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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: England’s national curriculum is up for review – lessons from abroad show how it could work better for everyone

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mark Boylan, Professor of Education, Sheffield Hallam University

    arrowsmith2/Shutterstock

    A review of the English school curriculum is currently underway. The review’s recently released interim report makes clear that the current education system is not working well for all young people – in particular those with special educational needs and from more deprived backgrounds.

    However, the report does not recommend radical change. It proposes sticking with the curriculum approach brought in through reforms over the last decade or so under the previous Conservative government, but that these need to be built on to have a more inclusive approach.

    In 2014, there were significant changes in the national curriculum and to GCSE exams. These changes were branded a “knowledge-rich” curriculum, which meant more content to learn and a greater emphasis on memorising and final exams.

    Defenders of the changes, such as former schools minister Nick Gibb, say that the success of this curriculum is shown by improvements in England’s performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa). This is a global series of tests for 15-year-olds in maths, science and reading, taken in each country’s national language, that run usually every three years.

    In 2022, the most recent round of tests, England’s country rank was 14th for maths, 14th for science and 13th for reading out of 81 countries. This compares with 2009’s rankings of 28th for maths, 16th for science and 25th for reading.

    Understanding the stats

    The story is that Pisa tests dropped in the noughties due to a “skills-based curriculum” but have risen under a knowledge-rich curriculum. Pisa is important to this argument because the changes to national examinations in England mean GCSE exam results 20 years ago cannot be directly compared with GCSE results today. The curriculum review interim report notes that England’s results compare well internationally.

    However, this proof of the success of a knowledge-rich curriculum is not clear cut. To understand why, we need to look at the Pisa tests and how Pisa sampling works, the importance of not cherry-picking evidence, and what has really changed and not changed in the curriculum in England.

    Reading is one of the measures assessed by Pisa.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    To compare two people’s knowledge or how the knowledge of the same person changes over time, the same or equivalent tests need to be used. But the Pisa tests taken in 2022 are not the same as the ones taken previously. Each time Pisa tests are taken, some items from the last test are kept but other items are added. There are various ways that the OECD, who run Pisa, try to make sure that tests are equivalent, but changes do make a difference.

    What’s more, Pisa is not usually a test of everyone in a country. The government’s official research report on the 2022 Pisa results states that higher performing pupils were overrepresented and disadvantaged pupils underrepresented.

    Adjusting for the bias in the sample, the OECD estimated that the 2022 result might have been up to eight points lower. Still above the OECD national averages but very similar to 2009, and so hardly the resounding success claimed by some.

    All the evidence

    More generally, we need to be careful that evidence isn’t being cherry-picked – choosing the evidence that supports a case rather than all the evidence. Any success in Pisa 2022 for England appears to be due to success for those already doing well. The gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils in England is not closing. This backs up the headline goal of the curriculum review – to improve the curriculum so it works better for everyone.

    Regardless of pupil performance, the pupil survey done alongside the test contained some worrying findings. Pupils reported the second lowest levels of life satisfaction across OECD countries, and headteachers said that difficulties recruiting teachers are negatively affecting pupils.

    Pisa scores were not the main reason for changing the curriculum in 2014 in England. They were used to justify the changes. But the amount of change is overstated, and this also undermines the claims made for the success of the current curriculum and also the fear that any change would undermine England’s comparative success in tests like Pisa.

    It is a myth that the before the 2014 curriculum reforms, England had a skills-based national curriculum. With colleagues, I looked at skills in the curriculum in England in the past and now and found that generic life skills were hardly mentioned before the reforms. Looking at maths, the content of the curriculum hasn’t changed much at all.

    We also compared the current curriculum in England with other countries that do better than England in Pisa and are also seen as examples of knowledge-rich systems. These include Singapore, the world leader, and Estonia, who are top in Europe. What we found is that those countries’ Pisa success is based on a curriculum that works better for everyone.

    Part of that comes from including aspects of a skills-based approach. These curricula balance a focus on knowledge with inclusion of skills, particularly digital literacy. They pay attention to making sure school is a good basis for vocational education, working life and taking part in society, and not only for further academic study.

    Taking a closer look at Pisa outcomes and the differences between our curriculum and other countries’ backs up the central message of the curriculum review’s interim report. The English system works well for some but not well for everyone, and could do better as an education system. It also points to practical lessons from countries like Singapore and Estonia about how vocational education and skills can be valued without losing sight of the importance of knowledge.

    Mark Boylan currently receives funding for research from the Education Endowment Foundation and the Department for Education

    – ref. England’s national curriculum is up for review – lessons from abroad show how it could work better for everyone – https://theconversation.com/englands-national-curriculum-is-up-for-review-lessons-from-abroad-show-how-it-could-work-better-for-everyone-248509

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Britain has almost 1 million young people not in work or education – here’s what evidence shows can change that

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Peter Urwin, Director, Centre for Employment Research, University of Westminster

    amenic181/Shutterstock

    Keir Starmer says the current benefits system is unsustainable, unfair and needs changing to avoid a wasted generation of young people who are not in education, employment or training (Neet).

    The government is concerned about the rising number of young people aged 16 to 24 who are Neet, which in the quarter to December 2024 was estimated at 987,000 in the UK. This is 13.4% of all young people in this age group. The increase, from around 11% in the period prior to the start of the pandemic, is linked to long-term illness among the economically inactive.

    About 40% of young people who are Neet are unemployed (not in work but looking for work) and the other 60% are inactive (not looking for work). Over the period of the pandemic, the number of young people with a mental health issue who are inactive because of long-term sickness has risen sharply.

    This is clearly concerning, but it is not entirely new. The number of 16- to 34-year-olds with a mental health condition, who are economically inactive because of long-term sickness, increased from around 100,000 in 2013 to about 180,000 at the start of the pandemic. The figure is now over 250,000. This long-term trend is part of a wider increase in disability prevalence across the UK’s ageing population.

    When discussing young people specifically, social policy experts such as myself use the label Neet, because “inactivity” also includes those in education and just using the youth unemployment rate does not capture the scale of the challenge.

    Young people (and particularly lower-attaining young people) tend to become Neet when they make the transition from school to post-16 learning, and then from learning to work. But the lack of robust data on these transitions means we still don’t fully understand it.

    When looked at historically, the current economic inactivity rate across age groups is not actually very high. The Neet rate among young people is a longstanding challenge, but it seems most responsive to the economic cycle – falling in good times and rising in bad. For instance, Neet rates for 18- to 24-year-olds last peaked in the period after the 2008 financial crisis.

    What will help get young people into work?

    The welfare reforms announced recently are aimed at addressing some of these long-term issues, specifically: restrictions to personal independence payment (PiP) eligibility and proposals to prevent under-22s from qualifying for incapacity benefits, the health element within universal credit.

    Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, says these and other changes will save over £5 billion a year by the end of the decade. But this isn’t just about saving money. As the government has repeatedly said, it is also about getting young people into work.

    But trying to save both money and a generation seems a tall order. Can we do both?

    Reducing the level of benefits and limiting eligibility does save money and it will certainly force (rather than “help”) some people into work. But it is not an approach that will tackle the mental and physical health challenges this generation is facing.

    In discussion of “what works”, we cannot ignore the need to increase employment opportunities for those who are most at risk of becoming Neet. Ideally, this will come from improved economic growth driven by investment. This boosts productivity, creates new jobs and, importantly, drives up the quality of jobs and wages.

    However, UK productivity growth since the financial crisis has been weak, and when worse economic times come, we once again face the same challenge. Many young people, even if they are qualified to degree level, face barriers to progress. For instance, it is not easy to access many of the jobs that pay better wages, as they are in parts of the country where the cost of living is particularly high.

    Liz Kendall announces welfare reforms that will affect disability benefits and introduce more work support.
    House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-ND

    It’s positive to see that the government is also investing in mental health support as part if its reforms, and that it has highlighted a number of evidence-based interventions. On mental health, for example, there is strong evidence that relatively light touch cognitive behavioural therapy and NHS Talking Therapies can improve employment outcomes.

    The welfare reform package also contains £1 billion a year for employment support. Kendall suggests that this could be used for programmes such as Work Choice, a voluntary employment programme for people who have a disability that prevents them from working or puts them at risk of losing their job.

    There is compelling evidence that those who took part in this programme before the pandemic experienced increased employment rates by between 11 and 12 percentage points. We also know that even short entry-level training for very low-skilled unemployed young people can have significant impacts, increasing employment rates by five percentage points.

    The government’s programme for change is evidence-based and they are to be commended in recognising and beginning to tackle long-standing issues of Neet among young people. The announcements on welfare will help, but we still need to tackle the root causes of high Neet rates in the UK.

    Youth transitions need to be better managed by all agencies of government, especially for those who have mental health challenges. There also need to be better jobs available for young people who become disillusioned with the education system.

    Growing the economy, together with the package of measures announced, will go some way to help. But some support needs to start even earlier. Young people who do not perform well in school have few education or employment options – this is the real tragedy of lost generations.

    Peter Urwin has received funding from UK Research Councils, the Nuffield Foundation and government departments such as DWP and DfE to investigate the challenges that young people face in making the transition from education to employment.

    – ref. Britain has almost 1 million young people not in work or education – here’s what evidence shows can change that – https://theconversation.com/britain-has-almost-1-million-young-people-not-in-work-or-education-heres-what-evidence-shows-can-change-that-252222

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Update on Alert: Atherectomy Catheter System Issue from Bard Peripheral Vascular

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This communication is part of the Communications Pilot to Enhance the Medical Device Recall Program. This recall involves updating the Instructions for using these devices and does not involve removing them from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it without following the updated instructions. The affected products and recommendations for what to do with the devices below have not changed.
    Affected Product

    The FDA is aware that Bard Peripheral Vascular, a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), has issued a letter to affected customers providing updated instructions for use for Rotarex Atherectomy Systems (as shown in Figure 1)

    SET Rotarex Description
    UDI-DI
    Catalog Number
    Distribution

    6 F x 110 cm 
    (01)07640142811855
    80236 
    US Distribution

    6 F x 135 cm
    (01)07640142811862
    80237 
    US Distribution

    8 F x 85 cm
    (01)07640142811879
    80238 
    US Distribution

    8 F x 110 cm
    (01)07640142811886
    80239 
    US Distribution

    What to Do

    On February 5, 2025, BD sent all affected customers a Medical Device Correction letter recommending the following actions:

    Review the updated electronic Instructions for Use (eIFU) for Rotarex Atherectomy System, ZE10895 revision C1 09/24, in its entirety, which can be found on BD’s website.
    Review the updated online, on-demand training on the safe and effective use of the Rotarex Atherectomy System, reflecting the recent eIFU updates by registering on the BD Learning Academy Learning Management System. 
    Post BD’s “Urgent: Medical Device Correction” notice with the stored product as evidence of the updated eIFU.

    BD has identified that certain patient anatomical characteristics, including vessel size, angulation, tortuosity, degree of calcification, and procedural factors such as contralateral access, sheath kinking, lack of continuous blood flow, and catheter advancement related factors, could contribute to helix fracture and/or breakage events. BD is continuing to investigate what contributing factors exist that may have resulted in reported failure and/or breakage events. Updates to the Warnings section of the eIFU for US distributed Rotarex Atherectomy Systems include:

    Use a kink resistant, suitably reinforced sheath of the same size as the Rotarex™ Atherectomy Catheter, or 1 French size bigger. When choosing a contralateral approach this may also serve to facilitate a smooth transition across the aortic bifurcation.

    Do not use the device across a vessel bifurcation or curve that results in a curvature of the catheter shaft of

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot in education

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot in education

    Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant that frees up time for what matters most.

    Imagine reclaiming a whole day of your work week. That’s exactly what educators at St Francis College experienced during their Microsoft 365 Copilot trial, with participants reporting an average time savings of 9.3 hours weekly.

    This time savings is especially significant in a profession where burnout is all too common. As St Francis College Principal John Marinucci observed, Copilot transforms education by expediting those administrative tasks that often overwhelm educators. The result? Teachers have more energy and time to focus on what brought them to education in the first place—helping students learn and grow.

    Read the St Francis College story

    Your AI assistant for education

    Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is the AI chat experience you can use every day. It’s powered by broad knowledge from the web, built on the latest AI models, and designed to be safe and secure. Copilot Chat includes free, secure AI chat powered by GPT-4o, agents accessible right in the chat, and IT controls, including enterprise data protection and agent management. In addition, pay-as-you-go agents are available for Microsoft 365 education customers through Copilot Chat.

    Moving forward, educational institutions will have a mix of Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot. While Copilot Chat is an excellent starting point for integrating AI into your day-to-day workflow, Microsoft 365 Copilot offers all the features of Copilot Chat and additional capabilities to transform educational experiences. Integrated into the apps you use every day, Microsoft 365 Copilot combines the power of the latest AI models with your data—documents, presentations, emails, meetings, chats, and more—plus the web to deliver relevant responses with sources.

    Smart help across your apps

    Unlike other AI tools, Copilot works within your Microsoft 365 environment to provide contextually relevant assistance.

    • In Word, you can draft and refine documents—such as lesson plans and reports—in seconds that might otherwise take hours.
    • In PowerPoint, you can transform basic content into engaging visual presentations that are tailored to your needs.
    • In Excel, you can analyze data and identify patterns that inform instructional and policy decisions—without complex formula creation.
    • In Outlook, you can more easily manage communications by drafting clear messages and summarizing important information from lengthy email threads.
    • In Microsoft Teams, you can capture key points from meetings, organize action items, and help manage collaborative projects more efficiently.
    • Copilot Chat turns your organizational content into a rich database of information and insight, enabling you to collaborate with Copilot like a partner to perform tasks in a single interface.
    • Use agents to make Copilot your own. Easily build an agent right in Copilot Chat or SharePoint with agent builder and explore agents pre-built for you.
    Explore Microsoft 365 Copilot

    Copilot is your AI assistant that frees up time for what matters most and transforms education experiences, bringing opportunity to life through customization.

    Enhancing efficiency with Copilot

    Microsoft 365 Copilot helps you balance strategic vision with day-to-day operations. Copilot puts thousands of skills at your command and can reason over all your content and context to take on any task using natural language—freeing you to focus on what matters most.

    Data-driven decision making

    Educational leadership increasingly demands evidence-based approaches to resource allocation, program evaluation, and strategic planning. Copilot helps you analyze complex data sets, identify meaningful patterns, and communicate your findings effectively to various stakeholders.

    Try these prompts:

    • Analyze this attendance data spreadsheet and identify any concerning patterns or trends that might require intervention.
    • Summarize the key findings from our quarterly assessment data and suggest three to five focus areas based on the results.
    • Write a data-informed narrative for our school board presentation that explains our resource allocation decisions for next year.

    Streamlining admin tasks and communication

    Education leaders often manage extensive communications, creating and reviewing documentation, and coordinating across departments. By using Copilot to streamline these tasks, you can spend less time on paperwork and more time on the people-focused aspects of leadership.

    Read how USF streamlined workflows

    Try these prompts:

    • Create a template for our weekly staff communication that includes sections for celebrations, important dates, and professional development opportunities.
    • Help me organize this folder of policy documents by creating an executive summary of each document with key points highlighted.
    • Draft a grant proposal outline based on our school improvement goals and the requirements in this funding announcement.

    Preparing presentations

    School leaders need to process large amounts of data and present findings in clear, impactful ways to support decision-making. Copilot can transform how you analyze and communicate educational data, helping you create meaningful visualizations and distill complex information into actionable insights that drive improvement.

    Try these prompts:

    • Help me create a slide that clearly shows the relationship between our new reading program implementation and student achievement scores.
    • Build a presentation about our school’s new academic programs and initiatives for tonight’s Alumni Donor event.
    • Turn the insights I prepared in this Word document into an 8-10 slide presentation for the conference I’m attending next week.

    Classroom-ready prompts for Copilot Chat

    Copilot Chat helps you tackle time-consuming and repetitive tasks so you can focus on what matters most. View links to sources, generate images, summarize or analyze files, and more. Get started with Copilot Chat for free with this collection of prompts designed to help you save time by streamlining your daily tasks.

    Try Copilot Chat today

    Lesson planning and curriculum development

    Creating engaging, standards-aligned lesson plans often requires hours of preparation time. Copilot Chat can generate structured frameworks, differentiate existing content, and help align materials with curriculum standards—all while preserving your unique teaching approach and classroom needs.

    Try these prompts:

    • Create a 7th-grade science lesson plan on photosynthesis that includes a hands-on activity, digital resources, and assessment options aligned with NGSS standards.
    • Transform my lecture notes on algebraic equations into an interactive lesson with think-pair-share activities and real-world application problems.

    Assessments and rubrics

    Developing varied assessments that accurately measure understanding across different learning levels is challenging and time intensive. Copilot Chat helps you create diverse question types, design clear rubrics, and craft personalized feedback to support student success.

    Try these prompts:

    • Create a rubric for assessing a persuasive essay from 10th-grade students, with criteria for argument structure, evidence quality, and mechanics.
    • Draft three versions of constructive feedback for students who struggle with supporting their arguments with evidence in their history essays.

    Content personalization

    Educational research consistently shows that addressing different learning styles improves engagement and retention. Copilot Chat helps you transform existing materials to meet different learning needs.

    Try these prompts:

    • Convert this text explanation of the water cycle into a visual learning aid with minimal text for visual learners.
    • Adapt this worksheet on fractions to make it more accessible for students with dyslexia, including font and layout recommendations.

    Communication

    Clear, consistent communication with caregivers and colleagues is essential but often time-consuming. Copilot Chat helps you craft professional messages, summarize student progress, and prepare for conferences with organized, actionable information.

    Try these prompts:

    • Help me organize student data from this spreadsheet into a narrative format I can use during parent-teacher conferences, highlighting strengths and growth areas.
    • Create a template for weekly classroom updates that I can send to families, with sections for curriculum highlights, upcoming events, and celebration moments.

    Get started with Copilot

    When introducing Copilot to your institution, consider starting with a small pilot group of educators who can explore its capabilities and develop best practices before you move forward with wider implementation. This approach allows your organization to identify the most valuable use cases and identify training opportunities.

    To help you and your team build competency with AI and Copilot, check out these resources:

    Ready to explore how you can transform your workflows with a powerful AI assistant? Get started with Copilot today.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Thousands of satellites are due to burn up in the atmosphere every year – damaging the ozone layer and changing the climate

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Minkwan Kim, Associate Professor of Astronautics, University of Southampton

    The world’s first artificial satellite, the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 1, was launched in October 1957. Just three months later, it fell out of orbit. As Sputnik hit the upper atmosphere at incredible speed, the friction would have caused it to heat up and almost entirely burn off. Some small remnants of the satellite would have remained in the upper atmosphere, like smoke and ash after a fire: humankind’s first space debris.

    Seven decades on, scientists like us are only just beginning to piece together how this space debris might be damaging the ozone layer, the climate and even human health. We still don’t know how much of this debris the atmosphere can sustain before it causes significant environmental harm.

    Today, the number of objects in orbit has surged to over 28,000. More than 11,000 of these are active satellites, with most belonging to commercial “mega-constellations”: groups of satellites that work together to deliver internet access. Examples include Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Amazon’s Kuiper or China’s Guowang.

    Operators follow a 25-year rule: at this point, a satellite’s mission is deemed to have ended and it is lowered into the atmosphere where gravity and friction kicks in. While this helps clear space, it results in thousands of satellites burning up in the atmosphere each year.

    A new problem

    Until recently, the high-altitude destruction of satellites was not a concern. The amount of spacecraft debris was relatively small compared to debris from naturally occurring meteorites.

    But by 2030, the global satellite population is expected to exceed 60,000, and thousands of spacecraft will be re-entering the atmosphere and burning up each year. With each satellite weighing as much as a small car, it all adds up. We are conducting research on the problem, and our early estimates are that around 3,500 tonnes of aerosols will be added to the atmosphere each year by 2033.

    Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the air. They can play an important role in Earth’s climate, either cooling or warming it depending on their type and colour. Light-coloured particles generally reflect incoming sunlight and cause cooling, while darker particles, usually containing soot, absorb sunlight and make the atmosphere warmer.

    Some of these aerosols are particularly worrying. In 2023, US scientists discovered particles containing various metals, including aluminium and lithium, in the stratosphere. These particles originated from spacecraft and debris such as the disposable rocket boosters attached to them. When spacecraft burn up during re-entry, they release chemicals such as metal oxides and nitrogen oxides.

    The full composition of these emissions remains unclear. But key pollutants found in satellite debris are known to affect the atmosphere’s thermal balance, potentially driving global climate change.

    Aluminium oxide, for instance, could actually help cool the Earth by reflecting away sunlight. In fact, some geoengineering scientists have proposed injecting tiny particles of it into the stratosphere to keep global warming in check.

    It’s way too early to say exactly how much cooling this will cause. And we don’t know how messing with Earth’s energy balance like this might trigger unintended consequences including extreme weather.

    But we do know how the process works. And we know the amount of aluminium oxides from satellite re-entries is now approaching levels produced by meteorites – and will soon far exceed it. At a bare minimum, this is something we must track closely.

    Reopening the ozone hole?

    Aluminium oxide and other pollutants also act as catalysts in the breakdown of the ozone layer, a section of the stratosphere that shields the Earth from the Sun’s radiation.

    Rare ‘polar stratospheric clouds’, like these in Norway, are linked to ozone depletion. Satellite debris can cause these clouds to form more often.
    Romija / shutterstock

    In the 1970s and 1980s, the ozone layer was devastated by a group of chemicals known as CFCs that were widely used in fridges, spray cans and cleaning products. The 1987 Montreal protocol phased out CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances, and led to significant progress in reversing the damage.

    According to the World Economic Forum, the economic benefits of protecting the ozone layer add up to around US$2.2 trillion (£1.7 trillion) in total. To take one example, a thinner ozone layer increases exposure to harmful ultra-violet (UV) radiation, leading to a higher incidence of skin cancer and cataracts.

    The re-entry of satellites and space debris therefore may not only affect the Earth’s atmosphere but also pose serious risks to global climate and public health. More critically, unlike ground-based pollutants, pollutants from old spacecraft can persist in the upper atmosphere for decades or centuries, remaining undetected until their effects on ozone concentrations become evident.

    New solutions required

    History provides us with valuable lessons, allowing us to learn from past mistakes. Despite the success of the Montreal protocol, the ozone layer is not expected to fully recover until 2066, meaning it will take an 80-year effort to restore what was harmed in just a few decades.

    Nasa astronaut Don Pettit captured SpaceX Starlink satellites swarming like ‘cosmic fireflies’ in this time-lapse.

    The disaster of 21st-century climate change was set in motion when humankind began burning fossil fuels on a global scale in the mid-19th century. We are still working to resolve this problem by reducing carbon emissions. We must not add further environmental damage through satellite debris accumulating at the edge of Earth’s atmosphere.

    There’s no simple solution, however. If we want the benefits of worldwide networks of satellites then we really do have to let them burn off in the atmosphere. It’s the only cost-effective disposal method at present.

    For now, the space industry’s contribution to ozone depletion and climate change is relatively small. But, as space activity continues to grow exponentially, we cannot afford to overlook the consequences of satellite debris.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Minkwan Kim receives funding from the UK Space Agency (UK Space Agency Contract No: UKSAG23A_00100), which is entitled as “Beyond the Burning: Researching and Implementing Policy Solutions for Sustainable Debris Ablation”

    Ian Williams receives funding from EPSRC and AHRC.

    – ref. Thousands of satellites are due to burn up in the atmosphere every year – damaging the ozone layer and changing the climate – https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-satellites-are-due-to-burn-up-in-the-atmosphere-every-year-damaging-the-ozone-layer-and-changing-the-climate-251845

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can books be bad for you? Only if you’re a ‘bad reader’ like Don Quixote

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karen Attar, Research Fellow in Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    An illustration from an edition of Don Quixote where the eponymous protagonist goes mad from reading. Wikimedia, CC BY

    Books as a backdrop in a portrait or an interview lend gravitas. They stand for literacy, for education, for a way to open the mind, develop the imagination and get on in life. But not all books are considered to convey such benefits.

    Opinions about which books are worthy and which are not have dogged fiction. Which are frivolous nonsense, sure to pollute the mind, and which are worthy intellectual pursuits? Also, are there books which are just too dangerous to read?

    Is Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye sure to influence unwanted behaviour? Are there those who can read a book like Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince and not see it as real advice of how any immoral act is justified if they lead to power and glory?

    In short, are there bad books, or are there just bad readers?

    The theme of bad books versus bad readers runs through my recent publication Books, Reading and Libraries in Fiction, which I wrote with Institute of English Studies Reader Andrew Nash. It starts with Don Quixote (1605), which is considered the first modern novel in Europe and an enduring classic of world literature.

    By the beginning of the 17th century, medieval chivalric romances about knights riding around the countryside seeking adventures and saving damsels in distress were distinctly old-fashioned. Don Quixote did not realise that. He spent all his time reading such romances, neglecting all other duties, to the extent that he went mad.

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    Believing the stories implicitly, he set off in search of knightly adventures. Don Quixote is the quintessential bad reader who takes fiction literally and who focuses on the activity of fighting instead of the metaphorical value of striving for good against evil. It’s the uncritical way children may read, but not the way we expect adults to.

    It is because he was a man that Don Quixote had the purchasing power to surround himself with books (there were no public libraries in those days) and travel around. So, it has more often been women who have typically been portrayed as poor readers, over-identifying with the heroines of novels, reading books that are bad for them, or reading when they should be doing something else.

    The Female Quixote, a little-known novel by Charlotte Lennox (1752), draws consciously on Don Quixote as heroine Arabella expects life to reflect the French novels she has read. At the end a doctor must explain to her the difference between fiction and reality. The reader of The Female Quixote is expected to have a lot more sense and distance than the reader within the novel. They are supposed to learn from Arabella’s silliness.

    Jane Austen, who we know loved reading novels, has most to say about relegating fiction to its place. She does it famously in a gentle, high-spirited way through her heroine in Northanger Abbey (1817), Catherine Morland. This young woman gorges on sensational gothic romances and this fiction starts to seep into her perception of reality.

    On one particularly stormy gothic night in a strange country house, she finds a roll of paper in a drawer. “What is it?” she thinks. Her candle goes out and she tosses and turns until early morning, her imagination leading her to terrifying conclusions. In the cold light of morning, she discovers that the paper is only an old laundry bill.

    The worst case of “bad reading” in our book occurred in a 1855 novella Faust by Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev. The story deals with a young woman whose mother had banned the reading of fiction. The young male narrator introduces her to the first part of Goethe’s drama Faust. Overwhelmed by the emotions it arouses, unequipped to deal with them from any former contact with imaginative literature, the heroine falls ill and dies.

    Like her fictitious predecessors, she over-identifies with fiction. In her case she suffers because, had she read fiction when she was younger, she would have been more robust now. Typically in fiction of the past, fortunate women had wise men to guide them and their reading. Vera in Turgenev’s tale is rather unfortunate in her guide’s lack of discrimination.

    Does it mean that Faust, considered by many the pinnacle of German literature, is a “bad” book? No. Neither are gothic romances. We know from her letters that Jane Austen devoured novels, and that she liked Ann Radcliffe, one of the most prominent Gothic writers. Also, medieval chivalric romances can be inspiring.

    The challenge for characters in fiction, as for us, is to read with distance and discernment. It helps to start young, unlike Turgenev’s Vera. We must read to understand and follow worthy principles, rather than blindly imitating the behaviour of characters in novels. But most of all, we must read all sorts of fiction. And then we shall be reading thoughtfully, wisely and well.

    Karen Attar 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. Can books be bad for you? Only if you’re a ‘bad reader’ like Don Quixote – https://theconversation.com/can-books-be-bad-for-you-only-if-youre-a-bad-reader-like-don-quixote-252428

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The animal alliances reshaping our understanding of intelligence

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alexandra Schnell, Research Fellow in Comparative Psychology, University of Cambridge

    Cleaner wrasse form unlikely alliances with other fish Azrael3141/Shutterstock

    In nature, interactions between species are often framed in terms of survival — those that hunt and those that are hunted. But research is showing some animals form surprising partnerships, reshaping scientists’ ideas about how intelligence evolves in the animal kingdom.

    Take Octavia and Finn, a striking duo hunting along a coral reef. I observed this pair while exploring a research site on the Great Barrier Reef as part of a project to understand complex behaviour in the wild. Octavia moves with fluid grace, slipping between the rocks, while Finn zips through the water with bursts of speed. They work as a team. Each of them brings a unique skill to the hunt – Octavia with her dexterity, Finn with his quick strikes. Octavia is a day octopus, and Finn is a coral trout.

    This kind of collaboration isn’t unique to the ocean — on land, other species have also developed remarkable partnerships. Take, for instance, the relationship between the greater honeyguide bird (Indicator indicator) and humans. Honeyguides call and flutter to lead humans to bee nests. Once the humans harvest the honey, the bird swoops in for the leftovers, beeswax and larvae – a treat that it couldn’t easily access without help. The two species engage in a kind of cross-species conversation, each relying on the other’s skills.

    Other collaborations show how different species can use trust and deception to their advantage. The fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) acts as a sentinel for meerkats (Suricata suricatta), issuing alarm calls to warn them of approaching predators. Drongos sometimes give false alarms, sending meerkats scattering so the bird can steal their abandoned food. Even so, the relationship is beneficial for both parties: meerkats gain an extra set of eyes, while the drongo secures an occasional meal.

    In the underwater world, similar dynamics are at play. Cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) remove parasites from the bodies of larger “client” fish, such as groupers and manta rays. Client fish will congregate at underwater “cleaning stations”, often atop coral heads, and will even queue up for their turn. But these partnerships aren’t always fair. Sometimes, cleaner wrasse sneak a nibble of their client’s protective mucus instead. When this happens, the client fish can cut the interaction short and leave. This disruption suggests that these relationships involve strategic decision-making.

    Perhaps the most captivating example of marine collaboration happens between octopuses and fish. Initially, scientists assumed fish took advantage of octopuses, snatching prey they flushed out. But thanks to advances in tracking technology, a richer, more cooperative dynamic is emerging. Combining data from two cameras allows researchers to study highly accurate movement patterns. One of my collaborators applied this method to study the octopus-fish partnership, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution in 2024.

    The day octopus keeps its partner in line.
    Shpatak/Shutterstock

    The day octopus (Octopus cyanea) collaborates with fish such as coral trout (Plectropomus spp.) and goatfish (Parupeneus spp.) during hunts. The 2024 study found these fish don’t just follow the octopus, they participate in the hunt. Scientists have even observed octopuses “punching” fish that aren’t pulling their weight. Fish like the coral trout produce signals by using their bodies. They perform a “head-stand”, tipping their heads downward and hovering above crevices to indicate hidden prey. This prompts the octopus to flush it out with its dexterous arms. Although octopuses are solitary animals, these brief partnerships reveal a degree of social sophistication.

    A blend of ecological and cognitive factors probably underpins these partnerships. Dietary overlap plays a crucial role, as partnerships are more likely to form when animals of different species feed on similar prey.

    Cognitive abilities are equally important. For these partnerships to work, both species must recognise each other as reliable partners. Octopuses demonstrate behavioural flexibility, adapting their tactics in real time, based on their partner’s actions. Fish show self-control by holding back until the octopus has flushed prey from hiding.

    Habitat complexity also shapes the partnership. Coral reefs, with their maze of crevices, make hunting alone difficult). Timing may also help make these partnerships work. Since both species are active during the day they can capitalise on daylight to communicate using visual signals.

    Rethinking animal intelligence

    It remains unclear whether octopuses truly understand the meaning behind their partner fish signals or follow them instinctively. But either way the interaction hints at a surprising level of cognitive sophistication. Research in animal cognition suggests that behaviour such as perspective-taking – (understanding that others may have different views) and theory of mind (the ability to attribute thoughts, beliefs, or intentions to others) – could be involved in referential signals.

    These abilities are typically seen in social animals (such as chimpanzees, crows, or jays) that live in groups or among family members, where understanding one another’s intentions can offer a real survival advantage. Animal alliances are challenging the traditional view in research that intelligence and social skills develop solely through interactions within the same species.

    This idea broadens the way in which scientists think about social intelligence, showing that the capacity to collaborate can arise wherever there’s something to be gained from working together. A project funded by the National Geographic Society through the Meridian Grant Program aims to push these ideas further. A team of behavioural ecologists, comparative psychologists (including myself), robotics researchers, and underwater storytellers are developing a robotic fish to interact with day octopuses. By controlling one partner in the interaction, we can test responses and decode the signals exchanged between octopuses and their fish collaborators.

    Just like the octopus and fish, this project is a reminder that some tasks can only be achieved through collaboration. No single species, or team, can do it alone.

    Alexandra Schnell receives funding from the National Geographic Society.

    – ref. The animal alliances reshaping our understanding of intelligence – https://theconversation.com/the-animal-alliances-reshaping-our-understanding-of-intelligence-251301

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Glastonbury is as popular than ever, but complaints about the lineup reveal its generational challenge

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adrian York, Senior Lecturer in Commercial Music Performance, University of Westminster

    Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock since 1970 you will be aware of the five-day Glastonbury festival held every June (apart from “fallow” years to rest the land and the organisers), near Pilton in Somerset. Glastonbury is as much a pillar of the English summer as tennis at Wimbledon or opera at Glyndebourne.

    It’s a white, middle-class rite of passage and an easy win for people wishing peer approval and the cultural capital that comes with the price of a ticket. It’s expensive and exclusive and the booking policy reflects its audience.

    This year’s headliners include indie pop-rock darlings The 1975, angry girl supreme Olivia Rodrigo, old-school superstar Neil Young with his band the Chrome Hearts, with family favourite Rod Stewart filling the Sunday teatime “legend” slot.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Other acts filling the 100-plus stages include Brat popster Charli XCX, English hip-hopper Loyle Carner, original bad boys The Prodigy (without original frontman Keith Flint, RIP) plus Raye, Doechii, Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, and old pros Alanis Morissette, En Vogue and Gary Numan.

    With tickets costing £378.50 for Glastonbury 2025, are the 210,000 attendees getting value for money?

    A Reddit thread titled “Glastonbury 2025 lineup, thoughts?”, gives a flavour of some commonly aired opinions. Disappointed customer praf973 “tried to get tickets but was unsuccessful. I’m not bitter, but the line up isn’t really looking that great.” Another commenter, Whilst-I-was-forced, declared: “Nothing to get excited about. It’s gone too commercial and sterile.”

    Ok_Handle_3530 gave a different perspective: “This line-up looks … great, people are too hard to please.” ShankSpencer opined, “There are no good line-ups any more. No one young listens to bands any more, so there are no headline acts.”

    The exceptionally popular festival sold out in 35 minutes this year even before the artists had been announced, raising the question: has Glastonbury become a victim of its own success?

    Last year there were issues with overcrowding at some of the smaller stages creating issues for fans wanting to see acts such as the Sugababes. Some sets were even being stopped early because of crowd surges.

    But what’s really behind these complaints about the lineup and are they justified? There’s been a changing of the guard as the veteran generation of performers from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s step back from performing because they have retired, are too ill or have died.

    There doesn’t seem to be enough credible stadium acts from the 1990s onwards to fill their shoes, leading to a lack of enthusiasm for the current offerings. The new generation of acts have an opportunity to impress, but many of them don’t have the volume of hits that legacy acts such as Elton John or Paul McCartney provide – nor the cross-generational appeal.

    There is also a growing sense that the cultural importance of the rock band is fading. Gen Z has far more in the way of distractions than previous generations with myriad forms of social media and digital entertainment. With so much competition for their attention, the tribal allegiances that bands used to command may feel dated and irrelevant to many younger people.

    On their single Guys, one of this year’s headliners, The 1975 trill: “The moment that we started a band was the best thing that ever happened.” Perhaps lead singer Matty Healy’s love affair with the mythology of rock’n’roll is no longer widely shared.

    Glastonbury has also been criticised for a lack of diversity. Clubbing magazine Mixmag made the point that in 2023, “the number of male acts playing this year’s Glastonbury Festival is nearly double that of female acts”.

    Similarly, the festival’s lineup and audience are predominantly white and fail to adequately reflect the British music industry. Though there have been a few black bands and artists headlining over the years, it wasn’t until 2019 that the first solo black British performer headlined on the Pyramid stage, with an unforgettable set from London rapper Stormzy in a black Union Jack stab vest designed by Banksy.

    For Glastonbury to move with the times, a more diverse booking policy is needed to widen the audience demographic and the festival’s appeal. Despite having enjoyed the event, mixed-heritage music journalist and academic Jenessa Williams noted: “I was still left with the feeling that certain punters saw black artists as a mockable novelty, a by-product to tolerate rather than truly a piece of the event’s heart and soul.”

    And then there’s the issue of cost. According to a 2024 report, two-thirds of UK adults feel that music festivals are becoming too expensive. Popular music artists have had to pivot towards live events for income generation because of the poor returns from streaming compared to selling albums.

    So are major tours and larger festivals such as Glastonbury sucking revenue out of the music economy? Research shows that while big high-profile event tours are making millions, at the other end of the spectrum grassroots venues – where new talent is incubated – are buckling under a lack of support and the prohibitive costs of running their operations.

    Glastonbury won’t be making an appearance in 2026, the next fallow year for rest and recovery. This will create an opportunity for organiser Emily Eavis to reflect on some of the more problematical issues the festival faces, from diversity in the audience and artists, to the sustainability of the talent pipeline.

    Maybe the last word should go to American rapper Azealia Banks commenting on this year’s festival lineup: “Glastonbury is kinda cooked.”

    Adrian York 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. Glastonbury is as popular than ever, but complaints about the lineup reveal its generational challenge – https://theconversation.com/glastonbury-is-as-popular-than-ever-but-complaints-about-the-lineup-reveal-its-generational-challenge-252588

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Baldwin, Welch Announce Forum on Devastating Trump Cuts at NIH Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that on Wednesday, March 26, at 2:30pm EST they will host a forum: “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases.” The forum will highlight how President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s gutting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will have generational impacts on finding cures and treatments for serious illnesses that impact millions of Americans each year. The panel will feature former NIH leadership, impacted researchers, and patients of NIH clinical studies. From slashing funding that supports research and clinical trials at universities and research institutions, to cutting funding for Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and for a nationwide diabetes study, to gutting the workforce at the NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is actively putting cures and treatments for Americans out of reach.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk aren’t just gutting research, they are putting cures and treatments further out of reach for Americans, all to rig the system and pay for tax cuts for their rich friends. We cannot get back the time we are losing for Americans who are holding out hope that their loved one has a fighting chance at getting better,” said Senator Baldwin. “We’re bringing together patients and researchers to show this administration who is impacted by their reckless cuts. Their actions rob patients of a cure, families of hope, and our nation of its competitive edge when it comes to pioneering breakthroughs that have the potential to cure cancer, slow Alzheimer’s disease, and actually make Americans healthier every day.”
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the National Institutes of Health’s medical research and staff is reckless, illegal, and above all—cruel. Secretary Kennedy, President Trump, and Elon Musk have made it clear they have no interest in advancing cures for the diseases that impact millions of Americans and people globally; they only care about passing on a tax break for their billionaire friends. I’m proud to partner with my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin to reveal in a concrete way the damage this Administration has already done for the physical and economic health of our communities,” said Senator Welch.
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.
    Stopping Funding for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process.
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation.
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Welch Announce Forum on Devastating Trump Cuts at NIH Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases” will spotlight patients, universities, and researchers impacted by cuts
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that on Wednesday, March 26, at 2:30pm EST they will host a forum: “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases.” The forum will highlight how President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s gutting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will have generational impacts on finding cures and treatments for serious illnesses that impact millions of Americans each year. The panel will feature former NIH leadership, impacted researchers, and patients of NIH clinical studies. From slashing funding that supports research and clinical trials at universities and research institutions, to cutting funding for Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and for a nationwide diabetes study, to gutting the workforce at the NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is actively putting cures and treatments for Americans out of reach.
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the National Institutes of Health’s medical research and staff is reckless, illegal, and above all—cruel. Secretary Kennedy, President Trump, and Elon Musk have made it clear they have no interest in advancing cures for the diseases that impact millions of Americans and people globally; they only care about passing on a tax break for their billionaire friends. I’m proud to partner with my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin to reveal in a concrete way the damage this Administration has already done for the physical and economic health of our communities,” said Senator Welch.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk aren’t just gutting research, they are putting cures and treatments further out of reach for Americans, all to rig the system and pay for tax cuts for their rich friends. We cannot get back the time we are losing for Americans who are holding out hope that their loved one has a fighting chance at getting better,” said Senator Baldwin. “We’re bringing together patients and researchers to show this administration who is impacted by their reckless cuts. Their actions rob patients of a cure, families of hope, and our nation of its competitive edge when it comes to pioneering breakthroughs that have the potential to cure cancer, slow Alzheimer’s disease, and actually make Americans healthier every day.”
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.
    Stopping Funding for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process.
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation.
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Push to Protect Students from Bullying and Harassment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    March 19, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in introducing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, legislation that would provide protections against bullying and harassment in schools, especially for vulnerable students.

    “Every student deserves a school environment where they feel safe, welcomed, and supported, without fear of bullying or harassment,” said Merkley. “The Safe Schools Improvement Act takes steps to ensure schools implement strong, evidence-based policies to prevent and address bullying, especially for marginalized students who face harassment at alarming rates. This legislation will help create safe and secure learning environments where every student can thrive.”

    “Ensuring our children have a safe place to learn should not be a partisan issue,” said Wyden. “Implementing policies grounded in research that would address every stage of bullying—from prevention to problem-solving—will foster positive learning environments for everyone, with the added benefit of teaching children how to treat others. That adds up to an A+ in my book.”  

    The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require states to direct schools to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, and religion. States that receive federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) would be required to ensure that local education agencies (LEAs) adopt evidence-based practices to prevent and effectively respond to bullying and harassment.

    While there are federal laws on the books that deal with school safety, the Safe Schools Improvement Act would specifically address bullying and harassment. One out of every five K–12 students face bullying or harassment in school—demonstrably harming academic performance, attendance, and graduation rates. Students from marginalized communities face even higher rates of bullying and harassment. Of students who face bullying, one in four are bullied based on their identity, including race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender expression. 

    This legislation was led by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and?cosponsored by Senators Merkley, Wyden, Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). 

    Bill text can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    March 20, 2025

    Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led the Oregon delegation – including U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) – in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing concern about the Trump Administration’s decision to fire dozens of workers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST provides guidance, training, and assistance to American manufacturers to help them grow and stay competitive on the global stage.

    “We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress,” wrote the members.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs in a wide variety of industries, including wood products, aerospace components, and microelectronics. NIST-supported programs like the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) help drive innovation and deliver critical resources that local businesses need to succeed. In their letter, the members stress how mass layoffs will undermine NIST’s work and jeopardize manufacturing in Oregon and across America.

    “President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it,” the lawmakers continued.

    “That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.”

    Read the full letter below or click here.

    The Honorable Howard Lutnick

    Secretary of Commerce

    U.S. Department of Commerce

    1401 Constitution Avenue N.W.

    Washington, D.C. 20230

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs. These represent a wide variety of industries, producing everything from innovative wood products to aerospace components, to the microelectronics development and manufacturing at the heart of Oregon’s Silicon Forest. NIST is responsible for implementing some of our nation’s most effective and cost-efficient programs to help these manufacturers succeed:

    • Across the United States, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) leveraged just $175 million in federal investment to deliver more than $5 billion in new investments and over 108,000 jobs created or retained in fiscal year 2024. In Oregon, the return was even greater. Just $2.2. million in federal funding led to $165.6 million in private investments – a remarkable $75 of economic output for every dollar of taxpayer support.
    • The CHIPS Program Office is responsible for stewarding over $2 billion of public investment in Oregon companies, which is catalyzing tens of billions of dollars of corporate investment in Oregon’s high-tech economy – while ensuring America’s self-sufficiency in this critical technology.
    • ManufacturingUSA fosters collaboration between industry and researchers to develop and deploy next-generation manufacturing methods and technologies. These partnerships support and benefit from partnerships with Oregon businesses and universities.
      • Examples include Oregon State University’s contributions to the RAPID institute, semiconductor companies like Analog Devices and Microchip working with PowerAmerica to accelerate the adoption of advanced semiconductors, and businesses such as Twist Bioscience partnering with BioMADE to enable the expansion of bioindustrial manufacturing.

    All these activities build on NIST’s core measurement science and standards work that provides tools manufacturers rely on every day. Mass layoffs at the agency will undermine the work NIST has carried out over years to ensure American businesses have the tools they need to compete on the world stage.

    President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it. During his inaugural address, he asserted that “America will be a manufacturing nation once again” and you recently echoed the President’s rhetoric, telling reporters that “We want factory production in America. We want employment to blossom in America. We’re going to bring factories back to America.”

    We agree.

    That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.

    We are seriously worried that any attacks on NIST will undermine its capacity to support Oregon’s manufacturers and request that you respond to the following inquiries no later that March 31, 2025:

    1. How many NIST employees accepted the “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer, including those who departed the agency [at that time] without having signed the paperwork required by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? Please provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    2. Recent reports indicate over 70 probationary employees were terminated. Please confirm the accuracy of this reporting and provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    3. CHIPS Incentives awards rely on complex contracts to ensure that industry partners successfully and responsibly invest taxpayer dollars. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not impede the CHIPS Program Office’s ability to conduct robust oversight of and effective support for these awards, including in Oregon?
    4. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not limit the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program’s capacity to offer services to small- and medium-sized domestic manufacturers, including in Oregon?
    5. NIST has decades of experience serving as a trusted partner to industry, providing some of the United States’ strongest tools to support and expand domestic manufacturing. How do you plan to leverage this experience to achieve your stated goal of bring manufacturing jobs back to America, including in our home state of Oregon?

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free sporting fun at Community Stadium this weekend

    Source: City of York

    York will kick off a summer of rugby with a range of fun, free activities on Sunday (23 March) at the York Community Stadium.

    Over the summer months, six of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 matches will take place in York. The opening game of the tournament will take place between England and USA on Friday 22 August at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. To celebrate hosting the games in York, this weekend the stadium will be holding a series of fun, free activities to help people get involved in rugby.

    Ahead of the sold out England vs Italy Women’s Six Nations game on Sunday in York, the York Community Stadium will be hosting a wide range of activities from 12.00-2.00pm, with both match goers and non-match goers alike welcome to try their hand at rugby and join the fun.

    There’ll be something for everyone no matter what your age or ability. Why not tackle walking rugby or T1 Rugby, a fun fitness session with a rugby twist, children’s kick run and pass activities or get inspired by rugby skills demonstrations from local rugby clubs.

    Cllr Pete Kilbane, Executive Member for Leisure and Culture at City of York Council, said: 

    Even if you’ve never thrown a rugby ball in your life, the activities this weekend will be a fantastic opportunity for anyone, of any age, to find out more about rugby: come and meet local clubs and learn how to get involved, enjoy the social side of the sport – and get fitter!

    “We are thrilled to be hosting the Women’s Six Nations game this weekend and supporting the Women’s Rugby World Cup later this summer, showcasing the incredible talent and skill of these world-class athletes. This event marks the start of our season of sport, showcasing York’s fantastic Community Stadium and the city’s love of sport, from grassroots through to professional and international level competition”.    

    The activities are being organised by City of York Council, the RFU, White Rose Rugby, York RUFC Women, York RI Women, North Yorkshire Sport, University of York Women’s Rugby and the Rugby Activator from the University of York.

    The event is open to anyone interested. To take part, simply turn up at the York Leisure Centre, Kathryn Avenue, Monks Cross Dr, Huntington, York YO32 9AF between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Sunday 23 March at the 3G pitches, with no need to book.

    Anyone interested in watching any of the Women’s Rugby World Cup games can find more information and buy tickets online.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces Agenda, Panelists for Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the agenda and panelists for the March 27 roundtable on artificial intelligence in the financial industry.  

    “I look forward to hearing from the panelists on how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can both improve the cost-effectiveness of the Commission’s regulations and provide additional value to market participants,” said SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda. “I encourage members of the public to provide data and other evidence on how artificial intelligence can be used to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.”

    The roundtable, announced in February, will be held at the SEC’s headquarters at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. from 9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. The event will be open to the public and webcast live on the SEC’s website. Doors will open at 8:00 a.m.

    For online attendance, no registration is necessary. A link to watch the event will be available on March 27 on www.sec.gov. Please register for in-person attendance.

    More information, including how to submit feedback on artificial intelligence in the financial industry, is available on the SEC Artificial Intelligence Roundtable’s event page.

    Agenda

    8:00 am

    Doors Open

    9:00 am – 9:30 am

    Opening Remarks from Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda, Commissioner Hester Peirce, and Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw

    9:30 am – 10:45 am

    Panel: The Benefits, Costs, and Uses of AI in the Financial Industry

    Moderator:  Rob Hegarty, Division of Trading and Markets

    Panelists:

    • Mike Kelly, Head of Strategic AI Governance and Enablement, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
    • Gregg Berman, Director of Market Analytics and Regulatory Structure, Citadel Securities
    • Douglas Hamilton, Head of AI Engineering and Research, Nasdaq
    • Hillary Allen, Professor of Law, American University, Washington College of Law
    • Daniel Pateiro, Managing Director, Office of Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Initiatives/Artificial Intelligence, BlackRock

    10:45 am – 11:00 am

    Break

    11:00 am – 12:15 pm

    Panel: Fraud, Authentication, and Cybersecurity

    Moderator:  Alexis Hall, Division of Examinations

    Panelists:

    • Brad Ahrens, Senior Vice President of Advanced Analytics, FINRA
    • Michael Wellman, Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Michigan
    • Kristen McCooey, Chief Information Security Officer, Edward Jones
    • Alexander Leblang, Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection, Department of Treasury

    12:15 pm – 1:15 pm

    Lunch

    1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

    Panel: AI Governance and Risk Management

    Moderator:  Valerie Szczepanik, Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology

    Panelists:

    • Jeff McMillan, Head of Firmwide Artificial Intelligence, Morgan Stanley
    • Johnna Powell, Managing Director and Head of Technology, Research and Innovation, The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation
    • Ryan Swann, Chief Data Analytics Officer, The Vanguard Group, Inc.
    • Scott Mullins, Managing Director, Worldwide Financial Services Industry, Amazon Web Services
    • Conan French, Director of Digital Finance, Institute of International Finance

    2:30 pm – 2:45 pm

    Break

    2:45 pm – 4:00 pm

    Panel: What’s Next/Future Trends

    Moderator: Marco Enriquez, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis

    Panelists:

    • Hardeep Walia, Managing Director, Head of AI & Personalization, Charles Schwab
    • Tyler Derr, Chief Technology and Product Officer, Broadridge
    • Peter Slattery, MIT FutureTech
    • Sarah Hammer, Executive Director, Wharton School; Adjunct Professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School; CEO of Wharton Cypher Accelerator

    4:00 pm – 4:15 pm

    Closing Remarks

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By David J Hornsby, Professor of International Affairs and the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Carleton University

    For the first time in its history, Canada has unveiled a comprehensive Africa strategy, marking a significant milestone in the Canadian approach to engaging with the African continent.

    Launched on March 6 by Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, the strategy represents a crucial step towards a more coherent and intentional relationship with Africa.

    This development is worthy of praise for several reasons.

    The strategy’s strengths

    First, it demonstrates Canada’s recognition of Africa’s growing importance on the global stage. It acknowledges the need for Canada to work closely with African states and organizations in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the G20 and the Francophonie.

    It also positions Canada not only as a partner in enhancing Africa’s voice in global affairs, but also as an ally in advancing the Canadian government’s strategic interests abroad.

    The strategy’s development process was remarkably inclusive, with more than 600 stakeholder submissions. This consultative approach not only ensured a diverse range of perspectives, but also promotes accountability in the strategy’s implementation.

    Finally, the initiative’s broad scope is commendable. By intentionally crafting the strategy to encompass a wide array of African partners — from the African Union to diaspora groups in Canada — the government has created a framework that allows various African nations and organizations to see themselves reflected in the partnership.

    Remaining questions

    However, as with any significant policy development, there are areas for improvement and questions to be addressed. These include:

    Resource allocation: While the strategy sets ambitious goals, it’s unclear how these will be achieved without new funding.

    Although the argument can be made that the government has the option to reconfigure existing funding to align with broader policy shifts, that would leave major gaps in current development programming. The government must provide more specific details about funding and, just as importantly, metrics for implementation.

    Competitive landscape: The strategy doesn’t fully acknowledge Canada’s current position in Africa. While it identifies increased competition from familiar players like China, the European Union and Russia, as well as a growing array of competitors like Brazil, Turkey and the Gulf states, it doesn’t confront the degree to which, relatively speaking, Canada has lost ground.

    This needs to be acknowledged alongside Canada’s residual reputational strength, rooted in a history of supporting democratic transitions for African nations — particularly during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, but also during numerous peacekeeping engagements.



    Read more:
    Brian Mulroney’s tough stand against apartheid is one of his most important legacies

    Investments in developmental projects related to education and health in Africa have led to Canada garnering a reputation as a constructive and responsive collaborator on African issues. That said, Canada’s reputation in terms of mining and other extractive activities on the continent is an unhelpful counterpoint.

    Canada must strongly position itself as a state that can be trusted to champion African issues while forging partnerships based on mutual interest and respect in the fast-changing global competitive environment.

    Innovation and education: Despite the strategy’s mention of engaging youth and diaspora communities, it’s unclear on how to do this. A crucial way to connect with youth in particular is to enhance education connections and expand the links between universities and science and technological innovation institutions in Canada and African states.

    Dual degrees, funded collaborative research projects, student exchanges and scholarships are all tried-and-tested mechanisms to foster cross-cultural understandings that bind societies together.

    A sustainable Canada-Africa strategy must see educational and scientific partnerships, training and knowledge circulation as cornerstones for success.

    It would be a missed opportunity if the government fails to use this blueprint to leverage Canada’s extensive educational and scientific assets to generate innovative ideas that support the strategy’s implementation. This approach could also create opportunities for Canadian and African youth to build a strong foundation for a lasting and meaningful Canada-Africa relationship in the future.



    Read more:
    Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience

    Ethical considerations: The strategy doesn’t adequately address issues related to the mining sector and the need for more ethical practices.

    Given Canada is touted as a mining superpower in Africa, a clear commitment to supporting human rights-centred and community development-oriented mining practices would go a long way to sustaining Canada’s interest in the extractive sector in Africa. This would also enhance its overall reputation on the continent.

    Furthermore, the ethics of Canada’s immigration regime and the often punitive approach to giving out temporary visas to African travellers is starkly missing from the strategy.

    It’s critical in terms of Canada’s future engagements and relations with African nations to recognize the current system is broken and considered overly intrusive by Africans. If Canada is serious about learning from Africa and forming equitable partnerships based on mutual respect, it cannot mete out indignities at the border.

    High-level commitment: The launch of the strategy by a parliamentary secretary, rather than the foreign affairs minister or the prime minister, raises questions about the perceived importance of this strategy at the highest levels of government.

    The launch was diplomatically underwhelming, with no invitations extended to the Canadian media or the African diplomatic community in Canada. This created the impression that the government was either already distancing itself from the strategy, or was anxious to manage expectations.

    Given that the launch of the strategy coincided with the Independence day of Ghana, one of the first African countries that Canada established official diplomatic relations with, the Canadian government should have seized on this historic moment to send a strong diplomatic message to the African continent.

    Substantial starting point

    Despite these concerns, the Africa strategy represents a significant and promising starting point.

    It provides a coherent, multidimensional and multi-purpose framework for Canada’s engagement with Africa. It synthesizes ongoing initiatives, sets intentions for future collaborations and seeks to move beyond paternalistic motivations to build an enhanced Canada-Africa relationship based on trust and respect.

    The strategy is realistic not only about Canada’s own limitations and needs, but also about the complexities of building partnerships with a large and diverse continent. It highlights humanitarian and security priorities while also emphasizing economic and political opportunities in Africa. The combination of humanitarian concerns with strategic interests signals a shift toward a more balanced and consistent approach towards the continent.



    Read more:
    Why Canada must seize the moment and launch its long-awaited Africa strategy

    As we move forward, the Canadian government must address the strategy’s shortcomings and provide more concrete plans for its implementation.

    Nonetheless, this moment deserves recognition. Canada has taken an important first step towards a more strategic, intentional and mutually beneficial relationship with Africa. It’s now up to policymakers, businesses, the academic community and civil society to build upon this foundation and turn this strategy into tangible, positive outcomes for both Canada and its African partners.

    David Black receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    Thomas Kwasi Tieku receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

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

    – ref. Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work – https://theconversation.com/canadas-africa-strategy-is-a-landmark-moment-for-canada-africa-relations-but-still-needs-work-252367

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Federal government invests over $7.9 million for safer and more accessible streets in Montreal

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    The federal government is investing $7,966,044 through the Active Transportation Fund to support 4 active transportation projects in Montreal.

    Project Information:

    Location

    Project Name

    Project Details

    Federal Funding

    Municipal Funding

    Montréal

    Redevelopment of Matte and Lapierre Streets of the Montreal-Nord Borough

    Sidewalk widening and addition of functional and safety elements to encourage active mobility.

    $3,284,914

    $2,246,254

    Montréal

    Shared street on boulevard Gouin Est in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville

    Implement a series of measures to make them more pleasant and safer on school routes and around senior residences.

    $2,280,000

    $1,520,000

    Montréal

    Safe Active Transportation Around Ahuntsic-Cartierville Schools and Seniors Residences

    Development of a shared, inclusive, pleasant, flowered, and tree-lined space for pedestrians and cyclists.

    $1,584,000

    $1,596,000

    Montréal

    Geometric redesign of Boucher Street in the borough of Plateau-Mont-Royal

    Protect vulnerable road users to increase active transportation on Rivard Street between Boucher and Bibaud Streets.

    $817,130

    $1,486,870

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more

    Oracle customers of all sizes rely on Oracle databases to run their mission-critical workloads, from financial systems to global supply chains. As they navigate digital transformation, they want to modernize their databases and applications in the cloud while enabling advanced AI, real-time analytics, and automation. That’s why Microsoft and Oracle partnered to create Oracle Database@Azure – and now we’re adding more options to serve customers of all sizes with Oracle Base Database Service coming soon and Exadata Exascale now generally available. Additionally, we’re expanding our regional availability for Oracle Database@Azure to the East US 2 region and adding important networking enhancements. 

    Oracle Base Database Service – coming soon!

    Not every database workload requires extreme performance. Some businesses need a simple, cost-effective way to run Oracle databases in Azure—without the overhead of managing infrastructure. 

    We are pleased to announce that Oracle Base Database Service will soon be available on Oracle Database@Azure. Base Database Service will run Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition 2 versions of 19c and 23ai on virtual machines. It offers automated database lifecycle management for reduced administration, low-code application development for faster deployment, and independently scalable compute and storage with pay-as-you-go pricing for flexible workload demands. 

    Base Database Service provides a low-friction, cost-effective entry point to Oracle Database@Azure so Oracle database customers can scale effortlessly and unlock agility in the cloud. 

    Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure is now generally available 

    Now workloads of any size can benefit from the performance, reliability, and availability benefits of high performance Exadata infrastructure with Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure running in Azure datacenters. 

    By leveraging Exascale’s intelligent data architecture, businesses can reduce infrastructure costs, making high-performance Oracle databases more accessible. Its highly elastic, cost-efficient solution enables organizations of any size to balance automation with control, and optimize AI, analytics, and transactional workloads. 

    Azure customers can purchase Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure through the Azure Marketplace via a custom private offer or pay-as-you-go model, with the option of using Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). Existing Oracle Database customers can also bring their own license (BYOL) or use Unlimited License Agreements (ULAs).  

    With Exascale infrastructure, organizations only pay for the compute and storage resources used starting with a highly affordable minimum size—all within Azure’s trusted cloud ecosystem.

    Other announcements 

    In addition to the support for new Oracle database services, we’re proud to announce more capabilities and choice for our customers. 

    Bringing Oracle Database@Azure to East US 2 

    We’re pleased to announce the expansion of Oracle Database@Azure availability to the East US 2 region of Azure. With this addition,  

    Oracle Database@Azure is now available in 14 regions globally which is the highest amongst all hyperscalers – Australia East, Brazil South, Canada Central, East US, East US 2, Central US, France Central, Germany West Central, Italy North, Japan East, Southeast Asia, UK South, UK West and West US.  

    By the end of 2025, the service will expand to 18 additional regions, enhancing scalability and resilience worldwide. Eight multi-zone regions will include Central India, North Europe, South Central US, Spain Central, Sweden Central, UAE North, West US 2, and West US 3. 10 single-zone regions will include Australia Southeast, Brazil Southeast, Canada East, France South, Germany North, Japan West, North Central US, South India, West Europe, and UAE Central.  

    Microsoft is the only cloud provider offering a unique combination of multi- and single-zone regions to offer Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers for the highest levels of availability, disaster recovery, failover, and operational continuity. The global expansion of Oracle Database@Azure will continue to support alignment with Microsoft’s best practices for Disaster Recovery. For more details, please refer to Microsoft’s cross-region replication guidelines. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/reliability/regions-paired 

    Supercharging Performance with Oracle Exadata X11M  

    To help customers get even more from their Oracle databases in Azure, we’re excited to announce that Oracle Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure on Oracle Database@Azure now supports Oracle Exadata X11M. This next-generation architecture delivers significantly increased performance for your AI, analytics, and mission-critical workloads compared to the previous generation — all without increasing infrastructure or consumption costs. 

    Enhanced networking capabilities for enterprise workloads 

    We’re continuing to enhance Oracle Database@Azure for enterprise workloads with new networking capabilities. With the addition of Network Security Groups (NSG), Private Link, Global Peering, and ExpressRoute FastPath, customers now benefit from enhanced security, higher performance, and improved connectivity to effortlessly integrate their Oracle databases with Azure services and infrastructure. 

    • Network Security Groups (NSG): Enforce fine-grained security policies, allowing customers to control access to their Oracle databases with ease. 
    • Private Link: Enable private, secure connections between Azure services and Oracle Database@Azure, reducing exposure to the public internet and enhancing compliance. 
    • Global Peering: Provide quick, high-speed interconnectivity across multiple Azure regions, improving disaster recovery and cross-region data replication. 
    • ExpressRoute FastPath: 
      • Optimize networking performance with direct, ultra-low-latency connections between apps hosted on Azure VMware Solution (AVS) and databases on Oracle Database@Azure. 
      • Accelerate migrations from on-premises environments to Oracle Database@Azure, ensuring fast, easy data transfer for mission-critical workloads like real-time analytics and financial transactions. 

    With Oracle Database@Azure running on OCI in Azure datacenters, customers benefit from: 

    • Analytics and insights – Combine Oracle and non-Oracle data with Microsoft Fabric for unified analytics, including AI-driven insights via Copilot and visualization using PowerBI. 
    • Comprehensive Data Governance & Compliance – Leverage Microsoft Purview to ensure robust data governance, security, and compliance across Oracle databases and Azure services, enabling unified data discovery, classification, and policy enforcement. 
    • AI-Powered Innovation – Build scalable, intelligent applications using Azure App Service, AKS, Azure DevOps, and AI services like Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, and Azure Machine Learning. 
    • Enterprise-Grade Security– Strengthen enterprise security with Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM) for proactive threat detection and response, combined with Entra ID for robust identity protection and access management 
    • Seamless Cloud Migration & Integration – Simplify and accelerate Oracle database transitions to the cloud with Oracle Zero-Downtime Migration and Azure Migrate, ensuring seamless integration with native Azure services. 
    • Flexible & Cost-Effective Deployment – Benefit from OCI pricing parity, hybrid cloud connectivity, streamlined licensing, and enterprise agreements, ensuring predictable costs and procurement flexibility. 
    • Unified Support & High Availability – Enjoy joint Microsoft-Oracle enterprise-grade support, validated Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers, and built-in disaster recovery and failover protections. 
    • Future-Proof Cloud Architecture – Run Oracle workloads natively on Azure with a fully tested, validated, and supported cloud service from two of the most trusted names in enterprise computing. 

    Get Started Today 

    Now is the time to unlock new possibilities. Get started today and take your enterprise workloads to the next level with Oracle Database@Azure. 

    Contact your Microsoft sales team.  

    Visit https://aka.ms/oracle to learn more. 

    Learn how to migrate and manage your Oracle databases in Azure. 

     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bringing dry numbers to life: the head of Mosstat presented representatives of the State University of Management with gratitude for popularizing statistics

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 20, 2025, a presentation of projects by 2nd and 3rd year students of the State University of Management of the educational program “Business Analytics and Forecasting” was held at the Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region (Mosstat) and the presentation of gratitude from the head of Mosstat Leonid Kalimullin.

    The presentation featured two projects aimed at popularizing statistics and developing the Mosstat brand.

    The project “Visualization of agricultural statistics data by municipalities of the Moscow region” attracted great interest. Mosstat employees who attended the presentation were interested in the dashboard that resulted from the work.

    “Work on the dashboard inspired us with its dynamism – we literally “brought to life” dry numbers, turning them into interactive graphs and maps, which caused genuine delight. After the presentation, we felt proud of the result. We not only proved the value of the idea, but also felt how our analytics can really change the approach to managing the agro-industrial complex in the region,” commented second-year student Venera Chorbadzhyan.

    No one was left indifferent by the statistical board game developed by students, which will help them acquire not only knowledge in the field of statistics, but also teach them to communicate with others and work in a team.

    “Developing the game gave us the opportunity to show schoolchildren the diversity and greatness of statistics, making this product interesting and exciting, to convince them that statistics are not just boring numbers, but the result of research and events. The uniqueness of the project lies in the original idea of a game with statistics. It has different levels of difficulty, which allows people with different levels of knowledge and training to play. The game allows you to develop statistics skills in a game form, which makes the learning process more interesting and faster,” 3rd-year students of the Business Analytics and Forecasting program commented on their work.

    Following the speeches, the head of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region, Leonid Kalimullin, presented official thanks to the staff and students of the State University of Management.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/20/2025

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE launches new Policy Briefs on Media and Information Literacy to strengthen media resilience in Kosovo

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE launches new Policy Briefs on Media and Information Literacy to strengthen media resilience in Kosovo

    “Beyond Fake News – Advancing media and information literacy for an informed society” policy brief – 2025 (OSCE) Photo details

    PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 20 March 2025 – The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has launched a comprehensive series of policy briefs on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) aimed at addressing the growing challenges posed by misinformation, disinformation, digital manipulation, and ethical concerns in the media landscape.
    Titled “Beyond Fake News: Advancing Media and Information Literacy for an Informed Society,” the publication brings together six policy briefs that provide an in-depth analysis of key MIL-related issues, including artificial intelligence in education, media ethics, gender representation, and online risks.
    “These policy briefs are intended to serve as a resource for policymakers, educators, media professionals, journalists, civil society organizations, and academic institutions in Kosovo, supporting efforts to develop sustainable MIL strategies and promoting a critical and responsible approach to media consumption and production,” said Pascale Roussy, Director of Democratization Department at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
    “They highlight the importance of integrating MIL into the formal education system, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills to navigate today’s complex media environment,” she added.
    The briefs emphasize the need for comprehensive teacher training programs that will enable educators to effectively incorporate MIL principles into their teaching methodologies. Addressing the role of artificial intelligence in the information space, the briefs explore how AI is shaping public discourse, the risks associated with AI-generated misinformation, and the importance of fostering AI literacy among students and educators.
    Raising awareness of online risks is another critical aspect of the publication. With the rapid spread of misinformation and propaganda, media literacy is increasingly vital in helping individuals critically assess digital content and recognize manipulation techniques. The briefs discuss the role of education, regulation, and public awareness campaigns in mitigating the negative impact of false information and strengthening public trust in credible news sources.
    By equipping stakeholders with evidence-based strategies and concrete policy recommendations, the Mission aims to foster a media-literate society, enhance democratic resilience, and counter the spread of misinformation in Kosovo. Through continuous engagement with policymakers, media institutions, and civil society, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo remains committed to supporting media freedom and strengthening the integrity of the information space.
    The policy briefs are available here: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/587873

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Al Chukwuma Okoli, Reader (Associate Professor) Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia

    President Bola Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State, in the country’s south-south region.

    Prior to this decision, governance in Rivers State was practically paralysed as a result of a power struggle between the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Rivers is at the heart of Nigeria’s once restive oil producing Niger Delta region and the emergency rule declaration was pronounced following reports of explosions rocking oil pipelines. Security scholar Al Chukwuma Okoli unpacks the implications of this development for security in the oil region previously known for militancy.

    What does declaring a state of emergency mean?

    The president has placed the governor, the deputy governor and the legislative arm of government on a six months suspension. He has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, a retired Navy chief, as the state administrator. This means democratic institutions, except courts, have been suspended in Rivers State.

    Section 305 of Nigeria’s 1999 constitution empowers the president to declare a state of emergency when:

    • the federation is at war

    • the federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war

    • there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in any part of the country requiring extraordinary measures to avert danger

    • there is an occurrence or imminent danger of the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity

    • there is any danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the federation

    • The Governor of a State may, with the sanction of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the state House of Assembly, request the President to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the State

    The president can also make the decision if the governor of the affected state fails within a reasonable time to make a request.

    Is the state of emergency an effective response to the recent bombings?

    The state of emergency is a response to a dire internal security situation in which there is actual or threat of a breakdown of law and order. It applies also if security of lives and property is no longer guaranteed.

    In other words there’s been a major breach of governability in the area.

    There is an argument that the civil and security situations in Rivers State – and the civil unrest amid wanton destruction and vandalisation of oil and gas installations – calls for urgent intervention given the pivotal role of petroleum sector in sustaining the Nigerian economy.

    Oil and gas account for 40% of Nigerian government revenues and for around 92% of the value of all exports. Rivers State is a key oil producing area and hosts several major oil companies and critical oil infrastructure.

    Nevertheless, the emergency approach to the security crisis in Rivers State is, at best, problematic. Apart from amounting to unnecessary securitisation of politics and governance, it’s not capable of addressing the political undercurrents of the crisis.

    At the heart of the problem is the unresolved – or badly addressed – partisan and personality clashes between the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The suspension of the Governor and the State Assembly may be strategically expedient. But it will fail to address the fundamental issues at stake without a concomitant suspension of Wike as the Federal Capital Territory Minister.

    This is because at the heart of the entire crisis is a power struggle between Wike and Fubara. As the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Wike influenced the emergence of Fubara as his successor during the 2023 general elections.

    They fell apart soon after the election. Wike who had become a minister and close ally of President Tinubu is believed to have influenced his loyalists in the Rivers State House of Assembly to oppose the governor. They were in the process of impeaching the governor before the state of emergency was imposed.

    Wike and Fubara’s power tussle has also led to a gradual return of Niger Delta militancy with former militants taking sides with the two political gladiators.

    Given this background, the emergency rule in Rivers state will be associated with consolidated military operations to quell the rising militancy. This, too, is likely to escalate the crisis.

    In handling the Rivers crisis, President Tinubu should have considered some historical precedents. Negotiations have fared a lot better than the military options in the region.

    The most recent armed conflict in the region arose in the early 1990s over tensions between foreign oil corporations and Niger Delta ethnic groups who feel cheated in the way their natural resources are exploited. The militant groups became notorious for their violent attacks on oil infrastructure and kidnapping of oil workers.

    Military response to this crisis did not seem to yield results until the Nigerian government introduced a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme, known locally as the amnesty program. This was introduced in 2009 and was aimed at members of armed militant groups that were present in the Niger Delta region.

    Following this intervention, there has been relative peace in the recent past. Essentially, the emergency rule in Rivers state is likely to bring about a dramatic backlash in the sustenance of the gains of post-Amnesty peace-building in the Niger-Delta.

    What are the security implications of explosions rocking oil installations?

    Destruction of petroleum installations will bring about significant setback in the efficiency and functionality of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. It will trigger production cuts and revenue losses capable of affecting the country’s petroleum earnings.

    This will be devastating considering the place of the industry in the national economy.

    In addition, the vandalisation of oil pipelines and other installations will lead to widespread environmental degradation and disaster. In turn this will affect the livelihood and ecological security of local communities.

    As experience from government’s use of force in the region in the early 1990s have shown, the declaration of a state of emergency may result in the renewal of piracy, cultism, hostage-taking, and kidnapping. This will in turn be a setback for the gains of peace building already recorded in the area since the introduction of the Niger Delta Amnesty program in 2009.

    Lastly, one of the most likely outcomes of the emergency rule will be the return of inter-militant fighting and vendetta. Already, lines are drawn between the militants aligned with Wike and Fubara.

    Such a development may dovetail into a major inter gang war with devastating implications for peace and development of the Niger Delta region.

    What approach should the appointed administrator take?

    The aftermath of the emergency declaration in Rivers State is dicey.

    To make progress with his mandate – which is to restore order in the state – the administrator needs to adopt a completely depoliticised approach to the partisan dispute that’s led to the current crisis. He has to initiate a credible peace process that is holistic and capable of alleviating the fears and doubts of parties.

    The administrator has to adopt a strictly non-partisan, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach to dealing with the crisis. All the aggrieved parties must be treated fairly and reasonably.

    There must be a conscious effort at buildings bridges at local levels. These should be aimed at eliciting the buy-in of critical stakeholders and interested parties such as the militant groups and supporters of Wike and Fubara.

    Lastly, the administrator has to be conscious and sensitive to the local issues and sensibilities that are at the root of the crisis.

    Local problem require local remedies. An inward looking solution that carries everyone along, addresses the underlying issues and grievances, restores trust and goodwill, and transcends partisan divides, is the only route that will bring about a lasting solution to the Rivers state.

    Al Chukwuma Okoli teaches Political Science at Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. An Associate Professor of Security Governance, Okoli has consulted for Center for Democracy and Development, Yaradua Foundation, Partners West Africa (Nigeria), CLEEN Foundation, African Union, UN Women, United Nations Development Programme, etc..He has received funding from the Tertiary Education Fund (Nigeria). A triple Laureate of Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Okoli s a member of Conflict Research Network West Africa and Amnesty International.

    – ref. Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-oil-rich-rivers-state-under-emergency-sending-in-the-army-isnt-the-answer-252672

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Frans Viljoen, Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights, and acting SARChI Chair in International Constitutional Law, University of Pretoria

    US President Donald Trump’s second term has brought South Africa’s domestic human rights record into stark international prominence. Based on misinformation, Trump’s anti-South African campaign seems designed to weaken South Africa’s image as an international torch bearer for human rights.

    At the heart of the issue lies American resentment about South Africa’s submission in December 2023 to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of a case alleging that Israel has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention.

    South Africa has won accolades for its principled and courageous submission of the ICJ case. Nevertheless, its role in advancing human rights on the African continent has been more ambiguous.

    My research has focused on the African regional human rights architecture, set up under the African Union (AU) as a continental bulwark for human rights. The primary continental judicial body for human rights is the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, based in Arusha, Tanzania.

    South Africa has fallen short in one key aspect when it comes to championing human rights on the continent: it has failed to sign up to accepting direct individual access to the court. This matters because almost all cases submitted to and decided by the court have reached it in this way.

    South Africa’s role in African human rights system

    One of the first human rights treaties South Africa formally accepted after its full embrace of democracy in 1994 is the core African Union human rights treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Since then, it has made significant contributions to the charter monitoring body, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    Two prominent South African human rights experts served as members of the 11-member continental human rights watchdog. Professor Barney Pityana, who was also the first chair of the South African Human Rights Commission, served between 1997 and 2003; and Advocate Pansy Tlakula, who had been the chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, served from 2005 to 2017.

    When the idea of establishing a continental human rights court to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission was flagged, South Africa played a pivotal role by stepping forward to host the inaugural drafting meeting for the enabling instrument, bringing together experts from around the continent to Cape Town in 1995.

    This was the first building block that culminated in the adoption of an optional protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, allowing for the creation of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    South Africa was also one of the first states to accept the court’s jurisdiction in 2002. Today, 34 of the 55 African Union member states have formally accepted the protocol, thereby agreeing to the court’s jurisdiction. Two South Africans have been part of the 11 judges of the court.

    Since it became operational, the African Court has adjudicated several human rights cases, including those affecting marginalised groups such as persons with albinism in Tanzania.

    In these cases, the court has been instrumental in defining the scope of human rights guarantees under the charter and related treaties. It also defined appropriate measures that states should take to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.

    A missing piece

    South Africa falls short when it comes to the most crucial measure of the African Court – the acceptance of direct individual access.

    A case by an individual or group against a state party to the charter can end up before the court in one of two ways.

    First, a case can reach the court indirectly, via the commission. In this scenario, an individual initially submits a case alleging human rights violations by a state to the commission. The commission then has a discretion to refer the case to the African Court. This access route applies to all 34 states that have become party to the court protocol. However, this route has yielded a very small number of cases – three in total – being submitted to the court.

    Complex reasons account for this. One of them seems to be linked to an unfortunate institutional turf war between the commission and the court, manifesting itself in an unwillingness on the part of the commission to have its findings ‘reviewed’ by the court.

    Second, a case can reach the court directly, when an individual or nongovernmental organisation (NGO), after exhausting domestic remedies, submits a case directly. But this is only possible if a state has made a declaration to accept the competence of individuals and NGOs with observer status with the commission to directly access the court.

    So far, the majority of cases handled by the African Court reached it along this avenue. Around 260 judgements have been delivered in respect of direct access cases.

    Of the 34 states parties accepting the court’s jurisdiction, only seven currently allow their nationals direct access to the court. They are Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mali, Niger and The Gambia. While 12 states have made the optional declaration, five of them have subsequently changed their mind, and withdrawn their optional acceptance of direct access to the court. Rwanda was the first to withdraw its acceptance, in 2016. The most recent withdrawal, on 7 March 2025, was by Tunisia.

    The reasons for withdrawal differ. But a common thread is the aggravation of governments for being held accountable by the court for human rights violations, often of the most marginalised persons, or of political opponents of the ruling government.

    The most immediate consequence of these withdrawals has been a drop in the number of cases submitted to the African Court. In 2024, only 15 new cases were submitted. There were 66 in 2019.

    Why direct individual access matters

    It’s not clear why South Africa has not (yet) accepted direct access to the court. But there are compelling reasons for it to do so.

    First, allowing direct access from South African courts to the African Court would serve to complement domestic human rights protection by allowing for redress and reparations beyond the national level. This will be in line with the South African constitution. It will also be in line with the principle of subsidiarity, in terms of which recourse to the African Court will only be possible after all domestic remedies had been exhausted.

    Second, bolstering the effectiveness of the court is an investment in African institutions, and will underscore South Africa’s full embrace of its African identity. And if it accepts the court’s direct access jurisdiction, it will become the AU member state with the largest population and economy to do so.

    The right moment

    The court protocol, which South Africa has ratified, requires that a declaration accepting direct individual access be made. The relevant provision (article 34(6)) stipulates that state parties to the court protocol are required to (“shall”) make such a declaration. What is left to the discretion of states is the timing. According to the protocol, these states “shall” do so “at the time of the ratification of this protocol or any time thereafter”.

    There has never been a more opportune and important time for South Africa to make this declaration.

    The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights risks being underused and receding into irrelevance. This is happening in a landscape increasingly inimical to rights and rights institutions. South Africa should signal to other states that it accepts independent judicial scrutiny of its human rights record as the logical end result of having helped create the African Court.

    Frans Viljoen 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. South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-hasnt-given-individuals-access-to-the-african-court-this-needs-to-be-fixed-252749

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Let’s celebrate International Day of La Francophonie!

    Source: Government of Canada News

    GATINEAU, March 20, 2025

    La Francophonie is a place to share, exchange and innovate that extends beyond Canada’s borders. On this International Day of La Francophonie, we celebrate not only the French language, but also the people around the world who speak it with pride. This day allows us to highlight the contributions of Francophones and Francophiles, their vitality and creativity, and their commitment to promoting the French language in all spheres of Canadian society.

    A vibrant Francophonie depends on education. It is in this spirit that our government recently announced a major investment with the signing of the Protocol for Agreements for Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction (2024–2028). This protocol, with a federal investment of $1.4 billion, strengthens collaboration with the provinces and territories to support minority-language education and second-language teaching across the whole country. It provides funding for the recruitment and retention of teachers in French-language minority schools and teachers of French as a second language, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education for all.

    The federal government’s commitment to the Francophonie gives it a strong voice on the international stage. As a founding member and key partner of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Canada continues to support the influence of French on the international stage, in the fields of culture and the economy, as well as diplomacy and knowledge. This year, Nova Scotia joined the OIF as an observer member, further strengthening Canada’s presence within the larger Francophone family.

    As Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, I invite you to celebrate the richness and diversity of the Francophonie. Discover Francophone artists, explore the diversity of French-speaking cultures in Canada, take part in the many activities being organized across the country, or share your thoughts on social media using the hashtags #Francophonie and #MonthOfLaFrancophonie. Together, let’s keep our Francophonie alive, help it grow and give it the place it deserves. Happy International Day of La Francophonie!

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: KnowFully Expands Portfolio of Leading Brands in Continuing Medical Education

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RADNOR, Pa., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KnowFully Learning Group (“KnowFully”), a leading provider of continuing professional education, exam preparation, and digital learning solutions for the accounting, finance, and healthcare sectors, today announced the acquisition of EfficientCME, an innovative provider of continuing education for healthcare professionals.

    This acquisition strengthens the KnowFully Medical Education (KME) Division, which includes CME Outfitters (CMEO) and Creative Educational Concepts (CEC). With EfficientCME joining the KME family, KnowFully now brings together three of the most respected and trusted brands in continuing medical education (CME), reinforcing its commitment to delivering best-in-class education that improves clinical practice and patient outcomes.

    Expanding KME’s Reach & Impact

    Brian Moss, founder of EfficientCME, brings decades of expertise in CME leadership and innovation to KME. Prior to launching EfficientCME in 2019, Brian served as an executive at Research to Practice (RTP), a provider of oncology-focused CME, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the organization’s reach and driving significant growth in oncology education. Brian founded EfficientCME to develop cutting-edge, clinician-centered CME solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s healthcare professionals.

    EfficientCME specializes in live, digital, and enduring CME activities across neurology, psychiatry, and oncology. Through this acquisition, KME broadens its expertise, enhances its educational offerings, and accelerates innovation across all its brands. KnowFully’s advanced technology and personalized learning approach will further expand EfficientCME’s capabilities and capacity for developing impactful education for clinicians at all stages of their careers.

    Leadership Perspectives

    “EfficientCME has built a strong reputation in continuing medical education and brings a new level of innovation to KME,” said Shari Tordoff, Executive Vice President of KnowFully Medical Education. “We are thrilled to welcome Brian Moss and his team to the KME family. Their expertise and commitment to excellence in clinician education will help us expand our impact and reach across diverse therapeutic areas.”

    Brian Moss, founder of EfficientCME, added: “Our mission has always been to provide clinicians with education that they truly feel is worth their limited time. With a daunting wealth of information to learn and so many CME offerings for them to choose from, we want to make it easy for learners and we want them to know that what we provide will meet their needs. We are thrilled to join KnowFully and KME and leverage their expertise to help us continue to outperform ourselves and reach learners in more meaningful ways.”

    About KnowFully Learning Group

    KnowFully Learning Group is a leading provider of end-to-end professional education in the accounting, finance, and healthcare sectors. KnowFully’s brands enable students and professionals to prepare for licensure exams, fulfill continuing education requirements, and stay at the forefront of their fields. KnowFully is backed by NexPhase Capital, LP, a thematic and operationally focused private equity firm. For more information, visit www.knowfully.com.

    About EfficientCME

    EfficientCME is a dynamic and forward-thinking provider of continuing medical education (CME). The organization was founded on the principle that traditional CME activities often fail to align with the needs, professional demands, and lifestyles of today’s clinicians. EfficientCME leverages expertise in instructional design to create accredited live and enduring CME activities that enhance engagement and facilitate the practical application of new medical knowledge. For more information, visit https://efficientcme.com/.

    SOURCE: KnowFully Learning Group

    Related Links
    https://www.knowfully.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Starmer’s plan to ‘build baby build’ risks more American-style car-dominated sprawl

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James White, Professor of Planning and Urban Design, University of Glasgow

    The UK’s Labour government has promised to “take an axe to red tape” through “bold reforms to the planning system”. It hopes to kickstart economic growth by generating the “biggest building boom in a generation”.

    It seems that the aim to “build baby build”, in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s words, trumps all else. However, this raises important questions about the government’s parallel ambition to reach net zero by 2050.

    As researchers of urban planning, we worry that plans to hand more power to developers will simply result in more low-density, car-dependent suburbs. These developments are cheap and efficient to build, which is why they underpin the profits of the larger housebuilders.

    But research has consistently demonstrated they are land hungry, poorly designed, unsustainable and damaging to nature.

    The UK instead needs a fundamental rethink of its approach to housing and development as part of the transition to a low carbon future. Any future urban growth must be achieved while simultaneously reducing the amount of land, energy and materials used.

    Redesigning existing towns and cities

    We recently launched a research project, Urban Retrofit, to explore how the UK’s towns and cities can be redesigned to support the transition to net zero. The good news is that we already know a lot about how to make places more environmentally sustainable.

    It is about renovating buildings to improve energy efficiency, like adding insulation and installing things like heat pumps. It includes building at higher densities, using brownfield land better, and adapting streets to encourage safer walking and cycling.

    We can make it easier to travel on public transport and seamlessly transfer between buses, trains and trams. And we can plant indigenous trees and plants to provide wildlife habitats and cool urban areas, and slow down rainwater to help prevent floods.

    Skyscrapers and renovated warehouses in Manchester.
    Alejandro M. Ferrer / shutterstock

    A retrofitting approach to urban development can also have wider benefits, such as bringing derelict buildings back into use or creating spaces to grow food. It is important that these efforts do not exacerbate existing inequalities, though.

    If higher density neighbourhoods are created in places with high house prices, for example, it will be essential to guarantee people can still afford to live in them. This will mean building more social housing.

    Some of the initiatives outlined in Labour’s planning reforms recognise the need to build more sustainably. These include support for some more affordable housing, and higher density development allowed “near transport hubs” and “central to local communities”. It also includes financial packages for local authorities seeking to “unlock housing on brownfield sites”.

    Low density and car-dependent

    The bad news is that there is little evidence that greener urban growth can be realised without further harming the environment. The necessary transformation certainly won’t happen without curbing the development industry’s appetite for the energy-inefficient, low-density and car-dependent neighbourhoods, retail parks and workplaces that already sprawl around the edges of urban areas.

    And that won’t be possible while politicians fall back on blaming an already under-resourced planning system, rather than tackling this deeper problem in our approach to development.

    Policy support for brownfield development is unlikely to convince housebuilders to take on these financially risky sites. This is especially true if, under Labour’s other proposals, local authorities will be required to grant developers planning permission on previously undeveloped land.

    The government is already redefining parts of the green belt as grey belt to make more land available for development. And much of that land will be in precisely those locations developers prefer, on the edges of settlements where costs are usually lower, profits are higher and sites are relatively similar and easier to develop.

    Building new homes here is easy and cheap – but worse for the environment.
    Nick Beer / shutterstock

    As the planning system is pushed to make ever more land available for development, Labour’s reforms will embolden the industry to continue seeking permission for unsustainable urban expansion.

    An array of landowners, developers, land agents, lawyers, consultants, builders and shareholders will likely make a lot of money. But more people will be locked into unsustainable lifestyles while time, resources and energy are focused away from the challenges of adapting our existing settlements.

    As our project is exploring, there is an urgent need to first retrofit within existing towns and cities, especially in suburban areas that were built for the automobile age.

    This will require much more positive ambitions for the planning system and big changes to the ways the development industry operates. It will also require a willingness to ask much more searching questions about the sustainability of going all out for growth.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    James White receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. He is Principal Investigator of Urban Retrofit (ES/Z50278/1) and Co-Investigator of the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (ES/W012278/1).

    Andy Inch receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. He is Co-investigator on both Urban Retrofit (ES/Z502728/1) and another project called Planning for Nature (ES/Z503459/1)

    – ref. Starmer’s plan to ‘build baby build’ risks more American-style car-dominated sprawl – https://theconversation.com/starmers-plan-to-build-baby-build-risks-more-american-style-car-dominated-sprawl-251316

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Grateful Dead at 60: three folklore tales that inspired the band’s music

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Max Bowden, PhD Candidate, impact and influence of the Grateful Dead, University of Essex

    Dead & Company, the latest and most enduring post-Grateful Dead project, is about to take to the stage for the second time at the Las Vegas Sphere. The lineup contains original Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, and one of two original drummers, Mickey Hart. They’re joined by the singer-songwriter John Mayer on lead guitar, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Jay lane on second drums.

    It has now been 60 years since the Grateful Dead formed. The US rock band first played at Ken Kesey’s “acid tests” in La Honda, California, in 1965. There, attendees would consume large doses of LSD and spend the night enjoying psychedelic projections and the Dead’s intermittent musical stylings.

    Before this, a number of the band members had well-established careers in the Californian Bay Area folk scene. Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter performed folk and bluegrass together in the early 1960s.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions was another project that involved a number of artists who would go on to form the Grateful Dead. The band’s innate chaos was already clear. Playing an early gig at a coffee house, they were described by the host as “just a panic to watch”.

    This chaotic approach is something that continued. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1971, Garcia said: “Hunter and I always had this thing where we liked to muddy the folk tradition by adding our own versions of songs … taking a well-founded tradition and putting in something that’s totally looped”.

    This revitalising understanding of folk adds an element of Grateful Dead fun, contributing to some of their most enduring and interesting songs. Here are three examples of the folk tales that inspired their music.

    1. Stagger Lee (1978)

    On Christmas Day 1895, two Texans named Lee “Stack” Shelton and Billy Lyons had a disagreement, which ended with Billy snatching Stack’s hat, and Stack shooting him to get it back. This simple story blossomed over time, often richly embellished, into song, folk tale and theatre.

    Hunter and the Dead turned the classic folk tale of murder on its head. In most songs about the incident, the focus is on the slightly renamed “Stagger Lee” and “Billy DeLyon”. Most renditions focus on the details and morality of the murder, or the nuance of Stagger as a proto-gangster, and a victim of racist policing.

    Grateful Dead performing Stagger Lee in 1978.

    The version that the Grateful Dead released is different, with only the first verse dedicated to the murder itself. The body of the song centres the journey of widowed Deliah DeLyon, now in pursuit of justice.

    She first pleads with a policeman for help saying “you’ll arrest the girls for turning tricks, but you’re scared of Stagger Lee,” before going to the bar herself, emasculating Stagger Lee, and dragging him to city hall.

    These changes attack hyper-masculine versions of the song and suggest an alternate perspective that prioritises the previously unheard.

    2. Casey Jones (1970)

    Casey Jones (1863-1900) was a renowned train engineer from Mississippi. He was known for his punctuality and skill, but was killed in a wreck after missing a signal in dense fog.

    Jones was the only fatality in the train crash and his actions are said to have saved the passengers and the train’s fireman. Just like Stagger Lee, this folk hero has been sung about from many different perspectives.

    In the one folk rendition, covered by Pete Seeger, Jones was a union scab, crashing his train though a slavish obedience to his bosses. In Johnny Cash’s song, he was a true hero. But in Grateful Dead’s song, he was a cocaine-addicted speed freak.

    Grateful Dead performing Casey Jones in 1977.

    By bringing Casey Jones into the 1970s, the Dead sought to use folk to give a contemporary moral warning. Hunter philosophises throughout, referencing both the story of the crash and his own shortsightedness when he writes “got two good eyes, but we still don’t see”.

    The Grateful Dead’s approach to folk is at once firmly rooted in tradition and with one foot in the future.

    3. Terrapin Station (1977)

    The first part of one of the Dead’s most famous musical suites is an adaptation of The Lady of Carlisle.

    This folk song tells a story of a lady choosing between two suitors – a soldier and a sailor. To decide, she throws her fan into a lion’s den and challenges the men to retrieve it.

    In traditional versions of the song the lady is fragile, becoming catatonic after delivering her challenge, but Hunter’s changes to the song elevate her. This section of the suite, Lady with a Fan, weaves this into an overarching narrative about the illuminating power of stories.

    Grateful Dead performing Terrapin Station in 1977.

    In the song, a speaker is retelling the story of The Lady of Carlisle while a magical fire conjures images as they happen. Here we see the protagonist emboldened, her “eyes alight with glowing hair,” and much more directly telling the men “I will not forgive you, if you will not take the chance”.

    After the sailor retrieves the fan, the meta-narrative challenges the listener. “You decide if he was wise,” the narrator sings, telling us “the storyteller makes no choice”. Hunter and the Dead again seek to use folklore to explore narrative and stories, their powerful influence on the world and our perspective.

    This visionary approach to folk helped ground the band’s musical catalogue in history, elevating folk music and offering curious listeners threads that lead into the narrative past.

    Max Bowden received a bursary from the Folklore Society.

    – ref. Grateful Dead at 60: three folklore tales that inspired the band’s music – https://theconversation.com/grateful-dead-at-60-three-folklore-tales-that-inspired-the-bands-music-249798

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK businesses face a big tax hike. So what does it mean for workers and the economy?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Phil Tomlinson, Professor of Industrial Strategy, Co-Director Centre for Governance, Regulation and Industrial Strategy (CGR&IS), University of Bath

    The hospitality sector will be among the most seriously affected. cktravels.com/Shutterstock

    Employers in the UK are about to be hit with a hefty tax rise. From April 1 2025, their national insurance contributions are rising to 15% on salaries above £5,000, instead of 13.8% on salaries above £9,100.

    Unsurprisingly, business owners are not happy. Since the change was announced last autumn, many have complained about the effect it will have on their ability to invest and hire staff. Care homes, supermarkets and GP surgeries are among those who have voiced their concerns, and a recent survey found that 54% anticipate raising prices.

    Some industries will be affected more than others. The hospitality sector, for example, expects around £1 billion in additional costs (alongside an inflation-busting minimum wage increase, which also comes into play on April 1). Partly because of these changes, manufacturing confidence has already taken a hit, contributing to a decline in overall GDP since the start of the year.

    But Rachel Reeves, the UK’s chancellor, has not budged, arguing that she needs to raise £40 billion in tax revenue to fund infrastructure and public services, and to address what she calls a “black hole” in the public finances.

    She had previously condemned the Conservative government’s employer national insurance hike in 2022 as a “tax on jobs”. Yet a Labour party manifesto pledge not to raise personal income tax, employees’ national insurance or VAT, has effectively left her with few options.

    As a result, the burden has been placed firmly on businesses. But in the UK’s sluggish economy, any added cost pressures could push struggling firms into pay freezes and cutbacks.

    Others may seek ways to mitigate the national insurance rise through creative accounting, by offering salary sacrifice schemes (such as cycle-to-work or electric vehicle purchase programmes) instead of direct wage increases.

    Some firms will no doubt explore other cost-cutting measures, such as reducing office space by encouraging more remote work. Or they may shift towards gig economy models, where they employ workers as “subcontractors” rather than as salaried staff. Larger firms might even move jobs abroad.

    Productivity push?

    But there could be an upside to all of this. Despite being politically sensitive, there is an economic argument for raising employment costs as a way of driving innovation and productivity. And some enterprising businesses may respond to the financial pressure by investing in labour-saving technology.

    For years the UK has relied on a low-wage, loosely regulated labour market. This has allowed businesses to hire and fire with ease, but has also led to persistently low levels of investment and weak productivity growth.

    Put simply, UK workers are often using outdated tools and equipment, making them less productive compared with their international competitors. Over time, this depresses wages, lowers economic growth (and living standards) and limits funding (through tax raised) for public services.

    Raising employment costs may now incentivise businesses to invest in automation and efficiency-enhancing technologies. The feasibility of this shift depends on what economists call the “elasticity of substitution” – the ease with which labour can be replaced by technology while maintaining (or improving) output.

    And evidence suggests automation and AI can drive productivity improvements even in traditionally labour-intensive industries. For instance, in social care, AI may be used to create personalised treatment plans, while robots could provide patients with physical, social and cognitive support.

    So far, the UK care sector has been slow to adopt such technology, lagging behind the likes of Australia, the Netherlands and Japan.

    Robotic care.
    Stock-Asso/Shutterstock

    Similarly, in hospitality, there are opportunities to use AI for predictive ordering and automated waste management. This could help hotels and restaurants reduce food waste, streamline supply chains and improve their profitability. Some businesses are also exploring robotic concierge services and automated customer interactions.

    Incentives and stability

    To ensure businesses embrace these productivity-boosting innovations, government support is essential. A well-designed industrial strategy is still needed to position the UK at the forefront of the “industry 4.0” technological revolution.



    Read more:
    The UK’s new industrial strategy is welcome, but here’s what is missing

    And, critically, businesses also need confidence in the broader economic outlook. Yet with continuing geopolitical uncertainty, trade tensions and fears of a global recession, the future feels fragile.

    The government’s challenge lies in encouraging businesses to adopt a strategy which ensures that investment in innovation actually materialises, and the benefits emerge swiftly. If businesses fail to adapt, or if productivity gains take too long, then the national insurance hike could just result in higher costs without any boost to growth.

    Ultimately, success hinges on whether businesses view this tax rise as a burden to absorb or an incentive to modernise. In the coming months and years, the government will need to show it is willing to offer businesses more support – and improve their confidence levels – if there is to be a revival in investment and productivity.

    Phil Tomlinson receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, and from the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC).

    David Bailey receives funding from the ESRC’s UK in a Changing Europe Programme.

    – ref. UK businesses face a big tax hike. So what does it mean for workers and the economy? – https://theconversation.com/uk-businesses-face-a-big-tax-hike-so-what-does-it-mean-for-workers-and-the-economy-252325

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Debate over H-1B visas shines spotlight on US tech worker shortages

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Moshe Y. Vardi, Professor of Computer Science, Rice University

    Babson College graduate students from India type on their computers in Wellesley, Mass., on June 30, 2016. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

    A heated debate has recently erupted between two groups of supporters of President Donald Trump. The dispute concerns the H-1B visa system, the program that allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations – mostly in the tech industry.

    On the one hand, there are people like Donald Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon, who has called the H-1B program a “total and complete scam.” On the other, there are tech tycoons like Elon Musk who think skilled foreign workers are crucial to the U.S. tech sector.

    The H-1B visa program is subject to an annual limit of new visas it can issue, which sits at 65,000 per fiscal year. There is also an additional annual quota of 20,000 H-1B visas for highly skilled international students who have a proven ability to succeed academically in the United States.

    The H-1B program is the primary vehicle for international graduate students at U.S. universities to stay and work in the United States after graduation. At Rice University, where I work, much of STEM research is carried out by international graduate students. The same goes for most American research-intensive universities.

    As a computer science professor – and an immigrant – who studies the interaction between computing and society, I believe the debate over H-1B overlooks some important questions: Why does the U.S. rely so heavily on foreign workers for the tech industry, and why is it not able to develop a homegrown tech workforce?

    The US as a global talent magnet

    The U.S. has been a magnet for global scientific talent since before World War II.

    Many of the scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb were European refugees. After World War II, U.S. policies such as the Fulbright Program expanded opportunities for international educational exchange.

    Attracting international students to the U.S. has had positive results.

    Among Americans who have won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, medicine or physics since 2000, 40% have been immigrants.

    In 2023, U.S.-born Louis Brus, left, shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with U.S. immigrants Alexei Ekimov, born in the former USSR, and Moungi Bawendi, born in France.
    AP Photo

    Tech industry giants Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google were all founded by first- or second-generation immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants have founded more than half of the nation’s billion-dollar startups since 2018.

    Stemming the inflow of students

    Restricting foreign graduate students’ path to U.S. employment, as some prominent Trump supporters have called for, could significantly reduce the number of international graduate students in U.S. universities.

    About 80% of graduate students in American computer science and engineering programs – roughly 18,000 students in 2023 – are international students.

    The loss of international doctoral students would significantly diminish the research capability of graduate programs in science and engineering. After all, doctoral students, supervised by principal investigators, carry out the bulk of research in science and engineering in U.S. universities.

    It must be emphasized that international students make a significant contribution to U.S. research output. For example, scientists born outside the U.S. played key roles in the development of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. So making the U.S. less attractive to international graduate students in science and engineering would hurt U.S. research competitiveness.

    Computing Ph.D. graduates are in high demand. The economy needs them, so the lack of an adequate domestic pipeline seems puzzling.

    Where have US students gone?

    So, why is there such a reliance on foreign students for U.S. science and engineering? And why hasn’t America created an adequate pipeline of U.S.-born students for its technical workforce?

    After discussions with many colleagues, I have found that there are simply not enough qualified domestic doctoral applicants to fill the needs of their doctoral programs.

    In 2023, for example, U.S. computer science doctoral programs admitted about 3,400 new students, 63% of whom were foreign.

    It seems as if the doctoral career track is simply not attractive enough to many U.S. undergrad computer science students. But why?

    The top annual salary in Silicon Valley for new computer science graduates can reach US$115,000. Bachelor’s degree holders in computing from Rice University have told me that until recently – before economic uncertainty shook the industry – they were getting starting annual salaries as high as $150,000 in Silicon Valley.

    Doctoral students in research universities, in contrast, do not receive a salary. Instead, they get a stipend. These vary slightly from school to school, but they typically pay less than $40,000 annually. The opportunity cost of pursuing a doctorate is, thus, up to $100,000 per year. And obtaining a doctorate typically takes six years.

    So, pursuing a doctorate is not an economically viable decision for many Americans. The reality is that a doctoral degree opens new career options to its holder, but most bachelor’s degree holders do not see beyond the economics. Yet academic computing research is crucial to the success of Silicon Valley.

    A 2016 analysis of the information technology sectors with a large economic impact shows that academic research plays an instrumental role in their development.

    Why so little?

    The U.S. is locked in a cold war with China focused mostly on technological dominance. So maintaining its research-and-development edge is in the national interest.

    Yet the U.S. has declined to make the requisite investment in research. For example, the National Science Foundation’s annual budget for computer and information science and engineering is around $1 billion. In contrast, annual research-and-development expenses for Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have been close to $50 billion for the past decade.

    Universities are paying doctoral students so little because they cannot afford to pay more.

    Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., on May 14, 2024.
    AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

    But instead of acknowledging the existence of this problem and trying to address it, the U.S. has found a way to meet its academic research needs by recruiting and admitting international students. The steady stream of highly qualified international applicants has allowed the U.S. to ignore the inadequacy of the domestic doctoral pipeline.

    The current debate about the H-1B visa system provides the U.S. with an opportunity for introspection.

    Yet the news from Washington, D.C., about massive budget cuts coming to the National Science Foundation seems to suggest the federal government is about to take an acute problem and turn it into a crisis.

    Moshe Y. Vardi receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Office of Naval Research.

    – ref. Debate over H-1B visas shines spotlight on US tech worker shortages – https://theconversation.com/debate-over-h-1b-visas-shines-spotlight-on-us-tech-worker-shortages-248711

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Belgium

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    March 20, 2025

    Washington, DC: On March 18, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Belgium, and considered and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting.[1]

    The Belgian economy was resilient to a series of shocks, but growth has been slowing, and core inflation remains persistent. Labor productivity growth remained sluggish, and labor-cost competitiveness has declined. Successive shocks have increased structural fiscal deficits and public debt. Risks arising from deepening geoeconomic fragmentation and intensification of regional conflicts affecting energy, trade and financial spillovers could worsen the outlook. 

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    In concluding the 2025 Article IV consultation with Belgium, Executive Directors endorsed staff’s appraisal, as follows:

    Notwithstanding its resilience, the Belgium economy faces significant challenges. In the short term, in an increasingly uncertain environment, policies need to see disinflation through while preserving growth and financial stability. From a longer perspective, policies need to rebuild buffers, reduce vulnerabilities associated with high and rising public debt, address spending pressures from aging and the green transition, foster higher growth, and improve the external position which, in 2024, was weaker than implied by medium-term fundamentals and desirable policies based on preliminary assessment. The policy agenda of the new government, which includes significant structural reforms and fiscal consolidation, is an opportunity to make headway. Steady and timely implementation of intended reforms will be key.

    Sustained and significant fiscal consolidation is needed. Considering the magnitude of the needed adjustment to bring the deficit durably below 3 percent of GDP and put debt solidly on a downward path, staff supports the government’s intention to pursue a seven-year adjustment under the EGF, which should be accompanied by credible and front-loaded growth-enhancing reforms. An annual reduction in the structural primary balance of about 0.6 ppt of GDP until 2031 will be necessary. The forthcoming MTFSP should be built on sufficiently conservative assumptions to lower the risk of deviating from the intended path of deficit reduction.

    The adjustment should rationalize current spending, make room for more public investment, and be supported by increased efficiency of spending. Rationalizing social benefits and the public wage bill is crucial to achieve savings. Public investment should be preserved, or ideally, increased to bolster potential growth and support green transition. Amid competing demands for resources and reduced fiscal space, improving the efficiency of spending, is critical, notably with respect to investment in infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

    Fiscal reforms are crucial to support the adjustment. Staff welcomes the government’s intention to reduce the tax burden on labor while introducing capital gain taxation and reducing tax expenditure. Considering the needed overall fiscal adjustment, tax reforms should not result in lower revenue. Similarly, staff welcomes the planned reforms aimed at raising the effective retirement age and reviewing eligibility to specific pension regimes. This is necessary to preserve the sustainability of the pension system despite aging. Staff also encourages the authorities to strengthen the overall fiscal framework, through a revitalized fiscal council and greater accountability of the federal and all federated entities in sharing the burden of fiscal adjustment.

    Overall systemic risks in the financial sector remain moderate and current capital buffer requirements and prudential limits on mortgage loans should be maintained. Recent progress in strengthening systemic risk assessment, supervision, the macroprudential framework, and crisis management and resolution preparedness is welcome. With a new government in place, pending measures that required legislative action should now proceed.

    Labor market and education reforms are essential to foster higher labor participation and better adequation of skills. The government’s intended reforms to widen the income gap between work and nonwork, limit the duration of unemployment benefits, and reduce the cost of hiring and dismissal go in the right direction. Fostering a labor market more inclusive of low-skilled workers, older workers, women, and individuals with an immigration background, or disabilities, notably through lifelong learning and reskilling and active labor-market policies, will enhance overall economic performance. Education reforms are also necessary to upskill the labor force. They should focus on aligning curricula with the skills companies need, better leveraging teachers’ time, and strengthening support to students in difficulty.

    Reforming the wage-setting mechanism will help increase labor-market efficiency and improve competitiveness. Automatic wage and social benefit indexation protected household purchasing power during the inflation shock but increased fiscal deficits and undermined competitiveness. Consideration should be given to abolishing automatic indexation and the 1996 wage law which, together, prevent an optimal allocation of labor and higher employment. At a minimum, the labor market would already benefit from technical reforms to the existing system.

    Further product market reforms and efforts with EU partners to deepen the single market and advance the capital market union will support firms’ productivity. Reforms should focus on reducing regulatory and administrative barriers and improving the insolvency regime. Removing remaining barriers to trade within the EU and harmonizing regulations and bankruptcy frameworks would give Belgian firms’ access to a larger customer base, improve competition, and provide buffers against risks from geo-fragmentation. Developing venture capital at the EU level would help widen Belgian firms’ options to finance their growth.

    Despite progress, much effort remains needed to achieve climate objectives. The planned expansion of the EU ETS should be complemented by carbon taxation and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies, while ensuring support for vulnerable population. The consolidation of federal and regional climate efforts into a coherent and cohesive national strategy is essential.

    Belgium: Selected Economic Indicators, 2022–30

     

     

     

    Projections

     

     

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    (Percent change, unless otherwise indicated)

    Real economy

    Real GDP 1/

    4.2

    1.3

    1.0

    1.1

    1.1

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    Domestic demand

    4.2

    1.8

    1.0

    1.4

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.4

    1.5

    Private consumption

    3.6

    0.6

    1.8

    1.2

    1.2

    1.5

    1.3

    1.2

    1.1

    Public consumption

    3.3

    3.2

    3.2

    1.4

    1.9

    1.6

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    Gross fixed investment

    1.7

    3.5

    0.9

    0.6

    1.7

    1.5

    1.6

    1.7

    2.0

    Stockbuilding 2/

    1.1

    -0.1

    -1.0

    0.3

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Foreign balance 2/

    0.1

    -0.5

    0.1

    -0.3

    -0.4

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.1

    -0.1

    Exports, goods and services

    5.8

    -7.1

    -4.0

    0.0

    2.6

    3.2

    3.2

    3.1

    3.1

    Imports, goods and services

    5.8

    -6.8

    -4.2

    0.4

    3.3

    3.6

    3.5

    3.3

    3.3

    Household saving ratio

    12.7

    14.1

    13.6

    13.7

    13.7

    13.7

    13.8

    14.0

    14.3

    Potential output growth

    2.0

    1.8

    1.6

    1.4

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    Potential output growth

    1.3

    1.2

    1.0

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    1.3

    1.4

    1.3

    per working age person

    Output gap (in percent)

    1.6

    1.0

    0.5

    0.2

    0.0

    0.0

    -0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    Employment

    Unemployment rate (in percent)

    5.6

    5.5

    5.8

    5.7

    5.7

    5.5

    5.6

    5.7

    5.8

    Employment growth

    1.9

    0.8

    0.3

    0.2

    0.3

    0.6

    0.3

    0.2

    0.4

    Prices

    Consumer prices (HICP)

    10.3

    2.3

    4.3

    3.5

    2.2

    2.0

    2.0

    1.9

    1.9

    Core CPI (HICP)

    4.0

    6.0

    3.4

    3.0

    2.6

    2.2

    2.1

    1.9

    1.9

    GDP deflator

    6.8

    4.5

    2.7

    2.5

    1.7

    1.5

    1.7

    1.6

    1.6

    (Percent of GDP; unless otherwise indicated)

    Public finance

    Revenue

    48.6

    49.1

    49.6

    49.5

    49.5

    49.5

    49.5

    49.6

    49.7

    Expenditure

    52.2

    53.3

    54.0

    54.3

    55.0

    55.3

    55.7

    56.3

    56.9

    General government balance

    -3.6

    -4.2

    -4.4

    -4.8

    -5.5

    -5.8

    -6.2

    -6.7

    -7.2

    Structural balance

    -4.3

    -4.4

    -4.5

    -4.8

    -5.5

    -5.8

    -6.1

    -6.8

    -7.2

    Structural balance (excl. Covid measures)

    -3.7

    -4.3

    -4.4

    -4.8

    -5.5

    -5.8

    -6.1

    -6.8

    -7.2

    Structural primary balance

    -2.7

    -2.4

    -2.2

    -2.5

    -3.0

    -3.0

    -3.2

    -3.5

    -3.7

    Primary balance

    -2.0

    -2.2

    -2.2

    -2.4

    -3.0

    -3.0

    -3.3

    -3.4

    -3.7

    General government debt

    102.6

    103.1

    104.1

    105.4

    108.6

    111.9

    115.2

    118.9

    123.0

    External Sector

    Goods and services balance

    -1.5

    -0.6

    -0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.3

    0.5

    0.7

    Current account

    -1.3

    -0.7

    -0.3

    -0.3

    -0.3

    -0.3

    -0.1

    0.1

    0.2

    Exchange rates

    Euro per U.S. dollar, period average

    0.9

    0.9

    0.9

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    NEER, ULC-styled (2005=100)

    96.3

    97.6

    97.8

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    REER, ULC-based (2005=100)

    99.7

    103.8

    105.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Memorandum items

    Gross national savings (in percent of GDP)

    25.6

    24.6

    23.8

    23.9

    23.9

    23.9

    24.1

    24.3

    24.5

    Gross national investment

    26.9

    25.3

    24.1

    24.2

    24.3

    24.3

    24.2

    24.2

    24.3

     (in percent of GDP)

    Nominal GDP (in billions of euros)

    563.5

    596.3

    618.6

    640.9

    658.7

    677.3

    697.8

    718.4

    739.8

    Population (in millions)

    11.6

    11.7

    11.8

    11.8

    11.9

    11.9

    11.9

    12.0

    12.0

     Sources: Haver Analytics, Belgian authorities, and IMF staff projections.

    1/ Based on national accounts data available as of January 29, 2025.

    2/ Contribution to GDP growth.

    		  

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Eva Graf

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/19/pr25070-belgium-imf-executive-board-concludes-2025-article-iv-consultation-with-belgium

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai attends AmCham Taiwan 2025 Hsieh Nien Fan  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-03-18
    President Lai meets Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs  
    On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. In remarks, President Lai said that Taiwan and Arizona enjoy close economic and trade relations, and expressed hope that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-United States high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. The president indicated that the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, which would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome for Taiwan-US relations. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to the Presidential Office. Governor Hobbs previously visited Taiwan after taking office in 2023. Her leading a delegation to Taiwan once again demonstrates Arizona’s continued friendship and the importance Arizona attaches to Taiwan. For this, I express my sincerest gratitude, and I welcome you again. In recent years, ties between Taiwan and Arizona have continued to expand and progress. For example, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)’s investment in Arizona is the largest greenfield investment in US history. This month, TSMC announced that it would increase its investment in the US by US$100 billion. It plans to build more semiconductor fabrication and research and development facilities in greater Phoenix, transforming the area into a US semiconductor hub. Due to our close industrial engagement, we now have more than 30,000 Taiwanese living in Arizona. I would like to thank Governor Hobbs for taking care of Taiwanese businesses and people. I believe that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-US high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. Taiwan and Arizona also enjoy close economic and trade relations. Taiwan is Arizona’s eighth largest export market and fifth largest source of imports. Last December, the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade officially came into effect. I believe this will help further deepen our trade and economic ties. At present, the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation. I hope that we can work together to achieve this goal as soon as possible. This would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive local industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome. With Governor Hobbs’s support, we look forward to continuing to advance Taiwan-US relations and promoting further cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Arizona across all domains. I understand that during this visit, you have visited many important companies and exchanged opinions with government agencies on how to strengthen bilateral relations. These efforts all go toward building an even more solid foundation for future Taiwan-US cooperation. Once again, I thank you all for supporting Taiwan and welcome you to visit us often in the future. Governor Hobbs then delivered remarks, stating that under President Lai’s leadership, Taiwan continues to thrive as a global hub for technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. She said that she is proud to be back in Taiwan alongside her secretary of commerce, Sandra Watson, as part of a diplomatic and economic delegation from Arizona. Since arriving, she said, they’ve hit the ground running, meeting with key partners, businesses, and leaders, noting that the takeaway from their meetings has been incredibly positive, and that they underscore the strong and enduring partnership between Arizona and Taiwan. Adding that our partnership that is built on shared values, mutual cultural appreciation, and commitment to innovation and economic growth, Governor Hobbs indicated that Arizona and Taiwan’s partnership extends back decades, as Taiwanese fighter pilots have been training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix since 1996. She said that we have built a strong base of collaboration across many areas, including technology, workforce, and cultural exchange, and that Arizona is even slated to get its own Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), which she expressed she is very thrilled about. Governor Hobbs went on to say that Arizona’s relationship with Taiwan is anchored by its ongoing partnership with TSMC and many Taiwan-based companies in semiconductor and other industries, and that TSMC’s US$165 billion investment in Arizona will help power development of the world’s most advanced technology, such as AI, and promises to cement an unbreakable bond between our two economies.  She stated that as governor, she can say with confidence that her administration is fully committed to strengthening this relationship in every way possible, because when Arizona and Taiwan succeed, we all succeed. Lastly, Governor Hobbs once again expressed gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for their warm hospitality. She then invited President Lai to Arizona to continue their productive conversations and further strengthen ties between our people and our economies, adding that she knows there is no limit to what we can achieve together, and that she is looking forward to what is to come. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-03-18
    President Lai meets delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas of Saint Christopher and Nevis
    On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. In remarks, President Lai thanked St. Kitts and Nevis for speaking up for Taiwan at major international venues and supporting Taiwan’s international participation. The president expressed hope that our two countries continue to achieve remarkable results through cooperation in such fields as education and training, agricultural development, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability, and create even greater well-being for our peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I welcome Minister Douglas and our esteemed guests to Taiwan. Last June, Minister Douglas accompanied Prime Minister Terrance Drew and his wife on their trip to Taiwan. I am delighted to be able to meet and exchange views with Minister Douglas again less than one year later. Your presence fully demonstrates the profound bond between Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis. I look forward to the further deepening of our partnership through our exchanges during this visit. Although our two nations are separated by a great distance, we share such universal values as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. We also continue to achieve remarkable results through cooperation in such fields as education and training, agricultural development, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability. Given that Prime Minister Drew, Minister Douglas, and I all share medical backgrounds, we deeply understand the importance of people’s health. I thus look forward to St. Kitts and Nevis’s climate-smart JNF General Hospital commencing operations as soon as possible thanks to our cooperation. The provision of even higher-quality public health and medical services will yield benefits for many more people. I also believe that by having Taiwan share its experiences in renewable energy and energy-saving technologies, our two countries will jointly drive green industrial transformation and stimulate sustainable development together. I would like to take this opportunity to thank St. Kitts and Nevis for actively speaking up for Taiwan and supporting Taiwan’s participation at such major international venues and organizations as the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. In the future, Taiwan will continue to make critical contributions to the international community. With the support of Minister Douglas and our guests, I look forward to our two countries backing each other on the global stage and continuing to build an even stronger foundation for bilateral cooperation. Let us work together to address the various challenges we face and create even greater well-being for our peoples. Minister Douglas then delivered remarks, first conveying greetings from Prime Minister Drew to President Lai, the government, and the people of Taiwan. He then stated that over the last 41 years since the dawn of their nationhood, the Republic of China Taiwan has steadfastly walked beside St. Kitts and Nevis as a strong and immovable partner. As we reflect on four decades of our journey together, he said, we recognize the unswerving and unwavering spirit that has guided both our nations through trials and challenges. The minister then acknowledged the generous support of Taiwan’s government that has helped St. Kitts and Nevis in its own economic and social development. He went on to say that Taiwan’s partnership with St. Kitts and Nevis has been instrumental in helping them achieve the goals of their sustainable island state agenda. Whether in enhancing food security through the diversification of their agricultural sector, fostering clean energy solutions through the solar PV farm, or advancing healthcare through assistance in building their smart hospital, he said, Taiwan has been a steadfast partner in shaping a much more resilient and sustainable future for the people of their federation. In the spirit of reciprocity and solidarity, Minister Douglas said, St. Kitts and Nevis continues to leverage opportunities on the global stage to request incessantly that Taiwan be given its rightful place in international organizations, where it can make a meaningful contribution to resolving the world’s most critical issues. Minister Douglas indicated that the global challenges we face today demand collective action, and that Taiwan has the innovation, the technology, the knowledge, and the expertise to make a tremendous positive impact on some of the world’s most urgent issues. He said that St. Kitts and Nevis will never grow weary in their own support, but shall continue to sound the clarion call of “let Taiwan in,” as well as advocate for peace to be maintained in the Taiwan Strait. To close, Minister Douglas expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality bestowed upon him and his delegation by Taiwan’s government, remarking that the engagements they had thus far were pregnant with promise, and that they are confident in witnessing a fruitful outcome as we work together to build a prosperous and sustainable future for our peoples. The delegation also included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kaye Bass, Permanent Secretary of Economic Development and Investment Adina Richards, and Director in the Ministry of International Trade Sean Lawrence. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Donya L. Francis.

    Details
    2025-03-18
    President Lai meets 2025 Yushan Forum participants
    On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with participants in the 2025 Yushan Forum. In remarks, President Lai thanked the guests for gathering here in Taiwan and discussing ways to enhance regional cooperation, demonstrating that our democratic allies and friends are standing together as we take on the challenges of a new world and a new era. The president reiterated that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world, and we welcome the world to come closer to Taiwan. He stated that Taiwan will continue to work with international partners to deepen cooperation, exchanges, and partnership in various domains and resist the expansion of authoritarianism. Together, the president emphasized, we can pursue regional peace and security and realize a new vision for a free and open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I would like to begin by thanking Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister of Denmark and chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, for inviting then-President Tsai Ing-wen to address the Copenhagen Democracy Summit via video over five consecutive years since 2020, and for inviting myself to give remarks via video last year. Those opportunities allowed Taiwan to share with the world our motivation for, and our work toward, safeguarding freedom and democracy. I would also like to thank Mr. Janez Janša, former prime minister of the Republic of Slovenia, who has visited Taiwan many times already, for actively elevating the cordial ties between Taiwan and Slovenia during his term as prime minister, helping expand friendship for Taiwan throughout Europe. Today’s guests have traveled a long way to show their strong backing for Taiwan. For this, I express my deepest gratitude. Yesterday was my first time attending the Yushan Forum as president. I saw political leaders and representatives gather here in Taiwan and discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation. The event demonstrated that our democratic allies and friends are standing together as we take on the challenges of a new world and a new era. It was truly moving. As I stated at the opening ceremony, Taiwan will continue to engage with the world, and we welcome the world to come closer to Taiwan. Our government will help guide Taiwanese small- and medium-sized enterprises as they expand into the international market and extend Taiwan’s economic power. I hope that during this visit, our guests will be able to explore more opportunities for cooperation in such fields as AI, smart healthcare, and advanced technologies, and join hands in contributing to the prosperity and development of our democratic allies and friends. Taiwan will continue to work with international partners, building upon the shared values of freedom and democracy, to deepen cooperation, exchanges, and partnership in various domains and resist the expansion of authoritarianism. Together, we can pursue regional peace and security and realize a new vision for a free and open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. And I hope, with the assistance of our guests here today, that we can further strengthen the ties between Taiwan and Europe so that we can all take up the work of maintaining global peace and stability. Once again, I welcome our guests to Taiwan. I look forward to hearing your thoughts in a few moments. I also hope you will visit Taiwan often in the future and continue to experience our vibrant democratic society and culture. Chairman Rasmussen then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure to be back here in Taipei after meeting with President Lai in 2023. He then thanked President Lai for the Taiwanese hospitality on behalf of the Yushan Forum international visitors and participants, who represent four continents and very different political parties but who are united by one thing – the commitment to democracy. Chairman Rasmussen mentioned that over the past few days, they have met with members of the government, legislature, and civil society in Taiwan. He said that he is more convinced than ever that in a very uncertain world, Taiwan continues to stand as a beacon of democracy, from which people in Europe and in the rest of the world have a lot to learn. Over the past eight years, he has been proud to step up his engagement with Taiwan, he said, as he has always subscribed to the view that freedom must advance everywhere, or else it is in decline everywhere. Chairman Rasmussen noted that they have many interests in making sure Taiwan remains free and that we must always stand up for freedom when it is under assault by a dictator. This is why Ukraine’s fight is also everyone’s fight, he explained. He then praised Taiwan for all of the support it has given to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and honored the two Taiwanese volunteer soldiers who gave their lives for freedom in Ukraine. Chairman Rasmussen remarked that Taiwan is a strong feature of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that he convenes each year. His foundation, the Alliance of Democracies, has even been sanctioned by the Chinese government due to its support of Taiwan, he said, which is something he takes as a badge of honor. He added that this year’s Copenhagen Democracy Summit in May will be no different, as they plan to focus on the new world order, urgent measures to strengthen Europe’s military, and the situation in Ukraine. But as the United States pulls back from the transatlantic alliance and Europe focuses more on its own defense, he said, Europe should not retreat from the world. He added that to ensure European security, we need more Europe in the Indo-Pacific, and that is why he has been making the argument for more political and economic cooperation with Taiwan. Chairman Rasmussen praised President Lai’s recent decision to increase Taiwan’s national defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP, adding that it is important that each nation does what it can for its own defense. The chairman once again thanked President Lai for meeting with them today and for the opportunity to visit Taiwan, a beacon of democracy and liberty in Asia. Also in attendance at the meeting were Chairman of the Czech Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Pavel Fischer; Member of the National Security Advisory Board to India’s National Security Council Anshuman Tripathi; former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Anna Fotyga; former Minister of Health of Canada Tony Clement; and former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and current Secretary General of the Polish-based Community of Democracies Mantas Adomėnas.

    Details
    2025-03-17
    President Lai meets Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji
    On the afternoon of March 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Japanese House of Representatives Member and Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Consultative Council for doing its utmost to strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and Japan. He also stated that Taiwan and Japan are both part of the first island chain’s key line of defense, and in addition to continuing to bolster its economic strength and enhance its self-defense capabilities, Taiwan will work together with Japan and other like-minded countries to promote regional and global democracy, peace, and prosperity. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I would like to extend a warm welcome to Chairman Furuya, who is visiting us once again. I am also delighted to meet House of Councillors Member Yamamoto Junzo and House of Representatives Member Hiranuma Shojiro today. Although the Japanese Diet is currently in session, our distinguished guests overcame many hurdles and organized a delegation to attend the 2025 Yushan Forum and deliver speeches, providing valuable insights into issues of mutual concern in the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrating the support for Taiwan in the Diet. Here, I would like to express my deepest gratitude. During the Yushan Forum, it was especially inspiring when Chairman Furuya spoke Taiwanese when he emphasized that “if Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” Over the past few years under Chairman Furuya’s leadership, the Consultative Council has done its utmost to strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and Japan. In addition to passing resolutions every year supporting Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the council has established four internal research groups regarding the CPTPP, exchanges for women legislators, encouraging local-level exchanges, and the Taiwan Relations Act, using an issue-oriented approach to deepen Taiwan-Japan relations. Thanks to the Consultative Council’s long-term assistance and promotional efforts, the Japanese Ministry of Justice has announced that beginning this May, members of the Taiwanese overseas community in Japan included in the country’s family registry system may list “Taiwan” in the field designating their nationality or region of origin. This demonstrates the friendly relations between Taiwan and Japan, and the Taiwanese people will always remember the council’s continued concrete actions in support of Taiwan. In his remarks at the Yushan Forum today, Chairman Furuya mentioned that there are many areas in which Taiwan and Japan can engage in industrial cooperation. We can continue to deepen our partnership in semiconductors, energy, AI, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other areas related to economic security and supply chain resilience, all of which have significant room for cooperation, creating win-win situations for both Taiwan and Japan. As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must come closer in solidarity. Taiwan and Japan are both part of the first island chain’s key line of defense. In addition to bolstering our economic strength and enhancing our self-defense capabilities, Taiwan will also work with Japan and other like-minded countries to promote regional and global democracy, peace, and prosperity. All of our distinguished guests are good friends of Taiwan, and are very familiar with Taiwan. I hope to continue working together with you all to carry Taiwan-Japan relations to an even higher level. Chairman Furuya then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking time out of his busy schedule to see them. He then noted that Japan, Taiwan, and quite a few other nations around the world changed leaders last year, and conditions around the world are becoming increasingly unstable. One cannot see what the world will be like a few years from now, he said, which is why he is counting so heavily on the strong leadership of President Lai. Chairman Furuya said that, in addition to collaboration in foreign affairs and security matters, economic cooperation between Taiwan and Japan is also very important. He mentioned new technologies, and said he had spoken quite a bit on the topic that very morning at the Yushan Forum. The clearest example, he said, is the establishment by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company of a wafer plant in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, which has sparked robust economic activity. He added that cooperation addressing such matters as cyberattacks and supply chain resilience is also very important. Chairman Furuya noted that President Lai had mentioned in his remarks that beginning from May, Taiwanese overseas community members in Japan will be able to list “Taiwan” on their family registers. The chairman expressed his view that this is not a foreign affairs issue, but rather a human rights issue for the Taiwanese people, and an excellent way to show respect for Taiwan. He further noted President Lai’s mentioning of the four research groups that the Consultative Council has established, and said that these groups will ramp up their work. He also expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will work together to address challenges that face both countries, such as issues pertaining to democracy and peace in the Taiwan Strait, so that they can together push for international peace and stability. Chairman Furuya stated that reciprocal visits by Taiwanese and Japanese people reached an all-time high last year. He said that in the future, in addition to further promoting local exchanges between the two countries, he also hopes that Japanese middle school and high school students planning to go on overseas study trips will choose Taiwan as their destination, because he feels that any student who visits Taiwan will become a fan of this place. Also in attendance was Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-03-17
    President Lai addresses opening of 2025 Yushan Forum
    On the morning of March 17, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening of the 2025 Yushan Forum, the theme of which was “New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and a New World.” In remarks, President Lai stated that the New Southbound Policy has led to great success in economic and trade cooperation, professional exchanges, resource sharing, and building regional links. He said that in the past, Taiwanese industries went from moving westward across the Taiwan Strait, to shifting southbound, to working closer with the north, but that now, Taiwan is confidently stepping across the Pacific, reaching eastward, to the Americas and other regions. While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, he said, Taiwan’s enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. The president stated that Taiwan will strive alongside its partners in democracy to bolster non-red supply chains and digital solidarity, and together respond to the threats and challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism. He indicated that the Yushan Forum is a place to share experiences, and more importantly, lay down firm foundations for exchanges and cooperation among participants’ countries to create greater stability for the region and greater prosperity for the world. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: On behalf of all the people of Taiwan, I want to welcome our good friends joining us from around the world. Your presence shows support for a peaceful and stable Taiwan and a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Yushan Forum has become more than just an important platform for the New Southbound Policy. Over these eight years, more than 3,600 participants from Taiwan and 28 other countries have helped deepen Taiwan’s connections with nations around the world. The New Southbound Policy has led to great success in economic and trade cooperation, professional exchanges, resource sharing, and building regional links. Looking ahead, the Yushan Forum will be taking on the important mission of carrying its legacy forward and transforming it into action. Not only must we turn consensus into action plans for close cooperation among countries in the region; we must also work with partners around the world to forge ahead with cooperative plans for mutual prosperity. We hope to envision a new world from Taiwan – and see Taiwan in this new world. We are also embracing an era of smart technology. The government sessions of this Yushan Forum are therefore centered around topics including smart healthcare, smart transportation, and resilient supply chains for semiconductors. Taiwan is intent on working side by side with other countries to face the challenges of this new era. Today’s Taiwan celebrates not only the democratic achievements that are recognized by the international community, but also our strengths in the semiconductor and other tech industries, which enable us to play a key role in restructuring global democratic supply chains and the economic order. We are building on Taiwan as a “silicon island” for semiconductors while accelerating innovation and AI applications for industry. These efforts will help Taiwan become an “AI island” as well. We are also developing forward-looking fields such as quantum technology and precision medicine, which will create an industry ecosystem that is highly competitive and innovative. The government will also develop economic models powered by innovation. This will help SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) upgrade and transform through the power of digital transformation and net-zero transition. In the past, Taiwanese industries went from moving westward across the Taiwan Strait, to shifting southbound, to working closer with the north. But now, we are confidently stepping across the Pacific, reaching eastward, to the Americas and other regions. While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. Taiwan will continue to engage with the world, and we welcome the world to come closer to Taiwan. As we gather here today, I am confident that we share the same goal: Through international cooperation, we hope to build an even more inclusive, resilient, prosperous Indo-Pacific, while jointly defending the democracy, freedom, and peace we so firmly believe in. I want to thank you all once again for supporting Taiwan. We will strive alongside our partners in democracy to bolster non-red supply chains and digital solidarity, and together respond to the threats and challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism. Yushan is also known as Jade Mountain. It is Taiwan’s highest peak and stands as firm as our unwavering spirit. During this critical time of global change and transformation, the Yushan Forum is a place where we can share our experiences, and more importantly, lay down firm foundations for exchanges and cooperation among our countries. This way, we can create greater stability for the region and greater prosperity for the world. I wish everyone a successful forum. Thank you. Also in attendance at the event were former Prime Minister of Denmark and Alliance of Democracies Foundation Chairman Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša, Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji, and American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-03-13
    President Lai holds press conference following high-level national security meeting
    On the afternoon of March 13, President Lai Ching-te convened a high-level national security meeting, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth. President Lai emphasized that in the face of increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and expressed hope that all citizens unite in solidarity to resist being divided. The president also expressed hope that citizens work together to increase media literacy, organize and participate in civic education activities, promptly expose concerted united front efforts, and refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, he said, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: At many venues recently, a number of citizens have expressed similar concerns to me. They have noticed cases in which members of the military, both active-duty and retired, have been bought out by China, sold intelligence, or even organized armed forces with plans to harm their own nation and its citizens. They have noticed cases in which entertainers willingly followed instructions from Beijing to claim that their country is not a country, all for the sake of personal career interests. They have noticed how messaging used by Chinese state media to stir up internal opposition in Taiwan is always quickly spread by specific channels. There have even been individuals making careers out of helping Chinese state media record united front content, spreading a message that democracy is useless and promoting skepticism toward the United States and the military to sow division and opposition. Many people worry that our country, as well as our hard-won freedom and democracy and the prosperity and progress we achieved together, are being washed away bit by bit due to these united front tactics. In an analysis of China’s united front, renowned strategic scholar Kerry K. Gershaneck expressed that China plans to divide and conquer us through subversion, infiltration, and acquisition of media, and by launching media warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. What they are trying to do is to sow seeds of discord in our society, keep us occupied with internal conflicts, and cause us to ignore the real threat from outside. China’s ambition over the past several decades to annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China has not changed for even a day. It continues to pursue political and military intimidation, and its united front infiltration of Taiwan’s society grows ever more serious. In 2005, China promulgated its so-called “Anti-Secession Law,” which makes using military force to annex Taiwan a national undertaking. Last June, China issued a 22-point set of “guidelines for punishing Taiwan independence separatists,” which regards all those who do not accept that “Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China” as targets for punishment, creating excuses to harm the people of Taiwan. China has also recently been distorting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, showing in all aspects China’s increasingly urgent threat against Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lately, China has been taking advantage of democratic Taiwan’s freedom, diversity, and openness to recruit gangs, the media, commentators, political parties, and even active-duty and retired members of the armed forces and police to carry out actions to divide, destroy, and subvert us from within. A report from the National Security Bureau indicates that 64 persons were charged last year with suspicion of spying for China, which was three times the number of persons charged for the same offense in 2021. Among them, the Unionist Party, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government formed treasonous organizations to deploy armed forces for China. In a democratic and free society, such cases are appalling. But this is something that actually exists within Taiwan’s society today. China also actively plots ways to infiltrate and spy on our military. Last year, 28 active-duty and 15 retired members of the armed forces were charged with suspicion of involvement in spying for China, respectively comprising 43 percent and 23 percent of all of such cases – 66 percent in total. We are also alert to the fact that China has recently used widespread issuance of Chinese passports to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for the Residence Permit for Taiwan Residents, permanent residency, or the Resident Identity Card, in an attempt to muddle Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity. China also views cross-strait exchanges as a channel for its united front against Taiwan, marking enemies in Taiwan internally, creating internal divisions, and weakening our sense of who the enemy really is. It intends to weaken public authority and create the illusion that China is “governing” Taiwan, thereby expanding its influence within Taiwan. We are also aware that China has continued to expand its strategy of integrated development with Taiwan. It employs various methods to demand and coerce Taiwanese businesses to increase their investments in China, entice Taiwanese youth to develop their careers in China, and unscrupulously seeks to poach Taiwan’s talent and steal key technologies. Such methods impact our economic security and greatly increase the risk of our young people heading to China. By its actions, China already satisfies the definition of a “foreign hostile force” as provided in the Anti-Infiltration Act. We have no choice but to take even more proactive measures, which is my purpose in convening this high-level national security meeting today. It is time we adopt proper preventive measures, enhance our democratic resilience and national security, and protect our cherished free and democratic way of life. Next, I will be giving a detailed account of the five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces and the 17 major strategies we have prepared in response. I. Responding to China’s threats to our national sovereignty We have a nation insofar as we have sovereignty, and we have the Republic of China insofar as we have Taiwan. Just as I said during my inaugural address last May, and in my National Day address last October: The moment when Taiwan’s first democratically elected president took the oath of office in 1996 sent a message to the international community, that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent, democratic nation. Among people here and in the international community, some call this land the Republic of China, some call it Taiwan, and some, the Republic of China Taiwan. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and Taiwan resists any annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty. The future of the Republic of China Taiwan must be decided by its 23 million people. This is the status quo that we must maintain. The broadest consensus in Taiwanese society is that we must defend our sovereignty, uphold our free and democratic way of life, and resolutely oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (1) I request that the National Security Council (NSC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), and the administrative team do their utmost to promote the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to demonstrate the people’s broad consensus and firm resolve, consistent across the entirety of our nation, to oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (2) I request that the NSC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draft an action plan that will, through collaboration with our friends and allies, convey to the world our national will and broad social consensus in opposing annexation of Taiwan by China and in countering China’s efforts to erase Taiwan from the international community and downgrade Taiwan’s sovereignty. II. Responding to China’s threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting our military (1) Comprehensively review and amend our Law of Military Trial to restore the military trial system, allowing military judges to return to the frontline and collaborate with prosecutorial, investigative, and judicial authorities in the handling of criminal cases in which active-duty military personnel are suspected of involvement in such military crimes as sedition, aiding the enemy, leaking confidential information, dereliction of duty, or disobedience. In the future, criminal cases involving active-duty military personnel who are suspected of violating the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces will be tried by a military court. (2) Implement supporting reforms, including the establishment of a personnel management act for military judges and separate organization acts for military courts and military prosecutors’ offices. Once planning and discussion are completed, the MND will fully explain to and communicate with the public to ensure that the restoration of the military trial system gains the trust and full support of society. (3) To deter the various types of controversial rhetoric and behavior exhibited by active-duty as well as retired military personnel that severely damage the morale of our national military, the MND must discuss and propose an addition to the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces on penalties for expressions of loyalty to the enemy as well as revise the regulations for military personnel and their families receiving retirement benefits, so as to uphold military discipline. III. Responding to China’s threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan (1) I request that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and other relevant agencies, wherever necessary, carry out inspections and management of the documents involving identification that Taiwanese citizens apply for in China, including: passports, ID cards, permanent residence certificates, and residence certificates, especially when the applicants are military personnel, civil servants, or public school educators, who have an obligation of loyalty to Taiwan. This will be done to strictly prevent and deter united front operations, which are performed by China under the guise of “integrated development,” that attempt to distort our people’s national identity. (2) With respect to naturalization and integration of individuals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau into Taiwanese society, more national security considerations must be taken into account while also attending to Taiwan’s social development and individual rights: Chinese nationals applying for permanent residency in Taiwan must, in accordance with the law of Taiwan, relinquish their existing household registration and passport and may not hold dual identity status. As for the systems in place to process individuals from Hong Kong or Macau applying for residency or permanent residency in Taiwan, there will be additional provisions for long-term residency to meet practical needs. IV. Responding to China’s threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges  (1) There are increasing risks involved with travel to China. (From January 1, 2024 to today, the MAC has received reports of 71 Taiwanese nationals who went missing, were detained, interrogated, or imprisoned in China; the number of unreported people who have been subjected to such treatment may be several times that. Of those, three elderly I-Kuan Tao members were detained in China in December of last year and have not yet been released.) In light of this, relevant agencies must raise public awareness of those risks, continue enhancing public communication, and implement various registration systems to reduce the potential for accidents and the risks associated with traveling to China. (2) Implement a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public officials at all levels of the central and local government. This includes everyone from administrative officials to elected representatives, from legislators to village and neighborhood chiefs, all of whom should make the information related to such exchanges both public and transparent so that they can be accountable to the people. The MOI should also establish a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public welfare organizations, such as religious groups, in order to prevent China’s interference and united front activities at their outset. (3) Manage the risks associated with individuals from China engaging in exchanges with Taiwan: Review and approval of Chinese individuals coming to Taiwan should be limited to normal cross-strait exchanges and official interactions under the principles of parity and dignity, and relevant factors such as changes in the cross-strait situation should be taken into consideration. Strict restrictions should be placed on Chinese individuals who have histories with the united front coming to Taiwan, and Chinese individuals should be prohibited from coming to Taiwan to conduct activities related in any way to the united front. (4) Political interference from China and the resulting risks to national security should be avoided in cross-strait exchanges. This includes the review and management of religious, cultural, academic, and education exchanges, which should in principle be depoliticized and de-risked so as to simplify people-to-people exchanges and promote healthy and orderly exchanges. (5) To deter the united front tactics of a cultural nature employed by Chinese nationals to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, the Executive Yuan must formulate a solution to make our local cultural industries more competitive, including enhanced support and incentives for our film, television, and cultural and creative industries to boost their strengths in democratic cultural creation, raise international competitiveness, and encourage research in Taiwan’s own history and culture. (6) Strengthen guidance and management for entertainers developing their careers in China. The competent authorities should provide entertainers with guidelines on conduct while working in China, and make clear the scope of investigation and response to conduct that endangers national dignity. This will help prevent China from pressuring Taiwanese entertainers to make statements or act in ways that endanger national dignity. (7) The relevant authorities must adopt proactive, effective measures to prevent China from engaging in cognitive warfare against Taiwan or endangering cybersecurity through the internet, applications, AI, and other such tools. (8) To implement these measures, each competent authority must run a comprehensive review of the relevant administrative ordinances, measures, and interpretations, and complete the relevant regulations for legal enforcement. Should there be any shortcomings, the legal framework for national security should be strengthened and amendments to the National Security Act, Anti-Infiltration Act, Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, or Cyber Security Management Act should be proposed. Communication with the public should also be increased so that implementation can happen as soon as possible. V. Responding to threats from China using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth (1) I request that the NSC and administrative agencies work together to carry out strategic structural adjustments to the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and China based on the strategies of putting Taiwan first and expanding our global presence while staying rooted in Taiwan. In addition, they should carry out necessary, orderly adjustments to the flow of talent, goods, money, and skills involved in cross-strait economic and trade relations based on the principle of strengthening Taiwan’s foundations to better manage risk. This will help boost economic security and give us more power to respond to China’s economic and trade united front and economic coercion against Taiwan. (2) I request that the Ministry of Education, MAC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other relevant agencies work together to comprehensively strengthen young students’ literacy education on China and deepen their understanding of cross-strait exchanges. I also request these agencies to widely publicize mechanisms for employment and entrepreneurship for Taiwan’s youth and provide ample information and assistance so that young students have more confidence in the nation’s future and more actively invest in building up and developing Taiwan. My fellow citizens, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. History tells us that any authoritarian act of aggression or annexation will ultimately end in failure. The only way we can safeguard freedom and prevail against authoritarian aggression is through solidarity. As we face increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and to ensure that the freedom, democracy, and way of life of Taiwan’s 23 million people continues on as normal. But relying solely on the power of the government is not enough. What we need even more is for all citizens to stay vigilant and take action. Every citizen stands on the frontline of the defense of democracy and freedom. Here is what we can do together: First, we can increase our media literacy, and refrain from spreading and passing on united front messaging from the Chinese state. Second, we can organize and participate in civic education activities to increase our knowledge about united front operations and build up whole-of-society defense resilience. Third, we can promptly expose concerted united front efforts so that all malicious attempts are difficult to carry out. Fourth, we must refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. The vigilance and action of every citizen forms the strongest line of defense against united front infiltration. Only through solidarity can we resist being divided. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: OIP Announces Additional FOIA Training Dates for Fiscal Year 2025

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the Office of Information Policy (OIP) announces new dates for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) training for April through July.  As part of its responsibility to encourage agency compliance with the FOIA, OIP offers numerous training opportunities throughout the year for agency FOIA professionals and individuals with FOIA responsibilities. 

    These courses are designed to offer training opportunities for personnel from all stages of the FOIA workforce, from new hires to the experienced FOIA professionals or FOIA managers.  OIP will continue to offer virtual training sessions that will be taught in real-time by OIP instructors.  As we move into the Spring of Fiscal Year 2025, we are pleased to announce these virtual training courses, which are also listed on OIP’s Training page.

    The courses and dates scheduled for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025 are:

    Introduction to the Freedom of Information Act
    April 8, 2025

    Processing a Request from Start to Finish 
    April 16, 2025

    Procedural Requirements, and Fee and Fee Waivers Training
    May 6, 2025

    Litigation Training
    May 14, 2025

    Administrative Appeals, FOIA Compliance, and Customer Service Training
    May 21, 2025

    Exemption 1 and Exemption 7 Training
    June 4, 2025

    Exemption 4 and Exemption 5 Training
    June 19, 2025

    Privacy Considerations Training
    July 10, 2025

    Continuing FOIA Education Training
    July 15, 2025

    Training courses are open to all federal government employees.  Descriptions of each course and registration links are available on the Training page of OIP’s site.  OIP manages all training registration through WebEx.  Registration will open one month prior to the date of the training.  Once the registration period begins, you may register by providing your name and email address on WebEx for that course.  Each attendee must register separately using their own government email address.  Please note that these training sessions are open to government personnel and contractors only.  Once you are registered, you will be sent a confirmation email from WebEx.

    OIP is also always available to provide individualized training sessions to any interested agency, which can be tailored to fit training needs.

    For questions or more information regarding any of OIP’s training opportunities, please contact OIP’s Training Coordinator at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –