Generative AI, Free Speech, & Public Discourse: Why the Academy Must Step Forward | TechPolicy.Press – Tech Policy Press

On Tuesday, Columbia Engineering and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University co-hosted a well-attended symposium, Generative AI, Free Speech, & Public Discourse. The event combined presentations about technical research relevant to the subject with addresses and panels discussing the implications of AI for democracy and civil society.

While a range of topics were covered across three keynotes, a series of seed funding presentations, and two panelsone on empirical and technological questions and a second on legal and philosophical questionsa number of notable recurring themes emerged, some by design and others more organically:

This event was part of one partnership amongst others in an effort that Columbia University president Manouche Shafik and engineering school dean Shih-Fu Chang referred to as AI+x, where the school is seeking to engage with various other parts of the university outside of computer engineering to better explore the potential impacts of current developments in artificial intelligence. (This event was also a part of Columbias Dialogue Across Difference initiative, which was established as part of a response to campus conflict around the Israel-Gaza conflict.) From its founding, the Knight Institute has focused on how new technologies affect democracy, requiring collaboration with experts in those technologies.

Speakers on the first panel highlighted sectors where they have already seen potential for positive societal impact of AI, outside of the speech issues that the symposium was focussed on. These included climate science, drug discovery, social work, and creative writing. Columbia engineering professor Carl Vondrick suggested that current large language models are optimized for social media and search, a legacy of their creation by corporations that focus on these domains, and the panelists noted that only by working directly with diverse groups can their needs for more customized models be understood. Princeton researcher Arvind Narayanan proposed that domain experts play a role in evaluating models as, in his opinion, the current approach of benchmarking using standardized tests is seriously flawed.

During the conversation between Jameel Jaffer, Director of the Knight Institute, and Harvard Kennedy School security technologist Bruce Schneier, general principles for successful interdisciplinary work were discussed, like humility, curiosity and listening to each other; gathering early in the process; making sure everyone is taken seriously; and developing a shared vocabulary to communicate across technical, legal, and other domains. Jaffer recalled that some proposals have a lot more credibility in the eyes of policymakers when they are interdisciplinary. Cornell Tech law professor James Grimmelman, who specializes in helping lawyers and technologists understand each other, remarked that these two groups are particularly well-equipped to work together, once they can figure out what the other needs to know.

President Shafik declared that if a responsible approach to AIs impact on society requires a +x, Columbia (surely along with other large research universities) has lots of xs. This positions universities as ideal voices for the public good, to balance out the influence of the tech industry that is developing and controlling the new generation of large language models.

Stanfords Tatsunori Hashimoto, who presented his work on watermarking generative AI text outputs, emphasized that the vendors of these models are secretive, and so the only way to develop a public technical understanding of them is to build them within the academy, and take on the same tasks as the commercial engineers, like working on alignment fine-tuning and performing independent evaluations. One relevant and striking finding by his group was that the reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) process tends to push models towards the more liberal opinions common amongst highly-educated Americans.

The engineering panel developed a wishlist of infrastructure resources that universities (and others outside of the tech industry) need to be able to study how AI can be used to benefit and not harm society, such as compute resources, common datasets, separate syntax models so that vetted content datasets can be added for specific purposes, and student access to models. In the second panel, Camille Franois, a lecturer at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and presently a senior director of trust & safety at Niantic Labs, highlighted the importance of having spaces, presumably including university events such as the one at Columbia, to discuss how AI developments are impacting civil discourse. On a critical note, Knight Institute executive director Katy Glenn Bass also pointed out that universities often do not value cross-disciplinary work to the same degree as typical research, and this is an obstacle to progress in this area, given how essential collaboration across disciplines is.

Proposals for regulation were made throughout the symposium, a number of which are listed below, but the keynote by Bruce Schneier was itself an argument for government intervention. Schneiers thesis was, in brief, that corporation-controlled development of generative AI has the potential to undermine the trust that society needs to thrive, as chatbot assistants and other AI systems may present as interpersonally trustworthy, but in reality are essentially designed to drive profits for corporations. To restore trust, it is incumbent on governments to impose safety regulations, much as they do for airlines. He proposed a regulatory agency for the AI and robotics industry, and the development of public AI models, created under political accountability and available for academic and new for-profit uses, enabling a freer market for AI innovation.

Specific regulatory suggestions included:

A couple of cautions were also voiced: Narayanan warned that the Liars Dividend could be weaponized by authoritarian governments to crack down on free expression, and Franois noted the focus on watermarking and deepfakes at the expense of unintended harms, such as chatbots giving citizens incorrect voting information.

There was surprisingly little discussion during the symposium of how generative AI specifically influences public discourse, which Jaffer defined in his introductory statement as acts of speaking and listening that are part of the process of democracy and self-governance. Rather, much of the conversation was about online speech generally, and how it can be influenced by this technology. As such, an earlier focus of online speech debates, social media, came up a number of times, with clear parallels in terms of concern over corporate control and a need for transparency.

Hashimoto referenced the notion that social media causes feedback loops that greatly amplify certain opinions. LLMs can develop data feedback loops which may cause a similar phenomenon that is very difficult to identify and unpick without substantial research. As chatbots become more personalized, suggested Vondrick, they may also create feedback on an individual user level, directing them to more and more of the type of content that they have already expressed an affinity for, akin to the social media filter bubble hypothesis.

Another link to social media was drawn in the last panel, during which both Grimmelmann and Franois drew on their expertise in content moderation. They agreed that the most present danger to discourse from generative AI is inauthentic content and behavior overwhelming the platforms that we rely on, and worried that we may not yet have the tools and infrastructure to counter it. (Franois described a key tension between the Musk effect pushing disinvestment in content moderation and the Brussels effect encouraging a ramping up in on-platform enforcement via the DSA.) At the same time, trust and safety approaches like red-teaming and content policy development are proving key to developing LLMs responsibly. The correct lesson to draw from the failures to regulate social media, proposed Grimmelmann, was the danger of giving up on antitrust enforcement, which could be of great value when current AI foundation models are developed and controlled by a few (and in several cases the same) corporations.

One final theme was a framing of the current moment as one of transition. Even though we are grappling with how to adapt to realistic, readily available synthetic content at scale, there will be a point in the future, perhaps even for todays young children, that this will be intuitively understood and accounted for, or at least that media literacy education, or tools (like watermarking) will have caught up.

Several speakers referenced prior media revolutions. Narayanan was one of several who discussed the printing press, pointing out that even this was seen as a crisis of authority: no longer could the written word be assumed to be trusted. Wikipedia was cited by Columbia Engineering professor Kathy McKeown as an example of media that was initially seen as untrustworthy, but whose benefits, shortcomings, and suitable usage are now commonly understood. Franois noted that use of generative AI is far from binary and that we have not yet developed good frameworks to evaluate the range of applications. Grimmelman mentioned both Wikipedia and the printing press as examples of technologies where no one could have accurately predicted how things would shake out in the end.

As the Knight Institutes Glenn Bass stated explicitly, we should not assume that generative AI is harder to work through than previous media crises, or that we are worse equipped to deal with it. However, two speakers flagged that the tech industry should not be the given free rein: USC Annenbergs Mike Ananny warned that those with invested interests may attempt to prematurely push for stabilization and closure, and we should treat this with suspicion; and Princetons Narayanan noted that this technology is producing a temporary societal upheaval and that its costs should be distributed fairly. Returning to perhaps the dominant takeaways from the event, these comments again implied a role for the academy and for the government in guiding the development of, adoption of, and adaptation to the emerging generation of generative AI.

Read more:

Generative AI, Free Speech, & Public Discourse: Why the Academy Must Step Forward | TechPolicy.Press - Tech Policy Press

Free Speech or Hate Speech? | GW Today | The George Washington University – GW Today

What are the free speech rights of university students? That was the first question posed by moderator Jeffrey Rosen, GW Law professor and president of the National Constitution Center, to a panel of George Washington University faculty experts on the First Amendment.

The webinar, Free Speech v. Hate Speech: First Amendment Scholars Discuss Where to Draw the Line in the Context of Higher Education, was held as part of the universitys plan for strengthening the GW community in challenging times, with the goal of fostering civil conversations about complex issues and emphasizing university policies.

The incoming inaugural Burchfield Professor of First Amendment and Free Speech Law, Mary-Rose Papandrea, began by noting that the First Amendment applies to public and not private universities, but private universities often look to the First Amendment principles for guidance. Under the First Amendment, she explained, some categories of speech receive no First Amendment protection, such as incitement of unlawful conduct, threats of violence, or giving material support to terrorists. But offensive speech and bad words are not carved out from the First Amendment. In a public university setting, however, there is some leeway for penalizing speech that would be otherwise protected. She suggested classrooms provide the best example of this.

When I ask a student to tell me the holding of a case, I actually want the holding of the case, and there is a wrong answer, Papandrea said. And if the student doesnt give me the correct answer, that will result in a lower grade in the class. Outside in the town square you can engage in false speech, incorrect speech, or misrepresentations and cannot be, as a general matter, punished by the government.

Most of the tensions surrounding free speech on campuses today, she added, arise when universities attempt to regulate the speech of faculty and students outside of the classroom.

Universities are the quintessential marketplace of ideas, Papandrea said, and we should be really concerned when the university starts making viewpoint-based speech restrictions outside of the classroom.

First Amendment: Does everything go?

In the view of Mary Anne Franks, Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology and Civil Rights Law, free speech issues are clouded by unequal power relations, often resulting in protection of reckless speech for the majority but not for minorities. Franks proposes an alternative paradigm encouraging what she describes as fearless speech.

If we really want to talk about free speech, we actually need to get away from the First AmendmentI mean the kind of popularized version of the First Amendment which says everything goes, and you can never have any kind of intervention, Franks said.

People operating under this misconception, she added, argue that any kind of devaluation or nonplatforming constitutes censorship. That idea, she said, is pernicious.

When we think about what the First Amendment actually does, its not really telling us anything about free speech, Franks said. Its telling us about what the government cant do in certain contexts. And thats really useful to know, because the government has a lot of power that no individual has and because the kinds of measures it can take against you include the loss of your liberty. But I dont know that its such a good model for us as a private university. How much are we like a government? What we could be doing instead, and what I think successful universities do when they want to be marketplaces of ideas or spaces for intellectual, robust debate, is set standards. What are the good ideas? Whether an idea is controversial or noncontroversial is not the point.

Instead, Franks said, ideas should be well informed and argued eloquently. She argues in favor of a conscious curation of the best ideas that reflect the universitys values, expressed as persuasively as possible without threats of force or ad hominem attacks.

What is the kind of speech that a university could uniquely try to foster? she asked. What kind of space could it foster to become a forum where really difficult ideas get aired out in a way that is physically safe but also sophisticated? Im suggesting that we move toward fearless speech and critiques of current power structures, that we take notice of the fact that reality is a certain way. There are certain sensitivities to race and gender and class that we really need to have on our radar, if we want to make sure that people within the university space can speak equally.

Free speech at a private university

Dawn Nunziato, Pedas Family Professor of IP and Technology Law, agreed that the First Amendment is not necessarily the right one for every context.

At a private university like GW, we have the autonomy and the freedom and the duty to decide what kind of community we want to be, Nunziato said, and within certain bounds, what types of speech we want to protect and to not protect. Our speech policies are not governed by the First Amendment. So we dont need to protect hate speech in the same way that the First Amendment protects hate speech. We could draw the line very differently. And there are reasons why we should, and we should be very thoughtful about how we draw the line. We may choose to value inclusivity and belonging over the unfettered marketplace of ideas.

Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Nunziato noted, GW has a responsibility to provide an educational environment free of discrimination.

Robust discussion and respectful listening

The panels discussion touched on the recent congressional hearings at which the presidents of three elite universities were criticized for saying that whether speech could be considered hate speech depends on context.

After pointing out that she didnt view it as incorrect to say that the answer to questions of free speech v. hate speech can depend on context, Papandrea noted examples of speech that should be protected, such as an antisemitic line spoken by a character in a play meant to condemn antisemitism. The same line spoken by a student marching across campus could be viewed as creating a hostile environment.

Franks, too, was sympathetic to the trio of university presidents, who may have been reacting to the charge that universities are a woke paradise for snowflakes who require trigger warnings.

The most upsetting thing about the spectacle is not any of those presidents answers, Franks said. It was the fact that the spectacle was happening at alla real invocation and revitalization of a McCarthyesque kind of moment, with legislators who have made it clear that antisemitism and white supremacy are things that they either dont have a problem with or actively support. It was a really grotesque spectacle, she added, a bad faith attempt to attack diversity.

If we object to the First Amendments protection of vile speech in the public square, Nunziato said, we take that up with the Supreme Court, which defines the First Amendments protections. But whether vile speech should be restricted in the university environment is a different question, she added.

Balancing robust, sometimes caustic and heated discussion on issues of public importance against the legal obligations that we have to protect our community members from discriminatory harassment, Nunziato said, is an important part of what we do as a university.

Being part of a university community, Nunziato said, presents a unique opportunity to interact more thoughtfully than people do on social media.

Our University Yard and the quad are spaces where there may be protesters and counter-protesters, but we can be there together, Nunziato said, and engage in speech and counterspeech, unlike in some of the online environments where we have egregious problems of information silos and people going down rabbit holes. In the university environment, were all on our phones and on social media, but were also in spaces where we can engage with one another. Maybe were raising our voices, but we can listen to one another. One of the principles in our code of conduct is that members of the university community are urged to hear all sides of controversial issues.

In closing remarks, Rosen quoted Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who argued that the correct remedy for harmful speech is more speech, not enforced silence. Only an emergency can justify repression.

The concluding webinar, Rosen said, was a model of the kind of robust discussion and respectful listening that Brandeis advocated.

See the original post here:

Free Speech or Hate Speech? | GW Today | The George Washington University - GW Today

Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of GOP states in major internet free speech case – Washington Examiner

The Supreme Court appeared skeptical of arguments Monday by the states of Florida and Texas that they are justified in regulating social media content moderation in a landmark case with major implications for speech on the internet.

The court heard oral arguments for two major speech-related cases on Monday: NetChoice v. Moody and NetChoice v. Paxton. The technology industry group NetChoice sued the states of Texas and Florida over laws imposed by Republicans meant to hold social media platforms accountable for banning users based on viewpoint.

Floridas law would allow residents to take legal action and the state to fine companies if they remove political candidates from social media platforms. The Texas law would require platforms to be content-neutral and allow the states attorney general and residents to sue platforms for removing content or blocking accounts. The court pressed the states to provide a justification for restricting speech. The justices, though, also asked questions aimed at determining the extent of Big Techs power over speech on the internet.

NetChoice v. Moody

Florida Solicitor General Henry Whitaker was the first to appear before the court to argue in NetChoice v. Moody. He said that platforms had to be neutral when it comes to content moderation and that the law merely regulates the conduct of a platform rather than the content. He also alleged that platforms such as Facebook and Google need to be treated as common carriers. Being defined as a common carrier, a term initially used for public transportation services and utilities but expanded to include radio stations and telephone services, would subject platforms to additional restrictions, including anti-discrimination regulations.

Multiple members of the court appear skeptical of Floridas law, noting that it was very broad and affected more platforms than some claimed it would. [Floridas law is] covering almost everything, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said. The one thing I know about the internet is that its variety is infinite.

Justice Samuel Alito noted there is also no list of platforms covered by Floridas statutes. This broadness makes it challenging to deal with the cases particulars, Justice Clarence Thomas argued. Were not talking about anything specific, Thomas said. Now were just speculating as to what the law means. The e-commerce platform Etsy was brought up multiple times by the court as an example of a platform that would be inadvertently affected by Floridas law.

Paul Clement, NetChoices representative, responded in his arguments by saying that Floridas law violated the First Amendment multiple times over. He also tried to create a distinction between content moderation decisions made by government entities versus private entities. There are things that if the government does, its a First Amendment problem, and if a private speaker does it, we recognize that as protected activity, Clement argued.

The Biden administrations Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar seemed to affirm Clements arguments, arguing in favor of NetChoice and limiting Floridas power over speech.

Netchoice v. Paxton

The court reconvened a short time after to hear arguments about Texass law. Clement returned to represent NetChoice, arguing that Texass law requiring neutrality on the platform would make social media less attractive to users and advertisers since it would require platforms to host both anti-suicide and pro-suicide content as well as pro-Semitic and antisemitic content.

He also emphasized to the justices that a social media company was more like a parade or newspaper than a common carrier, trying to focus on the state of speech on the platform.

Aaron Nielson, Texass solicitor general, emphasized that social media platforms are a lot like telegraphs and that this nature should be why the state should restrict the sorts of censorship that platforms allow.

Nielson was questioned multiple times about how the state would handle its viewpoint-neutral emphasis. When asked how platforms could regulate viewpoint-neutral approaches to subjects such as terrorism, Nielson said platforms could just remove it. Instead of saying that you can have anti-al Qaeda but not the pro-al Qaeda, if you just want to say, Nobody is talking about al Qaeda here, they can turn that off, Nielson argued.

Court conclusions

The court appeared divided on the extent to which content moderation was allowed. On one hand, they saw government-enforced moderation as questionable, mainly if it focused on content. On the other hand, they criticized the power exerted by Big Tech companies. Justice Neil Gorsuch brought up the example of private messaging services such as Gmail deciding to delete communications due to them violating certain viewpoint communications, a matter that multiple justices brought up before Clement.

The court appeared bothered by the two cases being facial challenges, a legal term for cases in which a party claims that a specific law is unconstitutional and should be voided. This approach offers little flexibility for the Supreme Court since the court could not limit the laws effect to only a specific form of speech but leave other parts of the law intact.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Section 230, a part of the Communications Decency Act that protects platforms from being held accountable for content posted by third parties, was also brought up by the justices multiple times. The justices tried to weigh how that law would interact with the states attempts to block speech, as well as NetChoices arguments in favor of the platforms. Thomas argued that NetChoices argument that platforms had editorial control undermined its defense under Section 230.

The court is expected to release a decision on both cases sometime before July. The court will only be ruling on the preliminary injunction, which means that the decision will come quicker than other cases and that the decision will decide if the lower courts blocking of the laws will be upheld or overturned.

Read the rest here:

Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of GOP states in major internet free speech case - Washington Examiner

NASA will retire the ISS soon. Here’s what comes next. – NPR

The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly around of the orbiting lab on Nov. 8, 2021. NASA hide caption

The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly around of the orbiting lab on Nov. 8, 2021.

Since its first modules launched at the end of 1998, the International Space Station has been orbiting 250 miles above Earth. But at the end of 2030, NASA plans to crash the ISS into the ocean after it is replaced with a new space station, a reminder that nothing within Earth's orbit can stay in space forever.

NASA is collaborating on developing a space station owned, built, and operated by a private company either Axiom Space, Voyager Space, or Blue Origin. NASA is giving each company hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and sharing their expertise with them.

Eventually, they will select one company to officially partner with and have them replace the ISS. NASA says this will help them focus on deep space exploration, which they consider a much more difficult task.

Progress photos showing the Axiom Space station being built. ENRICO SACCHETTI/Axiom Space hide caption

Progress photos showing the Axiom Space station being built.

But any company that is able to develop their own space station, get approval from the federal government and launch it into space will be able to pursue their own deep space missions even without the approval of NASA.

Phil McCalister, director of the Commercial Space Division of NASA, told NPR's Morning Edition that NASA does not want to own in perpetuity everything in low-Earth orbit which is up to 1,200 miles above Earth's surface.

"We want to turn those things over to other organizations that could potentially do it more cost-effectively, and then focus our research and activities on deep space exploration," said McCalister.

McCalister says the ISS could stay in space longer, but it's much more cost-effective for NASA to acquire a brand new station with new technology. NASA would then transition to purchasing services from commercial entities as opposed to the government building a next-generation commercial space station.

The ISS was designed in the 80s, so the technology when it was first built was very different from what is available today.

"I kind of see this as like an automobile. When we bought that automobile in 1999, it was state of the art. And it has been great. And it serves us well and continues to be safe. But it's getting older. It's getting harder to find spare parts. The maintenance for that is becoming a larger issue," McCalister said.

A new, private space station will have a lot of similarities and some differences from the current ISS.

Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station, says that despite it aging, not all the technology on the ISS is out of date.

"We've been evolving the technology on the International Space Station since it was first built. So some of these technologies will carry over to these private space stations," said Gatens. "We've upgraded the batteries, we've upgraded and added solar arrays that roll out and are flexible, we've been upgrading our life support systems."

The view from NASA spacewalker Thomas Marshburn's camera points downward toward the ISS on December 2, 2021. Thomas Marshburn/NASA hide caption

The view from NASA spacewalker Thomas Marshburn's camera points downward toward the ISS on December 2, 2021.

Paulo Lozano is the director of the Space Propulsion Laboratory at MIT and an aerospace engineer. He said, "NASA has already changed the solar panels at least once and switched them from these very large arrays that produce relatively little power, to these smaller arrays that produce much more power. All the computer power at the beginning is nothing compared to what can be done today."

Gatens says the structure of the space station which is the size of a football field is what can't be upgraded and replaced. And something of that size is costly for NASA to maintain.

"The big structure, even though it's doing very well, has a finite lifetime. It won't last forever. It is affected by the environment that it's in. And every time we dock a vehicle and undock a vehicle, the thermal environment puts stresses and loads on that primary structure that will eventually make it wear out," said Gatens.

Gatens says we can expect a new space station to be designed a little more efficiently and right sized for the amount of research that NASA and its partners are going to want to do in low-Earth orbit.

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur doing an experiment on the ISS on May 26, 2021. NASA hide caption

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur doing an experiment on the ISS on May 26, 2021.

The structure of the ship is also extremely important to the people who work there.

The ISS carries scientists who perform research that can only be done in the weak gravity of space, like medical research. In space, cells age more quickly and conditions progress more rapidly, helping researchers understand the progression of things like heart disease or cancer more quickly.

Researchers on the ISS also work to understand what happens to the human body when it's exposed to microgravity. This research is aimed at helping develop ways to counteract the negative effects of being in space and let astronauts stay there longer something essential to getting a human on Mars.

Gatens says a new space station will have updated research facilities.

"I'm looking forward to seeing very modern laboratory equipment on these space stations. We say the International Space Station has a lot of capability, but it's more like a test kitchen. I'm looking forward to seeing the future commercial space stations take these laboratory capabilities and really develop them into state-of-the-art space laboratories," said Gatens.

Expedition 60 crewmembers Luca Parmitano, Christina Koch, Andrew Morgan, and Nick Hague in the ISS cupola photographing Hurricane Dorian on August 30, 2019. NASA hide caption

Expedition 60 crewmembers Luca Parmitano, Christina Koch, Andrew Morgan, and Nick Hague in the ISS cupola photographing Hurricane Dorian on August 30, 2019.

On top of having modern research facilities, new space stations will likely be designed to provide a cleaner environment for researchers.

"If you see pictures of the station, you'll think 'how can they work there?' It looks cluttered, it looks messy," Astronaut Peggy Whitson told NPR. She's spent more time in space than any other woman and is the first woman to command the ISS. Whitson is now Director of Human Spaceflight and an astronaut at Axiom Space, one of the companies funded by NASA to develop a space station.

Whitson said the reason there are cables all over the place is because the structure of the station wasn't designed for some of the systems it has now. She thinks having a method for making a station even more adaptable to new technology will be important in terms of user experience.

Whitson doesn't know what technology will be available five years from now. But she said Axiom Space will want to take advantage of whatever they can get their hands on, ideally without wires everywhere.

Peggy Whitson in the ISS's cupola. AXIOM SPACE/Axiom Space hide caption

Peggy Whitson in the ISS's cupola.

"I would like all that cabling and networking to be behind the panels so that it's easier for folks to move around in space," Whitson said. "Having and building in that adaptability is one of the most critical parts, I think, of building a station for low-Earth orbit."

Paulo Lozano says many of the electronic components on the ISS are bulky. But now that electronics are smaller, she expects the interior of future stations might be a bit different.

At the current ISS, there is one small inflatable module. That structure flies up, collapsed, and then expands as it gets filled with air once it's attached to the primary structure of the station with it literally blowing up kind of like a balloon. Gatens says they are looking at multiple elements of a new space station being inflatable.

Whitson told NPR that on the space station Axiom Space is developing, they will have windows in the crew quarters and a huge cupola, what she describes as an astronaut's window to the world. On the ISS, they have a cupola you can pop your head and shoulders into and see 360-degree views of space and look down at the Earth.

On the proposed Axiom space station, Whitson said the cupola is so large that astronauts will be able to float their whole body in there and have it be an experience of basically almost flying in space.

NASA hopes that by handing responsibility of an ISS replacement over to private companies, it will allow the agency to develop technology more quickly and focus on their next goal of putting a station beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time. Current proposed low-Earth orbit stations include the Lunar Gateway, which is NASA's planned space station on the moon.

"What the space stations of today are doing is just paving the way for humans to actually explore deeper into space, which is going to be a significantly harder challenge to accomplish. The space stations of today are essential stepping stones towards that goal," said Lozano.

Gatens says one piece of technology that is being developed at Blue Origin is a big rotating space station that, when finished, would have artificial gravity.

For long trips in space, the lack of gravity is a main issue for the human body, causing bone-loss and other health issues. "If you could recreate that in space, that will be very beneficial," Gatens said.

Lozano says that a space station beyond low-Earth orbit would need new technology that is radically different from what's been used in the ISS. And both NASA and Lozano don't think it is possible to venture deeper into space, and eventually get a human on Mars, with U.S. government funding alone.

"I don't think we're very far away in terms of technology development. I think we're a little bit far away in terms of investment, because space technology is quite expensive and sometimes a single nation cannot really make it work by itself. So you need international cooperation." Lozano said.

Treye Green edited the digital version of this story.

More:

NASA will retire the ISS soon. Here's what comes next. - NPR

Civic Nebraska hosts AI and democracy summit at UNL ahead of legislative hearing – Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN Just days before lawmakers consider the possible impacts of artificial intelligence on Nebraskas upcoming elections, at least one state senator says the conversations are just beginning.

State Sen. Tom Brewer, who represents north-central Nebraska, joined Civic Nebraskas community forum Saturday on AI and democracy, stating bluntly that AI is scary and that multiple University of Nebraska professors, who detailed possible impacts of the technology, scared the hell out of me.

Theyre talking about things that if you stop, pause and think about, how do you stop it? Brewer told a group of about three dozen people at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Heidi Uhing, director of public policy for Civic Nebraska, moderated the event. She pointed to January robocalls using President Joe Bidens voice to trick voters ahead of the New Hampshire primary. In 5,000 AI-generated calls, people were discouraged from voting.

That was sort of the first shot over the bow when it comes to artificial intelligence used in our elections, Uhing said.

Brewer, a two-time Purple Heart recipient who chairs the Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, suggested lawmakers come together to learn more about AI after the 2024 session and after the May primary election to examine whether there are any issues.

He suggested that the Government and Judiciary Committees should investigate AI, possibly providing momentum to propel 2025 legislation up the food chain.

We need smart folks all along the way to make sure as we build it, as we write it, that end product is good to go, Brewer said.

Brewer said there is a chance but a remote one that AI-related legislation could become law in 2024, since none of the bills has been prioritized.

Gina Ligon, director of the University of Nebraska at Omahas National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center, said Saturday that NCITE has started to examine how terrorist or non-state actors might be using AI.

Previous thinking was terrorists needed specific expertise for attacks, but AI is closing the gap.

Ligon said terrorists are using AI to find information, and in just the last week shared manuals of how to use it on the dark web among terrorist organizations.

U.S. election hardware and systems are methodical and more protected than elsewhere in the world, Ligon said, but she cautioned that election officials and workers are not protected.

If you get enough of these threats, enough of these videos made about you, youre maybe not going to volunteer to be an election official anymore, Ligon said.

Thats what keeps me up at night is how we can protect election officials here in Nebraska from what I think is an imminent concern of how terrorists are going to use this technology, Ligon continued.

NCITE has also been looking at threats to election officials, with a record number in 2023, double from when the center started investigating a decade ago. However, Ligon said, thats just the tip of the iceberg through federal charges focused on violence.

Ligon said Nebraska lacks specific language related to election worker harassment, which could degrade and erode election workers ability to come to work and to protect elections. She said she would like to see enhanced penalties should someone attempt to harass an election official.

Local threats to local officials, to me, is national security, Ligon said.

Nebraska election officials in 2022 said their jobs were more stressful and under the spotlight.

Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said Saturday his biggest concern is bad actors attempting to use AI to sow misinformation or disinformation about elections, such as changes to voting deadlines or polling places.

The only thing that has changed is we now have voter ID in Nebraska, Kruse said.

Its always good to have the conversation about election safety, Kruse said, because he and his office try to be proactive. He added that in daily journals he reads, not a day goes by without an AI-related article.

Legislative Bill 1390, from Lincoln State Sen. Eliot Bostar and endorsed by Civic Nebraska, would prohibit deep fakes, or deceptive images or videos, of election officers. It also would crack down on threats and harassment of election officials or election workers and requires an annual report. It will be considered at a Government Committee hearing Wednesday.

LB 1203, by State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, will also be considered Wednesday. It would have the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission regulate AI in media or political advertisements.

UNL Professor Matt Waite, who taught a fall 2023 course on AI and journalism, said it might be impossible to escape the damage that AI could cause and said the field is changing so fast his course was like flying a plane with duct tape and prayer.

I get six different AI newsletters a day, and Im not even sure Im keeping up with it, Waite said.

In one example, Waite described creating an AI-generated clip of UNL radio professor Rick Alloway for his class. He and students asked dozens of people to listen to two audio clips of the same script and decide which was AI-generated and which was read by Alloway.

About 65% of those responding to the poll had heard Alloway before or had taken one of his classes. More than half, 55%, thought the AI-generated clip was actually the professors voice.

The AI inserted breath pauses you can hear the AI breathing, Waite said. It also went um and ah twice.

The Nebraska Examiner published the findings of a similar experiment with seven state lawmakers last month. Senators similarly expressed concern or hesitation with where to begin to address AI issues.

Waite said lawmakers are in an arms race that you cannot possibly win and have tried to legislate technology before but have often run aground on First Amendment or other concerns.

Its not the AI thats the problem, Waite said. Its the disruption of a fair and equitable election.

Professor Bryan Wang, who teaches public relations at UNL and studies political advertising, explained that social media has created echo chambers and niche connections, which complicates AI use.

AI is already changing the production, dissemination and reception of information, Wang said, such as users in a high choice environment where they may choose to avoid political information incidentally being exposed and sharing information within their bubble.

That process isnt random, Wang continued, as social media works off algorithms that feed off peoples distrust, which extends to all sectors of life.

We also need to work on restoring that trust to build more empathy among us, to build more data and understanding among us, Wang said. Research does show that having that empathy, having that dialogue, does bridge gaps, does help us understand each other and does see others views as more legitimate that way.

Kruse said the mantra of see something, say something also applies to elections and said his office and others around the state stand ready to assist voters.

Wang said theres a need for media literacy, too.

State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha introduced LB 1371, to require media literacy in K-12 schools and set a graduation requirement. The Education Committee considered the bill Feb. 20.

At the end of the event, Uhing and panelists noted that AI is not all bad in the realm of democracy. Waite said AI could expand community news, which has been shrinking nationwide, or could be used to systematically review voter rolls.

Kruse said voters in Douglas County recently asked for a remonstrance petition to stop local government from doing something. AI could help teach staff about such a petition.

He also said quasi-public safety tools could review Douglas Countys 13 dropboxes and associated cameras to identify a suspect should there be an issue.

I dont have the staff, the time or the funds to sit there and monitor my cameras 24/7, Kruse said.

Waite said AI is not all evil and encouraged people to play around with it for themselves.

Youre not giving away your moral soul if you type into a chat window, Waite said. Try a few things out and see what happens.

Editors note: Reporter Zach Wendling was a student in Waites fall class on AI.

Originally posted here:

Civic Nebraska hosts AI and democracy summit at UNL ahead of legislative hearing - Nebraska Examiner

Proviso Suburbs Are Regulating Unscheduled Buses As Migrant Crisis Enters Harsh Winter – Village Free Press |

Migrants in tents outside of the 15th District Chicago Police station in the citys Austin community in October 2023. The city has since relocated the migrants, but now suburban officials are taking measures to regulate unscheduled buses that may be unsafely dropping the asylum-seekers off in municipalities. | File

Monday, January 15, 2024 || By Michael Romain || michael@wearejohnwilk.com

Suburbs across Proviso Township have recently enacted legislation to address the wave of buses carrying migrants to various points across the Chicago area and burdening resource-strapped municipalities.

The villages of Bellwood, Broadview, Hillside and Westchester are among the municipalities whose boards have voted on ordinances or whose mayors have issued executive orders since December designed to introduce fines, penalties and restrictions for buses illegally dropping off passengers.

The primary aim is to safeguard the health and safety of both residents and bus occupants, Hillside village officials explained in a statement posted to the villages website on Dec. 29.

The Village lacks the resources to adequately support these migrants, Hillside officials added. Collaborative efforts with Local, State, County, and regional authorities are underway to address these concerns.

CNN reported in December that since April 2022, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has sent more than 90,000 asylum-seeking migrants from Latin America to various Democratic-run sanctuary cities, including Chicago.

Border authorities encountered more than 225,000 migrants along the US-Mexico border in December alone, marking the highest monthly total recorded since 2000, according to preliminary Homeland Security statistics shared with CNN, the outlet reported.

In their various ordinances and executive orders, Proviso-area village officials explained that the legislation regulating unscheduled buses is time-sensitive due to the onset of the frigid winter weather.

Entities sending such charter buses know, or should know, that the passengers on such buses are likely to seek emergency shelter and other immediate services from the municipality upon or soon after arrival in the municipality, reads the ordinance the Westchester village board unanimously passed on Jan. 9.

Local police departments have been tasked with enforcing the new regulations. In a statement shared with WGN 9, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson said that any violation of her executive order by any bus company or bus driver, regardless of origin or destination, authorizes the seizure and impoundment of the bus by the Broadview Police Department as well as criminal charges to be filed against the company and driver.

Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills said his department is requesting bus companies notify us five days in advance, adding that they need to know how many people are coming under the age of 18 (and) how many adults so we know how many are arriving in the Village of Broadview, WGN reported.

Mayor Thompson issued her executive order in December. The Broadview village board is poised to vote on a series of ordinances regulating unscheduled buses at a regular meeting on Jan. 16.

State opens migrant shelter

Earlier this month, Capitol News Illinois reported that another migrant shelter opened in Chicago on Jan. 10, the states latest step in dealing with an influx of more than 30,000 asylum seekers sent to Illinois from states on the southern U.S. Border since summer 2022.

The recently opened shelter is located in a former CVS in Chicagos Little Village neighborhood and is expected to host about 220 migrants. The shelter is part of a $160 million state spending plan for migrant assistance that Gov. JB Pritzker announced in November, Capitol News Illinois reported.

The new site is one of several that houses migrants, mostly from Venezuela, that have arrived in Chicago over the past year. Roughly 250 migrants are currently staying at OHare International Airport and another 280 people slept in city buses at a so-called landing zone facility in the South Loop.

Possible causes of the Venezuelan migrant crisis

Most of the migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into the United States come from Venezuela. According to data from the Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela, roughly 8 million Venezuelans have fled their homes since the countrys economy collapsed in 2014. Most of those refugees have settled in about two dozen Caribbean and Latin America countries.

Critics of Venezuelas left-wing government have argued that the countrys economic collapse was due to corruption and economic mismanagement.

According to the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington, D.C. think tank, Venezuela is an example of a petrostate, where the government is highly dependent on fossil fuel income, power is concentrated, and corruption is widespread.

Petrostates are vulnerable to what economists call Dutch disease, in which a government develops an unhealthy dependence on natural resource exports to the detriment of other sectors.

When the price of oil plunged from more than $100 per barrel in 2014 to under $30 per barrel in early 2016, Venezuela entered an economic and political spiral, and despite rising prices since then, conditions remain bleak, the Council argued.

But other experts argue that the United States foreign policy also plays a critical role in the Latin American countrys collapse.

Last year, Juan Gonzlez, a reporter and senior fellow at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago, told WBEZ that the influx of Venezuelan migrants to the United States is a relatively new phenomenon. Its only really happened in the last three or four years. But now Venezuelans have become the fastest growing group of the Latino community in the United States.

Gonzlez said that economic sanctions lodged by the United States against Venezuela constituted an economic war against the country. The sanctions have been under Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden, he said.

The result has been an almost complete economic collapse of the country. Besides perhaps war, it is difficult to think of a tool of foreign policy that today causes more economic and humanitarian destruction than economic sanctions, Gonzlez told WBEZ.

For instance, Citgo petroleum, a major petroleum company in this country, is a Venezuelan-owned company, he added. The Trump administration froze all the assets of Citgo. The company takes in about $24 billion in oil revenues in the United States. None of that money, though, can go to Venezuela, which is its owner.

Excerpt from:

Proviso Suburbs Are Regulating Unscheduled Buses As Migrant Crisis Enters Harsh Winter - Village Free Press |

JN.1 is Canadas new dominant COVID-19 subvariant. Heres what to know – Global News

A new COVID-19 subvariant, known as JN.1, has emerged and is now the prevailing strain across Canada, prompting health experts to caution that it may be more infectious and could even have extra symptoms.

Currently, the subvariant makes up the highest proportion of all COVID-19 variants, accounting for more than half (51. 9 per cent) of all infections in Canada, according to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

JN.1 was first detected in Canada on Oct. 9, and since then has rapidly increased.

If this virus continues to circulate at high levels, that means more virus, which means more mutations and more evolution, which means more of this same kind of issue happening repeatedly, warned Ryan Gregory, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Guelph, and evolutionary biologist.

Story continues below advertisement

1:54 Low vaccine uptake fuels spike in respiratory illnesses: health officials

On Dec. 10, the JN.1 subvariant made up 26.6 per cent of all COVID-19 variants in Canada, but was not the dominant strain. At that time, HV.1 still made up 29 per cent of all subvariants, according to PHAC data. By Dec. 17, JN.1 made up the highest percentage (38.5 per cent) of all subvariants across Canada. Meanwhile, HV.1 fell to 24.4 per cent.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Dec. 19 added JN.1 to its list of variants of interest, its second-highest level of monitoring. Despite the categorization, the health organization said JN.1 poses a low additional public health risk.

Two days later, on Dec. 21, PHAC labelled it as a variant of interest in Canada.

As the subvariant continues to circulate, here is what we know so far about JN.1.

Story continues below advertisement

The JN.1 subvariant is a sublineage of BA.2.86 that emerged in Europe in late August 2023. It is another Omicron variant, according to PHAC. Gregory explained that JN.1 is a grandchild of BA.2.86. The original BA.2.86 probably evolved within a single person with a long-term infection over a year, he added.

So, somebody was infected. The virus continued to replicate and change within their body and then it reentered the rest of the population, he said. Once it gets back into the main population, its now evolving at the level of among hosts.

This in turn created the more competitive and successful JN.1. It featured a single alteration in the spike protein, enhancing its ability to effectively bind to cells, according to Gregory.

6:14 Holiday health update: Navigating the flu, RSV and COVID

It has massively managed to compete with the existing things that were out there, which suggests that its either very good at transmitting, and escapes immunity that is otherwise conferred by prior infection or previous vaccination, he said. So in other words, its different enough that your immune system, having been trained on older variants, doesnt recognize it as well.

Story continues below advertisement

He also believes JN.1 may be the starting point for subsequent evolutions, much like the XBB variant. The XBB variant, another sublineage of Omicron, started circulating the world in late 2022. In 2023, some of its descendents, such as XBB.1.5 and EG.5, became dominating COVID-19 infections.

It is currently not known whether JN.1 infections produce different symptoms from other variants, health experts say.

The typical symptoms of COVID-19 according to the government are:

Additionally, Gerald Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queens University in Kingston, Ont., said he has heard more people report gastrointestinal (GI) issues, such as diarrhea.

Story continues below advertisement

The one thing I have been hearing about, they have GI symptoms, and these are not new, these have been recorded since COVID came out, he said. But anecdotally, the number of people having GI symptoms seems to be slightly higher, but you have to be careful with that because its an observational bias. But it does strike me that its becoming a bit more of a theme in the last month.

Gregory agreed with this observation but added that it may still be too early to tell if this is a hallmark symptom of the JN.1 variant.

He added that it is difficult to determine which symptoms go with what variant, especially when so many are circulating and there is less testing for COVID-19.

Trending Now

Due to JN.1s fast growth, experts like Gregory say its either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems. However, PHAC said in an email to Global News on Dec. 19, there is no evidence of increased severity associated with this variant.

Story continues below advertisement

The WHO also stated last month that it is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in COVID-19 cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season.

Since the spike protein is also the part that existing vaccines target, current vaccines should work against JN.1 and other lineages of BA.2.86, explained Evans. Preliminary evidence shows that protection by the XBB recombinant vaccine also guards against JN.1, he added. However, he cautioned, If it has been a year since your last vaccine or COVID infection, you may be more susceptible.

Personal protective measures are effective actions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, PHAC stated. They include things like staying home when sick, properly wearing a well-fitted respirator or mask, improving indoor ventilation and practicing respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene.

Story continues below advertisement

These measures are most effective when layered together, PHAC stated in an email.

Laboratory studies also suggest that the current therapeutic antiviral options, such as Paxlovid, available in Canada are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineages, PHAC added.

In some parts of the country, COVID-19 cases have been steadily increasing since the fall, yet the numbers appear to be stable now, according to Evans. However, while infection numbers remain stable, they are still very high and very steep, he warned, well beyond influenza, RSV and all the other viruses.

4:50 Kingston pharmacist urging residents to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick this winter season

He believes there may have been a holiday spike in COVID0-19 infections for several reasons, but most importantly noting that the uptake COVID-19 vaccine has been very poor.

Story continues below advertisement

As of Dec. 8, PHAC reported that 14.6 per cent of eligible Canadians have received the updated vaccines targeting XBB.1.5.

The second reason, of course, is were in the middle of the respiratory virus season, Evans said. And although there are still a fair percentage of people who are being careful, there are a lot of people really have just gone back to what life was like before 2020. And. Thats, of course, a moment of opportunity for all these viruses to kind of take off.

Here is the original post:

JN.1 is Canadas new dominant COVID-19 subvariant. Heres what to know - Global News

A new COVID variant is dominant in the US: Know these symptoms – Yahoo News

A heavily mutated, fast-spreading new COVID-19 variant called JN.1 is on the rise in the United States. Last month, JN.1 swept the country and quickly overtook other variants of the coronavirus to become the dominant strain nationwide.

The highly contagious omicron subvariant now accounts for over 60% of all infections in the U.S., and it's expected to continue driving an increasing number of cases as the country approaches peak respiratory virus season. In fact, data show and some experts say the country is currently in its second-largest COVID wave, smaller than only the omicron surge in late 2021 and early 2022.

JN.1 is also gaining speed in other parts of the world. On Dec. 18, the World Health Organization classified JN.1 as a variant of interest due to its rapidly increasing spread globally.

In the U.S., the share of cases caused by the JN.1 variant has nearly doubled in recent weeks. JN.1 is currently considered the fastest-growing variant in the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During a two-week period ending on Dec. 23, JN.1 accounted for about 44% of cases in the U.S., per the CDCs latest data. This was a steep increase from the previous two-week period ending on Dec. 9, when JN.1 made up 21% of cases.

After JN.1, the next most common strain in the U.S. right now is the HV.1 subvariant, which comprised about 22% of cases as of Dec. 23.

Scientists around the world have been closely monitoring JN.1, which has sparked some concern due to its rapid growth and large number of mutations. However, the new variant is closely related to a strain we've seen before: BA.2.86, aka "Pirola," which has been spreading in the U.S. since the summer.

JN.1 has one additional mutation compared to BA.2.86, which has more than 30 mutations that set it apart from the omicron XBB.1.5 variant. XBB.1.5 was the dominant strain for most of 2023 and it's the variant targeted in the updated COVID-19 vaccines, TODAY.com previously reported.

All of the COVID-19 variants that have gained dominance in the U.S. in the last year are descendants of omicron, which began circulating in late 2021. Since emerging, JN.1 has overtaken its parental strain BA.2.86, as well as HV.1, EG.5 or Eris and XBB.1.16, aka Arcturus.

JN.1's growth comes as COVID hospitalizations rise, influenza continues to spread and RSV activity remains high in many places, according to a Dec. 14 update from the CDC. The agency warned that at the end of the month, emergency rooms and hospitals could become strained, similarly to last year, especially in the South.

Will JN.1 cause a COVID-19 surge? Does JN.1 have different symptoms and is it still detected by COVID tests? Does it respond to vaccines and treatments? Here's what experts know about JN.1 so far.

JN.1 was first reported in August 2023 and it has spread to at least 41 countries so far, according to the WHO. It was first detected in the U.S. in September, the CDC said.

Just like the other newer variants, JN.1 is part of the omicron family.

"Think of (the variants) as children and grandchildren of omicron. They're part of the same extended family, but they each have their own distinctive personalities," Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

JN.1 descended from BA.2.86, which is a sublineage of the omicron BA.2 variant, TODAY.com previously reported that's what sets JN.1 and BA.2.86 apart from the other prevailing variants like HV.1 and EG.5, which descended from omicron XBB.

When its parent BA.2.86 emerged, everybody was worried because it had a lot of mutations and looked like it was going to evade a lot of the immunity from vaccines and infection in the population, Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., professor and vice chair in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, tells TODAY.com. But (BA.2.86) sort of fizzled out, he adds.

Laboratory data suggest that Pirola is less contagious and immune-evasive than scientists once feared, NBC News reported.

JN.1, however, picked up an additional mutation in its spike protein called L455S, says Pekosz. Spike proteins help the virus latch onto human cells and play a crucial role in helping SARS-CoV-2 infect people, per the CDC. This mutation may affect JN.1's immune escape properties, says Pekosz.

"Now it's circulating and growing at a really fast rate compared to other variants, as well as the parent its derived from (BA.2.86), says Pekosz.

In early November, JN.1 accounted for fewer than 1% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Several weeks later, it was driving over 20% of cases, Dr. Michael Phillips, chief epidemiologist at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com. Now, it's the dominant strain in the U.S.

Its not known whether JN.1 causes different symptoms from other variants, according the CDC.

Right now, theres nothing that says that JN.1 infection is any different from previous COVID variants in terms of disease severity or symptoms, but were paying close attention, says Pekosz.

The symptoms of JN.1 appear to be similar to those caused by other strains, which include:

According to the CDC, the type and severity of symptoms a person experiences usually depends more on a persons underlying health and immunity rather than the variant which caused infection.

While severe infections do still occur, overall (COVID-19) is causing a lot of milder illness, says Schaffner.

Some doctors have reported that upper respiratory symptoms seem to follow a pattern of starting with a sore throat, followed by congestion and a cough, NBC News previously reported.

The virus is adapting. ... I think its getting better at infecting humans and evading pre-existing immunity in the population ... but its not changing symptomology too much, says Pekosz.

At this time, theres no evidence that JN.1 causes more severe infection, the experts note.

One of the things these (omicron variants) have in common is that they are highly contagious, and as new variants crop up, they seem to be as contagious or even more contagious than the previous variants, says Schaffner.

According to the CDC, the continued growth of JN.1 suggests that the variant is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems.

Its probably a little bit more transmissible than its parental virus because weve seen an increase in case numbers that we didnt with (BA.2.86), says Pekosz. However, it is too early to tell how exactly JN.1's transmissibility or immune escape properties compare to other variants, such as HV.1, the experts note.

Many of the newer strains, including JN.1, have another mutation that affects how strongly the spike protein binds to cells in the respiratory tract, says Pekosz. We know that its probably helping the virus become better at replicating and helping the virus evade more of that pre-existing immune response, he adds.

JN.1 does not pose an increased public health risk compared to other variants currently in circulation, the CDC and WHO said.

The genetic changes in JN.1 could give it an advantage over other variants, but its unclear how that will affect cases in the coming months. So far, there doesnt seem to be a massive increase in transmission. ... We would be concerned if there was a huge surge in cases, says Pekosz.

Right now, JN.1 is increasing in terms of the percentage of COVID-19 cases its causing, and theres also been a slight increase in total cases," says Pekosz.

Test positivity, an early indicator of case levels, is also on the rise, says Phillips the rate was 12.7% during the week ending on Dec. 23, up from about 12% the week prior, per the CDC. (The CDC no longer tracks the total number of cases in the U.S.).

Hospitalizations have also risen by 17% and ICU admissions by 16.4% in the last two weeks, according to an NBC News analysis.

"The good news is that as of yet we're not seeing severe disease or hospitalizations going up significantly, and ICU admissions are still very low, but we're going to watch these carefully," says Phillips.

COVID-19 activity was expected to rise around this time as the U.S. enters winter and respiratory virus season, the experts note. In recent years, the virus has followed a pattern of increasing and peaking around new year, according to the CDC.

"Right now, we do not know to what extent JN.1 may be contributing to these increases or possible increases through the rest of December," the CDC said. Only time will tell whether JN.1 or another variant will cause a surge in infections this winter.

All COVID-19 diagnostic tests including rapid antigen tests and PCR tests are expected to be effective at detecting JN.1, as well as other variants, according to the CDC.

Testing is an important tool to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, especially ahead of indoor gatherings, says Schaffner.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are often indistinguishable from those caused by other viruses spreading right now, the experts note. These include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza and rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

The experts urge anyone who becomes ill or is exposed to COVID-19 to take a test, especially people at higher risk of severe disease, such as people over the age of 65, who are immunocompromised and who have underlying health conditions.

Every American can order four free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government, which will be delivered by mail via the U.S. Postal Service. To order your free tests, go to COVIDTests.gov.

"Get tested because, whether it's COVID or flu, we have treatment available," says Schaffner. Current treatments are also expected to be effective against JN.1, the CDC said.

"JN.1 should be just as sensitive to the antivirals available as any other variants," says Pekosz, adding that antivirals like Paxlovid are most effective when taken within the first few days after infection.

The new, updated COVID-19 vaccines, recommended for everyone 6 months and older, are expected to increase protection against JN.1, as well as other variants, the CDC said.

Although the shots target omicron XBB.1.5, which has since been overtaken by HV.1, JN.1, EG.5 and others, there is still evidence that it will protect against new strains circulating this winter, TODAY.com previously reported.

Data from laboratory studies show that the vaccine appears to generate a strong immune response against JN.1's parent strain, BA.2.86, Schaffner notes.

The new vaccines also protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death, the experts emphasize. So even if you get COVID-19 after vaccination, the infection will likely be milder and it can keep you out of the hospital, Phillips adds.

However, uptake of the updated booster among the U.S. population has been low so far, the experts say. As of Dec. 22, only about 18% of adults and 7% of children have gotten the updated vaccine, according to the latest CDC data on vaccination trends.

On Dec. 14, CDC officials issued an alert to warn about low vaccination rates against COVID-19, flu and RSV in the U.S.

Now is the best time to get vaccinated if you haven't already, the experts say. "The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you'll be protected and it does take seven to 10 days for protection to build up to the maximum," says Schaffner.

Phillips recommends everyone, especially high-risk individuals, to get the seasonal influenza shot, as well. Hospitalizations for flu increased 200% over the past month, according to the CDC's Dec. 14 warning.

"Getting vaccinated is the best present you can give yourself and your family this holiday season," Schaffner adds.

Every day, but especially during respiratory virus season, people can take steps to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

The experts encourage everyone to:

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

Test if you have symptoms.

Isolate if you have COVID-19.

Avoid contact with sick people.

Improve ventilation.

Wear a mask in crowded, indoor spaces.

Wash your hands with soap and water.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

Here is the original post:

A new COVID variant is dominant in the US: Know these symptoms - Yahoo News

China struggles to rebound a year after lifting COVID restrictions – NPR

An appliance market in Xi'an, China, where Jiang has a construction equipment rental company. He says economic conditions are worse now than during the pandemic, when he started the appliance business, and he isn't selling as much as he used to. John Ruwitch/NPR hide caption

An appliance market in Xi'an, China, where Jiang has a construction equipment rental company. He says economic conditions are worse now than during the pandemic, when he started the appliance business, and he isn't selling as much as he used to.

BEIJING On the northern edge of Xi'an, a 45-year-old man surnamed Jiang tells a typical story of dream-chasing in China's reform era.

He left his home village at the age of 18 to work in a diamond factory in southern China's Guangdong province, a manufacturing juggernaut. The pay was decent, he says, but after a decade he was restless. So he returned home, where he started a small construction equipment rental company.

Business was fine, he said, until state-backed competitors began attracting all the contracts. So he moved again, this time to the northwestern city of Xi'an, China's onetime imperial capital, now home to 13 million people.

"My hopes were big," he says, sitting in the back of the secondhand kitchen appliance shop that he runs with his family, surrounded by refrigerators, stoves and blenders. "Slowly, though, they have been obliterated."

A year ago, China lifted draconian COVID restrictions that were an anvil around the neck of the economy and placed unprecedented controls on a society that, for the previous four decades, had grown accustomed to expanding personal freedoms, not shrinking them.

Many expected the country to bounce back quickly, with economic growth reverting to a slower but respectable mean. That hasn't happened. And as 2024 approaches, there is a crisis of confidence in China that the authorities appear to be doing little to address, instead nibbling at the edges of policy and avoiding bold steps to revive the economy and regain public trust in policymaking.

Jiang is one of several people NPR recently spoke with to try to gauge the mood in post-pandemic China and highlight how things have changed over time.

For Jiang, who did not want his full name used for fear of possible repercussions for speaking candidly to a foreign reporter, economic conditions are actually worse now than during the pandemic, when he started the appliance business, he says. He isn't selling as much as he used to.

Like many in China who have been conditioned to avoid publicly criticizing the ruling Communist Party, he chooses well-worn rhetoric absolving the leadership when asked if he thinks policy might be to blame.

"Whatever the national policy, it's meant to do good for the country and the people. You can't deny that," he said. "But as they say: The higher-ups have their policies and the lower-downs have their ways of getting around them. ... Each policy that comes from the top is discounted on the way down, and then discounted again as it goes down line. The policies are definitely good, but when they get down to the local level, they've completely changed."

At this point, Jiang's ambition the same drive that, multiplied across hundreds of millions of people, fueled China's economic rise has been sapped.

In Beijing, Joerg Wuttke has had a front-row seat to China's spectacular rise. He first came to the country as a businessman from Europe 41 years ago.

"When I was coming in '82, people took pictures with cars and paid for the picture. And now we have 5 million cars in Beijing. So it's a completely different country, with upsides but also with it downsides," he said. (The Beijing government said that at the end of 2022 there were, in fact, more than 7 million motor vehicles registered in the city, and over 12 million drivers.)

Joerg Wuttke, then the European Chamber of Commerce president, at a press conference in Beijing in 2015. Ng Han Guan/AP hide caption

Joerg Wuttke, then the European Chamber of Commerce president, at a press conference in Beijing in 2015.

I first met Wuttke a little over 20 years ago, when our offices were in the same building near Beijing's Liangma River. China had just joined the World Trade Organization. The reform-minded Zhu Rongji was premier.

"It was a China which actually was very open and could sort of give us some indications of where we're heading, you know, to a more open, liberal society. Globalization would be coming into town," said Wuttke, who has been doing business here for most of the past four decades, and lobbying for European companies as head of the European Chamber of Commerce for part of that time.

Today, he says, the Communist Party has become more dominant across society than he thinks it was when he first came to China before reform and opening really started to take off.

"For Xi Jinping, it's clear ideology trumps the economy," he says of China's current leader.

He says that's underpinned an intrusion of politics into business.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping reviews the honor guard at the Great Hall of the People in November in Beijing. Florence Lo/Pool/Getty Images hide caption

Chinese leader Xi Jinping reviews the honor guard at the Great Hall of the People in November in Beijing.

"You have party cells coming up into Chinese private enterprises. You have a far more [and] stronger party awareness on TV or radio than it was maybe in '82. So, yeah, it's, it's more ideologically driven these days than it was 40 years ago," he said.

Combined with geopolitical frictions, Wuttke says it has become "far more complex" to steer any company in China.

In November, quarterly data showed that foreign direct investment in China contracted for the first time on record. Business confidence is down, and the real estate sector is struggling, underpinning weak consumer confidence. The future is less certain than it always seemed to be. The World Bank forecasts that China's GDP growth will slow sharply in the next two years.

"I think the opening-eye moment for me came in 2022," Wuttke says. It was a year when the government hewed for too long to an unbending and unforgiving zero-COVID policy that involved heavy travel restrictions, snap lockdowns and forced quarantines. Wuttke is leaving China, though he says his decision has nothing to do with current events.

In Shanghai, that policy turned a high school teacher into an exiled dissident.

Huang Yicheng taught Chinese language and literature in a northwestern suburb of the country's most cosmopolitan city. He says he was always in favor of the idea of more freedom, but as someone who grew up in China, human rights wasn't something he spent much time thinking about.

Huang Yicheng poses during an interview with Reuters in Hamburg, Germany, in April. He grew up in China and says he never really thought of leaving. But when Shanghai was locked down, he lost faith. Fanny Brodersen/Reuters hide caption

Huang Yicheng poses during an interview with Reuters in Hamburg, Germany, in April. He grew up in China and says he never really thought of leaving. But when Shanghai was locked down, he lost faith.

Instead, "if I could live normally, go to work, have some fun, be with my family, make some money, eat, then it'd all be fine," he said.

But in the spring of 2022, the omicron variant of COVID-19 arrived and the Shanghai government ordered its 26 million residents to stay home to stop the spread. A lockdown that the authorities said would last about a week stretched for two long months.

Huang says being forcibly confined to his home felt like living on an animal farm. He felt unsafe being locked in his apartment with no control, and no end in sight. "It was really scary," he said. "It didn't feel safe."

And it changed something inside him.

"Before the lockdown, I thought Shanghai would be fine," he said. "There was a lot of bad news about the pandemic, and I knew things weren't great, but I thought bad things could happen in other places but Shanghai still had hope."

When his city was locked down, he lost faith.

"I thought everything was fake. The security and order and freedom, it could all be taken away. So I had no faith in this government, in this political system."

Later that year, when protests erupted in Shanghai and elsewhere in China against the draconian COVID policies, Huang got involved. The demonstrations became known as the White Paper Revolution, because many participants took to brandishing blank pages of A4-size paper to symbolize all that could not be said publicly in China.

Protesters hold up blank sheets of paper and chant slogans as they march to protest strict anti-virus measures in Beijing on Nov. 27, 2022. Thousands of people demonstrated across China, waving sheets of white paper to represent the country's strict censorship. Ng Han Guan/AP hide caption

Protesters hold up blank sheets of paper and chant slogans as they march to protest strict anti-virus measures in Beijing on Nov. 27, 2022. Thousands of people demonstrated across China, waving sheets of white paper to represent the country's strict censorship.

"The white paper movement really made me feel hopeful," he said. "Finally, Chinese people were coming out to resist."

He joined a crowd at an intersection in Shanghai's former French concession neighborhood, where protests had taken place the previous night. Huang says he mostly hung back. But when police cleared protesters that night, he was grabbed, roughed up and briefly detained.

Months later, after lying low, he fled to Germany.

"I had never really thought of leaving. Really. I thought, if this country's not good, you don't necessarily need to leave it. You can stay and do some small things to make change," he said.

Instead, the pandemic changed him.

Back in Xi'an, a man whom NPR first talked with a year ago is settling into his new home.

Last year, Lee Shin was squatting in an unfinished apartment he had bought nine years earlier. It was on the 28th floor and there was no electricity.

"We used a tank gas stove, and we had to fetch bottles of water from downstairs," he said. (Lee Shin is a nonstandard Romanization of a nickname he asked NPR to use because police have pressured him not to speak publicly about the construction problem at his apartment complex.)

Not long after Lee bought the unfinished apartment, construction stopped when the property developer allegedly lost money in other investments.

The problem of unfinished apartment complexes is widespread in China and the projects are called lanwei lou, Chinese for "rotten tails."

This year, the building was finally completed and Lee and his wife could fully move in. But after so many years of uncertainty, it was a letdown.

"So when we got the key and opened the door, there was no feeling of excitement. When we went in, we just wanted to cry," he says.

Outside the apartment complex where Lee Shin and his wife finally moved in after years of delay. Not long after Lee bought the unfinished apartment, construction stopped when the property developer allegedly lost money in other investments. John Ruwitch/NPR hide caption

Outside the apartment complex where Lee Shin and his wife finally moved in after years of delay. Not long after Lee bought the unfinished apartment, construction stopped when the property developer allegedly lost money in other investments.

His life plans for an early wedding, for kids were set back by years. And home prices have been falling in China amid a slow-motion crisis unfolding in the property sector, driven in part by government policies. It's unclear how the authorities will manage the fallout from collapsing developers and falling home prices.

But now, finally in their new home, surely things were looking up for Lee and his wife?

He says he has more peace in his life, for the most part. But work is bad in his field of interior design because of the property downturn, and his ambitions have been tempered. Among other things, he says he does not want to have a child now.

"I don't have any aspirations, and I don't think I want to have any aspirations anymore," he said. "None of my wishes have come true."

Aowen Cao contributed reporting from Beijing.

Read the original:

China struggles to rebound a year after lifting COVID restrictions - NPR

The Dutch Under Nazi Rule: German WWII Occupation of the Netherlands – The Collector

Despite the fact that the Netherlands was a neutral country, it formed a strategically vital target for the Germans, who invaded on May 10, 1940. Five days later, after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch surrendered.

The occupation lasted almost five years; for the Dutch, it was the most difficult period in their countrys history.

Dutch resolve, however, was not broken, and resistance continued amid brutal reprisals, starvation, and mass deportations that would see the Netherlands lose three-quarters of its Jewish population.

On May 10, 1940, Germany launched an invasion of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium as part of Operation Fall Gelb (Operation Case Yellow) without any formal declaration of war. Clearly unprepared for modern styles of warfare, the Netherlands fell quickly.

It was one of the first examples of using paratroopers to seize objectives before the advance of the main ground forces. For the Germans, the entire operation was a stunning success.

The German advances were overwhelming, and the bombing of Rotterdam left incredible destruction. The Dutch knew that further resistance would be futile and only leave more destruction in its wake.

By May 14, the Dutch army had surrendered, although a small contingent in Zeeland continued fighting until May 17.

Queen Wilhelmina fled the country and formed a government-in-exile in the United Kingdom. Many believed that she had abandoned her country, but she was adamant that she would never become a puppet ruler under the Germans, and today, her flight is seen as a pragmatic move. She continued to address the Dutch people via radio throughout the war. The rest of her family escaped to Canada. The escape of the Dutch royal family was achieved with the assistance of the British, who led a rescue mission.

At the beginning of the Second World War, the Dutch had remained neutral in the hopes that they could avoid the conflict, but after the invasions of Denmark and Norway, it became clear to most that the Netherlands was likely a prime target. Hasty preparations were made, but it was not enough.

There was a significant amount of denial within the country, with many people expecting Germany to leave the Netherlands alone. Nevertheless, for those who were more pragmatic and for those living in hope, the reaction was the same. Outrage swept the country.

A few days later, the fighting was over, and the emotion of outrage was joined with relief, humiliation, and a sense of abandonment, as many Dutch felt that the French and British should have stationed troops in the Netherlands to protect it from German invasion.

From the German perspective, the Dutch constituted fellow Aryans, and the Germans intended to treat the Dutch people a lot better than the citizens of many other conquered areas of Europe. From the Dutch perspective, they didnt expect to be treated well, as they had a significant distrust of the Germans.

For a minority of Dutch people, the invasion was a blessing. The Dutch Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (National-Socialist movement / NSB) welcomed the German occupation as it brought the members of this right-wing movement significant power. Its leader, Anton Mussert, had expected to be installed as the ruler of a Dutch state allied to the Germans, but in reality, the occupation was under the control of the Austrian politician Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who served as the Reichskommissar of the Netherlands from May 29, 1940, to May 7, 1945.

The distrust of the Germans was exacerbated by the immediate effects of the German occupation in terms of food. The Germans blockaded the ports and effectively ended the importation of foodstuffs from abroad. Instead, the Dutch people would be fed by the Germans with careful rationing. The food that was distributed was healthy and based on modern dietary needs. It was low in fat, and the Dutch, who were used to a high-fat diet, began to lose weight; many assumed the Germans were starving them. This turned out not to be the case, at least not at this point in the occupation. Later on, as the Germans became more harsh towards the Dutch people, the threat of famine would turn into a reality.

Many Dutch people believed the occupation would be short-lived, some expecting it to be over by Christmas. Until then, they adopted a policy of conforming to the desires of the occupiers, or at least the appearance of conformity.

While the German soldiers, on the whole, treated the Dutch well during the beginning of the occupation, German leadership took control of all aspects of society and the economy, banning free speech and propagating Nazi ideology among the populace of the Netherlands. Naturally, most Dutch people saw this as an attempt to convert the country. While the NSB saw some initial growth, swelling to around 100,000 members, it remained a fringe group in terms of the total population and was utterly despised by the rest of Dutch society.

Before the war, Dutch society had been fractured and split along social, religious, and political lines. With the exception of the small minority of those who supported the NSB and the Nazis, the vast majority of the Dutch population found itself with a common enemy, and as such, a sense of unity thrived.

Around 5% of the Dutch people joined the resistance. While this may (or may not) have been a relatively small percentage, this was the section of society that went into hiding and used violent tactics to strike at German assets. Other forms of resistance were common and were much less active. The Dutch people took to hiding those wanted by the Germans. In particular, Jewish people found hope and protection in the families that secreted them away in the attics of houses. The famous Anne Frank was one of these Jews who were looked after by compassionate and brave Dutch people.

When those in the Dutch resistance were caught and executed, the Dutch were horrified. Given the initial attitude of the Germans towards the Dutch at the beginning of the occupation, it came as a shock. Especially since in the Netherlands, the death penalty had been outlawed for many decades, and the Dutch were not used to anybody being executed.

It was also not just Jewish people who the Nazi occupiers were after. Communists and outspoken critics of the regime were targeted, as well as people with mental disabilities.

Life was tough for everybody under Nazi occupation. Forced labor was implemented, and adult men were drafted to work in German factories, which were often targeted by Allied bombing runs.

After the German conquest of the Netherlands, a Joodse Raad was created, a council that acted as a liaison between the Jews and the Nazi occupiers. The Raad was run by Abraham Asscher and David Cohen, supplied the Germans with information, and was responsible for organizing and selecting Jews for deportation. Asscher and Cohen were both tried for collaboration by the Jewish Community in the Netherlands after the war but were exonerated. Many Jews found themselves in difficult situations, being forced to collaborate on pain of death.

For their part, the Dutch did not sit quietly and do nothing. With the first waves of antisemitic policies came pushback in the form of protests and strikes from the Dutch populace. In February 1941, a strike was met with violent suppression by the Nazi regime, which tried thereafter to limit the amount of violence dealt to non-Jewish Dutch people.

This situation of being forced to collaborate was not just a situation for the Jews. Many Dutch people, especially those in the government and the police, were compelled to perform heinous acts in order to protect themselves and their families. Forced collaboration was an incredibly difficult issue that raised many questions, especially after the war, when people were put on trial for their assistance to the Nazi regime.

The outcome of the Nazi policies in the Netherlands was that over 70% of Dutch Jews were deported. This was a higher proportion than in any other German-occupied territory in Western Europe.

Not all collaboration was forced, however. Some elements of Dutch society supported the Nazis and did so openly. Up to 25,000 Dutch men even volunteered to join the German army and the Waffen-SS.

Hope became a reality in September 1944 with the beginning of Operation Market Garden. Although the operation achieved very limited gains, it represented the beginning of the collapse of German resistance. In the following months, the Netherlands was freed from German control bit by bit. The Allies, however, concentrated their efforts on Germany, not the Netherlands, and Berlin fell before Amsterdam was liberated. Many parts of the Netherlands were only free of German occupation once the Germans had officially surrendered.

However, the months in which liberation was achieved were not as happy as they could have been. The Germans cut off supply to the western region of the country where 4.5 million people lived, and as a result of the Hongerwinter (Hunger Winter), around 18,000 Dutch people starved to death, with relief only arriving as late as May 1945, with the complete surrender of the German forces in Europe.

By the end of the war, 205,901 Dutch people had died from war-related causes. Just over half of them were victims of the Holocaust. This total represented 2.36% of the entire Dutch population at the time and was the highest proportion in Western Europe.

For Dutch people today, the occupation of their country represents an awful time in their history. Generally being a liberal people who value freedom, the five years of Nazi governance is seen as a time that flew directly in the face of Dutch beliefs.

Not only did it aggravate Dutch ways of life, but it humiliated the Dutch people, who, for the most part, did what they could to resist.

Here is the original post:

The Dutch Under Nazi Rule: German WWII Occupation of the Netherlands - The Collector

The new UK short selling regime: another step away from the EU post-Brexit – Freshfields Transactions

HM Treasury published, on 22 November 2023, a draft of the Short Selling Regulations 2024 (SSR 2024), along with a policy note. The draft statutory instrument (SI) is intended to establish a new regulatory framework to replace the retained Short Selling Regulation (the UK SSR), which was based on Regulation (EU) 236/2012 (the EU SSR) and incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal Act) 2018. This represents another step in the UK governments programme of financial services regulatory reform following the UKs exit of the European Union.

Short selling is the practice of selling a security that is borrowed or not owned by the seller with the intention of repurchasing it later at a lower price to make a profit. The EU SSR was introduced to respond to concerns regarding the short selling of shares in financial institutions and of euro area sovereign debt, as well as a lack of information and transparency to the market and authorities with regard to the effect of short selling on prices and ultimately, financial stability.

Pursuant to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (FSMA 2023), the UK SSR will be repealed on a date yet to be determined. In December 2022, HM Treasury launched a call for evidence in which it sought views on the new regulatory framework to replace the UK SSR. The call for evidence closed in March 2023, and the government published its response in July 2023. HM Treasury ran a separate consultation in July 2023 on aspects of the UK SSR related to sovereign debt and credit default swaps (CDS), and published its response to that consultation alongside the draft SI.

The key highlights of the SI include provisions relating to:

1.Scope

The SI defines short selling as a designated activity, which will give the FCA a range of rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers with respect to short selling, including by firms that are not subject to FCA authorisation. Further, it requires the FCA to publish a list of shares to which certain rules apply and empowers the FCA to exempt shares from certain notification and other requirements.

2. FCA rule-making powers

The SI empowers the FCA to make rules requiring short sellers of shares to comply with certain conditions or requirements, such as imposing restrictions on uncovered short selling to protect against settlement risks.

3.Disclosure

The initial notification threshold for net short positions has been set at 0.2%. The SI empowers the FCA to set out certain elements of the net short position notification regime, such as detailing how to calculate a net short position and when a notification is required. It also requires the FCA to aggregate and publish net short positions notified on any working day in respect of the issued share capital of a company.

4. Market maker exemption

The SI provides the FCA with the power to exempt market making activities and stabilisation from certain short selling requirements. The exemption will be available to members of UK trading venues and trading venues in other jurisdictions for which HM Treasury has made a determination. The existing equivalence determination for the EEA will remain in place for a transitional period.

5. Emergency powers

The SI gives the FCA the power to intervene in exceptional circumstances, such as requiring notifications of short positions or lending fees, prohibiting or imposing conditions on short sales, or restricting short selling after a significant fall in the price of a financial instrument. The FCA can exercise these powers where it considers that there is a threat to financial stability or in order to prevent a disorderly decline in the price of a financial instrument, and the benefits of an intervention outweigh the detrimental impact of such an intervention on financial markets.

The FCA must publish a notice of any decision to exercise these emergency powers, and it must review any requirement, prohibition, condition or restriction on a regular basis. The SI also requires the FCA to publish a statement of policy on how it considers it will use these intervention powers.

Differences between the UK SSR and the SSR 2024

Generally,the overarching framework relating to short selling remains unchanged between the UK SSR and the SSR 2024. The core definitions and requirements remain largely the same.

The SSR 2024 will reinstate the original requirement for firms to notify the FCA of net short positions above 0.2% of issued share capital. This threshold was lowered to 0.1% in 2021 in response to market uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has laid a separate statutory instrument that will increase the threshold in the UK SSR to 0.2% from 5 February 2024.

In line with the wider changes introduced as part of the UKs post-Brexit strategy, the SSR 2024 aims to build on the governments approach to build a Smarter Regulatory Framework for financial services. Under the new regime, detailed rules will be set by the FCA in its Handbook within a legislative framework as opposed to the detailed rules being set out in legislation. These regulatory reforms are intended to achieve greater flexibility and adaptability.

Another difference between the two regimes is that the SSR 2024 provides for a broader scope of shares traded on a UK trading venue and related instruments to be covered by the FCAs rules, whereas the UK SSR exempts shares that are principally traded outside the UK from certain requirements. The FCA will have the power to exempt shares from requirements where appropriate and will be required to publish a list of all shares subject to its rules on short selling, which could ultimately result in a narrower set of shares being subject to the short selling rules.

In addition, whereas the UK SSR contains provisions relating to sovereign debt and sovereign CDS, the SSR 2024 will not impose restrictions on the uncovered short selling of UK sovereign debt and CDS, and it will remove reporting requirements with respect to sovereign debt and CDS positions. However, the FCAs emergency intervention powers with respect to these products are retained.

Furthermore, under the SSR 2024, the FCA will be required to publish aggregated net short positions based on individual position notifications it receives from short sellers, whereas the UK SSR requires the FCA to publish individual net short positions above 0.5% of issued share capital, including the identity of the short seller. The new approach will set out the overall net short position in a particular companys shares but avoids disclosure of the names of individual short sellers as is currently the case under the UK SSR.

Next steps

HM Treasury intends to lay the final SI before Parliament in 2024, subject to Parliamentary time. Whilst the policy approach on this area is settled, some drafting and technical aspects may change in the final SI. The deadline to provide any technical comments to HM Treasury is 10 January 2024.

The FCA has indicated that it will consult in 2024 on how it plans to exercise its rule-making powers under the new regime. The final SI will commence at the same time as the FCA makes new rules, alongside the repeal of the UK SSR.

The draft SI does not contain any supervision or enforcement provisions. Instead, these will be covered in a separate SI on the designated activities regime (DAR), which the government plans to publish in early 2024. The DAR SI will contain cross-cutting supervision and enforcement provisions that apply to all designated activities, including short selling.

Go here to see the original:

The new UK short selling regime: another step away from the EU post-Brexit - Freshfields Transactions

Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts job with Tarleton State University | 37572379 – The Chronicle of Higher Education

Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts

Tarleton State University seeks an experienced educator, researcher, and administrator to serve as Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

The Dean serves as the academic officer responsible for executive management of the college and its full range of programs and initiatives; exercises leadership responsibility in advising the college regarding administrative, curriculum, and budgetary matters; and provides a vision that contributes to achieving the goals of the institutional strategic plan: Tarleton Forward 2030. The ideal candidate will be a person who can articulate the importance of the collective disciplines of the college to outside stakeholders, and thinks creatively and energetically about the challenges of the changing demographics in higher education. The position reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Institutional Profile

Tarleton State University is an energetic, comprehensive Carnegie R2 Doctoral University: High Research Activity, with the elective Community Engagement classification, and a new member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. The Wall Street Journals latest rankings have Tarleton State fifth among U.S. schools highly recommended by their students and recent alumni.

Fall 2023 brought another all-time high enrollment, outpacing many institutions nationwide. A total of over 14,500 students is up over 10% from 2019, making Tarleton the fifth fastest-growing university in Texas.

The university offers 84 bachelors, 39 masters, and three doctoral degree options, with 10 additional research and health professional doctorates proposed for 20242028. For their majors, students choose from seven academic colleges Agriculture and Natural Sciences; Business; Education; Health Sciences; Liberal and Fine Arts; Science and Mathematics; and the Mayfield College of Engineering.

Tarleton State University is a proud member of The Texas A&M University System and serves students on the main campus in Stephenville, its growing Fort Worth campus, in Waco, and on the A&M-RELLIS campus in Bryan. True to Tarletons values of excellence, integrity, and respect, academic programs emphasize real-world learning and address regional, state, and national needs.

Joining NCAA Division I in July 2020 as the ninth full-time member of the Western Athletic Conference increases national recognition for student-athletes and academic programs, positioning Tarleton State as a frontrunner for anyone seeking a university education. Among numerous milestones, its storied rodeo program boasts eight national team titles and 29 individual CNFR (College National Finals Rodeo) champs, making it a top pick for many cowgirls and cowboys.

Tarleton Student Body

Over 50% of Tarleton State students are first generation with no family tradition of seeking a post-secondary degree. Others are legacy students following their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents as proud defenders of the purple and white. Some graduate from the only high school in their rural county, and some transfer from large urban community college districts.

Tarleton State students are a diverse group (almost 40 percent report an ethnicity other than white) from all parts of Texas, 48 states, and 47 countries. Over 80% receive some form of financial assistance, and 37% are Pell Grant eligible. They love the university its people, its traditions, its commitment to student triumphs in and out of the classroom.

The university is fast approaching status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with almost 23 percent of its student body identifying as Hispanic in fall 2023.

The Class of 2027 is over 2,700 students and represents the largest, and most well-prepared group of incoming students in the universitys 124 years proof that Tarleton State is quickly becoming one of the nations premier comprehensive public universities.

Financial Stability

Tarleton States comprehensive operating budget for fiscal 2022 was $276 million, giving the university sound financial footing. The universitys largest-ever comprehensive capital campaign recently met its $125 million target 18 months ahead of schedule. These campaign dollars will strengthen student success, enhance the academic experience, elevate Tarleton States institutional profile, and fortify the schools infrastructure. Tarleton State saw the second-highest percentage growth in funding in the A&M System (only behind A&M-College Station) as part of a record $1.19 billion appropriated to the System by the 88th Legislature. The university also received a $5 million exceptional item, reflecting its contributions to research and innovation in rural healthcare. Tarleton State annually generates an estimated $1.2 billion for North Central Texas and $2 billion in added income for the state. College of Liberal and Fine Arts

The College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) is dedicated to providing an academically challenging education through exemplary teaching, significant research and inspired creativity. Home to 298 faculty and 26 staff who serve over 1,500 undergraduate majors and over 250 graduate students, the college manages a budget of almost $10 million and consists of the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, which houses the departments of Criminal Justice and Public Administration, and six additional academic departments: Communication Studies; English and Languages; Government, Legal Studies, and Philosophy; History, Geography and GIS; Performing Arts; and Visual Arts and Design. The college offers 22 baccalaureate and five masters degrees, as well as the PhD degree in criminal justice, and plans to seek system and state approval for a new PhD program in Public & Applied Humanities.

COLFA Points of Pride

Named for a distinguished Tarleton alumnus and chairman of the Texas A&M Board of Regents, the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center opened in 1980, and is considered a crown jewel of Tarleton States Stephenville campus. The facility features a theater, an auditorium, two workshop theaters, band and choir rehearsal halls, music and art design labs, and an art gallery.

Criminal Justice Research: The college is home to four dedicated research institutes that are nationally recognized for specialized work that is addressing challenges and issues in the criminal justice system: The Institute for Criminal Justice Leadership and Public Policy; the Institute for Homeland Security, Cybercrime, and International Criminal Justice Studies; Institute for Predictive and Analytical Policing Science; and the Institute for Violence Against Women and Human Trafficking.

The Texas Folklore Society is the second oldest folklore organization continually functioning in the United States, after the American Folklore Society founded in 1888. Chartered in 1909, The Texas Folklore Society held its first meeting at the University of Texas in 1911. The society has stimulated the recording and study of Texas rich folk culture, has attracted both laymen and scholars, and has distributed its publications throughout the world.

Responsibilities of the Dean

Required Qualifications and Credentials

Preferred Qualifications

Emphasized commitment to student success demonstrated through impactful and transformative educational opportunities; Experience in launching and sustaining masters and doctoral programs; Accomplishments in building institutional capacity for research and creative scholarship. Procedures for Applying

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include the following components, as separate .pdf documents:

A detailed letter of interest addressing the responsibilities and qualifications outlined above; A full curriculum vitae with relevant administrative and scholarly accomplishments and responsibilities; A list of five professional references, including names, titles, organizations, phone numbers, and email addresses, noting the candidates relationship with each reference. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. Application packets only accepted online at: https://www.tarleton.edu/jobs/externalapplicants/

Apply directly to posting: Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts

The search will be conducted with a commitment to maintaining confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Finalists will participate in on-campus interviews that may include a public presentation. A background check (including identity, degree verification, and criminal records scan) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered this position.

Candidate materials received by January 15, 2024, will be given full consideration, although applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Tarleton State University provides equal opportunity to all employees, students, applicants for employment, and the public regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information or veteran status.

Original post:

Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts job with Tarleton State University | 37572379 - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Israels representative in New York resigned to protest Netanyahu. Now hes got some tough words for liberal New York Jews. – Forward

Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 4, 2023. Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

By Jacob Kornbluh December 4, 2023

Asaf Zamir, the former Israeli consul general in New York, resigned in March rather than support the Israeli governments judicial overhaul plans. But he said some New York liberals are misguided in their opposition to Israels offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in massive civilian casualties.

Zamir, a Tel Aviv resident who is running for deputy mayor in upcoming municipal elections, singled out the progressive New York Jewish Agenda for supporting a statement signed by six Jewish elected officials saying they are deeply distressed by the military campaign and approach being taken by the Netanyahu government in Gaza.

When you take that stand, you are basically saying that Israel has a right to defend themselves, but cant do it in the way every other government in the world would, he said, during a calling it an anti-Israel position.

Zamir, now at the end of a five-day visit to the U.S., suggested that the same group would have condemned Israel had it acted in advance to thwart Hamas planto kill and kidnap thousands of Israeli civilians. We literally have to be raped and die and kidnapped before we have the right to retaliate, he said.

These critics, he said, should balance their sympathy for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza with an understanding of Israels need to root out a terror network that has promised to attack again.

Phylisa Wisdom, NYJAs executive director, said that at a moment of real rising anti-Zionism and antisemitism it was both baffling and short-sighted that an Israeli leader would attack supportive progressive Jewish elected officials and organizations in the diaspora. She said the group is aligned with President Joe Bidens approach, supporting Israels right to defend its borders and citizens while expressing real concern over Palestinian civilian casualties.

After Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, the onset of Israels campaign in Gaza and the subsequent surge in antisemitic attacks targeting Jews in New York, Zamir made an usual offer to Israels government: to fill the yet unfilled consular job for a short period of time, unpaid.

He said proposed working within the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again because Israelis of all political stripes needed to pull together since the attack. Amid the mounting calls for a permanent cease-fire in the U.S., he thought he could be of help, but said he was not surprised that the government declined his offer.

It was not the Netanyahu-led government but its predecessor that selected Zamir as Israels representative in New York in 2021. He resigned amid spontaneous mass protests across Israel following the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for refusing to support the governments judicial overhaul, which had riven Israeli society, with many considering it a blueprint for undermining democracy and further empowering right-wing parties.

Zamir has kept himself in the public eye since his resignation. In addition to running for office, he has increased his engagement on social media, conducting webinars with Jewish leaders and student organizations. And he recently returned to New York to speak with Jewish leaders and media.

Zamir said he is trying to rekindle efforts he launched during his tenure as consul to reconnect younger, more liberal-leaning American Jews to Israel particularly those who had distanced themselves from it because they disliked Netanyahus policies.

He said he sees American Jews who, still shocked and heartsick over Hamas massacres on Oct. 7, now feel hesitant to speak up for Israel because of the casualties in Gaza and the protests against Israel rocking American college campuses. Physically distant from Israel, he said, they struggle to fully comprehend the complexities Israelis face.

He said hes aiming, in his five-day visit to the U.S., to help younger American Jews understand what happened on Oct. 7 and why Israel must root out Hamas.

Zamir himself affiliates with the left in Israel. He said he has consistently voted for left-leaning parties and as a teenager played an active role in the International Center for Peace in the Middle East, a group comprised of both Jews and Palestinians. But its so clear this time that you have to be very cynical not to call it out as it is, he said.

At the start of the war, Zamir said he was pleased by Jewish Americans support for Israel, and in particular their work to push back against fringe progressive criticism of Israel and politicians and celebrities failures to condemn Hamas. But he said that in recent weeks, progressive American Jews, trying to maintain their standing in progressive circles, have been far quieter on Israels behalf. Many, he said, are condemning not just Hamas, but Israel.

Opting for a middle path during times of war is making a choice, Zamir said. Just like not voting for any candidate implies supporting the one you dislike. Saying both sides are not okay is giving a prize to the bad guy.

Zamir said hes worried that people will forget Oct. 7 in a few months and may revert to blaming Israel for antisemitism in the Diaspora. He suggested that Jewish Americans should follow President Joe Bidens approach to the war, and fully support Israels right to self defense.

I guess he knows something you guys dont, he said.

This post was updated to include a statement by the New York Jewish Agenda.

Link:

Israels representative in New York resigned to protest Netanyahu. Now hes got some tough words for liberal New York Jews. - Forward

ARGENTINA SNUBS BRICS AS ITS FIREBRAND POPULIST LEADER TAKES POWER – The Sunday Guardian

Milei has already begun to backtrack on some of the key proposals of complete dollarisation and shutting down Argentinas central bank, arguing that it will take time to achieve given the economic crisis.

LONDON

Well, that didnt last long. We will not join the BRICS, said Diana Mondino, who will serve as Argentinas top diplomat in the government of President-elect Javier Milei when he is sworn into office today. Only last August at the summit in Johannesburg, members of the bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South America invited Argentina, along with five other countries, to become new members. It was planned that Argentinas membership would have taken effect three weeks tomorrow, along with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Now the expanded BRICS will consist of ten countries on 1 January 2024 instead of the planned eleven. Although Mondinos announcement appeared to be a bolt from the blue, no-one who followed the far-right populist Mileis election campaign would have been surprised. During the campaign he criticised Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva many times, labelling him an angry communist and socialist with a totalitarian vocation. Brazil is Argentinas biggest trading partner. Milei also harshly criticised China, comparing the government to an assassin and threatening to cut off ties. I would not promote relations with communists, whether its Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Nicaragua, or China, he said in an August interview on Bloomberg Television. China has been a major investor in the Argentine economy and Beijing had been concerned that an anti-China administration in Buenos Aires could harm Chinas extensive interests in the country, ranging from mining to a secretive space station China operates in Argentina. Knowing Mileis anti-Beijing stance, President Xi Jinping had bet heavily on the Peronists candidate, former Economic Minister Sergio Massa, even releasing a $6.5 billion in yuan into the two countries bilateral currency swap account just before voting took place, hoping to help prop up the Argentine economy and prevent further currency devaluation prior to the election. It turned out to be a bad bet by Xi.

In the event, Javier Milei won by a surprisingly large margin of twelve points in the presidential election on 19 November. Now the big question is whether he can turn around the countrys crisis-stricken economy. Milei campaigned on the promise of deep spending cuts and dollarisation, the idea of replacing the Argentinian peso with the US dollar. In promising shock therapy for Argentina, Milei also campaigned on plans to shut the central bank and slash spending. But all this will be hard to implement given the countrys political and economic realities. After the result of the poll was announced, Milei made his customary defiant speech. The model of decadence has come to an end and theres no going back, he declared. He then raised the challenges that faced the country: we have monumental problems aheadinflation, lack of work and poverty. The situation is critical and theres no place for tepid half-measures. In fact, Mileis challenges are even greater than monumental. Government coffers are empty and theres also the not-so-small matter of a $44 billion debt program with the International Monetary Fund. The country has a dizzying array of capital controls and a humongous inflation rate nearing 150 percent. In an attempt to curb the runaway inflation, in October Argentinas central bank had raised the benchmark rate of interest to an astonishing 118 percent. Mileis victory marked a profound rupture in Argentinas system of political representation. The 53-year-old economist and former TV personality shattered the hegemony of the two leading political forces that have dominated the countrys politics since the 1940s: the Peronists on the left and Together for Change on the right. His opponent, the 51-year-old Peronist candidate and experienced wheeler-dealer, Sergio Massa, had sought to appeal to voter fears about Mileis plans to cut back the size of the state as well as his volatile character. In the early part of the campaign Milei outrageously carried a chainsaw as a symbol of his planned cuts, but decided to shelve it in the weeks before voting took place in order to help boost his moderate image. Massas appeal went unheeded.

So now the hard work begins. In recent years, Argentina has lurched from one profound economic crisis to another. The country is also currently in recession, fuelled by a three-year drought that has done much damage to agricultural exports. The harvest of soybeans, one of the nations biggest exports, is barely one-third of five years ago. All this is exacerbating the cost of living crisis, which has already driven poverty levels above forty percent. Meanwhile, Argentina holds the unenviable position of being number one on the debtor list of the IMF. Stringent currency controls have made it hard to move money out of the country, which has led to a black market in pesos whose value has also been falling sharply. During election debates, Milei argued that by stopping the central bank from printing more money, which it has relied on to finance public spending, and replacing the peso with the US dollar, inflation would be cured. Sceptical critics claimed that this would be impractical as the central bank would lose control over monetary policy, and in any case Argentina has insufficient currency reserves to implement the plan. Mileis dollarisation plan is also a worry for economists; but political opposition and Argentinas lack of foreign reserves make the chances of that happening narrow at best. As so often when populists meet reality, since his victory Milei has already begun to backtrack on some of the key proposals of complete dollarisation and shutting down Argentinas central bank, arguing that it will take time to achieve this given the economic crisis. His pragmatism is also likely to extend to foreign policy.

While Mileis control over Argentinas economic fate is limited, hell have an element of free reign over the countrys foreign policy. During the campaign he announced some very large shifts in Argentinas relationships with other countries. The outgoing President Alberto Fernandez had pursued a foreign policy aligned with many of his leftist counterparts in South America, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Fernandez built political alliances through the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and recently convinced the BRICS member states to make Argentina one of the countries included in the organisations first expansion. The far-right populist Milei plans to undo all that.

During the election campaign, Milei insisted that his foreign policy would strengthen ties with the free world and avoid contact with communist countries. After the primaries, he indicated that he would freeze official trade relations with China, but his campaign rhetoric is already giving way to pragmatism. Since his win, Milei has softened his stance on Beijing in view of China being Argentinas second largest trade partner, accounting for nearly ten percent of all Argentinian exports. He has also sought to mend fences with Brazils President Lula by inviting him to todays inauguration, an invitation which Lula snubbed by nominating his Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in his place. Maybe its also because Lulas arch rival, former Argentine President Jair Bolsonaro, has accepted an invitation to attend. Javier Milei is hardly the first of that countrys leaders to come to power boldly promising a cure for Argentinas extensive economic and social problems. For decades, new leaders on both left and right of the political spectrum have come to power with a radical reform programme breaking with the past. None of them have had more than temporary success in taking the country out of the malaise that has characterised most of its modern history. Will the libertarian populist Milei break the mould? Probably not. He might even change his mind and decide to join the expanded BRICS!

John Dobson is a former British diplomat, who also worked in UK Prime Minister John Majors office between 1995 and 1998. He is currently Visiting Fellow at the University of Plymouth.

See more here:

ARGENTINA SNUBS BRICS AS ITS FIREBRAND POPULIST LEADER TAKES POWER - The Sunday Guardian

COP28: EU joins forces with Latin America and Caribbean to combat sargassum and make it an economic opportunity … – European Union

Today at COP28, the EU and the Government of Dominican Republic co-organised the COP 28 Sargassum Panel Urgency and Opportunities for Action and Investment at the Dominican Republic Pavilion. The Panel brought together the governments of the Barbados, Dominican Republic, Mexico, regional actors such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) and representatives from the private sector.

This forum follows both regions joint commitments at the EU-CELAC summit in July 2023, where, leaders pledged to work together to combat sargassum in the Caribbean. Under the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda the EU roadmap for potential investment projects to help address the region's infrastructure needs the EU launched Turning sargassum into an economic opportunity, a Team Europe Initiative that aims to reduce the damage caused by these algae and integrate them into the circular economy, where, for example, sargassum would be transformed into cosmetics, fertilizers, electricity and biomass. It also includes aspects related to monitoring, research and the mobilisation of resources to maximise impact for tackling and optimising both regions joint approach.

The forum at COP28 contributed to consolidating understanding, review ongoing experiences and identify opportunities for future joint actions. Since the EU-Caribbean Sargassum conference in June 2023 in Santo Domingo, this follows close coordination between the EU, Caribbean and Latin American partners to combat the challenge of sargassum and make it an economic opportunity.

More than a decade has passed since the first mass strandings of sargassum in the Latin America and Caribbean region, countries are faced with exponentially increasing accumulations on their shores. The trend continues to impact key coastal ecosystems contributing to major negative economic, environmental and health impacts.

The panel, facilitated by EU programme Euroclima, complements the event Combatting together the toxic effects of massive sargassum groundings in the Caribbean and beyond, organised by France on December 2nd with the Vice-President of the Guadeloupe Region, and with the support of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico and the OECS, which promoted an international political initiative in the run-up to the United Nations Conference on the Oceans, due to be held in Nice in June 2025. The French government is a key Team Europe partner in the political discussions to building a collective and strategic approach to addressing sargassum.

Through the ongoing actions, and as part of Global Gateway, the European Union and the European Member States continue to demonstrate the readiness to support Caribbean efforts to tackle sargassum.

Global Gateway is the European strategy mobilising 300 billion by 2027 to develop smart, clean and secure links in the fields of digital, energy and transport, and to strengthen health, education and research systems in the whole world.

The European Union - Latin America and the Caribbean Global Gateway Investment Agenda has identified more than 130 potential investment opportunities to help address the region's infrastructure needs, while creating local benefit and promoting growth, jobs and social cohesion. The EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda is a political commitment to work together, identifying fair green and digital investment opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will benefit from the open environment generated by trade and investment agreements and will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Investment Agenda revolves around the following pillars

Go here to see the original:

COP28: EU joins forces with Latin America and Caribbean to combat sargassum and make it an economic opportunity ... - European Union

Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 4 December 2023) – World – ReliefWeb

Attachments

REGIONAL: FOOD SECURITY

KEY FIGURES

247.8 million PEOPLE AFFECTED BY MODERATE-TO-SEVERE FOOD INSECURITY IN THE REGION

The 2023 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition report by FAO, IFAD, PAHO/WHO, UNICEF, and WFP reveals progress in combating hunger and food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in South America, despite indications that 247.8 million people are affected by moderate-to-severe food insecurity across the whole region. While South America saw a decline in hunger and food insecurity between 2021 and 2022, hunger rates in Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) remained unchanged, and the Caribbean experienced an increase. Overall, 6.5 per cent of the region's population (43.2 million people) faced hunger in 2022.

Moderate or severe food insecurity affected 37.5 per cent of the population, higher than the global average of 29.6 per cent. This marked a decrease from the previous year, with 247.8 million people affected, including 159 million in South America, 61.9 million in Mesoamerica, and 26.9 million in the Caribbean. Severe food insecurity affected 12.6 per cent of the population (83.4 million people) in the region. In South America, the prevalence was 12.7 per cent (55.4 million people), in Mesoamerica it was 8.6 percent (15.4 million), and in the Caribbean 28.2 per cent (12.5 million). Persistent inequalities and climate patterns, particularly affecting women and rural communities, continue to challenge food security. The gender gap in food insecurity slightly narrowed but remained at 9.1 percentage points, while rural areas experienced 8.3 percentage points higher food insecurity than urban areas. In Central America and Haiti, erratic rainfall due to El Nio conditions has led to increasing agricultural production costs and a reduction in crop yields. According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), crisis levels (IPC Stage 3) of acute food insecurity are expected to spread between February and May 2024 as poor households face depleting stocks from below-average harvests and limited purchasing power as food prices increase.

SOUTH AMERICA: HEAVY RAINFALL

KEY FIGURES

2.8 million PEOPLE COULD BE AFFECTED BY EL NIO-INDUCED WEATHER IN PERU

Bolivia and Peru issued warnings as both countries face heavy rainfall. On 27 November, heavy rain and strong wind hit the Huancayo Province in Junn Department, central Peru, resulting in displacement and damage. According to Peru's National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI), the rainfall has affected 451 people, displaced 58 people and destroyed or damaged at least 215 houses. Perus National Hydrology and Meteorology Service warns that between 2-5 December intense rains are set to continue in 17 regions across the country, particularly mountain and jungle areas. More than 2.8 million people could be affected by El Nio-induced rains and landslides across Peru, according to INDECI estimates.

In Bolivia, heavy rains are forecast to hit the country this week following an intense season of wildfires in the La Paz, Beni, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba departments, which destroyed an estimated 3.4 million hectares of forests and pastures and killed 13 people according to official Government data. A report from the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service triggered official alarms as rivers are expected to overflow. An orange alert was issued on 29 November for rains and thunderstorms in La Paz and will remain in effect until 7 December.

REGIONAL: POVERTY

KEY FIGURES

29% OF THE REGIONS POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY

According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) 2023 report, poverty in Latin America returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Some 181 million people (nearly one third of the regions population) live in poverty, slightly less than before COVID-19, while extreme poverty affects 11.2 per cent of the population (70 million people), similar to 2019 levels. Moreover, ECLAC warns of a 1.7 per cent GDP growth rate forecast for 2023, which is significantly lower than the 3.8 per cent seen in 2022 and could even slow to 1.5 per cent in 2024 potentially stalling further poverty reduction.

Poverty affects children, adolescents, women, indigenous people, and rural residents in higher rates. Income inequality remains high despite falling in 2022 to levels below those recorded in 2019. The richest decile earns 21 times more than the poorest, ECLAC highlights. Last year the 105 wealthiest individuals alone held wealth equal to nearly 9 per cent of the regional GDP. Gender disparities persist in the labour market as well, with a 22.6 percentage point gap in participation rates between men and women, and higher unemployment rates for women.

The rest is here:

Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 4 December 2023) - World - ReliefWeb

The GAO Calls on the FAA to Improve its Mishap Investigation Process – Payload

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the FAA should improve its procedures when things go awry in spaceflight. The federal agency watchdog published a report yesterday that called on the FAA to develop tools to 1) define criteria for when a mishap report is operator-led, and 2) better evaluate the effectiveness of the process as a whole.

Without a comprehensive evaluation of its mishap investigation process, FAA cannot be assured its process is effective, especially given the expansion of commercial space operations in recent years, the GAO report said.

The FAAs Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for issuing launch licenses and investigating flight mishaps.

12% mishap rate: Mishap investigations kick in when a flight is not completed as planned, like in the case of Starships two big kabooms this year. Out of 433 launches between 2000 and mid-January 2023, 50 were mishaps, according to the report.

In-house? Since all launch vehicles are specializedand literally rocket sciencethe FAA believes operators are best suited to sniff out root causes and identify corrective actions. The agency estimates that in-house investigations could take the agency 10-20 times longer.

After a September anomaly with Rocket Labs Electron, it took the FAA just 36 days to approve a Rocket Lab-led mishap investigation and Electron was cleared to fly again. According to the agencys estimates mentioned above, an FAA-led investigation could have taken north of a year.

GAO does not necessarily disagree with that logic; instead, they are requesting that the FAA better track effectiveness, share data, and develop a defined criteria for when the investigations should be operator-led.

The FAA concurs with the GAOs recommendations to evaluate and further improve the FAA commercial space mishap program, the FAA said in an email to Payload. Protecting public health and safety are at the core of the program.

Learning period: As for human spaceflight/tourism, the industry has been operating under an eight-year learning period, where the FAA is restricted from enacting regulations. The learning period is set to expire on Jan. 1.

The rest is here:

The GAO Calls on the FAA to Improve its Mishap Investigation Process - Payload