NewzIntel.com

Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI USA: Houlahan Bipartisan Bill to Improve STEM Education Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Representative Chrissy Houlahan’s (D-PA) bipartisan bill, the Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act, passed the House of Representatives unanimously. Houlahan led this bill with her Republican colleague, Representative Jim Baird (R-IN). The legislation would support the modernization of math curriculum by providing grants to K-12 schools teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in innovative ways. This funding will help schools update their math curriculum to make it more relevant and applicable to real-world scenarios, a needed investment as these skills become more and more relevant in today’s job market.  

    “Improving STEM education in our Commonwealth and across the country has been a priority for me since joining Congress,” said Houlahan. “I’m thrilled my colleagues agreed and passed my bill unanimously through the House. This legislation will ensure the next generation — our future STEM workforce — are more equipped to tackle 21st-century problems that enable U.S. innovation and leadership.” 

    The Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act would direct the National Science Foundation to use $10 million of its previously authorized funding to provide competitive grants to schools that are focused on innovative mathematic and statistical modeling education, including computational and data-driven thinking. It will also direct the National Academies to conduct a study on the same topic. 

    A companion bill was introduced by Senators Hassan and Blackburn. 

    The legislation is supported by The American Statistical Association (ASA), The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), The Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP), The American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Center for Innovation in Education (CIE) and the Business Software Alliance (BSA). 

    Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward” and the Congressional Management Foundation’s 2022 Democracy Award for best Constituent Services in Congress. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: September 23rd, 2024 Heinrich Applauds House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Accelerate U.S. Microchip Manufacturing Projects

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Bipartisan legislation to expedite microchip plant construction now heads to President’s desk

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) applauded the House of Representatives passage of the Building Chips in America Act, legislation he cosponsored to streamline federal permitting processes for microchip manufacturing projects while maintaining bedrock protections for clean air and clean water. The bill, which had previously passed the Senate twice — first as part of the Senate NDAA and again as a standalone legislation — now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

    The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). Alongside Heinrich, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators is Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).  

    “Two years ago, I was part of the conference committee that finalized what eventually became the CHIPS and Science Act. I fought hard to pass this bill to spark a made-in-America manufacturing renaissance in New Mexico and across the country, and that’s exactly what’s happening,” said Heinrich. “This bill to speed up construction of microchip projects will build on the momentum we’ve created, strengthen our supply chain and national security, and solidify New Mexico as one of the best places in America to manufacture advanced technologies — helping to create hundreds of new, good-paying jobs that New Mexicans can build their families around. I’m pleased that this bill is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.”

    “This is a major step forward for our economy and national security,” said Kelly. “By preventing unnecessary delays in the construction of microchip manufacturing facilities, this bill will help maximize our efforts to bring this industry back to America, creating thousands of good-paying jobs and strengthening our supply chains. I’m grateful to my colleagues in both chambers for their bipartisan work to get this done, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Press NASA for Answers on OSAM-1 Mission

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Sarbanes (3rd District of Maryland)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen John Sarbanes, Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) wrote to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026. The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year. The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, the Maryland Congressional Delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite.

    “As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers began. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions.”

    “On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026.

    “It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues. 

    The Delegation members conclude their letter noting, however, “On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission.” Following this they underscore, “we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process,” and go on to ask for answers to a series of questions surrounding the decision, to be received no later than Monday, September 23. 

    Full text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Cleaver, Lee Introduce Bill to Prepare Workers and Next Generation for Technology Driven Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Workforce of the Future Act, legislation that would identify how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies will change the workforce of the future and provide workers, teachers, and our nation’s students with the resources to develop integral skills required to participate in that workforce. U.S. Senators Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    “With the rapid development of technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, there is boundless opportunity to boost innovation, productivity, and prosperity across the nation,” said Congressman Cleaver. “However, as with all new technologies, we must work to ensure the benefits will be distributed equitably across society. As has been highlighted by our work as co-chairs of CBC TECH2025, too often Black and Brown communities get left out when our leaders fail to make intelligent and proactive investments in growing a workforce that supports all Americans. To maximize the potential of these emerging technologies, the U.S. must ensure that we not only have a workforce capable of leading the world in these industries, but also that workers of every background and in every region share in the spoils. I’m proud to partner with Representative Lee and Senator Butler in introducing the Workforce of the Future Act to strengthen the pipeline of America’s technology workforce and safeguard our status as a global leader in innovation.”

    “With the advent of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, it’s essential that we ensure we don’t widen the digital divide that disproportionately harms people of color,” said Congresswoman Lee. “The Workforce of the Future Act will invest $250 million into preparing our students, teachers, and workers for the advanced technology jobs that will shape our future. This bill is about equity, and ensures that the opportunities of tomorrow are available to all communities, particularly those historically underrepresented in the tech sector.”

    The Workforce of the Future Act would require the Department of Labor (DOL), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Education (ED) to conduct a study on the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on job outlooks across sectors.

    This bill would also authorize $250 million in grant funding for labor organizations and state, local, and tribal entities managing education and workforce development programming to foster the development of emerging and advanced technology education in K-12 schools. It would also train a new generation of emerging and advanced technology teachers and provide workers with up-skilling and lifelong learning opportunities.

    Major concerns have been raised over the impact AI will have on the job market, particularly in the manufacturing, automobile, and entertainment industries. Throughout 2023, writers, musicians, and other entertainment industry workers held strikes in an attempt to prevent AI from supplanting their jobs.

    Concerns have also been raised about AI not impacting all communities equally. Many AI models are trained on biased data, leading to outcomes that disproportionately harm marginalized groups, especially Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. These biases can manifest in hiring practices, criminal justice systems, healthcare, and more.

    “Emerging technologies have the potential to significantly change the reality of work. We must continue to understand those impacts, ensuring that we adequately prepare America’s workers to thrive in the evolving job market,” said Senator Butler. “The purpose of this legislation is to solidify our commitment to today’s – as well as tomorrow’s – workers, preparing them to work in tandem with AI and to be ready for the jobs of the future.”

    “As advancements in AI rapidly increase, so do concerns regarding the potential effects of this technology on our workforce,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation will help protect American workers by identifying the impacts AI has on jobs, and investing in education and workforce development to better prepare our students, educators, and workers for the future.”

    Specifically, funding from the Workforce of the Future Act would be administered by the Labor and Education Departments and distributed as follows:

    1. $80,000,000 for the creation of K-12 educational programming utilizing emerging technology to foster interest in and increase exposure to science, technology, engineering, art, and math;
    2. $80,000,000 for initiatives to increase the development and recruitment of emerging and advanced technology teachers; and
    3. $90,000,000 for workforce development, upskilling, and lifelong learning programs specifically targeted towards workers in industries or occupations that are projected to see worker displacement as a result of AI adoption.

    The Workforce of the Future Act is endorsed by The Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Microsoft, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), the Urban League, and the California Department of Education.

    Official text of the Workforce of the Future Act is available here.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to WHO data on adolescent social media use and gaming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Data published by the World Health Organisation looks at adolescent social media use and gaming.

    Prof Ben Carter, Professor of Medical Statistics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, said:

    “The authors provide a useful snapshot of the evidence and whilst again the study includes cross sectional data- it is large and has collected very pertinent data throughout Europe. 

    “However, they offer an unvalidated tool for problematic social media use. Whilst better than merely ‘screentime’, it isn’t entirely based on the DSM-V criteria for defining a behavioural addiction. Again, this is a useful starting point for measuring potential harm.

    “Their findings suggest approximately 1 in 10 are at risk of problematic use and are consistent with other studies (Carter et al, 2024) which state problematic smartphone usage slightly higher, but when focusing on social media alone offer utility in understanding the problem. 

    “Including Social media and gaming together is not a convincing argument as they are not the only forms of harm adolescents are at risk from- but the findings showing the difference between genders are well established. However, this is a very new and emerging field. 

    “The authors draw distinctions to the long periods of time spent gaming and the risk of harm is at odds with the incredibly helpful quote from the boy highlighting that the time spent isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The boy clearly shows insight highlighting the need to understand the underlying use (e.g. when and what) rather than just the time. This is consistent with the literature 

    “I welcome these finding and thank the authors for the valid contribution to the evidence base.”

    ‘A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming in Europe, central Asia and Canada’ by the World Health Organisation was published at 00:01 UK time on Wednesday 25th September.

    Declared interests

    Prof Ben Carter: No declarations.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Introduces AI Civil Rights Act to Eliminate AI Bias, Enact Guardrails on Use of Algorithms in Decisions Impacting People’s Rights, Civil Liberties, Livelihoods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bill Text (PDF) | Section by section (PDF)
    Washington (September 24, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, introduced his Artificial Intelligence (AI) Civil Rights Act, comprehensive AI civil rights legislation which will put strict guardrails on companies’ use of algorithms for consequential decisions, ensure algorithms are tested before and after deployment, help eliminate and prevent bias, and renew Americans’ faith in the accuracy and fairness of complex algorithms. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) is a cosponsor on the bill.
    “Whether on the Senate floor or around the dining room table, artificial intelligence is the hottest topic of the year. But these complex algorithms have a darker side as well — one that has real consequences for everyday people, especially marginalized communities,” said Senator Markey. “I am introducing the Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act to ensure that the AI Age does not replicate and supercharge the bias and discrimination already prevalent in society today. Make no mistake: we can have an AI revolution in this country while also protecting the civil rights and liberties of everyday Americans, we can support innovation without supercharging bias and discrimination, and we can promote competition while safeguarding people’s rights.
    I am grateful for the support of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and many other advocates who have been essential partners in this fight for fair and equitable AI. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that any AI regulation includes strong and enforceable civil rights protections.”
    “While AI can improve decision-making across various sectors, systemic biases in AI algorithms disproportionately impact marginalized communities,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation would help to protect Americans against biased algorithms and mitigate discrimination perpetuated through AI, helping to secure the civil rights and liberties of all Americans.”
    In particular, the AI Civil Rights Act:
    Regulates algorithms involved in consequential decisions, such as those that impact people’s rights, civil liberties, and livelihoods, including employment, banking, health care, the criminal justice system, public accommodations, and government services;
    Prohibits developers and deployers from offering, licensing, or using covered algorithms that discriminate based on protected characteristics or that cause a disparate impact;
    Requires developers and deployers of covered algorithms to complete independently audited pre-deployment evaluations and post-deployment impact assessments to identify, evaluate, and mitigate any potential biased use or discriminatory outcomes;
    Requires developers and deployers to mitigate any harms identified by the pre-deployment evaluations and impact assessments and ensure that any covered algorithm performs reasonably well and is consistent with its publicly-advertised purpose;
    Increases transparency around the use of covered algorithms in consequential decisions, including providing individuals a right to appeal an algorithmic decision to a human decision-maker; and
    Authorizes the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and private individuals to enforce the Act.
    The AI Civil Rights Act is endorsed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Free Press Action, UnidosUS, NAACP,  American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Public Citizen, Access Now, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJ, Brennan Center for Justice, Fight for the Future, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Common Cause, National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), The Trevor Project, National Council of Negro Women, Encode Justice, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Accountable Tech, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), Color of Change, and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).
    “Algorithmic justice is a civil rights issue. Just as the struggles of the civil rights movement gave rise to groundbreaking civil rights laws, the harms resulting from the unregulated use of AI and other algorithmic tools demand passing new legislation now,” said Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “The AI Civil Rights Act is first-of-its-kind legislation that takes a comprehensive approach to regulating AI across sectors. It prioritizes protecting Black communities and other people of color from discrimination, bias, and rampant AI abuse. The civil rights bill of the future is right here, and we are proud to endorse it.”
    “After a flurry of AI bills being introduced by this Congress — with many omitting any mention of civil rights or safeguards — it’s refreshing to see Senator Markey take a unique and necessary approach. The AI Civil Rights Act is comprehensive, touching on everything from employment to housing and education and setting a standard for other pieces of AI legislation to address real-world harms. Rather than reflect Big Tech talking points and the urge to ‘move fast and break things,’ this bill recognizes that innovation must include all of us,” said Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, vice president of The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology.
    “The AI Civil Rights Act is the bold, innovative policy we need today to ensure a just tomorrow for us all. The premise is simple: the AI tools and systems used at the most critical decision points in our lives – mediating our access to homes, employment, healthcare, and opportunities –should be demonstrated to be accessible and fair before being unleashed on the American public. With this technologically sophisticated bill, anchored in enduring American commitments to freedom, Senator Markey ushers in a new day for civil rights and digital equity,” said Alondra Nelson, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress and former Acting Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
    “It is vitally important that technological development serves the public interest. A key part of this is ensuring that those who develop and deploy technology, including advanced AI systems that impact people’s civil rights and opportunities, are held to a duty of care. The AI Civil Rights Act provides a detailed and practical approach to ensuring that we can continue to benefit from safe innovation in technology,” said Suresh Venkatasubramanian, former White House AI Advisor and co-author of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.
    “AI products are now making their way into the lives of real people at an unfathomable scale – impacting everything from our experience at work to our ability to access benefits. It is crucially important in this moment that we do what we can to protect the vulnerable populations most impacted by these systems. Even in the hyped rush to adopt AI technology, we cannot permit anything to interfere with our hard-earned civil rights,” said Deborah Raji, researcher, UC Berkley.
    “Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering every corner of our lives — from access to education, healthcare and insurance to decisions made by the courts, police, and immigration officials — with far too little public input or recourse when these systems cause real-world bias or harm,” said Craig Aaron, President and Co-CEO of Free Press Action. “The AI Civil Rights Act is a serious step toward addressing these urgent issues and enabling federal regulators to keep up with these evolving technologies. It prohibits the use, sale, or promotion of algorithmic decision-making systems that discriminate or cause disparate impact on the basis of race, sex, religion, or disability. This legislation would require those designing and deploying AI tools to conduct audits for potential harms and publicly share the results. Ensuring new tools and technologies aren’t used to exacerbate discrimination must be a top priority for policymakers. We applaud Senator Markey and the co-sponsors of this legislation for their leadership.”
    “AI systems—which already today impact consumer credit, law enforcement, immigration, housing, and health care decisions—can be unfair in any direction, and in multiple directions at once, because the systems generate predictions based on inferences from complex data sets. Assessing the fairness of the inputs to systems and the outcomes is an essential check—or we risk models that senselessly bind our futures to our often-problematic past. We simply cannot afford to implement systems first and check them later, nor would that approach be consistent with a multicultural democracy that strives to achieve opportunity for all,” said Laura MacCleery, Senior Policy Director, UnidosUS. “By mandating pre- and post-deployment testing, minimum transparency standards, and human alternatives to AI decision-making, this legislation establishes essential steps to help make the uses of AI both accountable and legitimate. We commend Senator Markey for his continued leadership in this ongoing effort to keep emerging technologies fair and responsible—not just in name but in practice. This Act is an excellent foundation for the checks and balances we will need to harness AI’s potential while protecting civil rights and promoting fairness.”
    “The AI Civil Rights Act is a benchmark for AI legislation; it avoids sensationalist claims about AI, while providing real protections from civil rights harms that are happening already. The emerging world of AI is complex, and Sen. Markey has set the bar for legislation ensuring that AI is fair and equitable. We look forward to continuing to refine and champion these protections and working with Congress for passage,” said Cody Venzke, Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU.
    “Artificial intelligence systems are being developed and deployed in opaque and unaccountable ways that are harming individuals and exacerbating biases. Senator Markey’s Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2024 puts critical guardrails in place to ensure automated decision-making is fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory. EPIC is proud to support this legislation,” said Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
    “With the AI industry launching products that will make decisions on key aspects of our lives, such as unemployment insurance, Congress must install guardrails to prevent violations of our rights. The AI Civil Rights Act is necessary legislation that addresses the growing need to protect civil rights in an era where AI systems are increasingly shaping critical decisions in areas such as employment, housing, and access to services. By setting rigorous standards for the development, deployment, and auditing of AI technologies, the Act installs pertinent guardrails so that these powerful models will not perpetuate discrimination or harm marginalized communities. Public Citizen commends Senator Markey for his leadership in advancing this vital piece of legislation,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.
    “Secretive algorithms developed by the private sector can easily fuel discriminatory surveillance, policing, and immigration enforcement,” said Faiza Patel, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The AI Civil Rights Act is a significant step towards ensuring that the private sector undertakes adequate and transparent due diligence to mitigate AI’s most profound risks to civil liberties and rights.”
    “Access Now is proud to support the AI Civil Rights Act, a crucial step in holding algorithmic decision-making accountable at every stage,” said Willmary Escoto, U.S. Policy Counsel, Access Now. “This bill prioritizes human rights by enforcing transparency, accountability, and remedies for those harmed by AI. We commend Senator Markey for championing equity, privacy, and justice, and urge Congress to advance this critical legislation.”
    “When it comes to AI regulation, the AI Civil Rights Act is right to prioritize civil rights protections coupled with requirements to test and provide transparency. We desperately need AI policies that are rooted in human rights, free expression, and addressing the most immediate harms to the most marginalized people. It’s clear that AI is exacerbating problems with discrimination and bias, but those problems are being hidden behind layers of tech hype, trade secrets, and a focused but familiar campaign to tell legislators and everyday people alike that we aren’t smart enough to grapple with the realities of emerging technology. This is a lie that is being weaponized to allow AI’s supercharged harms to run rampant. This bill is an important step toward putting risky and harmful AI projects and their shady sycophants back in their place. Human rights and accountability should come before tech profits,” said Lia Holland, Campaigns and Communications Director, Fight for the Future.
    “AI inherently poses risks for voters, as biased algorithms can perpetuate discrimination and lead to disparate outcomes,” said Ishan Mehta, Director for Media and Democracy, Common Cause. “We commend Senator Markey for his bill to create important and strong safeguards for AI systems, which will promote equity and accessibility.”
    “The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act is our generation’s moonshot for democracy in the digital age. It ensures that as machines learn, America’s values aren’t forgotten. This isn’t just about regulating technology; it’s about safeguarding the very fabric of our society for generations to come. With this Act, we’re not just keeping pace with AI – we’re encoding fairness and equal opportunity into the DNA of our technological future,” said Sunny Gandhi, VP of Political Affairs, Encode Justice.
    “The AI Civil Rights Act must become law to ensure that people are not denied work or career advancement because of biased algorithms ingrained in artificial intelligence systems. Whether it’s a journalist who covers marginalized communities or a first-time screenwriter whose voice is not a common tone, we cannot let employers weaponize AI as cover to discriminate against people based on race, religion, age or other protected characteristics,” said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, President of the Writers Guild of America, East.
    “Organizations developing and deploying AI tools should have to prove to the public that their tools aren’t harmingful before they are allowed to release these tools. We’re glad to see Senator Markey taking these steps to prioritize citizen’s rights over profits for multinational corporations,” said Timnit Gebru, Founder and Executive Director of Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (DAIR).
    While artificial intelligence has already begun to revolutionize certain industries, the federal government must be committed to combating potential side effects of this emerging technology. Senator Markey has called on the federal government to hold Big Tech accountable, investigate AI, and stop algorithmic injustice. On September 17th, 2024, Senator Markey and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Shalanda Young, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, demanding that all federal agencies that use AI for consequential decisions establish or maintain a civil rights office to establish additional safeguards to prevent algorithmic discrimination.
    In December 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems (BIAS) Act to ensure that every federal agency that uses, funds, or oversees artificial intelligence (AI) has an office of civil rights focused on combatting AI bias and discrimination. In October 2023, he and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) applauded the Biden administration for heeding their call to incorporate the White House Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights into its AI Executive Order. In July 2023, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) reintroduced their Algorithmic Justice and Online Platform Transparency Act to ban discriminatory algorithms and improve transparency on social media platforms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beatty Boosts STEM Education Equity & Awareness with STEM Week Bill   

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    Washington, D.C. — Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-3) and Mike Carey (OH-15) introduced the National STEM Week Act. The bill would create an annual week dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education access and interest, especially among communities with limited access to educational resources.

    “Ohio is the heart of American innovation and will soon be home to the most advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities in the world thanks to historic investments from the Biden-Harris administration and Intel. STEM fields power these industries of the future, so it is vital that we help future generations in our community develop the skills they need to make the most of this generational investment,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “Establishing a National STEM Week to promote education in these fields, particularly among underserved communities, gives our kids the chance to actually see what a future in STEM looks like and will ensure that every student – no matter their background or zip code – has the tools needed to become the next generation of American innovators.”

    “As Ohio students begin another school year, it is all the more important to recognize the role that STEM education plays in preparing them for the future,” said Congressman Carey. “Science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning can inspire new curiosity, a lifelong passion or a successful career. Unfortunately, not every student has the same access to this transformative education. A National STEM Week will help emphasize the value of these subjects to students, parents and teachers alike.” 

    “It has long been the philosophy of COSI that science, technology, engineering and math need not be confined to a laboratory or a classroom,” said Dr. Frederic Bertley, President & CEO of COSI, one of the nation’s top ranked science museums and a co-developer of this bill. “They form the fabric of our daily lives, existing everywhere for everybody to experience and learn from.  This belief is what inspired us to co-develop the National STEM Week Act – which will inspire students in Ohio and beyond to appreciate the wonders of STEM that exist all around us. We applaud Representatives Carey and Beatty for their leadership in introducing this bill, and their underlying appreciation for the role of STEM in creating a better America.”  

    Specifically, the bill aims to promote STEM education and careers among all students regardless of their geographic or socio-economic status, support both formal and informal learning tools like field trips and clubs, and encourage families, teachers and industry leaders to participate in students’ STEM education.

    Full text of the National STEM Week Act is available here.

    For inquiries, please contact Cassandra Johnson at Cassandra.Johnson@mail.house.gov.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Berezowski, Lecturer, Forensic Science, Deakin University

    Kyle Towns/Shutterstock

    To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in rubbish bins and suitcases.

    Finding the body is a key part of any murder investigation, as it helps to identify, prosecute and charge the killer. Unfortunately, the task can be immensely difficult.

    To help tackle the problem of locating hidden graves, we have trialled two innovative techniques for searching underground: ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, or ERT. Our results are now published in the journal Remote Sensing.

    Borrowing tools from geology

    The tools we used are known as geophysical methods because they measure the physical properties of materials in the soil under the surface.

    The use of geophysical techniques for peering under Earth’s surface is not new – engineers, geologists and archaeologists have used the tools we tested for decades.

    But geophysical techniques are not typically used for forensic investigations because directly finding a body with these methods is very difficult.

    However, both of the tools we tested can help to locate a grave indirectly – by looking at the differences between the disturbed soil of the grave and the undisturbed soil around it. When the techniques encounter disturbed soil and/or the presence of body fluids, the resulting data will show as an anomaly – something different to the areas surrounding it.

    To figure out whether the identified anomaly is a grave, researchers can then consider the size, shape and depth of the anomaly to make sure it correlates with a human body.

    Tori Berezowski using a ground penetrating radar to survey the ‘hidden’ graves.
    Author provided

    Pigs at the ‘body farm’

    At the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), Australia’s only “body farm” – a facility that uses donated bodies for forensic research – we buried five pigs in various configurations to mimic clandestine graves.

    This included two single graves (a “shallow” grave of just half a metre, and a “deep” grave of almost two metres) and a mass grave with three pigs at one metre deep. We used pigs as they are a good body analogue in terms of size and mass to humans.

    We surveyed the graves with ground-penetrating radar and ERT before and directly after burial, and then one, eight, 14, and 20 months later.

    In forensic research, pig cadavers are a suitable proxy for human bodies, as they have a similar size and mass.
    Author provided

    Our findings revealed that geophysical imaging of hidden graves can work, but with varying results. This depended on the size, depth and age of the burial, and the amount of rainfall before the survey.

    The grave containing the three pig cadavers was the easiest to observe due to its larger size and volume. This indicates geophysical techniques may be particularly useful in humanitarian investigations that involve searching for mass graves.

    A shallow single grave was the next most observable. This is also an encouraging finding because most graves of hidden victims are only around half a metre deep. For both techniques, the two-metre-deep single grave was the most difficult to image.

    Although both tools could detect some graves on some occasions, neither located all of the graves during the entire length of our survey. This was likely due to a combination of factors, including the soil type at the site and unprecedented weather conditions during the research period – La Niña flooded the research site multiple times.

    We did, however, confirm that pig cadaver graves are good proxies to human donor graves when investigating geophysical techniques for finding them.

    To do this, we compared the ground-penetrating radar and the ERT responses of the pig burials to those of human burials (all part of existing research projects at AFTER). We found no obvious differences between the two.

    This is a very important result, because it means we can further test these tools in Australia and worldwide without being constrained by highly limited access to human donors.



    Read more:
    Secrets wrapped in fabric: how our study of 100 decomposing piglet bodies will help solve criminal cases

    More work needed

    Similar studies have been done in the United Kingdom, the United States and South America. However, ours is the first systematic, multi-technique, geophysical survey of covert graves in an Australian environment. The only other similar Australian study was in 2004, however, it only used ground-penetrating radar and didn’t check back on the graves at multiple time points.

    Our results clearly demonstrate that geophysical methods can be effective for locating unmarked graves under some circumstances, but don’t always work. To try and work out why, we will continue our research using the latest geophysical instruments and monitoring the moisture conditions inside the graves.

    Ultimately, we believe using these tools can increase the chances of locating missing and murdered victims. Then, we can finally provide answers to their families and loved ones, and increase the chances of prosecuting their killers.

    The team would like to thank Justin Ellis, Gabriel C Rau, Dilan Seckiner, and Isabella Crebert for their contributions to this research. Additionally, we would like to thank AFTER for the space to conduct the research and to Soren Blau and Jon Sterenberg for allowing us to scan your graves.

    Victoria Berezowski receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. This work was also funded by a Vice Chancellor Higher Degree by Research PhD Training Scholarship from the University of Newcastle.

    Ian Moffat receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Flinders University.

    Xanthe Mallett has received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try – https://theconversation.com/can-we-find-hidden-graves-of-murder-victims-with-soil-imaging-new-australian-study-gives-it-a-try-224274

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fostering a love of stories in a child’s first years is key to lifelong reading

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elaine Reese, Professor of Psychology, University of Otago

    Children’s literacy rates are falling around the globe. In response, a number of governments, including New Zealand’s, are overhauling the way reading is taught in primary school.

    One key change is a renewed focus on phonics (mapping sounds to letters).

    But an overemphasis on phonics could dampen children’s motivation to read for enjoyment and understanding.

    In my new book, I show how important it is to foster a love of books and stories in young children if they are to become lifelong readers.

    The science of reading

    Reading isn’t natural for humans. Instead, it is a recent skill in our evolutionary history.

    Today, children’s lifelong academic and occupational success depends on becoming literate.

    Learning to read in English is devilishly difficult. Many words that sound the same are spelled differently (team and teem, for example) and the same group of letters can be pronounced differently (dough versus through).

    Most reading scientists and teachers agree direct instruction in letter-sound relationships (phonics) is necessary for children to become readers. Skilled reading also involves comprehending the meaning of words.

    But because reading is difficult and requires practice, children must also want to put in the time and effort needed to become a fluent reader.

    This motivation to read begins much earlier than the first day of school.

    Reading instruction needs to connect with the ingrained human love of oral stories if it is to turn into a love of reading.

    Growing a love of books

    Children’s love of the sounds, melodies and emotions in stories is innate and has existed throughout human history. Hunter-gatherer tribes with a higher per capita rate of storytellers were more likely to thrive.

    In my book, I drew on findings from Growing Up in New Zealand, Aotearoa’s largest longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing. I also included the latest data from Origins of Language and Memory of New Zealand children – the longest-running study in the world of children’s story development.

    My findings highlight the critical role that families play in turning a love of oral stories into a love of books.

    Although a love of stories starts in the womb, most parents wait until their babies are born to start reading books to them.

    To successfully share a picture book with a baby, the adult needs to follow the infant’s gaze and react to what is on the page, then wait to let the baby take a turn – whether through a coo, a look or a smack of the book.

    At this tender age, the goal is to establish a book-sharing routine and enjoy back-and-forth “stories” rather than to get through a whole book.

    In the toddler years, stories begin to flow more fluidly. Toddlers who have experienced stories from books and conversations will initiate stories readily with an adult, either by talking about a recent event or by bringing their favourite book to read together.

    If these conversations are responsive, both types of stories strengthen children’s language, literacy, and social and emotional development.

    In the preschool years, children with consistent book-sharing and reminiscing routines will acquire advanced skills including abstract vocabulary, print concepts, awareness of the sounds of words and understanding of characters’ emotions and actions. They are also able to link stories from books to their own lives.

    All these skills are critical for their later reading success.

    Time to read

    Even children with this solid foundation may find it challenging to learn to read in the first year of school.

    The goal is to help them “crack the code” (mapping sounds to letters) as quickly as possible. Only then will a child be able to integrate their knowledge and love of stories with the sounds of words on a page.

    For this leap to happen, a child must want to read on their own. Children with a rich story bank will be able to push past the difficulty of decoding to reading for understanding and enjoyment.

    Phonics is a necessary step in the lifelong timescale of literacy development. Yet, according to reading expert Sebastian Suggate, early reading instruction with a child who doesn’t love stories or books is like sowing seeds on parched earth.

    For children to become successful readers, we need to enrich the soil by instilling a love of stories and books in the first five years of life and beyond — long after the phonics work is finished.

    Elaine Reese has received funding from the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

    – ref. Fostering a love of stories in a child’s first years is key to lifelong reading – https://theconversation.com/fostering-a-love-of-stories-in-a-childs-first-years-is-key-to-lifelong-reading-239495

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS promotes Hong Kong’s dual advantages in financial services and innovation and technology in Madrid, Spain (with photos/videos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, continued his visit to Madrid, Spain, yesterday (September 24, Madrid time).

         During a business luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Mr Chan delivered a keynote speech to about 150 leaders from the business, financial and innovation and technology sectors from Spain, and engaged in discussions with participants. He pointed out that Hong Kong has restored its global connections after the pandemic and with the singular advantages under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, is further solidifying its role as a super connector. He said Hong Kong welcomes Spanish enterprises to use Hong Kong as a springboard to tap into the vast markets of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Mainland, and broader Asia.

         Mr Chan further noted that Hong Kong offers a full spectrum of fund-raising and financial services. Combined with the mutual access schemes with the capital markets of the Mainland, Hong Kong provides the channel where Spanish companies can conveniently attract funds from both the Mainland and international markets. Additionally, Hong Kong is a leader in green finance in Asia, and its green standards are compatible with those of the European Union, green projects from Europe can fully leverage Hong Kong as a fund-raising platform. At the same time, Hong Kong is making great strides to become an international innovation and technology centre, with a burgeoning innovation and technology ecosystem that can collaborate with Spain’s tech ecosystem across key sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, new energy and new materials.

         In conclusion, Mr Chan expressed hope for strengthening co-operation with Spain in finance, innovation and technology, culture, and creative industries to deepen co-operation and achieve mutually rewarding success.

         During the discussion session of the luncheon, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, Mr Albert Wong, and the Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport, Mr Eric Chan, shared insights on Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development and advantages, the ecosystems of the two institutions, and the multi-faceted support offered to start-ups.

         In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with the Secretary of State for Trade of Spain, Ms Amparo López Senovilla and briefed her on Hong Kong’s latest economic development. They engaged in in-depth exchanges on further promoting economic and trade co-operation and mutual investments between the two economies. HKTDC Chairman, Dr Peter Lam, and its Executive Director, Ms Margaret Fong, also participated in the meeting.

         In the morning, Mr Chan led a delegation of tech start-ups to visit start-up accelerator IMPACT and Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica respectively. IMPACT, co-founded by the renowned digital business school ISDI, is one of Europe’s leading start-up accelerators, helping start-ups in and out of Europe build networks, and providing financial support, mentoring and training. The start-up representatives of the delegation interacted with IMPACT leaders, sharing their entrepreneurial ideas and business developments. The delegation then visited Telefónica to learn about the company’s operations and its development strategies in 5G telecommunications, the Internet of Things, Web3.0 and etc.; as well as its experience in incubating and investing in innovation and technology firms. 

         Mr Chan will continue his visit in Madrid today (September 25, Madrid time) and will travel to London in the afternoon.                           

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How do women with disability and LGBTQIA+ people experience menopause?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate O’Reilly, Director International (Programs & Engagement) | Lecturer School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University

    pikselstock/Shutterstock

    After hearing about the experiences of the diverse spectrum of people across Australia, the Senate inquiry into issues relating to menopause and perimenopause has released its final report with 25 recommendations.

    The first recommendation is to establish a comprehensive evidence base to better understand the experiences of under-served groups, including LGBTQIA+ people and women with disability.

    Gaps in knowledge of menopause can be significant barriers to diagnosis and treatment. More than 85% of people with distressing menopause symptoms do not receive appropriate care. These barriers can be compounded for people, women and those presumed female at birth who have a disability and/or are LGBTQIA+.

    Here’s what we know so far about how people from diverse groups experience menopause and the health-care gaps they face.

    Remind me, what is menopause?

    Generally menopause is experienced across three phases.

    Perimenopause (meaning around menopause) starts when hormones, particularly oestrogen, fluctuate.

    Menopause occurs when a person has their final menstrual period. These stop because the person’s ovaries no longer release eggs. This definition reflects the different ways menopause can occur (natural menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency, surgery or cancer treatment).

    Post-menopause is the stage after menopause marking the end of the reproductive stage.

    We experience it differently

    Everyone’s experience of menopause is different. People living with disability can experience unique symptoms and challenges.

    Autistic people, for example, may describe the experience of menopause as turbulent or catastrophic. Symptoms for this group include intensified sensory stimuli and increased difficulty with:

    • executive functioning (planning, concentrating and multitasking)
    • recognising or regulating emotions and internal body cues
    • communication
    • socialising.

    As one research participant explained:

    [O]ur society doesn’t talk about, address, understand women our age (menopausal onset) in general very well. And so when you have the added dimension of autism […] there’s no resource […] to tell me how to handle that. And there’s no room in society for it either […] we don’t talk about menopause, let alone autistic menopause.

    LGBTQIA+ experiences of menopause and ageing are diverse and are often absent in media, health care and research.

    For some trans and gender diverse people, menopause can be positive and affirming. For others, the distress can be profound. As one research participant explained:

    Personally I was fine (gender-identity-wise) with experiencing periods and pregnancy/childbirth, but I have found menopause much more conceptually difficult. I think in large part because the social narrative is so much about ‘menopausal women’ and also often denigratory or shame-laden.

    Barriers to menopause diagnosis and care

    LGBTQIA+ people and people with a disability can face assumptions about their gender, sexuality or anatomy which interfere with the care they require.

    When people have had prior negative experiences of health care, and have experienced stigmatisation and pathologising of their disability, intersex variations, diverse gender or their sexuality, they may delay accessing care for menopause. Such a delay can result in poorer physical and mental health outcomes.

    People with disability can experience earlier menopause with more profound symptoms. And as Women with Disabilities Australia highlighted, when there are pre-existing health concerns, impairments, or other support needs, as is the case with disability, menopause symptom management can be particularly complex.

    Women living with a disability in Australia are far less likely to access health care due to stigma and lack of specialist care. They are not always screened for or routinely asked about their reproductive or menopausal health experiences.

    Lack of clinician education and provider bias can result in a tendency to either ignore menopausal symptoms or attribute them to mental health concerns. This can lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment or a complete denial of care for cisgender women and people who live with disability, and LGBTQIA+ folk.

    The absence of inclusive, accurate language in health promotion information that does not recognise the diversity of experiences of menopause for people who identify as LGBTQIA+ or live with disability can make them more vulnerable to misinformation and contribute to increased health-care disparities.

    What can we do about it?

    Policy responses to reducing health-care disparities must be led by those with lived experience, and focus on:

    Inclusive and accurate language

    Language around menopause should reflect the diverse populations who experience it. Terms such as women and those presumed female at birth can be used to acknowledge trans and gender diverse folk, however all identities should be listed where possible.

    Education

    Undergraduate and postgraduate university and clinical education on menopause and perimenopause is lacking and should include the lived experience of menopause among diverse groups. This may reduce provider bias and prevent assumptions that could result in missed care and poor health outcomes.

    At the individual level, content on menopause should be included in sexual health education programs in schools. This education should reflect the diverse experiences of menopause and use age-appropriate language.

    Affirming and specific care

    Welcoming clinical environments for LGBTQIA+ people who may have had prior negative experiences can ease past concerns. Peer-led credentialed online support networks can provide alternative and complementary safe spaces to seek care.

    For people living with disability specific information for support workers and family carers can help facilitate ongoing affirming care.

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

    – ref. How do women with disability and LGBTQIA+ people experience menopause? – https://theconversation.com/how-do-women-with-disability-and-lgbtqia-people-experience-menopause-239485

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Private firms hiking R&D spending

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s top private enterprises are ramping up their research and development expenditures, reflecting a shift toward innovation to become more competitive on the global stage, said government officials and industry experts.

    According to a report released by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce on Monday, total 2023 R&D expenditures for the top 1,000 private firms reached 1.39 trillion yuan ($197.5 billion), up 4.78 percent year-on-year. They accounted for 41.88 percent of the nation’s overall R&D spending.

    The manufacturing sector emerged as a major contributor, with total R&D expenditures surpassing 1 trillion yuan last year. The highest R&D investments were observed in the computer and electronics sector, which invested 318.47 billion yuan with an impressive average R&D intensity of 8.34 percent.

    It was closely followed by the internet and related services sector at 245.07 billion yuan and the automotive industry at 142.56 billion yuan.

    Top leadership officials emphasized earlier this year the need to deeply integrate technological innovation with industrial innovation to develop new quality productive forces, highlighting the importance of reinforcing the role of enterprises as key innovators.

    Gao Yunlong, chairman of ACFIC, said: “Private enterprises are expected to lead technological innovation, drive revolutionary breakthroughs and increase R&D investments. They can also strengthen the deep integration of industry, academia and research institutions, and play a greater role in strengthening and supplementing key industrial chains, as well as in the transformation of technological achievements and self-reliance.”

    Notably, China’s R&D efforts are increasingly narrowing the gap with other leading economies. Some 217 of the global top 1,000 R&D-invested firms are from China, with total R&D investments amounting to 1.27 trillion yuan.

    The year-on-year growth rate of R&D expenditures for these top 1,000 private enterprises last year was 12.78 percent, surpassing the growth of 6.54 percent for the global top 1,000 and 7.68 percent for the European Union. The average R&D intensity for the top 1,000 private enterprises was 3.58 percent, 0.31 percentage points higher than that of the top 1,000 firms in the EU.

    Xu Qin, Party secretary of Heilongjiang province, said that the province will implement more supportive policies for the development of the private economy to invigorate its growth.

    “Efforts will also be made to create a top-tier business environment, ensuring comprehensive support for enterprises, enhancing gains for entrepreneurs and contributing to the overall revitalization of Northeast China,” Xu said.

    China will scale up R&D expenditures by more than 7 percent annually during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. Consultancy McKinsey & Co said in a report that such a growth target will make China the world’s largest R&D spender.

    Wang Peng, a senior researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said that amid a global economic slowdown, encouraging the private economy to increase R&D efforts is important.

    “The Chinese economy will continue gathering momentum if the private sector, including smaller businesses, remains sound, given that many SMEs are being increasingly recognized for their role as leaders in new concepts and new business models,” Wang said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2024 World Computing Conference opens in Changsha

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

    2024 World Computing Conference opens in Changsha

    Updated: September 25, 2024 09:24 Xinhua
    This photo taken on Sept. 24, 2024 shows the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province. Under the theme of  “Calculating the World to Create a New Era — Calculating the New Quality Productive Forces,” the conference opened Tuesday in Changsha. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People watch a robot dog demonstration at an exhibition during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Pan Yunhe, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor of Zhejiang University, addresses the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors look at a robot on display at an exhibition during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit an exhibition during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A woman experiences AI technology during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit an exhibition during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A man experiences AI technology during the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Wang Huaimin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Science and a professor of the National University of Defense Technology, addresses the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Computing Conference in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 10 new films set for release during China’s National Day holiday

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Ten new films have been slated for release during China’s seven-day National Day holiday starting on Oct. 1, according to the film data platform Maoyan.

    Among the most anticipated titles are “High Forces,” a crime action film featuring Andy Lau, “Bureau 749,” an adventure science fiction film directed by Lu Chuan, “The Volunteers: To the War 2,” a war movie sequel by Chen Kaige, and “Tiger Wolf Rabbit,” a crime drama starring Xiao Yang.

    The National Day holiday, traditionally one of China’s most lucrative moviegoing periods, has been a fiercely competitive “golden period” for major films.

    According to Lai Li, a market analyst at Maoyan, the films for this year’s National Day holiday cover a wide range of genres, including action, crime, disaster, war, science fiction, comedy, animation, musical, and drama.

    There is an increase in the number of live-action comedies, while the number of animated films has decreased.

    With the absence of any particularly large-scale blockbuster film thus far, it remains to be seen whether these movies can meet viewer expectations, Lai said, noting that the market will serve as the ultimate test for their success.

    According to data from the China Film Administration, the box office revenue in China for the week of Sept. 16 to 22 reached 502 million yuan (about 71.2 million U.S. dollars).

    During the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which lasted from Sept. 15 to 17, a total of 21 films graced the screens of Chinese cinemas. However, only one film, “Stand By Me,” a drama inspired by a true story of socially disadvantaged children, surpassed the 100-million-yuan mark in revenue.

    China’s total box office revenue for 2024 has reached 34.48 billion yuan, representing a 22 percent decrease compared to the previous year. Currently, China is the second-largest film market globally, with North America holding the top spot with approximately 6 billion U.S. dollars in box office revenue.

    Nevertheless, North America’s annual box office performance has also declined. Despite being impacted by the Hollywood strike in 2023, which led to the suspension of film releases and promotions, North American box office revenue in 2024 has still seen a decline of 12 percent year on year.

    Historical data indicates that the National Day holiday period accounts for over 5 percent of China’s annual box office revenue. Since 2015, some films that released during this holiday have grossed over 1 billion yuan in box office revenue.

    “The Battle at Lake Changjin” claimed the top spot on China’s all-time box office chart in 2021, grossing a record-breaking 5.775 billion yuan. Films released during the National Day holidays in 2017, 2019, and 2020, such as “Never Say Die,” “My People, My Country,” and “My People, My Homeland,” have all earned over 2 billion yuan in box office revenue.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: E China’s Shandong supports Xinjiang through ‘pairing assistance’ programs

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

    E China’s Shandong supports Xinjiang through ‘pairing assistance’ programs

    Updated: September 25, 2024 09:41 Xinhua
    A worker works at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. In recent years, Shandong province has fully leveraged its industrial advantages in its “pairing assistance” programs on supporting Xinjiang, with the priority of promoting employment through development and actively cultivating distinctive and high-quality industries. In Kashgar region, efforts have been made to support the development of specialty agricultural industries. With the support of research institutes such as Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, more than 20 agricultural task forces have been established in Kashgar to conduct research projects, provide technical guidance and services. Over 110 agricultural technologies related to planting, breeding, and cultivation management have been promoted, contributing to the continuous expansion, optimization, and strengthening of the local agricultural industry. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A worker shows roses planted at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A worker smells roses planted at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A worker shows newly harvested gingers at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A worker works at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A worker picks a watermelon at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 21, 2024 shows the greenhouses of a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sinema to Arizona Chamber: As We Look to the Future, Arizona Needs Strong Leaders Who Can Do the Hard Work & Get Things Done 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)

    The senator highlighted her ongoing work expanding opportunities to build a bright, prosperous, and thriving future for Arizona businesses and families.

    WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke to the Arizona Chamber of Commerce as part of the Chamber’s semi-annual fly-in to Washington, D.C. about her work to deliver real, lasting solutions strengthening economic opportunities for the state.

    “My values are Arizona’s values, and I’ll continue working with anyone to get things done – no matter the challenge or the politics of the day – to build a bright, prosperous, and thriving future for our great state,” said Sinema. 

    In her speech, Sinema discussed her continued work bringing her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fund Arizona priorities and ensure this year’s NDAA includes strong investments for Arizona’s military installations and aerospace defense community.

    Through the senator’s leadership on multiple key bipartisan accomplishments – like her landmark bipartisan infrastructure law, and the CHIPS and Science law – Sinema secured and delivered historic investments fueling a healthy, resilient Arizona economy for families and businesses alike. 

    Earlier this year, at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Update from Capitol Hill, Sinema called on business leaders to put Arizona first. She encouraged the business community to be active participants in the legislative process, speak out and act against extreme policies and rhetoric, and follow her example of delivering durable results for Arizona.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why is the Reserve Bank independent from government, and why does it matter?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

    Negotiations over reforms to the Reserve Bank of Australia this week took an unprecedented turn when the Greens demanded the government use its reserve powers to immediately cut interest rates.

    Labor had initially hoped to pass the reforms with the support of the Coalition. However, after a year of negotiations, they decided against it. Labor’s attempts to salvage the reforms by negotiating with the Greens now seem doomed to failure.

    The Greens’ proposal that the government immediately cut interest rates might sound attractive, especially to the millions of mortgage holders struggling to service loans amid a cost-of-living crisis.

    Yet government taking direct control of setting interest rates would run contrary to both long-standing historical trends and international financial norms, including the independence of the central bank.

    Where did this independence come from?

    The idea of central bank independence has a long history.

    The classical political economist David Riccardo warned as early as 1824 that:

    government could not be safely entrusted with the power of issuing paper money; that it would most certainly abuse it.

    Even the authoritarian French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte claimed in creating the Banque de France that:

    I want the bank to be more in the hands of the government but not too much.

    However, for most of the 20th century, the commonsense view was that monetary policy was an important tool for government management of the economy. According to the Keynesian worldview of the time, it would be absurd for governments to give up such an important economic lever as control over interest rates.

    Even Napoleon Bonaparte thought some degree of separation between the central bank and the government was a good idea.
    Shutterstock

    The prevailing wisdom began to change following the stagflation crisis of the 1970s. Stagflation is the term for high inflation at the same time as high unemployment.

    Neoclassical economists such as Milton Friedman argued that only repeated and long-term increases to interest rates could end the stagflation crisis.

    However, Friedman suggested governments could not be trusted to maintain high interest rates because they would also cause unemployment. Accordingly, an independent central bank was needed. It would be insulated from partisan political control and could do what was necessary to stabilise the economy.

    What about in Australia?

    In Australia, central bank independence emerged slowly and informally.

    The Reserve Bank of Australia was separated from the Commonwealth Bank and started independent operations in 1960. It set up its headquarters in Sydney to increase its autonomy from politicians in Canberra.

    The RBA gained de facto independence from the government following financial deregulation under the Hawke government in the early 1980s. Subsequent declarations from federal treasurers Peter Costello and Wayne Swan affirmed the government’s recognition of RBA independence.

    The government still maintains the power to overrule the RBA on interest rates, but this “emergency power” has never been exercised.

    Why independence matters

    Though central bank independence is generally associated with lower inflation, the historical performance of independent central banks is not without blemish.

    For example, unemployment rates in Australia were historically lower prior to RBA independence. This reflects the willingness of the RBA to use higher unemployment as an inflation-busting mechanism.

    Independent central banks were also partly responsible for the outbreak of the global financial crisis in 2007. Many commentators have suggested the then US Federal Reserve Governor Alan Greenspan’s decision to hold interest rates at artificial lows was responsible for the US sub-prime housing bubble. That eventually unravelled into a global recession.

    However, the Greens’ attempt to use an interest rate cut as a negotiating chip ironically reinforces the importance of central bank independence. Were governments to take direct control of setting interest rates, we might expect monetary policy to be influenced by short-term electoral concerns, rather than the long-term health of the economy.

    Creating a precedent that interest rates could be cut to suit the government of the day would also have long-term inflationary effects.

    Further, it would likely continue to drive up house prices. This would exacerbate the housing crisis.

    In contrast, the initial reforms proposed by Labor look to strike a balance. They recognise the competing political interests involved in the development of monetary policy while avoiding partisan interference in the day-to-day running of the RBA.

    Though the Coalition has raised concerns about Labor using the reforms to stack the RBA board, both the governor and board are already appointed by the government of the day, acting on the advice of the RBA.

    Finding a workable compromise that improves the bank while preserving political independence should be possible.

    If the alternative is the complete abrogation of central bank independence, the Coalition would do well to return to the negotiating table.

    Henry Maher 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 is the Reserve Bank independent from government, and why does it matter? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-reserve-bank-independent-from-government-and-why-does-it-matter-239717

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: BREAKING: Cortez Masto’s Bill to Reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act Passed Into Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    The reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act heads to President Biden’s desk for signature before the act was set to expire on October 1, 2024

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bill to extend the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for 10 years passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. Cortez Masto’s legislation is cosponsored by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) in the Senate. The Senate passed this bill in July, and it now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

    “I was thrilled to pass the reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act through the Senate this summer, and today’s vote means this critical legislation is officially on its way to becoming law,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud of our bipartisan work to deliver funding for vital programs that keep the lake clean, support local jobs, and support our tourism economy. It is an honor to help lead Team Tahoe and fight for the resources the basin needs to thrive.”

    “Lake Tahoe is a treasure, and we must do everything we can to protect it for future generations,” said Senator Padilla. “As the threats from climate change continue to escalate, I’m thrilled to see the House join the Senate to provide critical funding to preserve Lake Tahoe and protect it against pollution, invasive species, and wildfires.”

    “For the last two decades, lawmakers from both parties have come together and worked in a bipartisan way to protect Lake Tahoe and the surrounding communities,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to continue this legacy by working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to pass the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act and reauthorize this much-needed funding to help preserve one of Nevada’s most unique natural wonders for generations to come.”

    “By reauthorizing the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, we protect the iconic landscapes that make California beautiful and support local jobs that rely on a healthy Lake Tahoe,” said Senator Butler. “Although we have made significant progress in keeping Tahoe blue, we must remain steadfast to protect it from climate change, wildfires, and pollution.”

    “The Lake Tahoe Region is grateful to Congress for their leadership in passing this critical piece of legislation to continue the collaborative work to protect and restore Lake Tahoe,” said Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Executive Director Julie Regan. “Extending the federal investment in the EIP will leverage millions of dollars in state and local funding to implement the top priority projects for the lake and our communities.”

    The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act is bicameral, and is cosponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-03), Dina Titus (D-Nev.- 01), Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04), John Duarte (R-Calif.-13) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.-06). It will allow critical funding to support environmental protection and habitat restoration programs across the basin for the next ten years. This law has delivered millions in federal dollars to Lake Tahoe since the original law passed in 2000.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion for Lake Tahoe, leading efforts in the Senate to conserve the region and protect the Lake. She recently secured $24 million to extend the popular East Shore Trail around Lake Tahoe, and almost $8 million to help the Tahoe Transportation District purchase new electric hybrid busses and improve transit safety. She secured nearly $17 million in funding for the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in addition to critical resources to address microplastic pollution in the Lake and to improve transportation options to and from Reno. She has led calls for a comprehensive, collaborative, and science-based approach to protect Lake Tahoe from the threat of climate change. Cortez Masto helped pass the Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law to repair and maintain public lands nationwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: An exhibition dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the university opened at NSU

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The exhibition is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the first classes at Novosibirsk State University. The grand opening of the university took place on September 26, 1959, and on September 28, the first lecture to students was given by Academician Sergei Lvovich Sobolev. That year, 330 students were admitted to the first year: 220 people for the daytime department and 110 people for the evening department. At the same time, students were admitted to the second year.

    — The staff of the NSU History Museum selected photographs from their collections and the archive of the NSU press service, trying to highlight the brightest aspects of each decade of our university. We presented the history of the university, emphasizing the contribution to the development of NSU of all the university leaders over 65 years, — the Keeper said about the idea of the exhibition Museum of the History of NSU, Candidate of Historical Sciences Victoria Vybornova.

    Despite the fact that the period of the first rector Ilya Nestorovich Vekua was short – from 1959 to 1964, he set the trajectory of the university’s development, laid down the basic principles. It was the time of “first discoveries” – the first teachers, students, lectures, the first building of NSU.

    The next period, which is presented at the exhibition, is the “time of Spartak” – Spartak Timofeevich Belyaev, from 1965 to 1978. The period of his rectorship is called “golden” – at this time many creative youth initiatives were supported – student scientific conferences, carnivals, the traditional Interweek, ending with the celebration of Mayovka in front of the main building of NSU, began their journey.

    Next is the stand of Valentin Afanasyevich Koptyug, who for some time even combined his work at the university with the post of chairman of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences, after him – Anatoly Panteleevich Derevyanko, rector-archaeologist. Then the post of rector was taken over by Vladimir Yeliferyevich Nakoryakov, he gave a new impetus to the established directions of development of NSU, setting the task of combining fundamental training with the acquisition of applied research skills in teaching. From 1986 to 1993, the rector was Yuri Leonidovich Ershov, who previously headed Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU and at that time was a symbol of young Siberian science. According to the NSU Museum Curator Victoria Vybornova, the 1980s were a significant period in the development of the university – it was a time of stability and progressive development, a time when the university reached maturity.

    The 1990s and 2000s were difficult times for the university, as the collapse of the USSR dealt a strong blow to science, and since NSU is closely associated with the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the question of how the university should move forward arose. The period of some “stagnation” can be seen in the photographs – the furniture was not updated, a number of creative events came to naught. Nevertheless, the university successfully coped with all the difficulties, developing new mechanisms for cooperation with science and business. NSU was really able to unite all the advanced areas, but at the same time preserve its identity. During these years, Vladimir Nikolaevich Vragov and Nikolai Sergeevich Dikansky were rectors.

    In July 2007, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sobyanin replaced Dikansky as rector. In one of his interviews, he said, “The times of scientific euphoria of the 60s – the era of physicists and lyricists – may not be in full, but they must return. The country has no other way…”

    The final stand “Time of Achievements” symbolizes the time of the current rector Mikhail Petrovich Fedoruk – a period of major construction of both the educational buildings of NSU and the NSU SUNC, as well as dormitories, as well as the time of development of new educational programs and scientific and technological areas, innovation centers.

    The exhibition will be held at NSU until the end of October. During this period, anyone will be able to get to know the archival photographs and interesting facts from the history of the university.

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/an-exhibition-dedicated-to-the-65th-anniversary-of-the-university-opened at NSU/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: At 2.7%, Australian inflation is back within the RBA zone. Here’s why that matters

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra

    Jeremy Ng/Shutterstock

    A closely watched measure of Australian inflation dived in the month of August, plunging from 3.5% in July to just 2.7%.

    The dip below 3% puts the monthly measure of annual inflation back within the Reserve Bank’s target band of 2-3% for the first time since August 2021.

    The longer-running quarterly measure of annual inflation is also likely to be back within the 2-3% band when the September-quarter figure is released next month.

    The dramatically lower inflation rate puts Australia in the same league as the United States, whose inflation rate is 2.5%, and the United Kingdom, whose inflation rate is 2.2%.

    The US and the UK have inflation targets of 2%, meaning their inflation rates are still somewhat above target. Australia’s monthly measure of inflation is on target, close to the middle of the band.

    Electricity prices down 17.9%

    Inflation has been trending down since late 2022, as shown on the graphs, but the sharp drops in the past two months are largely due to electricity rebates offered by the federal and state governments.

    The rebates will be applied automatically to electricity bills in this and each of the next three quarters. A staged rollout means they hit bills in only Queensland and Western Australia in July and hit other states in August.

    The Bureau of Statistics says these rebates took 6.4% off the average national power price in July and a further 14.6% off in August.

    Household electricity prices were down 17.9% over the year to August. The Bureau of Statistics describes this as the largest annual fall on record.

    Also helping bring down inflation were lower petrol prices and cheaper public transport, aided by Brisbane’s pre-election six-month trial of 50 cent fares.

    The jump in the monthly measure to 4% in May, which had excited some commentators, now looks like a misleading blip.

    A takeaway is to be cautious in interpreting the less-comprehensive monthly indicator, as is the Reserve Bank, which puts it in small print at the top of its website under the quarterly index, which it headlines in big print.

    For what it’s worth, I am expecting the quarterly index to show annual inflation of 2.8% in the year to September, down from 3.8% for the June quarter.

    Governor Bullock isn’t impressed

    Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock says that at the moment she is paying more attention to the “underlying” rate of inflation, which looks through temporary measures such as subsidies.

    But the Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of underlying inflation, the so-called trimmed mean, also fell in August, to 3.4%, down from 3.8% in July.

    Australia’s weak economy – right now it’s the weakest outside of a recession – means the underlying measure of inflation is likely to continue to fall, unless the tax cuts that started in July have a big effect.

    Why do we target 2-3% anyway?

    Reserve Bank set its target of 2-3% inflation in the early 1990s without a lot of science. It was about where inflation was, close to the targets adopted by other countries, and was a range rather than a specific number in order to give the authorities some flexibility.

    But it happens to be a sensible target, as last year’s independent review of the Reserve Bank confirmed.

    The bank wants to target an inflation rate low enough to not be noticed much and to not much distort decisions.

    Evidence from Google searches suggests that when inflation is around the 2-3% range, people don’t much notice it, but when it climbs up to 4% or 5%, they notice it a lot and search for the word a lot.

    Although zero is (literally) a round number, zero inflation would be too low a target. It would mean deflation (prices falling) as often as not to balance out the prices that were climbing. Deflation is associated with recessions and poor economic performance.

    An inflation rate of 2-3% also allows some real wages to fall (because they can increase by less than the inflation rate), which can be useful in encouraging workers out of declining industries into ones that are expanding.

    In particularly bad times, the Reserve Bank might want to push interest rates down below the inflation rate. This is hard to do if the inflation rate is zero.

    In theory, there is a case for increasing Australia’s inflation target to about where inflation is at the moment, but if that happened, Australia’s inflation target and future inflation targets would have less credibility.

    And in any event, we are moving quickly back towards the target, and on Wednesday’s measure have already hit it.



    Read more:
    No RBA rate cut yet, but Governor Bullock is about to find the pressure overwhelming

    John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist and forecaster in the Reserve Bank and the Australian Treasury.

    – ref. At 2.7%, Australian inflation is back within the RBA zone. Here’s why that matters – https://theconversation.com/at-2-7-australian-inflation-is-back-within-the-rba-zone-heres-why-that-matters-237650

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Construction of core array of China’s FAST telescope begins

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The construction of the Core Array of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) started Wednesday, highlighting China’s growing potential in global radio astronomy research.
    As a proposed extension of FAST, the Core Array integrates 24 secondary 40-meter antennas implanted within 5 kilometers of the FAST site, said Jiang Peng, deputy director of the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    The Chinese-designed array will combine the unprecedented sensitivity of FAST with a high angular resolution, thereby exceeding the capabilities at similar frequencies of next-generation arrays in the world.
    The FAST Core Array is estimated to be completed and put into operation in 2027. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Lomonosov Cluster Plays Leading Role in Import Substitution Development

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The need for import substitution has become one of the drivers for the development of Moscow production. Work in this direction was discussed by in his blog Sergei Sobyanin.

    “Our comprehensive business support system is designed to provide all necessary assistance to new developments and production of domestic products. The leading role in this matter is given to

    cluster “Lomonosov”, the operator of which is Moscow Innovation Cluster“, the Mayor of Moscow wrote.

    The new building of the scientific valley of the Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov has allowed to unite the most promising innovations of the capital. All necessary conditions for the operation of high-tech productions have been created here.

    More than 60 companies have become residents of the cluster since 2023. They develop high-tech solutions for the medical, space, oil and gas, food and other industries.

    More than two thousand people are employed in production. The enterprises’ revenues exceeded 11 billion rubles last year. They have access to support from the entire innovation ecosystem of the capital, including the “Academy of Innovators” – one of the most successful projects of the capital Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development, which helps develop projects from an idea to a startup.

    Powerful controllers, efficient filters and software for pharmaceuticals

    The developments of the residents of the Lomonosov cluster successfully compete with both domestic and foreign analogues.

    For example, the company “Adaptto” produces controllers – electronic devices for controlling the electric drive of vehicles. Compact and functional devices are two to four times more powerful than similar imported devices. They are used in all types of electric transport (in land, air, water transport), as well as in industry (fans, elevators).

    The company plans to complete new developments in the near future. These include a three-in-one unit (controller, inverter, gearbox) for electric vehicles and hybrid power plants.

    “Pharmaceutical and microelectronic production requires a particularly clean air environment – there literally shouldn’t be a speck of dust in the room,” noted Sergei Sobyanin.

    Aerolife specialists have developed a fundamentally new type of filters. Innovative filters allow achieving the highest level of purification according to class U15. Air is purified by 99.9995 percent with a size of polluting particles greater than 0.1 micrometer. The products have no analogues in Russia, and imported ones are inferior in such characteristics as dust capacity and energy efficiency.

    Aerolife systems are used at microprocessor manufacturing plants in Zelenograd, in the development of new drugs at institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in the production of vaccines at the N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology (NRCEM), and at more than 20 pharmaceutical companies.

    Serial production of new filters has been launched in the Mosgormash technology park. This year, the company plans to triple its capacity.

    The Simurg computing platform, created by Simurgpharm, is the first drug development software in Russia. It can be used to analyze and predict preclinical and clinical data during drug planning and testing.

    The use of such mathematical models is a mandatory condition for registering new drugs. The platform is registered in the register of domestic software. It was tested jointly with specialists from the companies “Alpharma”, “Biocad” and others and is actively used in educational programs of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and the Scientific and Technological University “Sirius”.

    Wireless communications, seismological equipment and protective coatings

    INWAVE (OOO Microwave Electronics) is a leading domestic manufacturer of control and measuring equipment, wireless communications and antenna systems. Wireless communications solutions include broadband access, radio relay and satellite communications.

    “The company’s technologies are successfully used in the development and production of various radio-electronic products, such as onboard equipment for space systems. Over the past year, with the support of the city, the company has increased its production capacity and is also planning to improve the line of control and measuring equipment, introducing new technologies and materials, which will improve the characteristics and reliability of the products,” the Mayor of Moscow said.

    The Split company produces a hardware and software complex using SplitMultiSeis technology. The system helps to conduct high-quality seismic research on land and at sea. It is used to solve engineering and geological problems, for example, when developing offshore fields or in transition zones. With the help of the complex, more than 100 projects have been implemented in the Arctic seas of Russia, the Black, Caspian, Baltic, Japanese seas, Onega and Ladoga lakes, Lake Baikal and others.

    OOO TSZP develops and implements technologies for surfacing and spraying multifunctional protective coatings from metals, ceramics and metal ceramics. Such coatings allow to extend the service life of products by three to four times, reduce the costs of major repairs by 30 percent and increase the interval between repairs of equipment, as well as provide a sufficient reserve of time for technical re-equipment of enterprises.

    “Innovative technologies for repair and strengthening of hot gas path elements of turbines from General Electric, Siemens, Ansaldo and others, which have successfully replaced foreign analogues, play a major role in import substitution. Over the past year alone, about 300 gas turbine parts have been restored for Moscow enterprises, and five research projects have been conducted to create import-substituting technologies,” wrote Sergei Sobyanin.

    The company’s customers include enterprises in the energy, oil, gas, oil refining, metallurgy, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing and other industries.

    Sergei Sobyanin: The Lomonosov Cluster has united the best innovators of the capital

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11748050/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Former model loving studying at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    3 mins ago

    Shona Clarke, 24, is currently enrolled in the NZ Certificate of Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4).

    A former model, who moved to Hawke’s Bay from South Africa to be close to family, is loving studying at EIT.

    Shona Clarke, 24, who appears in this year’s EIT brand campaign,  is currently enrolled in the NZ Certificate of Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4), and hopes to study for the Bachelor of Nursing next year.

    Having arrived in Hawke’s Bay from Durban at the beginning of the year, Shona decided to follow her brother, Austin, to  EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus. Austin is currently pursuing the Bachelor of Business (Accounting). Having always had an interest in health and science, Shona enrolled in the NZ Health and Wellbeing (Level 3) programme, which she completed in June.

    She says that she found the programme “amazing”, especially placements at Graceland Rest home in Hastings and at Kōwhai Specialist School.

    “I absolutely loved it. I got to work at Graceland, which was phenomenal, but I found the love that I had for children when I did my five-week placement at Kōwhai.”

    “And then I started meeting people in the industry, and that’s how I got involved in the holiday programme at the Havelock North High School Special Needs Unit. I think I’d go into that field for sure if I wasn’t so set on the fact that I wanted to be a nurse.”

    It has been a long and varied journey for Shona who went to school in Durban, South Africa.

    “I actually came out of school and went straight into working. And six years later, I’ve decided that I’m going to study something.”

    “After school I did modelling full-time and I worked with Suncoast Casino for four years, part of their marketing team. I also modelled in Dubai for a year.”

    Some of her modelling work included brand work for Bonds, a photo shoot for Dubai Tourism and a shoot imitating Margot Robbie before the release of the Barbie movie.

    Studying at EIT is a far cry from an international modelling career, but Shona says it was a simple choice for her.

    “It was my career until my family moved here. And then I thought: ‘I’m going to move over with my family because I’m family oriented. I just want to be with them’. And then when I moved over, I said, I’m going to change my career path.

    She says that it was an easy decision to study at EIT

    And now in the Study and Career Preparation (Hauora | Nursing/Health Pathway) (Level 4) programme, Shona is glad that she made the choice.

    “ I’m absolutely loving it, because of all the science-based parts of it.”

    “That is what I think I will enjoy most about nursing, is learning about the human body, learning about how everything works, how to treat everything. It’s very interesting. I’m thoroughly enjoying it, and getting really good marks.”

    Shona says returning to study after having worked full-time for so long took some adjustment.

    “I think I fitted in quite easily with the people, but the going from working full-time, having independence, and having my own life, to going back to full-time studying, working part-time, not being fully independent, that’s a big change for me.”

    For now Shona is focused on finishing the programme and hopefully starting the Bachelor of Nursing, which she will apply for later this year.

    She is hoping to have a long career in nursing and is interested in paediatrics, surgical or even oncology, because she has had family members who have had cancer.

    As for EIT, Shona has no hesitation in recommending it as a place to study.

    “I know I’m an international student, but the support that I have felt from EIT has been amazing. And I felt so included in everything that I’ve been a part of so far, from the photoshoot for the billboards to meeting new people.”

    Les Blair, EIT Health and Wellbeing Team Leader and Verena Lyons, EIT Health and Wellbeing Team Member, say that “Shona has been an enthusiastic, bubbly student who formed positive relationships with everybody.”

    “She made the most of every opportunity offered to her and we wish her well in her study journey.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: High-Level Retreat in New Hampshire as part of Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    September 24, 2024

    WASHINGTON  – As part of the previously announced Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative, the IMF and the World Bank Group are hosting a high-level retreat at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, on September 26‒27, 2024.

    This two-day Chatham House Rules event will bring together a small and diverse group of global thinkers—including individuals prominent in the fields of history, international relations, political science, finance, and business—at the location of the 1944 United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (the “Bretton Woods Conference”).

    The three External Advisors to the Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative, Patrick Achi, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and Mark Malloch-Brown, will help guide the discussions.

    Senior management and staff from both the Bank and the Fund will be in attendance, including President Ajay Banga and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

    The purpose of the retreat is to facilitate a discussion on the shape of the world economy 20‒30 years from now, how multilateralism may evolve, and how the Bank and Fund can best continue to support stability and progress on a livable planet.

    This retreat is part of an ongoing series of consultations with IMF and World Bank stakeholders that will continue to be led by the External Advisors at events and engagements over the coming months.

     

     

    Contacts:

    For the IMF: Pavis Devahasadin, media@imf.org

    For the World Bank: David M. Theis, dtheis@worldbankgroup.org

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/09/23/pr24341-high-level-retreat-in-new-hampshire-as-part-of-bretton-woods-at-80-initiative

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republicans Are Restoring America’s Forest Health

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    House Republicans Are Restoring America’s Forest Health

    Washington, September 24, 2024

    The United States consists of over 117 million acres of ineffectively managed, fire-prone forests. Today, House Republicans will bring to the Floor H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, which revives and prioritizes forest health while safeguarding communities by streamlining environmental studies, minimizing lawsuits, and accelerating the implementation of necessary forest restoration projects. 
     
    FACTS ABOUT H.R. 8790 – Fix Our Forests Act (Courtesy of the House Committee on Natural Resources Republicans): 

    • Simplify: 
      • Simplify and expedite environmental reviews to reduce costs and planning times for critical forest management projects while maintaining rigorous environmental standards.
      • End frivolous litigation that delays needed forest management projects.
    • Prioritize: 
      • Utilize state-of-the-art science to prioritize the treatment of forests at the highest risk of wildfire.
      • Incentivize forest management projects of up to 10,000 acres to increase the pace and scale of active management.
    • Foster Relationships: 
      • Promote federal, state, tribal, and local collaboration by creating a new Fireshed Center and codifying the Shared Stewardship initiative.
      • Make communities more resilient to wildfire by coordinating existing grant programs and incentivizing new research.
      • Give agencies new tools to restore watersheds, protect communities in the wildland-urban interface and prevent forest conversion.
    • Renew: 
      • Revitalize rural economies by strengthening tools such as Good Neighbor Authority and Stewardship Contracting.
      • Adopt new and innovative technologies to address forest health threats like wildfires, drought, insects and disease.
      • Harden utility rights-of-way against wildfire by encouraging more active management and removal of dangerous hazard trees. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Adam G. Brief Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Adam G. Brief has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin (Region 11) effective Sept. 28, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today. Brief replaces Patrick S. Layng, who is retiring after 36 years of dedicated service to the Justice Department, including the last 14 years as the U.S. Trustee in Region 11. Under 28 U.S.C. § 585(a), the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by appointing an Acting U.S. Trustee.

    Brief has served as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the Chicago field office since joining the U.S. Trustee Program in 2015 after 14 years in private practice. Brief’s effective coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has contributed to several successful high-profile criminal prosecutions. In addition to being a frequent speaker at legal seminars and conferences, Brief teaches a lawyering skills course at the University of Illinois Chicago Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Rutgers University Livingston College and his law degree from Seton Hall University. After law school, Brief was a term law clerk for Judge Stephen Stripp of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. For six years before joining the USTP, while still in private practice, he served as an investigator appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to a district ethics committee.

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Adam G. Brief Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Adam G. Brief has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin (Region 11) effective Sept. 28, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today. Brief replaces Patrick S. Layng, who is retiring after 36 years of dedicated service to the Justice Department, including the last 14 years as the U.S. Trustee in Region 11. Under 28 U.S.C. § 585(a), the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by appointing an Acting U.S. Trustee.

    Brief has served as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the Chicago field office since joining the U.S. Trustee Program in 2015 after 14 years in private practice. Brief’s effective coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has contributed to several successful high-profile criminal prosecutions. In addition to being a frequent speaker at legal seminars and conferences, Brief teaches a lawyering skills course at the University of Illinois Chicago Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Rutgers University Livingston College and his law degree from Seton Hall University. After law school, Brief was a term law clerk for Judge Stephen Stripp of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. For six years before joining the USTP, while still in private practice, he served as an investigator appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to a district ethics committee.

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roos van der Haer, Assistant professor of International Relations at the Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    War has become a regular part of life for many children. Millions are victims and witnesses to the horrors of war. Recent estimates by researchers at the Peace Research Institute Oslo show that one in six children globally lives in a conflict zone, and Africa has the highest number of conflict-affected children.

    Many children are forced to become child soldiers. In other cases, such as during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, violence is aimed at children.

    In recent years, researchers from various fields have been studying the impact on children of growing up in war zones. Psychologists, for example, have been researching how conflict affects children’s mental health and behaviour. Economists have examined, among other issues, how growing up in these environments can limit future earning capabilitites. Other scholars have investigated how war shapes the long-term (political) attitudes of these children.

    Despite this growing body of research, we – a group of researchers who look into the causes and consequences of armed conflict for children – spotted two key gaps.

    Read more: Why some rebel groups force kids to fight: it depends on how they are funded

    First, much of the literature treats children’s experiences as if they were the same across different contexts. Few studies have considered the distinct experiences of girls as soldiers or how these differ from boys’ experiences.

    Second, while some research does explore these gender differences, it often focuses only on what happens during the conflict. It doesn’t consider how these experiences affect social relationships when the conflict ends. This is despite scholars and policymakers highlighting that girls’ experiences in war are fundamentally different from those of boys due to their different status and role in society.

    To address these gaps, we conducted an exploratory study from 2018 to 2019 on the experiences of boys and girls during conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We studied how these gendered experiences might have affected their social relationships after the war. We interviewed 315 children aged between 12 and 18, with different levels of exposure to conflict. This included 186 respondents who had been involved in armed groups.

    Our recently published analysis revealed, as expected, that many children had witnessed or experienced various conflict-related events during their life-time. Most children reported seeing homes and property destroyed, and many had witnessed people being beaten or tortured by armed forces. Fewer children reported being sexually assaulted or raped or injured by weapons such as gunshots or stabbings, though sadly these were not rare occurrences either.

    We found that boys were generally more exposed to conflict than girls. This difference is largely due to boys being more involved with armed groups and more likely to perpetrate violence.

    These experiences of conflict can have lasting effects on children’s relationships with their families, friends, teachers and other important social groups. These connections are crucial for a child’s development and wellbeing.

    The differences between how boys and girls are affected are important considerations in building appropriate and effective psychosocial support programmes, with tools that address gender-specific needs in conflict or post-conflict situations.

    The study

    We gathered information from 315 structured interviews with Congolese children. Some of these boys and girls had been actively involved with armed groups in the eastern provinces of the DRC, while others had less direct exposure to the conflict.

    Conflict and human rights violations are widespread in the DRC. World Vision has called the decades-long conflict in the country “one of the worst child protection crises in the world”. Further, in a recent UN report on children and armed conflict, 3,377 verified grave violations against children in the DRC were identified. Of these, 46% involved the recruitment of children – some as young as five – by armed forces or groups.

    To examine how the armed conflict has affected Congolese boys and girls, we collected data between 2018 and 2019 in the South Kivu province of eastern DRC. We selected our participants with the help and consent of five local child protective organisations.

    Our analysis first explored what the boys and girls had experienced during conflict. Then we associated these gendered experiences with differences in social behaviour. We looked at whether there were gender differences in the children’s key relationships with family, friends (and other social groups) and their teachers.

    Read more: War devastates the lives of children: what the research tells us, and what can be done

    First, we found that war disrupted the family’s ability to provide safety and security, and both children and their caregivers might suffer from the emotional and psychological toll of the conflict. Our study found that girls tended to have a stronger relationship with their family and caretakers compared to boys after conflict. This aligns with previous research suggesting boys may face more challenges in maintaining family relationships. This is particularly the case for those that were active as child soldiers.

    Second, our analysis found that boys tended to have more diverse friendship networks than girls, even when comparing former boy soldiers to girl soldiers. Friendships are vital for a child’s wellbeing. Strong and diverse friendships are linked to better mental health, tolerance and understanding.

    Lastly, we looked at how gender and war experiences might affect relationships between students and teachers. Armed conflict can have devastating effects on the educational attainment of children. Education, however, supports war-affected children and adolescents in several important ways. Structured school rules, regulations and activities establish a sense of normality, which is crucial to the healing process and wellbeing of children. Overall, the children interviewed had a very positive view of their schools or training programmes. They felt safe, enjoyed spending time with their classmates and viewed their teachers as helpful and caring. However, girls – especially former girl soldiers – were significantly more likely than boys to report that their teachers were sympathetic and supportive.

    Why the findings matter

    Our research is one of the first to highlight significant differences in how boys and girls experience war, and how these experiences shape their social relationships.

    Addressing the differences in the needs of boys and girls after conflict not only improves their wellbeing, but is also likely to positively affect entire households, post-conflict regions and post-conflict countries. While our study sheds light on these differences, more research is needed to understand them in greater depth and, most importantly, to explain why they occur.

    Are these differences the result of psychological trauma, behavioural changes, or specific events that happened before or during the conflict? Moreover, we know very little about the long-term effects of war exposure – do these differences fade over time, or do they persist? And how can communities play a role in helping children to overcome these challenges? Do we also observe these differences in other conflicts at other periods?

    Understanding these differences is key for policymakers working to develop effective support programmes. Developing and increasing the availability of gender-responsive approaches can help strengthen the resilience of children after conflict. It may also work to strengthen their agency and resilience before conflict.

    – War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC
    – https://theconversation.com/war-affects-girls-and-boys-differently-what-we-found-in-our-study-of-children-in-the-drc-238789

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roos van der Haer, Assistant professor of International Relations at the Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    War has become a regular part of life for many children. Millions are victims and witnesses to the horrors of war. Recent estimates by researchers at the Peace Research Institute Oslo show that one in six children globally lives in a conflict zone, and Africa has the highest number of conflict-affected children.

    Many children are forced to become child soldiers. In other cases, such as during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, violence is aimed at children.

    In recent years, researchers from various fields have been studying the impact on children of growing up in war zones. Psychologists, for example, have been researching how conflict affects children’s mental health and behaviour. Economists have examined, among other issues, how growing up in these environments can limit future earning capabilitites. Other scholars have investigated how war shapes the long-term (political) attitudes of these children.

    Despite this growing body of research, we – a group of researchers who look into the causes and consequences of armed conflict for children – spotted two key gaps.



    Read more:
    Why some rebel groups force kids to fight: it depends on how they are funded

    First, much of the literature treats children’s experiences as if they were the same across different contexts. Few studies have considered the distinct experiences of girls as soldiers or how these differ from boys’ experiences.

    Second, while some research does explore these gender differences, it often focuses only on what happens during the conflict. It doesn’t consider how these experiences affect social relationships when the conflict ends. This is despite scholars and policymakers highlighting that girls’ experiences in war are fundamentally different from those of boys due to their different status and role in society.

    To address these gaps, we conducted an exploratory study from 2018 to 2019 on the experiences of boys and girls during conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We studied how these gendered experiences might have affected their social relationships after the war. We interviewed 315 children aged between 12 and 18, with different levels of exposure to conflict. This included 186 respondents who had been involved in armed groups.

    Our recently published analysis revealed, as expected, that many children had witnessed or experienced various conflict-related events during their life-time. Most children reported seeing homes and property destroyed, and many had witnessed people being beaten or tortured by armed forces. Fewer children reported being sexually assaulted or raped or injured by weapons such as gunshots or stabbings, though sadly these were not rare occurrences either.

    We found that boys were generally more exposed to conflict than girls. This difference is largely due to boys being more involved with armed groups and more likely to perpetrate violence.

    These experiences of conflict can have lasting effects on children’s relationships with their families, friends, teachers and other important social groups. These connections are crucial for a child’s development and wellbeing.

    The differences between how boys and girls are affected are important considerations in building appropriate and effective psychosocial support programmes, with tools that address gender-specific needs in conflict or post-conflict situations.

    The study

    We gathered information from 315 structured interviews with Congolese children. Some of these boys and girls had been actively involved with armed groups in the eastern provinces of the DRC, while others had less direct exposure to the conflict.

    Conflict and human rights violations are widespread in the DRC. World Vision has called the decades-long conflict in the country “one of the worst child protection crises in the world”. Further, in a recent UN report on children and armed conflict, 3,377 verified grave violations against children in the DRC were identified. Of these, 46% involved the recruitment of children – some as young as five – by armed forces or groups.

    To examine how the armed conflict has affected Congolese boys and girls, we collected data between 2018 and 2019 in the South Kivu province of eastern DRC. We selected our participants with the help and consent of five local child protective organisations.

    Our analysis first explored what the boys and girls had experienced during conflict. Then we associated these gendered experiences with differences in social behaviour. We looked at whether there were gender differences in the children’s key relationships with family, friends (and other social groups) and their teachers.



    Read more:
    War devastates the lives of children: what the research tells us, and what can be done

    First, we found that war disrupted the family’s ability to provide safety and security, and both children and their caregivers might suffer from the emotional and psychological toll of the conflict. Our study found that girls tended to have a stronger relationship with their family and caretakers compared to boys after conflict. This aligns with previous research suggesting boys may face more challenges in maintaining family relationships. This is particularly the case for those that were active as child soldiers.

    Second, our analysis found that boys tended to have more diverse friendship networks than girls, even when comparing former boy soldiers to girl soldiers. Friendships are vital for a child’s wellbeing. Strong and diverse friendships are linked to better mental health, tolerance and understanding.

    Lastly, we looked at how gender and war experiences might affect relationships between students and teachers. Armed conflict can have devastating effects on the educational attainment of children. Education, however, supports war-affected children and adolescents in several important ways. Structured school rules, regulations and activities establish a sense of normality, which is crucial to the healing process and wellbeing of children. Overall, the children interviewed had a very positive view of their schools or training programmes. They felt safe, enjoyed spending time with their classmates and viewed their teachers as helpful and caring. However, girls – especially former girl soldiers – were significantly more likely than boys to report that their teachers were sympathetic and supportive.

    Why the findings matter

    Our research is one of the first to highlight significant differences in how boys and girls experience war, and how these experiences shape their social relationships.

    Addressing the differences in the needs of boys and girls after conflict not only improves their wellbeing, but is also likely to positively affect entire households, post-conflict regions and post-conflict countries. While our study sheds light on these differences, more research is needed to understand them in greater depth and, most importantly, to explain why they occur.

    Are these differences the result of psychological trauma, behavioural changes, or specific events that happened before or during the conflict? Moreover, we know very little about the long-term effects of war exposure – do these differences fade over time, or do they persist? And how can communities play a role in helping children to overcome these challenges? Do we also observe these differences in other conflicts at other periods?

    Understanding these differences is key for policymakers working to develop effective support programmes. Developing and increasing the availability of gender-responsive approaches can help strengthen the resilience of children after conflict. It may also work to strengthen their agency and resilience before conflict.

    We would like to thank the Gerda Henkel Stiftung for their extensive support of this research.

    Kathleen J. Brown 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. War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC – https://theconversation.com/war-affects-girls-and-boys-differently-what-we-found-in-our-study-of-children-in-the-drc-238789

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: High-Level Retreat in New Hampshire as part of Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: IMF – News in English

    September 24, 2024

    WASHINGTON – As part of the previously announced Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative, the IMF and the World Bank Group are hosting a high-level retreat at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, on September 26‒27, 2024.

    This two-day Chatham House Rules event will bring together a small and diverse group of global thinkers—including individuals prominent in the fields of history, international relations, political science, finance, and business—at the location of the 1944 United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (the “Bretton Woods Conference”).

    The three External Advisors to the Bretton Woods at 80 Initiative, Patrick Achi, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and Mark Malloch-Brown, will help guide the discussions.

    Senior management and staff from both the Bank and the Fund will be in attendance, including President Ajay Banga and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

    The purpose of the retreat is to facilitate a discussion on the shape of the world economy 20‒30 years from now, how multilateralism may evolve, and how the Bank and Fund can best continue to support stability and progress on a livable planet.

    This retreat is part of an ongoing series of consultations with IMF and World Bank stakeholders that will continue to be led by the External Advisors at events and engagements over the coming months.

     

     

    Contacts:

    For the IMF: Pavis Devahasadin,media@imf.org

    For the World Bank: David M. Theis,dteis@worldbankgroup.org

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/09/23/pr24341-high-level-retreat-in-new-hampshire-as-part-of-bretton-woods-at-80- initiative

    MIL OSI

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –