Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 10 nominations for Labour Advisory Board Election of Employee Representatives

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The election of five employee representatives to the Labour Advisory Board (LAB) for the next two-year term commencing on January 1, 2025, will be held on November 16 (Saturday) at the Mei Foo Community Hall, 1/F, Mei Foo Government Complex, 33 Mei Lai Road, Sham Shui Po. The Labour Department (LD) received 10 valid nominations of candidates from employee unions registered under the Trade Unions Ordinance during the nomination period from September 23 to October 15, 2024.

         The candidates, listed in the order of receipt of nomination forms by the LD, are:

    * Ms Julie Lai
    Chairman,
    Rights Association of Hawker Control Officers

    * Mr Chong Yuk-shing
    Chairman,
    Hong Kong Security Guards Alliance

    * Ms Lai Na
    President,
    Hong Kong Social Welfare Employees Association

    * Mr Kenneth Lee
    Chairman,
    Civil Servants Union of Housing Department

    * Mr Li Siu-bun
    Vice President,
    Hong Kong Clerical and Professional Employees General Union

    * Ms Tam Kam-lin
    Vice Chairman,
    The Federation of Hong Kong & Kowloon Labour Unions

    * Mr Lam Wai-kong
    President,
    Motor Transport Workers General Union

    * Mr Frenky Koon
    Chairman,
    Hong Kong Airport Baggage Handlers Union

    * Mr Yeung Wai-leung
    Chairman,
    Union of Government School Teachers

    * Mr Fung Chuen-chung
    Chairman,
    Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union
     
            A total of 867 employee unions registered as electors have appointed authorised representatives to vote in this election. The electors will soon be informed in writing of the candidate list and detailed proceedings of the election day. Authorised representatives may cast votes at the polling station at Mei Foo Community Hall, 1/F, Mei Foo Government Complex, from 9am to 5pm on the election day of November 16.

            Candidates will be present on the election day to supervise the counting of votes. The Assistant Commissioner for Labour (Development) will act as the Returning Officer.

            The respective lists of candidates and electors with authorised representatives appointed, as well as the election rules and procedures, are available on the homepage of the LD (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/LAB_Election2024.htm). Enquiries on matters relating to this election can be made at 2852 4024.

            The LAB is a tripartite consultative body comprising representatives of employees and employers to advise the Commissioner for Labour on labour matters.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands see Leeds in a new light as city’s dazzling cultural spectacle returns

    Source: City of Leeds

    The stunning sights and sounds of Light Night Leeds transformed the city centre last night as the incredible cultural spectacle returned for its 20th edition.

    A huge programme of mesmerising illuminated artworks from around the world arrived at well-known buildings and locations in Leeds for the event’s first night, with the stunning show set to continue this evening (Oct 25).

    The UK’s largest light art festival, this year’s Light Night features a compelling mix of large-scale projections, live street theatre and interactive installations which wowed crowds of thousands last night.

    At The Queens Hotel The BookBinder saw a fairy tale figure lead a cast of birds, beasts and boats, in an impressive projection across the iconic hotel’s façade.

    A collaboration with the British Library and created by artists Illuminos, the piece is inspired by British Library’s Flickr Commons collection which includes fantastical drawings, prints and images.

    At Leeds Dock, Norwegian artist Anastasia Isachsen’s stunning Monad, was projected onto the water, taking inspiration from nature and the universe and accompanied by a compelling soundscape.

    Aire Park hosted the magnificent Parallels by Architecture Social Club, where multi-coloured laser beams pulsed and flickered overhead near the new Aire Park, outside The Tetley.

    And at Leeds Civic Hall, the breath-taking Out of the Aire paid tribute to some of the people and events that have been part of the fascinating story of Leeds.

    Dynamic, live street performances this year also included a giant Ghost Caribou, the return of the ever-popular Spark Drummers and a fire-breathing dragon.

    This year marks the 20th edition of Light Night Leeds, and over the past two decades, the event has attracted more than 1.1 million visitors to the city and generates millions of pounds for the local economy.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “Light Night always promises to be a breath-taking and compelling cultural spectacle like no other, and last night certainly did not disappoint.

    “Watching so many people come together in the city centre to see some of our most famous places and spaces transformed is truly amazing, and really brings home the power which culture and the arts have to unite and inspire.

    “The event is also a massive credit to all the people, organisations and businesses who have shown their support and helped create an event which showcases the very best of Leeds. Tonight is set to be just as special and I hope people have a memorable evening.”

    Light Night Leeds 2024 will continue this evening, October 25 from 6pm to 10pm.

    Visit www.lightnightleeds.co.uk and follow Light Night Leeds on social media for more information.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The II Forum of the Eurasian Network University was held in Minsk

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 22-23, 2024, the II Forum of the scientific and educational consortium “Eurasian Network University” was held in Minsk. The goal of the Forum is to deepen the interaction of science, education and business, develop network forms of implementing higher education programs, as well as programs of additional professional education and retraining of personnel for the labor market of the EAEU member states.

    The Forum was organized by the State University of Management with the support of the Belarusian State University of Economics, the Belarusian State University and the Belarusian-Russian University. The event was attended by heads and representatives of more than 20 leading universities in the Eurasian space, representatives of ministries, authorized government bodies and the business community.

    The Forum’s formal ceremony was opened by moderators: Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Rector of the Belarusian State University of Economics Alexey Egorov. Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Konstantin Mogilevsky addressed the Forum participants with a welcoming speech. The Deputy Minister noted the results of the fruitful and effective work of the Eurasian Network University over a two-year period, including the successfully launched project “Eurasian International Olympiad”, new joint educational programs launched, implemented programs for advanced training for the business community and civil servants in the field of business and management, and teachers of universities in the EAEU countries.

    Next, a welcoming address was presented to the Forum participants by Senator of the Russian Federation Lyudmila Skakovskaya. The Senator emphasized the special importance of the event in the context of modern challenges that require an active exchange of knowledge and technology in the field of education, science and culture, as well as promoting intercultural dialogue and the implementation of innovative projects. Head of the Representative Office of Rossotrudnichestvo of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Belarus Yuri Makushin delivered a welcoming speech, emphasizing that the Forum is a unique platform not only for the exchange of experience, developments and ideas for the future development of science and the education system in the territory of the EAEU member states, but also for establishing partnerships, developing effective mechanisms for the development of interaction, which is especially relevant today, in the context of modern geopolitical turbulence.

    The leading speakers of the plenary session of the Forum were: First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Vladimir Sipyagin, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science of the CIS Business Center for Economic Development Dmitry Repnikov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economics, Professor Sergei Glazyev, Director of the branch of the National Accreditation Agency in Education Mikhail Petropavlovsky, Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev, Rector of the National Research University “MPEI” Nikolay Rogalev, Rector of the Mari State University Mikhail Shvetsov, Rector of the University under the Interparliamentary Assembly of the EurAsEC Irlan Iskakov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Belarusian-Russian University Natalia Vologina, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Almaty Technological University Lyazzat Baibolova.

    In their reports, the speakers presented models of inter-university cooperation, the advantages of network forms of education, areas of coordination of scientific and educational cooperation, the implementation of foreign internships as a driver for the development of trade and economic relations, and ways of integrating universities in the EAEU space.

    The International Scientific and Practical Conference of the Eurasian Network University “Priority Directions for the Development of Eurasian Integration” was held within the framework of the forum. The key topics of the sectional sessions were “Education in the Context of Eurasian Integration” and “Moral and Patriotic Education of Young People in the EAEU: Main Directions and Features of Organization”. The conference participants discussed issues of integration of government agencies, academic and business communities, prospects for the formation of a common educational space of the EAEU, tools for spiritual and moral-patriotic education of young people in EAEU universities.

    The exhibition of the Eurasian Network University, which was held at the Forum venue, also aroused great interest among students of Belarusian universities. Students got acquainted with the materials of the universities participating in the ENU, received information about the opportunities for participation in academic exchange programs at the universities participating in the ENU, Olympiads that provide opportunities to study within the quotas of the Government of the Russian Federation, and about additional professional education programs.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/25/2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Participants in a special military operation will be able to receive medical care at the nearest state medical facility during their vacation.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Military personnel on leave will be able to receive medical care at any convenient state hospital or clinic. A resolution on this, prepared at the initiative of the Ministry of Defense and with the support of the Ministry of Health, has been signed.

    The decision was made on the instructions of the President. It will be in effect for the duration of the special military operation.

    Previously, due to the lack of compulsory medical insurance policies, military personnel, even while on vacation, had to seek medical care only at departmental hospitals of the Ministry of Defense, which are not available in all regions of the country. The signed resolution will improve the availability of medical care for military personnel who need it.

    The document will be published.

    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 China: Apple CEO Tim Cook vows to increase investment in China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Apple CEO Tim Cook pledged on Friday to continue to increase investment in China in areas such as supply chain and research and development.

    Cook made the remarks when meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Armaments Directors meet to enhance Allied defence planning and production and strengthen their engagement with partners

    Source: NATO

    As NATO works to enhance defence production and ensure better defence planning, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke to the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) on the urgency of the task ahead. “Defence industrial issues are at the core of my agenda,” Mr Rutte explained. “NATO has made significant progress in kick-starting defence production, supporting Ukraine with munitions, and rebuilding stockpiles, but there is more to do, together.”

    The meeting on 23 and 24 October brought representatives from Allied and Interoperability Partner nations together at NATO Headquarters for their 2024 Autumn Plenary Session. Delegates discussed the most pressing challenges for the armaments community across the Alliance and beyond. They addressed defence planning and production, joint procurement, and standardization. They also spoke about how to strengthen engagement with partners, in particular on supply chain security and defence industrial cooperation.

    The CNAD plays an essential role in delivering the interoperable capabilities needed for the Alliance’s deterrence and defence. The Secretary General commended their work, highlighting the important part that Armaments Directors play in “turning political priorities and decisions into action.” This is vital not only among Allies but also with Partners. The recently appointed Assistance Secretary General for Defence Investment and CNAD’s Permanent Chair, Tarja Jaakkola, underscored the value of the of “ensuring that the CNAD contributes to bringing on board partners in NATO discussions to the fullest extent possible.”

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: World update: Ukraine faces prospect of defeat – but the west must ensure a just peace

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    There’s a degree of irony that countries attending the 2024 Brics summit this week voted to adopt the Kazan declaration (named for the capital city of the autonomous republic of Tatarstan in Russia, where the summit is being held). The declaration’s first clause emphasises that “all states should act consistently with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in their entirety”. There’s also a certain amount of chutzpah on the part of conference chair, Vladmir Putin, whose ongoing invasion of Ukraine is so egregiously in breach of that charter.

    Article one stresses that the primary purpose of the UN is to “maintain international peace and security”. Article two rules that: “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means”. If that’s not clear enough, it goes on to further insist that: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

    Still, its a funny old world in which the UN secretary general, António Guterres, pitches up at a summit whose host is wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court on charges relating to the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. In a country whose troops are currently fighting in Ukraine in direct contravention of the UN’s charter.

    To add a further layer of irony, October 24 is the 79th anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945.

    Guterres called on Putin to agree a peace deal “in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions”. The Russian leader is perhaps more likely to listen to a deal proposed by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. He said: “We must uphold the three key principles: no expansion of the battlefields, no escalation of hostilities, and no fanning flames and strive for swift de-escalation of the situation.”


    Now, more than ever, it’s vital to be informed about the important issues affecting global stability. Sign up to receive our weekly World Update newsletter. Every Thursday we’ll you expert analysis of the big stories making international headlines.


    The UN chief’s idea of a just peace would call for Russia to give up its illegal occupation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Xi’s proposal appears to call for a deal based on the status quo – virtually the opposite, in other words.

    This is pretty much all Ukraine can hope for, as far as the University of Portsmouth’s Frank Ledwidge is concerned. Ledwidge, who has written regularly for The Conversation since Putin launched his invasion in February 2024 and is well plugged into defence and intelligence networks in Nato as well as in Ukraine itself, believes that Ukraine cannot defeat Russia – at least as things stand.

    Ledwidge says Ukraine’s western allies are partly to blame for the maximalist aims of the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky. Western rhetoric has not properly been matched by sufficient weapons or the permission to use them as effectively as the situation warrants. Now is the time for realism, he writes:

    A starting point could be accepting that Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk are lost … Then we need to start planning seriously for a post-war Ukraine that will need the west’s suppport more than ever.




    Read more:
    Ukraine cannot defeat Russia – the best the west can do is help Kyiv plan for a secure post-war future


    One of the key factors that Ledwidge stresses is that just one of Russia’s allies, North Korea, has supplied twice as many artillery shells this year as the whole of Europe. Now North Korean troops are apparently also about to join their Russian comrades on the battlefield. This, writes Ra Mason – a Korea specialist at the University of East Anglia – will help ease the pressure on Putin to bring forward his mobilisation plans.

    Losing battle? The state of the conflict in Ukraine, October 23.
    Institute for the Study of War

    It’s a diplomatic coup for Putin, Mason believes – it’s a “clear show of opposition towards the Washington-led global order”, which “deals a further blow to the myth that the Russian Federation is isolated, as an international pariah, in a world led by western powers.”

    But a military coup de grace against Ukraine? Probably not. The jury is out on how effective North Korea’s “poorly equipped, unmotivated and undernourished” troops will be against Ukraine’s highly motivated defenders. It will also be interesting to see where and how they are deployed. If sent to the frontlines in Kursk, they’ll be helping an ally in its struggle against an incursion by Ukrainian forces. If deployed inside Ukraine, they’ll join Russia in breach of international law. Mason concludes:

    If sent into new theatres of war against state-of-the-art Nato-supplied weaponry, it could effectively mean waves of ill-prepared cannon fodder being thrown into the meat grinder of Donbas’ trenches.




    Read more:
    Kim Jong-un sends North Korean troops to fight in Ukraine – here’s what this means for the war


    Incidentally, the term “meat grinder” has been much bandied about of late. It follows reports from US intellegence recently that, while Russian forces have been making rapid advances and gaining a significant amount of ground in recent weeks, they are doing so at considerable cost in terms of dead and wounded. September was a particularly bloody month, with reports of Russian losses of more than 1,000 men a day, killed or wounded.

    But Russian military strategists are well versed in such pyrrhic victories, writes historian Becky Alexis-Martin, who points to equally savage losses in Russia’s defence against Napoleon and in the first and second world wars. Stalin, in particular, was able to defeat the Nazi war machine by, inter alia, throwing millions of troops at their enemies (and incurring terrible casualties). But it’s not a strategy that guarantees success. And terrible psychological effects are beginning to manifest themselves in veterans returning from Ukraine with severe and often violent post-traumatic stress disorder.




    Read more:
    Russia’s ‘meat grinder’ tactics in Ukraine have proved effective in past wars – but at terrible cost


    The diplomatic front

    As if things weren’t bad enough for Zelensky on the battlefield, the Ukrainian president was dealt a serious blow earlier this month when the US president, Joe Biden, was forced by extreme weather events, including a hurricane hitting the state of Florida, to cancel the planned meeting of the heads of government of up to 50 of Ukraine’s western allies in Germany. The “Ramstein Group”, so-called after the German air base at which they meet, was scheduled to meet in the second week of October to consider Zelensky’s “victory plan”. Stefan Wolff, an international security expert at the University of Birmingham writes that the Ukrainian president was hoping to get some degree of commitment for a path to Nato membership for Ukraine as well as permission to use western-supplied long-range missiles against targets deep inside Russia.

    Neither of these seem likely to happen in the short term, says Wolff. Like Ledwidge, Wolff thinks Ukraine is doomed to defeat unless its allies double down on their aid – and fast. And like Ledwidge, Wolff sees little indication of that happening any time soon.




    Read more:
    Ukraine faces worsening odds on the battlefield and a struggle on the diplomatic front after Biden postpones summit


    When it comes to continuing US support for Ukraine’s war effort, all eyes are now firmly fixed on November 5. The outcome of the presidential election will be seriously consequential for Ukraine’s future. Both candidates have made their positions clear and there is considerable difference between the two positions.

    Donald Trump has said any number of times that had he not lost that “rigged and stolen” election to Biden in 2020, Putin would never have invaded Ukraine in the first place. Still, he says, if he wins this one, he’ll bring the war to a very rapid conclusion. But it remains to be seen, given Trump’s oft-stated admiration for Putin, whether the conclusion will be palatable to Kyiv – or to Nato in general.

    Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris, said the former president’s proposals are not “proposals for peace, they’re proposals for surrender”. As vice-president during the Biden administration, she flew to Europe not long after the invasion in February 2022 to help shore up support for Kyiv. Harris has also regularly restated her intention to continue to back Ukraine against Russia. In the only debate of the campaign she said that Ukraine was not Putin’s final stop and that he has “his eyes on the rest of Europe, starting with Poland”.




    Read more:
    On Ukraine, candidate Trump touts his role as dealmaker while Harris sticks with unwavering support


    Poland, incidentally, is an interesting case in point. While it is Ukraine’s firmest ally and it leadership is four-square behind Kyiv, the people are curiously divided on the country’s support for Ukraine. You can read more about that here.




    Read more:
    Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw


    One imagines that Zelensky is as transfixed as anyone else on the 2024 US presidential election campaign as it heads into its final ten days. All we can tell you is that the polls are still very, very close. Well within most pollsters’ margin for error, in fact. A poll of polls, which combines polls from different agencies, published on the website FiveThirtyEight on October 22 shows that Harris leads Trump by 48.1% to 46.3% in the national popular vote. But the accepted popular wisdom is that the complex electoral college system used in the US may well favour Trump’s candidacy.

    We’ll be providing daily updates on the US presidential race and full coverage of election day on November 5 and its aftermath.




    Read more:
    Harris nudges ahead of Trump in the polls – but could the economy prove her downfall?


    World Update is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get our updates directly in your inbox.


    ref. World update: Ukraine faces prospect of defeat – but the west must ensure a just peace – https://theconversation.com/world-update-ukraine-faces-prospect-of-defeat-but-the-west-must-ensure-a-just-peace-242146

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Follow-up of UN framework for biodiversity at CBD COP16

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The UN global agreement to halt and reverse the ongoing loss of biodiversity – the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – was adopted in 2022. Implementation efforts are being followed up at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) taking place in Cali, Colombia on 21 October–1 November 2024.

    Taking place in conjunction with COP16 are Conferences to the Parties of two protocols: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP11) and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (COP-MOP5).

    Sweden is part of the EU negotiating delegation at COP16. The top priority for Sweden is issues that are particularly important for the implementation of the Framework – the Conference’s adoption of an updated monitoring framework and a transparent review process for follow-up of the global targets, including reporting.  

    Decisions are also expected to be taken at the Conference on the following priority issues for Sweden:

    • a long-term strategy for resource mobilisation from all sources;
    • intensifying cooperation between climate and biodiversity, since climate change and the threat to biodiversity must be addressed collectively; 
    • the design of the mechanism for digital sequence information (DSI), 
    • a new work programme and stronger engagement in the Convention’s work for indigenous people and local communities; and 
    • action plan on biodiversity and health.

    In addition, negotiations on marine issues will be held to further the work on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas, which is also a priority issue for Sweden. Earlier this year, the Government presented the Bill ‘A living sea – increased protection, reduced eutrophication and sustainable fishing’, in which its proposals include reaching the target of protecting 30 per cent of marine areas – one of the key objectives in the Kunming-Montreal Framework – by 2030.

    Several representatives of Business Sweden and the business sector are in Cali. Business engagement is key to halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity, which Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari highlighted as she delivered the opening address at a Confederation of Swedish Enterprise seminar in September 2024. 

    Ms Pourmokhtari is leading the Swedish negotiating delegation, which consists of more than 20 people from the Government Offices, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Sami Parliament, Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Riksdag.

    Sida Director-General Jakob Granit and the Embassy of Sweden in Colombia are also taking part. This year, Sweden and Colombia are celebrating 150 years of bilateral relations. They enjoy close cooperation on a number of issues, none more so than the green transition.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Happy Marketer’s Day!

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Specialists who are better than others at promoting goods and services on the market, and, of course, the entire Marketing Institute of the State University of Management! We are glad to congratulate you on your professional holiday! We wish that your work is always in good shape, and that your clients are pleasantly surprised by your creative ideas. And those who are just learning the basics of their future profession, strive for the best results and always achieve success in everything.

    It should be noted that the appearance of this date in the holiday calendar is associated with an event that took place on October 25, 1975. On this day, the Marketing and Advertising Department was created in the Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Soviet Union. Incidentally, specialists in market and consumer preference studies began to be trained in our country even earlier – in 1931, when the All-Union Academy of Foreign Trade opened in the USSR.

    But at the State University of Management, the Marketing Department was created in 1994, under the leadership of the rector of those years, an outstanding economist, Professor Anatoly Porshnev. Another 10 years later, by his order, the Institute of Marketing was created. Today, IM is about 1,500 students studying in three departments in ten educational programs. The Institute is developing dynamically and opening new modern audiences with the participation of its graduates.

    Once again, we congratulate our marketers on their professional holiday and wish them to be inventive and sought-after specialists, to study well not only at the university, but also to develop themselves after graduation, to imbue their whole lives with creativity and to feel happy in any workplace.

    We also congratulate the Marketing and IM departments on their 30th and 20th anniversaries, respectively. We wish you further growth and development, bright scientific projects, and an endless number of grateful graduates!

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/25/2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: More housing for vulnerable women with New Generation Catherine House

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    More women in South Australia will be assisted to access crisis accommodation and recovery services, with confirmation that a New Generation Catherine House is to be built in Adelaide’s CBD.

    The $32.6 million project will feature 52 social housing apartments in the eight-storey development.

    It delivers on an Albanese Labor Government election commitment and is becoming a reality in partnership with Catherine House philanthropy and the Malinauskas South Australian Labor Government.

    The new 24/7 crisis and longer-term accommodation service brings the well-known South Australian homelessness service under one roof at a site owned by Community Housing Provider, Housing Choices.

    The project has been allocated $14.3 million from the Social Housing Accelerator. A further $8 million from the Safe Places Inclusion Round was also provided by the Albanese Labor Government.

    A total of $2.5 million was provided from Catherine House philanthropy and the SA state Government supported the purchase of the $2.9 million site.

    The New Generation Catherine House will provide crisis and transitional accommodation alongside longer term social housing for women without homes, many having escaped violent relationships.

    More than 60 per cent of women enter Catherine House as a direct result of Domestic and Family Violence (DFV), and more than 70 per cent report that DFV was the reason behind the loss of their permanent home.

    The site will offer self-contained units where women for the first time will have private bathroom, kitchen, and laundry facilities suitable for an individual or a small family. New Generation combines accommodation with well-designed and secure shared spaces.

    The project will be managed by Housing Choices and Catherine House.

    It will also include:

    • Staff sleep-over accommodation for 24/7 support
    • On-site Women’s Respite and Recovery Centre
    • Dedicated education spaces
    • Craft, cooking and activity areas
    • Meeting rooms
    • Large domestic kitchen for shared meals
    • Computer training space
    • Secure outdoor garden and BBQ area

    Catherine House will continue to provide their holistic approach to support through individual case management, health services, counselling services, education and employment pathways, mental health Support, financial and legal assistance and personal development.

    For concept images of the New Generation Catherine House click here.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth

    We know that if a woman has a safe place to go and take her children, she is more likely to take the steps to leave a violent relationship.

    No one escaping violence should have to choose between their safety and somewhere to live.

    The Albanese Government’s investment in the Safe Places Inclusion Round, through projects like the New Generation Catherine House, will improve access to appropriate emergency accommodation options for victim-survivors who may have otherwise found it difficult to access.

    Quotes attributable to Foreign Minister and Senator for South Australia Penny Wong

    Over decades, Catherine House has helped so many women experiencing homelessness from across our state to get back on their feet.

    As a long-time supporter of Catherine House, I’m proud to be a part of the Labor Governments delivering the next generation of this vital service. This will be transformational for women and children in need, providing a space to live safely and with dignity. It will be a place where they can heal, and where they can grow.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Housing Minister Clare O’Neil

    Women escaping violence relationship deserve a safe place to call home as it can be the difference between being stuck or being empowered to leave.

    I’m proud that this collaboration between the Federal and State Labor Governments and Catherine House will allow so many women and their children to have that safe place to call home and to rebuild their lives.

    The Albanese Labor Government’ Social Housing Accelerator is building hundreds of homes for the most vulnerable members of our community right across South Australia.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Boothby Louise Miller-Frost

    Catherine House is the only homelessness service for unaccompanied women in South Australia and it currently operates from a series of aging and repurposed properties that really make it difficult to provide their vital services.

    These new purpose-built facilities will help women to recover and rebuild their lives in safety, and as the former CEO of Catherine House I know how life-changing this will be for so many women.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Adelaide Steve Georganas

    The Labor Government is committed to ending violence against women and children and ensuring they have a safe place to go when escaping violence.

    I welcome the expansion of the crucial services provided by Catherine House to women and children experiencing family and domestic violence when they need it most.

    Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Housing and Urban Development Nick Champion

    This is a critical housing project in the city to support vulnerable women and their children.

    We are investing in the state’s future by building more safe, secure and well-connected housing options for South Australians.

    Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Katrine Hildyard

    Domestic, family and sexual violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women with this scourge causing lifelong negative impacts for women’s health, economic security and wellbeing.

    The State Government’s commitments to building a New Generation Catherine House will allow this extraordinary organisation to continue supporting women at the most difficult of times in a safe environment that empowers them to traverse a new safer path in which they can thrive.

    Quotes attributable to Catherine House Director Julie Duncan

    For the first time since Catherine House was established in 1988, this project will deliver new purpose built accommodation, a new service hub and women’s recovery centre.

    With the increased accommodation places available, we will be able to do more for South Australian women and their families.

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Key Figures of Notorious Serbian Clan Arrested in Barcelona

    Source: Europol

    The clan leader was apprehended in Barcelona on 18 October, followed by the arrest of his lieutenant on 22 October. Both were wanted for charges including murder, attempted murder and kidnapping of rival gang members in Serbia, Austria, Germany and Spain.The clan leader was considered one of Europe’s most wanted and dangerous fugitives.The ” VračarClan”, a sub-clan of the “Kavač”…

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 2024 ICPC Challenge Championship Powered by Huawei Concludes in Shenzhen Oct 25, 2024

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: 2024 ICPC Challenge Championship Powered by Huawei Concludes in Shenzhen
    Oct 25, 2024

    [Shenzhen, China, October 25, 2024] ICPC Challenge Championship powered by Huawei (the Championship) just ended in Shenzhen, marking the second consecutive year the event was held in China. The Championship is jointly organized by Huawei and the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). It brings together top programmers from around the world to discuss solutions to real-world industry problems, as well as key technology trends and future challenges. This year’s event was attended by more than 90 coaches and contestants from 35 countries and regions.
    After five hours of intense competition, Japan’s Hirotaka Yoneda won the Championship. Nine other contestants from China, Armenia, Poland and other countries shared second and third prizes.
    At the opening ceremony, Zhou Hong, President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research, said: “We will enter an intelligent world within the next 20 to 30 years. This is bringing about unprecedented opportunities, but also creating huge challenges that can only be solved through the joint efforts of bright minds from around the world. Huawei is committed to sharing real-world challenges currently and our hypotheses for the future, opening up our platforms, and working alongside academic and industrial experts and talent, in order to promote major breakthroughs in theoretical research of fundamental science, push the boundaries of application technology, and contribute to a prosperous world.”
    Zhou Hong, President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research, at the opening ceremony

    The Championship is part of Huawei’s ongoing commitment to opening up research platforms in the device, computing, and connectivity fields. It provides next-generation problem-solvers an opportunity to showcase their talent. Since 2019, Huawei and ICPC jointly organized the ICPC Challenge, which has grown into a major event in the world of programming. In 2023, the first ICPC Challenge Championship powered by Huawei was held. The event is mostly for winners of previous ICPC Challenges as well as outstanding contestants from ICPC regional contests and world finals, providing a networking and competitive platform for top programming talent.
    During the Championship competition, contestants had five hours to program a solution to the problem of optimal photo-story matching, which is closely linked to our daily lives. The Championship tested not only contestants’ programming and optimization skills, but also their modeling capabilities and innovative thinking.
    A partial view of competitors during the Championship

    During the Championship, a range of side activities were organized for participants. For instance, problem designers and contestants from previous competitions shared their experiences. At sessions called Tech Talks, senior Huawei technology leaders shared their insights into technology trends and challenges faced by industries, while encouraging young talent to hone their creativity and potential. Presenters included Huawei Fellow Chen Haibo; Chief Scientist of Huawei Consumer BG, Tian Qi; Media Algorithm Scientist of Huawei HiSilicon, Michael Bi Mi; and Director of Huawei Consumer BG Software Engineering Human Resource Dept., You Jin.
    Huawei will continue supporting top international competitions. By designing problems and facilitating technical exchanges, Huawei will help coaches and contestants explore the latest industrial knowledge and challenges, encourage more talented people to engage in innovation, and drive the flow of knowledge and skills worldwide. Ultimately, this will promote global technology and industry development and improve social well-being.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 2024 ICPC Challenge Championship Powered by Huawei Concludes in Shenzhen

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: 2024 ICPC Challenge Championship Powered by Huawei Concludes in Shenzhen

    [Shenzhen, China, October 25, 2024] ICPC Challenge Championship powered by Huawei (the Championship) just ended in Shenzhen, marking the second consecutive year the event was held in China. The Championship is jointly organized by Huawei and the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). It brings together top programmers from around the world to discuss solutions to real-world industry problems, as well as key technology trends and future challenges. This year’s event was attended by more than 90 coaches and contestants from 35 countries and regions.
    After five hours of intense competition, Japan’s Hirotaka Yoneda won the Championship. Nine other contestants from China, Armenia, Poland and other countries shared second and third prizes.
    At the opening ceremony, Zhou Hong, President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research, said: “We will enter an intelligent world within the next 20 to 30 years. This is bringing about unprecedented opportunities, but also creating huge challenges that can only be solved through the joint efforts of bright minds from around the world. Huawei is committed to sharing real-world challenges currently and our hypotheses for the future, opening up our platforms, and working alongside academic and industrial experts and talent, in order to promote major breakthroughs in theoretical research of fundamental science, push the boundaries of application technology, and contribute to a prosperous world.”
    Zhou Hong, President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research, at the opening ceremony

    The Championship is part of Huawei’s ongoing commitment to opening up research platforms in the device, computing, and connectivity fields. It provides next-generation problem-solvers an opportunity to showcase their talent. Since 2019, Huawei and ICPC jointly organized the ICPC Challenge, which has grown into a major event in the world of programming. In 2023, the first ICPC Challenge Championship powered by Huawei was held. The event is mostly for winners of previous ICPC Challenges as well as outstanding contestants from ICPC regional contests and world finals, providing a networking and competitive platform for top programming talent.
    During the Championship competition, contestants had five hours to program a solution to the problem of optimal photo-story matching, which is closely linked to our daily lives. The Championship tested not only contestants’ programming and optimization skills, but also their modeling capabilities and innovative thinking.
    A partial view of competitors during the Championship

    During the Championship, a range of side activities were organized for participants. For instance, problem designers and contestants from previous competitions shared their experiences. At sessions called Tech Talks, senior Huawei technology leaders shared their insights into technology trends and challenges faced by industries, while encouraging young talent to hone their creativity and potential. Presenters included Huawei Fellow Chen Haibo; Chief Scientist of Huawei Consumer BG, Tian Qi; Media Algorithm Scientist of Huawei HiSilicon, Michael Bi Mi; and Director of Huawei Consumer BG Software Engineering Human Resource Dept., You Jin.
    Huawei will continue supporting top international competitions. By designing problems and facilitating technical exchanges, Huawei will help coaches and contestants explore the latest industrial knowledge and challenges, encourage more talented people to engage in innovation, and drive the flow of knowledge and skills worldwide. Ultimately, this will promote global technology and industry development and improve social well-being.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Video: European Commission President Ursula von der LEYEN Western Balkans tour (Kosovo)

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Press Conference with HE Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo

    Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission:
    Follow us on:
    -X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
    -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
    -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
    -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
    -Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

    Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgfi87kZdkw

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Australian funds back British economy with major moves to the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK. 

    • Prime Minister Keir Starmer continues drive on growth during historic first visit to the Pacific   

    • This comes as Australian superannuation fund Aware Super forms a strategic partnership with a British property firm to invest up to £1 billion in UK property 

    • Australian boost builds on the major success of International Investment Summit last week, which included a further £2.4 billion of investment from Down Under

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK.   

    The boost comes as UK firms break into the New Zealand banking sector, growing jobs in the UK, and expanding their global operations.    

    Australia’s biggest pension fund, AustralianSuper is also preparing to bolster its international investment team in London, in a major vote of confidence for the UK as a global asset management centre.

    The Fund expects to manage £250 billion from its London office by 2035, an increase of more than 10 times over the next decade, from its current management of around £15 billion from its UK base.

    The Prime Minister met the CEO of the Australian firm, Paul Schroder, on arrival in Samoa yesterday to discuss the move.   

    Meanwhile, Aware Super, one of Australia’s top performing and largest profit-for-member superannuation funds, has formed a strategic partnership with Delancey Real Estate to invest up to an initial £1 billion in UK property, further bolstering UK – Australia economic ties.

    Its initial focus will be on Central London office sites in prime locations, upgrading and renovating properties to ensure they meet environmental standards and deliver on the partnership’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in the property market.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    “These investments are a major vote of confidence in the UK, and in this government.

    “I am determined to ensure that UK is the best place in the world to invest and do business, so we improve the lives of hardworking people.

    “By attracting strong, sustained investment, we will also build the expertise we need to drive innovation, stay ahead of the global game, and support economies around the world with British backed projects.”

    AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said:

    “We invest heavily in Australia, but our size requires an increasingly international focus. We are ramping up our investment capabilities in the UK as it is one of the world’s leading gateways to both talent and global markets, which are key for driving future returns for members.

    “By 2035 we expect to manage approximately £250 billion of investments from our London hub, which will represent a significant portion of our global portfolio. We have great confidence in the fundamentals of the UK economy and the country’s commitment to global growth.

    “This underpins our confidence in the investments we have already made in the UK such as the Canada Water urban regeneration project, London’s King’s Cross Estate, Peel Ports Group and Vantage Data Centers. We also see great potential for new investment opportunities in the energy transition, digital infrastructure, mixed-use estates, transport and logistics.”

    Aware Super chief executive Deanne Stewart:

    “Aware Super has strong confidence in the UK economy and markets and is pleased to announce a ground-breaking new commercial partnership that will invest up to an initial £1 billion, an exciting milestone that will coincide with the first anniversary of establishing our London Office.” 

    Meanwhile, UK firms obconnect and Raidiam have been making waves in the New Zealand banking sector, rolling out the British Confirmation of Payee (CoP) system to revolutionise banking in the country, in partnership with the NZ Banking Association.  

    No other companies are currently able to offer the same service, with the partnership combining specialist expertise of the two British companies to serve as a fulcrum for data sharing and facilitating fraud prevention across any territory.   

    The deal has allowed the companies to expand their UK operations to more than 250 people.   

    The win for the British companies come after mobile banking app Revolut broke into the New Zealand market last year. The firm is preparing to expand their operations in the country from 4 FTEs focused on New Zealand investments, to 10 over the next 12 months.   

    The British business wins coincide with the UK securing CPTPP ratification from Australia in the next step towards accession of the trading bloc – the first non-founding country to do so.   

    The boost in Australian investment also comes after a string of Australian announcements as part of the government’s International Investment Summit, which attracted more £63 billion of investment into the UK economy and created 38,000 jobs.   

    They included Australian firms Macquarie supporting investment of £1.3 billion into new green infrastructure and IFM investing more than £1.1 billion through Manchester Airports Group into London Stansted Airport to expand its existing terminal by around a third. The investment will secure new air routes to key business and leisure destinations, boost local supply chains and create 5,000 jobs.   

    The Prime Minister’s visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is the first by a sitting Prime Minister to a Pacific Island. During the summit, the Prime Minister will make the case to build resilient economies across the Commonwealth to unlock growth and investment.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with President of Guyana Irfaan Ali: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Prime Minister met the President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister met the President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    They reflected on the long-shared history between the two countries and their commitment to a growing economic and trade relationship.

    The President updated on Guyana’s new Global Biodiversity Alliance, and they discussed the work the two countries have undertaken on the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership.

    They agreed to continue to look for opportunities to deepen ties on trade, climate finance and biodiversity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: Australian funds back British economy with major moves to the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK. 

    • Prime Minister Keir Starmer continues drive on growth during historic first visit to the Pacific   

    • This comes as Australian superannuation fund Aware Super forms a strategic partnership with a British property firm to invest up to £1 billion in UK property 

    • Australian boost builds on the major success of International Investment Summit last week, which included a further £2.4 billion of investment from Down Under

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK.   

    The boost comes as UK firms break into the New Zealand banking sector, growing jobs in the UK, and expanding their global operations.    

    Australia’s biggest pension fund, AustralianSuper is also preparing to bolster its international investment team in London, in a major vote of confidence for the UK as a global asset management centre.

    The Fund expects to manage £250 billion from its London office by 2035, an increase of more than 10 times over the next decade, from its current management of around £15 billion from its UK base.

    The Prime Minister met the CEO of the Australian firm, Paul Schroder, on arrival in Samoa yesterday to discuss the move.   

    Meanwhile, Aware Super, one of Australia’s top performing and largest profit-for-member superannuation funds, has formed a strategic partnership with Delancey Real Estate to invest up to an initial £1 billion in UK property, further bolstering UK – Australia economic ties.

    Its initial focus will be on Central London office sites in prime locations, upgrading and renovating properties to ensure they meet environmental standards and deliver on the partnership’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in the property market.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    “These investments are a major vote of confidence in the UK, and in this government.

    “I am determined to ensure that UK is the best place in the world to invest and do business, so we improve the lives of hardworking people.

    “By attracting strong, sustained investment, we will also build the expertise we need to drive innovation, stay ahead of the global game, and support economies around the world with British backed projects.”

    AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said:

    “We invest heavily in Australia, but our size requires an increasingly international focus. We are ramping up our investment capabilities in the UK as it is one of the world’s leading gateways to both talent and global markets, which are key for driving future returns for members.

    “By 2035 we expect to manage approximately £250 billion of investments from our London hub, which will represent a significant portion of our global portfolio. We have great confidence in the fundamentals of the UK economy and the country’s commitment to global growth.

    “This underpins our confidence in the investments we have already made in the UK such as the Canada Water urban regeneration project, London’s King’s Cross Estate, Peel Ports Group and Vantage Data Centers. We also see great potential for new investment opportunities in the energy transition, digital infrastructure, mixed-use estates, transport and logistics.”

    Aware Super chief executive Deanne Stewart:

    “Aware Super has strong confidence in the UK economy and markets and is pleased to announce a ground-breaking new commercial partnership that will invest up to an initial £1 billion, an exciting milestone that will coincide with the first anniversary of establishing our London Office.” 

    Meanwhile, UK firms obconnect and Raidiam have been making waves in the New Zealand banking sector, rolling out the British Confirmation of Payee (CoP) system to revolutionise banking in the country, in partnership with the NZ Banking Association.  

    No other companies are currently able to offer the same service, with the partnership combining specialist expertise of the two British companies to serve as a fulcrum for data sharing and facilitating fraud prevention across any territory.   

    The deal has allowed the companies to expand their UK operations to more than 250 people.   

    The win for the British companies come after mobile banking app Revolut broke into the New Zealand market last year. The firm is preparing to expand their operations in the country from 4 FTEs focused on New Zealand investments, to 10 over the next 12 months.   

    The British business wins coincide with the UK securing CPTPP ratification from Australia in the next step towards accession of the trading bloc – the first non-founding country to do so.   

    The boost in Australian investment also comes after a string of Australian announcements as part of the government’s International Investment Summit, which attracted more £63 billion of investment into the UK economy and created 38,000 jobs.   

    They included Australian firms Macquarie supporting investment of £1.3 billion into new green infrastructure and IFM investing more than £1.1 billion through Manchester Airports Group into London Stansted Airport to expand its existing terminal by around a third. The investment will secure new air routes to key business and leisure destinations, boost local supply chains and create 5,000 jobs.   

    The Prime Minister’s visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is the first by a sitting Prime Minister to a Pacific Island. During the summit, the Prime Minister will make the case to build resilient economies across the Commonwealth to unlock growth and investment.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: PM meeting with President of Guyana Irfaan Ali: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The Prime Minister met the President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister met the President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    They reflected on the long-shared history between the two countries and their commitment to a growing economic and trade relationship.

    The President updated on Guyana’s new Global Biodiversity Alliance, and they discussed the work the two countries have undertaken on the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership.

    They agreed to continue to look for opportunities to deepen ties on trade, climate finance and biodiversity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 108k private flats projected

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The projected private flat supply for the next three to four years is 108,000 units, 1,000 lower than the previous estimate.

    The Housing Bureau today said there were 21,000 unsold units in completed projects at the end of September.

    There were also 77,000 units under construction, excluding those pre-sold by developers, and 10,000 units from disposed sites where construction may start any time.

    The number of flats under construction in the third quarter was 3,900, while 3,800 units were completed during the period.

    Click here for details.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has identified additional incentive measures for state-owned companies to achieve key performance indicators

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The government has created conditions for improving the quality of work of employees of state-owned companies, as well as individual non-profit organizations. An order has been signed establishing an expanded list of indicators for depriving officials and managers of such structures of bonuses if they fail to achieve the established key performance indicators (KPIs).

    New grounds for reducing the size of annual bonuses include failure to comply with recommendations related to reducing the level of operating expenses of the organization. The funds freed up by such reduction allow for more effective resolution of tasks defined by national development goals. For failure to achieve the established results of such work, the CEO of the organization may lose 20% of the bonus.

    Also, officials and managers who fail to meet the established indicators of the organization’s digital transformation will be subject to a 20% bonus reduction.

    In 2021, the Government initiated a reform of development institutions and state-owned companies. The transformations were aimed at making these structures more efficient and reorienting them towards achieving the national development goals approved by the President of Russia.

    With regard to state-owned companies, methodological recommendations for the formation of key performance indicators were approved for a more accurate assessment of their activities.

    KPIs were divided into two groups: financial, characterizing the profitability of the organization, and industry-specific, related to national development goals.

    State-owned companies were required to publish reports on the achievement of key performance indicators, and top managers’ remuneration began to be calculated depending on the achievement of specified parameters.

    The document will be published.

    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 Europe: ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – September 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    25 October 2024

    Compared with August 2024:

    • median consumer inflation perceptions over the previous 12 months and consumer inflation expectations for the next 12 months and for three years ahead all declined;
    • expectations for nominal income growth over the next 12 months increased, while expectations for spending growth over the next 12 months remained unchanged;
    • expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months were unchanged, while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months’ time increased;
    • expectations for growth in the price of homes over the next 12 months increased slightly, while expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead declined slightly.

    Inflation

    The median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months declined further in September to 3.4%, from 3.9% in August. Perceptions of past inflation have thus declined by 5.0 percentage points since their peak of 8.4% in September 2023. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months declined to 2.4%, from 2.7% previously, and stood at their lowest level since September 2021. Median expectations for inflation three years ahead also declined in September, by 0.2 percentage points to 2.1%, their lowest level since February 2022 (when Russia invaded Ukraine). Inflation expectations at the one-year and three-year horizons remained below the perceived past inflation rate. Uncertainty about inflation expectations over the next 12 months remained unchanged, also at its lowest level since February 2022. While the broad evolution of inflation perceptions and expectations remained relatively closely aligned across income groups, expectations for lower income quintiles were slightly above those for higher income quintiles. Younger respondents (aged 18-34) continued to report lower inflation perceptions and expectations than older respondents (those aged 35-54 and 55-70), albeit to a lesser degree than previously. (Inflation results)

    Income and consumption

    Consumer nominal income growth expectations increased to 1.3%, from 1.2% in August. The increase in income expectations continued to be driven by the lowest two income quintiles. Perceptions of nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months remained unchanged at 5.2%. Similarly, expectations for nominal spending growth over the next 12 months remained stable at 3.2%, their lowest level since February 2022. For the first time since March 2023, there was no drop in either perceptions or expectations of nominal spending, while inflation perceptions and expectations both continued on their downward trajectory, which might indicate a positive turning point for real spending. (Income and consumption results)

    Economic growth and labour market

    Economic growth expectations for the next 12 months were stable in September, standing at -0.9%. Meanwhile, expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead increased to 10.6%, from 10.4% in August. Consumers continued to expect the future unemployment rate to be only slightly higher than the perceived current unemployment rate (10.3%), implying a broadly stable labour market. The lowest income quintile continued to report the highest expected and perceived unemployment rate, as well as the lowest economic growth expectations. (Economic growth and labour market results)

    Housing and credit access

    Consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 2.8% over the next 12 months, which was slightly higher than in August (2.7%). Households in the lowest income quintile continued to expect higher growth in house prices than those in the highest income quintile (3.4% and 2.5% respectively). Expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead declined slightly to 4.7%, 0.8 percentage points lower than their peak in November 2023 and the lowest level since September 2022. As in previous months, the lowest income households expected the highest mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead (5.3%), while the highest-income households expected the lowest rates (4.2%). The net percentage of households reporting a tightening (relative to those reporting an easing) in access to credit over the previous 12 months declined, as did the net percentage of those expecting a tightening over the next 12 months. (Housing and credit access results)

    The release of the CES results for October is scheduled for 29 November 2024.

    For media queries, please contact: Eszter Miltényi-Torstensson, Tel: +49 171 769 5305

    Notes

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Monetary developments in the euro area: September 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    25 October 2024

    Components of the broad monetary aggregate M3

    The annual growth rate of the broad monetary aggregate M3 increased to 3.2% in September 2024 from 2.9% in August, averaging 2.8% in the three months up to September. The components of M3 showed the following developments. The annual growth rate of the narrower aggregate M1, which comprises currency in circulation and overnight deposits, was -1.2% in September, compared with ‑2.1% in August. The annual growth rate of short-term deposits other than overnight deposits (M2-M1) decreased to 9.7% in September from 10.4% in August. The annual growth rate of marketable instruments (M3-M2) decreased to 21.8% in September from 22.3% in August.

    Chart 1

    Monetary aggregates

    (annual growth rates)

    Data for monetary aggregates

    Looking at the components’ contributions to the annual growth rate of M3, the narrower aggregate M1 contributed -0.8 percentage points (up from -1.4 percentage points in August), short-term deposits other than overnight deposits (M2-M1) contributed 2.8 percentage points (down from 2.9 percentage points) and marketable instruments (M3-M2) contributed 1.3 percentage points (as in the previous month).

    Among the holding sectors of deposits in M3, the annual growth rate of deposits placed by households increased to 2.8% in September from 2.3% in August, while the annual growth rate of deposits placed by non-financial corporations decreased to 1.6% in September from 1.8% in August. Finally, the annual growth rate of deposits placed by investment funds other than money market funds increased to 11.9% in September from 11.7% in August.

    Counterparts of the broad monetary aggregate M3

    The annual growth rate of M3 in September 2024, as a reflection of changes in the items on the monetary financial institution (MFI) consolidated balance sheet other than M3 (counterparts of M3), can be broken down as follows: net external assets contributed 3.9 percentage points (down from 4.0 percentage points in August), claims on the private sector contributed 1.1 percentage points (as in the previous month), claims on general government contributed -0.5 percentage points (down from -0.4 percentage points), longer-term liabilities contributed -1.8 percentage points (as in the previous month), and the remaining counterparts of M3 contributed 0.5 percentage points (up from 0.0 percentage points).

    Chart 2

    Contribution of the M3 counterparts to the annual growth rate of M3

    (percentage points)

    Data for contribution of the M3 counterparts to the annual growth rate of M3

    Claims on euro area residents

    The annual growth rate of total claims on euro area residents stood at 0.5% in September 2024, unchanged from the previous month. The annual growth rate of claims on general government stood at -1.2% in September, compared with -1.1% in August, while the annual growth rate of claims on the private sector stood at 1.2% in September, unchanged from the previous month.

    The annual growth rate of adjusted loans to the private sector (i.e. adjusted for loan transfers and notional cash pooling) stood at 1.6% in September, compared with 1.5% in August. Among the borrowing sectors, the annual growth rate of adjusted loans to households stood at 0.7% in September, compared with 0.6% in August, while the annual growth rate of adjusted loans to non-financial corporations increased to 1.1% in September from 0.8% in August.

    Chart 3

    Adjusted loans to the private sector

    (annual growth rates)

    Data for adjusted loans to the private sector

    Notes:

    • Data in this press release are adjusted for seasonal and end-of-month calendar effects, unless stated otherwise.
    • “Private sector” refers to euro area non-MFIs excluding general government.
    • Hyperlinks lead to data that may change with subsequent releases as a result of revisions. Figures shown in annex tables are a snapshot of the data as at the time of the current release.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Possession of stolen firearm sends Reed Point man to prison for more than eight years

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    GREAT FALLS — A Reed Point man who admitted to possessing a stolen firearm found in a stolen vehicle that crashed near Helena following a pursuit was sentenced today to eight years and eight months years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

    The defendant, Jarred Lane Saunders, 26, pleaded guilty in June to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $18,252.98 restitution.

    “Stolen firearms and drugs are a dangerous combination. Here, Saunders likely stole 23 guns from a vehicle parked at a Billings hotel, then was arrested in Helena after a pursuit and found in possession of fentanyl and one of the stolen guns. Saunders’ criminal conduct posed a serious threat to public safety, and we remain united with our law enforcement partners in getting these offenders off our streets,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

    The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 12, 2022, Billings police officers responded to a report of 23 firearms that had been stolen from a vehicle parked in a hotel parking lot. Saunders likely stole the 23 firearms because his fingerprints were found at the scene and then brought stolen firearms and fentanyl in a stolen car to Helena. On Oct. 15, 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol pursued a stolen Mercedes, which had been taken in Billings on Oct. 11, 2022. The Mercedes eventually crashed in a private driveway, and Saunders was arrested by Helena police officers. At his arrest, Saunders complained that he ingested 15 to 20 fentanyl pills. A search warrant was executed on the Mercedes, and officers found approximately 300 fentanyl pills, a small amount of methamphetamine and a .22-caliber pistol that had been stolen from the vehicle in Billings. A witness told Billings police of seeing Saunders with three duffle bags full of guns. That person received three of the firearms knowing they were stolen. At the time Saunders possessed the firearms, he was an unlawful user of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Intercap Consulting Limited

    Source: Isle of Man

    Notice is hereby given that Intercap Consulting Limited, which was registered under the Designated Businesses (Registration & Oversight) Act 2015, has been de-registered in accordance with 12(1)(a) of this Act with effect from 25/10/2024.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank President calls for bold, innovative and practical solutions to tackle poverty in Africa

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    WASHINGTON D.C, United States of America, October 25, 2024/APO Group/ —

    Climate change, global financial shocks and growing food insecurity are threatening Africa, the world’s fastest-growing continent and hampering achievement of global development goals. To tackle these challenges and speed up the continent’s efforts to achieve these goals, the president of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina on Thursday called for bold reforms from development partners.  

    “We need bolder resolve, innovative and practical solutions, and stronger coordinated action at scale,” he said during a meeting of multilateral development bank (MDB) heads with the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty (http://apo-opa.co/3YzKsaP). The MDB leaders met on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group’s ongoing annual meetings in Washington DC.

    Adesina who is leading the Bank’s delegation participating in key sessions of the Bretton Wood institutions’ meetings, will highlight his priority concerns for Africa: combatting hunger and eliminating malnutrition, providing electricity to 300 million people by 2030, scaling up infrastructure for agricultural and industrial transformation, combatting climate change, and supporting some of the world’s most fragile nations by mobilizing additional resources for the African Development Fund – the  Bank Group’s concessional lending arm.

    “Our strength lies in consolidating our collaboration, mobilizing resources at speed and scale, and deploying them where they are needed most,” Adesina said.

    High on Adesina’s agenda is the opportunity to consolidate partnerships with partner multilateral development banks such as the World Bank.

    The two institutions are working on co-hosting an Africa Energy Summit in Tanzania in January 2025 to accelerate Mission 300, a joint initiative to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. At that summit, African leaders are expected to endorse an Africa Energy Compact.

    Dr. Adesina is accompanied by a team of the institution’s senior management team  including the Bank’s Senior Vice President Marie Laure Akin-Olugbade, Hassatou N’Sele, Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Beth Dunford, Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Chief Economist and Vice President, Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, Kevin Urama, as well as Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex.

    Also in Washington, Adesina will participate in a meeting of heads of MDBs, hold bilateral meetings with development partners and host a meeting of the Africa Investment Forum’s founding partners.

    The 2024 Africa Investment Forum (http://apo-opa.co/3YzKsrl) which will take place in Morocco in December, offers bountiful opportunities for international investors. The forum has attracted over $180 billion in investment interest in Africa over the last five years across various sectors including agribusiness, energy, roads and transport, health, and digital technology.

    Earlier this week, US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen spoke on the Evolution of MDBs and their significant achievements in the development agenda for Africa and the world.  She highlighted the increase in May of the Bank’s callable capital, the Mission 300 joint initiative with the World Bank and the African Development Bank’s work on addressing fragility in various parts of the continent.

    “Outside of crisis contexts, countries are increasingly addressing the underlying drivers of fragility and conflict, such as in the case of an African Development Bank loan to the Democratic Republic of Congo to invest in increasing agricultural productivity in communities that had been displaced,” Yellen said.

    Next week, Adesina will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, where he will take part in the 2024 Borlaug Dialogue and World Food Prize. A number of African Heads of State and Government are expected in Iowa for high-level meetings around global food security and agricultural innovation.

    The 2024 IMF Annual Meetings take place from October 21–26 in Washington, DC. The meetings include the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the Development Committee, a joint forum of the IMF and the World Bank.

    President Akinwumi Adesina participates at the 4th G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting – African Development Bank Group https://apo-opa.co/4fegwX8

    President Akinwumi Adesina co-hosts and delivers opening remarks at the Financing for the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty through SDR event https://apo-opa.co/3YiSMKE

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Mataʻafa of Samoa: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Prime Minister met Samoan Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa this morning, as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa this morning, as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Fiamē for hosting such a successful summit and for the generosity and kindness of the Samoan people.

    The summit had offered a chance for leaders to reflect on the importance of the Commonwealth family and how the group could go further to support all members in the face of shared challenges, such as climate change, he added.

    The leaders also discussed the importance of leveraging international finance to support Small Island Developing States, especially in the Pacific.

    The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Albanese of Australia: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Prime Minister met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this week.

    The Prime Minister met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this week.

    The Prime Minister began by expressing commitment to visit Australia in the near future.

    The leaders reflected on the future of the Commonwealth, including the opportunity to drive trade and growth, and build brighter futures for the next generation.

    Turning to the impact of climate change in the region, and the importance of ensuring resilience among Commonwealth members, including in the Pacific, the Prime Minister said he was pleased that Australia had bid to host COP31.

    The leaders discussed the opportunity of transitioning to clean energy and ensuring energy security throughout the transition.

    The leaders also discussed global stability, including the situation in the Middle East and the importance of regional security in the Pacific.

    The Prime Minister looked forward to speaking again soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with crew of HMS Tamar: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Prime Minister spoke to the crew of HMS Tamar this evening to thank them for their service and praise their role in securing Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui earlier this month.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the crew of HMS Tamar this evening to thank them for their service and praise their role in securing Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui earlier this month.

    The Prime Minister heard firsthand from members of the ship about their 650-mile high-speed transit from Fiji following the mayday call on October 5. They remained at the scene for almost two weeks providing recovery and pollution control efforts.

    This week, the ship has been bolstering security to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, patrolling off the coast of the island while the summit is taking place.

    The Prime Minister paid tribute to the crew’s dedication and commitment so far away from home.

    He asked the ship’s company to pass on his sincere thanks to their families for their sacrifice at home too.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Australia funds back British economy with major moves to the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK.

    A further billion pounds of investment will be injected into the British economy as the Prime Minister continues his drive to attract foreign business back to the UK.

    • Prime Minister Keir Starmer continues drive on growth during historic first visit to the Pacific   
    • This comes as Australian superannuation fund Aware Super forms a strategic partnership with a British property firm to invest up to £1 billion in UK property 
    • Australian boost builds on the major success of International Investment Summit last week, which included a further £2.4 billion of investment from Down Under

    The boost comes as UK firms break into the New Zealand banking sector, growing jobs in the UK, and expanding their global operations.    

    Australia’s biggest pension fund, AustralianSuper is also preparing to bolster its international investment team in London, in a major vote of confidence for the UK as a global asset management centre.

    The Fund expects to manage £250 billion from its London office by 2035, an increase of more than 10 times over the next decade, from its current management of around £15 billion from its UK base.

    The Prime Minister met the CEO of the Australian firm, Paul Schroder, on arrival in Samoa yesterday to discuss the move.   

    Meanwhile, Aware Super, one of Australia’s top performing and largest profit-for-member superannuation funds, has formed a strategic partnership with Delancey Real Estate to invest up to an initial £1 billion in UK property, further bolstering UK – Australia economic ties.

    Its initial focus will be on Central London office sites in prime locations, upgrading and renovating properties to ensure they meet environmental standards and deliver on the partnership’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in the property market.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    These investments are a major vote of confidence in the UK, and in this Government.

    I am determined to ensure that UK is the best place in the world to invest and do business, so we improve the lives of hardworking people.

    By attracting strong, sustained investment, we will also build the expertise we need to drive innovation, stay ahead of the global game, and support economies around the world with British backed projects.

    AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said:   

    We invest heavily in Australia, but our size requires an increasingly international focus. We are ramping up our investment capabilities in the UK as it is one of the world’s leading gateways to both talent and global markets, which are key for driving future returns for members.

    By 2035 we expect to manage approximately £250 billion of investments from our London hub, which will represent a significant portion of our global portfolio. We have great confidence in the fundamentals of the UK economy and the country’s commitment to global growth.

    This underpins our confidence in the investments we have already made in the UK such as the Canada Water urban regeneration project, London’s King’s Cross Estate, Peel Ports Group and Vantage Data Centers. We also see great potential for new investment opportunities in the energy transition, digital infrastructure, mixed-use estates, transport and logistics.

    Aware Super chief executive Deanne Stewart:

    Aware Super has strong confidence in the UK economy and markets and is pleased to announce a ground-breaking new commercial partnership that will invest up to an initial £1 billion, an exciting milestone that will coincide with the first anniversary of establishing our London Office.

    Meanwhile, UK firms obconnect and Raidiam have been making waves in the New Zealand banking sector, rolling out the British Confirmation of Payee (CoP) system to revolutionise banking in the country, in partnership with the NZ Banking Association.  

    No other companies are currently able to offer the same service, with the partnership combining specialist expertise of the two British companies to serve as a fulcrum for data sharing and facilitating fraud prevention across any territory.   

    The deal has allowed the companies to expand their UK operations to more than 250 people.   

    The win for the British companies come after mobile banking app Revolut broke into the New Zealand market last year. The firm is preparing to expand their operations in the country from 4 FTEs focused on New Zealand investments, to 10 over the next 12 months.   

    The British business wins coincide with the UK securing CPTPP ratification from Australia in the next step towards accession of the trading bloc – the first non-founding country to do so.   

    The boost in Australian investment also comes after a string of Australian announcements as part of the government’s International Investment Summit, which attracted more £63 billion of investment into the UK economy and created 38,000 jobs.   

    They included Australian firms Macquarie supporting investment of £1.3 billion into new green infrastructure and IFM investing more than £1.1 billion through Manchester Airports Group into London Stansted Airport to expand its existing terminal by around a third. The investment will secure new air routes to key business and leisure destinations, boost local supply chains and create 5,000 jobs.   

    The Prime Minister’s visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is the first by a sitting Prime Minister to a Pacific Island.  During the summit, the Prime Minister will make the case to build resilient economies across the Commonwealth to unlock growth and investment.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: PM meeting with Prime Minister Mataʻafa of Samoa: 25 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The Prime Minister met Samoan Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa this morning, as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa this morning, as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

    The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Fiamē for hosting such a successful summit and for the generosity and kindness of the Samoan people.

    The summit had offered a chance for leaders to reflect on the importance of the Commonwealth family and how the group could go further to support all members in the face of shared challenges, such as climate change, he added.

    The leaders also discussed the importance of leveraging international finance to support Small Island Developing States, especially in the Pacific.

    The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom