MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On October 21, in Moscow, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin will hold talks with Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov.
The heads of government plan to discuss current issues of Russian-Kyrgyz trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Special attention will be paid to the implementation of joint projects in the fields of energy, industry, transport, education and other areas.
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.
WASHINGTON – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued their final four-part joint public service announcement (PSA) today titled “Just So You Know: Foreign Threat Actors Likely to Use a Variety of Tactics to Develop and Spread Disinformation During the 2024 U.S. General Election Cycle.” This PSA highlights efforts by foreign actors to spread disinformation in the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. general election with the goal of casting doubt on the integrity of the democratic process and sowing partisan discord. Foreign adversaries are using a variety of sophisticated disinformation campaigns, often leveraging new tools, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI), to craft and spread misleading content.
“As we approach Election Day, it is important to remember that while elections are political, election security is not. Election security is national security. Our foreign adversaries are looking to attack our democratic process to further their own objectives, and we need the help of all Americans in ensuring they are not successful,” said CISA Senior Advisor Cait Conley. “There has been incredible effort across local, state and federal governments to ensure the security and integrity of our nation’s election infrastructure. Americans should be confident that their votes will be counted as cast. They should also know that our foreign adversaries will try to make them believe otherwise. We encourage everyone to remain vigilant, verify the information they consume, and rely on trusted sources like their state and local election officials.”
The PSA highlights specific examples of tactics we have seen used by Russia and Iran during the 2024 election cycle to target all Americans. These include things from mimicking national level media outlets like the Washington Post and Fox News and creating inauthentic news sites posing as legitimate media organizations to using paid influencers to hide their hand. It is important for voters to critically evaluate information sources, particularly as disinformation campaigns evolve to use AI-generated content. Both agencies urge the American public to rely on trusted information from state and local election officials and to verify claims through multiple reliable sources before sharing them on social media or other platforms.
For more information on how to protect yourself from disinformation, visit the official websites of the FBI and CISA’s dedicated election security webpage, cisa.gov/Protect2024.
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About CISA
As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.
As Russia continues to deepen its economic ties with BRICS+ countries, new opportunities are emerging for businesses to tap into one of the most promising markets
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 18, 2024 – Industry Growth in Russia Projected to Surge by 30% in the Next 5 Years Expanded Market to Generate Over $250 Billion in Building, Design, and Construction Sectors
ITE Group (https://ITE.Group), the premier B2B exhibition organiser in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), is forecasting a surge in business opportunities for BRICS+ nations, with industry growth in Russia projected to increase by over 30% by 2030. This rapid expansion is expected to generate more than $250 billion across key building, design, and construction sectors.
As Russia continues to deepen its economic ties with BRICS+ countries, new opportunities are emerging for businesses to tap into one of the most promising markets. ITE Group’s role in hosting large-scale exhibitions, including MosBuild, has been instrumental in driving this development. These platforms provide BRICS+ companies with direct access to Russia’s evolving industrial landscape, fostering international trade and collaboration.
Over the 2022-23 period, ITE Group recorded an impressive 36% increase in visitor numbers year-on-year, with attendees from over 100 countries, reflecting the growing interest and confidence from across the region. This surge in attendance highlights the expanding reach of ITE Group’s exhibitions, which continue to attract both established industry players and new entrants seeking to capitalise on the burgeoning opportunities within BRICS+ countries.
“BRICS+ Nations are carving out larger roles in the Russian market through greater collaboration and trade. Our exhibitions are pivotal in facilitating these vital business connections,” said Dmitry Zavgorodniy, CEO of ITE Group.
“By hosting 26 events each year, we ensure that businesses from all industries have the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and thrive. With over 500, 000 visitors per year, we’re excited for the future. We are proud to be pivotal in driving economic growth and fostering meaningful connections among BRICS+ countries.”
ITE Group serves multiple industries including Building & Interior Design, Chemicals & Pharmaceutical Production, Food & Agriculture, Commercial & Urban Transport and IT & Technology sectors. In September 2024, Crocus Expo hosted one of ITE Group’s flagship events, World Food Moscow, where F&B manufacturers, service providers, and industry innovators come together from retail giants to wholesale distributors.
“Our experience at the World Food Forum was nothing short of extraordinary. Exhibiting at this prestigious event opened the door to unparalleled international networking opportunities, connecting us with industry leaders and innovators from around the globe. The exposure and connections we’ve gained have been instrumental in our plans to expand into new markets. We are excited about the future and confident that the relationships and insights developed here will propel our business to new heights.” Yaseem Saif, Development and Foreign Markets Manager, Bawabt Liwa Group
In 2025, MosBuild, one of ITE’s headline shows will take place, celebrating its 30th anniversary. The show is expected to surpass all previous records with an estimated 60,000 visitors and 1,400 exhibitors from over 20 countries.
“Last year’s MosBuild was an exceptional experience for our business. The event exceeded our expectations, providing us with invaluable connections and opportunities that directly contributed to our growth. The organisation, the quality of attendees, and the networking possibilities were top-class. The quality of the visitors we met was very high and through the show, we expect them to have a lasting impact on our business. We’re already looking forward to 2025, excited to meet even more potential clients and continue building on the success we’ve enjoyed.” Fabio Venezia, Export Manager, Cemom
With a robust portfolio of exhibitions spanning various sectors, ITE Group remains at the forefront of facilitating business growth and international partnerships. The group’s ongoing efforts to create high-impact, industry-specific events are expected to enhance the competitive landscape further, driving sustained economic development well into the next decade.
ITE in Numbers:
Over 500,000+ visitors per year 1,700+ regional and international media in attendance Over 2 million business contacts in our database 10,000+ exhibitors per year
ITE Group Sectors: Building & Interior Design, Food & Agriculture, Transport & Logistics, Water Supply & HVAC, Chemicals & Pharmaceutical, Travel & Hospitality, Welding & Hardware, Commercial & Urban Transport, IT & Technology, Warehousing Solutions, Woodworking, Consumer Goods, Laboratory Equipment, Dairy Manufacturing, Electronics & Components, Mining, Printing & Packaging. About ITE Group: ITE Group is Russia’s leading B2B exhibition organiser, renowned for its commitment to fostering international trade and business development. With a robust portfolio of 26 high-profile events annually, ITE Group also creates bespoke Digital Connect platforms for all major events helping to drive economic growth and collaboration. Established in 1991, ITE Group has organised Russia and CIS’s largest industry exhibitions for over three decades, providing transformative platforms for essential dialogue between businesses and government, ensuring substantial outcomes.
Event Calendar: For more information on our events and to view the full calendar, please visit http://apo-opa.co/4f9up9e
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter demanding transparency from U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken on the Department’s use of taxpayer dollars to pay the salaries of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) employees instead of promoting U.S. security overseas.
Last month, reporting revealed top DEI officials at the Biden-Harris State Department make nearly $200,000 each year – nearly double the pay of average State Department employees.
The State Department Goes to Extreme Lengths to Prioritize Diversity Over Competence
“I write with concern regarding the State Department’s use of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds to pay the salaries of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) employees. The State Department’s apparent willingness to go to extreme lengths to prioritize diversity over competence in formulating a workforce for the agency, whose stated mission, in part, is to ‘protect and promote U.S. security,’ is demonstrated by the hefty salaries of top DEI officials. According to financial disclosures, the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer received an annual salary of $194,510, and the State Department’s Special Representative for Racial Justice and Equity receives $191,000 per year. Conversely, the base salary of the average State Department employee is just $97,000.”
As Iran, China, and Russia Wage War on Democracy, the State Department’s DEI Agenda Is Offensive and Irresponsible
“As you know, the current geopolitical landscape is dangerously volatile, and the United States is entangled in multiple diplomatic conflicts worldwide. Israel, one of our closest allies, is fighting an existential war against Iran’s proxy terrorist groups on several fronts, Communist China continues to threaten Taiwan’s sovereignty and bully nations in the Indo-Pacific into subservience, and Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine has now resulted in at least one million casualties on both sides. During this capricious period, it imprudent and offensive for your agency to allocate hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to support a DEI agenda that does not support, but in fact undermines, America’s interests abroad. The American people deserve transparency over the use of their tax dollars to advance a divisive ideological agenda, particularly when it comes at the expense of protecting and promoting U.S. security overseas.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, in Beijing today.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, in Beijing today (18 October).
The Foreign Secretary set out that as fellow Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, it is a necessity that the UK and China increase bilateral engagement. He made clear that, as global players, both countries have an obligation to work together to find pragmatic solutions to complex challenges.
Areas of pragmatic, mutually beneficial cooperation were clear. This included working together on achieving the global green transition; making greater efforts on development and global health; and the safe use of AI. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his commitment to promoting secure and resilient growth through increased trade and investment which creates jobs, drives innovation, boosts productivity and provides economic stability and certainty for the UK economy. They agreed that the UK and China can support both countries’ growth objectives, with China as the world’s second largest economy and the UK’s 4th largest trading partner.
The Foreign Secretary also raised a number of foreign policy and security matters, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, where he stated how both the UK and China have a shared interest in European peace and ending the war. He reaffirmed that concerns over China’s supply of equipment to Russia’s military industrial complex risks damaging China’s relationships with Europe whilst helping to sustain Russia’s war. The Foreign Secretary urged Wang Yi to take all measures to investigate and to prevent Chinese companies from supplying Russia’s military. The Foreign Ministers agreed to continue to discuss this and other broader foreign policy issues, such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Human Rights were discussed, including in Xinjiang, and the Foreign Secretary referenced this as an area which the UK and China must engage, even where viewpoints diverge. Hong Kong is a shared interest, and the Foreign Secretary raised serious concerns around the implementation of the National Security Law and the ongoing treatment of British national Jimmy Lai, again calling for his release.
The meeting was constructive across the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, from areas of pragmatic cooperation to issues of contention. Both the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister agreed that maintaining channels of communication was essential and committed to holding regular discussions across their respective governments at Ministerial level.
CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ: (As interpreted.) Mr. President.
(Speaking English.) Dear Joe, it is my great pleasure to welcome you here to the Chancellery in Berlin as a friend of Europe, as a friend of Germany, and, above all, as my friend. Welcome.
(As interpreted.) Dear Joe, our cooperation the past three years was extraordinarily close and full of trust. I know that this is not something that we can take for granted, even among good partners as the U.S. and Germany have been for many, many decades.
I would like to take this opportunity here and today to express my gratitude and say thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
The times in which we’re living are extremely challenging indeed. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, war has returned back to Europe. The European security order has been shaken in its very foundations.
It is all the more important that we reacted decisively and stood closely together and unequivocably condemned this blatant violation of international law and stand by our Ukrainian friends’ side.
It is thanks to your leadership that Putin’s plans failed, that Ukraine wasn’t overrun within a few days. But it is thanks to the bravery of Ukrainian armed forces and the support of many states — above all, the United States and Germany — Ukraine stands up to imperialist Russia since more than two and a half years.
Together, we commit to Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity so that Russia cannot subjugate Ukraine by force. We stand by Ukraine’s side as long as it is necessary. Putin has miscalculated. He cannot sit and ride out this war.
Together, therefore, we decided, with our G7 partners, to support Ukraine with a loan package to the tune of 50 billion U.S. dollars by the end of this year.
Together, we commit to a strong NATO Alliance which defends every square inch of its territory. Every member of our alliance can rely on that. And together, we commit to the fundamental principles of the free world as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
Mr. President, from the very beginning of the war, we closely coordinated ourselves across the Atlantic. It has made us strong. It has made the Alliance strong, and we will continue to do that.
Our position is clear. We continue to support Ukraine as strongly as possible. At the same time, we are making sure that NATO does not become a party to this war so that this war does not lead to an even bigger catastrophe. We are very much aware of this responsibility, and no one can shoulder this responsibility for us.
Of course, the situation in the Middle East is also on our agenda. The barbaric terrorist attacks of Hamas on Israel of October 7th has massively destabilized the situation.
Israel has the right to defend itself. It is important to me to say this very clearly. We stand by Israel’s side, and we fully agree that it is now more important than ever before to prevent further escalation and a regional conflagration.
With the death of Hamas leader Sinwar, who was responsible for the horrific terrorist attacks, we hopefully now see a tangible prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza, an agreement that leads to the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Joe, your efforts — we always supported your efforts in this conflict, and we will continue to do so. Our common objective remains a credible political process towards a two-state solution, and we will continue to be fully committed to that.
In Lebanon, we’re working towards a situation that the conflict leads to a diplomatic process as soon as possible. It is clear the people in Northern Israel have to be able to live free of fear and insecurity. Lebanon deserves a future in self-determination, stability, and security.
Originally, your visit was scheduled to take place last Friday and had to be postponed due to the severe hurricanes. And I’m delighted that you were able to come today. It affords us the opportunity to talk about the challenging global situation in great detail bilaterally but also together with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who will join us later.
In my view, we need such talks at highest levels to make progress in the most important, pressing issues.
(In English.) Joe, thanks again for taking the time for this visit. It is a strong signal of our transatlantic unity and of our friendship.
Please.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Chancellor — Olaf, it’s great to see you again, and I do apologize for having to cancel the first time around, but we did have a crisis in our southeastern border with hurricanes and tornadoes. But we’re here because Germany is — Germany is my country’s closest and most important of allies.
When Putin launched his brutal invasion in Ukraine, you reminded us all why this alliance is so essential. Under your leadership, Chancellor, Germany rose to meet the moment. You showed the wisdom to recognize that this war marked a turning point in the history, an assault on the very principles of the protected peace and security in Europe for more than 75 years.
And then you summoned the resolve to act, remaking Germany’s foreign policy to reckon new realities — with new realities to stand strong and steadfast with Ukraine.
America and Germany are the two largest supporters of Ukraine in its fight for survival as a free and independent nation. As Ukraine faces a tough winter, we must — we must sustain our resolve, our effort, and our support.
And I know the cost is heavy, but make no mistake, it pales in comparison to the cost of living in the world where aggression prevails, where large states attack and bully smaller ones simply because they can.
Today, the chancellor and I are going to discuss ongoing efforts to surge support to Ukraine’s military; to shore up Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure, which is under constant assault and bombardment from Russia; and to help Ukraine recover by unlocking the value of frozen Russian assets.
I also want to recognize Germany’s decision to spend 2 percent of your gross domestic product on defense. Please keep it up, because it matters.
Our alliance with Germany extends far beyond Ukraine and Europe. It’s global.
Today, the chancellor and I will discuss regional security in the Middle East, including the ongoing domestic efforts regarding Lebanon and Gaza.
The death of the leader of Hamas represents a moment of justice. He had the blood of Americans and Israelis, Palestinians and Germans, and so many others on his hands.
I told the prime minister of Israel yesterday: Let’s also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas. And I look forward to discussing Iran.
Olaf and I spoke the morning after Iran launched 200 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier this month. With our G7 counterparts, we agreed to coordinate our response through sanctions and other measures, and that is what we have done.
I’m grateful for Germany’s cooperation holding Iran accountable for destabilizing policies, including providing missiles and drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.
And just this week, the European Union followed Germany, the UK, and France in sanctioning Iran’s leading airlines. This followed our own oil sanctions. This coordination is going to have to continue.
I also want to thank Germany for standing firm against a vicious surge of antisemitism, hatred, and extremism we’re witnessing today. Some of it fueled by foreign misinformation.
As domestic — as democratic allies, we have to remain ever vigilant against what I call the “old ghosts in new garments,” ancient hatreds resurfacing. Our charge is to make sure that the forces holding our societies together and binding us in the common cause of human dignity and freedom remain stronger — stronger than the forces seeking to pull us apart.
And finally, Chancellor, I deeply appreciate your partnership and the many times you’ve forsaken the easy choice to make the right choice. Your act of statesmanship and friendship has made possible the safe return and unjustly detained Americans and Germans and the reunion of brave Russian dissidents to their families. I want to thank you, thank you, thank you.
I value our conversations, and I look forward to them — this one is — particularly. And I want to — I really mean it — I want to thank you for your friendship, not only personally, but I don’t see how we maintain stability in Europe and around the world without a tight German-U.S. relationship. And you’re the leader to do it.
Of the many stereotypes about Germany — our sense of humor — (laughter) — our spontaneity, our irresistible joie de vivre — (laughter) — only one is really true: We are good at keeping records.
So, 44 and a half years ago, when the young Senator Joseph Biden came to Bonn, a German civil servant — ein guter Beamter, as we like to say — made a note — a rather extensive one, I should say — of this senator’s visit. And being Germans, you understand, we still have that note. (Laughter.) (Holds up a document.) This one. Many pages.
(Speaks German.) (No translation provided.)
That’s the content — the main content of report: “He is keenly interested in the Federal Republic of Germany,” the note concludes. And it adds, “that this senator might look to a,” I quote again, “significant political future.” (Laughter.) “Significant.” What a remarkable understatement.
Today, you are the 46th President of the United States. And under your leadership, the transatlantic alliance is stronger and our partnership is closer than ever.
Mr. President, you are keenly interested in Germany. That we have known for almost half a century. So, it is time for you to know that Germany, in turn, is deeply grateful to you.
Let me say, in the name of my country, thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
For Germany, the friendship with the United States has been, is now, and will always be existentially important — existential both for our security and our democracy.
And yet, in this friendship, there have been and always will be times of proximity and greater distance, times of agreement and times of discord. Even recently, just a handful years ago, the distance had grown so wide that we almost lost each other.
But — but, ladies and gentlemen, throughout the ups and downs of time, there have been people who have stood by the transatlantic relations no matter what. And chief among those people, Mr. President, is you.
You stand with us, sir, because you know that what binds us is so much deeper than the news of the day. What binds us is freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.
What binds us is the conviction that if liberal democracy is to have a future in this troubled world, we have to secure it together.
And what binds us are the lessons from our past — sacred lessons that you described so hauntingly in your letter to our beloved Margot Friedländer.
Sir, when you were elected president, you restored Europe’s hope in the transatlantic alliance literally overnight. And then, only a year later, came Putin’s war.
When Putin invaded Ukraine, he didn’t just go after one country. He attacked the very principles of peace in Europe.
Putin thought we would be weak. He thought we would be divided. But the opposite was true. NATO was stronger and more united than ever, and that is, in no small part, Mr. President, thanks to your leadership.
Mr. President, to have you in our most dangerous moment since the Cold War, to have you and your administration on our side is no less than a historical stroke of good fortune.
For us here in Europe, the past two years have shown once again, America truly is the indispensable nation. But it has also shown something else. NATO is the indispensable alliance.
So, in the months to come, I hope that Europeans remember America is indispensable for us, and I hope that Americans remember your allies are indispensable for you.
We are more than just other countries in the world. We are partners. We are friends.
The choice on November the 5th is only Americans’ choice to make. But we, as Europeans, have a choice too. We have the choice to do our part, to be unwavering in our support for Ukraine, to invest in our common security, to invest in our shared future, and, as you have done, sir, to stand by the transatlantic alliance no matter what.
Mr. President, when I visited you in the Oval Office a year ago on October the 6th, just a few hours before Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, we spoke about the Middle East. We spoke about Ukraine and Russia. But at the end — I will never forget that — at the end of our conversation, you went to your desk and handed me a speech of yours not on foreign policy but on the issue that you care most about and that you worry most about — about democracy.
I quote, “Democracies don’t have to die at the end of a rifle,” you say in that speech. “Democracies can die when people are silent, when they are willing to give away that which is most precious to them because they feel frustrated, tired, alienated.” End of the quote.
Your words, Mr. President, echoed deeply in our part of the world, and they weigh even more heavily coming from the leader of the world’s oldest and most time-tested democracy.
So, let me say this from the bottom of my heart. In this time when democracy is under strain all around the Western world, you, Mr. President, have been a beacon of democracy.
You are a beacon not just by what you have done but by who you are, by the example of your humility, your deep connection with the lives and hopes of hardworking people, and, if you excuse that old-fashioned word, by your decency.
Decency is maybe what we are most at risk of losing. But your decency, sir, is a light that shines very far. It certainly reached the hearts of my fellow Germans.
As U.S. president, you command the most powerful military. You lead the biggest economy in the world. But maybe the most precious service to democracy, the most joyful and reassuring thing for people is to know that even this most powerful man in the world is, in the end, a fundamentally decent human being.
Mr. President, we all know that you love your Irish poets and that you know them well. I have heard you quote Seamus Heaney from memory, so I hope you allow me to end with a quote from his “Republic of Conscience.”
I quote, “At their inauguration, public leaders must swear to uphold unwritten law and weep to atone for the presumption to hold office.”
“The presumption to hold office,” Mr. President. It seems that you have always had a deep sense of the inevitable presumption in holding office, including the highest office — in being elevated above others, in a society of equals.
You have transformed this presumption into a deep sense of responsibility, and you have carried that responsibility throughout your career and have now decided, in the most noble tradition of American leaders since Washington, to let democracy run its ever-changing and uncharted course.
Mr. President, on the historic occasion of your visit to Germany, my country recognizes your decades-long dedication to the transatlantic alliance, your outstanding political leadership in Europe’s most dangerous moment, and your lasting moral example of service, sincerity, and decency.
It is now my great honor to bestow on you the Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
And for that, Mr. President — may I say, dear Joe — congratulations. (Applause.)
I have to read the document — one second — in German.
(Speaks German.) (No translation provided.) (Applause.)
(President Biden is presented the Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.) (Applause.)
It’s done. (Laughs.) (Applause.)
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Let me begin by saying I — I’m overwhelmed not just by the award but by the words, Mr. President.
Margot Friedländer, you are a voice of conscience and healing. I’m actually honored to be in your presence, for real.
This award means so much to me for what it says about us, the journey we’ve taken; the alliance we’ve strengthened; the way that we have, as two separate nations, risen together to meet our moment.
I think it’s fair to say, although I know I only look like I’m 40 years old — (laughter) — I — I’ve seen a wide sweep of history.
When I was born, our countries were at war. As a young senator, I visited West Berlin and saw what it meant to live in a divided city, country, and continent. And I forged a bond with Helmut Schmidt, your — my first relationship of candor and trust with a German chancellor but, thankfully, not my last.
And then, in 1989, like millions of people around the world, I saw 70,000 brave souls gathered in Leipzig, crying — crying out for freedom. And the Berlin Wall came down 35 years ago this month.
It was one of the greatest advances in human dignity in my lifetime. Some feared the reunification of Germany would revive old hatreds and rivalries. But leaders of America and Germany dreamed together of a much better future.
The achievement of a Germany whole and free lives on, exceeding, I think, everyone’s expectations. The dream of Europe whole and free remains the work of our time, nor is that work more urgent than a pushing back against Putin’s vicious attack against Ukraine.
German leaders had the wisdom to recognize a turning point in history, an assault on a fellow democracy, and also on principles that upheld 75 years of peace and security in Europe.
Germany and the United States stood together to support the brave people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom, for democracy, for their very survival. And I want to thank every leader across Germany’s government who has worked tirelessly to ensure that Ukraine prevails and Putin fails, and NATO remains strong and more united than ever.
We head into a very difficult winter — (coughs) — but we cannot let up. We cannot — (an aide delivers a glass of water) — thank you so very much. That’s kind of you. (Laughs.)
We head to a dery — a very difficult winter. But we cannot let up. We must sustain our support. In my view, we must keep going until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace consistent with the U.N. Charter, until once again human dignity prevails.
Let me close with this. The times I have lived through have taught me that history does move forward and things can get better if we determine they must — that things can get better and that we should never underestimate the power of democracy, never underes- — -estimate the value of alliances.
Germany — Germany has taught us all that change is possible and, for better or for worse, countries can and do choose their own destinies and the choices that leaders make at critical times truly matters.
I want to thank the current leaders of Germany for the choice you’ve made when it matters most.
I hope you’ll forgive this once, but — if I forsake the great German poets and quote an Irish poet. (Laughter.)
Seamus Heaney said in “The Cure at Troy” — he said, “History teaches us not to hope on this side of the grave. But then — but then, once in a lifetime, a longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.”
When the Berlin Wall fell, hope and history rhymed. When Kyiv stood, hope and history rhymed.
Many Americans and Germans always find the wisdom and the courage. May they keep making hope and history rhyme, because we can, because nothing is beyond our capacity, in my view — nothing is beyond our capacity — when we do it together.
So, thank you again for this award. I’m honored to accept. I do not deserve, but I’m honored to accept. And that, if we continue to work together, Germany has stood up in a way that is incredible.
I want to thank you again for the award. And may God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
Parameters;
The date of the deposit auction is 21.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 180,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 20. The date of depositing funds is 22.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 11.11.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 19.50. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 180,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
10/18/2024
14:58
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 14-58 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -45.33%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -0.23 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 70.77%) of the ALRS security (ALROSA ao) 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
10/18/2024
13:23
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 13-23 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -34.8%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -0.178 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 59.18%) of the ALRS security (ALROSA ao) 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
10/18/2024
12:34
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 12-34 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 86.98) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 956.79 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 19.25%) of the RU000A1031U3 (VEB1P-26) 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
10/18/2024
12:25
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 12-25 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 84.88) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 934.73 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 16.5%) of the RU000A1031U3 (VEB1P-26) 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Central Bank of Russia –
The annual price growth slowed in September in 76 regions, most significantly in Sakhalin Oblast and the Chechen Republic.
The annual growth rate of food prices has slowed most noticeably. Sugar has become cheaper than a year ago, while fruit and vegetable products and eggs have risen more slowly.
The annual growth in prices for non-food products, in particular for cars, household appliances and electronics, has decreased.
The annual increase in prices for services remained almost as high as in August. Foreign tourism has increased in price the most over the year.
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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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
10/18/2024
12:11
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 18.10.2024, 12-11 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 82.78) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 912.67 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 13.75%) of the RU000A1031U3 (VEB1P-26) 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.
San Francisco, Calif. — House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul sent a lettertoPresident Biden urging him to implement mandatory sanctions against U.S. adversaries under McCaul’s bipartisan 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act. Despite the grave and growing threat Russia, China, and Iran pose to U.S. national security interests, the Biden-Harris administration has not issued a single sanctions designationunder the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act since it was signed into law as part of the national security supplemental in April of 2024.
“I call on you to provide additional resources, including detailed staff, to the Departments of Treasury and State for the specific purpose of immediate and robust implementation of the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act to counter Iran, Russia, and China. The world is on fire; we cannot lose another day to hesitation, appeasement, and weakness.”
The full text of the letter can be here and found below:
Dear President Biden,
The United States, our allies, and our partners are facing unprecedented threats from Iran, Russia, and China. Last year, the Biden-Harris administration requested supplemental funding to respond to our adversaries and assist our allies. Congress appropriated the funding and mandated additional policy changes, including sanctions and export controls, that would counter these generational threats.
Nearly six months later, the Biden-Harris administration has failed to implement these requirements while our enemies are on the march. During this delay, Iran launched another major ballistic missile attack on Israel, transferred ballistic missiles to Russia, and supported its terrorist proxies; Iran-backed Hamas murdered hostages, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin; and China continued to purchase Iranian oil and support Russia’s defense industrial base.
The administration has not issued a single sanctions designation under the bipartisan 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act (Public Law 118-50) enacted alongside the supplemental appropriations law. Even worse, the White House dragged its feet on delegating the authorities to the agencies. When Congress enacted the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act in 2017, President Trump delegated authorities less than two months later. By contrast, it took you almost five months to delegate the authorities in the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, significantly delaying vital actions to weaken our adversaries.
I call on you to provide additional resources, including detailed staff, to the Departments of Treasury and State for the specific purpose of immediate and robust implementation of the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act to counter Iran, Russia, and China. The world is on fire; we cannot lose another day to hesitation, appeasement, and weakness.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kieran Maguire, Senior Teacher in Accountancy and member of Football Industries Group, University of Liverpool
When the Premier League broke away from the rest of English football in 1992, its 22 clubs generated £205 million in its debut season, and the average player earned £2,050 a week. Thirty years later, despite having two fewer clubs, the league’s revenue had increased by 2,850% to £6.1 billion and the average player earned £93,000 a week.
At the heart of this extraordinary growth is an American revolution. In the Premier League’s inaugural season, football was still in recovery from the horrors of the stadium disasters at Hillsborough and Heysel. Owners tended to be from the local area and with a business background. The only foreign owner was Sam Hamman at Wimbledon, a Lebanese millionaire who bought the club on a whim having reportedly been much more interested in tennis. The season ended with Manchester United (under Alex Ferguson) winning the English game’s top league for the first time in 26 years.
Now, if the Texas-based Friedkin Group’s recent deal to buy Everton goes through, 11 of the 20 Premier League clubs will be controlled or part-owned by American investors. The US – long seen as football’s final frontier when it comes to the men’s game – suddenly can’t get enough of English “soccer”.
Four of the Premier League’s “big six” are American-owned – Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea – while a fifth, Manchester City, has a significant US minority shareholding. Aston Villa, Fulham, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Ipswich Town also have varying degrees of American ownership.
And it’s not even just the glamour clubs at the top of the tree. American investment has also been significant lower down the football pyramid, led by the high-profile acquisition of then non-league Wrexham by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny, and Birmingham City’s purchase by US investors including seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. American investment in football has reached places as geographically diverse as Carlisle and Crawley in England, and Aberdeen and Edinburgh in Scotland.
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Manchester United was the first Premier League club to come under American ownership – after a row about a horse.
In 2005, United was owned by a variety of investors including Irish businessmen and racehorse owners John Magnier and J.P. McManus. Their erstwhile friend Ferguson, the United manager, thought he co-owned the champion racehorse Rock of Gibraltar with them – a stallion worth millions in stud rights. They disagreed – and their bitter dispute was such that Magnier and McManus decided to sell their shares in the football club.
The Miami-based Glazer family – already involved in sport as owners of NFL franchise the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – had already been buying up small tranches of shares in United, but the sudden availability of the Irish shares allowed Malcolm Glazer to acquire a controlling stake for £790 million (around £1.5 billion at today’s prices).
The fact Glazer did not actually have sufficient funds to pay for these shares was a solvable problem. In the some-might-say commercially naive world of top-flight English football before the Premier League, Manchester United was a club without debt, paying its way without leveraging its position as one of the world’s most famous football clubs. Glazer saw the opportunity this presented and arranged a leveraged buy-out (LBO), whereby the football club borrowed more than £600 million secured on its own assets to, in effect, “buy itself” in 2005.
Despite the need to meet the high interest costs to fund the LBO, United continued winning trophies under Ferguson – including three Premier League titles in a row in 2007, 2008 and 2009, as well as a Champions League victory in 2008. Amid this success, the club felt that ticket prices were too low and set about increasing them, with matchday revenue increasing from £66 million in 2004/05 to over £101 million by 2007/08.
Commercial income was another area the Glazers were keen to increase. United set up offices in London and adopted a global approach to finding new official branding deals ranging from snacks to tractor and tyre suppliers – doubling revenues from this income source too.
But in this new, more aggressive world of “sweating the asset”, the debts lingered – and most United fans remained deeply suspicious of their American owners. (Following their father’s death in 2014, the club was co-owned by his six children, with brothers Avram and Joel Glazer becoming co-chairmen.)
Today, despite its partial listing on the New York Stock Exchange and the February 2024 sale of 27.7% of the club to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe for a reputed £1.25 billion, United still has borrowings of more than £546 million, having paid cumulative interest costs of £969 million since the takeover in 2005. But with the club now valued at US$6.55 billion (around £5bn), it represents a very smart investment for the Glazer family.
Indeed, while the prices being paid for football clubs across Europe have reached record levels, they are still seen as cheap investments compared with US sports’ leading franchises. Forbes’s annual list of the world’s most valuable sports teams has American football (NFL), baseball (MLB) and basketball (NBA) teams occupying the top ten positions, with only three Premier League clubs – Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City – in the top 50.
With NFL teams having an average franchise value of US$5.1 billion and NBA $3.9 billion, many English football clubs still look like a bargain from the other side of the pond.
The risk of relegation
The latest to join this US bandwagon, the Friedkin Group – a Texas-based portfolio of companies run by American businessman and film producer Dan Friedkin – is reported to have offered £400m to buy Everton, despite the club’s poor financial state.
“The Toffees” have been hit by loss of sponsorships as well as two sets of points deductions for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules, leading to revenue losses from lower league positions. While the new stadium being built at Liverpool’s Bramley-Moore dock has been yet another financial constraint, it will at least increase matchday income from the start of next season.
Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock will open in time for the start of the 2025-26 season. Phil Silverman / Shutterstock
A wider reason for the relative bargain in valuations of European football clubs is the risk of relegation – something that is not part of the closed leagues of most US sports. While the threat of relegation (and promise of promotion) has always been an integral part of English and European football, the jeopardy this brings for supporters – and a club’s finances – does not exist in the NFL, NBA, Major League Soccer and similar competitions.
The Premier League, with its three relegation spots at the end of each season, has featured 51 different clubs since it launched in 1992. Only six clubs – Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton – have been ever present, with Arsenal now approaching 100 years of consecutive top-flight football.
Other Premier League clubs have experienced the dramatic cost-benefit of relegation and promotion. Oldham Athletic, who were in the Premier League for its first two seasons, now languish in the fifth tier of the game, outside the English Football League (EFL). In contrast, Luton Town, who were in the fifth tier as recently as 2014, were promoted to the Premier League in 2023 – only to be relegated at the end of last season.
While it is difficult to compare football clubs with basketball and American football teams, the financial difference between having an open league, with relegation, and a closed league becomes apparent when you look at women’s football on both sides of the Atlantic.
Angel City, a women’s soccer team based in Los Angeles, only entered the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2022 and is yet to win an NWSL trophy. But last month, the club was sold for US$250 million (£188m) to Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and TV journalist Willow Bay – the most expensive takeover in the history of women’s professional sport.
In comparison, Chelsea – seven-time winners of the English Women’s Super League and one of the most successful sides in Europe – valued its women’s team at £150 million ($US196m) earlier this summer. While there are a number of factors to this price differential, the confidence that Angel City will always be a member of the big league of US soccer clubs – and share very equally in its revenue – will have made its new owners very confident in the long-term soundness of their deal.
The story of Angel City FC, the most expensive team in women’s sport.
A further attraction for American investors is the potential to enter two markets – one mature (men’s football) and one effectively a start-up (the women’s game) – in a single purchase. In the US, the top men’s and women’s clubs are completely separate. But in Europe, most top-flight women’s teams are affiliated to men’s clubs – with the exception of eight-time Women’s Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais Feminin, which split from the French men’s club when Korean-American businesswoman Michele Kang bought a majority stake in the women’s team in February 2024).
While interest in, and hence value of, the WSL is now growing fast, the women’s game in England is dwarfed by viewer ratings for the Premier League – the most watched sporting league in the world, viewed by an estimated 1.87 billion people every week across 189 countries.
These figures dwarf even the NFL which, while currently still the most valuable of all sporting leagues in terms of its broadcasting deals, must be looking at the growth of the Premier League with some jealousy. This may explain why some US franchise owners, such as Stan Kroenke, the Glazer family, Fenway Sports Group and Billy Foley, have subsequently purchased Premier League football clubs.
Ironically, for many spectators around the world, it is the intensity and competitiveness of most Premier League matches – brought on in part by the threat of relegation and prize of European qualification – that makes it so captivating. However, billionaire investors like guaranteed numbers and dislike risk – especially the degree of financial risk that exists in the Premier League and English Football League.
European not-so-Super League
In April 2021, 12 leading European clubs (six from England plus three each from Spain and Italy) announced the creation of the European Super League (ESL). This new mid-week competition was to be a high-revenue generating, closed competition with (eventually) 15 permanent teams and five annual additions qualifying from Europe. According to one of the driving forces behind the plan, Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer:
By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.
The problem facing the Premier League’s “big six” clubs – and their ambitious owners – is there are currently only four slots available to play in the Champions League. So, their thinking went, why not take away the risk of not qualifying? However, the proposal was swiftly condemned by fans around Europe, together with football’s governing bodies and leagues – all of whom saw the ESL proposal as a threat to the quality and integrity of their domestic leagues. Following some large fan protests, including at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Manchester City was the first club to withdraw – followed, within a couple of days, by the rest of the English clubs.
Under the terms of the ESL proposals, founding member clubs would have been guaranteed participation in the competition forever. Guaranteed participation means guaranteed revenues. The current financial gap between the “big six” and the other members of the Premier League, which in 2022/23 averaged £396 million, would have widened rapidly.
For example, these clubs would have been able to sell the broadcast rights for some of their ESL home fixtures direct to fans, instead of via a broadcaster. All of a sudden, that database of fans who have downloaded the official club app, or are on a mailing list, becomes far more valuable. These are the people most willing to watch their favourite team on a pay-per-view basis, further increasing revenues.
At the same time, a planned ESL wage cap would have stopped players taking all these increased revenues in the form of higher wages, allowing these clubs to become more profitable and their ownership even more lucrative.
American-owned Manchester United and Liverpool had previously tried to enhance the value of their investments during the COVID lockdowns era via ProjectBig Picture – proposals to reduce the size of the Premier League and scrap one of the two domestic cup competitions, thus freeing up time for the bigger clubs to arrange more lucrative tours and European matches against high-profile opposition.
Most importantly, Project Big Picture would have resulted in changing the governance of the domestic game. Under its proposals, the “big six” clubs would have enjoyed enhanced voting rights, and therefore been able to significantly influence how the domestic game was governed.
Any attempt to increase the concentration of power raises concerns of lower competitive balance, whereby fewer teams are in the running to win the title and fewer games are meaningful. This is a problem facing some other major European football leagues including France’s Ligue 1, where interest among broadcasters has dwindled amid the perceived dominance of Paris St-Germain.
So while to date, American-led attempts to change the structure of the Premier League have been foiled, it’s unlikely such ideas have gone away for good. The near-universal fear of fans – even those who welcome an injection of extra cash from a new billionaire owner – is that the spectacle of the league will only be diminished if such plans ever succeed.
And there is evidence from the women’s game that the US closed league format is coming under more pressure from football’s global forces. The NWSL recently announced it is removing the draft system that is designed (as with the NFL and NBA) to build in jeopardy and competitive balance when there is no risk of relegation.
Top US women’s football clubs are losing some of their leading players to other leagues, in part because European clubs are not bound by the same artificial rules of employment. In a truly global professional sport such as football, international competition will always tend to destabilise closed leagues.
Why do they keep buying these clubs?
Does this mean that American and other wealthy owners of Premier League clubs seeking to reduce their risks are ultimately fighting a losing battle? And if so, given the potential risks involved in owning a football club – both financial and even personal – why do they keep buying them?
The motivations are part-financial, part technological and, as has always been the case with sports ownership, part-vanity.
The American economy has grown far faster than that of the EU or UK in recent years. Consequently, there are many beneficiaries of this growth who have surplus cash, and here football becomes an attractive proposition. In fact, football clubs are more resilient to recessions than other industries, holding their value better as they are effectively monopoly suppliers for their fans who have brand loyalty that exists in few other industries.
From 1993 to 2018, a period during which the UK economy more than doubled, the total value of Premier League clubs grew 30 times larger. And many fans are tied to supporting one club, helping to make the biggest clubs more resilient to economic changes than other industries. While football, like many parts of the entertainment industry, was hit by lockdown during Covid, no clubs went out of business, despite the challenges of matches being played in empty stadiums.
Added to this, the exchange rates for US dollars have been very favourable until recently, making US investments in the UK and Europe cheaper for American investors.
So, while Manchester United fans would argue that the Glazer family have not been good for the club, United has been good for the Glazers. And Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who bought Liverpool for £300 million in 2010, have recouped almost all of that money in smaller share sales while remaining majority owners of Liverpool.
Despite this, the £2.5 billion price paid for Chelsea by the US Clearlake-Todd Boehly consortium in May 2022 took markets by surprise.
The sale – which came after the UK government froze the assets of the club’s Russian oligarch owner, Roman Abramovich, following the invasion of Ukraine – went through less than a year after Newcastle United had been sold by Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund for £305 million – approximately twice that club’s annual revenues. Yet Clearlake-Boehly were willing to pay over five times Chelsea’s annual revenues to acquire the club, even though it was in a precarious financial position.
Clearlake is a private equity group whose main aim is to make profits for their investors. But unlike most such investors, who tend to focus on cost-cutting, the Chelsea ownership came in with a high-spending strategy using new financial structuring ideas, such as offering longer player contracts to avoid falling foul of football’s profitability and sustainability rules (although this loophole has since been closed with Uefa, European football’s governing body, limiting contract lengths for financial regulation purposes to five years).
Chelsea’s location in the one of the most expensive areas of London, combined with its on-field success under Abramovich, all added to the attraction, of course. But there are other reasons why Clearlake, along with billionaire businessman Boehly, were willing to stump up so much for the club.
From Hollywood to the metaverse
While some British football fans may have viewed the Ted Lasso TV show as an enjoyable if slightly twee fictional account of American involvement in English soccer, it has enhanced the attraction of the sport in the US. So too Welcome To Wrexham – the fly-on-the-wall series covering the (to date) two promotions of Wales’s oldest football club under the unlikely Hollywood stewardship of Reynolds and McElhenney.
Welcome To Wrexham, season one trailer.
The growth in US interest in English football is reflected in the record-breaking Premier League media rights deal in 2022, with NBC Sports reportedly paying $2.7 billion (£2.06bn) for its latest six-year deal.
But as well as football offering one of increasingly few “live shared TV experiences” that carry lucrative advertising slots, there may also be more opportunity for more behind-the-scenes coverage of the Premier League – as has long been seen in US coverage of NBA games, for example, where players are interviewed in the locker room straight after games.
According to Manchester United’s latest annual report, the club now has a “global community of 1.1 billion fans and followers”. Such numbers mean its owners, and many others, are bullish about the potential of the metaverse in terms of offering a matchday experience that could be similar to attending a match, without physically travelling to Manchester.
Their neighbours Manchester City, part-owned by American private equity company Silverlake, broke new (virtual) ground by signing a metaverse deal with Sony in 2022. Virtual reality could give fans around the world the feeling of attending a live match, sitting next to their friends and singing along with the rest of the crowd (for a pay-per-view fee).
Some investors are even confident that advancements in Abba-style avatar technology could one day allow fans to watch live 3D simulations of Premier League matches in stadiums all over the world. Having first-mover advantage by being in the elite club of owners who can make use of such technology could prove ever more rewarding.
More immediately, there are some indications that competitive matches involving England’s top men’s football teams could soon take place in US or other venues. Boehly, Chelsea’s co-owner, has already suggested adopting some US sports staples such as an All-Star match to further boost revenues. Indeed, back in 2008, the Premier League tentatively discussed a “39th game” taking place overseas, but that idea was quickly shelved.
The American owners of Birmingham City were keen to play this season’s EFL League One match against Wrexham in the US, but again this proposal did not get far. Liverpool’s chairman Tom Werner says he is determined to see matches take place overseas, and recent changes to world governing body Fifa’s rulebook could make it easier for this proposal to succeed.
The potential benefits of hosting games overseas include higher matchday revenues, increased brand awareness, and enhanced broadcast rights. While there is likely to be significant opposition from local fans, at least American owners know they would not face the same hostility about rising matchday prices in the US as they have encountered in England.
When the Argentinian legend Lionel Messi signed for new MLS franchise Inter Miami in 2023, season ticket prices nearly doubled on his account. And while there is vocal opposition to higher ticket prices in England, this is not borne out in terms of lower attendances for matches against high-calibre opposition – as evidenced by Aston Villa charging up to £97 for last week’s Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich.
Villa’s director of operations, Chris Heck, defended the prices by saying that difficult decisions had to be made if the club was to be competitive.
Manchester United’s matchday revenue per EPL season (£m)
For much of the 2010s, with broadcast revenues increasing rapidly, many Premier League owners made little effort to stoke hostilities with their loyal fan bases by putting up ticket prices. Indeed, Manchester United generated little more from matchday income in the 2021-22 season, as football emerged from the pandemic, than the club had in 2010-11 (see chart above).
However, this uneasy truce between fans and owners has ceased. The relative flatlining of broadcast revenues since 2017, along with cost control rules that are starting to affect clubs’ ability to spend money on player signings and wages, has changed club appetites for dampened ticket prices. This has resulted in noticeable rises in individual ticket and season ticket prices by some clubs.
However, season ticket and other local “legacy” fans generate little money compared with the more lucrative overseas and tourist fans. They may only watch their favourite team live once a season, but when they visit, they are far more likely not only to pay higher matchday prices, but to spend more on merchandise, catering and other offerings from the club.
Today’s breed of commercially aware, profit-seeking US Premier League owners – pioneered by the Glazer family, who saw that “sweating the asset” meant more than watching football players sprinting hard – understand there is a lot more value to come from English football teams. The clubs’ loyal local supporters may not like it, but English football’s American-led revolution is not done yet.
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Kieran Maguire has taught courses and presented on football finance for the Professional Footballers Association, League Managers Association, FIFA and national football associations in Europe.
Christina Philippou is affiliated with the RAF FA, and Premier League education programs.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
International Forum “Client-Centricity in Public Administration 2024”
October 17, 2024
International Forum “Client-Centricity in Public Administration 2024”
October 17, 2024
Forum “Client-centricity in public administration – 2024”
October 17, 2024
Previous news Next news
International Forum “Client-Centricity in Public Administration 2024”
Approaches and tools for implementing the federal project “State for People” were discussed at the international forum “Client-centricity in public administration – 2024”. The event included discussions on the introduction of client-centricity principles in public administration. The federal project “State for People” is supervised by Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of Staff of the Government of Russia Dmitry Grigorenko.
“Identifying human needs, constantly improving the interaction between government bodies and citizens are important components of the entire public administration system. And here, not only the quality and convenience of government services and services that people use, but also the friendly, open approach of each employee of the departments that citizens contact, play a significant role,” commented Dmitry Grigorenko.
The forum participants discussed the importance of preparing department employees to work with citizens, their training, developing professional and personal qualities, as well as working with people’s opinions about the quality of public services.
In particular, it was noted that the federal project “State for People” involves testing government services for simplicity and accessibility. It is carried out in a network of user testing laboratories in 9 regions of Russia. In them, government services and services are tested for compliance with customer-centricity standards, and their ease of use is assessed.
Another important part of the federal project is the “life situations” services, which help people receive the full range of services necessary to solve a specific problem.
On the portals of public services and “MSP.RF” 15 “life situations” of the federal level have been launched, and by the end of 2024 it is planned to implement 34. On average, one “life situation” combines 16 services. To date, more than 1.4 million people have used the “life situations” services on the portal of public services. Also this year, 85 regions have begun to implement more than 400 “life situations”.
Experts from Brazil, South Africa, Qatar, the UAE, and Serbia took part in the panel session “International Experience of Client-Centric Transformation of Public Administration”. The experts shared their experience of implementing client-centric principles in the work of government bodies and emphasized the importance of providing public services not only in person, but also electronically.
The forum “Customer-centricity in public administration – 2024” brought together about 1.5 thousand representatives of federal and regional authorities, governors, and heads of municipalities of Russia.
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.
Jacquelyn Shuman, FireSense Project Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, originally wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time she got to college, Shuman had switched interests to biology, which became a job teaching middle and high school science. Teaching pivoted to finance for a year, before Shuman returned to the science world to pursue a PhD. It was in a forest ecology class taught by her future PhD advisor, Herman “Hank” Shugart, that she first discovered a passion for ecosystems and dynamic vegetation that led her into the world of fire science, and eventually to NASA Ames. While Shuman’s path into the world of fire science was not a direct one, she views her diverse experiences as the key to finding a fulfilling career. “Do a lot of different things and try a lot of different things, and if one thing isn’t connecting with you, then do something different,” Shuman said.
Shuman’s PhD program focused on boreal forest dynamics across Russia, examining how the forest changes in response to climate change and wildfire. During her research, she worked mainly with scientists from Russia, Canada, and the US through the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), where Shugart served as the NEESPI Chief Scientist. “The experience of having a highly supportive mentor, being a part of the NEESPI community, and working alongside other inspiring female scientists from across the globe helped me to stay motivated within my own research,” Shuman said. After completing her PhD, Shuman wanted to become involved in collaborative science with a global impact, which led her to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). There, she spent seven years working as a project scientist on the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment NGEE-Tropics) on a dynamic vegetation model project called FATES (Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator). As part of the FATES team, Shuman used computer modeling to test vegetation structure and function in tropical and boreal forests after wildfires, and was the lead developer for updating the fire portion of the model.
Fire has also played a powerful role in Shuman’s personal life. In 2021, the Marshall Fire destroyed neighborhoods near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, causing over $513 million of damage and securing its place as the state’s most destructive wildfire. Despite this, Shuman is determined to not live in fear. “Fire is part of our lives, it’s a part of the Earth system, and it’s something we can plan for. We can live more sustainably with fires.” The way to live safely in a fire-inclusive ecosystem, according to Shuman, is to develop ways to accurately track and forecast wildfires and smoke, and to respond to them efficiently: efforts the fire community is continuously working on improving.
Collaboration is a critical element of wildland fire management. Fire science is a field that involves practitioners such as firefighters and land managers, but also researchers such as modelers and forecasters; the most effective efforts, according to Shuman, come when this community works together. “People in fire science might be out in the field and carrying a drip torch and marching along in the hilltops and the grasslands or be behind a computer and analyzing remote sensing data,” Shuman said. “We need both pieces.” Protecting communities from wildfire impacts is one of the most fulfilling aspects of Shuman’s career, and a goal that unites this community. “Fire research poses tough questions, but the people who are thinking about this are the people who are acting on it,” Shuman said. “They are saying, ‘What can we do? How can we think about this? What information do we need? What are the questions?’ It’s a special community to be a part of.”
Currently at NASA Ames Research Center, Shuman is the Project Scientist for FireSense: a project focused on delivering NASA science and technology to practitioners and operational agencies. Shuman acts as the lead for the project office, identifying and implementing tools and strategies. Shuman still does ecosystem modeling work, including implementing vegetation models that forecast the impact of fire, but also spends time traveling to active fires across the country so she can help partners implement NASA tools and strategies in real time.
“Right now, many different communities are all recognizing that we can partner to identify the best path forward,” Shuman said. “We have an opportunity to use everyone’s strengths and unique perspectives. It can be a devastating thing for a community and an ecosystem when a fire happens. Everyone is interested in using all this collective knowledge to do more, together.” Written by Molly Medin, NASA Ames Research Center
Source: The White House
5:54 P.M. EDT THE FIRST LADY: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, Alexa. And I’m excited to see your generation forging new connections to our past and shining such a bright light into our future. And I’m also grateful to the National Italian American Foundation. (Applause.) John, Robert, you’ve all — you’ve helped so many people experience our heritage in Italy and preserve it here in the United States. So, thank you. Buonasera, everyone. (Laughter.) AUDIENCE: Buonasera! THE FIRST LADY: And welcome to the White House. When I was a little girl, I learned what it means to be Italian American in my grandparents’ tiny, well-worn kitchen — and not only because there were ribbons of pasta — homemade pasta and sauce bubbling over on the stove. No, the most important lesson that I learned in their kitchen was that, when you’re Italian American, there’s always room for one more chair at the table — (applause) — enough bread toast to feed one more guest, enough space in our hearts for another friend to become like family. And even when times are hard, there’s — THE PRESIDENT: Looking at me. (Laughter.) THE FIRST LADY: There’s always enough time to — (the president makes the sign of the cross) — (laughter) — enjoy the pleasures of life together. My grandparents also taught me to never waste an opportunity to invite more people to the table and make a difference together. So, I knew I had to bring those values of love, abundance, and service to the White House as the first Italian American first lady. (Applause.) That’s why I’ve used this platform to give more women a seat at the table in discussions about their own health — (applause) — to hear from military families about how we can support them, to uplift community college students. And I’ve had the opportunity to bring so many more people inside the historic walls of the White House by creating new educational experiences that allow more Americans to immerse themselves in this house, the People’s House; by using these rooms to celebrate the young people who are changing our world; by honoring the immigrants who helped build this country; and tonight — (applause) — thank you — and tonight, gathering with this community — my community — to celebrate our culture. (Laughter.) So, it’s been the honor of my life to serve as first lady. And during my time here, I’ve often thought of my great-grandparents leaving everything they knew behind to chase the promise of America. And then, when they arrived on Ellis Island to take their first strides into a new life, I don’t think that they could ever have imagined that a group of hundreds of Italian Americans — coming together in the White House. When our roots run deep, there’s no limit to how high we can reach. So, tonight, I hope that you feel the power of our ancestors’ values beating inside of us as we carry their legacy forward; that you feel home — you feel at home, eat good food, and end up with a little something sweet together, as a family. (Laughter.) Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce a man who’s always felt at home — (laughs) — with Italian Americans. (Applause.) In fact, Joe first met my family at a big cookout at my grandparents’ house in Hammonton, New Jersey. So, I was pretty nervous, you know, about Joe coming to meet my family. But as soon as Joe pulled up into the driveway — and you kn- — you can picture this — my tiny grandmom bolted out of the house, bounded down the porch steps, in her housecoat and her apron, and she gave Joe this huge hug, as if she’d known him his entire life. And before he could even get a plate, Joe was greeted not as a stranger but as family. Over the years, I’ve seen the Italian American community extend the same joyful love and support to Joe. You mean so much to him. (Laughs.) So, please welcome — I don’t know why I’m getting so emotional — your president, my husband, Joe. (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to the White House. (Applause.) My name is Joe Biden, and I’m Jill Biden’s husband. (Laughter and applause.) Now, I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid. (Laughter.) I married Dominic Giacoppa’s granddaughter. And five years ago, I want you to know, I received the Sons of Italy Man of the Year award. To the best of my knowledge, I’m the only non-Italian ever to receive that award. (Laughter and applause.) There was a large crowd when I received that award. It was down by the train station. You know, I said I — I moved from an Irish Catholic neighborhood in Scranton to an Italian Catholic neighborhood in Claymont, Delaware. And I went from a — where — a place where you ended like Finnegan and Murphy and all that, down if your name didn’t lend — end in “O,” you’re in real trouble. (Laughter.) I was one of the few guys whose name didn’t end in “O.” I’d look out there and look at all my friends. You know, I accepted the award and named some of the guys I grew up with next door: Sonny Daramo, whose mom would say, “Joey, it’s not sauce; it’s gravy, Joey. It’s gravy, Joey.” (Laughter and applause.) Oh, you think I’m kidding. I’m not. (Laughter.) No, Anzilotti, De- — Sabatino, Buchini, Bifferato, Ceni, Congialdi, Deluterio, Monaco — no, you think I’m kidding — Tancr- — By the way, after I talked about it, I looked down at that crowd and said, “You know…” — thinking about it, I said, “I deserve this damn award.” (Laughter.) “With that many Italian friends, man, I deserve that award.” (Laughter.) Thank you, Alexa, for being here and sharing your pride in your family and your heritage. Look, and it’s great to see so many friends from the National Italian American Foundation, you know, the Sons and Daughters of Italy, and so many other Italian American leaders and organization from all across the country. You know, I can honestly say I wouldn’t be president without you. I wouldn’t be president without the Italian American community. Now, what she didn’t say is we do have something in common. I’m Catherine Eugenia Finnegan — Irish Catholics background. You guys, a lot of you are Catholics, you know. (Laughter.) I know you don’t admit it as much, but there — (laughter). This month is about celebrating the extraordinary contributions and proud, proud herita- — heritage of Italian Americans to our nation. And it’s kind of endless. For some of our families, your story is America’s story. It stretches back generations. For others, it just started. No matter when these st- — stories of immigrants who left everything behind to travel across the ocean in pursuit of the American dream just for a shot — just a simple shot. You and your ancestors worked hard to help build this country and build the middle class. People like my college friend, the late Congressman Bill Pascrell — he’s been — Bill, Jr. is here. Where — where are you, Bill? (Applause.) There you are. I used to kid his dad all the time. I said, “You know, Delaware may be the second-smallest state in the Union, but we own the Delaware River up to the highwater mark in New Jersey.” (Laughter.) There was actually a Supreme Court case about that. Anyway. (Laughter.) But he represented New Jersey, and his son represents the House of Representatives. And Bill did it for 27 years, when he passed away this summer. He was the grandson of Italian immigrants, a giant in the community, and a devoted patriot to the nation. You got good blood, kid, as my dad would say. (Applause.) He was a part of a proud, proud heritage of Italian Americans who enrich every part of American life: entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, chefs, diplomats, doctors, servicemembers, veterans, athletes, actors, artists, and so much more. There’s nothing the Italian community is not engaged in — I mean, virtually nothing. There’s noth- — no community you don’t excel in. But I also know it wasn’t always easy. Many of your ancestors faced horrific discrimination, like my ancestors faced horrific discrimination, when they first came to our shores. Yet, even in the face of — Italian Americans proved that they had the resilient spirit and a devotion to family and community, an unshakeable faith in the promise of a better tomorrow. You know, my dad used to have an expression. He’d say, “Joey, family is the beginning, the middle, and the end — the beginning, the middle, and the end.” It’s a faith that has carried through to today, both at home and abroad. Italian Americans are central to our nation’s deep friendship and strategic partnership with Italy. I’ve — I’ve worked out a really good relationship with the Italians. I’m — well, Ital- — I better have done that but at home. (Laughter.) But all kidding aside, with th- — with Italy. What a magnificent country. You know, and — anyway, I won’t get started. But — (laughter) — you know, the bond between our countries is founded on a shared principle and shared commitments, including the shared support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s illegal (inaudible). (Applause.) I might add, they have a female leader. (Applause.) I wish Sonny Daramo were here to hear that. (Laughter.) In addition, Italy’s remarkable stewardship with the presidency of the G7 this year, as well as Italy’s long-standing contributions to transatlantic security through NATO — look, and their strong leadership in the European Union — it underscores how important Italy’s role is on the global stage, not just, you know, for America but for the world. You know, let me close with this. You know, Michelangelo famously said he “saw an angel in the marble, and I carved until I set it free.” “I saw an angel in the marble, and I carved until I set it free.” To me, that’s the essence of what Italian Americans have done to our country for our entire history. You’ve carved until you set us free. I’m — I’m being dead- — deadly earnest. We’re all reminded that when Jill and I had the honor to host one of the greatest singers of all time, in my view, Andrea Bocelli, here at the White House for Christmas in our first year in office, he performed with his son and his daughter as if they were a choir of herald angels. They were incredible. You know, with their God-given talent, the Bocelli family moved our hearts, pierced our souls — and I mean this sincerely — I have all of the music on my — and they embodied the spirit and beauty of all that connects us as people. A powerful reminder that America’s story depends on — not on any one of us but on — not on some of us but all of us. It’s a story I see in all of you, working tirelessly — tirelessly to help realize the promise of America — and I mean it — for all Americans. Not a joke. Because some of you have been on the short end of the stick like my family growing up had been. This is what the Italian American Heritage Month is all about. It’s about celebrating and connecting, feeling the pride in heritage and community, remembering who the hell we are. We’re the United States of America, and there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together — nothing, nothing, nothing. (Applause.) No, I really mean it. So, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And I want to tell you, you know what made me mo- — the — probably one of the most famous guys in my family — the whole family? Not being president. I took her to a beautiful little island off of Sicily. (Laughter.) And she keeps saying, “I’m going back.” (Laughter.) THE FIRST LADY: Soon! THE PRESIDENT: “With — with or without you.” (Laughter.) So, folks, all kidding aside, thank you. You’re an incredible community. (Applause.) THE FIRST LADY: Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: You’re an essential part of my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Enjoy the day. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you. (Applause.) All right. 6:07 P.M. EDT
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
IMF has reached staff-level agreement with Benin on the Fifth Review of Benin’s EFF/ECF and the Second Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
There are signs of economic transformation in Benin, with higher value-added goods’ exports and momentum in information technology and tourism.
The authorities recently submitted to Parliament a draft 2025 budget that targets compliance with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) fiscal deficit norm of 3 percent of GDP, with significant increases in social spending.
Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Constant Lonkeng visited Cotonou during October 8–17, 2024 to hold discussions on the Fifth Review of Benin’s economic program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Second Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangement.
At the end of the mission, Mr. Lonkeng issued the following statement:
“IMF staff and Beninese authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on policies to complete the Fifth Review of Benin’s 42-month blended EFF/ECF and the Second Review of the RSF. Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, Benin will receive a disbursement of SDR 31.2 million (about $42 million) under the ECF and EFF arrangements and up to SDR 39.6 million (about $53 million) under the RSF arrangement, bringing the total disbursement under the EFF/ECF to SDR 431 million (about $576 million).
“There are signs of economic transformation in Benin, with higher value-added goods’ exports and momentum in information technology and tourism. Economic activity is estimated to have expanded by 6.5 percent year-over-year in the first half of this year; growth is expected to remain strong in the near-term. The balance of payments has deteriorated temporarily, due to large investments, including related to the special economic zone (SEZ). It is expected to recover gradually as the transformation of local commodities at the SEZ boosts exports.
“Program performance has been strong—all quantitative targets for end-June 2024 were met, with fiscal consolidation well underway, supported by robust tax collection.
“The authorities recently submitted to Parliament the 2025 draft budget which targets compliance with the WAEMU overall deficit norm of 3 percent of GDP. Fiscal consolidation is set to be revenue-based (drawing on the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy), with significant increases in social spending (education, health, and social protection). Updating regularly and fully operationalizing the social registry will improve the targeting of expanded social assistance programs.
“The mission discussed next steps in strengthening Benin’s anti-corruption framework further, complementing the recently operationalized anti-corruption agency, as well as mechanisms to safeguard hard-won macroeconomic gains over the political cycle.
“The authorities are advancing their climate finance agenda following the climate finance roundtable that took place in Cotonou in July. They have mainstreamed climate change in the draft 2025 budget. The mission discussed next steps in advancing water tariff reform and a fuel subsidy reform that accounts for the specificities of Benin’s local fuel market.
“The mission met with Senior Minister of Economy and Finance Wadagni, Senior Minister of Development and Government Action Bio Tchane, National Director of the BCEAO (the regional central bank) Assilamehoo, and other senior government officials. The team also met with the Head of Opposition, the Finance Commission of the National Assembly in Porto Novo, the civil society, university students, the association of women entrepreneurs and a farmers’ association, the donor community, and other stakeholders.
“The IMF team would like to thank the authorities and various stakeholders for their warm hospitality and open and constructive dialogue.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Explanation of vote by Archie Young, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly at the UN Fourth Committee.
Location:
United Nations, New York
Delivered on:
(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)
The UK would like to explain our position on this and our vote.
This resolution deals with a number of important issues of interest to all members, including the importance of the right of self-determination, sovereign equality and territorial integrity to which the UK’s commitment is iron-clad.
The same cannot be said for the sponsors of this resolution.
Today’s resolution put forward by Russia and Venezuela, amongst others, is a disingenuous and opportunistic effort to appropriate what is genuinely a serious and sensitive issue for their own political purposes.
This is clear by the fact that Member States, as others have said, have not been offered an opportunity to scrutinise this resolution in detail, nor has there been any attempt by the sponsors to engage widely and transparently with members before such an important and complex issue is put before the Fourth Committee, especially given the divergent views in the C24 committee.
We therefore cannot support today’s resolution.
In doing so we reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples of the British Overseas Territories, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We are equally committed to supporting requests for the removal from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories from those Territories whose permanent populations so wish. We remind the delegations that each British Overseas Territory has a large measure of internal self-governance, and all have chosen to retain their link to the UK.
And if I can make one more point regarding specifically this resolution, I wanted to underline the point that has already been made about the significant PBI’s (programme budget implications) which we do not support, and that were circulated just this morning which further underlines our practical and procedural concerns about this resolution.
Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.
The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.
Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.
But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.
Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.
Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.
The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?
A tangled history
Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.
Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.
The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.
Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.
The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.
This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.
Western complicity
During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.
Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.
Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?
I did not have answers to any of these questions.
Chris Hann 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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Central Bank of Russia –
The value of imports of goods and services in Q3 2024 increased mainly due to increased domestic demand and a stronger ruble on average over the quarter.
At the same time, the value of exports of goods and services remained close to last year’s level. Companies changed the directions of deliveries, and this had a positive effect on exports. However, restrictions in a number of foreign countries and a reduction in oil production due to OPEC agreements leveled out this positive effect.
As a result, with stable exports and expanding imports, the positive balance of the current account of the balance of payments decreased compared to the same period in 2023.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
Parameters:
The date of the deposit auction is 18.10.2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 130,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 57. The date of depositing funds is 22.10.2024. The date of return of funds is 18.12.2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 18.00. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 130,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, 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 10:50. Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 11:30.
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.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
October 17, 2024
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
October 17, 2024
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
October 17, 2024
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
October 17, 2024
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
October 17, 2024
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Dmitry Chernyshenko took part as a moderator at the plenary session “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” at the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” in Ufa
At the XII International Sports Forum “Russia – Sports Power” in Ufa, a plenary session on the topic “Sport – a comprehensive view of the future” was held. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at it.
“The prospects and the future of world sports really need serious, substantive discussion, a joint search for an answer to the question of how to overcome the difficult challenges of our time, prevent a split in the international sports family, cleanse sports of vulgar politicization, double standards, perverted rules, humiliating discrimination, including on the basis of citizenship and nationality of athletes,” the head of state emphasized.
The moderator of the plenary session was Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
At the beginning of his speech, he quoted the President’s words: “Our country has been and remains one of the leading sports powers on the planet, the birthplace of great athletes, victories and records.” The Deputy Prime Minister noted that successes in the development of sports are achieved thanks to the synergy of efforts at all levels – government bodies, sports federations, societies, leagues, clubs, the media, as well as the contribution of the citizens themselves.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, sport is a powerful tool for interethnic dialogue, a means of building peace, friendship, and cooperation, including in the international arena.
“Russia always remains true to the principle: sport is a universal language of communication, and it should be outside of politics. For our part, we consistently defend the ideals of fair, open sports competition and continue to strengthen our sports sovereignty. Now we are all consolidated around our President and are using this moment to build a modern sports management system, involving all industry participants, including public organizations, in key processes,” Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized.
Russia continues to develop new formats of international competitions, free from the jurisdiction of politicized international sports organizations. One of the most striking examples is the “Games of the Future” project.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the importance of developing sports infrastructure and increasing the level of public involvement in physical education and sports.
“President Vladimir Putin set the task of involving 70% of our citizens in regular physical education and sports by 2030. To achieve this goal, the Strategy for the Development of Physical Education and Sports was adopted, which defines the main areas of development of the industry until the end of the decade. We see that the results are already truly tangible. Today, more than 56% of people are involved in physical education and sports, and the provision of sports facilities has reached 61.5%. There are about 350 thousand sports facilities of various levels in Russia. Funds for the creation of non-capital structures are also planned in our budget law. This is more than 19 billion, which will allow us to build 350 sports facilities annually,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
In 2023, 72 major sports facilities were put into operation. The plan for this year is another 85. Under the federal project “Business Sprint”, about 150 smart sites and modular halls were opened last year, and another 97 are planned for this year.
There are about 24 million people registered in the GTO system. About 11 million of them successfully passed the standards and received badges.
Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Bashkortostan Andrey Nazarov shared Bashkortostan’s experience in supporting non-governmental organizations in the sports industry.
“Along with supporting state and municipal sports institutions, we involve and support non-governmental organizations. There are 133 public associations of physical culture and sports orientation registered in the republic, of which 122 are accredited regional sports federations,” said the acting Prime Minister.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Kovalchuk, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Iraq Ahmed Al-Mubarka, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Teju Lal Chaudhary, the President of the All-Russian Phygital Sports Federation Nikita Nagorny, the Minister of People’s Power for Youth and Sports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Arnaldo Sanchez, the Minister of Sports and Leisure of the Togolese Republic Lidi Bessi-Kama, the Deputy Governor of the Vologda Region Alexander Povetkin, the head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team Irina Viner, and Metropolitan Mitrofan of Murmansk and Monchegorsk.
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.
Despite its resilience, the Mauritanian economy is expected to slow down in 2024 and in the medium term, in a context marked by the persistence of downside risks linked to an escalation of geopolitical tensions in the region, delays in the start of operation of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project, and weather shocks.
A prudent rule-based fiscal policy would help preserve debt sustainability. Developing the banking sector and sustaining the implementation of the national governance action plan and the new investment code would foster the role of the private sector and enhance prospects for inclusive growth.
IMF and Mauritania reached staff-level agreement on the Third Review of Mauritania’s economic program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Second Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)”
Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Felix Fischer, visited Nouakchott during October 3–16, 2024 to conduct the 2024 Article IV consultation and to hold discussions on the Third Review of Mauritania’s ECF/EFF and the Second Review of the RSF arrangement, and at the end of the mission, Mr. Fischer issued the following statement:
“The Mauritanian economy is expected to slowdown in 2024 with a growth rate estimated at 4.6 percent (compared to 6.5 percent in 2023) reflecting sluggish extractive sector. The economic growth in 2025 is projected at 4.2 percent, reflecting a slowdown in the mining sector, moderated by the expected start of the GTA gas project. The growth outlook is subject to significant risks, including an escalation of geopolitical tensions in the region, additional delays in the start of operation of the GTA gas project, and the occurrence of weather shocks.
“Anchoring fiscal policy to the non-extractive primary balance would reduce the impact of fluctuations in commodity prices on the economy and maintain debt sustainability. After a tightening since 2022, conditions are favorable to shift towards monetary policy easing. The mission encourages the ongoing reforms aimed at financial sector development and stability, which would enhance financial sector contribution to economic development. The timely adoption and implementation of the new investment code will contribute to level the playing field among all market participants and foster private sector-led inclusive growth.
“IMF staff and Mauritanian authorities have reached a staff level agreement on policies to complete the Third Review of Mauritania’s blended ECF/EFF and the Second review of the RSF. Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, Mauritania will receive a disbursement of SDR 6.4 million (about $ 8.6 million) under the ECF and EFF arrangements and SDR 29.72 million (about $ 39.7 million) under the RSF arrangement, bringing the total disbursement under the EFF/ECF and the RST to SDR 89.7 million (about $ 119.7 million).
“Performance under the program is robust — all quantitative targets for end-June 2024 have been met. Fiscal consolidation is proceeding in line with the fiscal rule aimed at converging in the medium term towards the fiscal anchor (defined by the non-extractive primary deficit) of 3.5 percent of GDP. Capitalizing on Mauritania’s substantial tax potential, better domestic revenue mobilization will help create fiscal space to meet Mauritania’s significant development needs while preserving the medium-term budgetary framework credibility.
“The structural reform program, integrating climate considerations, is advancing well. The mission noted the progress made in finalizing the draft laws on SOEs, asset declaration, and conflicts of interest, and encourages the authorities to finalize these important reforms in line with their Governance Action Plan.”
“The team met with His Excellency the President of the National Assembly Mohamed Ould Megett, His Excellency, the Prime Minister Moctar Ould Diay, the Governor of the Central Bank Mohamed Lemine Dhehby, the Minister of Economy and Finance Sid’Ahmed Bouh, and the Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Codioro N’Guenor. The team held also meetings with the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Energy and Oil, the Minister of Mining and Industry, the Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, , other senior government officials, the civil society, the banking association and other representatives of the private sector, and donor community.
“The IMF team would like to thank the Mauritanian authorities and various stakeholders for the excellent hospitality and cooperation and candid discussions during the mission.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
Miami Herald
Op-ed: Mario Díaz-Balart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz
October 17, 2024
Read the full op-ed here:
As co-chairs of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, we write to highlight the vital role that the Jewish and Latino communities both play in our nation and South Florida, which we have the honor of representing, but also to the American identity as a whole. Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the close partnership that exists between both of our communities and urge cooperation to address the common challenges that make this partnership so crucial.
Immigration has played a pivotal role in America’s social fabric. Our families and many of our constituents escaped repressive regimes, whether in Cuba, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, or Venezuela, to pursue life in a land with freedom and opportunity. Latinos and Jews have contributed greatly to American business, culture, science, sports, public service enhancing every aspect of our diverse society.
And while we’re proud of the success we’ve achieved as Americans, we haven’t forgotten our roots, including those still struggling for freedom and opportunity. We are proud diaspora communities with strong ties to our ancestral lands. Shared values of family, faith, and respect for human rights have united our communities and animated Jewish and Latino leadership from the civil rights movement to the fight for a fair and lawful immigration system. These close bonds to our nations of origin position our communities to play a crucial role in driving the United States’ pursuit of justice at home and abroad.
We still have work to do.
Here in the U.S., we are committed to working to ensure that our communities are safe from anti-Jewish and anti-Latino hate. As members of Congress, we’ve worked on bipartisan legislation to combat such hate, including the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, which became law in 2021. This important legislation provides grants to state and local governments to enforce hate laws, and to keep more accurate records on hate crimes.
According to surveys, 87% of American Jews have observed increased antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 attacks. Both antisemitic and anti-Latino/Hispanic hate crimes reached record highs in 2023. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics Report found that hate crimes against Jews increased a staggering 63% year over year, while those targeting Latinos surged by 10.7% last year as well. We’ve seen the horrific damage that can be inflicted by individuals radicalized by hateful conspiracy theories, from the murderous rampage that killed eleven Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh to the vicious attack against Latinos at an El Paso Walmart that killed 23 people.
Additionally, we must work together to bring home the hostages held by the foreign terrorist organization Hamas, a proxy of the terrorist state of Iran. It is unconscionable that a year later, nearly 100 hostages remain in brutal Hamas captivity. Some of these hostages are both Israeli and Latino— holding dual citizenship from countries like Argentina and Colombia. We call on Hamas to release them now.
In Latin America, the democratic opposition movements in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua continue to be persecuted by brutal, authoritarian regimes.
In Cuba, courageous activists demand human rights and democratic change, but many of the July 11, 2021 protesters remain imprisoned.
In Venezuela, despite all available evidence pointing to the election victory by the opposition, Maduro refuses to face the truth. We strongly condemn the Maduro regime’s actions to subvert Venezuela’s once-democratic institutions, which has resulted in nearly eight million Venezuelans being forced into exile—many of whom have resettled in our communities.
In Nicaragua, religious freedom has been quashed, with clergy forced into exile in unprecedented numbers, including the forced exit of the entirety of Mother Theresa’s order in Nicaragua.
We also roundly denounce these regimes’ shameful persecution, antisemitism, and delegitimization of their small Jewish communities, sentiments that are unfortunately reflected by other leftist governments in the region like Colombia.
Additionally, Russia and Iran, which support transnational repression and amplify racist and antisemitic extremism to sew divisions, have made our world a more dangerous place.
That’s why our communities must continue working in partnership and solidarity to combat hate, promote freedom and oppose dictators and violent organizations that defy our values. We’ll keep building bridges between Jewish and Latino Americans because we believe they can help guide our nation toward a just future.
Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s celebrate our common bonds while continuing to look out for one another.
Mario Díaz-Balart is a U.S. representative for Florida’s 26th Congressional District, a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. Debbie Wasserman Schultz represents Florida’s 25th Congressional District and is ranking member on the House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.
Speaking to leaders, Parliament President Metsola reiterated Parliament’s unwavering support for Ukraine. She called for a coordinated European approach to ensure the integrity of Schengen.
On Ukraine
It has been almost 1,000 days of aggression in Ukraine. We will, and we must, keep standing with Ukraine – and equally we need to reinforce our efforts for peace. A peace that is rooted in freedom; that is anchored in dignity and that is built on justice. A peace that is not a capitulation. A peace that protects our values. Anything less than that is no real peace at all.
When we talk about Ukraine’s future and putting an end to this terrible war, we need to be clear: only a strong, sovereign Ukraine can achieve that. The European Parliament stands firm in its conviction: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Next week the European Parliament will take a final vote in plenary to support Ukraine with an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance loan of up to 35 billion Euros. Politically and technically, we are proud to have done our work.
On Middle East
Alongside the recent escalation in Lebanon, including now involving the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon, it is more critical than ever to find a sustainable solution and to do so urgently. Europe has a role to play here and we cannot be found wanting.
The European Parliament’s position is clear. Our calls for the immediate release of the remaining hostages will remain steadfast. Our calls for a ceasefire will remain resolute. Our efforts towards de-escalation will remain strong. And our work for a real, dignified, sustainable, long-term peace in the region, based on two States that gives real perspective to Palestinians and security to Israel, will remain unwavering.
We cannot ignore the ripple effects of instability. What happens in Eastern Europe, in the Middle East, in Northern Africa or anywhere else near our borders, does not just stay isolated – it has consequences for Europe. Nowhere is this more visible than in the area of migration.
On Migration
The EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which we adopted earlier this year after a decade of political impasse, offers a pathway forward. But it will not work if, in moments of pressure, we undermine what we have built together. That is why it is important that we scale-up efforts to swiftly implement the Pact.
Our commonly agreed-to framework that protects our borders, but that is also fair with those eligible for protection, that is firm with those not eligible and who must be safely and swiftly returned, and that – critically – is harsh against the trafficking networks, including malign States like Russia and Belarus using hybrid threats, preying on the vulnerable and weaponising migration.
The nature of these hybrid threats [coming from Russia and Belarus] require us to think outside the box. We must respond to those actors who seek to abuse the systems we built for the betterment of man, against the very humanity they are meant to protect. And we can do so within the parameters of our values and legal frameworks.
The key here is cooperation. The real solution is a European solution – one that is broad, that is holistic, and that is sustainable. Because only a coordinated European approach can ensure the integrity of our Schengen area.
