Sydney Airport welcomes the legislation introduced by the Albanese Government today to reform the airport’s slot system, the first changes in 27 years.
The reforms will deliver benefits to passengers in terms of reliability, competition and choice through an improved compliance regime, with potential penalties for misusing slots, and a recovery mechanism that will reduce cancellations and delays when disruptions occur.
Sydney Airport is currently restricted to 80 movements per hour, with no provision for these to be ‘caught up’ following a period of disruption like bad weather. The new recovery mechanism will allow for a temporary, two-hour window where five extra movements per hour will be allowed following disruptions.
This will allow some flights that otherwise would have been cancelled to be recovered, providing a better and more reliable experience for passengers. Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “This is an important and positive step that will deliver better results for passengers by reducing cancellations and delays.
“These are the first improvements to the legislation that governs Sydney Airport’s operation in more than 27 years, and we commend the Government for seeing these through.
“We look forward to the legislation’s passage through the Senate and, once enacted, will continue to work with the Government and its agencies on implementation.”
Educating young people on how to preserve Western Sydney woodland habitat, care for marine animals and help threatened species are among the 7 projects sharing an investment of almost $1 million.
The educational projects, which are designed to develop skills, encourage and inspire involvement in environmental protection, have been awarded funding under the 2023–24 round of the NSW Environmental Trust’s Environmental Education Grants Program.
The Environmental Education grants program supports projects that broaden the community’s knowledge, skills and participation in the protection of the environment.
The funded projects include:
Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary – awarded $59,775 for the Eco Rangers program to engage young people in conservation activities including marine animal care, habitat clean-up and animal rescue and release events.
Murrumbidgee Landcare Incorporated – awarded $60,000 for the Linking Generations for Threatened Species Conservation project which teaches students about local species and links them with experts and older community members, including Wiradjuri Elders.
Cumberland Council – awarded $60,000 for Creating change one seed at a time which will protect native endemic species for future generations by encouraging private landowners and residents to become stewards of threatened species and communities.
Tweed Shire Council – awarded $60,000 for Cultivating Tomorrow which will empower farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices.
Western Sydney Parklands Trust – awarded $249,960 for Guardians of the Park, which will educate young people by providing hands-on learning experiences in restoring, connecting and monitoring threatened habitats.
Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare Connection – awarded $247,583 to deliver on-ground ecological fire management workshops to landholders via the Eco Burn Education project.
Hunter Region Landcare Network – awarded $243,220 for the Dry Rainforest Revival project which will engage the community in learning and restoring large areas of Hunter region Dry Rainforest.
Quotes attributed to Laura Purcell, Contestable Grants Manager, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
‘It is encouraging to see a wide variety of grantees and projects awarded funding under one of the Environmental Trust’s flagship annual contestable grant programs.
‘The Environmental Trust looks forward to working with the grantees to support them in pursuing their unique environmental education opportunities.’
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Wednesday that it will completely cut off roads and railways connected to South Korea beginning Wednesday, reported DPRK’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Man charged with dangerous driving following Bridgewater incident
Wednesday, 9 October 2024 – 2:33 pm.
Police today arrested and charged a 32-year-old man with dangerous driving, evade police (aggravated circumstances), driving while disqualified, breach of bail and some other traffic matters following an investigation by Bridgewater CIB into an incident which occurred on 25 September 2024.Police allege about 2pm, the man drove more than 4.5km into oncoming traffic at high speed along the Brooker Highway at Granton after evading police in Bridgewater.Police investigations to date which included obtaining multiple eyewitness accounts, surveillance CCTV and dash camera recordings which detail and depict the man weaving in and out of oncoming traffic that resulted in multiple members of the travelling public taking evasive action to prevent a head on collision.The man is expected to appear in an after hours session in the Hobart Magistrates Court session later this evening.Anyone with information about this incident should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
Senator Fatima Payman, launching her new political party Australia’s Voice, is pitching strongly at the large number of voters who are disillusioned with the big parties.
“Australians are fed up with the major parties having a duopoly, a stranglehold over our democracy. If we need to drag the two major parties kicking and screaming to do what needs to be done, we will.”
Payman, who stresses she is not forming a Muslim party, quoted both Gough Whitlam and Robert Menzies in introducing the new group.
She said the party was “for the disenfranchised, the unheard, and those yearning for real change”. But she was short on any detail, saying policies and candidates would come later.
Payman quit the Labor party to join the crossbench after disciplinary action that followed her crossing the floor over Gaza. A senator from Western Australia, she doesn’t face the voters until the election after next.
It has previously been flagged the party intends to field Senate candidates as well as run in some lower house seats. Its strategist is so-called preference whisperer Glenn Druery, who works for Payman. Druery had success in promoting micro-party candidates running for upper houses in the past, but tightened federal electoral rules mean it will be an uphill battle to get a senator elected for the new party.
Payman told a news conference on Wednesday: “This is more a movement than a party. It’s a movement for a fairer, more inclusive, Australia. Together we will hold our leaders accountable and ensure that your voice – Australia’s Voice – is never silenced.”
Payman invoked “the great Gough Whitlam” when he said, “There are some people who are so frightened to put a foot wrong that they won’t put a foot forward”.
“This comment made in 1985 applies so much to the current Labor Party who has lost its way,” Payman said.
Looking also to the other side of politics she said: “Australia’s Voice believes in a system where people come first, where your concerns are not just heard but acted upon. We reject the status quo that serves the powerful and ignores the rest, the forgotten people as Robert Menzies put it.”
She said after spending countless hours listening to Australians, the message she’d heard had been “a growing frustration”.
“A feeling of being left behind, of shouting into a void, only for their concerns to fall on deaf ears.
“So many of you have told me, with emotion in your hearts. ‘We need something different We need a voice’.
“It is this cry for change that has brought us here today. Because we can no longer sit by while our voices are drowned out by the same old politics. It’s time to stand up, to rise together, and to take control of our future.”
Underlining the party would be inclusive, Payman said, “This is a party for all Australians. We’re going to ensure that everyone is represented, whether it’s the mums and dads who are trying to make ends meet, or the young students out there, or whether it’s the grandparents who want to have dignity and respect as they age.”
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Elephant numbers are surging in southern Africa, with fewer natural predators, reduced hunting pressure and feeding by farmers and tourist operators.
While this is good for elephants, it’s making life harder for humans who live near them. These huge herbivores can raid crops and destroy large trees in national parks with impunity, causing problems for farmers and land managers alike.
Traditional solutions aren’t ideal. Culling is controversial, and building fences strong enough to deter elephants is very expensive.
But there’s another option: a fence made of scent. We have explored how specific plant scents can stop wallabies from eating native seedlings. The technique works on Australian herbivores. Would it work for southern Africa’s much larger elephants?
Our new research put this idea to the test. We mimicked the scent of a shrub known as common guarri (Euclea undulata), which elephants avoid eating, and built a Y-shaped maze for elephants. We placed the scent on one side of the Y and left the other side scent-free.
The results were clear – our elephants voted with their trunks and avoided the stinky side. This suggests scent could play a useful role in fending off hungry pachyderms.
How can elephants be a problem?
The world has three species of elephant. The small Asian elephant is endangered while the even smaller African forest elephant, which lives in rainforests in West Africa and the Congo Basin, is critically endangered.
But the largest species, the African savannah elephant, is bouncing back in southern Africa from decades of poaching and habitat loss.
This is great on a conservation front. But it brings fresh problems. As elephant herds expand, they increasingly come into conflict with people – especially farmers. Losing a year’s crop to hungry elephants is devastating. When farmers try to stop them, the elephants can attack and even kill.
In large numbers, elephants can damage the natural environment like other herbivores – but even more so. In South Africa’s Kruger National Park and other wild places, their enormous appetites have reshaped whole plant communities. The plants elephants like disappear, while those they don’t spread. Elephants also destroy large trees and prevent the growth of new ones.
Oranges unable to be sold by Zimbabwean farmers are dumped, which attracts elephants and fuels population growth.
As elephant numbers grow, desperate farmers and land managers have scrambled for solutions. Killing problem elephants has been a common fix. But the practice now faces strong public opposition. Fencing is costly and usually impractical for lower-income farming areas. Other deterrents, such as using flashing lights and annoying sounds to scare off the pachyderms have had mixed success.
Curiously, elephants are scared stiff of bees. This knowledge has been used effectively by Kenyan farmers, who install beehives around their fields. Studies have shown the technique deters up to 80% of elephants. This method has limits, though, as there are only so many bees an area can sustain and maintaining hives takes work.
The scent defence
To deter an elephant, it helps to think like an elephant. We’ve long known carnivores rely heavily on scent to find prey. But scent is very important to herbivores too, as our team has explored. Herbivores rely on smell to tell them which plants to eat and which to avoid.
In Australia, we have used this knowledge to artificially replicate the scent of boronia pinnata, a flowering shrub which swamp wallabies avoid. These wallabies are the local native equivalent of deer in their eating habits – they eat many different plants, including tree seedlings land managers would rather they did not.
When we put vials of boronia scent next to vulnerable native seedlings in Sydney’s Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, we found these seedlings were 20 times less likely to be found and eaten by pesky wallabies.
Researchers have found similar scent “misinformation” tactics substantially reduced how many eggs from threatened birds were eaten by invasive predators such as ferrets, cats and hedgehogs in New Zealand, while others have found it can reduce losses of wheat grain to house mice in Australia.
But would this approach work on elephants? We were hopeful. We know elephants can smell water from afar. Better still, elephants have the strongest sense of smell of any land animal.
We went to South Africa to test it out.
Our entire research team, including humans and elephants. Patrick Finnerty, CC BY-NC-ND
A proof of concept
We set up our experiment at the Adventures with Elephants tourism and research centre north of Johannesburg, which is home to six semi-tame elephants.
Here, we built a large maze shaped like a Y to let us test our idea in a controlled and safe environment. This is essential when working with temperamental animals weighing up to six tonnes.
From almost ten meters away, elephants had to choose which path through the Y to follow using only their sense of smell. Plants and odour vials were hidden down each arm of the maze, ensuring the animals were not using vision to choose. Both exits to the maze contained lots of leaves and stems of the jacket plum (pappea capensis), a tree elephants love to eat. On one side of the Y, we placed a single glass vial containing just 1 millilitre of a mixture mimicking the smell of common guarri.
It took just 1 ml of this scent to nudge elephants to go elsewhere. Patrick Finnerty
The results were exciting. Time and time again, the elephants avoided the side where the artificial odour was present.
An elephant stands at the top of the Y maze, scents the unpleasant plant on the right arm, and chooses to walk down the left arm.
Scaling up
Our results suggest using scent could provide a practical way we could avoid human-elephant conflicts and help people protect crops and national parks at a larger scale.
Combining artificial odours with existing control measures such as fencing or beehives could offer more accessible and cost-effective methods to live alongside elephants.
What’s next? We aim to scale up this research in the hope of creating a practical, versatile and cheap tool which people in elephant territory can use to protect crops, trees, and houses from these giant herbivores.
We acknowledge our research co-authors, Clare McArthur and Peter Banks (University of Sydney) Adrian Shrader (University of Pretoria) and Melissa Schmitt (University of North Dakota), and Paul Finnerty for help designing and constructing the maze. We also thank Sean Hensman and the staff at Adventures With Elephants, South Africa, for allowing us to conduct our study on their premises.
Patrick Finnerty does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Kambiz Eghbali, also known as Cameron Eghbali, 50, of Los Angeles, was arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging him, along with Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad, both Iranian nationals, with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Bahizad and Hajipour remain at large.
According to the indictment, from March 2014 through September 2019, Eghbali and others conspired to unlawfully send digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran. Eghbali would list his company, a U.S.-based purported videogame wholesaler and distributor located in the Central District of California, as the seller of the gift cards, and would provide cards to Bahizad for the benefit of his Iran-based gaming company, and to Hajipour for the benefit of his mobile software application service company. Bahizad and Hajipour would then pay Eghbali for the cards by transferring money from Iran to Eghabli’s U.S.-based bank accounts using third parties in other countries to conceal the transfer from U.S. regulators.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, reexport, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services, including financial services, to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties: 20 years in prison for violations of IEEPA, 30 years in prison for bank fraud violations, and 20 years in prison for money laundering violations. The indictment also notifies defendants that the United States intends to forfeit all property alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Martin E. Estrada for the Central District of California, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case, with support from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Boylan and Mark Takla for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys David J. Ryan and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
In the first three quarters of this year, 191.2 thousand city real estate properties have received addresses. A third of them are located in the Troitsky and Novomoskovsky administrative districts (TiNAO). This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property Maxim Gaman.
“Over nine months, 12 thousand capital construction projects in Moscow — buildings and structures, as well as 78.5 thousand apartments, almost 50 thousand non-residential premises, 27 thousand parking spaces and 23.5 thousand land plots — received addresses. The largest number of addresses — almost 70 thousand — appeared in TiNAO. Also, among the districts, the northeast of the capital is in the lead, where 17 thousand addresses were assigned in three quarters,” said Maxim Gaman.
The Department of City Property provides services for assigning, changing and canceling addresses for all objects, except for the Skolkovo Innovation Center, on the territory of Moscow free of charge. The technical part of the work is performed by specialists of the Moscow City Bureau of Technical Inventory (MosgorBTI).
Addressing is carried out both at the initiative of the city and at the request of the owner – an individual or legal entity, an individual entrepreneur. To do this, you must submit an application on the mos.ru portal.
“In addition to maintaining the capital’s address register, MosgorBTI specialists also ensure the transfer of address data to the Federal Information Address System (FIAS). This is a resource that collects information about the addresses of real estate objects throughout the country. Despite the largest number of records, Moscow ranks first in terms of filling and updating FIAS information. For more than 97 percent of the capital’s real estate, up-to-date data from the Unified State Register of Real Estate – cadastral numbers – have been added to the database,” said Dmitry Tetushkin, General Director of MosgorBTI.
In addition to addressing real estate, MosgorBTI offers Moscow residents a wide range of services, including cadastral and geodetic work, technical inventory, preparation of design documentation and approval of apartment redevelopment.
You can see the full list of services and documents on the official website and in the MosgorBTI client centers.
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.
The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will auction stalls at next year’s Lunar New Year fairs from October 22.
The fairs will be held at 15 locations from January 23 to 29.
A total of 910 wet goods stalls, 633 dry goods stalls and 27 fast food stalls will be hosted at the venues.
Opening prices range from $380 to $6,530 for wet goods stalls, $450 to $8,540 for dry goods stalls of regular size, $680 to $12,810 for large-size dry goods stalls, and $2,290 to $120,470 for fast food stalls.
Of the 15 fairs, six, hosting a total of 812 stalls, will be on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, or Islands District. The remaining nine fairs will be held in the New Territories and will provide 521 wet goods stalls, 230 dry goods stalls and seven fast food stalls.
The fair in Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island will house 395 stalls.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
VDNKh invites Muscovites to thematic events dedicated to World Mental Health Day. It is celebrated on October 10. Guests will be told how to raise a self-confident child, minimize involvement in gadgets, and solve behavioral problems with the help of fairy tales.
Lectures for parents
On October 13 at 15:00 in building 74 there will be a lecture entitled “Parental Attitudes: How They Prevent Children from Being Successful.” It will be read by child psychologist, art therapist Irina Aksenova and child psychologist, author of fairy tales for children and adults, emotional and imaginative therapist Nadezhda Lokteva. Guests will learn how children receive attitudes with the help of words, gestures and actions and how to replace already formed negative beliefs with useful and supportive ones. The meeting will be of interest to parents with children under 10 years old, as well as future fathers and mothers. You can come to the lecture with children aged five to 10 years. For young guests, diagnostics will be conducted using drawing tests and a conversation. Parents will receive recommendations from psychologists on issues of upbringing and childhood crises.
The lecture “Children plus gadgets. What to do if the child does not want anything and sits on the phone” can be listened to on October 22 at 11:00. It will be interesting for parents who have children aged two to 16. Irina Aksenova and Nadezhda Lokteva will tell how gadgets affect the development of a child, how to set reasonable boundaries for their use, which will help distract children from the screen and captivate them with the real world. You can come to the meeting with children aged five to 10. They will undergo diagnostics using drawing tests and interactive exercises, and parents will be given recommendations.
On November 10 at 15:00, parents with children aged three to 15 are invited to the lecture “Sex education. How and when to talk to children about important things.” Child psychologists Irina Aksenova and Natalia Pilnikova will talk about age-related features of sex education, which are important to consider from an early age, as well as how to teach a child a healthy perception of themselves and others. You can come to the event with children aged five to 10. They will undergo diagnostics using drawing tests and interactive exercises.
On November 24 at 15:00 there will be a lecture on “How to Raise a Confident Child. Secrets of Successful Parenting.” It will be given by Natalia Pilnikova and Elena Kuznetsova, family psychologist, director of the Sargi Psychology Institute, member of the Moscow branch of the Federation of Educational Psychologists. They will talk about what confidence is based on, how it is formed, how to strengthen a child’s self-esteem and not overpraise him. In addition, psychologists will conduct a lesson on sand therapy for children aged five to 10 years.
Parents with children aged two to 12 are invited to the lecture “How fairy tales are useful for parents. How to correct behavioral problems through a fairy tale. How to create a personal therapeutic fairy tale for your child.” It will be held on December 10 at 11:00. Guests will learn how fairy tales help in raising children, including saving them from whims, anxiety, and disobedience. In addition, they will be told which works are not recommended to read. Children aged five to 10 will have an art therapy session, which will be conducted by psychologists Nadezhda Lokteva and Irina Aksenova.
Admission to all events is free, but space is limited. Advance booking is required. register.
Events of VDNKh lecture hall
On November 24 at 2:00 p.m. in the Worker and Kolkhoz Woman pavilion you can listen to a lecture called “The Brain and the Perception of Beauty.” Guests will learn how the brain reacts to beauty and whether it can be objective. Olga Svarnik, PhD in Psychology, leading researcher at the V.B. Shvyrkov Laboratory of Psychophysiology at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, will talk about this and much more.
On December 7 at 2:00 pm, the same venue will host a discussion entitled “Psychology of Color and Other Aspects of Art Therapy: Does It Work?” Olga Svarnik and Associate Professor of the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychological Counseling at the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis Tatyana Popova will discuss how different types of psychotherapy and art therapy work, and whether colors can really influence a person.
Registration for all events, the VDNKh lecture hall will open a week before each of them. They are held in support of the national project “Education”. More information about the national projects implemented in Moscow can be found on this page.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Special gastronomic chalets have been organized at the venues of the Golden Autumn festival, which is taking place in Moscow from October 4 to 13. In the center of the capital and in the districts, you can try both traditional seasonal dishes and new items from unique set menus.
In the center of gastronomic pleasure
Several such venues are located in the center of the capital. For example, on Tverskaya Square they grill juicy trout steaks in a citrus marinade, as well as crispy eggplants with tomatoes, cauliflower in batter with nut sauce, pumpkin bowl with chicken and feta cheese, and spicy pumpkin soup that warms you up on cold days.
Those with a sweet tooth can try buckwheat wafers with various variations of chocolate, juicy apple pie and cheesecake with figs. The menu of drinks includes traditional autumn currant punch, caramel apple latte and Rafaello raf.
At Revolution Square, guests can try pancakes with honey, baked apples, pine nuts and whipped cream. In addition, there are fillings of fried chanterelles, pine cone jam. And here they offer pumpkin pancakes with cottage cheese.
In addition to flour and sweet dishes, the menu includes grilled veal with new potatoes and vegetables, as well as a juicy burger with Murmansk cod.
The range of drinks is also varied: the chalet offers dried fruit infusion, autumn pumpkin latte with cinnamon and ginger, and honey sbiten with cranberries brewed according to an old Russian recipe.
At the Golden Autumn festival, seasonal set menus from various restaurants are also presented in the capital’s districts.
In the Brigantina Park on Koptevsky Boulevard, festival visitors are offered smoker dishes: delicious pork ribs with baby potatoes and brisket. In addition, the menu includes a fresh bun with pulled pork.
On Teply Stan Street (building 1b) they make several types of tortillas – with zucchini and grilled peppers or with pumpkin and pine nuts. Here you can also try the unusual-tasting lavender cocoa.
On Svyatoozerskaya Street (building 1) guests will also find a varied menu. Here you can try pumpkin and pine nut pie, pumpkin and orange raf, and hot ice cream.
In the park near Golyanovsky Pond, guests are offered rich meat solyanka and skoblyanka with mushrooms. In addition, you can buy aromatic tea with sea buckthorn or lingonberry, as well as a traditional autumn drink with spices.
And on Matveyevskaya Street (building 2), festival visitors will be treated to traditional meat dishes: potatoes with cracklings and Gorinsky lard, shashlik from Belgorod pork with Surkov garlic, and Slavic-style shashlik with Strigunovsky onions.
The Golden Autumn Festival is part of a cycle of major city events “Moscow Seasons”. Residents and guests of the capital can visit fairs, exhibitions, festivals and concerts that take place throughout the year. Along with the Golden Autumn, the Moscow Seasons also include the festivals Journey to Christmas, Moscow Spring, Moscow on the Wave. Fish Week and Times and Epochs. They are based on fair trade, a cultural program and decorative design of the city. Particular emphasis is placed on seasonal products and handicrafts.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The Moscow Chamber Orchestra Musica Viva, subordinate to the capital’s Department of Culture, regularly organizes concerts and performances for wounded soldiers of the special military operation (SVO) at concert venues and in hospitals together with the charitable foundation “Our Power of Good”.
The charitable foundation “Our Power of Good” was created in March 2023. Its task is to socialize disabled participants of the SVO, promote their involvement in the full life of society, and also help in acquiring the necessary skills taking into account the injuries received.
The collaboration between the foundation and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra Musica Viva began on January 23, when 10 members of the SVO, including wheelchair users undergoing rehabilitation in the capital’s hospitals, attended a concert in the large hall of the Moscow Concert Hall “Zaryadye”. Then the wounded soldiers attended the orchestra’s performances in the Great Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky and the Concert Hall named after P.I. Tchaikovsky.
The foundation’s wards heard such immortal masterpieces as the Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, works by Astor Piazzolla, and symphonies by Robert Schumann. In addition, outstanding Russian soloists performed for them: opera diva Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, laureates of international violin competitions Daniil Kogan, Ravilya Islyamova, and Elena Korzhenevich. The SVO participants became acquainted with the art of the Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir “Minin Choir”. Many of them were introduced to classical music for the first time.
When wounded soldiers attend concerts of the Musica Viva orchestra, they meet the artists backstage and communicate in an informal setting. Music inspires soldiers, gives strength, heals not only physical wounds, but also the soul. At the meetings, words of gratitude are heard to the SVO participants for their bravery, fortitude and endurance. The musicians note that it is important for them to help people who risked their lives to defend the Motherland. The total number of SVO participants who attended the performances exceeded 300 people.
In addition, since November 2023, the Musica Viva orchestra has been collaborating with the Central Clinical Military Sanatorium in Arkhangelskoye, performing for the SVO soldiers undergoing rehabilitation there. The first concert was held in the medical building, the second – in the institution’s club. According to military tradition, the soldiers greeted the orchestra with three cheers. The hospital management awarded the performances with certificates of gratitude and asked to prepare a special musical gift for the audience next time – the march “Farewell of Slavyanka”.
For each member of the orchestra, performing for the defenders of the Motherland is a special honor. In this way, the artists contribute to the overall victory.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
An engineering building with physical education and health facilities with a total area of over 16,000 square meters was built on the territory of the Newton Plaza technology park, a multifunctional complex that includes high-tech enterprises. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Moscow Department of Urban Development Policy Vladislav Ovchinsky.
The building is located at the address: 1st Nagatinsky proezd, building 10. It was built in the style of modern minimalism, so it blends in organically with the adjacent buildings of the technology park thanks to the use of similar facade materials.
“The multifunctional complex consists of seven above-ground, two underground and one basement floors. It includes laboratories, sports and fitness and administrative premises. The complex building is connected to the existing building of the innovation and industrial complex by an above-ground passage at the level of the first floor and an underground passage at the level of the minus second floor. In addition, an underground passage to the prospective development near the northern border of the site is provided,” said Vladislav Ovchinsky.
The engineering block contains laboratory and administrative premises, a control room, laboratories, laboratory utility rooms, technical rooms, a shared use center (coworking area), acoustic office cabins, auxiliary and technical rooms, and a balcony with a usable terrace.
The laboratories will conduct tests of electronic systems of cars and issue conclusions based on their results. They also plan to check the acoustic systems of cars and motorcycles for compliance with sound quality and noise level certificates.
The physical education and health block houses martial arts halls, functional training, group classes, fitness, a massage room and a hammam, as well as various service and administrative departments, tennis courts and a gym.
Based on the results of the comprehensive final inspection, the Committee for State Construction Supervision of the City of Moscow (Mosgosstroynadzor) issued a conclusion on the compliance of the facility with the design documentation.
“The engineering building was erected in five years, and throughout all stages of construction the committee monitored the progress of the work – a total of 29 on-site inspections were conducted at the site. Now the developer can prepare documentation to obtain permission to put the building into operation,” added the chairman of Mosgosstroynadzor
Earlier Sergei Sobyanin reportedon the completion of the construction of the first stage of the ZIL technology park, an investment priority project for the capital.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
In connection with the 10-kilometer Moscow Marathon, traffic will be temporarily closed on several embankments and streets in the Khamovniki district on October 12.
Thus, from 08:00 to 12:00 it will be impossible to drive on the section of Luzhniki Street – from house 24, building 9 to Luzhnetskaya Embankment. And from 08:00 to 13:30 traffic will be closed on Luzhnetskaya, Novodevichy, Savvinskaya, Rostovskaya and Frunzenskaya Embankments.
In addition, from 09:00 to 12:15, the outer side of Smolensky Boulevard will be closed to traffic, and from 09:00 to 12:30, the outer side of Zubovsky Boulevard will be closed to traffic.
In areas where traffic will be restricted, parking will also be prohibited from 00:01 on October 12 until the end of the marathon.
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.
Despite the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence, investors prefer human expertise when it comes to stock market predictions, according to a new study.
The study, which involved 3,600 US participants, examined responses to S&P 500 stock predictions made by human analysts, AI systems and a combination of both.
Researchers Dr Gertjan Verdickt (University of Auckland) and Francesco Stradi (KU Leuven), say the findings challenge the assumption that AI’s data-crunching prowess might automatically earn investor trust.
“We found that investors are more likely to believe human analysts first, followed by a combination of both human and AI,” says Verdickt, a finance lecturer at the University of Auckland Business School.
“AI-generated predictions are viewed with the most scepticism.”
He says this result was somewhat surprising in light of recent developments in AI technology.
“Previous studies have shown that AI can outperform human analysts, but it’s apparent that trust is a major issue.”
The results also showed notable differences between genders, with women showing more openness to AI-driven advice than men.
“Men tend to be overconfident in their financial abilities, which may explain why they are more sceptical of AI,” says Verdickt.
“Also, we have seen in other studies that women, on average, get different and often worse advice from financial advisers, such as recommendations for products with higher fees and less risk.”
The findings also show that investors with a deeper understanding of AI are more likely to trust its predictions.
Meanwhile, people who gave their political affiliation as Democrat, were more likely to trust AI-generated forecasts than Republicans.
To explore whether using more familiar AI tools could boost trust, the researchers also tested whether investors would view the well-known large language model ChatGPT more favourably.
“Contrary to recent research suggesting familiarity enhances trust in technology, our results indicate that replacing ‘AI’ with ‘ChatGPT’ does not improve investor trust. In fact, we find that investors distrust ChatGPT-generated advice, perhaps even more than the generic ‘AI model’ we reference in our study.”
Verdickt says the findings show that technical effectiveness alone can’t gain investor trust.
“We are the first to study investors’ reactions to AI forecasts from a perspective of credibility and beliefs. Our findings show that financial institutions should approach AI integration cautiously and consider tailored communication strategies for different demographics.”
This morning the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, participated in the Opening Ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Viientiane, Lao PDR. The Opening Ceremony was officially opened by H.E. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Lao PDR and ASEAN Chair for 2024, and attended by ASEAN Leaders, Leaders of Dialogue Partners of ASEAN, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and other Invited Guests.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN joins the Opening Ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
The Green Party has welcomed news that MP Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill has moved forward with unanimous support from the select committee.
“This is a significant step forward and a monumental milestone for Pasifika justice in Aotearoa,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Pacific Peoples, Teanau Tuiono.
“Today, Parliament’s Governance and Administration Select Committee reported my Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill to the House for its second reading.
“Committee members were unanimous in supporting the primary intent of my Bill to restore citizenship to Samoans who had it taken from them by the New Zealand Government in 1982.
“This endorsement from the select committee is an encouraging sign for the journey that lies ahead in securing justice for our aiga Samoa. I want to acknowledge the community who came to the select committee to share their stories in both powerful and compelling ways.
“My Member’s Bill will restore the right to citizenship for people from Western Samoa who were born between 1924 and 1949, fixing a cruel and targeted law rushed through by the Government in 1982 to deny New Zealand citizenship to Samoans.
“Earlier that year, the Privy Council found that because those born in Western Samoa were treated by New Zealand law as ‘natural-born British subjects’, they were entitled to New Zealand citizenship when it was first created in 1948. But that right was then taken away from them.
“For those people still alive today who were New Zealand citizens and had this right shamefully removed at the whim of a Government forty-two years ago, this is another big step towards justice.
“I’d like to thank members of the select committee for their consideration of my Bill and submitters for their contributions to this important discussion. We can make history by ushering this Bill into law,” says Teanau Tuiono.
The Albanese government today introduced long-awaited legislation to parliament which is set to revolutionise Australia’s cyber security preparedness.
The legislation, if passed, will be Australia’s first standalone cyber security act. It’s aimed at protecting businesses and consumers from the rising tide of cyber crime.
So what are the key provisions, and will it be enough?
What’s in the new laws?
The new laws have a strong focus on victims of “ransomware” – malicious software cyber criminals use to block access to crucial files or data until a ransom has been paid.
Under the new law, victims of ransomware attacks who make payments must report the payment to authorities. This will help the government track cyber criminal activities and understand how much money is being lost to ransomware.
The laws also involve new obligations for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and Australian Signals Directorate. These obligations restrict how these two bodies can use information provided to them by businesses and industry about cyber security incidents. The government hopes this will encourage organisations to more openly share information knowing it will be safeguarded.
Separately, organisations in critical infrastructure – such as energy, transport, communications, health and finance – will be required to strengthen programs used to secure individuals’ private data.
The new legislation will also upgrade the investigative powers of the Cyber Incident Review Board. The board will conduct “no-fault” investigations after significant cyber attacks. The board will then share insights to promote improvements in cyber security practices more generally. These insights will be anonymised to ensure the identities of victims of cyber attacks aren’t publicly revealed.
The legislation will also introduce new minimum cyber security standards for all smart devices, such as watches, televisions, speakers and doorbells.
These standards will establish a baseline level of security for consumers. They will include secure default settings, unique device passwords, regular security updates and encryption of sensitive data.
This is a welcome step that will ensure everyday devices meet minimum security criteria before they can be sold in Australia.
A long-overdue step
Cyber security incidents have surged by 23% in the past financial year, to more than 94,000 reported cases. This is equivalent to one attack every six minutes.
This dramatic increase underscores the growing sophistication and frequency of cyber attacks targeting Australian businesses and individuals. It also highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive national response.
High-profile cyber attacks have further emphasised the need to strengthen Australia’s cyber security framework. The 2022 Optus data breach is perhaps the most prominent example. The breach compromised the personal information of more than 11 million Australians, alarming both the government and the public, not to mention Optus.
Cyber Security Minister Tony Burke says the Cyber Security Act is a “long-overdue step” that reflects the government’s concern about these threats.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also acknowledged recent high-profile attacks as a “wake-up call” for businesses, emphasising the need for a unified approach to cyber security.
The Australian government wants to establish Australia as a world leader in cyber security by 2030. This goal reflects the government’s acknowledgement that cyber security is fundamental to national security, economic prosperity and social well being.
Broader implications
The proposed laws will enhance national security. But they could also present challenges.
For example, even though the laws place limitations on how the National Cyber Security Coordinator and Australian Signals Directorate can use information, some businesses might still be unwilling to share confidential data because they are worried about damage to their reputation.
Businesses, especially smaller ones, will also face a substantial compliance burden as they adapt to new reporting requirements. They will also potentially need to invest more heavily in cyber security measures. This could lead to increased costs, which might ultimately be passed on to consumers.
The proposed legislation will require careful implementation to balance the needs of national security, business operations and individual privacy rights.
David Tuffley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Press Release Service – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Blackhawk Deal with Far North District Council
Blackhawk, a leader in IoT and real-time digital transformation for remote and mobile assets, has signed a contract with Far North District Council (FNDC) to supply vehicle telematics systems, as well as a pool booking software solution, aiming to streamline FNDC’s fleet management across its range of vehicles.
On this World Post Day, we mark a historic milestone – the 150th anniversary of the Universal Postal Union.
In times of war and peace, crises and upheaval, the international postal network has delivered — connecting communities and upholding the fundamental right to communicate.
The UPU is also one of the earliest examples of multilateralism in action.
Global cooperation helped guarantee a single postal territory worldwide – one that leaves no one behind by delivering messages, goods, and financial services to some of the most remote places on earth.
Looking ahead, the UPU continues to leverage new technologies to provide essential services to humanity.
On this important day, let’s honour and celebrate the work of the Universal Postal Union to bridge distances and unite the world.
***** En cette Journée mondiale de la poste, nous célébrons une date historique : le 150e anniversaire de l’Union postale universelle (UPU).
En temps de paix comme en temps de guerre, de crises et de troubles, le réseau postal international remplit invariablement sa mission : il rapproche les gens à travers le monde et défend le droit fondamental de communiquer.
L’UPU est l’une des premières illustrations du multilatéralisme en action.
En travaillant main dans la main, les pays sont parvenus à faire du monde un territoire postal unique, concrétisant ainsi la promesse de ne laisser personne de côté en rendant possible la livraison de courriers et de colis, de même que la prestation de services financiers, jusque dans les lieux les plus reculés de la planète.
Organisation tournée vers l’avenir, l’UPU continue de tirer parti des nouvelles technologies pour fournir des services essentiels à l’humanité.
En ce jour important, rendons hommage au travail mené par l’UPU pour réduire les distances et unir les personnes à travers le monde.
Swinburne University of Technology Chancellor Professor John Pollaers OAM will use an address tonight to urge Australia’s business, government and academic sectors to step up and lead the charge in addressing the global climate emergency.
Speaking at the 2024 Swinburne Chancellor’s Oration, Professor Pollaers will underscore that the time for incremental adjustments has passed and that Australia needs transformative leadership that prioritises long-term, strategic alignment of economic, societal and environmental goals.
“This moment demands more than just managing the status quo. Leaders must rise to the challenge, setting aside short-term gains for a vision that secures not only Australia’s future but also our planet’s,” Professor Pollaers said.
“Our research and education sector is a national asset, a strategic lever that, when fully harnessed, can propel Australia into a leadership position on the global stage. Becoming a renewable energy superpower is important, but our true potential lies in becoming a brainpower superpower.”
“The opportunity for clean economic growth is within our reach, but only if we are bold enough to seize it.”
“It will take every home, every business and every industry working together towards a more sustainable future. The scale of the response required is unprecedented.”
The Chancellor will use his address at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus to call on leaders across a range of sectors to act.
“There’s a false narrative out there that somehow Australia is a powerless victim of this transformation, or too minor a player to make a difference, and there are even some who still question whether we need to act at all. We have to reject this. We have to make the choice to lead.”
Moderated by esteemed journalist Beverley O’Connor, the Oration will feature a panel of international experts:
Nicky Sparshott: Global Chief of Transformation, Unilever
Julian Critchlow: Advisory Partner, Bain and Company and former UK Government Director General, Energy Transformation and Clean Growth
Dan Cass: Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rewiring Australia
Paul Gliding: Sustainability advocate and former Greenpeace International Executive Director.
Petty Officer Santiago Ponce, a Machinery Technician 3rd class at Coast Guard Station Yankeetown, FL, describes the clean-up effort after Hurricane Helene. Coast Guard crews along the Gulf Coast are working hard to stay ready to help those in need.
Child rights organisation ChildFund have joined forces with The Girls and Boys Brigade to launch ChildFund’s global online safety app – Swipe Safe. ChildFund acknowledge the rapidly changing digital landscape and build an app that puts the power back in the hands of children and their parents.
(Sydney, Australia). In the countries in which ChildFund Australia works, the digital transformation of children’s lives has presented acute risks such as scams, cyberbullying, online grooming, and sexual, sexist, racist, or violent content. ChildFund has responded with the creation of the Swipe Safe program and app. The app serves to immediately strengthen children’s knowledge, skills and behaviours keeping them safe online.
Swipe Safe has been beta tested in five separate phases, directly involving face-to-face training and app testing with tens of thousands of children in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. The organisation has now teamed up with the Boys and Girls Brigade to launch the app in Australia.
They have also been testing the app with families at the Girls and Boys Brigade who have provided local insights into the app. Stephanie Fett the Family Support Coordinator at the Boys and Girls Brigade spoke about how technology is transforming the lives of families the centre supports.
“We’re seeing young people using phones from about eight years on and they haven’t developed that rational thinking until they reach 24 or even 25 [years of age]. So they are really unaware of the risks online, the natural reaction of parents is to take the phone away. This however struggles to build trust and openness with the parent making it exceedingly more difficult for them to protect their children online.”
Stephanie elaborated that the app helped build greater trust between parents, carers and children, which is key to helping keep children safer online.
“Parents need to work to build an open online relationship with children so they are comfortable with talking about their experiences online. The Swipe Safe app is a great tool to help facilitate this communication” [Click here for more on Swipe Safe].”
ChildFund Chief Development Officer Corinne Habel was thrilled to launch the app in Australia and bring the insights that they have learned in overseas to home soil.
“The Swipe Safe app is a unique online safety app that has been developed by global child protection specialists. Reports indicate that the volume of child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% in the last 5 years.
SwipeSafe helps parents, caregivers, children and young people navigate an increasingly risky online space. The online world is an exciting place for children to learn, play and connect, and we need to give them the tools to stay safe and understand and feel comfortable reporting harmful situations.
ChildFund Australia
ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in many of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.
We partner to create community and systems change which enables vulnerable children and young people, in all their diversity, to assert and realise their rights.
ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agencies. With a global network of 11 organisations, the ChildFund Alliance assists nearly 32million children and families in 70 countries.
As a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and the ACFID Fundraising Charter, ChildFund Australia must meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management.
In addition, ChildFund Australia is fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program. Accreditation is a stringent process in which all operational activities – financial, managerial, fundraising and program – are analysed. This not only requires that ChildFund demonstrate that funds are distributed to community projects, but that they are spent effectively in those communities for the benefit of children.
About Corinne Habel
Corinne is a highly experienced director and executive with diverse expertise across a variety of not-for-profit sectors including humanitarian, hospitals, education, environmental, the arts and faith-based. Originally from the US, Corinne brings over 20 years’ experience in implementing effective global strategies. Her diplomatic approach is key in her ability to negotiate and influence effectively at all levels of corporate, foundation, government and the community.
The Girls and Boys Brigade
Since 1882, The Girls and Boys Brigade have provided a welcoming, safe place for children and youth, aged 5-18, who need a helping hand. Based in Surry Hills, our programs are open to children, youth and their families living within the City of Sydney local government area. The families who access our services experience a wide range of financial, social, educational and housing challenges.
About Stephanie Fett
Stephanie has 38 years of frontline experience in the community sector as well as a Masters in International Social Work and Community Development.
Stephanie’s experience has taken her to NSW regional areas, remote Aboriginal communities, Victoria Queensland, as well as urban Sydney – city and west. She has worked in disability, addiction, mental health homelessness, youth, children and family, Out of Home Care, Juvenile Justice, unemployment, assessment and projects to increase access to services and decolonise systems.
She believes the key to her work is relationship building which builds trust, working alongside people in a trauma informed way.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The unique Moscow service “Social Service in Hospitals” has turned three years old. During this time, social coordinators have provided patients and their relatives with more than 250 thousand services. About this in his blog Sergei Sobyanin said.
“When we launched this project, we had no doubt that it would definitely be in demand. There is little pleasant about going to the hospital: hospitalization, even planned, disrupts the usual way of life. Worrying about one’s own health is often mixed with other worries. When it comes to emergency cases, it is very easy to get confused,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.
Hospitalized Muscovites face many questions. For example, how to tell relatives what happened if you don’t have your phone with you or it’s dead? Who will look after a small child? How to cope with household chores after discharge if you live alone? Hundreds of other questions arise.
Previously, nurses and doctors had to deal with their solution. This took a lot of time, distracting them from their direct responsibilities. Now, in every Moscow adult and children’s hospital, specialized specialists – social coordinators – have taken on the solution of non-medical problems. They come to the aid of elderly or lonely people, patients with disabilities and low-mobility Muscovites, as well as everyone who, due to various circumstances, finds themselves in a difficult life situation.
To contact social coordinators, you do not need to write an application. The specialists themselves meet new patients every morning, delve into their problems and begin to help. If necessary, they involve other departments and organizations of the city.
“If necessary, social coordinators will help with home care services or round-the-clock care in the city’s social inpatient institutions. In children’s hospitals, they primarily provide consultations on various social protection services. For example, they advise how to contact the early assistance service if developmental peculiarities are detected,” Sergei Sobyanin noted.
Despite typical situations, each case of helping patients is unique. Over the years of work, social coordinators have accumulated many successful stories.
Stories of Help
Thus, an elderly patient Antonina Ivanovna was admitted to the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care. Due to poor health, she did not have time to inform her relatives that she was hospitalized, and she did not have a mobile phone. And the woman did not take the necessary things with her. Social coordinators immediately came to the rescue: they connected her with her beloved grandson. The news that his grandmother was in the hospital took him by surprise, but the young man immediately said that he would bring everything necessary and would definitely visit Antonina Ivanovna. Now she is at home, and her relatives regularly come to visit.
A patient named Valeria was admitted to the shock resuscitation department unconscious. She had been in a coma for a long time. When Valeria came to, the doctors asked social coordinators for help: they needed to establish her identity and find her relatives. At that time, the girl could not speak. The coordinators selected simple words and short questions, used letters of the alphabet, city maps, and caught her every move. In this way, they managed to find out the patient’s name and date of birth. After that, the coordinators began studying social networks, involved the police and the LizaAlert squad in the search. A week later, they found Valeria’s father, who had already lost hope of finding out where his daughter was.
Tatyana Viktorovna came to the emergency room on her own. Doctors examined the elderly woman and, finding no reason for hospitalization, asked social coordinators to talk to her. During the conversation, it turned out that Tatyana Viktorovna had a passport, money, keys to the apartment and a train ticket from St. Petersburg. She assured that she had come to Moscow to see her children, but could not give either their address or phone numbers, and confused events and dates. Specialists came to the conclusion that the woman suffered from dementia. People with cognitive impairments often get lost. Social coordinators contacted the LizaAlert search service and with their help found Tatyana Viktorovna’s son, who, like her, lives in St. Petersburg. The man immediately went to Moscow to pick up his mother.
Young mother Olga was walking with her two-year-old son on the playground when she suddenly began to lose consciousness. The woman was taken to the hospital with her child, but she did not have time to tell anyone about it. While doctors were providing Olga with the necessary medical care, social coordinators looked after the baby and contacted the woman’s husband. He came to the hospital and took his son.
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.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today witnessed the official presentation of the ASEAN Prize 2024 to the ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO), a regional youth organisation based in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the Opening of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of Lao PDR officially conferred the ASEAN Prize trophy to Senjaya Mulia, Founder of AYO, in the presence of the ASEAN Leaders, members of the diplomatic corps and distinguished guests. The ASEAN Prize is bestowed upon AYO in recognition of its steadfast contributions to fostering cross-cultural collaboration among ASEAN youths and furthering regional community engagement towards the advancement of an inclusive and energetic ASEAN Community.
The ASEAN Prize is an annual regional premier award established to honour outstanding efforts and impactful contributions rendered by ASEAN’s individuals and organisations in advancing regional integration and in fostering ASEAN identity.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN witnesses the ASEAN Prize awarding ceremony at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Canterbury businesses will welcome today’s further drop in the OCR following the Reserve Bank’s announcement to cut the OCR by 50 basis points to 4.75%.
Business Canterbury Chief Executive Leeann Watson says, “today’s further drop will provide a further boost to business confidence at a time when businesses continue to face increased financial pressure. We hope today’s announcement will continue to increase consumer confidence and demand, which have been at an all-time low.”
“Since February 2023, when inflation and interest rates outpaced labour market constraints, cost pressures have consistently taken the number one spot in business concerns, according to Business Canterbury’s quarterly survey of over 450 businesses in Canterbury.”
“Following the previous OCR announcement in August, we saw quite a significant improvement in expectations for both the Canterbury economy and individual business performance, a big turnaround from what we saw in the results from May.”
“This optimism indicates that recent drops in inflation and interest rates are positively influencing the business operating environment, even as many companies continue to navigate the challenges of what has felt like an elastic band economy over the past few years.”
“We hope to see further improvement in consumer confidence which saw a lift in September, although still net pessimistic, with spending remaining subdued in many areas. Over the three months to August, retail spending in Canterbury declined by just over 1% from the same time last year, a reduction of about $26 million, which businesses continue to be concerned about. We hope today’s further reduction will see further improvements in consumer confidence to help boost sales for businesses, off the back of an extremely challenging period.”
“Today’s announcement is another positive step in encouraging an environment that supports economic activity, enabling businesses to concentrate on productivity, innovation, and growth.”
“Canterbury businesses have shown incredible resilience over the past four to five years, and I’m confident that they will continue to thrive as we move toward a more optimistic economic future.”
About Business Canterbury
Business Canterbury, formerly Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, is the largest business support agency in the South Island and advocates on behalf of its members for an environment more favourable to innovation, productivity and sustainable growth.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Chinese government is working to ensure a steady supply of electricity, gas and heating for winter. As of the end of August, the national installed power generating capacity totaled 3,130 gigawatts. Renewable sources, such as hydropower, wind and solar, make up over half of this capacity.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Auction of personalised vehicle registration marks to be held on October 27 Auction of personalised vehicle registration marks to be held on October 27 ***************************************************************************
The Transport Department (TD) today (October 9) announced that an auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on October 27 (Sunday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. “A total of 240 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction. A list of the marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said. The reserve price of each of these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price. People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following points: (1) Bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after successful bidding: (i) the identity document of the successful bidder;(ii) the identity document of the purchaser (if the purchaser and the successful bidder are different persons);(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (if the purchaser is a body corporate); and(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed. Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted. (2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the Memorandum will not be permitted. (3) A PVRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate. (4) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations. (5) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed. (6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser. “Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing,” the spokesman added. For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department’s licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/pvrm_auction/index.html.
Ends/Wednesday, October 9, 2024Issued at HKT 14:30
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Three integrated territorial development projects (ITD) are being implemented in the east, northeast and south of the capital. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.
“In September, the implementation of three projects for the integrated development of territories on sites with a total area of over nine hectares was approved. They plan to build 229 thousand square meters of various real estate. Investments in the projects are estimated at 51.9 billion rubles, and the annual budget effect is 1.1 billion rubles. As a result, over 2.6 thousand jobs will be created,” said Vladimir Efimov.
The site in the Ivanovskoye district will be put up for auction. The owner of the rights will be engaged in the reorganization of the site in Nagatino-Sadovniki, and the operator KRT has been appointed for the redevelopment of the territory in the Sviblovo and Rostokino districts. The project implementation periods vary from four to five years.
“According to the projects for the integrated development of territories approved in September, residential and business quarters will be built on inefficiently used sites. In total, 122.8 thousand square meters of modern housing will appear there, including for participants in the renovation program, as well as 106 thousand square meters of public and business real estate, including an ambulance substation, a sports and fitness center and hotels,” noted the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property
According to the program of integrated development of territories, multifunctional city quarters are created, where roads, comfortable housing and all necessary infrastructure are designed on the site of former industrial zones and inefficiently used areas. Currently, 236 KRT projects with a total area of more than 3.1 thousand hectares are at various stages of implementation in Moscow. Their development is being carried out on the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The Moscow Committee for Architecture has issued an urban development plan for a land plot for the construction of a residential building under the renovation program near the Botanichesky Sad metro station. The project will be implemented as part of a block development at the address: 1st Botanichesky Proezd, land plot No. 1. This was reported by the Chairperson of the Moscow Committee for Architecture and Urban Development (Moskomarkhitektura) Juliana Knyazhevskaya.
“A new building with a maximum area of 15 thousand square meters will appear on a land plot of 0.36 hectares. Within walking distance from the future building there is a park complex, where participants in the renovation program will be able to take walks with children, jog and have a quiet rest surrounded by green areas of the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin of the Russian Academy of Sciences,” Yuliana Knyazhevskaya specified.
The Botanichesky Sad metro station and the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) platform of the same name are located 700 meters from the planned new building.
Previously The Mayor of Moscow told, that since the beginning of the year, 23 buildings have been put into operation under the renovation program and 44 residential complexes have been handed over for occupancy.
All information about the renovation program is presented on the mos.ru portal. You can find out more about apartments and houses under the program by link.
The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Last year alone, 59 new buildings were handed over for settlement in the capital and the resettlement of over 47 thousand people was ensured.
Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction rates and volumes. In recent years, within the framework of the federal project “Housing” of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment” the volume of construction and commissioning of residential properties in the capital has doubled – from three to five to seven million square meters per year. More information about this and other national projects being implemented in Moscow can be found on this page.
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.
