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Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic’s coming Auto framing application for PTZ cameras achieves high-quality video for broadcasting and video production

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic’s coming Auto framing application for PTZ cameras achieves high-quality video for broadcasting and video production

    Osaka, Japan, October 3, 2024 – Panasonic Entertainment & Communication today announced the upcoming launch of a new auto framing application for Panasonic PTZ cameras that achieves natural, high-quality, automated video shooting suitable for broadcasting and video production. The application will be offered as an Advanced Auto Framing plug-in for Panasonic’s Media Production Suite software platform from the second quarter of CY2025. In addition, selected auto framing features are set to be offered for Panasonic’s top-of-the-line AW-UE160W/K PTZ camera via firmware and Media Production Suite updates from the first quarter of CY2025. The latest information including release dates will be announced on the Panasonic website (https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/software/mps/).
    Panasonic expects to exhibit the auto framing feature of the AW-UE160W/K at its booth during the 2024 NAB Show New York on October 9 to 10, 2024.
    In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the consumption of video content via streaming platforms and web-based broadcasts is rapidly increasing, which has dramatically increased the need to optimize human resources and technical systems to ensure the stable production and delivery of high-quality content across broadcast networks, production houses and live event coverage.
    Panasonic’s new auto framing solution leverages the company’s extensive experience with broadcasting and video production, supported with valuable feedback from diverse industry professionals, and incorporates advanced technologies such as auto tracking, image recognition and natural auto framing. It achieves camera framing exactly as defined by the user for enhanced on-site efficiency and high-quality content.
    The paid Advanced Auto Framing plug-in for the Media Production Suite, which can be activated with a software key in the Media Production Suite, will enable auto framing for Panasonic PTZ cameras including the AW-UE160W/K, AW-UE150W/K, AW-UE100W/K and AW-UE80W/K. The plug-in is set to support multi-camera setup for auto framing to enhance subject-detection accuracy and operability. Additionally, facial recognition technology will enable optimal framing for specified individuals.
    The new auto framing feature for the AW-UE160W/K will be offered free of charge via camera firmware and Media Production Suite updates. Subject detection is handled by the camera’s internal processor, and framing commands are managed with the Media Production Suite. A GPU is not required for the operating PC, so the feature can be used on any PC that meets the Media Production Suite’s basic operating requirements.
    The Advanced Auto Framing plug-in and auto framing feature of the AW-UE160W/K enable professional-level automatic high-quality framing in real time, thanks to framing presets that accurately replicate user-defined framing settings. Framing presets can be combined, including multi-subject group shots. Additionally, advanced human body detection ensures consistent subject headroom. These feature sets make it easy for users to shoot and produce high-quality video content.
    The graphical user interfaces (GUI) design and operation are consistent with those of the Media Production Suite for intuitive setup and operation via a user-friendly control panel. The Advanced Auto Framing plug-in’s GUI includes a multi-camera display option for easy management of multiple PTZ cameras. Multiple feeds can be monitored and controlled from a single screen to facilitate multi-camera shooting even in environments with limited staff to ensure high content quality.
    The auto framing application can be used in conjunction with the AW-RP150GJ and AW-RP60GJ remote camera controllers, making it easy to fine-tune the camera angle during auto framing. In addition, synchronizing camera selection with auto framing in the Media Production Suite simplifies switching between auto and manual framing operations.
    Panasonic’s auto framing application aims to deliver high-quality framing for advanced content production in broadcast studios and live event shooting with PTZ cameras, contributing to more efficient on-site workflows.

    Advanced Auto Framing plug-in features

    Auto framing with multiple Panasonic PTZ cameras
    Register multiple user-created framing presets to accurately reproduce user-defined framing
    Group shots for framing multiple subjects, such as two- and three-shots
    Stable framing of moving subjects based on advanced human body detection and camera control for professional-level camera work, including consistent headroom
    Privacy-conscious shooting since body detection does not require personal information
    Facial recognition with registered faces allows specification of individuals for framing
    Multi-camera coordination for stable subject detection and seamless switching between framing targets
    GUI accepts PTZ camera listing for multi-camera viewing and operation
    Subject-tracking autofocus using phase detection auto focus (AW-UE160W/K only)
    Seamless integration with Panasonic AW-RP150GJ & AW-RP60GJ remote camera controllers
    Tablet-ready GUI for touch-panel operation
    For more details, please visit the Advanced Auto Framing plug-in and Media Production Suite website:https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/software/mps/aaf/https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/software/mps/

    AW-UE160W/K Auto Framing features

    Available via free firmware and Media Production Suite updates
    Register up to three framing presets to accurately reproduce user-defined framings
    Group shots for framing multiple subjects, such as two- and three-shots
    Stable framing of moving subjects based on advanced human body detection and camera control for professional-level camera work, including consistent headroom
    Privacy-conscious shooting since body detection does not require personal information
    Subject-tracking autofocus using phase detection auto focus
    Seamless integration with Panasonic AW-RP150GJ & AW-RP60GJ remote camera controllers
    Tablet-ready GUI for touch-panel operation
    For more details, please visit the AW-UE160W/K website:https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/products/aw-ue160/

    * Product specifications are under development and subject to change at time of release.

    About Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd.
    Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd. established in April 2022 as part of the Panasonic Group’s switch to an operating company system, is strengthening the bonds among people and enriching our customers’ lives by providing consumer electronics, including AVC products such as OLED TVs, Lumix digital cameras, headphones, phones, intercoms, and more, as well as business products and solutions including for broadcast, professional AV, and sound systems globally. Our mission is to offer people new emotion and relaxation through our entertainment and communication solutions. To fulfill this mission, we strive to act with professionalism to continuously recreate the future by connecting people. For more details, please visit https://www.panasonic.com/global/peac.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: When even fringe festival venues exclude people with disability, cities need to act on access

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Clifton, Associate Professor of Practice, School of Health Sciences and the Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney

    Sanit Fuangnakhon/Shutterstock

    It’s about time city councils did more to make our cities accessible. I recently tried to buy tickets to two Sydney Fringe Festival events, only to be told by the box office that the venues were not wheelchair-accessible.

    Sydney remains a place where people with disability feel like they don’t belong. The same is true of other Australian cities. But local councils don’t bear all the blame.

    Event organisers are responsible for selecting venues. In the case of the Fringe Festival, they chose locations inaccessible to wheelchair users and others with mobility challenges. It’s a bitter irony that a fringe festival, which ostensibly empowers artists and creatives on the margins, would exclude people with disability.

    If event organisers (and every one of us) decided never to hire inaccessible venues, then the market might solve the issue. But those of us with disability are realistic enough to know most people don’t care – or don’t give us a thought. The market hasn’t solved the problem, so it’s up to governments.

    The problems go beyond arts venues

    Inaccessible venues are only the tip of the iceberg. Countless restaurants, shops and offices are inaccessible, with steps on entry, inaccessible bathrooms and narrow and cluttered aisles.

    “Spend the day in my wheelchair” programs are sometimes criticised for trivialising the challenge of disability. However, they do unmask how frustrating and alienating our cities and towns can be.

    Google Maps now indicates whether premises are accessible. Those that are bear the universal symbol of disability access – the stylised blue wheelchair. Even then, a person with a disability is just as likely as not to turn up and discover a lift has broken down, a doorway has been blocked off, a bathroom has been used for storage, or a venue is only partially accessible (it’s always the cool spaces that are out of reach).

    The Commonwealth and states brought in disability discrimination laws in the 1990s. These have made some difference, but their many exemptions let businesses off the hook. (See the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.)

    More than 30 years down the track, our cities and towns remain bastions of exclusion.

    Newtown Hotel is marked as accessible on Google Maps, but the upstairs room used for a Sydney Fringe Festival event was not.
    Slow Walker/Shutterstock



    Read more:
    What does a building need to call itself ‘accessible’ – and is that enough?

    Better access benefits everyone

    Landowners and businesses typically complain providing access for the few affected people is too costly. In reality, making our public spaces accessible often requires little more than determined creative design. The costs are a mere fraction of what we spend on other things we judge as more important.

    We also underestimate the value added by accessible design.

    The Kerb-Cut Effect, for example, describes how designing for people with disability often benefits everyone. The term refers to the impact of activist action in California in the 1970s. Disability advocates in the city of Berkeley poured concrete onto road kerbs to create ramps giving wheelchair users access to footpaths.

    These ramps also proved valuable to parents pushing children in strollers, older people and cyclists. Refined into kerb cuts, they spread rapidly around the world.

    There are many other examples. Television captioning, developed for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, is now widely used by non-disabled people. Audiobooks, developed for people who are blind, are now a common way that many other people enjoy books.

    Accessible venues will not just benefit wheelchair users. Older people, those with impaired mobility and people who push prams and tow suitcases all benefit. Indeed, if we make venues accessible to those on the margins, no one is excluded.

    The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities highlights the importance of universal design. The convention insists on

    the design of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design.

    Why use steps that exclude some people when everyone can use a ramp or a lift?

    Kerb cuts are now common since it became obvious how many people benefited from designing ramps into road-crossing points.
    John Robert McPherson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Why councils must lead the way

    Accessibility in cities is about more than just wheelchairs; it requires a comprehensive approach to urban planning to meet the varied needs of all citizens. This includes providing sensory aids like audio signals, braille signage and visual measures for people who are blind, deaf or hard of hearing. It’s also crucial that information on public services and events is easily available to everyone in formats they can access and understand.

    My focus has been on access to public spaces, but we also need to turn our attention to private homes. Wheelchair users and people with other mobility impairments can’t access most private houses in Australia. There is a drastic lack of accessible housing for people with disability and the cost of retrofitting access is exorbitant.

    New South Wales is yet to follow the lead of other states and territories by signing up to the Silver Liveable Housing Design Standards. These standards are part of the revised National Construction Code. They require new housing developments to offer basic accessibility for all people.

    We can and must do better. Every level of government can contribute to change.

    However, new builds and renovations are often decided upon at the regional level. This means local councils should bear much of the responsibility.

    A determined effort by our mayors and councillors to insist premises are accessible will be better for everyone. From a selfish perspective, it might mean I could go out to dinner or a festival without worrying if I can get in the door.

    Shane Clifton is affiliated with the Centre for Disability Research and Policy at the University of Sydney.

    – ref. When even fringe festival venues exclude people with disability, cities need to act on access – https://theconversation.com/when-even-fringe-festival-venues-exclude-people-with-disability-cities-need-to-act-on-access-239937

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English rendering of PM’s address in the 114th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on 29.09.2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 29 SEP 2024 12:09PM by PIB Delhi

    My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Once again we have the opportunity to connect in Mann Ki Baat. This episode today is going to make me emotional. It’s flooding me with a lot of old memories… The reason is that this journey of ours in Mann Ki Baat is completing 10 years. 10 years ago Mann Ki Baat started on the day of Vijayadashami on the 3rd of October. And what a divine coincidence it is that this year on the 3rd of October when 10 years of Mann Ki Baat are completed, it will be the first day of Navratri. There are many phases in this long journey of Mann Ki Baat that I can never forget. Crores of listeners of Mann Ki Baat have been our companions in this journey, whose continuous support I have kept receiving. They provided information from every corner of the country.

    The listeners of Mann Ki Baat are the real anchors of this show. A commonly held belief has become so ingrained that as long as there are no spicy or negative conversations, it does not receive much attention. But Mann Ki Baat has proved that how hungry the people of the country are, for positive information. People like positive stories, inspiring examples, encouraging stories very much. Just as there is a bird called Chakor about which it is said that it drinks only raindrops. In Mann Ki Baat we saw that like the Chakor bird, people too listen with great pride to the achievements of the country, the collective achievements of the people. The 10 year long journey of Mann Ki Baat has created a garland of sorts, in which, every episode encompasses new sagas, new records; new personalities get added. Whatever work is taking place in our society with a sense of collectiveness, it gets recognition through ‘Mann Ki Baat’. My heart also swells with pride when I read the letters that come for ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

    There are so many talented people in our country… How much passion they have, to serve the country and society. They dedicate their entire life to serving people selflessly. Knowing about them fills me up with energy. This whole process of Mann Ki Baat for me is like, going to the temple to have a Darshan of The Almighty. When I remember each and every thing, each and every incident, each and every letter connected with Mann Ki Baat, I feel as if I am having a Darshan of the Janata Janaardan, the people, who are like the Almighty to me.

    Friends, today I will appreciate all people associated with Doordarshan, Prasar Bharati and All India Radio. On account of their tireless efforts, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has reached this important milestone. I am also thankful to various TV channels, regional TV channels who have consistently broadcast it. Many media houses also ran campaigns on the issues that we raised through Mann Ki Baat. I also thank the Print media for taking it to every home. I would also like to thank those Youtubers who did many programs on Mann Ki Baat. This program can be heard in the country’s 22 languages, besides 12 foreign languages ​​as well. I love it when people say that they, listened to the Mann Ki Baat program in their local language. Many of you might know that, a quiz competition based on the Mann Ki Baat program is also going on, in which any person can take part. By visiting MyGov.in and win prizes too. Today, at this important juncture, I once again seek your blessings – With a pure heart and complete dedication… May I continue singing songs of the greatness of the people of India… May we all continue to celebrate the collective power of the nation in this way… This is my prayer to God, this is my prayer to the people.

    My dear countrymen, for the last few weeks it has been raining heavily in different parts of the country. This rainy season reminds us how important ‘water conservation’ is… how important it is to save water.

    Water saved during rainy days helps a lot during water scarcity months, and that’s the spirit of campaigns like ‘Catch The Rain’. I am happy that many people are taking new initiatives to conserve water. One such effort has been witnessed in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

    You know that ‘Jhansi’ is in Bundelkhand, whose identity is linked with water scarcity. Here, in Jhansi, some women have given a new lease of life to the Ghurari river. These women are associated with a Self Help Group and they have led this campaign by becoming ‘Jal Saheli’. No one would have ever imagined the way these women have saved the dying Ghurari river. These Jal Saheli created a check dam by filling sand in sacks, stopped the rain water from getting wasted and filled the river to the brim with water. These women have enthusiastically contributed to the construction of hundreds of reservoirs and their revival. This has not only solved the water problem of the people of this area; Happiness too has returned to their faces.

    Friends, at some places woman power enhances water power whereas at other places water power also strengthens woman power. I have come to know about two very inspiring efforts from Madhya Pradesh. Here in Raipura Village of Dindori, construction of a large pond has raised the groundwater level considerably. The women of this village benefited from this. Here the women associated with ‘Sharada Aajeevika Self Help Group’ have also entered into a new occupation of fish farming. These women have also started a Fish Parlour where their income is also enhancing through the sale of the fish. The efforts of women in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh are also commendable. When the big pond of Khomp village started drying up, the women took the initiative to rejuvenate it. The women of ‘Hari Bagiya Self Help Group’ removed a large amount of silt from the pond… they used the silt removed from the pond on barren land to set up a fruit forest.

    Due to the hard work of these women, not only has the pond been filled with water, but the crop yield has also increased substantially. Such efforts of water conservation being done in every nook & corner of the country will prove very helpful in dealing with the water crisis. I fully trust that you too will definitely join such efforts happening around you.

    My dear countrymen, there is a border village ‘Jhala’ in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand. The youth here have started a special initiative to keep their village clean. They are running a campaign, ‘Dhanyvaad Prakriti’ or ‘Thank you nature’ in their village. As part of this, the village is cleaned for two hours every day. The garbage scattered in the streets of the village is collected and dumped at a designated place outside the village. Due to this, Jhala village is also turning clean and people are becoming aware as well. Just imagine, if every village, every street, every locality in your area starts a similar ‘Thank You’ campaign, how much change can come about!

    Friends, a cleanliness drive is being promoted aggressively on the beach of Puducherry too. Here, a woman named Ramya ji is leading a team of youth from Mahe Municipality & its surrounding area. The people of this team, through their efforts, are cleaning the Mahe Area, especially the beaches in the vicinity.

    Friends, I have discussed only two efforts here. But if we look around, we will find that in every part of the country, some unique effort or the other is definitely going on, associated with ‘cleanliness’. Just a few days later, on the 2nd of October, the Swachh Bharat Mission is completing 10 years. This is an occassion to commend those who turned it into such a big mass movement in Indian history. It is also a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who dedicated his entire life to this cause.

    Friends, today it is the success of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ that the Waste to Wealth’ mantra is becoming popular among people. People have started talking about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, citing their examples as well. Like I just came to know about a great effort in Kozhikode, Kerala. Here, Seventy four (74) years old Subramanian ji has repaired more than 23 thousand chairs and thus made them re-usable again. People also call him ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’, that is, RRR, (Triple R) Champion. His unique efforts can also be seen at the offices of Kozhikode Civil Station, PWD & LIC.

    Friends, we have to connect as many people as possible with the ongoing campaign for cleanliness. And this is not a campaign for one day or one year; it is a task to be undertaken continuously for ages. This is work to be done until ‘cleanliness’ becomes our nature. I request all of you to take part in the cleanliness campaign along with your family, friends, neighbors or colleagues. I once again congratulate all of you on the success of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.

    My dear countrymen, we are all very proud of our heritage. And I always say ‘Development as well as Heritage’. That is why I am getting a lot of messages about a particular aspect of my recent visit to the US. Once again, there is a lot of discussion about the return of our ancient artefacts. I can understand your feelings about this and I would also like to tell the listeners of Mann Ki Baat about it.

    Friends, during my visit to the US, the US government has returned around… 300 Ancient Artefacts to India. US President Biden, very affectionately, showed me some of these artefacts in his private residence at Delaware. Returned Artefacts are made of materials such as Terracotta, Stone, ivory, wood, copper and bronze. Many of these are four thousand years old. The US has returned artefacts dating back to 4000 years… those from the 19th century as well.

    These include vases, terracotta plaques of gods and goddesses, statues of Jain Tirthankaras, as well as statues of Bhagwan Buddha and Bhagwan Shri Krishna are among the returned artefacts. Several animal statuettes are also among the returned items. From Jammu and Kashmir, terracotta tiles bearing male and female figures are very interesting. These include bronze idols of Bhagwan Ganesha from Southern India as well. A large number of images of Bhagwan Vishnu are also among the returned artefacts. These are mainly from Northern and Southern India. Looking at these artefacts, one realises how much attention our ancestors paid to intricate detailing. They had a great understanding of art. Many of these artefacts were taken out of the country through smuggling and other illegal means – this is a serious crime… in a way it is like destroying our heritage, but I am very happy that in the last decade, many such artefacts and many elements of our ancient heritage have been brought back home. Today, India is also working with many countries as well in this direction. I believe that when we are proud of our heritage, the world also respects it, and as a result of that, today many countries of the world are returning to us such artefacts that were taken away from here.

    My dear friends, if I ask you which language a child learns most easily and quickly – your answer will be ‘mother tongue’. In our country almost twenty thousand languages ​​and dialects are there and each one of them is surely a  mother tongue of someone or the other. There are some languages ​​which are used by very few people, but you will be happy to know that today, unique efforts are being made to preserve those languages. One such language is our ‘Santhali’ language. A campaign has been started to give a new identity to Santhali with the help of digital innovation. ‘Santhali’ is spoken by the people of the Santhal tribal community residing in many states of our country.

    Apart from India, tribal communities speaking Santhali are also present in Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Shriman Ramjeet Tudu, resident of Mayurbhanj, Odisha is running a campaign to create an online identity of the Santhali language. Ramjeet ji has prepared a digital platform where literature related to the Santhali language can be read and written in Santhali language. Actually, a few years ago when Ramjit ji started using the mobile phone, he was saddened by the fact that he could not send messages in his mother tongue. After that, he started exploring the possibilities of typing ‘Ol Chiki’, script of the Santhali language. With the help of some of his friends, he developed the technique of typing in ‘Ol Chiki’. Today, due to his efforts, articles written in Santhali language are reaching millions of people.

    Friends, when there’s a confluence of our strong resolve and collective participation, it leads to amazing results for the entire society. Its most recent example is ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ – this was an amazing campaign; such an example of public participation is truly inspiring. People in every nook & corner of the country have done wonders in this campaign which was started for conservation of the environment. Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana have created a new record by planting more saplings than the set target. Under this campaign, more than 26 crore saplings have been planted in Uttar Pradesh. The people of Gujarat planted more than 15 crore saplings. More than 6 crore saplings were planted in Rajasthan in the month of August alone. Thousands of schools in the country are also participating in this campaign with great enthusiasm.

    Friends, many examples related to tree planting campaigns keep coming to the fore in our country. One such example is that of K.N. Rajasekhar ji of Telangana. His commitment to planting trees amazes us all. About four years ago, he started a tree planting campaign. He decided that he would certainly plant a tree every day.

    He followed this campaign like a strict vow. He has planted more than 1500 saplings. The most remarkable point is that even after becoming a victim of a mishap this year, he did not waver from his resolve. I heartily appreciate all such efforts. I also request you to join this sacred campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.

    My dear friends, you must have seen… there are some people around us who do not lose patience in any adversity, rather they learn from it. Subhashri, one such lady, with her efforts, has created a wonderful garden of rare and very useful herbs. She is a resident of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Though she is a teacher by profession, she also has great affinity towards medicinal herbs. This affection of hers started in the eighties when her father was bitten by a poisonous snake. At that time, traditional herbs helped her father recover to quite an extent. After this incident, she started exploring traditional medicines and herbs. Today, she has a unique herbal garden in Verichiyur village of Madurai, in which there are more than 500 rare medicinal plants. She has worked very hard to prepare this garden… In search of every plant, she travelled far and wide, gathered information and many a time asked for help from other people. During Covid, she made available to the people immunity boosting herbs. Today people come from far and wide to see her herbal garden. She imparts information about herbal plants and their uses to everyone. Subashree is carrying forward our traditional heritage, which has been a part of our culture for hundreds of years. Her herbal garden connects our past to the future. Our best wishes to her.

              Friends, in these changing times, the nature of jobs is changing and new sectors are emerging… Such as gaming, animation, reel making, film making or poster making. If you can perform well in any of these skills… your talent can get a very big platform… if you are a part of a band or working for a community radio, then also there is a huge opportunity for you.

    In order to promote your talent and creativity, The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India has started 25 challenges under the theme, ‘Create in India’. You will surely find these challenges interesting. Some challenges even focus on music, education and even on anti-piracy. There are many professional organisations associated with this objective and are providing full support to these challenges. In order to participate, you can log in to wavesindia.org. I specially urge the creators in the country to ensure participation and bring their creativity to the fore.

              My dear countrymen, this month marks the culmination of 10 years of another important campaign. The success of this campaign includes the contribution of the country’s big industries as well as small shopkeepers. I am talking about ‘Make in India’. Today, it gives me immense joy to see that the poor, the middle class and MSMEs are getting a lot of benefit from this campaign. This campaign has provided an opportunity to people of every class to showcase their talent. Today, India has become a manufacturing powerhouse and it is because of the youth power of the country that the whole world is looking up to us. Be it automobiles, textiles, aviation, electronics or defence… every sector in the country’s exports are constantly on the rise. The continual rise of FDI in the country is narrating the success saga of Make In India. Now we are mainly focussing on two things… The first is ‘Quality’, that is, goods made in our country should be of global standards… and the other is ‘Vocal for Local. That means, local products should get maximum promotion. In ‘Mann Ki Baat’ we’ve also discussed #MyProductMyPride’. How the people of the country can benefit from promoting local products can be understood through an example.

    In Bhandara district of Maharashtra, there is an old textile tradition of, ‘Bhandara Tussar Silk Handloom’. Tussar Silk, is known for its colour, design and strength. In some areas of Bhandara, more than 50 ‘Self Help Groups are working to preserve it. Women have a huge participation in that. This silk is fast becoming popular and empowering local communities… and that is the spirit of ‘Make in India’.

              Friends, in this festive season you can once again reiterate your old resolves. Anything you buy, should necessarily be ‘Made in India’… Anything you gift that too should be Made In India. Merely buying earthen lamps is not ‘Vocal for Local’. You should promote local products made in your area more and more. Any such product, that has been made with the sweat of an Indian artisan, that is made on Indian soil, is our pride – we always have to lend glory to this pride.

              Friends, in this episode of ‘Mann ki Baat’ I really enjoyed connecting with you. Please send us your thoughts and suggestions related to this program. I am waiting for your letters and messages. Just a few days later, the festival season is about to begin. It will begin with Navratri and then for the next two months, this atmosphere of worshipping, fasting, festivals, joy and happiness will prevail all around. I extend my greetings to all of you on the upcoming festivals. Enjoy the festivals with your family and your loved ones and include others too in your joy. Next month ‘Mann Ki Baat’ will connect with you bringing in some new topics. I thank, all of you.

    *****

    MJPS/RT/NM

    (Release ID: 2060038) Visitor Counter : 73

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Unleash your creativity through ‘Create in India’ Challenges

    Source: Government of India

    Unleash your creativity through ‘Create in India’ Challenges

    Prime Minister of India encourages participation in 25 ‘Create in India’ Challenges for WAVES  to promote talent and creativity: 114th edition of Mann Ki Baat

     Immense scope for creators in gaming, animation, reel & film making through challenges covering sectors such as music, education, & anti-piracy: Sh. Narendra Modi

    World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit being organized from 5th-9th February, 2025 to propel India’s Media & Entertainment Industry and boost Creator Economy

    Posted On: 29 SEP 2024 2:41PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi during his 114th edition of Mann Ki Baat address, emphasized upon the rapidly changing nature of jobs and the growing opportunities in creative sectors such as gaming, filmmaking etc. The Prime Minister underscored the immense potential of India’s creative talents and called on creators to participate in the 25 Challenges under the theme ‘Create in India’, being organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

    Emerging Creative Sectors to reshape job market

    In his address, the Prime Minister highlighted the emerging sectors that are reshaping the job market, stating, “In these changing times, the nature of jobs is changing, and new sectors are emerging such as gaming, animation, reel making, film making or poster making. If you can perform well in any of these skills… your talent can get a very big platform.” He further noted the growing scope for bands, community radio enthusiasts, and creative professionals.

    To harness and nurture this potential, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched 25 challenges aimed at promoting talent and creativity across a variety of fields, including music, education, and anti-piracy. The Prime Minister encouraged creators to visit the website wavesindia.org to participate in these challenges. “I specially urge the creators in the country to ensure participation and bring their creativity to the fore,” he said.

    Create in India Challenge – Season One

    On 22nd August, 2024, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics & Information Technology, had unveiled the Create in India Challenge – Season One at New Delhi. These challenges will serve as a precursor to the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Design in India, Design for the World,” articulated during the 78th Independence Day address.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2060067) Visitor Counter : 47

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology organizes its Job Fair 2024- “Yuva Rojgar Mela” in Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

     National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology organizes its Job Fair 2024- “Yuva Rojgar Mela” in Delhi

    16 companies shortlisted candidates against 1000+ job openings in their respective companies

    Posted On: 29 SEP 2024 7:03PM by PIB Delhi

    National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), an Autonomous Scientific Society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, organized NIELIT Delhi’s Job Fair – “Yuva Rojgar Mela” on 29thof September, 2024. The job fair was held at NIELIT Delhi’s office at Pankha Road, Janakpuri, New Delhi for facilitating placement opportunities for NIELIT’s alumni and students. 16 companies shortlisted candidates against 1000+ job openings in their respective companies. More than 1300 candidates registered for the Job Fair.

    Bridging the skill divide

    The Director General, NIELIT and Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, NIELIT Deemed to be University, Dr. Madan Mohan Tripathi graced the event as the Chief Guest who was warmly welcomed by Shri. Subhanshu Tiwari, Executive Director, NIELIT Delhi. He inaugurated the event by lighting the inaugural lamp followed by address to the attendees.

    In his inaugural address, Dr. Tripathi highlighted the importance of the job fairs organized by NIELIT across India every year. He said that at least 6000 offer letters were given in the job fairs organized by NIELIT across India last year and the number is set to increase this year. The job fairs empower our skilled students to secure fulfilling careers, contribute to the growth of organizations, and fuel economic progress. He appreciated the efforts of team NIELIT Delhi for successfully organizing the job fair in Delhi. He also acknowledged the companies who participated in the job fair.

    An informative technical session on “Soft Skills – CV Building” was also conducted by Shri. Mohammad Junaid, Assistant Manager, Digital India Corporation, MeitY during the Job Fair for the participants.

    During the event, placement desks were set up for companies, such as, Tech Mahindra, PAYTM, Frankfinn (Shavsi Global Services), Axis Bank, Hinduja Housing Finance, Access Health Care, Card Expertise India Pvt Ltd, Ebix Cash, I Process, PNB Metlife, Siddhi Infonet+Sony, The KhushbooConsulting Partners (Professional Recruitment & Consultant), VCOSMOS, Kaidoko, ShrijiEntertainment, and Ritras Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Kanjhawala.

    National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology

    Over the years, NIELIT has firmly established itself as a premier institution in the field of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology (IECT) and emerging technologies. Its extensive PAN India network includes 52+ Own/Extension Centers, coupled with numerous upcoming centers, and 8000+ training partners. As such, the status of Deemed To Be University under Distinct category has been granted to NIELIT Ropar (Punjab) with 11 constituent units located in Aizawl, Agartala, Aurangabad, Calicut, Gorakhpur, Imphal, Itanagar, Kekri, Kohima, Patna, and Srinagar.  

    Job Fair – ”Yuva Rojgar Mela”

    The Job Fair – ”Yuva Rojgar Mela” represents NIELIT’s unwavering commitment to providing holistic support to its students, including but not limited to their capacity building, fostering skill development, and providing placement support.  NIELIT remains committed to organizing more such Job Fairs in the coming years.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2060142) Visitor Counter : 12

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ron DeSantis Launches Operation Blue Ridge

    Source: US State of Florida

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is rapidly deploying recovery assistance to North Carolina and Tennessee to help with Hurricane Helene’s impacts in Operation Blue Ridge. This multi-state agency response will include the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida State Guard, Florida National Guard, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida Law Enforcement Coordination Task Force, and a Law Enforcement Strike Team. Additionally, today Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Floridians seeking rescue in Western North Carolina will be aided by the State of Florida. Floridians can fill out our assistance form at  FloridaDisaster.org/OperationBlueRidge.

    This mission will begin with the following assets and personnel:
    Florida Division of Emergency Management

    • One All-Hazards Incident Management Team
    • One Communication Unit Strike Team
    • One Telecommunications Emergency Response Task Force
    • Ten Truck Loads of Water (which equates to 42, 550 gallons of water)
    • Over 100 Starlinks

    Florida State Guard

    • Two Special Missions Search and Rescue Teams
      • 8 search and rescue soldiers
      • 1 aerial assessment pilot

    Florida National Guard

    • Two National Guard Response Teams
      • 8 National Guard soldiers
    • Equipment
      • 2 CH-47 Chinooks and crew

    Florida Department of Law Enforcement

    • One Law Enforcement Coordination Taskforce
      • 7 FDLE agents and analysts
    • One Law Enforcement Strike Team
      • 7 FDLE agents and officers

    Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement

    • 22-man team
      • 2 Captains
      • 2 Team Leaders
      • 12 Officers/Investigators
      • 1 LE PIO
      • 1Mechanic
    • Equipment
      • 1 SOG trailer
      • 4 High-water vehicles (buggy/high water UTV)
      • 3 Airboats
      • 3 Shallow Draft vessels
      • 18 4×4 trucks
    • Aviation
      • Fixed wing aircraft
      • 1 pilot
      • 1 tactical flight officer

    Florida Department of Transportation
    The Florida Department of Transportation has made the following resources available to support the immediate inspection and assessment of transportation infrastructure maintained by NCDOT and TDOT:

    • Emergency Cut and Toss Strike Teams
    • Infrastructure Damage Assessment Teams
    • Bridge Inspection Team (including structures impacted by flood waters)
    • Temporary Bridge Materials
    • Hydraulic Modeling Professional
    • Project & Contract Management Teams
    • Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications Technology

    Florida stands ready to continue assisting our neighbors as they begin to recover from Hurricane Helene’s effects. Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida’s strong disaster preparation and efficient response efforts have made it possible to provide much-needed assistance to other states.

    Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Hurricane Helene.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lebanon: the killing of Hassan Nasrallah leaves Hezbollah leaderless and vulnerable

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ori Wertman, Research fellow, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales

    The assassination of Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike on September 28 is a decisive blow – not only to Hezbollah, but also to Iran, which has lost its greatest ally in the Middle East.

    In recent days, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has risen to its most intense level since the end of the second Lebanon war in the summer of 2006. The day after Hamas’ brutal October 7 terror attack, in which 1,200 Israelis were massacred – many of them civilians murdered in their homes in towns near the Gaza border or at the nearby Nova music festival – Hezbollah opened another front against Israel.

    Hezbollah, which has been designated by the US and UK governments as a terror organisation, was quick to express support and solidarity with Hamas and immediately began launching rockets at civilian and military targets in northern Israel.

    Fearing that Hezbollah might carry out a similar incursion in Galilee, resulting in a massacre of the Jewish civilian population, the Israeli government evacuated roughly 100,000 citizens living near the Lebanese border. These people have now been displaced from their homes for a year.

    Until recently, the fighting between the parties was characterised by a relatively low intensity. Hezbollah has launched thousands of rockets and drones at Israeli civilian and military targets. These have mainly been in the north of the country, killing dozens of Israelis since October 2023. The IDF has responded with airstrikes and artillery fire against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including rocket depots and other military infrastructure. But to an extent, the exchanges were seen as being below the level that might escalate into all-out war betweeen Israel and Hezbollah.

    In July, a Hezbollah rocket attack killed 12 children in a football field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. In response, three days later, Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s most senior commander, the head of its strategic unit, Fuad Shukr, in an airstrike in Beirut.

    The violence has steadily escalated since. On August 25, as Hezbollah was preparing a major rocket attack on the north and centre of Israel, the IDF launched a preemptive strike against Hezbollah missile launchers that were poised to strike at targets within Israel. In mid-September, the Israeli security cabinet announced it had added the return of displaced residents from the cuntry’s north to its war goals.

    Days later, in a highly complex operation thousands of Hezbollah pagers exploded, killing dozens and wounding thousands of Hezbollah militants. The following day Hezbollah’s network of walkie talkies was targeted in the same way. Israel has not claimed responsibility for either of these incidents, but what cannot be denied is that they caused considerable damage to Hezbollah’s command and control.

    Two days after that, on September 20, Shukr’s successor, Ibrahim Akil, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Dahieh suburb of Beirut, along with dozens of senior commanders of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force.

    Operation Northen Arrows

    Yet all these moves were only the prelude to Operation Northern Arrows, which began on September 23. The Israeli air force attacked 1,600 Hezbollah targets, including thousands of rocket and missile launchers that had been stored among the civilian population throughout Lebanon.

    Hezbollah has responded by firing rockets at Israel, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s air defence systems. It is estimated that Hezbollah had an arsenal of 150,000 rockets, including medium and long-range missiles. Many of these have now been eliminated by Israeli airstrikes. Hezbollah still has precision-guided munitions and drones, but recent Israeli strikes have eliminated much of Hezbollah’s chain of command and severely disrupted its operational equilibrium. The assassination of many of Hezbollah’s senior leadership – and now Nasrallah himself – has all but destroyed the group’s military chain of command.

    So far there has been no sign from Tehran that Iran intends to intervene militarily to help Hezbollah. This must call into question the advantage of acting as one of the country’s most important proxies in the region. In this context, many in Beirut, Damascus, Sana’a and Gaza are surely asking themselves now what is the advantage of being Iran’s emissaries, if the latter leaves them alone to face Israel.

    Ceasefire unlikely?

    As a result, the main hope for Hezbollah – and Lebanon itself, into whose economic and political structures Hezbollah has become so firmly embedded – is that the international community will impose a ceasefire on both sides in an effort to avoid this becoming a wider regional conflict. The US and France have pushed for a 21-day ceasefire. But it seems that, like its fight against Hamas in Gaza, Israel is determined to continue the military operation against Hezbollah.

    Now the world is waiting to see whether Israel will send troops into in Lebanon. Already thousands of citizens in the south of the country have fled north. But despite a statement from IDF chief of staff, Maj Gen Herzi Halevi, that the IDF is preparing to launch a ground operation in Lebanon, it is not at all certain that Israel wants to return to Lebanese soil.

    In May 2000 the IDF pulled back from southern Lebanon to the international border after 18 years of occupation and in 2006 it did the same in compliance with UN security council resolution 1701.

    There’s also a good chance that, given the success of its campaign of airstrikes in neutralising the military threat from Hezbollah, an actual ground invasion may be postponed for now.

    The US and other countries, including the UK, have urged Israel to put a hold on any invasion plans and agree a ceasefire. It presents the Biden administration, which is keenly aware of the need to keep both Jewish and Arab voters onside, with a tough choice. But it is hard to believe that Biden, especially during an election campaign and in light of the special relationship between the countries, will put pressure on Jerusalem to stop its fight against Iranian proxy terrorism.

    Ori Wertman 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. Lebanon: the killing of Hassan Nasrallah leaves Hezbollah leaderless and vulnerable – https://theconversation.com/lebanon-the-killing-of-hassan-nasrallah-leaves-hezbollah-leaderless-and-vulnerable-239992

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges boosting building of community for Chinese nation

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Sept. 29 — The National Conference on Commending Models for Ethnic Unity and Progress was held in Beijing on the morning of Sept. 27. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important speech. He emphasized the need to comprehensively implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially the important thinking on strengthening and improving work on ethnic affairs. He stressed that, with a focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, it is imperative to continuously advance the cause of ethnic unity and progress, promote the high-quality development of the Party’s work on ethnic affairs in the new era, boost the building of a community for the Chinese nation, and tirelessly strive for the building of a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

    Li Qiang presided over the conference, and Wang Huning read out the commendation decision, with Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi in attendance.

    At 10 a.m., the conference began, and all attendees stood up and sang the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China.

    Wang Huning read out the Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Commending Model Groups and Individuals for Ethnic Unity and Progress. A total of 352 model groups and 368 model individuals were honored.

    Amid the joyful music, President Xi and others presented awards to representatives of the commended model individuals and exemplary groups.

    Amid a warm applause, Xi delivered an important speech. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Xi first extended congratulations to the commended model groups and individuals, and expressed sincere greetings to comrades on the work front of ethnic affairs and people from all walks of life who care about and support the cause of ethnic unity and progress.

    Xi pointed out that the CPC has always attached great importance to work on ethnic affairs. For over 100 years, we have persisted in combining Marxist ethnic theory with the specific realities of China’s ethnic issues and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, creatively blazing a right path with Chinese characteristics to solve ethnic issues. On this path, the CPC has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in the country to achieve national independence and people’s liberation, creating a new situation of developing equal, united, mutually supportive, and harmonious relations among all ethnic groups. It has promoted unprecedented progress in the economic and social development in ethnic regions and improved their lives. China’s ethnic minorities, regions of ethnic groups, relations between different ethnic groups, and the Chinese nation have undergone profound and historic changes.

    Xi said that since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have continuously promoted the efforts to adapt Marxist ethnic theories to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and made it clear that fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation should be a focus in the Party’s work on ethnic affairs in the new era and a focus in the work on all fronts in ethnic regions. As a result, the Party’s important thinking on strengthening and improving the work on ethnic affairs has been formed, and we have promoted ethnic regions to join the other parts of the country in securing a victory in the fight against poverty, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarked on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects. The Party has achieved new historic progress in its work on ethnic affairs.

    Xi pointed out that on the path with Chinese characteristics to handling ethnic affairs with a focus on the fundamental and overall interests of the Chinese nation, we have maximized the cohesion among all ethnic groups, so that they can strive in unity to achieve shared prosperity and development. On that path, we have adhered to the principle of equality among all ethnic groups and opposed oppression and discrimination among different ethnic groups, which ensure that people of all ethnic groups truly enjoy equal political rights and jointly run the country. On that path, we have handled well the relation between maintaining national unity and implementing regional ethnic autonomy, combining unity with autonomy, and integrating ethnic and regional factors, to see that the Chinese nation becomes a community with a stronger sense of identity and a greater level of cohesion. Practice has proven that this path is a completely correct one.

    Xi emphasized that the Chinese nation, with a civilization spanning over 5,000 years, is a great nation. All ethnic groups have collectively developed the vast territory of the motherland, created a unified multi-ethnic country, written the glorious history of China, developed the brilliant Chinese culture, and cultivated the great national spirit. The intermingling of bloodlines of all ethnic groups has laid the historical foundation for the formation and development of a community for the Chinese nation. The shared convictions of all ethnic groups have served as the endogenous driving force for the founding of a unified multi-ethnic country. The cultural connections among all ethnic groups are the cultural genes that have shaped the pluralistic and integrated civilization of the Chinese nation. The economic interdependence of all ethnic groups is the powerful force for building a unified economy. The emotional bonds among all ethnic groups are the strong ties that bind the Chinese nation as one family. The formation and development of a community for the Chinese nation is the will of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, the trend of the times, and a historical inevitability.

    Xi stressed the importance of steadfastly adhering to the leadership of the Party, and guiding people of all ethnic groups to continuously strengthen their identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Efforts should be made to sharpen the awareness that people from all ethnic groups are in the same community, where they share weal and woe, stick together in life and death, and continuously consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for all ethnic groups to strive in unity.

    Xi called for further efforts to build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation and deepen inculcation of public awareness of patriotism, collectivism and socialism with core socialist values as guidance. He also stressed that people from all ethnic groups should be helped to develop a correct understanding of state, history, ethnicity, culture and religions, and efforts should be intensified on historical and cultural education for young people. He added that the use of standard spoken and written Chinese should be promoted in an all-round way to provide strong spiritual and cultural support for building a community for the Chinese nation.

    Xi noted that to advance Chinese modernization and achieve common prosperity, not a single ethnic group should be left behind. It is imperative to speed up high-quality development in regions with large ethnic minority populations, promote closer economic connection and integration among all regions, and take solid steps to promote common prosperity among all ethnic groups. It is essential to remain committed to ensuring and improving the people’s wellbeing in the course of pursuing development, and do more practical work to meet people’s needs, deliver real benefits to the people and win their approval, so as to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life.

    Xi stressed that all-round integration among all ethnic groups should be facilitated to promote exchanges and interactions among them. It is a must to coordinate planning of socioeconomic development and allocation of public resources, strengthen infrastructure construction such as transportation and other facilities in border and ethnic regions, proactively promote the people-centered new urbanization, and orderly boost population flow among ethnic groups and make it possible for people from different ethnic groups to dwell as neighbors, so that they would cling together like pomegranate seeds.

    Xi pointed out the necessity to govern ethnic affairs in accordance with the law, and continuously improve the capability for governing ethnic affairs. It is a must to uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, gradually improve relevant laws, regulations and differentiated policies to support regional development, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups in accordance with the law. It is also a must to strengthen publicity and education on the rule of law, and guide people from all ethnic groups to enhance their awareness of the state, citizenship and the rule of law.

    Xi stressed that CPC committees and governments at all levels should place work on ethnic affairs high on their agenda, study and resolve key issues in this regard in a timely manner, strengthen the efforts to foster high-caliber officials and talents in ethnic regions, and attach importance to fostering officials from ethnic minority groups and put them on posts where they can put to the best use their capabilities. It is necessary to improve the institutional mechanism for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, give full play to the leading role of role models, and create a favorable atmosphere for society-wide attention and support for work on ethnic affairs.

    While presiding over the conference, Li Qiang pointed out that, in his speech, General Secretary Xi comprehensively summarized the great achievements the country has made in promoting ethnic unity and progress over the past 75 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the new era. The speech profoundly revealed the root and soul of the formation and development of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, and clearly put forward the overall requirements for consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation and promoting the building of a community for the Chinese nation on the new journey in the new era. With profound insight and broad vision, it is a programmatic document for promoting the building of a community for the Chinese nation. We must conscientiously study, understand, and thoroughly implement it. We must fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thinking on strengthening and improving work on ethnic affairs, profoundly understand the decisive significance of “Two Affirmations,” resolutely act on “Two Upholds,” closely focus on consolidating the strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, promote the high-quality development of the Party’s work in this regard, and make unremitting efforts for building a modern socialist country in all respects.

    Representatives of the commended model individuals and groups delivered speeches at the meeting.

    Some members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, leaders of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission attended the conference.

    Representatives of the commended exemplary groups and individuals, leading officials of the relevant departments from various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and leading officials from central authorities attended the conference.

    Notes:

    “Two Affirmations”:

    The Party has established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

    “Two Upholds”:

    “Two Upholds” refer to upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New tech at expo signals China’s foreign trade momentum

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third Global Digital Trade Expo, currently unfolding in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, is offering a glimpse into avant-garde technologies that are unlocking the country’s burgeoning potential in foreign trade.

    Over the span of five days, the exhibition is featuring 446 new products and technologies, ranging from robots performing remarkable tasks like opening bottles and sorting waste to AI-driven digital humans engaging in debate competitions.

    “I was impressed most by medical AI displayed at the exhibition, such as robotic surgical arms and screening clinics,” said Kgaladi Melia Thema, a consultant for innovation and technology of Small Enterprise Development Agency, South Africa.

    “Nurses can use chronic disease management screening products for patients, which can be applied both at home and in clinics. This reduces costs and enables remote patient monitoring, offering great potential,” she added.

    Digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing and blockchain are taking center stage at the expo, underscoring how China is harnessing these innovations to propel its foreign trade.

    At the booth of iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., a front-runner in China’s AI and speech technology industry, several African visitors were immersed in real-time conversations with staff through a state-of-the-art multilingual AI-powered translation screen. Despite the bustling environment, the screen, equipped with advanced voice recognition technologies, accurately captured and responded to human voices.

    “Overseas business is poised to become a significant growth engine for us in the coming years. Our aspiration is for it to constitute one-third of our business segments in the future,” said Liu Qingfeng, chairman of iFLYTEK.

    Chinese cultural exports are also stealing the show at the exhibition. In the digital entertainment zone, innovative exhibits such as an AI-powered representation of Su Dongpo, a celebrated poet from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a virtual museum of traditional Chinese music, as well as a 3D display of the four bronze animal heads from the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), are offering visitors a fascinating glimpse into the richness of Chinese culture.

    “The fusion of digital technology with the splendor of traditional Chinese culture has not only expanded our export opportunities, but also invigorated the growth of China’s culture industry,” said Wu Shuang, a staff member of Zhejiang Kayou Animation Co., Ltd., a domestic card game creator.

    Visitors are also being treated to futuristic transportation solutions, including autonomous boat taxis and the electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, all being showcased for the first time at this year’s expo.

    “China is rightly regarded as a global leader in digital technologies and innovations,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, adding that China’s advancement in digital trade is not only creating new avenues for cooperation, but also enhancing global trade infrastructure, fostering sustainable development worldwide.

    “Chinese technologies and innovations are enhancing supply chains, making them faster and more efficient, while also improving access to goods and services,” Madiyev noted.

    According to the Global Digital Trade Development Report 2024 released during the event, global digital trade soared to around 7.13 trillion U.S. dollars (about 1.02 trillion yuan) in 2023, up from 6.02 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, marking an average annual growth rate of 8.8 percent.

    The report also highlighted that the import and export scale of China’s cross-border e-commerce reached 2.37 trillion yuan last year, up 15.3 percent year on year.

    Mercado Libre, a leading Latin American e-commerce platform, witnessed a 70-percent increase in online Chinese sellers and a 75-percent surge in their sales on its platform in 2023.

    The company has opened its cross-border e-commerce services to Chinese sellers in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, according to its representative at the expo, who also emphasized the escalating significance of the Chinese market.

    As China’s sole national-level event focusing on the theme of digital trade, the expo has drawn over 1,500 enterprises, including more than 300 international companies, and over 30,000 purchasers this year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ethical Investments – $100 billion of KiwiSaver funds use an ethical approach – Mindful Money

    Source: Mindful Money
    From Niche to Norm: $100 billion of KiwiSaver funds use an ethical approach

    Monday 30th September 2024 – New analysis from the charity, Mindful Money, shows good news about Kiwis investing ethically. There is rising demand for ethical investment, more Kiwis aware of the companies in their KiwiSaver fund, and a sharp decline in unethical investment. Ethical investment has progressed from a niche to become the dominant approach to managing investments.

    As KiwiSaver hits $111 billion in funds under management, the FMA has estimated that 90% of KiwiSaver is now managed with some form of ethical investing approach, usually through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analysis. This means that $100 billion of KiwiSaver funds are now managed with some form of ethical management.

    Barry Coates, co-CEO of the charity Mindful Money explained, “Members of the public understand that their investments have consequences for the issues they care about – climate change, a healthy environment and social well-being. Mindful Money helps them find out where their money goes. Knowledge is power, and Kiwi investors are using it.”

    Ethical investing is now good practice

    This growth in ethical investing is primarily driven by two key factors. Firstly, the growth in consumer demand, as more investors become aware that their investments have consequences for the climate, the environment and social well-being. And secondly, the understanding by investment providers that it makes sense to reduce the growing financial risks of poor environment, social or governance practices.

    Coates emphasised the power of collective action: “This remarkable progress demonstrates the undeniable impact of people power. As more New Zealanders demand ethical investment options, we’re witnessing a fundamental shift in the market. It’s clear that informed and engaged citizens have the ability to reshape the financial landscape, driving positive change that aligns with our shared values and aspirations for a better world.”

    Unethical investment is on a downward trend

    Mindful Money has data on the trend in KiwiSaver and managed funds investment over the past six years and has been tracking progress. There have been significant changes in the proportion of investment in unethical issues.

    These include:

    • 74% fall in tobacco products
    • 33% fall in alcohol
    • 20% fall in gambling
    • 69% fall in pornography and adult entertainment
    • 31% fall in weapons
    • 29% fall in animal cruelty
    • 16% fall in environmental damage

    Barry Coates expressed optimism about these developments: “We’re seeing promising signs that the investment sector is starting to shift gears. More funds are moving towards ethical options than ever before, reflecting the growing demand from Kiwi investors for investments that align with their values.”

    “For example, KiwiSaver investments in nuclear weapons have plummeted from over $100 million in 2019 to $13 million currently, despite a huge increase in overall KiwiSaver funds. The investment providers are getting the message that their clients don’t want their money to be invested in making nuclear weapons. As a nation, we’ve long stood against nuclear weapons, and now our investments are starting to reflect our values.”

    There is still $9.3 billion of KiwiSaver investment in harmful activities

    Despite the progress, there is still a significant gap between the issues that the public wants to avoid, as shown in annual surveys, and the companies their funds actually invest in. //enz.milnz.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/image001.pngimage001.png@01DB1331.F2737620” class=”gmail-CToWUd gmail-a6T” tabindex=”0″ style=”cursor: pointer; outline: 0px; width: 6.5in; height: 4.875in;”>

    Barry Coates noted: “Some fund managers are too focused on short term returns.  Examples are increased investment in the world’s worst oil and gas companies when oil prices rose after Russia invaded Ukraine, or investments in weapons companies that have profited from bombing in Gaza.”

    He explained: “In the long term, there is evidence that ethical investment returns are at least as high or higher than conventional investing.  Chasing short term returns from investing in harmful activities is unethical and against the wishes of most investors. It is also financially risky, relying on fund managers believing they can time the rises and falls of financial markets.” 

    “The positive trends we’ve observed so far give us confidence that, with continued awareness and action from investors, we can significantly reduce these figures in the coming years.”

    Mindful Money’s impact report shows action to drive change

    Mindful Money is celebrating a milestone. After 6 years since the charity started, over 400,000 New Zealanders have now used its tool for transparency. Mindful Money is uniquely able to show consumers where their KiwiSaver or Managed funds are invested.

    While celebrating progress, Mindful Money remains committed to driving further positive change. Coates notes, “Our 2023/2024 impact report not only highlights the progress we’ve made but also identifies future priorities. The growth in demand for ethical investing is encouraging, but it also highlights the need for fund managers to walk the talk and avoid greenwashing.”

    Barry Coates continued, “Transparency is a wonderful thing. When investors see where their money is invested, and understand that it is easy to switch funds, they are making informed choices. There has been a significant rise in people switching their investments towards funds that demonstrate that they care about ethical issues as well as good returns.”

    Notes:

    Survey data is from the 2024 annual survey of the New Zealand public by Mindful Money and the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia.

    The FMA’s estimate of 90% of investment being managed with a form of ethical investment policy was included in FMA’s General Council, Liam Mason’s speech to the RIAA NZ Conference on 19th September 2024.

    Mindful Money is today releasing its 2023/2024 impact report. It shows the contributions that Mindful Money is making to the transformation of New Zealand’s investments towards higher ethical standards and positive impact.

    More members of the public are now finding out about the companies funded by their investments, categorised by the issues that annual surveys show Kiwis most want to avoid – human rights violations, environmental damage, animal cruelty, weapons, fossil fuels and social harm. Mindful Money is a charity and the information is accessible, easy to use and entirely free.

    The portfolio data is compiled by Mindful Money from the fund information and portfolios that each KiwiSaver fund has filed with the Disclose register to 31st March 2024, supplemented with Mindful Money’s analysis of funds within those portfolios. The list of companies of concern has been drawn from ratings agencies and public sources, including the Norwegian Sovereign Fund, NZ Super Fund, Sustainalytics and research organisations.

    The listing of companies of concern is based on definitions used in Mindful Money’s methodology. These definitions may be different from the exclusions policy and definitions applied by the fund provider.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Listening out for views on radio prominence

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Albanese Government is continuing with its program of reform to modernise media regulations, with the release of a proposals paper on a new prominence framework for radio today.
     
    This consultation is seeking views from stakeholders on the need for, and form of, a prominence framework for radio services on internet connected, voice-enabled smart speakers.
     
    The way people listen to audio content is changing, with close to a third of Australian households now owning smart speakers that act as ‘gateway devices’, actively mediating the way content is delivered to listeners.
     
    A radio prominence framework would seek to address issues impacting access to local radio services via smart speakers: internet-enabled devices that can provide access to radio content through voice activation software (or voice assistants).
     
    As technology changes, it is essential that the barriers that may make it difficult for radio broadcasters and audiences to consume connect are addressed.
     
    Radio services that are made available in response to a voice command can be heavily dependent on the platform – in contrast to a traditional radio device, or even a website or an app.
     
    Local radio services are only one of a range of audio services available on these devices and platforms, and the Albanese Government is now seeking to ensure that local radio services are not disadvantaged compared to other services.
     
    This consultation is part of a broader program of media reform to enhance the ability of the Australian media to keep Australians informed, reflect our stories, uphold community standards and ensure access to services.
     
    Written comments and submission can be received by 5:00 pm AEDT on Monday 11 November 2024 at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/prominence-framework-radio-smart-speakers
     
    Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
     
    “For over a century, radio has played an integral role in all of our lives as not only a source of entertainment for many Australians, but a resource for news, local content and critical emergency information.
     
    “Following on from our television prominence reforms, the Government is seeking to progress an aligned approach for radio services to help ensure that free local broadcast services remain easily accessible to all audiences. 
     
    “Interested stakeholders are encouraged to have their say to support the Government to design a radio prominence framework that best addresses the needs of both audiences and providers.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 4 killed, 49 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    At least four people were killed and 49 others wounded on Sunday in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, citing health sources.

    The al-Masirah TV described the attacks as “Israeli aggression,” detailing that the port in the Ras Issa area and power stations in the districts of Al-Hali and Al-Katheeb were attacked.

    “Four people were killed, including a port worker and three engineers at Al-Hali electricity power station,” the television said, adding that 49 others were injured and rescue operations are still ongoing.

    Earlier in the day, Israel’s military said it had conducted airstrikes on Houthi targets in Hodeidah, striking power plants and a seaport which it alleged the Houthis used for transferring weapons, military supplies, and oil.

    The air raid involved dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, mid-air refueling planes, and intelligence aircraft, with the targets located approximately 1,800 km from Israel.

    A pro-government Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that more than ten airstrikes targeted key infrastructure, including oil tanks, airport, and other port facilities along the Red Sea coast.

    Meanwhile, residents said they heard jets roaring overhead, and ambulances were seen rushing through the streets. They added that Houthi fighters have cordoned off the targeted areas.

    Meanwhile, the Houthi group issued a statement, informing residents in areas under its control that “it has already taken the necessary measures for any emergency and that the fuel supply is stable.”

    The Israeli military said that “the strikes were carried out in response to recent attacks by the Houthis against Israel,” referring to two missiles launched toward central Israel from Yemen — one fired at a military target in the Jaffa area of Tel Aviv on Friday and the other targeting the Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, on Saturday. Both missiles, intercepted by Israel’s aerial defenses, caused no injuries.

    The Israeli airstrikes on Houthi targets expanded its confrontation with Iran’s allies in the region after killing Hezbollah’s top leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday in an escalating conflict in Lebanon.

    Yemen’s Houthis have launched sporadic attacks on Israel and disrupted “Israeli-linked” shipping in the Red Sea since November last year, allegedly to support Palestinians in their conflict with Israelis.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Experts report big boom in summer travel

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s tourism market rebounded strongly this summer, with travel experts reporting significant growth in passenger numbers, spending, and both inbound and outbound trips as the country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Domestically, travel surged during the summer holiday, which typically runs from early July to late August. The Civil Aviation Administration reported that domestic airlines transported 117 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 20.

    Meanwhile, China Railway Group said it handled 887 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 31, a 6.7 percent increase year-on-year.

    “Summer is always peak season for domestic tourism, but this year, tourists showed more interest in lesser-known destinations and traveled with more reasonable budgets,” said a spokesperson for Tuniu, a travel portal.

    The domestic tourism market performed more evenly throughout the summer, with demand peaking in mid-July and lasting through the end of August.

    Long-distance tours and family trips were the most popular choices — in fact, over half Tuniu’s summer bookings were for far-flung destinations. Besides traditional tourist hot spots like Beijing and Shanghai, smaller destinations such as Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in Jilin province, Datong in Shanxi province and Chengde in Hebei province gained popularity for their cultural offerings and cooler climates.

    “I took my 6-year-old daughter to Yanji in late July,” said Ye Xiao, a 31-year-old teacher from Beijing, speaking of the county-level city that serves as the seat of Yanbian. “The weather was pleasant, and we enjoyed exploring the Korean ethnic culture. It was a memorable trip with fewer tourists and great food at reasonable prices.”

    China’s inbound tourism also experienced robust growth, buoyed by relaxed visa policies, including the 144-hour transit policy for citizens of 54 countries and the “ChinaTravel” topics that trended on international social media platforms.

    And the 2024 Paris Olympics provided an additional boost to outbound travel, with LY.com reporting a 300 percent increase in hotel bookings in Paris and neighboring areas and an 80 percent surge in flight bookings from China’s major cities to the French capital.

    Qunar, another travel portal, noted that bookings for domestic flights by travelers using non-Chinese passports were 1.8 times higher compared to last year. Trip.com Group reported a 70 percent year-on-year increase in mainland tourism bookings, with South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the United States contributing the most visitors. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were the top destinations for international tourists.

    Southeast Asia remained the top choice for Chinese traveling overseas due to cheaper flights, affordable hotels and favorable visa policies.

    Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, told China Central Television that this summer marked the highest level of travel enthusiasm in recent years, with increases in the number of travelers, tourism spending and cross-border trips.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)
    LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)
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         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series on five consecutive Wednesdays starting from October 30, featuring members of the local emerging jazz music group “Fountain de Chopin” as the speakers and demonstrators to cover the fundamentals, origins, evolution and distinctive characteristics of jazz music in an easy-to-understand manner. With live demonstrations woven throughout the lectures, audiences can not only have a better understanding of this globally cherished music genre but also learn to appreciate the fascinating charisma that jazz music embodies.     Details of each lecture are as follows:Lecture 1: Exploring Jazz – Structure and Instrument Analysis—————————————————————————Date: October 30 (Wednesday)     Complemented by live demonstrations, the speakers will introduce audiences to the basics as well as the more advanced structures and nuances of jazz music, including the communication between musicians and the methods and terminology of improvisation, so that they can understand the key points and details to focus on when listening to jazz.Lecture 2: The Origins of Jazz Music (1910 to 1940)—————————————————————Date: November 6 (Wednesday)      The speakers will introduce the origins of jazz music and popular trends from the early 20th century such as “Big Band” and “Swing”, with highlights on several iconic jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. With live performances, audiences can be immersed in the audible history of jazz. Lecture 3: The Evolution of Jazz Music (1940 to 1970)——————————————————————-Date: November 13 (Wednesday)     The speakers will introduce and showcase performances of various jazz music genres, such as “Bebop”, “Cool Jazz”, “Hard Bop”, “Free Jazz”, “Latin Jazz” and “Fusion Jazz”. They will also elaborate on how jazz has evolved to place greater emphasis on breaking rules, thereby allowing musicians more freedom in improvisation. Several influential musicians in the jazz scene, including Chet Baker, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock, will also be highlighted. Lecture 4: Modern Jazz Music (1970 to present)———————————————————-Date: November 20 (Wednesday)     Through demonstration performances, the speakers will give an overview of the development of jazz music from the mid-20th century to the present, including “Fusion Jazz” and later “Modern Jazz”, and will introduce some icons of “Jazz-Rock Fusion” such as Miles Davis and Chick Corea.Lecture 5: Embark on a Journey from the Ears to Discover Your Own Jazz Music————————————————————————————————–Date: November 27 (Wednesday)      In the final lecture, through improvisational performances, the speakers will explain different types of jazz music and their features, progressing from basic to advanced levels. By learning about masterpieces of jazz and the distinctive styles of musicians, audience members will know how to appreciate and distinguish between different jazz genres.      “Fountain de Chopin” was established in 2021 by local jazz musicians. Its core members include Bowen Li (pianist), Michael Chan (guitarist), Nelson Fung (bassist), Dean Li (drummer), Timothy Wan and Brian Cheung (saxophonists). Dedicated to promoting local jazz music, the group focuses on organising small-scale performances, listening sessions, and improvisational concerts. The group has also been invited to participate in various local music events, and has actively engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations with musicians.　　     All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Each lecture will run for about one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets priced at $100 (for each lecture, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visitwww.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1792.html.

     
    Ends/Monday, September 30, 2024Issued at HKT 11:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu attended Taiwan Tourism Promotion

    Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2

    Taiwan Tourism Administration held a tourism promotion event in Sydney at Four Seasons Hotel on Sep 23 2024. It was a great turnout with nearly 70 Australian travel agencies joining to explore the great business opportunities.
    Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu spoke about Taiwan’s beauty in different ways. Taiwan and Australia are not only geographically close, but also sharing same core values, which makes Taiwan one of the safest and best places to Australian travelers. New initiative, Taiwan-Waves of wonder, allows you to experience its charms all year-around. Even Hollywood action movie “Weekend in Taipei” was 100% shot in Taiwan, which shows the city’s landscapes and diversities are also recognized by entertainment industry. The huge potential for the travel market is undeniable.
    The event was followed by PR representative’s briefing about Taiwan’s attractions, introduction of Meet Taiwan by Taiwan Trade Center and travel agents from Taiwan shared their ideas and packages. Then a few rounds of the match-making meetings were very successful.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD to hold jazz lecture series

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Leisure & Cultural Services Department will present a jazz music lecture and demonstration series on five consecutive Wednesdays starting from October 30. The series will feature members of the local emerging jazz group Fountain de Chopin as speakers and demonstrators.

    The lectures will be held on October 30, November 6, November 13, November 20 and November 27, and will cover the fundamentals, origins, evolution and distinctive characteristics of jazz music in an easy-to-understand manner.

    In the final lecture, the speakers will explain different types of jazz music and their features through improvisational performances.

    The lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm in the Space Museum. Tickets are now available at URBTIX. Call 3166 1288 for telephone bookings.

    Click here for details.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Celebrating Mithun Da’s journey of hope, perseverance and pursuit of dream to reach the pinnacle of Indian Cinema

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Celebrating Mithun Da’s journey of hope, perseverance and pursuit of dream to reach the pinnacle of Indian Cinema

    Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for 2022 to be conferred on eminent actor Mithun Chakraborty

    Actors’s cinematic journey profoundly remarkable & inspiring; His dedication and hard work have made him a role model for aspiring actors and artists: Sh Ashwini Vaishnaw

    Legendary actor will inspire generations through his cinematic contributions and work in philanthropy & public service, leaving a lasting legacy of excellence and compassion

    Posted On: 30 SEP 2024 9:58AM by PIB Delhi

    Legendary actor Mr. Mithun Chakraborty will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2022. Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Railways and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the award today in recognition of his remarkable contributions to Indian cinema. The Minister conveyed immense joy and pride in honouring one of the most cherished and iconic figures in the film industry who is known for his versatile performances and charismatic screen presence.

    Remarkable journey of Mithun Da

    Mithun Chakraborty, also known as Mithun Da, is an iconic Indian actor, producer, and politician, recognized for his versatile roles and distinctive dancing style. He has taken on a diverse range of roles in his movies, showcasing action-packed characters to poignant dramatic performances.

    The Minister stated that Mithun Chakraborty’s journey from a young man with humble beginnings to a celebrated film icon, embodies the spirit of hope and perseverance, proving that with passion and dedication, one can achieve even the most ambitious dreams. His dedication and hard work have made him a role model for aspiring actors and artists.

    Born Gourang Chakraborty on June 16, 1950, in Kolkata, West Bengal, he earned the National Film Award for Best Actor in his very first film, “Mrigayaa” (1976). An alumnus of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII),  Mithun Chakraborty honed his craft and laid the foundation for his illustrious career in cinema.

    His portrayal of a Santhal rebel in the Mrinal Sen’s film earned him the national accolade. Mithun gained significant popularity in the 1980s with his role in “Disco Dancer” (1982), a film that became a major success both in India and internationally, establishing him as a dancing sensation. He became a household name with his iconic role in Disco Dancer (1982), a film that not only showcased his exceptional dancing skills but also popularized disco music in Indian cinema. His performance in Agneepath also won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1990.

    Later, he won two more National Film Awards for his roles in Tahader Katha (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998). Over his extensive career, Mithun has acted in more than 350 films across various Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Bhojpuri, and Telugu. He is known for his diverse performances, ranging from action to drama and comedy, and has won several awards, including three National Film Awards for Best Actor.

    Dual legacy of Mithun Da

    The Union Minister emphasized that Mithun Da is not only celebrated for his cinematic achievements but also for his dedication to social causes. He has been actively involved in various charitable initiatives aimed at education, healthcare, and supporting underprivileged communities, reflecting his commitment to giving back to society. He has also served as a Member of Parliament, demonstrating his commitment to public service and governance.

    In a career spanning nearly five decades, Mithun Chakraborty has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, recognizing his significant contributions to Indian cinema. He was recently conferred with the prestigious Padma Bhushan award also for his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema. With a filmography that includes classics such as “Disco Dancer,” and “Ghar Ek Mandir,” he has not only entertained millions but has also shaped the landscape of Bollywood and regional cinema. His influence extends beyond the silver screen, as he continues to inspire generations through his work in film and philanthropy.

    The award will be presented during the 70th National Film awards ceremony scheduled to be held on Tuesday, the 8th October 2024. The following members were part of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee:

    1. Ms. Asha Parekh
    2. Ms. Khushbu Sundar
    3. Mr. Vipul Amrutlal Shah

     

    The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award not only recognizes Mithun Chakraborty’s artistic prowess but also his enduring legacy as a compassionate and dedicated individual who has made a difference in the lives of many.

     

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2060183) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – CBA cautions small business against “too good to be true” investment opportunities

    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

    With more than half of the money Aussie small businesses lose to scams going to fake investments, CBA Executive General Manager Rebecca Warren provides top tips on how to spot a fake investment opportunity.

    Nearly 90 per cent of all scams reported by CommBank’s business customers in FY24 came from small business, with more than half of their losses going to investment scams, according to new data released by CommBank.

    The data, which looks at the number and types of scams reported by CommBank small businesses in the last financial year shows investment scams, phishing, and business email compromise continue to be the most prevalent scams targeting Aussie small business.

    Investment scams offer fake money-making opportunities, often with the promise of unrealistically high or above-market returns and seemingly coming from legitimate sources.

    Business owners and leaders may be at higher risk of being targeted for investment scams because they’re more likely to have disposable funds to invest.

    CommBank Executive General Manager Small Business Banking Rebecca Warren said, while it is encouraging to see CBA customer scam loss decreasing overall, small businesses remain a prime target and the impact could be severe.

    “If a business owner or leader falls victim to an investment scam, it’s not just the business that could be compromised, but also the jobs of the people who work there”.

    “We can see through our data that small businesses lose around $30,000 on average to investment scams, which can have a devastating impact, both financially and emotionally. When they make an investment into what they think is a term deposit with a great interest rate, they tend to put in most of the money they have available, to maximise their returns.

    “We know running a small business is tough, and our priority is to help protect our customers from scams. Our focus is on early detection and prevention of scams through fraud prevention and monitoring activity, industry-leading features and education,” Ms Warren said.

    CommBank’s NameCheck feature prompts customers if the account details on a first-time payment don’t look right based on available payment information1. CallerCheck allows customers to verify whether a caller claiming to be from CommBank is legitimate, by triggering a security message in the CommBank app. CommBank may also use CustomerCheck to identify our customers in branch or over the phone by sending a message to the CommBank app.

    CBA has invested more than $800 million to help protect customers against fraud, scams, financial and cybercrime, but as Ms Warren points out, scams are least effective when people stop and check, and then reject.

    “While the Bank’s technology is designed to help detect and prevent fraudulent activities, it is crucial for customers to take proactive steps to protect themselves. It is imperative that they know what to look out for.”

    Ms Warren shares top tips for small business owners on protecting their business from scams.

    Know what to look out for

    Be suspicious of investment opportunities that sound too good to be true, because they probably are, according to Ms Warren. Scammers tend to contact prospective victims via phone, social media or sponsored ads.

    “Investment opportunities that offer high returns with little or no risk are likely fake and coming from a scammer. Be wary of any unsolicited online contact, including people reaching out via social media, sponsored ads or any opportunities endorsed by public figures and popular TV programs,” Ms Warren added.

    Scammers also use AI technology to impersonate well-known public figures who may appear to endorse a particular investment opportunity, and these may be used to give a false sense of legitimacy.

    Customers are advised to sense-check investment opportunities with friends and family before committing to anything, as they may help identify warning signs.

    “You can also research and check reviews by searching the investment name with the word ‘scam’ and consult ASIC’s list of companies you should not deal with by using the ASIC search portal,” Ms Warren said.

    Customers can also understand how to check if a company or a person is licensed on MoneySmart.

    Train and educate your staff

    Making sure business owners and their staff are on top of the latest scam and cyber threats is imperative.

    “When it comes to any scam, people are the first and very important line of defence, so it’s important to ensure you encourage staff to question and escalate payment requests,” Ms Warren said.

    It’s important that small business owners and staff have basic cyber hygiene such as strong passwords, multi-factor authentication and awareness of phishing scams.

    The Cyber Wardens program, which was created in partnership between CBA, Telstra and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), is specifically designed to help SMEs respond to the risks and support them to build an effective culture of cyber security.

    Put the right processes in place

    According to Ms Warren, processes play an important role in helping reduce the impact of scams.

    “You should check with the beneficiary the details of any large payments in person or by calling a verified number and especially if the beneficiary is requesting to amend their banking details. No single person should be responsible for making payments, so adopt strict separation of duties, using multiple authorities to make and approve payments but also to change beneficiary details,” she said.

    Businesses are also advised to restrict how much information they reveal about their suppliers and staff on public websites and social media.

    Take advantage of technology

    While scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics to target unsuspecting small businesses, technology can also play an important role in preventing attacks.

    Leveraging technology does not have to be complex but it can be very effective in preventing scams and cyber-attacks, according to Ms Warren.

    “Promptly installing software updates, enabling software auto-updates and installing a reputable antivirus program can help reduce the impact of malicious software designed to tamper with online banking payments,” she added.

    1 For CommBiz transactions, NameCheck is currently available for payments to a first-time payee using direct credit, priority payment, fast payment and bulk payments for up to 50 payees only.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cross-genre production “ChoreoMusica Soiree” to be performed at 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Cross-genre production “ChoreoMusica Soiree” to be performed at 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival (with photos)
    Cross-genre production “ChoreoMusica Soiree” to be performed at 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival (with photos)
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         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Xinghai Concert Hall from Guangdong Province will present “ChoreoMusica Soiree” during the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. Talented artists from Guangzhou and Hong Kong will deliver a cross-genre performance that blends with music, dance and visual art at the Studio Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in October, offering audiences a rich audio-visual experience and showcasing the diverse cultural charm of the region.      “ChoreoMusica Soiree” is originated from a music and dance production presented by Xinghai Concert Hall, featuring outstanding artists from the Greater Bay Area. It premiered to critical acclaim in Guangzhou last year. The Hong Kong version will be led by renowned cross-disciplinary artist Tsang Man-tung as artistic director, director and choreographer. With his unique aesthetic, Tsang will bring a fresh style to the production.      The performance will include two music pieces from the premiere in Guangzhou, namely Ravel’s “Sonata for Violin and Cello, M.73” performed by Peng Ke, the concertmaster of Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) and Pan Chang, the Associate Principal Cello of the GSO. The GSO chamber music ensemble, under the baton of the GSO’s Assistant Conductor Ding Jiaying, will perform Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” (arranged by Desyatnikov). Four young local dancers, Natalie Mak, Alice Ma, Liu Heung-man and Rex Cheng, will weave their way through music, blending seamless movement with pulsating tunes to present multifaceted artistic concepts.      Unlike traditional chamber music concert, the programme will feature a two-sided auditorium design, with the stage set in the centre of the venue. The audience will be able to appreciate the performances of the musicians and dancers up close. With the integration of special multimedia art and stage lighting to create rich visual effects, the performances will guide the audience to feel the emotional resonance of each note and step.      Xinghai Concert Hall is one of the most influential performance venues in Mainland China, showcasing top-tier performing arts and serving as a hub of multiculturalism. Over the years, it has attracted many of the world’s leading performing arts groups and musicians to perform there. Xinghai Concert Hall is also committed to bringing music and arts into people’s daily lives. Its two major resident orchestras, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and the Guangdong National Orchestra, organise a variety of concerts and arts promotion activities throughout the years. Since its founding in 1957, the GSO has developed into one of the Mainland’s most artistically exceptional and vibrant orchestral institutions, praised by the Financial Times in the UK as “China’s nexus of musical tradition and innovation”. It is now under the leadership of Music Director Huang Yi, a renowned conductor.      Tsang Man-tung is a local interdisciplinary artist whose practice incorporates theatre, visual arts, music, and arts education. He employs a minimalist design approach to achieve spiritual balance and harmony, infusing his designs with the aesthetics of Transcend to the Beyond. He has received numerous local and international awards for scenography, including the Award for Best Artist (Theatre) at the 2008 Hong Kong Arts Development Awards and the Silver Prize for Set Design at 2017 World Stage Design with the dance drama “Storm Clouds”. He is renowned for his conceptual and minimalist style, as shown in his theatrical mediation productions, such as “Ashtanga” and “Cankramati”.      Natalie Mak was nominated for the “Outstanding Performing Female Dancer” award at the Hong Kong Dance Awards in 2017. Alice Ma is a part-time lecturer at the City Contemporary Dance Company Dance Centre and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Liu Heung-man is a freelance dancer and dance teacher. Rex Cheng is a part-time lecturer at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and a freelance dancer and choreographer.      “ChoreoMusica Soiree” will be held at 8pm on October 25 and 26 (Friday and Saturday), and at 3pm on October 27 (Sunday) at the Studio Theatre of Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $300 and $440 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Discount schemes are available for the programmes under the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival (including “ChoreoMusica Soiree”, “POP KONG”, Cantonese Opera Film “The Legend of The White Snake”, 2024 Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao Choral Concert, “Songs Echo My Voice” and Dance Drama “Wing Chun” Special Edition by Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre), including group booking discount and package booking discount. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2734 2960 or visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk/en/programmes/choreomusica-soiree. This programme is also part of the celebratory programmes of the 35th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.      A post-performance talk (in Cantonese and Putonghua) will be held on October 25 (Friday). Members of the audience are welcome to stay behind to join.　      Hong Kong is the host city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival for the first time this year. It organises and co-ordinates over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held across the “9+2” cities of the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchange and co-operation among the cities. For detailed information about the festival, please visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.

     
    Ends/Monday, September 30, 2024Issued at HKT 14:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: RIBER receives order to equip an autonomous pilot line for the design and manufacturing of optical devices in Europe

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RIBER receives order to equip an autonomous pilot line for the design and manufacturing of optical devices in Europe

    Bezons (France), September 30, 2024 – 8:00 am (CET) – RIBER, the global leader for Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) equipment serving the semiconductor industry, is announcing the sale of a fully automated MBE 412 cluster platform in Finland.

    Based in Tampere, Finland, in the land of a thousand lakes, VEXLUM, a leading supplier of advanced laser devices for quantum technology applications, has ordered a MBE 412 cluster system to establish a pilot line for the growth of optical devices covering the visible and near-infrared spectrum. This line will mainly focus on VECSEL (Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) structures while also exploring other innovative technologies. 

    The MBE 412 cluster is a platform compatible with 4” substrates, offering great flexibility in terms of equipment, modularity, and adaptability, allowing users to continuously extend the machine’s capabilities. Equipped with the EZ TOOL instrumentation package for real-time in situ growth control and powered by the advanced Crystal XE control software, this fully automated system is the first of its kind in Finland, a key European country for the development and manufacturing of next-generation semiconductors, and the 25th in operation since its launch in 2010.

    This new order will be delivered in 2025.

    About VEXLUM
    Founded in 2017, Vexlum is a spin-off from the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), Tampere University of Technology. The team has been a leading research group in the area of VECSEL technology for almost two decades. In particular, the company focuses on development of III/V semiconductor materials enabling VECSELs at new wavelengths, scalable manufacturing processes, and application specific systems engineering. Recent breakthroughs include the use of VECSELs for quantum technology applications.

    Vexlum capitalizes on a comprehensive knowledge in epitaxy, optoelectronics processes, and laser systems. The technical expertise is complemented by proven entrepreneurial skills. The company vision is to bring VECSEL technology to high impact applications with unique benefits in performance, cost, and usability.

    About RIBER

    Founded in 1964, RIBER is the global market leader for MBE – molecular beam epitaxy – equipment. It designs and produces equipment for the semiconductor industry, and provides scientific and technical support for its clients (hardware and software), maintaining their equipment and optimizing their performance and output levels.

    Accelerating the performance of electronics, RIBER’s equipment performs an essential role in the development of advanced semiconductor systems that are used in numerous applications, from information technologies to photonics (lasers, sensors, etc.), 5G telecommunications networks and research, including quantum computing.

    RIBER is a BPI France-approved innovative company and is listed on the Euronext Growth Paris market (ISIN: FR0000075954).
    http://www.riber.com

    Contacts

    RIBER : Annie Geoffroy| tel: +33 (0)1 39 96 65 00 | invest@riber.com

    CALYPTUS : Cyril Combe | tel: +33 (0)1 53 65 68 68 | cyril.combe@calyptus.net

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Joan: ITV drama introduces a magnetic anti-heroine you can’t help but root for

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Minor, Lecturer in Television Studies, University of Salford

    This article contains minor spoilers for episode one of Joan.

    The new six-part ITV crime series, Joan, opens with The Pretenders’ rebellious rock anthem Brass in Pocket. It’s a fitting choice that immediately sets the tone for the series. As Chrissie Hynde’s vocals kick in, we’re introduced to our protagonist – a woman who, like the song, will soon exude self-assurance and a touch of defiance, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

    Sophie Turner stars as Joan Hannington, whose journey from impoverished victim to notorious jewel thief unfolds in 1980s London. Based on true events, the series chronicles Hannington’s transformation into “the godmother” – the most infamous woman in the city’s criminal underworld.

    The first episode establishes Hannington’s dire circumstances and the spark that ignites her criminal career. She is trapped in an abusive marriage to a violent man who physically abuses her and neglects their six-year-old daughter, Kelly. When he goes on the run, Hannington seizes the opportunity to escape, but not before facing the harsh realities of her situation – from being assaulted by gangsters to whom her husband owes money, to being pressured by undercover police to inform on him.

    Circumstances force Hannington to place Kelly with an emergency foster family. This decision is made all the more poignant by the revelation of Joan’s own childhood in care, which explains her fierce determination to provide a better life for her daughter. Their relationship forms the first episode’s emotional core. It is why Joan takes her first tentative steps into illegality, beginning with stealing a car to visit Kelly at her new home.

    The trailer for Joan.

    This initial transgression evolves into more sophisticated cons. Her method of learning about jewellery by eavesdropping on wealthy women before landing a job at a jeweller’s offers a pointed commentary on class barriers. Hannington’s ability to mimic the accents and mannerisms of the affluent underscores the performative nature of social class and foreshadows her future success in high-end theft.

    Joan doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of its world, where the threat of male violence is a constant shadow. From her husband’s brutal abuse to the unwelcome advances of her new boss at the jewellers, the series portrays a reality where Hannington’s safety is perpetually at risk.

    Yet these very threats fuel her determination to carve out a safer life for herself and Kelly. We watch as she takes increasingly bold steps, culminating in a scene where she swallows several diamonds to smuggle them out of the store. This moment marks a turning point for Hannington, signalling her commitment to her new life of crime.

    Anti-heroines in British crime drama

    Joan takes its place in a rich tradition of anti-heroines in British crime TV, a lineage that has been slowly but steadily growing since the turn of the millennium.

    As noted by professor of television studies, Milly Buonanno in Television Antiheroines: Women Behaving Badly in Crime and Prison Drama (2017), it wasn’t until the noughties that “the rule of male prominence and power [was] challenged by a wave of anti-heroines who have made inroads into the criminal underworlds and have provided evidence of women’s capacity to be ‘good at being bad’ against the myth of female innocence”.

    Hannington joins this pantheon of complex female characters, trail-blazed in the 90s by Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) from Prime Suspect (1991). As TV critic Rebecca Nicholson has observed, Tennison’s influence “looms larger than is often acknowledged within modern television”. More recent additions to this lineage include characters such as Alice (Ruth Wilson) in Luther (2010) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in Killing Eve (2018) – each pushing the boundaries of how female characters are portrayed in British crime dramas.

    Speaking about bringing Hannington to life on screen, Turner has said that she “was captivated by the character of Joan, she’s such a complex and extraordinary woman, both vulnerable and strong. She makes some terrible choices, unfortunately, but I think someone that a lot of people can relate to, and I just wanted to read more and more about her.”

    Turner’s words encapsulate the hallmarks of the anti-heroine archetype – moral ambiguity, inner conflict, and a strange magnetism that draws viewers in despite (or perhaps because of) the character’s flaws. Her emphasis on Hannington’s relatability – even in the face of “terrible choices” – speaks to the human core of these anti-heroine stories.

    But it’s crucial to approach these characters with a sense of discernment. As Buaonanno cautions, we should refrain from “uncritically celebrating characters of women in the business of crime”. The mere presence of criminal anti-heroines doesn’t equate to feminist achievement. But Joan does offer an opportunity for a nuanced exploration of themes such as gender, class and morality.

    Whether Hannington’s journey will serve as a cautionary tale or a celebration of resilience remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Joan will challenge audiences to grapple with moral ambiguities as it explores the story of a working-class woman who forges her own path in the ruthless world of organised crime.


    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.

    Laura Minor 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. Joan: ITV drama introduces a magnetic anti-heroine you can’t help but root for – https://theconversation.com/joan-itv-drama-introduces-a-magnetic-anti-heroine-you-cant-help-but-root-for-239673

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Prepayments (CK93) – Nykredit Realkredit A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To the Nasdaq Copenhagen

    Prepayments (CK93)

    Pursuant to s 24 of the Danish Capital Markets Act, Nykredit Realkredit A/S hereby publishes prepayment data (CK93) as at 27 September 2024 in the attached file.

    Furthermore, the data will be distributed in the usual way through Nasdaq Copenhagen. Data on Nykredit and Totalkredit bonds is also available by ISIN code in Excel format on https://www.nykredit.com/en-gb/investor-relations/financial-reporting/prepayments/.

    For further information about data format and contents, please refer to the Nasdaq website.

    Questions may be addressed to Morten Bækmand Nielsen, Head of Investor Relations, tel +45 44 55 15 21.

    Yours sincerely
    Nykredit Realkredit A/S

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Danske Bank share buy-back programme: Transactions in week 39

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 43 2024   Group Communications
    Bernstorffsgade 40
    DK-1577 København V
    Tel. +45 45 14 00 00

    30 September 2024

    Danske Bank share buy-back programme: Transactions in week 39

    On 2 February 2024, Danske Bank A/S announced a share buy-back programme for a total of DKK 5.5 billion, with a maximum of 70 million shares, in the period from 5 February 2024 to 31 January 2025, at the latest, as described in company announcement no. 2 2024.

    The programme is being carried out under Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and the Commission’s delegated regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, also referred to as the Safe Harbour Rules.

    The following transactions were made under the share buy-back programme in week 39:

      Number
    of shares    		 VWAP
    DKK    		 Gross value
    DKK
    Accumulated, last announcement 17,760,029 202.4341 3,595,235,496
    23/09/2024 150,000 203.7085 30,556,275
    24/09/2024 165,000 203.9081 33,644,837
    25/09/2024 161,000 202.7496 32,642,686
    26/09/2024 110,000 203.5980 22,395,780
    27/09/2024 166,636 202.3942 33,726,160
    Total accumulated over week 39 752,636 203.2400 152,965,737
    Total accumulated during the share buyback programme 18,512,665 202.4669 3,748,201,233

    With the transactions stated above the total accumulated number of own shares under the share buy-back programme corresponds to 2.15% of Danske Bank A/S’ share capital.

    We enclose share buy-back transaction data in detailed form of each transaction in accordance with the Commission’s delegated regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016.

    Danske Bank

    Contact: Stefan Singh Kailay, Group Press Officer, tel. +45 45 14 14 00

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bango (AIM: BGO), today announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

    Financial Overview (unaudited):

    Results for the 6 months ended 30 June 2024  1H24 1H23 Change
           
    Total Revenue $24.1M $20.3M +18.6%  
             
    Transactional Revenue1 $16.4M $15.5M +5.3%  
             
    DVM, Audiences & One-Off2 $ 7.7M $ 4.7M +62.5%  
             
    Annual recurring revenue (ARR)3 $12.9M $5.6M +130.4%  
           
    Net Revenue Retention4 159%      
             
    Adjusted EBITDA5 $4.0M ($0.2M) +$4.2M
           
    Profit/(Loss) before taxation ($3.4M) ($4.9M) +$1.5M
           
    Net (Debt6)/Cash ($5.1M) $5.5M -$10.6M


    Notes:

    • Transactional revenue grew 9.4% on a constant currency basis.
    • Other Income of $1.4M, which is not included in the revenue figure above, related to recovery of tax costs from the acquisition of DOCOMO Digital. $1.1M will be accounted for as a tax cost, resulting in $0.3M profit.
    • Gross profit margin of 80.8% (1H23: 90.0%) reduced from 82.8% in 2H 2023 due to geographic mix. Improvements expected in 2H 2024 as high margin DVM revenue grows.
    • Net debt6 of $5.1M at 30 June 2024 (net debt of $3.9M at 31 Dec 2023) after R&D investment of $7.6M in the period.

    Operational Highlights

    • Bango signed 4 new Digital Vending Machine® (DVM) customers in 1H24, including a Bank in Brazil. Post-period there has been a further 3 new customer wins.
    • A leading European telco that adopted the DVM in 2020 extended their contract for a further 3 years, with a minimum contract value of $1.5M over the term.
    • 13 new subscription content providers were added to the DVM in 1H24, taking the total to 106.
    • The eDisti7 program now has 20 content providers, including Microsoft and Disney, allowing Bango to provide a ‘pre-stocked’ Digital Vending Machine, reducing time to revenue for both DVM customers and Bango.
    • Bango signed a global agreement with Uber to accelerate the take-up of Uber One subscriptions through telco channels, proving the appeal of the Bango DVM beyond digital video, music and gaming services.
    • The ‘global technology leader’ (announced in June 2022) launched its first two telcos with Bango in 1H24. Additional launches are underway.
    • Chartered Accountant Tony Perkins joined the Bango Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee. In Q3, Tony was appointed as Senior Independent Director replacing Eric Peacock who retired from the Board to focus on his recovery from an accident.

    Presentation and Webcast

    A presentation of the interim results will be made to investors and analysts at 10:00 BST today via the Investor Meet Company Platform. Those wishing to join the call can sign up to Investor Meet Company for free via:
    https://www.investormeetcompany.com/bango-plc/register-investor

    Full RNS announcement

    Read the full Interims Results RNS announcement here: https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/bango_plc/news/rns/story/r7ze9jw

    Paul Larbey, Chief Executive Officer of Bango, commented:

    “The first six months of 2024 have gone to plan and are in-line with the Trading Update issued in July. The payments business continues to deliver growth, providing cash to fund expansion of the Digital Vending Machine® (DVM), which continues to be adopted as the defacto standard platform for subscription bundling by the world’s largest companies. The addition of Disney+ to the Bango eDisti program is further evidence of this and will help accelerate time-to-revenue from DVM deals. With 4 new DVM wins in the 1H and a further 3 in Q3, the pipeline built over the past years continued to deliver results and provides confidence in meeting market expectations for the full year.

    The subscriptions market is vast and growing, and the percentage of subscriptions bundled through channels is increasing. Bango’s leadership position in this market is strengthening with the DVM now playing a key role in the customer acquisition and engagement strategies of major content brands. We are excited by the opportunity ahead and remain on track to continue our strong growth trajectory and return to a positive net cash position in FY25.”

    1 Transactional Revenue is revenue derived by charging a percentage of the retail price paid by the consumer and is made up of direct carrier billing, resale and revenue share amounts.
    2 DVM, Bango Audiences & one-off Revenue includes all DVM license and support fees, revenue from Bango Audiences (discontinued in Q1) and one-off fees including DVM set-up and change requests.
    3 Annual Recurring Revenue is the expected annual revenues to be generated in the next 12 months based on contracted revenues recognized as at 30 June 2024.
    4 Net Revenue Retention is a measure of the retention and expansion of revenue from customers over the previous 12 months and is calculated by dividing the ARR from existing customers at the end of 1H24 to the ARR from those same customers at the end of 1H23.
    5 Adjusted EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization, negative goodwill, exceptional items, share of net loss of associate and share based payment charge 
    6 Net debt is cash and cash equivalents plus short-term investments less the loan from NHN and borrowings. Barclays continues to provide an overdraft facility which was not used at the end of the period .
    7eDisti is a program that allows Bango to resell subscriptions from content providers removing the need for a commercial agreement between the DVM customer and the content provider.

    Contact Details:  
    investors@bango.com

    About Bango

    Bango enables content providers to reach more paying customers through global partnerships. Bango revolutionized the monetization of digital content and services, by opening-up online payments to mobile phone users worldwide. Today, the Digital Vending Machine® is driving the rapid growth of the subscriptions economy, powering choice and control for subscribers.

    The world’s largest content providers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft trust Bango technology to reach subscribers everywhere.

    Bango, where people subscribe. For more information, visit http://www.bangoinvestor.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Invests in Xmore AI to Advance AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (“reAlpha”) (Nasdaq: AIRE), a real estate technology company developing and commercializing artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies, today announced the selection of Xmore AI as the first company to secure investment from its newly launched reAlpha AI Labs, reAlpha’s research and development initiative.

    Xmore AI, co-founded by Dr. Benjamin Yan and Adrian Self, leverages over a decade of research in AI-driven cybersecurity and has developed a platform that consolidates multiple cybersecurity tools into a seamless, AI-driven solution, ensuring that enterprises can operate securely in a rapidly evolving digital environment. Dr. Yan is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University. Adrian Self, a cybersecurity professional with extensive experience in blockchain security and embedded systems, complements Dr. Yan’s expertise with his hands-on approach to security assessments and technology integration. This investment marks a strategic milestone for reAlpha AI Labs to accelerate the development of AI technologies and advance technology innovation in the real estate industry.

    Mike Logozzo, President and Chief Operating Officer of reAlpha, emphasized the broader impact of Xmore AI’s technology: “At reAlpha AI Labs, we aim to create an environment where innovative AI startups can thrive. Xmore AI’s focus on cybersecurity aligns with our vision and we believe Xmore AI’s technology will enhance the security and scalability across our AI homebuying platform and our recently acquired portfolio companies.” reAlpha’s recently acquired portfolio companies include Naamche, Hyperfast, Be My Neighbor, and AiChat.

    “Xmore AI represents the next generation of forward-thinking innovation we envisioned to collaborate with when we launched reAlpha AI Labs,” said Vinayak Grover, Associate Vice President of AI Labs at reAlpha. “Their expertise in cybersecurity, particularly for AI operations, will be critical as AI becomes more integrated into enterprise systems.”

    In addition to enhancing reAlpha’s AI homebuying platform through its AI-cybersecurity expertise, Xmore AI is developing a software that will consolidate multiple cybersecurity tools to provide AI-cybersecurity solutions to enterprises in multiple industries. At the core of Xmore AI’s innovation is its ability to address the unique vulnerabilities created by the rapid expansion of AI across industries. We believe Xmore AI is well-positioned to address critical challenges like data privacy, compliance, and risk management, by providing innovative solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of the cybersecurity landscape.

    “With AI becoming more integrated into how businesses operate, it is essential that cybersecurity evolves alongside it,” said Dr. Yan, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Xmore AI. “Through our partnership with reAlpha AI Labs, we believe we are in a position to deliver scalable, cutting-edge security solutions that protect enterprises from the emerging risks of AI integration.”

    Launched earlier this year, reAlpha AI Labs is designed to support innovative AI startups with funding, technical resources, and strategic partnerships. By providing early-stage funding along with access to reAlpha’s extensive network, the program is committed to accelerating the growth and efficacy of AI-driven solutions.

    The incubation of Xmore AI not only highlights reAlpha AI Labs’ commitment to cybersecurity, but it also marks reAlpha AI Labs’ broader mission to drive AI advancements across sectors like real estate, fintech, and enterprise technology.

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is a real estate technology company developing an end-to-end commission-free homebuying platform. Utilizing the power of AI and an acquisition-led growth strategy, reAlpha’s goal is to offer a more affordable, streamlined experience for those on the journey to homeownership. For more information, visit https://www.realpha.com/.

    About Xmore AI

    Xmore AI is developing a software that will offer innovative AI-driven cybersecurity solutions by consolidating multiple cybersecurity tools into a single platform, which will provide real-time risk analysis, vulnerability detection, and IT operations management, all while ensuring privacy by keeping data within the enterprise.

    About the reAlpha Platform

    reAlpha (previously called “Claire”), announced on April 24, 2024, is reAlpha’s generative AI-powered, commission-free, homebuying platform. The tagline: No fees. Just keys.™ – reflects reAlpha’s dedication to eliminating traditional barriers and making homebuying more accessible and transparent.

    reAlpha’s introduction aligns with major shifts in the real estate sector after the National Association of Realtors agreed to settle certain lawsuits upon being found to have violated antitrust laws, resulting in inflated fees paid to buy-side agents. This development is expected to result in the end of the standard six percent sales commission, which equates to approximately $100 billion in realtor fees paid annually. The reAlpha platform offers a cost-free alternative for homebuyers by utilizing an AI-driven workflow that assists them through the homebuying process.

    Homebuyers using the reAlpha platform’s conversational interface will be able to interact with Claire, reAlpha’s AI buyer’s agent, to guide them through every step of their homebuying journey, from property search to closing the deal. By offering support 24/7, Claire is poised to make the homebuying process more efficient, enjoyable, and cost-efficient. Claire matches buyers with their dream homes using over 400 data attributes and provides insights into market trends and property values. Additionally, Claire can assist with questions, booking property tours, submitting offers, and negotiations.

    Currently, the reAlpha platform is under limited availability for homebuyers located in 20 counties in Florida, but reAlpha is actively seeking new MLS and brokerage licenses that will enable expansion into more U.S. states.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative; the anticipated benefits of Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative; reAlpha’s ability to anticipate the future needs of the short-term rental market; future trends in the real estate, technology and artificial intelligence industries, generally; and reAlpha’s future growth strategy and growth rate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to leverage Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative into its existing business and the anticipated demand for reAlpha AI Labs collaborations and partnerships; Xmore AI’s ability to develop its software to consolidate cybersecurity tools to provide AI-cybersecurity solutions to enterprises and the anticipated demand for such software; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; the inability to accurately forecast demand for short-term rentals and AI-based real estate focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media
    irlabs on behalf of reAlpha
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    fatema@irlabs.ca

    1 https://market.us/report/ai-in-cybersecurity-market/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Food Corporation of India (FCI) installs modern video surveillance system in its depots

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 OCT 2024 1:10PM by PIB Delhi

    As a part of 100 Days Achievements of Department of Food and Public Distribution under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has initiated the upgradation of the current analog CCTV surveillance system to a modern IP-based CCTV surveillance system in its storage depots. Approximately 23,750 cameras would be installed across 561 FCI-owned depots. This transition is based on a successful Proof of Concept (POC) conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI) at FSD Shyamanagar. The implementation of this new IP-based system will significantly enhance monitoring capabilities through high-resolution imaging, improved scalability, and remote access.

    The Food Corporation of India is crucial to India’s foodgrain management, playing a key role in the procurement, storage, and distribution of food grains. This efficiency not only bolsters the nation’s food security but also supports agricultural development. Among its many functions, storage is vital for fulfilling the needs of the Public Distribution System and various welfare schemes initiated by the Government of India, ensuring that buffer stocks are maintained nationwide. With over 500 FCI-owned depots scattered across the country, effective surveillance of these storage operations is essential at all times.

    Over the years, FCI has installed CCTV cameras across various depots to ensure their effective surveillance. In 2013-14 CCTV cameras were installed in 61 depots, with their number increasing to 67 in 2014-15 and extending to 446 own depots by 2018. Currently, a total of 516 FCI depots are under CCTV surveillance. Live Web Feed of these cameras is available on FCI website in “See your depot” tab.

    CCTV Cameras installed in the new surveillance system will support onboard analytics features like camera tempering, camera field of view change, camera blur/out of focus, motion detection and trip wire etc. This new Surveillance system will feature the establishment of a centralized Command Control Centre (CCC) and a Network Operating Centre (NoC) at FCI Headquarters.

    The health of the installed system will be centrally monitored through the Command Control Centre (CCC), along with a provision for storing incidental data on demand basis. It will also offer advanced video analytics and strengthened security measures, enabling FCI to effectively oversee and manage day-to-day operations across its depots. The proposed system will also include environmental and humidity sensors on pilot basis, which will further enhance its functionality. These sensors will enable the monitoring of environmental conditions, providing valuable data for assessing their impact and ensuring optimal conditions for the system’s performance in the future.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Review of Scottish Parliamentary Boundaries

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Boundaries Scotland is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations for:

    • constituencies and regions for the Scottish Parliament;
    • the number of councillors on each council in a local government area;
    • the number of wards for local government elections and their boundaries; and
    • the extent of council areas.

    The Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries commenced in September 2022. The Review is required by the Scotland Act 1998 and the report containing the recommendations by Boundaries Scotland must be submitted to Scottish Ministers by 1 May 2025. If subsequently approved by the Scottish Parliament, the new boundaries will be effective at the next Scottish Parliament election, expected in May 2026. 

    The rules state Boundaries Scotland must review and make recommendations for the boundaries of 73 constituencies and eight regions, with each region represented by seven MSP’s. The overall number of MSPs will remain at 129.

    A further consultation has now started on the Provisional results for the Regions and further proposals for constituencies.

    Summary Highland Council area – Constituencies

    The boundary between the proposed: Inverness and Nairn; and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituencies has been amended south of Inverness at Strathdearn to align with the ward boundary, as suggested during the consultation. 

    The constituency boundary for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross was retained and there were no changes to any of the 3 constituency names.

    Further Proposals Constituencies – Maps

    All Scotland |  Inverness and Nairn |  Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch | 

    Provisional Proposals for Regions

    Summary Highland Council area – Region Highlands and Islands

    There is no change in the name of the region and when compared to the existing boundaries there is a minor alignment of the ward boundary within the Moray Constituency.

    Provisional Proposals for Regions – Map

    Highlands and Islands

    The consultation period lasts for one month until 26 October 2024, during which comments concerning the proposals are invited. 

    Comments on the proposals can be made on the consultation site, where you can view the boundaries of our proposals and compare them with the existing boundaries, see consult.boundaries.scot. Comments can also be made by email to boundaries.scot@scottishboundaries.gov.uk, or by writing to Boundaries Scotland, Thistle House, 91 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD.  All comments should be submitted no later than 26 October 2024 which is the end of the statutory consultation period. 

    Further information regarding the review is available on the Boundaries Scotland website https://boundaries.scot/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    October 1, 2024

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    October 1, 2024

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for prizes in the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    October 1, 2024

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    October 1, 2024

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    October 1, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    The authors of more than 200 films are competing for the prizes of the Far East – Land of Adventures competition

    207 films have been admitted to the jury of the All-Russian competition “Far East – Land of Adventures”, as reported by the initiator of the project, Deputy Prime Minister – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev.

    “The Russian Far East is vast and beautiful. Any tourist or traveler can find a vacation to their taste here: from hiking to routes of varying difficulty, and all this in different climate zones. The “Far East – Land of Adventure” competition is important for making active tourism more popular. It brought together travelers and bloggers who made films about the macro-region, introducing millions of Russians to the unique places of the Far Eastern regions. This year, the jury of the competition is selecting the best trips for the second time. This is not an easy job. The authors of more than 200 films are competing for prizes. And I am sure that the jury, whose members are real professionals, will choose the best of the best,” said Yuri Trutnev.

    The largest number of films are about travels in the Sakhalin Region and the Amur Region – 52 and 34 films. In addition, 31 films about adventures in the Khabarovsk Region, 26 materials about travels in the Primorsky Region, 18 – in the Jewish Autonomous Region, 13 – in the Kamchatka Region, 10 – in the Republic of Buryatia, 7 – in the Magadan Region, 6 – in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), 6 and 4 films were filmed in the Zabaikalsky Region and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

    Residents of Khabarovsk Krai, Sakhalin Oblast and Amur Oblast most often went on trips. However, residents of other regions also take part in the competition – for example, residents of Moscow and the Moscow Oblast, Altai Krai, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Kirov and Ryazan Oblasts sent films about their trips.

    The travelers went on hikes of varying difficulty: some went on a one-day hike to Mount Lysaya via the Benevskiye waterfalls in Primorsky Krai, while more experienced tourists conquered the hard-to-reach Dusse-Alin ridge in Khabarovsk Krai over 15 days. The contest participants traveled both in the company of friends, close relatives, and alone.

    Applications for participation in the second season of the all-Russian competition for the best trip to the Far East “Far East – Land of Adventures” are accepted until December 30. In order to take part, you need to make a short film up to 8 minutes long about your trip to the Far East and send it to the jury for evaluation on the website puteshestvendv.rf. Works from previous years are also accepted: the trip must have been made no earlier than September 1, 2022 and no later than December 30, 2024.

    The main prize for the best video about a trip to the Far East is 3 million rubles, for winning one of the nominations you can get 1 million rubles, for second place in the nominations – 300 thousand rubles, third place in the nominations – 100 thousand rubles. Moreover, the governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Vladislav Kuznetsov introduced a separate prize of 1 million rubles, which will be raffled off among participants who have declared a trip to Chukotka.

    It should be noted that not only experienced travelers, but also children accompanied by adults can take part in the competition. Among the winners of the first season were both professionally shot films and footage captured on a regular phone. Based on the results of the competition, the best works of the winners and prize-winners will be broadcast on the air broadcasting grid of regional TV channels, and the reporting information and videos will be added to the interactive map of tourist routes of the Far East regions.

    The best video materials will be selected by the jury members, including: TV journalist, author and host of the TV show “Neputevye Zametki” Dmitry Krylov, Arctic traveler, video blogger Bogdan Bulychev, TV host Valdis Pelsh, head of the project “More than a Journey” Olesya Teterina, State Duma deputy, author and host of the TV show “How the World Works” Timofey Bazhenov, producer of the VK project “Places” Nikita Afinogenov and other experienced travelers. In addition, the winners of the first season of the competition will take part in the evaluation of the works: Elena Poddubnaya, Ernest Leonidov, Alisa Slyshchenko.

    The competition is being held on the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev with the support of the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, JSC Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, and the NGO Social Initiatives Development Fund.

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/52856/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wuthering Heights casting row: most adaptations struggle with picking the right Heathcliff and Cathy, but we deserve better in 2024

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adelene Buckland, Reader in Nineteenth-Century Literature, King’s College London

    How do you cast Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel about a child so brutalised by his adoptive family that he drives his pregnant love to death? Not, it would seem, like Emerald Fennell, the latest director to attempt it.

    Fennell’s previous projects include the Oscar-winning A Promising Young Woman (2020) and Netflix hit Saltburn (2023), but she has been under fire for casting Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in the lead roles of Heathcliff and Catherine, two teenagers on the wild, 19th-century Yorkshire moors. As tanned Australian actors aged 27 and 34, best known for playing Elvis and Barbie, it is hard to imagine how they can pull this off.

    But has anybody ever got Heathcliff and Catherine right?

    Lawrence Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for playing Heathcliff in 1939, but his clipped, Royal Shakespeare Company gentlemanliness hardly befitted the “savage vehemence” of the role. Heathcliff is an orphan, probably picked up on the Liverpool docks, bullied for looking like “a dark-skinned gypsy”, “a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway” (a lascar was a sailor or militiaman often from Asia). Among his many eventual crimes, he tortures puppies and beats children. But the Olivier movie staged the novel as a classic Hollywood romance.

    Until very recently other directors followed suit, cutting the story’s more brutal elements (including most of its second half) and casting dashing (white) leads like Timothy Dalton (1970) and then-newcomer Ralph Fiennes (1992). In the latter film, Juliette Binoche’s Catherine had a notably French accent. (Maybe best not to mention Cliff Richard’s 1996 musical, in which, at 56, he was panned for playing a teenage Heathcliff as a pop idol.)

    As the director of a 2011 BBC Radio Three adaptation put it, Wuthering Heights is not supposed to be “a Vaseline-lensed experience”. But it has been mostly sold that way.

    Perhaps the only director to capture the nightmarishness of Bronte’s text is Andrea Arnold, who in 2011 cast untrained actors in the central roles, including a black actor, James Howson, as Heathcliff. At the time, some critics even found that decision controversial. But the casting was a turning point, and Arnold’s bleak, almost wordless, adaptation changed the game.

    In 2024, audiences are more aware that casting a white actor like Elordi as Heathcliff is not only to undersell the novel as romance, but to wilfully ignore the imperialism in the text.

    There is evidence to suggest that Heathcliff’s story was at least partly inspired by a local slave-owning family, the Sills, who, as well as making their money from sugar plantations in Jamaica, had 30 enslaved Africans working on their home estate in Yorkshire.

    Also, as mentioned, characters speculate about Heathcliff’s race throughout. For instance, Nelly Dean, Cathy’s family’s servant, wonders whether “[his] father was Emperor of China, and [his] mother an Indian queen.” He is clearly not white.

    Still, in going in the opposite direction to Arnold, Fennell’s film might offer us something new.

    The novel is difficult to film not only because it depicts human beings at their most primal, but also because it is so strangely told. Bronte rarely shows us Catherine or Heathcliff firsthand. We learn their tale through an uninitiated southerner, Lockwood, who himself hears much of the story from a servant with unreliable passions of her own.

    Key scenes in the novel have an emotional realism drawn not only from the rough-hewn Yorkshire rocks but also from gothic melodrama: Catherine’s ghost literally bleeds as it grasps Lockwood through a window; Heathcliff digs up Catherine’s grave just “to have her in my arms again”. If this is realism, it is so extreme it borders on the theatrical.

    And this is where Fennell excels. Saltburn’s bathtub scene is infamous for body horror, but mostly it depicts an urgent need to consume and be consumed by another. Saltburn also has its own graveside scene, which clearly echoes Heathcliff’s necrophiliac desires in Wuthering Heights.

    I would argue there can be no justification for casting a white actor as Heathcliff, and it is to be hoped that Fennell rethinks this decision. But perhaps there is also something to be gained from having a Heathcliff and Catherine with the glitzy theatricality of Elvis and Barbie. Fennell isn’t going to give us the Catherine and Heathcliff we have come to expect, but it is possible she will evoke the passion the characters deserve.


    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.

    Adelene Buckland 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. Wuthering Heights casting row: most adaptations struggle with picking the right Heathcliff and Cathy, but we deserve better in 2024 – https://theconversation.com/wuthering-heights-casting-row-most-adaptations-struggle-with-picking-the-right-heathcliff-and-cathy-but-we-deserve-better-in-2024-240128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The music never stops at South Health Campus | La musique ne s’arrête jamais au South Health Campus

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    After the impressive success of the pilot concert series earlier this year, Alberta’s government is providing a $19,000 grant to Calgary company Stagehand to bring a second concert season to the South Health Campus. The second season of the full-year concert series will begin on Sept. 26.

    A patient watches local musicians play at the South Health Campus music series pilot project in February of 2024.

    This grant renews the pilot project from February 2024, when Alberta’s government first enabled Stagehand to bring musicians to perform for South Health Campus patients, staff and visitors.

    “Alberta’s government recognizes the incredible impact music has on people’s lives, and how it can give people the strength to beat their illness. That is why we are proud to support this amazing concert series that supports local artists and helps lift spirits at the South Health Campus.”

    Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

    “Music has the power to heal and uplift, and this concert series brings that joy to patients, families and health care workers. We’re proud to support Alberta’s talented musicians while enhancing the well-being of everyone at the South Health Campus.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Stagehand offers a digital platform that connects artists with venues to book and promote live events. The Calgary-based company will provide the platform to manage an open call for artists, selection, contracting, scheduling, payment and data collection.

    The pilot project in February included 10 performances at various times and locations at the South Health Campus. The program aligns with the government’s goals for Alberta’s continued economic success by supporting the province’s music industry. This project also helps share Alberta’s cultures, perspectives and stories through music while supporting local musicians.

    “Stagehand is proud to bring music back into Calgary’s South Health Campus for a second concert series. Music has an incredible ability to heal, and Stagehand is exploring even more ways to get more music to the people who need it. I would like to thank Alberta’s government and Minister Fir for the continued support, and I look forward to collaborating in the future.”

    Derek Manns, co-founder and chief executive officer, Stagehand

    “Music offers more than just entertainment for patients; it provides a powerful source of joy, comfort and healing, especially for those dealing with pain, undergoing medical procedures, rehabilitation therapies, or facing long hospital stays. By reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and enhancing mood, music fosters a sense of calm and empowerment, helping patients regain control in the midst of their challenges.”

    Dr. Stephanie Plamondon, physician, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at South Health Campus, and clinical professor, University of Calgary

    Quick facts

    • According to West Anthem’s Resonant Energies: A Music City Strategy for Calgary released in May, music contributed $1.7 billion to Alberta’s GDP and supported 20,577 jobs in 2020.
    • Feedback on the pilot project in February was overwhelmingly positive, with 97 per cent of audiences reporting being satisfied or very satisfied with the performances, and 82 per cent of musicians reporting a positive impact on their mental health.

    Related information

    • Alberta Health Services Upcoming Events – Stagehand (Concert Schedule)

    Related news

    • Good vibrations for Calgary’s South Health Campus | Bonnes vibrations au South Health Campus de Calgary (Jan. 19, 2024)
    • Music encore at Calgary’s South Health Campus | La musique en rappel au South Health Campus de Calgary (July 16, 2024)

    Une série de concerts qui aide à remonter le moral et à guérir les Albertaines et Albertains au South Health Campus de Calgary est de retour pour une deuxième saison.

    Après le succès retentissant de la série de concerts pilotes présentée au début de l’année, le gouvernement de l’Alberta a accordé une subvention de 19 000 dollars à l’entreprise Stagehand de Calgary pour qu’elle puisse organiser une deuxième série de concerts au South Health Campus. La deuxième série de concerts s’étendra sur toute l’année et débutera le 26 septembre.

    En février 2024, un patient regarde des musiciens de la région jouer dans le cadre du projet pilote de la série musicale du South Health Campus.

    Cette subvention renouvelle le projet pilote de février 2024, lorsque le gouvernement de l’Alberta a permis pour la première fois à Stagehand d’inviter des musiciens à se produire devant les patients, le personnel et les visiteurs du South Health Campus.

    « Le gouvernement de l’Alberta reconnaît l’impact incroyable de la musique sur la vie des gens et la façon dont elle peut leur donner la force de vaincre leur maladie. C’est pourquoi nous sommes fiers de soutenir cette formidable série de concerts, qui permet d’encourager les artistes locaux tout en remontant le moral des gens au South Health Campus. »

    Tanya Fir, ministre des Arts, de la Culture et de la Condition féminine

    « La musique a le pouvoir de guérir et de remonter le moral des gens, et cette série de concerts apporte cette joie aux patients, aux familles et aux travailleurs de la santé. Nous sommes fiers de soutenir les musiciens talentueux de l’Alberta tout en améliorant le bien-être de toutes et de tous au South Health Campus. »

    Adriana LaGrange, ministre de la Santé

    L’entreprise Stagehand met en relation les artistes et les établissements en proposant une plateforme numérique qui permet de réserver et de promouvoir des événements en direct. Basée à Calgary, l’entreprise fournira la plateforme où pourront être gérés les appels ouverts aux artistes et leur sélection, les contrats, la programmation, le paiement et la collecte de données.

    Le projet pilote de février a permis de donner dix représentations à des heures et à des endroits différents au South Health Campus. Le programme s’inscrit dans les objectifs du gouvernement qui visent à assurer le succès économique continu de l’Alberta grâce au soutien de l’industrie musicale de la province. Ce projet contribue également à partager, par la musique, les cultures, les perspectives et les récits de l’Alberta, tout en soutenant les musiciens locaux.

    « Stagehand est fière de ramener la musique au South Health Campus de Calgary pour une deuxième série de concerts. La musique a une incroyable capacité de guérison, et Stagehand explore encore plus de moyens pour apporter plus de musique aux personnes qui en ont besoin. Je tiens à remercier le gouvernement de l’Alberta et la ministre Fir de leur soutien continu, et je me réjouis à l’idée de continuer à collaborer avec eux. »

    Derek Manns, cofondateur et directeur général de Stagehand

    « La musique est plus qu’un simple divertissement pour les patients; elle est une puissante source de joie, de réconfort et de guérison, en particulier pour celles et ceux qui souffrent, qui subissent des procédures médicales, des thérapies de réadaptation ou qui doivent effectuer de longs séjours à l’hôpital. En réduisant l’anxiété, en abaissant la tension artérielle et en améliorant l’humeur, la musique favorise un sentiment de calme et d’autonomisation, ce qui aide les patients en difficulté à reprendre le contrôle de leur santé. »

    Stephanie Plamondon, médecin, Département de physiatrie et de réadaptation du South Health Campus, et professeur clinique à l’université de Calgary

    En bref

    • Selon le rapport intitulé « Resonant Energies: A Music City Strategy for Calgary », publié en mai, la musique a contribué à hauteur de 1,7 milliard de dollars au PIB de l’Alberta, en plus de soutenir 20 577 emplois en 2020.
    • Les réactions au projet pilote de février ont été extrêmement positives : 97 % des spectateurs se sont déclarés satisfaits ou très satisfaits des spectacles, et 82 % des musiciens ont fait état d’un impact positif sur leur santé mentale.

    Renseignements connexes (en anglais seulement)

    • Alberta Health Services Upcoming Events – Stagehand (horaire des concerts)

    Nouvelles connexes

    • Good vibrations for Calgary’s South Health Campus | Bonnes vibrations au South Health Campus de Calgary (19 janvier 2024)
    • Music encore at Calgary’s South Health Campus | La musique en rappel au South Health Campus de Calgary (16 juillet 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –