NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran holds int’l short film festival

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The 41st Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) kicked off on Friday in the Iranian capital, the official news agency IRNA reported.

    According to IRNA, 107 short works will compete for top awards in the festival’s international section.

    The submitted works, including 59 fiction films, 21 animated movies, 18 documentaries, and nine experimental films, were from India, China, Poland, the United States, Egypt, Greece, France, Palestine, Türkiye, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy and Cuba.

    Held for consecutively over the past four decades, the TISFF is one of the oldest short film festivals in the region. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shaolin festival opens with over 2,500 kung fu practitioners

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The opening ceremony of the 13th Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival was held in Dengfeng of Zhengzhou, Henan province, on Saturday.

    With 2,560 kung fu practitioners from 56 countries and regions participating in the competition, the festival provides an opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich heritage and culture of Shaolin kung fu.

    Sven Husmann, 50, expressed his enthusiasm for attending the opening ceremony, emphasizing the event’s role as cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning.

    “We aim to get the spirit of this festival and carry it back to Germany upon our return to Europe,” he remarked,

    The festival showcased a diverse range of activities, including traditional Shaolin Wushu competitions, an international fight competition, and US-China youth training camp.

    People also witnessed Khmer Boxing, a traditional Cambodian martial art, at the Shaolin Temple.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Vice President Kamala  Harris

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Tonight, Doug and I are praying for all those who were killed or injured in the collapse of the ferry dock walkway on Georgia’s Sapelo Island, as well as their family members and loved ones. Our Administration is in close touch with state and local officials, and we have offered any federal support the community might need. As always, we are deeply grateful for the heroism of our first responders. Even in the face of this heartbreak, we will continue to celebrate and honor the history, culture, and resilience of the Gullah-Geechee community.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jessica Campbell’s NHL coaching gig marks a pivotal turning point for professional hockey

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Hayley Baker, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western University

    Jessica Campbell has made history as the first full-time female coach in the National Hockey League, marking a significant milestone in professional hockey.

    Campbell was hired by the Seattle Kraken in July, and during the team’s home opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 8, the crowd erupted into cheers when she was introduced as part of the team’s coaching staff.

    While the Kraken went on to lose to the Blues 3-2, the game was a pivotal turning point for gender equality and coaching in the NHL. Campbell’s appointment as a full-time assistant coach shows there’s a path forward for women who aim to coach at the men’s professional level.

    Campbell’s story serves as a reminder of the challenges women coaches face. However, it also demonstrates how achieving a coaching role in a professional league, though difficult, is not impossible.

    ‘I didn’t know it was possible’

    Campbell brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role with the Kraken, from her playing experiences in the NCAA, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and on Canada’s women’s national team.

    Her coaching career began as an assistant with the U18 Canadian women’s national team, and from there she coached in Sweden with the Malmö Redhawks. She then served as an assistant coach for the men’s national team in Germany and the Nürnberg Ice Tigers. Campbell later became the first female coach in the American Hockey League when she was hired by the Coachella Valley Firebirds as an assistant coach.

    Even with her breadth of experience, Campbell never envisioned herself as an NHL coach. Instead, she was focused on supporting players through her business, JC Power Skating School.

    “I didn’t imagine this path for me. I didn’t see it,” Campbell said in a 2023 interview. “Quite frankly there was no visibility and there weren’t other females doing this work, and so I didn’t know it was possible.”

    It was not until more and more NHL players sought out her skating and skill development program that she began to consider coaching in the NHL as a potential career path.

    Women coaches in the major leagues

    The NHL has been slow on the uptake when it comes to full-time women coaches. The other three major leagues — the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association — have had women in coaching roles for years.

    At the start of the 2024 season, there were 15 full-time women coaches in the NFL. In 2023, the MLB had 43 women coaching. Within the NBA, there are currently five female assistant coaches.

    Yet, these numbers still reflect an alarming gender disparity. Like Campbell, many women may struggle to envision themselves in coaching positions. This moment encourages us to consider both the importance of women in coaching, and why there continues to be an under-representation of women coaching men’s sports.

    Research on women in coaching has continuously highlighted barriers in high performance sport. Women coaches often face stereotypes, discrimination and gendered organizational cultures that hinder their advancement in the field.

    To combat these barriers, the NHL has implemented various supports to ensure Campbell will not remain in a league of her own.

    The NHL Coaches Association launched a Female Coaches Development Program in 2021 to support the development of women coaching hockey. By providing leadership strategies, skill development, networking and career opportunities, the program aims to normalize women coaching men and expand the pool of available candidates.

    Paving the way

    While Campbell is the first full-time assistant coach in the NHL, others have had opportunities to guest coach at NHL camps or to be on the bench for pre-season games.

    For instance, Kim Weiss, the first woman to coach NCAA Division III men’s hockey, served as a guest coach for the Colorado Avalanche.

    Similarly, Kori Cheverie, the first woman to coach a Canadian university men’s hockey team, was a guest coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins and became the first female coach on the bench during an NHL pre-season game.

    Along with Campbell, the visibility that each of these women provides can spark meaningful change in the NHL. While Campbell’s coaching debut with the Kraken is breaking down barriers, sustained effort and dedication is required to create a more inclusive sport culture.

    Continued emphasis on initiatives like the NHL’s Female Coaches Development program are necessary for both current and aspiring women coaches so girls and women can envision themselves in leadership roles in the future.

    As a scholar who has studied the under-representation of women coaches, my hope is that Campbell will not remain an anomaly in the NHL, and eventually we see more women in both assistant and head coaching roles.

    Campbell’s new position with the Kraken could spur this change, with her and others enriching the NHL through the abilities, contributions and diverse perspectives that women bring to coaching.

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

    – ref. Jessica Campbell’s NHL coaching gig marks a pivotal turning point for professional hockey – https://theconversation.com/jessica-campbells-nhl-coaching-gig-marks-a-pivotal-turning-point-for-professional-hockey-241191

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: More than money: The geopolitics behind Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aaron Ettinger, Associate Professor, International Relations, Carleton University

    There’s a saying in sports journalism: “The answer to all your questions is money.” But in the case of Saudi Arabia’s massive sports investment programs during the reign of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, money is not the whole story.

    In a simple sense, there is a clear profit motive. With US$925 billion in assets in 2023, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund exists to convert oil revenues into even greater national income.

    Last year, the country’s Public Investment Fund reported $36.8 billion in profits. Since 2016, it has spent $51 billion on sports properties.

    The point is not to turn bin Salman into the world’s greatest sports impresario. Rather, it’s that he’s seeking to improve the economic and geopolitical situation of Saudi Arabia through sports investments while ensuring the long-term survival of the Saudi regime.

    Beyond Newcastle United, LIV Golf

    Investing in sports is a common way for developing countries to announce their arrival on the global stage. Instead of one-and-done mega events, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a more dispersed and diverse approach.

    The Public Investment Fund’s highest profile investments are well known, especially the 2021 purchase of Newcastle United of the English Premier League and the LIV golf tour that challenged the PGA’s decades-long dominance of the sport.

    Beyond golf and soccer, Saudi Arabia has also spent dizzying sums on lower profile investments in esports, wrestling and motorsports. In other games, like chess and snooker, the profit motive is less clear.

    The logical conclusion is that Saudi Arabia treats its sports investments as a loss leader — an unprofitable activity meant to stimulate more profitable activity somewhere else. In the words of Public Investment Fund’s 2022 annual report, international investment pools “allow Saudi Arabia to extend its global reach and influence.”

    But what does that really mean?

    ‘Sportswashing’

    The conventional term for Saudi Arabia’s strategy is sportswashing, the practice of reputation-laundering in the hopes that a cleaner national image will translate into soft power on the world stage.



    Read more:
    Sportswashing is just about everywhere – but it may be backfiring on the countries that do it

    But that explanation doesn’t go far enough. For bin Salman, the suite of sports investments and properties is only a small part of a larger strategy to prepare Saudi Arabia for a 21st century when global oil demand is expected to fall by mid-century and geopolitics will become more complicated.

    This is no secret: Saudi Arabia’s official grand strategy — Vision 2030 — envisions the complete modernization of the country’s economy and foreign policy. Saudi Arabia’s sports diplomacy is therefore part of a broader geopolitical strategy to prepare Saudi Arabia for an era of multipolarity, when power is distributed among several states.

    Sports diplomacy also normalizes western financial and political engagement with the Saudi regime. Internationally, bin Salman wants to cultivate economic and security relationships with entities whose interests align with those of the Saudi royal family and the Saudi state, thereby ensuring the long-term health of both.

    Regular interactions between Saudi Arabia and the West create an understanding that Riyadh is a “normal” place to do business — and if it’s good business, there is no reason to risk the relationship with too much rancour over its authoritarianism and abysmal human rights record. Sports investing, in short, is a Saudi hedge against western abandonment.

    The allure of the big payday

    To western eyes, the most troubling implication of Saudi sports investment is the normalization of authoritarian capitalism — economic freedom without political freedom — as a feature of the emerging international order.

    Along with China, Russia, Singapore and others, Saudi Arabia represents an alternative to western democratic capitalism as a pathway to development.

    This would be surprising to a previous generation of scholars and policymakers who once thought that free markets and free societies were a self-reinforcing phenomenon.

    But given the staying power of authoritarian capitalism, doing business with dictators and strongmen has become inevitable and even desirable in some cases. In the sports world, few have resisted the charms of a huge payday.

    Closely related to authoritarian capitalism is democratic backsliding. Around the world, the quality of democracy and freedom is eroding, and the slow-drip normalization of economic intercourse with authoritarian capitalists is part of that erosion.



    Read more:
    Could the world’s autocrats successfully plot to defeat the West?

    How to proceed?

    So can anything be done? Western states have options, but they’re limited.

    After all, Saudi Arabia’s investments are legal and eagerly sought after by both private and public sectors.

    Western officials can put up resistance to the awarding of mega events to authoritarian states. But mewling about problematic hosts means little unless liberal democracies are prepared to pay the hosting costs themselves, which they are increasingly unwilling to do.

    Meanwhile, authoritarians are eager to host mega events and attract the prestige that comes with them. Currently, for example, Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

    Countries could try regulatory intervention to delimit the extent of Saudi influence. National security is often used as a pretext for blocking foreign investments in strategically important sectors, like ports and 5G wireless networks.

    Saudi plan is working

    But golf and video games do not rise to the level of national security concern, so American regulators are unlikely to step in. Political intervention from the United States Congress or the White House is even less likely. Saudi Arabia is a key part of the American strategy on the Middle East to confront Iran, and quibbling too intensely about human rights or sports investment is not worth the strategic costs.

    The genius of Saudi Arabia’s enterprise is that it’s power projection by consent. Investors and fans want what bin Salman is selling, governments have limited recourse and critics are left to grasp at standard, out-dated arguments.

    For Saudi Arabia, however, its sports charm offensive is about more than money. It’s about an investment in the future prosperity and security of the kingdom and the longevity of the Saudi dynasty. So far, the plan is working.

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

    – ref. More than money: The geopolitics behind Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy – https://theconversation.com/more-than-money-the-geopolitics-behind-saudi-arabias-sports-strategy-240512

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Blair concludes successful visit to Europe for North Atlantic Treaty Organization and G7 Defence Ministers’ Meetings

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, concluded a successful visit to Europe where he participated in a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Defence Ministers as well as the first-ever G7 Defence Ministers’ Meeting (DMM).

    October 20, 2024 – Naples, Italy – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, concluded a successful visit to Europe where he participated in a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Defence Ministers as well as the first-ever G7 Defence Ministers’ Meeting (DMM).

    During the NATO DMM meeting from October 17 to 18, hosted by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Minister Blair announced a commitment of over $60 million in military assistance to Ukraine. This package includes the procurement of small arms and ammunition from Canadian industry, Canadian-made personal protective equipment and military uniforms for 30,000 women Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) soldiers and $5 million towards the Drone Capability Coalition Common Fund. The Minister also announced that Canada has joined the IT Coalition, with an initial contribution of $2 million, that will enable us to enhance our ongoing support and leadership in the realm of cyber capabilities.

    As NATO defence ministers gathered in Brussels, Belgium, Allies discussed how best to promote defence measures across the Euro-Atlantic, Middle East and Indo-Pacific (IP) regions, and reaffirmed their ongoing support to Ukraine, with an emphasis on the implementation of deliverables outlined at the NATO Summit in Washington in July. Minister Blair reinforced Canada’s unwavering resolve to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression as well as Canada’s contribution to NATO’s defence through the continued growth of the Canadian-led brigade in Latvia.

    During a meeting with IP and European Union partners, ministers exchanged views on the security dynamics in both regions, especially in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. This was an opportunity for Minister Blair to reiterate Canada’s long-held views on building stronger ties and enhanced cooperation between NATO and its IP partners – including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea, also known as the IP4. This was the first NATO meeting to include IP4 partners.

    Minister Blair signed a Letter of Intent for the NATO NORTHLINK Initiative, which commits 13 Allies to open initial discussions to harmonize requirements for space-based satellite communications. This will allow Canada to better shape this project to meet its own interests and preserve the possibility of future benefits for Canadian industry.

    While in Brussels, the Minister also participated in several side events, including a Defence Ministers Meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daesh. Minister Blair also hosted a Northern Defence Dialogue (NDD) with Arctic Allies, including Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. At the NDD, ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhanced collaboration on Arctic and Euro-Atlantic security and defence, and discussed Arctic capabilities, emerging threats and geopolitical challenges.

    From October 18 to 19, Minister Blair participated in the inaugural G7 Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Naples, Italy. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration to address current and future security challenges at a time marked by increasing global instability. Minister Blair underlined Canada’s continued commitment to working closely with G7 partners on shared priorities including military and practical assistance for Ukraine, the cessation of hostilities and peace in the Middle East, countering information manipulation and the spread of misinformation and disinformation, and economic security and resilience.

    G7 defence ministers issued a joint declaration which reiterated unwavering support for Ukraine, expressed concern about the escalation of violence in the Middle East and called on all parties to avert war, and committed to a free and open IP region, based on the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Ministers further committed to finding effective solutions to the sustainability of military operations and regeneration of forces to bolster deterrence and defence. They underscored their ongoing support for African countries to set the foundation for sustained security, stability, and prosperity.

    During this important moment for Euro-Atlantic, Middle Eastern and IP security, Canada continues to work closely with NATO Allies and G7 Partners to ensure the protection of the one billion citizens that NATO protects, including all Canadians.

    Simon Lafortune
    Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of National Defence
    Phone: 343-549-0778
    Email:     simon.lafortune2@forces.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Department of National Defence
    Phone: 613-904-3333
    Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Georgians Who Lost Income Due to Storms May Be Eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Georgians Who Lost Income Due to Storms May Be Eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

    Georgians Who Lost Income Due to Storms May Be Eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

    ATLANTA – Employees or self-employed Georgians who became unemployed as a direct consequence of Tropical Storm Debby or Hurricane Helene may be eligible to receive Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Receiving this assistance does not affect your ability to apply for or receive other FEMA assistance. 

    Disaster Unemployment Assistance is a FEMA-funded, state managed federal program that helps workers whose primary income is lost or interrupted as a direct result of a disaster declared by the President. Unlike regular state unemployment insurance, it provides benefits to people who are self-employed, farmers, diversified farming operators, loggers, commission-paid employees, and others who are not eligible under the state’s program. 

    In Georgia, the deadlines to apply depend on the disaster declaration dates.

    For Tropical Storm Debby:

    • Nov. 25 for residents in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long and Screven counties.

    For Hurricane Helene: 

    • Dec. 2 for residents in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Lowndes, McDuffie, Montgomery, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Washington and Wheeler counties.
    • Dec. 3 for residents in Effingham, Elbert, Rabun and Tift counties.
    • Dec. 6 for residents in Brantley, Bryan, Butts, Camden, Charlton, Dodge, Fulton, Glynn, Hancock, Long, McIntosh, Newton, Thomas, Warren and Wayne counties.

    Additional counties may be added at a later date. Please visit the Georgia Department of Labor Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance page to learn what you need to file an application and see a list of disaster-related benefit facts. 

    To apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Georgians must first apply for regular unemployment insurance on the Georgia Department of Labor website at dol.georgia.gov or in person at any GDOL career center. Only those who are ineligible for regular unemployment insurance can be considered eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits. 

    The Georgia Department of Labor will notify you if you are eligible to file for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Income verification may be required when applying for these benefits. People should be prepared to provide proof of earnings for the most recently completed tax year. Acceptable proof of earnings includes copies of the most recently completed income tax returns, quarterly estimated income tax payment records, or similar documents.

    For additional information on Disaster Unemployment Assistance, visit dol.georgia.gov or call the Georgia Department of Labor toll-free customer service line at 1-877-709-8185.

    For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4821 and fema.gov/disaster/4830. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    larissa.hale

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter statement on tragedy at Sapelo Island ferry dock

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter statement on tragedy at Sapelo Island ferry dock

    DARIEN – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today released the following statement in response to the ferry dock collapse on Sapelo Island, which caused at least seven fatalities and sent eight individuals to the hospital:

    “My heart breaks for Sapelo Island, the Gullah-Geechee community, the victims, and the families grieving a loved one following yesterday’s tragedy. Instead of the beautiful celebration honoring the Gullah-Geechee community’s rich culture and heritage here in southeast Georgia, we are recovering from an unimaginable loss, one that will be felt forever.


    “The Gullah-Geechee community deserves our unwavering support during this challenging time. Thank you to the first responders and all who have worked tirelessly to assist those in need. Their bravery and dedication remind us that, in times of crisis, Georgians come together.


    “As we investigate how this tragedy occurred, we must ensure that it is done in a thorough and timely manner. Safety is our top concern, and we must take all necessary steps to prevent a tragedy like this from occurring again.


     “We will work diligently to honor the memory of those we have lost and to support those who are healing. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of assistance.


     “We are in this together. God bless, and peace be with you.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Saudi Arabia: Migrant workers at Carrefour sites exploited, cheated and forced to live in squalor

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Migrant workers contracted to sites in Saudi Arabia franchised by French retail giant Carrefour were deceived by recruitment agents, made to work excessive hours, denied days off and cheated of their earnings, said Amnesty International.

    In the new report, “I would fear going to work”: Labour exploitation at Carrefour sites in Saudi Arabia, the human rights organization also documents how workers were made to live in squalid accommodation and feared being ‘fired’ if they complained or resisted working additional overtime.

    The abuses suffered by some of the contracted workers likely amount to forced labour including human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, yet neither Carrefour Group nor its partner Majid Al Futtaim, which operates the franchise in Saudi Arabia, took adequate action to stop them or offer redress to workers.

    “Workers thought they were opening the door to a better life but instead many were subjected to appalling exploitation and abuse. Carrefour’s inaction meant it failed to prevent this suffering, which for some contracted workers likely amounts to forced labour including human trafficking,” said Marta Schaaf, Amnesty International’s Director of Climate, Economic and Social Justice, and Corporate Accountability Programme.

    “Carrefour has a clear responsibility under international human rights standards to ensure abuses do not occur throughout its operations, including its franchises. Now Carrefour and Majid Al Futtaim should act to remedy the abuses – including urgently compensating those affected – and ensure that workers in their operations are never harmed again.”

    Carrefour has a clear responsibility under international human rights standards to ensure abuses do not occur throughout its operations, including its franchises.

    Marta Schaaf, Amnesty International

    Amnesty International’s report comes just two weeks before the International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body will consider a landmark complaint against the Saudi Arabian government regarding wage theft, forced labour and the prohibition of trade unions. The complaint was submitted by global trade union Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) in June 2024, supported by Amnesty International and other organisations.

    Deceived, overworked and underpaid

    Amnesty International’s investigation follows a 2023 report published by the organization exposing abuses at Amazon facilities in Saudia Arabia, involving one of the same labour supply companies. The latest research was based on interviews and information provided by 17 men from Nepal, India and Pakistan. They all worked in various Carrefour facilities in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah between 2021 to 2024 and nearly all are or were employed by labour supply companies and contracted out to Majid Al Futtaim.

    To secure jobs the workers paid recruitment agents in their home countries an average fee of $1,200, and often took on high-interest debt to do so, despite such charges being outlawed by Saudi legislation and prohibited by Majid Al Futtaim’s own policies.

    Almost all the workers interviewed were lied to or misled by the agents, sometimes with the involvement of labour supply companies, about the nature and benefits of the jobs in Saudi Arabia or tricked into believing they were being hired directly by international companies. Many only found out they would be employed by Saudi Arabian supply companies – which are notorious amongst workers – after paying the fees, by which time most could not recoup the money paid and therefore felt unable to backout.

    In Saudi Arabia the men were met with arduous work and repeated underpayment. They described regularly walking more than 20km per day and working 60-hour weeks, sometimes up to 16 hours a day, especially when business was booming in periods such as ‘salary weeks’ and the month of Ramadan. In breach of both Saudi Arabia’s laws and Majid Al Futtaim’s policies, workers said managers at the facilities – which included supermarkets and warehouses, or ‘dark stores’ – would sometimes cancel their weekly rest days. 

    Anand*, a former warehouse ‘picker’, told Amnesty: “Inside Carrefour stores, workers are not treated as humans. They treat workers as animals. They keep on saying, ‘yallah, yallah’ [‘let’s go’, ‘let’s go’]. They cling to our T-shirt to make us work fast.”

    Many of the workers said the hardest part of the experience was not being paid properly for these overtime hours as required by national law and company policies. As a result, they were often denied dozens of additional hours’ pay a month, amounting to hundreds of dollars each year.

    Accommodation provided by the labour supply companies was often dirty and overcrowded, contrary to Majid Al Futtaim’s requirements. Workers said they slept six or eight to a room, with one describing it as “like a cowshed”.

    Contracted workers described a culture of fear. Workers who raised complaints directly with managers at the Carrefour facilities said they were ignored or told to take up the matter with the labour supply companies instead. Some workers who did speak out experienced retaliation from the supply companies or Carrefour facility managers, intimidating others into silence. Although Majid Al Futtaim told Amnesty International that it prohibits retaliation against anyone sharing a “good-faith concern”, workers reported that if they resisted working extra hours, they would be threatened with not being paid or facing dismissal.

    Baburam* told Amnesty International:

    “It was tough to work that long. But the manager wouldn’t let me go… He would say, ‘You must complete the order process, then you can go.’ What could I do? If we didn’t work 15 hours, he would also say, ‘I will terminate you. I won’t pay for your overtime’.”

    Being ‘terminated’ from these facilities could result in workers being made ‘jobless’ until their labour supply company found them a new role – often weeks or months later. During this time, the worker would be left with no income from the supply company or support from the Saudi Arabian state.

    Gopal* said: “Had I complained, I could have lost my job. That’s why I couldn’t complain. Once, 14 or 15 workers complained about it, and they were expelled from the job. When a worker loses his job, the supply company makes him jobless for four to five months.”

    Had I complained, I could have lost my job. That’s why I couldn’t complain.

    Gopal*, contracted worker

    High risks of forced labour        

    The experiences of workers interviewed by Amnesty International indicates that the two key elements of forced labour – involuntary work and threat of penalty – are present in Carrefour Group’s franchise operations in Saudi Arabia.

    While Carrefour Group’s policies make clear it is aware of its responsibilities and has committed to upholding international human rights standards, including throughout its franchises and suppliers, Amnesty International’s research demonstrates that its due diligence processes are wholly inadequate. This is despite the fact that in Saudi Arabia, the severity and frequency of labour abuses – including forced labour – are acute and well-documented.

    “It is well known that despite some reforms, migrant workers in Saudi Arabia continue to be subjected to the country’s Kafala sponsorship system, have no guaranteed minimum wage and are prohibited from joining or forming trade unions. Carrefour has no excuse for failing to protect its workers from exploitation, and no justification to avoid paying them the compensation they deserve,” said Marta Schaaf.

    “The high risk of exploitation in Saudi Arabia highlights an undeniable need for fundamental reform of the country’s labour system. The ILO Governing Body should urgently open an investigation into violations of workers’ rights and ensure Saudi Arabia brings its labour laws and practices fully in line with international standards.”

    In response to Amnesty International’s findings, Carrefour Group and Majid Al Futtaim said they have launched an internal investigation into the treatment of migrant workers in their Saudi Arabia facilities, while Carrefour Group has also instructed a third-party audit of its franchise partner’s operations. Majid Al Futtaim detailed steps it has taken to remediate abuses since Amnesty International first alerted it, including moving some workers to new housing; reviewing policies on overtime and the ban on recruitment fees; increasing screening of new suppliers and improving access to its employee hotline.

    “Serious questions remain, however, as to why neither company identified or addressed long-standing abuses prior to being alerted by Amnesty International in mid-2024, including after we published our investigation into one of their suppliers last year.Neither company has yet committed to reimburse recruitment fees or compensate workers for harms suffered,” said Marta Schaaf.

    *Names of workers have been changed.

    Background information

    • Carrefour Group was a sponsor of the 2024 Paris Olympics and has an annual turnover of more than €94 billion.
    • Carrefour facilities and stores in Saudi Arabia are operated by UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim via a franchise agreement with Carrefour Group, headquartered in France.
    • The ILO Governing Body is due to discuss BWI’s complaint on 7 November.
    • Following Amnesty International’s Amazon investigation, Amazon eventually paid over $1.9 million to reimburse recruitment fees to over 700 workers.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese EVs stand out at Paris Motor Show

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People visit the pavilion of Chinese carmaker BYD at the 2024 Paris Motor Show during the media day in Paris, France, Oct. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The 2024 Paris Motor Show concluded on Sunday, with electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers from China, Europe and the United States showcasing their latest models as competition in the global EV market intensifies.

    Automakers from these regions displayed their vehicles side by side at the event, offering attendees the chance to compare technologies, pricing, and quality firsthand.

    “People are ready to fight against climate change and drive EVs, but not at any cost,” said Serge Gachot, director of the Paris Motor Show, stressing that prices are a major concern.

    He added that Chinese manufacturers are using innovation to bring down costs, making them formidable competitors globally.

    Amid ongoing trade tensions and concerns over potential tariffs on imported Chinese EVs, demand for affordable, high-quality EVs has outpaced protectionist sentiment. Test drives of Chinese models were popular among European attendees, with many praising their advanced features and value for money.

    People visit the pavilion of the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group) at the 2024 Paris Motor Show during the media day in Paris, France, Oct. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Cost competitiveness

    Several major European carmakers unveiled low-cost EVs, which analysts say is a response to the cost competitiveness posed by Chinese competitors. French carmaker Renault presented its Twingo E-Tech electric prototype, set to debut in 2026 at a price below 20,000 euros (21,748 U.S. dollars).

    Renault also showcased its R4 and R5 electric models, while its Dacia brand promoted the Spring model, price said to be under 20,000 euros (21,748 dollars). BMW introduced budget-friendly MINI models, including a Chinese-made version, alongside premium options like the 5-door Aceman.

    Data from research firm JATO show the average retail price of a battery EV in China was around 31,000 euros (33,710 dollars) in the first half of 2023, compared to 66,000 euros (71,770 dollars) in Europe and 68,000 euros (73,945 dollars) in the United States.

    While European manufacturers work to lower prices, Chinese EV makers are attracting attention with their cutting-edge technology, high-quality vehicles and luxurious interiors offered at more competitive prices. A standout moment at the show was the AITO 9 model, which completed a 15,000-kilometer journey from Chongqing to Paris over 38 days, crossing 12 countries.

    Maxime, a 15-year-old French attendee, marveled at the vehicle’s design and high-end entertainment systems. “The car feels like a world of technology. I could sleep here all day,” he said.

    At BYD’s booth, another attendee called Vanessa was particularly impressed by the luxury Yangwang U8 SUV and the Sealion 7 model. She mentioned that she used to drive a Renault, but after seeing Chinese EVs, she said that Chinese EVs offer superior quality, advanced technology, and stylish interiors compared to European models in the same price range.

    A woman visits the pavilion of Chinese carmaker FAW-Hongqi at the 2024 Paris Motor Show during the media day in Paris, France, Oct. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Cooperation over competition

    Despite geopolitical risks, many automakers emphasized the importance of cross-border collaboration in an increasingly competitive market. The Paris Motor Show provided a platform for industry players to exchange ideas and explore partnerships.

    In recent years, cooperation between Chinese and Western companies has expanded. Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory has become a global production hub, while Renault’s Dacia Spring, developed in China, is a top seller in Europe.

    At the motor show, Leapmotor, in collaboration with Stellantis, unveiled the B10-a compact electric SUV that will be produced in Poland for European consumers.

    Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, said that the global automotive industry stands to gain from the collaboration, highlighting the significant demand for affordable, high-quality EVs and how their partnership would help meet this need.

    Leapmotor International CEO Xin Tianshu noted that such collaboration leverages each company’s strengths. “Leapmotor brings technology and cost advantages, while Stellantis offers global sales and manufacturing capacity,” he said.

    “The debut highlights Leapmotor’s rapid growth in Europe, with over 200 dealers already established across 13 markets, aiming to reach 500 sales points by 2025,” Leapmotor revealed.

    Nicolas Caillault, CEO of Car East France and a dealer for China’s Hongqi brand, emphasized the crucial role of international cooperation. “The United States needs China, and Europe needs China. It is a must for us to cooperate,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Special Representative for Nature appointed in landmark first

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Ruth Davis has been appointed the first UK’s Special Representative for Nature.

    The UK government has appointed Ruth Davis OBE as the first Special Representative for Nature. This landmark announcement is being is made as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 meeting in Colombia marks its first formal day.    

    Ruth Davis is one of the country’s leading environmental policy experts, with over twenty-five years’ experience working on issues of nature recovery and climate change.   

    Ms Davis previously advised the government when it hosted COP26, including helping secure an international pledge to end deforestation, which was signed by 145 countries. She played a leading role supporting negotiators and ministers and has previously worked with some of the UK’s leading nature organisations including RSPB and Plantlife. She holds an MSc from Reading University in Plant Sciences and a diploma in Botanical Horticulture from Kew.  

    Her appointment comes as environment ministers gather in Colombia to discuss conservation and sustainable use of the world’s biological diversity. The Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed at COP15 in Montreal, where over 150 countries signed up to and committed themselves to halting and reversing the international decline of nature.   

    Miss Davis will begin her role as Special Representative for Nature at the end of this month and will attend COP16 in her current role as an advocate for nature, working alongside the UK delegation led by Environment Secretary, Steve Reed. 

    This is a joint role between the FCDO and Defra and Ms Davis will report to both the Environment Secretary and the Foreign Secretary.         

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:   

    We cannot address the nature and climate crises without coordinated global action. That is why we have appointed Ruth as our special representative for nature – a landmark first – who will champion our ambition to put climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy.

    We depend on nature in every aspect of our lives – it underpins our economy, health and society – and yet progress to restore our wildlife and habitats has been too slow. Ruth’s extensive knowledge and expertise will be vital to help us  deliver on our commitments to put nature on the road to recovery.

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    One million species are facing extinction, including one third of both marine mammals and coral reefs. And wildlife populations fallen by 73 per cent since 1970, mostly due to a staggering 83 per cent collapse in freshwater species.

    The climate and nature emergency is the most profound and universal source of global disorder. I am delighted Ruth Davis is joining to be our first ever UK Special Representative for Nature to help us achieve our goal of a liveable planet for all, now and in the future.

    Ruth Davis, the Special Representative for Nature said:   

    The government has recognised that the nature crisis is of equal gravity to the climate crisis; and that we cannot tackle one without addressing the other. Ecosystems and the species they support are essential to maintain food security, reduce health risks and manage the impacts of rising global temperatures.    

    I am delighted to be working with colleagues across government, and with partners around the world, to take on this urgent challenge; in particular, ensuring that the rules and incentives that govern the global economy work to protect and restore nature; and that we invest in the commitment, knowledge and passion of local people, who are critical to safeguarding the places where they live.

    The announcement of the Special Representative for Nature follows confirmation that Rachel Kyte will take up the role of the UK’s Special Representative for Climate, announced last month.  

    The Special Representatives will support ministers to raise global ambition on nature recovery and climate change. They will drive engagement with international leaders and build influence on the global stage to meet the UK’s strategic objectives.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government issues rallying cry to the nation to help fix NHS

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Members of the public as well as NHS staff and experts will be invited to share their experiences views and ideas for fixing the NHS

    • Health Secretary calls on entire nation to shape the government’s plans to overhaul the NHS 

    • Public, clinicians and experts urged to submit ideas for its future as new online platform Change.NHS.uk goes live today – putting staff and patients in driving seat of reform

    • Responses will shape government’s 10 Year Health Plan to fix broken health service and deliver government mission to build an NHS fit for the future

    The biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth is set to be launched today (Monday 21 October), as the entire country is called upon to share their experiences of our health service and help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. 

    Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts will be invited to share their experiences views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the online platform, change.nhs.uk, which will be live until the start of next year, and available via the NHS App.  

    The public engagement exercise will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan which will be published in spring 2025 and will be underlined by three big shifts in healthcare – hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. 

    As part of the first shift “from hospital to community”, the government wants to deliver plans for new neighbourhood health centres, which will be closer to homes and communities. Patients will be able to see family doctors, district nurses, care workers, physiotherapists, health visitors, or mental health specialists, all under the same roof. 

    In transforming the NHS from analogue to digital, the government will create a more modern NHS by bringing together a single patient record, summarising patient health information, test results, and letters in one place, through the NHS App. It will put patients in control of their own medical history, meaning they don’t have to repeat it at every appointment, and that staff have the full picture of patients’ health. New laws are set to be introduced to make NHS patient health records available across all NHS trusts, GP surgeries and ambulance services in England – speeding up patient care, reducing repeat medical tests, and minimising medication errors. 

    Systems will be able to share data more easily, saving NHS staff an estimated 140,000 hours of NHS staffs’ time every year, because staff will have quicker access to patient data, saving time that can then be spent face-to-face with patients who need it most and potentially saving lives.

    By moving from sickness to prevention, government wants to shorten the amount of time people spend in-ill health and prevent illnesses before they happen. As an example, the 10 Year Health Plan will explore the opportunities smart watches and other wearable tech may offer patients with diabetes or high blood pressure, so they can monitor their own health from the comfort of their own home. 

    The launch of the new online platform will take place at a health centre in East London, where the Secretary of State will meet with the Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service before the first engagement event involving NHS staff from across the healthcare system as a start to the national conversation.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    My mum worked for the NHS, my sister worked for the NHS and my wife still works for the NHS – so I know first-hand how difficult it has been for staff, and for patients battling against a broken system for over a decade. But it’s time to roll up our sleeves and fix it.

    We have a clear plan to fix the health service, but it’s only right that we hear from the people who rely on the NHS every day to have their say and shape our plan as we deliver it. Together we can build a healthcare system that puts patients first and delivers the care that everyone deserves.

    We have a huge opportunity to put the NHS back on its feet. So, let’s be the generation that took the NHS from the worst crisis in its history and made it fit for the future.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, the NHS saved my life, as it has for so many people across our country. We all owe the NHS a debt of gratitude for a moment in our lives when it was there for us, when we needed it. Now we have a chance to repay that debt.

    Today the NHS is going through the worst crisis in its history. But while the NHS is broken, it’s not beaten. Together, we can fix it.

    Whether you use the NHS or work in it, you see first-hand what’s great, but also what isn’t working. We need your ideas to help turn the NHS around.

    In order to save the things we love about the NHS, we need to change it. Our 10 Year Health Plan will transform the NHS to make it fit for the future, and it will have patients’ and staff’s fingerprints all over it.

    I urge everyone to go to Change.NHS.uk today and help us build a health service fit for the future.

    Investment alone won’t be enough to tackle the problems facing the NHS, why is why it must go hand in hand with fundamental reform.

    The three big shifts will be our key principles for reform and will revolutionise the way people manage their health and access care. Our reforms will also shift the NHS away from late diagnosis and treatment to a model where more services are delivered in local communities and illnesses are prevented in the first place.

    It is vital the government hears from patients, experts and the NHS workforce to make sure we get this right and preserve the things people value about the health service.

    NHS England Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said:

    NHS staff are facing an unprecedented number of challenges – with record demand for care, alongside growing pressures from an ageing population, rising levels of multiple long-term illnesses and patients with more complex needs. And they are often hampered by working in crumbling buildings with outdated tech, meaning too many patients are waiting too long for care they need.

    So, it is vital the health service innovates and adapts – as it has always done throughout its 76-year history – to design and deliver an NHS fit for the future.

    The 10 Year Health Plan is a chance to make the best practice, normal practice across the country. So, we will be carrying out the largest ever staff engagement exercise in NHS history and leaving no stone unturned as we seek to harness frontline views, alongside those of patients and the public, to ensure this happens.

    It is your experiences – good, bad, and sometimes frustrating – that we need to help shape this once in a generation opportunity, so please get involved!

    Bold ambitions for the NHS can only be achieved by listening to the expertise and knowledge of its 1.54 million strong workforce. Their understanding of what’s holding them back from performing at their best will help us bring down waiting times and provide the world class care the public deserve.    

    The government has already taken immediate action to address challenges in the health service and deliver an NHS fit for the future. Whether that’s agreeing a deal with resident doctors within weeks, securing a funding increase for GP practices to manage rising pressures or hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS by the end of this year, there are both short- and long-term reforms working hand in hand.

    Lord Ara Darzi said:

    As my recent Investigation found, the NHS is in need of urgent and fundamental reform. The 10 Year Health Plan comes at a crucial moment—and by describing the ultimate destination for the health service, it will help improve decision-making in the here and now.

    The start of this national conversation on the future of the NHS follows on from Lord Darzi’s independent report into the health service that diagnosed its condition. Lord Darzi concluded the NHS is in a ‘critical condition’ with surging waiting lists and a deterioration in the nation’s underlying health, identifying serious and widespread problems for people accessing services. 

    The launch of the engagement exercise for the 10 Year Health Plan will build on these findings and is the next step to delivering the Government’s mission to fix the NHS and deliver a health service fit for the future.

    Rachel Power Chief Executive, The Patients Association said:

    We warmly welcome this ambitious initiative to engage with patients, staff, and the public on the future of our NHS. For far too long, many patients have felt their voices weren’t fully heard in shaping health services. This national conversation, initiated by the government, marks a significant step towards genuine patient partnership and puts patients at the heart of the NHS’s evolution.

    Through our work as an independent charity, we speak directly with thousands of patients living with various health conditions each year. This gives us valuable insights into diverse experiences across the health and care system, from widely shared patient needs to unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups. We’re eager to contribute these wide-ranging perspectives to help shape a health service that truly meets the needs of everyone it serves.

    Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England said:

    We know people appreciate the hard work of NHS staff, but they are all too aware that the NHS faces many challenges that need fixing. The 10-year plan provides the opportunity to do this.

    We urge everyone to have their say on how the NHS should deliver better care to people where and when it is needed, more support to help people stay well, and a culture of listening to and acting on the views of patients.

    All too often, people face unequal access to care, with disabled people and those on lower incomes being particularly at risk. The NHS belongs to us all, so you must speak up and help create a health service that is fit for the future – equal and inclusive for everyone.

    Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association said:

    The NHS rightly holds a place in our nation’s heart, being there for us at moments of great joy, deep sadness, and everything in between. It is also one of local government’s most important partners. What each side does can impact the other.

    Every one of us is unique, complex and carries different ambitions. The NHS plays a key role in helping us to live the life we want to lead, but it cannot do it alone. Through social care and wider wellbeing activity, councils play an essential role in supporting people to do what matters most to them and live a meaningful life.  This exercise is therefore crucial for the future of health, social care and wellbeing.

    Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said:

    We are delighted to see this first, essential part of developing the 10-year plan getting going. With our rapidly ageing population it’s important that the plan takes fully into account the needs of tomorrow’s older people as well as today’s and helps all of us to age confidently and well. We encourage everyone to get involved and have their say – it’s almost certainly a once in a generation opportunity to do so.

    The Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

    This will be a landmark moment for the NHS. Trust leaders are ready and willing to work with the government to tackle the many challenges the NHS currently faces to create a ‘next generation’ NHS fit for the future.

    Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices said:

    We are encouraged by the ambitious approach the Government is taking to involve patients and organisations from across the sector in shaping the 10 Year Plan. We are excited to play our part in this, and will be working with our members to ensure that people from marginalised and minoritised communities are able to shape the discussions and big decisions ahead.

    Closing the gap in healthy life expectancy is a shared ambition of this Government and the National Voices coalition, and we will work tirelessly to ensure no groups are left behind.

    Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said:

    Following more than a decade of underinvestment and in the face of some serious challenges we are reaching a turning point for the NHS. The 10-year plan will set the service on a path towards being put on sustainable footing so that it can best serve our population. No one working in the NHS will argue that it works perfectly – its staff have been crying out for change and we hope the ten-year plan will deliver for them and their communities, including by listening to the reality of their experiences and by incorporating the many examples of best practice and innovation that are taking place across the country.

    Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said:

    We are excited to see this first engagement phase of the NHS 10 Year Plan, a process which will include unpaid carers and ask for their views about the kind of health service they want to see in the future.

    We wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations from the Darzi review which suggested there should be a “fresh approach to supporting unpaid carers”. Unpaid carers are critical to the NHS and the NHS is a critical service for them, but it’s not always set up to help carers and can make their lives harder.

    England’s 4.7 million unpaid carers provide the bulk of support for older, ill and disabled relatives, helping millions to live in local communities where they want to be. Their support is valued at £152 billion, the equivalent of a second NHS, but they also face greater health inequalities and poorer health outcomes.

    With one in three NHS staff also juggling work and care, there’s a real opportunity to create a service which truly supports families who provide unpaid care. We see this as a win:win situation – helping families and building an NHS which is fit for the future; delivering better outcomes for everyone.

    Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

    We welcome the UK Government’s move to start a public conversation about the future of the NHS in England. Despite the best efforts of its hard-working staff, the NHS is under extreme pressure. This exercise is another important step in the process towards developing a 10-Year-Plan that should ensure all cancer patients across the UK get the care they deserve.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Building economic opportunities in Asia

    Source: Scottish Government

    Extending international business links.

    Scotland’s first Trade Envoy to Japan has been appointed to secure international investment.  

    Stephen Baker will identify new opportunities in Japan’s thriving energy transition, pharmaceuticals, med-tech and food sectors.

    Making this announcement ahead of a trade mission to Singapore and Malaysia, Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

    “Increasing trade and attracting inward investment are vital components of a thriving, growing economy and the Scottish Government’s clear message is that Scotland is open for business.

    “Scottish businesses already have a strong track record when it comes to exports to the Asian market and attracting inward investment, given Scotland’s position as the UK’s most attractive place for inward investment outside London.

    “This appointment will help Scotland to increase business opportunities with similar Japanese companies and organisations, like Sumitomo’s £350 million investment in a manufacturing plant in Nigg.”

    The Scottish Government’s Trade and Investment Envoy for Japan Stephen Baker said:

    “Japan and the UK share a strong and vibrant partnership, with Scotland taking a leading role in the energy transition. Given Japan’s substantial economy, there are significant opportunities for trade and investment. Now is the perfect time to include Japan in your business strategy and I look forward to maximising the benefits of this global partnership for Scotland.”

    Background

    The unpaid Japan Envoy role will last for an initial two-year term.

    Mr Baker spent 21 years with Sony, before joining Scottish Development International in 2006, initially covering both trade and investment as Japan Country Head, and later as Regional Director for Information and communications technology, Creative Industry, Financial Services, and Global Business Services. Stephen also served as the Asia Pacific Regional Director for Inward Investment into Scotland.

    Mr Lochhead’s trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur will take place between 21-24 October. The visit will include meetings with existing and potential investors. Full details on Ministerial travel and engagements are published pro-actively online.

    Sumitomo subsea cabling plant was secured thanks to a £24.5 million investment from the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.

    Scottish international export statistics

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Expanding coal mines – and reaching net zero? Tanya Plibersek seems to believe both are possible

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland

    Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s recent decision to approve expansion plans for three New South Wales coal mines disappointed many people concerned with stabilising the global climate.

    Two of these mines, Narrabri and Mount Pleasant in New South Wales, featured in the high-profile but ultimately unsuccessful Living Wonders court case, intended to force the federal government to take account of climate damage done by coal mine approvals. A lawyer involved in the case said Plibersek’s decision showed a refusal to “recognise their climate harms”.

    Why did Plibersek sign off on this? She has argued the mines will abide by domestic industrial emissions rules. As her spokesperson told the ABC:

    The emissions from these projects will be considered by the minister for climate change and energy under the government’s strong climate laws.

    But these laws apply only to emissions produced in Australia, which in this case will be from extracting and transporting coal and the relatively small amount of coal burned here. Most of the coal will be exported and burned overseas. Australian laws do not count those much larger emissions.

    The government is effectively washing its hands of the far larger emissions created when the coal is burned overseas. Since taking office, the Albanese government has approved seven applications to open or expand coal mines. Just this week, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said his state would keep exporting coal into the 2040s.

    This reasoning doesn’t stack up. If we stopped expanding coal mines, coal would get more expensive – and we would accelerate the global shift to clean energy.

    How can more coal be compatible with net zero?

    Under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate action, nations must publicly commit to domestic emissions reductions goals and are expected to steadily ramp up ambition.

    But these emissions cuts are domestic only – we don’t measure the emissions we enable by exporting coal and gas.

    The Albanese government has increased domestic ambition by committing to a 43% reduction on 2005 figures by 2030. This seems to be a substantial advance on the 26-28% commitment made by the previous government. In reality, internal tensions in the Morrison Coalition government handed Labor an unintentional gift.

    In 2021, estimates suggested Australia was already on track for a 35% reduction. But internal opposition among Coalition backbenchers stopped Morrison announcing this as a target. As a result, Labor’s change looks about twice as impressive as it should.

    Still, progress is happening. Domestically, Australia is now burning less and less coal.

    But in terms of exports, the government’s position – clear in Plibersek’s decision as well as the government’s plan to keep gas flowing for decades – is as long as there is a demand for coal and gas from other countries, Australia will be ready and willing to meet it.

    Most of the coal unlocked by Plibersek’s decision will go overseas, given NSW exports 85% of its coal to partners such as Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan.

    How does the government defend this?

    Expanding coal mines while maintaining a public commitment to net zero is a consistent theme between this government and its predecessor, which also committed to net zero. It meets a minimal interpretation of our legal obligations under the Paris Agreement, but maintains the planet’s path towards dangerous warming.

    In her statement of reasons given in 2023 as to why the Mount Pleasant mine expansion should be permitted, Plibersek and the Labor government offer several defences.

    The first is she is simply acting in accordance with Australian law, as the project would comply with “applicable Commonwealth emissions reduction legislation”. This is a weak reed, to put it mildly. The Albanese government, with the support of Greens and independents, can change the law whenever it chooses.

    In reality, the government has steadfastly resisted pressure to include a “climate trigger” in Australia’s environmental approval processes. Their resistance is relatively new – as recently as 2016, Labor policy included a climate trigger for land clearing.

    Labor’s second defence has often been dubbed the “drug dealer’s defence”. That is, if Australia didn’t export coal, other producers would take our place. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has put it:

    policies that would just result in a replacement of Australian resources with resources that are less clean from other countries would lead to an increase in global emissions, not a decrease.

    As I’ve argued previously, this defence doesn’t work. Coal is subject to a rising cost curve – if we stopped exporting it, new or expanded production from other sources would cost more to extract and hence be priced higher. More expensive coal would, in turn, accelerate the global energy transition. We do have agency – we could choose not to unlock more coal.

    Finally, Plibersek claims emissions from burning Mount Pleasant coal – estimated at over 500 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the mine’s extended lifetime – would not be “substantial” relative to total global emissions. For context, Australia’s total emissions are now less than 500 million tonnes a year.

    This “litterbug’s defence” suggest Australia’s emissions – whether produced domestically or exported – are not big enough to make a difference. This is not true – we are now the second largest exporter of emissions globally, after Russia. That is due largely to coal.

    Are fossil fuel exports untouchable?

    There’s a huge gap between global pledges to cut emissions and the reductions needed to actually achieve the Paris targets. Most countries we export coal and gas to are not yet on a path to achieve the reductions in emissions necessary to stabilise the global climate – though China’s emissions may, remarkably, be about to decline.

    That’s why we need to press for decarbonisation at every stage of the energy system, from extraction of coal, oil and gas to the financing of new carbon-based projects as well as at the point where the fuel is burned and emissions produced generated.

    The problem for Australia is we sell a lot of coal and gas – more than ever before. So even as solar and wind energy begins to displace coal and gas in domestic power generation, our coal and gas exports seem all but untouchable.

    We should be saddened but not surprised at this pattern. The Albanese government seems guided by the principle of doing nothing to generate substantial opposition – and to count on the fact a Dutton Coalition government would do even less.

    John Quiggin is a former member of the Climate Change Authority

    – ref. Expanding coal mines – and reaching net zero? Tanya Plibersek seems to believe both are possible – https://theconversation.com/expanding-coal-mines-and-reaching-net-zero-tanya-plibersek-seems-to-believe-both-are-possible-241007

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Intelligent auto sector speeding up

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People visit the exhibition booth of AITO, an NEV brand jointly developed by Huawei and Chongqing-based automaker Seres, during the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China is vrooming to shape the future of intelligent connected vehicles, with creation of a new industry road map underway, and is aiming for greater advancements in autonomous driving, high-end supply chains and global cooperation, according to government officials, company executives and industry experts.

    Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology, said the country will draft a comprehensive development plan for the intelligent connected vehicle, or ICV, industry, with the aim of harmonizing vehicle-road integration and enhancing software and hardware collaboration in the sector.

    The term “intelligent connected vehicles” basically refers to “smarter” cars equipped with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence that enable them to communicate with other vehicles, the cloud and infrastructure like roads.

    “Now, China has basically formed a comprehensive industrial system spanning chips, sensors, computing platforms, chassis control and vehicle-cloud connection for the ICV industry,” Jin said at the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, which ended on Saturday in Beijing.

    Jin also said that accelerated steps will be taken to formulate a regulatory system for high-level autonomous driving.

    Another official of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said at the conference that China’s self-driving cars are “nearing readiness for public roads”, with a group of autonomous driving vehicles awaiting evaluation and permission for the final rollout.

    The remarks came as President Xi Jinping said that science and technology should spearhead the advancement of Chinese modernization, during a recent inspection tour of East China’s Anhui province, where he took a close look at high-tech products including intelligent connected vehicles at an exhibition of scientific and technological innovations.

    Buoyed by such accelerated efforts in developing high-tech and intelligent connected vehicles, Lei Jun, founder of tech heavyweight Xiaomi Corp, said at the conference that the company is expected to meet its goal of delivering 100,000 Xiaomi SU7s — electric vehicles launched by the company as a venture into the ICV sector — by November, which is ahead of its year-end target.

    Li Shufu, chairman of Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group, said that Chinese automakers are racing into a new stage of development with intelligence as their core competitiveness. Like many leading car companies, Geely has made progress in human-machine interaction, intelligent driving, chips and low-orbit satellites, he said.

    Such confidence was also expressed by international players. Ralf Brandstaetter, chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, said, “China is the future of the global automotive industry, and we are committed to being part of this journey in the era of intelligent connected vehicles.”

    In addition to building its largest development center outside Germany in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, Volkswagen is strengthening cooperation with Chinese manufacturers like Xpeng and local high-tech companies such as Horizon Robotics, operating system provider Thundersoft and battery maker Gotion High-Tech Co, he said in a video speech to the conference on Thursday.

    By 2027, the German automobile manufacturer will launch 40 new models in China across all brands, including more than 20 new energy vehicles, which clearly demonstrates its commitment to the Chinese market, he emphasized.

    The latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that China is home to nearly 400 “little giant “companies in the intelligent connected vehicle sector. The term “little giant companies” refers to small and medium-sized enterprises that typically specialize in niche sectors, command high market share and boast strong innovative capacity.

    To support the rapid expansion of the sector, more than 50 cities across China have designated over 32,000 kilometers of test routes for ICVs and upgraded 10,000 kilometers of roads with smart technologies.

    Despite China’s momentum in the ICV industry, some company executives still see room for improvement. Yu Chengdong, executive director of Huawei Technologies Co, said that while the 5G smartphone penetration rate has reached over 85 percent in China, less than 10 percent of the nation’s passenger vehicles use 5G.

    “The integration of 5G into the ICV sector should be put into place, as it will generate economic growth and enhance the global competitiveness of the sector as a whole,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Moldova holds presidential election, EU membership referendum

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Moldovan citizens living in Romania cast their votes at a polling station in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Moldovan voters went to the polls Sunday for the country’s presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union (EU).

    The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Moldova said on Sunday in a press release that 2,219 polling stations are open to an estimated 3.3 million voters from 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) until 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

    The polls will be monitored by 2,061 observers, including 1,277 national observers and 784 international observers, according to the CEC.

    Under the country’s constitution, a candidate must win an absolute majority to be elected as president; otherwise, the two candidates with the most votes proceed to a runoff.

    Besides choosing a president, voters will also vote in a referendum on whether the goal of joining the EU should be enshrined in the country’s constitution.

    “Our vote in the referendum will determine our fate for many decades to come,” said Maia Sandu, the incumbent Moldovan president seeking a second term in office.

    Since her election in 2020, Sandu has steered Moldova towards greater alignment with the EU. She led the country to achieve EU candidate country status in 2022. In June 2024, formal accession negotiations were launched.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Kashgar’s ancient city rises from dust through people-centered protection, renovation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    On a sunny morning in October, streets in the Ancient City of Kashgar come alive as the city’s daily gate-opening ceremony unfolds.

    Performers dressed in armor, reminiscent of Zhang Qian, a Han Dynasty envoy whose journey began around 138 B.C., bring visitors back to 2,000 years ago.

    The well-preserved city appears untouched by time. However, the ancient city, part of Kashgar’s old town, was a dilapidated and dusty zone only decades ago.

    A local proverb reflected the hardships of that time, “Sewage dried in the air, trash swept by the breeze, pipes hung on the wall, and to use the toilet, you’d risk a fall.”

    Renaud Andre Roger Yves Lambert, Asia editor for Le Monde Diplomatique, gazed at a photo of the old town before its renovation and asked, “Was there an earthquake here?”

    What stands today is the result of China’s unwavering commitment to protecting ancient heritage and ensuring the well-being of its people.

    In response to the people’s pressing needs, the local government adopted a tailored approach, providing each household with a customized design that aimed to retain its original architectural style as much as possible. This strategy not only maintained the city’s distinctive features but also transformed it into a livable space with modern amenities, breathing new life into the historic streets.

    Ground floors of residents’ homes were converted into charming shops, showcasing unique styles and creating a vibrant marketplace, while upper levels remained private family retreats. Various bazaars, each with its own charm, have flourished in the city.

    By the end of 2020, a total of 7.049 billion yuan (about 1 billion U.S. dollars) had been invested in the renovation project of Kashgar’s ancient city, and 49,083 dilapidated houses covering 5.07 million square meters had been renovated.

    The renovated city has now created employment for over 10,000 people. With a growing influx of domestic and international tourists, it has become a popular social media hotspot and has successfully upgraded to a national 5A-level scenic spot, the highest standard for tourist attractions in China.

    Salamaiti Guli, the owner of a charming guesthouse with intricately carved wooden doors and sun-dappled courtyards, considered herself one of the biggest beneficiaries of the renovation project.

    “My house used to be in a dangerous condition, but after the government’s protective renovation, it became both sturdy and beautiful,” said Guli. “Since it is located in a scenic area, it has been transformed into a guesthouse offering both accommodations and performances.”

    The performance at Guli’s Home soon transformed the afternoon into a celebration of color and sound, enthralling guests from Croatia, Oman, and Ecuador. Infected by the rhythmic traditional music, they joined hands with locals, twirling and swaying in perfect harmony.

    “I hope friends from all over the world come to visit my home,” Guli said.

    Another resident, who has lived here for decades, said, “After the renovation, we now have everything — water, electricity, heating, and a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Living here is truly comfortable.”

    As he spoke, his wife busied herself at the new stove, filling the air with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly cooked food. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Insurance Sector – Commonwealth insurance peaks collaborate on global insurance protection gap

    Source: Insurance Council of NZ

    The peak bodies representing personal and business insurers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have called on Commonwealth leaders at this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa to discuss worsening extreme weather and its impact on national economic and community resilience across the Commonwealth.
    The Association of British Insurers (ABI), the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), and the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ), have jointly written to the Prime Ministers of their respective nations calling for the issue to be put on the agenda as part of the Commonwealth Business Forum on 23 and 24 October.
    This followed a Global Insurance Protection Gap Forum held in Sydney, Australia on Friday 18 October involving the four leaders of the ABI, IBC, ICA, and ICNZ, along with insurers, Australian government representatives, and regulators.
    The four associations collectively represent insurers writing approximately US$200B in gross annual premium, with their members playing an essential role in enabling individuals, communities and businesses to recover from the unexpected and reduce risk across the economies in which they operate.
    Operating in Commonwealth nations, the four organisations and their members face similar regulatory, political, and financial environments, with their governments and regulators having similar tools at their disposal to implement solutions.
    The Global Insurance Protection Gap forum agreed that:
    – As extreme weather intensifies, populations expand and more homes are put in harm’s way, the insurance protection gap will widen.
    – Flood risk is often concentrated in particular areas, but the widespread nature of flood risk is going to increase.
    – Governments and insurers have a critical opportunity to collaborate across global markets to build a shared view of current and future hazard risk.
    – We must stop locking further risk into our economies by building homes in the wrong places.
    – Applying excessive taxes and levies to insurance premiums can directly affect the affordability of insurance coverage.
    Comment attributable to Hannah Gurga, Director General, Association of British Insurers
    Our changing climate represents a real and growing threat to our resilience as a nation and globally. The UK led the way with the creation of Flood Re, which has helped keep insurance accessible for hundreds of thousands of homes. We are now at a crossroads, with a new government in post and a review of the planning system underway. It’s vital that decisions are taken for the long-term and made for the benefit of all. That’s not just investing in flood defences but also changing where and how we build. Action is needed now, not in the future when the challenge will be ever greater.
    Comment attributable to Celyeste Power, President and CEO, Insurance Bureau Canada
    In the span of just five weeks this past summer, Canada saw five natural catastrophes: three major floods, a devastating wildfire, and a destructive hailstorm resulting in $7 billion of insured losses.
    This isn’t an anomaly. It isn’t bad luck. It’s part of an escalating trend of severe weather events that is making Canada a riskier place to live, work and insure.
    I know Canada is not facing these challenges alone and I join with my colleagues in Australia, New Zealand and Britain in our call for meaningful action to reduce the growing physical and financial risks our citizens are facing.
    Comment attributable to Andrew Hall, CEO, Insurance Council of Australia
    More frequent and intense disasters, coupled with ongoing development of areas at high risk of extreme weather and growing asset values, are widening the gap globally between those who can afford insurance in high-risk areas and those who can’t – often leaving society’s least wealthy unable to rebuild and recover when disaster strikes.
    As the bodies representing personal and business insurance providers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we have a unique perspective on this issue.
    Insurers remain steadfastly committed to the policies of derisking as the only sustainable way to reduce the pressure on premiums and close the protection gap: better planning so no more homes are built in harm’s way, stronger buildings that are better able to withstand extreme weather, greater investment in public infrastructure to better protect communities, and an ongoing program of home buybacks where no other mitigation is possible.
    Comment attributable to Kris Faafoi, CEO, Insurance Council of New Zealand
    Our nations share a common history and a future challenge with climate change. By working closely together our insurance representative bodies are committed to doing their bit to help reduce risk from natural hazards and protect our families and communities.
    By reducing the protection gap we keep communities safe, reduce the costs to taxpayers and ratepayers and maintain insurance capacity and affordability.
    Just last year New Zealand experienced just how devastating severe weather events can be on lives, livelihoods and communities. There is much to be gained by working together on these issues across the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand through policy work, relationships and our responses to natural disasters.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “Dispiriting, dangerous, anti-development” education and health cuts by nearly every country with World Bank and IMF loans

    Source: Oxfam –

    New global index reveals that nine out of ten countries worldwide are pursuing policies that are likely to increase levels of economic inequality.

    94 percent of countries (94 out of 100 countries) with current World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans have cut vital investments in public education, health and social protection over the past two years, according to a new report published today by Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI).

    The figure is even higher for International Development Association (IDA) countries, the world’s poorest countries —95 percent (40 out of 42 countries) have pursued such cuts.

    “These cuts are not just dispiriting; they’re dangerous and fundamentally anti-development,” said Kate Donald, Head of Oxfam International’s Washington DC Office. “Too many Global South countries are facing the agonizing choice between investing in education and health or adopting austerity measures to keep up with crushing debt payments. These decisions come at a terrible human cost —millions of people depend on public services to thrive and build better lives for themselves and their children.”

    “Last year, we applauded the World Bank for finally making inequality an institutional priority. But our latest findings show that both the Bank and IMF have a lot of work to do if they are to genuinely contribute to tackling inequality rather than perpetuate it,” said Donald.

    In 2023, under growing pressure from economists, shareholders and civil society, the World Bank introduced its first-ever “vision indicator” aimed at reducing the number of countries with high inequality (Gini of 0.4 or above). Despite this step forward, the Bank has watered down previous commitments to support progressive taxation, including increased taxation of the super-rich. Tackling inequality has so far not been incorporated into the policy framework for the upcoming replenishment of the Bank’s IDA, which provides grants or low-interest loans to the world’s poorest countries, over half of which are in Africa. Inequality is high or increasing in 54 percent of countries that receive funds from IDA.

    Using the latest data from government budgets, the “Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index 2024” ranks 164 governments on their policies regarding public services, tax, and workers’ rights —policies central to reducing inequality. This year’s edition shows that, for the first time since the Index began in 2017, the majority of countries are backsliding across all the three critical areas.

    Overall, 84 percent of countries have cut investment in education, health and social protection, 81 percent weakened their tax systems’ ability to reduce inequality, and in 90 percent of them, labour rights and minimum wages have worsened.

    Some countries have improved their ranking since 2022. Burkina Faso and Vanuatu increased their minimum wage, Croatia boosted investment in health, and Guyana retains one of the highest corporate tax rates (40 percent).

    Others have fallen sharply, including Argentina whose new government has slashed public health and education budgets by 76 percent and 60 percent, respectively, and is phasing out the country’s wealth tax. Pakistan has cut education and social protection budget shares by a third under IMF-imposed austerity measures.

    Even the top performers, high-income countries led by Norway and Canada, are lagging in many indicators. Around 5 percent of their populations face catastrophic out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Excepting Japan, most have low rates of corporate income tax. Denmark has been cutting the income tax rate paid by the richest 1 percent for years.

    The bottom performers in the Index remain dominated by those from Sub-Saharan Africa (all countries in the region have World Bank and IMF programs). In addition to low tax revenues, the debt crisis, conflict and climate breakdown are diverting scarce resources from education, health and social safety nets. On average, low- and middle-income countries are spending 48 percent of their budgets on debt service, far more than they do on education and health combined. Six of the bottom ten countries are in or at high risk of debt distress.

    Higher taxes on the income and wealth of the super-rich could raise trillions of dollars to plug financing gaps for public services in low- and middle-income countries. At the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in July 2024, for the first time in history, the world’s largest economies agreed to cooperate to tax the ultra-rich, a move welcomed by President of the World Bank Ajay Banga.

    “The world’s governments are doing even less to fight inequality, exacerbating extremism and undermining growth. With the World Bank adopting a new anti-inequality target, the World Bank and IMF have a new opportunity to champion policies which cut inequality —free public services, fairer tax systems, and stronger workers’ rights. They must seize this with both hands,” said Matthew Martin, Executive Director of DFI.
     

    Download Oxfam and DFI’s “Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index 2024” at http://www.inequalityindex.org. Development Finance International (DFI) is a non-profit capacity-building, advocacy, advisory and research group.  

    According to Oxfam’s research, inequality is high or increasing in 25 (54 percent) of countries that receive funds from IDA.

    Significant investment from the World Bank is needed to radically and rapidly improve data on inequality, particularly on the incomes and the wealth of those at the top.  For more than 100 countries, the most recent data available is from 2019 or earlier, predating the last five years of crisis.
     

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A year on from the Senate inquiry into concussion, what’s changed and what comes next?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University

    In September 2023, an Australian Senate committee released a landmark report on concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sports.

    The committee made 13 recommendations to improve outcomes for past, present and future players.

    The report emphasised shared responsibility and transparency in developing a national approach, with the government to lead nine of the recommendations.

    As of October 2024, no official government update has been provided.

    We’ve assessed the status of the recommendations – of the publicly available sources, we found evidence of action in some areas but no national strategy in directly addressing the focus of several key recommendations.

    As part of this review, we searched the websites of the Australian government’s Department of Health and Aged Care and the Australian Sports Commission/Australian Institute of Sport (ASC/AIS).

    We approached the Senate committee secretary and the Department of Health and Aged Care for more information but neither was able to comment.

    We acknowledge there is likely more work going on behind the scenes, and these processes take time.

    Here’s what we found.

    Progress being made

    In the past year, there has been progress made with several recommendations including those addressing community awareness, education and guidelines for amateur and youth sports.

    The AIS continues to engage in health-led efforts with a suite of resources aimed at increasing community awareness and education.

    In June this year, the institute published a new set of return-to-play guidelines specifically targeting community and youth athletes.

    This represents a tangible response from a federally funded sporting body.

    However, these guidelines must be easily implemented by clubs. To date, there is no indication the government plans to increase funding or resources to clubs to help do so.

    The committee also called for national sporting organisations to “further explore rule modifications to prevent and reduce the impact of concussions and repeated head trauma, prioritising modifications for children and adolescents”.

    Several major sporting codes have modified their rules and we expect them to remain focused on rule modifications to ensure the longevity of their sports.

    General practitioners (GPs) are often the first port of call after a concussion, and the committee recommended the development of standardised guidelines for GPs and first aid responders.

    This addresses concerns that GPs may require additional training in treating sport-related brain trauma.

    In response, the AIS developed a free, online short course for registered GPs.

    Work in progress, or lack of progress?

    There appears to be work in progress or a lack of progress elsewhere, including key recommendations for a National Sports Injury Database (NSID) and professional sport data sharing.

    The inquiry highlighted how patchy data collection had contributed to evidence gaps in understanding sports injury management and surveillance. The committee’s most urgent recommendation therefore was for the government to establish the NSID.

    This would work closely with another recommendation that called for professional sport codes to collect and share de-identified concussion and sub-concussive event data with the NSID.

    As of October 2024, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports the NSID is still under development and is not yet ready to receive data.

    Other recommendations related to research – establishing an independent research pathway, ongoing funding commitments and a co-ordinated and consolidated funding framework.

    These recommendations called for the government’s existing agencies, or a newly created body, to coordinate research on the effects of concussion and repeated head trauma.

    No new dedicated sports-related concussion research pathways have emerged since the inquiry.

    In terms of funding commitments, in April this year – after former rugby league star Wally Lewis’s National Press Club appearance – Dementia Australia reported the government had pledged $A18 million for concussion and CTE support services and education.



    Read more:
    Why a portrait of a former NRL great could spark greater concussion awareness in Australia

    The May 2024 federal budget allocated $132.7 million to boost sports participation from grassroots to high performance. But this did not address concussion and repeated head trauma, and we haven’t been able to find evidence of a co-ordinated and consolidated funding framework.

    Our view is concussion funding pools should be primarily focused on supporting independent research projects. However, sporting bodies clearly need to be involved – they provide access to athlete populations and most people in these organisations have a genuine care for athlete welfare.

    Another recommendation called for a national concussion strategy. This should focus on binding return-to-play protocols and rules to protect participants from head injuries.

    The recommendation included a role for government and whether any existing government bodies would be best placed to monitor, oversee and/or enforce concussion-related rules and protocols.

    In our view, this recommendation involves much more than producing guidelines. It requires a more comprehensive national strategy, with consideration to monitoring compliance and enforcement.

    We could not find any evidence indicating the current status of this recommendation.

    Increased funding and support for affected athletes were also focus areas.

    These recommendations called for a review to address barriers to workers’ compensation and ensure adequate insurance arrangements remain in place.

    We could not find any evidence of whether state and territory governments are involved in the reviews of workers compensation to apply to professional athletes.

    The committee recommenced the government consider measures to increase donations to brain banks for scientific research.

    We couldn’t find any evidence of steps taken to implement this recommendation.

    Moving forward

    There has been progress in education and guidelines but a lack of the coordinated, transparent approach the committee envisioned.

    A formal government response, as demonstrated in Canada and the United Kingdom, is essential to establish trust and chart a clear path forward.

    The Australian government, as guardian of the Australian public’s health, has an opportunity to do the same.

    Annette Greenhow receives funding from SSHRC Partnership Development Grant. Annette is a Board Member of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association. The views expressed in this article are her own.

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

    – ref. A year on from the Senate inquiry into concussion, what’s changed and what comes next? – https://theconversation.com/a-year-on-from-the-senate-inquiry-into-concussion-whats-changed-and-what-comes-next-239929

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU students entered the top 115 best students in Russia following the conference “Management of the Future”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Four students Faculty of Economics, NSU — Leonid Chistopolov, Anastasia Karunina, Alena Kozich and Makar Fedorov — entered the top 115 best students in Russia following the results of the XII conference “Management of the Future”, organized by the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University.

    The conference “Management of the Future” has been held since 2012 and attracts the most promising students interested in modern trends in management and business. The selection of participants consists of several stages: filling out a questionnaire with a resume and portfolio, a test of logic and mathematics, as well as a final video interview, which has become one of the most difficult tests for participants.

    — I learned about the conference from the previous head of Case Club NSU, who went to the conference last year and shared positive emotions. Therefore, I decided that I definitely needed to participate in the selection in order to meet ambitious students from all over Russia at the conference, hear expert opinions from top executives of large Russian companies on the topic of “Growth at the intersection of competencies” (the topic of this year’s conference), get a job opportunity and, of course, visit St. Petersburg! When I received the coveted letter of passage, of course, I was happy and felt confident in my abilities. And when I learned that three from NSU passed the selection, I realized that it was not in vain that I chose this university three years ago, — shared Anastasia Karunina.

    This year, the event brought together more than 100 students from all over the country, providing participants with unique opportunities to communicate with top managers of leading companies and participate in practical cases.

    — I decided to participate because I wanted to develop connections, expand my knowledge in the industries where I work, and see the city (I have never been to St. Petersburg). The conference gives me the opportunity to do all of this. When I found out that I had passed the selection, I was happy, — said Leonid Chistopolov.

    For university students, this is not only an opportunity to exchange experiences and establish new connections, but also a chance to demonstrate the high level of training at NSU.

    We congratulate the guys on such an important achievement and wish them success!

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

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

    http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/NSU students-entered the top-115-best-students-of-Russia-at-the-future-management-conference/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Average speed camera trial to investigate safety dividend

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Average speed camera trial to investigate safety dividend

    Published: 21 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Minister for Roads

    Previously, average speed cameras have only been used in NSW to monitor the speed of heavy vehicles. Road safety benefits will be evaluated when a trial of average speed cameras for light vehicles is conducted from next year.

    Legislation that passed NSW Parliament has enabled their use for all vehicles, bringing the state into line with all other Australian mainland states and the ACT where the technology is an integral part of their speed enforcement programs.

    The NSW Government will now trial the lifesaving benefits of average speed cameras as part of efforts to combat the rising road toll which today stands at 271 – two more than at the same date in 2023.

    The average speed camera trial will build on road safety initiatives introduced by the Minns Labor Government, including:

    • Seatbelt enforcement by the existing mobile phone camera detection network
    • Removing a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within six months
    • The demerit return trial that rewarded more than 1.2 million drivers for maintaining a demerit-offence-free driving record during the initial 12-month period up to 16 January 2024
    • Doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with the addition of 2,700 new locations where a camera can be deployed. Enforcement hours will remain the same
    • Hosting the state’s first Road Safety Forum of international and local experts
    • Signed National Road Safety Data Agreement with the Commonwealth

    Speeding is the biggest killer on NSW roads, contributing to 41 per cent of all fatalities over the past decade.

    Regional NSW is home to a third of the population but is where two-thirds of all road deaths happen.

    Two trials will be conducted on limited stretches of highway in regional NSW to assess whether these measures reduce speeding at these locations, improving safety and preventing injuries and fatalities. The trial areas are:

    • Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes (Port Macquarie) – 15kms between cameras
    • Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai – 16kms between cameras

    There were a combined total of six fatalities and 33 serious injuries between 2018 and 2022 at these locations.

    Road safety experts have backed the use of average speed cameras and the NRMA will be part of the assessment process to ensure drivers have a voice in the review of the trial. 

    Transport for NSW will now work on the technical elements and deliver a communications campaign to inform motorists about the trial to begin mid-2025.

    Trials are proposed to begin with a 60-day period in which speeding drivers will receive a warning letter rather than a fine before normal enforcement, including fines and demerit points, begin.

    Minister for Roads John Graham said:

    “This is the right time to investigate whether lives can be saved by the use of average speed cameras for all vehicles, not only trucks.

    “This technology has been found to be effective in other states and in the UK, Norway, Italy and the Netherlands.

    “It is our responsibility to properly evaluate whether they are effective in preventing another family and another friendship circle from being devastated – which is the sad result every time someone dies on NSW roads.

    “Before trials begin next year, the NSW Government will conduct a comprehensive awareness campaign so the public is aware of average speed cameras and a 60-day warning letter period will give motorists time to adjust to their use in these limited locations.”

    Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

    “In 2023, over two thirds of the deaths on our roads were in regional NSW. Our goal is to assess how effective the cameras can be in changing speeding habits and reducing needless deaths.

    “The NSW Government will continue to inform all drivers but particularly the regional communities around these trial sites about how it will work.

    “Unfortunately, on Tuesday night we saw Nationals in the Legislative Council cynically voting against the average speed camera trial, putting politics above the safety of the people they purport to represent.

    “There have been a few times in this Parliament that the Leader of the Nationals has torched the Coalition agreement allegedly on a matter of principle – but saving lives on our roads in the bush? The Nationals are clearly confused about what is important.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia and VNPT collaborate on 5G in Vietnam

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Nokia and VNPT collaborate on 5G in Vietnam

    • Nokia and VNPT partner to deploy 5G technology supporting the development of digital infrastructure in Vietnam

    21st October 2024
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia and Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), one of Vietnam’s leading telecommunications operators, today announced a new partnership to deploy 5G technology. This significant development marks a new milestone in the long-standing collaboration between the two companies, reinforcing their commitment to providing a strong digital infrastructure in Vietnam. Nokia is also manufacturing its 5G products locally in Vietnam highlighting its commitment to the region.

    As part of this agreement, Nokia will deploy equipment from its state-of-the-art 5G AirScale portfolio, powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. These provide premium connectivity, low latency, enhanced network capacity, and reduced power consumption. Nokia will also deploy its AI-based 5G MantaRay network management solution which will greatly improve VNPT’s network operation efficiency.
      
    Mr. Huynh Quang Liem, VNPT’s CEO, said: “Collaborating with Nokia will enable VNPT to rapidly deploy a world-class 5G network and meet the growing demands of our customers in Vietnam, 5G will serve as the foundation that will drive Vietnam’s economic development and societal progress, thereby accelerating its journey towards becoming a digital economy.”

    Tommi Uitto, Nokia’s President of Mobile Networks, said: “Nokia is proud to be VNPT’s strategic partner in introducing 5G which will deliver future-ready communications solutions that will help accelerate Vietnam’s digital future. Our local 5G production is further enhancing our strong bond with the country.”

    Resources:
    Webpage: Nokia 5G
    Product page: AirScale Radio Access
    Product page: MantaRay Network Management

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

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

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

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

    Follow us on social media
    LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LHV Pank completed the acquisition of part of TBB pank’s credit portfolio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AS LHV Pank and AS TBB Pank completed the transaction whereby the LHV Group’s subsidiary acquired a part of TBB Pank’s loan portfolio.

    By today, the transfer of the acquired loan portfolio has been completed, the volume of the acquired portfolio was 19,2 million euros, which may increase by up to 4,3 million euros within the next three months. The transaction concerned a total of 72 clients and the final discount amount was approximately 4 million euros.

    The completed transaction did not significantly impact LHV Pank’s capitalization or liquidity. The transaction can not be considered as a transaction between related parties.

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. The LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs over 1,100 people. As at the end of August, LHV’s banking services are used by 441,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 118,000 active clients, and LHV Kindlustus protects a total of 168,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Priit Rum
    Communications Manager
    Phone: +372 502 0786
    Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Results of the Offering of Unsecured Subordinated Bonds of Bigbank AS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The public offering of Bigbank AS (Bigbank) unsecured subordinated bonds (the Offering) ended on Friday, 18 October 2024. It was the third series under Bigbank’s unsecured subordinated bond programme, conducted based on the base prospectus of the subordinated bond programme. Under the programme, Bigbank can raise up to 30 million euros in total.

    During the Offering, up to 3,000 unsecured subordinated bonds, each with a nominal value of EUR 1,000, a maturity date of 23 October 2034, and a fixed interest rate of 6.5% per annum, payable quarterly, were offered by Bigbank. In the event of oversubscription, Bigbank had the right to increase the volume of the Offering by up to 5,000 bonds, bringing the total to a maximum of 8,000 bonds. The Offering was carried out in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

    789 investors participated in the subscription and submitted subscription orders for the subordinated bonds in the total amount of 8.7 million euros. Therefore, the base issue volume of 3 million euros was oversubscribed by nearly 3 times. Bigbank exercised its right to increase the volume of the Offering, bringing the total volume of the Offering to 5 million euros.

    The Management Board of Bigbank decided to allocate the bonds according to the following principles:

    1. All subscription orders from the same subscriber were summed up;
    2. Subscriptions by investors up to the amount of 30,000 euros were accepted in full;
    3. Employees of companies belonging to Bigbank group were allocated 100% of the amount subscribed;
    4. Investors were allocated 2.75% of the amount subscribed exceeding 30,000 euros;
    5. The number of bonds with decimal places was rounded to the nearest whole number.

    Martin Länts, Chairman of the Management Board of Bigbank, thanked all investors who participated in the public issue for their trust in the bank’s strategy and growth prospects. “The subscription results show that investor confidence in Bigbank’s future plans remains very high, and the interest rate on the bonds offered may have been slightly too high, considering the rapid developments in the interest rate environment over the past month. With the capital raised, Bigbank will be even stronger in implementing its business strategy, planning to continue growing primarily in the housing and corporate loan segments while ensuring compliance with established capital requirements,” commented Martin Länts.

    The Bonds are expected to be transferred to the securities accounts of investors on or around 23 October 2024 and the first trading day of the bonds on the Baltic Bonds List of Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange is expected to be on or around 24 October 2024.

    Bigbank AS (http://www.bigbank.eu), with over 30 years of operating history, is a commercial bank owned by Estonian capital. As of 30 June 2024, the bank’s total assets amounted to 2.6 billion euros, with equity of 252.8 million euros. Operating in nine countries, the bank serves more than 150,000 active customers and employs over 500 people. The credit rating agency Moody’s has assigned Bigbank a long-term deposit rating of Ba1, as well as a baseline credit assessment (BCA) and adjusted BCA of Ba2.

    Argo Kiltsmann
    Member of the Management Board
    Tel: +372 53 930 833
    Email: Argo.Kiltsmann@bigbank.ee 
    http://www.bigbank.ee

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RIBER secures order for MBE 49 GaN system in Europe

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bezons (France), October 21, 2024 – 8:00am (CET) – RIBER, the global leader for Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) equipment serving the semiconductor industry, announces the sale of an MBE 49 GaN production system to a European manufacturer.

    This European customer has invested in the MBE 49 system to enhance its capacity for producing advanced gallium nitride (GaN) components, which are essential for next generation of high-brightness and low-energy displays. The MBE 49 GaN system is specifically configured for Plasma-Assisted GaN epitaxy on 200mm Silicon wafers, offering a cutting-edge solution for manufacturing AlGaN and InGaN devices.

    RIBER’s MBE technology stands out due to its lower growth temperature for high-indium-content InGaN, precise control over nanowire formation, minimal residual doping, and enhanced p-type doping capabilities – crucial factors in optimizing technology performance.

    The RIBER MBE 49 system is fully automated and powered by the advanced Crystal XE process control software. It integrates in-situ instrumentation tools that enable precise monitoring and control, ensuring high-quality epitaxial growth processes. This technology is fully compatible with 200mm Silicon wafers.

    This order underscores the critical role of European collaboration in propelling the semiconductor industry forward, reinforcing Europe’s position as a hub for micro and nanoelectronics innovation.

    This order will be delivered in 2025.

     

    About RIBER

    Founded in 1964, RIBER is the global market leader for MBE – molecular beam epitaxy – equipment. It designs and produces equipment for the semiconductor industry and provides scientific and technical support for its clients (hardware and software), maintaining their equipment and optimizing their performance and output levels.
    Accelerating the performance of electronics, RIBER’s equipment performs an essential role in the development of advanced semiconductor systems that are used in numerous applications, from information technologies to photonics (lasers, sensors, etc.), 5G telecommunications networks and research including the field of quantum computing.
    RIBER is a BPI France-approved innovative company and is listed on the Euronext Growth Paris market (ISIN: FR0000075954).
    http://www.riber.com

    Contacts

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

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

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Helpful insight’ into issues of static fishing gear and safety tips

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Hazards relating to poorly marked equipment, and consideration of how these can be avoided, feature in a new report and safety leaflet for fishers.

    The Static Fishing Gear Safety Working Group Report 2024 dives into the problems relating to the marking and rigging of static fishing gear (fishing equipment that is set in place and does not move), UK regulations, and what can be improved.

    The report was produced by the Static Fishing Gear Safety Working Group, a sub-group of the MCA’s United Kingdom Safety of Navigation Committee, which is made up of industry representatives, government representatives and subject matter experts.

    The report identifies two main hazards associated with this equipment. The first is the use of floating rope on or near the water’s surface, instead of leaded or weighted, posing a risk to nearby vessels with propellers. The second is the failure to use a buoy, or similar, to visually alert other vessels that static fishing gear is in use in the area.

    UK and Scottish legislation is considered in the report, and a number of recommendations are made, to improve awareness and visibility of static fishing gear.

    A safety leaflet attached to the report provides guidance on best practice for the marking of static fishing gear, and ways to improve its visibility to reduce the risk of entanglement. The simple guidelines are visually presented for ease of use.

    MCA Assistant Director for UK Technical Services Navigation Richard Bell said:

    This report gives a helpful insight into the issues around static fishing gear and what can be done to mitigate safety risks. There is no overnight solution to the issues raised, but we hope this report raises awareness with a view to improving safety.

    Our priority, both here at the MCA and UKSON, will always be the safety of mariners users, and we hope the safety leaflet encourages fishers to follow or maintain best practice when it comes to static fishing gear.

    Here you can access the Static Fishing Gear Safety Working Group Report 2024 and the Static Fishing Gear: Design of ends safety guidance leaflet.

    Press office

    Email public.relations@mcga.gov.uk

    Press enquiries (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) 0203 817 2222

    Outside these hours or on bank holidays and weekends, for media enquiries ONLY, please send an email outlining your query and putting #Urgent in the subject title.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh on Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Visit to Ukraine

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III arrived in Ukraine today to meet with Ukrainian leaders and reiterate the support of the United States for Ukraine’s fight for freedom. This is the Secretary’s fourth visit to Ukraine as Secretary of Defense. 

    During his engagements, the Secretary will meet with Ukrainian leadership and underscore the U.S. commitment to providing Ukraine with the security assistance it needs to defend itself from Russian aggression on the battlefield. 

    At the conclusion of his visit, the Secretary will deliver a speech that will highlight how Ukraine has skillfully fought back against Putin’s war of choice, U.S. commitment to ensuring Ukraine’s armed forces have the battlefield capabilities they need, and why Ukraine’s fight matters for U.S. security. 

    Since April 2022, the Secretary has convened the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on a near monthly basis—a coalition of some 50 countries from around the globe determined to help Ukraine fight against Putin’s aggression. And together, the nations of the UDCG have provided billions of dollars of security assistance for Ukraine—and helped pave the way to build the future force and the industrial base that will enable Ukraine to deter Russian aggression into the future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government will allocate 300 million rubles for the purchase of equipment for a children’s clinical hospital in Khabarovsk Krai

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Medical equipment will be purchased for the A.K. Piotrovich Children’s Regional Clinical Hospital in Khabarovsk. The order to allocate 300 million rubles for these purposes was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    Financing from the Government’s reserve fund will make it possible to purchase about 50 units of various equipment, including a spiral computed tomography scanner, a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, as well as endosurgical video systems, X-ray navigation systems, and anesthesiology and resuscitation equipment.

    The signed order is part of the work to implement the instructions of Mikhail Mishustin, which he gave following his working visit to the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Districts. It took place in July 2024. While in Khabarovsk, the Prime Minister visited the A.K. Piotrovich Children’s Regional Clinical Hospital and, during a conversation with the staff of the medical institution, asked to prepare the necessary documents for additional equipment of the hospital.

    The document will be published.

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/53060/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bank “ROSSIYA” acted as a partner of the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum-2024

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Bank “ROSSIA” Russia Bank –

    Press Releases and Events

    10/21/2024

    Bank “ROSSIYA” acted as a partner of the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum-2024

    Bank “ROSSIYA” acted as a partner and took part in the events of the XIII St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF-2024), which was held from October 8 to 11.

    SPIGF is one of the most authoritative business events in the gas industry, which annually brings together leading representatives of the global community and is one of the largest international congress and exhibition projects in the oil and gas industry.

    A joint seminar of Bank “ROSSIYA” and the Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Group, dedicated to payment fee standards, was held on the sidelines of the forum. As part of the event, the Bank presented the latest developments in the field of collecting payments for gas and shared its experience in implementing all components of the Smorodina platform in Dagestan. Also during the forum, agreements on cooperation between the Bank and leading market players were signed.

    Cooperation with enterprises of the Russian gas industry is a priority for Bank “ROSSIYA”. The bank actively finances projects of gas companies, and also develops and implements progressive high-tech solutions in the field of digitalization of enterprise processes and to improve consumer convenience.

    The work of Bank “ROSSIYA” at the SPIGF-2024 forum received high praise from the organizers, guests and partners of the event.

    Back to list

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

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

    http://abr.ru/about/nevs/13755/

    MIL OSI Russia News –