The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, is closely following the consequences of the severe weather affecting different parts of Italy, starting with the Bologna area. President Meloni extends her sympathy to the relatives of the victim in Pianoro and is in constant contact with the Minister for Civil Protection, Nello Musumeci, and with the Head of the Civil Protection Department, Fabio Ciciliano.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping and a host of other leaders gather in Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS summit, the world is once again turning its limelight on the burgeoning international mechanism for how it will push forward self-development and respond to global woes.
A steadfast champion of BRICS cooperation, Xi once compared its five members back then to the five fingers of one hand: They are short and long if extended, but form a powerful fist if clenched together. Now that hand has grown bigger and stronger, as its membership expanded last year, yet the essence of Xi’s metaphor is just becoming more relevant.
With the world trudging on in a new period of turbulence and transformation, the leader of the largest developing country is poised to help guide BRICS, the leading echelon of the Global South, to play a bigger role in building a better shared future for humanity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with other leaders attending the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 24, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
Golden value
BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is literally called “gold bricks” in Chinese, indicating optimism for its great potential and shining future.
The sanguine view features prominently in Xi’s engagement with the group. He has consistently placed BRICS high on China’s foreign policy agenda. His first appearance on the multilateral stage as China’s head of state was at the 2013 BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa, and he visited all other four BRICS countries during the first two years of his presidency.
“China led by President Xi Jinping has contributed significantly to the success of BRICS,” noted Bunn Nagara, a senior China researcher in Malaysia.
Thanks to the joint efforts of its members, the golden value of BRICS has kept rising. World Bank data show that the share of BRICS in global GDP grew from 18 percent in 2010 to about 26 percent in 2021, with increases in all years during the period.
Among the drivers of its remarkable growth is a strong orientation toward real results. “BRICS is not a talking shop, but a task force that gets things done,” Xi once stressed.
Following this spirit, practical cooperation has always been the foundation of the BRICS mechanism, a good example of which is the launch of the New Development Bank (NDB). Headquartered in Shanghai, the multilateral institution had approved 105 projects in all member countries for approximately 35 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2023.
In view of BRICS’ evolving development needs, Xi, at the 2017 summit in China’s coastal city of Xiamen, joined other member leaders in formally incorporating cultural and people-to-people exchanges into the engines of BRICS cooperation, in order to further enhance the bond between these nations and reinforce the foundation of BRICS interaction.
Powered by the three engines, namely political and security, economic and financial, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the BRICS cooperation has witnessed even more substantial progress and growing popular support.
The unique value of the BRICS cooperation goes beyond economic terms, and the mechanism is an innovation of international cooperation, which is in marked contrast to some protectionist, exclusive political, military or economic alliances in the West, said Wang Lei, director of the BRICS Cooperation Research Center at Beijing Normal University.
In Xi’s words, the BRICS cooperation transcends the old formula of political and military alliances, the old mindset of drawing lines on the basis of ideology as well as the obsolete notion of “you-win-I-lose” and “winner-takes-all.”
The golden track record, as many observers have pointed out, has not only amply busted various gloom-and-doom claims such as that BRICS is nothing but “a motley crew,” but also significantly increased its appeal to the rest of the world.
This aerial photo taken on Sept. 28, 2021 shows the headquarters building of New Development Bank (NDB) in east China’s Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]
Greater BRICS
On Aug. 24 morning last year, the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg erupted with applause upon the announcement of BRICS’ historic expansion. That, Xi said at the press conference, demonstrates “the determination of BRICS countries and developing nations to unite.”
Since the inception of the BRICS mechanism, openness and inclusiveness have remained its members’ abiding commitment. Xi has repeatedly emphasized that BRICS countries gather not in a closed club or an exclusive circle. “A tree cannot make a forest,” he said as early as at his BRICS summit debut in Durban in 2013. A year later at the Fortaleza summit in Brazil, he proposed the “BRICS spirit” of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation.
With such an open mind, the group developed a tradition of inviting leaders of other countries to its summits. Then at the 2017 gathering in Xiamen, an ancient port city that has evolved into a dynamic hub in China’s opening-up and reform, Xi built on that outreach practice and put forward the “BRICS Plus” program, encouraging more participation of other emerging markets and developing nations.
In fact, this southern Chinese city of Xiamen happened to be where Xi came to work as deputy mayor in 1985 at 32. Now, under Xi’s initiative, an innovation base for the BRICS partnership on the new industrial revolution has taken root there.
Over the years, with profound changes reshaping the world at a degree rarely seen in history, the Chinese president has unwaveringly championed openness and cooperation. “Under the new circumstances, it is all the more important for BRICS countries to pursue development with open doors and boost cooperation with open arms,” Xi said at the 14th BRICS summit in 2022.
A year later, more than 60 countries gathered in Johannesburg for the BRICS summit. The gathering “is not an exercise of asking countries to take sides, nor an exercise of creating bloc confrontation,” Xi said. “Rather, it is an endeavor to expand the architecture of peace and development.”
Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan. 1, 2024, more than 30 nations have also formally applied to join BRICS, while many other developing countries are seeking deeper cooperation with the group.
“There is a reason why these countries choose to join BRICS,” said Mekhri Aliev, a board director of the BRICS innovation base in Xiamen. “Because they see future, they see potentials and opportunities within the BRICS.”
A visitor views a model of Xiamen Metro train at the exhibition of BRICS New Industrial Revolution 2024 in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, Sept. 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Bigger voice
Three months after its expansion decision, BRICS convened an extraordinary joint summit on the Gaza situation with leaders of invited members, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. That was a first-of-its-kind meeting for the group. The meeting, as Xi said, marks “a good start” for greater BRICS cooperation following its enlargement.
Commenting on this summit, Al Jazeera said that leading countries of the Global South are looking for “a greater say in a global order dominated by the West.” Steven Gruzd, an analyst at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said: “It does reflect on the growing assertiveness and confidence of the BRICS grouping, not waiting for the West.”
BRICS is an important force in shaping the international landscape. Advancing a more just and equitable international order has been a consistent theme in Xi’s remarks on BRICS cooperation.
Effective coordination between BRICS members and other Global South countries is “adding more bricks to the global governance architecture,” said Wang Lei, the Chinese expert with Beijing Normal University.
The New Development Bank (NDB) exemplifies this effort. “The establishment of the bank serves as a beneficial supplement and improvement to the existing financial system,” Xi said, “which can encourage deeper reflection and more active reforms in the global financial system.”
During a meeting with Dilma Rousseff, former Brazilian President and incumbent NDB chief, in Beijing in 2023, Xi called on the NDB to help with the modernization of more developing countries. Rousseff shares Xi’s vision. “It is a vision that we don’t want BRICS to speak just for a few countries. What we want is for most countries to be part of BRICS,” she told Xinhua.
As Xi has observed, strengthening global governance is the right choice if the international community intends to share development opportunities and tackle global challenges.
“Economically, non-Western nations — with BRICS at the vanguard — are pushing the globe into a new reality: An emerging economic, social, and monetary status quo that is upending what the world has accepted as normal for nearly eight decades,” Jeff D. Opdyke, a global investment expert, has observed.
To Guan Zhaoyu, a research fellow with the Eurasian Studies Institute at Renmin University of China, BRICS cooperation “is neither anti-Western nor aimed at overthrowing the existing global order, but rather constructively reforming its unfair aspects to give more opportunities to the developing world.”
Xi maintains that development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege of a few countries. Under his grand vision to build a community with a shared future for mankind, China has been joining hands with other developing countries in advancing their respective modernization.
China will always be a member of the Global South and the developing world, Xi has said on various occasions.
“President Xi has sent out a very clear message: China will unite with other emerging markets and developing countries in the process of global modernization and make sure no one is left behind,” said Guan.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government announces subscription and allocation results of Silver Bond Government announces subscription and allocation results of Silver Bond ***********************************************************************
The Government announced today (October 21) the subscription and allocation results of the new batch of Silver Bond. According to the subscription information submitted by the Placing Banks and the Designated Securities Brokers, as at the close of the subscription period at 2pm on October 14, 2024, a total of 300,413 valid applications were received for a total of HK$69,981,970,000 in principal amount of bonds. The final issuance amount of the Silver Bond will be HK$55 billion, higher than the target issuance amount of HK$50 billion. Allocation is conducted in accordance with the mechanism set out in the Issue Circular dated September 30, 2024. The valid applications received have been allocated bonds up to a maximum of 24 units (with each unit being HK$10,000). For the 166,177 applications seeking 23 or fewer units, they will be allocated the full amounts applied for. The remaining 134,236 applications (i.e. those applying for more than 23 units) will be allocated 23 units each and then entered into a ballot. Of these applications, 23,737 will be allocated one additional unit. The Silver Bond will be issued on October 23, 2024, under the retail part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Notifications on individual allocation results, applicable subscription moneys and refund of application moneys in excess of the allocated portion will be sent to applicants in accordance with the schedule set out in the Issue Circular. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “This is the first batch of Silver Bond issued under the Government’s Infrastructure Bond Programme, which will support infrastructure projects for the good of the economy and people’s livelihood, and provide our citizens with a ‘sense of participation’ and a ‘sense of gain’ in support of Hong Kong’s long-term development projects. The positive response in subscription shows that Silver Bond continues to be well-received by senior residents. Silver Bond can provide a safe, reliable and low-risk investment option with steady returns for senior residents, rendering financial services means to better serve the needs of the public and the community. We will keep the effectiveness of the scheme and future arrangements under review, taking account of investor response, market conditions and other relevant considerations.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
New Chair has a strong track record of leading organisational transformation while embracing innovation and collaboration.
Today (21 October 2024) the Department for Transport has confirmed that Richard Judge has been appointed as the new Chair of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA).
Richard has extensive experience as a non-executive director, chair and former CEO of government agencies including the Health and Safety Executive and at the Insolvency Service. He has also worked with UK regulators and private sector businesses, delivering high value commercial and public services.
Operating at senior levels in government, Richard brings a strong track record of leading organisational transformation while embracing innovation and collaboration to improve how the Civil Service works.
Richard will be replacing Clive Scrivener, who has been Non-Executive Chair of the VCA since August 2018.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said:
As a former CEO of several government agencies, Richard brings a wealth of experience to ensure the VCA continues to improve vehicle safety and sustainability across our roads. I would like to congratulate him on his appointment and I’m looking forward to working with him.
I would also like to thank our outgoing Non-Executive Chair, Clive Scrivener, for all his excellent work in championing road safety at the VCA over the past 6 years.
New Non-Executive Chair of the VCA Richard Judge said:
I am delighted to have been appointed Non-Executive Chair of the VCA. I am excited by the opportunity to support this agency at such an interesting and pivotal time in the evolution of the automotive technologies.
I look forward to us all working collectively to ensure that the VCA continues to develop as a progressive and forward-thinking approval authority and certification body that is respected globally, using its extensive experience to help inform the future of transport.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
In October, the traditional recruitment for the additional professional education program “Procurement Management at Oil and Gas Complex Enterprises” started, which is implemented by the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade with the support of PJSC Gazprom Neft. In the 2024-2025 academic year, this is already the eleventh launch of the advanced training program.
This program trains specialists in procurement and logistics for the oil and gas industry. The training is targeted and lasts two semesters, intended for master’s students, fifth-year specialists and fourth-year bachelor’s students of SPbPU. To enroll in the program, you must have an average diploma grade of at least 4.0 and be ready to undergo an internship in any region where Gazprom Neft subsidiaries are present.
Each year, no more than 13 students are admitted to the program, each of whom undergoes a multi-stage selection process. After submitting an application, including a questionnaire, resume, and motivation letter, the applicant must undergo verbal and digital testing, as well as an interview with Gazprom Neft representatives.
During their studies, students master about 20 educational modules. Among them: organization of procurement activities, project supply management, management of relationships with counterparties, transport and warehouse logistics, inventory management, basics of accounting and taxation in procurement. Classes are taught by teachers of the Polytechnic University and invited experts from Gazprom Neft.
After the theoretical course, students undergo a mandatory four-week internship at the Gazprom Neft group of companies. The program ends with the defense of their diploma theses. Students who have proven themselves during their studies and internship are offered jobs at Gazprom Neft or its subsidiaries located in many cities in Russia.
Training in the program and summer practice of students are financed by PJSC Gazprom Neft.
The additional education program has been implemented by the Higher School of Industrial Management of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade on the basis of the Master’s program “Management in the Oil and Gas Complex”, within the framework of cooperation with Gazprom Neft since 2015.
You can follow the news about the program on the website and in the university’s social networks, as well as in the group “Management in the oil and gas complex”.
Contacts for admission questions:
From SPbPU: program administrator Vyacheslav Dmitrievich Melehin, e-mail: v4mr@yandex.ru
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Moldovan citizens living in Romania cast their votes at a polling station in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Moldovan voters went to the polls Sunday for the country’s presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union (EU).
The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Moldova said on Sunday in a press release that 2,219 polling stations are open to an estimated 3.3 million voters from 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) until 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).
The polls will be monitored by 2,061 observers, including 1,277 national observers and 784 international observers, according to the CEC.
Under the country’s constitution, a candidate must win an absolute majority to be elected as president; otherwise, the two candidates with the most votes proceed to a runoff.
Besides choosing a president, voters will also vote in a referendum on whether the goal of joining the EU should be enshrined in the country’s constitution.
“Our vote in the referendum will determine our fate for many decades to come,” said Maia Sandu, the incumbent Moldovan president seeking a second term in office.
Since her election in 2020, Sandu has steered Moldova towards greater alignment with the EU. She led the country to achieve EU candidate country status in 2022. In June 2024, formal accession negotiations were launched.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Terms of non-permanent CFA judges extended Terms of non-permanent CFA judges extended ******************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary: The Chief Executive has accepted the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal to extend the terms of office of the following two non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal for a period of three years: Non-Permanent Hong Kong Judges ——————————————- (commencing October 25, 2024) The Honourable Mr Justice Syed Kemal Shah Bokhary, GBM The Honourable Mr Justice Robert Tang Ching, GBM, SBS The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance provides for a list of non-permanent Hong Kong judges and a list of judges from other common law jurisdictions. The term of appointment of such judges is three years. That term may be extended for one or more periods of three years by the Chief Executive acting in accordance with the recommendation of the Chief Justice.
Pension Age Disability Payment launches in pilot locations
A new disability benefit for people of State Pension age opens today for new applications from people living in five local authority areas.
Pension Age Disability Payment is the 15th benefit administered by Social Security Scotland. It is for people of State Pension age and over who are disabled or have a long-term health condition that means they need help looking after themselves or supervision to stay safe; or are terminally ill
People who live in Argyll & Bute, Highland, Aberdeen City, Orkney and Shetland can now apply. The payment will be available across Scotland by 22 April next year.
It is not means-tested and is worth between £290 and £434 a month depending on the needs of the person who gets it.
Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland, which is delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). People do not need to apply separately as their award will automatically be moved to Social Security Scotland, starting early 2025.
There is a separate fast-track application process for people who are terminally ill and eligible people will be entitled to the higher rate of payment regardless of how long they have had a terminal illness.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“As people continue to face a cost of living crisis it is more important than ever that older disabled people across Scotland get all the financial support they are entitled to.
“Today we are launching Pension Age Disability Payment, our 15th benefit, in five locations before it is rolled out across Scotland later next year.
“This new benefit has been developed by listening to older disabled people and we have made many changes, including making it easier for them to nominate someone to support them in their engagement with Social Security Scotland, something they told us was important to them.
“I would encourage anyone who thinks they are eligible for Pension Age Disability Payment to apply. It’s important they get the money they need to help them look after themselves, stay safe and get support to live with the dignity and respect that we all deserve as we get older.”
Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age, said:
“We welcome today’s launch of Pension Age Disability Payment in the first five local authority areas. Support for the costs related to disability while in later life are an essential part of our social security system and a vital part of enabling dignity and independence as we age.
“Putting dignity and respect at the heart of how the payment is delivered is essential. We hope changes made to the payment, such as making it simpler for people at the end of their life to get support, result in an improved experience for older people applying for the payment in Scotland.
“We encourage all older people living in the pilot areas who may be eligible for Pension Age Disability Payment to apply, or get in touch with an independent advice service, such as Independent Age, who can help to ensure older people in Scotland receive all of the support they are entitled to.”
Tommy Campbell, Executive Committee member at The Scottish Pensioners’ Forum and poverty campaigner said:
“The Scottish Pensioners’ Forum, and other organisations, worked extensively with the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland to help develop a fairer and more just application system for pensioners with disabilities and more complex needs in Scotland.
“We support many people of Stage Pension age and over with long-term health conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and arthritis who would really benefit from this financial support.
“We hope that the roll out of this pilot programme over the coming months will demonstrate and deliver on this.”
The University is marking 50 years of delivering Real Estate degree programmes. Photo credit: ThirdmanThe MSc and MA Real Estate programmes at the University of Aberdeen’s Business School have been reaccredited by the sector’s leading professional development body.
Now in its 50th year of delivering Real Estate degree programmes, the University has seen all eight courses reconfirmed as meeting a globally-recognised standard of surveying education by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
They are the MSc Real Estate, MSc Finance and Real Estate, MA (Hons) Real Estate, MA (Hons) Finance and Real Estate, MA (Hons) Business Management and Real Estate, MA (Hons) Economics and Real Estate, MA (Hons) Accountancy and Real Estate; and MA (Hons) International Business with Real Estate specialism.
The panel consider a number of areas during the review process, including student experience, the quality of the programme content and teaching staff, access to resources and the relevance of the curriculum to industry.
Fiona Stoddard, lecturer in real estate and director of student experience at the Business School, said: “We are delighted to have received our reaccreditation from RICS, adding further confidence that our real estate programmes continue to meet the highest international standards and support students who wish to pursue a rewarding career in the sector.
“Our graduates are able to seek employment in a range of surveying specialisms through our degree accreditations.”
New Gate Arts to bring Back to the Future story to The Fountain for Derry Halloween
21 October 2024
Fans of the iconic Back to the Future movie trilogy are in for a treat this Halloween as New Gate Arts and Culture Centre and North West Cultural Partnership are set to bring the films’ story to life with a dynamic street performance. The time travelling adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown will be celebrated in and around the group’s premises in The Fountain with a performance of acting, dance and special effects. The dynamic street performance will also feature a replica of the film’s famous DeLorean sports car which, famously combined with the Flux Capacitor, made time travel possible. The show is part of Derry Halloween’s Awakening the Walled City Trail in and around Derry-Londonderry’s historic city centre each evening from Monday October 28th to Wednesday October 30th. Darren Milligan, Creative Programming Executive at New Gate Arts and Culture Centre, gave the public an idea of what’s in store. “You can expect a thrilling, immersive experience,” he said. “It’s a blend of dance, music, light effects, and video projections, all working together to create a memorable street production. “It will feature live performances from eerie Halloween-themed dancers, energetic jiving and futuristic choreography. “There’ll also be rooftop musicians, a dramatic build-up of smoke and lights, and, of course, the star of the show—the DeLorean, which will make a grand entrance through the large doors of New Gate Arts & Culture Centre.” The New Gate Arts Centre is a thriving arts and cultural venue in the centre of the city and has hosted a wide range performances, classes, workshops, festivals and events since it opened last year. Their Conquer the Dragon performance as part of last year’s trail featured the Sollus Highland Dancers taming a huge dragon at the side of their premises that had invaded the city. “The idea for this year’s show came following the success of Conquer The Dragon,” Darren explained. “We needed something spectacular that could come out of the side of our building again, and we have a few staff members who have a love for the Back to the Future movies, so we said why not try to get our hands on a replica DeLoreon car, and the idea grew from there. “We wanted to create something that merges local heritage with the futuristic, adventurous spirit of Back to the Future. “The DeLorean itself is such a recognisable symbol and we saw an opportunity to incorporate it into a performance that could entertain and engage the local community. “The idea developed into a full-on spectacle with dance, music, and theatrics. “For our young people, this opportunity is something that they want to keep doing and asking about year on year. “Being able to perform at one of the world’s largest Halloween festivals in a show of this scale is an incredible experience for them. “It’s a chance to showcase their talents on a big stage, gain confidence, and be part of something that celebrates both local culture and their own creativity. “It’s not just a performance—it’s a celebration of their hard work and passion for the arts and it means the world to them to contribute to such a renowned event.” The team at New Gate are currently putting the finishing touches to preparations for the show that will feature both characters and music from the original film. “Preparations are going fantastically,” Darren added. “The team has been working tirelessly to ensure that every element comes together seamlessly, from the video projections and music to the choreography and technical effects. “The young people have been rehearsing for weeks, and their energy and excitement is infectious. “With each rehearsal, the performance is becoming more polished, and we can’t wait to bring it all to life for the audience. “We’re also delighted to get a number of community groups involved, we have Clooney Mens Shed making props for the trial, Cathedral Youth Club who are letting us turn their allotment garden into a science lab, and Sollus Highland Dancers who yet again are providing their high quality choreography. “The experience will feature appearances by Doc Brown and Marty McFly and the DeLorean will be the central prop, making a dramatic live appearance. “The rooftop musicians will bring Marty’s famous “Johnny B. Goode” performance to life, encouraging the crowd to get involved and the dancers will wear costumes that reflect the different themes—spooky Halloween, futuristic sci-fi, and 1950s jive—to complement the storyline. “We’re incredibly proud of how this performance has come together, thanks to the hard work and creativity of everyone involved. “It’s a celebration of Halloween, local culture, and the joy of performance. “We hope everyone who comes to see the show will enjoy this unique blend of Back to the Future and local creativity. “It’s going to be a night full of surprises, excitement, and unforgettable moments.” You can get the full Back to the Future experience by starting at the Bishop Street Entrance to the Fountain at 6pm,7pm,8pm, and the street production will take place outside New Gate Arts and Culture Centre at 6.15, 7.15, 8.15pm. Derry Halloween is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council and funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and The Executive Office, with support from Ulster University and Air Coach. Follow all the latest news at derryhalloween.com or keep up to date with the Derry Halloween Facebook page.
High-tech 3D scans have revealed the intricate inner workings of the world’s oldest model locomotive for the first time in more than 200 years.
Leeds Industrial Museum’s incredible miniature recreation of a pioneering early steam locomotive recently underwent a detailed CT X-Ray survey using sophisticated equipment at the University of Leeds.
The resulting images show how the precious model, made for the famed engineer Matthew Murray in 1811, replicated the revolutionary mechanics of its full-sized counterparts and in turn helped power a worldwide boom in the railway industry.
It is hoped the images can now illustrate to museum visitors how the model worked and exactly why it was so important to the evolution of early railways across the globe.
John McGoldrick, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of industrial history, said: “This tiny model played a huge part in the development of the early rail industry, allowing Murray to showcase his brilliance to investors and giving him the opportunity to bring his trailblazing designs to life.
“Thanks to these remarkable scans, we can now explore for the first time since 1811 how the model worked, and the extraordinary ingenuity and intricacy which went into its creation.
“Short of cutting open the model, which we wouldn’t ever do, we’d never have got to see its inner workings in quite this way. Now, not only are we examining a piece of engineering history, we’re also getting a unique and unprecedented insight into the mind of one of the world’s great inventors.”
Full-sized Murray designs, such as the famous Salamanca, became the very first commercially viable steam locomotives, and were built around the same time as the model.
At least two other models of the same type were made, with one being gifted by Murray to Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia when he visited Leeds in 1816.
Murray would have used the fully working miniature replicas to woo potential investors and colliery owners, as well as impressing his fellow designers and contemporaries.
His efforts proved successful, with each engine selling for £350, galvanising Murray to create further locomotives which later inspired the great George Stephenson’s designs.
Those locomotives also revolutionised the transportation of coal in Leeds, enabling a small and relatively lightweight engine to haul more than 20 times its own weight, powered by steam from a cast iron boiler with a single flue.
Leeds Museums and Galleries teamed up with Dr Michael Bailey, an early railway historian and archaeologist of early locomotive technology, Dr Alice Macente from the University of Leeds School of Civil Engineering and Dr Sam Allshorn from the School of Earth and Environment.
The scans were carried out at Wolfson Multiphase Flow Laboratory in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds.
Dr Bailey will now be producing a detailed historical account of the model together with an assessment of its design and components.
Funding for the project came through the Leeds Cultural Institute’s Collections Research Fund, a collaboration between academics at the University of Leeds and Leeds Museums and Galleries.
The full findings of the scanning and research will be featured in a future exhibit about the model.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “The status Leeds has as a centre for engineering excellence over the centuries is incredible, and this extraordinary model really encapsulates that spirit invention and ingenuity.
“It’s also inspiring to see partners and organisations in modern-day Leeds working together to uncover more about the city’s story and using the latest technology to add new dimensions to what we know about the past.”
Once the world’s largest woollen mill, Leeds Industrial Museum is home to models and machinery paying tribute to the city’s industrial heritage as well as its many inventors and engineers.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
RN-Tuapse Marine Terminal (part of the Commerce and Logistics Block of Rosneft Oil Company) organized the Championship in Sports Garbage Collection among the Company’s enterprises operating in the Tuapse District of Krasnodar Krai. About 150 volunteers took part in the environmental action to clean up the natural monument – Kiselev Rocks, including employees of the terminal, RN-Tuapse Oil Refinery, a branch of SIBINTEK Investment Company, RN-Uchet, as well as activists of the youth “Movement of the First”, students, environmentalists and concerned local residents.
“RN-Tuapse Marine Terminal” and the Tuapse District Administration held a joint environmental campaign in the format of sports competitions for the third time. Teams of participants collected the maximum amount of household waste in the forest park for a time. Each team brought the collected bags to the judges’ site, where the judges determined the winners. Volunteers also sorted the waste for further recycling. The first place in the Championship was taken by the team of organizers – “RN-Tuapse Marine Terminal”, the second – “SIBINTEK”, the “bronze” was won by the “Movement of the First” team. The participants of the Championship collected more than 10 cubic meters of household waste, returning the pristine appearance of the natural area popular with tourists.
The Kiselev Rock cleanup campaign is the oil workers’ contribution to the development of the environmental movement, as well as the involvement of the population in preserving the unique nature of Kuban, promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle.
Preserving the environment for future generations is an integral part of Rosneft’s corporate culture and social policy. The company also pays attention to developing a healthy lifestyle culture and comprehensively supports sports.
“RN-Tuapse Marine Terminal” in its activities is guided by high environmental standards of rational use of natural resources and preservation of a favorable environmental situation in the region of presence. Every year the enterprise participates in the “Earth Hour” and “Green Spring” campaigns, and also holds clean-up days, maintains the cleanliness of the road leading to the city beach of Tuapse. Such events not only help to preserve the unique nature of the Tuapse region, but also contribute to environmental education, popularization of an environmentally responsible lifestyle.
Reference:
Kiselev Rock is a natural monument that has become part of the protected Kadosh forest park, which occupies 300 hectares in the picturesque Tuapse region of Krasnodar Krai. The forest park is home to 30 species of trees and shrubs, 7 vines, 255 species of herbaceous plants, including rare orchids.
Kiselev Rock is famous as the location where episodes of Leonid Gaidai’s film “The Diamond Arm” were filmed. Tourists visiting these places not only admire the beauty of nature, but also immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the famous film.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 21, 2024
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
TALLINN, Estonia, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In alignment with Africa Human Rights Day, Leil Storage announces the expansion of its Green Storage Initiative, an endeavor set to revolutionize file storage across Africa. This initiative underscores commitment to sustainability and affordability, promising a profound impact on the continent’s digital infrastructure.
Energy- and Cost-Effective Solutions
Leil Storage is setting standards in energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness with its storage solutions. These solutions achieve a remarkable 43% reduction in electricity usage and lower power consumption per terabyte. Such advancements are particularly beneficial for data-intensive sectors including healthcare, oil and gas, telecommunications, research, educational institutions, local providers, and scientific organizations.
Meeting Africa’s Data Demands
Africa’s storage industry is projected to grow significantly by 2030, Leil Storage’s sustainable solutions are timely and essential. This growth is driven by the continent’s increasing population and rapid digitalization, making offerings crucial for addressing these evolving needs.
Unprecedented Pricing Structure
The Green Storage Initiative introduces a groundbreaking pricing model: storage at just 0.8 EUR per terabyte per month, charged upfront. This all-inclusive rate covers all necessary hardware, networking equipment, software, support, and upgrades—excluding only freight—providing both end users and partners with a comprehensive and transparent solution. This pricing is unprecedented in the industry and applies to capacities starting from 10 petabytes. For smaller capacities, we invite discussions to tailor solutions that meet specific needs.
Commitment to Sustainability
Central to our initiative is a commitment to green features and sustainability. By reducing energy consumption, Leil Storage aligns with global efforts towards sustainable development. This enables African nations to leapfrog outdated technologies and avoid extensive data migrations, fostering sustainable growth across the region.
Collaborative Efforts for a Sustainable Future
Leil Storage actively seeks partnerships in distribution as part of this initiative. We are dedicated to working together towards a sustainable digital future in Africa and welcome interested parties to join us on this journey. We encourage all interested bodies—including research and scientific, educational, CSPs — to get in touch by writing to africa@leil.io.
“Leil Storage offers more than just products; we offer a vision for a greener, more sustainable future in data storage, tailored to meet the unique challenges and opportunities in Africa,” stated David Gerstein, CTO at Leil Storage. By embracing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration, Leil Storage is not only transforming data storage but also contributing significantly to the sustainable development of Africa.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced the listing of Cros Token (CROS) in pre-market trading, allowing users to trade the token ahead of its official spot trading debut. The pre-market period will run from October 17, 2024, 10:00 (UTC), to October 23, 2024, 10:30 (UTC), with spot trading beginning shortly after on October 23, 2024, at 11:00 (UTC). This early trading option is designed to give users a unique opportunity to participate in the CROS market prior to its full availability.
Bitget’s pre-market trading platform allows users to engage in over-the-counter transactions of new tokens before their official listing. This feature offers a peer-to-peer marketplace where buyers and sellers can negotiate prices, facilitating advanced liquidity and strategic investment opportunities. Participants can secure coins at favorable prices, allowing for optimized investments without the immediate need for sellers to possess the coins.
Cros Token (CROS) is an Ethereum Layer 2 token with an advanced AI platform designed for in-game advertising. This platform connects advertisers, developers, and a global audience of over 3 billion players, providing developers with tools to monetize games and enabling advertisers to reach a vast, diverse gaming ecosystem. With non-disruptive, immersive ads integrated directly into gameplay, the platform offers advertisers the ability to engage users across mobile, PC, console, and gaming metaverses.
CROS has a total supply of 1,000,000,000 tokens, positioning itself as a forward-looking project in the intersection of blockchain, gaming, and advertising sectors. Its unique approach to in-game advertising and developer collaboration aims to enhance player experiences while generating revenue streams within the growing digital entertainment industry.
Bitget’s introduction of CROS through its pre-market mechanism shows the platform’s strategy to provide users early access to emerging blockchain projects. This early engagement benefits both the token’s market exposure and user participation, making it an integral part of Bitget’s expanding crypto ecosystem.
Bitget has established itself as one of the leading crypto spot trading platforms, offering a diverse selection of over 800 coins and more than 900 trading pairs across various ecosystems, including Ethereum, Solana, Base, and recently, TON. The pre-market platform, launched in April 2024, has facilitated early access to over 150 high-profile projects such as EigenLayer (EIGEN), Zerolend (ZERO), Notcoin (NOT), and ZkSync (ZKSYNC), providing a unique opportunity for investors to engage with emerging tokens at an early stage. The addition of CROS to this lineup further enhances Bitget’s commitment to offering users access to promising Web3 projects.
CROS’s introduction on Bitget’s platform signifies a growing interest in AI-gaming projects that incorporate both gaming mechanics and financial elements, creating a symbiotic relationship between entertainment and decentralized finance. This listing is expected to attract a diverse range of participants, from avid gamers to crypto enthusiasts, who are eager to explore and invest in the evolving landscape of blockchain.
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 45 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading, AI bot and other trading solutions. Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget inspires individuals to embrace crypto through collaborations with credible partners, including being the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Professional Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM, as well as a global partner of Olympic Athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team).
Risk Warning: Digital asset prices may fluctuate and experience price volatility. Only invest what you can afford to lose. The value of your investment may be impacted and it is possible that you may not achieve your financial goals or be able to recover your principal investment. You should always seek independent financial advice and consider your own financial experience and financial standing. Past performance is not a reliable measure of future performance. Bitget shall not be liable for any losses you may incur. Nothing here shall be construed as financial advice.
Golar LNG’s 3rd Quarter 2024 results will be released before the NASDAQ opens on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. In connection with this a webcast presentation will be held at 1:00 P.M (London Time) on Tuesday November 12, 2024. The presentation will be available to download from the Investor Relations section at http://www.golarlng.com
We recommend that participants join the conference call via the listen-only live webcast link provided. Sell-side analysts interested in raising a question during the Q&A session that will immediately follow the presentation should access the event via the conference call by clicking on this link. We recommend connecting 10 minutes prior to the call start. Information on how to ask questions will be given at the beginning of the Q&A session. There will be a limit of two questions per participant.
a. Listen-only live webcastlink Go to the Investors, Results Centre section at http://www.golarlng.com and click on the link to “Webcast”. To listen to the conference call from the web, you need to have a sound card on your computer, but no special plug ins are required to access the webcast. There is a “Help” link available on the webcast pages for anyone who may have issues accessing.
b. Teleconference
Conference call participants should register to obtain their dial in and passcode details. This process eliminates wait times when joining the call.
When you log in, you can either dial in using the provided numbers and your unique PIN, or select the “Call me” option and type in your phone number to be instantly connected to the call. Use the following link to register.
Please download the presentation material from http://www.golarlng.com (Investors, Results Centre) to view it while listening to the conference.
If you are not able to listen at the time of the call, you can assess a replay of the event audio for a limited time on http://www.golarlng.com (Investors, Results Centre).
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the October 2024 cash distributions for the iShares ETFs listed on the TSX or Cboe Canada which pay on a monthly basis. Unitholders of record of a fund on October 28, 2024 will receive cash distributions payable in respect of that fund on October 31, 2024.
Details regarding the “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:
Fund Name
Fund Ticker
Cash Distribution Per Unit
iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF
CBH
$0.049
iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF
CBO
$0.050
iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF
CDZ
$0.109
iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF
CEW
$0.059
iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF
CLF
$0.032
iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF
CLG
$0.037
iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Preferred Share Index ETF
CPD
$0.055
iShares US Dividend Growers Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
CUD
$0.074
iShares Convertible Bond Index ETF
CVD
$0.074
iShares Global Monthly Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
CYH
$0.076
iShares Canadian Financial Monthly Income ETF
FIE
$0.040
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF
XAGG
$0.101
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF(1)
XAGG.U
$0.073
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XAGH
$0.088
iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF
XBB
$0.079
iShares Core Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF
XCB
$0.069
iShares ESG Advanced Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF
XCBG
$0.119
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF
XCBU
$0.114
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)
XCBU.U
$0.083
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF
XDG
$0.082
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)
XDG.U
$0.059
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XDGH
$0.059
iShares Core MSCI Canadian Quality Dividend Index ETF
XDIV
$0.104
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF
XDU
$0.058
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)
XDU.U
$0.042
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XDUH
$0.053
iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF
XDV
$0.112
iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XEB
$0.054
iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF
XEI
$0.109
iShares Core Canadian 15+ Year Federal Bond Index ETF
XFLB
$0.110
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF
XFLI
$0.185
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF(1)
XFLI.U
$0.134
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XFLX
$0.185
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index ETF
XFN
$0.142
iShares Floating Rate Index ETF
XFR
$0.074
iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF
XGB
$0.049
iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XGGB
$0.038
iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF
XHB
$0.073
iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XHD
$0.083
iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF
XHU
$0.078
iShares U.S. High Yield Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XHY
$0.083
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XIG
$0.063
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XIGS
$0.102
iShares Core Canadian Long Term Bond Index ETF
XLB
$0.062
iShares S&P/TSX North American Preferred Stock Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XPF
$0.066
iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF
XQB
$0.053
iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index ETF
XRE
$0.059
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF
XSAB
$0.047
iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF
XSB
$0.073
iShares Conservative Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF
XSC
$0.056
iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF
XSE
$0.054
iShares Core Canadian Short Term Corporate Bond Index ETF
XSH
$0.060
iShares ESG Advanced 1-5 Year Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF
XSHG
$0.116
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF
XSHU
$0.118
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)
XSHU.U
$0.085
iShares Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF
XSI
$0.061
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF
XSTB
$0.047
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XSTH
$0.048
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF
XSTP
$0.053
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF(1)
XSTP.U
$0.038
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)
XTLH
$0.109
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF
XTLT
$0.110
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF(1)
XTLT.U
$0.080
iShares Diversified Monthly Income ETF
XTR
$0.040
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETF
XUT
$0.081
(1) Distribution per unit amounts are in U.S. dollars for XAGG.U, XCBU.U, XDG.U, XDU.U, XFLI.U, XSHU.U, XSTP.U, XTLT.U
Estimated October Cash Distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF
The October cash distributions per unit for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF are estimated to be as follows:
Fund Name
Fund Ticker
Estimated Cash Distribution Per Unit
iShares Premium Money Market ETF
CMR
$0.195
BlackRock Canada expects to issue a press release on or about October 25, 2024, which will provide the final amounts for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF.
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit http://www.blackrock.com/corporate | Twitter: @BlackRockCA
About iShares ETFs
iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1400+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$4.2 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.
iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.
Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.
Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). TSX is a registered trademark of TSX Inc. (“TSX”). All of the foregoing trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes to BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), which in turn has sub-licensed these marks to its affiliate, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), on behalf of the applicable fund(s). The index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by BFA and by extension, BlackRock Canada and the applicable fund(s). The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively known as “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or TSX, or any of their respective affiliates. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor TSX make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in such funds.
MSCI is a trademark of MSCI, Inc. (“MSCI”). The ETF is permitted to use the MSCI mark pursuant to a license agreement between MSCI and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., relating to, among other things, the license granted to BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. to use the Index. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. has sublicensed the use of this trademark to BlackRock. The ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI and MSCI makes no representation, condition or warranty regarding the advisability of investing in the ETF.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
On October 17, the final of the interethnic student festival “Golden Autumn – 2024” took place. The culture of 22 countries and republics was represented by 24 higher and secondary specialized educational institutions of St. Petersburg. The festival of creativity and diversity of cultures, organized by the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the city government, was hosted by Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
27 years ago, “Golden Autumn” was born in the Polytechnic University, the largest university in the city in terms of the number of foreign students. This year, the festival opened its doors to talented children from Russia, China, Angola, Indonesia, Belarus, Latvia, Gabon, Tanzania, Serbia, Slovakia, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Abkhazia, Mongolia, Moldova.
“Every year new and varied competitions appear, they are born and disappear, and the festival “Golden Autumn” with its 27-year history already has a quality mark! Our task, as a university of the wonderful city of St. Petersburg, is to preserve traditions and continuity through such competitions,” said Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies at SPbPU, at the opening. “”Golden Autumn” is a vivid confirmation of the fact that culture and creativity will always unite people, helping them find a common language and build harmonious relationships.”
Children from all over the world presented their talents on the stage of the White Hall of SPbPU, gave the audience the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of traditions and customs of different nations, introduced them to the amazing beauty and diversity of the cultural heritage of their countries. The jury members were representatives of national public organizations of St. Petersburg and higher educational institutions. They assessed the performances from the point of view of bright national color, originality of performance and artistry.
A song in the language of the African Shona people was performed by ITMO student from Zimbabwe Sauramba Yvonne Pamela, the national anthem of Angola was performed by Jose Santo Antonio Manuel, a student of the N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy. The fiery lezginka of the North Caucasus region was presented by the Drive ensemble from the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a male group of students from the Russian Customs Academy performed a Kyrgyz folk dance. Performers on the piano, clarinet, and accordion presented the musical culture of their countries in the Instrumental Music nomination. The jury highly appreciated the performance of the participant from Moldova, a student of the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory Lev Solomonovich.
“Thank you to the jury for the high rating! I received a sea of pleasure and emotions on the stage of the White Hall of the Polytechnic, performing the native music of my beloved Moldova,” Lev shared.
The best in the “Dance nomination” was recognized as the “Backshotcrew” team from the St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The guys presented modern choreography with folk and ethnic motifs. First place in the vocal nomination, which has the largest number of participants, was taken by Artem Stoyanov, a student of the P. F. Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health. His baritone and the song “How Young We Were” captivated the jury.
“I have the most sincere words of gratitude to the organizers of “Golden Autumn” for the wonderful creative atmosphere. I am amazed by the level and scale of the festival, I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in the event, and thank you to the jury for the high rating,” said Artem.
The Polytechnic was represented by vocalist Ilham Maulana from Indonesia, as well as a group of students from Vietnam, who received the audience award for their dance. The multinational rock group “Secret Scarlet” opened the non-competitive program of the festival.
The winners and prize-winners of the “Golden Autumn” were presented with memorable gifts from the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Government of St. Petersburg. These were statuettes in the form of gold, silver and bronze maple leaves and certificates for visiting cultural events. The festival finale ended with a joint performance of the song “Closing the Circle”. All participants once again proved that music is a universal language that transcends borders and national barriers, making the world brighter and kinder.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
PETAH TIKVA, Israel, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILT, TASE: GILT), a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions, and services, today announced that it will release its third quarter 2024 financial results on Wednesday, November 13th, 2024.
Conference Call and Webcast Following the release, Adi Sfadia, Chief Executive Officer, and Gil Benyamini, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss Gilat’s third quarter 2024 results and business achievements and participate in a question and answer session:
The webcast will also be archived for a period of 30 days on the Company’s website and through the link above.
About Gilat Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT, TASE: GILT) is a leading global provider of satellite-based broadband communications. With over 35 years of experience, we create and deliver deep technology solutions for satellite, ground, and new space connectivity and provide comprehensive, secure end-to-end solutions and services for mission-critical operations, powered by our innovative technology. We believe in the right of all people to be connected and are united in our resolution to provide communication solutions to all reaches of the world.
Our portfolio includes a diverse offering to deliver high-value solutions for multiple orbit constellations with very high throughput satellites (VHTS) and software-defined satellites (SDS). Our offering is comprised of a cloud-based platform and high-performance satellite terminals; high-performance Satellite On-the-Move (SOTM) antennas; highly efficient, high-power Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPA) and Block Upconverters (BUC) and includes integrated ground systems for commercial and defense, field services, network management software, and cybersecurity services.
Gilat’s comprehensive offering supports multiple applications with a full portfolio of products and tailored solutions to address key applications including broadband access, mobility, cellular backhaul, enterprise, defense, aerospace, broadcast, government, and critical infrastructure clients all while meeting the most stringent service level requirements. For more information, please visit: https://gilat.com/
Certain statements made herein that are not historical are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “estimate”, “project”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gilat to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, inability to maintain market acceptance to Gilat’s products, inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, rapid changes in the market for Gilat’s products, loss of market share and pressure on prices resulting from competition, introduction of competing products by other companies, inability to manage growth and expansion, loss of key OEM partners, inability to attract and retain qualified personnel, inability to protect the Company’s proprietary technology and risks associated with Gilat’s international operations and its location in Israel, including those related to the current terrorist attacks by Hamas, and the war and hostilities between Israel and Hamas, and Israel and Hezbollah and Iran; and other factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Gilat’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and Gilat undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Working together to tackle some of the issues affecting Morecambe was the focus of a meeting between councillors and officers representing town and district councils.
Attached photo shows councillors and officer representing Lancaster City Council and Morecambe Town Council on the steps of Morecambe Town Hall prior to the summit getting underway.
The summit meeting took place at Morecambe Town Hall on Friday (October 18) between representatives of Morecambe Town Council and Lancaster City Council.
The aim of the event was to foster collaboration, promote understanding of responsibilities, and explore ways of working together to unlock the town’s potential and capitalise on Eden Project Morecambe.
The day began with a warm welcome and introductions, setting a collaborative tone for the day.
Lancaster City Council provided a comprehensive presentation detailing its operations, Council Plan, successes and priorities.
Morecambe Town Council followed suit, sharing insights into its role, priorities, achievements, and future actions aimed at enhancing community well-being.
A series of roundtable discussions also took place on the issues affecting Morecambe and how the two councils can work together to develop joint solutions.
Councillor Phillip Black, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “The city council highly values the work of the district’s parish and town councils and the work they do to support the communities that we all serve.
“Meetings such as this provide the opportunity to discuss issues of mutual benefit in a constructive and collaborative manner. We’re all agreed that our local infrastructure is under huge pressure and it is in everyone’s interest for us to work together more closely to find solutions.
“By coming together to share our experiences and insights, we have laid the groundwork for future cooperation that will significantly benefit our communities.”
Councillor Russell Walsh, chair of Morecambe Town Council, said: “The role of parish and town councils is continually evolving in response to the changing landscape of local government.
“Morecambe Town Council is committed to playing a key role in enhancing our town, and collaboration with Lancaster City Council is essential to ensuring the voices of our residents are considered in decision-making.
“We hope this summit, and ongoing work, will help us identify practical outcomes, allowing us to work together more effectively to make Morecambe a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.
“Our ongoing focus will be on delivering meaningful improvements for residents as swiftly as possible.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XI’AN, Oct. 21 — China has unveiled its first-ever wing type spectrum of aircraft in Xi’an, northwestern Shaanxi Province.
The design of the aircraft wings is the foundation of the aviation industry and also the key technology to support the independent innovation of China’s aviation technology, said Tang Changhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Wings determine the aerodynamic efficiency and flight stability of the aircraft. The spectrum is China’s first profile of high-performance aircraft wings, consisting of more than 1,000 wing types and a database for industrial utilization.
The spectrum is a 30-year research achievement of the Northwestern Polytechnical University, the main builder of the spectrum.
It is of significance in improving the independent innovation capability of aerodynamic design in China’s aviation, and supporting the sustainable development of high-end aerospace equipment in China.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CHONGQING, Oct. 21 — Autumn is in full swing across China, and with it comes the bustling season of harvest. Wang Disheng, standing at some 170 centimeters tall, steps into a rice paddy only to find himself nearly “drowned” by the towering rice stalks.
“These rice plants are essentially twice as tall as the regular ones, earning them the nickname ‘giant rice.’ Some of these giants can even surpass 220 centimeters in height,” said Wang, deputy head of Shiwan Township in Dazu District, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.
Shiwan began cultivating this giant rice in 2021, following the establishment of a research center by the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center in the area. The Chongqing branch has gathered a multitude of experts focusing on space mutation breeding, hybrid rice breeding and new variety testing, among other research areas.
“We are currently experimenting with over five new hybrid rice varieties, including those with low heavy metal accumulation, saline-alkali tolerance, and selenium-rich rice,” said Luo Zhiqiang, office director of the Chongqing branch.
China, recognized as the primary cradle of rice worldwide, saw a monumental achievement in 1973 when the late scientist Yuan Longping, affectionately known as the “father of hybrid rice,” and his team successfully developed the world’s first high-yielding hybrid rice strain, alleviating hunger for human beings.
“Our work continues to unlock the potential of hybrid rice, enabling it to thrive in diverse environments, as part of our efforts to benefit an even broader range of people,” Luo said, noting that the hybrid rice technologies have been introduced to many countries in need.
According to Luo, Sri Lanka, one of the Belt and Road partner countries in South Asia, is seeking cooperation with the Chongqing branch.
“Due to local soil conditions, Sri Lanka is in dire need of saline-tolerant rice, which aligns perfectly with our research focus,” Luo said, adding that experts from both sides frequently meet to discuss further collaboration. They plan to introduce new hybrid rice varieties and innovative technologies to Sri Lanka, and conduct technician training, aiming to increase rice production and farmers’ income.
Statistics released by the China International Development Cooperation Agency earlier this month show that hybrid rice has been introduced to nearly 70 countries across five continents, significantly boosting rice yields in many African countries from an average of 2 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes per hectare.
In Shiwan, after the recent rice harvest, crayfish are bred in the paddies. The crayfish consume pests and their waste serves as a natural fertilizer for the rice.
“This is one of the reasons we are experimenting with giant rice. The deep waters of the giant rice paddies provide an ideal habitat for crayfish,” Wang said.
“Previously, we could only earn about 2,000 yuan (about 281 U.S. dollars) per mu (about 667 square meters) of rice land. Now, with the rice and crayfish rotation model, we can earn 6,000 to 10,000 yuan per mu,” Liu Bo, a local farmer, said.
The giant rice and the variety of other rice types have also attracted many visitors. In response, Shiwan has transformed some of its paddies into picturesque scenic spots. Annually, the township now welcomes tens of thousands of visitors and around 30,000 students on educational tours, according to local authorities.
China continues to prioritize food security, as it feeds over 1.4 billion people with just 9 percent of the world’s arable land. An array of measures have been implemented across the country to improve grain output over recent years, including the construction of more high-standard farmland and the promotion of agricultural technologies.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China develops sky-ground intelligent monitoring system for plant pests, diseases
BEIJING, Oct. 21 — China has developed a sky-ground intelligent monitoring and early warning system for plant pests and diseases, according to the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The research team has employed self-developed chip-level intelligent pest and disease detection devices and specialized drone remote sensing solutions for low-altitude pest inspections to establish a multi-scale monitoring and warning system.
The “Smart Eye” system enables rapid and precise detection of pests and diseases at the near-ground level, facilitates dynamic monitoring and efficient management at the plot level, and provides multi-scale dynamic monitoring and warning for more than 20 major pests and diseases at the regional level, according to the Aerospace Information Research Institute, one of the developers.
“The system can effectively address the challenges of traditional plant protection monitoring techniques, such as difficulties in field surveys and identification, low accuracy in low-altitude monitoring, and weak regional early warning capabilities,” said Huang Wenjiang, a researcher at the institute.
The system, combining artificial intelligence technology, aerospace information, and plant protection theory, was recently unveiled at the 5th conference on remote sensing of vegetation pests and diseases held in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Autumn scenery across China
Updated: October 21, 2024 16:56Xinhua
An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 14, 2024 shows the autumn scenery of Tianzi Mountain at the Zhangjiajie national forest park in Zhangjiajie, central China’s Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo taken on Oct. 10, 2024 shows the autumn scenery at the Wuxia Gorge, one of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, in Wushan County, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 13, 2024 shows the autumn scenery at the Sanjiangkou ecological tourism area in Tongjiang City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]People visit the Binhe Park in Yiyang County, Luoyang City of central China’s Henan Province, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 13, 2024 shows a train passing forest and fields in Shangzhi City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows elks wandering at the Tiaozini wetland in Dongtai City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]A drone photo taken on Oct. 20, 2024 shows autumn scenery in Niangniangzhuang Town, Zunhua City of north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]People visit the Huyangxia scenic spot in the Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China’s Gansu Province, Oct. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]People visit the Huyangxia scenic spot in the Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China’s Gansu Province, Oct. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
The challenging security environment, cooperation in the Arctic, and bilateral defense cooperation between Iceland and the United States were among the topics discussed during a recent meeting between Foreign Minister Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir and General Charles Q. Brown Jr., U.S. Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff.
“We had a good conversation about the development of the security environment and the challenges we face today, both military and from various hybrid threats,” said Minister Gylfadóttir. “The meeting provided a great opportunity to discuss cooperation between the two countries and the security and defense challenges we face today, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the growing tension in international relations. Iceland and the United States have been strengthening their cooperation in recent years, focusing on surveillance and reconnaissance in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, which also enhances the security of all NATO Allies. ”
General Brown visited Iceland to attend a meeting of the Chiefs of Defence from the seven Arctic countries, which Iceland hosted on 9 October. The discussions at the meeting covered security developments and challenges related to climate change, increased shipping, and military activities in the Arctic.
“It was an honor to be hosted by our Icelandic partners for the Arctic Chiefs of Defense Conference,” said U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q Brown Jr. “The Arctic is going to be a factor, not only today, but more so probably 10 to 15 years from now. Our active and unified cooperation as Arctic NATO Nations is critical as we posture for current and future security challenges to promote a prosperous and secure Arctic.”
General Brown also met with Director General Jónas G. Allansson, Iceland‘s Chief of Defence, visited the security zone in Keflavík, and was introduced to the operations of the US Navy hosted by Iceland there.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the Law, Peace and Harmonious Development Roundtable III today (October 21):
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. On behalf of the Department of Justice, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to everyone here, who may have travelled far to attend this meaningful event.
The topic of today’s event is a well-chosen one. One special feature of international arbitration is that it brings together individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds to resolve cross-border disputes. With different cultural backgrounds, it is not difficult to imagine that parties and practitioners may have different approaches or practices in resolving disputes. Given the challenges that these cultural differences may at times pose, it is crucial for dispute resolution practitioners to not just master the necessary legal knowledge and skills, but also to understand different cultures of the participants towards “harmony” and how they may impact on the dispute resolution process. I believe today’s discussions on exploring the culture of harmony across users would bring us new perspectives and greatly facilitate our work.
Today, the roundtable focuses on collaborative dispute resolution practices. The concept of collaborative arbitration is a novel one, not least because arbitration has traditionally been recognised and practised as an adversarial dispute resolution process. Nevertheless, in recent years, with the increasing calls for greater efficiency and reduced cost in the arbitral process, it is extremely timely and worthwhile for us to explore this topic and examine the benefits collaborative dispute resolution practices may bring to arbitration users and practitioners in a more co-operative working relationship. I am sure our distinguished speakers today will give us new insights on how to overcome the time and cost challenges inherent in arbitration.
Over the years, the Department of Justice is committed to promoting peaceful dispute resolution and access to justice as well as building inclusive institutions at all levels, which align with the objectives set out in United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).
SDG 16 is about promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. In terms of peaceful dispute resolution, Hong Kong enacted the Apology Ordinance in 2017 to encourage the making of apologies, and we are the first jurisdiction in Asia to enact such a piece of legislation. It provides that in most civil proceedings, an apology does not constitute an express or implied admission of fault or liability and must not be taken into account in determining fault, liability or any other issue to the prejudice of the apology maker. In particular, an apology is generally not admissible as evidence for determining fault, liability or any other issue. Without such a legislation, the alleged wrongdoer would be reluctant to say sorry, fearing that it might be used against him or her in legal proceedings. The refusal to say sorry at all would give the alleged victim the impression that the other side has no sincerity to resolve the dispute, which may escalate to the dispute and widen the gap for reaching settlements.
Since 2009, we have also launched the Mediate First Pledge campaign to encourage the use of mediation as the first step to resolve disputes. The Mediate First Pledge is a non-legally binding commitment by pledgees to first explore the use of mediation to resolve disputes before resorting to other means of dispute resolution, such as court litigation. As of today, over 890 companies, organisations and individuals have signed the Pledge and the number is still growing. Apart from holding this event locally, we also hope to spread the awareness of peaceful dispute resolution in our surrounding jurisdictions. In March last year, the Department of Justice collaborated with the Thailand Arbitration Center to promote the Mediate First Pledge in Thailand for the first time during our Resolve2Win promotional campaign. The event was well-received and 35 legal and business organisations, enterprises and individuals in Bangkok agreed to sign the Pledge to support first exploring the use of mediation to resolve disputes.
Further, as stated in the Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address, one of the major policy initiatives of the Department of Justice is to deepen mediation culture in various sectors of community. This coincides closely with the objective of today’s roundtable session, which is to promote a culture of peace and harmony as the philosophical foundation for peaceful dispute resolution. It is our vision that mediation can be used to effectively resolve conflicts in various sectors of the community, and can help to build a harmonious and stable society and foster a culture that embraces mutual support, respect, harmony and inclusiveness. To this end, we are working to incorporate a mediation clause in all government contracts so as to promote the use of mediation as a means to resolve disputes amicably. By incorporating such a mediation clause, we hope that the government departments could, as far as practicable and to the extent appropriate, first consider using mediation to resolve disputes. To take a step further, we will also encourage private parties to include similar mediation clause(s) in their contracts, which will help promote the Mediate First culture.
As announced by the Chief Executive in his 2024 Policy Address last week, the Department of Justice will further promote mediation culture in the coming year. We plan to co-operate with the Civil Service College to provide more mediation training to civil servants. Meanwhile, we will also launch a two-year community mediation pilot scheme to deepen the mediation culture in the community through the training of community workers so as to help them gain a better understanding towards mediation and empower them with mediation skillsets in resolving the daily disputes.
To further strengthen our role as an international mediation centre, we will also enhance the system on local accreditation and disciplinary matters of the mediation profession. We hope that by doing so, we would be able to reinforce the professionalism of mediators and instil confidence among individuals and businesses in the use of Hong Kong’s mediation services. In this regard, the Department of Justice has already set up a working group for reviewing the current system and making recommendations.
Apart from the above, the Government is also supportive of using mediation to resolve family disputes. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau recently launched the Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme through the Community Care Fund to subsidise a non-governmental organisation in providing mediation services on maintenance to people who are eligible for the Pilot Scheme, including maintenance payers and payees. Parties involved in maintenance payment disputes are eligible to apply for the Pilot Scheme free of charge, provided that one of the parties is a Hong Kong resident and meets the income eligibility limit. The Pilot Scheme is run for three years and is expected to process a total of 1 200 cases, benefitting 2 400 separating or divorcing persons.
One related development I should mention is the establishment of the headquarter of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong, which will certainly contribute to peaceful dispute resolution across the world. The IOMed will be the world’s first intergovernmental organisation dedicated to settling international disputes by mediation. It will be a valuable complement to the existing dispute resolution mechanisms, offering new options for the peaceful settlement of international disputes. I am pleased to inform you that the last round of negotiations of the international convention relating to the establishment of the IOMed were successfully concluded last week. The signing ceremony of the relevant international treaty will be held in Hong Kong next year. The Department of Justice will continue to do its utmost to provide support so that the IOMed will commence operation soon.
Another significant development I must mention is that the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy will be officially launched this year. To make good use of Hong Kong’s bilingual common law system and international legal status, the Training Academy will regularly organise practical training courses, seminars, international exchange programmes and more to promote exchanges among talents in regions along the Belt and Road region. It will also provide training for talents in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs for the country, and nurture legal talents who are familiar with international law, common law, civil law, so on and so forth. The dedicated office and expert committee established under the Department of Justice are pressing ahead with the related work. In future, we may use this capacity building platform to enable practitioners from different jurisdictions to exchange ideas on how to promote the culture of harmony.
Last but not least, I would like to thank the organisers and supporting organisations for their relentless contributions and efforts in holding this event and promoting peaceful dispute resolution processes. I am hopeful that today’s discussions will spark more useful ideas on peaceful dispute resolution. We also hope to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to join our annual flagship event, the Hong Kong Legal Week, which will take place two weeks later, from November 4 to 8. For those coming from overseas, I wish you all a pleasant stay in Hong Kong. I wish to close by wishing you all fruitful exchanges and discussions in the sessions to come. Thank you very much.
On 21 October, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and her Nordic colleagues will be joined by Germany’s foreign minister in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Nordic Embassies complex in Berlin. The event will highlight the growing Nordic-German cooperation and shared ambition to promote a secure and sustainable future. Guests of honour include the Crown Princess and Prince Daniel, the German President, the King and Queen of Denmark, the Presidents of Finland and Iceland and Norway’s Crown Prince and Crown Princess.
“Germany is a close neighbour and a reliable, like-minded partner. The 25th anniversary celebration highlights the increasingly important Nordic-German cooperation and our joint efforts to promote a peaceful, secure and sustainable future. The economic, industrial and innovative strength and cultural connection shared by the Nordic countries and Germany offer numerous possibilities for cooperation. It will be a pleasure to take part in the celebration and at the same time make use of the opportunity for meaningful discussions between friends,” says Ms Malmer Stenergard.
The celebration on 21 October will include speeches, the inauguration of artwork by Maria Miesenberger and a preview of a Nordic exhibition. The German President and First Lady will host a dinner in the evening. The five Nordic foreign ministers will also be in talks with their German counterpart Annalena Baerbock. This will be followed by a press conference.
The Nordic Embassies in Berlin
The Nordic Embassies in Berlin were inaugurated on 20 October 1999. The complex is the only one in the world that houses the embassies of five Nordic countries. It is located in Tiergarten, where the buildings of the Swedish and Finnish legations could be found prior to their destruction during the Second World War. The overall complex was designed by architects Alfred Berger and Tiina Parkkinen, and the building that houses the Embassy of Sweden was designed by Gert Wingårdh. The Embassies have a common building, the Felleshus (Pan-Nordic Building), for exhibitions and events.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Austin Kay, Researcher in Sustainable Advanced Materials, Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials, Swansea University
As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into fields of crops, greenhouses and livestock areas. Often known as agrivoltaics, this can help farmers reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to produce food.
Agrivoltaics can also mitigate one of the main criticisms often made of solar power – that solar farms “waste” vast tracts of agricultural land that could otherwise be used for food production. In reality, solar farms currently occupy only 0.15% of the UK’s total land – not much compared to the 70% of land devoted to agriculture.
The simplest example of an agrivoltaic system would be conventional, crystalline silicon PVs (the market-leading type of solar panels), installed in fields alongside livestock. This method of farm diversification has become increasingly popular in recent years for three main reasons.
First, it enhances biodiversity as it means the fields are not being used for just one crop (monoculture), undergoing regular crop rotation, or being harvested for silage. Second, it increases production as livestock benefit from the shade and the healthier pasture growth.
Finally, the solar farm has reduced maintenance costs because livestock can keep the grass short. All this is achieved while the solar panels provide locally generated, clean energy.
However, if they’re not set up properly, agrivoltaics may still cause problems. One of the most important challenges, when used in fields where crops are grown, is balancing the need for sunlight between crops and solar panels. Crops need light to grow, and if solar panels block too much sunlight, they can negatively impact crop yields.
This issue varies from place to place. In countries with fewer sunny days like the UK, the panels need to let more sunlight through. But in places like Spain or Italy, some shade can actually help crops by reducing the stress of intense heat during summer months. Finding the right balance is tricky, as it depends on local conditions, the type of crop, and even the needs of pollinators like bees.
The complexity deepens when we consider the type of PV material used. Traditional solar panels aren’t always suitable because they often block the wavelengths (colours) of light needed by plants.
This is where newer materials, like organic semiconductors and perovskites, are ideal as they can be customised to let crops get the light they need while still generating energy. Unlike traditional inorganic semiconductors, which are essentially crystals of metal and metalloid atoms, organic semiconductors are molecules mainly made of carbon and hydrogen. Perovskites, meanwhile, are like a hybrid of organic and inorganic semiconductors.
In fact there are thousands of combinations of these materials to choose from, with scientific literature containing a plethora of options. Figuring out which one works best can be a daunting task.
This is where computational tools can make a big difference. Instead of testing each material in real-world conditions – which would take years and be incredibly expensive – researchers can use simulations to predict their performance. These models can help identify the best materials for specific crops and climates, saving both time and resources.
The tool
We have developed an open-source tool that helps compare various PV materials, making it easier to identify the best options for agrivoltaics. Our tool uses geographical data and realistic simulations of how different PV materials perform.
It considers how light travels through these materials and reflects off them, as well as other important performance measures like voltage and power output. The tool can also take lab-based measurements of PV materials and apply them to real-world scenarios.
Using this tool, we simulated how much power different PV materials could generate per square metre over the course of a year, across various regions. And we calculated how much light passed through these materials to ensure it was enough for crops to thrive.
By running these simulations for multiple materials, we could identify the most suitable options for specific crops and climates.
Tools like ours could play a critical role in decarbonising the agricultural sector by guiding the design of agrivoltaic systems. Future research could combine these simulations with economic and environmental impact analyses. This would help us understand how much energy we can expect from a solar panel over its lifetime compared to the resources and costs involved in producing it.
Ultimately, our tool could help researchers and policymakers in selecting the most efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly ways to decarbonise agriculture and move us closer to achieving global net-zero emissions.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Austin Kay is a Postgraduate Student at Swansea University and receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through program grant EP/T028513/1 Application Targeted and Integrated Photovoltaics.
In a significant diplomatic manoeuvre that may have far-reaching implications for the international system of alliances, Turkey has submitted a formal request to join Brics, the group of emerging-market economies, signalling its intent to diversify its partnerships beyond the west.
The Brics grouping, named after Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, comprises some of the world’s largest economies. Earlier this year, it welcomed four new members: Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt. Although Saudi Arabia has been invited to join, the official process is yet to take place. Often viewed as an alternative to western-led organisations such as the EU, G7 and Nato, Brics signifies a significant shift in global power dynamics.
Ankara’s decision could be a strategy to strengthen relations with non-western powers as the global economy’s centre continues to shift away from the west, but is also about chasing more trade with Brics members.
Announced ahead of the Brics summit starting on October 22, Turkey’s application has raised questions about the broader implications for its role within Nato. If accepted, Turkey would be the first Nato member of Brics. However, this is not to say that Turkey is entirely turning away from the west. Turkey’s institutional ties with the western world run deep. At most, this move signals Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s intention to increase the government’s flexibility in its foreign relations.
Erdoğan said on September 1 that this move shows Ankara’s aims to cultivate ties with all sides simultaneously to “become a strong, prosperous, prestigious and effective country if it improves its relations with the east and the west simultaneously”.
Turkey’s acceptance into the group could be discussed during the upcoming 16th Brics summit, in Kazan, Russia. Malaysia, Thailand and Azerbaijan are among other countries expecting to join.
Between east and west
Turkey’s balancing act between east and west is not a recent phenomenon but a continuation of its policies since the end of the cold war, and is in line with its geographical position at the edge of Europe and Asia.
This strategy has been central to Turkey’s intricate, at times conflicting, approach to international relations and remains pertinent in an increasingly complex world. The shift from a unipolar world – the idea that the world is dominated by one super power – to one with more global powers has led all governments to reassess their foreign policies, and Ankara is no different.
Turkey’s longstanding commitment to Nato makes it highly unlikely that its willingness to join the Brics group signifies a move away from its western allies. Since 2016, Turkey has strengthened its economic, political, and military ties with Russia and China, and its recent application to the Brics group reflects this trend. According to some experts in Turkish foreign policy, while this development may raise concerns in western capitals, there is no pressing reason for the west to be alarmed about Turkey making concessions to Russia or acting independently of Nato.
There are two incentives driving Turkey’s application. According to Sinan Ülgen, director of the Istanbul-based Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies: “The first is Turkey’s aspiration to enhance its strategic autonomy in foreign policy which essentially involves improving ties with non-western powers like Russia and China in a way to balance the relationship with the west. The second is the accumulated frustrations over the relationship with the west. For example, the EU has not even been able to decide on the start of negotiations on the updating of the customs union, its trade deal with Turkey that dates back to 1996.”
Turkey has been keen on joining the Brics group since 2018. Putin, during a meeting with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow in June this year, welcomed Ankara’s interest and promised that Moscow “will support this desire to be together with the countries of this alliance [Brics], to be together, closer, to solve common problems”.
Since the war in Ukraine, Russia has been making extra efforts to gain the support of more countries. Turkey holds a particular significance in this effort due to its strategic location, and its control of the Black Sea straits, an essential trade route for both Ukraine and Russia. The Black Sea has played an important part in the Ukraine war, and Turkey has been part of an alliance that has stymied Russia’s attempts to fully control the waters, and allowed Ukraine to continue to use the waters.
The Montreux Convention regulates maritime traffic through the Turkish Straits. The convention distinguishes between Black Sea and non-Black Sea powers, acknowledging specific advantages for the former, which includes Ukraine and Russia.
In March 2022, Erdoğan indicated that the convention allows Turkey to restrict the passage of naval vessels belonging to warring parties. Putin may be hoping that with Turkey on board as a Brics ally he may be able to persuade Ankara to give him more leeway. Currently Russia’s inability to control the Black Sea and cargo ships within it are seriously weakening its ability to constrain Ukraine’s economy.
Turkey anticipates that Brics membership will enhance its geopolitical standing and expand its economic influence, especially in non-western markets. Most importantly, leveraging its geopolitical position to influence global affairs and pursuing a more balanced and diversified foreign policy.
It is evident that Turkey aims to maintain its connections with the west while also desiring the flexibility to engage with other regions. It is highly improbable that this would lead to a significant overhaul of Turkey’s ties with western countries. It may, however, cause concern among fellow Nato members about how much they can rely on Turkey in the future.
Bulent Gökay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
There is a city nearby that we hide from view. Its people are of all ages, ethnicities and classes. What unites them is a disease: all are diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME.
We hide them there because we don’t know where else to put them. Like a plague village, we have no plans to treat them, to study their disease or to trial possible drugs for them. We could choose to draw up such plans, to give the residents hope for their future health. But our country’s choice is to turn away and forget about these 250,000-plus inhabitants altogether. A city the size of Brighton that we deliberately ignore.
Worse, when we don’t ignore them, we blame them, telling them that they are all free to rise from their beds and wheelchairs, to walk away from the city. Doctors tell them they can free themselves of the disease by changing their belief systems. Make the effort, they say, and you will regain your health and previous lives.
Our co-editors commission long-form journalism, working with academics from many different backgrounds who are engaged in projects aimed at tackling societal and scientific challenges.
Outwardly, the city is quiet: its clocks have stopped, the streets are empty and house blinds are drawn. Inwardly, some lie still in their darkened rooms, masks on to protect them from their light sensitivity, keeping within their limited energy level, unable to tolerate sound, food and touch – lives spent in the shadows, barely lived. Inside, they feel like they have life-sapping toxins coursing through their veins. They say it feels like being on the verge of death; some even call it a “pseudo dying syndrome”.
A brief conversation with a friend, or washing their hair, or a sudden movement causes their symptoms to flare. This intensifies a fatigue that sleep cannot alleviate, and heightens their muscle or joint pain, headaches, or sensitivities to food, light or sound.
Simon McGrath, a close friend of mine who has lived with ME and written about it for 20 years, tells me:
I never know how much it is safe for me to do. It’s like I’m surrounded by an electric fence that will trigger a bad day if I touch it. But the fence is invisible, and moves every day.
A ‘scandal’ so much more than chronic fatigue
Fatigue does not begin to describe this disease, despite its other name being chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS. “A bad day is like a very bad hangover lasting 24 hours or more: the morning after, without the night before,” Simon explains. “But with much more pain, much more fatigue and very bad brain fog. I feel as if all the neurons in my skull have collapsed and disconnected from each other.” By spotlighting fatigue, ME’s other name fails to convey its many debilitating symptoms.
Simon – or, rather, his illness – is why I am a ME researcher. At university, where we met, he graduated with a biochemistry degree, fizzing with energy and talent. His ME soon dimmed his bright future but would not stop him making a difference to the ME community through his writing, and in helping me understand this horrible disease.
The Times journalist, Sean O’Neill, says that ME is “routinely stigmatised and ignored by the NHS” and calls it “a scandal waiting for its Post Office moment”. O’Neill and his family had to endure the inquest into the death of his daughter, Maeve Boothby O’Neill, who died from natural causes because of severe ME.
Maeve’s ME left her unable to move, communicate or tolerate light, sound or touch. She did not want to go to hospital because, according to her GP, she “always gets worse when [she] goes in”.
Why is it that we give the least or worst treatments to those who are most in need?
Exile and misogyny
ME exiles people from their family, friends, and hoped-for futures. For most, this banishment is for life because nine in ten will never recover, and also because we expend too little effort to end this wicked disease.
That’s the irony – it’s society’s lack of effort to understand this illness and its treatment; our societal inertia; our failure to accept patients’ symptoms that perpetuate their exile.
So let’s attempt to diagnose what causes our apathy towards this cruel disease. The chief cause is misogyny, an ingrained prejudice born of the disease’s strong female bias: for every five women living with ME, there is only one man. It also has a strong age bias – young men are ten times less likely to be diagnosed with it than older women.
Another female-dominant disease is endometriosis. Like ME, the medical establishment is only just starting to appreciate the full nature of this debilitating condition.
In her memoir, Giving up the Ghost, the prize-winning novelist Hilary Mantel said of her endometriosis: “The more I said that I had a physical illness, the more they said I had a mental illness. The more I questioned the nature, the reality of the mental illness, the more I was found to be in denial, deluded.”
ME patients also report feeling that their concerns and symptoms are all too often dismissed.
Women with ME have spoken about their experiences of medical misogyny. For example, I talked to the Vikings actress Jennie Jacques who has spoken openly about her experiences of ME. She said that “Medical misogyny [is] at the heart of it. ME was psychologised when it most definitely shouldn’t have been”.
When later asked by ME specialistByron Hyde MD “why had he written up the Free Hospital epidemics as hysteria without any careful exploration of the basis of his thesis?”, McEvedy responded devastatingly, saying: “It was an easy PhD, why not?”
In the US, female-biased conditions attract less funding than male-biased ones. Funding for ME is 400-times less than for HIV/Aids, a male-biased disease, once their different disease burdens are accounted for.
In 2021, the previous UK government acknowledged the problem stating: “Studies suggest gender biases in clinical trials and research are contributing to worse health outcomes for women.”
COVID empathy?
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic should have woken us up from our collective lethargy, and should have turned apathy into empathy. For then there were times when we all became housebound, often sick with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and moreover so many of us – a million people, more than Liverpool and Manchester combined – came down with Long COVID.
Long COVID and ME share so many symptoms: post-exertional malaise, fatigue, widespread pain, disordered sleep, and brain fog. This overlap should never have surprised us – after all, two-thirds of people with ME report having had a triggering infection, such as glandular fever, just prior to their initial symptoms. Around 10% of people with glandular fever go on to develop ME symptoms.
It is as if we have our own brain fog, obscuring everyone with ME, forgetting how we – if fortune had been different – might have been them.
If we do not act to reduce the spread of infection, through immunisation and better ventilation, then numbers of people with long COVID – and other ME-like illnesses – will continue to rise, as infections so often trigger these conditions.
Going back to Simon, ME made him housebound, then bedbound. The NHS treated him with therapies based on increasing activity levels (Graded Exercise Therapy, or GET). This involves “gradually increasing physical activity to improve fitness and get the body used to activity again”.
The other NHS treatment approach, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is about changing “illness beliefs”. Here, patients are asked to examine “how thoughts, behaviour and CFS/ME symptoms interact with each other”.
But these treatments are ineffective as cures. And worse still, for the majority of 11,000 people with ME on one survey, GET did more harm then good.
In a different online survey, of 542 ME patients, 81% responded that their symptoms worsened because of GET treatment. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, revised in 2021, say that CBT is not curative and that GET should not be offered to people with ME. Yet this new guidance has been implemented by only 28% of English NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards.
So, despite GET being described by patients as causing harm, and CBT as being ineffective as a cure, they are still being offered as a treatment. Over decades, very little has changed for Simon and hundreds of thousands of others with ME.
As we grew older together, Simon watched as I changed scientific career from physics into biology. I watched as his health might begin to rebuild, before suddenly collapsing, setting him back months or years. His ME has cost so much, he told me:
It’s so isolating and there’s so much loss. I got ill in the prime of life. It cost me relationships, my social life, my career, the chance of a family, the chance to contribute. Everything. Plenty of people seem to think it’s a lifestyle choice. Nobody would choose this.
As if his ME burden was not heavy enough, he started to carry other long-term health conditions, which each alone would bring me to my knees. Even though he does not feel it, I see his strength and resolution in adversity. At a time when biomedical evidence was rarely championed, he began his ME blog, and together with co-authors re-analysed clinical trial data. They concluded that the “recovery rates in the CBT and GET groups were not significantly higher than those in the control, no-therapy group”.
His own experience of ME, and his scientific eye-for-detail, make him a go-to person for people in the ME community.
In contrast, by 2013, and despite my decades of scientific training and academic privileges, I had done nothing for ME research. Why did I hesitate? “It’s not my scientific area,” I told myself. I trusted other researchers to identify effective and potentially curative treatments soon.
I was unprepared for the shock of my first ME research meetings. When studying other diseases, I had become used to vast conference halls brimming with celebrated scientists, enthusiastic PhD students, science prize winners, funders, and journal editors, all on the hunt for the next big breakthrough, grant or career opportunity.
For ME, however, the rooms were small and half-empty, funders and journal editors were nowhere to be seen, and researchers were talking at cross-purposes, showing sparse data from small-scale studies. These meetings were also empty of robust evidence for what physiologically had gone wrong for so many. At each meeting, a single word came to my mind: “forsaken” – those who others shun, neglect and abandon, whose existence is denied. I could not then, in all conscience, turn my back and walk away.
Not once have I regretted this decision. Its professional cost – measured in traditional markers of esteem, such as “glamour” publications, international conference and seminar invitations – has been more than offset by the fulfilment from working in this long-neglected field.
The extent of scientific disinterest in ME is clear: so far this year, there have been 17-times more publications mentioning “multiple sclerosis” than those mentioning ME or CFS, despite MS being rarer.
New study
My privilege now is to walk ME’s city of stolen futures alongside many people – like Simon – whose lost decades have been spent searching for their disease’s root causes. Together, for two-and-a-half years our team went back-and-forth with the Medical Research Council MRC and the National Institute for Health and Care Research NIHR. Eventually, we managed to secure a £3.2m award for DecodeME, a hunt for ME’s genetic causes.
DecodeME is not just the world’s largest study of the genetic causes of ME, but it was the first to place people with experience of ME at its heart. A total of 27,000 people with ME in the UK took part. We will report the study’s results as soon as we can. When we do, we will give them back first to the ME community whose data and samples we hold in trust.
The UK government has pledged to publish its delivery plan on ME in 2025. Andrew Gwynne MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care, has said that it “will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease”.
This delivery plan will need to be radical.
Today, we urgently need more people to move through this city of lost hope to hear and to listen.
We need scientists to develop new vaccines against infections that trigger ME.
We need researchers, clinical specialists, hospital managers, and politicians to give deserved priority to this long-forsaken community and help lead these long-lost inhabitants back into the land of the well.
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Chris Ponting’s research has been funded by MRC, NIHR, Action for M.E. and ME Research UK.
