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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta joining global wildlife council

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study suggesting childhood exposure to bacterial toxin from certain E. coli strains may be associated with colorectal cancer rate increase among the young

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    April 23, 2025

    A study published in Nature looks at E. coli strains and an association with increased colorectal cancer rates.

    Professor Trevor Graham, Professor of Genomics and Evolution and Director of the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?

    “This is very good quality research. The authors have collected bowel cancers from countries around the world and performed whole genome sequencing on them, which detects the pattern of mutations across the genome. Different mutational processes (such as the mutations that happen normally through ageing, or the mutations caused by smoking) make different patterns. Therefore by looking at the mutational patterns, the authors could learn what likely caused the mutations in the bowel cancers. They found different patterns of mutations in cancers from different countries, although it isn’t clear what caused these differences. They also found that, in countries where bowel cancer was more common, there were increased numbers of mutations caused by a special type of E. coli that can live in the bowel (called pks+ E. coli that make a mutagen called colibactin). These colibactin caused mutations which also plausibly caused the cancers to grow in the first place, although we can’t say that from this study. Most importantly, the colibactin mutations were also more common in people who got bowel cancer before the age of 50. This suggests the mutations caused by these bugs in the bowel could be a cause of early-onset bowel cancer, although further studies are needed to confirm this.

    “We’ve known for a while that colibactin made by a particular strain of E. coli causes mutations linked to bowel cancers, and also that these mutations likely had a role in causing the cancers to grow in the first place. It had been proposed before that these “bad bugs” could have a role in causing early-onset disease: this work provides strong data yet that the hypothesis is correct.”

    Is this an association or causation? Do we know yet that this toxin actually causes the colorectal cancer? 

    “The study is correlation only. The data are very suggestive that the colibactin producing E. coli may have a causative role in bowel cancer development, but they do not prove it directly.

    “It is certain, from previous work, that colibactin causes mutations in the bowel, and that pks+ E. coli make colibactin. These new data are definitive that the burden of colibactin mutations is greater in early onset bowel cancers.

    “It’s not clear when and how the particular strain of E. coli gets into the bowel in the first place, and why they are usually gone again by the time the cancer starts to grow. Therefore, if we were to think about eradicating these “bad bugs”, how we might be able to do that isn’t clear either.

    “It’s also possible that these apparently “bad bugs” are actually playing a role in maintaining the overall health of the bowel microbiome: indeed these bugs have been used as a probiotic in some countries in the past years. Eradicating them might have unexpected consequences for gut health.”

    How common are these strains of E.coli? Are they the same ones that cause food poisoning?

    “E. coli is a usual (normal) part of the human gut microbiome. Pks+ strains are very common in Europe and in many places around the world (where their frequency correlates with cancer incidence). Usually these strains wouldn’t cause food poisoning: indeed they have been used as probiotics to treat intestinal problems.”

    Does having this toxin mean you will definitely get young onset colorectal cancer?  Or is this association only seen in some cases where the patient has the genetic signature?

    “We don’t have definitive data on whether having the toxin means you will definitely get young-onset colorectal cancer: this study only looked at cancers themselves, not at the bowels of healthy people without cancer. So, it’s quite possible that pks+ E. coli are very common and only a few people with the “bad bugs” will actually go on to get bowel cancer. I think it is very likely cancer only occurs in some cases, because even though someone might have the “bad bugs” that cause mutations, those bugs have to cause the right mutations to make a cancer grow.”

    Prof Julian Peto, Professor of Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

    “The paper shows that mutational signatures in colorectal cancer vary between countries, which is good evidence of regional differences in environmental exposures. However, the observation that colibactin signatures are commoner in young colorectal cancers is not good evidence that increasing colibactin exposure is an important cause of the recent increase in colorectal cancer in successive generations born since the 1950s. An equally plausible explanation of these data is that the incidence of colorectal cancers (CRCs) caused by early exposure to colibactin (like CRCs caused by inherited APC mutations) rises less steeply with age than for the majority of CRCs. Their hypothesis should be tested by similar studies on stored histology samples from CRCs diagnosed in successive periods. That would show whether there has been a secular increase in the proportion of CRCs with these signatures.”

    Comment provided by our friends at the Spanish SMC:

    Dr Isabel Portillo, coordinator of Colorectal and Prenatal Cancer Screenings for the Basque Health Service-Osakidetza, researcher in the Cancer Biomarkers group at the Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, and secretary of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology, said:

    Does the press release accurately reflect the study?

    “Yes, it reflects the issue and the possible association with a biomarker that was under study.”

    Is the study of good quality?

    “Yes, it presents a well-founded discussion and acknowledges the uncertainties and the need for further studies to confirm and demonstrate the role of the microbiome and its potential beneficial effect, although the association of colibactin with colorectal cancer in young people and in other age groups requires more retrospective and prospective research. It’s surprising that there is no mention of possible environmental and dietary risk factors or healthy habits, which are also related.”

    How does this work fit in with the existing evidence?

    “It is new evidence of a possible marker associated with colorectal cancer.”

    Have the authors considered confounding factors?

    “They have been considered; however, the focus is more on genetic analyses than on the interaction with other factors.”

    What are the real-world implications?

    “Basic research. It is still too early to say that there is only one biomarker, or whether it can be neutralized and how.

    “I believe this research is highly relevant for advancing our understanding of the origin and development of cancer (both colorectal cancer and others related to the same markers).”

    ‘Geographic and age variations in mutational processes in colorectal cancer’ by Marcos Díaz-Gay et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09025-8 (2025)

    Declared interests

    Dr Isabel Portillo: no conflicts of interest.

    For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: At the XV Eurasian Economic Youth Forum in Yekaterinburg, Vladimir Stroyev shared his experience in implementing DPO programs

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On April 23, 2025, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev took part in the XV Eurasian Economic Youth Forum “Eurasian Synergy: Multipolarity – Integration – Dialogue of Civilizations”.

    The Eurasian Economic Youth Forum (EEYF) is being held from April 21 to 25 in Yekaterinburg at the Ural State University of Economics. More than 20,000 people from 116 countries, representing 209 universities, are taking part in the Forum.

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev gave a report on the topic “Experience of the Eurasian Network University in implementing programs of additional professional education in the EAEU space.”

    Vladimir Vitalyevich told the audience that in 2022, the State University of Management was one of the initiators of the creation of the scientific and educational consortium “Eurasian Network University” – a project that united more than 30 universities from 7 states of the Eurasian space: Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, as well as universities of Uzbekistan and Transnistria as observers. More distant countries, such as Iran or Cuba, are also showing interest in joining the ENU. The ENU Secretariat is based at the State University of Management and carries out the necessary operational activities of the consortium.

    The rector of the State University of Management reported that in 2024 alone, with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo, 18 additional professional education programs were implemented, for the implementation of which 324 quotas were allocated. Among the program areas: management, marketing, management in the field of science and education, logistics and others. The programs turned out to be especially in demand in Belarus, 260 citizens of the union state studied under them. In-person strategic sessions on additional professional education programs were also held in Belarus, at the Russian House in Minsk.

    The basis of the DPO programs is a modular-block structure developed on the basis of the experience accumulated at the State University of Management. The program can be assembled from modules of different levels of complexity, duration of training and technologies for conducting educational events.

    “One example of a successfully implemented educational initiative of the State University of Management is the program “Strategic Planning and Macroeconomic Forecasting: Theoretical Foundations and Practice of the EAEU”. It is interesting because it was developed not only by specialists of the State University of Management, but also by teachers of the Belarusian State University of Economics, as well as leading experts of the Eurasian Economic Commission. Last year, 27 specialists from the EAEU countries successfully completed training within the framework of this program,” said Vladimir Stroyev.

    In conclusion of the report, the rector of the State University of Management noted that participation in such advanced training programs is becoming a driver for the development of trade and economic relations between Eurasian states, providing their participants with the opportunity to get acquainted with the experience and best business practices in the EAEU countries, and establish business contacts. Feedback received from participants in the additional professional education programs shows a high interest in such educational projects in the EAEU countries, which is largely due to the absence of a language barrier, and this makes the learning process more effective.

    Photo from the official website of the EEFM.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 23.04.2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE views Hangzhou’s I&T sector

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee today met leaders of Zhejiang Province, visited local medical facilities, and engaged in in-depth discussions with representatives of innovation and technology (I&T) companies in Hangzhou.

    In the morning, Mr Lee and the delegation visited the headquarters of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine to learn about its operations and the latest developments in applying healthcare technology.

    These included the hospital’s achievements in developing a new therapy for malignant haematological diseases, the application of robotic technology in drug preparation and reform of medical logistics models, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for precise clinical diagnosis.

    Later, Mr Lee viewed the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City Urban Exhibition Center to gain insights into Hangzhou’s advancements in areas including smart city development and AI, as well as achievements in developing the Chengxi Sci-tech Innovation Corridor.

    He also met representatives of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” I&T enterprises, namely Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co, Hangzhou Yushu Technology Co (Unitree Robotics), Hangzhou Youke Interactive Technology Co (Game Science), Manycore Tech Inc, Hangzhou Yunshenchu Technology Co, and BrainCo.

    Mr Lee toured the special exhibition arranged for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation, and engaged with the representatives to understand the developments and features of the six iconic and influential I&T companies in areas such as large language models, robotics, AI, game development, and Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technologies.

    They also discussed the development of a new technology ecosystem, and the relationship and collaboration between enterprises and governments.

    Mr Lee also attended a luncheon hosted by CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee Secretary Wang Hao.

    The Chief Executive noted that Zhejiang, as a vital province in the Yangtze River Delta, boasts a strong foundation in technological development, private economy, and digital economy, while Hong Kong is a core city of the Greater Bay Area and an international financial, shipping, and trade centre.

    The two places play significant roles in driving the country’s high-quality development and have a broad room of collaboration, Mr Lee added.     

    He also took the opportunity to visit two of the “Six Little Dragons”, BrainCo and Unitree Robotics.

    Mr Lee gained a deeper understanding of BrainCo’s achievements in developing non-invasive BCI technology and its applications in fields such as medical rehabilitation and education, as well as Unitree Robotics’ achievements and advancements in developing civilian robots for use in agriculture, industry, power inspection, survey and exploration, and public rescue.

    Mr Lee then toured the Black Myth: Wukong Art Exhibition. Based on a game developed by Game Science, one of the “Six Little Dragons”, the exhibition showcased the behind-the-scenes details of game development through recreations of scenes, characters and items from the game.

    Noting the rapid development of I&T enterprises represented by the “Six Little Dragons”, Mr Lee said that Hangzhou has been promoting the I&T industry over the years, creating a vibrant industrial ecosystem and a favourable investment environment.

    He said Hong Kong is dedicated to developing into an international I&T centre, and that he will strive to promote collaboration and exchanges between I&T enterprises in Hong Kong and Hangzhou, with a view to leveraging their comparative advantages. He also welcomed I&T enterprises in Hangzhou to set up in Hong Kong to pursue development together.

    Mr Lee later attended a dinner hosted by Zhejiang Governor Liu Jie, to exchange views on deepening co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and Zhejiang, in addition to gaining insights into the development experiences and directions of local cultural performances.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese government announces $1.2 billion plan to purchase critical minerals

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    A re-elected Albanese government will take the unprecedented step of buying or obtaining options over key critical minerals to protect Australia’s national interest and boost its economic resilience.

    The move follows US President Donald Trump’s ordering a review into American reliance on imported processed critical minerals and Australia’s discussions with the United States about a possible agreement on these minerals as part of negotiations to get a better deal on US tariffs.

    Australia has major deposits of critical minerals and rare earths. But almost all the processing of critical minerals is done by China, which uses this as leverage in disputes with other countries. As part of its tariff dispute with the US, China this month suspended exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets.

    Critical minerals are vital in the production of many items, including defence equipment, batteries, electronics, fibre optic cables, electric vehicles, magnets and wind turbines.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagged recently that Australia would establish a critical minerals reserve and the government has now released details of its plan.

    The government investment in critical minerals would come through two new mechanisms:

    • national offtake agreements

    • selective stockpiling

    The government would acquire, through voluntary contracts, agreed volumes of critical minerals from commercial projects, or establish an option to purchase them at a given price.

    It would also establish a government stockpile of key minerals produced under offtake agreements.

    “The primary consideration for entering into offtake agreements will be securing priority critical minerals for strategic reasons,” the government said in a statement.

    Minerals held by the reserve would be made available to domestic industry and key international partners.

    This would cover a deal with the US, if that can be reached.

    “The Reserve will be focused on a subset of critical minerals that are most important for Australia’s national security and the security of our key partners, including rare earths,” the statement said.

    As its holdings matured, the reserve would generate cash-flow from sales of offtake on global markets and to key partners, the statement said.

    “The Strategic Reserve will also accumulate stockpiles of priority minerals when warranted by market conditions and strategic considerations, but it is anticipated that these will be modest and time-limited in most cases.”

    The government would make an initial investment of $1.2 billion in the reserve, including through a $1 billion increase in the existing Critical Minerals Facility. This would take the government’s investment in the facility to $5 billion.

    The facility, established in 2021, provides financing to selected projects that are aligned with the government’s critical minerals strategy.

    The government plans to consult with states and companies on the scope and design on the Strategic Reserve, which it would aim to have operating in the second half of next year.

    ALbanese said: “In a time of global uncertainty, Australia will be stronger and safer by developing our critical national assets to create economic opportunity and resilience.

    “The Strategic Reserve will mean the government has the power to purchase, own and sell critical minerals found here in Australia.

    “It will mean we can deal with trade and market disruptions from a position of strength. Because Australia will be able to call on an internationally-significant quantity of resources in global demand.”

    Resources Minister Madeleine King said: “Critical minerals and rare earths and essential not only to reducing emissions but also for our security and the security of our key partners.

    “While we will continue to supply the world with critical minerals, it’s also important that Australia has access to the critical minerals and rare earths we need for a Future Made in Australia.”

    Michelle Grattan 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 government announces $1.2 billion plan to purchase critical minerals – https://theconversation.com/albanese-government-announces-1-2-billion-plan-to-purchase-critical-minerals-254994

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: historian Frank Bongiorno on dramatic shifts in how elections are fought and won

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    This election has been lacklustre, without the touch of excitement of some past campaigns. Through the decades, campaigning has changed dramatically, adopting new techniques and technologies. This time, we’ve seen politicians try to jump onto viral podcasts.

    To discuss old and new campaigning, we’re joined by professor of history at the Australian National University, Frank Bongiorno.

    Many decades ago, campaigns were marked by lots of public meetings, and with them came hecklers. Bongiorno says politicians

    needed to be able to command an audience and to deal with interjectors in a big public meeting. Radio was really coming into its own.

    Very famously – not in a political campaign and not as prime minister – but Menzies made a number of broadcasts that are still remembered. [That was] back in the earlier part of the 1940s, when he was out of government. The most famous of which is the “Forgotten People” broadcast in 1942.

    Over time, campaigns have focused more on the leaders, in the style of the United States.

    [It’s] another aspect perhaps of the Americanisation and presidentialisation of our political system, that focus on party leaders in that kind of way. The 1984 debate was between Bob Hawke as prime minister and Andrew Peacock. I think many people thought that Peacock actually got the better of Hawke on that occasion and that was really, in some ways, the assessment of the whole campaign.

    …That does speak to the American influence in particular. Very famously of course there was the 1960 presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy, that is such an important part of the collective memory of Kennedy’s success in that election in 1960.

    Do debates still have any impact on campaigns? Bongiorno says “they have become something that I think a lot of people shun.”

    They do seem rather neutral affairs, in which the pundits’ ideas about who won don’t seem to probably matter very much to most voters.

    On the move from traditional media sources to an online campaign, Bongiorno says,

    A lot of the campaign now is fought online. And I guess that trend began really as long ago as the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the parties would maintain campaign websites. It seems so long ago and so primitive, compared to where we are now.

    And social media took off from about the middle of the first decade of this century. Facebook and YouTube came into their own in 2007. Twitter, now called X, in 2010… The use of memes really took off about 2019. And I think TikTok, which is often particularly used by younger people, from about 2022.

    He says scare campaigns have become harder to report on or rebut, due to more targeted online campaigns and advertising.

    Everything depends on your algorithm. The election campaign that I’m seeing when I go into my feed for X or for Facebook will be quite different to my next door neighbour’s, for instance, who could have a totally different sense of what’s happening in the campaign, what are the issues that matter, where the sort of balance of public opinion is.

    On this year’s record start to pre-poll voting, Bongiorno says it makes timing more important than ever.

    It means that whatever the parties are saying now, whatever candidates are saying and doing in the media over the next little while, is going to have no impact on anyone who’s already voted. So it can only be those who are still to vote.

    It probably makes leaving the release of policy – and perhaps even costings as well – to the last minute a riskier venture, because if you do have goodies on offer, they’re going to miss anyone who has already voted.

    It does mean that the parties need to be pretty careful in how they’re timing the release of particular aspects of their policy offerings.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Politics with Michelle Grattan: historian Frank Bongiorno on dramatic shifts in how elections are fought and won – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-historian-frank-bongiorno-on-dramatic-shifts-in-how-elections-are-fought-and-won-255113

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: With love for nature: the GUU garden continues to grow

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On April 23, the Institute of Marketing of the State University of Management held the campaign “Let’s Revive the Apple Orchard”.

    Under the direction of the institute’s director Gennady Azoev, teachers and students planted pears and plums of various varieties on the main campus square. The planted trees were whitewashed.

    During the planting work, Gennady Lazarevich shared his wisdom and told how to properly prepare the soil for planting trees, what expanded clay is needed for, how deep to place the seedling and how to care for it at first so that the tree takes root and bears fruit.

    “For example, frosts are expected soon, which fall just during the flowering period. This is very dangerous for this year’s harvest and young trees. Our seedlings have a strong root system and therefore will definitely be able to survive this period,” noted the director of the Marketing Institute.

    Let us recall that at the beginning of April, students and teachers of the institute brought the trees growing on the campus territory into a well-groomed condition.

    Also on April 23, flowers and trees were planted on the initiative of students as part of the project “GUU Garden”, which is participating in the grant competition of our university. Blue peonies and hydrangeas will soon bloom near the 6th dormitory, and spreading willows will bloom along the road near the Sports Complex.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 23.04.2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: WISeKey Expands Implementation of Digital Identity Solutions from Seychelles to Africa: Empowering Nations with Secure National ID Systems

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeKey Expands Implementation of Digital Identity Solutions from Seychelles to Africa: Empowering Nations with Secure National ID Systems

    Geneva, Switzerland – April 23, 2025 — WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces that following the successful implementation of “SeyID” in the Seychelles, it is extending proven digital identity solutions to other African nations to help them modernize and secure their national identification systems.

    Since 2022, WISeKey has collaborated with the government of Seychelles to launch SeyID, a comprehensive, secure, and user-friendly digital ID platform. Designed to integrate seamlessly with both public and private sector services, SeyID is now serving as a model for other African nations looking to establish or upgrade their national identity infrastructure.

    A Blueprint for Digital Transformation

    The SeyID platform leverages WISeKey’s trusted WISeID digital identity technology, which provides citizens with a mobile-accessible, secure virtual ID linked to key public services. These include healthcare, government portals, and the tourism industry, vital economic pillars for Seychelles.

    Through SeyID, citizens are able to complement their traditional physical ID cards with a virtual identity stored securely on their smartphones, making authentication easier and services more accessible. Tourists visiting Seychelles can also generate a digital Tourist ID using SeyID, which offers a frictionless digital experience while allowing visitors to access local services. This innovation has positioned Seychelles as a digital pioneer in the African region, providing a strong example of how national digital identity platforms can support economic growth and government efficiency.

    Scaling the Model Across Africa

    WISeKey is now in discussions with several African governments to replicate the SeyID model, tailoring it to meet local needs and regulatory frameworks. These next-generation digital ID solutions aim to:

    • Promote Financial Inclusion by enabling secure digital onboarding and Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance for banking services;
    • Streamline Public Administration by digitizing identity verification for social programs, healthcare, and education;
    • Enhance Tourism and Cross-Border Travel with digital tourist ID systems similar to that of Seychelles; and,
    • Protect Citizen Data with robust Swiss-grade cybersecurity and encryption.

    Use Cases: National Digital IDs as Catalysts for Economic Growth

    1. Digital Financial Services:
      A national digital ID allows unbanked populations to open bank accounts, access credit, and use mobile payment platforms securely, boosting participation in the formal economy and reducing reliance on cash.
    2. e-Government Services:
      Digital IDs facilitate efficient delivery of public services such as tax filing, business registration, land ownership verification, and social welfare programs, increasing transparency and reducing corruption.
    3. Agricultural Supply Chains:
      Farmers can register digitally to receive subsidies, track inputs, and access markets. This fosters trust, increases productivity, and reduces fraud in government support schemes.
    4. Healthcare Access:
      Verified digital IDs help in creating unified health records, ensuring that citizens receive timely, targeted, and secure healthcare, even across borders through regional interoperability.
    5. Job Market Activation:
      With a verifiable identity, citizens can access vocational training, apply for jobs online, and participate in gig economy platforms, driving workforce participation and economic inclusion.
    6. Entrepreneurship & Innovation:
      Startups and SMEs can benefit from streamlined licensing and easier access to investment through identity-based digital platforms, reducing bureaucratic delays and stimulating innovation.
    7. Tourism Growth:
      Digital tourist IDs simplify visa issuance, hotel check-ins, and tourist service access, creating a smoother visitor experience and increasing tourism revenues.
    8. Education & Youth Empowerment:
      Digital IDs allow students to enroll in programs, access e-learning platforms, and validate academic credentials, enhancing skills development for the digital economy.
    9. A Human-Centered, Privacy-First Approach

    WISeKey’s approach is grounded in respecting human dignity and data privacy. All identities created under its platforms are anchored in the OISTE.ORG Root of Trust, a globally recognized cryptographic trust model that guarantees sovereign control over digital identities.

    With the support of international development agencies and local governments, WISeKey is set to deliver customized digital ID solutions that are interoperable, future-proof, and aligned with international standards for data protection and digital governance.

    As Africa accelerates its digital transformation, WISeKey’s expansion beyond Seychelles marks a critical step in ensuring that secure, inclusive, and innovative identity solutions are at the heart of the continent’s technological and economic future.

    For more information, visit www.wisekey.com or follow WISeKey on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why special measures to boost Fiji women’s political representation remain a distant goal

    RNZ Pacific

    Despite calls from women’s groups urging the government to implement policies to address the underrepresentation of women in politics, the introduction of temporary special measures (TSM) to increase women’s political representation in Fiji remains a distant goal.

    This week, leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa), Cabinet Minister Aseri Radrodro, and opposition MP Ketal Lal expressed their objection to reserving 30 percent of parliamentary seats for women.

    Radrodro, who is also Education Minister, told The Fiji Times that Fijian women were “capable of holding their ground without needing a crutch like TSM to give them a leg up”.

    Lal called the special allocation of seats for women in Parliament “tokenistic” and beneficial to “a few selected individuals”, as part of submissions to the Fiji Law Reform Commission and the Electoral Commission of Fiji, which are undertaking a comprehensive review and reform of the Fiji’s electoral framework.

    Their sentiment is shared by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who said at a Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Suva earlier this month, that “putting in women for the sake of mere numbers” is “tokenistic”.

    Rabuka said it devalued “the dignity of women at the highest level of national governance.”

    “This specific issue makes me wonder at times. As the percentage of women in population is approximately the same as for men, why are women not securing the votes of women? Or more precisely, why aren’t women voting for women?” he said.

    Doubled down
    The Prime Minister doubled down on his position on the issue when The Fiji Times asked him if it was the right time for Fiji to legislate mandatory seats for women in Parliament as the issue was gaining traction.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka . . . “Why aren’t women voting for women?” Image: Fiji Parliament

    “There is no need to legislate it. We do not have a compulsory voting legislation, nor do we yet need a quota-based system.

    However, Rabuka’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua holds a different view.

    Qereqeretabua, from the National Federation Party, said in January that Parliament needed to look like the people that it represented.

    “Women make up half of the world’s population, and yet we are still fighting to ensure that their voices and experiences are not only heard but valued in the spaces where decisions are made,” she told participants at the Exploring Temporary Special Measures for Inclusive Governance in Fiji forum.

    She said Fiji needed more women in positions of power.

    “Not because women are empirically better leaders, because leadership is not determined by gender, but because it is essential for democracy that our representatives reflect the communities that they serve.”

    Lenora Qereqeretabua on the floor of Parliament . . . “It is essential for democracy that our representatives reflect the communities that they serve.” Image: Fiji Parliament

    ‘Shameless’ lag
    Another member of Rabuka’s coalition government, one of the deputy prime ministers in and a former Sodelpa leader, Viliame Gavoka said in March 2022 that Fiji had “continued to shamelessly lag behind in protecting and promoting women’s rights and their peacebuilding expertise”.

    He pledged at the time that if Sodelpa was voted into government, it would “ensure to break barriers and accelerate progress, including setting specific targets and timelines to achieve gender balance in all branches of government and at all levels through temporary special measures such as quotas . . . ”

    However, since coming into power in December 2022, Gavoka has not made any advance on his promise, and his party leader Radrodro has made his views known on the issue.

    Fiji women’s rights groups say temporary special measures may need to be implemented in the short-term to advance women’s equality. Image: RNZ Pacific/Sally Round

    Fijian women’s rights and advocacy groups say that introducing special measures for women is neither discriminatory nor a breach of the 2013 Constitution.

    In a joint statement in October last year, six non-government organisations called on the government to enforce provisions for temporary special measures for women in political party representation and ensure that reserved seats are secured for women in all town and city councils and its committees.

    “Nationally, it is unacceptable that after three national elections under new electoral laws, there has been a drastic decline in women’s representation from contesting national elections to being elected to parliament,” they said.

    “It is clear from our history that cultural, social, economic and political factors have often stood in the way of women’s political empowerment.”

    Short-term need
     They said temporary special measures may need to be implemented in the short-term to advance women’s equality.

    “The term ‘temporary special measures’ is used to describe affirmative action policies and strategies to promote equality and empower women.

    “If we are to move towards a society where half the population is reflected in all leadership spaces and opportunities, we must be gender responsive in the approaches we take to achieve gender equality.”

    The Fijian Parliament currently has only five (out of 55) women in the House — four in government and one in opposition. In the previous parliamentary term (2018-2022), there were 10 women directly elected to Parliament.

    According to the Fiji Country Gender Assessment report, 81 percent of Fijians believe that women are underrepresented in the government, and 72 percent of Fijians believe greater representation of women would be beneficial for the country.

    However, the report found that time and energy burden of familial, volunteer responsibilities, patriarchal norms, and power relations as key barriers to women’s participation in the workplace and public life.

    Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) board member Akanisi Nabalarua believes that despite having strong laws and policies on paper, the implementation is lacking.

    Lip service
    Nabalarua said successive Fijian governments had often paid lip service to gender equality while failing to make intentional and meaningful progress in women’s representation in decision making spaces, reports fijivillage.com.

    Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry said Rabuka’s dismissal of the women’s rights groups’ plea was premature.

    Chaudhry, a former prime minister who was deposed in a coup in 2000, said Rabuka should have waited for the Law Reform Commission’s report “before deciding so conclusively on the matter”.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: EverGen Infrastructure Corp. Announces Private Placement of Common Shares and Entering Into of Share Purchase and Reorganization Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities Laws.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (“EverGen” or the “Company”) (TSXV: EVGN) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share purchase and reorganization agreement (the “Agreement”) on April 22, 2025, with Ask America, LLC (the “Purchaser”), an arm’s length limited liability company existing under the laws of New Jersey. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Purchaser has agreed to act as the lead investor in a private placement of common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) for total gross proceeds of up to CAD$7,000,000 (the “Private Placement”). A copy of the Agreement will be accessible on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Private Placement

    Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company intends to complete the Private Placement of up to an aggregate of 11,666,667 Common Shares at a price of $0.60 per Common Share with the Purchaser and other subscribers for total gross proceeds of up to CAD$7,000,000. In connection with the Private Placement, Purchaser has agreed to subscribe for and purchase 8,333,333 Common Shares in the Private Placement, for gross aggregate proceeds of CAD$5,000,000 (the “Share Purchase”) on the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement. Upon execution of the Agreement, the Purchaser paid a deposit of CAD$1,800,000 to the Company for the Share Purchase, with the remaining CAD$3,200,000 to be paid by the Purchaser to the Company upon closing of the Private Placement. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four month hold period. The Company anticipates using the proceeds of the Private Placement for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, subject to and concurrent with the closing of the Private Placement, the majority of the executive officers and directors of the Company will resign and be replaced with a new management team consisting of Chase Edgelow as Chief Executive Officer, Ron Green as Chief Operating Officer, with Sean Hennessey continuing as Chief Financial Officer and a new board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) consisting of: Chase Edgelow, Varun Anand, Blake Almond, and Mischa Zajtmann (collectively, the “Change of Management”). The foregoing changes will constitute a “Change of Management” (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange). The closing of the Private Placement may also result in the Purchaser becoming a new “Control Person” of the Company (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange). The completion of the Private Placement and the Change of Management is expected to occur in early May 2025.

    It is also anticipated that, prior to closing of the Private Placement, 1,211,026 options, warrants and other equity settled incentive securities held by current and former members of the Company’s management and the Board will be surrendered for cancellation. Upon completion of the Private Placement, EverGen will have issued and outstanding up to 25,686,352 Common Shares (up to 25,806,225 Common Shares on a fully diluted basis).

    New Management Team & Board

    The new management team and board brings unparalleled knowledge of the Company and its assets, a focused strategy dedicated to improving operational efficiencies and cost structure, and a long-term vision to continue to grow EverGen into a highly strategic and valuable infrastructure platform.

    Chase Edgelow (Director & Chief Executive Officer): Brings a direct hands-on approach as co-founder and former CEO of EverGen, along with 20 years of financial and operational expertise in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He is the founding partner of Chase Capital, a private capital platform dedicated to investing in, advising and growing businesses with a focus on the circular economy and energy transition. He spent over a decade with Macquarie Group specializing in sourcing, structuring and managing private energy and infrastructure investments on behalf of Macquarie and other co-investment partners, in addition to providing traditional M&A, capital raising and advisory services for corporate clients. Holds a degree in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and Professional Engineer of Alberta (non-practising).

    Ron Green (Chief Operating Officer): An accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in the energy & infrastructure sectors, specializing in operational excellence and team development. Proven track record of driving success in turnaround situations, with expertise in optimizing operations and aligning strategic incentives. Throughout his career, Mr. Green has held key executive roles, including CEO of Promeita Energy, Vice President of Rockwater Energy Solutions, Chief Operating Officer of Pure Energy Services Ltd., and Executive Vice President of Delaney Energy. In addition to his executive leadership roles, Mr. Green is a founding board member of Beyond Energy Services & Technology Corp, which he has guided from a start-up to a >$100m revenue business. He is a graduate of Queens University’s Executive Program and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. With extensive experience in operational leadership and people management, he is a trusted expert in driving sustainable growth and value creation.

    Sean Hennessy (CFO): Sean is a chartered accountant with over 15 years of finance and accounting experience in the clean energy and infrastructure industries, which includes ten years at Altera Infrastructure (previously Teekay Offshore Partners), a global energy infrastructure group and a Brookfield Business Partners portfolio company. Sean obtained his Chartered Accountant designation at PwC New Zealand, where he worked in both the tax and assurance practices, before transitioning to Canada. He is experienced with financial reporting for public companies under both IFRS and US GAAP, on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Sean completed a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Accounting, Finance and Commercial Law) degree and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) degree at Victoria University of Wellington.

    Varun Anand (Director): Varun serves as the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer and representative of ASK America LLC. He brings over a decade of global investment experience across public and private markets, with a strong track record of identifying and executing high-quality infrastructure opportunities. An award-winning portfolio manager, Varun has developed particular expertise in the renewable energy sector, having invested extensively in both Canadian and international renewable energy assets. During his tenure at Starlight Capital, he led the investment in the Company’s IPO in 2021 and built one of its largest shareholder positions by 2022. Varun holds a Bachelor of Mathematics with a Finance specialization from the University of Waterloo and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

    Blake Almond (Director): Blake has 17 years of experience in M&A and private & public capital markets including 8 years focused on organics, bioenergy and other circular economy infrastructure assets. He spent 10 years with Macquarie Capital in Sydney where he executed M&A and public & private capital markets deals in bioenergy and natural resources. Today he leads the financial advisory business Circ Partners where he advises global infrastructure private equity funds and industrial sponsor clients on circular economy infrastructure investments. Notably, while at Macquarie Capital, Blake advised on cross-border M&A transactions between Canada and Australia including Viterra Inc on the A$1.6bn acquisition of ABB Grain Ltd and Eldorado Gold Corporation on the A$2.1bn acquisition of Sino Gold Mining Limited. Blake is a Member of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) and the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR).

    Mischa Zajtmann (Director): Mischa has 15 years of experience providing consulting and executive management expertise for Canadian and American listed companies in the resource sector with projects in South America, Africa, and Asia. He is a co-founder of EverGen. Mischa was a corporate securities lawyer who began his career at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, focused primarily on corporate securities transactions, including M&A and corporate finance. He has advised both purchasers and target companies in a wide variety of M&A transactions—including issuers listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange and underwriters, in connection with public offerings and private placements of equity securities, regulatory compliance, and general corporate and commercial matters. Mischa has a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Saskatchewan Law School and is a member of the British Columbia Bar.

    Corporate Strategy

    With a strengthened balance sheet following the private placement and the appointment of the new management team and board, EverGen is strategically positioned to unlock substantial shareholder value. The Company’s immediate focus is on driving operational excellence, enhancing capital efficiency, and establishing a foundation for scalable growth through the following key pillars:

    Operational Excellence to Maximize Returns: Deployment of performance-driven systems and accountability frameworks across core facilities to drive margin expansion and operational reliability.

    Cost Optimization and Capital Discipline: Allocation of capital to high-impact optimization projects aimed at reducing operating volatility and improving unit economics. Overhead will be streamlined, and opportunities to lower financing costs will be actively pursued to reinforce a lean, agile cost structure.

    Strategic Growth: Upon stabilization of core operations, the Company will leverage industry relationships and execution capabilities to re-initiate disciplined project development and pursue accretive partnership opportunities that support long-term growth and shareholder value creation.

    Shareholder and Stock Exchange Approvals

    Completion of the Private Placement and the Change of Management is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and disinterested holders of Common Shares holding more than 50% of the Common Shares giving consent to the Private Placement and the Change of Management, in accordance with the policies and requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange by executing a written consent (the “Shareholder Written Consent”).

    EverGen Board Approval and Recommendation

    EverGen previously announced on February 28, 2025 that the Board formed a special independent committee (the “Special Committee”) to evaluate and review potential strategic transactions with the goal of maximizing value for EverGen shareholders and other stakeholders of the Company. Based on the recommendation of the Special Committee, the Board has unanimously approved the Agreement and the Private Placement and has determined that the completion of the Change of Management and the Private Placement is in the best interests of EverGen. The Board recommends that the EverGen shareholders execute the Shareholder Written Consent. Any EverGen shareholder wishing to obtain and execute the Shareholder Written Consent should contact EverGen as set forth below.

    About EverGen Infrastructure Corp.

    EverGen, Canada’s Renewable Natural Gas Infrastructure Platform, is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future. Headquartered on the West Coast of Canada, EverGen is an established independent renewable energy producer which acquires, develops, builds, owns and operates a portfolio of Renewable Natural Gas, waste to energy, and related infrastructure projects. EverGen is focused on Canada, with continued growth expected across other regions in North America and beyond.

    For more information about EverGen Infrastructure Corp. and our projects, please visit www.evergeninfra.com.

    About ASK America LLC

    ASK America LLC is backed by a multi-generational U.S. family office with several decades of investment experience across a broad spectrum of asset classes. The family office has amassed substantial assets under management, fueled by the success of its wholly owned consumer products business as well as the consistent growth of its investment portfolio. Through ASK America LLC, the group brings a combination of operational acumen and patient, long-term capital to its partnerships, with a steadfast commitment to fostering sustainable growth and delivering superior risk-adjusted returns.

    Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

    This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “will”, “estimates”, “believes”, “intends” “expects” and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning: the completion of the Private Placement and the terms thereof, including the issuance of Common Shares, the completion of the Change of Management, the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange of the Private Placement and the Change of Management, the offering price of the Common Shares, the cancellation of certain options, warrants and other equity settled incentive securities of the Company, and receipt of the Shareholder Written Consent. EverGen cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of EverGen, including expectations and assumptions concerning EverGen, the Private Placement, the Change of Management, the timely receipt of all required TSX Venture Exchange, shareholder and regulatory approvals and exemptions (as applicable, including the Shareholder Written Consent) and the satisfaction of other closing conditions. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of EverGen. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and EverGen does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law.

    This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”)) or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Contacts
    EverGen Infrastructure Corp.
    Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
    Mischa Zajtmann
    604-202-7004
    mischa@evergeninfra.com 

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 23 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 23 April 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 23 April 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update academies: 23 April 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update local authorities: 23 April 2025

    HTML

    Details

    Latest for further education

    Article Title
    Action Further education (FE) college condition allocation for 2025 to 2026
    Information Advanced learner loans (ALL) – funding and performance management rules for 2025 to 2026, and maximum loan amounts
    Information Adult skills fund allocations for 2025 to 2026
    Information Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals funding rate for 2025 to 2026
    Information Post-16 National Insurance contributions grant
    Information T Level uplift for 2025 to 2026
    Information Tailored Learning – new codes for cost contributions
    Your feedback Narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges – contribute to the public consultation
    Your feedback Changes to the financial data submissions process for independent training providers, special-post 16 institutions and non-maintained special schools

    Latest information for academies

    Article Title
    Information Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals funding rate for 2025 to 2026
    Information Allocations for the first payment of the breakfast club early adopters grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year
    Information Grant allocations for academies for April to August 2025
    Information Budget forecast return (BFR) guidance and workbook update 2025
    Information Post-16 National Insurance contributions grant
    Information T Level uplift for 2025 to 2026
    Information Just launched – the new multi-academy trust (MAT) view on the ‘Plan technology for your school’ service
    Your feedback Narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges – contribute to the public consultation
    Events and webinars Q&A drop-in sessions: Academies chart of accounts and automation
    Events and webinars Introduction to the academies chart of accounts and automation

    Latest information for local authorities

    Article Title
    Information Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals funding rate for 2025 to 2026
    Information Allocations for the first payment of the breakfast club early adopters grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year
    Information Launch of section 251 budget collection 2025 to 2026
    Information Advanced learner loans (ALL) – funding and performance management rules for 2025 to 2026, and maximum loan amounts
    Information Adult skills fund allocations for 2025 to 2026
    Information Post-16 National Insurance contributions grant
    Information T Level uplift for 2025 to 2026
    Information Tailored Learning – new codes for cost contributions
    Your feedback Narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges – contribute to the public consultation

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 April 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Caro Holdings Launches AI Chat Agent Platform to Revolutionize Customer Service and Boost Business Efficiency

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Caro Holdings announces the release of its new AI Chat Agent platform – an intelligent, always-on assistant team built to help businesses save time, cut costs, and deliver top-tier customer service without hiring additional staff.

    Caro’s smart agents handle tasks that typically consume team resources, including:

    • Instant Support – answering FAQs like return policies or product details
    • Appointment Scheduling – enabling bookings through chat
    • Order Tracking – real-time delivery updates
    • Lead Qualification – asking smart questions to identify buyers
    • Feedback Collection – gathering reviews and insights

    Designed to improve conversion rates and streamline onboarding, the platform enhances customer care with intelligent automation.

    “In a world where speed and availability are everything, AI chatbots have become essential,” said Meriesha Rennalls, President of Caro Holdings. “We’ve designed a lineup of specialised AI agents that help businesses do more with less – while keeping their customers happy and engaged.”

    Caro’s offering is built on a strong foundation in enterprise-grade telephony and call centre expertise. Having delivered robust VoIP and virtual support solutions to UK businesses for years, Caro now introduces a new generation of AI agents – combining the depth of human call centre experience with conversational AI. With Meriesha Rennalls’ decades of leadership in telephony and customer engagement, Caro is positioned to transform how businesses connect, interact, and scale – blending human insight with smart automation.

    The launch supports Caro’s broader strategy to support efficient growth for small businesses and platform operators.

    Industry research shows that companies earning between $1–10 million annually can save an estimated $70,000 to $150,000 by using AI chat tools. Broader data supports this, with AI-powered agents reducing customer service costs by up to 30% across businesses of all sizes.

    Caro’s AI chatbots are transforming operations across:

    • Retail & E-commerce
    • Hospitality & Travel
    • Education & Member-Based Associations

    The tools are currently in use across select client projects, with ongoing feature development underway. Caro invites strategic partners and collaborators to co-create solutions that enhance engagement and operations – without adding headcount.

    About Caro Holdings Inc.
    Caro Holdings is dedicated to accelerating the growth of brands through digital innovation and AI-powered solutions. Its comprehensive suite of services includes e-commerce strategy, digital marketing, AI voice technology, and growth capital. Discover more at www.caroholdings.com.

    Caro Holdings Inc.
    +1 786-755-3210
    ir@caroholdings.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Birkin v Wirkin: the backlash against the global elite and their luxury bags – podcast

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    Tony Neil Thompson/Shutterstock

    The Birkin bag made by French luxury retailer Hermès has become a status symbol for some of the global elite. Notoriously difficult to obtain, a select few obsess over how to get their hands on one.

    But when US retailer Walmart recently launched a much cheaper bag that looked very similar to the Birkin, nicknamed a “Wirkin” by others, it sparked discussions about wealth disparity and the ethics of conspicuous consumption.

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to two sociologists about the Birkin and what it symbolises.

    For the rich housewives of Delhi, the Birkin bag is a must have, says Parul Bhandari. A sociologist at the University of Cambridge in the UK, she’s spent time interviewing wealthy Indian women about their lives and preoccupations. She told us:

     A bag that is carried by rich women of New York, of London, of Paris, is something that you desire as well, so it’s a ticket of entry into the global elite.

    Birkins are also used by some of these rich women as a way to show off their husband’s affection, Bhandari says: “ Not only from the point of view of money, because obviously this bag is extremely expensive, but also because it is difficult to procure.” The harder your husband tries to help you get the bag, the more getting one is a testimony of conjugal love.

    Manufactured scarcity

    Named after the British actress Jane Birkin, Hermès’s signature bag can cost tens of thousands of dollars, or more on the resale market for those made in rare colours or out of rare leathers. But you can’t just walk into any Hermès store to buy one, as Aarushi Bhandari, a sociologist at Davidson College in the US who studies the internet – and is no relation to Parul – explains.

    You need to have a record of spending tens of thousands of dollars even before you’re offered to buy one. But spending that money doesn’t automatically mean you get a bag. You have to develop a relationship with a sales associate at a particular Hermès store and the sales associate really gets to decide, if there’s availability, whether or not you get offered a bag.

    Bhandari became intrigued by online communities where people discuss the best strategies for obtaining an Hermès. So when US retailer Walmart launched a bag in late 2024 that looked very similar to a Birkin, and the internet went wild, Bhandari was fascinated.

    She began to see posts on TikTok discussing the bag. First it was fashion accounts talking it up, but then a backlash began, with some users criticising those who would spend thousands on a real Birkin and praising the “Wirkin” as a way to make an iconic design accessible to regular people. Bhandari sees this as an example of an accelerating form of anti-elitism taking hold within parts of online culture.

    In February, the chief executive of Hermès, Axel Dumas, admitted that he was “irritated” by the Walmart bag and that the company took counterfeiting “very seriously”.

    The Walmart bag quickly sold out and no more were put on sale. It has since entered into a partnership with a secondhand luxury resale platform called Rebag, meaning customers can buy real Birkins secondhand through Walmart’s online marketplace.

    The Conversation approached Hermès for comment on the Walmart bag, and to confirm how the company decides who is eligible to buy a Birkin. Hermès did not respond.

    Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast to hear our conversation with Parul Bhandari and Aarushi Bhandari, plus an introduction from Nick Lehr, arts and culture editor at The Conversation in the US.

    This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

    TikTok clips in this episode from babydoll2184, chronicallychaotic and pamelawurstvetrini.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    Parul Bhandari and Aarushi Bhandari do 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. Birkin v Wirkin: the backlash against the global elite and their luxury bags – podcast – https://theconversation.com/birkin-v-wirkin-the-backlash-against-the-global-elite-and-their-luxury-bags-podcast-254723

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s obsession with trade deficits has no basis in economics. And it’s a bad reason for tariffs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nigel Driffield, Professor of International Business, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

    Those of us who study trade and investment for a living are, I suspect, becoming exasperated with both the White House stance on tariffs and the way that this is reported in much of the media. US president Donald Trump believes that if a country has a trade surplus with the US it is somehow playing unfairly and needs to be dealt with. But anyone who understands the basics of international economics will recognise the fallacy in both of these beliefs.

    Trade takes place based on what economists call “comparative advantage” – countries import those goods that are otherwise relatively expensive for them to produce. And they export what they produce cheaply relative to other countries.

    So the UK, for example, has a trade surplus in services but a deficit in goods that are made in low-cost locations. This is similar to the position of the US.

    To understand what the US is seeking to achieve, the first questions must be: what are tariffs designed to do? And when are they typically applied? These issues lead to another point. If Trump is so convinced that his tariffs will produce a win-win, why haven’t they succeeded before?

    Trade policy in the form of tariffs is designed to make imports more expensive and encourage buyers to switch to domestic producers. This may be an attempt to protect or support local industry, or as part of a bargaining strategy to access others’ markets.

    But this assumes two things. First, that the demand for such imports is relatively price sensitive (that is, buyers will be put off by price rises). And second, that there are domestic producers able to fill this gap at an appropriate price.

    But tariffs can also cause what is known as “trade substitution” – where the country imports the goods from alternative sources instead.

    To illustrate how this can work in practice, the US has long applied tariffs on European whisky, ranging from 10% to 25% in recent years.

    The US already produces various drinks that are considered to be similar to whisky. So the reason for importing is likely for variety, or possibly the allure of consuming a premium product like a Scottish single malt. As such, price increases may not encourage substitution away from imports – or it may trigger substitution to other imports with lower tariffs.

    An alternative example of the case for tariffs is the steel industry. Many countries believe that they should have a steel industry for strategic reasons, but also because steel is an input into so many aspects of the economy.

    There have also been concerns globally in the industry about the pricing of Chinese steel, and whether it should attract tariffs to balance what is seen as unfair competition. Chinese steel receives subsidies from the Chinese government, after all.

    While this may be a valid concern, it also forces governments to make choices about what they see as “strategic industries”. A good example of this is the desire to protect steel jobs in richer countries, in contrast to the willingness to import cheap clothes from Asia in order to keep inflation down.

    This is typically why, if tariffs are used at all, they tend to be targeted to certain industries.

    The wrinkle in Trump’s plan

    So will the US tariffs plan work? Unfortunately for Trump, the answer is probably not. This type of trade policy has been tried, but has seldom been shown to be effective.

    The second point is whether the president of a large global power should be concerned about its trade balance with another country. Unless he believes that the country is engaging in large-scale subsidy in order to dump goods on foreign markets, the answer is almost certainly no.

    Casual inspection of trade statistics for the US and Canada suggests that the most common exports from Canada to the US include crude petroleum, petroleum gas, refined petroleum and motor vehicle parts and accessories.

    Tariffs on the first three will simply push prices up for US consumers. The last one demonstrates, often to the frustration of policymakers who seek to intervene on trade, that there is little that governments can do to influence modern supply chains, unless they seek to break them all together.

    ‘We don’t need anything Canada has.’

    Firms will locate activities based on combinations of efficiency and where their customers are. So seeking to change these patterns through tariffs will simply increase the cost of imported inputs and make production in the US less competitive.

    In simple terms, complaining that you have a trade deficit with one country is like complaining that you have a trade deficit with your corner shop. They sell you things, you give them money, but they never buy from you. They provide goods that you want for money that you earn elsewhere.

    You could shop elsewhere (and have a deficit with the new shop), you can give up your job and even grow your own food. But were you to impose a “tariff” on your corner shop, it would simply put up the prices that you have to pay.

    That the US has a trade deficit is not a sign that the rest of the world is “ripping it off”. It is a reflection of an affluent society with relatively high wages buying products from countries that can produce them more cheaply. Trump’s tariffs will hurt Americans first – basic international economics is clear on that too.

    Nigel Driffield receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. He is an inactive member of the Labour Party and an advisor to the mayor of the West Midlands

    – ref. Trump’s obsession with trade deficits has no basis in economics. And it’s a bad reason for tariffs – https://theconversation.com/trumps-obsession-with-trade-deficits-has-no-basis-in-economics-and-its-a-bad-reason-for-tariffs-254512

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church’s foreign policy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Massimo D’Angelo, Research Associate in the Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, Loughborough University

    Pope Francis greets visitors at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City. Ricardo Perna / Shutterstock

    When the late Pope Francis first stepped on to the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica following his election 12 years ago, he remarked that he had been called almost from the “end of the world”. He was the first non-European pontiff since Gregory III, elected in AD731, who was of Syrian origin. And he was the first pope in history to come from Latin America.

    This is not merely a biographical detail. His papacy was transformative in shaping a Catholic Church that was not focused solely on Europe. He shifted its attention from the old continent to the world’s peripheries, aspiring to create a truly global church.

    Before his election, Pope Francis was called Jorge Mario Bergoglio and had, since 1998, held the office of Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In Argentina, he worked to expand and support the efforts of priests serving in the slums.

    The Catholic Church has maintained a presence in the peripheries of Buenos Aires since the 1960s, when a group called Priests for the Third World established itself in impoverished neighbourhoods. These priests advocated for the rights of their parishioners and preached liberation theology, a movement that aligns the Catholic Church with the struggles of marginalised groups.

    The theme of the peripheries became a defining thread of Pope Francis’s papacy. Days before he became pope, Francis told the cardinals that elected him that the Church must “come out of herself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographically, but also the existential peripheries”.

    Without doing so, he warned, the Church risks becoming structurally disconnected from the ambivalent and contradictory processes that shape the modern global era.



    Read more:
    Pope Francis dies: an unconventional pontiff who sought to modernise Catholicism

    Pope Francis navigated a complex relationship with liberation theology. Some interpretations of the movement, which gained prominence in the late 1960s, incorporate Marxist elements. This raised concerns within the Church hierarchy and among western governments during the cold war.

    As a young Jesuit in Argentina, Bergoglio was influenced by the 1969 Declaration of San Miguel. This rejected Marxist interpretations of liberation theology and developed an alternative called the “theology of the people”. Rather than drawing on Marxist analysis, it emphasises the faith, culture and spiritual expressions of ordinary people, especially the poor.

    And from 1976 to 1983, when Argentina was ruled by a military dictatorship, Bergoglio distanced himself from radical priests engaged in liberation theology. His caution not to alienate military hierarchy led to tensions, most notably in the 1976 abduction of two Jesuits, Orlando Yorio and Franz Jalics.

    The then Father Bergoglio was accused of withdrawing his protection from the priests, which allegedly left them exposed to the regime. In 2005, a secret dossier was anonymously circulated among cardinals accusing him of complicity in the abduction, based on a complaint by human rights lawyer Marcelo Parrilli.

    Some sources claimed this was smear campaign orchestrated by Jesuits who had previously clashed with Bergoglio. And in his testimony, Bergoglio stated that he met on two occasions with the dictators and members of the military, Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera, but to intercede on behalf of the detained priests. The Vatican denied he was guilty of any wrongdoing.

    Despite his cautious stance, Bergoglio consistently upheld the Church’s priority of addressing the needs of the poor. This was a principle that later defined his papacy. As Pope Francis, he softened the Vatican’s previous opposition to liberation theology, reaffirming its emphasis on social justice while distancing it from Marxist rhetoric.

    A post-European Pope

    Pope Francis’s predecessor, Joseph Ratzinger, maintained a profound engagement with Europe. This shaped his thinking as a theologian, cardinal and later as Pope Benedict XVI. His papacy was marked by numerous visits across the continent, where he delivered significant speeches on the Church’s role and Europe’s intellectual and spiritual challenges.

    One of his most notable speeches, delivered at the University of Regensburg in Germany in 2006, sparked considerable controversy in the Muslim world. The lecture explored Europe’s relationship with Christianity and its future responsibilities.

    But it became infamous for his quotation of Manuel II Palaiologos, a Byzantine emperor who characterised aspects of Islam as violent. This remark provoked widespread anger and protests across the Muslim world, highlighting the sensitivities surrounding interfaith dialogue and the role of religion in global politics.

    In contrast, Pope Francis recognised that Christians must go “beyond the walls” to embrace humanity as a whole. In his vision, the Church should function as a “field hospital”, extending its care even to the so-called “churches of the decimal point” – those with only a tiny percentage of Catholics relative to the populations in which they exist.

    Under his leadership, the Vatican’s geopolitical focus shifted significantly. The composition of the College of Cardinals, which will elect his successor, has changed. The historic European influence has been diluted.

    The regional distribution of the 135 cardinal electors now includes 23 from Asia, 20 from North America, 18 each from South America and Africa, and three from Oceania. Europe, which comprised a slight majority of the body when Francis was elected in 2013, has 53 cardinals.

    This diversification aligns with Francis’s vision of a Church that is truly present across the globe. Pope Francis’s apostolic journeys further reflected this global reorientation, taking him to places such as Iraq, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.

    Pope Francis during his visit to Iraq in 2021.
    Jon_photographi / Shutterstock

    Another major transformation has been in the Church’s relationship with political power. While Ratzinger often saw alliances with political parties as necessary to safeguard the Church’s survival in an era of secular decline, Francis rejected this approach.

    As he stated in Kazakhstan in 2022, “the sacred must not be instrumentalised by the profane”. This stance has drawn criticism, particularly in relation to his responses to conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. His constant appeals for peace, rather than direct condemnation of religious or political leaders, led some to perceive his position as one of “neutralism” or even pro-Russian.

    Yet his approach appears to have been rooted in the conviction that dialogue is essential, even with the most controversial figures. This was evident in his willingness to engage with General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar’s military government, further underscoring his effort to desacralise worldly power.

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

    – ref. How Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church’s foreign policy – https://theconversation.com/how-pope-francis-changed-the-catholic-churchs-foreign-policy-255051

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Announces Hall County Solicitor General Appointment

    Source: US State of Georgia

    Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the appointment of Inez Grant as the Solicitor General of Hall County, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Stephanie Woodard.

     

     

    Inez Grant has served the Hall County area since becoming a member of the State Bar of Georgia in 1992.  She began her legal career as a front-line prosecutor in the Hall County Solicitor General’s Office, where she helped establish Hall County’s Domestic Violence Taskforce. Grant eventually rose to chief assistant under former Solicitor General Jerry Rylee before going on to serve for several years as chief assistant Solicitor General in Forsyth County. Grant practiced both felony and misdemeanor prosecution for 17 years before leaving her beloved line of work for family reasons. Since leaving full-time prosecution, Grant has managed a successful private practice in Hall County focusing on domestic litigation, criminal defense, immigration law, Guardian Ad Litem work, and Juvenile Court matters. In addition, Grant serves as the Solicitor for the City Court of Gainesville and City of Oakwood.

    Grant graduated from Brenau University before obtaining her law degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. When not in court, she enjoys spending time with her family and her beautiful granddaughters. Grant coached high school mock trial teams and was recognized by the State Bar for her work with the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. She also currently sits on Brenau University’s Conflict Resolution and Legal Studies Advisory Board.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Achieves GovRAMP Security Authorization

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    News Summary

    Fortinet®, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced that FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services and FortiCare Services have received GovRAMP, previously known as StateRAMP, authorization at a moderate impact level from the Government Risk and Authorization Management Program (GovRAMP®).

    “Fortinet’s GovRAMP authorization underscores our commitment to delivering trusted security solutions for state and local government agencies, educational institutions, and other public sector partners,” said John Whittle, Chief Operating Officer at Fortinet. “With Fortinet, state and local government institutions have access to robust threat intelligence and security support, facilitating the effective detection and mitigation of risks, and faster incident response.”

    GovRAMP standardizes cybersecurity technology delivery for state and local organizations, and provides accreditation to vendors that meet the collective security requirements of such entities. Fortinet’s designation as a GovRAMP-authorized vendor provides public sector organizations with the comprehensive threat intelligence and analysis required to proactively address security gaps and vulnerabilities.

    “We congratulate Fortinet on achieving GovRAMP Authorization at the Moderate Impact Level for its FortiCare and FortiGuard services,” said Leah McGrath, Executive Director, GovRAMP. “This milestone reflects Fortinet’s continued leadership and commitment to meeting the high security and transparency standards required to serve the public sector. GovRAMP is proud to support providers who prioritize risk reduction, continuous monitoring, and cybersecurity resilience across government.”

    FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services, natively integrated into the Fortinet Security Fabric, delivers comprehensive, actionable threat intelligence enabling teams to detect and counter evasive and never-seen-before threats. FortiGuard services, which are continuously updated with the latest intelligence data and telemetry from Fortinet’s broad sensor base and research discoveries, ensure heightened efficacy against complex cyberthreats.

    The GovRAMP authorization of FortiCare Services also helps government organizations with the deployment and sustainment of their security operations. Agencies often lack the in-house expertise and resources to support security initiatives, FortiCare Support Services provides users with global technical support 24×7 and access to over 1,900 experts to ensure efficient operation and maintenance of Fortinet capabilities.

    GovRAMP validation requirements for vendors are built on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 Rev. 4 framework, modeled in part after FedRAMP. To obtain GovRAMP authorization at a moderate impact level, Fortinet fulfilled the security requirements outlined in this framework, and completed a successful independent audit conducted by a third-party assessing organization (3PAO).

    Fortinet has a long history of leadership within the public sector security community. The company works closely with government agencies to define security requirements and deliver leading solutions to serve its departments and organizations. To further build on these efforts, Fortinet intends to also pursue Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) certification as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to meet the rigorous security standards required to serve government entities.

    Additional Resources

    • Visit fortinet.com/trust to learn more about Fortinet innovation, collaboration partners, product security processes, and enterprise-grade products. 
    • Learn more about Fortinet’s commitment to product security and integrity, including its responsible product development and vulnerability disclosure approach and policies. 
    • Learn about Fortinet’s free cybersecurity training, which includes broad cyber awareness and product training. The Fortinet Training Institute also provides training and certification through the Network Security Expert (NSE) Certification, Academic Partner, and Education Outreach programs.
    • Learn more about FortiGuard Labs threat intelligence and research and Outbreak Alerts, which provide timely steps to mitigate breaking cybersecurity attacks.
    • Learn more about Fortinet’s FortiGuard Security Services portfolio.
    • Read about how Fortinet customers are securing their organizations.
    • Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe to Fortinet on our blog or YouTube.

    About Fortinet (www.fortinet.com)
    Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

    Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: US universities lose millions of dollars chasing patents, research shows

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joshua M. Pearce, John M. Thompson Chair in Information Technology and Innovation and Professor, Western University

    Every year, American universities spend millions of dollars patenting inventions developed on their campuses. Big names such as Stanford and the University of California system lead the pack in patent activity, but hundreds of other universities are also trying to strike gold by monetizing intellectual property. The idea is simple: By investing in patents and selling or licensing them to industry, the university will profit.

    But in practice, this strategy rarely pays off.

    Indeed, the results of a recent study I conducted using full-cost accounting shows the average American research university is losing millions of dollars on patents annually. One school I examined as a case study lost a staggering $9 million on intellectual property investments in one year.

    These findings come at a critical moment. Universities across the U.S. are under serious financial strain and at risk of losing federal funding under the current administration. Speaking as an engineer and innovation expert, I believe universities can no longer afford to be losing money on schemes meant to generate revenue.

    How universities got into the patent business

    The current system was born out of the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act, which standardized federal policy to encourage university grant recipients to patent their inventions. The goal was to commercialize taxpayer-funded research and to make universities money in the process.

    One result was the rapid expansion of technology transfer offices at universities across the country. These offices are designed to support the commercialization of academic research and development.

    On the surface, this strategy might seem promising. Years of data from the Association of University Technology Managers, which surveys tech transfer offices, suggested large, growing revenues from licensing intellectual property.

    But there’s a major caveat: It costs money for a university to do all this, and the association’s figures don’t take all of those costs into account. They exclude big expenses such as the costs of running technology transfer offices and litigation. When these are included, previous research has shown, just under half of the tech transfer offices pay for themselves.

    And even these analyses are incomplete, as they ignore the opportunity costs to faculty participating in the time-consuming patenting process. After all, every hour a professor spends on patenting is an hour not spent writing grant proposals.

    This raises a crucial question: Do university investments in patenting, taking into account all the costs, actually deliver a positive return on investment?

    To answer this, I developed a formula to determine exactly how much universities spend in patenting, including the costs of faculty time. I then applied that formula to an average R1 research university − about halfway down the list of annual National Science Foundation funding − using real numbers.

    The hidden cost of faculty time

    For the case study university, I found that every single cost category exceeded the intellectual property-related income. The opportunity cost for writing patents instead of grants was more than 33 times the income realized.

    This means that the average U.S. university is literally losing millions of dollars pursuing patents. Research universities could increase research income by simply ignoring intellectual property entirely.

    Using this full-cost accounting method is something university administrators would be wise to consider in their decision-making, given the real opportunity costs of faculty time.

    Administrators may argue that because faculty are salaried, there’s no additional cost to making them spend time writing patents. But this ignores reality: Faculty are among the university’s most productive assets. They generate income through tuition and research grants. Their time isn’t free − and using it inefficiently can come at a steep cost.

    My study looked only at one university that happens to have a very high invention disclosure rate and would, if viewed from afar, seem to be doing really well on intellectual property investment. When all costs are accounted for the university, it becomes apparent that its intellectual property policy is causing the school to hemorrhage money.

    The easy-to-follow methodology I set up can be used by any university to determine its intellectual property’s real return on income. Each university will be slightly different, but for the vast majority, the return on investment will be strongly negative.

    As the costs of university education become increasingly challenging for many Americans, I think it’s time to take a hard look at university “investments” in technology transfer with a negative return.

    Joshua M. Pearce has received funding for research from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Mitacs, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Science Foundation. His past and present consulting work and research is funded by the United Nations, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and many companies in the energy and solar photovoltaic fields. He does not have any direct conflicts of interest.

    – ref. US universities lose millions of dollars chasing patents, research shows – https://theconversation.com/us-universities-lose-millions-of-dollars-chasing-patents-research-shows-244270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Controlled burns reduce wildfire risk, but they require trained staff and funding − this could be a rough year

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Laura Dee, Associate Professor of Ecology, University of Colorado Boulder

    Prescribed burns like this one are intentional, controlled fires used to clear out dry grass and underbrush that could fuel more destructive wildfires. Ethan Swope/Getty Images

    Red skies in August, longer fire seasons and checking air quality before taking my toddler to the park. This has become the new norm in the western United States as wildfires become more frequent, larger and more catastrophic.

    As an ecologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, I know that fires are part of the natural processes that forests need to stay healthy. But the combined effects of a warmer and drier climate, more people living in fire-prone areas and vegetation and debris built up over years of fire suppression are leading to more severe fires that spread faster. And that’s putting humans, ecosystems and economies at risk.

    To help prevent catastrophic fires, the U.S. Forest Service issued a 10-year strategy in 2022 that includes scaling up the use of controlled burns and other techniques to remove excess plant growth and dry, dead materials that fuel wildfires.

    However, the Forest Service’s wildfire management activities have been thrown into turmoil in 2025 with funding cuts and disruptions and uncertainty from the federal government.

    The planet just saw its hottest year on record. If spring and summer 2025 are also dry and hot, conditions could be prime for severe fires again.

    More severe fires harm forest recovery and people

    Today’s severe wildfires have been pushing societies, emergency response systems and forests beyond what they have evolved to handle.

    Extreme fires have burned into cities, including destroying thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area in 2025 and near Boulder, Colorado, in 2021. They threaten downstream public drinking water by increasing sediments and contaminants in water supplies, as well as infrastructure, air quality and rural economies. They also increase the risk of flooding and mudslides from soil erosion. And they undermine efforts to mitigate climate change by releasing carbon stored in these ecosystems.

    In some cases, fires burned so hot and deep into the soil that the forests are not growing back.

    While many species are adapted to survive low-level fires, severe blazes can damage the seeds and cones needed for forests to regrow. My team has seen this trend outside of Fort Collins, Colorado, where four years after the Cameron Peak fire, forests have still not come back the way ecologists would expect them to under past, less severe fires. Returning to a strategy of fire suppression − or trying to “go toe-to-toe with every fire” − will make these cases more common.

    Parts of Cameron Peak, burned in a severe fire in 2020, still showed little evidence of recovery in 2024. Efforts have been underway to try to replant parts of the burned areas by hand.
    Bella Oleksy/University of Colorado

    Proactive wildfire management can help reduce the risk to forests and property.

    Measures such as prescribed burns have proven to be effective for maintaining healthy forests and reducing the severity of subsequent wildfires. A recent review found that selective thinning followed by prescribed fire reduced subsequent fire severity by 72% on average, and prescribed fire on its own reduced severity by 62%.

    Prescribed burns and forest thinning tend to reduce the risk of extremely destructive wildfires.
    Kimberley T. Davis, et al., Forest Ecology and Management, 2024, CC BY

    But managing forests well requires knowing how forests are changing, where trees are dying and where undergrowth has built up and increased fire hazards. And, for federal lands, these are some of the jobs that are being targeted by the Trump administration.

    Some of the Forest Service staff who were fired or put in limbo by the Trump administration are those who do research or collect and communicate critical data about forests and fire risk. Other fired staff provided support so crews could clear flammable debris and carry out fuel treatments such as prescribed burns, thinning forests and building fire breaks.

    Losing people in these roles is like firing all primary care doctors and leaving only EMTs. Both are clearly needed. As many people know from emergency room bills, preventing emergencies is less costly than dealing with the damage later.

    Logging is not a long-term fire solution

    The Trump administration cited “wildfire risk reduction” when it issued an emergency order to increase logging in national forests by 25%.

    But private − unregulated − forest management looks a lot different than managing forests to prevent destructive fires.

    Logging, depending on the practice, can involve clear-cutting trees and other techniques that compromise soils. Exposing a forest’s soils and dead vegetation to more sunlight also dries them out, which can increase fire risk in the near term.

    Forest-thinning operations involve carefully removing young trees and brush that could easily burn, with a goal of creating conditions less likely to send fire into the crowns of trees.
    AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

    In general, logging that focuses on extracting the highest-value trees leaves thinner trees that are more vulnerable to fires. A study in the Pacific Northwest found that replanting logged land with the same age and size of trees can lead to more severe fires in the future.

    Research and data are essential

    For many people in the western U.S., these risks hit close to home.

    I’ve seen neighborhoods burn and friends and family displaced, and I have contended with regular air quality warnings and red flag days signaling a high fire risk. I’ve also seen beloved landscapes, such as those on Cameron Peak, transform when conifers that once made up the forest have not regrown.

    Recovery has been slow on Cameron Peak after a severe fire in 2020. This photo was taken in 2024.
    Bella Oleksy/University of Colorado

    My scientific research group and collaborations with other scientists have been helping to identify cost-effective solutions. That includes which fuel-treatment methods are most effective, which types of forests and conditions they work best in and how often they are needed. We’re also planning research projects to better understand which forests are at greatest risk of not recovering after fires.

    This sort of research is what robust, cost-effective land management is based on.

    When careful, evidence-based forest management is replaced with a heavy emphasis on suppressing every fire or clear-cutting forests, I worry that human lives, property and economies, as well as the natural legacy of public lands left to every American, are at risk.

    Laura Dee receives funding from NASA.

    – ref. Controlled burns reduce wildfire risk, but they require trained staff and funding − this could be a rough year – https://theconversation.com/controlled-burns-reduce-wildfire-risk-but-they-require-trained-staff-and-funding-this-could-be-a-rough-year-251705

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump is stripping protections from marine protected areas – why that’s a problem for fishing’s future, and for whales, corals and other ocean life

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Shiffman, Faculty Research Associate in Marine Biology, Arizona State University

    The coral reefs of Palmyra Atoll, part of Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, provide nurseries for many fish species. Andrew S. Wright/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Flickr, CC BY-SA

    The single greatest threat to the diversity of life in our oceans over the past 50 years, more than climate change or plastic pollution, has been unsustainable fishing practices.

    In much of the ocean, there is little to no regulation or oversight of commercial fishing or other human activities. That’s part of the reason about a tenth of marine plant and animal species are considered threatened or at risk.

    It’s also why countries around the world have been creating marine protected areas.

    These protected areas, covering over 11.6 million square miles (30 million square kilometers) in 16,000 locations, offer refuge away from human activities for a wide variety of living creatures, from corals to sea turtles and whales. They give fish stocks a place to thrive, and those fish spread out into the surrounding waters, which helps fishing industries and local economies.

    In the U.S., however, marine protection is being dismantled by President Donald Trump.

    Marine protected areas as of 2022. Fully or highly protected areas represented less than 3% of the ocean, according to the Marine Protection Atlas.
    Marine Conservation Institute via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Trump issued a proclamation on April 17, 2025, titled “Unleashing American commercial fishing in the Pacific,” ordering the removal of key protections to allow commercial fishing in parts of a nearly-500,000-square-mile marine protected area called the Pacific Island Heritage National Marine Monument.

    He also called for a review of all other marine national monuments to decide if they should be opened to commercial fishing too. In addition, the Trump administration is proposing to redefine “harm” under the Endangered Species Act in a way that would allow for more damage to these species’ habitats.

    I’m a marine biologist and scuba diver, and it’s no accident that all my favorite dive sites are within marine protected areas. I’ve found what scientific studies from across the world show: Protected areas have much healthier marine life populations and healthier ecosystems.

    What’s at risk in the Pacific

    The Pacific Island Heritage National Marine Monument, about 750 miles west of Hawaii, is dotted by coral reefs and atolls, with species of fish, marine mammals and birds rarely found anywhere else.

    It is home to protected and endangered species, including turtles, whales and Hawaiian monk seals. Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef, both within the area, are considered among the most pristine coral reefs in the world, each providing habitats for a wide range of fish and other species.

    These marine species are able to thrive there and spread out into the surrounding waters because their habitats have been protected.

    A tour of several marine protected areas and their inhabitants in 2016.

    President George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, created this protected area in 2009, restricting fishing there, and President Barack Obama later expanded it. Trump, whose administration has made no secret of its aim to strip away environmental protections across the country’s land and waters, is now reopening much of the marine protected area to industrial-scale fishing.

    The risks from industrial fishing

    When too many fish are killed and too few young fish are left to replace them, it’s considered overfishing, and this has become a growing problem around the world.

    In 1974, about 10% of the world’s fish stocks were overfished. By 2021, that number had risen to 37.7%, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s annual State of Fisheries and Aquaculture Report.

    A fishing net caught on a coral reef can destroy habitat.
    Kampee Patisena/Moment/Getty Images

    Modern industrial-scale fishing practices can also harm other species.

    Bycatch, or catching animals that fishermen don’t want but are inadvertently caught up in nets and other gear, is a threat to many endangered species. Many seabirds, sea turtles and whales die this way each year. Some types of fishing gear, such as trawls and dredges that drag along the sea floor to scoop up sea life, can destroy ocean habitat itself.

    Without regulations or protected areas, fishing can turn into a competitive free-for-all that can deplete fish stocks.

    How marine protected areas protect species

    Marine protected areas are designed to safeguard parts of the ocean from human impacts, including offshore oil and gas extraction and industrial fishing practices.

    Studies have found that these areas can produce many benefits for both marine life and fishermen by allowing overfished species to recover and ensuring their health for the future.

    A decade after Mexico established the Cabo Pulmo protected area, for example, fish biomass increased by nearly 500%.

    How marine protected areas help marine life and local economies.

    Successful marine protected areas tend to have healthier habitats, more fish, more species of fish, and bigger fish than otherwise-similar unprotected areas. Studies have found the average size of organisms to be 28% bigger in these areas than in fished areas with no protections. How many babies a fish has is directly related to the size of the mother.

    All of this helps create jobs through ecotourism and support local fishing communities outside the marine protected area.

    Marine protected areas also have a “spillover effect” – the offspring of healthy fish populations that spawn inside these areas often spread beyond them, helping fish populations outside the boundaries thrive as well.

    Ultimately, the fishing industry benefits from a continuing supply. And all of this happens at little cost.

    A need for more protected areas, not fewer

    Claims by the Trump administration that marine protected areas are a heavy-handed restriction on the U.S. fishing industry do not hold water. As science and my own experience show, these refuges for sea life can instead help local economies and the industry by allowing fish populations to thrive.

    For the future of the planet’s whales, sea turtles, coral reefs and the health of fishing itself, scientists like me recommend creating more marine protected areas to help species thrive, not dismantling them.

    David Shiffman has consulted for many environmental non-profit groups including the Ocean Conservancy, as well as fishing industry groups and fisheries managment agencies.

    – ref. Trump is stripping protections from marine protected areas – why that’s a problem for fishing’s future, and for whales, corals and other ocean life – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-stripping-protections-from-marine-protected-areas-why-thats-a-problem-for-fishings-future-and-for-whales-corals-and-other-ocean-life-254925

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: From help to harm: How the government is quietly repurposing everyone’s data for surveillance

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Nicole M. Bennett, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography and Assistant Director at the Center for Refugee Studies, Indiana University

    DOGE has been key to attempts to consolidate Americans’ personal data for the government. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    A whistleblower at the National Labor Relations Board reported an unusual spike in potentially sensitive data flowing out of the agency’s network in early March 2025 when staffers from the Department of Government Efficiency, which goes by DOGE, were granted access to the agency’s databases. On April 7, the Department of Homeland Security gained access to Internal Revenue Service tax data.

    These seemingly unrelated events are examples of recent developments in the transformation of the structure and purpose of federal government data repositories. I am a researcher who studies the intersection of migration, data governance and digital technologies. I’m tracking how data that people provide to U.S. government agencies for public services such as tax filing, health care enrollment, unemployment assistance and education support is increasingly being redirected toward surveillance and law enforcement.

    Originally collected to facilitate health care, eligibility for services and the administration of public services, this information is now shared across government agencies and with private companies, reshaping the infrastructure of public services into a mechanism of control. Once confined to separate bureaucracies, data now flows freely through a network of interagency agreements, outsourcing contracts and commercial partnerships built up in recent decades.

    These data-sharing arrangements often take place outside public scrutiny, driven by national security justifications, fraud prevention initiatives and digital modernization efforts. The result is that the structure of government is quietly transforming into an integrated surveillance apparatus, capable of monitoring, predicting and flagging behavior at an unprecedented scale.

    Executive orders signed by President Donald Trump aim to remove remaining institutional and legal barriers to completing this massive surveillance system.

    DOGE and the private sector

    Central to this transformation is DOGE, which is tasked via an executive order to “promote inter-operability between agency networks and systems, ensure data integrity, and facilitate responsible data collection and synchronization.” An additional executive order calls for the federal government to eliminate its information silos.

    By building interoperable systems, DOGE can enable real-time, cross-agency access to sensitive information and create a centralized database on people within the U.S. These developments are framed as administrative streamlining but lay the groundwork for mass surveillance.

    Key to this data repurposing are public-private partnerships. The DHS and other agencies have turned to third-party contractors and data brokers to bypass direct restrictions. These intermediaries also consolidate data from social media, utility companies, supermarkets and many other sources, enabling enforcement agencies to construct detailed digital profiles of people without explicit consent or judicial oversight.

    Palantir, a private data firm and prominent federal contractor, supplies investigative platforms to agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Internal Revenue Service. These platforms aggregate data from various sources – driver’s license photos, social services, financial information, educational data – and present it in centralized dashboards designed for predictive policing and algorithmic profiling. These tools extend government reach in ways that challenge existing norms of privacy and consent.

    The role of AI

    Artificial intelligence has further accelerated this shift.

    Predictive algorithms now scan vast amounts of data to generate risk scores, detect anomalies and flag potential threats.

    These systems ingest data from school enrollment records, housing applications, utility usage and even social media, all made available through contracts with data brokers and tech companies. Because these systems rely on machine learning, their inner workings are often proprietary, unexplainable and beyond meaningful public accountability.

    Data privacy researcher Justin Sherman explains the astonishing amount of information data brokers have about you.

    Sometimes the results are inaccurate, generated by AI hallucinations – responses AI systems produce that sound convincing but are incorrect, made up or irrelevant. Minor data discrepancies can lead to major consequences: job loss, denial of benefits and wrongful targeting in law enforcement operations. Once flagged, individuals rarely have a clear pathway to contest the system’s conclusions.

    Digital profiling

    Participation in civic life, applying for a loan, seeking disaster relief and requesting student aid now contribute to a person’s digital footprint. Government entities could later interpret that data in ways that allow them to deny access to assistance. Data collected under the banner of care could be mined for evidence to justify placing someone under surveillance. And with growing dependence on private contractors, the boundaries between public governance and corporate surveillance continue to erode.

    Artificial intelligence, facial recognition systems and predictive profiling systems lack oversight. They also disproportionately affect low-income individuals, immigrants and people of color, who are more frequently flagged as risks.

    Initially built for benefits verification or crisis response, these data systems now feed into broader surveillance networks. The implications are profound. What began as a system targeting noncitizens and fraud suspects could easily be generalized to everyone in the country.

    Eyes on everyone

    This is not merely a question of data privacy. It is a broader transformation in the logic of governance. Systems once designed for administration have become tools for tracking and predicting people’s behavior. In this new paradigm, oversight is sparse and accountability is minimal.

    AI allows for the interpretation of behavioral patterns at scale without direct interrogation or verification. Inferences replace facts. Correlations replace testimony.

    The risk extends to everyone. While these technologies are often first deployed at the margins of society – against migrants, welfare recipients or those deemed “high risk” – there’s little to limit their scope. As the infrastructure expands, so does its reach into the lives of all citizens.

    With every form submitted, interaction logged and device used, a digital profile deepens, often out of sight. The infrastructure for pervasive surveillance is in place. What remains uncertain is how far it will be allowed to go.

    Nicole Bennett is affiliated with Indiana University’s Center for Refugee Studies and the Indiana University Refugee Task Force.

    – ref. From help to harm: How the government is quietly repurposing everyone’s data for surveillance – https://theconversation.com/from-help-to-harm-how-the-government-is-quietly-repurposing-everyones-data-for-surveillance-254690

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Justice Department lawyers work for justice and the Constitution – not the White House

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

    The U.S. flag flies above Department of Justice headquarters on Jan. 20, 2024, in Washington. J. David Ake/Getty Images

    In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon tried to fire the Department of Justice prosecutor leading an investigation into the president’s involvement in wiretapping the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters.

    Since then, the DOJ has generally been run as an impartial law enforcement agency, separated from the executive office and partisan politics.

    Those guardrails are now being severely tested under the Trump administration.

    In February 2025, seven DOJ attorneys resigned, rather than follow orders from Attorney General Pam Bondi to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Adams was indicted in September 2024, during the Biden administration, for alleged bribery and campaign finance violations.

    One DOJ prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, wrote in his Feb. 15 resignation letter that while he held no negative views of the Trump administration, he believed the dismissal request violated DOJ’s ethical standards.

    Among more than a dozen DOJ attorneys who have recently been terminated, the DOJ fired Erez Reuveni, acting deputy chief of the department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, on April 15. Reuveni lost his job for speaking honestly to the court about the facts of an immigration case, instead of following political directives from Bondi and other superiors.

    Reuveni was terminated for acknowledging in court on April 14 that the Department of Homeland Security had made an “administrative error” in deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, against court orders. DOJ leadership placed Reuveni on leave the very next day.

    Bondi defended the decision, arguing that Reuveni had failed to “vigorously advocate” for the administration’s position.

    I’m a legal ethics scholar, and I know that as more DOJ lawyers face choices between following political directives and upholding their profession’s ethical standards, they confront a critical question: To whom do they ultimately owe their loyalty?

    President Donald Trump speaks before Pam Bondi is sworn in as attorney general at the White House on Feb. 5, 2025.
    Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    Identifying the real client

    All attorneys have core ethical obligations, including loyalty to clients, confidentiality and honesty to the courts. DOJ lawyers have additional professional obligations: They have a duty to seek justice, rather than merely win cases, as well as to protect constitutional rights even when inconvenient.

    DOJ attorneys typically answer to multiple authorities, including the attorney general. But their highest loyalty belongs to the U.S. Constitution and justice itself.

    The Supreme Court established in a 1935 case that DOJ attorneys have a special mission to ensure that “justice shall be done.”

    DOJ attorneys reinforce their commitment to this mission by taking an oath to uphold the Constitution when they join the department. They also have training programs, internal guidelines and a long-standing institutional culture that emphasizes their unique responsibility to pursue justice, rather than simply win cases.

    This creates a professional identity that goes beyond simply carrying out the wishes of political appointees.

    Playing by stricter rules

    All lawyers also follow special professional rules in order to receive and maintain a license to practice law. These professional rules are established by state bar associations and supreme courts as part of the state-based licensing system for attorneys.

    But the more than 10,000 attorneys at the DOJ face even tougher standards.

    The McDade Amendment, passed in 1998, requires federal government lawyers to follow both the ethics rules of the state where they are licensed to practice and federal regulations. This includes rules that prohibit DOJ attorneys from participating in cases where they have personal or political relationships with involved parties, for example.

    This law also explicitly subjects federal prosecutors to state bar discipline. Such discipline could range from private reprimands to suspension or even permanent disbarment, effectively ending an attorney’s legal career.

    This means DOJ lawyers might have to refuse a supervisor’s orders if those directives would violate professional conduct standards – even at the risk of their jobs.

    This is what Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon wrote in a Feb. 12, 2025, letter to Bondi, explaining why she could not drop the charges against Adams. Sassoon instead resigned from her position at the DOJ.

    “Because the law does not support a dismissal, and because I am confident that Adams has committed the crimes with which he is charged, I cannot agree to seek a dismissal driven by improper considerations … because I do not see any good-faith basis for the proposed position, I cannot make such arguments consistent with my duty of candor,” Sassoon wrote.

    As DOJ’s own guidance states, attorneys “must satisfy themselves that their behavior comports with the applicable rules of professional conduct” regardless of what their bosses say.

    Post-Watergate principles under pressure

    The president nominates the attorney general, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

    That can create the perception and even the reality that the attorney general is indebted to, and loyal to, the president. To counter that, Attorney General Griffin Bell, in 1978, spelled out three principles established after Watergate to maintain a deliberate separation between the White House and the Justice Department.

    First, Bell called for procedures to prevent personal or partisan interests from influencing legal judgments.

    Second, Bell said that public confidence in the department’s objectivity is essential to democracy, with DOJ serving as the “acknowledged guardian and keeper of the law.”

    Third, these principles ultimately depend on DOJ lawyers committed to good judgment and integrity, even under intense political pressure. These principles apply to all employees throughout the department – including the attorney general.

    Recent ethics tests

    These principles face a stark test in the current political climate.

    The March 2025 firing of Elizabeth Oyer, a career pardon attorney with the Justice Department, raises questions about the boundaries between political directives and professional obligations.

    Oyer was fired by Bondi shortly after declining to recommend the restoration of gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a known Donald Trump supporter. Gibson lost his gun rights after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge in 2011.

    Oyer initially expressed concern to her superiors about restoring Gibson’s gun rights without a sufficient background investigation, particularly given Gibson’s history of domestic violence.

    When Oyer later agreed to testify before Congress in a hearing about the White House’s handling of the Justice Department, the administration initially planned to send armed U.S. Marshals officers to deliver a warning letter to her home, saying that she could not disclose records about firearms rights to lawmakers.

    Oyer was away from home when she received an urgent alert that the marshals were en route to her home, where her teenage child was alone. Oyer’s attorney described this plan as “both unprecedented and completely inappropriate.”

    Officials called off the marshals only after Oyer confirmed receipt of the letter via email.

    Elizabeth Oyer, a former U.S. pardon attorney at the Justice Department, speaks at a Senate hearing on April 7, 2025, in Washington.
    Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

    Why independence matters

    In my research, I found that lawyers sometimes have lapses in judgment because of the “partisan kinship,” conscious or not, they develop with clients. This partisan kinship can lead attorneys to overlook serious red flags that outsiders would easily spot.

    When lawyers become too politically aligned with clients – or their superiors – their judgment suffers. They miss ethical problems and legal flaws that would otherwise be obvious. Professional distance allows attorneys to provide the highest quality legal counsel, even if that means saying “no” to powerful people.

    That’s why DOJ attorneys sometimes make decisions that frustrate political objectives. When they refuse to target political opponents, when they won’t let allies off easily, or when they disclose information their superiors wanted hidden, they’re not being insubordinate.

    They’re fulfilling their highest ethical duties to the Constitution and rule of law.

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

    – ref. Justice Department lawyers work for justice and the Constitution – not the White House – https://theconversation.com/justice-department-lawyers-work-for-justice-and-the-constitution-not-the-white-house-254763

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Imraan Valodia, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Climate, Sustainability and Inequality and Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand

    South Africa’s 2025-6 budget has been subjected to more comment than usual. This is due to the political tensions generated by a proposed increase in value added tax (VAT).

    South Africa’s choices on how it manages the revenue and expenditure issues in the budget are critical for how the larger issues of the country’s debt and its economic policies are handled. As things stand, the economy is locked into a low-growth trajectory which make the debt, revenue and expenditure issues more difficult to deal with.

    This piece draws on a longer article which explores these issues in greater detail. Here, I focus only on the VAT issue.

    The finance minister originally tabled an increase of 2 percentage points, then changed it to 0.5 percentage points. Still, it is threatening to end the country’s government of national unity, which was set up after elections in 2024.



    Read more:
    South Africa’s finance minister wanted to raise VAT: the pros and cons of a tricky tax

    Most commentators, including the political parties that have opposed the proposal, many academics, and non-governmental organisations claiming to represent low-income groups, have argued that an increase in VAT places an undue burden on low-income groups. This would make it regressive.

    Based on work as an academic economist over the past three decades, I believe that the debate has been based largely on conjecture and ideological opposition to VAT, rather than on the evidence of its impact.

    This is a pity as there is empirical evidence rooted in research that a VAT increase is, in fact, not regressive and is therefore a good policy decision.

    Tax experts usually refer to the three Es in taxes – equity, efficiency and ease of administration – for evaluating tax policy proposals. New taxes should ideally promote equity (they should be progressive and not regressive), be efficient and be easy to administer.

    An increase in VAT in South Africa ticks all these boxes.

    First, contrary to what many commentators have been arguing, VAT isn’t always regressive – it depends on how it’s implemented. As proposed by the finance minister it would not be regressive because, while it would add to the burden of low-income households, most of the VAT would be collected from higher-income households. Added to this is that the proposed expansion of the existing list of zero-rated items would protect the lowest-income households.

    Second, VAT is a very efficient tax. For relatively low increases in the rate, government is able to raise a large amount of revenue.

    Finally, the system is easy to administer and adds very little cost to collection.

    Key to its efficacy is the way VAT is implemented, including the choice of products to zero rate, and the political credibility of government.

    The case for a VAT increase

    VAT is a consumption tax, so it only affects the income that a household consumes.

    According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), VAT is now the mainstay of tax systems in over 160 countries, raising on average one-third of total government revenues.

    In theory, there are good reasons to be concerned about the impact of VAT. First, it can place a high burden on low-income households because they spend a large proportion of their incomes on consumption goods such as food.

    Second, VAT may also place a heavy burden of tax on women. In South Africa and many other countries, women-led households tend to be clustered in the lower end of the income distribution. And women disproportionately take responsibility for feeding and caring for family members.

    So, at least in theory, VAT is a regressive tax. But is it really so in practice?

    Three studies that have explored this issue in some detail have concluded that, in South Africa, VAT is not regressive.

    In 2008, I worked with colleagues in eight countries (South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, India and the United Kingdom) on the gender issues related to tax. In particular we looked at the burden of VAT on low-income and women-headed households.

    Our findings were that, in general, VAT is regressive and discriminates against women, but it depends on how it is implemented.

    In South Africa, the zero-rating of basic consumption goods is very effective, protecting low-income and female-headed households from VAT. It’s an example of a VAT system that is neutral – neither regressive nor progressive.

    A more recent study by South African economist Ingrid Woolard and colleagues reached a similar conclusion in 2018.

    A third study was done in the same year when VAT was increased from 14% to 15%. Following a similar emotive debate, the finance minister appointed an independent committee which I served on and which was chaired by Woolard, to advise on further zero-rating.

    Our conclusion – again – was that zero-rating is highly effective at protecting low-income groups from the deleterious effects of VAT.

    How it’s done matters

    The challenge with zero-rating is that while low-income households benefit, high-income households benefit more (because they spend more, in absolute terms, on zero-rated goods). Large amounts of potential VAT revenue are lost to high-income groups that don’t need protection.

    The trick is to find a basket of goods that low-income households consume a lot of, but which high-income households don’t consume in large quantities. Some typical examples are beans, canned pilchards and cabbage. These are all goods that low-income households consume and high-income households do not.

    National Treasury’s proposals for increasing the basket of goods to be zero-rated are based on solid research.

    A good example of the trade-offs to consider is the case of chicken. Chicken is an important source of protein for low-income households, but also for high-income households. So, if all chicken were zero-rated, this would protect poor households, but a large amount of VAT revenue would be lost.

    In our 2018 zero-rating report, at 2018 prices and consumption patterns, we calculated that zero-rating all chicken products would be equivalent to R1.3 billion (US$67.6 million) but government would lose R4.6 billion (US$244.4 million) to high income households.

    Not a good trade-off.

    However, some chicken products, such as chicken heads and feet, are mostly consumed by low-income groups, and are therefore good candidates for zero-rating.

    The two other Es – efficiency and ease of administration – of taxes are also key to consider.

    On these two considerations, VAT has big advantages.

    It’s very difficult to avoid or evade VAT because it’s collected along the chain of production. There’s evidence that South Africa has very little leakage in the system.

    So it is relatively easy to increase the VAT rate without needing to invest additional resources to collect the tax.

    Credibility is key

    Apart from the economic considerations, tax policy has to be politically credible. People should believe that their tax contributions are being used effectively, and government should be seen to be acting in line with this.

    If people don’t believe in government’s ability to spend wisely, resistance to taxes increases. Then tax avoidance and evasion increases.

    It would be fair to say that, with the high levels of corruption in South Africa’s political system, government’s credibility is low.

    Thus, if VAT is to be increased, government has to do a lot more to improve its credibility and reassure South Africans that the tax revenues will be well spent.

    Imraan Valodia receives funding from a number of foundations and governments that support academic research.

    – ref. VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence – https://theconversation.com/vat-hikes-can-raise-tax-without-hurting-the-poor-an-economist-sets-out-the-evidence-254213

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could Trump be leading the world into recession?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City Political Economy Research Centre, City St George’s, University of London

    Carolyn Franks/Shutterstock

    Growth forecasts for the US and other advanced economies have been sharply downgraded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the wake of dramatic swings in US president Donald Trump’s economic policy. But could the uncertainty and the turmoil in financial markets eventually be enough to push the world into a recession?

    The IMF says that global growth has already been hit by the decline in business and consumer confidence as “major policy shifts” by the US unfold. These are leading to less spending and less investment.

    It also predicts further damage from the disruption in global supply chains and inflation caused by tariff increases.

    But while the IMF forecasts a sharp reduction in world economic growth in 2025 and 2026, it is not projecting a recession – for now. However, it says the chances of a global recession have risen sharply from 17% to 30%. And there is now a 40% chance of a recession in the US.

    The head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, has blamed the slowdown on the ongoing “reboot of the global trading system” by the US. She said this is leading to downgrades in growth estimates, while volatility in financial markets is “up” and trade policy uncertainty is “literally off the charts”.

    As part of the IMF forecasts, growth projections for the world’s richest countries in 2025 have been sharply reduced. In the US it is down 0.5% to just 1.8%, while growth in the euro area is projected to be just 0.8%. Japan will be growing by even less at 0.6%. Germany – the EU’s largest economy – is projected to have no growth at all.

    And for the UK, growth has been cut by 0.5%, to a very weak 1.1%, which is in line with forecasts from March. This is well below the 2% projected at the time of the last budget in the autumn. And despite the adjustments made in the UK’s spring statement, the downgrade is likely to mean more tax increases, spending cuts, or both.

    Some developing countries are doing much better, with India projected to have one of the highest annual GDP growth rates at 6.2% in 2025. Meanwhile, China’s growth forecast has been cut sharply due to the effect of US tariffs. It is now projected by the IMF to be down by 1.3% to just 4%.

    Other poorer developing countries will also be negatively affected, but most will continue to grow at a faster pace than major industrial nations.

    What the forecast underscores is that the era of rapid globalisation, spurred by trade and integration of financial markets, seems to be coming to an end.

    Its rapid spread since the 1950s, which accelerated in the 1980s, led to a huge expansion of the world economy. But it created winners and losers, both between nations and within them.

    The Trump administration’s answer to this is massive tariff increases
    hitting countries that stand accused of “ripping off America”. The tariffs have several contradictory objectives, including raising money pay for tax cuts; acting as a bargaining chip to open foreign markets to American goods; and encouraging manufacturers to relocate to the US.

    Trump has swung between these objectives, and backed down when market reaction became too fierce. These swings have destabilised trade and investment, as well as business and consumer confidence.



    Read more:
    Trump has shown he will backtrack on tariffs. What does that say about how to wage a trade war?

    Tariffs do not change the fact that many countries can produce the goods Americans want, more cheaply and often more efficiently. And the looming trade war could mean US exporters are hit with retaliatory tariffs, making it even harder to sell American goods abroad.

    The inflationary effect of tariffs – raising the price of imported goods – could reverse the recent successes of central banks in taming inflation. It could even force them to raise interest rates – something Trump is fiercely against.

    A more immediate effect of Trump’s erratic policy-making has been turmoil in financial markets. The US stock market has fallen sharply since Trump announced his tariff plan, currently down by nearly 15% (a loss of more than US$4 trillion (£2.99 trillion) for shareholders).

    This matters for the US economy, as most Americans depend on their stock market holdings to pay for their defined-contribution pensions. But even more worrying is the effect on the US Treasury bond market, which has been a safe haven in times of trouble. Foreign investors are now shunning US bonds, driving up interest rates for US government debt and unsettling financial institutions.

    Added to the problem is the sharp drop in the value of the US dollar. Trump says he wants a weaker dollar, presumably to make US exports cheaper. But it also raises the price of imported goods and could fuel inflation. Ultimately, it could threaten the role of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

    Potentially, big swings in normally steady financial markets can presage some of the same wobbles that led to the global financial crisis of 2008. That crisis threatened the solvency of the global financial system – although we have not reached that point yet.

    Winners and losers

    So what is the most likely outcome of the trade war, and the loss of a single hegemonic economic power? One example is what happened when Britain lost its dominant role in manufacturing and finance after the first world war.

    Attempts at rebuilding a global economic order failed, and other major countries (led by Germany and the US) reverted to autarky, stepping back from the international trading system and worsening the Depression of the 1930s.

    Just as Trump is trying to do, countries reverted to competitive devaluations. Each tried to make its exports cheaper than those of its rivals, ultimately to no avail. The world was divided into rival trading blocs, and it is conceivable that the US, the EU and China could form three such blocs in future.

    The last financial crisis, in 2008, was mitigated by prompt and cooperative action
    by central banks and governments. They injected trillions to stabilise the financial sector, but even now the damaging effects of this crisis on national growth rates is plain to see.

    The IMF has made it clear that it is not just the detail of the tariffs, but erratic US economic policy, that is the main culprit for the potential recession. The rising cost of servicing US debt as investors lose confidence is also raising the cost of the large public debts of other advanced economies, including the UK. This puts more pressure on public spending.

    Let’s hope that whatever the turmoil, we will not be repeating the mistakes of the past.

    Steve Schifferes 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. Could Trump be leading the world into recession? – https://theconversation.com/could-trump-be-leading-the-world-into-recession-255081

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Hollywood is finally taking horror films seriously

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Reece Goodall, Director of Student Experience and Progression for the Faculty of Arts, University of Warwick

    Horror films have always held an interesting place in cultural and cinematic circles. Despite proving consistently profitable and boasting a considerable fanbase, the genre has also been the target in several moments of cultural crisis. Think the video nasties of the 1970s and 80s, or the implied conservatism of the violence in torture porn films of the 2000s.

    Though the genre has been one of the industry’s most profitable genres since the 1930s, due to its perceived low status, horror has largely been unrecognised by award bodies, mainstream critics and the gatekeepers of more “legitimate” cinema. There’s an implied sense that the genre is somewhat different from respectable film-making – that it is low status, trashy and in some cases outright nasty.

    Only seven horror films have been nominated for best picture at the Oscars since the first ceremony in 1929. Two of those nominations were in the last decade, and there was widespread conversation about the bias against the genre after Toni Collette failed to receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 2018 film Hereditary.

    Even then, Collette’s excellent performance was in an auteur film released by indie studio A24. Far from the more conventional forms of horror that tend to be overlooked year on year by bodies recognising the year’s achievements in film-making. However, if we leap ahead to 2025 and look at the horror films that took the past year by storm – The Substance, Nosferatu, Terrifier 3 – all forms of the genre are represented.

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    The Substance and Nosferatu could both be described as “elevated horror”, a sub-genre that focuses on negative moods rather than explicit gore (although both films certainly get bloody, especially in The Substance’s monstrous climax).

    On the other end of the scale, Terrifier 3 is particularly brutal, aligning itself more with grindhouse and slasher films and celebrating the practical effects that bring violence to the big screen. In another era, there is no doubt that Terrifier 3 would have been a target of censors and the cultural critics over its depictions of violence, with brutal deaths and the murder of several children. But in 2025, it is celebrated by genre fans and an object of serious academic interest.

    The films were all successes. Both The Substance and Nosferatu received multiple nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards. Along with Alien: Romulus, the horror genre picked up ten nominations, its best performance since 1974.

    Nosferatu was nominated for several Academy Awards.

    Elsewhere, Terrifier 3 broke records as the highest-grossing unrated film (a movie not given a rating by film censors, normally because of offensive content) of all time. Terrifier 3 never seemed likely to receive an Oscar nomination, even despite its success and a sustained and entertaining marketing campaign. Nonetheless, both fans and industry figures alike have suggested that its practical make-up effects warranted recognition.

    So why is horror becoming more widely appreciated in the 21st century? The “elevated horror” dimension is certainly one factor, presenting works that align more with the conventions of art cinema, which is essentially easier to sell as legitimate.

    Alongside this, we have the political dimension. Horror films have always been political, representing the fears and marginal identities of a particular country and time period. But in an era characterised by increased instability, pandemics, wars and all manner of social crises, the need for the genre might be more prevalent than ever.

    The terrifying trailer for Terrifier 3.

    In light of the industry’s continuing struggle with declining cinema attendance numbers, horror remains one of the rare genres that consistently draws audiences to theatr. Although films like Terrifier 3 might be looked down on by the cinema establishment, it was event cinema and widely discussed in a way that few films in the past five years have managed to be.

    Audiences have always loved horror, and in a tough period for the cinema industry, the genre continues to prove financially stable and appealing to film-goers. That the gatekeepers of the industry are tentatively starting to recognise the genre is a new development, and although it remains to be seen whether this recognition will be sustained in future years, we’re in a moment when horror of all varieties is being praised like never before.

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

    – ref. Why Hollywood is finally taking horror films seriously – https://theconversation.com/why-hollywood-is-finally-taking-horror-films-seriously-253687

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Celebrity Traitors: my research shows voting behaviour could help identify faithfuls

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robin Kramer, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of Lincoln

    With the lineup of the upcoming celebrity series of The Traitors recently leaked online, people are once again debating the best strategies that players might use to succeed. But a player’s voting history can also reveal the psychological dynamics at play, particularly alliances they may be subconsciously forming.

    For those who aren’t familiar, the premise of the show is that each player is given the role of either “faithful” or “traitor”. Only the traitors know everyone’s roles in the game. If the faithful players eliminate all of the traitors by the end of the game, they divide the prize money equally among themselves. However, if one or more traitors remain by the end, all of the money goes to them instead.

    There are two ways for someone to be eliminated from the game. First, all of the players vote on who to “banish” at the round table each day. Second, the traitors decide on one person to “murder” overnight, who is then removed from the game before breakfast the following morning. There are also occasional tweaks to this format depending on the stage of the game.

    Ideally, faithful players would spot the lies that traitors tell. However, research shows that people don’t fare much better than chance at doing this, although certain individuals (who are often found to be working in law enforcement) or specialised groups, such as members of the US Secret Service, may be.



    Read more:
    Why we’re so bad at spotting lies – most of us only perform slightly better than chance

    Instead, players may base their decisions on unreliable biases. In a game where there’s so little to go on, they risk being blinded by the trustworthiness of a (fake) Welsh accent, for example, or drawing suspicions for simply being too quiet or too noisy. After all, there is a lot of behaviour that people often incorrectly link with deception. For instance, westerners commonly associate someone averting their gaze with lying but researchers have shown that looking away isn’t linked to deception.

    Spotting traitors is no easy task if you’re a faithful.
    Andrii Yalanskyi/Shutterstock

    Using voting behaviour as evidence

    Information from interactions with other players can be unreliable, but players also get to see how others vote at the round table. And this is where real evidence can be found.

    The faithful players have little to go on, so they end up voting for anyone – faithful and traitors alike. In contrast, traitors can direct their votes only at the faithful. If we combine these ideas, we see that traitors are more likely to be voted for by faithful players, even if this is by accident.

    The traitors don’t tend to vote for each other because they naturally form an alliance, working together to shape the game. Their secret meetings in Traitors’ Tower, shared uniform (a cloak and hood), and power to murder the faithful, construct a sense of “us versus them”. In fact, very little is needed for people to start behaving this way. Known as the minimal group paradigm, research has shown that simply segregating people based on their preference for certain artists or their eye colour is enough to change the way they behave towards each other.

    They may be happy to deceive the faithful, but the traitors are generally willing to trust each other. This mirrors a 2018 study where “deviant” study participants (who cheated on a task) felt connected to their team and trusted its members when the team engaged in coordinated acts of deviance (helping each other to cheat). Although they knew logically that their team shouldn’t be trusted, their sense of connection led to a feeling of trust nonetheless.

    Do voting records actually reveal players’ roles?

    Conveniently, all of the voting records for the show have been collated online. Let’s first exclude voting rounds which restrict the traitors’ options. During a round table which results in a traitor’s banishment, most players have voted for that traitor. There is good reason for other traitors to jump on the bandwagon at that point, to blend in and appear more faithful. Similarly, voting is limited after a tie, where the remaining options may force particular decisions.

    After excluding these two types of voting context, I investigated the votes for players who were traitors at the time of voting (rather than switching to this role later on) for the three series of the UK show. I also considered other completed series of English-language versions of the show: the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

    Altogether, 95% of the 76 votes for traitors were cast by faithful players. Remember Jake from series three earlier this year? As a faithful player, he voted for Linda right at the beginning of the game. When Linda was later revealed as a traitor, Jake’s abilities were championed by the other players, earning him the nickname “traitor hunter” and convincing them that he was faithful.

    So whenever a traitor is banished, players should consider who voted for that traitor in previous round tables – as we’ve seen, those votes probably came from the faithful. However, as the game progresses, there’s always the possibility that a faithful player could later be “seduced” into becoming a traitor, so it’s important to keep this in mind too.

    Players may not be able to rely on spotting “tells” or other cues to deception in the game, but there are always patterns in the ways people behave. You just need to know where to look.

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

    – ref. Celebrity Traitors: my research shows voting behaviour could help identify faithfuls – https://theconversation.com/celebrity-traitors-my-research-shows-voting-behaviour-could-help-identify-faithfuls-223229

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: What does the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling mean for trans men?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Alge, Senior Lecturer in Criminology & Criminal Justice, Brunel University of London

    Alex Segre/Shutterstock

    The UK Supreme Court ruling backing the “biological” definition of a woman has been hailed by many as providing clarity on the law. But far from the matter being settled, it has raised complex questions, particularly when we consider that half of all transgender people are trans men. It even raises the possibility of trans men being excluded from both men and women’s spaces.

    The court unanimously agreed that, regardless of any gender reassignment or possession of a gender recognition certificate (GRC) recognising them as female, transgender women should not be recognised as women for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. This means that access to single-sex spaces should be determined by biological gender assigned at birth.

    Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said it will “pursue” the NHS unless it changes its gender policies. The NHS policies currently state that transgender patients should be accommodated in accordance with their self-identified gender, based on appearance, name and pronouns.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    For many complex reasons, trans men generally feature far less in the public discourse around trans issues. Trans men are currently under-researched and rarely considered by the mainstream media or academic literature.

    The Supreme Court’s own summary of the case sets out the issue in terms of the definition of “woman”. But it is clear that the judgment applies equally to trans men as it finds that each of the terms “man”, “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to biological sex. The court concludes that any other definition would be “incoherent and unworkable”.

    The Office for National Statistics estimates there are roughly equal numbers (48,000) of trans men and trans women in England and Wales. This is supported by data from the US, which also shows roughly equal populations of trans men and trans women.

    Issues for trans men

    Those who support a biological definition of sex have framed their position as one which protects women’s rights and keeps women’s spaces safe by excluding men. By legal definition, that now includes trans women. However, it does not include trans men, who would have been born biologically female.

    This judgment means that trans men can be excluded from men’s single-sex spaces. But there may also be cases where they are excluded from women’s spaces too, despite being considered women under the ruling.

    The court found that it might be proportionate to exclude a trans man from a women’s single-sex service such as counselling for survivors of sexual abuse where “reasonable objection is taken to their presence … because the gender reassignment process has given them a masculine appearance…”.

    This statement highlights the flawed legal reasoning around trans men. In most circumstances they are to be treated as women, even if that creates absurdities in practical implementation. And yet, they can also be excluded from some women’s spaces if they appear too masculine. It could be argued that it is this decision which is “incoherent and unworkable”.

    The ruling could create more confusion over who can access single-sex spaces.
    Iryna_Kolesova/Shutterstock

    The Supreme Court decision repeatedly makes the point that “neither possession of a GRC [gender recognition certificate] nor the protected characteristic of gender reassignment require any physiological change or even any change in outward appearance”.

    However, in practice a GRC can’t be issued without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. It is very difficult for an individual to meet the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria without making changes to their appearance or pursuing medical transition.

    Testosterone treatment means that trans men may find it easier to “pass” (be perceived as the gender they identify with) than trans women. Testosterone generally causes facial hair to grow, and creates a more masculine physique and a deeper voice without the need for any additional procedures.

    There are no official statistics, but a 2022 report by the advocacy group TransActual found that around 90% of trans respondents have accessed hormone therapy or surgery, or hope to do so in the future.

    This likely means that a majority of the 48,000 estimated trans men in England and Wales are likely to present as masculine, and be perceived as cisgender men. This is where any implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling becomes complicated.

    Single-sex spaces

    The decision, subject to any future clarification, means that trans men are not permitted to enter men’s single-sex spaces such as men’s toilets, gym changing rooms or hospital wards. Instead, they should use the women’s single-sex spaces including communal changing areas, in accordance with their biological sex.

    The justices briefly considered this issue when they gave the example of an employer requiring that a warden in a women’s or girls’ hostel be female. Before this ruling, such a role would be open to a trans woman with a GRC, but not to a trans man with a GRC.

    The court stated that “a biological definition of sex would correct this perceived anomaly”. However, this means that the warden in the girls’ hostel can now be a trans man, who could well be indistinguishable from a cis man to the residents of the hostel.

    There is also the concern that both trans men and trans women will expose themselves to a greater risk of harassment, which has already increased considerably, if they are forced to out themselves by using facilities which don’t align with the gender they present as.

    Daniel Alge 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. What does the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling mean for trans men? – https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-uk-supreme-courts-gender-ruling-mean-for-trans-men-254868

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Consumer inflation eases in March

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has announced that headline consumer inflation decreased for the first time in five months due to lower fuel prices and softer tuition inflation.

    According to Stats SA, inflation was edging lower to 2.7% in March from 3.2% in February. 

    “The fuel index softened by 0.4% from February, taking the annual rate from -3.6% to -8.8%. A litre of 95-octane petrol (inland) was R22.34 in March, down from R24.45 a year before. The average price for diesel declined to R22.80 from R24.85 over the same period.

    “Education fees are surveyed once a year in March. The price index for education increased by 4.5%, lower than the 6.4% rise in 2024. School fees increased by 5.0% (from 6.6% in 2024). Tertiary education institutions charged 3.7% more in 2025, compared with the 5.9% rise recorded the year before,” Stats SA said on Wednesday.

    Food inflation slightly softer in March

    The annual rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) edged lower to 2.7% in March from 2.8% in February. 

    Vegetables, fruits and nuts, cereal products, meat and fish registered higher annual rates. 

    Lower rates were recorded for oils and fats; hot beverages; milk, other dairy products and eggs; cold beverages; and sugar, confectionery and desserts.

    “Inflation for cereal products accelerated to 4.3% in March from 3.9% in February. Maize meal remains a key driver in this category, with its annual rate accelerating to 13.1% from 10.6%. 

    “There is some good news, however. Monthly increases for maize meal have recently slowed, from 4.8% in January to 2.4% in February and 1.4% in March. Coffee and tea drinkers continue to feel pain. 

    “Although the annual rate for the hot beverages category declined slightly in March, it remains in double-digit territory at 14.4%. In fact, this category has witnessed double-digit inflation in all but 5 of the 32 months since August 2022,” Stats SA said.

    Instant coffee is 18.8% and black tea 12.8% more expensive than a year ago.

    Alcoholic beverages also added pressure, with prices rising on average by 2.1% between February and March. This took the annual rate to 4.7% from 4.1% in February. 

    Annual increases were recorded for wine (up 5.3%), beer (up 4.4%) and spirits and liqueurs (up 4.3%). – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA, Lesotho deepen bilateral cooperation at Bi-National Commission

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa and Lesotho are making strides in cooperation on water resource management. 

    The President was delivering opening remarks at the occasion of the second session of the Lesotho-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC). 

    He highlighted the Lesotho Highlands Water Project as a good example of how two friendly countries can collaborate to the benefit of its peoples. 

    “As neighbours, we have great scope to deepen bilateral cooperation in many areas while maintaining political and economic engagements with all countries. It is our hope that Phase 2 of this project is completed soon,” the President said. 

    President Ramaphosa commended Lesotho’s ongoing efforts to advance the political and constitutional reform agenda.

    He said the relationship between the two countries is characterised by cooperation, good neighbourliness and a mutually beneficial relationship. 

    “This BNC mechanism needs to ensure that the 45 agreements and legal instruments that have been signed are fully implemented. We assemble in this session at a time of new global challenges and uncertainties. 

    “These challenges are not insurmountable. Working together, we should identify opportunities for progress in this rapidly changing environment,” President Ramaphosa said. 

    President Ramaphosa called for South Africa and Lesotho to work together in electricity generation and align both countries’ just energy transition agendas and projects. 

    “Energy security is critical for our two countries. It will play a major role in driving our manufacturing industries, powering our cities, towns and villages and enabling us to adapt to the demands of the new global economy. 

    “We need to redouble our efforts to establish bilateral and regional value chains that are sustainable and economically viable,” he said. 

    The President emphasised that both countries are endowed with mineral resources and must and must prioritise local beneficiation to maximize value.

    He underscored the need to develop strategies within the jurisdictions for critical and rare minerals, which continue to attract global interest.

    Simultaneously, he highlighted the importance of diversifying both countries’ product offerings and service sectors to drive sustainable economic growth.

    In this regard, President Ramaphosa said the establishment of logistics hubs, agro-processing facilities and data centres to support the emerging digital industry, are some of the opportunities that South Africa and Lesotho should harness. 

    “Lesotho hosts many South African companies and we appreciate the conducive environment in which these corporate entities operate. Investments by Basotho companies in the South African economy need to be further promoted.

    “We need to work together to harmonise measures for the movement of our respective citizens across our borders,” the President said. 

    Touching on immigration cooperation, President Ramaphosa said this can be strengthened in a manner that is effective and secure. 

    He called for both countries to address cross-border criminal activities that undermine the harmonious co-existence that both countries and peoples enjoy. 

    “Our respective authorities should remain seized with the threats posed by global organised crime, which fuels illegal mining, drug and human trafficking, arms smuggling, wildlife destruction, illicit financial flows and money laundering,” he said. 

    Moving to education, President Ramaphosa said cooperation in education is fundamental to the two countries’ shared future. 

    “We should make it easy for young Basotho pupils, who live a stone’s throw away from schools on the South African side, to be able to go to school. While this needs to be properly managed, bureaucratic impediments should not prevent the development of these young minds. 

    “South African institutions of higher learning host many Basotho students, who provide the skills and capacity needed by the Kingdom of Lesotho,” the President said. 

    President Ramaphosa recalled that during the days of apartheid,  children of exiled activists and young adults attended schools and institutions of learning in Lesotho. 

    He added that many of South African leaders attended the National University of Lesotho, famously known as Roma. 

    “It is therefore only fitting and proper that we enhance cooperation in the field of education. As South Africa undertook its transition to democracy and was grappling with the process of constitution making and state building, Lesotho was there to support us.

    “Now, as the Kingdom of Lesotho makes progress in its institutional reforms, we stand ready to share our experiences in areas such as strengthening the constitutional architecture, security sector reform, judicial capacity building and other areas of institutional development,” the President said. 

    He added that the two countries’ common heritage and shared destiny require that “we be united in purpose and work towards the upliftment of our peoples.” 

    “Let us work together as peace-loving nations – within SADC (Southern African Development Community), the African Union and the United Nations – to pursue a just global order founded on multilateralism, human rights and respect for international law. 

    “Let us strive together to reform global institutions so that they are inclusive and advance the interests of the Global South,” he said. 

    As the two heads of state opened the Session, President Ramaphosa applauded the Ministers and Senior Officials for their hard work, focus and commitment in preparing the report of this Commission. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Imraan Valodia, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Climate, Sustainability and Inequality and Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand

    South Africa’s 2025-6 budget has been subjected to more comment than usual. This is due to the political tensions generated by a proposed increase in value added tax (VAT).

    South Africa’s choices on how it manages the revenue and expenditure issues in the budget are critical for how the larger issues of the country’s debt and its economic policies are handled. As things stand, the economy is locked into a low-growth trajectory which make the debt, revenue and expenditure issues more difficult to deal with.

    This piece draws on a longer article which explores these issues in greater detail. Here, I focus only on the VAT issue.

    The finance minister originally tabled an increase of 2 percentage points, then changed it to 0.5 percentage points. Still, it is threatening to end the country’s government of national unity, which was set up after elections in 2024.

    Read more: South Africa’s finance minister wanted to raise VAT: the pros and cons of a tricky tax

    Most commentators, including the political parties that have opposed the proposal, many academics, and non-governmental organisations claiming to represent low-income groups, have argued that an increase in VAT places an undue burden on low-income groups. This would make it regressive.

    Based on work as an academic economist over the past three decades, I believe that the debate has been based largely on conjecture and ideological opposition to VAT, rather than on the evidence of its impact.

    This is a pity as there is empirical evidence rooted in research that a VAT increase is, in fact, not regressive and is therefore a good policy decision.

    Tax experts usually refer to the three Es in taxes – equity, efficiency and ease of administration – for evaluating tax policy proposals. New taxes should ideally promote equity (they should be progressive and not regressive), be efficient and be easy to administer.

    An increase in VAT in South Africa ticks all these boxes.

    First, contrary to what many commentators have been arguing, VAT isn’t always regressive – it depends on how it’s implemented. As proposed by the finance minister it would not be regressive because, while it would add to the burden of low-income households, most of the VAT would be collected from higher-income households. Added to this is that the proposed expansion of the existing list of zero-rated items would protect the lowest-income households.

    Second, VAT is a very efficient tax. For relatively low increases in the rate, government is able to raise a large amount of revenue.

    Finally, the system is easy to administer and adds very little cost to collection.

    Key to its efficacy is the way VAT is implemented, including the choice of products to zero rate, and the political credibility of government.

    The case for a VAT increase

    VAT is a consumption tax, so it only affects the income that a household consumes.

    According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), VAT is now the mainstay of tax systems in over 160 countries, raising on average one-third of total government revenues.

    In theory, there are good reasons to be concerned about the impact of VAT. First, it can place a high burden on low-income households because they spend a large proportion of their incomes on consumption goods such as food.

    Second, VAT may also place a heavy burden of tax on women. In South Africa and many other countries, women-led households tend to be clustered in the lower end of the income distribution. And women disproportionately take responsibility for feeding and caring for family members.

    So, at least in theory, VAT is a regressive tax. But is it really so in practice?

    Three studies that have explored this issue in some detail have concluded that, in South Africa, VAT is not regressive.

    In 2008, I worked with colleagues in eight countries (South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, India and the United Kingdom) on the gender issues related to tax. In particular we looked at the burden of VAT on low-income and women-headed households.

    Our findings were that, in general, VAT is regressive and discriminates against women, but it depends on how it is implemented.

    In South Africa, the zero-rating of basic consumption goods is very effective, protecting low-income and female-headed households from VAT. It’s an example of a VAT system that is neutral – neither regressive nor progressive.

    A more recent study by South African economist Ingrid Woolard and colleagues reached a similar conclusion in 2018.

    A third study was done in the same year when VAT was increased from 14% to 15%. Following a similar emotive debate, the finance minister appointed an independent committee which I served on and which was chaired by Woolard, to advise on further zero-rating.

    Our conclusion – again – was that zero-rating is highly effective at protecting low-income groups from the deleterious effects of VAT.

    How it’s done matters

    The challenge with zero-rating is that while low-income households benefit, high-income households benefit more (because they spend more, in absolute terms, on zero-rated goods). Large amounts of potential VAT revenue are lost to high-income groups that don’t need protection.

    The trick is to find a basket of goods that low-income households consume a lot of, but which high-income households don’t consume in large quantities. Some typical examples are beans, canned pilchards and cabbage. These are all goods that low-income households consume and high-income households do not.

    National Treasury’s proposals for increasing the basket of goods to be zero-rated are based on solid research.

    A good example of the trade-offs to consider is the case of chicken. Chicken is an important source of protein for low-income households, but also for high-income households. So, if all chicken were zero-rated, this would protect poor households, but a large amount of VAT revenue would be lost.

    In our 2018 zero-rating report, at 2018 prices and consumption patterns, we calculated that zero-rating all chicken products would be equivalent to R1.3 billion (US$67.6 million) but government would lose R4.6 billion (US$244.4 million) to high income households.

    Not a good trade-off.

    However, some chicken products, such as chicken heads and feet, are mostly consumed by low-income groups, and are therefore good candidates for zero-rating.

    The two other Es – efficiency and ease of administration – of taxes are also key to consider.

    On these two considerations, VAT has big advantages.

    It’s very difficult to avoid or evade VAT because it’s collected along the chain of production. There’s evidence that South Africa has very little leakage in the system.

    So it is relatively easy to increase the VAT rate without needing to invest additional resources to collect the tax.

    Credibility is key

    Apart from the economic considerations, tax policy has to be politically credible. People should believe that their tax contributions are being used effectively, and government should be seen to be acting in line with this.

    If people don’t believe in government’s ability to spend wisely, resistance to taxes increases. Then tax avoidance and evasion increases.

    It would be fair to say that, with the high levels of corruption in South Africa’s political system, government’s credibility is low.

    Thus, if VAT is to be increased, government has to do a lot more to improve its credibility and reassure South Africans that the tax revenues will be well spent.

    – VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence
    – https://theconversation.com/vat-hikes-can-raise-tax-without-hurting-the-poor-an-economist-sets-out-the-evidence-254213

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 24, 2025
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