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

    Source: European Central Bank

    18 October 2024

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

    Chart 1

    Euro area current account balance

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

    Source: ECB.

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

    Table 1

    Current account of the euro area

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

    Source: ECB.

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

    Data for the current account of the euro area

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

    Chart 2

    Selected items of the euro area financial account

    (EUR billions; 12-month cumulated data)

    Source: ECB.

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

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

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

    Table 2

    Financial account of the euro area

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

    Source: ECB.

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

    Data for the financial account of the euro area

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

    Chart 3

    Monetary presentation of the balance of payments

    (EUR billions; 12-month cumulated data)

    Source: ECB.

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

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

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

    Table 3

    Reserve assets of the euro area

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

    Source: ECB.

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

    Data for the reserve assets of the euro area

    Data revisions

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

    MIL OSI Europe News –

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

    Source: European Central Bank

    18 October 2024

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Europe News –

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

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment is no surprise

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gabrielle Lynch, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Warwick

    The removal of Kenya’s deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is part of a long history, dating back to independence, of fallouts between the president and his deputy. The difference this time around is the process.

    Historically, presidents have fired their deputies. But the adoption of a new constitution in 2010, saw the introduction of a process for impeachment – for both the president and the deputy – that’s run by the legislature. This is the first time it’s been used.

    On 8 October 2024, members of Kenya’s national assembly voted to impeach Gachagua on grounds that included corruption, insubordination and ethnically divisive politics. The case moved to the senate, which also voted to impeach Gachagua on 17 October.

    Gachagua has made history as Kenya’s first deputy leader to be impeached. While President William Ruto stayed silent on the matter, the process would not have proceeded without his blessing.

    Amid the novelty of the impeachment process, it’s easy to forget that it is the norm for Kenyan presidents to fall out with their deputies. As a political scientist interested in Kenya’s ethnic politics and democratisation, I argue that this is because of how deputies are selected in the first place.

    Deputies are initially selected largely on pragmatic grounds as people who bring something useful to a political alliance. This could be resources, a support base or a reputation for being a good technocrat or administrator.

    They’re not usually people with whom the president has a strong and continuous personal relationship or someone with whom they share a clear political ideology. Neither are they usually someone who has made their way up through a political party.

    This has brought about a long history of tensions and fallout between Kenya’s presidents and their deputies.

    History of fallouts

    Independent Kenya’s first vice president, Oginga Odinga, saw his ministerial portfolio gradually reduced by President Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta then replaced Odinga as vice president of the ruling Kenya African National Union (Kanu) in 1966 further undermining his powers. Soon after, Odinga joined the opposition Kenya’s People’s Union.

    His successor, Joseph Murumbi, resigned within months. The official reason given was ill health, but it is widely believed that Murumbi was troubled by corruption and authoritarianism within the Kenyatta regime.

    Kenya’s second president, Daniel arap Moi, elected Mwai Kibaki as his first deputy. Kibaki was dropped after a decade. He went on to form an opposition party as soon as Kenya shifted to multi-party politics in 1992.

    Moi’s second vice president, Josephat Karanja, resigned after a year to avoid a vote of no confidence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

    Moi’s third deputy, George Saitoti was sidelined to pave way for Uhuru Kenyatta’s nomination as the party flagbearer in 2002. Moi’s final deputy, Musalia Mudavadi, fell with the rest of the Kanu government in the 2002 elections.

    As Kenya’s third president, Kibaki similarly oversaw a regular change of guard. His first deputy, Michael Wamalwa, died after a few months in office. His second, Moody Awori, lost his seat in the 2007 election.

    Kibaki’s third deputy, Kalonzo Musyoka, joined the president during Kenya’s post-election violence of 2007-08. He left at the end of his term in 2013 to run with Raila Odinga in the 2013, 2017 and 2022 presidential elections.

    Kenya’s fourth president, Uhuru Kenyatta, was the only leader to have the same deputy, William Ruto, for his full term as president – from 2013 to 2022. However, relations between Kenyatta and Ruto were hardly rosy. The two fell out after the 2017 elections as Kenyatta teamed up with long-standing opposition leader, Raila Odinga. Ruto beat Odinga, Kenyatta’s favoured candidate in the 2022 elections.

    Lessons to learn

    Because deputies are selected for their practical value, the person who made a good deputy at one point in time can come to be seen as a liability or threat as the political context changes.

    For example, at independence, Oginga Odinga made an excellent ally for Jomo Kenyatta. He had some resources and was a proven mobiliser. He brought a support base. However, within a few years, Odinga became a problem for the president as a more radical faction within the ruling party coalesced around him.

    Similarly, Ruto made an excellent ally for Uhuru Kenyatta when they both faced charges for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. The two fell out once Kenyatta had won his second and final term, and Kenyatta turned to his succession.

    Gachagua was useful to Ruto in 2022. He had personal wealth, was an effective mobiliser and hailed from central Kenya where the election looked to be won or lost. However, once elected, Gachagua’s populist statements and reputation for ethnic bias became more of a liability.

    Second, as contexts change, someone else can soon come to be seen as more useful as second in command.

    For Jomo Kenyatta, Moi had shown his utility and loyalty during the “little general elections” of 1966, which effectively sidelined the Kenya People’s Union and Oginga Odinga.

    Ruto nominated Kithure Kindiki, Kenya’s interior cabinet secretary, to replace Gachagua. He is seen as better able to negotiate with the international community, especially during a critical economic period for Kenya as it seeks new International Monetary Fund loans.

    Third, being the country’s vice or deputy president comes with a lot of opportunities to network. These interactions have often led individuals to be seen as a growing threat, or as actively plotting against the president. They may also be seen as a future challenger.

    History has shown that there is no ideal way of dealing with such a potential challenger, leading subsequent presidents to try different approaches.

    Current context

    Ruto and Gachagua have clearly fallen out. Their differences became apparent soon after the 2022 elections. However, they came into sharp relief in the face of anti-tax protests in June 2024. There were subsequent allegations that Gachagua and some of his allies had helped to finance the protests.

    The question, therefore, isn’t why they have fallen out but why Gachagua is being impeached now.

    Ultimately the answer to this can only be known by a few individuals. But perhaps an indication of the answer lies in the emotions the fallout has stirred: a desire to distract the public and show that the government is taking action to deal with Kenya’s ongoing economic crisis. There may also be a desire to undercut Gachagua before he can build national networks.

    Ruto had the numbers in the senate to see the impeachment process through. But this is a dangerous game. Those sidelined have a habit of coming back to haunt their former allies.

    At the moment, most Kenyans are supportive of the impeachment process, but many also feel that Gachagua is being unfairly targeted especially in central Kenya, where a majority oppose the process.

    While a successful impeachment might see Gachagua barred from holding public office, this wouldn’t necessarily mean an end to his career as an effective political mobiliser.

    The next few months – and the narratives that emerge about why Ruto and Gachagua fell out – will be critical in determining both their futures.

    This article has been updated to reflect the 17 October 2024 senate decision to impeach Rigathi Gachagua.*

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

    – ref. Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment is no surprise – https://theconversation.com/kenyas-presidents-have-a-long-history-of-falling-out-with-their-deputies-rigathi-gachaguas-impeachment-is-no-surprise-241139

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/18/2024

    10:08

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

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74092

    MIL OSI Russia News –

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

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

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

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

    October 18, 2024

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

    October 18, 2024

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

    October 18, 2024

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

    October 18, 2024

    Previous news Next news

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/53040/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

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

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

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

    From the personal archive of Georgy Khvatkin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    – Were there moments when you wanted to quit sambo?

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

    – Do you have any idols in sports?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    – Georgy, thank you and further victories in everything!

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

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

    http://isef.hse.ru/nevs/975622782.html

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Innovative approach of Polytechnic scientists to increase the efficiency of thermal power plants

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    A new approach to increasing the economic and energy efficiency of combined-cycle power units of Russian thermal power plants is being developed by a research group from the Institute of Power Engineering of SPbPU with the support of the strategic academic leadership program “Priority-2030”. Scientists have proven that changing the operating mode of combined-cycle units will increase the marginal income of thermal power plants without significantly changing the heating scheme. According to experts’ calculations, the approach will save several million cubic meters of natural gas per heating period.

    Scientists from the Institute of Power Engineering of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University are developing new tools to improve economic and energy efficiency when converting combined-cycle power units to parameters traditional for the Russian energy sector using domestic gas turbine units. According to scientists, all combined-cycle units at Russian thermal power plants currently use low steam parameters in the utilization circuit. This is largely due to the imposed traditions of Western manufacturers of such devices. Analysis and revision of existing equipment operating parameters is the most important stage of systematic work to ensure import independence of the domestic energy sector.

    With the support of the Priority-2030 strategic academic leadership program, a research group from SPbPU is working on optimization tools for the transition to domestic combined-cycle technologies. At the first stage of the work, scientists created digital models of units with combined-cycle plants for a comprehensive analysis of all factors affecting the operation of the CHPP. Then, specialists conducted a study of the influence of various parameters, including the pressure of steam generated in the waste heat boiler, on the economic efficiency of the CHPP.

    Most Western power units operate in condensation mode, i.e. they produce only electrical energy. For Russia, it is typical to use power units with combined production of both heat and electrical energy. Combined-cycle power units with imported gas turbine units operated in our country have a fairly low pressure of 7.4 MPa at the input. But the strong point of the Russian energy industry is a wide range of steam turbines with initial pressures of 12.74 MPa, which are used in classic steam turbine power units, – noted Irina Anikina, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Energy of SPbPU.

    Scientists have carried out complex calculations and proposed to increase the initial steam pressure in the utilization circuit of the combined-cycle power plant. Instead of using turbines with reduced operating parameters, scientists proposed to use existing Russian serial-produced steam turbines with minimal modernization, designed for a pressure of 12.74 MPa, during the planned modernization or construction of new combined-cycle power plants. This will significantly increase the availability of combined-cycle power units for the domestic energy sector, as well as the efficiency of the plant. According to scientists’ calculations, this approach will save 2-3 million cubic meters of natural gas in just one heating period.

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

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

    https://www.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/science_and_innovations/innovative-approach-of-Polytechnic-scientists-to-increasing-efficiency-of-CHP/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Agillic patents large-scale personalised communication solution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release, Copenhagen, 18 October 2024

    Agillic has achieved a Danish patent for its unique method for processing large-scale, real-time data processing. 

    The method reduces the complexity and efforts required to carry out such processing compared to other solutions leading to lower power consumption and lower financial operating costs.

    The Agillic platform has long been a leap forward in marketing technology, empowering brands to deliver personalised, real-time, and scalable customer experiences across channels, positioning them – and Agillic – at the forefront of omnichannel marketing.

    Says Martin Lindboe, Chief Technology Officer:
    “We are thrilled to achieve the patent, acknowledging the efforts behind our unique and highly effective solution for large-scale data communication. With this patent, we are reinforcing our commitment to innovation and supporting brands in creating seamless, data-driven customer engagement that drive results in the most efficient way possible.”

    For further information, please contact
    Emre Gürsoy, CEO, Agillic A/S
    +45 3078 4200
    emre.gursoy@agillic.com

    About Agillic A/S
    Agillic (Nasdaq First North Growth Market Copenhagen: AGILC) is a Danish software company offering brands a platform through which they can work with data-driven insights and content to create, automate and send personalised communication to millions. Agillic is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with teams in Germany, Norway, and Romania.
    Agillic A/S – Masnedøgade 22 – 2100 Copenhagen – Denmark – www.agillic.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Correctional officers stop fight between persons in custody

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Correctional officers stop fight between persons in custody
    Correctional officers stop fight between persons in custody
    ***********************************************************

         ​Correctional officers at Stanley Prison stopped a fight between two persons in custody today (October 18).           At 10.44am today, two male persons in custody aged 29 and 33 engaged in a fight inside a workshop. Officers immediately stopped the fight and called for reinforcement.           During the incident, one of the persons in custody sustained injuries to his ear, neck, shoulder and arms. He was referred to a public hospital for further treatment after being examined and treated by the institution Medical Officer. The other person in custody sustained an injury to his arm. He did not need to be sent to a public hospital after receiving medical examination and treatment from the institution Medical Officer.           The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.           The two persons in custody were sentenced to imprisonment for the offences of trafficking in a dangerous drug and theft in May 2021 and September 2023, respectively.

     
    Ends/Friday, October 18, 2024Issued at HKT 16:45

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Fanhua Announces Change of Ticker Symbol From “FANH” to “AIFU”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fanhua Inc. (Nasdaq: FANH) (the “Company” or “Fanhua”), a leading independent technology-driven financial services provider in China, today announced the change of its ticker symbol from “FANH” to “AIFU”. Effective on October 23, 2024, the Company’s American Depository Shares will begin trading on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol “AIFU”.

    The change aligns with the Company’s proposed change of Company’s English name from “Fanhua Inc.” to “AIX Inc.” and Chinese name from “泛华控股集团”to“智能未来有限公司”with effect from November 1, 2024, pending approval by the Company’s shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting scheduled on October 31, 2024.

    About Fanhua Inc.

    Driven by its digital technologies and professional expertise in the insurance industry, Fanhua Inc. is the leading independent financial service provider in China, focusing on providing insurance-oriented family asset allocation services that covers customers’ full lifecycle and a one-stop service platform for individual sales agents and independent insurance intermediaries.

    With strategic focus on long-term life insurance products, we offer a broad range of insurance products, claims adjusting services and various value-added services to meet customers’ diverse needs, through an extensive network of digitally empowered sales agents and professional claims adjustors. We also operate Baowang (www.baoxian.com), an online insurance platform that provides customers with a one-stop insurance shopping experience.

    For more information about Fanhua Inc., please visit https://ir.fanhgroup.com

    Forward-looking Statements

    This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements, including the statements relating to the Company’s future financial and operating results, are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Fanhua and the industry. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to its ability to attract and retain productive agents, especially entrepreneurial agents, its ability to maintain existing and develop new business relationships with insurance companies, its ability to execute its growth strategy, its ability to adapt to the evolving regulatory environment in the Chinese insurance industry, its ability to compete effectively against its competitors, quarterly variations in its operating results caused by factors beyond its control including macroeconomic conditions in China. Except as otherwise indicated, all information provided in this press release speaks as of the date hereof, and Fanhua undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Fanhua believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by Fanhua is included in Fanhua’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F.

    For more information, please contact:

    Fanhua Inc.

    Investor Relations
    Tel: +86 (20) 8388-3191
    Email: ir@fanhgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Simpsonhaugh Architects Embraces Digital Transformation with VDI And AI, Leveraging ControlUp’s DEX Platform for Real-Time Performance Analytics and Remediation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ControlUp, at the forefront of Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management, today announced that SimpsonHaugh Architects, a UK-based, award-winning and respected practice, is utilising the ControlUp DEX platform to monitor and optimise its new VDI environment in real-time.

    SimpsonHaugh is making a £1.21 million investment over several years to digitally transform by introducing VDI and AI technology to underpin the future development and operations of the business. Industry leading solutions have been installed including Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop, Citrix NetScaler, VMware vSphere Hypervisor, Dell Servers with vSAN storage, NVIDIA vGPU and ControlUp’s DEX platform which is providing VDI performance analytics and remediation.

    Adopting VDI was driven by a strategic decision to centralise IT on-premise at SimpsonHaugh’s headquarters in Manchester, improve remote-working, support a work-life balance for staff and boost project collaboration by not being constrained by physical workstations.

    The IT team also wanted to avoid the complexity, time and expense of managing systems over three locations given the practice also has offices in London and Birmingham. Furthermore, many workstations – high end PCs each costing up to £6,500 – were becoming end of life, unreliable, consuming a lot of power and needed to be upgraded.

    The new VDI platform supports agile working yet is optimised to run GPU-intensive architectural applications like Revit, Rhino, Enscape and SketchUp – crucial to delivering customer projects on time, in what is an ever-demanding industry.

    “Architecture is a heavy user of graphics-based IT. Building Information Modelling is now adopted pervasively, producing large volumes of data and consuming substantial compute. Clients recognise the technology improvements so the expectations about the visuals and data provided are growing,” says Dave Moyes, partner, information and digital systems, SimpsonHaugh. “Ten years ago, we might have created 500 drawings for a project. Today, it’s at least double. Projects are increasingly complex and time scales are tight. The pressure to be quick and agile while creating quality design proposals which optimise a client’s brief is therefore considerable. It is no exaggeration to say that ICT to support this is indispensable.”

    SimpsonHaugh’s ICT strategy involves keeping technology simple for staff to use. The business is project delivery and ‘time charge’ based. ICT system availability is paramount given downtime has material impact on this.

    UK managed service provider and digital workspace consultancy, ebb3, was selected to support with the roll out and have been instrumental in the design, implementation and management of the VDI environment. ebb3 also provides SimpsonHaugh technical 2nd and 3rd line support.

    “The transition to VDI is being phased. SimpsonHaugh is running a hybrid environment – both virtual desktops and physical desktops – so as to capitalise on its existing investment in expensive workstations,” explains Jav Fiaz, ebb3’s Technical Architect & Senior Platform Engineer. “A key project goal was to keep the compute and data as close as possible to minimise latency which we’ve delivered.”

    Moyes adds, “If virtual desktops aren’t resourced properly – and applications freeze or suffer from latency – staff will blame the “new system”. Guaranteeing the end-user experience is vital. Monitoring in real-time using ControlUp’s DEX platform identifies which applications are hogging resources so that remedies can be considered like adding RAM, GPU or ‘throttling down’ software which is compute intensive.”

    SimpsonHaugh is experiencing significant benefits through the combination of VDI and ControlUp’s DEX platform:

    1. Potentially £1.79 million lost earnings saved. VDI has resulted in a huge reduction in IT downtime equating to approximately 17% of SimpsonHaugh’s 2023 turnover. This is based on 15% gain in hours per week multiplied by 80 architectural staff over the course of a 38-week year using an average hourly rate of £105. Time savings result from less break-fix, fewer hardware and software issues with files and applications opening faster.
    2. Annual overall ICT investment maintained through the VDI implementation – no significant spikes in hardware cost, with VDI giving certainty that systems are guaranteed to work.
    3. Huge productivity gains for staff, with superior work-life balance realised. Architecture is a vocation. SimpsonHaugh’s employees are passionate about what they do. Citrix enables people to work easily from home – just as if they were in the office – while juggling their personal lives more advantageously.
    4. Staff cannot tell if they are working on a physical machine or via VDI – a testament to the quality and ease of use of Citrix and careful management by ebb3.
    5. VDI has improved collaboration with trusted third parties such as specialist consultants by opening up part of the environment when required.
    6. Potentially £35,000 saved not hiring an additional employee to support VDI by leveraging the ControlUp DEX platform.
    7. Problem solving time has drastically reduced using ControlUp information as real-time data about what is happening within the IT environment is provided, thereby pinpointing issues faster. VDI can now be fully optimised to cater for the peaks and troughs of project workflow, without the ‘over spec’ing‘ of IT hardware required which reduces ICT costs.

    Project next steps

    SimpsonHaugh is currently working to expand its VDI environment to cover the whole business. This will take 3-5 years to complete. The strategy is to replace workstations as they approach end of life rather than waste perfectly good IT equipment.

    In addition, SimpsonHaugh is upgrading its corporate network to a 25 Gigabit Ethernet backbone to further support the end-user experience. The practice is also purchasing higher resolution 2k and 4k screens for staff and introducing Nutanix data storage to manage the virtual server environment.

    SimpsonHaugh is also working on other ICT innovation projects such as introducing privately hosted AI using private data across the practice (where powerful networking and compute is paramount) – a key priority given the impact AI is making on the architecture profession.

    Private AI is the only option because of client project confidentiality issues – where strict NDAs are signed – with SimpsonHaugh using three types of AI engine:

    • Word AI. This is an expanding area and involves the automation of tasks such as minutes of meetings, site reports and schedules.
    • Image AI. This is a new area and will involve using AI to create detailed images of early-stage design proposals based on sketches and LLM text inputted into an AI system. This will take into account a range of parameters like site orientation, type of cladding material (brick, render, glass etc), with the AI tools generating options in a SimpsonHaugh ‘style’ to facilitate communication of ideas. The practice is reviewing using ComfyUI and Microsoft Copilot as possible solutions.
    • Generative AI. This branch of AI is well established and used to support work such as the production of parametric designs. The planning of space layouts in a building is an excellent example. Using generative AI, you can stretch a grid in any given direction to change the number and types of spaces within a given architectural form.

    “The project to introduce VDI and our DEX platform has boosted operational performance at SimpsonHaugh and put in place infrastructure to support the practice’s needs in the future,” says Robert Ellis, UK Sales Director at ControlUp. “End-users cannot tell whether they are using a physical workstation or desktop served by VDI – the implementation has been that well managed – and the speed of roll out was fast and disruption minimal because of extensive pre-implementation design and planning work carried out by ebb3.”

    About SimpsonHaugh

    SimpsonHaugh Architects is well known for projects which elegantly shape and revitalise urban areas. The practice has a diverse portfolio including commercial offices, hotels, cultural, education, purpose-built student accommodation, residential and mixed-use neighbourhood developments.

    Key award-winning schemes include: Deansgate Square, One Blackfriars, The Engineering Innovation Centre (University of Central Lancashire), Circus West Village (Battersea Power Station Phase 1) and 4 Angel Square, part of the 20-acre NOMA area in Manchester.

    Founded in 1987, the practice employs 100 staff across studios in Manchester, London and Birmingham – a new office which opened in 2023 demonstrating the ongoing success of the business. For further information, visit https://www.simpsonhaugh.com

    About ebb3

    ebb3 accelerates business transformation through its expertise in enterprise AI and VDI digital workspaces. Offering award-winning end-to-end services for private AI and VDI platforms, ebb3 delivers secure, high-performance infrastructure tailored to the unique needs of enterprise clients. ebb3 is NVIDIA Preferred Partner certified and has VMware’s Master Services Competency. For more information, visit https://www.ebb3.com

    About ControlUp

    ControlUp reimagines Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management with true real-time visibility, enabling 20X faster issue resolution on any desktop, any application, anywhere. ControlUp empowers IT to focus on elevation, not escalation, by equipping them with actionable, true AI-driven insights and proactive remediation tools to drive unbounded productivity for IT teams and employees. Nearly 2,000 customers across the globe trust ControlUp, including more than one-third of the Fortune 100. Learn more at https://www.controlup.com

    For media inquiries:
    ControlUp PR
    media@controlup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Designates District Election Officer for November 2024 General Election

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Harry M. Jacobs will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Jacobs has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Minnesota, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

    United States Attorney Luger said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

    United States Attorney Luger stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Jacobs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (612) 253-0948.”

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (763) 569-8000.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    United States Attorney Luger said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bloomington Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – The last remaining defendant in the November 4, 2024, trial in the Haji’s Kitchen indictment has pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

    According to court documents, in February 2020, Farhiya Mohamud, 65, of Bloomington, created Dua Supplies & Distribution Inc. (“Dua Supplies”), a business that purported to supply food to paying customers. Mohamud’s customers participated as vendors in the Federal Child Nutrition Program, including co-defendants Haji Osman Salad and Fahad Nur. The money from Salad and Nur, which purported to be for “food supply” or “food services,” accounted for most of the funds that Mohamud deposited into her business bank accounts. In reality, Mohamud knew that she purchased relatively minimal amounts of food and thus supplied little, if any, food to Salad and Nur. Instead, she used the funds to purchase real estate, which she did at the direction of her son, Sharmarke Issa, and for his benefit.

    Mohamud, who is the 23rd defendant to plead guilty to charges relating to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, appeared today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel and pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese National Pleads Guilty To Illegally Exporting Semiconductor Manufacturing Machine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Lin Chen pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally exporting U.S. technology to a prohibited end user in China, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The plea was accepted by the Hon. William Alsup, Senior U.S. District Judge.

    In pleading guilty, Chen, 65, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), admitted to acting on behalf of Jiangsu Hantang International Trade Group Corp., Ltd. (JHI), a company headquartered in Nanjing, PRC, to procure a wafer cutting machine on behalf of Chengdu GaStone Technology Co., Ltd. (GaStone), an entity located in Chengdu, PRC.  Chen admitted to knowing that GaStone was designated on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List on Aug. 1, 2014.  Federal regulations restrict the export of certain items to companies, research institutions, and other entities identified on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. Under applicable Department of Commerce regulations, wafer cutting machines, which are used to cut thin semiconductors used in electronics (also known as silicon wafers), require a license for export to end-users such as GaStone.

    According to the plea agreement, by no later than Dec. 4, 2015, Chen knew that GaStone was prohibited from receiving restricted exports without a license, including a DTX-150 Scribe and Break Machine, a machine for processing silicon wafer microchips.  On approximately Dec. 10, 2015, Chen worked with a co-defendant to arrange the sale of a DTX-150 to GaStone by shipping it to the PRC in the name of JHI without an export license from Commerce. Chen used JHI’s status as an intermediary to conceal GaStone as the true end-user of the technology.

    A federal grand jury indicted Chen on Dec. 1, 2020, charging him with conspiracy to violate IEEPA; submitting false electronic export information; smuggling; and IEEPA violations.  Under the plea agreement, Chen pleaded guilty to count four, causing an unlawful export in violation of IEEPA.  Defendant currently is released on bond.

    Chen’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2025, before the Judge Alsup.  The maximum statutory penalty for an IEEPA violation is up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Brent Burmester, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Special Agent in Charge, San Jose Field Office, made the announcement today.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Sampson and Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop and Nina Burney.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI, HSI, and BIS.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indian National Is Sentenced To Prison For $20 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Involving Fake Cryptocurrency Exchange Websites

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A citizen of the Republic of India was sentenced to prison today for stealing more than $20 million from hundreds of victims through the use of fake or “spoofed” websites mimicking the cryptocurrency exchange website Coinbase, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Chirag Tomar, 31, to serve 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

    Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from as early as June 2021, Tomar and his co-conspirators engaged in a spoofing scheme to steal millions in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victims located worldwide and in the United States, including in the Western District of North Carolina. Spoofing, as it pertains to cybercrime, is when a malicious cyber actor disguises an email address, sender name, or website URL to convince victims they are interacting with a trusted source. Court documents show that Tomar and his co-conspirators executed the fraud by spoofing Coinbase, one of the largest virtual currency exchanges in the world, that allows customers to buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies.

    Coinbase operated a “Pro” version of its exchange, which was found at the URL “Pro.Coinbase.Com.” According to court documents, Tomar and his co-conspirators spoofed the Coinbase Pro website by using a similar fake URL, CoinbasePro.Com, and created a fraudulent website to mimic the authentic website. Once victims entered their login credentials into the fake website, an authentication process was triggered. In some instances, victims were tricked into providing their login and authentication information of the real Coinbase website to fraudsters. Other times, victims were tricked into allowing fake Coinbase representatives to execute remote desktop software, which enabled fraudsters to gain control of victims’ computers and access their legitimate Coinbase accounts. The fraudsters also impersonated Coinbase customer service representatives and tricked the users into providing their two-factor authentication codes to the fraudsters over the phone. Once the fraudsters gained access to the victims’ Coinbase accounts, the fraudsters quickly transferred the victims’ Coinbase cryptocurrency holdings to cryptocurrency wallets under the fraudsters’ control.

    Court documents show that, in February 2022, a victim located in the Western District of North Carolina attempted to log into his Coinbase account through the fraudulent website. The spoof website immediately notified the victim that his account was locked and prompted the victim to use a number provided to call a fake Coinbase representative. The fake representative tricked the victim into providing his two-factor authentication information, ultimately gaining access into the victim’s real Coinbase account. Using the information, fraudsters stole cryptocurrency from the victim’s Coinbase wallet worth over $240,000.

    According to court records, Tomar used the victims’ stolen log-in credentials to access the victim accounts and transfer the victims’ cryptocurrency holdings to wallets controlled by Tomar. After Tomar received the stolen cryptocurrency, he would convert it to other forms of cryptocurrency and move the funds amongst many wallets controlled by Tomar. Ultimately, the cryptocurrency was converted into cash which was then distributed to Tomar and his co-conspirators.

    Tomar used the victims’ funds to pay for his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase Audemars Piguet and other expensive watches, to buy luxury vehicles like Lamborghinis and Porsches, and to make trips to Dubai, Thailand and elsewhere.

    On December 20, 2023, Tomar was arrested at the Atlanta airport upon entering the United States. On May 20, 2024, Tomar pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Tomar remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. 

    U.S. Attorney King commended the U.S. Secret Service for their investigation of the case and thanked the FBI in Nashville for their invaluable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Sacramento Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice Bryant, 54, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, both in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, Bryant is among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. The Court found Bryant to be an organizer or leader of the vast cocaine distribution network. During just 60 days of wiretaps in 2018 and 2019, he was intercepted strategizing the movement of cocaine over the Mexican border, distributing over five kilograms of powder cocaine and a kilogram of cocaine base to his co-conspirators, and converting large quantities of powder cocaine into cocaine base (crack cocaine) in his residence. At the time of his arrest, agents seized drug trafficking paraphernalia, two loaded firearms, and a military-grade bullet proof vest from his residence.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

    Below is the status of Bryant’s co-defendants:

    On September 29, 2022, Jason Tolbert, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    On November 17, 2022, Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On November 17, 2022, Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.  Hellams is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2025. 

    On December 8, 2022, Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On March 16, 2023, Arlington Caine, 48, of Rio Linda, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On March 14, 2024, Bobby Conner, 51, of Sacramento, was sentenced to six months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On April 25, 2024, 2023, Dwight Haney, 52, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On May 30, 2024, Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On August 8, 2024, Steven Hampton, 64, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On September 26, 2024, Mark Martin, 63, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On August 1, 2024, Alex White, 61, of North Highlands, was sentenced to a term of 38 months (time served) for distribution of cocaine base.

    On September 3, 2024, Tyrone Anderson, 44, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

    Charges are pending against Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento, and Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To Prison For $700,000 Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Frank Lynold Mercado, 27, of Charlotte, to 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for defrauding over 100 victims of more than $700,000 through a fraudulent investment scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mercado was also ordered to pay $709,690 in restitution.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, from July 2019 to December 2022, Mercado executed an investment fraud scheme in which he caused more than 100 investors to sustain nearly $700,000 in losses. Mercado induced the victims – many of whom were his friends, former co-workers, and other social acquaintances – to invest their money by holding himself out to be an expert in options trading with years of experience and a successful track record. As part of the scheme, Mercado falsely represented to victim investors that he would use their money for options trading and similar investments through his hedge fund, Tiger-Wolf Capital, LLC (Tiger-Wolf Capital). Instead of investing the funds as promised, Mercado used a portion of the money to make Ponzi-style payments to investors, and to fund his personal lifestyle, including to make large credit card payments and pay for personal expenditures such as Airbnb rentals, restaurants, and bars.

    Court documents show that with the money that he did invest, Mercado suffered trading losses and then lied to investors about the performance of their investments. For example, Mercado periodically sent updates to victim investors through emails, text messages, or screenshots of purported account portals that reflected fictitious trading gains. He also made false and fraudulent statements to investors about substantial returns on their investments in order to induce his victims to invest additional money with him and/or to leave their current investments with him. According to court documents, as a result of the scheme, Mercado caused victims to suffer losses, with some victims experiencing significant financial hardship.

    On June 12, 2022, Mercado pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    On May 30, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced the filing of a complaint against Mercado in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, charging Mercado and Tiger-Wolf Capital with securities violations.  On July 2, 2024, the court, pursuant to consents signed by Mercado and Tiger-Wolf, enjoined them from violating the charged provisions and ordered them to pay disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties in amounts to be determined at a later date.  The court also barred Mercado from serving as officer or director of a public company and enjoined him from participating in the issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of securities, except in his personal account.

    U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI for their investigation of the case and thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for their coordination and assistance.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Armed Robberies Of Two Convenience Stores

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Thomas Lagene Franklin, 56, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for the armed robbery of two local convenience stores, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, on August 7, 2022, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a black vehicle pulled up alongside a male victim who was walking toward his hotel room in Charlotte. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Franklin, demanded money from the victim. When the victim replied that he did not have any money, Franklin fired multiple shots at the victim striking him in the leg before driving away.

    According to filed court documents, on August 9, 2022, Franklin robbed at gunpoint the Circle K convenience store located at 2833 Freedom Drive, in Charlotte. Court records show that, at approximately 1:45 a.m., Franklin entered the store wearing a bucket-style fishing hat with clear safety glasses and a black surgical mask. Upon entering the store, Franklin posed as a customer, brought items to the counter, and gave the clerk money to pay for those items. When the clerk opened the register, Franklin pulled a small silver semiautomatic handgun from his pocket, pointed it at the clerk, and demanded money in the register. The clerk complied and Franklin fled the scene.

    According to court records, later the same day, the 7-Eleven convenience store located at 8315 Steele Creek Road, in Charlotte, was robbed at gunpoint in a similar fashion as the Circle K

    robbery. At approximately 6:50 a.m., Franklin entered the store dressed identical to the robber from the Circle K robbery. Once again, Franklin acted as a customer and pretended to buy and pay for his items. When the store clerk opened the register, Franklin pulled out a small silver semi-automatic handgun and demanded money. The store clerk gave Franklin money and Franklin fled the scene. CMPD officers arrested Franklin the following day. A firearm recovered over the course of the arrest was identified as the gun used in the shooting and the two robberies.

    On February 7, 2024, Franklin pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Employee Who Stole More than $430,000 from San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Escondido resident Katherine Lu Acquista, the former director of operations and accounting for the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, was sentenced in federal court today to 12 months and 1 day in custody for stealing approximately $433,275.89 from her then-employer.  She was also ordered to pay a fine of $50,000.

    According to court documents, while employed at the non-profit organization known as EDC, Acquista used her access and authority to put personal expenses on EDC credit cards and pay those expenses using EDC funds. She also directed other employees to issue checks to her from the EDC company bank account. She then caused false entries about these transactions to be made in the EDC’s accounting system to disguise her ongoing theft. In addition, she stole from EDC’s flexible spending and payroll system. All told, she exploited her position of trust to steal more than $430,000 over at least a five-year period, between August 2017 and August 2022.

    The EDC is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization that works to grow San Diego’s economy and regional prosperity. The EDC’s mission is to maximize the region’s economic competitiveness and global competitiveness.  It is funded by individual and corporate donations, grants and investments from nearly 200 companies, public agencies, and private organizations.

    Explaining the impact of her crimes, the Chief Operating Officer of EDC stated, “[San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation] is a nonprofit organization with a mission to maximize the region’s economic prosperity and raise our global competitiveness. Acquista’sactions defied two of our closely held values – accountability and integrity.”

    “Members of our community who donate to local non-profits depend on the integrity and stewardship of those entrusted with such funds,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This sentence serves to remind those engaged in crime for profit that whether your victim is the taxpayer, government, or a local non-profit, you will be held accountable.”

    “Those who seek to misappropriate non-profit donations are acting contrary to the interest of the public good. The FBI stands ready to investigate those who violate the trust of the donors and diminish the efforts of non-profit organizations such as the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie H. Chu. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Wasserman assisted in the case.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24CR0765-AJB

    Katherine Lu Acquista                                    Age: 47                                   Escondido, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Federal Bureau of Investigation 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Escapee from Bloomfield Halfway House Sentenced to Additional Prison Time

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN McEWEN, 35, formerly of Vernon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment for escaping from a Bloomfield halfway house where he was completing a federal prison term.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 14, 2022, McEwen was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 42 months of imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  On August 1, 2023, McEwen was transferred from a federal prison in Berlin, New Hampshire, to the Drapelick Center, a Residential Reentry Center (halfway house) in Bloomfield, to complete his custodial sentence.  On November 27, 2023, McEwen was authorized to leave the halfway house to attend a state court hearing in Manchester.  He failed to return to the halfway house as required.  On December 6, 2023, McEwen was arrested by the Connecticut State Police and the Hartford Police Department on state charges unrelated to his escape.

    McEwen has been detained since his arrest.  On July 16, 2024, he pleaded guilty to escape from the custody of the Attorney General.

    This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Prisoner Indicted for Assaulting Correctional Officer at FCI Herlong

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Hewer Berlany Santos, 29, of Los Angeles, charging him with assaulting a federal officer, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, on or about Aug. 21, 2023, Santos assaulted a federal correctional officer while the officer was working at a United States federal prison located in Herlong, California.  The assault caused the officer bodily injury.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 5th Joint BoC – ECB – NY Fed Conference – Session 6

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Session 6 – Trade, firms and expectations measurement

    Session chair: Maarten Dossche, European Central Bank

    The Causal Effects of Expected Depreciations
    Martha Elena Delgado, Inter American Development Bank
    Juan Herreno, University of California, San Diego
    Marc Hofstetter, Universidad de los Andes and CEDE
    Mathieu Pedemonte*, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

    The Coherence Side of Rationality: Theory and evidence from firm plans
    Pamela Giustinelli* and Stefano Rossi, both Bocconi University

    A Choice-Based Approach to the Measurement of Inflation Expectations
    Olga Goldfayn-Frank*, Deutsche Bundesbank
    Pascal Kieren, Heidelberg University
    Stefan Trautmann, Alfred-Weber-Institute

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfdI2D-qE20

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 5th Joint BoC – ECB – NY Fed Conference – Policy Panel

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Chair: Philip R. Lane, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB

    Panellists:

    Yuriy Gorodnichenko, University of California, Berkeley
    Kim Huynh, Bank of Canada
    Wilbert van der Klaauw, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlg3W8c9QoM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 5th Joint BoC – ECB – NY Fed Conference – Session 5

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Session 5 – Geopolitical shocks, uncertainty and expectations

    Session chair: Oscar Arce, European Central Bank

    Do Election Shocks Affect Economic Expectations?
    Olivier Armantier, Gizem Kosar, Giorgio Topa* and Wilbert van der Klaauw, all Federal Reserve Bank of New York

    The Causal Effects of Inflation Uncertainty on Households’ Beliefs and Actions
    Olivier Coibion, University of Texas at Austin
    Dimitris Georgarakos*, European Central Bank
    Yuriy Gorodnichenko, University of California, Berkeley
    Geoff Kenny, European Central Bank

    Households’ Subjective Expectations: Disagreement, Common Drivers and Reaction to Monetary Policy
    Stefano Pica, Banca d’Italia
    Clodomiro Ferreira*, Banco de España

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tej_bceaiwY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKMoA receives sponsorship from Susan Chen Foundation for The Next Generation Curators Programme to cultivate future museum curatorial talent (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKMoA receives sponsorship from Susan Chen Foundation for The Next Generation Curators Programme to cultivate future museum curatorial talent (with photo)
    HKMoA receives sponsorship from Susan Chen Foundation for The Next Generation Curators Programme to cultivate future museum curatorial talent (with photo)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) is honoured to receive a generous sponsorship from the Susan Chen Foundation with which to launch The Next Generation Curators Programme, which aims to cultivate future museum curatorial talent. Applications will be invited for the programme’s six openings. Successful candidates will receive training and internship opportunities provided by the HKMoA for two years in different aspects of the museum, thus enhancing their understanding of museum operations and the art industry, and developing the next generation of curators for a career in the museum and art world.          The programme includes research of the museum collections, artists, and related projects; assisting in curation, managing and co-ordinating exhibitions and programmes organised by the HKMoA; assisting with copywriting, editing and translation; and the management, promotion and publicity of the HKMoA’s social media channels, etc.     Applications for the programme will be open from October 21 to November 10 for Hong Kong residents over 18 years old with a Hong Kong identity card and holders of a Bachelor’s Degree from a Hong Kong university or equivalent. Candidates majoring in related subjects, and with at least one year of full-time working experience in relevant fields, are preferred. For details, please visit the HKMoA’s website (hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/news/scf.html).     The late Ms Susan Chen was a globally renowned collector and dealer in Chinese art. Established in 2022, the Susan Chen Foundation is a Hong Kong-based philanthropic organisation with a mission to promote Chinese art in the local community and beyond, supporting education, research, innovation and careers in Chinese art and art history, thereby also supporting Hong Kong’s position as a major cultural hub. This sponsorship perpetuates the passion for art, culture and philanthropic spirit quietly demonstrated by Ms Chen during her life.

     
    Ends/Friday, October 18, 2024Issued at HKT 17:22

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Life-long love of nature leads EIT student to important local environmental research | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    16 mins ago

    Ryan Bauckham is in his final year of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biodiversity Management), which EIT offers in partnership with Unitec.

    A life-long love of exploring the outdoors has been the incentive for an EIT student to pursue a career in environmental research in Hawke’s Bay.

    Ryan Bauckham, 35, is in his final year of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Biodiversity Management), which EIT offers in partnership with Unitec.

    He has currently been  researching Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)  in a significant forest stand called Puahanui found near Gwavas , Tikokino.

    “It’s actually the largest stand of remnant podocarp forest in Hawke’s Bay and I’ve recorded just over 200 species of Lepidoptera there.”

    “ Most people aren’t aware there are so many moths. They are generally thought of  as nondescript brown insects, that you don’t really pay that much attention to, unless they are coming to the outdoor lights at night. But when you look at moths closer, there’s a stunning diversity, all sorts of shapes, colours and sizes.  I just find them really quite endearing and beautiful.”

    Ryan’s study means he spends a lot of time out in nature and for him it is more than just a job, but a passion.

    After leaving Karamu High School , Ryan became a postie with New Zealand Post, which he did for ten years. However, he always felt he wanted more.

    “It’s been a lifelong interest of mine, and I’ve been heading out regularly to the mountains since I was a teenager. And birds have been my main interest in life for as long as I can remember.”

    After leaving NZ Post, Ryan ended up living for five years in a camper van.

    “While I was at NZ Post, I was able to travel around the country thanks to the flexibility of work. And after that, I was able to travel more. I spent the winters overseas, mostly in Southeast Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands.”

    The turning point for Ryan was on the Kinabatangan River in Borneo in 2019 when he realised that he wanted more than “groundhog day”.

    He returned to New Zealand, but life changed even more with COVID-19 and his young son Yahya coming into his fulltime care in 2021.

    It was an advertisement for the Diploma in Environment Management (Level 5) that attracted Ryan’s attention and he decided to go for it.

    “It was really scary, actually, to give up work. But I thought that I’m not getting any younger, so I decided to make a change.”

    He says that he found going back to studying fulfilling, but soon found his interest moving from birds to insects.

    “I spent a lot of time that summer recording moths and learning their taxonomy. I was already reading a lot of research papers, but then going back to study and having to do that as a task, it felt really fulfilling.”

    Ryan faced a few challenges in his studies, the first being learning to use computers as he had not grown up with one, as well as dealing with COVID-19 lockdowns and Cyclone Gabrielle.

    However, that is all in the past and Ryan is focused on his research, which recently received a funding boost from Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay. Ryan and his supervisor, Dr Amelia McQueen, were one of thirteen groups that received support from the Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund, which is funded by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

    It will play a role in enabling Ryan to continue his research.

    “Lepidoptera also play real crucial roles in the ecosystem. They’re pollinators, decomposers and they are prey for larger organisms.”

    Ryan says that even though there are about 2,000 species in New Zealand, the life histories of many of them are “poorly understood”.

    “We don’t know their host plants or even what the larvae look like. They’re often just being described from the adult specimens. What I’m trying to do is make a comprehensive species list for the region, just simply because historically moths  have been understudied.”

    The site on private land drew Ryan because it had been deer-fenced in 2020 which allowed the understorey of the forest to regenerate.

    “When I visited there, it just felt the right place, simply because it is the largest forest remnant in Hawke’s Bay. And at one time, the whole region would have been covered in forests like that.”

    “And there’s a lot of species there that are relics, really, really relics of another age, and you wouldn’t find them outside of that environment, in the pastoral land or like an exotic forest or a newly planted one. Fortunately the landowners are really conservation focused people.”

    EIT Environmental Management Lecturer Dr Amelia McQueen agrees: “Puahanui bush is a really special place to study flora and fauna and we are lucky there are places like this still around in Hawke’s Bay.”

    “ Ryan’s study is amazing, over 200 moths and some of the observations are new for the North Island or one of a very few observations of these moths actually recorded for New Zealand. Ryan’s Lepidoptera identification skills and determination, especially doing observations on very cold nights in winter, has made his work particularly important. . . and there is more to come!”

    As for the future, Ryan does not discount continuing his studies, but there is no doubt that he has found his calling.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Holy See Press Office Communiqué: Audience with the President of the Republic of Liberia

    Source: The Holy See

    Holy See Press Office Communiqué: Audience with the President of the Republic of Liberia, 18.10.2024

    Today, 18 October 2024, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Mr. Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.
    During the cordial talks at the Secretariat of State, the good relations between the Holy See and Liberia were evoked, as well as the collaboration with the Catholic Church in the fields of education and healthcare, and some aspects of the social and economic situation of the country were discussed.
    The conversation continued with an exchange of opinions on current international affairs, with particular reference to the regional situation and migratory phenomena.
    From the Vatican, 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Timor-Leste welcomes the Statement by the Chair of the 44th and 45th ASEAN and Related Summits

    MIL OSI Translation. Timor-Leste Portuguese to English –

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

    ……………………………………………. ……………………………………………. …………………….

    Press release

    Timor-Leste welcomes the Statement by the Chair of the 44th and 45th ASEAN and Related Summits

    Timor-Leste congratulates ASEAN and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the successful conclusion of the 44th and 45th ASEAN and Related Summits from 9 to 11 October 2024. We also express our gratitude to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for its leadership throughout the year.

    We welcome the decision to support the implementation of the “Objective and Criteria-Based Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN”. Timor-Leste appreciates the positive momentum towards our ASEAN membership journey and extends its sincere gratitude to ASEAN for recognizing our continued efforts. We also express our appreciation to Member States for their continued support and commitment to this important process.

    As a sign of progress, Timor-Leste hopes to meet the Roadmap criteria for full ASEAN membership. Intensive preparations are underway to secure accession to ASEAN agreements and legal instruments under the three pillars, as stipulated in the Roadmap.

    Timor-Leste has taken several important steps towards ASEAN membership, including advocacy campaigns and national-level dialogues to raise awareness of ASEAN, participation in capacity-building and leadership programmes, and strengthening bilateral relations with all ASEAN Member States. Timor-Leste also has an expanded technical work programme aimed at introducing ASEAN legal frameworks into national policy development, ensuring alignment and integration of government policies and regulatory frameworks with ASEAN standards.

    The Timorese Government’s top-level leadership has been driving the accession process forward. Timor-Leste’s Council of Ministers adopted a resolution to establish an inter-ministerial technical working group on ASEAN accession, which catalyzed a dynamic whole-of-government work plan. Most recently, the 9th Constitutional Government appointed a Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs to accelerate accession work and oversee the Directorate-General for ASEAN Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, which coordinates and leads the accession process.

    Timor-Leste remains committed to this process and will continue to cooperate with ASEAN and dialogue partners on our journey towards full membership.

    Finally, the Government of Timor-Leste also welcomes the Malaysian Presidency in 2025 and looks forward to working closely with the President on matters of regional cooperation, including Timor-Leste’s accession. ENDS

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/18/2024, 11-24 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the carry rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment of the EUTR (EuroTrans) security were changed.

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/18/2024

    11:24

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 11-24 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -77.43%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -0.88 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 106.08%) of the EUTR (EuroTrans) security were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74104

    MIL OSI Russia News –