Category: Politics

MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle | Madison, WI

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
The Edgewater HotelMadison, Wisconsin
10:08 A.M. CDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Okay. Good morning, everyone. Happy Halloween.
     Q    Good morning.
     Q    Good morning.
     Q    Happy Halloween.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And for those of you who are without your children today, thank you for just being on the road.
So, today, we will be leaving Wisconsin, heading west. And I’ll be, obviously, in three states again today talking with the American people about the stakes of this election and the opportunity that we, the American people, have to chart a new way forward.
I will comment on the former President Donald Trump’s remark about women and — and whether they “like it or not.” And, listen, it’s just — it actually is, I think, very offensive to women in terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right, and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies.
And this is just the latest on a series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency, whether he has said, as he has, that women should be punished for their choices; whether he has talked about his pride in taking away a fundamental right from women; whether it be how he has actually created a situation in America where now one in three women lives in a Trump abortion ban state and has legal restrictions on the right she rightly should have to make decisions about her own body.
The other point I will refer to about — in the last many hours is the speaker’s comments about the Affordable Care Act. Look, I’ve been saying throughout this campaign: Be very clear that among the stakes in this election are whether we continue with the Affordable Care Act or not.
It has been a part of Donald Trump’s agenda for a very long time. He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. And now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the speaker of the House.
And what that would mean for the American people is that pharma- — that — that insurance companies could go back to a time when they would deny you coverage for health insurance based on preexisting conditions — preexisting conditions, such as you being a survivor of breast cancer, asthma, diabetes.
And what I know is that the American people, regardless of who they’re voting for, know the importance of the Affordable Care Act — of, as it is also called, “Obamacare,” in terms of expanding people’s coverage to health care based on a fundamental principle that I hold deeply: Access to health care should be a right and not just a privilege to those who can afford it.
So, there’s still a lot of work to do. But each day, I think that there are also indications that we are receiving from my opponent that verify, validate, and reinforce the fact that, one, he is not going to be fighting for women’s reproductive rights. He does not prioritize the freedom of women and the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies. And health care for all Americans is on the line in this election as well.
I’ll take your questions.
     AIDE: Tam.
Q    Oh, yeah. You know, since the beginning stages of your campaign, you’ve described yourself as an underdog. That language is gone from your speech now. Has something changed in how you’re feeling?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, listen, I am putting it all on the field, and it’s going to be a very tight race. And I — I am running like the underdog, because we are. Donald Trump has been running for the — the last decade. I’ve been in this race about three and a half months, and the stakes are so high.
But I’ve been saying for quite some time, regardless of what the polls say, we are going to win. I do believe that, because I do believe that this is a choice about two very different directions for our country.
And the choice being offered by Donald Trump is about going backward, about a constant emphasis on degrading the American people in our capacity, versus a track that is about bringing the country together, knowing we have more in common than what separates us.
And we should have a plan, which I do, to actually get things done, including bringing down the cost of living for people, investing in our small businesses, expanding access to health care, investing in American industries, including the future of American industries and American workers.
So, there you go.
AIDE: Will.
Q    So, you talked about the — what the former president said being offensive to women. Wh- —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Oh, I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way.
Q    Well, that — that was my question.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q    The sort of hypermasculinity that he is talking about, do you — what do you think about it possibly resonating with men and male voters specifically?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: You will — you — you’ve been following me, and you will see that in the tens of thousands of people who attend our rallies — which is an opportunity to talk about the issues, talk about the future of our country — right? — there are men, women, young people, people of every race, every background.
One of the points, I think, that is a point of pride for everyone who attends — and including myself — is that our campaign really is about bringing people together, people of very different and diverse backgrounds, around a common theme that is about love of country, defending the Constitution of the United States, and investing in our future as — and rejecting the notion that we are divided or that that should be acceptable that we would be divided as a nation.
So, I’m very proud to have the support of — of men, women, young people, people of every background.
AIDE: Ebony.
Q    So, we know we have five days until the election. How are you going to continue to draw the contest with former President Donald Trump, specifically with the undecided voters, as the pool is really shrinking now?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: I will continue — as we will do today, as we did yesterday, and so on — to talk with people where they live — so, again, here in Wisconsin, heading to Arizona, heading to Nevada — to talk with people about issues, like how we’re going to deal with price gouging — corporate price gouging as a way to deal with grocery costs; how we’re going to invest in small businesses and expand access to capital; how I will give first-time homeowners a $25,000 down payment assistance if they are a first-time homebuyer to help them get their foot in the door.
These are the issues that the American people want to talk about, because these are the issues that affect them. These are the issues they think about when they’re sitting at their kitchen table or when they’re trying to go to sleep at night.
And what I know is that they want a president of the United States who, as I say, will walk into the Oval Office with a to-do list and not an enemies list.
And so, that’s what I will continue to do over the course of these next few days to let folks know that I see them, I hear them, and I’m prepared to address their challenges with a plan that is about getting things done.
AIDE: Thank you.
     THE VICE PRESIDENT: Okay. Thank you.
                             END       10:15 A.M. CDT

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Notification under Schedule 6A NI Act 1998

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has given notification of the start of the democratic consent process on Articles 5-10 Windsor Framework.

Applies to Northern Ireland

Documents

NOTIFICATION UNDER SCHEDULE 6A NORTHERN IRELAND ACT 1998

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Letter from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the First and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, beginning the democratic consent process on Articles 5-10 Windsor Framework in accordance with Schedule 6A NI Act 1998.

Dear Edwin,

NOTIFICATION UNDER SCHEDULE 6A NORTHERN IRELAND ACT 1998

Under Schedule 6A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, it is my duty as Secretary of State to give notification of the start of the democratic consent process, as referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the declaration by His Majesty’s Government concerning the operation of the ‘Democratic consent in Northern Ireland’ provision of the Windsor Framework made on 17 October 2019.

This notification marks the day immediately before the start of the final two months of the current continuation period. The first day of the new continuation period will be 1 January 2025. Before that date, this Government must notify the European Commission of the outcome of the democratic consent process established by Schedule 6A in relation to the continued application of Articles 5 to 10 of the Framework during the new continuation period.

I can confirm that for this upcoming democratic consent process, the default democratic consent process will apply, as set out in Part 3 of Schedule 6A.

Schedule 6A prescribes the text of the motion to be tabled, and has remained unamended since December 2020 such that it refers to the former Northern Ireland Protocol. As you will know, the arrangements laying down the Windsor Framework at the UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee included agreement that references to the ‘the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland’ (such as that prescribed in the motion) will be read by the Government to mean the Windsor Framework. I would be grateful if this could be put to Assembly Members should there be doubt as to the validity of a motion.

I am copying this letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill & Emma Little-Pengelly.

THE RT HON HILARY BENN MP

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Updates to this page

Published 31 October 2024

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. Completes Redemption of All Preferred Stock
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BROOKFIELD, Wis., Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company” or “CIB Marine”) (OTCQX: CIBH) announced that it has completed the $13.4 million full and final redemption of all of its preferred stock at $825 per share. Effective October 31, 2024, CIB Marine transferred the necessary funds to its redemption agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., and all of CIB Marine’s outstanding preferred shares were redeemed pursuant to the Notice of Redemption and Letter of Transmittal dated October 17, 2024.

Mr. Brian Chaffin, President & CEO of CIB Marine, commented, “This is an important accomplishment for the Company. In addition to providing liquidity to our preferred shareholders, the redemptions created value for our common shareholders and strategic opportunities for the Company. I want to thank the common shareholders who supported the Company through this process and assisted us in the execution of our disciplined process to reach an outcome that benefitted all stakeholders.”

Any preferred shareholders who have not yet tendered their shares, are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Questions specific to the redemption process may be directed to Computershare at (800) 546-5141. For any other questions, please contact CIB Marine’s Shareholder Relations Manager, Ms. Elizabeth Neighbors, at (262) 695-4342 or Elizabeth.Neighbors@cibmarine.com.

CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for CIBM Bank, which operates nine banking offices and has mortgage loan officers and/or offices in ten states. More information on the Company is available at www.cibmarine.com, including recent shareholder letters, links to regulatory financial reports, and audited financial statements.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
CIB Marine has made statements in this release that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. CIB Marine intends these forward-looking statements to be subject to the safe harbor created thereby and is including this statement to avail itself of the safe harbor. Forward-looking statements are identified generally by statements containing words and phrases such as “may,” “project,” “are confident,” “should be,” “intend,” “predict,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect CIB Marine’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance that are subject to many uncertainties and factors relating to CIB Marine’s operations and the business environment, which could change at any time.

There are inherent difficulties in predicting factors that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements.

Stockholders should note that many factors, some of which are discussed elsewhere in this release and in the documents that are incorporated by reference, could affect the future financial results of CIB Marine and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this document. These factors, many of which are beyond CIB Marine’s control, include but are not limited to:
- operating, legal, execution, credit, market, security (including cyber), and regulatory risks;
- economic, political, and competitive forces affecting CIB Marine’s banking business;
- the impact on net interest income and securities values from changes in monetary policy and general economic and political conditions; and
- the risk that CIB Marine’s analyses of these risks and forces could be incorrect and/or that the strategies developed to address them could be unsuccessful.
These factors should be considered in evaluating the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. CIB Marine undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and CIB Marine’s actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
J. Brian Chaffin, President & CEO
(217) 355-0900
brian.chaffin@cibmbank.com

The MIL Network –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Security News: United States Files Suit for Unpaid Duties and Penalties for Alleged Failure to Pay Duties on Imported Chinese Bedroom Furniture

Source: United States Department of Justice 2

The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Lawrence Bivona, who was the President of LaJobi Inc., a Delaware corporation that imported Chinese-manufactured children’s bedroom furniture into the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Bivona made false statements to customs officials and, as a result, avoided paying antidumping duties owed on the imported furniture.

At the time merchandise is entered into the United States, the importer is responsible for providing all information necessary to enable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess the applicable duties owed on the goods, including any antidumping duties applicable to the merchandise. Antidumping duties are trade remedies that help protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign businesses and countries, such as government subsidies or below market sales.

The United States’ complaint contends that Bivona caused LaJobi to misrepresent the identity of the manufacturers of the children’s furniture imported from China. In particular, the United States alleges that Bivona falsely represented that the furniture was manufactured by Chinese entities subject to duty rates of approximately 7% or less, and failed to disclose that the furniture was actually manufactured by entities subject to duty rates of 216%.

“Anti-dumping duties play an important role in countering illegal foreign trade practices and protecting U.S. manufacturers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to gain an unfair advantage by violating our trade laws.”

“These civil penalties support the seriousness of CBP’s trade mission and protect the U.S. economy, while maintaining fair trade and preserving American jobs from predatory practices,” said Executive Director Susan Thomas of CBP’s Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations. “CBP’s antidumping and countervailing duties enforcement aims to mitigate harm by anti-competitive behavior and supports a level playing field for U.S. companies injured by unfair trade practices.”

“We take very seriously our role in protecting the U.S. economy from illegal and predatory trade practices,” said Assistant Director Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Global Trade Investigations. “HSI is committed to working alongside CBP and partners to stop those who engage in fraud to circumvent U.S. trade laws.”

The complaint seeks the recovery of over $7 million in import duties and over $15 million in civil penalties.

HSI Newark led the investigation with CBP Trade Regulatory Audit Newark, CBP Associate Chief Counsel New York, CBP Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center of Excellence and Expertise. CBP and HSI are the agencies responsible for enforcing U.S. laws related to the importation of merchandise into the United States, including the collection of duties and assessment of penalties.

Trial Counsel Daniel Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section, is handling the case.

The case is filed in the Court of International Trade and captioned United States v. Lawrence Bivona No. 24-00196.

To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws.

The claims in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Fusion of academic and practical: students and postgraduates explore creative economy

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

The HSE hosted The Fourth International Forum of Young Researchers in Creative Economy. The authors of scientific papers that passed the competitive selection presented their reports: Russian and foreign researchers under 35 years of age, postgraduates and students studying the socio-economic aspects of the development of the creative economy and creative industries.

The Fourth International Forum of Young Researchers in the Creative Economy took place on the second day of the IV International Scientific Conference “Creative Economy: Key Development Trends and State Policy”. The event is being held Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEZ) under the auspices of the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia, within the framework of the activities of the World-Class Scientific Center “Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Human Potential» HSE University, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.

The researchers studied key trends in the development of the creative economy and creative industries, digitalization of creative industries, analysis of creative clusters, creative potential of cities and regions, etc.

Every year more and more people participate in the competition, and now the competition was serious, emphasized the forum moderator, director of the center “Russian Cluster Observatory» Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics Evgeny Kutsenko.

The three best works were awarded diplomas and prizes. Elizaveta Fainshtein from the National Research University Higher School of Economics studied the perception of visitors to various public spaces based on a semantic analysis of reviews. The jury noted the relevance of the work and its practical focus. “Such spaces are appearing in many cities in Russia, and your research shows how they can help themselves, because, of course, there is not always enough money to develop them through the state,” noted Evgeny Kutsenko.

The work of Ivan Slipchenko from the Central University of Finance and Economics (China) was devoted to the impact of government support measures on the dynamics of China’s creative goods exports in 2016–2023. The researcher analyzed which support measures are most important and used a panel model for this purpose, which allows assessing cause-and-effect relationships.

Timur Malikov from the National Research University Higher School of Economics studied the reasons for overtime work in the video game industry. The jury noted the deep study of the topic, as well as the high-quality fusion of academicism and practicality.

In addition, the members of the competition committee additionally singled out four more works that they liked. A team of HSE students presented the study “Bread and Wine: Defining the Boundaries of Influence of Modern Creative Clusters in Moscow Using the Example of Spaces Near the Dmitrovskaya and Kurskaya Metro Stations”. Another team of HSE students studied the phenomenon of “catch-up” creativity in northern regions using the example of the Murmansk Region. Vitaly Saakov from the Russian State University of Economics (RINH) conducted an analysis of the creative industries of the Rostov Region. Anastasia Makukhina from the State Institute of Art Studies studied social networks as a factor in shaping demand for theatrical goods.

In conclusion, Evgeny Kutsenko called on the contestants to refine their research in accordance with the recommendations and take part in the HSE competition next year.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 78 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United States

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of textile companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The additions reinforce DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and ensure accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

Effective November 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Esquel Group, Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. The addition of these textile entities builds on DHS’s Textile Enforcement Plan and demonstrates the FLETF’s commitment to focus on entities in high priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA Strategy, including the apparel and cotton and cotton products sectors. In addition to this announcement, Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will alsobe removed from one section of the UFLPA Entity Lists and added to another. Goods produced by Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) will continue to be subject to a rebuttable presumption that they are prohibited from entering the United States.

“Through today’s expansion of the Entity List, we enable American businesses to better assess their supply chains and ensure they do not profit, directly or indirectly, from the use of forced labor,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Our Department will continue to aggressively enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and, in doing so, we stand up for human rights, safeguard a free and fair marketplace, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

The FLETF – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has now added 78 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, seafood and textile sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA.

“We are uncompromising in removing forced labor from U.S. supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, who serves as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “Our enforcement efforts are yielding results. Our Administration is committed to advancing this momentum and strengthening accountability across global supply chains.”

The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.

Esquel Group (also known as Esquel China Holdings Limited) is a Hong Kong-based vertically integrated textile and apparel company that engages in cotton research, as well as ginning, spinning, knitting, weaving of cotton and cotton products, in the production of textiles, apparel and accessories, including packaging and merchandising of these products. Esquel Group includes a variety of subsidiaries also involved in cotton, textile, clothing, and other products manufacturing, production, and sales, including Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Esquel Group sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Esquel Group satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, that is engaged in the manufacture and processing of textiles and apparel. TheFLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Turpan City, in the XUAR that is engaged in the production and sales of cotton and cotton yarn. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is sourcing cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) is a company based in Changji Prefecture, XUAR that is engaged in production and sales of cotton yarn. The company had been included as one of the original twenty entities named to the UFLPA Entity List in June 2022 as an entity that qualified for inclusion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA. The FLETF has removed Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. from Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA Entity List as the FLETF has determined there is no longer reasonable cause to believe that Changji Esquel Textile Co. meets the criteria described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA.The FLETF, however, has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,700 shipments valued at more than $3.5 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.

Today’s announcement supports President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally. The memorandum represents the first whole-of-government approach to advance workers’ rights by directing federal agencies engaged abroad to advance international recognized labor rights, which includes DHS’s work implementing the UFLPA.

You can read more about the FLETF by visiting: https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa Joins Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco to Address Affordable Housing Crisis in Northern California
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Committed to prioritizing solutions for the affordable housing crisis in Northern California, U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, (CA-1) hosted a roundtable discussion with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) at the Northern California National Bank in Chico, California yesterday. The roundtable brought together leaders in affordable housing, community organizations, financial institutions, and other stakeholders throughout the area to discuss how organizations and public-private partnerships across government agencies could play a pivotal role in solving the housing crisis in California, specifically in rural areas of Northern California that are vulnerable to economic distress and area wildfires.

“I enjoyed discussing how we can tackle the critical issues of increasing housing supply, affordability, and economic growth in Northern California,” said LaMalfa following the roundtable event in Chico. “Regulatory reform and promoting public-private partnerships can help speed up this process. These efforts will create opportunities for our region and help us protect our way of life.”

“This roundtable is happening at a critical time in our district, and we are grateful for the partnership with Representative LaMalfa, an engaged leader and advocate for finding solutions to the housing crisis across California,” said Alanna McCargo, president and chief executive officer of FHLBank San Francisco. “We know firsthand the value when we convene a range of community voices to develop solutions and build innovations designed to improve affordability, increase housing supply and invigorate our local economy. The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a reliable partner in the community that can enable the ideas coming from the roundtable through our broad and deep network of members.”

FHLBank San Francisco recently announced that its 2024 Access to Housing and Economic Assistance for Development (AHEAD) Program awarded $7.3 million in grant funding to boost economic development across the region, which includes a project in Chico, California, within Rep. LaMalfa’s district. Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT) rents affordable housing to people transitioning from homelessness and provides ongoing social services, personal attention, and housing support to maintain the client’s housing stability. CHAT was awarded $100,000 in AHEAD grant funding to enhance CHAT’s services with an improved intake process, support for furnishings, food delivery, property maintenance, transportation, and volunteers. The grant will also support adding new staff and the purchase of a wheelchair accessible bus to transport residents.

In addition to Congressman LaMalfa and members of FHLBank San Francisco, attendees included:
- Adam Pearce, Bill Webb Homes
- Amy Morin, Northern California National Bank
- Ashley Potočnik, City of Yuba City
- Leslie Depweg, Chico Real Estate
- Todd Lewis, Northern California National Bank
- Ron Sweeny, Sierra Central Credit Union
- John Giem, Tri Counties Bank
- Danna Prater, Tri Counties Bank
- Sarah Graham, Chico Housing Action Team
- Mehgie Tabar, California Housing Finance Agency
- Vladimir Kislyanka, Premier Enterprise Inc.
- Seana O’Shaughnessy, Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP)
- Mark Montgomery, Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP)
- Christy Covington, Golden 1 Credit Union
- Dominic Schuessler, Golden 1 Credit Union
- Larry Guanzon, Housing Authority of Butte
- Ed Mayer, Housing Authority of Butte
- Alisha Ake, Sierra North Valley Realtors
- Katy Thoma, Chico Builders Association
FHLBank San Francisco is dedicated to supporting housing initiatives throughout its three-state region, including Arizona, California, and Nevada. Since the AHP was created in 1990, FHLBank San Francisco has awarded over $1.35 billion in AHP dollars to support the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of over 154,600 homes affordable to lower-income households, including $61.8 million in 2024 alone. Together, the 11 regional FHLBanks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System are one of the largest privately capitalized sources of grant funding for affordable housing in the United States.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-owned cooperative supporting local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada to build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions — propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, drive economic vitality, and revitalize neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient.

The MIL Network –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warren Presses Department of Justice on Failure to Hold TD Bank Executives Accountable, “Legal Gymnastics” That Allowed Bank to Escape “Death Penalty”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

October 31, 2024

$670 million laundered through TD Bank

“These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, questioning them on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “legal gymnastics” that allowed TD Bank to escape the bank death penalty — and DOJ’s failure thus far to hold any top executives accountable for egregious crimes. DOJ’s recent settlement with TD Bank over money laundering and other charges did not include any of the bank’s high-level executives, and appears to be intentionally structured so that the bank can escape the full scope of penalties for its failures.

“The way that DOJ structured the plea agreement ensures that TD Bank will not face the full range of penalties that Congress has enacted for banks that engage in criminal money laundering,” wrote Senator Warren.

Senator Warren noted that TD Bank’s crimes hurt hundreds of thousands of people. Top executives allowed the bank to act as a criminal slush fund, knowingly presiding over a criminally deficient anti-money laundering program while growing the bank such that its “risk profile increas(ed) significantly.”

“These shocking failures enabled three separate money laundering syndicates to launder more than $670 million through the bank between 2019 and 2023. The magnitude of the dollar value of these illicit transactions is dwarfed only by the obviousness of the criminal activity,” wrote Senator Warren.

The letter highlights past comments from Deputy Attorney General Monaco which emphasized the importance of “individual accountability” and the need to “identify the most serious wrongdoers, whether individuals or companies” and hold them accountable. Senator Warren noted that the TD Bank settlement does not meet DOJ’s own apparent standards.

Though the penalties against TD Bank appropriately include an asset cap and a $3 billion fine, “(u)ntil and unless those executives who presided over TD Bank’s institutionalized money laundering are held accountable, banks will continue to factor enforcement fines into the cost of doing business, rather than approaching compliance with our money laundering laws with the seriousness it requires,” wrote Senator Warren.

The structure of DOJ’s settlement also enables TD Bank to evade the full scope of bank regulators’ consequences for its misdeeds. Specifically, the charges shift responsibility for the hundreds of millions of dollars in money laundering from TD Bank to its holding company, which precludes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) from invoking the bank “death penalty” provision.

“These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome,” wrote Senator Warren.

Senator Warren has fought to hold corporations and their executives accountable for lawbreaking:
- In October 2024, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging DOJ to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profits over passenger safety.
- In October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.
- In August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.
- In May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.
- In April 2019, Senator Warren introduced the Corporate Executive Accountability Act, which holds executives of large corporations criminally responsible when their companies commit crimes, harm large numbers of Americans through civil violations, or repeatedly violate federal law.
- In March 2018, Senator Warren introduced the Ending Too Big to Jail Act to hold big bank executives accountable when the banks they lead break the law.
- In January 2016, Senator Warren released a report: Rigged Justice: How Weak Enforcement Lets Corporate Offenders Off Easy. The report highlights 20 of the most egregious civil and criminal cases during the past year in which federal settlements failed to require meaningful accountability to deter future wrongdoing and to protect taxpayers and families.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

em>UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 78 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United StatesWASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of textile companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The additions reinforce DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and ensure accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).Effective November 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Esquel Group, Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. The addition of these textile entities builds on DHS’s Textile Enforcement Plan and demonstrates the FLETF’s commitment to focus on entities in high priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA Strategy, including the apparel and cotton and cotton products sectors. In addition to this announcement, Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will alsobe removed from one section of the UFLPA Entity Lists and added to another. Goods produced by Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) will continue to be subject to a rebuttable presumption that they are prohibited from entering the United States.“Through today’s expansion of the Entity List, we enable American businesses to better assess their supply chains and ensure they do not profit, directly or indirectly, from the use of forced labor,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Our Department will continue to aggressively enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and, in doing so, we stand up for human rights, safeguard a free and fair marketplace, and hold perpetrators accountable.”The FLETF – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has now added 78 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, seafood and textile sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA.“We are uncompromising in removing forced labor from U.S. supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, who serves as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “Our enforcement efforts are yielding results. Our Administration is committed to advancing this momentum and strengthening accountability across global supply chains.”The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.Esquel Group (also known as Esquel China Holdings Limited) is a Hong Kong-based vertically integrated textile and apparel company that engages in cotton research, as well as ginning, spinning, knitting, weaving of cotton and cotton products, in the production of textiles, apparel and accessories, including packaging and merchandising of these products. Esquel Group includes a variety of subsidiaries also involved in cotton, textile, clothing, and other products manufacturing, production, and sales, including Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Esquel Group sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Esquel Group satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, that is engaged in the manufacture and processing of textiles and apparel. TheFLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Turpan City, in the XUAR that is engaged in the production and sales of cotton and cotton yarn. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is sourcing cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) is a company based in Changji Prefecture, XUAR that is engaged in production and sales of cotton yarn. The company had been included as one of the original twenty entities named to the UFLPA Entity List in June 2022 as an entity that qualified for inclusion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA. The FLETF has removed Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. from Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA Entity List as the FLETF has determined there is no longer reasonable cause to believe that Changji Esquel Textile Co. meets the criteria described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA.The FLETF, however, has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,700 shipments valued at more than $3.5 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.Today’s announcement supports President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally. The memorandum represents the first whole-of-government approach to advance workers’ rights by directing federal agencies engaged abroad to advance international recognized labor rights, which includes DHS’s work implementing the UFLPA.You can read more about the FLETF by visiting: https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Secretary of the Commonwealth Addresses When We Can Expect Pennsylvania’s Election Results

Source: US State of Pennsylvania

October 31, 2024 – Harrisburg, PA

Secretary of the Commonwealth Addresses When We Can Expect Pennsylvania’s Election Results

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today held the fourth in a series of daily media briefings leading up to the Nov. 5 general election.

Schmidt discussed why Pennsylvania’s results may not be known on election night.

“Counting millions of ballots takes time. For every single vote cast in this election, there will be a voter-verified paper ballot that election officials need to securely handle and count,” Schmidt said. “Predicting exactly when Pennsylvania will have unofficial results that show a clear winner is just not possible. Pennsylvania has never had final results on election night, regardless of whether media outlets have announced winners on that night or at a later date.

“Ultimately, it comes down to how close any race is. The closer the race, the longer it takes to know who won and who lost,” Schmidt added.

The people doing the hard work of administering this election and making democracy happen are your neighbors at your polling place and professional civil servants at the county level, and they deserve our thanks, our respect and our patience, Schmidt said.

Speakers Include:
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Holds Beverly Hills Accountable for Preventing Reproductive Health Clinic from Opening, Failing to Protect California’s Constitutional Right to Abortion
Source: US State of California

Today’s first-of-its-kind stipulated judgment will ensure Beverly Hills comes into full compliance with the law and provides a benchmark for local governments to align with state reproductive healthcare laws

The City to abide by robust injunctive measures including mandated training and reporting

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of a stipulated judgment with the City of Beverly Hills resolving allegations that the City violated the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code. In September 2022, DuPont Clinic (Dupont), an abortion provider in Washington, D.C., sought to open a clinic in Beverly Hills, California. However, despite their public position of support for abortion rights, Beverly Hills officials actively implemented barriers, which prohibited Dupont from opening its reproductive health clinic in the City. Today’s stipulated judgment requires Beverly Hills to abide by robust injunctive measures including, among other things, requiring training about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics and requiring reporting of compliance with the stipulated judgment to the Attorney General’s office.

“At a time when access to abortion care is under attack across this nation, it is now more critical than ever to double down on our commitment to protect those seeking reproductive healthcare in our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is troubling that, even here in California where access to reproductive healthcare is a constitutional right, Beverly Hills officials have taken actions reminiscent of those in extremist red states by illegally interfering with, and ultimately preventing a new reproductive healthcare clinic from opening. Today’s first-of-its kind agreement will ensure that the City abides by comprehensive training and education of reproductive healthcare laws. The agreement also serves as a benchmark for local governments to evaluate their healthcare policies and services, guaranteeing that they not only comply with the law, but also fulfill California’s broader commitment to reproductive healthcare access. At the California Department of Justice, we believe that reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right and will ensure that this right is upheld, free from political interference, and hold accountable those who break the law.”

In September 2022, Dupont signed a lease for a medical suite, owned and managed by Douglas Emmett, in Beverly Hills. DuPont spent $2.5 million to renovate the leased medical suite and applied for required City permits in early February 2023. Beginning in late 2022 and continuing into Spring 2023, anti-abortion protestors began to engage in protests outside and around the building and to lobby City officials against the opening of the DuPont clinic through objections at council meetings and private meetings. Through its investigation, DOJ found that the City unlawfully interfered with DuPont’s opening by improperly delaying the issuance of approved building permits and actively engaged in a pressure campaign against the property owner and manager Douglas Emmett, resulting in the termination of DuPont’s lease. For instance, City leadership, including the City Manager, Police Chief, City Attorney and the former Mayor, inaccurately claimed that a new DuPont Clinic would cause security threats against the building’s other tenants, going so far as to say that the building would be subject to violent protests, bomb threats, and “lone-wolf” active shooters. In fact, the City had no evidence or intelligence of any such threats. The City then claimed they would be so overwhelmed by this fictitious threat that they would be unable to provide resources to the landlord and building — threatening to abandon their sworn responsibility to uphold public safety. When these manipulation tactics didn’t work, City leadership threatened to send a letter from the Beverly Hills Police Department to all of Douglas Emmett’s other tenants in the building, warning them about the threats posed by the clinic, continuing to mount pressure until Douglas Emmett decided to end its contract with DuPont Clinic.

The stipulated judgment is the result of the DOJ’s investigation highlighted above, and as part of the stipulated judgment, which is subject to court approval, enjoins the City from violating the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code section 123460, and requires the City, among other things:
- To procure or develop training materials that provide information about the California FACE Act, federal FACE Act, and California’s legal protections and access to all forms of reproductive healthcare, within 90 days after the stipulated judgment is entered.
- To conduct comprehensive training for City employees about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics within 150 days after the stipulated judgment is entered, and every two years thereafter.
- To publicly post its training resources about state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics.
- To develop a complaint procedure for potential violations of state and federal laws protecting reproductive rights and reporting those complaints to DOJ.
- To appoint a Reproductive Compliance Officer who will be responsible for developing the required training materials and ensuring that the relevant employees and elected officials receive the required training.
- To annually report for the five-year reporting period the City’s compliance with the stipulated judgment.
A copy of the complaint, stipulation for entry of judgment, and the court judgment are available here and here.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Advancing prosperity in the age of AI

Source: Microsoft

Headline: Advancing prosperity in the age of AI

As we approach another national election in the United States, both the country and the world are rightly focused on what comes next. The next president of the United States, along with new leaders in countries like the United Kingdom and Japan, will need to navigate economic and climate challenges, societal divides, and international conflicts. Looking more broadly, the next four years—and indeed the next quarter-century—will be marked by rapid technological change. This means that success for nations and the world will depend on our collective ability to manage this change well.

Today, we are at the threshold of major advances in life sciences, energy, and climate technology. However, the most significant opportunities in the second quarter of the 21st century will almost certainly be driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI). This underscores the imperative for countries to develop national strategies and policies that effectively harness AI’s potential. For these strategies to succeed, it’s essential that we recognize AI’s role as a general-purpose technology and promote investments that support its broad adoption across the economy, including skilling initiatives that will position citizens to thrive in the new age of AI.

The World’s Next Great General-Purpose Technology

Economists categorize technologies into two types: single-purpose tools and general-purpose technologies, or GPTs. A single-purpose tool, like a smoke detector or lawn mower, excels at one specific task. But general-purpose technologies, like electricity or personal computers, have multiple applications and can be utilized across every economic sector. As we look ahead, it’s almost certain that AI will be regarded by economists as the next great GPT.

GPTs are transformative. They have the power to reshape economies and societies. A new book by Jeffrey Ding, a professor at George Washington University, documents the extraordinary degree to which GPTs have reshaped economies and even the economic balance among nations.

In “Technology and the Rise of Great Powers”, Professor Ding reviews the impact of GPTs over the past 250 years. He documents how the First Industrial Revolution, beginning in the United Kingdom in the 18th century, was defined by mechanization of agriculture and manufacturing based on ironworking, the most impactful GPT of the time. The Second Industrial Revolution, in the late 19th century, catapulted economic growth in the United States through the widespread adoption of two new GPTs: electricity and machine tools. The Third Industrial Revolution, which began in the 20th century, was driven by a new generation of GPTs—computerization and digital technologies—with the United States again leading the world in technology adoption.

Perhaps most importantly, Professor Ding documents a phenomenon that may surprise some policymakers but is familiar to many in the tech sector. He explains that the most important long-term determinant of a country’s economic growth during an industrial revolution is not whether it is at the forefront of innovation in a “leading sector” of the time. Instead, it’s whether the country “diffuses”—or spreads—the adoption of a critical GPT broadly across its economy.

This conclusion is intuitive, given that historically critical GPTs significantly boost productivity. The more widely a GPT is adopted, the greater its contribution to the productivity gains that drive economic growth. While it’s possible for a nation to have an advantage in both leading sector innovation and broad GPT adoption, Microsoft’s first-hand experience suggests that the sustained economic growth of nations in the first quarter of the 21st century is most closely linked to the widespread and consistent adoption of digital technologies.

This insight has profound implications for the impact of AI over the next 25 years. Today, policymakers in some capitals—and especially Washington, D.C.—are focused almost single-mindedly on whether their country can control and dominate cutting-edge innovation in new leading sector technologies such as graphical processing units and frontier AI models. While these are important policy issues, it’s equally, if not more, important to address what it will take to ensure the widespread and effective adoption of AI across all the societal sectors that can benefit from it.

Another important insight from the impact of GPTs over time is the contrast between early innovation and the delay in widespread technology adoption. The early stages of innovation often feel like an intense and even short-lived race to the technology visionaries involved, whether they are the inventors of electricity, automobiles, computers, or AI. However, broad technology adoption takes more time. Even innovations that advanced the cutting edge of technology in years required broad societal adoption that took decades. There are many reasons to believe that this pattern will hold true for AI.

That’s why it’s crucial to look forward now, both at the remainder of this decade and at the upcoming second quarter of the century. Countries will need to combine short and long-term strategies to be successful. These strategies will require multiple components, two of which I discuss here.

Building AI Skills

One of the vital lessons from history is the role of skilling in spreading the adoption of a critical GPT. Organizations across an economy cannot adopt new technology unless they have the skilled workers needed to use it.

I witnessed this firsthand during the early expansion of the PC sector. Before joining Microsoft in 1993, I spent four years in London as a lawyer helping the American PC software sector expand across Europe. In each country, this initial growth required two key components: the protection of software under copyright law to ensure organizations paid for it and investment in skilling programs to equip people with the skills to use it.

It’s easy to forget today that the early years of personal computing required users to study manuals or attend a class to learn how to use a computer or a new software application. When I bought my first computer in 1985, I kept a small library of manuals next to my PC, including Microsoft Word 1.0. Employers worldwide invested in PC training for their employees, but no country embraced this more broadly and rapidly than the United States between 1980 and the year 2000.

I recalled this experience when two weeks ago we brought more than 2,000 Microsoft employees from around the world to Seattle for a week of meetings that kicked off with a day of professional development classes. These included six different courses for non-technical employees on how to get the most from our Copilots and other AI applications. These classes were designed to help us bridge the gap between our current abilities and the evolving needs of the AI-driven workplace. While we live in a world with broad digital fluency and a vital computer science profession, the age of AI will require new efforts to learn the latest AI skills.

Professor Ding’s book illustrates that the need for new skills has been critical to the spread of all major GPTs since the 1700s. This extends well beyond the needs of everyday users, highlighting that an advanced skilling infrastructure is indispensable in expanding the professions that create applications that make broad use of new technologies.

For example, ironworking in the 1700s spread more rapidly in the United Kingdom than elsewhere because technical associations and apprenticeships in the country enabled workers to master new skills. Machine tooling in the late 1800s spread more quickly in the United States because land-grant colleges expanded the number of mechanical engineers. And the adoption of digital technology in the U.S. over the past 50 years has also benefited enormously from the rapid growth of computer science departments across American college campuses.

The second quarter of the 21st century will require countries to develop national AI skilling strategies. These strategies must build upon existing disciplines like computer and data science, projecting how these fields will evolve into jobs and careers for AI engineers and AI systems designers, among others. They also will need to reflect the broader array of AI fluency across different parts of the economy. And national strategies will need to build on existing educational infrastructure and determine the best ways to provide skilling opportunities across various economic sectors.

The Role of Social Acceptance

Another historical lesson involves the critical role of social acceptance of technology. This too reflects common sense: new technology never becomes truly important unless people want to use it.

Academic research in the 20th century made significant strides in understanding why some technologies spread more rapidly than others. Public or social acceptance typically comes down to two factors: usefulness and trust. Technologies must solve real-world problems and improve people’s lives. At the same time, they must be trustworthy, with safeguards in place to protect a country’s societal and ethical values.

When put in this light, it’s easy to understand why the early years of electricity involved such intense competition between Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla over the safety implications of different types of electrical currents. Each inventor was trying to prove that its approach was the safest and most reliable. They knew people would only use technology they trusted.

This provides important context for the evolution of both industry practices and government regulation of AI. The widespread adoption of AI will in part turn on the continued development of corporate governance models to ensure that AI is used safely, securely, and in a manner that the public regards as trustworthy. Companies that develop and deploy AI must continue to invest in AI governance processes and practices that earn the public’s trust.

While government leaders will change over time, every nation must continue to pursue balanced efforts to develop laws and regulations that govern these aspects of AI. Sustained public trust depends on it. And the ability for countries around the world to adopt AI broadly and inexpensively will require regulatory interoperability and consistency to ensure that AI advances in one country can move to other like-minded nations.

Broad social acceptance for AI will likely depend on three more factors. First, we need to ensure that AI creates new opportunities for workers, not just productivity growth. While this starts with broad AI skilling, it cannot stop there. Technology adoption across an organization requires thoughtful change management, and the most effective approaches typically involve input from the workers who will put it to work. There is a lot of room for new and innovative partnerships to spread best practices in this area, both among employer associations and with organized labor.

Second, the tech sector needs to take a responsible approach to AI competition issues. Elected and appointed officials will change, but if we look forward with the time horizon of the quarter century ahead, it’s apparent that governmental questions and proceedings will remain a fact of life—as they have since the United States adopted the Sherman Act to govern antitrust law in 1890 in reaction to the Second Industrial Revolution. Ultimately, public confidence in new technology requires confidence in the market that creates it.

This perspective is part of what led Microsoft to draft and adopt 11 AI Access Principles in February. These voluntary principles are designed to ensure open access, fairness, and responsibility as we deploy AI infrastructure, platforms, and applications around the world. We’re obviously not alone in thinking about these issues, and as always, governments will play the determinative role. This past year alone, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) adopted cutting-edge AI Principles, and the European Commission continues to focus on the application of its Digital Markets Act to AI. Plainly, these will represent an important part of the developments ahead.

Finally, social acceptance of AI will likely require a consistent focus on the impact of AI on another paramount challenge of our era: climate sustainability. We are optimistic about the ways that AI can help pursue new advances in climate technology and practices. However, we are also keenly aware that AI requires the construction of more datacenters and the use of more electricity. Both as companies and in partnership with governments, we need to conserve water and reduce carbon emissions. That’s why we’re investing as a company in greener technologies such as carbon-free sources of electricity and eco-friendly steel, concrete, and fuels.

The Path Forward

Ultimately, the world needs AI that is not only more powerful but also broadly accessible and trustworthy. Between now and the midpoint of the 21st century, countries can harness AI to enhance both productivity and prosperity.

We shouldn’t be pollyannish. Challenges are inevitable, as history shows. New leaders, both now and in the decades ahead, will need to navigate these challenges with thoughtfulness and agility.

But the opportunities ahead are far greater than the challenges. We can learn from history to ensure that AI creates benefits that are shared widely. Countries can invest in the skilling infrastructure needed for success. And across the public and private sectors, we can work together to earn and sustain public acceptance for the next great GPT that will not just shape but define a critical aspect of the quarter century ahead.

Tags: Accessibility, AI, AI for Accessibility, AI for Good, Governance, Responsible AI

MIL OSI Economics –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why the chancellor’s plan to unlock billions of pounds of government investment is such a gamble

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

Perhaps the most important long-term change announced in the first Labour budget are the new rules the government has set itself to fund the expansion of public services and increase public investment. These fiscal rules, which set out how much the government can borrow and spend, are seen as critical to reassuring the markets and the public that the government is sensibly managing the economy.

Labour has long claimed that former prime minister Liz Truss casting aside the rules to introduce unfunded tax cuts in 2022 wrecked the British economy and left families worse off with higher mortgage and borrowing costs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves came into office determined to show that Labour would be fiscally responsible.

The government says this budget will make working families better
off. In its own analysis, it shows that only the top 10% of the income distribution are made worse
off (by 1%) by the plans. The poorest households gain the most (by 5%). However, this analysis counts benefits from the big increase in public spending on areas like health and education, which tend to be used more (relative to their income) by poorer households.

Actual cash income offers a different picture. Spending watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) argues that 75% of the change to employers’ national insurance will be passed on to workers in lower wages (although the minimum wage will be boosted by 6.7% to £12.21 an hour). And there is very little for the working poor or those outside the labour market on universal credit (although pensioners have been protected).

This budget was delivered against the background of two big challenges that need urgent action: the parlous state of the public sector after years of austerity, and the very slow growth of the UK economy, which has meant little increase in real incomes.

To deal with these two issues, Reeves made some big changes to the previous government’s fiscal rules. This will give her space to borrow more money to finance public investment – spending on things like roads, hospitals and emerging industries that should feed into economic growth.

Finding the money

She has done this firstly by changing the so-called “fiscal mandate”, which relates to how much the government can borrow in any individual year. Under the new rule, within three years the government must get as much back in taxes as it spends (excluding investment).

It is the need to meet this rule that means the government has to raise taxes by £40 billion (more than half from the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions) to fund the spending needed to run the NHS, education and other public services.

But the government has another rule to prevent the total amount of government debt becoming too large compared to the size of the economy as a whole (GDP). Here the chancellor has chosen to change how government debt is defined, adding some more government financial assets, such as money put aside for local government pensions and student loans, to set against the outstanding amount being borrowed.

This has given her the room to borrow an extra £50 billion a year for investment, although she plans to use only half of that. The hope is that more public investment will both boost the economy (for example, by providing more roads and green energy) and improve public sector productivity (by providing things like more schools, health centres and scanners).

Investment in equipment would lead to increased productivity within the NHS.
l i g h t p o e t/Shutterstock

The OBR has judged that Reeves will meet her self-imposed rules within three years, despite the huge £70 billion increase in government spending. But it warns that the margin for error is quite small for both measures. The OBR also suggests that the economic benefits of increased public investment could take a long time to materialise, well beyond the five-year forecast period.

There are other risks to Reeves’ strategy. The cost of borrowing could go up if those financial institutions that lend the government money demand a higher interest rate.

The OBR projects that the government will be spending £100 billion a year on debt interest payments for each of the next five years. While the large increase in government spending and borrowing will initially boost the economy, it also means inflation is likely to stay slightly higher as more money is pumped into the economy. This, of course, could slow the rate at which the Bank of England cuts interest rates.

Gains for the population as a whole over the five-year parliament appear to be modest, with the second smallest rise in household income of any recent parliament of just 0.5%. This is driven by OBR projections that the budget will not initially boost growth very much despite greater borrowing.

And if the economy does not grow as much as hoped, the government may need more money to meet its day-to-day costs – especially as much of the new money has been front-loaded to be spent in the next two years. This would necessarily increase taxes even further.

The fiscal rules mirror Labour’s political dilemma, the need for short-term pain in order to get long-term gains in improved public services, a more productive economy and higher incomes and living standards. What is not clear is how long the public will wait to see results.

If, by the end of the parliament, people don’t feel like they have more in their pockets despite all the additional spending then Labour’s credibility could be in jeopardy.

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

– ref. Why the chancellor’s plan to unlock billions of pounds of government investment is such a gamble – https://theconversation.com/why-the-chancellors-plan-to-unlock-billions-of-pounds-of-government-investment-is-such-a-gamble-242556

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Four ways Mohamed Al Fayed silenced whistleblowers in his organisation

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kate Kenny, Professor of Business and Society, University of Galway

Mohamed Al Fayed owned the luxury goods department store Harrods from 1985 to 2010. Fred Duval/Shutterstock

On the first anniversary of former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed’s death, more than 20 women accused the billionaire of rape, sexual assault or harassment while they worked at his luxury department store. Many had been in their late teens and early twenties at the time.

Since then, a further 65 women have come forward to the BBC with allegations dating back as far as 1977, and 40 people are reported to have contacted the police.

How did Al Fayed silence potential whistleblowers for such a long time? I’ve researched whistleblowing in organisations for almost 15 years. Looking at the allegations made against him, four apparent strategies stand out as textbook examples of how leaders can suppress dissent to continue their terrible behaviour – even today.

1. The organisation as a fortress

As the chairman-owner of Harrods, Al Fayed could wander around its swanky shopping halls and oak-panelled offices as he pleased. And it appears he looked for women to target as he did so.

Security guards had their role, in some cases reportedly turning a blind eye to distraught and dishevelled women leaving Al Fayed’s apartments and houses after attacks. HR people might likewise focus on recruiting certain women – like the security staff, they were just getting on with their work.

That is the thing about bureaucracies, as philosophers from Hannah Arendt to Max Weber have highlighted. Staff are not responsible for the outcome. They just need to do their job.

My research on whistleblowing in financial services shows clearly that the kind of blind rule-following many organisational roles require stops workers questioning the big picture and acting ethically by stepping in.

2. Hi-tech surveillance

The IRA bomb that exploded in Harrods’ car park in 1983 led to a top-notch system of surveillance being installed by its then owners.

So, when Al Fayed bought the store two years later, his need for control was satisfied with cameras and recording systems. Eventually, everyone working at Harrods apparently knew about the system, which appears to have stopped them talking to each other about Al Fayed’s behaviour.

Shockingly, the former Harrods owner appears to have extended this surveillance to the very bodies of the women he targeted. Doctors associated with the company were said to administer mandatory gynaecological examinations to female staff. Fayed was reportedly sent their test results. This meant he had eyes on his workers, bodies and all.

Today, with things like social media and the ability to share large amounts of data rapidly, it is more difficult for organisations to keep information in-house. And so, we have seen a rapid growth in insider threat detection – using technology like keystroke monitoring, where every keystroke on a computer is tracked without the user’s knowledge, to identify potential leaks.

A byproduct has been a “chill effect” on workers speaking out about wrongdoing they see in their organisations – something that has been highlighted by the UN as a problem for society.

My research alongside other academics into whistleblowing in healthcare, engineering and government shows one thing clearly: if trust in the organisation is lacking and workers do not feel protected against potential reprisals, they stay silent. Overt surveillance deters disclosures of organisational abuses.

Al Fayed was said to prowl Harrods on the hunt for women to target.
DaLiu/Shutterstock

3. Legal pressure

The “non-disclosure agreement plus settlement payoff” tactic that Al Fayed employed with a number of Harrods staff was straight out of the Harvey Weinstein playbook. The disgraced film producer used non-disclosure agreements systematically to silence survivors.

While non-disclosure agreements are not allowed to be used to stop workers reporting possible crimes or serious wrongdoings, a frightened 20-year-old is not likely to know this.

In the case of Al Fayed, when Vanity Fair magazine published victims’ testimonies and allegations of serious criminality, his lawyers knew the solution. Keep the legal pressure on until the magazine settled.

The use of legal tools to silence whistleblowers is one of the biggest concerns for researchers today. From “Slapp” suits – strategic lawsuits against public participation, filed against people who speak out – to inappropriate use of non-disclosure agreements, defensive organisations increasingly turn to the law in public whistleblowing cases. As analysis of the case of whistleblowers at the disgraced blood testing firm Theranos made clear, often the threat of legal action is enough to keep a worker silent.

4. Dehumanise targets

Al Fayed, we are told, would chuckle as he openly groped women. One woman reported his laughter after an attempted rape at his Villa Windsor in Paris, when he fell on the floor after she pushed him off.

Most people would not find humour in such situations, unless they don’t see their victims as “real people”.

But the likelihood of targets speaking out is, again, slim. A very young person told they are worthless, treated as such, and reminded of it regularly by colleagues and bosses, is not best placed to speak up. Our research with other survivors in work organisations shows how the experience of sexual violence and harassment can leave them vulnerable. They find disclosure of the abuse intolerable without empathetic and supportive colleagues.

In an organisation designed to prevent workers discussing their concerns together – as Harrods appears to have been – the solidarity required to speak out and be protected through the collective is utterly absent.

Harrods’ current owners have said they are “appalled” at the allegations, and the business has reached settlements with many of the people who have complained.

When executing a campaign of “attack, isolate and silence”, money and influence can buy predators a lot of leeway, as other high-profile abusers like Weinstein and Jimmy Savile figured out. But the key thing is the organisation. With the right PR, surveillance, HR and lawyers to take legal action should stories get published, predators will be safe. The secret stays kept – until, one day, people have finally had enough.

Kate Kenny 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. Four ways Mohamed Al Fayed silenced whistleblowers in his organisation – https://theconversation.com/four-ways-mohamed-al-fayed-silenced-whistleblowers-in-his-organisation-240936

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Recruiting the world’s first disabled astronaut doesn’t mean space travel is inclusive – here’s how to change that

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sean Cullen, Lecturer in Engineering Manufacturing, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University of London

In the past, spaceflight was the preserve of government-funded astronauts who had to meet stringent physical, cognitive, psychological and social requirements for selection. But in recent years, that has all been changing.

In September 2024, two non-professional astronauts completed the first privately funded spacewalk, using the Crew Dragon spacecraft built by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. Meanwhile, Houston-based private company Axiom Space is conducting regular flights to the International Space Station (ISS), carrying a mixture of government-funded astronauts and paying customers.

In the last few years, nearly 100 people have become private astronauts through the space tourism companies Blue Origin, operated by Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic, by Sir Richard Branson. While the price of a seat on these vehicles remains out of reach for most of us, prices are expected to drop as more players enter the market.

Despite the rapid growth in the number of space travellers, underrepresented population groups are still left behind, particularly those with disabilities. So how can space agencies and “space tourism” companies make spaceflight more inclusive for disabled astronauts?

The European Space Agency (Esa) recently recruited John McFall, who lost his right leg aged 19, as the world’s first disabled astronaut. McFall, who is a surgeon and former paralympic sprinter, will participate in a feasibility study to improve understanding of, and overcome, the barriers that spaceflight presents for astronauts with physical disabilities.

Esa’s most recent selection of astronauts was entirely of white European background, showing how far things still have to go. But its move to recruit McFall marked a significant milestone towards a more inclusive approach to spaceflight.

Designing effective systems for the inclusion of disabled people is a longstanding challenge on Earth – and space presents a whole new paradigm. The very specific demands of spaceflight mean we can’t assume that traditional adjustments and assistive technology will work beyond Earth’s atmosphere. So, making spaceflight more inclusive requires looking at each step of going into space.

Astronaut training is a complex process, designed to simulate the space environment and enable candidates to perform well under a variety of conditions they may encounter in orbit. But in many cases, the training facilities are not well designed for individuals with physical or sensory impairments.

For example, in order to get on the plane that flies in an arc to simulate microgravity (colloquially referred to as the “vomit comet”), astronauts must climb a set of stairs, which presents a hurdle to anyone with a mobility impairment. Ironically, impairments that restrict the use of stairs on Earth might be much less of a restriction once in space.

Spacecraft and space suit design will be another key focus. The space suits onboard the ISS were originally designed with male astronauts in mind, meaning that female astronauts have to “make do” with what is there. This has caused challenges as the number of female astronauts has risen.

Older spacesuits were designed with male astronauts in mind.
Nasa / Mike Hopkins

In 2019, Nasa had to postpone the first all-female spacewalk because the torso of a space suit was too large for one of the spacewalkers. The Moon suit developed by Axiom Space in collaboration with Italian fashion house Prada is a step towards inclusivity, with anthropomorphic sizing to accommodate a wide range of crew members. Yet, future disabled astronauts might still encounter challenges if they have differences in their limbs or impairments to their dexterity.

Interestingly, the new SpaceX Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits have something called “embedded modularity” – each section of the suit is customised to the intended astronaut, and all sections fit together. While intended to help with joint positioning, these suits present a unique opportunity to support disabled astronauts with limb differences.

Inclusive suits could include a single fixed leg portion for individuals with paralysis, and removable parts for those with limb differences. Haptic gloves could provide tactile feedback through the space suit for astronauts with limb differences.

For individuals with visual impairments, incorporating augmented reality (AR) heads-up displays (transparent displays that show the user data overlaid over their environment) and AI-powered image-to-voice software that can translate purely visual information into audio explanations could make a huge difference.

Technological support similar to the app “Be My Eyes”, pairing sighted assistants with visually impaired people to help explain their environment, could also find uses in spacesuits.

Exercise equipment need adjustments to allow them to be used by disabled astronauts.
NASA

Thriving in space

An often overlooked part of astronaut life is maintaining physical fitness through intensive exercise regimes. Exercise is required because both muscle and bone waste away quickly in microgravity – but the fitness equipment aboard the ISS, such as the treadmill and bike, is difficult to adapt for disabled people. Both require use of both feet to operate.

Re-engineering the systems for exercise, eating, working, going to the toilet and other essential activities is critical for enabling disabled astronauts to thrive in space.

Assistive technologies that could be used inside a spacecraft, as opposed to within a spacesuit, are continually evolving and taking many forms. As such, there are always opportunities to improve the environment on a space mission to make it more inclusive for disabled astronauts.

Examples could include virtual reality (VR) for use in ground training, smart prosthetics that enable the completion of complex tasks, and computer vision with AI guiding visually impaired astronauts.

Policies implemented by space agencies have traditionally been exclusionary, focusing on able-bodied individuals and ignoring the potential of those who are different. And while some space agencies are establishing advisory committees and promoting diversity, this work is often limited to narrow purposes within these agencies.

Despite the UK and many other countries having specific laws to reduce discrimination in the workplace, the international nature of the space sector can cause difficulty. For this reason, policies mandating inclusion and equity across the space sector are crucial. Most importantly, space agencies should ensure adequate funding and resources to support any inclusion initiatives and work with disability advocacy groups.

Often, the root causes of inclusion barriers are a lack of understanding or awareness of disabilities. In many cases, consulting and involving disabled people in decision-making processes reduces these barriers. It is essential the space sector recruits individuals from diverse backgrounds to begin with.

Although the concept of “diversity quotas” has historically been divisive, the first place to start is to understand the diversity both of current and potential space travellers. Publicising diversity statistics can help hold agencies accountable, and encourage initiatives aimed at greater inclusion.

There remains a lot to do, but with a collaborative approach, the new commercial space race could act as a shining example to the rest of the world in its approach to disability.

Sean Cullen receives funding from the Engineering Design and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This project specifically was funded through the Brunel Research Interdisciplinary Lab (BRIL). He is affiliated with the Space 4 All community.

Ezgi Merdin Uygur receives funding from the Marketing Trust and the British Academy / Leverhulme.

Vanja Garaj currently receives funding from Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Research England.

– ref. Recruiting the world’s first disabled astronaut doesn’t mean space travel is inclusive – here’s how to change that – https://theconversation.com/recruiting-the-worlds-first-disabled-astronaut-doesnt-mean-space-travel-is-inclusive-heres-how-to-change-that-242397

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Japan election: voters took aim at an untrustworthy government beset by scandal

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Julie Gilson, Reader in Asian Studies, University of Birmingham

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) suffered a severe blow on October 27 when, alongside its smaller coalition partner, Komeito, it lost its majority in a snap general election. The ruling coalition took 215 seats, fewer than the 233 required, with the centre-left opposition Constitutional Democratic party making big gains.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the election after winning his bid for party leadership in September. He had hoped to cement his position and draw a line under the tenure of his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, who had stepped down earlier that month amid a string of corruption scandals and public discontent over the rising cost of living.

Ishiba has admitted that voters, who turned out in their third-lowest numbers in Japan’s post-war era, have dealt the LDP a “severe judgment”. But he has vowed to continue ruling the country.

For its part, the opposition is not unified and therefore not in a position to offer a viable alternative. However, the ability of Ishiba’s government to push through the changes it needs to win back voter support will be severely restricted if the LDP fails to enter into coalition or garner key allies on particular issues.

The LDP sits at the heart of the so-called “1955 system”, which has seen the party retain almost uninterrupted government control since the end of the second world war. But recent events have rocked Japanese politics.

At the end of 2023, the public became aware of funding scandals involving dozens of LDP politicians. They were found to have diverted over ¥600 million (£3 million) of campaign donations into slush funds without recording the transactions as they were legally required to do.

These scandals involved cabinet ministers and close allies of Kishida, who had already faced criticism over their links with the controversial Unification church. The church, whose members are commonly known as the Moonies, has been called a “dangerous cult” by its critics and is accused of exploiting its members financially.

Japan’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was shot dead in July 2022 by a man who said he held the church responsible for bankrupting his family. Abe was not a member of the church, but his grandfather was a key figure in its establishment in Japan in the 1950s. Kishida ordered party members to end their ties with the church in the aftermath of Abe’s assassination.

These scandals have taken place against the backdrop of rising prices, stagnant wages and a generally sluggish economy. Consumer price inflation accelerated to 3% in August, a ten-month high. The dreary outlook contributed to voter disillusionment.

According to a survey by Tokyo-based news agency Kyodo News, the approval rating of Ishiba’s cabinet fell to 32.1% after the vote, from its pre-election rating of 50.7%.

The electorate has expressed its doubt that a new government could end the distrust caused by the scandals. Rebuilding this trust will only become harder as the yen continues to fall, and Japan’s economic uncertainty, ageing population, and disaffection among young voters persist.

Regional insecurity

The electoral body blow could also weaken Japanese foreign policy, with China emerging as the main beneficiary. To its democratic allies, a stable Japan is crucial for securing geopolitical stability in a region that also includes a dominant China, a belligerent Russia and a nuclear-armed North Korea.

The LDP has traditionally always had a hawkish foreign policy stance. And in recent decades it has moved towards a desire to revise Japan’s “pacifist” constitution in favour of enabling the military to take a more flexible approach to security threats.

Kishida was lauded abroad for his foreign policy, having proposed increases in the defence budget and more cooperation with the US in the Indo-Pacific region. And Ishiba has previously advocated for an “Asian Nato” to counter China. He has even visited Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei – much to Beijing’s disapproval.

At the same time, Komeito’s more conservative position on foreign policy has supported an approach towards building diplomatic bridges with China. But should the LDP enter into coalition with the right-wing Japan Innovation party, which is a possibility given it won 38 seats in the recent election, a more assertive stance towards China may arise.

Led by politician Nobuyuki Baba, the party supports the revision of Japan’s constitution and an increase in defence spending as a means of countering China’s regional influence.

That said, a prolonged period of incapacitated politics within Japan presents a good opportunity for China to escalate its incursions into Japanese airspace and military manoeuvres around Taiwan. Japan’s leadership now needs to get its house in order quickly if the balance of security in the Indo-Pacific is to be maintained.

Julie Gilson 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. Japan election: voters took aim at an untrustworthy government beset by scandal – https://theconversation.com/japan-election-voters-took-aim-at-an-untrustworthy-government-beset-by-scandal-242406

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How the state of our oceans is intrinsically linked to human health – new report

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Edward H. Allison, Director of Science and Research, WorldFish, CGIAR System Organization

eedafizie/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

A new study published in the journal OneEarth explores how marine biodiversity conservation, human health and wellbeing are connected. The results suggest that marine protected areas can be good for both planet and people. These areas of the ocean are legally recognised by governments as being important for marine conservation. They are protected by putting limits on human activity within and around them.

Once a government declares a marine protected area, you usually can’t live in it, fish, build a beach resort, start a fish farm or drill for oil in it. The rules vary from place to place, but the idea is to allow nature to flourish by limiting human activity as much as possible.

With plans to expand ocean protection under the UN-endorsed biodiversity plan’s “30×30” target (which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030), it’s important to know how this will affect people as well as nature.

The study was conducted by the conservation charity World Wide Fund for Nature, Harvard Institute of Public Health and Duke University’s marine laboratory. The team, led by marine conservation scientist Daniel Viana, reviewed all the scientific articles written since 1973 on marine protected areas and their impacts on people.

They found that, for 234 marine protected areas across the world that have been closely monitored, more than 60% showed improvement in both nature conservation and human wellbeing.

Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle – the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Curious about how a strong coastal connection helps drive marine conservation, scientists are diving in to investigate the power of blue health.

This article is part of a series, Vitamin Sea, exploring how the ocean can be enhanced by our interaction with it.

The study included marine protected areas that do allow “sustainable use” through managed and selective fishing activities. These are fishing methods, such as using a hook and line or a fish trap, that don’t cause physical damage to delicate habitats like coral reefs.

The paper suggests that in most cases, investing in marine protected areas directly benefits the health and livelihoods of people who live near them. Increased harvests of fish and other aquatic foods, such as shellfish and seaweeds, are usually the source of the benefits. Fisherfolk’s incomes increase and community access to nutrient-rich aquatic food improves.

Sustainably caught fish is a vital source of protein for so many people around the globe.
M_Kaempfer/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

Read more:
Targets to save 30% of the ocean by 2030 aren’t being met, new report reveals

The benefits of marine protection for fishing-based livelihoods are largest in small island states that have big marine protected areas, such as Bonnaire, Palau and the Cook Islands, where more than 95% of fish catches are associated with area-based conservation measures.

Despite ample evidence that marine protection improved access to aquatic food, the authors found surprisingly few studies that directly measured the impact to human nutrition. Only three out of the 237 studies reviewed had studied how creating marine protected areas affected the diets of people living around them. Only one study, in the Philippines, made the link between diets and health outcomes, because, when access to fish in diets improved due to marine conservation, there were fewer stunted children from surrounding communities.

Plenty more nutrients in the sea?

Our continents and islands are surrounded by seas, lakes, rivers and floodplains that are populated by edible plants and animals rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. These micronutrients from aquatic foods are highly bioavailable (easily absorbed by the body). If sustainably harvested and made available to nutritionally vulnerable people, they could prevent malnutrition among millions of coastal people.

The new report has quantified the micronutrient contributions to human diets from the aquatic foods that flourish when marine protected areas are set up. It combines data on the nutrient composition of all the aquatic foods harvested in and around marine protected areas, with fish catch data from the surrounding areas.

The existing marine protected area network supports 14% of the global supply of six key micronutrients from marine fishing. This is achieved by protecting only 8% of the world’s oceans. By allowing marine life to grow abundantly inside protected areas, nearby fish populations are replenished. So, by conserving marine wildlife, protected areas help to sustain fish and shellfish stocks.

That means bigger catches, more income from fishing or tourism, and more food. More nutrients means better health. This applies both to marine protected areas with a strict no-take zone, where any form of fishing is banned, and those that allow regulated fishing.

As populations increase, demand for aquatic food rises. Wild harvests are being supplemented by aquaculture and mariculture – these are freshwater and marine equivalents to growing crops and livestock on land. Over half of the aquatic foods consumed directly by humans are now produced from aquaculture, much of it in inland waters rather than the sea.

But in many countries, particularly island and coastal nations in the developing world, harvesting wild food from marine ecosystems remains crucial to nourishing the over 3 billion people who get more than 15% of their animal source proteins from aquatic foods.

Seafood is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.
WhiteYura/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

Despite their potential to address global micronutrient nutrition, aquatic foods have, until recently, been underrepresented in policies and programmes to end hunger and malnutrition. But with data on the nutritional composition of the world’s fish species now available, studies like this can advance an approach called “nutrition-sensitive fisheries and aquaculture”: Instead of fishing to maximise catch or profit, fisheries could be managed to optimise their contribution to human nutrition.

Linking ocean conservation with human health is an exciting idea but there are gaps in the research. It’s not clear who benefits when income from tourism and fishing increases, or whether increased catches get to those that need it most. In the Maldives for example, more than 80% of reef fish are consumed by tourists, not locals.

Trying to solve malnutrition with marine protected areas is going to be challenging. Many marine protected areas are not effectively managed. By contrast, 77% of catches from the world’s fisheries come from stocks that are managed sustainably, though they have little room for expansion to meet rising demand. Aquaculture can do that, but the sector is still moving towards sustainability.

Many key threats to marine ecosystems and wild fisheries, such as climate change and pollution, are not effectively dealt with by local marine habitat protection alone. Despite these challenges, this study highlights that nature-human relationships can be regenerative, rather than exploitative.

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

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

Edward H. Allison currently receives funding from Canada’s International Development Research Center AQUADAPT programme for work on climate adaptive nature-based aquaculture in South East Asia, from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization for work on Implementing ecosystem-based management in S and SE Asia arnd from the multi-donor Trust Fund to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research for work on aquatic food systems.

– ref. How the state of our oceans is intrinsically linked to human health – new report – https://theconversation.com/how-the-state-of-our-oceans-is-intrinsically-linked-to-human-health-new-report-242245

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Did a Canadian developer really invent bitcoin? A new HBO show explores an intriguing theory

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jeremy Clark, Associate Professor, Information Systems Engineering, Concordia University

The true identity of the founder of bitcoin has always been a mystery. (Shutterstock)

In 2008, someone using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto published the design of the cryptocurrency bitcoin, proposed the initial code and was active online for just under two years. In this time, they helped develop the code, answer questions and promote the project. Then, claiming to busy with new things, Nakamoto left working on bitcoin and was probably never heard from again.

HBO’s 2024 documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery finds director Cullen Hoback looking for the real Nakamoto, motivated by bitcoin being “embraced by nation states” and “incorporated into 401(k)s.”

Read more:
Bitcoin turns ten – here’s how it all started and what the future might hold

The real Nakamoto?

Several attempts to unmask Nakamoto have been made before. Previous theories suggest that the elusive developer is Irish graduate student Michael Clear, Japanese-American systems engineer Dorian Nakamoto or one of several cypherpunks who worked on predecessors to bitcoin: Hal Finney, Nick Szabo or Adam Back.

Hoback confronts the man he suspects of being Nakamoto on camera in the film’s climax: Peter Todd, a software developer from Toronto. On film, Todd alternates between joking about being Nakamoto and calling the theory ludicrous, perhaps necessitating him to make an unequivocal denial in the press after it aired.

The trailer for HBO’s ‘Money Electric.’

The documentary is entertaining, but does it play it fast and loose? I would draw attention to three things that deserve further thought.

Online breadcrumb trail

While stopping short of claiming to have conclusively identified bitcoin’s creator, Hoback suggests something Todd once said to Nakamoto online was a slip up.

The background is this: with bitcoin, users leave tips to have their transactions processed. If the tip is too low, the computers running bitcoin will refuse to process it and the transaction will sit in bitcoin purgatory. Worse, bitcoin users who make this mistake cannot increase the fee without it looking like an attack on the system.

In an online post, Nakamoto posts that transactions could be declared safe if they only changed the amount of the fee.

Not long after, Todd chimes in that this is impossible with how bitcoin transactions work. The increased fee has to come from somewhere, namely a decrease in the amount paid out, which changes the transaction. Todd’s message is short: “Of course, to be specific, the inputs and outputs can’t match *exactly* if the second transaction has a transaction fee.”

Hoback ponders if maybe Nakamoto meant to correct himself, but somehow accidentally used his real account.

As the documentary recounts, Todd is smart, has developer experience and had been discussing digital cash online since he was a teenager. Todd would eventually be the one to implement the feature Nakamoto described, albeit with a fix to the issue he pointed out.

The theory plays out well on film but leaves out a few considerations.

Early bitcoin enthusiasts were a self-selecting group, and most were as technically minded as Nakamoto or Todd. This technical background is niche but not rare: more than 100,000 computer science students graduate annually in the United States, while there are over 500,000 certified security experts. And there are many equally capable people who are neither of these things.

Given Hoback’s evidence for Todd is circumstantial, the weight shifts to Todd’s reaction on camera when Hoback outlines his theory: a mix of bemusement, mockery and indignation. The film frames the reaction as incriminating, while others caution against reading anything into it.

Enter Ethereum

Bitcoin is maintained by an open group of volunteered computers (whose operators are paid in new bitcoin for the work of validating transactions and storing them on a ledger called the blockchain) where no one is in charge, and yet maintains high security.

Early bitcoin enthusiasts saw the potential for bitcoin’s blockchain technology to handle more than financial transactions, but the developers helming bitcoin (including Todd) thought it would be best if bitcoin stayed in its lane.

Some bitcoin enthusiasts in Toronto then banded together and launched Ethereum. Led by 21-year-old Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum provides a platform where anyone can run their code on a blockchain simply by paying a fee and pushing a button. The code could be anything from a new digital currency to sophisticated financial technology.

In Hoback’s documentary, many of the interviewees view bitcoin and its developers as competitors and antagonists of Ethereum.

Ethereum gets only about two minutes of screentime, dominated by Buterin rapping about Ethereum on the mainstage of a conference and being ribbed for his hat’s safari flaps.

Hoback’s documentary emphasizes Ethereum’s scam tokens but overlooks the innovative financial services that captured US$64 billion of assets in 2021, as well as its advancements in areas like efficiency and cryptography.

Ironically, it is Ethereum technology that runs crypto-betting platform Polymarket, which hosted a US$44 million betting pool on who would be named as Nakamoto in Hoback’s film before it aired.

“Polymarket turned Money Electric into a sporting event,” Hoback enthused. “Even I’m refreshing the betting pool to see how high the total volume gets.”

The end of privacy?

In his 2014 documentary, Terms and Conditions May Apply, Hoback did show he is willing to tackle social concerns that might seem a little dry or academic, such as privacy rights in a digital age.

He picks up this thread again in Money Electric, embedding an earnest message about the potential privacy and surveillance implications of governments — including Canada, the United States and 130 other countries — launching central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), something my research also draws attention to.

In theory, the technology underlying bitcoin can be expanded to provide a CBDC system as private as paper cash. However it will take a strong political will to get there.

Jeremy Clark receives funding from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

– ref. Did a Canadian developer really invent bitcoin? A new HBO show explores an intriguing theory – https://theconversation.com/did-a-canadian-developer-really-invent-bitcoin-a-new-hbo-show-explores-an-intriguing-theory-241750

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse, Pettersen, Polis Announce $129 Million for Colorado Rail Projects

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
Four Colorado projects awarded funding under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen and Governor Jared Polis announced four Colorado rail projects will receive a total of $129.5 million in federal funds. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State University Pueblo, San Luis Central Railroad Co., and OmniTRAX will all receive funding as part of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program. Earlier this year Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse and Pettersen urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund CDOT’s project along the Front Range. Hickenlooper also urged the department to fund the CSU Pueblo and OmniTRAX projects.
“From freight in the San Luis Valley to passengers on the Front Range and beyond with CSU Pueblo’s research, rail isn’t just a part of our past, it’s a big part of our future, too,” said Hickenlooper. “That’s the case we made to Secretary Buttigieg for this funding and this is just the start.”
“Colorado’s railways are vital to connect our communities and get resources to markets across the country. That’s why I ensured the U.S. Department of Transportation understood how critical this funding is for our state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Senator Michael Bennet. “I’m glad to have helped secure these investments in our railways’ safety, efficiency, and reliability across the state. ”
“After years of working to secure federal support for the Front Range Passenger Rail Project, I am excited to see the Department of Transportation heed our calls and commit to modernizing Colorado’s passenger rail system—not just for communities along the Front Range but for residents throughout the entire state. This is a once-in-a-generation investment in our passenger rail infrastructure, creating countless new opportunities for communities to connect, grow, and thrive—and we will continue to work together to ensure this momentum leads to lasting benefits for all Coloradans,” said U.S. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse.
“Today, I am incredibly grateful to see this federal funding coming to Colorado to strengthen our railway systems, enhance safety, and modernize our infrastructure,” said Representative Brittany Pettersen. “After a train derailment in Boulder injured workers and put our communities at risk, I supported funding to reinforce public safety and restore trust in Colorado’s rail infrastructure. I’m pleased to see these federal dollars coming to our state to help ensure we have safe, reliable infrastructure for generations to come.”
“Today’s grant will make freight rail traffic in some of our busiest growing communities safer quickly while providing critical building blocks for Passenger Rail. This major funding will help achieve important priorities like complying with longstanding federal standards and improving the safety of rail crossings, which can be the sites of dangerous incidents. With more than $66 million in federal support from the Biden-Harris administration, the future of Colorado’s rail network is a clear priority for the federal government, as it should be. We thank Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, Congressman Neguse and Congresswoman Pettersen, and our communities for their support of this important project,” said Governor Jared Polis.
“Thanks to a unified effort with Governor Polis’ leadership, Colorado can speed ahead with important safety and operational upgrades that will make passenger rail possible along the Front Range. Our partners in the Congressional delegation and in communities across the state have been constantly supportive of this work, and I want to especially thank the technical team at CDOT that has made so much progress behind the scenes to get Colorado ready for this opportunity. The Biden Administration has recognized Colorado’s seriousness and the quality of our work to develop passenger rail, and I want to add my appreciation to their support with this grant and the resources it brings to our work,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
CRISI invests in railroad infrastructure projects that improve safety, support economic vitality, including through small businesses, create good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union, increase capacity and supply chain resilience, apply innovative technology, and explicitly address climate change, gender equity, and racial equity. For more information on CRISI, click HERE.
Full details on the projects receiving funding are below:
Recipient
Project Title
Project Description
Amount Awarded
Colorado Department of Transportation
Modernizing Rail on the Front Range: PTC Installation, Siding, & Grade Crossing Safety and Operational Improvements
This project will design, install, and test positive train control with a complementary siding on a portion of the Front Range Subdivision, along with several railroad crossings that could benefit from operational and safety improvements.
$66,400,000
OmniTRAX Holdings Combined, Inc.
Transportation Investments for Employment and Safety, Phase 2
The proposed project involves final design and construction activities to replace railroad ties on four OmniTRAX-owned short lines across four states – Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, and Washington.
$50,570,400
Colorado State University Pueblo
Safety Assessment, Testing and Workforce Development for Hydrogen/Natural Gas Motive Power
The proposed project involves research and development for studying green hydrogen and renewable natural gas-powered rail vehicles. The project aims to conduct safety experiments on the use of CH2/CNG-powered rail cars at the TTC facility.
$11,671,781
The San Luis Central Railroad Co.
The San Luis Central Railroad Reconstruction Project: Ansel North
The SLC corridor was built in 1913 with untreated wooden ties. The project will replace 6,000 deteriorated cross and 126 switch ties between mile posts 10.1 and 15.2.
$1,077,000
“Southern Colorado often represents a hard-working spirit leveraging the opportunity of innovation. This Department of Transportation CRISI grant emboldens that spirit, enabling CSU Pueblo, in partnership with the Southern Colorado Transportation Technology Center (SCITT), to contribute to the future of rail transportation through critical safety research in hydrogen and natural gas technologies. I am particularly proud of how this project will partner with our Engineering program at CSU Pueblo, utilizing the expertise here to create new pathways for our students and local workforce. This grant is more than research – it’s a valuable investment into Southern Colorado,” said CSU Pueblo President Armando Valdez.
“TIES2 will be transformative for the communities served by Great Western Railway of Colorado and the regions served by OmniTRAX railroads in Georgia, Alabama, and Washington state,” said David Arganbright, OmniTRAX Senior Vice President. “OmniTRAX is proud to call Colorado home, and we are tremendously appreciative of all the work that Sen. Hickenlooper has done in Congress to champion Colorado’s railways and deliver the critical infrastructure investments that make strengthen our nation’s supply chains.”
“The team at CXSL is very excited for this great news and look forward to getting to work on the improvements as soon as possible. The grant will assist in providing the much needed improvements to improve rail service to our customers and greatly reduce our risk for incidents due to track conditions,” said Timothy Bivens, General Manager of Colorado Pacific San Luis Railroad.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: USDA Builds on Actions to Protect Livestock and Public Health from H5N1 Avian Influenza

Source: US National Invasive Species Information Center

Press Release

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced the agency is planning to enhance testing and monitoring for H5N1, building on measures taken by USDA since the beginning of the avian influenza outbreak. In partnership with state veterinarians, USDA will implement a tiered strategy to collect milk samples to better assess where H5N1 is present, with the goal to better inform biosecurity and containment measures, as well as to inform state-led efforts to reduce risk to farm workers who may be in contact with animals infected with H5N1.

Since this disease was first detected in dairy cattle in March 2024, the USDA and state and federal partners have taken several steps to better understand the virus and work to eliminate it from dairy herds. In May 2024, USDA implemented a Federal Order to require the testing of cattle before interstate movement, which has helped to limit H5N1’s spread to new states; in the past 30 days, the number of states with known avian influenza detections in dairy herds has dropped from 14 to two. However, USDA believes that additional steps are needed to proactively support effective biosecurity measures, which are key for states and farmers to contain and eliminate H5N1 infections from their livestock.

USDA has precedent with successful bulk milk testing approaches, including the use of bulk milk testing to eradicate brucellosis from dairy herds. In addition, Colorado implemented statewide bulk milk testing after H5N1 was detected in dairy herds in two counties, and the most recent statewide testing has not detected any evidence of H5N1 in any herds in the state. In the coming weeks, USDA will work with regions and states that are ready to assist in expanding bulk milk testing.

USDA is working closely with state and private veterinary groups, which include practitioners who will play a vital role in carrying out this effort. USDA plans to first sample milk in bulk at the regional level, with additional testing at the farm level if necessary, until herds in an area are determined to be free of the virus. USDA will continue to work with state and private veterinarians on the final details of implementation, and will share guidance documents soon.

USDA continues to emphasize to farmers nationwide that biosecurity is the best weapon against the spread of H5N1, and farms should practice good biosecurity even if the virus has not been detected in their state or vicinity. Data collected over the past seven months has shown that H5N1 can be transmitted on equipment, people, or other items that move from farm to farm, including between dairies and poultry facilities. USDA’s Federal Order, announced in April 2024, to require testing before cattle movement between states has helped limit the spread of H5N1 to only 14 states, but local and state efforts to enhance biosecurity measures are also important. USDA strongly encourages herd owners to participate in available producer support programs, which help to cover the cost such as biosecurity programming, PPE for employees, and veterinary care.

In addition, USDA continues to support the rapid development and timely approval of an H5N1 vaccine for dairy cows, in addition to other species. Two vaccine candidates for use in dairy cows are currently undergoing field trials.

USDA has consistently operated on a science-based, step-by-step approach informed by what it learns about this virus through its everyday work, research, and monitoring efforts, and this marks the next step in the escalation of the agency’s response.

Today, USDA and the Oregon Department of Agriculture also announced the first detection of H5N1 in swine in the United States, which was detected in a non-commercial farm operation in Oregon. More information that announcement can be found here.

USDA scientists have worked closely with colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and across the country and have not found any recent changes to the virus that increase the risk of transmission from animals to humans or between people. While cases among humans in direct contact with infected animals do continue to occur, partners at the CDC believe that the current risk to the public remains low.

As USDA takes additional steps to protect the health of livestock, the Department will continue to work closely with its federal partners at CDC to protect the health of people and FDA to protect the safety of the food supply. These collective, collaborative efforts have helped protect farmworkers and farmers, the health and welfare of livestock animals, and reaffirmed the safety of the nation’s food supply. The U.S. government remains committed to addressing this situation with urgency.

To learn more about USDA’s response to HPAI in dairy cattle, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Philly TCU/IAM Members are Voting their Jobs & Voting Harris-Walz

Source: US GOIAM Union

Chief of Staff to the International President Vinny Addeo, IAM National Legislative and Political Director Hasan Solomon, TCU/IAM National Legislative Director Dave Arouca, and IAM Assistant Communications Director DeLane Adams recently visited members of TCU/IAM Locals 1351 and Local 878 who work for Amtrak in Philadelphia. Members were able to receive IAM Union for Kamala Harris/Tim Walz T-shirts and yard signs. These efforts help encourage members to go out and vote in the upcoming election.

“It’s important to talk about what this election really means for our members working at Amtrak and SEPTA,” said TCU/IAM National President Maratea. “We’ll always fight to beat back proposed cuts to Amtrak and transit funding, but those fights get much harder when we send anti-passenger rail people to Washington. Fact: Trump tried to defund us every single budget year. Fact: The Biden-Harris Administration provided record funding for Amtrak. Sometimes elections are tough choices – this one is not.”

TCU/IAM will always engage in the political process and educate members on the importance of civic engagement.

The outreach effort also included distributing informational materials and encouraging members to inform others about the upcoming election. IAM Local 1351 and Local 878 members expressed excitement about their choices for the 2024 election.

“This election is extremely important,” said TCU/IAM Local President Shari Paige. “Our jobs and livelihood depend on it. Cuts to Amtrak funding mean pink slips for TCU. We need people to go out and vote their job.”

The IAM GOTV program is designed to help IAM members across the country understand the importance of electing pro-labor candidates with a strong track record of advocating for working families.

“Our members play a crucial role in shaping policies that affect their lives and the lives of their families,” said Addeo. “We must all participate in the upcoming election to ensure our voices are heard.”

Our union has already knocked on thousands of doors and made thousands of calls across key battleground states. From worksite visits to door-to-door efforts, to phone calls and texts, IAM members are working hard communicate directly to voters about what’s at stake this Election Day.

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MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Shareholders Approve All 2024 Annual General Meeting Proposals

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP) today announced that shareholders approved all seven proposals presented at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. Approximately 87.6 million shares, representing approximately 79.6% of the shares outstanding as of the record date, were voted at the meeting. Check Point would like to thank shareholders for the support and confidence they have in the company and its employees.

For more information on the agenda items, please see the company’s proxy statement for the annual general meeting of shareholders: http://www.checkpoint.com/about-us/investor-relations/annual-general-meeting/

About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Platform Services for collaborative security operations and services.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. These risks include our ability to continue to develop platform capabilities and solutions; customer acceptance and purchase of our existing solutions and new solutions; the market for IT security continuing to develop; competition from other products and services; and general market, political, economic, and business conditions, including acts of terrorism or war. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Gil Messing
Check Point Software Technologies
press@checkpoint.com

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Kip E. Meintzer
Check Point Software Technologies
ir@checkpoint.com

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Labour’s first budget: redistribution away from the rich after over a decade of Conservative rule

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Smith, Anniversary Professor of Politics, University of York

Treasury/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

Labour’s first budget in 14 years appears to have avoided the Halloween nightmares that many predicted. Yes, the overall tax burden is at its highest level since 1948, but this budget’s tax and spend distribution is such that it spreads both the pain and the benefit. Most of the pain has been focused on the well off, sparing others from increased taxation.

This was, as is so often the case, a budget that was more about politics than economics.

The political emphasis is naturally very different from the previous Conservative administration. Like the 1990s governments of Tony Blair, Labour is now focusing on improving the public sector rather than cutting taxes.

The government claims there will be no return to austerity. Instead, Reeves’s budget is based not only on investment and growth, but education – which gets a 19% real-terms funding uplift. An extra £22 billion is also available for the NHS. Perhaps more importantly, there is an attempt to shift away from hospital-based provision to preventative approaches and community care.

This is a budget centred on redistribution. Taxes are increasing for employers (through increased national insurance) and on inheritance tax and capital gains. Second home owners, non-doms and parents sending their children to private school will also be taxed more. Beneficiaries include those on a minimum wage, pensions and carers.

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It is, then, very much a Labour budget. It focuses on taking money from what may be called the upper middle class and the very well off, and spending it on the public sector, the lower paid and the worse off in society. Even the hinted-at increases on taxes around pensions and pension pots were not fulfilled for fear of alienating Labour supporting, public sector workers.

Delivering a vision

From this perspective, the budget can be regarded as a political success. It has done what Keir Starmer’s government has hitherto failed to do: set out a new, distinct agenda. Revising the existing fiscal rules to include both new stability and investment rules highlights Labour’s commitment to longer-term growth, which it hopes will secure the investment for renewed public services.

This strategy harks back to the traditional social democracy that runs from Tony Crosland – one of the foremost Labour thinkers on a reformed social democracy – and the Labour governments of the 1960s to New Labour. Economic growth, rather than the radical redistribution of wealth associated with Labour leaders such as Michael Foot and Jeremy Corbyn, is Labour’s mechanism for enhancing public services and improving the position of the worst off in society.

Budget 2024: a political document first, an economic plan second.
Treasury/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

But therein lies the rub. The initial market reaction was good. Much of Reeves and Starmer’s pre-budget spin was about making sure the markets remained calm. There was no repeat of the Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng mini-budget debacle, where unfunded tax cuts led to the unstable economic conditions and ultimately Truss’s downfall.

The whole of the Labour government strategy is based on modest but consistent economic growth between a high of 2% and a low of 1.5% between now and 2030. But, of course, economic growth is very difficult to predict and dependent on conditions that the government does not control.

Just this week, Israel’s decision not to target Iranian oilfields led to a 20% drop in oil prices. But any intensification of war in the Middle East could see that situation rapidly reversed.

So while Labour’s promise to increase capital spending and greater investment in science, research and development is important for growing the economy, it is only one factor and others may thwart Labour’s growth plan.

There is though one important lesson from history. All – and that really is all – Labour governments have ended their time in office amidst a financial crisis. Often, it is not directly of their own making, but the plight of the economy has subsequently undermined their original spending plans.

Reeves’s first budget has seen clear benefits for particular sectors. The adaptation of the fiscal rules creates new opportunities for growth through borrowing, capital spending and investment. Yet whether it can trigger the scale of economic takeoff needed to overcome the backlog of investment in public services is to be seen. This may well prove to be the key factor in determining both the longevity and legacy of this Labour government.

Martin Smith receives funding from Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship and Nuffield Foundation.

Dave Richards receives funding from two projects related to this article: 1. ‘Public Expenditure, Planning and Control in Complex Times’ – Nuffield Foundation, https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/public-expenditure-planning-and-control/ 2. ‘The UK Productivity-Governance Puzzle: Are UK’s Governing Institutions Fit for Purpose in the 21st Century?’ – The ESRC Productivity Institute https://www.productivity.ac.uk/people/professor-david-richards/

Sam Warner receives funding from the Nuffield Foundation.

– ref. Labour’s first budget: redistribution away from the rich after over a decade of Conservative rule – https://theconversation.com/labours-first-budget-redistribution-away-from-the-rich-after-over-a-decade-of-conservative-rule-242548

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, 2024

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
     Too many Americans know the pain of losing a loved one to lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. During National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we honor all those living with lung cancer and their loved ones. We thank the researchers searching for answers and the medical professionals who are working tirelessly to care for those with lung cancer, and we recommit to ending cancer as we know it.
     Although scientists have made incredible breakthroughs that have improved prevention, detection, and treatment for cancer and saved lives, a lung cancer diagnosis can be terrifying. This year, nearly 250,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease. Treatment can be grueling. Medical bills can cause concerns for the whole family. And the flood of medical information directed toward patients and their caretakers can be overwhelming. Too often, people feel lost and left behind, especially those who are disproportionately impacted by lung cancer — such as Black men, rural residents, and women under 50 years old.
     Cancer is personal to many families, including mine, so I made fighting cancer a top priority in my Administration. The First Lady and I began by reigniting the Biden Cancer Moonshot, aiming to cut the cancer death rate by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years. I also secured $4 billion in bipartisan funding and established the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to support scientists, innovators, and public health professionals in driving innovation to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
     My Administration is also working around the clock to make cancer treatments more affordable and the treatment process more manageable for families. We have saved millions of families $800 per year on their health insurance premiums by strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Through my Inflation Reduction Act, we are capping total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000 per year, including for cancer drugs, which can cost many times that. And for the first time ever, families fighting cancer can access patient navigation services that are fully paid for through Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance — helping guide families through the diagnosis and treatment process and offering them much-needed support.
     My Administration is also committed to preventing cancer by tackling another driver of cancer deaths in this country: smoking. To ensure that Americans who want to quit have the support they need, the Department of Health and Human Services created a Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation, setting goals and strategies to help our communities reduce smoking. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a $15 million program that will help increase awareness about smoking and options for services to help people quit. For anyone looking to quit smoking, you can find resources at BeTobaccoFree.gov or smokefree.gov or by calling 877-44U-QUIT.
     My Administration is expanding early detection and screening services because an early diagnosis of lung cancer can save lives. Together, Federal agencies, community health centers, and other partners are providing early detection knowledge and support services to underserved communities. I encourage all Americans to talk to their doctors about lung cancer symptoms.
     During National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we strengthen our commitment to standing by all those facing lung cancer and their families, and we ensure they have access to the care they need. We also rededicate ourselves to spreading awareness about lung cancer and working to end cancer as we know it, in order to save more lives.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2024 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to speak with their doctors and health care providers to learn more about lung cancer. I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, the media, and other interested groups to increase awareness about what Americans can do to prevent, detect, and treat lung cancer.
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister on protecting reproductive freedom and covering essential health care costs

Source: Government of Canada News

Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister on protecting reproductive freedom and covering essential health care costs

October 29, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

Check against delivery

Good afternoon.

I am going to start by talking about the Canadian economy. I will then discuss measures our government is taking to protect women’s reproductive freedom. And finally, I will provide an update on the Canada Health Transfer.

Minister Ien will then speak in more detail about how we are protecting women’s reproductive freedom.

Minister Holland will provide an update on dental care and pharmacare.

Finally, Minister Duclos will go into greater detail about what today’s announcements mean for Canadians.

So, let me start by talking just for a minute about the good economic news we have been receiving.

Inflation was down to 1.6 per cent in September. That is a three-and-a-half year low. It means that for nine months in a row, inflation in Canada has been within the Bank of Canada’s target range.

Thanks to that good news on inflation, we’ve now seen the Bank of Canada lowering rates four times in a row. The Bank of Canada is now the first central bank in the G7 to cut interest rates four times. I emphasize this because this is really important relief for Canadians and Canadian businesses—it means more money for your household, more money in your pocket, and it means real relief for Canadians who are looking ahead to renewing their mortgage.

Wages have now outpaced inflation for 20 months in a row and in September, we had good jobs numbers, with 47,000 jobs created.

Today, 1.4 million more people are working in Canada compared to before the pandemic. That is a 7.1 per cent increase in employment, which is the largest increase of any G7 country. And, in September, unemployment did actually move down to 6.5 per cent.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) published its World Economic Outlook last week. That Outlook showed Canada to have lower inflation than the U.S. since 2021 and across other advanced economies since 2022. The World Economic Outlook also projects Canada to have lower inflation than many peer economies going forward.

There is a lot more to do, but we are seeing solid progress.

We know that now is not the time to pull back on support for Canadians. Now is not the time for cuts and austerity. Our government knows that we need to make investments in Canadians so that everyone in our great country has the tools they need to succeed.

And that brings me to our first announcement.

Every woman—every Canadian woman—must be free to make her own decisions about her own body. Every woman in Canada must have access to the health care she needs.

Today, however, there are some anti-choice organizations that use misleading tactics to make it hard for women to make informed choices and to have access to the full range of reproductive care. That undermines a woman’s fundamental right to make her own reproductive decisions.

What makes this particularly inappropriate is that many of these groups are benefiting from Canada’s tax incentives for charitable donations, which are among the most generous in the world.

That’s wrong. And that’s why, today, Minister Ien has tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion in Parliament to fix this. Minister Ien will speak about her motion and why it matters in a few minutes.

We are introducing this legislation to ensure that women who are seeking information about their health care options are not misled.

And we are doing this to ensure that those who mislead Canadian women are not rewarded with subsidies from Canadian taxpayers.

This announcement builds on other measures our government has taken to improve health care for Canadians, like the Canada Health Transfer.

This month, our government transferred $4.34 billion for health care to provinces and territories.

This year alone, provinces and territories are receiving $52.1 billion from the federal government through the Canada Health Transfer.

That’s the equivalent of $1 billion a week, every week.

This amount is going to provincial and territorial governments to support them in delivering health care to Canadians, no matter where they live.

The $52.1 billion for 2024-25 is 62 per cent higher than in 2014-15, when our government was elected.

This is part of our historic $200 billion,10-year plan to clear backlogs, improve primary care, cut wait times, and deliver the health care that people need and deserve.

A fair and strong health care system is essential to ensuring fairness for every generation. That’s why the federal government is proud to be doing its part. No matter your age, your income, or your circumstances, every Canadian deserves to know that they will get the care and support they need.

Thank you very much.

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Increased medicines access continues following budget boost

Source: New Zealand Government

Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see further increased availability of medicines for Kiwis following the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac.

“Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour.

“When this Government assumed office, New Zealanders were facing an uncertain future for medicine access. Pharmac had a $1.7 billion funding hole and had no new money to increase access for medicines.

“It was a priority for this Government to fix that. We’ve allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, so that it can get on and do its job – negotiating the best deals for medicine for New Zealanders.

“Tangible results continue to flow from our investment, with new cancer drugs, as well as other medicines, continuing to be made available. The early signs of Pharmac’s redirection remain positive, as expanding opportunities and access for patients and their families continue to be prioritised.

“Today is a positive day for cancer patients as access to treatments continue to flow from this government’s $604 million uplift. From today, an estimated 380 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, located on the left side of the bowel, without genetic mutations, will be able to access cetuximab (branded as Erbitux) funded as a first and second-line treatment, in the first year of funding.

“The $604 million will also enable an estimated 120 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma access to funded nivolumab (branded as Opdivo) as second line treatment in the first year of funding.

“Patients with blood and bone marrow cancer will be able to access funded bendamustine and pemetrexed will also be funded for any relevant use.

“Also funded from today are medicines for a range of non-cancer health conditions, such as schizophrenia, low iron levels, urinary tract infections, constipation, and severe psoriasis.

“I’m pleased to see Pharmac’s responsiveness to the voices of patients and their families by expanding access to treatments based on feedback and the consultation process.

“This government is committed to a more adaptable and patient-centered approach to medicines access, as evidenced by these funding decisions and my acceptance of Patient Voice Aotearoa’s white paper last week.”

Note to editors: Pharmac is an independent Crown entity responsible for deciding which medicines and medical devices are funded in New Zealand. The recent funding uplift from the Government has enabled Pharmac to make these significant changes. Further details about the funding changes will be available on Pharmac’s website and through their communications channels.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s civil war has left at least 62,000 dead by our estimate − but the true figure could be far higher

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sarah Elizabeth Scales, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Environmental, Occupational, and Agricultural Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center

The ongoing war in Sudan has often been overlooked amid higher-profile conflicts raging across multiple continents. Yet the lack of media and geopolitical attention to this 18-month-long conflict has not made its devastation in terms of human lives any less stark.

Since fighting broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, both of which had been part of a power-sharing military government, the country has seen the displacement of more than 14 million people and the carving up of the country by geography and ideology.

And while we may never know the exact death toll, the conflict in Sudan is certainly among the deadliest in the world today.

As scholars of public health, conflict and human rights and Sudanese-American health workers, we are keenly aware of how fraught it can be to estimate mortality in war for a slew of practical and political reasons. But such estimates are of critical importance: They allow us to understand and compare conflicts, target humanitarian aid for those still at risk, trigger investigations of war crimes, bear witness to conflict and compel states and armed groups to intervene or change.

The difficult work of counting the dead

A profound humanitarian crisis is occurring in Sudan, characterized by ethnic cleansing, mass displacement, food scarcity and the spread of disease, complicated further by flooding in the northern states.

Considering a death toll in such a conflict includes counting not only those who are killed as a direct result of violence – itself a difficult thing to determine in real time – but also those who have died by conflict-exacerbated factors, such as the absence of emergency care, the breakdown of vaccination programs and a lack of essential food and medicine. Estimating this latter death toll, called indirect mortality, presents its own challenge, as the definition itself varies among researchers.

In congressional testimony, U.S. special envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello recognized the estimation challenges when noting there had been anywhere between 15,000 and 150,000 deaths in Sudan – an exceedingly wide range that was attributable, in part, to the complexity of determining indirect mortality.

Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), a nonprofit specializing in conflict-related data collection, has recorded an average of more than 1,200 direct conflict deaths per month in Sudan, with nearly 19,000 deaths in the first 15 months of the conflict. This figure is similar to the 20,000 deaths estimated by the Sudan Doctors Union and the 19,000 figure used by the Sudan Protection Cluster, a centralized group of U.N. agencies and NGOs that used World Health Organization data.

ACLED sources its estimates of deaths from traditional media, reports from international NGOs and local observers, supplemented by new media such as verified Telegram and WhatsApp accounts. The Sudan Doctors Union, on the other hand, gives on-the-ground estimates of conflict deaths.

When available, distinct data sources such as surveys, civil registers and official body counts can make an estimation more accurate. However, this data is often available only in retrospect, after the cessation of conflict. It is therefore critical to use both the available data and precedents from previous conflicts to capture a reasonable estimate of the human costs of an ongoing conflict.

Internally displaced Sudanese children in Port Sudan, Sudan, on Jan. 3, 2024.
Omer Erdem/Anadolu via Getty Images

A 2010 article in The Lancet estimated that there are 2.3 indirect deaths for every direct conflict death, based on data from 24 small-scale surveys conducted in Darfur from 2003 to 2005. As such, using ACLED’s data of 18,916 direct deaths, we estimate that in the current Sudan conflict, there are an additional 43,507 indirect deaths – or more than 62,000 total deaths.

We believe our estimate is very conservative. When estimating mortality in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a different group of scholars, also writing in The Lancet, used a multiplier of four indirect deaths for every direct death to estimate the overall mortality there.

Meanwhile, a report from the Geneva Declaration Secretariat showed an average of 5.8 indirect deaths for every direct death across 13 armed conflicts from 1974 to 2007.

Using that latter multiplier, the number of indirect deaths in Sudan would jump to nearly 110,000 – meaning the total deaths in the region amount to 130,000 – double our estimate.

This range is wide, but it acknowledges how difficult it can be to estimate indirect deaths and how they can vary significantly with the shape of a conflict.

The Sudanese conflict in context

For all the tremendous loss of life these numbers reflect, they surely underestimate the true human costs of the conflict.

Sudan already had a fragile and underfunded health system before the fighting started. And compared with other ongoing conflicts such as in Gaza and Ukraine, there was already a more precarious baseline, with higher child mortality and lower life expectancy.

Since the war in Sudan began, there have been consistent reports of mass killings, forced disappearances, sexual violence, deliberate blocking of food and medicine, and other forms of violence against civilians.

Much of the violence is ethnically targeted, and the Darfur region – where a full-scale famine has been declared – has suffered disproportionately.

The destruction of civilian infrastructure and interrupted aid mechanisms are preventing medicine, food, clean water and vaccinations from getting to in-need populations.

Health care workers and facilities, not only in at-risk Darfur but also throughout the country, have been the target of attacks. Nearly 80% of medical facilities have been rendered inoperable. And at least 58 physicians have been killed, in addition to the many that were targeted in previous crises.

Given the persistent targeting of health care systems and restricted access to humanitarian corridors, indirect deaths in Sudan are likely to grow as hospitals shut down, even in the capital Khartoum, due to bombardments, ground attacks and a lack of critical supplies.

The costs for Sudanese children are especially alarming. Thirteen children die per day in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, according to Doctors Without Borders, mostly due to undernutrition and food scarcity.

And nearly 800,000 Sudanese children will face severe, acute malnutrition through 2024, a condition that requires intensive care and supplemental nutrition merely to prevent death. Even before the conflict, children were severely threatened by a lack of access to care, including basic preventive care such as early immunization.

Finally, the transmission of communicable diseases thrives in conflicts like the one in Sudan, where there has been widespread population displacement, malnutrition, limited water and sanitation, and lack of appropriate sheltering. In August, a cholera outbreak led to a spiking death rate of more than 31 deaths per 1,000 cholera cases. And instances of such disease effects are likely underestimates in a country lacking health care penetration and monitoring.

The limitations of estimations

The massive internal displacement of more than 14 million people in Sudan complicates the estimation of death tolls, as shifting populations make establishing baselines nearly impossible.

Moreover, there is typically a dearth of official information collected and released during conflicts.

So establishing a concrete estimate of the true impact of armed conflict often comes after the cessation of hostilities, when expert teams are able to conduct field studies.

Even then, estimates will require assumptions about direct deaths, indirect-to-direct death ratio and the quality of existing data.

But as scholars working at the intersection of public health and human rights, we believe such work, however imperfect, is necessary for the documentation of conflict – and its future prevention. And while there are many current global conflicts that require our urgent attention, the conflict in Sudan must not be lost in the mix.

_Editor’s note: Israa Hassan, a physical medicine and rehabilitation resident at Texas Rehabilitation Hospital-Fort Worth and advocacy director at the Sudanese American Physicians Association, contributed to this article.

Rohini J Haar receives funding from FCDO.

Blake Erhardt-Ohren, Debarati Guha Sapir, Khidir Dalouk, and Sarah Elizabeth Scales do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Sudan’s civil war has left at least 62,000 dead by our estimate − but the true figure could be far higher – https://theconversation.com/sudans-civil-war-has-left-at-least-62-000-dead-by-our-estimate-but-the-true-figure-could-be-far-higher-242073

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SNP betraying tenants with watered down rent controls

Source: Scottish Greens

31 Oct 2024 Housing

Every tenants deserves a safe, secure and affordable place to call home.

More in Housing

The SNP will be betraying tenants across Scotland if it goes ahead with plans to water down rent controls and impose above inflation rent hikes, say the Scottish Greens.

The comments from the party’s social justice spokesperson, Maggie Chapman, follow a Ministerial Statement by the Housing Minister, Paul Mclennan, which announced proposals that would allow rents to be increased above inflation and by up to 6%, even in rent control areas.

The bill was originally published by then Scottish Green Minister Patrick Harvie and followed an emergency rent freeze. The announcement comes just five months after MSPs declared a Housing Emergency.

Ms Chapman said:

“This is a shameful betrayal of tenants. It will impose above inflation rent hikes on households all over Scotland.

“Stabilising rents at unaffordable levels is no use to anyone, apart from profiteering landlords. If the SNP goes ahead with these disastrous plans they will be selling-out renters and entrenching a broken and unfair system.

“Everyone should have a warm, secure and affordable place to call home, but what the Minister is proposing flies in the face of that aspiration. These proposals do not tackle unaffordability and would not give tenants in the private rented sector the security or stability they’ve been promised.

“The landlord lobby has had a disproportionate voice in the corridors of power for far too long. This has created a desperate situation where tenants across our country are living with fear and anxiety because they don’t know if they can continue to afford their homes.

“This is yet another example of an SNP government that is shedding its progressive credentials. I urge them to rethink their proposals and work with us to deliver a Housing Bill that transforms housing in Scotland and gives tenants the security, stability and peace of mind that everyone deserves.

“Homes should be for living in, not for profiteering.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: ICC Joins SME Resilience Alliance for Ukraine

Source: International Chamber of Commerce

Headline: ICC Joins SME Resilience Alliance for Ukraine

ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said:

“By joining the SME Resilience Alliance for Ukraine, ICC builds on its ongoing efforts to support small- and medium-sized enterprises through initiatives like the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship, aiming to harness the power of the private sector to drive economic recovery and resilience in Ukraine.”

Additionally, the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship in Ukraine is working to empower Ukrainian SMEs and assist the re-skilling of internally displace people, notably women.

ICC also maintains regular consultations with multilateral and bilateral donors to explore strategies for Ukraine’s economic reconstruction. This includes engaging with the Ukraine Donor Platform, its Business Advisory Council, and the rotating Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) platform.

As a friend of the SME Resilience Alliance, ICC attended the second meeting, opened by Oleksii Sobolev, First Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. In his speech, Mr Sobolev emphasised the vital role SMEs play in the country’s recovery. With SMEs accounting for more than 90% of all businesses in Ukraine, the Ukrainian government’s SME strategy for 2024-2027 aims to facilitate recovery and enhance human capital and entrepreneurial culture.

The SME Alliance for Ukraine aims to support the Ukrainian government’s efforts through three key areas: improving regulatory framework conditions, strengthening support institutions for SMEs and enhancing access to finance. Pursuing the goal of mobilising €7 billion for ongoing and new SME programmes, the Alliance has mapped relevant actors in Ukraine and abroad. This allows for the identification of regional as well as sectoral gaps and overlaps in support, and facilitates the linking of potential trading partners. Most SME beneficiaries in Ukraine operate in the agri-food sector, and a large share is owned by women.

Through its participation in the Alliance, ICC seeks to extend its ongoing efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s economy. ICC has previously been actively engaged in several key initiatives, including the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has facilitated the export of nearly 33 million tonnes of grain. Additionally, the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship in Ukraine is working to empower Ukrainian SMEs and assist with refugee integration.

ICC also maintains regular consultations with multilateral donors and individual contributors to explore strategies for economic reconstruction. This includes engaging with the Ukraine Donor Platform and its Business Advisory Council.

Through these initiatives and partnerships, ICC remains committed to supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery and fostering a sustainable business environment for SMEs.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: World Update: how Israel’s relations with the UN hit rock bottom

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

With the clock ticking down to November 5 and what just about everyone agrees is the most consequential US presidential election in living memory, various of the Biden administration’s top brass have jetted out to the Middle East for one last try to get a deal over the line.

The most likely area where progress could be made is the conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. The militant group announced the appointment of a new general secretary on October 29. Naim Qassem is, as the BBC puts it, “one of the few senior Hezbollah leaders who remains alive after Israel killed most of the group’s leadership in a series of attacks”. He is reportedly making noises about possible change in Hezbollah policy that would separate any negotiations over the conflict in Lebanon with any talks over Gaza.

If true, it’s a major shift from the policy of recently assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah, which previously indelibly linked a ceasefire in Gaza with the cessation of Lebanon’s rocket attacks on northern Israel. Full details of the deal remain under wraps, but a draft was leaked to Israel’s state broadcaster Kan.

Post on X by Kann reporter, Suleiman Maswadeh, with details of a proposed Middle East peace deal.
X

For Israel’s part, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the initial phase of Israel’s operation inside Lebanon is drawing to a close. As for what comes next, the New York Times reported on October 28 that Netanyahu is “waiting to see who will succeed President Biden before committing to a diplomatic trajectory”.

The diplomatic trajectory has been made more complicated of late by a big spat between Israel and the UN. The two have had a fractious relationship since the very start. But under the Netanyahu government, things have steadily deteriorated to the stage that Israel actually barred UN secretary general António Guterres from entering the country at the beginning of October.

This week Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a new law banning the UN relief and works agency (Unrwa) from operating on any territory it controls. Unrwa was set up after the war of 1948 to help displaced Arabs and has since morphed into what an independent review this year said was an “indispensable lifeline” for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The trouble is that the reason the independent review was reporting at all was that Israel was alleging Unrwa staff had taken part in the October 7 massacres alongside Hamas. Unwra subsequently fired nine staff members. But Israel’s contention that Unrwa is a “rotten tree entirely infected with terrorist operatives” remains unproved.

Lisa Strömbom of Sweden’s Lund University, who has been following the conflict for many years, has traced the deterioration of relations between Israel and Unrwa over several decades. She now believes that Israel’s ban will make it nigh on impossible for Unrwa to fulfil its mission in Gaza. This can only make things worse for a civilian population in Gaza which is already trying to survive in the most difficult circumstances possible.

Read more:
Israel’s relations with the UN hit a new low with Unrwa ban

The Netanyahu government’s decision to ban Unrwa has been roundly condemned on all sides. Some voices have even called for Israel’s membership of the UN to be suspended. That’s a complicated issue, writes Aidan Hehir, who has published widely on conflict resolution and treaty making.

For a start, it would need to get past the UN security council which means being subject to a veto from any one of the five permanent members (P5). We published an article on this issue some years ago with the help of UN expert Emma McClean, which looked at the issues which had prompted members of the P5 to wield their vetos. It found that Israel-Palestine was hands-down the most common issue that led to a veto – and all those vetoes had been instigated by the US.

UN security council vetoes.
UN security council

Read more:
Hard Evidence: who uses veto in the UN Security Council most often – and for what?

So suspending Israel from the UN would appear to be a non-starter. But Hehir tells the story of the way the UN managed to circumvent the P5 and suspend South Africa in 1974 over apartheid. Having failed to get the suspension past the security council after the UK and France vetoed the move, the credentials committee of the general assembly simply refused to renew South Africa’s credentials. It remained suspended for two decades until the end of apartheid in 1994.

Read more:
Gaza: can the UN suspend Israel over its treatment of Palestinians? It’s complicated, but yes

Meanwhile Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and the death toll continues to mount. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), supported by airstrikes, continue to bombard what the IDF says are Hamas positions in the towns of Beit Lahia and Jabalia but which the Gaza health ministry say are residential buildings sheltering hundreds of civilians. On October 29, the health ministry said at least 93 people, including 25 children, were killed by an Israeli airstrike.

Now, more than ever, it’s vital to be informed about the important issues affecting global stability. Sign up to receive our weekly World Update newsletter. Every Thursday we’ll you expert analysis of the big stories making international headlines.

Much of the population of the north of Gaza has been evacuated south of what is known as the Netzarim corridor. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper claims that it’s part of an operation known as the “generals’ plan”, which calls for the north to be cleared of civilian residents and locked down as a military zone. This is presented as a national security measure, but Leonie Fleischmann reports that there are those who believe the military operation will be followed by an influx of Israeli settlers.

Fleischmann points to a conference held on the Israeli side of the border with north Gaza, attended by members of Netanyahu’s Likud party as well as by several government ministers, which actively promoted the idea of settling north Gaza. Memories and historical legend mingle with ideology that holds Gaza had a Jewish population from biblical times through to 1929, when an Arab revolt killed 133 Jewish people living there and drove the rest out.

The prospect of a land grab is clearly exercising minds at the UK foreign office. UK ambassador to the United Nations, Barbara Woodward said on October 29: “We reiterate that northern Gaza must not be cut off from the south. Palestinian civilians, including those evacuated from northern Gaza must be permitted to return. There must be no forcible transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip.”

Read more:
Israel’s ‘generals’ plan’ to clear Palestinians from north of Gaza could pave the way for settlers to return

All eyes on Washington

It’s highly unlikely that we’ll know by this time next week who has prevailed in the US presidential election. But the Middle East will be one of the first big ticket items on the Resolute desk.

The issue has already proved to be a tricky one for Kamala Harris. Her support base is deeply divided on the issue, with large numbers of Democrats – particularly young people, as well as Muslims and black voters – unsettled by her perceived part in the Biden administration’s “steadfast” support for Israel over the past four years.

It’s hard to tell whether these voters consider that the people of Gaza would fare any better under a Trump White House. But Natasha Lindstaedt and Faten Ghosn believe that Netanyahu’s continuing aggression in Gaza may well play out in the Republican contender’s favour.

Read more:
How the Middle East conflict could influence the US election – and why Arab Americans in swing states might vote for Trump

Meanwhile, to guide us through how the two candidates are likely to approach the big foreign policy issues, we can turn to Garret Martin of the Transatlantic Policy Center at the American University in Washington.

Read more:
On foreign policy, Trump opts for disruption and Harris for engagement − but they share some of the same concerns

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– ref. World Update: how Israel’s relations with the UN hit rock bottom – https://theconversation.com/world-update-how-israels-relations-with-the-un-hit-rock-bottom-242632

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025