NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Registration is now open for DBS Virtual Conference 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Registration is open for DBS Virtual Conference 2024. The free conference will provide essential insight into the current and future safeguarding landscape.

    The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has opened registration for the annual free-of-charge conference which open to all with an interest in safeguarding. Taking place on Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 October, the virtual conference will cover a different safeguarding theme each day and will welcome an exciting variety of keynote speakers, workshops, panel and round table discussions.

    DBS supports employers to make safer recruitment decisions by processing and issuing criminal record checks and by maintaining the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists. Led by subject experts, the 3-day conference will stream a series of informative webinars and live panel discussions to support safeguarding professionals with best practice knowledge and guidance, and will feature question-and-answer opportunities with a range of speakers.

    The themes of this year’s conference will include:

    • Tuesday 15: Technology and Innovation and the future of safeguarding

    • Wednesday 16: Information Sharing and the importance in safeguarding
    • Thursday 17: Rehabilitation of Offenders (ROA) – balancing safeguarding with individuals rights to rehabilitation

    As the conference is set to be hosted online, recordings will be made available afterwards. If delegates are interested in the event but are unable to attend on the day, it is recommended to still register to access any recordings.

    Register for the conference here and follow DBS’ LinkedIn

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: AUKUS meeting announces progress on nuclear reactor training

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    AUKUS nations will work closely together to boost global security, following the conclusion of a landmark meeting in London.

    Defence Secretary John Healey with his US and Australian counterparts at the Old Royal Naval College.

    Hundreds of Australian defence and civilian personnel will be upskilled in nuclear reactor expertise in 2025 by specialist Royal Navy engineers. The first such course concluded earlier this month, with 250 personnel learning the skills necessary to own, operate, maintain, sustain and regulate a nuclear-powered submarine.

    The UK Defence Secretary committed to more UK-delivered training courses as the trilateral Defence Ministers AUKUS meeting concluded in London. John Healey hosted his Australian and US counterparts at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich – the site of the Royal Navy’s initial nuclear reactor training more than 60 years ago.

    The United Kingdom and the United States are strengthening superiority in the maritime domain by integrating Sting Ray torpedoes onto P-8A submarine-hunting aircraft. The Sting Ray counters deep diving and conventional submarines, and this move has the potential to boost lethality and stockpile resilience across the AUKUS nations.  

    UK Defence Secretary John Healey said:

    “These are serious times, with threats increasing across the globe. Our defence partnerships have never been more important. I am pleased to confirm further skills and capability agreements with our AUKUS partners today.

    “Our government will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Australian and the US partners, with new UK leadership in AUKUS and a commitment to boost jobs and growth.

    “It has been an honour to host my counterparts in London for this landmark meeting.”

    The progress by Australia to build their own nuclear-powered submarine workforce was furthered by Australian personnel last month when they participated in the maintenance of a nuclear-powered attack submarine – the USS Hawaii – for the first time in Australia.

    A trilateral statement issued following today’s meeting underlined the security partnership’s continued commitment to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, that is secure and stable. It said the countries will continue to work to uphold the rules-based international order where human rights and the rule of law are respected, and states can make sovereign choices free from coercion.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ups the ante on his nuclear blackmail – the big question is how the west will respond

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security, University of Bradford

    Vladimir Putin has announced what appears to be a dramatic strengthening of Russia’s nuclear doctrine. The Russian president was responding to speculation that the west may relax its restrictions on Ukraine’s use of its weapons to attack targets inside Russia.

    He told his security council that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons. The trigger for the launch of nuclear missiles against Ukraine or any of its allies, he said, would be “reliable information about a massive launch of aerospace attack means and their crossing of our state border”.

    Whether this will affect the thinking of Ukraine’s western allies about the use of its long-range missiles has yet to be seen. But one of the major features of the public discourse about the Ukraine war has been the risk of the use of nuclear weapons.

    Nuclear threats have been a standard tactic for the Russian leadership. Whenever Ukraine receives new weapons from the west or is allowed to use western arms to target Russian territory Moscow has responded by either referring to the devastation it could wreak with its nuclear arsenal or by holding a drill to remind the west of its existence.

    But there have recently been reports of a growing realisation among Putin’s close advisers that these threats are beginning to wear thin, as one after another of Moscow’s “red lines” are ignored.

    Nevertheless, despite providing Ukraine with the most advanced air defence systems and offensive missiles that could strike targets deep within Russia – and perhaps even influence the course of the war – Nato countries are maintaining a strict limit on their use. It’s an indication that despite scepticism about Putin’s willingness to use nuclear weapons, deterrence remains robust – in western minds anyway.

    Nuclear deterrence is based on the threat to inflict “unacceptable damage” on an enemy. It is credible only if the adversary believes that the threat is accompanied by the capability and will to follow through.

    Nuclear powers have generally conducted nuclear messaging by publicising guidelines for the use of their arsenals. Nato’s current strategic concept was adopted by heads of state and government at the alliance’s summit in Madrid in June 2022. It states: “The circumstances in which Nato might have to use nuclear weapons are extremely remote.”

    But the document stresses that if nuclear weapons were used against any Nato member state it would “fundamentally alter” any conflict in which Nato was engaged. It goes on to warn that: “The Alliance has the capabilities and resolve to impose costs on an adversary that would be unacceptable and far outweigh the benefits that any adversary could hope to achieve.”

    Russia, meanwhile, is reportedly updating its nuclear doctrine in response to what it says is “western escalation” in the war in Ukraine. The current doctrine, established by a decree in 2020, says Russia can use nuclear weapons to respond to a nuclear attack by an enemy, or to a conventional attack that “threatens the existence of the state”.

    The latest statement by Putin is apparently the “draft” of a reworked nuclear doctrine. It certainly appears to lower the bar on resorting to the use of nuclear weapons.

    Sabre rattling

    The Russian leader made his first overt threat to use nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine in September 2022. He was overseeing the annexation of four occupied Ukrainian provinces after hastily arranged plebiscites, which were generally regarded in the west as being rigged.

    He stated that “the US is the only country in the world that twice used nuclear weapons, destroying the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Incidentally, they created a precedent.”

    He went on to assert that during the second world war the US and Britain had deliberately bombed several German cities to rubble. This, he insisted, had the “sole goal, just like in the case of nuclear bombardments in Japan, to scare our country and the entire world”.

    But CIA director William Burns recently said the west should not take Putin’s threats seriously: “Putin’s a bully. He’s going to continue to sabre rattle from time to time.”

    CIA director Wiliam Burns and MI6 chief Richatrd Moore in conversation at an FT conference, September 2024.

    Burns told a festival organised by the Financial Times on September 7 that: “There was a moment in the fall of 2022 when I think there was a genuine risk of potential use of tactical nuclear weapons … I never thought … we should be unnecessarily intimidated by that.”

    He said he had subsequently passed on a message from US president Joe Biden to Sergey Naryshkin, the head of the Russian foreign intelligence service at a meeting in Turkey in November 2022 “to make very clear what the consequences of that kind of escalation would be”.

    US satellite networks and other intelligence sources have shown no evidence of any preparations for the employment of nuclear weapons. This is despite Russian claims that the alert status of Russian forces has been raised.

    But Putin’s proxies have been busily putting out propaganda messages to reinforce their leader’s threats. According to the Washington Post, Alexander Mikhailov, the director of the Bureau of Military Political Analysis, recently called for Russia to bomb plywood mock-ups of London and Washington to simulate a nuclear attack, so that that would “burn so beautifully that it will horrify the world”.

    The speaker of the lower house, Vyacheslav Volodin, warned that strikes on Russia would lead to war with nuclear weapons and warned that the European parliament in Strasbourg was only a three-minute flight for a Russian nuclear missile.

    So far Putin’s threats have been sufficient to limit the scope of western involvement. Whether the Russian president’s latest threat will be effective is now the question.

    Christoph Bluth received funding from the Volkswagen Stiftung and the AHRC

    – ref. Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ups the ante on his nuclear blackmail – the big question is how the west will respond – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-vladimir-putin-ups-the-ante-on-his-nuclear-blackmail-the-big-question-is-how-the-west-will-respond-239660

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: Zelensky’s pleas for help are getting drowned out in the clamour from the Middle East

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    While Russia continues its nuclear sabre rattling, with renewed threats to use its arsenal if attacked, fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine and in Russia’s Kursk region remains intense. But the diplomatic centre of gravity of the war recently shifted to New York and Washington.

    Discussions at the UN and meetings scheduled between the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the US president Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris are by no means unimportant for the outcomes of the conflict. But it is unlikely that they will constitute the pivotal moment in accelerating the pace towards a Ukrainian victory that Zelensky might envisage.

    At meetings at the UN general assembly and security council, Zelensky appealed to world leaders to support his country and force Russia to make peace with Ukraine. His vision to achieve this is via a second global peace summit. This time he wants Russia to participate after the first effort in Switzerland in June achieved very little.



    Read more:
    Ukraine summit fails to provide a path to peace for Kyiv and its allies

    But with Zelensky continuing to push his ten-point peace plan and Putin insisting on Ukraine recognising Russia’s annexation of Crimea and four regions on the mainland, the two sides are as far apart as ever. So prospects of any meaningful negotiations virtually non-existent.

    This has not deterred Zelensky from promoting to Ukraine’s allies what he is calling his “victory plan”.

    The plan “envisages quick and concrete steps by our strategic partners … from now until the end of December”. These concrete steps are likely to include more western military support and the permission to use longer-range western weapons against targets deeper inside Russia.

    This latter point is something on which the western alliance is divided – and the US sceptical on its strategic value. Putin’s insistence that Russia will respond by using its nuclear arsenal if it detects any western missiles crossing its border will have added to this uncertainty.

    Even if more decisive western support were suddenly forthcoming, it is unlikely that it would offset other disadvantages that Ukraine and its allies are facing on the battlefield and beyond. Russia has consolidated its alliances with Iran, North Korea and China. All of these countries have supplied mission-critical ammunition and equipment that has enabled the Kremlin to sustain its war effort in Ukraine.

    Russia, so far, has also maintained its advantage in numbers. It appears to be determined to push this even harder following Putin’s order to increase the number of combat troops of the Russian army by another 180,000 soldiers.

    Meanwhile, a relentless Russian air campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure has also caused lasting damage, especially to the country’s energy supply network. This is likely to have a particularly adverse effect on Ukraine’s civilian population. It is likely to seriously dent morale during the coming winter.

    Other plans (and priorities)

    As discussions at the UN this week have underlined, there is also some diplomatic momentum building up behind a joint proposal by Brazil and China that was initially launched in May. Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pushed the plan during his speech at the UN general assembly on September 24, as did China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi.

    Like previous proposals from China and Brazil individually, as well as from Indonesia, a group of African states and Saudi Arabia, the joint Brazilian-Chinese plan calls for a ceasefire along the current frontlines. Negotiations would then follow.

    Ukraine fears, rightly, that this would entrench the status quo and effectively amount to Kyiv giving up territory illegally annexed by Russia. It would not guarantee any fruitful negotiations but give Russia time and space to regroup and rebuild its armed forces for a likely future escalation. None of this is acceptable to Ukraine and its allies as Zelensky made clear in his speech at the UN.

    Volodymr Zelensky criticises the Brazil-China plan at the UN general assembly.

    China’s previous effort to promote this joint initiative with Brazil just before the peace summit in Switzerland last June, did not go very far. It may not go much further this time either.

    But attention and resources are now much more focused on the Middle East and – to a lesser extent – the civil war in Sudan. So the very fact of this plan’s resurrection may be enough for Russia and its allies to prevent the rest of the world from uniting behind the western-backed Ukrainian proposal for a second global peace summit.

    This is clearly a concern for Ukraine. Zelensky, with a clear eye on countries in the global south, not only rejected the proposal but also argued that forcing Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia would be akin to reimposing a version of the brutal colonial past of the Soviet era on his country.

    Will Zelensky be Trumped in November?

    While the stars are thus hardly aligning in Ukraine’s favour at the UN in New York, things did not go much better as far as US domestic politics is concerned ahead of presidential elections in November. Questioning whether Donald Trump really has a credible plan to end the war, Zelensky triggered the notoriously short-fused Republican contender into lashing out at him at campaign rallies.

    Donald Trump takes aim at Volodymr Zelensky.

    Trump is both accusing Zelensky of refusing to make a deal and expressing doubts about Ukraine’s ability to win the war. Meanwhile, a recent opinion piece penned by Robert F. Kennedy Jnr and Donald Trump Jnr for The Hill, an influential political newspaper, urges that Ukraine be pushed to make a deal with Russia to prevent nuclear escalation.

    And Trump’s running-mate J.D. Vance has made clear his opposition to the US continuing to supply aid to Ukraine if elected in November. So it’s pretty clear that there is a very real prospect that Washington may soon cease to be Kyiv’s most important global ally.

    All of this explains the urgency behind Zelensky’s push for more and more decisive western support in the coming months, and his pleas to the wider international community to back efforts for a just peace for Ukraine. But it also indicates that Russia and its allies have, for now, done enough to further frustrate any progress towards a Ukrainian victory both on the battlefield and at the negotiation table.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Ukraine war: Zelensky’s pleas for help are getting drowned out in the clamour from the Middle East – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-zelenskys-pleas-for-help-are-getting-drowned-out-in-the-clamour-from-the-middle-east-239752

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The world isn’t taking Putin’s nuclear threats seriously – the history of propaganda suggests it should

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Colin Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Political Communications, Nottingham Trent University

    Vladimir Putin has spoken several times about using nuclear weapons since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, the initial attention and concern that global news media gave to Putin when he first spoke on the issue in September 2022 seemed to have largely dissipated over the past two years of conflict, perhaps because of the frequency with which he has threatened to resort to use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

    Now Putin has issued his strongest threat yet, saying that Russia would use nuclear weapons against any country attacking it, even with conventional weapons. This statement appears to be intended to influence the debate happening at the United Nations, where Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is trying to persuade his country’s western allies to allow Ukraine to use the weapons they have provided against targets deep within Russia itself.

    This has been a “red line” hitherto that Ukraine’s allies have been unwilling to cross. That may be about to change though and Russia’s reaction has been to reiterate a nuclear response.

    For those interested in the study of propaganda, Putin’s threats appear to have moved from what American media scholar Dan Hallin called the “sphere of legitimate controversy”, where the validity of an utterance is urgently debated by journalists, politicians and academics, into the “sphere of consensus”, where there is broad agreement about the meaning of the message. This generally results in it receiving less attention.

    To believe that Putin is not serious about using nuclear weapons is a dangerous assumption to make. But it provides a good opportunity to examine the political and public relationship with nuclear weapons in more detail.

    The psychology of nuclear threat

    Most adults know of the existence of nuclear weapons and understand the consequences of their use. Very few are simply ignorant of them or their immense power. But global annihilation is too overwhelming to think about other than fleetingly. As a result we tend to focus on less drastic futures.

    These regular denials and self-deceptions affect political outlooks though. Every so often the leader of a nuclear-armed country is asked by a journalist or another politician about their readiness to press the nuclear button. They always say “yes”. When this question is asked in front of an audience there is usually enthusiastic applause.

    This response – applauding an individual politician’s willingness to bring about the end of the world – is perhaps the most compelling evidence of the duality that the threat of nuclear war exists within. Rather than perceiving such a response as the worrying sign that a maniac has somehow manoeuvred their way into high office and should be immediately removed, the voter perceives the utterance as a signifier of leadership strength.

    Psychologically, it can be argued that the applause actually represents an outpouring of relief that this mass self-deception can continue.

    ‘Fear propaganda’ and confirmation bias

    During the cold war, official propaganda placed great emphasis upon threat and preparedness for nuclear attack. The BBC film Threads first aired 40 years ago in September 1984 and depicted the aftermath of a nuclear strike. It was responsible for great alarm among the British public at a time when news media, movies and even official literature were also focused upon the threat of nuclear war.

    Between 1974 and 1980, the UK government issued a booklet entitled Protect and Survive, accompanied by short films. The BBC, in its public service role, also ran documentary programming including a 1980 edition of Panorama called If The Bomb Drops. While US secretary of state Henry Kissinger’s 1957 study Nuclear War and Foreign Policy caused alarm for arguing that small-scale nuclear war using “battlefield” weapons might be possible.

    Cold war communications like these served to focus the public mind towards the threat of nuclear attack above all other fears. And perhaps, at that time, they were right to do so. But more than 30 years have now passed since the end of the cold war and the emphasis within what is known as “fear propaganda” now focuses on other threats, such as extremism, pandemics and migration.

    As such, Putin’s nuclear threats provide propaganda analysts like myself with a case study about the important role played by fear propaganda in determining what people are scared of. If taken within the wider history of the fear of nuclear holocaust, it is clear that political leaders cannot rely on their words alone to be taken seriously. They require a wider supportive propaganda environment – like the atmosphere created at the height of the cold war.

    Putin the ‘madman’

    Questions around how to understand Putin’s nuclear attack threats ought to be positioned as the latest in a long(ish) line of world leaders who have tried to convince global publics of their readiness to commit nuclear genocide.

    Richard Nixon, for example, used what was referred to as “madman” tactics when trying to convince people of his readiness to push the button. Interestingly, the more recent depictions of Putin, Kim Jong-un and other authoritarian leaders as madmen by western tabloids can actually helps them by playing down the fact of their inferior military capabilities when compared to those of the Nato allies.

    Don’t think for a moment though that any of this discussion of propaganda increases or decreases the actual threat posed by nuclear weapons. Indeed, there exists a degree of confirmation bias among politicians, journalists and other public commentators that because nuclear war did not happen during the cold war, it is unlikely to happen now. But this can’t be guaranteed. It may be that these conclusions are mistakenly based upon the intensity of the propaganda environment – not the actuality of the threat posed.

    To this end, it ought to be remembered that the ability to press the button sits well within the capacity of the sane human mind. US president Harry S. Truman pushed the button in 1945. He was then given detailed reports of the death and destruction that his decision caused to Hiroshima. Then he pushed the button again to annihilate Nagasaki.

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

    – ref. The world isn’t taking Putin’s nuclear threats seriously – the history of propaganda suggests it should – https://theconversation.com/the-world-isnt-taking-putins-nuclear-threats-seriously-the-history-of-propaganda-suggests-it-should-239942

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: New ADB–IFFEd Partnership to Unlock $500 Million in Concessional Education Financing in Asia and Pacific

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    MANILA, PHILIPPINES (26 September 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement with the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) that will enable at least $500 million in new concessional education funding for lower middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia and the Pacific.

    Under the financing partnership, IFFEd—a sovereign-backed Swiss foundation established in 2023 to invest in education and skills in LMICs—will guarantee $125 million of ADB’s sovereign loan exposure across all sectors, known as a synthetic portfolio, and provide an initial $50 million in grants.

    By blending IFFEd’s guarantees to ADB with grants that will comprise 10% of every loan, the first-of-its-kind arrangement facilitates a four times leverage ratio of the guarantee, boosting the amount of capital ADB can lend while lowering borrowing costs for the bank’s developing member countries (DMCs).

    “Education is the cornerstone of modern, prosperous, and inclusive societies, and we are pleased to announce this partnership with IFFEd,” said ADB Vice-President for Sectors and Themes Fatima Yasmin. “By pooling catalytic and concessional financing, this initiative means our lower middle-income DMCs can scale up their investments in education and skills—vital to building knowledge-based economies—along with other sectors at the same time.”

    LMICs face an education crisis. More than 50% of students in these countries are not able to read simple text by age 10 despite attending school, and graduates do not have the skills to find jobs, leaving employers unable to fill vacancies.

    As countries move from lower to lower middle-income status, they tend to get caught in a financing “missing middle” where they are no longer eligible to receive grants but cannot afford nonconcessional financing—forcing a difficult decision of where to invest, exacerbated by limited domestic financing.

    By bringing concessional or grant resources to developing countries seeking to strengthen their education systems, the ADB–IFFEd partnership’s key innovation lies in the fact that—at a time of rapid change—it will help ADB’s DMCs prepare for a future characterized by digital transformation, climate change, demographic transitions, and rapid urbanization.

    IFFEd’s sovereign donors include Canada, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, while the Atlassian Foundation, Jacobs Foundation, Porticus, Rockefeller Foundation, and the Soros Economic Development Fund (the investment arm of Open Society Foundations) have provided seed capital. IFFEd, which benefits from a strong credit rating, will initially focus on Asia and the Pacific, and Africa, in collaboration with multilateral development banks (MDBs).

    “Investing in education and skills in LMICs—home to nearly half of the world’s children and youth—is key to powering long-term economic growth and making progress on global health, climate, and equity goals,” said IFFEd Founding Chief Executive Officer Karthik Krishnan.

    “IFFEd has been recognized by the G20 MDB Capital Adequacy Framework Review as one of the most significant development finance innovations in the past decade and delivers seven times more impact than traditional grants. ADB played a key role in shaping the IFFEd instrument and as our first founding MDB partner, ADB is showcasing its unwavering commitment to alleviating poverty and powering economic growth in Asia and the Pacific,” added Mr. Krishnan.

    The following ADB DMCs are currently eligible for IFFEd funding: Bangladesh, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam.

    IFFEd-funded education projects can support ADB programs at any level of the education system—from early childhood development and school education to technical and vocational training, skills development and tertiary education.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Anti-Slavery Day Lunch and Learn Sessions

    Source: City of Coventry

    Coventry City Council is thrilled to be launching the a timetable of lunch and learn sessions to mark National Anti-Slavery Day in October.

    To mark National Anti-Slavery Day on the 18 of October 2024, Coventry City Council will be hosting a series of free Lunch & Learn Sessions highlighting different elements of modern slavery and exploitation.

    These sessions are aimed at professionals in Coventry who may encounter modern slavery in their roles, both operationally and strategically. The sessions will be provided by a range of agencies, covering different topics. Every session will run from 12 to 12:30pm over Teams.

    The Council would like to thank all the agencies that are delivering sessions, this is a true partnership effort which highlights the collaborative approach our city is taking to tackle exploitation.

    Please book onto as many sessions as you like. If you have any questions regarding the sessions, do not hesitate to contact the Council’s Modern Slavery Lead at modernslavery@coventry.gov.uk

    The events:

    Download a timetable of the events.

    Thursday, 26th September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change to health board status

    Source: Scottish Government

    NHS Forth Valley move to stage 3

    NHS Forth Valley will move to stage 3 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework following improvements in leadership, culture and governance at the Health Board.

    The move will apply from 1 October 2024 and will mean NHS Forth Valley no longer requires direct formal oversight from the Assurance Board, in place since 23 November 2022, which will now be stood down.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “Following considerable progress against measures outlined in their improvement plan, it is encouraging the Scottish Government are now able to move NHS Forth Valley to stage 3 on the Support and Intervention Framework.

    “The Board has provided evidence of tangible and sustainable improvements across the three areas they were escalated for: leadership, culture, and governance.

    “This is a step forward, however it is vital improvements made are sustained and the Board continues to prioritise delivery of actions now being monitored as business as usual.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Confirmed Government funding sets the scene for two cultural projects

    Source: City of Derby

    Government funding for two leading cultural projects in Derby has been secured, paving the way for the restoration of the historic Guildhall Theatre, and Derby Theatre’s redevelopment project.

    Sign-off of £20 million of UK Government funding, which was put on hold when the General Election was called, has now been confirmed by the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government (MCHLG).

    Partners Derby City Council, the University of Derby and Derby Theatre will now work to develop their plans for the two buildings.

    Half of the funding, £10 million, will go towards bringing the Grade II listed Guildhall Theatre back into use. Further funding has been allocated from the Council’s capital budget, and opportunities for match funding are being explored.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:

    It is fantastic news that this much-needed funding has been secured for our city. Now we can look towards restoring one of our historic buildings and create more space for community-led arts groups to perform right in the city’s cultural heart.

    The other half of the funding will go towards a new accessible and flexible studio theatre adjoining the current building at Derby Theatre. In addition, a new Learning and Research Hub will develop further the undergraduate and postgraduate offer to study theatre in a professional setting and give more space to Derby Theatre’s expanding community programme.

    Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said:

    We are delighted that plans to develop Derby Theatre are progressing forwards. 

    The Theatre plays a vital role in the creative and cultural ecology of our city and is a key part of our university. As a professional, producing and learning theatre, it provides our students with a unique and valuable opportunity to study alongside professionals.

    We are fully committed to supporting Derby Theatre and the regeneration of our city and look forward to continuing to work with partners on this project.

    Sarah Brigham, CEO and Artistic Director of Derby Theatre said:

    These new facilities will enable us to expand and embed our community programmes into the heart of the theatre, become a hot house for artistic talent in the city and develop work which suits a more intimate setting. At a difficult time for artists and cultural venues, we are delighted by this vote of confidence in Derby Theatre.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Flooding impacts across the country

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Heavy rainfall forecast over the next 24 hours across the country means significant river and surface water flooding is possible across central England.

    Heavy rainfall forecast over the next 24 hours across the country means significant river and surface water flooding is possible across central England

    Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire, Bedfordshire and Gloucestershire, amongst others, are likely to be affected with minor impacts expected in other parts of Southern England and the North with river flooding is also possible on Friday in the north-east of England.

    At 1pm on Thursday there were 27 flood warnings, showing flooding is expected, and 73 flood alerts, showing flooding is possible.

    Heavy rain and thunderstorms earlier in the week has led to around 385 properties flooded Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent and the Home Counties.

    With further rain coming, Environment Agency teams are out on the ground putting up flood defences, clearing blockages and supporting local authorities in their response work.

    We continue to urge people to keep an eye on the weather, check their flood risk, and take care planning their journeys.

    Kate Marks, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

    Heavy rainfall across the country means that significant river and surface water flooding impacts are possible in parts of central England today and into Friday. Minor river flooding impacts are also possible in parts of north-east England today and Friday.

    Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding. We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

    People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following @EnvAgency on X for the latest flood updates.

    The Flooding Minister has today visited communities in Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard to hear more about the impacts earlier this week. On Wednesday, Environment Secretary visited Northamptonshire on Wednesday to receive a briefing on their response and the actions taken to protect communities locally.

    Updates to this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State visits farm amidst bluetongue outbreaks

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Secretary of State Steve Reed visited an Essex farm this week to hear from NFU representatives and a famer who recently had animals tested for bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3).

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed

    Secretary of State Steve Reed visited an Essex farm this week (Wednesday 25th September) to hear from NFU representatives and a famer who recently had animals tested for bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3).

    The Secretary of State, accompanied by Animal Plant Health Agency staff, including APHA’s Veterinary Head of Outbreaks for England Sascha Van Helvoort, heard about the impact this disease has been having on the industry and the importance of reporting livestock suspected of having the disease.

    Bluetongue virus is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep, deer and camelids, with case numbers now increasing dramatically in northern Europe. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, ulcers or sores in the mouth or nose, and reduced milk yield.

    Disease control zones were put in place to control the movement of potentially affected animals as soon as bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) was detected. These zones have been under constant review and adjustment as the disease situation has developed, such as when evidence of local transmission of disease emerged. A single Restricted Zone is now in place covering the east of England from Lincolnshire to West Sussex.

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, said:

    I have heard first-hand the experiences of farmers battling this disease and we are working hard to prevent its spread into other areas of England and Great Britain.

    We understand restrictions can have an impact but stress the importance of everyone adhering to these. We are committed to working with everyone affected and urge people to report livestock they suspect have the disease.

    Sascha Van Helvoort, APHA Veterinary Head of Field Delivery and Veterinary Head of Outbreaks for England, said:

    The increasing number of bluetongue virus (BTV-3) cases demonstrate the importance of vigilance from all livestock keepers and farmers.

    We have field teams, vets and scientists across the country who are working hard to help tackle bluetongue virus and ensure farmers are being supported.

    If you have any suspicions of disease, you must report this to the Animal Plant Health Agency immediately so we can provide assistance.

    Defra has permitted use of the currently available unauthorised BTV-3 vaccines, subject to licence. We recommend animal keepers work with their veterinarians to decide if vaccination is right for their animals. To prioritise initial supplies, a general licence allows those in high-risk counties of England to use the vaccine. Specific licences can be applied for through APHA by animal keepers elsewhere in England who wish to use the vaccine

    BTV is a notifiable disease. Suspicion of BTV in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301, 03003 038 268 in Wales or your local Field Services Office in Scotland. 

    View more information about bluetongue. Check the list of all bluetongue cases and control zones and view the bluetongue interactive map.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 20 rescued, 144 arrested in major child abuse operation across South America

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    26 September 2024

     

    LYON, France – An international operation targeting child sex offenders has led to 144 arrests and enabled the safeguarding of 20 victims across South America.

    During Operation Orion International, 12 South American countries joined forces to combat the production, distribution and possession of online child sexual abuse and exploitation material, focusing particularly on victim identification and rescue.

    As a result of the operation, undertaken with the coordination and support of INTERPOL, 18 direct abusers were caught and 111 people were charged with possession and distribution of abuse material. Seven individuals wanted internationally for child sex offenses, who were the subjects of INTERPOL Red Notices, were also arrested as part of the crackdown.

    The arrested individuals, predominantly men, were aged between 14 and 86 and came from diverse backgrounds. Their occupations included: professor, graphic designer, security guard, mechanic, musician, journalist, psychologist and taxi driver.

    Case studies: child victims safeguarded after years of abuse

    In Argentina, local authorities had identified abuse material circulating on messaging applications.  With the support of INTERPOL and its additional data, authorities were able to identify and safeguard a nine-year-old victim who had suffered at least six years of abuse.

    In a separate case in Chile, police identified an offender sharing child sexual exploitation material in messaging groups. Following his arrest, investigators analysed the seized information and established that the same person had also produced child sexual abuse material at the arrest location. This made it possible to identify and safeguard a 14-year-old girl, the daughter of the perpetrator’s partner.

    As part of Operation Orion International, participating countries were also asked to assess existing Red Notices for child sexual offenders believed to be living within their borders.

    In one such case, Korean authorities had provided information about the manager of a website which shared child exploitation material. Thanks to the collaboration between Korea and Ecuador, with coordination from INTERPOL, the individual was apprehended.

     

    Chile: Targeting the production and distribution of online child sexual abuse material

    Hardware seized in Argentina has opened new avenues for investigation

    Paraguay: 144 arrests were made during the international operation

    Venezuela was one of 12 participating countries in the operation

    Arrests in Colombia as part of Operation Orion International

    International cooperation throughout South America

    The region-wide initiative, which ran from May to September 2024, was launched by INTERPOL following information provided by Chile’s cybercrime unit and the Buenos Aires’ prosecutor’s office, concerning investigations into the transnational distribution of child sexual abuse material on instant messaging applications.

    INTERPOL’s Crimes Against Children unit analysed and consolidated this information, along with its existing data, and then shared this intelligence with participating countries. A preoperational meeting with prosecutors and investigators, supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, laid out the roadmap for cross-border collaboration.

    INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

    “This operation, and the harrowing cases it exposed, is yet another reminder that child abusers are from all walks of life. Thanks to this international effort, children who have known a lifetime of abuse have been protected from further exploitation.

    “INTERPOL will continue to work with all member countries in our continued, and vital, efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society.”

    As well as joint international action, the operation required cooperation at a national level, across multiple states. It resulted in arrests and victim identification in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

    The hardware seizures and evidence gathered during Operation Orion International have opened new avenues for investigation, with further results to follow.

    Participating countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Victory in the Field Begins in the Factory’: Ukrainian President Thanks IAM Local 847 Members in Visit to Pennsylvania Ammunition Facility

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited a factory in Scranton ,Pa., to watch proud IAM Local 847 (District 1) members manufacture artillery shells. Zelensky also wanted to meet and thank the workers he considers vital to his country’s defense.  He was accompanied by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.,) and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) , who also wanted to meet and thank IAM Union members. 

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    Over 400 IAM members work at the Scranton Army Ammunition factory, with another 1,000 General Dynamics workers nearby manufacturing the lethal explosives used inside each shell. 

    “400 people save millions of Ukrainian people,” said Zelensky. “I just say thank you.”

    Watch a highlight video here.

    If you are a Russian soldier on the front in Ukraine, you have roughly 75 seconds from the time Ukrainian forces fire a 155 millimeter shell your way, until that artillery round hits. When it does, most things within 50 meters are dead, and much within 100 meters is seriously shredded by steel shrapnel.

    The modern artillery systems, like the famed M777 Howitzer cannon, sold to the Ukrainians by NATO since the Russian invasion in 2022, are accurate to within 10 meters of a target point. Russians within 100 meters of that target point are having a seriously bad day.

    Ukrainian military leaders report that they fire 6,000 to 8,000 rounds of these artillery shells every day at the Russians, from 15 to 20 miles away. Russian troops are firing multiple thousands of 120 millimeter artillery rounds per day back at the Ukrainians, with far less accuracy, which often fail to function on impact. Ukraine has asked western defense contractors, like this U.S. Army factory run by General Dynamics, to up their production rate of artillery shells so that Ukraine can send 7,000 to 9,000 shells a day at the Russians.

    That means steady work for IAM members of local 847, just outside of Scranton.

    “Our members at Local 847 have been shaping the steel artillery rounds for the Army for a few generations now,” said IAM District 1 Directing Business Representative Anthony Armideo. “General Dynamics runs that factory now, but we have been at that site since Hoffman Machinery Corp. converted the factory to produce artillery shells in 1953.”

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    “Any time we hear that production is ramping up for our members, that is good news. Local 847 has a long history with the IAM, dating back to its charter in 1952 when 500 brothers voted to join,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “Now these Brothers, Sisters, and Siblings are continuing that legacy of shaping steel for our defense industry at General Dynamics”.

    Media reports that Ukraine has ordered 1.5 million of these rounds, and IAM members have helped meet that demand. 155 millimeter rounds have become one of the most sought after tools for the Ukrainian military. Some unique engineering has seen mortars and artillery rounds dropped from drones by the Ukrainians to defeat Russians. 

    “Our members do this work everyday, with little notice or fanfare,” said IAM Local 847 President Joe Leary. “We were just happy to see Zelensky up close, because we want him to win.”

    A banner stretches above the factory floor: “Victory in the field begins in the factory.” Above the banner hangs a flag of each U.S. military service branch, with the U.S. flag in the proper position of honor, facing forward from the right of all other flags.

    These IAM members are honored to hold their position in this factory to bring victory closer each day. Hoping to shape an outcome of a war of self defense that keeps Ukraine free and independent.

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Middle East and North Africa Programme: Drawing Together All Area-Related Initiatives

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    Sciences Po’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) programme centralises initiatives relating to the study and research on this region. On 26 September, a one-day launching event was organised on the topic of the wars in the Middle East and their repercussions on the MENA societies.

    As an interdisciplinary and cross-cutting structure, the main mission of the MENA programme is to promote, coordinate, and enhance the institution’s activities relating to the Middle East and North Africa. By strengthening academic, scientific and cultural collaborations with partner universities, the programme supports student work at all levels (bachelor, master, doctorate), while creating a unique space for dialogue between researchers, artists and civil society members, thereby fostering an enriched understanding of the region.

    Interview with the programme’s two co-directors: Léa Albrieux, in charge of the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, the Gulf, and Pakistan at the International Affairs Office, and Bayram Balci, researcher at the Center for International Studies (CERI).

    Can you tell us about your background and your interest in the Middle East and North Africa area?

    We both studied the Middle East and North Africa as part of our studies and spent many years there. Our interest also stems from the fact that this region, its conflicts, but also its culture – including its cuisine – are present in our daily lives in France and even in Europe. So the desire to understand this region, whose conflicts have repercussions that go far beyond its borders, played a central role in our decision to focus on it. This area also forms a bridge between several continents, which makes it all the more interesting to explore collaborations with Sciences Po’s other regional programmes, covering Africa and South Asia. 

    What are the major contemporary challenges facing the region, and how does the new programme intend to tackle them?

    The main challenge is to find a way back towards peace, stability, and democracy, which go hand in hand. As the cradle of three great religions, but also of several great cultures and civilisations, the region has been constantly confronted, since its emergence from colonial domination, with conflicts of varying intensity. Those security and political challenges regularly call into question the progress that has been made. Our programme is humble; it does not claim to resolve the tensions in the region concerned. Contributing to analyse and understand them, through research and teaching, would be our first step. 

    Can you explain your vision and ambitions as co-directors of the programme?

     This structure gathers the diverse people who study and work on the region within Sciences Po’s departments, research centres, campuses, as well as its undergraduate and graduate schools. Its mission is to support and highlight all the institution’s scientific and educational activities and partnerships relating to the MENA area. To this end, we plan to develop a variety of activities combining teaching, research, and partnerships, as well as actions relating to the arts and culture of this region. 

    What topics will be highlighted at the launch event on 26 September?

    Although the aim of our programme is not to comment on every event that shakes the region, the event on 26 September will be devoted essentially to the attack of 7 October 2023 and its effects on Middle Eastern societies. The unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel plunged the Middle East into a new phase of war. While this renewed violence is having profound effects on the regional balance, it is also having major consequences for local societies, in Israel and Palestine, but also in neighbouring countries. This conference will shed a light on this internal and local dimension of the ongoing conflict.

    Cover image caption: Doha, Qatar, mars 2019. (credits: Jaanus Jagomägi / Unsplash)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 685

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 685
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1045 AM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northern Florida
    Southern Georgia
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Thursday morning and evening from 1045 AM until
    1000 PM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Several tornadoes likely

    SUMMARY…Rainbands associated with Hurricane Helene will continue
    to move through this area throughout the day. Wind fields will
    strengthen as the hurricane continues northward, with low-level
    winds becoming increasingly favorable for tornadoes. These
    conditions will result in a long-duration risk for tornadoes across
    northern Florida and southern Georgia.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 40 miles west northwest of
    Tallahassee FL to 60 miles north northeast of Gainesville FL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 683…WW 684…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
    storm motion vector 16035.

    …Mosier

    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 685
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1045 AM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northern Florida
    Southern Georgia
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Thursday morning and evening from 1045 AM until
    1000 PM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Several tornadoes likely

    SUMMARY…Rainbands associated with Hurricane Helene will continue
    to move through this area throughout the day. Wind fields will
    strengthen as the hurricane continues northward, with low-level
    winds becoming increasingly favorable for tornadoes. These
    conditions will result in a long-duration risk for tornadoes across
    northern Florida and southern Georgia.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 40 miles west northwest of
    Tallahassee FL to 60 miles north northeast of Gainesville FL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 683…WW 684…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
    storm motion vector 16035.

    …Mosier

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW5
    WW 685 TORNADO FL GA CW 261445Z – 270200Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    40WNW TLH/TALLAHASSEE FL/ – 60NNE GNV/GAINESVILLE FL/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /31W TLH – 21WNW CRG/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..0.5 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 16035.

    LAT…LON 31498497 31358187 29618187 29758497

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU5.

    Watch 685 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    High (80%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (10%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low ( 2 inches

    Low (

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum concludes successfully (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum concludes successfully (with photos)
    5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum concludes successfully (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (BRITACOF) hosted by the Inland Revenue Department concluded successfully today (September 26). This three-day annual mega event in the international tax community attracted about 500 tax officials, tax experts, as well as representatives from international organisations, academic institutions and enterprises from nearly 50 countries and regions to discuss emerging tax issues and exchange tax administration experiences under the theme “Deepening Tax Administration Cooperation for High-Quality Belt and Road Development”.      The Executive Secretary of the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism (BRITACOM) Secretariat and the Deputy Commissioner of the State Taxation Administration (STA), Mr Wang Daoshu, announced the outcomes of the 5th BRITACOF at the closing ceremony today, including four outcomes of the task forces of the Nur-Sultan Action Plan (2022-2024), the Joint Statement of the Fifth BRITACOF, the Hong Kong Action Plan (2025-2027), the Annual Report of the BRITACOM (2024), the joining of Maldives Inland Revenue Authority as a new BRITACOM Council member tax administration, and the establishment of the BRITA·Algiers. The relevant documents set out in detail the efforts made by various parties in promoting the establishment of BRITACOM and the achievements made, reflecting the importance of BRITACOM in international tax co-operation. The documents also advocate multilateral and equal-footed dialogue to create a positive impact through facilitating the enhancement of the international tax environment amidst a future global tax administration landscape.      Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue and the Chairman of the 5th BRITACOF, Mr Tam Tai-pang said, “The knowledge and insights gained from this forum are invaluable to all of us in our endeavours to improve our tax systems and enhance the quality and capacity of our tax administrations, which are vital to economic development in our respective jurisdictions.”      He pointed out that BRITACOM had achieved significant outcomes and reached consensus on the work of deepening tax administration co-operation of the Belt and Road jurisdictions in the future. The success of the Belt and Road Initiative hinges on all parties’ ability to work together, and the collective efforts in tax administration co-operation will be pivotal in achieving shared goals.      Hong Kong also took the opportunity of the 5th BRITACOF to deepen tax co-operation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). On the margins of the 5th BRITACOF, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Commissioner of the STA, Mr Hu Jinglin, and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tax co-operation within the GBA among the finance and taxation departments of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao SAR. The MOU will promote the co-ordination of tax administration and services in the GBA and facilitate Hong Kong’s active integration into the overall national development.      As regards international tax co-operation, during the 5th BRITACOF the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, held bilateral meetings separately with representatives from Kazakhstan, Maldives, Tajikistan and Türkiye to discuss deepening tax co-operation at the international and Belt and Road levels. He also signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with the Government of the Republic of Türkiye on behalf of the Hong Kong SAR Government, marking a significant step forward for Hong Kong in its continuous fostering of international tax co-operation and expansion of the CDTA network.      The 5th BRITACOF fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”. The exchange of tax administration experiences has deepened relations among countries and regions, and facilitated the sharing of opportunities and achievements brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, contributing to the high-quality Belt and Road development.      To showcase Hong Kong’s hospitality and tell the good story of Hong Kong, the Inland Revenue Department, as the host of the 5th BRITACOF, arranged various experiential activities for the participants to give them first-hand experience of Hong Kong’s unique charisma as an East-meets-West metropolis. Highlights include a cruise tour to enjoy the magnificent view of the Victoria Harbour, visits to the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ museum, and rides on Ngong Ping 360 cable cars.      Established in 2019 under the lead of the STA, BRITACOM is a non-profit official mechanism for discussions on tax administration co-operation among countries and regions along the Belt and Road. BRITACOF, the annual signature event of BRITACOM, is hosted by member tax administrations in rotation. It was announced at the closing ceremony that the 6th and 7th BRITACOF would be held in Nepal in 2025 and Indonesia in 2026 respectively.      For details of the 5th BRITACOF, please visit the thematic website (www.ird.gov.hk/BRITACOF/eng/index.html).

     
    Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024Issued at HKT 22:17

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah

    Source: Council of the European Union

    The EU issued a statement expressing extreme concern about the military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, urging both parties to urgently implement a ceasefire and respect international humanitarian law, and reiterating its strong support for the state institutions of Lebanon.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at High-level Meeting Commemorating and Promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.

    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États membres – tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie. 

    ******

    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.
    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    We have spent far too long living with the threat of nuclear weapons.

    Previous generations learned how to hide under their desks or flee to bunkers to escape a nuclear assault.

    But leaders cannot escape their overriding responsibility to take concrete steps to reduce and end the nuclear threat, once and for all.

    The time for the total elimination of nuclear weapons is now.

    The United Nations stands with all Member States as we work together to build the peaceful, nuclear-weapons-free future our children and grandchildren deserve.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie d’abord de vous être joints à nous en ce jour spécial qui nous rappelle combien il importe d’éliminer totalement les armes nucléaires.

    Ces engins de mort n’ont pas leur place sur notre planète.

    Les armes nucléaires sont une folie à deux titres.

    D’abord, l’existence même de ces armes, capables d’anéantir des populations, des communautés et des villes entières en une seule frappe, est une aberration.

    Nous le savons, tout emploi de l’arme nucléaire déclencherait une catastrophe humanitaire – un cauchemar qui ne connaîtrait pas de frontières et nous toucherait toutes et tous.

    Loin d’apporter une véritable sécurité et stabilité, ces armes constituent un danger imminent et font peser une menace constante sur notre existence.

    Deuxième aberration, malgré les risques énormes et existentiels que ces armes font courir à l’humanité, nous ne sommes pas plus près de les voir disparaître qu’il y a dix ans.

    À vrai dire, nous allons dans la direction complètement opposée.

    Jamais, depuis les pires heures de la guerre froide, le spectre des armes nucléaires n’a jeté une telle ombre.

    Les rodomontades nucléaires ont atteint leur paroxysme.

    On entend même des menaces d’emploi d’armes nucléaires.

    On craint une nouvelle course aux armements.

    Parallèlement, on voit s’éroder les normes qui, laborieusement, avaient été élaborées au fil des décennies pour prohiber l’emploi, la dissémination et la mise à l’essai de ces armes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Ce qu’ont vécu dans leur chair les hibakusha – ces courageux survivants d’Hiroshima et de Nagasaki –nous rappelle où conduit inévitablement le chemin du nucléaire.

    Ces femmes et ces hommes continuent de sonner l’alarme, en nous conjurant de ne pas oublier les leçons tirées des horribles frappes atomiques de 1945.

    Pourtant, près de 80 ans plus tard, les États dotés d’armes nucléaires continuent de jouer avec le feu, de se soustraire aux mesures de désarmement et de croire que, d’une manière ou d’une autre, la chance les servira toujours.

    Toutefois, la chance n’est pas une stratégie.

    Ils doivent cesser de jouer avec l’avenir de l’humanité.

    Avant tout, il faut que les États dotés d’armes nucléaires honorent leurs engagements et respectent leurs obligations en matière de désarmement.

    Tant que les armes nucléaires n’auront pas été éliminées, ces États doivent s’engager à ne jamais les utiliser, quelles que soient les circonstances. En outre, ils doivent faire preuve d’une plus grande transparence sur toutes les questions concernant ces armes.

    Je demande également à la Fédération de Russie et aux États-Unis de s’engager de nouveau dans une démarche visant à limiter les armes nucléaires. Les autres États dotés d’armes nucléaires pourront s’y joindre en temps voulu.

    Le désarmement et la non-prolifération sont les deux faces d’une même médaille.

    Tout progrès d’un côté entraîne des progrès de l’autre.

    Les États doivent s’employer à atteindre ces deux objectifs de toute urgence.

    Il y a quelques jours seulement, lors du Sommet de l’avenir – et dans le texte même du Pacte pour l’avenir qui a été adopté – la communauté internationale a pris un nouvel engagement : celui de revitaliser le régime mondial de désarmement et de faire en sorte que le monde progresse vers la réalisation de l’objectif commun qu’est l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires.

    C’est un objectif auquel souscrit la grande majorité des États Membres, qui se sont notamment exprimés en ce sens dans la toute première résolution appelant au désarmement nucléaire adoptée en 1946 par l’Assemblée générale.

    Le moment est venu de prendre des mesures pour que l’arme nucléaire ne soit plus jamais utilisée.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États Membres ‒ tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at High-level Meeting Commemorating and Promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.

    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États membres – tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie. 

    ******

    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.
    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    We have spent far too long living with the threat of nuclear weapons.

    Previous generations learned how to hide under their desks or flee to bunkers to escape a nuclear assault.

    But leaders cannot escape their overriding responsibility to take concrete steps to reduce and end the nuclear threat, once and for all.

    The time for the total elimination of nuclear weapons is now.

    The United Nations stands with all Member States as we work together to build the peaceful, nuclear-weapons-free future our children and grandchildren deserve.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie d’abord de vous être joints à nous en ce jour spécial qui nous rappelle combien il importe d’éliminer totalement les armes nucléaires.

    Ces engins de mort n’ont pas leur place sur notre planète.

    Les armes nucléaires sont une folie à deux titres.

    D’abord, l’existence même de ces armes, capables d’anéantir des populations, des communautés et des villes entières en une seule frappe, est une aberration.

    Nous le savons, tout emploi de l’arme nucléaire déclencherait une catastrophe humanitaire – un cauchemar qui ne connaîtrait pas de frontières et nous toucherait toutes et tous.

    Loin d’apporter une véritable sécurité et stabilité, ces armes constituent un danger imminent et font peser une menace constante sur notre existence.

    Deuxième aberration, malgré les risques énormes et existentiels que ces armes font courir à l’humanité, nous ne sommes pas plus près de les voir disparaître qu’il y a dix ans.

    À vrai dire, nous allons dans la direction complètement opposée.

    Jamais, depuis les pires heures de la guerre froide, le spectre des armes nucléaires n’a jeté une telle ombre.

    Les rodomontades nucléaires ont atteint leur paroxysme.

    On entend même des menaces d’emploi d’armes nucléaires.

    On craint une nouvelle course aux armements.

    Parallèlement, on voit s’éroder les normes qui, laborieusement, avaient été élaborées au fil des décennies pour prohiber l’emploi, la dissémination et la mise à l’essai de ces armes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Ce qu’ont vécu dans leur chair les hibakusha – ces courageux survivants d’Hiroshima et de Nagasaki –nous rappelle où conduit inévitablement le chemin du nucléaire.

    Ces femmes et ces hommes continuent de sonner l’alarme, en nous conjurant de ne pas oublier les leçons tirées des horribles frappes atomiques de 1945.

    Pourtant, près de 80 ans plus tard, les États dotés d’armes nucléaires continuent de jouer avec le feu, de se soustraire aux mesures de désarmement et de croire que, d’une manière ou d’une autre, la chance les servira toujours.

    Toutefois, la chance n’est pas une stratégie.

    Ils doivent cesser de jouer avec l’avenir de l’humanité.

    Avant tout, il faut que les États dotés d’armes nucléaires honorent leurs engagements et respectent leurs obligations en matière de désarmement.

    Tant que les armes nucléaires n’auront pas été éliminées, ces États doivent s’engager à ne jamais les utiliser, quelles que soient les circonstances. En outre, ils doivent faire preuve d’une plus grande transparence sur toutes les questions concernant ces armes.

    Je demande également à la Fédération de Russie et aux États-Unis de s’engager de nouveau dans une démarche visant à limiter les armes nucléaires. Les autres États dotés d’armes nucléaires pourront s’y joindre en temps voulu.

    Le désarmement et la non-prolifération sont les deux faces d’une même médaille.

    Tout progrès d’un côté entraîne des progrès de l’autre.

    Les États doivent s’employer à atteindre ces deux objectifs de toute urgence.

    Il y a quelques jours seulement, lors du Sommet de l’avenir – et dans le texte même du Pacte pour l’avenir qui a été adopté – la communauté internationale a pris un nouvel engagement : celui de revitaliser le régime mondial de désarmement et de faire en sorte que le monde progresse vers la réalisation de l’objectif commun qu’est l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires.

    C’est un objectif auquel souscrit la grande majorité des États Membres, qui se sont notamment exprimés en ce sens dans la toute première résolution appelant au désarmement nucléaire adoptée en 1946 par l’Assemblée générale.

    Le moment est venu de prendre des mesures pour que l’arme nucléaire ne soit plus jamais utilisée.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États Membres ‒ tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Once Upon a Nightmare: Lotherton promises thrilling Halloween experience

    Source: City of Leeds

    This Halloween, thrill-seekers are invited to Lotherton to step into the pages of twisted fairy tales where ‘happily ever afters’ don’t exist.

    Aimed at eight- to 15-year-olds, ‘Once Upon a Nightmare’ is an immersive scare event that transforms the serene grounds and gardens of Lotherton into a haunting world where legendary fairy tale characters live out their darkest versions of reality.

    The event is on from 25 to 31 October, with 30-minute slots running between 5 and 8.30pm.

    Visitors can expect a walk through the misty grounds of the estate as night falls, guided only by the faint glow of lanterns. Around every corner, familiar faces emerge, but the famous cheerful storybook characters have warped into the stuff of nightmares. Meeting a Snow White shadowed by a fateful curse, and a wary Little Red Riding Hood with the wolf always ready to pounce, it’s an adventure where fairy tales and horror collide.

    Each encounter is a story come to life, but with a twist that will leave visitors gripping their friends’ hands a little tighter at every turn.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “Whether you’re a fan of fairy tales or just enjoy a good scare, this event promises to be an unforgettable experience. It’s a spooky event but it’s all been planned with young people in mind, so it’s a perfect way for the family to experience a thrilling Halloween together.”

    ‘Once Upon a Nightmare’ is delivered by Breeze at Lotherton, both part of Leeds City Council. It is not suitable for children under eight or those easily scared. Tickets can be booked at https://www.breezeleeds.org/nightmare/.

    Starting 4 October, Lotherton is also hosting their first ever pumpkin patch experience where visitors can book to go on a fun tractor ride and choose a pumpkin to take home and carve.

    A daytime ‘Scarytales’ experience suitable for all ages will also run from 26 October to 3 November and is included in the regular admission price.

    All Leeds Museums and Galleries half term events can be viewed at https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/whats-on/school-holiday-events-2/.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community Planning Aberdeen to become Volunteer Charter Champion

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Community Planning Aberdeen is to become a Volunteer Charter Champion in recognition of the significant role volunteers have in supporting communities and people across the city.

    The Volunteer Charter, produced by Volunteer Scotland, is a tool for policy makers, elected members and funders to use when making decisions about how volunteering is represented in decision making processes, policy development, and how volunteering is resourced and utilised.

    It sets out 10 key principles which help to underpin good relations within a volunteering environment and is open to any individual, group or organisation from any sector which either involve volunteers, or influence decisions on volunteering.

    Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard, Chair of the Community Planning Aberdeen Board, said: “We are very fortunate in Aberdeen that so many people give up their free time, share their knowledge and skills, and their enthusiasm to support people and communities across the city on a voluntary basis.   

    “It is in recognition of the importance of volunteers to communities, people and place that Community Planning Aberdeen has agreed to become a Volunteer Charter Champion.

    “We would like to thank all volunteers for their dedication and commitment. By working in partnership, we can all ‘do our bit’ to ensure Aberdeen is a place where everyone can prosper.”

    Volunteer Scotland and Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) invited Community Planning Aberdeen to sign up to the Volunteer Charter. It was agreed that it could only sign the charter if partner organisations could collectively adhere to the principles.

    Partners are supportive of the Volunteer Charter with some; Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Grampian and North East College Scotland stating that they will also sign up as individual organisations. Aberdeen City Council agreed to become a Volunteer Charter Champion at the Council meeting on 3 July 2024.

    Following the Chair’s formal pledge of support of the Volunteer Charter on behalf of the partnership the necessary arrangements will be put in place to ensure the charter is integrated within the appropriate Community Planning Aberdeen structures.

    Find out more about volunteering opportunities with Community Planning Aberdeen here. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leicester libraries mark Black History Month

    Source: City of Leicester

    LEICESTER’S libraries are marking Black History Month this October with two free cultural events and plenty of suggestions for great books by Black authors.

    Grenadian author and poet Merle Collins will be at the Central Library on 15 October to talk about her life and work.

    Her latest book, Ocean Stirrings – which was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for political fiction – will be available for sale after the event.

    In conversation with Merle Collins starts at 7pm on Tuesday 15 October.

    Also coming up at the Central Library on Bishop Street is an opportunity to meet the British Grammy-nominated singer Tippa Irie (pictured).

    The reggae pioneer will talk about his 40-year career and his 2023 autobiography, Stick To My Roots, on 30 October.

    In conversation with Tippa Irie gets under way at 7pm on Wednesday 30 October.

    Admission to both events is free of charge but places can be booked in advance by contacting the library on 0116 454 0290 or central-library@leicester.gov.uk

    Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “Black History Month is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Black history, music, culture and art.

    “Throughout October, our libraries will be celebrating the work of Black authors and helping to bring Black history to life for visitors for all ages.

    “There are lots of themed events taking place at our libraries, including crafts for children and a ‘Book Detectives’ treasure hunt.

    “Pop into your local library or download an eBook or audiobook from our OverDrive page and discover an author you’ve never discovered before – and mark Black History Month with a great book.”

    A list of titles suitable for children, teens and adults has been specially curated by library staff to mark Black History Month.

    David Olusoga’s Black and British and Barack Obama’s Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters are two of the books on the children’s list, while Kamala Harris’s autobiography The Truths We Hold: An American Journey and Troy Jackson’s biography of Martin Luther King, Becoming King, are on the list of suggested reading for adults.

    The list of themed titles for Black History Month can be viewed at Leicester Libraries’ OverDrive page at leicesteruk.overdrive.com

    Events and activities taking place at Leicester Libraries can be found here 

    Opal 22’s exhibition Black Lives is on display at Highfields Library until 31 October, while other events taking place in Leicester to mark Black History Month include an exhibition featuring portraits of 100 Black women with connections to Britain and Ireland, led by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, and an evening of live music at the African Caribbean Centre.

    100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark opens at Leicester Gallery at De Montfort University on Tuesday 1 October.

    A Journey Through Black Music takes place on Friday 18 October and will feature both local and national artists. Tickets are £10.

    Listings for Black History Month events in Leicester are available at blackhistorymonth.org.uk/listings/region/east-midlands/leicester/

    More information about Black History Month is available at blackhistorymonth.org.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Russian Federation’s malign activities and interference: UK statement to the OSCE, September 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Deputy Ambassador Brown condemns Russian disinformation and other forms of malign influence.

    Location:
    Vienna
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you Madam Chair.     

    The United States has just informed this Council of steps it has taken to defend its democratic institutions in the face of a covert foreign influence operation by the Russian Federation. This follows other participating States’ interventions in this Council to highlight multiple forms of malign interference across our region in recent months.    

    Indeed the United Kingdom put Russia’s malign influence and interference onto the Permanent Council’s agenda in May and I thank the US for once again raising this matter.   

    All OSCE Participating States – including the UK – have made important commitments to uphold media freedom, including to foster “free, independent and pluralistic media” as part of open societies and accountable governments.   

    The United Kingdom will continue to uphold media freedom, learning from best practice – including that shared by the Office of the Representative for Freedom of the Media. And we again call on all other participating States – particularly Russia and Belarus – to uphold OSCE commitments on media freedom, safety of journalists and freedom of expression.  

    At the same time the United Kingdom will also take action to defend our national and regional security against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia, working in partnership with others. This has included sanctioning Russian media outlets like Rossiya Segodnya and TV Novosti (which controls Russia Today) which spread disinformation and propaganda designed to incite violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people.     

    Madam Chair. Our message to Russia is clear: stop this illegal war; withdraw your troops from Ukraine; cease your malign activities including disinformation and information manipulation; and, respect the OSCE principles and commitments that keep us all safe.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free courses to support parents and carers in York

    Source: City of York

    Published Thursday, 26 September 2024

    Parents and carers in York are being reminded that there is a wide range of free courses to help support them and their children, many of which are available online.

    The courses are run by both national and local providers and cover a wide range of topics from pregnancy and newborns, to teenagers or children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

    A full list of the courses is available on the Raise York website and parents and carers can search by topic or by their child’s age.

    The website also has details of local support groups for parents and carers. Parents and carers come together to share their experiences and help each other.

    These support groups offer a safe place to talk about new challenges and celebrate success; a chance to learn new tips and to meet people who understand what you’re going through.

    Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, said:

    We know that raising children can be tough for anyone and parents may welcome a bit of low-stakes, low-pressure support at times, as well as an opportunity to build a supportive community of friends.

    “This offer provides a wide range of courses depending on your needs, so if you’d like to connect with other parents and carers, you can do so by joining a group course, but you can also pick courses that you do in your own time. This really is an offer to families to pick from to help create something that works well for them.”

    Parents and carers of new babies can also access information about services and support available locally in a dedicated booklet – Supporting you parenting journey in York – which is available to all parents via their midwife and/or when they register their child’s birth. The booklet is also available online.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Artemis Science Instrument Gets Tested in Moon-Like Sandbox

    Source: NASA

    On Sept. 9 and 10, scientists and engineers tested NASA’s LEMS (Lunar Environment Monitoring Station) instrument suite in a “sandbox” of simulated Moon regolith at the Florida Space Institute’s Exolith Lab at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

    Lunar regolith is a dusty, soil-like material that coats the Moon’s surface, and researchers wanted to observe how the material would interact with LEMS’s hardware, which is being developed to fly to the Moon with Artemis III astronauts in late 2026.

    Designed and built at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, LEMS is one of three science payloads chosen for development for Artemis III, which will be the first mission to land astronauts on the lunar surface since 1972.

    The LEMS instrument package can operate both day and night. It will carry two University of Arizona-built seismometers to the surface to perform long-term monitoring for moonquakes and meteorite impacts.

    Image credits: NASA/UCF/University of Arizona
    Behind the Scenes of a NASA ‘Moonwalk’ in the Arizona Desert

    NASA’s Artemis II Crew Uses Iceland Terrain for Lunar Training

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU introduced schoolchildren to the RosGeoTech PISh

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The State University of Management held a business game “IT – hands and eyes of the engineer of the future” for schoolchildren of grades 10-11 as part of the Advanced Engineering Schools “RosGeoTech” project of GGNTU.

    The meeting was opened by the Head of the Department for Coordination of Scientific Research of the State University of Management, Maxim Pletnev, who introduced the guests to the activities of the RosGeoTech Scientific Research School, which covers such areas as alternative energy, power engineering, oil and gas, autonomous unmanned and robotic innovative systems.

    The head of the RosGeoTech PISh, Andrey Luzhetsky, also addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.

    As part of the business game, schoolchildren learned the basics of programming, computer science concepts, digital technologies, software, operating systems, and much more. The children also tried their hand at testing and system analysis.

    Such events help participants to make an informed choice of specialization and technologies in the future, as well as improve their skills in the chosen direction.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 09/26/2024

    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.

    GUU introduced schoolchildren to the RosGeoTech PISh

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: 2024 National Cybersecurity Conference: focus on geopolitics and operational security

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

    Bern, 26.09.2024 – Cyberthreats play an important role in today’s tense geopolitical climate, but they have long been an everyday risk for businesses and governments. The National Cybersecurity Conference held today highlighted how a comprehensive approach can be taken to tackle cyberthreats. In her opening remarks, President Viola Amherd stated that the foundations for cybersecurity are now in place so that emphasis can now be placed on setting strategic priorities. The conference, organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Swiss Security Network (SSN), was attended by over 280 participants from business, science, and cantonal and federal offices.

    In an increasingly networked and digital world, the lines between national security and everyday operational security become blurred. Cyberattacks are criminal offences that must be countered through a combination of protective measures and law enforcement. At the same time, the significance of such attacks often extends beyond that of a criminal act, as cyberattacks are deliberately employed as a strategic instrument in conflicts.

    For this reason, the National Cyberstrategy (NCS) covers the entire spectrum of cyberthreats and their effects. It aims to strengthen protection against cyberthreats in Switzerland and promote cooperation between government institutions, the private sector and civil society. This strategy and its challenges were discussed at the 2024 National Cybersecurity Conference. The event was jointly organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Swiss Security Network (SSN) in Bern and was attended by leading experts from various areas of cybersecurity.

    Conference opened by President Amherd

    The conference was opened by President Amherd. In her speech, she emphasised that having a national cyberstrategy was a key element of national security policy and that it served as an opportunity to enhance Switzerland’s appeal as a location for business and research. With the National Cyberstrategy and the new structures put in place at the DDPS to address cyber-related matters, a solid foundation has been laid allowing greater attention to now be directed towards setting strategic priorities in cybersecurity. The independent steering committee established in June this year ensures that strategic responses to emerging threats are developed in a timely manner. The reporting requirement for critical infrastructures adopted by Parliament will also make it possible to better assess the threat situation and warn operators at an early stage.

    Talks with cybersecurity experts

    Maya Bundt, Chair of the newly formed NCS steering committee, presented the role and work of her committee. The coordination team then provided a progress report on the implementation of the National Cyberstrategy. The presentations were followed by a lively panel discussion with Pälvi Pulli, Deputy State Secretary for Security Policy, Hannes Gasser, Member of the Board of CH++, and Michel Bonsera of Cargologic AG. The discussion highlighted the importance of addressing cyberthreats both in day-to-day operations and at the security policy level.

    Practical tools and solutions

    In addition to high-level discussions, the 2024 National Cybersecurity Conference provided an insight into the work of the NCSC. Workshops on incident management, vulnerability management, reporting centres and awareness campaigns presented practical tools and solutions to help organisations become more resilient to cyberthreats. The workshops were designed to be interactive, giving participants the opportunity to share their experiences and challenges, and provide feedback on existing tools.

    Importance of cybersecurity training for governments

    Jen Ellis, founder of NextJenSecurity from the UK, closed the conference with a keynote speech. She spoke about the importance of training governments in cybersecurity and emphasised the need for continuous collaboration between external experts, researchers and government institutions to address the ever-changing threats in the digital space.

    The conference served as an important platform for exchanging ideas and strategies, and underlined Switzerland’s commitment to further strengthen its cybersecurity.

    Address for enquiries

    NCSC Communication
    +41 58 465 53 56
    media@ncsc.admin.ch

    Publisher

    National Cyber Security Centre
    https://www.ncsc.admin.ch/ncsc/en/home.html

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers

    Source: Scottish Government

    Voices of communities at the heart of plan to tackle discrimination and social exclusion.

    Improved access to housing, education and health services and tackling discrimination are at the heart of a new Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA.

    The voices of Gypsy/Travellers have helped shape the Plan, which acknowledges improvements in many of these areas, but recognises further progress needs to be made.  

    The Scottish Government and COSLA will work with stakeholders to take forward measures in the Plan.

    Key actions in the plan include:

    • Supporting Local Authorities to provide more and better accommodation, by taking steps for funding to be accessed under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme from 2026-27, and ensuring planners understand the needs of Gypsy/Traveller communities
    • Measures to remove barriers to education and improve educational outcomes for Gypsy/Traveller children and young people
    • Improving Gypsy/Travellers’ access to and experience of healthcare
    • Working to remove barriers to accessing benefits and build understanding among employers of the inequalities faced by Gypsy/Travellers, with practical tools to support recruitment and retention.
    • Challenging prejudice and discrimination and helping communities to influence decision-making

    Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said:

    “Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Traveller communities is a significant human rights commitment and is crucial in helping us deliver the fairer Scotland we want to see.

    “The voices of Gypsy/Travellers across Scotland are at the centre of this second national joint action plan, and it is a testimony to the collaborative work of national and local government, third sector organisations, and most of all, the determination of Gypsy/Travellers to ensure better futures for their communities.

    “We know current initiatives are having a positive impact on the lives of Gypsy/Traveller communities across Scotland, like the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and the success of the Community Health Worker project in overcoming barriers to accessing health and other statutory services.

    “However, there is still work to do. Through the actions in this plan we will build on the successes we have had to date and make further progress in many areas such as accommodation, health, education and combating discrimination.”

     Background:

    Improving the Lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026

    The Ministerial Oversight Group on Gypsy/Travellers, co-chaired by the Minister for Equalities and COSLA’s Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, will oversee the work of the action plan and provide a forum for members of Gypsy/Traveller communities and stakeholders to engage in the discussion.

    In the 2022 Census, 3,343 people in Scotland identified as belonging to the Gypsy/Traveller ethnic group, representing 0.06% of Scotland’s population.[1] However, organisations working with these communities estimate the true Gypsy/Traveller population size could be as high as 15,000 to 20,000.  

    Testimonies from Gypsy/Traveller communities shared with the Scottish Human Rights Commission in 2023 underlined experiences of racism and discrimination, challenges with accessing services and poor quality accommodation impacting their physical and mental health negatively.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The VIII season of the All-Russian student Olympiad “I am a professional” has started

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    A press conference dedicated to the opening of the 8th season of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” – a project of the presidential platform “Russia – a Country of Opportunities” – was held in Moscow. The All-Russian Olympiad is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. This is a large-scale career development platform for students of all fields of study: technical, humanitarian, natural science, pedagogical, agricultural and medical.

    In the new season, the Olympiad will traditionally provide young people with a wide range of educational and professional opportunities, and will become a career assistant for each participant. The main theme of the season is “Work and study in Russia”.

    The “I am a professional” ecosystem is constantly developing and growing: this year the Olympiad was included in the events of the national project “Youth and Children”, which is aimed at promoting the comprehensive development of the younger generation. “I am a professional” is a kind of challenge, an opportunity to move to a new level. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students join the Olympiad, and for many, participation becomes a good tradition – an educational norm: from year to year, young people complete practice-oriented tasks, improve their results and reach new heights regardless of their social status and region of residence, – said Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    In the new season, it is planned to expand access to the career portal – a platform where each participant can find a vacancy in the profile of interest – the opportunity to respond will also be available to Olympiad participants who have successfully passed the selection stage. Previously, this function was provided only for project diploma winners and participants in the final stage who showed a non-zero result.

    Executive Director of ANO “Russia – Country of Opportunities”, Rector of the Senezh Management Workshop Andrey Betin spoke about the new system of working with diplomas from previous seasons. Points will be counted automatically when summing up the results of the selection stage, participants will only need to select the necessary areas during registration and mark the item with the crediting of diplomas among the options.

    In Russia, the need for professionals is enormous — all industries need fresh ideas and people who can implement them. Today is the best time to study and work in Russia, because it is here that the best opportunities open up, the most interesting professional challenges, and therefore career prospects. “I am a professional” has been helping talented students and their potential employers “find each other” for seven seasons already. The largest and most technologically advanced companies in our country are looking for ambitious interns. This is not just an Olympiad, it is a community where you will be supported, where your potential is revealed and where you grow both as an individual and as a highly competent specialist, — shared Andrey Betin.

    Every year, the Olympiad grows with new areas, taking into account the needs of students and the prospects of the labor market. In the upcoming season, the project will cover 71 subject areas, and new disciplines such as “Project Management” and “Digital Product Management and Innovation” will be presented.

    Today we are opening the 8th season of the Olympiad, a key career navigator that ensures interaction between employers, the academic community and young people. The best companies in Russia are showing great interest in our participants, seeking to fill their teams with promising personnel even before they graduate from universities and enter the labor market. The Russian education system, science and industry are aimed at achieving leadership, and the new national projects initiated by the country’s president provide an opportunity for the realization of the potential of each active student, and the Olympiad participants are direct proof of this, – shared the head of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” Valeria Kasamara.

    During the press conference, an agreement was signed between the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” and the “Mendeleev Map” project.

    Two large-scale projects for students are starting to work together to pave new paths for the development of our country’s youth and to accumulate efforts for the common good. “I am a professional” makes a significant contribution to the popularization of science among young people. I am sure that the capabilities of the “Mendeleev Map” will help students in their profession, in preparation for Olympiad assignments, and in self-development, – believes the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education, curator of the “Mendeleev Map” project Alexander Mazhuga.

    Participation in the Olympiad is a great opportunity to test your knowledge and skills, make new acquaintances, and decide on a career direction. Such competitions develop critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to work in a team. St. Petersburg Polytechnic University traditionally organizes several areas in the “I am a professional” Olympiad. Last season, our university entered the TOP-3 universities in St. Petersburg in terms of the number of diploma winners. I wish good luck to all participants of the new season! Let me remind you that the winners of the Olympiad receive additional points when entering a master’s and postgraduate program, – noted Vitaly Drobchik, Advisor to the Rector’s Office of SPbPU, organizer of the Olympiad at the Polytechnic University.

    The Olympiad provides a wide range of career support opportunities: project diploma holders can take advantage of benefits when entering the next level of education, get the opportunity to do an internship and start their professional career with leading employers in Russia. Cash prizes of up to 300 thousand rubles are provided for medalists.

    The qualifying round of the Olympiad will be held from November 15 to December 1. The final stage of the competition will be held from February to April 2025. The results of the Olympiad will be announced in May 2025.

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

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

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/education/the-vii-season-of-the-All-Russian-Olympiad-students-I-am-professional has started/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TRA investigates imports of tin mill products from China

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The TRA has initiated a new investigation into tin mill products from China, following an application asking for an anti-dumping measure to be imposed.

    The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has initiated a new investigation into tin mill products imported to the UK from China. This follows an application from Tata Steel UK asking for an anti-dumping measure to be imposed.

    Tin mill products are often used in packaging and are known for their paint adhesion, as well as high heat resistance, sturdiness and recyclability. They are made through flat rolling iron or non-alloy steel and coating that with tin. They can also be subsequently coated in plastic or chromium.

    The applicant, Tata, has alleged that imports of tin mill products from China are being dumped into the UK, and that these dumped imports are causing injury to the UK industry.

    The period of investigation for this investigation will be 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024.

    The TRA found that during the period of investigation, imports of tin mill products from China represented 5.3% of the UK market share, while the UK industry held 46% of the market.

    Businesses that may be affected by this investigation can register their interest through our public file by 10 October 2024. Any new case developments will be posted on the TRA’s public file. 

    Notes to editors:

    • The TRA is the UK body that investigates whether trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges of imports.
    • Anti-dumping duties allow a country or union to act against goods which are being sold at less than their normal value – this is defined as the price for ‘like goods’ sold in the exporter’s home market.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –