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Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s 36.1% electricity price hike for 2025: why the power utility Eskom’s request is unrealistic

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Steven Matome Mathetsa, Senior Lecturer at the African Energy Leadership Centre, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand

    South Africa’s state-owned electricity company, Eskom, has applied to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa to approve a 36.1% electricity price hike from April 2025, a 11.8% price increase in 2026 and an 9.1% increase in 2027. Steven Mathetsa teaches and researches sustainable energy systems at the University of the Witwatersrand’s African Energy Leadership Centre. He explains some of the problems with the planned tariff increase.

    Why such a big hike?

    Eskom says the multi-year price increase is because of the need to move closer a cost-reflective tariff that reflects the actual costs of supplying electricity.

    However, Eskom’s electricity tariff increases have been exorbitant for several years – an 18% increase in 2023 and a 13% increase in 2024. This is a price increase far above inflation, which is currently at 4.4%.

    Some companies have installed their own generation capacity, and individuals have moved to rooftop solar systems. As a result electricity sales have fallen by about 2% , resulting in a drop in revenue.

    There’s a knock on effect for municipalities, the biggest distributors of electricity, which have also been forced to hike tariffs in line with Eskom’s increases.

    All these costs are passed onto the consumers.

    What will the impact be on South Africans?

    If the hike is approved it will certainly worsen the economic difficulties facing South Africa. One of the most unequal countries in the world, South Africa has an extremely high unemployment rate – 33.5%at the last count.

    Economic growth is also very slow, at a mere 0.6% in 2023. The cost of living is high.

    Exorbitant increases in electricity costs aggravate these problems.

    A 2023 protest against electricity prices hikes. Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

    South Africans and businesses in the country have little choice about where they source their energy. Eskom is still the sole supplier for nearly all the country’s electricity needs. This means that ordinary citizens are likely to continue relying on electricity supplied by Eskom, irrespective of the costs.

    The high costs affect businesses negatively. Large industrial and small, medium, and micro enterprises have all highlighted that costs associated with utilities, mainly electricity, are affecting their sustainability.

    Read more: Competition in South Africa’s electricity market: new law paves the way, but it won’t be a smooth ride

    The Electricity Regulation Amendment Act implementation will make major changes to Eskom. The reforms establish an independent Transmission Systems Operator tasked with connecting renewable energy providers to the grid. This will allow the creation of a competitive market where renewable energy providers can sell power to the grid.

    But it’s not yet clear if these changes will address the issue of exorbitant electricity price rises.

    What are the problems?

    The country’s energy frameworks are drafted on the basis of the World Energy Trilemma Index. The index promotes a balanced approach between energy security, affordability, and sustainability. In other words, countries must be able to provide environmentally friendly and reliable electricity that their residents can afford.

    South Africa is currently unable to meet these goals because of different energy policies that do not align, a lack of investment in electricity and dependency on coal-fired power. Electricity is increasingly becoming unaffordable in the country. Although there’s been a recent reprieve from power cuts, security of supply is still uncertain.

    Read more: South Africa’s new energy plan needs a mix of nuclear, gas, renewables and coal – expert

    Furthermore, over 78% of the country’s electricity is produced by burning coal. This means South Africa is also far from attaining its 2015 Paris Agreement greenhouse gas reduction goals.

    Compounding this problem is that Eskom is financially unstable – it needed R78 billion from the government in debt relief in 2024. For years, there was a lack of effective maintenance on the aging infrastructure.

    The country has made some inroads into improving security of supply. To date, recent interventions have resulted in over 200 days without power cuts. This should be commended. The same focus must be placed on ensuring that electricity remains affordable while giving attention to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.

    What needs to change?

    South Africa’s 1998 Energy Policy White Paper and the new Electricity Regulation Amendment Act promote access to affordable electricity. However, they’ve been implemented very slowly. Affordable electricity needs to be taken seriously.

    The question is whether the country’s electricity tariff methodology is flexible enough to accommodate poor South Africans, especially during these challenging economic times.

    In my view, it is not. In its current form, vulnerable communities continue to foot the bill for various challenges confronting Eskom, including financial mismanagement, operational inefficiencies, municipal non-payment, and corruption.

    I believe the following steps should be taken.

    Firstly, South Africa should revise its tariff application methodologies so that consumers, especially unemployed and impoverished people, are protected against exorbitant increases.

    Secondly, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa should strengthen its regulations to ensure its compliance and enforcement systems are effective. For example, Eskom should be held accountable when it does not deliver efficient services or mismanages funds, and be transparent about costs associated with its processes. Municipalities should also be held accountable for non-payment and other technical issues they regularly struggle with. Both affect the revenue of the power utility.

    Read more: South Africa’s economic growth affected by mismatch of electricity supply and demand

    Thirdly, the government must make sure that price increases are affordable and don’t hurt the broader economy. It can do this by adjusting its policies to make sure that increases in electricity tariffs are in line with the rate of inflation.

    Fourthly, communities can play a vital role in saving electricity at a household level. This will reduce the country’s overall energy consumption. Furthermore, both small and large businesses should continue to consider alternative energy technologies while implementing energy saving technologies.

    Lastly, the level of free-basic electricity is not sufficient for poor households. Subsidy policies should also be reviewed to allow users access to affordable electricity as their financial situation changes negatively.

    – South Africa’s 36.1% electricity price hike for 2025: why the power utility Eskom’s request is unrealistic
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-36-1-electricity-price-hike-for-2025-why-the-power-utility-eskoms-request-is-unrealistic-240941

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched following fatal Tottenham shooting

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A murder investigation has been launched in Tottenham following the fatal shooting of a man in his 40s.

    On Tuesday, 15 October police were called to Waltheof Gardens, N17 at 09:00hrs following reports of a shooting.

    Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and found a man with a gunshot injury.

    Despite the best efforts of emergency services, he died at the scene. His next of kin has been informed.

    At this stage, there have been no arrests and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

    Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, in charge of policing for North Area which covers Haringey, said: “I am devastated by the tragic loss of life, and I recognise the concern that this incident will cause for local residents.

    “I want to reassure you that we have a team of specialist officers already working diligently to establish the circumstances of this shooting.

    “You may notice an increased police presence in the area as officers carry out vital enquiries. We would encourage you to speak to them with any concerns.

    “If you have any information that you think may assist with our investigation, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. We want to hear from you, even if you feel like your information may be insignificant.”

    A crime scene remains in place at the location while enquiries are carried out.

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD1613/15OCT. You can upload information and material online.

    You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fostering is…Everything

    Source: City of Coventry

    Fostering can mean everything to those involved.

    This is the message of a powerful new fostering film from over 100 councils including Coventry City Council, who were the pioneers behind the idea seven years ago to work collaboratively with fostering teams across the UK.

    ‘Everything’ will be launched this week on 17 October. It is the seventh film produced by a growing partnership of councils and children’s trusts to promote local authority fostering. The ‘Everything’ project is the largest collaboration yet, with participants from Cumbria to Devon and Lancashire to Essex.

    Cllr Pat Seaman, Cabinet Member, Children and Young People, said:

    “The ‘Everything’ project has given our fostering service an amazing film that shows the long-term impact fostering can have, with relationships between carers and children lasting well into adulthood.

    “We were instrumental in developing the idea of working together with other fostering teams to deliver a film with the universal aim of promoting the importance and vital role foster carers play.

    “All councils need to recruit more foster carers, and by collaborating to produce this emotionally powerful film, we will show people how rewarding and life-changing fostering is.

    “The message is the same for all of us – we need more people to step forward and become foster carers. ‘Everything’ will help us to reach more people in our communities and encourage them to find out more about this really rewarding role.

    “We are committed to giving the vulnerable children and young people we care for the best chance to thrive, which for the vast majority of them is with local fostering families. Finally, anybody who can play their part and be the everything in a child’s life, can contact the Coventry fostering team on 024 7683 2828 or email pssfostering@coventry.gov.uk”

    The importance of having local foster carers and how they can make such a massive difference in supporting children and young people, is shared by Coventry foster carers, Genine and Tajae, who reflect on their own experience of supporting relationships with children who have left their care.

    They said:

    “As foster carers we established positive relationships with all the children in our care. It has always been our aim to make them feel accepted, loved, safe and cared for. Although we’ve had highs and lows, we can see the positive impact we have had on the children, even after leaving our care.

    “We are so glad that we are able to keep in contact with some of the children we have cared for. Recently, we went out for dinner with a child (now adult) who left our care four years ago.

    “We spoke about our great memories together and she let us know the positive impact we had on her future. She was so appreciative in knowing that we still cared for her even after all these years and will always be there for her.

    “We are also still in contact with another child who had formed close relationships with both of us and our extended family. We still talk on the phone; he comes to our house and on trips to London with us to see our family- this was something that he really enjoyed while in our care.

    “This has had such a positive impact on him to know that he is still seen as family and is always welcome.” 

    The new film, ‘Everything’, follows foster carer Mike and his family on a journey through time with two of the children they have looked after, who are now adults. A surprise 60th birthday party for Mike gives Will and Zara a chance to reflect on how being fostered made a difference to their lives, thanking him for everything.

    Thanks to footage shot on a genuine old camcorder, we are taken to the 1990s, to see how Will settles into the family. We also jump back to the 2010s, when a young Zara is being taught to play the guitar by Mike, something that comes full circle when she performs a song at the party. Mike’s son Chris is involved throughout, showing the important role the children of foster carers play.

    The concluding message of the film is that what you do with your life could forever change someone else’s – encouraging people to foster to make that change.

    The film was developed with the input and insight of foster carers and people with care experience. It was produced by Reel TwentyFive and project managed by public sector media partner CAN/Rachel Brown. Project Director, Rachel Brown describes the main message of the film:

    “Many people don’t realise how common it is for relationships made through fostering to last well beyond the ‘official’ caring role. This has a huge impact on the lives of those who have been fostered, giving them stability and security well into adulthood.

    “Fostering with your local council or children’s trust means you can better support local children and young people who need a safe and nurturing home where they can grow and thrive.”

    Sarah Thomas, chief executive of the Fostering Network says:

    “The Fostering Network has been proud to support the collaborative film projects since ‘Giants’ in 2017. It’s great to see local authority fostering services pooling resources to produce another amazing film. ‘Everything’ will help to amplify their message about the chronic shortage of fostering households, encouraging more people to come forward and foster.”

    For anybody wanting to find out more about fostering with Coventry, people can contact the fostering team on 024 7683 2828 or email pssfostering@coventry.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at welcome dinner for Standard Chartered Private Bank Global Family Network 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the welcome dinner for the Standard Chartered Private Bank Global Family Network 2024 today (October 15):Bill (Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered, Mr Bill Winters), Ben (President, International, Standard Chartered, Mr Benjamin Hung), Mary (Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong and Greater China & North Asia, Standard Chartered, Ms Mary Huen), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,     Good evening. I am very pleased to join you all at this welcome dinner for Standard Chartered’s inaugural flagship Global Family Network Forum, bringing together influential families from across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.     First of all, I wish to extend our warmest welcome to you all to Hong Kong. You’ve chosen a wonderful time to visit, with the perfect autumn weather gracing our city. International asset and wealth management hub     Hong Kong is Asia’s leading international financial centre and asset and wealth management hub. Just now, Mary has already given you a good idea of the scale of assets under management and the number of family offices in this city. Let me supplement that many asset and wealth management firms are expanding their presence in Hong Kong. They include, of course, Standard Chartered. And no less optimistic are other prominent firms like UBS. Its Chief Executive commented in June this year that Hong Kong might well become the world’s first in the asset management business by 2027.      A world of ultra-high-net-worth families and individuals have gathered in Hong Kong for a good reason. For you can place your wealth, here for good. Unique strengths under “one country, two systems”      Hong Kong, after all, has very strong fundamentals. Our unique strength is the “one country, two systems” arrangement. While being part of China, we preserve all the defining characteristics that make this city unique: practising common law with a judiciary exercising powers independently; maintaining free flow of capital, goods, people and information; a low and simple tax system, and a currency pegged to the US dollar.     As President Xi Jinping made clear on various occasions, this arrangement is here to stay for the long term.Staunch support from the country      Indeed, Hong Kong always enjoys staunch support from the Central Government. Over the years, the central authorities have rolled out highly favourable policies that benefit the city’s progress and advancement. This is well illustrated in our financial market development. In April this year, for instance, the CSRC (China Securities Regulatory Commission) announced a series of measures to boost Hong Kong’s capital market. That included injecting more liquidity into the Southbound Connect with Hong Kong, and supporting leading Mainland enterprises to list on our stock exchange. Now, over 100 such companies are in the queue for listing in Hong Kong. Diverse investment offerings and opportunities      Above all, the prime value proposition of Hong Kong for family offices is the diverse array of investment offerings and opportunities we offer.      Speaking of our stock market, it is home to over 2 600 companies with a capitalisation of over US$4.6 trillion. Over the years, we have engaged in listing reforms, facilitating such companies from the new economy, biotech and hard-tech sectors to list on our stock exchange, and thus enlarging our pool of quality issuers.      No less vibrant is the bond market. Hong Kong ranked first in the world for 16 years in terms of international bond issuance arranged by Asian institutions. Last year, around US$90 billion of such bonds were issued, accounting for about a quarter of the market. We are also the hub for Renminbi bonds, including sovereign bonds issued by the central authorities as well as those by provincial and municipal governments.     Hong Kong offers a wide range of financial products that suit impact investors. For example, as Asia’s leading green finance hub, we have on average issued over US$63 billion in green bonds and debt annually over the past three years, accounting for more than one-third of Asia’s total. Over 230 ESG (environmental, social and governance) funds have been authorised by our Securities and Futures Commission, managing approximately US$170 billion in assets.      A rich array of investment products and professional services are underpinning a burgeoning ecosystem for families and their offices here in Hong Kong. The Government has rolled out a package of policies, including tax concessions to family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices in the city. This year, we have also established a Network of Family Office Service Providers comprising private banks, accounting and legal firms, trusts and other professional service firms, forming a strong nexus that cater to your needs. Recent rally in our stock market     Speaking of investment, you may have noticed the recent rally in our stock market since the central authorities announced a stimulus package to inject liquidity to the banking sector and to provide more support to the real estate sector. Over this period, we have seen strong net buys from American and European investors, and they constituted some 85 per cent of the buy side by value. In terms of the background of those investors, 90 per cent of them are long-term fund managers and investment banks.     In January this year, when I visited Davos to attend the World Economic Forum, I met some investors and fund managers. The message I got from them then was clear – despite geo-economic fragmentation, the world of international investors remained interested in the opportunities of the Mainland market. They have long been waiting for the right time to invest here. Now, they are seeing the opportunity.      And beyond investors from the US and Europe, there is growing interest from our Middle East friends. For example, later this month, two ETFs (exchange-traded funds) will be listed on the Saudi Exchange for investing in our stock market. Making a lasting impact with Hong Kong      Ladies and gentlemen, most if not all, family offices aim for more than just financial returns. They care about the collective good of our society and the planet.      To promote and support philanthropy endeavours, the annual Wealth for Good Summit held in Hong Kong since last year successfully brought together influential family office owners and decision-makers to explore strategies for effective philanthropy and wealth legacy. We will soon launch an “Impact Link” platform to foster the connection between family offices and high-potential, high-social impact philanthropy programmes.     There is also one important dimension of impact investing that I should not miss: innovation and technology. We are home to a vibrant, energetic and promising innovation circle, with many innovators from around the world who gather in Hong Kong, acting to change the world for the better, in AI (artificial intelligence), biotech, green tech, and many more areas. Many of these start-ups are based in our two innovation flagships, the Science Park and Cyberport. They have a global vision, and present valuable opportunities for investment. For instance, one start-up from Science Park has developed geospatial and sensory technologies for precision farming, helping farmers around the world to increase crop yield. Another start-up has developed 3D-printed reef tiles to help restore coral reefs and thus increase regional carbon sequestration capacity. The firm has now expanded to the Middle East.Closing remarks     Ladies and gentlemen, in a nutshell, Hong Kong is where you can conserve and grow your wealth across generations. I believe the speakers at the forum tomorrow will further enlighten us with their valuable insights.      For now, please enjoy this good evening, and I wish you all a rewarding event tomorrow and an enjoyable experience in Hong Kong. Thank you very much. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX Editions makes its debut to redefine global power tech domination

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

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —

    The all-new GITEX Editions got underway on the opening day of GITEX GLOBAL (www.GITEX.com) as discussions focused on accelerating the growth of global late-stage advanced tech companies.

    The latest addition to the packed schedule comes at a vital time where statistics (https://apo-opa.co/3Ab4gaZ) showed there were more than 1,000 unicorns around the world in 2023. This week’s showcase will help support the next development while bringing together 59 top global unicorns with a combined valuation of $400 billion. The impressive list to have gathered includes Axelera, DeepL Synthesis AI, and Insilico Medicine.

    In one of the sessions, the Founder and CEO of digital health unicorn Insilico Medicine, Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov joined Tamer Elhamy, Chief Partner Officer of Microsoft Middle East to discuss the importance of Merger and Acquisitions (M&A) and how AI companies are making their foundational models work smarter for enterprises.

    The audience heard that the Middle East region is leading the way with digitalisation with more than 300 deals related to M&A completed in the first half of 2024 with half of those led by the UAE.

    Scaling GCC business globally

    The staging of GITEX Editions aligns with Dubai’s ambition to be the home of 30 startup unicorns by 2030 as the emirate continues to transform itself from a regional to a global entrepreneurship hub and support its digital ambitions. Today, Dubai is embarking on its journey with 40% of MENA’s scaleups already based in the emirate (https://apo-opa.co/3Y7Y3EF).

    To help nurture the growth of tomorrow’s giants in the GCC region, Harrison Lung, Group Chief Strategy Officer of e& was joined by Tanuja Randery, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa of Amazon Web Services (AWS) in an insightful session that focused on the importance of collaboration.

    Harrison Lung explained the importance of joining hands to forge stronger alliances. He said: “For us, it’s more about a transformation towards a global technology company. In the areas of partnering, the idea is to develop a win-win proposition and solving the needs of customers.”

    With the region growing rapidly, Tanuja Randery said there is no better time than now for companies to enter the market and agrees collaboration is crucial. She said: “This region is so attractive in terms of the growth potential. I read a stat that showed that almost 70 per cent of businesses in the Middle East want to move most of their operations to the Cloud in two years’ time and this could unlock USD $733 billion of economic value by 2033. To make Cloud make accessible, we need partners and alliances.”

    Driving investments for startups

    Funding is a key pillar to drive growth – both in the long and short-term but can be often challenging. Steven Hoffman, Venture Investor, Author; and Chairman & CEO of Founders Space, gave key advice on how startups should adopt a vertical growth strategy for the future.

    He said: “There is a lot of money going into AI but most of that is going into a handful of companies which are dominating the market and this is impacting the growth of startups. As such, a lot of money is now going into vertical AI where the specialist area is only on one focus such as healthcare or hospitality and this is centred around this business model and adding AI on top of this.”

    In another session, Kai Zenner, Head of Office & Digital Policy Advisor of EU Parliament and Dr. Agostino Ghiglia, Board Member of the Italian Data Protection Authority took part in a broader discussion on the AI EU Act and its global implications for the next generation of AI-driven unicorns.  

    Taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until 18 October, GITEX GLOBAL presents its biggest, most international edition in its 44th year, welcoming over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.

    GITEX GLOBAL is seamlessly connecting the world’s largest network of tech events. Today, major events such as GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX AFRICA Morocco, and GITEX NIGERIA are under its umbrella with all fostering collaboration and driving innovation to shape the tech landscape of tomorrow.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Israel/ OPT: Israel must rescind latest ‘evacuation’ orders for North Gaza and allow immediate, unhindered humanitarian access

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Israeli authorities must rescind the cruel and unlawful “evacuation” orders – Israel’s euphemism for forced displacement –   issued over the past week to residents of the North Gaza governorate and immediately allow the unhindered entry of essential supplies, including food and fuel to the area, said Amnesty International, as fears grow for the fate of civilians trapped under siege.

    In recent days, the civilian death toll across the occupied Gaza Strip has continued to mount and horrifying scenes have emerged following deadly Israeli air strikes, particularly in the North Gaza governorate. Civilians have had to endure relentless Israeli bombardment and shelling, without access to basic supplies critical for the survival of the civilian population, including food and clean water. 

    It has been nine months since the ICJ warned the risk of genocide in Gaza is real yet Israeli authorities continue to violate the provisional measures ordered by the court.

    Heba Morayef, Amnesty International

    The latest “evacuation” orders issued by the Israeli military to cities and camps across the North Gaza governorate on 7, 10 and 12 October and the tightened siege on the area are a terrifying escalation of the long list of horrors inflicted on people living in the area north of Wadi Gaza since October 2023. 

     “The Israeli military has intensified its efforts to forcibly displace the entirety of the civilian population in the area north of Wadi Gaza to the south, starting with the North Gaza governorate, forcing civilians to choose between starvation or displacement, while their homes and streets are relentlessly pounded by bombs and shells,” said Heba Morayef, Middle East and North Africa’s Regional Director at Amnesty International. 

    “The world must stop standing by while Israel uses siege, starvation and atrocity crimes to forcibly displace and destroy civilians and civilian life.  These orders must be rescinded and there must be an immediate ceasefire by all parties to halt the avalanche of suffering that has been engulfing civilians in Gaza for over a year.”

    A year ago, on 12 October 2023, an estimated 1.1 million Palestinians living in the area north of Wadi Gaza were subjected to an unlawful mass “evacuation” order, which forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee south, seeking safety. For many months, the hundreds of thousands of people who remained north of Wadi Gaza were largely cut off from the rest of the Strip by a fortified Israeli military zone. In December 2023, the world’s leading experts on famine reported that hunger was particularly widespread and severe there, yet Israeli authorities repeatedly obstructed and denied humanitarian access to the area. In recent days the situation has grown even more desperate following the Israeli military’s tightened siege on the area. All three partially functioning hospitals in the north – Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda, and the Indonesian hospital – face “evacuation” orders. 

    “After a year of death and destruction, it is agonizing to hear from doctors in North Gaza that they have to perform multiple amputations every day, or from families trapped under siege that dozens of unrecognisable bodies are scattered on the streets or that people are unable to bury their loved ones amidst ceaseless bombardment. The scenes coming out of Jabalia refugee camp have been especially harrowing, for over a week, residents of the camp have been scared to leave their homes, even to look for a bag of flour for fear of being shot by the omnipresent quadcopter drones. What remains beyond any comprehension is how the international community has let this horror continue to happen again and again,” said Heba Morayef.

    “It has been nine months since the ICJ warned the risk of genocide in Gaza is real yet Israeli authorities continue to violate the provisional measures ordered by the court.”

    Global leaders must demand an immediate ceasefire to alleviate the unprecedented suffering that we have been witnessing over the past year. Israel has been emboldened, with the help of arms transfers from states like the US, to continue its destructive course in Gaza with total impunity.

    “As well as an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s cruel and inhuman blockade on Gaza and its siege in the north, Israel must grant independent monitors immediate access to Gaza to investigate all attacks. There must be accountability for the devastation that has been waged against the people of Gaza over the past year,” said Heba Morayef. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade

    [Dubai, UAE, October 15, 2024] During GITEX Global 2024, Huawei unveiled its Intelligent Stadium Solution at a forum themed AI Enables Smart Building Upgrade. The solution is intended for facilitating digital and intelligent transformation of stadium campuses. At the forum, Huawei discussed with business elites, industry experts, and leading partners how to seize tremendous opportunities that AI brings and use digital and intelligent technologies to lead industry development.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU, delivered a speech at the forum. He said that Huawei aims to become the preferred partner for digital and intelligent transformation in the Middle East’s real estate industry by advancing technologies, leveraging experience, and developing the industry ecosystem. “Looking toward the future, Huawei will continue to integrate smart technology into industries by acting as a bridge and an amplifier. We are committed to expanding our industry knowledge and delivering better services to global customers and partners. Eventually, we will bring intelligence to the Middle East and the world,” said Mr. Liu.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU

    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept, mentioned in his speech that the building industry’s digital journey has just begun, but it holds enormous potential for the future. He also emphasized that AI will bring buildings and campuses into an era of intelligence, transforming the management and operational models of an intelligent campus. “Huawei advocates using ICTs to redefine the campus. We have been leveraging the advantages of our product portfolios to redefine campus connectivity, platform, and business, helping global customers build digital and intelligent campuses,” said Eric Li.
    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept

    Viga Liu, Director of Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, delivered a keynote speech at the forum. He believes that AI is enabling buildings and campuses to go digital, intelligent, green, and low-carbon at a faster pace. According to Viga Liu, Huawei has developed pioneering solutions such as Campus Service Network and Campus Digital Platform. “We have collaborated with our partners to assist over 1000 customers worldwide in building 10 Gbps, digital, and green intelligent campuses, including office campuses, stadium campuses, and commercial complexes.”
    Ahmad Bana, the Center of Excellence Manager at Waseef, an asset management company from Qatar, shared Waseef’s experience with digital and intelligent transformation of networks in employee apartments. Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Solution adopts a flat optical fiber architecture, which allows Waseef to save 80% of IT equipment room footprint and cabling space, as well as achieve more intelligent network O&M and more flexible bandwidth upgrades. Moreover, this architecture contributes to a green network that is future-proof for 30 years, provision of additional services, asset appreciation, and project success.
    OODA World, a global software vendor headquartered in France, specializes in delivering innovative software solutions for different industries. Méliné EOLMEZIAN-SOULIE, Vice President of Public Safety and Strategic Partner Ecosystem, highlighted that OODA’s Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) platform utilizes distinctive 3D native and real-time data visualization and command & control technologies to implement real-time situation awareness, automatic workflows, and centralized incident management. She said OODA will collaborate with Huawei to build campuses that are more intelligent.
    Techno Q, a system integrator from Qatar, participated in the forum. Saad Afzal, the Head of Solutions Architecture at Techno Q, stated in his speech that smart building solutions, based on data convergence and system integration, can unlock the value of data and provide targeted use cases for areas such as energy efficiency management, predictive maintenance, asset management, operational efficiency, and subscription-based value-added services. This can provide customers with enhanced user experience, reduce security risks, and improve management efficiency.
    Neuxnet, headquartered in Singapore, is dedicated to helping customers go digital and intelligent. According to Eric Yang, the Vice President of Product and Marketing at Neuxnet, stadiums are evolving toward being diversified, integrated, and intelligent, providing spectators with a spectacular experience before, during, and after sports events through various new technologies and applications. “By offering functions such as smart parking, navigation, ticketing services, and one-stop customer services, Neuxnet provides efficient management tools for stadium operators, and helps them create dynamic, technologically advanced, and sustainable sports stadiums,” said Eric Yang.
    Official release of the Intelligent Stadium Solution

    At the end of the forum, Huawei officially released its Intelligent Stadium Solution. Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to work with partners to help customers implement top-notch security assurance, operations management, communications assurance, spectating experience, and service experience, as well as innovate in management and service models, delivering brand-new sports stadium experiences in the digital and intelligent era.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade

    [Dubai, UAE, October 15, 2024] During GITEX Global 2024, Huawei unveiled its Intelligent Stadium Solution at a forum themed AI Enables Smart Building Upgrade. The solution is intended for facilitating digital and intelligent transformation of stadium campuses. At the forum, Huawei discussed with business elites, industry experts, and leading partners how to seize tremendous opportunities that AI brings and use digital and intelligent technologies to lead industry development.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU, delivered a speech at the forum. He said that Huawei aims to become the preferred partner for digital and intelligent transformation in the Middle East’s real estate industry by advancing technologies, leveraging experience, and developing the industry ecosystem. “Looking toward the future, Huawei will continue to integrate smart technology into industries by acting as a bridge and an amplifier. We are committed to expanding our industry knowledge and delivering better services to global customers and partners. Eventually, we will bring intelligence to the Middle East and the world,” said Mr. Liu.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU

    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept, mentioned in his speech that the building industry’s digital journey has just begun, but it holds enormous potential for the future. He also emphasized that AI will bring buildings and campuses into an era of intelligence, transforming the management and operational models of an intelligent campus. “Huawei advocates using ICTs to redefine the campus. We have been leveraging the advantages of our product portfolios to redefine campus connectivity, platform, and business, helping global customers build digital and intelligent campuses,” said Eric Li.
    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept

    Viga Liu, Director of Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, delivered a keynote speech at the forum. He believes that AI is enabling buildings and campuses to go digital, intelligent, green, and low-carbon at a faster pace. According to Viga Liu, Huawei has developed pioneering solutions such as Campus Service Network and Campus Digital Platform. “We have collaborated with our partners to assist over 1000 customers worldwide in building 10 Gbps, digital, and green intelligent campuses, including office campuses, stadium campuses, and commercial complexes.”
    Ahmad Bana, the Center of Excellence Manager at Waseef, an asset management company from Qatar, shared Waseef’s experience with digital and intelligent transformation of networks in employee apartments. Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Solution adopts a flat optical fiber architecture, which allows Waseef to save 80% of IT equipment room footprint and cabling space, as well as achieve more intelligent network O&M and more flexible bandwidth upgrades. Moreover, this architecture contributes to a green network that is future-proof for 30 years, provision of additional services, asset appreciation, and project success.
    OODA World, a global software vendor headquartered in France, specializes in delivering innovative software solutions for different industries. Méliné EOLMEZIAN-SOULIE, Vice President of Public Safety and Strategic Partner Ecosystem, highlighted that OODA’s Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) platform utilizes distinctive 3D native and real-time data visualization and command & control technologies to implement real-time situation awareness, automatic workflows, and centralized incident management. She said OODA will collaborate with Huawei to build campuses that are more intelligent.
    Techno Q, a system integrator from Qatar, participated in the forum. Saad Afzal, the Head of Solutions Architecture at Techno Q, stated in his speech that smart building solutions, based on data convergence and system integration, can unlock the value of data and provide targeted use cases for areas such as energy efficiency management, predictive maintenance, asset management, operational efficiency, and subscription-based value-added services. This can provide customers with enhanced user experience, reduce security risks, and improve management efficiency.
    Neuxnet, headquartered in Singapore, is dedicated to helping customers go digital and intelligent. According to Eric Yang, the Vice President of Product and Marketing at Neuxnet, stadiums are evolving toward being diversified, integrated, and intelligent, providing spectators with a spectacular experience before, during, and after sports events through various new technologies and applications. “By offering functions such as smart parking, navigation, ticketing services, and one-stop customer services, Neuxnet provides efficient management tools for stadium operators, and helps them create dynamic, technologically advanced, and sustainable sports stadiums,” said Eric Yang.
    Official release of the Intelligent Stadium Solution

    At the end of the forum, Huawei officially released its Intelligent Stadium Solution. Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to work with partners to help customers implement top-notch security assurance, operations management, communications assurance, spectating experience, and service experience, as well as innovate in management and service models, delivering brand-new sports stadium experiences in the digital and intelligent era.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University to collaborate with TMH Corporate University

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 14, Polytechnic University signed a cooperation agreement with the autonomous non-profit organization of additional professional education “TMX Corporate University”. TMX (JSC Transmashholding) is the largest developer of modern rolling stock for railway and urban rail transport in Russia.

    The agreement was signed during the official visit of the delegation of the TMH Corporate University to the Polytechnic University.

    The document was signed by the rector of SPbPU, chairman of the SPbB RAS Andrey Rudskoy and the deputy general director for corporate development and project activities, member of the Management Board of JSC Transmashholding, director of the ANO DPO Corporate University TMH Natalia Shishlakova.

    For the Polytechnic University, Transmashholding is an important partner. Our cooperation has great prospects in scientific and technological activities, training of highly qualified personnel. The main thing is that we have common tasks and goals. I am confident that our interaction will be fruitful and mutually beneficial for both parties, – Andrey Rudskoy emphasized.

    The signing of the agreement opens up new opportunities in the field of education and scientific research. Joint educational projects and programs, exchange of experience, preparation of final qualification works in the form of projects or startups commissioned by TMH are planned.

    Cooperation with the Polytechnic University in the field of advanced training in mechanical engineering, especially in the field of diesel engine production, opens up new horizons for scientific research and development. Joint activities in the field of scientific research and experimental design work will allow us not only to apply advanced technologies, but also to train high-level specialists capable of responding to modern challenges, – noted Natalia Shishlakova.

    Technological development and scientific research in the field of transport require constant updating of knowledge and skills. The cooperation agreement opens new horizons for scientific activity for both students and teachers. Joint research projects aimed at solving current problems are expected to emerge in the coming years.

    Polytechnic University has significant experience in educational projects implemented jointly with industrial partners. Only in close cooperation with the real sector of the economy is it possible to train engineers who are able to work with new technologies and apply them in practice, who are able to think outside the box and find new solutions. Today, the market is experiencing a real hunger for specialists in engineering fields of training. This is confirmed by the fact that most of our students are already “booked” by enterprises in their third year. One of the promising areas of cooperation is the integration of blue-collar jobs into our main educational programs, – commented Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova.

    Photo archive

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

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

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/partnership/polytech-will-collaborate-with-corporate-university-tmkh/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade Oct 15, 2024

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches Intelligent Stadium Solution to Facilitate Intelligent Upgrade
    Oct 15, 2024

    [Dubai, UAE, October 15, 2024] During GITEX Global 2024, Huawei unveiled its Intelligent Stadium Solution at a forum themed AI Enables Smart Building Upgrade. The solution is intended for facilitating digital and intelligent transformation of stadium campuses. At the forum, Huawei discussed with business elites, industry experts, and leading partners how to seize tremendous opportunities that AI brings and use digital and intelligent technologies to lead industry development.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU, delivered a speech at the forum. He said that Huawei aims to become the preferred partner for digital and intelligent transformation in the Middle East’s real estate industry by advancing technologies, leveraging experience, and developing the industry ecosystem. “Looking toward the future, Huawei will continue to integrate smart technology into industries by acting as a bridge and an amplifier. We are committed to expanding our industry knowledge and delivering better services to global customers and partners. Eventually, we will bring intelligence to the Middle East and the world,” said Mr. Liu.
    Liu Chao, CEO of Huawei’s Manufacturing and Large Enterprises BU

    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept, mentioned in his speech that the building industry’s digital journey has just begun, but it holds enormous potential for the future. He also emphasized that AI will bring buildings and campuses into an era of intelligence, transforming the management and operational models of an intelligent campus. “Huawei advocates using ICTs to redefine the campus. We have been leveraging the advantages of our product portfolios to redefine campus connectivity, platform, and business, helping global customers build digital and intelligent campuses,” said Eric Li.
    Eric Li, President of Huawei’s Product Portfolio Marketing Solution Sales Dept

    Viga Liu, Director of Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, delivered a keynote speech at the forum. He believes that AI is enabling buildings and campuses to go digital, intelligent, green, and low-carbon at a faster pace. According to Viga Liu, Huawei has developed pioneering solutions such as Campus Service Network and Campus Digital Platform. “We have collaborated with our partners to assist over 1000 customers worldwide in building 10 Gbps, digital, and green intelligent campuses, including office campuses, stadium campuses, and commercial complexes.”
    Ahmad Bana, the Center of Excellence Manager at Waseef, an asset management company from Qatar, shared Waseef’s experience with digital and intelligent transformation of networks in employee apartments. Huawei’s Intelligent Campus Solution adopts a flat optical fiber architecture, which allows Waseef to save 80% of IT equipment room footprint and cabling space, as well as achieve more intelligent network O&M and more flexible bandwidth upgrades. Moreover, this architecture contributes to a green network that is future-proof for 30 years, provision of additional services, asset appreciation, and project success.
    OODA World, a global software vendor headquartered in France, specializes in delivering innovative software solutions for different industries. Méliné EOLMEZIAN-SOULIE, Vice President of Public Safety and Strategic Partner Ecosystem, highlighted that OODA’s Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) platform utilizes distinctive 3D native and real-time data visualization and command & control technologies to implement real-time situation awareness, automatic workflows, and centralized incident management. She said OODA will collaborate with Huawei to build campuses that are more intelligent.
    Techno Q, a system integrator from Qatar, participated in the forum. Saad Afzal, the Head of Solutions Architecture at Techno Q, stated in his speech that smart building solutions, based on data convergence and system integration, can unlock the value of data and provide targeted use cases for areas such as energy efficiency management, predictive maintenance, asset management, operational efficiency, and subscription-based value-added services. This can provide customers with enhanced user experience, reduce security risks, and improve management efficiency.
    Neuxnet, headquartered in Singapore, is dedicated to helping customers go digital and intelligent. According to Eric Yang, the Vice President of Product and Marketing at Neuxnet, stadiums are evolving toward being diversified, integrated, and intelligent, providing spectators with a spectacular experience before, during, and after sports events through various new technologies and applications. “By offering functions such as smart parking, navigation, ticketing services, and one-stop customer services, Neuxnet provides efficient management tools for stadium operators, and helps them create dynamic, technologically advanced, and sustainable sports stadiums,” said Eric Yang.
    Official release of the Intelligent Stadium Solution

    At the end of the forum, Huawei officially released its Intelligent Stadium Solution. Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to work with partners to help customers implement top-notch security assurance, operations management, communications assurance, spectating experience, and service experience, as well as innovate in management and service models, delivering brand-new sports stadium experiences in the digital and intelligent era.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens say “no more incineration” of waste

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    Responding to the news that putting household rubbish in giant incinerators to make electricity is now the dirtiest way the UK generates power (BBC), Green Party Peer Baroness Jenny Jones said, 

    “I highlighted the issue of incineration stopping councils from recycling back in 2010 when I was on the London Assembly. This became a national issue about 10 years ago when local authorities across the country started to treat waste as a fuel, rather than a valuable source that could be reused or recycled.

    “Unless we have a complete moratorium on new incinerators and start to close down existing ones, we will not meet either of the government’s big targets. You can’t burn oil in the form of plastic and meet the target of Net Zero emissions in 2050; nor can you sign up local authorities to 20 year contracts to burn waste and expect them to recycle 65% of waste by 2030. The last government was finally waking up to the direct contradiction between environment and incineration, I hope this government will say no more incineration and put this big mistake into reverse.”

    by Steve Hynd

    Press Releases

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Congress.gov Interview with Wade Ballou, the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Today’s interview is with Wade Ballou, the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives.

    As Legislative Counsel, Wade Ballou oversees the House Office of the Legislative Counsel (HOLC). HOLC provides legislative drafting services to the committees and Members of the House of Representatives on a nonpartisan, impartial, and confidential basis.

    Recent recognition of Wade’s service to Congress includes the 2024 Democracy Award for Lifetime Achievement by Congressional Staff and exceptional leadership and contributions, including through the development of the Comparative Print Suite for the U.S. House of Representatives. 

    Describe your background.

    I am from Roanoke, Virginia. During my youth I was active in sports, Scouting, and the YMCA. I earned a B.S. in forestry (industrial forestry operations with cooperative education certificate) from Virginia Tech in 1980. At Tech, I was active in Alpha Phi Omega. APO is the coed national service fraternity affiliated with Scouting. I met my wife in APO. We’ve been married for 41 years and have two married sons and two grandchildren. I am an Eagle Scout and have served as an adult leader in Scouting, both as cubmaster and scoutmaster.

    What is your academic/professional history?

    After Virginia Tech, I went to the University of Virginia School of Law and earned a J.D. in 1983. I joined the Office of the Legislative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives in the fall of 1983, where I am presently employed. The Office is a non-partisan, career office responsible for drafting legislation for the House, its committees, members, and leadership. After completing training, during which I drafted federal law generally, I worked with foreign affairs legislation. Due to needs of the Office, in 1986, I moved into the areas of Native American issues (including health care and land claims), federal land issues (including natural resources, water reclamation and irrigation, public lands, and forestry), and intelligence, and later picked up parts of veteran’s affairs. In 1996, I changed to the tax team, again due to the needs of the Office. As a member of the team, I drafted in all areas of federal tax law, specializing in pensions, health care, bonds, and excise taxes. Alongside of tax, I have worked in public debt, ERISA, health care, and social security.

    I earned a graduate certificate in spiritual direction studies from Washington Theological Union in 2013 and a certificate in spiritual formation from the Avila Institute in 2015.

    In 2016, I was appointed the 8th Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives, effective August 1. During my time as the head of the Office, there has been significant change in both the House and the Office, including a 45% increase in the number of attorneys and a significant increase in demand for draft legislation. The Office now has some 90 personnel, including 68 attorneys. Some of the changes include improving the recruiting system and modifying the training methodology for new attorneys and transitioning the Office to a new Sharepoint site and digital leave management system.

    I have also been fortunate to be able to work with other institutions in the legislative branch, especially through participation in the Congressional Data Task Force. This includes:

    1. Partnering with the Clerk of the House and the Government Publishing Office to develop and update the Comparative Print Suite, a software tool that provides on-demand comparisons of how a bill changes law, how amendments change a bill, bill-to-bill differences, and a bill viewer; and

    2. Working to provide educational opportunities concerning the legislative process and drafting software applications.

    How would you describe your job to other people?

    My official job title is Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives. The fun way to describe my job is that I am responsible for producing paper for the House. This is a throwback to my forestry days where the job of a procurement forester is to ensure that the mill never runs out of timber.

    Additionally, I meet with members and staffs of parliaments around the world to discuss and share ideas for improvements in legislative process and drafting. These opportunities include working through the House Democratic Initiative, the National Democratic Institute, and the International Republican Institute. I am an associate member of the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel and a frequent speaker and contributor to webinars on improving legislative drafting organized by Bússola Tech, an international leader in this arena.

    What is your role in the development of Congress.gov?

    I do not think of this as a role, but I brought to the attention of Congress.gov various research and document needs that are useful to drafters. They developed features to meet those needs. It is interesting to me that most of my draft files are on Congress.gov in the form of bills and resolutions.

    What is your favorite feature of Congress.gov?

    Well, there are two features that I use a lot. Whenever a drafting request requires beginning with a public version of a bill or resolution (introduced, reported, passed, etc.), we begin with the version that is posted on Congress.gov in the XML format. So, the download feature that allows me to save this version on my computer system is a big hit for me. In addition, I use the tables of public laws and appropriations a lot. I will get to these either from links on the website or from searches and filters.

    What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the legislative process while working for Congress?

    Ha. The legislative process happens. Sometimes it is textbook. Sometimes it is a bit convoluted. Sometimes a bill is conferenced before it is introduced. But, the formal steps are acknowledged, even if it is by discharge or unanimous consent. So, it is important to know the ideal path to how a bill becomes law so that you can place a question in the context of this ideal.

    What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?

    During high school and college, I was a member of forest fire fighting teams. Today we would call these wildland fire teams.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OLAF intelligence supports Spanish Operation enforcing EU sanctions against Russia

    Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice

    Press release 17/2024
    PDF version 

    The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) assisted the Spanish authorities with the enforcement of EU sanctions against Russia during Operation “Probirka” (Russian for “Test Tube”). The operation led to the arrest of four individuals involved in the illegal export of chemicals to Russia and the seizure of 13 tons of chemical substances.

    Since 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has imposed sanctions on the country, including strict bans on the export and import of certain goods. OLAF has been actively engaged in investigating, monitoring trade flows, conducting analytical work, and identifying potential attempts to circumvent these sanctions. By mapping out suspicious trade routes and identifying operators, OLAF has played a key role in preventing illegal transactions that could support Russia’s military capabilities.

    As part of the Joint Sanctions Enforcement Operation that OLAF has been running since July 2023, OLAF was called upon by the Spanish authorities to assist with investigations into the export of chemical substances from Spain. It was suspected that certain companies were bypassing EU sanctions by rerouting goods through intermediaries in Kyrgyzstan, with the final destination being Russia. 

    OLAF responded by gathering export data from various EU Member States and sharing critical intelligence with the Spanish investigators. OLAF’s collaboration provided crucial evidence to confirm that these illegal exports were indeed reaching Russia.

    Ville Itälä, Director-General of OLAF, reiterated that: “OLAF’s ability to join the dots and to bring together the data and intelligence from national authorities is once again key to the success of our partners. OLAF is best placed to facilitate this synergy and cooperation and we remain steadfast in our commitment to support our partners in their endeavours to enforce the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus. Sanctions are only as effective as their enforcement, and we are proud to contribute actively.”

    Four arrested and 13 tons of chemicals seized 

    As part of the investigation, the Spanish National Police and Customs Surveillance Service arrested four individuals in the Spanish region of Catalonia, three of whom are Russian nationals. The operation also resulted in the seizure of 13,000 kilograms of a chemical compound subject to export restrictions, at the Port of Barcelona.

    The investigation revealed that a Spanish company, managed by Russian nationals, had established a sophisticated logistical and economic scheme to export internationally sanctioned chemical products to Russia. This network involved the use of shell companies in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to disguise the true destination of the goods, which were later rerouted to Russia.

    OLAF’s contribution has been pivotal in enhancing the Spanish authorities’ ability to enforce EU sanctions and prevent illegal trade that could undermine the effectiveness of the sanctions against Russia. The investigation remains ongoing, with efforts focused on identifying and arresting additional individuals involved in this smuggling network.

    OLAF mission, mandate and competences:
    OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.    

    OLAF fulfils its mission by:
    •    carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe;
    •    contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions;
    •    developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.

    In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning:
    •    all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
    •    some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
    •    suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.

    Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.

    For further details:

    Pierluigi CATERINO
    Spokesperson
    European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
    Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335  
    Email: olaf-media ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
    https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
    X: @EUAntiFraud
    LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

    Theresa ZAHRA
    Deputy Spokesperson
    European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
    Phone: +32 (0)2 29-57270   
    Email: olaf-media ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
    https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
    X: @EUAntiFraud
    LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

    If you’re a journalist and you wish to receive our press releases in your inbox, pleaseleave us your contact data.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/LEBANON – Israeli strike on Christian-majority village in Northern Lebanon

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 October 2024 wars  

    Beirut (Agenzia Fides) – At least 23 people were killed yesterday, October 14, in a bomb attack on a building in the predominantly Christian village of Aitou, near Zgharta, in the far north of Lebanon, which has so far been spared by Israeli airstrikes. According to information received by Fides from local sources, the building in question was probably already known to the Israelis, as it had been rented to the Hezbollah-affiliated television station Al-Manar since 2006, at the time of the last war between Israel and Hezbollah. In recent weeks, the house had been used to house Shiite refugees from southern Lebanon who fled the Israeli offensive. First they were elderly people, then families with children. The Israeli airstrike was reportedly triggered when a Hezbollah representative arrived at the building with a large sum of money to be distributed to the displaced. The building was destroyed by bombs and, according to the latest reports, there are at least 23 dead. “The Lebanese population,” say Fides sources, “is once again wondering how Israel was able to know the exact time of the arrival of the person who was to be hit.” According to military observers, the Israeli forces tried to destroy not only weapons and ammunition depots, but also Hezbollah’s cash reserves, an essential means of payment in a country that has been in financial crisis since the end of 2019. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 15/10/2024)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Childless cat ladies’ is a political catchphrase that doesn’t match reality − Democrats and Republicans have similar demographics and experiences when it comes to parenthood

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Laurel Elder, Professor of Political Science, Hartwick College

    Republicans and Democrats tend to have children at around the same rates and ages and to view parenthood in a similar way. iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance infamously said in 2021 that the Democratic Party is run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they’ve made” – and do not have a “direct stake” in the future of the United States.

    Three years later, after Vance’s selection as Trump’s vice presidential pick, these comments resurfaced and quickly became a cultural touchstone.

    In July 2024, Vance clarified his controversial comments, saying that what he meant was that the Democratic Party has become anti-family and anti-child.

    At a September 2024 campaign event alongside Donald Trump, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders echoed Vance’s sentiments about Democrats being anti-family. “My kids keep me humble. Unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn’t have anything keeping her humble,” she said.

    The single cat lady theme was amplified further when singer Taylor Swift used it to sign off on her Instagram endorsement of Harris.

    While the cat lady framing is new, politicians making parenthood and family a centerpiece in their appeals to the American public has a long history.

    As we show in our 2012 book, “The Politics of Parenthood,” and subsequent research, politicians have been using messages about parenthood as a way to appeal to voters since the 1980s. eg: link wouldn’t work for me

    Content analysis of party platforms and speeches by presidential candidates reveals that both parties have devoted more and more time and space to making the case that they are the true pro-family party. Republicans argue that lower taxes and smaller government strengthen American families, while Democrats argue that strengthening social welfare programs represents the best way to support families.

    Despite the parties’ contrasting pro-family messages and the image conjured by Vance’s childless cat lady comments, Republicans and Democrats are not really that different when it comes to their actual experiences having and raising children.

    Our analysis shows that the age at which Americans have children, how many children they have and whether parents work outside the home are surprisingly similar across partisan lines.

    A woman attends a CatCon event in Pasadena, Calif., in August 2024 and wears a ‘Childless cat ladies for Kamala’ shirt.
    Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    Democrats and Republicans find parenting rewarding

    To explore whether there are differences between Republicans and Democrats in terms of their families, we analyzed data from the 2022 General Social Survey, which had 4,149 respondents. GSS is a nationally representative and well recognized survey of American adults that has been conducted since 1972. We also analyzed data from a 2022 Pew survey of 3,757 mothers and fathers focused on parenting in America.

    This data shows that both Republicans and Democrats deeply value their roles as parents. In the Pew survey, 87% of parents said that their role as a parent is the most important or one of the most important aspects of their identity. Our analysis shows this is true for parents in both parties – 86% of Democrats and 88% of Republicans said they value their role as parents as the most or one of the most important aspects of their identity.

    Similarly, our analysis of the Pew data reveals that Democrats and Republicans both enjoy being parents – 84% of Republicans say they find parenting enjoyable most or all of the time, compared with 81% of Democrats.

    That said, contemporary parenting is also challenging.

    The 2022 Pew survey showed that 29% of parents describe raising children as stressful most or all of the time. And 42% of parents report that raising children is tiring all or most of the time. Our analysis shows that this is equally true for Republicans and Democrats.

    Indeed, the stresses of modern parenthood led the U.S. surgeon general in August 2024 to issue a public health advisory about parents’ declining mental well-being.

    One of the reasons for this stress is that most parents today are balancing parenthood with work. The Republican Party has long embraced “traditional marriage,” meaning a marriage between a man and a woman, where the mother stays home to raise the children. Yet the reality is that most moms have jobs outside the home. In our analysis of the 2022 Pew data, we find that about the same portion of Republican moms – 67% – work outside the home as Democratic moms, who totaled 69%.

    Both Republican and Democratic moms do more parenting

    Another way that the experience of parenthood is similar across partisan lines is that moms spend more time parenting than dads. Pew asked parents with partners and spouses about the division of labor around a variety of child care tasks in 2022.

    In our analysis of the full set of this data, which Pew provided us, we found that 77% of Democratic mothers and 80% of Republican mothers report doing more than their spouse or partner when it comes to managing their children’s activities. And 60% of Democratic mothers and 58% of Republican mothers report providing more comfort and emotional support to their children than their spouses or partners do.

    This may account for why the Pew data reveals that mothers, more so than fathers, report parenting being tiring most or all of the time – 47% for moms, compared with 34% for dads. Once again, our analysis shows that mothers’ higher levels of fatigue hold true for both Republican and Democratic mothers compared with Republican and Democratic dads.

    To assess the demographics of parenthood, we analyzed the 2022 General Social Survey data and found that Republicans and Democrats start their families at a similar age, just as they did a decade ago.

    On average, male and female Democrats are 26 when they have their first kid, while Republicans are 25. Higher levels of education are associated with starting families later, but this is true for those in both parties.

    Looking at women specifically, we find that Democratic women have their first child at 25 years old, and Republican women at 24. There is no evidence that Democratic women – more so than Republican women – are delaying having children so that they can pursue their careers, as suggested by Vance and Sanders in their critiques of the Democratic Party and Harris specifically.

    It is true that Americans are having fewer children compared with a few decades ago. But this drop in having children is nearly universal in high-income democracies, even despite some government policies that seek to increase the birth rate in the U.S.

    Our analysis reveals that the gap between Republicans and Democrats on this issue is modest. On average, Democrats are having 1.53 children, compared with 1.86 for Republicans.

    And the 2022 General Social Survey data shows that Democrats do report having no children at a modestly higher rate than Republicans, but it is men – more than women – who report being childless at higher rates. Among Americans over 40, 22% of Democratic men and 16% of Republican men have no kids, compared with 17% of Democratic women and 10% of Republican women.

    Despite political rhetoric suggesting there is a deep partisan divide among Americans on issues of families and child-rearing, the data tells a different story. It paints a picture of Americans, whether Democrats or Republicans, as remarkably similar in the basic demographics of parenting, as well as in their views about the joys and challenges of parenthood.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Childless cat ladies’ is a political catchphrase that doesn’t match reality − Democrats and Republicans have similar demographics and experiences when it comes to parenthood – https://theconversation.com/childless-cat-ladies-is-a-political-catchphrase-that-doesnt-match-reality-democrats-and-republicans-have-similar-demographics-and-experiences-when-it-comes-to-parenthood-238960

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: On crime and justice, Trump and Harris records differ widely

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College

    Though crime and criminal justice policy are central issues in many elections, that’s not true in 2024. Surveys show that relatively few American voters rank crime as their most important concern.

    Yet both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris say they take those problems seriously. Trump and the Republicans have focused attention on the problem of illegal immigration and the crimes that he says immigrants commit.

    Harris, as The Economist noted, “is using her history as a prosecutor in San Francisco to burnish her tough-on-crime bona fides.” She has mentioned that background in connection with immigration, drug policy and corporate wrongdoing.

    As someone who studies crime and justice in the United States, it is clear to me that there are substantial differences between the two candidates, though each of their records contains some interesting twists and turns.

    Kamala Harris gives her first news conference as attorney general of California in November 2010.
    AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

    Kamala Harris, the prosecutor

    Harris has a long record of working in the criminal justice system. She worked in the Alameda County district attorney’s office in California, starting in 1990, where she specialized in child sexual assault cases. She then served as district attorney in San Francisco from 2004 to 2010 and as attorney general of California from 2010 to 2017, when she was elected to the U.S. Senate.

    Axios reported that during her term as district attorney, “the number of violent crimes rose steadily in the city of San Francisco during her first five years in office then fell 15% in her last two years.” And when she served as the state’s attorney general, “the violent crime rate in the state was 439.6 per 100,000 residents the year before she took office and fell to 396.4 by 2014. … However, violent crime surged to 444.8 in 2016 during her last year in office to a six-year high,” Axios reported.

    In both offices, Harris undertook a number of reforms in criminal justice policy.

    For example, in San Francisco she developed a “Back on Track” initiative“ that aimed to help nonviolent drug offenders between the ages of 18 and 30. According to The New York Times, its key promise was that ”after a full year of employment, education, community service, regular meetings with a supervising judge and crime-free behavior, the charge would be expunged from the offender’s record.“ It was generally well received, especially among progressives.

    When Harris became the state’s attorney general, she reformed California’s approach to school truancy by focusing on the parents of truant children. As The New York Times reported, she threatened them ”with fines or even imprisonment if they did not ensure that their children attended class.“ FactCheck.org found that as a result of her policy, ”district attorneys reported prosecuting 3 to 6 … cases per year,“ on average.

    Considering Harris’ record in California, The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, California) said Harris ”earned a reputation as tough on sexual abuse, human trafficking and organized crime, and did not shy away from pursuing incarceration.“

    Throughout her career, Harris has been an opponent of the death penalty. During her first campaign for San Francisco district attorney, she promised that she would never seek a death sentence no matter how heinous the crime. She stuck to that promise, but as attorney general she went to court to defend death sentences that had been imposed under prior administrations.

    The Los Angeles Times said her decision to do so was an appropriate one for the attorney general, ”putting professional responsibility over personal politics.“

    CNN summarized her record on capital punishment by saying it ”broke hearts on both sides.“

    Donald Trump speaks at a meeting about prison reform in 2018.
    AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

    Donald Trump’s record as president

    Trump, by contrast, was a strong proponent of the death penalty during his time in the Oval Office. In March 2018, he directed the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty in cases involving drug traffickers. The department also vigorously pursued new death penalty prosecutions in other areas and defended existing death sentences in court.

    After a long time without any federal executions, the Trump administration carried out 13 of them in the last seven months of his term. ProPublica said Trump’s administration ”executed more federal prisoners than any presidency since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s” and more than the prior 10 presidents combined.

    In other areas, the Trump administration stepped in to stop some criminal justice reform initiatives. For example, according to ABC News, Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, stopped former President Barack Obama’s effort to end prison privatization, and then began distributing contracts for new privately run detention centers.

    But during his presidency, Trump was not consistent in being tough on crime. For instance, in March 2018, he signed an executive order creating the Federal Interagency Crime Prevention and Improving Reentry Council. He charged it with identifying ways “to provide those who have engaged in criminal activity with greater opportunities to lead productive lives” and to develop “a comprehensive strategy that addresses a range of issues, including mental health, vocational training, job creation, after-school programming, substance abuse, and mentoring.”

    The Biden administration built on and extended those efforts.

    And in December 2018, Trump supported the so-called “First Step Act,” which passed Congress with bipartisan support. It funded efforts to reduce the likelihood that inmates would be convicted again after their release, including by providing addiction treatment, mental health care, education and job training.

    Trump also commuted the sentences of more than 90 people and pardoned more than 140 others. His use of clemency power was quite controversial, as some of its beneficiaries were Trump associates, such as Steve Bannon and Paul Manafort, who led Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and had committed financial fraud.

    As far as the crime rate during Trump’s presidency, the Dallas Morning News reported that “During the first three years of Trump’s presidency, the violent crime rate per 100,000 population … fell each year. But, the Morning News – citing Politifact – said that in 2020, “the violent crime rate spiked,” though it was slightly lower than it had been in Obama’s final year in office.

    Crime and criminal justice in the next administration

    The next president will have choices to make about the crime and justice policies that the federal government will pursue and about whether to emphasize reform or harsh punishment. He or she will also have to decide whether, and how, the federal government should use grants and other funding, guidelines and enforcement to further those goals.

    Their records suggest that Harris and Trump would make very different choices about those and other crime and criminal justice issues.

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

    – ref. On crime and justice, Trump and Harris records differ widely – https://theconversation.com/on-crime-and-justice-trump-and-harris-records-differ-widely-240004

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Candidate experience matters in elections, but not the way you think

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charlie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

    Previously holding political office is an obvious advantage for candidates seeking votes. SDI Productions/E+/Getty Images

    Ever since he was chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate back in July, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio, has come under a level of scrutiny typical for a vice presidential candidate, including for some of his eyebrow-raising public statements made in the past or during the campaign.

    One line of critique has persisted through the news cycles: that his lack of political experience may make Vance less qualified than others, including his opponent, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, to be vice president.

    Do more politically experienced politicians have advantages in elections? And if they enjoyed such advantages in the past, do they still in such a polarized political moment?

    The answers are complicated, but political science offers some clues.

    Why experience should matter

    Previously holding political office, and for a longer period of time, is in some ways an obvious advantage for candidates making the case to potential voters. If you were applying for a job as an attorney, previous legal experience would be favorably looked upon by an employer. The same is true in elections: If you want to run for office, experience as an officeholder could help you perform better at the job you’re asking for.

    This approach has been taken by a number of high-profile politicians over the years. For example, in Hillary Clinton’s first campaign for president in 2008, the U.S. senator from New York and future secretary of state made “strength and experience” the centerpiece of her argument to the voters.

    Experience also might matter for the same reasons as incumbency – that is, when a candidate is currently holding the office they are seeking in an election. Incumbents typically have much higher name recognition than their challenger opponents, distinct fundraising advantages and, at least in theory, a record of policy achievement on which to base their campaigns. Even for nonincumbents, these advantages are more prevalent for previous officeholders rather than someone who is a newcomer to politics.

    Barack Obama and his family on Nov. 4, 2008, the day he won the presidential election, showing that a lack of political experience can be used as a benefit.
    Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images

    Inexperienced, or an ‘outsider’?

    But Hillary Clinton was, of course, unsuccessful in her first bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. She was beaten by a relatively inexperienced candidate named Barack Obama; like Vance, Obama had served less than a full term in the Senate before running for higher office.

    Obama’s 2008 win shows that a lack of political experience can be leveraged as a benefit.

    One of the few things Obama and Donald Trump have in common is that both benefited from an appeal to voters as a political “outsider” in elections in which Americans were frustrated with the political status quo. As outsiders, they appeared uniquely positioned to fix what voters believed was wrong with politics.

    Does experience equal ‘quality’?

    The “outsider” label isn’t always a ticket to victory.

    In 2020, for example, voters were frustrated with the chaos of having a political outsider in the White House and turned to Joe Biden – possibly the most experienced presidential candidate in modern history at that point, with eight years as vice president and several decades in the Senate under his belt. Voters were hungry for political normalcy in the White House and made that choice for Biden.

    Does U.S. Sen. JD Vance’s lack of political experience make him less qualified than his opponent, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, to be vice president?
    Scott Olson/Getty Images

    Political science has other important lessons about when experience matters and when it doesn’t. In Congress, electoral challengers – those running against incumbents – enjoy more of a boost from prior experience in places such as the state legislature. In fact, the typical indicator for challenger “quality” used in political science research is a simple marker of whether the challenger has prior political experience.

    But even this finding is more complicated than it seems: Political scientists such as Jeffrey Lazarus have found that high-quality – that is, politically experienced – challengers do better in part because they are more strategic in waiting for better opportunities to run in winnable races.

    Experience matters only sometimes – and maybe less than ever

    The usefulness of a lengthy political resume also depends on which stage of the election candidates are in.

    Research has found, for example, that a candidate’s experience matters much more in settings such as party primaries, where differences between the candidates on policy issues are typically much narrower. That leaves nonpolicy differences such as experience to play a bigger role.

    In the general election, voters supportive of one party are unlikely to factor candidate experience in that heavily, even, or especially, when the candidate they support lacks it.

    The political science phenomenon known as negative partisanship means that, more and more, voters are motivated not by positive attributes of their own party’s candidates but rather by the fear of losing to the other side. This has only been exacerbated as the two parties have polarized further.

    Voters are therefore more willing than ever to lower the standards they might have for their favored candidates’ resumes if it means beating the other side. Even if a Democrat is clearly more qualified than a Republican in terms of political experience, that advantage is unlikely to sway many Republican voters, and vice versa.

    What about 2024?

    In 2024, the experience factor is complicated. Trump, of course, has been president before – the ultimate prior experience for someone running for exactly that office.

    But he has continued to run as an outsider from the political establishment, casting Kamala Harris – who, as vice president, has little actual institutional power – as an incumbent who is responsible for the current state of the country. Since polls show consistently that a majority of Americans believe the country is not headed in the right direction, we can see why Trump might try to frame the race in this way.

    Whether Trump’s strategy ends up working will be more apparent after the election is over. For now, Trump and Harris can rest assured that most of their supporters don’t appear to care how much – or how little – experience they have.

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

    – ref. Candidate experience matters in elections, but not the way you think – https://theconversation.com/candidate-experience-matters-in-elections-but-not-the-way-you-think-240191

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Color complexity in social media posts leads to more engagement, new research shows

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Vamsi Kanuri, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Notre Dame

    If you work in digital marketing, you don’t need to be told a picture’s worth a thousand words. More than half of content marketers say images are crucial for achieving their social media goals, and a staggering 70% of users prefer image-based posts over text, surveys have found.

    But which types of visuals work best? While anecdotal evidence abounds, systematic research on this topic is scarce.

    As a professor of business who knows the issues social media managers face while picking images for their posts – and who collected thousands of Facebook posts from two organizations in different industries – I saw an opportunity.

    Pigments and pixels

    Together with my colleagues Christian Hughes and Brady Hodges, I looked at what researchers call “color complexity.”

    Color complexity is similar to colorfulness, but it’s not quite the same: It’s measured as color variation across pixels in an image, and our brains process it subliminally. The more the brain has to decipher color variations across neighboring pixels, the harder it has to work.

    Fortunately, advanced computer vision technology makes it easier than ever to measure color complexity, and biometric eye-tracking makes it possible to see what images grab people’s attention in real time.

    We conducted four studies, looking at both real-world Facebook posts from two firms and experimental data using biometric eye-tracking. On the whole, we found that more complex images in social media posts tended to capture greater attention.

    However, there were some caveats.

    For instance, posts made later in the day and those with images that took up more screen space tended to benefit more from color complexity. This suggests that the timing and visual prominence of posts play a role in maximizing engagement.

    In addition, when images were paired with negative, feel-bad text, color complexity made less of a difference.

    We also found that pairing images with complex texts can actually strengthen the link between color complexity and user engagement. This surprising finding suggests that more intricate language might encourage people to pay more attention to the images.

    The complexities of color

    The importance of color in marketing, and its influence on everything from brand perception to purchase intentions, has long been well documented. Much less is known, however, about the role of color complexity in social media engagement. Our research is beginning to fill that gap.

    Overall, our findings underscore the importance of strategic image design in social media marketing. They suggest that a nuanced approach to image design, incorporating high color complexity where appropriate, can significantly enhance user engagement.

    For marketers and content creators, the implications are clear: Investing in the careful curation of social media images, especially those with high color complexity, can lead to better user engagement. Just be mindful of the timing and context, too.

    Vamsi Kanuri works for the University of Notre Dame.

    – ref. Color complexity in social media posts leads to more engagement, new research shows – https://theconversation.com/color-complexity-in-social-media-posts-leads-to-more-engagement-new-research-shows-240980

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How dogs were implicated during the Salem witch trials

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bridget Marshall, Professor of English, UMass Lowell

    An illustration of a court scene during the late-17th century witch trials in Salem, Mass. Christine_Kohler/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    I teach a course on New England witchcraft trials, and students always arrive with varying degrees of knowledge of what happened in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.

    Nineteen people accused of witchcraft were executed by hanging, another was pressed to death and at least 150 were imprisoned in conditions that caused the death of at least five more innocents.

    Each semester, a few students ask me about stories they have heard about dogs.

    In 17th century Salem, dogs were part of everyday life: People kept dogs to protect themselves, their homes and their livestock, to help with hunting, and to provide companionship.

    However, a variety of folklore traditions also associated dogs with the devil – beliefs that long predated what happened in Salem. Perhaps the most famous example of such belief is the case of a poodle named Boy who belonged to Prince Rupert, an English-German cavalry commander on the Royalist side during the English Civil War. Between 1643 and 1644, stories spread across Europe that Boy the poodle had supernatural powers, including shape-shifting and prophecy, that he used to aid his master on the battlefield.

    There is no mention in the official records of Salem’s trials of any dogs being tried or killed for witchcraft. However, dogs appear several times in the testimony, typically because an accused witch was believed to have had a dog as a “familiar” who would do her bidding, or because the devil appeared in the form of a dog.

    Numerous testimonies in the Salem trial records claim that dogs were in league with the devil, adding to the paranoia of this community that was spinning out of control.

    Associating the devil with the dog

    On May 16, 1692, a 45-year-old Amesbury, Massachusetts, man named John Kimball testified against Susanna Martin, a 71-year-old widow, saying, among other things, that she had caused a “black puppy” to appear before him when he was alone in the woods. Kimball testified that he was terrified by the dog, which he thought would tear out his throat. The dog disappeared when he began to pray.

    This, among other testimony, would contribute to Martin’s conviction for witchcraft in June 1692; she was hanged on July 19, 1692.

    In several instances recorded by the courts, accused witches confessed that the devil had appeared to them in the form of a dog. In September 1692, 19-year-old Mercy Wardwell testified that she had been conversing with the devil, and that he had appeared to her in the shape of a dog. Her confession caused her to be jailed, although she was later released when the hysteria died down.

    During the same proceedings that September, 14-year-old William Barker Jr. testified that the “shape of a black dog” appeared to him and provoked anxiety; soon after this, the devil appeared. It’s hard to know if he was suggesting that the dog was the devil himself or his companion.

    Barker confessed that he had “signed the devil’s book,” meaning that he had made a covenant with the devil and was a witch. Barker was jailed, though he would later be acquitted.

    Tituba, a woman of color enslaved in the Rev. Samuel Parris’ household, also testified about a dog. When she was examined by magistrates on March 1, 1692, Tituba recounted how the devil had appeared to her at least four times, “like a great dog” and as “a black dog.” She also said she saw cats, hogs and birds, an entire menagerie of animals working for the devil.

    An accused witch was believed to have a dog or another animal as a ‘familiar’ who would do her bidding,
    © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA

    Kimball’s, Wardwell’s, Barker’s and Tituba’s testimonies certainly may have contributed to the ongoing alarm that the residents of Salem were being led astray by a devil who might appear to them in the shape of a dog.

    Sketchy evidence

    Some popular accounts of the trials also suggest that at least two dogs were killed during the trials, but there is no evidence supporting this in the official legal testimony of the time. There is certainly some local legend that supports the claim, and many accounts of Salem have included these two dog deaths as a part of the story.

    According to local historical researcher Marilynne K. Roach’s 2002 book, “The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege,” some of the afflicted girls claimed that a man named John Bradstreet had bewitched a dog. Although the dog was a victim, it was killed. Roach’s history also notes that another dog was shot to death when a girl claimed that the dog’s specter had afflicted her.

    Witchcraft belief at the time held that witches could send their “spectres,” or spirits, out to do their bidding.

    While these are compelling stories, neither of these events can be verified in any existing official trial documents. The source that Roach cites for the Bradstreet case is Robert Calef’s book “More Wonders of the Invisible World,” which was published in 1700. Calef, who was a Boston merchant, objected to how the trials were conducted. However, he was not present at the trials, and it is not clear what his source was for the dog stories. Such stories – and Calef’s uncited retelling of it – do not have the same authority as the legal documents in the case.

    The earliest account of a dog being shot for being a witch appears in a commentary on the Salem trials, “Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits,” published in 1693, in which the clergyman Increase Mather claims that “I am told by credible persons” that a dog was shot for bewitching a person.

    But significantly, Mather did not name the human victim or the person who told him the story. Surprisingly, Mather actually defended the dog, saying that the fact that they had successfully killed it meant that “this dog was no Devil.”

    Nearly every history of Salem recounts how when Samuel Parris’ daughters were having terrible fits that led people to believe they were bewitched, Tituba, the enslaved woman who lived in the household, baked a “witch cake” using urine from the afflicted girls and fed it to the family’s dog.

    Somehow, this was supposed to cause the dog to reveal the identity of the witch. Indeed, Reverend Parris condemned the ritual, which itself seemed to be its own kind of witchcraft.

    Fear and distrust

    All around, Salem’s witch trials seem to have been bad for dogs. Although there is no official legal evidence that dogs were killed for being witches, it’s clear that there were strong associations between dogs and the devil, and that dogs were sometimes treated poorly because of superstition.

    The Salem trials are a horrifying example of what happens when people use terrible logic and leap to indefensible conclusions with shoddy evidence. In an environment of fear and distrust, even man’s best friend could be suspected of dealings with the devil.

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

    – ref. How dogs were implicated during the Salem witch trials – https://theconversation.com/how-dogs-were-implicated-during-the-salem-witch-trials-239802

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Farms to fame: How China’s rural influencers are redefining country life

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mitchell Gallagher, Ph.D Candidate in Political Science, Wayne State University

    In the quiet backwaters of Yunnan, Dong Meihua – though her followers know her by the public alias Dianxi Xiaoge – has done something remarkable: She’s taken the pastoral simplicity of rural China and made it irresistible to millions. In her hands, a village kitchen becomes a stage, and the rhythms of farm life become a story as compelling as any novel. She is one of many rural influencers returning to their roots.

    In a digital revolution turning established narratives on their head, China’s countryside is emerging as an unlikely epicenter of viral content. Xiaoge is one of thousands of influencers redefining through social media how the countryside is perceived.

    Upending preconceptions of rural China as a hinterland of poverty and stagnation, this new breed of social media mavens is serving up a feast of bucolic bliss to millions of urbanites. It is a narrative shift encouraged by authorities; the Chinese government has given its blessing to influencers promoting picturesque rural images. Doing so helps downplay urban-rural chasms and stoke national pride. It also fits nicely with Beijing’s rural revitalization strategy.

    Hardship to revival

    To fully appreciate any phenomenon, it’s necessary to first consider the historical context. For decades, China’s countryside was synonymous with hardship and backwardness. The Great Leap Forward of the late 1950s and early 1960s – Communist China’s revered founder Mao Zedong’s disastrous attempt to industrialize a largely agrarian country – devastated rural communities and led to widespread famine that saw tens of millions die.

    The subsequent Cultural Revolution, in which Mao strengthened his grip on power through a broad purge of the nation’s intelligentsia, further disrupted customary rural life as educated youth were sent to the countryside for “reeducation.” These traumatic events inflicted deep scars on the rural psyche and economy.

    Meanwhile, the “hukou” system, which since the late 1950s has tied social benefits to a person’s birthplace and divided citizens into “agricultural ” and “nonagricultural” residency status, has created a stark divide between urban and rural citizens.

    The reform era of Mao’s successor, Deng Xiaoping, beginning in 1978, brought new challenges. As China’s cities boomed, the countryside lagged behind.

    Millions of rural Chinese have migrated to cities for better opportunities, abandoning aging populations and hollowed-out communities. In 1980, 19% of China’s population lived in urban areas. By 2023, that figure had risen to 66%.

    Government policies have since developed extensively toward rural areas. The abolition of agricultural taxes in 2006 heralded a major milestone, demonstrating a renewed commitment to rural prosperity. Most recently, President Xi Jinping’s “rural revitalization” has put countryside development at the forefront of national policy. The launch of the Internet Plus Agriculture initiative and investment in rural e-commerce platforms such as Taobao Villages allow isolated farming communities to connect to urban markets.

    Notwithstanding these efforts, China’s urban-rural income gap remains substantial, with the average annual per capita disposable income of rural households standing at 21,691 yuan (about US$3,100), approximately 40% of the amount for urban households.

    Enter the ‘new farmer’

    Digital-savvy farmers and countryside dwellers have used nostalgia and authenticity to win over Chinese social media. Stars such as Li Ziqi and Dianxi Xiaoge have racked up huge numbers of followers as they paint rural China as both an idyllic escape and a thriving cultural hub.

    The Chinese term for this social media phenomenon is “new farmer.” This encapsulates the rise of rural celebrities who use platforms such as Douyin and Weibo to document and commercialize their way of life. Take Sister Yu: With over 23 million followers, she showcases the rustic charm of northeast China as she pickles vegetables and cooks hearty meals. Or Peng Chuanming: a farmer in Fujian whose videos on crafting traditional teas and restoring his home have captivated millions.

    Since 2016, these platforms have turned rural life into digital gold. What began as simple documentation has evolved into a phenomenon commanding enormous audiences, fueled not just by nostalgia but also economic necessity. China’s post-COVID-19 economic downturn, marked by soaring youth unemployment and diminishing urban opportunities, has driven some to seek livelihoods in the countryside.

    In China’s megacities, where the air is thick with pollution and opportunity, there’s clearly a hunger for something real – something that doesn’t come shrink-wrapped or with a QR code. And rural influencers serve slices of a life many thought lost to China’s breakneck development.

    Compared with their urban counterparts, rural influencers carve out a unique niche in China’s vast social media landscape. Although fashion bloggers, gaming streamers and lifestyle gurus dominate platforms such as Weibo and Douyin, the Chinese TikTok, rural content creators tap into a different cultural romanticism and a yearning for connection to nature. In addition, their content capitalizes on the rising popularity of short video platforms such as Kuaishou and Pinduoduo, augmenting their reach across a wide demographic, from nostalgic retirees to eco-conscious millennials.

    But this is not simply digital escapism for the masses. Tourism is booming in once-forgotten villages. Traditional crafts are finding new markets. In 2020 alone, Taobao Villages reported a staggering 1.2 trillion yuan (around $169.36 billion) in sales.

    The Chinese government, never one to miss a PR opportunity, has spotted potential. Rural revitalization is now the buzzword among government officials. It’s a win-win: Villagers net economic opportunities, and the state polishes its reputation as a champion of traditional values. Government officials have leveraged platforms such as X to showcase China’s rural revitalization efforts to international audiences.

    Authenticity or illusion?

    As with all algorithms, there’s a catch to the new farmer movement. The more popular rural influencers become, the more pressure they face to perform “authenticity.” Or put another way: The more real it looks, the less real it might actually be.

    It raises another question: Who truly benefits? Are we witnessing rural empowerment or a commodification of rural life for urban consumption? With corporate sponsors and government initiatives piling in, the line between genuine representation and curated fantasy blurs.

    Local governments, recognizing the economic potential, have begun offering subsidies to rural content creators, causing skepticism about whether this content is truly grassroots or part of a bigger, state-led campaign to sanitize the countryside’s image.

    Yet, for all the conceivable pitfalls, the new farmer trend is an opportunity to challenge the urban-centric narrative that has dominated China’s development story for decades and rethink whether progress always means high-rises and highways, or if there’s value in preserving ways of life that have sustained communities for centuries.

    More importantly, it’s narrowing the cultural disconnect that has long separated China’s rural and urban populations. In a country where your hukou can determine your destiny, these viral videos foster understanding in ways that no government program ever could.

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

    – ref. Farms to fame: How China’s rural influencers are redefining country life – https://theconversation.com/farms-to-fame-how-chinas-rural-influencers-are-redefining-country-life-239540

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo: “The Church cannot remain silent in the face of the illegal exploitation of mineral resources in Africa”

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

    ROME, Italy, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa, DR Congo
    President of the Symposium of Episcopal
    Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)

    [1] CENCO, “NEW WINE, NEW WINESKINS” (Mk 2, 22) Do not disappoint the nation’s expectations, Message from the National Episcopal Conference of Congo on the occasion of the 43rd Plenary Assembly, Kinshasa, Edition of the General Secretariat of CENCO, n. 11. L

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson Joins Multiple Sunday Shows

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, Speaker Johnson joined CBS News’ Face the Nation and NBC News’ Meet the Press to discuss the ongoing federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Speaker also discussed election security and the 2024 election process. 

    Click here to watch the NBC interview, and here to watch the CBS interview

    On the ongoing federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton:

    Remember, the day before Hurricane Helene hit and made landfall in Florida, and then went up through the states and wound up in Senator Tillis’ state of North Carolina, Congress appropriated $20 billion additional to FEMA so that they would have the necessary resources to address immediate needs, and so we put that into the coffers. I just checked Margaret, as of this morning, less than 2% of that funding has actually been distributed, right around 2% of it, so we need FEMA to do its job. Those funds, that money, is provided so that storm victims can have the immediate necessities met. And then what happens after every storm is that the states have to assess and calculate the actual needs, and then they submit to Congress that request. As soon as that is done, Congress will meet and in bipartisan fashion, we will address those needs. We’ll provide the additional resources. 

    But it would be premature to call everyone back now, because these storms are so large in their scope and magnitude, it’s going to take a little bit of time to make those calculations. In North Carolina, I was there in the worst hit areas around Asheville with Senator Tillis and Senator Budd, Chuck Edwards, the congressman that represents that area. The devastation is broad, and people were still being rescued 13 days out from the storm. That was just a few days back. So, they still have a lot to do. It’s going to take a long time to make those calculations, but Congress is ready to act, and we will.

    On the SBA Loan program:

    Congress will not leave small business owners wanting. I am a small business owner and I’m from a hurricane prone state, Louisiana. We’re kind of experts in this disaster recovery. The SBA loan, as you indicated, is a small interest loan that helps people bridge the gap and get back on their feet. But importantly about that program, it is a supplement to private insurance and other disaster relief funding. And so, by definition and necessity, it takes a few weeks to calculate it. Now, Congress is expected to come back. We’re already scheduled to come back right after the election. We’re 23 days out from the election. That will coincide almost perfectly, I think with the time for most of these applications to even begin and many of them to be processed. Now, FEMA has received thousands of applications already, and they’re going through that laborious process of affirming and confirming it.

    But when the time is needed, we will cover the needs of small businesses. Congress is all on board. Remember, one day before Helene made landfall, we appropriated $20 billion additional dollars to FEMA so they would have the resources to address urgent needs. But I’ll say this, it’s very important to note. As of yesterday, roughly 2% of those funds had been distributed. We need the Biden-Harris administration to get about the business of distributing the funds that Congress has already set aside. That is a really important thing. People are hurting. I’ve been on the ground in the most affected disaster areas, Florida, North Carolina. They really need the help.

    On 2024 election security: 

    I’m a constitutional law attorney. I’ve dedicated my life, devoted my life and demonstrated every day that I will uphold the Constitution. We are going to do our job in Congress. A free and fair and legal election will be certified. And that is our hope and prayer across the board. Of course, I’m going to follow the constitution. I’m going to follow the law. That’s my job. It’s my duty. I took an oath to do that. And I’ll fulfill my oath.

    The point is the process works. We had the peaceful transfer of power, we did in 2020. We will in 2024. Everybody can sigh and take a deep breath. Our system is going to work. We have the greatest system in the history of the world because we live in the greatest country in the world. But that last part is in jeopardy right now. This is a decisive election, and everybody knows it. And that’s why we’re going to be given the chance to run this country again. We’re going to turn it around and I can’t wait.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Alizz Islamic Bank Partners with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation to Support the Private sector in Oman

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

    MUSCAT, Oman, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ —

    Reinforcing its position as one of Oman’s most dynamic Islamic Wholesale Banking institutions, Alizz Islamic Bank has recently signed an agreement with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org). This partnership is set to provide Shari’a compliant financing solutions, further enhancing the bank’s commitment to offering innovative and ethical financial services in alignment with Islamic principles. 

    The agreement was officially signed by Mr. Ali Al Mani, CEO of Alizz Islamic Bank and Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC in the presence of a number of senior officials from both organisations. 

    Speaking about the agreement, Mr. Ali Al Mani, CEO of Alizz Islamic Bank said: “We are delighted to be the first bank in Oman to partner with the ITFC. Partnering with innovative and leading organisations in their respective fields is an important part of our strategy and we are proud to be pioneers in providing innovative trade financing solutions. Our customers are at the forefront of everything we do and aligning with strategic partners enables Alizz Islamic Bank to enhance our trade solutions and correspondent network which in turn can enable us to offer competitive working capital financing pricing.” 

    Commenting on the  agreement, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC , and Acting CEO of  ICD stated “We are pleased with our partnership and strategic relationship with Alizz Islamic Bank. This is our first collaboration in Oman and is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing Shari’ah compliant financial services in the country.  Through this agreement, we aim to strengthen the private sector role in the economy, particularly by enhancing access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Supporting SMEs is a core pillar of the ITFC mission, and we are confident that this partnership will help drive economic growth, create job opportunities, and foster sustainable development in Oman”. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Hamburg Sustainability Platform – New alliances are needed to provide blended finance at scale (15 Oct. 2024)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    Public-private stakeholder coalition kicks-off joint work to scale up private SDG investment in emerging markets and developing economies: At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, a coalition of private and public institutions announced to join forces to set up the Hamburg Sustainability Platform. This platform aims at scaling sustainable investments into emerging markets and developing economies through standardization.

    The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the climate and biodiversity goals, cannot be achieved with public funds alone. More private investment is urgently needed, especially in emerging markets and development economies. To close this financing gap, it must become easier for private investors to invest. Blended finance provides efficient mechanisms to address this challenge. This is the aim of an alliance of public and private stakeholders, the Hamburg Sustainability Platform (HSP), announced at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference.

    The German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, (BMZ); the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); Global Affairs Canada; the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Treasury of the Republic of South Africa; the Secretary of State in charge of International partnerships of France; the German Development Bank KfW; British International Investment (BII); as well as Allianz and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) are partnering to jointly develop the Hamburg Sustainability Platform. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) acts as an advisory body to the platform.

    Sustainable investments in emerging markets and developing economies have so far been for the pioneers in the private sector: while promising investment opportunities exist, large institutional investors such as pension funds or insurance companies rarely invest at scale. This is because implementation takes a long time, as preparations can take several years and financial products are often very complex. To make it easier for private investors to invest at scale, it would be necessary to pool the funds of public donors and standardize financial vehicles.

    As a solution, the HSP aims at better combining public and private investments through standardized financial products as well as harmonized public strategies. The initiative thereby aims to enhance simplicity, replicability and efficiency, thus enabling considerable additional investment volume.

    Standardization is a key enabler of operational efficiency. By delivering simplicity, efficiency and speed, volume becomes possible. Standardization acts like a common language, combatting fragmentation and accelerating procedures. It could therefore be an important step to help scaling private investment. This is recognized and demanded by different institutions and initiatives such as the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA), the OECD, as well as the B20 Finance & Infrastructure Working Group. Nevertheless, standardization is currently lacking in blended finance.

    The HSP was announced at the inaugural Hamburg Sustainability Conference, held on 7-8 October. Under the motto “together we co-create development”, the Hamburg Sustainability Conference challenges barriers to SDG implementation. It establishes a new global forum to speed up progress towards achieving the SDGs and deliver result-oriented solutions. The annual conference is a joint initiative of the United Nations (UNDP), the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Michael Otto Foundation and the City of Hamburg.

    On their motivations for the HSP, the founding members have said:

    Anneliese Dodds, Minister for Development and Minister for Women and Equalities, United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: “Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals will require trillions of dollars of additional public and private investment into emerging markets and developing economies. To get private capital moving quickly and at scale, investors need to be able to compare options and make decisions with confidence. That’s why the UK is pleased to support the Hamburg Sustainability Platform, which will focus on scaling up sustainable investment into the regions that need it most, by providing standardized investment products in a clear and simple format.”

    Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development: ”The SDGs represent an unprecedented global consensus and as such, a joint mission of public and private stakeholders. We need to join forces to make this mission heard. Over the past years, numerous good examples of blended finance vehicles have been set up. It is now time to identify those success cases, standardize, and scale them. This is what the Hamburg Sustainability Platform stands for. It is a great example of how the German government enhances international partnerships and how development cooperation efficiently uses market mechanisms to co-create impact. “

    Thani Mohamed Soilihi, French Secretary of State for Francophonie and international partnerships: “We need to boost financing capacities if we collectively want to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and this requires far more private sector leveraging. This is a priority for France, that we are pursuing with 66 partners through the Paris Pact for People and Planet. In that perspective, the Hamburg Sustainability Platform plays an important role and we hope it will bolster current efforts to scale sustainable investments and deliver tangible results.”

    Lina Gandløse Hansen, State Secretary for Trade and Investments, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark: “We need to bridge the financing gap to deliver on the SDGs and the Paris agreement. The numbers tell a clear story: We are far off track. We need all hands on deck and the private sector must play a key role. We need to deliver scale and replicable models. The Hamburg Sustainability Platform can play an important role. Denmark is looking forward to bringing our strong focus on innovative financing to the table and explore synergies, not least with the work in the Investment Mobilization Collaboration Alliance (IMCA) which aims at mobilizing billions of USD in private capital in support of climate action.”

    Mmakgoshi Lekhethe, Head of Asset and Liability Management at the National Treasury of the Republic of South Africa: “We need impactful solutions and investments on a global scale. And for investments to be impactful, private and public sector need to work together. Development efforts can only be sustainable in the long run if we succeed in mobilizing private markets for our goals. The Hamburg Sustainability Platform can become a key lever on this mission.”

    Patricia Peña, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Affairs Canada: “Setting up the Hamburg Sustainability Platform involves learning from and working with existing solutions, ensuring what we put forward and how we work together adds value and avoids duplication. Recognising the need to cooperate more efficiently with other donors and private investors from an early stage, the Hamburg Sustainability Platform could become a key tool to enhance donor cooperation and address existing challenges in blended finance.”

    Claus Stickler, Global Co-Lead at Allianz Investment Management: “Speed and scalability are key success factors in achieving sustainable change globally, including for example accelerating the deployment of renewable energy in emerging markets. The Hamburg Sustainability Platform can help simplify the creation and management of blended finance vehicles, thereby increasing their investability. Let’s work together to create this important platform for real action.”

    Vito Dellerba, Managing Director, Sustainable Investing at CDPQ: “Templates and standardized frameworks for financial returns and impact – initiatives highlighted by the Hamburg Sustainability Platform – facilitate timely and knowledgeable decisions by providing streamlined and consistent information. In addition, it has the potential to boost market efficiency by enhancing risk management practices, lowering transaction costs and increasing liquidity.“

    OECD Deputy Secretary-General Mary Beth Goodman: “The OECD supports the Hamburg Sustainability Platform in an advisory role. Promoting innovative approaches to scaling up private capital mobilization in Emerging Market and Developing Economies is core to the work of the OECD. As a convener, we will be a partner in driving this initiative forward. Based on the OECD’s work in harmonising blended finance approaches, and with standardization featuring prominently in the current update of the Blended Finance Principles Guidance, the OECD can be a key contributor of this initiative.”

    Christiane Laibach, Member of the Executive Board of KfW: “We have all learnt valuable lessons from the past twenty years of blended finance and impact investment. But to reach scale, we need to join forces, agree on common models based on these lessons and roll them out in a predictable and standardized manner. This is the objective of the Hamburg Sustainability Platform.”

    Liz Lloyd, Chief Investment Officer at BII: “Unlocking private capital is critical to meet the twin challenges of development and the climate emergency. One important way to do that is through innovative blended finance, using concessional public finance to encourage private investment to achieve the SDGs. We are pleased to collaborate with others to reach a common approach to blended finance, to help mobilize private capital into sustainable investments at scale.“

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Murphy Announces Second Round of Medical Debt Elimination, Totaling $120 Million in Debt Abolished for 77,000 New Jerseyans

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    Nearly two months after effectuating the first round of medical debt abolishment through the State’s partnership with Undue Medical Debt, Governor Phil Murphy today announced that 77,000 eligible individuals and families across New Jersey are set to benefit from the elimination of an additional $120 million in medical debt. Governor Murphy sat down with Andrew Rose Gregory, who was a special guest at the 2024 State of the State Address, to discuss the announcement. Andrew and his wife, Casey, partnered with Undue and raised $1.1 million following her passing to help eliminate medical debt for others. The video is available here.

    By leveraging approximately $900,000 in American Rescue Plan funds, Undue has worked with the Atlantic Health System to identify and purchase qualifying, unpayable medical debts. Impacted residents may have all or some of their debts abolished as part of the Governor’s mission to make health care more affordable and accessible. Through the State’s partnership with Undue, $220 million in medical debt has been eliminated for 127,000 New Jersey residents so far.

    “Investing in affordable and accessible health care allows residents to prioritize their well-being without having to take on the significant burdens of medical debt, which has long served as a debilitating barrier to receiving the life-saving care and services they deserve,” said Governor Murphy. “That is why our Administration has taken action to both protect residents from accumulating debt and eliminate existing debt so that New Jerseyans can focus on what matters most: their health. Today’s announcement marks a monumental step forward and builds upon our efforts to create a health care system that relieves financial constraints and ensures quality, comprehensive care is within reach of every New Jerseyan.”

    “With Governor Murphy’s persistent focus on health care affordability and access for New Jerseyans, we are pleased to announce another round of medical debt abolishment for tens of thousands of residents and families,” said Shabnam Salih, Director of the Office of Health Care Affordability and Transparency. “Today’s announcement is lifting the burden of $120 million in debt off their shoulders, helping to bring some peace of mind and comfort next time they have to see a doctor or visit the hospital for care.”

    Earlier this year, the Governor signed the Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act, which safeguards New Jersey families from accumulating medical debt, protects against predatory medical debt collectors, and prohibits the reporting of medical debt to credit reporting agencies. New Jersey is a leading state in consumer protection policies and supports for residents, being one of only five states in the nation that both prohibits medical debt reporting to credit agencies and has allocated funding to provide residents with direct medical debt relief.

    “We’re proud to partner with the state of New Jersey, Governor Murphy and Atlantic Health on this impactful medical debt abolishment that follows closely on the heels of the initial $100 million of medical debt already erased,” said Undue Medical Debt CEO and president Allison Sesso. “New Jersey is a great example of a state that’s erasing medical debts weighing down its most financially burdened residents while also taking legislative action to lessen the burden of medical debt overall.”

    “As Casey and I prepared for her to die in home hospice, we decided that after her death we would raise money to forgive others’ medical debt in her honor. We were keenly aware of how lucky we were that our finances hadn’t been demolished by America’s health care system during Casey’s long and arduous treatment. Casey’s corporate insurance through her work as a publisher at Penguin Random House had been our shield. But we had met so many other patients and families that were not so lucky as us, and had gone into debt or even denied care because of a lack of insurance,” said Andrew Gregory. “In the last weeks of her life, Casey and I often listened to the Stevie Wonder song Come Back as a Flower: I wish that I could come back as a flower / as a flower / to spread the sweetness of love. As news of Casey’s death, and her wish to forgive others’ medical debt, spread across the world after she died, her campaign raised $1.1 million, forgiving almost $45 million with at least $65 million more of un-payable medical debt still slated to be relieved. She is no longer with us but I still say to her, Casey, Casey, you have come back as a flower.”

    There is no application process for medical debt relief. Undue works with hospital systems across the country to purchase large, bundled portfolios of past-due medical debt belonging to those least able to pay for pennies on the dollar. Instead of trying to collect, Undue erases the debt.

    “When I received my letter [notifying] me that my medical expenses were covered, I felt so blessed and happy. I’m a single mom; I had to take a leave of absence so that I could have surgery and I have no way to pay my medical bills. I work so hard in this country, but it is really difficult to [pay] for my house and bills without any assistance. Thank you so much, Governor Phil Murphy,” said Brunilda from Newark, NJ, one of almost 50,000 New Jerseyans to have medical debt abolished this August.

    “Thank you for helping. I lost my job and then got terribly sick. I couldn’t afford medication, couldn’t afford to pay rent and my bills were coming in back-to-back. I’m trying to get my financial situation back together and this really does help me. Thank you,” said Angela from Dover, NJ, one of almost 50,000 New Jerseyans to have medical debt abolished this August.

    “Like many families throughout the United States, I worked a job for 25+ years that did not offer health benefits. I often had to make a strategic decision about whether my illness or injuries were worth visiting the hospitals or doctor for. Living off of minimum wage, taking care of my ailing mother, paying rent and other expenses — it was just impossible for me to pay my hospital bills. Even with expensive health insurance, high co-pays make it difficult for many American families to [afford care]. Thank you, Undue, for relieving me of this burden. For once, [I felt] great joy finally receiving some good news in the mail!” said Antoinette from Jackson, NJ, one of almost 50,000 New Jerseyans to have medical debt abolished this August.

    Those who qualify for medical debt relief are either four times or below the federal poverty level or have medical debts that equal 5% or more of their annual income. These are the only criteria for relief. For this round of debt abolishment, Undue worked with Atlantic Health System to identify unpaid medical debts that qualify for erasure. This is a one-time abolishment to help remove the financial and emotional burden of unpayable medical debts. Medical debt relief is source-based, depending on community-minded providers like hospitals who choose to engage. 

    Those benefiting from medical debt relief will receive an Undue branded letter in the mail beginning Thursday, October 17, 2024. Learn more about Undue here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Visits Pacheco Farm in Marana

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    Marana, AZ – On Thursday, October 10, 2024, U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) visited Pacheco Farms in Marana to tour their facilities and discuss the importance of passing the Farm Bill alongside the Arizona Farm Bureau and the Arizona Cotton Growers Association. 

    “As one of Arizona’s five “C’s”, cotton is critical to our local economy and a staple of our nation’s textile industry,” said Ciscomani. “It was a pleasure to visit the historic Pacheco Farm in Marana and speak with the Arizona Farm Bureau and Cotton Growers Association about the need to pass a Farm Bill that provides the agriculture industry with the proper tools and support they need.” 

    The Farm Bill is a legislative package that establishes the priorities and policies of the agriculture industry for a five-year period. Additionally, the Farm Bill’s nutrition programs provide critical nutrition assistance to millions of Americans. The current Farm Bill, which was passed in 2018 and reauthorized in 2023, will expire this year.  

    Background: 

    • On May 24, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R. 8467)  to reauthorize the Farm Bill.  

    • In September 2024, Ciscomani joined a majority of his House Republican colleagues in a letter urging House GOP leadership to prioritize passage of a Farm Bill that meets the needs.  

    • Ciscomani wrote a joint op-ed with Arizona Farm Bureau President Stefanie Smallhouse advocating for the critical need to pass a Farm Bill. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: This Week in NJ – October 11th, 2024

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    Biden-Harris Administration Issues Final Rule Requiring Replacement of Lead Pipes Within 10 Years, Announces $44M in Funding to New Jersey to Provide Clean Water to Schools and Homes

    The Biden-Harris Administration issued a final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold for communities to take action on lead in drinking water to protect people from lead exposure. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them. This final rule is part of the President’s commitment to replace every lead pipe in the country within a decade, making sure that all communities can turn on the tap and drink clean water.

    Alongside the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, the EPA announced $44,199,000 in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding for New Jersey through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will flow through the drinking water state revolving funds (DWSRFs) and is available to support lead pipe replacement and inventory projects. Additionally, 49% of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities as grant funding or principal forgiveness that does not have to be repaid. The EPA also announced the availability of $35 million in competitive grant funding for reducing lead in drinking water. Communities are invited to apply directly for grant funding through this program. Additional federal funding is available to support lead pipe replacement projects and EPA has developed a website identifying available funding sources.

    “We are grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration, New Jersey’s congressional delegation, and the Environmental Protection Agency for their continued support in helping us build a cleaner and healthier Garden State through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Governor Murphy. “This newly announced funding will help New Jersey communities with the vital task of replacing all lead pipes within the next ten years as we work to ensure that everyone in New Jersey has access to clean, safe drinking water. These critical investments in our drinking water infrastructure will help protect our children from lead exposure, create good-paying jobs for New Jerseyans, and ensure a stronger drinking water system for generations to come.”

    READ MORE

    First Lady Tammy Murphy Hosts 21st Successful Family Festival in Vineland

    First Lady Tammy Murphy hosted her 21st Nurture NJ Family Festival in Vineland on Saturday, October 5, creating a one-stop-shop for 1,500 attendees to access crucial resources to aid them in growing their families and raising children in the Garden State. The event connected families with information on accessing state, county and local resources spanning from health and child care to housing support and food assistance, among many more supports to help new parents.

    “Our Family Festivals have proven to be a powerful tool in connecting New Jerseyans with the resources necessary to help support their growing families,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “We know that raising children comes with a whole host of challenges and rewards, and we are committed to being there every step of the way through our innovative initiatives to uplift mothers and babies. In a rural county like Cumberland, accessing care can be burdensome. That’s why I am thankful to our dedicated partners for helping to make today a success and for their constant partnership as we all work to make Cumberland County – and all of New Jersey – the safest and most equitable place  in the nation to have a baby and raise a family.”

    Vineland has a 43 percent Hispanic and Latino population. New Jersey’s Maternal Mortality Report for the years 2016-2018 showed that Hispanic mothers were three and a half times more likely to die of maternity-related complications than white mothers. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mortality rate for Hispanic babies is nearly one and a half times that of white babies. Among all demographics, Cumberland County has the highest infant mortality rate and teen pregnancy rate in the state.

    READ MORE

    New Jersey Army National Guard Prepares for Hurricane Milton Support to Florida Division of Emergency Management

    The New Jersey Army National Guard announced the deployment of approximately 80 Soldiers and 30 military vehicles to support Hurricane Milton response operations in Camp Blanding, Florida. A convoy from the 143d Transportation Company and 253d Transportation Company, 42d Regional Support Group arrived in Florida following the landfall of Hurricane Milton.


    “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Florida as a second massive storm in as many weeks bears down on our nation’s Gulf Coast,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “New Jersey is committed to doing everything possible to assist Floridians impacted by Hurricane Milton—including sending a convoy to support the Florida Division of Emergency Management.”

    Upon arrival to Camp Blanding, the unit coordinated with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida National Guard. Tasks include transportation of Florida National Guard personnel into weather-impacted areas and delivery of commodities to or from points of distribution.

    “Floridians are family, and we know from personal experience what hurricane recovery means for our communities,” said Colonel Yvonne L. Mays, Acting Adjutant General of New Jersey. “Our Soldiers are trained and ready to support our neighbors in need.”

    New Jersey responded to Florida’s request for support through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), the nation’s state-to-state mutual aid agreement. EMAC matches personnel, equipment, and commodities to assist response and recovery efforts across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories.

    READ MORE

    AG Platkin Sues TikTok for Unlawful Practices That Harm NJ Youth

    Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced that after a multiyear investigation, they are suing social media giant TikTok for deceptive, unconscionable, and abusive business practices that harm the health and safety of New Jersey’s youth.

    The complaint, which was filed temporarily under seal in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Essex County, alleges multiple violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA). Other Attorneys General are filing similar lawsuits across the country.

    “Our investigation shows that TikTok knows about the dangerous effects of its platform on young users, and can mitigate these harms, but has deliberately chosen not to do so,” said Attorney General Platkin. “As a parent and as the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I’m here to tell TikTok, as I have told other social media companies in the past, that our kids are more than just data points to be monetized to advertisers to the detriment of their mental and physical health.”

    READ MORE

    New Jersey’s Minimum Wage to Increase to $15.49/Hour for Most Employees on Jan. 1

    New Jersey’s statewide minimum wage will increase by $0.36 to $15.49 per hour for most employees, effective January 1, 2025.

    Pursuant to Article 1, Paragraph 23, of the New Jersey Constitution, and N.J.A.C. 12: 56-3.1(c), the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) sets the minimum wage for the coming year based on any increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI) data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    “Aligning the state minimum wage with any increases in the cost of living is a critical step towards economic fairness and security for all New Jersey workers,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “This adjustment fosters a more equitable economy and ensures our workforce can continue to thrive.”

    READ MORE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Everything will be ArtCamp

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    First-year students of the Polytechnic University from different parts of the country went for the 13th time to the most colorful event of their new student life – ArtCamp, organized by the Student Club of the Directorate of Cultural Programs and Youth Creativity of SPbPU.

    Students came to the Svyazist base to immerse themselves in an atmosphere of creativity, self-realization and friendship. Fur hats and construction helmets, rabbit ears and red caps were scattered across the pine forest: such distinctive attributes of the teams were invented by the Student Council of the Dormitories, a co-organizer of ArtCamp.

    At the grand opening ceremony, 300 students loudly chanted as one: “Polytech! Polytech!” and greeted the organizers.

    You are at a wonderful celebration created for you by the Polytechnic University student club with the support of the university rectorate. I am convinced that during these few days, suns will light up in your hearts, which will shine for you and the people around you throughout your student years and in your future life, – Boris Kondin, the head of the Directorate of Cultural Programs and Youth Creativity, addressed the students.

    ArtCamp-2024 was dedicated to street culture: street art, hip-hop, graffiti and other elements of the youth movement accompanied all the activities of the trip. The first meeting point was the “Night Game” – a station quest, where the participants tried themselves in basketball and skateboarding, went through a wooden labyrinth, learned how to creatively tie shoelaces and learned hip-hop moves.

    The second day started with creative trainings: theater training from the Polytechnic Student Theater, dance training from the LPH Crew team of the PolyDance studio, and art-casting of clothes with paints on fabric. And in the evening, under the starry sky, the Polytechnicians gathered for a traditional joint dance accompanied by a song about the Student Club, specially recorded by the vocalists of the PolyVox studio.

    The main event was the traditional performance “Color Room” with an art installation and a dance number from the DJ studio Gate. The participants had great fun painting the white walls of the hall and white T-shirts in different colors.

    The event ended with a team game called “Capture,” in which students learned to defend their territory and stick together, and also used letters to form the slogan for the trip: “And remember: everything will be ArtCamp!”

    I met some fun guys, had a fantastic time, and was filled with positive emotions. It’s incredibly cool that Polytech is holding such an event for us, – said PhysMekh student Alisa Ryabtseva.

    ArtCamp is the best thing that has happened to me in recent times. Three days flew by in one breath. The trainings and games helped me get to know the other guys better, and most importantly, to discover my own creative side, said GI student Alisa Merkulova.

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

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

    http://www.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/student_life/everything-will-artcamp/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: USCG Operation Demonstration Coqui

    Source: US Coast Guard (video statements)

    U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center and Coast Guard Sector San Juan members test the uncrewed aircraft systems and uncrewed surface vessels capabilities Sept. 15, 2024, at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Operation Demonstration Coquí is a collaboration between the RDC, Customs and Border Protection, Coast Guard Seventh District and Sector San Juan.

    (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Hernandez, Petty Officer 2nd Class Ian Gray, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Erik Villa Rodriguez)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKs2_lEMneI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Imposing it won’t work – the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has declared insurance without the borrower’s consent illegal

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Mainfin Bank –

    What was the dispute between the bank and the borrower that was being considered by the court?

    The decision on the inadmissibility of imposing services was made by the Supreme Court in the context of a civil dispute between a bank and a resident of the Sverdlovsk region. The citizen had previously taken out a loan, but the bank imposed insurance on him and refused to terminate the contract during the “cooling-off period”. The borrower managed to restore his rights with the help of the financial ombudsman – the bank did not agree with this decision and went to court.

    The Supreme Court found that the bank had violated the requirements of the law by including a clause in the terms of the loan agreement requiring the borrower to purchase an insurance policy from a specific company. At the same time, the client did not check the box about consent to connect the protection, although he agreed to the proposed terms of the loan. The highest court overturned the decisions of the lower courts and sent the case back for a retrial on the merits.

    What restrictions apply to creditors when connecting additional services?

    The Supreme Court’s decision on the dispute that arose imposes a number of restrictions on banks when provided to borrowers credits and connecting them to additional services. Thus, the court recalled that:

    the bank’s duty is to provide the client with a choice: to agree or refuse imposed services; the lender does not have the right to put notes on consent or include clauses in the terms that provide for the mandatory connection of additional services; it is prohibited to create conditions within which the borrower’s unambiguous consent to the purchase of individual services is assumed.

    “A bank that fails to comply with these requirements violates the rights of the borrower and the norms of the law, since the imposition of insurance and other services is unacceptable,” the Supreme Court panel noted.

    Thus, the court prohibited banks from including in loan agreements the obligation to purchase insurance – the borrower must independently agree to take out the protection.

    15:50 10/15/2024

    Source:

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

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

    http://mainfin.ru/news/to impose-it-will-not-work-on-all-Russian-Russian Federation-has-recognized-illegal-insurance-without-consent-borrowing

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