NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mansion House to undergo restoration works

    Source: City of York

    To help protect and maintain an important cultural asset for the city, York Mansion House will undergo £1.2 million maintenance, accessibility and safety improvements.

    It will reopen in 2025, 300 years after its original construction began.

    One of the earliest civic buildings to be built in the classical style in England, the Mansion House is the official seat of The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of York, and holds an important collection of items connected to the history of the city over the past 800 years.

    Work to build the house began in 1725 and was completed in 1732. The last major restoration was completed in 2015 to 2017, and the upcoming works will be a significant investment in the House.

    This refurbishment aims to address essential maintenance tasks which include repairing wear and tear to the building and to prevent any further deterioration in the historic roof, walls and windows. It will also include important upgrades to the lift to improve the accessibility and environmental performance of the historic building, and decoration works will also refresh the interior where structural work is required.

    The Mansion House will close temporarily on Sunday 10 November, when the contents will be safely stored. This will be done with the help of students who will gain valuable practical experience of working in a historical building. Staff will oversee the work, continue with outreach education work and carry out research on the House and its contents.

    Starting in early 2025, the works will be overseen by Buttress Architects which will provide specialist heritage consultancy and conservation architecture. During the project they will lead a team of experts including conservation architects and mechanical, electrical and structural engineers.

    The Rt Hon, The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Margaret Wells, said:

    Investing in this beautiful historic building ensures it will continue to serve the city and its residents.

    “It’s temporary closure will allow other historic venues to take part in the civic life of the city, such as holding citizenship ceremonies in the elegant Register Office on Bootham, and using Medieval Barley Hall to host the Sheriff’s Ridings.”

    Pauline Stuchfield, Director of Housing and Communities, said:

    The Mansion House has been an essential part of the York landscape for almost 300 years, and it’s important it continues to be available for future generations of residents and visitors.

    “We’re able to carry out these essential works to weather another 300 years of being key to the civic life of the city, a base for our civic party and ready to welcome royalty as it has for centuries.

    “For hundreds of years the Mansion House has hosted some of the most important and significant events in the city and, once these improvements are made, the House will continue to play that role for decades to come.”

    The last major works were carried out in 2015 when £1.2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund helped deliver the most significant upgrades since the building first opened. The works included restoring the original kitchens, improving displays, developing an integrated environmental and conservation plan and preparing a detailed oral history project.

    Hannah Bellerby, the project architect from Buttress Architects, said:

    As we approach the Mansion House’s 300th anniversary, it is a privilege for Buttress to lead the efforts in safeguarding this vital piece of York’s civic heritage.

    “Our work focuses on not only preserving the building’s historical integrity but also working to ensure it remains accessible, sustainable, and fit for future generations. Through these planned restorations, we are ensuring that this significant landmark continues to enrich York’s cultural landscape for years to come.”

    The project is due to be completed part way through next year, when it will reopen in time for Yorkshire Day on Friday 1 August 2025 and a season of great events including the popular Georgian Festival. Meanwhile more of the city’s treasures can be admired at the Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Playtime is back as Meanwood playground re-opens after makeover

    Source: City of Leeds

    A playground in Meanwood is now open again after a significant refresh of the play equipment. The refurbishment is one of the many play areas across Leeds that have seen improvements this year.

    The Woodlea Playground on Stretton Avenue was built at the same time as the surrounding estate around 20 years ago and had not seen any updates since.

    During a meeting between council officers and local school children in 2021, it was highlighted that the playground was well used but the site was dated and had limited equipment that was not inclusive for all, especially for children unable to get out of their wheelchairs.

    Following the recent refurbishment, the play area now hosts several new items including an accessible roundabout and trampoline, a junior multi-play unit, a ‘WeHopper’ seesaw, and cradle swings.

    The refurbishment has been paid for by a specific type of funding which comes from developers to help fund greenspace improvements such as play areas.

    Leeds City Council has overseen the refresh of over 20 playgrounds in the city in 2024, including building a completely new play area at Oak Road Recreation Ground, or Jailey Fields, in Armley.

    Other playgrounds that have seen significant improvements this year include Kippax Common, through money raised by the Parish council, Beggars Hill in Holbeck, Royal Park in Hyde Park, Western Flatts in Wortley, Sandford Road in Kirkstall, and Oatland Road in Little London.

    Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green spaces, said: “One of the core pillars of our Child Friendly Leeds ambition is for children and young people to have safe spaces to play, hang out and have fun. We want to ensure that wherever you live in Leeds, children have access to green spaces and opportunities to play. 

    “We’re proud of all the hard work that has gone into making playgrounds across Leeds better and more fun this year, with more locations to be added to that list over the coming months.”

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Data from over 28,000 students processed to create a unique digital portfolio

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    More than 28 thousand Polytechnic students have access to a portfolio on the PoliKapital platform. The digital platform created at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University allows young people to present their educational, scientific and extracurricular experience in one place. The platform helps analyze data and build a potential development trajectory. PoliKapital connects students and employers in one place and ensures a seamless transition to the labor market straight from the student bench. The work was carried out with the support of the strategic academic leadership program “Priority-2030” of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs.

    According to official data from Rosstat, the average unemployment rate in Russia for June-August 2024 was 2.4%, which is a historical minimum for the entire observation period of the indicator since 1991. More and more often, HR specialists talk about the labor market, implying a shortage of employees. HR specialists must make a lot of effort to find the right specialists. To simplify communication between students and employers, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has developed the PolyCapital platform. The digital platform, created to visualize students’ portfolios, allows them to demonstrate their achievements and skills to employers.

    The PolyCapital platform is a software product that allows you to evaluate the accumulated experience of a student (their input data): educational, scientific and extracurricular achievements, as well as build a potential trajectory of his development, taking into account the individual educational and career trajectory at the university and calculating the capitalization of the graduate based on his investment attractiveness. Students can visualize all their experience, evaluate skills and competencies, create a digital portfolio and find vacancies and contact a potential employer directly on the platform. Data from more than 28 thousand students has already been processed.

    The uniqueness of our platform is that it brings together in one place both hard skills — the educational and scientific achievements of students, and supra-professional competencies — the ability to work in a team, adaptability, learning ability, etc. And feedback from employers allows us to more accurately understand the requirements for students from the industry and take them into account in the educational process. The mission of PolyCapital is to support students in their career development, providing access to tools that help them realize their potential and successfully enter the professional world, — notes the project manager, director of the Center for the Formation of the Contingent of Students of SPbPU Varvara Sotova.

    The team created the platform from scratch. The logic and structure of the platform are developed by a business analyst. Based on these ideas, designers create a UI KIT (a set of platform elements) and draw layouts for various screen resolutions. A Polytechnic Master’s student is responsible for the backend development. After writing the server and client parts, the team of testers analyzes the result. They develop user scenarios for each role and, after adding new functionality, study the performance over and over again.

    Other platforms that provide digital portfolios for adult professionals can be considered analogs of PoliKapital. However, its uniqueness lies in its deep integration with the university ecosystem and the systematization of student data: when compiling an online resume, the platform takes into account absolutely all of the student’s experience throughout their studies. In the future, the team plans to introduce the program to other universities in the country. This will create a large-scale network connecting students and employers, which will significantly simplify the employment process for young professionals.

    The work was carried out with the support of the strategic academic leadership program “Priority-2030” of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU orienteers successfully completed the summer season

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The last two events in orienteering took place — the NSU Championship in the Spartakiad of Faculties and Institutes and the Tandem Relay Race as part of the City Cup. The competitions took place in the Student City and the adjacent forest at distances in a given direction. More than 100 people took part in the NSU Championship, the boys ran a 3.3 km sprint with 28 checkpoints (CP), the girls had a distance of 2.6 km with 25 CP.

    In the individual competition among young men, the first and third places were taken by VKI students Alexander Demin and Dmitry Oparin, and the second place went to a first-year student of the Faculty of Geology and Humanities, Yaroslav Myasnikov. The winner among girls was Darina Zelenkova (NSU SUNC), and the second and third places were taken by FEN students Liliya Aksenova and Irina Zorina.

    The 5 best results, regardless of gender, were included in the team standings of the Spartakiad. The places were distributed as follows:

    1 – Faculty of Physics consisting of: Dmitry Alimov, Olga Petukhova, Vladimir Kaygorodtsev, Natalya Utkina and Olga Zablotskaya.

    2 — Faculty of Information Technology consisting of: Alina Brysina, Anastasia Kulishova, Snezhana Zhuyko, Anastasia Kuznetsova and Mikhail Biryulya.

    3 —. Faculty of Natural Sciences consisting of: Lilia Aksenova, Irina Zorina, Arseniy Shurenkov, Svyatoslav Ezhelev and Marat Maksimov.

    4 — Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics.

    5 – Higher College of Computer Science.

    6 — NSU SUNC.

    7 — Faculty of Geology and Geophysics.

    8 — Faculty of Medicine and Psychology named after Zelman.

    9 — Institute of Philosophy and Law.

    10 — Faculty of Economics.

    11 — Institute of Intelligent Robotics.

    The relay races were run by teams of 2 people, each participant ran 2 stages, alternating with each other. These are very interesting and dynamic competitions, when until the last moment it is not known who will win. And the biggest surprise was given to everyone by our students Arseniy Shurenkov (FEN) and Dmitry Parfenov (MMF), who became the absolute winners of the City Cup. Among the students and employees of NSU, Dmitry Alimov and Liliya Aksenova came in second, and Egor Bitochkin and Anastasia Kulishova came in third.

    Congratulations to the winners and prize winners of the competitions, we wish everyone further success in sports and studies! We thank the teachers of KaffV Sofya Zakharova and Andrey Tolstov for organizing the events.

    Photos: http://disk.yandex.ru/d/kpaUVsh2LVnIL1K

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The financial fallout from a warming world

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Climate change and nature loss are affecting all aspects of our lives, including our economies . What is the latest research telling us, and what is the cost to the economy? Stefania Secola talks to Executive Board member Frank Elderson and Deputy Director General and researcher Livio Stracca about how rising physical risks will affect our economies.

    The views expressed are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the European Central Bank.

    This episode was recorded before the tragic floods in Spain.

    Published on 1 November.

    In this episode:
    01:42 Floods, wildfires and droughts
    How do climate change and nature degradation affect our economies? And how high was the economic loss caused by recent extreme weather events ?
    05:52 Catastrophe insurance
    What is it? How many people have it? And what does it mean for our preparedness if disaster were to strike?
    06:57 Adapting to a changing economy
    It’s clear that our environment is changing. How can we adapt our activities in the face of these changes?
    10:05 The Network for Greening the Financial System
    What is it, and what does it do? And what does it have to do with central banks and supervisors?
    12:32 How do climate change and nature loss affect our economies?
    How much higher are the expected losses than we previously thought? What’s the latest scientific research telling us?
    14:58 Climate messages during the Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings
    Which topics need more attention? And what can we do about it?
    19:19 Our guests’ hot tips

    Further reading:

    The impact of climate change and policies on productivity
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/scpops/ecb.op340~0173592e52.en.pdf

    Policy options to reduce the climate insurance protection gap
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/other/ecb.policyoptions_EIOPA~c0adae58b7.en.pdf

    Managing climate-related risks
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/ecb/climate/managing_mitigating_climatel_risk/html/index.en.html

    Living in a world of disappearing nature: physical risk and the implications for financial stability
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/scpops/ecb.op333~1b97e436be.en.pdf

    What to do about Europe’s climate insurance gap
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/blog/date/2023/html/ecb.blog.230424~4cdc3a38ba.en.html

    Failing to plan is planning to fail – why transition planning is essential for banks
    https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/press/blog/2024/html/ssm.blog240123~5471c5f63e.en.html

    The climate insurance protection gap
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/ecb/climate/climate/html/index.en.html

    The Network for Greening the Financial System
    https://www.ngfs.net/en

    Measuring economic losses caused by climate change
    https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/measuring-economic-losses-caused-climate-change

    “Know thyself” – avoiding policy mistakes in light of the prevailing climate science
    https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/press/speeches/date/2024/html/ssm.sp240412~c256dc168c.en.html

    Hothouse Earth by Gill McGuire
    https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&sca_esv=0d2d5197637c41d9&rlz=1C1GCEA_enDE1060DE1060&q=hothouse+earth+bill+mcguire&udm=3&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3J_86uWOeqwdnV0yaSF-x2jqw-AzvpDFRWNmLZKilfTrfO0pl9dtT9e2t2elzSdzPviJlaPtdkm_zev73LcACj_Zt3WoLu1loKbhUBQ0BvD6_OC9OERnpW26hAPVqw_fTJrjRkQgEJf5SXlzvVj2JhcxyIvER&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2yfiVobGJAxX6_7sIHZckMjAQs6gLegQIExAB&biw=1280&bih=665&dpr=1.5

    Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report
    https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_LongerReport.pdf

    Headline statements of the Synthesis Report https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/resources/spm-headline-statements

    Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Trailer

    European Central Bank
    https://www.ecb.europa.eu

    European Banking Supervision
    https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/home/html/index.en.html

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tFK4nywepA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children – Government.se

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    Article from Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

    Published

    Every year, half of the world’s children are subjected to various forms of violence. On 7–8 November, the first global ministerial conference on this topic will be held in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá. The Swedish Government is co-hosting the conference, together with the Government of Colombia, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children.

    Eradicating violence against children is one of the interim Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is now six years to the target deadline. The aim of the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children is to highlight the issue on the global agenda and accelerate efforts to end violence against children. Ministers from all over the world will convene at the conference to discuss how countries can take joint action, share best practices and formulate new and ambitious goals to end violence against children.

    “All children have the right to a life free from all forms of violence. Unfortunately for many children and young people, the reality is different. I hope that this conference will be a catalyst for addressing violence against children and raising the issue higher up on the global political agenda. Furthermore, I look forward to sharing Swedish experiences as well as learning and get inspired by concrete success factors, from both the conference and planned study visits in Colombia. For example, how to protect children from online violence, strengthen child and youth care and combat the recruitment of children and young people into criminal gangs,” says Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.

    Sweden has long been a role model regarding children’s rights. As a country, Sweden has made considerable progress in areas such as child protection, education, and social care, and was the first country in the world to introduce a ban on corporal punishment of children in 1979. Sweden also has a strong civil society and research environments that help to promote the rights of the child, and has been prominent in implementing legislation which puts the best interest of the child at the centre. By sharing experiences with other countries and spreading knowledge about Sweden’s strong tradition of protecting children’s rights, Sweden can drive international change, so that every child, no matter where they live, can live in safety and with their rights respected and protected. 

    Conference discussion topics will include corporal punishment, online violence, health, education, parental support, recruitment to criminal gangs, and sexual violence.

    Read more about the conference

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: A man convicted of the manslaughter of Dragos Carabineanu has been jailed

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man convicted of the manslaughter of Dragos Carabineanu has appeared in court for sentencing.

    Gabriel Silvera, 20 (13.09.04) of Uxbridge Road, Pinner appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 31 October where he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, plus a further four years on licence.

    He has previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the same court on Monday, 3 June. The plea had been accepted by the court and Silvera was remanded in custody to await sentencing.

    Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley leading the investigation said: “Nothing can bring Dragos back to his loved ones, however, I was pleased that Silvera’s guilty plea spared them the experience of a trial, where they would have once again heard the details of the incident that took Dragos from them. Our thoughts are with them.”

    Shortly after 05:00hrs on Saturday, 28 October, police were alerted by hospital staff when Dragos Carabineanu, aged 46, was brought into a central London hospital for treatment.

    Dragos, who was from Burnt Oak, remained at St Mary’s Hospital in a critical condition before he sadly died from his injuries on Wednesday, 1 November 2023.

    An investigation found he suffered his injuries just before midnight on Friday, 27 October 2023 outside Burnt Oak Underground Station on Watling Road in Edgware.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command arrested Gabriel Silvera on Monday, 6 November 2023 on suspicion of murder. He was charged on Tuesday, 7 November 2023 and was remanded in custody.

    +

    Two other people were arrested in connection with this incident:

    On Thursday, 2 November 2023 a 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of theft. He received a caution.

    A 38-year-old woman was arrested on Friday, 3 November 2023 on suspicion of theft. Following enquiries she was released with no further action.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Today, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with Secretary-General of the ASEAN China Centre (ACC), H.E. Shi Zhongjun. Both sides recalled their last meeting in Beijing, China, on 4 July 2024, where they had fruitful discussions on many important topics. They also exchanged views on the role of the ACC as a one-stop centre to promote ASEAN-China cooperation. SG Dr. Kao encouraged the ACC to initiate more people-to-people exchange activities and programmes to further contribute to the ASEAN-China Year of the People-to-People Exchanges 2024-2025.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Championship esports event to deliver £12m boost to London’s economy

    Source: Mayor of London

    • London will host the League of Legends World Championship this weekend – one of the biggest and most popular esports events in the world.
    • The O2 arena’s tickets sold out in minutes and millions are set to watch from around the world.
    • The Mayor continues to support London’s thriving games and esports industry bringing significant investment and jobs to the capital.

    London will host the League of Legends World Championship this weekend – one of the biggest and most popular esports events in the world.

    The O2 arena’s tickets sold out in minutes and millions are set to watch from around the world.
    The Mayor continues to support London’s thriving games and esports industry bringing significant investment and jobs to the capital.
     
    One of esports biggest global events, the League of Legends World Championship finals, will take place at London’s O2 Arena tomorrow (Saturday 2 November) – boosting the capital’s economy and cementing its position as leading destination for sports and esports.
     
    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today welcomed the finals to the capital and celebrated the impact of the growing industry. It will be the largest esports event ever to take place in the UK and will bring more opportunities for growth, talent development and skills for young Londoners. 
     
    Thousands of fans from all over the world are expected to head to the O2 tomorrow to watch, with London’s business growth and destination agency London & Partners calculating a £12m boost to the London economy from hosting the finals. Millions more are set to watch online – showcasing the capital. 
     
    League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game that pits two teams of five against each other. The World Championships, known as ‘Worlds’, were launched in 2009 and have grown to be the most anticipated event of the year in esports. Last year’s finals were held in South Korea. It is the latest major esports event that London has hosted, after welcoming the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational to the Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park last year. 
     
    London is home to largest group of games studios in Europe and esports is a growing market offering huge potential for London’s businesses and communities. The Mayor is a big supporter of the games industry, which generates millions of pounds for our economy and is a growing force. His support includes funding Games London who run the UK’s only Games Production Finance Market which brings in new investment to help games businesses grow, and delivers the annual London Games Festival. Through work with London & Partners, Sadiq has also helped to bring esports events to London.
     
    Earlier this week, City Hall convened a panel discussion with key industry leaders and partners Fnatic – a leading esports brand – and London & Partners. Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Howard Dawber opened the event at the Fnatic HQ to champion esports and explore ways to further support esports in the capital. City Hall has also commissioned Arena Consultancy to conduct a new piece of research to gain a deeper understanding of what more London needs to do to become a global centre for esports. 
     
    The League of Legends World Championship is the latest in a series of global events to take place in London this year, including the UEFA Champions League final, European Professional Club Rugby Finals, NFL, Major League Baseball and Diamond League athletics. 
     
    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted that the League of Legends World Championship finals are taking place in the capital this weekend. The event brings together gamers and fans from across the globe, boosting our economy by £12m and showing that London is a leading destination for sports and esports. Gaming is a hugely exciting and fast growing industry, and I will continue to do all I can to support its development and growth in the capital, as we build a better London for everyone.”
     
    Ailsa Buck, Head of Major Events and City Experience at London & Partners, said: “We’re thrilled to host the League of Legends World Championship Finals. The excitement is electric and we can’t wait for fans to have an unforgettable experience in the capital. Hosting such a huge esports event shows that London is a top destination for the industry. Tickets flew off the shelves in minutes. That tells us there’s a huge demand for more esports in the city. We’re ready to make this day special for everyone.”  

    Sam Mathews, CEO at Fnatic, said: “Partnering with the GLA and London & Partners to bring this event to life is an exciting step for Fnatic and esports in London. As one of the world’s leading esports organizations, Fnatic has always pushed boundaries—and there’s no better place to showcase that than in our home city. London’s support shows a real commitment to making this city a global hub for gaming. We’re looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for our fans and the community right here and forging the future of esports in the city.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Become a social media star: The new season of the TopBLOG project starts

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Registration is open for participation in the fourth season of the all-Russian project “TopBLOG” of the presidential platform “Russia – the Land of Opportunities” for authors of useful content. Participants will be able to complete a relevant educational program, get a unique chance to conclude advertising and partnership contracts on cooperation, compete for valuable prizes, become part of a closed blogging community and declare themselves to the whole country.

    Applications can be submitted by residents of all countries of the world without age restrictions on the website topblog.rsv.ru.

    The All-Russian educational project “TopBLOG” helps to build a career in the media industry and learn how to effectively work with an audience on social networks. This is the first free educational project for bloggers in Russia. “TopBLOG” has already united more than 150 thousand people of different ages from all regions of our vast country and foreign countries.

    In the new fourth season, you will find a unique track “Media Laboratory”. Among the experts: Head of the Social Media Department of the Presidential Academy Ruzanna Ayrapetyan; Channel One and NTV presenter Ekaterina Shugaeva; blogger, TV presenter, singer, actor and producer Roman Kagramanov; blogger, singer, actress and TV presenter MIA BOYKA; bloggers, artists, music producers NANSI

    What exactly will you learn in the Media Lab? This is a track that will primarily help you master the key knowledge and skills needed for those who strive for professional development and reaching new heights in the media industry. Together with the project experts, bloggers will go through an educational block, complete practical tasks and analyze their blogs, and attend useful webinars. Participants will master a full range of competencies needed to create and promote content on social networks. Hurry! Registration will last until December 15.

    News about the TopBLOG project can be found on the official website.

    The All-Russian educational project “TopBLOG” has been implemented since 2020 within the framework of the program “Social lifts for everyone” of the national project “Education”.

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 11/1/2024

    «ТопБЛОГ» президентской платформы «Россия – страна возможностей» для авторов полезного контента….” data-yashareImage=”https://guu.ru/wp-content/uploads/ТопБлог.webp” data-yashareLink=”https://guu.ru/%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%bd%d1%8c-%d0%b7%d0%b2%d0%b5%d0%b7%d0%b4%d0%be%d0%b9-%d1%81%d0%be%d1%86%d1%81%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b5%d0%b9-%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b5%d1%82-%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b2%d1%8b/”>

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Tax information letter 5/2024: Exceptions to council tax premiums

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    This provides an update for councils on the regulations to except classes of dwellings from council tax premiums.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Council Tax information letter 5/2024: Exceptions to council tax premiums

    HTML

    Details

    This information letter follows the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings and Consequential Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024 coming into force on 1 November. This provides an update on the changes which have been introduced in these regulations and the guidance the government has issued for councils and taxpayers.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 November 2024

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR Government welcomes first batch of brokers joining Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong issued announcements respectively today (November 1) on the first batch of brokers eligible to participate in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme (Wealth Management Connect). The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomed the announcements.
     
         Fourteen licensed corporations in Hong Kong have been included in the first batch of brokers to offer cross-boundary investment services for GBA investors. They will work in partnership with their Mainland partner brokers as confirmed by the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
     
         A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, “In accordance with the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the HKSAR Government strives to deepen and widen the mutual access between the Mainland and Hong Kong financial markets. The Wealth Management Connect has been growing steadily since its launch in September 2021. The enhancement measures commencing on February 26 this year have received enthusiastic market response. With the first batch of brokers joining the Wealth Management Connect, the demand for asset allocation by GBA residents can be better satisfied, thereby engendering increased development opportunities for the industry. This also strengthens Hong Kong’s status as an international asset management centre, and contributes to our country’s opening up of the financial market in a sustained and orderly manner. We welcome today’s announcements and are grateful for the unwavering efforts of the Mainland and Hong Kong regulators.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “E&M GO!” orientation ceremony 2024 held today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    “E&M GO!” orientation ceremony 2024 held today (with photos)
    “E&M GO!” orientation ceremony 2024 held today (with photos)
    **********************************************************************

         The Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) Trade Promotion Working Group (Working Group), formed by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and the E&M trade, held the “E&M GO!” orientation ceremony 2024 today (November 1) to welcome young people joining the E&M industry.      Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, said that the Government has long attached great importance to youth development, and is committed to fostering the growth and development of young people by providing all-round support in education, careers, entrepreneurship and home ownership. She was pleased that the EMSD and the Working Group have actively pulled together the efforts of the Government, the business sector and the community to support young people and provide diversified development opportunities to those who aspire to join the E&M industry. Miss Mak encouraged new members of the E&M industry to actively participate in the industry’s activities, continuously upgrade their professional knowledge, and achieve a bright future in the E&M industry.      The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, said that through school activities, social media, large-scale exhibitions and job fairs, the EMSD and the Working Group have been promoting the professional image of the E&M industry, and encouraging young people to join the industry to foster the development of the city. He encouraged young people to give full play to their strengths and overcome challenges proactively, so as to open a new chapter for the industry.      Established in 2012, the Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical Trade Promotion Working Group comprises 19 E&M-related organisations, including government departments, public organisations, education institutes, public utilities, trade associations and unions. It aims to promote and enhance the professional image of the E&M industry and attract more young people to join the industry.

     
    Ends/Friday, November 1, 2024Issued at HKT 18:59

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken hosts and delivers remarks at a Diwali reception – 4:30 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosts and delivers remarks at a Diwali reception at the Department of State, on November 1, 2024.
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
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    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4mwrAs2M5Y

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Logistics deal could raise prices for business customers in the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    CMA’s Phase 1 investigation has found GXO’s purchase of Wincanton could reduce competition in the mainstream contract logistics services market.

    iStock

    Following a Phase 1 investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that GXO Logistics’ (GXO) completed purchase of Wincanton PLC could reduce competition in the supply of mainstream contract logistics services (CLS) in the UK.

    Contract logistics services include distribution, transport, warehousing and other supply chain services. GXO is the world’s largest contract logistics services company, and Wincanton is a British supplier of these services. Both companies supply mainstream contract logistics services to business customers in both retail (such as groceries, fashion and apparel) and non-retail (such as manufacturing and construction) sectors.

    The CMA’s investigation found that GXO and Wincanton compete closely, particularly for contracts with large retail customers. Although GXO will continue to face competition from other contract logistics providers, many of these are significantly smaller, or focus on specific industries or types of logistics services (such as transport). Although some businesses have the option to bring services in-house if contract logistics suppliers do not offer good value, the ability to do this varies by customer.

    The CMA is therefore concerned that the deal could raise costs for businesses that rely on contract logistics suppliers to move goods around the UK and for other supply chain activities.

    GXO has 5 working days to submit proposals to address the CMA’s concerns. If suitable proposals are not submitted, the CMA will progress to an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.

    Naomi Burgoyne, Senior Director of Mergers at the CMA, said:

    Contract logistics services are critical for the flow of goods around the country, reducing delays, and ensuring that products reach their destinations efficiently and reliably. These services are essential for millions of people who rely on timely deliveries or being able to buy products off the shelf.

    This market is worth £16 billion in the UK, and we’re concerned that this merger could reduce competition, resulting in higher costs being passed down to consumers. We consider that these competition concerns warrant an in-depth Phase 2 investigation, unless GXO offers solutions which address them.

    More information on this case is available on the GXO / Wincanton case page.

    Notes to Editors:

    1. GXO announced their deal to acquire Wincanton in February 2024. The deal was then completed in April 2024, although an interim enforcement order (IEO) is in place to prevent the two organisations integrating while the CMA conducts its merger review.
    2. CLS encompass a range of B2B and B2C supply chain-related services, which enable businesses to supply goods to customers and consumers. These services include transport and distribution, warehousing and additional value-added services.
    3. CLS in the retail market includes the provision of services to customers whose products are consumer-facing such as groceries or fashion and apparel. This includes products that are ordered online, products that sell quickly and have a short shelf life due to high consumer demand or perishability (known as Fast Moving Consumer Goods), and products that require temperature-controlled logistic services (including certain food and drink products). CLS in the non-retail market involves the provision of services to customers whose products or services are not consumer-facing, such as automotive, construction, energy and manufacturing businesses.
    4. The CMA found that customers often prioritise reputation, reliability and track record when choosing CLS providers. Despite there being other alternatives in the CLS market, GXO and Wincanton (alongside DHL) are regarded as leading suppliers of mainstream CLS services, particularly for grocery retail customers.
    5. Guidance on the CMA’s mergers jurisdiction and procedure can be read here.
    6. All media enquiries should be directed to the CMA press office by email on press@cma.gov.uk or by phone on 020 3738 6460.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City council improving children’s outcomes in Stoke-on-Trent

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Friday, 1st November 2024

    City leaders have welcomed findings from an Ofsted focused visit that highlighted that the work of children’s services is making a positive difference and improving outcomes.

    The Ofsted visit to Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Children and Family Services, focusing on children in need or subject to a protection plan found that positive progress has been made and children’s outcomes are improved.

    The inspection found that ‘services for children are a high priority’ and that ‘political support is strong’.

    Ofsted highlighted that:

    • Most children receive support and protection addressing risk and need
    • Thresholds were applied correctly
    • Most assessments and plans were timely and comprehensive and assessed risk well
    • Services made a positive difference and improved children’s outcomes

    There were areas for improvement identified by Ofsted.  These highlighted a small number of cases where there was not consistent management oversight or supervision. They also believed we could improve our quality assurance work, including ensuring that the audit of individual cases made more impact on practice.

    Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services said: “It’s great to see that Ofsted inspectors saw that children in the city are receiving support and protection and that our teams are making a positive difference and improving children’s outcomes.

    “The outcomes of our last two inspections highlighted these as critical areas where we needed to improve to keep children safe so it’s really good to see that this improvement work has been successful.

    “We are working incredibly hard to support children in the city and ensure that as many as possible have safe, secure and loving homes. We will, of course, always continue to strive to be even better.  We will be taking on board the feedback from Ofsted about areas where can improve further. Our ambition is for the whole service to be assessed as “good” when Ofsted return for a full inspection next year.”

    The full report can be read at: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50260334

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City Art Centre presents POP LIFE: A vibrant fusion of pop culture and contemporary figurative drawing featuring works by 13 Scottish and international artists

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    This November, art enthusiasts and pop culture aficionados are invited to immerse themselves in POP LIFE, an exhibition that explores the intersection of popular culture and contemporary figurative drawing, challenging traditional distinctions between high and low art.

    Opening on Saturday, 2 November, POP LIFE features works by 13 Scottish and international artists, many of whom will be exhibiting in Scotland for the first time. Each artist uniquely engages with popular culture, referencing diverse influences such as music, film, fashion, literature, social media, and celebrities. The exhibition highlights this interplay, using familiar language to delve into themes that expand traditional drawing practices.

    Co-curated by artists Euan Gray and Witte Wartena, POP LIFE is a travelling exhibition previously showcased in Sweden (2022-23) and the Netherlands (2023). This iteration has been tailored to include Scottish artists and underscores the enduring allure of the human form as a reflection of identity and societal norms, drawing inspiration from art history, socio-political movements, and cultural shifts over the past six decades.

    Visitors can look forward to works by renowned and early-career artists including Marcel van Eeden, Euan Gray, Paul McDevitt, Charlotte Schleiffert, Sandra Vásquez de la Horra, Witte Wartena, David Shrigley, Andrew Cranston, Laura Bruce, Marc Brandenburg, Donald Urquhart, Jamie Fitzpatrick, and Fiona Michie—all of whom draw inspiration from the imagery and messages of pop culture.

    Over 80 works will be presented, with several new pieces created specifically for this exhibition.

    Marc Brandenburg has transformed a room of the gallery with UV light, to explore unseen sides of Tiergarten Park in Berlin, whilst Laura Bruce accompanies her drawn tributes to country music icons with vocal renditions of their biggest hits. Edinburgh-based artist Jamie Fitzpatrick is showing his large-scale drawings alongside a new monumental sculpture, looking critically and who in society is publicly memorialised. Internationally renowned artist David Shrigley will present 16 brand new drawings, showcasing his absurd and humorous work.

    Culture and Communities Convener, Val Walker said:

    I’m delighted that the City Art Centre can showcase this fantastic iteration of the POP LIFE exhibition featuring the works of 13 exciting artists. I’m especially proud that it will mark the first time some of these artists have displayed in Scotland, and that we will be presenting works created especially for the exhibition.

    I’m sure visitors will be captivated by these pieces and engage with the ever-changing dynamics of art within society.

    Curator Euan Gray, said:

    In an era dominated by computer generated images, AI and 3D printing, this exhibition offers us a wonderful opportunity to champion the enduring appeal of traditional drawing, wholeheartedly embrace the language of pop culture and promote a remarkable group of Scottish and international artists for whom the human form remains an essential motif.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: In Montreal, Ignazio Cassis stresses human dimension on road to peace in Ukraine

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English

    On 30 October 2024, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, took part in the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula. This meeting in Montreal concludes the series of follow-up conferences announced in June 2024 at the Bürgenstock resort. During the conference, Mr Cassis held political discussions with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canadians encouraged to talk money as FCAC launches Financial Literacy Month 2024

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Canadians encouraged to talk money as FCAC launches Financial Literacy Month 2024

    November 1, 2024
    Ottawa, Ontario

    November is Financial Literacy Month. This year, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is launching a Canada-wide campaign to destigmatize conversations about money.

    Many Canadians find it difficult to discuss money and finances with family and friends for fear of being judged. To overcome this taboo, FCAC is encouraging Canadians to share their financial experiences with family and friends, ask questions, and consult with trusted financial professionals.

    Research shows that having conversations about money builds financial confidence, and that can lead to better financial outcomes. This is especially true for girls and women. For example, FCAC’s research with Carleton University (to be released later this month) shows that providing space for women to talk about finances was enough to help them feel more financially empowered. Conversations about money can also help people learn about resources that can help them improve their financial situation and achieve their financial goals.

    This November, FCAC is asking Canadians to do one thing to boost their financial knowledge – such as checking their credit score, talking to a friend about budgeting or using FCAC’s free tools and resources – then share their experience and encourage others to do the same. FCAC reminds people to protect their personal financial information such as their bank account number and credit card details.  

    Canadians can visit the Financial Literacy Month campaign page for more information and for free financial tools and resources. FCAC also has a promotional toolkit to help stakeholders get involved in this year’s campaign. 

    Financial Literacy Month is an important opportunity to advance FCAC’s National Financial Literacy Strategy, a 5-year plan to create a more accessible, inclusive and effective financial ecosystem for Canadians. This year’s campaign supports the priorities of the National Strategy by helping Canadians build financial confidence and navigate the financial marketplace, as well as enhancing access to trustworthy and affordable financial help.

    On November 4, FCAC will host a virtual event to launch Financial Literacy Month. The event will feature Olympic gold medallist Bruny Surin, Sara Weller, Chair of the U.K.’s Money and Pension Service, and other special guests. Registration is now open.

    “This year, FCAC and its Financial Literacy Month partners across the country are harnessing the transformative power of conversations. Talking helps us connect and learn from each other, and is an important way to share information. This Financial Literacy Month, let’s break the taboo against talking about money. Having conversations about money with people you trust can build financial confidence and open the door to positive financial outcomes. This November, we hope that Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast will join us in talking about money and take steps to build their financial knowledge and confidence.” 

    Werner Liedtke, Interim Commissioner, Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Press Release on Special Campaign 4.0

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 4:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Under the guidance of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the Department of Justice implemented the Special Campaign 4.0 for clearing pendency and focusing on Swachhata of the Office premises. As in previous years, this year too, this campaign spanned over two phases, with Phase-I (from 16/09/2024 to 30/09/2024) being the identification phase, wherein various pending matters, like reference from Members of Parliament, Parliamentary Assurances, References from the State Governments, Inter Ministerial references, Public Grievances and also, sites requiring sprucing, cleaning and beautification were to be identified. Phase-II from 02/10/2024 to 31/10/2024 was to be devoted to the clearance of the identified pendency, cleaning/sprucing up and beautification of identified sites/areas.

    During the first Phase of the campaign from 16/09/2024 to 30/09/2024, 03- References from MPs and 281 Public Grievances were identified for disposal, 272 physical files were earmarked for review and subsequently for weeding out, 138 e-files were also selected for review /closure. Besides, 06 Parliamentary Assurances, 01 Reference from the State Government, 01 Inter Ministerial reference, were also identified for disposal. Apart from this, 4 sites requiring sprucing, cleaning and beatification were also earmarked within the office premises of the Department. Department of Justice actively participated in the identification drive and the pendency was also uploaded on the SCDPM portal, on a daily basis.

    In the second Phase-II of the Special campaign, from 2nd October, 2024 to 31st October, 2024, efforts were made by the Department to clear the pendency identified in the first phase of Campaign. A Special drive was also launched to clean the premises, corridors, lawn, as well as the respective branches of the Department. The Department of Justice successfully cleared all the identified pending matters within the stipulated time. Besides, 69 items which were identified as scrap which was ripe for disposal, were disposed off through auction. A sum of Rs.1,36,000/- was received from the auction of these redundant items and duly deposited into the government treasury. This exercise also led to freeing up of some space in the department. Daily Report of Phase-II from 02/10/2024 to 31/10/2024 was also uploaded on the SCDPM portal regularly. To give wide publicity to this campaign, tweets and PIB releases, including before and after photographs of various events/best practices were also issued/uploaded from time to time.

    On the concluding day of the Special Campaign 4.0 i.e. on 31.10.2024, Shramdaan was organized in a befitting manner by cleaning the front lawn/premises of Jaisalmer House. This was led by Secretary (Justice) and Officers/staff of the Department actively participated in this to successfully mark the end of the campaign.

    ******

     

    SB/DP/ARJ

    (Release ID: 2070150) Visitor Counter : 43

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Novel experiment to explore the limits of quantum theory for arbitrarily massive objects

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 3:43PM by PIB Delhi

    Scientists have devised an experiment for testing the domain of validity of quantum theory for objects much more massive than the usual microphysical objects (atoms, molecules etc), beyond which the classical theory has to be necessarily used. This study can also help in developing high precision quantum sensors which are important tools in the cutting- edge quantum technologies.

    The principles of Quantum Mechanics replacing that of Newtonian classical mechanics were developed nearly 100 years back. Yet, a number of quantum foundational issues remain problematic. For example, the boundary between the quantum mechanical microworld and the large scale macroscopic classical world of everyday objects obeying Newtonian Laws remains unspecified. The question–up to what level the quantum mechanical principles be valid for macroscopic objects– continues to be one of the most fundamental open questions in contemporary physics.

    This question is also intimately related to another hotly pursued fundamental issue– testing whether gravity is quantum mechanical or not.

    All the proposed laboratory-based schemes seeking to demonstrate the quantum mechanical nature of gravity crucially rest on assuming applicability of fundamental quantum principles for sufficiently massive objects.

    However, the state –of- the- art demonstrations of quantum features have so far reached only up to macromolecules of masses ten thousand times the hydrogen atom. Hence, breakthrough ideas, feasible to be implemented experimentally in the near future, are the need of the hour in order to scale up the tests of macroscopic quantumness to ever more massive objects.

    Prof. Dipankar Home from Bose Institute, Kolkata, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), in collaboration with D. Das, S. Bose (University College London) and H. Ulbricht (University of Southampton, UK) have addressed this challenge by formulating a novel procedure for demonstrating an observable signature of quantum behaviour for an oscillating object like pendulum having any large mass.

    These scientists have found a novel way for detecting measurement induced disturbance for an arbitrarily massive quantum mechanical pendulum. They have formulated an implementable scheme based on using lasers to suspend a single nanocrystal of silica (a microscopic glass bead) as it oscillates around the focal point of a small parabolic mirror carved out of a block of aluminum housed in a vacuum chamber.

    In a typical classical pendulum, the bead would move regularly from point A to point B and back again, unaffected by any observation. However, a quantum pendulum should behave very differently. Its position will change depending on whether or not someone is watching. If we were to detect at any instant where the pendulum bob was, there would be an immediate change of its future behavior. Such a disturbance is an unavoidable consequence of any measurement process involving quantum mechanical system. The scheme proposed by these scientists would enable detecting such measurement induced quantum disturbance for objects much more massive than usual microphysical objects.

    Given the present state- of- the -art technology, this envisaged experiment could be realizable in the coming years for systems ranging from oscillating nano-objects (like that of a grain of dust, about trillion times heavier than hydrogen atom) to oscillating mirrors having effective mass of about 10 kg used for gravitational wave detection.

    An experimental study has already been launched by one of the co-authors of this paper, Prof. H.Ulbricht and his group at University of Southampton, UK using optically levitated nano-diamonds about billion times heavier than hydrogen atom.

    Thus, this work would pave the way for experiments providing the most emphatic demonstration of large scale quantumness and would open up the possibility for leveraging such macroscopic quantumness for practical applications, such as by developing high precision quantum sensors which are key ingredients in the emerging quantum technologies.

    ***

    NKR/KS/AG

    (Release ID: 2070133) Visitor Counter : 38

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Science and Technology (DST) successfully completes Special Campaign 4.0 on Swachhata and minimizes pendency

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 3:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Drawing inspiration from Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision and mission to institutionalize Swachahta and minimize pendency in Government, Department of Science and Technology launched the Special Campaign 4.0 (implementation phase) from 2nd October to 31st October 2024. The Special Campaign aimed at improving overall cleanliness of Government offices and enhancing public experience of the common public with Government offices. Therefore, special attention was given to field / outstation offices (attached / subordinate offices).

    The glimpses of the cleaning activities carried out by Organisations of the DST are as follows: –

    Before

    After

     

    The Department of Science and Technology has successfully completed Special Campaign 4.0 underlining Swachhata, which was conducted within the Department and across various Autonomous Bodies/Subordinate Offices located in different parts of the country.

    During the campaign, special focus was given to space management and enhancement of workplace experience in offices. Since the beginning of the Preparatory Phase of the Special Campaign, the Department along with its Autonomous Bodies/Subordinate Offices identified various sites to be cleaned across the country. Around 257 sites were identified for cleaning, more than 26,000 physical files and around 383 e-files were identified for review. Daily progress was monitored by a dedicated team and information was uploaded regularly on the SCPDM portal hosted by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

    Nodal Officer of Special Campaign 4.0 & Joint Secretary (Admin), Smt. A. Dhanalakshmi regularly reviewed the campaign progress and visited many sites inside the office premises as a part of ongoing Special Campaign 4.0. She appreciated the efforts of the officials and encouraged them to channel their best efforts to maintain cleanliness at the workplace.

    The Implementation phase ended with achievements surpassing the targets on many fronts. The Department along with its Sections/Divisions/Autonomous Bodies/Subordinate Offices enthusiastically participated in the Special Campaign 4.0 and celebrated it as a cleanliness festival at more than 894 sites. This year a remarkable area of 4 lakhs 76 thousand sq. ft. has been freed and revenue of Rs. 4.84 lakhs have been generated by disposing scraps identified during the campaign. Further, as part of record management exercise, 30731 physical files have been reviewed and out of which 14090 files have been weeded out. Moreover, 575 e-files have been reviewed and out of which 321 e-files have been closed.

    ***

    NKR/KS/AG

    (Release ID: 2070132) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Sports: Successful Completion of Special Campaign 4.0

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 3:11PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Sports, in collaboration with organizations under it – including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), National Sports University (NSU), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL)—made a significant contribution to Special Campaign 4.0 organized by Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG). This campaign, was conducted during October 2024 and was aimed at embedding Swachhata (cleanliness) principles within the Department’s ethos and addressing long-standing pendencies. The Department of Sports commenced this effort with the spirited launch of the Fit India Swachhata Freedom Run 5.0 on October 2, 2024, at Major Dhyanchand Stadium, intertwining the themes of fitness and cleanliness.

    Over the course of the campaign, the Department replied 15 pending Member of Parliament references, resolved 30 public grievances, and fulfilled 2 Parliamentary Assurances under active supervision of senior officers of Department. This dedicated oversight ensured that objectives were met with both efficiency and impact.

    The campaign also focused on physical and digital file management. Accordingly, 210 physical files were thoroughly reviewed and subsequently 120 were weeded out. Moreover, the campaign saw the completion of the review of 220 e-files, marking a substantial stride in digital records management. On the ground, cleanliness drives were carried out across 44 identified sites spanning field offices and headquarters of the organizations under this Department. This concerted effort resulted in the reclamation of 12,000 square feet of space, with many newly available areas repurposed into valuable utility spaces. In addition, scrap disposal during the campaign generated Rs.1,76,000 in revenue, underscoring a commitment to sustainability and resourcefulness in the pursuit of cleanliness. 24 Tweets were made by this Department and organizations under it across various social media platforms, leveraging hashtags #SpecialCampaign4.0 and #SwachhBharat to amplify the campaign’s reach and visibility.

    Through above initiatives, the Department of Sports has not only reinforced the values of Swachhata but also set an example of practical, efficient governance. Some of the pictures of cleaning of office premises/ campus at organizations under this Department are shown below.

    ****

    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2070114) Visitor Counter : 40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: As part of Special Campaign 4.0, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances organized the National Workshop on e-Office and e-Office Analytics Dashboard on 29th October, 2024 at CSOI Vinay Marg

    Source: Government of India (2)

    As part of Special Campaign 4.0, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances organized the National Workshop on e-Office and e-Office Analytics Dashboard on 29th October, 2024 at CSOI Vinay Marg

    172 officials from 84 Ministries/Departments of the Central Government attended the workshop.

    The workshop generated awareness on the future roadmap for e-Office in the Central Secretariat, cyber security vigilance and resilience measures

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 3:08PM by PIB Delhi

    As part of Special Campaign 4.0, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances organized National Workshop on e-Office and e-Office Analytics Dashboard on 29th October, 2024 at CSOI Vinay Marg. 172 officials from 84 Ministries/Departments of the Central Government attended the workshop.

    Presentations were made during the workshop on (i) e-Office 7.0 and implementation of e-Office in attached/ Subordinate Offices and Autonomous bodies; (ii) Initiative of Government for Increasing Efficiency in Decision Making and e-Office Analytics dashboard; (iii) Cyber security protocols and key steps for consolidation of Roll-out of e-Office; and (iv) Sharing of user experience and feedback.

     

    The e-Office is a Mission Mode project under Digital India program of Government of India.  DARPG as the Nodal Department for implementation of e-Office in the Central Government Ministries/ Departments, plays a pivotal role in the successful implementation of digitization of file work in central government.  At present e-Office adoption is about 95% in the Central Government Ministries/ Departments.

    Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary DARPG vigorously pursued Ministries/Departments to adopt e-Office through amendments in the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure, as a result of which, adoption of e-Office has risen to 95%.  The e-Office was instrumental in uninterrupted functioning of the central secretariat during the pandemic.  e-Office platform generated savings for the exchequer by saving paper/stationery and lesser pollution because of less use of paper.  DARPG launched e-office analytics system which has been very effective.

     

     

    Shri Navin Kumar Singh, DG, NCIIPC said the workshop was a platform to generate largescale awareness and education among central government employees on cyber security.  He advocated cyber vigilance and resilience by using simple measures that can have incremental changes in securing the e-office cyber space, securing VPN credentials especially admin credentials and other small doable measures which ensures cyber security in e-office digital space as well as inculcate a culture of cyber hygiene.

    Smt. Rachana Shrivastava, Deputy Director General, NIC, said as part of the 100 days agenda, Government has targeted implementing e-Office in all subordinate organizations, autonomous and statutory bodies.  92 attached/ subordinate offices and autonomous bodies have onboarded the e-office system in 100 days making a total of 393 such organizations onboard e-Office. NIC is working on a new version of e-Office with divyangjan (visually-impaired) access, Bhashini translation (including voice) and encryption facility. 

    Smt. Jaya Dubey, Joint Secretary, DARPG presented the initiative of the Government for Increasing Efficiency in Decision Making (IEDM) and how e-office analytics helps in monitoring and evaluating the efforts of the Government towards Increasing Efficiency in Decision Making.

    DoPT; Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Department of School Education & Literacy shared their experiences to be used as feedback for improvisation in e-office system.   Suggestions of other Ministries/ Departments were also taken in the open house.  

    *****
     

    NKR/AG/KS

    (Release ID: 2070112) Visitor Counter : 42

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Expresses Condolences on the Passing of Shri Narayan

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 3:04PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has condoled the passing of Shri Narayan, a distinguished figure in Indian politics and social service.

    In a heartfelt message on X, the Prime Minister tweeted:

    “The demise of Narayan ji, who made an invaluable contribution to politics and social service, is an irreparable loss. He has been among the oldest and hardworking workers of BJP, whom we also know as Bhulai Bhai. His works related to public welfare will always be remembered. In this hour of grief, I express my condolences to his admirers and family members. Om Shanti!”

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    MJPS/SR/SKS

    (Release ID: 2070111) Visitor Counter : 69

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Overall Coal Production in October 2024 Touches 84.45 Million Tonne

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 2:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Coal has achieved a notable upswing in overall coal production during October 2024, reaching 84.45 million tonnes (MT) and surpassing the 78.57 MT of the corresponding month last year, registering an increase of 7.48%. Coal production from captive and other entities also showed substantial growth, rising to 16.59 MT in October 2024 compared to 11.70 MT in the same period last year, reflecting a remarkable growth rate of 41.75%.  The Cumulative coal production for the fiscal year up to October 2024 reached 537.45 MT, an increase from 506.56 MT during the same period in FY 2023-24, representing growth of 6.10%.

    Additionally, coal dispatches witnessed a significant boost in October 2024, reaching an impressive 82.89 MT, showcasing a 4.60% increase over the 79.25 MT recorded in October 2023. Coal dispatch from captive and other entities also grew to 16.18 MT in October 2024, compared to 11.83 MT in October 2023, representing growth of 36.83%. Cumulative coal dispatch (up to October 2024) has risen to 571.39 MT in FY 2024-25 as compared to 541.51 MT during the corresponding period in FY 2023-24, reflecting growth of 5.52%.

     

    The Ministry of Coal remains committed to ensuring a reliable coal supply to meet India’s energy demands, with continued focus on boosting production, streamlining logistics, and supporting the nation’s energy goals.

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    ST

    (Release ID: 2070108) Visitor Counter : 45

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INDIAN ARMY CONTINGENT DEPARTS FOR INDIA- US JOINT SPECIAL FORCES EXERCISE ‘VAJRA PRAHAR’

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 2:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The Indian Army contingent departed today for the 15th edition of India- US joint Special Forces Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 2nd to 22nd November 2024 at Orchard Combat Training Centre in Idaho, USA. Last edition of the same exercise was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya in December 2023. This will be second exercise of the year between Indian and the US Army, the previous being Exercise YUDH ABHYAS 2024, conducted at Rajasthan in September 2024.

    Contingents of both the countries taking part in the joint exercise will comprise 45 personnel each. The Indian Army contingent will be represented by Special Forces units and the US Army contingent will be represented by Green Berets of US.

    Aim of Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR is to promote military cooperation between India and the US through enhancement of interoperability, jointness and mutual exchange of special operations tactics. The exercise will enhance combined capabilities in executing joint Special Forces Operations in desert/ semi desert environment. The exercise will focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills.

    Drills/ aspects to be rehearsed during the exercise will include planning a Joint Team Mission, Reconnaissance Mission, employment of Unmanned Aerial Systems, execution of Special Operations, actions of Joint Terminal Attack Controller and Psychological Warfare in Special Operations. 

    Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR will enable the two sides to share their best practices and experiences for conduct of joint Special Forces Operations. The exercise will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of both the countries.

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    SC

    (Release ID: 2070099) Visitor Counter : 57

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Food and Public Distribution successfully completes Special Campaign 4.0 for ensuring cleanliness and reducing pendency in Government offices

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 2:24PM by PIB Delhi

    Department of Food and Public Distribution under the guidance of Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Pralhad Joshi and Minister of State of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya has completed the Special Campaign 4.0 for ensuring cleanliness and reducing pendency in Government offices.

    Shri Joshi and Smt. Bambhaniya led the Special Campaign 4.0 preparations and provided leadership on the strategies to be adopted to make the Special Campaign a huge success.

    The campaign started with the preparatory phase on September 15th, 2023 to identify targets for cleaning, recording and space management during the implementation phase. During the campaign, special focus was given to space management and enhancement of workplace experience in offices including disposal of pending work.

     

    Shri Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary (F&PD) took Review Meetings with the Sr. Officers of DFPD and its attached Offices to sensitize about the progress of activities undertaken during the Special Campaign 4.0.

    Shri Rajender Kumar, JS (Admn) also took a number of Review Meetings with the officers of the Department as well as its PSUs/ Attached offices. During the campaign period, he paid many surprise visits to various sections/ Record Room of DFPD and appreciated the efforts of the officials. He also inspected the toilets and common areas and directed the concerned staff to make their best efforts to maintain the utmost cleanliness in the office premises.

    During the period of Special Campaign 4.0, floor-wise Nodal Officers were appointed to review the progress and achievement of section/unit/desk/offices situated under the DFPD.

    Not only the Department but all its attached Offices i.e. FCI, CWC, WDRA, IGMRI & NSI Kanpur enthusiastically participated in the campaign and celebrated it as a cleanliness festival at 1325 campaign sites. This year 78940 Sq.ft. space has been freed after the disposal of scrap and other redundant materials. 116982 physical files were identified, and reviewed and 36372 physical files have been weeded out during the campaign. 5818 Electronic files have also been closed. The total revenue generated from the disposal of scrap is more than Rs. 13.83 lakh. Also 9 MPs references, 25 State Govt. references, 964 Public Grievances and 242 Public Grievance Appeals has been disposed. During the Special Campaign 4.0 period, this Department and its Attached Offices on various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram etc, have released 13 PIB Notes/press release and about 1000 Tweets. Daily progress was monitored by a dedicated team and uploaded on the SCPDM portal hosted by DARPG.

    The Department of Food and Public Distribution and its attached Offices successfully achieved the target set for Special Campaign 4.0 on Swachhta and minimize pendency in Government, which was conducted within the Department and across its attached Offices i.e. FCI, CWC, WDRA, IGMRI and NSI, Kanpur located in various parts of the country.

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    AD/AM

    (Release ID: 2070094) Visitor Counter : 49

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Urges Youth to Apply for National Youth Award (2022-23)

    Source: Government of India

    Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Urges Youth to Apply for National Youth Award (2022-23)

    Applications for National Youth Award (2022-23) Open from November 1 to 15, 2024

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 1:46PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has called upon young Indians to apply for the prestigious National Youth Awards (NYA) 2022-23, recognizing their exceptional contributions to India’s development and social progress.

    Highlighting the unmatched spirit of India’s youth across sectors—be it sports, social service, science, or research—Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that the awards are not merely an accolade but a celebration of youth leadership in fostering a progressive and inclusive India.

    Department of Youth Affairs, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, confers the National Youth Awards (NYA) on individuals (aged between 15-29 years) and organizations for excellent work and contribution in different fields of development and social service such as health, promotion of human rights, active citizenship, community service etc.

    The objective of the awards is to motivate young persons to achieve excellence in the field of national development and social service, to encourage young people to develop a sense of responsibility to the community and thus to improve their own personal potential as good citizens and to give recognition to the outstanding work done by voluntary organizations working with the youth for national development including social service.

    Application for National Youth Award (2022-23) is being invited through common award portal of Ministry of Home Affairs from 1st November to 15th November, 2024.  The link of the award portal is https://awards.gov.in/.

    The award comprises of a medal, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000/- to individual and a cash prize of Rs. 3,00,000/- to organization respectively.

     

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    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2070077) Visitor Counter : 44

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Defence successfully completes Special Campaign 4.0, achieving a 100% disposal rate of all identified targets through multiple initiatives

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 NOV 2024 1:02PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Defence (DOD) achieved a 100% disposal rate of all identified targets which focused on productivity, environmental responsibility, and efficient space utilisation under the Special Campaign 4.0. The Campaign, unfolded over two phases—the preparation phase (September 15–30) and the implementation phase (October 02–31) targeted both cleanliness and efficiency in order to enhance workplace productivity.

    DOD took the following steps during the campaign:

    • Addressed Grievances and Streamlined Processes: 45 references from MPs/VIPs and 169 public grievances via CPGRAMS were resolved. Additionally, 10 processes were simplified.
    • File Review and Disposal: Out of 45,870 reviewed files, 12,186 were successfully weeded out.
    • Revenue Generation and Space Optimisation: The Department generated Rs 25.68 lakh through the disposal of obsolete equipment. This exercise also freed up 2.66 lakh square feet of space.

     

    The Campaign included extensive people-centric engagement across 3,832 locations, involving various organisations under the DOD, such as: Controller General of Defence Accounts, Border Roads Organisation, Military Hospitals, Directorate General of National Cadet Corps, Indian Coast Guard, Sainik Schools, Canteen Stores Department, the Cantonments along with the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling.

    DOD implemented several innovative practices in line with environmental responsibility with efforts to eradicate mosquito-breeding areas and set-up awareness workshops for waste segregation. Additionally, Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) were transformed into plantation sites, and composting facilities for dry leaves were set up in parks.

    Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling spearheaded multiple projects, including:

    • Sewage Treatment Plant – ‘Swachhata Se Samriddhi’: The plant, with a capacity to treat 1,000 litres of wastewater daily, recycles this water for flush systems within the institute, representing a yearly impact of 365,000 litres.
    • Rainwater Harvesting Facility: With a capacity of 1.8 lakh litres, the rainwater facility reduces dependency on external water sources, supporting water conservation in stressed areas.
    • Creative Waste Repurposing: HMI transformed damaged mountaineering gear into decorative pieces, blending sustainability with artistic expression.

    In Sainik School Amaravatinagar, recycling bins made from repurposed barrels were re-painted with colourful designs and placed in prominent locations around the campus. This initiative led to significant reduction in litter around the school grounds.

    In future, DOD plans to showcase these sustainable practices during the Good Governance Week 2024 to promote a message of environmental stewardship and innovation.

     

    SR/KB

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