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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: The U.S.-Germany  Partnership

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    On the occasion of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit to Germany, the United States reaffirms its commitment to deepening the close and historic bond between the two nations as Allies and friends.  For over 75 years, Germany has been a crucial partner in ensuring the stability, security, and prosperity of the transatlantic alliance.  In October 2023, President Biden welcomed President Steinmeier to Washington during German-American Day, underscoring the enduring people-to-people ties between our two countries, including the over 40 million Americans who claim German heritage and strengthen the diverse fabric of the United States.  In February 2024, President Biden welcomed Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the White House, where the two leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war of aggression, discussed regional stability in the Middle East, and prepared for the NATO Summit in Washington.
    During his visit to Germany, President Biden will underscore our mutual commitment to upholding democracy, combating antisemitism and hatred, and expanding collaboration to promote economic growth and technological innovation.  In addition, he will express gratitude to Germany for its role in hosting approximately 39,000 U.S. service members and its vital contributions to the security of NATO and the broader transatlantic community. 
    The United States and Germany are partners in a wide range of new and continuing initiatives to address the most pressing challenges of our time, some of which are listed below.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: The U.S.-Germany  Partnership

    Source: The White House

    On the occasion of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit to Germany, the United States reaffirms its commitment to deepening the close and historic bond between the two nations as Allies and friends.  For over 75 years, Germany has been a crucial partner in ensuring the stability, security, and prosperity of the transatlantic alliance.  In October 2023, President Biden welcomed President Steinmeier to Washington during German-American Day, underscoring the enduring people-to-people ties between our two countries, including the over 40 million Americans who claim German heritage and strengthen the diverse fabric of the United States.  In February 2024, President Biden welcomed Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the White House, where the two leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war of aggression, discussed regional stability in the Middle East, and prepared for the NATO Summit in Washington.

    During his visit to Germany, President Biden will underscore our mutual commitment to upholding democracy, combating antisemitism and hatred, and expanding collaboration to promote economic growth and technological innovation.  In addition, he will express gratitude to Germany for its role in hosting approximately 39,000 U.S. service members and its vital contributions to the security of NATO and the broader transatlantic community. 

    The United States and Germany are partners in a wide range of new and continuing initiatives to address the most pressing challenges of our time, some of which are listed below.

    # # #

    SECURITY AND DEFENSE

    • The United States and Germany cooperate through several multilateral institutions including NATO, the G7, the OSCE, and the UN, to advance security, democracy, and the rule of law globally.
    • As host to the largest U.S. troop presence in Europe and second largest globally, Germany continues to play a critical role as a platform for U.S. military force projection, including support for NATO’s eastern flank and training for Ukrainian soldiers. 
    • Germany has been a key provider of military assistance to Ukraine in its defense against the Kremlin’s aggression.  Contributions include advanced weaponry such as Leopard 2 tanks, air defense systems (such as IRIS-T), artillery, and ammunition. Germany also supplies medical aid, vehicles, and training for Ukrainian forces, continuously adapting its support to Ukraine’s evolving needs in coordination with NATO allies.
    • As announced by President Biden and Chancellor Scholz on July 10, 2024, the United States looks forward to beginning the episodic deployments of its Multi-Domain Task Force in Germany in 2026, as part of planning for enduring stationing of these conventional long-range fire capabilities in the future.
    • Germany plays a key role in the U.S-Italy co-led G7+ Coordination Group for Ukraine Energy Security Support.  Germany has been a leading provider of financial assistance and critical components such as transformers and power generators to support the repair and strengthening of Ukraine’s energy sector in response to Russia’s continued brutal attacks on civilian infrastructure.
    • Germany is a robust partner in the fight against terrorism and terrorism financing, in the Financial Action Task Force, and as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS).  On September 30, State Secretary Tobias Lindner joined Secretary Blinken for the D-Isis Ministerial Meeting in Washington, D.C. 
    • Germany will accede to Operation Olympic Defender, a U.S.-led multinational effort intended to strengthen nations’ abilities to deter hostile acts in space, strengthen deterrence against hostile actors, and reduce the spread of debris orbiting the earth. International partners currently include the UK, Canada, and Australia.

    DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

    • As the second-largest provider of assistance to Ukraine after the United States, Germany has provided $37.2 billion (€34 billion) in bilateral assistance since February 2022.  This includes humanitarian assistance, budgetary support, military equipment and training, and funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction.  Germany hosted an international reconstruction conference for Ukraine in Berlin in June 2024 which generated over €60 billion in commitments to Ukraine and emphasized the human dimension of post-war recovery.
    • At the September 2024 United Nations General Assembly, the United States, in partnership with Germany and other international allies, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting democratic transitions as part of the Democracy Delivers Initiative, launched by USAID.  The initiative mobilized over $517 million to provide financial and technical assistance to countries undergoing democratic renewal, including Guatemala, Armenia, and Moldova, with the aim of strengthening global democratic resilience.
    • Germany has increasingly recognized the importance of supporting Taiwan as a like-minded democratic partner.  Education Minister Stark-Watzinger’s visit to Taiwan in 2023 marked the first visit by a German minister to Taiwan in 26 years.  Two German warships recently transited the Taiwan Strait, a visible demonstration of Germany’s commitment to upholding international laws and norms and increasing engagement to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
    • Germany was one of the first of twenty-one countries to endorse the U.S. government’s Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation, the U.S. Department of State’s key initiative to galvanize like-minded democracies to respond collectively to the threat posed by disinformation.  

    ECONOMICS & TRADE

    • Germany is the United States’ largest trading partner in Europe, with bilateral trade reaching over $324 billion in goods and services in 2023.  U.S. direct investment in Germany was $193.2 billion in 2023.  In total, German firms employ an estimated 923,600 people in the United States.  Germany is the fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States and the number one foreign investor in U.S. renewable energy projects.  Germany is currently the third-largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States, with investments worth more than $660 billion based on 2023 data.
    • On September 24, 2024, the United States and Germany held the third round of the U.S.-Germany Economic Dialogue, building on the framework established in the 2021 Washington Declaration.  The talks focused on strengthening collaboration to increase economic security, including cooperation in sectors such as digital technologies and clean energy supply chains.  Both countries committed to enhancing supply chain resilience and advancing sustainability goals.
    • Germany and the United States partner on several initiatives to advance women’s economic security around the world, including bolstering women’s participation in climate sectors through the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative, closing the gender digital divide through the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative, and supporting women to join the workforce by investing in efforts to close the global childcare gap through the Invest in Childcare Initiative.

    COMBATTING ANTISEMITISM:

    •  Germany is a global leader and vital partner in the fight against antisemitism and extremism.  Senior officials are unequivocal in condemning antisemitism and federal and state governments have robust strategies for tackling the problem.  In July 2024, Germany co-launched the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism in Buenos Aires, an initiative led by U.S. Special Envoy Deborah Lipstadt.
    • Launched in 2021, The U.S.-Germany Dialogue on Holocaust Issues, plays an essential role in combatting Holocaust distortion online and promoting accurate Holocaust education and commemoration.
    • Germany and the United States cooperate on improving resolution to Nazi-confiscated art to ensure just and fair solutions for survivors and heirs, and salute Germany’s new art restitution policy.

    EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES

    • The German-American Fulbright program is one of the largest and most varied of the Fulbright Programs worldwide, sponsoring over 40,000 Germans and Americans since its inception in 1952.
    • Established in 2016 as a public-private partnership, each year the USA For You program brings youth from underserved German communities to the United States for a two-week homestay and community service experience.  The program promotes civic engagement and helps counter extremism and xenophobia by fostering cultural understanding.  In 2023, the German government launched a reciprocal Germany for You program, allowing American high school students to visit Germany for a similar exchange, further strengthening transatlantic ties.
    • The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), jointly funded by the United States and German governments, supports the transatlantic relationship by fostering year-long academic, homestay, and community service opportunities for 700 American and German youth annually.  Since 1983, CBYX has promoted cross-cultural understanding, professional skills, and mutual awareness of each nation’s history, politics, and society.  With around 15,000 German and 14,000 American participants to date, the program strengthens ties and deepens the transatlantic partnership between the next generation of leaders.
    • The German Bundestag-Bundesrat exchange (CBBSX) program is an annual two-way exchange between German Bundestag and Bundesrat staff and U.S. Congressional staff members.  It was initiated during the 1983 German-American Tricentennial celebration and first implemented in 1984.  Participants focus on the U.S. legislative process and U.S.-German relations; examining U.S. Congress and the U.S. political system.  In 2024 the IVLP brought 10 German Bundestag and Bundesrat staff members to the United States.  For the first time, CBBSX participants also engaged with state and local government.

    SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT, SPACE, & TECHNOLOGY

    • On January 10, 2024, the United States and Germany held a U.S.-Germany Critical and Emerging Technology Track 1.5 Dialogue to share strategic objectives, outlooks, and lessons learned in technological innovation. The two countries agreed to convene the first of an ongoing AI Dialogue to discuss approaches to AI governance, infrastructure and innovation, and applications of AI for good. They intend to hold the first session of this dialogue in early 2025.
    • Furthering their commitment to monitoring the effects of climate change, the United States and Germany have partnered on space collaboration through NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, which monitors Earth’s water movement by tracking shifts in gravity.  This mission provides critical data for managing water resources, monitoring sea levels, and understanding climate change impacts on a global scale.
    • The U.S.-Germany scientific partnership was further strengthened throughfunding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) program, which advances cutting-edge research in brain function and computational neuroscience.  This initiative supports interdisciplinary approaches to understanding neural systems.
    • On September 14, 2023, the United States and Germany held the inaugural U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue, advancing collaboration in space exploration, satellite technology, and space security.  This dialogue promotes joint efforts in planetary science, climate monitoring, and managing space debris, while advancing international norms for responsible space operations.

    CLIMATE & ENERGY

    • In July 2021, the United States and Germany launched the U.S.-Germany Climate and Energy Partnership to deepen collaboration on the policies and sustainable technologies needed to accelerate the global net-zero future.  Notable outcomes of the Partnership include the first U.S.-Germany Climate and Energy Summit held in Pittsburgh September 2022, and the U.S.-German Clean Hydrogen Conference held in Berlin October 2023.
    • Beyond our strong bilateral partnership, the United States and Germany are also intensifying our cooperation to accelerate the clean energy transition and promote clean economic growth in emerging and developing economies.  This includes leveraging and scaling-up our collective technical, policy, and financial support to catalyze investments in clean energy manufacturing and industrial decarbonization in developing countries, leveraging key international platforms such as the Climate Club and Clean Technology Fund.

    GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

    • The United States participated in the International Humanitarian Conference on Sudan, hosted by France, Germany, and the European Commission on April 15, 2024, to address the vital need for greater humanitarian assistance for the Sudanese people.
    • The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) are strengthening their partnership through a Strategic Development Dialogue.  This initiative focuses on joint efforts to tackle global challenges in climate change, food security, gender equality, health, and G7 development priorities.
    • The United States and Germany have worked closely across multiple presidencies of the G7 Food Security Working Group to support efforts to achieve long-term food and nutrition security.  As most recently affirmed in the Apulia G7 Leaders’ Communiqué, both countries have committed to promoting and supporting multi-stakeholder programs to build climate resilience in our food systems.  These programs include the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils, launched by the United States in partnership with the African Union and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could a recent ruling change the game for scam victims? Here’s why the banks will be watching closely

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne

    Meteoritka/Shutterstock

    In Australia, it’s scam victims who foot the bill for the overwhelming majority of the money lost to scams each year.

    A 2023 review by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) found banks detected and stopped only a small proportion of scams. The total amount banks paid in compensation paled in comparison to total losses.

    So, it was a strong statement this week when it was revealed the Australian Financial Conduct Authority (AFCA) had ordered a bank – HSBC – to compensate a customer who lost more than $47,000 through a sophisticated bank impersonation or “spoofing” scam.

    This decision was significant. An AFCA determination is binding on the relevant bank or other financial institution, which has no direct right of appeal. It could have implications for the way similar cases are treated in future.

    The ruling comes amid a broader push for sector-wide reforms to give banks more responsibility for detecting, deterring and responding to scams, as opposed to simply telling customers to be “more careful”.

    Here’s what you should know about this landmark ruling, and what it might mean for consumers.



    Read more:
    Australia’s new scam prevention draft is welcome – but it needs to be broader in scope

    A highly sophisticated ‘spoofing’ scam

    You might be familiar with “push payment” scams that trick the victim into paying money to a dummy account. These include the “mum I’ve lost my phone” scam and some romance scams.

    The recent case concerned an equally noxious “bank impersonation” or “spoofing” scam. The complainant – referred to as “Mr T” – was tricked into giving the scammer access to his HSBC account, from which an unauthorised payment was made.

    The victim was duped into providing passcodes to access his online banking account.
    tsingha25/Shutterstock

    The scammer sent Mr T a text message, purportedly asking him to investigate an attempted Amazon transaction.

    In an effort to respond to the (fake) unauthorised Amazon purchase, Mr T revealed security passcodes to the scammer, enabling them to transfer $47,178.54 from his account and disappear with it.

    The fact Mr T was dealing with scammers was far from obvious – scammers had information about him one might reasonably expect only a bank would know, such as his bank username.

    On top of this, the scam text message appeared in a thread of other legitimate text messages that had previously been sent by the real HSBC.

    AFCA’s ruling

    HSBC argued to AFCA that having to pay compensation should be ruled out under the ePayments Code, a voluntary code of practice administered by ASIC.

    Under this code, a bank is not required to compensate a customer for an unauthorised payment if that customer has disclosed their passcode. The bank argued the complainant had voluntarily disclosed these codes to the scammer, meaning the bank didn’t need to pay.

    AFCA disagreed. It noted the very way the scam had worked was by creating a sense of urgency and crisis. AFCA considered that the complainant had been manipulated into disclosing the passcodes and had not acted voluntarily.

    AFCA awarded compensation covering the vast majority of the disputed transaction amount, lost interest charged to a home loan account, and $5,000 towards Mr T’s legal costs.

    It also ordered the bank to pay compensation of $1,000 for poor customer service in dealing with the matter, including communication delays.

    Other cases may be more complex

    In this case, the determination was relatively straightforward. It found Mr T had not voluntarily disclosed his account information, so was not excluded from being compensated under the ePayments Code.

    However, many payment scams fall outside the ePayments Code because they involve the customer directly sending money to the scammer (as opposed to the scammer accessing the customer’s account). That means there is no code to direct compensation.

    Still, AFCA’s jurisdiction is broader than merely applying a code. In considering compensation for scam losses, AFCA must consider what is “fair in all the circumstances”. This means taking into account:

    • legal principles
    • applicable industry codes
    • good industry practice
    • previous AFCA decisions.

    Relevant factors might well include whether the bank was proactive in responding to known scams, as well as the challenges for individual customers in identifying scams.

    Broader reforms are on the way

    At the heart of this determination by AFCA is a recognition that, increasingly, detecting sophisticated scams can be next to impossible for customers, which can mean they don’t act voluntarily in making payments to scammers.

    Similar reasoning has informed a range of recent reform initiatives that put more responsibility for detecting and responding to scams on the banks, rather than their customers.

    In 2023, Australia’s banking sector committed to a new “Scam-Safe Accord”. This is a commitment to implement new measures to protect customers, including a confirmation of payee service, delays for new payments, and biometric identity checks for new accounts.

    Tech platforms – including social media giants – would have to take more proactive steps against scams under proposed new legislation.
    Primakov/Shutterstock

    Changes on the horizon could be more ambitious and significant.

    The proposed Scams Prevention Framework legislation would require Australian banks, telcos and digital platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent, detect, report, disrupt and respond to scams.

    It would also include a compulsory external dispute resolution process, like AFCA’s, for consumers seeking compensation for when any of these institutions fail to comply.

    Addressing scams is not just an Australian issue. In the United Kingdom, newly introduced rules make paying and receiving banks responsible for compensating customers, for scam losses up to £85,000 (A$165,136), unless the customer is grossly negligent.

    Jeannie Marie Paterson has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council and conducted research for ASIC and AFCA. She is currently working on a project on AFCA determinations with Dr Nicola Howell and Evgenia Bourova. The scams research has been assisted by Andrew Lim.

    Nicola Howell has previously conducted funded research for ASIC and is currently working on a project on AFCA determinations with Professor Jeannie Paterson and Evgenia Bourova. Nicola is affiliated with the Consumers’ Federation of Australia, as a member of the CFA Executive.

    – ref. Could a recent ruling change the game for scam victims? Here’s why the banks will be watching closely – https://theconversation.com/could-a-recent-ruling-change-the-game-for-scam-victims-heres-why-the-banks-will-be-watching-closely-241558

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU is the leader in the BRICS ranking among Russian universities located in the regions

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The Association of Rating Compilers (ACR) has published Pilot ranking of universities in the BRICS countries. The final list included 600 educational institutions from ten Commonwealth countries: Brazil, Egypt, India, Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and South Africa. Russia became the second country in the ranking by the number of participants – 161 universities. Novosibirsk State is in 19th place in the overall ranking, occupying the highest positions among Russian universities located in the regions.

    In general, the BRICS rating methodology repeats the methodology of the “Three University Missions” rating, but takes into account the national characteristics of the countries that are part of the association. The university’s activities are also characterized in three areas: education, science, and relations with society. The difference is that the weights of some indicators have been changed and one new indicator has been added: “the number of joint scientific publications with BRICS partners.”

    — NSU’s high positions in the BRICS university rankings are explained by several factors. First of all, this is the quality of education and scientific activity. A positive impact was exerted by the increase in the significance of such an indicator as “the number of victories of university students in international student Olympiads” (data on Olympiads were taken into account from 2019 to 2023). And also the addition of such a criterion as the number of scientific works in partnership with colleagues from BRICS countries to the new ranking. NSU is traditionally strong in international scientific ties, especially with the states that are part of this association. We currently have 126 partner universities in 24 countries of the world, more than 300 publications with foreign co-authors are published annually, — noted NSU Rector, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.

    A total of 24 Russian universities made it into the top hundred of the ranking. The highest positions were taken by Moscow State University (2nd place), St. Petersburg State University (5th place), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (6th place), HSE (10th place) and MEPhI (15th place). Next come universities located in the regions, among which the leader is Novosibirsk State University (19th place), followed by Tomsk State University (36th place) and Ural Federal University (38th place).

    The strongest point of Russian universities is the quality of education; 39 educational institutions in Russia were included in the top 100 universities according to this group of criteria, with 10 of them being in the top twenty.

    Rating information:

    The idea of the ranking was proposed in 2023 by representatives of South Africa, and in the same year it was enshrined in the declaration following the meeting of the BRICS education ministers. The BRICS principles on which the ranking was formed werevoicedat the congress of the Russian Union of Rectors in July 2024, and then they were discussed and supported by the working groups of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Education and the Ministry of Education and Science. Principlespublishedon the website of the rating “Three University Missions”.

    Full list of universities, included in the rating.

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

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

    http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/ngu-leader-in-brix-rating-among-russian-universities-located-in-regions-/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Coop Pank unaudited financial results for Q3 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    By the end of the Q3 2024, Coop Pank had 202,000 customers, increased by 6,000 customers in the quarter (+3%) and by 27,000 in the year (+15%). The bank had 90,100 active customers, increased by 600 (+1%) in the quarter and by 12,700 (+16%) in the year.

    In Q3 2024, volume of deposits in Coop Pank increased by 99 million euros (+6%), reaching total of 1.84 billion euros. Deposits from private clients increased by 9 million euros: demand deposits increased by 3 million euros and term deposits increased by 6 million euros. Deposits from domestic business customers increased by 11 million euros: demand deposits increased by 17 million euros and term deposits decreased by 6 million euros. Deposits from the international deposit platform Raisin and other financing increased by 79 million euros. Compared to Q3 2023, volume of Coop Pank’s deposits has increased by 132 million euros (+8%). In an annual comparison, share of demand deposits of total deposits has increased from 31% to 32%. In Q3 2024, the bank’s financing cost was 3.3%, at the same time last year the financing cost was 2.9%.

    In Q3 2024, net loan portfolio of Coop Pank increased by 40 million euros (+2%), reaching 1.66 billion euros. The volumes of home loan portfolio increased by 31 million euros (+5%), the volumes of business loan portfolio increased by 4 million euros (+1%), the leasing portfolio increased by 3 million euros (+2%) and consumer finance portfolio increased by 1 million euros (+1%). Compared to Q3 2023, total loan portfolio of Coop Pank has increased by 167 million euros (+11%).

    In Q3 2024, overdue loan portfolio of Coop Pank increased from the level of 2.2% to the level of 2.4%. A year ago, overdue loan portfolio was at the level of 2.1%.

    Impairment costs of financial assets in Q3 2024 were 1.0 million euros, which is 0.2 million euros (-17%) less than in the previous quarter and 0,3 million euros (-21%) less than in Q3 2023.

    Net income of Coop Pank in Q3 2024 was 21.2 million euros, increasing by 4% in a quarterly comparison and decreasing by 7% in an annual comparison. Operating expenses reached 10.3 million euros in Q3, operating expenses increased by 2% in the quarterly comparison and 14% in the annual comparison.

    In Q3 2024, net profit of Coop Pank was 8.6 million euros, which is 8% more than in the previous quarter and 22% less than a year ago. In Q3 2024, cost to income ratio of the bank was 48% and return on equity was 17.3%.

    As of 30 September 2024, Coop Pank has 36,400 shareholders.

    Margus Rink, Chairman of the Management Board of Coop Pank, comments the results:

    “At the beginning of September, the 200,000th customer joined Coop Pank. We continue to rapidly grow our customer base: an average, the number of our customers increases by nearly 2,000 and the number of customers actively using our services by nearly 1,000 every month.

    In the third quarter, the growth of Coop Pank’s loan portfolio was driven by private customer home loans. The growth of the business customers loan portfolio was modest. Over the year, the loan portfolio of private and business customers of Estonian banks has grown by nearly 6% (€1.6 billion), while the loan portfolio of Coop Pank has grown by nearly 11% (€167 million). Thus, Coop Pank’s loan volumes grow twice as fast as the market.

    The quality of the loan portfolio continues to be very good, and the long stagnation in the economy has not affected the payment behaviour of customers.

    The interest rate environment is in a downward trend. Since the fall of last year, the 6-month Euribor has fallen by almost 1 percentage point (from 4.1% to 3.1%). Interest on deposits has also responded: the interest paid on annual deposits has decreased by 1 percentage point (from 4.3% to 3.3%). As a result of the mentioned trends, our net interest margin fell from 4.4% to 3.9% during the year. In a falling interest rate environment, the bank’s revenues can only grow at the expense of the growth of business volumes, and that is how it has been at Coop Pank.

    In summary, with the bank’s performance indicators, after the extraordinary year of 2023 with high interest levels, we are back in reality, i.e. at the level of 2022. According to Coop Pank’s long-term goals, our cost-income ratio is below 50% and our return on equity is above 15%.”

    Income statement, in th. of euros Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 9M 2024 9M 2023
    Net interest income 20 021 19 319 21 257 58 420 60 672
    Net fee and commission income 1 040 1 000 1 147 3 054 3 359
    Net other income 167 146 334 438 758
    Total net income 21 228 20 464 22 738 61 912 64 789
    Payroll expenses -6 138 -5 858 -5 297 -17 405 -14 739
    Marketing expenses -593 -775 -630 -1 902 -1 676
    Rental and office expenses, depr. of tangible assets -729 -775 -673 -2 299 -2 098
    IT expenses and depr. of intangible assets -1 579 -1 474 -1 203 -4 457 -3 440
    Other operating expenses -1 221 -1 208 -1 218 -3 716 -3 230
    Total operating expenses -10 261 -10 091 -9 022 -29 777 -25 182
    Net profit before impairment losses 10 967 10 374 13 716 32 135 39 607
    Impairment costs on financial assets -1 022 -1 224 -1 296 -2 822 -5 155
    Net profit before income tax 9 945 9 150 12 420 29 313 34 452
    Income tax expenses -1 296 -1 152 -1 344 -3 528 -3 634
    Net profit for the period 8 649 7 998 11 076 25 785 30 818
               
    Earnings per share, eur 0,08 0,08 0,11 0,25 0,30
    Diluted earnings per share, eur 0,08 0,08 0,11 0,25 0,30
    Statement of financial position, in th. of euros 30.09.2024 30.06.2024 31.12.2023 30.09.2023
    Cash and cash equivalents 404 472 335 710 428 354 404 911
    Debt securities 37 445 36 980 36 421 31 765
    Loans to customers 1 661 152 1 621 000 1 490 873 1 493 985
    Other assets 31 956 32 608 30 564 30 527
    Total assets 2 135 025 2 026 298 1 986 212 1 961 188
    Customer deposits and loans received 1 838 626 1 739 709 1 721 765 1 707 214
    Other liabilities 28 026 28 121 28 435 27 451
    Subordinated debt 63 410 63 148 50 187 50 148
    Total liabilities 1 930 062 1 830 978 1 800 387 1 784 813
    Equity 204 963 195 320 185 825 176 375
    Total liabilities and equity 2 135 025 2 026 298 1 986 212 1 961 188

    The reports of Coop Pank are available at: https://www.cooppank.ee/en/reporting

    Coop Pank will organise a webinar on 18 October 2024 at 9:00 AM, to present the financial results of Q3 2024. For participation, please register in advance at: https://bit.ly/18102024-registreerumine-veebiseminarile

    The webinar will be recorded and published on the company’s website http://www.cooppank.ee and on the YouTube channel.

    Coop Pank, based on Estonian capital, is one of the five universal banks operating in Estonia. The bank has 202,000 daily banking clients. Coop Pank aims to put the synergy generated by the interaction of retail business and banking to good use and to bring everyday banking services closer to people’s homes. The strategic shareholder of the bank is the domestic retail chain Coop Eesti, comprising of 320 stores.

    Additional information:
    Paavo Truu
    CFO
    Phone: +372 516 0231
    E-mail: paavo.truu@cooppank.ee

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia announces changes to its Group Leadership Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    18 October 2024 at 08:00 EEST

    Nokia announces changes to its Group Leadership Team

    • Nokia has decided to divide its Corporate Affairs function into two separate functions: Geopolitics and Government Relations; and Communications.
    • Finland’s former Ambassador to the U.S. Mikko Hautala will join Nokia as Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer, and he will become a member of the Group Leadership Team.
    • Louise Fisk has been promoted to Chief Communications Officer and will become a member of the Group Leadership Team.
    • Melissa Schoeb, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, has decided to leave the company and will step down from the Group Leadership Team.
    • Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies business group, has decided to leave the company and will step down from the Group Leadership Team.

    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced changes to its Group Leadership Team. Its Corporate Affairs function, which is responsible for protecting and enhancing Nokia’s reputation, will be divided into two parts: Geopolitics and Government Relations; and Communications. Former Finland ambassador to the U.S. Mikko Hautala has been appointed Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer and member of the Group Leadership Team, effective November 1, 2024. Louise Fisk has been promoted to Chief Communications Officer, and member of the Group Leadership Team, effective immediately. Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Melissa Schoeb, has decided to leave the company, effective December 31, 2024, and step down from the Group Leadership Team immediately.

    In addition, President of Nokia Technologies, Jenni Lukander, has decided to leave the company, effective December 31, 2024, and will step down from the Group Leadership Team immediately. Patrik Hammaren, who is currently Chief Licensing Officer, Wireless Technologies, will assume an interim role leading Nokia Technologies and will be a member of the Group Leadership Team as the search commences for Lukander’s successor.

    “Jenni has been a valued member of the Group Leadership Team and played a crucial role in securing the long-term stability of our Technologies business, building a solid foundation for the future. The business group will now move into the next phase of its growth journey. I’m grateful for Jenni’s contribution to Nokia over the past 17 years and for her support during the upcoming transition. I wish her all the best for the next chapter of her career,” said Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia.

    As the impact geopolitics has on Nokia’s business continues to grow, the company has taken the decision to establish the new role of Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer. Mikko Hautala has been appointed to this role and will be based in Espoo, Finland, reporting to Pekka Lundmark.

    Hautala is a highly respected diplomat with over two decades of government experience in prominent roles across the world. He served as Finland’s ambassador to the United States between 2020 and 2024. Prior to that, he was the Ambassador of Finland to Russia between 2016 and 2020, and has held a range of government roles, including foreign policy advisor to Finland’s former President Sauli Niinistö.

    “Mikko’s vast experience, excellent networks and deep understanding of international diplomacy will be hugely valuable to Nokia as geopolitical factors and government policies increasingly shape our operating environment. I’m excited to welcome Mikko to the Nokia team and believe his unique strategic perspective will help strengthen our positioning in our key markets,” said Lundmark.

    “I am extremely delighted to join Nokia’s leadership team at the moment when geopolitical and strategic considerations matter more than ever. Navigating the right path under these conditions is demanding, but offers great potential for sustainable business growth,” said Hautala.

    As Nokia continues to strengthen its position and expand into new markets, the company has promoted Louise Fisk to Chief Communications Officer. She will continue to be based in London, U.K. and report to Pekka Lundmark. Fisk’s previous role at Nokia was VP, Corporate Affairs Programs & Corporate Communications. Before joining Nokia, she worked in a number of senior leadership roles, including BAE Systems Applied Intelligence and Logica.

    “I’m pleased to welcome Louise to our leadership team where she will further strengthen our strategic communications and brand positioning. Louise has already proven her ability to protect and enhance Nokia’s reputation and I look forward to her further developing our strategic positioning. I would also like to thank Melissa for her contribution, not least for delivering our brand refresh in 2023 to reposition Nokia as who we are today: a B2B technology innovation leader. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors,” said Lundmark.

    In the new setup, Nokia’s Sustainability team, previously part of the Corporate Affairs function, will report to Chief Legal Officer, Esa Niinimäki, with immediate effect.

    About Mikko Hautala:

    Born: 1972

    Nationality: Finnish

    Education:

    • Master of Social Sciences (Political history), University of Helsinki
    • Master of Philosophy (Slavic languages), University of Helsinki

    Experience:

    • 2020–2024        Ambassador, Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Washington DC 2016–2020        Ambassador, Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Moscow
    • 2012–2016        Foreign Policy Adviser to the President, Office of the President of the Republic of Finland, Helsinki
    • 2011–2012        Minister, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Moscow
    • 2007–2011        Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Helsinki
    • 2002–2007        First Secretary, Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, Brussels
    • 2001–2002        Attaché, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Helsinki 1999–2001        Attaché, Embassy of Finland, Kyiv
    • 1998–1999        Visa Officer, Embassy of Finland, Kyiv
    • 1998        Market Analyst, Kazakhstan, Oy Sinebrychoff Ab, Helsinki
    • 1997        Trainee, Embassy of Finland, Kyiv

    Additional positions:

    • Board Member Support for Finnish Society (SYT) foundation.
    • Chairman John Morton Center for North American Studies Board. University of Turku.

    About Louise Fisk:

    Born: 1976

    Nationality: British

    Education:

    • Advanced executive leadership development, DUKE University.
    • Advanced global leadership, INSEAD business school
    • Post graduate diploma in PR & Journalism, University of Wales, College of Cardiff
    • BA Hons in Communication, University of Wales, College of Cardiff

    Experience:

    • 2020-2024 Vice President, Corporate Affairs Programs & Corporate Communications, Nokia.
    • 2015-2019 Global leadership team, Communications and Marketing Director, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence.
    • 2012-2015 Head of Global Communications, Investor Relations and Marketing, Innovation Group.
    • 2006-2012 Global PR Director & Deputy Communications Director, Logica.
    • 1999-2006 Partner & Associate Director, LEWIS Communications.

    Additional positions:

    • Trustee of the Williams Syndrome Foundation

    About Nokia

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

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

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

    Inquiries:

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial experts tell how to best fight fraudsters

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Faculty of Economics, Novosibirsk State University held a “Financial Literacy Day,” during which five representatives of banks and consulting companies shared their experience in combating fraudsters.

    This topic is relevant for students not only because today the victims of telephone scammers are very different people. The faculty trains future economists, so it is important that they are also prepared in the field of fraud prevention, since the price of a mistake by a bank employee, broker or expert of a consulting agency can be very high.

    — I think the event was a success, the lectures were very diverse and informative. I judge by the fact that I myself heard a lot of new things. I think we will continue to hold such events in the future, — noted Deputy Dean of the NSU Faculty of Economics Naimdzhon Ibragimov.

    — The Faculty of Economics, including student clubs, often organize thematic meetings for students. The issue of financial literacy and the topic of fraud are relevant now. Despite the fact that the problem of fraud is not new, the number of deceived people remains significant. And this can be due to different factors, of which I would highlight two: the first is that modern technologies are used not only by honest people, the second is that there are features of the psychology of perception of information that fraudsters know and use. These issues need to be discussed. This can be useful for young people, — said Svetlana Bekareva, head of the Department of Finance and Credit of the Faculty of Economics of NSU.

    In their speeches, the experts touched on various aspects of the financial security problem. Sberbank representatives shared advice on how to protect yourself from fraudsters and told in more detail about the principles on which Sber’s ecosystem is built (which has long included not only the banking infrastructure itself).

    Yulia Krasnova, head of the Novosibirsk branch of the large audit company DRT, described the methods used by fraudsters to increase the attractiveness of their reporting for investors.

    The head of the Siberian regional center Kept Leonid Kozlenko, using specific examples, revealed the mechanisms for combating fraud that modern businesses use.

    — I really liked the concept of this event, so we gladly responded to the invitation. We generally really like communicating with students, so our company has many different joint projects with the NSU Faculty of Economics. Their subject matter is much broader than financial security issues, they relate to both training and smooth introduction to the profession of future graduates, — Leonid Kozlenko emphasized.

    The speech by the director of the SFM company, PhD in economics Andrey Bekarev was devoted to the psychology of fraud. Using examples from the documentary, she showed how one can manipulate a person’s opinion quite strongly, and this influence remains unnoticed by him. And as a result, he perceives other people’s assessments, views as his own and makes decisions on their basis that are beneficial to the manipulator.

    — Modern propaganda and marketing technologies influence us much more than we are used to thinking. And this is often used for nefarious purposes, like the same scammers we have been talking about all day today. I would like to draw attention to this with my lecture. I hope this will help you maintain independent thinking and reduce the risks of becoming a victim of someone else’s manipulation, — Andrey Bekarev addressed his listeners.

    Financial Literacy Day attracted the interest of students from various fields of study. Some of the students have been participating in the events of the Faculty of Economics for several years now, and began to get involved in the topic of finances back in school.

    — Last year I attended the Financier’s Day, which was held by the Financial Club and the Faculty of Economics. I was not yet a student of the Faculty of Economics at that time and I really liked the interesting and useful lectures and, of course, the competitions. Today’s event is smaller in scale than the Financier’s Day, but the idea is about the same. I was the host of the game part in the question-and-answer format. It is interesting that people from different fields took part in them, for example, historians and journalists, — shared Mikhail Muravyov, a first-year student of the Faculty of Economics, the Jurisprudence field.

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

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

    http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/experts-in-the-finance-tell-how-best-to-deal-with-scammers-/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens O. Zinn, T.R. Ashworth Associate Professor in Sociology, The University of Melbourne

    Climate change is increasing the risk of extreme weather events for Australian households. Floods and bushfires are becoming more likely and severe. As a result, household insurance costs are soaring – tripling in some cases. High-risk areas might even become uninsurable.

    The national housing crisis is pushing low-income households in particular to seek affordable housing in areas at risk of flooding. There they can become trapped in a vicious cycle. Unable to pay soaring insurance premiums in these areas, they also can’t afford housing elsewhere.

    The regulation of housing in Australia traditionally relies on well-informed buyers being responsible for managing the risks. But our new study found home buyers are often not aware of the long-term risks.

    Only after they’ve bought the home do they start thinking about these risks. When faced with unexpected high insurance costs, many opt to take the risk of being underinsured or even uninsured. This leaves them highly vulnerable.

    The National Strategy for Disaster Resilience promotes a shared-responsibility concept. However, we found the main responsibility still lies with households. And they are not equipped to cope with the increasing complexity, impacts and costs of extreme weather events.

    What’s wrong with the current approach?

    The uncertain knowledge about future extreme weather events is challenging the traditional prioritising of individual responsibility. It’s becoming even harder for households to make informed decisions based on past experiences.

    Government efforts to regulate increasing flooding events might not be effective when households do not want to relocate or cannot afford housing elsewhere.

    Governments are also under pressure to jump in to compensate households for the costs of extreme weather damage.

    Our research found a number of issues prevent efficient regulation:

    • stakeholders such as the insurance industry and home lenders face legal hurdles to sharing data and giving financial advice for housing in high-risk areas

    • well-intended measures such as buybacks and planned relocations can fail when they do not relate to people’s experiences and life situation, such as limited financial resources and deep connections to a place and community

    • households’ motivation to insure themselves might decrease if they can expect government to provide compensation as a de facto last insurer.

    Who is responsible for what?

    In Australia, responsibility for managing extreme weather events is roughly divided among three main stakeholders: the three levels of government, businesses and households.

    Within the three levels of government, states and territories bear the main responsibility for managing extreme weather events. They do so through disaster risk management plans and policies, hazard prevention and land-use planning.

    Yet housing is still built in flood-prone regions. It happens where commercial interests conflict with regional planning, and governments are under pressure to deliver housing for growing populations.

    After extreme weather hits, house and contents insurance cover is key for a household to recover. But insurance costs are based on the risk of events such as flooding. As these risks rise, premiums may also increase and become unaffordable. The Climate Council estimates one out of 25 properties will even become uninsurable by 2030.

    When housing is built in at-risk areas, under the current system home buyers are largely responsible for informing themselves about the risks of floods, bushfires and other natural disasters. Our research suggests many are struggling to estimate what insurance is likely to cost them.

    To prepare for these costs before they invest in a home, they must assess their own risk, know the value of their house and contents and calculate the costs of rebuilding after a disaster. They must also take into account increasing costs for builders and materials after an extreme weather event.

    Climate change is making these already complex calculations even more difficult.

    Our study is based on interviews with 26 insurance, legal, financial, policy and urban planning experts. Despite the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience’s concept of shared responsibility, we found most of the burden still falls on households.

    Yet households often lack the knowledge to assess the risks. The data and information are either unavailable, or hard to access and understand.

    These difficulties, coupled with the complex language of insurance contracts, contribute to high numbers of underinsured and uninsured households.

    The Australian government responded in 2022 by setting up a cyclone reinsurance pool. Its aim is to keep premiums for households and businesses affordable.

    There are also government buyback programs or relocation plans to move people out of high-risk regions. As noted above, though, these don’t always suit households when offered away from their communities or full costs aren’t adequately covered.

    Governments must take on more responsibility

    According to the experts we interviewed, households are no longer able to carry the main responsibilities for managing the risks of climate change. Government must take on more responsibility.

    At the local level, councils need to better educate their staff on climate change risks. They should ban housing development in at-risk areas.

    Better information and data sharing among stakeholders such as insurers and governments will also be crucial. Such data and information also need to be made more accessible and easier for households to understand.

    In a climate change world, increasing extreme weather events result in new complexities. Households are not able to assess these new risks and complexities to make well-informed decisions.

    Australia needs stronger sharing of responsibilities between different stakeholders such as insurers, governments and households. This includes changes to laws on information and data sharing between insurers, governments and households, bans on building in high-risk areas, and better advice about the costs of buying in high-risk regions.

    Jens Zinn received funding from the Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg/Institute for Advanced Study, Delmenhorst/Germany (10/2023-05/2024).

    Julia Plass has received funding for the data collection in the study mentioned in the article from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

    – ref. How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle – https://theconversation.com/how-extreme-weather-and-costs-of-housing-and-insurance-trap-some-households-in-a-vicious-cycle-241572

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of His Majesty’s High Commissioner to Cyprus: Michael Tatham

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Mr Michael Tatham CMG has been appointed His Majesty’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus in succession to Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE

    Mr Michael Tatham CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus in succession to Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Tatham will take up his appointment during November 2024.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Michael Harry Tatham

      2023 to 2024 FCDO, Delivery Director European Political Community Summit
      2018 to 2022 Washington DC, Deputy Head of Mission (Chargé d’Affaires, 2019-20)
      2015 to 2017 FCO, Director Eastern Europe and Central Asia
      2011 to 2015 UK Mission to the United Nations, New York, Political Counsellor
      2008 to 2011 Sarajevo, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
      2006 to 2008 FCO, Head of Western Balkans Department
      2002 to 2005 Prague, Deputy Head of Mission
      1999 to 2002 10 Downing Street, Private Secretary (Foreign Affairs) to the Prime Minister
      1997 to 1999 Sofia, Deputy Head of Mission
      1995 to 1996 FCO, Private Secretary to Minister for Europe
      1995 FCO, Head of East Mediterranean Section, Southern European Department
      1993 to 1995 FCO, European Union Department (Internal)
      1989 to 1993 Prague, Third later Second Secretary (Political/Press)
      1987 to 1988 FCO, Namibia Desk Officer, Southern African Department
      1987 Joined FCO

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Planisware brought together European clients for its annual user conference in Paris: Exchange24 EMEA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Planisware brought together European clients for its annual user conference in Paris:
    Exchange24 EMEA

    Paris, France, October 18, 2024 – Planisware, a leading B2B provider of SaaS in the rapidly growing Project Economy market has hosted over the last two days in Paris its annual client conference: Exchange24 EMEA. Together with its North American edition held in Philadelphia in April 2024, the Parisian edition is a highly anticipated event that has been held continuously for over 20 years, providing a platform for Planisware to showcase its latest innovations while enabling fruitful exchanges within the large Planisware’s clients community and with PPM1 and SPM2 professionals from diverse industries.

    Loïc Sautour, CEO of Planisware, commented: “Exchange24 EMEA has been a powerful testament to the strength of our community. Bringing together the brightest minds in project and portfolio management, we explored our latest innovations and the future of our platform. The event was filled with inspiring insights, real-world success stories, and hands-on experiences that will continue to drive success for our clients. This gathering wasn’t just about showcasing what’s new, but also about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible together with our incredible partners and clients through fruitful exchanges within the large Planisware’s clients community.”

    Following Planisware’s successful IPO in April 2024, the conference took on a heightened significance, attracting not only PPM experts but also stakeholders interested in Planisware’s growth trajectory. Exchange24 served as a strategic opportunity to showcase how cutting-edge solutions help clients navigate their complete portfolio of projects and to better align it with their strategic goals.

    During these sessions, Planisware introduced its latest innovations, focusing on four key areas:

    • User Interface & Experience: New chart design, generalization of tiled dashboards, and more generally many improvements across the board based on customer feedback and usage analysis.
    • Artificial Intelligence: Introduction of Planisware Co-Pilot, Planisware Trusted GenAI, and fuzzy search capabilities.
    • Capabilities: Several new or enhanced features including sensitivity analysis, task automation, and task date inspector.
    • Collaboration: Improvements to the mobile app, enhance shared screen options, and more native integration.

    AI-Powered innovation in PPM has been one of the focal points of Exchange24. A much-anticipated roundtable discussion delved into how AI-driven tools, integrated into Planisware’s solutions, are improving decision-making, forecasting, and automation across project portfolios.

    Clients such as Total Energies, Teva, Schwarz Group, Saint-Gobain, Enedis, Stora Enso, or UCB were prominently featured throughout the conference. They shared their success stories in personalized customer sessions, bringing forward how Planisware’s PPM solutions have transformed their approach, optimized project delivery, better driving business outcomes. These sessions provided practical insights into overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities in today’s volatile market.

    About Planisware

    Planisware is a leading business-to-business (“B2B”) provider of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) in the rapidly growing Project Economy. Planisware’s mission is to provide solutions that help organizations transform how they strategize, plan and deliver their projects, project portfolios, programs and products.

    With more than 700 employees across 14 offices, Planisware operates at significant scale serving around 600 organizational clients in a wide range of verticals and functions across more than 30 countries worldwide. Planisware’s clients include large international companies, medium-sized businesses and public sector entities.

    Planisware is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Compartment A, ISIN code FR001400PFU4, ticker symbol “PLNW”). For more information, visit: https://planisware.com/

    Connect with Planisware on: LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

    Contact

    1 Project Portfolio Management
    2 Strategic Portfolio Management

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese publishers’ exhibition draws visitors at 76th Frankfurt Book Fair

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Chinese publishers’ exhibition draws visitors at 76th Frankfurt Book Fair

    Updated: October 18, 2024 14:57 Xinhua
    Visitors talk with an exhibitor during the China-Europe Copyright Matchmaking Event at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 17, 2024. The Frankfurt Book Fair officially opened on Tuesday. Chinese publishers are making a significant impact at this year’s fair, showcasing more than 3,500 books, including 1,500 in foreign languages. In addition to new book releases, Chinese publishers are holding numerous premieres and signing ceremonies for copyright agreements, with up to 1,000 books available for copyright trade. The fair will also feature a promotional event for the 2025 Beijing International Book Fair and a session on copyright trade between China and Europe. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor talks with exhibitors at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors are pictured at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor looks over a book at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitors experiences making skills of woodblock new year prints at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair Juergen Boos (L) visits the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair Juergen Boos speaks during an interview at the opening ceremony of the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor looks over a book at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor looks over a book at the Chinese publishers’ exhibition area at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Consumer law reform: consumer protections gain momentum with latest announcements

    Source: Allens Insights

    Stronger guarantees, AI rules and ban on unfair trading 10 min read

    The Federal Government has signalled its commitment to advancing major consumer law reforms with three key announcements this week that included proposals to strengthen consumer guarantees, ban unfair trading practices and introduce artificial intelligence (AI) specific protections—all of which could significantly alter the landscape for both suppliers and manufacturers. 

    With Government seeking feedback on these reforms, companies should stay informed and actively engage in consultation processes to ensure any changes are fit for purpose and take into consideration relevant business concerns. In addition, companies should consider how these proposals could impact their businesses and take steps to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.

    In this Insight, we provide an update on the proposals so far and their potential implications for business.

    Key takeaways

    • Treasury is seeking feedback on updates to the consumer guarantees regime, including civil prohibitions and penalties for suppliers or manufacturers that fail to provide remedies for consumer guarantees, and for manufacturers who fail to indemnify suppliers as required by the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
    • The Prime Minister’s office has announced plans for a ban on unfair trading practices, though details on the specific legislation are still pending. The ban is expected to include a general prohibition on unfair trading practices, along with specific prohibitions against issues like drip pricing, subscription traps and misleading online practices that create a false sense of urgency.
    • Treasury is seeking feedback on whether it should expand the ACL to cover AI-specific consumer law issues, including mandatory guardrails with specific requirements for AI-related consumer products and services and reforming remedies to better suit defective AI-enabled goods and services.

    Moves to strengthen the consumer guarantees regime

    On 16 October 2024, the Government announced plans to introduce new civil prohibitions and penalties for breaches of the consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification (CGSI) provisions of the ACL. The announcement was accompanied by a Consultation Paper seeking stakeholder feedback on how the proposed prohibitions and penalties should be designed.

    This announcement builds on a consultation undertaken in 2021 on ways to improve CGSI provisions of the ACL and incorporates findings from the 2023 Australian Consumer Survey, including that consumers find it difficult to obtain remedies for consumer guarantees failures. The Consultation Paper notes that:

    • for low-cost goods, consumers are less likely to enforce their statutory rights when it is cheaper and easier to ‘just buy another one’ or to pay for a repair; and
    • for high-value goods, consumers may struggle to understand the process involved in making a complaint and/or find it prohibitively time-consuming, costly or difficult to pursue one.

    The proposed reforms seek to respond to a range of concerns with the status quo, including that:

    • the difficulties outlined above mean costs can be transferred from a non-compliant supplier or manufacturer to a consumer and lead to poorer outcomes for consumers and the economy;
    • suppliers and manufacturers lack incentives to comply with the consumer guarantees; and
    • some suppliers may also face difficulties obtaining indemnification from manufacturers and/or face retaliatory behaviours if they seek to be indemnified.

    The Government is seeking to respond to the concerns outlined above by introducing reforms that would:

    • prohibit suppliers from refusing to provide remedies to consumers where there has been a major failure under the consumer guarantees (remedy failure prohibition);
    • prohibit manufacturers from failing to indemnify suppliers;
    • make it unlawful for a manufacturer to retaliate against a supplier for seeking indemnification following a consumer guarantees failure; and
    • introduce civil penalties for contraventions of the prohibitions above, as well as an ability for regulators to issue infringement notices or pursue litigation where they have reasonable grounds to believe a contravention has occurred.

    The Consultation Paper notes that the introduction of these prohibitions would enable ACL regulators to enforce the CGSI provisions in circumstances where rights are currently only enforceable by affected consumers and businesses. The Paper also acknowledges a submission made by the ACCC that, if regulators were able to take direct enforcement action, this would likely lead to greater judicial consideration of the consumer guarantees and result in greater clarity in the law.

    Key issues the Government is seeking feedback on include:

    • whether any aspects of the consumer guarantees need to be clarified prior to the introduction of prohibitions and penalties, noting concerns have previously been raised regarding whether penalties are appropriate in circumstances where concepts such as ‘reasonable consumer’ and ‘major failure’ are difficult to apply in practice;
    • whether the remedy failure prohibition should apply to all goods and services or whether a value threshold should be applied and/or only be applied to new motor vehicles;
    • at what amount an infringement notice or maximum civil penalty should be set; and
    • if it is appropriate to factor in depreciation when determining an appropriate refund amount, noting that, at present, where there has been a major failure, a consumer is entitled to a replacement or full refund even where they have had the benefit of the use of a product for an extended period of time.

    Treasury will engage with targeted stakeholders on the proposed design of the civil prohibitions and penalties and is seeking public feedback by Thursday 14 November 2024.

    Anticipated ban on unfair trading practices takes shape

    On Wednesday 16 October 2024, the Prime Minister’s office announced it will legislate a ban on unfair trading practices. The announcement is long awaited and follows the Federal Treasury’s consultation on the introduction of such a prohibition, which took place between August and November 2023 (the 2023 Consultation). The ACCC has previously recommended that an unfair trading practices prohibition be introduced into the ACL in a number of contexts, including the final report of the 2019 Digital Platforms Inquiry.

    The Government’s media release states that the reforms are about ‘easing the cost of living and getting a fair go for consumers and suppliers’. It non-exhaustively identifies the following practices that the reforms will address:

    • subscription traps: arduous and confusing steps that make cancelling a subscription difficult;
    • drip pricing: practices where fees are hidden or added throughout the stages of a purchase;
    • deceptive or manipulative online practices: practices that aim to confuse or overwhelm consumers, omit or hide material information, or create a false sense of urgency (such as warnings that a customer only has limited time to purchase a product);
    • dynamic pricing: changing the price of a product during the transaction process;
    • accounts and information provisions: requiring consumers to set up an account and provide unnecessary information to make an online purchase; and
    • reporting of issues: making it difficult for a consumer to contact a business when they have a problem with a product or service.

    The Government is yet to release any specific legislative drafting or design for consultation and has foreshadowed a final reform proposal in the first half of 2025.

    Enhancing Australian consumer law to address AI

    On 15 October 2024, Treasury released a Discussion Paper which examines whether the ACL remains fit for purpose to protect consumers from the potential harms of the use of AI. The ACL currently contains a combination of both general and specific consumer protections which are technology-neutral, and Treasury is consulting on whether any changes to the ACL targeted specifically towards AI-enabled goods and services are necessary.

    Treasury has indicated that new and targeted consumer protections may be introduced:

    • Specific prohibitions on false and misleading representations in relation to AI and emerging technologies. Treasury raised concerns in relation to the opacity of AI systems and difficulty in predicting AI system behaviour, such as erroneous output and unwanted bias, which may increase the risk of false or misleading representations about AI-enabled goods and services, and misleading and deceptive conduct in general. In light of this, Treasury is considering whether specific prohibitions in relation to false and misleading representations, targeted towards AI-enabled goods and services, are necessary to ensure the ACL is fit for purpose in the future. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took law enforcement action in the United States against the alleged use of AI technology in a deceptive and unfair manner.
    • Specific consumer guarantees provisions targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. Treasury has considered views that the unique characteristics of AI may require new consumer guarantees, eg guarantees relating to cybersecurity, interoperability and the provision of software updates for a reasonable period. Treasury acknowledged that some cybersecurity risks of certain AI-enabled goods will be captured by the Government’s ongoing 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, but it is still considering the need for bespoke consumer protections for digital products overall, such as those adopted in the United Kingdom under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (UK).
    • New product safety standards targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. There are currently no mandatory AI-specific safety standards for consumer goods or product-related services, and Treasury is assessing whether current safety standards (which include the current Voluntary AI Safety Standard) effectively guarantee the safe and responsible use of AI-enabled goods and services. Treasury is considering options for mandatory guardrails in this consultation. See our Insight on preparing for voluntary AI standards and mandatory legislation for more information.
    • Prescriptions under the unfair contract terms (UCT) regime. Treasury has noted stakeholder concerns about the possible risks to consumers arising from terms that exclude supplier and manufacturer liability in relation to AI-enabled goods and services, and is currently considering whether such terms (and similar) should be deemed as UCTs.

    Treasury has flagged that there is a need for greater clarity in the ACL in relation to AI and emerging technologies, due to the technology-neutral nature of the current language of the ACL. In principle, the existing general ACL framework should be able to address AI-related concerns, but there is uncertainty over the following issues:

    • The definition of AI-enabled goods and services, and whether this fits within the current definitions under the ACL. Whether something is a ‘good’ or a ‘service’ affects the remedies available under consumer guarantees, particularly considering the specific liability imposed on manufacturers of goods with safety defects. AI-enabled goods and services are generally a ‘mixed supply’ of goods and services, but consumers cannot claim for both a faulty good and service arising from a single transaction. Treasury is seeking to clarify this distinction for consumers in the context of AI-enabled goods and services.
    • Potential limitations of principles-based consumer guarantees. The current consumer guarantees regime contains a range of principles-based provisions that include concepts such as ‘fitness for purpose’, ‘acceptable quality’ and ‘due care and skill’. Treasury has received concerns that it is unclear how these principles-based standards may apply in the context of AI-enabled goods and services. An example is the concept of ‘durability’, which is currently set out under the ACL as a factor for assessing the acceptable quality of a product.

    Treasury has identified particular difficulties that consumers may face when accessing remedies related to AI and emerging technologies. It noted the following concerns regarding the applicability of a manufacturer’s liability for goods with safety defects (as under the ACL) in relation to AI-enabled goods and services:

    • The evidentiary burden of establishing a causal link between the safety defect and consumer loss and damage. The specific characteristics of AI systems, such as opacity, autonomous behaviour and complexity, may make it more difficult for consumers to meet this burden of proof. Treasury is considering approaches from other jurisdictions, such as that in the EU under the proposed AI Liability Directive, which includes a ‘presumption of causality’ where a number of conditions are met, shifting the onus to manufacturers to demonstrate that no causal link to consumer loss or damage exists.
    • Defences available to manufacturers. There is a concern that the current defences listed under the ACL available to manufacturers may not be appropriate for AI-enabled goods and services. For example, the defence that the safety defect did not exist at the time that a good was supplied reflects a traditional position that manufacturers retain little or no ongoing control over the goods that they supply, which is not always applicable to AI-enabled goods and services.

    The deadline for stakeholder feedback and written submissions on Treasury’s review of AI and the ACL is Tuesday, 12 November 2024.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Knightly romance and medieval flavor: Polytechnic students held the “Lonely Tower Tournament”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    If there is a tower somewhere, then one day a valiant knight must appear next to it to save the princess imprisoned at the top. This idea was in the air at Polytechnic University, and it almost came true.

    Last Saturday, the autumn park of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was transformed, immersed in the atmosphere of a medieval knight’s tournament.

    A similar event was held here only once before as part of an all-Russian project – in 2021 In honor of the 800th anniversary of Alexander Nevsky, “Military Fun” was held in the Polytechnic Park. But for the first time, a medieval knight’s tournament was organized by the students themselves – activists of the role-playing club “Engineering Alliance” at the military-historical club “Our Polytechnic”.

    “The idea of holding such an event came to us under the impression of the unforgettable Medieval Days in Vyborg,” said the head of the Engineering Alliance RC, fourth-year student of the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology Daniil Porozov. “It was there, among archery, photo sessions in armor and the general atmosphere of knightly aesthetics, that I had a dream to participate in a real knightly tournament, to fight for the favor of beautiful ladies. This desire became the basis for the project, which came to life in the Lonely Tower Tournament.”

    Along with Daniil, the event was inspired by IBSiB student Polina Tenitskaya. And all other participants in the medieval modeling club actively helped — more than thirty people. Photographers transferred knightly aesthetics to posters, artists developed and created unique stickers and badges. Club activists assembled a model of a mantlet — a mobile protective wall — and a trebuchet — a medieval siege weapon — from scratch. This design is not just decoration, but a fully functional weapon that has passed tests for strength and accuracy.

    “Assembling wooden structures such as the mantlet, trebuchet and set pieces was a real challenge, which we all coped with together. And the guys get their costumes and weapons in different ways,” said Daniil Porozov. “Some order from experienced blacksmiths, some buy from older comrades. Some participants sew clothes and bags themselves. And Vladimir Suvorov, for example, made a full set of knightly armor himself!”

    The staff of the Polytech Tower provided invaluable assistance in organizing the event, and the guys from the Historical Dance department of the Our Polytech All-Russian Cultural Institution and the Board Games Guild provided entertainment for the guests, creating an atmosphere of celebration.

    The central event was, naturally, a knight’s tournament on a specially equipped lists. Spectators crowded around, cheered for their own and inspired them to victories. The armor rattled, constrained movement, it was hot in it, but the guys tried to be worthy of their distant ancestors and behave with honor. The tournament judges, as expected, were beautiful ladies: if the fight ended in a draw, the courtesy of the knight and how worthy he showed himself during the duel were assessed.

    Meanwhile, typical “medieval life” was in full swing around. At the sword station, those who wanted to could try their hand at fencing. Nearby, people were practicing archery. Less warlike guests tried to master the craft of chainmail weaving or leather sewing. Artists held master classes in birch bark painting. Those who liked to relax spent their time playing board games, and those who wanted to move around danced in a circle and learned ancient dances. It was pleasing that there were many children among the guests.

    “The Lonely Tower Tournament” is not just entertainment, it is the result of a passion for history, creativity and teamwork, a vivid example of how student initiative can diversify university life, says Daniil Porozov.

    Recently, the Polytechnic website published an interview in the Person section with one of the founders and former head of the medieval direction in the activities of the VIK “Our Polytechnic” Yaroslav Rusanov: “Since childhood I have been attracted to the aesthetics of medieval armor and battles”Yaroslav graduated from the university and works in his specialty, but his hobby continues to live and develop in our university, attracting more and more supporters.

    Photo: Denis Yablochkov

    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://www.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/student_life/knightly-romance-and-medieval-color-polytechnic-students-held-a-lonely-tower-tournament/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government will help the Smolensk region restore the overpass in Vyazma

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Order dated October 11, 2024 No. 2825-r

    Document

    Order dated October 11, 2024 No. 2825-r

    Almost 1.8 billion rubles will be allocated for the restoration of the overpass over the railway tracks in the city of Vyazma in the Smolensk region. An order to this effect has been signed.

    Thanks to funding from the Government’s reserve fund, restoration and major repairs of the overpass on 25 Oktyabrya Street will begin in Vyazma in 2024. All work is planned to be completed in 2025.

    The decision will allow the relaunch of an important road facility that provided transport connectivity to the city and was part of the route between the Smolensk and Kaluga regions.

    Traffic on the overpass was stopped in April 2024 due to its partial destruction.

    The question was approved onGovernment meeting on October 17.

    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/53032/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishustin reappointed Konstantin Fedorenko to the post of director of the International Children’s Center “Artek”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Order dated October 17, 2024 No. 2890-r

    Document

    Order dated October 17, 2024 No. 2890-r

    Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order to reappoint Konstantin Fedorenko to the position of director of the International Children’s Center “Artek” for another five years.

    Konstantin Fedorenko has been working at the International Children’s Center “Artek” since November 2018. He held the position of Director of Construction, and in October 2019 he was appointed Director of the Center.

    Konstantin Fedorenko was born in 1976.

    In 2004 he graduated from the Kuban State Technological University, and in 2017 from the Kuban State University.

    From 2007 to 2013, he worked in various administrative positions in the administration of the city of Belorechensk, Krasnodar Territory.

    From 2013 to 2018, he worked in senior positions in the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth Policy of the Krasnodar Territory.

    In July 2018, he was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Development of the Krasnodar Territory.

    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/53033/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Prosafe SE: Operational update – September 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    18 October – Fleet utilisation for Q3 2024 was 57 percent.  

    In Q3 2024, Safe Concordia, Safe Notos and Safe Eurus all achieved 100% utilisation. Safe Zephyrus reached 99% utilisation.

    Safe Caledonia is laid up at Scapa Flow, UK, and is scheduled for deployment to the Captain Field, UK, starting Q2 2025.

    Safe Boreas is laid up in Norway pending relocation in Q2 2025 for a contract in Australia commencing earliest October 2025.

    Safe Scandinavia is laid up in Norway.

    Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to https://www.prosafe.com

    For further information, please contact:

    Terje Askvig, CEO
    Phone: +47 952 03 886

    Reese McNeel, CFO
    Phone: +47 415 08 186

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Trophée Roses des Sables 2024 – Official Rally Kickoff, TSplus Cheering for Crew 21

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PAU, France, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TSplus is excited to announce that the adventure has officially begun! Teams participating in the Trophée Roses des Sables 2024 have gathered in Pau, France on October 15 and 16 for their final technical and administrative checks at the “Village Départ.” This final stage allows participants to meet, complete verifications, and make last-minute preparations before heading south on their incredible journey through the Moroccan desert.

    The Starting Point: Pau, Gateway to the Pyrenees

    Pau, a city rich in history and nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees, provides an ideal backdrop for the event’s launch. Over these two days, participants from across the globe are meeting to connect, share their experiences, and prepare for the journey ahead.

    On October 16, the teams will set off, driving through southern Europe and crossing into Morocco, where the real challenges await. TSplus will be following every stage with excitement.

    7 Stages Through the Moroccan Desert

    From October 18 to 25, the rally will take the participants across seven stages, navigating a range of diverse and challenging Moroccan terrains, from rocky trails to vast desert dunes, and everything in between.

    Key dates include:

    • October 16: Departure from Pau, France for Casablanca, Morocco
    • October 17: Transfer to the Boulaajoul region by bus
    • October 18: Technical and administrative checks at the bivouac in Errachidia, followed by vehicle handovers
    • October 18 – 25: Seven stages through the Moroccan desert, passing through iconic locations such as Errachidia, Merzouga, and Tiguerna
    • October 26: Rally concludes in Marrakech with a grand prize ceremony

    Crew 21: A Personal Challenge for a Noble Cause

    Among the many teams participating this year is Crew 21, comprised of Alexandra, the pilot, and Pauline, her co-pilot. Both women are driven by a personal mission to support their association, Colibris des Sables, which raises awareness for autoimmune diseases.

    Reflecting on their first impressions, Alexandra shared:
    “It’s incredible to be here with all these amazing women. The excitement and anticipation are at their peak as we prepare for this life-changing experience.”

    Pauline added:
    “We’ve been preparing for months, and now the moment has come. We’re ready to face the challenges of the desert, united in our cause and supported by an amazing community.”

    TSplus is proud to be one of the main sponsors of Crew 21, standing 100% behind them in this incredible journey.

    Follow the Rally Live with TSplus!

    Stay up to date with the race as it unfolds. Follow all the live updates on the official rally platform: course-en-direct.trophee-roses-des-sables.fr and don’t miss the updates from Colibris des Sables on Instagram @Colibris_des_sables. TSplus will also regularly share updates on this official social media pages:

    Press Contact Details: Floriane Mer Marketing Manager for TSplus
    floriane.mer@tsplus.net

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dac80e24-560f-4652-af7a-7fc3e411448f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government launches British Infrastructure Taskforce

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Private finance experts met the Chancellor at No11 Downing Street today to boost investment in infrastructure and drive growth nationwide.

    Rachel Reeves convened the inaugural meeting of the British Infrastructure Taskforce as part of a new approach that involves government working with business to design policy that will unlock private investment, including by building business confidence in UK infrastructure investments.

    The Taskforce will explore different options to support the Government’s infrastructure goals to drive growth for the whole of the nation, and some of the UK’s biggest financial companies including LLoyds, HSBC, and M&G will be in attendance.

    This Government has committed to turbocharge infrastructure investment across the width and breadth of the UK. Invitees have been selected to ensure a wide range of experience and expertise in UK infrastructure. This marks a significant shift in approach, with key businesses and stakeholders invited to work with the government to support the delivery of its infrastructure agenda.

    It follows the announcement to launch a newly formed National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will bring oversight of strategy and delivery under one roof.

    The NISTA will support the development and implementation of the ten-year infrastructure strategy in conjunction with industry which was outlined for the first time last week by the Chief Secretary Darren Jones.

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP said:

    Increasing investment in infrastructure is a vital part of delivering on our number one mission to grow the economy and create jobs.

    Just days after our International Investment Summit, we are delivering on our promise to work with business to drive growth across the country, and the expertise of this Taskforce will be invaluable in the weeks and months ahead.

    Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones MP said:

    We are serious about ending the cycle of underinvestment that has plagued our infrastructure systems for over a decade. The best way to do that is to design the solution with business in the room. That’s what this taskforce is all about.

    The Taskforce will meet regularly, offering insights that deliver long-lasting solutions for job creation, growth, and environmental goals.

    This builds on the success of the International Investment Summit, which saw hundreds of top international investors attend the event, £63 billion of confirmed investment into Britain, along with the launch of the £27.8 billion turbocharged National Wealth Fund.

    Tracy Blackwell, CEO, PIC said:

    We have a huge amount to invest and we want to invest more in Britain. There is no shortage of capital that can support the British economy’s capacity to grow. The right combination of policies and ideas will unlock that capital and boost growth.  From planning reform and better use of public sector pension funds to a streamlining of institutions and regulations, there is a lot that Government can do to crowd in more private investment and deliver social value. It’s great to be in an ongoing conversation with the Chancellor about taking that agenda forward.

    Andrea Rossi, CEO, M&G plc said:

    M&G has been an active investor in the UK for 175 years. Of the £100 billion M&G invests in the UK, infrastructure remains a core part of delivering sustainable returns for our savers, clients and shareholders. The UK’s clear focus on infrastructure presents a significant opportunity to deliver economic and social progress and we are delighted to contribute our expertise.”  

    Deepa Bharadwaj, Head of Infrastructure Europe, IFM Investors said:

    IFM is a major global infrastructure investor, a major investor in the UK, and is owned by pension funds.

    We look forward to solutions-based discussions that can unlock new investment across UK infrastructure sectors and themes”.

    Stephen Cohen, Chief Product Officer, Blackrock said:

    There’s a rapidly growing pool of capital to invest in infrastructure, but deploying it requires pragmatism in policy. We’re pleased to be working with the government in identifying policies that will support private investment.

    Charlie Nunn, CEO, Lloyds Banking Group said:

    At Lloyds Banking Group, we are committed to helping the UK deliver the infrastructure the country needs, supporting jobs and growth. We welcome the British Infrastructure Taskforce’s focus on increasing investment in UK infrastructure and addressing some of the fundamental barriers that have existed to date. As the UK’s leading bank for project finance, we will work closely with the government in the development of this taskforce, ensuring the work supports communities, businesses, and industries across the regions and nations of the UK.

    Anne Richards, Vice Chair, Fidelity International said:

    We have a shared ambition to drive growth in the UK by unlocking investment in infrastructure for the benefit of savers.  Our best opportunity to achieve that is through collaboration with government and the industry.

    Andy Briggs, CEO, Phoenix Group said: 

    Over the last three decades there has been an underinvestment in the UK economy compared to other developed nations. I am delighted there is a growing consensus that in order to grow we need to work together to invest.

    The British Infrastructure Taskforce provides the opportunity for business and government to work on shared priorities, help finance the social and economic infrastructure the country needs for the future, and give potential for better returns for pension savers.

    The following attendees of the first Taskforce meeting discussed investment opportunities, financial mechanisms, and strategies to maximise economic value:

    • Tracy Blackwell, CEO, Pension Insurance Corporation;
    • Anne Richards, Vice Chair, Fidelity International;
    • Charlie Nunn, CEO, Lloyds Banking;
    • Vivian Nicoli, Managing Director, CDPQ;
    • Andy Briggs, CEO, Phoenix Group;
    • Ian Stuart, CEO, HSBC UK;
    • Andrea Rossi, CEO, M&G;
    • Stephen Cohen, Chief Product Officer, BlackRock (represented by Helen Lees-Jones Global Head of Sustainable & Transition Solutions);
    • Deepa Bharadwaj, Head of Infrastructure Europe, IFM Investors;  
    • Mike Regnier CEO, Santander UK;
    • Sir Douglas Flint, Chairman, ABRDN;
    • Nick Smallwood, CEO, Infrastructure and Projects Authority;
    • James Heath, CEO, National Infrastructure Commission;
    • John Flint, CEO, National Wealth Fund.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Menopause Awareness Day 2024

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Friday 18th October marks World Menopause Awareness Day.

    This year, the aim is to raise awareness of Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT) and to highlight where people can go to get support and discuss options.

    Menopause is a natural process which is when periods stop due to lower hormone levels.  

    The perimenopause is when there are menopause symptoms, but periods have not stopped.

    It is the beginning of a loss of oestrogen and progesterone hormones. On average, perimenopause starts at 46 years and the average age of menopause in the UK is 51.

    Menopause is when someone has not had a period for 12 months. Both perimenopause and menopause can happen at a younger age. Some trans and non-binary people may also go through menopause due to changes in hormones.

    The most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are:

    • Hot flushes and night sweats
    • Sleep disturbance (although this can be due to other things)
    • Fatigue
    • Brain fog and poor concentration
    • Skin changes
    • Mood related symptoms including depression and anxiety (these symptoms can also have other causes)
    • Vaginal dryness, itching, burning and pain during sex
    • Urinary problems (this again can be linked with other causes)

    Some have minimal symptoms, but for others the symptoms can have a big impact on their life, including health, relationships and work. A national survey of 2,000 women aged 40 to 60 years found that 20 per cent of women have considered leaving work due to a lack of support in relation to their menopause symptoms.

    In Liverpool, GP practices can help people with access expert support and menopausal care.

    Eating well, exercising and prioritising mental wellbeing can help with symptoms.

    The main medicine treatment is replacing missing hormones.

    HRT is safe and effective for most and can help relieve most symptoms and GPs will always discuss the risks of taking it – although these are usually outweighed by the benefits.

    There are many different types of HRT available, and a personal assessment will help determine the best type for you if you want to use HRT to manage symptoms.

    Liverpool City Council’s Assistant Cabinet Member for Health, Councillor Rahima Farah, said:

    “Menopause is a natural stage of life. We want everyone to feel comfortable talking about the menopause and to know that there is help and support available to manage symptoms through your GP practice.”

    Consultant in Sexual & Reproductive Health at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, and former Chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS), Dr Paula Briggs, said:

    Liverpool Women’s Hospital Menopause Academy has supported many GPs, nurses and healthcare professionals in Liverpool with additional training in menopause management and we also provide ongoing mentorship to improve access to the best menopause care without women having to wait for a hospital referral. We encourage you to access this support from your GP practice.”

    Director of Public Health, Professor Matthew Ashton, said: It is important that we talk about menopause openly. There are good evidence-based resources available about how organisations can support people going through perimenopause and menopause, and I encourage all organisations to consider how their workplace can become menopause friendly.       

    For more information visit:

    https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/workforce-and-hr-support/wellbeing/menopause/menopause-factfile

    http://www.womens-health-concern.org

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    A BROAD and diverse programme of activities has been revealed in Dundee as the city once again supports one of the world’s biggest campaigns on preventing violence against women and girls.
    The Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership has created a series of events which will run during 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, a global campaign to inspire people to learn, reflect and act to end violence against women.
    This year the centrepiece of the city’s response will be the theme Imagine if Dundee said: “No More”, with the sub-strands stand with us, learn with us and believe us.
    Ann Hamilton who is the Independent Adviser on Violence Against Women to the city’s Protecting People Chief Officers’ group and committees said: “While it would be great not to have to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls each year, one of the key things to help us get there is to make sure that those who have experienced it are believed and endorsed.
    “That’s what 16 Days of Activism is focussed on this year in Dundee, with one of the biggest and most diverse programmes we have put on to date.
    “As well as thought-provoking, energising and entertaining events for the public to enjoy or participate in, there is a detailed series of activities for professionals working in the field to enhance and extend their knowledge in areas like abusive cultural practices and understanding domestic abuse.”
    The 16 Days programme will launch on Monday November 18 at the Hilltown Community Centre with the first of a number of travelling roadshows which will include an information session featuring the bystander approach, a conversation café, creative session (including banner making) and a dance workshop with Urban Moves that will include the option to take part in the finale show on December 10.
    Travelling roadshows will also visit other community venues throughout the 16 Days including Kirkton, Finmill and Douglas community centres and YMCA Broughty Ferry.
    On Monday November 25 WRASAC will be teaming up with the V&A for an evening of information about WRASAC and the difference it makes for survivors in Dundee and Angus. Team members will be sharing feedback and looking at how WRASAC has formed over the last 40 years.
    The Reclaim the Night march takes place on Friday November 29 starting at The Steeple Church at 6.30pm with a rallying cry before returning to the venue for speeches and music.
    On Friday December 6 Women’s Aid will be at Cake and Dice in Commercial Street to share more about their history in a relaxing, safe and welcoming environment. Guests can add to their local timeline spotlighting milestones for women and amplifying the voices of lived experience in Dundee..
    Open to everyone throughout the 16 Days of Activism, The Lady Chapel of St Paul’s Cathedral in High Street will be available as a quiet space for reflection with resources for contemplation and support on hand.
    Activities will conclude on Tuesday December 10 at Abertay University Main Lecture Theatre in Bell Street with Together We Stand: A Creative Call for Change which will see an evening filled with positive messages, hope and strength and will include Urban Moves, Pirrie Performing Arts, Tori Barclay School of Dance and MLU Squad.
    Full details of this year’s programme of events in Dundee for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence can be found at:  https://sway.cloud.microsoft/rhZUto3jPfMcEV1Y?ref=Link

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool to stage major conference on tackling hate crime

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    Liverpool will host a major conference today (Friday, 18 October) that will explore the reasons that led to the riots following the fatal stabbings in Southport in August.

    The “Hate Crime Together” conference, the first of its kind in the city region this decade, will also look at the events that led to the riots in the city which culminated in the torching of Spellow Library in Walton.

    Held in the Merseyside Maritime Museum, in the Royal Albert Dock, the event will be led by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell who will address delegates with a keynote speech emphasising the work to reject those that sow and spread hatred and division.

    Emily will also be joined by speakers such as Rose Simkins, CEO of StopHateUK and Kaushik Mistry, CEO of the Anthony Walker Foundation, with the conference the final event in the region to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

    Many delegates at the conference will also be wearing red in honour of Show Racism the Red Card day.

    Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, will also set out a pledge for all major partners across the city region to deliver on three key commitments:

    1. Raise awareness and challenge hate-based behaviour in order to advance equality, diversity, and inclusion across the Liverpool City Region.
    2. Increase confidence to report hate crime to the police and partners.
    3. Provide consistent and effective support for victims by promoting collaboration across all agencies.

    The event brings more than 100 partners together to focus on how they can work collaboratively to tackle hate and make communities safer.

    Merseyside Police and all five local authorities, as well as Victim Care Merseyside support services and other third sector services, will re-confirm the region’s commitment to reducing hate crime, sharing experience and knowledge.

    In light of the recent disorder in the summer, additional hate crime awareness sessions have been planned for Black and ethnic minority groups and associations to provide extra support and reassurance. 

    There has also been various workshops in primary and secondary schools, colleges, job centres, councils, and LGBTQ+ and disability community groups to increase awareness of the support available.

    Rose Simkins, CEO of StopHateUK, said: “During the recent riots, many became more aware of the dangers of hate, but at Stop Hate UK, we see these risks every day. That’s why we’re here to support victims and witnesses of hate crime 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Thanks to funding from Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, we’re able to continue providing this vital service to those in need. Stop Hate UK is pleased to be a part of this conference, bringing partners together to share experiences and work towards making our communities safer.”

    Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Tackling hate crime is a priority for me, so I am incredibly pleased to be opening the LCR Tackling Hate Crime Together conference and pledging my continued support to preventing and reducing hate crime, improving the support for victims and making our communities safer, happier places to live.

    “Sadly, the appalling scenes of violence and disorder recently here on Merseyside were clearly manipulated and motivated by racism and islamophobia. They are a stark reminder of why we must do everything possible to tackle hate in all its despicable forms, standing together to send out a message that hate is not welcome here.

    “I look forward to uniting with partners at this event to share learning, experiences and best practice to further strengthen the work which is taking place across the region to tackle hate crime and make our communities safer.”

    Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Community Safety, said: “What we all witnessed across the UK in the wake of tragic of events in Southport highlighted how much work needs to be done to tackle racism in our communities.

    “Ignorance fuels hatred and the way to combat that is through education – at all levels with all ages. We must stretch every sinew to ensure people know that such behaviour will never be tolerated and highlight at every opportunity why such views are just wrong.

    “It’s hugely encouraging to see so many partners come together from right across the region to unite and join our collective forces with the pledge to redouble our efforts in how we tackle hate crime and to reassure all minority groups – be that race, gender, faith – that they have our full support in stamping such behaviour out.”

    Detective Superintendent Joe Marston, Hate Crime Lead for Merseyside Police, said: “We are dedicated to addressing hate crime because we understand the significant impact it can have on our victims and our communities.

    “It’s great to be part of this conference where, along with our partners, we can showcase the efforts being made to combat different forms of hate crime and the support options available. This event is also an important opportunity to emphasise the importance of reporting hate crime and to listen to victims sharing their experiences. This will help educate us on how to increase the confidence of others to come forward in the future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Blog | Pioneering community cultural engagement in Liverpool

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool team have joined forces with the arts organisation Metal to push the boundaries of mass, cultural participation events. Metal’s Director Jenny Porter tells us more.

    Picton Play is a programme of resident engagement that focuses on communities in Toxteth, Wavertree, the Smithdown Road area, Edge Hill and Kensington.

    The programme organised by the arts organisation – Metal – starts by looking at what’s already in the community and then develops different ways to encourage participation.

    One strand was with Josh Coates, a performance-based artist, who held a listening residency at the ASDA car park on Smithdown Road. Next, came two further residencies, one on the 86 bus route with Nicki McCubbing and one in Wavertree Botanic Park with Andrea Ku.

    The residencies afforded artists the freedom to explore spaces in our neighbourhoods not usually associated with creativity and to connect with local businesses and community groups such as Arriva and the Friends of Botanic Park.

    The next phase of the project will be a co-production with a community decision-making board of local residents, affectionately known as The Mystery Dreamers. The group is named after Wavertree Park, which is known locally as The Mystery as it was donated to the City by an anonymous city well-wisher.

    The plan is to produce an ambitious mass-participatory artwork, which will engage local residents. It’s an experiment in cultural democracy that pushes boundaries and forges new relationships between artists, arts organisations and communities at a neighbourhood level.

    The project puts the creative decisions into the hands of the residents. The outcome will celebrate the creativity of Picton’s residents in a playful way, using the theme of mysteries and mythologies that lie beneath the surface.

    The outcome will be a model for inclusive and innovative mass-participatory performance practice, that will go beyond artistic expression, with the potential to shape and enhance the social fabric of this community.

    For Metal, as a national organisation, Picton Play acts as a testing platform for our sites in Southend and Peterborough. We have a fantastic relationship with Liverpool City Council who give us the freedom to experiment, and the people of Liverpool are so warm and generous with their time, as well as being wonderfully creative with their ideas.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Women’s health campaigner Mariella Frostrup appointed as Government Menopause Employment Ambassador

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Ambassador to work with employers to help women experiencing menopause symptoms to stay in work and progress in their careers.

    • Leading campaigner and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup appointed as Government’s new Menopause Employment Ambassador.
    • Appointment comes alongside measures in the Employment Rights Bill requiring large employers to produce plans on how they will support employees through the menopause.

    Journalist and women’s equality campaigner, Mariella Frostrup, has been appointed as the government’s new Menopause Employment Ambassador.

    The voluntary role will see Mariella working closely with employers across the country to improve workplace support for women experiencing the menopause, raise awareness of the symptoms and champion the economic contributions of women. A key focus will be helping women going through the menopause stay in work and progress in their careers.

    Almost 70% of women aged 40 to 60 in employment experiencing menopausal symptoms report this has a negative effect on them at work, and just over 50% are unable to go into work at some point due to menopause symptoms.

    With decades of experience championing women’s rights and gender equality across the world, with passionate advocacy for increased awareness of the symptoms of menopause, Mariella brings a powerful and unique voice to the Department for Work and Pensions.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    If we are going to get our country growing again, we have to make sure that everyone feels they can thrive at work. I know from personal experience how hard it can be for women going through menopause.

    I’m so thrilled that Mariella will be working with us to bring her years of knowledge and experience on this issue, so we can make sure that all women experiencing menopause symptoms get the support they need at work.

    Menopause Employment Ambassador, Mariella Frostrup said:

    I’m honoured and delighted to be appointed as the Government’s Menopause Employment Ambassador and to start working towards this government’s stated goal of creating fair and equitable workplaces for all.

    The loss of one in ten women from the workplace, often at the height of their professional careers, is damaging our economy and causing unnecessary suffering due to lack of information and support during this perfectly natural and manageable phase of life.

    I’m excited to get started and continue the important work done by my predecessor Helen Tomlinson to engage with businesses small and large and find solutions to what continues to be a gender specific inequity.

    Baroness Merron, Minister for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health, said:

    I am delighted that Mariella Frostrup has been appointed into this important role. I look forward to working with her to champion women’s health and improve menopause support, alongside the Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Professor Dame Lesley Regan.

    We know there is a long way to go in improving support for women experiencing menopause, particularly in the workplace, and this government is committed to providing the care and support for all women to thrive.

    Janet Lindsay, Chief Executive of Wellbeing of Women:

    We are delighted that Mariella has been appointed as the new Menopause Employment Ambassador. As Wellbeing of Women’s ambassador and in her wider work, Mariella has been a tireless campaigner working to raise awareness of the need to support women going through the menopause in all areas of life.

    We look forward to working with her to help all employers become more menopause friendly, especially those who often struggle to do so, such as small to medium businesses and those employing women who cannot work remotely.

    This appointment comes as the government has proposed a wide-ranging set of generational reforms to boost protections for workers, including women experiencing menopause symptoms at work. The policy proposals in the Employment Rights Bill would require large employers to produce Menopause Action Plans on how they will support employees through the menopause.

    Further Information

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX GLOBAL puts 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the forefront of discussions to connect and empower tomorrow’s world

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 18, 2024/APO Group/ —

    5G emerged as a focal point at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 (www.GITEX.com), the world largest tech and startup event, with visitors getting a glimpse of the possibilities of the wireless technology with AI and its role to powering a hyperconnected future through groundbreaking innovations and insightful discussions.

    The ‘Intelligent Connectivity’ event saw a combination of thought-provoking conversations and exhibitors displaying their powerful products and services that will revolutionise the world in the coming years. It comes at a time where GSMA projects a seismic shift in connectivity with 1.4 billion devices set to be linked with 5G by 2025, further fueling a USD $1.1 trillion IoT market within a USD $3.9 trillion mobile economy.

    The expertly curated programme brought together some of the most influential voices from global enterprises and organisations including Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology & Information Officer at e&, Wang Hui, President, NCE Data Communication Domain at Huawei China and Thomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General at ITU Switzerland. They were also joined by Roque Lozano, SVP, Network Infrastructure MEA at Nokia, Kazuhiro Gomi, President and CEO of NTT Research and SG Chung, Chief AI Global Officer at SK Telecom.

    Away from the stage, the showcase featured a diverse range of impressive technologies from leading exhibitors, Huawei, e&, Nokia, China Telecom, Ericsson, Cisco, and Beyon among them. These industry giants presented cutting-edge solutions, highlighting next-generation 5G applications with their participation underscoring GITEX GLOBAL’s role as a key platform for exploring the future of connectivity and digital transformation.

    A glimpse into a 5G-advanced powered AI future

    With 5G and AI on a verge to catalyse a paradigm shift in the telecommunications landscape, Khalid Murshed Chief Technology & Information Officer of e&, one of the largest telecommunications operators in the Middle East and North Africa region, explained the transformative impact of network capabilities.

    He said: “5G and 5G advanced serve as a platform for everyone to come in to innovate with applications that can drive demand for the network to be enhanced further and further.”

    “We have to build a network with the capabilities and then fit in the AI applications and this is what we’re doing hand-in-hand. We’re not just building a network for the sake of technology leadership. It’s a bilateral game by all means and we are building them to enable new cases while today we have live networks and private 5G.”

    Another leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, Huawei identifies several key technologies as the backbone of its solutions towards facilitating an intelligent future. 5G-Advanced (5G-A) remains vital to supporting rapid and low-latency communication – critical for building advanced applications, in addition to big, unified data, AI, and cloud computing.

    AI and 5G fuelling the future of autonomous vehicles

    The future of mobility and how autonomous vehicles can benefit from 5G was another highlight. Speaking in a panel, Siyuan Liu, Head of IoT Partnership & Strategy, Greater China, at China Unicom Global, said the company is accelerating its efforts into the AI and vehicle connectivity industries with 5G playing a central role.

    She highlighted that 5G is vital for the growth of autonomous vehicles, reshaping society and helping make accurate decisions – all of which can enhance the efficiency of transportation and safety.

    Large Language Models (LLMs) are disrupting industries all over the world and the telecommunications sector is no different. Wang Hui, President of Huawei NCE Data Communication Domain, highlighted that AI applications are being leveraged extensively in China’s autonomous vehicles and in AI health services.

    Unleashing powerful innovations – superpower agent and all-electric supercar

    Thousands of visitors were introduced to the most disruptive products and services powered by 5G in the most anticipated exhibition which attracted the leading tech enterprises and solution providers in telecoms, networks, and infrastructure. Attendees were not short of innovation options with game-changing partnerships and launches unveiled during the event.

    e& announced a collaboration with Vodafone Business IoT to use the company’s Global SIM+ eSIM solution to provide in-vehicle connectivity and enhanced digital services for Mercedes-Benz AG drivers in the UAE. The service will be commercially available in the first half of 2025.

    The company also displayed the Nissan Hyper-Force, an all-electric high-performance supercar, connected through e& UAE 5G SIM cards delivering the ultimate in-driving experience, and launched their new human-digital advisors, combining hologram technology and AI to cater to the diverse cultural nuances of Telecom customers in the UAE.

    At Avaya’s stand, visitors saw how the company is creating superpower agents, powered by AI, showcasing new capabilities which can assist individuals to make scalable decisions that help businesses grow.

    GITEX GLOBAL is seamlessly connecting the world’s largest network of tech events with GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX AFRICA Morocco, and GITEX Nigeria, all part of its portfolio. These events are fostering collaboration and driving innovation to shape the tech landscape of tomorrow.

    More information on GITEX GLOBAL, please visit http://www.GITEX.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Euro area monthly balance of payments: August 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    18 October 2024

    • Current account recorded €31 billion surplus in August 2024, down from €41 billion in previous month
    • Current account surplus amounted to €408 billion (2.8% of euro area GDP) in the 12 months to August 2024, up from €138 billion (1.0%) one year earlier
    • In financial account, euro area residents’ net acquisitions of non-euro area portfolio investment securities totalled €510 billion and non-residents’ net acquisitions of euro area portfolio investment securities totalled €718 billion in the 12 months to August 2024

    Chart 1

    Euro area current account balance

    (EUR billions unless otherwise indicated; working day and seasonally adjusted data)

    Source: ECB.

    The current account of the euro area recorded a surplus of €31 billion in August 2024, a decrease of €10 billion from the previous month (Chart 1 and Table 1). Surpluses were recorded for goods (€32 billion) and services (€19 billion). Deficits were recorded for secondary income (€15 billion) and primary income (€ 4 billion).

    Table 1

    Current account of the euro area

    (EUR billions unless otherwise indicated; transactions; working day and seasonally adjusted data)

    Source: ECB.

    Note: Discrepancies between totals and their components may be due to rounding.

    Data for the current account of the euro area

    In the 12 months to August 2024, the current account surplus widened to €408 billion (2.8% of euro area GDP), up from €138 billion (1.0% of euro area GDP) one year earlier. This increase was mainly driven by a larger surplus for goods (up from €147 billion to €379 billion), and, to a lesser extent, by larger surpluses for services (up from €129 billion to €162 billion) and primary income (up from €29 billion to €33 billion). The secondary income deficit remained broadly stable (slightly down from €166 billion to €165 billion).

    Chart 2

    Selected items of the euro area financial account

    (EUR billions; 12-month cumulated data)

    Source: ECB.

    Notes: For assets, a positive (negative) number indicates net purchases (sales) of non-euro area instruments by euro area investors. For liabilities, a positive (negative) number indicates net sales (purchases) of euro area instruments by non-euro area investors.

    In direct investment, euro area residents made net disinvestments of €196 billion in non-euro area assets in the 12 months to August 2024, declining from net disinvestments of €324 billion one year earlier (Chart 2 and Table 2). Non-residents disinvested €358 billion in net terms from euro area assets in the 12 months to August 2024, decreasing from net disinvestments of €471 billion one year earlier.

    In portfolio investment, euro area residents’ net purchases of non-euro area equity increased to €105 billion in the 12 months to August 2024, up from €56 billion one year earlier. Over the same period, net purchases of non-euro area debt securities by euro-area residents rose to €406 billion, up from €361 billion one year earlier. Non-residents’ net purchases of euro area equity increased to €324 billion in the 12 months to August 2024, up from €208 billion one year earlier. Over the same period, non-residents’ net purchases of euro area debt securities widened to €395 billion, up from €370 billion one year earlier.

    Table 2

    Financial account of the euro area

    (EUR billions unless otherwise indicated; transactions; non-working day and non-seasonally adjusted data)

    Source: ECB.

    Notes: Decreases in assets and liabilities are shown with a minus sign. Net financial derivatives are reported under assets. “MFIs” stands for monetary financial institutions. Discrepancies between totals and their components may be due to rounding.

    Data for the financial account of the euro area

    In other investment, euro area residents recorded net acquisitions of non-euro area assets amounting to €204 billion in the 12 months to August 2024 (following net disposals of €73 billion one year earlier), while they recorded net disposals of liabilities of €248 billion (down from €280 billion one year earlier).

    Chart 3

    Monetary presentation of the balance of payments

    (EUR billions; 12-month cumulated data)

    Source: ECB.

    Notes: “MFI net external assets (enhanced)” incorporates an adjustment to the MFI net external assets (as reported in the consolidated MFI balance sheet items statistics) based on information on MFI long-term liabilities held by non-residents, available in b.o.p. statistics. B.o.p. transactions refer only to transactions of non-MFI residents of the euro area. Financial transactions are shown as liabilities net of assets. “Other” includes financial derivatives and statistical discrepancies.

    The monetary presentation of the balance of payments (Chart 3) shows that the net external assets (enhanced) of euro area MFIs increased by €541 billion in the 12 months to August 2024. This increase was mainly driven by the current and capital accounts surplus and, to a lesser extent, by euro area non-MFIs’ net inflows in portfolio investment debt, portfolio investment equity and other investment. These developments were partly offset by euro area non-MFIs’ net outflows in direct investment and other flows.

    In August 2024 the Eurosystem’s stock of reserve assets increased to €1,288.4 billion up from €1,282.8 billion in the previous month (Table 3). This increase was mainly driven by positive price changes (€15.4 billion), mostly due to an increase in the price of gold. This development was partly offset by negative exchange rate changes (€6.8 billion) and net sales of assets (€3.0 billion).

    Table 3

    Reserve assets of the euro area

    (EUR billions; amounts outstanding at the end of the period, flows during the period; non-working day and non-seasonally adjusted data)

    Source: ECB.

    Notes: “Other reserve assets” comprises currency and deposits, securities, financial derivatives (net) and other claims. Discrepancies between totals and their components may be due to rounding.

    Data for the reserve assets of the euro area

    Data revisions

    This press release incorporates revisions to the data for July 2024. These revisions did not significantly alter the figures previously published.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Results of the ECB Survey of Professional Forecasters for the fourth quarter of 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    18 October 2024

    • Inflation expectations at 2.4% for 2024 and 1.9% for 2025 and 2026; unchanged except for 0.1 percentage point downward revision for 2025; longer-term inflation expectations (for 2029) remain at 2.0%
    • Real GDP growth expectations broadly unchanged; small downward revision for 2025 largely reflects a carry-over from weaker than previously expected growth in the second half of 2024
    • Unemployment rate expectations unchanged; expected to average 6.5% in 2024 and 2025 but to decline to 6.4% in 2026 and in the longer term

    Respondents’ expectations for headline inflation, as measured in terms of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), were 2.4% for 2024 and 1.9% for both 2025 and 2026. These were unchanged except for a 0.1 percentage point downward revision for 2025, mainly reflecting expectations for lower oil prices. Expectations for core HICP inflation, which excludes energy and food, were revised upwards slightly for 2024, reflecting data outturns and more persistent than expected services inflation, but were unchanged thereafter. Longer-term expectations for both headline and core HICP inflation were unchanged at 2.0%.

    Respondents expected real GDP growth of 0.7% in 2024, 1.2% in 2025 and 1.4% in 2026. Compared with the previous survey, the expectations for 2025 were revised down by 0.1 percentage points. The downward revision for 2025 largely reflects a carry-over from weaker than previously expected growth in the second half of 2024, with the expected quarterly growth profile thereafter largely unchanged. Longer-term growth expectations remained unchanged at 1.3%.

    The expected profile of the unemployment rate was unchanged. Respondents continued to expect the unemployment rate to average 6.5% in 2024 and 2025, but to decline to 6.4% in 2026, and then to remain at 6.4% in the longer term.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Future managers of the State University of Management visited the Public Chamber

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On October 15, 2024, a career-oriented event was held in the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation for 30 students of the State University of Management with the participation of Associate Professor of the Department of Public and Municipal Administration Mikhail Polyakov and Assistant Professor of the Department Anna Khaustova.

    An educational tour of the Chamber building was organized for young managers, during which the youth learned about the history of the organization and the events currently taking place on its premises. Students had the opportunity to take part in a round table discussion of issues of interest to them.

    The following spoke at the meeting: Chairman of the Commission on Security and Interaction with the Public Monitoring Commission Mikhail Anichkin, Secretary of the Commission on Public Control and Work with Citizens’ Appeals Fyodor Nikitochkin, Deputy Chairman of the Corps “For Clean Elections” Alexey Peskov.

    Representatives of the Public Chamber spoke about the principles and features of the organization’s work, as well as about the history, internal structure and mechanisms of interaction with government agencies. Fyodor Nitochkin focused on the issues of forming the membership corps of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and the features of the organization’s structure. Alexey Peskov told students about the organization of the election process and monitoring of their conduct, about electoral practice.

    “You live in an academic atmosphere where everyone is equal. Everything depends on you from now on. I wish you stable knowledge, a strong character and clarity of goals!”, Mikhail Anichkin wished in conclusion.

    A quiz was organized for the guests, after which the students were presented with unique samples of the Russian Constitution.

    In the near future, the State University of Management and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation are planning to conclude an agreement that will allow university students to undergo practical training at the main institute of civil society in our country.

    An internship at the Public Chamber will allow you to become familiar with work in your specialty, acquire professional knowledge, including experience in preparing public events, working with documents, and experience in search and research work for the high-quality preparation of your thesis.

    At the end of the meeting, students from the State University of Management were invited to join the Chamber’s volunteer corps to help do good deeds together and promote the development of civil society in our country.

    The event was held within the framework of the work plan of the project initiative support club “School of the Young Manager” of the Department of State and Municipal Equation of the State University of Management.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/18/2024

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

    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.

    Future managers of the State University of Management visited the Public Chamber

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/18/2024, 10-08 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the carry rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment for the BELU (NovaBev ao) security were changed.

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/18/2024

    10:08

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 10-08 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -23.14%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -1.46 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 46.36%) of the BELU security (NovaBev JSC) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74092

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova congratulated the artistic director of the Pyatnitsky State Academic Russian Folk Choir Alexandra Permyakova on her anniversary, the 55th anniversary of her creative work, and presented her with the Certificate of Honor of the Government of the Russian Federation. The festive evening took place in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.

    Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    October 18, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    October 18, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    October 18, 2024

    Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    October 18, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Tatyana Golikova presented the Certificate of Honor of the Government of Russia to the artistic director of the State Academic Folk Choir named after M.E. Pyatnitsky, Alexandra Permyakova

    The Deputy Prime Minister read out a congratulatory message from President Vladimir Putin. The head of state emphasized that Alexandra Andreyevna, being a talented artist, an experienced mentor, teacher and educator, has for many years maintained boundless devotion to the high ideals of serving the arts, making a truly unique contribution to preserving the traditions of folk song.

    Tatyana Golikova also read out a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The head of government noted that thanks to her talent and constant creative search, Alexandra Andreyevna was able to combine singing, music and dance traditions from different parts of Russia with modern trends in the performing arts. The concert programs created by Alexandra Permyakova reveal the beauty and versatility of Russian folklore.

    Presenting the award, Tatyana Golikova said: “Today the country celebrates the anniversary of a unique woman who has been marching with the country for more than 50 years with her creativity. And she is extraordinarily devoted to this country. Devoted to the traditions of the country, to the folk art that this country creates. Thank you very much for giving yourself entirely to this, but at the same time being a very serious and tough leader. By order of the Government of the Russian Federation, for her great contribution to the development and preservation of the best traditions of Russian national choral art, and many years of creative work, Alexandra Andreyevna Permyakova is awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Government of the Russian Federation.”

    The Deputy Prime Minister wished Alexandra Permyakova new creative successes and emphasized that the Pyatnitsky Choir today is our multi-generational history. The life of the entire country is in the collective’s creativity. The Pyatnitsky Choir lives and will live with us forever.

    The choir’s extensive creative repertoire, which includes songs, ditties, dances and spiritual singing, is constantly replenished with new works and demonstrates the richness and diversity of our country’s singing culture. The Pyatnitsky Choir is a one-of-a-kind flagship collective in Russia, which all folk singing ensembles and choirs are guided by.

    The festive concert was attended by the Alexandrov Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army, the Igor Moiseyev Folk Dance Ensemble, the Kuban Cossack Choir, the Russian Song Theatre, the Osipov Folk Instruments Orchestra, the Gzhel Dance Theatre, Askar Abdrazakov, Zara, Denis Maidanov, Shaman, the Folkdeti children’s vocal and choreographic studio, created on the initiative of Alexandra Permyakova in 2015, and other artists.

    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/53040/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE Student Wins Youth World Combat Sambo Championship

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    A first-year student of the ICEF International Bachelor’s Program in Economics and Finance, Georgy Khvatkin, won gold at the World Youth Championship in Combat Sambo. The competition was held in Larnaca, Republic of Cyprus, and was attended by 575 athletes from 33 countries. Georgy won in the 98 kg weight category. In an express interview with the champion, Master of Sports Georgy Khvatkin, we talk about how the important decision to enter ICEF was made, how long and how many days a week Georgy has been training, what Jackie Chan has to do with it, and how great it is to have a beloved twin sister.

    From the personal archive of Georgy Khvatkin

    – Georgy, congratulations on your gold, we are proud of such a student! How and why did you decide to enter ICEF? What were your guidelines?

    – Entering ICEF was a conscious decision. My parents found out about ICEF first. They both graduated from the Philology Department of Moscow State University, and then my dad got a law degree, and my mom got an economics degree. My mom is very knowledgeable about economics and helped us choose a profession. We studied the information together and considered all the possibilities. An important factor was studying in English and getting a second diploma. We decided that this opened up great prospects. We did not consider other universities. My sister Katya and I (we are twins) prepared for the Unified State Exam and admission over the course of four school years.

    My sister and I graduated from the Moscow Russian-British school “Algorithm”, where we transferred in the seventh grade, with gold medals. And now we both study in the same bachelor’s degree group at the International Institute of Economics and Finance. Katya is my best friend. By the way, she is also successful in sports, she is a candidate for master of sports in synchronized swimming.

    – The school year has started intensively. Which subjects are coming to the forefront in terms of interest?

    – All subjects are interesting to me, all of them “caught” my attention. Largely thanks to the teaching staff. It feels like the teachers are professionals in their field, I value them all very much. I would like to separately mention Yaroslav Aleksandrovich Lyulko, who teaches “Probability Theory and Statistics”. It seems to me that this subject opens up the greatest opportunities for me as a student.

    The first few days were, of course, a bit difficult, considering how much sport there is in my life. It was also difficult because I was faced with topics that were completely new to me, but with the help of teachers and friends I figured it out and found solutions.

    I have the best group (I guess everyone says so?!): cool guys with whom I have many common interests. I already felt that ICEF is one big family, where teachers, classmates, senior students help each other.

    Studying in English turned out to be easier than I thought. I have been studying the language intensively since early childhood, and the introductory intensive course in English at the beginning of September also helped me a lot.

    – Now about your sports career. Why did you start doing sambo and how do your trainings go?

    Initially, I was involved in swimming. My dad played water polo all his life, my sister did synchronized swimming, a pool was always present in our life. And when I got interested in action movies with Jackie Chan at the age of 6-7, I became interested in martial arts. But for some reason I formulated that I wanted to do wrestling, and my dad sent me to the sambo section.

    In everyday life, when there are no competitions, I train 4-5 times a week on weekdays. During the preparation period for competitions, I start to increase the pace two months in advance. Specifically, before the Youth World Combat Sambo Championship in Larnaca, I trained two to three times a day for a month, including independent training in the form of jogging.

    – You train at the famous Sambo-70 club, and where else?

    I train in different clubs. This allows me to quickly acquire different techniques, improve in different directions. My main coach is Honored Coach of Russia Nikolay Anatolyevich Elesin, an absolute authority in the world of MMA and combat sambo. I also train at the “Boxing Progress Center” with Ali Piduriyev, and sometimes I go to wrestling days at the “Club of Professor E.L. Gloriozov”, where I work with coach Denis Igorevich Davydov.

    – Were there moments when you wanted to quit sambo?

    Yes, it happened several times. At some point, a lot of studying piled up, and in sports there were offensive and annoying defeats. I want to note the enormous support of the whole family, which did not let me do this, for which I am incredibly grateful to them all.

    – Do you have any idols in sports?

    I don’t really like the word “idol”. As I understand it, this word means to elevate someone to the level of a deity. There are people I look up to and who I like in sports. First of all, this is the legend of Russian sports Fedor Emelianenko, a four-time world champion in combat sambo. I really like the style of work on the mat of the famous sambo wrestler Denis Goltsov. I follow all his performances, try to adopt some of his techniques.

    – Out of the one and a half months of your student life, you trained two or three times a day, five days a week. How much time was left for studying? How do you manage to combine such different intensive loads?

    Of course, it is very difficult to combine sports and studies. I have to integrate training into my study schedule, so my schedule is always flexible – sometimes I will work out in the morning, sometimes more in the evening. Before tests and quizzes I reduce the number of trainings, and when it comes to studying I sometimes resort to the help of my parents, sister and friends.

    The life of a student and an athlete are similar in many ways, because it is a huge amount of independent work that you have to do. To do this, you simply need to master time management: you need to distribute your time literally by the hour in advance, so that you can do everything, and save energy somewhere, and have time to recover.

    Every week I create a schedule for the entire week to help me productively combine both studying and training.

    Now the loads in sports will decrease. But periods of high intensive load in my life are inevitable. I have to sacrifice my personal life – I manage to meet with friends once a month. This year, due to preparation for the World Championship, I unfortunately missed all the selections for student organizations that I would like to join. I hope I will have time next year.

    And for the sake of sporting honor, the IIEF is always ready to participate in competitions.

    – Have you ever found yourself in situations where circumstances pushed you to use your athletic skills in life?

    There are situations in life when you are provoked or you see that other people are provoked. I am sure that a truly strong person is not the one who knows how to fight and use physical force, but the one who knows how to resolve any issue in a conversation, in a dialogue. I believe that an athlete at such a level has no right to use his professional skills in life.

    – The student champion will hardly be able to rest on his laurels. What are your immediate plans?

    In sports, it is the Moscow Championship, selection for the Russian Championship, if we manage to win, we will go to the World Championship again. I still have 2 years to compete in juniors. It is very serious preparation before competitions in the senior age group, where I will have to compete with seasoned athletes. In terms of studies, it is midterms, exams. I would like to pass everything well and continue studying.

    – Georgy, thank you and further victories in everything!

    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.

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