NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ECB’s Governing Council updates its monetary policy strategy

    Source: European Central Bank

    30 June 2025

    • Governing Council confirms symmetric 2% inflation target over the medium term
    • Symmetry requires appropriately forceful or persistent policy response to large, sustained deviations of inflation from target in either direction
    • All tools remain in toolkit and their choice, design and implementation will enable an agile response to new shocks
    • Structural shifts such as geopolitical and economic fragmentation and increasing use of artificial intelligence make the inflation environment more uncertain

    The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) today published the results of its strategy assessment, which are set out in an updated monetary policy strategy statement.

    Following the strategy review carried out in 2020-21, the Governing Council announced that it would periodically assess the appropriateness of its monetary policy strategy. The assessment published today meets this commitment, ensuring that our framework, toolkit and approach remain fit for purpose.

    The monetary policy strategy enables the Governing Council to respond effectively to major changes in the inflation environment. This is especially important as ongoing structural shifts, such as geopolitical and economic fragmentation, increasing use of artificial intelligence, demographic change and the threat to environmental sustainability, suggest that the inflation environment will remain uncertain and potentially more volatile, with larger deviations from the symmetric 2% inflation target.

    To maintain the symmetry of the target, appropriately forceful or persistent monetary policy action in response to large, sustained deviations of inflation from the target in either direction is important. This will help to avoid inflation expectations becoming de-anchored and inflation deviations from the target becoming entrenched.

    “I am happy to announce that the Governing Council during its latest meeting approved the ECB’s updated monetary policy strategy”, said ECB President Christine Lagarde. “This assessment was a valuable opportunity to challenge our thinking, check our policy toolkit and fine-tune our strategy. It provides us with an even stronger basis to conduct monetary policy and fulfil our mandate of price stability in an increasingly uncertain environment.”

    All monetary policy tools currently available to the Governing Council will remain in its toolkit. Their use at any time will continue to be subject to a comprehensive proportionality assessment. Their choice, design and implementation will be sufficiently flexible to enable an agile response to changes in the inflation environment.

    In monetary policy decisions the Governing Council takes into account not only the most likely path for inflation and the economy but also surrounding risks and uncertainty, including through the appropriate use of scenarios and sensitivity analyses.

    The first regular monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council applying the updated strategy will be held on 23-24 July 2025. The Governing Council intends to assess periodically the appropriateness of its monetary policy strategy, with the next assessment expected in 2030.

    For media queries, please contact Stefan Ruhkamp, tel.: +49 69 1344 5057.

    Notes

    • Prior to the 2025 strategy assessment, the Governing Council concluded strategy reviews in 2003 and 2021.
    • Over the last 12 months the Governing Council has held seminars, presentations, discussions and meetings dedicated to the strategy assessment.
    • The strategy assessment is the result of a significant collaborative effort over this period. It involved staff of the ECB and national central banks across the euro area and was organised into two separate workstreams.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ECB’s Governing Council updates its monetary policy strategy

    Source: European Central Bank

    30 June 2025

    • Governing Council confirms symmetric 2% inflation target over the medium term
    • Symmetry requires appropriately forceful or persistent policy response to large, sustained deviations of inflation from target in either direction
    • All tools remain in toolkit and their choice, design and implementation will enable an agile response to new shocks
    • Structural shifts such as geopolitical and economic fragmentation and increasing use of artificial intelligence make the inflation environment more uncertain

    The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) today published the results of its strategy assessment, which are set out in an updated monetary policy strategy statement.

    Following the strategy review carried out in 2020-21, the Governing Council announced that it would periodically assess the appropriateness of its monetary policy strategy. The assessment published today meets this commitment, ensuring that our framework, toolkit and approach remain fit for purpose.

    The monetary policy strategy enables the Governing Council to respond effectively to major changes in the inflation environment. This is especially important as ongoing structural shifts, such as geopolitical and economic fragmentation, increasing use of artificial intelligence, demographic change and the threat to environmental sustainability, suggest that the inflation environment will remain uncertain and potentially more volatile, with larger deviations from the symmetric 2% inflation target.

    To maintain the symmetry of the target, appropriately forceful or persistent monetary policy action in response to large, sustained deviations of inflation from the target in either direction is important. This will help to avoid inflation expectations becoming de-anchored and inflation deviations from the target becoming entrenched.

    “I am happy to announce that the Governing Council during its latest meeting approved the ECB’s updated monetary policy strategy”, said ECB President Christine Lagarde. “This assessment was a valuable opportunity to challenge our thinking, check our policy toolkit and fine-tune our strategy. It provides us with an even stronger basis to conduct monetary policy and fulfil our mandate of price stability in an increasingly uncertain environment.”

    All monetary policy tools currently available to the Governing Council will remain in its toolkit. Their use at any time will continue to be subject to a comprehensive proportionality assessment. Their choice, design and implementation will be sufficiently flexible to enable an agile response to changes in the inflation environment.

    In monetary policy decisions the Governing Council takes into account not only the most likely path for inflation and the economy but also surrounding risks and uncertainty, including through the appropriate use of scenarios and sensitivity analyses.

    The first regular monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council applying the updated strategy will be held on 23-24 July 2025. The Governing Council intends to assess periodically the appropriateness of its monetary policy strategy, with the next assessment expected in 2030.

    For media queries, please contact Stefan Ruhkamp, tel.: +49 69 1344 5057.

    Notes

    • Prior to the 2025 strategy assessment, the Governing Council concluded strategy reviews in 2003 and 2021.
    • Over the last 12 months the Governing Council has held seminars, presentations, discussions and meetings dedicated to the strategy assessment.
    • The strategy assessment is the result of a significant collaborative effort over this period. It involved staff of the ECB and national central banks across the euro area and was organised into two separate workstreams.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: NRRP steering committee meeting held at Palazzo Chigi to verify milestones and targets for eighth instalment

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    A steering committee meeting for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) was held at Palazzo Chigi today, called and chaired by the Minister for European Affairs, the NRRP and Cohesion Policy, Tommaso Foti. The purpose of the meeting, attended by the Ministers and Undersecretaries in charge as well as by representatives from ANCI [National Association of Italian Municipalities], UPI [Union of Italian Provinces] and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, was to verify progress of the 40 objectives linked to the payment request for the eighth instalment of Italy’s NRRP, worth EUR 12.8 billion. 

    Following a detailed review, the steering committee acknowledged the implementation status of the 12 milestones and 28 targets required for the eighth instalment, which include reforms and investments that are strategic for the nation’s growth, involving 13 administrations.

    The most significant measures include: digitalisation of the Guardia di Finanza [Italian Finance Police], with innovative IT systems to fight economic crime; more than 1,000 language and methodology courses for school teachers; the launch of projects to update school curricula in over 8,000 schools and guide students towards STEM skills; completion of culture and tourism enhancement projects by supporting approximately 2,000 small and medium-sized enterprises; redevelopment of around 50 historical parks and gardens.

    Regarding the eighth instalment, implementation of measures was also verified linked to: 1,400km of rail infrastructure being equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System; coverage of an advanced and integrated monitoring and forecasting system to identify hydrogeological risks for 90% of the surface area in southern regions; marine habitat protection and coastal observation work; improving the energy efficiency of public housing; with regard to universities, funding 5,000 research projects of national interest, hiring approximately 2,300 new researchers, allocating more than 550 research grants, and providing financing for research projects on rare and severely debilitating diseases. 

    Among the strategic reforms that have been carried out, the reduction in payment delays by central and local government authorities, regional authorities, autonomous provinces and national health service bodies is particularly significant.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: NRRP steering committee meeting held at Palazzo Chigi to verify milestones and targets for eighth instalment

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    A steering committee meeting for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) was held at Palazzo Chigi today, called and chaired by the Minister for European Affairs, the NRRP and Cohesion Policy, Tommaso Foti. The purpose of the meeting, attended by the Ministers and Undersecretaries in charge as well as by representatives from ANCI [National Association of Italian Municipalities], UPI [Union of Italian Provinces] and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, was to verify progress of the 40 objectives linked to the payment request for the eighth instalment of Italy’s NRRP, worth EUR 12.8 billion. 

    Following a detailed review, the steering committee acknowledged the implementation status of the 12 milestones and 28 targets required for the eighth instalment, which include reforms and investments that are strategic for the nation’s growth, involving 13 administrations.

    The most significant measures include: digitalisation of the Guardia di Finanza [Italian Finance Police], with innovative IT systems to fight economic crime; more than 1,000 language and methodology courses for school teachers; the launch of projects to update school curricula in over 8,000 schools and guide students towards STEM skills; completion of culture and tourism enhancement projects by supporting approximately 2,000 small and medium-sized enterprises; redevelopment of around 50 historical parks and gardens.

    Regarding the eighth instalment, implementation of measures was also verified linked to: 1,400km of rail infrastructure being equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System; coverage of an advanced and integrated monitoring and forecasting system to identify hydrogeological risks for 90% of the surface area in southern regions; marine habitat protection and coastal observation work; improving the energy efficiency of public housing; with regard to universities, funding 5,000 research projects of national interest, hiring approximately 2,300 new researchers, allocating more than 550 research grants, and providing financing for research projects on rare and severely debilitating diseases. 

    Among the strategic reforms that have been carried out, the reduction in payment delays by central and local government authorities, regional authorities, autonomous provinces and national health service bodies is particularly significant.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Black Sabbath awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham

    Source: City of Birmingham

    The founding members of Black Sabbath were awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham at a ceremony in the Council House on Saturday.

    At the ceremony, the original band members of Terence “Geezer” Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward were presented with their Freedom of the City scrolls and medals by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal.

    The Freedom of the City honour is the one of the oldest traditional ceremonies in the country and recognises people’s exceptional service to the city.

    This honour recognises Black Sabbath’s significance to the cultural and musical identity of Birmingham, their strong association with the city and continued influence as pioneers of heavy metal in both Birmingham and beyond.

    As part of the Freedom of the City, each band member received the title of Honorary Freeman and an engraving of their names on the Freedom of the City marble board was also unveiled at the ceremony.

    The scrolls were produced by local company Hilton Studios and the medals were produced by Jewellery Quarter based business Fattorini.

    The medal design was created by competition winner Toby Williams, a student studying in the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University.

    Toby’s winning design was inspired by the themes of industry and community, reflecting the people of Birmingham  

    Black Sabbath formed in Aston in 1968, going on to create eight albums and selling over 75 million albums worldwide. They are considered pioneers of the heavy metal genre and are one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands.

    They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

    Speaking on receipt of the award, Terence “Geezer” Butler said: “This is a great working class city, and we’re all working class, from Aston. We weren’t given a chance when we started out, but Birmingham has always been behind us. People used to make fun of our accents, but we’re all proud Birmingham people and we love this city. It’s one of the greatest cities ever, it’s given the world so much and we’re proud to be here.”

    Tony Iommi added: “It’s a great thing to receive. Birmingham is our home, and we love what Birmingham has done for us. We’ve got the bridge and the bench, things like that. We’re very grateful.”

    Ozzy Osbourne said: “I first put an advert in a music store in town. If these guys hadn’t come to my door, I wouldn’t be sitting here now. It seems to have flown by so quickly. It’s amazing. I think about my dad, who went into debt to buy me a microphone. If only he could be here now. I think he would be very proud. I’m a Brummie and I always will be a Brummie. Birmingham Forever!”

    Bill Ward added: “It’s completely overwhelming. I’m so proud to be an Astonian. That’s where I got my attitude. It was a blessed – and cursed! – to meet Tony when I was 15, and I’m so proud that I got to know Geezer and Ozzy. They’re my brothers. I love them very much and we love our city very much.”

    The engravings in the Council House building joins Black Sabbath bridge on Broad Street as a permanent tribute to the band and their accomplishments.

    Cllr Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader of the city council said “From the streets of Aston to global success, the ceremony has been a fitting celebration of their achievements and connection to our city, showcasing the band’s incredible career as pioneers of heavy metal and recognising their continued legacy as part of Birmingham’s rich musical identity.

    Black Sabbath are global ambassadors of our city, and their music continues to inspire musicians across the world, so it has been wonderful to recognise the band with this honour.”   

    Councillor Zafar Iqbal, Lord Mayor of Birmingham: “It is a pleasure to pronounce Terence “Geezer” Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward as Freemen of the City of Birmingham. 

    The Freedom of the City is one of the oldest civic honours and given in recognition of exceptional service to Birmingham.

    Conferring these honours on Black Sabbath’s founding members, who are proud Brummies, is a fitting tribute to the band, marking their importance to Birmingham’s cultural landscape and the pride of our city as their hometown.  

    Professor David Mba, Vice Chancellor, at Birmingham City University, said: “We’re proud that our University – and particularly the iconic School of Jewellery – has played such an instrumental role in this special recognition of a very special band.

    “The creation of these remarkable medals is a golden demonstration of how BCU – as rooted in Birmingham as Black Sabbath themselves – continues to answer the call of the city, standing alongside willing partners like the City Council.

    “Congratulations to Ozzy, Geezer, Tony and Bill. We hold great pride in your peerless representation of Birmingham on a global stage.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Fourth Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference Opening Session: Keynote Speech by DMD Nigel Clarke

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Fourth Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference Opening Session: Keynote Speech by DMD Nigel Clarke

    Seville, Spain

    June 30, 2025

    Good morning, everyone.

    Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today, on behalf of the International Monetary Fund. It is a great honor to join you here at the Fourth Financing for Development Conference.

    This conference comes at a particularly challenging moment. Once again, the resilience of the world economy is being tested. Uncertainty has been escalating, as major policy shifts reshape countries priorities. Despite progress on trade talks and the scaling back of some tariffs, trade policy uncertainty indicators remain off the charts.

    This has major implications for developing countries, for whom risks have grown: downside risks to short-term and longer-term growth prospects. Risks of tightened financing conditions. And yes, risks to their development agenda—including due to cuts in overseas development assistance. 

    That is why this conference is so important—and so timely. It provides an opportunity to take decisive and necessary steps to accelerate development progress.

    And these steps must be taken at both the individual country level and the international community level.

    With that in mind, and with this opportunity in our hands, let me stress three critical priorities, one at the country level, and two at the international level.

    First priority, at the country level: implement strong domestic reforms. In an uncertain economic environment, the work to advance development must begin at home. Let me point to two sets of critical reforms within this first priority.

    One, domestic revenues remain the bedrock of country-led efforts for sustainable growth and development. Many countries can boost the resources available to them by broadening the tax base and improving compliance.

    And two, by building strong public financial management systems, they can redirect spending to sectors like health, education, well-targeted social safety nets, and growth- enhancing public investments.

    Second priority, at the international level: ensure that the support to development is coordinated and tailored. Development partners must help with policy advice, capacity building, and financial support. And to be effective, that assistance should be tailored to countries’ individual circumstances and challenges. Indeed, while developing countries share many characteristics, there are differences in their economic conditions.

    The needs of the poorest and most fragile countries, in particular—who are often hit hardest by global shocks—demand our attention, and for these countries concessional financing remains of critical importance.

    Third priority, also at the international level: address debt vulnerabilities. The risk of a systemic debt crisis seems broadly contained for now. But many countries are struggling with high interest costs and refinancing needs that constrain their ability to finance critical development spending and build resilience.

    That is why the international community must further improve debt restructuring processes to ensure that countries with unsustainable debt have access to timely and sufficiently deep debt relief.

    We have already seen progress under the Common Framework and at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. And the recently published Sovereign Debt Restructuring Playbook is an important resource for countries considering seeking a restructuring. But there is still work to be done.

    The IMF is doing its part to support developing countries.

    Through our tailored policy advice, we help our members make their economies more vibrant and more resilient. We will continue to strengthen our analysis and guidance on monetary, fiscal, exchange rate, and financial sector policies.

    Through our capacity development, we will continue to help equip our members with the tools and expertise to chart their own path, working closely with other development partners.

    Through our lending instruments, we provide financial support to our members when they need it. Last Fall, we reformed our concessional lending framework, to double its lending capacity while restoring its self-sustainability. And we will continue to explore ways to strengthen our precautionary facilities and ensure our programs are well-designed.

    The Fund also actively contributes to addressing debt challenges. We provide technical support to individual restructuring. With the World Bank, we are advancing the work at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable and are implementing the “three-pillar approach” to help countries with sustainable debt and strong reform agendas, but where high debt service crowds out productive spending.

    Simply put: the IMF will continue to help our members achieve economic and financial stability—a prerequisite for reaching their development objectives.

    And as we work together this week, we will remain a trusted partner and champion for the international development agenda. Together, we can help bring our members towards a brighter future.

    Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER:

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/30/sp063025-FfD4-conference-opening-session-keynote-speech-dmd-nigel-clarke

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The US’s asbestos U-turn: why the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering its ban

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Allen Haddrell, Research Fellow, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol

    Once asbestos enters the lungs, it doesn’t leave. Its sharp, microscopic fibres scar tissues, trigger inflammation and can cause deadly diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer and laryngeal cancer. That’s why over 60 countries have banned it – and why the US mostly phased it out.

    In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved to ban all industrial uses. But on June 17, the agency said it would revisit the Biden‑era ban.

    Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral made of thin, fibrous crystals. It is fire-resistant, durable, lightweight, flexible and insulating. This unique blend of properties resulted in its widespread use over millennia. Indeed, asbestos fibres have been found woven into pottery and textiles from 2500BC.

    Its resistance to friction and electricity made it desirable during the Industrial Revolution for use in boilers and steam engines. In the 20th century, the useful mix of physical properties resulted in asbestos becoming ubiquitous in the construction and automotive industries, peaking in the 1970s.

    Although the properties of asbestos at the macroscopic level are beneficial, at the microscopic level it’s anything but. When dust from asbestos (0.1 to tens of microns) is inhaled, it deposits throughout the respiratory system, causing inflammation and scarring of lung tissue.

    While the adverse health effects associated with asbestos exposure were observed in ancient Rome, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the full extent of harm was realised. Specifically, asbestos exposure is linked to numerous respiratory diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

    It took a long time for people to understand how dangerous asbestos really is. The main reason is that the illnesses it causes often don’t show up for decades. This long delay makes it very hard to link exposure to the disease it causes.

    Making this connection is also made more difficult when those most familiar with it, including manufacturers such as Johns-Manville and industry groups such as the Asbestos Information Association (AIA) were actively denying the connection, and suppressing reports demonstrating the link.

    By the 1970s, the volume of evidence showing the harms of asbestos had become overwhelming. The AIA evolved its argument, claiming that the practices in the industry had changed and that the risks were from a bygone era “when the dust control equipment in use was not as efficient or as sophisticated”. Although the association never explicitly admitted that asbestos caused harm.

    Since it can take decades for the health effects of asbestos exposure to fully manifest, the full extent of the damage caused by asbestos exposure from the 1970s and onward, an era where the dust control equipment was claimed to be “efficient and sophisticated”.

    The Asbestos Information Association, once a key industry group promoting the safe use of asbestos, quietly disbanded in the early 2000s as litigation and public health evidence mounted.

    History of asbestos.

    What type of asbestos is the US considering unbanning?

    The EPA is considering unbanning chrysotile asbestos, also called white asbestos. This type of asbestos is often used in things like brake pads, gaskets and industrial equipment. In March 2024 the EPA banned it, stopping new uses and imports. The ban also included a gradual phase-out plan.

    Who is pushing for the unbanning and why now?

    From the outset, industry groups such as the American Chemistry Council (ACC) raised concerns about the EPA’s ban, warning that “a prohibition of an estimated 52% of annual production volume … that rapidly, could have substantial supply chain impacts”, particularly if manufacturers were bound by existing contracts or chose to cease production entirely.

    As for why now, one factor is the re-election of Donald Trump, who put his views on record some time ago downplaying the dangers of asbestos. In 1997, he wrote in his book Trump: The Art of the Comeback that asbestos is “100 percent safe, once applied”. A point not supported by the best available science.

    Why is the EPA considering unbanning it?

    According to former ACC employee and current senior official in EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Lynn Ann Dekleva, they want to consider if the ban “went beyond what is necessary to eliminate the unreasonable risk and whether alternative measures — such as requiring permanent workplace protection measures – would eliminate the unreasonable risk”.

    What industries still want to use this type of asbestos?

    The largest push appears to be coming from the chlor-alkali industry where they use it to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide.

    Is this type of asbestos dangerous?

    Yes. There is no safe level of exposure.

    How many people could this affect?

    Each year, around 40,000 deaths in the US and about 5,000 in the UK are attributed to asbestos exposure. If lifted, it’s possible that the number in the US could increase over the coming decades while those in the UK will continue to fall.

    Does this mean asbestos could make a comeback elsewhere too?

    Unlikely. While global consensus moves toward stricter regulation, the US now finds itself at a crossroads, between scientific evidence and pressure from industry.

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

    – ref. The US’s asbestos U-turn: why the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering its ban – https://theconversation.com/the-uss-asbestos-u-turn-why-the-environmental-protection-agency-is-reconsidering-its-ban-259597

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Nato leaders pledge increased defence spending – is this really the price for peace and prosperity?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Damian Tobin, Lecturer in International Business, University College Cork

    Kev Gregory / Shutterstock

    Nato leaders agreed to ramp up defence spending to 5% of their countries’ economic output by 2035 at a summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25. US president Donald Trump, who has spent months saying Europe should take more responsibility for its own security, described the pledge as “a monumental win for the US” and a “big win” for western civilisation.

    A few months earlier, in March, the EU also launched its long-awaited white paper on defence. This provides a blueprint for improving Europe’s readiness to respond to military threats by 2030. On top of the fact that global military spending has surged in the past ten years, these developments indicate that the world’s largest nations now prioritise military over economic diplomacy.

    One of the main ideas behind military diplomacy is that increased defence spending acts as a deterrent to future conflicts. The nuclear arms race between the US and Soviet Union during the cold war provides some support for this argument. The prospect of mutual destruction was so great that it acted as a deterrent to nuclear war.

    But is increased defence spending really the necessary price for greater peace and prosperity? My research on interactions between firms, geopolitics and the political economy of defence indicates that this is no “big win” for society or economic productivity.

    A convoy of naval ships in the Pacific Ocean.
    Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

    Deterrence requires a level of brinkmanship if it is to work. But as American economist Thomas Schelling pointed out in his 1960 book, The Strategy of Conflict, the problem with brinkmanship is that it relies on deliberately allowing a situation to get somewhat out of hand, with the intention of forcing the other party to back down.

    This can result in strategic blunders. Efforts by the former US president, Richard Nixon, to engineer such a situation in 1969 by threatening to use nuclear weapons in Vietnam failed to gain credibility with the Soviets and North Vietnamese. This undoubtedly helped convince North Vietnam that it could survive the war and locked the US into a much longer conflict.

    The recent confrontation between Israel and Iran also showed that brinkmanship can produce situations where there are significant casualties and no clear long-term resolution. Iran has long recognised that keeping itself near the threshold of nuclear weapons capability would offer a deterrent against external threats.

    But this strategy created many opportunities for error. Israel claimed that Iran was too close to building a nuclear weapon and, alongside the US, launched strikes that they say inflicted significant damage on Iranian nuclear enrichment capabilities and military leadership.



    Read more:
    Israeli aggression and Iranian nuclear brinkmanship made this confrontation all but inevitable

    Beyond this, it is unclear just how much military spending is needed to deter aggression. Nato allies have now committed to a big increase in defence spending – thanks largely to pressure from Trump.

    However, even Nato’s previous objective that countries commit 2% of their national income to defence has proved unattractive for many governments. This has even been the case in post-conflict areas such as the Balkans, where Nato has had a heavy involvement.

    A costly alternative

    Boosting defence spending falls short on delivering economic prosperity, too. Analysing US military spending in the Vietnam war, economist Les Fishman noted in 1967 that military diplomacy was far more costly than its economic equivalent.

    Military production requires continuously high levels of investment to maintain technological progress. This sucks public investment from other parts of the economy.

    That’s not to say defence spending has an entirely negative effect on the economy. Studies have found evidence that US federal funding of military research and development results in significant increases in private business research in sectors such as chemicals and aerospace.

    And, over the past decade, the value of venture capital deals in the US defence industry has grown 18-fold. This far outstrips sectors such as energy and healthcare. But such investment in military-related research and development is also often acknowledged as inefficient and not necessarily the best way to boost productivity.

    Fishman pointed out that the Marshall Plan, which provided substantial economic aid to western Europe after the second world war, had a far higher return for the US.

    Economic stabilisation kept the Soviet Union at bay for relatively small outlay compared to the Vietnam war, where casualties were of such a magnitude that it made any cost-benefit analysis meaningless.

    The Vietnam war proved extremely costly for the US.
    Department of the Army Special Photo Office / Wikimedia Commons

    Boosting defence spending also represents a lost opportunity to invest in more socially beneficial projects. This will worsen the climate crisis.

    According to a study shared with the Guardian in May, the initial rearmament planned by Nato alone could have increased greenhouse gas emissions by almost 200 million tonnes a year. The expanded defence commitment will only increase this further.

    Unlike defence, where the repurposing of civilian technologies for military uses carries a cost to society, many green investments involve beneficial substitutions that reduce the cost of a green transition.

    The substitution of conventional fossil fuel heating and transport systems with heat pumps and electric vehicles, for example, is far more socially beneficial than repurposing civilian satellites for missile systems.

    A final point is that military diplomacy is itself geopolitically destabilising. US efforts to contain communism in Asia during the 1950s and 1960s are a good example. Not only did such efforts see China align its trade with other communist states, it also ensured that self-reliance became a cornerstone of China’s economic strategy.

    This all suggests that the current drive for deterrence-based military spending carries with it a huge cost for society that could ultimately prove economically wasteful and geopolitically destabilising.

    Damian Tobin 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. Nato leaders pledge increased defence spending – is this really the price for peace and prosperity? – https://theconversation.com/nato-leaders-pledge-increased-defence-spending-is-this-really-the-price-for-peace-and-prosperity-255989

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Nato leaders pledge increased defence spending – is this really the price for peace and prosperity?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Damian Tobin, Lecturer in International Business, University College Cork

    Kev Gregory / Shutterstock

    Nato leaders agreed to ramp up defence spending to 5% of their countries’ economic output by 2035 at a summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25. US president Donald Trump, who has spent months saying Europe should take more responsibility for its own security, described the pledge as “a monumental win for the US” and a “big win” for western civilisation.

    A few months earlier, in March, the EU also launched its long-awaited white paper on defence. This provides a blueprint for improving Europe’s readiness to respond to military threats by 2030. On top of the fact that global military spending has surged in the past ten years, these developments indicate that the world’s largest nations now prioritise military over economic diplomacy.

    One of the main ideas behind military diplomacy is that increased defence spending acts as a deterrent to future conflicts. The nuclear arms race between the US and Soviet Union during the cold war provides some support for this argument. The prospect of mutual destruction was so great that it acted as a deterrent to nuclear war.

    But is increased defence spending really the necessary price for greater peace and prosperity? My research on interactions between firms, geopolitics and the political economy of defence indicates that this is no “big win” for society or economic productivity.

    A convoy of naval ships in the Pacific Ocean.
    Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

    Deterrence requires a level of brinkmanship if it is to work. But as American economist Thomas Schelling pointed out in his 1960 book, The Strategy of Conflict, the problem with brinkmanship is that it relies on deliberately allowing a situation to get somewhat out of hand, with the intention of forcing the other party to back down.

    This can result in strategic blunders. Efforts by the former US president, Richard Nixon, to engineer such a situation in 1969 by threatening to use nuclear weapons in Vietnam failed to gain credibility with the Soviets and North Vietnamese. This undoubtedly helped convince North Vietnam that it could survive the war and locked the US into a much longer conflict.

    The recent confrontation between Israel and Iran also showed that brinkmanship can produce situations where there are significant casualties and no clear long-term resolution. Iran has long recognised that keeping itself near the threshold of nuclear weapons capability would offer a deterrent against external threats.

    But this strategy created many opportunities for error. Israel claimed that Iran was too close to building a nuclear weapon and, alongside the US, launched strikes that they say inflicted significant damage on Iranian nuclear enrichment capabilities and military leadership.



    Read more:
    Israeli aggression and Iranian nuclear brinkmanship made this confrontation all but inevitable

    Beyond this, it is unclear just how much military spending is needed to deter aggression. Nato allies have now committed to a big increase in defence spending – thanks largely to pressure from Trump.

    However, even Nato’s previous objective that countries commit 2% of their national income to defence has proved unattractive for many governments. This has even been the case in post-conflict areas such as the Balkans, where Nato has had a heavy involvement.

    A costly alternative

    Boosting defence spending falls short on delivering economic prosperity, too. Analysing US military spending in the Vietnam war, economist Les Fishman noted in 1967 that military diplomacy was far more costly than its economic equivalent.

    Military production requires continuously high levels of investment to maintain technological progress. This sucks public investment from other parts of the economy.

    That’s not to say defence spending has an entirely negative effect on the economy. Studies have found evidence that US federal funding of military research and development results in significant increases in private business research in sectors such as chemicals and aerospace.

    And, over the past decade, the value of venture capital deals in the US defence industry has grown 18-fold. This far outstrips sectors such as energy and healthcare. But such investment in military-related research and development is also often acknowledged as inefficient and not necessarily the best way to boost productivity.

    Fishman pointed out that the Marshall Plan, which provided substantial economic aid to western Europe after the second world war, had a far higher return for the US.

    Economic stabilisation kept the Soviet Union at bay for relatively small outlay compared to the Vietnam war, where casualties were of such a magnitude that it made any cost-benefit analysis meaningless.

    The Vietnam war proved extremely costly for the US.
    Department of the Army Special Photo Office / Wikimedia Commons

    Boosting defence spending also represents a lost opportunity to invest in more socially beneficial projects. This will worsen the climate crisis.

    According to a study shared with the Guardian in May, the initial rearmament planned by Nato alone could have increased greenhouse gas emissions by almost 200 million tonnes a year. The expanded defence commitment will only increase this further.

    Unlike defence, where the repurposing of civilian technologies for military uses carries a cost to society, many green investments involve beneficial substitutions that reduce the cost of a green transition.

    The substitution of conventional fossil fuel heating and transport systems with heat pumps and electric vehicles, for example, is far more socially beneficial than repurposing civilian satellites for missile systems.

    A final point is that military diplomacy is itself geopolitically destabilising. US efforts to contain communism in Asia during the 1950s and 1960s are a good example. Not only did such efforts see China align its trade with other communist states, it also ensured that self-reliance became a cornerstone of China’s economic strategy.

    This all suggests that the current drive for deterrence-based military spending carries with it a huge cost for society that could ultimately prove economically wasteful and geopolitically destabilising.

    Damian Tobin 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. Nato leaders pledge increased defence spending – is this really the price for peace and prosperity? – https://theconversation.com/nato-leaders-pledge-increased-defence-spending-is-this-really-the-price-for-peace-and-prosperity-255989

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang’s live-streaming e-commerce retail sales surge

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

    Retail sales of live-streaming e-commerce in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region reached 4.27 billion yuan (about 596.49 million U.S. dollars) from January to May this year, according to local authorities.

    The retail sales increased 39.45 percent year on year, with a sales volume of nearly 16.81 million items, the regional commerce department announced last week.

    The number of people engaged in e-commerce in the region exceeded 70,000 by May this year, said Chen Jun, head of the department. “Live-streaming e-commerce in Xizang has helped distinctive plateau products reach domestic and global markets,” Chen added.

    The region is upgrading e-commerce logistics infrastructure, cultivating live-streaming talent, and supporting e-commerce firms in brand-building and standardization efforts, Chen added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Black Sabbath award the Freedom of the City of Birmingham

    Source: City of Birmingham

    The founding members of Black Sabbath were awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham at a ceremony in the Council House on Saturday.

    At the ceremony, the original band members of Terence “Geezer” Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward were presented with their Freedom of the City scrolls and medals by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal.

    The Freedom of the City honour is the one of the oldest traditional ceremonies in the country and recognises people’s exceptional service to the city.

    This honour recognises Black Sabbath’s significance to the cultural and musical identity of Birmingham, their strong association with the city and continued influence as pioneers of heavy metal in both Birmingham and beyond.

    As part of the Freedom of the City, each band member received the title of Honorary Freeman and an engraving of their names on the Freedom of the City marble board was also unveiled at the ceremony.

    The scrolls were produced by local company Hilton Studios and the medals were produced by Jewellery Quarter based business Fattorini.

    The medal design was created by competition winner Toby Williams, a student studying in the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University.

    Toby’s winning design was inspired by the themes of industry and community, reflecting the people of Birmingham  

    Black Sabbath formed in Aston in 1968, going on to create eight albums and selling over 75 million albums worldwide. They are considered pioneers of the heavy metal genre and are one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands.

    They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

    Speaking on receipt of the award, Terence “Geezer” Butler said: “This is a great working class city, and we’re all working class, from Aston. We weren’t given a chance when we started out, but Birmingham has always been behind us. People used to make fun of our accents, but we’re all proud Birmingham people and we love this city. It’s one of the greatest cities ever, it’s given the world so much and we’re proud to be here.”

    Tony Iommi added: “It’s a great thing to receive. Birmingham is our home, and we love what Birmingham has done for us. We’ve got the bridge and the bench, things like that. We’re very grateful.”

    Ozzy Osbourne said: “I first put an advert in a music store in town. If these guys hadn’t come to my door, I wouldn’t be sitting here now. It seems to have flown by so quickly. It’s amazing. I think about my dad, who went into debt to buy me a microphone. If only he could be here now. I think he would be very proud. I’m a Brummie and I always will be a Brummie. Birmingham Forever!”

    Bill Ward added: “It’s completely overwhelming. I’m so proud to be an Astonian. That’s where I got my attitude. It was a blessed – and cursed! – to meet Tony when I was 15, and I’m so proud that I got to know Geezer and Ozzy. They’re my brothers. I love them very much and we love our city very much.”

    The engravings in the Council House building joins Black Sabbath bridge on Broad Street as a permanent tribute to the band and their accomplishments.

    Cllr Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader of the city council said “From the streets of Aston to global success, the ceremony has been a fitting celebration of their achievements and connection to our city, showcasing the band’s incredible career as pioneers of heavy metal and recognising their continued legacy as part of Birmingham’s rich musical identity.

    Black Sabbath are global ambassadors of our city, and their music continues to inspire musicians across the world, so it has been wonderful to recognise the band with this honour.”   

    Councillor Zafar Iqbal, Lord Mayor of Birmingham: “It is a pleasure to pronounce Terence “Geezer” Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward as Freemen of the City of Birmingham. 

    The Freedom of the City is one of the oldest civic honours and given in recognition of exceptional service to Birmingham.

    Conferring these honours on Black Sabbath’s founding members, who are proud Brummies, is a fitting tribute to the band, marking their importance to Birmingham’s cultural landscape and the pride of our city as their hometown.  

    Professor David Mba, Vice Chancellor, at Birmingham City University, said: “We’re proud that our University – and particularly the iconic School of Jewellery – has played such an instrumental role in this special recognition of a very special band.

    “The creation of these remarkable medals is a golden demonstration of how BCU – as rooted in Birmingham as Black Sabbath themselves – continues to answer the call of the city, standing alongside willing partners like the City Council.

    “Congratulations to Ozzy, Geezer, Tony and Bill. We hold great pride in your peerless representation of Birmingham on a global stage.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the opening of the 4th Financing for Development Conference [trilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-Spanish]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Majestades,

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Agradezco al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por su cálida acogida en Sevilla para esta importante conferencia.

    Durante décadas, la misión del desarrollo sostenible ha unido a países grandes y pequeños, desarrollados y en desarrollo.

    Juntos, hemos logrado avances.

     
    Reduciendo la pobreza y el hambre en el mundo.
     
    Salvando vidas con sistemas sanitarios más sólidos.
     
    Llevando más niños a la escuela.
     
    Ampliando las oportunidades para mujeres y niñas.
     
    Y fortaleciendo las redes de seguridad social.
     
    Pero hoy, el desarrollo y su gran impulsor – la cooperación internacional –enfrentan fortísimos vientos en contra.
     
    Vivimos en un mundo donde la confianza se está desmoronando y el multilateralismo está bajo tensión.
     
    Un mundo con una economía en desaceleración, tensiones comerciales crecientes y presupuestos de ayuda diezmados.
     
    Un mundo sacudido por desigualdades, caos climático y conflictos devastadores.
     
    El vínculo entre paz y desarrollo es evidente.
     
    Nueve de los diez países con los Indicadores de Desarrollo Humano más bajos se encuentran actualmente en situación de conflicto.
     
    Excelencias,
     
    La financiación es el motor del desarrollo.
     
    Y, ahora mismo, ese motor se está ahogando.
     
    Mientras nos reunimos, la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible – nuestra promesa global de transformar nuestro mundo para lograr un futuro mejor y más justo – está en peligro.
     
    Dos tercios de las metas de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible están rezagadas.
     
    Alcanzarlos requiere una inversión de más de 4 billones de dólares al año.
     
    Pero no se trata sólo de una crisis de cifras.
     
    Es una crisis de personas.
     
    De familias que pasan hambre.
     
    De niños que no reciben vacunas.
     
    De niñas obligadas a abandonar la escuela.
     
    Estamos aquí en Sevilla para cambiar el rumbo.
     
    Para reparar y poner en marcha el motor del desarrollo y acelerar la inversión a la escala y velocidad necesarias.
     
    Y restaurar equidad y justicia – para todas y todos.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    The Sevilla Commitment is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder.
     
    I see three areas of action.
     
    First — we must get resources flowing. Fast.  
     
    Countries must lead by mobilizing domestic resources and investing in areas of greatest impact: schools, health care, social protection, decent work, and renewable energy.
     
    Unlocking these investments requires strengthening tax systems, and tackling illicit financial flows and tax evasion.
     
    And helping developing countries dedicate a greater share of their tax revenues to the systems people need.
     
    The Sevilla Commitment’s call on developed countries to double their aid dedicated to domestic resource mobilization to support this.
     
    Multilateral and national development banks must unite to finance major investments. 
     
    This includes tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks — and rechanneling Special Drawing Rights that can unlock lending capacity and help developing countries boost investment.
     
    We also need innovative funding solutions to unlock private capital.
     
    Solutions that mitigate currency risks;
     
    That combine public and private finance more effectively, and ensure the risks and rewards of development projects are shared by both the public and the private sectors; 
     
    And that ensure financial regulations assess risk appropriately and support investments in frontier markets.
     
    Second — we must fix the global debt system which is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable.
     
    With annual debt service at $1.4 trillion, countries need — and deserve — a system that lowers borrowing costs, enables fair and timely debt-restructuring, and prevents debt crises in the first place.
     
    The Sevilla Commitment lays the groundwork:  
     
    With other aspects, by also creating a single debt registry for transparency, and promoting responsible lending and borrowing;
     
    By lowering the cost of capital through debt swaps and debt management support;
     
    And through debt service pauses in times of emergency.    
     
    And third — we must increase the participation of developing countries in the institutions of the global financial architecture. The present major shareholders have a role to play recognizing the importance of correcting injustices and adapting to a changing world. 

    A new borrowers forum will give voice to borrowers for fairer debt resolution and to foster transparency, shared learning and coordinated debt action.
     
    And we need a fairer global tax system shaped by all, not just by a few.
     
    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,
     
    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire de charité.
     
    Il s’agit de rétablir la justice – et de permettre à chacun de vivre dans la dignité.
     
    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire d’argent.
     
    Il s’agit d’investir dans l’avenir que nous voulons construire – ensemble.
     
    Merci – à toutes et à tous – de participer à cet effort essentiel et ambitieux.
     

    ****

    DECLARACIONES DEL SECRETARIO GENERAL
    CON OCASIÓN DE LA INAUGURACIÓN DE LA CUARTA CONFERENCIA SOBRE LA FINANCIACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO

    Majestades,

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Agradezco al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por su cálida acogida en Sevilla para esta importante conferencia.

    Durante décadas, la misión del desarrollo sostenible ha unido a países grandes y pequeños, desarrollados y en desarrollo.

    Juntos, hemos logrado avances.

    Reduciendo la pobreza y el hambre en el mundo.

    Salvando vidas con sistemas sanitarios más sólidos.

    Llevando más niños a la escuela.
            
    Ampliando las oportunidades para mujeres y niñas.

    Y fortaleciendo las redes de seguridad social.

    Pero hoy, el desarrollo y su gran impulsor – la cooperación internacional –enfrentan fortísimos vientos en contra.

    Vivimos en un mundo donde la confianza se está desmoronando y el multilateralismo está bajo tensión.

    Un mundo con una economía en desaceleración, tensiones comerciales crecientes y presupuestos de ayuda diezmados.

    Un mundo sacudido por desigualdades, caos climático y conflictos devastadores.

    El vínculo entre paz y desarrollo es evidente.

    Nueve de los diez países con los Indicadores de Desarrollo Humano más bajos se encuentran actualmente en situación de conflicto.

    Excelencias,

    La financiación es el motor del desarrollo.

    Y, ahora mismo, ese motor se está ahogando.

    Mientras nos reunimos, la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible – nuestra promesa global de transformar nuestro mundo para lograr un futuro mejor y más justo – está en peligro.

    Dos tercios de las metas de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible están rezagadas.

    Alcanzarlos requiere una inversión de más de 4 billones de dólares al año.

    Pero no se trata sólo de una crisis de cifras.

    Es una crisis de personas.

    De familias que pasan hambre.

    De niños que no reciben vacunas.

    De niñas obligadas a abandonar la escuela.

    Estamos aquí en Sevilla para cambiar el rumbo.

    Para reparar y poner en marcha el motor del desarrollo y acelerar la inversión a la escala y velocidad necesarias.

    Y restaurar equidad y justicia – para todas y todos.

    Excelencias:

    El documento del Compromiso de Sevilla es una clara promesa global de reparar la forma en que el mundo apoya a los países que suben la escalera del desarrollo.

    Veo tres esferas de acción.

    En primer lugar, tenemos que hacer fluir los recursos. Rápido.

    Los países deben dirigir el proceso movilizando recursos nacionales e invirtiendo en las esferas de mayor impacto: escuelas, atención sanitaria, protección social, trabajo decente y energía renovable.

    Para favorecer estas inversiones es necesario reforzar los sistemas tributarios y combatir los flujos financieros ilícitos y la evasión fiscal.

    Y ayudar a los países en desarrollo a que puedan dedicar una mayor parte de sus ingresos tributarios a los sistemas que necesitan las personas.

    El llamamiento del Compromiso de Sevilla a los países desarrollados para que dupliquen la ayuda dedicada a la movilización de recursos nacionales para servir de apoyo.

    Los bancos multilaterales y nacionales de desarrollo deben unirse para financiar grandes inversiones. 

    Para ello, hay que triplicar la capacidad de préstamo de los bancos multilaterales de desarrollo y reorientar los derechos especiales de giro para aumentar la capacidad de préstamo y ayudar a los países en desarrollo a impulsar la inversión.

    También necesitamos soluciones de financiación innovadora para facilitar el capital privado: 

    Que mitiguen los riesgos cambiarios;

    Que combinen más eficazmente la financiación pública y privada, y garanticen que los riesgos y las recompensas de los proyectos de desarrollo sean compartidos por el sector público y el sector privado; 

    Y que garanticen que la reglamentación financiera evalúa los riesgos adecuadamente y apoya las inversiones en mercados frontera.

    En segundo lugar, debemos reparar el sistema mundial de la deuda, que es insostenible, injusto e inasequible.

    Con un servicio de la deuda que asciende a 1,4 billones de dólares al año, los países necesitan — y merecen — un sistema que abarate el costo del endeudamiento, facilite la reestructuración justa y oportuna de la deuda, y prevenga las crisis de deuda en primer lugar.

    El Compromiso de Sevilla sienta las bases:  

    Con otros factores, creando también un registro único de la deuda en aras de la transparencia, y promoviendo prácticas responsables de préstamo y endeudamiento;

    Reduciendo el costo del capital mediante canjes de deuda y el apoyo a la gestión de la deuda;

    Y suspendiendo el servicio de la deuda en épocas de emergencia.    

    Y en tercer lugar debemos incrementar la participación de los países en desarrollo en las instituciones de la arquitectura financiera global. Los principales accionistas tienen un papel que desempeñar al reconocer la importancia de corregir las injusticias y adaptarse a un mundo cambiante.

    Las partes principales deben apoyar reformas que les den una voz más potente.

    Un foro de prestatarios puede fomentar el aprendizaje común y la acción coordinada en materia de deuda. 

    Un nuevo foro de prestatarios dará voz a los prestatarios para una resolución de la deuda más justa y puede fomentar el aprendizaje compartido y la acción coordinada en materia de deuda.

    Y necesitamos un sistema tributario mundial más justo, conformado por todos, no solo por unos pocos.

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Esta conferencia no trata de caridad.

    Trata de restablecer la justicia y permitir que todos vivan con dignidad.

    Esta conferencia no trata de dinero.

    Trata de invertir en el futuro que queremos construir, juntos.

    Gracias a todos por participar en este importante y ambicioso esfuerzo.
     

    ******

    THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
    REMARKS AT THE OPENING OF THE 4TH FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

    Your Majesties,

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    I thank the Government and people of Spain for welcoming us to Sevilla for this important conference.

    For decades, the mission of sustainable development has united countries large and small, developed and developing.

    Together, we achieved progress.

    Reducing global poverty and hunger.

    Saving lives with stronger health care systems.

    Getting more children into school.
                                        
    Expanding opportunities for women and girls.

    And strengthening social safety nets.

    But today, development and its great enabler — international cooperation — are facing massive headwinds.

    We are living in a world where trust is fraying and multilateralism is strained.

    A world with a slowing economy, rising trade tensions, and decimated aid budgets.

    A world shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and raging conflicts. 

    The link between peace and development is clear.

    Nine of the ten countries with the lowest Human Development Indicators are currently in a state of conflict. 

    Excellencies,

    Financing is the engine of development.

    And right now, this engine is sputtering.

    As we meet, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — our global promise to transform our world for a better, fairer future — is in danger.

    Two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals targets are lagging.

    Achieving them requires an investment of more than $4 trillion a year.

    But this is not just a crisis of numbers. 

    It’s a crisis of people.

    Of families going hungry.

    Of children going unvaccinated.

    Of girls forced to drop out of school.

    We are here in Sevilla to change course.
     
    To repair and rev up the engine of development to accelerate investment at the scale and speed required.

    And to restore a measure of fairness and justice for all.

    Excellencies,

    The Sevilla Commitment document is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder.

    I see three areas of action.

    First — we must get resources flowing. Fast.  

    Countries must lead by mobilizing domestic resources and investing in areas of greatest impact: schools, health care, social protection, decent work, and renewable energy.

    Unlocking these investments requires strengthening tax systems, and tackling illicit financial flows and tax evasion.

    And helping developing countries dedicate a greater share of their tax revenues to the systems people need.

    The Sevilla Commitment’s call on developed countries to double their aid dedicated to domestic resource mobilization to support this. 

    Multilateral and national development banks must unite to finance major investments. 

    This includes tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks — and rechanneling Special Drawing Rights that can unlock lending capacity and help developing countries boost investment.

    We also need innovative funding solutions to unlock private capital.  

    Solutions that mitigate currency risks;

    That combine public and private finance more effectively, and ensure the risks and rewards of development projects are shared by both the public and private sectors; 

    And that ensure financial regulations assess risk appropriately and support investments in frontier markets.

    Second — we must fix the global debt system which is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable.

    With annual debt service at $1.4 trillion, countries need — and deserve — a system that lowers borrowing costs, enables fair and timely debt-restructuring, and prevents debt crises in the first place.

    The Sevilla Commitment lays the groundwork:  

    With other aspects, by also creating a single debt registry for transparency, and promoting responsible lending and borrowing;

    By lowering the cost of capital through debt swaps and debt management support;

    And through debt service pauses in times of emergency.    

    And third — we must increase the participation of developing countries in the institutions of the global financial architecture. The present major shareholders have a role to play recognizing the importance of correcting injustices and adapting to a changing world. 

    A new borrowers forum will give voice to borrowers for fairer debt resolution and can foster transparency, shared learning and coordinated debt action.

    And we need a fairer global tax system shaped by all, not just a few.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    This conference is not about charity.

    It’s about restoring justice and lives of dignity.

    This conference is not about money.

    It’s about investing in the future we want to build, together.

    Thank you all for being part of this important and ambitious effort.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What Peru’s Virgen de la Puerta represents about unity and inclusion

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch, Researcher in Marianist Studies, University of Dayton

    La Virgen de la Puerta behind a glass window at the pinnacle of the church. Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch

    Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, is also claimed by the Peruvian people whom he served for over two decades as one of their own.

    Then known as Robert Francis Prevost, he lived and worked in the cities of Trujillo and Chiclayo in northern Peru. In Chiclayo he served as bishop from 2015-2023. Trujillo is a few hours south of Chiclayo, where the pope lived for a decade.

    His ministry there is particularly exciting to me because I also lived in northern Peru, during a service year with the Marianist Family between my undergraduate experience at the University of Dayton and my first year of full-time ministry. The Marianist Family was founded in response to specific needs in postrevolutionary French society. Composed of lay people and vowed religious sisters, brothers and priests, it emphasizes devotion to Mary and a communal lifestyle as a distinctive way of living out one’s Roman Catholicism.

    About a two-hour bus ride away from Trujillo lies the mountainous town of Otuzco, where I lived with other members of the Marianist Family – a place that would later become a significant focus of my research as a lay Marianist and Mariologist. An image of Mary – La Virgen de la Puerta – now housed in a shrine church, has been venerated and revered in the community for over 300 years.

    The shrine church of La Virgen de la Puerta.

    The majority of those who maintain a devotional relationship with this image, both local or from the surrounding villages, are part of the Catholic religious majority in Peru. But some other Peruvians – including non- Catholics, some members of the LGBTQ+ community, and others who are marginalized, such as former prisoners and migrants – also revere her. Many of the devotees do not live near Otuzco but maintain a spiritual relationship with La Virgen de la Puerta.

    The founding of Otuzco

    The Augustinians – the religious congregation of brothers and priests that Leo XIV is a member of – settled in Otuzco in 1560.

    As part of the founding of the town, the Augustinian Fathers placed the town under the protection of Mary, the mother of Jesus. They acquired a Spanish image, a statue of Mary made mostly of wood, and selected Dec. 15 to celebrate her locally. This tradition has continued since 1664, about 100 years after the Augustinian Fathers settled in Otuzco.

    Frequently riddled by threats of pirates and other dangers, the people of Otuzco prayed fervently to this image of Mary for protection.

    A Virgen de la Puerta procession in the evening in the streets of Otuzco.
    Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch

    During one particular threat to their safety, around 1670, they took this image into the streets in procession to protect their town. They placed this image of Mary above the door of the church in the center of town and called the image “Nuestra Señora de la Puerta” – transliterated into English: “Our Lady of the Door.”

    Contemporary pilgrimage in Otuzco

    In modern times, the fiesta of La Virgen de la Puerta is lavishly celebrated in the town of Otuzco, where thousands of faithful descend upon the mountain community for the multiday fiesta patronal, a festive celebration that honors the patron saint to whom a site is dedicated or entrusted.

    The fiesta patronal of La Virgen de la Puerta begins annually on Dec. 14, with the principal day observed on Dec. 15, and concludes on Dec. 16.

    During the days of the fiesta, the road between Trujillo and Otuzco is transformed into a pilgrimage route. The purpose of the journey can vary from pilgrim to pilgrim, yet it often reflects a deeply personal act of devotion.

    Some pilgrims arrive from Otuzco, Trujillo and neighboring villages, while others travel long distances – in Peru or from abroad – to honor La Virgen de la Puerta. Some pilgrims journey the roughly 50 miles (over 80 kilometers) between Trujillo and Otuzco on foot.

    I personally made this journey with a group of fellow pilgrims, the very people I was living among and ministering with during my service year in Peru. My pilgrimage involved a backpack with basic medical supplies for the group. After an overnight walk to Otuzco in camping pants, a T-shirt, hat and sneakers, I arrived before the image of Mary with quarter-size blisters on my feet.

    La Virgen de la Puerta procession through the streets of Otuzco.
    Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch

    Some pilgrims, unlike me, mark the final kilometers of their journey by advancing to the shrine through the streets on their knees.

    Devotion outside Otuzco

    In addition to the thousands who descend on the town of Otuzco each year for the celebration, there are those who are deeply devoted to La Virgen de la Puerta but do not or cannot make the journey to the shrine. Their celebrations take place at times at a great distance from Otuzco.

    Among them are members of the LGBTQ+ community, who to this day remain marginalized in broader Peruvian and Catholic culture. Although members of the LGBTQ+ community reside throughout Peru, the neighborhood of Cerro El Pino in Lima has historically been the site of a festive celebration in honor of La Virgen de la Puerta, which many community members observe.

    Differing communities come with differing needs to La Virgen de la Puerta. The LGBTQ+ community in this particular neighborhood believes she has protected them throughout their history. During the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, when over 10% of the male population in Lima was infected by HIV, members of this community sought the protection of La Virgen de la Puerta for their physical health. Although some people died from AIDS, others continued to participate in the rituals of the fiesta to honor her protection over time, even amid their suffering. They wore special costumes, sang and performed the dances that have been part of the fiesta patronal for over 300 years.

    Francisco Rodríguez Torres is a Peruvian photographer who lives in the capital city, Lima, but has roots in the northern region where the image of La Virgen de la Puerta is located. He is one of those who has documented the activities of the fiesta patronal both in Otuzco and in Lima in his text La Mamita de Otuzco.

    He writes both about the local faithful as well as those who venerate the image from a distance. In his Spanish language text, he has documented that La Virgen de la Puerta is considered a mother by groups who find themselves on the margins of society. These groups include those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, the poor, former prisoners and migrants. They “hope to find in her gaze a consolation,” he explains.

    Devotees bring their special petitions before La Virgen de la Puerta: They ask for her support in making decisions and for their everyday needs. Some even pray for miraculous healing.

    Echoing this sentiment of finding hope in La Virgen de la Puerta, Pope Francis, during his apostolic journey to Peru, crowned La Virgen de la Puerta and gave her the title of Mother of Mercy and Hope. In his address during a special prayer service in Trujillo on Jan. 20, 2018, Francis recounted that La Virgen de la Puerta has defended and protected all of her children throughout history.

    Leo, following the example of Francis, has focused on the importance of dialogue and peace. In his first message from the balcony upon being announced pope he said that members of the Catholic Church must build “bridges, dialogue, always open to receive like this square with its open arms, all, all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.”

    I believe that La Virgen de la Puerta – a source of mercy and hope for all her devotees, regardless of whether they have been historically marginalized or excluded – offers an example to the world community of the greater unity with one another that Leo XIV is seeking to prioritize.

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

    – ref. What Peru’s Virgen de la Puerta represents about unity and inclusion – https://theconversation.com/what-perus-virgen-de-la-puerta-represents-about-unity-and-inclusion-256766

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Sleep loss rewires the brain for cravings and weight gain – a neurologist explains the science behind the cycle

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

    Getting enough sleep is one of the most effective ways to restore metabolic balance in the brain and body. SimpleImages/Moment via Getty Images

    You stayed up too late scrolling through your phone, answering emails or watching just one more episode. The next morning, you feel groggy and irritable. That sugary pastry or greasy breakfast sandwich suddenly looks more appealing than your usual yogurt and berries. By the afternoon, chips or candy from the break room call your name. This isn’t just about willpower. Your brain, short on rest, is nudging you toward quick, high-calorie fixes.

    There is a reason why this cycle repeats itself so predictably. Research shows that insufficient sleep disrupts hunger signals, weakens self-control, impairs glucose metabolism and increases your risk of weight gain. These changes can occur rapidly, even after a single night of poor sleep, and can become more harmful over time if left unaddressed.

    I am a neurologist specializing in sleep science and its impact on health.

    Sleep deprivation affects millions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults regularly get less than seven hours of sleep per night. Nearly three-quarters of adolescents fall short of the recommended 8-10 hours sleep during the school week.

    While anyone can suffer from sleep loss, essential workers and first responders, including nurses, firefighters and emergency personnel, are especially vulnerable due to night shifts and rotating schedules. These patterns disrupt the body’s internal clock and are linked to increased cravings, poor eating habits and elevated risks for obesity and metabolic disease. Fortunately, even a few nights of consistent, high-quality sleep can help rebalance key systems and start to reverse some of these effects.

    How sleep deficits disrupt hunger hormones

    Your body regulates hunger through a hormonal feedback loop involving two key hormones.

    Ghrelin, produced primarily in the stomach, signals that you are hungry, while leptin, which is produced in the fat cells, tells your brain that you are full. Even one night of restricted sleep increases the release of ghrelin and decreases leptin, which leads to greater hunger and reduced satisfaction after eating. This shift is driven by changes in how the body regulates hunger and stress. Your brain becomes less responsive to fullness signals, while at the same time ramping up stress hormones that can increase cravings and appetite.

    These changes are not subtle. In controlled lab studies, healthy adults reported increased hunger and stronger cravings for calorie-dense foods after sleeping only four to five hours. The effect worsens with ongoing sleep deficits, which can lead to a chronically elevated appetite.

    Sleep is as important as diet and exercise in maintaining a healthy weight.

    Why the brain shifts into reward mode

    Sleep loss changes how your brain evaluates food.

    Imaging studies show that after just one night of sleep deprivation, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making and impulse control, has reduced activity. At the same time, reward-related areas such as the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain that drives motivation and reward-seeking, become more reactive to tempting food cues.

    In simple terms, your brain becomes more tempted by junk food and less capable of resisting it. Participants in sleep deprivation studies not only rated high-calorie foods as more desirable but were also more likely to choose them, regardless of how hungry they actually felt.

    Your metabolism slows, leading to increased fat storage

    Sleep is also critical for blood sugar control.

    When you’re well rested, your body efficiently uses insulin to move sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells for energy. But even one night of partial sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity by up to 25%, leaving more sugar circulating in your blood.

    If your body can’t process sugar effectively, it’s more likely to convert it into fat. This contributes to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. Over time, poor sleep is associated with higher risk for Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a group of health issues such as high blood pressure, belly fat and high blood sugar that raise the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

    On top of this, sleep loss raises cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone. Elevated cortisol encourages fat storage, especially in the abdominal region, and can further disrupt appetite regulation.

    Sleep is your metabolic reset button

    In a culture that glorifies hustle and late nights, sleep is often treated as optional. But your body doesn’t see it that way. Sleep is not downtime. It is active, essential repair. It is when your brain recalibrates hunger and reward signals, your hormones reset and your metabolism stabilizes.

    Just one or two nights of quality sleep can begin to undo the damage from prior sleep loss and restore your body’s natural balance.

    So the next time you find yourself reaching for junk food after a short night, recognize that your biology is not failing you. It is reacting to stress and fatigue. The most effective way to restore balance isn’t a crash diet or caffeine. It’s sleep.

    Sleep is not a luxury. It is your most powerful tool for appetite control, energy regulation and long-term health.

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

    – ref. Sleep loss rewires the brain for cravings and weight gain – a neurologist explains the science behind the cycle – https://theconversation.com/sleep-loss-rewires-the-brain-for-cravings-and-weight-gain-a-neurologist-explains-the-science-behind-the-cycle-255726

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nostalgic foods and scents like fresh-cut grass and hamburgers grilling bring comfort, connection and well-being

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chelsea Reid, Associate Professor of Psychology, College of Charleston

    The foods and scents we associate with our childhoods can provide a meaningful source of comfort and connection. zeljkosantrac/E+ via Getty Images

    Walking around my neighborhood in the evening, I am hit by the smells of summer: fresh-cut grass, hamburgers grilling and a hint of swimming pool chlorine. These are also the smells of summers from my adolescence, and they remind me of Friday evenings at the community pool with my friends and our families gathered around picnic tables between swims. The memories always brings a smile to my face.

    As a social psychologist, I shouldn’t feel surprised to experience this warm glow. My research focuses on nostalgia – a sentimental longing for treasured moments in our personal pasts – and how nostalgia is linked to our well-being and feelings of connection with others.

    Triggered by sensory stimuli such as music, scents and foods, nostalgia has the power to mentally transport us back in time. This might be to important occasions, to moments of triumph and – importantly – moments revolving around close family and friends and other important people in our lives.

    As it turns out, this experience is good for us.

    How the concept of nostalgia evolved

    For centuries, nostalgia was considered unhealthy.

    In the 1600s, a Swiss medical student named Johannes Hofer studied mercenaries in the Italian and French lowlands who longed desperately for their mountain homelands. Witnessing their weeping and despondency, he coined the term nostalgia and attributed it to a brain disease. Other thinkers of the time echoed this view, which persisted through the 18th and 19th centuries.

    However, early thinkers made an error: They assumed that nostalgia was causing unpleasant symptoms. It may have been the reverse. Unpleasant experiences, such as loneliness and grief, can arouse nostalgia, which can then help people cope more effectively with these hardships.

    Today, researchers view nostalgia as a predominantly positive, albeit bittersweet, emotional experience that serves as a source of psychological well-being. Importantly, this view has been supported by scientific research.

    Part of what makes nostalgia so intense is the bittersweet blend of feelings that it brings up.

    How nostalgia inspires connection and belonging

    Nostalgia provides many benefits. It enhances feelings of optimism and inspiration and makes people view themselves more positively. When people feel nostalgic, they feel a greater sense that their lives are meaningful.

    The social benefits of nostalgia are particularly well supported. Nostalgia increases empathy and the willingness of people to give to those around them, such as volunteering for community events and donating to charities.

    Nostalgia also makes people feel more socially connected to their loved ones by enhancing feelings that they are loved by, connected to, protected by and trusting of others. Nostalgia helps people feel more secure in their close relationships and enhances relationship satisfaction.

    While nostalgia is a universal experience, it is also deeply personal. The moments for which we are each nostalgic and the stimuli that might trigger our nostalgic memories can vary from one person to the next depending on the experiences that each of us have. But people within the same culture may find similar stimuli to be nostalgic for them. In a 2013 study, for instance, my team found that American participants rated pumpkin pie spice as the most nostalgia-evoking scent out of a variety of options.

    Many nostalgia-inducing scents vary from person to person, but pumpkin pie spice may be one of the most evocative scents in the U.S.
    Redjina Ph/Moment via Getty Images

    The nostalgic power of scents and foods

    In 1922, the French novelist Marcel Proust wrote about the strength of scents and foods to elicit nostalgia. He vividly described how the experience of smelling and eating a tea-soaked cake mentally transported him back to childhood experiences with his aunt in her home and village. This sort of experience is now often referred to as the Proust effect.

    Science has confirmed what Proust described. Our olfactory system, the sensory system responsible for our sense of smell, is closely linked to brain structures associated with emotions and autobiographical memory. Smells combine with tastes to create our perception of flavor.

    Foods also tend to be central to social gatherings, making them easily associated with these memories. For instance, a summer barbecue might feel incomplete to some without slices of juicy watermelon. And homemade pumpkin pie may be an essential dessert at many Thanksgiving tables. The watermelon or pie may then serve as what are known in social psychology as social surrogates, foods that serve as stand-ins for valued relationships due to their inclusion at past occasions with loved ones.

    My research team and I wanted to know how people benefited from feeling nostalgic when they encountered the scents and foods of their pasts. We began in 2011 by exposing study participants to 33 scents and chose 12 of them for our study. Participants rated some scents, such as pumpkin pie spice and baby powder, as highly evocative of nostalgia, while rating others – such as money and cappuccino –as less evocative.

    Those who experienced more nostalgia when smelling the scents experienced greater positive emotions, greater self-esteem, greater feelings of connection to their past selves, greater optimism, greater feelings of social connectedness and a greater sense that life is meaningful.

    We came to similar conclusions when we studied nostalgia for foods. Foods seemed to be more strongly linked to nostalgia than either scents or music when comparing the amount of nostalgia our participants experienced for foods to what previous research participants experienced for scents and songs. More recently, we found that nostalgic foods are comforting and that people find nostalgic foods comforting because those nostalgic foods remind them of important or meaningful moments with their loved ones.

    For some, a summer barbecue wouldn’t be complete without the smell and taste of juicy watermelon.
    GMVozd/E+ via Getty Images

    Balancing benefits and trade-offs

    Although nostalgia can be associated with foods that should be eaten only in moderation – such as burgers and cookies – there are other ways to channel our nostalgia through foods.

    We can have nostalgia with healthy foods. For instance, orange slices remind me of halftime at childhood soccer matches. And many people, including our research participants, feel intense nostalgia around watermelon. Other researchers have found that tofu is a nostalgic food for Chinese participants.

    But when nostalgia does involve consumption of unhealthy foods, there are still other ways to experience it without the health trade-offs. We found that participants experienced the benefits of food-evoked nostalgia just from imagining and writing about the foods – no consumption necessary. Other researchers have found that drawing comforting foods can enhance well-being. Even consuming less healthy foods more mindfully helps people enjoy their food while reducing their caloric consumption.

    Once seen as detrimental to our health, nostalgia provides us with an opportunity to reap numerous rewards. With nostalgic foods, we might be able to nourish both our bodies and our psychological health.

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

    – ref. Nostalgic foods and scents like fresh-cut grass and hamburgers grilling bring comfort, connection and well-being – https://theconversation.com/nostalgic-foods-and-scents-like-fresh-cut-grass-and-hamburgers-grilling-bring-comfort-connection-and-well-being-256192

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: When you lose your health insurance, you may also lose your primary doctor – and that hurts your health

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jane Tavares, Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer of Gerontology, UMass Boston

    Seeing the same doctor on a regular basis is good for your health. Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    When you lose your health insurance or switch to a plan that skimps on preventive care, something critical breaks.

    The connection to your primary care provider, usually a doctor, gets severed. You stop getting routine checkups. Warning signs get missed. Medical problems that could have been caught early become emergencies. And because emergencies are both dangerous and expensive, your health gets worse while your medical bills climb.

    As gerontology researchers who study health and financial well-being in later life, we’ve analyzed how someone’s ties to the health care system strengthen or unravel depending on whether they have insurance coverage. What we’ve found is simple: Staying connected to a trusted doctor keeps you healthier and saves the system money. Breaking that link does just the opposite.

    And that’s exactly what has us worried right now. Members of Congress are debating whether to make major cuts to Medicaid and other social safety net programs. If the Senate passes its own version of the tax-and-spending package that the House approved in May 2025, millions of Americans will soon face exactly this kind of disruption – with big consequences for their health and well-being.

    How people end up uninsured

    Someone can lose their health insurance for a number of reasons. For many Americans, coverage is tied to employment. Being fired, retiring before you turn 65 and become eligible to enroll in the Medicare program, or even getting a new job can mean losing insurance. Others wind up uninsured due to a different array of changes: moving to a different state, getting divorced or aging out of a parent’s plan after their 26th birthday.

    And those who buy their own coverage may find that they can no longer afford the premiums. In 2024, average premiums on the individual market exceeded more than US$600 per month for many adults, even with subsidies.

    Government-sponsored insurance programs can also leave you vulnerable to this predicament. The Senate is currently considering its own version of a tax-and-spending bill the House of Representatives passed in May that would make cuts and changes to Medicaid. If the provisions in the House bill are enacted, millions of Americans who get health insurance through Medicaid – a health insurance program jointly run by the federal government and the states that is mainly for people who have low incomes or disabilities – would lose their coverage, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

    Medicaid was established in the 1960s, explains a scholar of the program’s history.

    Consequences of becoming uninsured

    Health insurance is more than a way to pay medical bills; it’s a doorway into the health care system itself. It connects people to health care providers who come to know their medical history, their medications and their personal circumstances.

    When that door closes, the effects are immediate. Uninsured people are much less likely to have a usual source of care – typically a doctor or another primary care provider or clinic you know and trust. That relationship acts as a foundation for managing chronic conditions, staying current with preventive screenings and getting guidance when new symptoms arise.

    Researchers have found that adults who go uninsured for even six months become significantly more likely to postpone care or forgo it altogether to save money. In practical terms, this means they’re less likely to be examined by someone who knows their medical history and can spot red flags early.

    The Affordable Care Act, the landmark health care law enacted during the Obama administration, made the number of Americans without insurance plummet. The share of people without insurance fell from 16% in 2010 to 7.7% in 2023.

    The people who got insurance coverage, particularly those who were middle age, saw big improvements in their health.

    Researching the results

    In research that looked at data collected from 2014 to 2020, we followed what happened to 12,000 adults who were 50 or older and lived across the nation.

    Our research team analyzed how their experiences changed when they lost, and sometimes later regained, a regular source of care during those six years.

    Many of the participants in this study had multiple chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

    The results were striking.

    Those who didn’t see the same provider on a regular basis were far less likely to feel heard or respected by health care professionals. They had fewer medical appointments, filled fewer prescriptions and were less likely to follow through with recommended treatments.

    Their health also deteriorated considerably over the six years. Their blood pressure and blood sugar levels rose, and they had more elevated indicators of kidney impairment compared with their counterparts who had regular care providers.

    The longer they went without consistent health care, the worse these clinical markers became.

    Warning signs

    Preventive care is one of the best tools that both patients and their health care providers have to head off major health problems. This care includes screenings like cholesterol and blood pressure checks, mammograms, PAP smears and prostate exams, as well as routine vaccinations. But most people only get preventive care when they stay engaged with the health care system.

    And that’s far more likely when you have stable and comprehensive health insurance coverage.

    Our research team also examined what happened to preventive care based on whether the participants had a regular doctor. We found that those who kept seeing the same providers were almost three times more likely to get basic preventive services than those who did not.

    Over time, these missed preventive care opportunities can add up to a big problem. They can turn what could have been a manageable issue into an emergency room visit or a long, expensive hospital stay.

    For example, imagine a man in his 50s who no longer gets cholesterol screenings after losing insurance coverage. Over several years, his undiagnosed high cholesterol leads to a heart attack that could have been prevented with early medication. Or a woman who skips mammograms because of out-of-pocket costs, only to face a late-stage cancer diagnosis that might have been caught years earlier.

    Waiting too long to deal with a health condition can mean you make a trip to the emergency room, increasing the cost of care for you and others.
    FS Productions/Tetra images via Getty Images

    Shifting the costs

    Patients whose conditions take too long to be diagnosed aren’t the only ones who pay the price.

    We also studied how stable care relationships affect health care spending. To do this, we linked Medicare claims cost data to our original study and tracked the medical costs of the same adults age 50 and older from 2014 to 2020. One of our key findings is that people with regular care providers were 38% less likely to incur above-average health care costs.

    These savings aren’t just for patients – they ripple through the entire health care system. Primary care stability lowers costs for both public and private health insurers and, ultimately, for taxpayers.

    But when people lose their health care coverage, those savings disappear.

    Emergency rooms see more uninsured patients seeking care that could have been handled earlier and more cheaply in a clinic or doctor’s office. While hospitals are legally required to provide emergency care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, much of the resulting cost goes unreimbursed.

    Hospitals foot the bill for about two-thirds of those losses. They pass the other third along to private insurance companies through higher hospital fees. Those insurers, in turn, raise their customers’ premiums. Larger taxpayer subsidies can then be required to keep hospitals open.

    Seeing Medicaid as a lifeline

    For the nearly 80 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid, the program provides more than coverage.

    It contributes to the health care stability our research shows is critical for good health. Medicaid makes it possible for many Americans with serious medical conditions to have a regular doctor, get routine preventive services and have someone to turn to when symptoms arise – even when they have low incomes. It helps prevent health care from becoming purely crisis-driven.

    As Congress considers cutting Medicaid funding by hundreds of billions of dollars, we believe that lawmakers should realize that scaling back coverage would break the fragile links between millions of patients and the providers who know them best.

    Jane Tavares receives funding from the SCAN Foundation, the RRF Foundation for Aging, and Milbank Memorial Fund .

    Marc Cohen receives funding from the SCAN Foundation, the RRF Foundation for Aging and Milbank Memorial Fund .

    – ref. When you lose your health insurance, you may also lose your primary doctor – and that hurts your health – https://theconversation.com/when-you-lose-your-health-insurance-you-may-also-lose-your-primary-doctor-and-that-hurts-your-health-258380

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Critical minerals don’t belong in landfills – microwave tech offers a cleaner way to reclaim them from e-waste

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Terence Musho, Associate Professor of Engineering, West Virginia University

    Broken electronics still contain valuable critical minerals. Beeldbewerking/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    When the computer or phone you’re using right now blinks its last blink and you drop it off for recycling, do you know what happens?

    At the recycling center, powerful magnets will pull out steel. Spinning drums will toss aluminum into bins. Copper wires will get neatly bundled up for resale. But as the conveyor belt keeps rolling, tiny specks of valuable, lesser-known materials such as gallium, indium and tantalum will be left behind.

    Those tiny specks are critical materials. They’re essential for building new technology, and they’re in short supply in the U.S. They could be reused, but there’s a problem: Current recycling methods make recovering critical minerals from e-waste too costly or hazardous, so many recyclers simply skip them.

    Sadly, most of these hard-to-recycle materials end up buried in landfills or get mixed into products like cement. But it doesn’t have to be this way. New technology is starting to make a difference.

    A treasure trove of critical materials is often overlooked in e-waste, including gallium in LEDs, indium in LCDs, and tantalum in surface mount capacitors.
    Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY

    As demand for these critical materials keeps growing, discarded electronics can become valuable resources. My colleagues and I at West Virginia University are developing a new technology to change how we recycle. Instead of using toxic chemicals, our approach uses electricity, making it safer, cleaner and more affordable to recover critical materials from electronics.

    How much e-waste are we talking about?

    Americans generated about 2.7 million tons of electronic waste in 2018, according to the latest federal data. Including uncounted electronics, a survey by the United Nations suggests that the U.S. recycles only about 15% of its total e-waste.

    Even worse, nearly half the electronics that people in Northern America sent to recycling centers end up shipped overseas. They often land in scrapyards, where workers may use dangerous methods like burning or leaching using harsh chemicals to pull out valuable metals. These practices can harm both the environment and workers’ health. That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency restricts these methods in the U.S.

    The tiny specks matter

    Critical minerals are in most of the technology around you. Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide. LEDs glow because of a metal called gallium. Tantalum stores energy in tiny electronic parts called capacitors.

    All of these materials are flagged as “high risk” on the U.S. Department of Energy’s critical materials list. That means the U.S. relies heavily on these materials for important technologies, but their supply could be easily disrupted by conflicts, trade disputes or shortages.

    Right now, just a few countries, including China, control most of the mining, processing and recovery of these materials, making the U.S. vulnerable if those countries decide to limit exports or raise prices.

    These materials aren’t cheap, either. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey reports that gallium was priced between US$220 to $500 per kilogram in 2024. That’s 50 times more expensive than common metals like copper, at $9.48 per kilogram in 2024.

    Revolutionizing recycling with microwaves

    At West Virginia University’s Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, I and materials scientist Edward Sabolsky asked a simple question: Could we find a way to heat only specific parts of electronic waste to recover these valuable materials?

    If we could focus the heat on just the tiny specks of critical minerals, we might be able to recycle them easily and efficiently.

    The solution we found: microwaves.

    This equipment isn’t very different from the microwave ovens you use to heat food at home, just bigger and more powerful. The basic science is the same – electromagnetic waves cause electrons to oscillate, creating heat.

    In our approach, though, we’re not heating water molecules like you do when cooking. Instead, we heat carbon, the black residue that collects around a candle flame or car tailpipe. Carbon heats up much faster in a microwave than water does. But don’t try this at home; your kitchen microwave wasn’t designed for such high temperatures.

    West Virginia University researchers are using this experimental microwave reactor to recycle critical materials from end-of-life electronics.
    Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY

    In our recycling method, we first shred the electronic waste, mix it with materials called fluxes that trap impurities, and then heat the mixture with microwaves. The microwaves rapidly heat the carbon that comes from the plastics and adhesives in the e-waste. This causes the carbon to react with the tiny specks of critical materials. The result: a tiny piece of pure, sponge-like metal about the size of a grain of rice.

    This metal can then be easily separated from leftover waste using filters.

    So far, in our laboratory tests, we have successfully recovered about 80% of the gallium, indium and tantalum from e-waste, at purities between 95% and 97%. We have also demonstrated how it can be integrated with existing recycling processes.

    Why the Department of Defense is interested

    Our recycling technology got its start with help from a program funded by the Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.

    Many important technologies, from radar systems to nuclear reactors, depend on these special materials. While the Department of Defense uses less of them than the commercial market, they are a national security concern.

    We’re planning to launch larger pilot projects next to test the method on smartphone circuit boards, LED lighting parts and server cards from data centers. These tests will help us fine-tune the design for a bigger system that can recycle tons of e-waste per hour instead of just a few pounds. That could mean producing up to 50 pounds of these critical minerals per hour from every ton of e-waste processed.

    If the technology works as expected, we believe this approach could help meet the nation’s demand for critical materials.

    How to make e-waste recycling common

    One way e-waste recycling could become more common is if Congress held electronics companies responsible for recycling their products and recovering the critical materials inside. Closing loopholes that allow companies to ship e-waste overseas, instead of processing it safely in the U.S., could also help build a reserve of recovered critical minerals.

    But the biggest change may come from simple economics. Once technology becomes available to recover these tiny but valuable specks of critical materials quickly and affordably, the U.S. can transform domestic recycling and take a big step toward solving its shortage of critical materials.

    Terence Musho has received funding from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.

    – ref. Critical minerals don’t belong in landfills – microwave tech offers a cleaner way to reclaim them from e-waste – https://theconversation.com/critical-minerals-dont-belong-in-landfills-microwave-tech-offers-a-cleaner-way-to-reclaim-them-from-e-waste-254908

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Public health and private equity: What the Walgreens buyout could mean for the future of pharmacy care

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Patrick Aguilar, Professor of Practice of Organizational Behavior, Washington University in St. Louis

    Pharmacies are more than just stores – they’re vital links between people and their health care.

    One of us, Patrick, witnessed this firsthand in 2003 while working as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens in a midsize West Texas town. Each day involved handling hundreds of prescriptions as they moved through the system – meticulously counting pills, deciphering doctors’ handwriting and sorting out confusing insurance issues. The experience revealed that how pharmacies are owned and managed is as much a public health issue as it is a financial one.

    Fast-forward to today, and Walgreens – one of the world’s largest pharmacy chains, which filled nearly 800 million U.S. prescriptions in 2024 – is at a turning point. In March, the company announced it would be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for US$10 billion, just 10% of its peak market value. That deal takes the storied pharmacy chain off the public market for the first time in nearly 100 years.

    We’re professors who study the intersection of medicine and business, and we think this deal offers a window into the future of pharmacy care. It matters not just to pharmacists but also to the tens of millions of Americans who rely on outlets like Walgreens to meet their everyday health needs.

    The rise and struggles of Walgreens

    A lot has changed in the pharmacy industry since 1901, when Charles R. Walgreen Sr. purchased the Chicago drugstore where he served as a pharmacist. The company went public in 1927, expanded rapidly throughout the 20th century and grew to 8,000 stores by 2013. By 2014, a merger with the European pharmacy chain Alliance Boots made Walgreens one of the largest pharmacy chains in the world.

    More recently, however, the picture for the pharmacy industry hasn’t been so rosy. Labor costs have risen. Front-end retail sales – things like snacks, greeting cards and cosmetics – have fallen. And financial pressures from pharmacy benefit managers – those third-party groups that manage the cost of prescription drug benefits on the behalf of insurers – have grown.

    All of these things have significantly constrained revenues across the industry, leading stores to shutter. Some estimates suggest that as many as one-third of U.S. retail pharmacies have closed since 2010.

    Against that backdrop, Sycamore Partners’ March acquisition of Walgreens raises big questions. What does Sycamore see in this investment, and what might their strategies imply about the future of American pharmacy care?

    Framing the private equity bet

    Private equity firms typically buy companies, streamline their operations and seek to sell them for a profit within five to seven years of the acquisition.

    This growing movement of private equity into the global economy is by no means limited to health care. In 2020, private equity firms employed 11.7 million U.S. workers, or about 7% of the country’s total workforce. The total assets under management by such investors have grown by over 11% annually over the past two decades, a trend that’s expected to continue.

    In looking at Walgreens, Sycamore, like many of these businesses, likely sees an opportunity to buy low, cut costs and improve profitability. One survey of private equity investors found that the most common self-reported sources of value creation in these deals for companies of Sycamore’s size were changing the product and marketing it more robustly to drive demand, changing incentives for those within the business, and facilitating a high-value exit.

    While private owners may have more patience than public markets, critics argue that private equity firms tend to have a short-term focus, looking for quick, predictable services of margin improvement – like, for example, cutting jobs.

    There’s some evidence in favor of that claim. One study found that employment often drops in the years following a private equity buyout. And if the focus shifts to repaying debt or prepping for resale, long-term projects, such as investing in future innovation, can get deprioritized.

    The history of privatized public companies offers a mix of successes and failures. Dell Technologies and hotel chain Hilton are two prominent examples of companies that went private, restructured successfully and came back stronger. In those cases, going private helped management focus without the constant pressure of quarterly earnings reports.

    On the other hand, companies such as Toys R Us, which was taken private in 2005 and filed for bankruptcy in 2018, show how high debt and missed innovation can lead to collapse.

    What’s next for Walgreens

    So, where does this leave Walgreens − and the investors involved in the deal?

    If part of the returns will be driven by “buying low” – the easiest indicator of potential future success to measure as of today – Sycamore started well: Its purchase price represents a mere 8% premium over the market trading value on the day of the announcement, significantly less than the 46% seen across industries in 2023. That said, Sycamore financed 83.4% of the purchase with debt, a number on the high end for these kinds of transactions. Health care groups have pointed to this number while raising concerns that innovation-focused investments may take a back seat to debt obligations.

    As the dust settles on the purchase, Sycamore has indicated an interest in splitting Walgreens into three business units: one focused on U.S. pharmacies, one on U.K. pharmacies and one on U.S. primary health care through its VillageMD subsidiary.

    That’s not unusual: Sycamore has used a similar approach before with its investment in the office supply retailer Staples, a strategy that has garnered strong financial returns but been called into question for its long-term sustainability.

    Given the significant financial challenges VillageMD has faced since its acquisition by Walgreens, this represents an opportunity to separately evaluate and optimize its performance. Meanwhile, Sycamore’s historic focus on retail and customer-focused businesses might help it modernize the in-store experience or optimize staffing.

    For more than a century, Walgreens has survived and adapted to sweeping changes in retail. Now, it’s entering a new chapter – one that could reshape not just its own future but the role of pharmacies in American life.

    Will Sycamore help Walgreens thrive, using its resources to strengthen services and deliver more value to customers? Or will pressure to generate quick returns create problems? Either way, the answer matters – not just for investors but for anyone who’s ever relied on their neighborhood pharmacy to stay healthy.

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

    – ref. Public health and private equity: What the Walgreens buyout could mean for the future of pharmacy care – https://theconversation.com/public-health-and-private-equity-what-the-walgreens-buyout-could-mean-for-the-future-of-pharmacy-care-253598

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Metro Detroit is growing – but its suburbs are telling a more complicated story

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Grigoris Argeros, Professor of Sociology, Eastern Michigan University

    Detroit is still a majority Black city, but the share of white, Asian and Hispanic residents is growing. DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Following decades of population loss, Detroit may finally be turning a corner.

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates, the city saw an increase in population for both 2023 and 2024.

    An additional 11,000 people moved into the city in the years 2023 and 2024, a small gain in a city with a population of 645,705 – but one which marked a symbolic shift.

    The census data shows just over 1% growth in the past year alone and 0.7% the year before compared with a nearly 25% loss between 2000 and 2010.

    As an urban sociologist studying issues related to race and ethnicity, I am interested in how Detroit’s population is changing, and where different groups live in both the city and its suburbs.

    Analyzing population trends in the metro Detroit area using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, I wanted to understand how racial, ethnic and socioeconomic trends are unfolding, and what those changes can tell us about the evolution and vitality of Detroit.

    Black Detroiters relocate, city diversifies

    From 2010 to 2023, Detroit’s racial and ethnic makeup continued to gradually diversify even as the city was declining in population.

    While Black residents are still the majority, their proportion of the total number fell from around 84% to 79%.

    Other groups, in contrast, increased their share of the city’s population. Between 2010 and 2023, the percentage of Hispanic residents grew from 6.6% to 8.3%, the percentage of white residents grew from 8.2% to 10.7%, and the percentage of Asian residents grew from 1.3% to 1.7%.

    These shifts reflect a steady and ongoing diversification of Detroit’s population, indicative of new migration trends and shifting neighborhood dynamics.

    Suburbs in flux

    In addition to Detroit’s recent population growth, a broader story is unfolding in the city’s suburbs.

    The population of the suburban area as a whole increased 0.73% from 2023 to 2024, but growth was not evenly spread. Collectively, the outer-ring suburbs gained almost 20,000 people, increasing by 1%. Communities such as the city of Troy and Macomb Township accounted for a significant share of that growth.

    A map of Detroit and the surrounding suburbs, with shading to indicate which areas are considered to be the ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ suburbs.
    Grigoris Argeros, CC BY

    Inner-ring suburbs, such as Southfield, Warren and others, grew less vigorously – gaining just 4,000 people, or 0.31%.

    These differences highlight the necessity of complicating the conventional city-versus-suburb narrative to acknowledge the many economic and racial divisions across the metropolitan region.

    The socioeconomic statuses of residents of the inner- and outer-ring suburbs diverged between 2000 and 2020.

    My analysis of census data shows that although both subregions witnessed increases in median household incomes, the rates of change were significantly higher in the outer-ring suburbs, with a 37.7% increase versus a 16.8% increase in the inner rings.

    The data shows a similar trend in higher education attainment. Outer ring suburbs gained 7.1% more residents with college degrees or higher during this period, while the inner suburbs lost 7.5%.

    Homeownership patterns in the two suburban regions also diverged over those two decades, increasing 18% in the outer rings and decreasing 10% in the inner rings.

    The data on poverty and immigration also reveal contrasting results.

    According to my calculations of census data, inner-ring suburbs experienced a 77% increase in poverty, while the outer ring experienced a lesser, though considerable, 50.8% bump in poverty during the 2000-2020 period.

    Meanwhile, during the same time period, the foreign-born populations in the outer suburbs expanded by 24.9%, with increases of at least 10,000 in places such as Sterling Heights, Novi and Canton. In contrast, the inner suburbs saw more modest gains — around 5,000 in cities such as Dearborn Heights and Warren — while their overall foreign-born share declined by nearly 20%.

    Together, the above trends highlight the necessity of not viewing the suburban area as a monolith. These patterns reflect national trends, in which many older, inner-ring suburbs are experiencing socioeconomic stagnation or decline while newer, outer-ring suburbs continue to attract more people who have higher incomes.

    Mixed neighborhoods grow

    Residential segregation also differentiates inner and outer suburban rings.

    Segregation levels remain high in the inner suburbs, especially between white and Black residents. While outer suburbs tend to be more integrated today, the rate of change there has been more modest over the past two decades.

    Social scientists measure segregation using a tool called the “dissimilarity index.” The index represents the proportion of one group that would need to move to establish an equal distribution of the population based on their relative numbers. It ranges from 0 to 100. A score of 0 means equal distribution across neighborhoods, while a score of 100 means the two groups live in completely separate areas.

    From 2000 to 2020, white-Black segregation across the region decreased from 84.4% to 68.3% on the index, while white-Hispanic segregation decreased from 47.6% to 39.9%. Together, these numbers indicate a broader trend toward more integrated living patterns.

    In the inner-ring suburbs, segregation fell across the board. White-Black segregation went down by 15.6%; white-Asian and white-Hispanic segregation dropped even more, by 43.2% and 30.7%, respectively.

    These trends suggest that while the outer suburbs currently have lower levels of segregation, the inner suburbs are integrating more rapidly, reflecting shifting patterns of neighborhood change and increasing racial and ethnic diversity.

    Detroit has come a long way since exiting bankruptcy in 2014. Its recent population growth and increasing diversity show important signs of renewal.

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

    – ref. Metro Detroit is growing – but its suburbs are telling a more complicated story – https://theconversation.com/metro-detroit-is-growing-but-its-suburbs-are-telling-a-more-complicated-story-257875

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: US bombs Iran’s nuclear sites: What led to Trump pulling the trigger – and what happens next?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Javed Ali, Associate Professor of Practice of Public Policy, University of Michigan

    US President Donald Trump addresses the nation on Iran strikes on June 21, 2025 Carlos Barria/AFP via Getty Images

    In the early hours of June 22, 2025, local time, the United States attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran with “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk missiles.

    Following more than a week of Israeli strikes on various targets in Iran – which had prompted retaliatory strikes from Tehran – the U.S. move marks a possible inflection point in the conflict. In initial comments on the strikes at the Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz facilities, President Donald Trump said that Iran’s nuclear program had been “completely and fully obliterated.” In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. had “crossed a very big red line.”

    The Conversation U.S. turned to Javed Ali, an expert on Middle East affairs at the University of Michigan and a former senior official at the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, to talk through why Trump chose now to act and what the potential repercussions could be.

    What do we know about the nature and timing of US involvement?

    President Trump has been forcefully hinting for days days that such a strike could happen, while at the same time opening up a window of negotiation by suggesting as late as June 20 that he would make a decision “within the next two weeks.” We know Trump can be very unpredictable, but he must have assessed that the current conditions presented an opportunity for U.S. action.

    Trump met with the National Security Council twice in the days leading up to the strike. Typically at such meetings the president is presented with a menu of military options, which usually boil down to three: a narrow option, a middle ground and a “if you really want to go big” strike.

    The one he picked, I would argue, is somewhere between the narrow option and the middle ground one.

    The “go big” options would have been an attack on nuclear sites and Iranian leadership – be that senior members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, or possibly the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The more narrow approach would have been just one facility, likely to have been Fordo – a deeply fortified uranium enrichment site buried within a mountain.

    What did occur was a strike there, but also at two other sites – Isfahan and Natanz.

    U.S. military chiefs confirmed that that 12 GBU-57s – the so-called 30,000-pound bunker busters – were dropped by B-2 bombers on Fordo, and two on Isfahan.

    That suggests to me that the military goal of the operation was to destroy Iran’s ability to produce and or store highly enriched uranium in a one-time strike rather than drag the U.S. into a more prolonged conflict.

    Has the strike achieved Trump’s objectives?

    It will take some time to properly assess the extent to which Iran’s ability to produce or store highly enriched uranium has been damaged.

    Certainly we know that the bombs hit their targets, and they have been damaged – but to what extent is not immediately clear. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that all three target sites had suffered “extremely severe damage and destruction” – possibly rolling back from Trump’s “fully obliterated” assessment. Perhaps most tellingly, Iran has not commented yet on the extent of the damage.

    But to Trump, the objective was not just military but political, too. Trump has long said “no” to a nuclear Iran while at the same time has expressed that he has no desire to drag the U.S. into another war.

    And this strike may allow Trump to achieve those seemingly contradictory goals. If U.S. initial assessments are correct, Iran’s nuclear program will have been severely compromised. But the strikes won’t necessarily pull U.S. into the conflict fully – unless Iran retaliates in such a way that necessitates further U.S. action.

    And that is what Iran’s supreme leader and his military generals will need to work out: Should Iran retaliate and, if so, is it prepared to deal with a heavier U.S. military response – especially when there is no end in sight to its current conflict with Israel.

    An operational timeline of a strike on Iran is displayed during a news conference with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on June 22, 2025.
    Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    What options does Iran have to retaliate against US?

    Iran has in the past tried to respond proportionately to any attack. But here is the problem for Iran’s leaders: There is no feasible proportionate response to the United States. Iran has no capability to hit nuclear plants in the U.S. – either conventionally or through unconventional warfare.

    But there are tens of thousands of U.S. troops in the region, stationed in Iraq, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Jordan. All are in range of Iran’s ballistic, drones or cruise missiles.

    But that military inventory has been depleted – both by using ballistic missiles in waves of attacks against Israel and by Israel hitting missile launch and storage sites in Iran.

    Similarly, Tehran’s capacity to respond through one of its proxy or aligned groups in the region has been degraded. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Gaza’s Hamas – both of whom have ties to Iran – are in survival mode following damaging attacks from Israel over the past 18 months.

    The Houthis in Yemen are in many ways the “last man standing” in Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance.” But the Houthis have limited capability and know that if they do attack U.S. assets, they will likely get hit hard. During Operation Rough Rider from March to May this year, the Trump administration launched over 1,000 strikes against the Houthis.

    Meanwhile Shia militias in Iraq and Syria that could be encouraged to attack U.S. bases haven’t been active in months.

    Of course, Iran could look outside the region. In the past the country has been involved in assassinations, kidnappings and terror attacks abroad that were organized through its Quds Force or via operatives of MOIS, its intelligence service.

    But for Iran’s leaders, it is increasingly looking like a lose-lose proposition. If they don’t respond in a meaningful way, they look weak and more vulnerable. But if they do hit U.S. targets in any meaningful way, they will invite a stronger U.S. involvement in the conflict, as Trump has warned.

    The parallel I see here is with the killing of Iranian general and commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, in January 2020 by a U.S. drone strike.

    On that occasion, Iran promised a strong retaliation. Its retaliatory attack against the U.S. Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq involved 27 ballistic missiles and caused the physical destruction of some of the facilities on base as well as traumatic brain injury-type symptoms to dozens of troops and personnel, but no deaths. Nevertheless, after this both the U.S. and Iran then backed off from deepening the conflict.

    The circumstances now are very different. Iran is already at war with Israel. Moreover, the U.S. went after Iran’s crown jewels – its nuclear program – and it was on Iranian territory. Nonetheless, Khameini knows that if he retaliates, he risks provoking a larger response.

    Trump suggested ‘further attacks’ could occur. What could that entail?

    The U.S. has suggested that it has the intelligence and ability to hit senior leadership in Iran. And any “go big option” would have likely involved strikes on key personnel. Similarly there could be plans to hit the Iranian economy by attacking oil and gas targets.

    A satellite image of the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran prior to the U.S. strike on June 22, 2025.
    Maxar/Getty

    But such actions risk either damaging the global economy or drawing the U.S. deeper into the conflict – it would evolve from a “one and done” strike to a cycle of attacks and responses. And that could widen political cracks between hawks in the administration and parts of Trump’s MAGA faithful who are against the U.S. being involved in overseas wars.

    Is there any opportunity of a return to diplomacy?

    Trump has not closed his “two weeks” window for talks – theoretically it is still open.

    But will Iran come to table? Leaders there had already said they were not willing to entertain any deal while under attack from Israel. Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said after the U.S. strikes that the time for diplomacy had now passed.

    In any event, you have to ask, what can Iran come to the table with? Do they have much of a nuclear program anymore? And if not, what would they try to negotiate? It would seem, using one of Trump’s phrases, they “don’t have the cards” to make much of a deal.

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

    – ref. US bombs Iran’s nuclear sites: What led to Trump pulling the trigger – and what happens next? – https://theconversation.com/us-bombs-irans-nuclear-sites-what-led-to-trump-pulling-the-trigger-and-what-happens-next-259519

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The sleeper Supreme Court decision that could have profound impacts on the Trump administration agenda – and restore faith in the high court

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ray Brescia, Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life, Albany Law School

    The Trump administration has tried to punish or suppress speech and opposition to administration policies. Baac3nes/Getty Images

    The American public’s trust in the Supreme Court has fallen precipitously over the past decade. Many across the political spectrum see the court as too political.

    This view is only strengthened when Americans see most of the justices of the court dividing along ideological lines on decisions related to some of the most hot-button issues the court handles. Those include reproductive rights, voting rights, corporate power, environmental protection, student loan policy, worker rights and LGBTQ+ rights.

    But there is one recent decision where the court was unanimous in its ruling, perhaps because its holding should not be controversial: National Rifle Association v. Vullo. In that 2024 case, the court said that it’s a clear violation of the First Amendment’s free speech provisions for government to force people to speak and act in ways that are aligned with its policies.

    The second Trump administration has tried to wield executive branch power in ways that appear to punish or suppress speech and opposition to administration policy priorities. Many of those attempts have been legally challenged and will likely make their way to the Supreme Court.

    The somewhat under-the-radar – yet incredibly important – decision in National Rifle Association v. Vullo is likely to figure prominently in Supreme Court rulings in a slew of those cases in the coming months and years, including those involving law firms, universities and the Public Broadcasting Service.

    That’s because, in my view as a legal scholar, they are all First Amendment cases.

    Will the Supreme Court continue to protect free speech rights, as it did unanimously in 2024?
    Geoff Livingston/Getty Images

    Why the NRA sued a New York state official

    In May 2024, in an opinion written by reliably liberal Sonia Sotomayor, a unanimous court ruled that the efforts of New York state government officials to punish companies doing business with the NRA constituted clear violations of the First Amendment.

    Following its own precedent from the 1960s, Bantam Books v. Sullivan, the court found that government officials “cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.”

    Many of the current targets of the Trump administration’s actions have claimed similar suppression of their First Amendment rights by the government. They have fought back, filing lawsuits that often cite the National Rifle Association v. Vullo decision in their efforts.

    To date, the most egregious examples of actions that violate the principles announced by the court – the executive orders against law firms – have largely been halted in the lower courts, with those decisions often citing what’s now known as the Vullo decision.

    While these cases may still be working their way through the lower courts, it is likely that the Supreme Court will ultimately consider legal challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts in a range of areas.

    These would include the executive orders against law firms, attempts to cut government grants and research funding from universities, potential moves to strip nonprofits of their tax-exempt status, and regulatory actions punishing media companies for what the White House believes to be unfavorable coverage.

    The court could also hear disputes over the government terminating contracts with a family of companies that provides satellite and communications support to the U.S. government generally and the military in particular.

    Despite the variety of organizations and government actions involved in these lawsuits, they all can be seen as struggles over free speech and expression, like Vullo.

    Whether it is private law firms, multinational corporations, universities or members of the media, all have one thing in common: They have all been targeted by the Trump administration for the same reason – they are engaged in actions or speech that is disfavored by President Donald Trump.

    Protecting speech, regardless of politics

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, front, took leave to help prosecute war criminals at the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War II.
    Bettman/Getty Images

    The NRA, an often-controversial gun-rights advocacy organization, was the plaintiff in the Vullo decision.

    But just because the groups that have been targeted by the Trump administration are across the political divide from the NRA does not mean the outcome in decisions relying on the court’s opinion will be different. In fact, these groups can rely on the same arguments advanced by the NRA, and are, I believe, likely to win.

    Vullo isn’t the only decision on which the court can rely when considering challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts targeting these groups.

    In 1943, Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson wrote the majority opinion in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, where the court found that students who refused to salute the American flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school could not be expelled.

    Jackson’s opinion is a forceful rejection of government attempts to control what people say: “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”

    In the wake of World War II, Jackson took a leave from the court and served as a prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders. Prosecuting them for their atrocities, Jackson saw how the Nuremberg defendants wielded government authority to punish enemies who resisted their rise and later opposed their rule.

    If some of the cases testing the state’s power to force fidelity to the executive branch reach the Supreme Court, the cases could offer the justices the opportunity to, once again, speak with one voice as they did in NRA v. Vullo, to demonstrate it can be evenhanded and will not play politics with the First Amendment.

    This story has been updated with the correct year for the Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.

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

    – ref. The sleeper Supreme Court decision that could have profound impacts on the Trump administration agenda – and restore faith in the high court – https://theconversation.com/the-sleeper-supreme-court-decision-that-could-have-profound-impacts-on-the-trump-administration-agenda-and-restore-faith-in-the-high-court-258216

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Presidents of both parties have launched military action without Congress declaring war − Trump’s bombing of Iran is just the latest

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sarah Burns, Associate Professor of Political Science, Rochester Institute of Technology

    President Donald Trump is seen on a monitor in the White House press briefing room on June 21, 2025, after the U.S. military strike on three sites in Iran. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    In the wake of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, 2025, many congressional Democrats and a few Republicans have objected to President Donald Trump’s failure to seek congressional approval before conducting military operations.

    They note that Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and say that section required Trump to seek prior authorization for military action.

    The Trump administration disagrees. “This is not a war against Iran,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, implying that the action did not require approval by Congress. That’s the same view held by most modern presidents and their lawyers in the Office of Legal Counsel: Article 2 of the Constitution allows the president to use the military in certain situations without prior approval from Congress.

    By this reading of the text, presidents, as commander in chief, claim the power to unilaterally order the military to initiate small-scale operations for a short duration. Members of Congress may object to that claim, but they have done little to limit presidents’ unilateralism. What little they have done has not been effective.

    As I’ve demonstrated in my research, even though the 1973 War Powers Resolution attempted to constrain presidential power after the disasters of the Vietnam War, it contains many loopholes that presidents have exploited to act unilaterally. For example, it allows presidents to engage in military operations without congressional approval for up to 90 days. And more recent congressional resolutions have broadened executive control even further.

    President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the U.S. declaration of war against Japan on Dec. 8, 1941.
    U.S. National Archives

    A long tradition of executive authority

    Presidents can even overcome the loopholes in the War Powers Resolution if the operation lasts longer than 90 days. In 2011, a State Department lawyer argued that airstrikes in Libya could continue beyond the War Powers Resolution’s 90-day time limit because there were no ground troops involved. By that logic, any future president could carry out an indefinite bombing campaign with no congressional oversight.

    While every president has bristled at congressional restraints on their actions, presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt have successfully circumvented them by citing vague concerns like “national security,” “regional security” or the need to “prevent a humanitarian disaster” when launching military operations. While members of Congress always take issue with these actions, they never hold presidents accountable by passing legislation restraining him.

    President Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear sites without consulting Congress falls in line with precedent from both Democratic and Republican leaders for decades.

    Much like his predecessors, Trump did not, and likely will not, provide Congress with more concrete information about the legality of his actions. Nor are congressional lawmakers effectively holding him accountable.

    The push-and-pull between Congress and the president over military operations dates back to the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, which led Congress to declare war on Japan. Before then, Congress had prevented the U.S. from joining World War II by enforcing an arms embargo and refusing to help the Allies prior to the attack on Hawaii. But afterward, Congress began allowing the president to take more control over the military.

    During the Cold War, rather than returning to a balanced debate between the branches, Congress continued to relinquish those powers.

    Congress never authorized the war in Korea; Harry Truman used a U.N. Security Council resolution as legal justification. Congress’ vote explicitly opposing the invasion of Cambodia didn’t stop Richard Nixon from doing it anyway. Even after the Cold War, Bill Clinton regularly acted unilaterally to address humanitarian crises or the continued threat from leaders like Saddam Hussein. He sent the military to Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo, among other places.

    After 9/11, Congress quickly gave up more of its power. A week after those attacks, Congress passed a sweeping Authorization for Use of Military Force, giving the president permission to “use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.”

    In a follow-up 2002 authorization, Congress went even further, allowing the president to “use the Armed Forces … as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to defend national security … against the continuing threat posed by Iraq.” This approach provides few, if any, congressional checks on the control of military affairs exercised by the president.

    In the two decades since those authorizations, four presidents have used them to justify all manner of military action, from targeted killings of terrorists to the years long fight against the Islamic State group.

    Congress regularly discusses terminating those authorizations, but has yet to do so. If Congress did, the loopholes in the original War Powers Resolution would still exist.

    While President Biden claimed he supported the repeal of the authorizations, and supported more congressional oversight of military actions, Trump has made no such claims. Instead, he has claimed even more sweeping authority to act without any permission from Congress.

    As recently as 2024, Biden used the 2002 authorization as a legal rationale for the targeted killing of Iranian-backed militiamen in Iraq, a strike condemned by Iraqi leaders.

    Those actions may have ruffled congressional feathers, but they were in keeping with a long U.S. tradition of targeting members of terrorist groups and protecting members of the military serving in a conflict zone.

    Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol in January 2020 call on Congress to limit the president’s powers to use the military.
    AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    Threats of war

    During his first presidential term in 2020, Trump ordered a lethal drone strike against a respected member of the Iranian government, Major General Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran’s equivalent of the CIA, without consulting Congress or publicly providing proof of why the attack was necessary, even to this day.

    Tensions – and fears of war – spiked but then slowly faded when Iran responded with missile attacks on two U.S. bases in Iraq.

    Now, the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites have revived both fears of war and renewed questions about the president’s authority to unilaterally engage in military action. Presidents since the 1970s, however, have effectively managed to dodge definitive answers to those questions – demonstrating both the power inherent in their position and the unwillingness among members of the legislative branch to reclaim their coequal status.

    This article is an updated version of a story published on Jan. 24, 2024.

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

    – ref. Presidents of both parties have launched military action without Congress declaring war − Trump’s bombing of Iran is just the latest – https://theconversation.com/presidents-of-both-parties-have-launched-military-action-without-congress-declaring-war-trumps-bombing-of-iran-is-just-the-latest-259636

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Harvard fights to keep enrolling international students – 4 essential reads about their broader impact

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Corey Mitchell, Education Editor

    Graduates of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government celebrate during commencement exercises in Cambridge, Mass. AP Photo/Steven Senne, File

    A federal judge in Boston on May 23, 2025, temporarily blocked a Trump administration order that would have revoked Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students.

    The directive from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and resulting lawsuit from Harvard have escalated the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and the Ivy League institution.

    It’s also the latest step in a White House campaign to ramp up vetting and screening of foreign nationals, including students.

    Homeland Security officials accused Harvard of creating a hostile campus climate by accommodating “anti-American” and “pro-terrorist agitators.” The accusation stems from the university’s alleged support for certain political groups and their activities on campus.

    In early April, the Trump administration terminated the immigration statuses of thousands of international students listed in a government database, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The database includes country of citizenship, which U.S. school they attend and what they study.

    Barring Harvard from enrolling international students could have significant implications for the campus’s climate and the local economy. International students account for 27% of the university’s enrollment.

    Here are four stories from The Conversation’s archive about the Trump administration’s battle with Harvard and the economic impact of international students.

    1. A target on Harvard

    This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has targeted the university.

    The White House has threatened to end the university’s tax-exempt status, and some media outlets have reported that the Internal Revenue Service is taking steps in that direction.

    But it is illegal to revoke an entity’s tax-emempt status “on a whim,” according to Philip Hackney, a University of Pittsburgh law professor, and Brian Mittendorf, an accounting professor at Ohio State University.

    “Before the IRS can do that, tax law requires that it first audit that charity,” they wrote. “And it’s illegal for U.S. presidents or other officials to force the IRS to conduct an audit or stop one that’s already begun.”

    Several U.S. senators, all Democrats, have urged the IRS inspector general to see whether the IRS has begun auditing Harvard or any nonprofits in response to the administration’s requests or whether Trump has violated any laws with his pressure campaign.

    Hackney and Mittendorf wrote that the Trump administration’s moves are part of a larger push to exert control over Harvard, including its efforts to increase its diversity and its response to claims of discrimination on campus.



    Read more:
    Can Trump strip Harvard of its charitable status? Scholars of nonprofit law and accounting describe the obstacles in his way

    University of Michigan students on campus on April 3, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
    Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

    2. International students help keep ‘America First’

    The U.S. has long been the global leader in attracting international students. But competition for these students is increasing as other countries vie to attract the scholars.

    In a recent story for The Conversation, David L. Di Maria, vice provost for global engagement at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, wrote that stepped-up screening and vetting of students could make the U.S. a less attractive study destination.

    Di Maria wrote that such efforts could hamper the Trump administration’s ability to achieve its “America First” priorities related to the economy, science and technology, and national security.

    Trump administration officials have emphasized the importance of recruiting top global talent. And Trump has said that international students who graduate from U.S. colleges should be awarded a green card with their degree.

    Research shows that international students launch successful startups at a rate that is eight to nine times higher than their U.S.-born peers. Roughly 25% of billion-dollar companies in the U.S. were founded by former international students, Di Maria noted.



    Read more:
    Deporting international students risks making the US a less attractive destination, putting its economic engine at risk

    3. A boost to local economies

    Indeed, international students have a tremendous economic impact on local communities.

    If these global scholars stay home or go elsewhere, that’s bad economic news for cities and towns across the United States, wrote Barnet Sherman, a professor of multinational finance and trade at Boston University.

    With the money they spend on tuition, food, housing and other other items, international students pump money into the local economy, but there are additional benefits.

    On average, a new job is created for every three international students enrolled in a U.S. college or university. In the 2023-24 academic year, about 378,175 jobs were created, Sherman wrote.

    In Greater Boston, where Harvard is located, there are about 63,000 international students who contribute to the economy. The gains are huge – about US$3 billion.



    Read more:
    International students infuse tens of millions of dollars into local economies across the US. What happens if they stay home?

    4. Rising number of international students

    The rising number of foreign students studying in the U.S. has long led to concerns about U.S. students being displaced by international peers.

    The unease is often fueled by the assumption that financial interests are driving the trend, Cynthia Miller-Idriss of American University and Bernhard Streitwieser of George Washington University wrote in a 2015 story for The Conversation.

    A common claim, they wrote, is the flawed assumption that “cash-strapped public universities” aggressively recruit more affluent students from abroad who can afford to pay rising tuition costs. The pair wrote that, historically, shifting demographics on college campuses result from social and economic changes.

    In today’s context, Miller-Idriss and Streitwieser maintain that the argument that colleges prioritize international students fails to account for the global role of U.S. universities, which help support national security, foster international development projects and accelerate the pace of globalization.



    Read more:
    Foreign students not a threat, but an advantage

    This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Harvard fights to keep enrolling international students – 4 essential reads about their broader impact – https://theconversation.com/harvard-fights-to-keep-enrolling-international-students-4-essential-reads-about-their-broader-impact-257506

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Air traffic controller shortages in Newark and other airports partly reflect long, intense training − but university-based training programs are becoming part of the solution

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Melanie Dickman, Lecturer in Aviation Studies, The Ohio State University

    Air traffic controllers observe a plane taking off from San Francisco International Airport in 2017. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

    Air traffic controllers have been in the news a lot lately.

    A spate of airplane crashes and near misses have highlighted the ongoing shortage of air traffic workers, leading more Americans to question the safety of air travel.

    The shortage, as well as aging computer systems, have also led to massive flight disruptions at airports across the country, particularly at Newark Liberty International Airport. The staffing shortage is also likely at the center of an investigation of a deadly crash between a commercial plane and an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., in January 2025.

    One reason for the air traffic controller shortage relates to the demands of the job: The training to become a controller is extremely intense, and the Federal Aviation Administration wants only highly qualified personnel to fill those seats, which has made it difficult for what has been the sole training center in the U.S., located in Oklahoma City, to churn out enough qualified graduates each year.

    As scholars who study and teach tomorrow’s aviation professionals, we are working to be part of the solution. Our program at Ohio State University is applying to join over two dozen other schools in an effort to train air traffic controllers and help alleviate the shortage.

    Air traffic controller school

    Air traffic control training today – overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration – remains as intense as it’s ever been.

    In fact, about 30% of students fail to make it from their first day of training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City to the status of a certified professional air traffic controller. The academy currently trains the majority of the air traffic controllers in the U.S.

    Before someone is accepted into the training program, they must meet several qualifications. That includes being a U.S. citizen under the age of 31 and speaking English clearly enough to be understood over the radio. The low recruitment age is because controllers currently have a mandatory retirement age of 56 – with some exceptions – and the FAA wants them to work for at least 25 years in the job.

    They must also pass a medical exam and security investigation. And they must pass the air traffic controller specialists skills assessment battery, which measures an applicant’s spatial awareness and decision-making abilities.

    Candidates, additionally, must have three years of general work experience, or a combination of postsecondary education and work experience totaling at least three years.

    This alone is no easy feat. Fewer than 10% of applicants meet those initial requirements and are accepted into training.

    An air traffic controller monitors a runway in the tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
    AP Photo/Seth Wenig

    Intense training

    Once applicants meet the initial qualifications, they begin a strenuous training process.

    This begins with several weeks of classroom instruction and several months of simulator training. There are several types of simulators, and a student is assigned to a simulator based on the type of facility for which they will be hired – which depends on a trainee’s preference and where controllers are needed.

    There are two main types of air traffic facilities: control towers and radar. Anyone who has flown on a plane has likely seen a control tower near the runways, with 360 degrees of tall glass windows to monitor the skies nearby. Controllers there mainly look outside to direct aircraft but also use radar to monitor the airspace and assist aircraft in taking off and landing safely.

    Radar facilities, on the other hand, monitor aircraft solely through the use of information depicted on a screen. This includes aircraft flying just outside the vicinity of a major airport or when they’re at higher altitudes and crisscrossing the skies above the U.S. The controllers ensure they don’t fly too close to one another as they follow their flight paths between airports.

    If the candidates make it through the first stage, which takes about six months and extensive testing to meet standards, they will be sent to their respective facilities.

    Once there, they again go to the classroom, learning the details of the airspace they will be working in. There are more assessments and chances to “wash out” and have to leave the program.

    Finally, the candidates are paired with an experienced controller who conducts on-the-job training to control real aircraft. This process may take an additional year or more. It depends on the complexity of the airspace and the amount of aircraft traffic at the site.

    Two control towers watch over Newark Liberty International Airport, where a shortage of air traffic controllers has led to blackouts and other problems lately.
    AP Photo/Seth Wenig

    Increasing the employment pipeline

    But no matter how good the training is, if there aren’t enough graduates, that’s a problem for managing the increasingly crowded skies.

    The FAA is currently facing a deficit of about 3,000 controllers and has unveiled a plan in May 2025 to increase hiring and boost retention. In addition, Congress is mulling spending billions of dollars to update the FAA’s aging systems and hire more air traffic controllers.

    Other plans include paying retention bonuses and allowing more controllers to work beyond the age of 56. That retirement age was put in place in the 1970s on the assumption that cognition for most people begins to decline around then, although research shows that age alone is not necessarily a predictor of cognitive abilities.

    But we believe that aviation programs and universities can play an important role fixing the shortage by providing FAA Academy-level training.

    Currently, 32 universities including the Florida Institute of Technology and Arizona State University partner with the FAA in its collegiate training initiative to provide basic air traffic control training, which gives graduates automatic entry into the FAA Academy and allows them to skip five weeks of coursework.

    The institution where we work, Ohio State University, is currently working on becoming the 33rd this summer and plans to offer an undergraduate major in aviation with specialization in air traffic control.

    This helps, but an enhanced version of this program, announced in October 2024, allows graduates of a select few of those universities to skip the FAA Academy altogether and go straight to a control tower or radar facility once they’ve passed all the extensive tests. These schools must match or exceed the level of rigor in their training with the FAA Academy itself.

    At the end of the program, students are required to pass an evaluation by an FAA-approved evaluator to ensure that the student graduating from the program meets the same standards as all FAA Academy graduates and is prepared to go to their assigned facility for further training. So far, five schools, such as the University of North Dakota, have joined this program and are currently training air traffic controllers. We intend to join this group in the near future.

    Allowing colleges and universities to start the training process while students are still in school should accelerate the pace at which new controllers enter the workforce, alleviate the shortage and make the skies over the U.S. as safe as they can be.

    Melanie Dickman is a member at large of the Air Traffic Controllers Association

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

    – ref. Air traffic controller shortages in Newark and other airports partly reflect long, intense training − but university-based training programs are becoming part of the solution – https://theconversation.com/air-traffic-controller-shortages-in-newark-and-other-airports-partly-reflect-long-intense-training-but-university-based-training-programs-are-becoming-part-of-the-solution-249715

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Katherine G. Hastings, PhD Candidate in Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia

    Most households that own firearms have more than one − and owners often don’t secure all of them. StockPlanets/E+ via Getty Images

    More than half of U.S. teens living in households with firearms believe they can access and load a firearm at home. Even when their parents report storing all firearms locked and unloaded, more than one-third of teens still believe they could access and load one. These are the main findings of our new study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

    We are behavioral scientists investigating youth injury prevention and youth safety. In this study, we analyzed national survey data from nearly 500 parents who owned firearms and their teens. One survey asked the parents to report how many firearms they had in the home and how they stored each one. Another asked their teens to estimate how quickly they could access and load a firearm at home.

    While the presence of unlocked and loaded firearms in the home was weakly linked to perceived access among teens, we found that parents’ storage practices alone were a poor predictor of whether teens believed they could access a firearm. What’s more, in households with more than one firearm, locking up more firearms was not at all linked to perceived access among teens if at least one remained unsecured.

    In short, just one unlocked firearm can undo the protective benefit of securing all other firearms in the home, our results showed.

    Why it matters

    In the U.S., firearms are now the leading cause of death among children and teens. In most of these cases, the firearm used belonged to a parent, relative or friend.

    Our study focused on teens’ beliefs about firearm access, not their actual access. However, these perceptions may provide important clues around firearm access and use. Prior research shows that teens who believe they can access a firearm are more likely to access and carry one. This is particularly concerning for teens who already have a higher risk for dying by suicide.

    One of the most widely supported ways to reduce teen injuries and deaths by firearms is to encourage owners to keep firearms locked and unloaded. However, most firearm-owning households in the U.S. have multiple firearms, and owners often store some firearms securely but not all.

    Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens.
    Kypros/Stock Photos Gun Safe via Getty Images

    Despite evidence that securely storing firearms saves lives, efforts to promote that messaging may be less effective when it is not universally applied to all firearms in the home or when teens still know how to access them.

    Our study also points to the need for messaging and safety strategies that consider teen behavior amid household firearm dynamics. For example, teens may observe where firearms are stored or know where keys or combinations are kept and unlock firearms in moments of impulsivity or emotional distress. Beyond securely storing firearms, encouraging parents to treat every firearm in the household as a potential source of risk and talking with teens about how to address conflicts and promote mental and emotional well-being may also be protective.

    Additionally, our study adds support for universal laws that require securely storing all firearms in homes in which children live and mandating routine assessments of teen firearm access by pediatricians.

    What still isn’t known

    It is still unclear how teens’ beliefs about their access to firearms affects whether they actually seek them out – or how the variability of parents’ practices on storing firearms affects teen access.

    Another important question is how teens’ perceptions of their access to firearms at home may vary depending on cultural backgrounds, geography and different households’ attitudes and beliefs around firearm use.

    Additionally, our study looked only at teens ages 14 to 18. Further research is needed to explore these associations among younger children in firearm-owning households.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Rebeccah Sokol receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

    – ref. Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows – https://theconversation.com/teens-say-they-can-access-firearms-at-home-even-when-parents-lock-them-up-new-research-shows-256550

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Santosh Kumar Gautam, Associate Professor of Development and Global Health Economics, University of Notre Dame

    The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices played a key role in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images

    On June 11, 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a slate of eight new members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on national vaccine policy.

    The announcement, made on the social media platform X, comes two days after Kennedy removed all 17 of the serving committee members. Kennedy called their replacements “a bold step in restoring public trust” rooted in “radical transparency and gold standard science.”

    However, public health experts decried the removals, pointing to Kennedy’s promise not to change the committee and warning that the move politicizes its work and undermines its scientific integrity. Health experts have also noted that multiple new committee members appointed on June 11 have voiced anti-vaccine views that are not evidence-based.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Santosh Kumar Gautam, an expert in global health policy at the University of Notre Dame, to explain how the vaccine committee’s guidance has shaped vaccine recommendations for the public, and what the changes might mean for peoples’ ability to access vaccines in the future.

    What is the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices?

    The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, is a panel of experts appointed to advise the CDC on how to use vaccines to protect the health of people in the U.S. The committee’s job is to review multiple strands of scientific evidence to recommend which vaccines should be used, who should get them and when they should be given. Its guidance affects vaccine schedules for both children and adults, insurance coverage and public health policy across the country.

    The committee was formed in 1964 to establish national vaccine policy as federal immunization programs began to expand. It can have up to 19 voting members, who are appointed by the secretary of Health and Human Services. Members are experts in areas such as medicine, public health and immunology. Member usually serve overlapping four-year terms to ensure continuity. All 17 previous members were appointed at different times during the Biden administration. Removing all members of the committee at once is unprecedented.

    The group also includes nonvoting members from government health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health. There are also representatives from more than 30 medical and public health organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians.

    These nonvoting members share useful information and real-world experience such as practical issues in administering vaccines in hospitals, management of vaccine side effects and insights into adverse events. Their input helps the committee make recommendations that reflect both science and practical needs.

    The committee meets three times a year to review new data on vaccine safety and effectiveness. Its next meeting is scheduled for June 25-27 and is expected to include discussions on COVID-19 and HPV vaccines, with recommendation votes planned for COVID-19 boosters, human papilloma virus and influenza vaccines. The meeting is open to the public and will be telecast live online.

    What is the committee’s role in vaccine policy?

    The committee makes its recommendations to the CDC by reviewing scientific evidence about a vaccine’s safety and efficacy, as well as practical issues, such as how easy a vaccine is to use, how it affects different groups, its side-effects and how it fits into the health system. The recommendations don’t just consider whether a vaccine works, but how it can be most effectively deployed to protect the American public from disease outbreaks.

    The new lineup of the vaccine advisory committee may lead to changes in children’s vaccine schedules.
    SementsovaLesia/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The committee looks at data from clinical trials and other research to examine the most recent data on a vaccine’s safety, efficacy and use in everyday settings. When new vaccines come out or a change occurs in the way a disease spreads or behaves, the committee often revises its advice. It also responds to public health emergencies such as recent measles outbreaks in the U.S.

    The committee has made many updates over time. It changed flu shot guidance when new strains appeared. It lowered the recommended age for the HPV vaccine based on new research. And it adjusted vaccine plans for meningitis to better protect people at higher risk.

    What was the committee’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic?

    The committee played a vital role in evaluating vaccine safety and effectiveness and authorizing the use of vaccines for different age groups by reviewing clinical trial data, from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and other vaccine manufacturers.

    The committee also developed step-by-step guidelines for who should get vaccinated first, based on how likely people were to catch the virus, their risk of serious disease, the type of work they did and whether they came from a population that was historically underserved or at higher risk. It also issued tailored guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women, immunocompromised people and children and adolescents as more trial data became available.

    These recommendations shaped vaccine rollout strategies at both national and state levels, guided insurance coverage and influenced COVID-19 vaccination policies in other countries around the world.

    Public health experts have expressed concern that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to replace all 17 members of the vaccine advisory committee will erode its ability to provide evidence-based guidance.

    Who are the new members that Kennedy appointed?

    Although Kennedy promised more transparency, he handpicked the advisory committee’s new members without revealing how they were selected. Historically, the body’s members are selected after an extensive vetting process that can take two years.

    The newly appointed members have expertise in psychiatry, neuroscience, epidemiology, biostatistics and operations management. However, several have been linked to vaccine-related misinformation, particularly relating to COVID-19 vaccines, raising concerns about the scientific neutrality of the committee moving forward.

    For example, Retsef Levi, a professor of operations management at MIT Sloan School of Management, has publicly called for suspension of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, claiming they cause serious harm and death in young people – a statement not supported by evidence.

    Another member, physician and biochemist Robert Malone, made scientifically inaccurate statements about the dangers of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.

    A third member, epidemiologist and biostatistician Martin Kulldorff helped write the Great Barrington Declaration, which opposed lockdowns and argued that people at low risk of severe illness or death should be allowed to contract COVID-19 to build natural immunity – a stance that was heavily debated among health experts.

    What happens now?

    The committee’s new makeup and Kennedy’s decades-long anti-vaccine stance threaten to erode the integrity of scientific decision-making and commitment to ethical standards in vaccine recommendations.

    Kennedy’s overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will likely affect how insurers, doctors and the public make decisions about vaccines – and vaccine policy generally. For example, the advisory committee’s decisions directly affect which vaccines are covered by health insurance. If a vaccine is not recommended by the committee, many insurance plans, including those under the Affordable Care Act, are not required to cover it. This means families could face out-of-pocket costs, making it harder for children to access routine immunizations.

    The advisory committee also plays a key role in shaping the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule. Given Kennedy’s long-held skepticism about childhood vaccines — including those for measles and polio — some public health experts worry that the newly appointed members could push to revisit or revise vaccine recommendations, especially for newer and more debated vaccines like those for COVID-19 or HPV.

    States usually base their school entry vaccine requirements on the committee’s guidelines, and insurers often use them to determine which vaccines are covered. As a result, shifts in policy to childhood vaccinations could influence both school vaccination mandates and access to vaccines for millions of children.

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

    – ref. RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations – https://theconversation.com/rfk-jrs-shakeup-of-vaccine-advisory-committee-raises-worries-about-scientific-integrity-of-health-recommendations-258674

    MIL OSI –

  • 88 pc global firms now have dedicated AI budgets; focus shifts to intelligent agents: Report

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Nearly 88 per cent of global enterprises now have dedicated budgets for Artificial Intelligence (AI), with nearly two-thirds of them spending over 15 per cent of their overall tech budgets on AI projects, a new report said on Monday.

    This major investment push marks a clear shift from early experimentation with Generative AI to building intelligent, goal-oriented systems known as AI agents, according to data compiled by Nasscom.

    Titled ‘Enterprise Experiments with AI Agents – 2025 Global Trends,’ the report provides a comprehensive look at how companies across the globe are preparing for the next phase of AI adoption.

    Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Nasscom, said that enterprises are at a crucial turning point.

    “AI agents represent the next evolution of enterprise AI — one that requires philosophical shifts in how we view work, intelligence, and autonomy,” she said.

    However, she also emphasised that scaling AI systems responsibly would require strong trust, data readiness, and continuous human oversight.

    Based on responses from over 100 companies across 8–9 global regions and more than 10 industries, the study shows how enterprises are moving beyond passive data analysis to more active AI systems that can perform tasks and make decisions with human oversight.

    The report shows that businesses are strengthening their AI foundation through investments in GenAI tools, data infrastructure, and flexible processes.

    Many companies have already formed specialised AI teams and are working with advanced platforms, upgrading their tech setups to support the deployment of AI agents.

    However, despite high awareness of Generative AI, only half of the surveyed companies are fine-tuning large language models (LLMs) or foundation models for their own needs.

    One of the biggest highlights of the report is the growing interest in Agentic AI — systems designed to act independently while still being monitored by humans.

    About 62 per cent of companies are experimenting with such AI agents, mainly for internal tasks such as IT operations, HR, and finance.

    External uses, like customer service, are still limited, with only 31 per cent of enterprises using Agentic AI in those areas.

    However, looking ahead, 88 per cent of companies plan to set aside budgets specifically for Agentic AI systems in 2025.

    The report also reveals that most companies are being cautious. Around 77 per cent are designing Agentic AI systems with a ‘human-in-the-loop’ model to ensure oversight and adaptability.

    Only 46 per cent are testing fully autonomous agents. Manufacturing companies appear to be ahead in adoption, using AI for robotics, quality control, and other operational areas.

    When it comes to benefits, companies believe AI agents can help in making faster decisions and responding better to market changes, the report said.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Security: INTERPOL releases new information on globalization of scam centres

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    • Victims have been trafficked into criminality from more than 60 countries around the world
    • West Africa is emerging as a potential regional hub for online scam centres

    LYON, France: Human trafficking-fueled scam centres have expanded their global footprint, according to a new crime trend update released by INTERPOL.

    As of March 2025, victims from 66 countries were trafficked into online scam centres, with no continent left untouched.

    Seventy-four percent of human trafficking victims were brought to centres in the original ‘hub’ region of Southeast Asia, according to analysis of the crime trend using data from relevant INTERPOL Notices issued in the past five years.

    However, online scam centres have increasingly been observed in other regions, including the Middle East, West Africa – which could be developing into a new regional hub – and Central America.

    While approximately 90 percent of human trafficking facilitators were from Asia, 11 per cent were from South America or Africa.

    Eighty per cent of facilitators were men, and 61 per cent were aged between 20 and 39 years old.

    Global crisis

    Initially concentrated in a handful of Southeast Asian countries, the centres are estimated to have drawn in hundreds of thousands of human trafficking victims, typically through false job ads, detaining them in compounds and forcing them to carry out online social engineering scams.

    While not every person committing fraud in a scam centre is a victim of human trafficking, those held against their will are often subject to extortion through debt bondage, as well as beatings, sexual exploitation, torture and rape.

    Online scams engineered by the centres target a second set of globally-dispersed victims, who often suffer debilitating financial and emotional damage.

    Since 2023, INTERPOL has documented how this double-edged crime trend has evolved from a regional threat in Southeast Asia to a global crisis, issuing an Orange Notice to signal its serious and imminent threat to public safety.

    In 2024, a global operation coordinated by INTERPOL uncovered dozens of cases in which trafficking victims were deceived and coerced into committing fraud, with national police officers raiding an industrial-scale scam centre in the Philippines.

    In the same year, an INTERPOL operation saw police dismantle a scam centre in Namibia, where 88 youths were forced to conduct scams.

    Growing use of AI

    The INTERPOL update also highlights how emerging technologies and convergence with other major crime areas could transform human trafficking-fueled scam centres as the crime trend continues to evolve.

    The use of artificial intelligence has been observed in a growing number of scamming cases.

    AI has been used to develop convincing fake job ads that attract human trafficking victims as well as generate online photos or profiles through ‘deepfake’ technology for sextortion and romance scams, among other social engineering schemes.

    Moreover, reports analysed by INTERPOL show that the same routes used to traffic victims to scam centres can be used to traffic drugs, firearms and protected wildlife species.

    The areas where scam centres have emerged in Southeast Asia are also key hubs for the trafficking of endangered species such as tigers or pangolins, making criminal diversification likely.

    Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL, said:

    “The reach of online scam centres spans the globe and represents a dynamic and persistent global challenge.”

    “Tackling this rapidly globalizing threat requires a coordinated international response. We must increase the exchange of information between law enforcement in the growing number of countries affected and strengthen partnerships with NGOs that help victims and technology companies whose platforms are being exploited.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Qifu Technology Announces Results of Annual General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, China, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Qifu Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: QFIN; HKEx: 3660) (“Qifu Technology” or the “Company”), a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China, today announced that the following proposed resolutions submitted for shareholder approval have been duly adopted at its annual general meeting of shareholders held today:

    1. as a special resolution, THAT, the English name of the Company be changed from “Qifu Technology, Inc.” to “Qfin Holdings, Inc.”;
    2. as a special resolution, THAT, the Third Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company currently in effect be amended and restated by the deletion in their entirety and by the substitution in their place of the Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association in the form attached as Appendix I to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting;
    3. as an ordinary resolution, THAT, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP shall be re-appointed as the auditor of the Company to hold office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company and to authorize the Board to fix their remuneration for the year ending December 31, 2025; and
    4. as an ordinary resolution, THAT, Mr. Xiangge Liu shall be re-elected as a director of the Company at the Annual General Meeting and retain office until his retirement pursuant to the Company’s memorandum and articles of association.

    About Qifu Technology

    Qifu Technology is a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China. By leveraging its sophisticated machine learning models and data analytics capabilities, the Company provides a comprehensive suite of technology services to assist financial institutions and consumers and SMEs in the loan lifecycle, ranging from borrower acquisition, preliminary credit assessment, fund matching and post-facilitation services. The Company is dedicated to making credit services more accessible and personalized to consumers and SMEs through Credit-Tech services to financial institutions.

    For more information, please visit: https://ir.qifu.tech.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Qifu Technology may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including the Company’s business outlook, beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, which factors include but not limited to the following: the Company’s growth strategies, changes in laws, rules and regulatory environments, the recognition of the Company’s brand, market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, trends and developments in the credit-tech industry, governmental policies relating to the credit-tech industry, general economic conditions in China and around the globe, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in Qifu Technology’s filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Qifu Technology does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    For more information, please contact:

    Qifu Technology
    E-mail: ir@qfin.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Qifu Technology Announces Results of Annual General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, China, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Qifu Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: QFIN; HKEx: 3660) (“Qifu Technology” or the “Company”), a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China, today announced that the following proposed resolutions submitted for shareholder approval have been duly adopted at its annual general meeting of shareholders held today:

    1. as a special resolution, THAT, the English name of the Company be changed from “Qifu Technology, Inc.” to “Qfin Holdings, Inc.”;
    2. as a special resolution, THAT, the Third Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company currently in effect be amended and restated by the deletion in their entirety and by the substitution in their place of the Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association in the form attached as Appendix I to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting;
    3. as an ordinary resolution, THAT, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP shall be re-appointed as the auditor of the Company to hold office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company and to authorize the Board to fix their remuneration for the year ending December 31, 2025; and
    4. as an ordinary resolution, THAT, Mr. Xiangge Liu shall be re-elected as a director of the Company at the Annual General Meeting and retain office until his retirement pursuant to the Company’s memorandum and articles of association.

    About Qifu Technology

    Qifu Technology is a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China. By leveraging its sophisticated machine learning models and data analytics capabilities, the Company provides a comprehensive suite of technology services to assist financial institutions and consumers and SMEs in the loan lifecycle, ranging from borrower acquisition, preliminary credit assessment, fund matching and post-facilitation services. The Company is dedicated to making credit services more accessible and personalized to consumers and SMEs through Credit-Tech services to financial institutions.

    For more information, please visit: https://ir.qifu.tech.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Qifu Technology may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including the Company’s business outlook, beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, which factors include but not limited to the following: the Company’s growth strategies, changes in laws, rules and regulatory environments, the recognition of the Company’s brand, market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, trends and developments in the credit-tech industry, governmental policies relating to the credit-tech industry, general economic conditions in China and around the globe, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in Qifu Technology’s filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Qifu Technology does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    For more information, please contact:

    Qifu Technology
    E-mail: ir@qfin.com

    The MIL Network –