NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

    Ministry of Textiles organises interaction session with over 30 Countries

    Bharat Tex 2025 to focus on scale, sustainability and skills

    India is looking at a shared future, a future that is sustainable, equitable and prosperous for all of us: Shri Pabitra Margherita

    Posted On: 22 OCT 2024 2:07PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Textiles organized an interactive Session with Foreign Missions in India for Bharat Tex 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi yesterday. The event saw participation from over 30 Foreign Missions in India namely Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Montenegro, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Taiwan, Togo, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

    Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita graced the event as the Chief Guest. The session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Rachna Shah; Special Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Shri P. Kumaran; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Rohit Kansal; Trade Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Shubhra; industry leaders and officials.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Minister invited the ambassadors and representatives of various countries to proactively participate in Bharat Tex 2025. Describing it as the largest and the most comprehensive textiles event ever, he described Bharat Tex as a unique effort to bring the entire value chain of textiles under one roof. He highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian textile industry in finding innovative solutions for the challenges posed by the global textile industry. He underlined that Bharat Tex will reaffirm the attractiveness of India as a reliable, sustainable sourcing destination as well as an investment destination at a large scale for textiles. The sector has the potential to provide large scale employment across the value chain and touch the lives of people across all social spheres. With innovation, collaboration, and the Make in India spirit at its core, this event is an embodiment of the 5F vision of the Prime Minister- Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, he added.

     

    Ms. Rachna Shah also highlighted the role of Bharat Tex in the Global Textiles Industry. She invited the attendees to participate as a Partner Country in the mega textile global event. Further she emphasised on India’s focus on the Textiles sector with strong policy support backed by various incentives and schemes including PLI and PM-MITRA Parks.  

    Bharat Tex is a mega global textiles event being organized by a consortium of Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and supported by the Ministry of Textiles. Scheduled to be held from February 14 to 17, 2025 BHARAT TEX 2025, is positioned as a global scale textile trade fair and knowledge platform. The event will be held simultaneously at two state of the art venues: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi and India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida. While the main event will be held from February 14-17 at the Bharat Mandapam and will cover the entire value chain of textiles, exhibitions pertaining to handicrafts, garment machinery and ethnic apparel will be held from February 12 to 15 at the India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida.

    Bharat Tex 2025 aims to build on the resounding success of the first edition in 2024. Built around the twin themes of resilient global value chains and sustainability, this year’s show promises to be even more vibrant and attractive than the first edition, attracting top policymakers, global CEOs, international exhibitors, and global buyers. A record number of over 5,000 Exhibitors, 6,000 international buyers from over 110 countries and over 1, 20,000 visitors are expected to participate in this year’s event.

    The Bharat Tex 2025 exhibition will feature dedicated pavilions for Apparel, Home Furnishings, Floor Coverings, Fibres, Yarns, Threads, Fabrics, Carpets, Silk, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Technical Textiles, Apparel Machinery, Dyes & Chemicals and many more. It will also have a retail High Street focusing on India’s fashion retail market opportunities.

    The textile mega event will also provide a platform for global textiles dialogue covering conference, seminars, CEO roundtables, and B2B and G2G meetings across various key topics such as Industry 4.0, Sustainability, Global Value Chain, Investment, Trade among other areas.

    Attendees can look forward to live demonstrations, cultural events, and fashion presentations, designer and brand exhibitions and sustainability workshops, and expert talks. Bharat Tex 2025 aims to serve as a unique and consolidated platform to showcase India’s full textile value chain, while highlighting its strengths in fashion, traditional crafts, and sustainability initiatives.

    ***

    VN

    (Release ID: 2067001) Visitor Counter : 79

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Ukraine: 97 percent of prisoners provided accounts of torture – DPPA Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Briefing by Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

    ———————–

    Briefing the Security Council Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Peace Affairs said, “widespread and systematic reports of torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war remains a grave concern. 97 percent of Ukrainian prisoners interviewed by OHCHR since March 2023 provided consistent and detailed accounts of torture or ill-treatment during captivity. 68 percent reported sexual violence.”

    Jenčan also highlighted the civilian toll of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, citing data from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Jenča said, “since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law, 11,973 civilians, including 622 children, have been killed. 25,943 people, including 1,686 children, have been injured.

    He also raised concerns about renewed attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which have damaged six civilian vessels and grain infrastructure since September. “Wheat prices have increased more than six percent between 1 September and 14 October,” he noted, attributing the spike to these attacks.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJD7EfGlJqs

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Quantum technology will impact peace & security in many significant ways – Security Council Briefing

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Briefing by Robin Geiss, The Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, on anticipating the impact of scientific developments on international peace and security, during the Security Council, 9753rd meeting.

    —————-
    The Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, Robin Geiss, today (21 Oct) told the Security Council that as the scientific and technological landscape evolves at a “blistering pace, we often lack a clear sense of what is being developed, by whom, and with which resulting impacts, including for international peace and security.”

    Geiss, briefing a Council meeting on “anticipating the impact of scientific developments on international peace and security,” said “within the next 5 to 10 years, quantum technology will impact peace and security in many significant ways.”

    First, he said, “it will disrupt information and communication security by making traditional encryption techniques ineffective and therefore obsolete.”

    Second, he continued, “quantum sensors will enable the detection of objects underground or underwater, revolutionizing warfare, on the one hand, and monitoring and verification efforts, on the other.”

    Finally, Geiss added, “quantum computing will unlock a new era for AI by enabling computation of models that cannot currently be run on even the most powerful computers.”

    Also briefing the Council, the President of the Foundation Council (DCAF) at the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, Amin Awad called on member states to “act with courage and foresight to ensure that emerging technologies fulfil their promise to advance global peace and security.”

    Awad said, scientific advancements in neurotechnology, synthetic biology, artificial intelligence and quantum computing are already reshaping our world,” and added that “no effort should be spared to ensure these developments are for the benefit of human and not for evil.”

    For her part, Japan’s Ambassador for Science and Technology, Kaji Misako, said, “the world must join forces to support innovation while properly mitigating the risks and misuse of emerging technologies,” and noted that Japan “has led the international discussion on the governance of advanced AI systems to achieve safe, secure, trustworthy AI, including through the Hiroshima AI process, launched in May 2023.”

    Speaking to reporters outside the Council before the briefing, Swiss Ambassador Pascale Christine Baeriswyl, joined by her Sierra Leonian and Slovenian counterparts, said “rapid scientific advances can accelerate the realization of the aspirations of the United Nations across all three pillars of its work sustainable development, human rights, as well as peace and security. We intend to prepare the Council for the future to act early and manage uncertainty. To that end, we will seek expert advice and collaborate with academic and research institutions to provide the Council with the needed evidence based information.”

    Council members are currently negotiating a draft presidential statement proposed by Switzerland in connection with today’s meeting on the impacts of scientific developments on peace and security.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAgZ5tiWfsk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the #MeToo movement has shaped how women write crime fiction

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alison Taft, Course Director of Creative Writing, Leeds Beckett University

    It’s seven years since #MeToo became a viral phenomenon. The social media campaign against sexual harassment and assault encouraged survivors to share their stories. But has anything changed in the way crime fiction is written as a result?

    There are now novels that specifically reference the #MeToo movement, such as Complicit by Winnie M Li, The List by Yomi Adegoke and This Is Pleasure by Mary Gaitskill. Between them, they deal with the consequences of sex crimes for a set of main characters that include: a female film producer wondering if she could have done more to prevent the actions of the male predator (Complicit), a falsely accused man (The List) and the female friend of a man seemingly unaware his behaviour could be experienced as offensive (This is Pleasure).

    These novels, all written by women, invite readers to consider differing perspectives in the aftermath of what appeared as a tsunami of offences. But by shifting the focus away from the perpetrators of the crimes they do little to challenge what some women activists identify as a rape culture.

    In 2018, in response to the #MeToo movement, screenwriter Bridget Lawless launched the Staunch Prize. It was to be “awarded to the author of a novel in the thriller genre in which no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered”. She argued that the majority of crime thrillers focus on the least common forms of violence against women (the stalker, the serial killer, the unknown assailant) giving readers a false idea of what a rapist looks like and so making it more difficult to convict real offenders. “Well over 90% of rapes and murders of women are by men known to them,” she explained, “often a former or current partner”.

    However, the Staunch Prize met with criticism. Novelist Sophie Hannah argued that rather than pretend these crimes don’t exist, writers should challenge the prejudices that exist within the way they are written about. Val McDermid meanwhile (widely credited as one of few female crime writers who attracts male readers) said she’d stop writing stories about violence against women when men stop committing the crimes.

    It is important to tell these stories, and to do so in ways that challenge the fetishisation of sex crimes. However, creating realistic yet empowering stories can be something of a challenge.

    #MeToo and crime tropes

    When Sarah Bailey published her novel Into The Night (2019), which features a female character who experiences sexual harassment, she claims her US editors argued “that because of #MeToo and #TimesUp, readers would desire a more empowering narrative, a ‘happy ending’ so to speak, where justice was served and the bad guy got his comeuppance”. Bailey wasn’t convinced. She argued that manufacturing happy endings for fictional women might not offer much support to real women on the receiving end of these crimes.

    Gail Simone, creator of the website Women in Refrigerators, has been working to highlight some of the more damaging tropes found within crime fiction. She brought attention to the concept of “fridging” – a plot device where violence against women is used to motivate the (usually male) protagonist into action. In these stories, women appear with no other purpose than to be a victim.

    These tropes, Simone argues, “both reflect and perpetuate the idea that women don’t have any agency over their own lives in the real world”.

    The Change by Kirsten Miller (2022) challenges this lack of agency. The novel features three peri-menopausal characters intent on exposing a Jeffrey Epstein-inspired network of abusers.

    The feminist thriller is unflinching in laying the blame squarely where it belongs. It does also, perhaps to avoid the accusation of bias, include a female antagonist who may, or may not, be based upon Ghislaine Maxwell (currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offences connected to Epstein). The Change serves as a call to action to women, particularly older women, to play their part in bringing perpetrators to justice.

    The ongoing mass rape trial of Dominique Pelicot in France has perhaps provided the world with a shock dose of reality. Pelicot admitted repeatedly drugging his wife, Gisèle and inviting strangers to rape her. The court has heard statements, such as “there is rape, and then there’s rape” (a lawyer for six of the accused); “she did not deserve this” (Pelicot); and “women do not belong to men, I hope that future generations will learn that” (one of the accused).

    It’s clear that writers are working to explore the issues the #MeToo movement raised. But statements like this show that, despite these efforts, the social narrative around sex-crime remains depressingly unchanged.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Alison Taft 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. How the #MeToo movement has shaped how women write crime fiction – https://theconversation.com/how-the-metoo-movement-has-shaped-how-women-write-crime-fiction-239905

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US election 2024: getting out the youth vote will be crucial in a knife-edge contest

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Sloam, Professor of Politics, Royal Holloway University of London

    The US presidential election is on a knife edge. The polls are predicting 50/50 races in several states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Nevada.

    The results in these states are likely to be crucial in deciding whether it is the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, or her Republican rival, Donald Trump, who will be sitting in the White House come January 2025. The youth vote will play a key role in determining victory in such a tight race.

    Younger voters in the US have leaned heavily towards the Democratic party in recent presidential elections. But this is a relatively new phenomenon. In 2000, young Americans aged 18 to 30 voted for George Bush and Al Gore at an almost identical rate to the general population, favouring Democrat Gore by 48% to 47%.

    The swell in youth support for the Democrats only began with Barack Obama in 2008, when he defeated John McCain by two to one in this demographic (66% to 32%). This was followed by a slightly smaller – albeit still substantial – margin of victory for Obama over Mitt Romney (60% to 37%) in 2012. The current US president, Joe Biden, enjoyed a similar advantage over Trump among young voters in 2020 (61% to 36%).

    Youth support for the Democrats has proved to be particularly strong among young women, and Latino and black voters who are opposed to the illiberalism of Trump’s Republican party. Polls suggest that Biden secured an estimated 67%, 69% and 89% of the vote respectively from these groups four years ago.

    Young women also drove a surge in youth participation in the 2022 midterms in reaction to a Supreme Court ruling that now allows states to deny women the right to abortion. This contributed to results that were much better than expected for the Democrats in Congress.

    Younger voters in the US have leaned heavily towards Democratic party candidates in recent presidential elections.
    James Sloam, CC BY-NC-ND

    Youth turnout in the US is low by international standards. But in the 2020 presidential election – a highly polarised race between Biden and Trump – a record half of young Americans turned out to vote. This compared to around two-thirds of the registered electorate, which was itself the highest rate of turnout for over a century.

    On the surface, Harris’s presidential bid might have been expected to boost youth support and participation further. She is a woman of mixed heritage with socially progressive views, who is generally seen as likeable and is the antithesis of Trump.

    And younger voters do, indeed, prefer Harris to Trump, but by an unconvincing margin, compared with support for previous Democratic candidates. In a recent opinion poll conducted by YouGov and the Economist, 55% of young people stated that they would vote for Harris compared to 39% for Trump.

    This speaks of a broader disillusionment with electoral politics among young Americans. There is some disaffection over the Biden administration’s lack of action over issues such as climate change, gun control and the war in Gaza.

    But, most importantly in this election, there is a sense that neither party has attended to the economic hardships that have left young Americans feeling that they are unlikely to be better off than their parents’ generation.

    After being buffeted by high inflation, today’s young people (gen Z) are spending over 30% more on housing, almost 50% more on health insurance, and twice as much on car insurance than millennials.

    The 2016 presidential race showed that young people in the US are much more supportive of Bernie Sanders’ more radical version of the Democratic party than has been offered by Clinton, Biden and Harris – the more centrists candidates who have made it through to become the Democratic candidate in the past three elections. In the 2016 primaries, more young Americans voted for Sanders than for Clinton and Trump put together.

    Increasing youth turnout

    The lack of enthusiasm for establishment Democratic party candidates means that efforts to bring out the youth vote are of central importance. This is particularly true in the key states Harris needs to win to become president.

    In the 2020 election, voter registration drives among young people played a key role in Democratic wins in incredibly tight state races. In Georgia, for example, it is widely accepted that the large increase in youth turnout flipped the state for Biden in a race that came down to just 12,000 votes.

    Last month, I spent time in Philadelphia, a city at the heart of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is the most important swing state in the US, with 19 of the country’s 538 electoral college votes. When I was there, I spoke to young people and a leader of PA Youth Vote, a bipartisan initiative set up to improve youth voter registration and turnout in the state.

    PA Youth Vote had a clear understanding that, to increase youth turnout, they need to focus on making young people aware of how politics and voting matters for their everyday lives, and how they can have an impact on the issues they care about in their local areas by engaging with local officials and the democratic process.

    The aim of the initiative is to meet “the youth where they are, going to their schools, their neighbourhoods and their spaces” to give young people a positive reason to go out and vote.

    The Harris campaign – and US politics in general – can learn a lot from these grassroots movements. Their efforts to make politics matter for young Americans have the potential to increase youth participation.

    The success of these bipartisan efforts to bring out the youth vote will undoubtedly be critical to the presidential race, given the preference of young people for Harris over Trump. But it is critical for American democracy that politicians engage with young people on the issues they care about, such as education, crime, policing and poverty, all the time – and not just when asking for votes.

    On returning to the airport on the way back from Pennsylvania, I was speaking to the young African-American man who was driving my taxi. He believed that Trump was a racist, but also that neither party would do anything for him and his community. In his view, there was no point in voting, even in a key marginal state.

    This highlights the lack of proper discussion in the presidential race about how persistent economic inequalities are undermining American democracy in a very material sense for individual young people.

    James Sloam 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. US election 2024: getting out the youth vote will be crucial in a knife-edge contest – https://theconversation.com/us-election-2024-getting-out-the-youth-vote-will-be-crucial-in-a-knife-edge-contest-240500

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Federal Court Decision to Grant Biological Opinion Relief is Welcome News

    Source: National Ocean Industries Association – NOIA

    Headline: Federal Court Decision to Grant Biological Opinion Relief is Welcome News

    For Immediate Release: Monday, October 21, 2024NOIA .org
    Federal Court Decision to Grant Biological Opinion Relief is Welcome News
    Washington, D.C. – National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito issued the following statement after a federal court granted the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) more time to complete a new Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Under a previous ruling, the BiOp would have been vacated effective December 20, 2024, threatening to halt new and existing oil and natural gas production and activity in the region. Today’s decision grants NMFS until May 21, 2025 to complete a new BiOp.
    “We are pleased with the court’s decision to grant the requested relief, allowing the federal government additional time to issue a new Gulf of Mexico Biological Opinion. This ruling is crucial for maintaining our energy security, affordability, and national security, all of which depend on the uninterrupted supply of oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico.
    “It has become readily apparent to elected officials on both sides of the aisle that an impairment of production from the Gulf of Mexico could lead to a cascading effect throughout the American economy, delivering an unwelcome blow to consumers still reeling from inflationary impacts.
    “The Gulf of Mexico is a powerhouse in the global energy landscape. If it were a country, it would rank among the top twelve oil producers worldwide. This region supports nearly 435,000 jobs, produces approximately two million barrels of oil daily, and funds essential conservation and coastal resilience programs. Its role as a vital and well-established energy hub is indispensable to the U.S. economy and national security.
    “Potential permitting and operational delays or logjams pose significant risks, injecting unnecessary uncertainty into this critical sector. We must continue to support and protect the Gulf of Mexico’s energy production to ensure stability and growth for our nation and reduce dependence on volatile global markets and adversarial nations such as Russia or Iran.”
    ##
    About NOIA The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public and our environment.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Housing Summit to address housing challenge in Highland

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has called a Housing Challenge Summit, designed to bring together all parties from National and Local government and private sector interests, both large and small, from across the fields of energy, housing development and commerce, to focus on the Housing Challenge in Highland.

    Highland Council declared a Housing Challenge following an event in November 2023 and agreed a number of strategic objectives in June 2024, with the aim of finding solutions to a Highland Housing Challenge. 

    The summit will be held today, 22 October, in Aviemore and delivered in partnership with Prosper, with sponsorship from SSEN, Burness Paull and The Scottish National Investment  Bank (SNIB).

    Housing Minister, Paul McLennan will attend and address delegates in a Keynote speech. 

    He said: 

    “I am pleased to be attending Highland Council’s Housing Challenge Summit and speaking with a range of stakeholders about how we work together to deliver the homes that people need. We know that tackling the housing emergency requires a joint approach between the Scottish Government, UK Government and local authorities and this summit will provide a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to come together to find ways to deliver more homes for communities across the Highlands. 

     “Good quality housing is essential to attract and retain people in our communities. We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, with at least 70% for social rent and at least 10% in our rural and island communities supported by our Rural and Island Housing Action Plan. Since 2021, we have invested over £180 million grant funding that has supported the delivery of nearly 2,000 affordable homes across the Highland Council area.” 

    Convener of The Highland Council, Bill Lobban who will chair the summit, said: “I am delighted to welcome the Housing Minister Paul McLennan, and over 100 delegates from a range of public and private sectors, whose input, together with Scottish Government and political representatives, will be invaluable to addressing the housing challenge in the Highlands. 

    “Affordable housing is an issue that is raised everywhere we speak to communities across the Highlands. For this reason, it is a high priority in the Council’s Programme and Members have declared a Highland Housing Challenge. 

    “There are also many wider socio-economic benefits in providing more housing, including boosting the construction industry, regeneration of town centres and reversing depopulation of communities. The economic benefits continue over the longer term, through savings on housing benefit, and wider benefits including reduced homelessness, increased employment, and improved health benefits.”  

    “Bringing the envisaged housing solutions to the Highlands is a key component of the economic growth required for the area in the next twenty years, helping us to seize important energy development opportunities, create benefits and sustain both our urban and rural communities.” 

    Chair of the Council’s Housing and Property Committee, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair summarised the challenges saying: “It is anticipated that 24,000 new houses will be required in Highland in the next ten years. This is around double that which would normally be built.  

    “The future demand for housing is based on an updated ten-year Housing Needs Demand Assessment, which incorporates economic modelling including potential increases in jobs connected to the development of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Free Port. 

    Leader of The Highland Council, Raymond Bremner said: “Highland Council and its partners are on course to meet the challenge of building 24,000 houses, but over 20 years. To accelerate this will require additional investment of around £2.8 billion. The challenge will require public and private sector co-investment and significant increases in the supply of land for housing and development capacity. 

    “Some solutions to future housing supply can be addressed through benefits flowing from the Social Value Charter from Renewables and from future retained business rates relating to the Green Free Port, as well as legacy housing from energy and infrastructure projects. 

    “The next steps will be to seek collaborative action in the co-design and delivery of a strategic plan which addresses the housing needs in the short, medium and long-term future.”  

    Chief Executive of Prosper, Sara Thiam added: “Housing continues to be a barrier to growth for many industries but it also underpins the quality of life of our people and impacts on our health, education and equality of opportunity so finding ways to overcome the various challenges will continue to be at the top of the to do list for government, industry and wider society.” 

    The summit will explore the Council’s agreed objectives including levering finance from different means; finding varied mechanisms to build new housing; flexibility regarding the ownership of housing; and finding new ways to maximise the supply of land.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: “There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family” – National Adoption Week 2024

    Source: City of Liverpool

    There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family, according to 66 per cent of people in North West England as National Adoption Week starts which will this year explore the adoption journey through modern families.

    The survey by You Can Adopt has also revealed that the vast majority of the public – 88 per cent – feel it’s important to teach children that families come in all shapes and sizes, and that this promotes acceptance of children from non-traditional family units (52 per cent). However, (51 per cent) of the public surveyed were not taught this themselves when growing up.

    Adoption in Merseyside (AiM) is the Regional Adoption Agency for Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, and Wirral. AiM supports a range of people through the adoption process as they grow their families.

    Over 25 per cent of approved adopters in 2023/2024 were part of the LGBTQ+ community which reflects the You Can Adopt message that families come in many shapes and sizes.

    Craig and Daniel had their daughter placed for adoption when she was just nine weeks old. 

    Daniel said “Honestly, we were a little worried about how we would be perceived being a gay couple. But the second we met our social worker all those worries disappeared.

    “The best part of the process was when we saw our daughter’s profile. We knew straight away that she was going to be our daughter. We went to the matching panel very quickly and before we knew it, she had moved in. It was quick but felt so right.

    “We left our old life for a new one and being a parent is the most rewarding thing – we wouldn’t change it for anything else”.

    Cllr Liz Parsons, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for children’s social services said: “Our children are currently waiting longer to be adopted due to the lack of approved adopters. In modern adoption, we hope that potential parents realise that there is support available. Some of that support will be there for the whole journey, others just for one small part, and of course, birth families remain an important part of a child’s identity throughout their life. But each of these people plays an important part in the lifelong nature of the adoption journey that makes each family’s experience unique.”

    If you want more information about adoption, please visit http://www.adoptioninmerseyside.co.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: All Together Inspired launches online learning hub to help ‘change the world’

    Source: City of Liverpool

    A band new online learning hub – All Together Inspired – has been launched to support Cheshire and Merseyside’s public, private and third sectors to learn more about the social determinants of health and reduce health inequalities.

    The social (or wider) determinants of health refer to the social, cultural, political, economic, commercial and environmental factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Some key social determinants of health are education and employment opportunities, housing, social networks, where we live and the extent it facilitates exercise, a good diet and social connection.

    The website includes a wealth of information to help professionals learn more about these vital subject areas, as well as specific training, tools and resources to support their day-to-day work. All Together Inspired also highlights and promotes examples of work happening within the subregion of Cheshire and Merseyside and encourages those who feel inspired to share their story.

    All Together Inspired is part of All Together Fairer, Cheshire and Merseyside’s mission to reduce health inequalities and encourage the entire system to work as one to build a fairer, healthier subregion. This work is informed by a landmark report, produced by leading health inequalities expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot and his team at the UCL Institute of Health Equity, and published in 2022. The Programme is overseen by the Cheshire and Merseyside Population Health Partnership.

    Professor Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Population Health Partnership, said:

    “I am delighted to see All Together Inspired launch this online learning hub. The website will not only will serve as a one-stop shop for all things related to the social determinants of health, it will also inspire and galvanize our ‘Marmot army’ of dedicated and talented public sector workers, our fantastic voluntary sector, and provide businesses and the private sector with tools and resources that they can also use to make a real difference.

    “I am continually inspired when I hear about the work that happens as part of our All Together Fairer Programme and I look forward to seeing examples of this work appear on All Together Inspired.”

    Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, said:

    “The health problems that we see in a subregion like Cheshire and Merseyside are not simply related to the problems in the NHS, but they’re related to how we arrange our affairs in society – the social determinants of health. Social injustice is killing on a grand scale, and we wanted to launch a social movement to create greater health equity and narrower health inequalities. We would like you to become part of the All Together Inspired movement and use the resources in this website. We can and we will make a difference to improve and achieve greater health equity.”

    To access All Together Inspired, visit: https://alltogetherinspired.org.uk.

    To health spread the word about All Together Inspired with a dedicated toolkit of communications resources, visit: https://alltogetherinspired.org.uk/find-a-resource/.

    To find out more about the Champs Public Health Collaborative, visit: https://champspublichealth.com.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Countdown to opening sees Manchester Christmas Markets mapped!

    Source: City of Manchester

    Manchester Christmas Markets open on 8 November

    With less than three weeks to go now until Manchester’s legendary Christmas Markets open, we’ve got the markets mapped for visitors and festive shoppers with a downloadable map to help everyone find their way round the markets and point them in the right direction for food and drink, live entertainment, and those all-important toilet stops.

    Open daily for a six-week seasonal take-over of the city centre from Friday 8 November until Sunday 22 December, this year’s markets include seven weekends of festive fun for visitors and Christmas shoppers instead of the usual six, due to the way dates fall.

    Bigger and better than ever, this year’s Christmas Markets will see 240 of the iconic wooden ski chalet market stalls across nine different locations throughout the city centre.

    New for this year is an expanded Winter Gardens at Piccadilly, with more space and stalls to enjoy along with two fabulous festive marquees fit for the Santa season and festooned with twinkling fairy lights, to provide more of the all-important under-cover space for Christmas shoppers to get cosy if the weather turns cold.

    Also new this year at the Winter Gardens is an expanded seasonal offer from next-door neighbours Piccadilly Street Food Market, with stalls there also staying open until 9 pm each night, serving up their unique flavours from around the world.

    With the Winter Gardens at Piccadilly at the heart of this year’s Christmas Markets, the markets will also see the transformation of Market Street, Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, The Corn Exchange, and King Street into Manchester’s very own magical Christmas wonderland.

    Manchester Christmas Markets map

    Manchester’s Christmas Markets will be open daily from Friday 8 November to Sunday 22 December. Craft stalls and stalls selling seasonal goods will be open each day from 10 am – 8 pm, whilst food and drink stalls will be open from 11 am – 9 pm each day.

    The markets wrap for Christmas at 6pm on Sunday 22 December, except for the food and drink stalls at Cathedral Gardens which will stay open until December 31 alongside the ice rink.

    Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: “Less than three weeks to go now until the opening of our world-famous Christmas Markets and it’s suddenly beginning to feel a lot like my absolute favourite tinsel-y time of year. The markets sound incredible – we’ve got stalls selling everything from hand-made wrist watches, leather goods and jewellery, to fine art prints, designer hats, cheeses and chutneys, Christmas tree decorations and chocolate kisses – as well as mouth-watering treats and hot drinks at every turn. They’re going to be amazing, and we’re all set for Manchester’s best Christmas ever!”

    Find out more information about Christmas in Manchester and download the festive market map here   

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Black British Book Festival to Return to Manchester

    Source: City of Manchester

    The Black British Book Festival is set to return to Manchester Central Library next year following a successful event at Manchester Central Library in September 2023.

    The festival will bring the incredible energy, culture and celebration of Black British literature to the city on Saturday 29th March 2025.

    It is another incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring Black British authors, storytellers, and book lovers right here in Manchester. It is open to all and free to attend. It will be a day to celebrate Black voices and stories through workshops, the chance to participate in panels and buy books and more.

    Founded by Selina Brown in 2021, the Black British Book Festival is Europe’s largest celebration of Black Literature and has taken place in London each Autumn.

    This year’s London event featured talks from Grammy Award® winning rapper Eve Jihan Cooper; Diane Abbott discussed her experiences in a panel titled “A Woman Like Me,” while journalist and presenter Charlene White led an insightful session.

    The Festival prides itself on having events in different parts of the country with the Manchester Central Library event the latest to be announced.

    Councillor John Hacking Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure said:

    “We are delighted that during Black History Month we can announce the return of the Black British Book Festival to Manchester. We are proud of our year-round diverse cultural programme, and the work Read Manchester has done to ensure our residents can see themselves in the books held in libraries.

    “We are so pleased the Festival is returning to Central Library in March next year. Last year’s event in Manchester was inspirational and I’m sure the upcoming event will be too.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrate the Overlord Embroidery in D-Day community cloth project

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Overlord Embroidery, which visitors can see at The D-Day Story in Portsmouth, members of the public are being invited to help decorate a large-size embroidered cloth inspired by the 83 metre embroidery.

    The Overlord Embroidery was designed by British artist Sandra Lawrence and commissioned by Lord Dulverton. It represents D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in 34 extraordinary hand-stitched panels and is one of the current highlights on display at the museum.

    This project – called ‘Couching Liberty’ – aims to encourage people to reflect on the meaning of war and its implications for men, women, and children alongside current conflicts happening in the world.

    It is a collaboration between the University of Portsmouth, The D-Day Story, and Stitch School, and is open to everyone, including schools and community groups.

    Melanie Bowles from Stitch School said: “The D-Day community cloth invites visitors to experience stitching together on the linen cloth inspired by the Overlord Embroidery. Learn and explore the vast range of embroidery stitches and share stories to build new narratives in the surroundings of the museum.”

    Melanie will be on hand to teach basic embroidery skills at the free drop-in sessions. Standard admission price applies to the museum and Landing Craft Tank 7074.

    Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council said: “This is another great opportunity for residents to get involved in learning more about the history of D-Day, whilst creating something exciting. Activities like this are important in sharing the true scale of the events that took place in June 1944 with all age groups. I look forward to seeing what is created!”

    The free event is taking place from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 October 2024 between 10am – 5pm. Walk-ins are welcome on Thursday 24 afternoon, Saturday 26, and Sunday 27 of October. Large groups should book in advance.

    If you would like to book a school group visit, please contact Katherine Webber at The D-Day Story Museum at: katherine.webber@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. For all other groups, please contact: elaine.igoe@port.ac.uk or laurel.forster@port.ac.uk to make arrangements for your visit.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Family Matters programme reaches 300 family milestone as number of children in care drops

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    The city council’s Family Matters programme has already made a big difference across the city – having reached the milestone of working with 300 families in just nine months.

    As of the end of September, the programme is providing opportunities for 322 families thanks to enhanced working with partners including the police, schools, the voluntary community and faith sector.

    The programme’s work is already having an impact on the numbers of children in care, with 1,110 children currently in care – down from 1,156 in March.

    Family Matters is a multi-agency programme that gives families in Stoke-on-Trent access to all the advice, tips and opportunities they need to thrive. It’s a key part of the city council’s commitment to support family life – working with the NHS, voluntary and community sector, businesses and others to make sure families are helped to give their children the best start in life.

    The city council has invested £1.5 million from the Public Health Grant into the programme and the NHS Integrated Care Board have invested £1 million, with wider partners providing support in kind. Ultimately, Family Matters will reduce the financial pressures from the care system and reduce the amount spent on children’s care placements.

    Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services said: “It’s great news that the Family Matters programme is making such a difference to the lives of families in Stoke-on-Trent. I’d like to thank everyone involved in Family Matters for their hard work.

    “Supporting family life is one our key aims and we want to ensure there’s a city-wide response to this. Working with our partners and communities, Family Matters does this.

    “Early work with families leads to far fewer children in care and we’re already seeing that Family Matters can make a real difference. This makes the continued roll out of Family Matters really important.

    “Reducing the number of children in care is not an easy feat and so for the number to have started coming down since the launch of the programme – after rising month on month before this – is fantastic news.”

    The Family Matters website is coming soon and residents can find information on the Digital Family Hub at https://familyhub.stoke.gov.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Response to the lead commissioner’s report

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    The city council leader has responded to the report from the lead commissioner Max Caller.

    Leader of Birmingham City Council Cllr John Cotton said:

    “We welcome the publication of this report from the lead commissioner and acknowledge that while progress is being made, there is much more to do in our ongoing efforts to ensure we become a financially sustainable, well-run council that delivers good services.

    “We continue to engage constructively with the new Government, and like councils across the country, are awaiting both this month’s budget settlement and a local government finance settlement later in the year which will set out a one-year emergency package of support for local councils.

    “The Government is also committed to a multi-year settlement following next year’s spending review which will give councils much needed clarity and allow us to plan for the future.

    “Nevertheless, we face another very difficult budget, and it remains clear that the pace of change must further increase, as further savings are identified, and we transform services. Our new Managing Director Joanne Roney is focussed on that challenge and there will be no let up as we work together to get the council back on track.”

    NOTES

    • We have appointed a permanent Managing Director in Joanne Roney CBE, who is already providing pace, grip, and authority in driving the necessary changes, working with the senior officer team and Commissioners.
    • The Improvement and Recovery Plan was agreed in April 2024 and has set the overarching direction and actions to address the issues identified in the intervention. The first part of the plan has been implemented and further stages are now underway, including the development of a refreshed Corporate Plan which will outline what the council will seek to achieve over the next three years.
    • A whole council operating model is being developed so that the council can deliver good services, even whilst operating under the financial pressures that are a reality for local government.
    • Shaping Birmingham’s Future Together has seen us set a new direction for the council to involve citizens and partners in a much greater way.
    • The council’s corporate services have been reviewed, with a commitment to a new workforce strategy that will help deliver the staffing we need to deliver quality services for our residents. This includes a refreshed HR function to enable the effective recruitment and management of staff and improve our culture and achieve best value.
    • Financial management improvements continue, with the move to make a permanent appointment to lead the finance directorate. Work continues at pace to identify the savings and cuts that are needed to deliver a balanced budget.
    • A much-needed reimplementation programme is now underway for Oracle.
    • Progress is being made against the equal pay liability, including a revised a job evaluation scheme and settlement of the outstanding litigation with a target of April 2025 for completion.
    • A plan is underway to improve the procurement operating model with a focus on strategic contract management in order to achieve best value.
    • Within the housing directorate, progress has been made in response to the Regulator of Social Housing’s letter, reconfiguring the HRA budget to focus on improving the quality of the existing housing stock.
    • Within children’s services, the council has completed the review of spend control on children’s social care, and progress is being made on greater join up of services for families to make our services more effective.
    • A transformation programme is now in place to improve the waste service – which is the most public facing area of the council which has not been performing at the level our residents expect. By transforming staffing and management arrangements, and procuring a new fleet, we will see improvements in this service in the months ahead.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bury director jailed after failing to produce accounts for company which owed more than £200,000 in tax

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Director jailed for offences under the Insolvency and Companies Act

    • Vezubuhle Ndlovu was the director of VN Electrics Limited when it went into liquidation owing more than £200,000 in unpaid tax 

    • Ndlovu failed to deliver accounting records to the liquidator as he was required to do so under law 

    • This failure meant his company’s accounts could not be investigated, resulting in criminal investigations into the 41-year-old by the Insolvency Service 

    A Bury director who failed to produce accounting records and refused to co-operate with the Insolvency Service after his company went into liquidation owing more than £200,000 in unpaid tax has been jailed. 

    Vezubuhle Ndlovu was sentenced to 10 months in prison when he appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday 15 October. 

    The 41-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to offences under the Insolvency Act and Companies Act for his VN Electrics Limited business. 

    Ndlovu, of Spinney Crescent, Bury, failed to provide up-to-date records to the Insolvency Service when VN Electrics was liquidated in 2019, meaning the Official Receiver could not accurately assess the company’s position and liabilities. 

    David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Vezubuhle Ndlovu’s offending was persistent and he has shown no insight into his criminal actions.  

    If a company fails to keep proper records it exposes creditors and trading partners to unacceptable levels of risk. A company that does not keep records is more likely to fail and the Official Receiver or insolvency practitioner will be unable to identify and take steps to recover the company’s assets. 

    Ndlovu failed in his statutory duties to deliver up-to-date accounting records and at no point engaged with the Official Receiver or our investigators when asked to do so. 

    VN Electrics was established in May 2017, with Ndlovu the sole director. The company’s business was described on Companies House as ‘non-specialised wholesale trade’. 

    The company was liquidated in December 2019 after a petition from HM Revenue and Customs, which was owed £221,600 by VN Electrics. 

    The Insolvency Service wrote to Ndlovu on three separate occasions after VN Electrics was wound-up, reminding him of his statutory duty to preserve the company’s books and records and to deliver them to the Official Receiver. 

    Ndlovu failed to respond and did not turn up to an interview at the Official Receiver’s Office. 

    Civil proceedings which resulted in a seven-year director disqualification for Ndlovu began in September 2020 and concluded in April 2022. At no point did Ndlovu engage with the investigation. 

    Just one month after Ndlovu’s director ban, criminal investigators from the Insolvency Service invited him in for interview. Again, Ndlovu failed to respond or attend the interview. 

    Ndlovu’s failure to deliver books and records meant the Official Receiver was unable to establish if sales and purchases of just more than £1 million were the true level of VN Electrics’ income and expenditure between August 2017 and February 2019. 

    The Official Receiver was also unable to determine if VN Electrics owned any assets at any time between incorporation and liquidation, and if so, what happened to them. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: BaFin warns consumers about a further FinFlex website: finflex.info

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    On 9 August 2024, BaFin issued a warning about FinFlex and its website finflex.org, which has since been deactivated. The unknown operators are now using the nearly identical website finflex.info. BaFin suspects the operators of the websites of offering consumers financial and investment services on these platforms without the required authorisation.

    The content of the websites is identical to other platforms that BaFin has previously warned consumers about and that display the same opening sentence: “Upgrade Your Trading With…”.

    Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether particular companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    Theinformation provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Popular Apple Fair extended to two days

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Popular Apple Fair extended to two days

    22 October 2024

    The popular Apple Fair returns with gusto to Castlederg this year as two days of entertainment and fun are planned to celebrate the Halloween season.

    Running over Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October all the activity will be focused around the town’s newly refurbished Diamond area.

    This year the event is being organised by the Castlederg Community Events Committee. Rois Kelly from the group explained, “We are really delighted to bring the Apple Fair back to the town, and to be able to extend it to run over two days. We have lots of entertainment, family fun, bespoke stalls and of course apples to make sure there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

    Ahead of the official start of the Apple Fair the entertainment gets underway with ‘Man in Black’ – a special performance in Derg Parish Church on Thursday evening at 7.30pm. It will feature the story and songs of Johnny Cash, as told by David Kelly.

    The fun runs throughout the day from 11am-4pm on Friday. The Fair will be opened with a special performance of ‘A Million Dreams’ by pupils from four of the local primary schools – St Patrick’s PS, Edwards PS, St Caireall’s and Killen PS.

    Friday will continue with the arrival of Roland Dukes, one of the traditional apple sellers making the trip from Portadown to the Tyrone town for the occasion with a selection of tasty apples available from his vintage truck.

    A variety of other arts, crafts, and food stalls will be selling their wares throughout the two days. There will also be a number of local DJs playing and karaoke available. On Friday, The Derg Arms is running a pumpkin carving competition, while Bradley’s Pharmacy has organised a special fancy dress competition where people are asked to get their picture taken in front of the Apple Fair/Halloween Window display. Bring an Apple Fair prop and dress up, then come along, fill in an entry form in store and develop your photo free. You’ll also be in with a chance of winning a £50 Bradley’s voucher.

    Bringing Friday to a close is the Churchtown Community Association’s Halloween Hoolie in the Ard Mór Centre from 6-9pm.

    Saturday sees the arrival of a host of fun and activities for local families to enjoy. Running from 12-5pm there will be amusements, face-painting, live music, inflatable mascots, performances from Much Ado Stage School, and dance acts.

    Encouraging people to come out and support this year’s Apple Fair, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Lilian Seenoi Barr said, “The Castlederg Apple Fair is a long-running tradition in the town with apple sellers travelling from Co Armagh in the lead-up to Halloween for the past 100 years. It’s brilliant that the event has been expanded to two days this year. Well done to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen, and I would encourage everyone in the town to support the event and make sure they get along and enjoy it this weekend.”

    The Apple Fair is free, however tokens need to be purchased for the amusements and facepainting.

    For more information about any of the events taking place in the Strabane District this Halloween, go to http://www.strabanehalloween.com.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: With the support of Rosneft, the Days of Culture of Indigenous Peoples of the Tyumen Region opened

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    With the support of RN-Uvatneftegaz (part of Rosneft), the Days of Indigenous Peoples Culture have started in the Tyumen Region. It is expected that over 1,200 guests will visit the festival in two weeks.

    In the ethnographic center “Uvas Mir Hot” (House of Northern People), created with the support of “RN-Uvatneftegaz”, guests get acquainted with the rich culture of northern ethnic groups, their customs and traditions. The concert program of the opening of the festival included performances by dancers and throat singers accompanied by a jaw harp. Excursions around the ethnic camp were organized for adults and children, and they could also take part in games in national sports and taste dishes of national cuisine.

    The Days of Culture will include interactive excursions and themed events for schoolchildren and large families. For residents of the Uvatsky District, the festival will also include performances by creative groups, competitions in national sports “Northern All-Around”, master classes in arts and crafts, an exhibition of photographs and works by northern poets and writers. Guests of the festival will also be able to watch the film “Master of the Taiga”, which introduces the unique culture and way of life of the Eastern Khanty. The festival program will end in the Uvatsky District, where 30 families of indigenous peoples live in 11 camps today.

    The assistance of the oil producing company RN-Uvatneftegaz in organizing this and other traditional national holidays helps popularize culture and strengthen ties between families and generations.

    The territory of “Uvas Mir Hot” hosts ritual festivals and cultural events, concerts, interactive excursions, local history and national language lessons, and master classes all year round. To immerse guests in the culture and life of indigenous peoples, the ethnic camp has recreated in detail a Khanty hut, a Nenets tent in summer and winter versions, a storage shed for food, a kitchen with a clay oven, a hunter’s hut, and animal enclosures. Interest in the “House of Northern People” is growing – since the beginning of the year, it has been visited by 14,800 tourists.

    Preservation of the national culture of the indigenous peoples of the North is one of the significant areas of Rosneft’s social policy. The Company’s enterprises implement many social projects in the regions of their operations, develop the infrastructure of northern villages, help reindeer herder families, improve the material and technical base of educational institutions, social and medical facilities in areas of traditional residence.

    RN-Uvatneftegaz, together with the administration of the Uvatsky municipal district, supports representatives of the Khanty, Mansi and Evenki of the Tyumen region, providing comprehensive assistance in preserving their way of life. The company pays for the education of young people in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions, finances participation in competitions in a national sport – oblas (boat) races. Oil workers provide access to winter roads and ice crossings that are built for production needs, organize the distribution of fuel at the fields closest to the camps. The company is also one of the organizers of the annual festival “Wealth of the Uvat Taiga”, which includes a fair of goods of traditional crafts and trades of indigenous peoples living in the Uvatsky district.

    Reference:

    RN-Uvatneftegaz LLC, a subsidiary of Rosneft Oil Company, is conducting exploration and development of a group of fields located in the Uvatsky District of the Tyumen Region and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra. The Uvatsky project includes 19 licensed areas, their total area exceeds 25 thousand square kilometers.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 22, 2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Safety information for local communities | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Demonstrations and major events in central London

    There are often major events and demonstrations in central London.

    Whilst any protest will be managed by the police and other partners, they may have an impact on the communities around them. We are working closely with the police and partners to ensure the safety of everyone who may be impacted by these actions.

    We would also encourage residents and businesses to follow the Met Police’s social media feeds to keep up to date with the latest information from them about what’s happening on the ground @metpoliceuk

    For the latest on any travel disruption, follow @TfL on Twitter/X.

    Follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram for updates from the council.

    Keeping residents and businesses safe

    Our City Inspectors remain visible and working across Westminster, ensuring we are there to support residents and businesses.

    The council and our contractors are on hand to ensure the streets are cleaned and any graffiti and stickers removed. Anything offensive or that might constitute a criminal offence will be reported to the police, and removal will be expedited in line with usual practices.

    If you see any racist or hate material, please report this immediately to the police by calling 101 and online us via the report-it app so that we can arrange to have this removed. This is monitored over the weekend so swift action can be taken.

    We continue to work with the Metropolitan Police Service to plan for and take action to keep everyone safe. The Metropolitan Police has said that Londoners will see more police officers on the streets across the capital to reassure and protect communities, particularly those who have been affected, and we fully support them with this work. We are also reaching out to local groups to offer whatever support we can.

    How we are supporting faith groups in Westminster

    The council is working with the police and other agencies to support faith groups in Westminster.

    Neighbourhood police officers and our city inspectors will continue to provide practical safety advice and visible reassurance to all communities in the city.

    If venues are concerned about their security, in the first instance, they should be encouraged to contact specialists within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). 

    The council has strong links with the MPS, and our Community Safety and Highways teams work closely with the MPS and venues to consider recommendations related to the public realm.

    We’re doing everything we can to keep people in the city safe.

    Information about hate crimes and how to report them

    If you have been the subject of a hate crime, here is information from the police about what to do:

    • if someone is in immediate danger or needs support right away, then dial 999.
    • hate crime can be reported online, by 101 phone or at a police station.
    • if you’ve seen something on a website or social media that promotes hatred or violence against a particular group, use the police’s online form to report it.

    Keeping up to date

    Stay up to date by following the Metropolitan Police’s main social media account: @metpoliceuk

    Alternatively, follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, for local updates.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: OPSS issues children’s Halloween costume warning

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Public asked to be vigilant following tests.

    The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has asked the public to be vigilant following tests carried out on Halloween fancy dress costumes for children.

    Tests on 128 costumes aimed at under seven years olds found more than 80 per cent failed basic safety tests, including those for flammability and strangulation from cords.

    Costumes were purchased from a range of online marketplaces and tested against the Safety of Toys Regulations 2011. All those which failed have since been removed from sale by the platforms.

    OPSS is now urging the public to always buy costumes from trusted sources and take care when near fires, particularly open flames.

    Head and neck drawstrings or cords can also strangle or entrap children so always check for long cords or other strangulation hazards.

    Said OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell:

    Fancy dress can be an enjoyable part of Halloween, but our tests show many costumes for sale, particularly those online, pose serious risks to young children. Please take extra care before you buy.

    Tests conducted June 2024

    Standards tested against Number of items tested Pass Fail Inconclusive
    BS EN 71-2: 202) – Flammability of toys 128 99 28 1
    BS EN 14682:2014 – Safety of children’s clothing. Cords and drawstrings on children’s clothing 73 14 59 0
    Labelling 128 30 98 0

    Products are required to have the following labelling requirements:

    • Reg 18 CE (or UKCA mark)
    • Reg 19 Type, batch or serial or model number
    • Reg 19 Manufacturer name, trade name or trademark
    • Reg 19 Single manufacturer address
    • Reg 20 Suitable instructions safety information
    • Reg 27 Importer’s name, trade name or trademark
    • Reg 27 Importer’s UK/EU address

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor welcomes updates from Google to combat mobile phone theft

    Source: Mayor of London

    • New Android anti-theft features enhances security for billions of mobile phone users, with a Theft Detection Lock automatically locking the device if someone snatches it and tries to run, bike or drive away.
    • It follows the Mayor and Met Commissioner’s landmark meeting with world-leading mobile phone companies and ongoing partnership work to ‘design out’ mobile phone theft.
    • Android has a new comprehensive set of theft protection features designed to protect users and their data to make the phones less attractive to thieves.
    • The Mayor will continue to work with the global mobile industry on further measures that could put an end to the illegal trade in stolen mobile phones.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today welcomed the introduction of new technology that will enhance security for Android phones and provide better protection for users, as part of work to ‘design out’ mobile phone crime in the capital and beyond.

    The Mayor visited Google’s London offices to hear about new state-of-the-art AI technology that will make Android mobile phones less attractive to thieves and protect users and their data. The new enhanced security includes automatically locking the screen if the phone is snatched and allowing remote locking of a stolen device.

    These updates are part of an ongoing partnership to ‘design out’ mobile phone robbery, and follow the Mayor and Met Commissioner’s landmark meeting with world-leading mobile phone companies at City Hall in October last year[1], where Sadiq called on them to find the most effective deterrents to combat phone theft.

    New figures show that mobile phone crime is driving the rise in robberies and thefts in the capital with 33 per cent of all robberies last year involving a phone being stolen – equating to more than 11,800 offences. And 69 per cent of all thefts in London last year related to mobile phones.[2]

    The Met is spearheading dedicated and targeted police work to prevent these crimes but the criminal demand for high-value mobile phones continues to grow. 

    Today the Mayor has praised the changes introduced by Google which will enable Android device owners to hide sensitive apps behind a separate PIN-locked area. The new update will also use AI and sensors inside a device to identify when a thief has grabbed and fled with a user’s phone, locking the screen to prevent them accessing it or any data stored on it. The new Remote Lock feature will lock a device using just the phone number should it be lost or stolen, which will help users who cannot remember their Google credentials in the moments after a theft, but still need to secure their personal data.[3]

    The Mayor is urging Londoners to ensure they install the latest Android software updates available and activate these settings to ensure their device is best protected against thieves. The Mayor also continues to work alongside other phone companies, including Apple who have taken action with the new iOS 18 software update making it substantially harder for iPhones to be broken up for parts in the UK and internationally.

    Sadiq will continue to work with the major phone companies to explore if all phones can be disabled following a theft, whether here in the UK or elsewhere in the world. 

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The theft of a mobile phone is hugely distressing and we are seeing numbers increase all around the world. While the Met are taking targeted action with patrols in London’s worst hotspots it is far too easy and profitable for criminals to repurpose and sell on expensive stolen phones.

    “Last year I called on mobile companies to do what they can to ensure that their devices are not appealing to thieves, and I’m pleased that Google are introducing these important new security updates.

    “We know there is much more still to be done to tackle this problem, but I am committed to continuing to work with the mobile phone industry and the Met to catch the criminals behind this appalling industry, as we build a safer London for everyone.”

    Katie O’Donovan, Director of Public Policy for Google UK: “Android’s new anti-theft features will give added security for billions of people, including Londoners. We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of London to Google today to demonstrate our commitment to device safety.” 

    Annika Bizon, Director of Marketing, Omnichannel & Head of Ireland – MX Division, Samsung Electronics, said: “At Samsung, we are deeply committed to protecting the security and privacy of our Galaxy users. Working with Google we are giving users complete control over their devices, ensuring their data remains secure even when their device is not physically with them. We are striving to offer an even more secure user experience. Information about additional updates will be shared in the near future.” 

    Claire Waxman OBE, London’s Independent Victims’ Commissioner, said: “Mobile phone crime is an extremely traumatic experience for every victim and has a lasting impact far beyond the loss of personal possession. What’s worse is that it can really heighten victims’ fear of crime and leave them feeling vulnerable as they go about their daily lives.

    “Our lives are on our phones, and they are a form of safety and comfort for people but taking someone’s device robs them of that security and leaves victims worrying about where their private data and information may end up.

    “That’s why I welcome the update from Google today and the introduction of this new technology is a step in the right direction in enhancing security and protection for Android phone users and their data. It is clear though that more improvements need to be made which is why I support the Mayor’s action with the mobile industry to come up with further measures that can make stealing phones less attractive for thieves and put an end to the illegal trade in stolen mobile phones.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Sports complex to be built in Rostokino district

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Plans have been approved for the construction of two social and public-business infrastructure facilities, which will create over 1,100 jobs. This was reported in on your telegram channel Sergei Sobyanin reported.

    “Plans for the construction of two facilities in the north-east and west of Moscow have been approved: a sports complex on Selskokhozyaistvennaya Street in the Rostokino district and a multifunctional business center on Vereiskaya Street in the Mozhaisky district. They will be built at the expense of investors program to stimulate the creation of employment opportunitiesAs a result, the city will receive over 1.1 thousand new jobs,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    The program to stimulate the creation of multi-apartment buildings was approved by the Moscow Government in 2019 (Resolution No. 1874-PP of December 31, 2019) to attract housing developers to actively build industrial, business, social, cultural and other important facilities for the city. Investors who simultaneously create jobs while constructing multi-apartment buildings receive a benefit on payments to change the type of permitted use of land for housing construction.

    The implementation of the program stimulates balanced integrated development of new districts, reduces the shortage of jobs in neighborhoods with established planning, and also reduces excessive pendulum migration.

    Over the four years of its implementation, the program to stimulate the creation of employment opportunities has covered almost all districts of the city. The Moscow government has concluded more than 130 agreements with investors, which provide for the construction of over six million square meters of commercial real estate – these are industrial enterprises, logistics complexes, office and retail facilities, as well as educational, cultural and sports institutions. In total, more than two trillion rubles will be attracted to the development of the city and the creation of employment opportunities. As a result, over 290 thousand jobs will appear in almost all sectors of the capital’s economy.

    Developers can apply for special status at Moscow investment portal.

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

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

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11932050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A competition for reconstruction projects of the theater “Grandfather Durov’s Corner” has been announced

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Moscow Committee for Architecture announced contest for the reconstruction of the complex of buildings of the theater “Grandfather Durov’s Corner”. The building with a small stage and a museum, which is a cultural heritage site, will be restored, its historical appearance will be preserved. This was reported by the chief architect of the capital, first deputy chairman of the Committee for Architecture and Urban Development Sergey Kuznetsov.

    “Due to the fact that the main building is not only a cultural heritage site, but also an important landmark for Muscovites, it was decided to select the best architectural concept for the new theater facilities through an architectural competition. Currently, the theater does not meet modern requirements either technically or functionally. The competitors will have to develop a unique proposal, within the framework of which the existing complex of buildings will be modernized. We invite leading Moscow bureaus with experience in working with cultural heritage sites, reconstruction and restoration of varying complexity to participate,” Sergei Kuznetsov specified.

    The reconstruction project will affect building 2, buildings 1 and 2, building 4, buildings 1 and 2, and building 4, block 2 on Durov Street. One of the theater buildings is an architectural monument of regional significance. This is an old mansion built by the Austrian architect August Weber in 1894, where the theater founder Vladimir Durov lived and worked from 1908.

     

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

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

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145601073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The city has provided over 10 hectares of land for the implementation of large-scale investment projects in the South-East Administrative District

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Since the beginning of the year, the city has transferred seven land plots in the southeast of the capital to investors and developers as part of the implementation of large-scale investment projects (MaIP). This was reported by Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “The city has allocated to investors for lease without bidding almost 10.7 hectares of land in the territory of the South-Eastern Administrative District for the construction of industrial, educational, commercial and other facilities as part of the implementation of large-scale investment projects. The contracts have been concluded for five years, during which the construction of real estate with a total area of almost 170 thousand square meters should be completed,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    A large-scale investment project is a special status. It can be obtained, for example, by production complexes, innovation centers, social institutions, transport, sports, business and other facilities. For their construction, land plots are leased without bidding.

    “Large-scale investment projects are one of the most popular measures to support industrial construction. Since 2022, in accordance with the order of Sergei Sobyanin, the city provides land plots at a preferential rental rate of one ruble per year. Thus, in May 2024, an investor was allocated more than 0.9 hectares for the construction of an industrial technology park with an area of over 13 thousand square meters in the Lyublino district,” said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry

    Maxim Liksutov.

    The implementation of the MaIP allows for the creation of jobs for city residents and contributes to the development of the capital’s infrastructure.

    As the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of City Property added Maxim Gaman, almost 0.5 hectares of land has been allocated near the Tekstilshchiki metro station for the construction of a shopping and entertainment center (SEC). Its area will be up to 7.9 thousand square meters. It can accommodate offices, shops, a cinema, cafes, restaurants and other facilities. The new SEC will become another attractive place for residents of the area.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told, that for the implementation of MAIP, about 220 hectares of land have been provided to investors since the beginning of the year. This is almost twice as much as for the same period in 2023.

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

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

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145590073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The capital’s courtyards were improved taking into account the wishes of city residents

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The specialists of the city economy complex have improved about 1.7 thousand courtyards. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “This year, 1.7 thousand courtyards were put in order, the asphalt covering of pedestrian paths and driveways was renewed, and parking lots were arranged. An important final stage of improvement is landscaping; lawns and flower beds were laid out during the work,” said Pyotr Biryukov.

    All improvement projects were developed taking into account the suggestions and wishes of city residents. Thus, small architectural forms are changed or installed, and residents can take part in choosing their design.

    “If there is the necessary space, it is possible to install swings and gazebos. We repair children’s and sports grounds, replace their surfaces and equipment. Particular attention is paid to the modernization of the lighting system – we install lanterns and street lamps with energy-saving lamps,” added Petr Biryukov.

    At the request of residents and if the necessary conditions are available, a place for walking pets can be allocated in the courtyards.

    More than 24 thousand capital courtyards have already been put in order in accordance with the developed standard. It implies equipping them with the necessary infrastructure for recreation and sports, high-quality lighting, and landscaping of territories.

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

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

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145616073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of tourists from foreign countries has increased by 70 percent in Moscow

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    More than a million foreign tourists visited Moscow in the first half of 2024. The Russian capital is chosen for business trips, gastronomic discoveries, and vacations with family and friends. The city attracts travelers with its architectural heritage, culture, pedestrian streets and embankments, parks, numerous cafes and restaurants, and a diverse event program.

    “In six months, the tourist flow to Moscow from foreign countries has grown by 70 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The leaders in the number of guests were China, Turkey, India and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region,” she said.

    Natalia Sergunina, Deputy Mayor of Moscow.

    China ranks first in the number of tourists among non-CIS countries — about 190 thousand visits. This is 2.4 times more than in the first two quarters of last year. Turkey is in second place (35.2 thousand trips), and India is in third place (28.5 thousand trips).

    The number of travelers from the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America has doubled — 260.6 thousand and 17.2 thousand people, respectively. There have been more guests from Vietnam: from January to June of this year, Moscow was visited by 16.6 thousand people.

    In addition, Moscow is seeing an increase in business travelers, with 40 percent of them later returning to the capital for family vacations. The city is introducing business travel industry representatives to opportunities to organize large-scale events. For example, in April this year, the Shaping MICE Future conference was held, which brought together over 100 participants from India and Russia. In June, the first BRICS tourism forum was held. It was attended by delegations from Brazil, Egypt, India, Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and the Republic of South Africa.

    In addition, there is an online certification program called Moscow MICE Ambassadors. During the training courses, industry representatives from India can learn about the stages of planning and organizing events in the capital.

    In 2023, the foreign tourist flow to the Russian capital amounted to 2.3 million people. To strengthen international ties, the city participates in major specialized exhibitions, organizes business missions, as well as projects and events aimed at domestic and foreign audiences.

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

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

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145593073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Technical center, laboratories and stadium: a large school was built in the Vnukovo area

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The construction of a comprehensive school has been completed in the Vnukovo district. The investor erected the building as part of a residential complex at 8a Letchika Gritsevtsa Street. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “In the Vnukovo district of TiNAO, construction of a school with an area of 19.5 thousand square meters has been completed. It is designed for a thousand students. The three-story building includes elementary and secondary school blocks, as well as a sports block. In the future, the school will be transferred to the city education system,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    The building has all the conditions for comfortable learning for young Muscovites. It is equipped with laboratory and research complexes, rooms for musical and artistic creativity, a medical block, psychologist’s and speech therapist’s offices, as well as a dining hall.

    “The building provides for zoning of the educational space with the placement of the elementary school block separately from the premises of the secondary school. The main entrance is located in such a way that the flows of junior and senior classes do not intersect. The interest of students in their studies will be supported by a multi-light multifunctional space on the second floor with a stage, an artistic, technical center, as well as sports halls and a media library,” added the Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of the City of Moscow

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    The school courtyard has been equipped with areas for ceremonial events and active games, a stadium, recreation areas and outdoor activities.

    The permit for the commissioning of the school was issued by the Moscow State Construction Supervision Authority. As the chairman of the agency noted Anton Slobodchikov, the school was built on a land plot of almost 2.2 hectares. The building has universal and specialized classrooms. The entire construction cycle was supervised by the committee’s inspectors. Since the start of the work, nine inspections have been conducted, and based on the results of the final inspection, a conclusion was drawn up on the compliance of the facility with the design documentation, after which the school was put into operation.

    All schools and kindergartens being built in TiNAO fully comply with the quality and equipment standards applicable to educational institutions in the capital. According to the head of the Department for the Development of New Territories of the City of Moscow Vladimir Zhidkin, designers are faced with the task of creating premises that are not only convenient for the educational process, but also adapted for scientific and creative activities, and the comprehensive development of students. The emphasis is on modern technical equipment, functionality, spaciousness, and safety. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 20 educational facilities have already been built and opened in TiNAO.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin reported, that since the beginning of 2024, 63 social facilities have been built in Moscow.

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

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

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145589073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Developers can apply for residency in Russia’s first video game and animation cluster

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Until November 30, Moscow animation studios and video game development companies will be able to apply for residency in Russia’s first video game and animation cluster. Agreements will be concluded after the second stage of selection in the first half of 2025. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the Moscow Department of Culture Alexey Fursin.

    “We are announcing the start of the first stage of accepting applications for residency in the first video game and animation cluster in Russia. The participant status will provide an opportunity to place a company office on the territory of the cluster and, using the provided equipment, create new video game and animation products of any complexity. Working in such conditions will help individual specialists and companies develop their projects and the Russian gaming industry,” noted Alexey Fursin.

    Earlier, more than 40 companies expressed their desire to become residents of the cluster. This status will make it possible to place an office of no more than 500 square meters on its territory, as well as use modern infrastructure and advanced equipment that allows creating video game and animation products of any complexity.

    You can submit an application on the website Creative Industries Agencies (CIA)At the beginning of 2025, the expert council will hold a second round of selection and determine the companies that will receive residency.

    Candidates must have the status of an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity registered in Moscow. In addition, they must have at least one completed video game or animation product in their professional portfolio, as well as another project in the development stage.

    The country’s first video game and animation cluster will be located in the Stratos business center on Nikola Tesla Street. The operator is the Agency for Creative Industries. The cluster will cover about 40,000 square meters. In addition to office space, coworking, and exhibition halls, Stratos will house technological infrastructure for creating video games and animation.

    With the help of a motion capture studio, it will be possible to create realistic characters: record the movements of actors or animals and transform them into high-quality digital images or animation.

    The recording studio will record background sounds, music and soundtracks for video games and animated films, as well as voice their characters.

    A cinema hall with high-resolution screens is provided for viewing and adjusting finished materials. They will provide the precise color rendering necessary for working on videos. A technically equipped lecture hall with a modular system is provided for holding lectures, training sessions and other events.

    The conference hall and exhibition area will host business and creative events, exhibitions and presentations. Companies will be able to demonstrate their developments to visitors. There are several meeting rooms in the cluster for business meetings.

    The residents of the cluster will be beginning and experienced Russian development companies and animation studios. The platform will cover all areas of the industry – from training to support for Moscow specialists in export activities. Residents will have access to professional high-tech equipment, as well as participate in international exhibitions, accelerators, lectures and master classes.

    The cluster is expected to become a center of attraction for talented developers from all over the country and open up new opportunities for the development of the creative industry. The support measures provided by the city will help to consolidate Moscow’s position among the leaders in the field of video game and animation creation.

    Since 2023, the Moscow Agency for Creative Industries has been actively supporting the video game industry. This year, the Moscow Agency for Creative Industries launched the Video Game Factory accelerator, whose participants refine their ideas and then present them to investors. The most successful of them are distributed on the largest gaming platforms in Russia and the world. The first stream has already ended with the creation of 20 unique projects, and there are two more streams ahead.

    Over 25 projects and cooperation with 70 countries: results of 2023 in the creative industries

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

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

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145603073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Response to the commissioners’ report

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    The city council leader has responded to the report from the commissioners.

    Leader of Birmingham City Council Cllr John Cotton said:

    “We welcome the publication of this report from the commissioners and acknowledge that while progress is being made, there is much more to do in our ongoing efforts to ensure we become a financially sustainable, well-run council that delivers good services.

    “We continue to engage constructively with the new Government, and like councils across the country, are awaiting both this month’s budget settlement and a local government finance settlement later in the year which will set out a one-year emergency package of support for local councils.

    “The Government is also committed to a multi-year settlement following next year’s spending review which will give councils much needed clarity and allow us to plan for the future.

    “Nevertheless, we face another very difficult budget, and it remains clear that the pace of change must further increase, as further savings are identified, and we transform services. Our new Managing Director Joanne Roney is focussed on that challenge and there will be no let up as we work together to get the council back on track.”

    NOTES

    • We have appointed a permanent Managing Director in Joanne Roney CBE, who is already providing pace, grip, and authority in driving the necessary changes, working with the senior officer team and Commissioners.
    • The Improvement and Recovery Plan was agreed in April 2024 and has set the overarching direction and actions to address the issues identified in the intervention. The first part of the plan has been implemented and further stages are now underway, including the development of a refreshed Corporate Plan which will outline what the council will seek to achieve over the next three years.
    • A whole council operating model is being developed so that the council can deliver good services, even whilst operating under the financial pressures that are a reality for local government.
    • Shaping Birmingham’s Future Together has seen us set a new direction for the council to involve citizens and partners in a much greater way.
    • The council’s corporate services have been reviewed, with a commitment to a new workforce strategy that will help deliver the staffing we need to deliver quality services for our residents. This includes a refreshed HR function to enable the effective recruitment and management of staff and improve our culture and achieve best value.
    • Financial management improvements continue, with the move to make a permanent appointment to lead the finance directorate. Work continues at pace to identify the savings and cuts that are needed to deliver a balanced budget.
    • A much-needed reimplementation programme is now underway for Oracle.
    • Progress is being made against the equal pay liability, including a revised a job evaluation scheme and settlement of the outstanding litigation with a target of April 2025 for completion.
    • A plan is underway to improve the procurement operating model with a focus on strategic contract management in order to achieve best value.
    • Within the housing directorate, progress has been made in response to the Regulator of Social Housing’s letter, reconfiguring the HRA budget to focus on improving the quality of the existing housing stock.
    • Within children’s services, the council has completed the review of spend control on children’s social care, and progress is being made on greater join up of services for families to make our services more effective.
    • A transformation programme is now in place to improve the waste service – which is the most public facing area of the council which has not been performing at the level our residents expect. By transforming staffing and management arrangements, and procuring a new fleet, we will see improvements in this service in the months ahead.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: England v USA Women’s Rugby World Cup opener fantastic news for Sunderland

    Source: City of Sunderland

    That’s the verdict of Sunderland City Council Leader Councillor Michael Mordey on today’s announcement that England has drawn the USA in next summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup opener.

    England’s Red Roses kick off the tournament’s opening match against the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on 22 August next year.

    Today’s release of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 match schedule sets the stage for six weekends of compelling competition in the biggest ever celebration of women’s rugby.

    Reacting to the news, Council Mordey, said: “It’s brilliant that England has drawn the USA at next summer’s opening match in Sunderland.

    “Sunderland has a very special relationship with the USA, from the ancestral links between Washington Old Hall and George Washington dating back from 1183 to the Friendship Agreement Sunderland signed with the US capital Washington DC in 2006 which has created so many opportunities over the years.

    “We’ve also seen significant investment and employment in Sunderland from American-owned companies over the years, such as Lear, Adient, UK Independent Medical Services, Apexon and Rayovac, to name just a few, creating valuable jobs for people across the city. While our young people have benefitted from a number of exchanges as a result of our unique Friendship Agreement – with Monkwearmouth Academy welcoming young people from School without Walls in Washington DC to the city and to City Hall just in the last couple of weeks.

    “So, it’s incredibly exciting to have England playing the USA in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in our city. And I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the US team and their fans, swelling the numbers we’re already looking to welcome from across the world. It will also be a real thriller for sports fans from across the North East.

    “I think there’ll be a really electric atmosphere in our city that night and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already got their tickets to look out for the next ticket releases coming soon.

    “Hosting the opening game is a wonderful opportunity for our city and our region to shine on the international stage at a time when Sunderland city centre is going through a £2 billion transformation so it’s brilliant news all round.”

    The last few years have seen a massive surge of interest in women’s rugby and women’s sport in general both locally and nationally.

    And tournament organisers, World Rugby say the match schedule has been developed with team and fan experience at heart, with exciting matchups in each of the eight host locations, family friendly kick-off times, inexpensive match tickets and optimised team travel.

    With 95 per cent of the population in England within two hours of a match venue, fans will have an unprecedented opportunity to see rugby’s biggest stars in action, while host cities are getting ready to welcome international travelling fans with iconic and vibrant local experiences.

    With excitement building, fans will have the opportunity to apply for tickets for all matches from 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 5 November until 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 19 November. Ballots will be used for any price categories which are oversubscribed. Fans can register to be the first to hear about ticket news here.

    Prior to the two-week ticket application phase, Worldwide Partner Mastercard is offering its cardholders access to a 48-hour priority sale for all matches from 11:00 (GMT+1) today until 11:00 (GMT+1) on Thursday 24 October at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Only Mastercard payments will be accepted during this priority window.

    American companies in the city employ over 3,000 people and Sunderland is also home to a number of businesses with plants both here and in the US, including Nissan and AESC, as well as Lear, Adient and Vantec, which promises to bring the opening match into day to day life across our communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Sunderland’s friendship agreement with Washington DC also led to the creation of the popular Sunderland Shorts Film Festival which continues to go from strength to strength. The annual festival, which will celebrate its 10th birthday in 2025, proudly showcases the best short films from the UK and around the world including Australia and the United States of America, while championing homegrown talent from the region.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –