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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal participates in 12th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers Meeting in Lao PDR

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 8:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry during the 2nd and last day of his visit to Vientiane, Lao PDR participated in the 12th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting (EAS EMM). The meeting was chaired by H.E. Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR, the ASEAN Chair for 2024. The Economic Ministers or their representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries and 8 other EAS partners viz. India, USA, Russia, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand were present in the meeting. Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste joined the Meeting as an observer.

    In the 12th EAS EMM, the Economic Ministers discussed regional and global economic developments and challenges. In his intervention, Minister Goyal reiterated India’s commitment to strengthen the East Asia Summit Forum, being its founder member, and acknowledged its role in promoting peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region. Referring to ASEAN Secretariat’s briefing on the regional and global economic forecast for 2025, he informed that while the global economy is expected to grow at 3.2% in 2024-25, India’s growth rate is projected at 7-7.2%, with India on the way to become the 3rd largest economy by 2027.

    On WTO, Minister Goyal commended the successful conclusion of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in March 2024 and reiterated India’s commitment to an open, transparent, and inclusive WTO reform process, emphasizing a rules-based system with principles of non-discrimination, inclusivity, and Special and Differential Treatment.  He invited ASEAN countries to come forward for collaboration on issues of global south at WTO and to strengthen multilateralism.

    Minister Goyal commended the research paper presented by Economic and Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia on “Navigating the path to a Net-Zero Economy: Decarbonization and Sustainability Initiatives in EAS Countries” and referred to India’s commitment to a net-zero economy by 2070 and the significant strides made by India in climate action achieving reduction in emission intensity of GDP related target 11 years in advance and share of non-fossil fuels in energy mix 9 years in advance. He appealed to the member countries to promote circularity in lifestyles with responsible consumption as outlined by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi call for Mission LIFE – Life Style for Environment at COP 26.

    During the day, Minister Goyal had a number of bilateral meetings and other engagements alongside the 12th EAS EMM. The day started with a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Kan Zaw, Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Myanmar wherein both sides discussed potential cooperation areas in trade and the ongoing AITIGA review negotiations.

    Minister Goyal also met H.E. Inkyo Cheong, Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea and held discussion on bilateral trade relations, progress in negotiations for upgrading India-Korea CEPA and promoting inclusive investments in India.

    Minister Goyal subsequently participated in a programme organized by the Indian Embassy in Laos, for interaction with Indian diaspora. During this event, he engaged in meaningful conversations with community members, acknowledging their invaluable contributions to enhancing bilateral relations between India and Laos. He emphasized the importance of their efforts in promoting cultural exchange and economic collaboration, and expressed gratitude for their role in serving as a bridge between the two nations.

    Minister Goyal had a meeting with Mr. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). The discussion revolved on possible collaboration in India specific research studies. India had last year announced a financial contribution of USD 1 Million to ERIA over a period of 10 years. ERIA is also collaborating with Indian Centre for WTO Studies on conducting a joint study on AITIGA.

    In the evening, Minister Goyal held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN. ASEAN Secretariat is coordinating discussions on AITIGA review and both the dignitaries deliberated on ways to enhance India and ASEAN trade relations including by addressing market access asymmetries and upgrading AITIGA.

    Minister Goyal wrapped up his visit to Laos with a meeting with H.E. Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR. He congratulated Minister Kommasith on the successful hosting of the Economic Ministers’ meetings and engaged in discussions about trade collaboration opportunities, as well as the ongoing negotiations for the review of AITIGA.

    ***

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of a chartered accountant girl from Kerala in Pune due to excessive workload in her company

    Source: Government of India (2)

    NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of a chartered accountant girl from Kerala in Pune due to excessive workload in her company

    Expressing serious concern over the incident NHRC emphasizes businesses should be sensitive to and accountable for human rights issues

    Calls Businesses for reviewing their work culture, employment policies and regulations to ensure alignment with global human rights standards

    Issues a notice to the Ministry of Labour and Employment calling for a report within four weeks

    The Report is expected to include the steps being and proposed to be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 7:18PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a 26-year-old chartered accountant girl from Kerala died in Pune, Maharashtra on 20th July 2024, allegedly, due to excessive workload in the Ernst & Young that she joined four months back. Reportedly, the mother has written a letter to the employer claiming that long hours of work had taken a heavy toll on her daughter’s physical, emotional and mental health, a charge denied by the company. The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is getting the matter investigated.

    The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, raise serious issues regarding challenges faced young citizens at work, suffering from mental stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep, adversely affecting their physical and mental health while chasing impractical targets and timelines resulting in grave violations of their human rights. It is the prime duty of every employer to provide a safe, secure and positive environment to its employees. They must ensure that everyone working with them is treated with dignity and fairness.

    The Commission has further emphasized that businesses should take accountability for human rights issues and regularly update and revise their work and employment policies and regulations to ensure alignment with global human rights standards. The painful death of the young employee in the instant case has indicated that there is an immediate need to take steps by all the stakeholders in this regard to stop such incidents in the country.

    Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, calling for a detailed report in the matter. The Commission would also like to know the outcome of the investigation, reportedly, being conducted in the instant matter relating to the death of the young employee. Apart from this, the Commission would also like to know the steps being taken and proposed to be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur. The response is expected within four weeks.

    According to the media report, carried on 18th September, 2024, the mother of the deceased girl has claimed that her daughter’s death is reflective of the larger work culture, which glorifies hard work but at the cost of health. She has reportedly stated that how can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail even to show up for the funeral of one of its own employees.

    It may be recalled that recently, the Commission took suo motu cognizance of the media reports regarding alleged unfair practices at the workplace by two multinational companies in the States of Haryana and Tamil Nadu. Both matters are under consideration before the Commission. Apart from this, the Commission at various platforms has been insisting businesses integrate human rights protection, safety and security especially of women into their organizational culture to operate sustainably and extend these principles to formulate policies in such a manner that a healthy work environment is created for the welfare of the workers.

    Last year, the Commission organized a conference on ‘harmonizing human rights and climate issues in businesses’ to sensitize various stakeholders especially business and industry on human rights. The Commission has also appointed a ‘Special Monitor’ to look into various practices and work environment leading to violations of human rights in business. The Commission has specifically constituted a ‘Core Group on Business and Human Rights’ to review the existing legislations and regulations relating to the business environment and human rights and suggest measures for improvement. Based on these inputs, the Commission intends to firm up its recommendations and send the same to the Central and State governments and their agencies to ensure protection of human rights and healthy work environment in business and industry.

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    NSK

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DFS Secretary Shri M. Nagaraju chairs Conference of Chairpersons of Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) and Presiding Officers of Debt Recovery of Tribunals (DRTs) at New Delhi today

    Source: Government of India

    DFS Secretary Shri M. Nagaraju chairs Conference of Chairpersons of Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) and Presiding Officers of Debt Recovery of Tribunals (DRTs) at New Delhi today

    Issues related to DRTs, including reducing pendency, adoption of best practices, optimising recovery, formulation of settlement policy, and adoption of new DRT Regulations 2024 were discussed during the conference

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 5:33PM by PIB Delhi

    Shri M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS) chaired a Conference of Chairpersons of Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) and Presiding Officers of Debt Recovery of Tribunals (DRTs) at New Delhi, today.

    The meeting was attended by senior officers from the public and private sectors banks, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Indian Bank Association (IBA) and senior officers from the Ministry of Finance.

    During the meeting whole gamut of issues were discussed concerning the functioning of DRTs and in order to make recovery procedure more efficient, it was agreed that:

    • Banks to put in place effective monitoring and oversight mechanism for efficient management of pending cases in DRTs
    • Some of the best practices followed in DRTs were also discussed which can be adopted across DRTs for better outcome.
    • Banks to have clearly defined policy for small and high value cases pending in DRTs for optimising the recovery.
    • While formulating settlement policy, banks to take into account the transaction costs in mind while pursuing pending recovery cases.
    • All stakeholders to work collectively to reduce pendency and take effective measures for optimisation of recovery which would help in ploughing back the capital stuck in pending cases to the economy for productive use.
    • DRT Regulations 2024 which have number of improved features over the earlier DRT Regulation 2015 to be adopted by all DRTs with an objective to make the DRT process more effective and less time consuming.

    ****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Full devolution to be delivered across the North

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The government is continuing to deliver devolution for all corners of the country, with a commitment to deliver full devolution across the North.

    • Government will prioritise remaining Northern areas in the next wave of devolution deals
    • Progression for deals covering Lancashire, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire and Devon and Torbay announced earlier this week will be prioritised
    • Backing advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire by releasing this year’s funding for the Mayors’ Investment Zones

    The government is continuing to deliver devolution for all corners of the country, with a commitment to deliver full devolution across the North.

    The next wave of devolution deals will work to ensure the remaining areas in the region not yet benefitting from greater devolved powers are supported to deliver agreements that work for their communities.

    The commitment confirmed today follows the government’s announcement earlier this week that four devolution agreements will progress in Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Devon and Torbay.

    The government will also release this year’s funding for two Investment Zones, delivering high quality jobs and attracting private sector investment, focusing on advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire.

    Investment Zones have been established in a number of Combined Authorities in England, combining tax incentives and flexible funding for research and development, skills, business support, local infrastructure and planning.

    Further government action to deliver devolution includes:

    • The English Devolution Bill announced in the King’s Speech;
    • Establishing the Council of the Nations and Regions, with more details to be announced in due course; 
    • Asking existing mayors to develop Local Growth Plans for their areas to help drive regional growth. Greater Manchester, one of the places where devolution has existed for the longest and the powers are deepest, has been one of the UK’s fastest growing areas over the last 20 years, and is forecast to grow by more than the national average in coming years; and
    • The devolution agreements announced this week means that over 60% of the country will be covered by a devolution deal.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Chief and COP29 Presidency to Address Climate-Peace-Human Mobility Nexus During UNGA

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    New York, 22 September – The COP29 Presidency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will co-host a High-Level Roundtable on Climate, Peace, and Human Mobility during the UN General Assembly week on September 22, 2024. With climate change being a major driver of displacement and migration, the event will underscore the urgent need for concrete policy recommendations and practical strategies to address the root causes of climate-induced displacement. 

    The roundtable will focus on the critical intersections of the climate and peace nexus with water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation. It aims to catalyze actionable solutions and inform COP29 discussions on key issues related to the climate and peace nexus. 

    “The convergence of climate change and conflict is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable people on our planet,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We need to act now to address the root causes of climate-induced displacement and build resilience in affected communities.” 

    The event will also empower a new Centre of Excellence envisaged in the Joint Communique of the COP29 Climate and Peace co-lead initiative to address the gaps in scaling up international cooperation and finance for the most vulnerable, and build synergies between the outcomes of the Summit of the Future and the Peace, Relief and Recovery Day at COP29. 

    “The forthcoming COP29 Peace Relief and Recovery Day in Baku is envisaged to deliver concrete outcomes to scale up support to the countries under multiple stress of climate extremes and conflicts.” said Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Adviser to COP29 Presidency, highlighted the importance of international collaboration. “The high-level roundtable is an important milestone on the road to November to provide a crucial platform for governments, UN agencies, and other stakeholders to come together and develop concrete solutions to address the complex challenges represented by the intersection of climate, peace and human mobility. In the face of the climate driven challenges to human security we must work together to ensure a more sustainable, inclusive and peaceful future for all.” 

    The roundtable will feature high-level participants, including representatives from the COP29 Presidency, IOM, the governments of Italy and Egypt, the Green Climate Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank Group, and the UN Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. 

    The event is expected to produce concrete policy recommendations to inform COP29 discussions and support the launch of the Centre of Excellence on Climate Action for Peace.  

    The Centre will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation, focusing on solutions to climate-induced displacement and other human security challenges driven by climate extremes, including water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation  

     

    Note to Editor:  

     

    The High-Level Roundtable on Climate, Peace, and Human Mobility will take place on September 22, 2024, from 1:15 PM to 2:30 PM in Room 11 at the UN Headquarters in New York.  

     

    About COP29  

    The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11-22 November 2024. COP29 will focus on accelerating climate action and delivering on the commitments made under the Paris Agreement.  

     

    For more information, please contact : 
     

    COP29 Presidency: 

    gafgaz.adigozalov@cop29.az or visit www.COP29.az 

    IOM:

    Media@iom.int or rsharshr@iom.int 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: GPS Not Required! | U.S. Army

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    : Spc. Adrian Greenwood

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Navigation

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u5K2bMBp5w

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Celebrity brands: Why fame alone isn’t enough to keep them afloat anymore

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Omar H. Fares, Lecturer of Marketing in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University

    Over the past decade, there has been a significant rise of celebrity brands. Recent data from NielsenIQ, a global marketing research firm, shows just how significant this boom has become.

    Celebrity beauty brands collectively achieved $1.1 billion in sales from November 2022 to November 2023. Interestingly, these brands experienced a growth rate of 57.8 per cent, far outpacing the overall beauty category’s growth of 11.1 per cent during the same period.

    Celebrity brands are products or services created, endorsed or owned by famous individuals who leverage their fame to influence consumer decisions. With the rise of social media and the emergence of digital celebrities, these celebrity brands have become increasingly prominent.

    On the surface, the appeal seems straightforward for both celebrities and consumers. Celebrities use their influence to develop brands that bypass the typical awareness stage, entering consumers’ consideration immediately upon launch.

    Consumers, in turn, expect that a celebrity they admire will offer high-quality products that resonate with their preferences and values. However, this trust can quickly erode when products fail to meet expectations.

    Why do some brands fail?

    While some celebrity brands, like Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty brands, are successful, not all manage to maintain their initial momentum.

    A notable example is beauty influencer Jaclyn Hill’s cosmetics brand, which faced major backlash when her 2019 lipstick launch was filled by complaints of defective products, leading to a recall and long-lasting damage to her brand’s reputation. Hill has since announced the brand will be shutting down, highlighting how even celebrity brands can falter when quality and consumer trust are compromised.

    There are three key reasons that can often lead to the downfall of these ventures: product quality, authenticity and misalignment of positioning with the target market.

    Consumers expect that products endorsed by their favourite celebrities will live up to a high standard. When this expectation is not met, trust is quickly eroded. This falls in line with the expectation confirmation theory, which suggests consumer satisfaction is shaped by the relationship between initial expectations and the actual performance of the product.

    An example of this is Kylie Jenner’s skincare brand, Kylie Skin, which came under fire shortly after its launch for promoting a walnut scrub. Skincare professionals and consumers criticized the product, for being too harsh for the skin and potentially causing microtears. This raised questions about the product safety and hurt the brand’s reputation early on.

    Consumers expect products to deliver on promises, and if quality is lacking, no amount of celebrity endorsement can save the brand.

    The value of authenticity

    Younger consumers especially value authenticity in celebrity brands. Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that feel like a true extension of the celebrity’s personal brand and values.

    When a brand feels disingenuous or disconnected from the celebrity, it often results in strong backlash. Given the heightened expectations surrounding celebrity-backed ventures, any perceived inauthenticity tends to amplify negative word-of-mouth, even more so than traditional brands.

    For example, in the case of Millie Bobby Brown’s Florence by Mills, the brand faced early challenges, particularly regarding its authenticity and the quality of its marketing.

    Shortly after its 2019 launch, Brown was criticized for faking a skincare routine video in which she appeared to mimic applying her products without actually using them. This misstep raised doubts about her involvement in the brand and its authenticity, leading to public backlash.

    Brown later apologized, saying she was “still learning” about the beauty space. Although the brand has since recovered, and Brown has recently announced that she is launching a fashion brand, this sort of hurdle can be a breaking point for other brands.

    Misalignment with target market

    Misalignment between what celebrities think their target market wants and what the market actually desires can severely impact a brand’s success. An example of misalignment in brand positioning is Jessica Alba’s Honest Beauty.

    Initially launched as part of the Honest Company, which focuses on safe, non-toxic baby products, Honest Beauty faced challenges when it expanded into skincare. Issues like the 2015 sunscreen backlash where consumers reported sunburns despite using the product, and other allegations of misleading product claims, eroded trust.

    Additionally, while the brand was positioned as eco-conscious and affordable, some premium-priced products alienated a portion of the target audience, creating a disconnect between its mission and consumer expectations.

    In essence, successful brands must align their positioning — how the brand is perceived in the minds of the consumers — with the celebrity’s image and their audience’s expectations to avoid such challenges.

    The future of celebrity brands

    As the market continues to evolve and consumers become more discerning about the products they buy, the success of celebrity brands requires more than just star power these days. The era of slapping a famous name on any product and expecting it to sell is over.

    Many consumers are also experiencing “celebrity fatigue” due to the oversaturation of celebrity brands. This year alone has seen the launch of Beyoncé haircare brand Cécred, Dwayne Johnson’s skincare brand Papatui and Wiz Khalifa’s Mistercap’s mushroom growing kits.

    With the market becoming increasingly competitive, longevity is now a critical measure of success. While some brands may enjoy an initial boost of interest upon launch, the real challenge lies in sustaining that momentum over time.

    To stand out in today’s crowded marketplace, celebrity brands must demonstrate substance, quality and purpose. Today’s consumers are looking for brands that go beyond the surface, offering consumers real value, authenticity and a commitment to social responsibility. Celebrity brands must work to prove their worth and longevity to consumers.

    As we move forward, the focus will shift from the sheer number of celebrity brand launches to which ones are truly deserving of consumers’ trust in a space that continues to be increasingly competitive.

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

    – ref. Celebrity brands: Why fame alone isn’t enough to keep them afloat anymore – https://theconversation.com/celebrity-brands-why-fame-alone-isnt-enough-to-keep-them-afloat-anymore-238956

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to navigate the challenges of long-distance caregiving

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Navjot Gill-Chawla, Doctoral Candidate, Aging, Health and Well-being, University of Waterloo

    Co-ordinating care from a different time zone, navigating language barriers and managing finances and legal matters remotely can be overwhelming. (Shutterstock)

    Taking on the role of a caregiver can often come with a lot of physical and mental stress and doing so from a distance can be even more emotionally taxing.

    Long-distance caregiving presents unique challenges for caregivers in different cities, regions or countries. Distance can create a sense of helplessness and guilt, as caregivers feel powerless to provide hands-on assistance or support in times of need. The inability to be physically present can also lead to feelings of isolation and frustration as caregivers grapple with the limitations of their involvement in their family member’s daily lives.

    In our modern world families are increasingly spread across borders, making it challenging to provide care and support to aging parents, relatives or friends. These logistical challenges of long-distance caregiving add another layer of stress. Co-ordinating care from a different time zone, navigating language barriers and managing finances and legal matters remotely can be overwhelming.

    Constantly juggling responsibilities and the pressure to make crucial decisions from a distance can take a toll on the caregiver’s mental and emotional well-being.

    However, with the proper support, resources and coping strategies, caregivers can navigate these challenges and provide meaningful support to their family and relatives from afar.

    Constantly juggling responsibilities and the pressure to make crucial decisions from a distance can take a toll on the caregiver’s mental and emotional well-being.
    (Shutterstock)

    Challenges of long-distance care

    One of the primary challenges of long-distance caregiving is communication. Maintaining open lines of communication with health-care providers, family members and the person receiving care is essential for ensuring the necessary support and assistance are provided.

    However, distance can hinder effective communication, leading to misunderstandings and delays in addressing urgent needs. Another challenge is co-ordinating medical care and accessing essential services.

    Caregivers may need help finding reliable health-care providers in their family member’s location. Additionally, navigating the complexities of health-care systems and insurance coverage in different countries can be daunting, requiring careful research and planning.

    Financial considerations also play a significant role in long-distance caregiving. Supporting someone from afar often entails significant expenses, including travel costs on top of the usual expenses of long-term care. Caregivers may need to make difficult decisions about their finances and employment to accommodate the financial demands of caregiving, adding to their stress and anxiety.

    Moreover, the emotional toll of long-distance caregiving cannot be overstated. Caregivers may experience feelings of guilt, anxiety and depression as they grapple with the challenges of balancing their caregiving responsibilities with other aspects of their lives.

    Supporting long-distance caregivers

    While caregiving from afar is challenging, there are strategies and resources available to support caregivers with their responsibilities. Building a support network of family members, friends and health-care professionals can provide caregivers with emotional support and practical assistance.

    Seeking out local resources and support groups, both in their community and in the community where their family member resides, can also help caregivers feel less isolated and overwhelmed.

    Utilizing technology can also facilitate communication and co-ordination of care. Video calls, messaging apps and telehealth services allow caregivers to stay connected with their family members and health-care providers, regardless of geographical distance. Online platforms and mobile applications can also help caregivers manage appointments, medications and other aspects of their family member’s care more effectively.

    By fostering a supportive environment and promoting collaboration among caregivers, we can help alleviate the burdens of long-distance caregiving.
    (Shutterstock)

    Policymakers can potentially address the challenges of long-distance caregiving by implementing several key measures. Cross-border health-care agreements can ensure consistent access to medical services, simplifying care and reducing financial and legal burdens. Governments can also invest in support networks, such as helplines, counselling, and care co-ordination services that provide caregivers with valuable local resource information.

    Financial support, through tax incentives or travel subsidies, can help ease the economic strain of caregiving from afar. Flexible work policies, like remote work options and caregiving leave, would enable caregivers to balance their responsibilities without sacrificing financial stability. For example, the Canada Caregiver Credit provides tax relief for those supporting a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent living with physical or mental impairment. Additionally, Employment Insurance Family Caregiver Benefits offer up to 35 weeks of financial support to caregivers who need to take time off work to care for a critically ill or injured family member.

    Finally, inclusive caregiving policies should ensure that benefits and services are accessible to all caregivers, including those providing care across international borders.

    Caregivers, both near and far, face numerous obstacles and challenges. It is essential to recognize the unique needs of long-distance caregivers and provide them with the resources and support they need to fulfill their caregiving responsibilities effectively.

    By fostering a supportive environment and promoting collaboration among caregivers, health-care professionals and community organizations, we can potentially help alleviate the burdens of long-distance caregiving and ensure that those receiving and giving care get the support they deserve.

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

    – ref. How to navigate the challenges of long-distance caregiving – https://theconversation.com/how-to-navigate-the-challenges-of-long-distance-caregiving-238412

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tablet use by young children is linked with more outbursts of anger and frustration

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Caroline Fitzpatrick, Canada Research Chair in Digital Media Use by Children and Its Implications for Promoting Togetherness: An Ecosystemic Approach, Université de Sherbrooke

    Tablets and mobile devices can be highly engaging for young children. However, they offer few opportunities for children to develop important emotion regulation skills, including the ability to manage strong emotions like anger and frustration. (Shutterstock)

    The number of children who own their own tablet has increased from seven per cent in 2013 to 44 per cent in 2020. In the United States, tablet use has become nearly universal, with 93 per cent of parents reporting that their two- to four-year-old uses a mobile device.

    Tablets and mobile devices can be connected to the internet and allow users unlimited access to tailored content thanks to personalized algorithms. For this reason, these devices can be highly engaging for young children. However, they offer few opportunities for children to develop important emotion regulation skills, including the ability to manage strong emotions like anger and frustration.

    The early childhood years are foundational for the development of emotion regulation skills. More challenging, less well-regulated children also tend to be exposed to more screen time by parents. For this reason, it remains important to answer the following question: does children’s tablet use contribute to poor emotional regulation, or do poorly regulated children spend more time on tablets?

    We and our co-authors addressed this question in a study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

    Tablet use and emotional regulation

    Our study found that for every 73-minute increase in tablet use at the age of 3.5 years, there was a significant increase in expressions of anger and frustration at age 4.5.
    (Shutterstock)

    Over the course of three years, we longitudinally studied a sample of 315 children at the ages of 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 years in Nova Scotia. Parents reported how much time their child spent using tablets on average every day, and reported how frequently their child expressed anger and frustration in the context of their daily routines.

    Children in our sample spend on average 55 minutes (0.92 hours) per day using tablets at age 3.5, 57 minutes (0.95 hours) per day using tablets at 4.5, and 60 (one hour) per day using tablets at age 5.5.

    We found that for every 73 minutes (1.22 hours) increase in tablet use at the age of 3.5 years, there was a significant increase in expressions of anger and frustration at age 4.5. Children who expressed anger and frustration more frequently at age 4.5 then increased their tablet time at age 5.5 by 17 minutes (0.28 hours).

    Our study’s rigorous design also allowed us to compare each child to themselves over time. That means they served as their own baseline control, which prevents other factors such as pre-existing individual differences (such as child sex and temperament) or differences in the quality of the family environment or socio-economic status from confounding the analyses.

    Kids’ tablet use

    Because of their small size, tablets can also be transported to restaurants or brought along for car or bus rides.
    (Shutterstock)

    Because of their small size, tablets can be transported to restaurants or brought along for car or bus rides to keep children busy or manage boredom and emotional outbursts. Indeed, parents report using screen media as a calming tool to help manage young children’s emotional outbursts. This strategy may be an effective short-term solution, but is likely to backfire in the long run.

    In addition, very young children can operate tablets on their own, which can lead parents to use mobile devices to keep children busy. As such, child tablet use is likely to offer immediate gratification to children while remaining a solitary activity.

    For these reasons, three-year-olds who spend more hours using tablets may forfeit opportunities to engage in activities — such as interactions with caregivers or free play with other children — that are essential for rehearsing and eventually mastering self-regulation. By the age of four, more frequent expression of anger also contributed to increases in tablet use, suggesting that early childhood tablet use could contribute to a vicious cycle over time.

    Co-use of tablets with a caregiver may offer more opportunities for social interactions which may contribute to child learning outcomes.
    (Shutterstock)

    Our study is not without limitations. First, our study was conducted during the pandemic with a convenience sample of 315 children with low levels of socioeconomic risk. Replications on more diverse and vulnerable samples post-pandemic are needed to confirm these results.

    Future studies could examine the roles of screen media content and context of use on children. For instance, using tablets for e-book reading versus using a tablet to watch videos on YouTube may have different effects on children. Furthermore, the co-use of tablets with caregivers may offer more opportunities for social interactions, which may contribute to child learning outcomes.

    Takeaways for parents and caregivers

    Our results indicate that parents should closely monitor tablet use in the early preschool years. Parents should also avoid using tablets as a digital calming tool, especially with children who may be having trouble regulating their emotions and behaviour.

    Finally, to improve emotional regulation skills, parents can ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to engage in activities that promote the development of emotion.

    Gabrielle Garon-Carrier receives funding from Canada Research Chairs Program.

    Caroline Fitzpatrick and Fabricio De Andrade Rocha do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Tablet use by young children is linked with more outbursts of anger and frustration – https://theconversation.com/tablet-use-by-young-children-is-linked-with-more-outbursts-of-anger-and-frustration-237111

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: High tech propels bumper harvests in China’s grain-producing provinces

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 22 — As autumn harvest approaches, Li Yucheng smiles at the sight of his thriving paddy fields, where golden ears of rice dance in the breeze and stalks stand tall against the backdrop of fertile black soil.

    “We planted 800 hectares of rice this year. Despite facing challenges from low temperatures and rainy weather early on, we nurtured the crops back to health, and the yield is expected to exceed 9 tonnes per hectare,” said Li, chairman of a modern agricultural machinery cooperative in Huachuan County, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.

    According to Li, the cooperative has implemented high-tech equipment, including agricultural Internet of Things devices, micro weather stations and pest monitoring systems. The dynamic data can be monitored right from the mobile phone, making field management more accurate and efficient, he added.

    Back in 1998, when Li first started farming, he spent over 200 days a year in the fields, managing just around 5.33 hectares of rice. Now, thanks to advanced agricultural machinery such as high-horsepower tractors and plant protection drones, he works in the fields for no more than 100 days a year.

    Li emphasized the importance the government has attached to grain production over the years, highlighting measures such as reducing agricultural taxes, providing grain subsidies and offering training in agricultural techniques. “I am now full of confidence in grain production,” he said.

    Dubbed China’s grain barn, Heilongjiang has taken the lead in the country’s agricultural modernization, with the overall mechanization rate for crop cultivation and harvesting reaching 99.07 percent. The province’s grain output reached 77.88 billion kg in 2023, securing its position as China’s top producer for the 14th consecutive year.

    In the central granary province of Henan, continuous improvements in agricultural infrastructure and the application of advanced technology have also significantly increased grain yields.

    In Yuanwu Township of Xinxiang City, grain farmer Shen Jifeng coordinated early with a nearby agricultural machinery cooperative to schedule the harvest of over 20 hectares of corn.

    “The yield is expected to be around 9,750 kg per hectare,” Shen noted, adding that with the help of machinery, the harvest will be completed in just two days.

    Shen also noted that the agricultural department regularly provides vital information, including meteorological alerts, soil moisture data, pest reports and field management suggestions. This information is partially sourced from a pole on his field equipped with solar panels, high-definition cameras, atmospheric sensors and other devices.

    Developed by the Central-China Agricultural Valley, an agricultural innovation platform, the pole is connected to a buried soil sensor that continuously transmits various data. The data is processed to assess weather, soil conditions and seedling health, according to Yin Yue, a platform staff member.

    Henan plans to establish a total of 1 million hectares of demonstration zones for high-standard farmland by 2025, aiming to increase grain production capacity from 65 to 70 billion kg.

    Technology also ensures food security in mountainous regions. In southwestern Guizhou Province, where mountainous and hilly areas account for 92.5 percent of the total land, per capita arable land is only 0.09 hectares, below the national average.

    At a modern seed breeding center in Kaiyang County, digital workshops are in full operation, and automated facilities are engaged in production. The center has bred over 10 new vegetable varieties, including peppers, tomatoes, kale, broccoli and eggplant, which were developed by domestic and international research institutions and seed industry enterprises.

    “Through advanced technologies such as digital control, precision planting and tidal seedling breeding, we can produce 6 to 7 million seedlings per crop cycle,” said Chen Fucai, technical director of Guizhou modern seed industry company, which manages the breeding center. Remarkably, two to three workers can oversee more than 4,000 square meters of seedling area.

    Since April 2023, Guizhou has launched innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives for agricultural technicians, attracting 2,874 professional teams to contribute scientifically to improving grain and oil yields. Additionally, a project to cultivate high-quality farmers is scheduled to train over 10,000 individuals in cultural, technical and management skills.

    China celebrates its seventh farmers’ harvest festival on Sunday. The country continues to prioritize food security, as it feeds over 1.4 billion people with only 9 percent of the world’s arable land. Over the past years, various measures have been implemented to improve grain output, including building more high-standard farmland and promoting agricultural technologies.

    By the end of 2023, China has developed over 66.7 million hectares of high-standard farmland, with 13 key grain-producing provincial-level regions accounting for around 70 percent of the total.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: ICC welcomes UN Pact for the Future as chance to forge new models of engagement with business

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: ICC welcomes UN Pact for the Future as chance to forge new models of engagement with business

    The International Chamber of Commerce has issued the following statement following the adoption of the United Nations Pact for the Future. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said:

    “We welcome the adoption today of the United Nations Pact for the Future. Global business is clear that enhanced international cooperation is imperative to tackle the critical challenges facing the world – from climate change to insecurity.

    “We commend the leadership of the UN Secretary General and the President of the General Assembly for their leadership in delivering this important agreement in the face of complex political dynamics throughout the intergovernmental negotiations.

    “We recognise that the final pact hasn’t delivered the level of ambition in some areas that many of us have been seeking from this agreement. But we believe, nevertheless, it provides an important foundation for renewed cooperation on cross-border challenges and, ultimately, a stronger UN system.

    “Nowhere is that more important than the opportunity provided to enhance role of the UN crisis situations, learning the lessons – good and bad – from the international response to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic to the spillover effects of the conflict in Ukraine.

    “Here, we believe the Pact must serve as an immediate platform for action to develop mechanisms capable of ensuring a rapid, cohesive and effective global response to emerging crises. This should provide an opportunity to forge new models of engagement with business – breaking through artificial silos that today often limit the real-world impact of crisis response efforts. We look forward to working with the UN Secretary General to this end.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SIU welcomes extradition of Michael Lomas

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Sunday, September 22, 2024

    The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the extradition of entrepreneur Michael Lomas concerning Eskom’s R745 million Kusile power plant allegations of fraud, unauthorised rewards, corruption and money laundering. 

    Lomas was arrested in April 2021. He is one of five accused of the alleged crimes. 

    READ | Former PRASA engineering head’s sentence a blow against corruption

    His co-accused are former Eskom Group Executive for Group Capital Division, Abram Masango; former Eskom Senior Manager for Group Capital Division, France Hlakudi; the owner of Tubular Construction Project Antonio José Trindade, and the owner of Babinatlou Business Services Hudson Kgomoeswana. 

    The arrests follow an intensive investigation by the SIU at Eskom, which uncovered evidence of criminal actions involving five accused individuals. This evidence, gathered under the SIU Act, was referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) for further action. 

    “The investigation, initiated in 2018 under Proclamation R11, focuses on Eskom’s procurement and contracting processes and related payments. 

    “The SIU applauds the diligent work of the NPA’s Investigating Directorate, Hawks and international partners, whose collaboration has led to this critical milestone.

    “The SIU will continue to support the prosecutorial process and ensure that all individuals implicated in corruption are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

    “This extradition is part of implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which sees law enforcement agencies coming together to eradicate corruption in South Africa and ensure the continued cleaning up of State-owned Entities, like Eskom, from corruption,” said the SIU. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Announcement of the appointment of the Government.

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    The composition of the Government resulting from the decree signed today on the proposal of the Prime Minister, responsible for Ecological and Energy Planning, is as follows:

    Ministers:

    Mr. Didier MIGAUD, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice;

    Ms. Catherine VAUTRIN, Minister for Partnership with the Territories and Decentralization;

    Mr. Bruno RETAILLEAU, Minister of the Interior;

    Ms. Anne GENETET, Minister of National Education;

    Mr. Jean-Noël BARROT, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs;

    Ms. Rachida DATI, Minister of Culture;

    Mr. Sébastien LECORNU, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans;

    Ms. Agnès PANNIER-RUNACHER, Minister of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention;

    Mr. Antoine ARMAND, Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry;

    Ms. Geneviève DARRIEUSSECQ, Minister of Health and Access to Healthcare;

    Mr. Paul CHRISTOPHE, Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and Equality between Women and Men;

    Ms. Valérie LÉTARD, Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal;

    Ms. Annie GENEVARD, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry;

    Ms. Astrid PANOSYAN-BOUVET, Minister of Labor and Employment;

    Mr. Gil AVÉROUS, Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life;

    Mr. Patrick HETZEL, Minister of Higher Education and Research;

    Mr. Guillaume KASBARIAN, Minister of Civil Service, Simplification and Transformation of Public Action;

    Mr. François-Noël BUFFET, Minister to the Prime Minister, responsible for Overseas Territories;

    Mr. Laurent SAINT-MARTIN, Minister to the Prime Minister, responsible for the Budget and Public Accounts.

    Ministers Delegate:

    To the Prime Minister and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs:

    Mr. Benjamin HADDAD, responsible for Europe;

    To the Prime Minister:

    Ms Nathalie DELATTRE, responsible for Relations with Parliament;

    Ms Maud BREGEON, Government spokesperson;

    Ms. Marie-Claire CARRÈRE-GÉE, responsible for Government Coordination;

    To the Minister for Partnership with the Territories and Decentralization:

    Mrs. Françoise GATEL, responsible for Rural Affairs, Trade and Crafts;

    Mr. François DUROVRAY, responsible for Transport;

    Mr. Fabrice LOHER, responsible for the Sea and Fisheries;

    To the Minister of the Interior:

    Mr. Nicolas DARAGON, responsible for daily security;

    To the Minister of National Education:

    Mr. Alexandre PORTIER, responsible for Academic Success and Professional Education;

    To the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs:

    Ms Sophie PRIMAS, responsible for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad;

    To the Minister of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention:

    Ms. Olga GIVERNET, responsible for Energy;

    To the Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry:

    Mr. Marc FERRACCI, responsible for Industry;

    Ms Marie-Agnès POUSSIER-WINSBACK, responsible for the Social and Solidarity Economy, Profit-Sharing and Participation;

    Ms. Marina FERRARI, responsible for the Tourism Economy;

    To the Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and Equality between Women and Men:

    Ms. Agnès CANAYER, responsible for Family and Early Childhood.

    Secretaries of State:

    To the Minister of the Interior:

    Mr. Othman NASROU, responsible for Citizenship and the Fight against Discrimination;

    To the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs:

    Mr. Thani MOHAMED SOILIHI, responsible for Francophonie and International Partnerships;

    To the Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry:

    Ms. Laurence GARNIER, responsible for Consumption;

    To the Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and Equality between Women and Men:

    Ms. Salima SAA, responsible for Equality between women and men;

    To the Minister of Higher Education and Research:

    Ms. Clara CHAPPAZ, responsible for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology.

    The President of the Republic will bring together all members of the Government for a Council of Ministers which will be held on Monday, September 23 at 3:00 p.m.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Launchpool Lists WATCoin (WAT) with 1.57 Billion WAT tokens for to Lock Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Mocacoin (MOCA)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Sept. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is set to list WATCoin (WAT), providing eligible users the opportunity to lock BTC, ETH, and MOCA in exchange for a share of 1,571,000,000 WAT. This promotional event will commence on September 20, 2024, at 10:00 (UTC) and run for ten days, allowing participants to maximize their holdings during this period.

    WATCoin (WAT) is part of a rapidly growing gaming ecosystem on the TON blockchain, boasting over 80 million lifetime users. It has one of the highest user retention rates among leading Telegram games, exceeding 25%. WATCoin is incubated by GAMEE, a mobile studio with a decade of experience and backing from notable names such as Animoca Brands and Binance Labs. Additional investment has been secured from Pantera, Kingsway, and TON Ventures, alongside a grant from the TON Foundation. WATCoin aims to be the primary platform for all TON projects within the Animoca portfolio and its partners. It has previously collaborated with projects like Notcoin and Blum, indicating its potential to accumulate value through its expanding network of partnerships.

    The locking period for this promotion spans from September 20, 2024, at 10:00 (UTC) to September 30, 10:00 (UTC). Participants can select from three distinct locking pools based on their preferred assets: BTC, ETH, or MOCA. Each pool has specific maximum and minimum locking limits, with the WAT allocation distributed based on the participant’s locked volume in proportion to the total locked volume within that pool.

    The BTC locking pool offers a total airdrop of 744,000,000 WAT, with a maximum limit of 2 BTC and a minimum limit of 0.0001 BTC. Users’ airdrop shares will be calculated based on their contribution to the overall BTC pool volume. Similarly, the ETH pool provides another 744,000,000 WAT for distribution, with a maximum of 15 ETH and a minimum of 0.002 ETH required for participation. The third option, the MOCA locking pool, features a total airdrop of 83,000,000 WAT, accommodating a maximum of 2,000,000 MOCA and a minimum of 50 MOCA. The airdrop distribution method ensures that participants receive a fair share according to their asset allocation in each pool.

    Hourly snapshots of participants’ locked volumes will be taken, with the airdrops distributed accordingly. For instance, if a user locks their assets at 10:46 AM, the volume is confirmed at 11:00 AM, and the airdrop is then distributed at 12:00 PM. This continuous distribution process allows for efficient and timely reward allocation. Participants have the flexibility to unlock their assets at any point during the promotion, with locked assets being automatically returned upon unlocking.

    WATCoin’s launch on Bitget Launchpool signals a step forward for TON’s gaming ecosystem, showcasing its potential for growth and value generation within the blockchain gaming space.

    For more information on WAT tokens, please visit here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 45 million users in 100+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget inspires individuals to embrace crypto through collaborations with credible partners, including legendary Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi and Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team).

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices may fluctuate and experience price volatility. Only invest what you can afford to lose. The value of your investment may be impacted and it is possible that you may not achieve your financial goals or be able to recover your principal investment. You should always seek independent financial advice and consider your own financial experience and financial standing. Past performance is not a reliable measure of future performance. Bitget shall not be liable for any losses you may incur. Nothing here shall be construed as financial advice. For more information, see our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a5cfb082-cae5-484e-b9cc-6273256f4ba3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 09.22.2024 Sen. Cruz Applauds Announcement of House Vote on His Bipartisan CHIPS Permitting Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement after it was announced that the bipartisan legislation he authored with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) to dramatically expedite semiconductor manufacturing plant construction would receive a vote on the House floor next week. The Kelly-Cruz bill has already passed the Senate.
    “My number-one priority fighting for Texas has always been jobs, jobs, jobs,” said Sen. Cruz. “I am thrilled that the House has scheduled the Kelly-Cruz legislation for a vote next week. I’ve teamed up with Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to pass landmark legislation streamlining environmental permitting rules for new semiconductor factories.  When passed, Kelly-Cruz will help bring tens of thousands of jobs to Texas and hundreds of billions in new investments. It will also advance our national security significantly by making us much less dependent on China for advanced semiconductors. Our bipartisan legislation passed the Senate unanimously, and I urge our House colleagues to likewise swiftly pass it into law.”
    During the week of September 23rd, the House will vote on S. 2228, the “Building Chips in America Act,” under suspension of the rules, requiring a 2/3 majority of House members for passage. S.2228 was modified with substitute text authored by Sens. Cruz and Kelly (Senate Amendment 1378).
    In December, the Senate unanimously passed Sens. Cruz and Kelly’s bipartisan chips permitting bill, which was cosponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-IN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). This legislation had also previously passed the Senate in July of 2023 as part of the Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).In October of 2023, Sens. Cruz and Kelly led  a bipartisan, bicameral letter with over 100 signers in support of passing these permitting reforms.
    In January, Sen. Cruz toured the Samsung facility in Taylor, Texas and reiterated the importance of his CHIPS/National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) legislation. Sen. Cruz also hosted a roundtable event in Round Rock, Texas, to discuss regulatory hurdles facing the semiconductor industry. Sen. Cruz engaged with many Texas-based semiconductor companies, and discussed how burdensome federal environmental requirements are driving up compliance costs for chip manufacturers, leading to slower construction timelines.
    In April, Sen. Cruz discussed the need for chips permitting reform at a roundtable discussion hosted by Southern Methodist University after the university had been designated the lead agency for this federally funded economic development initiative, aimed at bolstering semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.
    Background on Sen. Cruz’s efforts to encourage American innovation through Chips manufacturing:
    During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on ‘CHIPS and Science Implementation and Oversight,’ Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo endorsed Sens. Cruz and Mark Kelly’s (D-AZ) CHIPS/NEPA proposal.
    Sen. Cruz helped enact historic tax reform in 2017, which gave a tax cut to virtually every taxpayer in America. It reduced taxes on small businesses, farmers, ranchers, and job producers, which has helped bring jobs to Texas and drive innovation.
    Sen. Cruz has been leading the fight against burdensome federal government regulations and EPA overreach.
    Sen. Cruz authored the Cost Recovery and Expensing Acceleration to Transform the Economy and Jumpstart Opportunities for Businesses and Startups (CREATE JOBS) Act, which would vitally reform business expensing in the tax code and help businesses and innovators thrive.
    Sen. Cruz championed the Facilitating American-Built Semiconductors (FABS) Act to incentivize manufacturing in the U.S. through tax credits. That legislation is now law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why are the violins the biggest section in the orchestra?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Case, Lecturer in Musicology, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney

    Manuel Nägeli/Unsplash, FAL

    As the largest section of the orchestra, sitting front and centre of the stage performing memorable melodies, it’s easy for violinists to steal the limelight. Ask any violinist why there are so many in an orchestra, and we’ll often reply, tongue-in-cheek: “obviously it’s because we’re the best”.

    The real answer is a bit more complex, and combines reasons both logistical and historical.

    How we got the modern orchestra

    During the Baroque period between around 1600 and 1750, the composition of the orchestra was not standardised, and often used instruments based on availability. Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo, which premiered in 1607, is one of the earliest examples of a composer specifying the desired instrumentation.

    The size of the orchestra also varied. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for and worked with ensembles of up to 18 players in Germany. At Palazzo Pamphili in Rome, Corelli directed ensembles of 50–80 musicians – and, on one notable occasion to celebrate the coronation of Pope Innocent XII, an ensemble of 150 string players.

    The modern-day violin was also developed around this time, and eventually replaced the instruments of the viol family. The violin has remained a staple member of the orchestra ever since.

    Philippe Mercier, 1689 or 1691–1760, Franco-German, active in Britain (from 1716), The Sense of Hearing, 1744 to 1747, Oil on canvas.
    Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1974.3.19.

    Music of this period was created on a smaller scale than much of the repertoire we hear today, and often placed a strong focus on string instruments. As the orchestra became more standardised, members of the woodwind family appeared, including the oboe, bassoon, recorder and transverse flute.

    During the classical period from around 1730 to 1820, orchestral performances moved from the royal courts into the public domain, and their size continued to grow. Instruments were organised into sections, and bowed strings formed the majority.

    Composers began to use a wider range of instruments and techniques. Beethoven wrote parts for the early double bassoon, piccolo flute, trombone (which was largely confined to church music beforehand), and individual double bass parts (where previously they had often doubled the cello part).

    Marco Ricci, 1676–1729, Italian, active in Britain (1708–10; 1711–16), Rehearsal of an opera, ca. 1709, Oil on canvas.
    Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1981.25.523.

    During the romantic period of the 19th century, composer Hector Berlioz, author of a Treatise on Instrumentation and Modern Orchestration (1841), further developed the symphony orchestra by adding instruments such as the tuba, cor anglais and bass clarinet.

    By the end of the 19th century, many orchestras reached the size and proportions we recognise today, with works that require more than 100 musicians, such as Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

    What’s size got to do with it?

    As increasing numbers of performers and instruments became standard in orchestral repertoire, ensembles became louder, and more string players were needed to balance the sound. The violin is a comparatively quiet instrument, and a solo player cannot be heard over the power of the brass.

    Having violinists at the front of the stage also helps the sound reach the audience’s ears without competing to be heard over the louder instruments.

    The typical layout of the orchestra has not always been standard. First violinists (who often carry the melody) and second violinists (who typically play a supportive role) used to sit opposite each other on stage.

    US conductor Leopold Stokowski rearranged the position of the first and second violinists during the 1920s so they sat next to each other on the left of the stage. This change meant the voices of each string section were arranged from high to low across the stage.

    This change was widely adopted and has become a standard setup for the modern orchestra.

    Stokowski is known for experimenting with the layout of the orchestra. He once placed the entire woodwind section at the front of the orchestra ahead of the strings, receiving widespread criticism from the audience and musicians. The board of the Philadelphia Orchestra allegedly said the winds “weren’t busy enough to put on a good show”.

    Sound, texture and timbre

    String players do not need to worry about lung capacity or breaking for air. As such, violinists can perform long melodic passages with fast finger work, and our bows allow for seemingly endless sustain. Melodies written for strings are innumerable, and often memorable.

    Having several violinists play together creates a specific sound and texture that is distinct from a solo string player and the other sections of the orchestra. Not only is the sound of every violin slightly different, the rate of each string’s vibration and the movement of each player’s bow varies. The result is a rich and full texture that creates a lush effect.

    Today, symphony orchestras are expected to perform an incredibly diverse range of repertoire from classical to romantic, film scores to newly commissioned works. Determining the number of violinists who will appear in any given piece is a question of balance that will change depending on the repertoire.

    A Mozart symphony might require fewer than ten wind or brass players, who would be drowned out by a full string section. However, a Mahler symphony requires more than 30 non-string players – meaning far more string players are needed to balance out this sound.

    Room for experimentation

    Notable exceptions to the orchestra’s standard setup include Charles Ives’ 1908 The Unanswered Question for string orchestra, solo trumpet and wind quartet spread around the room; Stockhausen’s 1958 Gruppen, pour trois orchestres, in which three separate orchestras perform in a horseshoe shape around the audience; and Pierre Boulz’s 1981 Répons featuring 24 performers on a stage surrounded by the audience, who are in turn surrounded by six soloists.

    Despite experimentation, the placement and number of instruments in an orchestra has remained relatively standard since the 19th century.

    Many aspects of the traditional orchestra’s setup make sense. However, many of the orchestra’s habits come down to tradition and perhaps unconscious alignment with “just the way things are done”.

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

    – ref. Why are the violins the biggest section in the orchestra? – https://theconversation.com/why-are-the-violins-the-biggest-section-in-the-orchestra-236596

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do footy’s best and fairest awards achieve what they claim?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University

    Football’s awards season kicks off this week, with the AFL’s Brownlow Medal awarded on Monday evening and the NRL’s Dally M awarded on October 2.

    Both medals aim to crown their league’s best regular season player.

    Historical voting patterns, however, question whether they achieve this objective, or rather award the most influential key position player from the season’s most successful teams.

    How to assess a fairest and best player?

    A curiosity of the Australian sport landscape is that all four major football codes use a different panel of judges in award voting.

    The AFL’s Brownlow Medal is voted on by umpires, while the NRL’s Dally M is determined by a pool of media pundits and ex-players.

    Rugby Australia’s John Eales Medal is voted on by players, and the A-League’s Johnny Warren Medal is judged by a four-body panel that consists of a technical football expert, football media representative, former player and match officials.

    Each one of these structures produces unique biases and criticisms.

    The Brownlow: the midfielder’s medal

    The Brownlow was devised as an award for the fairest and best player of the AFL competition, reflecting the often understated importance of fair play that umpires are uniquely positioned to judge.

    The Brownlow’s voting system has long been a topic of interest for fans, pundits and academics alike.

    While Lachie Neale’s surprise victory in 2023 generated renewed controversy, the Brownlow has long been criticised as a midfielders award.

    Melbourne’s Herald, in 1938, stated:

    Under the present method, men playing on the full-forward or full-back lines have little chance of winning the award usually being won by men most constantly in the play who are able to stand out in comparatively weak sides.

    This observation around weak sides reflected that from 1931 to 1938, the Brownlow went on an eight-season run of being won by a player not from a finals team.

    Indeed, among the first 49 Brownlow winners from 1924 to 1969, only 31% came from finalists.

    Since 1970, 72% of winners have come from a finals team (noting the finals system has changed over time).

    One consistent long-term trend has been the dominance of midfielders.

    Among the 27 Brownlows awarded this millennium, only Adam Goodes (a two-time winner) would not be considered primarily a midfielder.

    This positional dominance is not unique to AFL.

    Soccer’s most pre-eminent global award, the Ballon d’Or, has been awarded 66 times, of which a defender has been the recipient only four times and a goalkeeper once.

    The Dally M suffers from a similar concentration.

    The Dally M: the media medal

    The Dally M has been awarded since 1979, becoming rugby league’s premier individual honour in 1998 with the formation of the NRL.

    In 45 years of voting, the winner has come from a non-finalist team on only six occasions (13%).

    The award is also won near exclusively by the “spine” positions of fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker, which account for 91% of medallists.

    The Dally M uses a pool of media pundits and ex-players for voting on each match, creating the potential for obvious conflicts of interests.

    During seasons 2019 and 2020 for instance, 12 of the Brisbane Broncos’ 44 matches were judged by ex-Broncos players. On four of these instances, former player Darren Lockyer was the judge, despite being an active non-executive director of the Brisbane Broncos organisation.

    Voting in nearly 22% of matches in these two seasons was performed by judges who played or coached for one of the participating teams.

    NRL Chairman Peter V’Landys initiated a review of the Dally M following a surprise winner in 2020 (Jack Wighton), claiming the voting system disadvantaged players from winning teams.

    Whilst this supposition disregarded that 88% of all 2020 Dally M points were awarded to players from the winning team, voting was modified for the 2023 season.

    This revised system introduced an additional judge to produce two independent voters per match, and in a widely criticised move, veiled these judges with anonymity.

    This new system has revealed just how little experts agree when trying to assess subjective performance.

    In the opening five rounds of 2023, the two judges picked the same player of the match in less than half (48%) of fixtures.

    In a third of matches (31%), one judge’s best on ground did not poll any points with the other judge.

    In one instance, the two judges chose six completely different players in their respective 3-2-1 votes (round five, 2023, Bulldogs v Cowboys).

    Player and coach awards: The true best and fairest?

    Although the Brownlow and Dally M dominate the public limelight, team accolades are typically held in high standing within sport clubs, as internal recognition is often more highly valued than external status within high performance cultures.

    Such player and coach awards, typically forming part of season-end club events, can be argued as more accurate assessments of player performance.

    This is because the voters – teammates and/or coaches – best understand the roles and expectations of each player within the team’s overarching game plan.

    For this reason, in the AFL, there is often wide discrepancies between a team’s distribution of Brownlow votes and a club’s internal award votes.

    In 2023, for instance, six of 18 AFL clubs crowned a best and fairest who was different from their highest Brownlow vote-getter.

    The most notable of this was Brisbane, where key defender Harris Andrews won the club’s best and fairest, despite finishing 44th in Brownlow voting.

    Defender Harry Sheezel similarly won North Melbourne’s best and fairest despite finishing fifth from his team in the Brownlow count.

    Is there a perfect solution?

    Recent shock winners in both codes saw media organisations perform “forensic analysis” of voting patterns.

    In the AFL, former Collingwood president and media personality Eddie McGuire proposed a “panel of elders” while the NRL’s V’Landys proposed rating every player for every match, to determine their respective awards.

    Such scrutiny has undoubtedly been fuelled by the datafication of sport and its athletes, which has seen player performance statistics enter the sporting mainstream.

    Is it notable then that the AFL reaffirmed their existing policy in early 2024 to preclude umpires from accessing player statistics in casting their votes.

    Indeed statistics may not offer the perfect solution some believe.

    Any statistical assessment of player performance remains underpinned by human judgement as to the importance of each metric, whilst missing the qualitative nuance that surrounds key match plays and moments.

    Ultimately then, there may not be a perfect method to determine a league’s best and fairest player and, arguably, it is this human judgement dimension which makes these awards so engaging as a public spectacle.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Do footy’s best and fairest awards achieve what they claim? – https://theconversation.com/do-footys-best-and-fairest-awards-achieve-what-they-claim-237978

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Basic service provider or mini democracy? Why NZ needs to decide what it wants from local government

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey McNeill, Honorary Research Associate, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent challenge to local government “to rein in the fantasies and to get back to delivering the basics brilliantly” was unsurprising, given his government’s focus on fiscal restraint.

    It was in keeping with his announcement that councils’ legislative purpose of delivering their communities’ economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing are to be removed from the Local Government Act.

    Local government responded with the usual indignation and suggested solutions. There were complaints about inadequate funding mechanisms, questions about whether libraries are basic services. The whole spat likely flew under the radar of the wider public.

    Yet the problems facing local government are very real and will not just go away by kicking costly decisions down the road. Rather, they are symptomatic of fundamental choices facing the sector.

    Foundational issues

    The problems go back to the late 1980s when our current local government system was designed.

    Led by then local government minister Michael Bassett, the reforms were the first in over 100 years. More than 850 city, borough and county councils, catchment boards, united councils and local boards were amalgamated to form 86 in 1989 and now 78 regional, city and district councils we have today.

    But Bassett still considered local government reform incomplete because of the failure to address water provision.

    But I would argue the real unfinished business was the failure to resolve the purpose of local government in the first place. Only when that is agreed can we address local government’s functions, form and funding.

    Until then, the shape and function of local government will remain a political football.

    According to section 10(1)(a) of the Local Government Act 2002, the purpose of local government is “to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities”.

    But the second subsection describing its purpose, (s.10(1)(b)) has changed with the various governments. In 2002, under Helen Clark’s Labour-led government, the purpose of local government was:

    to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

    John Key’s National-led government in 2012 replaced that purpose with a remit

    to meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services, and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses.

    The previous Labour government reintroduced the wellbeing purpose. Luxon is set to remove it.

    Function, form and funding

    Should local government be a true local government with comprehensive and wide powers, or simply a property-services organisation, providing little more than street-lighting, roading, water and sewerage?

    The two very different conceptions of local government determine its functions, form and funding.

    These differing views reflect the disparate Anglophone and European concepts of local government. National aligns with the Anglophone model, with its limited local government functions under a strong central government. Labour leans towards the European model, with devolved wide-ranging functions.

    The distinction between the two models was made very clear to me while working as part of an international team researching local government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    My Italian colleague, for example, reported how his country’s local governments were vitally involved in their cities’ day to day management during the crisis.

    Mayors and councils were making daily decisions and announcements about their hospitals’ resourcing, whether to close the schools and training institutes, increase social welfare provision and housing, and so on.

    On the flipside, New Zealand local government was largely sidelined to address humanitarian services such as ensuring people had access to food and accommodation.

    Instead, councils searched for local “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects to access central government funds in order to reduce unemployment and stimulate local economies. The public focused on national daily press announcements from the prime minister and director-general of health.

    No appetite strong local government

    For all that, the distinction between Labour and National conceptions of local government may not be as great as recent history suggests.

    Both want a strong centre and weak local government. Our councils have largely reinforced this reality. Some have sought to extend their scope of activities, others have clearly defined themselves as property services agencies.

    Most have largely refrained from the excesses the prime minister appears to be concerned about, partly to avoid being caught out by changes in central government, but also because most council expenditure is already committed to infrastructure.

    But does it have to be this way?

    The Labour-led government’s 2021 Future for Local Government review envisaged local government using partnerships with hapū and iwi to promote the four key wellbeings as key to any reform. This is at odds with the present government’s priorities and views on governing with Māori – a big reason why the reports now collect dust.

    The review was also very constrained in considering local government functions. Rather, it seemingly took existing functions as its starting point to focus instead on local governance.

    Writing about our local government nearly 70 years ago, public servant and academic R.J. Polaschek imagined what would have been if New Zealand had been colonised by Denmark instead of Great Britain. In this hypothetical scenario he saw strong independent local government based on communities with wide-ranging functions.

    It still could be, but tinkering at the edges is not going to solve its problems. Our local government project remains unfinished business. It will take political courage and vision to complete the task. One that remains a fantasy, and we are all the losers.

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

    – ref. Basic service provider or mini democracy? Why NZ needs to decide what it wants from local government – https://theconversation.com/basic-service-provider-or-mini-democracy-why-nz-needs-to-decide-what-it-wants-from-local-government-238862

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How did they get my data? I uncovered the hidden web of networks behind telemarketers

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Dev, Lecturer & Academic Data Science, Digital Assets & Distributed Ledgers, Australian National University

    Kokhan O/Shutterstock

    Last year, I started getting a lot of unsolicited phone calls, mainly from people trying to sell me things. This came as a surprise because, as a data scientist, I am very careful about what personal information I let out into the world. So I set out to discover what had happened.

    My investigation took several months. It eventually led me to the labyrinthine world of data brokers.

    In today’s digital age, where personal data is a new kind of gold, these companies wield significant power, creating networks where our personal information is shared between brokers and telemarketers as easily as TikTok videos. Their businesses profit from the data they collect, and many of the calls they enable come from scammers.

    This comes at an enormous cost: in 2023, Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams. This highlights the urgent need for stronger privacy protections to limit how our personal data is collected and shared.

    In an attempt to address this need, the Australian government this month introduced long-overdue privacy reforms. But these reforms are still inadequate for the many privacy issues affecting people today, including targeting by data brokers and telemarketers.

    Investigating the hidden web

    One of the mechanisms designed to protect us from unwanted calls is the Do Not Call Register.

    Managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the registry holds more than 12 million phone numbers, including mine. The registry is supposed to block unsolicited calls. But last year, despite being on the list, I began to receive dozens of unwanted calls – on average, about three per day.

    Curious, I started tracing the origins of these calls. What I uncovered was a network of hidden connections between data brokers, telemarketers and large organisations – including a major political party. It became clear that simply being on the Do Not Call Register wasn’t enough to protect my privacy.

    I started by asking the callers what data they held, and how they had obtained mine. I requested details about the companies they represented, including their websites and Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) – the unique identifiers for Australian businesses.

    Most callers hung up the moment I started asking questions, until one day I spoke with a man named Paul, who worked in the real estate sector – an industry worth more than $10 trillion as of 2024. The high-value real-estate market makes our personal data especially valuable to businesses operating within the industry.

    Digging deeper

    The unique thing about Paul was that he knew my real name, whereas other telemarketers only had access to the pseudonyms I’d used to protect my identity online. Paul explained he had licensed my data from the real estate giant CoreLogic Australia.

    This discovery pushed me to dig deeper. After a lot of back and forth, I finally obtained my data from CoreLogic. The amount of information was small, but surprisingly accurate – especially considering the steps I’d taken to hide my identity. It made me wonder where they got it from, as only organisations such as utility companies, banks or the government would hold that type of information.

    CoreLogic told me in an email that:

    CoreLogic gets data from a variety of sources … most of the information we collect comes from public records, which we license from government departments and agencies. We may also collect personal information from third parties such as through real estate agents, tenancy and strata mangers, financial institutions and marketing database providers.

    This was a troubling discovery, because the institutions on which we depend for essentials such as public services, housing and finance – and from which we can’t hide our identities – may be selling our personal information to data brokers, who then pass it along to telemarketers.

    What’s even more alarming is that the data is shared unmasked, meaning personal details such as our names, genders and phone numbers are fully visible. Once this information is out in the open, it becomes almost impossible to control how it’s recorded or shared.

    It’s also nearly impossible to stop it being passed to overseas telemarketers, who aren’t bound by Australian privacy laws.

    Real estate giant CoreLogic says most of the personal data it collects comes from public records.
    IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

    Solving the mystery

    My investigation didn’t end there.

    Eventually, CoreLogic revealed it had purchased my data from Australian data broker firm Smrtr in August 2023. This coincided with the surge in unsolicited calls.

    Through Smrtr I learned they had purchased my data in 2016 from another data broker, EightDragons Digital. Smrtr also admitted to selling my data to various companies – all without my consent.

    Determined to investigate the origin of my online data trail, I contacted EightDragons Digital, which calls itself “a leading global consumer data agency”. It collects personal data for big brands including Energy Australia, Vodafone, NRMA, Nissan, Johnnie Walker, American Express, The Good Guys, and even the Australian Labor Party.

    The company claimed it collected my data in a 2014 marketing campaign, and likely passed it to at least 50 other companies. However, it had no records to verify the marketing campaign or prove that I had given consent.

    A small step only

    CoreLogic defended its practices as legal, saying it’s too difficult to verify consent or anonymise personal data.

    However, with modern technology, it’s actually possible to track where data comes from, check consent, and share insights without exposing personal details such as names and phone numbers.

    The government’s recent privacy reforms are a small step in the right direction. But until data brokers are required to obtain explicit consent before trading personal information, they fall far short of being a giant leap forward.

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

    – ref. How did they get my data? I uncovered the hidden web of networks behind telemarketers – https://theconversation.com/how-did-they-get-my-data-i-uncovered-the-hidden-web-of-networks-behind-telemarketers-238991

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: With all these defamation lawsuits, what ever happened to free speech?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne

    Shutterstock

    It seems like the dust barely settles from the latest high-profile defamation stoush before the next set of litigants straps on the gloves and steps into the ring.

    Many of these cases raise eyebrows — and questions. Was that story about him? Does anyone remember that tweet? Wasn’t it just harmless banter? Didn’t she respond to that allegation? What if it’s all true? Isn’t that free speech? How much did you say this will cost?!

    Defamation law continues to loom large over public conversations, despite recent law reforms aimed at remedying Australia’s unwanted reputation as the “defamation capital of the world”.

    At the heart of defamation law lies a tension between protecting reputation and maintaining freedom of speech. The more robustly defamation law protects reputation, the more it constrains speech.

    Free speech is valued in Australian law, politics and society, notwithstanding our lack of an explicit constitutional speech right. So why does our defamation law facilitate seven-figure lawsuits over communicative slights that, at times, seem disproportionately minor?

    What shapes these laws?

    Defamation law is old — very old — with roots in English law half a millennium ago. For several hundred years it existed in parallel with publishing monopolies, political and moral censorship, and fears that loose talk could stoke public disorder.

    In other words, our defamation law substantially predates modern conceptions of civil and political rights. Some of its features, like strict rather than fault-based liability (the plaintiff need not prove anything about the defendant’s intentions or degree of care), retain the flavour of less liberal times.

    Libel laws in the western world, as seen here in the US in the 1730s, are very old.
    Library of Congress

    Still, defamation has developed over the years and adapted with transplantation to other legal systems.

    The defamation laws of different places are influenced by factors such as community values, prevailing views on the value of speech, the nature and democratic credentials of the political system, and the role of law and the constitution in regulating citizens and the state.

    For example, the United States is culturally and historically predisposed to liberty and suspicion of government. The freedom to discuss and debate public affairs is seen as essential to its democratic system. The First Amendment to the US Constitution is the world’s most famous free speech law.

    Accordingly, US courts have limited defamation on matters of public concern to deliberate or reckless lies, while opinions on any newsworthy topic are immune from suit. This is because US democracy requires the “marketplace of ideas” to be minimally constrained and largely self-regulating.

    On the other hand, less democratic states have kept their defamation laws strict, to suppress political dissent and silence critical media.

    A case in point is Singapore, which, under founding father Lee Kwan Yew and his perpetually-in-power People’s Action Party, has weaponised defamation law against political opposition and the press.



    Read more:
    With more lawsuits potentially looming, should politicians be allowed to sue for defamation?

    That is not to say that less defamation law is automatically better than more. The interest in maintaining a (deserved) good reputation is legitimate. And speech anarchism can allow low-value and harmful speech to flourish.

    The High Court of Australia has shied away from US-style speech liberalism for fear it could facilitate speech that is harmful to the integrity of political discourse: a prescient position given recent US history. The English courts have done similarly, influenced by distrust of the tabloid press.

    But when reputation and speech fall out of balance, defamation law risks infringing both democratic values and fundamental rights.

    Legal balancing acts

    Around the turn of the millennium, English defamation law reached a crossroads. Its relative stasis had turned the United Kingdom into a “libel tourism” hotspot, and the UK was falling behind on the speech protections mandated by the European Convention on Human Rights.

    So the UK courts moved to better protect publishers by creating a new defence for responsible publication in the public interest. That was followed in 2013 by a new Defamation Act to further simplify, clarify and rebalance defamation law.

    Australia, lacking the same constitutional or convention impetus, has been slow to follow suit. The states agreed to harmonise their disparate defamation laws only in 2005, and it was 2021 before they found the appetite to improve them.

    By then, Australia had taken over the UK’s mantle as the preferred destination for defamation plaintiffs.

    Australia’s 2021 reforms included a new defence for publication of public-interest material, which generated some excitement but hasn’t substantially liberated the media from defamation threats. It amounts to tinkering around the edges of law, which remains conservative at its core.

    Today, from a practical standpoint, the biggest problem with defamation may be its cost.

    Legal advice and correspondence are expensive, settlements more so, and the cost of litigation can be eye-watering. It’s one problem if you can’t afford to assert your legal rights; it’s quite another to be slapped with an unexpected complaint. Defamation disputes can easily bankrupt individuals and exhaust media budgets.



    Read more:
    Why defamation suits in Australia are so ubiquitous — and difficult to defend for media organisations

    Legal consequences can act as an incentive for better journalism, but they also chill public-interest reporting. Even a journalist assured of their facts will find proving them in court to be a different matter. And a win does not guarantee full recovery of costs, let alone time and stress.

    The debate over defamation law reform is ongoing. The central question remains how best to balance the interest in reputation with the benefits of free speech. The answers depend on what we really value, and what our commitment to liberal democracy really requires.

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

    – ref. With all these defamation lawsuits, what ever happened to free speech? – https://theconversation.com/with-all-these-defamation-lawsuits-what-ever-happened-to-free-speech-238312

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Activist News – KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE – WELLINGTON PROTEST AGAINST THE AEROSPACE CONFERENCE

    Source: Peace Action Wellington

    On Monday 23 September at 1pm, Peace Action Wellington will protest against the Aerospace Summit. The Wellington protest will be outside the Ministry of Business at 15 Stout Street.

    “The Aerospace Conference raises serious concerns because of its ties to the US weapons industry and US military. The aggressive steps taken by the NZ government to join the US in the weaponisation of space, contrary to the Outer Space Treaty, is a deeply alarming agenda,” said Valerie Morse, spokesperson for Peace Action Wellington.

    The Aerospace Summit is an annual event sponsored by Rocket Lab and supported by the US government. Rocket Lab is partly owned by Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest arms dealer. Summit speakers include a representative from Boeing Aerospace, the second largest arms dealer. The Summit is held in Ōtautahi/Christchurch.

    Rocket Lab has been launching US military satellites providing actionable information for the genocide in Gaza.

    “Despite weekly outpouring across Aotearoa of calls for peace, the New Zealand Government seems determined to follow the US into their wars more than ever,” said Valerie Morse, spokesperson for Peace Action Wellington. “New Zealand has taken three steps to join the US Space Race in just the past few months.” (1)

    “New Zealand is now one of the top ‘spots’ for space launches – why? Because NZ has become a US military spaceport,” said  Morse. “All other major space programmes – US, India, China, Russia – are directly linked to their militaries. Ours is linked, too, but not to the NZ military, but rather to the US military. That gives the US huge sway in the things that are launched from Aotearoa, including things that are contrary to the interests of ordinary people here like surveillance and private spying satellites”

    This is the third Aerospace Conference hosted in Ōtautahi, and the third year of peace organising to oppose it. The Wellington action is supported by the Stop AUKUS Coalition, Victoria University Socialists, Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga, climate and peace activists, and local solidarity band the Brass Razoo.

    “We invite members of the public in Wellington to join us in opposing the militarisation of space. We stand in solidarity with Stop the Space Waste in Ōtautahi who are mobilising against the Aerospace Conference and have a nationwide petition (2). We stand in solidarity with: RocketLab Monitor in Māhia who have long exposed the military aims of RocketLab, with Kanaky, against French militarisation. Rocket Lab is launching technology for Kineis, a company based in France that builds French military satellites; with Palestine and with the Anti-Bases Campaign who have long opposed military bases,” said Ms Morse.

    Notes:

    About Peace Action Wellington: For the past quarter-century, Peace Action Wellington has worked for peace and justice throughout the world, with a special focus on the New Zealand government’s involvement in international affairs. PAW stands for peace with justice and self-determination. 

    1. Phil Pennington, “New Zealand takes another step towards US space operations,” RNZ, 8 September 2024, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/527390/new-zealand-takes-another-step-towards-us-space-operations 
    2. Stop the Space Waste petition, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfd7goKR5ANBiGY2Jv5-Ri4hDhxgmY75yv_YtuSn3px61xONA/viewform?usp=send_form 
    3. The Outer Space Treaty can be found here: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html
    4. Details of the 2024 Aerospace Summit can be found here: https://www.aerospace.org.nz/summit

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tech – Kitmap: supporting a thriving science, innovation and technology sector

    Source: Callaghan Innovation

    The Science, Innovation and Technology sector is working together to improve collaboration and access to infrastructure and expertise via a new online platform.

    Kitmap is an online directory and database of scientific infrastructure and equipment owned by publicly funded institutes and is the first of its kind for Aotearoa New Zealand.

    Kitmap was announced today by Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Judith Collins. The online platform is part of a wider project led by the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) that seeks to optimise the use of Aotearoa New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure.

    “We are excited to be part of the delivery and management of a tool that streamlines access to facilities that also helps to enhance collaboration and efficiency,” says Callaghan Innovation Chief Executive, Stefan Korn.

    It includes advanced facilities such as clean rooms, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified testing, pilot and manufacturing infrastructure, and specialised Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy  capabilities that are now more accessible.

    Kitmap currently catalogues 260 R&D items of infrastructure, specialised equipment, much of which are found nowhere else, or not easily accessible in this country.

    It provides easy access to equipment and facilities owned by Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), the National eScience Infrastructure (NeSI) and Callaghan Innovation.

    “Our colleagues at MBIE have done the heavy lifting gathering the relevant information for this tool. As an innovation agency and R&D provider, we are very happy to host and promote Kitmap to support improved collaboration, and optimised resource use across the public sector and beyond.

    “We engaged with MBIE late last year to see what we could do to help. They welcomed our input and their shared requirements for an online tool. We assembled our own team to deliver a dynamic platform that provides instant access to a comprehensive directory of R&D infrastructure and equipment.

    “As scientific fields, interdisciplinary research and private sector R&D areas continue to evolve rapidly, it’s crucial that our public science and technology resources are deployed to the areas where they can deliver the greatest impact for New Zealand.

    “And as the fourth industrial revolution gathers pace, Kitmap will offer valuable insights and access to a broad spectrum of research facilities and equipment, ensuring Kiwi innovators have the tools they need to successfully develop products and inventions.

    “In the near future Kitmap will look to incorporate generative AI functionality to suggest potential methods and machinery required for rapid prototyping of new products or innovations,” says Stefan Korn.

    Kitmap resource categories include:

    • Laboratories: Conventional research rooms/buildings
    • Field sites: Physical spaces for non-laboratory research activities
    • Livestock facilities: Spaces for rearing or researching livestock, including animals, fish, and insects
    • Vessels: Ships or boats equipped for sea research
    • Digital collections: Online databases and digital archives
    • Computing: Physical computing hardware or virtual networks
    • Workshops: Spaces with CNC machinery, tools and equipment for rapid prototyping
    • Sample collections: Physical specimen collections
    • Monitoring: Networks of monitoring equipment
    • Pilot plants: Facilities for pre-commercial production technology trials.

    Visit Kitmap : https://www.kitmap.govt.nz/

    About Callaghan Innovation  

    Callaghan Innovation is New Zealand’s innovation agency. It activates innovation and helps businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand.  The government agency partners with ambitious businesses of all sizes, delivering a range of innovation and research and development (R&D) services to suit each stage of their growth. Its staff – including more than 150 of New Zealand’s leading scientists and engineers – empower innovators by connecting people, opportunities and networks, and providing tailored technical solutions, skills and capability development programmes, and grants co-funding. Callaghan Innovation also enhances the operation of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, working closely with MBIE, NZTE, NZVIF, Crown Research Institutes, and other organisations that help increase business investment in R&D and innovation. The agency operates from five urban offices and a regional partner network in a further 12 locations across Aotearoa.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Global Economy – GlobalData outlines inflation-related concerns as discussed by companies in filing documents – GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Inflation rates remain a mixed bag and vary widely among different countries. Although inflation has moderated across some markets, it remains high for some countries, and accordingly the trend shifts towards rebalancing its impact. Companies have been vocal about their concerns related to inflation and discussing these extensively in filing documents, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Company Filing Analytics Database revealed that companies are increasingly concerned about inflation, which is affecting consumer behavior and leading to lower-than-anticipated net sales and profits on both a quarterly and annual basis.

    Misa Singh, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Inflation impacts business in multiple ways, from dampened customer sentiment, reduced demand, rising raw material costs to higher labor costs, ultimately squeezing profit margins. As consumer confidence wanes, companies are observing a shift toward lower-cost products and are prioritizing market development and portfolio diversification to navigate these challenges.”

    Campbell Soup Co revealed in its earnings calls that it anticipates core inflation to remain in the low-single-digit range for fiscal ’25 and remains focused in areas of the portfolio where it has higher year-over-year input costs, including olive oil, cocoa, and packaging costs, and other areas of persistent inflation, such as labor costs and warehousing costs.

    Haier Smart Home Co Ltd discussed persistent high inflation dampening consumer sentiment in Europe. The company also witnessed suppressed demand due to inflation in markets like the US and Europe. Because of high interest rates and inflation, consumers are increasingly seeking value-for-money products.

    Darden Restaurants Inc mentioned that it is operating in a period of higher-than-usual inflation, led by food and beverage costs and labor inflation. This is principally due to increased costs incurred by vendors related to higher labor, transportation, packaging, and raw materials costs.

    Aurobindo Pharma Ltd talked about soaring inflation in its reports particularly in controlling service inflation, which remains stubbornly high. The company believes that inflation surged initially due to supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co experienced rising input component costs, principally driven by inflation.

    Some developing emerging markets continue to experience intense inflation as revealed by The Coca-Cola Co in its earning transcripts. The company further mentioned that performance was driven by strength in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia while Argentina continued to experience highly inflationary conditions.

    About GlobalData

    4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rural Flood Resilience Partnership launched to help farmers and rural communities adapt to a changing climate

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Partnership unites six organisations including: Action with Communities in Rural England; Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; Environment Agency; National Farmers Union; and Natural England

    With rural communities increasingly on the frontline of extreme weather and the devastating impacts of flooding, a unique partnership has been launched today (23 September 2024) to support rural flood resilience and help farmers and communities adapt to a changing climate. 

    Climate change means that people, places and nature are facing more frequent and more severe storms and floods. Last winter saw one of England’s wettest periods since records began in 1836. 

    The Rural Flood Resilience Partnership has been established to improve collaboration, deepen understanding of vulnerabilities, and support rural communities and agricultural businesses in building their resilience to present and future flood risks and coastal erosion. 

    The Partnership unites organisations representing government agencies, trade associations, rural communities and businesses to tackle a joint challenge with joint solutions. 

    The six equal founding partners are: Action with Communities in Rural England; the Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; the Environment Agency; the National Farmers Union; and Natural England. 

    Today, the Partnership publishes its work plan covering 2024 to 2026. Partners and a wide range of projects will work together to improve their evidence base and will draw on this to co-develop solutions. 

    The work plan sets out 21 actions supporting seven strategic outcomes focused on: developing the evidence base behind decision-making to increase resilience; ensuring communities, farmers and landowners have access to quality advice and support; and engaging rural communities in flood resilience.  

    James Blake, Chair of Trustees Action with Communities in Rural England, said:

    It’s vital that everyone living and working in rural communities – not just those involved in land management and agriculture – have an opportunity to engage with and influence plans to manage the consequences of climate change.  

    As one of the founding members of this partnership, we look forward to drawing on the experience and reach of ACRE members to build the capacity of rural communities to come together and consider what can be done based on local circumstances in response to this most pressing global issue.

    Robert Caudwell, Chair of the Association of Drainage Authorities, said:  

    Our climate is changing rapidly, and those living and working in rural parts of England are some of the most aware of, and most vulnerable to, those changes.

    Listening to the voice of rural communities is essential if we are to build England’s resilience to flooding and drought in the future. 

    The best solutions can often be achieved when public authorities work together with local businesses and communities, combining their land and water management expertise with a deeper understanding of our local landscape and those impacted. 

    ADA is proud to play its part in this new Partnership in support of our members, England’s flood and water management authorities.

    Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:

    The damage to rural land and businesses from flooding is localised but acute, and the frequency of these events will increase with climate change.  

    It is crucial to improve the resilience of rural businesses and communities to flooding. The CLA hopes this partnership will provide the evidence, awareness of risks, and access to practical advice that will allow them to improve their resilience.  

    This partnership will look for short and medium-term solutions whilst raising awareness of the rural-specific costs and challenges from flooding which our members face.

    Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency, said: 

    Flooding presents specific challenges to those living and working in rural communities, from ruined crops to having road access cut off by floodwaters.  

    Since 2015, flooding and coastal change projects have been completed to protect more than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land better. This includes 280,000 hectares between 2015-2021, helping to avoid more than £500 million worth of economic damage to agricultural land production.

    While the Environment Agency continues to work to strengthen rural flood resilience, no single organisation can tackle these challenges in isolation. This partnership provides the opportunity to accomplish more than any one organisation can manage alone. 

    The new Rural Flood Resilience Partnership will help farmers, land managers and rural communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change while retaining the vital role of managing land and producing sustainable food.

    NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said: 

    The NFU is pleased to be involved in this new Partnership and hope it will enable farmers and rural communities to strengthen the resilience of their homes and businesses by providing practical solutions based on tangible evidence to some of the challenges they face in the event of flooding. 

    It will also give rural communities the means to influence decision making, provide access to resources and support action on the ground, strengthening rural resilience to flooding in a changing climate. 

    Farmers are on the frontline of climate change – our biggest challenge. The extreme weather this brings is one of the main threats to UK food security and more severe storms, devastating floods, and increased periods of little or no rain are all impacting our ability to produce food. 

    The country has just experienced its wettest 18 months since records began in 1836 which left many thousands of acres of productive farmland under water. There are still many farm businesses in dire need of support, and we are awaiting details of how the Farming Recovery Fund can help those businesses recover from the impacts of the devastating flooding and saturated ground.

    Natural England’s Greener Farming & Fisheries Director, Brad Tooze, said:

    Natural England champions the power of nature and nature-based solutions to help tackle the joint climate and biodiversity emergencies.  

    NE welcomes the opportunity to join this partnership and add our science and evidence expertise and our local farm advice offer into the mix. Together we can support farmers and land managers to farm in more flood resilient ways – supporting communities to become more flood resilient and recovering nature at the same time. 

    From signing up to the Sustainable Farming Incentive to manage arable land for flood/drought resilience and water quality or by working with others to restore a river and floodplain in Landscape Recovery every farmer and land manager can make a difference.

    The Partnership forms part of the wider work that all partners are undertaking on flood and coastal resilience.  

    All flood and coastal risk management schemes delivered by risk management authorities in England are carefully assessed to make sure they benefit the most people and property. Approximately 40% of all schemes and 45% of investment better protect properties in rural communities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in St. Mary Parish

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in St. Mary Parish

    Disaster Recovery Center Opens in St. Mary Parish

    BATON ROUGE, La. – FEMA and the State of Louisiana will open a Disaster Recovery Center in Morgan City on Monday, Sept. 23 to provide one-on-one help to Louisiana residents affected by Hurricane Francine. 

    Center location:

    St. Mary Parish

    Morgan City Municipal Auditorium
    728 Myrtle Street
    Morgan City, LA 70380
     

    The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

    Residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes can visit the center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, along with other community partners. No appointment is needed to visit the center. 

    The center is accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and is equipped with assistive technology. If you need a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter, please call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish).

    You do not have to visit the center to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. The quickest way to apply is by going online at disasterassistance.gov/.

    Additional options when applying include:

    • Download the FEMA App for mobile devices. 
    • Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
    • To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

    alexa.brown

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taree NPWS hazard reduction burn 22 September 2024

    Source: New South Wales Environment and Heritage

    The 72 hectare ‘Starrs Creek HR – Stage 2’ aims to provide a fuel reduced zone within Coorabakh National Park, aiding in the suppression of bushfire in the area.

    The burn will also stimulate reproduction of the critically endangered Banksia conferta within the prescribed burn area.

    NPWS crews will be working on roads and trails throughout Coorabakh National Park to implement the burn. The public are advised that smoke may affect roads in the area and motorists are reminded to exercise caution when driving along roads in the area.

    Hazard reduction burns are essential to reduce bushfire fuel loads to help protect parks, neighbours and communities from future bushfires. Fires such as this one are also specifically planned to have an ecological outcome.

    All burns around the state are coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service.

    People with known health conditions can sign up to receive air quality reports, forecasts and alerts via email or SMS from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW).

    For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit the NSW Health or Asthma Australia.

    More information on hazard reduction activities is available at NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW Government Hazards Near Me website and app.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dogma or data? Why sentencing reforms in NZ will annoy judges and clog the courts

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kris Gledhill, Professor of Law, Auckland University of Technology

    Getty Images

    The Luxon government surely has little sense of irony.

    Shortly after introducing the Parliament Bill, designed to reinforce the fundamental constitutional principle of the separation of powers, it has introduced the Sentencing Reform (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to constrain the judicial arm of the state.

    Its purpose is to put more people into prison for longer. In its Regulatory Impact Statement, the Ministry of Justice estimates 1,350 people will be added to the current prison population. The ministry is also clear that most of the changes are unnecessary and rest on inadequate consultation, particularly with Māori.

    The main change the bill makes is to cap reductions in a prison sentence for mitigating factors at “40% of the sentence”, unless that would be “manifestly unjust”.

    Mitigating factors

    To understand why this is a problem, we need to start with how the Sentencing Act 2002 works. First, the seriousness of an offence provides a starting point. Since the maximum sentence is for the worst example of the offence, the facts can be put on a scale.

    Secondly, the judge considers aggravating factors, such as repeat offending, malicious motivations or the victim’s vulnerability. The new bill specifies various additional aggravating factors, but the ministry notes these are already taken into account.

    Finally, the judge looks at mitigating factors, such as youth, intellectual disability or mental illness, remorse and positive steps to remedy the cause of offending.

    One important available reduction is for a guilty plea. The bill will cap this at 25% – the Supreme Court already decided this several years ago.

    Sentence reductions based on these factors will regularly exceed the overall 40% cap proposed in the new bill. For example, impulsive offending by a young adult with ADHD who was in state care because of family abuse, and who pleads guilty early, would likely mean a considerable sentence reduction.

    Similarly, offending by someone who both admits it, shows remorse and assists the police would qualify for considerable reductions.



    Read more:
    A last minute amendment to NZ’s gang legislation risks making a bad law worse

    ‘Moral and fiscal failure’

    The New Zealand judiciary is not soft by world standards. Its rate of incarceration – currently 181 per 100,000 people – places the country 90th out of 223 jurisdictions.

    This is well above Australia, England, Wales and Scotland, and double the rates in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Canada. As Māori have long made up more than 50% of the prison population, their incarceration rate is at US levels. Do we really want to make this worse?

    When former Finance Minister Bill English observed New Zealand’s high prison population represented a “moral and fiscal failure”, he asked the chief science advisor to collate the evidence.

    The resulting 2018 report, Using Evidence to Build a Better Justice System, concluded the prison population had grown because of “dogma not data”.

    Prisoners are seven times more likely than the general population to have a mental health or substance abuse problem. Ninety percent have a history of mental health or addiction, with 60% still affected. Up to 70% have significant literacy problems.

    The sentencing reform proposals rest on the notion people should take more personal responsibility. But they overlook the reality of most of the people in the system having a reduced capacity to do that. This looks more like dogma than data.

    And since prisons train people in criminal ways and provide gangs with recruits, but do not deal with underlying causes of criminal behaviour, it is dogma that risks creating more victims.

    Increased prisoner numbers: Paremoremo Maximum Security Prison, Auckland.
    Getty Images

    A stressed justice system

    On top of this, the criminal justice system is creaking, without enough judges or courtrooms. Complainants, defendants and witnesses already wait too long for trials.

    Reductions in sentences for guilty pleas and other mitigating features are essential to preventing this from getting worse. Some of these factors only come to light at the sentencing hearing when pre-sentence reports (often including medical reports) are provided.

    Also, the final preparation for a trial often leads the prosecution to accept a plea to a less serious offence. And the time waiting for a trial often means a defendant will have served all or much of their sentence already.

    If a judge feels obliged to impose a higher sentence because of the new amendments, lawyers will have to advise defendants accordingly. Inevitably, more will decide to take their chances in a trial rather than plead guilty.

    That means more complainants will have to give evidence, some defendants will be acquitted, and the criminal justice system will creak more.

    Judges and rules

    Judges will have to confront some dissonance in the law. The Sentencing Act requires judges to impose the “least restrictive” sentence. But a sentence that is longer than appropriate doesn’t meet that requirement.

    A longer-than-necessary prison sentence is arguably arbitrary detention. But the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act requires judges to interpret other statutes to avoid breaching rights if possible, including the right not to be detained arbitrarily.

    In addition, a fair trial should aim to secure the right sentence for the individual defendant.

    Judges do not sign up to breach people’s rights. Nor do they like it when the executive branch of government uses its parliamentary majority to overstep the separation of powers. Quite properly, they will do what they can to secure individualised justice.

    They might, for example, set a sentence at the low end of the available range to achieve the same outcome while appearing to abide by the new 40% cap. Or they might just decide a rehabilitative sentence, invariably non-custodial, is the better outcome.

    Judges spend all their time dealing with rules. You can expect them to be creative in finding ways around restrictions that should not be imposed on them.

    Kris Gledhill is currently working on a project relating to sentencing that is funded by the Borrin Foundation. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Bar Association, which represents prosecution and defence lawyers. The views stated in this article are his own.

    – ref. Dogma or data? Why sentencing reforms in NZ will annoy judges and clog the courts – https://theconversation.com/dogma-or-data-why-sentencing-reforms-in-nz-will-annoy-judges-and-clog-the-courts-239303

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Federal Newspoll still tied but Albanese’s ratings up; Queensland Newspoll has big LNP lead

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    A national Newspoll, conducted September 16–20 from a sample of 1,249, had a 50–50 tie for the third consecutive time. Since the last Newspoll three weeks ago, primary votes were 38% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (down one), 13% Greens (up one), 6% One Nation (down one) and 12% for all Others (up one).

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved five points to -8, with 51% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down two points to -15. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by 46–37 (45–37 previously).

    The graph below shows Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll this term. It has plus signs for the Newspoll results and a smoothed line has been fitted. After dropping to -13 net three weeks ago, Albanese’s ratings have rebounded to where they’ve been for most of this year, poor but not dreadful.

    Other recent federal polls have not been as good for Albanese and Labor as Newspoll. Albanese’s net approval was at -22 in YouGov and -15 in Freshwater, and Labor trailed by 52–48 in Freshwater, one of their worst results from any pollster this term. Freshwater leans a little to the Coalition relative to other polls.

    Asked what aspect of cost of living worried them most, 40% selected housing, 25% groceries, 18% energy and 11% insurance.

    Queensland Newspoll has thumping lead for LNP

    The Queensland state election will be held on October 26. A Newspoll, conducted September 12–18 from a sample of 1,047, gave the Liberal National Party (LNP) a 55–45 lead, a one-point gain for the LNP since the last Queensland Newspoll in March. Primary votes were 42% LNP (steady), 30% Labor (steady), 12% Greens (down one), 8% One Nation (steady) and 8% for all Others (up one).

    Labor Premier Steven Miles’ net approval was up one point to -10, with 51% dissatisfied and 41% satisfied. LNP leader David Crisafulli’s net approval dropped two points to +12. Crisafulli had a 46–39 lead as better premier (43–37 in March).

    Asked whether Labor deserved to be re-elected, 57% said it was time to give someone else a go (down one since March), while 29% said they deserved to be re-elected (up three). By 53–47, voters were confident that the Crisafulli LNP is ready to govern.

    Labor will be a little relieved that this poll was not worse. A YouGov poll in July and a Wolf + Smith poll in August had both given the LNP a 57–43 lead. Nearly ten years after they gained power in Queensland following the January 2015 election, Labor appears doomed.

    Further federal polls: YouGov poll tied

    A national YouGov poll, conducted September 13–19 from a sample of 1,619, had a 50–50 tie, unchanged from the previous YouGov poll in late August. Primary votes were 39% Coalition (up two), 30% Labor (down two), 14% Greens (up one), 7% One Nation (down one) and 10% for all Others (steady).

    In the previous YouGov poll, Labor was unlucky not to lead given the primary votes. In this poll, Labor is lucky not to trail.

    Albanese’s net approval slumped 11 points to -22, with 58% dissatisfied and 36% satisfied. Dutton’s net approval was down five points to -10. Albanese led as preferred PM by 42–39 (43–38 in August).

    Freshwater has one of Coalition’s best results this term

    A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted September 13–14 from a sample of 1,057, gave the Coalition a 52–48 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since the August Freshwater poll. This is one of the best results for the Coalition from any pollster this term. Primary votes were 42% Coalition (up one), 30% Labor (down two), 13% Greens (up one) and 15% for all Others.

    Albanese’s net approval was down five points to -15, with 49% unfavourable and 34% favourable. Dutton’s net approval was down one point to -4. Albanese led Dutton as preferred PM by an unchanged 45–41.

    Asked to give their top three issues, 74% selected cost of living as a top issue, and the Coalition increased its lead over Labor on cost of living from seven points in August to 14. The Coalition also had a 16-point lead on economic management (13 in August).

    Morgan poll: Labor has narrow lead

    A national Morgan poll, conducted September 9–15 from a sample of 1,634, gave Labor a 50.5–49.5 lead, a 0.5-point gain for the Coalition since the September 2–8 Morgan poll.

    Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (up one), 30.5% Labor (up 0.5), 12.5% Greens (down two), 5.5% One Nation (down 0.5), 10% independents (up 0.5) and 4% others (up 0.5).

    The headline figure uses respondent preferences. By 2022 election preferences, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48.

    Redbridge and Accent Research MRP poll tied at 50–50

    A national Redbridge and Accent Research multi-level regression with post-stratification (MRP) poll, conducted July 10 to August 27 from a sample of 5,976, had a 50–50 tie, a two-point gain for the Coalition since the last MRP poll between February and May. Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up two), 32% Labor (steady), 12% Greens (down one) and 19% for all Others (steady).

    MRP polls use modelling to estimate the number of seats that would be won by each party. The August MRP poll had a point estimate of 69 Labor seats out of 150, 68 Coalition, three Greens and ten others. In the May poll, Labor had 77 seats out of 151, the Coalition 60, the Greens three and others 11.

    The August poll had no chance either major party would win a majority (76 seats), but Labor had a 75% chance of winning the most seats. These probabilities reflect the poll’s data, and are not predictions for the election, due by May 2025.

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

    – ref. Federal Newspoll still tied but Albanese’s ratings up; Queensland Newspoll has big LNP lead – https://theconversation.com/federal-newspoll-still-tied-but-albaneses-ratings-up-queensland-newspoll-has-big-lnp-lead-238790

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Over 100,000 Gather in the name of World Peace for the 10th Anniversary of the HWPL Peace Summit

    Source: NewzEngine.com

    On September 18, the “10th Anniversary of the HWPL September 18 Peace Summit” was broadcasted in over 40 countries and attracted approximately 100,000 people at the HWPL Peace Training Institute in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, where the anniversary was held.

    Hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Department of Global Communications (DGC), the event was themed “Building a Global Community of Peace through Regional Cooperation.”

    Led by HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee, it was a celebration of the contributions of global leaders and citizens towards peace over the past decade and exploring strategies for future global unity. Notable attendees included Great Dharma Master Hyecheon of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and José Honorio da Costa Ferreira Jerónimo, East Timor’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture.

    Previously, the HWPL Peace Summit was first celebrated a decade earlier, in Seoul, 2014. The summit was attended by more than 1,000 political, religious, women’s, and youth leaders, as well as media representatives from over 140 countries. Discussions focused on conflict resolution, religious harmony, and the implementation of legal measures to ensure sustainable peace.

    During his commemorative speech, HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee expressed gratitude to all participants for attending the 10th anniversary of the peace movement. He encouraged everyone by saying, “Let us no longer draw lines of difference between you and me. With love and peace, let’s unite to save the global village. Let us cooperate to help each other and leave behind a valuable legacy of peace for future generations.”

    Followed by 10 year’s worth of highlights, this led to many discussions of future plans of HWPL and their partners, with a particular emphasis on establishing a “regional network” for peace tailored to local characteristics. Through this regional network, HWPL aims to actively address threats to peace and consolidate collective capabilities.

    In light of this, HWPL established partnerships for peace development with intergovernmental organizations such as the Group of Seven Plus (G7+) and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO). G7+ was established to promote harmony among conflict-ridden nations through peace, stability, and development, boasting 20 member states. PARLATINO, founded to promote development and integration based on democracy, currently has 23 member states.

    Additionally, the nationwide “Accompany: Connecting Korea” campaign was launched with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed during the ceremony. The “Accompany” campaign was initially trialled in major cities in Korea last July. Through this launch, HWPL aims to work with over 230 civic organizations to connect cultures across generations and carry out diverse peace activities.

    The “Accompany” campaign is a continuation of the Saemaul (New Village) Movement, which was responsible for South Korea’s economic development and social transformation in the late 20th century. The Saemaul Movement focused on modernising rural areas and strengthening community consciousness. Similarly, the Accompany campaign aims to overcome social conflicts rooted in generational, regional, gender, and ideological differences through social solidarity and cooperation.

    To achieve the goal of establishing a “regional network,” various sessions will be held worldwide, focusing on diverse groups. Additionally, under the slogan “Let everyone in the global village become a messenger of peace,” individuals will be encouraged to play active roles in promoting peace. Messages of peace and unity from citizens of all walks of life, both domestically and internationally, will be collected and shared.

    Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light (HWPL) is a non-governmental international peace organization registered under the UN DGC and UN ECOSOC that is acknowledged for their endeavors and efforts towards achieving peace worldwide.

    – Published by MIL OSI in partnership with NewzEngine.com

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Boozman to Young and Su: All People Should Have the Opportunity for Dignified Work

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353September 20, 2024
    Cotton, Boozman to Young and Su: All People Should Have the Opportunity for Dignified Work
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young and Acting Secretary of labor Julie Su regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program wherein individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities can find employment and resources in a supervised setting. The Senators stated that all people deserve to have the opportunity for dignified work, and reiterated to Director Young and Acting Secretary Su that any attempt to disrupt this program without Congressional authorization would be illegal. 
    In part, the senators wrote:
    “All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.”  
    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    September 20, 2024
    Shalanda Young 
    Director
    Office of Management and Budget 
    725 17th St NW
    Washington, DC 20503
    Julie Su
    Acting Secretary 
    Department of Labor
    200 Constitution Ave NW 
    Washington, DC 20210
    Dear Director Young and Acting Secretary Su,
    I write regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program. Any changes to the 14(c) certificate program rests with Congress and not DOL.
    Since 1938, the DOL has provided intellectually and developmentally disabled Americans the opportunity to engage in meaningful work through Section 14(c) certificates. According to the Washington Post, despite these longstanding statutes, and no legislative reforms, the DOL is considering a new rule that would be the “regulatory equivalent of abolition of 14(c) programs.”
    All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.
    Regardless of any policy objections the administration might have with the 14(c) program, it must be enforced according to the law. Former Secretary Marty Walsh, the last Senate-confirmed Secretary of Labor, agreed that changes to the program rest with Congress, rather than the DOL. Any efforts to make it functionally unworkable without Congressional authorization would be illegal.
    Before deciding on the legality of these proposed changes to 14(c), please answer the following questions:
    1. Where in the Fair Labor Standards Act and accompanying amendments does the DOL find the legal authority to make significant changes to this program, especially considering the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end agency deference in Loper Bright Enterprises .v Raimondo?
    2.How many disabled Americans would lose their jobs at sheltered workshops if 14(c) certificates were phased out?
    3.Has the DOL considered the secondary effects of these individuals losing their jobs, such as their families needing to provide caretaking services during working hours, rather than working themselves or performing necessary functions for their households? If so, provide the details of that analysis.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. 
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –