Category: Machine Learning

MIL-OSI United Nations: MARS Group Meeting

Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The Advisory Group on Market Surveillance (MARS) was established in 2003 to promote global trade and economic cooperation. The Group brings together all players involved (public authorities, manufacturers, retailers, importers, consumers, etc.) to increase transparency and attract attention to the role and responsibilities of public authorities in the chain of control. It has developed comprehensive guidance and serves as a forum of best practice and development of recommendation guidelines.

The attendance is expected by WP.6 MARS Bureau, members and observers and secretariat

Meeting minutes

Agenda

Item	Subject	Timing
1a	Roll call and admin	0
1b	Approval of the agenda	5
2	Invited guest speaker: “OPSS approach to online market places” David Self [Bio & PPT], Assistant Director of Online Strategies, Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland 20 minute presentation followed by discussion	45
3	Next steps on potential project on better regulating digital vulnerabilities and how to harmonize these among regulatory agencies Follow up on discussions from the 14 November 2024 GRM meeting And the 16 October 2024 MARS meeting	15
4	Preparation for the 9 April MARS meeting during the WP.6 Forum 9 April morning will be for administrative and organizational aspects (including nomination of officers, advancement of PoW and planned activities for the future) 9 April afternoon will be for a conference on market surveillance and AI Discussion of the organization of the conference, potential speakers, etc. Possibility to have an additional meeting on 8 April (morning and/or evening) for exchanges of experience To discuss if this is desired and the topics that would be developed	20
5	Update on the WP.6 work on artificial intelligence The Overarching CRA has been published Seeking signatories to the declaration For more information on this segment, see: https://unece.org/trade/publications/ece_trade_486	10
6	Update from the secretariat	5
7	Any other business	5
	Next meetings during the WP.6 Forum: 7-11 April 2025 (MARS on 9th; GRM on 10th)

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025

MIL-OSI United Nations: The ‘slow onset, silent killer’: Droughts explained

Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

By Daniel Dickinson, Riyadh

3 December 2024 Climate and Environment

Droughts across the world are intensifying and have become a “slow onset, silent killer” to which no country is immune, according to the UN’s most senior official working on desertification, drought and land restoration issues.

Ibrahim Thiaw, the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was speaking at the opening of COP16 a major global conference taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where a new global drought regime is expected to be agreed which will promote the shift from reactive relief response to proactive preparedness.

Here’s what you need to know about droughts.

Droughts are increasing in regularity and intensity

Droughts are a natural phenomenon, but in recent decades have been intensified by climate change and unsustainable land practices. Their number has surged by nearly 30 per cent in frequency and intensity since 2000, threatening agriculture, water security, and the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people, with the poorest nations bearing the brunt.

© World Bank/Arne Hoel

Water availability is essential to prevent migration in places like western Nigeria.

They can also lead to conflict over dwindling resources, including water, and the widespread displacement of people as they migrate towards more productive lands.

No country is immune

More than 30 countries declared drought emergencies in the past three years alone, from India and China, to high-income nations such as the US, Canada and Spain, as well as Uruguay, Southern Africa and even Indonesia.

UN News/Daniel Dickinson

A ship passes through the Panama Canal in Central America.

Droughts impeded grain transportation in the Rhine River in Europe, disrupted international trade via the Panama Canal in Central America, and led to hydropower cuts in the South America country, Brazil, which depends on water for more than 60 per cent of its electricity supply.

Firefighters were even called to an urban park in New York City, in the United States in wintry November 2024 to tackle a bush fire after weeks of no rainfall.

“Droughts have expanded into new territories. No country is immune,” said UNCCD’s Ibrahim Thiaw adding that “by 2050, three in four people globally, up to seven and half billion people, will feel the impact of drought.”

Domino effects

Droughts are rarely confined to a specific place and time and are not simply due to a lack of rainfall but are often the result of a complicated set of events driven or amplified by climate change, as well as sometimes the mismanagement of land.

For example, a hillside which is deforested is immediately degraded. The land will lose its resilience to extreme weather and will become more susceptible to both drought and flooding.

And, once they strike, they can trigger a series of cataclysmic domino effects, supercharging heat waves and even floods, multiplying the risks to people’ s lives and livelihoods with long-lasting human, social and economic costs.

As communities, economies, and ecosystems suffer the damaging effects of drought, their vulnerability is increased to the next one, feeding a vicious cycle of land degradation and underdevelopment.

Drought is a development and a security issue

Around 70 per cent of the world’s available freshwater is in the hands of people living off the land, most of them subsistence farmers in low-income countries with limited livelihood alternatives. Around 2.5 billion of them are youth.

Without water there is no food and no land-based jobs, which can lead to forced migration, instability, and conflict.

“Drought is not merely an environmental matter,” said Andrea Meza, UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary. “Drought is a development and human security matter that we must urgently tackle from across all sectors and governance levels.”

Planning for greater resilience

Droughts are also becoming harsher and faster due to human-induced climate change as well as land mismanagement and typically the global response to it is still reactive. More planning and adaption is required to build resilience to the extreme conditions created by dwindling supplies of water and this often happens at a local level.

UN Haiti/Daniel Dickinson

A beekeeper collects honey in southern Haiti.

In Zimbabwe a youth-led grass-roots organization is aiming to regenerate land by planting one billion trees across the southern African country, while more farmers on the Caribbean island of Haiti are taking to bee-keeping; Bees feed off the trees, so there is an incentive for bee keepers to protect the trees from being cut down. In Mali, a young woman entrepreneur, is creating livelihoods and building resilience to drought by promoting the products of the moringa tree.

Experts say proactive initiatives like these can prevent immense human suffering and is far cheaper than interventions focused on response and recovery.

What next?

At COP16 countries are coming together to agree how to collectively tackle worsening droughts and promote sustainable land management.

Two key pieces of research were launched on the opening day.

The World Drought Atlas depicts the systemic nature of drought risks illustrating how they are interconnected across sectors like energy, agriculture, river transport, and international trade and how they can trigger cascading effects, fueling inequalities and conflicts and threatening public health.

The Drought Resilience Observatory is an AI-driven data platform for drought resilience created by the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), a UNCCD-hosted coalition of more than 70 countries and organizations committed to drought action.

How much is it going to cost?

One UN estimate suggests that investments totalling $2.6 trillion will be needed by 2030 to restore land across the world which is affected by drought and poor management.

At COP16 an initial pledge of $2.15 billion was announced to finance the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership.

It will serve as a global facilitator for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response to proactive preparedness,” said Dr Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudia Arabia, adding that “we also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: OpenAI’s new ‘deep research’ agent is still just a fallible tool – not a human-level expert
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raffaele F Ciriello, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

Jan Antonin Kolar/Unsplash

OpenAI’s “deep research” is the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tool making waves and promising to do in minutes what would take hours for a human expert to complete.

Bundled as a feature in ChatGPT Pro and marketed as a research assistant that can match a trained analyst, it autonomously searches the web, compiles sources and delivers structured reports. It even scored 26.6% on Humanity’s Last Exam (HLE), a tough AI benchmark, outperforming many models.

But deep research doesn’t quite live up to the hype. While it produces polished reports, it also has serious flaws. According to journalists who’ve tried it, deep research can miss key details, struggle with recent information and sometimes invents facts.

OpenAI flags this when listing the limitations of its tool. The company also says it “can sometimes hallucinate facts in responses or make incorrect inferences, though at a notably lower rate than existing ChatGPT models, according to internal evaluations”.

It’s no surprise that unreliable data can slip in, since AI models don’t “know” things in the same way humans do.

The idea of an AI “research analyst” also raises a slew of questions. Can a machine – no matter how powerful – truly replace a trained expert? What would be the implications for knowledge work? And is AI really helping us think better, or just making it easier to stop thinking altogether?

What is ‘deep research’ and who is it for?

Marketed towards professionals in finance, science, policy, law and engineering, as well as academics, journalists and business strategists, deep research is the latest “agentic experience” OpenAI has rolled out in ChatGPT. It promises to do the heavy lifting of research in minutes.

Currently, deep research is only available to ChatGPT Pro users in the United States, at a cost of US$200 per month. OpenAI says it will roll out to Plus, Team and Enterprise users in the coming months, with a more cost-effective version planned for the future.

Unlike a standard chatbot that provides quick responses, deep research follows a multi-step process to produce a structured report:
1. The user submits a request. This could be anything from a market analysis to a legal case summary.
2. The AI clarifies the task. It may ask follow-up questions to refine the research scope.
3. The agent searches the web. It autonomously browses hundreds of sources, including news articles, research papers and online databases.
4. It synthesises its findings. The AI extracts key points, organises them into a structured report and cites its sources.
5. The final report is delivered. Within five to 30 minutes, the user receives a multi-page document – potentially even a PhD-level thesis – summarising the findings.
At first glance, it sounds like a dream tool for knowledge workers. A closer look reveals significant limitations.

Many early tests have exposed shortcomings:
- It lacks context. AI can summarise, but it doesn’t fully understand what’s important.
- It ignores new developments. It has missed major legal rulings and scientific updates.
- It makes things up. Like other AI models, it can confidently generate false information.
- It can’t tell fact from fiction. It doesn’t distinguish authoritative sources from unreliable ones.
While OpenAI claims its tool rivals human analysts, AI inevitably lacks the judgement, scrutiny and expertise that make good research valuable.

What AI can’t replace

ChatGPT isn’t the only AI tool that can scour the web and produce reports with just a few prompts. Notably, a mere 24 hours after OpenAI’s release, Hugging Face released a free, open-source version that nearly matches its performance.

The biggest risk of deep research and other AI tools marketed for “human-level” research is the illusion that AI can replace human thinking. AI can summarise information, but it can’t question its own assumptions, highlight knowledge gaps, think creatively or understand different perspectives.

And AI-generated summaries don’t match the depth of a skilled human researcher.

Any AI agent, no matter how fast, is still just a tool, not a replacement for human intelligence. For knowledge workers, it’s more important than ever to invest in skills that AI can’t replicate: critical thinking, fact-checking, deep expertise and creativity.

If you do want to use AI research tools, there are ways to do so responsibly. Thoughtful use of AI can enhance research without sacrificing accuracy or depth. You might use AI for efficiency, like summarising documents, but retain human judgement for making decisions.

Always verify sources, as AI-generated citations can be misleading. Don’t trust conclusions blindly, but apply critical thinking and cross-check information with reputable sources. For high-stakes topics — such as health, justice and democracy — supplement AI findings with expert input.

Despite prolific marketing that tries to tell us otherwise, generative AI still has plenty of limitations. Humans who can creatively synthesise information, challenge assumptions and think critically will remain in demand – AI can’t replace them just yet.

Raffaele F Ciriello 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. OpenAI’s new ‘deep research’ agent is still just a fallible tool – not a human-level expert – https://theconversation.com/openais-new-deep-research-agent-is-still-just-a-fallible-tool-not-a-human-level-expert-249496
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Charting a path for global action on land and drought
Source: United Nations MIL OSI

14 December 2024 Climate and Environment

The largest and most inclusive UN land conference wrapped up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, charting a path for global action following two weeks of intense negotiations on how best to tackle land degradation, desertification and drought, which affects one quarter of the world.
The nearly 200 countries gathered at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and committed to prioritising land restoration and drought resilience in national policies and international cooperation as an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation.

While parties failed to agree on the nature of a new drought regime, they adopted a strong political declaration and 39 decisions shaping the way forward.

According to UNCCD’s newly released World Drought Atlas and Economics of Drought Resilience reports, droughts affect the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people worldwide, pushing already vulnerable communities to the brink. They also cost an estimated $300 billion per year, threatening key economic sectors such as agriculture, energy and water.

Among the main outcomes reached at COP16 were:
- A prototype launch of the International Drought Resilience Observatory, the first ever global AI-driven platform to help countries assess and enhance their capacity to cope with harsher droughts
- Mobilisation of private sector engagement under the Business4Land initiative
- The creation of designated caucuses for Indigenous Peoples and for local communities to ensure their unique perspectives and challenges are adequately represented
“Today, history has been made”, said Oliver Tester from Australia, a representative of Indigenous Peoples. “We look forward to championing our commitment to protect Mother Earth through a dedicated caucus and leave this space trusting that our voices be heard.”

UN News/Martin Samaan

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an Indigenous Peoples rights campaigner, attends the COP16 desertification conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Global drought regime

Nations also made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026.

At COP16, more than 30 decisions were issued on key topics through the negotiation process, including migration, dust storms, enhancing the role of science, research and innovation, and empowering women to tackle environmental challenges.

Some decisions introduced new topics to the agenda, namely environmentally sustainable agrifood systems and rangelands, which cover 54 per cent of all land. The degradation of rangelands alone threatens one sixth of global food supplies, potentially depleting one third of the Earth’s carbon reserves.

At the same time, more than $12 billion was pledged to tackle land challenges around the world, especially in the most vulnerable countries. Right now, some two billion people living in pastoral areas are among the world’s most vulnerable in the face of desertification, land degradation and drought.

Now, the work begins

COP16 was the largest and most diverse UNCCD COP to date. It attracted more than 20,000 participants, around 3,500 of them from civil society, and featured more than 600 events as part of the first Action Agenda to involve non-State actors in the work of the convention. It also set records for youth attendance and for the most ever private sector participants at a UN land conference, with more than 400 representatives from such industries as finance, fashion, agri-food and pharmaceuticals.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed said now, the work begins.

“Our work does not end with the closing of COP16,” she told delegates. “We must continue to tackle the climate crisis. It is a call to action for all of us to embrace inclusivity, innovation and resilience”

She said youth and Indigenous Peoples must be at the heart of these conversations.

“Their wisdom, their voices, and their creativity are indispensable as we craft a sustainable future with renewed hope for generations to come.”

Vital turning point

The meeting also marked a turning point in raising international awareness of the pressing need to accelerate land restoration and drought resilience, according to COP16 president, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley.

“We hope the outcomes of this session will lead to a significant shift that strengthens efforts to preserve land, reduce its degradation, build capacities to address drought, and contribute to the wellbeing of communities around the world,” he said in closing remarks.

UN Under-Secretary-General and UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw agreed, underscoring a significant shift in the global approach to land and drought issues and the interconnected challenges with broader global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, forced migration and global stability.

NOOR for FAO/Benedicte Kurzen

In Koyli Alpha, Senegal, women work in tree nurseries created as part of the Great Green Wall Initiative.

‘Solutions are within our grasp’

During COP16, participants heard that UNCCD estimates that at least $2.6 trillion in total investments are needed by 2030 to restore more than one billion hectares of degraded land and build resilience to drought.

This equals $1 billion in daily investments between now and 2030 to meet global land restoration targets and combat desertification and drought.

New pledges were also announced for large-scale land restoration and drought preparedness and for some existing projects that are already winning the battle, like the Great Green Wall, an African-led initiative to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land straddling across the Sahel region, which mobilised $11.5 million from Italy and nearly $4 million from Austria.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw summed up a common message heard throughout COP16 in his closing remarks.

“As we have discussed and witnessed, the solutions are within our grasp,” he said.

“The actions we took today will shape not only the future of our planet but also the lives, livelihoods and opportunities of those who depend on it.”

Read more stories on climate and the environment here.
Sacred Lands Declaration

© UNCCD/Papa Mamadou Camara

Assessing drylands in Caating, Brazil.

In a landmark decision, COP16 parties requested the creation of a caucus for Indigenous Peoples with the goal of ensuring that their unique perspectives and priorities are represented in the work of the Convention to Combat Desertification.

The Sacred Lands Declaration, presented during the inaugural Indigenous Peoples Forum on 7 December, underscored their role in sustainable resource management and called for greater involvement in global land and drought governance, including through participation in land restoration efforts.

Here are some calls for action in the declaration:

We call on parties to ensure an approach that embraces human rights and Indigenous Peoples’s rights in all policies and actions related to land restoration and resilience building

We call on parties to respect, recognise, promote and protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, based on the fundamental right to self-determination, provided for in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and its General Recommendation 23

We encourage the UNCCD to create a dedicated fund for Indigenous Peoples’ initiatives on land restoration, conservation, desertification and drought resilience

Read the full Sacred Lands Declaration here.
MIL OSI United Nations News –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Report details onslaught of cyberattacks

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

More than 1,300 advanced persistent cyberattacks targeting China were detected last year, with more than half aimed at the Chinese government institutions and education sector, according to a newly released research report.
Domestically developed software systems in China have become key targets, the 2024 Advanced Persistent Threat Report published by Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 said.
The findings follow extensive cyberattacks on Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek at the end of January. The internet protocol addresses involved were all traced to the United States, according to the report.
The report said cyberspace has become a critical battleground in regional conflicts, with global advanced persistent threat organizations maintaining high levels of activity.
An advanced persistent threat is a prolonged, targeted cyberattack, often orchestrated by skilled hackers, typically state-sponsored, aiming to infiltrate and maintain access to a network for espionage or data theft.
China has long been a primary target for advanced persistent threat organizations, the report said. More than 1,300 attacks targeting China were recorded last year, with the attacking organizations primarily originating from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and North America.
The attacks targeted 14 key industries in China, with government institutions accounting for 33 percent and the education sector 20 percent. Other heavily targeted sectors included scientific research, national defense and military industries, and transportation.
“Government institutions and educational units have always been primary targets for advanced persistent threat groups,” said Bian Liang, a cybersecurity expert at 360.
Attackers target diplomatic and overseas embassy institutions to steal information on the latest diplomatic strategies and positions on major international issues, Bian said, helping the political forces behind them gain an advantage in geopolitical conflicts.
“In the education sector, most of the affected universities have backgrounds in aviation and military industries or undertake related national research projects, meaning the attackers are essentially targeting China’s national defense and technological development,” he said.
Meanwhile, cyberattacks targeting national defense and military-related objectives primarily focus on aviation, aerospace, shipbuilding and weapons industries, the report said.
“These cyberattacks are not only capable of espionage to gather military intelligence and disrupt enemy network communications, but they can also control military facilities, paralyze enemy command and control systems, and forge and transmit false commands,” Bian said. This capability makes cyber warfare an indispensable part of modern military conflicts, he added.
The report also highlighted emerging cyber threats in the automotive manufacturing, new energy and telecommunications sectors.
Domestically developed software systems in China have become major targets as more Chinese institutions replace foreign products with domestic alternatives, the report said.
Bian warned that domestically developed software has a broad customer base among Chinese enterprises and institutions, meaning penetration of a successful supply chain by an advanced persistent threat organization could have severe consequences.
The report also pointed to the risks posed by artificial intelligence large models to cybersecurity, noting a surge in their use and influence in 2024.
In late January, DeepSeek, whose AI chatbot has been described as a challenger to ChatGPT, said on its website that its AI model services had been subjected to large-scale malicious attacks, preventing many users from logging in, registering or engaging in conversations.
A January report by China Media Group cited Wang Hui, a cybersecurity expert at Chinese security company Qi An Xin Group, who said the IP addresses involved in the DeepSeek attacks were located in the United States.
Wang said the wave of cyberattacks included brute-force attacks aimed at cracking users’ passwords to obtain private information.

MIL OSI China News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Foreign trade grows despite headwinds

Source: China State Council Information Office

An aerial drone photo shows the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) Logistics Cooperation Base in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Continuous innovation, global expansion and industrial upgrade will empower Chinese companies to counter rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions this year, driving foreign trade growth and reinforcing China’s global competitiveness, said market observers and exporters.

Despite challenges, China’s foreign trade remains resilient, adapting to an increasingly complex global landscape shaped by the United States’ new tariff policies, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory uncertainties in certain countries, they added.

Zhang Xiaotao, dean of the School of International Trade and Economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, said that as a major player in global trade, China has accumulated extensive experience in navigating international political and economic shifts over the past decade.

“Foreign trade companies have already seen positive results from their strategic adjustments to tackle headwinds, including building new factories and overseas warehouses in countries such as Thailand, Hungary, the U.S. and Brazil, as well as increasing investment in research and development,” Zhang said.

Denis Depoux, global managing director at German management consultancy Roland Berger, said that China is now increasingly recognized for its high-value, technologically advanced products, including electric vehicles, solar cells and liquefied natural gas carriers, as it moves up the value chain to drive export growth.

Chinese companies exporting high-value products include Narwal, a manufacturer of household robots based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The company saw the number of its export markets expand from less than 10 in 2023 to over 30 last year, covering multiple regions and countries including North America, Europe, Australia and Japan.

“We will continue to invest in multiple fields such as 3D perception, artificial intelligence solutions, binocular vision technologies and big data applications to win more orders,” said Zhang Junbin, the company’s founder.

Li Lizhong, sales director at Zhejiang Yueli Electrical Co, a home appliances manufacturer based in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, said the company’s personal care products, such as hair dryers and curling irons, previously targeted the U.S. and Western Europe markets.

“However, our exports to these traditional markets have been impacted by the U.S. tariff hike and the Russia-Ukraine conflict in recent years,” he said, adding that the company has launched more intelligent, eco-friendly home appliances to expand into markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Data from Ningbo Customs showed that Zhejiang Yueli’s hair dryer exports reached 602 million yuan ($82.4 million) in 2024, marking a 6.3 percent year-on-year increase, while the company’s exports in this category to Central and Eastern Europe totaled 45.46 million yuan, up 39.2 percent compared with 2023.

Li said the increasing penetration of the internet in Central and Eastern Europe has allowed e-commerce to expand at a remarkable pace in countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. The company’s cross-border e-commerce exports emerged as a key growth driver after it deployed resources in this business segment in the region, he added.

As China continued to enhance its high-value export portfolio and deepen its market presence in emerging economies, the nation’s foreign trade rose 5 percent year-on-year to reach a record high of 43.85 trillion yuan in 2024, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Meanwhile, China’s mechanical and electrical product exports grew 8.7 percent year-on-year, accounting for 59.4 percent of the country’s total exports. Last year, the country’s EV exports rose 13.1 percent compared with 2023, while its 3D printer exports increased 32.8 percent and industrial robot exports surged 45.2 percent.

Lan Qingxin, a professor at the School of International Trade and Economics of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said the restructuring of global supply chains and protectionist moves in certain countries have pushed Chinese companies to adapt and leverage their strong manufacturing and technological capabilities.

By responding innovatively to these changes, the companies can meet market needs in other emerging economies, thereby enhancing their competitiveness and expanding their global presence, said Lan.

A Chinese business delegation, organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, departed on Monday for Kazakhstan to explore new opportunities for economic and trade exchanges.

During the four-day trip, the delegation, comprising representatives of more than 30 Chinese companies across industries such as petrochemicals and machinery manufacturing, hopes to sign several cooperation agreements and foster mutually beneficial outcomes.

MIL OSI China News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China willing to promote AI development with other countries: Vice premier

Source: China State Council Information Office

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council, poses for a group photo with heads of state and government and high-level representatives from more than 30 countries, along with leaders of international organizations, after the AI Action Summit in Paris, France, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is willing to work with other countries to promote development, safeguard security, share achievements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Zhang Guoqing said in Paris on Monday.

Zhang is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council. He made the remarks in his speech at the AI Action Summit, which was held from Feb. 10 to 11.

AI has become an important driving force for the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, Zhang said. China has always participated in global cooperation and governance on AI with a highly responsible attitude, he underlined.

In October 2023, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Initiative for AI Governance, which proposed China’s solution and contributed China’s wisdom for the AI development and governance, Zhang noted.

In facing the opportunities and challenges brought about by the development of AI, Zhang called on the international community to jointly advocate for the principle of developing AI for good, to deepen innovative cooperation, strengthen inclusiveness and benefits, and improve global governance.

He also invited developer communities from around the world to participate in the upcoming 2025 Global Developer Conference, scheduled from Feb. 21 to 23 in Shanghai, China.

During the AI Action Summit in Paris, heads of state and government and high-level representatives from more than 30 countries, along with leaders of international organizations, jointly signed a Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet.

When meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, Zhang said China is ready to work with France to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries, and push for further development of China-France relations over the next 60 years. He conveyed cordial greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Macron.

Meanwhile, Macron expressed his gratitude to President Xi for sending a special representative to participate in the AI Action Summit. He reaffirmed that France firmly upholds strategic autonomy and is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China to jointly safeguard peace and stability, and tackle global challenges.

MIL OSI China News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: As challenges mount across the globe, ‘the world needs the UN’, Egypt says

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

28 September 2024 UN Affairs

Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Minister Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty said it is time to “ring the alarm bells” as the international system is currently showing its structural shortcomings that come from ineffectiveness, double standards and inequality at a time of occupation, hunger, terrorism and injustice. Sketching out a path forward, he first stressed that there is no alternative to the multilateral system.

At the same time, Israel’s brutal aggression against Gaza and its current attacks on the West Bank place shame on international institutions, which are unable to put an end to these aggressions. Condemning Israel’s escalation and its attacks on Lebanon, which are “pushing the region into the abyss”, he said efforts must “put an end to the bloodshed” and a start to the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

Outlining other steps, he said multilateral banks must be modernised, and international institutions must be made more representative. He also voiced Egypt’s support for an expanded Security Council with more permanent seats, including for African nations.

As for mounting climate challenges, he said efforts must be linked to adequate resources to do so, including through the Loss and Damage Fund, alongside national plans that align with the agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this vein, Cairo will continue to work on development initiatives with neighbours and partners in the Nile Basin. However, Egypt remains concerned about Ethiopia’s actions related to the Renaissance Dam project, which do not consider the needs of nations living downstream.

Still, the world needs the UN to address a range of challenges from cybercrime and artificial intelligence to collective security. On the latter, maintaining peace and security is the raison d’être of the Organization, he said, regretting to note that some global agreements, including nuclear non-proliferation treaties, are being flouted. At the same time, the Security Council has been unable to stop ongoing conflicts.

Committed to strengthening the UN’s role, he said the root causes of conflict must be addressed and efforts much be bolstered to truly maintain peace. One way to resolve the outbreak crises is to strengthen State institutions so they can fill vacuums created by political insecurity, he added.

For its part, Egypt remains committed to working with regional and international partners to revitalise the multilateral system, he said. Despite ongoing crises and challenges, Egypt will continue working to bolster its human capital through a national dialogue that prioritises human rights and democracy and to maintain peace and security in the region and the world over.

“Our young people will take forward this vision,” he said. “They are the ones who will craft their future and preserve human lives without discrimination on the basis of race, gender or otherwise, all within the multilateral system.”

Click here for the full statement (in Arabic).

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Global education must integrate AI, centred on humanity

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

24 January 2025 Human Rights

Marking the International Day of Education, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized learning as a basic human right and foundation for individual and societal growth.

His message highlighted the dual nature of technological advances such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which offer immense potential – but also pose considerable risks.

“Education is an essential building block for every person to reach their full potential, and for societies and economies to grow and flourish”, Mr. Guterres said.

AI promise and risks

The UN chief stressed that AI and other tech innovations can significantly aid students and teachers by providing wider access to information and advanced learning tools.

“But the tremendous rewards are matched by some daunting risks. As AI-driven systems become more powerful, human intention and machine-driven impacts can easily misalign”, he added.

This year, the UN education and culture agency, UNESCO, is dedicating the Day to the opportunities and challenges of AI.

Director-General Audrey Azoulay called for more investment in training both teachers and students so it can be used responsibly.

“AI offers major opportunities, provided that its deployment in schools is guided by clear ethical principles. To reach its full potential, this technology must complement the human and social dimensions of learning, rather than replace them.”, Mr. Azoulay said.

Human rights at the heart of AI

Stressing that this year’s day reminds us that unlocking the AI’s potential “depends on keeping human agency – and human rights – at the heart of this rapidly evolving technology”, the UN Secretary-General called for guarantees that all users have the right tools and knowledge to “use this technology smartly, safely and ethically”.

UNESCO’s Competency Frameworks to support learners and teachers as they incorporate AI into their learning, and the recently adopted Global Digital Compact, are expected to help ensure humanity retains control over the development and governance of AI.

Concluding his message, Mr. Guterres called for a commitment to “keeping humanity at the centre of education systems, everywhere”.

Divisions over AI

As AI becomes more integrated into education, countries remain divided on its use. According to UNESCO’s latest data, in high-income nations, over two-thirds of secondary school students are already leveraging generative AI tools to support their schoolwork.

However, a significant challenge remains with education professionals still lacking clear guidelines.

A UNESCO survey conducted in May 2023, covering 450 educational institutions, revealed that only 10 per cent of schools and universities have an official framework for AI use.

Simultaneously, an increasing number of countries are imposing restrictions on new technologies in the classroom. New data from UNESCO indicates that nearly 40 per cent of nations now have laws or policies banning mobile phones in schools, a notable rise from 24 per cent in July 2023.

For more insights, listen to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Farida Shaheed, who recently discussed the role of AI in schools and the challenges it brings in an interview with UN News.

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Access to education

The International Day reminds us that access to high-quality education is a human right that not only greatly benefits individuals but also uplifts entire communities.

Millions of children, however, remain out of school due to a variety of factors including gender, location, social background or conflict.

Despite decades of educational progress and international commitments, according to UNESCO’s latest data, 251 million children and youth remain out of school worldwide.

Safe and inclusive

In a recent study, UNESCO reported that almost one in three learners has been physically attacked at least once during the school year and one in ten experiences cyberbullying.

With too many children across the world experiencing violence in and around schools, the impacts can be devastating – affecting the well-being, education outcomes and quality of life of students.

Watch youngsters here explain what they need to make schools safer.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Granite Credit Union Selects Appli to Modernize Digital Lending Experience

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Appli, a provider of artificial intelligence-powered financial calculators, announced that Granite Credit Union has selected its financial calculator solution to improve the digital lending experience for its members.

“In our market, which is very credit union-heavy, staying competitive technologically while maintaining our focus on member service is crucial,” said Garrett Laws, chief lending officer at Granite Credit Union. “Financial calculators are often the first step in a member’s lending journey, but traditional calculators provide limited value. Appli’s guided experience gives members the confidence to move forward with applications while helping those who might not initially qualify understand their path to approval. Even if someone isn’t ready for loan approval today, being able to show them a path forward aligns perfectly with our mission of helping people be confident in their financial future.”

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

Granite Credit Union will implement Appli’s technology to help members better understand their borrowing options and loan qualification potential before submitting formal applications. Starting with auto loans, including its unique “vanishing rate auto loan” program that rewards members with rate discounts for consistent on-time payments, the credit union plans to integrate the calculators throughout its digital presence – from its website and online banking portal to new member onboarding communications. Future phases will expand to personal loans and credit cards, with plans to explore mortgage and business lending applications.

“Granite Credit Union is a perfect example of the innovative, member-focused approach we designed Appli for,” said Tim Pranger, CEO of Appli. “Their commitment to serving diverse communities and helping members build financial confidence through technology makes them an ideal partner as we continue expanding our platform’s capabilities.”

About Granite Credit Union
Founded in 1935, Granite Credit Union serves over 35,000 members and has just over $800 million in assets. Committed to helping members achieve their financial goals, Granite Credit Union offers a variety of financial products and services, including competitive rates, flexible lending options, and personalized financial guidance. With a vision of “always there… so you can make life happen,” the credit union strives to empower members with the tools and support they need to succeed financially. Members enjoy access to secure mobile banking services, online tools, and personalized in-branch assistance at locations across Utah. Granite Credit Union is dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities it serves through financial education, trusted relationships, and exceptional service. Granite Credit Union is always there… so you can make life happen. Learn more at granite.org.

About Appli
Appli, founded in 2024 by POPi/o co-founder Tim Pranger, provides AI-powered financial calculators that help lenders and member service representatives create personalized, engaging shopping experiences for financial products. By combining real-time analysis with generative AI, Appli’s tools boost customer confidence and increase conversion rates for financial institutions. For more information about Appli and its smart financial calculator for credit unions, visit hiappli.com.

Media Contact:
marketing@granite.org

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘New Quest Unlocked’: UN experts counter violent extremism in gaming spaces

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

23 December 2024 Law and Crime Prevention

As millions unwrap new gaming devices this holiday season, UN experts are warning that these digital playgrounds need next-generation protection against extremist exploitation.

In an industry that has outgrown Hollywood in sheer monetary value – reaching $196 billion in 2023 – these digital platforms are becoming recruitment grounds for extremists, prompting an unprecedented collaboration between counter terrorism specialists and gaming companies.

To discuss the growing threat, UN News’s Sarah Daly sat down with Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of the UN Counter Terrorism Centre (part of the counter-terrorism office, UNOCT) and Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

The senior officials hosted a landmark event on the issue called New Quest Unlocked held earlier in December, which brought together gaming companies, policymakers and researchers to address violent extremism in gaming spaces.

“The alarming trend has necessitated a collaborative research approach with the gaming industry and adjacent platforms,” Mr. Siqueira said, highlighting how extremist groups are increasingly targeting gaming spaces and adjacent platforms like Discord and Telegram.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

UN News: Your joint event, New Quest Unlocked, brought together both UNICRI and UNOCT as well as gaming companies, policymakers and researchers. What prompted this collaboration?

Steven Siqueira: Last year in 2023, the gaming industry and adjacent platforms was a $196 billion industry. By comparison the movie industry was about 40 billion, so it’s five times the size of the movie industry.

Young people are being reached by terrorists and violent extremist groups through these platforms, with propaganda videos increasingly appearing across Discord, Telegram and Tiktok. This alarming trend necessitated collaborative research and working together with the gaming industry, adjacent platforms and of course, our members and member governments.

UN News: Recent intelligence reports suggest the threat level is higher than previously understood. What exactly are you seeing?

Steven Siqueira: While gaming has many positive aspects in terms of social interaction around the world – there’s also increasing risk that terrorists and violent extremist groups are using these platforms and the gaming adjacent platforms to get their message out.

The findings are stark: in Australia alone, approximately one in five counter-terrorism cases now involve young people, with gaming platforms playing a role in every investigated case.

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UN News: These findings challenge common perceptions about gaming platforms. How has the landscape evolved?

Steven Siqueira: The industry is not only open to young people. Increasingly, the average age of gamers is about 30-35 and it’s much more gender balanced than it has been in previous years.

UN News: Your research focuses particularly on Africa’s gaming market. Why is this region so crucial in understanding future challenges?

Leif Villadsen: Africa has indeed become one of the fastest growing markets for mobile games. With an unprecedented 11 per cent year-over-year growth rate, the continent represents both an extraordinary opportunity and a potential vulnerability.

We aim to better understand the industry, the community, the tactics used and the gaps and challenges in our own understanding of this threat across the continent.

UN News: You’re developing something called ‘gaming intelligence’ as part of global prevention strategies. How will this transform digital security?

Leif Villadsen: Gaming intelligence is focused on carrying intelligence from open-source platforms like in games, chats and social media to track extremist content and recruitment activities. This intelligence information will inform early warning systems help to detect and prevent radicalisation at an early stage.

UN News: How crucial is artificial intelligence to these global prevention measures?

Leif Villadsen: Given the size of the ecosystem, we are looking to develop and deploy advanced content moderation tools, with AI-based tools. However, the gaming community is filled with personalities with large followings so, we want to avoid any type of takedowns or massive actions which could be counterproductive and seen as suspicious by gamers.

It is crucial that we work with the gaming community, private sector companies and with gamers themselves, including young women and men to educate and build resilience across the community.

UN News: As we look toward 2025, what concrete outcomes, will make gaming spaces safer?

Leif Villadsen: By creating shared global standards and encouraging collaboration between governments, tech companies and civil society, we can provide a framework for addressing these threats in a more coordinating manner.

Steven Siqueira: The Global Digital Compact recognises these dual realities of the digital age and calls for unified global commitment to ensure that digital spaces are safe, inclusive and aligned with human rights principles.

Ultimately, finding the right actors in the gaming system – those who have a voice, but who are also open to understanding what the threat is and where to mitigate and how best to mitigate threats, could really help us strengthen and make the gaming ecosystem more resilient to violent extremism.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: African schools gear up for the AI revolution

Source: United Nations 2

The emergence of cheap or free AI tools is being eagerly embraced by those with smartphones and the ability to get online. As governments and legislators struggle to get their heads around the implications of this powerful technology and work out how to bring in regulations for its safe use, millions of people are enjoying its ability to save time, helping them to transforming raw data into essays, exam answers, or, with a bit more work, even videos and podcasts.

Even in developing countries where electricity and internet access is limited (it’s estimated that over 570 million people in Africa lack electricity), there is enthusiasm for the potential of AI. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for example, a nation riven by internal conflict, poverty and vast inequality, educators are seeing the impact of AI.

“It is obvious that our country is lagging behind in terms of new technologies for one reason or another,” says Benjamin Sivanzire, a teacher in Beni, North Kivu Province. “Many parts of the DRC do not even have traditional methods of communication, or even radio or television.”

UN News/George Musubao

Benjamin Sivanzire, a teacher in Eastern DRC.

However, even though Mr. Sivanzire and his students are not yet able to make use of AI in their classes, they are seeing it being used in the wider culture, often in a negative way, to manipulate public opinion.

The teacher underlines the importance of educating people to distinguish between verifiable information and lies. “There are videos created by artificial intelligence that show images that are not real and have been created for propaganda purposes,” he explains.

Bursting the Silicon Valley bubble

One concern that is frequently raised is the extent to which the development of AI tools is concentrated in the hands of a relatively small group of people.

Farida Shahid, the independent Special Rapporteur on the right to education, shares these concerns.

“AI algorithms are being made by individuals who often sit in a particular location, such as Silicon Valley, where the people who make and test them have their own biases,” she says. “Often the algorithms don’t do well at recognizing people with dark skin. They also have great problems with people who are autistic and don’t like looking into cameras.

“Another example is the UK where, recently, an AI programme was used to grade exam papers. This led to decisions that were biased against people from certain ethnic backgrounds. We really need to look at this issue more closely, starting with the human rights perspective, and I think that’s where the U.N. role comes in: if you increasingly rely on AI as the source of verification, you’re going to have problems because you are using a framework which privileges white males, and doesn’t reflect the whole gamut of people’s lives and experiences”.

©UNICEF/ Frank Dejongh

The urgent need to expand the developer talent base has been identified by the UN as central to ensuring that a wide variety of voices are heard in the “EdTech” (educational technology) space.

Shafika Isaacs, the head of technology and AI at the UN agency for science, technology and education (UNESCO), says that the number of African EdTech startups has been mushrooming in recent years, with entrepreneurs experimenting with the AI-enabled digital tools which could support learning and teaching across many different contexts, including in African languages, and local dialects.

“I’ve personally engaged with a startup that matches high school students to career pathways, including choosing the right university, community college or even entrepreneurship programme. They have seen strong results because of their focus on children in underprivileged contexts and schools. Tech startups have also looked at developing AI-enabled mobile apps, including chat bots, that can support teachers in teaching literacy or teaching mathematics.

“The challenge is that there’s often a disconnect between the public education system and tech startups We need educators to be proactive in engaging with those developing tools, and we encourage students and teachers to learn how to create and design technologies that are relevant to their linguistic and cultural contexts.”

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Many African governments are keen to adopt national AI strategies and integrate AI into their national policies on technologies in education. In Côte d’Ivoire, where AI is already being widely used in the private sector. Mariatou Koné, the Minister of Education, says that the country’s education system is undergoing a transformation, following a 2022 review which recommended a digitalization strategy.

“We have put in place initiatives to ensure that everyone is aware of the issue of AI. It can provide individual learning programmes, and help struggling students to improve,” said Ms. Koné. “However, we are worried about potential abuses. We have to be able to protect personal data and ensure that learners are aware of the potential dangers.”

The Minister agrees that, in order to guard against bias, the pool of engineers building AI tools needs to be expanded. “We need the right tools, adapted to the African context, to the Ivorian context. We have our own history, our own heritage. If we create our own industry, it has to be adapted to the realities of Côte d’Ivoire.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Prairie Provident Announces up to $9.1 Million Brokered Equity Financing with $7.35 Million in Lead Orders and Basal Quartz Horizontal Drilling Program

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Prairie Provident Resources Inc. (TSX:PPR) (“Prairie Provident” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Research Capital Corporation, as lead agent and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of agents including Haywood Securities Inc. (collectively, the “Agents”), for a brokered “best efforts” equity financing for aggregate gross proceeds of up to approximately $9,100,000, comprised of:

(a) an offering up to 96,470,589 units of the Company (“Units”) at a price of $0.0425 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $4,100,000, on a prospectus-exempt basis pursuant to the ‘listed issuer financing exemption’ (LIFE) under applicable Canadian securities laws (the “LIFE Offering”), with (i) each Unit consisting of one common share of the Company (“Common Share”) and one Common Share purchase warrant (“Warrant”), and (ii) each Warrant to entitle the holder to subscribe for and purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.05 for a period of 36 months following closing; and

(b) a private placement of up to 117,647,059 Common Shares at a price of $0.0425 per Common Share for gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000, pursuant to available exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws (the “Private Placement” and, together with the LIFE Offering, the “Offerings”). Warrants will not be issued to purchasers under the Private Placement.

The Company’s principal and largest shareholder, PCEP Canadian Holdco LLC (“PCEP”), along with certain directors and officers of the Company, have indicated an intention to participate in the Offerings in an aggregate amount of approximately $7,350,000 (collectively, the “Lead Orders”). It is expected that the Private Placement will be fully subscribed through the Lead Orders, and that the balance of the Lead Orders not fulfilled under the Private Placement will be fulfilled under the LIFE Offering. All subscriptions on account of Lead Orders will be subject to insider participation limits under applicable Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) rules.

Prairie Provident intends to use the net proceeds from the Offerings to drill two additional Basal Quartz horizontal wells in the first quarter of 2025 and for working capital and general corporate purposes, including expenses related to the Offerings. Including the above two Basal Quartz horizontal wells, the Company anticipates drilling a total of three Basal Quartz horizontal wells in the first quarter of 2025.

Prairie Provident’s Basal Quartz Play in Michichi: A Unique Publicly Traded BQ Junior

Prairie Provident has established its Basal Quartz (“BQ”) play in the Michichi core area as a significant growth driver, supported by robust well economics, an extensive drilling inventory, and strategic infrastructure. In December 2024, Prairie Provident reported strong initial results from its first two BQ wells, effectively proving the play concept. The first horizontal well achieved an IP30 (initial 30-day average production) rate of approximately 415 boe/d (66% liquids)¹ and the second delivered an IP21 (initial 21-day average production) rate of approximately 375 boe/d (64% liquids).² Continued production in the weeks following has yielded IP60 (initial 60-day average production) rates of approximately 333 boe/d (66% liquids)³ and approximately 305 boe/d (62% liquids)⁴, respectively. A focus on operational efficiency brought both wells on-stream within 25 days of their respective spud dates.

Prairie Provident has a Michichi-area land position of approximately 153,000 net acres (239 net sections) on which it has identified over 40 horizontal BQ drilling opportunities, providing ample room for growth. None of the Company’s BQ drilling opportunities are booked locations to which any reserves were attributed in the most recent independent evaluation of Prairie Provident’s reserves data, effective December 31, 2023, by Sproule Associates Limited.

Activity in the BQ play is primarily led by private operators. Prairie Provident has a unique position as the only publicly-traded company actively drilling in this play.

Basal Quartz: A Top-Tier Play in the WCSB

The BQ fairway, extending from Brooks to Drumheller (Michichi) in central Alberta, has rapidly become, in the Company’s view, one of the premier oil-producing plays in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). The availability of extensive 2D and 3D seismic data, along with legacy vertical wells penetrating the Mannville group, has significantly de-risked this play. Modern horizontal drilling techniques combined with enhanced frac completion designs have unlocked substantial economic potential, making the BQ competitive with other leading plays in the WCSB, including the Montney and Clearwater. Publicly-available industry data indicates that production along the BQ trend has surpassed 40,000 boe/d (77% liquids), with operators having drilled over 100 horizontal wells in 2024 alone, further de-risking the play. Offset competitor wells in analogous zones have demonstrated peak production rates exceeding 1,200 bbl/d, further validating the play’s potential.

Basal Quartz Well Economics: High Returns, Quick Payouts

The Company estimates that the average drill, complete, equip, and tie-in cost for a single BQ horizontal well in Michichi is approximately $3.5 million. The BQ play offers attractive returns and payouts, making it, in the Company’s view, one of the most competitive plays in the WCSB. Based on internal estimates, the Company’s BQ wells have the potential to deliver impressive internal rates of return (“IRRs”) greater than 300% (based on WTI US$70/bbl and AECO C$3.00/mcf) with payout periods of approximately eight months or less.

Strategic Land Base with Multi-Year Inventory

Prairie Provident holds a strategic and concentrated approximately 153,000 net acre (239 net sections) land base in Michichi and with multi-zone potential. In addition to the BQ, the acreage offers development opportunities in the Banff and other formations. With over 40 identified BQ drilling opportunities, Prairie Provident has the scalability to support long-term growth, benefiting from the de-risked nature of its lands due to offsetting competitor activity.

Company-Owned Infrastructure and Significant Tax Pool Coverage

Prairie Provident benefits from a combination of legacy and third-party infrastructure in the Michichi area, providing advantageous egress solutions. The Company owns two oil batteries (one LACT-connected) and two gas plants with a combined inlet capacity of 10 MMscf/d. Year-round access, existing surface leases and on-site facilities combine to facilitate cost-efficient operations with reduced downtime, supporting Prairie Provident’s development strategy.

Prairie Provident has significant tax pool coverage with approximately $590 million in tax pools, including approximately $330 million of non-capital losses.

Additional Financing Details

The Agents will be granted an option to increase the size of the LIFE Offering by up to an additional 14,470,589 Units (up to $615,000), exercisable in whole or in part up to two business days before closing.

Closing of the Offerings is expected to occur on or about February 24, 2025, or such other date or dates as Prairie Provident and the Agents may agree, and is subject to certain conditions including receipt by Prairie Provident of all necessary approvals from the TSX.

The LIFE Offering will be made in accordance with the ‘listed issuer financing exemption’ in Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”), to purchasers in any province of Canada, except Québec. The Units issued and sold under the LIFE Offering will not be subject to a ‘hold period’ pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

There is an offering document related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at www.ppr.ca. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

The Private Placement will be made in reliance on available exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws, and the Common Shares issued and sold thereunder will subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance.

In consideration for their services, the Agents will receive a cash commission of 8.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offerings (reduced for Lead Orders) and non-transferable broker warrants equal to 8.0% of the total number of Units sold under the LIFE Offering (except for Lead Orders). Each broker warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Unit at an exercise price of $0.0425 per Unit for a period of 36 months following closing.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons or persons in the United States, or in any other jurisdiction in which, or to or for the account or benefit of any other person to whom, any such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. These securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act“), or the securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons or persons in the United States except in compliance with, or pursuant to an available exemption from, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. “United States” and “U.S. person” have the meanings ascribed to them in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

ABOUT PRAIRIE PROVIDENT

Prairie Provident is a Calgary-based company engaged in the exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in Alberta, including a position in the emerging Basal Quartz trend in the Michichi area of Central Alberta.

For further information, please contact:

Prairie Provident Resources Inc.
Dale Miller, Executive Chairman
Phone: (403) 292-8150
Email: info@ppr.ca

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain statements (“forward-looking statements”) that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future performance, events or circumstances, are based upon internal assumptions, plans, intentions, expectations and beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or suggested therein. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified by words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “budget”, “forecast”, “target”, “estimate”, “propose”, “potential”, “project”, “seek”, “continue”, “may”, “will”, “should” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or events or statements regarding an outlook.

Without limiting the foregoing, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to: Basal Quartz drilling opportunities, including estimated payout periods on potential Basal Quartz wells; completion of the Offerings; the expected closing date of the Offerings; the successful completion of the Lead Orders; the intended use of proceeds from the Offerings; and the intended number of Basal Quartz wells that are anticipated to be drilled by the Company in the first quarter of 2025.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors, expectations or assumptions of Prairie Provident which have been used to develop such statements, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are inherently uncertain and depend upon the accuracy of such expectations and assumptions. Prairie Provident can give no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained herein will prove to be correct or that the expectations and assumptions upon which they are based will occur or be realized. Actual results or events will differ, and the differences may be material and adverse to the Company. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: results from drilling and development activities; consistency with past operations; the quality of the reservoirs in which Prairie Provident operates and continued performance from existing wells (including with respect to production profile, decline rate and product type mix); the continued and timely development of infrastructure in areas of new production; the accuracy of the estimates of Prairie Provident’s reserves volumes; future commodity prices; future operating and other costs; future USD/CAD exchange rates; future interest rates; continued availability of external financing and internally generated cash flow to fund Prairie Provident’s current and future plans and expenditures, with external financing on acceptable terms; the impact of competition; the general stability of the economic and political environment in which Prairie Provident operates; the general continuance of current industry conditions; the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals; the ability of Prairie Provident to obtain qualified staff, equipment and services in a timely and cost efficient manner; drilling results; the ability of the operator of the projects in which Prairie Provident has an interest in to operate the field in a safe, efficient and effective manner; field production rates and decline rates; the ability to replace and expand oil and natural gas reserves through acquisition, development and exploration; the timing and cost of pipeline, storage and facility construction and expansion and the ability of Prairie Provident to secure adequate product transportation; the regulatory framework regarding royalties, taxes and environmental matters in the jurisdictions in which Prairie Provident operates; and the ability of Prairie Provident to successfully market its oil and natural gas production.

The forward-looking statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance or promises of future outcomes and should not be relied upon. Such statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward- looking statements including, without limitation: reduced access to external debt financing; higher interest costs or other restrictive terms of debt financing; changes in realized commodity prices; changes in the demand for or supply of Prairie Provident’s products; the early stage of development of some of the evaluated areas and zones; the potential for variation in the quality of the geologic formations targeted by Prairie Provident’s operations; unanticipated operating results or production declines; changes in tax or environmental laws, royalty rates or other regulatory matters; the imposition of any tariffs or other restrictive trade measures or countermeasures affecting trade between Canada and the United States; changes in development plans of Prairie Provident or by third party operators; increased debt levels or debt service requirements; inaccurate estimation of Prairie Provident’s oil and reserves volumes; limited, unfavourable or a lack of access to capital markets; increased costs; a lack of adequate insurance coverage; the impact of competitors; and such other risks as may be detailed from time-to-time in Prairie Provident’s public disclosure documents (including, without limitation, those risks identified in this news release and Prairie Provident’s current Annual Information Form dated April 1, 2024 as filed with Canadian securities regulators and available from the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca) under Prairie Provident’s issuer profile).

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release, and Prairie Provident assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, or otherwise, except as may be required pursuant to applicable laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Oil and Gas Reader Advisories

Barrels of Oil Equivalent

The oil and natural gas industry commonly expresses production volumes and reserves on a “barrel of oil equivalent” basis (“boe”) whereby natural gas volumes are converted at the ratio of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel of oil. The intention is to sum oil and natural gas measurement units into one basis for improved analysis of results and comparisons with other industry participants. A boe conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel of oil is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip. It does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead nor at the plant gate, which is where Prairie Provident sells its production volumes. Boe’s may therefore be a misleading measure, particularly if used in isolation. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency ratio of 6:1, utilizing a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value.

Analogous Information

Information in this news release regarding initial production rates from offset wells drilled by other industry participants located in geographical proximity to the Company’s lands may constitute “analogous information” within the meaning of National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities (NI 51-101). This information is derived from publicly available information sources (as at the date of this news release) that Prairie Provident believes (but cannot confirm) to be independent in nature. The Company is unable to confirm that the information was prepared by a qualified reserves evaluator or auditor within the meaning of NI 51-101, or in accordance with the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation (COGE) Handbook. Although the Company believes that this information regarding geographically proximate wells helps management understand and define reservoir characteristics of lands in which Prairie Provident has an interest, the data relied upon by the Company may be inaccurate or erroneous, may not in fact be indicative or otherwise analogous to the Company’s land holdings, and may not be representative of actual results from wells that may be drilled or completed by the Company in the future.

Potential Drilling Opportunities vs Booked Locations

This news release refers to potential drilling opportunities and booked locations. Unless otherwise indicated, references to booked locations in this news release are references to proved drilling locations or probable drilling locations, being locations to which Sproule Associated Limited (Sproule) attributed proved or probable reserves in its most recent year-end evaluation of Prairie Provident’s reserves data, effective December 31, 2023. Sproule’s year‑end evaluation was in accordance with NI 51-101 and, pursuant thereto, the COGE Handbook. References in this news release to potential drilling opportunities are references to locations for which there are no attributed reserves or resources, but which the Company internally estimates can be drilled based on current land holdings, industry practice regarding well density, and internal review of geologic, geophysical, seismic, engineering, production and resource information. There is no certainty that the Company will drill any particular locations, or that drilling activity on any locations will result in additional reserves, resources or production. Locations on which Prairie Provident in fact drills wells will ultimately depend upon the availability of capital, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, commodity prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information and other factors. There is a higher level of risk associated with locations that are potential drilling opportunities and not booked locations. Prairie Provident generally has less information about reservoir characteristics associated with locations that are potential drilling opportunities and, accordingly, there is greater uncertainty whether wells will ultimately be drilled in such locations and, if drilled, whether they will result in additional reserves, resources or production.

Type Well Information

Information contained in this news release regarding estimated payout periods and internal rate of return (IRR) on potential Basal Quartz wells is based on the Company’s internally-defined type wells. Type well information reflects Prairie Provident’s expectations and experience in relation to wells of the indicated types, including with respect to costs, production and decline rates. There is no assurance that actual well-related results (including payout periods and IRR) will be in accordance with those suggested by the type well information. Actual results will differ, and the difference may be material.

Payout

Prairie Provident considers payout on a well to be achieved when future net revenue from the well is equal to the capital costs to drill, complete, equip and tie-in the well based on project economics. Forecasted payout periods disclosed in this news release are based on the following commodity price and CAD/USD exchange rate assumptions: USD $70.00/bbl WTI, CAD $3.00/Mcf AECO, CAD $1.35-to-USD $1.00.

Initial Production Rates

This news release discloses initial production rates for certain wells as indicated. Initial production rates are not necessarily indicative of long-term well or reservoir performance or of ultimate recovery. Actual results will differ from those realized during an initial short-term production period, and the difference may be material.

Non-GAAP Measures

This news release uses the financial measure internal rate of return (IRR). IRR is a non-GAAP financial measure within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws , which does not have a standardized or prescribed meaning under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Investors are cautioned that non-GAAP measures should not be construed as a substitute or an alternative to net income or cash flows from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS. IRR is a measure used in financial analysis to estimate the profitability of potential investments and/or projects, and means the discount rate that makes the net present value equal to zero in a discounted cash flow analysis.

¹ Comprised of approximately 275 bbl/d of medium crude oil and 850 Mcf/d of conventional natural gas.

² Comprised of approximately 240 bbl/d of medium crude oil and 800 Mcf/d of conventional natural gas.

³ Comprised of approximately 221 bbl/d of medium crude oil and 674 Mcf/d of conventional natural gas.

⁴ Comprised of approximately 189 bbl/d of medium crude oil and 697 Mcf/d of conventional natural gas.

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Nobody wants to talk about AI safety. Instead they cling to 5 comforting myths

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Salmon, Professor of Human Factors, University of the Sunshine Coast

Google Deepmind / Unsplash

This week, France hosted an AI Action Summit in Paris to discuss burning questions around artificial intelligence (AI), such as how people can trust AI technologies and how the world can govern them.

Sixty countries, including France, China, India, Japan, Australia and Canada, signed a declaration for “inclusive and sustainable” AI. The United Kingdom and United States notably refused to sign, with the UK saying the statement failed to address global governance and national security adequately, and US Vice President JD Vance criticising Europe’s “excessive regulation” of AI.

Critics say the summit sidelined safety concerns in favour of discussing commercial opportunities.

Last week, I attended the inaugural AI safety conference held by the International Association for Safe & Ethical AI, also in Paris, where I heard talks by AI luminaries Geoffrey Hinton, Yoshua Bengio, Anca Dragan, Margaret Mitchell, Max Tegmark, Kate Crawford, Joseph Stiglitz and Stuart Russell.

As I listened, I realised the disregard for AI safety concerns among governments and the public rests on a handful of comforting myths about AI that are no longer true – if they ever were.

1: Artificial general intelligence isn’t just science fiction

The most severe concerns about AI – that it could pose a threat to human existence – typically involve so-called artificial general intelligence (AGI). In theory, AGI will be far more advanced than current systems.

AGI systems will be able to learn, evolve and modify their own capabilities. They will be able to undertake tasks beyond those for which they were originally designed, and eventually surpass human intelligence.

AGI does not exist yet, and it is not certain it will ever be developed. Critics often dismiss AGI as something that belongs only in science fiction movies. As a result, the most critical risks are not taken seriously by some and are seen as fanciful by others.

However, many experts believe we are close to achieving AGI. Developers have suggested that, for the first time, they know what technical tasks are required to achieve the goal.

AGI will not stay solely in sci-fi forever. It will eventually be with us, and likely sooner than we think.

2: We already need to worry about current AI technologies

Given the most severe risks are often discussed in relation to AGI, there is often a misplaced belief we do not need to worry too much about the risks associated with contemporary “narrow” AI.

However, current AI technologies are already causing significant harm to humans and society. This includes through obvious mechanisms such as fatal road and aviation crashes, warfare, cyber incidents, and even encouraging suicide.

AI systems have also caused harm in more oblique ways, such as election interference, the replacement of human work, biased decision-making, deepfakes, and disinformation and misinformation.

According to MIT’s AI Incident Tracker, the harms caused by current AI technologies are on the rise. There is a critical need to manage current AI technologies as well as those that might appear in future.

3: Contemporary AI technologies are ‘smarter’ than we think

A third myth is that current AI technologies are not actually that clever and hence are easy to control. This myth is most often seen when discussing the large language models (LLMs) behind chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

There is plenty of debate about exactly how to define intelligence and whether AI technologies truly are intelligent, but for practical purposes these are distracting side issues.
It is enough that AI systems behave in unexpected ways and create unforeseen risks.

Several AI chatbots appear to display surprising behaviours, such as attempts at ‘scheming’ to ensure their own preservation.
Apollo Research

For example, existing AI technologies have been found to engage in behaviours that most people would not expect from non-intelligent entities. These include deceit, collusion, hacking, and even acting to ensure their own preservation.

Whether these behaviours are evidence of intelligence is a moot point. The behaviours may cause harm to humans either way.

What matters is that we have the controls in place to prevent harmful behaviour. The idea that “AI is dumb” isn’t helping anyone.

4: Regulation alone is not enough

Many people concerned about AI safety have advocated for AI safety regulations.

Last year the European Union’s AI Act, representing the world’s first AI law, was widely praised. It built on already established AI safety principles to provide guidance around AI safety and risk.

While regulation is crucial, it is not all that’s required to ensure AI is safe and beneficial. Regulation is only part of a complex network of controls required to keep AI safe.

These controls will also include codes of practice, standards, research, education and training, performance measurement and evaluation, procedures, security and privacy controls, incident reporting and learning systems, and more. The EU AI act is a step in the right direction, but a huge amount of work is still required to develop the appropriate mechanisms required to ensure it works.

5: It’s not just about the AI

The fifth and perhaps most entrenched myth centres around the idea that AI technologies themselves create risk.

AI technologies form one component of a broader “sociotechnical” system. There are many other essential components: humans, other technologies, data, artefacts, organisations, procedures and so on.

Safety depends on the behaviour of all these components and their interactions. This “systems thinking” philosophy demands a different approach to AI safety.

Instead of controlling the behaviour of individual components of the system, we need to manage interactions and emergent properties.

With AI agents on the rise – AI systems with more autonomy and the ability to carry out more tasks – the interactions between different AI technologies will become increasingly important.

At present, there has been little work examining these interactions and the risks that could arise in the broader sociotechnical system in which AI technologies are deployed. AI safety controls are required for all interactions within the system, not just the AI technologies themselves.

AI safety is arguably one of the most important challenges our societies face. To get anywhere in addressing it, we will need a shared understanding of what the risks really are.

Paul Salmon receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Nobody wants to talk about AI safety. Instead they cling to 5 comforting myths – https://theconversation.com/nobody-wants-to-talk-about-ai-safety-instead-they-cling-to-5-comforting-myths-249489

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

7 February 2025 Humanitarian Aid

The US pause in foreign assistance funding has created “confusion” in the vital work of community HIV prevention, despite a waiver issued for HIV/AIDS programmes, the UN agency to combat the still deadly disease said on Friday.

The waiver allows the continuation or resumption of “life-saving humanitarian assistance” including HIV treatment.

That means 20 million people living with HIV and whose medication is funded by the US can continue to receive treatment. “That’s 20 million out of the 30 million people living with HIV in the world,” said Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, at scheduled press briefing in Geneva.

Although it is expected that governments around the world will respond to the US announcement by supporting existing medication plans, “what we’re really concerned about is that…governments will focus right now on keeping people on treatment rather than preventing new infections” she explained.

The HIV global response is heavily dependent on funds from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); it finances 70 per cent of the overall AIDS response.

Since its creation in 2003, PEPFAR has saved more than 26 million lives by investing in critical HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes in 55 countries, according to UNAIDS.

Nevertheless, “there is a lot of confusion on the ground especially at the community level on how the waiver will be implemented”, Ms. Stegling reported, pointing to disruption of treatment services.

Transport services and community health workers are also still impacted by the US funding pause, according to UNAIDS.

Drop-in centres at risk

The agency – which works with 70 countries – highlighted that the pause in US assistance to community programmes would lead to the closure of many drop-in health centres and the termination of outreach workers’ contracts, effectively depriving vulnerable groups of support.

The biggest interruption will be to community health services which have been crucial in the success of the fight against HIV, according to UNAIDS.

In Ethiopia, 5,000 public health worker contracts depend on US assistance. “All of these, in all regions of Ethiopia, have been terminated, as well as 10,000 data clerks, very important in Ethiopia”, added Ms. Stegling.

Critical services cut

Thousands of individuals – women, young girls, and priority populations at higher risk of sexually transmitted infections – will no longer be able to access critical services, such as condom distribution, HIV testing, antiretroviral treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention, screenings for tuberculosis or support to address gender-based violence.

UNAIDS is most concerned about the long-term impact of the US funding freeze on prevention of new HIV infections as most services community-based, while national governments tend to focus on keeping people on treatment, rather than preventing new infections.

Fear over spike in AIDS deaths

If PEPFAR is not re-authorized between 2025 and 2029 and other resources are not found for the HIV response, “there would be a 400 per cent increase in AIDS death”, UNAIDS said. “That’s 6.3 million people, 6.3 million AIDS related deaths that will occur in the future”, Ms. Stegling told journalists.

UNAIDS says it will continue efforts to ensure that during the 90-day pause, all people affected by HIV continue to access life-saving services.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 2025 agenda: ‘We must not let opportunities pass,’ says UN Assembly President

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

14 January 2025 UN Affairs

The President of the UN General Assembly Philémon Yang presented a detailed vision of his 2025 priorities for the world body on Tuesday, calling it an opportunity for “a new start.”

Under the theme Unity in Diversity, he emphasised the need for collective action to address pressing global challenges and deliver tangible progress.

Highlighting the mandates entrusted to the 79th Session, he outlined critical events, including the High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth and the World Social Summit for Development.

Reflecting on these milestones, Mr. Yang said, “these mandates are an integral part of our efforts to address the challenges our world faces.”

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled for July in Spain, was described as “crucial” in order “to elevate the urgency of financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Additional high-level meetings will address structural barriers faced by middle-income countries, including discussions on moving beyond gross domestic product as the primary measure of economic progress.

The High-Level Interactive Dialogue on Culture and Sustainable Development, and the High-Level Meeting on Sand and Dust Storms, offer two more key moments to build momentum for change.

Championing human rights and equality

The President reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to human rights and equality, noting, “throughout our work, we must remember that our mission is to leave no one behind.”

The proclamation of a second International Decade for People of African Descent was highlighted, alongside plans to advance the rights of older persons and address global prison reform on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Nelson Mandela Rules, “to ensure humane treatment of prisoners.”

In a similar vein, the General Assembly is due to award the Nelson Mandela Prize for the third time in 2025. Given every five years to two outstanding individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving humanity, the award promotes values guided by the purposes and principles of the UN.

Acknowledging the ongoing fight for gender equality, the President called for participation in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, affirming that he will push “for both prevention and accountability” and pledged to “promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, across all aspects of my Presidency.”

The 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 will also serve as an opportunity to tackle enduring challenges in advancing women’s roles in peace and security.

Advancing climate action and technology

Mr. Yang also outlined the importance of sustainable development and digital transformation.

The Third UN Ocean Conference in June will focus on supporting “blue economies” and accelerating progress on SDG 14 which aims to conserve and develop a sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.

Meanwhile, the World Summit on Information Society will address digital divides, bolstered by the establishment of an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.

This panel aims to “build a reliable scientific knowledge base, to firmly close the digital divides,” and “create a free, open and secure digital future for all.”

Liquidity crisis must end

Mr. Yang called on Member States to address the UN’s ongoing liquidity crisis, warning that late payments and withholding of assessed contributions could spark “a crisis of confidence in the United Nations.”

Emphasising the stakes, he said: “the funding of the United Nations must, therefore, never be subjected to solving political problems. It is the contrary. We must all fund our organization in order to deal with our problems.”

In a call for unity, the President stressed that “as with all our priorities, we will be measured by our actions. We cannot succeed alone. We count on you Member States.”

80 years of the UN Charter

A commemorative meeting of the assembly will be held on 26 June to mark the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter.

Reflecting on its historical significance, the President stated, “We must recover this San Francisco spirit. That powerful spirit must continue to guide all of us.”

Consultations are also underway for a potential UN80 Summit in September to further celebrate the milestone.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: At Davos, Guterres slams backsliding on climate commitments

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

22 January 2025 UN Affairs

The world’s political and business elite present in Davos on Wednesday faced an uncompromising address from UN chief António Guterres as he rounded on a lack of multilateral collaboration in an “increasingly rudderless world” at risk from two existential dangers: climate change and unregulated Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Mr. Guterres was speaking at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, the exclusive event held high in the Swiss Alps where senior politicians, Heads of State and CEOs of some of the world’s biggest and most influential companies rub shoulders.

The UN Secretary-General took aim at the theme of this year’s meeting, Collaboration for the Intelligent Age, maintaining that there has been scant proof of either collaboration or intelligence and plenty of evidence that many of the world’s problems are worsening, from conflicts to inequality and assaults on human rights.

Nuclear war is no longer the only existential threat to humanity, he said, pointing to the climate crisis and the “ungoverned expansion” of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

‘Fossil fuel addiction’

Likening fossil fuel addiction to Frankenstein’s monster – “sparing nothing and no one” – the Secretary-General noted the irony that 13 of the world’s biggest ports for oil supertankers are set to be overwhelmed by rising sea levels, a consequence of rising temperatures and sea ice melt, caused overwhelmingly by burning coal, crude oil and natural gas.

A number of financial institutions and industries are backtracking on climate commitments, noted Mr. Guterres.

A move that is, he said “short-sighted, and paradoxically, it is selfish and also self-defeating. You are on the wrong side of history. You are on the wrong side of science. And you are on the wrong side of consumers who are looking for more sustainability, not less.”

Looking ahead to the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Brazil at the end of the year, the UN chief reminded world leaders that they must keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans well before the event.

Developing countries need a “surge in finance” for climate action, he declared, urging not just governments but all businesses and financial institutions to create robust and accountable transition plans.

AI’s untold promise

The next existential threat, AI, is a double-edged sword, Mr. Guterres continued, as it is already revolutionizing learning, diagnosing illnesses, helping farmers to increase their yields and improving the targeting of aid.

But it comes with profound risks if it is left ungoverned: it can disrupt economies, undermine trust in institutions and deepen inequalities, the Secretary-General warned.

The Global Digital Compact – part of the Pact for the Future adopted by UN Member States last September – offers a “roadmap to harness the immense potential of digital technology and close digital divides” with a shared vision of AI serving humanity, not the other way around.

Despite the challenges, the UN will never halt its demand for peace grounded in the UN Charter, international law and the principles of sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of States, he said.

Reforming institutions, from the global financial architecture to the UN Security Council, is, the UN chief asserted, a necessity because systems of governance are often ill-equipped to deal with today’s challenges. But achieving these essential changes – which world leaders committed to at last September’s Summit of the Future – will only be possible with political will, he said, cautioning: “I am not convinced leaders get it.”

The Secretary-General concluded his remarks with a return to the theme of this year’s Davos event, appealing to the global community to face these existential challenges head on and work as one.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: US funding pause leaves millions ‘in jeopardy’, insist UN humanitarians

Source: United Nations MIL OSI

4 February 2025 Humanitarian Aid

UN agencies on Tuesday offered a dire assessment of the global impact of deep cuts to grassroots humanitarian funding by the incoming US administration and reiterated calls for Washington to retain its position as a global aid leader.

The development follows the pause announced to billions of dollars of funding on 24 January by the US administration affecting “nearly all US foreign aid programmes, pending a 90-day review”, said Pio Smith from the UN’s sexual reproductive health agency, UNFPA, briefing journalists in Geneva.

‘Unwavering commitment’ to serve people in need

In a letter to all UN personnel released on Tuesday morning in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he had responded to the executive order from US President Donald Trump with a call to “ensure the delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities”.

Mr. Guterres said the organization will remain actively engaged in assessing and mitigating the impact of the order.

“Now, more than ever, the work of the United Nations is crucial…Together, we will ensure that our organization continues to serve people in need around the world with unwavering commitment.”

Deadly consequences

Mr. Smith said that in response to the executive order, UNFPA “has suspended services funded by US grants that provide a lifeline for women and girls in crises, including in South Asia”.

The UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific warned that between 2025 and 2028 in Afghanistan, the absence of US support will likely result in 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies.

Mr. Smith said the agency was seeking “more clarity” from the administration “as to why our programmes are being impacted, particularly those which we would hope would be exempt” on humanitarian grounds.

Meanwhile, the UN aid coordination agency OCHA, said that there have been no “layoffs or closing down access” in response to the executive orders.

Spokesperson Jens Laerke added that the agency’s country offices were “in close contact” with local US embassies to better understand how the situation will unfold.

He explained that the US Government funded around 47 per cent of the global humanitarian appeal across the world last year; “that gives you an indication of how much it matters when we are in the situation we are in right now, with the messaging we’re getting from the Government”.

The move follows the announcement that the new US administration has placed the country’s principal overseas development agency, USAID, under the authority of the Secretary of State.

Staff from the agency have been locked out of their offices, while the head of the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency has accused USAID of criminal activity and a lack of accountability.

“Public name-calling won’t save any lives,” said OCHA’s Mr. Laerke, while Alessandra Vellucci, head of the UN Information Service at UN Geneva, highlighted the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for a relationship of trust with the Trump administration.

“We are looking at continuing this work together [and listening]…if there are criticisms, constructive criticism and points that we need to review,” she told reporters, underscoring the “decades-long relationship of mutual support” between the UN and the US.

© UNICEF/Anmar Anmar

USAID and UNICEF sign a partnership in 2024 to improve water and sanitation services across Iraq.

Retreat from Human Rights Council

At the same scheduled press encounter, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council responded to news reports that President Trump plans to issue an executive order withdrawing the US from the 47-member world body.

The US was a member of the Council from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, meaning that since 1 January this year it has been an “observer State…like any of the 193 UN Member States that are not Council Members” explained spokesperson Pascal Sim:

“Any Observer State of the Council cannot technically withdraw from an intergovernmental body that is no longer part of.”

Preventable problems

Amid uncertainty about future US funding, UNFPA’s Mr. Smith underscored the immediate impact on at-risk individuals in the world’s poorest settings: “Women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions; the risk of obstetric fistula is heightened, newborns die from preventable causes; survivors of gender-based violence have nowhere to turn for medical or psychological support,” he said.

“We hope that the US Government will retain its position as a global leader in development and continue to work with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families as a result of catastrophes they did not cause.”

Afghanistan emergency

UNFPA works across the world including in Afghanistan, where more than nine million people are expected to lose access to health and protection services because of the US funding crisis, it said.

This will impact nearly 600 mobile health teams, family health houses and counselling centres, whose work will be suspended, Mr. Smith explained.

“Every two hours, a mother dies from preventable pregnancy complications, making Afghanistan one of the deadliest countries in the world for women to give birth. Without UNFPA’s support, even more lives will be lost at a time when the rights of Afghan women and girls are already being torn to pieces.”

Pakistan, Bangladesh fall-out

In Pakistan, the UN agency warns that the US announcement will affect 1.7 million people, including 1.2 million Afghan refugees, who will be cut off from lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, with the closure of over 60 health facilities.

In Bangladesh, nearly 600,000 people, including Rohingya refugees, face losing access to critical maternal and reproductive health services.

“This is not about statistics. This is about real lives. These are literally the world’s most vulnerable people,” Mr. Smith insisted.

In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee camp complex –where more than one million Rohingya refugees remain trapped in dire conditions – nearly half of all births now take place in health facilities, with UNFPA’s support.

“This progress is now at risk,” Mr. Smith continued, noting that the agency requires more than $308 million dollars this year to sustain essential services in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: The Evolution of the World’s First WindFree™ Air Conditioner: A Legacy of Continuous Innovation

Source: Samsung

Cooling without direct wind has become a new standard in air conditioning. This transformation began nine years ago when Samsung Electronics introduced the world’s first WindFree air conditioner, redefining home cooling with an innovative approach that avoided the discomfort of direct cold air. Now in 2025, the company has further advanced this breakthrough by enhancing its dehumidification capabilities — addressing one of the key challenges in conventional air conditioning.

Samsung Newsroom explores the evolution of the WindFree air conditioners and how their user-centric technology has reshaped the market.

▲ The WindFree Experience Zone at the AHR Expo, North America’s largest air-conditioning and HVAC industry trade show, in 2024

2016–2018: Introducing the World’s First WindFree Cooling
In January 2016, Samsung launched the world’s first WindFree air conditioner. Powered by patented technology, the first-generation WindFree air conditioner rapidly lowered indoor temperatures using three powerful air outlets and evenly dispersed the cool air through thousands of micro air holes when the air outlets closed to maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature. This breakthrough cooling method was made possible through Samsung’s extensive R&D efforts and 11 global patents.

In 2017, Samsung expanded its WindFree lineup by introducing the first-ever wall-mounted WindFree air conditioner — building on the successful launch of the floor-standing model.

By 2018, Samsung integrated AI technology into WindFree cooling. AI Auto Cooling mode analyzed indoor and outdoor conditions along with user preferences to automatically adjust cooling, dehumidification and air purification settings for personalized comfort. Meanwhile, AI Purification mode activated air purification based on the concentration of fine dust. Furthermore, Bixby voice control enabled seamless operation of air conditioners as well as other SmartThings-connected appliances.

2019–2022: Elevating Comfort With Wide WindFree Cooling
The year 2019 marked the introduction of the second-generation WindFree air conditioner, boasting enhanced cooling performance and design. The air outlets were concealed within the front panel, creating a minimalist design that blended seamlessly with any interior. Samsung’s upgraded Wide WindFree technology delivered a richer, more powerful and evenly distributed cooling experience by improving airflow through a widened WindFree panel and over 270,000 micro air holes — more than double the previous model.

In 2020, Samsung introduced Easy Care to allow effortless cleaning and maintenance. The Easy Open Panel enabled quick disassembly without tools, while the Wash Clean feature facilitated heat exchanger cleaning for better hygiene and maintenance convenience.

By 2022, Samsung’s WindFree technology evolved beyond cooling to introduce Warm Breeze. By gently emitting air at 86-104°F (30-40°C), the feature ensured a cozy indoor environment while simultaneously purifying the air to significantly increase the versatility of WindFree air conditioners for year-round use.

2023–2024: Redefining Cooling With 3D Wide WindFree
The third-generation WindFree air conditioner, launched in 2023, represented another leap forward in design and performance. Samsung introduced a premium 3D silhouette design, crafted using advanced 3D metal press technology. This element added a new level of sophistication and texture to the exterior. Compared to the previous model, the air conditioner featured 1,500 additional micro air holes for an improved WindFree cooling experience.

In 2024, Samsung upgraded user convenience by integrating Bixby voice control into many more functions — from simple mode and temperature adjustments to complex multi-step commands and scheduling.

2025: Unlocking the Future of Air Conditioning With the WindFree Combo
▲ The WindFree Combo

This year, Samsung has once again taken its air conditioner innovation to the next level with the launch of the WindFree Combo. The new Dry Comfort feature uses a temperature and humidity sensor to calculate the temperature of the heat exchanger, precisely adjusting refrigerant flow and moderating humidity levels. What’s more, the dehumidification feature reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to the previous model.

The AI-driven smart features have evolved to offer personalized climate control optimized for users’ living spaces. AI algorithms learn users’ movement patterns and analyze weather conditions, indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity to ensure ideal comfort. Moreover, the WindFree Air Conditioner now connects with Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring, automatically activating WindFree Wearable Good Sleep mode when it detects the user falling asleep and turning off the cooling when they wake up.1

From enhanced cooling performance and innovative design to greater user convenience, WindFree air conditioners continue to set new standards in home climate control. As Samsung’s air-conditioning technology advances, more paradigm-shifting breakthroughs will emerge to further improve comfort in everyday living.

1 Feature applicable from 2022 models onwards

MIL OSI Economics –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Kaine Introduce Legislation to Expand Congressional Oversight of Foreign Assistance

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and other colleagues in introducing the Foreign Assistance Accountability and Oversight Act, legislation to expand congressional oversight of foreign assistance decision-making. The bill would require the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate and for all foreign assistance funding provided to the State Department or U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to be used as directed within 90 days of its appropriation by Congress. The Director of Foreign Assistance is currently not confirmed by the Senate, and the Trump Administration has refused to publicly identify the individual currently occupying this powerful position.
The legislation also expresses the sense of Congress that foreign assistance is critical to U.S. national security, reiterates USAID’s status as a legally independent agency, specifies the exact authorities of the Office of Foreign Assistance, and creates an extra layer of review for personnel decisions within the Office of Foreign Assistance.
“What Donald Trump and Elon Musk have done over the last week to shutter USAID is not only a flagrant violation of the law, it is a dangerous concession to our adversaries who will fill the void we leave behind, and it is devastating for the thousands of Americans who have dedicated their lives to a mission that makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” said Senator Murray. “This bill reasserts what we already know—that USAID is critical to our national security and global leadership and cannot be dismantled by an unelected billionaire with an axe to grind—and it ensures greater accountability for the political appointees leading these efforts.”
“Foreign assistance is not a handout. It is a critical part of our national security strategy and a key tool to keep Americans safe from disease, narcotics and instability. China has rapidly expanded its foreign assistance over the past decade, and would like nothing more than for the United States to retreat on the global stage. The Trump Administration’s recent attempts to destroy USAID and U.S. foreign assistance programs emboldens China, Russia, and Iran, makes Americans less safe, puts thousands of Americans out of work, and is already causing cause immense human suffering for millions of people around the world,” said Senator Kaine. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill to force congressional oversight of this lawless and damaging behavior.”
In addition to Senators Murray and Kaine, the legislation was also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
Full text of the bill is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Former WA Federal Workers Highlight How Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Assault on Federal Workers in WA State and Nationwide is Undermining Essential Services

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Murray: “The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best. Americans rely on our federal workforce. They do essential, and often thankless jobs to keep our country running—and sometimes their work can be the difference between life and death.”
Steve Kohfal, retired SSA worker, AFGE Local 3937: “Cancelling Field Office leases and reducing staffing to a 50-year low would further demoralize workers and destroy Social Security’s ability to serve the public.”
***VIDEO HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with former federal workers in Washington state to sound the alarm on how the Trump administration and Elon Musk are waging an all-out assault on America’s federal workforce, threatening to functionally decimate—through illegal actions and hostile pressure tactics—federal agencies that are often already understaffed. These attacks on the federal workforce threaten to undermine so many of the essential services Americans rely on, from air traffic control to food safety inspections.
Joining Senator Murray for the press conference were: Helen Bottcher, who recently retired from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and currently serves as treasurer for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1110 in Seattle; Jonathan Fox, who recently retired after 35 years as a National Weather Service Forecaster and lives in Spokane; and Steve Kofahl, a retired federal worker based in Everett who spent more than four decades at the Social Security Administration (SSA) and serves as Retiree Coordinator for AFGE District 11 and President Emeritus for AFGE Local 3937.
From pressuring federal workers to take scammy “buyouts,” to firing and reassigning hundreds of top officials; placing workers on leave en masse including at USAID, CFPB, and the Department of Education; threatening mass layoffs and budget cuts to encourage more federal employees to quit their jobs; and denigrating the essential work public servants do—we have seen an unprecedented assault by Donald Trump and Elon Musk on our nation’s essential federal workforce over the past few weeks. Senator Murray has spoken out on the Senate floor against this administration’s attacks on federal workers, and recently sent an open letter to federal workers and a newsletter to her constituents in Washington state outlining her concerns with the administration’s so-called “Fork in the Road” offer.
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen a lawless Trump administration attempt a hostile takeover of our nonpartisan career civil service,” Senator Murray said.“There are more than 56,000 civilian federal workers in Washington state and 2.4 million across the country—we’re talking about everyone from folks supporting the nuclear cleanup work at the Hanford site, to scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to the people who are making sure you get your Social Security check… They deserve better than to be threatened, intimidated, and pushed out the door by Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”
“What everyone needs to understand is that this administration’s attacks on federal workers don’t just hurt those workers—they hurt people all over our country,” Senator Murray continued. “Veterans suffer when they have to wait longer at the VA. Seniors suffer when they can’t get someone to just answer the phone at the Social Security Administration. We all suffer when we don’t have federal watchdogs going after scams, or investigating crimes. When we don’t have researchers at NASA or NIH making new breakthroughs, or park rangers keeping who are our national parks open for people to enjoy. The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best.”
“The stories I am hearing from my former colleagues are heart-breaking,” said Helen Bottcher, who retired from the EPA in 2023. “I’ve spoken with or heard about employees who are having panic attacks that landed them in the ER, who can’t sleep, and who have become physically ill because of the stress. I’ve seen the infamous ‘Fork in the Road’ email and the subsequent messages urging federal employees to quit. The language in these communications is disgusting – it is insulting, degrading and abusive. No one deserves to be treated this way… People aren’t wrong to be afraid. The purge has begun at EPA. Last Thursday, nine employees from EPA’s regional office were placed on administrative leave, suddenly and with virtually no warning. They were targeted because they were identified as working on Environmental Justice issues. They are not allowed to work, to enter the office or to use any agency equipment or systems. They are being paid for now, but they don’t know how much longer their pay will continue. They have simply no idea what will happen next. Will they be fired? Demoted? Assigned a new job? Forced to move to another state? It’s just chaos, and I think that chaos is intentional – it is designed to break people’s spirits and to divide them.”
“Given the early chaos of the new administration, it is important for the people of Washington state and the country to know the impacts being experienced by our federal employees. There is a real fear about job security that stems from uncertainty about the future. There has been a lack of direct communication from this administration. The only source of information, which is more like misinformation, comes from social media outlets that are only serving to stoke more fear into the federal workforce,” said Jonathan Fox, who retired last month from the National Weather Service—a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—where he was a meteorologist producing lifesaving winter weather, severe weather, and fire weather forecasts for nearly 35 years. “For the National Weather Service employees, their mission is to save life and property and promote the enhancement of the national economy. That is their sole focus, and they all take their responsibility quite seriously. Frankly, they deserve better from this administration.”
“Cancelling Field Office leases and reducing staffing to a 50-year low would further demoralize workers and destroy Social Security’s ability to serve the public,” said Steve Kohfal, who worked for the Social Security Administration (SSA) for 42 years before retiring in 2015, and now serves as the Retiree Coordinator for AFGE District 11 and President Emeritus for AFGE Local 3937. “Over 1 million disability claims and appeals are pending, and 30,000 applicants died last year while awaiting a decision. That’s unacceptable. Further cuts would be cruel and devastating.
Senator Murray’s full remarks from today’s press conference are below and video is HERE:
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen a lawless Trump administration attempt a hostile takeover of our nonpartisan career civil service.
“From firing career prosecutors at the Department of Justice to gutting the entire federal agency, USAID; pressuring nearly the entire federal workforce to take a so-called “buyout” offer that reads a lot more like a scam; putting people on administrative leave en masse for no reason and threatening sweeping layoffs for people who stay; locking employees out of their offices, out of their devices, and telling them to cease all work—and even communication—without notice; and belittling public employees at every turn, including by calling their jobs ‘lower productivity’ than jobs in the private sector…
“The assault that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are waging on federal workers is staggering—and unprecedented.
“And last week, over Democrats’ objections, Senate Republicans confirmed Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget. This is someone who said he wanted to inflict ‘trauma’ on our federal workers. That is an insane way to talk about a workforce we rely on for some absolutely essential services.
“Now, there are more than 56,000 civilian federal workers in Washington state and 2.4 million across the country—we’re talking about everyone from folks who support the nuclear cleanup work at the Hanford site, to scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to the people who are making sure you get your Social Security check.
“These are civil servants who took an oath to our country, and are working tirelessly to get veterans their health care, inspect our meat processing facilities, make sure baby formula is safe, approve lifesaving drugs and treatments, manage our air traffic control, protect consumers from fraud, and help ensure we have clean drinking water, just to name a few.
“They deserve better than to be threatened, intimidated, and pushed out the door by Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
“But make no mistake, we actually need these people to stay in their jobs or things are going to start breaking. What everyone needs to understand is that this administration’s attacks on federal workers don’t just hurt those workers—they hurt people all over our country.
“Veterans suffer when they have to wait longer at the VA. Seniors suffer when they can’t get someone to just answer the phone at the Social Security Administration.
“We all suffer when we don’t have federal watchdogs going after scams, or investigating crimes. When we don’t have researchers at NASA or NIH making new breakthroughs, or park rangers keeping who are our national parks open for people to enjoy.
“The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best.
“Americans rely on our federal workforce. They do essential, and often thankless jobs to keep our country running—and sometimes, their work can be the difference between life and death.
“So I want to say a huge, sincere thank you to federal workers in Washington state and across the country. You make our country better.
“And I want you to know, I am in your corner and I am going to keep lifting up your stories, fighting for you, and holding this administration to account.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China willing to promote AI development with other countries: Chinese Vice Premier

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

China willing to promote AI development with other countries: Chinese Vice Premier

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council, poses for a group photo with heads of state and government and high-level representatives from more than 30 countries, along with leaders of international organizations, after the AI Action Summit in Paris, France, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

PARIS, Feb. 11 — China is willing to work with other countries to promote development, safeguard security, share achievements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Zhang Guoqing said in Paris on Monday.

Zhang is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council. He made the remarks in his speech at the AI Action Summit, which was held from Feb. 10 to 11.

Delegates attend a plenary session at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, at the Grand Palais, in Paris, France, on Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

AI has become an important driving force for the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, Zhang said. China has always participated in global cooperation and governance on AI with a highly responsible attitude, he underlined.

In October 2023, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Initiative for AI Governance, which proposed China’s solution and contributed China’s wisdom for the AI development and governance, Zhang noted.

In facing the opportunities and challenges brought about by the development of AI, Zhang called on the international community to jointly advocate for the principle of developing AI for good, to deepen innovative cooperation, strengthen inclusiveness and benefits, and improve global governance.

He also invited developer communities from around the world to participate in the upcoming 2025 Global Developer Conference, scheduled from Feb. 21 to 23 in Shanghai, China.

During the AI Action Summit in Paris, heads of state and government and high-level representatives from more than 30 countries, along with leaders of international organizations, jointly signed a Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet.

French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a vice premier of the State Council, in Paris, France, Feb. 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

When meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, Zhang said China is ready to work with France to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries, and push for further development of China-France relations over the next 60 years. He conveyed cordial greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Macron.

Meanwhile, Macron expressed his gratitude to President Xi for sending a special representative to participate in the AI Action Summit. He reaffirmed that France firmly upholds strategic autonomy and is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China to jointly safeguard peace and stability, and tackle global challenges.

MIL OSI China News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AI Action Summit co-chaired by France and India (February 10-11, 2025)
Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

Statement on inclusive and sustainable artificial intelligence for people and the planet
1. Participants from over 100 countries, including government leaders, international organizations, representatives of civil society, the private sector and the academic and research communities gathered in Paris on February 10 and 11, 2025 to hold the AI Action Summit. Rapid development of AI technologies represents a major paradigm shift, impacting our citizens and societies in many ways. In line with the Paris Pact for People and the Planet, and the principles that countries must have ownership of their transition strategies, we have identified priorities and launched concrete actions to advance the public interest and to bridge digital divides through accelerating progress towards the SDGs. Our actions are grounded in three main principles of science, solutions – focusing on open AI models in compliance with countries’ frameworks – and policy standards, in line with international frameworks.

2. This Summit has highlighted the importance of reinforcing the diversity of the AI ecosystem. It has laid an open, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach that will enable AI to be human rights based, human-centric, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy while also stressing the need and urgency to narrow the inequalities and assist developing countries in artificial intelligence capacity-building so they can build AI capacities.

3. Acknowledging existing multilateral initiatives on AI, including the United Nations General Assembly Resolutions, the Global Digital Compact, the UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI, the African Union Continental AI Strategy, and the works of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe and European Union, the G7 including the Hiroshima AI Process and G20, we have affirmed the following main priorities:

Promoting AI accessibility to reduce digital divides;

Ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all

Making innovation in AI thrive by enabling conditions for its development and avoiding market concentration driving industrial recovery and development

Encouraging AI deployment that positively shapes the future of work and labour markets and delivers opportunity for sustainable growth

Making AI sustainable for people and the planet

Reinforcing international cooperation to promote coordination in international governance

To deliver on these priorities:

Founding members have launched a major Public Interest AI Platform and Incubator, to support, amplify, decrease fragmentation between existing public and private initiatives on Public Interest AI and address digital divides. The Public Interest AI Initiative will sustain and support digital public goods and technical assistance and capacity-building projects in data, model development, openness and transparency, audit, compute, talent, financing and collaboration to support and co-create a trustworthy AI ecosystem advancing the public interest of all, for all and by all.

We have discussed, at a Summit for the first time and in a multi-stakeholder format, issues related to AI and energy. This discussion has led to sharing knowledge to foster investments for sustainable AI systems (hardware, infrastructure, models), to promoting an international discussion on AI and environment, to welcoming an observatory on the energy impact of AI with the International Energy Agency, to showcasing energy-friendly AI innovation.

We recognize the need to enhance our shared knowledge on the impacts of AI in the job market, though the creation of network of observatories, to better anticipate AI implications for workplaces, training and education and to use AI to foster productivity, skill development, quality and working conditions and social dialogue.

4. We recognize the need for inclusive multistakeholder dialogues and cooperation on AI governance. We underline the need for a global reflection integrating inter alia questions of safety, sustainable development, innovation, respect of international laws including humanitarian law and human rights law and the protection of human rights, gender equality, linguistic diversity, protection of consumers and of intellectual property rights. We take notes of efforts and discussions related to international fora where AI governance is examined. As outlined in the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN General Assembly, participants also reaffirmed their commitment to initiate a Global Dialogue on AI governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and to align ongoing governance efforts, ensuring complementarity and avoiding duplication.

5. Harnessing the benefits of AI technologies to support our economies and societies depends on advancing Trust and Safety. We commend the role of the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit and Seoul Summits that have been essential in progressing international cooperation on AI safety and we note the voluntary commitments launched there. We will keep addressing the risks of AI to information integrity and continue the work on AI transparency.

6. We look forward to next AI milestones such as the Kigali Summit, the 3rd Global Forum on the Ethics of AI hosted by Thailand and UNESCO, the 2025 World AI Conference and the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 to follow up on our commitments and continue to take concrete actions aligned with a sustainable and inclusive AI.

Signatory countries:

1. Armenia

2. Australia

3. Austria

4. Belgium

5. Brazil

6. Bulgaria

7. Cambodia

8. Canada

9. Chile

10. China

11. Croatia

12. Cyprus

13. Czechia

14. Denmark

15. Djibouti

16. Estonia

17. Finland

18. France

19. Germany

20. Greece

21. Hungary

22. India

23. Indonesia

24. Ireland

25. Italy

26. Japan

27. Kazakhstan

28. Kenya

29. Latvia

30. Lithuania

31. Luxembourg

32. Malta

33. Mexico

34. Monaco

35. Morocco

36. New Zealand

37. Nigeria

38. Norway

39. Poland

40. Portugal

41. Romania

42. Rwanda

43. Senegal

44. Serbia

45. Singapore

46. Slovakia

47. Slovenia

48. South Africa

49. Republic of Korea

50. Spain

51. Sweden

52. Switzerland

53. Thailand

54. Netherlands

55. United Arab Emirates

56. Ukraine

57. Uruguay

58. Vatican
MIL OSI Europe News –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Funding to strengthen First Nations arts and languages
Source: Australian Ministers 1

First Nations arts and language organisations across the country will receive significant funding to support vital cultural practices thanks to the Albanese Labor Government.

83 First Nations-owned art centres, fairs, regional hubs and industry service organisations will receive a share of more than $38 million in funding over four years through the Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program.

The IVAIS program supports a professional, viable and ethical First Nations arts industry to enable artists and arts workers to earn income, develop professional skills and connect to the art market. Amongst the grant recipients are:
- Arlpwe Artists Aboriginal Corporation – to support Arlpwe Art and Culture Centre’s newly established ceramics program through employment of an onsite ceramist to engage with First Nations artists in Ali Curung, Northern Territory.
- Ardyaloon Art and Culture Centre Aboriginal Corporation – to support the Ingarlgalandji Arts and Culture Hub to provide visual arts services to Bardi Jawi artists on the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
- Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh TSI Corporation – to support urgent upgrades to the art centre and refurbishment of the printmaking and textiles workspace for the Badu Art Centre on Badu Island in the Torres Strait, Far North Queensland.
Additionally, nearly $30 million in funding will go toward 70 community-led First Nations language and arts activities through the Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program.

The ILA program supports First Nations peoples to express, conserve and sustain their cultures through languages and arts activities. Amongst the grant recipients are:
- Numburindi Development Aboriginal Corporation – to conserve and revitalise the Wuybuy language of the Numburindi people by employing community members to develop and produce a Wuybuy dictionary and become certified local language teachers and community linguists to facilitate community-led language workshops in Numbulwar, Northern Territory.
- Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal Corporation – to commission, develop, rehearse and tour three new Aboriginal language-based theatre shows to be shared with children far and wide and to include Yamatji and Wongatha language in productions in Perth, Western Australia.
Funding for the programs is delivered directly to community-led organisations.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the funding demonstrated the government’s commitment to Revive.

“We understand the importance of arts and language in community. It’s how stories and traditions are passed on from generation to generation.

“The Albanese Labor Government is committed to investing now and into the future, so we can make sure the next generation has sustainable language and arts infrastructure supporting them.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy said the programs played a vital role in supporting the First Nations arts sector and cultural practices.

“Investing in First Nations-owned art centres fosters connection to the world’s oldest living culture and enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to earn income from their works.

“The First Nations-owned art centres provide an environment where people can learn about Indigenous culture and ethically purchase artworks.

“Our investment in language centres also recognises the proud links First Nations people have to their language, community and Country.”

More information about the programs, including other funding recipients, can be found here:
- Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program | Office for the Arts
- Indigenous Languages and Arts program | Office for the Arts
MIL OSI News –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Leading the way to a safer internet together
Source: Microsoft

Headline: Leading the way to a safer internet together

Celebrate Safer Internet Day 2025 with Minecraft’s CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper. Promote online safety and practice responsible AI use with your class.

Each year, Safer Internet Day unites people around the world to spotlight critical topics like cyberbullying, social networking, and digital identity. The need for cyber safety education and empowerment remains as important as ever. According to a November 2023 survey by the National 4-H Council supported by Microsoft, 75% of parents want schools to teach digital wellness and online safety. In addition, 72% of students seek guidance from adults on how to use AI tools responsibly.

Safer Internet Day 2025 offers us an opportunity to “work together for a better internet” today and throughout the year. Join us to help students improve their digital literacy skills and explore the responsible use of AI with CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper and other exciting resources.

Dig deeper into the world of AI with Minecraft

Minecraft Education’s CyberSafe series uses game-based learning to help students boost their digital citizenship skills like recognizing common online threats, building strategies to protect themselves, and exploring ways to safeguard their personal information. In the latest installment, CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper, learners develop skills to use AI tools responsibly by tackling real-world challenges and exploring questions of academic integrity, human oversight, data privacy, and deepfakes. Immerse your students in this fun Minecraft world and empower them to think critically and use AI responsibly. This collection includes an educator guide and classroom-ready PowerPoint and family toolkit for at-home learning.

Discover CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper

Keep the adventure going with more lessons in Minecraft’s CyberSafe series:
- Home Sweet Hmm: Students learn to recognize common threats on the internet, build strategies for protecting themselves and their information, and to know where to go if they need help.
- Privacy Prodigy: Students explore what personal data is, who should have access to their data, when it’s acceptable to share their data, and how to manage their personal data.
- Good Game: Students build digital literacy and digital citizenship skills while learning the responsibilities, tools, responses, and strategies needed to foster digital well-being and build positive connections.
Explore Minecraft’s CyberSafe series

Teach cyber safety with Minecraft

Created through partnerships with industry experts, Minecraft Education has lessons focused on cybersecurity, online safety, and digital citizenship aligned to Cyber.org and CSTA standards. The full cyber curriculum progression helps students of all ages build foundational skills and offers pathways and credentialing for careers in cyber.

Explore Minecraft’s Cyber collection

Built into age-appropriate bands, the activities build incrementally and give you easy entry points through lesson plans and video tutorials. Explore the curriculum collections that you can start using anytime:
- CyberSafe: Teach students ages 7-11 cyber and digital safety skills with topics like online safety, spotting phishing scams, password protection, and cloud storage for photos. Introduce digital citizenship, data privacy, and data centers, aiming to protect personal data and raise career awareness in the digital world.
- Cyber Fundamentals: Empower students ages 10-14 through hands-on experiences in building network components and encrypting data. Students will investigate malware and save the school’s network as part of the Incident Response Team.
- Cyber Expert: Build digital fluency and cyber skills in students ages 13-18. They’ll explore encryption, social engineering, the effects of malware, and techniques to combat it. They’ll learn to prevent digital threats, fix affected systems, and explore cybersecurity careers.
Cyber safety resources for educators

Preparing your students to navigate the digital world starts with developing your own skills and confidence around tools and knowledge to teach cyber safety effectively. Microsoft Education offers resources designed to support educators, school leaders, and families, to build students’ cyber skills.

Begin discussing internet safety with students with help from these resources from Microsoft Education:

Explore Microsoft Learn modules designed to enhance your instructional strategies and cybersecurity proficiency:
- Build cybersecurity resilience in K-12 classrooms: Gain skills to anticipate common cyber threats, implement security measures, and educate others to build a strong cybersecurity culture that helps protect yourself and your students.
- Boost K-12 school cybersecurity leadership: Learn to apply Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommended cybersecurity practices to foster awareness and preparedness, safeguard schools, and counter cyber threats effectively.
Expand your teaching toolkit with a deeper dive into Minecraft Education:

Tackling abusive AI-generated content risks through education and empowerment

For almost a decade, Microsoft has marked Safer Internet Day by releasing research on how individuals of all ages perceive and experience risk online. Last year, we highlighted the growing importance of AI. This year, in our ninth Global Online Safety Survey, we’ve dug deeper to understand how people view and are using this technology, as well as how well they can identify AI-generated content.

Our findings show that while there’s been a global increase in active AI users (up to 51% compared to 38% in 2023), worries about the technology have also increased: 88% of people were worried about generative AI, compared to 83% last year. Further, our data confirms that people have difficulty in identifying AI-generated content, which may amplify abusive AI content risks.

We’re committed to advancing AI responsibly to realize its benefits. Fundamental to this is the work we do to protect our users from potential harms. Last year, we launched a Family Safety Toolkit, which provides guidance on how to leverage Microsoft’s safety features and family safety settings to support and enhance digital parenting, plus guidance for families looking to navigate the world of generative AI together.

Access the Family Safety Toolkit

We’re announcing a new partnership with Childnet, a leading UK organization dedicated to making the internet a safer place for children. Together, we’re developing educational materials aimed at preventing the misuse of AI, such as the creation of deepfakes. These resources will be available to schools and families, providing valuable information on how to protect children from online risks.

Join us and celebrate Safer Internet Day on February 11, 2025. Online safety activities and resources from Microsoft and Minecraft Education can support and empower your school community. Get started today and help everyone navigate the digital world safely and confidently.

Dig deeper into the world of AI

Level up your AI skills with CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper, the latest Minecraft Education adventure.
MIL OSI Economics –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Presses Zuckerberg On Meta’s Role Directing Traffic To Problematic Nudify App

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

February 11, 2025

About 90 percent of online traffic to Crushmate, an app used to create nonconsensual deepfake intimate imagery, originates from Meta in violation of its own policies

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his company’s role in directing traffic to Crushmate or Crush AI (“Crush”), an app used to create nonconsensual deepfake intimate imagery. Crush reportedly receives approximately 90 percent of its traffic from Meta platforms via thousands of explicit ads purchased by Crush in violation of Meta’s Advertising Standards, featuring nonconsensual nudity of celebrities and influencers.

Durbin begins the letter by outlining the troubling reports, writing: “I write regarding troubling reports that advertisements on Instagram and other Meta platforms are generating a significant amount of traffic for Crushmate or Crush AI (“Crush”), an app that allows—and, in fact, encourages—users to create nonconsensual deepfake intimate imagery. Because Meta has allowed Crush to run advertisements on mainstream platforms like Instagram, a significant number of Meta users have now accessed a highly problematic, otherwise little used app. I want to know how Meta allowed this to happen and what Meta is doing to address this dangerous trend.”

Durbin continues the letter by highlighting the prevalence and apparent noncompliance of these advertisements, writing: “Each ad for Crush violates Meta’s Advertising Standards, including its prohibitions on ads that feature Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity and ads that include certain forms of Bullying and Harassment. Yet, the ads are prevalent on Meta’s platforms. In the first two weeks of this year alone, Meta ran at least 8,010 ads for Crush. It appears that Crush is evading Meta’s enforcement efforts through a simple strategy. The company creates dozens of fake advertiser profiles on Meta, often with AI-generated profile pictures. It then employs multiple domains that redirect to Crush to evade detection. Once caught, the company repeats the process.”

Durbin continues the letter by stressing the harm that nudify apps like Crush have on victims, writing: “Because this easily used software is now so readily accessible through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, middle schools and high schools around the country are grappling with shocking acts of image-based abuse committed by students on other students. The generation and dissemination of nonconsensual, deepfake intimate imagery are acts of abuse and violations of privacy that inflict lasting harm on victims. Victims can feel destabilized when they lose control over their likeness and identity and can feel powerless to remove the illicit content or to prevent it from being produced again. They may experience depression, anxiety, and a fear of being in public. This can have the effect of silencing victims, causing them to withdraw from online spaces and public discourse as a protective measure. These images may be used to harass victims and damage their employment, education, or reputation, or to further criminal activity such as extortion and stalking. In the worst cases, they drive victims to suicide.”

Durbin closes the letter with a call for Meta to act before issuing a series of information requests, writing: “Tech companies should not assist malevolent actors who seek to take advantage of women and children. I am gravely concerned with Meta’s failure to prevent this perverse abuse of its platforms and I refuse to accept Meta’s facilitation of these crimes. I therefore urge Meta to join us in combatting this threat.”

Click here for a PDF copy of the letter to Mark Zuckerberg.

Durbin is committed to ensuring children’s online safety. Last Congress, Durbin’s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate, but the bill stalled in the Republican-controlled House. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos.

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MIL OSI USA News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders on the Senate Floor: “What the Oligarchs Really Want”

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate regarding how Elon Musk and his fellow oligarchs are waging a war on the working class of America.
Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE:
M. President, we are living in an extremely dangerous time. Future generations will look back at this moment – what we do right now – and remember whether we had the courage to defend our democracy against the growing threats of oligarchy and authoritarianism. They will remember whether we stood with President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg who in 1863, looking out at a battlefield where thousands died in the struggle against slavery and stated that; “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that a government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Do we stand with Lincoln’s vision of America or do we allow this country to move to a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires?
But it’s not just oligarchy that we should be concerned about, and the reality that the 3 richest people in America now own more wealth than the bottom half of our society – 170 million people. It’s not just that the gap between the very rich and everyone else is growing wider, and that we have more income and wealth inequality today than we’ve ever had.
It is also that we are looking at a rapid movement, under President Trump, toward authoritarianism. More and more power resting in fewer and fewer hands.
M. President, as we speak, right now, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is attempting to dismantle major agencies of the federal government which are designed to protect the needs of working families and the disadvantaged. These agencies were created by the U.S. Congress and it is Congress’ responsibility to maintain them, reform them or end them. It is not Mr. Musk’s responsibility. What Mr. Musk is doing is patently illegal and unconstitutional – and must be stopped.
M. President. Two weeks ago, President Trump attempted to suspend all federal grants and loans – an outrageous and clearly unconstitutional act. As I hope every 6th grader in America knows, under the Constitution and our form of government the president can recommend legislation, he can support legislation, he can veto legislation, but he does not have the power to unilaterally terminate funding passed by Congress. It is Congress, the House and the Senate, who control the purse strings.
But it’s not just Congress that’s under attack. It’s our judiciary.
This weekend, the Vice President, a graduate of Yale Law School, who clerked for a Supreme Court Justice, said that: “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.” Really? I thought that one of the major functions of the federal courts is to interpret our Constitution and, when appropriate, serve as a check on unconstitutional executive power.
Mr. Musk, meanwhile, has proposed that “the worst 1% of appointed judges be fired every year,” and demanded the impeachment of judges that have blocked him from accessing sensitive Treasury Department files. No doubt, under Mr. Musk’s rule, it will be him and his billionaire friends who determine who the “worst” judges are. And no, Mr. Musk, you don’t impeach judges who rule against you. You may or may not know this, but under the U.S. Constitution, we have a separation of powers, brilliantly crafted by the founding fathers of this country in the 1770s.
So, we are seeing an organized attack on Congress and the courts.
But Trump and his friends aren’t just trying to undermine two of the three pillars of our constitutional government – Congress and the courts. They are also going after the media in a way that we have never seen in the modern history of this country.
Every member of Congress will tell you that people in the media, and media organizations, are not perfect. They, like everyone else, make mistakes every day. But I hope that every member of Congress understands that you cannot have a functioning democracy without an independent press – non-intimidated journalists who can write it and say it the way they see it. And in that regard, I want to remind my colleagues what this president has done in recent months.
President Trump has sued ABC and received a $15 million settlement. He has sued Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and received a $25 million settlement. He has sued CBS, and its parent company Paramount, is apparently in negotiations over a settlement. He has sued the Des Moines Register, and his FCC is now threatening to investigate PBS and NPR.
In other words, we have a President of the United States who is using his power to go after media in this country who are saying and doing things he doesn’t like. How are we going to have an independent media if journalists are looking over their shoulders, fearful that their reporting will trigger a lawsuit from the most powerful man in the world?
M. President. Now is the time to ask a very simple question. What do Mr. Musk, Mr. Trump and their fellow billionaires really want? What is their endgame?
And in my view, the answer is not complicated. It is not novel. It is not new. It is what ruling classes throughout history have always wanted and have always believed is theirs by right: more power, more control and more wealth. And they are determined to not allow democracy and the rule of law to get in their way.
For Mr. Musk and his fellow oligarchs, the needs, the concerns, the ideas, the dreams of ordinary people are simply an impediment to what they, the oligarchs, are entitled to. That is what they really believe.
This is not the first time we’ve seen this in our country’s history.
In pre-revolutionary America, before the 1770s, the ruling class of that time governed through a doctrine called the “divine right of kings,” the belief that the King of England was an agent of God, God appointed him, and he was not to be questioned by mere mortals.
In modern times we no longer have the “divine right of kings.” What we NOW have is an ideology being pushed by the oligarchs which says that as very, very wealthy people – often self-made, often the masters of revolutionary new technology and as “high-IQ individuals,” it is THEIR absolute right to rule. In other words, the oligarchs of today are our modern-day kings.
And it is not just power that they want. Despite the incredible wealth they have they want more, and more and more. Their greed has no end. Today, Mr. Musk is worth $402 billion, Mr. Zuckerberg is worth $252 billion and Mr. Bezos is worth $249 billion. With combined wealth of $903 billion, these 3 people own more wealth than the bottom half of American society — 170 million people.
Not surprisingly, since Trump was elected, their wealth has soared. Elon Musk has become $138 billion richer, Zuckerberg has become $49 billion richer and Bezos has become $28 billion richer – since Election Day.
Meanwhile, while the very rich become much richer, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, 85 million are uninsured or under-insured, 25% of seniors are trying to survive on $15,000 or less, 800,000 are homeless and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on earth. And real, inflation adjusted wages for the average American worker have been stagnant for 50 years.
Do you think the oligarchs give a damn about these people? Trust me, they don’t. Musk’s decision to dismember U.S. AID means that tens of thousands of the poorest people around the world will go hungry or die of preventable diseases.
But it’s not just abroad. Here in the United States they’ll soon be going after the healthcare, nutrition, housing, and educational programs that protect the most vulnerable people in our country – all so that Congress can provide huge tax breaks for them and their fellow billionaires. As modern-day kings, who believe they have the absolute right to rule, they will sacrifice, without hesitation, the well-being of working people to protect their privilege.
Further, they will use the enormous media operations they own to deflect attention away from the impact of their policies while they “entertain us to death.” Mr. Musk owns twitter. Mr. Zuckerberg owns Meta – which includes Facebook and Instagram – and Mr. Bezos owns the Washington Post. Further, they and their fellow oligarchs, will continue to spend huge amounts of money to buy politicians in both major political parties.
Bottom line: The oligarchs, with their enormous resources, are waging a war on the working class of this country, and it is a war they are intent on winning.
Now, I am not going to kid you — the problems this country faces right now are serious and they are not easy to solve. The economy is rigged, our campaign finance system is corrupt and we are struggling to control climate change — among many other important issues.
But this is what I do know:
The worst fear that the ruling class in this country has is that Americans — Black, White, Latino, urban and rural, gay and straight, young and old — come together to demand a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthy few.
Their oligarch’s nightmare is that we will not allow ourselves to be divided up by race, religion, sexual orientation or country of origin and will, together, have the courage to take them on.
Will this struggle be easy? Absolutely not.
And one of the reasons that it will not be easy is that the ruling class of this country will constantly remind you that THEY have all the power. They control the government, they own the media.
But our job right now, in these difficult times, is to not forget the great struggles and sacrifices that millions of people have waged over the several centuries to create a more democratic, just and humane society. Think about what people THEN were saying.
Overthrowing the King of England to create a new nation and self-rule. Impossible.
Establishing universal suffrage. Impossible.
Ending slavery and segregation. Impossible.
Granting workers the right to form unions and ending child labor. Impossible.
Giving women control over their own bodies. Impossible.
Passing legislation to establish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, a minimum wage, clean air and water standards. Impossible.
In other words, as Nelson Mandela told us, everything is impossible until it is done.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government welcomes multibillion-pound Heathrow investment expected to secure thousands of steel jobs
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The Government has welcomed a multibillion-pound investment programme from Heathrow Airport which will help secure UK steel jobs.
Heathrow Airport announces new multibillion-pound investment programme to expand airport, including new terminal buildings, aircraft stands, passenger infrastructure and work towards its third runway.

Government welcomes major vote of confidence from Heathrow in its growth mission after backing a third runway, expected to secure thousands of steel jobs across the UK.

Heathrow signs the UK Steel Charter and commits to using UK-made steel for its construction projects wherever possible, giving a major boost to the sector.

The Government has welcomed a new multibillion-pound investment programme from Heathrow Airport, which is expected to secure thousands of UK steel jobs across the country by driving a significant increase in demand for UK-made steel.

In the latest in a series of UK investment wins, Heathrow will invest billions in a new expansion programme for new terminal buildings, aircraft stands, passenger infrastructure and its third runway plans, marking a major vote of confidence in the Government’s plan for growth after the Chancellor confirmed the government’s backing for Heathrow’s expansion last month.

At an event hosted at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant today (12 February) Heathrow will also sign the UK Steel Charter, which signals the airport’s commitment to use UK-made steel wherever possible as part of its investment programme.

The commitment represents a major win for the steel industry and will help secure thousands of existing steel jobs both at Scunthorpe and across the country. It will bring a huge increase in demand for UK-made steel to supply Heathrow’s expansion project.

By its completion in 2008, the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 had required 80,000 tonnes of steel, and estimates suggest construction of a third runway could require 400,000 tonnes.

Industry Minister Sarah Jones is expected to give a keynote speech at Heathrow’s launch event today to welcome the announcement as a major step forward in the Government’s growth mission, with new investment crucial to kickstarting the UK’s economic growth and putting more money in people’s pockets, delivering on the Plan for Change.

Industry Minister Sarah Jones is expected to say:

This investment is the latest in a long line of wins which our Plan for Change has helped deliver, and not only secures thousands of jobs but marks a major vote of confidence in our homegrown steel sector and this government’s Industrial Strategy.

Driving demand for UK-made steel is a crucial part of our upcoming Steel Strategy, and by signing the Steel Charter Heathrow will give a huge boost to steelmaking communities across the UK and help us kickstart economic growth.

Alex Veitch, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said:

Expanding capacity at Heathrow is a key part of accelerating economic growth – and today’s announcement is great news for British business.

It is real show of support for domestic steel production and supply chains across the UK. As further infrastructure projects are given the green light, many more opportunities can be seized to boost British business and drive forward growth.

Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel said:

The UK steel industry welcomes Heathrow’s multi-billion-pound investment programme, a major boost for British businesses and a clear signal that the UK is open for growth. This transformative investment will upgrade vital infrastructure, create jobs, and strengthen the UK’s position as a global hub for trade and travel.

As part of this commitment, Heathrow has pledged to maximise the use of UK-made steel with the UK Steel Charter, ensuring that the benefits of this project are felt across the country. British steelmakers produce world-class, high-quality products that support major infrastructure, and Heathrow’s decision to prioritise domestic steel and British business reinforces the strength and resilience of the UK supply chain.

This is a vote of confidence in British manufacturing, supporting skilled jobs, driving investment, and helping to build a stronger, more sustainable economy.

Heathrow’s new investment follows the Chancellor announcement of the Government’s full backing of a third runway expansion in her recent Growth Speech where she pledged to go further and faster to kickstart the UK’s economic growth.

The Government has been clear that a third runway could add billions to a better-connected UK economy, deliver cheaper air fares and fewer delays, and drive UK exports and investment to new heights.

According to new research from the consultancy Frontier Economics, a third runway at Heathrow Airport could increase the UK’s potential GDP by almost 0.5% directly by 2050, with over 60% of that increase going to areas outside London and the South East.

Using UK-made steel on construction at Heathrow will also give a significant boost to the UK’s steel industry for the long term, which already supports over 75,000 jobs and contributes almost £2 billion a year to the economy.

Background:

Current signatories to the UK Steel Charter include National Highways, the Railway Industry Association, Renewable UK and Sizewell C. The full list is available here: https://www.makeuk.org/about/uk-steel/uk-steel-charter-homepage/our-signatories-page

For further details on Heathrow’s investment announcement, please contact Chris Anderson, Press Officer at chris.anderson@heathrow.com, 07788561635

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Published 11 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Reaching for the stars: ‘We know the answers’ to support women in STEM

Source: United Nations 4

11 February 2025 Women

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are crucial to economic growth – yet gender inequality in these fields remains widespread.

“Despite the progress, women still make up only one-third of the global scientific community and face significant barriers in funding, publishing and leadership roles in STEM,” said Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the day.

As the world marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, the need to remove these barriers is more urgent than ever.

This year’s theme, Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science, highlights the importance of empowerment and ensuring women have equal access to opportunities.

The importance of education

Education is key to achieving gender equality in STEM, yet 122 million girls worldwide are currently out of school, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Even for those who receive formal education, gender stereotypes and societal expectations discourage many from pursuing scientific careers.

At the 10th anniversary celebration, President of the General Assembly, H.E. Philémon Yang, emphasised the need for action: “As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies reshape the economy, women and girls must have the skills to seize these opportunities.”

He pointed out that progress has stalled over the past decade, with only 15 percent of young female graduates choosing STEM disciplines, compared to 35 percent of their male peers.

Overcoming barriers

The lack of female participation, particularly in artificial intelligence, results in biased technologies and reinforces inequality, explained Mr. Guterres.

Moreover, more diversity in STEM would not only create fairer systems but also drive economic growth.

The World Economic Forum estimates that doubling the number of women in the technology workforce by 2027 could add 600 billion euros to the global economy.

To address these challenges, UNESCO and UN Women call for gender-sensitive teacher training, mentorship programs and greater investment in STEM education for girls.

One small step for womankind

A key highlight of this year’s event was an astronaut-led panel discussion at UN Headquarters in New York, featuring 16 female astronauts – nearly 20 per cent of all women astronauts worldwide.

Among them was Amanda Nguyen, astronaut and founder of Rise, an organization advocating for sexual assault survivors.

“Women survivors’ dreams still matter, even the outrageous ones, like flying to space,” she told the Assembly.

With over 50 per cent of women faculty and staff in STEM having experienced sexual harassment, according to the National Institutes of Health, her words carried weight throughout the Assembly.

Meanwhile, talking about her experience in space, former astronaut Dr. Cady Coleman explained that “the only people who are going to help you, are the people next to you”, emphasising that the international community needs to act in unison.

Building the future

This year’s event is a reminder that tackling global challenges – from climate change to public health – requires the full participation of women and girls in science.

As the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action turns 30, global leaders are being urged to move beyond symbolic commitments and take concrete action to close the gender gap in STEM.

“We know the solutions,” said Mr. Yang, calling for targeted policies and sustained investment in STEM education. “Let us not just mark these milestones – let us honour them with action,” he concluded.

The recently adopted Pact for the Future emphasises science as a driver of gender equality, aiming to remove systemic barriers and open more opportunities for women in STEM.

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MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Federal Councillor Albert Rösti at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris

Source: Switzerland – Federal Administration in English

At the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris on 10 and 11 February, Federal Councillor Albert Rösti highlighted the opportunities that AI offers to society and the economy. In particular, he stressed the need to adopt an inclusive approach in the global debate on AI. Switzerland has also expressed an interest in hosting the next AI Action Summit. He also signed two memorandums of understanding with French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot aimed at developing cross-border rail traffic between Switzerland and France.

MIL OSI Europe News –

February 12, 2025

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Background:

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The importance of education

Overcoming barriers

One small step for womankind

Building the future