Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 500 Years of the Three Leagues Free State – Diet in Valchava, Val Müstair

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Grisons in Italian

    The Diet of 6 October 2024 in Val Müstair will be the seventh and final Diet in the 500th anniversary celebrations. The whole day on Sunday will be dedicated to gratitude towards nature and history, but there will also be time for fun and celebration.

    Even before the founding of the Free State of the Three Leagues, Val Müstair was an important transit and trade route. However, the valley has also been the scene of dramatic war events on several occasions. In its anniversary year, the municipality of Val Müstair is recalling its history and its significance for the present and the future. The Diet takes place on the same day as the traditional harvest festival. The combination of the two festivals allows us to delve into the history, nature and culture that characterise Val Müstair today. The play written especially by Eva and Magnus Schleich and performed for the anniversary by the theatre groups of Val Müstair offers insights into the conflicts that have characterised the valley in the past.

    Varied programmeThe day will begin at 10:45 a.m. with a short ecumenical service in the open air at the eastern entrance to the village of Valchava. Immediately afterwards, at 11:10 a.m., the traditional large Thanksgiving procession will begin at the same location with the participation of folklore associations, music societies, pupils from the schools of Val Müstair as well as festively decorated floats and animals. The festivities with speeches by State Councillor Marcus Caduff, Mayor Gabriella Binkert and Grand Councillor Rico Lamprecht will begin at 2 p.m.

    Theatre performance «Spranza chi vegnan meglders temps» (Hoping for better times), 3:00 p.m.The theatre performance about the Free State of the Three Leagues shows the dramatic nature of the time. The introduction to the play reads: «This alliance, signed 500 years ago, is unique, not least in light of the current threat to democratic rights. But all that glitters is not gold.» The performance alternates between historical scenes and discussions between the actors, with the director’s explanations leading from one scene to the next. Always hoping for better times. The theatre performance will also be performed on Wednesday, 2 October, and Friday, 4 October, at 5:00 p.m.

    The celebrations will take place in Valchava. The village will be richly decorated. More than 70 stalls will offer regional specialties, a refreshment point invites you to take a break. Of course, there will be musical entertainment and a children’s program. The cheerful festival will offer the population and guests from near and far a chance to have fun. The Diet will mark the fitting end of the jubilee year celebrations. The detailed program is available in the attachment, as well as on https://500.gr.ch/bundstag-valmuestair.

    We recommend travelling by public transport. Thanks to the offer “Return for the price of a single journey”, those going to the Diete only have to pay for the outward journey. The return journey to the starting point in the Canton of Graubünden is free.

    Further anniversary activities until the end of 2024A number of other anniversary-related activities will take place in all language regions until the end of 2024. These can be found at https://500.gr.ch.

    Photograph:

    Landsgemeinde celebration at Plaun Schumpeder, Sta. Maria, Val Müstair, around 1920, photo by Gian Battista Gross. Grisons State Archives, N2.1420.

    Attached:

    Anniversary flyer Diet in Val Müstair (Romansh/German)

    Contact persons:

    Questions about the 500th anniversary celebrations:

    Prime Minister Dr. Jon Domenic Parolini, Director of the Department of Education, Culture and Environmental Protection, e-mailJondomenic.Parolini@ekud.gr.ch
    Daniel Camenisch, project manager «500 years of the Three Leagues Free State», tel. 41 78 659 63 60, e-mailcamenisch@vinavant.ch

    Questions about the Diet in Val Müstair:

    Competent body: Department of Education, Culture and Environmental Protection

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia and ZCorum collaborate to develop DOCSIS Provisioning Adapter for cable-to-fiber transition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia and ZCorum collaborate to develop DOCSIS Provisioning Adapter for cable-to-fiber transition

    • Nokia entered into an agreement with ZCorum to develop a DOCSIS Provisioning Adapter (DPA) application to work with Nokia’s Altiplano platform.
    • The DPA will enable cable operators to provision a PON ONT and subscriber services using their existing DOCSIS provisioning system, facilitating a transition to fiber-to-the-home.
    • The DPA application will be offered through Nokia’s Altiplano Marketplace and provided to customers by Nokia.

    24 September 2024
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that it has partnered with ZCorum, a leading provider of diagnostics and managed services for broadband providers, to develop a DOCSIS Provisioning Adapter (DPA) application. The DPA solution will allow cable operators to use their existing DOCSIS-based provisioning system to provision an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and subscriber services on an ITU-based Passive Optical Network (PON).

    Cable operators are upgrading their networks to fiber because it offers the highest performance, scalability, and reliability. This transition often involves implementing a next-generation fiber management solution. For MSOs seeking a more gradual shift from their DOCSIS-based Operations Support Systems (OSS), a software-based DPA offers a seamless pathway. Beyond simplifying the evolution to Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH), the DPA application can also help distribute adoption costs and expedite time-to-market.

    The Nokia DPA provides an interworking function, or translation layer, bridging the DOCSIS-based management system and Nokia’s Altiplano Access Controller. Altiplano is an open and programmable platform offering a complete suite of network management functions and software-defined networking (SDN) controls for Nokia’s Lightspan PON networks.

    The Nokia DPA application is expected to be available for lab trials by the end of 2024. When broadly introduced, the Nokia DPA will be offered through the Nokia Altiplano Marketplace. The Nokia Altiplano Marketplace gives operators access to a catalog of ready-made automation tools and network analytics to get the most out of their broadband network. Additionally, Nokia’s Altiplano Access Controller platform gives operators and third-party developers, such as ZCorum, access to open APIs and a Software Development Kit (SDK) for developing value-added applications.

    More information and a demonstration of the DPA will be available at Nokia’s booth (#1903) at SCTE TechExpo 24, September 24-26 in Atlanta, GA.

    Jeff Heynen, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group, said: “While cable operators are upgrading their networks in various ways, virtually all are deploying PON-based FTTH networks in greenfield. Many are also overbuilding their whole network with PON or strategically adding it into their legacy HFC networks. MSOs will benefit from and welcome any tool that makes it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to deploy PON. Certainly, Nokia’s DPA will do just that.”
         
    Julie Compann, President and CEO at ZCorum, said: “ZCorum has been serving DOCSIS and fiber operators since the time those technologies first launched, so developing DPA is a natural project for our company. Cable operators recognize the benefits of migrating to fiber, but also have a significant investment in their DOCSIS infrastructure. DPA will allow them to focus on fiber deployment where needed, without the need to immediately deploy a second provisioning system. We are pleased to be working with Nokia and their team to make that possible.”

    Geert Heyninck, VP and GM Broadband Networks at Nokia, said: “As the industry leader in PON, Nokia is ideally positioned to assist cable operators in moving to next-generation networks, enabling them to deliver the best possible service to their subscribers. The DPA app we are developing with the OSS experts at ZCorum will offer our customers a simple means to ease their transition to FTTH and attain a more competitive position in their markets.”

    Resources and additional information
    Webpage: Fiber broadband for cable operators
    Webpage: Altiplano Access Controller
    Webpage: Altiplano Marketplace
    Webpage: ZCorum Managed Services and Diagnostics

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    About ZCorum
    ZCorum provides a suite of services to broadband operators with the goal of enhancing their operational efficiency, reducing costs, increasing revenue, and improving the subscriber experience. Services include Diagnostics Software for Fiber and DOCSIS networks, Device Activation, Cybersecurity as a Service, Bandwidth Management, Hosted Residential and Commercial VoIP, Fully Managed IPTV Services, and 24×7 End-User Technical Support.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
    LinkedIn X Instagram TikTok Facebook YouTube

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Announces Fee Reduction for Flagship ETPs, HODLX and BOLD

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, 24 September 2024 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of cryptocurrency exchange traded products (ETPs) and a subsidiary of 21.co, is pleased to announce a significant fee reduction for two of its flagship products: the 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 ETP (HODLX) and the 21Shares Bytetree BOLD ETP (BOLD). Effective immediately, the management fees for these ETPs have been lowered to 0.49% for HODLX and 0.65% for BOLD, making these innovative investment vehicles more accessible to a broader range of investors.

    The 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 ETP (HODLX) provides diversified exposure to the top ten digital assets by market capitalization, rebalanced quarterly to reflect the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market. With this fee reduction to 0.49%, investors can now benefit from a more cost-effective way to capture the growth potential of the digital asset space in a single, diversified ETP.

    The 21Shares Bytetree BOLD ETP (BOLD) offers a unique blend of Bitcoin and Gold, designed as a balanced approach to digital and traditional assets. BOLD’s risk-adjusted weighting scheme, rebalanced monthly, combines the security of gold with the growth opportunities of Bitcoin, offering a diversified hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. The new fee of 0.65% further enhances the appeal of this product for investors seeking strategic and cost-efficient exposure to these assets.

    “At 21Shares, our mission has always been to make investing in cryptocurrency more accessible, and this fee reduction is a reflection of our commitment to delivering value to our investors,” said Mandy Chiu, Head of Financial Product Development at 21Shares. “By lowering the fees on HODLX and BOLD, we are enabling more investors to participate in the future of finance at a lower cost.”

    These fee reductions underscore 21Shares’ dedication to providing innovative, low-cost investment solutions that meet the evolving needs of the global investor community. Both ETPs are 100% physically backed by their underlying assets, held securely in cold storage, ensuring the highest levels of trust for investors.

    For more information about 21Shares and its full range of ETPs, visit https://www.21shares.com/en-eu/product .

    Press Contacts:
    Audrey Belloff, Head of Communications, press@21.co

    About 21.co:
    21.co is the world’s leader in providing access to crypto through simple and easy to use products. 21.co is the parent company of 21Shares, one of the world’s largest issuer of cryptocurrency exchange traded products (ETPs) – which is powered by Onyx, a proprietary technology platform used to issue and operate cryptocurrency ETPs for 21Shares and third parties. The company was founded in 2018 by Hany Rashwan and Ophelia Snyder. 21Shares is registered in Zurich, Switzerland with offices in Zurich, London and New York. For more information, please visit 21Shares.

    Disclaimer:
    This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

    This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

    This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

    Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

    Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

    The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

    This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2023 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with SIX Exchange Regulation AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2023 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

    ###

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: MENG ARRANGES FOR KOREAN AMERICAN YOUTH CHOIR FROM QUEENS TO PERFORM AT WHITE HOUSE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that she arranged for a Korean American Youth Choir from Queens to perform this week at the White House in Washington, D.C.

    The Korean American Youth Choir of New York (KAYCNY), a Queens-based group of young individuals dedicated to promoting and preserving Korean culture through music, played at the first White House celebration that marked the Korean holiday of Chuseok. The event took place this past Tuesday, September 17. The Congresswoman helped arrange for KAYCNY to be invited by recommending them to White House officials.

    “It was wonderful to see KAYCNY represent New York’s Korean American community at this wonderful event, and I’m thrilled that they were asked to perform at my request,” said Congresswoman Meng. “I thank these talented young people for showcasing Korean culture through their music and contributing to these exciting festivities that celebrated the Korean diaspora in the United States. I am so proud to represent a vibrant Korean American community in my district in Queens and I thank the White House for hosting this event to highlight the rich heritage and culture of Korean Americans.”

    “This performance at the White House was an outstanding experience and it was a tremendous opportunity to spotlight the talent and work of the local young people in our choir,” said Eunja Ko, Leader of KAYCNY. “It was an honor to participate, and I thank Congresswoman Meng for arranging for us to perform.”

    The celebration included around 100 people. Approximately 13 children from KAYCNY performed in traditional Korean attire and they were joined by the choir’s conductor, staff members, and several parents.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)
    Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)
    ******************************************************************************************

         Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum today (September 24): Honourable Commissioner Hu Jinglin (Commissioner of the State Taxation Administration), Deputy Commissioner Wang Daoshu (Deputy Commissioner of the State Taxation Administration and Executive Secretary of the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism Secretariat), Deputy Director Yin Zonghua (Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Deputy Commissioner Li Yongsheng (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR), honourable ministers and senior officials from Belt and Road economies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,      Good afternoon. Welcome to Hong Kong and the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum.      I am grateful to the organisers, the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism, or BRITACOM – this year celebrating its fifth anniversary – and to our Inland Revenue Department. BRITACOM was created, in 2019, to promote tax administration co-operation among the widespread jurisdictions of the Belt and Road Initiative.      The Belt and Road Initiative, as you are well aware, was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013. As the Initiative ushers in its next golden decade, so has BRITACOM, a key co-operation mechanism that has facilitated people-to-people exchanges and promoted mutual understanding along the Belt and Road.      Today, BRITACOM counts 37 Council Members and more than 30 observers – including tax administrations and international organisations.      And this Forum, the annual international forum of BRITACOM, is a must-attend event. This year’s three-day gathering has attracted some 400 high-level representatives from nearly 30 jurisdictions. You are officials of tax administrations, tax specialists, academics and professionals from around the world.      This year’s theme – “Deepening Tax Administration Cooperation for High-Quality Belt and Road Development” – speaks clearly of today’s complex world and the heightened need for connectivity among us.      Hong Kong, China is honoured to host this year’s Forum and connect Belt and Road economies together in our global community of shared future. I am grateful for the State Taxation Administration’s support in our efforts.      Hong Kong plays an active role in the Belt and Road. And we are committed to the good work of BRITACOM, as a member tax administration of the mechanism.      Under the unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong connects both the global advantage and the China advantage in a single city. As a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China, we are a separate customs territory and practise an independent taxation system. We are a founding member of the World Trade Organization and participate in international organisations and trade agreements using the name “Hong Kong, China”.      As the only common law jurisdiction within China, our legal system in the business realm resembles that of most major international financial centres. Our robust legal system is backed by such long-standing institutional strengths as the free flow of information, capital, goods and people, low and simple tax system, and highly open and internationalised market. Together, they ensure our strategic role as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” between the Mainland and the rest of the world.      It helps, and enormously, that Hong Kong is a trusted international centre for finance and trade. In the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Hong Kong placed fifth, up two positions over last year’s ranking.       According to the Yearbook, we came first in the Asia-Pacific region in “tax policy” and second worldwide. And we topped the world in “international trade” and “business legislation”.      Crucial to Hong Kong’s development is our talent. As the only city in Asia that has as many as five universities in the world’s top 100, Hong Kong boasts a strong pool of multi-talented and hard-working professionals. That’s why in the latest World Talent Ranking, published last week also by the IMD, we ranked number nine in the world, rising visibly from 16 last year. We were among the global top five in the availability of finance skills, effectiveness of management education, and remuneration of management. I am proud of the achievement of our talent, and our city.      Hong Kong is a pivotal player in such national strategies as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. Indeed, just two weeks ago, we hosted our annual Belt and Road Summit, drawing some 6 000 high-profile individuals from about 70 countries and regions. The Summit, which next year turns 10, has been recognised by the Central Government as a key global gathering for advancing economic, trade and investment co-operation along the Belt and Road.       Economic globalisation, digitalisation and evolving business models demand a co-operative approach. By deepening collaboration, we can, working together, create an equitable, efficient and sustainable system that benefits us all.       Indeed, tax administration plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainable development. Efficient tax systems provide the essential resources for the delivery of public services and infrastructure.       Hong Kong believes that transparent and fair tax policies could foster trust among investors, governments and taxpayers.      As a champion of free and multilateral trade, Hong Kong, I’m pleased to add, supports the co-ordinated efforts of the international tax community, actively engaging in initiatives designed to bring economies together.      We take pride in having signed 50 Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement since 2003. And more than 60 per cent of these agreements were signed with jurisdictions participating in the Belt and Road.       These agreements play a vital role in strengthening economic ties and promoting cross-border trade and investment. They enable closer tax co-operation between governments, aligning our practices with global standards.        We are, let me add, committed to expanding our tax treaty network, particularly with economies along the Belt and Road.       And I am pleased to announce that Hong Kong and Türkiye will sign a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement later at this Forum.      This milestone is another tangible illustration of Hong Kong’s determination to expand our tax treaty network. It also highlights our commitment to boosting ties and relations with Belt and Road economies.       Alongside our long-standing institutional strengths, we are increasingly employing technology to enhance taxpayer services and improve compliance.      And we are pleased to share our digital tax administration experience with Belt and Road jurisdictions – with each one of you. Much of tomorrow morning’s Forum, let me add, will focus on promoting the digitalisation of tax administration.       I am confident you will find this Forum instructive, inspiring and rewarding, whatever your sector, profession or interest.        I’m confident, too, that you will find Hong Kong equally rewarding over these next several days. This Forum is just one of more than 200 major events we’re hosting this year for visitors from around the world. I encourage you to make time to experience our dynamic culture and world-class entertainment, from daybreak deep into the night.      Hong Kong is fast rising as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. That becomes abundantly clear in a visit to
    our West Kowloon Cultural District. One of the largest developments of its kind in the world, it’s home to the Hong Kong Palace Museum and its priceless treasures from the Beijing’s Forbidden City. Home, too, to M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual art. You’ll also want to take in the breathtaking views from Victoria Harbour and Ngong Ping 360, the thrilling cable car that connects Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, which is just a stone’s throw away from our event venue here.      This venue, AsiaWorld-Expo, is one of our key exhibition and convention venues. Its close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest cargo airport, means you get to stay well-connected to our city while marvelling at the rapid development of the airport, whose Three-Runway System will be commissioned later this year.      More than a bustling airport, mountain vistas and stunning seaside villages, Hong Kong counts nearly 80 Michelin-star restaurants and neighbourhood pubs, diners and dim sum delights everywhere. We boast nine of Asia’s 50 best bars, including the top bar in the continent, and have two of the world’s 50 best hotels.      Wherever you look, there’s always something happening in Hong Kong, an energetic and welcoming world city.      Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the Forum and all that Hong Kong has to offer.       Thank you.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 16:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung’s Biggest Festive Sale ‘Fab Grab Fest’ is back with Never-seen Before Deals & Offers on Smartphones, Digital Appliances, Smart Televisions, Monitors, Tablets & More

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung, India’s largest customer electronics brand, today announced its biggest festive sale ‘Fab Grab Fest’ starting 26th September, offering exciting deals and cashback on Galaxy smartphones, tablets, laptops, accessories, wearables, smart televisions, digital appliances and smart monitors. These never-before offers will be available on Samsung.com, Samsung Shop App and Samsung Exclusive Stores.
     
    Buy More Save More
    At heart of this festive sale will be Buy More Save More, where customers can avail an additional up to 5% discount when purchasing two or more products. This offer is only applicable on select smartphones, wearables, smart televisions and digital appliances while purchasing through Samsung.com or Samsung Shop App.
     
    As part of Buy More Save More, Consumers buying the Galaxy Z Fold6 can get Galaxy Buds FE at just ₹ 1249 in addition to all other applicable offers. Similarly, those buying the Galaxy Book4 can get a FHD Flat Monitor at just ₹ 1920. There are also a host of other products at no extra cost such as convection microwave when customer purchases the BESPOKE Family Hub Fridge & a Q-Symphony Soundbar when customers purchase the Neo QLED 8K Smart Television.
    Samsung’s commitment of delivering more value is what’s sets Fab Grab Fest apart. Beyond price discounts, bank cashback offers and exchange deals, ‘Buy More, Save More’ ensures that Samsung.com customers get a little extra for every purchase, whether it is smartphones, accessories, smart televisions or digital appliances.
     
    Fab Grab Fest will not only offer best prices but also unmatched value through Samsung’s trusted Direct-to Consumer channels. Alongside special deals, customers can be assured of the quality, authenticity, and product availability.
     
    During ‘Fab Grab Fest’, consumers can get up to 53% off on select models of the Galaxy Z series, Galaxy S series, and Galaxy A series smartphones. Select models of Galaxy Book4 series laptops will be available at a discount of up to 27% off, while specific models of Tab A9 and Tab S9 series, Buds3 Series, Galaxy Watch Series will have up to 74% off.
     
    The offers extend beyond smartphones with up to 43% off on Samsung Smart Televisions – Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, QLED, The Frame and  Crystal 4K UHD, The Freestyle projector. Additionally, customers purchasing select 55-inch and above models will be able to get their  hands on a free Samsung Smart Television or Soundbar. During this festive sale, Samsung will also extend a three- years Comprehensive Warranty for free on select 32″ and above Smart Televisions.
     
    Samsung’s monitors will be available at up to 67% off. Additionally, select smart and gaming monitors can fetch instant cart discount of up to ₹ 10000.
     
    The excitement doesn’t end here, Customers can get up to 39% off on a wide range of premium appliances such as Side by Side and French Door Refrigerators. They will also get a 20-year warranty on Digital Inverter Compressors. Front Load and Top Load washing machines of 8Kg and above capacity will have up to 28% off and 20 years warranty on Digital Inverter motor. There will also be an instant cart discount of up to ₹ 2000 on select 9Kg Fully Automatic Front Loading washing machines.
     
    Cashback on with ICICI, HDFC and SBI and other leading banks
     
    Consumers can enjoy up to 40% cashback (up to ₹ 15000) on select smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptops when using debit and credit cards from ICICI, HDFC, and other leading banks during the Fab Grab Fest.
     
    Additionally, for purchases of select smart televisions and digital appliances customers can avail up to 22.5% cashback (up to ₹ 25000) when using debit or credit cards from ICICI, HDFC, SBI and other leading banks as part of the Fab Grab Fest offers.
    Fab Grab Fest Offers
    Products / Category
    Consumer Offer
    Highlight Models
    Smartphones
    Up to 53% off
    Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy A55 5G, Galaxy A35 5G, Galaxy M35 5G, Galaxy M15 5G, Galaxy F55 5G
    Laptops
    Up to 27% off
    Galaxy Book4 Pro 360, Galaxy Book4 Pro, Galaxy Book4 360, Galaxy Book4
    Tablets, Accessories & Wearables
    Up to 74% off
    Galaxy Tab S10 Series, Galaxy Tab S9 Series, Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, Galaxy Tab S9 FE, Galaxy Tab A9+, Galaxy Tab A9, Galaxy Watch7 Series, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch FE, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, Galaxy Buds3, Galaxy Buds FE, Galaxy Fit3
    TVs
    Up to 43% off
    Special Offer: Free Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, Crystal 4K UHD TVs and Soundbars*
    3 Years Comprehensive Warranty^
    Neo QLED 8K, QLED, The Frame, Crystal 4K UHD, The Freestyle
    *Select 55″ & above TVs
    ^Select 32″ and above TVs
    Refrigerators
    Up to 39% off
    20 Years warranty on Digital Inverter Compressor
    Get Instant Cart Discount of up to ₹ 5000**
    Starting EMI : ₹ 3990 /mo. for French Door Refrigerators & Side by Side RefrigeratorsSpecial Offer :  – Buy Side by Side or French Door Refrigerators and get one year extended warranty at ₹ 449~
    All Side by Side and French Door Refrigerators
    **Select Side by Side refrigerators
    ~ Select Side by Side & French Door refrigerators (RF87 / RF90)
    Washing Machines
    Up to 28% off
    20 years warranty on Digital Inverter motor
    Fully Automatic Front Loading: Starting EMI ₹ 1990
    Fully Automatic Top Loading: Starting EMI ₹ 990
    Get instant cart discount of up to ₹2000^^^
    All Front Load >= 8Kg | Top Load > =8Kg washing machines
    ^^^ Select 9Kg Fully Automatic Front Loading models
    Microwaves
    Up to 31% off
    10-year warranty on Ceramic Enamel Cavity
    Get Instant Cart Discount of up to ₹ 500~~
    All Microwaves
    ~~ Select 28L Convection microwave ovens
    Monitors
    Up to 67% off
    Get instant cart discount of up to ₹ 10000***
    All Monitors
    ***Select Smart and Gaming monitors
    Bank Cashback
    Up to 40% cashback with ICICI, HDFC,  and other leading bank debit and credit cards (Up to ₹ 15000) ##
    Up to 22.5% cashback with ICICI, HDFC, SBI and other leading bank cards (Up to ₹ 25000)^^
    ## Smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptops.
    ^^ Select TVs & Digital Appliances
     

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: Lotus Deploys Ambarella’s Oculii™ AI 4D Imaging Radar Technology in L2+ Semi-Autonomous Systems for Eletre SUV and Emeya Hyper-GT Electric Vehicles

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA), an edge AI semiconductor company, today announced in advance of AutoSens Europe that its Oculii™ AI 4D imaging radar technology is deployed worldwide in the 2023 and 2024 Lotus Eletre electric hyper-SUV as well as the 2024 Lotus Emeya fully electric hyper-GT from Lotus Technology. The vehicles’ L2+ semi-autonomous systems that have benefited from this groundbreaking radar technology include highway and urban navigation on autopilot (NOA) and automatic emergency braking (AEB), where the ultra-long detection range of over 300 meters provides more time to safely react to vehicles and other objects while traveling at highway and racetrack speeds. These systems were developed by Lotus Robotics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lotus, as part of its autonomous driving platform.

    Ambarella’s Oculii radar technology is providing ultra-fine angular resolution of one degree in both vehicles, using only six transmit and eight receive antennas on each of the vehicles’ two radar modules—more than double the resolution of the nearest 4D imaging radar competitor using the same number of antennas. This high angular resolution is important for clearly distinguishing, identifying and locating objects and people, both for nearby detection in crowded urban environments, as well as from a far distance when travelling at highway and racetrack speeds, to ensure timely and accurate avoidance and braking by the vehicles’ L2+ systems.

    This high resolution, in combination with a low antenna count, also provides higher value, while significantly reducing radar system power consumption and complexity; enabling the radar modules to be fitted into the desired locations on the vehicles. This combination can only be achieved using Ambarella’s Oculii AI radar algorithms, because of their unique ability to adapt radar waveforms to the environment. In fact, other 4D imaging radars require double the number of antennas to achieve the same level of performance, and in some cases, even more; leading to at least double the power consumption.

    “The performance that Lotus has achieved using our Oculii 4D imaging radar technology provides evidence for the real-world benefits of our AI innovations that adapt radar waves to the surrounding environment,” said Fermi Wang, president and CEO of Ambarella. “Building on their current models’ significant achievements with edge-processed AI 4D imaging radar, Lotus is evaluating Ambarella’s centralized radar processing architecture to realize even greater ADAS and autonomous performance.”

    By centrally processing raw 4D imaging radar data and fusing it at a deep level with the vehicle’s other sensor information, Ambarella’s AI software-defined architecture is capable of detecting objects over 500 meters away, while providing the ability to shift processing power among sensors and adapt to real-time driving conditions. This architecture also enables even higher angular resolution of 0.5 degrees, and an ultra-dense point cloud with tens of thousands of detection points per frame. Additionally, because Ambarella’s Oculii AI radar algorithms uniquely adapt radar waveforms to the environment, an order-of-magnitude fewer antennas is still utilized for centralized processing, maintaining reduced data bandwidth and power consumption compared to competing 4D imaging radar solutions.

    Test drives demonstrating Ambarella’s centralized radar processing architecture will be available during AutoSens Europe, taking place October 8-10th in Barcelona. Please contact your Ambarella representative to schedule a ride.

    For more information about Oculii AI radar technology, please contact your Ambarella representative or visit https://www.ambarella.com/products/automotive-oculii/.

    About Ambarella
    Ambarella’s products are used in a wide variety of human vision and edge AI applications, including video security, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), electronic mirror, drive recorder, driver/cabin monitoring, autonomous driving and robotics applications. Ambarella’s low-power systems-on-chip (SoCs) offer high-resolution video compression, advanced image and radar processing, and powerful deep neural network processing to enable intelligent perception, fusion and planning. For more information, please visit www.ambarella.com.

    Ambarella Contacts

    All brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Ambarella reserves the right to alter product and service offerings, specifications, and pricing at any time without notice. © 2024 Ambarella. All rights reserved.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9581fe9-3609-42e9-8b68-de3db3fceeda 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cross-boundary passenger traffic estimation and arrangements for National Day festive period (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Cross-boundary passenger traffic estimation and arrangements for National Day festive period (with photos)
    Cross-boundary passenger traffic estimation and arrangements for National Day festive period (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Immigration Department (ImmD) estimates that around 10.03 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong’s sea, land and air control points during the upcoming National Day festive period (from September 28 to October 7). The ImmD, in consultation with the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection and other Mainland authorities, estimates that around 8.54 million passengers will pass through land boundary control points. The number of outbound and inbound passengers using land boundary control points will be relatively higher on October 1 (Tuesday), with around 523 000 passengers and 632 000 passengers respectively.      The ImmD estimates that the passenger traffic at the Lo Wu Control Point, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point and the Shenzhen Bay Control Point will be heavy, with a daily average forecast of about 208 000, 185 000 and 118 000 passengers respectively.       To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic during the festive period, the ImmD has minimised leave for frontline officers for the flexible deployment and operation of extra clearance counters and kiosks. Additional security guards will also be deployed to provide crowd management support.      Furthermore, the ImmD, the Police, the Customs and Excise Department and the MTR Corporation Limited will set up a joint command centre at the Lo Wu Control Point to make necessary arrangements. The ImmD will also establish close communication with Mainland authorities, including the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. To ensure a smooth passenger traffic flow, passenger conditions will be closely monitored and appropriate traffic diversion plans will be adopted when necessary.      To avoid congestion and a longer than usual waiting time for immigration clearance, the ImmD advises all land boundary passengers to plan in advance, avoid making their journeys during busy periods and keep track of radio and TV broadcasts on traffic conditions at various control points. The expected busy times at boundary control points are available on the website of the ImmD at www.immd.gov.hk. Furthermore, passengers may also check the estimated waiting times at each land boundary control point at any time or place via the Immigration Mobile Application (ImmD Mobile App). They can then plan their trips effectively and save time queuing at control points. The ImmD Mobile App can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store (supports iOS version 11.0 or above), Google Play (supports Android version 8.0 or above), Huawei AppGallery (supports Android version 8.0 or above) and the APK file available on the ImmD website. Passengers can download the ImmD Mobile App by scanning the QR code (see Annex) or via the ImmD website, www.immd.gov.hk. In addition, information on public transport services to and from various control points is available on the Transport Department website at www.td.gov.hk.      For travellers making journeys to the Mainland, the ImmD reminds them to carry their proof of identity and valid travel documents for crossing the boundary. Hong Kong residents should also check the validity of their Home Visit Permits. Non-permanent residents must carry their valid smart identity card as well as their Document of Identity for Visa Purposes or valid travel document.      Holders of the acknowledgement receipt issued due to reported loss or replacement of their Hong Kong identity cards, or children under 11 years old who hold Hong Kong identity cards, should carry a valid travel document or Re-entry Permit.      About 700 e-Channels have been installed at various control points. Hong Kong residents enrolled for the Express e-Channel should re-enrol if they have been issued with a new identity card. Furthermore, the Contactless e-Channel service is available at all control points now. All eligible Hong Kong residents, after enrolment, can generate an encrypted QR code through the Contactless e-Channel mobile application to enter the e-Channel, and then verify their identity with the facial verification technology for automated immigration clearance.      In addition, all control points have introduced self-service departures for visitors to Hong Kong (Smart Departure) which provides greater travel convenience for visitors. The service employs facial recognition technology for identity verification, which allows eligible visitors holding electronic travel documents to perform self-service departure clearance through Smart Departure e-Channels without prior enrolment.      Hong Kong residents who require assistance while travelling outside Hong Kong may call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD at (852) 1868.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 16:42

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: StartmeupHK Festival 2024 showcases Hong Kong’s thriving start-up ecosystem (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The annual StartmeupHK Festival is set to return to Hong Kong from October 21 to 25, 2024, following its previous successes. Curated by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and themed “A Future Unlimited”, this year’s Festival will delve into contemporary topics such as AI, web3, GameFi, responsible tech, healthtech, greentech, sustainability, and more. As Asia’s premier start-up event, the festival anticipates participation from over 12 000 start-ups, investors, and technology enthusiasts from around the world.

         Featuring five main events and a series of community events, what sets this year’s Festival apart is its inclusion of captivating activities in multiple locations across Hong Kong and beyond, with speakers ranging from global business leaders to some of the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs. The Festival will also host a lineup of interactive activities like conferences, debates, exhibitions, pitching competitions, and additional networking opportunities. The Startups team of InvestHK has been conducting roadshows across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to promote the Festival and position Hong Kong as an ideal location for start-ups to thrive in Asia.

         The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “I am thrilled to witness the triumphant return of this remarkable event, as it reaffirms Hong Kong’s leading position as a thriving hub for innovation and start-up success. Start-ups in Hong Kong enjoy a vibrant network of incubators and accelerators, a pool of experienced angels and venture capitalists, and a welcoming community of fellow entrepreneurs. This comprehensive ecosystem has fostered the growth of numerous unicorns and a rapidly expanding start-up landscape, covering diverse sectors such as fintech, retail tech, healthtech, and greentech.”
          
         She added, “The remarkable resilience and continued growth of Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem are a testament to its attractiveness. Our 2023 Startup Survey revealed record-high figures, with 4 257 start-ups employing a total of 16 453 staff. This encouraging result can be attributed to favourable factors such as our simple tax system, low tax rate, accessibility to international and regional markets, accessibility to funding, business opportunities in Mainland China, and the free flow of information. Our strong entrepreneurial culture further reinforces Hong Kong’s position as a launchpad for start-ups seeking to access the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the broader Asian market.”
          
         The Head of Startups at InvestHK, Ms Jayne Chan, said, “This year’s StartmeupHK Festival is promised to be more impactful than ever, fostering stronger connections and collaborations among participants, enabling international investors and other key stakeholders to engage the city’s thriving start-up community. This year, we have curated the StartmeupHK Festival to explore the most influential and forward-thinking topics around innovation and technology, igniting the exchange of ideas and inspiring new initiatives that can unlock limitless possibilities for positive change.”
          
         She continued, “The Festival will include community events to enhance connections in the start-up ecosystem, such as a unique event where regional venture capital (VC) investors pitch to start-up founders, as well as fun activities such as a harbour run and Peak hike with members of the tech community. Additionally, the Start-ups team is conducting global roadshows in cities like London and Shanghai to showcase Hong Kong’s advantages, including access to talent, markets, and funding. These efforts will continue until the festival begins to promote Hong Kong and the Festival to a wider global audience.”
          
    Main events

         Day 1 (October 21) – As the opening event of the StartmeupHK Festival 2024, JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala by Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund will be held at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. In addition to launching their JUMPSTARTER for One Earth global start-up competition to find companies committed to driving global positive change, the event will feature an AI theme with discussions on investments, trends and regional developments in this area.

         Day 2 (October 22) – Game On! 2024, hosted by MaGESpire, will celebrate the essence of gaming, art, music, and entertainment (GAME) industries at Soho House, Sheung Wan. If you are a hardcore gaming fan or art / music enthusiast or an entertainment aficionado keen to learn more about how new technologies are transforming this space, then you must join us!

         Day 3 (October 23) – LOUDER Connect, organised by LOUDER Global will be held at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum that will boasts a diverse network of global speakers, each brought together to collaborate and engage in meaningful conversations. The event will showcase a series of engaging Radical Debates, mentor-business matching, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities at the iconic Hong Kong Maritime Museum and Star Ferry.

         Day 4 (October 24) – Hosted by Brinc, the Asia Health Innovation Summit will be held at TOWER 535 in the vibrant district of Causeway Bay. This premier event will unite Asia’s health technology ecosystem, bringing together start-ups, professionals, investors and government to drive transformative innovation in healthcare. Key discussions include advancements in biotechnology, AI, MedTech, and wholistic well-being and more.

         Day 5 (October 25) – Organised by New World Development, 1.5°C Summit – The Defining Decade for Impact with Tech will be held at K11 Musea. This unique tech summit on climate change is dedicated to identifying and implementing the necessary actions to reduce emissions over the next decade. The event will convene leading experts, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders who are actively engaged in mitigating the effects of climate change. Participants will share their insights on how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future.

    Community events

         The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 will feature an engaging array of community events across Hong Kong, providing attendees with exceptional opportunities to discover innovative ideas and connect with a diverse network of people.

         October 20 – Led by Hong Kong’s experimental activity group, Rock & Run, join a group of like-minded individuals for the Victoria Peak Sunset Hike – a perfect way to end your day with stunning views!

         October 20 – With the support of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, tap into the regional VC investors with rev Hong Kong, for insights into the propositions, and personalities, of your future potential backers at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Connect with top VCs, spanning Pre-Seed to Series B, as they pitch their funds in just five minutes, followed by your questions.

         October 21 and 24 – Start your day with an exclusive small-group breakfast designed for people leaders in a Head role across business and HR, to connect, collaborate, and inspire one another. People Leaders’ Breakfast Roundtable is a unique opportunity to exchange insights around strategies for leadership and people development for the talent landscape in Hong Kong, in a relaxed and closed-door setting. A limited 10-guest experience will be curated for each day.

         October 23 – In partnership with the Hong Kong British Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Eaton Club, come check out the UK Tech Founders Showcase Event where leading tech founders from the UK will showcase their latest innovations and solutions. The evening features fireside chats with UK tech founders who will share their insights, providing a valuable opportunity to network with industry peers while enjoying drinks and light snacks.

         October 23 – To wrap up StartmeupHK Festival 2024, join Rock & Run for a Central Harbourfront Evening Run. It is going to be an amazing scenic run to see a different side of Hong Kong.

         October 24 – Join us for an evening of China PropTech Startup Expedition in partnership with UrbanLab and Hong Kong PropTech Association. This exclusive event will showcase Mainland China’s tech start-ups that have their sights set on global success through market development in Hong Kong and beyond.

    Road shows

         The Start-ups team has been going on road shows and will continue to promote Hong Kong and the Festival to a wider global audience.

         The London Startup Conference 2024 that was held on June 27 gathered start-up founders, investors, and industry experts for networking and workshops focused on business growth.

         Following this, IVS2024 KYOTO was held on July 5. Participants explored the intersection of Japan’s cultural heritage and modern technology, emphasising web2, web3, and AI advancements.

         On July 13, International Graduates & Returnees Entrepreneurship Sharing in Chengdu highlighted the entrepreneurial journeys of international students and returnees.

         The UrbanLab Global Expedition x Hong Kong 1.5°C Summit Briefing on August 16 witnessed discussions on the opportunities through Hong Kong, while the Georgian National Startup Competition on August 20 aimed to connect emerging market founders with investors.

         A series of Startup Nights in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou throughout September also helped provide networking platforms for scaling start-ups in Asia.

         The Game On! 2024 – Dubai Edition event was held on September 13 to celebrate the gaming and entertainment industries, and The Latin Kaleidoscope event in Hong Kong on September 20 and 21 showcased Latin American culture and innovation.

         Last but not least, The Barcelona Startup Conference 2024 on October 1 will bring together local start-up leaders and investors for collaboration and growth opportunities.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wonderful gardens, the tsar’s residence and a Moscow salon: what the capital’s parks looked like in different years

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow parks have long been a place of attraction for residents. Lectures, excursions, master classes and even open-air film screenings are held here. This year, 14 Moscow parks will celebrate their anniversaries – many of them will be over 50 years old. We tell you which recreation area was improved by Sergei Tretyakov, where football player Alexei Khomich began his career and which park was founded by Peter I.

    Center of cultural life

    This year is special for Tagansky Park, located on Taganskaya Street (40–42 buildings) — it is turning 90 years old. It was founded in 1934 at the N. I. Bukharin Workers’ Club and immediately became the center of cultural life in the Tagansky District. In 1957, the Zenit Cinema was built on the site of the old club, housing a concert hall. At the same time, amateur art and applied arts clubs for children and adults opened here.

    The history of Tagansky Park is connected with the names of outstanding residents of the capital. For example, football players Konstantin Beskov and Alexey Khomich, USSR tennis champion Nikolay Ozerov and Olympic figure skating champion Irina Rodnina began their sports careers here.

    After the Great Patriotic War, the park hosted meetings with heroes of the Soviet Union, military-patriotic gatherings, competitions and holiday concerts. In addition, jazz and brass bands, as well as dance evenings, were organized here. The park hosted major festivals such as the Musical Bazaar on Taganka, Beauty Will Save the World, Moscow Yard, Spring in Tagansky Park, Taganka Running Festival and many others. And sports clubs from the districts and the city competed at the stadium.

    In the early 2000s, the park began to actively work with children and teenagers. For example, a creativity center with a chamber auditorium was opened, where musical performances and festivals were held. Today, the park still hosts concerts, master classes and sports competitions. In the summer, guests practice yoga, bachata and zumba, and in the winter, ice discos are organized for them at the stadium, which turns into a skating rink.

    Tagansky Park pleases visitors with a variety of plants, for example, poplars, chestnuts, lindens, maples, ash trees, apple trees and a three-hundred-year-old pedunculate oak grow here, tulips and lilacs bloom in the spring. While walking through the park, you can meet starlings, thrushes, tits, wagtails and squirrels.

    On the territory of Tagansky Park there is a large fountain, an open stage, a rope park, children’s and sports grounds, a stadium with a football field, stands and running tracks, a creativity center, a physical education and health complex, a martial arts center, as well as a Museum of Tricks and Illusions.

    In 2012–2013, a large-scale reconstruction of the park’s territory took place, during which the stadium was transformed and new sports grounds and leisure facilities appeared.

    Tagansky Park includes the N.N. Pryamikov Children’s Park (Taganskaya Street, Building 15a, Building 1) — one of the first recreation areas in the city, the history of which began in 1775. The park is named after the hero of the October Revolution. In 2017, the landscape was updated, small architectural forms and new modern equipment were installed.

    Today, Tagansky Park is a cultural, leisure and sports center, a place for active recreation and leisurely walks. It plans to continue its traditions and open even more clubs for the younger generation.

    The first pleasure garden

    The Hermitage Garden was founded 130 years ago. It was the first pleasure garden in Moscow with gazebos, flowerbeds, a theater, a stage, coffee houses and pavilions. From 1830 until the end of the 19th century, it was located on Staraya Bozhedomka (now Durova Street). The garden reached its greatest prosperity when it belonged to the entrepreneur and former actor of the Maly Theater Mikhail Lentovsky. However, after his destruction, the garden fell into disrepair and its entire territory was built up. In 1894, a new life for the garden began – but in a different place. In just a year, the plot of land on Karetny Ryad, which was owned by the Moscow merchant Yakov Shchukin, turned from a wasteland into a blooming garden. Flowerbeds and paths were laid out there, trees and bushes were planted, and the theater building was reconstructed. At the same time, electric lighting, running water and a swimming pool appeared in the Hermitage.

    A year later, in 1896, one of the first film screenings in Russia took place in the garden – the townspeople were able to appreciate the invention of the Lumiere brothers. A performance by the famous American illusionist Harry Houdini was also a significant event.

    Fyodor Chaliapin, Leonid Sobinov, Antonina Nezhdanova sang on the stage of the Hermitage, and it was here that Sergei Rachmaninoff made his debut as a conductor. In 1898, the Moscow Art Theatre opened in the building of the Hermitage Theatre, where the play Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich was staged. Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Lenin often visited the garden.

    After 1917, the garden was nationalized and then leased privately. In 1924, the theater building was occupied by the Theater of the Moscow City Council of Trade Unions, which was later renamed the Mossovet Theater.

    The Hermitage Garden survived the Great Patriotic War, and in the summer of 1945, it was reconstructed. Three years later, a summer concert hall was built on its territory, where Arkady Raikin, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Lidiya Ruslanova performed and Leonid Utesov’s orchestra played. Vladimir Vysotsky also sang in the garden and the first game of “What? Where? When?” was held.

    Today, the Hermitage Garden is a protected monument of landscape gardening. It is regularly renovated and landscaped. Concerts, performances and festivals are held here.

    First entertainment. The Hermitage Garden celebrates its 130th anniversaryOutdoor recreation and attractions: Glavarkhiv – about how parks were organized in the USSR

    The famous Moscow salon

    The history of the Vorontsovo estate, which has been around for five centuries, is no less interesting. The estate was first mentioned in the will of the Moscow Prince Ivan III. In 1640, the estate passed into the possession of the Repnin princes. However, all the buildings that have survived to this day were built at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries under Field Marshal Nikolai Repnin. At that time, the northern and southern wings, the greenhouse, the stable yard, the ensemble of the main entrance and the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity were erected.

    During the Patriotic War of 1812, a hot air balloon was developed at the estate under the direction of the German mechanic Franz Leppich. This episode is described in Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace. In the 1820s, the Vorontsovo estate was owned by Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya. All the celebrities of the time visited her Moscow salon; for example, the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz came here.

    After 1918, members of European socialist parties Emil Vandervelde, Arthur Waters, Theodor Liebknecht and Kurt Rosenfeld lived here. After the evacuation of the All-Union Scientific Research Vitamin Institute from Leningrad at the end of 1942, the Vorontsov Central Biological Station appeared on the estate, and in the 1950s, the state farm built three two-story buildings on the estate.

    Today, the Vorontsovo estate is a monument of landscape gardening and architecture with an area of 40.7 hectares. On its territory there is a cascade of ponds, an oak grove, Italian and Chinese gardens. The park has playgrounds, attractions, outdoor cafes and skating rinks. The estate often hosts city festivals and quests, flash mobs and exhibitions. Sports activities and excursions are also organized here.

    The Tsar’s residence in the south of Moscow

    Another historical park in Moscow is the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve. Kolomenskoye was first mentioned in the spiritual charters of Prince Ivan Kalita. Over time, this place turned into a famous grand ducal, royal and imperial residence.

    The names of representatives of the royal dynasties of Rurikovich and Romanov are associated with Kolomenskoye. Among them are Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan III, Vasily III, Ivan the Terrible, Alexei Mikhailovich the Quietest, Peter I, Catherine II and many others. At various times, the victory in the Battles of Kulikovo and Poltava was celebrated here and other events were marked.

    Today, the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve is a unique historical and cultural territory where medieval landscapes and natural monuments have been preserved. It was created in 1923 on the initiative of the cultural figure Pyotr Baranovsky.

    Sergei Sobyanin showed what Sokolniki, Gorky Park, Izmailovsky Park and Tsaritsyno looked like in spring several decades agoArt and nature: which theaters operate in the capital’s parks

    From falconry to concerts of Feodor Chaliapin

    Sokolniki Park is another favorite place for Muscovites to take walks since the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. In the 17th century, during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, falconry was held here, hence the name of the park. All high society gathered here, including princes, emperors and empresses.

    And, according to legend, at the end of the 17th century, by order of Peter I, the first clearing was cut in Sokolnichya Grove, which still exists today. In 1845-1848, a city park was created here, and new cascades of ponds appeared on the site of old reservoirs. In 1866, the recreation area was included in the boundaries of Moscow, and in 1879 it became the property of the city. The city mayor Sergei Tretyakov, the brother of the founder of the Tretyakov Gallery, invested his own funds in the improvement of the park territory, and he also ensured that the park territory became part of Moscow.

    Here, in the openwork pavilion-rotunda, classical music concerts were held, where Fyodor Shalyapin and Leonid Sobinov performed. In addition, film screenings and children’s parties were held. For example, in 1919, Vladimir Lenin organized a festive Christmas tree in the park for the students of the forest school.

    In 1931, the Moscow City Council declared Sokolniki a city park of culture and recreation. After the Great Patriotic War, the recreation area of over 500 hectares was reconstructed. In 1973, the legendary Sokolniki Sports Palace was built on its territory. In 1979, the park was recognized as a cultural heritage site, a monument of landscape gardening of regional significance.

    Wonderful Gardens and Menagerie

    The history of Izmailovsky Park goes back to the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. In the 17th century, marvelous Italian-style gardens were laid out in the royal estate located here, decorative towers with promenades were built, which complemented the landscape paintings. Three kilometers from the sovereign’s court, the Prosyansky Garden was arranged. On the territory of the forest (now Izmailovsky Park) there was one of the largest menageries in Europe, which served for the royal amusement. Lions, tigers, leopards, monkeys and rare birds were kept there. The forest also had farmland where fish were bred.

    The Izmailovsky Park of Culture and Leisure was created in 1931. Until 1961, it bore the name of Joseph Stalin. On its territory is the oldest Ferris wheel in the city, the open-air museum of military equipment “Ploshchad Muzhestva”, the 17th-century Round Pond and a music pavilion.

    Open-Air Stages. Theatrical History of Moscow Parks and EstatesAll eyes on the front: life in the capital’s parks during the war

    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://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144324073/

    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 Economics: Samsung’s Biggest Festive Sale ‘Fab Grab Fest’ is back with Never-seen Before Deals & Offers on Smartphones, Digital Appliances, Smart Televisions, Monitors, Tablets & More

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung, India’s largest customer electronics brand, today announced its biggest festive sale ‘Fab Grab Fest’ starting 26th September, offering exciting deals and cashback on Galaxy smartphones, tablets, laptops, accessories, wearables, smart televisions, digital appliances and smart monitors. These never-before offers will be available on Samsung.com, Samsung Shop App and Samsung Exclusive Stores.
     
    Buy More Save More
    At heart of this festive sale will be Buy More Save More, where customers can avail an additional up to 5% discount when purchasing two or more products. This offer is only applicable on select smartphones, wearables, smart televisions and digital appliances while purchasing through Samsung.com or Samsung Shop App.
     
    As part of Buy More Save More, Consumers buying the Galaxy Z Fold6 can get Galaxy Buds FE at just ₹ 1249 in addition to all other applicable offers. Similarly, those buying the Galaxy Book4 can get a FHD Flat Monitor at just ₹ 1920. There are also a host of other products at no extra cost such as convection microwave when customer purchases the BESPOKE Family Hub Fridge & a Q-Symphony Soundbar when customers purchase the Neo QLED 8K Smart Television.
    Samsung’s commitment of delivering more value is what’s sets Fab Grab Fest apart. Beyond price discounts, bank cashback offers and exchange deals, ‘Buy More, Save More’ ensures that Samsung.com customers get a little extra for every purchase, whether it is smartphones, accessories, smart televisions or digital appliances.
     
    Fab Grab Fest will not only offer best prices but also unmatched value through Samsung’s trusted Direct-to Consumer channels. Alongside special deals, customers can be assured of the quality, authenticity, and product availability.
     
    During ‘Fab Grab Fest’, consumers can get up to 53% off on select models of the Galaxy Z series, Galaxy S series, and Galaxy A series smartphones. Select models of Galaxy Book4 series laptops will be available at a discount of up to 27% off, while specific models of Tab A9 and Tab S9 series, Buds3 Series, Galaxy Watch Series will have up to 74% off.
     
    The offers extend beyond smartphones with up to 43% off on Samsung Smart Televisions – Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, QLED, The Frame and  Crystal 4K UHD, The Freestyle projector. Additionally, customers purchasing select 55-inch and above models will be able to get their  hands on a free Samsung Smart Television or Soundbar. During this festive sale, Samsung will also extend a three- years Comprehensive Warranty for free on select 32″ and above Smart Televisions.
     
    Samsung’s monitors will be available at up to 67% off. Additionally, select smart and gaming monitors can fetch instant cart discount of up to ₹ 10000.
     
    The excitement doesn’t end here, Customers can get up to 39% off on a wide range of premium appliances such as Side by Side and French Door Refrigerators. They will also get a 20-year warranty on Digital Inverter Compressors. Front Load and Top Load washing machines of 8Kg and above capacity will have up to 28% off and 20 years warranty on Digital Inverter motor. There will also be an instant cart discount of up to ₹ 2000 on select 9Kg Fully Automatic Front Loading washing machines.
     
    Cashback on with ICICI, HDFC and SBI and other leading banks
     
    Consumers can enjoy up to 40% cashback (up to ₹ 15000) on select smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptops when using debit and credit cards from ICICI, HDFC, and other leading banks during the Fab Grab Fest.
     
    Additionally, for purchases of select smart televisions and digital appliances customers can avail up to 22.5% cashback (up to ₹ 25000) when using debit or credit cards from ICICI, HDFC, SBI and other leading banks as part of the Fab Grab Fest offers.
    Fab Grab Fest Offers
    Products / Category
    Consumer Offer
    Highlight Models
    Smartphones
    Up to 53% off
    Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy A55 5G, Galaxy A35 5G, Galaxy M35 5G, Galaxy M15 5G, Galaxy F55 5G
    Laptops
    Up to 27% off
    Galaxy Book4 Pro 360, Galaxy Book4 Pro, Galaxy Book4 360, Galaxy Book4
    Tablets, Accessories & Wearables
    Up to 74% off
    Galaxy Tab S10 Series, Galaxy Tab S9 Series, Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, Galaxy Tab S9 FE, Galaxy Tab A9+, Galaxy Tab A9, Galaxy Watch7 Series, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch FE, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, Galaxy Buds3, Galaxy Buds FE, Galaxy Fit3
    TVs
    Up to 43% off
    Special Offer: Free Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, Crystal 4K UHD TVs and Soundbars*
    3 Years Comprehensive Warranty^
    Neo QLED 8K, QLED, The Frame, Crystal 4K UHD, The Freestyle
    *Select 55″ & above TVs
    ^Select 32″ and above TVs
    Refrigerators
    Up to 39% off
    20 Years warranty on Digital Inverter Compressor
    Get Instant Cart Discount of up to ₹ 5000**
    Starting EMI : ₹ 3990 /mo. for French Door Refrigerators & Side by Side RefrigeratorsSpecial Offer :  – Buy Side by Side or French Door Refrigerators and get one year extended warranty at ₹ 449~
    All Side by Side and French Door Refrigerators
    **Select Side by Side refrigerators
    ~ Select Side by Side & French Door refrigerators (RF87 / RF90)
    Washing Machines
    Up to 28% off
    20 years warranty on Digital Inverter motor
    Fully Automatic Front Loading: Starting EMI ₹ 1990
    Fully Automatic Top Loading: Starting EMI ₹ 990
    Get instant cart discount of up to ₹2000^^^
    All Front Load >= 8Kg | Top Load > =8Kg washing machines
    ^^^ Select 9Kg Fully Automatic Front Loading models
    Microwaves
    Up to 31% off
    10-year warranty on Ceramic Enamel Cavity
    Get Instant Cart Discount of up to ₹ 500~~
    All Microwaves
    ~~ Select 28L Convection microwave ovens
    Monitors
    Up to 67% off
    Get instant cart discount of up to ₹ 10000***
    All Monitors
    ***Select Smart and Gaming monitors
    Bank Cashback
    Up to 40% cashback with ICICI, HDFC,  and other leading bank debit and credit cards (Up to ₹ 15000) ##
    Up to 22.5% cashback with ICICI, HDFC, SBI and other leading bank cards (Up to ₹ 25000)^^
    ## Smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptops.
    ^^ Select TVs & Digital Appliances
     

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs applies “communication right” under Copyright Ordinance for first time to combat case of illegal streaming of live football matches (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs applies “communication right” under Copyright Ordinance for first time to combat case of illegal streaming of live football matches (with photo)
    Hong Kong Customs applies “communication right” under Copyright Ordinance for first time to combat case of illegal streaming of live football matches (with photo)
    ******************************************************************************************

         Hong Kong Customs conducted an enforcement operation on September 22 to combat infringement activities that utilise illegal streaming technology to communicate live football matches to the public. During the operation, Customs seized a pay-TV channel television decoder, a suspected illegal streaming computer server, a mobile phone used for a remote server operation and an assortment of electronic equipment and audio-visual devices, with a total estimated market value of about $20,000. This is the first time since the implementation of the Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 for Customs to apply the “communication right” to combat a case involving illegal streaming devices used for broadcasting live football matches.     Customs earlier received information from a copyright owner alleging that someone had set up a web page to distribute copyright-protected pay-TV channels through streaming technology without the authorisation of the copyright owner. After an in-depth investigation, and with the assistance of the copyright owner, Customs officers took enforcement action during the live broadcast of overseas football matches and made use of computer forensic programmes to conduct real-time monitoring over related suspected illegal activities.      At the same time, Customs officers raided a residential unit in Lok Fu and seized a suspected illegal streaming server and assorted electronic equipment. Officers from the department’s Computer Forensic Laboratory were also summoned to the scene to render support and preserve relevant digital evidence from the streaming server concerned.     During the operation, two men, aged 69 and 43, were arrested. They were released on bail pending further investigation. The investigation is ongoing.     Customs reminds the public not to engage in unauthorised activities involving the dissemination of copyrighted works. Members of public should also respect intellectual property rights and refrain from watching infringing movie/TV works or pay-TV channels through any form of illegal streaming. Applications or streaming links related to illegal streaming may contain computer viruses or malicious programmes which can pose potential risks to users.     According to the Copyright Ordinance, it is illegal for anyone, without the authorisation of the copyright owner, to engage in any trade or business that involves communicating works to the public for profit or reward, or in the course of such trade or business, to communicate copyrighted works to the public; or to communicate copyrighted works to the public to an extent that damages the rights of the copyright owner. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for four years and a fine of $50,000 for each copyrighted work.     Members of the public may report any suspected infringement activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 17:40

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Banking: ADB President Reaffirms Strong Partnership with Bhutan during Official Visit

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    THIMPHU, BHUTAN (24 September 2024) — Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to supporting Bhutan’s development goals and praised the country’s recent achievements during a 3-day official visit to the country.

    “Bhutan has made significant strides in reducing poverty and improving education and health services, and its recent graduation from least developed country status is commendable,” said Mr. Asakawa. “As a trusted partner for over 4 decades, ADB remains committed to helping Bhutan build on its progress and achieve sustainable development, and the new country strategy provides the road map.”

    During his visit, Mr. Asakawa met with Finance Minister and ADB Governor Lekey Dorji. The discussions centered on ADB’s support for policy reforms and institutional strengthening, climate and disaster resilient infrastructure development, and human capital development. After the meeting, Mr. Asakawa witnessed the signing by ADB and the Royal Government of Bhutan for the $30 million Distributed Solar for Public Infrastructure Project.

    Mr. Asakawa will also visit the Babena satellite clinic in Thimphu, one of five clinics built with ADB financing to bring affordable health care closer to Bhutanese communities and reduce pressure on the main tertiary hospital. He will meet with students at the Samthang Technical Training Institute in Wangdue Phodrang, an institution upgraded with ADB assistance to enhance the employability of secondary school and TVET graduates.

    Highlighting the pressing issue of climate change, Mr. Asakawa will visit rural areas surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains to draw attention to accelerating glacial melt in the region. “Climate action is a top priority for ADB,” he stated. “The rapid glacial melt driven by climate change poses significant risks not just for Bhutan but for the entire region. ADB is launching bold new initiatives that will build resilience in vulnerable areas like the Hindu Kush Himalayas.”

    Mr. Asakawa’s visit follows the recent launch of ADB’s new Bhutan country partnership strategy (CPS). The CPS for 2024–2028 aims to reinforce Bhutan’s development efforts by strengthening public sector management, enabling private sector development, building climate-adaptive and resilient infrastructure, and enhancing human capital development to increase youth employability. The strategy aligns with Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt to launch UN Global Road Safety Campaign in Italy

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will be in Milan on 2 September to launch the UN global campaign #MakeASafetyStatement, in partnership with JCDecaux. The launch event will gather Mr. Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan and Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy.  

    The silent pandemic 

    Every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving countless others with severe injuries. This silent pandemic overwhelmingly affects developing nations, where over 90% of the road traffic fatalities occur. Furthermore, road crashes are a leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years. The campaign aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, aiming to halve road fatalities by 2030. This launch in Italy takes place a few weeks after the of the adoption of the new UN resolution for improving road safety ahead the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 18 and 19 February 2025. 

    Road safety in Italy  
    Since 2001, the mortality rate in Italy has decreased by 42%, in line with the overall trend in the European Union. According to the European Road safety Observatory, Italy’s road traffic fatality rate stands at 5.2 per 100,000 people in 2023 (4.6 per 100,000 people in the EU). 19% of road fatalities in Italy are women, compared to the EU average of 22%.  

    In 2020, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of powered two-wheelers) accounted for half of the fatalities, slightly higher than the EU average (ERSO 2023). Notably, riders of powered two-wheelers represented more than a quarter of Italy’s road fatalities compared to 18% in the EU (ERSO 2023). Italy has the lowest self-reported frequency in Europe for speeding and the highest for not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat (ERSO 2023).               

    #MakeASafetyStatement 

    The campaign seeks to reduce risk factors, especially in urban areas, enabling people to walk, live, and enjoy their environment safely.  Fourteen global, and dozens of national, celebrities have joined forces to advocate for simple and effective road safety rules in the six official UN languages.  The messages the celebrities focus on mitigate risk factors on the road. Key aspects include wearing a seat belt, driving slowly, wearing a helmet, not texting and driving, not driving under the influence or while tired, and respecting pedestrians.   

    Participating celebrities in the campaign include Football legend Mr. Didier Drogba, F1 Driver Mr. Charles Leclerc, Oscar-winning actress and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Michelle Yeoh, Tennis legend Mr. Novak Djokovic, Musician Ms. Kylie Minogue, Motorcycle racer Mr. Marc Marquez, Supermodel Ms. Naomi Campbell, Actor Mr. Patrick Dempsey, Musician and Inspirational leader Mr. Youssou N’Dour, Actress Ms. Julie Gayet, Actor Mr. Michael Fassbender, Football icon Mr. Ousmane Dembélé, Double Olympic Champion Ms. Faith Kipyegon, F1 Driver Mr. Mick Schumacher.  

    Launch events 

    The launch in Milan, following the 2024 F1 Grand Prix in Monza, will comprise three events: 

    • 11:00-12.00 – press conference, moderated by the journalist Ms. Stefania Pinna, with the participation of Mr. Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan; Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy; Mr. Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety and Mr. Fabrizio du Chène de Vère, Amministratore Delegato IGPDecaux. 

    Venue: Palazzo Marino, City Hall 

    Venue: Historical Atm tram Carrelli 1928, Milan 

    • 17:00-18:30 – panel discussion on road safety, hosted by Pirelli (donor to the UN Road Safety Fund), with the participation of Ms. Vicky Piria, Racing Car Driver, TV Host and Motivational Speaker; Mr. Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman of Pirelli; Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy; Mr. Stefano Domenicali, Manager and CEO of Formula One Group; Mr. Jean Todt, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety ); Mr. Andrea Rustioni, Managing Director of IGPDecaux  

    Venue : Pirelli HQ 

    ————– 

    Note to editors 

    Road safety in Milan  

    Milan’s Municipality considers road safety a priority and promotes policies that encourage the use of public transportation, inter-modality of transport means, shared use of public space, the regulation of transit in selected areas, as well as active mobility on less congested and safer streets. The high number of cars in Milan – 49 per 100 inhabitants – makes the implementation of road safety policies particularly challenging. 

    In order to draw from international experiences and to avail of the knowledge of multidisciplinary professionals, in October 2023 Mayor Giuseppe Sala created a Task Force on Road Safety and Active Mobility. Its recommendations, presented in May 2024, included: putting schools and roads around schools at the centre of road safety policies; supporting the growth of safe, active mobility; installing speed bumps and redesigning intersections; widening, protecting and freeing up of space on sidewalks, as well as developing a plan for pedestrians and cyclists. Furthermore, Milan is the first city in Italy to introduce measures to counteract the so-called ‘blind spot on trucks’, effectively anticipating measures that are becoming a standard in the European Union. 

    #MakeASafetyStatement 

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community Champions crowned at prestigious awards!

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Pictured at the Community Awards are: Ruth Allen, Head of Community Development Department, Roger Wilson, Chief Executive, Lord Mayor, Councillor Sarah Duffy, Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Kyle Savage, Sarah Travers, Compere, Paul Douglas, The Executive Office, Julir McCormack, The Executive Office and Paul Tamati, Director of Community and Wellbeing.

    The red carpet was rolled out at the weekend to celebrate the Community Awards 2024, with a glittering ceremony recognising and rewarding some of our incredible community champions.

    A total of 34 groups and individuals from across the borough were shortlisted for 11 awards. Each received high praise for being a leading example of good citizenship and selfless dedication to better community causes and deliver positive outcomes for people from all backgrounds.

    Speaking at the awards, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Councillor Sarah Duffy praised the exceptional endeavours of all those receiving a nomination.

    “Our Community Awards, which celebrate the spirit of volunteering in the borough, allows us the opportunity to show our gratitude for all the hard work these extraordinary people have undertaken – and highlights the commitment each and every one of them has offered, bringing positive change and instilling civic pride.

    “It was very apt that our awards coincided with Good Relations Week and this really added to the celebrations on the night as we recognised so many remarkable people who endeavour to work together to benefit others.

    “I would like to take this opportunity thank you all for everything you have done and continue to do for others across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon borough, and for all our sponsors for generously giving their support on the night.”

    The awards were thoroughly enjoyed by all thanks to a wonderful evening hosted at the Seagoe Hotel, a delicious banquet, musical entertainment courtesy of the amazing Niamh Node, The Girl with the Harp, and the extremely talented Dukes.

    TV Personality Sarah Travers was MC for the night and made it one to remember!

    The Community Awards were supported by The Executive Office District Councils Good Relation Programme along with local businesses sponsoring the various award categories.

    And the winners were:

    COMMUNITY ECO AWARD: Sponsored by Traynors

    Winner: Taghnevan Community Development Association

    INNOVATION AWARD: Sponsored by Avondale Foods

    Winner: VIBE

    EQUALITY AND GOOD RELATIONS AWARD: Sponsored by Thompson Aero Seating

    Winner: Armagh Roma and Traveller Support Group

     

    AGE FREINDLY AWARD: Sponsored by Tarasis Enterprises

    Winner: Loughshore Care Partnership

    VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Sponsored by Armagh Credit Union

    Winner: Conor Hegarty

     

    COMMUNITY SAFETY AWARD: Sponsored by Turkington Holdings

    Winner: Lurgan Bowling Club

    HEALTH AND WELL BEING AWARD: Sponsored by Linwoods

    Winner: Fitzone Foundation

    Under 18 Youth Volunteer: Sponsored by Manfreight

    Winner: Alex Cooper

    OpportUNITY AWARD: Sponsored by The Executive Office

    Winner: First Bulgarian School

    YOUTH CHAMPION AWARD: Sponsored by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

    Winner: VIBE

     

    LIFETIME ACHIEVER AWARD: Sponsored by Seagoe Hotel

    Winner: Pearl Snowden

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Amundi: Launch of the capital increase reserved for employees

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amundi: Launch of the capital increase reserved for employees

    Amundi launches a capital increase reserved for employees (under the name We Share Amundi). This capital increase was initially decided on 6 February 2024 under the terms specified below.

    This offer reflects Amundi’s desire to involve employees not only in the Company’s development but also in the creation of economic value. This will strengthen the employees’ sense of belonging.

    The discount offered to employees will be 30%, as for the five previous capital increase reserved for employees.

    Eligible employees can subscribe to the offering between 23 September and 4 October 2024 included. The capital increase is scheduled for 31 October 2024 and the newly issued Amundi shares will be listed on Euronext Paris on 4 November 2024.

    As a reminder, employees currently own 1.41 % of Amundi’s share capital.

    The impact of this offering on the net earnings per share should be negligible. The maximum number of Amundi shares to be issued will be capped at 1,000,000 shares (i.e. less than 0.5% of the Company’s share capital and voting rights).

    Terms of the capital increase

    Issuer

    Amundi, a French limited company (société anonyme) with share capital of €511.619.085 and with its offices located at 91-93, Boulevard Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France, registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Registry under number 314 222 902 (the “Company”).

    Securities offered

    The offering is a capital increase in cash reserved for employees, employees who have taken early retirement and retired employees of Amundi Group companies that are members of the UES Amundi Company Savings Plan (“PEE”) or Amundi’s International Group Savings Plan (“PEGI”). The capital increase will be carried out pursuant to Resolution 24 of the Annual General Meeting of 12 May 2023, without preferential shareholder subscription rights.

    The capital increase will be capped at 1,000,000 shares with a par value of €2.50 per share. The newly issued shares will be fully assimilated to existing ordinary shares.

    Amundi will request that the newly issued shares under the offering be admitted for trading on Euronext Paris as soon as possible after the capital increase is completed, currently scheduled for 31 October 2024. These shares will be listed on the same line as the existing shares, under ISIN code FR0004125920.

    Terms of the 2024 offering

    We Share Amundi is being made available to employees in France and Amundi Group entities in the following countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States.

    Employees of companies that are members of the PEE or PEGI, with at least three months of employment, whether consecutive or not, between 1 January 2023 and the last day of the subscription period, as well as retired employees in France that have kept assets in the PEE, are eligible to the 2023 offering.

    The subscription price is set at 47.00 euros. This subscription price is the average of the share opening price over the 20 trading days between 23 August and 19 September 2024 (included), minus a 30% discount.

    Eligible employees can subscribe to the offering between 23 September 2024 and 4 October 2024 included. Shares can be subscribed to via the FCPE (Employment Shareholding Fund) AMUNDI ACTIONNARIAT      RELAIS 2024 or FCPE AMUNDI SHARES RELAIS 2024, with the exception of certain countries where shares will be subscribed to directly. Once the capital increase is completed, and following decisions by the funds’ Supervisory Boards and the approval of the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), the FCPE AMUNDI ACTIONNARIAT RELAIS 2024 will be merged into the FCPE AMUNDI ACTIONNARIAT, and the FCPE AMUNDI SHARES RELAIS 2024 will be merged into the FCPE AMUNDI SHARES.

    The voting rights attached to the shares held via the Funds will be exercised by the Fund’s Supervisory Board. The voting rights attached to the directly-held shares will be exercised by the subscribers.

    The shares subscribed to under We Share Amundi will be subject to a five-year lock-up period, unless an early-exit event occurs as described in the PEE or PEGI plan rules. Early-exit events will be adjusted where applicable for certain countries.

    An employee can invest up to a maximum of €40,000. This cap is assessed on all the employee shareholding operations of the Crédit Agricole group in which Amundi employees could participate in 2024. Employees may finance their subscription by making voluntary contributions to the plans, up to the annual cap on investments in employee savings plans which is set at 25% of their gross annual compensation. Members of the UES Amundi PEE are also entitled to use their     assets held in another specific fund of the PEE.

    Should subscription requests exceed the maximum number of shares available under the offering, the smallest subscriptions will be fully honoured while the highest subscriptions will be subject to successive caps until all available shares are subscribed. In France, any cap on subscriptions will first be applied to portions of subscriptions financed by voluntary contributions, then on the subscriptions financed by the transfer of available assets held in another specific fund of the PEE, and finally on the subscriptions financed by the transfer of unavailable assets held in another specific fund of the PEE.

    Disclaimer

    This press release is for information only and is not a solicitation to subscribe to Amundi shares.

    We Share Amundi is strictly reserved to the eligible employees mentioned in this release and shall only be available in countries where such an offer has been registered with the competent local authorities, or the latter has been notified thereof, and/or following the approval of a prospectus by the competent local authorities, or if an exemption has been granted from the obligation to publish a prospectus or to register the offering with the authorities, or to notify the latter thereof.

    More generally, We Share Amundi will only be available in countries where all required registration and/or notification procedures have been completed and the necessary authorizations obtained.

    Contact

    For any questions about We Share Amundi, eligible employees may contact their Head of Human Resources or visit the following website: www.weshare.amundi.com

    ***

    About Amundi

    Amundi, the leading European asset manager, ranking among the top 10 global players1, offers its 100 million clients – retail, institutional and corporate – a complete range of savings and investment solutions in active and passive management, in traditional or real assets. This offering is enhanced with IT tools and services to cover the entire savings value chain. A subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole group and listed on the stock exchange, Amundi currently manages more than €2.15 trillion of assets2.

    With its six international investment hubs3, financial and extra-financial research capabilities and long-standing commitment to responsible investment, Amundi is a key player in the asset management landscape.

    Amundi clients benefit from the expertise and advice of 5,500 employees in 35 countries.

    Amundi, a trusted partner, working every day in the interest of its clients and society

    www.amundi.com    

    Press contacts:        
    Natacha Andermahr 
    Tel. +33 1 76 37 86 05
    natacha.andermahr@amundi.com 

    Corentin Henry
    Tel. +33 1 76 36 26 96
    corentin.henry@amundi.com

    Investor contacts:
    Cyril Meilland, CFA
    Tel. +33 1 76 32 62 67
    cyril.meilland@amundi.com 

    Thomas Lapeyre
    Tel. +33 1 76 33 70 54
    thomas.lapeyre@amundi.com 

    Annabelle Wiriath

    Tel. + 33 1 76 32 43 92

    annabelle.wiriath@amundi.com


    1Source: IPE “Top 500 Asset Managers” published in June 2023, based on assets under management as at 31/12/2022
    2Amundi data as at 31/12/2023
    3Boston, Dublin, London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: CK Snacks Acquires Axium Foods, Expanding Its Presence in the Snack Food Industry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Grand Rapids, Mich., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Cheeze Kurls, LLC dba CK Snacks, a premier manufacturer of salty snack foods sold across North America, has announced its acquisition of Axium Foods, Inc. (“Axium Foods”), a private label snack food company based in Illinois and founded in 1960. Axium Foods specializes in the production of tortilla chips, corn chips, extruded snacks, and pellet snacks. This acquisition strengthens CK Snacks’ product portfolio and positions both companies for sustained growth in the snack food market.

    Axium Foods has earned a solid reputation for manufacturing high-quality products for private label brands. The acquisition enables CK Snacks to diversify its offerings and expand its market reach, continuing to prioritize innovation and quality.

    Jamie Colbourne, CEO of CK Snacks, said:
    “We are thrilled to welcome Axium Foods into the CK Snacks family. Axium Foods’ expertise in tortilla chip and snack production will complement our existing product lines, enabling us to offer an even broader range of snacks. This acquisition marks a pivotal moment in our growth strategy, and we look forward to working together to deliver innovative, high-quality products to our customers.”

    The McCleary family, founders of Axium Foods, expressed their enthusiasm about the acquisition:
    “We are excited to see Axium Foods continue alongside another long-standing, family-founded business. CK Snacks shares our dedication to quality, innovation, and customer service, and we are confident the combined company will build on our legacy.”

    The acquisition solidifies CK Snacks’ position as a leader in the snack food industry by expanding its capabilities and customer base. Both companies will continue to operate from their respective locations with a shared focus on delivering exceptional snack products.

    About CK Snacks (Cheeze Kurls)

    CK Snacks, founded in 1964 and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a leading manufacturer of private label snack foods, including extruded, fried, and baked products, as well as popcorn and party mixes. The company partners with major retailers and grocery chains across North America. For more information, visit www.cksnacks.com.

    About Axium Foods

    Founded in 1960, Axium Foods is a private label snack food manufacturer specializing in tortilla chips, corn chips, extruded snacks, and pellet snacks. Based in Illinois, Axium Foods has earned a reputation for producing high-quality, innovative products with a strong focus on customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.axiumfoods.com.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: La Maison captures the drama, intrigue and intense rivalry of the luxury fashion world

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elizabeth Kealy-Morris, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Dress and Belonging, Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University

    With the release of dramas Cristóbal Balenciaga, The New Look and Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, the fashion drama miniseries has become a staple for streaming television in 2024.

    The latest offering, French-language drama La Maison on Apple TV, captures the essence of the drama and intrigue surrounding Maison Ledu, a fictional luxury haute couture house controlled by the Ledu family.

    The dynamics between key characters are well outlined, and explore universal themes such as love, power, ambition and betrayal, as well as a longing for connection, acceptance and identity. In this way La Maison has little to do with apparel and clothing in their materiality: the camera does not linger over sketches or runway collections. The series, instead, engages with fashion on a more abstract level, highlighting how it intersects with broader human concerns.

    Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson) is the celebrated designer whose scandal threatens to the future of Maison Ledu. His racist tirade against a wealthy Korean client was captured by catering staff at a pubic function and posted on social media by Ledu’s scheming nephew in a bid to ruin his uncle’s reputation.

    Perle Foster (Amira Casar) is Vincent’s former principal model and inspiration who, despite her lasting attachment to Vincent, is crucial in the house’s post-scandal revival. Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) is the orphaned mixed-heritage daughter of Vincent’s long-time gay lover. Neither were accepted into the family and this tension of class, race, and sexual orientation difference is central to the plot throughout the series.

    The character of Paloma, in her early 30s, represents millenial indifference to tradition, hierarchy and heritage. We meet her in the first episode as the co-designer of a Berlin-based luxury eco-focused ready-to-wear brand. It’s marking a milestone with its first runway show at Paris Fashion Week with other brands’ deadstock (unsold inventory) forming the runway collection.

    The trailer for La Maison.

    In a bid to ensure the Ledu brand makes radical shifts in creative leadership after the racism scandal, Perle seeks to sideline Vincent and draw Paloma into Maison Ledu as the next-generation designer who will bring innovation and hope to Maison’s restoration. Diane Rovel (Carole Bouquet), the iron-fisted CEO and matriarch of the Rovel Luxury Group, represents the archetype of the fashion conglomerate within fashion markets, controlled by the monetary interests of anonymous shareholders. Viewers learn early that her acquisition plans for Maison Ledu are driven by strategic interest and personal vendetta.

    The luxury fashion market

    The series effectively sets up the central conflict, the stakes involved and the potential for dramatic and strategic manoeuvres. It paints a vivid picture of the internal and external pressures faced by Maison Ledu as it struggles to navigate its crisis, a problem that has notably rocked actual luxury fashion houses in recent years. An interesting aspect of the series is the contemporary understanding of the role social media plays in creating spectacle that brings people together as well as divides.

    The luxury fashion market seeks to protect and extend agreed assumptions of how such brands function via rarity, exclusivity and uniqueness to add value to their brand DNA, products and businesses. Luxury brands must ensure coherence between values, narratives, highly skilled craft and artistic techniques, with space for both tradition and innovation. By integrating these elements harmoniously, a brand can sustain its luxury status and build a lasting impression of excellence and exclusivity.

    Luxury fashion, clothing and apparel markets depend on the objects they design becoming status symbols. But they also rely on the allure, appeal, imagination and magic promised through fashion stories that are told through photography and videography. This latest AppleTV+ fashion drama is released against the backdrop of shifting consumer expectations in the luxury sector, particularly in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

    There has been a transformative shift from traditional “show-and-tell” marketing to more immersive and interactive brand experiences. Consumers now seek to “join and experience” luxury brands rather than merely observe – and this is driving brands to create engaging content that extends beyond the product itself. This evolution has given rise to innovative strategies, including online videos, interactive events and sophisticated uses of technology to enhance post-purchase engagement.

    The rise of the fashion series is a direct response to these changing consumer preferences. By integrating high-quality media narratives with brand storytelling, these series offer a novel avenue for brands to convey their history and ethos, creating a platform for the fashion industry to captivate audiences and deepen their connection with the brand narrative.

    As streaming platforms continue to gain prominence, the collaboration between fashion houses and media producers is likely to expand. This means that in the future, the intersection of fashion and storytelling will become increasingly integral to brand identity and consumer connection.

    So while both Maison Ledu and Rovel Luxury Group are fictitious brands, shows like La Maison as a general marketing tool for real-world fashion houses and brands. Meanwhile the location of Paris for this series is testament to that city as the global centre of haute couture – and the stakes involved in it remaining so.



    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.


    Elizabeth Kealy-Morris 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. La Maison captures the drama, intrigue and intense rivalry of the luxury fashion world – https://theconversation.com/la-maison-captures-the-drama-intrigue-and-intense-rivalry-of-the-luxury-fashion-world-239233

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kaos hinges on prophecies – historian explains the real oracles that inspired the Netflix show

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ellie Mackin Roberts, Research fellow, University of Bristol

    This article contains spoilers for series one of Kaos.

    Central to the plot of Netflix’s new series, Kaos, are four prophecies. In the lore of the series, all humans are given a prophecy, and no two can be the same. There’s just one problem – all four important prophecies in the show are identical:

    A line appears

    The order wanes

    The family falls

    and Kaos reigns.

    Each of the prophecy’s four recipients – Zeus (Jeff Goldblum), Riddy (Aurora Perrineau), Caeneus (Misia Butler) and Ari (Leila Farzad) – interprets, and therefore acts upon, the prophecy in a way that makes sense to their own lives. Their connected fates highlight the series’s theme of interconnected destinies and the inescapable nature of prophecy.

    By the end of the first series, three of the four lines of the prophecy have come true. A vertical wrinkle appears on Zeus’s forehead, driving his obsession with instilling fear of the gods into mortals once more. A hierarchy shift ends the season with Prometheus sitting on Zeus’s throne, which exemplifies the order waning. The families of each of the three mortal recipients fall apart.

    Watching the show, you may have understood the prophecies differently. After all, prophecy is open to interpretation. Or, is it?

    Priestess of Delphi by John Collier (1891), depicting Pythia.
    Art Gallery of South Australia

    In Kaos, the Fates (who the ancient Greeks called the Moirai) are responsible for making prophecies about the gods and their followers. There’s Clotho (Ché), who spins the thread of life, Lachesis (Suzy Eddie Izzard), who measures out the thread and Atropos (Sam Buttery), who cuts it off, marking the end of life.

    In ancient Greek mythology, the Moirai controlled the destiny of men and – in some instances – gods, but they were not responsible for making prophecies. This task fell to the gods, usually Apollo and Zeus, who made prophecies in response to questions people asked.

    As real people couldn’t speak to the gods directly, they went to religious officials known as oracles. The Delphic Oracle, associated with Apollo, god of music and healing as well as prophecy, was the most famous and prestigious of these oracles.

    Also known as the Pythia, she was Apollo’s high priestess and was the one who delivered the prophecies (numerous women fulfilled the role over the years). Ancient people believed the Pythia to be directly inspired by Apollo, and her words were taken to be coming from him.

    We do not fully understand how this process worked, though there have been suggestions that the Pythia went into a trance through chewing laurel leaves, which were sacred to Apollo. Another theory suggests trances were induced through toxic gasses entering the room within the temple she worked in, through a natural fissure in the rock.




    Read more:
    Hidden women of history: the priestess Pythia at the Delphic Oracle, who spoke truth to power


    Prophecies in Kaos

    It is from literary reports of oracles from Delphi that the format of Kaos’s prophecies derives.

    Although historical oracles are usually not poetic, those from literary accounts of history, such as Herodotus’s The Histories, are often presented in hexameter (a kind of poetic metrical meter consisting of six parts per line).

    One famous oracle was reportedly given to the Athenians when they were preparing to fight off the Persians:

    But a wall made of wood does farsighted Zeus to Tritogenes grant

    Alone and unravaged, to help you and your children.

    The Athenians debated the meaning of these words, just as the characters in Kaos consider the interpretations of their own prophecies. They decided that it meant one of two things: that Athens would be fine because the Acropolis used to be surrounded by hedgerows, or that they should build a fleet of ships to be a “wooden wall” against the enemy.

    Themistokles, the main proponent of the second reading, won out and the fleet was built. Athens faced the Persian fleet at the battle of Salamis (an island off the coast of Athens) in 480BC and won, therefore, in their eyes, proving that this reading of the prophecy was correct.

    Interpreting prophecy

    In Kaos, show creator Charlie Covell has presented something very true to the spirit of prophecy in ancient Greek history and mythology – even while subverting the form that prophecy takes.

    In ancient Greece, Zeus couldn’t have received an oracular prophecy, as all prophecy was thought to originate from him. But he was subject to the destinies cast by the Moirai. For example, in the Iliad, Zeus is unable to save his mortal son, Sarpedon, from his fate (dying by the hand of Patroclus) – it is ultimately out of his control.

    In Kaos, through misunderstanding, interpretation and reinterpretation, the four recipients of the Fates’ prophecy each play a crucial role in its fulfilment – but only when they (and we) read that prophecy in our own ways.

    The prophecies of ancient Greece could later be revealed to be incorrectly interpreted. When Croesus, king of Lydia, was told that if he went to war he would destroy a great kingdom, he interpreted that as the Persian kingdom, but it turned out to be his own.

    So too might our understanding of the prophecy in Kaos turn out to be a misinterpretation. By expertly weaving the Moirai and oracles into the narrative, Kaos emphasises the crucial role of fate in reshaping the destinies of people and events, emphasising their interconnectedness. In doing so, the show reflects the ancient Greek belief in the power and inescapable nature of prophecy.



    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.


    Ellie Mackin Roberts 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. Kaos hinges on prophecies – historian explains the real oracles that inspired the Netflix show – https://theconversation.com/kaos-hinges-on-prophecies-historian-explains-the-real-oracles-that-inspired-the-netflix-show-238833

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pink cocaine: the party drug cocktail putting a growing number of lives at risk

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Joseph Janes, Lecturer in Criminology, Swansea University

    A synthetic drug cocktail known as pink cocaine, has rapidly become a major concern in Spain, the UK and beyond. Earlier this month, Spanish authorities carried out their largest ever synthetic drug bust, seizing a large quantity of pink cocaine alongside more than a million ecstasy pills. The operation targeted drug networks across Ibiza and Malaga.

    This dangerous substance has been linked to a growing number of drug-related deaths. The unpredictable composition and rising popularity of pink cocaine have sparked calls from European drug harm reduction organisations for urgent action to address the risks it poses.

    Despite its name, pink cocaine doesn’t necessarily contain any cocaine. Instead, it’s often a mixture of various other substances, including MDMA, ketamine and 2C-B. MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, is a stimulant with psychedelic properties while ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic which has sedative and hallucinogenic effects. 2C drugs are classed as psychedelics but they can also produce stimulant effects.

    Typically found in powder or pill form, pink cocaine is known for its vibrant colour, which is designed to enhance its visual appeal. It’s coloured using food colouring and sometimes strawberry or other flavourings.

    The original psychedelic form of the drug dates to 1974 and was first synthesised by American biochemist, Alexander Shulgin. But the modern variant emerged around 2010 in Colombia and is a knock-off version.

    The drug gained popularity on the party scene in Latin America and has now spread to Europe. Common names for pink cocaine vary widely, from “cocaina rosada” and “tuci” to “Venus” and “Eros”.

    Russian roulette

    Today’s pink cocaine is an unpredictable mix of substances and that is where much of its danger lies. Users often expect a stimulant similar to cocaine, but the inclusion of ketamine can lead to serious health risks. Abuse of ketamine, which is widely available as a club drug, can lead to unconsciousness or dangerously laboured breathing. This in turn increases the potential dangers of pink cocaine.

    Its aesthetic look and “designer drug” status have contributed to its appeal, particularly among young people and first-time users. This mirrors the historical allure of drugs like cocaine and MDMA. It highlights a persistent trend where certain substances are glamourised despite their risks.

    Experts compare taking pink cocaine to playing Russian Roulette with substance use, underscoring the unpredictable and dangerous nature of pink cocaine.

    The drug has spread beyond Ibiza to the UK, and there is evidence that it has gained traction in Scotland, parts of Wales and England. Across the Atlantic, New York City has also seen a surge in its availability.

    Health officials across Europe are alarmed. Pink cocaine is difficult to detect through standard drug testing, particularly in Spain, where the current testing regime is not yet equipped to identify all its components.

    Warning to Brits over “Russian roulette” party drug pink cocaine | ITV News.

    The drug is sold for around US$100 per gram (£76) in Spain, and is often marketed as a high-end product. The legal response varies, with Spanish authorities working to curb its distribution.

    In the UK, pink cocaine falls under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which classifies drugs into three categories, class A, B, and C, based on their perceived harm. While pink cocaine itself may not be explicitly listed, the substances commonly found in it are controlled by the law. Both MDMA and 2C-B are class A drugs, while ketamine is a class B.

    Harm reduction

    One of the most urgent needs highlighted by the rise of pink cocaine is for accessible drug-checking services. Drug-checking kits are an important harm-reduction tool for people looking to test the substances they intend to consume. These kits can help users identify unknown components, offering a layer of protection in a high-risk environment.

    My own work shows how vital such harm-reduction services are. Public awareness campaigns and support services are also an important part of reducing harm.

    The growing popularity of pink cocaine is a stark reminder of the ever-changing landscape of illicit drugs, where aesthetics, social media trends and risky behaviour can combine to create new threats. While its pink hue and “designer” label may attract a younger crowd, the unpredictable cocktail of chemicals it contains presents a serious and growing danger.

    As pink cocaine continues to spread through Europe and beyond, it is crucial that authorities, health services and the public are equipped to deal with the risks it poses.

    Joseph Janes 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. Pink cocaine: the party drug cocktail putting a growing number of lives at risk – https://theconversation.com/pink-cocaine-the-party-drug-cocktail-putting-a-growing-number-of-lives-at-risk-237592

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: Sophos Named a Leader in 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OXFORD, United Kingdom, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced that it has once again been named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP). This is the 15th consecutive time that Sophos has been positioned as a Leader in the report.

    Sophos’ market-leading endpoint security solutions, including Sophos Intercept X Endpoint, protect more than 300,000 organizations against advanced cyberthreats with anti-exploit, anti-ransomware, deep learning artificial intelligence (AI), and other sophisticated technologies. This includes the ability to detect remote ransomware, an attack that attempts to encrypt data over the network from a compromised remote device, by stopping it in real-time and automatically rolling devices to their original state. It also includes Adaptive Attack Protection, an industry-first feature which automatically disrupts attackers and dynamically adjusts protections based on threat context to stop in-progress attacks. The feature provides defenders with valuable additional time to respond when under active attack. Through a partnership with Tenable, Sophos Managed Risk provides attack surface visibility, continuous risk monitoring, vulnerability prioritization, investigation, and proactive notification to prevent early-stage cyberattacks, reducing the workload for security teams tasked with tackling vulnerability and exposure management. Account Health Check capabilities further monitor and correct security configuration changes, enabling organizations to promptly re-establish security best practices.

    “Organizations are facing an unprecedented level of cyberattacks, with our Sophos X-Op research showing that adversaries are doing far more than accelerating their attacks and covering their tracks. Attackers are shifting their tactics, techniques, and procedures to evade and disable EDR tools – signaling that choosing a tested and hardened solution with a track record for consistent innovation is a ‘must have,’ not optional,” said Rob Harrison, senior vice president, product management at Sophos. “Sophos has been recognized as a 15-time Leader in Endpoint Protection Platforms, we feel this would have not been possible without moving as quickly and aggressively as the adversaries we are fighting every day. ​​Sophos’ technology is rooted in its unique prevention-first approach that reduces breaches, adapts defenses in response to an attack, and improves detection and response outcomes.”

    Already this year, Sophos was named a Customers’ Choice in the Gartner® Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) report. This recognition follows Sophos being named Gartner Customers’ Choice for EPP for the third consecutive year​.

    Sophos is also named a G2 Leader in Endpoint Protection, EDR, MDR, Firewall, and XDR in its Fall 2024 G2 Grid® Reports. Sophos Intercept X is also recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Modern Endpoint Midsize Business and the IDC MarketScape for Modern Endpoint Small Business.

    Like Intercept X Endpoint, Sophos Managed Detection and Response is the top-rated MDR solution on Gartner Peer Insights and a leader. As the most widely used MDR offering with more than 24,000 customers, Sophos MDR is the only MDR service that can be delivered across end users’ existing third-party security deployments as well as Sophos offerings. Organizations can integrate telemetry sources from dozens of vendors, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Check Point, Okta, Darktrace, and many others, through the Sophos Marketplace.

    Sophos endpoint solutions are a key part of the company’s portfolio of end-to-end integrated security products and services that protect customers at every layer, even across distributed organizations. In addition to endpoint, the portfolio includes network, email, and cloud solutions, as well as managed security and incident response services. All of the solutions feed into the Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem and are powered by threat intelligence from Sophos X-Ops for faster and more contextual and synchronized protection, detection and response.

    To learn more about Sophos’ recognition in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for EPP, visit our website and read the blog.

    To learn more about Sophos Intercept X Endpoint, visit https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/endpoint-antivirus.

    Gartner disclaimers:
    Gartner® Magic Quadrant™: Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP), Evgeny Mirolyubov, Franz Stefan Hinner, Chris Silva, Deepak Mishra, Satarupa Patnaik, September 23, 2024.

    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark, Peer Insights and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

    About Sophos
    Sophos is a global leader and innovator of advanced security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 600,000 organizations and more than 100 million users worldwide from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos’ services and products connect through the Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully managed security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos’ security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos’ services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4311–4313: A Weekend of Engineering Curiosity

    Source: NASA

    3 min read

    NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity captured this image of its rover wheels using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, on February 5, 2024, Sol 4088 — Martian day 4,088 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission — on Feb. 5, 2024 at 10:40:14 UTC.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    Earth planning date: Friday, Sept. 20, 2024

    Today, we planned for 3 sols over the weekend. On Sol 4311, we have a lot of science activities planned, including some ChemCam and Mastcam observations of the “Obelisk” target. These activities will allow our instruments to gather data about rock features of interest within the rover workspace, including a LIBS analysis which will give us more insight into chemical composition. We will also take some landscape images of the ridges within the upper Gediz Vallis channel.

    But we don’t only plan for science activities – as a robotic arm engineer, I’m looking forward to a new in-flight activity we are executing on Sol 4311. We are testing parallelism between arm activities and a telecommunications window between the rover and an orbiter. As we get further and further into the mission, we have been testing what activities we might be able to do in parallel (ie: they are happening at the same time on the rover!) in order to be more efficient during our on time. After this execution, we’ll be able to get more information on how both activities went, and if it was successful, this will be able to save us a lot of time in the future!

    On 4312, we have some remote science planned, including a Navcam dust devil movie, a ChemCam active observation, and some Mastcam imaging. Equally exciting, though, is our planned full MAHLI wheel imaging. This is a traverse activity where we do a short drive, take photos of the wheels, do another short drive and take more photos, such that we are getting imaging of the entire circumference of our wheels. This is an activity we do periodically to assess the state and health of the wheels. For full documentation of our wheel state, we will drive seven meters over the course of about three hours. I’ve included an image above of the last time we performed full MAHLI wheel imaging (on Sol 4088).

    On 4313, we will execute some more science activities. This includes more remote science with a Navcam suprahorizon movie and a dust devil survey, and ChemCam AEGIS execution. Recall that AEGIS is our autonomous targeting system that will be able to pick out targets of interest around our new location post-drive. We’ll also execute some early morning science including a Mastcam tau atmospheric observation to measure dust in the atmosphere.

    From an engineering perspective, I am looking forward to seeing how our parallelism test went, and to view the updated imaging of our wheels. It will definitely be an exciting weekend for our little rover!

    Written by Remington Free, Operations Systems Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE – Thnks Announces Winners of the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thnks, the first on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors, today announced Troy Stevenson, Account Manager at Pegasus Logistics Group as the individual winner and Pegasus Logistics Group as the company winner for the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon.

    As the gratitude in business pioneer, Thnks has transformed small gestures of appreciation into enduring business connections, fostering loyalty, and driving revenue growth. Through the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards, Thnks celebrates individuals and organizations who are growing their businesses with gratitude.

    “Troy and the entire team at Pegasus Logistics Group inspire a ripple effect of gratitude that transforms how we do business and strengthens our communities,” said Brendan Kamm, Thnks Co-Founder and CEO. “The response to this year’s Thnks Gratitude in Business Award has been truly remarkable. We’ve seen an inspiring array of stories demonstrating how gratitude is being leveraged as a powerful tool for business growth and relationship building.”

    Pegasus Logistics Group, the first company honored by the Gratitude in Business Awards, is being recognized for their exceptional dedication to fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition to drive growth. The company’s innovative initiatives, including their Culture Team’s CREW program and “People on Point” rewards system, demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a culture of gratitude and empowerment. As the individual winner, Stevenson’s commitment to building trust-based relationships and consistently showing appreciation embodies the transformative power of gratitude in the workplace.

    “We are truly honored to receive this recognition from Thnks and First Horizon,” said Ken Beam, Founder and CEO of Pegasus Logistics Group. “Gratitude is at the heart of our culture, and this win is a testament to the dedication and commitment of individuals like Troy Stevenson and all our team members. We believe that gratitude is the foundation for building strong relationships with our team members, clients, partners, and the community. It’s wonderful to see both Troy’s efforts and the collective spirit of Pegasus Logistics recognized. We’re excited to continue fostering an environment where appreciation drives success and strengthens our connections.”

    Stevenson will be awarded $10,000 in Thnks credits to enhance further the gratitude program at Pegasus Logistics, a $500 credit from a selection of Thnks retailers, and a $2,500 donation will be made in his name to The Grace Foundation, which assists individuals and families in crisis and guidance toward self-sufficiency. The team at Pegasus Logistics will receive $10,000 in Thnks credits for their gratitude program.

    “At First Horizon we’re proud to support the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards,” said Lucas Doppler, SVP at First Horizon. “We share Thnks’ vision of celebrating those who elevate their workplace, enhance customer experiences, and enrich their communities – by leading with gratitude. “

    To learn more about the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon, visit thnks.com.

    ABOUT THNKS
    Established in 2016, Thnks believes making people feel appreciated – not just part of a transaction – is a business-building strategy. Utilized by over 10,000 teams and 120 Fortune 500 companies, Thnks is an on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors that converts small acts of gratitude into lasting business relationships that drive loyalty and revenue. The Thnks platform incorporates technology, program analytics and compliance/budget adherence to empower customers with a more economical, intentional, and authentic way to make people feel appreciated. To date, millions of Thnks have been sent – proving small acts of gratitude generate outsized business impact.

    ABOUT FIRST HORIZON
    First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $82.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities, and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

    ABOUT PEGASUS LOGISTICS GROUP
    Pegasus Logistics Group is a global leader in transportation and logistics, specializing in both international and domestic shipments of consequence. With a client-centric approach and a flexible global network of partners, we deliver a highly managed transportation model that adapts to the unique challenges of each business. Our stakeholder-focused approach ensures that our solutions benefit not just our clients but also our team members, partners, and communities. At Pegasus Logistics Group, we believe that true partnership is defined by flexibility, collaboration, and a commitment to improving business processes as we grow together.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:
    Kaileigh Higgins
    thnks@inkhouse.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d0bcf29-0a44-40ba-92d5-2b6dadd89c15

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Autumn activities abound throughout St. Louis area state parks and historic sites

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JEFFERSON CITY, MO, SEPT. 23, 2024 – As the seasons begin to change, it’s time to check out some of the many activities available at state parks and historic sites in the St. Louis region.

    • Thursdays, Sept. 26 and Oct. 10 at 10 a.m.: Toddler Thursday at Mastodon State Historic Site
      Come learn, create and play at Mastodon State Historic Site! Toddler Thursday programs are designed for toddlers and their grown-ups. Each Toddler Thursday focuses on a different topic and includes hands-on activities. Toddler Thursdays take place outside in the field near the museum. Participants should dress for the weather. In the event of inclement weather, including extreme heat, the program will be moved indoors to the museum auditorium. To register, call 636-646-2976. The fun begins at 10 a.m. at 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive in Imperial.
       
    • Saturday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Archaeology and Paleontology Day at Mastodon State Historic Site
      Celebrate Missouri Archaeology Month at Mastodon State Historic Site! Archaeology and Paleontology Day 2024 features several free activities for the whole family. The day’s schedule is as follows:
      • 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Free museum admission and a special museum scavenger hunt.
      • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Hands-on activities, including atlatl demonstrations and practice on the annex lawn (accessible from the museum parking lot.
      • 10 a.m. – Paleontology story time.
      • 11 a.m. – Hike to the bone bed.
      • Noon – Skull show and museum tour.
      • 1 p.m. – Hike to the bone bed.
      • 2 p.m. – Skull show and museum tour.
      • 3 p.m. – presentation on the history of excavations at the bone bed.

    The hike to the bone bed will take place on the Wildflower Trail, a 0.5-mile trail with stairs and natural surfaces. Please note that the excavation site is covered; hikers will not be able to see any fossils, artifacts or active digging. Interpreters will not identify artifacts or fossils at this event. Outdoor activities, including atlatl throwing and guided hikes, are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. All activities are free and open to the public, and registration is not required. The event will take place at 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive in Imperial.  

    • Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.: Creatures of Myth and Legend (World Bird Sanctuary) at St. Francois State Park
      Come out to St. Francois State Park for the World Bird Sanctuary’s Creatures of Myth and Legend program. Have you ever wondered whoooo inspired a ghost story? World Bird Sanctuary naturalists will share all the ways that animals inspire myths and legends around the globe. The program will take place in the campground near the playground and showerhouse at 8920 U.S. Highway 67 N in Bonne Terre. Be sure to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Because the event will feature live birds, pets will not be allowed. This is for both their safety and that of the birds.
       
    • Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.: Junior Explorers at Mastodon State Historic Site
      Calling all junior explorers! Join this free interpreter-led program where participants will engage in hands-on activities as they explore the great outdoors. This program is designed for families with young children and will take place entirely outdoors. Participants are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing that they are comfortable getting dirty or wet. Meet at the playground in the picnic area, located at 1800 Seckman Road in Imperial.
       
    • Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Fall Harvest Fest at Washington State Park
      Washington State Park’s annual Fall Harvest Fest includes a handmade item and craft fair featuring a variety of vendors from Missouri, as well as fall crafts and activities for kids. Food and concession items will be available for purchase and there will be musical entertainment. All activities will take place in and around Shelter #2 in the Big River Day-Use Area; however, this is subject to change due to weather. Admission is free and registration is not required. Washington State Park is located at 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto.
       
    • Saturday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Old Miners Open House at Missouri Mines State Historic Site
      The Old Miners Open House honors the mine workers of Missouri’s Old Lead Belt region, retired miners and others who are associated with the area’s mining history. There will be activities for all ages, including a sand table, a mine car shoveling contest and much more. All activities are free and open to the public, and registration is not required. In addition, there will be free admission to the site’s Powerhouse Museum during the event. Missouri Mines State Historic Site is located at 4000 State Highway 32 in Park Hills.
      Sunday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m.: Honeysuckle Roundup! At Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park
      Join the team for two hours of volunteer service removing bush honeysuckle from the Babler monument parking area. Loppers, gloves, glasses and the chemical needed for treating this highly invasive plant will be provided. All volunteers need to bring is water and wear a pair of closed-toe shoes. Meet at the monument field and follow the directional signage. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park is located at 800 Guy Park Drive in Wildwood.
       
    • Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.: Geological Eras Tour at Mastodon State Historic Site
      Join the team at Mastodon State Historic Site on their own Geological Eras Tour on Spring Branch Trail, where participants will travel back in time explore geological eras. During this easy 0.8-mile walk, we’ll cover 550 million years of planetary and evolutionary history. This to-scale hike will inform visitors about the chronological relationship between major geological events, mass extinctions and the evolution of various species. Registration is required and can be done by visiting icampmo.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/Default.aspx or calling or texting 636-215-9784. Participants will meet at 1800 Seckman Road in Imperial.

    For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit mostateparks.com/events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: The power of nostalgia: why it’s healthy for you to keep returning to your favourite TV series

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anjum Naweed, Professor of Human Factors, CQUniversity Australia

    Janet Julie Vanatko/Shutterstock

    How often do you find yourself hitting “play” on an old favourite, reliving the same TV episodes you’ve seen before – or even know by heart?

    I’m a chronic re-watcher. Episodes of sitcoms like Blackadder (1983–89), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–21), Doc Martin (2004–22) and The Office US (2005–13) – a literal lifetime of TV favourites – are usually dependable in times of stress.

    But recently, ahead of an exceptionally challenging deadline, I found myself switching up my viewing. Instead of the escapist comedy I normally return to, I switched to Breaking Bad (2008–13), a nail-biting thriller with a complex reverse hero narrative – and immediately felt at ease.

    What do our re-viewing choices tell us about ourselves? And is it OK that we keep returning to old favourites?

    Fictional stories, real relationships

    Although one-sided, the relationships we form with characters in our favourite TV shows can feel very real. They can increase a sense of belonging, reduce loneliness – and keep pulling us back in.

    When we rewatch, we feel sadness, wistful joy and longing, all at the same time. We call the sum of these contradictions nostalgia.

    Originally coined in the 17th century to describe Swiss soldiers impaired by homesickness, psychologists now understand nostalgic reflection as a shield against anxiety and threat, promoting a sense of wellbeing.

    We all rely on fiction to transport us from our own lives and realities. Nostalgia viewing extends the experience, taking us somewhere we already know and love.

    Bingeing nostalgia

    The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a wave of nostalgia viewing.

    In the United States, audience analyst Nielsen found the most streamed show of 2020 was the American version of The Office, seven years after it ended its television run. A Radio Times survey found 64% of respondents said they had rewatched a TV series during lockdown, with 43% watching nostalgic shows.

    We were suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar situation and in a perpetual state of unease. We had more time on our hands, but also wanted to feel safe. Tuning into familiar content on television offered an escape – a sanctuary from the realities of futures unknown.

    Revisiting connections with TV characters gave us a sense of control. We knew what lay in their futures, and the calm and predictability of their arcs balanced the uncertainty in ours.

    Nostalgia as a plot point

    Nostalgia has been in the DNA of television since some of the earliest programming decisions.

    Every December, broadcasters scramble to screen one of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ much-retold and family-friendly ghost story, which also features nostalgia as a plot device.

    First screened on live TV in New York City in 1944, on the still-new technology, the broadcast continued a 100-year-old tradition of the classic appearing on stage and cinema screens.

    Settling in around the telly for A Christmas Carol connects us to the holiday period and a heartwarming metamorphosis. Ebeneezer Scrooge revisits long-lost versions of himself and turns from villain to hero and our old friend in a single night.

    For viewers, revisiting this character at the same time every year can also reconnect us with our past selves and create a predictable pattern, even in the frenzy of the silly season.

    Real-world (re)connection

    The neuroscience of nostalgic experiences is clear. Nostalgia arises when current sensory data – like what you watch on TV – matches past emotions and experiences.

    It triggers a release of dopamine, a reward-system neurotransmitter involved in emotion and motivation. Encountering nostalgia is like autoloading and hitting play on past positive experiences, elevating desire and regulating mood.

    So, nostalgia draws on experiences encoded in memory. The TV shows we choose to rewatch reflect our values, our tastes, and the phases of life we have gone through.

    Perhaps this is a reason why reboots of our favourite shows sometimes fall flat, and ultimately set fans up for disappointment.

    I still remember the crushing disillusion I felt while watching the reboot of Knight Rider (2008–09). I immediately turned to social media to find a community around my nostalgic setback

    Stronger through stress

    Going back to my challenging deadline, what was it about the nostalgic experience of watching Breaking Bad that made it different?

    Breaking Bad evokes a particular phase in my life. I binged the first three seasons when writing up my PhD thesis. Walter White’s rise and fall journey towards redemption is enmeshed in the nostalgia of a difficult time I made it through.

    The predictability of Walter White’s arc on second viewing was an unlikely haven. It’s escalating high-stakes drama mirrored my rising stress, while connecting me to who I was when I first enjoyed the show.

    The result? “Dread mode” switched off – even as my anti-heroes marched again to their dire cinematic comeuppance. Reality, past and present, could be worse.

    Anjum Naweed 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. The power of nostalgia: why it’s healthy for you to keep returning to your favourite TV series – https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-nostalgia-why-its-healthy-for-you-to-keep-returning-to-your-favourite-tv-series-237753

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia addresses press conference to share important decisions and achievements taken by the Department of Posts in the 100 days of the third term of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia addresses press conference to share important decisions and achievements taken by the Department of Posts in the 100 days of the third term of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

    15,466 Dak Chaupals conducted nationwide

    3400+ exporters onboarded on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra

    DIGIPIN pilot completed in 1 town & 10 villages

    Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 8:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia along with Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar today addressed the media on achievements of the Ministry of Communications (DoT& DoP) and Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DONER)in 100 days of the Government in New Delhi. Secretary (Telecom), Secretary (Department of Post), Secretary DONER and senior officials of the ministries were present.

    Speaking at the Conference, Minister Scindia shared that “With the resolve of ‘Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa’ the India Post Department in the last 100 Days has focused on amplifying financial inclusion, incorporating new technology and applying a new approach to policy reforms.”

     

       

    Press Conference at National Media Centre

    The Department of Posts has accomplished significant milestones as part of its 100-day action plan, aimed at enhanced service delivery and operational efficiency for the benefit of the nation. Through a series of strategic initiatives, the Department has not only streamlined its services but also brought essential government schemes and programs closer to citizens, particularly in rural areas. From empowering rural exporters to creating a digital infrastructure for standardized addressing, the Department’s efforts have touched various facets of citizens’ lives. Key objectives such as holding more than 5000 Dak Chaupals, onboarding more than 3000 exporters on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra, launching DIGIPIN as pilot in 1 town & 10 villages have successfully been completed.

    Details on the above achievements:

    Dak Chaupal: Bringing services to rural doorsteps

    The Dak Chaupal initiative has proven to be a resounding success, with the Department organizing 15,163 Dak Chaupals nationwide, far surpassing the initial expectations. These Chaupals have facilitated vital government services directly at the rural level, engaging over 8.52 lakh citizens, with 44% of participants being women. The Dak Chaupal initiative enabled on-spot account opening, Aadhaar updates, and enrolment in various government schemes like Jan Suraksha, thereby significantly enhancing the accessibility of essential services in rural regions in a manner that actively contributes to the broader goals of “Vittiya Sashakhtikaran and Samaveshan”.

    Utersoo, Srinagar, J&K

    Mandapeta, Rajahmundry
     Andhra Pradesh Circle

     

    Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK): Boosting rural exports

     

    Under the Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) initiative, the Department on-boarded more than 3,400 new exporters to support rural and small-scale exporters. This program, closely aligned with the ‘One District—One Product’ initiative, has provided exporters with services such as market information, documentation support, and paperless customs clearance. By doing so, the DNK has empowered micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, and small businesses to access global markets through postal channels easily. In the past 100 days, over 1.07 lakh shipments were processed under the DNK scheme, resulting in Rs. 8.50 crore in postage revenue and an export value of Rs. 23.01 crore. Additionally, Seven Exporters awareness workshops involving DGFT, MSMEs, Export Promotion Councils, State authorities and exporters were also organized.

     

    Glimpses from the workshop on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra at Indore

     

     

    Standardized Geo-Coded Addressing System: Revolutionizing service delivery

    The Standardized Geo-Coded Addressing System has also made significant strides with successfully completing a pilot program in 10 villages and 1 town. This initiative aims to establish a digital public infrastructure for a standardized, geo-coded addressing system in India, which can simplify addressing solutions for citizen-centric delivery of public and private services to enable “Address as a Service” (AaaS) in India. This will simplify addressing across India by using automated DIGIPIN allocation using SVAMITVA data and other open-source GIS data. The beta version of DIGIPIN was launched on 19th July 2024, marking a key achievement in developing this system. The Department has forged key partnerships, including an MoU with the National Remote Sensing Centre (ISRO) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs, to further enhance this initiative.

     

    These partnerships aim to leverage advanced technologies and expertise to provide precise mapping and addressing solutions, ultimately revolutionizing service delivery across the country. This grid-based system will be a robust pillar of Geospatial Governance, leading to enhancements in public service delivery, faster emergency response, and a significant boost to logistics efficiency.

     

    The Post Office Act, 2023

     

    The Post Office Act, 2023 came into effect on 18th June 2024, replacing the Indian Post Office Act of 1898. This forward-thinking legislation has modernized the postal system, addressing both contemporary challenges and future needs. By focusing on improving customer experiences and service delivery mechanisms, the new Act positions the Department of Posts to be more responsive to the evolving requirements of citizens, embodying the principle of “Dak Sewa Jan Sewa.” The subordinate legislation, including the Post Office Rules, 2024 and Regulations 2024, are currently in the process of issuance.

     

    Indo-Africa Postal Leaders Meet

     

    Visit to India Post Mail Processing facility in  Mumbai

     

    Delegates at the closing ceremony of the

    India Africa Postal Leaders Meet

    The Indo-Africa Postal Leaders Meet, the first such event, was hosted by India from June 21st to 25th, 2024. It brought together over 50 senior delegates from 22 African countries, alongside representatives from the Universal Postal Union. The event highlighted India’s successful postal service model and underscored the critical role of postal services in financial inclusion and capacity building. It also opened new avenues for collaboration in postal technology and service delivery under the South-South and Triangular Cooperation framework.

    Delegates visit to Dak Chaupal in

    Navi Mumbai  Region

     

    Tracked Packet Service expansion

     

    On the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Postal Union Executive Council meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 17th Aug 2024, India Post & Thailand Post signed the commercial document for a competitive bilateral exchange of Tracked Packet service between the two countries. This is an important step towards promoting cross border e-commerce exports.

     

     

     

    DBT disbursal to beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana

     

    The scheme Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin, launched by the Maharashtra Government in June 2024, aims to provide financial assistance and empowerment to women in the state and provides for disbursal of Rs.1,500 every month to eligible women, among other benefits. The IPPB has successfully disbursed approximately 465.5 crores in accounts of 15.51 lakh beneficiaries.

     

    MoU between Department of Posts & Khadi and Village Industries Commission

     

    Unit Verification

    A New Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Posts & Khadi and Village Industries Commission on 20.8.2024 for Physical Verification of the units set up by first-generation entrepreneurs. This verification will facilitate the adjustment of government subsidy to the loan account of beneficiaries under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Around 1.35 lakh PMEGP units will be verified by the end of FY 2024-25. Proof of concept has been completed successfully, and Roll out for the actual Physical Verification process PAN India will start after the completion of training to Officials of the Department of Posts .

     

    Increasing E-Commerce footprint in the NER

     

    In a major boost to its e-commerce operations, the Department entered into a strategic partnership with Amazon on 27th June 2024 to enhance its delivery services across the Northeast Region (NER). Under this collaboration, consignments booked in Guwahati are seamlessly transmitted and delivered by the Department to all states in the region. The range of items being handled includes apparel, household goods, mobile accessories, beauty products, books, toys, appliances, and sporting goods among others. In just the last two months, approximately 35,000 consignments have been successfully booked, generating a revenue of Rs. 31 lakh. This partnership is a significant step towards strengthening the Department’s e-commerce capabilities in the NER, improving access to essential products, and boosting regional connectivity through its extensive postal network.

     

    Leveraging PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan

     

    The Department of Posts has gone live on the National Master Plan (NMP) portal, marking a key step in enhancing infrastructure and operational planning through geospatial technology. The Department now has its own dedicated layer on the NMP, alongside a separate portal embedded within it. Over 1.29 lakh assets of the Department have been mapped on this platform, organized into 14 data layers (4 administrative and 10 thematic) with detailed attributes for optimized decision-making.

    The use of layers and attributes of other Ministries/Departments on NMP and the Department of Posts’ layers by functional divisions/field formations of the Department will be a vital tool for functional divisions of the Department and administrative units for planning postal infrastructure and operations. Possible use cases are (a) visualization of all postal facilities on a single map for more efficient planning, (b) PIN code mapping, (c) route optimization (trucking routes, postmen’s beat), (d) planning outreach programmes for special schemes, (e) estates planning – ownership of land, category of land – forest etc.

     

     

    In consultation with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics       (BISAG-N), Gandhinagar, an application has also been developed free of cost for the Department of Posts. With this application, additional assets can be mapped on NMP and already mapped assets can be updated so that postal infrastructure data is the latest available data. Circle/Region/Division /Functional Divisions of the Postal Directorate will be able to use the data.

     

     

     

    Under the able guidance of the Hon’ble Minister of Communications Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Department of Posts seeks to enhance citizens’ quality of life and promote inclusive growth and development nationwide through these new initiatives.

     

    *****

    MG/PD/DP

    (Release ID: 2058028) Visitor Counter : 10

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript: Fireside Chat on Gun Violence Prevention

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in a Clinton Global Initiative fireside chat on gun violence prevention.

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

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

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page has photos of the event here.

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

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: So the issue we are about to talk about, gun violence, is urgent, complex, and multifaceted. Before we jump into some of the solutions and approaches you’ve taken in New York, I’d like to talk to you about how you’ve addressed the issue here. First to start out I’d like to talk about one of the countless tragedies that has befallen our state. The May 2022, mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, your hometown. Tell me what that was like and what actions you’ve taken as a result.

    Governor Hochul: Well, it was the most horrific event in Buffalo’s history and that was ten minutes from where I live. That was an area I’ve been to so many times. I knew the people. And to have an individual who was radicalized online, which again is another topic, but really important as to how people are developing these horrible, horrible thoughts. And his intent was to replicate the shooting in New Zealand just a few years before. So he learned how to do it online is the point.

    He was able to walk into a store on his 18th birthday and to be able to buy an AK-47. Okay? Buy it. Go over to Pennsylvania where they have different laws and a magazine enhancer so he could have the highest number of casualties possible. And what he did was he looked geographically to find the largest black population closest to him. It was 3 hours and 10 minutes to Buffalo, it would have been 3 hours and 20 minutes to Brooklyn. Or to, to the Bronx. So he was trying to find a population that he intentionally wanted to slaughter. He scoped out the location. He knew where he was going. And when I went there and saw the scene of that massacre and held weeping families and hugging them and just trying to give some comfort to them, I knew I had to do something in that moment. Dramatic. And change the whole dynamic, change every law I could in the State of New York. And that has been an inspiration to me, to know that can happen in an innocent place. A sunny day in May, where people are shopping for groceries, including a dad who is buying a birthday cake for his little girl’s third birthday that he never got to see. I’ve held that little girl. And this just tears at you. At a very human level.

    And all of us in government – we shouldn’t have to wait to have the kind of slaughter I saw in Buffalo or you experienced in covering Uvalde, and other people have day after day to a point where my fear is that people become desensitized to this and they don’t have that shock and that sense of urgency to do something. I don’t ever want to get to that place in this country because it would be a sad commentary on how far we’ve fallen.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: In the last few years, more than 20 states including New York, have passed new laws restricting how people can buy and carry guns but we’re seeing data that indicates there’s a thriving underground market for guns. Can you talk about the 2022 Interstate Task Force to stop the illegal trafficking of guns?

    Governor Hochul: When I took office three years ago, we were in the throes of a major crime wave nationwide, not just New York. It was a nationwide phenomena. And my husband was the United States Attorney for Barack Obama. And I saw how collaboration can help and eradicate crime. And I thought, why don’t we harness the power of not just New York State, but all of our neighbors? Because 80 percent of the guns in New York come from out of state. We don’t manufacture them. So there is a pipeline that’s bringing these guns right to the streets of New York, and we have to stop that.

    So I reached out to other Governors. We had nine at first. We now have 12 states that are all contiguous. And if we’re sharing data, identifying perpetrators, stopping them at the border, we can stop the flow of illegal guns from coming into our state. And the numbers have been incredibly successful.

    The number of gunned addictions about 9,500. We’ve taken 10,000 guns off the streets. These are numbers that were just escalating year after year until someone finally says, “We’re gonna work together. I’ll put the resources behind it.” We have spent over 800 million directly on gun interdiction measures and another billion dollars to help support our local communities for the gun violence disrupter program. So combined almost $2 billion into in three years to say no more, no more slaughter in my state.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Following our conversation here I’m going to dive in with our panelists on community based solutions and approaches that they’re doing on the ground throughout the country. We know that these solutions from the communities themselves are promising toward reducing gun related injuries and killings. In a similar vein from your perch what do you see as promising solutions and approaches to the issue?

    Governor Hochul: It does absolutely come down to engaging the community. They’re the ones who are victimized. They’re the ones who often see perpetrators. They’re the ones who have evidence that can come forward.

    But also, how do we change the hearts and minds of particularly young men? Young kids in these neighborhoods who think that the only alternative they have is to be part of a gang because they’re not getting the love and nurture they need at home. This becomes their family. And that is what’s so tragic about this.

    But, what you can do with these violence disruptor programs, and we funded so many of them, all across the state – is that oftentimes these might be former gang members, these are people who’ve been involved with the law. And so they’re the ones who have the story to say, don’t make the same mistake I did. And if we fund them and increase the number of them in every community, they are making a real difference. So I’m going to continue focusing on not just the law enforcement side, which has been quite extraordinary.

    And back to changing our laws, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a law that we had on the books for over 100 years. A concealed carry law that says you should not be able to walk into this venue right now with a gun in your pocket, go on our subways, walk around Times Square. And the Supreme Court took that power away from me as the Governor of New York to protect my citizens. And I said, the next day, we’re fighting back. We’re going to structure a different law. We’ll go right up to the line. to where we can go and now we’ve identified sensitive locations, which is a large part of New York where you cannot carry a gun, including Times Square and houses of worship and other places. So I had to come around and do an end run basically around what the Supreme Court was trying to do, taking away my rights.

    So the violence disruptor programs, the massive funding into law enforcement, the community policing, the interdiction at the borders with our consortium is making a difference to a point where our murders are down almost to the 1960s levels, which is extraordinary. In one year, we had, in 1990, we had 2,600 murders in the State of New York. We’re trending to be about 350 this year. Look at the difference in that. It’s gone. Shootings are down 47 percent since I became Governor because we had an intentional strategy that said, “We’re not going to lose any more lives senselessly to guns.”

    And again the laws are so important the laws that we have on the books – the red flag laws. We had about 1,300 Extreme Risk Protection Orders – when you identify someone who shows a propensity to do harm to themselves or to others, someone sees that red flag – a school counselor, a family member, a, law enforcement, a principal, a teacher, someone’s seeing this behavior, someone’s watching it. And they don’t think they have the power to do something about it. But we said, “You do have the power.” And by changing the law to say you are required to notify the authorities so they can identify whether they have access to a gun, we have had a 1,300 percent increase in the number of Extreme Risk Protection Orders where other states aren’t doing anything.

    And I need to, this should be a national policy. This should be a national policy passed by Congress because we have taken guns out of the hands that we know from people that could do harm to others before there’s a tragedy that happens. This is what smart policies are all about. Getting there before you have to go to another funeral of a child. And that’s what I want to continue doing here in New York. And I hope other states will follow suit.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: The Supreme Court stands poised to knock down any legislation, attempts to legislate the gun violence epidemic. You mentioned going right up to the line. What is that line? What can you do? What can’t you do?

    Governor Hochul: We weren’t allowed to ban concealed carry weapons, but I put in place more restrictions on who can apply for them. We are able to look at your social media. That’s where people are telegraphing what they’re going to do. That was our Buffalo killer. It was all out there on social media. It’s often out there. People are telegraphing what they’re going to do. And if you can’t be aware of that and you can’t see what’s out there about them, then you’re not protecting yourself or society.

    My number one job as Governor of the State is to protect our citizens. Full stop. And this is part of that strategy. So we made – we have more requirements on background checks. Our background checks are very strong, but even if someone is able to secure a concealed weapon permit and many of them are legitimate, there’s people in security and there are legitimate purposes that I will agree with, but it’s time, place and manner.

    And again, I don’t want them on the streets of New York. I don’t think that’s appropriate. I don’t think it should be in a schoolyard. That’s not appropriate. A playground. So many places, they don’t make that. So we went right, when they said, I can’t ban them, I said, but they threw some words about sensitive places and I define sensitive places in New York and our law is holding, so far.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: You mentioned violence diversion programs. What’s entailed in these programs?

    Governor Hochul: We fund an enormous number of these. We know the neighborhoods where they need them. These are individuals who – community based organizations, SNUG is one of them. It’s just “guns” spelled backwards.

    It’s one I was familiar with in Buffalo, New York. Like I said, I was – I have a family member in law enforcement, a prosecutor, and I saw the power of these organizations when they got together. I did a lot of events with them. We announced a lot of funding for them all over the state. And what they do is, they develop relationships.

    They intervene because if a young person has a strong role model at home, both parents, one parent, grandparents, someone that’s taking care of them and watching them and knows where they are after school and keep an eye on them. There’s not likely to be a problem, but that’s not the reality for so many families in so many of our communities.

    The parents have to work, the mom has to work, and there’s no one there after school. And this is where the temptation is great to find alternatives. These members, like I said, many of them have done time themselves. They can speak truth to what they saw. They’re credible messengers that are the only ones who can break through and make a difference.

    And they’ve been successful and I’ll keep supporting them over and over again as part of a holistic strategy. But another part of that strategy deals with mental health. We have seen the radicalization of people on social media, but also our teenagers are – many of them are despairing. And I’ve seen this because I’ve convened countless roundtables with teenagers over the last year as I look at social media, the effect it has on their well being, how they feel about themselves, and also cell phones in schools.

    This is an issue I’m looking intensely at because kids are spiraling. They’re not paying attention in class. They’re being bullied all day long. They don’t have a break from it. And one young woman said to me at one of our forums, “You have to save us from ourselves. You have to help us. You have to stand up and say we shouldn’t be doing this because we can’t do it alone.”

    So that’s only tangentially related to gun violence, but it also goes to the psychology of people. And if we’re not helping children and teenagers be healthy now, what are we supposed to expect from them when they turn to adults? We’re supposed to not just raise children, but raise adults who are healthy and fully functioning and have human connections that they’re being denied right now. The way this device has taken over their lives.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: I have to wrap up here. But one more question. If there’s one key message that you’d the audience here, to walk away with, what would it be?

    Governor Hochul: We have seen in New York State, that leadership that is committed to ensuring that you look at all the levers at our disposal, the platforms we have, the ability to change.

    There are ways that we can stop gun violence in this country. We can be like the other countries who are gathering in our city right now that don’t know a fraction of the shootings we have. It’s accessibility to guns. I continue to call on Congress to do the right thing and reinstate the ban on assault weapons that was so effective for an entire decade until it was repealed.

    That’s number one. Call on other states to do as we’ve done with the red flag law. Just pass what we did here in New York and you could have prevented so many of the mass shootings. Every time you look at and analyze the social media and the footprint that’s out there for these shooters, it’s always telegraphed in advance.

    You can – and they – and there’s always someone who says, “Yeah, I thought that kid was – Something wrong was there.” The evidence is there. We have to give people the responsibility to report it to law enforcement. Let them get the order of protection. And let’s start protecting people. That’s what this is all about.

    I would say, don’t give up hope. The situation is dire. It is spiraling. One more mass shooting on the news is just making us sick and it’s taking us to a dark place, but it does not have to be that way. I reject the notion that this has to be our destiny. There are policies out there that are working.

    Otherwise, how do we cut shootings down 47 percent? This is all since I’ve been Governor in just a few years. Look at the impact that we have had here in the State of New York. I want every state to be just like that. And then we start reclaiming our kids and our safety and the mental health that we need to know that we are safe in our country.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Governor Hochul, thank you so much for being here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP Announces Broker’s For Sale Listing of Vantage at Hutto

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP (NYSE: GHI) (the “Partnership”) announced today that Vantage at Hutto, a 288-unit market rate multifamily property located in Hutto, TX (the “Property”), has been publicly listed for sale by Institutional Property Advisors Texas at the direction of the Property-owning entity’s managing member. The Partnership’s non-controlling investment in the Property was originated in November 2020 and the Partnership has contributed equity totaling $11.8 million during construction and stabilization. Construction of the Property was completed in December 2023. The Property reported 89% physical occupancy as of August 31, 2024. If the listing process is consistent with past Vantage property sales and a sale contract is successfully executed, then the Partnership expects the sale of the Property to occur in the first quarter of 2025. Current market volatility and potential future market developments may delay the expected timing of the sale and may negatively impact the final sales price for the Property.

    Consistent with past Vantage property sales, the managing member controls the listing and sales process under the terms of the Property owning entity’s operating agreement (the “Operating Agreement”). The Partnership will be entitled to certain net proceeds upon the successful completion of a sale of the Property in accordance with the Operating Agreement.

    About Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP

    Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP was formed in 1998 under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act for the primary purpose of acquiring, holding, selling and otherwise dealing with a portfolio of mortgage revenue bonds which have been issued to provide construction and/or permanent financing for affordable multifamily, seniors and student housing properties. The Partnership is pursuing a business strategy of acquiring additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments on a leveraged basis. The Partnership expects and believes the interest earned on these mortgage revenue bonds is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The Partnership seeks to achieve its investment growth strategy by investing in additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments as permitted by its Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement, dated December 5, 2022, taking advantage of attractive financing structures available in the securities market, and entering into interest rate risk management instruments. Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP press releases are available at www.ghiinvestors.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Information contained in this press release contains “forward-looking statements,” which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks involving current maturities of our financing arrangements and our ability to renew or refinance such maturities, fluctuations in short-term interest rates, collateral valuations, mortgage revenue bond investment valuations and overall economic and credit market conditions. For a further list and description of such risks, see the reports and other filings made by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. The Partnership disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    INVESTOR CONTACT:
    Andy Grier
    Senior Vice President
    402-952-1235

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Karen Marotta
    Greystone
    212-896-9149
    Karen.Marotta@greyco.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: OceanFirst Financial Corp. Schedules Earnings Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OceanFirst Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:OCFC), the holding company for OceanFirst Bank, today announced that it will issue its earnings release for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 on Thursday, October 17, 2024 after market close. Management will then conduct a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, on Friday, October 18, 2024 to discuss highlights of the Company’s quarterly operating performance.

    The direct dial number for the call is 1-833-470-1428, toll free, using the access code 257920. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available. To access the replay, dial 1-866-813-9403, Access Code 120573, from one hour after the end of the call until November 15, 2024.

    The conference call will also be available (listen-only) by accessing the Company’s Web address: www.oceanfirst.com – Investor Relations. Web users should go to the site at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download, and install any necessary audio software. The webcast will be available for at least 30 days.

    OceanFirst Financial Corp.’s subsidiary, OceanFirst Bank N.A., founded in 1902, is a $13.3 billion regional bank providing financial services throughout New Jersey and the major metropolitan markets of Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and Boston. OceanFirst Bank delivers commercial and residential financing, treasury management, trust and asset management, and deposit services and is one of the largest and oldest community-based financial institutions headquartered in New Jersey.

    OceanFirst Financial Corp.’s press releases are available at http://www.oceanfirst.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    In addition to historical information, this news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the Company. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “view,” “opportunity,” “potential,” or similar expressions or expressions of confidence. The Company’s ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries include, but are not limited to: changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, levels of unemployment in the Bank’s lending area, real estate market values in the Bank’s lending area, future natural disasters and increases to flood insurance premiums, the level of prepayments on loans and mortgage-backed securities, legislative/regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in the Company’s market area and accounting principles and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent securities filings and should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw Reviews Key Film Sector Institutions in Mumbai

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw Reviews Key Film Sector Institutions in Mumbai

    Union Minister Shri Vaishnaw Reviews Progress of National Centre of Excellence in Animation; Emphasizes Complete Industry Orientation for the AVGC Sector

    Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 6:39PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 23 September 2024

     

    Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Ashwini Vaishnawvisited the NFDC campus in Mumbai today to conduct an extensive review of the activities of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC).

    During his visit, the Minister also visited the National Museum of Indian Cinema including the heritage building of Gulshan Mahal. The exhibits showcase the rich and diverse heritage of Indian films, from the silent era to the present day, highlighting the immense contribution of cinema to the nation’s cultural fabric.

    Chairperson, CBFC, Shri Prasoon Joshi briefed the Minister on the latest initiatives in the certification process and the film industry as a whole.

    The Minister in his review emphasised on the efforts required to enhance employment in the film sector manifold. He called for the formulation of plans that create high-quality jobs and are also commercially viable. He also took the opportunity to commend the NFDC-NFAI  (National Film Archives of India) for the exemplary work in restoring and preserving India’s cinematic heritage.

    He sought to further strengthen the efforts to safeguard films that are a crucial part of the country’s cultural and historical legacy, ensuring that future generations can enjoy and learn from this rich artistic heritage. He also emphasized the need for complete industry orientation in the activities being undertaken in the setting up of the National Centre of Excellence in AVGC sector. 

    Shri Vaishnaw also reviewed the progress of the National Centre of Excellence in Animation, stressing the importance of animation and visual effects as growing sectors within the Indian entertainment industry.

    Director General, Western Region, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ms. Smita Vats Sharma, Managing Director (NFDC), Prithul Kumar, CEO (CBFC)Rajendra Singhand other officials of NFDC and CBFC were also present.

    During his visit event the Minister also planted asapling in the premises of NFDC under the initiative ‘Ek Ped MaaKeNaam’.

     

    * * *

    PIB Mumbai | DL/ DR

    Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai   pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com  /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai

    (Release ID: 2057982) Visitor Counter : 69

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News