NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Updated Police Station Representative Register

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Police Station Representative Register (PSRR) is a listing of probationary and accredited representatives maintained by the Legal Aid Agency.

    The LAA used to publish the register on the GOV.UK page on a regular basis but has listened to feedback that whilst useful this only provided a version that was 100 per cent accurate on the day it was published.

    Ongoing management sees representatives join and be suspended from the register on a daily basis so whilst, for example, solicitors could confirm a representative was on the register at time of last publication they were unable to confirm the same was still true prior to instructing them.

    Access the Register

    The register is available via both GOV.UK Standard Crime Contract 2022 and DSCC online

    Further information

    Whilst we hope this change will be seen as beneficial by all stakeholders feedback is welcome along with further suggestions for improvement and can be sent to Sean Haszard.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK to support NATO space launch capabilities and artillery supplies

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Defence Secretary agrees to range of initiatives from boosting ease of access to space and virtual training to developing cutting-edge drones.

    NATO allies could be set to use Britain’s launch vehicles and space ports, following new work that will see the alliance start work to rapidly deploy assets to space. 

    With adversaries attempting to maximise their advantages in space, the Defence Secretary John Healey MP today signed a letter of intent, which will see NATO allies work closer on government and commercial space launch capabilities. 

    Attending his first NATO Defence Ministerial, the Defence Secretary also signed up to a range of multinational long-term projects, from virtual training to drone procurement. 

    Tomorrow and Saturday (Friday 18 October, Saturday 19 October) the Defence Secretary will attend the G7 Defence Ministers meeting. 

    The meeting, hosted by the Italian Presidency of the G7, in Naples, will see the Defence Secretary meet with his G7 opposite numbers.  

    On the margins of the G7, Mr Healey will also attend a meeting of the Global Combat Air Programme, with his Italian and Japanese counterparts.

    Today’s space cooperation announcement will see the UK help develop NATO’s space capabilities. 

    Known as the STARLIFT programme, it will build space launch capabilities across the alliance and will see the UK, alongside our allies and commercial partners, create a network of space launch capabilities across the alliance.  

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    By developing these cutting-edge technologies, we are setting up our Armed Forces for the battlefields of the future, and creating significant opportunities for British industry.

    Our Government’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. Together with our partners, we will ensure the collective security of our citizens and strengthen our alliance for decades to come.

    Virtual training 

    The UK is today signing a letter of intent to share virtual simulator training across NATO, allowing Allies to train and work together without the need for a physical deployment, saving time, resources and money. 

    Artillery munitions 

    The UK has agreed today that NATO will create a single test network to enable allies to use different munition types, such as 155mm, on various artillery systems. This will ensure greater flexibility in joint operations. 

    Drones 

    The Defence Secretary also confirmed that the UK will take part in a project to develop cutting-edge drones. 

    The UK has played a key role in sending thousands of drones to Ukraine, where we have seen first-hand the vital role they have played in fighting back against Putin’s forces. 

    NATO allies will work together to develop these unmanned platforms which will gather intelligence, surveillance and deliver strike capabilities.  

    UK participation also helps to integrate the MQ-9B/Protector uncrewed aircraft capability into the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force and defence of the High North and Arctic region. 

    The UK’s participation in these ambitious projects underline our unshakeable commitment to NATO.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Research shows concerning level of poor practice in the IVA market

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Insolvency Service working with regulators to improve support for people with debt

    • Research was commissioned by the Insolvency Service in light of concerns about the Individual Voluntary Arrangement market. 

    • Of the 310 terminated IVAs that were examined, 60% showed evidence of poor practice by providers. 

    • The Insolvency Service is working with the industry’s regulators to address the situation. 

    Latest research commissioned by the Insolvency Service has shown evidence of poor practice among providers of Individual Voluntary Arrangements. 

    Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) are a legally binding agreement between a person who is insolvent and their creditors.  

    They are administered by licensed Insolvency Practitioners, usually last for between five and six years, and give people the opportunity to pay an affordable monthly contribution towards their debts. 

    After concerns were raised about the way IVAs were being offered to people who signed up to them, the Insolvency Service commissioned independent research to look into the market. 

    The research, which has been published today, looked at 310 randomly selected IVAs which had been both registered and terminated between 2021 and 2023, and found that 60% showed evidence of poor practice in the early stages. 

    Examples of poor practice included people’s income and expenditure not being recorded accurately by providers, other debt solutions being incorrectly dismissed and providers failing to make sure people understood what they were signing up to. 

    Claire Hardgrave, the Head of Insolvency Practitioner Regulation for the Insolvency Service said:

    Poor practice in the IVA market isn’t in anyone’s interest. It is bad for the economy, for creditors and providers, and it has negative consequences for people dealing with problem debt, including those who are vulnerable.

    While IVAs can work well for many, if an IVA is unsuitable it can leave people struggling with their household budget, being in debt for longer, or even taking on more debt to make their IVA payments.

    We are working with the industry’s regulators on ways to improve this important area of support for people with debt, to make sure they are always given the best advice.

    Across England and Wales, a total of 64,050 IVAs were registered in 2023. 

    The agreements freeze a person’s debts, stop recovery action and provide debt-relief, allowing them to become debt free over a set period. They often provide a better outcome for consumers and creditors than alternative debt solutions, such as bankruptcy.  

    Despite steps to improve poor practices over the past few years, the Insolvency Service has still received reports of poor practices, including aggressive marketing towards people in financial distress which fails to mention the fees which organisations charge or the cheaper alternatives available. 

    Following the publication of its research, the Insolvency Service is continuing to progress its work with regulatory bodies on actions to improve the IVA market. 

    Measures being investigated include creating new advertising protocols, simplifying the process for people entering IVAs, making sure people are presented with more information before they sign up to an IVA and providing better training for Insolvency Practitioners’ staff. 

    Anna Hall, Corporate Director for Debt at the Money and Pensions Service, said: 

    This research shows how incredibly important it is that those who are struggling with debt have access to free and impartial advice, helping them to understand the best way to manage their financial situation.

    For free and impartial guidance, visit MoneyHelper.org.uk to access our debt advice locator tool which provides information about free and confidential debt advice online, over the phone or near to where you live.

    A debt adviser will treat everything you say in confidence, never judge you, and will suggest ways of dealing with debts that you might not know about.

    For more information about IVAs and this research, see here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Moody’s affirms A1 ratings with a Stable Outlook

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Moody’s affirms A1 ratings with a Stable Outlook

    Moody’s Ratings (Moody’s) has affirmed the A1 Insurance Financial Strength Rating (IFSR) of ageas SA/NV (“Ageas”), the holding company of the Ageas Group also operating as a reinsurance company. At the same time Moody’s has affirmed Ageas’s A1 long-term issuer rating, AG Insurance’s A1 IFSR and the Baa2 (hyb) rating on the junior subordinated notes (FRESH securities) issued by Ageasfinlux S.A. The outlooks on all entities remain stable.

    The ratings affirmation reflects the Group’s success in meeting its targets under the Impact24 strategic plan, and the launch of the new Elevate27 plan aimed at improving business diversification, margins, and capital generation. The ratings continue to reflect Ageas’s strong position in its European markets, particularly in Belgium with a very strong AG Insurance brand, and its revenue growth in Asia, a key market for the Group. It also reflects Ageas’s diversified earnings and strong capitalization. However, these strengths are partly offset by limited control over fast-growing entities in Asia (mostly non-consolidated subsidiaries) and distribution channels, as well as by a relatively high proportion of high-risk assets in the investment portfolio for the rating level.

    The stable outlooks on Ageas, AG Insurance, and Ageasfinlux S.A. indicate Moody’s expectation that, in the next 12-18 months, the Ageas Group will maintain a solid financial profile, including diversified earnings profile and strong capitalization, as well as a strong position in its main markets.

    Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning of 200 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow, and is also engaged in reinsurance activities. As one of Europe’s larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Portugal, Türkiye, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long-term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of about 50,000 people and reported annual inflows of EUR 17.1 billion in 2023

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Westhaven Completes Brokered Private Placement for Gross Proceeds of C$6.0 Million, Including C$1.5 Million Strategic Investment from Rob McEwen

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V:WHN) (“Westhaven” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced brokered private placement (the “Offering“) for aggregate gross proceeds of C$6,000,004.50, which includes the full exercise of the agent’s option for proceeds of C$1,000,002.50. Under the Offering, the Company sold the following:

    • 10,000,000 units of the Company (each, a “Unit”) at a price of C$0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$1,500,000 from the sale of Units;
    • 5,714,300 common shares of the Company that qualify as “flow-through shares” within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a “Traditional FT Share”) at a price of C$0.175 per Traditional FT Share for gross proceeds of C$1,000,002.50 from the sale of Traditional FT Shares; and
    • 15,909,100 flow-through units of the Company (each, a “Charity FT Unit”, and collectively with the Units and Traditional FT Shares, the “Offered Securities”) at a price of C$0.22 per Charity FT Unit for gross proceeds of C$3,500,002 from the sale of Charity FT Units.

    In connection with the Offering, Rob McEwen made a strategic investment of C$1.5 million. Following the completion of the Offering, Mr. McEwen owns approximately 5.3% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Mr. McEwen is the founder and former Chairman of Goldcorp, is currently the Executive Chairman and largest shareholder of McEwen Mining Inc. and is a member of the Mining Hall of Fame.

    Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a “Unit Share”) and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a “Warrant”). Each Charity FT Unit consists of one common share of the Company that quality as a “flow-through share” within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (a “Charity FT Unit Share”) and one half of one Warrant, which will also qualify as a “flow-through share” for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share”) at a price of C$0.22 per Warrant Share at any time on or before October 17, 2026.  

    Red Cloud Securities Inc. (the “Agent”) acted as sole agent and bookrunner in connection with the Offering. In consideration for their services, the Agent received a cash commission of C$346,867.77 and 1,815,564 broker warrants (the “Broker Warrants”), with each such Broker Warrant exercisable for one common share of the Company (a “Broker Share”) at a price of C$0.15 per Broker Share at any time on or before October 17, 2026.

    Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”), the Units and Charity FT Units (the “LIFE Securities”), representing gross proceeds of C$5,000,002.00, were sold to purchasers in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan (the “Canadian Selling Jurisdictions”), the United States and certain offshore jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the “Listed Issuer Financing Exemption”). The Unit Shares, Charity FT Unit Shares and Warrants that were issued, and the Warrant Shares that may be issued upon due exercise of the Warrants, pursuant to the sale of the LIFE Securities will be immediately freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada. The Traditional FT Shares sold pursuant to the Offering were offered by way of the “accredited investor” exemption under NI 45-106 in the Canadian Selling Jurisdictions and Quebec. The Traditional FT Shares are subject to a hold period under Canadian securities laws ending on February 18, 2025.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of Units for working capital and general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale and issuance of the Traditional FT Shares and the Charity FT Units will be used to incur “Canadian exploration expenses” on the Company’s mineral projects in British Columbia and will qualify as “flow-through mining expenditures”, as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (collectively, “Qualifying Expenditures”), which will be incurred on or before December 31, 2025 and renounced to the subscribers of the Offering with an effective date no later than December 31, 2024 in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the sale of the Traditional FT Shares and Charity FT Units. In addition, with respect to British Columbia resident subscribers or those who are eligible individuals under the Income Tax Act (British Columbia), the Qualifying Expenditures will be eligible for the 20% BC mining flow-through share tax credit.

    The securities offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities law, and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    On behalf of the Board of Directors

    WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.

    “Gareth Thomas”

    Gareth Thomas, President, CEO & Director

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    About Westhaven Gold Corp.

    Westhaven is a gold-focused exploration company advancing the high-grade discovery on the Shovelnose project in Canada’s newest gold district, the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Westhaven controls ~60,950 hectares (609.5 square kilometres) with four gold properties spread along this underexplored belt. The Shovelnose property is situated off a major highway, near power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low-cost exploration. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5558 or visit Westhaven’s website at http://www.westhavengold.com

    Forward Looking Statements:

    This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company’s current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company’s expectations with respect to the Offering, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “potential”, “is expected”, “anticipated”, “is targeted”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.

    Forward-looking information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, and without limitation: the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to complete its planned exploration program; that the Company will not derive the expected benefits from its current program; the Company may not use the proceeds of the Offering as currently contemplated; the Company may fail to find a commercially viable deposit at any of its mineral properties; the Company’s plans may be adversely affected by the Company’s reliance on historical data compiled by previous parties involved with its mineral properties; mineral exploration and development are inherently risky industries; the mineral exploration industry is intensely competitive; additional financing may not be available to the Company when required or, if available, the terms of such financing may not be favourable to the Company; fluctuations in the demand for gold or gold prices generally; the Company may not be able to identify, negotiate or finance any future acquisitions successfully, or to integrate such acquisitions with its current business; the Company’s exploration activities are dependent upon the grant of appropriate licenses, concessions, leases, permits and regulatory consents, which may be withdrawn or not granted; the Company’s operations could be adversely affected by possible future government legislation, policies and controls or by changes in applicable laws and regulations; there is no guarantee that title to the properties in which the Company has a material interest will not be challenged or impugned; the Company faces various risks associated with mining exploration that are not insurable or may be the subject of insurance which is not commercially feasible for the Company; the volatility of global capital markets over the past several years has generally made the raising of capital more difficult; inflationary cost pressures may escalate the Company’s operating costs; compliance with environmental regulations can be costly; social and environmental activism can negatively impact exploration, development and mining activities; the success of the Company is largely dependent on the performance of its directors and officers; the Company’s operations may be adversely affected by First Nations land claims; the Company and/or its directors and officers may be subject to a variety of legal proceedings, the results of which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business; the Company may be adversely affected if potential conflicts of interests involving its directors and officers are not resolved in favour of the Company; the Company’s future profitability may depend upon the world market prices of gold; dilution from future equity financing could negatively impact holders of the Company’s securities; failure to adequately meet infrastructure requirements could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business; the Company’s projects now or in the future may be adversely affected by risks outside the control of the Company; the Company is subject to various risks associated with climate change, the Company is subject to general global risks arising from epidemic diseases, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising inflation and interest rates and the impact they will have on the Company’s operations, supply chains, ability to access mining projects or procure equipment, supplies, contractors and other personnel on a timely basis or at all is uncertain; as well as other risk factors in the Company’s other public filings available at http://www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in the Company’s expectations, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scientist Profile: Jacquelyn Shuman Blazes New Trails in Fire Science

    Source: NASA

    Jacquelyn Shuman, FireSense Project Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, originally wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time she got to college, Shuman had switched interests to biology, which became a job teaching middle and high school science. Teaching pivoted to finance for a year, before Shuman returned to the science world to pursue a PhD.
    It was in a forest ecology class taught by her future PhD advisor, Herman “Hank” Shugart, that she first discovered a passion for ecosystems and dynamic vegetation that led her into the world of fire science, and eventually to NASA Ames.
    While Shuman’s path into the world of fire science was not a direct one, she views her diverse experiences as the key to finding a fulfilling career. “Do a lot of different things and try a lot of different things, and if one thing isn’t connecting with you, then do something different,” Shuman said.

    Shuman’s PhD program focused on boreal forest dynamics across Russia, examining how the forest changes in response to climate change and wildfire. During her research, she worked mainly with scientists from Russia, Canada, and the US through the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), where Shugart served as the NEESPI Chief Scientist. “The experience of having a highly supportive mentor, being a part of the NEESPI community, and working alongside other inspiring female scientists from across the globe helped me to stay motivated within my own research,” Shuman said.
    After completing her PhD, Shuman wanted to become involved in collaborative science with a global impact, which led her to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). There, she spent seven years working as a project scientist on the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment NGEE-Tropics) on a dynamic vegetation model project called FATES (Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator). As part of the FATES team, Shuman used computer modeling to test vegetation structure and function in tropical and boreal forests after wildfires, and was the lead developer for updating the fire portion of the model.

    Fire has also played a powerful role in Shuman’s personal life. In 2021, the Marshall Fire destroyed neighborhoods near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, causing over $513 million of damage and securing its place as the state’s most destructive wildfire. Despite this, Shuman is determined to not live in fear. “Fire is part of our lives, it’s a part of the Earth system, and it’s something we can plan for. We can live more sustainably with fires.” The way to live safely in a fire-inclusive ecosystem, according to Shuman, is to develop ways to accurately track and forecast wildfires and smoke, and to respond to them efficiently: efforts the fire community is continuously working on improving.

    Collaboration is a critical element of wildland fire management. Fire science is a field that involves practitioners such as firefighters and land managers, but also researchers such as modelers and forecasters; the most effective efforts, according to Shuman, come when this community works together. “People in fire science might be out in the field and carrying a drip torch and marching along in the hilltops and the grasslands or be behind a computer and analyzing remote sensing data,” Shuman said. “We need both pieces.”
    Protecting communities from wildfire impacts is one of the most fulfilling aspects of Shuman’s career, and a goal that unites this community. “Fire research poses tough questions, but the people who are thinking about this are the people who are acting on it,” Shuman said. “They are saying, ‘What can we do? How can we think about this? What information do we need? What are the questions?’ It’s a special community to be a part of.”

    Currently at NASA Ames Research Center, Shuman is the Project Scientist for FireSense: a project focused on delivering NASA science and technology to practitioners and operational agencies. Shuman acts as the lead for the project office, identifying and implementing tools and strategies. Shuman still does ecosystem modeling work, including implementing vegetation models that forecast the impact of fire, but also spends time traveling to active fires across the country so she can help partners implement NASA tools and strategies in real time.

    “Right now, many different communities are all recognizing that we can partner to identify the best path forward,” Shuman said. “We have an opportunity to use everyone’s strengths and unique perspectives. It can be a devastating thing for a community and an ecosystem when a fire happens. Everyone is interested in using all this collective knowledge to do more, together.”
    Written by Molly Medin, NASA Ames Research Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DAERA launches £1.55 million rural micro business development grant aid fund

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    DAERA launches £1.55 million rural micro business development grant aid fund

    17 October 2024

    Small businesses in the Derry City and Strabane Council area are being encouraged to stake their claim for development grant funding worth up to £4,999.00.
    DAERA’s Rural Business Development Grant Scheme will deliver a total of £1.55 million in capital grants to support rural micro businesses across Northern Ireland.
    The programme is funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Rural Business Development Grant Scheme (RBDGS)  and is delivered in partnership with local Councils. 
    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged local businesses to find out more about the application process and avail of the opportunity to give their business a competitive edge.
    “This programme offers rural micro businesses the opportunity to take their enterprise to the next level,” she said,
    “It is an opportunity to invest in equipment and machinery that can streamline your business and give you a competitive edge in the marketplace
    “I would urge applicants to book their attendance at the Pre Application workshops now as these are mandatory for a successful application,” she added.
    Eligible rural businesses can apply for capital assistance of 50% up to the value of £4,999 for the purchase of capital equipment that will help their business to enhance sustainability or lead to growth opportunities and the creation of employment opportunities which in turn strengthen the rural economy.
    Launching the scheme, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, MLA, said: “I am pleased to announce the opening of the £1.55 million Rural Business Development Grant Scheme.
    “This fund is important in delivering on the Department’s priority of building strong sustainable and diverse rural communities and the draft Programme for Government priority of growing a globally competitive and sustainable economy with a focus on addressing regional balance”.
    Minister Muir continued: “I urge all eligible rural businesses to go online and apply as soon as possible.
    “Rural Businesses continue to play a vital role in our rural communities and I want to support them at this challenging time and provide them with opportunities that will maximise their potential and stimulate business growth”.

     Only online applications can be accepted for this scheme. 
    The Scheme opens for applications at 9.00am on 16 October 2024 and closes at 12 noon on 8 November 2024.

    For more details on pre-application workshops and link to the Application visit http://www.derrystrabane.com/businesssupport
    The workshops will take place on Wednesday October 23rd at 6pm (Online), Wednesday 30th October at 1pm (Glenelly Room, Strabane) and Tuesday November 5th at 1pm (Online).

    Details of the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme are on the DAERA website at Rural Business Development Grant Scheme (RBDGS) 2024/2025 | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk). 

    Only online applications can be accepted for this scheme. 
    The Scheme opens for applications at 9.00am on 16 October 2024 and closes at 12 noon on 8 November 2024.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New mental health support makes Westminster a cut above the rest | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Opening up about mental health is losing its stigma and has been given a fresh look by Westminster City Council thanks to new funding and initiatives.

    Based in North Paddington, Trim Talk provides free mental health training for barbers so their shops will become safe spaces for young men to talk about their feelings and emotions. Launched earlier this year, there are a number of shops who have already completed the training and know how to spot the signs of someone struggling with their mental health.

    Thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), barbers have been trained to facilitate conversations about mental health and make customers feel comfortable about speaking up and tackling issues such as, loneliness or feel as if they are suffering in silence. The training offers a thorough understanding of the factors affecting mental health and equips participants with the skills to identify, support, and direct someone experiencing mental health issues. It also enhances conversation and listening skills, building confidence to offer support even in crisis situations.

    Westminster City Council is further strengthening its support for mental health services with an easy to access wellbeing hub on the council’s website offering a simpler experience with all the council’s resources available in one place.

    With 1 in 4 adults in Westminster admitted to feeling anxious and with services reporting an increase in demand for support since the pandemic, the wellbeing hub gives residents free or low-cost mental health and emotional wellbeing support in Westminster alongside some UK wide services.

    Adam Hyland, owner of Raisa’s Barbers on Harrow Road is proud to pioneer the trim talk scheme:

    We are thrilled to support Trim Talk. Our colleagues, customers and communities deserve a psychological safe space where they can ‘open up’ and we are proud to champion this mental health campaign with Westminster City Council. When we say any style, any time, any one we live it and breathe it.”

    Cllr Cara Sanquest, Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities added:

    I hope customers who use the service will find it beneficial and use it is as an opportunity to start the change dial on misconceptions around men’s mental health. I would also encourage other shops or owners in the North Paddington area to get involved so we can create a real community of men taking positive action towards their mental health.”

    On the council’s new approach to mental health, Cllr Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Voluntary Sector said:

    There is a lot of stigma attached to sharing personal difficulties or being open about your mental health. This project supports the view that mental health is everyone’s business and that we can all be trained to provide support. We want to create a community where people can seek help easily and where they know they will be treated with sympathy and kindness wherever they seek help.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President  Biden and First Lady Jill  Biden at an Italian American Heritage Month  Reception

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    5:54 P.M. EDT THE FIRST LADY:  Thank you.  (Applause.) Thank you, Alexa.  And I’m excited to see your generation forging new connections to our past and shining such a bright light into our future. And I’m also grateful to the National Italian American Foundation.  (Applause.)  John, Robert, you’ve all — you’ve helped so many people experience our heritage in Italy and preserve it here in the United States.  So, thank you. Buonasera, everyone.  (Laughter.)  AUDIENCE:  Buonasera! THE FIRST LADY:  And welcome to the White House. When I was a little girl, I learned what it means to be Italian American in my grandparents’ tiny, well-worn kitchen — and not only because there were ribbons of pasta — homemade pasta and sauce bubbling over on the stove. No, the most important lesson that I learned in their kitchen was that, when you’re Italian American, there’s always room for one more chair at the table — (applause) — enough bread toast to feed one more guest, enough space in our hearts for another friend to become like family.  And even when times are hard, there’s — THE PRESIDENT:  Looking at me.  (Laughter.) THE FIRST LADY:  There’s always enough time to — (the president makes the sign of the cross) — (laughter) — enjoy the pleasures of life together. My grandparents also taught me to never waste an opportunity to invite more people to the table and make a difference together.  So, I knew I had to bring those values of love, abundance, and service to the White House as the first Italian American first lady.  (Applause.) That’s why I’ve used this platform to give more women a seat at the table in discussions about their own health — (applause) — to hear from military families about how we can support them, to uplift community college students.  And I’ve had the opportunity to bring so many more people inside the historic walls of the White House by creating new educational experiences that allow more Americans to immerse themselves in this house, the People’s House; by using these rooms to celebrate the young people who are changing our world; by honoring the immigrants who helped build this country; and tonight — (applause) — thank you — and tonight, gathering with this community — my community — to celebrate our culture.  (Laughter.) So, it’s been the honor of my life to serve as first lady.  And during my time here, I’ve often thought of my great-grandparents leaving everything they knew behind to chase the promise of America.  And then, when they arrived on Ellis Island to take their first strides into a new life, I don’t think that they could ever have imagined that a group of hundreds of Italian Americans — coming together in the White House. When our roots run deep, there’s no limit to how high we can reach.  So, tonight, I hope that you feel the power of our ancestors’ values beating inside of us as we carry their legacy forward; that you feel home — you feel at home, eat good food, and end up with a little something sweet together, as a family.  (Laughter.) Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce a man who’s always felt at home — (laughs) — with Italian Americans.  (Applause.)  In fact, Joe first met my family at a big cookout at my grandparents’ house in Hammonton, New Jersey.  So, I was pretty nervous, you know, about Joe coming to meet my family.  But as soon as Joe pulled up into the driveway — and you kn- — you can picture this — my tiny grandmom bolted out of the house, bounded down the porch steps, in her housecoat and her apron, and she gave Joe this huge hug, as if she’d known him his entire life.  And before he could even get a plate, Joe was greeted not as a stranger but as family. Over the years, I’ve seen the Italian American community extend the same joyful love and support to Joe.  You mean so much to him.  (Laughs.) So, please welcome — I don’t know why I’m getting so emotional — your president, my husband, Joe.  (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT:  Welcome to the White House.  (Applause.)   My name is Joe Biden, and I’m Jill Biden’s husband.  (Laughter and applause.) Now, I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.  (Laughter.)  I married Dominic Giacoppa’s granddaughter.  And five years ago, I want you to know, I received the Sons of Italy Man of the Year award.  To the best of my knowledge, I’m the only non-Italian ever to receive that award.  (Laughter and applause.)  There was a large crowd when I received that award.  It was down by the train station.  You know, I said I — I moved from an Irish Catholic neighborhood in Scranton to an Italian Catholic neighborhood in Claymont, Delaware.  And I went from a — where — a place where you ended like Finnegan and Murphy and all that, down if your name didn’t lend — end in “O,” you’re in real trouble.  (Laughter.)  I was one of the few guys whose name didn’t end in “O.”  I’d look out there and look at all my friends.  You know, I accepted the award and named some of the guys I grew up with next door: Sonny Daramo, whose mom would say, “Joey, it’s not sauce; it’s gravy, Joey.  It’s gravy, Joey.”  (Laughter and applause.)  Oh, you think I’m kidding.  I’m not.  (Laughter.) No, Anzilotti, De- — Sabatino, Buchini, Bifferato, Ceni, Congialdi, Deluterio, Monaco — no, you think I’m kidding —  Tancr- — By the way, after I talked about it, I looked down at that crowd and said, “You know…” — thinking about it, I said, “I deserve this damn award.”  (Laughter.)  “With that many Italian friends, man, I deserve that award.”  (Laughter.) Thank you, Alexa, for being here and sharing your pride in your family and your heritage.  Look, and it’s great to see so many friends from the National Italian American Foundation, you know, the Sons and Daughters of Italy, and so many other Italian American leaders and organization from all across the country. You know, I can honestly say I wouldn’t be president without you.  I wouldn’t be president without the Italian American community.  Now, what she didn’t say is we do have something in common.  I’m Catherine Eugenia Finnegan — Irish Catholics background.  You guys, a lot of you are Catholics, you know.  (Laughter.)  I know you don’t admit it as much, but there — (laughter). This month is about celebrating the extraordinary contributions and proud, proud herita- — heritage of Italian Americans to our nation.  And it’s kind of endless.  For some of our families, your story is America’s story.  It stretches back generations.  For others, it just started.  No matter when these st- — stories of immigrants who left everything behind to travel across the ocean in pursuit of the American dream just for a shot — just a simple shot.  You and your ancestors worked hard to help build this country and build the middle class.  People like my college friend, the late Congressman Bill Pascrell — he’s been — Bill, Jr. is here.  Where — where are you, Bill?  (Applause.)  There you are.  I used to kid his dad all the time.  I said, “You know, Delaware may be the second-smallest state in the Union, but we own the Delaware River up to the highwater mark in New Jersey.”   (Laughter.)  There was actually a Supreme Court case about that.  Anyway.  (Laughter.) But he represented New Jersey, and his son represents the House of Representatives.  And Bill did it for 27 years, when he passed away this summer.  He was the grandson of Italian immigrants, a giant in the community, and a devoted patriot to the nation.  You got good blood, kid, as my dad would say.  (Applause.)  He was a part of a proud, proud heritage of Italian Americans who enrich every part of American life: entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, chefs, diplomats, doctors, servicemembers, veterans, athletes, actors, artists, and so much more.  There’s nothing the Italian community is not engaged in — I mean, virtually nothing.  There’s noth- — no community you don’t excel in. But I also know it wasn’t always easy.  Many of your ancestors faced horrific discrimination, like my ancestors faced horrific discrimination, when they first came to our shores.  Yet, even in the face of — Italian Americans proved that they had the resilient spirit and a devotion to family and community, an unshakeable faith in the promise of a better tomorrow.  You know, my dad used to have an expression.  He’d say, “Joey, family is the beginning, the middle, and the end — the beginning, the middle, and the end.”  It’s a faith that has carried through to today, both at home and abroad.  Italian Americans are central to our nation’s deep friendship and strategic partnership with Italy.  I’ve — I’ve worked out a really good relationship with the Italians.  I’m — well, Ital- — I better have done that but at home.  (Laughter.)  But all kidding aside, with th- — with Italy.  What a magnificent country. You know, and — anyway, I won’t get started.  But — (laughter) — you know, the bond between our countries is founded on a shared principle and shared commitments, including the shared support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s illegal (inaudible).  (Applause.) I might add, they have a female leader.  (Applause.)  I wish Sonny Daramo were here to hear that.  (Laughter.) In addition, Italy’s remarkable stewardship with the presidency of the G7 this year, as well as Italy’s long-standing contributions to transatlantic security through NATO — look, and their strong leadership in the European Union — it underscores how important Italy’s role is on the global stage, not just, you know, for America but for the world.    You know, let me close with this.  You know, Michelangelo famously said he “saw an angel in the marble, and I carved until I set it free.”  “I saw an angel in the marble, and I carved until I set it free.”  To me, that’s the essence of what Italian Americans have done to our country for our entire history.  You’ve carved until you set us free.  I’m — I’m being dead- — deadly earnest.   We’re all reminded that when Jill and I had the honor to host one of the greatest singers of all time, in my view, Andrea Bocelli, here at the White House for Christmas in our first year in office, he performed with his son and his daughter as if they were a choir of herald angels.  They were incredible.  You know, with their God-given talent, the Bocelli family moved our hearts, pierced our souls — and I mean this sincerely — I have all of the music on my — and they embodied the spirit and beauty of all that connects us as people.  A powerful reminder that America’s story depends on — not on any one of us but on — not on some of us but all of us.  It’s a story I see in all of you, working tirelessly — tirelessly to help realize the promise of America — and I mean it — for all Americans.  Not a joke.  Because some of you have been on the short end of the stick like my family growing up had been.  This is what the Italian American Heritage Month is all about.  It’s about celebrating and connecting, feeling the pride in heritage and community, remembering who the hell we are.  We’re the United States of America, and there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together — nothing, nothing, nothing.  (Applause.)  No, I really mean it. So, thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  And I want to tell you, you know what made me mo- — the — probably one of the most famous guys in my family — the whole family?  Not being president.  I took her to a beautiful little island off of Sicily.  (Laughter.)  And she keeps saying, “I’m going back.”  (Laughter.) THE FIRST LADY:  Soon! THE PRESIDENT:  “With — with or without you.”  (Laughter.) So, folks, all kidding aside, thank you.  You’re an incredible community.  (Applause.)  THE FIRST LADY:  Thank you. THE PRESIDENT:  You’re an essential part of my life.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)  Enjoy the day.  God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  All right. 6:07 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rail Campus Derby officially launches with secretary of state’s visit

    Source: City of Derby

    Rail Campus Derby has officially launched at a special event on Thursday 17 October. Over 200 delegates and stakeholders from the rail sector and beyond attended the widely anticipated event.

    A joint effort between Derby City Council, Great British Railways Transition Team, East Midlands Combined County Authority, and wider stakeholders, Rail Campus Derby will become a key hub for the UK’s rail industry, supporting collaboration across all facets of the sector.

    Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, and the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, both attended the event, highlighting the project’s significance both on a regional and a national level.

    Rail Campus Derby was born out of Great British Railways’ mission to create a simpler and more efficient railway system for everyone in Britain.

    With its impressive rail heritage and position at the heart of Europe’s largest rail cluster, Derby is the ideal location for this industry-wide hub.  For over 180 years the city has been a leader in the rail sector, which still employs more than 11,000 in the area.

    In 2023, Derby was chosen as the new home of Great British Railways, beating fierce competition from five other shortlisted cities from across the UK. Great British Railways Transition Team, a key driver in Rail Campus Derby, have already established a presence in the city while the search for a permanent GBR headquarters continues.

    Beyond the railways, Derby is a home to advanced manufacturing, hi-tech employment, major global companies such as Rolls-Royce, and Toyota. The city’s skilled workforce, and its easy accessibility, makes it an attractive destination for investment.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council said:

    This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Derby; one that will create more training and jobs for local people, and bring huge opportunities for further regeneration.

    Rail Campus Derby will not only preserve our rail heritage, but will also be a catalyst for future economic growth, bringing together all aspects of the railway industry, attracting more investment, and creating further opportunities for collaboration across the sector.

    I know the potential that Derby has. We already boast an incredibly skilled workforce and are home to major players and an unrivalled rail sector. By working together we can make Rail Campus Derby the beating heart of the UK’s rail network.

    Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, said: 

    “Derby is already a hub for rail with the largest concentration of innovation and expertise in Europe, and today I was delighted to see how the local council plans to expand this even further through a new Rail Campus.

    “The railways are at the centre of our plans for change, and I look forward to seeing how the Campus will lead to greater innovation, growth and collaboration, benefitting not only our rail network but the wider economy too.”

    Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said:

    The new Rail Campus will be a hub of learning and innovation. It will bring together public and private sector organisations in a collaborative environment, working towards faster and more efficient outcomes for all the railway’s stakeholders. As the Mayor of the East Midlands, my vision is to ensure that local people have the skills they need to access the well-paid jobs that this industry provides.

    “That’s why we will be investing in training programmes and creating new opportunities in partnership with Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire’s educational institutions. We want to see local people—our young people—benefiting from the jobs and careers this project will generate.

    Rufus Boyd, Lead Director of Great British Railways Transition Team, said: 

    The presence of GBR HQ in Derby is just one component of the Rail Campus Derby vision.

    Today’s event is about driving collaboration between the private sector, the supply chain, local government, and educational partners. Bringing the sector closer together and offering the chance to co-locate, share knowledge, and experience work across different businesses will embed the practices, culture and behaviour Britain’s railway must embod to succeed.

    This is the essence of Rail Campus Derby.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Museum of Oxford awarded grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to celebrate 50th anniversary

    Source: City of Oxford

    Thursday, 17 October 2024

    The Museum of Oxford has been awarded a £136,309 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark its 50-year anniversary in 2025.

    The National Lottery funding will support a new project titled “50 Years and Beyond: Embedding Community Voices”, which aims to engage Oxford’s diverse communities in celebrating and sharing their heritage and the city’s rich history. 

    As part of the project, the Museum of Oxford will collaborate with Oxford’s communities to co-create an exhibition and year-long programme of events. Working closely with local people, community groups, and Oxfordshire County Council’s Museum Collections Team, the museum will identify existing and new objects, stories, and artefacts that reflect the cultural diversity of Oxford’s residents. These materials will become part of the museum’s permanent collections through loans or acquisition, ensuring they remain accessible to future generations. 

    The project will invite community contributors to co-curate exhibition content, sharing their perspectives on Oxford’s history and offering new heritage stories. Through expert talks, family activities, and special events, the public programme will celebrate Oxford’s unique heritage while fostering community cohesion. 

    Key Project Outcomes 

    • Public programme: A celebratory year-long series of events including talks, family activities, and exhibitions. 

    • Workforce development: Recruitment of a Cultural Learning and Participation Apprentice, who will undertake a Level 3 apprenticeship, gaining skills in partnership working, consultation, and exhibition development. 

    • Sustainable heritage: The project will establish a cross-generational, cross-community approach, ensuring the museum continues to reflect and represent Oxford’s diverse cultural landscape for years to come. 

    The Museum of Oxford will begin preparations this autumn, with the project running for 26 months leading up to and beyond the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025. 

    Comment 

    “We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.” 

    Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund 

    “We are really pleased to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This project is a great opportunity to bring more voices into the Museum of Oxford’s story, ensuring that our heritage reflects the rich diversity of our city. By working closely with local communities, we’re not just celebrating 50 years of the museum, but also creating a lasting legacy that represents everyone who calls Oxford home.” 

    Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Business, Culture, and an Inclusive Economy at Oxford City Council 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: County Durham man sentenced for illegal waste dumping

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A man described as ‘arrogant’ by a judge has been sentenced for arranging waste to be illegally dumped on his rural land near Consett.

    Peter Snailum, 64, from Whitworth, Spennymoor, appeared at Durham crown court for sentencing on Wednesday 16 October after previously pleading guilty to two offences of depositing waste without an environmental permit.

    He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to complete 90 hours of unpaid work.

    The court heard that between January and March 2020, excavation waste was transported from a construction site in Consett to Snailum’s land at School House Farm, Kiln Pit Hill, and illegally dumped.

    Snailum had a registered waste exemption for his land at School House Farm. This means that low level waste activity could take place at the site for construction purposes, with limits on the amount and type of waste allowed.

    During the Environment Agency investigation, it transpired that more than 5,000 tonnes of waste had been dumped at School House Farm – five times the 1,000 tonnes allowed under the exemption.

    It was also clear that the waste was not to be used for construction but in an attempt to level land, activity that would require an environmental permit.

    In passing sentence, judge Joanne Kidd criticised Snailum for his arrogance, after hearing that he had twice taunted the Environment Agency officers speaking with him about the illegal activity, saying that they should prosecute him as he would only receive a fine.

    The judge was also critical of his insistence on initially denying the charges and taking the case to the crown court, all in the face of overwhelming evidence.

    Warned he was ‘breaching the law’

    Gary Wallace, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:

    Waste crime such as this has a negative impact on the environment and local communities and Snailum was warned he was breaching the law.

    His actions also undermined legitimate businesses as he made financial gains by not properly and legally disposing of the waste.

    I hope this case sends out the message to others that we take waste crime seriously and those involved can expect to be put before the courts for their actions.

    Prosecuting, Holly Clegg told the court that in January 2020, Environment Agency officers attended the site in response to reports of wagons tipping waste there.

    Checks showed metal and timber mixed with soils and stone. It was estimated the stockpile was close to the 1,000 tonne exemption limit and Snailum was told to stop accepting further waste to the site.

    He said he was importing soils to level around the trees and filling in hollows around the site – he was told the exemption restrictions meant it could only be used for construction.

    While the officers were there a wagon arrived which was moving waste from a construction site in Consett to Snailum’s land.

    The officers then visited a care home construction site and spoke to the site manager, who told them that to date 871 tonnes had been taken to School House Farm.

    Follow up visits revealed further deposits

    A month later follow up visits to both the construction site and School House Farm revealed further deposits had taken place which would exceed the limits of the exemption. On 2 March, Snailum was instructed to cease accepting further waste.

    Environment Agency officers were later supplied with and assessed the waste transfer documentation, which showed more than 5,000 tonnes of waste soil and stone had been taken to School House Farm between January and March 2020.

    Then, in early 2021 Snailum allowed another large deposit of waste, this time tonnes of supposedly crushed MDF but this was contaminated with various other waste types.

    Previously sentenced at Peterlee magistrates’ court on 23 April 2024 for their part in the case were:

    • Jonathan Mann Developments, of Sandhu House, Delves Lane, Consett, which owned land there that was being developed for the construction of new care homes. It pleaded guilty  for its involvement in the illegal waste deposits and were ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £3,832.

    • Groundworks Direct Ltd excavated and loaded the waste material from the construction site onto wagons supplied by the hauliers. It was ordered to pay a fine and costs of £5,000 in total. 

    In addition, G O’Brien & Sons Ltd, which collected the waste material and transported it to Snailum’s land, agreed to an enforcement undertaking, paying £5,000 to Durham Wildlife Trust to go towards environmental improvements, and a further £1,600 in costs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: BENIN: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on Fifth Review of Extended Fund and Extended Credit Facilities and the Second Review of Resilience and Sustainability Facility

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 17, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • IMF has reached staff-level agreement with Benin on the Fifth Review of Benin’s EFF/ECF and the Second Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
    • There are signs of economic transformation in Benin, with higher value-added goods’ exports and momentum in information technology and tourism.
    • The authorities recently submitted to Parliament a draft 2025 budget that targets compliance with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) fiscal deficit norm of 3 percent of GDP, with significant increases in social spending.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Constant Lonkeng visited Cotonou during October 8–17, 2024 to hold discussions on the Fifth Review of Benin’s economic program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Second Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangement.

    At the end of the mission, Mr. Lonkeng issued the following statement:

    “IMF staff and Beninese authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on policies to complete the Fifth Review of Benin’s 42-month blended EFF/ECF and the Second Review of the RSF. Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, Benin will receive a disbursement of SDR 31.2 million (about $42 million) under the ECF and EFF arrangements and up to SDR 39.6 million (about $53 million) under the RSF arrangement, bringing the total disbursement under the EFF/ECF to SDR 431 million (about $576 million).

    “There are signs of economic transformation in Benin, with higher value-added goods’ exports and momentum in information technology and tourism. Economic activity is estimated to have expanded by 6.5 percent year-over-year in the first half of this year; growth is expected to remain strong in the near-term. The balance of payments has deteriorated temporarily, due to large investments, including related to the special economic zone (SEZ). It is expected to recover gradually as the transformation of local commodities at the SEZ boosts exports. 

    “Program performance has been strong—all quantitative targets for end-June 2024 were met, with fiscal consolidation well underway, supported by robust tax collection. 

    “The authorities recently submitted to Parliament the 2025 draft budget which targets compliance with the WAEMU overall deficit norm of 3 percent of GDP. Fiscal consolidation is set to be revenue-based (drawing on the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy), with significant increases in social spending (education, health, and social protection). Updating regularly and fully operationalizing the social registry will improve the targeting of expanded social assistance programs. 

    “The mission discussed next steps in strengthening Benin’s anti-corruption framework further, complementing the recently operationalized anti-corruption agency, as well as mechanisms to safeguard hard-won macroeconomic gains over the political cycle. 

    “The authorities are advancing their climate finance agenda following the climate finance roundtable that took place in Cotonou in July. They have mainstreamed climate change in the draft 2025 budget. The mission discussed next steps in advancing water tariff reform and a fuel subsidy reform that accounts for the specificities of Benin’s local fuel market.  

    “The mission met with Senior Minister of Economy and Finance Wadagni, Senior Minister of Development and Government Action Bio Tchane, National Director of the BCEAO (the regional central bank) Assilamehoo, and other senior government officials. The team also met with the Head of Opposition, the Finance Commission of the National Assembly in Porto Novo, the civil society, university students, the association of women entrepreneurs and a farmers’ association, the donor community, and other stakeholders.

    “The IMF team would like to thank the authorities and various stakeholders for their warm hospitality and open and constructive dialogue.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Julie Ziegler

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/17/pr24377-benin-imf-reaches-sla-5th-rev-eff-ecf-2nd-rev-rsf

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Amherd visits Poland in view of its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport

    Bern, 16.10.2024 – On Thursday, 17 October, President Viola Amherd met with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda to discuss their countries’ bilateral relations, the negotiations between Switzerland and the EU, the security situation in Europe, migration matters and geopolitical developments. Poland will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2025.

    At the meeting in Warsaw, both sides emphasised the excellent relations between Switzerland and Poland, which are characterised by close political, economic, cultural and scientific ties. Cooperation as part of Switzerland’s second contribution to selected EU member states is also important. With a total of CHF 320.1 million until 2029, Poland will receive the largest cohesion framework credit among the 15 countries benefiting from this second Swiss contribution. The cooperation programme is particularly geared towards socially disadvantaged regions and promotes stability in Europe. A further priority is research at Polish universities. The programme offers an opportunity to intensify contacts and technical cooperation between Swiss and Polish research institutions.

    In the current, increasingly unstable geopolitical context, both sides agreed that close partners should maintain good and stable relations. With regard to the bilateral relations between Switzerland and the EU, President Amherd gave an update on the state of the negotiations. She and President Duda also discussed outstanding issues. Ms Amherd emphasised the need for balanced solutions to stabilise and further develop bilateral relations to the mutual benefit of both sides and to gain domestic support in Switzerland and in the EU. Mr Duda, in turn, outlined the priorities of his country’s presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2025.

    The discussion on the security situation focused on the war in Ukraine and the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024), which opened in Lausanne on the same day and addresses the importance of mine clearance as part of the recovery of Ukraine. The conference in Lausanne follows the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022) in Lugano in July 2022 and the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock resort in June 2024. The discussion in Warsaw focused on the solidarity of both countries with Ukraine and the steps needed to achieve a just and lasting peace.

    Further topics included geopolitical developments, in particular the situation in the Middle East, the state of multilateralism, and Switzerland’s second presidency of the UN Security Council this month. On Friday, Ms Amherd will meet with the presidents of Poland’s parliamentary chambers, Szymon Hołownia and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska.

    Address for enquiries

    DDPS Communications
    +41 58 464 50 58
    kommunikation@gs-vbs.admin.ch

    Publisher

    Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports
    http://www.vbs.admin.ch

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: François Alabrune, candidate for judge at the International Court of Justice in 2026

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    France presents the candidacy of Mr François Alabrune for the position of judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the 2027-2036 term. This election will be held in New York in November 2026, both at the Security Council and at the United Nations General Assembly.

    In accordance with Article 4 of the Statute of the Court, the French candidate was chosen by the French national group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, based on demanding selection criteria.

    As required by the Statute, Mr Alabrune has recognized competence in international law and all the qualities, namely rigour, independence, impartiality and integrity, required to serve as a judge at the International Court of Justice. Moreover, he is fully bilingual in French and English, both the Court’s official languages.

    Mr Alabrune’s candidacy is in line with France’s constant support for the International Court of Justice since its creation in 1945. At a time when the international legal order faces major challenges, France’s commitment to the Court is rooted in the fundamental contribution of the principal United Nations judicial organ to the peaceful settlement of international disputes and to the clarification of the rules of international law. France is determined to do its utmost to help the Court fulfil its duties and address the many challenges facing it.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: CarGurus Celebrates Opening of New Global Headquarters in Boston

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    As the anchor tenant at 1001 Boylston St., CarGurus debuts state-of-the-art space designed to maximize connectivity, collaboration, and innovation

    BOSTON, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CarGurus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CARG), the No. 1 visited digital auto platform for shopping, buying, and selling new and used vehicles1, today marked the opening of its new global headquarters in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Located at 1001 Boylston Street, the new office underscores CarGurus’ commitment to the Boston region with a world-class space designed for the needs of today’s flexible workplace, balancing versatile collaboration areas with a variety of workspaces that support individual work preferences.

    “After nearly 20 years in Cambridge, CarGurus’ move to this inspiring new space represents a meaningful chapter in our growth story in the region,” said Jason Trevisan, CarGurus Chief Executive Officer. “Our best-in-class work environment enhances opportunities for deeper collaboration and connectivity, all in service of our mission to help people reach their destination. This mission comes to life through our focus on delivering an exceptional experience to our employees, driving innovations that benefit our dealer and consumer customers, and supporting the communities in which we live and work.”

    The new global headquarters features approximately 225,000 sq. ft. of workspace anchoring the dynamic mixed-use project known as Lyrik. It unites nearly 1,000 employees who previously occupied two separate offices in Cambridge. The move reinforces CarGurus’ commitment to continued growth in the region, where the company is recognized for its award-winning workplace culture and focus on community impact through volunteer efforts and purpose-driven charitable giving.

    “Massachusetts is the best state in the country to live, work, grow a business, and build a future — and that’s in large part because of the incredible, innovative companies that call our state home, like CarGurus,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of their global headquarters in Boston today, and we’re grateful for their commitment to their employees, their customers, our communities, and our economy.”

    “It is very exciting to see the CarGurus logo in the Boston skyline atop its new headquarters,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “I look forward to seeing the company continuing to invest in the region’s growth and innovation while entering a new chapter as it expands here as part of Team Massachusetts.”

    An Office Designed with Flexibility, Collaboration, and Sustainability at the Forefront
    Designed by IA Interior Architects, the CarGurus headquarters was created with a hybrid work culture in mind, offering spaces that support all types of meeting scenarios and individual work modes. The result is a dynamic collaboration hub comprised of 10 floors offering 900 choice work points, 30 collaborative spaces, and central social spaces, all with flexibility baked into the design to support changing needs.

    Amenities are distributed throughout the office floors to encourage interaction and include a multi-story reception area, tech bar, barista bar, multiple training spaces, all-hands meeting areas, video production suite, and dining area. The workspace also offers two libraries for quiet focus work, several balconies/terraces, and exclusive access to a penthouse gathering space with two large roof decks equipped with seating for individual or group work.

    Designed for LEED Gold certification, design features prioritize sustainability and a connection to nature. Views of the Boston skyline and natural light are maximized for all occupants, along with the addition of wood textures, natural materials, and greenery throughout the space.

    To learn more about working at CarGurus and view open roles, please visit careers.cargurus.com.

    About CarGurus, Inc.

    CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is a multinational, online automotive platform for buying and selling vehicles that is building upon its industry-leading listings marketplace with both digital retail solutions and the CarOffer online wholesale platform. The CarGurus platform gives consumers the confidence to purchase and/or sell a vehicle either online or in-person, and it gives dealerships the power to accurately price, effectively market, instantly acquire and quickly sell vehicles, all with a nationwide reach. The company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms and data analytics to bring trust, transparency, and competitive pricing to the automotive shopping experience. CarGurus is the most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S.1

    CarGurus also operates online marketplaces under the CarGurus brand in Canada and the United Kingdom. In the United States and the United Kingdom, CarGurus also operates the Autolist and PistonHeads online marketplaces, respectively, as independent brands.

    To learn more about CarGurus, visit http://www.cargurus.com, and for more information about CarOffer, visit http://www.caroffer.com.

    CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc., and CarOffer® is a registered trademark of CarOffer, LLC. All other product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    1Similarweb: Traffic Insights (Cars.com, Autotrader.com, TrueCar.com), Q2 2024, U.S.

    Media Contact:
    Maggie Meluzio
    Director, Public Relations & External Communications
    pr@cargurus.com

    Investor Contact:
    Kirndeep Singh
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    investors@cargurus.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/363142e6-aaad-4b82-8f39-690eefa7faa4

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manchester leads the charge on the move towards electric vehicles

    Source: City of Manchester

    Ambitious plans have been set out on how Manchester can play its part in rolling out hundreds of new electric vehicle (EV) charging points in years to come.

    The growth of EV usage across Manchester forms an important pillar in the project of Manchester becoming zero-carbon by 2038. 

    It is estimated that by 2038 there could approximately be 150,000 EV car and light goods vehicles (LGVs) in use in the city. To support that the current network of charging points across the city will need to be significantly expanded. 

    In a report going to the City Council’s Executive today (October 16) a plan has been set out on how Manchester City Council can play its part alongside local, national and commercial partners in working towards improving EV provision over the coming decade.

    In its report, the Council sets out three key priorities which will guide this ambition.

    They are:

    • Encouraging the transition towards EVs 
    • Improving charging infrastructure 
    • Identifying funding opportunities  

    The Council recognises that to meet its zero-carbon aims a significant amount of work will need to take place to firstly encourage more people away from polluting vehicles to EVs, then ensuring that charging infrastructure is available for people to use and ensure that funding is available to provide that key infrastructure. 

    In the coming years the Council will leverage its position as a voice within Manchester to communicate the benefits of transitioning to EVs, as well as supporting groups where funding is available who may find it harder to transition from cheaper – albeit more polluting – forms of transport. These groups include but aren’t limited to high mileage users such as taxis or delivery drivers, low-income residents as well as people with disabilities of lower mobility. 

    The government will also be pressed to lower VAT on public charging to a rate in line with at-home charging, making it easier on people’s finances when considering a change to an EV. 

    Around £3.3m has already been provisionally identified via two funding streams – the Local EV Infrastructure grant (LEVI) and the City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement Funds (CRSTS). This funding will be used to support an initial roll-out of additional charging points across Manchester in a number of different configurations as well as incorporating new charging points at existing car parks. It is hoped that over time even more funding will be secured to expand the charging network. 

    Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “The use of EVs will play a huge part in Manchester becoming a zero-carbon city by 2038. At this moment in time, we know there are a number of barriers which could prevent someone from investing an in EV, a key one being the lack of charging points across the city. 

    “As a Council we are not under any statutory obligation to provide EV charging points but we know that this is the right course of action to take. EV usage will hinge on how accessible it is for people and by working to break down barriers we will be playing part in their success.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New homes on the horizon as council vows to transform vacant parcels of brownfield land

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Thursday, 17th October 2024

    More than 150 new homes look set to be built on redundant brownfield land in the city thanks to a successful bid for government funding.

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been awarded £2.2 million from the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 – one of four local authorities in the West Midlands to receive a share of £5.4 million.

    As part of its commitment to delivering new homes and jobs in the city, the council has now identified two parcels of land for redevelopment, and work to clear the sites will soon get underway after the proposals were agreed by cabinet earlier this month.

    The council is looking to transform the former Brookhouse Green Primary School site, on Wellfield Road in Bentilee, into a new estate for 117 new affordable homes. The site has been vacant since the school closed in 2006.

    It is expected that the former Olympus Engineering site, on College Road in Shelton – which was deemed surplus to requirements in 2020 – will also be cleared, to make way for new apartments. This is one of three sites in the north Shelton area of the city which has been earmarked for future residential development.

    Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: “Everybody has the right to live in a decent home which is why we are committed to bringing forward these much-needed new homes and raising housing standards in the city.

    “In the last 12 months we have made a significant investment in our housing stock with almost 9,000 council-owned homes benefitting from our multi-million-pound capital investment programme, so it would be great to see these long-term vacant sites regenerated, transforming empty brownfield land into thriving new communities.”

    The three-year £180 million Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 was launched in July 2022. The primary aim of the Fund is to release local authority-owned land by the end of March 2028 for housing development that otherwise would not come forward during that period.

    With the funding, councils are able to cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings or improving infrastructure such as internet, water and power.

    In this latest round of funding, a total of £68 million has been directly awarded to 54 councils in England.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by Palazzo Chigi on adverse weather conditions in northern Italy

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    16 Ottobre 2024

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, is following with concern the serious situation caused by the adverse weather conditions in the Liguria Region and a number of provinces in northern Italy from Brussels, where she is participating in the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council summit and European Council meeting.
    President Meloni has spoken with the Minister for Civil Protection, Nello Musumeci, and the Head of the Civil Protection Department, Fabio Ciciliano, over the telephone, asking them to keep her constantly updated.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK remains committed to the principles of equal rights and self-determination: UK statement at the UN Fourth Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Explanation of vote by Archie Young, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly at the UN Fourth Committee.

    Location:
    United Nations, New York
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    The UK would like to explain our position on this and our vote. 

    This resolution deals with a number of important issues of interest to all members, including the importance of the right of self-determination, sovereign equality and territorial integrity to which the UK’s commitment is iron-clad.  

    The same cannot be said for the sponsors of this resolution.

    Today’s resolution put forward by Russia and Venezuela, amongst others, is a disingenuous and opportunistic effort to appropriate what is genuinely a serious and sensitive issue for their own political purposes.  

    This is clear by the fact that Member States, as others have said, have not been offered an opportunity to scrutinise this resolution in detail, nor has there been any attempt by the sponsors to engage widely and transparently with members before such an important and complex issue is put before the Fourth Committee, especially given the divergent views in the C24 committee.

    We therefore cannot support today’s resolution. 

    In doing so we reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples of the British Overseas Territories, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We are equally committed to supporting requests for the removal from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories from those Territories whose permanent populations so wish. We remind the delegations that each British Overseas Territory has a large measure of internal self-governance, and all have chosen to retain their link to the UK. 

    And if I can make one more point regarding specifically this resolution, I wanted to underline the point that has already been made about the significant PBI’s (programme budget implications) which we do not support, and that were circulated just this morning which further underlines our practical and procedural concerns about this resolution.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chris Hann, Emeritus Director, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology

    Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.

    The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.

    Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.

    But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.

    Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.

    Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.

    The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?

    A tangled history

    Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.

    Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.

    The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.

    Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.

    The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.

    This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.

    Western complicity

    During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.

    Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.

    Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?

    I did not have answers to any of these questions.

    Chris Hann 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. Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw – https://theconversation.com/why-many-poles-are-not-as-supportive-of-ukraines-war-effort-as-their-leaders-in-warsaw-240562

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Taub, Director of Music, The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth

    Considered one of the great composers of the 20th century, the deeply expressive Béla Bartók synthesised elements of folk music of Hungarian and related cultures into classical forms, producing a style that was both individual and influential.

    Through Bartók’s music, powerful elements of local folk melodies are performed and heard in concert halls worldwide. For the 80th anniversary of the composer’s death coming up in 2025, the University of Plymouth’s Musica Viva – of which I am founder and director – is planning a series of concerts celebrating the notion of the “music of home” as brought to life by Bartók, by including one of his pivotal works in every concert. His Piano Sonata, String Quartet No. 3, String Quartet No. 5 and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta will all be performed by leading artists.

    From the start, the young Bartók, born in 1881, displayed a fascination with music, and his widowed mother encouraged his musical gifts. When the family moved to Pozsony, a former region of Hungary that now lies mostly within Slovakia, he began a formal musical education and attended concerts for the first time.

    As an 18-year-old student of piano and composition at the Budapest Conservatory, Bartók immersed himself in the musical dramas of Wagner and the orchestral works of Liszt. But his primary focus was the piano, and he became known as a pianist of extraordinary abilities, playing the music of Chopin, Liszt and Robert Schumann.

    During his last years as a student, nationalist currents in Hungary – which had been suppressed since the uprising in 1848-1849 – became resurgent. Caught up in this movement, Bartók devoted considerable thought to issues of a national music.

    It is not surprising that under this influence and that of the music of Richard Strauss, his first major composition in 1903 was a vast symphonic poem called Kossuth, a Hungarian “Hero’s Life” – whose ten tableaux depict events of the 1948-49 war of independence. This work was followed by the Liszt-inspired Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in 1904.

    Bartók’s interest in folk music grew to the point at which he and his friend and fellow composer Zoltán Kodály travelled throughout central Europe, Turkey, and north Africa to collect folk melodies. Bartók wrote five books and many articles on folk music.

    He considered his most interesting finds to be from isolated Hungarian communities living among the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, where he encountered and recorded authentic, untainted Magyar folk music. His fascination with the unbridled spirit of this music helped him gradually develop a compositional style in which he fused folk elements with highly developed techniques of classical music more intimately than had ever been done before.

    Between the two world wars Bartók performed as a concert pianist, touring Britain, the US and the former USSR, and was prolific as a composer. Elements of his style include melodic lines derived from eastern European folk music; powerful forward-leaning rhythms in irregular meters with off-beat accents; strong control of form; and harmonies which, although primarily focused on one key, often include elements of multiple keys thereby creating a sense of musical tension.

    Paramount among his piano works is his only Piano Sonata, written in 1926, which is also his largest composition for solo piano. It was composed during a particularly prolific year during which he also composed his First Piano Concerto, Out of Doors Suite and Nine Little Piano Pieces – all works which he included in his own public performances.

    The Sonata is in three movements and follows a classic sonata form – a lively first movement, a slower second movement and an energetic finale in which the lively main theme recurs in different guises. The full resources of the piano are used in creating a wide spectrum of expression, from incisive detached clusters of notes to smoothly flowing lyrical melodic lines.

    Throughout, the music is inspired by Bartók’s ethnomusicological (social and cultural) research. Although the themes are not folk melodies per se, they imitate their style in terms of melodic shaping, searing dynamics, driving rhythmic features and harmonic content. The piano is used in new percussive ways that often seem a vivid portrayal of folk passions. At the time this was groundbreaking.

    Bartók’s contribution to the musical repertoire is immense. He composed six String Quartets, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a large canon of solo piano music as well as chamber music, and an opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. The Concerto for Orchestra, three Piano Concerti, and the Violin Concerto are all masterpieces in large-scale musical forms.

    Bartók emigrated to the US in 1940 and found temporary employment at Columbia University. His health deteriorated along with his financial situation, although his friends Joseph Szigeti and Fritz Reiner arranged for the Koussevitzky Foundation to commission him to write the Concerto for Orchestra in 1943 and the Sonata for Solo Violin in 1944, which provided temporary relief from a dismal situation.

    Bartok died on September 26, 1945, with the score of his Viola Concerto unfinished, but he left behind an unparalleled canon of music that is deeply expressive and vital to our musical understanding today.

    Robert Taub 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. Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music – https://theconversation.com/bela-bartok-pioneering-hungarian-composer-who-fused-folk-melodies-with-classical-music-238820

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Labrador Files Brief to Stop Biden-Harris Administration’s Electric-Truck Mandate

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador and a coalition of 23 other states filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to stop the Biden-Harris Administration from imposing an electric-vehicle mandate on truck manufacturers in Nebraska v. EPA.  This coalition has joined the suit alongside Nebraska as petitioners to challenge the new rule.
    In April, the federal Environmental and Protection Agency (EPA) published a rule imposing stringent tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles that effectively force manufacturers to produce more electric trucks and fewer internal-combustion trucks. The Attorneys General argued that EPA’s electric-truck mandate raises a “major question” that Congress has not clearly authorized EPA to decide.
    “Once again, the Biden-Harris administration is superseding their constitutional authority in a short-sighted pursuit of their green agenda,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “They are making laws and standards which are the sole purview of Congress.  This kind of reckless rulemaking will damage our national economy, infrastructure, and resiliency.”
    The brief points out that just one-tenth of one percent (0.10%) of all heavy-duty trucks sold today are powered by a battery, but that EPA’s rule would increase that number to 45 percent in less than a decade away. That massive shift in the nation’s trucking and logistics industries will slow down transportation of essential goods, stress the electric grid, and raise prices for Americans. The brief also argues that EPA has never before forced manufacturers to produce heavy-duty electric vehicles and that allowing the electric-truck mandate to stand would short circuit the ongoing policy debate that should be left to Congress and the States.
    In addition to Attorney General Labrador, attorneys general from the following States joined the suit against the Biden Administration: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: September’s Sunny Skies Make Perfect Day for Solar Calibrations

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Hosts 24th Pyrheliometer Comparisons for North American Region

    Participants from the Physical Meteorological Observatory in Davos (PMOD) attended the 24th NREL Pyrheliometer Comparisons (NPC). PMOD maintains the World Radiometric Reference. NREL visits PMOD in Switzerland every five years, and PMOD comes to Golden, Colorado, four out of every five years to participate in NPC. All photos by Gregory Cooper, NREL

    Say you are in the market for solar panels for the roof of your home. You are researching the different types, especially noticing the efficiency that they claim. How do you know that you can trust that number?

    Or let’s say you want to build an entire solar array. You need a loan from the bank, but they want to know how much energy you think you are going to get from your array to make sure they make a wise investment. How do you know how much energy you are going to get?

    The same answer applies to both of these scenarios because what we are talking about is traceability: the ability to trace your measurement back to a standard source that is common to everyone. The person who sold you the solar panels and the bank that agreed to invest in your solar farm both rely on a traceable measurement, and NREL plays a major role in providing just that.

    From Sept. 21 to 27, groups of scientists and engineers from around the globe gathered at NREL’s Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) on the top of South Table Mountain in Golden, Colorado, for the 24th NREL Pyrheliometer Comparisons (NPC). While Colorado is a destination for many people, NPC’s participants do not just come for the stunning views and the clear skies. As the regional leader, NREL keeps its reference instruments calibrated directly to the World Radiometric Reference and World Infrared Standard Group. Since 1996, NPC has been a gathering place for people from across the globe to calibrate their reference instruments to the world standard.

    On the first day of the NPC, participants from Saudi Arabia set up their active cavity radiometers (ACRs) in the morning to begin measurements.

    Studying Solar Energy Is Part of What Unites Us

    One expert in the field, Tom Stoffel, is a former NREL employee. Tom began working at NREL when it was just beginning as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in the late1970s, and he played a major role in establishing NREL as the region’s leader in pyrheliometer comparisons. Tom still comes back to the comparisons every year to share his insights and to join the participants with whom he shares a passion for solar measurement.

    “Solar radiation measurements are the basis for understanding Earth’s primary energy source,” Stoffel said. Knowing how much of the sun’s power is available on Earth is crucial for solar and climate research and for the solar industry in general. Since the beginning of time, people have studied the sun and harvested its power for everything from basic needs like heating something to eat and telling time to today’s advanced uses for powering our homes and cars and, moreover, to understand and detect the changes in the Earth’s radiation budget for climate studies.

    Measuring the sun’s power remains one of the most difficult-to-define physical measurements. As researchers strive to get more and more precise measurements, they also need to ensure that the measurements used are compliant with international standards. This area of research lies at the origins of NREL’s work when it was once the Solar Energy Research Institute, and it still guides the laboratory’s mission today seeking to transform energy.

    A clock runs one hour behind Mountain Daylight Time to align with solar noon, when the sun is at maximum elevation, keeping participants aware of progression throughout the day. The number below the time indicates the current stable irradiance reading.

    What Is It Like Attending NPC?

    Affectionately referred to as the “sun nerds convention,” NPC serves as a World Meteorological Organization regional comparison for maintaining traceability, hosting participants who seek compliance with the International Organization for Standardization requirements for interlaboratory calibrations. Participants set up their instruments on the top of South Table Mountain and, beginning at sunrise, they start taking solar irradiance measurements in groups of 49 observations at 30-second intervals.

    Researchers at the SRRL analyze the data to provide participants with a ratio of their instrument’s measurement to the NREL reference group that allows them to calibrate their instruments to the World Radiometric Reference. Maintaining this traceability to the world standard allows participants to take their instruments back to their organizations and continue doing the important work of solar resource assessment, climate change studies, and atmospheric research with the assurance that their measurements are aligned with the world standard.

    As an example, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program personnel James Martin, Jim Stow, and retired Craig Webb participated in this year’s NPC to maintain its traceability of radiometric measurement. This supports the ARM program in closing the gap between the radiative transfer models and solar irradiance measurement.

    NPC participants set up and validate data collection to verify that solar alignment is not lost during the measurements. They need precise solar alignment to ensure they are measuring the full solar irradiance (i.e., the full power of the sun).

    Collaboration at the Event

    After attending this event, participants leave with more than just calibrated instruments. Collaboration and networking are an equally important part for this tight-knit industry to share valuable information about their work across all different industries and in different parts of the world.

    Logan Soldo, one participant at this year’s event from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, commented on the value of the opportunity to collaborate.

    “Even just sitting here and learning from all of these people who have been around a lot longer than me is valuable,” Soldo said. “I feel like I’m learning so much.”

    Charles Robinson from Sandia National Laboratory remarked on how he is grateful for the mentorship he has received in this field. His mentor was mentored by one of the men who was at the very first international comparisons back in the 1960s, and Robinson was still using one of those original instruments at NREL’s comparisons.

    Participants from EKO Instruments attended this year’s NPC. EKO manufactures many of the trackers that NREL uses, which orient the ACR to point directly at the sun.

    Tom Kirk of Eppley Laboratories said that he enjoyed the opportunity to be in person with his clients who bought Eppley’s instruments and help them with their instruments in a more hands-on way.

    Erik Naranen of ISO-CAL North America, “a proud member of the sun nerds convention,” remarked on the value of being together with others in the industry. Many of the participants remarked similarly on the value of hearing from some of the experts in the field and being grateful for the chance to spend so much time with them to share their passion for accurate solar resource measurement.

    Future Directions

    The future of metrology is bright because of the work being done by NREL and many others in the field. Their goal is to have the most precise measurements possible to ensure that the research is as sound as possible. Measuring the sun’s power is still a difficult task. But when people know their instruments are sound, they can lay a strong foundation to push the envelope of climate and atmospheric research.

    More than a dozen ARCs are lined up on the top of South Table Mountain, making simultaneous solar irradiance measurements with one another. 

    The logistics associated with NPC require support from NREL’s Environment, Safety, Health, and Quality Office; Site Operations; Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness; Power Systems Engineering Center; Shipping and Receiving; DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program; DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies program; and more. Thank you to all the NRELians who pitched in to help advance NREL’s leadership in this area and provide support to an event that improves research outcomes across renewable energy and atmospheric research.

    Learn more about NREL’s work in the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, which includes the Metrology Laboratory. To find out more about attending NREL’s comparisons in 2026 or to learn more about past events, visit NPC’s website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Khera attends G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Inclusion and Disability

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, participated in the Group of Seven (G7) Ministers’ Meeting on Inclusion and Disability from October 14 to 16. Hosted by Italy, the 2024 G7 President, Ministers came together at this event to discuss initiatives that support an inclusive society where persons with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully and meaningfully in civil, social, economic and political life.

    October 17, 2024              Gatineau, Quebec              Employment and Social Development Canada

    The inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society enriches communities, promotes economic growth, and advances a culture of respect. This is why the Government of Canada continues to invest in programs and policies that help to remove barriers for persons with disabilities and pave the way for a brighter future for all, both in Canada and beyond.

    The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, participated in the Group of Seven (G7) Ministers’ Meeting on Inclusion and Disability from October 14 to 16. Hosted by Italy, the 2024 G7 President, Ministers came together at this event to discuss initiatives that support an inclusive society where persons with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully and meaningfully in civil, social, economic and political life.

    At the G7, Minister Khera spoke about the actions Canada has and is taking to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities. She emphasized the importance of consulting with persons with disabilities in all social, political, and civil processes, in the spirit of “Nothing Without Us,” so that countries can fully benefit from their unique insights and expertise. During the first panel session on “Inclusion as a priority of all countries’ agenda,” the Minister referenced ongoing efforts to realize the goal of a barrier-free Canada as set out in the Accessible Canada Act, and highlighted significant actions being implemented under the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, including the new Canada Disability Benefit.

    Minister Khera encouraged G7 nations to consider the importance of initiatives that promote equal access to employment opportunities, highlighting Canada’s new Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities, which aims to close the employment gap between persons with disabilities and those without. The Minister also noted Canada’s dedication to ensuring that the design and use of artificial intelligence (AI) is safe, secure and protects the human rights of persons with disabilities. Accessibility Standards Canada is leading the development of a standard that aims to ensure the application of emerging technologies like AI are equitable, inclusive and do not introduce new barriers for persons with disabilities.

    On October 16, Ministers adopted the Solfagnano Charter, the Ministerial Declaration that identifies eight priorities and outlines recommendations and actions for G7 member countries, including universal accessibility, independent living, as well as inclusive education, employment and services.

    Minister Khera thanked the Italian Presidency for hosting the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Inclusion and Disability and stated that Canada is working hard to build a fairer and more equitable future where no one is left behind. 

    Waleed Saleem 
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities 
    waleed.saleem@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Imports Recovered in Q3 After Decline in H1

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The value of imports of goods and services in Q3 2024 increased mainly due to increased domestic demand and a stronger ruble on average over the quarter.

    At the same time, the value of exports of goods and services remained close to last year’s level. Companies changed the directions of deliveries, and this had a positive effect on exports. However, restrictions in a number of foreign countries and a reduction in oil production due to OPEC agreements leveled out this positive effect.

    As a result, with stable exports and expanding imports, the positive balance of the current account of the balance of payments decreased compared to the same period in 2023.

    Read more in the quarterly issue of the information and analytical commentary “Balance of Payments of the Russian Federation”.

    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.kbr.ru/press/event/?id=21097

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: On 18.10.2024, the deposit auction of JSC “Corporation “MSP” will take place

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters:

    The date of the deposit auction is 18.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 130,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 57. The date of depositing funds is 22.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 18.12.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 18.00. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 130,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 10:30 to 10:40. Applications in competition mode from 10:40 to 10:50. Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 11:30.

    Additional terms

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74077

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Denmark — 63-year-old man dies following single-vehicle collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 63-year-old man from Grand Falls, N.B., has died following a single-vehicle collision in New Denmark, N.B.

    On October 16, 2024, at approximately 9:50 a.m., members of the Saint-Léonard RCMP responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision on Route 108, in New Denmark.

    The collision is believed to have occurred when the vehicle, travelling Westbound, drove off of the road and flipped on its side. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was transported to hospital where he later died as a result of his injuries.

    Members of the Grand Falls (Drummond) Fire Department and Ambulance New Brunswick also attended the scene.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Sport is a tool for interethnic dialogue and strengthening peace

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    October 17, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    October 17, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    October 17, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    October 17, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    October 17, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa

    At the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – Sports Power” in Ufa, a plenary session on the topic “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” was held. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at it.

    “The prospects and the future of world sports really need serious, substantive discussion, a joint search for an answer to the question of how to overcome the difficult challenges of our time, prevent a split in the international sports family, cleanse sports of vulgar politicization, double standards, perverted rules, humiliating discrimination, including on the basis of citizenship and nationality of athletes,” the head of state emphasized.

    The moderator of the plenary session was Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    At the beginning of his speech, he quoted the President’s words: “Our country has been and remains one of the leading sports powers on the planet, the birthplace of great athletes, victories and records.” The Deputy Prime Minister noted that successes in the development of sports are achieved thanks to the synergy of efforts at all levels – government bodies, sports federations, societies, leagues, clubs, the media, as well as the contribution of the citizens themselves.

    According to the Deputy Prime Minister, sport is a powerful tool for interethnic dialogue, a means of building peace, friendship, and cooperation, including in the international arena.

    “Russia always remains true to the principle: sport is a universal language of communication, and it should be outside of politics. For our part, we consistently defend the ideals of fair, open sports competition and continue to strengthen our sports sovereignty. Now we are all consolidated around our President and are using this moment to build a modern sports management system, involving all industry participants, including public organizations, in key processes,” Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized.

    Russia continues to develop new formats of international competitions, free from the jurisdiction of politicized international sports organizations. One of the most striking examples is the “Games of the Future” project.

    The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the importance of developing sports infrastructure and increasing the level of public involvement in physical education and sports.

    “President Vladimir Putin set the task of involving 70% of our citizens in regular physical education and sports by 2030. To achieve this goal, the Strategy for the Development of Physical Education and Sports was adopted, which defines the main areas of development of the industry until the end of the decade. We see that the results are already truly tangible. Today, more than 56% of people are involved in physical education and sports, and the provision of sports facilities has reached 61.5%. There are about 350 thousand sports facilities of various levels in Russia. Funds for the creation of non-capital structures are also planned in our budget law. This is more than 19 billion, which will allow us to build 350 sports facilities annually,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    In 2023, 72 major sports facilities were put into operation. The plan for this year is another 85. Under the federal project “Business Sprint”, about 150 smart sites and modular halls were opened last year, and another 97 are planned for this year.

    There are about 24 million people registered in the GTO system. About 11 million of them successfully passed the standards and received badges.

    Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Bashkortostan Andrey Nazarov shared Bashkortostan’s experience in supporting non-governmental organizations in the sports industry.

    “Along with supporting state and municipal sports institutions, we involve and support non-governmental organizations. There are 133 public associations of physical culture and sports orientation registered in the republic, of which 122 are accredited regional sports federations,” said the acting Prime Minister.

    The event was also attended by the Minister of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Kovalchuk, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Iraq Ahmed Al-Mubarka, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Teju Lal Chaudhary, the President of the All-Russian Phygital Sports Federation Nikita Nagorny, the Minister of People’s Power for Youth and Sports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Arnaldo Sanchez, the Minister of Sports and Leisure of the Togolese Republic Lidi Bessi-Kama, the Deputy Governor of the Vologda Region Alexander Povetkin, the head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team Irina Viner, and Metropolitan Mitrofan of Murmansk and Monchegorsk.

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/53037/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio Urges Domestic Terrorism Investigation of Pro-Hamas Group

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Rubio Urges Domestic Terrorism Investigation of Pro-Hamas Group
    Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases

    Unity of Fields, a self-proclaimed pro-Hamas, anti-American “direct action network,” promotes acts of militant violence and propaganda against supporters of Israel. The pro-terrorist beliefs and actions of this group, including encouraging attacks on buildings and individuals, prompt a thorough investigation.    
    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General Merrick Garland urging a full investigation into Unity of Fields for acts of domestic terrorism before additional harm or actions jeopardize the United States or its citizens.
    “Unity of Fields runs counter to any of the beliefs and rights which underpin our country’s constitutional system and endangers citizens. As such, I look forward to your prompt investigation into Unity of Fields as you hold them accountable to the fullest extent under the law.”
    The full text of the letter is below. 
    Dear Attorney General Garland:
    I write with concern about the increasing violence promoted by groups such as Unity of Fields, formerly Palestine Action U.S., which explicitly support Palestinian terrorism and other anti-Israel, anti-American, and antisemitic terrorist organizations. I request that you immediately open a domestic terrorism investigation into Unity of Fields and utilize all resources available to hold this group accountable under the law.
    As you may know, Unity of Fields is an “anti-Zionist ‘direct action network’” focused on promoting acts of violence and protest against individuals or organizations that the group considers supportive of Israel, Zionism, or American imperialism. Prior to August 2024, the organization was called Palestine Action U.S. and served as a chapter for the United Kingdom-based Palestine Action. In an article originally published in May 2024, Unity of Fields highlighted several beliefs that underpin their movement. Specifically, the group calls for increased escalation in its activities, including no longer disavowing any action in pursuit of its Marxist, anti-Zionist, anti-American agenda, building up militancy infrastructure, and adherence to the belief that the “revolution will come within our lifetimes” as they “will make sure of it.”
    Further, the group encourages the study of revolutionary material in preparation for continued action against the United States and Israel. Specifically, Unity of Fields promotes the writings of Palestinian revolutionary and suspected terrorist Bassel Al-Araj, Mao Zedong’s On Guerilla Warfare, the United States Army Counterinsurgency Manuel as well as numerous other works focused around promoting and conducting insurgencies. The ultimate purpose of the group and its readings is “to open a new front against the US Empire [and] to build the international popular cradle of resistance.”
    Unsurprisingly, Unity of Fields’ efforts have contributed to a recent trend in increasing violence and vandalism against private property and individuals. On their X account, Unity of Fields promoted and encouraged violence in the name of Palestine and anti-Zionism, including a recent attack on the CCNY Advanced Science Research Center and individuals adhering to the belief that “Zionists don’t deserve to live,” even while claiming their organization “doesn’t do actions.”
    Under 18 U.S. Code § 2331, “domestic terrorism” is defined as any activity which “involves acts dangerous to human life that are in violation of the criminal laws” and includes the intent “to intimidate or coerce a civilian population” or “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.” Further, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed various terms and methodologies for investigating domestic terrorism threats and plots. Specifically, the FBI views a domestic terrorism plot “as a combination of criminal activity and planning that collectively reflect steps toward criminal action in furtherance of a domestic ideological goal.” A historical view of the Palestinian Resistance Movement demonstrates that violence has become a crucial element of the movement, especially between 1970 and 1973. This is seen among various terrorist spokes of the movement: Hamas, the PLFP, and the Islamic Jihad. Unity of Fields have been outspoken in transitioning into a militant propaganda organization and have cited Houthi Ansar Allah saying, “[t]he meaning of the unity of the fields is that we are all one hand, one leadership, one direction, one goal, and one approach, and any attack on any of the components of the Axis [including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Houthis, and various Shi’ite groups in Iraq and Syria] is considered a direct attack on us.”
    When comparing Unity of Fields’ own statements and actions to existing government standards for investigating these threats, I believe Unity of Fields should be investigated for any violations of the law before additional harm or actions jeopardizes the United States or its citizens. By rejecting nonviolent means and fully embracing revolutionary and insurgent related tactics as a means of pursuing its hateful beliefs, Unity of Fields runs counter to any of the beliefs and rights which underpin our country’s constitutional system, and endangers citizens. As such, I look forward to your prompt investigation into Unity of Fields as you hold them accountable to the fullest extent under the law.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. 
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –