Category: Politics

MIL-OSI New Zealand: MPs attend 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly to debate peace, innovation, and the future of Parliaments

Source: New Zealand Parliament

Media Release
Wednesday 9 October

A cross-party delegation of members of Parliament (MPs) will join representatives from over 140 other parliaments at the 149^th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The New Zealand delegation will be led by Stuart Smith MP with Tangi Utikere MP, Kahurangi Carter MP, and Hon Rachel Brooking MP attending.

The Assembly is a biannual event, and the theme for this conference is ‘Harnessing science, technology, and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future’. A general debate will give the delegates the opportunity to hear from their overseas counterparts, and to offer a unique New Zealand perspective on the Assembly’s key themes.

MPs will also take part in forums on Women Parliamentarians and Young Parliamentarians, and workshops and discussions on topics such as the future of Parliaments. Committees will explore subjects such as peace and international security, and democracy and human rights.

Events from the Assembly will be live streamed on the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) YouTube channel.

The IPU is the global organisation of national Parliaments, founded more than 130 years ago. It is made up of 180 different national parliaments, 15 associate members, and more than 70 observer organisations. The Assembly is an opportunity to build relationships and network with a diverse range of countries and Parliaments.

The delegation will also attend the 28^th EU-NZ Inter-Parliamentary Meeting in Brussels, where they will recommence dialogue with the members of the European Parliament following recent EU elections.

ENDS

The 149^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 13–17 October 2024. Find out more about the 149^th IPU Assembly.

IPU Assemblies are held twice a year in different cities around the world, with more than 1,200 delegates attending each one. The New Zealand group of the IPU is chaired by Stuart Smith MP.

Inter-Parliamentary Relations are a way for members of New Zealand’s Parliament to keep Parliament relevant, effective, and innovative. Dialogue between members of different parliaments increases mutual understanding between countries, develops best practice, and ensures New Zealand is playing an active part in the international community. Members’ active participation in inter-parliamentary activities improves their knowledge and insights as legislators, which in turn improves parliamentary scrutiny of Government.

Contact Information

For more information contact IPR@parliament.govt.nz

For media enquiries contact:

communications.team@parliament.govt.nz

MIL OSI

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: National bent the rules to keep coalition commitment

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

The National Government bent all sorts of rules to give $24 million to Gumboot Friday just to fulfil a coalition agreement.

“The Auditor General’s damning findings today make it crystal clear that coalition agreements alone cannot be used to justify government expenditure,” Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said.

“The findings say the procurement process was “unusual and inconsistent” with the principles used to procure government services.

“The Government talks a big game about spending public money wisely yet used a loophole to get Gumboot Friday funding across the line without a fair and transparent process.

“They did this because they had already decided before coming into government that Gumboot Friday was an organisation they wanted to fund.

“It’s outrageous that the loophole was used to “retrospectively justify an outcome that had already been decided” which flies in the face of goo procurement.

“By pre-cooking the outcome National forced officials to use a legal loophole they know was never intended for this type of procurement.

“Ministers must stop from riding roughshod over procurement rules to maintain public trust and confidence and NZ’s reputation for public sector integrity.

“Meanwhile other mental health community groups locked out of government funding are struggling to provide critical services to their communities, and several have already closed,” Ingrid Leary said.

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MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Home sales up in holiday period

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

This file photo shows a renovated residential building in a community in Yanta District of Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Home sales and inquiries by potential buyers rose considerably in benchmark cities including Beijing and Shanghai during the just-concluded National Day holiday, thanks to a number of optimization measures rolled out by the central government and first-tier cities, industry experts said on Tuesday.

This is playing a positive role in digesting the housing policies and shoring up market sentiment, they added.

After announcing policies to free up restrictions on home purchases ahead of the weeklong holiday, China’s top-tier cities saw a market recovery during the holiday period, despite it being a conventional low season for home transactions, the experts said.

Some 59,000 square meters of new home space were traded across Shanghai in the first six days of October, doubling from that of last year’s 29,000 sq m, said Lu Wenxi, a market analyst with Centaline Shanghai.

In the pre-owned homes market, 2,133 units of existing residential properties changed hands during the weeklong holiday, more than twice the 1,064 units registered during the same period last year, Lu said.

According to Lu, the market recovery followed a batch of favorable local policies effective on the first day of October, such as the lowering of a threshold for non-local buyers, reduction in down payments for both first-time and second home purchases, and expanding VAT exemptions during home trading.

“There is an evident warm-up in market confidence as we see some 20 percent rise in business inquiries and visits,” said Ye Yongxiang, an agent with Sinyi Realty in Shanghai’s Xuhui district.

Ye said it has been an extremely busy holiday season for himself as well as his colleagues, a sharp contrast from the same period during the past two years.

“Being in the business for nearly a decade, I can really feel the vibes of the market on the rise,” Ye said.

Beijing saw new home transaction volumes surge 730 percent during the first six days of the month from the same period last year, and its existing home market also experienced a gradual growth since the latter half of the holiday, with trade volumes rising 58 percent compared to last year, according to a report on the official website of Beijing Youth Daily.

Guangzhou, the capital of South China’s Guangdong province, saw more than 3,000 units of new homes traded at real estate brokerage platform Beike as of 2 pm Monday, more than tripling from that of last year, the local Guangzhou Daily reported.

The rising market demand could be seen in a broader scale in the secondary home market of major cities.

As many as 384 units of pre-owned homes were sold daily in six key cities, soaring 117.6 percent year-on-year, according to Linping Real Estate Data Research Institute.

“The market confidence index has been on an upward trend three weeks in a row, according to the weekly data collected in 50 cities, indicating that the supportive measures introduced one after another have boosted market confidence,” said Wang Xiaoqiang, chief analyst at the institute.

“The encouraging messages delivered by both local and central governments will certainly help stabilize the property market and improve market confidence,” Wang added.

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau launches Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Home and Youth Affairs Bureau launches Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme
Home and Youth Affairs Bureau launches Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme
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The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) announced today (October 9) the launch of the Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme through the Community Care Fund to subsidise a non-governmental organisation in providing mediation services on maintenance to people in need who are eligible for the Pilot Scheme (including maintenance payers and payees), to provide an alternative way for parties concerned other than court proceedings. The Government is committed to improving the effectiveness of the system for collecting maintenance payments and enforcing maintenance orders. In this regard, the Chief Executive announced in his 2023 Policy Address the launch of the Pilot Scheme to assist the parties concerned to resolve disputes on the related matters through a more time-saving way, which is mediation. The three-year Pilot Scheme is expected to process a total of 1 200 cases, benefitting 2 400 separating or divorcing persons. Parties involved in maintenance payment disputes are eligible to apply for the Pilot Scheme free of charge, provided that one of the parties (applicant) is a Hong Kong resident and meets the income limit. This can encourage maintenance payers in default of payment to engage in mediation. Based on Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS)’s extensive experience and well-established network in relation to the relevant mediation services and publicity work, the HYAB has appointed HKFWS as the service operator of the Pilot Scheme. Persons interested in participating the Pilot Scheme can visit the dedicated webpage (www.familyandwomen.gov.hk/en/story/2024091920185069798.html), or contact HKFWS at 2561 9229.

Ends/Wednesday, October 9, 2024Issued at HKT 11:30

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: OCR decision a welcome relief for working people

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney said the decision by the Reserve Bank to cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points (0.5%) to 4.75% will be a welcome relief to workers facing higher unemployment and a struggling economy. “The Reserve Bank has been forced into a significant cut because the economy has failed to fire. Weak consumer spending, weak business investment, weak house prices, and a weakening labour market all put our economic recovery at risk.”

“The Government is expecting the Reserve Bank to do all the work and support economic growth. Rather than supporting the economy and working people through difficult times, this Government has chosen to cut spending and investment, and is happy to see unemployment rise to levels not seen for a long time. These are choices, and the Government could invest now to deliver the growth we need for the future. Simply cutting interest rates returns to the economy of the past – and all the problems it already had”.

“While many people will welcome lower interest rates, and some retailers will welcome the potential for additional spending, the rate cut is not a sign of strength in the economy but is a recognition of its weakness. We need to build a better economy, one with good work and higher incomes. Nothing in the government’s plan for cuts delivers that.” Renney said.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland’s cultural institutions collaborate to deliver improvements

Source: Auckland Council

A significant milestone has been reached as Auckland’s major cultural organisations join forces to tackle long–standing challenges and enhance collaboration.

The Auckland War Memorial Museum, MOTAT, and Stardome, each operate independently under different outdated laws. These individual arrangements have not encouraged collaboration within the sector or enabled Auckland Council to specify and monitor outcomes to make the most of available funding.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Desley Simpson, who has led a political working group to come up with this solution, says agreement has now been reached on how to address these concerns.

“For years, the council has acknowledged our cultural institutions were set up to work separately and we invested significantly on reports and reviews to try and fix that,” Cr Simpson says.

“Now, after a lot of time, effort, debate and discussion, we have delivered a way forward. Most importantly, we’ve found an approach that is supported by our wonderful cultural institutions themselves who have been an integral part of this journey.”

The working group’s two-stage solution will address issues identified in external reviews dating back to 2015. Previous discussions have not led to tangible changes to address these, until now. 

Phase one will focus on achieving better outcomes through collaboration, and a newly formed alliance will play a key role in this effort. The new alliance will bring together the Auckland War Memorial Museum, MOTAT, Stardome, and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which owns and operates Auckland Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum and Auckland Zoo, to leverage shared resources and talent. This collaboration will lead to more efficient promotion and programming, coordinated advertising and marketing, and the ability to tell a culturally cohesive Auckland story.

Phase two will involve updating outdated laws to better support this collaboration and enhance outcomes relative to the council’s funding.

Cr Simpson says she’s pleased that all her fellow councillors have chosen to support a more sustainable and effective path forward for each of these key cultural institutions that are unique, valued and much loved.

The council’s Governing Body unanimously agreed to progress the recommendations at its meeting on 26 September 2024. 

Read more about the recommendations here.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin: A service for interaction between science and business has opened in Moscow

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Moscow Innovation Cluster launched a service to establish connections between science and business R. He told about this Sergei Sobyanin in his telegram channel.

“It will help to integrate scientific developments into the real sector of the economy more quickly and efficiently. Two scientific organizations and 14 universities of the capital have joined the service, eight of which have the special status of national research university,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

These include Lomonosov Moscow State University, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, and N.E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

Scientists and students conduct research for the subsequent implementation of developments at large businesses. Research teams have more than 400 laboratories equipped with advanced equipment at their disposal.

More than 300 requests have already been received from oil refining, transport, medical, metallurgical, energy, railway, and electric grid companies. Each application is accompanied by experts and the necessary laboratory is selected to implement the project.

Sobyanin: Lomonosov Cluster Plays Leading Role in Import Substitution Development

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

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

https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11874050/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Bill restoring Samoan Citizenship progresses

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

Labour is pleased the Samoan Citizenship Bill has unanimous support as it enters second reading.

The Bill would provide the right to New Zealand citizenship to people who were born in Samoa on or after 13 May 1924 and before 1 January 1949, and whose citizenship was removed by the 1982 Act.

“This is about righting a historic wrong for those born in Samoa who had their citizenship revoked under the 1982 Act, when they were rightly entitled to it,” Pacific Peoples spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni said.

“I want to firstly thank the tens of thousands who made submissions, marched in the streets, and shared their stories with the committee. Your voices helped shape this Bill.

“I also acknowledge our Cook Island colleague Teanau Tuiono for putting this member’s bill in the ballot.

“This shows the importance of having Pacific representation across political parties and the way issues pertaining to our communities can be prioritised. We may be Pacific MPs from different parties, but on issues like this, we work together for the good of our people.

“Labour has supported this Bill from the start and will continue to fully support it.

“We know how much this means to our Samoan aiga and we’re certainly standing with them – it is the right thing to do and honours the spirit of the Government’s formal Dawn Raids apology,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“During the select committee process, we also heard from the community that they want Samoa-New Zealand visas to be reviewed. We would be supportive of the Government exploring these settings,” Labour Pacific Caucus Chair Jenny Salesa said.

“I know our Pacific Labour MPs have been consistently engaging with their local Samoan communities. We’ve attended numerous public hearings where our communities’ confronting stories were heard and pleas for justice were made.

“Labour has heard the call and encourages our Samoan and wider-Pacific whānau to stay engaged on this issue as it enters the House for second reading,” Jenny Salesa said.

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MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Robotic surgeons, transplantation and research. How Botkin Hospital became a scientific and clinical center

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

More than 90 clinical departments, a flagship emergency center, minimally invasive surgery, innovative equipment, organ transplantation, scientific research and implementation of advanced technologies. This is what it looks like today City Clinical Hospital named after S.P. Botkin. It recently received a new status – Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center (MMNCC). This is a natural result of the evolution that the hospital has undergone over the past 10 years. A mos.ru correspondent spoke with doctors about its key transformations.

What specialized medical centers have opened in renovated buildings, how are cancers treated at stage zero, what surgeries are performed by robots, how innovators create cutting-edge technologies, and why is city recognition important to them – in our article.

From emergency care to bone marrow transplants

The transformation of the Botkin Hospital began about 10 years ago, since then 11 buildings have been built and renovated. Specialized medical centers are being opened in them, where they provide a full cycle of care – from diagnostics to treatment and dynamic monitoring.

In 2024, the hospital will celebrate 114 years since its foundation. All these years, it has been providing emergency medical care in various areas. We maintain centuries-old traditions and introduce new technologies into our work. We create unique specialized centers, use innovative equipment, develop minimally invasive surgery, train doctors, conduct scientific research and develop advanced treatment methods. Thanks to the achievements of recent years, the hospital has received the status of a scientific and clinical center Dmitry Grekov Deputy Director for Clinical Work of the Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center named after S.P. Botkin

In 2019, the only city ophthalmology center in the capital began operating — one of the largest and most modern specialized centers in Russia and Europe. It treats any eye pathologies. Later, the hematology building was modernized, where courses of chemo-, immuno-, and targeted therapy, as well as bone marrow transplantation, are now conducted. In the outpatient oncology care center, under the supervision of one team of doctors, you can undergo pathomorphological examinations, receive radiation and surgical treatment. The interdistrict nephrology center specializes in the treatment of kidney pathologies: hemodialysis, replacement therapy, transplantation. Another transformation of the Botkin Hospital is the launch in 2021 of the first high-throughput endoscopic center in Moscow for the early diagnosis of oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Patients from the risk group are referred here.

“Every fourth patient in the capital has neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract. But they can be avoided if screening is performed in time. The center conducts gastro- and colonoscopy under intravenous anesthesia, and if polyps are detected, endoscopists remove them immediately. Sometimes we already see tumor cells in the removed polyps, this is stage zero cancer. After the procedure, the patient does not need medications or operations – only regular examinations. Over three years of work, the center has conducted almost 130 thousand studies and removed about 15 thousand formations. That is, we have already prevented oncology in so many people,” Dmitry Grekov emphasized.

Last year, the Botkin Hospital opened a flagship emergency medical care center; during the first 24 hours of hospitalization, patients undergo diagnostics, surgical treatment, and intensive care. That same year, the Moscow City Urology Center opened, which became the largest in Russia.

Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the comprehensive modernization of the Botkin Hospital Thanks to nephrology centers in Moscow, the number of emergency hospitalizations for kidney diseases has decreased The capital reported on the results of the work of endoscopic centers over three years Operations of any complexity and high technology: a tour of the flagship and urological centers of the Botkin Hospital

Laparoscopes, surgical robots and neuronavigators

The S.P. Botkin MMNCC is a leader in the number of high-tech surgeries performed. Innovative equipment has made it possible to develop minimally invasive surgery. During laparoscopy, the doctor does not make large incisions, but inserts an endoscope with a camera transmitting an image to the screen and instruments through punctures into the organ. With the endovascular method, vessels are operated through punctures.

“Minimally invasive surgery has become commonplace for us. We are also pioneers in robotic technologies. In 2013, the first Da Vinci robot appeared in the hospital in Moscow, now we have six of them. They operate following the surgeon’s commands. Their “hands” can perform complex manipulations, as they rotate 540 degrees. Robots remove tumors in the liver, lungs, stomach, mediastinal tumors (this is an anatomical space in the middle sections of the chest cavity). They have no equal in narrow places: the rectum, pelvis, prostate gland. With the help of the Da Vinci robot, more than 10 thousand operations have already been performed in our clinic,” said Dmitry Grekov.

The MMNCC has modern CT and MRI machines at its disposal. Angiographs visualize the lumen of blood vessels and heart cavities. In neurosurgery and ophthalmology, intraoperative microscopes are indispensable for detailing deep lesions. The neuronavigator builds a route to the affected area of the brain so that the surgeon does not touch functionally significant areas.

“Our center has one of the largest experience in Russia in using minimally invasive methods to treat people with complicated malignant neoplasms. We have almost all medical specialties, which has allowed us to form multidisciplinary teams and make decisions at a single consultation. For example, we have already performed more than 10 operations for kidney tumors, when the tumor thrombus grows along the inferior vena cava and reaches the heart. In such a situation, the operating team consists of urologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular and abdominal surgeons,” the doctor said.

A place where medical work is inseparable from scientific work

Treatment should go hand in hand with science – this is the principle of the S.P. Botkin MMNCC. Since its foundation in 1910 to the present day, the institution remains an innovator. All scientific staff are practicing doctors.

Our goal is to improve treatment methods and medical technologies based on our experience. We see a weak point and try to find a solution. We start by analyzing the results. We performed surgery on 300 people, and 10 percent had postoperative complications. What factors influenced the procedure — age, smoking, diabetes? Statistics indicate the cause, and the team begins to create a medicine, a new treatment strategy, or a device. The development is tested at the center, and then the database is collected again. One study takes an average of three years. In emergency surgery, the results are immediately visible: on the 10th day after the operation, it is clear whether there are complications or not. In oncology, you have to wait for years for the results Pavel Drozdov Deputy Director for Science, S.P. Botkin Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center

If the effectiveness is proven, the new technology is “broadcast” to the capital’s medicine. In 2015, the city’s first simulation center opened in the hospital. There are simulators for endovascular and maxillofacial surgery, neurosurgery, and endoscopy. For example, Moscow doctors are taught to perform laparoscopic surgeries on organ dummies. Some simulators recreate acute cholecystitis and appendicitis, and intestinal obstruction.

The MMNCC team has repeatedly received the Russian Federation Government Prize in Science and Technology. Success was achieved in the treatment of pancreatic necrosis, a condition in which part of the pancreas becomes necrotic, causing its juice to digest nearby tissues. The team determined the types of this pathology (the tail, head, or entire gland died) and treatment tactics for each of them, for which they were awarded.

Doctors were also awarded for developing minimally invasive methods of surgical treatment of abdominal tumors: they wrote instructions on how to use laparoscopy and robots for interventions on the liver, stomach, and intestines. Doctors were also encouraged for creating a technology for machine perfusion of donor kidneys and liver. In order for organ cells to function while waiting for a transplant, they began to be enriched with a solution saturated with oxygen. This way they take root faster in the recipient.

“Awards are not the goal of our work, but they are recognition of our contribution to the development of medicine. We managed to prove that we are not just a hospital, and as a result, we received the status of a scientific and clinical center. We plan to expand the staff of scientific employees and continue to improve the quality of care,” added Pavel Drozdov.

Scientific work has been carried out in neurology, cardiology, neurosurgery, hematology and other areas, many projects receive grants from the city. The endoscopic method of operating on ulcers complicated by bleeding comes from the MMNCC. Within the walls of the center, a synthetic prosthesis-loop with a tension control mechanism for people suffering from urinary incontinence has been developed, as well as a program based on artificial intelligence, which helps diagnose prostate cancer, select therapy, and predict the course of the disease.

Currently, doctors are working on an algorithm for performing different types of keratoplasty (surgery to restore the cornea). MMNKTs has something to share: it is the only city clinic that performs corneal transplants.

Moscow doctors have introduced the latest method of treating a common disease in men Neural networks helped the capital’s radiologists process 13 million studies Technologies on guard of health: what high-precision equipment is used in Moscow hospitals The era of technology. Doctors spoke about new standards in the capital’s healthcare Saving Hearts. Moscow’s Chief Cardiac Surgeon on Minimally Invasive Techniques and Disease Prevention

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

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

https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145005073/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Steps taken to ensure food security

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

China has outlined detailed policy measures to underpin its “all-encompassing approach” to food and to build a diversified food supply system, which analysts said will contribute to ensuring food security and building up the country’s strength in agriculture.
The guideline on speeding up the building of a diversified food supply system, issued by the General Office of the State Council in September, said the country will take measures to effectively promote the development of new food varieties, fields and technologies.
Efforts will be made to expand food resources through multiple channels, boost sci-tech innovation to improve the quality and effectiveness of food development, and enhance the entire industrial chain, in particular the value chain of the food industry, according to the document.
Both the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the No 1 document of 2024 proposed an all-encompassing approach to food and the expansion of food resources, which analysts said indicates the strong emphasis China has put on the issue.
“The adoption of an all-encompassing approach to food can not only better meet people’s growing diversified food consumption needs, but also constitute an inevitable choice to address food security challenges confronted by China,” said Tang Wei, an associate professor at Sichuan Agricultural University’s Law School.
According to official data, last year China’s total meat production was 97.48 million metric tons, its milk production was 42.81 million tons, and poultry and egg production reached 35.63 million tons. Tang said these figures reflect changes in people’s diets and that there should be higher requirements for the diversity of food supply.
The all-encompassing approach to food emphasizes moving beyond traditional staple crops to address food security, and instead expanding to a broader category that includes meat, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, fish, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
Despite having only nine percent of the world’s arable land and six percent of its freshwater resources, China feeds nearly 20 percent of the global population.
“In the context of increasing constraints on resources and the environment, embracing the approach will help ensure food security and sustainable development,” Tang said.
The document issued last month called on expanding from arable land resources to encompass the entire territory’s resources under the premise of protecting the ecological environment, encouraging exploring new food resources from natural resources, including forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, seas and facility-based agriculture.
“Expanding the spatial scope of agricultural production and diversifying supply channels can reduce the pressure on arable land, further consolidating the foundation of food security,” Tang added.
Zheng Fengtian, a professor at the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University of China, underscored the necessity to fully tap resources in accordance with local conditions and highlighted the importance of substantial investment in scientific and technological innovation in boosting agricultural modernization.
He gave the example that the vast majority of western China, which may not be suitable for large-scale farming, is endowed with abundant forest resources. The region can support the development of the understory economy and the cultivation of various cash crops, he said.
The understory economy refers to the development of industries under the forest canopy such as animal husbandry and planting suitable crops.
Official data shows that beyond arable land, China has over 267 million hectares of forest, a similar amount of grassland, and abundant rivers, lakes and seas.
More importance should be attached to these resources, and research and development into corresponding varieties and technologies to foster diversified food supply channels, Zheng said.
Expanding agricultural production space does not mean unlimited extraction, rather, it is about the reasonable use of natural resources, he added.
Zheng warned that the sources of China’s grain imports and transportation capacity of import channels are relatively concentrated, making the country susceptible to geopolitical and shipping risks.
Adopting an all-encompassing approach to food could enhance the resilience of China’s food supply chains, allowing it to actively respond to external instability and uncertainty, he said.
“If China can achieve significant agricultural technological breakthroughs, it will not only facilitate addressing its food security but also set an example for other developing countries,” Zheng said, calling for shoring up innovation in areas including breeding technology and strengthening the leading role of enterprises.
Sheikh Ahaduzzaman, a representative for China at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said at an event held last year he expects China’s food industry to become more powerful, upgraded, innovative and sustainable. “This will not only benefit the Chinese people, but also make a significant contribution to the positive progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” he said.
According to the State Council’s September document, China will accelerate breeding innovation to cultivate high-yield, high-quality and stress-resistant new varieties, and encourage enterprises to collaborate with universities and research institutes in a bid to develop and promote new technologies and equipment.
Sun Shujing, a senior agriculture researcher at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, highlighted the significant roles of scientific and technological innovation in nurturing competitiveness in agricultural products and industries.
Sun has previously researched white fungus, with the aim of improving production technologies and increasing yields. “Influenced by the all-encompassing approach to food, research priorities will be given to innovation across the entire industry chain to promote the healthy development of the industry,” she said.
The document specifically mentions developing and expanding the edible mushroom industry, and creating edible mushroom products, which Sun said will strengthen researchers’ confidence in engaging in the industry and motivate them to meet the significant national demand for the product.
Zhong Yu, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said efforts should be made to achieve a virtuous cycle of mutual adaptation between demand and production to promote the high-quality development of agriculture and better meet the people’s aspiration for a better life.
“We should accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive food safety standard and inspection system, proactively align domestic standards with international standards, and expedite the construction of a traceability system for the entire agricultural product supply chain to effectively reduce food safety risks,” he said.
Zhong underscored the need to match supply with demand, saying technologies such as big data should be fully leveraged to understand what consumers want in a timely manner so that production can be adjusted effectively.
As the all-encompassing approach to food emphasizes nutritious and healthy consumption, he said China should keep improving its system for nutritional health standards while continuing to promote food saving and reducing food waste.

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: OCI Holdings Accelerates Its Presence in Malaysia: Implementing a Targeted Localisation Strategy, including Sponsorship of Sports and Cultural events
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SEOUL, KOREA, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OCI Holdings just announced on October 7 that it has made significant strides in strengthening its relationships with key figures and local residents in Sarawak, Malaysia, the production hub for its solar PV polysilicon.
- To develop stronger relationships with key figures and local residents in Malaysia, a running event and badminton class were held in late September.
- Announcing a new slogan ‘Envisioning a healthier future through life science and clean energy’
- Online and offline training on Malay language and culture were provided for Korean employees in Seoul in late August.
OCI Holdings plans to enhance its ties with the local community and conduct environmental, social, governance (ESG) activities in Malaysia to support its subsidiary OCI M. These initiatives aim to navigate the challenges posed by global economic uncertainties in the second half of this year, including the potential impact of the U.S. presidential election and U.S. tariffs on China, as well as a potential temporary slowdown in demand in the solar PV industry.

Fostering stronger relationships with localresidents, led by sports star Lee Yong-dae

OCI Holdings hosted a one-day badminton class at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus on September 29. The purpose of the event was to nurture young sports talents and promote health among local residents and featured Korean badminton legend Lee Yong-dae from the Leeyongdae Badminton Foundation.

In the morning, Lee provided one-point lessons to 30 young players recommended by the Bintulu Badminton Association. He focused on various game situations and fundamental techniques, including the serve, smash, forehand step-in, and backhand return. In the afternoon, he engaged in friendly matches with badminton club members and local residents.

The popular badminton legend drew a crowd of more than 300 spectators who filled the gymnasium with excitement. His star power rivals that of top idols with his widespread appeal.

Given the widespread popularity of badminton in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India, OCI Holdings partnered with Lee in consideration of his influence and expertise.

Lee Yong-dae, a leading badminton star from Korea who won gold in mixed doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and bronze in men’s doubles at the 2012 London Olympics, was an active player in Indonesia near Sarawak in 2015.

On September 27, Lee met with young players from Persatuan Badminton Bumiputra Sarawak (PBBS) comprised of ethnic Malays, and provided one-on-one coaching to support their aspirations.

Joint eco-friendly running event organized with key Sarawak organizations

OCI Holdings co-hosted the Kuching Green Run 2024 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia on September 28.

The Kuching Green Run 2024, an inaugural eco-friendly cultural event held to raise community awareness of sustainable renewable energy and climate protection, was organized by the local social enterprise Green Generation in collaboration with OCI Holdings, Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU), and Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

Several local companies, including the Malaysian national petroleum company PETONAS and China Communications Construction Company, participated as sponsors.

The opening ceremony was attended by OCI Holdings Chairman Woo Hyun Lee, OCI M President Seong Gil Choi, and more than 20 key figures from Sarawak, including Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain and State Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak Datuk Sebastian Ting Yew.

Despite the hot and humid weather, Chairman Lee, who had traveled from Seoul for the event, visited every area of the venue, encouraging participants along the way.

He remarked, “It is meaningful for us to promote a healthy lifestyle with sports and engage with the local community. In line with our motto, ‘Envisioning a healthier future through life science and clean energy,’ OCI M, as a prominent company in Sarawak, will actively participate in various ESG initiatives including cultural events and scholarship programs.”

On September 30, OCI M donated an ultrasound machine, valued at tens of millions of won, to Sarawak General Hospital in partnership with Sarawak Badan Amal Tenaga Isteri-Isteri (SABATI), a nonprofit charity organization led by the spouses of prominent figures in Sarawak, contributing to healthcare and well-being in the local community.

In Korea, staff are learning the Malaysian greeting “Salam.”

OCI Holdings organized a special lecture on Malaysian culture and history for its employees at the headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, in late August.

Professors Ummi Hani Binti Abu Hassan and Kim Dong-hun from the Department of Malay-Indonesian Studies at Hankook University of Foreign Studies conducted the lecture to 100 employees.

The lecture encompassed Malaysia’s history, its multicultural nature, and business etiquette with sessions streamed online for employees of domestic and international subsidiaries.

Professor Ummi, a Malaysian, demonstrated the Muslim greeting “salam,” which involves raising the right hand to the left breast and lowering one’s head. Employees followed her example and learned the meaning behind the gesture: “I greet you with my heart.”

Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, Malaysia is a multicultural state composed of various ethnic groups including Malays (57.9%), Chinese (22.6%), and Indians (6.6%). With this lecture, employees gained valuable insights into these cultural differences. For instance, only Malaysian Muslims have the word “Islam” on their identification cards.

Yong-sun Cho, team manager of the Strategy Team I of OCI Holdings, who participated in the lecture, said, “It was a valuable opportunity to gain knowledge about Malaysia’s history and cultural nuances that I was previously unaware of. Thanks to the Malaysian lessons I have attended, I can now communicate more effectively with local Malaysians.”

OCI Holdings has also offered a three-month basic Malaysian conversation course to employees at the team manager level and above starting in June.

Media Contact

Brand: OCI Holdings Company Ltd.

Contact: +82-10-5591-8126

Email: yunhs@ocihc.co.kr

Website: https://www.oci-holdings.co.kr/en

SOURCE: OCI Holdings Company Ltd.

The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Fatima Payman’s new Australia’s Voice party to appeal to the ‘unheard’

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Senator Fatima Payman, launching her new political party Australia’s Voice, is pitching strongly at the large number of voters who are disillusioned with the big parties.

“Australians are fed up with the major parties having a duopoly, a stranglehold over our democracy. If we need to drag the two major parties kicking and screaming to do what needs to be done, we will.”

Payman, who stresses she is not forming a Muslim party, quoted both Gough Whitlam and Robert Menzies in introducing the new group.

She said the party was “for the disenfranchised, the unheard, and those yearning for real change”. But she was short on any detail, saying policies and candidates would come later.

Payman quit the Labor party to join the crossbench after disciplinary action that followed her crossing the floor over Gaza. A senator from Western Australia, she doesn’t face the voters until the election after next.

It has previously been flagged the party intends to field Senate candidates as well as run in some lower house seats. Its strategist is so-called preference whisperer Glenn Druery, who works for Payman. Druery had success in promoting micro-party candidates running for upper houses in the past, but tightened federal electoral rules mean it will be an uphill battle to get a senator elected for the new party.
Payman told a news conference on Wednesday: “This is more a movement than a party. It’s a movement for a fairer, more inclusive, Australia. Together we will hold our leaders accountable and ensure that your voice – Australia’s Voice – is never silenced.”

Payman invoked “the great Gough Whitlam” when he said, “There are some people who are so frightened to put a foot wrong that they won’t put a foot forward”.

“This comment made in 1985 applies so much to the current Labor Party who has lost its way,” Payman said.

Looking also to the other side of politics she said: “Australia’s Voice believes in a system where people come first, where your concerns are not just heard but acted upon. We reject the status quo that serves the powerful and ignores the rest, the forgotten people as Robert Menzies put it.”

She said after spending countless hours listening to Australians, the message she’d heard had been “a growing frustration”.

“A feeling of being left behind, of shouting into a void, only for their concerns to fall on deaf ears.

“So many of you have told me, with emotion in your hearts. ‘We need something different We need a voice’.

“It is this cry for change that has brought us here today. Because we can no longer sit by while our voices are drowned out by the same old politics. It’s time to stand up, to rise together, and to take control of our future.”

Underlining the party would be inclusive, Payman said, “This is a party for all Australians. We’re going to ensure that everyone is represented, whether it’s the mums and dads who are trying to make ends meet, or the young students out there, or whether it’s the grandparents who want to have dignity and respect as they age.”

Michelle Grattan 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. Fatima Payman’s new Australia’s Voice party to appeal to the ‘unheard’ – https://theconversation.com/fatima-paymans-new-australias-voice-party-to-appeal-to-the-unheard-240897

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: An engineering building with a physical education and health block was built in Nagatino-Sadovniki

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

An engineering building with physical education and health facilities with a total area of over 16,000 square meters was built on the territory of the Newton Plaza technology park, a multifunctional complex that includes high-tech enterprises. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Moscow Department of Urban Development Policy Vladislav Ovchinsky.

The building is located at the address: 1st Nagatinsky proezd, building 10. It was built in the style of modern minimalism, so it blends in organically with the adjacent buildings of the technology park thanks to the use of similar facade materials.

“The multifunctional complex consists of seven above-ground, two underground and one basement floors. It includes laboratories, sports and fitness and administrative premises. The complex building is connected to the existing building of the innovation and industrial complex by an above-ground passage at the level of the first floor and an underground passage at the level of the minus second floor. In addition, an underground passage to the prospective development near the northern border of the site is provided,” said Vladislav Ovchinsky.

The engineering block contains laboratory and administrative premises, a control room, laboratories, laboratory utility rooms, technical rooms, a shared use center (coworking area), acoustic office cabins, auxiliary and technical rooms, and a balcony with a usable terrace.

The laboratories will conduct tests of electronic systems of cars and issue conclusions based on their results. They also plan to check the acoustic systems of cars and motorcycles for compliance with sound quality and noise level certificates.

The physical education and health block houses martial arts halls, functional training, group classes, fitness, a massage room and a hammam, as well as various service and administrative departments, tennis courts and a gym.

Based on the results of the comprehensive final inspection, the Committee for State Construction Supervision of the City of Moscow (Mosgosstroynadzor) issued a conclusion on the compliance of the facility with the design documentation.

“The engineering building was erected in five years, and throughout all stages of construction the committee monitored the progress of the work – a total of 29 on-site inspections were conducted at the site. Now the developer can prepare documentation to obtain permission to put the building into operation,” added the chairman of Mosgosstroynadzor

Anton Slobodchikov.

Earlier Sergei Sobyanin reportedon the completion of the construction of the first stage of the ZIL technology park, an investment priority project for the capital.

Technoparks to be built in 10 districts of the capital under the integrated territorial development program A technology park will be built in Maryina Roshcha Ecological laboratory, city farm and chocolate studio. How the children’s technopark of food production Rosbiotech is organized

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

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

https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145004073/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Do investors trust AI for stock market predictions? – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Despite the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence, investors prefer human expertise when it comes to stock market predictions, according to a new study.

The study, which involved 3,600 US participants, examined responses to S&P 500 stock predictions made by human analysts, AI systems and a combination of both.

Researchers Dr Gertjan Verdickt (University of Auckland) and Francesco Stradi (KU Leuven), say the findings challenge the assumption that AI’s data-crunching prowess might automatically earn investor trust.

“We found that investors are more likely to believe human analysts first, followed by a combination of both human and AI,” says Verdickt, a finance lecturer at the University of Auckland Business School.

“AI-generated predictions are viewed with the most scepticism.”

He says this result was somewhat surprising in light of recent developments in AI technology.

“Previous studies have shown that AI can outperform human analysts, but it’s apparent that trust is a major issue.”

The results also showed notable differences between genders, with women showing more openness to AI-driven advice than men.

“Men tend to be overconfident in their financial abilities, which may explain why they are more sceptical of AI,” says Verdickt.

“Also, we have seen in other studies that women, on average, get different and often worse advice from financial advisers, such as recommendations for products with higher fees and less risk.”

The findings also show that investors with a deeper understanding of AI are more likely to trust its predictions.

Meanwhile, people who gave their political affiliation as Democrat, were more likely to trust AI-generated forecasts than Republicans.

To explore whether using more familiar AI tools could boost trust, the researchers also tested whether investors would view the well-known large language model ChatGPT more favourably.

“Contrary to recent research suggesting familiarity enhances trust in technology, our results indicate that replacing ‘AI’ with ‘ChatGPT’ does not improve investor trust. In fact, we find that investors distrust ChatGPT-generated advice, perhaps even more than the generic ‘AI model’ we reference in our study.”

Verdickt says the findings show that technical effectiveness alone can’t gain investor trust.

“We are the first to study investors’ reactions to AI forecasts from a perspective of credibility and beliefs. Our findings show that financial institutions should approach AI integration cautiously and consider tailored communication strategies for different demographics.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The Australian government has introduced new cyber security laws. Here’s what you need to know

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tuffley, Senior Lecturer in Applied Ethics & CyberSecurity, Griffith University

gerardaskes/Shutterstock

The Albanese government today introduced long-awaited legislation to parliament which is set to revolutionise Australia’s cyber security preparedness.

The legislation, if passed, will be Australia’s first standalone cyber security act. It’s aimed at protecting businesses and consumers from the rising tide of cyber crime.

So what are the key provisions, and will it be enough?

What’s in the new laws?

The new laws have a strong focus on victims of “ransomware” – malicious software cyber criminals use to block access to crucial files or data until a ransom has been paid.

People who pay a ransom do not always regain lost data. The payments also sustain the hacker’s business model.

Under the new law, victims of ransomware attacks who make payments must report the payment to authorities. This will help the government track cyber criminal activities and understand how much money is being lost to ransomware.

The laws also involve new obligations for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and Australian Signals Directorate. These obligations restrict how these two bodies can use information provided to them by businesses and industry about cyber security incidents. The government hopes this will encourage organisations to more openly share information knowing it will be safeguarded.

Separately, organisations in critical infrastructure – such as energy, transport, communications, health and finance – will be required to strengthen programs used to secure individuals’ private data.

The new legislation will also upgrade the investigative powers of the Cyber Incident Review Board. The board will conduct “no-fault” investigations after significant cyber attacks. The board will then share insights to promote improvements in cyber security practices more generally. These insights will be anonymised to ensure the identities of victims of cyber attacks aren’t publicly revealed.

The legislation will also introduce new minimum cyber security standards for all smart devices, such as watches, televisions, speakers and doorbells.

These standards will establish a baseline level of security for consumers. They will include secure default settings, unique device passwords, regular security updates and encryption of sensitive data.

This is a welcome step that will ensure everyday devices meet minimum security criteria before they can be sold in Australia.

A long-overdue step

Cyber security incidents have surged by 23% in the past financial year, to more than 94,000 reported cases. This is equivalent to one attack every six minutes.

This dramatic increase underscores the growing sophistication and frequency of cyber attacks targeting Australian businesses and individuals. It also highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive national response.

High-profile cyber attacks have further emphasised the need to strengthen Australia’s cyber security framework. The 2022 Optus data breach is perhaps the most prominent example. The breach compromised the personal information of more than 11 million Australians, alarming both the government and the public, not to mention Optus.

Cyber Security Minister Tony Burke says the Cyber Security Act is a “long-overdue step” that reflects the government’s concern about these threats.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also acknowledged recent high-profile attacks as a “wake-up call” for businesses, emphasising the need for a unified approach to cyber security.

The Australian government wants to establish Australia as a world leader in cyber security by 2030. This goal reflects the government’s acknowledgement that cyber security is fundamental to national security, economic prosperity and social well being.

Broader implications

The proposed laws will enhance national security. But they could also present challenges.

For example, even though the laws place limitations on how the National Cyber Security Coordinator and Australian Signals Directorate can use information, some businesses might still be unwilling to share confidential data because they are worried about damage to their reputation.

Businesses, especially smaller ones, will also face a substantial compliance burden as they adapt to new reporting requirements. They will also potentially need to invest more heavily in cyber security measures. This could lead to increased costs, which might ultimately be passed on to consumers.

The proposed legislation will require careful implementation to balance the needs of national security, business operations and individual privacy rights.

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

– ref. The Australian government has introduced new cyber security laws. Here’s what you need to know – https://theconversation.com/the-australian-government-has-introduced-new-cyber-security-laws-heres-what-you-need-to-know-240889

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Swinburne Chancellor to call for bold leadership to tackle climate crisis at 2024 Swinburne Oration

Source: Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne University of Technology Chancellor Professor John Pollaers OAM will use an address tonight to urge Australia’s business, government and academic sectors to step up and lead the charge in addressing the global climate emergency.

Speaking at the 2024 Swinburne Chancellor’s Oration, Professor Pollaers will underscore that the time for incremental adjustments has passed and that Australia needs transformative leadership that prioritises long-term, strategic alignment of economic, societal and environmental goals.

“This moment demands more than just managing the status quo. Leaders must rise to the challenge, setting aside short-term gains for a vision that secures not only Australia’s future but also our planet’s,” Professor Pollaers said.

“Our research and education sector is a national asset, a strategic lever that, when fully harnessed, can propel Australia into a leadership position on the global stage. Becoming a renewable energy superpower is important, but our true potential lies in becoming a brainpower superpower.”

“The opportunity for clean economic growth is within our reach, but only if we are bold enough to seize it.”

“It will take every home, every business and every industry working together towards a more sustainable future. The scale of the response required is unprecedented.”

The Chancellor will use his address at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus to call on leaders across a range of sectors to act.

“There’s a false narrative out there that somehow Australia is a powerless victim of this transformation, or too minor a player to make a difference, and there are even some who still question whether we need to act at all. We have to reject this. We have to make the choice to lead.”

Moderated by esteemed journalist Beverley O’Connor, the Oration will feature a panel of international experts:

Nicky Sparshott: Global Chief of Transformation, Unilever

Julian Critchlow: Advisory Partner, Bain and Company and former UK Government Director General, Energy Transformation and Clean Growth

Dan Cass: Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rewiring Australia

Paul Gliding: Sustainability advocate and former Greenpeace International Executive Director.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Child rights organisation ChildFund, launch global online safety app

Source: ChildFund

Child rights organisation ChildFund have joined forces with The Girls and Boys Brigade to launch ChildFund’s global online safety app – Swipe Safe. ChildFund acknowledge the rapidly changing digital landscape and build an app that puts the power back in the hands of children and their parents.

(Sydney, Australia). In the countries in which ChildFund Australia works, the digital transformation of children’s lives has presented acute risks such as scams, cyberbullying, online grooming, and sexual, sexist, racist, or violent content. ChildFund has responded with the creation of the Swipe Safe program and app. The app serves to immediately strengthen children’s knowledge, skills and behaviours keeping them safe online.

Swipe Safe has been beta tested in five separate phases, directly involving face-to-face training and app testing with tens of thousands of children in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. The organisation has now teamed up with the Boys and Girls Brigade to launch the app in Australia.

They have also been testing the app with families at the Girls and Boys Brigade who have provided local insights into the app. Stephanie Fett the Family Support Coordinator at the Boys and Girls Brigade spoke about how technology is transforming the lives of families the centre supports.

“We’re seeing young people using phones from about eight years on and they haven’t developed that rational thinking until they reach 24 or even 25 [years of age]. So they are really unaware of the risks online, the natural reaction of parents is to take the phone away. This however struggles to build trust and openness with the parent making it exceedingly more difficult for them to protect their children online.”

Stephanie elaborated that the app helped build greater trust between parents, carers and children, which is key to helping keep children safer online.

“Parents need to work to build an open online relationship with children so they are comfortable with talking about their experiences online. The Swipe Safe app is a great tool to help facilitate this communication” [Click here for more on Swipe Safe].”

ChildFund Chief Development Officer Corinne Habel was thrilled to launch the app in Australia and bring the insights that they have learned in overseas to home soil.

“The Swipe Safe app is a unique online safety app that has been developed by global child protection specialists. Reports indicate that the volume of child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% in the last 5 years.

SwipeSafe helps parents, caregivers, children and young people navigate an increasingly risky online space. The online world is an exciting place for children to learn, play and connect, and we need to give them the tools to stay safe and understand and feel comfortable reporting harmful situations.

ChildFund Australia

ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in many of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

We partner to create community and systems change which enables vulnerable children and young people, in all their diversity, to assert and realise their rights.

ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agencies. With a global network of 11 organisations, the ChildFund Alliance assists nearly 32million children and families in 70 countries.

As a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and the ACFID Fundraising Charter, ChildFund Australia must meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management.

In addition, ChildFund Australia is fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program. Accreditation is a stringent process in which all operational activities – financial, managerial, fundraising and program – are analysed. This not only requires that ChildFund demonstrate that funds are distributed to community projects, but that they are spent effectively in those communities for the benefit of children.

About Corinne Habel

Corinne is a highly experienced director and executive with diverse expertise across a variety of not-for-profit sectors including humanitarian, hospitals, education, environmental, the arts and faith-based. Originally from the US, Corinne brings over 20 years’ experience in implementing effective global strategies. Her diplomatic approach is key in her ability to negotiate and influence effectively at all levels of corporate, foundation, government and the community.

The Girls and Boys Brigade

Since 1882, The Girls and Boys Brigade have provided a welcoming, safe place for children and youth, aged 5-18, who need a helping hand. Based in Surry Hills, our programs are open to children, youth and their families living within the City of Sydney local government area. The families who access our services experience a wide range of financial, social, educational and housing challenges.

About Stephanie Fett

Stephanie has 38 years of frontline experience in the community sector as well as a Masters in International Social Work and Community Development.

Stephanie’s experience has taken her to NSW regional areas, remote Aboriginal communities, Victoria Queensland, as well as urban Sydney – city and west. She has worked in disability, addiction, mental health homelessness, youth, children and family, Out of Home Care, Juvenile Justice, unemployment, assessment and projects to increase access to services and decolonise systems.

She believes the key to her work is relationship building which builds trust, working alongside people in a trauma informed way.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese government working to ensure stable energy supply in winter

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

The Chinese government is working to ensure a steady supply of electricity, gas and heating for winter. As of the end of August, the national installed power generating capacity totaled 3,130 gigawatts. Renewable sources, such as hydropower, wind and solar, make up over half of this capacity.

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: A house will appear next to the Botanichesky Sad metro station under the renovation program

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The Moscow Committee for Architecture has issued an urban development plan for a land plot for the construction of a residential building under the renovation program near the Botanichesky Sad metro station. The project will be implemented as part of a block development at the address: 1st Botanichesky Proezd, land plot No. 1. This was reported by the Chairperson of the Moscow Committee for Architecture and Urban Development (Moskomarkhitektura) Juliana Knyazhevskaya.

“A new building with a maximum area of 15 thousand square meters will appear on a land plot of 0.36 hectares. Within walking distance from the future building there is a park complex, where participants in the renovation program will be able to take walks with children, jog and have a quiet rest surrounded by green areas of the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin of the Russian Academy of Sciences,” Yuliana Knyazhevskaya specified.

The Botanichesky Sad metro station and the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) platform of the same name are located 700 meters from the planned new building.

Previously The Mayor of Moscow told, that since the beginning of the year, 23 buildings have been put into operation under the renovation program and 44 residential complexes have been handed over for occupancy.

All information about the renovation program is presented on the mos.ru portal. You can find out more about apartments and houses under the program by link.

The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Last year alone, 59 new buildings were handed over for settlement in the capital and the resettlement of over 47 thousand people was ensured.

Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction rates and volumes. In recent years, within the framework of the federal project “Housing” of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment” the volume of construction and commissioning of residential properties in the capital has doubled – from three to five to seven million square meters per year. More information about this and other national projects being implemented in Moscow can be found on this page.

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://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145009073/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Time of Kindness. Autumn”: more than 5.2 thousand volunteers participated in the project’s events

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The volunteer project “Time of Good” helps Muscovites to do hundreds of important good deeds during the week. In the fall, it united about 100 organizations, including non-profit, charitable foundations, social institutions, schools, secondary specialized educational institutions and universities. The program consisted of events of different themes and formats, so that everyone could find a suitable direction for themselves.

“More than 5.2 thousand Muscovites took part in the autumn season of the “Time of Goodness” project. Together with our partners, we showed city residents various opportunities for regular volunteer assistance in the funds and social organizations of the capital. In the variety of useful events, everyone will find a direction that will become a calling and a great good deed throughout their lives,” noted

Ekaterina Dragunova, Chairman of the Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy of the City of Moscow.

This year the project “Time of Goodness” is held in the capital four times, by season. The next week of good deeds will be in winter.

Master classes, gifts for children and assistance to SVO fighters: how the autumn season of the “Time of Goodness” project will go More than four thousand Muscovites took part in the summer season of the project “Time of Goodness”Sobyanin invited residents and guests of the capital to the volunteer project “Time of Goodness”

Sports, ecology and animals: volunteer actions of the project “Time of Kindness”

“Mosvolonter” together with the “Pyat Verst” project opened the useful program of the autumn season with morning runs in 25 parks. More than 400 volunteers helped organize the starts, and more than 780 participants covered the distance. The most numerous was the run in the “Severnoye Tushino” park.

During the inclusive training, volunteers helped athletes with disabilities, wards of the More Than You Can Foundation, perform exercises to strengthen their muscle corset and improve their motor skills.

With the support of the animal aid foundation “Giving Hope”, volunteers visited the Solnechnogorsk shelter. Each of them managed to communicate with three four-legged animals, for whom they brought special walking bibs with the inscription “Looking for a home. Volunteers of Moscow”.

In the Sborka eco-center and the recycling museum, volunteers were told about the peculiarities of recycling fractions of secondary raw materials. After that, they applied their knowledge in practice and helped sort plastic caps, pens, and felt-tip pens. In the Dobroe Mesto. SAO, volunteer ecologists made feeders for birds that will fly to the capital in winter. And in Druzhby Park, volunteers removed 450 kilograms of garbage.

During the clean-up day at the Bykovo estate, Muscovites helped to tidy up more than two thousand square meters of territory. In the Kotelniki cultural complex and the A.S. Neverov library No. 90, volunteers participated in sorting out the library archive.

Capital funds and NGOs invite Muscovites to charity runs Friendship Paw: Muscovites are invited to help the wards of animal shelters A cat museum, a dog shelter and an ornithological station: where the capital’s zoo volunteers visited during their internship in Zelenogradsk

Help together with the wards of foundations and social institutions

Together with partners of the social direction, Mosvolonter held master classes, creative activities and games. Children with disabilities from the boarding house and volunteers learned various drawing techniques and together created two colorful panels. “Silver” volunteer masters helped the participants of the lesson master the technique of knitting therapeutic products for premature babies, which were donated to the departments of perinatal centers of the capital.

The wards of the MnogoMama help center and volunteers competed in a board game tournament. It was held by ambassadors of the Volunteers of Moscow community.

Volunteers made clay figures for the wards of the foundation for helping people with mental disabilities and their families “Unity”. The participants made their own products, which they sell at charity fairs.

In the social house “Obruchevsky” volunteers together with its residents painted T-shirts and made crafts from epoxy resin. And in the center for assistance to family education “Vertical” – helped children weave decorative baskets from jute rope.

For the first time in the autumn season, volunteers tried their creative powers in making a popular puzzle “Fifteen” in a new version. The children made puzzles from pictures cut into 15 parts. Students from the family center “Consent” made fifteen puzzles that will be sent to the teenage club “Territory of the New Generation” in the city of Mariupol. And the children from school No. 1542 created works with images of their favorite animals, they will be donated to a charity fund.

Together with the social project

At the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, students from four art schools and colleges, under the guidance of experienced artists, created 102 paintings on canvas. They were donated to the children’s city clinical hospitals No. 9 named after G.N. Speransky and Morozovskaya.

Kindness unites: why Muscovites participate in the volunteer movement with their entire families Caring for “sunny” people: how charities help wards with Down syndrome Optimism and responsibility: what the capital’s “silver” volunteers do

Events for rescuers and volunteers of patriotic orientation

Volunteer rescuers from the Moscow City Branch of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps taught Muscovites how to use special mountaineering equipment.

Together with the Moscow regional branch of the All-Russian public movement “Volunteers of Victory”, volunteers participated in a patronage campaign to care for monuments, memorial plaques and burial sites of participants in the Great Patriotic War, heroes of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. In addition, volunteers learned to weave multifunctional nets to camouflage structures. They will be given to soldiers in the special military operation zone.

“Memory Watch”, “Streets of Heroes” and the Victory Parade: How Patriotic Volunteers Help Moscow How to become a health volunteer and help the city Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the development of the volunteer movement in Moscow

Good week in schools

Employees of the volunteer centers “Good Place” and ambassadors of the community “Volunteers of Moscow” held useful events in schools.

Young volunteers learned about directions and functions at city events and practiced teamwork thanks to the board game “Volunteers in the City”. It was attended by 1,605 students from 37 schools.

The schoolchildren also tried their hand at making soft toys and made fabric items, eco-friendly wax candles, and feeders made of orange peels, which will be useful for city birds in winter. The master classes were attended by 419 children from 20 capital schools. All items will be donated to charity funds.

Time for Good Deeds: You Can Become a Volunteer at Any Age Under the Sign of Good: How Young Muscovites Are Getting Involved in Charity

“Time for Kindness” in the “Good Place” centers

Visitors to the volunteer centers “Good Place” took part in the campaigns “Feed a Friend”, “Recycle Correctly”, “Help People” and “For the Little and Brave”, which were held simultaneously in eight districts of the capital.

Muscovites brought more than 180 kilograms of food and accessories, medicines and toys for animals – all of this will be sent to Belgorod shelters. In addition, volunteers donated 440 kilograms of waste paper, plastic and bottle caps.

Children’s toys and developmental sets were collected for the small and brave patients of the capital’s hospitals. The action boxes were also installed in the city’s parks at the time when the morning run was held there on the first day of the useful program, as a result of which the participants collected more than 150 toys.

Media volunteers helped preserve the memory of the brightest and most touching moments at the volunteer events of the useful program. They captured warm memories of the project in more than 2.5 thousand videos and photos.

You can find out more about volunteer activities and assistance to the city on the website resource center “Mosvolonter”“, as well as on the social network “VKontakte” and in telegram channel.

Organizing volunteer activities and involving young people in city events correspond to the objectives of the national project “Education” and the federal project “Social Activity”. More information about this and other national projects implemented in the capital can be found Here.

Recruitment is open for Mosvolonter internships in the areas of zoo- and inclusive volunteering Sergei Sobyanin: More than 1.27 million Muscovites are involved in volunteer work 30 active residents of the capital were awarded the “Volunteer of Moscow” badge of distinction

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://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145006073/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Six Ivolga trains purchased for MCD-3 as part of infrastructure budget lending

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

This year, the city purchased six Russian Ivolga trains for the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD), including the most modern three-door Ivolga 4.0 trains. Infrastructure budget loans were used for these purposes, Maria Bagreeva, Deputy Mayor of Moscow, Head of the Moscow Department of Economic Policy and Development.

The infrastructure budget lending program is being implemented within the framework of the federal project “Infrastructure Menu”. Funds are provided for a period of up to 15 years at a preferential rate of three percent per annum. The program is aimed at financing the creation of infrastructure facilities in the regions.

“Loans are issued for important infrastructure development projects that help create conditions for business operations, improve the quality of life for citizens, and promote economic growth both in the regions and throughout the country. Moscow is using the opportunities of preferential infrastructure lending to upgrade the rolling stock of the Big Circle Line of the metro and the Moscow Central Diameters — the largest transport projects in the capital. Their implementation has increased the attractiveness of the city’s districts, contributed to the influx of investment into the Moscow economy, and created additional jobs,” said Maria Bagreeva.

The total volume of infrastructure loans approved for Moscow is 106.72 billion rubles. The 2022–2024 limits have already been fully used. These funds were used to purchase 26 trains for the Moscow Central Diameters and 468 carriages for the Big Circle Line of the metro.

“A modern and comfortable train is an important component of a comfortable trip. On the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin, we continue to gradually update the rolling stock on new diameters. From Zelenograd to Ramenskoye on MCD-3, only Ivolga trains are already running, we will fully complete the renewal of the train fleet on this diameter by the end of the year, and on MCD-4 we plan to do so in 2025,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry

Maxim Liksutov.

Moscow is the country’s largest customer of trains. Concluding long-term contracts for the supply of modern rolling stock allows machine builders to plan work for several years ahead.

About 50 thousand employees of 600 enterprises across the country are involved in the production of Ivolga 4.0. This composition is a domestic flagship, the localization level of which has reached 97 percent.

The new generation train “Ivolga 4.0” has entered service on the MCD line – Sobyanin

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

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

https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144991073/

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Maintenance mediation scheme set

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau today announced the launch of the Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme to assist the parties concerned to resolve disputes on the related matters through mediation rather than court proceedings.

Launched through the Community Care Fund, the scheme subsidises a non-governmental organisation to provide mediation services on maintenance to people in need, offering an alternative way for maintenance payers and payees to settle disagreements other than court proceedings.

Parties involved in maintenance payment disputes are eligible to apply for the pilot scheme free of charge, provided that one of the parties is a Hong Kong resident and meets the income limit.

The bureau noted that this can encourage maintenance payers in default of payment to engage in mediation.

The three-year pilot scheme is expected to process a total of 1,200 cases, benefitting 2,400 separating or divorcing persons.

Based on the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS)’s extensive experience and well-established network in relation to the relevant mediation services and publicity work, the bureau has appointed HKFWS as the service operator of the pilot scheme.

Call 2561 9229 for enquiries.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 113th R.O.C (Taiwan) National Day Dinner hosted by the Double Tenth Celebration Committee

Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2

Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu, Mrs. Vicki Wu and TECO staff attended the 113th R.O.C (Taiwan)National Day Dinner Event hosted by the Double Tenth Celebration Committee, with over 400 guests including friends from NSW State Parliament, city councils and Taiwanese communities.
DG Wu extended his gratitude for the support and effort of the Committee and Taiwanese communities. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Peace, Friendship and Innovation”—perfectly aligns with Taiwan’s roadmap for development and the vision for the future.
Taiwan is eager for peace and stability, because we know the military conflict is against the benefits of the universe. We thank Australian government and friends in keeping steadfast support for Taiwan and opposing any unilateral change of the status quo of Taiwan Strait. As an innovation powerhouse and vibrant democracy, Taiwan plays a vital role in global supply chains. Taiwan will continue to work with Australia to protect our democratic system and shared values. DG Wu also thanked Communities’ support and attendance of our National Day Reception on Thursday. The impressive turnout reflected Australian friends’ unwavering support and appreciation.
The guest speakers recoginized the great contribution and active engagement of Taiwanese communities, which enriches the multicultural harmony of Australian society. They all look forward to more collaborations between Australia and Taiwan to benefit both sides.
Besides the Taiwanese business and artwork display, exhibition of Taiwan indigenous literature and amazing performances. DG Wu also witnessed the charity donation of AUD 6,000 to the Smith Family, which highlights Taiwan’s role as a force for good in the world.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK’s world-class film sector handed major jobs and growth boost by tax reliefs
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Film and the creative industries to form key part of government’s mission to grow the economy in all parts of the UK
Independent film productions costing up to £15 million to benefit from an increased tax relief of 53%

Move will empower UK filmmakers to create more independent films and co-produce with other countries

The next generation of indie films have been handed a major boost by the government with the introduction of a tax relief uplift, which will create jobs and drive growth by making more British hits like Aftersun and Billy Elliot possible.

The Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC), confirmed today by the Chancellor and Culture Secretary as the London Film Festival gets underway, will mean that for the first time productions with a budget up to £15 million will be eligible for a relief of 53% on qualifying expenditure. Films with a budget up to £23.5 million are also eligible for the IFTC and the relief will be tapered.

The creative industries are a key part of the economy, generating £125 billion a year, and form a central part of the Government’s mission to grow the economy. The UK film sector is already worth £1.36 billion and employs more than 195,000 people, with the potential to grow further thanks to these reliefs.

British indie films like Rye Lane, Rocks, Bait and Pride tell award-winning stories about our country, celebrating parts of our culture that often get less exposure. This relief will allow more stories like these to be told, enabling more people to see their lives and experiences reflected on screen.

To support the Government’s commitment on more distinctly home-grown content and talent, for films to meet the criteria for this new relief, they must have a UK writer or director, or be certified as an official UK co-production.

The announcement comes ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit next Monday which will gather UK leaders, high-profile investors and businesses from across the world to discuss how we can deepen our partnership to drive investment and growth, including in the creative industries.

The new measures are the latest in a series of interventions from the government to drive growth, which is creating the conditions for confident investment and trusted partnership with business. From major investment in carbon capture to securing billions in investment from Blackstone and Amazon Web Services, this government is committed to working hand in hand with business to drive growth and investment across many sectors.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

The UK’s first-class independent filmmakers have a track record of creating cult classics and surprise hits that are enjoyed by millions. Their films showcase British culture and creativity to the world while also supporting thousands of jobs and driving economic growth in all parts of the UK.

These reliefs will pay dividends both culturally and economically, inspire the next generation of talent across the country, deliver more great British content, and sustain a world-leading industry here in the UK.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

The creative industries are a crucial part of our economy, and this change will help strengthen them further.

By supporting growth in this vibrant sector, we can create jobs and continue to show Britain at its best around the world.

Faye Ward, producer, Rocks, Suffragette, Stan & Ollie, Wild Rose, said:

We have a tremendous history of filmmaking and talent in Britain. The indie sector is the main pathway for new and original voices and talent to enter into the industry. It’s imperative that we continue telling and making UK stories for which this enhanced tax relief is vital for our industry.

Amy Jackson, producer of Oscar-nominated Aftersun, The Outfit and The End We Start From, said:

This is a vital intervention for the UK industry, which I wholeheartedly welcome. Making British indie films is tough, but this enhanced tax relief means that as a producer I now have crucial support to explicitly focus on bringing incredible stories by British talent to the big screen while building out exciting co-production opportunities. The IFTC will make UK indie film a more attractive investment prospect for international partners and co-producers facilitating more creative collaboration and bringing much needed backing to the independent sector across the board.

BFI Chair Jay Hunt said:

The speed with which the Government has turned this around shows how vital this intervention is for independent film. It will have a game changing impact across the whole UK screen sector – creatively and economically.

Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive, said:

This is great news for UK film and is already having a positive impact across our industry. More films can now be made in the UK that audiences at home and internationally will get to enjoy. Independent filmmaking is vital to our cultural expression and creativity, it builds careers for talent in front of and behind the camera, and also showcases UK creative excellence on a world stage. We’re grateful to Government, the DCMS and the industry for working together to establish this transformative tax relief uplift where it is most needed.

Andrew M Smith, Corporate Affairs Director, Pinewood Group, said:

Pinewood is synonymous with great filmmakers of the past and present and independent film has been at our heart since the Studios opened in 1936. This tax relief is fantastic news for the industry as a whole and will bring an injection of support to further nurture the groundbreaking talent of the future and bring a greater diversity and range of stories to our screens.

Elizabeth Karlsen, producer, Living, Carol, Colette and The Crying Game, said:

Based on three decades working in independent film in the UK I can say with absolute confidence that this new support for British independent film will be felt far and wide; it will help us nurture new talent, support established talent, and ensure our global reputation for producing outstanding cinema. The creative and economic benefits will be felt through the industry and beyond.”

Hakan Kousetta, executive producer, Slow Horses, Hijack and The Essex Serpent, said:

Delighted to welcome this vital support for the British independent sector. A thriving independent film sector is a key part of the industry’s ecology. It’s where myself and many others started our careers and is essential if we are to continue to produce some of the world’s best screen talent both behind and in front of the camera.”

While the last few years have been challenging, in part because of the end of the pandemic streaming boom and US writers’ strikes halting productions, in recent decades the UK’s film industry has enjoyed strong growth. Tax incentives for film, first introduced in 2007, helped to bring the production of blockbusters to Britain, but the government is ambitious that it can grow further.

While major film production has flourished, smaller independent films have not received sufficient support. The tax credits uplift announced today will help the independent film sector reach its full potential, creating jobs and contributing to driving economic growth across the country.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Productions qualifying for the relief must have started principal photography on or after 1 April 2024, and only expenditure incurred on or after 1 April 2024 can be claimed.

The statutory instruments will be laid on 9 October and will take effect from 30 October, which is the date from which the BFI certification unit can begin accepting applications.

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Published 9 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Investor to build sports and fitness complex in Troitsk

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The investor will build a sports and fitness complex in the Troitsk district. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

“The facility will be a one-story building with an area of 2.5 thousand square meters. There will be a gym for strength training with an area of 800 square meters, and large halls for boxing and weightlifting will be located here. Construction of the sports complex began this year, and it is planned to be built in 2025,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

The work is being carried out at the site located at the address: block 34, land plot No. 18. In addition to the gyms, the building will house coaching rooms, a medical center, women’s and men’s locker rooms with showers, and a security room. A sports nutrition and equipment store and a cafeteria will be opened on the territory. Guest parking will be located next to the complex.

“In the Troitsk district, this will be the third major facility where you can do sports. For outdoor activities, there is the Prirodny Park with an area of 14 hectares. Much attention is paid to sports here. The park’s infrastructure includes workout areas, a football field, a hockey rink, a skate park, paths for cycling, running and Nordic walking. Also, a chain sports club with an area of 1.5 thousand square meters has been opened for training in the new shopping center,” added the head of the Department for the Development of New Territories of the City of Moscow.

Vladimir Zhidkin.

The Moscow State Construction Supervision Committee issued a permit for the construction of a sports building in early July 2024. The developer immediately began work. Chairman of the Moscow State Construction Supervision Committee Anton Slobodchikov noted that the construction of the sports complex, which is being built on a land plot of 0.5 hectares, will be supervised by the committee’s inspectors at all stages. In accordance with the approved program of on-site inspections, the first of them is scheduled for December of this year.

Special attention is paid to the development of sports infrastructure in TiNAO. Facilities are being built both at the expense of funds allocated in the Address Investment Program of the city of Moscow and with the involvement of investors.

Previously Sergei Sobyanin said on the development of social infrastructure in TiNAO.

Sobyanin: 15 sports facilities will be built and reconstructed in Moscow this year

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

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

https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145020073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: All MSPs urged to back Green motion on free bus travel for people seeking asylum

Source: Scottish Greens

09 Oct 2024 Transport

Free bus travel for people seeking asylum is a simple and compassionate step that could make a big difference.

More in Transport

Today’s vote on a Green motion in support of introducing free bus travel for people seeking asylum is a basic question of integrity for our parliament, says the Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP.

Mr Ruskell has urged MSPs from all parties to unite around the call during a Scottish Green debate taking place this afternoon.

The policy, which was dropped by the Scottish Government in August, was originally secured by the Scottish Greens in October 2023 as part of the Bute House Agreement that brought the party into government.

The commitment followed a long cross-party campaign by refugee-rights organisations and a successful pilot programme in Glasgow.

The debate, which will be led by party’s equalities spokesperson Maggie Chapman, and transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell, will be the first chance that MSPs have had to vote on the U-turn.

Mr Ruskell said: “Today’s vote is a basic question of integrity for our parliament. This is a promise that the Scottish Government made. Failing to live up to that would be a profound betrayal of some of the most marginalised people in our society.

“The Scotland that I want to build is a caring and inclusive country that extends a hand of friendship, which is exactly what this policy aims to do.

“A lot of us were deeply disappointed when this commitment was dropped. Refugee rights organisations, community groups and those currently in the asylum system had worked in good faith with the Scottish Government and waited patiently for it to deliver on its promises.

“Many of the people who would benefit from the scheme are isolated and banned from working. Free bus travel would be a small, simple and compassionate step that could make a big difference to their lives.

“There has been long standing cross-party support for this policy in the past, and I hope that there will be today. I urge every MSP to support our motion, and to send a message of support and solidarity with people who have often fled from war and persecution.

“Introducing free bus travel would help us to mitigate some of the devastating impacts of a hostile UK asylum system built on racist policies. It is a practical step we can take here and now that would make very difficult lives a bit easier.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: UK What’s on today in Parliament?

Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

Today the House of Commons sits from 11.30am, starting with Questions to the Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Phillipson before #PMQs at 12pm.

The House of Lords sits from 3pm, questioning the Government and debating topics such as regulation of water companies, the Strategic Defence Review and migration.

Also Big Ben tour tickets have been released for January – https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/big-ben-tour/?utm_campaign=0824-mar-ve-paidtours-bigbentours&utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVSPa0WnGNc

MIL OSI Video –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The government will help regions with major repairs of children’s theaters

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

Order dated October 8, 2024 No. 2782-r

Document

Order dated October 8, 2024 No. 2782-r

A number of regions will receive funding to ensure major repairs of youth theaters. The order to this effect was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The decision taken is part of the work to support regional cultural institutions and update their infrastructure.

The funds will be used to carry out repairs at the Volgograd Youth Theatre and the Yaroslavl Youth Theatre named after V.S. Rozov.

The funding will help to renovate children’s theatres and equip them with new equipment, which will allow theatres to show performances at a qualitatively new professional level and attract more young spectators.

In total, more than 1.4 billion rubles have been allocated in the federal budget for the modernization of youth theaters and puppet theaters in 2024. The work is being carried out within the framework of the national project “Culture”.

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/52938/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Regulatory barriers threaten transition towards circular economy, ICC report warns
Source: International Chamber of Commerce

Headline: Regulatory barriers threaten transition towards circular economy, ICC report warns

Published in partnership with EY, the report – “Putting the circular economy into motion: From barriers to opportunities” – highlights the significant obstacles companies encounter when transitioning to circular business models that could otherwise deliver significant environmental, reputational and financial gains.

The circular economy is intended to maximise resource efficiency and minimise environmental impact by promoting continuous use, reuse and recycling of materials and products. But the study concludes that existing regulatory systems are not fit for purpose in enabling such approaches at scale – largely as a result of significant inconsistencies in national environmental laws and regulations that remain based on linear models of production and consumption.

Regulatory barriers highlighted by the report include:
- Complex and fragmented import and export processes for secondary materials which create significant compliance and operational costs.
- Lack of a common international standard for “remanufactured” products.
- Customs systems that do not accommodate reverse logistics.
- No recognition of circular approaches under the 1989 Basel Convention on hazardous waste.
ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “It’s certainly true that the shift to circular business models has been slower than many governments anticipated a decade ago. But that’s not surprising when you see that legacy regulations tilt the playing field against circularity – in effect, entrenching the dominance of the old model of extract, produce, consume and discard.

“We hope that our report can serve as a roadmap for clear and coordinated regulatory change – both at the domestic and international level – to put the circular economy firmly into motion. Reforming the Basel Convention to take into account the evolution of circular solutions and advances in technology is, in our view, an essential starting point for this effort.”

Based on an extensive series of interviews with businesses across a range of industries, the study also highlights a range of challenges companies face when looking to deploy circular approaches – from infrastructure gaps through to high upfront investment needs. It also pinpoints the need for a concerted effort to shift consumer perceptions and behaviour – including prevailing misconceptions about the quality of remanufactured, refurbished or recycled goods and materials.

Mark Weick, Managing Director, Climate Change and Sustainability Services at EY said: “Circular economy is a systematic approach that requires collaboration from all stakeholders across the value chain within an enabling regulatory framework. Concerted cooperation will be pivotal to drive meaningful impact to reduce climate change effects.”

The report concludes with a number of broad recommendations to incentivize the uptake of circular business models – starting with the facilitation of cross-border trade in secondary materials.

Pär Larshans, Director of Sustainability, Ragn-Sells Group, and Co-Chair of ICC’s Working Group on Circular Economy added: “The transition to a circular economy is much needed if we want to reach the ambitions set in the Paris Agreement, and to ensure that humanity reduces the risk of overshooting any of the planetary boundaries. With this report, ICC focuses on the need for circular transitions to move away from a minimised waste focus to a resource efficiency focus where a decontamination step is included to enable free trade of recycled materials.”

Learn more on the circular economy and download the full report.
MIL OSI Global Banks –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Building Fiber Leadership in Latin America: Bringing Gigabit Life to the Region

Source: Huawei

Headline: Building Fiber Leadership in Latin America: Bringing Gigabit Life to the Region

[Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 9, 2024] The 2024 LATAM Fiber Broadband Leaders Summit hosted by Huawei and supported by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was successfully held in Brazil. Themed “Digital Fiber, Advancing Giga LATAM”, the summit brought together more than 260 people from industry organizations, partners, and carriers in Latin America. At the Summit, participants discussed fiber broadband development trends, strategies, and practices. Huawei for the first time proposed three development strategies (all-optical transition, gigabit transition, and scenario transition) for giga fiber broadband industry and launched three digital fiber solutions.
Joey Zhou, President of Huawei Latin America ICT Marketing and Solution Sales Dept, delivering his opening speech

Joey Zhou, President of Huawei Latin America ICT Marketing and Solution Sales Dept., said optical fiber has become Latin America’s most important broadband access technology. His statement was based on a recent report from the consultancy Omdia that noted that in 2024, fiber accounted for more than 60% of home broadband in Latin America.
Mainstream carriers in Latin America have released all-optical strategies and continued to increase investment. As digital services such as home office, live streaming, and e-commerce develop rapidly in Latin America, users pay more attention to network experience requirements, and upgrade bandwidth from 100Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s. Concurrently, application scenarios of optical broadband are no longer limited to traditional home entertainment scenarios, many diversified application scenarios such as smart home and SME digitalization emerge through one fiber, which will help carriers expand the boundaries of home broadband revenue.
At the event, Joey Zhou further noted: “Latin America’s digital economy is in a golden development period, digital services are accelerating, which has brought broad opportunities for value creation. Huawei is willing to work with governments, regulators, carriers and industry partners to accelerate the development of Latin America’s gigabit optical broadband industry and jointly build a digital Latin America.”
Gary Lu, President of Huawei Carrier Network Marketing and Solution Sales Department, delivered a speech titled “ACT3 to Embrace the GIGA and AI eras”. A is for ARPU, C is about coverage of service, and T stands for take-up rate.
Coverage multiplied by take-up rate is the user base, and ARPU is the key to increasing revenue.”ACT” to the power of three, means the three transitions are the way to increase the user base and the revenue of FBB service, and it will also bring the quality of digital life to Latin America. Gary Lu said that fiber construction and development in Latin America has entered the fast lane, and the gigabit fiber broadband era of Latin America has arrived. Carriers need to seize the new business opportunities in the gigabit and AI era. In his speech, Gary Lu proposed three development strategy suggestions — all-optical transition, gigabit transition, and scenario transition— to accelerate cable-to-fiber transition, increase both speed and quality, meet digital and AI service requirements, provide diversified and scenario-based service. By accelerating the three transitions, Huawei and Latin American carriers will jointly usher in a new era of gigabit intelligence in the region, bringing richer and higher-quality digital life experiences to users.
Gary Lu, President of Huawei Carrier Network Marketing and Solution Sales Dept, speaking at the event

Daniel Zhang, Vice president of Huawei Latin America ICT Marketing and Solution Sales Department, delivered a speech titled “Digital Fiber Innovations, Advancing Giga LATAM”. Zhang said that Huawei has consistently adhered to the vision of “in Latin America, For Latin America”, matching Latin American market requirements and continuously promoting digital fiber innovations, to accelerate the development of the Latin American ICT industry. To help carriers better seize the development opportunities of gigabit Latin America, Huawei launched three major Digital Fiber solution innovations: Digital Quick ODN 4 cores solutions for cost-effective FTTH construction, Service-level slicing-based FTTH gigabit solution ensures differentiated service experience, and symmetrical 2.5 Gbit/s Super GPON Solution supports symmetrical business scenarios for small and medium-sized enterprises. In the future, Huawei hopes to work with industry partners to build gigabit Latin America and accelerate the development of the digital economy in Latin America.
Daniel Zhang, Vice President of Huawei Latin America ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, during his address

MIL OSI Economics –

January 23, 2025