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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Strengthening Alliances Through Learning, NPS Hosts European International Alumni Symposium

    Source: United States Navy

    The symposium, sponsored in part by the Department of State as part of the U.S. International Military Education Training (IMET) program, is in direct support of the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s strategic priorities to strengthen international alliances for collective defense. It also supports the “Enhance Partnerships” objective in the Naval Education Strategy by offering opportunities to learn alongside our allies and partners, which is a key component to succeeding in deterring conflict and the strategic power competition.

    “In so many ways, [educational institutions] are the engines of what happens in the future,” said Adm. Stuart Munsch, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, during his welcoming remarks. “They not only equip individuals with the skill sets to think about particular knowledge areas but, more broadly, to think critically and strategically. These institutions are what provide this foundation for our future, and the Naval Postgraduate School is among them.”

    Building on the Indo-Pacific NPS Alumni Symposium held last year, the European symposium agenda spanned a full three days, packed with plenary sessions, panels, and keynote addresses, which included discussions ranging from energy security and space systems to contested logistics and climate change. NPS faculty presented and discussed cutting-edge research in emerging defense technologies, furthering academic collaboration, shared learning, and strategic engagement with international partners.

    Beyond the formal sessions and professional exchange, the symposium also provided an opportunity to advance important relationships, maritime statecraft, and reconnect NPS with its global community of alumni.

    “These relationships matter and continuing to cultivate them matters because our alumni network is a vital resource,” said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander and Commander, U.S. European Command. “It provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and foster innovation all around the globe.”

    In addition to robust discussions on security and defense, participants valued the chance to reconnect with former classmates, professors, and new colleagues from across Europe.

    “NPS helped us reach a deeper understanding of where we’re going together. In terms of cooperative security and collective defense right now, NPS is very well represented in key positions in NATO, not only in the operational side of the house but also in the future planning,” said Maj. Gen. Claudiu Dobocan, commander, Romanian Special Operations Command and a 2004 NPS Defense Analysis graduate. “NPS is on the forefront for relation building but also on the front of conceptual theories which will push forward NATO and U.S. instruments.”

    Among the many discussions held during the event, one key session focused on climate and energy security in Europe, featuring panelist Kristen Fletcher of NPS’ Energy Academic Group who highlighted important ongoing research in the field. Symposium attendees and NPS faculty visited the Schneefernerhaus Environmental Research Station, Germany’s highest environmental research facility, where they learned about the facility’s history and ongoing climate research, which furthered the discussion.

    “This symposium has given us the chance to share global perspectives on climate security,” Fletcher said. “The research shared with us today on increasing greenhouse gas emissions, along with physical observations of a nearly depleted glacier, highlights the need for awareness and partnerships to understand the impacts of climate change on military missions.”

    As the symposium concluded, participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reunite with old colleagues, meet new ones, and discuss shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

    NPS attracts students from around the globe, advancing their skills while also supporting the development of enduring personal connections. International alumni symposiums focus on strengthening those relationships while addressing present-day challenges, reaffirming the collective dedication to global security.

    “NPS gives us the opportunity to connect people from different countries, different cultures, building trust and the feeling that we are stronger together,” said 2024 Security Studies graduate Tea Nikolashvili, director, Defense Institution Building School, Ministry of Defense, Georgia. “Symposiums like this are an additional opportunity for us to communicate with our peers and widen our perspectives as well as build professional networks, supporting both national and international security objectives and implementation processes.”

    The event was organized by NPS’ International Graduate Programs Office (IGPO) with additional support from the NPS Foundation and Alumni Association. More than 7,000 students from nearly 130 countries have graduated from NPS since 1954. 

    “None of us are as strong as all of us,” said Danial Pick, director of IGPO. “Allied countries send their best to NPS, and they contribute so much to our learning beyond their coursework and research to enhance our culture and strengthen future alliances, which are so important today.” 

    Through the institution’s unique, defense-focused graduate education and research programs and a student body reaching all corners of the globe, NPS continues to drive knowledge and relevant innovation to enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States as well as its international partners. 

    “It was a privilege to collaborate with senior military representatives and NPS alumni from around the globe to discuss and execute the importance of strategic engagement among international partners,” said NPS President retired Vice. Adm. Ann Rondeau. “I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who worked diligently to ensure the symposium was a success, especially to the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and Director retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Barre R. Seguin for graciously co-hosting our first NPS European International Alumni Symposium – it was a great team effort!” 

    NPS, located in Monterey, California, provides defense-focused graduate education, including classified studies and interdisciplinary research, to advance the operational effectiveness, technological leadership, and warfighting advantage of the Naval service. Established in 1909, NPS offers master’s and doctorate programs to Department of Defense military and civilians, along with international partners, to deliver transformative solutions and innovative leaders through advanced education and research. For more information, visit NPS at https://nps.edu.

    Check out highlights and hear from symposium attendees in this recap of NPS’ first-ever European International Alumni Symposium, https://youtu.be/KSJq5QHAoC8. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed appointed chair of CHM for another four years as three commissioners reappointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The appointment will involve a time commitment of 33 days per year. Remuneration for the role will be at a rate of £500 per attendance and preparation for meetings.

    Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed has been appointed chair of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) for another four years, from 12 February, 2025.

    The CHM is an advisory non-departmental public body which is sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

    The CHM advises ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines.

    Three commissioners have been reappointed:

    • Professor Marc Turner and Professor Christopher Weir have been reappointed to for a further four years from 5 July, 2024.

    • Professor Poulam Patel has been reappointed for a further two years from 5 July 2024. 

    The appointments will involve a time commitment of approximately 22 days per year, including 11 meetings. Remuneration for the roles will be at a rate of £325 per meeting.

    All appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments.

    The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

    The appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.

    None of the appointees have declared any political activity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Survey “Socio-psychological well-being”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    The research and communication platform “Caring Person” is conducting a sociological survey “Socio-psychological well-being” from October 25 to November 17.

    Students, teachers, and administrators of higher education institutions can share their feelings about their university and what areas need to be changed. Students can also assess their employment prospects after graduation.

    Your opinion is important and directly influences the future development of the university!

    Link to the survey

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Endless U.S. plotting pushes Panama to seek more global cooperation, says expert

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Decades of the U.S. plotting to make profits at the price of Panama’s interests has pushed the Central American country to seek more global cooperation, a Panama-based international relations expert has said.

    Julio Yao, former foreign policy advisor to the late Panamanian leader General Omar Torrijos, recalled the history of nonstop U.S. intervention in Panama since the turn of the 20th century in a recent interview with Xinhua.

    Panama gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and from Colombia in 1903, though the latter was in essence “a deception” devised by the United States to gain control of the strategic Panama Canal, Yao said.

    “From that moment on, the United States took over the so-called Canal Zone,” starting a long string of unfortunate events for Panama, he said.

    On top of the list was the attempt to establish the failed Kellogg-Alfaro treaty in the 1920s, which was rejected because it aimed to legalize the presence of U.S. troops on Panamanian soil.

    “That treaty completely turned Panama into a U.S. military base, that is, a military springboard for the rest of Latin America,” the expert said.

    Nevertheless, unilateral interventions by the United States persisted in Panama, he said.

    For much of the 1970s, the U.S. government was “permanently” pressuring Panama to grant it protection and defense rights over the canal in perpetuity, Yao recalled.

    At the time, the career diplomat was advising Torrijos and then Foreign Minister Juan Antonio Tack in drafting treaties, such as the 1974 Tack-Kissinger Declaration, which made a point of setting a deadline on the U.S. occupation of the canal.

    “Why did we have to emphasize the fixed deadline? Because the Americans always deceived Panama with a later date and never left Panama,” Yao said.

    In September 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed by Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, establishing that the Panama Canal would be turned over to Panamanian control on Dec. 31, 1999.

    Prior to that, the U.S. “obsession” with controlling the Panama Canal occasionally turned “explosive,” Yao said.

    On Dec. 20, 1989, a date now known as the Day of National Mourning, U.S. troops invaded Panama to capture Panamanian General Manuel Noriega, later convicting him of drug trafficking and money laundering.

    To break with the past, Yao said he believes that Panama should look to more “humanist,” multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS.

    Such mechanisms have created a counterweight to hegemonic power in several aspects, said the expert.

    “The United States is really in a very ruinous position,” Yao said, noting that at such a juncture, concepts such as the Global South are relevant today since they shelve religious or political differences in favor of promoting joint development.

    The Global South is “a good concept” because it addresses many similar situations in Africa, Latin America and even the Middle East, Yao said.

    People want to emerge from underdevelopment or the lack of development, and to that end, BRICS countries have taken “the right path” towards global development, through measures that go beyond resolving local or regional issues, he said.

    “I firmly believe in BRICS and I believe very firmly in the Global South,” Yao said.

    “If you look at the new foreign policy of some African countries, they are on the right track. That is a great awakening for a region that has been very impoverished, very dominated, very interfered with, very manipulated, so I think there is reason to feel optimistic,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: AI Company Brand Engagement Network Announces Agreement to Acquire German Media Technology Leader Cataneo Gmbh

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    JACKSON, Wyo., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brand Engagement Network, Inc.(BEN) (NASDAQ: BNAI), a global leader in secure and reliable conversational AI solutions for businesses and consumers, today announced it has agreed to acquire 100% of Cataneo Gmbh (Cataneo), a privately-owned media technology company based in Munich, Germany, in a cash and stock transaction.

    Cataneo, a leader in media technology, offers an all-in-one solution for ad sales, inventory management, and campaign optimization. The company has been profitable throughout the years, with its platform helping broadcast and entertainment companies streamline operations, increase revenue, and enhance audience engagement. By integrating BEN’s advanced Generative AI, Cataneo is poised to strengthen its offerings and deliver even greater value to its brands and customers.

    Cataneo’s Mydas platform is a rapidly growing, highly sophisticated air-time sales management and ad traffic system managing over 5 billion euros in annual media spending. Supporting over 5,000 users and more than 1,000 media brands across four continents, the Mydas platform operates on a robust recurring revenue model. It offers a fully integrated, 100% SaaS cloud solution consolidating all advertising inventories into a common currency on a single platform.

    Combined Synergies Enhance Conversational Gen-AI for Global Media Brands

    “We believe the combination of BEN’s safe, intelligent, and scalable Generative AI platform, with Cataneo’s Mydas tools, can transformhow brands engage with their customers,” said Paul Chang, Chief Executive Officer of BEN. “This acquisition marks a significant step towards the future of interactive advertising, where consumers are not just marketed to, but actively engaged with, leading to more meaningful and enhanced online experiences.”

    Cataneo’s Chief Executive Officer, Renato Rocha Pinto, expressed his excitement about the partnership. He stated, “We believe combining our technologies will significantly enhance consumer engagement and substantially benefit our global clients. BEN’s AI has the capability to generate deep insights and explore innovative consumer engagement opportunities across various media outlets, extending beyond traditional platforms.”

    The acquisition underscores BEN’s commitment to strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions, enabling BEN to expand the reach of its core AI platform to over 1,000 media brands. This positions BEN to lead the next generation of conversational Gen-AI engagement, providing consumers with real-time, accurate, and helpful information across various channels, including while on the move and driving.

    While Cataneo will continue to serve its existing clients independently, the company plans to collaborate closely with BEN to integrate AI into its internal processes and provide enhanced customer tools. The combined strength of BEN’s Generative AI and Cataneo’s platform is expected to expand Cataneo’s global presence significantly.

    Transaction Details
    The total purchase price for the acquisition is $19.5 million, comprised of $9.0 million in cash and 4.2 million shares of BEN common stock at an agreed-upon value of $2.50 per share. Depending on certain conditions before closing, a portion of the shares may be converted into the right to receive up to $3.0 million in cash.   Upon closing, Cataneo will become a wholly owned subsidiary of BEN, with plans to expand operations in the U.S. and Latin America. This acquisition positions both companies for significant growth in the broadcast and agency premium advertising workflow management solutions market, a $2.0 billion segment within the broader $45 billion global media technology market. Renato Rocha Pinto will continue as Cataneo’s Chief Executive Officer after the acquisition.

    The transaction is subject to securing financing on mutually agreeable terms and obtaining customary regulatory approvals and guarantees by certain BEN shareholders. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    For more information about BEN’s safe, intelligent, scalable AI, please visit  www.beninc.ai. For details about Cataneo, please visit www.cataneo.tv.

    About BEN
    Brand Engagement Network is a global leader providing secure and reliable conversational AI solutions for businesses and consumers. With offices in Jackson, Wyoming, and Seoul, South Korea, BEN offers a powerful and flexible platform that enhances customer experiences, boosts productivity, and delivers business value. At the heart of BEN’s offerings are AI-powered digital assistants and lifelike avatars, providing more personal and engaging experiences through browsers, mobile applications, and even life-size kiosks. These safe, intelligent, and inherently scalable AI solutions empower businesses to efficiently serve customers using validated data delivered through SaaS, Private Cloud, and On-Premises technology. BEN’s commitment to data sovereignty ensures that consumer and business data remain private, protected, and wholly owned by the respective parties. BEN’s mission is to make AI friendly and helpful for all, ensuring more people benefit from the AI-enhanced world.

    About Cataneo
    Cataneo is a global provider of comprehensive media management solutions for linear, non-linear, and digital media, headquartered in Munich, Germany. Cataneo’s platform is highly customizable and scalable and offers end-to-end solutions for advertising sales, traffic management, and campaign optimization across multiple media channels. With over two decades of experience, Cataneo supports over 1,000 media brands across 200+ channels in 4 continents, providing cutting-edge tools for inventory management, yield optimization, and programmatic ad sales. The company’s flagship platform, MYDAS, empowers media businesses to optimize revenues and streamline operations with advanced data analytics, CRM integration, and real-time reporting. Cataneo’s mission is to bridge the gap between media buyers, sellers, and platforms, offering a unified ecosystem for seamless media transactions and enhanced audience engagement.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results, including the closing and anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Cataneo (the “Cataneo Acquisition”). Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.

    There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: (i) uncertainties as to the timing of the Cataneo Acquisition; (ii) the risk that the Cataneo Acquisition may not be completed on the anticipated terms in a timely manner or at all; (iii) the failure to satisfy any of the conditions to the consummation of the Cataneo Acquisition, including the ability to obtain financing to fund the Cataneo Acquisition on terms that are agreeable to the parties or at all; (iv) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the Cataneo Acquisition may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals) or required major shareholder guarantees; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the purchase agreement; (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement on BEN’s ability to retain and hire key personnel, its ability to maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, or its operating results and business generally; (vii) risks related to diverting management’s attention from BEN’s ongoing business operations; (viii) uncertainty as to the timing of completion of the Cataneo Acquisition; (ix) risks that the benefits of the Cataneo Acquisition are not realized when and as expected; and (x) (A) the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and (B) the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

    Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact 
    Amy Rouyer
    BEN – Safe, Intelligent, Scalable AI
    E: amy@beninc.ai
    P: 503-367-7596

    Investor Relations
    Christine Marchuska
    E: ir@beninc.ai
    P: 917-232-0852

    Source: Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (BEN)

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: More than 30 thousand primary healthcare facilities will be modernized in 2025–2030

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    October 30, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    October 30, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    October 30, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    October 30, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    October 30, 2024

    Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the plenary session of the 3rd National Congress with International Participation “National Healthcare”

    October 30, 2024

    At the end of the plenary session, the winners of the All-Russian competition of young leaders – healthcare organizers were awarded

    October 30, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

    The central event of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” took place in the Great Hall of the State Kremlin Palace – the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the Present Day”, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scientist and physician.

    The plenary session of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was opened by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

    The moderator of the plenary session was Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. The event was attended by Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova, Governor of the Orenburg Region Denis Pasler, and TV presenter of the Russia 24 TV channel Alexandra Suvorova.

    The plenary session included a discussion of key areas of development and achievements of the Russian healthcare system through the prism of the merits of the outstanding Soviet healthcare organizer N.A. Semashko: development of human health; accessibility of medical care regardless of place of residence; unity of prevention and treatment; public involvement in the implementation of state policy in the field of healthcare; ensuring sanitary well-being; healthcare management from a scientific point of view; provision of affordable healthy food for everyone and modern affordable medical products.

    “The peculiarity of this congress was its dedication to one of the significant organizers, the first People’s Commissar of Health Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, who laid the foundations of the world’s first state health care system and formed a hierarchical state centralized model with a district principle of providing primary health care, which was subsequently implemented in many countries of the world – Great Britain, Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and others. We carried the main principles of Semashko’s system through the years and laid them at the foundation of our Russian health care system,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.

    The state character of the Russian healthcare system, its free nature and accessibility for citizens, has been preserved.

    “Every year, the state’s expenses on paying for medical care alone increase and by the end of 2023 amounted to 4 trillion rubles. Over the past five years, compared to 2018, expenses on paying for medical care have increased by 1.5 trillion rubles. And by the end of 2024, such expenses are preliminarily estimated at 4.5 trillion rubles,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    Currently, medical care is provided by 7 thousand state and municipal medical organizations, including more than 300 federal ones.

    The federal law “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation” establishes an approach to the formation of human health from birth and throughout the entire period of his life.

    The entire population of our country is attached to medical organizations. And at least 118 million people use their capabilities annually, including almost 31 million children. Medical organizations annually perform more than 1 billion cases of medical care.

    As Tatyana Golikova noted, in order to implement the main principle of Soviet medicine – disease prevention and prophylaxis – since 2024, the volume of medical care provided in outpatient settings has been increased, and dispensary observation at the workplace has been introduced. “But so far only 36 regions of our country have taken advantage of this opportunity. I ask all regions to more actively implement this approach to dispensary observation,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. She emphasized that the principle of accessibility of medical care at the place of residence, work or study is the main one in Russian legislation.

    Accessibility of medical care and its provision itself are impossible without medical personnel. “Until 2023, we noted a decrease in the number of doctors. Therefore, a whole range of measures was implemented at the federal level, which allowed us, by the end of 2023, for the first time in the last five years, to stop this decline and increase the number of doctors by 7.5 thousand people without taking into account new regions,” Tatyana Golikova emphasized.

    Developing and continuing the foundations laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, the primary health care system is being actively modernized, which in 1978 was recognized by the World Health Organization as the best in the world, which was recorded in a specially adopted declaration. Therefore, the federal project for the modernization of the primary health care system is the most resource-intensive project of the new national project “Long and Active Life”.

    “Over the past three years, we have already modernized over 18,000 healthcare facilities, which affected over 24 million of our citizens. By the end of 2025, within the framework of current regional programs, we will modernize almost 2,000 more facilities. The plans for 2025-2030 include over 30,000 more facilities, where over 80 million residents of the country receive medical care, including those living in rural areas, urban-type settlements and small towns,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

    The priority of prevention in health protection has been established by law, the unity of prevention and treatment has been regulated. Almost 5 thousand medical prevention departments and health centers have been opened in its development. 35.5 million people have applied to these departments for training in the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Another 9 million people have been trained in so-called schools.

    The population is provided with medical examinations and preventive check-ups.

    Since 2024, as part of the Year of the Family, a medical examination to assess reproductive health has been introduced for the first time. Over 3 million men and women of reproductive age have already been examined. In 11% of cases, diseases that negatively affect reproductive function were detected. Additional examination and treatment of such patients is being carried out.

    “We have preserved and strengthened the state system of ensuring sanitary well-being and social hygiene, the foundations of which were laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich. We have launched a new federal project, “Sanitary Shield of the Country”. We have formed a single centralized system for responding to possible infectious threats. As a result, we have ensured a multiple reduction in infectious diseases. Last year alone, such a reduction was 30%. More than 17 million cases of infectious pathology were prevented,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    Since 2019, a separate project aimed at promoting healthy eating has been implemented within the framework of the national project “Demography”. The project’s activities have already covered more than 40 million people.

    Research for the development of medical science is conducted by over 400 scientific, medical and educational organizations. These organizations perform almost 5.5 thousand studies for medicine. 120 billion rubles have been allocated from various sources for these purposes.

    “We have created conditions for the development of the medical and pharmaceutical industries. In 2023 alone, Russian medical products worth over 1 trillion rubles were produced,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    The participants of the discussion presented information in the format of “was – became – will be” on each thematic area of the session: since the time of N.A. Semashko, achievements of the present time and what will be implemented in the future, in focus on the advantages of the Soviet and Russian health care system and the replication of the Soviet experience of building a health care system in other countries.

    The final plenary session included an award ceremony for the winners of the All-Russian Competition of Young Leaders – Healthcare Organizers. The competition was held by the Central Research Institute of Healthcare and Informatics with the support of the Ministry of Healthcare. The award ceremony was held by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko.

    The plenary session ended with an opera ball featuring artists from the Helikon Opera musical theatre.

    The third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was held with the support of the Russian Government. The event was organized by the Ministry of Healthcare and the Roscongress Foundation. The organizational partner of the event was the Central Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Informatization of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov held a meeting with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Denis Manturov held a meeting with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko

    First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko, with whom he discussed issues of industrial development in the region.

    In particular, the head of the region told Denis Manturov about the progress of the project to build a branch of the CITO high-tech prosthetics center in Omsk. Assistance here will be provided, in particular, to wounded SVO participants.

    In addition, the meeting discussed an important project of the Titan Group of Companies for the region. Last year, the company began implementing a large-scale investment project to create a new EP-600 olefin complex in Omsk, which will create up to a thousand additional jobs in the region, as well as increase tax revenues to the budget and create a raw material base for industrialists and consumer goods manufacturers. The total volume of expected investments in the project is over 500 billion rubles.

    The meeting also discussed a project to organize serial production of promising small-sized turbojet engines based on the branch of JSC UEC – the Omsk Engine-Building Association named after P.I. Baranov.

    Vitaly Khotsenko thanked the First Deputy Prime Minister for assistance in regularly updating the vehicle fleets of schools and hospitals in the region as per the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In recent years, 342 school buses and 176 ambulances have arrived in Omsk Oblast. Denis Manturov expressed his readiness to continue to provide support to the region in this matter.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hydropower engineers discussed new developments and technologies at the Polytechnic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 30, the Polytechnic University opened the 16th RusHydro scientific and technical conference “Hydropower. Hydraulic engineering. New developments and technologies.” Over 600 experts from 200 Russian and foreign organizations will discuss the most important problems of the industry over three days. The event was organized by PJSC RusHydro, JSC VNIIG im. B. E. Vedeneyev, and SPbPU.

    The conference “Hydropower. Hydraulic engineering. New developments and technologies” is the largest industry event in our country for specialists in the field of hydropower and hydraulic engineering.

    The event is attended by specialists from RusHydro hydroelectric power plants and other hydroelectric power plants in the country, representatives of hydraulic engineering construction industries, as well as employees of Russian universities, research institutes in the construction field, marine and port facilities, and transport infrastructure. Experts from other countries also speak at the conference.

    At the opening of the conference, the greeting from the Chairman of the Board – General Director of PJSC RusHydro Viktor Khmarin was read by his First Deputy – Chief Engineer of RusHydro Sergey Kondratyev.

    Hydrotechnics and hydropower engineering respond to the challenges of the time and develop in accordance with the course taken on technological registers. In the conditions of growing demand for electric energy, we are faced with even more ambitious tasks today. The construction of modern power plants requires new solutions. This gives scientists and engineers an incentive for development and creates a wide field for research activities, the application of innovations. I am confident that a constructive exchange of opinions will allow us to develop practical recommendations and proposals that will contribute to the successful development of the country and the industry as a whole, said Sergey Kondratyev.

    The first projector of SPbPU, Vitaly Sergeev, gave a welcoming speech.

    This conference always arouses great interest. And it has already become a good tradition that such a large-scale event is regularly held at our university. The Polytechnic University has always been famous for its great scientists in the field of hydropower and hydraulic engineering. The Civil Engineering Institute is now the legal successor of the hydrotechnical faculty and maintains its reputation, interacting with RusHydro and other organizations. I hope that the energy that is at the Polytechnic, the aura of new knowledge, innovative developments and youthful spirit will contribute to your work, – noted Vitaly Sergeev.

    The conference started with a plenary session, where experts discussed issues of design, construction and operation of hydroelectric power plants and hydraulic structures for various purposes. Top managers of PJSC RusHydro made reports. The winners of the competition for the best research work in the field of hydropower were also awarded at the session.

    The work continued with scientific sections and round tables, where scientists and engineers discuss the most pressing issues of industry development, exchange experiences and build professional contacts. The conference’s thematic areas include: equipment for hydroelectric power plants and hydraulic structures, scientific and practical issues of hydraulics and hydrology, concrete and reinforced concrete structures of hydraulic structures, environmental issues in energy and hydraulic engineering, new materials and technologies in construction, ensuring the safety of hydraulic structures, small hydropower, hydraulic engineering construction in the Arctic, personnel training, etc.

    Representatives of SPbPU actively participate in the conference. The co-chairman of the section “Scientific and Practical Issues of Hydraulics and Hydrology” was Professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Alexander Bolshev. Director of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Galina Kozinets, Associate Professors Vita Belousov and Irina Frolova presented the report “Analysis of the Environmental Monitoring System of the GTS Safety”. Also Galina Kozinets, Leading Engineer of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Viktor Chechevichkin, Engineers Leonid Yakunin and Alexey Chechevichkin spoke about the possibilities of using nature-like technology for cleaning surface wastewater at hydropower facilities. Professors of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Viktor Elistratov, Vladimir Maslikov and Mikhail Shilin presented the results of a study related to the impact of the Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Plant on the ichthyofauna of the reservoir. Associate Professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Armen Girgidov presented the report “Improvement of End Devices of Bottom Spillways”. Associate professors of the Higher School of Hydroelectric Power Engineering Andrey Chusov and Svetlana presented a forecast of the water quality of the Svetlinskaya hydroelectric power station reservoir based on forest clearing options.

    An important part of the conference will be the youth day, which will take place on November 1. Participants will share their work experience, discuss current tasks and future challenges.

    Following the three-day work, collections will be published, including plenary reports, section reports, and the final decision of the conference.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil servants get the chance to learn more about Parliament

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government Skills announces programme of events to mark Parliament Week.

    Daniel Wood, Parliamentary Capability lead

    First Parliamentary Counsel Jessica de Mounteney will kick off a programme of events open to all civil servants to mark Parliament Week later this month.

    The programme has been devised by Government Skills’ Parliamentary Capability Team and is designed to promote the work that takes place in Parliament and its relevance to civil servants’ day-to-day roles.

    At the inaugural event, Jessica will discuss her work leading the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, a group of government lawyers specialising in drafting legislation and working with departments to turn policy ideas into clear and readable laws.

    Other events include archivist Dr Mari Takayanagi from the UK Parliament’s Archives telling the untold history of women in Parliament, and the leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP, and the Leader of the House of Lords, Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Basildon discussing their roles in government and Parliament, and the importance of Parliament to civil servants.

    Join us on Wednesday 20 November between 9.30am and 11.00am, as we are joined by

    “Whatever your role, your work as a civil servant is directly affected by what goes on in Parliament,” said Parliamentary Capability lead, Daniel Wood (pictured).

    “That’s why we run a raft of parliamentary courses to help civil servants get the knowledge and insight they need about different aspects of Parliament to do their jobs.

    “The programme we’ve put together for Parliament Week will have something for everyone who wants to join with us, get involved and mark this special event.”

    Parliament Week gets underway on Monday, 18 November, and anyone with a gov.uk email address can book events here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Witchcraft and a Haunted Case of Torture in Joost de Damhouder’s Praxis Rerum Criminalium (1555)

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    One of the perplexing aspects of the surge in witch trials that took place in Europe between the 15th and the 18th centuries is the question of how much the personal experiences of that era’s legal personnel influenced the practice of criminal justice throughout the period. In a previous post on this blog, we saw that the political philosopher and witchcraft theorist Jean Bodin cited the existence of a (mostly) invisible guiding spirit that helped to steel his resolve against demonic foes. In this post, we will take a look at Joost de Damhouder, the author of an important 16th century handbook on criminal law, who described an anomalous experience involving an amulet that shaped his views on the use of torture, a story that seems actually to have taken place.

    In the first half of the 16th century, the legal field underwent a process of professionalization throughout much of Western Europe. This was driven in part by the expansion of the use of the printing press, which gave legal practitioners access to a much wider body of legal texts and information than was possible before the age of printing. That change also triggered new demand for small-format general practice guides that could put immediate and practical knowledge in the hands of the lawyers, magistrates and lower officials that managed the daily business of the law in Renaissance Europe.

    Within a couple decades, the market for subject-specific practice books and treatises began to expand as well. On the subject of criminal procedure, two important examples of this literature appeared in Venice, Italy to solid commercial success, Practica causarum criminalis of Hippolytus de Marsiliis [Venice, 1529] and Practica Nova Causarum Criminalium of Lodovico Carerio (Venice, 1546). These were joined by others in short order. For example, Joost de Damhouder (1507-1581), a lawyer from Bruges who had worked in criminal law and who was a member of the fiscal council of the Netherlands in Brussels (which is now in Belgium), seized the opportunity to capitalize on this trend. He published in 1554 a work that captured the current state of criminal practice law in his home region of Flanders. (Dauchy et. al., ch. , 3sect. 26.) That work was Praxis rerum criminalium (Criminal Matters Practice).

    Damhouder’s book contains images of various categories of crime, one of which, depicted here in this full-page woodcut illustration from Damhouder’s 1554 Enchiridion rerum criminalium, is the crime of parricide. Photo by Nathan Dorn.

    Damhouder first published Praxis rerum criminalium under the title Enchiridion rerum criminalium (Guidebook of Criminal Matters) in Leuven in 1554 and changed the title in subsequent editions. It went on to be printed many times and became over a handful of years perhaps the most influential short handbook on the subject of criminal law in Europe. (Dauchy et al., ch. 3, sect. 26.) In some respects, this was because of the qualities of the text, which presented succinct and clear statements on a number of areas within the subject of criminal law, including rules governing accusation, investigation of crime, torture, incarceration, and various categories of criminal activity. Some of these categories are very familiar: theft, fraud, assault and battery, murder, rape, arson, and more. Others sound antiquated: throwing waste out of a window, adultery, banditry, and grave robbery, for instance. (Dauchy et al., ch. 3, sect. 26.) Some belong to a world that is distinctly alien to most of the audience of this post: blasphemy, sacrilege, treason against God, and witchcraft. Categories along these lines sufficed, apparently, to make the book widely useful.

    A large measure of its success, however, must also be due to the 57 wood engravings that Damhouder commissioned for the book’s publication. Unlike many books of that format and price point, Praxis rerum ciminialium was more-or-less festooned with images. These depicted crimes, tribunals, and penalties suffered by the convicted. Illustrations of this or any quality were more typically found in books that sold at luxury prices. This title, however, was both offered in a less expensive format and illustrated with fascinating images of the world of crime and punishment. (Dauchy et. al., ch. 3, sect. 26.)

    This image from Damhouder’s 1554 Enchiridion rerum criminalium depicts the crime of harming passersby through carelessly hurling waste out of the windows of city houses. Photo by Nathan Dorn.

    An interesting point about Damhouder’s book is that it is, almost in its entirety, a Latin translation of a pre-existing manuscript that was written by another author. The original that stands behind Praxis rerum criminalium, was a Flemish work by Philips Wielant (1441 or 1442-1520), a magistrate who served on the Council of Flanders. That book was called Corte instructie in materie criminele. (Dauchy et al., ch. 3, sect. 26.) Wielant prepared a first version of the text in 1510 and a second, augmented version, in 1515. A French version dating to 1519 also exists. (Monballyu, p. 293.) Wielant, who was a couple generations older than Damhouder, never had the book printed, and it did not appear in print until an edition of Wielant’s works was made from existing manuscripts in 1872. That publication led to the discovery that Damhouder’s book cannibalized Wielant’s text. (Dauchy et al., ch. 3, sect. 26.)

    The originality of Damhouder’s work has to do first with its publication in the Latin language, which made it far more accessible to the overall European community than the Dutch original, and secondly with the images that he added, which had something like the same effect. But we do see a flash of independence in another area, in a place in which Damhouder deviates from Wielant’s text. That is regarding the crime of witchcraft. (Monballyu, p. 299 and following.)

    Damhouder places witchcraft in the category of lèse-majesté divine, treason against God. This image from Damhouder’s 1554 Enchiridion rerum criminalium depicts blasphemous acts. Photo by Nathan Dorn.

    Where Damhouder provides a bit of original material is in his chapters on torture. (Monballyu, p. 293.) Of interest to him is that people who practice magic sometimes use magical means to avoid suffering the pain of torture. And if the torture victim suffers no pain from the ordeal, then she will not be compelled to answer the investigator’s questions. This renders the magistrates helpless to produce a confession. If this is allowed to take place, many accused will escape punishment. To avoid this, Damhouder makes a particular plea that investigators should never neglect to shave the entire body of a person accused of witchcraft. The purpose of this surprising measure is simple: one must expose to sight any place on the body of the accused where she might hide a talisman or a charm, since magical objects were often used to nullify the pain that the investigators were trying to inflict. Damhouder is especially insistent that shame and embarrassment should not prevent investigators from shaving the accused entirely. (Monballyu, p. 293.) In the French version of the book, Pratique judiciaire des causes criminelles, published in Anvers in 1564, Damhouder relates an experience he claims to have had that convinced him of the need for this precaution. The story appears in chapter 37 of the 1564 work, from paragraph 19 onward (ff. 38v.-41r.).

    This image from Damhouder’s 1554 Enchiridion rerum criminalium depicts a tribunal attempting to extract a confession from the accused by torture. Photo by Nathan Dorn.

    The story he tells took place when Damhouder resided in Bruges, a period between 1537 and 1550, during which time he was a city alderman. There was an old woman living in town who was said to be able to effect miraculous cures for people who had injuries or illnesses. In general, she was highly regarded by the public, which valued her healing skills and tended to think of her as a quite devout, even saintly, Christian, “an apostle of Christ,” in Damhouder’s telling. This reputation did not impress certain aldermen of Bruges who sought to have her investigated on grounds she might be using illicit magic to work her cures. In consequence of this, she was apprehended in the middle of the night and incarcerated with a view to questioning her. The interrogation was, at first, entirely useless, despite the investigators’ use of torture. The old woman insisted throughout that she was doing nothing at all out of line and that she was a devout Christian. In a strange episode, the mayor of Bruges, who was present, gasped several times on account of suffering a severe case of arthritis. When the woman commented on it, he offered her payment to cure him. She agreed, and when one of the men present asked what means she would use, she assured the mayor that he needed to do nothing but believe that she could heal him. These were fateful words. Upon hearing them, the men who were present warned the mayor that her answer revealed that she was not relying on God, but on some other power to effect her cures and that he should have nothing to do with it. Apostles of Christ, they said, always mention God’s name.

    What followed was a series of fruitless interrogations assisted by torture. In the third session, Damhouder tells us, she mocked her captors and even fell asleep during the questioning. At length, it was noticed that while her hair was shaved in preparation for the fourth round of questioning, that the interrogators had neglected to shave all of her body hair before continuing. When they finally did so, they discovered, hidden on her person, a small parchment on which was written strange writing and the symbol of the cross. Once it was removed from her body, she was returned to be tortured again. During that session, she confessed to relying on the aid of the devil to perform her cures. In view of her age and gender, the authorities agreed to subject her to a brief public humiliation and then to banish her from the city rather than to execute her. In time, she was arrested again, this time by magistrates in Middlebourg, a town in

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/JAPAN – Archbishop Kikuchi: “Abolition of nuclear weapons for a lasting peace”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 30 October 2024

    Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) – The government of Japan, whatever it may be, “should be the first to approve the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”, says the Archbishop of Tokyo, Isao Kikuchi (SVD), recently appointed Cardinal by Pope Francis, while his country is going through a period of political uncertainty.In the elections held in Japan on Sunday 27 October, the coalition that had previously ruled, made up of the Liberal Democratic Party and the small Buddhist Komeito Party, lost its majority in Parliament, which it had held continuously since 2012. According to analysts, a period of uncertainty is now beginning for Japanese politics, normally characterized by great stability. The Archbishop points out some points that, in his opinion, should guide the policy of the Japanese government, regardless of which party or politician is in power now or in the future: “We hope that the Japanese government will continue the discussion on how to build trust among nations to abolish nuclear weapons, drawing inspiration from the recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Nihon Hidankyo organization, which brings together the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and advocates for a world free of nuclear weapons. “As a Catholic Church, we actively call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, especially during the annual Ten Days of Prayer for Peace in August. The Ten Days of Prayer begin with the commemoration of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, August 5, and continue until August 15, the commemoration of the end of the war in the Pacific in 1945,” stresses the Archbishop.This prayer goes hand in hand with a commitment to peace. The Archbishop of Tokyo notes: “Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to Hiroshima in 1981, which sent a strong message of peace. The Japanese bishops were encouraged by this message from the Pope and therefore launched the Ten Days of Prayer for Peace”. Pope Francis’ visit in 2019 confirmed and renewed this approach: the Pope called for “never again war, never again the noise of weapons, never again so much suffering” and reiterated during his trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki: “The use of nuclear energy for war purposes is immoral, just as the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral”. “Today”, continued the Archbishop of Tokyo, “the Diocese of Hiroshima and the Diocese of Nagasaki, and with them the entire Catholic community of Japan, call together for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the establishment of peace, also involving the Bishops of the United States in a step of great symbolic value”. He concludes: “The Church in Japan will continue to work with all men and women of good will who seek peace, to call on world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons and thus create lasting peace.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/TANZANIA – On the eve of the local elections and before the parliamentary elections, the future of the country remains uncertain

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 30 October 2024

    Dar es Salaam (Agenzia Fides) – “They will not silence us, Tanzania belongs to all of us and we will fight for our right to be heard,” said opposition politician John Mnyika, referring to the current government led by Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country’s first female head of government.Tanzania is at a dangerous crossroads on the eve of the 2025 parliamentary elections. The electoral campaign is marked by political unrest. According to local press reports, last year’s political violence raised fears that the country could fall back into authoritarianism. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took over the presidency after the death of John Magufuli (2015 March 2021) and once presented herself as a reformer, is now facing accusations of using the same repressive methods as her predecessor.With her appointment, the country had begun to raise hopes of a rebirth. Suluhu had, among other things, promised a new era of democratic reforms and in the meantime lifted the ban on political demonstrations and allowed the media to reopen, demonstrating her commitment to freedom of expression. For a brief moment, it seemed as if Tanzania was emerging from the shadow of autocracy. Opposition parties, long suppressed under Magufuli, were allowed to hold demonstrations again. Political debate resumed, and for the first time in years, the country seemed to be moving toward genuine democracy. But now, as local elections in November 2024 approach, those hopes are beginning to fade. Promises of government reforms have given way to a resurgence of authoritarian tactics. The optimism that had accompanied Samias Suluhu’s rise to power has gradually been replaced by fear and uncertainty. Political violence is on the rise, opposition leaders have been silenced, and dissent is once again brutally repressed.For many Tanzanians, the future looks bleak, local media report. The escalation of political violence has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. And as the nation awaits the upcoming elections, one thing is clear: the stakes have never been higher. For opposition leaders like John Mnyika and Tundu Lissu, the fight for democracy has never been more dangerous. But despite the risks, they remain determined. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN/GENERAL AUDIENCE – Pope Francis: Confirmation must not become the sacrament of “departure” from the Church

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 30 October 2024

    Vatican Media

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “The problem is how to ensure that the Sacrament of Confirmation is not reduced, in practice, to “last rites”, that is the Sacrament of “departure” from the Church, but is rather the Sacrament of participation, of active participation in the life of the Church”. This is what Pope Francis said at today’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, continuing his catechesis on the Holy Spirit and today reflecting on the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church through the Sacraments.Last week the Pope spoke about the action of the Holy Spirit in marriage, today he reflected on Confirmation, which “par excellence, according to Pope Francis, is the sacrament of the Holy Spirit”. The Pope recalls that in the New Testament, in addition to baptism with water, “another rite is mentioned, that of the imposition of hands, which has the purpose of communicating the Holy Spirit visibly and in a charismatic way, with effects analogous to those produced by the Apostles at Pentecost”.With the passing of time, “the rite of anointing took shape as a Sacrament in itself, assuming diverse forms and content in the various ages and different rites of the Church”. To better suggest what this sacrament represents, the Pope quotes the Catechism of adults of the Italian Episcopal Conference. It states: “Confirmation is for all the faithful what Pentecost was for the entire Church. … It reinforces the baptismal incorporation into Christ and the Church and the consecration to the prophetic, royal and priestly mission. It communicates the abundance of the gifts of the Spirit. … If, therefore, Baptism is the Sacrament of birth, Confirmation is the Sacrament of growth. For this very reason it is also the Sacrament of witness, because this is closely linked to the maturity of Christian existence”.”The problem,” said the Bishop of Rome, “is how to ensure that the Sacrament of Confirmation is not reduced, in practice, to “last rites”, that is the Sacrament of “departure” from the Church.” “It is said that it is the farewell Sacrament, ” cintinued the Pope, “because once young people do it they go away and then return for marriage. This is what people say”. On the contrary, Confirmation is “the Sacrament of participation, of active participation in the life of the Church”. The Bishop of Rome continued: “It is a milestone that can seem impossible, given the current situation throughout the Church, but this does not mean that we should stop pursuing it. It will not be so for all Confirmands, children or adults, but it is important that it is at least for some who will then go on to be the animators of the community”, continues the Pope who proposes that it can be useful, for this purpose “to be helped in preparing for the Sacrament by lay faithful who have had a personal encounter with Christ and have had a true experience of the Spirit. Some people say that they have experienced it as a blossoming of the Sacrament of Confirmation received as children”.But this, he stresses, “does not relate only to future Confirmands; it relates to all of us and at any time. Together with Confirmation and anointing, we have received” what Saint Paul calls “the first fruits of the Spirit”.”We must “spend” this bond, savour these first fruits, not bury underground the charisms and talents received. Here is a good goal for the Jubilee year! To remove the ashes of habit and disengagement, to become, like the torchbearers at the Olympics, bearers of the flame of the Spirit. May the Spirit help us to take a few steps in this direction!”, the Pope concluded.Before the final blessing, Pope Francis once again recalled the countries at war and asked for constant prayers for peace: “War is increasing, let us think of the countries that are suffering so much, such as the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu. Let us pray for peace. Peace is a gift of the Spirit, war is always a defeat. In war, no one wins, everyone loses”.”Yesterday,” the Pope added referring to the recent massacre in the Gaza Strip, “I saw 150 innocent people shot with machine guns. What do children and families have to do with it? They are the first victims of war, let us pray for peace,” the Pope concluded. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CHAD – After 40 soldiers died in a jihadist attack, the Chadian government promises a harsh response

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    N’Djamena (Agenzia Fides) – Three days of national mourning in Chad in memory of the victims of the jihadist attack on a military base near Lake Chad were declared by Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who personally traveled to the site of the attack on October 28 and announced the start of a counter-offensive, called “Haskanite”, to find the perpetrators of the massacre.On the night of October 27-28, an armed group attacked the Chadian army garrison on the island of Barkaram, on the border with Nigeria. Of the 200 soldiers present, 40 were killed, including their commander. The attackers occupied the base until dawn and left with a large amount of weapons and ammunition. Chadian authorities claim that the attack was carried out by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram, which has long experienced several splits, the most important of which led to the creation of ISWAP (Islamic State in West Africa Province). Following the death of Boko Haram’s historic leader Abubakar Shekau in 2021, who reportedly committed suicide to avoid falling into the hands of ISWAP’s rivals, the leadership was taken over by Bakura Modu. The group he led continues to lose fighters who join ISWAP and others who join the Nigerian army’s demobilization and reintegration program for jihadists and lay down their arms. If the Barkaram attack was indeed carried out by militiamen led by Bakura Modu, it is seen as an attempt by this militia to assert its leadership role and show the outside world that it is alive and capable of carrying out wide-ranging actions. The Chadian President, in turn, must show determination in the face of the challenge that faces him, as his predecessor Idriss Déby did after the massacre of about 100 soldiers in March 2020 at the Bohama base, also in the Lake Chad region, by Boko Haram (see Fides, 28/3/2020). The father of the current president had gone to the site of the massacre and launched Operation Wrath of Bohama to pursue the perpetrators. Chad is today the only country in the Sahel where Western troops, especially French and American, are stationed. The three countries where military juntas came to power through coups (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger), grouped in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have expelled foreign military missions from their territories (except for the Italian contingent still stationed in Niger). All these countries are facing offensives by various jihadist groups. Chad is trying to maintain good relations both with the West and with countries such as Russia and China, as well as with its AES neighbors. Today it was announced that an important Chadian delegation is visiting Niger. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Protection of indigenous peoples: the work of the Catholic Church in the face of exploitation and expropriation

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Manila (Agenzia Fides) – In October, the month dedicated to the protection of indigenous peoples in the Philippines, the Catholic Church organized various events, meetings and local celebrations aimed at calling institutions to address the problems faced by these peoples in continuing their lives on their ancestral lands, a life threatened above all by mining exploitation.The Philippines has emerged on the international scene as a major supplier of raw materials for the global energy transition, with reserves of minerals such as nickel, a key material for electric car batteries. However, this boom and the mining concessions granted by the government in Manila to multinational companies are leading to displacement and habitat destruction among indigenous peoples, who are being deprived of their ancestral lands and their livelihoods. According to the 2023 State of Indigenous Peoples Address report published by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Centre (LRC), land and environmental conflicts have increased by 6% in one year, with more than 70,000 additional hectares of land affected. Resource conflicts, especially those related to mining, “have a direct impact on the lives of indigenous peoples themselves. Their lives are truly at stake,” the LRC notes, explaining that between 2022 and 2023, over 45,000 indigenous people were victims of land theft in areas such as the islands of Palawan or Mindoro. Another example concerns the mountainous Cordillera region (north of Luzon island), where the Philippine government has approved 99 hydroelectric projects that are part of a broader plan to develop renewable energy sources. The projects have divided rural communities into those who believe that the dams will bring jobs and money and those who fear damage to water sources and cultural sites.The Philippines is estimated to be home to between 14 and 17 million indigenous people belonging to 110 ethnic-linguistic groups. In the various regions where they are located – such as the Cordillera (in Luzon, in the North), the Visayas (in the center of the archipelago), the Bagsamoro region (in Mindanao, in the South) – these peoples are subject to social discrimination, economic marginalization and political deprivation, phenomena that are exacerbated by mining, which deprives them of their land rights. Over the last hundred years, the Philippine government has increasingly taken away land from indigenous peoples precisely because it is rich in natural resources. The country has begun to promote the dignity and rights of these peoples, thanks in part to the educational work carried out by the Catholic Church and missionaries. Under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), passed in 1997, indigenous peoples have ownership rights to their ancestral lands if they receive a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title. The holder of this certificate has the power to approve or reject projects that affect the land, such as in the mining sector. However, obtaining the certificate involves a lengthy bureaucratic process that requires legal representation, and is a process that many indigenous groups have not even begun. In 2003, the government declared October as “Indigenous Peoples’ Month,” establishing a Day of Recognition for Indigenous Peoples, set for October 29, to renew the commitment to ensure fair treatment of these peoples. The Catholic Church in the Philippines, through the Episcopal Commission for Indigenous Peoples, Diocesan Groups and Religious Institutes, has undertaken to “listen to our indigenous brothers and sisters who are members of the family of God, to respond to their aspirations as members of our society” and to protect their lives. An example of this commitment is the award of the National Prize named after Saint Theresa of Calcutta to Sister Minerva Caampued for her work in favor of the indigenous peoples in the province of Cagayan, after thirty years of tireless work for the indigenous Agta community in the areas of environmental protection, health care, nutrition and educational programs. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 30/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Global: The ‘Courage Tour’ is attempting to get Christians to vote for Trump − and focused on defeating ‘demons’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael E. Heyes, Associate Professor and Chair of Religion, Lycoming College

    Evangelist Lance Wallnau addresses people at the ‘Courage Tour’ rally. Michael E. Heyes, CC BY

    As a scholar of religion, I attended the “Courage Tour,” a series of religious-political rallies, when it made a stop in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, from Sept. 27-28, 2024.

    From what I observed, the various speakers on the tour used conservative talking points – such as the threat of communism and LGBTQ+ “ideologies” taking over education – and gave them a demonic twist. They told people that diabolical forces had overtaken America, and they needed to expel them by ensuring Donald Trump was elected.

    The tour is attempting to get those Christians to vote for Trump. The tour has moved through several battleground states such as Arizona, Michigan and Georgia, drawing several thousand people at every site.

    The tour is not only focused on defeating Democrats but also on defeating demons. The idea that demons exert a hold over the material world is a key feature of the New Apostolic Reformation, or NAR, worldview. The NAR is a loose group of like-minded charismatic Christian churches and religious leaders – sometimes termed “prophets” – who want to see Christians dominate all walks of life.

    As someone who recently finished a book on the intersection of demons and politics, “Demons in the USA: From the Anti-Spiritualists to QAnon,” I was eager to see this combination for myself. I believe it would be a mistake to think that the New Apostolic Reformation is a fringe group with no real influence.

    The influence and reach

    The group has an associated nonprofit organization known as Ziklag – named for a town in the Hebrew Bible that is an important site associated with David’s kingship – with deep pockets for the movement’s goals. A ProPublica investigation found that the group had already spent US$12 million “to mobilize Republican-leaning voters and purge more than a million people from the rolls in key swing states, aiming to tilt the 2024 election in favor of former President Donald Trump.”

    The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the New Apostolic Reformation “the greatest threat to U.S. democracy that you have never heard of.”

    The diffuse nature of NAR membership and its rapid growth make it difficult to gauge followers: Estimates have placed the number of NAR adherents between 3 million and 33 million, but individuals who may not label themselves as part of the NAR might nevertheless agree with the group’s theology.

    Moreover, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s presence at the meeting I attended is also a tacit and significant endorsement for this group.

    The ‘Seven Mountain Mandate’

    According to NAR’s theology, there are “seven mountains” that govern areas of worldly influence, and Christians are destined to occupy all of them. These mountains are religion, government, family, education, media, entertainment and business.

    Known as the “Seven Mountain Mandate,” this “prophecy” first rose to prominence in 2013 with the publication of “Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate,” written by Bill Johnson, lead pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and member of the NAR, and Lance Wallnau, NAR prophet and one of the founders of the Courage Tour. In the book, the Seven Mountain Mandate is trumpeted as a message received directly from God.

    The NAR perceives the majority of these mountains as currently occupied by diabolical spiritual forces. To counter these forces, the NAR engages in “spiritual warfare,” which are acts of Christian prayer that are used to defeat or drive out demons.

    As religion scholar Sean McCloud writes, these prayers can be taken from “handbooks, workshops and hands-on participation in deliverance sessions.” Deliverance sessions involve diagnosing and expelling demons from an individual.

    Alternatively, it is not uncommon for pastors to incorporate spiritual warfare into church services. For example, in a much-reported sermon, Paula White-Cain, the former spiritual adviser to Trump, commanded all “satanic pregnancies to miscarry.” In the sermon’s context, satanic pregnancies were not literal pregnancies. Instead, White-Cain was praying for the failure of satanic plots “conceived” by the devil.

    In NAR theology, all Christians are embattled by demons, and spiritual warfare is a necessary part of life. As scholar of religion André Gagné writes, the NAR sees spiritual warfare as happening on three “levels.”

    The ground level occurs in a case of individual exorcism or deliverance, a kind of “one-on-one” battle with demons. The second level is the occult level, in which believers seek to counter what they believe to be demonic movements such as shamanism and New Age thought. Finally, there is the strategic level in which the movement does battle with powerful spirits whom they believe control geographic areas at the behest of Satan.

    Friday night on the Courage Tour.

    The Courage Tour

    The Courage Tour is part of a strategic-level act of spiritual warfare: Stumping for Trump is really about exerting Christian influence over the “government mountain” that followers of the NAR believe to be occupied by the devil.

    According to the speakers on the tour, America is in trouble: It is currently being run by “the Left,” or Democrats, a group that is slowly pushing the U.S. toward communism, a system of government in which private property ceases to exist and the means of production are communally owned.

    It claims that the Left wants to see this shift occur because it is populated by “cultural Marxists.” This is part of a far-right conspiracy theory that suggests all progressive political movements are indebted to the ideas of Karl Marx, whose Communist Manifesto is most closely associated with communism.

    In more extreme forms of communism, nation-states disappear – an idea reflected in speakers’ frequent criticism of “globalism,” which was generally defined as a single, worldwide governmental structure. The group rejects globalism on the grounds that God instituted nation-states as a divinely ordained form of government.

    Wallnau described globalism as a sign of the beast and the end of days, and claimed that “the intent of that Marxist element in our country is to collapse our borders.”

    Promotional sign on the Courage Tour for My Faith Votes, an organization that encourages voters to vote biblically.
    Michael E. Heyes, CC BY

    Demonizing queerness

    The speakers further claimed that this demonic Marxism was perverting the educational system in the United States. For example, numerous speakers criticized schools for supposedly indoctrinating or “evangelizing” children with “LGBTQ ideologies.”

    Wallnau even suggested that the “trans movement” began “in the days of Noah” when the fallen angels of Genesis 6 married human women and had hybrid children. This echoes a discussion Wallnau and Rick Renner had on the “Lance Wallnau Show,” linking such “ideologies” to fallen angels and the Apocalypse.

    This negative view of nontraditional gender and sexual orientations is a long-lived feature of the group. John Weaver, a scholar of religion, notes in his book “The New Apostolic Reformation” that the group’s ideas are indebted to conservative theologian Rousas John Rushdoony, who supported the death penalty for homosexuals.

    Likewise, religion scholar Damon T. Berry writes that members of the movement believe that “demonic spirits” are “acting to subvert the will of God through aspects of culture like the toleration of homosexuality, abortion, addiction, poverty and political correctness.”

    Wallnau encouraged the audience on the Courage Tour to “fight for your families because I don’t want to leave behind a demonic train wreck for my children.”

    As hard as it is to believe, one of the most important questions of the election might well be – how many Americans believe in demons?

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

    – ref. The ‘Courage Tour’ is attempting to get Christians to vote for Trump − and focused on defeating ‘demons’ – https://theconversation.com/the-courage-tour-is-attempting-to-get-christians-to-vote-for-trump-and-focused-on-defeating-demons-241335

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why vote for Harris or Trump? A cheat sheet on the candidates’ records, why their supporters like them and why picking one or the other makes sense

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amy Lieberman, Politics + Society Editor, The Conversation

    Voters cast their ballots in Dearborn, Mich., on Oct. 29, 2024. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

    If you are still undecided and mulling your pick for president, there are clear differences between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris that are important to understand.

    The Conversation has published stories from more than a dozen scholars looking at the records of the two candidates.

    We had an anthropologist provide our readers with a window into why both Trump and Harris supporters favor their presidential pick.

    And we have also looked at why, even if you don’t like either candidate, it still doesn’t make sense to sit out the election.

    Here is a roundup of stories to help you evaluate the candidates:

    Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz campaign in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Oct. 28, 2024.
    Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

    Harris’ and Trump’s records

    It’s no surprise that Harris and Trump have contrasting records on policy issues like LGBTQ+ rights and gun violence. The differences don’t stop there.

    While Harris has consistently supported protecting and expanding abortion rights, Trump took actions while president that made it harder for people to get an abortion, explains legal scholar Rachel Rebouché.

    And while Harris has consistently opposed the death penalty, Trump has supported it, explains political science scholar Austin Sarat.

    In other cases, their differences are not as clear-cut. Both candidates have supported restricting immigration to the U.S., writes immigration scholar William McCorkle. And both of them tried to lower drug prices, writes pharmacy practice scholar C. Michael White.

    Here are some stories to explain the candidates’ records on other issues: education, space policy, the Ukraine war, artificial intelligence, science research funding, clean energy, drug prices, health care, oil and gas production, foreign policy and labor.

    Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance appear at a 9/11 memorial event in New York City on Sept. 11, 2024.
    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Why people like Trump and Harris

    Alex Hinton, an anthropologist who researches both the far right and political polarization in the U.S., helped answer why, after all of the controversies and alleged wrongdoing, people still support Trump.

    “Many people have thoughtful reasons for voting for Trump, even if their reasoning – as is also true for those on the left – is often inflamed by populist polarizers and media platforms,” Hinton writes.

    There are a few central factors that keep Trump’s supporters loyal. These include the fact that some people recall – whether accurately or not – having more money when Trump was president, and that the economy seemed better. They are upset about immigration. And some supporters like his outlandish persona.

    And then there’s the other side to understand: Why people are voting for Harris. Hinton explained that many people deeply dislike and distrust Trump, as well as the extreme direction they think he can take the country.

    “In contrast, they contend that Harris combines steady leadership with a message of change, calm, honesty and hope for a better future,” he writes.

    Harris’ support of abortion rights and health care, as well as her commitment to international alliances and bipartisan governing, are other reasons people want her as their president.

    “Some voters also support Harris because they see her as a candidate of change,” Hinton writes. After Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, “voters across a range of demographics were immediately galvanized by her relative youth, biracial identity, articulateness and positive message of change and possibility, as opposed to fear.”

    A woman drops off her ballot in Norwalk, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2024.
    Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

    Why it still makes sense to vote

    It’s possible that none of this information resonates with undecided voters and that they are considering backing a third-party candidate instead, or not voting at all.

    But the logic that an individual vote won’t matter anyway is not accurate, according to behavioral economics scholar Daniel F. Stone.

    Every single vote matters, especially in an election like this one that is incredibly close in all of the important swing states, Stone says. This matters if the difference between Harris and Trump is just 5,000 votes in a state like Pennsylvania, for example.

    “So, if the 10,000 unhappy voters do vote for one of the two major-party candidates, they can swing the election,” Stone writes.

    Even if someone boycotts an election and doesn’t support either of the two viable candidates, “One of them is going to win whether you like it or not,” Stone writes.

    .

    – ref. Why vote for Harris or Trump? A cheat sheet on the candidates’ records, why their supporters like them and why picking one or the other makes sense – https://theconversation.com/why-vote-for-harris-or-trump-a-cheat-sheet-on-the-candidates-records-why-their-supporters-like-them-and-why-picking-one-or-the-other-makes-sense-242437

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Head of the Kirov Military Medical Academy Evgeny Kryukov became an Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    At the meeting of the Academic Council of the Polytechnic University on October 30, a ceremony was held to present the diploma and mantle of the Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to the head of the S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy (VMedA), Lieutenant General of the Medical Service, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Evgeny Kryukov.

    The decision to award the honorary title to Evgeny Kryukov was made unanimously by the members of the Academic Councilmeeting on May 24 this year.

    Evgeny Vladimirovich graduated with a gold medal from the military medical faculty of the Gorky Medical Institute, served in the Black Sea Fleet as a doctor and head of the medical service of a submarine. He was a senior resident and head of the therapeutic department, chief therapist, and since 2009 – head of the Naval Hospital named after Academician N. I. Pirogov. From 2014 to 2020, he headed the Main Military Clinical Hospital named after Academician N. N. Burdenko. In 2020, he was appointed to the post of head of the Military Medical Academy named after S. M. Kirov.

    Evgeny Vladimirovich is a legendary man who has visited all the hot spots, a doctor with a capital letter. In our difficult times, he heads the Military Medical Academy named after Sergei Mironovich Kirov, famous for the names of outstanding scientists and healers. It is the highest honor for us to accept you, Evgeny Vladimirovich, into our ranks as an Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University, – the rector of SPbPU, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Rudskoy opened the ceremony.

    The new Honorary Doctor of the University was presented by the University Scientific Secretary Dmitry Karpov: Today, the large family of Polytechnicians welcomes a man for whom caring for the lives of others has become his life’s work. Often, saving lives. Evgeny Vladimirovich is a military doctor: from the Crimean Medical Institute and the Military Medical Faculty of the Gorky Medical Institute, which he graduated with honors, to the title of Honored Doctor of Russia and veteran of military service. Evgeny Vladimirovich is a scientist: since 1994 – Candidate of Medical Sciences, since 2004 – Doctor of Sciences, since 2016 – Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Department of Medical Sciences, since 2022 – Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the specialty of “military field therapy”. The author of more than six hundred scientific papers, prepared eleven candidates and doctors of science.

    Dmitry Karpov noted that Evgeny Kryukov contributed to the formation of a system for providing troops in armed conflicts, the creation of principles for interaction between military and civilian healthcare, and the adjustment of the scientific process to the needs of the army and navy.

    Dmitry Anatolyevich also said that Yevgeny Vladimirovich made a significant contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and participated in the trials of the Sputnik V vaccine. As the head of the Main Military Clinical Hospital at the time, Yevgeny Kryukov put on a protective suit and carried out procedures in the red zone himself to understand the operating conditions of medical personnel. For his dedicated work during the pandemic, he received the specially established Pirogov Order. Yevgeny Vladimirovich’s awards also include the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation (2021), the Order of Honor (2022) and “For Military Merit” (2024).

    Evgeny Kryukov significantly strengthened the ties of the Military Medical Academy with the Russian Academy of Sciences and relevant international organizations. In conclusion of the presentation, Dmitry Karpov expressed confidence that such a connection will also be strengthened with the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    After all the welcoming words, the rector of the Polytechnic gave the command: Bring in the Honorary Doctorate Diploma, the mantle and the medal!

    According to tradition, the doctoral gown and cap were brought into the hall of the Academic Council by students dressed in the uniform of polytechnics of the early 20th century. The ceremony was accompanied by the Gaudeamus anthem performed by the Polyhymnia choir. Yevgeny Vladimirovich was also presented with a book about the Honorary Doctors of the Polytechnic — his page is already in it.

    In his response, Evgeny Kryukov thanked the members of the Academic Council for the honor of being elected as an Honorary Doctor of the country’s leading engineering university.

    Our cooperation in medicine dates back about sixty years, when the Department of Biophysics was created at the Polytechnic University. In 1997, the outstanding professor of the Military Medical Academy Vladimir Olegovich Samoilov headed the faculty of medical physics at your university, – said Evgeny Vladimirovich. – Over this time, more than a hundred people have been awarded the high honor of becoming Honorary Doctors of the Polytechnic University, mainly representatives of engineering and exact sciences. Today’s event is especially valuable for me, because for the first time a doctor has been elected Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University. First of all, this is, of course, the merit of scientific schools, professors of the Military Medical Academy, the merit of all military medicine. Your decision demonstrates the unity of science, the army and society. Probably, it was this unity that allowed our country to win victories over enemies in all historical periods, preserve its cultural identity and gave a powerful incentive to the scientific and technical development of the country. It is symbolic that this event is taking place on the eve of the great holiday of National Unity Day.

    At the end of the ceremony, the rector of the Polytechnic invited Evgeny Kryukov, as an Honorary Doctor, to support the tradition and give a lecture to the students.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol.

    The leaders discussed recent developments and expressed their deep concern and condemnation over North Korea’s troop deployment to support Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

    The Prime Minister and the President welcomed Canada and Korea’s first High-Level Foreign and Defence Policy Dialogue (2+2) between ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence later this week. They also noted the value of our growing defence partnerships and reaffirmed the importance of bilateral co-operation on regional and global issues, including in the Indo-Pacific.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and President Yoon agreed to remain in close contact and looked forward to meeting soon.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Applied Rating Index Q3 2024 Released

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toronto, ON., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems® today announced the third quarter of 2024 results of the Applied Rating Index™, the Canadian insurance industry’s premium rate index. In Q3 2024, average premiums for both Personal Auto lines and Personal Property lines increased year over year. Quarter over quarter, the premium rate for Personal Auto experienced an increase, whereas the rate for Personal Property saw a decrease compared to Q2 2024.

    Key findings for Q3 2024 include:

    • Personal Auto: In Q3 2024, Personal Auto premium rate change increased 12.2% versus Q3 2023. Personal Auto premium rate change increased 4.7% versus Q2 2024.
    • Personal Property: In Q3 2024, Personal Property premium rate change increased 7.7% versus Q3 2023. Personal Property premium rate change decreased -0.4% versus Q2 2024.
    • Provinces: Across Personal Auto, the Alberta and Ontario provinces experienced increased premium rate change, while the Atlantic and Quebec provinces experienced decreased premium rate change year over year with Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces seeing 12.9%, 11.6%, 6.8% and 9.7% respectively. Relative to Q2 2024, all provinces experienced an increase in quarter over quarter premium rate change with Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces experiencing 7.7%, 4.2%, and 4.4% and 5.7% respectively.

      Personal Property lines for Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan & Manitoba experienced increases in premium rate change, while British Columbia, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, experienced decreases in premium rate change year over year with 5.5%, 10.4%, 7.6%, 7.5%, 4.9%, 5.4% and respectively. Relative to Q2 2024, premium rate change for Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and Saskatchewan & Manitoba experienced -1.5%, -1.4%, 0.2%, 3.1%, 0.8% and 1.9% respectively.

    “The results highlight an ongoing rising trend in premium rates for both Personal Auto and Personal Property lines across all provinces,” said Steve Whitelaw, senior vice president and general manager, Applied Systems Canada. “As we approach the final quarter of the year, the Applied Rating Index will continue to follow rate trends to provide brokers with the information needed in their end-of-year renewal conversations.”

    The Applied Rating Index is a data-driven report of current conditions and trends for Personal Auto and Personal Property (Homeowners) insurance premium rates. Analyzing quotes completed, the Applied Rating Index measures the increase or decrease in average premium rate trends across Canada. The Applied Rating Index is the most complete depiction of the premium rate trends being experienced by consumers, brokerages, and their insurers across the Canadian market.

    Access the complete quarterly report here.  

    # # #

     

    Applied Rating Index is a trademark of Applied Systems, Inc. All data is fully anonymized when aggregating and analyzing the Applied Rating Index.

     

    About Applied Systems
    Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RAISE Summit 2025 to Shape the Future of AI Confirmed for July in Paris

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PARIS, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RAISE Summit, the leading conference for the AI industry, has announced its 2025 event. Set to take place on July 8-9 in Paris, RAISE 2025 will bring together thousands of delegates to explore the future of artificial intelligence and meet the visionaries shaping this transformative technology.

    Poised to be the largest RAISE Summit yet with more than 5,000 delegates, the 2025 event at the Carrousel du Louvre will feature three stages and an exhibition hall. Highlights include a startup competition, hackathon, and VIP dinner, while 2,000 companies and more than 250 speakers will address key themes including the potential of AI to reshape everyday life.

    Speakers confirmed for the 2025 event include Jonathan Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Groq; Clément Delangue, CEO and Co-founder of Hugging Face; and Scott Belsky, Chief Strategy Officer and EVP, Design & Emerging Products at Adobe. Event tracks include Infrastructure, Finance & Insurance, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Public Policy and Compliance & Safety, Breakthrough (Agents Economy, AGI), and Blockchain x Decentralisation.

    RAISE Summit Co-Founder Hadrien de Cournon said: “We are thrilled to announce the expansion of RAISE Summit into a two-day event at the iconic Carrousel du Louvre. Following the overwhelming success of our inaugural event in April 2024, it’s clear that businesses are eager to unlock the full potential of generative AI.

    “This next edition will be the European flagship AI event for businesses, offering C-suite executives a unique platform to shape their AI strategies and connect with the partners needed to drive meaningful implementation. As AI continues to transform industries, we are committed to helping leaders navigate this journey with confidence and insight.”

    One of the main draws of the 2025 summit, the RAISE Startup Competition, will attract cutting-edge innovators from across the world. Sponsored by leading venture capital firms, the competition is designed for emerging AI companies to gain recognition, connect with top investors, and accelerate their growth. The RAISE Summit Hackathon, meanwhile, will feature more than 300 participants tasked with creating impactful solutions that will drive the adoption of AI for businesses and consumers alike.

    As a tech-agnostic and cross-industry event, RAISE aims to bring together builders and innovators spanning multiple disciplines to explore and drive the future of AI. Delegates can look forward to in-depth case studies that showcase proven AI implementations and interactive sessions to refine strategy with industry experts. There will also be networking opportunities and side-events with key partners aided by an event app so attendees can plan meetings in advance.

    Praises for the inaugural RAISE Summit of 2024 included: “RAISE is where everyone in AI is going,” from Jonathan Ross, Founder, Groq; “As things become more virtual, I think it’s increasingly important for people to come together. The serendipity that can happen when you’re together in a physical space is life-changing,” from Chamath Palihapitiya, Co-Founder, Social Capital; and “I found RAISE to be quite remarkable and I’m sure many people will find value from it through contacts and opportunities,” from Karim Beguir, Co-Founder, Insta Deep.

    To reserve a place see here https://www.raisesummit.com/register 

    About the RAISE Summit

    More than just another AI event, RAISE SUMMIT forms a global gathering for the brightest minds, visionary partners, and industry leaders intent on transcending boundaries and driving AI innovation. RAISE Summit is the premier event for professionals seeking to disrupt, build, and connect in the AI industry.

    RAISE Summit 2024 saw 2,100 attendees, 545 leading companies, and 110 inspiring speakers, with over 40 sponsors. For 2025, we’re building on that success, expanding to a two-day event, expecting +5000 attendees, 2000 companies, 250 speakers, 200 sponsors and focusing on the transformative potential of Generative AI to reshape industries, societies, and everyday life.

    Keynote speakers in 2024 included Chamath Palihapitiya, Co-Founder, Social Capital; Aravind Srinivas, Co-Founder, Perplexity AI; Jonathan Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Groq; Arthur Mensch, Co-Founder, Mistral AI; Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA Systems; Nicolas Dufourq, CEO, BPI France; Tony Fadell, Entrepreneur & Author – Ex-Apple SVP – iPod; Rodrigo Liang, CEO & Co-Founder of; SambaNova Systems; Renate Nyborg, Founder & CEO, Meeno; Michael Kratsios, ex-CTO of the USA – MD Scale AI. Leading sponsors included Google, AWS, Mistral AI, NVIDIA, Salesforce, Accenture, Tesla, Oracle, Hackerone and bpifrance.

    https://www.raisesummit.com/

    Jen Summers

    jen@chainof.events

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/91fcc022-7daa-4394-87be-1f4915e6b62b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister Peacock speech at Charities Aid Foundation’s Centenary Parliamentary Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech delivered by the Minister for Civil Society, celebrating the significant role of the Charities Aid Foundation in the charity sector over the past 100 years.

    Location:
    Speaker’s House
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you for the introduction, Sir James, and thank you Mr Speaker for hosting this event.

    Good evening everyone.

    It’s a pleasure to be here celebrating Charities Aid Foundation’s centenary. 

    This evening I will:

    • take this opportunity to thank CAF for your vital work over the past 100 years – in particular at this moment, as we have committed to reset government’s relationship with civil society as a whole; and

    • acknowledge the unique benefits of philanthropy to provide support for people across this country with funders, organisations like CAF, and government – including my department – working in partnership.

    Giving is a fundamental part of this country; it’s ingrained into our way of life and our communities, and has been for centuries. 

    CAF has shaped the culture of giving in this country over the past 100 years . 

    You have played a significant role across the whole of the charity sector in that time – from monthly donation agreements, to direct financial support for charities, to offering expertise – and you are a key stakeholder in my own department’s civil society work.  

    It is therefore fitting that as CAF turns 100, this government has announced a commitment to reset the relationship with civil society and work together to develop a new Civil Society Covenant. The Covenant will set out the terms of a new relationship between government and civil society and will symbolise recognition of the sector as a trusted and independent partner whose voice is heard. 

    Earlier this month the Prime Minister hosted a civil society reception to announce our ambitions and I was delighted that we were joined by Charities Aid Foundation’s Chief Executive, Neil Heslop. This event kicked off a new phase of engagement to gather ideas and views to shape the Covenant. I really want to hear your views and strongly encourage you to get involved. You can find out how to contribute on Gov.uk. 

    This country needs a thriving civil society, and for this, we need organisations like CAF, who can continue to support and innovate in the sector for decades to come.

    In my role as Minister for Civil Society, I recognise how giving can be used to shift the dial on local, national and global issues.

    For example, Barnsley Youth Choir is one of the best youth choirs in the world and that is largely thanks to the commitment and generosity of local people.

    Barnsley Youth Choir provides opportunities for young people in Barnsley. The choir offers bursaries for lower income families and subsidizes events to ensure that children and families can participate without financial strain. The community comes together year after year to provide much needed funds to enable the choir to continue.

    Local girl Lucy (Hoylandswaine) has just completed a 100k run over one week to raise over £1200 for Barnsley Youth Choir and this is just one of hundreds of fundraising efforts that take part each year for the Choir.

    The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation offers grants of as much as £275,000 to certain charity projects in Yorkshire, such as those promoting the protection of the environment, and has funded projects with South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.

    Philanthropy plays a key role in this. Philanthropists can take greater risks, allow more flexibility and pioneer real innovation. 

    It can be long term and strategic, and range from tackling the big issues of our time, such as by funding climate solutions, to supporting grassroot charities and building up local communities.

    CAF’s work is important to enabling and unlocking this type of funding. 

    Using your expertise from your work on growing place based giving schemes, you built extensive evidence for how funders, including philanthropists, can effectively contribute. 

    You found that funders can help stimulate giving by providing seed funding, that funding for core staffing costs is crucial, and that embracing flexibility is essential – all important lessons to take forward for work unlocking place based philanthropy.

    Of course, government also has a pivotal role in this ecosystem, complementing and working alongside other sources of funding.

    DCMS is focused on putting local people, communities and places first. As my department leads on philanthropy, this includes ensuring that the benefits of philanthropy can be felt in all communities. 

    So we want to ensure that the giving ecosystem connects philanthropic donations with the places where it is needed most.

    Together with my ministerial colleagues at DCMS, I will work with colleagues across government and with you and your sectors to make philanthropic giving as easy and compelling as possible across the country, in a renewed partnership.

    Congratulations again to Charities Aid Foundation for your 100 year milestone.

    I am happy to have had this chance:

    • to thank Charities Aid Foundation for your work;

    • to reiterate this government’s commitment to resetting the relationship with civil society, with the development of the new Civil Society Covenant; and 

    • to consider how we can come together to unlock the unique benefits of philanthropy in this country.

    Thank you again for inviting me to speak, and enjoy the rest of this evening’s event.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oxford set to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day

    Source: City of Oxford

    Oxford will remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom at Remembrance services next week.

    Remembrance Sunday 

    The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley, in partnership with the Oxford City branch of the Royal British Legion, is set to host a Remembrance Sunday service at the War Memorial in St Giles’ on Sunday 10 November. The Lord Mayor will be joined by military units, uniformed organisations, community groups, civic dignitaries, residents and visitors from across the county to mark Remembrance Sunday. 

    Remembrance Sunday takes place on the second Sunday in November and honours those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom. Military units, organisations and community groups will gather for 10am at the junction of Beaumont Street and St Giles’. They will then march up St Giles’ from 10.30am. 

    The service will start at 10.45am, with a two minute silence at 11am. 

    Comment 

    “Every year Oxford observes Remembrance Sunday to commemorate those who have lost their lives in war and conflict. In this 80th anniversary year of D-Day, we think of the sacrifices that were made to free Europe from the most murderous of tyrannies, honour all who defend us today, and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of peace here and throughout the world.” 
    The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley 

    The order of service is: 

    • Welcome: Councillor Mike Rowley, Lord Mayor of Oxford, and The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 

    • Hymn: Abide With Me 

    • The Last Post, the Great Silence and the Reveille: Phil King, Bugle Major of the Quirinus Band & Bugle Corps 2011 e.V. 

    • The National Anthem 

    Representatives from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Help for Heroes, and Oxford’s twin cities will be present. If members of the public require British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, the interpreter will be located on the junction of St Giles and Woodstock Road to the west of the dais. 

    Members of the public are welcome to put tributes on the monument before the service. 

    Armistice Day 

    There will be a service marking Armistice Day on Monday 11 November, starting at 10.55am, on the landing area at the top of the stairs in Oxford Town Hall. The service will be led by the Lord Mayor and all are welcome to attend. There will be a two-minute silence at 11am. 

    Wreath laying at Leiden Square, Westgate 

    A wreath laying ceremony by the Oxford-Leiden twin city link group will take place in Leiden Square, Westgate Oxford, on Saturday 9 November. The Lord Mayor of Oxford will be in attendance. The Oxford-Leiden link was Oxford’s first twin link and was established immediately after the Second World War in 1946. 

    Flying the flag 

    The Royal British Legion flag will be flown above Oxford Town Hall in the run up to Remembrance Sunday from Monday 4 November to 10 November, when the flag will be changed over to the Union Jack on Sunday 10 November until after King Charles III birthday on 14 November. 

    Road closures and parking suspension will be in place from 12.01am to 2pm on Sunday 10 November as follows: 

    • The pavement on Banbury Road, opposite the war memorial, will be closed. Members of the public are advised to follow pedestrian diversions or use Woodstock Road 

    • Keble Road 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Updated oil and gas guidance following Supreme Court ruling

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The government will consult on updated environmental guidance for offshore oil and gas projects, following a Supreme Court ruling.

    • Government to consult with industry on updated environmental guidance
    • follows Supreme Court ruling requiring greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of oil and gas to be assessed as part of Environmental Impact Assessments for oil and gas extraction projects
    • government committed to fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea that delivers stability, supports investment, protects jobs and meets climate obligations

    Updated environmental guidance for offshore oil and gas projects will provide greater certainty and stability for the industry in response to a Supreme Court ruling. It sets out the elements that must be considered by operators when assessing emissions from burning of the oil and gas they produce.

    The ruling in the Finch case on 20 June has required operators to consider the impact of burning oil and gas in Environmental Impact Assessments for oil and gas extraction projects. 

    The government has acted quickly and will now consult with stakeholders including the offshore industry on draft guidance, so it can be implemented from Spring.

    Separately, the government will consult before the end of the year on the implementation of its commitment not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields, as part of its plan to ensure a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea.

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

    We have already started plans to speed up the North Sea’s clean energy transition to protect jobs and investment, from pushing ahead with new industries such as carbon capture, to launching Great British Energy – headquartered in Aberdeen.  

    Now we are acting quickly to provide greater stability for our offshore industries, by consulting on new environmental guidance that complies with our legal obligations. We will continue to work closely with industry to ensure a prosperous future for the North Sea and our offshore workers.

    It follows action to accelerate the transition to the North Sea’s clean energy future to boost Britain’s energy security and ensure good, long-term jobs. This includes launching Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, and signing a new agreement with the Scottish Government to support investment in clean energy supply chains and infrastructure.

    Alongside this the government is speeding up a new skills passport to help oil and gas workers move into roles in offshore wind. The government has also announced the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and is moving ahead with new North Sea industries like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen.  

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Start date set for transformational Withington public space project

    Source: City of Manchester

    Copson Street artists’ impression

    Transformational improvements to two key spaces in Withington are set to take place following widespread public support.

    Earlier this year the Council ran a consultation asking what people in the local area would like to see when it came to public places. 

    A significant number of those who took part – 72% – said they would support improvements to Copson Street and Rutherford Place; changes which would see a pedestrian-first mindset at their core with a more attractive environment using trees, planting and more seating with quality paving. 

    From Monday 4 November, work will start on Rutherford Place until late December. Then, following the mandated pause on works over the Christmas period works will resume from early January, this time on Copson Street as well as Rutherford Place – the square outside Withington Library – with a planned finish by the end of March 2025. 

    Changes to Copson Street will include: 

    • Part pedestrianisation between Wilmslow Road/Patten Street 
    • New tree planting 
    • Improvements to lighting and seating 
    • Prohibition of vehicles apart from cyclists, loading/unloading, access or Blue Badge Holders 

    Changes to Rutherford Place will include: 

    • Davenport Avenue will be made one-way towards Wilmslow Road, deterring non-local traffic 
    • A one-way southbound route will be introduced along Wellington Road from its junction at Lausanne Road 
    • Closing a small portion of Wellington Road outside Withington Library 
    • Rippingham Road will be made one-way westbound, rather than eastbound 
    • The square will also be expanded and improved to create a more welcoming and open public space outside the library – a well used and important local amenity  

    For more detail about the changes that will be taking place, residents can go to this link.

    Councillor Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development said: “As a Council we are keen to continue investing across all our district centres, making genuine and lasting improvements that will greatly improve their amenity for local residents. 

    “On top of this we understand how improved access and public space can increase footfall, provide improve space for businesses to operate and act as a magnet for increased economic opportunity for the area.  

    “Pride of place is something that we are deeply invested in, and through this scheme we want to provide residents of Withington a public square and surrounding amenities that not only make them feel proud, but areas that can act as a focal point for something more. Meeting friends, holding community events and simply providing more space for living is what this project is all about.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Design a Christmas card fit for a king The Mayor of Lancaster, Councillor Abi Mills is on the hunt for a Christmas card fit for a king and calling on local primary school children to help her out.

    Source: City of Lancaster

    The Mayor of Lancaster, Councillor Abi Mills is on the hunt for a Christmas card fit for a king and calling on local primary school children to help her out.

    Design a Christmas card fit for a king

    The winning design will become the Mayor’s official Christmas card for Lancaster City Council and will be sent to some pretty important people, including His Majesty the King.

    Here’s what you need to know to enter:

    • Use an A4 sheet of paper, any colour you like
    • Make it bold and bright, but no glitter please
    • Avoid sticking anything on – it doesn’t copy well
    • Write your name, age, address, and phone number on the back

    “I can’t wait to see the amazing artwork from our local children,” said the Mayor, Councillor Mills.

    “I’m sure every single entry will be wonderful, so picking just one is going to be incredibly tough.”

    Entries should be mailed to the Mayor’s Office, Town Hall, Lancaster, LA1 1PJ by Friday, November 29th.

    The lucky winner will be invited to Lancaster Town Hall with nine friends or family members to meet the Mayor, enjoy a tour of the building, and take home a framed copy of their design.

    Last updated: 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry Remembers

    Source: City of Coventry

    November in Coventry is a time when we reflect on past events that have affected the city such as the Coventry Blitz and we remember all those who have lost their lives in conflict.

    This year’s annual Remembrance Service and Parade service will take place on the 10 November, beginning at 10.45am, at The Cenotaph in the War Memorial Park. The service will be led by The Right Reverend Ruth Worsley, Acting Bishop of Coventry and all are invited.

    In the afternoon of the 10 November, the city’s civic party will take part in a short service at the Garden of Remembrance and Civilian Monument in London Road Cemetery to remember those lost in the city during the Coventry Blitz over the night of 14 November 1940. This takes place at 3pm and again, all are welcome to attend.

    West Orchards Shopping Centre will again be hosting the very moving Poppy Drop on Monday 11 November, beginning at 10.45 on level 3 of the shopping centre. Veterans and guests will observe the two-minute silence at 11am, as 4000 poppies fall from the centre’s dome.

    The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Cllr Mal Mutton, will also be releasing a video where she speaks about the Blitz and Coventry’s transformation into the one of the world’s leading cities of peace and reconciliation. This will be released on Thursday 14 November and will be available to view on Coventry city council’s webpages and YouTube.

    Some stories from veterans are available to read on Coventry City Council’s Coventry Remembers webpages which have more detailed information about the above events and will have the Order of Service should people want to download them, read them or follow on the day.

    For full details about the city’s remembrance activities, please visit coventry.gov.uk/remembrance

    Wednesday, 30th October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Changes in Nokia Corporation’s own shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    30 October 2024 at 16:00 EET

    Changes in Nokia Corporation’s own shares

    Espoo, Finland – A total of 566 919 Nokia shares (NOKIA) held by the company were transferred today without consideration to participants of Nokia’s equity-based incentive plans in accordance with the rules of the plans. The transfer is based on the resolution of the Board of Directors to issue shares held by the company to settle its commitments to participants of the plans as announced on 4 October 2023.

    The number of own shares held by Nokia Corporation following the transfer is 188 860 209.

    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.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia
    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 40 803 4080
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    The MIL Network –

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

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Fixing the NHS and reforming public services

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

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

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

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

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

    Protecting working people and living standards

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

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

    Rebuilding Britain

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

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

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

    Repairing public finances

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Strengthening the fiscal framework

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

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE trains trainers on media literacy in Turkmenistan

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE trains trainers on media literacy in Turkmenistan

    Participants discuss a practical assignment during an OSCE-organized train-the-trainer course on media literacy, OSCE, Ashgabat, 29 November 2024 (OSCE) Photo details

    Media literacy and methods of teaching media literacy skills were in focus of an OSCE-organized train-the-trainer course that took place on 29 and 30 October 2024.
    The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the course to provide support in preparing a pool of national trainers on media literacy and contribute to the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2021-2025 (NHRAP). The train-the-trainer course brought together representatives of Turkmenistan’s national media and institutions involved in the implementation of NHRAP.
    The training course highlighted general approaches to media literacy, its role and challenges related to the modern media sphere. International experts elaborated on the classification of hate speech, disinformation and misinformation and offered participants an opportunity to analyze examples of these phenomena.
    “The 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship of Malta included media literacy in its priorities for this year and organized a conference to discuss the interlinkage between media literacy and democracy,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat at the opening of the training course.
    “Indeed, media literacy skills are needed today as never before to efficiently exercise our human rights to freedom of expression and access to information both on- and offline,” stressed MacGregor.
    Participants explored methods of delivering training activities and practiced planning their training courses. International experts expanded on the methodology of factchecking, its concept and formats, as well as signs of fake news and verification algorithms.
    “I am confident that our participants have a huge potential to become national trainers and take lead in implementing OSCE commitments related to the freedom of the media and freedom of expression,” concluded MacGregor his opening speech.

    MIL OSI Europe News –