NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Talk to help navigate the new AI-powered world

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 18 October 2024 at 15:51

    Chelmsford Science Festival event aims to help us make sense of rapid changes

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the world we live in, and a talk at the Chelmsford Science Festival is aimed at helping people make sense of these rapid changes, and how they will affect them.

    During the talk at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) on Thursday, 24 October, ARU expert Dr Chris Callaghan will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a new world driven by AI, and how governments, financial markets and society will need to adapt.

    In the interactive talk he will highlight some of his unique findings from work in leading journals, especially his recent focus on AI and technological change and its profound societal impacts. 

    Dr Callaghan will draw on research published in European Management Review, where it is argued that in the face of the climate emergency and other existential threats, academic fields need to work together more closely.

    He will discuss how AI allows different areas of academia such as biology, physics and economics, which previously had operated in silos, to complement each other and work together to create rapid changes in the way we live and work.

    Dr Callaghan, Senior Lecturer in the School of Management at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said:

    “AI is new to us and there have been dire warnings about how it will replace jobs or create extreme unwanted consequences like overtaking human intelligence and causing an existential threat to our existence. 

    “The truth is AI has potential to be all-encompassing, cutting across all scientific disciplines and completely changing how we live. As a result, there will be some negatives but also lots of positives, and just like the way we live today, there will be winners and losers.

    “No one area of science ‘owns’ AI and that is potentially very exciting because experts from all different areas of science will be able to collaborate more freely, potentially driving significant, rapid improvements to how we live.

    “These changes are happening extremely fast and it can be overwhelming for people. This talk will explain what is happening, and how we can navigate the rapid changes coming our way.

    “We need to be proactive and ensure our voices are heard, so that we can have some input into a future that is unfolding right now.”

    The talk will take place at Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford campus at 6.30pm on Thursday, 24 October. Places are free but must be booked in advance. Visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/navigating-the-tech-revolution-understanding-ais-impact-on-our-future-tickets-1027113814067 to book.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Capabilities and challenges – public sector pensions

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    GAD has shared information with European counterparts on our role supporting Scottish and UK governments in their management of public service pension provision.

    Credit: Unsplash

    The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) has shared insights into how we can help with various challenges facing the UK public sector pensions.

    Actuaries at GAD presented at the European Association of Public Sector Pension Institutions (EAPSPI) event, hosted by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) in Edinburgh.

    EAPSPI is a network of European organisations involved in public sector pensions. It provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, best practices and policy developments across various countries.

    Pension experts, policymakers, and stakeholders discussed issues around:

    • pension provision
    • reform
    • management

    Expertise and insights

    Delegates heard from GAD about insights into the actuarial valuation and cost control process for UK public service pension schemes.

    Attendees included representatives from various pension systems across Europe, allowing for a broad and comparative discussion on how different regions manage pension provision.

    GAD actuaries Greg Donaldson and Martin Smith presented detailed analyses of the cost control mechanism in place in the UK. This aims to maintain a fair balance of risk between the taxpayer and members of the schemes.

    Credit: Shutterstock

    UK and European comparisons

    One of the key themes of the event was comparing pension provision across different regions including the UK, Slovenia, Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Belgium.

    The event offered a unique opportunity to draw comparisons between these diverse systems, exploring how various countries address challenges such as:

    • pension adequacy
    • sustainability
    • demographic changes

    Evolving challenges

    Reflecting on the event, Greg Donaldson commented: “We were delighted to be invited by SPPA to attend this event. We shared information on GAD’s supporting role to both the Scottish and UK governments in their management of public service pension provision.

    “It was an excellent opportunity to engage with colleagues from across Europe and discuss the various ways in which pension schemes are adapting to evolving challenges.

    “The event facilitated the exchange of ideas and opinions. It’s clear that despite the differences in pension systems across Europe, there are many common themes and shared experiences.”

    Martin Smith added: “It was interesting learning about the issues facing other European countries in terms of public sector pension provision and discussing how each were analysing and approaching such issues. The audience were very knowledgeable and were engaged with the sessions presented.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over 400 residents take part in Victoria Street vision survey in first three weeks

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    A public engagement survey to develop a community vision for Victoria Street, St Albans, has seen an impressive response, with over 400 people participating in the first three weeks.
     

    A collaboration between Hertfordshire County Council and St Albans District Council, this initiative aims to establish a community vision for enhancing the vital route between St Albans City train station and the city centre prior to any design work taking place.
     

    The early engagement process, which runs until Tuesday 12 November, has already included two in-person events in St Albans, where residents had the opportunity to share their ideas and feedback directly with the project team through interactive activities and discussion.
     

    Although there are no specific plans yet, the feedback from the 6-week process will help the Councils understand the need for sustainable changes on Victoria Street and decide whether to move forward with the project. The survey results will also guide the project team in setting community priorities for future designs, which could include:

    • Wider, more accessible pavements
      More planting, trees and greenery.
      Spill out space for cafes and businesses to use
      Safe, protected cycle routes to the station
      More frequent bus services to a wider range of destinations.
      Safer places to cross

    Cllr Phil Bibby, Executive Member for Highways & Transport at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “It’s been very encouraging to have had so many views provided to date and shows how important Victoria Street is to the residents and businesses of St Albans. 

    “We want to hear from as many people as possible at this early stage of engagement. If you haven’t completed the survey, I’d urge you to take part or come to the final drop-in session on Wednesday 30 October. This really is your chance to help shape what Victoria Street could look like in the future.”

    Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Public Realm Committee of St Albans City and District Council, said: “The feedback we have already had for the Victoria Street project is very impressive with more than 400 people having completed the survey.
     

    “The stall set up at the Charter Market to promote the scheme also attracted much interest and I am sure there will be a good attendance at the drop-in event later in October.
     

    “It shows that this project is causing considerable excitement and capturing the imagination of our residents. I urge those who have yet to give their views to do so and complete the survey.”
     

    The project seeks to create a sustainable, safe, and vibrant street that benefits the entire community, supports local businesses and boosts tourism.
     

    To find out more, residents are invited to attend a drop-in session at the Marlborough Road Methodist Church Hall on Wednesday 30 October, 4-7pm.
     

    For more information and to participate in the survey by Tuesday 12 November 2024, visit http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/VictoriaStreet.

    (News item produced in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks on Recent Media Queries Concerning the Military 2024-10-18 On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

    On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    I have four pieces of information at the top.

    The first one.

    At the invitation of China’s Ministry of National Defense, defense attachés from more than 60 countries including Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Canada and Argentina went to the PLA Eastern Theater Command area on October 14th for a five-day visit. This visit will help them better understand the Chinese path to modernization, especially the great achievements made by the people’s military in the new era, and will advance the friendly cooperation between the PLA and their militaries.

    The second one.

    According to the annual plan and the consensus reached between China and Thailand, the Commando 2024 joint army training will be held in Yunnan Province from mid- to- late October. The training focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations, including manned/unmanned coordination, special blasting, helicopter fast-roping, and joint search and clearing. It aims to improve interoperability between the Chinese and Thai armies and bolster regional stability.

    The third one.

    The PLA Army Engineering University will host the 11th International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing from October 28th to November 3rd. Officer cadets from military academies of countries including Argentina, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, and Singapore will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Enhancing the Capability of Junior Officers for Future Warfare”, this year’s IACW will have themed discussions, leadership challenges, live-fire shooting training, cultural exchange and other activities. The IACW is a platform for officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other.

    The fourth one.

    The PLA Army Command College will host the Zhongshan International Forum in Nanjing from October 21st to 25th. Army representatives from over ten countries including Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Tanzania and Kazakhstan will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Future-oriented and New Type Modern Army”, the forum will have themed discussions on such topics as “objectives and trends in army development”, “theoretical innovation for army combat and training”, “army deployment in MOOTW”, and “cultivation of army commanders and staff officers”. The forum will facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the participants, and promote theoretical innovation for army development.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: It is reported that the recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 has started. Please tell us more about it.

    Wu Qian: The PLA Navy recently launched the naval pilot cadet recruitment for 2025. As usual, eligible high school graduates and fresh graduates from universities either with a bachelor’s or master’s degree could apply. In reference to the recruitment standards in major naval powers, the PLA Navy has loosened the criteria on eye sight, widening the scope of applicants to include those who have received vision correction surgery. To meet takeoff/landing requirements for carrier-borne aircraft in complex sea conditions, the Navy has added such testing items as stereoscopic vision, visual contrast sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging and chest CT scanning, as well as a 15-hour airborne ability screening, to make the recruitment more science-based and precise.

    Pursue your dream to fly in the Navy, and serve the country with dedication and loyalty. The recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 started on October 15th. We welcome young people to join this cause for the brave and become dancers on the blade. For more details, please log on to http://www.hjzf.mil.cn.

    Question: Naval forces from the United States, Japan, India and Australia conducted Exercise Malabar in the Indian Ocean on October 8th. Some reports say this exercise is directed at China and can enhance the Quad mechanism among the four countries in security areas. What’s your comment?

    Wu Qian: China believes that security cooperation among relevant countries should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine regional peace and stability. The so-called Quad mechanism has become a sheer political tool for the United States to contain China and maintain its hegemony. We firmly oppose relevant parties to use China as an excuse to stir up confrontation and escalate regional tensions. A small circle bloc will not make any big difference. The Asia-Pacific should be a grand stage where countries join hands to cooperate, rather than an arena for geopolitical competition. We require relevant countries to give up their obsession with zero-sum mindset and put more efforts on protecting regional security, instead of doing the opposite.

    Question: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Ministry recently released reports and photos about the movements of the PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier task group, which sailed around the Philippines, and was then joined by the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hainan. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: We have noticed the media hype by the Japanese side. The Japanese photographer is trying to catch headlines, and is showing off his or her techniques again. Recently, the PLA Navy sent the Liaoning aircraft carrier task group to conduct training in waters of the South China Sea. This is a routine arrangement within the annual plan that is aimed to enhance the task group’s combat capability. The PLA will routinely organize similar training activities in the future.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: According to media reports, the US Government Accountability Office recently accused Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from that company. A public opinion representative from the Kuomintang criticized US arms dealers as fraud dens. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: We firmly oppose US provision of weapons to China’s Taiwan region. I believe what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. The Democratic Progressive Party Authorities have been doing everything to court their masters in the US to buy weapons, which only wasted the hard-earned money of people in Taiwan. It is evident that what they bought are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. There are growing opposition and dissatisfaction from the local people.

    Sky-high price and obsolete functions are two hallmarks of US arms sales to Taiwan. From mouldy bulletproof vest to expired ammunition to expensive missiles and radars, we can see that the Americans only care about American interests. “Taiwan Independence” is a dead end and outsiders are never reliable. Those who try to rely on US support for independence will only court their own destruction.

    Question: Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba once suggested establishing an “Asian version of NATO” and working with Western countries in containing China. Officials from the Japanese Defense Ministry said China and Russia’s infringement upon Japan’s airspace is a regional and international concern. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: In disregard of fact on the ground, the Japanese side often hypes-up the non-existent “China threat” to divert the international community’s attention from its military expansion. China is strongly opposed to this approach. It is known to all that Japan has broken away from its pacifist constitution and “exclusively defense-oriented” policy in recent years, and largely enhanced its military preparedness, such behavior has put its Asian neighbors and the international community on high alert.

    We urge the Japanese side to stop forming exclusive military alliances and “cliques”, be very cautious with its words and deeds regarding military security, and do more for regional peace and stability.

    Question: The Israel Defense Force recently attacked the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). What’s your comment? Are Chinese peacekeepers safe?

    Wu Qian: China is seriously concerned about and strongly condemns the Israeli military’s attack on the UNIFIL. China firmly opposes any attack on UN peacekeepers. We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL.

    The Chinese peacekeeping units in Lebanon are safe now. China is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon, and will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of our troops.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Global deal activity down by 12.5% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Global deal activity down by 12.5% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    A total of 36,992 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals) were announced globally during January to September (Q1-Q3) 2024, which represents a 12.5% year-on-year (YoY) decline over 42,288 deals announced during the same period in 2023, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database disclosed that the volume of M&A deals declined by 6.7% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023 while the number of private equity deals and venture financing deals experienced YoY fall of 8.9% and 22.2%, respectively.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The majority of the decline in global deal activity came from Q1 and Q2 while the impact was relatively much lesser in Q3. Although the deal activity continued to remain subdued in 2024, the impact seems to be diminishing in recent months or quarters. For instance, the decline in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023 remained at just 1%, whereas when compared between Q1 2024 and Q1 2023, the decline stood much higher at around 20% in Q1 2024.

    “The relatively lesser decline could be attributed to improving deal-making sentiments in some regions. In fact, the trend across regions also remained a mixed bag during Q1-Q3 2024, with regions like Asia-Pacific showcasing just a single-digit decline while North America experienced a double-digit decline.”

    North America experienced a 16% YoY decrease in the number of deals announced during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023, whereas Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America regions saw respective deal volume fall by 13.6%, 6.8%, 7.6%, and 22.3% YoY.

    Bose adds: “Deal activity across several countries also remained a mixed bag, with some experiencing significant decline and some witnessing relatively lesser decline while few markets experienced improvement.”

    For instance, the US, the UK, China, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden witnessed YoY decline in deal volume by 15.4%, 7.2%, 22.8%, 21%, 17.9%, 30.8%, 9.4%, 16.7%, 20.2%, and 16%, respectively, during Q1-Q3 2024. Meanwhile, India, Japan, and Australia witnessed deal volume improve by 9.6%, 16.2%, and 2.2% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023, respectively.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Global travel and tourism deal activity down by 11% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Global travel and tourism deal activity down by 11% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    A total of 519 deals (comprising mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals) were announced in the travel and tourism sector globally during January to September (Q1-Q3) 2024, which was a year-on-year (YoY) decline of 11% over 583 deals announced during the same period in the previous year, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database also revealed that the volume of M&A deals decreased by 6.8% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, while the number of venture financing deals was down by 25.2% YoY. Meanwhile, private equity deals volume remained unchanged.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The decline in global travel and tourism deal activity was mostly driven by a significant fall  in deals volume in some regions and countries, while deal activity remained relatively better for some other regions and countries. In fact, some regions and countries even showcased double-digit growth in deal volume, which seems to be an indication of improving deal-making sentiments.”

    North America, Asia-Pacific, and South and Central American regions experienced decline in deal volume by 36%, 7.7%, and 20% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023. In contrast, Europe registered 10.3% YoY improvement in deal activity. Meanwhile, deal volume for the Middle East and African region mostly remained at the same level.

    Similarly, the trend across different countries also remained a mixed bag. The US, China, and France witnessed YoY decline in deal volume by 36.3%, 38.5%, and 42.9%, respectively, during Q1-Q3 2024, whereas India and Japan experienced respective deal volume improve by 24.3% and 38.1% YoY. Meanwhile, deal volume for the UK, South Korea, and Australia mostly remained at the same level.

    Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Global deal activity down by 12.5% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Global deal activity down by 12.5% YoY during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    A total of 36,992 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals) were announced globally during January to September (Q1-Q3) 2024, which represents a 12.5% year-on-year (YoY) decline over 42,288 deals announced during the same period in 2023, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database disclosed that the volume of M&A deals declined by 6.7% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023 while the number of private equity deals and venture financing deals experienced YoY fall of 8.9% and 22.2%, respectively.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The majority of the decline in global deal activity came from Q1 and Q2 while the impact was relatively much lesser in Q3. Although the deal activity continued to remain subdued in 2024, the impact seems to be diminishing in recent months or quarters. For instance, the decline in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023 remained at just 1%, whereas when compared between Q1 2024 and Q1 2023, the decline stood much higher at around 20% in Q1 2024.

    “The relatively lesser decline could be attributed to improving deal-making sentiments in some regions. In fact, the trend across regions also remained a mixed bag during Q1-Q3 2024, with regions like Asia-Pacific showcasing just a single-digit decline while North America experienced a double-digit decline.”

    North America experienced a 16% YoY decrease in the number of deals announced during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023, whereas Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America regions saw respective deal volume fall by 13.6%, 6.8%, 7.6%, and 22.3% YoY.

    Bose adds: “Deal activity across several countries also remained a mixed bag, with some experiencing significant decline and some witnessing relatively lesser decline while few markets experienced improvement.”

    For instance, the US, the UK, China, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden witnessed YoY decline in deal volume by 15.4%, 7.2%, 22.8%, 21%, 17.9%, 30.8%, 9.4%, 16.7%, 20.2%, and 16%, respectively, during Q1-Q3 2024. Meanwhile, India, Japan, and Australia witnessed deal volume improve by 9.6%, 16.2%, and 2.2% during Q1-Q3 2024 compared to Q1-Q3 2023, respectively.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to launch independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Review signals Government’s recognition of the challenges carers face and commitment to provide them with the support they need. 

    • Former Disability Rights UK Chief Executive Liz Sayce OBE confirmed to lead review. 
    • Work and Pensions Secretary recognises the concerns of carers, some of whom only breached earnings limit by a “small amount”.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP has announced today (16 October) that the Government will launch an independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments.  

    Led by Liz Sayce OBE, the former Disability Rights UK Chief Executive, now visiting professor in practice at LSE, the review will investigate the reasons why overpayments have occurred for some carers.

    The review will focus on how and why overpayments were accrued, operational changes to minimise future overpayment risk and how the DWP can best support those with overpayments. A full term of reference will be published in due course.

    It follows concerns over increasing reports of carers unknowingly accruing large amounts of overpayments of Carer’s Allowance, signalling the Government’s commitment to learn lessons and get to grips with the issues.

    This review has been commissioned by the Secretary of State to get an independent view of the situation and its causes, and to recommend potential solutions for ministers to consider.

    Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP, said:

    I have been a lifelong champion of family carers and know many have been pushed to breaking point looking after the people they love.

    This is not okay. We’re determined to learn lessons and put this right.

    It’s brilliant that Liz Sayce has agreed to lead this with all the experience she brings.

    Former Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, Liz Sayce, said:

    I’m delighted to be leading this important review which will make a difference to carers who offer such tremendous support to their loved ones every day.

    My work aims to get to the bottom of how overpayments have occurred and how to prevent people who devote such time and care to others facing these difficulties in future.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms MP, said:  

    Carers, whom we owe so much for the hard work they do, deserve to be supported, not punished.  

    In the last Parliament, the Work and Pensions Select Committee found that people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance were accruing large overpayments – often inadvertently.

    We need to get to the bottom of what has been going wrong, and to put it right. This review will shed some light on why overpayments have occurred and is evidence of this government’s commitment to make positive change and support all those who care.

    The government is also working on long-term reform of the social care system to improve support for both carers and those being cared for.  

    This includes the longer-term goal of creating a sustainable National Care Service and working collaboratively with unpaid carers themselves, sector partners, and carer organisations as part of that process.  

    Further Information

    • Further details, including the timeline, of the review will be announced in due course.  

    • More information on Carer’s Allowance including full eligibility criteria can be found here: Carer’s Allowance: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  
    • To be eligible for Carer’s Allowance, a carer must earn £151 a week or less after allowable deductions. If they exceed this earnings limit, they have a duty to inform DWP so that their entitlement can be reviewed.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BLOG | “Our markets stand as a testament to the power of community”

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool has been a home to numerous markets since the Middle Ages and 2024 has shown us they are more popular than ever. Here Michael Bracken, Liverpool City Council’s Head of Markets, reflects on why markets are special places for scousers…

    In Liverpool, markets are more than just places to shop. They have always been at the heart of our communities, bringing people together and helping to forge bonds between shoppers and traders.

    And this year has proved this again and again. The successes of the new Stanley Park Market – where the bakers have been selling out almost before they can put their stock on their stall! – and the seasonal St George’s Hall markets show that there is a real appetite for this experience in Liverpool and that if you get the offer right, they work.

    But why are markets so special? Why do they still flourish in so many different guises?

    For us, it’s quite simple: connection. There is a social aspect to visiting a market that you don’t always get in the same way from some big high-street stores. Shoppers get to know the traders, the traders get to know the shoppers. It builds trust and strengthens the fabric of our communities, enriching our neighbourhoods.

    To say markets have a long history in Liverpool is a understatement. It is believed that there have been meat and fish markets in what is now the city centre since the 13th century. Since 1773, the local authority has been the sole market authority in the city and we do not take this responsibility lightly, understanding that if we are to help traders to succeed then our approach cannot be one-size-fits-all.

    From the well-established weekly bustle of Greatie to the farmers’ markets in Lark Lane, Woolton Village and Allerton Road via the annual Christmas Market, whose contract is managed by Culture Liverpool, we’ve worked hard to make sure that our communities have the markets that they want and deserve. They reflect the diversity of our neighbourhoods, from the people that shop there to the goods that are sold. They provide local connection for older people and plenty of eye-widening fun for youngsters.

    Not only that, markets are increasingly becoming a vital foundational part of the local economy, making sure that money stays in Liverpool and that small businesses grow and become more secure, offering traders a low-cost, low-risk way to trial products and concepts. Spend money in a Liverpool market and you’re effectively investing in your community.

    And they’re sustainable – goods do not have to be transported as far and shoppers can walk to the market rather than getting in their car.

    In a world that often feels fragmented, our markets stand as a testament to the power of community. They are not just places for commerce but spaces where relationships develop, cultures are shared and local pride grows. Sitting alongside all the other fantastic shopping opportunities that Liverpool has to offer.

    So the next time you visit a market, as well as possibly opening your purse or wallet remember that you are also opening your heart to a tradition that stretches back centuries.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BLOG: Kinship Carers Week Goes Global – A Liverpool Success Story!

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    At Liverpool City Council, we truly value the incredible work of kinship carers and are proud of our ongoing partnership with Liverpool Kinship Carers.

    Based in Norris Green, this dedicated charity provides vital resources, support and advocacy for kinship families. Kinship carers are relatives or friends who step in to care for children when their parents are unable to do so. Their unwavering commitment has made a lasting impact on countless lives, and this week, we’ve been celebrating with our kinship families. As part of Kinship Carers Week, they’ve enjoyed a variety of parties and events, culminating in a special afternoon tea.

    Please read this amazing update from Pauline Thornley, the Project Co-ordinator of the Kinship Care Project:

    I’m beyond excited to share some incredible news! Kinship Carers Week, which began right here in Liverpool, has now gone global!

    What started as a local initiative to raise awareness and celebrate the often-overlooked role of kinship carers has been adopted by 15 other countries this year. Yes, 15 countries!

    I was fortunate enough to attend a recent webinar featuring keynote speakers from Zimbabwe and Nepal, and hearing their stories was truly inspiring. It’s amazing to see how the challenges and triumphs of kinship carers are so similar, no matter where they are based in the world.

    When we first launched Kinship Carers Week in 2016, there was nothing like it. Our aim was to raise both local and national awareness of the vital work kinship carers do, looking after children who might otherwise enter the care system.

    We wanted to spark conversations, particularly with local authorities, about how to better support these families. We never imagined the movement would grow into what it is today!

    In those early days we ran some brilliant campaigns. Our promotional T-shirt made its way around the world, from Westminster to New Zealand, spreading the word about kinship care. We even launched a cake smash challenge, which went viral, with families, organisations and even MPs getting involved and sharing the fun on social media. It wasn’t just a bit of fun, it got people talking and raising awareness of kinship carers.

    The benefit of raising awareness is profound. This year, as we celebrate Kinship Carers Week globally, hundreds more kinship carers across the UK are being recognised and receiving the support they deserve. The increased visibility of their challenges and contributions helps ensure that these families are not only acknowledged, but are also provided with the resources and assistance they need to thrive.

    Now, seeing other countries adopt what started here in Liverpool feels truly special. It’s a testament to the power of community and collective voices. It’s also a clear sign that kinship carers everywhere need and deserve recognition and support.

    So, let’s take a moment to celebrate this incredible achievement. What began in Liverpool has sparked a global movement. This is a tribute to the strength and determination of our kinship families, and it’s something we should all be immensely proud of. Let’s keep this momentum going and continue to raise our voices for kinship carers everywhere!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tom Stannard named new Chief Executive designate

    Source: City of Manchester

    Manchester City Council has named Tom Stannard as its new permanent Chief Executive to lead the delivery of the city’s strategy for the decade ahead. 

    He will become only the third Chief Executive to take the reins in more than a quarter of a century in a city which prides itself on stability. Tom was selected following a rigorous recruitment process.  

    He has been Chief Executive of neighbouring Salford City Council for the past four years, overseeing achievements including the transformative regeneration of Salford, an ambitious council housebuilding programme and high-performing children’s services. He has more than 27 years of experience in local government including senior posts in Oldham, Wakefield, Blackburn with Darwen and London boroughs.  

    Tom is nationally recognised as a leading voice in local government, public service reform and delivering inclusive growth and currently holds the lead CEO brief for Greater Manchester in the economy, business and international portfolio.  

    He is a Chartered Surveyor, Chair of the UK Institute of Economic Development, Commissioner for the UK Living Wage Foundation and National Spokesman for Health and Social Care for SOLACE (The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers.)  

    Tom joins one of the best performing councils in the country at a crucial time as Manchester presses ahead with its ambition to be world-class city with top class services. It is also a pivotal moment for the Council as it gears up to bring forward and oversee the delivery of the 2025-2035 Our Manchester Strategy, which will guide the city for the next 10 years. The new vision will go further on the achievements of the current strategy to ensure economic growth that benefits everyone, including through the city’s ambitious Making Manchester Fairer, housebuilding and zero carbon programmes.  

    Tom is expected to join the Council early in the New Year. Eamonn Boylan OBE will remain in post as Interim Chief Executive until then. 

    Leader of Manchester City Council Councillor Bev Craig said:

    “This is a big job and we know the Chief Executive of Manchester is one of the most coveted positions in local government. That’s why I’m delighted that we’re appointing Tom Stannard – someone who shares our pride in the city and ambition to deliver for our residents.  

    “Tom was our unanimous choice in a highly competitive selection process. He is a nationally respected voice in local government with an impressive CV and a track record of delivery across regeneration, inclusive growth and improving council services. We were impressed by his energy and passion, his clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Manchester and his ideas for the future. He is already a well-known figure in Greater Manchester and beyond and we are confident that he will help us improve the city over the next decade. 

    “I’m looking forward to working alongside him and we can’t wait to welcome him as our new chief executive.”  

    Tom Stannard said:

    “This is an exceptional role in an incredible city. I’ve spent a significant part of my career living and working in Greater Manchester and have a deep commitment to the city and its people. I’m eager to start work on the next chapter alongside Cllr Craig and all elected members. 

    “Manchester is a city which is competing on a global stage and successfully attracting investment, jobs and visitors and it’s important that we continue to maximise those strengths. Just as crucial is that the growth generated benefits the whole city, and I know that’s something the Council is already working on and determined to achieve.  

    “While being unapologetically ambitious for the city’s global future, I won’t lose focus on the need to deliver excellent day-to-day services for Manchester people in the here and now.”  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby residents invited to share views on community safety

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is encouraging people who live in, work in, or visit Derby to share their views on safety in the city by participating in the Community Safety Survey. Now live on the Let’s Talk Derby website, the survey, which is open until December, seeks to gather feedback on how safe people feel in the city centre and their local areas.

    The survey is a part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to making Derby a safe place to live, work and visit. The results will ensure that residents’ concerns are addressed and will help to shape future initiatives to improve public safety in Derby.

    With questions ranging from how safe residents feel walking in their local area to asking what measures help them feel safe, it is estimated to take 10-15 minutes to complete and will help the Council to better understand the key issues relating to public safety.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure said:

    Public Safety is a top priority for the Council. We have been working hard to create a safe city for all, and we want to ensure that every resident feels safe, whether in the city centre or their local area.

    I encourage all members of the community to take part in this survey. The feedback that we gather will help us to improve the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors in Derby. Together, we can create a safe city for all.

    The survey is available to view on the Let’s Talk Derby website. All responses are confidential, and residents are encouraged to take part before the survey closes at midnight 22 December.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago: Jon Dean

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Jon Dean has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in succession to Harriet Cross.

    Mr Jon Dean

    Mr Jon Dean has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in succession to Ms Harriet Cross, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.

    Mr Dean will take up his appointment during December 2024.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Jon Mark Dean

    2022 to 2024 N’Djamena, His Majesty’s Ambassador
    2020 to 2022 New York, Counsellor Internal
    2018 to 2020 United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Secondment, New York
    2015 to 2018 FCO, Head of Iraq Team, Middle East and North Africa Directorate
    2013 to 2015  Juba, Deputy Head of Mission and Consul
    2013 Yaoundé, Deputy High Commissioner and Consul (3 months)
    2012 New York, UK Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Second Secretary Political (3 months)
    2009 to 2012 Brasília, Second Secretary Political
    2007 to 2008 FCO, Desk Officer, Kosovo
    2005 to 2007 FCO, Desk Officer, EU Environment Policy
    2005 Joined FCO

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Procuring major events and responses to the TfL cyber-attack

    Source: Mayor of London

    Since their July 2024 report, EY, the external auditors of the GLA Group have made the following change: 

    • In light of the cyber-attack on TfL, the audit team will be required to “evaluate the effects of the attack on the scope of [their] work and reporting requirements” and the overall reporting timeline is likely to be delayed as limited system access hampered the GLA finance team’s ability to respond to audit requests.

    Tomorrow, the London Assembly Audit Panel will examine the GLA External Audit Status Report and the Corporate Risk Register, both of which contain responses to the TfL cyber-attack. The Panel will also discuss the Register of Gifts and Hospitality and the procurement exercise for the New Year’s Eve fireworks event.

    The guests are:

    • Stephen Reid, Partner, EY
    • Chloe Wilkinson, Audit Senior Manager, EY
    • Enver Enver, Interim Chief Finance Officer, GLA
    • Fay Hammond, Chief Finance Officer, GLA
    • David Esling, Head of Audit Assurance – Risk Management, MOPAC
    • Mark Woodley, Group Audit Lead, MOPAC
    • Karen Welsh, Senior Risk and Assurance Auditor, MOPAC
    • Dianne Tranmer, Executive Director Corporate Resources & Business Improvement, GLA

    The meeting will take place on Thursday, 17 October 2024 from 2pm, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Launches IQ8X Microinverters in the Netherlands and Austria, and IQ8 Series in Malta and New Caledonia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, today announced that it has started shipping IQ8™ Microinverters to support newer, high-powered solar panels in select countries and territories, including the Netherlands, Austria, Malta, and New Caledonia. Enphase is entering the solar markets for Malta and New Caledonia for the first time with this launch.

    In Malta, Enphase introduced three microinverters – IQ8MC™, IQ8AC™, and IQ8HC™ – featuring a peak output power of 330 W, 366 W, and 384 W, respectively. In New Caledonia, Enphase introduced the IQ8AC and IQ8HC Microinverters. The new microinverters seamlessly pair with a full range of solar modules up to 560 W DC. IQ8 Microinverters activated in Malta and New Caledonia come with a 25-year warranty from Enphase.

    “New Caledonia’s climate and unique geography makes system reliability and production crucial,” said Damien Keyser, director at Green Energy NC, an installer of Enphase products in New Caledonia. “IQ8 Microinverters have exceeded our expectations in this regard. Their robust performance, coupled with Enphase’s industry-leading warranty, gives our clients confidence their investment is protected for the long haul.”

    “Enphase IQ8 Microinverters maximize quality, reliability, and performance,” said Ing. Mario Cachia, CEO and director of business at Alternative Technologies Ltd., an installer of Enphase products in Malta. “Their seamless integration and module-level monitoring allow our clients to manage self-consumption and navigate peak pricing. In our dynamic energy market, this smart technology is a game-changer.”

    IQ8X™ Microinverters are also available now for customers in the Netherlands and Austria and feature a peak output AC power of 384 W, designed to support higher powered solar modules up to 560 W DC. The microinverters are compatible with modules with higher cell counts, such as 96-cells and 88 or 80 half-cut cells.

    “Enphase IQ8 Microinverters have transformed our approach to solar installations,” said Tim Montfrooij, project manager at Koller Hattem BV, an installer of Enphase products in the Netherlands. “The ease of installation coupled with the ability to support a wide range of module wattages gives us the flexibility to design efficient, optimized systems tailored to our clients’ needs.”

    “Enphase is setting a new industry standard with its ongoing innovation and commitment to quality,” said Florian Morche, technical manager at Energieversorgung Kleinwalsertal GesmbH, an installer of Enphase products in Austria. “The superior performance and reliability of IQ8 Microinverters mean that our customers can enjoy peace of mind knowing their solar systems will perform optimally for years to come.”

    “IQ8 Microinverters are transforming residential solar with a reputation for top-tier adaptability and performance,” said Sabbas Daniel, senior vice president of sales at Enphase Energy. “We are empowering installers with technology to help simplify installations and maximize energy production for homeowners. This expansion reinforces our commitment to driving innovation in diverse markets worldwide.”

    For more information about IQ8 Microinverters, please visit the Enphase websites for Malta and New Caledonia. Learn more about the IQ8X Microinverters on the websites for the Netherlands and Austria. 

    About Enphase Energy, Inc.

    Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power—and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 76.3 million microinverters, and over 4.3 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

    ©2024 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements related to the expected capabilities and performance of Enphase Energy’s technology and products, including safety, quality, and reliability; the ability to seamlessly pair with a full range of solar modules up to 560 W DC; the availability and market adoption of Enphase’s products in select markets; and plans on entering new markets. These forward-looking statements are based on Enphase Energy’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties including those risks described in more detail in Enphase Energy’s most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents filed by Enphase Energy from time to time with the SEC. Enphase Energy undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    Contact:

    Enphase Energy

    press@enphaseenergy.com

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TransUnion Analysis Finds Fraud Costing Businesses Equivalent of Nearly 7% of Revenues

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A global TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) analysis found that fraud continues to significantly impact businesses and their bottom lines. The newly released H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, which explores fraud trends in the first half (H1/January 1-June 30, 2024) of this year, also found that the lender risk exposure to synthetic identities for U.S. auto loans, bank credit cards, retail credit cards and unsecured personal loans reached their highest point ever.

    Among the key findings in the report were the results of a TransUnion survey of more than 800 business leaders in Canada, India, the U.K. and the U.S. which revealed total fraud losses of 6.5% equivalent of their companies’ revenue. This totaled approximately $359 billion among these business leaders’ organizations, a number which projects out exponentially greater when considering these represent only a small percentage of business leaders. Among those surveyed in the U.S., they said their company lost the equivalent of 6.7% of their revenue due to fraud over the past year, totaling $112 billion.

    In addition, 75% of the global survey respondents said that every type of fraud they measured stayed the same or increased year-over-year (YoY). Nearly half of respondents indicated that scam/authorized fraud, wherein a person is tricked into giving up something of value, saw the greatest YoY increase. It was also the most common cause of fraud loss according to global respondents at 31% and US respondents at 35%. In fact, in the U.S., this was more than double the next most common cause of fraud losses – synthetic identity fraud at 17%.

    “Protecting customers and their businesses from fraud is essential to enabling safe and tailored consumer experiences. These findings reveal that despite the good-faith efforts that are being undertaken by global organizations to identify and prevent fraud to date, fraudsters continue to evolve and it’s vital that fraud prevention methods keep up with the changing times,” said Steve Yin, global head of fraud at TransUnion. “Business that aren’t already doing so should ensure that they are taking advantage of fraud prevention technologies such as identity verification, IP intelligence, device reputation and synthetic identity detection as critical components of their fraud prevention programs.”

    According to proprietary insights from TransUnion’s global intelligence network, the global rate of suspected Digital Fraud remained stubbornly high in H1 2024 at 5.2% of all transactions. For transactions where the consumer was located in the U.S., 4.6% of digital transactions were suspected to be fraudulent over the period. Breaking it down by the industry, the highest rate of suspected Digital Fraud for transactions where the consumers were in the U.S. was the gaming sector, for which 13.3% of all transactions in that industry were suspected to be fraudulent in H1 2024.

    Synthetic Identity Lending Exposure Reaches New Record High

    Potentially driven in part by the wealth of stolen identities acquired via data breaches, accounts opened using synthetic identities continue to put lenders at risk. In fact, the increases among overall lender exposure to synthetic identities for US auto loans, bank credit cards, retail credit cards and unsecured personal loans continued in H1 2024. TransUnion documented such exposure rising from $3.0 billion in H1 2023 to $3.2 billion in H1 2024, an all-time high and growth of 7% YoY. The share of accounts opened for the four tradelines by synthetic identities rose 18% YoY, also reaching an all-time high.

    The auto loan industry continued to be the most impacted by lender exposure to synthetic identities among the four tradelines, accounting for $2.0 billion of the total in H1 2024, the fourth consecutive first half of the year in which auto has seen the greatest exposure. In fact, since surpassing bankcards in H1 2021, auto loan exposure is now double that of bankcard, which is currently at $1.0 billion.

    “Fraudsters are increasingly using synthetic identities to accumulate balances, particularly targeting the auto industry,” said Yin. “Unfortunately, this warrants attention to as the market is now facing a rising threat of charge-offs.”

    Lender Exposure to Synthetic Identities Continues to Trend Upward, Led by Auto

      End of H1 2020 End of H1 2021 End of H1 2022 End of H1 2023 End of H1 2024
    Auto Loans $871M $869M $1.3B $1.8B $2.0B
    Bankcards $966M $783M $951M $1.1B $1.0B
    Retail Credit Cards $250M $183M $157M $145M $121M
    Unsecured Personal Loans $48M $36M $57M $57M $52M
    Totals $2.1B $1.9B $2.4B $3.0B $3.2B

    Source: TransUnion TruValidate™ data

    The percentage of newly-opened accounts connected to synthetic identities has also seen a steady rise since 2020, and in H1 2024 stood at 0.20% of all accounts associated with the four tradelines in the table above. The tradeline with the highest percentage in H1 2024 was bank card, which was at 0.33% for the period, followed closely by auto loans at 0.27%.

    Industry Perspective: Online Forums and Dating Sites Most Impacted by Digital Fraud in H1 2024

    In H1 2024, the communities industry – which includes web properties like online forums and dating sites – experienced the largest percentage (11.5%) of suspected Digital Fraud globally. This represents a 23% increase over H1 2023. TransUnion’s communities customers reported profile misrepresentation as the most frequent type of fraud they witnessed in H1 2024. Not surprisingly, the communities industry had the highest suspected Digital Fraud rate in seven of the 19 countries and regions analyzed in H1 2024.

    In terms of global volume, synthetic identity fraud was the fastest-growing Digital Fraud type across industries from H2 2023 to H1 2024, increasing by 153%. Electronic fund transfers fraud saw the highest YoY growth, up 113% from H1 2023 to H1 2024. However, promotion abuse, which is defined as consumers or fraudsters taking advantage of marketing offers to receive unintended financial incentives, was the most common Digital Fraud type globally in H1 2024, with 3.6% of Digital Fraud reported to TransUnion by its customers.

    TransUnion came to its conclusions about Digital Fraud based on intelligence from its identity and fraud product suite that helps secure trust across channels and delivers efficient consumer experiences – TransUnion TruValidate. The rate or percentage of suspected Digital Fraud attempts reflect those that TransUnion customers determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) determined to be fraudulent upon customer investigation, or 4) determined to be a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation —compared to all transactions it assessed for fraud. 

    Download the TransUnion H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report to learn more. Specific country and regional data in the report include the United States, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

    For more information and insights about the global fraud trends, please download the report. Consumers who believe they may be a victim of fraud can find resources and information here.

    About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

    TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
    http://www.transunion.com/business

    Contact Dave Blumberg
      TransUnion
       
    E-mail david.blumberg@transunion.com
       
    Telephone 312-972-6646

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang behind ATM attacks taken down

    Source: Europol

    Unscrupulous attacks with severe collateral damageFor several years now, perpetrators have increasingly been using solid explosives – originating mainly from fireworks – to blow up ATMs. This has significantly augmented the danger and collateral damage of their attacks. The criminals, who are often based in the Netherlands, take extreme risks and act unscrupulously, both at the crime scene and when…

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Strategy for peace, security and stabilisation 2024–2028

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Strategy for peace, security and stabilisation 2024–2028 – Government.se

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    International development cooperation strategies from Ministry for Foreign Affairs

    Published

    Sweden’s strategy for peace, security and stabilisation is a part of the governance of Sweden’s collective development, foreign and security policy. This strategy will contribute to conflict management and conflict prevention with a view to improving development opportunities and reducing humanitarian needs.

    Download:

    The strategy will complement and strengthen other components of development assistance in conflict countries and areas with a high risk of conflict. Particular emphasis will be placed on coherence with bilateral and regional strategies related to contexts of conflict. Interventions guided by the strategy will be coordinated with relevant missions abroad and contribute to overall Swedish development cooperation in prioritised countries. In addition, the strategy will make it possible to promote the Government’s priorities in peace promotion, security and stabilisation in countries or situations where engagement is politically motivated but where there is no applicable country strategy.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press conference following Council of Ministers meeting no. 100

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    16 Ottobre 2024

    Council of Ministers meeting no. 100 was held at Palazzo Chigi on Tuesday 15 October. This morning, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, and the Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Maurizio Leo, held a press conference to illustrate the measures approved.

    [The press conference]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Overseas US voters get ignored by political campaigns − but could be crucial supporters

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, Honorary Reader in MIgration and Politics, University of Kent

    Election workers prepare to mail absentee ballots to Americans, including those living overseas. Allison Joyce/Getty Images

    One group of American voters is being largely ignored in the closely watched polling leading up to the Nov. 5 elections: U.S. citizens living abroad, whether as civilians or as members of the military. We know from governmental data that the number of ballots cast by overseas Americans has been greater than the margin of victory in races in the past – and may be again in 2024.

    But that one potentially crucial group of American voters – U.S. citizens living abroad – does not get much attention, from pollsters or campaigns.

    We are scholars of political science whose research shows that overseas voters can make a difference in elections – and that there is potential for campaigns to mobilize these voters, despite a more complex process of voting than for domestic voters.

    Who are overseas Americans?

    Though there is not an exact count of American citizens living abroad, we do know they number in the millions. Estimates from the Federal Voter Assistance Program and the Association of Americans Resident Overseas placed this number between 4.4 million and 5.3 million in 2023.

    But those are likely undercounts. It’s almost impossible to account fully for dual citizens, naturalized U.S. citizens who have returned to the country of their birth or people who split their time between the U.S. and other countries.

    Research that we and others have conducted indicates that Mexico and Canada are home to the largest numbers of Americans outside the U.S., followed by the U.K., France, Israel and Germany. The three most common reasons Americans move abroad are family connections, employment and quality of life, although there are others.

    Overseas Americans tend to be highly educated: More than three-quarters have a college degree, double the percentage within the U.S. Most overseas Americans do not move from country to country but rather stay in one country, often for a decade or more. But our surveys have found they remain interested in U.S. politics – not least because they pay U.S. income taxes, whether they work for a U.S. or foreign employer. IRS data shows that the vast majority are not ultra-wealthy.

    Voting from abroad

    Military members and U.S. citizens living abroad have had the right to vote in federal elections since 1976. This right was further consolidated in the 1986 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, while the right for Americans living abroad to vote in local and state elections depends on state law.

    Some people have recently expressed concern that overseas voting could be used to cast fraudulent ballots, but there is no evidence of illegal voting by noncitizens abroad.

    Overseas voters’ absentee ballot requests and their returned ballots are carefully scrutinized by local officials in the state where they last lived in the U.S., making abuse very unlikely. But it is complex for overseas voters to vote: The paperwork is complicated, and there is comparatively little outreach from political parties and candidates.

    Barriers to voting from overseas

    In 2020, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which is supposed to help overseas voters exercise their voting rights, estimated that just shy of 8% of eligible American voters overseas cast ballots in that year’s presidential election. Using program numbers to calculate a percentage another way finds that no more than 20% of overseas Americans cast ballots in the 2020 election.

    That’s far lower than the 67% national turnout rate that year.

    Federal law requires local election officials in the U.S. to mail absentee ballots 45 days before an election to overseas Americans who request them. Poor mail service in the U.S. and elsewhere can mean that voters don’t always get the ballots in time, and the ballots mailed back to election officials face similar delays.

    Some states allow voters to receive or return their ballots electronically, which is faster; an overseas voter casting a ballot in Massachusetts can request a ballot, receive a blank ballot and return it all by email, while an overseas voter from Pennsylvania must return it by mail or courier, following exact procedures for enclosing their ballot in multiple envelopes.

    In 2023, the Federal Voting Assistance Program estimated that as many as 150,000 U.S. citizens overseas did not cast ballots in the 2022 elections because of administrative hurdles, such as slow or irregular mail service and difficulties in communicating procedural changes to prospective voters abroad.

    Interest in US politics

    Another possible reason Americans abroad don’t vote is that they have lost interest in U.S. politics. But our own research, and the work of others, finds that not to be true.

    Even given the logistical challenges, U.S. citizens living in Canada, as one example, have very similar levels of interest in American politics compared with citizens back home.

    During the 2020 and 2022 campaign seasons, two of us surveyed American citizens who had moved north of the border. In 2020, 55% indicated they were very interested in American politics, as did 44% in the midterm year of 2022. This is comparable with levels of attention to politics within the U.S. during those campaigns, as gauged by the Cooperative Election Study.

    So although Americans in Canada indicated interest levels as high as those in the U.S. during the past two national election cycles, the vast majority of them did not cast a vote. Administrative barriers play a role, but they’re not enough to explain such low turnout among citizens overseas.

    Ignored by campaigns

    Another key factor driving low turnout from abroad is a lack of communication from campaigns and parties. Research demonstrates that contacts by campaigns and parties significantly increase a person’s likelihood of voting.

    In the U.S., parties and campaign organizations can help streamline the voter registration process, reinforce the stakes of an election and bolster a sense of camaraderie among citizens.

    U.S. citizens living abroad are unlikely to hear from campaigns, even in nearby Canada. When asked in 2020 or 2022 whether they had been contacted by American political campaigns, most potential voters in the U.S. had. But our surveys of Americans living in Canada show less than one-third reported contact from parties or candidates.

    Because overseas citizens vote in their last state of residence in the U.S. but are not physically resident there, campaigns find it harder to identify them as swing-state residents or members of favorable demographic groups.

    Overall, Americans living overseas are as eligible to vote as citizens in the U.S. They are as attentive to politics as Americans living in the U.S. On the other hand, they face major administrative hurdles and are generally not contacted by American parties or campaigns.

    James A. McCann has received support for his research on migration from Purdue University, the US Fulbright Program, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

    Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels and Ronald Rapoport do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Overseas US voters get ignored by political campaigns − but could be crucial supporters – https://theconversation.com/overseas-us-voters-get-ignored-by-political-campaigns-but-could-be-crucial-supporters-240184

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 4 ways AI can be used and abused in the 2024 election, from deepfakes to foreign interference

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Barbara A. Trish, Professor of Political Science, Grinnell College

    The American public is on alert about artificial intelligence and the 2024 election.

    A September 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center found that well over half of Americans worry that artificial intelligence – or AI, computer technology mimicking the processes and products of human intelligence – will be used to generate and spread false and misleading information in the campaign.

    My academic research on AI may help quell some concerns. While this innovative technology certainly has the potential to manipulate voters or spread lies at scale, most uses of AI in the current election cycle are, so far, not novel at all.

    I’ve identified four roles AI is playing or could play in the 2024 campaign – all arguably updated versions of familiar election activities.

    1. Voter information

    The 2022 launch of ChatGPT brought the promise and peril of generative AI into public consciousness. This technology is called “generative” because it produces text responses to user prompts: It can write poetry, answer history questions – and provide information about the 2024 election.

    Rather than search Google for voting information, people may instead ask generative AI a question. “How much has inflation changed since 2020?” for example. Or, “Who’s running for U.S. Senate in Texas?”

    Some generative AI platforms such as Google’s AI chatbot Gemini, decline to answer questions about candidates and voting. Some, such as Facebook’s AI tool Llama, respond – and respond accurately.

    AI’s response to an election query on Facebook.
    Screenshot from Facebook, CC BY-SA

    But generative AI can also produce misinformation. In the most extreme cases, AI can have “hallucinations,” offering up wildly inaccurate results.

    A CBS news account from June 2024 reported that ChatGPT had given incorrect or incomplete responses to some prompts asking how to vote in battleground states. And ChatGPT didn’t consistently follow the policy of its owner, OpenAI, and refer users to CanIVote.org, a respected site for voting information.

    As with the web, people should verify the results of AI searches. And beware: Google’s Gemini now automatically returns answers to Google search queries at the top of every results page. You might inadvertently stumble into AI tools when you think you’re searching the internet.

    2. Deepfakes

    Deepfakes are fabricated images, audio and video produced by generative AI and designed to replicate reality. Essentially, these are highly convincing versions of what are now called “cheapfakes” – altered images made using basic tools such as Photoshop and video-editing software.

    The potential of deepfakes to deceive voters became clear when an AI-generated robocall impersonating Joe Biden before the January 2024 New Hampshire primary advised Democrats to save their votes for November.

    After that, the Federal Communication Commission ruled that AI-generated robocalls are subject to the same regulations as all robocalls. They cannot be auto-dialed or delivered to cellphones or landlines without prior consent.

    The agency also slapped a US$6 million fine on the consultant who created the fake Biden call – but not for tricking voters. He was fined for transmitting inaccurate caller-ID information.

    While synthetic media can be used to spread disinformation, deepfakes are now part of the creative toolbox of political advertisers.

    One early deepfake aimed more at persuasion than overt deception was an AI-generated ad from a 2022 mayoral race contest portraying the then-incumbent mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, as a failing student summoned to the principal’s office.

    Blink and you’ll miss the disclaimer that this campaign ad is a deepfake.

    The ad included a quick disclaimer that it was a deepfake, a warning not required by the federal government, but it was easy to miss.

    Wired magazine’s AI Elections Project, which is tracking uses of AI in the 2024 cycle, shows that deepfakes haven’t overwhelmed the ads voters see. But they have been used by candidates across the political spectrum, up and down the ballot, for many purposes – including deception.

    Former President Donald Trump hints at a Democratic deepfake when he questions the crowd size at Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign events. In lobbing such allegations, Trump is attempting to reap the “liar’s dividend” – the opportunity to plant the idea that truthful content is fake.

    Discrediting a political opponent this way is nothing new. Trump has been claiming that the truth is really just “fake news” since at least the “birther” conspiracy of 2008, when he helped to spread rumors that presidential candidate Barack Obama’s birth certificate was fake.

    3. Strategic distraction

    Some are concerned that AI might be used by election deniers in this cycle to distract election administrators by burying them in frivolous public records requests.

    For example, the group True the Vote has lodged hundreds of thousands of voter challenges over the past decade working with just volunteers and a web-based app. Imagine its reach if armed with AI to automate their work.

    Such widespread, rapid-fire challenges to the voter rolls could divert election administrators from other critical tasks, disenfranchise legitimate voters and disrupt the election.

    As of now, there’s no evidence that this is happening.

    4. Foreign election interference

    Confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election underscored that the threat of foreign meddling in U.S. politics, whether by Russia or another country invested in discrediting Western democracy, remains a pressing concern.

    Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 U.S. election concluded that Russia had worked to get President Donald Trump elected.
    Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP

    In July, the Department of Justice seized two domain names and searched close to 1,000 accounts that Russian actors had used for what it called a “social media bot farm,” similar to those Russia used to influence the opinions of hundreds of millions of Facebook users in the 2020 campaign. Artificial intelligence could give these efforts a real boost.

    There’s also evidence that China is using AI this cycle to spread malicious information about the U.S. One such social media post transcribed a Biden speech inaccurately to suggest he made sexual references.

    AI may help election interferers do their dirty work, but new technology is hardly necessary for foreign meddling in U.S. politics.

    In 1940, the United Kingdom – an American ally – was so focused on getting the U.S. to enter World War II that British intelligence officers worked to help congressional candidates committed to intervention and to discredit isolationists.

    One target was the prominent Republican isolationist U.S. Rep. Hamilton Fish. Circulating a photo of Fish and the leader of an American pro-Nazi group taken out of context, the British sought to falsely paint Fish as a supporter of Nazi elements abroad and in the U.S.

    Can AI be controlled?

    Acknowledging that it doesn’t take new technology to do harm, bad actors can leverage the efficiencies embedded in AI to create a formidable challenge to election operations and integrity.

    Federal efforts to regulate AI’s use in electoral politics face the same uphill battle as most proposals to regulate political campaigns. States have been more active: 19 now ban or restrict deepfakes in political campaigns.

    Some platforms engage in light self-moderation. Google’s Gemini responds to prompts asking for basic election information by saying, “I can’t help with responses on elections and political figures right now.”

    Campaign professionals may employ a little self-regulation, too. Several speakers at a May 2024 conference on campaign tech expressed concern about pushback from voters if they learn that a campaign is using AI technology. In this sense, the public concern over AI might be productive, creating a guardrail of sorts.

    But the flip side of that public concern – what Stanford University’s Nate Persily calls “AI panic” – is that it can further erode trust in elections.

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

    – ref. 4 ways AI can be used and abused in the 2024 election, from deepfakes to foreign interference – https://theconversation.com/4-ways-ai-can-be-used-and-abused-in-the-2024-election-from-deepfakes-to-foreign-interference-239878

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Philip M. Orton, Research Associate Professor in Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

    A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters more easily with tides and storm surge. Google Earth

    Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon.

    Fast-forward to today, and in estuaries such as New York Harbor, San Francisco Bay and Miami’s Biscayne Bay – areas where rivers meet the sea – 80% to 90% of this habitat has been built over.

    The result has been the environmental collapse of estuary habitats and the loss of buffer zones that helped protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise. But the damage isn’t just what’s visible on land.

    Below the surface of many of the remaining waterways, another form of urbanization has been slowly increasing the vulnerability of coastlines to extreme storms and sea-level rise: Vast dredging and engineering projects have more than doubled the depths of shipping channels since the 19th century.

    Some of these oceanic highways enable huge container ships, with drafts of 50 feet below the waterline and lengths of nearly a quarter mile, to glide into formerly shallow areas. An example is New Jersey’s Newark Bay, which was as little as 10 feet (3 meters) deep in the 1840s but is 50 feet (15 meters) deep today.

    A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters and exits the estuaries more easily with each tide or storm. In these dredged channels, the natural resistance to flow created by a rough and shallow channel bottom is reduced. With less friction, that can lead to larger high tides and storm surge.

    As coastal engineers and oceanographers, we study coastal ocean physics and storm surge. There are solutions to the problems “estuary urbanization” is causing, if people are willing to accept some trade-offs.

    An unintended side effect of dredging

    The effects of dredging are most visible in the daily tides, which have grown larger over the past century in many estuaries and aggravated nuisance flooding in many cities, as our research shows.

    Tide range – the average variation between high and low tide – has doubled in multiple estuaries and changed significantly in others. As a result, high-tide levels are often rising faster than sea-level rise, worsening its consequences.

    The most common culprit for these larger tides is estuary urbanization.

    For example, in Miami, where the tide range has almost doubled, a major contributor is the construction and dredging of a nearly 50-foot-deep (15 meter), 500-foot-wide (150 meter) harbor entrance channel beginning in the early 20th century.

    In New York City, some neighborhoods in southern Queens see 15 minor tidal floods per year today. Computer modeling shows that these floods are caused in about equal measure by sea-level rise and landscape alterations, including dredging and wetland reclamation projects that fill in wetlands to build industrial sites, airports and neighborhoods.

    Evidence and computer modeling show that any hurricane storm surge affecting parts of New York City, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Southeast Florida and Southwest Louisiana, among other locations, will likely produce higher water levels due to estuary urbanization, potentially causing more damage in unprotected regions.

    These costs have gone largely unnoticed, since changes have occurred gradually over the past 150 years. But as sea-level rise and turbo-charged storms increase flooding frequency and severity, the problem is becoming more visible.

    Building solutions to the flooding problem

    In response to rising sea levels, a different form of estuary urbanization is attracting new attention as a possible solution.

    Gated storm-surge barriers or tide gates are being built across estuaries or their inlets so they can be closed off during storm-surge events. Some examples include barriers for New Orleans; London; Venice, Italy; and the Netherlands. Such barriers are increasingly being proposed alongside levee systems for coastal protection of urbanized estuary shorelines.

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently recommended surge barriers for 11 additional estuaries, including near Miami, Jamaica Bay in Queens and Galveston, Texas.

    Surge barriers are not long-term solutions to flooding driven by sea-level rise, and their negative impacts remain poorly understood.

    Venice’s rising flood wall includes 58 gates, each about the size of two tennis courts, that rise to block the inlet from storm surge.

    Natural solutions

    Wetlands and mangroves have also emerged as a popular nature-based solution.

    Communities and government funding have focused on attempts to restore or create new wetlands as buffers in shoreline areas. But this solution is ineffective for flood protection in most harbor cities, such as New York, due to the lack of available space.

    A storm surge crossing over a mile of marsh can be reduced by several inches, depending on the site’s characteristics. But typical urban estuary waterfronts have only tens of feet of open space to work with, if that much. In a narrow space, the best that vegetation can do is reduce wave action, which often isn’t the the most pressing problem for cities on estuaries that are typically sheltered from wind-driven storm waves.

    As a result, engineered wetlands, while attractive, may be ineffective, especially if trends in ship sizes and estuarine urbanization continues.

    Better ways to put nature back to work

    Our research reveals an opportunity for scientists, engineers and broader society to think bigger – to consider a more comprehensive reshaping and restoration of the natural features of estuaries that once mitigated or absorbed flooding.

    Possible solutions include halting the maintenance dredging of underutilized shipping channels, gradually retreating from vulnerable – and now often waterlogged – landfill industrial sites and neighborhoods, and restoring these larger expanses to wetlands.

    These approaches can sharply reduce flooding and provide years of protection against sea-level rise. Restoration to historical channel and wetland configurations, however, is rarely given serious consideration in coastal storm risk management studies because of the perceived economic cost, but also because the cumulative effect of deeper channel depths is often unrecognized.

    Renaturing urbanized estuaries in these ways could be paired with buyout programs to also reclaim the floodplain, reducing risk in more sustainable ways. Or it could be paired with seawalls to protect existing neighborhoods in a more ecologically beneficial way. These approaches should be considered as alternatives to further urbanizing our cities’ few remaining natural areas – their estuaries.

    Philip M. Orton receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pertaining to the assessment of coastal flooding from storms, high tides, sea level rise and estuary urbanization.

    Stefan Talke receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the California Department of Transportation, Pacific Northwest National Labs, and the California Delta Stewardship Council. The research pertains to the effect of sea-level rise and anthropogenic change on tides and floods in the past, present, and future.

    – ref. Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans – https://theconversation.com/coastal-cities-have-a-hidden-vulnerability-to-storm-surge-and-tidal-flooding-entirely-caused-by-humans-231374

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bill to end the injustice of the Irish Sea Border introduced in Parliament today

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Mr Allister’s Bill, entitled, ‘European Union (Withdrawal Amendments) Bill’, seeks to address the constitutional and practical detriment of the Windsor Framework/Protocol arrangements as they affect Northern Ireland.
    This detriment includes the diminution of NI’s position within the UK, by virtue of being subject in much of its economy to EU, not UK laws, and the resulting imposition of a partitioning goods border in the Irish Sea.
    The Bill seeks to reverse this detriment and enables practical solutions to govern the movement of goods from NI to the EU’s territory of the Republic of Ireland.
    Clause 1 will set out constitutional imperatives governing all future arrangements. These will require respect for the territorial integrity of the UK and the avoidance of any part of the UK being subject to foreign made laws.
    Clause 2 will then temper the effect of section 7A of the EU Withdrawal Act 2018, which is the conduit by which EU law flows into effect in NI, by circumscribing it with the statutory requirement to respect both the territorial integrity of the UK and the common rights of the Acts of Union.
    Clause 3 and an associated Schedule will then address how goods should move from NI to ROI and vice versa by making provision for Statutory Instruments enabling both alternative arrangements and mutual enforcement, such as was anticipated under the NI Protocol Bill 2022, which passed the Commons before being ‘pulled’ by Rishi Sunak.
    The Windsor Framework/Protocol is wreaking constitutional havoc in respect of NI and its governance, with new impositions evolving all the time. This Bill is designed to reverse that and put relations back on the internationally accepted framework of the EU and the UK each respecting the territorial integrity of the other. Only such can provide the foundation for a neighbourly and successful relationship.
    In addition to Jim Allister being the primary sponsor of this Bill, he is pleased that all NI unionist MPs have assented to be co-sponsors, along with the former Conservative leader, Ian Duncan Smith, Labour MP, Graham Stringer, and Reform UK MPs, Nigel Farage and Richard Tice.

    This is a coalition agreed on the unworkability and unacceptability of the present arrangements and determined to offer a better way forward.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: France: Discriminatory algorithm used by the social security agency must be stopped 

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The French authorities must immediately stop the use of a discriminatory risk-scoring algorithm used by the French Social Security Agency’s National Family Allowance Fund (CNAF), which is used to detect overpayments and errors regarding benefit payments, Amnesty International said today.

    On 15 October, Amnesty International and fourteen other coalition partners led by La Quadrature du Net (LQDN) submitted a complaint to the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France, demanding the risk-scoring algorithmic system used by CNAF be stopped.  

    “From the outset, the risk-scoring system used by CNAF treats individuals who experience marginalization – those with disabilities, lone single parents who are mostly women, and those living in poverty – with suspicion. This system operates in direct opposition to human rights standards, violating the right to equality and non-discrimination and the right to privacy,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General at Amnesty International.

    In 2023, La Quadrature du Net (LQDN) got access to versions of the algorithm’s source code – a set of instructions written by programmers to create a software – thereby exposing the discriminatory nature of the system.

    Since 2011, CNAF has used a risk-scoring algorithm to identify people who are potentially committing benefits fraud by receiving overpayments. The algorithm assigns a risk score between zero and one to all recipients of family and housing benefits. The closer the score is to one, the higher the probability of being flagged for investigation.

    Overall, there are 32 million people in France living in households that receive a benefit from CNAF. Their sensitive personal data, as well as that of their family, is processed periodically, and a risk score is assigned.

    The criteria that increase one’s risk score include parameters which discriminate against vulnerable households, including being on a low income, being unemployed, living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, spending a significant portion of income on rent, and working while having a disability. The details of those who are flagged due to having a high-risk score are compiled into a list that is investigated further by a fraud investigator.

    “While authorities herald the rollout of algorithmic technologies in social protection systems as a way to increase efficiency and detect fraud and errors, in practice, these systems flatten the realities of people’s lives. They work as extensive data-mining tools that stigmatize marginalized groups, and invade their privacy,” said Agnès Callamard.

    Amnesty International did not investigate specific cases of people flagged by the CNAF system. However, our investigations in Netherlands and Serbia suggest that using AI-powered systems and automation in the public sector enables mass surveillance: the amount of data that is collected is disproportionate to the purported aim of the system. Moreover, evidence by Amnesty International also exposed how many of these systems have been quite ineffective at actually doing what they purport to do—whether it be identifying fraud or errors in the benefits system.

    While authorities herald the rollout of algorithmic technologies in social protection systems as a way to increase efficiency and detect fraud and errors, in practice, these systems flatten the realities of people’s lives. They work as extensive data-mining tools that stigmatize marginalized groups, and invade their privacy.

    Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International

    It has also been argued that the scale of errors or fraud in benefits system has been exaggerated to justify the development of such tech systems, often leading to discriminatory or racist or sexist targeting of particular groups, particularly migrants and refugees.

    Over the past year, France has been actively promoting itself internationally as the next hub for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, culminating in a summit scheduled for February 2025. At the same time, France has also been legalizing mass surveillance technologies and has consistently undermined the EU’s AI Act negotiations.

    “France is relying on a risk-scoring algorithmic system for social benefits that highlights, sustains and enshrines the bureaucracy’s prejudices and discrimination. Instead, France should ensure that it complies with its human rights obligations in the first place that of non-discrimination. The authorities must address current and existing AI-related harms amid the country’s quest to become a global AI hub,” said Agnès Callamard.

    Under the newly adopted European Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Act), AI systems used by authorities to determine access to essential public services and benefits are considered to pose high risk to rights, health and safety of people. Therefore, they must meet strict technical, transparency and governance rules, including an obligation on deployers to carry out an assessment of human rights risks and guarantee mitigation measures before deployment.

    In the meantime, certain systems, such as those used for social scoring, are considered to pose unacceptable level of risk and therefore must be banned.

    It is unfortunate that EU lawmakers have been vague in explicitly defining social scoring within the AI Act. The European Commission must ensure that its upcoming guidelines provide a clear and enforceable interpretation of the social scoring ban, especially as it applies to discriminatory fraud detection and risk-scoring systems. 

    Agnès Callamard

    It is currently unclear whether the system used by CNAF qualifies as a social scoring system due to a lack of clarity in the AI Act on what constitutes such a system.

    “It is unfortunate that EU lawmakers have been vague in explicitly defining social scoring within the AI Act. The European Commission must ensure that its upcoming guidelines provide a clear and enforceable interpretation of the social scoring ban, especially as it applies to discriminatory fraud detection and risk-scoring systems,” said Agnès Callamard.

    Regardless of its classification under the AI Act, all evidence suggests that the system used by CNAF is discriminatory. It is essential that authorities stop employing it and scrutinize biased practices that are inherently harmful especially to marginalized communities seeking social benefits.

    Background

    The European Commission will issue guidance on how to interpret the prohibitions in the AI Act prior to their entry into force on 2 February 2025, including what would qualify as social scoring systems.

    In August 2024, the AI Act came into force. Amnesty International, as part of a civil society coalition led by the European Digital Rights Network (EDRi), has been calling for EU artificial intelligence regulation that protects and promotes human rights.

    In March 2024, an Amnesty International briefing outlined how digital technologies including artificial intelligence, automation, and algorithmic decision-making are exacerbating inequalities in social protection systems across the world

    In 2021, Amnesty International’s report Xenophobic Machines exposed how racial profiling was baked into the design of the algorithmic system by the Dutch tax authorities that flagged claims for childcare benefits as potentially fraudulent. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Netherlands: Mass police surveillance of protests part of ‘growing control culture’ – new report

    Source: Amnesty International –

    “All facial recognition technology for identification purposes should be banned and clear rules for police surveillance at protests must be established.” – Dagmar Oudshoorn

    Fear amongst protestors that camera surveillance may lead to negative repercussions

    Transparency needed from Dutch police about use of materials gathered at protests

    A new report from Amnesty International has found that widespread use of digital surveillance technology by police combined with a lack of transparency about its deployment and how materials gathered are analysed, stored and used is having a discriminatory and chilling effect on protest in the Netherlands.

    Recording dissent: Camera surveillance at peaceful protests in the Netherlands, finds that Dutch police are using an array of digital means to monitor peaceful protesters, from drones to video cars and bodycams to conduct mass surveillance of protesters which is detrimentally impacting the right to protest.  

    The report collates the experiences of protesters from a wide range of movements, including climate protests, pro-Palestine protests and protests relating to COVID. The research involved observation of 24 protests between 2022 and 2024, several interviews with protesters and police as well as an analysis of protest rules and practice. Across the range of demonstrations, protesters expressed fears that their identities could be logged in police databases and that this could have negative repercussions for them. 

    One organiser of COVID protests told Amnesty: “I would like to work at a ministry one day. If I have a mark against my name somewhere, I might never get in, so I want to avoid that. Those fears are really deep with everyone in our group.”  

    Dagmar Oudshoorn, Director of Amnesty International Netherlands, said:

    “Peaceful protest is a right, not a privilege but in the Netherlands an increasing risk-based approach to protest by authorities and a growing control culture is putting this right a risk.

    “Dutch laws and policies are not formulated with sufficient precision with regard to what police may or may not do when surveilling protests. This creates a risk of arbitrariness or abuse and is having a discriminatory and chilling effect.

    “It is unacceptable that images are stored in police data banks without any clarity as to what is done with them. This can lead to abuse – or fear of abuse – which can really have far-reaching consequences for people’s personal lives.

    “Camera surveillance is being deployed because protests are being perceived as a security risk rather than a fundamental right and a vital part of a healthy society. All facial recognition technology for identification purposes should be banned and clear rules for police surveillance at protests must be established.”  

    The new research shows that police routinely fail to explain to organisers, protesters and the public why camera surveillance is in place. Opaque practices make it unclear what resources are being deployed and what images of protesters are being used for. Without adequate safeguards in place, surveillance practices are open to widespread abuse.  Police are able to use facial recognition technology to identify people. This risk is especially serious for migrants, who could be included in a facial recognition database when they apply for a residence permit.

    One climate activist told Amnesty: “It’s unpredictable. I’ve seen camera surveillance in all forms…Police in uniform photographing, and camera cars with a telescopic camera on the roof…Not once have the police informed us about the surveillance.” 

    Protest rights under threat across continent.

    This report is part of Amnesty ‘s global “Protect the Protest” campaign which challenges attacks on peaceful protest, works in solidarity with those targeted and supports the causes of social movements pushing for human rights change.  

    A report published in July 2024 looking at the state of protest across Europe found that the right to protest is being systematically undermined across Europe. See https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/europe-sweeping-pattern-of-systematic-attacks-and-restrictions-undermine-peaceful-protest/ 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: France: Government must stop using dangerous AI-powered surveillance to tackle benefit fraud

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Authorities must immediately stop using discriminatory algorithm used by the social security agency

    The risk-scoring system treats marginalised individuals with suspicion

    ‘This system operates in direct opposition to human rights standards, violating the right to equality and non-discrimination and the right to privacy’ – Agnès Callamard

    The French authorities must immediately stop the use of a discriminatory risk-scoring algorithm used by the French Social Security Agency’s National Family Allowance Fund (CNAF), which is used to detect overpayments and errors regarding benefit payments, Amnesty International said today. 

    On 15 October, Amnesty and 14 other coalition partners led by La Quadrature du Net (LQDN) submitted a complaint to the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France, demanding the risk-scoring algorithmic system used by CNAF be stopped.

    In 2023, LQDN gained access to versions of the algorithm’s source code – a set of instructions written by programmers to create a software – exposing the discriminatory nature of the system.

    Since 2011, CNAF has used a risk-scoring algorithm to identify people who are potentially committing benefits fraud by receiving overpayments. The algorithm assigns a risk score between zero and one to all recipients of family and housing benefits. The closer the score is to one, the higher the probability of being flagged for investigation.

    Agnès Callamard, Secretary General at Amnesty International, said:

    “From the outset, the risk-scoring system used by CNAF treats individuals who experience marginalisation – those with disabilities, lone single parents who are mostly women, and those living in poverty – with suspicion. This system operates in direct opposition to human rights standards, violating the right to equality and non-discrimination and the right to privacy.

    “While authorities herald the rollout of algorithmic technologies in social protection systems to increase efficiency and detect fraud and errors, in practice, these systems flatten the realities of people’s lives. They work as extensive data-mining tools that stigmatise marginalised groups and invade their privacy.

    “France is relying on a risk-scoring algorithmic system for social benefits that highlights, sustains and enshrines the bureaucracy’s prejudices and discrimination. Instead, France should ensure that it complies with its human rights obligations in the first place that of non-discrimination. The authorities must address current and existing AI-related harms amid the country’s quest to become a global AI hub.”

    Putting people at risk

    There are currently 32 million people in France receiving a benefit from CNAF. Their sensitive personal data, as well as that of their family, is processed periodically, and a risk score is assigned.

    The criteria that increase one’s risk score include parameters which discriminate against vulnerable households, including being on a low income, being unemployed, living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, spending a significant portion of income on rent, and working while having a disability. The details of those who are flagged due to having a high-risk score are compiled into a list that is investigated further by a fraud investigator. 

    Amnesty did not investigate specific cases of people flagged by the CNAF system. However, its investigations in the Netherlands and Serbia suggest that using AI-powered systems and automation in the public sector enables mass surveillance and the amount of data collected is disproportionate to the purported aim of the system.

    Amnesty has also exposed how many of these systems have been quite ineffective at doing what they purport to do—whether it be identifying fraud or errors in the benefits system. 

    It has also been argued that the scale of errors or fraud in benefits system has been exaggerated to justify the development of such tech systems, often leading to discriminatory or racist or sexist targeting of particular groups – particularly migrants and refugees.

    Over the past year, France has been actively promoting itself internationally as the next hub for  AI technologies, culminating in a summit scheduled for February 2025. At the same time, France has also legalised mass surveillance technologies and consistently undermined the EU’s AI Act negotiations.

    Under the newly adopted European Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Act), AI systems used by authorities to determine access to essential public services and benefits are considered to pose high risk to rights, health and safety of people. Therefore, they must meet strict technical, transparency and governance rules, including an obligation on deployers to carry out an assessment of human rights risks and guarantee mitigation measures before deployment. 

    In the meantime, certain systems, such as those used for social scoring, are considered to pose unacceptable level of risk and therefore must be banned.

    It is currently unclear whether the system used by CNAF qualifies as a social scoring system due to a lack of clarity in the AI Act on what constitutes such a system. 

    Regardless of its classification however, all evidence suggests that the system is discriminatory. It is essential that authorities stop employing it and scrutinise biased practices that are inherently harmful – especially to marginalised communities seeking social benefits.

    Regulation and algorithms of discrimination

    The European Commission will issue guidance on how to interpret the prohibitions in the AI Act prior to their entry into force on 2 February 2025, including what would qualify as social scoring systems.

    In August 2024, the AI Act came into force. Amnesty, as part of a civil society coalition led by the European Digital Rights Network, has been calling for EU artificial intelligence regulation that protects and promotes human rights.

    In March this year, an Amnesty briefing outlined how digital technologies including artificial intelligence, automation, and algorithmic decision-making are exacerbating inequalities in social protection systems across the world.

    In 2021, Amnesty’s report Xenophobic Machines exposed how racial profiling was baked into the design of the algorithmic system by the Dutch tax authorities that flagged claims for childcare benefits as potentially fraudulent. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Suspected Digital Fraud Coming from Canada Up Nearly 11% Since H1 2023, Reveals New TransUnion Analysis

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In H1 2024, 5.7% of all attempted digital transactions originating from Canada were suspected to be Digital Fraud; more than half (54%) of Canadians said they were recently targeted by fraud attempts.

    Canadian business leaders said their companies lost approximately 6% of their equivalent revenue – representing $78 billion – over the past year due to fraud.

    TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the first half (H1) of 2024, Canada saw a significant increase in suspected Digital Fraud attempts, with nearly 5.74% of all attempted digital transactions where the consumer was located in Canada involving suspected Digital Fraud, revealed a new TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU) analysis. This is nearly an 11% year-over-year (YoY) rate increase from H1 2023, and TransUnion also documented an 11% increase in the volume of suspected Digital Fraud from Canada during this period, despite a less than a one percent (0.7%) YoY increase in the volume of transactions.

    According to a recent TransUnion survey,1 more than half (54%) of Canadians said they were recently targeted by email, phone call or text message fraud attempts. Phishing was the most common scheme type (45%), followed by smishing (42%) and vishing (39%).

    The increasing use of digital transactions, combined with rising suspected Digital Fraud attempts are also impacting businesses as they potentially face revenue losses and increased operational costs due to fraud. According to a TransUnion business survey for the H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud report, 200 Canadian business leaders said their companies lost approximately 6% of equivalent revenue – representing $78 billion – over the past year due to fraud. The most prominent causes of fraud loss cited by them were:

    • Scam/Authorized fraud (31%): Dishonest scheme intended to trick a person into giving up something of value (e.g., account access, money, information)
    • Account takeover (19%): Unauthorized individuals taking over someone’s online account (e.g., bank, social media, email) without their permission
    • Synthetic identity fraud (18%): Use of a combination of personal information to fabricate a person or entity to commit a dishonest act for financial or personal gain

    TransUnion also found that suspected Digital Fraud attempts – where the consumer was transacting in Canada and targeted businesses globally – increased on average by 10.5% YoY in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023 and impacted all industries.

    Top Three Industries Globally with Highest Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada in H1 2024

    1. Gambling (online sports betting, poker, etc.) – 9.6%
    2. Retail – 9.2%
    3. Government – 7.7%

    Top Three Industries Globally with Highest YoY Increase (H1 2024 vs H1 2023) in the Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada

    1. Logistics – 172.9%
    2. Gambling – 79.3%
    3. Video gaming – 67.8%

    “Protecting customers and their businesses from fraud is essential to enabling safe and tailored consumer experiences. These findings reveal that despite the good-faith efforts that are being undertaken by companies to identify and prevent fraud to date, fraudsters continue to evolve and it’s vital that fraud prevention methods keep up with the changing times,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada.

    “Businesses that aren’t already doing so should ensure that they are taking advantage of fraud prevention technologies such as identity verification, IP intelligence, device reputation and synthetic identity detection as critical components of their fraud prevention programs,” he added.

    For more insights, read the H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud report.

    About the Analysis
    TransUnion came to its conclusions about Digital Fraud based on intelligence from its identity and fraud product suite that helps secure trust across channels and delivers efficient consumer experiences – TransUnion TruValidate® The rate or percentage of suspected Digital Fraud attempts reflect those that TransUnion customers determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) determined to be fraudulent upon customer investigation, or 4) determined to be a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation —compared to all transactions it assessed for fraud. 

    Specific country and regional data in the report include the United States, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

    Consumers who believe they may be a victim of fraud can find resources and information here.

    About TransUnion®(NYSE: TRU)
    TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including Canada, where we’re the credit bureau of choice for the financial services ecosystem and most of Canada’s largest banks. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this by providing an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care.

    Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
    For more information visit: http://www.transunion.ca

    ____________________
    1 TransUnion Q3 2024 Consumer Pulse survey of 1,000 consumers – conducted between July 16–23, 2024.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving our public realm to boost economic growth

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Wednesday, 16th October 2024

    Improvements to the city centre public realm continues with the completion of groundworks in Victoria Square and pedestrianised zone in Waterloo Street.

    Funding has come from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund via the West Midlands Combined Authority (£4m), as well as money from the city council’s Clean Air Zone revenue (£8.3m) and just under half a million pounds from the city council’s general fund.

    The scheme began with the successful restoration of The River water feature prior to the Commonwealth Games and continued with the wider works with the support of residents and businesses within Colmore Row, Waterloo Street and Victoria Square.

    The scheme aims to provide greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists and enhanced signage and wayfinding in the city centre.

    Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “This project is really important for economic growth within the area, giving businesses within the pedestrian zone the additional spaces for outdoor hospitality which has become a wonderful asset for the city centre. Prioritising pedestrians is a really important part of our transport strategy and this project creates an attractive, welcoming and safe environment for citizens and visitors to enjoy.”

    The is also protected by ‘hostile vehicle mitigation’, providing security for all events held within the civic spaces.

    Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “It’s no secret that the hospitality industry has faced some tough challenges since the pandemic – only this week we have seen the loss of one of the city’s best restaurants – Purnells.

    “A more continental-style, alfresco experience, free from passing traffic can help attract more customers to this part of the city and that has to be a good thing for hospitality businesses and the people they employ.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Recruitment of Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland invites applications for the appointment of a new Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland invites applications for the appointment of a new Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner. 

    Further details about the role of Commissioner, including terms of appointment and an application pack are available for download at:

    https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8403

    Alternatively, an application pack or alternative formats can be requested by email to NIVC2024@nio.gov.uk. 

    Applications should be submitted via the ‘Apply Online’ function on the Cabinet Office Website where possible:  http://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

    The closing date for applications is 1 November 2024 at 4pm. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

    Equality of Opportunity

    We welcome applications from all suitably experienced individuals regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief, political opinion, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Goonhilly to boost deep space communications capacity 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Goonhilly will provide deep space communications services to the UK Space Agency and international partners from Cornwall, under a new contract.

    Goonhilly Earth Station

    Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd (Goonhilly) will provide deep space communications services to the UK Space Agency and international partners from its satellite Earth station in Cornwall, under a new contract announced today (16 October) during the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.  

    Space agencies and companies use a global network of large antennas to communicate with, and transfer data between, their spacecraft and controllers on Earth. As the numbers of space missions beyond Earth orbit – to destinations including the Moon – increase, the capacity of these existing services is reaching their limit.  

    Several of the world’s space agencies already share resources to cope with high demand, but this issue is predicted to deteriorate with the increase in robotic and human activity around the Moon. 

    The UK is in a unique position to provide increased capacity through facilities like Goonhilly, which is the world’s most experienced provider of commercial lunar and deep space communications services. Since 2021, Goonhilly has supported over 17 spacecraft beyond geostationary orbit, including CubeSats deployed on the Artemis-I mission. Goonhilly has also provided services for international organisations, including ESA, ISRO, and Intuitive Machines. 

    Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms, Sir Chris Bryant, said:  

    Just as digital infrastructure helps us stay connected here on Earth, this government-backed contract will play a vital role in supporting humanity’s next steps to the Moon and beyond.  

    The UK has a real competitive advantage in space and I want to exploit that to its full potential, using innovative commercial models such as those demonstrated by Goonhilly and the UK Space Agency to attract more investment, generate high-quality jobs and support our international partners.

    This new agreement between the UK Space Agency and Goonhilly will help expand existing UK capabilities, unlock new and emerging markets and support the growth of the fledgling lunar economy. It will support Goonhilly to provide more services to international agencies and companies to help them cope with the increasing global demand for deep space communications. The contract is task-based and worth up to an initial £2 million this financial year.  

    Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: 

    Our work with Goonhilly is a great example of how the UK can benefit from the commercial opportunities associated with developing the nascent lunar and deep space economy. This contract award signals a step change in how we use different tools as a government agency to support the growing space sector and strengthen international partnerships.  

    Earth ground stations will play an increasingly important role in every part of the sector, from supporting major UK-led missions such as TRUTHS and Moonlight to enabling the next generation of broadband connectivity in low Earth orbit. Developing this critical capability will help meet both our national and international ambitions in space.

    Goonhilly Earth Station.

    With the rapid rise in lunar missions, including upcoming examples like Intuitive Machines’ IM-2, Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One, and NASA’s Artemis-II, the UK Space Agency recognises the potential for Goonhilly’s advanced capabilities to ensure that deep space networks are able to support increasing demand for communications services.  

    The UK Space Agency and Goonhilly will work with new international partners to showcase the quality of Goonhilly’s state-of-the-art assets, robust processes, and expert team, initially demonstrating  downlink telemetry and navigation services, with a long-term goal of providing uplink services to control spacecraft in flight – services Goonhilly has already successfully provided for a number of high profile missions. 

    Executive Director of UKspace, Colin Baldwin, said:

    Goonhilly Earth Station has pioneered commercial deep space communications capabilities in the UK. This agreement will put the UK at the heart of international missions to the Moon and Mars, and will continue to give us a seat at the top table of space faring nations.

    As a founding member of the European Space Agency with strong international ties beyond Europe, the UK wants to play a leading role in addressing this issue facing the global space sector, while supporting the development of new commercial models and national capabilites, and attracting more investment into the growing sector.  

    Matthew Cosby, CTO, Goonhilly Earth Station:  

    Goonhilly is at the forefront of commercial lunar and deep space communication services, providing vital infrastructure and expertise that supports international missions to the Moon and beyond.

    As the demand for deep space communications continues to grow, this new contract enables us to expand our capacity, support more missions, and play a key role in the next chapter of space exploration. We are excited to be contributing to the global space ecosystem and strengthening the UK’s leadership in this critical area.

    Goonhilly is at the heart of a growing cluster of 300 space organisations in Cornwall and the South West of England, which generate an annual income of £600 million and employ 3,200 people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –