’s agenda through the Senate to serving as a rank-and-file member now, I have learned what works and what does not. We will restore the important role of Senate committees and reestablish the regular appropriations process. We will improve communication, increase transparency, and tap into the wealth of talent in the conference to include everyone’s expertise and opinions. And we will return power back to the members; there will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate, and amendment.
“As I’ve said, this election is not about us but rather what is best for the conference and the nation. I look forward to working with President Trump and our new conservative majority to make America great again by making the Senate work again.”
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
This weekend, visitors to the Moskino Cinema Park will be able to travel to the lands of Red Rus’ in the 11th century and witness the bloody struggle for territories bordering the Polish Principality. On November 9 and 10, reenactors will recreate events related to the campaigns of Yaroslav the Wise. Thematic excursions, exhibitions and historical master classes have also been prepared for guests. Live music will also be playing in the cinema park all weekend.
Entrance to events on November 9 and 10 by tickets. You can buy and pay for them only online, cash payment is not provided. In case of visiting only the cinema, purchasing a ticket to enter the Moskino cinema park is not required. Parking in a personal car when visiting the cinema park is free.
These days, the Moskino cinema park will become the arena of events from 1030–1031. The border towns of Przemysl and Cherven, first annexed after the Baptism of Rus during the reign of Vladimir the Saint, had been the subject of a dispute between the neighbors since the 10th century. It was these lands that Yaroslav’s brother Svyatopolk the Accursed gave to the Polish king in exchange for troops to help in the struggle for power over Rus. Prince Yaroslav the Wise put an end to his brother’s claims and recaptured the territories on the border with Poland.
Guests of the Moskino cinema park will see military shows and professional productions dedicated to the events of those years. At 11:00 and 16:00 viewers will see the drill training of squads dressed in authentic costumes of warriors of those times.
At the Cathedral Square site at 12:00 you can cheer for the participants of the squad tournament, and at 14:00 you can listen to a lecture on “Clothing of the inhabitants of Rus”. At 17:30 you can see the battle of the troops of Yaroslav the Wise and the army of the Polish king Boleslav I. About 80 people will take part in the detailed reconstruction.
At 15:00 in the culinary lecture hall, everyone will be shown how to prepare dishes according to old and traditional recipes. Among them are meat and bean soups, homemade cheese, smoked brisket, onion jam, as well as juicy chicken on the fire, pork ribs smoked in a cauldron and hearty pork roast.
These days, the cinema park will organize three excursion routes at once through several exhibitions. The first exhibition will show unique costumes from the 9th–11th centuries, the second will demonstrate various military equipment from the 11th century. During a visit to the third exhibition, guests will learn the most interesting details related to the life of Rus’ in the 11th century. The excursions last 20 minutes and will take place in turns throughout the day — from 10:00 to 18:00. The meeting place is the stele near the display cases with historical exhibits.
At the master classes, participants will be offered to try themselves in the role of a blacksmith and candle maker, master the technique of printing on fabric, the basics of calligraphy and carpet weaving, learn the basics of wood and soapstone carving, and also take part in the production of beads and amulet dolls, practice minting coins and soap making. Guests will learn how jewelers worked without microscopes and bright lighting, how armor was created, visit a warrior school and military training classes, and visit a gunsmith and tanner.
And military equipment from the 20th century can be seen in the parking lot in front of the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Equipment. The exhibition “Behind the Ribbon” presents airborne and infantry armored vehicles, support vehicles such as the BMD-1, BTR-60, BTR-70, Ural-375, GAZ-66, BTR-60 and others.
On 25 sites of the cinema park, all comers will find active games and other events. For example, you can shoot a bow, fight on tyambars and manually start a fire. Guests will also be offered to play board games “Tavley”, “Mill”, “Fox and Geese”, “Daldosa”.
You can also take a fascinating journey through your favorite films. For example, the Uyezdny Gorod site will host the premiere of a staged shoot based on Mikhail Kozakov’s famous film Pokrovskie Vorota. Guests will be able to play their favorite characters: Velyurov, Kostik, Margarita, or Khobotov. The shoot will take place from 10:00 to 18:00.
The Pitersky Bar venue will turn into the legendary Three Minnows tavern from the Buratino fairy tale. Guests will act out a scene fragment together with the fox Alice and the cat Basilio. You can take a souvenir photo dressed as the fairytale character.
At the Moscow in the 1940s site, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the post-war capital, try on the image of the heroes of that time and take photos.
In the educational center of the Moskino cinema park, young Muscovites will take part in master classes. Thus, at the string art master class, children, under the guidance of experienced craftsmen, will create works of art by forming images from threads. And at another, they will make a movie clapperboard, a device used for sound synchronization during filming. Children will be taught how to depict emotions using face painting and oil paint at a master class on face painting with special paints. Participation in the master classes is paid.
On the first floor of the educational center you can also buy a ticket for a walking tour. Starting at 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00.
Children are welcome in the Fairytale Park. In the castle, they will learn teamwork when moving cubes from one sector to another, and will demonstrate their accuracy in the Ring Toss. And at the Snake Catcher station, children will have a fun game with a rope and islands. In addition, children will take part in the Horseman relay race with a toy horse and sword, the Spinner game, and in balls.
All visitors to the Media Academy of the film park will be able to unleash their creative potential this coming weekend. There will be classes on acting, where they will teach how to create memorable images, tell the secrets of stage speech, plasticity and movement, and also introduce various acting techniques.
Guests are also welcome to a dance master class, where participants will be able to create their own style of movement to music. And in the “Sing Like in the Movies!” classes, vocal teachers will teach you how to control your breathing, help you understand how to work with the diaphragm and make your voice beautiful and expressive. Entrance is paid.
Musical groups will perform at the Gonzaga Theatre. They will play pieces on ancient instruments such as the duduk and the bugle. In addition, viewers will be able to learn all the secrets of sword fights and understand how the knights fought in the legendary Soviet film The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe, the box office leader of 1983.
At the Moskino Kinopark cinema, adults will be able to watch the drama Love of the Soviet Union, which tells about the fates of people in the 1930s, and the film Time to Live, starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. For fans of family films, the program includes a new film, The Return of Kesha the Parrot. Guests will also enjoy fairy-tale adventures in the new fantasy Tinderbox, filmed in Karelia and in the reserves of the Novgorod Region. Tickets can be purchased on the website.
Immerse yourself in the world of cinema, try yourself in various creative directions and simply enjoy free time with family and friends – this is the unique opportunity that the Moskino cinema park offers its guests.
The Moskino Cinema Park, which is part of the Moscow Cinema Cluster, is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project. The first stage of its development has already been completed: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built. Among them are the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow in the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.
The capital’s film cluster also includes the Maxim Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proezd), the Moskino cinema chain, the Moskino film factory, the Moskino film commission, and the Moskino film platform.
The President of Russia and the Mayor of Moscow ceremoniously opened the Moskino cinema parkFrom Ancient Rus’ to Our Time: Which Sites of the Moskino Cinema Park Can You Immerse Yourself in Different ErasVitebsk railway station, Cathedral square and the plane cabin. Exploring the Moskino cinema park
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://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/146236073/
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The High Court has struck down the Albanese government’s law enabling it to impose ankle bracelets and curfews on the more than 200 non-citizens it released from immigration detention in 2023 after an earlier decision by the court.
Wednesday’s decision, by a five-two majority, found the measures “punitive” and an infringement of the constitution.
The plaintiff in the case was a stateless Eritrean who was released from immigration detention last November. He was later charged with six offences for failing to comply with his monitoring and curfew conditions. The charges are pending in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria. His earlier criminal record includes a 2017 conviction for offences of burglary and causing injury.
Legislation for the measures was rushed through parliament a year ago, in response to the release of the detainees, many of whom had serious criminal records, including for murder, rape and assault.
During consideration of the bill, the opposition forced the government to toughen it – from providing for the measures only where needed for community safety, to saying the minister must act unless satisfied the person did not pose a risk.
At the time constitutional experts such as Anne Twomey, from the University of Sydney,nas well as the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills expressed doubts about the legislation.
Twomey wrote: “the effects of the political bidding war to be seen as the ‘toughest’ and most punitive towards non-citizens will make it infinitely harder for Commonwealth lawyers to defend these measures in the courts”.
The opposition said in a statement the effect of the court decision would be that “215 dangerous non-citizen offenders including 12 murderers, 66 sex offenders, 97 people convicted of assault, 15 domestic violence perpetrators and others will be free in the community without any monitoring or curfews”.
It said since being released, 65 of these people had been charged with new state or territory offences, with 45 remaining free in the community.
Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said regulations were being finalised for “an adjusted process” for electronic monitoring and curfews. “I will sign off on these regulations later today.”
Burke said that on Thursday he would introduce new legislation to support the regulations. That legislation would also strengthen the government’s power to remove to third countries people whose visas had been cancelled.
“The court decision is not the one the government wanted – but it is one the government has prepared for,” Burke said.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Government to introduce urgent legislation after High Court strikes down law to monitor former immigration detainees – https://theconversation.com/government-to-introduce-urgent-legislation-after-high-court-strikes-down-law-to-monitor-former-immigration-detainees-243027
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Trust in politicians is at an all-time low, not only in Australia but across the world. Now more than ever, people are demanding a higher standard for our elected officials.
The row over flight upgrades and the Qantas lounge has reinforced distrust.
So has the strong criticism of the head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Paul Brereton, in his conduct over referrals from the Robodebt royal commission. The Inspector of the NACC found Brereton, who had a conflict of interest because he knew one of the people, had not properly recused himself from the consideration of whether the NACC should investigate the referrals.
Independent MP Helen Haines, who holds the Victorian seat of Indi, has long focused on integrity issues, and she joined us on the podcast.
Haines, who is deputy chair of the parliamentary committee with oversight of the NACC, says the new body – which she strongly believes is surrounded by too much secrecy – has not started well:
We are just over one year in, but I’d have to say that the National Anti-Corruption Commission has got off to a disappointing start, given the Robodebt incident and the subsequent inquiry by the Inspector.
The [parliamentary] oversight committee will have the opportunity very soon – in a public hearing on the 22nd of November, when the Commissioner comes before us in regard to the annual report of the NACC – to ask him questions. And I certainly will be giving full consideration to what line of questioning needs to happen in that committee in order to unpack the events of the past year.
Will that committee make a decision on whether Commissioner Brereton should be asked to resign?
I think what happens next will be determined by what the committee unpacks in that public hearing. But I think, to be clear, that under the legislation, our committee has powers to review the performance of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners. So that’s what we’ll be doing.
On grant programs, Haines says the Albanese government is pork barrelling, just as the Coalition did:
It’s a really strong example of the two major parties and the duopoly they hold. They wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work. But there are ways that we can remedy this. I’ve put forward twice in the parliament now a piece of private member’s legislation that would bring an end to pork barrelling. It would mean that eligibility criteria and guidelines by legislation must be published before grant moneys are allocated.
It would re-institute parliamentary oversight of these grant programs. And it would make sure that in circumstances where the department had recommended particular projects but a minister wished to make a different decision to override that, which may be quite legitimate, but that the minister would need to come into the House and explain that.
When she is reminded one argument for a vote for an independent in her seat of Indi, when her predecessor Cathy McGowan ran, had been to make it more competitive in attracting promises, she says:
Now I think that’s regrettable. I think, though, it’s a symptom of the cynicism that everyday citizens feel when the major parties have what they consider safe seats and what they consider marginal seats.
I think that what I’ve learnt as a member of parliament is that we never fix the system if we remain that cynical. I think we need to say, what’s the problem here? The problem is that the major parties are using taxpayer dollars for political purposes and that, yes, you can feel angry, disappointed and, in fact, so cynical that you take the approaches, as we did in Indi, to say, well, we need to change our representation.
I’m saying it’s no wonder people buy into that when there’s no remedy. I want to see a remedy.
On her decision to this week to cancel her membership of the Qantas chairman’s lounge and its Virgin equivalent:
For me, the potential or perceived conflict of interest or actual conflict of interest that may arise from holding such a membership when I’m a legislator is a risk that I’m not willing to take now.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Independent Helen Haines says the NACC has had ‘disappointing start’, and the government is pork barrelling – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-independent-helen-haines-says-the-nacc-has-had-disappointing-start-and-the-government-is-pork-barrelling-243029
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to promote high-quality development of social work in the new era.
In a recent instruction on social work, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, highlighted the need to promote social governance under socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor
This is a rolling guide to articles and audio published by The Conversation in the immediate run-up to and aftermath of the election, with some explainers about the process. This page is updated from the top, so older references are moved down the page.
Good morning world. The United States has made its choice. And, as of 5am Donald Trump and the Republican Party will be the happier contenders, having so far won the most electoral college votes and the first swing states of North Carolina and Georgia, as well as regaining control of the Senate.
It’s been a turbulent four months since outgoing president Joe Biden announced he was terminating his bid for a second term and the battlelines between the two candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris were drawn. Soon we will know who will lead the US for the next four years.
From here, with the help of some of the sharpest analysts of US politics, we’ll keep you updated and informed as the situation develops.
To get an idea of the scale of the task of counting votes, take a look at the below map of the US colour-coded by poll closing times. How long the count could take is anyone’s guess at this stage. Each state has its own rules.
Ahead of the polls closing Richard Hargy, an expert in US politics from Queen’s University Belfast, wrote a guide to the process, when the votes are counted and when we might start to see results.
Read more:
US election: what time do the polls close and when will the results be known? An expert explains
Delays are baked into the process, such as Pennsylvania, which doesn’t allow votes cast before election day or ballots posted in to be counted until polls close, which was at 8pm (1am GMT).
So we’ll just have to be patient. In the mean time, you can also read Hargy’s explainer on the “electoral college” system, which can mean that the candidate with the most votes may not win the presidency.
Read more:
US election: how does the electoral college voting system work?
Scott Lucas, professor of international politics at University College Dublin, believes that in a cliffhanger election, a clue to the outcome may be in the size of turnout. More than 80 million Americans voted early – around half of the total turnout in 2020 and around one-third of the eligible electorate.
The 80 million figure takes on added significance with the recognition that it is not that distant from the 104 million who participated early in the “pandemic” election four years ago. And that 2020 ballot, with 158.4 million votes and almost 67% participation, was the largest turnout since 1900.
Who does that favour? Probably Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Trumpists will turn out for their man come hell or high water. The large question mark has been whether potential Harris voters would sit on their hands, whether from lack of enthusiasm or dissatisfaction on issues such as Israel’s open-ended war on Gaza.
Any prediction in this election is a risk. But it might be worth setting a marker: if turnout matches or exceeds the record set in 2020, Kamala Harris could be on the way to the White House.
During the campaign there have been two assassination attempts on former president Trump as well as arson attacks on ballot boxes and ballots damaged. In Arizona the Democratic party was forced to close one of its offices after it had been shot at three times.
Dafydd Townley, a fellow in international security at Portsmouth University, believes that there could be a reluctance to accept the result and that this could result in further disturbances. He has written about how much violence there has been during this campaign.
Read more:
US election: officials are issued with panic buttons as attacks on ballot boxes continue
Rhianna Garrett, PhD researcher and global coordinator of the critical mixed race studies executive board at Loughborough University, says that Trump’s campaign has been “littered with attempts to weaponise” the multiracial heritage of his Democrat opponent Kamala Harris.
Much of this has been a dog-whistle attempt to stir up his own base, partly with fairly blatant appeals to latent feelings of racism, but also as a tool to position Harris as deceiving and untrustworthy by apparently blurring and shifting her own background.
In August, not long after Harris took over the Democrat ticket from Biden, Trump appeared at the National Association of Black Journalists conference when he wrongfully claimed that Harris was changing her identity, stating: “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black, So I don’t know. Is she Indian or is she Black?”.
For her part, Harris’s campaign has also used her multiracial heritage to further their political agendas. On the White House website, she is described as “the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American” to hold a vice-presidential position, which has effectively attempted to position her as a winner. Harris herself has also foregrounded “race” on her campaign website. In attempt to attack Trump’s campaign, she strategically aims to promote Black and Latino men specifically, as well as women’s rights. These are key voter groups she has aimed to mobilise through identity politics.
Donald Trump widened his appeal to male voters in this election, with polling indicating that he was picking up more support from Black and Latino men, as well as more young men more widely.
One reason for this may be that in 2024 young men are more conservative than any other group in the US. Another reason why gender has become a divisive issue is the overturning of Roe v Wade, the legal case that gave American women abortion rights.
Read more on the gender divide in this article from Natasha Lindstaedt, a professor of government at Essex University.
Read more:
US election: why more men and fewer white women say they will vote for Trump
Julie Posetti, professor of journalism at City St George’s, University of London, and global director of research at the International Center for Journalists, recently conducted a survey of more than 1,000 Americans on their attitudes to the press.
Breaking down the results, they were able to build a picture of what people in the US think of targeting journalists for criticism and even abuse. You can read all about the study here.
Channel 4 is showing pictures of the Trump party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, where the Maga faithful are celebrating the news that it appears that Trump has retaken Georgia in his second swing-state victory. Their idol is expected to join them soon.
While we wait for him to speak, here’s a fascinating piece on Trump’s rhetorical style by Loren D. Marsh of the Humboldt University of Berlin. His speeches have been ridiculed by his opponents during the campaign. They say he’s unfocused, rambling and at times nonsensical. He calls it the “weave” and says it’s genius. Marsh says that whatever you may think, it seems to work for his supporters.
Far from being a liability or an indication he is incapable of staying on message, Trump’s “weave” may well be his intuitive rhetorical strategy, a way of taking control of the media narrative.
Read more:
Trump’s speeches are chaotic, rambling, and extremely effective. Aristotle can explain why
Natasha
– ref. US election results: Trump leads electoral college votes as Republicans regain Senate – https://theconversation.com/us-election-results-trump-leads-electoral-college-votes-as-republicans-regain-senate-241711
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in International Security, University of Portsmouth
Donald Trump looked poised to take some key battleground states this morning as votes continue to be counted. The Republicans were also being predicted to take control of the Senate.
North Carolina with its 16 electoral college votes was called for Trump in the early hours of the morning, and another key east coast state, Georgia and its 16 electoral college votes, was also predicted to have been gained by Trump. Trump won other major states, from Iowa to Texas, with a strong showing at the polls.
As well as this, Republicans have taken back control of the Senate as they were forecast to, after Democrats lost their slender lead. If Trump is victorious, this will provide him with the congressional support he needs to get his appointees ratified and pass laws without obstruction.
Turnout has been impressive and initial speculation is that Trump has surpassed his rural support from 2020 while Democrat Kamala Harris only matched the suburban numbers that Biden achieved four years ago. NBC exit polls also showed Trump had more support from voters under 30 than any Republican candidate since 2008.
The BBC reported that early exit polls indicated that voters were most concerned with the state of the democracy (35%) with the economy coming a close second (31%).
These concerns have led to a turnout that will be just below the 2020 figures, according to Professor Michael McDonald, of the University of Florida.
In too-close-to-call battleground state Pennsylvania, it was reported that voters were queueing in their hundreds over an hour before the polls opened at 7am.
In Michigan, another key state in the election, officials said that those voters who had voted early – both the absentee and in-person votes – numbered almost as many as the total votes for the 2020 election.
Michigan’s Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, said that the state was “on pace to see another high turnout election with voters all across the state enthusiastic and engaged”. And much of it was done in a good atmosphere with election chairperson Jennifer Jenkins telling reporters that it was “good vibes all around”.
Concerns about whether election day would pass peacefully have not kept voters away.
As revealed in a memo obtained by the non-partisan group, Property of the People, the Department of Homeland Security had issued a warning in September that election infrastructure was “an attractive target for some domestic violent extremists” particularly those with “election-related grievances” who seek to disrupt the democratic process and election operations.
In the nation’s capital, Washington DC, police arrested a man who was stopped during the screening process at the US Capitol visitor centre. Authorities stated that he smelled like gasoline and had a torch lighter, flare gun and papers he intended to deliver to Congress.
Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, speaking at a press conference shortly after the incident, stated that “there is no indication right now that it had anything to do with the election”.
The greatest threat to the smooth running of the election on polling day seemed not to come from domestic perpetrators but from foreign interference, particularly in the crucial swing state races.
Several polling stations in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona and Wisconsin were the victims of hoax bomb threats that caused temporary closures of the sites. The threats were believed to be sent by emails that were traced back to Russian email domains.
In Navajo County in Arizona, four polling stations were the target of bomb threats. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told reporters that election officials in the state had “no reason to believe that any of our voters or any of our polling places are in any sort of jeopardy.”
“We also have reason to believe, although I won’t get into specifics, that this comes from one of our foreign enemies, namely Russia,” he continued.
In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro announced at a press conference that there had been multiple bomb threats at polling stations and municipal centres across the state.
Shapiro, who was at one time thought of as a potential running mate for Harris, revealed that “state and local law enforcement – along with the FBI – are investigating these threats and thus far, there is no credible threat to the public”.
This came after reports emerged of at least ten polling locations in Philadelphia and in surrounding areas were sent a bomb threat via email at 6pm local time.
Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger accused Russia of being the cause of the threats aimed at polling locations in the southern state. “They don’t want us to have a smooth, fair and accurate election, and if they can get us to fight among ourselves, they can count that as a victory,” he told reporters.
The FBI stated that it was aware of the threats and that many appeared “to originate from Russian email domains”. The Russian embassy in Washington denied the threats.
Last Thursday, Georgia was also the subject of what the US intelligence community called a disinformation campaign designed to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election result through an online video that “depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia”.
Researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina identified the work as being that of Russian disinformation group Storm -1516. Darren Linvill of Clemson University, stated that Russian group had “turned their focus squarely on the US election.”
And the integrity of this election took a further hit when Republican candidate Donald Trump made unfounded accusations on social media platform Truth Social of election fraud in Philadelphia, a must-win state for the former president.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said through a spokesperson that “the only talk about massive cheating has come from one of the candidates, Donald J. Trump. There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation”.
Experts have warned that such campaigns could give momentum to accusations that the election is not legitimate and that this, in turn, could trigger post-election violence.
As the results come in, America holds it breath that any potential transition of power will be more peaceful than four years ago.
Dafydd Townley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Trump takes first swing states of North Carolina and Georgia after voting passes peacefully – https://theconversation.com/trump-takes-first-swing-states-of-north-carolina-and-georgia-after-voting-passes-peacefully-242716
Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The capital’s restorers are returning the original appearance of historical buildings in Moscow. In doing so, the specialists pay special attention to details. About this in his telegram channel written by Sergei Sobyanin.
“The architectural appearance of the capital has been formed over many centuries. Characteristic features
objects of cultural heritage give unique details. At restorations “They are always given special attention,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.
Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin
For example, now specialists The skylights of the P.I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall are being restored. These special roof structures are a rare element. They are necessary for natural lighting of the premises.
Craftsmen are also working on the facades of O. P. Korobkova’s mansion on Pyatnitskaya Street. The comprehensive restoration of the building was completed in 2015. It’s time to slightly update the base and tidy up the stucco decor, including the main decoration of the mansion – the supporting supports in the form of female figures. According to legend, one of the caryatids was created based on the portrait of the mistress of the house.
“They plan to put in order the massive stucco shield of the apartment building with the Alpine Rose restaurant on Pushchnaya Street. The facades, granite facing of the base, elements of the baluster with a handrail, finishing of the half-columns, flowerpots and pedestals of the parapet fencing of the roof will also be restored,” added Sergei Sobyanin.
In addition, restorers are going to return the historical appearance of the facades of the L.Ya. Geltishcheva mansion in Sredniy Ovchinnikovsky Lane. They will have to work especially carefully on the paired name monogram on the main facade, since the left one was completely lost.
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://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11994050/
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Correctional officers at Lo Wu Correctional Institution stopped a female person in custody attacking staff members today (November 6).
At 8.19am today, a 44-year-old female person in custody suddenly became emotional and attacked two correctional officers inside the Day Orderly Officer’s office. Officers at the scene immediately stopped the assailant and applied OC foam to subdue her after repeated warnings were ignored.
During the incident, an officer sustained injuries to her shoulders and hands, while another officer sustained injuries to her head, arms and knee. After examination and treatment by the Medical Officer at the institution hospital, they were sent to a public hospital for further treatment. The assailant sustained injuries to her head and arms. She did not need to be sent to a public hospital after examination and treatment by the institution Medical Officer.
The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.
The assailant was sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of possession of forged identity cards in October 2024.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Luk Chung-hung and a reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):
Question:
There are views that most waste furniture is reusable, and for Hong Kong, collaborating with the Mainland in waste treatment is not only a superior mode of co-operation leveraging on the strong support of the motherland, but also crucial to the city’s efforts in reducing waste generation, turning waste into resources, and promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the quantity of waste furniture disposal as measured by weight in the past five years, together with a breakdown by household furniture and commercial furniture;
(2) as some members of the public have relayed that at present, they have to deliver waste furniture to public refuse collection points themselves, which is very physically demanding, whether the Government will, by drawing reference from the practice of treating and recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment, introduce a producer responsibility scheme on furniture, and commission contractors to provide services for to-the-door collection of waste furniture and the delivery of used furniture in suitable conditions as a donation to the underprivileged groups, so as to assist members of the public in the disposal of waste furniture and promote the turning of waste into resources; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as it is learnt that Hong Kong will explore with the Mainland the integration of waste resources in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, whether the Government will consider collaborating with the Mainland in creating new green industries for the treatment of household or commercial waste furniture that has a value and is reusable, and establishing a “green lane” for exporting waste furniture to the Mainland with the provision of tax incentives; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government has all along been attaching great importance to promoting the culture of “use less, waste less”, and vigorously promoting community-wide participation in waste reduction at source and clean recycling, with a view to achieving full utilisation of materials and minimisation of resources wastage. The Government’s support to the recycling industry is primarily based on the principles of market economy and fair competition. Meanwhile, consideration is also given to the feasibility of converting different types of waste into energy or resources, as well as the cost effectiveness of recycling, when determining priority and appropriate measures for various types of recyclables. In view of the diverse types of waste, in order to optimise the use of government resources, the priority of Government’s support measures will be accorded to the treatment of two types of wastes, including (i) wastes containing hazardous substances, which will pose hazards to the environment and human health (such as waste electrical and electronic products), and (ii) wastes of relatively large quantities that will be more cost-effective in alleviating burden on the landfills (such as waste plastics and food waste). For these two types of wastes, we will fill the gaps in the market through appropriate measures based on the relative economic value and environmental benefits of recycling. As regards recyclables with stable market value or items with an active second-hand market, the Government will allow the recycling industry and the private market to handle them in accordance with market principles which will be conducive to enhancing the economic value of recovery and recycling, thereby building a circular economy in the long run.
On the handling of used furniture, the second-hand market and trading platforms for used furniture are active in Hong Kong, and members of the public are aware of the mode of operation of the relevant market. For example, members of the public could arrange for the proper disposal of used furniture through furniture companies or trading platforms, or arrange for door-to-door collection by themselves in the course of purchasing new furniture.
The reply to the question raised by the Hon Luk Chung-hung is as follows:
(1) The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) does not keep separate statistics on the amount of furniture disposed of and thus is unable to provide relevant figures.
(2) At present, there are different channels and platforms in the market for second-hand sale, exchange, donation, refurbishment, and facilitating the reuse of furniture, including commercial organisations, social enterprises, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social media, to assist members of the public to handle used furniture. The public may choose suitable channels for trading, exchanging or donating their used furniture according to different circumstances and needs, such as the quality and quantity of the furniture, as well as their district of residence.
If members of the public need to dispose of used furniture, there are companies that provide furniture disposal services, the charges of which depend on the size, type and weight of individual furniture, as well as the relevant removal condition and the districts concerned. On the other hand, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and its contractors collect domestic waste, including disposed furniture, from its public refuse collection points, as well as the refuse collection points in public and private housing estates. Some residential buildings employ their own contractors to deliver disposed furniture by their residents, from the refuse collection points of their residential buildings to the public refuse collection points under the FEHD, or directly to the refuse transfer stations or landfills under the EPD for disposal. The arrangement for relevant disposal services has been operating effectively, and is generally in line with the “polluter pays” principle. Therefore, at present, we do not consider it necessary for the Government to provide door-to-door disposal services for used furniture for the public through a designated operator.
As most of the furniture is made of composite materials, containing a wide range of substances, such as plastics, wood trimmings, wood or other plant fibres, these composite materials are difficult to be separated into single materials for recycling by simple means, leading to very high cost of recycling and relatively higher carbon footprint in the process of recycling. Therefore, recycling is generally not a suitable outlet for used furniture. Encouraging members of the public to reuse the used furniture would better comply with the environmental principles and should be more cost-effective than recovery and recycling through producer responsibility schemes or other measures.
(3) We will continue to promote waste reduction at different levels of the community, maintain communication with the trade and stakeholders and join hands to publicise and promote the culture of “use less, waste less”, so as to cultivate a culture and habit of reusing, exchanging and donating used furniture in the society. Specific measures include collaborating with NGOs to explore ways to step up publicity and education on the donation or exchange of second-hand furniture at the community level, promoting the culture of “use less, waste less” through the Big Waster’s social media platform and the Government’s “Hong Kong Waste Reduction Website”, as well as further disseminating the relevant message at the district level through the community network of the “Green Outreach”.
As for the co-operation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Ecological Environmental Protection Plan” promulgated by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment vigorously promotes the development of a “Zero Waste” Bay Area. With this opportunity, Guangdong and Hong Kong have established a close co-operation and exchange mechanism on environmental issues to jointly explore the capacity and modes for developing a circular economy in the region, leveraging the competitive advantages of the two places, complementing each other’s strengths, and mutually developing green industries, green energy and related facilities. We believe that this will bring greater opportunities for the recycling industry in Hong Kong in the future.
We will continue to monitor the market situation and maintain communication with the trade, with a view to further fostering a culture of “use less, waste less” in the community and encouraging the reuse and donation of used furniture.
Thank you, President.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Buildings Department (BD) will hold Building Safety Carnivals at Tuen Mun Town Plaza Phase One and Olympian City Two on November 9 and 10 (Saturday and Sunday); and November 16 and 17 (Saturday and Sunday) respectively.
Building Safety Carnival is one of the major events of Building Safety Weeks 2024. The carnival will feature game booths with an aim to help members of the public acquire proper building safety knowledge in a fun and engaging way. Participants will receive souvenirs upon completion of the games. The BD’s mascots Ah Build and Ah Ding will also attend to meet visitors and pose for photos.
Details of the Building Safety Carnival are as follows:
Date: November 9 and 10 (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 11am to 8pm
Venue: Main Atrium, 1/F, Tuen Mun Town Plaza I
Date: November 16 and 17 (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 11am to 8pm
Venue: Event Hall, G/F, Olympian City 2
Admission is free and members of the public are welcome.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Robert Lee and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):
Question:
The 2024 Policy Address has proposed to propel Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre and create a commodity trading ecosystem, so as to further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has recently announced the expansion plan of the Hong Kong International Airport Precious Metals Depository, under which its vaulting capacity will be expanded up to 1 000 tonnes in phases, whether the Government knows the timetable of the expansion plan, and how AAHK will make full use of the potential of the facility;
(2) how the Government will make good use of the only exchange in Hong Kong which trades physical gold and silver, i.e. the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society, so that it can actively tie in with the Government’s policies to propel Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre;
(3) regarding the development of Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre, of the Government’s initial thinking on improving the relevant financial infrastructures and support (e.g. mode of regulation, bank account opening process, testing and certification of gold, talent training, etc.), as well as helping the industry enhance its service quality to align with international standards;
(4) given that the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration Regime (the Regime) was implemented on April 1 last year, of the implementation situation of the Regime (including the number of applications); whether the Government has reviewed the effectiveness of the Regime, as well as its burden and impact on the operation of the industry;
(5) given that some members of the industry have suggested that the Government should strive to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as soon as possible, so that the industry can enjoy zero tariff for exporting gold and other precious metals from Hong Kong to RCEP member states, of the current progress of Hong Kong’s application for accession to RCEP, and whether the Government has assessed the impact of RCEP accession on enhancing the global competitiveness of Hong Kong’s precious metals industry; and
(6) whether the Government has studied how to strengthen the co-operation between the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and major commodities and futures exchanges in the Mainland, so as to contribute to enhancing our country’s pricing power in the international commodities market?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with relevant bureaux including the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, our consolidated reply to the six parts of the question is as follows:
(1) to (3) and (6)The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee) adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. The Resolution calls on Hong Kong to fully harness the institutional strengths of “one country, two systems” while consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre.
In the Policy Address this year, the Chief Executive has emphasised the need to explore new growth areas. Building an international gold trading centre is a new growth point for Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance its status as an international financial centre. Gold serves as a crucial anchor in the precious metals category, possessing multiple attributes as a commodity, a reserve asset, and an investment product. Under increasing global political and economic uncertainties, gold is one of the key hedging tools. With the geopolitical environment becoming more complex and some regional situations remaining unclear, it is expected that global demand for gold will remain substantial. Many investors would like to store physical gold in different geographical locations, which presents opportunities for Hong Kong to develop the gold market.
Financial trading of gold generally refers to investors on the basis of needs making use of standard or tailored contracts to buy and sell physical gold or related spot or futures financial products (e.g. funds, forwards, swaps and futures). Experiences of overseas trading show that commodity markets, including those specialising in financial trading of gold, have their own characteristics. It takes time to build up trading and the ecosystem. While Hong Kong has the potential for both on and off-exchange transactions, the relevant development requires detailed planning and a gradual and orderly progression.
As the first step, the Government will focus on the development of world-class gold storage facilities, thereby attracting more investors and users to store gold in Hong Kong. Since 2009, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has been operating the Precious Metals Depository at the Hong Kong International Airport to provide storage and physical settlement services for precious metals. As the depository is nearing its full capacity, AAHK is planning to expand the storage in support of the Government’s initiative to develop world-class gold storage facilities and establish Hong Kong as an international gold trading centre. The expansion will be implemented in phases. During the initial phase, the capacity will be increased from the existing 150 tonnes to 200 tonnes, which will further be increased to up to 1 000 tonnes in subsequent phases with room reserved for further development. The Government is also pleased to see the industry’s other plans to establish or expand gold storage, and will provide appropriate assistance if necessary.
Based on increased storage, we expect to scale up associated support services in insurance, testing and certification, logistics, etc, while in parallel expanding related transactions including collateral, loan and hedging, hence creating a comprehensive ecosystem. This will drive all-round multi-currency trading, clearing and delivery, as well as the development of the regulatory system, thereby establishing a holistic gold trading centre with an industry chain. We will also as appropriate explore mutual access with the Mainland financial market, covering spot and futures markets.
In the proactive development of gold trading in Hong Kong, the wisdom, contributions and concerted efforts of different sectors involved are needed. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau will set up a working group within this year to formulate plans on enhancing the trading and regulatory mechanisms of the market. Topics to be looked into will include gold supply and demand, product development, application of standards, clearing mechanism, logistics and storage, testing and certification, talent training, promotion in the Mainland and overseas regions, cross-boundary collaboration, etc. We are considering the composition of the working group, which will encompass industry professionals and local exchanges (e.g. the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange). We will also communicate and liaise with the Mainland exchanges concerned.
(4) In response to the fourth round of mutual evaluation report completed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) from 2018 to 2019, which proposed that Hong Kong should regulate precious metals and stones dealers, we amended the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615) in 2022 to introduce the regulatory regime for precious metals and stones dealers. The regime implemented from April 1, 2023 is administered by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED). Anyone who intends to conduct business on precious metals and stones in Hong Kong and conducts transactions (whether making or receiving payments) totaling HK$120,000 or more in Hong Kong in the course of the business must apply to C&ED for registration. As of end-September 2024, C&ED has registered 8 000 dealers. Overall, the regime has been operating smoothly.
C&ED is proactive in conducting publicity to the industry and the public, by means of distributing promotional videos through different channels, holding public lectures, and conducting territory-wide outreach activities to communicate with dealers. Meanwhile, C&ED has provided relevant guidance to the industry, and set up an online system to receive and process applications, providing convenience for dealers to apply for registration. C&ED has also established the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Sector Advisory Group to liaise with different industry stakeholders periodically. Since the implementation of the regime, the industry has responded positively, generally expressing understanding of the need for the regime and actively co-operating in fulfilling Hong Kong’s responsibilities as a member of FATF.
The regime effectively regulates registered precious metals and stones dealers in implementing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements in compliance with international standards. The Government will continue to monitor market conditions and risks, and analyse transaction information submitted by registered dealers in formulating comprehensive strategies and prioritising regulatory actions to enhance the effectiveness of the regime.
(5) The development of financial trading of gold will also help further consolidate gold trade and related retail businesses. The Government has been actively seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Right after RCEP came into force on January 1, 2022, the Government promptly submitted Hong Kong’s formal accession request. At the same time, the Government has proactively made use of different occasions to express Hong Kong’s keen interest in joining RCEP to its members and explained Hong Kong’s active role in promoting regional economic integration and development. The Central People’s Government fully supports Hong Kong to join RCEP. During overseas visits, senior officials of the Government have also expressed to the relevant leaders of RCEP members that Hong Kong is ready to join RCEP, and have received positive responses. We welcome the adoption of the Procedures for Accession to the RCEP Agreement by the RCEP Joint Committee in September 2024. We will actively follow up with the RCEP Joint Committee, and strive to build consensus from different sectors and places to support Hong Kong to join RCEP as soon as possible. Upon Hong Kong’s accession, the tariff concession and other trade facilitation measures under the Agreement will help enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s related industries and their products in the RCEP markets.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Kingsley Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):
Question:
It has been reported that the new communities of Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, with a population of more than 30 000, have great demand for the services of online delivery platforms. However, some of the relevant trade unionists have reflected that the management offices of these housing estates have not considered the need of delivery couriers for short-term parking of their motorcycles. Not only have the management offices failed to provide temporary parking spaces, they have also stepped up their efforts to impound motorcycles and have even lodged complaints with the Police about motorcycles obstructing roads, resulting in delivery couriers often having to pay impounding charges and fines for penalty tickets. Such trade unionists hope that the relevant estate management offices and the Police can take into account the principles of legality, reasonableness and compassion in their actions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as there are views about the varying standards of the management offices of different public housing estates in managing the short-term parking of delivery couriers’ motorcycles in the housing estates, which has left delivery couriers at a loss, whether the authorities will consider providing guidelines for all parties to follow; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it will keep abreast with the need to develop the platform economy by using the housing estates with recent population intakes (e.g. Queen’s Hill Estate) as pilot estates to provide “designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery” within or near the housing estates to allow delivery couriers to park their motorcycles for short periods; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether it will follow the practice of the Mainland and set up “courier posts” in various districts to provide areas for resting, eating and using toilets, equipped with facilities such as water dispensers and first-aid kits, so as to improve the working conditions and well-being of delivery couriers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) whether it has estimated the latest number of local delivery couriers accepting orders through online platforms?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), a consolidated reply to the Hon Kingsley Wong’s question is as follows:
(1) & (2) In general, establishing designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery services in public housing estates or on public roads nearby requires effective management measures to ensure that these parking spaces are used as intended, such as restricting the parking purpose and limiting the parking duration based on the circumstances of each public housing estate to avoid prolonged occupancy. At present, motorcycle parking spaces on public roads are open for public use, including food delivery motorcycles. There are no restrictions on the parking use of the parking spaces. The Transport Department endeavours to increase the supply of motorcycle parking spaces on public roads to meet with the keen demand of motorcyclists through various means. It is initially assessed that the feasibility in establishing designated motorcycle parking spaces for a specific purpose is relatively low.
Overall speaking, loading/unloading bays are provided around the domestic blocks in most of the housing estates/courts under the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) for vehicles, including delivery motorcycles, to load/unload goods or pick-up/drop-off passengers. Taking into account the prevalent need for short-term parking by various types of vehicles to load/unload goods and pick-up/drop-off passengers, the HA has waived the parking fees for vehicles parked in its loading/unloading bays in all housing estates/courts under the HA’s management for up to 30 minutes.
In addition, for roads other than the loading/unloading bays, the Housing Department (HD) or the authorised staff of the housing estates/courts/car park operators will exercise discretion with regard to the actual situation in handling short-term parking by delivery motorcycles and other vehicles in a reasonable and compassionate manner. Given that the specific circumstances and road design vary in different housing estates/courts, the staff concerned will, in handling the matter, consider the needs of delivery couriers and will strike a balance among various factors such as estate management, the impact on other residents and road users, as well as whether the road section concerned is an emergency vehicular access which has to be kept clear at all times for fire appliances, police vehicles or ambulances to carry out rescue and other operations. In general, the staff will first issue a verbal/written warning to request the driver concerned to drive off the illegally parked vehicle. Only when the warning goes unheeded, the driver will receive fixed penalty tickets or have the vehicle impounded in accordance with the law. Couriers can use the loading/unloading bays adjacent to the domestic blocks for short-term parking of their motorcycles to facilitate their delivery services, and the estate staff will handle short-term parking by delivery motorcycles in a reasonable and compassionate manner according to the actual situation. The above arrangements took into account the needs of all the stakeholders.
Queens Hill Estate is a public rental housing estate under the HA, while the neighbouring Shan Lai Court is a sold housing court under the “Home Ownership Scheme”. Lung Ma Road and Lung Chun Road, the major roads serving Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, are restricted roads within Queens Hill Estate. No parking is allowed at any time on these two roads which are under the control of the HD. The housing estate and court concerned are provided with emergency vehicular access to various domestic blocks, each of which is provided with loading/unloading bays in the vicinity with free parking offer for the first 30 minutes to allow short-term parking by vehicles (including motorcycles). At present, seven and six loading/unloading bays are provided adjacent to the domestic blocks in Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court respectively. These facilities provide spaces for free temporary parking, enabling couriers to promptly deliver services. In addition, 11 hourly motorcycle parking spaces are provided in Queens Hill Estate for visitors (including couriers).
It is noted that some motorcycles/vehicles are parked on Lung Ma Road and Lung Chun Road, of which parking is prohibited at all times, or on the adjacent pedestrian footpaths. There are even vehicles parked illegally on emergency vehicle access in the housing estate/court, posing danger to other road users and pedestrians. Therefore, enforcement actions must be taken. The management agency appointed by the HA is authorised to carry out enforcement actions. Warning banners have been put up in prominent areas on roads to remind drivers that illegal parking will result in their vehicle impounded or issuance of fixed penalty tickets. If illegal parking is identified, the staff will warn the driver on-site to drive away the vehicle as soon as possible; and issue a warning notice if the driver is not present. Should the warning be unheeded, the vehicles concerned will be impounded. According to the record, most of the impounded vehicles were prolonged parking vehicles rather than short-term parking by delivery motorcycles. It can thus be seen that the aforementioned enforcement actions have been carried out in a lawful, reasonable and compassionate manner, and the impact on couriers has been minimal. It is observed that the situation has now been improved and in general couriers would temporarily park their motorcycles on the loading/unloading bays adjacent to the domestic blocks for delivery services.
As for the supply of motorcycle parking spaces, the HD has provided seven additional monthly motorcycle parking spaces in the carpark of Queens Hill Estate since January 2024 having regard to the demand for motorcycle parking spaces and technical feasibility. All these parking spaces have been rented out. The implementation of the above integrated measures has greatly improved the illegal parking situation within Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, leading to a drop in the number of impounded vehicles.
In view of the limited public spaces in housing estates and the requirement for the provision of emergency vehicular access, loading/unloading bays, pedestrian links as well as the recreational, leisure and greening facilities in accordance with the planning standards, it is not feasible to provide additional “designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery”.
(3) and (4) Commissioned by the Labour Department (LD), the C&SD has contracted out in September 2023 a Thematic Household Survey to collect information on, among others, the characteristics and working conditions of digital platform workers engaging in food and goods delivery services. The household survey is the first of its kind and fieldwork has been completed. Data processing and analysis are underway. The C&SD expected that the key findings of the relevant survey will be available in early 2025.
The Government has always supported the development of different industries. With the rapid development of platform economy, the Government is very concerned about the working conditions and protection for delivery couriers and digital platform workers. The LD has set up a Liaison Group to facilitate the communication among major food and goods delivery platform operators and labour organisations as well as to encourage platform companies to adopt good practices for enhancing the working conditions and protection for platform workers.
Should there be any measures related to the platform economy, the HD will spare no effort to provide necessary support.
Source: Reserve Bank of India
Ajit Prasad Press Release: 2024-2025/1436 |
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Officials vowed on Tuesday to deepen collaboration between Shanghai and Hong Kong to further unleash the two economic engines’ potential in the nation’s further opening-up, emphasizing the special administrative region’s springboard role for mainland enterprises to go global.
They made the pledge at a high-level conference promoting Hong Kong’s investment opportunities in Shanghai, a significant event during the seventh China International Import Expo.
Addressing the 2024 Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference-Shanghai Forum, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stressed that Hong Kong possesses the capacity to serve as an investment and financing hub for the development of Shanghai and related mainland businesses, welcoming more enterprises to leverage Hong Kong for global expansion.
He said Hong Kong is home to over 1,400 mainland companies listed on the city’s stock exchange, with close to 200 originating from Shanghai alone — boasting a total market value exceeding HK$2 trillion ($260 billion).
“Leveraging each other’s strengths, Hong Kong and Shanghai can sail together toward new horizons,” Lee said.
He believes that the two cities can further strengthen cooperation in areas such as global talent attraction, services and employment so as to advance the development of talent hubs in both locations.
At the same event, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po extended an invitation to mainland enterprises to establish headquarters in Hong Kong, highlighting the city’s status as a premier treasury center with unrestricted capital movement and tax incentives offered by the SAR government.
Zhou Ji, executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, highlighted that both Shanghai and Hong Kong serve as vital gateways in China, connecting international and domestic markets.
Zhou pledged that his office will continue to support Hong Kong’s unique role in Shanghai-Hong Kong cooperation and the country’s external opening, as well as to back ongoing research and implementation of favorable policies to facilitate Hong Kong’s development.
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng stated that Shanghai will further encourage its enterprises to invest in Hong Kong, while particularly strengthening cooperation between the two cities in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and biomedicine. Furthermore, Gong mentioned that Shanghai will support more qualified enterprises to list on the stock exchange in Hong Kong.
He also pledged that the two cities will work together to jointly explore overseas markets. Shanghai will fully leverage Hong Kong’s advantages as a super-connector, assisting businesses in establishing a presence in international markets and participating in international cooperation as well as competition, he said.
This year, more than 300 Hong Kong enterprises are participating in the import expo to promote Hong Kong’s quality goods and services, accounting for one-tenth of the total number of exhibitors.
During the promotion conference, Invest Hong Kong under the Hong Kong government signed agreements with numerous Shanghai enterprises to deepen cooperation.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A large number of exhibitors are participating in the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), with both newcomers and returning exhibitors bringing a large variety of products, including many debuts.
Themed “New Era, Shared Future,” the expo opened at 10 in the morning on November 5 in Shanghai. A total of 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions have signed up to participate in the CIIE this year, with both numbers exceeding those of the previous year. The participants include 297 Fortune 500 companies and other industry leaders, setting a historical high.
