NewzIntel.com

Category: Statistics

  • MIL-OSI China: Towering rice in southwest China unlocks agricultural potentials

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

    CHONGQING, Oct. 21 — Autumn is in full swing across China, and with it comes the bustling season of harvest. Wang Disheng, standing at some 170 centimeters tall, steps into a rice paddy only to find himself nearly “drowned” by the towering rice stalks.

    “These rice plants are essentially twice as tall as the regular ones, earning them the nickname ‘giant rice.’ Some of these giants can even surpass 220 centimeters in height,” said Wang, deputy head of Shiwan Township in Dazu District, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.

    Shiwan began cultivating this giant rice in 2021, following the establishment of a research center by the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center in the area. The Chongqing branch has gathered a multitude of experts focusing on space mutation breeding, hybrid rice breeding and new variety testing, among other research areas.

    “We are currently experimenting with over five new hybrid rice varieties, including those with low heavy metal accumulation, saline-alkali tolerance, and selenium-rich rice,” said Luo Zhiqiang, office director of the Chongqing branch.

    China, recognized as the primary cradle of rice worldwide, saw a monumental achievement in 1973 when the late scientist Yuan Longping, affectionately known as the “father of hybrid rice,” and his team successfully developed the world’s first high-yielding hybrid rice strain, alleviating hunger for human beings.

    “Our work continues to unlock the potential of hybrid rice, enabling it to thrive in diverse environments, as part of our efforts to benefit an even broader range of people,” Luo said, noting that the hybrid rice technologies have been introduced to many countries in need.

    According to Luo, Sri Lanka, one of the Belt and Road partner countries in South Asia, is seeking cooperation with the Chongqing branch.

    “Due to local soil conditions, Sri Lanka is in dire need of saline-tolerant rice, which aligns perfectly with our research focus,” Luo said, adding that experts from both sides frequently meet to discuss further collaboration. They plan to introduce new hybrid rice varieties and innovative technologies to Sri Lanka, and conduct technician training, aiming to increase rice production and farmers’ income.

    Statistics released by the China International Development Cooperation Agency earlier this month show that hybrid rice has been introduced to nearly 70 countries across five continents, significantly boosting rice yields in many African countries from an average of 2 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes per hectare.

    In Shiwan, after the recent rice harvest, crayfish are bred in the paddies. The crayfish consume pests and their waste serves as a natural fertilizer for the rice.

    “This is one of the reasons we are experimenting with giant rice. The deep waters of the giant rice paddies provide an ideal habitat for crayfish,” Wang said.

    “Previously, we could only earn about 2,000 yuan (about 281 U.S. dollars) per mu (about 667 square meters) of rice land. Now, with the rice and crayfish rotation model, we can earn 6,000 to 10,000 yuan per mu,” Liu Bo, a local farmer, said.

    The giant rice and the variety of other rice types have also attracted many visitors. In response, Shiwan has transformed some of its paddies into picturesque scenic spots. Annually, the township now welcomes tens of thousands of visitors and around 30,000 students on educational tours, according to local authorities.

    China continues to prioritize food security, as it feeds over 1.4 billion people with just 9 percent of the world’s arable land. An array of measures have been implemented across the country to improve grain output over recent years, including the construction of more high-standard farmland and the promotion of agricultural technologies.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Austin Kay, Researcher in Sustainable Advanced Materials, Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials, Swansea University

    Snapshot freddy/Shutterstock

    As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

    One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into fields of crops, greenhouses and livestock areas. Often known as agrivoltaics, this can help farmers reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to produce food.

    Agrivoltaics can also mitigate one of the main criticisms often made of solar power – that solar farms “waste” vast tracts of agricultural land that could otherwise be used for food production. In reality, solar farms currently occupy only 0.15% of the UK’s total land – not much compared to the 70% of land devoted to agriculture.

    The simplest example of an agrivoltaic system would be conventional, crystalline silicon PVs (the market-leading type of solar panels), installed in fields alongside livestock. This method of farm diversification has become increasingly popular in recent years for three main reasons.

    First, it enhances biodiversity as it means the fields are not being used for just one crop (monoculture), undergoing regular crop rotation, or being harvested for silage. Second, it increases production as livestock benefit from the shade and the healthier pasture growth.

    Finally, the solar farm has reduced maintenance costs because livestock can keep the grass short. All this is achieved while the solar panels provide locally generated, clean energy.

    However, if they’re not set up properly, agrivoltaics may still cause problems. One of the most important challenges, when used in fields where crops are grown, is balancing the need for sunlight between crops and solar panels. Crops need light to grow, and if solar panels block too much sunlight, they can negatively impact crop yields.

    This issue varies from place to place. In countries with fewer sunny days like the UK, the panels need to let more sunlight through. But in places like Spain or Italy, some shade can actually help crops by reducing the stress of intense heat during summer months. Finding the right balance is tricky, as it depends on local conditions, the type of crop, and even the needs of pollinators like bees.

    An agrivoltaic canopy installed in France.
    Jacopo Landi/Shutterstock

    The complexity deepens when we consider the type of PV material used. Traditional solar panels aren’t always suitable because they often block the wavelengths (colours) of light needed by plants.

    This is where newer materials, like organic semiconductors and perovskites, are ideal as they can be customised to let crops get the light they need while still generating energy. Unlike traditional inorganic semiconductors, which are essentially crystals of metal and metalloid atoms, organic semiconductors are molecules mainly made of carbon and hydrogen. Perovskites, meanwhile, are like a hybrid of organic and inorganic semiconductors.

    In fact there are thousands of combinations of these materials to choose from, with scientific literature containing a plethora of options. Figuring out which one works best can be a daunting task.

    This is where computational tools can make a big difference. Instead of testing each material in real-world conditions – which would take years and be incredibly expensive – researchers can use simulations to predict their performance. These models can help identify the best materials for specific crops and climates, saving both time and resources.

    The tool

    We have developed an open-source tool that helps compare various PV materials, making it easier to identify the best options for agrivoltaics. Our tool uses geographical data and realistic simulations of how different PV materials perform.

    It considers how light travels through these materials and reflects off them, as well as other important performance measures like voltage and power output. The tool can also take lab-based measurements of PV materials and apply them to real-world scenarios.

    Using this tool, we simulated how much power different PV materials could generate per square metre over the course of a year, across various regions. And we calculated how much light passed through these materials to ensure it was enough for crops to thrive.

    An agrivoltaic installation over raspberry crops in the Netherlands.
    Jacopo Landi/Shutterstock

    By running these simulations for multiple materials, we could identify the most suitable options for specific crops and climates.

    Tools like ours could play a critical role in decarbonising the agricultural sector by guiding the design of agrivoltaic systems. Future research could combine these simulations with economic and environmental impact analyses. This would help us understand how much energy we can expect from a solar panel over its lifetime compared to the resources and costs involved in producing it.

    Ultimately, our tool could help researchers and policymakers in selecting the most efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly ways to decarbonise agriculture and move us closer to achieving global net-zero emissions.


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

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Austin Kay is a Postgraduate Student at Swansea University and receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through program grant EP/T028513/1 Application Targeted and Integrated Photovoltaics.

    – ref. How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation – https://theconversation.com/how-farmers-can-install-solar-panels-in-fields-without-damaging-the-rest-of-their-operation-239625

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Together with Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Partners, Announces Eradication of 774,829 Cannabis Plants and 106,141 Pounds of Illegally-Grown Cannabis Worth over $353 Million

    Source: US State of California

    LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with local and federal law enforcement partners, today announced the eradication of 774,829 illegally cultivated cannabis plants and 106,141 pounds of processed cannabis, as well as 282 arrests in 36 different counties across California as part of Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) program. The total underground market price for these seizures is valued at approximately $353 million. EPIC is an interagency task force focused on combating the illegal cannabis market, cannabis enforcement work, and investigating and prosecuting civil and criminal cases with a focus on environmental, economic, and labor impacts from illegal cultivation.

    “California has the largest safe, legal, and regulated cannabis market in the world, but unfortunately illegal and unlicensed grows continue to proliferate,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The EPIC program was forged out of our recognition of the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses the broader implications of the underground cannabis market. This includes tackling the environmental damage caused by these illicit activities, as well as the economic ramifications that arise from unregulated cultivation. Furthermore, there is a growing concern about labor exploitation within this underground market, where workers may face unsafe conditions and unfair treatment. I want to express my gratitude to the various partners involved in this effort, including local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Together, we are working toward a solution that not only curtails illegal activities but also promotes a sustainable and equitable cannabis industry in the state.”

    “California has the largest state park system in the country with 1.59 million acres of park land to protect,” said California State Parks Law Enforcement Assistant Chief Jeremy Stinson. “Unfortunately, illegal cannabis cultivation is a serious threat to that land with more than 400 sites documented. California State Parks appreciates being a partner agency within EPIC to help address this issue. Protecting our state’s natural resources for all Californians and future generations is an important part of our mission. We look forward to continuing this valuable partnership to preserve and protect California’s state parks system.” 

    “California cannabis enforcement has a long way to go to ensure that the illicit cannabis doesn’t make it into the legal market,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. “Partnerships like EPIC are a major step forward in tackling this problem.”

    Over the course of the 2024 season, EPIC teams operating in Northern, Central, and Southern California, conducted 665 operations, recovered 201 weapons, and removed infrastructure, including dams, water lines, and containers of toxic chemicals, such as carbofuran, methyl parathion, aluminum phosphate, zinc phosphide, and illegal fertilizers. Carbofuran, in particular, poses untold risks to public health. A lethal insecticide that is effectively banned in the United States, carbofuran remains on plants after application and seeps into soil and nearby water sources. 

    In 2024, EPIC operations were conducted in the following 36 counties:

    • Alameda: 1 site, 751 plants eradicated
    • Butte: 5 sites, 4,397 plants eradicated
    • Colusa: 3 sites, 10 plants eradicated
    • Contra Costa: 2 sites, 5,010 plants eradicated
    • El Dorado: 8 sites, 2,174 plants eradicated
    • Fresno: 31 sites, 52,796 plants eradicated
    • Glenn: 1 site, 747 plants eradicated
    • Kern: 60 sites, 89,819 plants eradicated
    • Kings: 1 site, 539 plants eradicated
    • Lake: 48 sites, 42,776 plants eradicated
    • Lassen: 1 site, 7,359 plants eradicated
    • Los Angeles: 3 sites, 3,684 plants eradicated
    • Madera: 3 sites, 1,230 plants eradicated
    • Mariposa: 2 sites, 1,368 plants eradicated
    • Mendocino: 116 sites, 133,702 plants eradicated
    • Nevada: 33 sites, 28,428 plants eradicated
    • Riverside: 79 sites, 136,601 plants eradicated
    • Sacramento: 13 sites, 46,042 plants eradicated
    • San Bernardino: 23 sites, 27,845 plants eradicated
    • San Diego: 7 sites, 9,301 plants eradicated
    • Santa Barbara: 1 site, 362 plants eradicated
    • Santa Clara: 2 sites, 1,012 plants eradicated
    • Shasta: 67 sites, 51,289 plants eradicated
    • Siskiyou: 98 sites, 67,943 plants eradicated
    • Stanislaus: 6 sites, 5,103 plants eradicated
    • Trinity: 38 sites, 32,381 plants eradicated
    • Tulare: 7 sites, 5,468 plants eradicated
    • Tuolumne: 2 sites, 7,637 plants eradicated
    • Ventura: 3 sites, 7,891 plants eradicated
    • Yuba: 2 sites, 1,164 plants eradicated
    • Monterey: reconnaissance only
    • Napa: reconnaissance only
    • San Benito: reconnaissance only
    • San Luis Obispo: reconnaissance only
    • Santa Cruz: reconnaissance only
    • Solano: reconnaissance only

    The EPIC program focuses on the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal cases relating to illicit cannabis cultivation with a focus on environmental and economic harms and labor exploitation. EPIC is a multi-agency collaboration led by DOJ in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration; the California National Guard, Counter Drug Task Force; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program; California State Parks; California Environmental Protection Agency; and other local law enforcement departments.

    EPIC marks an evolution in DOJ’s cannabis enforcement work, reflecting the issues and concerns arising from operations each summer. EPIC works in close coordination with DOJ’s Cannabis Control Section, Special Prosecutions Section, and Tax Recovery and Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force to build investigations and prosecute civil and criminal cases.

    B-roll of the operations produced by DOJ are available for use by producers and members of the media. Please contact agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov. 

    Graphics of 2024 EPIC season statistics are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Nobody Wants This’ amps laughs about intermarriage in Judaism but intended humour hurts

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Celia E. Rothenberg, Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University

    Kristen Bell and Adam Brody star in ‘Nobody Wants This.’ (Netflix)

    Netflix’s new rom-com Nobody Wants This debuted with great success: it occupied the No. 1 spot on Netflix’s Top 10 list for two weeks. It has been praised by a range of critics for its humour, “millennial magic” and pitch-perfect casting.

    Nobody Wants This presents viewers with a mix of classic stereotypes of both Jewish women and men, and the contemporary issue of intermarriage — marriage of two partners who are members of different religions — in Jewish communities.

    It revolves around a young, ambitious rabbi, Noah (Adam Brody), who falls in love with a non-Jewish woman, Joanne (Kristen Bell).

    Joanne and her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) produce a podcast that features frank, spontaneous talk about sex and relationships, a discursive foil for Rabbi Noah’s carefully composed and tame sermons.

    The show is loosely inspired by creator Erin Foster’s own life as an agnostic woman who fell in love with her husband, Simon Tikhman, a Jewish man. Tikhman, although not a rabbi, wanted to marry a Jewish woman, leading Foster to convert to Judaism. Her conversion and involvement in her Jewish family led to the creation of Nobody Wants This.

    Foster has said she wanted to shed positive light on Jewish culture and her experiences of being brought into it.

    From my perspective as a scholar who has examined aspects of Jewish life and practice in North America, the problem is that Foster’s good intentions fall flat at best, and at worst, could hurt the very people Foster has joined.

    The character Joanne and her sister Morgan produce a podcast which features frank, spontaneous talk about sex and relationships.
    (Netflix)

    Stereotypes of women

    Quickly following the accolades, criticism of the show has particularly focused on its problematic stereotypes of Jewish women. Jessica Radloff wrote in Glamour that after watching two episodes she called her mom and said (speaking of Jewish women), “we come off as controlling, marriage-hungry women who want to plan dinner parties and alienate anyone who doesn’t share those same dreams.” Jessica Grose in the New York Times argues that nearly all the Jewish women in Nobody Wants This are “manipulative, spoiled and selfish.”

    Nobody Wants This reflects long-standing and popular Jewish stereotypes consistently featured in American films – the meddling matriarch, pampered princess and neurotic nebbish – stereotypes that have proven to be widely appealing and thus quite profitable.

    Rabbi Noah’s mother, Bina, is not only the meddling matriarch extreme version, but also a hypocrite who refuses to accept Joanne’s hostess gift when they first meet — a lovely charcuterie tray — because it contains pork (prosciutto). Joanne later discovers Bina secretly stuffing the prosciutto into her mouth.

    Noah’s ex-girlfriend, sister-in-law and their friends seem the epitome of pampered princesses, or JAPs (Jewish American Princesses) — one-dimensional characters who exclude Joanne from their social circle, often appearing overly concerned with jewelry or solely focused on husbands, children and social lives.

    The rabbi

    Foster has said the character of a weed-smoking Rabbi Noah defies stereotypes of a rabbi, yet he can equally be seen to echo the neurotic nebbish, an American Jewish man who is “emasculated, insecure, passive, … romantically obsessed with Gentile women.”

    While Rabbi Noah might be called “hot rabbi” at his Jewish summer camp by teen girls, he works to appease his mother’s demands, he can’t (really) play basketball and he won’t commit to his long-term Jewish girlfriend (who eventually finds his hidden engagement ring and gives it to herself).

    Foster has said these characters are “not, in my opinion, Jewish stereotypes. They’re comedic points of view,” and has also pointed to the show’s sensitive female characters, such as a female rabbi who welcomes Joanne. Present in the writer’s room, Foster noted, were Jewish women, including converts, as well as men with a variety of Jewish backgrounds.

    Rabbi Steve Leder, former senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles was also a consultant on the show.

    Trailer for ‘Nobody Wants This.’

    Perhaps there is some room for comedy here, but the timing is less than ideal. Antisemitism is at a new level of ferocity in the United States and around the world.

    Stereotypes, however potentially humorous, can create, affirm or increase prejudice and distorted understandings of Jews and Jewish life.

    Religious intermarriage

    And what of intermarriage, the seemingly most pressing issue standing between Rabbi Noah and Joanne?

    Is intermarriage so unimaginable, impractical and undesirable for rabbis and their congregants to navigate? There are rabbis who work within liberal streams of Judaism who are not only not opposed to intermarriage, but also in intermarriages themselves.

    Rabbi Gershon Winkler, a formerly Orthodox rabbi who left Orthodoxy and now identifies as independent, points to Jewish precedent for such marriages: the Biblical and Talmudic figures of Moses, Eliezer the High Priest, Joshua, Boaz and Rabbi Akiva who were all married to non-Jews.

    Intermarried rabbis exist within Humanist, Reform (Rabbi Noah’s most likely affiliation), Jewish Renewal and Reconstructionist Jewish movements, although not within Conservative and Orthodox streams.

    Statistics about intermarriage in the U.S. demonstrate quite a varied portrait of Jewish life: overall, 42 per cent of American Jewish adults have a non-Jewish spouse; among those who married after 2010, intermarriage rates reach 61 per cent. Of non-Orthodox Jews, 72 per cent are intermarried, while 98 per cent of Orthodox Jews report their spouse is Jewish.

    In real life, harmful stereotypes of Jews persist, while intermarriage in Jewish communities, lived by many couples and families in the U.S. and beyond, is a nuanced and rich reality reflecting many factors.

    Nobody Wants This makes for a successful and profitable rom-com that hurts some while others laugh.

    Celia E. Rothenberg 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. ‘Nobody Wants This’ amps laughs about intermarriage in Judaism but intended humour hurts – https://theconversation.com/nobody-wants-this-amps-laughs-about-intermarriage-in-judaism-but-intended-humour-hurts-241070

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Hanmer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney

    Later this week the government will receive the report of the year-long independent inquiry into its handling of the COVID pandemic.

    Among the issues it will have to contend with is air quality, in particular the air quality in high occupancy public buildings such as schools, aged-care facilities, shops, pubs and clubs.

    Many already have high quality air. High-fitration air conditioning (so-called mechanical ventilation) is standard in offices, hospitals and shopping centres.

    But not in schools. Almost all of our schools (98% in NSW) use windows.

    In Australia’s national construction code, this is called “natural ventilation” and it is allowed so long as the window, opening or door has a ventilating area of not less than 5% of the floor area, a requirement research suggests is insufficient.

    Windows, but no requirement to keep them open

    There’s no requirement to actually open the windows. School windows are often shut to keep in the heat in (or to keep out the heat in summer).

    The result can be very, very stuffy classrooms, far stuffier than we would tolerate in shopping centres. This matters for learning. Study after study has found that when air circulation gets low, people can’t concentrate well or learn well.

    And they get sick. Diseases such as flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spread when viruses get recirculated instead of diluted with fresh air.

    The costs of the resulting sickness are borne by students, parents, teachers and education systems that need to find replacement staff to cover for teachers who are sick and parents who need to look after sick children at home.

    A pilot study prepared for the Australian Research Council Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection (known as “Thrive”), suggests the entire cost of installing high-filtration air conditioning in every Australian school would be offset by the savings in reduced sickness.

    What classroom air is like

    The study carried out by the education architecture firm ARINA compared the ventilation of 60 so-called naturally ventilated schools in southern NSW and the Australian Capital Territory to that of a school in Sydney that happened to have been fitted with a Standards Australia-compliant air conditioning system to control aircraft noise.

    It used carbon dioxide levels to measure ventilation. Carbon dioxide is a good proxy for ventilation because its levels are determined by both the number of people breathing out concentrated carbon dioxide and the clean air available to dilute it.

    Under a normal load, defined as 26 students, one teacher and one assistant, measured levels of carbon dioxide in the air-conditioned school stayed below 750 parts per million (ppm) and were typically between 500 and 600 ppm.

    A reading of 700 ppm is particularly good. It means the people in the room breathe in less than 0.5% of air breathed out by others.

    But in “naturally ventilated” classrooms the reading often climbed to 2,500 ppm and sometimes more, within an hour of a class commencing.

    At 2,500 parts per million, people in the room are breathing in 5.5% of the air breathed out by others. This is also high enough to affect cognition, learning and behaviour, something that begins when carbon dioxide climbs above 1,200 ppm.

    Research suggests using ventilation to cut carbon dioxide to 700 ppm can cut the risk of airborne transmission of disease by a factor of two and up to five.

    The economic case for healthy air

    In 2023, Australia had 9,629 schools with 4,086,998 students.

    ARINA has previously estimated the cost of ensuring all of these schools are mechanically ventilated at A$2 billion per year over five years.

    Offsetting that cost would be less sickness. Documents released under freedom of information laws show Victoria spent $360.8 million on casual relief teachers between May 2023 and May 2024, 54% more than before COVID in 2019.

    The figures for other states are harder to get, but if Victoria (with 26% of Australia’s population) is spending $234 million more per year on casual relief teachers than before COVID, it is likely that Australia is spending $900 million per year more.

    Add in the teachers in non-government schools (37% of Australia’s total) and the potential saving from air conditioning schools exceeds $1 billion per year.

    Add in the other non-COVID viruses that would no longer be concentrated and circulated in classrooms and the potential savings grow higher still.

    Worth more than $1 billion per year

    And, in any event, the cost of replacement teachers is a woefully incomplete measure of the cost of illness in schools. Many ill teachers can’t be replaced because replacements aren’t available, making schools cancel lessons and combine classes, costing days, weeks and sometimes months of lost education.

    Also, the bacteria and viruses spread by recirculated air infect students as well as teachers, keeping students (and often their parents) at home as well.

    This suggests the costs per year of not air conditioning schools exceed $1 billion and may well approach or exceed $2 billion, which is the estimated cost per year over five years of air conditioning every Australian school.

    Natural ventilation was never a good idea for classrooms: it was cheap at the time, but not cheap at all when the costs are considered. Those costs happen to extend beyond disease to thermal comfort, energy use and the ability of students to concentrate.

    It’s time we gave students and teachers the kind of protections we demand for ourselves in our offices, our shopping centres and often our homes. It would soon pay for itself.

    Geoff Hanmer is a member of the executive of the Industry Training and Transformation Centre for Advanced Building Systems against Airborne Infection Transmission (known as Thrive) which receives funding from the Australian Research Council, QUT, the University of Melbourne and industry partners in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is a director of the health expert body OzSAGE and the managing director of ARINA, an architectural consultancy.

    – ref. It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school – https://theconversation.com/it-would-cost-billions-but-pay-for-itself-over-time-the-economic-case-for-air-conditioning-every-australian-school-241465

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Poverty in Lagos isn’t just about money – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oluwaseyi Omowunmi Popogbe, Lecturer II, Crawford University

    Lagos is Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, but it has some of the worst slums in the country.

    Lagos slums are characterised by high levels of poverty – the state of not having enough resources to meet basic needs for living, such as food, water, shelter, healthcare and education.

    Poverty is multidimensional. It is not only about money. Yet poverty in Lagos slums has often been studied using traditional methods that focus mostly on income thresholds. A person is considered poor if their income falls below a certain level. This approach captures financial hardship. But it misses other aspects of poverty, such as lack of access to education, healthcare, clean water and decent living conditions.

    Measuring poverty requires a multidimensional approach, not simply an income approach. Multidimensional poverty means looking at all the aspects of deprivation to get a fuller picture of what it means to live in poverty. It helps policymakers and researchers understand that even with some income, a person may still be struggling because they don’t have other essential services.

    In a study of poverty in the Lagos State slums, two other development economists and I used a mathematical framework to model multidimensional poverty. We used what is known as the fuzzy set approach. This was developed in the 1990s as an alternative to purely monetary measures of poverty.

    The traditional monetary approach often classifies people as either “poor” or “not poor” based on specific cut-off points. In reality, poverty exists on a spectrum, and people can experience different levels of deprivation across various aspects of their lives. The fuzzy set approach accounts for this by assigning degrees of membership to different poverty indicators.

    We found considerable disparities in poverty, based on a multidimensional index, across slums in Lagos State. Our insights will enable economists and policymakers to see the different ways people in slums are deprived. In turn this should help them understand how to make their lives better in a more targeted and effective way.

    Background and methodological approach

    Our study focused on five big slums that lie close to the coastal line in Lagos state. These are among the slums the World Bank has identified for upgrading as part of a US$200 million loan project to improve drainage and solid waste management.

    We chose 400 respondents from the five slums: Makoko, Iwaya, Ilaje, Ijora Badia and Amukoko.

    According to Avijit Hazra and Nithya J Gogtay, researchers in bio-statistics and research methodology, a minimum of 384 samples is appropriate for a large population size. Nevertheless, the selected sample for this study limits the ability to generalise the findings to other slums, especially those with different characteristics.

    Findings

    The multidimensional poverty index was highest in Makoko and Iwaya. These scores indicate severe poverty, as they are above the threshold of 0.50.

    In contrast, Amukoko had the lowest multidimensional poverty index, showing relatively less severe deprivation across indicators.

    Makoko and Iwaya are particularly deprived in areas like schooling, sanitation and nutrition. This explains their higher poverty levels compared to other communities.

    Makoko’s location along the coast, with its makeshift housing and poor infrastructure, adds to its vulnerability. Iwaya shares similar challenges in education and health services. These factors make both areas more deprived than other slums.

    Of the three broad poverty dimensions measured, education emerged with the highest deprivation across all communities. This highlighted the limited formal education among residents.

    Specifically, Makoko and Iwaya showed the highest deprivation in schooling. Despite some improvements, particularly in child enrolment, these communities are still marked by severe deprivation.

    The second dimension exhibiting severe deprivation was living standards. There were variations across different slums. Makoko and Iwaya had higher sanitation challenges.

    The third dimension in the severe deprivation category was health. Indicators included mortality and nutrition. They were high across many slums, contributing significantly to their multidimensional poverty indexes.

    Other communities, such as Amukoko (0.0312), showed better sanitation outcomes. On the other hand, electricity, flooring and cooking fuel indicators generally showed lower levels of deprivation, with most slums scoring around or below 0.03 in these categories.

    The prevalence of both serious and minor illnesses, coupled with insufficient medical care, contributed to high mortality rates.

    Poor sanitation could also be a factor in health issues. In Makoko and Iwaya, toilet facilities and waste management were poor, with waste often disposed of in waterways.

    Despite this, personal hygiene practices such as using clean water, soap and regular brushing were prevalent. This helped keep the sanitation index relatively low compared with other factors affecting health.

    Other slums had relatively better-organised waste collection systems and generally improved sanitation practices.

    What needs to be done

    Policymakers should prioritise education-focused initiatives. This should include improving access to quality schools, providing scholarships and setting up adult literacy programmes.

    The study also highlights challenges related to sanitation, especially in Makoko and Iwaya. There is a need for improved infrastructure in these areas, such as better sanitation facilities, waste management systems and access to clean water.

    Policies should focus on upgrading sanitation services to reduce health risks and improve living conditions.

    But the differences in poverty index across slums indicate varying levels of deprivation, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach will not be effective.

    Coastal slums like Makoko and Iwaya require more intensive interventions compared to slums not directly on coastal lines such as Amukoko.

    Policymakers should focus resources where they are most needed to have the greatest impact.

    Slums like Ilaje and Ijora Badia are close to the threshold of severe poverty. Policymakers need to take proactive measures to prevent these communities from falling into severe deprivation.

    Lastly, it is important to use data to identify priority areas and develop targeted interventions aimed at improving the quality of life for slum dwellers.

    Instead of relying on generalised approaches, the insights from this study can facilitate the design of specific policies that address the distinct needs of each community.

    Oluwaseyi Omowunmi Popogbe 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. Poverty in Lagos isn’t just about money – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/poverty-in-lagos-isnt-just-about-money-heres-why-240847

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Poverty in Lagos isn’t just about money – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oluwaseyi Omowunmi Popogbe, Lecturer II, Crawford University

    Lagos is Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, but it has some of the worst slums in the country.

    Lagos slums are characterised by high levels of poverty – the state of not having enough resources to meet basic needs for living, such as food, water, shelter, healthcare and education.

    Poverty is multidimensional. It is not only about money. Yet poverty in Lagos slums has often been studied using traditional methods that focus mostly on income thresholds. A person is considered poor if their income falls below a certain level. This approach captures financial hardship. But it misses other aspects of poverty, such as lack of access to education, healthcare, clean water and decent living conditions.

    Measuring poverty requires a multidimensional approach, not simply an income approach. Multidimensional poverty means looking at all the aspects of deprivation to get a fuller picture of what it means to live in poverty. It helps policymakers and researchers understand that even with some income, a person may still be struggling because they don’t have other essential services.

    In a study of poverty in the Lagos State slums, two other development economists and I used a mathematical framework to model multidimensional poverty. We used what is known as the fuzzy set approach. This was developed in the 1990s as an alternative to purely monetary measures of poverty.

    The traditional monetary approach often classifies people as either “poor” or “not poor” based on specific cut-off points. In reality, poverty exists on a spectrum, and people can experience different levels of deprivation across various aspects of their lives. The fuzzy set approach accounts for this by assigning degrees of membership to different poverty indicators.

    We found considerable disparities in poverty, based on a multidimensional index, across slums in Lagos State. Our insights will enable economists and policymakers to see the different ways people in slums are deprived. In turn this should help them understand how to make their lives better in a more targeted and effective way.

    Background and methodological approach

    Our study focused on five big slums that lie close to the coastal line in Lagos state. These are among the slums the World Bank has identified for upgrading as part of a US$200 million loan project to improve drainage and solid waste management.

    We chose 400 respondents from the five slums: Makoko, Iwaya, Ilaje, Ijora Badia and Amukoko.

    According to Avijit Hazra and Nithya J Gogtay, researchers in bio-statistics and research methodology, a minimum of 384 samples is appropriate for a large population size. Nevertheless, the selected sample for this study limits the ability to generalise the findings to other slums, especially those with different characteristics.

    Findings

    The multidimensional poverty index was highest in Makoko and Iwaya. These scores indicate severe poverty, as they are above the threshold of 0.50.

    In contrast, Amukoko had the lowest multidimensional poverty index, showing relatively less severe deprivation across indicators.

    Makoko and Iwaya are particularly deprived in areas like schooling, sanitation and nutrition. This explains their higher poverty levels compared to other communities.

    Makoko’s location along the coast, with its makeshift housing and poor infrastructure, adds to its vulnerability. Iwaya shares similar challenges in education and health services. These factors make both areas more deprived than other slums.

    Of the three broad poverty dimensions measured, education emerged with the highest deprivation across all communities. This highlighted the limited formal education among residents.

    Specifically, Makoko and Iwaya showed the highest deprivation in schooling. Despite some improvements, particularly in child enrolment, these communities are still marked by severe deprivation.

    The second dimension exhibiting severe deprivation was living standards. There were variations across different slums. Makoko and Iwaya had higher sanitation challenges.

    The third dimension in the severe deprivation category was health. Indicators included mortality and nutrition. They were high across many slums, contributing significantly to their multidimensional poverty indexes.

    Other communities, such as Amukoko (0.0312), showed better sanitation outcomes. On the other hand, electricity, flooring and cooking fuel indicators generally showed lower levels of deprivation, with most slums scoring around or below 0.03 in these categories.

    The prevalence of both serious and minor illnesses, coupled with insufficient medical care, contributed to high mortality rates.

    Poor sanitation could also be a factor in health issues. In Makoko and Iwaya, toilet facilities and waste management were poor, with waste often disposed of in waterways.

    Despite this, personal hygiene practices such as using clean water, soap and regular brushing were prevalent. This helped keep the sanitation index relatively low compared with other factors affecting health.

    Other slums had relatively better-organised waste collection systems and generally improved sanitation practices.

    What needs to be done

    Policymakers should prioritise education-focused initiatives. This should include improving access to quality schools, providing scholarships and setting up adult literacy programmes.

    The study also highlights challenges related to sanitation, especially in Makoko and Iwaya. There is a need for improved infrastructure in these areas, such as better sanitation facilities, waste management systems and access to clean water.

    Policies should focus on upgrading sanitation services to reduce health risks and improve living conditions.

    But the differences in poverty index across slums indicate varying levels of deprivation, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach will not be effective.

    Coastal slums like Makoko and Iwaya require more intensive interventions compared to slums not directly on coastal lines such as Amukoko.

    Policymakers should focus resources where they are most needed to have the greatest impact.

    Slums like Ilaje and Ijora Badia are close to the threshold of severe poverty. Policymakers need to take proactive measures to prevent these communities from falling into severe deprivation.

    Lastly, it is important to use data to identify priority areas and develop targeted interventions aimed at improving the quality of life for slum dwellers.

    Instead of relying on generalised approaches, the insights from this study can facilitate the design of specific policies that address the distinct needs of each community.

    – Poverty in Lagos isn’t just about money – here’s why
    – https://theconversation.com/poverty-in-lagos-isnt-just-about-money-heres-why-240847

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from Åšroda Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from Środa Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from Środa Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 22) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Środa Wielkopolska District of the Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 620 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland in the first six months of this year.     “The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, October 22, 2024Issued at HKT 16:37

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Consumer Price Indices for September 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 22) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for September 2024. According to the Composite CPI, overall consumer prices rose by 2.2% in September 2024 over the same month a year earlier, smaller than the corresponding increase (2.5%) in August 2024. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI (i.e. the underlying inflation rate) in September 2024 was 0.9%, also smaller than that in August 2024 (1.2%). The smaller increases were mainly due to the higher base of comparison resulting from the significant increases in food prices in September 2023.

         On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of increase in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period ending September 2024 was 0.4%, and that for the 3-month period ending August 2024 was 0.6%. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the corresponding rates of increase were 0.1% and 0.2%.   

         Analysed by sub-index, the year-on-year rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.9%, 2.0% and 1.6% respectively in September 2024, as compared to 3.2%, 2.2% and 1.9% respectively in August 2024. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 0.9%, 0.9% and 1.0% respectively in September 2024, as compared to 1.1%, 1.2% and 1.3% respectively in August 2024.   

         On a seasonally adjusted basis, for the 3-month period ending September 2024, the average monthly rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 0.5%, 0.4% and 0.3% respectively. The corresponding rates of increase for the 3-month period ending August 2024 were 0.8%, 0.5% and 0.4% respectively. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the average monthly rates of increase in the seasonally adjusted CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) for the 3-month period ending September 2024 were all 0.1%, and the corresponding rates of increase for the 3-month period ending August 2024 were 0.2%, 0.1% and 0.2% respectively.   

         Amongst the various components of the Composite CPI, year-on-year increases in prices were recorded in September 2024 for alcoholic drinks and tobacco (21.4%), electricity, gas and water (6.5%), housing (3.3%), miscellaneous services (2.0%), meals out and takeaway food (1.8%), miscellaneous goods (1.2%), and transport (1.0%).   

         On the other hand, year-on-year decreases in the components of the Composite CPI were recorded in September 2024 for clothing and footwear (-1.6%), basic food (-0.4%), and durable goods (-0.4%).   

         Taking the first 9 months of 2024 together, the Composite CPI rose by 1.9% over a year earlier. The respective increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.2%, 1.7% and 1.6% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.0%, 0.9%, 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.   

         In the third quarter of 2024, the Composite CPI rose by 2.4% over a year earlier, while the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) rose by 3.1%, 2.1% and 1.9% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.1%, 1.0%, 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.   

         For the 12 months ending September 2024, the Composite CPI was on average 2.0% higher than that in the preceding 12-month period. The respective increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.4%, 1.9% and 1.8% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.2%, 1.0%, 1.2% and 1.4% respectively. 

    Commentary

         A Government spokesman said that underlying consumer price inflation remained modest in September. The year-on-year increase in food price eased, while prices of energy-related items declined at a narrowed rate. Price pressures on other major components remained broadly in check.

         Looking ahead, overall inflation should stay mild in the near term. The continued growth of the Hong Kong economy could pose some moderate upward pressures on domestic cost. Meanwhile, external price pressures should ease further, though uncertainties in the external environment remain. The Government will continue to monitor the situation.

    Further information

         The CPIs and year-on-year rates of change at section level for September 2024 are shown in Table 1. The time series on the year-on-year rates of change in the CPIs before and after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures are shown in Table 2. For discerning the latest trend in consumer prices, it is also useful to look at the changes in the seasonally adjusted CPIs. The time series on the average monthly rates of change during the latest 3 months for the seasonally adjusted CPIs are shown in Table 3. The rates of change in the original and the seasonally adjusted Composite CPI and the underlying inflation rate are presented graphically in Chart 1.

         More detailed statistics are given in the “Monthly Report on the Consumer Price Index”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1060001&scode=270).

         For enquiries about the CPIs, please contact the Consumer Price Index Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7374 or email: cpi@censtatd.gov.hk).
     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic students are winners of the competition for St. Petersburg government awards

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Diploma Project Commission summed up the results of the competition for the St. Petersburg Government Prize. For the implementation of diploma projects in the 2023/2024 academic year, 33 executive bodies of state power offered students 116 topics for work. 72 people won the competition, seven of whom are SPbPU students. All of them represent the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade.

    1. Maria Gorshenina, graduate of the Master’s program at the Higher School of Industrial Management, Energy Management program, scientific supervisor: Associate Professor at the Higher School of Industrial Management Inga Skvortsova.

    Project “Analysis and ranking of factors promoting and hindering the introduction of renewable energy sources in the engineering and energy complex of St. Petersburg”. The aim of the study was to improve the elaboration of the scientific base for assessing the feasibility of introducing renewable energy sources into a specific regional energy system by identifying and analyzing key factors that form the environment within which the operation of renewable energy sources is planned in the region.

    To be honest, this work is a story of constant improvements and refinements, as I always wanted to improve my project. The result was worth it: victory in the St. Petersburg government diploma project competition, second place in the TGK-1 competition and, most importantly, my own satisfaction with the work done, Maria shared her impressions.

    2. Leonid Alkhimovich, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program of the Higher School of Industrial Management, international educational program “International Business”, scientific supervisor: associate professor of the Higher School of Industrial Management Ksenia Kikkas.

    The topic of the thesis is “Corporate training – gamification as a basis for effective interaction in the work process”. The choice of the topic is associated with the rapid development of technologies in the field of corporate training, digital methods of professional development and increasing employee engagement. One of the most common tools in this area is gamification.

    3. Evelina Polushkina, Bachelor of the Higher School of Administrative Management in the direction of “State and Municipal Administration”. The project “The Impact of Digitalization on the Process of State Support for Business” was developed under the supervision of HSAM Associate Professor Maxim Ivanov. During the final qualifying work, recommendations were developed for improving the provision of state support by changing the internal processes for ensuring the operation of digital services, as well as creating directions for their popularization among small and medium-sized businesses.

    Participation in the competition was a very useful and necessary experience for me. I positively evaluate the experience of communication with the executive bodies of St. Petersburg in the person of civil servants, who promptly provided the necessary information and statistics on my topic. I believe that the topic of state support for business is relevant at the moment, so I am glad that the city authorities are actively involved in its implementation and are constantly developing this industry, including with the help of digital technologies, – Evelina noted.

    4. Elizaveta Parkhomchuk, Master of the Higher School of Administrative Management in the direction of “State and Municipal Administration”. Under the supervision of HSAM Associate Professor Tamara Selentyeva, she completed the work “Development of projects for methodological assistance in supporting small and medium-sized businesses in the executive bodies of state power”, which is aimed at creating recommendations for executive bodies of state power to improve the process of providing assistance and support to small and medium-sized businesses. This work was done jointly with specialists from the Center for Development and Support of Entrepreneurship of St. Petersburg.

    5. Mikhail Kiryushatov, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program at the Higher School of Service and Trade, majoring in “Trade Business”, scientific supervisor: associate professor at the Higher School of Service and Trade Irina Kapustina. The project was called “Analysis of the possibilities of expanding economic cooperation between St. Petersburg and cities of ASEAN countries in modern conditions.”

    The most memorable events were the off-site events in which the External Relations Committee took part. The first of these was the XXIII International Forum “Ecology of the Big City”, where a student of the Higher School of Social and Technical Studies accompanied a delegation from Myanmar headed by the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Min Tu, and also carried out communication at a meeting with Russian partners in the field of geology, Mikhail shared.

    6. Ksenia Fisun, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program at the Higher School of Service and Trade, majoring in “Trade Business”, scientific supervisor: Associate Professor of the Higher School of Service and Trade Vladimir Bakharev. Her project was called “Trends and Factors Influencing the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in St. Petersburg”.

    Participation in the project was a very interesting experience for me! Thanks to it, I got acquainted with the activities of government agencies from the inside, and also learned more about the sphere of small and medium entrepreneurship in our city. I am grateful to the Polytechnic University and the government of St. Petersburg for the opportunity to participate in such a project! – shared Ksenia.

    7. Karina Allahverdiyeva, graduate of the Master’s program of the Higher School of Service and Trade, the program “Quality Management at the Enterprise” under the supervision of Associate Professor of the Higher School of Service and Trade Boris Lyamin. The project work on the topic “Monitoring of food products based on the KPPIT as a promising form of quality control and product safety” consisted of identifying discrepancies in the food product monitoring process, assessing the quality control process of samples, developing recommendations for improving and optimizing the food product monitoring process in the testing laboratory of the IL “PETEKS”. It is worth noting that the results of the project work were agreed upon, approved and applied by the head of the testing laboratory.

    The winners will be awarded in November during the St. Petersburg International Scientific and Educational Salon, the city’s largest event aimed at demonstrating educational, scientific research and innovation activities.

    According to statistics, most of the winners of this competition are employed in city administrative structures. It is also worth noting that this year the prize amount has been increased from 16 thousand rubles to 30 thousand rubles for each winner.

    I am proud of our students! IPMET regularly participates and annually remains among the leaders in the number of winners. And this year is a particularly significant event for the entire institute – seven winners from the Polytechnic University and all IPMET students! Your achievements are the result of hard work, creativity and commitment to high quality work. I wish you further success in your professional activities, may your victories continue to delight us with new achievements, – shared the director of IPMET Vladimir Shchepinin.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: September sees 2.2% inflation

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Overall consumer prices rose 2.2% year-on-year in September, a smaller rate of increase than the 2.5% seen in August, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

    Netting out the effects of the Government’s one-off relief measures, underlying inflation was 0.9%, also smaller than that recorded in August. 

    Compared with September last year, price increases were seen in the following categories: alcoholic drinks and tobacco; electricity, gas and water; housing; miscellaneous services; meals out and takeaway food; miscellaneous goods; and transport.

    Meanwhile, year-on-year decreases were recorded for clothing and footwear; basic food; and durable goods.

    The Government said overall inflation should stay mild in the near term and the continued growth of the Hong Kong economy could pose some moderate upward pressures on domestic costs.

    Meanwhile, external price pressures should ease further, though uncertainties in the external environment remain, it added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Chris Hoy reveals that he has terminal cancer – here’s how to spot early signs of prostate cancer

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    Sir Chris Hoy, an inspiration to so many of us, has just revealed he has terminal prostate cancer aged just 48 years old.

    It’s easy to assume that prostate cancer is a disease that only affects older men. But it can strike at any age, including younger and middle-aged men.

    Although the average age of diagnosis is 68, about one in ten new cases are in men under 55. In fact, doctors have noticed more cases in younger men in recent years. If you’re in your 40s or 50s, it’s worth knowing about the risks and signs of prostate cancer.

    When prostate cancer does occur in younger men, it tends to be more aggressive. If you’re diagnosed at a younger age, there’s a higher chance the cancer might be at a more advanced stage. This means it could be more dangerous than prostate cancer in older men. That’s why it’s crucial to catch it early if you can.

    There are several signs that could point to prostate cancer. People affected might notice that they’re going to the bathroom more often, especially at night. Some people can have trouble starting or stopping when they pee, or their urine flow might be weak or stop and start.

    Some men see blood in their urine or semen. Problems with erections, pain when you pee, or discomfort in your pelvic area are other possible signs.

    If you notice any of these, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. Remember, these symptoms can be caused by lots of other conditions too, including being part of normal ageing, but it’s always best to get them checked.

    Even if you don’t have symptoms, if you’re over 50, or over 45 with prostate cancer in your family, it’s worth having a chat with your doctor about prostate cancer screening. In this case, you might have heard of the PSA test. It’s a blood test that can help diagnose prostate problems, including cancer. But it’s not offered as a routine screening test for everyone.

    Like a lot of diagnostic tests, the PSA test isn’t perfect. It can miss some cancers, and sometimes it says there might be cancer when there isn’t. This can lead to unnecessary worry and more tests. Also, it can’t tell the difference between slow-growing cancers that might never cause problems and more aggressive ones that need treatment. That’s why doctors suggest discussing it before deciding to have the test.

    Sometimes there’s a genetic element to prostate cancers in younger people. There are genes that increase the risk of prostate cancer, and the same or similar genes increase the risk of other cancers like breast cancer.

    If there are lots of men in your family affected by prostate cancer, or male relatives with breast cancer or younger people affected, it is worth having genetic tests to understand your own risk.

    Sometimes people are even considered for a prostatectomy, which means a removal of one’s prostate, to decrease the risk of cancer occurring later on. In the future, these genetic tests will happen more and more, which is good news.

    Overdiagnosis

    One of the tricky things about prostate cancer screening is something called overdiagnosis. Many prostate cancers grow so slowly that they might never cause any problems. But once they’re found, men often want to treat them.

    This can lead to side-effects that affect quality of life, even though the cancer itself might never have been harmful. That’s why doctors are careful about how they approach screening and diagnosis.

    Some research suggests that just keeping an eye on things is better for elderly people, but this really isn’t the case for younger people.

    You might be wondering about other tests for prostate cancer. The digital rectal exam, where a doctor checks your prostate with a gloved finger, used to be a common part of screening. These days, it’s not always considered necessary, especially if other tests like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are available.

    MRI scans where you typically go in a narrow tube are being used more and more to look for prostate cancer. They can help find suspicious areas and guide biopsies if needed.

    The first inkling Hoy had that something was wrong was when he developed shoulder pain, meaning the cancer had already spread. We do see this as oncologists, but in most cases, it’s localised to the prostate gland in the pelvis.

    If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, there are an increasing number of treatment options available. These might include keeping a close eye on slow-growing cancers without immediate treatment, surgery to remove the prostate, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or chemotherapy for advanced cases.

    We also have targeted drugs taken as tablets now too. The best choice depends on things like your age, how advanced the cancer is, and your overall health.

    You might have heard that more men die with prostate cancer than from it. While this is true, it doesn’t mean you should ignore any concerns you have. Early detection and treatment can be crucial, especially for more aggressive cancers.

    If you’re worried about any symptoms or about your risk of prostate cancer, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor. Being proactive about your health is important. Remember, many men diagnosed with prostate cancer go on to live long, full lives, especially when it’s caught early.

    Justin Stebbing 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. Chris Hoy reveals that he has terminal cancer – here’s how to spot early signs of prostate cancer – https://theconversation.com/chris-hoy-reveals-that-he-has-terminal-cancer-heres-how-to-spot-early-signs-of-prostate-cancer-241851

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, Professor in physiological sciences, Stellenbosch University

    Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women: more than 2 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. It is also particularly challenging to treat. Physiologist Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, who heads the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University, explains why this is so and how precision medicine could help.

    How do tumours work?

    Normally, cell growth, cell division and cell death are tightly regulated processes. But mutations in a cell’s DNA can disrupt this regulation, leading to abnormal cell proliferation, forming tumours.

    Tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant tumours are dangerous because they invade surrounding tissues and can metastasize (spread) to other body parts, such as bones, liver or lungs.

    Cancer cells can evade the immune system, create their own blood supply (angiogenesis), and adapt to survive under different conditions, such as low oxygen or treatment pressure.

    Only 5%-10% of all cancers arise from germline (inherited) mutations, which are present in all cells of the body from birth, predisposing the individual to developing cancer.

    Most cancers are preventable through a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.

    What are the different types of tumours?

    For breast cancer, the tumours can be classified into types:

    Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer (meaning it has not invaded the underlying tissue beneath the epithelial cells, and abnormal cells are confined only to the milk ducts.

    Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most common type, where cancer cells break through the duct walls (the cells lining the ducts become cancerous) and invade surrounding breast tissue.

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): Begins in the milk-producing lobules and invades nearby tissue. (The lobules are the part of the breast which produce milk. They are anatomically different from the ducts, which transport the milk to the nipples.)

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): The breast tissue lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 protein receptors that control how cells grow and divide. Triple-negative breast cancer is often more aggressive and more challenging to treat.

    HER2-positive breast cancer: Overexpression of the HER2 protein, which promotes cancer cell growth.

    Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: Cancer that grows in response to hormones like estrogen or progesterone.

    What makes breast cancer so difficult to treat?

    Breast cancer is particularly challenging to treat because there are so many subtypes with unique genetic and molecular characteristics.

    These variations mean that a treatment effective for one subtype might not work for another. The approach has to be tailored for each patient’s breast cancer.

    Another challenge is the tumour microenvironment. Cancer cells “hijack” the normal cells in this microenvironment to sustain cell growth.

    The tumour microenvironment shapes tumour behaviour. Certain cells in this environment can shield cancer cells from therapies, making treatment less effective.

    Drug resistance further complicates treatment. Over time, breast cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance to chemotherapy, hormonal treatments and targeted therapies.

    This adaptation can involve genetic mutations or the use of alternative signalling pathways that allow the cancer cells to continue growing despite treatment efforts.

    Metastasis, or the spread of cancer to other organs, is another major hurdle. Metastatic cells often behave differently from those in the primary tumour. This is true for all cancers.

    Lastly, breast cancer cells sometimes escape detection by the immune system. Usually, the immune system would recognise and attack abnormal cells. But some breast cancer cells can disguise themselves or suppress the immune response.

    This makes immunotherapy less effective. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy enhances the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer.

    Immunotherapy has shown success in treating cancers like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and certain lymphomas, particularly those with a high number of genetic mutations that make them more visible to the immune system.

    But immunotherapy is not universally effective. Response rates can vary greatly between patients, and side effects can be severe.

    Breast cancer tends to have fewer genetic changes for the immune system to recognise as foreign.

    How would precision medicine make a difference?

    Precision medicine takes into account the genes, environment, and lifestyle of each person and tailors treatments to a tumour’s genetic and molecular characteristics.

    It enables targeted therapies that improve efficacy and reduce unnecessary side effects.

    Ongoing monitoring through techniques like liquid biopsies (for example a blood test) allows treatment strategies to be adapted as the tumour evolves, and identifying genetic predispositions aids in early detection and prevention.

    Precision medicine has transformed cancer care, particularly in cancers like breast, lung, and melanoma, where targeted therapies guided by genetic profiling are now routine for patients who can afford it.

    Research and clinical trials continue to expand the reach of precision medicine, promising more effective, individualised treatments for a broader range of patients in the future.

    Anna-Mart Engelbrecht receives funding from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), National Research Foundation (NRF) and CANSA. SAMRC and NRF currently, CANSA previously. I am director and shareholder of two Stellenbosch University start-up companies, BIOCODE and PHYENTI.

    – ref. Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon – https://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-why-its-difficult-to-treat-and-what-new-approaches-are-on-the-horizon-241690

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, Professor in physiological sciences, Stellenbosch University

    Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women: more than 2 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. It is also particularly challenging to treat. Physiologist Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, who heads the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University, explains why this is so and how precision medicine could help.

    How do tumours work?

    Normally, cell growth, cell division and cell death are tightly regulated processes. But mutations in a cell’s DNA can disrupt this regulation, leading to abnormal cell proliferation, forming tumours.

    Tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant tumours are dangerous because they invade surrounding tissues and can metastasize (spread) to other body parts, such as bones, liver or lungs.

    Cancer cells can evade the immune system, create their own blood supply (angiogenesis), and adapt to survive under different conditions, such as low oxygen or treatment pressure.

    Only 5%-10% of all cancers arise from germline (inherited) mutations, which are present in all cells of the body from birth, predisposing the individual to developing cancer.

    Most cancers are preventable through a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.

    What are the different types of tumours?

    For breast cancer, the tumours can be classified into types:

    Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer (meaning it has not invaded the underlying tissue beneath the epithelial cells, and abnormal cells are confined only to the milk ducts.

    Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most common type, where cancer cells break through the duct walls (the cells lining the ducts become cancerous) and invade surrounding breast tissue.

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): Begins in the milk-producing lobules and invades nearby tissue. (The lobules are the part of the breast which produce milk. They are anatomically different from the ducts, which transport the milk to the nipples.)

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): The breast tissue lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 protein receptors that control how cells grow and divide. Triple-negative breast cancer is often more aggressive and more challenging to treat.

    HER2-positive breast cancer: Overexpression of the HER2 protein, which promotes cancer cell growth.

    Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: Cancer that grows in response to hormones like estrogen or progesterone.

    What makes breast cancer so difficult to treat?

    Breast cancer is particularly challenging to treat because there are so many subtypes with unique genetic and molecular characteristics.

    These variations mean that a treatment effective for one subtype might not work for another. The approach has to be tailored for each patient’s breast cancer.

    Another challenge is the tumour microenvironment. Cancer cells “hijack” the normal cells in this microenvironment to sustain cell growth.

    The tumour microenvironment shapes tumour behaviour. Certain cells in this environment can shield cancer cells from therapies, making treatment less effective.

    Drug resistance further complicates treatment. Over time, breast cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance to chemotherapy, hormonal treatments and targeted therapies.

    This adaptation can involve genetic mutations or the use of alternative signalling pathways that allow the cancer cells to continue growing despite treatment efforts.

    Metastasis, or the spread of cancer to other organs, is another major hurdle. Metastatic cells often behave differently from those in the primary tumour. This is true for all cancers.

    Lastly, breast cancer cells sometimes escape detection by the immune system. Usually, the immune system would recognise and attack abnormal cells. But some breast cancer cells can disguise themselves or suppress the immune response.

    This makes immunotherapy less effective. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy enhances the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer.

    Immunotherapy has shown success in treating cancers like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and certain lymphomas, particularly those with a high number of genetic mutations that make them more visible to the immune system.

    But immunotherapy is not universally effective. Response rates can vary greatly between patients, and side effects can be severe.

    Breast cancer tends to have fewer genetic changes for the immune system to recognise as foreign.

    How would precision medicine make a difference?

    Precision medicine takes into account the genes, environment, and lifestyle of each person and tailors treatments to a tumour’s genetic and molecular characteristics.

    It enables targeted therapies that improve efficacy and reduce unnecessary side effects.

    Ongoing monitoring through techniques like liquid biopsies (for example a blood test) allows treatment strategies to be adapted as the tumour evolves, and identifying genetic predispositions aids in early detection and prevention.

    Precision medicine has transformed cancer care, particularly in cancers like breast, lung, and melanoma, where targeted therapies guided by genetic profiling are now routine for patients who can afford it.

    Research and clinical trials continue to expand the reach of precision medicine, promising more effective, individualised treatments for a broader range of patients in the future.

    – Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon
    – https://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-why-its-difficult-to-treat-and-what-new-approaches-are-on-the-horizon-241690

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Salah Ben Hammou, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Rice University

    Members of the Malian junta wave as civilians gather to celebrate the overthrow of the president on Aug. 21, 2020. AP Photo/File

    In September 2024, authorities in Benin detained the country’s former sports minister and a prominent businessman for allegedly plotting a coup against the West African nation’s president, Patrice Talon. Had a putsch materialized, Benin would have joined a growing list of African countries to have experienced a military coup over the past four years.

    Dubbed an “epidemic of coup d’états” by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the resurgence of military takeovers has left many observers perplexed. For one, the frequency of coups worldwide had reached historic lows prior to 2020.

    But perhaps even more puzzling is that several of the recent military coups – such as those in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – have been accompanied by significant civilian support. Indeed, while various commentaries or news reports have treated civilian support as an exceptional feature of this recent coup wave, these perspectives rely on a common misunderstanding.

    As I’ve observed over the course of my research on the politics of military coups, civilian support is actually a common, if not critical, part of coup politics, and far from unique to this recent resurgence of military takeovers.

    How common are civilian-supported coups?

    In the popular imagination of a military coup, power-hungry soldiers command tanks down a capital’s streets to seize authority from the political leadership. In this vision, civilians are often passive actors or otherwise assumed to be the opponents of coups. Yet such a setting is belied by numerous examples, both recent and throughout history.

    In West Africa’s Niger, for example, the M62 movement – a coalition of civil society organizations – gathered its members on the streets to support the coup in July 2023, outnumbering prior protests calling for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum. In neighboring Mali, the M5-RFP protest movement served a similar role in the aftermath of the country’s 2020 coup – although fissures in its relationship with the junta have since surfaced.

    Even Benin’s thwarted plot had a civilian dimension. Its alleged masterminds, the sports minister and prominent businessman who were said to have funded the planned coup, were not soldiers but part of the governing bureaucracy or elite civil society.

    To see how common such cases are, I collected data on civilian support and involvement in all successful military coups since 1950. Defining coups as “successful” if the soldiers manage to stay in power for at least seven days, that gave me 242 cases over a period of nearly 75 years to analyze, spanning different regions like Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

    Out of the 242 episodes, 189 coups – or nearly 80% – saw some type of civilian support, either in the takeover’s instigation or in the later consolidation of power.

    Coups without any sign of civilian support were generally those that saw a military leader ousted by other members of the ruling junta – contexts where soldiers already dominated the political landscape.

    Breaking down the numbers over time, civilian-supported coups represented the lion’s share in each decade, even as the overall frequency of coups ebbed by the 1990s with the end of the Cold War.

    But in the past two decades, virtually every successful coup has been associated with some level of support outside the military. So while civilian support might not be unique to recent cases, there is evidence that it has become a more common fixture of military coups – at least among the successful ones.

    Of course, these stats do not include failed coups or thwarted conspiracies. But the failed attempts to instigate a coup in Benin – or, for that matter, in Brazil in January 2023 – suggest that these numbers might underestimate the frequency of civilian support for, and involvement in, coups.

    How civilians support coups

    In general, civilian support for coups can manifest in different ways. But in a recent study, I identified two broad patterns: instigation and consolidation.

    Instigation, by default, occurs in the pre-coup stage and involves civilians taking action to spark a coup attempt.

    Protests and insurrections in pursuit of a military coup are common methods of instigation. For example, early in 2023, supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro seized the National Congress after weeks of publicly calling on the military to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration. While their efforts ultimately failed to produce a coup, they are illustrative of the civilian dynamic.

    In late 2021, disgruntled members of Sudan’s transitional government organized protests in Khartoum, the capital, calling for the military’s intervention. The military answered days later by removing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok from power.

    Instigation can also involve more targeted actions. For instance, the alleged Benin coup plot involved targeting specific members of the security services with bribes in exchange for their participation. In Brazil, recent court documents implicated Bolsonaro himself in coordinating a coup plot and attempting to ensure the participation of top military leaders.

    In other cases, political parties developed secret cells in the armed forces to later give the go-ahead for a coup – like in Bolivia in 1952, Iraq in 1963, Afghanistan in 1978 and Sudan in 1989.

    Consolidation, on the other hand, involves actions taken during and in the immediate aftermath of a coup.

    This could include actions like taking up arms alongside soldiers during a military takeover, organizing pro-coup protests or assuming important governing tasks alongside a new junta. Here, civilians seek to ensure a coup succeeds and its objectives take root – even against domestic and international opposition.

    Among the recent West African cases, civilians have especially worked to consolidate coups against international opposition. For example, after the Economic Community of West African States threatened military intervention to reverse Niger’s coup in 2023, M62 and other civilian-led protest groups rallied to support the coupists. Thousands also enlisted in the Volunteers for the Defense of Niger, a pro-junta civilian militia created to combat international intervention against the coupists.

    Why civilian coup support matters

    Soldiers are unlikely to even attempt a coup without confidence that at least some civilians will back their efforts.

    Portraying civilian support for military takeovers as exceptional thus misses a critical component of coup politics. And this misconception benefits coupists, who can use civilian allies to present their actions as legitimate or even revolutionary, which is what happened in Egypt in 2013.

    Coupists can also retain political influence after stepping aside by ensuring that their civilian supporters secure power.

    Military coups also do not occur in a vacuum. A proper focus on the civilian element of coup politics allows researchers and international observers to better contextualize military takeovers in broader social struggles for the state.

    This could lead to greater engagement with the issue of what kinds of civilian segments are instigating and consolidating coups. Are they close to the targeted leader such as in Benin’s alleged plot? Or are they members of the political opposition, like in Niger and Mali?

    These nuances should be front and center to researchers, policymakers and diplomats as they seek to understand – and mitigate – sudden and often destabilizing takeovers of a state.

    Salah Ben Hammou has received funding from the United States Institute of Peace and Minerva Research Initiative. He is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy.

    – ref. Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature – https://theconversation.com/civilian-support-for-military-coups-isnt-a-bug-its-a-feature-240877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Spencer Kimball, Associate Professor of Communications, Director of Emerson College Polling, Emerson College

    Pollsters have developed a range of methods for selecting who is asked to answer poll questions. Guido Mieth/Moment via Getty Images

    As the U.S. presidential election approaches, news reports and social media feeds are increasingly filled with data from public opinion polls. How do pollsters know which candidate is ahead in what swing state or with which key demographic group? Or what issues are most important to as many as 264 million eligible voters across a vast country?

    In other words: How do pollsters do what they do?

    At Emerson College Polling, we lead a dynamic survey operation that, like many others, has continuously evolved to keep pace with shifting trends and technologies in survey research. At the inception of survey research – about 100 years ago – data was primarily collected through mail and in-person interviews. That’s not true nowadays, of course.

    In the early days of the survey industry, being asked to participate in a poll was novel, and response rates were high. Today, we’re bombarded with survey requests via email, text, online pop-ups, and phone calls from unknown numbers. With fewer landlines, busy parents juggling work and family, and younger adults who rarely answer calls, preferring text communication, it has become much harder to engage respondents. This shift in behavior reflects the evolving challenges of reaching diverse populations in modern survey research.

    The goal is to describe a diverse community with a variety of viewpoints.
    ferrantraite/E+ via Getty Images

    Evolution of data collection

    In the broadest possible terms, polls and surveys have two elements – choosing whom to contact, and reaching them in a way that’s likely to get a response. These elements are often intertwined.

    In the 1970s, after household telephones had become widespread in the U.S., survey operators adopted a random-sampling method called random digit dialing, in which the survey’s designers would choose the area codes they wanted to reach and live operators randomly dialed seven-digit phone numbers within that area code.

    By the 1990s, pollsters began moving away from random digit dialing, which was time-consuming and expensive because the random selection often picked phone numbers that were out of service or not useful for opinion surveys, such as businesses or government offices. Instead, pollsters began adopting registration-based sampling, in which public voter registration records were used to compile the lists from which respondents were randomly selected.

    The information in these and other associated public records, such as those detailing gender, age and educational attainment, allowed a refinement of random sampling called stratified sampling. That’s where the one big list was split into subgroups based on these different characteristics, such as party affiliation, voting frequency, gender, race or ethnicity, income or educational attainment.

    Survey-takers then chose randomly from among those subgroups in proportion to the population as a whole. So if 40% of the overall population have college degrees and 60% do not, a poll of 100 people would randomly select 40 people from the list of those with a college degree and 60 from the list of those without.

    Other advances in ways to reach respondents emerged late in the 20th century, such as interactive voice response, which did not require live operators. Instead, automated systems played recordings of the questions and registered the spoken responses. In 2000, internet-based polling also began to emerge, in which participants filled out online forms.

    From probability to nonprobability sampling

    Over the past two decades, the rise of cellphones, text messaging and online platforms has dramatically changed survey research. The traditional gold standard of using only live operator telephone polls has become nearly obsolete. Now that phones display who is calling, fewer people answer calls from unknown numbers, and fewer of them are willing to talk to a stranger about their personal views.

    Even the random sampling that was once standard has given way to a nonprobability sampling approach based on increasingly specific population proportions. So if 6% of a population are Black men with a certain level of education and a certain amount of household income, then a survey will strive to have 6% of its respondents match those characteristics.

    In quota sampling, participants may not be selected randomly but rather chosen as participants because they have specific demographic attributes. This method is less statistically rigorous and more prone to bias, though it may yield a representative sample with relative efficiency. By contrast, stratified sampling randomly selects participants within defined groups, reducing sampling error and providing more precise estimates of population characteristics.

    To help polling operations find potential respondents, political and marketing consulting firms have compiled voter information, including demographic data and contact details. At Emerson College Polling, we have access to a database of 273 million U.S. adults, with 123 million mobile numbers, 116 million email addresses and nearly 59 million landline numbers.

    A newer technique pollsters are using to reach respondents is something called river sampling, an online method in which individuals encounter a survey during their regular internet browsing and social media activity, often through an ad or pop-up. They complete a short screening questionnaire and are then invited to join a survey opt-in panel whose members will be asked to take future surveys.

    Databases compile large amounts of information about many U.S. voters.
    da-kuk/E+ via Getty Images

    Emerson College Polling methodology

    Our polling operation has used a range of approaches to reach the more than 162,000 people who have completed our polls so far this year in the United States.

    Unlike traditional pollsters, Emerson College Polling does not rely on live operator data collection outside of small-scale tests of new survey methods to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of different polling approaches.

    Instead, like most modern pollsters, we use a mix of approaches, including text-to-web surveys, interactive voice response on landlines, email outreach, and opt-in panels. This combination allows us to reach a broader, more representative audience, which is essential for accurate polling in today’s fragmented social and media landscape. This diverse population includes younger individuals who communicate through various platforms distinct from those used by older generations.

    When we contact the people in our stratified samples, we take into account differences between each communication method. For example, older people tend to answer landlines, while men and middle-aged people are more responsive to mobile text-to-web surveys. To reach underrepresented groups – such as adults ages 18 to 29 and Hispanic respondents – we use online databases that they have voluntarily signed up for, knowing they may be surveyed.

    We also use information about whom we sample and how to calculate the margin of error, which measures the precision of poll results. Larger sample sizes tend to be more representative of the overall population and therefore lead to a smaller margin of error.

    For instance, a poll of 400 respondents typically has a 4.9% margin of error, while increasing the sample size to 1,000 reduces it to 3%, offering more accurate insights.

    The goal, as ever, is to present to the public an accurate reflection of what the people as a whole think about candidates and issues.

    Spencer Kimball works for Emerson College Polling.

    Camille Mumford works for Emerson College Polling.

    Matt Taglia works for Emerson College Polling

    – ref. How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone – https://theconversation.com/how-pollsters-have-adapted-to-changing-technology-and-voters-who-dont-answer-the-phone-240283

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease − in part because doctors don’t take major sex and gender differences into account

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amy Huebschmann, Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Rates of heart disease and cardiac events in women are often underestimated. eternalcreative/iStock via Getty Images

    A simple difference in the genetic code – two X chromosomes versus one X chromosome and one Y chromosome – can lead to major differences in heart disease. It turns out that these genetic differences influence more than just sex organs and sex assigned at birth – they fundamentally alter the way cardiovascular disease develops and presents.

    While sex influences the mechanisms behind how cardiovascular disease develops, gender plays a role in how health care providers recognize and manage it. Sex refers to biological characteristics such as genetics, hormones, anatomy and physiology, while gender refers to social, psychological and cultural constructs. Women are more likely to die after a first heart attack or stroke than men. Women are also more likely to have additional or different heart attack symptoms that go beyond chest pain, such as nausea, jaw pain, dizziness and fatigue. It is often difficult to fully disentangle the influences of sex on cardiovascular disease outcomes versus the influences of gender.

    While women who haven’t entered menopause have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than men, their cardiovascular risk accelerates dramatically after menopause. In addition, if a woman has Type 2 diabetes, her risk of heart attack accelerates to be equivalent to that of men, even if the woman with diabetes has not yet gone through menopause. Further data is needed to better understand differences in cardiovascular disease risk among nonbinary and transgender patients.

    Despite these differences, one key thing is the same: Heart attack, stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease are the leading cause of death for all people, regardless of sex or gender.

    We are researchers who study women’s health and the way cardiovascular disease develops and presents differently in women and men. Our work has identified a crucial need to update medical guidelines with more sex-specific approaches to diagnosis and treatment in order to improve health outcomes for all.

    Gender differences in heart disease

    The reasons behind sex and gender differences in cardiovascular disease are not completely known. Nor are the distinct biological effects of sex, such as hormonal and genetic factors, versus gender, such as social, cultural and psychological factors, clearly differentiated.

    What researchers do know is that the accumulated evidence of what good heart care should look like for women compared with men has as many holes in it as Swiss cheese. Medical evidence for treating cardiovascular disease often comes from trials that excluded women, since women for the most part weren’t included in scientific research until the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993. For example, current guidelines to treat cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure are based primarily on data from men. This is despite evidence that differences in the way that cardiovascular disease develops leads women to experience cardiovascular disease differently.

    Gender biases in health care influence the kind of tests and attention that women receive.
    FG Trade Latin/E+ via Getty Images

    In addition to sex differences, implicit gender biases among providers and gendered social norms among patients lead clinicians to underestimate the risk of cardiac events in women compared with men. These biases play a role in why women are more likely than men to die from cardiac events. For example, for patients with symptoms that are borderline for cardiovascular disease, clinicians tend to be more aggressive in ordering artery imaging for men than for women. One study linked this tendency to order less aggressive tests for women partly to a gender bias that men are more open than women to taking risks.

    In a study of about 3,000 patients with a recent heart attack, women were less likely than men to think that their heart attack symptoms were due to a heart condition. Additionally, most women do not know that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death among women. Overall, women’s misperceptions of their own risk may hold them back from getting a doctor to check out possible symptoms of a heart attack or stroke.

    These issues are further exacerbated for women of color. Lack of access to health care and additional challenges drive health disparities among underrepresented racial and ethnic minority populations.

    Sex difference in heart disease

    Cardiovascular disease physically looks different for women and men, specifically in the plaque buildup on artery walls that contributes to illness.

    Women have fewer cholesterol crystals and fewer calcium deposits in their artery plaque than men do. Physiological differences in the smallest blood vessels feeding the heart also play a role in cardiovascular outcomes.

    Women are more likely than men to have cardiovascular disease that presents as multiple narrowed arteries that are not fully “clogged,” resulting in chest pain because blood flow can’t ratchet up enough to meet higher oxygen demands with exercise, much like a low-flow showerhead. When chest pain presents in this way, doctors call this condition ischemia and no obstructive coronary arteries. In comparison, men are more likely to have a “clogged” artery in a concentrated area that can be opened up with a stent or with cardiac bypass surgery. Options for multiple narrowed arteries have lagged behind treatment options for typical “clogged” arteries, which puts women at a disadvantage.

    In addition, in the early stages of a heart attack, the levels of blood markers that indicate damage to the heart are lower in women than in men. This can lead to more missed diagnoses of coronary artery disease in women compared with men.

    The reasons for these differences are not fully clear. Some potential factors include differences in artery plaque composition that make men’s plaque more likely to rupture or burst and women’s plaque more likely to erode. Women also have lower heart mass and smaller arteries than men even after taking body size into consideration.

    Reducing sex disparities

    Too often, women with symptoms of cardiovascular disease are sent away from doctor’s offices because of gender biases that “women don’t get heart disease.”

    Considering how symptoms of cardiovascular disease vary by sex and gender could help doctors better care for all patients.

    One way that the rubber is meeting the road is with regard to better approaches to diagnosing heart attacks for women and men. Specifically, when diagnosing heart attacks, using sex-specific cutoffs for blood tests that measure heart damage – called high-sensitivity troponin tests – can improve their accuracy, decreasing missed diagnoses, or false negatives, in women while also decreasing overdiagnoses, or false positives, in men.

    Our research laboratory’s leaders,collaborators and other internationally recognized research colleagues – some of whom partner with our Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus – will continue this important work to close this gap between the sexes in health care. Research in this field is critical to shine a light on ways clinicians can better address sex-specific symptoms and to bring forward more tailored treatments.

    The Biden administration’s recent executive order to advance women’s health research is paving the way for research to go beyond just understanding what causes sex differences in cardiovascular disease. Developing and testing right-sized approaches to care for each patient can help achieve better health for all.

    Amy Huebschmann receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart Lung Blood Institute, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the United States Health Resources and Services Administration and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.

    Judith Regensteiner receives funding from the National Institutes of Health focused on sex differences in the cardiovascular consequences of type 2 diabetes. She also has a mentoring grant from the NIH.

    – ref. Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease − in part because doctors don’t take major sex and gender differences into account – https://theconversation.com/women-are-at-a-higher-risk-of-dying-from-heart-disease-in-part-because-doctors-dont-take-major-sex-and-gender-differences-into-account-233861

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Chino Commercial Bancorp Reports Quarterly Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHINO, Calif., Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Board of Directors of Chino Commercial Bancorp (OTC: CCBC), the parent company of Chino Commercial Bank, N.A., announced the results of operations for the Bank and the consolidated holding company for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

    Net earnings year-to-date increased by 0.90% or by $33.2 thousand, to $3.74 million, as compared to $3.71 million for the same period last year. Year-to-date net earnings per share was $1.17 for the period ending September 30, 2024 and $1.16 for the same period last year. Net earnings for the third quarter of 2024, were $1.27 million, which represents a decrease of $7.6 thousand or 0.60% in comparison with the same quarter last year. Net earnings per basic and diluted share were $0.39 for the third quarter of 2024 and $0.40 for the same quarter in 2023, respectively.

    Dann H. Bowman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “The Bank’s operating performance for the third quarter, and year-to-date continue to be strong. Total deposits reached an all time record at quarter-end, and we are optimistic about additional opportunities for growth and expansion. Loan quality also remains stable, with the Bank having only one delinquent loan at quarter-end, and year-to-date credit losses were a net recovery of $10,241, meaning that the Bank collected more bad debt than was charged-off.

    “In 2023 the Bank became a member of the Card Brand Association and began to offer Credit Card processing for its customers. Not only does this service provide an additional non-interest source of revenue, but the Bank has also been able to provide significant savings and transparency to its customers. For every business, efficient and cost effective processing of electronic payments has become a very important part of managing cash flow. In the future we can envision expanding this service outside of our immediate market; and the revenue from this service becoming an increasingly important part of the Bank’s business model.”

    Financial Condition

    At September 30, 2024, total assets were $464.4 million, an increase of $19.5 million or 11.68% over $446.4 million at December 31, 2023. Total deposits increased by $46.4 million or 14.52% to $366.2 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $319.8 million as of December 31, 2023. At September 30, 2024, the Company’s core deposits represent 97.65% of the total deposits.

    Gross loans increased by $15.1 million or 8.4% to $194.4 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $179.0 million as of December 31, 2023. The Bank had three non-performing loans for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and as of December 31, 2023. OREO properties remained at zero as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 respectively.

    Earnings

    The Company posted net interest income of $3.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and $3.3 million for the same quarter last year. Average interest-earning assets were $442.1 million with average interest-bearing liabilities of $248.4 million, yielding a net interest margin of 3.08% for the third quarter of 2024, as compared to the average interest-earning assets of $442.9 million with average interest-bearing liabilities of $235.8 million, yielding a net interest margin of 2.98% for the third quarter of 2023.

    Non-interest income totaled $793.1 thousand for the third quarter of 2024, or an increase of 17.84% as compared with $673.1 thousand earned during the same quarter last year. The majority of the increase is attributed to the Company’s merchant services processing revenue that reached $129.2 thousand, representing an increase of $75.7 thousand during the third quarter as compared to $53.5 thousand for the same period last year.

    General and administrative expenses were $2.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, and $2.2 million for the same period last year. The largest component of general and administrative expenses was salary and benefits expense of $1.5 million for the third quarter of 2024 and $1.4 million for the same period last year.

    Income tax expense was $500 thousand, which represents a decrease of $4 thousand or 0.77% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $503 thousand for the same quarter last year. The effective income tax rate for the third quarter of 2024 and 2023 was approximately 28.3%.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Readers are cautioned not to unduly rely on forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the health of the national and California economies, the Company’s ability to attract and retain skilled employees, customers’ service expectations, the Company’s ability to successfully deploy new technology and gain efficiencies therefrom, and changes in interest rates, loan portfolio performance, and other factors.

    Contact: Dann H. Bowman, President and CEO or Melinda M. Milincu, Senior Vice President and CFO, Chino Commercial Bancorp and Chino Commercial Bank, N.A., 14245 Pipeline Avenue, Chino, CA. 91710, (909) 393-8880.

           
    Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
    As of 9/30/2024      
      Sep-2024
    Ending Balance    		   Dec-2023
    Ending Balance
    Assets      
    Cash and due from banks $56,235,795     $35,503,719  
    Cash and cash equivalents $56,235,795     $35,503,719  
           
    Fed Funds Sold $34,246     $25,218  
           
    Investment securities available for sale, net of zero allowance for credit losses $6,735,550     $6,736,976  
    Investment securities held to maturity, net of zero allowance for credit losses $187,751,860     $208,506,305  
    Total Investments $194,487,410     $215,243,281  
           
    Gross loans held for investments $194,405,145     $179,316,494  
    Allowance for Loan Losses ($4,460,580 )   ($4,465,622 )
    Net Loans $189,944,565     $174,850,872  
    Stock investments, restricted, at cost $3,576,000     $3,126,100  
    Fixed assets, net $7,204,530     $5,466,358  
    Accrued Interest Receivable $1,466,479     $1,439,178  
    Bank Owned Life Insurance $8,421,648     $8,247,174  
    Other Assets $3,583,393     $3,010,916  
           
    Total Assets $464,413,004     $446,414,238  
           
    Liabilities      
    Deposits      
    Noninterest-bearing $186,644,255     $167,131,411  
    Interest-bearing $179,588,806     $152,669,374  
    Total Deposits $366,233,061     $319,800,785  
           
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances $0     $15,000,000  
    Federal Reserve Bank borrowings $40,000,000     $57,000,000  
    Subordinated debt $10,000,000     $10,000,000  
    Subordinated notes payable to subsidiary trust $3,093,000     $3,093,000  
    Accrued interest payable $1,556,057     $2,156,153  
    Other Liabilities $2,145,941     $1,876,475  
    Total Liabilities $423,028,059     $408,926,413  
           
    Shareholder Equity      
    Common Stock ** $10,502,558     $10,502,558  
    Retained Earnings $32,664,661     $28,920,732  
    Unrealized Gain (Loss) AFS Securities ($1,782,273 )   ($1,935,465 )
    Total Shareholders’ Equity $41,384,946     $37,487,825  
           
    Total Liab & Shareholders’ Equity $464,413,004     $446,414,238  
           
    ** Common stock, no par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized and 3,211,970 shares issued and outstanding at 9/30/2024 and 12/31/2023
           
             
    Consolidated Statements of Net Income
    As of 9/30/2024        
      Sep-2024
    QTD Balance    		 Sep-2023
    QTD Balance    		 Sep-2024
    YTD Balance    		 Sep-2023
    YTD Balance
    Interest Income        
    Interest & Fees On Loans $3,035,928   $2,467,400   $8,564,927   $7,245,563  
    Interest on Investment Securities $1,843,696   $1,166,387   $5,725,365   $3,444,135  
    Other Interest Income $661,305   $1,410,450   $2,181,584   $2,990,487  
    Total Interest Income $5,540,929   $5,044,237   $16,471,876   $13,680,185  
             
    Interest Expense        
    Interest on Deposits $1,168,014   $841,282   $3,255,683   $1,835,134  
    Interest on Borrowings $945,921   $877,179   $3,256,138   $2,112,955  
    Total Interest Expense $2,113,935   $1,718,461   $6,511,821   $3,948,089  
             
    Net Interest Income $3,426,994   $3,325,776   $9,960,055   $9,732,096  
             
    Provision For Loan Losses ($14,173 ) $6,578   ($15,312 ) ($81,806 )
             
    Net Interest Income After Provision for Loan Losses $3,441,167   $3,319,198   $9,975,367   $9,813,902  
             
    Noninterest Income        
    Service Charges and Fees on Deposit Accounts $445,176   $424,453   $1,345,691   $1,184,329  
    Interchange Fees $113,647   $106,418   $308,680   $314,803  
    Earnings from Bank-Owned Life Insurance $59,599   $48,677   $174,474   $142,799  
    Merchant Services Processing $129,184   $53,513   $410,722   $140,904  
    Other Miscellaneous Income $45,488   $39,989   $149,010   $130,747  
             
    Total Noninterest Income $793,094   $673,050   $2,388,577   $1,913,582  
             
    Noninterest Expense        
    Salaries and Employee Benefits $1,521,825   $1,381,721   $4,444,120   $4,101,388  
    Occupancy and Equipment $182,813   $164,092   $515,286   $485,502  
    Merchant Services Processing $77,452   $47,345   $222,055   $82,807  
    Other Expenses $684,102   $619,533   $1,964,230   $1,876,220  
             
    Total Noninterest Expense $2,466,192   $2,212,691   $7,145,691   $6,545,917  
             
    Income Before Income Tax Expense $1,768,070   $1,779,556   $5,218,253   $5,181,566  
    Provision For Income Tax $499,565   $503,424   $1,474,323   $1,470,859  
             
    Net Income $1,268,505   $1,276,132   $3,743,930   $3,710,707  
             
    Basic earnings per share $0.39   $0.40   $1.17   $1.16  
             
    Diluted earnings per share $0.39   $0.40   $1.17   $1.16  
             
    Effective Income Tax Rate   28.25 %   28.29 %   28.25 %   28.39 %
             
             
    Financial Highlights        
    As of 9/30/2024        
      Sep-2024
    QTD    		 Sep-2023
    QTD    		 Sep-2024
    YTD    		 Sep-2023
    YTD
    Key Financial Ratios        
    Annualized Return on Average Equity   12.42 %   14.34 %   12.73 %   14.57 %
    Annualized Return on Average Assets   1.08 %   1.09 %   1.06 %   1.13 %
    Net Interest Margin   3.08 %   2.98 %   2.97 %   3.11 %
    Core Efficiency Ratio   58.44 %   55.33 %   57.87 %   56.21 %
    Net Chargeoffs/Recoveries to Average Loans   -0.01 %   0.00 %   -0.01 %   -0.02 %
             
             
    Average Balances        
    (thousands, unaudited)        
    Average assets $ 466,891   $ 463,977   $ 472,470   $ 439,669  
    Average interest-earning assets $ 442,078   $ 442,870   $ 447,855   $ 418,593  
    Average interest-bearing liabilities $ 248,448   $ 235,812   $ 255,169   $ 209,835  
    Average gross loans $ 192,243   $ 178,251   $ 187,406   $ 179,089  
    Average deposits $ 344,372   $ 340,261   $ 335,140   $ 333,225  
    Average equity $ 40,630   $ 35,312   $ 39,297   $ 34,046  
             
             
    Credit Quality        
    Non-performing loans $ 448,233   $ 492,242      
    Non-performing loans to total loans   0.23 %   0.27 %    
    Non-performing loans to total assets   0.10 %   0.11 %    
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans   2.29 %   2.49 %    
    Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total loans and OREO   0.23 %   0.27 %    
    Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans   995.15 %   907.20 %    
             
    Other Period-end Statistics        
    Shareholders equity to total assets   8.91 %   8.40 %    
    Net Loans to Deposits   51.72 %   54.52 %    
    Non-interest bearing deposits to total deposits   50.96 %   52.26 %    
    Company Leverage Ratio   9.91 %   9.26 %    

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Reforms in MoSPI to increase efficiency in Decision-Making

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 18 OCT 2024 6:23PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been making efforts to reform in order to increase the efficiency and decision making following the agenda of “Reform and Perform” with the objective of improving the National Statistical System. MoSPI has taken two major steps in this direction.

    1. Delegation of Financial Powers to HODs in the Divisions/ Units including Field Offices of MoSPI:

    Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in an important administrative reform re-visited its decade old delegations of Financial Powers and revised & updated its Delegation of Financial Powers on 06.09.2024 in accordance with the DFPR, 2024, delegated financial powers to 71 Heads of Department (HOD) as against 07 HoD at present in the Zonal Offices/Regional Offices of MOSPI. These delegations have been framed to empower and allow greater autonomy to all the authorities at Zonal & Regional Offices and reduce bottlenecks. These delegations are likely to facilitate ease of doing business and timely disposal of financial matters.

    2. Creation of two survey wise verticals / divisions in National Sample Survey (NSS) in the MoSPI:

    In order to functionally re-organise National Sample Survey (NSS) from process-based to product-based ecosystem with the objective to ensure that survey methodologies are strengthened and NSS is able to release qualitative results/ reports in shortest possible time, MoSPI has created two survey wise verticals/ divisions in NSS by reorganizing/ reforming Survey Design and Research Division (SDRD) as Household Survey Division (HSD) and Data Processing Division (DPD) and Industrial Statistics (IS) Wing together as Enterprise Survey Division (EnSD) to provide turnkey services with respect to a particular product/ survey.

    *****

    SB/DP/ARJ

    (Release ID: 2066162) Visitor Counter : 66

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ITU-WTSA 2024 organises ‘Safe Listening Workshop’ to advocate the responsible use of technology

    Source: Government of India (2)

    ITU-WTSA 2024 organises ‘Safe Listening Workshop’ to advocate the responsible use of technology

    Over a billion young people worldwide are at risk of avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices: WHO

    Posted On: 18 OCT 2024 8:00PM by PIB Delhi

    ITU-WTSA 2024 which is being held in New Delhi hosted a joint ITU-WHO Workshop on Safe Listening, addressing the urgent global public health crisis of hearing loss, and the dangers posed by unsafe listening practices. With the statistics showing over 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening, the workshop underscored the importance of collective action in ensuring that safe listening practices become a global norm. In response to this growing public health problem, WHO launched the Make Listening Safe initiative in 2015, with the aim of preventing hearing loss through hearing conservation.

    The inaugural session was attended by Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, India, Dr. P. Payden, Deputy Head, WHO country Office, India ​and Hemendra Kumar Sharma, Deputy Director General (Media) & Spokesperson, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, India. Renowned musician Ricky Kej moderated the session.

    Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs said “It is important for policy makers and regulators to develop standards not only for manufacturers but also for users and services. There should be education & training for tracking sound exposure, on the lines of tracking other health parameters like calorie intake & footsteps.” She further highlighted Indian cultural practices which are aligned towards this cause and said “In our culture, there’s a festival ‘Mauni Amavasya’, in which one is supposed to keep quiet & fast. Perhaps, relishing the sound of silence. I think that is extremely therapeutic and we must realise that together, we can create a difference for not only India, but for the world at large.”

    P. Payden, Deputy Head, WHO country Office, India, said “The cascading consequences of hearing loss translates into millions facing communication challenges, diminished quality of life, and potential impact on professional development/education. Besides, noise-induced hearing loss in children can impair language acquisition, leading to learning disabilities and increased anxiety. Untreated hearing loss can lead to isolation, depression, and cognitive decline. However, she also emphasized that there is good news as well, and noise-induced hearing loss is preventable by adopting safe listening habits. She further mentioned that the global ITU standard for safe listening devices and systems provides a framework for incorporating features into personal audio devices, such as acoustic symmetry which monitors a sound allowance for a given period. Features that give a warning when users reach 100% of their weekly sound allowance.

    She concluded by saying “WHO is committed to promoting safe listening practices through research. Dissemination of evidence-based guidance and collaborating with stakeholders to create safe listening. Hearing loss is irreversible, but it’s preventable.”

    Addressing the stakeholders, Hemendra K Sharma, Dy Director General & Spokesperson, DoT said that over 5% of the world’s population require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss, including 34 million children and that, it requires two pronged approach of having right regulation and  plenty of awareness. He informed the audiences about the DoT’s Sanchar Mitras, the student volunteers, who are creating awareness of citizen centric services of department. 30 such Sanchar Mitras from across the country were participating in the workshop and were urged by Sharma to take the message of safe listening practices to citizens.

    A detailed presentation on the subject was given by ITU and WHO. Simao Cam​​​pos, Counsellor,ITU-T spoke about the relevance of standardization to drive change in the health sector including hearing health. He outlined how behaviour change can be motivated through implementation of standards and regulation. Dr Shelly Chadha, Technical Lead, Ear and Hearing Care,​ WHO spoke about the Global Standards for Safe Listening and other WHO efforts to make listening safe. She outlined WHO’s philosophy on safe listening, what the standard is about, how it can be implemented.

    A panel discussion was also held on implementing the ‘Safe listening Standard:  Motivations and Challenges brought together representatives from standardization organizations, private sector entities, governments, and users. The panellist included Mr Masahito Kawamori, Keio University (Japan), Mr Karl Brookes, Sony (UK), Dr Kapil Sikka, AIIMS Delhi (India). The panel explored various aspects, including potential pitfalls and solutions for compliance, and actions to promote safe listening practices. Special focus was on implementing these standards, highlighting the unique challenges and rationales. The discussion also delved into the user perspective, emphasizing the benefits, challenges, and overall impact of safe listening. Mahima Sharma and Sanchar Mitra, Ms S J Varshaa shared their insights, adding a fresh perspective to the conversation reminding the audience that this issue deeply affects the younger generation.

    The session concluded with a call for continued global collaboration, emphasizing that coordinated efforts between governments, industry, and organizations like WHO and ITU are essential for advancing the adoption of safe listening standards.

    These discussions and developments are part of the side events of the ongoing WTSA 24 & IMC24 being held in New Delhi. The event marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s digital journey, reinforcing the country’s commitment to becoming a global leader in advanced communication technologies.

    *****

    SB/DP/ARJ

    (Release ID: 2066212) Visitor Counter : 20

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 18/10/2024 Unanimity of the European Council on migration

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    European Council unanimous on migration18.10.2024At the October European Council summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Donald Tusk presented the Polish perspective on migration. In the face of growing challenges on the EU’s eastern border, leaders expressed solidarity with Poland. The European Council unanimously adopted conclusions on migration, which state that no country, including Russia and Belarus, may abuse values such as the right to asylum. Poland is to make “autonomous decisions.”

    European solidarity with Poland

    EU leaders, regardless of their political views, expressed solidarity with Poland, which faces serious migration challenges. The actions of Russia and Belarus aim to use migration as a tool to destabilize the situation on our eastern border.

    The key words are those that have been written down – Russia, Belarus or any other country cannot abuse our values, including the right to asylum, or undermine our democracy.

    – said the Prime Minister during a press conference in Brussels.

    Politicians from various countries expressed their understanding of Poland’s situation related to aggressive, illegal migration on its eastern border and the need to implement effective methods in response to these challenges.

    Understanding the challenges of migration

    European leaders have recognized that the current migration pact is not an adequate response to the growing threat of mass, illegal migration – especially that organized by foreign governments. The migration summit emphasized that traditional methods do not bring the expected results.

    It is becoming increasingly clear to European leaders that the methods used so far, including the migration pact, are not the answer to the threat posed by mass, illegal migration.

    – noted Donald Tusk.

    The discussions also highlighted the need to introduce tougher solutions that respond to changing circumstances, because “the statistics and numbers are overwhelming.” It was emphasized that Europe does not have the capacity to accept all those who want to apply for asylum. Para expandirse, that a new approach to migration policy in the European Union must be created.

    Para, as I said a few days ago in Warsaw, that at least a profound correction of this paradigm is needed when it comes to migration policy in Europe. We need to change the attitude based so far on the principle that found its expression in the Geneva Convention

    – said the head of the Polish government.

    During the Brussels summit there was clear agreement on reforming migration policy.

    Poland’s autonomous decisions

    The European Council also emphasised Poland’s right to make autonomous decisions on migration matters.

    For me it is important that everyone agreed that Poland will make decisions autonomously and that they will be accepted

    – noted Donald Tusk.

    In the face of the migration crisis, the possibilities of cooperation with other Member States were highlighted. European institutions and other countries show great openness to various forms of assistance.

    anchoo[contenido incrustado]Photos (3)

    MILES AXIS

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s economy on steady course to realize 2024 targets

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

    BEIJING, Oct. 18 — The Chinese economy gained a firm footing in the third quarter (Q3) of this year in the face of mounting challenges at home and abroad, and authorities believe the country will remain on a steady course to achieve its full-year targets.

    China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8 percent year on year to around 94.97 trillion yuan (about 13.33 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of this year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday. In Q3, the economy expanded 4.6 percent from a year ago and went up 0.9 percent on a quarterly basis.

    Despite a complicated external environment and emerging challenges at home, the Chinese economy has posted generally stable performance, Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the NBS, told a press conference Friday.

    In a breakdown, industrial output climbed 5.8 percent compared to the first nine months of the previous year, as robust increases were seen in equipment and high-tech manufacturing industries. The service sector reported continued recovery with a 4.7-percent increase in added value.

    Consumption maintained an upward trend during the period with retail sales of consumer goods up 3.3 percent from a year ago. Fixed-asset investment rose 3.4 percent, spurred by vibrant capital influx into high-tech industries.

    The job market was stable as the surveyed urban unemployment rate on average stood at 5.1 percent in the first three quarters, down from 5.3 percent a year ago. The nominal growth of per capita disposable incomes of urban and rural residents came in at 5.2 percent.

    Job seekers talk with recruiting representatives at a job fair in Haikou, capital of south China’s Hainan Province, July 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    STABLE TREND UNCHANGED

    According to the NBS data, the third quarter’s growth was slightly down from 4.7 percent in the second quarter and 5.3 percent in the first. Despite this dip, authorities noted that the overall stability of the economy has remained intact.

    “Fluctuations of the GDP growth are modest changes around the expected target,” said Sheng. He cited a string of favorable conditions, including stable employment and inflation levels, forecast-beating foreign trade, and ample foreign exchange reserves recently rebounding to 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

    Meanwhile, high-quality development made headway, particularly in innovation and green transformation. Investment in the high-tech sector has seen rapid growth, while green industries, including electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products, maintained double-digit increases. Production and consumption in wind, nuclear and photovoltaic power expanded steadily.

    Powered by innovation and green upgrades, industrial performance emerged as a key strength, contributing nearly 40 percent of the GDP in the first three quarters.

    This photo taken on Aug. 14, 2024 shows the new energy vehicles production line of a smart factory of Seres Group in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Analysts believe that the positive signs were particularly evident last month as many indicators showed improvement.

    Increases in industrial output and fixed-asset investment ended several months of decline, and a recent survey revealed increased optimism among businesses. Stock trading volumes in the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets surged by over 30 percent last month. The real estate market also warmed up, with a narrowing decline in sales volume and value.

    The positive momentum was further bolstered by a key meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in late September, where a package of incremental policies significantly enhanced market confidence and vitality, Sheng said.

    STRONG STIMULUS

    Chinese policymakers have introduced a series of measures aimed at beefing up the economy in response to looming challenges.

    These efforts, including a program of large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-ins of consumer goods, supportive real estate policies and the issuance of ultra-long special treasury bonds and local government special bonds, have helped boost domestic demand and strengthen the economic impetus.

    The central government has since late September unveiled what experts consider a package of milestone macroeconomic measures, which focused on enhancing counter-cyclical adjustments, expanding effective domestic demand, supporting business operation, promoting the recovery of the property market, and invigorating capital markets.

    People buy fruit at a supermarket in Kaifeng, central China’s Henan Province, Sept. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Tian Xuan, president of the National Institute of Finance, Tsinghua University, emphasized the timeliness and precision of these measures, stating they played a crucial role in boosting confidence among market participants amid economic headwinds.

    The policies are showing positive effects, Sheng said, urging local governments to promptly take corresponding measures to maximize the potential of these policies and further solidify the economic recovery trend.

    Goldman Sachs earlier this month lifted its forecasts on China’s economic growth for this year from 4.7 percent to 4.9 percent on the grounds of the recent pro-growth measures.

    BRIGHTENED PROSPECTS

    China’s economy is expected to continue its recovery in the fourth quarter, following signs of stabilization observed in September, according to Sheng. “We are confident in achieving our annual targets,” he said. China set a target of economic growth at around 5 percent for this year.

    The 4.8-percent growth rate in the first three quarters came as a hard-won result achieved amid increasing external pressures and ongoing internal structural adjustments, Sheng said, noting that this growth highlights the economy’s strong resilience and potential and lays a solid foundation for future recovery.

    An economic rebound in the fourth quarter is of “high probability,” Sheng said, citing encouraging changes in early October including power use, production material prices, and the consumption during the week-long National Day holiday.

    An aerial drone photo shows a train for China-Europe freight service pulling out of Tongjiang North Railway Port in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 9, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The official also expressed optimism over the much-watched real estate market thanks to the fresh round of favorable policies. He referenced recent market statistics showing a significant increase in property transactions during the first week of October, when new home sales more than doubled and second-hand home sales tripled.

    However, Sheng acknowledged that the external environment has become more complex, and that economic recovery needs to be further consolidated.

    More efforts will be made to strengthen the coordination of existing and incremental policies and push for the swift and effective policy implementation in a bid to achieve the full-year economic and social development targets, Sheng added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: COP16: Business views on a multilateral benefit sharing mechanism

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: COP16: Business views on a multilateral benefit sharing mechanism

    We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We’d also like to set optional cookies to optimize site functionality and to give you the most relevant experience. We won’t set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.

    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.

    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.

    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung and the New York Mets Hit a Multi-Year Grand Slam at Citi Field

    Source: Samsung

    In 2021, Samsung and the New York Mets embarked on a journey to transform Citi Field into the most technologically advanced professional ballpark in Major League Baseball. Today, that vision is a reality, with the ballpark sporting over 1,300 LCD displays and over 29,800 square feet of new LED displays, totaling 40 million pixels. The result is an unforgettable, immersive experience that hits a grand slam with all bases loaded – from elevating fan engagement to enhancing team practice and Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) advertising for brand partners.

    “As a landmark for baseball and of New York City, Citi Field represents the very best in live sports experiences,” said David Phelps, Head of the Display Division at Samsung. “The New York Mets have set new standards for in-stadium technology and what ticketholders can expect at the ballpark. With cutting-edge displays that boost fan engagement, amplify the energy in the stands and unlock unique advertising possibilities, every visit to Citi Field leaves a lasting impression.”
    A whole new ballgame for fan experience
    The Mets set out to replace its previous static signage at Citi Field with state-of-the-art digital displays that would align the stadium experience with the team’s high-caliber performance on the field. The Mets selected Samsung as its technology partner due to its proven record of transforming large-scale stadiums into cutting-edge experiences. Moreover, Samsung could provide an end-to-end solution, encompassing design, manufacturing, installation and service.

    Samsung and the Mets collaborated and pushed the boundaries of possibility to design a stadium-wide system that immerses fans in digital content throughout the park. For instance, ribbon boards wrapped around multiple levels of the seating bowl deliver real-time statistics, player data and messages during games. Direct View LED Displays in high-traffic spaces, such as the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and concourses, keep fans captivated from the moment they enter the stadium to the final inning.

    Citi Field’s crown jewel remains its centerfield main scoreboard, a first-of-its-kind, dual-sided LED display that proudly stands as the largest scoreboard in professional baseball. Equivalent to the size of about 450 65-inch Samsung TVs combined, the high-resolution scoreboard features a 17,400 square-foot video display on the front and 6,900 square feet on the back. The display’s sheer size delivers maximum visibility and impact when showcasing live game action, 4K instant replays, player statistics and other engaging content.

    From a Samsung-powered 4K control room, the Mets manage and ensure the centerfield scoreboard works harmoniously with the other displays on the field. Control room staff can synchronize content to “fly” across the entire network of displays to amazing effect to hype the crowd up at exciting points in a game, such as strikeouts and home runs. This thrilling use of digital content is nothing short of spectacular and creates wow-worthy moments like no other ballpark.
    Batting practice gets the big-screen treatment
    In addition to enhancing the fan experience, the Mets use the scoreboards as an effective coaching tool during batting practices before night games. When a player is in the batting cage, the coaches put a live feed on the right-field scoreboard and a delayed feed on the centerfield scoreboard. The displays will showcase key metrics for the batters, such as pitch speed, exit velocity and launch angle. After a session at bat, players can look up at the centerfield scoreboard and review their performance with the coaches to make adjustments to prepare for that night’s game.

    “Samsung has been a true partner in our digital transformation journey not only from a hardware perspective but also through a shared vision for reinventing the stadium experience,” said Oscar Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Technology at the New York Mets. “Today, we can create remarkable experiences using the latest, best-in-class technologies to benefit our fans, the coaching staff, players and brand partners. There is now no better show than coming to Citi Field.”

    Revenue and growth opportunities in a league of their own
    The high-definition Samsung displays installed throughout Citi Field also offer dynamic canvases for DOOH advertising. For example, the Mets’ brand partners can take advantage of the unique double-sided design of the main scoreboard and showcase content on the rear side that faces the ballpark’s exterior, further extending the reach of their advertising as fans can see the display from the highway before they even arrive at the park.

    The revolutionary stadium technology also opens new revenue potential by empowering the Mets to offer more flexible and attractive advertising opportunities for partners like brand takeovers. Companies can amplify their name and logo by owning specific moments in the game, such as an entire inning. Since the Mets can easily control and change the content through the stadium, every display becomes a valuable marketing asset and creates limitless options for creative advertising.

    Beyond gamedays, Samsung displays allow the Mets to further diversify their revenue by supporting various other events, from New York City Football Club games and concerts to fundraisers and corporate events. Citi Field’s technologically advanced experience makes it a sought-after venue for event organizers and entice attendees who look forward to the same excitement they enjoy at New York Mets games.
    Learn more about the one-of-a-kind stadium experience at Citi Field powered by Samsung display technology in the full case study: https://insights.samsung.com/2024/10/17/the-ny-mets-and-samsung-reinvent-the-fan-experience-at-Citi-Field.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Discreetly Revised Data Shows Violent Crime Has Increased Under This Administration Despite Misleading Claims From Democrats

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

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

    Discreetly Revised Data Shows Violent Crime Has Increased Under This Administration Despite Misleading Claims From Democrats

    Washington, October 17, 2024

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intentionally misled the American people into believing violent crime decreased under the Biden-Harris Administration. A discreetly revised FBI 2022 annual crime data report proves violent crimes have increased under the Biden-Harris Administration. A previously reported 2.1 percent decrease in violent crimes has now been altered to show a 4.5 percent increase. This Administration has continuously touted these false numbers to argue violent crime has declined, and the latest revision proves otherwise. While violent crime surges across the country due to Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies, failed bail reform, open borders, and defund the police movement, House Republicans are committed to law and order.
     
    MAKE NO MISTAKE: This revision further proves Americans are less safe under the Biden-Harris Administration. It’s time to restore the safety and security of every American. 
     
    THE BIDEN-HARRIS CRIME CRISIS: 

    • New reporting has uncovered that the FBI secretly updated its crime data to show instead of a 2.1 percent drop in violent crime in 2022, it was actually a 4.5 percent increase. 
      • The FBI made no mention of this 6.6 percentage point revision in its press release.
    • The new data includes thousands more murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults than previously reported.
      • The updated data for 2022 shows that there were 80,029 more violent crimes than in 2021 – including an additional 1,699 murders, 7,780 rapes, 33,459 robberies, and 37,091 aggravated assaults.
    • Carl Moody, a professor at the College of William & Mary who specializes in studying crime: “There were no revisions from 2004 to 2015, and from 2016 to 2020, there were small changes of less than one percentage point. The huge changes in 2021 and 2022, especially without an explanation, make it difficult to trust the FBI data.”
    • There are now questions as to whether the recently released 2023 FBI crime statistics are legitimate due to the massive 2022 revision.
    • Another problem with this FBI crime data is its reliance on reported crimes, as most crimes go unreported. 
      • An alternative measure of crime that also accounts for unreported crimes, the National Crime Victimization Survey, shows that crime is even higher than FBI data suggests – with violent crime up 37 percent since Harris and Biden took office.
    • The FBI is not the only government agency to see massive revisions under this Administration – the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently admitted that 818,000 jobs that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden claim to have “created” don’t actually exist.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Díaz-Balart and Wasserman Schultz in the Miami Herald: Latino-Jewish Communities Working Toward a Better Future

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    Miami Herald

    Op-ed: Mario Díaz-Balart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz

    October 17, 2024

    Read the full op-ed here:

    As co-chairs of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, we write to highlight the vital role that the Jewish and Latino communities both play in our nation and South Florida, which we have the honor of representing, but also to the American identity as a whole. Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the close partnership that exists between both of our communities and urge cooperation to address the common challenges that make this partnership so crucial.

    Immigration has played a pivotal role in America’s social fabric. Our families and many of our constituents escaped repressive regimes, whether in Cuba, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, or Venezuela, to pursue life in a land with freedom and opportunity. Latinos and Jews have contributed greatly to American business, culture, science, sports, public service enhancing every aspect of our diverse society.

    And while we’re proud of the success we’ve achieved as Americans, we haven’t forgotten our roots, including those still struggling for freedom and opportunity. We are proud diaspora communities with strong ties to our ancestral lands. Shared values of family, faith, and respect for human rights have united our communities and animated Jewish and Latino leadership from the civil rights movement to the fight for a fair and lawful immigration system. These close bonds to our nations of origin position our communities to play a crucial role in driving the United States’ pursuit of justice at home and abroad.

    We still have work to do.

    Here in the U.S., we are committed to working to ensure that our communities are safe from anti-Jewish and anti-Latino hate. As members of Congress, we’ve worked on bipartisan legislation to combat such hate, including the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, which became law in 2021. This important legislation provides grants to state and local governments to enforce hate laws, and to keep more accurate records on hate crimes.

    According to surveys, 87% of American Jews have observed increased antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 attacks. Both antisemitic and anti-Latino/Hispanic hate crimes reached record highs in 2023. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics Report found that hate crimes against Jews increased a staggering 63% year over year, while those targeting Latinos surged by 10.7% last year as well. We’ve seen the horrific damage that can be inflicted by individuals radicalized by hateful conspiracy theories, from the murderous rampage that killed eleven Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh to the vicious attack against Latinos at an El Paso Walmart that killed 23 people.

    Additionally, we must work together to bring home the hostages held by the foreign terrorist organization Hamas, a proxy of the terrorist state of Iran. It is unconscionable that a year later, nearly 100 hostages remain in brutal Hamas captivity. Some of these hostages are both Israeli and Latino— holding dual citizenship from countries like Argentina and Colombia. We call on Hamas to release them now.

    In Latin America, the democratic opposition movements in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua continue to be persecuted by brutal, authoritarian regimes.

    In Cuba, courageous activists demand human rights and democratic change, but many of the July 11, 2021 protesters remain imprisoned.

    In Venezuela, despite all available evidence pointing to the election victory by the opposition, Maduro refuses to face the truth. We strongly condemn the Maduro regime’s actions to subvert Venezuela’s once-democratic institutions, which has resulted in nearly eight million Venezuelans being forced into exile—many of whom have resettled in our communities.

    In Nicaragua, religious freedom has been quashed, with clergy forced into exile in unprecedented numbers, including the forced exit of the entirety of Mother Theresa’s order in Nicaragua.

    We also roundly denounce these regimes’ shameful persecution, antisemitism, and delegitimization of their small Jewish communities, sentiments that are unfortunately reflected by other leftist governments in the region like Colombia.

    Additionally, Russia and Iran, which support transnational repression and amplify racist and antisemitic extremism to sew divisions, have made our world a more dangerous place.

    That’s why our communities must continue working in partnership and solidarity to combat hate, promote freedom and oppose dictators and violent organizations that defy our values. We’ll keep building bridges between Jewish and Latino Americans because we believe they can help guide our nation toward a just future.

    Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s celebrate our common bonds while continuing to look out for one another.

    Mario Díaz-Balart is a U.S. representative for Florida’s 26th Congressional District, a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. Debbie Wasserman Schultz represents Florida’s 25th Congressional District and is ranking member on the House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of a Black Transgender Woman

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Note: View a video statement from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke here.

    A South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced today to life in prison for the December 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman from Allendale, South Carolina.

    On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Ritter of all charges in the indictment, which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count, and one obstruction count, all arising out of the murder of Dime Doe. This was the first guilty verdict in trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) for violence against a transgender person.

    “Bias-motivated violence has no place in our society. With today’s sentencing, the defendant is being held accountable for the senseless murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman of color,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We hope that the verdict and sentence in this case provides Ms. Doe’s loved ones with some sense of comfort and demonstrates that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate against the LGBTQI+ community.”

    “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the heinous and tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentencing will not bring Dime Doe back but hopefully provides a small measure of comfort to Dime’s family, loved ones and the community. This sentencing sends a clear message — the Justice Department vigorously defends the civil rights of every American. We will use all the resources at our disposal to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and we will investigate and prosecute perpetrators of transphobic-fueled violence in our country. In America, trans and gender non-conforming people, deserve to live their lives free from violence based on who they are and who they love.”

    “Protecting civil rights remains at the forefront of our office’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “From the smallest of communities, like Allendale, to anywhere in South Carolina where hate and injustice occur. We will continue to fight for the rights of those targeted because of their race, their religion, their gender identity or sexual orientation, or their ability.”

    “Today’s sentencing is a culmination of hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice for Dime Doe,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let me be clear, no one should live their life in fear because of their sexual identity or appearance. Charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Mr. Ritter will now face the consequences for his actions. This act reminds us of the need to unite against hate and violence in our communities.”

    “This sentence reflects the gravity of Ritter’s horrific crime of murdering Dime Doe,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure to Doe’s loved ones. As they continue to mourn this tragedy, the FBI remains steadfast in ensuring the protection and dignity of all citizens.”

    Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe were out in the community. On Aug. 4, 2019, the defendant lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale and shot her three times in the head. At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing during the crime, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and Allendale Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

    More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others, are available at http://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: South Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of a Black Transgender Woman

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Case Was the First Guilty Verdict in Trial for Violence Against a Transgender Person

    Note: View a video statement from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke here.

    A South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced today to life in prison for the December 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman from Allendale, South Carolina.

    On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Ritter of all charges in the indictment, which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count, and one obstruction count, all arising out of the murder of Dime Doe. This was the first guilty verdict in trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) for violence against a transgender person.

    “Bias-motivated violence has no place in our society. With today’s sentencing, the defendant is being held accountable for the senseless murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman of color,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We hope that the verdict and sentence in this case provides Ms. Doe’s loved ones with some sense of comfort and demonstrates that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate against the LGBTQI+ community.”

    “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the heinous and tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentencing will not bring Dime Doe back but hopefully provides a small measure of comfort to Dime’s family, loved ones and the community. This sentencing sends a clear message — the Justice Department vigorously defends the civil rights of every American. We will use all the resources at our disposal to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and we will investigate and prosecute perpetrators of transphobic-fueled violence in our country. In America, trans and gender non-conforming people, deserve to live their lives free from violence based on who they are and who they love.”

    “Protecting civil rights remains at the forefront of our office’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “From the smallest of communities, like Allendale, to anywhere in South Carolina where hate and injustice occur. We will continue to fight for the rights of those targeted because of their race, their religion, their gender identity or sexual orientation, or their ability.”

    “Today’s sentencing is a culmination of hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice for Dime Doe,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let me be clear, no one should live their life in fear because of their sexual identity or appearance. Charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Mr. Ritter will now face the consequences for his actions. This act reminds us of the need to unite against hate and violence in our communities.”

    “This sentence reflects the gravity of Ritter’s horrific crime of murdering Dime Doe,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure to Doe’s loved ones. As they continue to mourn this tragedy, the FBI remains steadfast in ensuring the protection and dignity of all citizens.”

    Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe were out in the community. On Aug. 4, 2019, the defendant lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale and shot her three times in the head. At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing during the crime, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and Allendale Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

    More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others, are available at www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Report predicts Taiwan to become ‘super-aged’ society next year

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Taiwan will become a “super-aged” society by 2025, with one in five residents expected to be over the age of 65, said the island’s development planning department on Thursday.
    By 2030, the island’s total population is expected to fall below 23 million, and by 2039, the proportion of people aged 65 and above will exceed 30 percent of the total population, according to a report released by the department.
    The report predicted that by 2028, the working-age population will make up less than two-thirds of the total population, signaling the end of the demographic dividend in Taiwan.
    According to the World Health Organization, a society is considered “aged” when those aged 65 and above account for 14 percent of the total population, and “super-aged” when the proportion exceeds 20 percent. Taiwan entered the “aged” category in 2018.
    Statistics from the island’s internal affairs department show that by the end of August, seven of Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities had entered the “super-aged” category.
    An aging population has already led to multiple societal issues, such as labor shortages, declining school enrollments, and increased healthcare costs.
    The development planning department suggested in the report that, to adapt to these demographic changes, efforts should focus on improving childcare subsidies, increasing labor force participation among middle-aged individuals and women, attracting talent, enhancing medical services, and upgrading industries.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway transports 5.79 mln passengers in first year

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

    Passengers board a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train on a platform of Padalarang Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Padalarang, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. The Jakarta-Bandung HSR, celebrating its first anniversary on Thursday, has transported 5.79 million passengers, according to PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), a joint venture between Indonesian and Chinese enterprises that built and operates the railway. Since its commercial launch in October 2023, the HSR has completed over 15,826 train trips, covering more than 2.57 million kilometers. The number of daily train services has increased from 14 at the start of operations to 52, with passenger seats rising from 8,400 to over 31,000. The highest daily ridership reached 24,132, according to KCIC statistics. [Photo/Xinhua]

    JAKARTA, Oct. 17 — The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), celebrating its first anniversary on Thursday, has transported 5.79 million passengers, according to PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), a joint venture between Indonesian and Chinese enterprises that built and operates the railway.

    Since its commercial launch in October 2023, the HSR has completed over 15,826 train trips, covering more than 2.57 million kilometers. The number of daily train services has increased from 14 at the start of operations to 52, with passenger seats rising from 8,400 to over 31,000. The highest daily ridership reached 24,132, according to KCIC statistics.

    The HSR is fully powered by electricity, significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The KCIC said that the green energy initiative saves Indonesia around 3.2 trillion rupiahs (208 million U.S. dollars) annually in fuel costs.

    In addition, Indonesian government data indicated that between 2019 and 2023, the project contributed 86.5 trillion rupiahs (about 5.62 billion dollars) to the GDP of Jakarta and West Java.

    With a design speed of 350 km per hour, the 142.3-km high-speed railway has cut travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from over three hours to just 46 minutes.

    Indonesian and Chinese staff members of China Railway Electrification Bureau Group Co., Ltd., one of the companies which take part in the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), pose for photos with a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train on a platform of Halim Station along the railway in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 12, 2024 shows a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train running along the line of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) near Karawang Station, West Java, Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers walk on a platform of Halim Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Train cabin crew members walk in a running high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A passenger takes selfie photos with a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train on a platform of Padalarang Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Padalarang, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train enters the Padalarang Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Padalarang, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers walk on a platform of Padalarang Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Padalarang, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 13, 2024 shows high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains stopping at a platform of Tegalluar Summarecon Station along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Bandung, Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –