NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Russia: We invite young specialists to the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Science and Technology”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On November 26-27, 2024, the State University of Management will host the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Science and Technology”.

    Leading Russian scientists and practitioners, scientific and teaching staff, young researchers studying in bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate programs for training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel in higher education institutions under the scientific supervision of scientific-pedagogical staff are allowed to participate in the conference.

    The conference will include the following sections:

    Social technologies of society management; Innovative technologies of management in the digital environment of the information society; Transformation of industry management in the context of development of technological sovereignty; Marketing technologies of management; Technologies of development of social and business communications; Theory and practice of economic, technological and financial security of the country.

    Application deadline: November 21, 2024, 18:00

    Registration form: https://forms.yandex.ru/u/6703e5b190fa7b943127d827/

    Contacts for reference information: Alexandra Shkurenkova: ad_volkova@guu.ru.

    Details in the information letter.

    Information letter of the International Conference Science and Technology

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 10/28/2024

    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: Old National, Axletree Solutions Collaborate for New Level of Secure Transaction Messaging Leveraging Swift

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSVILLE, Ind., Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Old National Bancorp (“Old National”) and Axletree Solutions today announced an innovative collaboration whereby Axletree will host Old National Bank’s Swift architecture, providing a new level of highly-secure transaction messaging. This will ensure end-to-end control and complete transparency of banking transactions via Swift (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).

    Axletree Solutions, a “Software as a Service” provider specializing in connectivity and integration, is Old National’s Swift Service Bureau, providing the bank with access to Swift without the internal burden and costs of managing the requisite Swift technology and infrastructure. Axletree also provides value-added services to Old National that include creating, enriching and transporting various Swift message types from legacy back-office systems with routing rules to achieve internal efficiencies and enhance revenue. Through Axletree, Old National also has access to track international payments in real time leveraging Swift APIs, for the benefit of its customers through an end-to-end secure environment.

    “Our partnership with Axletree allows Old National to meet the technology needs of many of our financial institution and corporate customers,” said Joe Wicklander, President of Treasury Management, Merchant Services and Financial Institutions for Old National Bank. “Our clients continue to invest in automation to leverage their ERP systems, treasury workstations, and accounting platforms, and we thank Axletree for their commitment to providing innovative solutions that allow our clients to be even more successful.”

    Swift provides a single secure channel rather than requiring multiple proprietary connections. Swift is a member-owned cooperative providing safe and secure financial transactions for funds and funds administrators, brokers and dealers, clearing firms and financial market infrastructures, payment processors, and asset and wealth managers.

    Swift messaging supported by Old National will include Single Customer Credit Transfer, General Financial Institution Transfer, Bank to Bank Free Format Message, Confirmation of Debit, Confirmation of Credit, Customer Summary Statement Message, and Customer Detailed Statement Message. Swift connects multiple domestic and global institutions through a single, secure channel. Messaging capabilities include:

    • Wire transfer payments and confirmations
    • ACH payments and confirmations
    • Prior-day and current-day information reporting in BAI2 format
    • Integrated payable files in ISO 20022, CSV and EDI formats

    “We are thrilled to partner with Old National Bank to improve its secure financial messaging experience via Swift,” said Jeff Ferguson, Director of Business Development for Axletree Solutions. “Through the use of our solution Symmetree by Axletree®, Axletree was able to help Old National Bank’s legacy systems create, translate and transport Swift-ready messages to facilitate its secure financial messaging needs. Axletree’s connection with Swift will also allow Old National customers to trace their cross-border Swift transactions in real-time. We thank Old National Bank for allowing us to show how Axletree provides its customers with ‘peace of mind.’”

    ABOUT OLD NATIONAL
    Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) is the holding company of Old National Bank. As the sixth largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest, Old National proudly serves clients primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. With approximately $53 billion of assets and $30 billion of assets under management, Old National ranks among the top 30 banking companies headquartered in the United States. Tracing our roots to 1834, Old National focuses on building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients while also strengthening and supporting the communities we serve. In addition to providing extensive services in consumer and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management and capital markets services. For more information and financial data, please visit Investor Relations at oldnational.com. In 2024, Points of Light named Old National one of “The Civic 50” – an honor reserved for the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

    ABOUT AXLETREE
    Axletree Solutions, a premier financial technology provider since 2002, empowers businesses with seamless bank connectivity and enterprise integration. As North America’s first SWIFT Service Bureau for Banks and Corporates, Axletree has evolved into a global leader in financial transaction and payments solutions. Processing over $100 billion USD daily, Axletree transmits transactions from any system, across any network, anywhere in the world. The company’s innovative technology and client-centric approach have established it as a trusted partner for secure, mission-critical services, reinforcing Axletree’s role as the central communication pathway for its clients’ financial operations. With a comprehensive solution suite covering the entire payment lifecycle, Axletree enables organizations to realize efficiencies and reduce costs by replacing complex manual processes with automation. As the company expands its global presence through the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Axletree continues to drive efficiency and integration for the world’s largest organizations, guaranteeing seamless connectivity and peace of mind.

    ABOUT SWIFT
    Swift is a global member-owned cooperative and the world’s leading provider of secure financial messaging services. They provide communities with a platform for messaging and standards for communicating and offer products and services to facilitate access and integration, identification, analysis and regulatory compliance. Their messaging platform, products and services connect more than 11,500 banking and securities organizations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories. While Swift does not hold funds or manage accounts on behalf of customers, they enable a global community of users to communicate securely, exchanging standardized financial messages in a reliable way, thereby supporting global and local financial flows, as well as trade and commerce all around the world. Headquartered in Belgium, Swift’s international governance and oversight reinforces the globally inclusive character of its cooperative structure. Swift’s global office network ensures an active presence in all the major financial centers.

    Investor Relations:
    Lynell Durchholz
    (812) 464-1366
    lynell.durchholz@oldnational.com

    Media Relations:
    Rick Vach
    (904) 535-9489
    rick.vach@oldnational.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Europol: Over EUR 14 million in counterfeit currency seized in operation targeting postal shipments

    Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice

    Law enforcement agencies from 18 countries have seized over EUR 14 million in counterfeit currency in Operation DECOY, a Europol-coordinated action led by Spain, Portugal, and Austria. This joint customs and police operation, developed under EMPACT, aimed to disrupt the distribution of fake banknotes and coins via postal services across Europe.

    Read the full press release on Europol’s website

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Chief of Naval Operations Receives Leonardo Da Vinci Award from National Italian American Foundation

    Source: United States Navy

    Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., received the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), at the NIAF 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26.

    This award recognizes significant achievements and societal contributions by Italian Americans.

    Franchetti was one of six Italian Americans honored this year.

    Her full remarks are below:

    “Thank you to NIAF for this incredible recognition. It is truly an honor to be with you this evening to receive the Leonardo Da Vinci Award for Military Service.

    As you just saw in the video, my grandparents came to America in search of the American dream – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and new opportunities for their families.

    They arrived with the firm belief and the strongest of convictions, that if you worked hard, learned all you could, and did things the right way that you and your family would find success in this new world.

    My grandfather, Rebello Franchetti, a seasoned stonecutter, lived those values, as did my grandmother, Chiarina Rhea, the matriarch of our family. Together, they laid a strong foundation for my father, Lawrence Franchetti to be the first person in our family to go to college, become an engineer and find his success as a plant manager.

    Through the example they set they passed on those same values – values you’ve heard a lot about tonight, to me. And I passed them on to my own college freshman, Isabel Maria Franchetti, who studied Italian and learned about our Italian heritage firsthand, when we lived in Italy as part of our Navy journey.

    There is no doubt that those values and the love and support of my family laid the foundation for my success as a naval officer and as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations.

    But, there is also no doubt that this award and my every success I’ve had is owed to our amazing team of Navy Sailors and civilians. People who come from across the rich fabric of America. People with who I’ve had the opportunity to serve with over all these 39 years.

    So, as we sit here tonight enjoying this friendship and this wonderful dinner, many of our Sailors are deployed. They’re standing the watch very far from home and far from their family. In fact, on any given day, roughly 110 ships and 70,000 Sailors and Marines are deployed operating around the world and around the clock to preserve our Nation’s security and prosperity, to deter any would-be adversary, and stand ready to fight and win decisively, if called. I could not be more proud of our Navy team.

    And, they are doing it alongside Allies and partners, including the very capable Italian Navy, and just in case you didn’t see it in the news, our Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group just wrapped up a series of operations with the Italian Carrier Strike Group, ITS Cavour in the Indo-Pacific, and I can say with confidence that the partnership between the U.S. Navy and the Italian Navy grows stronger every single day. So, thank you again to NIAF. Thank you to all of you.  I could not be more proud of my Italian-American heritage or more grateful for the values that helped pave my way. Thank you very much.

    Have a great night!”

    Photos from the ceremony can be found here: LINK.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: CNO Remarks at National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Gala

    Source: United States Navy

    Thank you to NIAF for this incredible recognition. It is truly an honor to be with you this evening to receive the Leonardo Da Vinci Award for Military Service.

    As you just saw in the video, my grandparents came to America in search of the American dream – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and new opportunities for their families.

    They arrived with the firm belief and the strongest of convictions, that if you worked hard, learned all you could, and did things the right way that you and your family would find success in this new world.

    My grandfather, Rebello Franchetti, a seasoned stonecutter, lived those values, as did my grandmother, Chiarina Rhea, the matriarch of our family. Together, they laid a strong foundation for my father, Lawrence Franchetti to be the first person in our family to go to college, become an engineer and find his success as a plant manager.

    Through the example they set they passed on those same values – values you’ve heard a lot about tonight, to me. And I passed them on to my own college freshman, Isabel Maria Franchetti, who studied Italian and learned about our Italian heritage firsthand, when we lived in Italy as part of our Navy journey.

    There is no doubt that those values and the love and support of my family laid the foundation for my success as a naval officer and as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations.

    But, there is also no doubt that this award and my every success I’ve had is owed to our amazing team of Navy Sailors and civilians. People who come from across the rich fabric of America. People with who I’ve had the opportunity to serve with over all these 39 years.

    So, as we sit here tonight enjoying this friendship and this wonderful dinner, many of our Sailors are deployed. They’re standing the watch very far from home and far from their family. In fact, on any given day, roughly 110 ships and 70,000 Sailors and Marines are deployed operating around the world and around the clock to preserve our Nation’s security and prosperity, to deter any would-be adversary, and stand ready to fight and win decisively, if called. I could not be more proud of our Navy team.

    And, they are doing it alongside Allies and partners, including the very capable Italian Navy, and just in case you didn’t see it in the news, our Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group just wrapped up a series of operations with the Italian Carrier Strike Group, ITS Cavour in the Indo-Pacific, and I can say with confidence that the partnership between the U.S. Navy and the Italian Navy grows stronger every single day. So, thank you again to NIAF. Thank you to all of you.  I could not be more proud of my Italian-American heritage or more grateful for the values that helped pave my way. Thank you very much.

    Have a great night!

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Apple Intelligence is available today on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple Intelligence is available today on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

    October 28, 2024

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple Intelligence is available today on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

    Users can now tap into Apple Intelligence to refine their writing; summarize notifications, mail, and messages; experience a more natural and capable Siri; remove distracting objects from images with Clean Up; and more

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the first set of Apple Intelligence features for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users is now available through a free software update with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. Today marks the availability of the first set of features, with many more rolling out in the coming months.

    “Apple Intelligence introduces a new era for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, delivering brand-new experiences and tools that will transform what our users can accomplish,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Apple Intelligence builds on years of innovation in AI and machine learning to put Apple’s generative models at the core of our devices, giving our users a personal intelligence system that is easy to use — all while protecting their privacy. Apple Intelligence is generative AI in a way that only Apple can deliver, and we’re incredibly excited about its ability to enrich our users’ lives.”

    “Apple Intelligence unlocks exciting new capabilities that make your iPhone, iPad, and Mac even more helpful and useful, from Writing Tools to help refine your writing, to summarized notifications that surface what’s most important, to the ability to search for almost anything in your photos and videos by simply describing it,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “And it’s all built on a foundation of privacy with on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, a groundbreaking new approach that extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud to protect users’ information. We are thrilled to bring the first set of Apple Intelligence features to users today, and this is just the beginning.”

    Systemwide Writing Tools

    Deeply integrated across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, Writing Tools allow users to refine their language by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text virtually everywhere they write, including Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.

    With Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, and adjust the tone — professional, concise, or friendly — to suit the audience and task at hand. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. Users can also select text and have it summarized in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.

    More Natural and Conversational Siri

    Siri becomes more natural, flexible, and deeply integrated into the system experience. It has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when active on iPhone, iPad, or CarPlay. On Mac, users can place Siri anywhere on their desktop to access it easily as they work. Users can type to Siri at any time on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and can switch fluidly between text and voice as they use Siri to accelerate everyday tasks. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri can follow along when users stumble over their words and maintain context from one request to the next. In addition, with extensive product knowledge, Siri can now answer thousands of questions about the features and settings of Apple products. Users can learn everything from how to take a screen recording to how to easily share a Wi-Fi password.

    More Intelligent Photos App

    The Photos app is even more intelligent with many new capabilities. Natural language search gives users the ability to search for just about anything by simply describing what they are looking for, like “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt.” This works across videos, too, so users can search for something that happened in a specific segment of the video and go right to it. Search also offers smart completion suggestions to help users quickly complete a search.

    For those times when an unwanted object or person ends up in the frame of a photo, the Clean Up tool gives users a way to remove distracting elements while staying true to the moment as they intended to capture it.

    The Memories feature now gives users the ability to create the movies they want to see by simply typing a description.1 Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on a user’s description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc.

    New Ways to Prioritize and Stay Focused

    Staying on top of emails has never been easier. Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox in Mail, shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day invitation to lunch or a boarding pass. Across their inbox, users can see summaries without needing to open a message, and for long threads, they can tap or click Summarize to view pertinent details. Additionally, Smart Reply provides suggestions for a quick response and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.

    Apple Intelligence helps users prioritize and stay in the moment with notification summaries that allow users to scan long or stacked notifications with key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. A new Focus, Reduce Interruptions, surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention.

    In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call in the Phone app, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.

    Many More Features to Come

    New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months.

    Apple Intelligence will add new ways for users to express themselves visually. Emoji will be taken to an entirely new level with the ability to create original Genmoji by simply typing a description, and can also be personalized using a photo of a friend or family member. Image Playground will allow users to create playful images in moments. Image Wand will make notes more visually engaging by turning rough sketches into delightful images. When a user circles an empty space, Image Wand will create an image using context from the surrounding area.

    In December, Writing Tools will get even more powerful with the ability for users to describe a specific change they want to apply to their text, like making a dinner party invite read like a poem, or adding more dynamic action words to a résumé. And users will have the option to access ChatGPT’s broad world knowledge within Writing Tools and Siri, allowing them to benefit from its image- and document-understanding capabilities without needing to jump between tools.

    Also coming in December, a new visual intelligence experience will build on Apple Intelligence and help users learn about objects and places instantly, thanks to the new Camera Control on the iPhone 16 lineup.2 Users will be able to pull up details about a restaurant in front of them and interact with information — for example, translating text from one language to another.3 Camera Control will also serve as a gateway to third-party tools with specific domain expertise, like when users want to search Google for where they can buy an item, or benefit from ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills. Users are in control of when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.

    In the months to come, Priority Notifications will surface what’s most important, and Siri will become even more capable, with the ability to draw on a user’s personal context to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to them. Siri will also gain onscreen awareness, as well as be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps.

    Breakthrough Privacy Protections

    Designed to protect users’ privacy at every step, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing, meaning that many of the models that power it run entirely on device. For requests that require more processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, users’ data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill their request. In a first for the industry, independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to continuously verify this privacy promise — an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI.

    Users can choose whether or not to enable the ChatGPT integration, which is available as part of using Siri, Writing Tools, or visual intelligence with Camera Control. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.

    Availability

    • The first set of Apple Intelligence features is available now as a free software update with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English.
    • Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will be available for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
    • Apple Intelligence is available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later, and Mac with M1 and later.

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

    1. Create a Memory Movie is available on iPhone and iPad, and will be available on Mac in the coming months.
    2. Camera Control is available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
    3. Information about places of interest will be available in the U.S. to start, with support for additional regions in the months to come.

    Press Contacts

    Nadine Haija

    Apple

    nhaija@apple.com

    Jacqueline Roy

    Apple

    jacqueline_roy@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Apple introduces new iMac supercharged by M4 and Apple Intelligence

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple introduces new iMac supercharged by M4 and Apple Intelligence

    October 28, 2024

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple unveils the new iMac with M4, supercharged by Apple Intelligence and available in fresh colors

    The world’s best all-in-one desktop features even more performance, a nano-texture display option, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity — all in a strikingly thin design

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new iMac, featuring the powerful M4 chip and Apple Intelligence, in its stunning, ultra-thin design. With M4, iMac is up to 1.7x faster for daily productivity, and up to 2.1x faster for demanding workflows like photo editing and gaming, compared to iMac with M1.1 With the Neural Engine in M4, iMac is the world’s best all-in-one for AI and is built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. The new iMac is available in an array of beautiful new colors, and the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display offers a new nano-texture glass option.2 iMac features a new 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports,3 and color-matched accessories that include USB-C. Starting at just $1,299, now with 16GB of unified memory, the new iMac is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, November 8.

    “iMac is beloved by millions of users, from families at home to entrepreneurs hard at work. With the incredible features of Apple Intelligence and the powerful performance of Apple silicon, the new iMac changes the game once again,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “With M4 and Apple Intelligence, gorgeous new colors that pop in any space, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, and a new nano-texture glass display option, it’s a whole new era for iMac.”

    Supercharged by M4

    The M4 chip brings a boost in performance to iMac. Featuring a more capable CPU with the world’s fastest CPU core,4 the new iMac is up to 1.7x faster than iMac with M1. Users will feel this performance across everyday activities like multitasking between their favorite apps and browsing webpages in Safari. And with an immensely powerful GPU featuring Apple’s most advanced graphics architecture, iMac with M4 handles more intense workloads like photo editing and gaming up to 2.1x faster than iMac with M1. This also enables a smoother gameplay experience in titles like the upcoming Civilization VII. The new iMac comes standard with 16GB of faster unified memory — configurable up to 32GB. The Neural Engine in M4 is now over 3x faster than on iMac with M1, making it the world’s best all-in-one for AI, and accelerating the pace at which users can get things done.

    M4 takes iMac performance even further:

    • Families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs can fly through daily productivity tasks with up to 1.7x faster performance1 in apps like Microsoft Excel, and up to 1.5x faster browsing performance5 in Safari compared to iMac with M1.
    • Gamers can enjoy incredibly smooth gameplay, with up to 2x higher frame rates5 than on iMac with M1.
    • Content creators can edit like never before, with up to 2.1x faster photo and video editing performance when applying complex filters and effects in apps like Adobe Photoshop1 and Adobe Premiere Pro5 compared to iMac with M1.
    • Compared to the most popular 24-inch all-in-one PC with the latest Intel Core 7 processor, the new iMac is up to 4.5x faster.1
    • Compared to the most popular Intel-based iMac model, the new iMac is up to 6x faster.1

    A New Era with Apple Intelligence on the Mac

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

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

    Array of Gorgeous New Colors

    The new iMac comes in seven vibrant colors, bringing fresh shades of green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue, alongside silver. The back of iMac features bold colors designed to stand out, while the front expresses subtle shades of the new palette so users can focus on doing their best work. Every iMac comes with a color-matched Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or optional Magic Trackpad, all of which now feature a USB-C port, so users can charge their favorite devices with a single cable.

    New Nano-Texture Display Option

    The expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display on iMac is its highest-rated feature, and for the first time, it’s available with a nano-texture glass option that drastically reduces reflections and glare, while maintaining outstanding image quality.2 With nano-texture glass, users can place iMac in even more spaces, such as a sun-drenched living room or bright storefront.

    Enhanced Video Calls with 12MP Center Stage Camera

    A new 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View makes video calls even more engaging. Center Stage keeps everyone perfectly centered on a video call — great for families gathered on FaceTime. Desk View makes use of the wide-angle lens to simultaneously show the user and a top-down view of their desk, which is useful for educators presenting a lesson to students, or creators showing off their latest DIY project. Rounding out the unrivaled audio and video experience is the beloved studio-quality three-microphone array with beamforming and an immersive six-speaker sound system.

    Advanced Connectivity

    On the new iMac, all four USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 for superfast data transfers, so users can connect even more accessories like external storage, docks, and up to two 6K external displays, creating a massive canvas with more than 50M pixels for users to spread out their work.3 iMac also supports both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. And with the advanced security of Touch ID, users can easily and securely unlock their computer, make online purchases with Apple Pay, and download apps.6 Additionally, Touch ID works with Fast User Switching, so customers can switch between different user profiles with just the press of a finger.

    An Unrivaled Experience with macOS Sequoia

    macOS Sequoia completes the new iMac experience with a host of exciting features, including iPhone Mirroring, allowing users to wirelessly interact with their iPhone, its apps, and its notifications directly from their Mac.7 Safari, the world’s fastest browser,8 now offers Highlights, which quickly pulls up relevant information from a site; a smarter, redesigned Reader with a table of contents and high-level summary; and a new Video Viewer to watch videos without distractions. With Distraction Control, users can hide items on a webpage that they may find disruptive to their browsing. Gaming gets even more immersive with features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode, along with a breadth of exciting titles, including the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Easier window tiling means users can stay organized with a windows layout that works best for them. The all-new Passwords app gives convenient access to passwords, passkeys, and other credentials, all stored in one place. And users can apply beautiful new built-in backgrounds for video calls, including a variety of color gradients and system wallpapers, or upload their own photos.

    Better for the Environment

    The new iMac with M4 is designed with the environment in mind, with 100 percent recycled aluminum in the stand, and 100 percent recycled gold plating, tin soldering, and copper in multiple printed circuit boards. iMac meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency, and is free of mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. New this year, the packaging of iMac is entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from its packaging by 2025.

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

    Pricing and Availability

    • Customers can pre-order the new iMac with M4 starting today, October 28, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, beginning Friday, November 8.
    • iMac starts at $1,299 (U.S.) and $1,249 (U.S.) for education, and is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. It features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory configurable up to 24GB, 256GB SSD configurable up to 1TB, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    • iMac with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU starts at $1,499 (U.S.) and $1,399 (U.S.) for education, and is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. It features 16GB of unified memory configurable up to 32GB, 256GB SSD configurable up to 2TB, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.
    • Additional technical specifications — including the nano-texture display option, configure-to-order options, and accessories — are available at apple.com/mac.
    • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
    • Apple Intelligence is available now as a free software update for Mac with M1 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English. The first set of features is in beta and available with macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come.
    • Apple Intelligence is quickly adding support for more languages. In December, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and in April, a software update will deliver expanded language support, with more coming throughout the year. Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages will be supported.
    • AppleCare+ for Mac provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know Mac best.
    • Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.

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

    1. Testing was conducted by Apple in September and October 2024. See apple.com/imac for more information.
    2. Actual diagonal screen measurement is 23.5 inches. Nano-texture display is an option on models with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU.
    3. All four USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 on models with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU.
    4. Testing was conducted by Apple in October 2024 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
    5. Results are compared to previous-generation 24-inch iMac systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.
    6. iMac with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU can configure to Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad, and iMac with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU comes standard with Touch ID.
    7. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. Requires that the user’s iPhone and Mac are signed in with the same Apple Account using two-factor authentication, their iPhone and Mac are near each other and have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and their Mac is not using AirPlay or Sidecar. Some iPhone features (e.g., camera and microphone) are not compatible with iPhone Mirroring.
    8. Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari for more information.

    Press Contacts

    Michelle Del Rio

    Apple

    mr_delrio@apple.com

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Successfully Integrates Coronagraph for Roman Space Telescope

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has successfully completed integration of the Roman Coronagraph Instrument onto Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a piece of infrastructure that will hold the mission’s instruments, which will be integrated onto the larger spacecraft at a later date. The Roman Coronagraph is a technology demonstration that scientists will use to take an important step in the search for habitable worlds, and eventually life beyond Earth.
    This integration took place at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the space telescope is located and in development. This milestone follows the coronagraph’s arrival at the center earlier this year from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California where the instrument was developed, built, and tested.

    The Roman Coronagraph Instrument is a technology demonstration that will launch aboard the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s next flagship astrophysics mission. Roman will have a field of view at least 100 times larger than the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope and explore scientific mysteries surrounding dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. Roman is expected to launch no later than May 2027.
    The mission’s coronagraph is designed to make direct observations of exoplanets, or planets outside of our solar system, by using a complex suite of masks and active mirrors to obscure the glare of the planets’ host stars, making the planets visible. Being a technology demonstration means that the coronagraph’s goal is to test this technology in space and showcase its capabilities. The Roman Coronagraph is poised to act as a technological stepping stone, enabling future technologies on missions like NASA’s proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory, which would be the first telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life on exoplanets.
    “In order to get from where we are to where we want to be, we need the Roman Coronagraph to demonstrate this technology,” said Rob Zellem, Roman Space Telescope deputy project scientist for communications at NASA Goddard. “We’ll be applying those lessons learned to the next generation of NASA flagship missions that will be explicitly designed to look for Earth-like planets.”

    A Major Mission Milestone
    The coronagraph was successfully integrated into Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a large grid-like structure that sits between the space telescope’s primary mirror and spacecraft bus, which will deliver the telescope to orbit and enable the telescope’s functionality upon arrival in space. Assembly of the mission’s spacecraft bus was completed in September 2024.
    The Instrument Carrier will hold both the coronagraph and Roman’s Wide Field Instrument, the mission’s primary science instrument, which is set to be integrated later this year along with the Roman telescope itself. “You can think of [the Instrument Carrier] as the skeleton of the observatory, what everything interfaces to,” said Brandon Creager, lead mechanical engineer for the Roman Coronagraph at JPL.
    The integration process began months ago with mission teams from across NASA coming together to plan the maneuver. Additionally, after its arrival at NASA Goddard, mission teams ran tests to prepare the coronagraph to be joined to the spacecraft bus.

    During the integration itself, the coronagraph, which is roughly the size and shape of a baby grand piano (measuring about 5.5 feet or 1.7 meters across), was mounted onto the Instrument Carrier using what’s called the Horizontal Integration Tool.
    First, a specialized adapter developed at JPL was attached to the instrument, and then the Horizontal Integration Tool was attached to the adapter. The tool acts as a moveable counterweight, so the instrument was suspended from the tool as it was carefully moved into its final position in the Instrument Carrier. Then, the attached Horizontal Integration Tool and adapter were removed from the coronagraph. The Horizontal Integration Tool previously has been used for integrations on NASA’s Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope.
    As part of the integration process, engineers also ensured blanketing layers were in place to insulate the coronagraph within its place in the Instrument Carrier. The coronagraph is designed to operate at room temperature, so insulation is critical to keep the instrument at the right temperature in the cold vacuum of space. This insulation also will provide an additional boundary to block stray light that could otherwise obscure observations.
    Following this successful integration, engineers will perform different checks and tests to ensure that everything is connected properly and is correctly aligned before moving forward to integrate the Wide Field Instrument and the telescope itself. Successful alignment of the Roman Coronagraph’s optics is critical to the instrument’s success in orbit.

    This latest mission milestone is the culmination of an enduring collaboration between a number of Roman partners, but especially between NASA Goddard and NASA JPL.
    “It’s really rewarding to watch these teams come together and build up the Roman observatory. That’s the result of a lot of teams, long hours, hard work, sweat, and tears,” said Liz Daly, the integrated payload assembly integration and test lead for Roman at Goddard.
    “Support and trust were shared across both teams … we were all just one team,” said Gasia Bedrosian, the integration and test lead for the Roman Coronagraph at JPL. Following the integration, “we celebrated our success together,” she added.
    The Roman Coronagraph Instrument was designed and built at NASA JPL, which manages the instrument for NASA. Contributions were made by ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. Caltech, in Pasadena, California, manages NASA JPL for the agency. The Roman Science Support Center at Caltech/IPAC partners with NASA JPL on data management for the Coronagraph and generating the instrument’s commands.

    The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
    By Chelsea GohdNASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, Calif.
    ​​Media Contact:Claire Andreoliclaire.andreoli@nasa.govNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.301-286-1940

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Thomasville Bancshares, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THOMASVILLE, Ga., Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thomasville Bancshares, Inc. (OTC PINK: THVB), the parent company of Thomasville National Bank and TNB Financial Services, today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024.

    Third Quarter 2024 Highlights

    • Net Income for the quarter of $9,386,870 compared to $8,467,575 for the same period last year, an increase of 11%.
    • YTD Net Income of $28,950,864 compared to $26,162,967 for the same period in 2023, an increase of 11%.
    • Earnings per share for the first nine months were $4.53 (basic) and $4.36 (diluted).
    • YTD Return on Average Assets of 2.21% and Return on Average Tangible Equity of 24.28%.
    • Total Assets of $1.816 billion, an increase of $241 million over the same period in 2023.
    • Loans grew to $1.514 billion, an increase of $150 million or 11% year-over-year.
    • Deposits grew to $1.573 billion, an increase of $220 million or 16% year-over-year.
    • Regulatory Capital was $167 million or 9.26% of assets. During the third quarter the company paid a $6.9 million cash dividend ($1.05 per share).
    • TNB Financial, provider of trust and investment services, now has client assets over $4.7 billion.

    Stephen H. Cheney, Chairman and CEO, said “We are pleased to report our strong financial performance for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024. We believe that our Bank is well positioned to continue this strong performance through the remainder of 2024 and beyond.”

    About Thomasville Bancshares, Inc., and Thomasville National Bank

    Thomasville Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1995 as the holding company for Thomasville National Bank. Today the Bank has total assets of over $1.8 billion. TNB was the #1 ranked bank in Georgia in overall performance (2023 GBA Bank Performance Report) and was recently recognized by American Banker magazine as one of the Top 200 Community Banks in the country, ranked 7th in the nation based upon three years average return on shareholders’ equity. The Bank’s trust and investment division, TNB Financial Services, has client assets over $4.7 billion under advisement and provides financial planning, investments, trust, brokerage, and other related financial services. TNBFS has offices located in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, and Ohio. The Company is headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia and has over 800 local shareholders. Thomasville National Bank is Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, visit online at www.tnbank.com. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR Government strongly condemns US lawmakers’ attempt through a so-called “bill” to intimidate HKSAR personnel safeguarding national security

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (January 25) strongly condemned those United States (US) lawmakers again requesting a review, through a so-called “bill”, of including a number of HKSARG officials, and a number of judges and prosecutors, in a so-called list of “sanctions” in an attempt to intimidate the HKSAR personnel concerned who safeguard national security, as well as the unfounded and biased remarks which deliberately misled the public and smeared the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL). 

         A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, “It is the constitutional duty of the HKSAR to safeguard national security. In accordance with international law and international practice based on the Charter of the United Nations, safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states. Many common law jurisdictions, including western countries such as the US, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Singapore, have enacted multiple pieces of legislation to safeguard national security. Turning a blind eye to the fact and making exaggerated remarks, the US politicians have demonstrated typical political hegemony and hypocrisy with double standards.”

         “While the ‘black-clad violence’ and the Hong Kong version of ‘colour revolution’ back in 2019 severely damaged the social stability of Hong Kong, the implementation of the NSL in the past four years has enabled the livelihood and economic activities of the Hong Kong community at large to swiftly resume as normal and the business environment to be restored and improved continuously. In the Economic Freedom of the World 2024 Annual Report, Hong Kong ranks as the world’s freest economies among 165 economies. In the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, Hong Kong’s ranking improved by two places to fifth globally. However, those US politicians insist on turning a blind eye to all these facts, and even clamour for so-called ‘sanctions’ against the HKSAR personnel who dutifully safeguard national security. The HKSAR Government strongly condemns their political grandstanding rife with ill intentions, which have been seen through by all.

         The spokesperson pointed out, “The HKSAR despises any so-called ‘sanctions’ and shall never be intimidated. It shall continue to resolutely discharge the responsibility of safeguarding national security. The HKSAR Government strongly urges the US politicians concerned to discern facts from fallacies, and immediately stop acting against the international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China’s internal affairs.”

         The spokesperson also pointed out that, “Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, human rights in the city have always been robustly guaranteed constitutionally by both the Constitution and the Basic Law. The legal framework in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is in line with relevant international human rights standards. The NSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to the HKSAR are protected in accordance with the law.”

         “The HKSAR law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons or entities concerned, which have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation. The Department of Justice of the HKSAR is in charge of criminal prosecutions under Article 63 of the Basic Law, with all prosecution decisions made based on an objective analysis of all admissible evidence and applicable laws.

         “The Judiciary of the HKSAR exercises judicial power independently in accordance with the law, and everyone charged with a criminal offence has the right to a fair hearing. The courts decide cases strictly in accordance with the evidence and all applicable laws. Cases will never be handled any differently owing to the profession, political beliefs or background of the entities involved. The prosecution has the burden to prove beyond reasonable doubt the commission of an offence before a defendant may be convicted by the court.
          
         “The judicial system of the HKSAR has always been highly regarded by international communities. Any attempt by any country, organisation, or individual to interfere with the judicial proceedings in the HKSAR by means of political power is a reprehensible act undermining the rule of law of the HKSAR. Making any statement with the intent to interfere with or obstruct the course of justice, or engaging in conduct with the same intent, is very likely to constitute the offence of criminal contempt of court or the offence of perverting the course of justice.”

         The spokesman reiterated, “The HKSAR steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully lives up to this top priority of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. The HKSAR Government will, as always, resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the NSL, the SNSO and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, to effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of ‘one country, two systems’.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK The Brighton Bomb: Lord Butler of Brockwell shares his experience on #LordSpeakersCorner

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler – Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher – was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.

    Hear from Lord Butler of Brockwell as he talks to the Lord Speaker about the experience, plus working with five prime ministers, in the latest Lord Speaker’s Corner.

    Watch or listen now – search ‘House of Lords’ on YouTube or visit https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/lord-butler-of-brockwell–lord-speakers-corner/

    #LordSpeakersCorner #HouseOfLords

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/ukhouseoflords/albums
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-house-of-lords
    • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament #Shorts

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP12TvKo7lU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement on Georgia parliamentary election

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Today, Global Affairs Canada issued the following statement on the parliamentary election in Georgia: “As a friend, partner and longstanding supporter of Georgia, Canada notes the official results of the October 26, 2024, parliamentary election as announced by the country’s central election commission.

    October 28, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Today, Global Affairs Canada issued the following statement on the parliamentary election in Georgia:

    “As a friend, partner and longstanding supporter of Georgia, Canada notes the official results of the October 26, 2024, parliamentary election as announced by the country’s central election commission.

    “However, Canada is concerned with widespread acts of voter intimidation, vote buying and other election day irregularities reported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and other impartial observers. This must be investigated and addressed. Canada strongly believes that free, fair, and independent elections are the cornerstone of a democratic society.

    “In coordination with our G7 and European partners, and in light of the conduct and results of this election, Canada will reassess its relationship with the Georgian leadership. Canada remains open to cooperation with Georgia, as long as the Georgian leadership respects democracy, human rights, rule of law and addresses the recent democratic backsliding.

    “We call for calm by all parties and for the Georgian authorities to respect the rights and security of individuals in the context of peaceful protests.

    “We commend Georgians for actively participating in the election process, including as voters, polling staff and citizen observers.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Prison for Bribing Former Taylor Mayor

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    DETROIT –Real estate developer was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for bribing former Mayor of Taylor Richard Sollars with cash, home renovations, and other things of value in exchange for obtaining tax-foreclosed properties from the City of Taylor for redevelopment, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. 

    Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Shady Awad, 44, of Allen Park was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.

    According to court documents, between 2016 and 2018,  Awad provided a steady stream of bribes to then-mayor Sollars in the form of cash, home improvements to Sollars’ home and lake house, appliances, and other items of value.  Awad also agreed to charge more than $19,000 to his credit cards, and then convert the charges to cash for Sollars. In total, Awad provided Sollars with goods and services valued at $85,011.73, in exchange for being permitted to acquire tax-foreclosed properties to redevelop through the City of Taylor’s Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment.  As a result of the bribes Awad paid to Sollars, Sollars recommended to City Council that Awad be awarded the vast majority of the City’s ROFR properties.  

    “Mr. Awad’s conviction and sentence should send a strong message that not only will public officials who accept bribes be brought to justice by my office, but also, those who seek to gain an advantage by bribing public officials will face serious consequences as well,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.

    “Mr. Awad and the former Mayor of Taylor unlawfully corrupted the City of Taylor’s real estate redevelopment program, meant to benefit the city and its residents, for their own private gain,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “FBI Michigan’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force remains committed to rigorously investigating public corruption, especially individuals who cheat the system by bribing public officials.”

    The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Taylor Mayor Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Bribery Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    DETROIT –Richard Sollars was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conspiring to accept bribes and engaging in wire fraud while he was the Mayor of the City of Taylor, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

    Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Between 2016 and 2018, Sollars, 50, exercised his authority and influence as Mayor and recommended to the Taylor City Council that Realty Transition, a company owned by his co-defendant, Shady Awad, be awarded the vast majority of the tax-foreclosed properties that the City had or would acquire under its Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment. Sollars recommended Realty Transition for the ROFR program, intending to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Awad provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received bribes from Awad totaling $85,011.73 as part of this bribery scheme. The bribes included items such as home renovations, a humidor, kitchen appliances, a washer and dryer, a Dyson vacuum cleaner, a camera, and cash.

    In addition, as part of his election efforts, Sollars established a campaign account entitled, “Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr.” Sollars engaged in a scheme to defraud his donors by fraudulently using donated funds for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign.  In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, Sollars directed his campaign treasurer to provide him with signed blank checks from his campaign account. Sollars then made those checks payable to Dominick’s Market in various amounts, each purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. As known to Sollars, the owner of Dominick’s Market, Hadir Altoon, prepared false invoices for catering services that were not actually provided. Instead, Altoon would provide Sollars with some or all of the proceeds from the cashed fraudulent checks for Sollars’s personal use. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received $70,362.98 from this, and other, wire fraud schemes related to his campaign account.

    “Sollars, as the Mayor of the City of Taylor, pledged to represent the best interests of the citizens he represented and the voters who supported him. Instead, he used his elected office to award city contracts and spend campaign funds for his own personal financial enrichment,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Sollars’s conviction and sentence demonstrate my office’s commitment to ensuring that those elected officials who place their own greed above their duties to the citizens in the community will be held to answer for their breach of trust.”

    “The diligent work of the FBI’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, working in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, resulted in the conviction of Richard Sollars, the former mayor of the City of Taylor,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gibson. “This betrayal of public trust is a stark reminder of the importance of integrity and accountability in public office. We remain committed to upholding the principles of justice and transparency, ensuring that such actions do not go unpunished. Today’s sentencing of Mr. Sollars brings closure to a lengthy and thorough investigation of the former mayor’s administration.”

    The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 15 years of the Regulatory Policy Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The RPC has now been operating for 15 years. To commemorate this, we have updated the history document originally published for our 10th anniversary.

    15-Year Anniversary Review of the RPC

    PDF, 1.08 MB, 21 pages

    This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@bis.gsi.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    The document details the changes to the role of the RPC over the last decade and a half, provides some case studies of the regulatory measures we have worked on, and includes suggestions to the new Government on how to make our role even more effective.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston City Council encourages eligible residents to apply for Round 6 of the Household Support Fund

    Source: City of Preston

    Preston City Council encourages eligible residents to apply for Round 6 of the Household Support Fund 

    Round 6 of the Household Support Fund is now open for applications from all residents of Preston to apply for help and assistance with;  

    • energy and water bills 
    • food 
    • essentials linked to energy, water and food 
    • wider essentials.

    The objective of this round of funding is to help residents of Preston with rising energy costs, however continued support is also available for other essentials too. 

    Councillor Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: 

    “Schemes like the Household Support Fund are intended to help those who need help and support during these difficult times, and I would urge all eligible residents in need of help and assistance with energy and water bills, food and essential items to apply.”  

    To be eligible, applicants must reside in the Preston area. More than one application will be considered in this round of funding, however there must be a minimum of three months between applications.

    Funding is aimed at anyone who cannot pay for essential items and to those residents who are no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment to apply. 

    You do not have to be in receipt of benefits to get help from your local council. If you are in receipt of benefits, they will not be affected if you receive a payment from the Household Support scheme.  

    For a list of supporting evidence and more information, visit the Household Support Fund page.

    How to apply for the Household Support Fund

    You can apply online via the Household Support Fund form, and for any queries or help with your online application please call 01772 906777.  

    Applications are open from today, Monday, 28 October 2024 until Monday, 31 March 2025. However, this is subject to change if all funds have been exhausted. 

    Further Information

    Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Banbridge Job Fair Connects Local Employers with Job Seekers

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Councillor Kyle Savage trying the electric scooter from business Post Smart who were advertising job opportunities at a Job Fair held in Banbridge Leisure Centre on Thursday 24th October. Also photographed is Nicola Wilson, Head of Economic Development at ABC Council.

    A vibrant job fair held at the Banbridge Leisure Centre on Thursday 24th October attracted over 200 job seekers and local employers, showcasing the region’s commitment to economic growth and workforce development.

    The event, organized by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Labour Market Partnership, in collaboration with the local Jobs and Benefits Office, featured key local businesses from various sectors, including retail, healthcare, and technology.

    The Council’s Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is funded by the Department for Communities. Labour Market Partnerships create targeted employment action plans for council areas, allowing for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work.

    Job vacancies were on offer from Almac, Tesco, Alternative Heat, The Boulevard, Marks and Spencer, Autism Initiatives, NW Care and more. Job seekers had the opportunity to engage directly with these potential employers and find out about jobs, training and support schemes available to them.

    Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Kyle Savage was in attendance and commented:

    “The goal of these local job fairs is to create a platform where employers and job seekers can connect and explore opportunities. The turnout exceeded expectations, demonstrating the demand for jobs in our community and the eagerness of employers to find local talent.”

    Attendees were able to explore a diverse range of job openings, and their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the fair as an invaluable resource for both job seekers looking to launch or advance their careers and companies seeking skilled workers.

    Labour Market Partnership job fairs take place across the borough throughout the year and anyone who attends is given a list of available vacancies when they arrive. They are also provided with information on training opportunities, self-employment, careers guidance and practical advice to help improve their chances of finding employment.

    To find out more about the work of LMP, visit www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/lmp

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York care leavers celebrate award nomination during national Care Leavers’ Week

    Source: City of York

    Young care leavers from York’s Care Leavers Forum ‘I Still Matter’ are celebrating being nominated for a prestigious national award this Care Leavers’ Week (28 October-3 November).

    The group, which represents care leavers across the city, and City of York Council’s Pathway Team, which supports care leavers, have been shortlisted for the National Voice Awards 2024 in The Collaboration Award category.

    The shortlisting highlights the work the team and ‘I Still Matter’ group have been doing to work together to reshape and design the new local offer for care leavers. The project included consultations with wide groups of care leavers to ensure the new offering was designed around lived experiences, and includes increase support for care leavers who are parents and improvements to financial support, leisure and travel offering and wellbeing support. The awards will be announced on 30 October.

    National Care Leavers’ Week gives young care leavers the opportunity to challenge the perceptions given to them and raise awareness of the issues those in care face, whilst also celebrating the incredible things many go on to achieve. The theme this year will be: All of us, we are one.

    Events are being organised across the city to celebrate care leavers and the family, carers, friends, and mentors who support them.

    The council is also launching its new Care Leavers’ Offer during Care Leavers’ Week. The document sets out what young people leaving care can expect from the council and how they can access help and support.

    Danielle Johnson, the council’s, Director of Safeguarding, Children’s Services said:

    “We want to support our young people as they make the transition from care through to independent living and beyond, just as most parents support their children well into adulthood.

    “In York, we’re incredibly fortunate to have the support of some fabulous businesses and partners who help support our care leavers, through opportunities or Christmas gifts, work experience placements or apprenticeships. I’d like to thank all those who have helped support our care leavers over the last year. It really does take a village – or in our case, a city – to raise a child.”

    Abbie, a care leaver, said:

    “We’ve spent a lot of time working with the pathway team to co-produce the new offer.

    “We wanted an offer that was tailored more to the individual rather than a blanket offer – because we all need different things at different times.”

    Find more information on helping care leavers.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK What does Chairman of Ways and Means do during the Budget Statement?

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Nusrat Ghani MP, the Chairman of Ways and Means, will chair the Budget Statement and debate on Wednesday 30 October.

    Watch the #Budget2024 live with #BSL interpretation here.

    12.30pm GMT, Wednesday 30 October.

    Want to find out more? https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/autumn-budget-2024/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3TCbk4lLcs

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Middle East: Foreign Secretary’s statement, 28 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy gave an oral statement to the House of Commons on the situation in the Middle East.

    Delivered on:

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on the Middle East.

    After over a year of horrifying violence, civilian suffering has increased, the conflict has widened, the risks of a yet wider regional war have risen.  

    Today, Mr Speaker, I want to address three elements of this crisis, and outline the urgent steps the Government’s taking in response.

    Mr Speaker, I will first consider events over the weekend. Targeted Israeli strikes hit military sites inside Iran, including a missile manufacturer and an air defence base.

    This was in response to Iran’s escalatory ballistic missile attacks on Israel condemned across the House. These attacks were the latest in a long history of malign Iranian activity. Its nuclear programme, with their total enriched uranium stockpile now reported by the IAEA to be thirty times the JCPoA limit. And political, financial and military support for militias, including Hizballah and Hamas.

    Let me be clear. The Government unequivocally condemns Iranian attacks on Israel. This Government has imposed three rounds of sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations responsible for malign activity, most recently on the fourteenth of October. And we have consistently supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Iranian attacks, and attacks by Iranian-backed terrorists, whose goal is the complete eradication of the Israeli state. We do not mourn the deaths of the heads of proscribed terrorist organisations.

    The priority now is immediate de-escalation. Iran should not respond. All sides must exercise restraint. We do not wish to see the cycle of violence intensifying, dragging the whole region into a war with severe consequences. Escalation is in no one’s interest as it risks spreading the regional conflict further. We and our partners have been passing this message clearly and consistently. Yesterday, Mr Speaker, I spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi and Israeli Foreign Minister Katz and urged both countries to show restraint and avoid further regional escalation.

    Mr Speaker, let me turn to the devastating situation in northern Gaza, where the United Nations estimates over four hundred thousand Palestinian civilians remain.

    Access to essential services worsen by the day. Yet still, very little aid is being allowed in. Israel’s evacuation order in the north has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Driven from destruction, disease, and despair. To destruction, disease and despair. Nine in ten Gazans have been displaced since the war began. Some have had to flee more than ten times in the past year. What must parents say to their children? How can they explain this living nightmare? How can they reassure it will ever end?

    There is no excuse for Israeli’s government’s ongoing restrictions on humanitarian assistance – they must let more aid in now. Aid is backed up at Gaza’s borders. In many cases funded by the UK and our partners. But now stuck, out of reach of those who need it so desperately. These restrictions fly in the face of Israel’s public commitments. They risk violating international humanitarian law. They are a rebuke to every friend of Israel, who month after month have demanded action to address the catastrophic conditions facing Palestinian civilians. So let me be clear once again. This Government condemns these restrictions in the strongest terms.

    Since our first day in office, the Government has led efforts to bring this nightmare to an end. We have announced funding for UK-Med’s efforts to provide medical treatment in Gaza, for UNICEF’s work to support vulnerable families in Gaza, for Egyptian health facilities treating medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza.

    We are matching donations to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Middle East Humanitarian Appeal. And, together with France and Algeria, we called an emergency UN Security Council meeting to address the dire situation. We sanctioned extremist settlers, making clear their actions do not serve the real interests of either Israel or the region.

    And we have moved quickly to restore funding to UNRWA, overturning the position of the last Government. We did that to support UNRWA’s indispensable role in assisting Palestinians, and to enable them to implement the recommendations of the independent Colonna report.

    All over the world, in every war zone, every refugee camp, the United Nations is a beacon of hope. And so it’s a matter of profound regret that the Israeli parliament is considering shutting down UNRWA’s operations. The allegations against UNRWA staff earlier this year were fully investigated, and offer no justification for cutting off ties with UNRWA.

    This weekend, we therefore joined partners in expressing concerns at the Knesset’s legislation, and urged Israel to ensure UNRWA’s lifesaving work continues. We call on UNRWA to continue its path to reform, demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality.

    And finally, Mr Speaker, I will cover the conflict in Lebanon. A country that has endured so much in my lifetime and now sees fighting escalate once again, killing many civilians, and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes. While in northern Israel, communities live in fear of Hizballah attacks, unable to return home.

    Here too, the Government has led efforts to respond. Our swift call for an immediate ceasefire was taken up by our partners and in the United Nations Security Council. The Defence Secretary and I have visited Lebanon, where Britain’s ongoing support for the Lebanese Armed Forces is widely recognised as an investment in a sovereign and effective Lebanese state.

    At the start of October, I announced ten million pounds for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. Last week, my Right Honourable Friend Minister Dodds announced further funding for the most vulnerable amongst those fleeing from Lebanon into Syria, while my Honourable Friend Minister Falconer joined the Lebanon Support Conference in Paris. And today, my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister will meet Prime Minister Mikati to reassure him of our support.

    Mr Speaker, across the region, our priorities are clear. De-escalation. Humanitarian assistance. Immediate ceasefires. Upholding international law. Political solutions.

    This is how we save lives. How we liberate hostages, like British national Emily Damari. And how we pull the region back from the brink.

    The Government has stepped up our diplomatic engagement to this end. The Prime Minister has spoken directly to both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Pezeshkian. While I have made five visits to the region in just four months, held around fifty calls and meetings with Ministers and leaders in the region, and spoke this weekend to US Secretary Blinken, just back from the region.

    Mr Speaker, it is a source of deep frustration that these efforts have not yet succeeded. We have no illusions about the deep-seated divisions in this region. A region scarred by fighting and false dawns in the past. But it is never too late for peace. Never too late for hope.

    This Government will not give up on the people of the region. We will keep playing our part in achieving a lasting solution. So that, one day, they might all live side by side in peace and security.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I am honoured to address this distinguished gathering in the beautiful city of Manila for this pivotal International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security. I thank the government of the Philippines, UN Women, and the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, and the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy for organizing this event.

    Let me take a few moments to express my deepest condolences for the victims of the recent tropical storm that hit the Philippines and a speedy recovery for everyone affected. As we prepare for the next storm, it is now clear that climate change is real with more frequent and intense events.

    Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    We are at a critical juncture in our shared pursuit of peace, security and sustainable development. The world is facing unprecedented challenges, and though we may not know how to tackle them all, there is one thing we know for certain: it is imperative that women are at the core of our solutions.

    Peace and security decision-making is overwhelmingly dominated by men today. 

    And ending impunity for atrocities against women and girls is still but a distant goal.

    The past year has been especially difficult. 

    From Gaza to Sudan, from Lebanon to Ukraine, the toll on women and girls in conflict zones is devastating. Thousands have been killed, injured, and displaced as they endure extreme suffering.

    In Afghanistan, the stark regression of women’s rights underscores the profound impact of their exclusion from governance and society at large.

    Current pushback on gender equality and women’s empowerment is real and in too many spaces. The weaponization of misogyny for political gain exacts a cost that will reverberate for generations—resulting in more conflicts, prolonged conflicts, and more destructive conflicts.

    Just days ago, I had the honor of speaking at the United Nations Security Council in New York during the annual debate on Women, Peace and Security, where over 100 speakers joined in reiterating their calls for women’s increased participation and for stronger measures to protect them from all forms of violence. Yet, the true measure of our efforts unfolds in places far from the halls of the United Nations, in the lived realities of women in conflict zones across the world.   

    The Philippines offers profound insights as the first Asian nation to adopt a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. And as you adapt and expand the Plan to meet the moment and the evolving challenges that come with it, you are demonstrating commendable leadership.

    This leadership is not a step in a new direction for the Philippines, in fact it is set against the backdrop of a dedicated and rich history of women’s leadership at local and national levels, including the election of multiple women as presidents. I ask you to take a moment to consider how remarkable an achievement that is in a world where more than 100 countries have yet to see a woman in their highest office.

    Likewise, the Philippines’ appointment of the world’s first woman chief negotiator for a major peace agreement stands as a testament to the transformative power of inclusive peace processes: achieving a peace agreement in which half of its articles mentioned mechanisms to engage with women in governance and development, protect them against violence, setting an example by ensuring that one third of the people at the peace table were women, which is the minimum target we have set at the United Nations for all peace processes.

    Yet despite these advancements, the global landscape has not caught up.  In 2023, women constituted less than 10 percent of participants in peace negotiations globally. Let’s call this what it is: a significant barrier to achieving lasting peace and equity in the world.

    Where peace is in short supply, there is an outsize impact on the lives of women and girls the world over. Globally, over 170 conflicts were recorded last year impacting 612 million women and girls – a staggering 50 percent increase from a decade ago.

    The implications are dire: the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts has doubled; conflict-related sexual violence has risen by 50 percent, and the number of women and girls forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, and violence has surged by 70 percent since 2018. Meanwhile, every day, 500 women die from pregnancy and birth complications.

    As military spending continues to increase, funding for gender equality continues to go down, with dire implications, not just for women and girls, but for everyone across our societies.    

    Now is the time to reinforce the urgency of our mission. We must pivot our focus from military investments to empowering women peacebuilders, expanding spaces for civil society, and bolstering the roles of women human rights defenders. Our collective action and cooperation must foster a more inclusive, equitable world.  

    Our UN family, whether in peacekeeping or humanitarian operations, or working to find political solutions, advance sustainable development, or protect human rights, will continue to fight for gender equality, peace and security.

    Last week, the Secretary-General launched a Common Pledge calling on governments, regional organizations, mediation actors to commit to join the United Nations in taking concrete steps on women’s participation in all peace processes they are involved in – from appointing women as lead mediators, to ensuring conflict parties advocate for concrete targets and measures that promotes women’s participation. We are deeply thankful for the Philippine’s support to this Common Pledge.

    The UN family is also actively working with governments, civil society, academia, and various other stakeholders to advance women’s inclusion in leadership and decision-making through training, advocacy, policy and fundraising to promote gender equality.

    Over the next few days, let us channel our discussions into concrete actions that lead to the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes, and let us build a world that is not just peaceful for all but for future generations to come.

    Let me end with a quote by a woman who has dedicated her life to advancing the cause of women and girls the world over – Malala Yousafzai – who said; “There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women”. End quote.

    To all of you here today, thank you for embodying the spirit of these words. And for your dedicated partnership and commitment to the Women, Peace and Security.

    Let’s get to work.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First tenants move into pioneering affordable homes in Edinburgh

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Tenants have moved into the first ‘net zero ready’ affordable homes to be delivered in Granton Waterfront.

    A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh last year and the 75 energy efficient homes for social and mid-market rent at Granton Station View built by CCG (Scotland) Ltd on behalf of the Council are part of the local authority’s £1.3bn regeneration of the area to provide much needed affordable housing.  

    The project is part of the major transformation of Granton Waterfront to create a new coastal town in the north of the city with tenants and homeowners also due to start moving into over 400 ‘net zero ready’ homes for social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale at Western Villages throughout next year.  Work is also well underway to deliver a further 143 ‘net zero ready’ social and mid-market rent homes at Silverlea due for completion in Summer 2026.

    The homes at Granton Station View are the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme pilot which is part of a collaborative programme between local and national government, academia and the construction industry that has developed a new model for delivering affordable housing in Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The homes will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the city’s 2030 net zero target. The homes were largely manufactured offsite and have high performance energy efficient features which will help reduce utility bills for tenants. Features include triple glazing, communal zero direct emissions heating as well as solar panels linked to the communal energy centre being provided. The University of Edinburgh will monitor the energy efficiency of the building design for the first year.

    Granton Station View was supported by of over £6.6m funding from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (ASHP).  

    Other innovative features in the development include an underground waste collection system, cycle parking twice the capacity of the residents living there and links to existing and established walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

    Three commercial spaces are also situated underneath the homes at Granton Station View providing business and employment opportunities for the area. Two of the spaces have recently been let out ensuring that residents of Granton Station View will have access to a local convenience store with a post office and a fitness gym.

    As well as delivering over 3,500 ‘net zero’ homes in the next 10 years, the wider £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration will include a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space as well as a new public park at the iconic Granton Gasholder, currently being restored.

    Council leader Cammy Day said:

    Today’s announcement is welcome news as the housing emergency we declared last year means we have a chronic shortage of housing in the city.

    Despite Scottish Government cuts in affordable housing, the homes at Granton Station View are part of an exciting pilot project which will not just help us ease this shortage but will provide many individuals and families with comfortable modern homes using the very latest technology to keep energy bills down.

    I wish everyone moving into Granton Station View well and look forward to seeing hundreds of other individuals and families move into the high-quality homes we are delivering at Western Villages and Silverlea as part of our wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.

    Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

    I am pleased that the City of Edinburgh Council has delivered 75 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social and Mid-Market Rent in Granton. These homes were backed by over £6.6 million of Scottish Government funding and they will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come, whilst supporting Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.

    We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032 with at least 70% for social rent and 10% in our rural and island communities.

    CCG (Scotland) Managing Director, David Wylie, said:

    Scotland is in a housing emergency and our planet is in the midst of a climate emergency. Both issues are some of the most challenging that will face this generation and it is fundamental that we tackle both in equal measure by delivering more, sustainable homes like we have here at Granton Station View.

    Through our own, pioneering construction methods and a new delivery model that focuses on streamlined procurement and collaborative working, we have unlocked brownfield land and evidenced that a just net zero transition is achievable, the needs of our communities can be met, and our carbon impact can be significantly lowered.

    We thank the partners of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme for their support during construction, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Council at Western Villages where a further 444 net zero ready homes, including 56 for sale from CCG Homes, will be completed in 2025.

     The EHD programme has developed a housing delivery model for ‘net zero ready’ homes across the six council areas in the City Region Deal. As part of this programme, in Edinburgh, there are also 140 affordable homes being built in Greendykes which will be ready in 2027 and another 40 affordable homes currently being designed for Burdiehouse Crescent. These homes will have similar energy saving features.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Music students to get invaluable experience at the King’s Hall

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Music students to get invaluable experience at the King’s Hall

    An exciting new partnership between the King’s Hall in Herne Bay and EKC Canterbury College will see the college’s music students taking part in high quality work experience placements at the iconic seafront venue.

    The project will offer the students invaluable opportunities to learn a variety of skills, explore potential career paths, and develop attitudes and approaches that are highly sought after in the performing arts sector.

    They will develop their skills in organising, supporting and playing active roles in performances and events that take place at the King’s Hall, such as Battle of the Bands and open microphone nights, as well as at other music events organised and managed by the students themselves.

    As a concert, theatre and dance hall venue, the King’s Hall, which is owned and managed by Canterbury City Council, puts on a range of activities for local musicians, performers and community groups to get involved in.

    Cabinet member for culture, Cllr Charlotte Cornell, said: “Given its roots in the heart of the community, the King’s Hall is the perfect venue to back this initiative. We are delighted to be working with EKC Canterbury College to support their students as they develop their skills and learn about the music and entertainment industry.

    “In particular, it will be great to watch them go about organising their own events and I look forward to being in the audience to see the results of their hard work in due course.”

    EKC Canterbury College is part of the wider East Kent College Group. Victoria Copp-Crawley, Executive Principal for the Group, said: “High quality work experience is critical to ensuring the UK’s future workforce is adequately skilled to seamlessly integrate with existing employees, and for the country to remain competitive in the global labour market.

    “To be able to experience this sector first hand at a local venue such as the King’s Hall is a fantastic opportunity and we are sure our students will benefit hugely from all the time they spend there.”

    This is the latest tie in between EKC Canterbury College and the city council, following another project running at the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury.

    Cllr Cornell added: “We were very pleased to collaborate with the college at the Beaney through the launch of their Foundation Degree (FdA) in Creative Professional Business Practice, which started this autumn and gives students the opportunity to work on projects in the museum and galleries as part of their course.”

    Published: 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Remembrance Sunday service to take place in Liverpool

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Council’s annual Remembrance Service will take place on Sunday 12 November on the plateau at St George’s Hall.

    Thousands of people are expected to gather on Lime Street for the service, which has the theme ‘Liverpool Remembers’ and involves faith and community leaders, together with the Armed Forces and war veterans.

    The Band of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and The Pipes and Drums of The Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association will play from 10.40am, in the run up to the start of the service.

    There will be readings and prayers from The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, and The Archbishop of Liverpool, The Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon.

    This year’s guest speaker is Tracy Dunn-Bridgeman, who lost her son, Kingsman Jason Dunn-Bridgeman, in the war in Afghanistan in 2009. He died while serving with the 2nd Battalion of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment when his platoon became locked in an exchange of fire with the enemy during a foot patrol in the Babaji district of Helmand province. Tracy was later presented with Merseyside’s first Elizabeth Cross in honour of her son’s bravery.

    During the ceremony, Deb Mills-Burns, a military veteran and author, who is part of the ‘Stand by Her’ programme, delivered by Everton in the Community, will read a poignant poem she has written, titled ‘My Liverpool Home’. Launched in May 2023 by the official charity of Everton Football Club, Stand by Her has been designed specifically to support female veterans and provides participants with the opportunity to reconnect socially and helps to improve their physical health through sport and holistic methods as well as offering signposting and access to mental, physical and social health services.

    Father Taras Khomych representing the Ukrainian Catholic Church will lay a wreath to UK and Commonwealth personnel who lost their lives in two World Wars and conflicts since.

    At 11am the traditional firing of the gun will signify the start of the two-minute silence, with another firing to mark its conclusion.

    Following the silence, the traditional wreath-laying and service by key civic, military and religious leaders and Cadets, the parade will then march from St George’s Plateau to salute the Cenotaph.

    The Port of Liverpool, the Cunard and Royal Liver Buildings, along with Liverpool Parish Church, St George’s Hall and Liverpool Town Hall, will be lit up red from Friday 10 November – Sunday 12 November to mark the Remembrance weekend.

    The Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall will be open to the public on Sunday, 12 November 2023 between 12:00noon and
    4:00pm.

    Road closures

    The following closures will be in place on Sunday 12 November:

    • William Brown Street from Byrom Street – 7am -1pm
    • London Road between Seymour Street and Lime Street – 9:30am – 1pm
    • Commutation Row between Islington and Lime Street – 9:30am – 1pm
    • Islington between Fraser Street and Commutation Row – 9:30am – 1pm
    • Lime Street between London Road and Copperas Hill 9:30am – 1pm
    • St. John’s Lane and St. George’s Place between Old Haymarket and Lime Street – 9.30am – 1pm
    • Skelhorne Street between Bolton Street and Lime Street – 9:30am – 1pm
    • Queens Square Bus Station will be closed from 9:30am to 1pm
    • Access for the Holiday Inn Hotel and St John’s car park will be facilitated from Elliot Street / Lime Street junction.

    All closures will be signed and stewarded and will remain in force only for as long as is necessary.

    Due to the closure of Lime Street, the football bus services for the Liverpool FC v Brentford FC match Anfield (kick off at 2.30pm) will operate from Monument Place.

    Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Mary Rasmussen, said: “Our annual Remembrance Sunday service is a poignant event that gives the whole city the opportunity to come together and pay tribute to those who have served to protect and uphold the freedom we have today.

    “This year, we wanted the service to also reflect the important and vital contribution that women make to the Armed Forces, in keeping our nation safe.

    “The sacrifices made by those, past and present, who serve and have served, must never be forgotten.”

    Deb Mills-Burns, from the ‘Stand by Her’ programme, said: I’m immensely proud to be here today as a representation of all ex-servicewomen.

    “To serve was an honour, but to serve amongst other strong and inspirational women was empowering.

    “As a member of the Stand By Her programme at Everton in the Community, I have been able to reconnect and resurrect the strengths and confidence to stand in front of you all here today.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joy Division guitar to go on display at the British Music Experience

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    The British Music Experience (BME), UK’s Museum of Popular Music in Liverpool is putting Ian Curtis’ Vox Phantom VI Special guitar on display to celebrate the enormous contribution of both Curtis and Joy Division to the history of British music. Bought in September of 1979 by Joy Division’s manager, Rob Gretton, this Phantom Vox was the very guitar used by Curtis on stage during Joy Division’s 1980 European Tour, as well as on the recording of their track “Heart and Soul”, and features throughout the music video for the timeless hit “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. Curtis can be seen playing this guitar at several venues during the band’s legendary 1980 tour.

    The guitar will be added to the collection from 14 November 2024 and the museum will be marking the occasion with a special evening film screening of the 2007 biopic, Control, on Thursday 28 November.  During the evening event, the guitar will be available to view for all ticket holders. Head to the BME’s website to buy tickets to the event.

    Considered by many as a British cultural icon who had a once-in-a-generation talent, Ian Curtis’ musical legacy, even 40 years on, is as strong as ever. Despite a short career, Ian’s association with Joy Division as a fascinating and enigmatic figure was instrumental in the band becoming pioneers of the post-punk movement with their debut album ‘Unknown Pleasures’, released by Factory Records in 1979. Now regarded as one of the best albums of all time, it’s said ‘Unknown Pleasures’ defined not only the city of Manchester, but a moment of social change. Through his complex and melancholic song-writing, his distinct vocals, and commanding stage presence, Ian has managed to leave a lasting influence on musicians everywhere, and the music industry has never quite been the same since.

    Formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester, Joy Division (originally named Warsaw) consisted of singer and ‘song-poet’ Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bass player Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris (who joined in 1977). Inspired by other musicians such as David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Sex Pistols, Jim Morrison, Iggy Pop, Roxy Music and Lou Reed, Ian’s vision had a powerful impact on the band, resulting in Joy Division moving away from the typical ‘punk sound’ of the time, and instead creating their own sound, now considered as the start of the post-punk movement.

    Following Curtis’ untimely death in 1980, the Phantom Vox stayed with the band, who later that year became the prolific ‘New Order’, and was looked after and used by Bernard Sumner. Many years later, Bernard gifted the guitar to Ian’s daughter Natalie.  The guitar is now owned by a private collector who has kindly agreed for the rare object to take its well-deserved place on public display at the British Music Experience.

    All general entry tickets purchased are valid for 12 months and each eligible visitor has the opportunity to support the Museum by Gift Aiding the cost of admission.

    Trustee of the British Music Experience, and Liverpool’s UNESCO Head of Music Kevin McManus commented “It’s a real honour for BME to be able to exhibit such a wonderful piece of music history from one of the UK’s most celebrated artists. Joy Division were one of the most important bands of the punk/post punk era and they remain as one of the most influential bands of the twentieth century. I was lucky enough to see Joy Division play live and it is one of those gigs that will always stay clear in my memory. They were a group that changed many people’s lives and Ian Curtis was at the heart of it: a brilliant song writer with a mesmerising stage presence and haunting vocals.  By exhibiting this very special guitar we can pay our tribute to one of the UK’s greatest ever groups and hopefully encourage more visitors to discover the unknown pleasure of Joy Division.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Deluzio Cosponsors Legislation to Rein in Corporate Landlords and Lower Housing Costs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

    CARNEGIE, PA – This week, Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17) joined as an original co-sponsor of the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act reintroduced by Ro Khanna (CA-17), Katie Porter (CA-47), and Mark Takano (CA-39). This bill would end large institutional investors’ ability to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize the acquisition of single-family residential homes.  

    Since the 2008 housing crash and subsequent foreclosure crisis, increased investor activity in America’s housing market has normalized excessive fees and abusive practices while artificially driving up housing and rent prices. Investors bought 18% of all homes that sold in the fourth quarter of this year and 26% of the most affordable homes. In California, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, and other states where corporate landlords own a large concentration of single-family homes used as rental properties, investors are driving up the cost of rent.  

    “Low- and middle-income families in Western PA and across the country are being pushed out because of predatory practices by large corporate landlords buying up homes in our communities,” said Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17). “Too many Wall Street investors are not good landlords; they have neglected maintenance, local taxes, and more—all while taking homes off the market. That is why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act—to help level the playing field and bring down housing costs in America.” 

    “Homes should be owned by people, not wealthy corporate landlords who are buying up affordable single-family homes and pushing the dream of homeownership out of reach for ordinary Americans,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17). “Affordable housing is one of the most pressing issues in my district and across the state. The Stop Wall Street Landlords Act will ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to fuel the housing crisis with more subsidies to corporate landlords. I’m proud to lead this effort with Representatives Porter and Takano to put affordable housing for families first.”  

    “As a single mom of three, it’s heartbreaking when my kids question whether they’ll be able to afford a home in the future,” said Rep. Katie Porter (CA-47). “Americans across the country, especially in my home state of California, are counting on lawmakers to lower the cost of housing. I’m helping lead the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act to crack down on wealthy corporate landlords who drive up the cost of housing and push families out of the market—all to line their own pockets. Every American deserves to have a fair shot at homeownership, and this bill will help level the playing field.” 

    “With big corporations and private equity using their pricing power to raise costs on everything from groceries to gas, it is no wonder they are also targeting single-family homes,” said Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39). “Not only are “Wall Street landlords driving up the cost of housing by monopolizing ownership of single-family residences, but they are doing so by using taxpayer dollars. It’s time we put the people’s bottom line first—not private equity’s. The Stop Wall Street Landlords Act, which I am proud to lead with Representatives Khanna and Porter, will keep corporations out of the single-family housing market for good.” 

    “Owning a home has always been a big part of the American dream,” said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “But because corporate investors buy up whole neighborhoods of single-family homes, leading to a rapid increase in the cost of housing, the idea of owning a home for many families across New Jersey remains just a dream. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act to put a stop to this predatory practice, and give everyone a fair shot at a stable future for themselves and their families.” 

    Specifically, the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act will:  

    • End large institutional investors’ ability to benefit from tax breaks reserved for homeowners – namely mortgage interest, insurance, and depreciation deductions.  

    • Direct the Federal Housing Financial Agency (FHFA) and related agencies Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae to (a) prohibit large institutional investors from purchasing mortgages on single-family residential (SFR) homes – or any interest in such a mortgage – and (b) from newly lending on a security or securitizing any SFR mortgage under which the mortgagee meets the bill definition of a specified large investor. 

    The bill makes exceptions for mom-and-pop landlords, housing providers that participate in federal affordable housing programs, nonprofits and developers committed to building and supplying affordable single-family homes to owner occupiers in the American housing market.  

    For the full text of the bill, click here. 

    Cosponsors: Representatives Chris Deluzio, Katie Porter, Mark Takano, Raúl M. Grijalva, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Barbara Lee, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jonathan L. Jackson. 

    Endorsing groups: California Democratic Renters Council, Churches United For Fair Housing, Consumer Action, Destination: Home, National Coalition for the Homeless, Private Equity Stakeholder Project, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Kaine Lead Colleagues In Engaging Administration On Proposal To Address Submarine Production Delays

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    October 28, 2024

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Friday led a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues in asking the Biden Administration to address funding shortfalls for submarine programs as they consider funding levels for Fiscal Year 2025. In two separate letters to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young and Department of the Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the lawmakers also urged the Administration to carefully assess the merits of the proposed Shipbuilder Accountability and Workforce Support (SAWS) agreement—which would restructure how the Navy pays for submarines—as a potential solution to address delays and get the programs back on track.
    While Congress has invested over $2.3 billion between 2018 and 2023 and an additional $3 billion this year as part of a national security supplemental in the nation’s submarine industrial base, the Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs face significant delays and are expected to be over budget. The on-time completion of Virginia-class submarines, which are built in Virginia and Connecticut, is especially critical to the fulfillment of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) trilateral partnership, through which the United States will sell at least two submarines to Australia to bolster security in the Indo-Pacific.
    “The United States’ submarine programs provide our nation an undersea advantage that is critical to our national security,” the members wrote. “Based on the information available so far, the Shipbuilder Accountability and Workforce Support (SAWS) agreement strikes us as a promising approach to ensure our submarine industrial base rises to the occasion, accelerates submarine production, and fully meets the critical and building demand on U.S. shipyards… We request that you give all due consideration to this initiative, while ensuring it includes the accountability and leverage measures necessary to ensure our federal investments in submarine production go as far as possible in getting these critical programs on track.”
    The members continued: “It is our understanding that over months of conversation Pentagon leadership, the Navy, and industry reached an agreement to maximize use of taxpayer funding for construction of the next tranche of Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarines – including by raising wages to attract and retain America’s skilled and organized shipyard workforce, addressing rising costs, and advancing much-needed infrastructure investments, all to improve program reliability and schedule.”
    “We therefore urge more consistent communication with Congress and with OMB so that all parties clearly understand the Navy’s position on SAWS and overall plans to get our nation’s submarine production on track,” the members concluded. “It is critical that our submarine programs be on schedule and on budget.”
    U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Angus King (I-Maine), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) also signed the letter.
    The letter to OMB is available here. The letter to the Navy is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 17:55 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for security RU000A108124 (RZhD 1P-31R) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    17:55

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 17:55 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 94.43) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1053.67 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 27.5%) of the security RU000A108124 (RZhD 1P-31R) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74353

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Two deposit auctions of JSC “KAVKAZ.RF” will be held on 10/29/2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters;

    The date of the deposit auction is 29.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 50,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 6. The date of depositing funds is 30.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 05.11.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 20.00. The terms of the conclusion are urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 50,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form is open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 10:30 to 10:40. Applications in competition mode from 10:40 to 10:45. Setting the cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 10:55.

    Additional terms

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74357

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Conference “Ethics and AI: on the edge of technology and human values” was held with the support of the Moscow Exchange

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    On October 24–25, 2024, the annual conference “Ethics and AI: on the Edge of Technology and Human Values” was held, organized by the Institute of Compliance and Business Ethics of the Higher School of Law at the National Research University Higher School of Economics with the support of the Moscow Exchange.

    The conference was attended by experts in the field of compliance, including representatives of regulators and major domestic companies, as well as scientific and professional communities.

    The conference discussed global trends in compliance and the use of artificial intelligence technologies to automate it. An exchange of practical developments and innovative solutions in the field of compliance took place, and changes in the regulatory environment were analyzed.

    Irina Grekova, Managing Director for Compliance and Business Ethics at Moscow Exchange:

    “The Russian compliance community continues to actively develop, adapting to modern realities and implementing best practices. Strengthening interaction between business, government agencies and expert organizations remains an important area. The conference once again confirmed that compliance today has become a full-fledged interdisciplinary science that requires the involvement of specialists of different levels: lawyers, economists, IT specialists and ethics specialists. All of them are developing their field, and by combining efforts, they provide a synergy effect in protecting and developing business. Moscow Exchange Group pays special attention to issues of increasing the transparency and efficiency of internal control procedures, as well as training employees and raising their awareness of compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition, we are expanding the use of digital tools to optimize compliance processes, which allows us to promptly identify potential threats and prevent violations of the law.”

    The conference included an award ceremony for the winners of the Compliance 2024 award. The award’s expert council awarded:

    Alfa-Bank – for the best EdTech solution in business education on compliance topics for entrepreneurs; MTS – for the use of modern technologies in creating the methodology and tools for managing SCM; B1 Group of Companies – for creating its own best compliance practices in the changing conditions in the field of professional audit services; KSK LLC – for its original approach to implementing a compliance culture taking into account limitations and opportunities; Anton Kuznetsov, Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Policy and Corporate Ethics Department at NOVATEK – for a proactive response to modern challenges and threats; Oksana Kaminskaya, Chairperson of the AML/CFT Committee at the Association of Belarusian Banks – for the effective implementation of compliance practices in the financial sector in the Republic of Belarus; Daria Afanasyeva, leading specialist of the Competence and Corruption Prevention Center of ANO Moscow Directorate of Transport Services – for an inspiring start in compliance.

    The Moscow Exchange Group operates the only multifunctional exchange platform in Russia for trading shares, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money market instruments and commodities. The Group includes a central depository and a clearing center that acts as a central counterparty in the markets, which allows Moscow Exchange to provide its clients with a full cycle of trading and post-trading services.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74360

    MIL OSI Russia News –