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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko discussed the development of the state program “Development of Physical Culture and Sports” with the sports community and business

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of physical culture and sports”

    October 14, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of physical culture and sports”

    October 14, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of physical culture and sports”

    October 14, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko and Minister of Sports Mikhail Degtyarev at a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of Physical Culture and Sports”

    October 14, 2024

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    Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of physical culture and sports”

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the development of a comprehensive state program “Development of physical culture and sports.”

    It was attended by the Minister of Sports Mikhail Degtyarev, the Governor of the Tula Region, Chairman of the State Council Commission on Physical Culture and Sports Dmitry Milyaev, the Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Moscow Region Dmitry Abarenov, the General Director and Chairman of the Board of JSC Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov, the President of the All-Russian Federation of Dance Sport, Breaking and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll Nadezhda Erastova, as well as other representatives of federal and regional executive authorities, sports federations and the business community.

    The participants discussed the formation of the program and its management system. During the meeting, Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to the development of the sports industry.

    “On the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, the Government, together with the State Council commissions, is developing a comprehensive state program, “Development of Physical Culture and Sports,” taking into account federal, national and other state programs. In the changed conditions, Russian sports have become an area that requires the integration of a huge number of infrastructure development activities in the field of high-performance sports, mass and youth sports. When forming a state program, a comprehensive approach to the development of the sports industry is needed, taking into account the interests of all interested parties: government bodies, the sports community, and business,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    He thanked the Ministry of Sports for its prompt work in preparing the necessary documents, as well as for fulfilling the instructions of President Vladimir Putin.

    Mikhail Degtyarev noted that the comprehensive state program will include measures aimed at developing physical culture and sports, implemented, among other things, through extra-budgetary sources.

    “Seven state corporations and large companies with state participation have already agreed to provide such information – these are Rostec, VTB, Otkritie Bank, Russian Post, Rosatom, Rostelecom, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. 32 sports federations are ready to provide such information; in the future, their concealment of attracted extra-budgetary funds may become grounds for revoking accreditation. We have included this norm in Government Resolution No. 1661 on the approval of the state program. In order to promptly resolve issues at the interdepartmental level and improve coordination, we propose creating a Government Commission for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports. Its composition will be approved by a resolution of the Government of Russia, and the presidium may subsequently be transferred the functions of the governing council of the state program,” the minister said.

    During the meeting, proposals from state commissions, the experience of the Tula region in assessing the level of citizen satisfaction with the conditions for physical education and sports were discussed, and proposals were made to include new events in the comprehensive program, such as “Sports in the countryside”, “Development of adaptive physical education and sports”, including rehabilitation of participants in a special military operation, and “Development of corporate sports”.

    CEO and Chairman of the Board of JSC Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov spoke about the support of sports schools located on the Eastern Polygon of the railways, the renovation of sports halls and the acquisition of sports equipment for comprehensive schools in the Far East. He emphasized that all funds allocated by the company to support corporate physical education and sports, as well as to support other sports organizations, are extra-budgetary and Russian Railways is ready to provide the necessary information for the analytical accounting of these funds in the comprehensive state programs of the Russian Federation for the development of physical education and sports.

    The President of the All-Russian Federation of Dance Sport, Breaking and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll Nadezhda Erastova noted that the main sources of funding for the federation are sponsorships and donations. These funds are used for athletes to participate in international competitions, conduct training events for national teams, support promising young athletes, as well as finance treatment, internships, monthly bonuses for coaches, assistance and support for regional sports organizations and the popularization of this sport.

    Summing up, Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that the comprehensive program must take into account the activities of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to improve the level of the sports industry and Rosmolodezh to develop sports among young people.

    Decisions were made to include in the program events for the development of the sports industry and sports among young people, as well as to form a Government Commission for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports. The Ministry of Sports was instructed to analyze the methodology for calculating the level of satisfaction of citizens with the conditions for sports activities proposed by the Governor of the Tula Region, and to take into account off-budget financing of events within the program.

    In conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister invited everyone involved in the topic of sports to attend the forum “Russia – a Sports Power”, which will be held in Ufa on October 17–19.

    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/52992/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Alliance Witan PLC – Transaction In Own Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Alliance Witan PLC
    LEI: 213800SZZD4E2IOZ9W55
      
    TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES
     
    Alliance Witan PLC (“the Company”) announces that today the Company purchased 130,000 ordinary shares of 2.5p each at a price of 1,224.37810p per share, to be held in Treasury.
     
    Following the transaction, the Company’s issued share capital comprises 405,193,982 ordinary shares of which 3,507,000 ordinary shares are held in Treasury. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company is 401,686,982 ordinary shares.
     
    For reporting purposes under the FCA’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules the market should exclude any shares held in Treasury and should use the figure 401,686,982 when determining if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company.
     
    Enquiries:
     
    Juniper Partners Limited
    Company Secretary
     
    Telephone: 0131 378 0500
     
    14 October 2024

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Frédéric Imbert Commemorates 15 Years of Bitcoin through Art with the Bitcoin Masterpiece

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On the occasion of Bitcoin’s 15th anniversary, renowned artist Frédéric Imbert unveils The Bitcoin Masterpiece, an innovative work that fuses art and technology. This limited edition collection consists of 99 pieces. The artwork pushes the boundaries of art while carving its place in the history of the crypto space.

    The Bitcoin Masterpiece: An Artwork Reflecting the Bitcoin Revolution

    An exceptional piece of art is set to leave its mark on the history of cryptocurrency. Frédéric Imbert, alongside his son Bastien Imbert, is preparing to launch The Bitcoin Masterpiece, a groundbreaking creation inspired by the Bitcoin logo, merging art with cutting-edge technology.

    This work stands out with its sleek and sophisticated design. The carbon and aluminum frame, measuring 95 cm x 95 cm x 5 cm and weighing 12.8 kg, incorporates advanced electronic components. Using 146 glass displays and 217 low-pressure neon lamps, the piece lights up the Bitcoin logo second by second, through successive patterns, creating a stunning visual effect. Frédéric Imbert meticulously hand-assembles each piece in his Paris workshop, ensuring exceptional quality.

    The artwork offers a dynamic and captivating representation of the Bitcoin universe. It incorporates several interactive elements, making it a living and evolving piece:

    • Progressive and random illuminations of the Bitcoin logo
    • Real-time display of Bitcoin’s market price, allowing for real-time tracking of its fluctuations
    • Presentation of essential Bitcoin-related data, providing an overview of the ecosystem

    This fusion of art and technology transforms each piece into a gateway to the crypto world, while maintaining a refined aesthetic worthy of the most prestigious contemporary art pieces.

    The Limited Edition for Enthusiasts and Collectors

    The Bitcoin Masterpiece collection is available in 99 numbered pieces. Each piece, unique and customizable upon request, receives the artist’s meticulous attention. Its rarity, combined with artisanal quality and technological innovation, makes it a potential investment for art collectors and crypto enthusiasts alike.

    Each piece is priced at 1 Bitcoin, reflecting the ambition of the project, its symbolism, and its deep connection to the leading cryptocurrency.

    The Bitcoin Masterpiece will debut at an exclusive vernissage held at The Outpost, a private mansion in the heart of Paris’s 17th arrondissement. The event that will take place on October 23rd will mark the official launch of the collection.

    To register for the event, visit: https://lu.ma/afep9ro4

    The Visionary Artist Behind The Bitcoin Masterpiece

    Frédéric Imbert, the creative mind behind The Bitcoin Masterpiece, is a renowned artist and engineer. Born in Monaco and based near Paris, he has distinguished himself for more than two decades by his ability to fuse art and science into unique contemporary creations.

    His passion for electronics and intricate watchmaking is reflected in each of his works, which often incorporate rare and iconic electronic components. Imbert’s distinctive style is characterized by the use of vintage and modern parts, creating visual symphonies that celebrate the passage of time and pay homage to technological and architectural icons.

    The Collection Backed by Esteemed Partners

    The Bitcoin Masterpiece is already supported by several renowned partners in the crypto and digital art industries. These collaborations will help boost the artwork’s visibility and strengthen its position in the world of crypto art.

    The Bitcoin Masterpiece represents the convergence of technological innovation and artistic expression. This creation by Frédéric Imbert offers collectors, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, and digital art lovers the chance to own a work that stands at the crossroads of these worlds. The Bitcoin Masterpiece is destined to become a symbol of the crypto era in the art world.

    Social Links

    Twitter : @BTC_Masterpiece

    Instagram : thebitcoinmasterpiece

    Event : https://lu.ma/afep9ro4

    Media Contact

    Brand: The Bitcoin Masterpiece

    Contact: Media team

    Email: contact@thebitcoinmasterpiece.com

    Website: https://www.thebitcoinmasterpiece.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five simple questions can help spot exaggerated research claims over sex differences in the brain

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gina Rippon, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive NeuroImaging, Aston University

    shutterstock FocalFinder/Shutterstock

    In the last ten years, some 20,000 or so academic papers have been published on the neuroscience of sex and gender. Perhaps you have read the media coverage of such papers, suggesting there’s finally proof that stereotypical abilities such as men being good at reading maps or women excelling at nurturing can be pinpointed in the brain.

    Given the sheer quantity of output in this area, how can you tell what is really groundbreaking research, and what is an overenthusiastic application of hype?

    Misleading spin is often blamed on university PR teams, non-specialist science writers in mainstream newspapers, or social media. But the source of deceptive impressions may sometimes be the research papers themselves.

    For example, researchers may hyper-focus on a limited set of findings. They may fail to report that many of the differences they were looking for didn’t make the statistical cut. Or they may be less than cautious in discussing the impact of their findings.

    Just as much as researchers need to be meticulous about the best methodology and the most powerful statistics, they need to manage the impressions they make when communicating their research. And, if they don’t, then the interested but non-expert reader may need help to spot this.

    Magic: spotting the spin

    My colleagues and I recently published a set of guidelines which offer just such assistance, identifying five sources of potential misrepresentation to look out for. The initials helpfully form the acronym “Magic”, which is short for magnitude, accuracy, generalisability, inflation and credibility.

    For magnitude, the question is: is the extent of any differences clearly and accurately described? Take this 2015 study on sex differences in the human brain. It reported on 34,716 different patterns of functional brain connectivity, and found statistical differences between females and males in 178 of them.

    Yet given that less than 0.5% of all possible differences they were measuring actually turned out to be statistically significant, they wouldn’t really be justified in reporting sex differences as prominent. In this study, they weren’t.

    The next question is to do with accuracy. Are techniques and variables clearly defined and carefully used in the interpretation of results? It should be really clear how the study was run, what measures were taken, and why.

    For example, a recent paper suggesting that the Covid lockdown effects had a more pronounced effect on adolescent girls’ brain structure than boys’ fell at this hurdle. The abstract referred to “longitudinal measures” and much of the narrative was couched in longitudinal “pre- and post-Covid” terms. Longitudinal studies –– which follow the same group of people over time –– are great as they can discover crucial changes in them.

    But if you peer closely at the paper, it emerges that the pre- and post-Covid lockdown comparisons appear to be between two different samples – admittedly selected from an ongoing longitudinal study. Nonetheless, it is not clear that like was compared with like.

    Don’t believe everything you hear about male and female capabilities.
    CrispyPork/Shutterstock

    The third question has to do with generalisability. Are authors cautious about how widely the results might be applied? Here we encounter the problem with many scientific studies being carried out on carefully selected and screened groups of participants – sometimes just their own students.

    Care should be taken to ensure this is clear to the reader, who shouldn’t be left with the impression that one or more sets of participants can be taken to be fully representative of (say) all females or all males. If all study participants are selected from the same single community, then referring to “hundreds of millions of people” in interpreting the relevance of the results is something of an overstatement.

    The fourth category, inflation, is to do with whether the authors avoid language that overstates the importance of their results. Terms such as “profound” and “fundamental” may be misplaced, for instance. Remember, James Watson and Francis Crick merely described their discovery of DNA’s double helix structure as of “considerable biological interest”.

    Finally, we should consider credibility: are authors careful to acknowledge how their findings do or do not fit with existing research? Authors should be up front about alternative explanations for their findings, or suggest other factors that might need to be investigated in further studies.

    Suppose, for example, they are looking at the allegedly robust sex differences in visuospatial skills, which include things like visual perception and spatial awareness. Have the authors acknowledged research suggesting that the amount of time people spend on practising this skill, such as when playing video games, has been shown to be more significant than biological sex in determining such differences?

    If gamers are more likely to be boys, that doesn’t necessarily mean their brains are wired for them – it could equally well be reflecting gendered pressures that make such games a popular, culturally comfortable pastime among boys.

    The focus of these guidelines is on sex/gender brain imaging studies, but they could well be applied to other areas of research.

    Post-lockdown surveys have suggested that the public has greater trust in what scientists are saying than they did before the pandemic. Scientists need to be careful that they retain that trust by ensuring that what they report is unambiguous and free from hype.

    Hopefully the Magic guidelines will help them and their editors achieve this; if they don’t, then eagle-eyed readers, Magic-ally armed, will be on their guard.

    Gina Rippon 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. Five simple questions can help spot exaggerated research claims over sex differences in the brain – https://theconversation.com/five-simple-questions-can-help-spot-exaggerated-research-claims-over-sex-differences-in-the-brain-240356

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s brutal war has become many wars, making peace even harder to reach

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Willis, Professor of History, Durham University

    A fire in Omdurman market near Khartoum following fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. Abd Almohimen Sayed / Shutterstock

    Sudan’s war runs grimly on. The two main protagonists (though there are others involved) are each claiming local victories. The Sudanese army appears to be slowly regaining control of the ruined capital, Khartoum, and has recovered some ground it lost elsewhere in Sudan. And the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues its brutal siege of the western city of El Fasher.

    But, while the army seems to have the upper hand at present, neither they nor the RSF looks likely to win outright. Instead, the two sides keep up a mutual battering with ill-aimed barrages of artillery fire and bombs that destroy markets, wreck hospitals, and each day add to the grim toll of civilian death and misery.

    Abdel-Fattah al Burhan, the general who seized power and derailed what was supposed to be a transition to civilian rule after the revolution of 2019, still insists he is the head of Sudan’s legitimate government, and that the army will win the war.

    The RSF’s leader, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who is referred to as Hemedti, had initially been willing to play deputy to Burhan, but is now his bitter enemy. He makes a show of being willing to negotiate, but relentlessly pursues a military victory.

    It is tempting to point the finger at actors outside Sudan for their part in the spiralling violence. There are multiple credible allegations that the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Russia have all helped arm or finance one side or other in pursuit of regional influence or economic gain. Libya’s eastern – but not internationally recognised – government has also been accused of complicity.

    Some would say there are sins of omission as well as commission. The US, EU and others have all called for an end to this war. But they could be doing more to stop the flow of weapons and money that helps keep the fighting going, and to mobilise more concerted action to protect civilians.

    The world stands accused of turning its back on Sudan, despite being its biggest hunger and displacement crisis. But external actors did not start the war, and they cannot simply end it.

    Despite their common cause in a counter-revolutionary coup in 2021, the war started when Burhan and Hemedti fell out over who would have military and political primacy – and the associated economic benefits – in Sudan.

    They’ve already decided the country isn’t big enough for the both of them, so it’s nigh-on impossible to negotiate the usual kind of deal that shares power between foes.

    Burhan is intensely sensitive about the fragile sovereignty of his government, and views external mediation as foreign meddling. He has always insisted that the army can win an outright victory, and now he is encouraged by recent gains. Yet he is a long way from regaining control of the whole country.

    Hemedti, who craves the status that would come from negotiations, makes grandiloquent offers of ceasefires, coupled with promises to respect human rights – all while the RSF continues to murder, rape and loot. Hubris and hypocrisy make poor bases for negotiation.

    A precarious balancing act

    This is also not a war simply being waged between two individuals. Neither the army nor the RSF are coherent or well disciplined – the RSF, in particular, is a messy constellation of armed men, mostly from western Sudan (and, allegedly, further afield). They share a distinctive style of camouflage dress and a sense of long-term exclusion, but are not under close or effective control.

    The army has more formal structures – too many, perhaps – but these are also fragmented. Strong on generals and air firepower but weak on fighting forces, the army is adapting the government’s old playbook of mobilising local militias.

    The war has become several wars, drawing in other armed groups whose alliances with either the army or the RSF are contingent or opportunistic.

    Since independence in 1956, Sudan has mostly been a militarised state, where power was won by force. Those who ruled it feared their fellow soldiers and so created alternative forces, hoping these would back them against potential coups. Some of these groups had distinct social bases in particular regions or ethnic groups.

    This fragmentation had been happening since the 1970s, but it became endemic during the long reign of Sudan’s former president, Omar al-Bashir. Bashir stayed in power for 30 years by dividing possible rivals within the ruling elite, and used the multiplying, competing arms of the “security forces” to fight rebels on the margins.

    What seemed like a powerful, authoritarian system was, in fact, a brutal but precarious balancing act. After Bashir fell in 2019, the transitional government floundered. The soldiers seized power, then the complex rivalries and institutional fragmentation proved unsustainable. The core institutions that held Sudan together have shattered.

    So who, if anyone, can put Sudan back together again? Burhan and Hemedti are in no mood, and may anyway lack the control of their followers needed for any deal to stick.

    Civilian politicians were discredited by the bickering of the transition, and the most prominent of them seem confused between claiming to be a government-in-exile or trying to build a bigger anti-war coalition.

    At present, Sudan faces either the long-term absence of central authority or, more dramatically, an effective division into two or more states, whether or not these are internationally recognised. Some might say we should not mourn this – Sudan was a colonial creation, made by violence and predation. But this is an outcome that may only increase misery and misrule.

    However, there is still resistance amid the ruination. Sudan’s post-Bashir transition to democracy, as envisaged by the UN and others, is long dead. But in some vital ways, the popular revolution that toppled Bashir lives on.

    Grassroots emergency response rooms organise whatever lifesaving support for desperate communities that they can. And women and youth – the revolution’s vanguard – continue to organise, agitate and debate Sudan’s future among themselves, as well as demand a role in making it. They deserve our solidarity.

    Many, both Sudanese and non-Sudanese, refuse to let go of the idea of a better Sudan that has never yet been realised, but just might rise up from these ashes.

    Sharath Srinivasan is a Fellow and Trustee of the Rift Valley Institute.

    Justin Willis 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. Sudan’s brutal war has become many wars, making peace even harder to reach – https://theconversation.com/sudans-brutal-war-has-become-many-wars-making-peace-even-harder-to-reach-240585

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine faces worsening odds on the battlefield and a struggle on the diplomatic front after Biden postpones summit

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

    In May 2023, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, embarked on a whistle-stop tour of European capitals to shore up support from his western partners in the run-up to Ukraine’s summer offensive that year. His tour was a relative success – the subsequent offensive less so.

    Fast forward 18 months, and Zelensky has once again been visiting London, Paris, Rome and Berlin in search for western support. This time, he sought backing for his victory plan. But the odds now are clearly stacked against Ukraine on the battlefield. And Zelensky also faces an uphill struggle on the diplomatic front.

    The initial plan for Zelensky and his allies had been to convene at a meeting of the Ramstein group. This is the loose configuration of some 50 countries who have supported Ukraine’s defence efforts since the start of the full-scale Russian aggression in February 2022.

    With the US president, Joe Biden, scheduled to attend after a state visit to Germany, the gathering at Ramstein Air Base in Germany had been pitched at the level of heads of state and government. It was expected that there were to be some big announcements of continuing support for Ukraine.

    The world is watching the US election campaign unfolding. Sign up to join us at a special Conversation event on October 17. Expert panellists will discuss with the audience the upcoming election and its possible fallout.

    But with hurricane Milton scheduled to hit Florida, Biden was forced to cancel his trip. While Biden’s visit to Germany has apparently been rescheduled for October 18, 2024, the Ramstein meeting remains postponed.

    This has deprived the Ukrainian president of the chance to pitch his victory plan to his more important allies. So he has been unable to get them to commit to the support that will be necessary to implement it.

    We don’t yet know much about the Ukrainian victory plan. From what has been released or leaked, it appears to boil down to five key demands.

    Zelensky wants an accelerated path to Nato membership. He is also asking for a Nato-enforced no-fly zone over western Ukraine and more air-defence systems for the country to better protect its own skies.

    Other key elements of the plan involve permission to use western-supplied long-range missiles against targets deep inside Russia, the delivery of long-range German Taurus ballistic missiles and significant investment into Ukraine’s defence industry.

    Most of these demands are non-starters in western capitals. That much was already made clear during Zelensky’s recent trip to New York and Washington in mid-September.

    The Ukrainian president managed to get his US counterpart to authorise US$8 billion (£6.12 billion) in further security assistance. But there has been no progress on lifting the restrictions that the US and other allies are placing on Ukraine’s use of western military aid against Russian territory.

    The western alliance remains divided on this. And the US is particularly sceptical of its strategic value.

    Similarly, the prospect of Ukraine joining Nato continues to be remote – not least as it would require the consent of all 32 current member states. The Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, has openly stated that he will veto Ukraine’s accession to the alliance. His Hungarian counterpart, Victor Orban, is also well known for his opposition to Kyiv joining the alliance.

    More damaging to Ukraine’s Nato aspirations, however, is a similar reluctance in both Washington and Berlin. This has been key in ensuring that the two most recent Nato summits in Vilnius in 2023 and Washington in 2024 only re-affirmed that “Ukraine’s future is in Nato” but failed to attach a clear timeline to it.

    Kyiv’s allies need to double down – now

    At the end of his meeting with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, on October 11, Zelensky secured another €1.4 billion (£1.17 billion) worth of air defences, tanks, drones and artillery, to be jointly delivered by Germany, Belgium, Denmark and Norway.

    But Taurus ballistic missiles – top of Kyiv’s shopping list – are not included in this package. While predictable, this was a major disappointment for Zelensky. As was the fact that he essentially walked away empty-handed from his meetings in London, Paris and Rome.

    There is no indication that any of these major allies are likely to withdraw their support. But it is equally clear that they are not prepared to increase it decisively.

    This was also evident during the visit to Kyiv of the new Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte, on October 3. Rutte travelled to Ukraine within days of assuming the role to reiterate the continuation of the alliance’s support. But as symbolically important as this was, he merely confirmed what had already been agreed rather than announcing anything new.

    The EU did marginally better. On October 10 it was announced the bloc was set to extend the training programme for Ukrainian troops until the end of 2026. The mission was launched in November 2022 and has trained some 60,000 troops to date. That’s about half of all Ukrainian soldiers trained abroad – and three times the number who received training from the US.

    The EU’s overall aid to Ukraine now stands at €162 billion since the beginning of the war in 2022, compared to €84 billion from the US. Two-thirds of US aid is military in nature, and with almost €57 billion to date, it dwarfs the contributions by Germany and the UK, the two next-largest donors with around €10 billion each.

    These are impressive numbers and there can be no doubt that Ukraine would have lost this war long ago without support from its western allies. Yet, the fact is that what Ukraine’s western partners currently provide is barely enough to prevent a Ukrainian defeat, let alone enable Ukraine to implement its victory plan.

    Vladimir Putin has consistently raised his country’s war effort to meet any challenges presented over the course of the conflict. Unless the west doubles down on its support to allow Kyiv to do the same, not only will Ukraine not win this war, it is in serious danger of losing it.

    The high-level meeting planned for Ramstein would have been the opportunity for the west to change gear decisively. Ukraine can only hope that its postponement, rather than outright cancellation, means its allies may yet step up to the plate.

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

    – ref. Ukraine faces worsening odds on the battlefield and a struggle on the diplomatic front after Biden postpones summit – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-faces-worsening-odds-on-the-battlefield-and-a-struggle-on-the-diplomatic-front-after-biden-postpones-summit-240805

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biden IRA, Dept of Energy funding restarts Michigan’s Palisades Nuclear, boosting Boilermaker jobs

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Thanks to President Biden, Governor Whitmer and the Democratic policies, union Boilermakers at Local 169 are being rewarded with work opportunities that would otherwise not exist. And because of policies championed by the Democratic party, such as the Davis-Bacon Act, employees on site must receive prevailing wages, which protects union workers and provides opportunities for union contractors.

    Bob Hutsell, Local 169, Detroit, BM-ST

    Read more about the Palisades Nuclear project from CNBC. 

    When the Palisades Nuclear Plant in southern Michigan was mothballed in May 2022 after more than 40 years of commercial operation, it seemed the decommissioning was likely permanent.

    Just two years later in an “about face,” nuclear is regaining favor as a clean, efficient energy producer, and the plant has attracted an infusion of government funding that puts Palisades on track for a restart as early as the end of next year.

    Palisades owner, Holtec International, credits Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for taking the initial action to help the plant return to service, noting that Whitmer made it a priority and signed bipartisan legislation that provided state funding and supported Holtec’s application for federal financing. Whitmer pushed for and secured $150 million in state funding for the plant’s re-opening. Another $150 million was later invested.

    According to the Holtec’s website, plans are in motion for repowering the facility, “Thanks to the groundswell of support from the State of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Energy… Getting Palisades back online gives Michigan a clean, reliable, safe source of continued energy. It provides hundreds of jobs to the community, as well as extended economic benefits for the region.”

    The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $1.5 billion to recommission the plant.  

    “Thanks to President Biden, Governor Whitmer and the Democratic policies, union Boilermakers at Local 169 (Detroit) are being rewarded with work opportunities that would otherwise not exist,” said L-169 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Bob Hutsell. “And because of policies championed by the Democratic party, such as the Davis-Bacon Act, employees on site must receive prevailing wages, which protects union workers and provides opportunities for union contractors.”

    There are currently 22 Local 169 Boilermakers working at the Palisades site, and with the future work and proposed construction of two new modular units, Hutsell expects 60 Boilermakers will be on site.

    Palisades is planning to install two modular nuclear units once the recommissioning is complete.

    As of December 2023, Holtec had begun its program to build its first two SMR-300 reactor units at Palisades. The existing Palisades plant, refurbished with an array of enhancements, is on track to be restarted by the end of 2025 and is designed to provide decades of safe and reliable service. The addition of two SMRs near the existing 800-MW plant will nearly double the Michigan site’s total carbon-free generation capacity.

    On their website, Holtec stated: “A restart of Palisades could mark a turning point for the nuclear industry after a decade in which a dozen reactors have shut down across the country.”

    Palisades is being credited as the catalyst for the recent announcement from Constellation on restarting Pennylvania’s Three Mile Island Unit 1, which provides Boilermaker work for Local 13 (Philadelphia).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nobel economics prize: how colonial history explains why strong institutions are vital to a country’s prosperity – expert Q&A

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    This year’s Nobel memorial prize in economics has gone to Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and James Robinson of the University of Chicago for their work on why there are such vast differences in prosperity between nations.

    While announcing the award, Jakob Svensson, the chairman of the economics prize committee, said: “Reducing the huge differences in income between countries is one of our times’ greatest challenges”. The economists’ “groundbreaking research” has given us a “much deeper understanding of the root causes of why countries fail or succeed.”

    The award, which was established several decades after the original Nobel prizes in the 1960s, is technically known as the Sveriges Riksbank prize in economic sciences. The academics will share the award and its 11 million kroner (£810,000) cash prize.

    To explain their work and why it matters, we talked to Renaud Foucart, a senior lecturer in economics at Lancaster University in the UK.

    What did Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson win for?

    The three academics won the prize mostly for providing causal evidence of the influence of the quality of a country’s institutions on its economic prosperity.

    At first glance, this may seem like reinventing the wheel. Most people would agree that a country that enforces property rights, limits corruption, and protects both the rule of law and the balance of power, will also be more successful at encouraging its citizens to create wealth, and be better at redistributing it.

    But anyone following the news in Turkey, Hungary, the US or even the UK, will be aware that not everyone agrees. In Hungary for instance, cases of corruption, nepotism, a lack of media pluralism, and threats to the independence of the judiciary have led to a fierce battle with the European Union.

    Rich countries typically have strong institutions. But several (wannabe) leaders are perfectly comfortable with weakening the rule of law. They do not seem to see institutions as the cause of their prosperity, just as something that happens to be correlated.

    In their view, why does the quality of institutions vary across countries?

    Their work starts with something that has clearly not had a direct effect on today’s economic prosperity: living conditions at the start of European colonialism in the 14th century. Their hypothesis is that, the richer and the more inhospitable to outsiders a place was, the more colonial powers were interested in brutally stealing the country’s riches.

    In that case, they built institutions without any regard for the people living there. This led to low quality institutions during the colonial period, that continued through independence and led to bad economic conditions today.

    All of this is because – and this is another domain to which this year’s laureates contributed – institutions create the conditions of their own persistence.

    In contrast, in more hospitable and less developed places, colonialists did not take resources. They instead settled and tried to create wealth. So, it was in their (selfish) interest to build democratic institutions that benefited people living there.

    The researchers then tested their hypothesis by looking at historical data. First, they found a “great reversal” of fortune. Places that were the most urbanised and densely populated in 1500 became the poorest by 1995. Second, they found that places where settlers died quickly from disease and could therefore not stay – while local populations were mostly immune – are also poorer today.

    Looking at the colonial roots of institutions is an attempt to disentangle causes and consequences. It is also perhaps the main reason why the committee would say that even if this year’s laureates did not invent the idea that institutions matter, their contribution is worthy of the highest distinction.

    Some have suggested the work simply argues ‘democracy means economic growth’. Is this true?

    Not in a vacuum. For instance, their work does not tell us that imposing democracy from scratch on a country with otherwise malfunctioning institutions will work. There is no reason for a democratic leader not to become corrupt.

    Institutions are a package. And this is why it is so important to preserve their different aspects today. Weakening even a little bit of the protections the state offers to citizens, workers, entrepreneurs and investors may then lead to a vicious circle where people do not feel safe that they will be defended against corruption or expropriation. And this leads to lower prosperity and more calls for authoritarian rules.

    There may also be outliers. China is clearly trying to push the idea that capitalism without a liberal democracy can be compatible with economic success.

    The growth of China since Deng Xiaoping’s reforms in the 1980s coincides with the introduction of stronger property rights for entrepreneurs and businesses. And, in that sense, it is a textbook version of the power of institutions.

    But it is also true that Deng Xiaoping ordered the crushing by the military of the Tiananmen Square protests for democracy in 1989. China today also has a clearly more authoritarian system than western democracies.

    And China is still much poorer than its democratic counterparts, despite being the world’s second-largest economy. China’s GDP per capita is not even a fifth of that of the US, and it is facing major economic challenges of its own.

    Actually, according to Acemoglu, Xi Jinping’s increasingly authoritarian regime is the reason why China’s economy is “rotting from the head”.

    What trajectory are democratic institutions throughout the world currently on?

    Acemoglu has expressed concern that democratic institutions in the US and Europe are losing support from the population. And, indeed, many democracies do seem to be doubting the importance of protecting their institutions.

    They flirt with giving more power to demagogues who claim it is possible to be successful without a strong set of rules that bind the hands of the rulers. I doubt today’s prize will have the slightest influence on them.

    But if there is one message to take home from the work of this year’s laureates, it is that voters should be cautious not to throw the baby of economic prosperity with the bathwater of the sometimes frustrating rules that sustain it.

    Renaud Foucart 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. Nobel economics prize: how colonial history explains why strong institutions are vital to a country’s prosperity – expert Q&A – https://theconversation.com/nobel-economics-prize-how-colonial-history-explains-why-strong-institutions-are-vital-to-a-countrys-prosperity-expert-qanda-241305

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How AI can help you make a computer game without knowing anything about coding

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Zhou Hao, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, University of Leicester

    Even kids can do it. Lassedesignen

    Just as calculators took over the tedious number-crunching in maths a few decades ago, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming coding. Take Kyo, an eight-year-old boy in Singapore who developed a simple platform game in just two hours, attracting over 500,000 players.

    Using nothing but simple instructions in English, Kyo brought his vision to life leveraging the coding app Cursor and also Claude, a general purpose AI. Although his dad is a coder, Kyo didn’t get any help from him to design the game and has no formal coding education himself. He went on to build another game, an animation app, a drawing app and a chatbot, taking about two hours for each.

    This shows how AI is dramatically lowering the barrier to software development, bridging the gap between creativity and technical skill. Among the range of apps and platforms dedicated to this purpose, others include Google’s AlphaCode 2 and Replit’s Ghostwriter.

    In another example of the power of these apps, an eight-year-old American girl called Fay built a chatbot that purported to be Harry Potter. She had it up and running in just 45 minutes, at which point it asked if she had heard the rumours about the Deathly Hallows and suggested they discuss it over a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.

    For those that already know how to code, numerous AI apps have become incredibly helpful too. At the other extreme from the natural language coding apps described above, tools like Tabnine and GitHub Copilot act as intelligent assistants, predicting and autocompleting code as you type.

    Alternatives such as Sourcery and DeepCode go a step further, offering real-time code cleanup, suggesting improvements and fixing vulnerabilities. New tools are emerging weekly, such as OpenAI’s GPT Canvas, a new GPT version designed to help with sophisticated coding. Many of these tools can also translate code from one programming language to another, say from JavaScript to Python.

    The productivity gains that these tools offer are revolutionising the software industry. As many as 70% of companies have already adopted the likes of GitHub Copilot, with coders reporting that AI is enabling them to write software that is more reliable and bug free.

    By removing the need to spend so many hours ironing out human errors, coders are able to spend more time focusing on higher value tasks such as designing system architecture and collaborating with colleagues.

    It is also changing the game for university educators like myself as we race to keep up. We’ve been having to rethink teaching materials and also assessment methods, wrestling with how exactly to grade a student’s coding in situations where AI tools are doing much of the work.

    Today’s limitations

    As exciting as all this is, AI coding is still in its infancy. At this stage it can only help non-coders to build simple applications or games. It can’t yet oversee big complex IT projects by understanding the big picture in a way that a human coder would.

    It can’t yet invent new ways to solve problems either, and is still more likely to lag in areas like, say, spacecraft navigation that require highly specialised knowledge.

    Many tools also don’t write perfect code: a program will often work but won’t be efficient or secure enough for use in the real world. Similarly, AI tools don’t inherently understand the context of the data they process, so may mishandle sensitive information or perpetuate biases present in the data on which they were trained.

    For all these reasons, in professional situations there’s still a need for a coder to make sure that everything is meeting the necessary standards. No doubt in future we may see AI coding tools designed to handle everything from security issues to highly specialised subject matter. Their ability to help non-coders to build apps will also only improve. For now at least, however, AI coding is still amplifying the skills of coders rather than replacing them altogether.

    How to build your own game

    All the same, it’s incredible what you can do with these tools as a non-coder already. Here’s a quick guide to making a simple platform game:

    Step 1: Sign up for an AI tool: Create an account with, say, Cursor or AlphaCode 2 and follow the setup instructions. Depending on which tool you choose, you may need to do a quick install. You may also need to install a programming language such as Python, as well as a source code editor such as VS Studio Code 2 – the coding platform will keep you right on this.

    Step 2: Start your game: Open a new project in the tool. Into the prompt, type: “Create a simple platform game where the platforms are made of sweet treats”.

    Step 3: See what it’s like: Click “run” or “preview” to see what you’ve created (depending on which system you are using, you may have to do this in the source code editor). You should see platforms made of candy or cakes.

    Step 4: Make some changes: Let’s say we change the main character into a parrot. Simply type into the prompt: “Make the avatar a green parrot”.

    Step 5: Add features: Now type into the prompt: “Let the parrot be controlled by the cursor arrows, insert some sweets for it to collect and add a score counter for how many it has collected”.

    Step 6: Test and tweak: Click “run” or “preview” again to test the updated game. Make changes by typing things like, “Insert a black crow that will chase the parrot around the screen. If the crow touches the parrot, freeze the screen and display a message in the middle of the screen saying ‘Too Bad!!!’”. Keep repeating these steps until you’re happy with the results.

    Step 7: Get it out there: You might now want to share your game with friends or online via an app store. It must be said that AI coders are not yet doing this well, so you may find this trickier without prior knowledge. One option is to deploy the game online via a free platform such as Zeabur, as explained here.

    Daniel Zhou Hao 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. How AI can help you make a computer game without knowing anything about coding – https://theconversation.com/how-ai-can-help-you-make-a-computer-game-without-knowing-anything-about-coding-240584

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why autumn 2024 is your best chance to see lots of weird and wonderful fungi

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rowena Hill, Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycology, Earlham Institute

    Parrot waxcaps fruit in autumn across northern Europe. Dan Molter/Wikipedia, CC BY

    The UK and north-western Europe have had a particularly wet 2024. Extreme weather patterns caused by climate change are nothing to celebrate, but there is one group of organisms that will have appreciated all the rain.

    Numerous languages have a saying to the effect of “growing like mushrooms after the rain”. Indeed, rainfall across the year is a major factor in the prevalence of mushrooms. These are the short-lived structures we see poking above the soil that fungi use for reproduction. The rest of the fungus is actually there all the time, growing within the soil in a web of filaments known as mycelium.

    Similar to the way plants spread their offspring via seeds, fungi produce mushrooms to release spores that can be carried on the wind or spread by animals. As with any organism’s reproduction, it costs the fungus a lot of energy to make mushrooms, so its decision to make this investment will be attuned to when it is likely to have the best chance of success.

    Spores need moisture to germinate, and it generally helps if it’s not too cold. Autumn in the temperate climate found across much of Europe usually provides these conditions in abundance. Add in a mild, wet summer to get things started and that’s why we’re probably looking at a bumper autumn for wild mushrooms in 2024.

    Do the seasons feel increasingly weird to you? You’re not alone. Climate change is distorting nature’s calendar, causing plants to flower early and animals to emerge at the wrong time.

    This article is part of a series, Wild Seasons, on how the seasons are changing – and what they may eventually look like.

    How to make the most of it

    Some of the most prized gourmet mushrooms can be foraged in autumn, like chanterelles or porcini. When done responsibly, it’s a great hobby. But foragers beware: there has been an influx of mushroom identification books written by generative-AI and riddled with (potentially deadly) errors, so always get information about edible mushrooms from a safe and reliable source.

    Chanterelle mushrooms are edible (and delicious).
    lzf/Shutterstock

    If you ever feel tempted to pick something without being certain what it is, remember the adage: “there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunters”. Never munch on a hunch.

    Autumn is the most productive season for mushrooms in temperate regions, though spring is fruitful too; St George’s mushroom was named for its tendency to appear around April 23. It’s also not only mushroom-forming fungi that have these seasonal and weather-driven patterns. Cases of a nasty lung infection called valley fever in the south-western US are caused by the microscopic Coccidioides soil fungi. They peak in the autumn, with particular surges in years following wet winters.



    Read more:
    Fungal infections known as valley fever could spike this fall – 3 epidemiologists explain how to protect yourself

    Considering fungi are so dependent on weather and temperature, it’s not surprising that the timing and overall length of mushroom production is being affected by climate change. This mirrors the shifts in seasonal patterns for plants and animals.

    While an extended mushroom season could sound like good news to foragers, unfortunately, changing conditions may make fungal diseases like valley fever a bigger problem. And as extreme floods become more common, exposure to mould fungi will probably become a more pressing health issue in homes.

    Mushrooms are full of water, so wet autumn weather tends to favour fungi.
    Sergei Kochetov/Shutterstock

    Fungi aren’t just rain-lovers, though, they’re actually also rain-makers. Spores released into the atmosphere from fungi can act as a surface on which moisture in the air can form water droplets, and when this happens on a large scale it can contribute to the formation of clouds.

    This is just one example of the many underappreciated ways that fungi support our environment. Come rain or shine, I hope that you have the opportunity to get out into nature this autumn and enjoy the fungi.

    Rowena Hill 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. Why autumn 2024 is your best chance to see lots of weird and wonderful fungi – https://theconversation.com/why-autumn-2024-is-your-best-chance-to-see-lots-of-weird-and-wonderful-fungi-240280

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to make sure the budget secures the investment Britain needs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Linda Yueh, Fellow in Economics/Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

    Growth won’t happen without greater investment. I Wei Huang/Shutterstock

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to “rip out the bureaucracy that blocks investment” in the UK. He was speaking at his government’s first international investment summit, an attempt to encourage the finance and business worlds to put more money into the country.

    But the government will need much more investment – by both the private and public sectors – than can be drummed up with one summit and an intent to slash red tape if it is to meet its economic goals. So Labour’s upcoming first budget on October 30 presents a vital opportunity to lay the foundations for an investment boost over the coming years.

    A major, long-term aim is to get the UK’s annual growth back to its pre-2008 banking crisis rate, when it was around 2% a year. The UK has been growing at about half that rate since then.

    This slower economic growth has damaged people’s living standards as well as the tax receipts the government needs to fund public services, particularly since the pressures of the COVID pandemic.

    Slow growth could be turned around by increasing investment in things like infrastructure. The UK has lagged behind comparable economies in this regard – it has had the lowest rate of investment in the G7 group of major economies for 24 of the last 30 years.

    Last year, the UK’s GDP per capita (a measure of the average income) was nearly £11,000 lower than it would have been had the economy continued to grow at its pre-2008 rate.

    Rather unusually, despite the UK’s debt recently reaching 100% of GDP – the highest amount in more than half a century – the usually fiscally conservative International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the UK should consider focusing on investment. This, it says, could potentially boost GDP growth and thus stabilise the debt-to-GDP ratio.

    And the UK’s spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), believes it is possible to raise economic growth through more investment. The OBR estimates that a sustained 1% of GDP increase in public investment could increase the level of potential national output by just under 0.5% after five years, and around 2.5% in 50 years.

    So, there will undoubtedly be a number of investment measures in the Budget. But how many depends, in part, on whether the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, revises some restrictions on borrowing, known as the fiscal rules. There could be adjustments such as offsetting government debt with its assets, including student loans. Reeves is reportedly looking at this possibility – which could create as much as £50 billion of additional fiscal headroom.



    Read more:
    The chancellor has tied her own hands with her fiscal rules – here’s why she should change them

    She could also re-institute the previous Labour government’s golden rule: only borrow to invest. This could separate out capital investment (spending on things like roads and other infrastructure), which is needed to support long-term growth, from day-to-day spending on public services. It would also increase the transparency of what the borrowing is for, and whether it can deliver growth that can help stabilise the debt-to-GDP ratio.

    These changes would prevent public investment from being cut in order to meet one of the current fiscal rules Reeves is adhering to. That is, that debt must be falling as a percentage of GDP over a rolling five-year period. As it stands, this rule restricts how much Reeves can borrow – even if that is what the country needs to grow economically.

    A change to this rule could help the government fund its two new initiatives to promote public investment: the National Wealth Fund, which requires just over £7 billion over the parliament, and GB Energy, which needs about £8 billion.

    Convincing investors

    Investments in the National Wealth Fund and GB Energy could further raise economic growth by “crowding in” private investment. For example, investing in infrastructure like a road entices private firms to invest too, perhaps in new premises or more staff, because a better transport link will make these firms’ investments more profitable.

    The government’s aim is to bring in three times the public investment in the National Wealth Fund to invest in infrastructure and key sectors. GB Energy likewise intends to bring in private investors to support the green transition that can generate new output and jobs.

    But targeting growth will take more than just finding the money. It also requires a regulatory approach and planning system that generates confidence among private investors to put their money in alongside the government.

    The impending Budget won’t set out all of the details that investors are looking for, but they will expect to see the growth strategy and assess whether it is credible. For instance, successive governments have struggled with planning reform, so investors will be justified in wondering what will be different this time.

    Rachel Reeves could potentially give herself an extra £50 billion to spend if she changes the fiscal rules.
    Fred Duval/Shutterstock

    Investors will also be on the lookout for a more certain regulatory regime over several years. The main impediments to investment tend to be uncertainty, including over regulation and planning, as well as being able to find workers with the right skills. This Budget is an opportunity to set out what the government plans to do in both areas over its five-year parliament.

    One positive signal to investors would be if the Budget sets out a broad definition of “capital”. For physical capital like a factory to be properly used, it requires people (human capital). And we hear a lot about green assets and digital assets, which essentially means that capital can be physical, human or green, as well as digital.

    By outlining its policies around infrastructure and skills, as well as its environmental and digital policies, any proposed growth strategy would be more holistic and likelier to have a positive impact on growth.

    But the difference between a strategy and a great strategy is in its execution. The Budget will almost certainly set out various fiscal policies to support growth. But the ability to deliver this strategy will determine whether it is truly a budget for growth.

    Linda Yueh 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. How to make sure the budget secures the investment Britain needs – https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-sure-the-budget-secures-the-investment-britain-needs-241074

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Han Kang: translators share memories of working with the winner of the Nobel prize in literature

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Duncan Large, Professor of European Literature and Translation; Executive Director, British Centre for Literary Translation, University of East Anglia

    Han Kang, the South Korean winner of the 2024 Nobel prize in literature, made her breakthrough in the English-speaking world with her first translated novel (her third in Korean), The Vegetarian. Published in English in 2015, it was an immediate success, making the Evening Standard bestseller list. It went on to win the Man Booker international prize the following year for Han and her young English translator, Deborah Smith.

    In the summer of 2015, Han spent a week at the University of East Anglia (UEA) where she was the resident author for the Korean-English literary translation workshop at the annual summer school of the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT). She was already a prize-winning writer in Korea and had recently published the controversial novel that Smith would go on to translate as Human Acts.

    As part of the summer school in July 2015, Deborah Smith led a workshop with Han for six emerging translators of Korean, sponsored by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. Han later commented that the event as a whole was “on a larger scale and more intensive than any other translation program I had previously heard about or experienced”.

    It was already clear that Han was a major figure, and the power of her writing was reinforced by the quiet authority of her presence. For workshop participant Roxanne Edmunds: “The great thing about the workshops was that we were able to work on the translation with the author. It was a little intimidating at first, but Han put us at ease with her enthusiasm.”

    Fellow participant (and subsequently Korea Times translation prizewinner) Sophie Bowman told me:

    I remember that in the workshop we spent an hour or so moving around a comma, adding it to the sentence, taking it out. And spent a long time discussing the colour and feel and look of a cardigan one of the characters wore and how it signified. I was quite amazed at how we could do this in all seriousness – labouring over such details (not even there on the page), when I had been working until then on tight deadlines and weekly translation quotas. But Han’s work stood up to that scrutiny and expansive kind of reading.

    Victoria Caudle, another of the workshop participants and now a doctoral candidate at UCLA, added:

    Working with Han, I experienced a writer who respected translation as its own process of writing. She was fascinated by how we would agonise over how to express the slightest movement or smallest image in the text. Overall, I remember how generous she was, how softly she spoke and how strong her words were.

    After a week of intensive discussion, the group produced a translated extract from Han’s short story Europa that was barely a page in length, but the value of such activities always lies at least as much in the process as in the product.

    The workshop culminated in a joint reading of the translated text as part of the Summer School’s finale at Dragon Hall in Norwich, the beautiful medieval home of BCLT’s partner the National Centre for Writing.

    Bowman and Caudle went on to found the Smoking Tigers, a Korean-English literary translator collective, together with several other alumni. Buoyed by the success of her translation of The Vegetarian, Smith founded Tilted Axis Press, which in turn won the International Booker prize in 2022 for Tomb of Sand, written by Geetanjali Shree and translated from the Hindi by Daisy Rockwell.

    In response to Han’s Nobel win, the president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, Sooyoung Chon, remarked: “Han Kang’s Nobel prize in literature is a pivotal moment that highlights LTI Korea’s efforts to introduce Korean literature to the world.” BCLT has continued to collaborate closely with LTI Korea on several other summer school workshops, but the inaugural 2015 edition has proved particularly consequential.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Duncan Large works for the British Centre for Literary Translation at the University of East Anglia, which received funding from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea for its 2015 Summer School.

    – ref. Han Kang: translators share memories of working with the winner of the Nobel prize in literature – https://theconversation.com/han-kang-translators-share-memories-of-working-with-the-winner-of-the-nobel-prize-in-literature-241299

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why some women are taking a cold remedy to help them get pregnant – and what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Watkins, Assistant Professor, Reproductive Biology, University of Nottingham

    Prostock studio/Shutterstock

    The desire to have our own biological children is hard-wired into many of us. And the desire is often felt more keenly in those struggling with infertility. So the promise of a simple solution is hard to ignore – which may be why “the Mucinex method” is trending on social media.

    Many women on TikTok are attributing successful conception to their use of the widely available cough and cold medicine Mucinex – or similar over-the-counter decongestant medicines containing the active ingredient guaifenesin.

    Why would a medicine designed to relieve cough and cold symptoms help women get pregnant? During unprotected sexual intercourse, sperm are deposited at the top of the vagina. To reach and fertilise the egg, the sperm must first traverse the cervix, a small canal that connects the vagina and the womb.

    The cervix plays a critical role in regulating the passage of sperm through its production of cervical mucus. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, the quantity and consistency of the cervical mucus changes, becoming optimal around the time of ovulation.

    If there is too much mucus, or it is too thick, it can stop the sperm from reaching the egg. So, the idea goes that by taking Mucinex, a woman would thin her cervical mucus and make it easier for the sperm to reach the egg.

    The rising popularity of fertility tracking apps has increased awareness of signs of the fertile window among users, including through monitoring of cervical mucus quantity and consistency. Once familiar with their individual signs, it follows that women who are trying or, indeed, struggling to conceive might start considering how to optimise their chances of conception in any given cycle.

    A simple over-the-counter product such as Mucinex could well seem like a quick and simple solution with potentially more rapid results than dieting or a change in other lifestyle factors.

    Not surprisingly, questions are being asked over the validity of taking Mucinex, or other guaifenesin-containing medicines, as fertility aids.

    The fact is, there is scant scientific evidence proving that Mucinex can help with fertility. The most cited scientific study is from 1982 and was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. Here, scientists studied 40 couples whose infertility was defined as being a “cervical issue”.

    The women in the study were given 200mg of guaifenesin, three times a day starting on the fifth day of their menstrual cycle. By the end of the study, 15 out of the 40 couples had become pregnant, which some may see as supporting the use of guaifenesin.

    However, as there was no group that didn’t take guaifenesin (a control group), it is not possible to attribute these pregnancies solely to guaifenesin.

    In a separate case study, a man took 600mg of guaifenesin, twice a day, for two months. The study reported a dramatic increase in sperm production and motility. However, as this study was conducted on a single 32-year-old man, the researchers could not confirm that guaifenesin was the cause of the change.

    It should be noted that Reckitt, the makers of Mucinex, said in a statement that Mucinex should “only be used as intended in line with label directions”. And that taking Mucinex for infertility “constitutes off-label use”.

    Is there any harm in taking guaifenesin to conceive?

    While no associations between guaifenesin and birth defects have been identified, there is still no solid data on how guaifenesin might affect embryo development.

    For those seeking to become parents, the idea of boosting your chances with a widely available medication is understandably enticing. However, there is not enough evidence to support taking guaifenesin to improve fertility.

    There are a range of other simple, lifestyle changes that have been shown to help with getting pregnant. These include maintaining a healthy weight and diet, reducing alcohol intake, giving up smoking and lowering stress. For those experiencing difficulties in becoming pregnant, the best, and possibly simplest advice is to talk to your doctor.

    Adam Watkins receives funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under grant BB/V006711/1.

    Emma Lucas is a council member of the Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

    – ref. Why some women are taking a cold remedy to help them get pregnant – and what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/why-some-women-are-taking-a-cold-remedy-to-help-them-get-pregnant-and-what-the-evidence-says-241233

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Minister John Swinney’s comments on the passing of Alex Salmond

    Source: Scottish National Party

    Commenting on news that the former First Minister and SNP Leader Alex Salmond has died, First Minister John Swinney said:

    “I am deeply shocked and saddened at the untimely death of the former First Minister Alex Salmond, and I extend my deepest condolences to Alex’s wife Moira and to his family.

    “Over many years, Alex made an enormous contribution to political life – not just within Scotland, but across the UK and beyond.

    “Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her Independence. He took the Scottish National Party from the fringes of Scottish politics into Government and led Scotland so close to becoming an Independent country.

    “There will be much more opportunity to reflect in the coming days, but today all of our thoughts are with Alex’s family and his many friends right across the political spectrum.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: A new Chrome partnership to support underrepresented creatives

    Source: Google

    Today at the Adobe MAX creativity conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center, we’re sharing details about a new collaboration to help creatives take their work to the next level. Starting today, Chrome is partnering with Adobe and ADCOLOR to support underrepresented artists, marketers and other creative professionals with one-year subscriptions to Adobe Express Premium and Adobe Creative Cloud, at no cost. With Express, there’s no need to download or install software — and you can work right in your browser.

    You likely depend on the web for all sorts of professional and personal tasks, but you might not know you can use your browser, like Chrome, to access advanced digital tools to create, edit, collaborate on and share content. Through this partnership, we want to empower a more diverse set of creators to build digital experiences on the web and expand access to Adobe’s best-in-class tools available.

    ADCOLOR aims to create a community of diverse professionals to support one another and help ensure innovative ideas receive the recognition they deserve. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the ADCOLOR team will select subscription recipients from underrepresented groups, such as Black, Indigenous, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, based on the needs of individuals and communities. If you’re chosen, you’ll have access to the collection of Express Premium and Creative Cloud desktop or mobile tools, including Photoshop and Lightroom, for a year after activating your subscription.

    Want to learn more? If you’re attending Adobe MAX, you can come by the Chrome booth (booth 902) for more information in person. And stay tuned for more details about the application process coming out of the ADCOLOR conference, which will be happening in Los Angeles, CA from November 14 to 16.

    To help showcase how tech tools can boost creative projects, at Adobe MAX we’ll also host an in-person workshop with multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer Temi Coker.

    Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Temi initially pursued biomedical engineering, but his passion for visual storytelling led him to digital media, where he discovered the power of merging photography, design and technology. In the workshop, Temi will share his insights about using Photoshop on Chrome, guiding attendees through the top five things he learned while transforming his 2D designs into captivating 3D creations. And if you’re at the event today, be sure to register for the session and drop by our booth for the workshop at 5:15 P.M. ET.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cartwright Reintroduces Legislation to Close Controversial Tax Code Loophole

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Matt Cartwright (17th District of Pennsylvania)

    “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation in Bill’s honor. The carried interest loophole is yet another way special interests have rigged the system to their advantage, at the expense of everyday taxpayers. Wealthy fund managers shouldn’t pay less taxes than hard working Americans,” said Congressman Cartwright.

    On Friday, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) reintroduced the Bill Pascrell Ending Tax Giveaway Act, legislation to close the controversial carried interest loophole.

    Carried interest is a form of compensation received by wealthy private equity and hedge fund executives that is taxed well below top wage income rates.

    The bill was originally introduced by the late U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (NJ-09), who represented New Jersey in Congress for more than 27 years before his death on Aug. 21st. Pascrell championed legislation to close the carried interest loophole for years, beginning in the 116th Congress. 

    “Bill was a revered public servant who made tax fairness his top priority and fought to ensure ultra-wealthy Americans benefiting from preferential tax treatments would finally pay their fair share,” said Congressman Cartwright. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation in Bill’s honor. The carried interest loophole is yet another way special interests have rigged the system to their advantage, at the expense of everyday taxpayers. Wealthy fund managers shouldn’t pay less taxes than hard working Americans.”

    Multiple organizations signed on to endorse Pascrell’s original legislation.  When it was introduced, the following comments were made:

    “Americans for Tax Fairness strongly endorses this legislation to ensure that private equity, real estate, and hedge fund executives pay the same top tax rate on their income that other working Americans pay on theirs. This egregious loophole has survived thanks to hefty campaign contributions and backroom deals. It’s time to close this loophole once and for all,” said David Kass, Executive Director of Americans for Tax Fairness.

    “There is absolutely no economic or moral justification for the continued existence of the carried interest loophole. Ultra-wealthy private equity and hedge fund managers do not need or deserve preferential tax treatment on income they earn from managing other people’s money. There is no shortage of people willing to work as hedge fund managers. If Congress needs to give a special tax incentive to get people to fill a need, they should have teachers or emergency room nurses pay half the tax rates that everyone else pays. Lawmakers need to show the American people that they have the guts to stand up to Wall Street and pass the Ending Wall Street Tax Giveaway Act to get rid of this egregious, pointless, and outrageous loophole once and for all,” said Morris Pearl, Chair of Patriotic Millionaires.

    “Private equity and hedge fund executives rig the tax code so they pay less than Black, white, and Brown working people,” said Porter McConnell, Take on Wall Street Campaign Director at Americans for Financial Reform. “Carried interest is the textbook example of Wall Street’s tax cheats. It’s time to pass the Ending Wall Street Tax Giveaway Act and close this outrageous loophole.”

    “For far too long, the carried interest loophole has allowed millionaire Wall Street hedge fund and private equity managers to pay lower tax rates than the working families who carry and continue to build the American economy. CWA is proud to support the Ending Wall Street Tax Giveaway Act, as it levels the playing field by closing that arcane tax loophole and forcing Wall Street to pay their fair share.” said Dan Mauer, Director of Government Affairs for the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chamber pulse: Global markets, local landscapes

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Chamber pulse: Global markets, local landscapes

    The survey at a glance

    200

    Over 200 chambers of commerce surveyed

    96

    Respondents from 96 countries spanning five continents

    90

    Representing 90% of global GPD

    Global business environment, constraints and outlook: The chamber view

    While chambers generally hold a positive view of the current business environment, there are significant regional differences. Negative perceptions are concentrated in countries facing political and economic instability. Nearly half of respondents believe that the global trade environment has hampered business operations.

    At the aggregate level, the main constraints for businesses are

    • shortage of labour or skilled labour,
    • inflation,
    • geopolitical tensions,
    • taxation, and
    • financial problems.

    But the hurdles businesses face tend to vary depending on the region.

    The global outlook remains largely positive. Nevertheless, some regions, notably MENA and South Asia, anticipate a more pessimistic future, with 20% of respondents in these areas expecting a bleak business outlook.

    Artificial intelligence continues to spark debate

    Seven out of 10 respondents see AI as both a risk and an opportunity. The uncertainty around the future prospects of AI is linked to its limited application to certain sectors with high innovation.

    Inflation and limited access to finance still weigh heavily on businesses

    Over 80% of respondents expect inflation to rise, affecting operating costs, wages, supply chains and competitiveness, with concerns especially pronounced in North America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

    The economic environment and tight financial conditions hinder access to finance.

    Businesses and the climate transition: what is at stake?

    Businesses are adapting to climate change policies by adopting green technologies, developing sustainable products, and diversifying energy sources. In South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, diversifying energy sources is the primary solution for more than 80% of respondents. In Latin America, Europe and Central Asia, the focus is on developing sustainable products or services.

    The main challenges in addressing climate change centre on how much funding is available and how to implement changes. Opportunities for businesses include gaining a competitive advantage through green practices and creating jobs in green industries.

    To support small- and medium-sized enterprises in the climate transition, chambers insist on the need to provide fiscal support, promote the adoption of digital technologies, and enhance collaboration within supply chains.

    For further information please contact Melanie Laloum, ICC Lead Economist, or Leonardo Barbosa, Lead, ICC WCF Governance and Operations.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Correction: Innofactor Plc: Managers’ Transactions – Sami Ensio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Innofactor Plc Managers’ Transactions, on October 14, 2024, at 19:45 Finnish time

    Innofactor Oyj – Managers’ Transactions

    ____________________________________________

    Person subject to the notification requirement
    Name: Sami Ensio
    Position: Chief Executive Officer
    Issuer: Innofactor Oyj
    LEI: 7437008OSKQFEDZYD835
    Notification type: AMENDMENT
    Reference number: 81087/5/4

    Amendment comment:
    This notice corrects an error in the stock exchange release dated October 11, 2024. The error pertained to the execution date of the share transfer. The correct execution date of the transaction is October 14, 2024.

    ____________________________________________

    Transaction date: 2024-10-14
    Venue: NASDAQ HELSINKI LTD (XHEL)
    Instrument type: SHARE
    ISIN: FI0009007637
    Nature of transaction: DISPOSAL

    Transaction details
    (1): Volume: 148127 Unit price: 1.68 EUR

    Aggregated transactions (1):
    Volume: 148127 Volume weighted average price: 1.68 EUR

    Espoo, October 14, 2024

    INNOFACTOR PLC

    Eija Theis, General Counsel

    Additional information:
    Eija Theis, General Counsel
    Innofactor Plc
    Tel. +358 44 343 4278
    eija.theis@innofactor.com

    Distribution:
    NASDAQ Helsinki
    Main media
    http://www.innofactor.com

    Innofactor
    Innofactor is the leading driver of the modern digital organization in the Nordic Countries for its about 1,000 customers in commercial and public sector. Innofactor has the widest solution offering and leading know-how in the Microsoft ecosystem in the Nordics. Innofactor has about 600 enthusiastic and motivated top specialists in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The Innofactor Plc share is listed in the technology section of the main list of NASDAQ Helsinki Oy. http://www.innofactor.com
    #ModernDigitalOrganization #PeopleFirst #CreatingSmiles #BeTheRealYou

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Governor Primavera Celebrates Anniversary of Colorado Digital Navigators Pilot Launch

    Source: US State of Colorado

    The Digital Navigators Program is managed by Serve Colorado within the Office of the Lt. Governor

    AURORA — Lt. Governor Primavera recently spoke at the Aurora Public Library in recognition of Digital Inclusion Week and the Colorado Digital Navigators Pilot Program. Digital Inclusion Week (DIW) is an annual week of awareness, recognition, and celebration that promotes action for digital equity solutions. DIW is organized by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and its 1,800+ affiliates nationwide. Colorado joins states and communities across the country in highlighting their efforts online and in-person.

    “I strongly believe in fostering a culture of accessibility and inclusion for Coloradans across the state. Implementing these practices in digital and online spaces has been historically overlooked despite its tremendous importance,” said Lt. Governor Primavera. “I am so proud of our Digital Navigators and their firm commitment to serving communities in need. Their tireless efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower individuals with essential digital skills is integral to creating a Colorado for All.”

    The Digital Navigators AmeriCorps program recently finished a successful inaugural year. The program launched in March 2023 in collaboration with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), Serve Colorado, and Comcast. The Learning Source and Loveland Public Library were awarded funding to recruit and train AmeriCorps member Digital Navigators. This initiative addressed digital inclusion, a critical social determinant of economic stability, healthcare, education, and community wellbeing. Digital Navigators support community members by improving home connectivity, device access, and digital skills. Digital Navigators worked primarily one on one with community members – in person, by phone and online – depending on the needs of each community member.

    The first cohort of nearly 22 AmeriCorps Digital Navigators began service in Arapahoe, Douglas, Denver, Boulder, Weld, Larimer, Pueblo, Jefferson, and Pitkin counties in October 2023. As of the end of September 2024, the Digital Navigator Pilot Program now provides services at 74 locations in 13 counties, including in counties with some of the slowest, most unreliable internet connectivity in Colorado like Costilla, Saguache, and Rio Grande counties. Over half the Digital Navigators speak a language in addition to English. Sites are actively recruiting for the next program year.

    “I want to extend a thank you to the Aurora Public Library, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), and Serve Colorado for making this opportunity possible,” said Lt. Governor Primavera. “Initiatives like Digital Inclusion Week are vital in continuing to spread awareness towards this critical issue.”

    For more information about Serve Colorado and the Digital Navigators program, visit https://servecolorado.colorado.gov/digitalnavigators.

    AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

    AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service. Learn how to get involved at AmeriCorps.gov/Serve.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SoFi Announces Monthly Distributions on $THTA (12.00%)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoFi, a leading provider of thematic and income ETFs, today announced monthly distributions on the SoFi Enhanced Yield ETF (THTA).

    Distribution as of 10/14/2024

    ETF
    Ticker    		 Distribution
    per Share    		 Distribution
    Rate *    		 30-Day
    SEC Yield**    		 Ex-Date Record
    Date    		 Payment
    Date
    THTA $0.1904 12.00% 4.04% 10/15/2024 10/15/2024 10/16/2024

    Inception date: 11/15/2023
    Click here to view standardized performance for THTA.

    THTA, launched in partnership with Tidal Investments LLC and ZEGA Financial LLC, seeks current income by combining a strategy of holding U.S. government securities, including U.S. Treasury Bills and U.S. Treasury Bonds, with a “credit spread” option strategy to seek to generate enhanced yield.

    About SoFi
    Our mission is to help people reach financial independence to realize their ambitions. And financial independence doesn’t just mean being rich—it means getting to a point where your money works for the life you want to live. Everything we do is geared toward helping our members get their money right. We’re constantly innovating and building ways to give our members what they need to make that happen.

    About Tidal Investments LLC 
    Formed by ETF industry pioneers and thought leaders, Tidal Investments LLC sets out to revolutionize the way ETFs have historically been developed, launched, marketed, and sold. With a focus on growing AUM, Tidal offers a comprehensive suite of services, proprietary tools, and methodologies designed to bring lasting ideas to market. Tidal is an advocate for ETF innovation. The firm is on a mission to provide issuers with the intelligence and tools needed to efficiently and to effectively launch ETFs and to optimize growth potential in a highly competitive space. For more information, visit https://www.tidalfinancialgroup.com/.  

    ABOUT ZEGA Financial LLC
    Founded in 2011, ZEGA Financial LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser and investment manager that specializes in derivatives. The firm leverages technology, data, experience, and proprietary strategies to craft products and services for advisors and individual investors. ZEGA Financial helps investors successfully navigate volatile and uncertain markets through innovative hedging strategies. The firm’s founding principles grew out of the bestselling book co-authored by Jay Pestrichelli, ZEGA’s CEO and Co-Founder, entitled “Buy and Hedge, the Five Iron Rules for Investing Over the Long Term.” His book highlights how to bridge the complicated nature of options investing with the needs of the everyday investor.

    Performance is historical and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. Investment returns and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance data for the most recent month-end is available above. Returns less than one year are cumulative. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and may trade at a discount or premium to NAV. Shares are not individually redeemable from the Fund and may only be acquired or redeemed from the fund in creation units. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Short term performance, in particular, is not a good indication of the fund’s future performance, and an investment should not be made based solely on returns.

    * The Distribution Rate is the annual yield an investor would receive if the most recently declared distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by multiplying an ETF’s Distribution per Share by twelve (12), and dividing the resulting amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions are not guaranteed.

    ** The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended September 30, 2024, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield is not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from month to month and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant. The distribution may include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease a fund’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These distribution rates caused by unusually favorable market conditions may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future. Additional fund risks can be found below.

    Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the prospectus. A prospectus may be obtained by clicking here. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Written Options Risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of writing (selling) options (also referred to as a short position) if the price of the written option instrument increases in value between the date the Fund writes the option and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. The Fund’s losses are potentially large in a written put transaction and potentially unlimited in a written call transaction.). Because of the fund’s strategy of coupling written and purchased puts and call options with the same expiration date and different strike prices, the Fund expects that the maximum potential loss for the Fund for any given credit spread is equal to the difference between the strike prices minus any net premium received. Nonetheless, because up to 90% of the Fund’s portfolio may be subject to this risk – the value of an investment in the Fund – could decline significantly and without warning, including to zero.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives include instruments and contracts that are based on and valued in relation to one or more underlying securities, financial benchmarks, indices, or other reference obligations or measures of value. Major types of derivatives include options. Depending on how the Fund uses derivatives and the relationship between the market value of the derivative and the underlying instrument, the use of derivatives could increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to the risks of the underlying instrument. Using derivatives can have a leveraging effect if the Sub-Adviser is unable to set an appropriate spread between two options held by the Fund and increase Fund volatility. In that event, a small investment in derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the Fund’s performance. Derivatives transactions can be highly illiquid and difficult to unwind or value, and changes in the value of a derivative held by the Fund may not correlate with the value of the underlying instrument or the Fund’s other investments. Many of the risks applicable to trading the instruments underlying derivatives are also applicable to derivatives trading. Financial reform laws have changed many aspects of financial regulation applicable to derivatives. Once implemented, new regulations, including margin, clearing, and trade execution requirements, may make derivatives more costly, may limit their availability, may present different risks or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of these instruments. The extent and impact of these regulations are not yet fully known and may not be known for some time.

    Interest Rate Risk. Generally fixed income securities decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall, with longer-term securities being more sensitive than shorter-term securities. For example, the price of a security with a one-year duration would be expected to drop by approximately 1% in response to a 1% increase in interest rates. Generally, the longer the maturity and duration of a bond or fixed rate loan, the more sensitive it is to this risk. Falling interest rates also create the potential for a decline in the Fund’s income. These risks are greater during periods of rising inflation.

    Leveraging Risk. Derivative instruments held by the Fund involve inherent leverage, whereby small cash deposits allow the Fund to hold contracts with greater face value, which may magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. Adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate or index can result in loss of an amount substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative. In addition, the use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy redemption obligations.

    Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means the Fund may invest a larger percentage of its assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. The Fund will generally have up to 15 credit spreads at any given time, with up to 25% exposure to a single equity index credit spread. Investment in a limited number of equity indexes exposes the Fund to greater market risk and potential losses than if its assets were diversified among a greater number of indexes.

    Median 30 Day Spread is a calculation of Fund’s median bid-ask spread, expressed as a percentage rounded to the nearest hundredth, computed by: identifying the Fund’s national best bid and national best offer as of the end of each 10 second interval during each trading day of the last 30 calendar days; dividing the difference between each such bid and offer by the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer; and identifying the median of those values.

    The S&P 500 Index, or Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 leading publicly traded companies in the U.S. The index actually has 503 components because three of them have two share classes listed.

    SoFi ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement by Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy & the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Statement by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom on attacks against UNIFIL bases.

    We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom express our deep concern in the wake of recent attacks by IDF on UNIFIL bases, which have left several peacekeepers injured. These attacks must stop immediately. We condemn all threats to UNIFIL’s security.

    Any deliberate attack against UNIFIL goes against international humanitarian law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. The protection of peacekeepers is incumbent upon all parties to a conflict.

    We call on Israel and all parties to uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel at all times and to allow UNIFIL to continue carrying out its mandate. We reaffirm the essential stabilizing role played by UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. We underscore the importance of the United Nations in resolving armed conflict and mitigating the humanitarian impact.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Coming Oct. 17: See the latest games from Xbox partners

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Coming Oct. 17: See the latest games from Xbox partners

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Fannie Mae Reminds Homeowners, Renters, and Mortgage Servicers of Disaster Relief Options for Those Affected by Hurricane Milton

    Source: Fannie Mae

    WASHINGTON, DC – Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) is reminding homeowners and renters impacted by natural disasters, including those affected by Hurricane Milton, of available mortgage assistance and disaster relief options. Mortgage servicers also are reminded of options to assist homeowners under Fannie Mae’s guidelines during these circumstances.

    “This is a devastating time for many homeowners and renters impacted by Hurricane Milton, especially as some are still feeling the impacts of Hurricane Helene,” said Cyndi Danko, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, Single-Family, Fannie Mae. “Once recovery efforts begin, we encourage homeowners experiencing hardship because of the storm(s) to contact their mortgage servicer about payment relief options as soon as possible. Homeowners and renters alike can learn more about disaster relief resources, including personalized support, by contacting Fannie Mae’s free disaster recovery counseling services.” 

    Homeowners and renters should call 855-HERE2HELP (855-437-3243) to access Fannie Mae’s disaster recovery counseling* or visit the Fannie Mae website for more information.

    Under Fannie Mae’s guidelines for single-family mortgages impacted by a disaster:

    • Homeowners may request mortgage assistance by contacting their mortgage servicer (the company listed on their mortgage statement) following a disaster.
    • Homeowners affected by a disaster are often eligible to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months by entering into a forbearance plan with their mortgage servicer. During this temporary reduction or pause in payments, homeowners will not incur late fees, and foreclosure along with other legal proceedings are suspended.
    • In instances where contact with the homeowner has not been established, mortgage servicers are authorized to offer a forbearance plan for up to 90 days if the servicer believes the home was affected by a disaster.
    • In addition, homeowners on a COVID-19-related forbearance plan who are subsequently impacted by a disaster may still be eligible for assistance and should contact their mortgage servicer to discuss options.

    Homeowners and renters looking for disaster recovery resources may visit the Fannie Mae website to learn more about addressing immediate needs. Fannie Mae also offers help navigating the broader financial effects of a disaster to homeowners and renters through disaster recovery counseling at 855-HERE2HELP (855-437-3243).* Assistance is provided free of charge by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved housing counselors who are trained disaster-recovery experts that provide:

    • A needs assessment and personalized recovery plan.
    • Help requesting financial relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), insurance companies, and other sources.
    • Web resources and ongoing guidance for up to 18 months.
    • Services available in multiple languages.

    *Operated by Money Management International/MMI

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President  Biden Before Air Force One Departure | Tampa,  FL

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    MacDill Air Force BaseTampa, Florida
    12:35 P.M. EDT
    Q    Mr. President, where was Governor DeSantis?  Did you speak with him while you were here?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, I didn’t. 
    But I — by — by the way, I think we’re making real progress.  Everybody seems pretty happy with the way it’s going.  We’re not leaving.  We’re provi- — we’re going to — the next thing to do, we’re trying to make sure we get the money in there for small businesses; talking to the Congress to see if they can get the money quickly.  It’s important. 
    So, you saw, I mean, Republicans and Democrats are happy with what we’re doing.  And so, we’re making progress.  We’re making progress.
    Q    Sir, could you —
    Q    On the THAAD.  Did you — wh- — why did you decide to give the permission for the THAAD to be deployed in Israel?
    THE PRESIDENT:  To defend Israel.
    Q    Any — any worries about it?
    Q    Is the misinformation hurting FEMA’s ability to respond?
    12:36 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from President  Biden Congratulating Nobel Peace Prize  Winners

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners embody determination and resilience in the face of tragedy. For decades, the members of Nihon Hidankyo have served as a human testament to the catastrophic human toll of nuclear weapons, telling a story that humanity needs to hear. On behalf of the United States, I congratulate them on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their historic work to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again. We also congratulate Japan for this recognition of the moral clarity and steadfast commitment of its people and government to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons. 
    As I was powerfully reminded last year when I visited Hiroshima and met with a survivor of the bombing, we must continue making progress toward the day when we can finally and forever rid the world of nuclear weapons. The United States stands ready to engage in talks with Russia, China, and North Korea without preconditions to reduce the nuclear threat. There is no benefit to our nations or the world to forestall progress on reducing nuclear arsenals. Reducing the nuclear threat is important not despite the dangers of today’s world but precisely because of them. These nuclear risks erode the norms and agreements we have worked collectively to put in place and run counter to the vital work of today’s Nobel Laureates.  
    Yesterday’s announcement by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee reminds us that we must continue our progress toward a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. Let us all take inspiration from this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners and recommit ourselves to the vital work of building a safer world. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Continues Recovery Efforts in North Carolina Following Hurricane  Helene

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Following Hurricane Helene’s devastating impacts across the Southeast and Appalachia, the Biden-Harris Administration continues its robust Federal efforts to help communities recover and rebuild. The storm heavily impacted North Carolina, where the Administration continues to surge resources and assist families, business owners, farmers, and other impacted communities receive the support and assistance they need and deserve.
    Federal disaster assistance for Hurricane Helene survivors has surpassed $474 million – including more than $86 million in housing and other types of assistance for survivors in North Carolina. Survivors can register for assistance at one of three Disaster Recovery Centers in Caldwell, McDowell, and Buncombe Counties, or on disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or via the FEMA app.
    The Department of Defense continues to support search-and-rescue operations, route clearance, and commodities distribution across western North Carolina with 1,500 active-duty troops. The Department of Defense is also employing additional capabilities to assist with increasing situational awareness across the remote terrain of Western North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers continues missions supporting debris removal, temporary emergency power installation, infrastructure and water and wastewater assessments, and technical assistance. Over 2,000 North Carolina National Guard personnel along with over 200 Guardsmen from 15 States are conducting response operations in western North Carolina.
    As response efforts continue in North Carolina, more than 1,250 FEMA staff remain on the ground, with more arriving daily. Nearly 400 Urban Search and Rescue personnel remain in the field helping people. These teams have rescued or supported over 3,200 survivors to date.  
    Power has been restored to more than approximately 96 percent of customers, as a result of 10,000 utility personnel working around the clock. Cellular restoration also continues to improve, with more than 93 percent of cellular sites in service. FEMA is boosting response coordination by providing 40 Starlink units to ensure first responders can communicate with each other.
    Commodity distribution, mass feeding, and hydration operations continue in areas of western North Carolina. FEMA continues to send commodity shipments and voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. Mobile feeding operations are reaching survivors in heavily impacted areas, including three mass feeding sites in Buncombe, McDowell and Watauga counties. The Salvation Army has 20 mobile feeding units supporting this massive operation and has provided emotional and spiritual care to survivors. To date, the American Red Cross is engaging in targeted distribution of emergency supplies in low-income communities with high levels of minor or affected residential damage.
    Additional recovery efforts in North Carolina include:
    Supporting Infrastructure Recovery
    As part of the robust, whole-of-government response to Hurricane Helene, the U.S. Department of Transportation is supporting response and recovery efforts in impacted communities in North Carolina. DOT personnel are on the ground in multiple locations of the state.
    On October 5, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $100 million in Quick Release Emergency Relief funding to support North Carolina. The funding helps pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. Additional funding will flow to affected communities from the Emergency Relief program.
    FHWA worked closely with North Carolina and other federal agencies to assess infrastructure damage, including supporting hundreds of bridge inspections and other critical infrastructure assessments across the Southeast. On October 8, FHWA Acting Administrator Kristin White visited the region with Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins and other federal, state and local officials and got a first-hand look at impacts from the storm and recovery efforts.   
    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to work with partners in affected parts of North Carolina and Tennessee, as the national airspace steadily returned to normal operations.
    The FAA Air Traffic Organization Technical Operations Team is on-site and leading communications restoration efforts at air traffic facilities. FAA also supported the North Carolina Air National Guard by providing advisory services at Rutherford County Airport and Avery County Airport.
    The FAA worked with state and local governments, critical infrastructure owners and operators, and first responders to enable drones to support response and recovery. The FAA granted permission to allow Wing to temporarily conduct beyond visual line of sight drone package deliveries for Walmart’s pharmacy in western North Carolina, delivering essential items including prescription medicine, medical supplies, and medical equipment to hard-to-reach locations.
    Additionally, President Biden’s approval of a Presidential Emergency Declaration for North Carolina affords the state a period of emergency regulatory relief from Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations, including flexibility around driving time for property- and passenger-carrying vehicles. This allows truck drivers to get essential supplies to affected areas in North Carolina. It may also provide opportunities for motorcoach buses to deliver relief teams to response locations and allow for the transport and evacuation of residents.
    On October 10, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan joined Governor Cooper, Senator Tillis, Congressman Edwards and local officials to assess federal and state recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Helene. EPA and its state partners have made significant progress bringing drinking water and wastewater systems back online, including restoring service to more than 75 drinking water systems that serve approximately 260,000 people in the Asheville area. EPA is also providing technical assistance and drinking water testing to systems and private drinking water well owners across the Asheville area through their Mobile Drinking Water lab – giving residents clear data and confidence that their water is safe to drink. The lab is capable of testing 100 samples per day. Water utilities and private well owners must request sampling services through their local health departments. EPA will remain on the ground in North Carolina helping area residents as long as their assistance is needed.  
    The Department of Energy’s Energy Response Organization remains activated to respond to storm impacts, and responders remain deployed to FEMA regional response coordination centers. Via the Electricity Sub-Sector Coordinating Council and Oil and Natural Gas Sub-Sector Coordinating Council, the Department of Energy has been coordinating continuously with energy sector partners on the ongoing Hurricane Helene response. As noted above, there are 10,000 line workers supporting power restoration efforts.
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to support post-disaster imagery flights following Hurricane Helene, already totaling over 68 flight hours during 20 flights, including over western North Carolina. This imagery not only supports FEMA and the broader response community, but the public at large.
    Providing Financial Flexibilities to Homeowners and Taxpayers
    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is providing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) as well as foreclosures of mortgages to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. Additionally, affected homeowners that have mortgages through Government-Sponsored Enterprises – including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – and the FHA are eligible to suspend their mortgage payments through a forbearance plan for up to 12 months.
    HUD announced $3 million for the State of North Carolina to support people experiencing homelessness in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Funding from the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing program will help residents and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have needs that are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs.
    This summer, HUD launched a new streamlined process for requesting additional flexibility on existing grants after a disaster is declared. Recipients of annual HUD funding – including in North Carolina – may request waivers to unlock and accelerate the use of their funding for disaster response and recovery. With the updated waiver process, HUD is proactively issuing maximum flexibility to communities impacted by disasters. These flexibilities will expedite the recovery process, reduce administrative burden, and allow impacted jurisdictions to quickly tailor programs and activities to address the post disaster needs of their communities. The Disaster Assistance and Recovery Team within HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling continues to conduct focused meetings with housing counseling agencies in each state impacted by these disasters to discuss their unique response and recovery challenges and identify resources available to assist.
    The Internal Revenue Service announced disaster tax relief for all individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. North Carolina taxpayers now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
    Protecting Public Health
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a Public Health Emergency for North Carolina to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene. HHS’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) continues to provide medical support for Hurricane Helene, predominantly onsite in North Carolina. These ASPR personnel are deployed to support Hurricane Helene response operations, which include four Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and personnel from a Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) in North Carolina. ASPR Health and Medical Task Forces and ASPR Disaster Medical Assistance Teams from the National Disaster Medical System are providing 24-hour surge support to three hospitals: Mission Hospital in Asheville, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, and Caldwell Memorial in Lenoir. To date, ASPR teams have seen nearly 1000 patients. ASPR will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to prioritize medical assistance to other areas affected by Hurricane Helene as required and requested.  
    Supporting Workers and Worker Safety
    Working alongside the Department of Labor, the States of North Carolina has announced that eligible workers can receive federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance to compensate for income lost directly resulting from Hurricane Helene. And, through the Department of Labor’s innovative partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, displaced workers in North Carolina can now go to the post office in any other state and verify their ID for purposes of getting their benefits quickly.
    Supporting Farmers and Agriculture
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has put contingency plans and program flexibilities into place to ensure farmers, foresters and communities are able to get the support they need, such as by extending program signup opportunities, expediting crop insurance payments, and using waivers and emergency procedures to expedite recovery efforts on working lands. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has issued flexibilities and waivers for North Carolina to ensure that food and nutritional assistance reaches those in need as soon as possible. In North Carolina, waivers have been issued to increase access to WIC products, replace benefits through Summer EBT, allow the purchase of hot foods through SNAP, and more.
    Additionally, USDA is currently coordinating over 200 staff on the ground in North Carolina, including saw support teams and emergency road clearance teams, to help clear trees and debris, including in Waterville, Marion, Newton, and Weaverville.
    Supporting Students and Student Loan Borrowers
    The Department of Education has offered technical assistance to states and local educational agencies to support recovery efforts and shared critical resources, including those developed by other federal agencies and organizations, to support restoring the teaching and learning environment.
    The Department’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) has flexibilities that are automatically available to affected institutions of higher education to help their continued management of the federal student aid programs. These flexibilities help schools if they need to adjust their academic calendars, such as due to unexpected closures, and also help students who may need to take a leave of absence. The flexibilities also help students avoid reductions in their federal aid due to any state or federal disaster assistance provided. FSA will also work with affected institutions that need help on other areas, such as paying credit balances. FSA has communicated with schools located in the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Those communications included existing Department guidance about how natural disasters impact schools and their administration of financial aid, resources, and links to FEMA disaster aid information. FSA’s communications also included a way for schools to share more information about the disaster impact on their campus and submit questions about administrative relief and flexibilities.
    The Department is ensuring affected borrowers in areas impacted by the hurricanes can focus on their critical needs without needing to worry about missing their student loan payments. Direct Loan borrowers and federally-serviced FFEL borrowers in the affected area who miss their payments will be automatically placed into a natural disaster forbearance. During forbearance, payments are temporarily postponed or reduced, and interest is still charged. Thanks to regulations issued by the Biden-Harris Administration, months in this forbearance will count toward PSLF and IDR forgiveness. Direct Loan and federally serviced FEEL borrowers are not required to take an action but have the option to call their servicer if they wish to enroll in the forbearance proactively. Perkins loan borrowers should contact their loan holder to request natural disaster forbearance. 
    Continuing to Survey Data
    The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) continues working to measure river levels and flow, and repair streamgages that transmit critical data. USGS crews continue working to determine the extent of flooding by surveying for high-water marks. These flood-peak data and high-water marks are used to determine flood frequency and are critical in the design of infrastructure and in determining flood plain boundaries. USGS stood up a landslide response team that now includes 32 USGS scientists, 19 of which ware mapping landslides, to provide technical assistance to the North Carolina Geological Survey and Tennessee Geological Survey. Their work includes reconnaissance using satellite imagery, flights, and on-the-ground assessments to map landslides.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President  Biden on the Response to Hurricane Milton | St. Pete Beach,  FL

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Residential AreaSt. Pete Beach, Florida
    11:34 A.M. EDT
    THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, folks. 
    I just met a number of the homeowners, been wiped out, and the — everything from the Coast Guard to the fire department.  It’s a hell of a deal.
    I’m here in Florida for the second time in two weeks and — to survey the damage from another catastrophic storm: Hurricane Milton.  Thankfully, the storm’s impact was not as cataclysmic as had — we had predicted.  But on top of two [one] before it, it just keeps s- — seem we got to get — getting worse. 
    And bu- — you know, but for some individuals, it was cataclysmic — all those folks who not only lost their homes but, more importantly, those folks who lost their lives, lost family members, lost all their personal belongings.  Entire neighborhoods were flooded, and millions — millions were without power.
    Earlier this morning, I did an aerial tour of Saint Petersburg and the battered coastline.  I flew over Tropicana Field and — where the Tampa Bays play — Rays play, and the roof was almost completely off.  But thank God not many people were injured.
    I spoke with first responders who’ve been working around the clock.  I also met with small-business owners here and homeowners who’ve taken a real beating — these back-to-back storms.  And they’re heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up.
    And I know from experience how devastating it is to lose your home.  Several years ago, my home was struck by lightning.  It didn’t all burn down, but we were out of the home for seven months while it was being repaired.  The thing I was most concerned about was not just the home; it was all those things, all those — all those pictures I saved, my — and my daughter had drawn when she was little, all the — all the family photographs, all the albums, all the things that really matter.  
    Folks, the — the fact is that when you lose your wedding ring and the old photos of your children, family keepsakes, things that can’t be replaced — but sometimes, from my own experience, that’s the part that hurts the most.
    And I’m standing next to the mayor of Pete’s Beach and the Chairwoman Peters.  Both their homes were damaged in Hurricane Milton.  The mayor’s home flooded, family vehicles washed away.  The county chair’s home had experienced significant damage in the past two storms previous.  They just finished rebuilding and settling back in, and now they have to do it all over again.   
    Both their families lost precious personal belongings, but they’ve stepped up not only to look out for themselves but to help other families, help their neighbors.  You know, that’s the resilience of the people of West Florida.
    And I want to thank them and all the public officials who suffered consequential losses because of the storm but who are out there doing things to help other people who had serious losses.  It matters.  The American people should know the sacrifices they’re making.
    You know, they’ve been steadfast partners as well.  We’ve been in frequent contact.
    And it’s in moments like this we come together to take care of each other, not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans — Americans who need help and Americans who would help you if you were in the same situation.  We are one United States — one Unites States.
    I also came here to talk about all the progress we have made together.  This is a whole-of-government effort, from state and local to FEMA to U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, just to name a few.
    FEMA has delivered 1.2 million meals, over 300,000 liters of water, 2 million gallons of fuel.  And so far, we’ve installed 100 satellite terminals to restore communications in impacted areas so families can ton- — contact their loved ones to be sure everything is okay and be able to reach out for help as well.
    Speaking of help, so far, we’ve opened 10 disaster recovery centers in Florida, with more to come, so people can have one stop to meet with officials, get the federal help they’re entitled to that’s available to them, such as direct, immediate financial aid and no [low-]interest payment loans, mortgage relief, and so much more.
    You can also go online to DisasterAssistance.gov — DisasterAssistance.gov — or call 1-800-621-FEMA — F-E-M-A.
    Yesterday, after I signed the major disaster declaration, more than 250,000 Floridians registered for help — 250,000 — the most in sin- — any — a single day ever in the history of this country — 250,000.
    I know you’re concerned about the debris removal, and it’s obvious why.  We’re prioritizing debris removal and working with the state and local partners to clear roads, to get wreckage into — of the two hurricanes off properties, and so more folks can return home and businesses can receive much-needed deliveries of food, fuel, medicine, and other essentials.  That’s a priority for me.
    Power has also been restored to over 2 million people in a matter of days.  And thanks to tens of thousands of power workers from 43 states and Canada working nonstop, even more people will have more power restored soon. 
    Today, I’m proud to announce $612 million to six new cutting-edge projects to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene and Milton.  That includes $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and another $47 million for Florida Power & Light.
    This funding will not only restore power, but it’ll make the region’s power system stronger and more capable and reduce the frequency and duration of power outages while extreme weather events become more frequent. 
    In fact, we’ve been able to restore power quicker because of critical infrastructure investments were made both when I was vice president and president to harden the grid.  For folks at home, “the grid” means the electrical power system that transmits energy from the — where it’s produced in a power plant to where it’s used in homes and businesses. 
    We’ve been hardening the grid, like b- — like burying transmission lines underground, replacing wood power poles with concrete or composite poles so they don’t snap in the wind.
    Energy Secretary Granholm is here with me today leading this effort, and she’ll tell you more about it and other cutting-edge technologies on the grid in a moment.
    Let me close with this.  I’m here to porsonally — personally say thank you to the brave first responders — and I don’t want to underestimate that — brave first responders, men and women in uniform, utility workers.  (Inaudible) look at the number that showed up from around the country — from Canada — California, Nebraska, all over the country — to come here to help. 
    Men and women in uniform, as I said; health care personnel; neighbors helping neighbors; and so many more people.  This is all a team effort, folks.  You made a big difference.  And it’s saved lives.
    But there’s much more to do, and we’re going to do everything we can to get power back into your homes, not only helping you recover but to help you build back stronger.
    God bless you all.  And may God protect our first responders and protect our troops.
    Now I’m going to turn this over to Secretary Granholm.  Madam Secretary. 
    11:42 A.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: PM meeting with President Christodoulides of Cyprus: 14 October 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The Prime Minister welcomed the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, to Downing Street this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister welcomed the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, to Downing Street this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister began by reflecting on the strong links between the two countries, adding that the Cypriot community was a vibrant and important part of British culture.

    They then turned to the situation in the Middle East, and the Prime Minister thanked President Christodoulides for Cyprus’ strong cooperation on defence and security.

    President Christodoulides thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s early support for its efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor into Gaza.

    It was vital to see de-escalation in the region, and find a credible, political solution as a way forward, the Prime Minister added.

    Turning to the wider relationship between the UK and Cyprus, the leaders agreed to deepen ties at all levels to drive prosperity and tackle shared challenges.

    Trade, migration, and renewable energy were all areas the two countries could do more together, the leaders agreed.

    The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: XP.GG Adds Valorant as its First Riot Games Title

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Perion Labs has officially added Valorant to XP.GG’s lineup of AAA titles. XP.GG allows gamers to earn real rewards by completing challenges in their favourite games. Valorant joins Fortnite, Counter-Strike 2, and Overwatch 2 as another globally popular game on the growing XP.GG gaming platform. Competitions for Valorant begin at XP.GG on October 16th. 

    “By bringing Valorant to XP.GG, we’re not just adding a popular title—we’re inviting millions of passionate gamers to enter to win real prizes as they get good at games they love,” said Jan Hartmann, co-founder of Perion Labs and CEO of XP.GG. “Look for more titles to be added in the coming months, along with tens of thousands of dollars of real prizes for gamers who Get Good on XP.GG.” 

    With the addition of Valorant to XP.GG players have the opportunity to earn tangible rewards for excelling in one of the most competitive and beloved FPS games worldwide. Valorant, a 5v5 tactical shooter developed by Riot Games, has over 17 million monthly active players and has developed a passionate global fan base since its launch in 2020. Known for its strategic gameplay and fast-paced action, Valorant has become a staple in the Esports community and a driving force in the first-person shooter genre.

    Adding Valorant to XP.GG is a strategic move that taps into the game’s enormous player base and influence, further expanding the reach of XP.GG. Since its release, Valorant has consistently ranked among the top FPS titles. The game’s competitive integrity and thriving Esports scene can make it a magnet for highly engaged gamers. This integration will not only bring new users to XP.GG, but also elevate the experience for existing players by adding more competitive and rewarding challenges to the platform.

    Gamers Get Good and Get Rewarded

    “XP.GG rewards gamers for getting good at the games they already are playing,” said Amos Whitewolf, co-founder of Perion Labs and CTO of XP.GG. “Get five kills, and you could win a PS5, a gaming PC, and much more. You don’t even have to win in the game; you just have to complete the challenges. It’s as simple as that. The more challenges gamers complete, the higher their chance of winning. We have thousands of gamers completing challenges at XP.GG since it launched, giving them a shot at real prizes for getting good.” 

    Prizes include a $6,000 gaming PC setup, a PS5, and more, totaling over $10,000 in value. 

    “Every victory on XP.GG brings more than just glory; it brings tangible rewards across all the games you already love,” added Amos. “So earning rewards becomes a game itself on top of the challenge of getting good in the games you already play.” 

    New Game. New Phase. New Features.

    XP.GG is excited to introduce two new features aimed at enhancing user engagement and rewarding the community. The first is XP.GG Referrals – designed to reward users for helping grow the community. By sharing a personalised referral link, current users can invite non-users to sign up for XP.GG and join a specific competition. Once they complete their first challenge in any supported game, both users will receive 50 bonus tickets for the Major Prize draw. 

    They have also launched Valorant Cooperative Challenges, a new feature allowing users to team up with other XP.GG players for challenges. By working together, both players can earn XP and progress on their Battle Pass, creating a new way to collaborate, compete, and rank up faster.

    XP.GG Referrals are live now while Valorant Cooperative Challenges go live on the 16th of October when Valorant competitions launch on the platform. 

    Perion Labs

    Perion Labs’ mission is to make gaming better by incorporating blockchain, empowering gamers and the gaming industry. Their current project is XP.GG, a one-stop gaming platform where all gamers can experience the best of web3 in their favourite games, along with turnkey monetization for developers, Esports teams, creators, and stakeholders. 

    Media Kit

    XP.GG Twitter

    Contact
    Director of Marketing and PR
    Brady Nagel
    Perion Labs
    Brady@perion.gg

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Joly announces expulsion of Indian diplomats related to ongoing investigation on violent criminal activity linked to the Government of India

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Global Affairs Canada, today announced that six Indian diplomats and consular officials had received a notice of expulsion from Canada in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.

    October 14, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Global Affairs Canada, today announced that six Indian diplomats and consular officials had received a notice of expulsion from Canada in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) gathered information that established linkages between the investigation and agents of the Government of India. In order to further the investigation and allow the RCMP to interview relevant individuals, India was asked to waive diplomatic and consular immunities and to cooperate in the investigation. Regrettably, as India did not agree and given the ongoing public safety concerns for Canadians, Canada served notices of expulsion to these individuals. Subsequent to those notices, India announced it would withdraw its officials.

    Canada and India have over 75 years of diplomatic relations. Our countries share important historic, business and people-to-people ties. Canada took this decision as its main interest remains the safety and security of all Canadians, defending our sovereignty and upholding the rule of law. Canada will continue to work diligently to do everything it can to keep Canadians safe now, and into the future. Dialogue with India continues through our High Commission in Delhi. 

    “Keeping Canadians safe is the fundamental job of the Canadian government. The decision to expel these individuals was made with great consideration and only after the RCMP gathered ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case. We continue to ask that the Indian government support the ongoing investigation in the Nijjar case, as it remains in both our countries’ interest to get to the bottom of this.”

    – Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

    MIL OSI Canada News –