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Category: Russian Federation

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The conference with international participation, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Department of Geotechnics of SPbGASU, became a record-breaker in terms of the number of participants, content and depth of topics

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Presentation of the medal to Evgeny Rybnov (in the center). On the right – Askar Zhusupbekov

    The results of the national (all-Russian) scientific and technical conference with international participation “Modern methods of design, underground construction and reconstruction of foundations and bases” were summed up at SPbGASU. Let us recall that it brought together specialists from 23 cities and 13 countries. More than 110 reports were heard.

    “We tried to consider all aspects of geotechnics, raise problematic issues and discuss their possible solutions, and outline development vectors. For industry representatives, the conference became an open platform for exchanging experience with colleagues and interacting with the scientific community, and for students, it was a series of effective practical lectures. Of course, both in domestic and foreign geotechnics, there are still a huge number of unresolved issues, but Russian geotechnics confirms its high level and is ready to share experience and developments, as well as study international experience. The conference made it possible to do this,” said Rashid Mangushev, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, Head of the Scientific School, Director of the Scientific and Production-Consulting Center for Geotechnology at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering.

    One of the participants added that he had not been to a conference for a long time that covered the maximum number of geotechnical areas so comprehensively and deeply. The conference program included a tight schedule: nine sessions on twelve main geotechnical areas, technical excursions around St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, a visit to an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the geotechnical department, and time for business communication.

    The scale and effectiveness of the conference are impressive and inspire new research, emphasized Anatoly Osokin, Candidate of Technical Sciences and Head of the Department of Geotechnics at SPbGASU.

    “We identified the problems and demonstrated our readiness and ability to solve them. And, most importantly, we examined geotechnics in detail. The conference participants were replenished with a large number of young specialists and scientists. This indicates that geotechnics will develop as a science and a special branch of construction. We understand that today the development of megacities is often possible only through underground construction, so geotechnics remains a sought-after science in the modern world,” Anatoly Ivanovich summed up.

    For his contribution to the development of geotechnics, the rector of the university, Doctor of Economics, PhD in Engineering, Professor Evgeniy Rybnov was awarded the highest award of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Association – the International Geotechnical Medal named after Academician Sh. M. Aitaliev; the scientific director of the geotechnical school of SPbGASU, Corresponding Member of RAASN, Doctor of Engineering Rashid Mangushev was awarded the medal of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Association named after Academician T. Zh. The awards were presented by the president of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Association, Doctor of Engineering, Professor, graduate of SPbGASU (LISI) Askar Zhusupbekov.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK statement for 75th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK general statement delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley, at the 75th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee, October 2024.

    Location:
    Geneva
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you, Chair, High Commissioner,

    Let me start by paying tribute to those humanitarians who have so tragically lost their lives in the past year – not least among them the UNHCR colleagues whom we have lost in the course of their duties in Lebanon. They have paid the ultimate price in their labour for peace and humanitarianism.

    We are deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian situation in the Middle East and in Lebanon. The UK emphasises all parties’ obligation to comply with international humanitarian law and to ensure protection for civilians and civilian infrastructure. My government has been clear: the fighting must stop, the hostages must be freed, and there must be safe and free humanitarian access to those in need.

    Turning to the themes of the Executive Committee, as we face future uncertainties and ever-increasing global displacement, we need to continue to work in solidarity and in unity to find solutions. Forcibly displaced persons demand and expect that the international community takes responsibility.

    My government’s commitment to multilateralism and multilateral solutions is clear and deep-rooted. The UK will work hand-in-hand with UNHCR to respond to the growing list of protracted and emerging crises. We will tackle climate and nature emergencies and global development challenges together, by working for peace and promoting global economic development and growth to develop sustainable solutions. And we welcome the High Commissioner’s recent visit to London and the contact he has had with UK Ministers.

    But clearly, the situation in countries of origin needs international attention too. We need to address root causes and invest in early anticipatory action that builds resilience and independence. We need partnerships that promote local leadership. And we need to empower women and girls.

    Where needs arise, UNHCR must continue to provide protection for the most vulnerable. But clearly, more predictable and more sustainable support is needed so that increasingly stretched resources can be used more efficiently to keep pace with rising needs. UNHCR’s ongoing commitment to reform, efficiencies and effectiveness is an important part of this.

    The UK is committed to seeking sustainable solutions together. Not just because inclusion in national systems is the right thing to do, but also because it is the smart thing to do. And we support national ownership and the leadership of hosting countries, who I want to recognize here for their generosity, where this is in refugees’ best interests.

    This is why, at last year’s Global Refugee Forum, the UK highlighted the need to look beyond traditional humanitarian partnerships to galvanize joint sustainable action. And we have been working hard with our partners over the last ten months to put those commitments into action.

    We must be led by the needs of displaced people wherever and whenever we find them. But I want to point to two specific crises which demand our attention. Firstly, Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in flagrant breach of the UN Charter. This year, the UK provided £100 million in humanitarian assistance and like my Czech colleague I want to pay tribute to the British people who have extended sanctuary to almost 300,000 Ukrainians since the start of the invasion.

    And Sudan which is perhaps the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis with almost 25 million people in need of assistance. Thank you, High Commissioner, for speaking out so clearly about the scale and horror of the conflict. We have provided almost £100m in assistance for Sudan this year.

    And finally, on statelessness, we are grateful to UNHCR for its leadership of the I Belong campaign. The achievements are a strong foundation on which to launch the Global Alliance, which the UK is honoured to join. We know statelessness can be ended, and we look forward to working with others on this shared mission.

    I’ll end by reiterate the UK’s gratitude to all UNHCR staff who tirelessly provide assistance to those who need it, so often in such difficult and dangerous circumstances. Let us, through the Executive Committee, show them our sustained support.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation of SPbGASU visited Lakhta Center

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Delegation of SPbGASU and representatives of the Leningrad Region Construction Committee: Alexander Glukhanov, Marina Malyutina, Roman Motylev, Anna Tsarenko, Andrey Nikulin, Evgeny Korolev, Olga Pastukh, Sergey Mikhailov, Svetlana Golovina, Alexander Dorozhkin, Galina Tokunova, Ekaterina Voznyak and Evgeny Enokaev

    A delegation from SPbGASU headed by First Vice-Rector Svetlana Golovina visited the Lakhta Center on October 22. The delegation included Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Sergey Mikhailov, Vice-Rector for Research Activities Evgeny Korolev, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy Marina Malyutina, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Head of the Department of Technosphere Safety Andrey Nikulin, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering for Research Work Olga Pastukh, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering for Career Guidance Work Alexander Glukhanov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering for Educational Work Anna Tsarenko, Head of the Department of Construction Organization Roman Motylev, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Galina Tokunova and Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Ekaterina Voznyak. The visit took place with the support of the Leningrad Region Construction Committee and personally the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Evgeny Enokaev, as well as the Deputy Chairman of the Industrial Construction Committee, Oleg Razgulyaev.

    Representatives of SPbGASU visited the tallest building in Europe, discussed its design features and visited the observation deck on the 83rd–86th floors of the tower, which offers a breathtaking view of St. Petersburg from a height of 365 m.

    The Lakhta Center complex includes public and business buildings: the Gazprom headquarters, including office space and a transformable conference hall with 390 seats, a multifunctional public and scientific and educational center with a planetarium, and much more.

    In 2024, as part of the Russia exhibition at VDNKh, the approved concept for the further development of the complex was presented to the general public, including the construction of two more high-rises, 555 and 703 m high. The construction of the second of them, symbolically referring to the year the city on the Neva was founded, is planned to be completed by the 330th anniversary of St. Petersburg.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The MetaCampus Polytech project took first place at the PriorityFest 2024 festival

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    In Moscow, the results of the marathon of best practices of universities — participants and candidates of the Priority-2030 program — were summed up. The event concluded the large-scale festival PriorityFest 2024. The MetaCampus Polytech project took first place in the nomination of Best Campus Management Practice according to the voting results.

    The results of the large-scale festival PriorityFest 2024 have been summed up. Universities — participants and candidates of the Priority-2030 program competed for the victory. For several days, university representatives introduced their best projects to their colleagues at the MGIMO site. The winner in the nomination “Best Campus Management Practice” was the project of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University “MetaCampus Polytech”. It was presented by the project manager, director of the Civil Engineering Institute Marina Petrochenko. The winners of the best university practices marathon were awarded by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova.

    I am always pleased to be at PriorityFest – it is a unique project and special energy. I am sincerely grateful to you that you are not afraid to show your practices, not afraid to share. This is very important, it helps to cross-pollinate with developed practices and move forward the entire system of higher education in our country, – noted Olga Petrova.

    85 universities proposed 211 projects to participate in the festival. They were first assessed by experts from the Sociocenter, and at the next stage by representatives of universities, partner organizations, federal and regional authorities, and the business community. 24 universities with 26 best practices reached the final. Polytechnic University won in the nomination “Best Campus Management Practice”.

    “MetaCampus Polytech” is a virtual digital ecosystem consisting of an information model of the university campus, a database and a system of services that provide strategic and operational management of the university’s business processes based on a data-driven approach, the creation and storage of SPbPU’s digital asset and the positioning of the university in the educational and scientific-technological space.

    Innovations in management always imply a serious comprehensive approach and transformation of system processes. Often, this is especially difficult at the first stages, because we are talking about creating something new, working on uncharted ground. But in the end, the integrated result has a positive effect. This is exactly what the development program of our university is aimed at. The peculiarity of “MetaCampus Polytech” is not only in infrastructure management, but also in uniting people who are not indifferent to the alma mater. This is the largest project in terms of the number of students involved from different institutes. Almost 2,000 guys made their intellectual and spiritual contribution. This would not have been possible without the faith and enthusiasm of the mentors, – noted Acting Vice-Rector for Promising Projects Maria Vrublevskaya.

    The project is designed to transform the campus and university infrastructure management system, develop services to accelerate basic processes, and form a sustainable collaboration between education, science, and business. MetaCampus Polytech is being implemented with the support of the Priority 2030 strategic academic leadership program.

    This year, students from several other SPbPU institutes joined the project. We initially planned a new campus management system, but received a project about people and for people. Thanks to it, our students and teachers develop unique competencies that allow them to significantly increase their competitiveness in the labor market. And the results of the project in the form of a system of information models of campus buildings and a system of services will contribute to the launch of transformation processes in terms of campus infrastructure management and increasing the level of its comfort and accessibility for students and university employees, – said the director of the ISI Marina Petrochenko.

    Work on the project is integrated into the university’s educational activities. Under the guidance of 15 mentor teachers, more than 2,000 students took part in the work within six academic disciplines and seven internship programs. This allows students to develop not only professional but also supra-professional competencies.

    The main result of the project will be a digital information model of the university campus, a database and a system of special services. Thus, open services will allow everyone to take a virtual walk around the campus, get acquainted with the sights and look into the laboratories and academic buildings. And closed sections will help collect and analyze analytical information on the functioning of all data and systems of campus buildings.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: Almost 5.5 million schoolchildren took part in the fifth All-Russian online Olympiad “Safe Roads”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The All-Russian online Olympiad “Safe Roads” is held with the support of the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”. Schoolchildren in grades 1–9 test their knowledge of road safety rules in a game format. From September 24 to October 27, almost 5.5 million schoolchildren took part in the Olympiad, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.

    “Reducing road accidents is a task that is included in the national goal “Comfortable and safe living environment”. And a special priority of our work is child safety. In the context of growing traffic flow and expansion of the country’s road network, knowledge of traffic rules is becoming extremely important. The All-Russian online Olympiad “Safe Roads”, which is held with the support of the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”, has proven itself as an effective tool for educational work. The online competition helps students in grades 1-9 test their level of road literacy and deepen their knowledge. The event received a great response from children and parents. This year, almost 5.5 million schoolchildren took part in it, which is 10% more than last year. And over five years, the total audience has exceeded 20.8 million participants,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The Deputy Prime Minister added that the leaders in the number of students who took part in the Olympiad were the Ivanovo, Tambov, Belgorod, Tula regions, as well as the Republic of Mordovia.

    Using real road situations as an example, the Olympiad participants analyzed how to behave correctly as a pedestrian and a passenger, as well as behind the wheel of bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMD). The most difficult tasks during the Olympiad were those about bicycles and PMDs, including electric scooters. Only a fifth of the Olympiad participants coped with them. The schoolchildren coped best with the tasks on safe behavior in a car and public transport vehicles – 81% and 61%, respectively.

    “Work to instill in children and teenagers the skills of safe behavior on the road is not only talks in schools and at home, lectures and street events held by the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate. It is also a very effective format in terms of assimilation of information, an Olympiad in which schoolchildren of different ages from all over Russia participate. It is easier to get acquainted with the rules of the road in the format of tasks and specific answers due to the clear structure of the material presentation. I am sure that everyone who has at least once passed the tests of the All-Russian online Olympiad “Safe Roads”, transfers theoretical knowledge to real road conditions, turning into very responsible pedestrians, and in the future, drivers,” said the head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Police Lieutenant General Mikhail Chernikov.

    Not only knowledge of traffic rules, but also good roads help to improve road safety. Work at sites is usually carried out in a comprehensive manner: specialists not only update the road surface, but also equip elements of the road infrastructure – pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, barriers, road signs, markings, photo and video recording cameras.

    “Every day, children go to school, attend extracurricular activities, and one of our priorities is to make these routes safer. Over the past six years, more than 5,000 road sections leading to children’s educational and leisure institutions have been repaired in Russian regions under the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”. These are streets in populated areas, as well as sections of regional and inter-municipal roads on which school buses travel,” commented Roman Novikov, head of the Federal Road Agency.

    The organizers of the Olympiad are the Ministry of Transport, the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the National Priorities ANO with the support of the Ministry of Education.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/IRAN – Archbishop of Tehran: Putting aside the designs of supremacy is key to restoring peace

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    OFMConv

    Tehran (Agenzia Fides) – “We must abandon the aspiration to assert our supremacy and stop investing time, energy and resources in techniques and strategies that distance us from the light,” says Conventual Franciscan Dominique Joseph Mathieu, Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan of the Latins and future Cardinal and stresses that this is the key to restoring peace in the Middle East and in the world.The Iranian capital, where Archbishop Mathieu exercises his ministry, was hit on the night between Friday and Saturday by an air strike by the Israeli armed forces, along with other areas of the country. The Israeli attack on Iran, coordinated with the United States, hit military targets. According to the Anbamed website, the assessment of the attack has divided opinions in Israel and Tehran: “Netanyahu claims to have given Iran a lesson it will not forget, while the opposition says it was a theatrical action to show firmness, but that in reality it was ‘a caress’, as the minister himself, Ben Gvir, described it. The same type of debate continues in Tehran. But the spiritual leader Khamenei has warned against maximalist and minimalist exaggerations.” “Pope Francis – affirms Archbishop Mathieu in a conversation with Fides Agency – constantly reminds us of the urgency of putting an end to wars, which only bring death and darkness. It is time to face conflicts with courage and transparency. Only through authentic encounter with the other can the spark of fraternity emerge in our common home, which God, made love, has entrusted to us.” Tehran’s politicians and military maintain their position that there will be a reaction, according to the Anbamed website: “Israeli intelligence services say that Tehran could launch up to 100 ballistic missiles in retaliation.” Today, a meeting of the Security Council is also being held in New York, convened by Iran and supported by Russia, China and Algeria. It seems that the possibility of not being absorbed by the vortex of violence is suspended in the prevalence of political options that recognize the prospect of a truce and the end of reprisals as the only realistic way out of the chaos and end the pain of entire peoples. Archbishop Mathieu, who will be created a cardinal by Pope Francis on December 7, concludes: “by walking together, despite our differences, we can be true witnesses of peace. Let us not limit ourselves to dreaming about it: let us build it with concrete actions of reconciliation and unity.” The Archdiocese of Tehran-Ispahan of the Latins is responsible for the pastoral care of all Catholics (approximately 2,000 faithful) of the Latin rite in Iran, divided into 4 parishes. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 28/10/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Exhibits at the National Cryptologic Museum: Unlock your Curiosity!

    Source: National Security Agency NSA

    From psychics to extraterrestrial communication, new temporary and permanent exhibits at the National Cryptologic Museum will have you scratching your head.

    With exhibit labels like “Mind over Matter” and “What the What?”—museum visitors will go from, “What in the world?” to “What if?” The exhibits explore the extraordinary practice of using psychics to gain information from the enemy.

    New Temporary Exhibits

    Project Star Gate was used by the U.S. Government during the Cold War. Many of the psychic spies were at Ft. Meade, tasked with collecting intelligence, locating enemy agents and determining American vulnerabilities by using “remote viewing.” Remote viewing is mentally viewing a distant location they have never visited to gather insights on a person, site, or specific information. As outrageous as it sounds, the secret program was very successful and was in use until 1995.

    A standout in the remote viewing field, Agent 001 of Project Star Gate Joe McMoneagle has been involved in over 200 intelligence missions utilizing his unique set of skills. His distinct collection of drawings (as a result of his remote viewing missions) were used to assist in combat and are a part of the current exhibit.

    The exhibit even explores the brief moments in history that the U.S and Russia’s relationship wasn’t quite as contentious. See astounding sketches and the landscapes they match up to!

    Plus, see the machine, altered by the mind to change its output! Don’t believe us? Come see for yourself, only at the NCM!

    Psychics aren’t the only twilight zoneish content this fall.

    SETI (The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) also makes its debut at the NCM. The museum created a theatre room for guests to watch a video about the search for alien life and how researchers go under the sea to make connections.

    Using anticryptography methods (a cryptographic message that is easy to decipher), the scientists detail their use of radio signals in their search for intelligent life in the universe. See a circuit board that digitized cosmic signals and more in the quest to communicate with alien life.

    Be sure to plan your next visit soon as these temporary exhibits will only be on display through mid-December!

    New Permanent Exhibits

     

    The Museum has also added several permanent new exhibits as well.

    The Language Whiteboard is a linguists’ delight!  It’s a compilation of all the languages we make use of at the agency. It came from the National Cryptologic University’s College of Language and Area Studies, where instructors created the artwork to use a teaching tool. It hung in a language classroom for many years before being “retired” to the National Cryptologic Museum.

    While the museum has had several pieces of the Berlin Wall in its collection, the “You Are Leaving the American Sector” sign is a new addition. It was acquired by an American after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The iconic symbol of the Cold War is on display now.

    The National Cryptologic Museum is open Mon-Sat from 10am-4pm. Admission is free, reservations are not required.  For more information on scheduling a visit or a field trip visit nsa.gov/museum/

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The correspondence stage of the main stage of the All-Russian TIM-Championship of SPbGASU has started

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    On October 28, the correspondence stage of the main stage of the All-Russian TIM-Championship of SPbGASU started.

    The goal of the championship is to involve students, the university professional community, and representatives of Russian and international organizations in the process of mastering information modeling in construction and improving the level of training of future specialists.

    The general partners of the championship are the National Association of Surveyors and Designers (NOPRIZ) and the Metropolis company.

    The participants of the championship in 2024 are students of the following universities from various regions of Russia:

    Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbGASU); Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (TSUACE); Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (NRU MGSU); Far Eastern State Transport University (FESU); Vyatka State University (VyatSU); Ivanovo State Polytechnical University (IVGPU); South Ural State University (SUSU (NRU)); Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNGASU); Tomsk State University (TSU); Samara State Technical University (SamSTU); Tyumen Industrial University (TIU); Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNRPU).

    According to the competition specifications, the design object in 2024 is a cinema building in St. Petersburg.

    The correspondence stage will last until November 11, 2024. The on-site stage, during which teams from all participating universities will come to SPbGASU, will be held from November 20 to November 25, 2024. Project defense and award ceremony – November 27, 2024.

    More detailed information is available on the championship website

    For questions about participating in the project defense and the award ceremony (as observers), please contact educational center of digital competencies of SPbGASU

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK sanctions Putin’s interference actors

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK has sanctioned three Russian agencies and three senior figures who are attempting to undermine and destabilise Ukraine and its democracy.

    • UK sanctions Russian disinformation agencies seeking to undermine Ukraine.   

    • Kremlin tasked Social Design Agency (SDA) is exposed for trying to incite anti-Ukraine protests across Europe.    

    • New sanctions also hit three leaders directing the firm’s operations.

    Three Russian agencies and three senior figures who are attempting to undermine and destabilise Ukraine and its democracy have been sanctioned today by the UK.  

    The Social Design Agency (SDA) is tasked and funded directly by the Russian State, and along with its partner company Structura, has attempted to deliver a series of interference operations designed to undermine democracy and weaken international support for Ukraine.    

    This year, the SDA also attempted to incite protests in half a dozen European countries. However, despite Russian pouring money into these malign organisations’ interference activities, their lies have consistently struggled online, with bots and fake sites getting limited interaction. This has forced the SDA to consider buying social media views.  

    The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:   

    Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest.   

    Today’s sanctions send a clear message; we will not tolerate your lies and interference, and we are coming after you.  

    Putin’s desperate attempts to divide us will fail. We will constrain the Kremlin, and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. 

    These firms and their leadership are responsible for a vast malign online network, also commonly known as Doppelganger, which plagues social media with fake posts, counterfeit documents and deepfake material. These deceitful tactics are designed to mask the truth around Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and distract from the true nature of the war. Their murky actions are part of a co-ordinated attempt to use deceptive information operations to undermine democracy in pursuit of their aims.    

    These new sanctions demonstrate that no matter how desperate the Russian interference activity has become, the UK is committed to taking action against Russian information manipulation. We will continue to bear down on anyone conducting such activities on behalf of SDA.    

    The US, Canada, France, European External Action Service (EEAS), Germany and Australia join us in calling out the SDA’s underhand activity globally. 

    Background:    

    The full list of those sanctioned today is:   

    • PR agency Social Design Agency (SDA).   

    • PR agency Structura National Technologies.    

    • PR agency ANO DIALOG.    

    • Ilya Andreevich GAMBASHIDZE, the founder of SDA.    

    • Nikolay Aleksandrovich TUPIKIN, the CEO of SDA and owner of Structura.    

    • Andrey Naumovich PERLA, SDA Project Director.    

    These firms are responsible for a vast malign online network, commonly known as Doppelganger. Content including fake posts, counterfeit documents and deepfake material has been pushed out to audiences in English, German and French through a complex online network. The SDA has crafted a web of at least 120 sites spoofing existing news and government websites, towards which it deceptively redirects unsuspecting social media users. Tactics included avoiding common trigger words to circumvent content moderation tools and evade account takedowns. We are working with social media platforms to ensure they are aware of this activity.    

    Our international partners have also previously exposed Doppelganger’s malign interference networks, including France and the EEAS. As part of the monitoring and analysis for the 2024 European Parliament Elections. The European External Action Service has detected that an Doppelganger / RRN Media operation actively promoted Russian narratives to disrupt and interfere with the electoral process. This network was previously attributed by META to the SDA and revealed to be running global information operations aimed at weakening support for Ukraine. France has exposed these Russian actors in June 2023 through the publication of a report by its agency, Viginum.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 10:26 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JXSS1 (Akron B1P2) security were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    10:26

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 10:26 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 76.39) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 825.9 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 13.75%) of the RU000A0JXSS1 (Akron B1P2) security were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74326

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The deposit auction of the Investment Agency of the Tyumen Region will take place on 10/28/2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    The date of the deposit auction is 28.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 50,406,000.00. The placement period, days is 30. The date of depositing funds is 28.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 27.11.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 21.00. The terms of the conclusion are urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 50,406,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form is open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 12:15 to 12:30. Applications in competition mode from 12:30 to 12:40. Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 13:10.

    Additional terms

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74325

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 10:59 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A0ZYLQ4 (Gazpnf1P5R) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    10:59

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 10:59 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 103.08) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1089.68 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 7.5%) of the security RU000A0ZYLQ4 (Gazpnf1P5R) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74328

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The deposit auction of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund will take place on 10/28/2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters;

    The date of the deposit auction is 28.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 103,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 16. The date of depositing funds is 28.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 13.11.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 20.00. The terms of the conclusion are urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 103,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form is open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 11:30 to 11:40. Applications in competition mode from 11:40 to 11:45. Setting the cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 11:55.

    Additional conditions Placement of funds with the possibility of early withdrawal of the entire deposit amount and payment of interest accrued on the deposit amount at the rate established by the deposit transaction, in the event of non-compliance of the Bank with the requirements established by paragraph 2.1. of the Regulation “On the procedure for selecting banks for placing funds of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund in deposits (deposits) under the GDS” (as amended on the date of the deposit transaction), early withdrawal at the “on demand” rate, payment of interest at the end of the term, without replenishment.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74330

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Service for managing identifiers in the personal account of participants of the Currency Market

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Moscow Exchange has implemented a service for managing identifiers in the personal account of currency market participants

    Moscow Exchange is pleased to announce that from October 24, 2024, the “Identifier Management” service in the Participant’s Personal Account (PPA) has been expanded to the foreign exchange market. Thus, the new convenient and modern service already supports four markets: foreign exchange, stock, deposits, and loans.

    A distinctive feature of the updated version of the service is the display in real time of all possible identifier parameters, including IP addresses, as well as copying of existing identifiers.

    THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SECTION ALLOWS

    switch to a digital format of interaction with the Moscow Exchange in terms of managing technical access identifiers; increase the speed of managing technical access identifiers: assign/change/cancel identifiers in a few minutes (assignment/change/cancellation of identifiers takes effect on the next trading day)

    POSSIBILITIES OF THE NEW SECTION OF THE LKU

    creating a request for managing identifiers (delete/create/change) viewing the status of sent requests receiving information about identifier parameters saving draft requests

    Other useful functions have also been implemented: integrated hints, automatic verification of the correctness of the request creation, individual marking of the request, use of reference books, display of the assigned identifier immediately after the request is executed, copying of the identifier, etc.

    HOW TO ACCESS THE “IDENT MANAGEMENT” SECTION:

    submit an application for access to the new section of the personal account with assignment of the role “ID Management” (the form is attached to this letter) access will be provided within 1-3 days after receiving the application for access go to the new version of the personal account by the link https://platform.moex.com to manage identifiers

    You can read the User Guide for the “ID Management” section of the Participant’s Personal Account Here.

    If you have any questions, you can contact us by e-mail help@moex.com

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74331

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov visited the Republic of Belarus on a working visit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government paid a working visit to the Republic of Belarus. Denis Manturov was received by the President of the country Alexander Lukashenko, held talks with the Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, and also visited a number of industrial enterprises.

    During his working visit to the Republic of Belarus, Denis Manturov was received by the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko

    October 28, 2024

    During his working visit to the Republic of Belarus, Denis Manturov was received by the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko

    October 28, 2024

    Denis Manturov visited the Republic of Belarus on a working visit

    October 28, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    During his working visit to the Republic of Belarus, Denis Manturov was received by the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko

    Alexander Lukashenko and Denis Manturov discussed issues of trade and industrial cooperation between Russia and Belarus. Trade turnover between the countries increased by more than 5% last year and reached almost 47 billion dollars. Positive dynamics also persisted in the first eight months of this year – mutual trade increased by 6% to 32.5 billion dollars.

    Russian enterprises continue to build up cooperation ties with Belarus. All regions of Russia are actively involved in the development of cooperation. Thus, only since the beginning of 2024, 42 regional delegations have visited the republic. In June of this year, the XI Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus was successfully held in Vitebsk, in which 56 Russian regions took part.

    Denis Manturov emphasized that Russia is actively cooperating with Belarusian civil aircraft manufacturing enterprises to produce components. “This concerns both the Il-76 and Tu-214 aircraft. I expect that this trend will continue, and we will expand the aircraft line, the range, and the number of components,” said the First Deputy Prime Minister.

    At the meeting with Roman Golovchenko, issues of implementing a unified industrial policy of the Union State within the framework of the decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in January 2024 were also touched upon, including the issue of mutual access of industrial products of Russia and Belarus to state support instruments. The parties are working progressively in this direction.

    As part of his working trip, Denis Manturov visited the BelAZ OJSC enterprise, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of large and extra-large capacity quarry dump trucks, as well as other heavy transport equipment for the mining industry and construction. The plant, with about 9,000 employees, produces over 100 modifications of dump trucks with a carrying capacity of 30 to 450 tons. In 2023, products worth a total of about $880 million were delivered to Russia, including 904 units of equipment. The First Deputy Prime Minister inspected the main conveyor shop, visited the Museum of Labor Glory, and also got acquainted with innovative and serially produced models of equipment at the enterprise. One of them is the BelAZ-75304 dump truck with a carrying capacity of 220 tons, which consists of more than 90% Belarusian and Russian components.

    In addition, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia visited the joint Belarusian-Chinese enterprise SZAO Belgee, which produces passenger cars under the Belgee brand.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 1:40 PM (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JVUP7 (VimpelKBO3) security were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    13:40

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 1:40 PM (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 97.46) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1026.54 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 12.5%) of the RU000A0JVUP7 (VimpelKBO3) security were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74333

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 14:59 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    14:59

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 14:59 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 77.45) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 889.42 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 22.5%) of the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74337

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 15-10 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    15:10

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 15-10 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 80.52) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 922.09 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 27.0%) of the RU000A0JWHU2 security (RZhD BO-17) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74341

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: We invite young specialists to the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Science and Technology”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On November 26-27, 2024, the State University of Management will host the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Science and Technology”.

    Leading Russian scientists and practitioners, scientific and teaching staff, young researchers studying in bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate programs for training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel in higher education institutions under the scientific supervision of scientific-pedagogical staff are allowed to participate in the conference.

    The conference will include the following sections:

    Social technologies of society management; Innovative technologies of management in the digital environment of the information society; Transformation of industry management in the context of development of technological sovereignty; Marketing technologies of management; Technologies of development of social and business communications; Theory and practice of economic, technological and financial security of the country.

    Application deadline: November 21, 2024, 18:00

    Registration form: https://forms.yandex.ru/u/6703e5b190fa7b943127d827/

    Contacts for reference information: Alexandra Shkurenkova: ad_volkova@guu.ru.

    Details in the information letter.

    Information letter of the International Conference Science and Technology

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 10/28/2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/28/2024, 17:55 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for security RU000A108124 (RZhD 1P-31R) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/28/2024

    17:55

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/28/2024, 17:55 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 94.43) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1053.67 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 27.5%) of the security RU000A108124 (RZhD 1P-31R) were changed.

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74353

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Two deposit auctions of JSC “KAVKAZ.RF” will be held on 10/29/2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters;

    The date of the deposit auction is 29.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 50,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 6. The date of depositing funds is 30.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 05.11.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 20.00. The terms of the conclusion are urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 50,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form is open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 10:30 to 10:40. Applications in competition mode from 10:40 to 10:45. Setting the cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 10:55.

    Additional terms

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74357

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Conference “Ethics and AI: on the edge of technology and human values” was held with the support of the Moscow Exchange

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    On October 24–25, 2024, the annual conference “Ethics and AI: on the Edge of Technology and Human Values” was held, organized by the Institute of Compliance and Business Ethics of the Higher School of Law at the National Research University Higher School of Economics with the support of the Moscow Exchange.

    The conference was attended by experts in the field of compliance, including representatives of regulators and major domestic companies, as well as scientific and professional communities.

    The conference discussed global trends in compliance and the use of artificial intelligence technologies to automate it. An exchange of practical developments and innovative solutions in the field of compliance took place, and changes in the regulatory environment were analyzed.

    Irina Grekova, Managing Director for Compliance and Business Ethics at Moscow Exchange:

    “The Russian compliance community continues to actively develop, adapting to modern realities and implementing best practices. Strengthening interaction between business, government agencies and expert organizations remains an important area. The conference once again confirmed that compliance today has become a full-fledged interdisciplinary science that requires the involvement of specialists of different levels: lawyers, economists, IT specialists and ethics specialists. All of them are developing their field, and by combining efforts, they provide a synergy effect in protecting and developing business. Moscow Exchange Group pays special attention to issues of increasing the transparency and efficiency of internal control procedures, as well as training employees and raising their awareness of compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition, we are expanding the use of digital tools to optimize compliance processes, which allows us to promptly identify potential threats and prevent violations of the law.”

    The conference included an award ceremony for the winners of the Compliance 2024 award. The award’s expert council awarded:

    Alfa-Bank – for the best EdTech solution in business education on compliance topics for entrepreneurs; MTS – for the use of modern technologies in creating the methodology and tools for managing SCM; B1 Group of Companies – for creating its own best compliance practices in the changing conditions in the field of professional audit services; KSK LLC – for its original approach to implementing a compliance culture taking into account limitations and opportunities; Anton Kuznetsov, Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Policy and Corporate Ethics Department at NOVATEK – for a proactive response to modern challenges and threats; Oksana Kaminskaya, Chairperson of the AML/CFT Committee at the Association of Belarusian Banks – for the effective implementation of compliance practices in the financial sector in the Republic of Belarus; Daria Afanasyeva, leading specialist of the Competence and Corruption Prevention Center of ANO Moscow Directorate of Transport Services – for an inspiring start in compliance.

    The Moscow Exchange Group operates the only multifunctional exchange platform in Russia for trading shares, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money market instruments and commodities. The Group includes a central depository and a clearing center that acts as a central counterparty in the markets, which allows Moscow Exchange to provide its clients with a full cycle of trading and post-trading services.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n74360

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How a crisis of truth is putting US electoral system under stress

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Clodagh Harrington, Lecturer in American Politics, University College Cork

    America is in the grip of a crisis of truth and its political and electoral systems are under duress. Losing the connection between what is true and what is fiction could have enormous consequence in the middle of this US election campaign.

    Academics refer to this as an epistemological crisis, a situation where different people believe different “truths” and it becomes difficult to get a shared understanding of key facts. This, they argue, can lead to polarisation and potentially, even, an ungovernable country, based on an inability to decide on what is factually correct.

    Jonathan Rauch, the journalist and author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, says historically disagreement about what is true has, on some occasions, led to untold killing and suffering.

    Right now in the US, it’s clear that there are massive differences in what people believe is true. Polls show, for instance, that around 69% of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters think the 2020 election result was not legitimate and that Joe Biden did not win.

    This division is amplified by what is happening in and around the campaigns, and the use of new and developing techniques. The Trump campaign, for instance, continues to make claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

    Sharing misinformation (that is, when inaccurate content is disseminated but not with the intent to mislead) has always been part of political life, but it is now quickly amplified by social media. Spreading disinformation takes this to the next level, when organisations or individuals deliberately spread lies. But the means to do so have grown more sophisticated, as demonstrated in the recent Moldovan election, where a massive Russian disinformation campaign was discovered.

    History reminds us that fake news is at a premium during wartime and the world is currently experiencing two major conflicts. In both cases, the geopolitical consequences for the US are sky-high.

    By spring 2024, US news media were reporting on Russia’s potential to interfere in the US election. The US administration’s position on the Ukraine war in particular matters greatly to the Kremlin, and it is no secret that a Donald Trump victory would suit Putin far better than a continuation of the Ukraine-funding Democrat alternative.

    What is an epistemological crisis?

    In September, US officials warned of election threats, not only from Russia but also Iran and China. Former director of the US Cyber-Security and Infrastructure Agency, Chris Krebs, stated that 2024 is “lining up to be a busy election interference season”. What makes these multi-faceted and constantly evolving threats even harder to manage is the fact that Maga influencers are embroiled in the proceedings. This makes a unified American response against an external threat all but impossible.



    Read more:
    Why do millions of Americans believe the 2020 presidential election was ‘stolen’ from Donald Trump?

    One recent such example involved a company in Tennessee which was used by members of the Russian state-owned broadcaster RT (formerly Russia Today) to spread Russia-friendly content. The content-creators were paid US$10 million (£7.7 million) by RT to publish pro-Russia videos in English on a range of social media platforms. The RT employees were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

    This is one of many developments by the foreign interference machine as the election on November 5 nears. Other incidents include dozens of internet domains used by the Kremlin to spread disinformation on websites designed to look like news sites and to undermine support for Ukraine. The US government response to these complex and boundary-blurring threats is complicated by the tension between maintaining discretion and informing the public.

    Old challenges, new technology

    Looking back, the 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent victory for Trump brought many firsts, some comical, others deadly serious in this post-truth arena. The lighter side included inaccurate claims made by White House press secretary Sean Spicer about the size of Trump’s 2017 inauguration crowd. When Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway declared on television to have “alternative facts” to those reported by the media on the crowd size, her phrase entered general use.

    With hindsight, such falsehoods now seem a little quaint, as the images from the day told the truth better than any script. Far more disturbingly, Russia’s Project Lakhta involved a “hacking and disinformation campaign” described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 Report as vast and complex in scale. The scheme involved human and technological input and targeted politicians on the political left and right, with a view to causing maximum disruption. Just a year later, Russia interfered in the 2020 race, this time spreading falsehoods about Biden and working in Trump’s favour.

    Fast forward to 2024 and we are awash with AI-created images and writing. Now any sort of lie is possible. Deep fakes, voice, image and video manipulation now mean that we literally can no longer believe our ears and eyes.

    Kellyanne Conway on alternative facts.

    Meanwhile, back on the campaign trail in 2024, Team Trump demonstrates few qualms when dishing out alternative facts. A long-time proponent of “truthful hyperbole” the former real-estate dealer takes exaggeration to a point no longer on the scale. From sharing an AI-generated image of Taylor Swift endorsing him (she soon backed his opponent) to claims that helicopters were not getting through with hurricane relief, the news cycle is awash with baseless content.

    An inevitable outcome of this crisis and conflict over truth is voters’ confusion and disengagement, and increasing public tension, with a new poll reporting that the majority of Americans are expecting violence after the election.

    Voters deserve to know whether what they know is real, but in this campaign it is increasingly clear that they don’t and the consequences of this could be stark.

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

    – ref. How a crisis of truth is putting US electoral system under stress – https://theconversation.com/how-a-crisis-of-truth-is-putting-us-electoral-system-under-stress-242046

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Ensuring reliable and fast connections in rural areas and regions bordering Russia – E-001723/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is committed to ensuring that everyone, everywhere in the EU has access to high-speed connectivity. The targets set in the Digital Decade Policy Programme to connect all EU households to gigabit networks and ensure 5G coverage across all populated areas by 2030[1] apply also to the rural areas.

    According to the second annual report on the State of the Digital Decade[2], at the end of 2023 very high-capacity networks coverage in the EU’s rural areas reached 56% of households, while 5G coverage amounted to 74%. Reaching the targets may require at least a total investment of EUR 200 billion[3], including both private and public funding.

    The Commission supports the deployment of digital infrastructures through numerous funds. The Connecting Europe Facility Digital[4] with a budget of EUR 2 billion supports, inter alia, the deployment of standalone 5G infrastructures for rural communities in sectors like smart farming and border control.

    This is in particular important in regions bordering Russia in the specific context of its full-scale invasion on Ukraine. The budget allocated to connectivity under the recovery and resilience facility reaches almost EUR 14 billion[5].

    With a budget of EUR 2.4 billion the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite programme[6] will also contribute to the coverage of rural areas.

    Connectivity is also supported under the cohesion funds, e.g. by the European Regional Development Fund (about EUR 2.3 billion[7]) and through InvestEU[8].

    Finally, the White Paper[9] adopted in February 2024 presents the challenges and opportunities Europe faces in the rollout of future secure and resilient connectivity networks and proposes several scenarios to improve the EU regulatory and investment frameworks to facilitate the achievement of EU digital objectives.

    • [1] The Digital Decade Decision (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=LEGISSUM:4646000) sets out digital targets grouped into four cardinal points, which were first identified in the Digital Compass Communication as key areas for the digital transformation of the EU: digital skills, digital infrastructures, the digitalisation of businesses and the digitalisation of public services, COM(2021) 118 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0118
    • [2] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/second-report-state-digital-decade-calls-strengthened-collective-action-propel-eus-digital
    • [3] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/investment-and-funding-needs-digital-decade-connectivity-targets
    • [4] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/activities/cef-digital
    • [5] https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/recovery-and-resilience-scoreboard/assets/thematic_analysis/scoreboard_thematic_analysis_connectivity.pdf
    • [6] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-space/iris2-secure-connectivity_en
    • [7] https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/available-budget_en
    • [8] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/broadband-public-and-private-funds-financing-broadband-deployments
    • [9] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/white-paper-how-master-europes-digital-infrastructure-needs
    Last updated: 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Information concerning Greek arms deliveries to Ukraine – E-001528/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression of Ukraine, the EU and its Member States have delivered unprecedented levels of military support for the Ukrainian armed forces.

    Between 2022 and 2024, the EU mobilised EUR 6.1 billion to incentivise Member States’ deliveries of military equipment in view of addressing Ukraine’s pressing military and defence needs.

    In addition, in March 2024, the EU increased the financial ceiling of the European Peace Facility by EUR 5 billion, by establishing a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund. This brings the total financial support allocated via the Facility to EUR 11.1 billion[1].

    Beyond these aggregated numbers of military support to Ukraine provided at the EU level, the EU is not in a position to disclose any information on military support provided by individual Member States.

    The Commission does not coordinate arms deliveries at the EU level. It remains the prerogative of each Member State to communicate on its national military support to Ukraine.

    • [1] Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/890 of 18 March 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 establishing a European Peace Facility, OJ L  2024/890, 19.3.2024.
    Last updated: 28 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is Donald Trump a fascist? No – he’s a new brand of authoritarian

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff M Boucher, Associate Professor in Literary Studies, Deakin University

    Is Donald Trump a fascist? General Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump, thinks so. Trump is “fascist to the core,” he warns.

    John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, agrees. So does Vice President Kamala Harris, his opponent in this year’s presidential election.

    But political commentators who have a grounding in history are not so sure. Writing in The Guardian, Sidney Blumenthal calls Trump “Hitlerian” and his rallies “Naziesque”, but stops short of calling him a fascist.

    Michael Tomasky of The New Republic understands the reservations, but he is tired spending time debating the difference between “fascistic” and just plain “fascist”. “He’s damn close enough,” Tomasky writes, “and we’d better fight”.

    I understand this logic. It’s the reason Harris uses the term “fascist” to describe Trump – to send “a 911 call to the American people”. But there’s a problem.

    I have spent the past six years researching right-wing, authoritarian political communication in America. I can say with confidence how these kinds of labels can misfire. They can very easily be made to look like liberal hysteria, playing straight into the hands of the far right.

    Here are the two reasons why it is crucial to call Trump exactly what he is.

    1. Calling Trump a fascist, and then instantly adding, “or close enough,” plays directly into the hands of the far right. “See?” they might say. “Anytime anyone steps outside the liberal consensus, they get labelled a fascist. This is how political correctness silences dissent.”

    2. Trump’s kind of authoritarianism thrives on ambiguity about what sort of right-wing populist figure he is. Its success depends on the fact that “fascist” is the only name we have right now for authoritarian politics.

    In my view, Trump is not a fascist. Rather, he is part of a “new authoritarianism” that subverts democracy from within and solidifies power through administrative, rather than paramilitary, means.

    Why the ‘fascism’ label is unhelpful

    This brand of new authoritarianism hides in plain sight because there is no name for it yet. It looks like something else – for example, right-wing populism that is anti-liberal, but not yet anti-democratic. And then suddenly, it shows itself as anti-democratic extremism, as Trump did in refusing to accept the 2020 election result and encouraging the storming of the Capitol.

    This moment starkly revealed Trump as a new authoritarian. Supplementary debate about whether Trump is like Adolf Hitler risks being pointless. But the problem is that fascism is the only name we have now for anti-democratic extremism.

    All fascists are authoritarians. But not all authoritarians are fascists. It’s crucial to understand there are other types of authoritarianism – and how they differ.

    This is not just important for preventing Trump from seeking to subvert American democracy. It is also vital for stopping Trump imitators, who will now spring forth in other democracies. If there is still no name for what they are other than “fascist,” then they, too, will thrive on ambiguity.

    What is ‘new authoritarianism’?

    I suggest we focus on what Trump actually is – an anti-democratic, “new authoritarian” – and understand what this means and how he is gaining wider support using right-wing populism.

    The new authoritarians don’t necessarily take a sledgehammer to a nation’s institutions, for example, by doing away with elections. Rather, they hollow out democracy from within, so it becomes a façade draped over a one-party state.

    We have many examples of this kind of ruler today: Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko, Tunisia’s Kais Saied and, of course, the poster-figure for the new authoritarians, Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

    Trump’s admiration for Putin is a matter of public record. For alt-right thinkers who are influential with Trump, such as Steve Bannon, Putin provides a blueprint for how new authoritarianism works.

    Authoritarians like Putin must govern through the state, not the people, because, as social psychologist Bob Altemeyer explains, they ultimately represent a tiny minority of the population.

    Military dictatorships rule through the armed forces. The fascist regimes of 20th century Europe were ultimately police states. They relied on converting paramilitary death squads into secret police (like the Gestapo) and state security (the SS in Nazi Germany).

    The new authoritarians, however, govern through the transformation of the civil service into their own personal political machines.

    That is why Trump is obsessed with the “deep state”, by which he means the way in which democratic institutions have built-in legal safeguards defended by civil servants, who can potentially frustrate executive orders. The new authoritarian strategy is to appoint a stratum of political loyalists to key positions in their administrations, who can circumvent institutional checks. But that is no easy matter.

    If Trump is elected, he has vowed to “crush the deep state”, for example, by purging thousands of nonpolitical civil service employees. As part of this, he has pledged to establish a “truth and reconciliation commission” oriented to punishing those he thinks opposed him the past.

    Trump has been following this new authoritarian playbook for nearly his entire political career. These are the three steps he is taking to lay the groundwork for authoritarian rule:

    1) Undermine electoral integrity

    The first key to new authoritarianism: subvert democracy by undermining electoral integrity. The acid test here? Authoritarians do not accept election results when the opposition has won. As Trump has very bluntly put it, “I am a very proud election denier”.

    Trump’s opening move in this regard was to take over the Republican Party. He used election denialism to do this, while also marginalising any moderates who opposed him.

    The Trump Republican Party is now a minority party, oriented to white grievance, resentment of immigrants and the anti-democratic idea that a country should be run like a company.

    Its only hope for winning government as a minority party is by trying to suppress the vote of its opponents. To do this, pro-Trump Republican states have passed a number of laws since 2020 to make voting more difficult.

    These states have also aggressively removed people from the voting rolls. Texas alone has stricken one million voters off its rolls since 2021, only 6,500 of whom were deemed non-citizens.

    If Trump wins, he will likely make it even harder for people to vote. Civil rights groups fear he may introduce a citizenship question to the census, use the Department of Justice to conduct a massive purge of voter rolls, and launch criminal investigations of electoral officials.

    As a backup, Trump will likely resurrect the “election integrity commission” he established in 2017 to justify his claims of alleged voter fraud in the 2016 election and support his election denialism narrative.

    2) Weaken the legislative and judicial branches

    The second key to new authoritarianism: circumventing the checks-and-balances function of the legislative branch of government. The goal here is to rule by executive fiat or govern through a stacked legislative majority.

    The new authoritarians often govern through executive orders, including the use of emergency powers. For instance, Trump has envisaged a scenario in which a Republican Congress could enact emergency powers to empower the president to overturn the authority of state governors to fire their prosecutors and use the National Guard for law enforcement.

    Such a development would depend on a number of factors, including the complicity of the judiciary. This is why new authoritarians also attempt to stack the judiciary with loyalists.

    In his first term, Trump not only appointed three Supreme Court justices, he also placed judges to the federal appeals courts, district courts and circuit courts.

    3) Attack their enemies

    This leads to the third pillar of new authoritarianism: decapitating the political opposition and suppressing dissent.

    Trump’s threats to investigate and prosecute his enemies, including leading figures in the Democratic Party, should be taken very seriously. His calls to target the “enemy from within” were pointedly directed at what he deemed “radical left lunatics”.

    Journalists and the news media would also likely be targeted. Trump’s statement that the broadcast licenses of national networks should be revoked, for example, needs to be understood in the context of his pledges to dismantle federal regulatory agencies if elected.

    That matters, because the next step for new authoritarians to solidify their power is through suppressing dissent. Trump has proposed using the military in civil contexts to target criminals and prevent illegal immigration. He has reportedly even questioned why the military couldn’t “just shoot” protesters.

    It is important to understand how this differs from fascism, because it is central to Trump’s ability to retain electoral support.

    Classical fascism under dictators like Hitler and Italy’s Benito Mussolini was based on street-fighting, paramilitary movements, which used violence to intimidate and crush the opposition. The equivalents of this today are right-wing militias such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

    Trump keeps one foot on the edge of this camp. But alt-right figures like Bannon understand that swastika flags and paramilitary uniforms are a political liability. Their preference is for new authoritarianism, which is able to push
    a right-wing extremist agenda by reducing democracy to sham elections, rather than openly setting up a totalitarian regime.

    As such, Trump can dodge accusations of being a “fascist” by telling the Proud Boys to “stand by”, while throwing up a smokescreen of equivocations about the January 6 Capitol insurrection. He can distance himself from kind of paramilitary violence that is reminiscent of classical fascism.

    It is about time to call things by their true names. Trump has the anti-democratic tendencies of a new authoritarian – and, as his opponents point out, he seems likely to put his words into actions if elected a second time.

    Geoff M Boucher 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. Is Donald Trump a fascist? No – he’s a new brand of authoritarian – https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-a-fascist-no-hes-a-new-brand-of-authoritarian-241586

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lays foundation stone and inaugurates various development projects worth over Rs 4,900 crore in Amreli, Gujarat

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lays foundation stone and inaugurates various development projects worth over Rs 4,900 crore in Amreli, Gujarat

    These projects will significantly improve the ease of living for the people and accelerate the region’s growth : PM

    Posted On: 28 OCT 2024 7:45PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various development projects worth over Rs 4,900 crores in Amreli, Gujarat today. Today’s development projects comprise rail, road, water development and tourism sectors. They will benefit the citizens of Amreli, Jamnagar, Morbi, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Junagadh, Porbandar, Kachchh and Botad districts of the state.

    Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister highlighted the festive spirit of Dhanteras and Diwali noting that while these festivals celebrate culture, the ongoing progress in development is equally significant. He shared updates on several major projects across Gujarat mentioning his visit to Vadodara where he inaugurated India’s first factory dedicated to manufacturing Made in India aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The Prime Minister mentioned inaugurating Bharat Mata Sarovar in Amreli earlier today and said that several large projects related to water, roads and railways have been inaugurated and the foundation laid here. He said that these projects would ease the lives of people in Saurashtra and Kutch, accelerate regional development, enrich local farmers and create new employment opportunities for the youth. He congratulated everyone on the development projects of today.

    Remarking that the land of Amreli in Saurashtra had given many gems to India, the Prime Minister said that Amreli has a glorious past in every way, historically, culturally, literary- related and politically. He added that Amreli is the karmabhoomi of Shri Yogiji Maharaj and Bhoja Bhagat as well as folk singer and poet Dulabhayya Kag, poets like Kalapi, world-famous magician, K Lal and the leader of modern poetry, Ramesh Parekh. He further added that Amreli has also given Gujarat its first Chief Minister, Shri Jivraj Mehta ji. Shri Modi noted that the children of Amreli have also earned a big name in the business world with huge contributions to the society. He added that this tradition has been strengthened by the Dholkaiya Family, which was associated with the 80/20 schemes related to water conservation of the Gujarat government. The Prime Minister also noted that the changes were evident due to the continuous efforts in the last two and a half decades.

    The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of water, particularly for the people of Gujarat and Saurashtra who have long faced water-related challenges. He reflected on the past when Saurashtra was known for migration due to water scarcity and said, “Today, the situation has transformed. Now, Narmada water reaches villages” as he lauded government initiatives like Jalsanchay and the Sauni scheme that have significantly raised groundwater levels. He said that the issue of floods can be mitigated and rainwater can also be stored effectively with river deepening and the construction of check dams. He further added that issues related to drinking water in surrounding areas would also be addressed benefitting millions of people.

    The Prime Minister highlighted Gujarat’s remarkable progress over the past two decades in ensuring water reaches every household and farm, setting an example for the entire nation. He said that the state’s continuous efforts to provide water to every corner are ongoing and today’s projects will further benefit millions of people in the region. Shri Modi informed that the Navda-Chavand Bulk Pipeline project would benefit nearly 1,300 villages and over 35 cities impacting districts like Amreli, Botad, Junagadh, Rajkot, and Porbandar.  He said that the initiative would supply an additional 30 crore liters of water every day to these regions. Referring to the foundation stone laying for the second phase of the Pasvi Group Saurashtra Regional Water Supply Scheme, the Prime Minister said that it would address the needs of Talaja, Mahuva, and Palitana talukas. “Once completed, around 100 villages will directly benefit from this project”, he informed.

    The Prime Minister said that the water projects of today exemplify the collaborative power of government and society with public participation at the core. He highlighted the success of linking India’s 75th year of independence with water conservation initiatives through the creation of at least 75 Amrit Sarovars in each district. Shri Modi expressed happiness over 60,000 Amrit Sarovars constructed across villages leaving behind a legacy for future generations. He praised the Catch the Rain campaign, which is gaining momentum under the leadership of Shri C R Patil. The Prime Minister informed that the campaign is making significant strides in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar with thousands of recharge wells being constructed through community participation. Shri Modi also acknowledged the enthusiasm of people coming forward to build recharge wells in their ancestral villages, stressing how the initiative ensures local water retention in villages and fields. He noted the commencement of hundreds of projects today, aimed at promoting agriculture and livestock through water conservation.

    The Prime Minister underscored that now due to the availability of more water, farming had become easier and with the water of Narmada, three-season farming was now possible in Amreli. “Today, Amreli district has emerged as a leader in the field of farming”, exclaimed the PM. He noted that cultivation of crops like cotton, groundnut, sesame and millet was getting a boost and Amreli’s pride, Kesar mango, had received a GI tag. He added that GI tag status meant Amreli’s identity was associated with Kesar mango, wherever it was sold in the world. The Prime Minister also emphasized that Amreli was rapidly emerging as a major center of natural farming and the country’s first Natural Farming University was being built in Halol. He added that under this university, Amreli had got Gujarat’s first Natural Farming College. Shri Modi said that the effort was to ensure more and more farmers can engage in animal husbandry and also be benefitted from natural farming. Highlighting that Amreli’s dairy industry has grown tremendously in recent years, Shri Modi said it was possible only due to the joint efforts of the government and cooperatives. Reminiscing the inception of Amar Dairy in 2007 when government committees of 25 villages were associated with it, Shri Modi said “Today more than 700 cooperative societies were associated with Amar Dairy and about 1.25 lakh liters of milk was being collected every day”.

    Touching upon Amreli’s rise to fame in the sweet revolution, Shri Modi said honey production had given the farmers an additional source of income. He noted that hundreds of farmers of Amreli had started businesses related to honey after being trained in beekeeping.

    Speaking about the PM Surya Garh Yojana to eliminate electricity bills and generate income from electricity ensuring an annual savings of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 for each family, the Prime Minister informed that approximately 200,000 solar panels have been installed on rooftops across Gujarat in just a few months since its implementation. He highlighted that Amreli district is rapidly advancing in solar energy exemplified by Dudhala village, where hundreds of households have solar panels installed. As a result, the Prime Minister said, the village is saving around Rs 75,000 per month in electricity bills with each home benefiting from an annual saving of ₹4,000. “Dudhala is quickly becoming Amreli’s first solar village”, he added.

    Noting that Saurashtra is a significant hub for tourism hosting numerous sacred sites and places of faith, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of Sardar Sarovar Dam as a major tourist attraction. He informed that over 50 lakh visitors came to see the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Patel last year. He spoke about visiting the site in two days for Sardar Saheb’s Jayanti and witnessing the Rashtriya Ekta Parade.

    The Prime Minister emphasized that Kerly Recharge Reservoir would become a major centre of eco-tourism in the times to come and Adventure tourism will get a big boost. He further added that it would also give a new identity to Kerly Bird Sanctuary in the world.

    Highlighting the long coastline of Gujarat, Shri Modi remarked that the development along with preservation of  heritage was the priority of the Government. Therefore, he added, that the centuries-old heritage related to fisheries and ports was being revived. The Prime Minister noted the approval of the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal by the Government and said that the move would introduce and inspire the country and the world to India’s glorious maritime heritage.

    “Our endeavor is that the blue water of the ocean should give impetus to the blue revolution”, stated Shri Modi. He added that Port-led development should strengthen the resolve of a developed India. The Prime Minister informed that better infrastructure was being expanded for fishermen in Jafrabad, Shiyalbet; while the modernisation of the Pipavav port in Amreli had created new employment opportunities for thousands of people today along with the capacity to handle more than 10 lakh containers and thousands of vehicles. Shri Modi emphasized the Government’s endeavor to modernize the connectivity of Pipavav port and every such port in Gujarat with other parts of the country.

    The Prime Minister reiterated that infrastructure such as pucca homes for the poor, electricity, roads, railways, airports and gas pipelines is essential for building a Viksit Bharat. He affirmed that the government in its third term is working swiftly on infrastructure development. He highlighted that the benefits of improved infrastructure connectivity in Saurashtra have significantly boosted industrial growth. “Launch of the ro-ro ferry service has simplified connectivity between Saurashtra and Surat with over 7 lakh people benefiting from it in recent years. More than 1 lakh cars and over 75,000 trucks and buses have been transported, saving both time and money”, he added.

    The Prime Minister also mentioned the rapid progress in constructing the economic corridor from Jamnagar to Amritsar-Bhatinda, stating, “This project will benefit all states from Gujarat to Punjab. Today’s inaugurations and foundation-laying of road projects will improve connectivity for major industrial centers like Jamnagar and Morbi, enhancing access to cement factories as well as facilitating easier pilgrimages to Somnath and Dwarka.” He further added that the expansion of railway connectivity in Kutch will further strengthen tourism and industrialization in Saurashtra and Kutch.

    “As India is developing rapidly, India’s pride in the world is also increasing continuously”, said the Prime Minister. He added that today the world was looking at India with a new perspective and recognizing India’s potential and listening to India seriously. Noting that everyone was discussing India’s possibilities these days, Shri Modi emphasized that Gujarat had a huge role in it. He remarked that Gujarat had shown the world about the potential India has in every city and village. Mentioning his recent visit to the BRICS conference in Russia, Shri Modi emphasized that everyone wanted to connect and invest in India. The Prime Minister also mentioned the recent visit of the Chancellor of Germany and the signing of many agreements with him. He added that Germany had now increased the annual visa quota to 90 thousand as against the current 20 thousand which would benefit the Indian youth. Shri Modi also highlighted today’s visit of the President of Spain to Gujarat and the huge investment of Spain in the form of a transport aircraft manufacturing factory in Vadodara. He added that it would give a boost to thousands of small and micro industries in Gujarat along with the development of a complete ecosystem for aircraft manufacturing leading to creation of lakhs of new employment opportunities.

    Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said, “When I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I used to say that the country develops through the development of Gujarat. A Viksit Gujarat will strengthen the path to a Viksit India”, as he congratulated everyone for the development projects of today.

    Governor of Gujarat, Shri Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C R Patil and Member of Parliament, Shri Parshottam Rupala were present on the occasion among others.

     

    Background

    The Prime Minister inaugurated the Bharat Mata Sarovar in Dudhala, Amreli. This project was developed through a collaboration between the Government of Gujarat and the Dholkaiya Foundation under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Dholkaiya Foundation improved a check dam, which originally, the dam could hold 4.5 crore litres of water but after deepening, widening, and reinforcing it, the capacity has increased to 24.5 crore litres. This improvement has raised water levels in nearby wells and bores which will help local villages and farmers by providing better irrigation.

    Further, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 4,900 Crore at Amreli, Gujarat. These projects will benefit the citizens of Amreli, Jamnagar, Morbi, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Junagadh, Porbandar, Kachchh, and Botad districts of the state.

    The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various road projects worth more than Rs 2,800 crores. The projects include four-laning of various sections of NH 151, NH 151A and NH 51 and the Junagadh bypass. The foundation stone for the four-laning project of the remaining section from the Dhrol bypass in Jamnagar district to Amran in Morbi district, will also be laid.

    The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation Bhuj-Naliya Rail Gauge Conversion Project, completed at a cost of around Rs 1,100 crores. This extensive project features 24 major bridges, 254 minor bridges, 3 road overbridges and 30 road underbridges, and will play a crucial role in enhancing the socio-economic development of Kachchh district.

    The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 700 crore of the water supply department from Amreli district. Projects inaugurated include Navda to Chavand bulk pipeline which will provide an additional 28 crore litres of water to approximately 67 lakh beneficiaries across 36 cities and 1,298 villages of Botad, Amreli, Junagadh, Rajkot, and Porbandar districts. The foundation stone of Pasavi Group Augmentation Water Supply Scheme Phase 2 in Bhavnagar district will also be laid which will benefit 95 villages in the Mahuva, Talaja, and Palitana talukas, in Bhavnagar district.

    The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for tourism-related development initiatives which includes transforming the Karli Recharge Reservoir at Mokarsagar in Porbandar district into a world-class sustainable eco-tourism destination, among others.

    *****

    MJPS/SR/TS

     

    (Release ID: 2068995) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Introductory Remarks at the IMF’s African Department Press Briefing

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    By Abebe Selassie, Director
    Annual Meetings, October 2024

    October 25, 2024

    As Prepared for Delivery

    Good morning, or good afternoon to those of you joining us online from Africa and beyond. Thank you for joining us today for the release of the October IMF Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Before we begin and take your questions, I would like to share some thoughts on the current economic developments in the region. 

    The first point I would like to make is that economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa remains subdued, especially in per capita terms.

    We are projecting growth of 3.6 percent this year, the same as last year, with some signs of a pickup to 4.2 percent next year. This pace is not sufficient to significantly reduce poverty or to recover ground lost in recent years, let alone address the substantial developmental challenges ahead. It is also still far from the 6-7 percent growth rates the region enjoyed until about a decade ago.

    But as always, it is important to highlight the considerable differences across countries in the region. Despite lackluster average growth, nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies are in sub-Saharan Africa—and those with more diversified economic structures are the ones doing better. These countries continue to experience strong growth. In contrast, in many resource intensive countries, growth is very anemic and poverty is rising sharply.

    The second point I want to make is that we are seeing some improvement in macroeconomic imbalances. Inflation continues to decline, and budget deficits have begun to narrow, reverting to pre-crisis levels. Debt-to-GDP ratios are also stabilizing albeit at a high level, which are positive signs for the region’s economic health.

    However, a third point I would like to stress is the challenging political and social backdrop against which governments are implementing much-needed reforms. The cost-of-living crisis, particularly due to higher food prices, has been more acute in our region. And this has intensified the strain on households who spend a larger share of household expenses on food. Governments are making fiscal adjustments by increasing revenue and compressing spending. But elevated interest burdens continue to strain public finances and they add to the sense that government services are not improving or even deteriorating.

    Against this backdrop, our report discusses the tough balancing act that policymakers face:

    • Pursing macroeconomic stability;
    • while meeting development needs, including strengthening social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable;
    • and designing reforms that are socially and politically acceptable.

    This latter point—making reforms acceptable—requires effective communication and consultation, improved governance to rebuild public trust, and measures that help promote inclusive growth through job creation.

    I would also like to highlight the intensified engagement of the Fund in the region. Our involvement is at one of the highest levels in recent history, with numerous ongoing programs and financial arrangements. Since 2020, the Fund has made available over $60 billion in financing for the region.

    However, declining official development assistance is challenging the effectiveness of our support. While countries like Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, and Cameroon have returned to markets this year, access for many other countries remains limited, and financing conditions remain costly and difficult. This forces countries to make significant adjustments with limited external financing.

    Much work remains to be done to reinvigorate reforms and tap into the region’s tremendous potential. We delve into these topics in our upcoming Regional Economic Outlook, where we discuss policy considerations for calibrating strategies amid diverse circumstances and constrained financing.

    Thank you for your attention. I am now happy to take your questions.

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/25/sp102524-subsaharan-africa-press-briefing-abebe-selassie

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Analysing Azerbaijan: How Can a Secular State Manage a Revival of Religion?

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    With COP29, hosted by Baku, right around the corner, let’s have a look at Azerbaijan and its secular history with Altay Goyushow, professor of history at Baku State University and visiting scholar at Sciences Po Center for International Studies (CERI).

    A fine observer of the Azerbaijani regime, he answers the questions of Miriam Périer (CERI) about the ruling elite’s attitude toward religion, and Islam in particular, and the need to look back at the Soviet period to understand the current situation.

    > Read the full interview on CERI’s website.

    What is the aim of the current Azerbaijani ruling elite’s policies in the field of religion?

    Azerbaijan is a secular state. A genuine secularist movement was started in Azerbaijan in the mid-nineteenth century by the local Russian and European-educated intelligentsia. The greatest success of this movement was the creation of the first secular republic during the First World War and the Russian Revolution.

    In 1920, the Red Army put an end to this republic. However, during Soviet rule the secularist traditions of Azerbaijani society strengthened further, even though, as I said earlier, the collapse of the Soviet Union was accompanied by the impressive revival of religion. Soviet rule eradicated local sources of religious knowledge and because of this, in the 1990s, the revival was led primarily by foreign actors.

    Then, in the late 1990s, local clerics educated abroad took the leading role in religious proselytism. This situation was unacceptable to Azerbaijani authorities, as they wanted religious learning to be concentrated in the hands of locally educated Muslim clerics. The authorities have been pursuing a policy of domesticating Islam. Unlike the Soviets, the current Azerbaijani government does not intend to get rid of religion; they instead want to make Islamic elites into loyal supporters of the secular system and ruling elite.

    This policy has given birth to a complex religious situation in the country. On the one hand, there is an official Islam loyal to the government. On the other hand, there are Islamic communities that aim to exist without the secular state’s interference. The constitution says that the state and religion are separate; however, the real situation is much more complicated.

    Both the government and independent Islamic communities complain about interference from their counterparts. Islamic communities complain that the state infringes on their freedom of conscience, while the government complains that independent communities are a threat to the secular nature of the state.

    You mention that the current ruling elite of Azerbaijan is particularly concerned by Muharram traditions, partly because these do not correspond to so-called “civilised religion” according to the government. Can you tell us why?

    The Azerbaijani government aims to create distinct characteristics of local Islam which it describes as a “civilised” Islam. The methods used to achieve this goal include the implementation of a unique education programme for training Muslim clerics in the newly established Theological Institute, the adaptation of distinct uniforms for Azerbaijani Muslim clerics, the promotion of joint Sunni-Shi’i prayers, among other things.

    “Correcting” rituals of Muharram commemorations are among the planned reforms. It should be noted that Muharram is the most popular religious commemoration in Azerbaijan. It has been for centuries. However, beginning in the early twentieth century, some practices of Muharram commemorations, such as self-flagellation or striking oneself with swords and knives, have been heavily criticised by the local secular intelligentsia as “uncivilised” rituals.

    The Soviets launched multiple campaigns against Muharram observations like these and others. In the post-Soviet era, this approach has been continued, and some practices have been replaced with novelties, such as making blood donations instead of striking themselves with knives or self-flagellation with metal chains.

    During the last decade, another government concern has been the increased pilgrimage of Azerbaijani believers to Shi’i shrines in Iraq and Iran at the end of annual Muharram commemorations. The government considers the rising number of pilgrims to those places as a security risk. So, by implementing various measures and restrictions, the authorities are trying to curb the number of pilgrims.

    Does the Azerbaijani population support the ruling elite’s policies toward religion? What is the position of secular youth movements in the face of the government’s attitude toward independent Muslim communities?

    It is an interesting question. Azerbaijan, despite the impressive religious revival in the post-Soviet period, remains a largely secular country. So, most Azerbaijanis cherish their society’s secular characteristics and do not appreciate the interference of religion or religious communities in state affairs.

    However, state institutions’ deep interference with the life of religious communities in many instances infringes on people’s freedom of conscience. And in this particular matter, there is a generational disruption within society. While the older Soviet-trained and educated part of the society, especially the urbanised part, is not particularly critical of the excesses of the government’s religious policies, the younger population, especially its quite vocal liberal and progressive representatives, despite appreciating and praising the secular fundamentals of the society, is frequently critical of the tough measures implemented by the government in the promotion of religious conformity.

    It should also be added that ethnic nationalism is a strong feature of Azerbaijani society. And traditionally, secular nationalists have been critical of Islamic movements, and on this issue, they tend to align more with the government than Islamic communities.

    Cover image caption: Baku, Taza-Pir mosque, the seat of the Sheikh-ul-Islam, the head of the Caucasus Muslim Board. (credits: Altay Goyushow)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major defence reforms launched, with new National Armaments Director to tackle waste and boost industry

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The biggest reform of the Ministry of Defence in over 50 years to fix what the Public Accounts Committee calls the ‘broken’ defence procurement system and to strengthen UK Defence, has been launched by the Defence Secretary.

    • Major reforms kicked off today to match increasing threats, tackle waste and strengthen UK Defence.
    • Recruitment underway for new fully fledged National Armaments Director role.
    • New powers for Chief of the Defence Staff, and Military Strategic Headquarters to be launched within weeks.

    The biggest reform of the Ministry of Defence in over 50 years to fix what the Public Accounts Committee calls the ‘broken’ defence procurement system and to strengthen UK Defence, has been launched by the Defence Secretary.

    It comes amid increasing global threats, with growing Russian aggression and conflict in the Middle East. This requires increased resilience and warfighting readiness. 

    The Defence Secretary is leading the reforms to create a stronger defence centre which is able to secure better value for money, better outcomes for our Armed Forces, and better implement the Strategic Defence Review which will be published in the first half of next year. 

    Central to this is the creation of a new role: the fully fledged National Armaments Director. Its aim is to ensure the armed forces are properly equipped to defend Britain, to build up the British defence industry and to crack down on waste. The recruitment process for the role has now begun, with a search for candidates now underway and which will continue over the coming weeks.

    The new National Armaments Director will be responsible for:

    • Delivering the capabilities required from industry to execute the Defence plans and operations demanded by the new era.
    • Shaping and delivering the Defence industrial strategy which will be launched in the coming weeks.
    • Ensuring a resilient supply chain and the required readiness of the national ‘arsenal’.
    • Leading on UK defence exports and acquisition reform.
    • Harmonising procurement and working closely with wider government, industry, academia, and international partners to deploy best practice and investment.

    The changes come as the Defence Secretary commits to ensuring “value for money across every penny of defence spend.”

    The reforms will also see the Chief of the Defence Staff overseeing a new Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) where he will formally command the individual Service Chiefs for the first time. They will now be central to investment decisions between the Services, along with the Defence Secretary and Permanent Secretary. 

    This Government’s MOD reforms will ensure faster delivery and clearer accountability across Defence, to support the Government’s ‘One Defence’ drive. They will also ensure defence is ready to take forward recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review, with the new MSHQ fully functioning by the end of 2024 – ready to implement recommendations from the SDR in the first half of next year. 

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    Our government is delivering the change we promised: cracking down on waste and boosting Britain’s defence industry. We will forge “One Defence”, which is clear in its goals and consistent in its methods, to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

    The world is more dangerous, with growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East and increasing global threats. 

    These vital reforms will make UK military decision making faster, keep the country safer and achieve best value for taxpayers. This Government will strengthen UK Defence to respond to increasing threats.

    Defence Equipment & Support CEO and the UK’s current NAD, Andy Start, said: 

    This fully fledged NAD role is a vitally important step towards transforming defence acquisition and the industrial base in the UK. 

    This new role will have the levers needed to ensure our Armed Forces have the right kit and to deliver the defence industrial strategy we need for growth.

    We will work with industrial partners to embrace the One Defence approach so they can play their part in improvements that underpin national security and prosperity.

    The programme of reform will be informed by lessons from the department’s highly praised support to Ukraine. The National Audit Office recently highlighted the speed and scale of the MOD’s Operation Interflex training programme for Ukrainian recruits, as well as fast-tracked procurement and distribution of essential gifted equipment to the Ukrainian front line. 

    These reforms will radically simplify the MOD. Governance and processes will be streamlined, with innovation in technology and an improved approach to data underpinning everything the department does.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –