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  • MIL-OSI: IntelliTrans Appoints Mayank Sharma as Chief Product Officer to Drive Product Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IntelliTrans, a global leader in multimodal transportation management solutions, has named Mayank Sharma as its new Chief Product Officer. In this role, Sharma will drive product strategy and direction, guiding the development and improvement of IntelliTrans’ product lineup to deliver smarter, simpler solutions for customers. With over 20 years of experience in product innovation and leading global teams, he brings forward-looking insights into the company’s growth and commitment to making complex logistics easier.

    Sharma has a strong background in creating innovative products across different sectors. Most recently, he led the launch of a top-rated dash camera and safety solution at Teletrac Navman, which helped transportation customers improve safety and efficiency. He also worked on strategic partnerships to develop solutions for customers transitioning their truck fleets to cleaner energy options like electric, hydrogen, and CNG/RNG, supporting their shift towards sustainability.

    “We are excited to welcome Mayank to the IntelliTrans team,” said Chad Raube, President and CEO of IntelliTrans. “His vast experience in product management and innovation will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our product portfolio. Mayank’s unique approach to developing market-leading solutions, commercial focus, and fostering agile teams will help propel IntelliTrans forward in achieving our long-term goals.”

    “I’m thrilled to join the IntelliTrans team and work on delivering high-value solutions that address the real-world challenges our clients face in their supply chains,” said Sharma. “I see a great opportunity to use emerging technologies to make our products smarter and more user-friendly, simplifying how our customers manage their operations. I look forward to enhancing the overall experience for IntelliTrans customers and driving innovation in our product suite.”

    Sharma holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and has multiple advanced degrees in Engineering, Design, and Anthropology. This diverse educational background gives him a well-rounded approach to product development and leadership.

    By bringing Sharma on board, IntelliTrans reinforces its dedication to product innovation and growth. The company remains focused on enhancing its multimodal SaaS-based TMS solution, making logistics operations more streamlined, visible, and efficient for its global customers.

    About IntelliTrans Multimodal Transportation Solutions

    IntelliTrans, a Roper Technologies business (Nasdaq: ROP), empowers businesses to optimize their supply chains with seamless freight management and shipment execution across all modes of transportation, including rail, truck, ocean, and barge. IntelliTrans’ trusted transportation management solutions enable customers to solve complex business challenges and help achieve a holistic digital strategy by incorporating multimodal solutions backed by extensive industry knowledge. Recognized as a top transportation management provider, IntelliTrans has recently received the Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Provider Award, the 2023 BIG Innovation Award, the Cloud Computing Product of the Year Award, and the Food Logistics/SDCE Top Software and Technology Award. Unlock hidden efficiencies in your supply chain. Visit our website to see how IntelliTrans can help.

    Media Contact for IntelliTrans:
    Becky Boyd
    MediaFirst PR (M1PR.com)
    404.421.8497
    becky@mediafirst.net

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/060fceb0-b427-493e-a790-3336ff225870

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor chooses a Budget to rebuild Britain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Today, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered a Budget to fix the foundations of our economy.

    • Chancellor protects public services as departments’ day-to-day spending set to grow by an average of 3.3% in real terms between 2023-24 and 2025-26, including increase of more than £22 billion for health to help bring down waiting lists.
    • Budget will restore economic stability and begin a decade of national renewal, providing a boost to public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years across roads, rail, schools and hospitals whilst keeping debt on a downward path.
    • No change to working people’s payslips as income tax, employee national insurance and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay more.

    The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She has set out plans to fix the NHS and rebuild Britain, while ensuring working people don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.

    The government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, unrealistic plans for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.

    As a mission-led government, the Chancellor has today made clear the difficult choices this government will make to rebuild the country. This Budget takes the difficult decisions on tax, spending and welfare to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the government can invest in the country’s future and achieve its mission for growth. This means hospital waiting lists will be cut with room to invest in Britain to rebuild our schools, hospitals and broken roads.

    The government is protecting working people’s living standards by raising the National Living Wage, cutting duty on draught pints, keeping bus fares down, and not increasing the main rates of income tax, employee national insurance, and VAT.

    The Budget will help rebuild Britain by boosting public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years while exceeding the manifesto commitment to fix an extra 1 million potholes per year with an additional £500 million for local road maintenance in 2025-26.

    Fixing the NHS and reforming public services

    By repairing the public finances and restoring economic stability, the Budget delivers on a new settlement for public services, increasing day to day spending for public services by 3.3% on average in real terms over this year and next to fix the NHS, boost the education system and repair the criminal justice system.

    This government has been clear from the start it will not tolerate wasteful spending – and that means treating taxpayers’ money with respect. For the next financial year, all government departments have a 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target, that is expected to save billions of pounds.

    • The Chancellor has confirmed an additional £22.6 billion for day-to-day spending over two years for the Department of Health and Social care, supporting the NHS to deliver an extra 40,000 elective appointments per week, delivering on one of the Government’s first aims in office to reduce waiting times in the NHS.
    • The government is investing around £1.5 billion capital funding for new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners and new beds across the NHS estate to create more treatment space in emergency departments, reduce waiting times and help shift more care into the community.
    • £100 million will be earmarked to carry out 200 GP estate upgrades across England, supporting improved use of existing buildings and space, boosting productivity and enabling delivery of more appointments.
    • The Chancellor has focused on improving education as part of her first Budget, with an additional £4 billion for the sector, including £2.3 billion into the core schools’ budget which increases per pupil spending in real terms.
    • This will allow 100 project plans to begin delivery across England next year and begin to tackle the crumbling school and college buildings across the country. This paves the way for a long-term strategy to improve schools nationwide so that students can learn in safe, state-of-the-art facilities, tailored to the needs of 21st-century education.
    • The Chancellor will provide £1.4 billion for the school rebuilding programme, including an increase of £550 million this year.

    In addition to these commitments, this government is securing our borders and taking back our streets.

    • The new Border Security Command will smash the organised criminal gangs by deploying 100 new NCA officers and increasing cooperation with European intelligence agencies and police forces.
    • Smashing gangs and boosting the processing of asylum claims forms a crucial part of the government’s plan to cut asylum support costs by more than £4bn over the next 2 years compared to the previous government’s spending trajectory.
    • The Home Office settlement will put us on track to start delivering the manifesto pledge to boost visible neighbourhood policing with 13,000 more neighbourhood officers and PCSOs.

    Protecting working people and living standards

    While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance, VAT, or Income Tax on working people, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip. In addition:

    • The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be unfrozen from 2028-29 onwards.
    • The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025, which means a pay boost for 3 million workers. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage.  The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also rise from £8.60 to £10.00 an hour.
    • The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year and extending the temporary 5p cut to 22 March 2026 – a tax cut worth £3 billion. This will save the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
    • To support the take-up of zero emission cars, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) First Year Rates (FYRs) are changing from 2025-26. Rates for zero emission cars will be frozen at £10 until 2029-30 while rates for hybrid and petrol/diesel cars will rise from 1 April 2025.
    • The weekly earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance will be increased to 16 hours at the National Living Wage, worth an additional £45 a week from April next year, making over 60,000 carers eligible for support, and helping carers to balance work and caring responsibilities. This is the largest ever increase to the earnings limit and provides certainty for carers with a commitment that the earnings limit will increase with the National Living Wage in the future.
    • To help ensure pensioners are protected in their retirement, the Budget will also confirm a 4.1% increase to the basic and new State Pension as well as the standard minimum guarantee for Pension Credit, from April next year.
    • Over 12 million pensioners will benefit from this as the full new State Pension will rise from £221.20 to £230.25 a week, providing an additional £470 a year, while the full basic State Pension will increase from £169.50 to £176.45 per week, worth an extra £360 annually.
    • The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee will also increase by 4.1% from April 2025, meaning an annual increase of £465 in 2025-26 in the single pensioner guarantee and £710 in the couple guarantee.
    • The administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit will be brought together for new claimants from 2026. This is two years earlier than previously planned, and will support more people to receive the benefits that they are entitled to.
    • In addition, working-age benefits and the Additional State Pension will rise by 1.7% in April 2025, in line with inflation. This increase will see around 5.7 million families on Universal Credit gain an average of £150 annually.

    Rebuilding Britain

    This government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain by investing in the fabric of the country, as well as supporting the industries of the future. This will go towards rebuilding our schools, hospitals and roads, turbocharging the delivery of 1.5 million homes, and unlocking long-term economic growth.

    This comes on top of action already taken under the government’s growth mission including establishing the National Wealth Fund, publishing the Industrial Strategy green paper, and hosting the International Investment Summit.

    • The government is exceeding its manifesto commitment to fix an extra 1 million potholes per year, with an additional £500 million for local road maintenance in 2025-26 – an almost 50% increase on the commitment made by the previous government for the current financial year.
    • This brings the total amount dedicated to fixing the roads in England over the next year to nearly £1.6 billion.
    • This government is growing day-to-day spending at an average of 2.0% per year in real terms between 2023-24 and 2029-30 to support public services.
    • This government is boosting public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years whilst keeping debt on a downward path, with a greater focus on value for money and delivery to help unlock long-term growth.
    • Capital investment will increase by £13 billion next year, taking total departmental capital spending to £131 billion in 2025-26. This includes increased investment in local roads maintenance and local transport, supporting everyday journeys, and driving growth in our regional towns and cities.
    • The government is also making the reforms needed to deliver sustained growth in the long-term. These include ambitious planning reforms to remove barriers to growth, the development of a 10-year infrastructure strategy to be published alongside Phase 2 of the Spending Review, the publication shortly of the Get Britain Working White Paper, and the establishment of Skills England to ensure we have the highly-trained workforce needed to deliver economic growth.
    • An extra £200 million will be given to Metro Mayors for local transport in 2025/26, bringing City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements to over £1.3 billion.
    • The government is also announcing over £650 million for improving transport in towns, villages, and rural areas alongside our city regions.
    • Single bus fares will be kept down at £3 until the end of 2025, as part of an over £1bn package to support bus services across the country.
    • To fully harness its potential and foster a dynamic investment economy, the government is protecting record levels of government R&D investment with £20.4 billion allocated in 2025-26.
    • To boost digital infrastructure in under-served areas across the UK and support growth in the digital and technology sectors, the government will invest over £500 million in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network next year.
    • A new housing package will include £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, increasing it to £3.1 billion, the biggest annual budget for affordable housing in over a decade. This brings total investment in housing supply to over £5 billion and supports the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes.
    • £3 billion of additional support will be provided to SMEs and the Build to Rent sector by expanding existing housing guarantee schemes to support a strong and diverse private housing market.
    • The Budget also began the government’s reform of business rates to help level the playing field for high streets across the country as from 2026-27 permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties will be introduced. This will be funded sustainably by introducing a higher multiplier for the most valuable properties, including distribution warehouses used by online giants.
    • To support the transition, the Chancellor also announced a 40% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure, up to a cap of £110,000 per business. The small business multiplier will also be frozen next year to protect against inflationary increases. This support is worth almost £2.4 billion over the next five years. One third of business properties will continue to pay no business rates because of Small Business Rates Relief.

    Repairing public finances

    The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required on tax. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations and funding public services such as the NHS and education.

    • The rate of employer National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15% from 6 April 2025. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers become liable to pay national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
    • The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000 and be extended to all eligible employers by removing the £100,000 cap, allowing firms to employ up to four National Living Wage workers full time without paying employer National Insurance on their wages.
    • Capital Gains Tax (CGT) will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate. These new rates will match the residential property rates, which will unchanged at 18 for the lower rate and 24% for the higher rate.
    • To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses, Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
    • The OBR say changes to CGT will raise £2.5 billion by the end of the forecast and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
    • Inheritance tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will not pay inheritance tax. From April 2027 inherited pension pots will be subject to inheritance tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.

    • From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets on top of the existing nil-rate bands, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. The rate of relief will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance tax reforms are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion in total to support public services.

    • The government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI, except for most drinks in pubs. To support British pubs, and brewers, the government is reducing duty on qualifying draught products, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs.

    • This measure reduces duty bills by over £85 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The value of the relief available to small producers will also be increased to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.   

    • From 2026-27 Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates for short and long-haul flights will be adjusted to partially account for previous high inflation. For economy passengers, this is only a £1 increase for domestic flights, £2 extra for short haul, and £12 more for long-haul flights, with children under the age of 16 remaining exempt from APD. APD for larger private jets will be increased by a further 50%. These changes will help align with the government’s environmental objectives.

    To further support the government’s mission to fix the NHS, the Budget announces a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:

    • Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).  
    • Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking. 
    • To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase over the next five years to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will also rise in line with inflation every year going forward.

    The government set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, Budget delivers the government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for first steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:  

    • A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
    • Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangements in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
    • The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.

    • Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.

    • The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.
    • The Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings surcharge of Stamp Duty Land Tax will rise from 3 to 5%, providing those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, with a comparative advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and businesses purchasing residential property.
    • To secure additional funding to help deliver commitments relating to education and young people, the government will introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge by private schools from 1 January 2025. The government will also remove business rates charitable rate relief from private schools in England from April 2025. 
    • Over the next five years HMRC, will look to close the UK’s tax gap – the amount of uncollected tax owed to the UK – by bringing in an additional £6.5 billion per year. The revenue will go directly to funding UK public services and fixing the foundations of the economy.
    • The package to close the tax gap will include overhauling HMRC’s IT system to improve their debt management system to ensure tax debt enquiries can be dealt with faster, improving the productivity of the organisation. 5000 additional compliance staff will be recruited and 1,800 debt management staff will also be maintained and recruited. HMRC’s services will be also digitised to make it easier and simpler for taxpayers to self-serve and manage their tax affairs.

    The government has also published its Corporate Tax Roadmap alongside the Budget. This will offer the certainty that encourages investment and gives business the confidence to grow. The Roadmap includes commitments:

    • to cap the headline rate of Corporation Tax at 25%, which is the lowest in the G7;
    • to maintain our world leading capital allowances system (including permanent full expensing and the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance);
    • to preserve the generosity of our R&D reliefs; and
    • to develop a new process for increasing the tax certainty available in advance for major investments.

    Strengthening the fiscal framework

    The Chancellor has paved the way for growth while doubling down on fiscal responsibility by making reforms to the fiscal framework. This is based on two new fiscal rules: the stability rule and the investment rule.

    • The stability rule will balance the current budget, so day-to-day costs are met by revenues.
    • The investment rule will ensure that net financial debt is falling as a proportion of GDP. This rule keeps debt on a sustainable path whilst allowing the step change needed for investment.
    • Both of these rules will be met two years early in 2027-28.
    • This investment will be underpinned by clear guardrails to ensure it is high quality and well delivered.
    • Our ten-year infrastructure strategy will provide industry a vision of the government’s priorities and a credible delivery plan to encourage investment and supply chains.
    • NISTA will be the central body that brings strategy and delivery together under one roof to implement this strategy working across Whitehall and industry.
    • Further reforms will help deliver stability by holding Spending Reviews every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money. One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes.
    • The Fiscal Lock will ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again, and we are committing to improving the transparency and consistency of the spending information shared with the OBR.
    • The government will also introduce new controls: that financial investments should by default target a return for the Exchequer that at least covers the government’s cost of borrowing, that all large-scale financial transactions will be managed by expert bodies like the National Wealth Fund, and that the government will publish an annual report on the performance and value of its financial assets based on accounts audited by the National Audit Office.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of facilities within the framework of the Blagoveshchensk master plan and held a meeting with investors from the Amur Region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region

    October 30, 2024

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region

    October 30, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the region as part of a working visit to the Amur Region

    During his working visit to the Amur Region, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev got acquainted with the progress of construction of a number of facilities included in the Blagoveshchensk master plan. Among them are the cross-border cable car and the multifunctional pavilion “Tribuna Hall”. The Deputy Prime Minister also held a meeting on the implementation of investment projects in the Amur Region.

    Before inspecting the master plan facilities, Yuri Trutnev visited the site of the second stage of construction of engineering structures to protect against flood waters on the Zeya River in the Blagoveshchensk village of Vladimirovka and got acquainted with the progress of construction of the coastal protection structure. The dam is being built as part of the state program “Construction”. The structure will protect the territory, where more than 2 thousand people live, from floods. The site involves 210 people and 91 units of equipment. The work is ahead of schedule.

    The management of the contractor company has submitted an initiative to postpone the construction of the dam from 2027 to 2025 with the allocation of the necessary funding for this. Yuri Trutnev instructed the region to work on this issue together with the Ministry of Construction and submit relevant proposals to the Government of Russia.

    The Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the Golden Mile facilities, a project within the framework of the integrated development of Blagoveshchensk. The first was the site of the cross-border cable car across the Amur. It will connect Blagoveshchensk and the Chinese city of Heihe. This will be the world’s first cable car between two countries. On the Russian side, a four-level passenger terminal with a total area of 26 thousand square meters will be built to accommodate the terminal station of the cable car, a platform and technological equipment for the cable car, a checkpoint across the state border of Russia, a duty-free shop, restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities. Art spaces for passengers and city residents to relax will be created both inside the terminal and in the open air: on cascading terraces and observation decks. Work on the international facility is ongoing around the clock in two shifts.

    On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a world-class Russian-Chinese business cooperation center is being created in the Amur Region. With the support of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Russian Government, a large city center, Tribuna Hall, is being built. Funds from the federal budget are being allocated through a single presidential subsidy. The construction of the facility has entered the home stretch. The building is 70% complete. The builders should complete the work by January, and the center will welcome its first visitors at the end of next year.

    The unique project on the Amur embankment includes a landscape park, a fountain complex, sports and children’s playgrounds. Next to the Tribuna Hall pavilion there is a square – an open space for holding mass events. In May of this year, the Fountain Alley began operating. It belongs to the Tribuna Hall cultural center and has become the largest light and music fountain complex in Eurasia.

    On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister met with investors from the Amur Region. “The region occupies one of the leading places in the Far East in this indicator. At the same time, we must remember that a significant part of this flow is created by fulfilling direct instructions from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. This is the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome, the Amur Gas Processing Plant, and the Amur Gas Chemical Complex. Of course, investment activity is not limited to this. The activity of the head of the region in attracting investment for the Golden Mile projects deserves a positive assessment. These projects will benefit the Amur Region and the country. Federal measures to support projects in the Far East are working. In total, 51 investment projects with a total value of 2.3 trillion rubles are being implemented in the region. 16 projects have been implemented, about 12 thousand jobs have been created. It is important that this work does not stop, and investors come to the region to implement new projects. It is the attraction of investments that creates the conditions for all other work, for improvements in the social sphere, the improvement of cities and territories,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.

    “Over the past five years, about 2.4 trillion rubles of investments have been attracted to the Amur Region. We reached a record volume of over 751 billion rubles last year. The main increase in funds attracted to the region was provided by the implementation of gas investment projects, the reconstruction of the Eastern Polygon of the BAM and the development of the construction industry. Today, 85 promising investment projects are being developed that will attract over 450 billion rubles and create 7.5 thousand jobs. Projects that involve the creation of manufacturing industries remain a priority for us. We are implementing the “turn to the East” concept, within the framework of which we plan to build a logistics complex and, in the future, a railway bridge across the Amur River in the Jalinda-Mohe area. We have developed and are constantly improving comprehensive support measures for investors,” said Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Amur Region.

    The new cross-border bridge between the Amur Region and China – Jalinda – Mohe will open a shorter exit to China and will reduce the route for transporting goods and raw materials by almost 2 thousand km. The new transport corridor will not only provide an alternative option for communication with Russia’s main trading partner and relieve the load on existing crossings, but will also speed up the delivery of raw materials from Yakutia and the north of the Amur Region to China. “A forecast for the cargo base has been formed for the Jalinda – Mohe project, the location and basic technical parameters of the future bridge have been agreed upon in the course of work with the Chinese side, and a joint conclusion has been made on the technical and economic feasibility of construction. The project has been included in the agenda of the Russian-Chinese subcommittee on cooperation in the field of transport, and there is an agreement to hold interstate consultations. Several models for implementing the project have been considered with the participation of the Russian Ministry of Transport and Russian Railways,” commented Vasily Orlov.

    The construction and launch of a mining and processing plant for processing nickel ore from the Kun-Manyo deposit was discussed. The investor will use the capabilities of the Amurskaya priority development area to build the plant. The project is at the stage of geological exploration and design and survey work. More than 1.7 thousand jobs will be created.

    Ogodzhinskaya Coal Company LLC presented a project for the development of the Sugodinsko-Ogodzhinskaya coal-bearing area in the Selemdzhinsky District. The investor has begun construction of a processing plant with a capacity of 2 million tons. Investments in the project will amount to about 100 billion rubles. Earthworks and concrete works have already been completed, the main frame of metal structures has been erected, and the completion of the main equipment of the plant is ongoing. The productivity of the complex of factories will be 30 million tons of coal per year. In total, it is planned to build seven processing plants. Construction of the first stage of the Ogodzhinskaya railway continues – 45 km of rails and sleepers out of 72 km have been laid. As a measure of state support, the investor plans to receive the status of a resident of the Amurskaya priority development area.

    A resident of the Amurskaya priority development area, the Far Eastern Agroterminal company, will invest more than 40 billion rubles in the framework of comprehensive business development in the Far East, including more than 26 billion rubles in the project to build an oil extraction plant as part of a production and logistics complex in the city of Belogorsk. At present, the site has already been prepared with landfill and water drainage. An industrial railway station with a capacity of 1.4 million tons of freight turnover per year is being built. The launch of production is scheduled for the end of 2026. The company also plans to develop the direction of a railway logistics operator with a fleet of wagons and tanks of 1.2 thousand units of rolling stock in the Far East to service the flow of finished products of the enterprise under construction.

    Lyubov Brish, CEO of Gazprom Helium Service, reported on the operation of the first small-tonnage natural gas liquefaction complex in the Amur Region in Svobodnensky District. The new production facility was built using tax breaks and preferences of the Amurskaya Priority Development Area. The natural gas liquefaction complex with a capacity of 1.5 tons of LNG per hour (12.6 thousand tons per year) was created to organize the infrastructure for autonomous gasification of socially significant facilities and to provide consumers in the Amur Region with gas motor fuel. “A comprehensive project has been implemented in the Far East using liquefied natural gas as a gas motor fuel and for autonomous gasification. This became possible thanks to the development of our own production and transportation capacities for LNG in the region – from Primorsky Krai to Amur Region – and successful experience in organizing LNG transportation routes,” Lyubov Brish said.

    In Blagoveshchensk, the Specialized Developer PIK Blagoveshchensk LLC is building housing as part of the Far Eastern Quarter program. 334 thousand square meters of housing will be built. In addition to residential development, the project provides for the construction of social infrastructure facilities – a school, kindergartens, and landscaping of courtyards. The total investment in the project will amount to 33.9 billion rubles. Construction and installation work is currently underway in six buildings, the arrangement of foundations and basements has been completed, and work is underway to install the monolithic frame of the buildings of the first stage, the total area of which will be 45.8 thousand square meters.

    “Today, the head of the region and I looked at the Golden Mile – work is in full swing there, Blagoveshchensk has begun to change. I always follow this very closely when I come. And I see that the ice has broken in Blagoveshchensk. The city is getting better. This is very important both for the mood and comfortable living of people, and for attracting Russian and foreign tourists,” said Yuri Trutnev.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Hisense Named Official Partner of FIFA Club World Cup 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, announced its official partnership with the FIFA Club World Cup™ during an event at Shanghai Tower attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, and Hisense Group Chairman Jia Shaoqian.

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “We are delighted to welcome Hisense, a global market-leading brand, as an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Hisense’s commitment to innovation and technology aligns with our vision for this tournament, which will bring together the 32 best teams from around the world for an unforgettable celebration of our game that will revolutionise club football.

    “This partnership will offer fans unique ways to engage with the tournament, both on and off the pitch, while laying a technological and innovation-led foundation for the FIFA Club World Cup to flourish.”

    The FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ will unite the world’s top 32 clubs every four years. This inaugural edition will provide an excellent platform for Hisense to grow its global brand among fans of the world’s most popular sport and showcase its cutting-edge technology, particularly Hisense TVs, prominently displayed throughout the tournament.

    Hisense Group Chairman Jia Shaoqian added: “We are proud to be an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, which is a competition among the top clubs from all six confederations, representing a dialogue between champions, a collision of first-class excellence. This perfectly aligns with Hisense’s pursuit of the champion spirit and our latest corporate goal to build a world-class enterprise and brand.

    “As the pioneer in AI televisions, Hisense’s newly launched AI TV series is a perfect match for the FIFA Club World Cup™. The technological foundation of Hisense AI TV is the independently developed Xinghai large model, which supports continuous smart upgrades across various appliance categories, significantly enhancing the user experience and market competitiveness. Together with FIFA, Hisense will present the best Club World Cup™ for global audiences.”

    Hisense aims to build a world-class enterprise and brand while focusing on top-tier sports assets. By partnering with the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, Hisense is advancing its sports marketing strategy and global expansion.

    Hisense has been a global partner for two consecutive FIFA World Cups™ and three UEFA European Championships. The company continues to innovate across its product lines, including a 100-inch TV with an AI picture quality chip, and smart home appliances interconnected through its ConnectLife platform.

    About Hisense
    Hisense is a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand. According to Omdia, Hisense ranked No. 2 globally for TV shipments and No. 1 in 100″ TVs in both 2023 and H1 2024, operating in more than 160 countries.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07595008-6a1e-4083-a5eb-9ea0f31eff74

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: A Budget to fix the foundations and deliver change for Northern Ireland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget today (Wednesday 30 October 2024)

    Autumn Budget 2024

    • Chancellor takes long-term decisions to restore stability, rebuild the United Kingdom and protect working people across Northern Ireland.
    • No change to working people’s payslips as employee national insurance, income tax and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay their fair share.
    • Record £18.2 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive in 2025/26 including an additional £1.5 billion through the Barnett formula.
    • City and Growth Deals confirmed to continue to unlock growth and investment, while over £45 million is provided for counter-terrorism and security funding.

    The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She set out plans to rebuild the United Kingdom, while ensuring working people across Northern Ireland don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.

    The UK Government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, an unrealistic forecast for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.

    This Budget takes difficult decisions to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the UK Government can invest in the economic future of Northern Ireland and lay the foundations for growth across the UK as its number one mission.

    The Chancellor announced that the Northern Ireland Executive will be provided with a £18.2 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes a £1.5 billion top-up through the Barnett formula, with £1.2 billion for day-to-day spending and £270 million for capital investment.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said:

    This is the biggest real terms settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution. 

    The Northern Ireland Executive will get an additional £640 million in Barnett consequentials this year, and an additional £1.5 billion next year. 

    This will provide  a strong foundation for stability and growth, and sees the UK Government delivering real change for the people of Northern Ireland.

    We have also confirmed the UK Government’s investment in Northern Ireland’s City and Growth deals, which is a huge boost to communities in both rural and urban areas. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals alone will receive a combined investment from the UK Government of £162 million, and I look forward to seeing them progress and make a real impact now and in years to come. 

    Meanwhile, measures such as the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone, continuing support for Northern Ireland integrated schooling and the UK-wide investment of over £500m in digital infrastructure through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network benefit people across Northern Ireland’s communities.

    The increase to £37.8 million in funding for the Police Service of Northern Ireland through the Additional Security Fund, combined with £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, underscores the UK Government’s continuing and steadfast commitment to security.

    This budget is positive news for people across Northern Ireland, encouraging economic growth and enabling the conditions for a brighter future.

    Protecting working people and living standards

    While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the UK Government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT on working people in Northern Ireland, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip.

    • The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage.
    • The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also see a record rise from £8.60 to £10 an hour.
    • Working people will benefit from these increases, with there estimated to be around 100,000 minimum wage workers in Northern Ireland in 2023.
    • The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people in Northern Ireland from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be unfrozen from 2028-29 onwards. 
    • The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year – a tax cut worth £3 billion, with the temporary 5p cut extended to 22 March 2026. This will benefit an estimated 1.3 million people in Northern Ireland, saving the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
    • To support pubs and smaller brewers in Northern Ireland, the UK Government is cutting duty on qualifying draught products by 1p, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This measure reduces duty bills by over £70 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The relief available to small producers will be updated to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.  

    Rebuilding the United Kingdom

    This UK Government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain and lay the foundations for growth in Northern Ireland. This includes £760 million of targeted funding for the Northern Ireland Executive, of which £662 million is as committed in the 2024 restoration financial package and £90 million is for capital investment.

    • The UK Government today confirmed that investment in the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens City Deals will continue, supported by a value for money assessment as part of the review of the business cases for projects to ensure best value is being delivered. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals deliver a combined investment from UK Government of £162 million over 15 years to rural areas in Northern Ireland.
    • The Chancellor committed the UK Government to working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Industrial Strategy, 10-year infrastructure strategy and the National Wealth Fund – to ensure the benefits of these are felt UK-wide and as part of the relationship reset between governments. These will mobilise billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading clean energy and growth industries.
    • The UK Government has today reaffirmed its commitment to develop an Enhanced Investment Zone in Northern Ireland and will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop proposals.
    • The UK Government has increased funding to £37.8 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Additional Security Fund and confirmed £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime to ensure that people and communities are kept safe from violence and harm.
    • To support community cohesion the UK Government is providing £730,000 of additional funding in 2025-26 to support schools in Northern Ireland through the transformation process as they work towards integrated status.
    • Under-served parts of Northern Ireland will benefit from the rollout of digital infrastructure enabled by over £500 million of UK-wide investment in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
    • A corporate tax roadmap will provide businesses with the stability and certainty they need to make long-term investment decisions and support our growth mission. It confirms our competitive offer, with the lowest Corporate Tax rate in the G7 and generous support for investment and innovation.
    • The UK Government will also proceed with implementing the 45%/40% rates of the theatre, orchestra, museum and galleries tax relief from 1 April 2025 to provide certainty to businesses in Northern Ireland’s thriving cultural sector.

    Repairing public finances

    The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations of the UK economy.

    • The rate of Employers’ National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15%. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers start paying national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
    • The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000, allowing firms in Northern Ireland to employ four National Living Wage workers full time without paying national insurance on their wages.
    • Capital Gains Tax will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate.
    • To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
    • The lifetime limit of BADR will be maintained at £1 million. The lifetime limit of Investors’ Relief will be reduced from £10 million to £1 million.
    • The OBR say changes to CGT will raise over £2.5 billion a year and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
    • Inheritance Tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will be outside of its scope. From April 2027 inherited pensions will be subject to Inheritance Tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.
    • From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. It will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance Tax reforms in total are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion to support stability.

    The Budget also announced a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:

    • Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).  
    • Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking. 
    • To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will rise in line with inflation every year going forward.
    • The UK Government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI on 1 February 2025, except for most drinks in pubs

    The UK Government has set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, this Budget delivers the UK Government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for First Steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:  

    • A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
    • Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangement in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
    • The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.
    • Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.

    • The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.

    • The Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings surcharge of Stamp Duty Land Tax will rise from 3 to 5%, providing those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, with a comparative advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and businesses purchasing residential property.

    • The UK Government will also introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge by private schools from 1 January 2025.

    The Chancellor also doubled down on fiscal responsibility through two new fiscal rules that put the public finances on a sustainable path and prioritise investment to support long-term growth, and new principles of stability. Spending Reviews will be held every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money. 

    One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes, while giving the Northern Ireland Executive greater clarity for in its own budget-setting.  A Fiscal Lock will also ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Secret of Creativity: What is Needed for Industry Development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    On the first day of the conference, four thematic sessions were held. The first was dedicated to creative cities. “This is a complex topic, and now in Russia it is very acute, very relevant, popular. In 2020, this was completely different, four years have changed everything. Our measurements show that creative industries are incredibly unevenly distributed across regions and cities and are concentrated in certain places. That is, they are very selective. This is very important knowledge, and of course, I want to understand what kind of cities and spaces are that attract the creative industry, and what their secret is,” shared the session moderator, Director Center “Russian Cluster Observatory” Evgeny Kutsenko, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    Head of Department “Creative Industries Research Laboratory” Victoria Boos, Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics, presented Rating of innovative attractiveness of world citieswith an analysis of the distribution of creative industries around the world.

    “The key feature of our rating is that it provides an information base for making management decisions in the field of urban management. Another feature is a truly unique system of indicators: we do not use municipal statistics, we do not use expert assessments, we use data from independent platforms that aggregate information about the best representatives of creative industries, that is, about the leaders of creative industries,” she said.

    The study included eight industries that together account for about 90% of the income of the entire creative sector in the world. These are cinema and animation, computer games, music, fashion, advertising and PR, architecture, industrial design and art, which includes literature, performing arts and contemporary art.

    The top 5 cities with the highest concentration of creative industry leaders include London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris. “If we look at this rating, we will see that in the top twenty there is parity between the East and the West, and in the top thirty there are more Western cities. Accordingly, we can say that the East is declaring itself as a full-fledged participant in the creative industries market,” Victoria Boos noted.

    At the same time, the study showed that the top five cities are distinguished by a very large gap from all other cities. “You shouldn’t think that mega-creative cities only do what they do, pull creative leaders away from other settlements. The fact is that these mega-creative cities develop themselves and create creative leaders themselves,” the speaker emphasized.

    The researchers also noted that over the past two years, the proportion between developed countries and the Global South in terms of the number of creative industry representatives has changed. Today, every tenth artist who has released the most downloaded music tracks is a representative of Latin America, while 150 of the most popular fashion brands, designers, and architectural firms are concentrated in the countries of North Africa and West Asia.

    Creative industries are also developing in small towns – they have their own special style of creativity. It turned out that in some industries, more than 5% of stars are concentrated in cities with a population of less than 250 thousand people.

    Over the past year, many cities have shown impressive dynamics, the speaker noted. For example, Dubai rose from 76th to 38th place, and Tokyo entered the top three. Victoria Boos emphasized that creative support measures are needed to develop creative industries. For example, a special economic zone for creative industries is being developed in Dubai. Similar zones have recently begun to appear and develop in China. In Australia, there are three professional associations in the field of architecture and sustainable construction. In Chile, localized music streaming services are developing. Korea subsidizes cable TV prices. India and Russia are creating film cities.

    Also speaking at the session were the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Creative Initiatives and Cultural Heritage Foundation (Kazakhstan) Dina Abdrakhmet, the co-founder and Chairman of the Expert Council of the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER” Sergey Georgievsky and the Chairman of RuGBC Guy Ims.

    The second session was devoted to the management of creative industries in Russia, the third to strategic planning of creative industries and best global practices, and the fourth to education and skills in this area.

    On the second day of the session, October 31, the IV International Forum of Young Researchers of the Creative Economy will take place. The authors of scientific papers that have passed the competitive selection will present their reports.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scene set for Leicester Diwali Day celebrations

    Source: City of Leicester

    THE Diwali lights and decorations are up on Leicester’s Belgrave Road, the Wheel of Light is turning, and the scene is set for the city’s annual Diwali Day event, which takes place tomorrow (31 October).

    The city council’s festivals and events team is busy putting the finishing touches to the organisation of the event – one of the biggest on Leicester’s festival calendar.

    They are working closely with the police and emergency services, and the council’s highways, public safety and licensing teams, to ensure the tens of thousands of visitors expected have a great Diwali experience.

    Visitors from all over the city and beyond are expected to head to Leicester to join in the celebrations.

    The city council’s head of festivals & events, Graham Callister said: “The council works with a number of organisations to put on the biggest Diwali Day celebrations in the UK, and we are very grateful for their support.

    “We are also grateful for the work of the Leicester Hindu Festival Council, which arranges the stage entertainment each year.

    “Now Diwali Day is almost here, and we look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to the Golden Mile on Thursday.”

    The festivities will begin at 3pm with the opening of the Diwali Village on Cossington Street Recreation Ground. A children’s funfair and arts and crafts will be among the activities on offer, as well as Indian food and drinks.

    Sponsored by Lidl GB, the Diwali Village will also feature a Fire Garden, offering a peaceful spot amid the hustle and bustle on the park.

    Leicester’s annual Rangoli exhibition will open at 4pm on Diwali Day. Brought to the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre by the city council and Tilda, it will feature modern, and traditional Rangoli patterns, celebrating the ancient form of folk-art using bright powders, often seen on doorsteps at Diwali.

    Entertainment including Indian dancing will begin at 5pm on the park’s main stage, with performances organised by the Hindu Festival Council. At the same time, the Red Bull DJ truck will be providing music and energising the Belgrave Road. A family-friendly programme of street art and processions will also take place on the road throughout the evening.

    This year a giant LED screen showing a live stream of the stage show on the park, will be located at the end of Belgrave Road near to the big wheel.

    The finale to the celebrations will be a stunning firework display, starting at around 7.30pm.

    This year’s festivities are being sponsored by Malabar Gold & Diamonds, which recently opened its second UK showroom on Leicester’s Golden Mile.

    A guide to all of the activities on offer, and information about ways to travel to the event is available from the Visit Leicester website.

    Diwali is an ancient festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world. Often described as the festival of lights, it celebrates light over darkness and good over evil. It’s a time for exchanging presents and wishing goodwill to all.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Frog Lake — Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigate homicide

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Oct. 1, 2023, at approximately 7:30 a.m., Elk Point RCMP were called to a residence for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, police located one male who had been shot. The male was declared deceased on scene by EMS.

    RCMP Major Crimes Unit (MCU) took carriage of the investigation, and the autopsy determined that the manner of death was a homicide. As a result of their investigation, MCU have arrested one individual in connection to the death of Kevin Buffalo, a 36-year old resident of Frog Lake.

    A 22-year-old individual, a resident of Frog Lake, has been charged with the following offence:

    • Second-degree murder

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody. He appeared in court on Oct. 3, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul via CCTV.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max

    October 30, 2024

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max

    M4 Pro and M4 Max join M4 to form the most advanced family of chips ever built for a personal computer

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced M4 Pro and M4 Max, two new chips that — along with M4 — bring far more power-efficient performance and advanced capabilities to the Mac. All three chips are built using industry-leading, second-generation 3-nanometer technology, which improves performance and power efficiency. The CPUs across the M4 family feature the world’s fastest CPU core, delivering the industry’s best single-threaded performance, and dramatically faster multithreaded performance.1 The GPUs build on the breakthrough graphics architecture introduced in the previous generation, with faster cores and a 2x faster ray-tracing engine. M4 Pro and M4 Max enable Thunderbolt 5 for the Mac for the first time, and unified memory bandwidth is greatly increased — up to 75 percent. Combined with a Neural Engine that’s up to 2x faster than the previous generation and enhanced machine learning (ML) accelerators in the CPUs, the M4 family of chips brings incredible performance for pro and AI workloads. And they deliver blazing performance for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy.

    “Apple silicon has taken the Mac to unprecedented heights, and the rapid pace of innovation continues with M4 Pro and M4 Max,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “With the world’s fastest CPU core, immensely more powerful GPUs, and the fastest Neural Engine ever, the power-efficient performance and capabilities of the M4 family extend its lead as the most advanced lineup of chips in the industry.”

    M4: Phenomenal Performance and New Capabilities

    For entrepreneurs, students, creators, and more, the phenomenal performance of M4 comes to Mac for the first time. M4 features an up to 10-core CPU, with four performance cores and up to six efficiency cores. It’s up to 1.8x faster than M1, so multitasking across apps like Safari and Excel is lightning fast. A 10-core GPU provides incredible graphics performance, up to 2x faster than M1, making everything from editing photos to AAA gameplay exceptionally fast and smooth. And the faster 16-core Neural Engine is great for Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and other AI workloads.

    M4 supports up to 32GB of unified memory and has higher memory bandwidth of 120GB/s. The display engine of the M4 family is enhanced to support two external displays in addition to a built-in display. And M4 now supports up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing fast data transfer speeds and even more flexibility across peripherals.

    M4 Pro: Far More Powerful and Capable than Any AI PC Chip

    M4 Pro takes the advanced technologies debuted in M4 and scales them up for researchers, developers, engineers, creative pros, and other users with more demanding workflows. M4 Pro features an up to 14-core CPU consisting of up to 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores. It’s up to 1.9x faster than the CPU of M1 Pro, and up to 2.1x faster than the latest AI PC chip.2 The GPU features up to 20 cores for graphics performance that is 2x that of M4, and up to 2.4x faster than the latest AI PC chip.2 This huge boost in performance makes building and testing apps across multiple simulators in Xcode quicker than ever. And with the improved hardware-accelerated ray-tracing engine in the M4 family GPU, games like Control look more compelling, and pro 3D renderers can produce stunning imagery in even less time.

    M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of fast unified memory and 273GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is a massive 75 percent increase over M3 Pro and 2x the bandwidth of any AI PC chip.3 This, combined with the faster Neural Engine of the M4 family, means on-device Apple Intelligence models run at blazing speed. M4 Pro also supports Thunderbolt 5 on Mac, delivering up to 120Gb/s data transfer speeds, which more than doubles the throughput of Thunderbolt 4. For professionals working on larger file sizes across AI, video, code bases, and more, M4 Pro offers stunning performance and Apple silicon’s legendary power efficiency.

    M4 Max: The Most Powerful Chip for a Pro Laptop

    M4 Max is the ultimate choice for data scientists, 3D artists, and composers who push pro workflows to the limit. It has an up to 16-core CPU, with up to 12 performance cores and four efficiency cores. It’s up to 2.2x faster than the CPU in M1 Max and up to 2.5x faster than the latest AI PC chip.2 The GPU has up to 40 cores for performance that is up to 1.9x faster than M1 Max and up to an astounding 4x faster than the latest AI PC chip.2 So heavy workloads like de-noising raw video footage in DaVinci Resolve Studio can now run in real time.

    M4 Max supports up to 128GB of fast unified memory and up to 546GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is 4x the bandwidth of the latest AI PC chip.3 This allows developers to easily interact with large language models that have nearly 200 billion parameters. The enhanced Media Engine of M4 Max includes two video encode engines and two ProRes accelerators, making it the ultimate choice for video professionals. And like M4 Pro, M4 Max also supports Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gb/s data transfer capability. M4 Max rips through the most challenging pro workloads and, thanks to the energy efficiency of Apple silicon, delivers exceptional battery life in a laptop.

    Apple Silicon Powers Apple Intelligence

    M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max are built for Apple Intelligence.4 Ushering in a new era for the Mac, Apple Intelligence brings personal intelligence to the personal computer. Combining powerful generative models with industry-first privacy protections, Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon and the Neural Engine to unlock new ways for users to work, communicate, and express themselves on Mac. It is available in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. With systemwide Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write. With the newly redesigned Siri, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac and other Apple products. New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months. Image Playground gives users a new way to create fun original images, and Genmoji allows them to create custom emoji in seconds. Siri will become even more capable, with the ability to take actions across the system and draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. In December, ChatGPT will be integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, allowing users to access its expertise without needing to jump between tools.

    Apple Intelligence does all this while protecting users’ privacy at every step. At its core is on-device processing, and for more complex tasks, Private Cloud Compute gives users access to Apple’s even larger, server-based models and offers groundbreaking protections for personal information. In addition, users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.

    Better for the Environment

    The power-efficient performance of M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max helps the all-new MacBook Pro lineup meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and deliver up to 24 hours of battery life.5 This results in less time needing to be plugged in and less energy consumed over its lifetime. And for desktop systems like iMac and Mac mini, the energy efficiency of Apple silicon also reduces the total amount of energy used. Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
    2. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using select industry-standard benchmarks. AI PC chip performance data from testing MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo (A2VMG-014US) with Core Ultra 7 258V.
    3. Based on published technical specifications of shipping competitive chips as of October 2024.
    4. Apple Intelligence is available now as a free software update for Mac with M1 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English. The first set of features is in beta and available with macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
    5. Testing was conducted by Apple from August through October 2024. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/macbook-pro for more information.

    Press Contacts

    Todd Wilder

    Apple

    wilder@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New MacBook Pro features M4 family of chips and Apple Intelligence

    Source: Apple

    Headline: New MacBook Pro features M4 family of chips and Apple Intelligence

    October 30, 2024

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple’s new MacBook Pro features the incredibly powerful M4 family of chips and ushers in a new era with Apple Intelligence

    With an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, Thunderbolt 5 on M4 Pro and M4 Max models, and an all-new nano-texture display option, MacBook Pro gets even more capable and even more pro

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today unveiled the new MacBook Pro, powered by the M4 family of chips — M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max — delivering much faster performance and enhanced capabilities. The new MacBook Pro is built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. Now available in space black and silver finishes, the 14-inch MacBook Pro includes the blazing-fast performance of M4 and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, starting with 16GB of memory, all at just $1,599. The 14- and 16-inch models with M4 Pro and M4 Max offer Thunderbolt 5 for faster transfer speeds and advanced connectivity. All models include a Liquid Retina XDR display that gets even better with an all-new nano-texture display option and up to 1000 nits of brightness for SDR content, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, along with up to 24 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac.1 The new MacBook Pro is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning November 8.

    “MacBook Pro is an incredibly powerful tool that millions of people use to do their life’s best work, and today we’re making it even better,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “With the powerful M4 family of chips, and packed with pro features like Thunderbolt 5, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, an all-new nano-texture display option, and Apple Intelligence, the new MacBook Pro continues to be, by far, the world’s best pro laptop.”

    Supercharged by the M4 Family of Chips

    Built using second-generation 3-nanometer technology, the M4 family is the most advanced lineup of chips for a personal computer. The M4 family features phenomenal single-threaded CPU performance with the world’s fastest CPU core,2 along with outstanding multithreaded CPU performance for the most demanding workloads. Combined with machine learning accelerators in the CPU, an advanced GPU, and a faster and more efficient Neural Engine, Apple silicon is built from the ground up to deliver incredible performance for AI. Together with faster unified memory, each chip also includes increased memory bandwidth, so large language models (LLMs) and other large projects run smoothly and on device. Additionally, the industry-leading performance per watt of the M4 family means that users get up to 24 hours of battery life, raising the bar of what users can do on a single charge.

    New 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4

    The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 is the ideal choice for entrepreneurs, students, creators, or anyone doing what they love. Featuring a more powerful 10-core CPU, with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, and a faster 10-core GPU with Apple’s most advanced graphics architecture, the new MacBook Pro starts with 16GB of faster unified memory with support for up to 32GB, along with 120GB/s of memory bandwidth. With M4, MacBook Pro is up to 1.8x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 for tasks like editing gigapixel photos, and even more demanding workloads like rendering complex scenes in Blender are up to 3.4x faster.1 With a Neural Engine that’s over 3x more powerful than in M1, it’s great for features in Apple Intelligence and other AI workloads. The M4 model also supports two high-resolution external displays in addition to the built-in display, and now features three Thunderbolt 4 ports so users can connect all their peripherals.

    MacBook Pro with M4 delivers:1

    • Up to 7x faster image processing in Affinity Photo when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 1.8x faster when compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1.
    • Up to 10.9x faster 3D rendering in Blender when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 3.4x faster when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1.
    • Up to 9.8x faster scene edit detection in Adobe Premiere Pro when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with Core i7, and up to 1.7x faster when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1.

    MacBook Pro with M4 Pro: A Pro Powerhouse

    For researchers, developers, engineers, creative pros, or anyone that needs even faster performance for more demanding workflows, MacBook Pro with M4 Pro offers a tremendous performance boost. M4 Pro features a powerful 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores for a jump in multicore performance, along with up to a 20-core GPU that is twice as powerful as M4. With M4 Pro, the new MacBook Pro gets a massive 75 percent increase in memory bandwidth over the prior generation — double that of any AI PC chip.3 The new MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is up to 3x faster than models with M1 Pro, speeding up workflows like geo mapping, structural engineering, and data modeling.1

    MacBook Pro with M4 Pro offers:1

    • Up to 4x faster scene rendering performance with Maxon Redshift when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 3x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
    • Up to 5x faster simulation of dynamical systems in MathWorks MATLAB when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 2.2x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
    • Up to 23.8x faster basecalling for DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Core i9, and up to 1.8x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.

    MacBook Pro with M4 Max: The Ultimate in Pro Performance

    Designed for pros like data scientists, 3D artists, and composers who constantly push workflows to the limit, MacBook Pro with M4 Max empowers users to work on projects that were previously only imaginable on a desktop. M4 Max brings up to a 16-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU, over half a terabyte per second of unified memory bandwidth, and a Neural Engine that is over 3x faster than M1 Max, allowing on-device AI models to run faster than ever. With M4 Max, MacBook Pro delivers up to 3.5x the performance of M1 Max, ripping through heavy creative workloads like visual effects, 3D animation, and film scoring.1 It also supports up to 128GB of unified memory, so developers can easily interact with LLMs that have nearly 200 billion parameters. And with the powerful Media Engine in M4 Max, which features two ProRes accelerators, MacBook Pro performance is amazing even when taking 4K120 fps ProRes video captured with the new iPhone 16 Pro and editing it in Final Cut Pro.

    MacBook Pro with M4 Max enables:1

    • Up to 7.8x faster scene rendering performance with Maxon Redshift when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 3.5x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
    • Up to 4.6x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 2.2x faster when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
    • Up to 30.8x faster video processing performance in Topaz Video AI when compared to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i9, and up to 1.6x faster when compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max.

    Industry-Leading Liquid XDR Display Gets Even Better

    The new MacBook Pro introduces an all-new nano-texture display option that dramatically reduces glare and distractions from reflections. In bright lighting conditions, the new MacBook Pro can now show SDR content at up to 1000 nits and still displays HDR content at up to 1600 nits of peak brightness. All together, it’s a game-changing experience for users working outdoors.

    New 12MP Center Stage Camera

    MacBook Pro includes a new 12MP Center Stage camera that delivers enhanced video quality in challenging lighting conditions. Video calls are even more engaging with Center Stage, which automatically keeps users centered in the frame as they move around. The new camera also supports Desk View, which adds a whole new dimension to video calls. And with studio-quality mics and a phenomenal six-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio, MacBook Pro delivers an incredibly immersive audio experience whether users are listening to music or watching a movie in Dolby Atmos.

    Thunderbolt 5 Comes to the Mac

    MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max features Thunderbolt 5 ports that more than double transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s, enabling faster external storage, expansion chassis, and powerful docking and hub solutions. For example, by connecting just a single cable, pros like music producers can now light up their entire studio. All MacBook Pro models feature an HDMI port that supports up to 8K resolution, a SDXC card slot, a MagSafe 3 port for charging, and a headphone jack, along with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

    A New Era with Apple Intelligence on the Mac

    Apple Intelligence ushers in a new era for the Mac, bringing personal intelligence to the personal computer. Combining powerful generative models with industry-first privacy protections, Apple Intelligence harnesses the power of Apple silicon and the Neural Engine to unlock new ways for users to work, communicate, and express themselves on Mac. It is available in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. With systemwide Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write. With the newly redesigned Siri, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac and other Apple products. New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months. Image Playground gives users a new way to create fun original images, and Genmoji allows them to create custom emoji in seconds. Siri will become even more capable, with the ability to take actions across the system and draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. In December, ChatGPT will be integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, allowing users to access its expertise without needing to jump between tools.

    Apple Intelligence does all this while protecting users’ privacy at every step. At its core is on-device processing, and for more complex tasks, Private Cloud Compute gives users access to Apple’s even larger, server-based models and offers groundbreaking protections for personal information. In addition, users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.

    An Unrivaled Experience with macOS Sequoia

    macOS Sequoia completes the new MacBook Pro experience with a host of exciting features, including iPhone Mirroring, allowing users to wirelessly interact with their iPhone, its apps, and notifications directly from their Mac.4 Safari, the world’s fastest browser,5 now offers Highlights, which quickly pulls up relevant information from a site; a smarter, redesigned Reader with a table of contents and high-level summary; and a new Video Viewer to watch videos without distractions. With Distraction Control, users can hide items on a webpage that they may find disruptive to their browsing. Gaming gets even more immersive with features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode, along with a breadth of exciting titles, including the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Easier window tiling means users can stay organized with a windows layout that works best for them. The all-new Passwords app gives convenient access to passwords, passkeys, and other credentials, all stored in one place. And users can apply new beautiful built-in backgrounds for video calls, which include a variety of color gradients and system wallpapers, or upload their own photos.

    The Perfect Time to Upgrade or Switch to a Mac

    Upgraders will get monumental improvements over Intel-based MacBook Pro models, including the amazing features of Apple Intelligence. When compared to an Intel-based MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Pro provides nearly 10x faster performance for AI-based workloads,1 and for graphics-intensive workloads, users get up to 20x faster performance.6 With battery life on the new MacBook Pro now up to 24 hours, upgraders will also experience up to 14 additional hours. And with the Liquid Retina XDR display, a new 12MP Center Stage camera, an immersive six-speaker sound system, the unrivaled experience of macOS Sequoia, and more, there’s never been a better time to upgrade or switch to MacBook Pro.

    MacBook Air: The World’s Most Popular Laptop Now Starts at 16GB

    MacBook Air is the world’s most popular laptop, and with Apple Intelligence, it’s even better. Now, models with M2 and M3 double the starting memory to 16GB, while keeping the starting price at just $999 — a terrific value for the world’s best-selling laptop.

    Better for the Environment

    The new MacBook Pro is built to last and incredibly durable, created from a custom alloy that uses 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure. It also uses 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled tin soldering, gold plating, and copper in multiple printed circuit boards. The packaging for the 14-inch MacBook Pro is now entirely fiber-based, joining the 16-inch MacBook Pro and bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from its packaging by 2025.

    Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

    Pricing and Availability

    • Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Pro starting today, October 30, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, beginning Friday, November 8.
    • The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 starts at $1,599 (U.S.) and $1,499 (U.S.) for education; the 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro starts at $1,999 (U.S.) and $1,849 (U.S.) for education; and the 16‑inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499 (U.S.) and $2,299 (U.S.) for education. All models are available in space black and silver.
    • Additional technical specifications, including the nano-texture display and configure-to-order options, are available at apple.com/mac.
    • MacBook Air with M2 and M3 comes standard with 16GB of unified memory, and is available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray, starting at $999 (U.S.) and $899 (U.S.) for education.
    • New accessories with USB-C — including Magic Keyboard ($99 U.S.), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID ($149 U.S.), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad ($179 U.S.), Magic Trackpad ($129 U.S.), Magic Mouse ($79 U.S.), and Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable ($69) — are available at apple.com/store.
    • Apple Intelligence is available now as a free software update for Mac with M1 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English. The first set of features is in beta and available with macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come.
    • Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
    • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
    • AppleCare+ for Mac provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know Mac best.
    • Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Testing was conducted by Apple from August through October 2024. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/macbook-pro for more information.
    2. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
    3. Based on published technical specifications of shipping competitive chips as of October 2024.
    4. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. Requires that the user’s iPhone and Mac are signed in with the same Apple Account using two-factor authentication, their iPhone and Mac are near each other and have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and their Mac is not using AirPlay or Sidecar. Some iPhone features (e.g., camera and microphone) are not compatible with iPhone Mirroring.
    5. Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari for more information.
    6. Results are compared to previous-generation 1.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.

    Press Contacts

    Michelle Del Rio

    Apple

    mr_delrio@apple.com

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Six poems that tell stories about monsters and monstrosity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jon Stone, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, Anglia Ruskin University

    Master1305/Shutterstock

    Poetry isn’t a medium typically associated with towering beasts. Lyric poems tend to be short, tender and concerned with minor everyday incidents. That, or abstract concepts like love and death. Poems also tend to be thought of, wrongly or not, as true accounts – the inverse of creature feature films with preposterous special effects.

    But poets, like everyone else, live in a world of disastrous events bigger than themselves. And the monster – particularly the giant monster – is an archetype that goes right back to ancient myth.

    Talos, the bronze guardian of Crete, and Humbaba, the ogre of the Epic of Gilgamesh, are just two dangerous titans of literary history. It’s tempting to think that today we know enough about our surroundings to no longer be awed by the possibility of giants. But the truth is that there is still much that makes us feel small and vulnerable. Writing about huge monsters is one way of confronting that.

    Two different anthologies of monster poetry are published this month in the UK. Ten Poets Defend Their Cities from Giant, Strange Beasts is edited by myself and Kirsten Irving and published by Sidekick Books. In it, poets envisage the outcomes of giant monster attacks on London, Cambridge, Glasgow and Liverpool, among other cities. These confrontations are frequently surreal, or representations of other kinds of epic battle.

    Alex Adams and Aaron Kent’s Devastation Songs, meanwhile, is a compilation of writing about kaiju, the Japanese term for gargantuan fantasy creatures. In the foreword, Adams writes about how the monster movie is often used as a vehicle for “powerfully resonant social and political ideas”, pointing to recent Oscar winner Godzilla Minus One (2024) as an example.

    Here are six more poems that deal in different ways with giant monsters:

    1. Beowulf

    Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem about the defeat of Grendel – a creature whose exact form is still debated. Depending on which translation you read, Grendel is either a “grim demon”, a berserker, a “miscreated thing in man’s form”, or a “horrible stranger”.

    Two things are certain, though: he is very large, and he is a violent murderer who must be destroyed.



    Read more:
    Publishing Tolkien’s Beowulf translation does him a disservice

    2. La Géante (The Giantess) by Charles Baudelaire

    This poem is from Baudelaire’s collection Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil, 1840-1867), which was dubbed “an insult to public decency” on publication.

    The Giantess reflects some of the book’s controversial themes, revelling in erotic fascination. Far from opposing the giantess, the poem’s narrator wants to see her “grow without restraint”, imagining an expedition across her vast body. Here, Baudelaire proposes monstrosity as a realm of wonder and temptation.

    The Jabberwock, as illustrated by John Tenniel, (1871).
    Wiki Commons

    3. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

    One of Carroll’s (1832-1989) most famous poems, Jabberwocky is teeming with nonsense words (manxome, whiffling, burbled). This strange language keeps the titular Jabberwock obscured even as its fiery approach and defeat is recounted.

    It makes for a faithful representation of monstrosity as a quality: we can perceive it, dream up words for it, even kill it, but we can never fully understand it.

    4. The Man-Moth by Elizabeth Bishop

    The epigraph to The Man-Moth explains that it was inspired by a misspelling of the word “mammoth”. Bishop’s man-moth isn’t necessarily a giant, but several lines allude to his having a giant’s perspective (“The whole shadow of Man is only as big as his hat”, “He thinks the moon is a small hole at the top of the sky”).

    He is a sad, lonely creature who sheds a tear at the end of the poem. Bishop often wrote about the darkness in the human psyche, and her take on the subway-dwelling city beast is an allegory for urban alienation.

    5. The Loch Ness Monster’s Song by Edwin Morgan

    Scottish poet Edwin Morgan (1920-2010) specialised in linguistic play. The Loch Ness Monster’s Song is almost unintelligible – a brief burst of transcribed watery noises. But it could easily be a poem written in another language.

    It challenges us to recognise that what we call “monstrous” might just be unfamiliar – not a threat, but an opportunity for connection.

    6. Dragons by Matthew Francis

    Every line of this poem, from Francis’ 2001 collection of the same title, ends in the word “dragons”. But the narrative is one of failing to find a single dragon.

    This contrast is used to illustrate how monsters and creatures of myth loom large in our minds primarily as the result of our imaginations. In other words, we invent them to fill the gaps in reality. We need them, because without them there are too many clues pointing nowhere.

    The poem isn’t available to read online, but you can read my own pastiche of it (framed as a “DVD extra”).


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Jon Stone is an editor at Sidekick Books.

    – ref. Six poems that tell stories about monsters and monstrosity – https://theconversation.com/six-poems-that-tell-stories-about-monsters-and-monstrosity-239335

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Three judges announced for The Conversation Prize for writers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jo Adetunji, Executive Editor – Partnerships

    L-R: Miriam Frankel, Priya Atwal, Alice Hunt. CC BY

    The Conversation UK, Curtis Brown and Faber are pleased to announce our three judges for The Conversation Prize for writers: Miriam Frankel, senior science editor at The Conversation UK, Priya Atwal, historian, broadcaster and community history fellow at the University of Oxford, and Alice Hunt, professor of early modern literature and history at the University of Southampton.

    Our competition is looking for the best longform article and nonfiction book idea aimed at a general audience from our community of academics. For your chance to win £1,000, publication on The Conversation Insights and mentorship from a literary agent and book publisher then enter your 2,000-word story and book idea.

    About our judges

    Miriam Frankel.

    Miriam Frankel is senior science editor at The Conversation UK. She is co-author of Are You Thinking Clearly? 29 Reasons You Aren’t and What To Do About It, a book investigating the many factors that influence and manipulate the way we think, from genetics, biology, bias and personality to time perception, culture, language, advertising and technology. Miriam also writes on a freelance basis for a number of publications including New Scientist, The Observer, BBC Future and BBC Science Focus magazine.

    Priya Atwal is a historian of monarchy, empire and cultural politics in Britain and South Asia. Her first book, Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire, was published in 2020 and was one of BBC History Magazine’s Best Books of the Year. Priya is an active champion for public history and community empowerment in historical research. She is currently building a new Community History Hub at the University of Oxford, and regularly consults on a wide range of creative historical projects, from working on Netflix’s Bridgerton, to supporting the development of inclusive history curricula for UK state schools.

    Alice Hunt.

    Alice Hunt is professor of early modern literature and history at the University of Southampton. She was awarded a Leverhulme Trust fellowship to research her first trade book, Republic: Britain’s Revolutionary Decade, 1649-1660, which was published by Faber in 2024. Alice is also the author of The Drama of Coronation and has previously written about the Tudors and James I.

    How to Enter

    Submissions are open to academics employed or affiliated to a university or approved research institution (IRO) in the UK, Europe or Commonwealth, including PhD candidates under supervision by an academic. Submissions should be in the following areas: History, Arts + Culture, Business + Economy, Education, Environment, Health, Politics + Society, Science + Technology or World.

    To enter, please email your 2,000-word article, plus the following information, to uk-prize@theconversation.com:

    Name

    Institution

    Country

    Email

    Telephone no.

    Your book idea [max 350 words]
    Please provide a brief summary of a trade nonfiction book idea based on your article. Tell us why this topic deserves a deeper dive and why it would appeal to an audience of non-academic readers.

    About you [max 100 words]
    Tell us a little about you – your current academic role or affiliation, your area of expertise and any relevant research to your book idea. Why would you be the right author for this book?

    Please disclose any conflicts of interest that should be mentioned in relation to your article or book idea.

    Terms & Conditions [Pdf] – please read carefully.

    You can read more about what we’re looking for here [Pdf].

    – ref. Three judges announced for The Conversation Prize for writers – https://theconversation.com/three-judges-announced-for-the-conversation-prize-for-writers-242505

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Deep sea rocks suggest oxygen can be made without photosynthesis, deepening the mystery of life

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lewis Alcott, Lecturer in Geochemistry, University of Bristol

    chaylek/Shutterstock

    Oxygen, the molecule that supports intelligent life as we know it, is largely made by plants. Whether underwater or on land, they do this by photosynthesising carbon dioxide. However, a recent study demonstrates that oxygen may be produced without the need for life at depths where light cannot reach.

    The authors of a recent publication in Nature Geoscience were collecting samples from deep ocean sediments to determine the rate of oxygen consumption at the seafloor through things like organisms or sediments that can react with oxygen. But in several of their experiments, they actually found oxygen was increasing as opposed to decreasing as they would have expected. This left them questioning how this oxygen was being produced.

    They found that this “dark” oxygen production at the seafloor seems to only happen in the presence of mineral concentrates called polymetallic nodules and deposits of metals called metalliferous sediments. The authors think the nodules have the right mixture of metals and are densely packed enough for an electrical current to pass through for electrolysis, creating enough energy to separate the hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) from water (H₂O).

    The authors also suggested that the amount of oxygen created may fluctuate depending on the number and mixture of nodules on the ocean floor.

    This research team was trying to understand the implications of mining metals from the deep-sea floor such as lithium, cobalt or copper, funded by an extractions company in an effort to ensure deep sea mining leads to a net benefit to humanity and the Earth system. Lithium and cobalt are used, for example, to make rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles. Copper is vital for electrical wiring in devices like TVs and radios and for roofing and plumbing.

    The investigation was focused on the Clarion-Clipperton zone of the Pacific Ocean, a vast plain between Hawaii and Mexico where millions of tons of these metals have been found. However, scientists believe mining on this scale is potentially unpredictable and can destroy habitats vital to ocean ecosystems. Deep-sea mining can also introduce harmful sediment plumes to fragile ecosystems leading to a growing number of countries calling for a moratorium.

    Dark oxygen for life

    The implications for this finding may also play a role in life elsewhere.

    Oxygen is essential to complex life as we know it. Complex life has evolved and expanded alongside photosynthesisers, which actually produce oxygen as a waste product. Yet this oxygen allows organisms’ metabolisms to be much more efficient than without it.

    Without photosynthetic bacteria, the reliance that Earth’s life has on oxygen may well have never happened, in addition to the evolutionary pathway to biodiversity as we know it. But this study shows that rich-nodules on the seafloor may have provided an additional source of oxygen to the biosphere – the zone of life on Earth encompassing all living organisms.

    We can’t understand how these nodules may have affected evolution until we understand more about how they formed deeper in time. At the moment, all we really know it that we these nodules would have needed oxygen themselves to form.

    Studies like this show how much the origin of life on Earth is still a mystery.

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

    – ref. Deep sea rocks suggest oxygen can be made without photosynthesis, deepening the mystery of life – https://theconversation.com/deep-sea-rocks-suggest-oxygen-can-be-made-without-photosynthesis-deepening-the-mystery-of-life-238937

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Voting opens in the Scots Trad Music Awards 2024 as nominated talent unveiled

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    An inspiring 116-strong group of shortlisted talent performing and working across Scotland’s vibrant traditional music scene have today been unveiled as nominees for the 22nd MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

    Musicians, bands, organisations, teachers, venues, events and individuals involved in the creation and development of Scottish’s homegrown music are shortlisted across 22 categories.

    The public has until Sunday 10th November to vote for their favourites at www.scotstradmusicawards.com. The winners will be announced at a star-studded award ceremony at Inverness Leisure on Saturday 30th November when the event returns to the Highland capital for the first time in 10 years.

    The single most important awards ceremony for folk and trad musicians, bands and artists, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are organised by Hands Up For Trad – an organisation which stands at the forefront of Scotland’s cultural landscape, promoting traditional music and culture through their talent development, education and advocacy work.

    The gold standard for industry achievement, the awards night will fittingly be held on St. Andrew’s Day and seeks to celebrate stand-out talent from all corners of the country working across a range of genres and styles to create and promote Scotland’s trad music scene over the last 12 months.

    The nominees are:

    Album of the Year, sponsored by Birnam CD

    • Headstrong by HEISK
    • Just a Second by Ryan Young
    • The Waiting Room by Eamonn Nugent
    • A Breaking Sky by Charlie Grey & Joseph Peach
    • The Outset by Project Smok
    • Vent by Laura Jane Wilkie
    • Halocline by Malin Lewis
    • The Magic Roundabout by Session A9
    • ReLoved by Capercaillie
    • The Homeroad by Ross Couper Band

    Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland

    • Beth Malcolm
    • Siobhan Miller
    • Josie Duncan
    • Seàn Gray

    Club of the Year

    • Glee Club at Celtic Connections
    • Ayr Phoenix Folk Club
    • Ardersier International Folk Club
    • The World’s Room

    Community Project of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland

    • Scottish Polish Song Society – Aberdeen University
    • People’s Parish
    • Fèis air an Oir
    • Falkirk Fiddle Workshop

    Composer of the Year, sponsored by PRS for Music

    • James Ross
    • Gillian Fleetwood
    • Alec Dalgeish
    • Mairead Green and Mike Vass (A.D.A.M)
    • Jack Badcock
    • Ali Hutton & Laura Beth (From the Ground)

    Event of the Year, sponsored by VisitScotland

    • Carrying Stream Festival
    • Skipinnish at Edinburgh Castle
    • Cuirm Nam Bonn òir le Ruairidh Gray
    • Jura Music Festival
    • Ceòl Cholasa
    • Fèis na Mara

    Gaelic Singer of the Year, sponsored by Highland Society of London

    • Ainslie Hamill
    • Ceitlin Lilidh
    • Emma MacLeod
    • Kathleen MacInnes
    • Katie Macfarlane

    Live Act of the Year

    • Kinnaris Quarter
    • An Dannsa Dub
    • Mec Lir
    • Niteworks
    • Ross Ainslie and Tim Edey
    • RuMac

    Music Tutor of the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative

    • Margaret Houlihan
    • Douglas Montgomery
    • Carly Blain
    • Daniel Thorpe

    Musician of the Year, sponsored by University of the Highlands and Islands

    • Ciorstaidh Beaton
    • Anna Massie
    • Tom Callister
    • Adam Holmes
    • Alasdair Iain Paterson
    • Patsy Reid

    Original Work of the Year, sponsored Musicians’ Union

    • Ar Cànan ‘s ar Ceòl by Trail West
    • Centennial March (Glen Burnie Lodge) by Louise Bichan
    • Alice Allen’s New Voices ‘Bass Culture’
    • The Dedication Jigs by Ross Miller
    • Tom Campbell Trio EP

    Scottish Dance Band of the Year, sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs

    • Graeme MacKay
    • Jackie Raeburn
    • Calum Nicolson
    • Michael Philip

    Scottish Folk Band of the Year, sponsored by Threads of Sound

    • Cala
    • Fras
    • Haltadans
    • The Paul McKenna Band
    • RANT
    • DLÙ

    Scottish Pipe Band of the Year, sponsored by National Piping Centre

    • Skye Youth Pipe Band
    • Dunoon Grammar Pipe Band
    • George Watson’s Pipe Band
    • Dornoch Pipe Band

    Trad Music in the Media, sponsored by Glasgow Caledonian University

    • Friday Night Trad – Radio Skye with Robert MacInnes
    • Karine Polwart’s Monthly Newsletter
    • Piping Sounds with Michael Steele and Ewen Henderson
    • Kim Carnie Out Loud
    • Jared Rowan (Social Media)

    Up and Coming Artist of the Year, sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

    • Tarran
    • Amy Laurenson
    • Falasgair
    • Teud
    • Gillie O’Flaherty
    • Lauren Collier Band

    Venue of the Year

    • Catstrand Arts
    • Eden Court
    • Kings Place, London
    • The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
    • Croy Live

    A number of special prizes will also be awarded on the night, selected by a panel of esteemed industry judges, for services to traditional music and culture.

    Legendary Skye band Niteworks will receive the Services to Gaelic Award, sponsored by Bòrd na Gàidhlig; beloved musician Christine Martin will be presented with The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award, while celebrated poet Rab Wilson will receive The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

    This year’s event also welcomes the introduction of a new award, The Gaisgeach na Gàidhealtachd, which means Hero of the Highlands. This award will recognise a notable local organisation or figure who has made an invaluable contribution to Highland cultural life and the winner will be named on the night.

    A number of stalwarts of the scene who have dedicated their lives to the development of music in Scotland are each year added to the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, sponsored by Fèisean nan Gàidheal and will be honoured in a special reception on the night.

    A raft of industry awards will also recognise individuals and organisations which support the creative pipeline of the sector. Those finalists are:

    Industry Person of the Year

    • Michael Pellegrotti
    • Roddy MacKay
    • Gary Innes
    • Laura Harrington
    • Rosie Munro

    Production Company of the Year

    • Pro Sound
    • FE Audio
    • Adlib
    • SM Lighting

    Recording Studio of the Year

    • B&B Studios
    • Castlesound
    • Assumption Studios
    • Black Bay Studios

    Sound Engineer of the Year

    • Alain ‘Dinner’ MacKinnon
    • Carla Feuerstein
    • Ross Cathcart

    Stage Technician of the Year

    • John McFarlane
    • Chris Adam
    • Ronnie Phipps
    • Gary Ebdy

    As well as all category sponsors and the event’s headline sponsor, this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, the ceremony’s return to the Highlands is made possible with funding and support from Creative Scotland, Inverness Common Good Fund, Highland Council via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Scottish Government.

    Scots Trad Music Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: “Scotland’s traditional music scene is bursting at the seams with exceptional talent and it’s incredibly important we take time to recognise the achievements and progress over the last year. From some of the most exciting young new bands, to legends of the industry we will be tipping our hats to the best of the best in Inverness this November. Voting is now open and it’s over to the public to decide who they would like to see honoured on the night. We’re proud that this event has become synonymous with excellence in Scottish music and incredibly grateful to all those who make its staging possible.”

    Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: ““Congratulations to all the nominees. Now public voting is open, it’s a fantastic chance for people to celebrate and honour all their favourite artists, recordings, organisations, projects and contributors to this vibrant sector. The list of nominees reflects the vast array of talent across the genre and all the people who contribute towards sustaining traditions and creating innovative work.”

    Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA, said: “Now in its 22nd year, it’s incredible to see how the event continues to flourish, showcasing the very best of Scots Trad music. This year’s nominations of the MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards once again highlight the remarkable talent within the scene, reflecting the vibrancy and depth of Scotland’s musical heritage. We’re thrilled to bring the awards to the fantastic Inverness Leisure Centre on St. Andrew’s Day, and MG ALBA is proud to support the event and broadcast the celebration live on BBC ALBA, ensuring audiences across the country can join the party.”

    An outstanding lineup of talent is set to take to the stage over the course of the evening, including the Hebridean-born and Highland-based singer and musician Julie Fowlis, whose award-winning talent is recognised the world over; Skipinnish who round off their 25th anniversary year in a fitting fashion’ BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2024 Calum McIlroy; party-starters An Dannsa Dub; the inimitable duo of Laura Wilkie and Ian Carr; Aberdeenshire folk star Ellie Beaton; and young local talent in the form of Highland Young Musicians and Arc Fiddlers.

    The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards will take place at Inverness Leisure Centre on St. Andrew’s Day, Saturday 30th November 2024. The awards will be broadcast on BBC ALBA from 9pm.

    Voting opens today and closes on Sunday 10th November. Votes can be cast at www.scotstradmusicawards.com. Tickets for the event are on sale now at https://tickets.highlifehighland.com/events/highlifehighland/1374627.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hurry Up! A golden opportunity for emerging Visual Effects (VFX) artists across India

    Source: Government of India

    Hurry Up! A golden opportunity for emerging Visual Effects (VFX) artists across India

    WAFX WAVES VFX challenge launched by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and ABAI to foster local talent and support ‘Create in India’ initiative

    Registration opens for young artists ready to explore opportunities in India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics sector

    The top finalists will compete in the grand finale at the WAVES Summit in Delhi, scheduled for 5th – 9th February 2025

    Posted On: 29 OCT 2024 8:35PM by PIB Delhi

    If you’re creative, know how to tell a story, and have the capability to bring the theme “Daily Life Superhero” to life through a 30-second Visual effects (VFX) clip, and then you have a great opportunity to win prizes and goodies worth up to INR 5 lakhs, as well as exclusive studio internships. Not only win prizes but an opportunity to make a career as your work will be trained & your work will be showcased before professionals in a global level world audio visual entertainment Summit in February. To promote VFX ecosystem in India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in collaboration with ABAI- India’s leading AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) has launched the WAFX WAVES VFX Challenge as part of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit 2025 (WAVES). This initiative is part of the ‘Create in India’ challenge, aimed at nurturing local talent and promoting India as a one-stop destination for content creation, Align with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for creative growth.

    Join the Movement: Register Today

    Emerging Visual effects (VFX) artists across India may join the WAFX Waves VFX Challenge and gain recognition in the rapidly growing VFX industry. Registration is open now, with more details available at www.wafx.abai.avgc.in This competition is not only an opportunity for a showcase of skillsets, but also a stepping stone to professional growth, offering a chance to join a robust network of India’s top VFX studios and mentors. For further details, please contact wafx@abai.avgc.in, generalsecretary@abai.avgc.in ,www.wafx.abai.avgc.in

    Competition Structure and Prizes: WAFX will consist of 3 phases

    The first stage will feature an online qualifier round where we expect 2000+ entries out of which a ‘Pre-Selection’ Jury will shortlist 10 students and 10 professional contestants to move to the second phase and compete at the Zonal -level in-person competitions. Thereafter, the Zonal Winners will advance to the Grand Finale which will be held in a 24-Hour VFX Marathon format in front of a Grand Jury that is constituted of National Award-winning famed VFX Supervisors.

    Participants at WAFX will bring the theme “Daily Life Superhero” to life through a 30-second VFX clip and submit their work online in qualifying round, competing for prizes and goodies worth up to INR 5 lakhs, as well as exclusive studio internships. The Online Qualifiers winners will progress to the Zonal Finals scheduled in Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, where they will showcase their work before a panel of esteemed industry experts. The top finalists will compete in the grand finale at the WAVES Summit in Delhi, scheduled for 5th – 9th February 2025.

    WAFX challenge empowers aspiring VFX artists and boosts India’s global standing

    With India’s film and media industry witnessing unprecedented growth in Visual Effects, this national competition aims to prepare a generation of VFX professionals to meet industry demands and advance India’s competitiveness and prowess on the global stage. ABAI – the Karnataka-based trade association for the AVGC-XR industry has launched the national initiative of ‘WAFX Challenge,’ with a call to action to all budding Visual Effects artists to create stunning VFX masterpieces.

    WAFX Waves VFX Challenge: Unleashing young talent for a thriving future

    Indian cinema, recognized globally for its creativity and storytelling, now competes with international counterparts at global standards, owing much of its evolution to our VFX abilities. Despite this growth, the sector faces a shortage of skilled professionals to meet rising demands, making skill development and employment in VFX crucial for sustainable industry growth. The WAFX Waves VFX Challenge- ABAI’s flagship contest, has been curated to find & nurture young talent to prepare them for exciting opportunities in the AVGC sector.

    WAFX challenge and WAVES summit to propel India’s Creative Industry with New Skills

    Shri Biren Ghose, President- ABAI and Managing Director- Asia Pacific, Technicolor Group, spoke on the importance of WAFX and WAVES as game-changers for the business. “The creative sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with technological advancements and increasingly cutting-edge immersive content augmenting consumer experiences,” he said. “As we enter this new economy, imagery and storytelling are moving beyond TV and film into museums, airports, and across public spaces. This will foster innovation and to encourage new skills talent and diverse employment opportunities to create in and from India. The WAFX challenge is curated specifically to mobilize thousands of Indians in every nook and corner of the country to underscore every facet of AVGC-XR and help spotlight excellence at WAVES on a global stage for the finals.”

    *****

     

    Dharmendra Tewari/kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2069381) Visitor Counter : 73

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Expand Energy Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results, Provides Preliminary 2025 Capital and Operating Plan and Announces Enhanced Capital Return Framework

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) (“Expand Energy” or the “company”) today reported third quarter 2024 financial and operating results. In addition, the company provided its preliminary 2025 capital and operating plan and announced details regarding its enhanced capital return framework. On October 1, 2024, Expand Energy announced the completion of the previously disclosed merger between Chesapeake Energy Corporation (“Chesapeake”) and Southwestern Energy Company (“Southwestern”).

    Legacy Chesapeake Third Quarter Highlights

    • Net cash provided by operating activities of $422 million
    • Net loss of $114 million, or $0.85 per fully diluted share; adjusted net income(1)of $22 million, or $0.16 per share
    • Adjusted EBITDAX(1)of $365 million
    • Produced approximately 2.65 bcf/d net (100% natural gas)

    Expand Energy Highlights

    • Raised annual synergy target by $100 million; expected to achieve approximately $225 million in 2025 and approximately $500 million in annual synergies by year end 2027
    • Upgraded at the start of fourth quarter to Investment Grade credit rating from S&P (BBB-) and Fitch (BBB-)
    • Quarterly base dividend of $0.575 per common share to be paid in December 2024, 15th straight quarter paying a dividend
    • 2025 capital expenditures expected to be approximately $2.7 billion, yielding net production of approximately 7 bcf/day (~91% natural gas)
    • Enhanced capital return framework to more effectively return cash to shareholders and reduce net debt; announced new $1 billion share repurchase authorization

    (1) Definitions of non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this news release.

    “Our strong third quarter results, recent Investment Grade rating and preliminary 2025 outlook demonstrate the power of our advantaged portfolio and resilient financial foundation,” said Nick Dell’Osso, Expand Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our integration efforts are already delivering, allowing us to raise our annual synergy expectations by 25% to $500 million, as we drive to lower our breakeven costs and more efficiently reach markets in need. As the largest domestic producer of natural gas, and a top producer globally, we are built to answer the call for affordable, reliable, lower carbon energy and expand opportunity for all stakeholders.”
    Operations Update

    In the third quarter, legacy Chesapeake operated an average of seven rigs to drill 30 wells and turned seven wells in line, resulting in net production of approximately 2.65 bcfe per day (100% natural gas). Additionally, the company built an inventory of 18 drilled but uncompleted (“DUCs”) wells and 12 deferred turn in lines (“TILs”). A detailed breakdown of third quarter production, capital expenditures and activity can be found in supplemental slides which have been posted at https://investors.expandenergy.com/events-presentations.

    Expand Energy continues to execute its previously disclosed plan to defer completions and new TILs. As of October 1, 2024, the combined company had 58 DUCs, excluding working inventory, and 58 deferred TILs. The company intends to prudently activate production as market conditions warrant.

    Expand Energy is currently running 12 rigs (8 in Haynesville, 2 in Northeast Appalachia, and 2 in Southwest Appalachia) and 6 completion crews (3 in Haynesville, 2 in Northeast Appalachia, and 1 in Southwest Appalachia). At current market conditions, the company expects to drop two rigs in the first quarter of 2025.

    Annual Synergy Outlook and Preliminary 2025 Capital & Operating Program

    Expand Energy increased its expected annual synergy outlook by $100 million to $500 million. The company expects to achieve approximately $225 million in synergies in 2025 and to achieve the full $500 million in annual synergies by year end 2027.

    In 2025, at current market conditions, the company expects to run 10 to 12 rigs and invest approximately $2.7 billion yielding an estimated daily production of approximately 7 bcfe per day. Expand Energy will provide complete guidance in early 2025.

    Shareholder Returns Update

    Expand Energy plans to pay its quarterly base dividend of $0.575 per share on December 4, 2024 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 14, 2024.

    The company announced today its enhanced capital return framework which is designed to more effectively return cash to shareholders and reduce net debt. The plan is expected to go into effect January 1, 2025, and prioritizes the base dividend of $2.30 per share and $500 million of annual net debt reduction. Once both have been funded, it is anticipated that 75% of remaining free cash flow be distributed as market conditions warrant, between share repurchases and additional dividend payments. The remaining free cash flow would be maintained on the balance sheet.

    In conjunction with the enhanced framework, Expand Energy’s Board of Directors approved a $1 billion repurchase authorization.

    Conference Call Information

    A conference call to discuss the results and preliminary 2025 plan has been scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT on October 30, 2024. Participants can view the live webcast here. Participants who would like to ask a question, can register here, and will receive the dial-in info and a unique PIN to join the call. Links to the conference call will be provided on Expand Energy’s website. A replay will be available on the website following the call.

    Financial Statements, Non-GAAP Financial Measures and 2024 Guidance and Outlook Projections

    Reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure used in this news release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure are provided below. Additional detail on the company’s 2024 third quarter financial and operational results, along with non-GAAP measures that adjust for items typically excluded by certain securities analysts, are available on the company’s website. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP measures. Management’s updated guidance for 2024 and preliminary plan for 2025 can be found on the company’s website at www.expandenergy.com.

    Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) is the largest independent natural gas producer in the United States, powered by dedicated and innovative employees focused on disrupting the industry’s traditional cost and market delivery model to responsibly develop assets in the nation’s most prolific natural gas basins. Expand Energy’s returns-driven strategy strives to create sustainable value for its stakeholders by leveraging its scale, financial strength and operational execution. Expand Energy is committed to expanding America’s energy reach to fuel a more affordable, reliable, lower carbon future.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include our current expectations or forecasts of future events, including matters relating to the combined company after the merger with Southwestern Energy Company (“Southwestern”), armed conflict and instability in Europe and the Middle East, along with the effects of the current global economic environment, and the impact of each on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, actions by, or disputes among or between, members of OPEC+ and other foreign oil-exporting countries, market factors, market prices, our ability to meet debt service requirements, our ability to continue to pay cash dividends, the amount and timing of any cash dividends and our ESG initiatives. Forward-looking and other statements in this release regarding our environmental, social and other sustainability plans and goals are not an indication that these statements are necessarily material to investors or required to be disclosed in our filings with the SEC. In addition, historical, current, and forward-looking environmental, social and sustainability-related statements may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. Forward-looking statements often address our expected future business, financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “could,” “may,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “ability,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “target,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “opportunity” or “strategy.” The absence of such words or expressions does not necessarily mean the statements are not forward-looking.

    Although we believe the expectations and forecasts reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. No assurance can be given that such forward-looking statements will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate or will not change over time. Particular uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements include:

    • conservation measures and technological advances could reduce demand for natural gas and oil;
    • negative public perceptions of our industry;
    • competition in the natural gas and oil exploration and production industry;
    • the volatility of natural gas, oil and NGL prices, which are affected by general economic and business conditions, as well as increased demand for (and availability of) alternative fuels and electric vehicles;
    • risks from regional epidemics or pandemics and related economic turmoil, including supply chain constraints;
    • write-downs of our natural gas and oil asset carrying values due to low commodity prices;
    • significant capital expenditures are required to replace our reserves and conduct our business;
    • our ability to replace reserves and sustain production;
    • uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of natural gas, oil and NGL reserves and projecting future rates of production and the amount and timing of development expenditures;
    • drilling and operating risks and resulting liabilities;
    • our ability to generate profits or achieve targeted results in drilling and well operations;
    • leasehold terms expiring before production can be established;
    • risks from our commodity price risk management activities;
    • uncertainties, risks and costs associated with natural gas and oil operations;
    • our need to secure adequate supplies of water for our drilling operations and to dispose of or recycle the water used;
    • pipeline and gathering system capacity constraints and transportation interruptions;
    • our plans to participate in the LNG export industry;
    • terrorist activities and/or cyber-attacks adversely impacting our operations;
    • risks from failure to protect personal information and data and compliance with data privacy and security laws and regulations;
    • disruption of our business by natural or human causes beyond our control;
    • a deterioration in general economic, business or industry conditions;
    • the impact of inflation and commodity price volatility, including as a result of armed conflict and instability in Europe and the Middle East, along with the effects of the current global economic environment, on our business, financial condition, employees, contractors, vendors and the global demand for natural gas and oil and on U.S. and global financial markets;
    • our inability to access the capital markets on favorable terms;
    • the limitations on our financial flexibility due to our level of indebtedness and restrictive covenants from our indebtedness;
    • our actual financial results after emergence from bankruptcy may not be comparable to our historical financial information;
    • risks related to acquisitions or dispositions, or potential acquisitions or dispositions, including risks related to the merger with Southwestern, such as risks related to loss of management personnel, other key employees, customers, suppliers, vendors, landlords, joint venture partners and other business partners following the merger; risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to integration; the risk of any litigation relating to the transaction; the risk that problems may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of the companies, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected; and the risk that the combined company may be unable to achieve synergies or other anticipated benefits of the transaction or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies or benefits;
    • our ability to achieve and maintain ESG certifications, goals and commitments;
    • legislative, regulatory and ESG initiatives, addressing environmental concerns, including initiatives addressing the impact of global climate change or further regulating hydraulic fracturing, methane emissions, flaring or water disposal;
    • federal and state tax proposals affecting our industry;
    • risks related to an annual limitation on the utilization of our tax attributes, as well as trading in our common stock, additional issuance of common stock, and certain other stock transactions, which could lead to an additional, potentially more restrictive, annual limitation; and
    • other factors that are described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

    We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release, which speak only as of the filing date, and we undertake no obligation to update this information. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures in this release and our filings with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)
     
    ($ in millions, except per share data) September 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Assets      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,044     $ 1,079  
    Restricted cash   76       74  
    Accounts receivable, net   261       593  
    Derivative assets   199       637  
    Other current assets   217       226  
    Total current assets   1,797       2,609  
    Property and equipment:      
    Natural gas and oil properties, successful efforts method      
    Proved natural gas and oil properties   12,373       11,468  
    Unproved properties   1,806       1,806  
    Other property and equipment   518       497  
    Total property and equipment   14,697       13,771  
    Less: accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization   (4,743 )     (3,674 )
    Total property and equipment, net   9,954       10,097  
    Long-term derivative assets   15       74  
    Deferred income tax assets   1,038       933  
    Other long-term assets   588       663  
    Total assets $ 13,392     $ 14,376  
           
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable $ 264     $ 425  
    Accrued interest   41       39  
    Derivative liabilities   5       3  
    Other current liabilities   589       847  
    Total current liabilities   899       1,314  
    Long-term debt, net   2,017       2,028  
    Long-term derivative liabilities   —       9  
    Asset retirement obligations, net of current portion   271       265  
    Other long-term liabilities   17       31  
    Total liabilities   3,204       3,647  
    Contingencies and commitments      
    Stockholders’ equity:      
    Common stock, $0.01 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized: 135,107,576 and 130,789,936 shares issued   1       1  
    Additional paid-in capital   5,778       5,754  
    Retained earnings   4,409       4,974  
    Total stockholders’ equity   10,188       10,729  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 13,392     $ 14,376  
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    ($ in millions, except per share data)              
    Revenues and other:              
    Natural gas, oil and NGL $ 407     $ 682     $ 1,374     $ 2,784  
    Marketing   193       724       641       1,987  
    Natural gas and oil derivatives   46       106       207       1,195  
    Gains on sales of assets   2       —       12       807  
    Total revenues and other   648       1,512       2,234       6,773  
    Operating expenses:              
    Production   50       73       158       293  
    Gathering, processing and transportation   152       192       479       663  
    Severance and ad valorem taxes   11       27       58       136  
    Exploration   2       4       7       19  
    Marketing   192       723       656       1,985  
    General and administrative   39       29       133       95  
    Separation and other termination costs   —       —       23       3  
    Depreciation, depletion and amortization   335       382       1,082       1,148  
    Other operating expense, net   22       3       55       15  
    Total operating expenses   803       1,433       2,651       4,357  
    Income (loss) from operations   (155 )     79       (417 )     2,416  
    Other income (expense):              
    Interest expense   (20 )     (23 )     (59 )     (82 )
    Losses on purchases, exchanges or extinguishments of debt   —       —       (2 )     —  
    Other income   17       15       58       48  
    Total other income (expense)   (3 )     (8 )     (3 )     (34 )
    Income (loss) before income taxes   (158 )     71       (420 )     2,382  
    Income tax expense (benefit)   (44 )     1       (105 )     532  
    Net income (loss) $ (114 )   $ 70     $ (315 )   $ 1,850  
    Earnings (loss) per common share:              
    Basic $ (0.85 )   $ 0.53     $ (2.39 )   $ 13.86  
    Diluted $ (0.85 )   $ 0.49     $ (2.39 )   $ 12.90  
    Weighted average common shares outstanding (in thousands):              
    Basic   133,794       132,153       131,958       133,460  
    Diluted   133,794       142,348       131,958       143,463  
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
    ($ in millions)   2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:              
    Net income (loss) $ (114 )   $ 70     $ (315 )   $ 1,850  
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:              
    Depreciation, depletion and amortization   335       382       1,082       1,148  
    Deferred income tax expense (benefit)   (44 )     (80 )     (105 )     319  
    Derivative gains, net   (46 )     (106 )     (207 )     (1,195 )
    Cash receipts on derivative settlements, net   207       216       695       167  
    Share-based compensation   10       9       29       25  
    Gains on sales of assets   (2 )     —       (12 )     (807 )
    Losses on purchases, exchanges or extinguishments of debt   —       —       2       —  
    Other   (9 )     6       (16 )     35  
    Changes in assets and liabilities   85       9       30       368  
    Net cash provided by operating activities   422       506       1,183       1,910  
    Cash flows from investing activities:              
    Capital expenditures   (298 )     (423 )     (1,021 )     (1,450 )
    Receipts of deferred consideration   —       —       116       —  
    Contributions to investments   (26 )     (61 )     (71 )     (149 )
    Proceeds from divestitures of property and equipment   5       4       17       1,967  
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   (319 )     (480 )     (959 )     368  
    Cash flows from financing activities:              
    Proceeds from Credit Facility   —       —       —       1,125  
    Payments on Credit Facility   —       —       —       (2,175 )
    Funds held for transition services   —       (6 )     —       91  
    Proceeds from warrant exercise   —       —       1       —  
    Debt issuance and other financing costs   —       —       (4 )     —  
    Cash paid to repurchase and retire common stock   —       (132 )     —       (313 )
    Cash paid for common stock dividends   (78 )     (77 )     (254 )     (412 )
    Net cash used in financing activities   (78 )     (215 )     (257 )     (1,684 )
    Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   25       (189 )     (33 )     594  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period   1,095       975       1,153       192  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 1,120     $ 786     $ 1,120     $ 786  
                   
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,044     $ 713     $ 1,044     $ 713  
    Restricted cash   76       73       76       73  
    Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 1,120     $ 786     $ 1,120     $ 786  
    NATURAL GAS, OIL AND NGL PRODUCTION AND AVERAGE SALES PRICES (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended September 30, 2024
      Natural Gas   Oil   NGL   Total
      MMcf
    per day    		   $/Mcf   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MMcfe
    per day    		   $/Mcfe
    Marcellus 1,531   1.51   —   —   —   —   1,531   1.51
    Haynesville 1,116   1.88   —   —   —   —   1,116   1.88
    Total 2,647   1.67   —   —   —   —   2,647   1.67
                                   
    Average NYMEX Price     2.16       —                
    Average Realized Price (including realized derivatives)     2.51       —       —       2.51
      Three Months Ended September 30, 2023
      Natural Gas   Oil   NGL   Total
      MMcf
    per day    		   $/Mcf   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MMcfe
    per day    		   $/Mcfe
    Marcellus 1,734   1.63   —   —   —   —   1,734   1.63
    Haynesville 1,568   2.15   —   —   —   —   1,568   2.15
    Eagle Ford 76   2.52   9   82.33   10   25.76   193   6.36
    Total 3,378   1.89   9   82.33   10   25.76   3,495   2.12
                                   
    Average NYMEX Price     2.55       82.26                
    Average Realized Price (including realized derivatives)     2.58       82.33       25.76       2.79
      Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
      Natural Gas   Oil   NGL   Total
      MMcf
    per day    		   $/Mcf   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MMcfe
    per day    		   $/Mcfe
    Marcellus 1,601   1.65   —   —   —   —   1,601   1.65
    Haynesville 1,261   1.88   —   —   —   —   1,261   1.88
    Total 2,862   1.75   —   —   —   —   2,862   1.75
                                   
    Average NYMEX Price     2.10       —                
    Average Realized Price
    (including realized derivatives)    		     2.64       —       —       2.64
      Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023
      Natural Gas   Oil   NGL   Total
      MMcf
    per day    		   $/Mcf   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MBbl
    per day    		   $/Bbl   MMcfe
    per day    		   $/Mcfe
    Marcellus 1,845   2.24   —   —   —   —   1,845   2.24
    Haynesville 1,569   2.26   —   —   —   —   1,569   2.26
    Eagle Ford 96   2.22   26   77.41   12   25.61   323   7.82
    Total 3,510   2.25   26   77.41   12   25.61   3,737   2.73
                                   
    Average NYMEX Price     2.69       77.39                
    Average Realized Price
    (including realized derivatives)    		     2.56       72.10       25.61       2.99
    CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ACCRUED (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    ($ in millions)              
    Drilling and completion capital expenditures:              
    Marcellus $ 82     $ 91     $ 280     $ 324  
    Haynesville   151       191       477       704  
    Eagle Ford   —       9       —       222  
    Total drilling and completion capital expenditures   233       291       757       1,250  
    Non-drilling and completion – field   32       48       106       100  
    Non-drilling and completion – corporate   24       18       73       56  
    Total capital expenditures $ 289     $ 357     $ 936     $ 1,406  
    NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
     

    As a supplement to the financial results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Expand Energy’s quarterly earnings releases contain certain financial measures that are not prepared or presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Adjusted EBITDAX, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Net Debt. A reconciliation of each financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included in the tables below. Management believes these adjusted financial measures are a meaningful adjunct to earnings and cash flows calculated in accordance with GAAP because (a) management uses these financial measures to evaluate the company’s trends and performance, (b) these financial measures are comparable to estimates provided by certain securities analysts, and (c) items excluded generally are one-time items or items whose timing or amount cannot be reasonably estimated. Accordingly, any guidance provided by the company generally excludes information regarding these types of items.

    Expand Energy’s definitions of each non-GAAP measure presented herein are provided below. Because not all companies or securities analysts use identical calculations, Expand Energy’s non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies or securities analysts.

    Adjusted Net Income: Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives, (gains) losses on sales of assets, and certain items management believes affect the comparability of operating results, less a tax effect using applicable rates. Expand Energy believes that Adjusted Net Income facilitates comparisons of the company’s period-over-period performance, which many investors use in making investment decisions and evaluating operational trends and performance. Adjusted Net Income should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) as presented in accordance with GAAP.

    Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share: Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share is defined as diluted earnings (loss) per common share adjusted to exclude the per diluted share amounts attributed to unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives, (gains) losses on sales of assets, and certain items management believes affect the comparability of operating results, less a tax effect using applicable rates. Expand Energy believes that Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share facilitates comparisons of the company’s period-over-period performance, which many investors use in making investment decisions and evaluating operational trends and performance. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, earnings (loss) per common share as presented in accordance with GAAP.

    Adjusted EBITDAX: Adjusted EBITDAX is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, exploration expense, unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives, separation and other termination costs, (gains) losses on sales of assets, and certain items management believes affect the comparability of operating results. Adjusted EBITDAX is presented as it provides investors an indication of the company’s ability to internally fund exploration and development activities and service or incur debt. Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) as presented in accordance with GAAP.

    Free Cash Flow: Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less cash capital expenditures. Free Cash Flow is a liquidity measure that provides investors additional information regarding the company’s ability to service or incur debt and return cash to shareholders. Free Cash Flow should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, or any other measure of liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP.

    Adjusted Free Cash Flow: Adjusted Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less cash capital expenditures and cash contributions to investments, adjusted to exclude certain items management believes affect the comparability of operating results. Adjusted Free Cash Flow is a liquidity measure that provides investors additional information regarding the company’s ability to service or incur debt and return cash to shareholders and is used to determine Expand Energy’s returns framework payout. Adjusted Free Cash Flow should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, or any other measure of liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP.

    Net Debt: Net Debt is defined as GAAP total debt excluding premiums, discounts, and deferred issuance costs less cash and cash equivalents. Net Debt is useful to investors as a widely understood measure of liquidity and leverage, but this measure should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, total debt presented in accordance with GAAP.

    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME (LOSS) TO ADJUSTED NET INCOME (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
    ($ in millions)   2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income (loss) (GAAP) $ (114 )   $ 70     $ (315 )   $ 1,850  
                   
    Adjustments:              
    Unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives   160       110       489       (931 )
    Separation and other termination costs   —       —       23       3  
    Gains on sales of assets   (2 )     —       (12 )     (807 )
    Other operating expense, net   23       3       58       18  
    Losses on purchases, exchanges or extinguishments of debt   —       —       2       —  
    Other   (4 )     (4 )     (17 )     (19 )
    Tax effect of adjustments(a)   (41 )     (24 )     (125 )     403  
    Adjusted net income (Non-GAAP) $ 22     $ 155     $ 103     $ 517  
    (a) The three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 include a tax effect attributed to the reconciling adjustments using a statutory rate of 23%.
    RECONCILIATION OF EARNINGS (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE TO ADJUSTED DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
    ($/share)   2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Earnings (loss) per common share (GAAP) $ (0.85 )   $ 0.53     $ (2.39 )   $ 13.86  
    Effect of dilutive securities   —       (0.04 )     —       (0.96 )
    Diluted earnings (loss) per common share (GAAP) $ (0.85 )   $ 0.49     $ (2.39 )   $ 12.90  
                   
    Adjustments:              
    Unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives   1.20       0.78       3.70       (6.49 )
    Separation and other termination costs   —       —       0.17       0.02  
    Gains on sales of assets   (0.02 )     —       (0.09 )     (5.63 )
    Other operating expense, net   0.17       0.02       0.44       0.13  
    Losses on purchases, exchanges or extinguishments of debt   —       —       0.01       —  
    Other   (0.03 )     (0.03 )     (0.13 )     (0.13 )
    Tax effect of adjustments(a)   (0.31 )     (0.17 )     (0.95 )     2.81  
    Effect of dilutive securities   —       —       (0.03 )     —  
    Adjusted diluted earnings per common share (Non-GAAP) $ 0.16     $ 1.09     $ 0.73     $ 3.61  
    (a) The three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 include a tax effect attributed to the reconciling adjustments using a statutory rate of 23%.
    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME (LOSS) TO ADJUSTED EBITDAX (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    ($ in millions)              
    Net income (loss) (GAAP) $ (114 )   $ 70     $ (315 )   $ 1,850  
                   
    Adjustments:              
    Interest expense   20       23       59       82  
    Income tax expense (benefit)   (44 )     1       (105 )     532  
    Depreciation, depletion and amortization   335       382       1,082       1,148  
    Exploration   2       4       7       19  
    Unrealized (gains) losses on natural gas and oil derivatives   160       110       489       (931 )
    Separation and other termination costs   —       —       23       3  
    Gains on sales of assets   (2 )     —       (12 )     (807 )
    Other operating expense, net   23       3       58       18  
    Losses on purchases, exchanges or extinguishments of debt   —       —       2       —  
    Other   (15 )     (13 )     (57 )     (36 )
    Adjusted EBITDAX (Non-GAAP) $ 365     $ 580     $ 1,231     $ 1,878  
    RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO ADJUSTED FREE CASH FLOW (unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    ($ in millions)              
    Net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) $ 422     $ 506     $ 1,183     $ 1,910  
    Cash capital expenditures   (298 )     (423 )     (1,021 )     (1,450 )
    Free cash flow (Non-GAAP)   124       83       162       460  
    Cash contributions to investments   (26 )     (61 )     (71 )     (149 )
    Free cash flow associated with divested assets(a)   —       (57 )     —       (195 )
    Adjusted free cash flow (Non-GAAP) $ 98     $ (35 )   $ 91     $ 116  
    (a) In March and April of 2023, we closed two divestitures of certain Eagle Ford assets. Due to the structure of these transactions, both of which had an effective date of October 1, 2022, the cash generated by these assets was delivered to the respective buyers through a reduction in the proceeds we received at the closing of each transaction. Additionally, in August 2023, we entered into an agreement to sell the final portion of our Eagle Ford assets, with an economic effective date of February 1, 2023. Included within the adjustment above reflects the cash flows from the three months ended September 30, 2023, associated with the final portion of our Eagle Ford assets as the cash generated by those assets were delivered to the buyer through a reduction in the proceeds we received once the transaction closed during the fourth quarter of 2023.
    RECONCILIATION OF TOTAL DEBT TO NET DEBT (unaudited)
     
    ($ in millions) September 30, 2024
    Total debt (GAAP) $ 2,017  
    Premiums and issuance costs on debt   (67 )
    Principal amount of debt   1,950  
    Cash and cash equivalents   (1,044 )
    Net debt (Non-GAAP) $ 906  
    INVESTOR CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: EXPAND ENERGY CORPORATION
    Chris Ayres Brooke Coe 6100 North Western Avenue
    (405) 935-8870 (405) 935-8878 P.O. Box 18496
    ir@expandenergy.com media@expandenergy.com Oklahoma City, OK 73154

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Human Rights Committee Commend Ecuador’s National Councils for Equality, Ask about State of Emergency Restrictions and Military Management of Prisons

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Committee today concluded its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Ecuador on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with Committee Experts commending the State’s national councils for equality, and raising issues concerning restrictions imposed under the state of emergency and the deployment of military personnel to manage State prisons. 

    A Committee Expert welcomed that the State party had established national councils for equality.  How had the initiatives of the National Council for Gender Equality contributed to promoting gender equality?

    Another Committee Expert cited reports that freedom of movement and assembly had been considerably curtailed under the state of emergency, and that vulnerable sectors of society had been disproportionately affected by restrictions.  How would the State party ensure that measures taken under the state of emergency were strictly proportionate, time-bound and necessary?

    Under the state of emergency, military personnel had been deployed to administer prisons, the Expert noted.  Was the State party considering gradually withdrawing the military from prisons?  There had been complaints of torture and abuse of authority, as well as murders and arbitrary detention by military personnel in prisons.  Had the State party investigated these and prosecuted any personnel?

    Juan Carlos Larrea, Attorney General of State of Ecuador and head of the delegation, said that the Office of the Attorney General had carried out constant training for members of the national police and armed forces on international human rights and humanitarian law, the use of force, and the rights of persons deprived of liberty. The delegation added that the State party was working to strengthen training for prison staff.  It planned to train almost 7,000 staff over a five-year period.

    The delegation said the National Council for Gender Equality had a mandate to mainstream and monitor public policies on gender equality and promote the rights of women and persons from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.  Some of the goals of the national agenda on equality were to reduce maternal and child mortality and teenage pregnancy, and there had been progress in these areas.

    The delegation said a state of emergency had recently been implemented to confront spiralling acts of violence, terrorism, internal armed conflict, and the prison crisis.  All measures implemented under a state of emergency needed to be time bound and to conform with principles of necessity and proportionality, and all states of emergency were monitored by the Constitutional Court.

    Formerly, Ecuador’s prisons were in effect being run by organised gangs due to a lack of oversight, creating a crisis in the prison system, the delegation said.  The State party had implemented the “Phoenix Plan” to regain control and safety in all prisons.  The armed forces were ensuring physical security in only eight of the 35 adult detention centres in the State. 

    The delegation also said armed forces personnel had been involved in 72 cases of habeas corpus, with personnel cleared of wrongdoing in 68 cases and the remaining cases still being investigated.  A specialised prosecutor’s unit had been established to investigate cases of harm or death caused by the armed forces and the prison service.

    In concluding remarks, Mr. Larrea said Ecuador was fully committed to implementing international human rights law and promoting respect for human rights.  It was facing challenges in the field of human rights, including spiralling international organised crime, but remained committed to addressing these.  The delegation hoped that the Committee would provide concrete recommendations that addressed the complex challenges Ecuador was facing.

    Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Committee Chairperson, in concluding remarks, said the dialogue had addressed historic human rights violations, measures to combat terrorism, reproductive rights, the independence of the judiciary, and the situations of human rights defenders and indigenous peoples, among other topics.  The Committee was committed to its mandate of guaranteeing the highest level of implementation of the Covenant in Ecuador.

    The delegation of Ecuador was made up of representatives of the Ministry for Women and Human Rights; National Council for Gender Equality; National Service for the Comprehensive Care of Adults Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility; Office of the Attorney General of the State; Ministry of National Defence; and the Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Human Rights Committee’s one hundred and forty-second session is being held from 14 October to 7 November 2024.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Monday, 4 November, to hear the presentation of the progress report of the Committee’s Special Rapporteur on Views.

    Report

    The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of Ecuador (CCPR/C/ECU/7).

    Presentation of the Report

    JUAN CARLOS LARREA, Attorney General of State of Ecuador and head of the delegation, said Ecuador had demonstrated its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights through the ratification of the 27 United Nations instruments on human rights; the open invitation to the Rapporteurs and Special Procedures of the United Nations and the Inter-American system; timely and continuous submission of periodic reports; and the establishment of the national mechanism for the implementation, follow-up and monitoring of Ecuador’s international human rights recommendations.

    Ecuador had implemented public policies to comply with the provisions of the Covenant.  Notable achievements over the reporting period included the creation of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights; the decriminalisation of abortion in cases of rape; the implementation of the second phase of the spotlight initiative for the eradication of gender-based violence; and actions taken to improve the situation of persons deprived of liberty. 

    The executive had trained 25,844 people on the right to life, freedom of expression and peaceful protest, due process, the right to liberty, free mobility, equality and non-discrimination.  The judiciary had held training events on human rights which benefited 69,624 officials, professional associations and universities.  Similarly, the Office of the Attorney General had carried out constant training for members of the national police and armed forces on international human rights and humanitarian law, the use of force, and the rights of persons deprived of liberty. 

    The organic law on communication created a mechanism to protect the life and integrity of journalists and to develop indicators on murder, kidnapping, forced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists.  The State was also developing protocols for their protection and to ensure prevention. So far in 2024, 97 alerts of aggression against media workers had been received.  In response to these, the Communication Council had carried out 78 protective actions, in addition to security workshops in conjunction with the national police and armed forces. 

    The National Council for the Equality of Peoples and Nationalities had drawn up the agenda for the equal rights of indigenous nationalities and peoples, the Afro-Ecuadorian people and the Montubio people. Representatives of organizations and civil society were consulted in its development.  In 2023, the National Council held 14 territorial conferences with members of organizations of Afro-Ecuadorian communities to examine issues related to the Decade for People of African Descent at the national and international levels and move forward with proposals for its fulfilment, from which support for the declaration of a second Decade was concluded.

    ARIANNA TANCA MACCHIAVELLO, Minister for Women and Human Rights, said the Ministry was dedicated to preventing, addressing, repairing and eradicating violence against women, children and adolescents.  The Ministry had 45 comprehensive protection services established within the framework of legislation and the national plan to prevent and eradicate violence against women 2020-2030.  There were State-run centres providing free psychological care, legal advice and social work services to victims of violence against women, and the State had cooperation agreements with shelters and comprehensive care centres.

    The recent establishment of the technical standard to mainstream a gender approach in all public policies and actions reinforced the State’s efforts.  The National Council for Gender Equality had formulated the national agenda for gender equality 2021-2025.  Further, in January 2024, the organic law for equal pay between women and men was approved, and 18 September was declared “Equal Pay Day” to raise awareness in society about the gender pay gap.  In May 2024, a law on reparation for relatives of victims of femicide was approved, which guaranteed family members the right to comprehensive reparation, scholarships and financial aid for children who were orphaned, and to medical and psychiatric care and counselling. 

    Ecuador has prioritised the elimination of sexual abuse and violence against children and adolescents in schools.  Among the main measures adopted were the national plan on the creation of protective educational environments and the public policy for the eradication of sexual violence in education. 

    The State Attorney General’s Office had a policy promoting access to justice for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, which established guidelines for the investigation of hate crimes and discrimination against this group.  In addition, the diversity action plan 2022-2025 was adopted, which established 148 actions and 151 indicators to improve living conditions and guarantee equal rights for this community in Ecuador.  In 2023, a measure was introduced for the identification and prosecution of people and entities who discriminated against others based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.  The Ministry of Public Health had prepared a manual of good practices in comprehensive health care for this community.  From 2019 to June 2024, more than 39,000 services were provided for people who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex.

    The organic law on human mobility determined the procedures to be followed in the event of inadmissibility at borders, deportation and expulsion, taking into account international standards on non-refoulement.  The extraordinary regularisation process for Venezuelan migrants, which began on 1 August 2022 and was still in force, had provided more than 97,000 exceptional temporary residence visas, including 871 visas for unaccompanied or separated children. Ecuador had been awarded for its good practices regarding recognition of sexual diversity and gender identity within refugee status determination procedures.

    Ecuador was committed to the protection, respect and promotion of human rights, in particular within the framework of the obligations assumed under the Covenant.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert welcomed measures adopted by Ecuador in recent years to tackle serious human rights issues in the country. What measures had been adopted by the State party to implement the Views of the Committee concerning the cases of Isaías Dassum v. Ecuador and Pérez Barriga et al. v. Ecuador.  Had the State party established a procedure for implementing the Committee’s Views?  Had courts other than the Constitutional Court expressly referred to the Covenant’s provisions?  Could the delegation provide updated figures on training for public officials on the Covenant?  What was the situation of the Ombudsperson’s Office?  Did it have sufficient resources to fulfil its mandate? 

    Vulnerable sectors of society had reportedly been disproportionately affected by restrictions imposed under the state of emergency.  What safeguards were in place in this regard?  Under the state of emergency, military personnel had been deployed to administer prisons.  Was the State party considering gradually withdrawing the military from prisons? There had been complaints of torture and abuse of authority, as well as murders and arbitrary detention, by military personnel in prisons.  Had the State party investigated these and prosecuted any personnel? 

    The Constitutional Court had declared the state of emergency as being unconstitutional in 2023.  Why had the executive continued to maintain it, contrary to the Court’s decision?  Was the current state of emergency being monitored by the Court?  There were reports that freedom of movement and assembly had been considerably curtailed under the state of emergency.  How would the State party ensure that measures taken under the state of emergency were strictly proportionate, time-bound and necessary?

    Another Committee Expert asked for information on cases contained within the Truth Commission’s final report on historic human rights violations that had not been concluded.  Reportedly, a large percentage of cases had not been concluded 14 years after the report was issued.  How many persons had been provided with reparations?

    What court cases had been ruled on regarding terrorism in the last three years?  How was the State party ensuring fair trial guarantees for persons accused of terrorism? Around 35,000 people had reportedly been arrested this year alone on charges of terrorism.

    A Committee Expert welcomed that the State party had established national councils for equality.  What impact had these councils had in promoting equality and preventing discrimination?  How had the initiatives of the National Council for Gender Equality contributed to promoting gender equality?  The State party had provided training for members of the judiciary on sexual orientation and gender identity.  Was this effective in combatting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons?  What impact had measures to improve health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons had?  What measures were in place to protect and improve the rights of transgender and intersex persons, including children?

    The police had registered 15,000 complaints of violence against women in 2021.  Had inquiries into these cases contributed to combatting impunity and ensuring reparation for victims?  What progress had been achieved by the plan to bolster training regarding violence against women?  What would be done to speed up the legislative process for cases of violence? How would the State party ensure that women who were victims of violence had access to remedy and appropriate protection mechanisms, including psychosocial and rehabilitation services?

    Another Committee Expert asked about the State party’s position on the United Nations’ human rights protection system.  The Expert welcomed that reform of the Democracy Code in 2020 had introduced gender parity on election lists, and said that there had been positive progress in the implementation of legislation to tackle gender-based violence in the political sphere.  However, there were 23 cases of violence against women politicians between 2022 and 2023, including two femicides, one of a female mayor.  How was the State party working to combat such violence and promote women’s participation in politics, including the participation of minority women? 

    Women’s representation in political bodies continued to be limited, particularly for minority women.  What awareness raising campaigns were in place to address stereotypes concerning women’s role in society?  Could the delegation comment on the implementation of the law on equal opportunities and the “purple economy”?

    There were reports of violence against indigenous peoples by the armed forces in the northern border area; had these been investigated and had cases been prosecuted?  Would the State party provide material reparation to indigenous communities affected by violence and the actions of resource sector companies?

    One Committee Expert said there were concerns regarding gaps in the protection system for the children of victims of violence. What steps had been taken to protect vulnerable children and to guarantee a sustainable budget for support payments for victims, so that families of victims could benefit? 

    The Committee was concerned by the high number of girls being subjected to sexual abuse, rape and incest.  Violence against girls in schools was reportedly endemic and girls were discouraged from reporting sexual attacks.  What measures were in place to protect vulnerable girls against such attacks?  What sanctions were imposed for sexual offences and what reparations were provided to girl victims?  Were vulnerable girls’ families provided with legal assistance? 

    Ecuador had expanded access to abortion for victims of sexual assault in a new law.  Would the State party decriminalise abortions in the case of malformation of the foetus?  Had the State party organised education for women and girls regarding contraception and established family planning counsellors within health care facilities? Had the State party approved guidelines for therapeutic abortion care and taken action to inform society regarding the law on abortion and medical centres where abortions were available? How did the State party ensure that there were health care professionals who were able to provide safe abortions in all remote and rural areas?  The Committee noted a Constitutional Court ruling calling on the State party to not prosecute health care professionals who performed abortions.  Had this been implemented?  How was the State party protecting the confidentiality of women who sought abortions?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Truth Commission had the mandate to investigate serious human rights violations occurring between 1983 and 1998.  The Commission’s final report documented enforced disappearances and other violations occurring during that period.  The Ombudsman had been called on to implement reparations for the victims of these violations; more than 150,000 direct and indirect victims had benefited from reparations.  Two criminal cases addressing historic human rights violations had been prosecuted. 

    A law preventing sexual violence and harassment in education had been developed and a national plan for addressing such violence had been implemented.  After victims of violence and harassment were identified, they were referred to mental health services.  The State party promoted the best interests of the child and their right to be informed in all matters affecting them.  Eleven protocols had been issued addressing sexual crimes against minors.

    A law permitting abortion in cases of rape was implemented in 2022 and inter-institutional mechanisms were set up to ensure that the law was properly applied.  Victims of rape did not need to file a legal complaint to access abortions. The prosecution was obliged to provide victims of rape with information on accessing abortions, and all health care facilities were required to provide information immediately on access to abortion in cases of rape.  The State party provided free and confidential guidance on abortions, and health care providers were required to protect the confidentiality of persons who sought abortions.

    The National Council for Gender Equality had a mandate to mainstream and monitor public policies on gender equality and promote the rights of women and persons from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.  The national agenda on equality addressed the barriers faced by various groups of minority women.  Some of the goals of the agenda were to reduce maternal and child mortality and teenage pregnancy, and there had been progress in these areas.  Guidelines had been developed to ensure that vulnerable women had access to credit lines and the digital economy.  The State party was also promoting rural women’s access to land titles.  The police had carried out capacity building programmes addressing gender stereotypes and promoting positive masculinity.

    Formerly, Ecuador’s prisons were in effect being run by organised gangs due to a lack of oversight, creating a crisis situation in the prison system.  The State party had implemented the “Phoenix Plan” to regain control and safety in all prisons and promote the rehabilitation of all those deprived of liberty.  It was working to improve prison infrastructure to address overcrowding and was currently building two new prisons. 

    Protocols were in place to ensure cooperation between the armed forces and the national police in the management of prisons.  The armed forces were ensuring physical security in only eight of the 35 adult detention centres in the State.  The State party was working to strengthen training for prison staff.  It planned to train almost 7,000 staff over a five-year period.  This year, the State party would almost entirely eliminate mixed gender detention to prevent gender-based violence in prisons.

    Ecuador was fully committed to cooperating with the United Nations human rights protection system and was grateful for the support and advice that it offered to the State.  The Constitution allowed for the direct and immediate application of international human rights instruments ratified by the State. Regarding the case of Isaías Dassum v. Ecuador, investigations had been carried out and resolved in favour of the individual involved and reparation had been provided, in compliance with the Committee’s recommendations.

    Ecuador’s President had the ability to impose a state of emergency in cases of violence, threats to the State, and natural disasters. All measures implemented under a state of emergency needed to be time bound and to conform with principles of necessity and proportionality, in line with the Covenant.  A state of emergency had recently been implemented to confront spiralling acts of violence, terrorism and internal armed conflict, and the prison crisis.  All states of emergency were monitored by the Constitutional Court, which had questioned the restriction of rights in certain contexts.  The State party’s duty was to ensure that its people were able to live in a safe society free of corruption.

    The national allowance for orphans whose mothers had been murdered was a monthly allowance indexed to the monthly basic income. So far, 486 allowances had been provided to children.

    An agreement had been reached to strengthen relations with indigenous peoples and to prevent violence against indigenous communities.  There was also a protocol that aimed to protect indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said there appeared to be a large gap between the legal and institutional framework on human rights and the situation on the ground.  The rate of femicide was on the rise and women were increasingly becoming victims of enforced disappearance, leading to an increase in orphaned children.  Had drug trafficking groups become so strong that authorities could not control them?  Why was the State party not sufficiently reacting to the prevailing environment of impunity?  What measures were in place to protect vulnerable groups, including children?

    Another Committee Expert said that the Prosecution Service had launched over 200 investigations into torture and abuse of authority by the police force.  Had any rulings been issued for these cases?

    One Committee Expert asked about the role of victims of past human rights violations in creating the Museum of Memory. Why had their proposals regarding the location of the Museum not been taken on board?  Had the prison population increased or decreased as a result of the security measures being implemented by the State party?  Were the prisons in which the armed forces were present the largest and most modern?  Were there plans to reduce the number of prisons administered by the armed forces?  The Expert commended the State party’s significant efforts to train prison guards. What was the current ratio of guards to prisoners?

    A Committee Expert said the allowance for children whose mothers were victims of femicide was a good measure, but all orphaned children needed to receive it.  What were the prospects for decriminalising abortions in cases other than rape or where the mother’s life was at risk?  Did the State party support access to contraception for low-income families?

    Another Committee Expert asked whether allowances given to children whose mothers were murdered were the same regardless of the number of children in the family.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Government would implement the single register on violence by the start of next year.  It had been providing training to public officials on the handling of sensitive information within this register.  The register would allow the State party to gain insights into patterns of violence in different areas of the country, as part of its efforts to eradicate gender-based violence.

    There was a five-year training plan for prison officials and 60 million United States dollars had been invested in improving the prison system this year.  Improving the national rehabilitation system was a priority for the Government.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert asked about measures to prevent torture and ill treatment by the police against detained persons.  How did the State party ensure transparency in investigations of complaints against the police related to torture?  What redress was provided to victims of torture? What measures were being considered to strengthen human rights training for the police?

    The Transitional Council for Citizen Participation and Oversight was endowed with extraordinary powers allowing for the dismissal and appointment of judges and magistrates at the discretion of the executive branch, violating principles of judicial independence.  It appointed the Attorney General, judges of the National Court of Justice, and 137 other oversight authorities, and had reportedly removed judges and judicial officials who did not align with the political interests of the Presidency.  What mechanisms were in place to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that the Council complied with international standards on judicial independence?  How was transparency and the participation of citizens ensured in the Council’s evaluations of public authorities?  When did the mandates of the Attorney General and the members of the Council expire?  Why did the Council still have “transitional” status?

    What mechanisms were in place to ensure that migrants at the northern border had access to basic services such as health, education and employment?  Were there programmes to protect migrant women and children from exploitation and abuse? How was discrimination against migrants addressed in regularisation and asylum processing?  Was the State party monitoring and evaluating asylum policies on the northern border?

    The Ecuadorian Government had reportedly failed to implement adequate protection measures for human rights defenders, allowing threats and attacks against these people to go unpunished and exposing them to the constant risk of violence and intimidation.  Had the State party strengthened the legal framework for protecting human rights defenders?  Were human rights defenders involved in developing policies that affected their work? What protection mechanisms were in place for at-risk persons?  Investigative journalists Anderson Boscán and Mónica Velásquez faced threats and were forced into exile in Canada after making complaints about Attorney General Diana Salazar’s alleged connections to organised crime networks.  Why were these persons’ security being jeopardised?

    One Committee Expert asked about the entity that carried out investigations into the excessive use of force.  How many officials had been prosecuted for the excessive use of force?  A 2024 decree called on the armed forces to participate in controlling internal order. Had the State party held a referendum on this decree, and did it comply with the Covenant?

    How did Ecuador guarantee the principle of non-refoulement?  What measures were in place to safeguard the physical security of asylum seekers and refugees?  Restrictions on the freedom of movement had limited migrants’ ability to find jobs. Curfews had affected migrants in street situations, who did not have a place to stay.  Had legal aid or counsel been provided by the State to defend asylum seekers’ rights in regularisation processes?  How was the State party ensuring access to justice for migrants who were victims of extortion?

    Indigenous peoples had been adversely affected by mining projects, including illegal mining linked to organised crime.  What consultation processes had been held regarding these projects?  The State party had adopted decrees but had yet to adopt a law on prior consultation and free, informed and prior consent regarding mining and resource projects. Would the State party speed up the adoption of such a law?  Oil spills had affected the environment and the health of indigenous peoples.  What preventive measures had been taken regarding oil spills and what reparations had been provided to affected persons?

    A Committee Expert said the Committee was concerned about conditions in places of detention and overcrowding, a serious and persistent problem in prisons.  Detainees lacked access to food, water and health services, and overcrowding also increased tensions between inmates and made the management of prisons difficult. Since January 2024, the overall prison capacity had increased by 7.8 per cent, but there were still 18 prisons with critical overcrowding at over 120 per cent capacity.  What measures were in place to address the issue?  Had the State party considered dismantling mega prisons?

    The Committee noted significant efforts by the State party to address the issue of human trafficking through training of judicial actors.  What were the prospects of establishing a specialised office addressing trafficking within the prosecution?  Had compensation been provided to victims of trafficking?  How were victims protected from criminal liability?  How did the State party promote the social inclusion of victims, protect them from revictimisation, and support their access to the labour market?

    Another Committee Expert said there had been more than 600 deaths of detainees between 2018 and 2023.  In March 2024, a violent riot in a prison had led to the death of 12 detainees, while another riot in July led to 18 deaths.  Two prison wardens had recently been murdered. Organised crime had reportedly infiltrated prisons, inciting these events.  What measures were in place to regain control of the prison system and promote the basic rights of prisoners?  How many deaths had occurred in prisons this year, and were there any deaths resulting from torture or ill treatment?  Would the State party grant access to prisons for the national preventive mechanism?

    The Committee was concerned about the reported penetration of organised crime into the judiciary.  Members of the judiciary were allegedly paid bribes to give shortened prison sentences to members of organised crime groups.  What investigations had been carried out into such allegations?  How did the State party ensure the integrity of investigations into corruption?  What was the disciplinary structure for judges and how was their independence guaranteed?

    In 2018, three journalists were kidnapped and murdered by organised crime and four journalists were murdered in 2022.  What investigations had been carried out into these events?  The judicial system was reportedly used as a tool for censorship against journalists. How did the State party ensure that journalists could carry out their work without interference?

    One Committee Expert said the Communication Council had been involved in promoting diversity in the media and in organising training on media workers’ rights.  What results had been obtained by training programmes?  Between July and December 2021, there were 62 reports of harassment against journalists.  What measures were in place to ensure that threats against journalists were properly investigated and punished?  During 2022 demonstrations, at least nine deaths were recorded and close to 200 people were arrested.  How did the State party guarantee the right to peaceful assembly and ensure justice for victims of excessive force by State officials?

    Was the law issued in 2022 on the use of force and firearms by the police in line with the Covenant?  Was civil society involved in the drafting of the law?  How was the law being implemented?  Did the State party provide training programmes on the law to police?

    How had the State party guaranteed access to justice for indigenous peoples in indigenous languages?  What obstacles were there in providing legal aid to indigenous peoples?  What measures were in place to strengthen the indigenous legal system and to ensure coordination between indigenous and regular legal systems?

    In some regions, authorities did not recognise the legal status of indigenous peoples.  Farmers who were defending their lands were reportedly perceived as criminals and harassed by authorities.  How was the State party preventing such harassment?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said training had been provided for around 500 prosecution staff and over 2,000 civil servants on investigating violent deaths of women and girls since 2022.  This year alone, over 500 members of the armed forces and other civil servants had participated in the prosecution office’s training on international human rights law. 

    The armed forces were ensuring internal security in the context of the high level of armed conflict occurring in the State, caused by organised gangs.  The activities of the armed forces strictly complied with human rights standards, regulations on the use of force and firearms, and principles of necessity and proportionality.  The State party was constantly updating provisions on the use of force in line with international standards.  During the first six months of this year, the murder rate had fallen significantly and criminal structures had been dismantled.

    The armed forces’ activities had helped to reduce criminal activities within the prison system.  The armed forces allowed oversight visits to prisons by Government bodies.  Members of the armed forces were trained in human rights, the use of force, and the protection of vulnerable persons.  Accusations of human rights violations by members of the armed forces were investigated in cooperation with public bodies.  Armed forces personnel had been involved in 72 cases of habeas corpus, with personnel cleared of wrongdoing in 68 cases and the remaining cases still being investigated.  A specialised prosecutor’s unit had been established to investigate cases of harm or death caused by the armed forces and the prison service.

    The State party was strengthening the national framework for the prevention of terrorism.  It was receiving international support to bring its legislation on terrorism in line with international standards.

    Ecuador ensured full reparation for direct and indirect victims of homicide, including through the law on support for family members of victims of femicide.  The public policy on reparation was being updated to strengthen support for victims’ relatives through consultations with civil society.  Support payments for orphaned children whose parents were murdered were increased progressively depending on the number of children in the family.

    State legislation protected the activities of human rights defenders.  An inter-institutional board was developing a comprehensive policy on the protection of human rights defenders and carrying out an analysis of threats faced by human rights defenders.  The State provided protection to victimised human rights defenders involved in court proceedings through the witness protection programme.  Regional councils of human rights defenders had been established.

    The Government had delineated certain areas as “protected land” where mining activities could not be carried out.  It had provided training on promoting the human rights of indigenous peoples and tackling their exploitation.  Over 3,000 interventions related to indigenous peoples had been carried out by the Government.  The State party worked closely with local autonomous governments to ensure the incorporation of indigenous knowledge into policies and activities to address climate change.

    Before implementing measures related to non-admission and deportation, investigations needed to be carried out to assess whether the individual concerned needed international protection.  Asylum seekers could receive free legal aid and the support of translation services if required.  An online platform to support asylum requests had been established; it had received more than 56,000 such requests.  Over 96,000 Venezuelan citizens had been granted temporary residency through a special procedure implemented in 2022.  Emergency care was being provided for the large number of migrants on the northern border in collaboration with international organizations and private sector bodies, to ensure that these migrants and asylum seekers received the highest standard of care.

    The State party had been procuring building materials and conducting repairs to improve prison infrastructure and the living conditions of detainees.  Accommodation in two prisons had recently been increased by 1,700 places.  The State had authorised the construction within 300 days of two new prisons to house a maximum of 800 detainees.  These would greatly reduce the rate of overcrowding. The Government was increasing human resources for administering these prisons.  Around 600 prisoners who had been detained for over five years and were not accused of violent crimes would soon be pardoned to further reduce overcrowding.

    The National Red Cross Committee had been training medical staff to improve health care in prisons.  A classification plan was in place to revise the classification of detainees to reduce the grouping of members of organised crime in prisons. Female detainees had been relocated to exclusively female prisons.  Over the next five years, the State party planned to recruit 700 new prison guards. A protocol on the handling of complaints within the prison system had been developed.

    Although a law on free, prior and informed consent had yet to be implemented, the Constitutional Court had established standards relating to this consent that needed to be respected by administrative authorities.  Bills had been developed to enact such a law that were currently before Parliament. The State party was undertaking environmental consultations that were in line with international standards in relation to upcoming mining projects.  It was also working to respect the life and integrity of indigenous peoples and preventing them from being harmed by the actions of third parties.  The Government had been successful in reducing conflict over indigenous territory and was fostering a culture of peace.  A health cordon had been established to improve the health conditions of people living in voluntary isolation.

    State legislation ensured respect for judicial independence.  No Government entity could interfere with the activities of the judiciary.  A roadmap had been developed to promote judicial independence through strict internal oversight of appointment, promotion and evaluation of members of the judiciary.  The Council of the Judiciary had implemented measures to ensure the safety of judicial operators.  The transitionary period for the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control had concluded and its regular members were being appointed.

    There was a protection and early warning system for media professionals who were facing aggression.  The Government was strengthening its capacity to react to attacks against media professionals and to prevent such attacks.  Civil society organizations were involved in providing protection measures and improving the working environment for media professionals. 

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert asked why the State party allowed civilians to carry firearms in violent areas in the country.  Had any initiatives been adopted to regularise migrants who came into the country after 2022?

    Another Committee Expert said judges and prosecutors had been killed and the rule of law was in danger in the country.  Some judges had been murdered outside of the premises of the judiciary.  There needed to be effective protective actions to ensure the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.  What transparency measures would be implemented to increase public trust in the judiciary?  It was positive that the State party had begun a reform of legislation on terrorism in cooperation with international bodies.  Would the bill of law being developed provide procedural guarantees in terrorism cases in line with the Covenant?

    One Committee Expert said that, since the deployment of armed forces across the territory, femicides, the enforced disappearance of women, and the violation of indigenous peoples’ rights had continued with impunity for offenders.  The State party had not ensured the protection of indigenous human rights defenders, whose rights were violated by the activities of mining companies. There were environmental issues threatening the lives of indigenous peoples that had not been investigated and several indigenous peoples were awaiting compensation.  Environmental rights defenders were continually harassed by authorities.  Could the delegation provide information on the killing of an indigenous chief in February 2024 who was protesting oil prospecting in his region?

    Another Committee Expert said poverty and insecurity were serious issues in Ecuador that were disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups.  How would the State party address these issues and protect the rights of workers?

    Closing Remarks

    JUAN CARLOS LARREA, Attorney General of State of Ecuador and head of the delegation, said Ecuador was fully committed to implementing international human rights law and promoting respect for human rights.  It was the first country in Latin America to receive a visit from the current High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.  It was working to implement all recommendations issued to it by the United Nations human rights system.

    Ecuador was facing challenges in the field of human rights, including spiralling international organised crime and the current energy crisis, but remained committed to addressing these, and to strengthening efforts to promote the human rights of all people on its territory. It called on the international community to increase technical support for the promotion and protection of human rights in Ecuador.  The delegation hoped that the Committee would provide concrete recommendations that addressed the complex challenges that Ecuador was facing.

    TANIA MARÍA ABDO ROCHOLL, Committee Chairperson, thanked all those who had contributed to the dialogue.  The dialogue had addressed Constitutional and legal frameworks related to the Covenant, historic human rights violations, measures to combat terrorism, reproductive rights, the independence of the judiciary, detention conditions, the right to life, freedom of expression and association, trafficking in persons, and the situations of human rights defenders and indigenous peoples, among other topics.  The Committee was committed to its mandate of guaranteeing the highest level of implementation of the Covenant in Ecuador.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CCPR24.023E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitdeer Announces Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call for November 18, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR) (“Bitdeer” or the “Company”), a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing, today announced that it has scheduled its third quarter 2024 earnings conference call and webcast for Monday, November 18, 2024 at 8:00 AM EST. During the call, Bitdeer management will discuss the unaudited financial and operational results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, followed by a question and answer session.

    Bitdeer will release the third quarter results before the call at approximately 7:00 AM EST on November 18, 2024. A copy of the earnings release will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website at https://ir.bitdeer.com.

    Conference Call Information:

    • Date: November 18, 2024
    • Time: 8:00 AM EST / 8:00 PM SGT
    • Participant Call Links:
      • Live Webcast: Link
      • Participant Call Registration: Link

    Participants wishing to join the conference call by phone should register using the Participant Call Registration link provided above. After completing the registration, the participants will receive an email with the necessary details to access the call including dial-in number, passcode, and PIN. To ensure a timely start, the Company encourages all callers to connect about 5 minutes before the scheduled time.

    A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investors section of Bitdeer’s website at https://ir.bitdeer.com.

    About Bitdeer Technologies Group

    Bitdeer is a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing. Bitdeer is committed to providing comprehensive computing solutions for its customers. The Company handles complex processes involved in computing such as equipment procurement, transport logistics, datacenter design and construction, equipment management, and daily operations. The Company also offers advanced cloud capabilities to customers with high demand for artificial intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore, Bitdeer has deployed datacenters in the United States, Norway, and Bhutan. To learn more, visit https://ir.bitdeer.com/ or follow Bitdeer on X @ BitdeerOfficial and LinkedIn @ Bitdeer Group.

    Investors and others should note that Bitdeer may announce material information using its website and/or on its accounts on social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Therefore, Bitdeer encourages investors and others to review the information it posts on the social media and other communication channels listed on its website.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “look forward to,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Bitdeer’s annual report on Form 20-F, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Bitdeer’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Bitdeer specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether due to new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers should not rely upon the information on this page as current or accurate after its publication date.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    Investor Relations
    Orange Group
    Yujia Zhai
    bitdeerIR@orangegroupadvisors.com

    Public Relations
    Wachsman
    Bee Shin
    bitdeer@wachsman.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ENERGY SECTOR – OPINION: There’s not a second to lose if the UK is to build a world-class battery industry

    Source and Opinion by Richard Moore, Battery Expert at Greenpower Park

    The Faraday Institution’s latest report on UK Gigafactories finds that they could support 35,000 jobs by 2040, along with a further 65,000 in the supply chain, but warns that the UK is not moving quickly enough. It’s time to put words into action and build the manufacturing capacity that we need to ensure that the UK not only catches up but becomes a world leader, says Richard Moore, Greenpower Park’s Battery Expert

    A question that used to be asked in every job interview was ‘where do you see yourself in five years? The interviewee almost certainly had a detailed list of aspirations to reel off in response If the same question was asked of the UK PLC in relation to the number of gigafactories it will have after that same period of time, the answer would be much shorter and to the point: ‘not enough.’

    That’s a massive problem, because as the Faraday Institution’s ‘UK electric vehicle and battery production potential to 2040’ report makes very clear, the UK is rapidly falling far behind in the global race to build these strategically important assets that are vital to making transport more sustainable, reducing emissions, improving air quality, and delivering net-zero commitments.

    With each gigafactory taking some five years to build1, there’s no time to waste, and in determining the way forward we learn a hard lesson learnt from the past: the lithium-ion battery was invented in the UK but the strategic importance of manufacturing them in the UK was overlooked. This is why today we have just one operational gigafactory which has a capacity of less than 2GWh. And by 2030 – the date that the new Labour government has pledged to ban sales of combustion engine vehicles, the UK is expected to have only three1 up and running.

    That’s around half of what’s needed because the UK’s demand is expected to reach almost 110GWh a year in 2030 – the equivalent of six large gigafactories running at 90% capacity1. That also compares very unfavourably to the 40 expected to be operational in Europe by that time1, and more than 400 worldwide2.

    Even if we broke ground today, the additional sites we need in the UK would only just be ramping up production volumes by the time the last petrol and diesel vehicles will be driven out of the showrooms. Which means that many of the EVs manufactured in the UK will use imported cells, while at the same time the UK will not be in a position to export these highly valuable items to other countries. Compounding the problem are the requirements of Rules of Origin regulations that from 2027 will require EVs made here to use cells manufactured in the UK or Europe to avoid new tariffs when sold in Europe.

    And of course, as well as road transport, there will be huge demand for the cells needed to electrify other industries such as the aviation and marine sectors. It is absolutely vital to our future that we have a world-class battery industry here in the UK, together with a robust, transparent and sustainable supply chain to serve it. And we must be cognizant of the fact that while the UK is forecast to make only 53 per cent of the capacity it will need in 20301, the gulf is expected to grow, with only 29% capacity by 2040, by which time we’ll need some 200GWh of supply1.

    A true centre of excellence in electrification

    The transition from internal combustion engines running on fossil fuels to e-mobility powered by renewables represents nothing less than a paradigm shift, and we simply cannot afford to squander the opportunity to place the UK as the driving force behind it. Greenpower Park, the UK’s Centre of Electrification and Clean Energy, is a trailblazing centre of excellence for electrification, battery technology and manufacturing. With the West Midlands Gigafactory as its anchor tenant, it has unrivalled access to the most highly skilled workforce in the country.

    This ground-breaking location is the first of its kind, offering an all-in-one solution for battery research, industrialisation, manufacturing, testing, recycling and electrified logistics designed to foster the UK’s growing battery ecosystem. Based in the country’s automotive skills heartland, it is at the epicentre of the country’s shift to electrification and is synonymous with both electric vehicle and battery manufacturing.

    The automotive and manufacturing industries run through the blood of generations of the workforce in the West Midlands and will continue to do so in the future with the creation of Greenpower Park. Located closer to almost every vehicle manufacturer’s plant than any other proposed gigafactory in the UK, it is also adjacent to the world-renowned UK Battery Industrialisation Centre as well as nine universities and their 220,000 students. Greenpower Park represents a unique collaboration between academia, industry, government and international partners to create a complete ecosystem purpose-designed to boost accelerated development, growth and innovation across the e-mobility sector.

    Tempus fugit: action this day

    We believe that we can play a pivotal role in helping overcome the battery cell demand issue that’s coming in the next decade and beyond. But to do that we need to act now, and that involves laying out incentive packages to accelerate conversations with potential investors, and to enable us to achieve our goals within the battery manufacturers’ demanding investment timescales – and the vehicle manufacturers’ product development cycles.

    We’ve put all the pieces in place to enable that to happen, and we are the UK’s only proposed Gigafactory site with Investment Zone Status. This offers a compelling package of incentives for investors, including Stamp Duty Land Tax Relief, 100 per cent Business Rate Relief on newly occupied premises, 100 per cent first year Capital Allowances for expenditure on new plant and machinery, zero rate employer national insurance contributions for 36 months for each new job created, enhanced structures and buildings allowance, and additional support for supply chain and skills development, innovation, and R&D. We strongly believe that with inward investment of £2.5bn we can build our state-of-the-art Gigafactory and create 6,000 highly skilled jobs.

    We’re also highly encouraged by the new UK government’s pledge to directly invest in industry via the National Wealth Fund, reward firms that build their manufacturing supply chains in the UK via the British Jobs Bonus, and, in short, ‘secure the future of Britain’s automotive industry.’3 We urge the Prime Minister to deliver on those promises and help us to play our part in full.

    The UK has always been a leader in designing and developing cutting-edge technologies, but hasn’t always fulfilled its potential in successfully mass-producing them. With battery cells and Gigafactories we have an unprecedented opportunity to change this. But we must act now if we are to seize it. Five years from now, we want the UK to be a globally competitive supplier of battery cells and securing the clean energy supply chain for the future, not asking why we allowed ourselves to fall further behind.

    1 https://www.faraday.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gigafactory-Report_2024_final_17Sept2024.pdf

    2 https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/over-400-gigafactories-in-2030-pipeline-but-overcapacity-fears-loom

    3 https://labour.org.uk/change/make-britain-a-clean-energy-superpower/

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    10.29.24
    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices:  How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing includes two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to address anti-competitive tactics that make medications unaffordable for patients.
    Key Quotes:
    “Today the Committee will examine an issue on the minds of many in Illinois and across the country: the high price of prescription drugs.  It is a scandalous situation in America.  People in the United States pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world—on average, four times more than people in similar countries pay for brand-name medications.” 
    “For example: [when] the blood thinner Eliquis entered the market in 2013, it cost $3,100 annually in the U.S.  Same drug for sale in Japan [was] $1,000.  And, over the past decade, the price in the U.S. has more than doubled, from $3,100 to $7,100.  Meanwhile, in Japan, the price has dropped… Why?  For years, Big Pharma has abused our patent system to obtain monopolies on their medications, so they can charge these sky-high prices.” 
    “At the same time, they have spent billions of dollars to fill the airwaves with ads so patients tell their doctors they need drugs like Eliquis so they can go skiing, fishing, and whitewater rafting.   By fueling demand for expensive medications that are walled-off from competition by clever patent schemes, Big Pharma has made American patients their profit engine.”
    “Thankfully, this Administration and Democrats in Congress decided to do something about it.  In 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act.  Not a single Republican voted for it.  Under this law, we have capped the price of insulin at $35 per month, saving 50,000 seniors in Illinois approximately $500 a year.  We have made vaccines under Medicare free.  When the shingles or RSV vaccines can cost up to $300 per dose, this change creates real savings for 1.4 million seniors in Illinois.  Starting in January, there will be a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for seniors—meaning, no matter how expensive your medications are, you will not pay more than $2,000 in co-pays per year.”
    “In August, the Biden-Harris Administration negotiated with Big Pharma to lower prices for 10 of the most expensive drugs under Medicare, resulting in price savings of up to 79 percent… As a result of this negotiation, nine million seniors will save a total of $1.5 billion in annual out-of-pocket costs—including nearly 300,000 seniors in Illinois who take one of these ten drugs.  Remember Eliquis?  Thanks to this new law, Medicare was able to permanently cut its price in half—taking nearly $300 off the monthly price tag—for more than 100,000 seniors in Illinois.”
    “But just as these historic savings are starting to take effect, there are real threats to our progress.  Eight pharmaceutical companies raced to federal courthouses to stop this price negotiation.  And former-President Trump and his Republican allies want to repeal this provision all together.”
    “Too often, the prices Big Pharma charges do not reflect scientific breakthroughs but, rather, manipulation by its lawyers and marketers.  In fact, the top 10 best-selling drugs in 2021 were covered by an average of 42 active patents that block competition and create windfall profits.”
    “The Judiciary Committee has taken a leading role in addressing Big Pharma’s schemes.  Last year, the Committee unanimously reported five bipartisan bills that addressed the industry’s anticompetitive tactics.  This includes my bill with Senator Tillis to improve information sharing between the FDA and Patent Office to prevent gamesmanship. Congress needs to pass these bills into law.”
    “Drugs are not effective in treating disease if a patient cannot afford to buy them.  Our hearing today will explore how legislation like the Inflation Reduction Actand the Judiciary Committee bills can help ensure every patient can access lifesaving medications.”
      
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    The United States has the highest prescription drug prices in the developed world, on average nearly four times higher than what other countries pay for some of the most common brand-name medications. Despite claims that these prices are necessary to fund research and development into the next generation of drugs, research suggests that the majority of innovation is driven by smaller companies, as well as taxpayer funding through the National Institutes of Health. The Committee has jurisdiction over competition issues and the intellectual property system, which play critical roles in incentivizing true innovation and protecting a healthy market that keeps prices for prescription drugs within reach of the patients that need them.
    Durbin, Senate Democrats, and the Biden-Harris Administration have taken numerous steps to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Actprovided the Administration the authority to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, which has already resulted in price reduction of up to 79 percent for 10 of the most expensive and frequently-dispensed prescription drugs for seniors.
    Earlier this Congress, a package of bills advanced unanimously out of the Committee to lower prescription drug prices and are awaiting a vote in the full Senate, including the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
    Additionally, Durbin held a full committee hearing in May that scrutinized pharmaceutical companies’ abuse of the Orange Book and examined prescription drug prices, competition, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for patients.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    10.29.24
    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during the Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices:  How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing included two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to address anti-competitive tactics that make medications unaffordable for patients.
    Durbin first questioned Dr. Anthony D. Douglas II, General Surgery Resident at the University of Chicago, about the Medicare negotiation of Jardiance, a medication to treat people with diabetes, including his father. Jardiance’s manufacturer steadily raised the drug’s price over the last five years, from around $450 to nearly $600 for a 30-day supply.  Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare is finally able to negotiate the price it pays for certain prescription drugs, including Jardiance. And the Biden-Harris Administration was able to negotiate the price for Jardiance down to $197 per month—a 66 percent discount.
    “Tell me what that price reduction means to your patients?” Durbin asked.
    Dr. Douglas responded that having this necessary medicine reduced in price will mean “saving lives” thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration.
    Durbin then asked Dr. Douglas about direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising.  The pharmaceutical industry spends $6 billion per year to flood the airwaves with direct-to-consumer drug ads.  Durbin and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs, in order to empower patients and reduce excess spending on medications.
    “It strikes me that there are a handful of drugs which we are bombarded with when it comes to advertising—you cannot watch a football game or anything on your television without getting an ad for a drug… The fact that we can pronounce and even spell Xarelto is proof positive that we have been trained by these ads.  I am assuming and tell me if I’m wrong, that the pharmaceutical companies basically decided if we can convince the ultimate consumer to go into the doctor’s office and say, ‘I need this’ or whatever it happens to be, that the doctor is going to prescribe it as opposed to questioning whether or not it is necessary or if there is an affordable generic.  Is that true?”  Durbin asked.
    Dr. Douglas responded that he believes that is the drug companies’ strategy when targeting consumers through DTC ads.  He continued to say, “Not only do they advertise directly to physicians to prescribe the medications but also patients to go into the clinics and hospitals to ask,” for example, Ozempic. 
      Durbin also asked Dr. Michael Sandsmark, Director of Pharmacy, Iroquois Memorial Hospital (IMH), about the long wait lines at pharmacies, including at Walgreens, and even closures. 
    Dr. Sandsmark responded that there, “is a lot of burnout” among pharmacists right now and corporations are having trouble finding staff.  Dr. Sandsmark also commented on the rigorous and expensive price of pharmacy school and training.  
    Durbin then asked Rachel Sachs, Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis, and Kwame Raoul, Attorney General, State of Illinois, about pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—middlemen that manage drug benefits for insurance plans. 
    Dr. Sachs responded, “we should think broadly about opportunities at the federal level and state level for PBM reform.”  In February 2024, Attorney General Raoul along with 38 other attorneys general, sent a letter to Congress expressing support for reforming how PBMs operate.  In June, he joined an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case addressing the states’ authority to regulate PBMs.
    Durbin then asked Dr. Sachs about claims from the pharmaceutical industry and its allies that the Inflation Reduction Act’s common-sense reform to enable Medicare to negotiate for lower prices will “freeze innovation,” and potentially prevent new drugs from coming to the market.  The cancer drug Keytruda had $25 billion in sales last year.  The revenue for this single medication is on par with what Mastercard or the McDonald’s Corporation earn per year.
    “How can it possibly be that a penny less in profit to Big Pharma will stifle innovation?” Durbin asked.
    Dr. Sachs responded, “in my view, what we really care about is the value of innovation to patients.  It is about delivering real [and] new clinical value and reforms that preserve and protect that value rather than the amount of innovation are what matters.”
    Durbin then asked Dr. Douglas about pharmaceutical companies often spending more in sales and marketing than on research and development.  Dr. Douglas responded he is aware of the uneven spending.  He continued to say we need to put profits over people.  In 2020, Johnson & Johnson spent nearly twice as much on sales and marketing—$22 billion—as it spent on R&D. 
    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
    The United States has the highest prescription drug prices in the developed world, on average nearly four times higher than what other countries pay for some of the most common brand-name medications. Despite claims that these prices are necessary to fund research and development into the next generation of drugs, research suggests that the majority of innovation is driven by smaller companies, as well as taxpayer funding through the National Institutes of Health. The Committee has jurisdiction over competition issues and the intellectual property system, which play critical roles in incentivizing true innovation and protecting a healthy market that keeps prices for prescription drugs within reach of the patients that need them.
    Durbin, Senate Democrats, and the Biden-Harris Administration have taken numerous steps to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Actprovided the Administration the authority to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, which has already resulted in price reduction of up to 79 percent for 10 of the most expensive and frequently-dispensed prescription drugs for seniors.
    Earlier this Congress, a package of bills advanced unanimously out of the Committee to lower prescription drug prices and are awaiting a vote in the full Senate, including the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
    Additionally, Durbin held a full committee hearing in May that scrutinized pharmaceutical companies’ abuse of the Orange Book and examined prescription drug prices, competition, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for patients.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: RWA Inc. Unveils The RWA Hub: A Social Mining Platform Dedicated to Growth and Community Building

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RWA Inc., a leader in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), is excited to announce the launch of its latest product, The RWA Hub. This platform serves as a center for fostering knowledge, sharing, collaboration, and engagement for investors, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts interested in real-world asset tokenization.

    The RWA Hub provides a centralized space for users to stay informed about the latest developments, events, and opportunities within the RWA ecosystem. With a focus on building an active and engaged community, the hub encourages conversations, insights, and updates on the RWA Inc. ecosystem through incentive campaigns and Initial Labour Offerings.

    What the RWA Hub Offers:

    1. Community Engagement and Discussions: The RWA Hub features interactive forums where users can exchange ideas, ask questions, and share experiences. This space encourages dialogue between all users in the RWA Inc. Ecosystem, fostering a collaborative environment where participants can learn from one another and explore new opportunities in the tokenization space.
    2. Exclusive Campaigns and Opportunities: The Hub hosts exclusive campaigns that are not available on other RWA Inc. platforms. These unique opportunities, tailored to active community members, include special token offerings, promotions, and engagement rewards that enrich the overall experience for users who actively participate in the RWA Hub.
    3. Active Membership and Engagement: The RWA Hub already boasts an active membership, with participants regularly engaging in discussions, contributing to forums, and taking part in events. These continued contributions create long-term value for the RWA Inc. ecosystem, and members are rewarded for their dedication and active participation in our community.

    Building a Community

    The RWA Hub plays an important role in supporting the company’s mission to democratize access to real-world asset investment opportunities by providing a space where community members can connect and share knowledge. It serves as a platform for users to engage with each other and stay updated on trends in the tokenization space.

    “The RWA Hub is a center for discussion, collaboration and engagement within our community – it’s a cornerstone for building lasting relationships with our users. We have designed it to reward those who engage and contribute towards the long-term growth of the RWA Inc. ecosystem. Their insights, participation, and dedication help drive us forward, and strengthen our community.” – Kevin Yunai, CEO & founder at RWA Inc.

    Tokenization: A Growing Market Opportunity

    The global tokenization market is experiencing rapid growth, with the potential to unlock trillions of dollars in traditionally illiquid assets. By fractionalizing high-value assets, RWA Inc. expands market reach and unlocks liquidity, making this market accessible to a broader group of investors. RWA Inc. is set to lead this space through innovative technology, strong leadership, and a dedicated community. The RWA Hub plays an important role in creating a long-standing, engaged community to ensure the longevity of our platform. We believe our success is directly tied to the growth and active involvement of our community. Through their support, we aim to solidify our position as a flagship brand for RWA tokenization.

    About RWA Inc.

    RWA Inc. delivers end-to-end real-world asset (RWA) tokenization via an advanced multi-asset platform, including tokenization as a service, a launchpad, and a marketplace. With a short-term focus on startup utility tokens for our go-to-market strategy, our primary emphasis is on strategically expanding into startup equity tokens, real estate, collectibles, and other asset classes. Our comprehensive services enhance liquidity, broaden market reach, support business development, and create new avenues for value creation, aligning with market demands.

    Join our community today! – community.rwa.inc.

    RWA Inc. Links – X | Telegram | TG Announcements | LinkedIn | Medium | Website |

    Contact Details:
    Kevin Yunai
    Founder and CEO
    kevin@rwa.inc 

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by “RWA”. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/85a2b193-aeb6-4b1a-8add-8412116d2c46

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cb0194a8-ecb8-463e-a4d4-8c335a88fed6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: New insights from Shakespeare’s England reveal striking parallels to contemporary climate change

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Madeline Bassnett, Professor of Early Modern English Literature, Western University

    Unprecedented storms and devastating drought. Flash floods and wildfires ignited by the air’s dry heat. This is the experience for many in our modern world. But it was also the experience for those living amid England’s Little Ice Age.

    The Little Ice Age is a period from around 1300 to 1850, when global temperatures dropped significantly. While the exact cause of this phenonemon is unknown, theories range from volcanic eruptions to European colonization of the Americas.

    Our research into England’s Little Ice Age during the 16th and 17th centuries has unearthed more than 1,800 unique pieces of weather observations, hidden in documents like diaries and letters. Local and national chronicles embedded reports of extreme weather among accounts of war and monarchs. Extreme weather pamphlets publicized tragic effects of earthquakes, floods and storms, much like our media today.

    Our team has created an open access database called the Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700. This database visually maps both extreme and temperate weather in the age of Shakespeare and can help to advance modern climate science.

    More fundamentally, these experiential accounts provide a fascinating window into a world not too different from our own. While the causes of the climate change of today are well known, and likely different from that of the Little Ice Age, the experiences of living through both events are at times eerily similar. Understanding these past experiences can help us to better understand our present day and to develop more robust policies in the here and now.



    Read more:
    The Canadian Arctic shows how understanding the effects of climate change requires long-term vision

    Frosts and freezes

    Frost fairs on the River Thames have become a familiar cultural reference point for England’s Little Ice Age. Our data shows that the river froze over a mere four times in the 16th century — in 1516, 1537, 1564 and 1590 — and there were only intermittent observations of unusual cold or snow.

    The 17th century was markedly different. Reports of cold came thick and fast, with the exception of a few years between 1620 and 1643.

    Title page from The Great Frost: ‘Cold doings in London, except it be at the lotterie. With newes out of the country. A familiar talk betwene a country-man and a citizen touching this terrible frost and the great lotterie, and the effects of them.’ Printed at London: For Henry Gosson, 1608. Attributed to Thomas Dekker.
    (Houghton Library, Harvard University)

    This was the century of frost fairs on the Thames. With the first 17th century fair in 1608, these events were celebrated by English playwright Thomas Dekker in his pamphlet The Great Frost.

    Drinking, barbering and games were on display as London’s citizens marvelled at the novelty of entertainment on the ice. The freezes were frequent enough to become an institution.

    By the winter of 1683-1684, the frost fair had become a city within a city, expanding across the ice with avenues of booths, bear and bull-baiting rings and boats-turned-chariots pulled by enterprising watermen across the now solid river.

    But these iconic events were just one aspect of Little Ice Age weather in England.

    Storms and floods

    In the 16th century, severe rain storms were far more common than cold snaps.

    On Oct. 5, 1570, “a terrible tempest of wind and raine” caused flooding from Lincolnshire to London as rivers overflowed their banks, drowning towns, fields, crops and cattle. Storm surges inundated the coastline.

    Four years later, towns from Newport to St. Ives suffered “raging floods,” and a “giant sea fish” (whale) washed up in the Thames from a massive surge up river. In May 1594, “soddane showres of haile [and] raine” destroyed houses, iron mills, crops and cattle in Sussex and Surrey. September of that year saw another deluge, with bridges taken down in Cambridge and Ware.

    This all changed in the 17th century, following the Great Flood that struck Bristol and surrounding areas in 1607. Extreme cold spells then became more frequent, and major storm events were less common. The winter of 1612-1613 saw a number of violent storms recorded in the pamphlet Wonders of this Windie Winter, with livestock lost from Newcastle to Dover and bodies from shipwrecks washing aground in the Thames.

    In the next 40 years, though, only the years of 1626 and 1637 contain reports of significant storm events causing loss of life or livestock. Instead of extreme storms, this century was marked more by regular but moderate rainfall, consistent with colder, wetter conditions normally associated with the Little Ice Age.

    Fire and heat

    If colder, wetter weather was a new normal for 17th century Britons, the hot, dry spring of 1666 caught Londoners unprepared. The Great Fire of London was one of the worst disasters of the age, and diarist John Evelyn recounts that “the heate … had even ignited the aire,” a comment reminiscent of descriptions of wildfire spread today.

    Yet periods of extreme heat were surprisingly frequent during the previous century, especially in the England that Shakespeare knew. More than a dozen droughts were recorded across England in the 16th century, usually broken by extreme storms or floods. It never rained, it seems, but it poured. The Thames dried up completely in 1592.

    As Thomas Short wrote in his Chronological History of English Weather, “an excessive drought, great death of cattle from want of water; springs and brooks were dried up; horsemen could ride the Thames.” Locals went into the mud to retrieve items long lost to the river.

    Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon was nearly destroyed by fire twice, in 1594 and 1595, due to severe drought and heat. The warning signs were there for Londoners to beware of hot spells in the next century, but frost fairs and wet weather may have bred complacency.

    Lessons for today

    The Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700 database is revealing a picture of the world of Shakespeare and early modern England that upends a simplified picture of the Little Ice Age. More than just a world of frosts and freezes, the English Little Ice Age could be known as well as an age of fire and rain.



    Read more:
    The B.C. election could decide the future of the province’s species at risk laws

    The documents in our database are the reports of people who lived in a climatically changing world and saw its shifts firsthand. It shows how important weather crowd-sourcing can be, even centuries later. Contemporary projects like the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or the Northern Tornadoes Project, continue in the spirit of this work.

    But our data could also provide insight into today’s extreme weather. Historical flooding patterns might provide reference points to better manage and understand the unstable weather experienced in the British Isles today.

    Madeline Bassnett has received funding from SSHRC for the Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700 project.

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

    – ref. New insights from Shakespeare’s England reveal striking parallels to contemporary climate change – https://theconversation.com/new-insights-from-shakespeares-england-reveal-striking-parallels-to-contemporary-climate-change-240755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Gartner Survey Shows 85% of Learning and Development Leaders Agree There Will Be a Surge in Skills Development Needs Due to AI and Digital Trends in Next 3 Years

    Source: Gartner – IT Research

    Headline: Gartner Survey Shows 85% of Learning and Development Leaders Agree There Will Be a Surge in Skills Development Needs Due to AI and Digital Trends in Next 3 Years

    As digital and AI trends continue to disrupt work, 85% of learning and development (L&D) leaders agreed that the need for skills development will significantly increase, according to Gartner, Inc. This research was showcased today during the Gartner ReimagineHR Conference, taking place here through Wednesday.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 100 billion reasons why the night-time economy is no afterthought

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: 100 billion reasons why the night-time economy is no afterthought

    Published: 30 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy

    The NSW night-time economy is worth $102 billion a year, employs a fifth of all workers and supports more than 53,000 core businesses, including music venues, restaurants, bars and leisure activity providers.

    These are some of the insights from Data After Dark, a pioneering new platform released today that will track growth and changes in economic activity across the state between 6pm and 6am.

    Data After Dark, which draws from multiple information sources, including Opal travel data and spending transactions, will create a baseline to track the impact of the Minns Labor Government’s Vibrancy laws that are cutting red tape and tearing up the restrictions that have strangled nightlife and the night-time economy.

    The Vibrancy Reforms have:

    • Torn up “no entertainment” clauses and bizarre restrictions on what genres of music venues can play
    • Made outdoor dining permanently available
    • Stopped single neighbour noise complaints from shutting down pubs and other licensed venues
    • Required property buyers to be notified when they are moving into an entertainment zone to reduce friction between venues and neighbours
    • Ended the outdated rule that prevents people living within five kilometres of a registered club from signing in without first becoming a member
    • Binned restrictions that prevented patrons from standing while drinking outside a licenced premises

    Businesses and the public will have free access to quarterly updates of Data After Dark, while NSW Government, its agencies and participating councils will be able to access live information via a world-first dashboard feed.

    In the three months to June 30, the report found spending in person on Saturday night eclipsed Thursday night ($50.8 million vs $46.7 million). In the March quarter, Thursday night had recorded the most spending at night.

    At a business level, the biggest growth over the past year has been in takeaway food and sports and physical recreation services, including gyms, while liquor retailing and gambling have recorded declines in their share of the night-time economy.

    Other insights from the June quarter: 

    • More businesses opened, including an additional 1,197 core night-time businesses year-on-year
    • Public transport recorded year-on-year growth of 4.4%, with 35.7 million Opal tap-offs at night  
    • People in NSW made 464 million night-time trips across all transport modes
    • Night-time in-person spending was $3.57 billion – or 16.9% of the 24-hour total 

    By location, the “eastern harbour city” which includes the Sydney CBD, eastern suburbs and inner-west, represents 52 per cent of the total night time economy across the “six cities” that incorporates Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast, the Parramatta area and the “western parkland city” beyond.

    Data After Dark will be launched by Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham at the second annual NEON Forum in Sydney today which brings together the world’s leading experts on night-time economies, hosted by the NSW Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.

    Quarterly reports can be accessed here

    Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham said: 

    “A strong night-time economy is critical to a global city like Sydney and the centres of commerce right across NSW.

    “The insights that Data After Dark provides will help business and government understand this part of the economy better and make the most informed, data-led decisions on how to grow its contribution.

    “The platform leverages a wealth of information on night-time trading, safety and mobility to tailor policy like never before. This is a world-leading tool to monitor the night-time economy.

    “As part of the Minns Labor Government’s Vibrancy Reforms we are stripping back red tape and ending some of the frustrating rules and restrictions that have stopped people enjoying time outside the home after hours.

    24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:   

    “Previously there has been no real baseline dataset that offers an insightful health check of our night-time economies across the State. Data After Dark fills that gap as the first of its kind tool that establishes a set of universal measures for night-time economies. 

    “The application of reliable and consistent data will help State agencies and local councils as they work with the private sector and communities to build lively and safe going out districts. We also now have a tool to make sure we can measure the performance of new initiatives and programs.”  

    Jeremy Gill, Head of Policy, Committee for Sydney said: 

    “Sydney’s night-time economy is buzzing again. To ensure it meets the needs of all Sydneysiders, we need to know who’s involved, how they’re engaging with it, what they want and what that looks like in different parts of the city.  

    “Great data is central to this. The Data after Dark platform gives us insights into the current state of affairs and empowers us to advocate for policies that can effectively address our challenges and seize the opportunities ahead.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Sets New Benchmark in TV Security With FIPS 140-3 Certification

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung Electronics today announced that its proprietary cryptography module, Samsung CryptoCore,1 has earned the prestigious FIPS 140-3 certification2 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This certification underscores Samsung’s commitment to providing industry-leading security and data protection for Smart TV users.
     
    “As home entertainment systems become more connected, it becomes critical for technology companies to safeguard the personal data that enables the seamless connectivity enjoyed by so many,” said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “By integrating the FIPS 140-3-certified CryptoCore into our Smart TVs, Samsung is taking our commitment to secure home entertainment a step further and ensuring that our users can freely experience the value of our products.”
     
    Beginning in 2025, Samsung CryptoCore will be fully integrated into Tizen OS,3 Samsung’s Smart TV operating system, enhancing the security of key products such as TVs, monitors and digital signage. With Samsung CryptoCore embedded in Tizen OS, personal data linked to Samsung accounts will be securely encrypted, SmartThings authentication information will be protected from external hacking threats and content viewed on TVs will benefit from enhanced copyright protection.
     
    Since 2015, Samsung has equipped its Smart TVs with Samsung Knox,4 a security platform that has earned Common Criteria (CC) certification5 for 10 consecutive years. But with its newly acquired FIPS 140-3 certification, Samsung has strengthened its defenses against hacking and data breaches even further, proactively protecting personal information with advanced encryption technology.
     
    Recognized by governments in 10 countries,6 the FIPS 140-3 certification requires comprehensive testing of cryptographic modules to ensure their security, integrity and reliability. For users, this means Samsung Smart TVs offer cutting-edge protection against privacy breaches, allowing them to enjoy their content, connect smart devices and engage with IoT services securely and without concerns.
     

     
    1 Samsung CryptoCore is a software library that encrypts and decrypts data during both transmission and storage.2 Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3 covers the security requirements for cryptographic modules.3 Tizen OS 9.0.4 Samsung Knox provides privacy protection on its Smart TVs through features like Tizen OS Monitoring, Phishing Site Blocking and Knox Vault. Knox Vault is available only on the QN900D and QN800D models.5 Common Criteria (CC) certification is a global security standard recognized by 31 countries for IT product integrity.6 Recognized in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Strike Force Trident Responds to Overnight Crime Spree in Northern Suburbs

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Strike Force Trident responded to an overnight crime spree across Darwin’s northern suburbs, which included an attempted car-jacking, multiple burglaries, and the theft of scooters.

    Four youths, aged between 13 and 15, are currently in custody following swift arrests made by Strike Force Trident and the Dog Operations Unit (DOU). Investigations remain ongoing to identify additional offenders involved in the incidents.

    Between midnight and 4:00am, police received multiple reports of unlawful entries at business premises across the northern suburbs. In addition to these incidents, a car-jacking occurred on Wood Street in Darwin City, where a victim, while parked, was approached by two offenders. The offenders allegedly assaulted the victim and threatened them with an edged weapon before fleeing the scene.

    A team from Strike Force Trident and DOU were immediately deployed. CCTV footage was reviewed, leading to the identification of four offenders. Trident officers quickly attended known residential locations in the northern suburbs and arrested the four youth offenders, all of whom were already on bail and subject to Electronic Monitoring conditions.

    Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Humphries praised the coordinated response, stating, “This is a great example of efficient teamwork between Strike Force Trident and the Dog Operations Unit. Their ability to identify and apprehend the offenders within two hours of responding demonstrates their dedication and effectiveness.”

    Investigations into both the unlawful entries and the car-jacking are ongoing, and police are urging anyone with information to contact NT Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: FM: Chancellor must invest in opportunity

    Source: Scottish Government

    First Minister and Scottish Chambers of Commerce issue joint call for investment to support growth.

    A joint call for investment has been issued to the Chancellor on the eve of the UK Budget from Scottish Government and Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

    Speaking to business leaders at a reception with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on Tuesday 29 October, First Minister John Swinney said:

    “My Government is committed to growing the economy to generate the wealth to invest in our public services and eradicate child poverty. We want to use that investment to create a partnership between government and business that will make the most of Scotland’s many economic opportunities.

    “It takes political willpower to adapt and evolve our economies and grow thriving societies in all four nations – something the Chancellor can signal by including steps to advance the Acorn carbon capture and storage project in the UK Budget, which would provide new opportunities for workers in the oil and gas sector in Grangemouth and in other parts of Scotland.

    “The Office for Budget Responsibility highlighted recently the potential for public investment to deliver permanent improvements in the economy. It is welcome that my calls for the Chancellor to amend her fiscal rules have been heard, with indications last week that there will be scope for greater investment.

    “The Chancellor has the chance to choose to deliver a UK Budget that invests in our public services and supports the entrepreneurial spirit displayed in Scotland’s business sector. With these new rules in place the Chancellor must use the fiscal headroom they create to deliver a Budget that immediately and significantly enhances Scotland’s resource and capital funding, enabling us to invest more in our public services and take forward the vital infrastructure projects that support economic growth, net zero, and action to tackle child poverty.”

    Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive Dr Liz Cameron CBE said:

    “Our budget focus is on growth, investment and competitiveness. That means investing in skills, technology and infrastructure, and equipping the workforce for tomorrow’s challenges. 

    “The Chancellor’s actions and the message they send will directly impact business confidence and investment at a time when we need to create positive momentum. We hope that our calls to support business have been listened to and not ignored.” 

    Background

    The Office for Budget Responsibility’s conclusions on impact on GDP of a permanent uplift in capital investment can be found on page 23 of Discussion paper No.5: Public investment and potential output (obr.uk)

    UK Autumn Budget: Letter to UK Government – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Attends Nava Diwali Festival

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Hochul delivered remarks and attended the Nava Diwali Festival to honor and celebrate Diwali, the largest holiday that takes place across South Asia and Indo-Caribbean communities each year in the fall.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Thank you, Mr. President. It’s always great to be back here celebrating this most beautiful of holidays. I want to thank Melinda Katz for being one of the hosts every year, inviting us and all of the elected officials, my partners in government. But this is about the community. This is about the community coming together at a time when it seems like we’re so divided, that the politics is so ugly and people are not feeling united in one cause.

    This candle lighting reminds us that we are together in this journey. That light will always prevail over darkness. And goodness over evil. And if we keep those values in mind, we will persevere and prevail over all the negativity that seems to permeate our politics and our society today. So, let us leave here refreshed and renewed in the belief that lightness – light will prevail, and goodness will prevail over evil.

    Those are such important values to all of us in this wonderful community. I thank all of you for the honor of being your Governor. Thank you everyone. Thank you to all of our elected officials as well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Venom’ boosts Chinese box office as hopes rise for sustained market heat

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    “I never thought Venom was anything more than a villain, but this film moved me to tears,” one Weibo user remarked, reflecting on the unexpectedly strong response to “Venom: The Last Dance.”

    The latest installment in Sony’s “Venom” franchise debuted in China on Oct. 23, striking an emotional chord with local audiences. Maroon 5’s “Memories” scored the film’s reflective moments, adding to its impact on moviegoers.

    Opening during what is typically a quiet period for China’s box office — between the National Day holiday in early October and the end-of-year moviegoing period, which begins in late November — “Venom: The Last Dance” defied seasonal expectations and drove total box office revenue for Oct. 21-27 to 620 million yuan (about 87 million U.S. dollars). According to ticketing platform Maoyan, “Venom: The Last Dance” alone raked in 326 million yuan over the course of the week, more than 50 percent of the overall figure.

    Maoyan projects the film to end its China box office run with over 580 million yuan in earnings.

    Sony Pictures took to Chinese social media to celebrate the film’s success, highlighting its impressive five-day run at the top of China’s daily box office — a rare feat for Hollywood releases in recent years.

    While the influence of Hollywood films has generally waned in China compared to a decade ago, the success of “Venom” suggests certain U.S. franchise titles can still capture a diverse range of viewers.

    This can also be seen in the mixed reception other recent Hollywood releases have received in China. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which premiered on Oct. 16, hasn’t matched the box office impact of its 2019 predecessor but has nevertheless found an audience in fans of more complex narratives. While some viewers have found the sequel’s introspective tone to be a departure from the first installment, others have lauded it as a bold, deconstructed take on the Joker mythos.

    The real test now is whether “Venom” can sustain its momentum through the schedule of upcoming releases.

    Dong Wenxin, a film critic and cinema manager, has noted the surprising strength of the post-holiday period, which is often considered a cold season for the box office. “Is this truly a cold season?” Dong asked, noting that strong releases can keep theaters busy even in typically quiet months.

    She expressed hope that “Cesium Fallout,” a disaster film starring Hong Kong veteran actor Andy Lau and set for release on Nov. 1, could be a candidate to sustain the market heat following “Venom.”

    Hollywood’s broader performance in China this year has been mixed, with “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and “Alien: Romulus” currently standing as the only two U.S. films in the annual top 12, grossing close to 960 million and 790 million yuan, respectively.

    Industry watchers are now setting their sights on the end-of-year moviegoing period, which begins on Nov. 22, with Dwayne Johnson’s “Red One” scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 8.

    Johnson’s name recognition in China, cemented by his role in the “Fast & Furious” film series, has generated widespread anticipation for “Red One.” “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” the last installment in the blockbuster franchise to feature the U.S. actor, earned 1.4 billion yuan in China in 2019.

    Despite no longer being a guaranteed box office draw, Hollywood titles still provide the variety that keeps China’s theatrical landscape dynamic. As 2024 enters its final quarter, industry insiders are cautiously optimistic that a well-curated slate can maintain momentum, offering a promising close to the year.

    To date, China’s 2024 box office has totaled 38.3 billion yuan — a 22 percent drop from the same period last year, underscoring the high stakes for Hollywood and domestic releases alike in the months ahead. 

    MIL OSI China News –