NewzIntel.com

Category: Commerce

  • MIL-OSI China: One year into free-trade zone, Xinjiang embraces further opening up

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

    URUMQI, Nov. 2 — Edil Mohammed, who commutes daily for about an hour by bus from Yarkent, Kazakhstan, to Horgos, China, has adapted to the lifestyle of cross-border work.

    As the head of a branch of Kazakhstan’s Bank CenterCredit, which is located in the China-Kazakhstan International Border Cooperation Center in Horgos, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, he is part of a pioneering group of foreign banks that entered Xinjiang following the establishment of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in November 2023.

    The Xinjiang pilot FTZ, which encompasses three iconic areas — Urumqi, Kashgar and Horgos — stands as the first FTZ in China’s northwestern border regions and the 22nd nationwide. As it embraces its first anniversary, the zone has shown promising results.

    As the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues to forge ahead, Xinjiang has committed to building itself into an important corridor linking Asia and Europe and to serving as a gateway for China’s opening-up efforts in the west.

    “Global investors are seizing opportunities in the pilot FTZ, and many jobseekers have found satisfying positions, such as in cross-border e-commerce, international live-streaming, translation and diverse agents,” said Mohammed, adding that the growth of new business models and expanding trade will attract even more international financial institutions and enterprises.

    SUPPORTIVE POLICIES

    Qin Xiaoyu, a customs declarer at a foreign-trade enterprise specializing in the import and export of daily consumer goods to five Central Asian countries, has benefited from enhanced services following the establishment of a dedicated market procurement window at the FTZ’s Urumqi area.

    “The consultation and whole process only take a few minutes,” said Qin. “The dedicated service window can save both time and costs. Enterprises benefit from policies such as value-added tax exemptions, simplified declaration processes and flexible foreign exchange collection, all of which improve export efficiency.”

    The service window is part of a broader set of measures rolled out by the Xinjiang pilot FTZ to boost foreign trade, providing a low-cost, high-efficiency export channel for small and micro enterprises, as well as individual businesses, according to Ju Ning, an official at the Urumqi Economic & Technological Development Zone.

    “The ‘green channel’ for the rapid customs clearance of agricultural products at the border ports between China-Kazakhstan, China-Tajikistan and China-Kyrgyzstan has been fully implemented, cutting the customs declaration time for agricultural exports from five days to just one day,” said He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce.

    Statistics show that from January to August, Xinjiang’s import and export volume increased by 30.9 percent to 285.32 billion yuan (about 40.11 billion U.S. dollars).

    “The pilot FTZ prioritizes institutional innovation, actively exploring reforms in government functions, management models, and the facilitation of trade and investment. It effectively plays a leading role in deepening reform and expanding opening up,” said Buvejer Abula, a researcher of economic and social development with the Xinjiang Agricultural University.

    RISING INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS

    In the FTZ’s Horgos area, refrigerated trucks loaded with fruit and vegetables pass through a fast-track customs clearance “green channel” destined for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia and beyond.

    Yu Chengzhong’s trade company exports over 500 tonnes of fruit and more than 300 tonnes of vegetables daily. This fresh produce can reach markets in Almaty in Kazakhstan within just a few hours.

    “The establishment of the FTZ has given our company a unique opportunity for growth,” said Yu, adding that the company has established sales networks in the five Central Asian countries, and this year, the company built a 66-hectare warehouse in Kazakhstan to further penetrate local markets.

    In the production workshop of a lithium battery enterprise called Shengyuehengchang, two automated production lines, each capable of producing 200,000 Ah lithium batteries per day, are running smoothly, fulfilling orders for its clients in Kyrgyzstan.

    The company normally manufactures small-capacity batteries but is now transitioning towards high-rate energy storage and power battery production. These batteries are primarily sold to the Central Asian market and are widely used in products such as electric motorcycles, drones, power tools and solar-energy products.

    “Leveraging the FTZ’s geographical advantages and favorable opening up policies, local companies are increasingly eyeing overseas markets for diverse development paths,” said Bo Yinjiang, an official with the Kashgar Economic Development Zone.

    The zone has already attracted 28 enterprises related to lithium batteries, covering the areas of lithium battery materials, manufacturing and supply chains. The annual output value of the enterprises is expected to exceed 10 billion yuan upon full operation, forming a burgeoning lithium battery industry cluster.

    “Since the pilot FTZ’s inception, a number of business associations and companies have visited Xinjiang to seek market opportunities and collaboration. There is also a rise in foreign-invested enterprises,” said Li Xuan, from the regional commerce department.

    “The pilot FTZ offers a significant historical opportunity for pursuing high-level opening up and high-quality development in Xinjiang. It must actively align with high-standard international trade and economic rules, integrate into the dual circulation of domestic and international markets, and support the development of the core region of the BRI,” Li added.

    The Ministry of Commerce will promote the industrial exchange and cooperation between the Xinjiang pilot FTZ and the central and eastern regions of the country, and support the FTZ in prioritizing key industries and fostering integrated innovation throughout the entire value chain, according to He, the ministry spokesperson.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Stands Ready to Assist New Mexico Businesses and Residents Affected by the Severe Storm and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    “As communities across the Southeast continue to recover and rebuild after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the SBA remains focused on its mission to provide support to small businesses to help stabilize local economies, even in the face of diminished disaster funding,” saidAdministrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “If your business has sustained physical damage, or you’ve lost inventory, equipment or revenues, the SBA will help you navigate the resources available and work with you at our recovery centers or with our customer service specialists in person and online so you can fully submit your disaster loan application and be ready to receive financial relief as soon as funds are replenished.”

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to New Mexico businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzmanannounced.

    The declaration covers Chaves County as a result of the severe storm and flooding that occurred Oct. 19-20.

    Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

    “SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

    Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

    Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

    As soon as Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected area, SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Stands Ready to Assist Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Businesses and Residents Affected by the Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    “As communities across the Southeast continue to recover and rebuild after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the SBA remains focused on its mission to provide support to small businesses to help stabilize local economies, even in the face of diminished disaster funding,” saidAdministrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “If your business has sustained physical damage, or you’ve lost inventory, equipment or revenues, the SBA will help you navigate the resources available and work with you at our recovery centers or with our customer service specialists in person and online so you can fully submit your disaster loan application and be ready to receive financial relief as soon as funds are replenished.”

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzmanannounced.

    The declaration covers the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe as a result of the severe storm, straight‑line winds and flooding that occurred July 13–14.

    Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

    “SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

    Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

    Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

    As soon as Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected area, SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI to visit Canada

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SITI to visit Canada
    SITI to visit Canada
    ********************

         The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, will depart for a visit to Canada this evening (November 3). He will be going to Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo to strengthen ties and co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada in areas such as innovation and technology (I&T).     During his visit to Canada, Professor Sun will meet with leaders of the local I&T industry and technology enterprises, and engage in exchanges with Hong Kong young people studying there. He will also deliver a keynote speech at the Seminar on Life Science and Global Health co-organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa Chapter) and Invest Hong Kong. Moreover, he will visit local universities, research institutes and I&T parks.     Professor Sun will return to Hong Kong in the morning of November 8. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, will be the Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry.

     
    Ends/Sunday, November 3, 2024Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Clean & Green Singapore Day 2024: A Celebration Of Public Hygiene And Environmental Stewardship

    Source: Asia Pacific Region 2 – Singapore

    Outstanding individuals recognised with prestigious environmental services awards.

    JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN NEA, SW CDC, NPARKS AND NUS

    Singapore, 3 November 2024 – The national aspiration for a clean and green Singapore was celebrated and reaffirmed today at Clean & Green Singapore (CGS) Day 2024[1], organised by the National Environment Agency, South West Community Development Council (SW CDC), National Parks Board (NParks), and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Heng Swee Keat was the Guest-of-Honour.

    2             In support of the ongoing Year of Public Hygiene, CGS Day this year commenced with the opening of a new Public Hygiene Council (PHC) CleanPod at West Coast Park. CleanPods are sheds located across parks, beaches, and housing estates, where the public can access litter-picking tools such as tongs and pails, to organise their own community clean-ups. The new CleanPod brings the total number of CleanPods across Singapore to 21. Together with DPM Heng, residents, local grassroots partners, People’s Association (PA) Youth Movement and NUS student volunteers put the new CleanPod to immediate use, with a community clean-up of the park. The clean-up comes on top of nearly 130 activities organised to date in support of the Year of Public Hygiene, planned by grassroots and corporate partners, NGOs and schools. Progammes ranged from clean-ups to outreach projects, promoting an overall culture of cleanliness. Many of these ground-up efforts have become regular activities, and will be continue into next year and beyond.

     3             DPM Heng then proceeded to NUS University Town, where he joined 160 students and staff in a traditional CGS tree-planting ceremony. The ceremony goes back to 1963, when founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew launched the first nationwide tree-planting campaign in support of Singapore’s greening movement, a legacy that continues to this day. The tree-planting was followed by the presentation of the Environmental Services (ES) Star Awards, as well as the Community in Bloom (CIB) Ambassador Awards by DPM Heng.

     27 Environmental Services Stars Recognised for Outstanding Contributions

     4          The annual ES Star Award recognises the contributions of workers in the Environmental Services industry, whose work at the forefront of upholding good public health and hygiene in Singapore is often taken for granted. The 2024 ES Star Award was presented to 27 frontline, supervisory, and operations support staff[2]. These individuals were nominated for demonstrating service excellence, initiative to continuously upskill, and for their significant contributions to innovation, productivity, and environmental sustainability.

     5          One of the awardees this year is Mr Chua Peng Soo, a Pest Control Technician with more than 30 years of experience. An advocate for environmental sustainability, Mr Chua ensures his clients’ premises are pest-free using eco-friendly pest management solutions. Beyond his professional duties, he also actively encourages his colleagues, friends and family to adopt green practices that protect our natural resources. Another awardee is Mr Noor Azmi Bin Ranai, a Senior Operations Manager. A firm believer in continuous learning, Mr Azmi has inspired his colleagues to upskill, encouraging them to attend courses and further their knowledge. His contributions to process improvement and staff development have made a lasting impact on the company.

     Appointment of Community in Bloom Ambassadors

     6          Seven new Community in Bloom (CIB) Ambassadors[3] were also appointed at this year’s CGS event. The CIB Ambassador Award recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to promote gardening and actively engage with the community to facilitate gardening-based community projects.

     7          One of the recipients, Ms Toh Mei Xuan, wears two hats as a Garden Leader and main programme curator at Geylang East Grove Community Garden which demonstrates her passion for gardening and nature. Ms Toh leads gardening sessions for preschoolers weekly and conducts workshops, garden tours and outreach activities at community events on the benefits of nature. In her own time, she also actively documents and shares about the wide range of biodiversity that can be found in the garden through online videos and educational materials.    

     Tree Planting at NUS University Town

     8          NUS has been organising tree planting activities on campus every year since November 2015 as part of its commitment towards building a Campus in a Tropical Rainforest, one of the focus areas under NUS’ Campus Sustainability Roadmap 2030.

     9          This year’s tree planting holds a special significance, with the planting of the 50,000th tree at NUS UTown today by DPM Heng, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Ms Grace Fu, Minister of National Development Mr Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, and Mayor of South West District, Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Dr Amy Khor and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Mr Baey Yam Keng. The event also saw the planting of a total of 50 trees by more than 100 NUS staff and students in support of NParks’ OneMillionTrees movement. This marks the halfway point towards the University’s goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2030, having increased its tree canopy area from 36 percent to 60 percent, that is, over half the campus grounds are covered with trees. The OneMillionTrees movement[4] started in 2020 with the aim to plant one million more trees across Singapore by 2030. To date, more than 700,000 trees have been planted across Singapore.

     10        During a construction project in 2012 at UTown, a national heritage tree – the Margaritaria indica (Airy Shaw) – was discovered on site. To commemorate NUS’ tree-planting milestone, DPM Heng planted a Margaritaria indica sapling, along with other accompanying dignitaries. Other tree species planted at CGS Day 2024 include Rubroshorea pauciflora, Scorodocarpus borneensis, Garcinia celebica and Anthoshorea gratissima, which are native to Singapore.

     Therapeutic Horticulture Programmes available for public to sign up for the first time

     11          Members of the public will be able to sign up for therapeutic horticulture programmes at six therapeutic gardens[5], including the newly opened therapeutic garden at West Coast Park, from December till May 2025 for free. Therapeutic horticulture programmes aim to improve participants’ well-being holistically by promoting low-intensity exercise and improving motor skills, stimulating memory, encouraging positive social interactions and connection with nature and promoting mindfulness. These programmes comprise facilitated nature-related activities such as designing seed mandalas, making of scent bags and creating leaf collages as well as other gardening activities. Interested members of public can find out more through the NParks official website. This is the first time that NParks is offering over 20 therapeutic horticulture sessions at different therapeutic gardens for public to sign up.

     Green efforts by South West Community Development Council  

     12          Aligned with Singapore’s sustainability goals, the South West CDC continues to nurture a community that is environmentally conscious through the Sustainable South West Masterplan[6]. The Masterplan outlines five key goals:

    1. Our Active, Gracious People, aimed at empowering residents with platforms to volunteer and do their part for the environment;
    2. Our Clean, Green Living Spaces, to foster community ties and environmental stewardship through our community gardens;
    3. Our Smart Homes, which promotes green living to reduce carbon footprint and innovating for a sustainable tomorrow;
    4. Our Green Rides, to encourage car-lite communities to transform common spaces into car-free zones and;
    5. Our Zero Waste Journey, where best practices on sustainability are shared with the community to encourage waste minimisation habits.

     13          Focusing on building sustainable habits in the community, the CDC’s programmes involve the collaborative effort of partners, schools, volunteers and residents to realise these goals. The CDC’s flagship recycling programme, Clean Up @ South West encourages residents to take responsibility for their living environment through the exchange of recyclables for groceries. Since its inception in 2006, close to 1,100 tonnes of recyclables have been collected, equivalent to saving over 18,300 trees. In 2023, the CDC launched the Green Innovation Centre, in partnership with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Bukit Batok Grassroots Organisations to transform the existing Cosy Garden in Bukit Batok into a hub to inspire the local community to learn and discover more on sustainable living. The programme, which has brought together close to 30 partners from the local community, Swedish MNCs, and local SMEs, has reached more than 600 residents to date, educating them about intelligent solutions such as AI facial recognition for enhancing security in community gardens.


    [1] For details of more activities under CGS, please refer to Annex A.

    [2] Please refer to Annex B for profiles of more ES Star awardees who are available for interviews.

    [3] Please refer to Annex C for more details on the CIB Ambassador Awards and the Ambassadors who have been appointed this year.

    [4] Please refer to Annex D for more information on the tree species that were planted today and about the OneMillionTrees movement.

    [5] Please refer to Annex E for more details on therapeutic horticulture programmes and therapeutic gardens.

    [6] Please refer to this link for more information on the Sustainable South West Masterplan.

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application. 

    ANNEXES

    Annex A – Factsheet on CGS Experiences and Activities
    Annex B – Factsheet with Profiles of Environmental Services Award Winners
    Annex C – Factsheet on CIB Ambassadors 2024
    Annex D – Factsheet on Tree Species Planted and OneMillionTrees Movement
    Annex E – Factsheet on Therapeutic Horticulture Programmes

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier to attend CIIE opening ceremony

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the opening ceremony of the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) and relevant events, and deliver a speech, a spokesperson announced Sunday.

    The seventh CIIE will be held from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, said He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier to attend CIIE opening ceremony, relevant events

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

    BEIJING, Nov. 3 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the opening ceremony of the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) and relevant events, and deliver a speech, a spokesperson announced Sunday.

    The seventh CIIE will be held from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, said He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Big companies profit from poverty but aren’t obliged to uphold human rights. International law must change – scholar

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bonita Meyersfeld, Associate Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

    There is some disagreement among legal practitioners and scholars about whether corporations have duties under international law.

    Many argue that only states are bound by international law, and it is those states which are obliged to regulate how businesses operate within their borders. Corporations have only a voluntary responsibility to avoid committing human rights violations through their operations.

    I have been doing research in the area of corporate accountability for human rights violations since 2006. My most recent paper looks at the role of multinational corporations (multinationals) in benefiting from and perpetuating structural poverty in the global south.

    I argue that international law can no longer exempt corporations from liability for human rights violations, including those arising from poverty. Under certain circumstances, corporations should have duties under international law to ensure human rights are fulfilled. I argue that this is particularly true when it comes to socio-economic rights such as the rights to housing, education, food, water and healthcare.

    International human rights law must be developed to impose duties directly on multinational corporations to alleviate poverty in the developing countries where they operate.

    This is not an absolute duty – it would only arise in certain circumstances and for specific periods of time, as I show in my paper.

    Poverty and corporations

    Some estimate that as many as 1.3 billion people live in poverty – more than 10% of the world’s population, the vast majority in the global south.

    Poverty is also deadly. It is estimated that at least 21,300 people die every day as a result of poverty and inequality. Poverty is a human rights violation, affecting the rights to dignity, life, food and water.

    Businesses have a long history of profiting from human rights abuses. Finance and transport companies have acknowledged ties to the slave trade. European banks reportedly assisted South Africa’s apartheid government to procure arms.



    Read more:
    UK-Rwanda migrant deal challenges international protection law

    Even when they are not directly responsible for human rights violations, multinational corporations may be complicit. Multinationals based in the global north tend to exploit developing countries for their cheap labour, natural resources and weak regulatory frameworks. In other words, corporations benefit from poverty.

    International law

    In 2005, Professor John Ruggie was appointed as the United Nations secretary-general’s special representative on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. He developed the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This framework adopts the position that only states are subjects and have duties under international human rights law.

    The UN guiding principles are organised around three pillars, known as Protect, Respect and Remedy. The first pillar relates to states’ obligations to uphold human rights. It includes the duty to regulate businesses to ensure they do not violate rights through their operations. The second pillar refers to corporations’ responsibility to respect human rights. This is voluntary and not a legal obligation. The third pillar ensures that victims of human rights violations have access to effective remedies.

    This framework relies on three factors: states which have the interests of their citizens at heart, corporations complying with human rights standards, and effective remedial systems. If all three work together, then the UN guiding principles can address corporate accountability for rights violations.

    In practice, however, this is not the case. Many states, particularly those in the developing world with high levels of poverty, rely on foreign investment. This creates a power imbalance when negotiating with large multinational corporations. Multinationals are able to demand favourable investment conditions, including relaxing laws that might protect human rights.



    Read more:
    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal under international law: suggesting it’s not is dangerous

    Under the UN guiding principles, if states do not impose obligations on corporations to comply with human rights, they do not have such obligations.

    Next steps

    Not all corporations should have the same duties as states. I propose a set of factors that would determine when a corporation might have a duty under international human rights law to fulfil socio-economic rights. These factors are:

    • the extent of the violation

    • the position or vulnerability of the victim

    • the urgency of the situation

    • whether the corporation is the only actor that can fulfil the right.

    For example, let us imagine a scenario in which a company operates a mine in the Central African Republic. It has built a hospital for its workers and management. Surrounding the mining operations are indigent communities who resided in the area before the operations began.

    One day, a child from one of the settlements is knocked over by a car. Her injuries are not life-threatening, but they are severe and the child is in terrible pain. The closest hospital is the mine-owned private hospital. There is a public hospital, but it is far away and travelling there would take time and be costly. The child’s family rushes her to the mine’s hospital for emergency treatment. Does the hospital have a legal duty to admit the child and pay for her treatment?

    Applying a combination of the factors, the answer is yes. The child is vulnerable by virtue of her age and poverty, the situation is urgent, and the mine hospital is the only entity that can fulfil the right under the circumstances.



    Read more:
    The CAR provides hard lessons on what it means to deliver real justice

    Using this framework, I argue that international human rights law should be developed to mitigate the harm of poverty in the global south, by imposing duties on corporations that benefit from poverty. Some corporations have a perverse incentive to keep communities poor. International law has a role to play in overturning this state of affairs.

    Ultimately, my proposal seeks to review what we think of as a fair and just economy. Nothing will change if only states have obligations under international law. The global economic market is neither free nor fair. It has created the most severe human rights violations of our age. International human rights law must address this.

    Bonita Meyersfeld has received funding from the National Research Foundation as part of her NRF rating.

    – ref. Big companies profit from poverty but aren’t obliged to uphold human rights. International law must change – scholar – https://theconversation.com/big-companies-profit-from-poverty-but-arent-obliged-to-uphold-human-rights-international-law-must-change-scholar-241398

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Big companies profit from poverty but aren’t obliged to uphold human rights. International law must change – scholar

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bonita Meyersfeld, Associate Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

    There is some disagreement among legal practitioners and scholars about whether corporations have duties under international law.

    Many argue that only states are bound by international law, and it is those states which are obliged to regulate how businesses operate within their borders. Corporations have only a voluntary responsibility to avoid committing human rights violations through their operations.

    I have been doing research in the area of corporate accountability for human rights violations since 2006. My most recent paper looks at the role of multinational corporations (multinationals) in benefiting from and perpetuating structural poverty in the global south.

    I argue that international law can no longer exempt corporations from liability for human rights violations, including those arising from poverty. Under certain circumstances, corporations should have duties under international law to ensure human rights are fulfilled. I argue that this is particularly true when it comes to socio-economic rights such as the rights to housing, education, food, water and healthcare.

    International human rights law must be developed to impose duties directly on multinational corporations to alleviate poverty in the developing countries where they operate.

    This is not an absolute duty – it would only arise in certain circumstances and for specific periods of time, as I show in my paper.

    Poverty and corporations

    Some estimate that as many as 1.3 billion people live in poverty – more than 10% of the world’s population, the vast majority in the global south.

    Poverty is also deadly. It is estimated that at least 21,300 people die every day as a result of poverty and inequality. Poverty is a human rights violation, affecting the rights to dignity, life, food and water.

    Businesses have a long history of profiting from human rights abuses. Finance and transport companies have acknowledged ties to the slave trade. European banks reportedly assisted South Africa’s apartheid government to procure arms.

    Read more: UK-Rwanda migrant deal challenges international protection law

    Even when they are not directly responsible for human rights violations, multinational corporations may be complicit. Multinationals based in the global north tend to exploit developing countries for their cheap labour, natural resources and weak regulatory frameworks. In other words, corporations benefit from poverty.

    International law

    In 2005, Professor John Ruggie was appointed as the United Nations secretary-general’s special representative on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. He developed the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This framework adopts the position that only states are subjects and have duties under international human rights law.

    The UN guiding principles are organised around three pillars, known as Protect, Respect and Remedy. The first pillar relates to states’ obligations to uphold human rights. It includes the duty to regulate businesses to ensure they do not violate rights through their operations. The second pillar refers to corporations’ responsibility to respect human rights. This is voluntary and not a legal obligation. The third pillar ensures that victims of human rights violations have access to effective remedies.

    This framework relies on three factors: states which have the interests of their citizens at heart, corporations complying with human rights standards, and effective remedial systems. If all three work together, then the UN guiding principles can address corporate accountability for rights violations.

    In practice, however, this is not the case. Many states, particularly those in the developing world with high levels of poverty, rely on foreign investment. This creates a power imbalance when negotiating with large multinational corporations. Multinationals are able to demand favourable investment conditions, including relaxing laws that might protect human rights.

    Read more: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal under international law: suggesting it’s not is dangerous

    Under the UN guiding principles, if states do not impose obligations on corporations to comply with human rights, they do not have such obligations.

    Next steps

    Not all corporations should have the same duties as states. I propose a set of factors that would determine when a corporation might have a duty under international human rights law to fulfil socio-economic rights. These factors are:

    • the extent of the violation

    • the position or vulnerability of the victim

    • the urgency of the situation

    • whether the corporation is the only actor that can fulfil the right.

    For example, let us imagine a scenario in which a company operates a mine in the Central African Republic. It has built a hospital for its workers and management. Surrounding the mining operations are indigent communities who resided in the area before the operations began.

    One day, a child from one of the settlements is knocked over by a car. Her injuries are not life-threatening, but they are severe and the child is in terrible pain. The closest hospital is the mine-owned private hospital. There is a public hospital, but it is far away and travelling there would take time and be costly. The child’s family rushes her to the mine’s hospital for emergency treatment. Does the hospital have a legal duty to admit the child and pay for her treatment?

    Applying a combination of the factors, the answer is yes. The child is vulnerable by virtue of her age and poverty, the situation is urgent, and the mine hospital is the only entity that can fulfil the right under the circumstances.

    Read more: The CAR provides hard lessons on what it means to deliver real justice

    Using this framework, I argue that international human rights law should be developed to mitigate the harm of poverty in the global south, by imposing duties on corporations that benefit from poverty. Some corporations have a perverse incentive to keep communities poor. International law has a role to play in overturning this state of affairs.

    Ultimately, my proposal seeks to review what we think of as a fair and just economy. Nothing will change if only states have obligations under international law. The global economic market is neither free nor fair. It has created the most severe human rights violations of our age. International human rights law must address this.

    – Big companies profit from poverty but aren’t obliged to uphold human rights. International law must change – scholar
    – https://theconversation.com/big-companies-profit-from-poverty-but-arent-obliged-to-uphold-human-rights-international-law-must-change-scholar-241398

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sun Dong to visit Canada

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong will depart today on a visit to Canada, where he will stop in Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo and seek to strengthen co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada in areas such as innovation and technology (I&T).

    Prof Sun will meet leaders of I&T enterprises in the country, and engage with Hong Kong youngsters studying there.

    He will also deliver a keynote speech at the Seminar on Life Science & Global Health, co-organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa Chapter) and Invest Hong Kong, and visit universities, research institutes and I&T parks.

    Prof Sun will return to Hong Kong on November 8. During his absence, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Lillian Cheong will be Acting Secretary.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese flags radical changes to student debt – with a 20% overall cut and drop in payment rates

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University

    Taoty/Shutterstock

    Over the weekend, the Albanese government announced radical changes to student loans, which would kick in after the next federal election.

    Three million Australians with student debt could see their balances cut by 20%. The remaining debt would be repaid under a new system, with no compulsory repayments for people earning less than A$67,000 a year. Both changes require parliamentary approval.

    The changes will apply to everyone with a student debt, including all HELP (formerly HECS), vocational education and Australian apprenticeship support loans, as well as other student support loans.

    People with student debt would undoubtedly benefit from the proposed changes. But they come with a hefty price tag and some disadvantages.

    What are the proposed cuts to student debt?

    As of June 30 this year, Australia’s higher education student debt totalled about $75.1 billion – although this is soon set to drop by about $3 billion. Legislation to partially reverse recent indexation to debts will go to the Senate later this month.

    However, staying with the $75 billion, a 20% cut would be about $15 billion.

    Using the government’s figures, someone with the average HELP debt of $27,600 would see around $5,520 cut from their HELP loans next year.

    Vocational education students owed $8.4 billion as of June 30 2024. Their balances would reduce by about $1.7 billion under the changes.

    Based on previous student support loan data, this debt is more than $3 billion. The changes would see it drop by about $600 million.

    These reductions total $17.3 billion compared to the government’s estimate of $16 billion. But the upcoming indexation changes may explain this difference.

    Repayments set to change

    These changes have two important elements: the income at which repayments start and how repayments are calculated.

    These changes come amid a cost-of-living crisis and rising fees for students.

    There was a noted outcry earlier this year when the cost of an arts degree hit $50,000 for 2025.

    No compulsory repayments if you earn under $67,000

    With parliament’s approval, for 2025-26 compulsory repayments on student loans would not start until the debtor was earning $67,000. This is up from about $56,000.

    This would help a significant number of Australians. In 2023-24 more than 400,000 debtors had incomes between $50,000 and $70,000.

    Changes to how repayments are calculated

    Another significant change is to how repayments are calculated. Currently, when a debtor’s income reaches one of 18 income levels they repay a higher percentage, based on all their income.

    This can produce strange results. Take a graduate earning $62,850 a year. They are in the 1% of income repayment rate, so they owe the Australian Taxation Office $628.50 in HELP repayments. But if their income goes up by $1 to $62,851 they enter the 2% repayment bracket, and owe the tax office $1,257. So a $1 pay increase would reduce the graduate’s take home pay by more than $600.

    Under the government’s proposal, repayments would be calculated on income above a threshold, ignoring all income below the first threshold.

    The new system would start with a 15% repayment rate at incomes between $67,000 and $124,999. Income at $125,000 or above would have a 17% repayment rate.

    So, take a graduate on $70,000 a year. Under the current system, they will repay 2.5% of all their income, which is $1,750. Under the proposed system their repayments will be calculated only on the $3,000 difference between $67,000 and $70,000. This means they pay 15% of $3,000 or $450.

    The government says on average, repayments will drop by $680 per individual debtor.

    But those earning $180,000 plus will repay more student debt each year due to the new system. This is not a large group.
    Of the 1.16 million people who made a HELP repayment in 2021-22, all but 16,000 earned less than $180,000.

    The cost of an arts degree is set to reach $50,000 in 2025, amid growing concerns over study costs.
    rongyiquan/Shutterstock

    There are some disadvantages

    The downside of reduced annual repayments is longer repayment periods and more indexation of HELP balances.

    People who want to repay more quickly can make voluntary repayments, which have increased significantly in recent years. But most people take the default option of compulsory repayments only.

    While people who currently hold debt will see their repayment times reduced after the 20% cut to their balance, future borrowers won’t have this benefit.

    Given the pattern of recent announcements, it would not be surprising if the government also announced reduced student contributions for future borrowers.

    But it is also surprising the government has been stalling for two years on the high cost of arts degrees, set to hit almost $17,000 a year next year. These high fees should have been reduced long ago.

    The cost to government

    The 20% reduction in student debt balances will also come at a very significant cost to government and taxpayers.

    This will not be the full $16 billion they have announced, since that includes debt that is not expected to be repaid anyway.

    For higher education debt, the government actuary estimates 24% of the debt outstanding as of June 30 this year will not be repaid. Even so, a 20% cut to the $57.1 billion “good” debt would still cost $11.4 billion.

    Cutting vocational education debt by 20% would add around another $1 billion to the cost, after deducting debt that won’t be repaid. Debts for student income support tend to have high bad debt rates, but the 20% cut for them would also add to the government’s expenditure.

    The government will also incur further costs from slowing down future repayments.

    Is this the best way?

    The last few years have highlighted how stressful and damaging high levels of student debt can be for younger Australians.

    And as Labor looks ahead to the next federal poll, reducing individuals’ debts and repayments could be a useful election selling point.

    However, the Albanese govenrment’s plan comes with a high price tag and the priorities may not be entirely right. Managing future debt, such as by reversing fee hikes under the Job-ready Graduates program, is as important as reducing old debt.

    Andrew Norton 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. Albanese flags radical changes to student debt – with a 20% overall cut and drop in payment rates – https://theconversation.com/albanese-flags-radical-changes-to-student-debt-with-a-20-overall-cut-and-drop-in-payment-rates-242740

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Samuel Adomako, Associate Professor of Strategy and Innovation, University of Birmingham

    Financial literacy is vital for individuals and households. Simply put, it’s the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills: budgeting, managing debt, making sound investments, and understanding financial statements.

    These skills are crucial for businesses, too – especially small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises are widely recognised as the backbone of many low-income countries’ economies. The World Bank estimates that these businesses account for between 60% and 70% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa and approximately 40% of low-income countries’ GDPs globally.

    Ghana is one of the countries whose economy relies heavily on small and medium enterprises. Much emphasis has been placed on how important it is for these businesses to access finance. But far less has been discussed about the value of financial literacy. In Ghana, as is the case in many other countries, the reality is that many small and medium enterprises still fail to grow as expected, even when they have access to capital. This surprising outcome suggests that access to finance, while crucial, is not the sole factor determining business success. The missing piece of the puzzle? Financial literacy.

    We conducted a study to find out whether managers at small and medium enterprises in Ghana believed that financial literacy would help them to improve their growth after accessing finance. CEOs and senior financial managers who self-identified as being financially literate told us that their businesses had grown as a result, explicitly linking growth and financial literacy.

    It is clear from this study that financial literacy empowers the managers of small and medium enterprises to make informed decisions, make the best use of their resources, and avoid common pitfalls that can derail business growth. It enables them not only to access finance but also to use it effectively for sustainable growth and long-term success.

    Our findings have wider implications. Small and medium enterprises are vital for economic growth. But their potential is being undermined by a lack of financial literacy. This isn’t just a problem for businesses themselves: it’s a problem for the entire economy they are part of. When small and medium enterprises fail to grow, job creation stalls, innovation slows down, and the economy as a whole suffers.

    The study

    There is no single public register for small and medium enterprises in Ghana. So we drew our participants from a range of resources, including the national company register, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Association of Ghana Industries and the Ghana Business Directory.

    We defined small and medium enterprises in the same way as Ghana’s Statistical Service does: companies that have 250 or fewer employees.

    Ultimately, 201 firms across the manufacturing and services sectors took part in the study. The vast majority of responses were from CEOs and senior finance managers, which is important since people in these positions ought to have comprehensive knowledge about a firm’s growth and performance.

    The respondents saw a clear link between financial literacy and access to finance for growing their businesses. One CEO said:

    Understanding financial principles is the foundation of our business decisions. Without financial literacy, we wouldn’t have been able to secure the necessary funding to expand our operations. It’s not just about getting access to finance but knowing how to manage it effectively that drives growth.

    A senior financial manager told us:

    Before improving our financial literacy, we struggled to convince lenders of our potential. Learning how to present our financials clearly and manage our cash flow gave us the credibility we needed to secure financing and invest in our growth.

    Some interviewees discussed how not being financially literate had hampered their ability to properly use funding. A finance manager said that, after securing an initial round of funding. “we quickly realised we couldn’t manage cash flow effectively”, adding:

    It felt like we were putting out fires every day. I didn’t understand terms like ‘liquidity ratios’ or ‘debt management’ until I started learning about financial literacy. It was eye-opening.

    These lessons happened in various ways, some more formal than others. One CEO, realising their own financial management skills needed work, hired a financial officer with strong abilities in this area and learned a great deal from them.

    Some CEOs signed themselves up for financial management workshops; others organised short courses for their entire teams. One told us: “We took a financial literacy course designed for entrepreneurs, and it gave us new insights into how to manage loans and investments. It wasn’t just about survival but also about how to leverage what we had to grow. Now, we budget better, monitor our cash flow closely, and even started saving for unexpected expenses.”

    Read more: Battling to make ends meet? Financial planning expert offers 5 tips on how to build your budget

    Addressing the issues

    There are several ways to improve financial literacy among small and medium enterprises.

    First, policymakers should incorporate mandatory financial literacy training into existing support programmes for these businesses. It should cover essential financial management skills such as budgeting, cash flow management and investment planning.

    Read more: Corruption hurts businesses but digital tools offer the hope of fighting it, say manufacturers in Ghana and Nigeria

    Policymakers could also facilitate partnerships between banks, microfinance institutions and educational organisations to offer targeted financial literacy workshops for managers at small and medium enterprises. This would equip businesses to manage the financial support they receive.

    Finally, policymakers should introduce incentives, such as reduced interest rates or preferential loan terms, for small and medium enterprises that complete certified financial literacy courses. This would motivate managers to enhance their financial management skills, leading to more sustainable business growth and improved economic outcomes.

    – Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them
    – https://theconversation.com/financial-skills-like-managing-debt-are-key-to-success-but-ghanas-small-businesses-dont-have-them-241955

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Samuel Adomako, Associate Professor of Strategy and Innovation, University of Birmingham

    Mongta Studio/Shutterstock

    Financial literacy is vital for individuals and households. Simply put, it’s the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills: budgeting, managing debt, making sound investments, and understanding financial statements.

    These skills are crucial for businesses, too – especially small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises are widely recognised as the backbone of many low-income countries’ economies. The World Bank estimates that these businesses account for between 60% and 70% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa and approximately 40% of low-income countries’ GDPs globally.

    Ghana is one of the countries whose economy relies heavily on small and medium enterprises. Much emphasis has been placed on how important it is for these businesses to access finance. But far less has been discussed about the value of financial literacy. In Ghana, as is the case in many other countries, the reality is that many small and medium enterprises still fail to grow as expected, even when they have access to capital. This surprising outcome suggests that access to finance, while crucial, is not the sole factor determining business success. The missing piece of the puzzle? Financial literacy.

    We conducted a study to find out whether managers at small and medium enterprises in Ghana believed that financial literacy would help them to improve their growth after accessing finance. CEOs and senior financial managers who self-identified as being financially literate told us that their businesses had grown as a result, explicitly linking growth and financial literacy.

    It is clear from this study that financial literacy empowers the managers of small and medium enterprises to make informed decisions, make the best use of their resources, and avoid common pitfalls that can derail business growth. It enables them not only to access finance but also to use it effectively for sustainable growth and long-term success.

    Our findings have wider implications. Small and medium enterprises are vital for economic growth. But their potential is being undermined by a lack of financial literacy. This isn’t just a problem for businesses themselves: it’s a problem for the entire economy they are part of. When small and medium enterprises fail to grow, job creation stalls, innovation slows down, and the economy as a whole suffers.

    The study

    There is no single public register for small and medium enterprises in Ghana. So we drew our participants from a range of resources, including the national company register, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Association of Ghana Industries and the Ghana Business Directory.

    We defined small and medium enterprises in the same way as Ghana’s Statistical Service does: companies that have 250 or fewer employees.

    Ultimately, 201 firms across the manufacturing and services sectors took part in the study. The vast majority of responses were from CEOs and senior finance managers, which is important since people in these positions ought to have comprehensive knowledge about a firm’s growth and performance.

    The respondents saw a clear link between financial literacy and access to finance for growing their businesses. One CEO said:

    Understanding financial principles is the foundation of our business decisions. Without financial literacy, we wouldn’t have been able to secure the necessary funding to expand our operations. It’s not just about getting access to finance but knowing how to manage it effectively that drives growth.

    A senior financial manager told us:

    Before improving our financial literacy, we struggled to convince lenders of our potential. Learning how to present our financials clearly and manage our cash flow gave us the credibility we needed to secure financing and invest in our growth.

    Some interviewees discussed how not being financially literate had hampered their ability to properly use funding. A finance manager said that, after securing an initial round of funding. “we quickly realised we couldn’t manage cash flow effectively”, adding:

    It felt like we were putting out fires every day. I didn’t understand terms like ‘liquidity ratios’ or ‘debt management’ until I started learning about financial literacy. It was eye-opening.

    These lessons happened in various ways, some more formal than others. One CEO, realising their own financial management skills needed work, hired a financial officer with strong abilities in this area and learned a great deal from them.

    Some CEOs signed themselves up for financial management workshops; others organised short courses for their entire teams. One told us: “We took a financial literacy course designed for entrepreneurs, and it gave us new insights into how to manage loans and investments. It wasn’t just about survival but also about how to leverage what we had to grow. Now, we budget better, monitor our cash flow closely, and even started saving for unexpected expenses.”



    Read more:
    Battling to make ends meet? Financial planning expert offers 5 tips on how to build your budget

    Addressing the issues

    There are several ways to improve financial literacy among small and medium enterprises.

    First, policymakers should incorporate mandatory financial literacy training into existing support programmes for these businesses. It should cover essential financial management skills such as budgeting, cash flow management and investment planning.



    Read more:
    Corruption hurts businesses but digital tools offer the hope of fighting it, say manufacturers in Ghana and Nigeria

    Policymakers could also facilitate partnerships between banks, microfinance institutions and educational organisations to offer targeted financial literacy workshops for managers at small and medium enterprises. This would equip businesses to manage the financial support they receive.

    Finally, policymakers should introduce incentives, such as reduced interest rates or preferential loan terms, for small and medium enterprises that complete certified financial literacy courses. This would motivate managers to enhance their financial management skills, leading to more sustainable business growth and improved economic outcomes.

    Samuel Adomako 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. Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them – https://theconversation.com/financial-skills-like-managing-debt-are-key-to-success-but-ghanas-small-businesses-dont-have-them-241955

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ICC calls for continued dialogue on biodiversity benefit sharing mechanism

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: ICC calls for continued dialogue on biodiversity benefit sharing mechanism

    ICC has issued the following statement upon the conclusion of the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) underscoring the commitment of business to support future efforts to secure a robust and workable multilateral benefit sharing mechanism.

    ICC appreciates the efforts of Parties and the Colombian Presidency at CBD COP16 to progress on the operationalisation of the multilateral mechanism on benefit sharing from the use of digital sequence information, including the COP16 Decision’s recognition that further work is needed to refine several of its elements .  

    Businesses are committed to supporting biodiversity goals and engaged constructively in the discussion – viewing the multilateral mechanism as an opportunity to increase benefits shared for biodiversity through a simpler system that provides more legal certainty for companies and supports research and innovation.

    As several countries have recognised, the decision provides a starting basis for moving forward but many important aspects require further evidence-based work to ensure that the mechanism has the necessary enabling conditions and incentives to engage broad business participation. A system that is broad in scope makes it easy to contribute, sets fees at realistic levels, provides legal certainty for research and innovation, and has the potential to incentivise more funding for biodiversity. Business will strengthen its engagement as an integral part of the solution and will need to play a role in further refining the mechanism to ensure its success.”

    Further work could continue along several tracks, through formal CBD workstreams, informal dialogues, or a pilot phase to test the modalities in the decision and obtain evidence for consideration at COP17.  ICC will be working with companies, countries and other stakeholders along all these tracks to optimise the potential of the mechanism to attract broad participation from businesses to further biodiversity goals.      

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: SOUTH BAY REPS ANNOUNCE NEW SUNNYVALE R&D FACILITY FUNDED BY THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Santa Clara, CA —Today, Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Ro Khanna (CA-17), co-author of the CHIPS and Science Act, Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and Anna Eshoo (CA-16) announced that the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), a public-private consortium operated by the Department of Commerce and Natcast, will open a new CHIPS for America Collaboration and Design Facility in Sunnyvale to support research and design innovation and efforts to expand the semiconductor workforce. 

    “As a hub for innovation, cutting-edge technology, and a thriving semiconductor ecosystem, Silicon Valley is the ideal location for the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s CHIPS for America Collaboration and Design Facility. The facility will serve as an institution for advancing new technologies and building a workforce that helps America lead in the 21st century economy. This facility was made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act that we proudly worked on and voted to pass in Congress. We will continue to support investments in technologies and manufacturing that benefit our communities and our country’s economy,” said Representatives Panetta, Khanna, Lofgren, and Eshoo. 

    The Sunnyvale based facility will support: 

    • Conducting advanced semiconductor research in chip design and hardware security
    • Hosting the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence, Design Enablement Gateway, and a future Investment Fund
    • Convening NSTC members and stakeholders from across the semiconductor ecosystem
    • Housing various administration functions

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Barnwell County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Barnwell County

    Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Barnwell County

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center will open in Barnwell County to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene.  Barnwell CountyBarnwell Regional Airport 155 State Road S-6-398 Barnwell, SC 29812Open Nov. 4-7, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Additional Disaster Recovery Centers are scheduled to open in other South Carolina counties. Click here to find centers that are already open in South Carolina. You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. 
    gerard.hammink
    Sun, 11/03/2024 – 15:58

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why do organisations still struggle to protect our data? We asked 50 professionals on the privacy front line

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Andrew, Professor, Head of the Discipline of Accounting, Governance and Regulation, University of Sydney Business School, University of Sydney

    PabloLagarto/Shutterstock

    More of our personal data is now collected and stored online than ever before in history. The rise of data breaches should unsettle us all.

    At an individual level, data breaches can compromise our privacy, cause harm to our finances and mental health, and even enable identity theft.

    For organisations, the repercussions can be equally severe, often resulting in major financial losses and brand damage.

    Despite the increasing importance of protecting our personal information, doing so remains fraught with challenges.

    As part of a comprehensive study of data breach notification practices, we interviewed 50 senior personnel working in information security and privacy. Here’s what they told us about the multifaceted challenges they face.



    Read more:
    The Australian government has introduced new cyber security laws. Here’s what you need to know

    What does the law actually say?

    Data breaches occur whenever personal information is accessed or disclosed without authorisation, or even lost altogether. Optus, Medibank and Canva have all experienced high-profile incidents in recent years.

    Under Australia’s privacy laws, organisations aren’t allowed to sweep major cyber attacks under the rug.

    They have to notify both the regulator – the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) – and any affected individuals of breaches that are likely to result in “serious harm”.

    But according to the organisational leaders we interviewed, this poses a tricky question. How do you define serious harm?

    Interpretations of what “serious harm” actually means – and how likely it is to occur – vary significantly. This inconsistency can make it impossible to predict the specific impact of a data breach on an individual.

    Victims of domestic violence, for example, may be at increased risk when personal information is exposed, creating harms that are difficult to foresee or mitigate.

    Enforcing the rules

    Interviewees also had concerns about how well the regulator could provide guidance and enforce data protection measures.

    Many expressed a belief the OAIC is underfunded and lacks the authority to impose and enforce fines properly. The consensus was that the challenge of protecting our data has now outgrown the power and resources of the regulator.

    As one chief information security officer at a publicly listed company put it:

    What’s the point of having speeding signs and cameras if you don’t give anyone a ticket?

    A lack of enforcement can undermine the incentive for organisations to invest in robust data protection.

    Only the tip of the iceberg

    Data breaches are also underreported, particularly in the corporate sector.

    One senior cybersecurity consultant from a major multinational company told us there is a strong incentive for companies to minimise or cover up breaches, to avoid embarrassment.

    This culture means many breaches that should be reported simply aren’t. One senior public servant estimated only about 10% of reportable breaches end up actually being disclosed.

    Without this basic transparency, the regulator and affected individuals can’t take necessary steps to protect themselves.

    Affected individuals can’t take steps to protect themselves if breaches aren’t reported.
    Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Third-party breaches

    Sometimes, when we give our personal information to one organisation, it can end up in the hands of another one we might not expect. This is because key tasks – especially managing databases – are often outsourced to third parties.

    Outsourcing tasks might be a more efficient option for an organisation, but it can make protecting personal data even more complicated.

    Interviewees told us breaches were more likely when engaging third-party providers, because it limited the control they had over security measures.

    Between July and December 2023 in Australia, there was an increase of more than 300% in third-party data breaches compared to the six months prior.

    There have been some highly publicised examples.

    In May this year, many Clubs NSW customers had their personal information potentially breached through an attack on third-party software provider Outabox.

    Bunnings suffered a similar breach in late 2021, via an attack on scheduling software provider FlexBooker.

    Getting the basics right

    Some organisations are still struggling with the basics. Our research found many data breaches occur because outdated or “legacy” data systems are still in use.

    These systems are old or inactive databases, often containing huge amounts of personal information about all the individuals who’ve previously interacted with them.

    Organisations tend to hold onto personal data longer than is legally required. This can come down to confusion about data-retention requirements, but also the high cost and complexity of safely decommissioning old systems.

    One chief privacy officer of a large financial services institution told us:

    In an organisation like ours where we have over 2,000 legacy systems […] the systems don’t speak to each other. They don’t come with big red delete buttons.

    Other interviewees flagged that risky data testing practices are widespread.

    Software developers and tech teams often use “production data” – real customer data – to test new products. This is often quicker and cheaper than creating test datasets.

    However, this practice exposes real customer information to insecure testing environments, making it more vulnerable. A senior cybersecurity specialist told us:

    I’ve seen it so much in every industry […] It’s literally live, real information going into systems that are not live and real and have low security.

    What needs to be done?

    Drawing insights from professionals at the coalface, our study highlights just how complex data protection has become in Australia, and how quickly the landscape is evolving.

    Addressing these issues will require a multi-pronged approach, including clearer legislative guidelines, better enforcement, greater transparency and robust security practices for the use of third-party providers.

    As the digital world continues to evolve, so too must our strategies for protecting ourselves and our data.

    Jane Andrew receives funding from The Australian Research Council – Discovery Project.

    Dr Penelope Bowyer-Pont receives funding from the Australian Research Council – Discovery Project.

    Max Baker receives funding from The Australian Research Council – Discovery Project.

    – ref. Why do organisations still struggle to protect our data? We asked 50 professionals on the privacy front line – https://theconversation.com/why-do-organisations-still-struggle-to-protect-our-data-we-asked-50-professionals-on-the-privacy-front-line-236681

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Safety – TDDA Launches Imperans Report, a New Quarterly Workplace Drug Use Snapshot

    Source: Fred Russo, Botica Butler Raudon Partners  

    Imperans Report to Provide Businesses with Actionable Health and Safety Information

    04 November 2024, Auckland, New Zealand – The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), New Zealand’s largest workplace drug testing provider, has launched the Imperans Report, its new quarterly workplace drug trends report. The report aims to provide Australasian employers with an analysis of drug and alcohol usage trends, combining results from both New Zealand and Australia to empower businesses to engage in proactive workplace risk management.

    The Imperans report addresses an information gap for business. Government organisations like ACC and WorkSafe publish incident reports, but they do not quantify when substances are a factor. Future reports will serve to build businesses’ understanding of substance use patterns regionally and temporally so that they can anticipate and reduce workplace risks.

    TDDA provides over 250,000 drug tests every year in New Zealand and Australia. In Q3/2024 tests from accredited clinic locations and mobile clinics throughout Australasia were used. All tests were taken between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 20241.  Data is anonymised and aggregated using TDDA’s Imperans system, a bespoke IT platform for testing services, data recording, and reporting.

    TDDA drug tests screen for amphetamine-type substances (ATS); benzodiazepines; cocaine; methamphetamine; opiates and opioids; cannabis; and synthetic drugs like synthetic cannabis.

    This quarter, 4.55 per cent of the screens conducted by TDDA in New Zealand indicated the presence of drugs. THC remained the most common substance detected in workplaces in New Zealand, accounting for 72.9 per cent of cases, closely followed by amphetamine-type substances at 34.2 per cent. There was also significant opioid detection, indicating workplaces may want to remind employees of their drug policies surrounding prescription painkillers.  

    Below are the most prevalent substances detected across New Zealand in TDDA testing:

    • THC: 72.9 per cent
    • Amphetamine-type substances (including methamphetamine): 34.2 per cent
    • Opiates (including oxycodone): 12.9 per cent
    • Benzodiazepines: 4.9 per cent
    • Cocaine: 1.7 per cent
    • Alcohol: 0.19 per cent

    It is crucial for Kiwi businesses to stay vigilant and adapt their safety strategies to evolving drug trends. By being proactive and staying committed to addressing drug-related issues, businesses can play a vital role in promoting safer communities and protecting the well-being of their employees.

    “Businesses across New Zealand should be cognisant of the prevailing drug testing trends and the potential impact on employee safety, workplace productivity, and company reputation,” says Glenn Dobson, CEO, TDDA.

    “Substances like cannabis and methamphetamine can significantly affect workplace safety. Symptoms may include impaired judgement, decreased coordination, and delayed reaction times. Anyone using these substances should not be operating vehicles or heavy machinery.”

    TDDA recommends that businesses update their drug and alcohol policies, educate themselves, and train key personnel to recognise signs of substance misuse. Staying informed and prepared is the best strategy to ensure a safe and productive workplace.

    1 Total figures on testing volumes or testing results by industry and region are commercially sensitive.

    Methodology  
    Testing data from 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2024 is aggregated and anonymised from fixed and mobile clinic operations throughout Australasia. Data from preemployment, post incident, and random testing has been combined. Testing methods included urine and oral fluid screening. Data is reported into the TDDA Imperans system, anonymised, and represents a snapshot of drug trends across Australasian workplaces and industries.  

    About The Drug Detection Agency
    The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) is a leader in workplace substance testing with more than 300 staff, 90 mobile health clinics, 65 locations throughout Australasia, and processing more than 250,000 tests annually. TDDA was established in 2005 to provide New Zealand and Australian businesses with end-to-end workplace substance testing, education and policy services. TDDA holds ISO17025 accreditation for workplace substance testing in both AU and NZ. Refer to the IANZ and NATA websites for TDDA’s full accreditation details. Learn more about TDDA at https://tdda.com/.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Kim, Nickel Lead Bipartisan Bill to Protect Consumers from Credit Card Repair Scams

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Wiley Nickel (NC-13) introduced the Ending Scam Credit Repair Act (ESCRA) to combat fraudulent practices in the credit repair industry. The bill targets credit repair organizations (CROs) that exploit consumers by charging high fees without delivering on promises to improve credit scores. By strengthening CROs regulations, the bill will ensure transparency and accountability in the industry.

    The bipartisan Ending Scam Credit Repair Act empowers consumers by ensuring that CROs only receive payment after delivering documented improvements to credit reports, while increasing civil penalties for violations.

    “Credit scores can be the key to unlocking the American dream. Fraudulent CROs should not get away with scamming hardworking Americans seeking to improve their scores,” said Congresswoman Young Kim. “The Ending Scam Credit Repair Act creates accountability and transparency for consumers and hikes penalties for scammers. I’m thrilled to introduce the bipartisan Ending Scam Credit Repair Act and will continue to work on commonsense solutions to protect the American dream.”

    “Too many hard-working Americans have been scammed by bad actors in the credit repair industry,” said Congressman Wiley Nickel. “Our bill puts a stop to these deceptive practices by banning upfront fees, improving dispute transparency, and requiring state registration. Consumers deserve real results, not empty promises and financial loss.”

    “Financial-services companies and consumer advocacy groups are grateful for congressional action on behalf of consumers, having seen first-hand the real harm credit repair organizations cause consumers, often charging hundreds of dollars a month, but yielding few if any positive results,” said Bill Himpler, President and CEO, American Financial Services Association (AFSA).

    “Paying for credit repair is almost always a waste of money,” said Andrew Pizor, senior attorney, National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). “The amendment from Representatives Nickel and Kim will help ensure consumers are not prey to credit repair scams and that they don’t get charged unless they get the results they are paying for.”

    Edward Boltz, Legislative Chair of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA), whose members represent people in and after bankruptcy, agreed that the “Ending Credit Repair Scams Act” will stop credit repair jamming schemes which mislead consumers by holding themselves out as “lawyers,” but “will also now make it clear that honest attorneys can provide advice and assistance to those who need real help with credit report errors.”

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Business Bureau delivers for business in its first year

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 2 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Small Business

    The Minns Labor Government’s Service NSW Business Bureau has helped small businesses get the support they need, responding to more than 265,000 requests for assistance in its first year.

    In addition, business owners across the State have received a total of around 45,000 hours of free, tailored business advice on business-critical topics such as planning, marketing and cash flow.

    The Business Bureau’s web pages have seen more than 2.2 million website visits since it launched in October 2023, with NSW businesses benefiting from access to personalised guidance, tailored advice and free digital tools.

    The Business Bureau’s team of dedicated Business Concierges has made it easier for businesses to access government support, understand government requirements, apply for licences and permits, receive disaster and emergency assistance, as well as referrals to mental health support for them and their employees.

    The Business Bureau’s rapid response team has provided on the ground support for businesses facing acute crisis. They assisted more than 140 business in the aftermath of the tragic Bondi incident, they were on the ground to assist businesses impacted by the M6 sinkholes and provided assistance to businesses in Northern NSW who had supply chains disrupted due to the fire ants infestation.

    The Business Bureau’s digital tools, the Service NSW Business Bureau App and Service NSW Business Profile, make it even easier to access government support, manage transactions, and save and track industry licences in just a few taps. Since the launch of the Business Bureau, more than 165,000 businesses have used these digital solutions.

    This includes a new seamless way for businesses to renew a business vehicle registration by logging into their Service NSW Business Profile or the Business Bureau Mobile App and simply selecting ‘Renew your vehicle registration’. Already, more than 21,500 customers have accessed the registration renewal feature from the Business Profile.

    For more information on Service NSW Business Bureau, call 13 77 88 or visit: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/business

    Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:

    “I am passionate about small business, having lived it my whole career, and these customer numbers tell an amazing story of the significant support delivered by the Service NSW Business Bureau in its first year.

    “The Business Bureau is supporting small business owners no matter where they are on their business journey with free, tailored advice and digital tools which are helping to make being in business easier.

    “Driven by the priorities of the recently launched NSW Charter for Small Business, we are focused on working with small businesses across the State to tackle unproductive red tape, break down barriers and build a stronger future.

    “We know small businesses having been doing it tough, but now the Business Bureau is there for small businesses every step of the way.”

    Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

    “Small business owners across the State wear many hats which is why we remain committed to making support and services more accessible and more flexible than ever.

    “We have seen more than 165,000 businesses access the Service NSW Business Bureau app and their Service NSW Business Profile which shows the Business Bureau’s digital tools are making it easier for small business owners to access the advice, information and support they need on the go and at a time which suits them.”

    Founder of Learnopolis Jennifer Kozanic said:

    “As a new business, we needed advice about what sort of public liability, professional indemnity and level of cover we needed. We also needed support with considering who we should target with supplying our product and service.

    “The Business Bureau has provided great advice on writing grant applications, business development and pricing. Winning a NSW Government contract was huge for us as a two-person start-up.

    “Sam, my business concierge, genuinely wants to support us and to have someone cheering you on from the sidelines, who understands business, is something I would recommend for every owner.”

    Founder of Parkview Realty Ben Burfitt said:

    “The Business Bureau has been hugely supportive in making sure my application for both my class 1 real estate agent licence and business corporation licence were progressed.

    “To have someone who is able to liaise with other areas of the NSW Government was extremely beneficial in getting licence approval in a timely manner.

    “My business is new and so brand awareness is important to us. I look forward to working with the Business Bureau on how to develop this and market the company in a way that represents our story and what we offer.”

    Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said:

    “The NSW Government has done much to improve the digital interface with business. Our state has led the nation for the past decade. 

    With rapid improvements in technology and a constantly evolving operational environment, this is an area we can never take for granted. The work must be continuous or we risk falling behind.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Investigation – Commissioner initiated investigation finds breach of woman’s rights in residential care home 24HDC00460

    Source: Health and Disability Commissioner
    A woman’s rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) were breached by a support worker when he provoked her, retaliated by spitting at her, failed to intervene when she was self-harming, and verbally insulted her, said the Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall, in a decision released today.
    The woman was living in a disability residential care setting and had multiple complex social and mental health disorders which could manifest in challenging behaviours and actions. The interactions between her and the support worker at the centre of the investigation, where the support worker could be heard being verbally abusive and spitting at her, were recorded on video.
    A complaint was made to HDC about the woman being recorded without her consent, however, the content of these recordings were of sufficient concern for Ms Wall to undertake a commissioner-initiated investigation (CII).
    I consider this complaint is significant, as it raises concerns about a longstanding support worker’s verbal maltreatment of a vulnerable consumer with dual disabilities and challenging behaviour in residential care. The complaint may never have been brought to the attention of this office had it not come to light in another complaint investigation,” said Ms Wall.
    Ms Wall said it was clear the support worker had provoked and insulted the woman, which amounted to a serious lack of respect and that he failed to intervene when the woman was self-harming.
    “There were many options available to [MrB] to intervene, including talking to [Ms A], employing de-escalation techniques he had learned in Non-Violent Crisis-Intervention training, and/or calling for assistance. He did not attempt any of those actions or any other type of intervention.
    “I am critical and appalled when watching and listening to the videos, and I consider that [Mr B] behaved entirely inappropriately towards Ms [Ms A]. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for a community support worker to behave in this way.’
    Ms Wall found that the man failed to treat the woman with respect – breaching Right 1(1) of the Code and did not treat the woman with dignity in breach of Right 3.
    Ms Wall recommended [Mr B] provide a formal apology to the woman and for him to refamiliarise himself with the Code. Whilst [Mr B] no longer works at the residential care setting, in the event Mr B finds employment as a support worker, she has recommended he ask his future employer to put him through training on treating consumers with respect and dignity and relationship management/communicating with people who display challenging behaviour.
    Evidence of these actions is to be provided to HDC. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Investigation – Health NZ Southern and registrar breach man’s rights for failures in care 21HDC02293

    Source: Health and Disability Commissioner

    A man’s rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights were breached by Health New Zealand|Te Whatu Ora Southern and a registrar, the Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner has found in a decision released today. Sadly, the man died of a brain haemorrhage.
    The man had an unwitnessed fall at his care home and was taken to Southland Hospital emergency department. A yellow envelope containing patient information was misplaced which meant that hospital staff who were treating the man were not aware that he was on anticoagulants.
    The man had his initial observations taken by a registered nurse about six hours after his arrival at hospital. He was first seen by the registrar around nine hours after his arrival. The registrar noted it was usual practice for her to review the information in the yellow envelope but there wasn’t one. The registrar did not order a CT scan because she was not aware he was on anticoagulants.
    The man was kept under observation and was discharged back to the care home the next day. The man became increasingly ill and was taken back to Southland Hospital where a CT showed he had experienced an intracranial haemorrhage and he later died.
    Deborah James said Health NZ breached the Code by not providing services with reasonable care and skill.
    “Health NZ did not have a clear or well understood process in place for ambulance staff to hand over the yellow envelope when there were no available beds in ED, resulting in the man’s yellow envelope being misplaced,” she said.
    She added that the man was not assessed for initial observations until around six hours after his arrival and that several clinicians had failed to identify he was on warfarin. These factors combined meant Health NZ did not provide the appropriate standard of care.
    Ms James said that due to the man’s age, fragility and because he had suffered a head injury, a CT scan should have been completed, regardless of whether or not he was on anticoagulants. She found that the registrar breached the Code by not providing reasonable care and skill in their management of the man’s care by not ensuring a CT was completed or identifying that he was on anticoagulants.
    Health NZ says it has since increased the number of nurses on at night shift and made sure there is always a medical imaging technologist on site to take scans. The registrar has also made a range of changes, which are outlined in the report.
    Ms James has recommended both parties formally apologise to the man’s family. She has recommended Health NZ standardise its process for yellow envelopes to cover when there are no beds available. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Investigation – Woman’s rights breached for failure to exclude pregnancy before insertion of a Jadelle contraceptive device 21HDC02688

    Source: Health and Disability Commissioner
    In a report released today Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall has found a Medical Centre GP registrar breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) for failing to reliably exclude pregnancy prior to insertion of a Jadelle contraceptive device.
    The woman at the centre of the report, accessed contraception following the birth of her son three months prior. The woman’s usual GP arranged for the woman to have a Jadelle device fitted by a GP registrar.
    The woman later discovered she was 20 weeks pregnant. The ultrasound indicated that she would have been pregnant at the time the contraceptive device was fitted. The discovery led to significant personal distress and concerns about the potential impact of her pregnancy.
    The woman told HDC she did not feel she could cope with another baby so soon, but the pregnancy was too far advanced for termination to be considered and she was concerned about the health of her unborn baby.
    Ms Wall considered several scenarios regarding pregnancy testing prior to fitting the device. On balance, she concluded that the GP registrar had omitted to discuss the method of contraception used by the woman prior to the consultation and to establish clearly whether the woman could be pregnant and, accordingly, offer her a pregnancy test.
    Ms Wall found the GP registrar breached the Code for failing to provide services with reasonable care and skill, in particular failing to reliably exclude pregnancy before the Jadelle insertion, either through a pregnancy test or established criteria.
    In addition, the medical centre’s documentation practices were found lacking, particularly in recording discussions about contraception and pregnancy risk.
    Since the event, the GP registrar has made significant changes to her practice, including additional training and development of a detailed template to ensure thorough documentation and assessment. The medical centre has also taken steps to improve its practices and prevent similar issues in future.
    Ms Wall said, “this case highlights the importance of thorough documentation and reliable exclusion of pregnancy in contraceptive consultations. We commend the GP registrar and the medical centre for their proactive steps to improve their practices.”
    In addition to the changes made, Ms Wall made further recommendations in her report. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Will it be Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? Here’s what each needs to win the US election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Wolpe, Non-resident Senior Fellow, United States Study Centre, University of Sydney

    On election eve in the United States, the presidential race is deadlocked. The polls are exceptionally close across the country and in all the swing states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin in the industrial midwest; Nevada and Arizona in the west; and Georgia and North Carolina in the south.

    The final New York Times/Siena poll shows Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris leading by a very small margin or tied with Republican former President Donald Trump in all the swing states. The exception is Arizona, where Trump leads by a few percentage points.

    While there is no clear favourite to win, there are several critical factors that will driving voters’ decisions on Election Day. This is what to watch.



    Read more:
    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Bruce Wolpe says personal relations between Trump and Albanese would be ‘rocky’

    Republicans turning against Trump

    Trump’s favourability is stuck around 43% in nationwide polling. In the past two presidential elections, he fell short of taking 50% of the national popular vote. As president, he never achieved over 50% favourability. And he has never topped 50% since leaving office.

    This means he has hit a ceiling in his support and is highly unlikely to win the national popular vote on Tuesday.

    This also reflects what happened to Trump in the Republican primaries to win the nomination. He dominated the field, defeating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and several others. But in most of those primaries, 15-20% of Republican voters did not vote for Trump.

    Where will these Republican voters ultimately land on Tuesday? Probably half want to vote Republican and will go with Trump. Others will not being able to bring themselves to vote for Harris and will simply not vote for president.

    Others will switch their support to Harris. Indeed, there has never been such a swelling of support from members of one party to support the other party’s presidential candidate.

    Harris needs those “Republicans for Harris” votes. In addition, she’ll need to replicate the coalition of young voters, voters of colour and women who backed current President Joe Biden against Trump in 2020 in those same swing states and nationally.

    Her favourability ratings are higher than Trump, at around 46%. The closer a presidential candidate is to 50% approval ratings, the better their chance of winning the election.

    It’s the economy, stupid

    At the same time, the country is in a bad mood. There is a classic polling question asked at elections: is the country on the right track, or moving in the wrong direction? Between 60–70% of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track.

    That is a signal this election is about change. Historically, that sentiment has not favoured the incumbent in the White House. As Biden’s vice president, Harris is directly facing this headwind.

    There are four key issues in this election. The most important is the hip pocket issue: household budgets, cost of living pressures and voters’ concerns about their future economic security.

    Since Biden and Harris took office nearly four years ago, the cost of groceries, household items, utilities and services such as insurance have risen between 10–40%. Petrol prices have gone up even more.

    Though interest rates have fallen, American households are hurting. When asked who is best to manage the economy, voters in swing states say Trump by a 15-point margin.

    The next-biggest issue is immigration. Since Trump first became a presidential candidate in 2015, he has relentlessly pushed the immigration button, declaring the border with Mexico is out of control, with crime and pillage rising in its wake.

    The first three years of Biden’s term were also marked by big surges of immigrants crossing the border, though rates have fallen dramatically in 2024.

    Voters view Trump as best placed to manage this issue, too, by nearly 15 points.

    So, Trump is seen as a more effective leader on the two most important policy issues in this election.

    A surge in support from women

    Abortion rights and reproductive health services are the third major issue. Many women across America are repelled by the Supreme Court’s decision to take away their long-held constitutional right to an abortion. Now, this policy is decided at the state level. And several conservative Republican states – including Ohio and Kansas – have voted to restore abortion rights.

    Harris is seen as the champion of these issues. Multiple polls show voters trust her more than Trump on reproductive rights, by wide margins.

    As a result, polling shows Harris is leading Trump with women voters in the swing states, by 15 points or more.

    Abortion rights are also on the ballot in two swing states, Nevada and Arizona, which should help Harris in both.

    The future of American democracy is the fourth major issue facing voters. According to a new poll, half the country sees Trump as a profound threat to America’s democracy who will wield authoritarian power to enforce his policies and programs.

    Harris has pledged to turn the page, heal divisions and get Republicans and Democrats working together again.

    In these closing days, Trump continues to make provocative statements with violent imagery. At a rally in Arizona last week, for instance, he again attacked Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman who advocated for the prosecution of Trump over the January 6 insurrection:

    She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.

    This may have provided Harris with a final cut-through moment on Trump’s fitness for office in the final days of the campaign. She said in response:

    Anyone who wants to be president of the United States who uses that kind of violent rhetoric is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president. […] Trump is increasingly, however, someone who considers his political opponents the enemy, is permanently out for revenge and is increasingly unstable and unhinged.

    So, who is going to win?

    Trump’s team sees victory in all the polls. His chief pollster wrote late last week:

    President Trump’s position nationally and in every single battleground state is significantly better than it was four years ago.

    The polls may also be undercounting the full measure of Trump’s support, as was the case in 2016 and 2020. And the polls may not be reflecting the extent of antipathy towards Harris as a Black and south Asian woman.

    Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris’ campaign director, and who headed the 2020 Biden campaign that defeated Trump, has told her troops, meanwhile, that undecided voters are “gettable”, adding:

    We have multiple pathways to victory […] Our folks are voting at levels we need them to vote in order for us to win.

    Harris has built a US$1 billion (A$1.5 billion) machine designed to reach voters in the swing states – through personal contact. This machine made three million phone calls and door knocks on homes in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin alone on Saturday. If this machine delivers, it could be the boost Harris needs on election night.

    Harris’ campaign also signalled over the weekend that late-deciding voters, and especially women, are breaking their way by double digits. There is a sense among Democrats that Harris is now peaking as the campaign concludes.

    The final analysis

    If Harris wins, it will be because she has successfully sealed the deal with those voters and made the election a referendum on Trump – that on balance the country has had enough of him after eight years. It also means her ground game delivered the votes.

    If Trump wins, it will mean voters trusted him to manage inflation and the cost-of-living squeeze on households, as well as what they see as out-of-control immigration and crime. These messages would also have been further embellished by unease about Harris, a Black and south Asian woman, as president.

    Bruce Wolpe receives funding from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He also worked on the Democratic staff of the US House of Representatives, most recently during President Barack Obama’s first term.

    – ref. Will it be Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? Here’s what each needs to win the US election – https://theconversation.com/will-it-be-kamala-harris-or-donald-trump-heres-what-each-needs-to-win-the-us-election-242756

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s commerce minister urges France to play active role in reaching EV trade solution

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has called on France, as a key European Union (EU) member, to play an active role in pushing the European Commission to show sincerity and meet the Chinese side half way for a solution regarding the EU’s anti-subsidy probe into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

    He made the remarks during a meeting with Sophie Primas, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in Shanghai on Sunday ahead of the seventh China International Import Expo, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: River project vitalises urban habitat

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Spanned by footbridges and shaded by greenery, the open nullah at King Yip Street in Kwun Tong has undergone a remarkable transformation. Now known as Tsui Ping River, the revitalised waterway brings the Government’s “River in the City” concept to life.

    New life

    In implementing the project, the Drainage Services Department worked hard to enhance both the ecology and landscaping of the river. More than 50 Chinese banyan trees now line the riverbanks, forming a precious green corridor.

    Bird perches, rock pools, and aquatic plants were introduced, while parts of the concrete riverbed were replaced with natural materials to make the habitat more welcoming of biodiversity. These improvements breathe new life into the former nullah.

    Precise control

    In order to lower the risk of flooding, meanwhile, part of the riverbed was also deepened, and a smart water gate was installed to manage water levels effectively.

    Drainage Services Department Senior Engineer (Drainage Projects) Antony Wan explained: “Tsui Ping River is operated by a precise control system which is linked to the weather forecast system of the Hong Kong Observatory. It collects river water or tidal level data through the water level monitoring devices installed in the river. Through data analysis, the system controls the operation of the Tsui Ping River according to real-time conditions.

    “The smart water gate installed at the downstream of Tsui Ping River can adjust its rise and fall according to the tidal flow to regulate the water level and stabilise the water body. When the river water flows downstream, a waterfall effect will be created to ensure drainage capacity and enhance the waterscape.”

    Mr Wan added that during inclement weather, or when there is a high water level at the upstream, the smart water gate will be lowered to the riverbed level to maintain the normal drainage capability of the river.

    The smart water gate not only regulates tidal flow but also minimises unpleasant odours caused by the river drying up. In addition, dry-weather flow interceptors were installed on Shui Wo Street, King Yip Street and Wai Fat Road to intercept polluted dry flow from storm drains and divert it to the sewerage system, thereby reducing the flow of pollutants entering the Tsui Ping River.

    Cultural change

    In recent years, the Government has been keen to promote a water-friendly culture, which includes turning rivers into spaces that attract people. On the Tsui Ping River, a floating pontoon has been installed. Connecting to both banks, it rises and falls with the tides, offering a unique walking route for residents and visitors.

    The department’s mascot, “Drainy”, appears in 75 different illustrations along the river, inviting people to record their walks with a selfie or two. Meanwhile, a total of six cross-river walkways, including one that connects Cha Kwo Ling and the Kwun Tong Promenade, enhance the waterway’s accessibility for nearby residents.

    Vibrant district

    The Government is dedicated to turning Kowloon East into a Green Core Business District.

    Energizing Kowloon East Office Senior Works Consolidation Manager Cheng Wai-ho outlined that in implementing the Tsui Ping River project, the authorities aimed to transform the former nullah into a green and vibrant urban artery and create an open public space centred on the river.

    “Driven by the Energizing Kowloon East initiative, Kowloon East has been transformed into a unique, attractive and vibrant central business district,” he said. “At present, Kowloon East has the highest density of green buildings in Hong Kong. We hope that Tsui Ping River will become a new landmark of Kwun Tong, attracting more multinational companies, financial institutions and startups to Kowloon East.”

    Besides attracting businesses, the district continues to expand its recreational spaces. The Government’s aim is to develop Kowloon East into a vibrant central business district that supports a harmonious work-life balance for inhabitants.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Scott on Communist China’s Inhumane Foreign Adoption Ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours

    Nov 1, 2024 | Press Releases

    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person and virtual Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of…

    read more

    Rubio Demands Biden-harris Admin Stop Importation of Slave-made Pharmaceuticals

    Oct 31, 2024 | Press Releases

    Despite the passage of the Rubio-led Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) in 2021, a recent report has revealed that two Xinjiang-based pharmaceutical entities continue to exploit American laws for profit. To uphold the UFLPA, the U.S. Food and Drug…

    read more

    ICYMI: Rubio: Cancel Trade Benefits for Offshoring

    Oct 31, 2024 | Press Releases

    Cancel Trade Benefits for Offshoring U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) October 31, 2024 Newsweek Last month, President Donald Trump made waves by threatening to impose a tariff on John Deere for moving production to Mexico…. [A]s I said in my own letter to John Deere…

    read more

    Rubio, Scott Urge Biden-Harris Admin to Address IV Fluid Shortage

    Oct 31, 2024 | Press Releases

    Hurricane Helene significantly damaged North Carolina’s Baxter International IV fluid manufacturing plant. Baxter is responsible for producing more than half of the country’s IV fluid supply. This closure has strained the medical community, leading to delays in…

    read more

    Rubio, Franklin, Colleagues Demand Compensation for Agricultural Land

    Oct 30, 2024 | Press Releases

    Hurricanes Helene and Milton brought high winds, flooding, and damage across Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates the total crop and infrastructure losses range from $1.5 to $2.5 billion. The State of Florida has requested…

    read more

    Rubio, Scott Support Seminole Tribe’s Major Disaster Request

    Oct 28, 2024 | Press Releases

    Due to Hurricane Milton’s impact on the Seminole Tribe of Florida, their communities, and property, the tribe requested a major disaster declaration to assist in their response and recovery efforts.  U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a…

    read more

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Valdez wraps up activities to celebrate Small Business Month and highlights government supports for entrepreneurs

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    November 1, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, celebrated Small Business Month (SBM) by meeting with local entrepreneurs and business organizations to highlight the federal government supports that are available to help them thrive.

    Minister Valdez kicked off October by announcing that the federal government has negotiated lower credit card interchange fees by up to 27% for small businesses across Canada. These lower fees for Visa and Mastercard took effect on October 19, 2024. Minister Valdez also announced that the Canada Carbon Rebate will be distributing $2.5 billion to about 600,000 small and medium-sized businesses across Canada where the federal fuel charge applies. The amount is dependent on a business’ number of employees. For example, Ontarian small businesses will receive $401 per employee. Small and medium-sized businesses that filed their taxes before July 15 will receive an automatic payment by the end of this year.

    Throughout SBM, Minister Valdez met with small business owners across the country. She also engaged with diverse groups of entrepreneurs at the Mississauga Board of Trade, the CanadianSME Magazine Small Business Summit, the Casa Foundation for International Development’s Friends of Africa summit, the Elevate Festival, the Alliance of Nigerian Entrepreneurs gathering, the RPA Women Entrepreneur Awards Gala, the Federation of African Canadian Economics’ Small Business Sunday event, the Toronto Small Business Forum, and the Misfit Ventures Misfits Unleashed event.

    During these engagements, Minister Valdez highlighted the federal government’s groundbreaking investments—through programs like the 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Black Entrepreneurship Program—that are helping fight the systemic barriers under-represented entrepreneurs face. She also spotlighted federal government investments in inclusive venture capital and Futurpreneur, as well as support for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

    Minister Valdez also updated entrepreneurs on federal investments to help small businesses adopt digital tools and innovations, including the $2.4 billion committed in Budget 2024 to secure Canada’s artificial intelligence (AI) advantage. This includes $200 million in the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, which will help bring new AI technologies to market and accelerate AI adoption by small businesses across the country. She also mentioned the Canada Digital Adoption Program, which has helped more than 60,000 small businesses improve their digital capabilities and adopt e-commerce platforms.

    The Minister wrapped up her SBM-related activities on October 30 by announcing a new partnership between the First Nations Health Authority and the CAN Health Network that will help over 200 First Nations communities across British Columbia access health care innovations from Canadian start-ups. Start-ups in the health care sector have expressed that they face unique challenges breaking into the new market and increasing uptake of their technologies. The federal government’s investment in the CAN Health Network is connecting innovative health care providers with promising start-ups that are offering made-in-Canada solutions to meet their unique needs and challenges.

    Quotes

    “Small businesses are the heart of our communities and the backbone of our economy, employing nearly 8 million hard-working Canadians. It was incredible to spend Small Business Month celebrating their invaluable contributions and meeting key organizations that are dedicated to helping entrepreneurs thrive. Our government will continue to have the backs of small businesses from coast to coast to coast, whether they’re just starting out, looking to grow or striving to extend their reach into new markets.”
    – The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business 

    Quick facts

    • The Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses is a refundable tax credit to return a portion of federal fuel charge proceeds directly to eligible businesses.

      • Businesses will not have to apply for this rebate. The Canada Revenue Agency will determine and automatically issue the rebate amounts for eligible businesses based on the payment rates of each applicable province for the corresponding fuel charge years, as specified by the Minister of Finance.
      • The rebate will be available to eligible Canadian-controlled private corporations that had 499 or fewer employees in Canada throughout the calendar year in which the applicable fuel charge year began.
      • The federal fuel charge currently applies in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. The Government of Canada does not keep any direct proceeds from pollution pricing. All direct fuel charge proceeds are returned in the province or territory of origin.

    • The Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada was first released in 2010 and was last updated in 2015.

      • All major payment card network operators in Canada incorporate the code into their rules, making it binding on all their network participants: issuers, acquirers and payment processors.
      • More than 1 million businesses that accept payment cards in Canada will benefit from the code revisions. In 2023, these businesses accepted approximately 14.1 billion card payments worth $1.2 trillion.
      • The increased transparency and disclosure elements of the revised code require payment processors to notify eligible businesses if network fee reductions will not be passed on in full. Additionally, payment processors must remind those businesses of their right to terminate their contract, enabling them to switch to a processor that passes on the benefits of rate reductions.
      • Under the existing code, businesses have the right to exit their contracts without penalty if they do not receive the full benefits of certain network fee decreases, such as the upcoming small business interchange reductions. But businesses have not always been aware of this right.

    • Businesses pay fees to process credit card transactions, with the largest component being the interchange fee paid to credit card–issuing financial institutions, such as banks. The federal government has finalized agreements to lower these fees for small businesses starting on October 19, 2024. Visa and Mastercard have agreed to:

      • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for in-store transactions to an annual weighted average interchange rate of 0.95%
      • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for online transactions by 10 basis points, resulting in reductions of up to 7%
      • provide free access to online fraud and cybersecurity resources to help small businesses grow their online sales while preventing fraud and chargebacks
      • allow small businesses to qualify with each credit card network individually

    • Small businesses with an annual Visa sales volume below $300,000 will qualify for the lower interchange fees from Visa, and those with an annual Mastercard sales volume below $175,000 will qualify for the lower fees from Mastercard.

    • Non-profit organizations with transaction volumes below these thresholds will also benefit from reduced rates.

    Contacts

    Callie Franson
    Senior Communications Advisor and Issues Manager
    Office of the Minister of Small Business
    callie.franson@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Stay connected

    Follow Canada Business on social media.
    X (Twitter): @canadabusiness | Facebook: Canada Business | Instagram: @cdnbusiness

    For easy access to government programs for businesses, download the Canada Business app.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Roundup: November 1, 2024

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:

    Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency: 

    • Today, the FDA published the FDA Voices: “FDA Takes Exciting Steps Toward Establishing the Rare Disease Innovation Hub,” by Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) and Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). The FDA Rare Disease Innovation Hub (the Hub) is an FDA cross-center program that will act as the single point of engagement and connection with outside parties for drug and biological product development and as a forum for CBER and CDER to collaborate on cross-cutting rare disease-related issues. Through the Hub, we plan to foster a community at the FDA for open dialogue and knowledge sharing to identify new approaches to drug and biologic development and overcome hurdles that have traditionally impeded progress for rare disease treatments.
    • Today, the FDA published a final Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) intended to provide the FDA’s current thinking on the adulteration of fish and fishery products with Scombrotoxin (histamine). The CPG will assist the FDA in addressing adulteration associated with decomposition and histamine identified during surveillance sampling and testing. It also will increase consumer protections related to scombrotoxin (histamine) fish poisoning (SFP) by lowering the levels of histamine in fish at which the FDA indicates that it may take action.
    • On Thursday, the FDA announced it will host a public meeting on Nov. 20, 2024, on recommendations for reauthorization of the OTC Monograph Drug User Fee Program (OMUFA). Registration information for this event can be found at the meetings page. The FDA welcomes comments from the public until Dec. 20, 2024. Details on how to submit to the docket can be found at the Federal Register notice. 
    • On Thursday, the FDA announced approval of a modification to the Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (OA REMS). With this approval, companies participating in the OA REMS Program have been notified that they will be required to begin providing pre-paid drug mail-back envelopes upon request to outpatient pharmacies and other dispensers of opioid analgesics by March 31, 2025. This approval follows an April 2023 letter FDA sent to manufacturers of opioid analgesics used in outpatient settings, informing them that they were required to submit a proposed modification to the OA REMS within 180 days of the date of the notice.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA’s Human Foods Program (HFP) released its 2025 Priority Deliverables, which highlights activities the HFP plans to focus on during its first year following a reorganization of the program’s design and responsibilities that went into effect on October 1, 2024. These priority deliverables are being shared while the HFP works on a more comprehensive multi-year strategic plan to advance its vision and mission.  
    • On Wednesday, the FDA updated the outbreak advisory for E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to slivered onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. The FDA continues to work with CDC, USDA FSIS, state partners and involved firms to investigate the outbreak. 

      As of Oct. 30, 90 people from 13 states have been infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. Of 83 people with information available, 27 have been hospitalized, and 2 people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. One death has been reported from an older adult in Colorado. This person is not one of those who developed HUS. 

      More illnesses have been reported but they are from before McDonald’s and Taylor Farms took action to remove slivered onions from food service locations. Epidemiologic and traceback data show that slivered onions served at affected McDonald’s locations are the likely source of this outbreak. USDA FSIS conducted a thorough investigation in response to this outbreak, including traceback and testing of beef patties served on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s, and evidence does not point to ground beef as the likely source of contamination. Testing on beef patties by the Colorado Department of Agriculture is complete and all samples were found to be negative for E. coli.

      Additionally, the FDA is working with Taylor Farms and their direct customers to determine if additional downstream customer recalls are necessary after Taylor Farms recalled yellow onions that were supplied to McDonald’s and other food service customers on Oct. 22, 2024. According to available information, it is unlikely that recalled yellow onions were sold to grocery stores or directly to consumers. Food service customers who received recalled onions were contacted and should no longer be using or serving recalled onions. In addition to recall activities, the FDA has initiated inspections at a Taylor Farms processing center in Colorado and an onion grower of interest in Washington state. The FDA’s investigation is ongoing.

    • On Wednesday, FDA announced that the agency issued warning letters to nine online retailers and one manufacturer for selling and/or distributing unauthorized disposable e-cigarettes with designs and functionalities that resemble smart technology, including phones and gaming devices. The products cited in the warning letters are advertised as having a variety of designs and functions that may appeal to youth, such as the ability to play games, connect to a smartphone, receive text or call notifications, play music, or personalize products with custom wallpaper. This latest round of warning letters marks another step in FDA’s continued efforts to remove unauthorized e-cigarette products from the market, particularly those that appeal to youth. 
    • On Wednesday, the FDA posted a new video in the “FDA In Your Day” series. In this video, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hilary Marston discusses food safety.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health published the fall edition of the Digital Health Center of Excellence Newsletter. This edition features the Digital Health Advisory Committee that will hold a meeting on Nov. 20-21, 2024, a Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Glossary, another update to the list of medical devices that incorporate AR/VR or AI/ML, and more.
    • On Tuesday, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Scemblix (asciminib, Novartis AG) for adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase (CP). In the pooled safety population in patients with newly diagnosed and previously treated Ph+ CML in CP, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were musculoskeletal pain, rash, fatigue, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The most common laboratory abnormalities (≥40%) in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in CP were decreased lymphocyte count, decreased leukocyte count, decreased platelet count, decreased neutrophil count and decreased calcium corrected. Full prescribing information for Scemblix will be posted on Drugs@FDA. 

    Related Information

    Related Information

    ###

    Boilerplate

    The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

    Inquiries

    Consumer:
    888-INFO-FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: From Mars Rovers to Factory Assembly Lines

    Source: NASA

    NASA-funded AI technology enabling autonomous rovers and drones now keeps an eye on conveyor belts

    Artificial intelligence software initially designed to learn and analyze Martian terrain is now at the heart of a system to monitor assembly lines on Earth. 
    The vision inspection software from Neurala Inc., an artificial intelligence company in Boston, Massachusetts, works with existing cameras, computers, and even cellphones to monitor the quality of products running along a conveyor belt, for instance.  
    “Our software can learn very quickly on a processor with a very small footprint, a skill we learned working with NASA,” said Neurala cofounder and CEO Massimiliano Versace. “By doing so, we enable vision inspection with whatever components are already available, deploying in minutes. In our exploration of the market, we realized that the manufacturing space had a precise need for this technology.”
    Versace and Neurala (Spinoff 2018) began working with NASA more than a decade ago on a project funded through the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. NASA was interested in “adaptive bio-inspired navigation for planetary exploration,” and Versace and his team had been working on neural network AI software modeled on the human brain. 
    Focusing on a rover concept that could independently learn to traverse Martian terrain, Neurala went on to win STTR Phase II funding for the project. Additional money from a NASA Center Innovation Fund enabled the Neurala team to adapt its technology to drone navigation and collision avoidance. 
    In both the rover and the drone applications, the Neurala software could run on a small device on the vehicle itself, eliminating the delay of sending signals to a decision maker in another location. Since then, the company developed the software to help monitor assembly lines.
    Onsite computing is an advantage in manufacturing, as well, where an assembly line may have a hundred items passing every minute, making visual inspections for quality control difficult.

    MIL OSI USA News –