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US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order aimed at lowering drug prices, demanding that drug companies offer prices for prescription drugs comparable to those in other developed nations.美国总统唐纳德·特朗普周一签署了一项旨在降低药价的行政命令,要求制药公司提供与其他发达国家相当的处方药价格。"The Order instructs the Administration to communicate price targets to pharmaceutical manufacturers to establish that America, the largest purchaser and funder of prescription drugs in the world, gets the best deal," the order said.该行政令称:“该命令指示政府向制药商传达价格目标,以确保美国作为全球最大的处方药购买国和资助国,获得最优惠的价格。”Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will establish a mechanism through which American patients can buy their drugs directly from manufacturers who sell to Americans at a "Most-Favored-Nation" price, bypassing middlemen, it continued.该命令还表示,美国卫生与公众服务部部长小罗伯特·F·肯尼迪将建立一种机制,使美国患者可以直接从以“最惠国”价格向美国消费者销售药品的制造商处购买药品,从而绕过中间商。"We are going to pay the lowest price there is in the world. Whoever is paying the lowest price, that's the price that we're going to get," Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday, before departing for the Middle East.“我们将支付世界上最低的价格。谁支付最低的价格,我们就支付谁的价格,”特朗普周一在白宫对记者表示,随后启程前往中东。Trump said drugmakers would have to lower their US prices to the level paid by other developed countries, or could face investigation.特朗普表示,制药商必须将其在美国的药品价格降低到其他发达国家支付的水平,否则可能面临调查。According to recent data, the prices Americans pay for brand-name drugs are more than three times the price other OECD nations pay, even after accounting for discounts manufacturers provide in the United States, the order noted.该命令指出,根据最近的数据,即使考虑到制造商在美国提供的折扣,美国人支付的品牌药价格仍是其他经合组织(OECD)国家支付价格的三倍以上。OECD stands for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with the majority of its members being developed nations.经合组织(OECD)是经济合作与发展组织的缩写,其大多数成员国是发达国家。The United States has less than five percent of the world's population, yet funds roughly 75 percent of global pharmaceutical profits, according to the order.该命令指出,美国人口不到世界人口的5%,却贡献了全球约75%的制药利润。executive ordern.行政命令;总统令pharmaceutical/ˌfɑːrməˈsuːtɪkl/adj.制药的;药品的most-favored-nation (MFN)最惠国待遇Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)经济合作与发展组织
Africa's cities are expanding at an unprecedented rate.A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Sahel and West Africa Club says the urban population will double to 1.4 billion by 2050.But are these cities prepared to handle the growing demand for housing, transport and services? And as urban areas evolve, who truly stands to benefit from this transformation?BBC Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja explores this with Patrick Analo Akivaga, Chief Officer for Urban Development in Nairobi as well as Kenyan photographer Mutua Matheka, who documents Nairobi's changing cityscapes and comedian Ty Ngachira, who shares his experience of moving to the capital.
The Bank of England (“BoE”) maintained its base rate at 4.5% last week, prioritising a gradual approach amid persistent inflation and wage pressures. Markets are now assigning a 70% probability of a May rate cut, with only two reductions anticipated this year, fewer than economists forecasted. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) has downgraded UK growth projections for 2025 and 2026, citing global trade risks. Business sentiment remains cautious, with 57% of firms expecting a recession. Manufacturing output has weakened sharply, and insolvencies are rising. Consumer confidence is improving, but investment hesitancy persists due to fiscal uncertainty. Options traders are increasingly betting on more aggressive BoE rate cuts. However, the BoE is facing challenges, balancing weak growth with persistent inflation risks, particularly in the face of global trade tensions...Stocks featured:Compass Group, Kingfisher and PrudentialTo find out more about the investment management services offered by Walker Crips, please visit our website:https://www.walkercrips.co.uk/This podcast is intended to be Walker Crips Investment Management's own commentary on markets. It is not investment research and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or trade in any of the investments, sectors or asset classes mentioned. The value of any investment and the income arising from it is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise, so that you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Movements in exchange rates can have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of any non-sterling denominated investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes advice to undertake a transaction, and if you require professional advice you should contact your financial adviser or your usual contact at Walker Crips. Walker Crips Investment Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 226344) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Facing the Future, we talked about the nation's budget challenges with Barry Anderson, former Deputy Director for Budget Review at the White House Office of Management and Budget. He also served as Deputy Director and then Acting Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Beyond his work on the U.S. budget, Anderson headed the Budgeting and Public Expenditures Division in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Anderson sees some similarities between the early days of the Clinton Administration in the 1990's and the current situation.
How to stay hopeful on the fight against climate change during Trump 2.0? Well, a great first step is listening to Helen Mountford. Helen Mountford is the President and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, a global platform for philanthropy to scale-up climate solutions, and my guest for today's episode. Before joining ClimateWorks, Helen worked at Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for 16 years, advising governments on policy reforms and oversee work on things like green fiscal reform, climate change finance, and green growth. In this episode of Policy Voices, host Catarina Vila Nova spoke with Helen who helped put things into perspective but also left some serious homework for EU leaders. If you want to comment on this episode you can send us an e-mail: press@friendsofeurope.org
Tammy Haddad interviews Courtney O'Donnell, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Sean Patrick Maloney, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), for a deep dive into AI's transformative impact from Paris. O'Donnell shares UNESCO's initiatives in using AI to advance global education, protect cultural heritage, and preserve indigenous languages, emphasizing a human-centered approach. Maloney outlines the OECD's pivotal role in fostering multilateral AI cooperation, promoting inclusivity, and embedding ethical principles into AI frameworks. They address critical topics, including AI's energy demands, healthcare advancements like AI-powered tuberculosis diagnostics in India, and the urgency of global collaboration to ensure equitable access to AI's benefits.
The UK economy is grappling with challenges as business confidence falters and retail sales dip. The Lloyds Bank business barometer fell to a five-month low of 41%, highlighting economic uncertainty, though firms remain optimistic about their trading prospects. Surveys from the Confederation of British Industry and the Institute of Directors indicate shrinking private sector activity and the lowest business confidence since April 2020. Elevated borrowing costs and higher employment taxes are straining businesses, dampening hiring and investment. Despite these difficulties, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) forecasts stronger growth by 2025, driven by public spending, though inflation is expected to stay above target.Stocks featured:Frasers Group, International Consolidated Airlines Group and Legal & General GroupTo find out more about the investment management services offered by Walker Crips, please visit our website:https://www.walkercrips.co.uk/This podcast is intended to be Walker Crips Investment Management's own commentary on markets. It is not investment research and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or trade in any of the investments, sectors or asset classes mentioned. The value of any investment and the income arising from it is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise, so that you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Movements in exchange rates can have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of any non-sterling denominated investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes advice to undertake a transaction, and if you require professional advice you should contact your financial adviser or your usual contact at Walker Crips. Walker Crips Investment Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 226344) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Back with another special episode on the status of the AI in education, cutting through the hype (again) with the fantastic Charles Fadel. This is quite a deep dive into the topic, so if you're early exploring this topic, check out episodes 107 and 108 with a great selection of reflections on AI in education from young people, teachers, leaders, policy-makers and edtech entrepreneurs. Charles is a global education thought leader and futurist, author, and inventor, with several active affiliations. His work spans the education continuum of K-12 schools, higher education, and workforce development/lifelong learning. He is the Founder and chairman of the Center for Curriculum Redesign and among many other accolades, he is the author of Education for the Age of AI, with co-authors Alexis Black, Robbie Taylor, Janet Slesinski and Katie Dunn. Center for Curriculum Redesign (CCR): https://curriculumredesign.org/ Four-Dimensional (4D) Competencies Framework: https://curriculumredesign.org/frameworks/competencies-framework/ Tools: https://curriculumredesign.org/tools/ Charles is also: Chair of the Education Committee of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), nominated by the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB). He works with several teams at the OECD, most notably Education 2030, PISA, CERI, and the Expert Group on AI Futures. Senior Fellow, Human Capital at The Conference Board Board member at the United States Council Foundation (USCF). Global Education Lead at Cisco Systems for over a decade. Founder of Neurodyne, an ahead-of-its-time startup focused on Neural Networks/Artificial Intelligence. Member of the President's Council of the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Founder and President of the Fondation Helvetica Educatio in Geneva, Switzerland. Fondation Helvetica Educatio focused on global education matters. Product marketing and management in semiconductors for broadband and wireless applications at Analog Devices and M/A-COM. Visiting practitioner at Harvard's Graduate School of Education in the Mind, Brain and Education program. He explored curriculum redesign issues in an age of artificial intelligence and taught the first-ever class on “Human Learning + Machine Learning.” Former Project Director at Harvard's Graduate School of Education in the Laboratory for the Science of the Individual. There he explored “Machine Learning + Human Learning.” Visiting lecturer at MIT's Experimental Study Group (ESG). He taught an innovative “special topics in mathematics” seminar, “Polymathy: The World in 10 Curves.” He then taught the seminar at Harvard's Graduate School of Education for six years to student acclaim. Visiting lecturer at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the Chief Learning Officer Program. Senior Fellow at the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Previous books Artificial Intelligence in Education (2018) was translated into Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. His earlier, highly influential book Four-Dimensional Education (2015) was translated into ten languages, while its framework was translated into twenty-three languages. He co-authored best-selling 21st Century Skills (2009, Wiley).
Take Charge of Your Future. Imagine Possibilities with Design Thinking - and Test Them. Join our Design Your New Life in Retirement Program - two new groups start in January. Learn more _______________________ Getting older brings questions. Debra Whitman, PhD, the Chief Public Policy Officer for AARP, had questions, too. Her research led her to write the new book "The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond." You'll benefit from her insights from interviews with experts and takeaways from cutting-edge research across a range of topics including brain health, an older workforce, caregiving and retirement. _______________________ Bio Debra Whitman is the author of The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond. She is an economist and expert on aging issues with an extensive background in policymaking and research. As EVP and Chief Public Policy Officer for AARP, Debra leads a team of 150 experts in all aspects of policy development, analysis, research, and global thought leadership to produce policy and research insights and solutions that help communities, lawmakers, and the private sector improve our lives as we age. Debra serves as an AARP spokesperson on a diverse set of issues including long-term care and caregiving, financial security, health and longevity, and engaging a multi-generational workforce. She connects with a range of stakeholders such as the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Forbes and the Aspen Institute. Previously, as staff director for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Debra worked across the aisle to increase retirement security, lower health care costs, protect vulnerable seniors, make the pharmaceutical industry more transparent, and improve our long-term care system. Before that, she worked for the Congressional Research Service as a specialist in the economics of aging and served as a Brookings LEGIS Fellow to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Debra is a public speaker, mom, and an advocate for those whose voices need to be heard. _______________________ For More on Debra Whitman The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond LinkedIn @policydeb on X _______________________ Podcast Episodes You May Like The Measure of Our Age – MT Connolly Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy Ageism Unmasked – Dr. Tracey Gendron Lifestyle and Financial Decisions As We Age – Marjorie Fox, JD, CFP® ________________________ Wise Quotes On the Big Questions of Midlife & Beyond "So I've been working on aging for the last 25 years at the Social Security Administration, running the Senate Aging Committee and then here at AARP, but I realized when I was about to turn 50, I didn't have the information I wanted at my fingertips. I had books like What to Expect When You're Expecting and Social Security for Dummies and lots of other great resources, but nothing that just comprehensively looked at all of the things that I was curious about. And so I wrote down a list of questions, everything from the most basic: How long will I live? Will I be healthy to more practical things like How long will I work or Will I have enough money? And then some tough questions like Will I lose my memory? and How will I die? And so those became the chapters of the book, but one of the things that happened as I was starting to put this together was my husband had a major heart attack at 48. And I'll get a little bit emotional talking about it, but he was hiking by himself and had what they call the Widow Maker, which, being his wife, is not a great term when I heard it. And luckily Boulder Mountain Rescue raced up the mountain and carried him down before his heart stopped. And that experience, Joe, just helped me to think that even though I spent all my...
Join host Norbert Wilson and co-host Kerilyn Schewel in the latest episode of the Leading Voices in Food podcast as they dive deep into the world of small-scale fisheries with two distinguished guests: Nicole Franz from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and John Virdin from Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. Discover the significant role small-scale fisheries play in food security, economic development, and community livelihoods. Learn about the unique challenges these fisheries face, and how community-led climate adaptation alongside top-down national policies can help build resilience. This episode also highlights collaborative efforts between academia and organizations like FAO, painting a comprehensive picture of the state and future of small-scale fisheries. Interview Summary Kerilyn - So, Nicole, let's begin with you. Why is your work at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization focused on small-scale fisheries and fishing communities? And could you share with us how they are different from fisheries more broadly? What's unique about them and their role in food production? Nicole - Yes. Let me start with the latter question. And I think the first thing is to clarify actually what are small-scale fisheries, no? Because sometimes if you think about small-scale fisheries, what most people will have in mind is probably that of a man in a small boat fishing. But in reality, it's a sector that is much more diverse. There are, for example, women in Indonesia that are collecting clams by foot. Foot fishers. Or we have examples from small-scale fisheries that are fishing boats in Norway, which are comparably small, but if you compare them, for example, with how small-scale fishing looks in a place like Mozambique, it's a very different scale. But all of that, however, is comprised in what we understand as small-scale fisheries. It is also important to understand that when we talk about small-scale fisheries in FAO, we don't only limit it to what is happening in the water, the harvesting part, but we also include what happens once the fish is out of the water. So, once it's processed, then, and when it's traded. So, so it's a whole supply chain that is connected to that small-scale fisheries production that we understand as being small-scale fisheries. And with Duke University, with John who is present here, and other colleagues and other colleagues from World Fish, we did a global study where we tried to estimate the global contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development. And what we found was that at least 40 percent of the global catch is actually coming from inland and marine small-scale fisheries. And that's, that's enormous. That's a huge, huge amount. More important almost is that, that 90 percent of all the people that are employed in capture fisheries are in small-scale fisheries. And that is the human dimension of it. And that's why the community dimension is so important for the work. Because it is that big amount of people, 61 million people, that are employed in the value chains. And in addition to that, we estimated that there are about 53 million people that are actually engaging in small-scale fisheries for subsistence. So, if we consider those people that are employed in small-scale fisheries, plus those that are engaging for subsistence, and all their household members, we're actually talking about close to 500 million people that depend at least partially on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods. We also looked at the economic dimensions of small-scale fisheries, and we found that the value from the first sale of small-scale fishery products amounts to 77 billion. So, these numbers are important. They show the importance of small-scale fisheries in terms of their production, but also in terms of the livelihood [00:05:00] dimension, in terms of the economic value that they generate. And, last but not least, we also looked at the nutritional value from small-scale fisheries. And we estimated that the catch from small-scale fisheries would be able to supply almost 1 billion women globally with 50 percent of the recommended omega 3 fatty acid intake. So, I think with all of these numbers, hopefully, I can convey why the focus on small-scale fish is, in the context of food security and poverty eradication in particular, is of fundamental importance. Kerilyn - Thanks, Nicole. That's really helpful to get a kind of global picture. If I could follow up to ask, what regions of the world are small-scale fisheries more common, or do economies rely on them? And in what regions do you see them disappearing? Are they common in countries like the US, for example? Well, they're certainly more common in what is often considered as a Global South. In Asia in particular, we encountered the largest total numbers, absolute numbers, in terms of people involved in terms of production. But also in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean. In the Pacific, obviously, they play a crucial role. They are more and more disappearing in the US, for example, in Europe. We see that it is a livelihood that is no longer very common. And one of the features we see there that it's an aging sector, it's a shrinking sector, for a number of reasons. But they still define the characteristic of certain areas where they really are part of the identity and of the local culture, even in the U.S. or in many, many places in Europe. Norbert - Nicole, this is really fascinating. Thank you for sharing this broad overview of what's happening and who are small-scale fishers. What are some of the common challenges that these small-scale fishers and fisheries face? And what is FAO's response to those challenges? Nicole - Well, where to start? There are so many challenges. I think one fundamental challenge that is common across all regions is securing access to fishing grounds. But not only to fishing grounds, but also to the coastal areas where operations, where they land the boats, where they, where the process of fish, where the fishing villages and communities are located. In many areas around the world, we see expansion of tourism, expansion of urban areas and coastal areas. The increase of other industries that are competing for the space now, and that are often stronger economically more visible than small-scale fisheries. So, the competition over space in those areas is quite an issue. But there are also many challenges that are more outside of the fishing activity directly. For example, often small-scale fishing communities lack access to services. We had basic services such as education or health services, social protection. And in many cases, women are particularly disadvantaged in relation to access to these services. For example, women that are involved in harvesting or in processing of fish in small-scale fisheries, they often do not know where to leave their children while they are at work because there's no childcare facility in many of these villages. And there are 45 million women that are engaged in small-scale fisheries around the world. Another set of challenges relates to the value chains and the markets. Often there's limited infrastructure to connect to markets. The processing and storage facilities are not adequate to bring the product to the market in a state that allows it to then fetch good prices and to benefit from the value chain. Often small-scale fishers and fish workers are also not well organized. So, they become more subject to power imbalances along the value chain where they have to be price takers. Now they have to accept what is offered. That also relates often to a lack of transparency in relation to market information. And of course, then we have another set of challenges that are coming from climate change that are becoming more and more important. And from other types of disasters also. One thing that brings together all these challenges, or makes them worse, is often the lack of representative structures and also institutional structures that allow for participation in relevant decision making or management processes. So that small-scale fishers and fish workers don't even have an opportunity to flag their needs or to propose solutions. So, FAO has facilitated a process to develop Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food security and Poverty Eradication. Quite a mouthful of a name. In short, we call them small-scale fisheries guidelines. In which all the major challenges in a way are compiled in one document together with guidance on how to address them. And these guidelines are the result of a participatory development process. So, they are really informed by the involvement of fishing communities from around the world, but also other stakeholders. And they have been agreed on and have been endorsed by the almost 200 members of the FAO. We are now working with countries, with the small-scale fishing communities around the world, with other partners, including Duke University, to help implement these small-scale fisheries guidelines. Norbert - Oh, this is really fascinating and it's important work. I'm intrigued with the participatory process. How are small-scale fisher organizations involved in this? Are you working with different organizations? Or is this more individuals who are just interested in this issue coming to the fore? This is through organizations at all levels. Be it at the national level where we are, for example, facilitating the formation of new women organizations in a number of African countries. Be it at the regional level, in particular in Africa, there are existing structures in the context of the African union, which has established so called non state actor platforms for fisheries and aquaculture, which we are supporting in order to bring their voice into the processes and to facilitate peer learning. And then there's a number of global social movements and producer organizations for small-scale fisheries that we are working with and using them as a facilitator to involve as many as possible. And gather as much insight that is coming from the membership of those organizations to then bring into global, regional, national processes from our side. Norbert - This is really important to hear how different forms of governance and at different levels are playing a part in developing these guidelines. Thank you for sharing that, Nicole. I'd like to turn to you, John. You have more than 20 years of experience in studying and advising government policies to regulate human use of the oceans. With a particular focus on marine conservation practices. How has your thinking about marine conservation changed over the last 20 years? John - Yeah, it's changed a bit. As you mentioned, my interest in work has been on ocean conservation and how it can alleviate poverty. A lot of times that has meant managing fisheries to address poverty. And I think in the past, that meant that I was really focused on what governments could do to increase the efficiency of fisheries. The economic efficiency. How do we increase incomes, how do you increase revenues for communities? All very important, but for all the reasons that Nicole mentioned, I spend a lot more time now thinking about the process rather than the outcomes, and thinking about what institutions are in place, or can be created, to help empower small-scale fishing communities to have much more of a voice in the decisions that affect them. In how the resources are used. How the space is used. And Nicole outlined really well a lot of the challenges that are facing communities from increased industrialization of ocean use to the squeeze from climate change and the effect on resources. And even the fact that climate change may be driving people to the oceans. I mean, as farms and agricultures maybe fail or face challenges, oceans are often open access, and can even be a sink for people to make a livelihood. And so, yet more pressures coming from outside these fisheries. How can fishers have a greater voice in making the decisions that impact them and safeguarding their livelihoods? Norbert - Thank you for that. I'm interested in understanding how do these fisher folks, who are trying to organize and are organizing, how does that interact with sort of larger markets? I mean, I would imagine a number of these folks are catching fish and other seafood that goes into global markets. What's the interaction or challenges that may happen there? John - As Nicole mentioned, because small-scale fisheries are so diverse you have markets in many places. These may be located near an urban center where you can have easy access. You can get fresh fish in a cooler and put it on a plane and off it goes to an export market. We found that, what may be surprised us, is a significant number of small-scale fishers are exporting in some cases. So, then that can be challenging because you might get higher prices, which is a good thing. But it might drive, for example, more fishing effort. It might drive higher levels of exploitation. It might change traditional practices, traditional rules for fisheries. It might really change how fishers organize in a given place. So, the access to export markets, even say an island setting, has kind of scrambled past fisheries management in some places and can be an outside force. Kerilyn - John and Nicole, I want to ask you both a question now about painting a picture of these communities that you're working with. You both mentioned how diverse small-scale fisheries can be. I was wondering if you could just share what one community in particular looks like that you've worked with? What are the challenges that a particular community faces, or alternatively, where do you see things actually working well? So Nicole, could I ask you to respond first? Nicole - I'm working more with global processes and the global level. So, through that, I have the privilege of working with representatives from many, many communities. So maybe what I can share is the feedback that I'm getting through that, in terms of the change that we can observe, and that is affecting fishing communities around the world. I think one thing that is being brought up as a concern by many is what I mentioned before. It's a process of aging in fishing communities and often a lack of capacity to retain young people in the sector. And that has different reasons. Now there are all of these challenges that small-scale fisheries have to face and that are difficult to overcome. So, that often drives people, in particular young men, to leave the communities. Or within the communities, to look for other alternative livelihoods now and not to take on the skills of fishermen or getting engaged in small-scale fisheries more broadly. So, in some cases, yes, it's not only other activities within the community, but really leaving the community and leaving in some cases also the country. What we see there is that sometimes people that have the skills, maybe still as a fisher, they have tried to fish. So, they have a knowledge of fishing. They emigrate out into other countries. And in some cases they are then hired into industrial fisheries where they work on industrial boats that go out fishing for longer periods of time. But where they at times end up in situations that can be called slave labor, basically, that are subject to serious violations of human rights. And that is in a way generated by this vulnerability to the poverty that is still there in those communities. The lack of being able to make a living, a decent work in the fishing community. So, that is something that we have seen is happening. We have also seen that in some cases, there's an involvement of fishers into say more illegal activities, be it in drug trafficking, be it also into the trafficking of people. I'm thinking even about the Mediterranean. I'm working out of Italy, Rome. We have a lot of immigration from North African countries, for example, coming through that route. And oftentimes it happens that the transport of migrants is actually carried out by fishers and their boats because they have the skill to navigate the sea. And they make a better living by transporting illegal migrants than going fishing. So, those are some of the challenges we hear. And the other one is there in relation to what is now a concept that is getting more and more traction. It's often known as the blue economy, which is, in a way, looking at the ocean as the last frontier for economic development. And that includes on the one hand, the expansion of previously existing industries, such as tourism. But also the expansion of newer sectors such as alternative energy production. Think wind parks now in coastal areas. So, what happens here is that in many cases, this adds again, additional pressure on the available maritime space. In the water and on the land. The expansion of marine aquaculture is another example. So, that also is something that we hear is becoming an issue for small-scale fishing communities to defend the space that they need to maintain their lifestyle. Kerilyn - John, is there anything you'd like to add on this question of how fisheries are changing? John - Very, very briefly. Taking the example in West Africa where I've spent some time over the years, you certainly have some communities there where it actually doesn't seem as if the fisheries are changing as much in the sense it's quite static and stagnant. And this could be caused by a lot of the reasons that Nicole mentioned, but the community, the economy, the fisheries aren't growing. People, young people may be leaving for a number of reasons, but it doesn't have to be that way either. I mean, there are positive examples. I was in Liberia last week, and there, from the numbers that the government has, small-scale fishing communities are growing. The number of fishers are growing. They've actually made a conscious effort to protect a certain area of the ocean just for small-scale fisheries. And to prohibit trawling and to give the communities more space to grow and operate in the 20 years since the conflict ended there. So, again, it doesn't have to be sort of stagnant or grinding on in some of these communities as they cope with competition for resources, for example, competition for space from others. Where they were given that space, in some cases in Liberia, they've grown. That may have its own challenges but. Kerilyn - Interesting. In the back of my mind, when thinking about these communities and aging and migration of younger generations away from these livelihoods, you know, as someone who studies the relationship between migration and development, I think it's a common trend where, you know, as countries develop, young people leave traditional economic activities. They get more educated, they move to cities, they move abroad. To what degree is this somehow just part of these countries' development? Should we expect young people to be leaving them? And to what degree might we think differently about development in a way that would enable more young people to stay? And I think, John, you mentioned a really interesting point about how protecting the space For these small-scale fisheries to operate is one thing that seems to have kept people engaged in this livelihood. I'd be curious if there's other things that come up for you. Other ways of thinking about enhancing the capability to stay in small-scale fishing livelihoods. John - Sure, and I'd be curious what Nicole's seeing from her perspective. I think, to some extent, it's a different question if small-scale fisheries are economically viable. And so, what I think Nicole and I are referring to in many cases is where for a lot of these external pressures upon them, they may not be as viable as they once were. And that has its own push on people, whereas where fishers are empowered, they have more of a voice in what happens to the fisheries and controlling those spaces and resources, and it can be more economically viable in these fisheries. That presents a different set of choices for young people then. So that's where we've really focused is: okay, what is the process by which small-scale fishing communities have their voices heard more, have much more of a say and much more power in the use of the fisheries, the use of the coastal areas, the things that affect those fisheries and their livelihoods? And then we can see what those choices might look like. But Nicole, I'm not sure if that's consistent with what you've seen in a number of places. Nicole - Yes, and maybe to also rebalance a bleak picture I painted before. Like John said, there are obviously good examples. I think an important condition is probably a linkage to markets. Non-economic viability in many ways does play a role. And there are examples of how that can happen in different ways. For example, in Morocco, the country has made quite a significant investment to build a whole series of ports for small-scale fisheries. Specifically, along the entire coastline of Morocco where they are providing a port that is not just a landing site for small-scale fisheries, but it provides like a system of integrated services. There's an auction hall. So, the fish comes in, it's immediately kind of weighted. They get the information, the label for what they have brought in, then it goes into an auction that has set rules and everybody is tied to. But in that same area, for example, there's also a bank or there is an office that helps with the access to social protection services, for example. So, it's a whole integrated service center, and that really makes a difference to help make the sector more efficient. But at the same time, also really keep the tradition. So, it's not only economic efficiency, but by having all these different centers, it allows to maintain many people employed and to also maintain the characteristics of each of those different lending sites. That's one example. I was in Korea last year and there, they were doing something similar. They are reviving some of their traditional fishing villages where they are also investing in those fishing communities and providing them with funding to set up, for example, restaurants that are run directly by those involved in the fishery. Those are particular places that are close to cities. In my case, I was in Busan. So, it's very closely connected to the consumers now that come out there. They are focusing on certain products in these villages that they are famous for traditionally. They have little shops and they're starting e-commerce for some of the products. So, the way they package, and the label has become much, much wider than before. So again, that has revived a bit those communities. In Italy, it's a country that's famous for its food, you know. And they are in the region that's called the Amalfi coast. There's a tiny village and it's famous for the production of a value-added product made from tiny sardines that are fished by the small-scale fisheries boats. And they are processed in a very particular way. And there is like a label of geographic origin of this product, and it can only come from that village. And it has a high price and has it's like a high-end product, so to say. And in a way these are also approaches that provide dignity to this profession. And a sense of pride which is really important and should not be underestimated in also increasing the willingness, for example, of young people to be part of that and maintain the viability of the sector. John – I'd like to just add, I think that's a really important point on the dignity and pride and the importance of these fisheries in so many places and cultures. I mean, I'll never forget talking to a minister of finance in one country and starting to try to make the economic case for supporting small-scale fisheries. He cut me off in about 30 seconds and started talking about growing up fishing in the village and going back home for vacations, and just the importance to the entire community of fishing to him and just how much it was a part of the fabric of the culture. Kerilyn - I love that. That does seem so important and wonderful to hear those very specific examples that do give some hope. It's not just a bleak future. Norbert - You know, it's great to hear how government policy is helping shape and reshape these fisheries in a way that allow for economic viability and also these are opportunities to connect communities to these traditions. And so, I find that really fascinating. I want to kind of push a little bit beyond that and bring back the idea of how to deal with climate that was mentioned earlier. And also change our focus from government policy to sort of what's happening within these small-scale fisheries and fishery organizations. So Nicole, a lot of your work focuses on building more inclusive policy processes and stakeholder engagement. And so, from your perspective, how does community-led climate adaptation, rather than top down adaptation agendas, lead to different outcomes? Nicole - Well, I think one way that seems quite obvious, how community-led adaptation can lead to different outcomes is simply that in that case, the traditional and the indigenous knowledge that is within those communities will be considered much more strongly. And this is something that can be really critical to crafting solutions for that very site-specific context. Because the impact of the climate change can be very different in every region and every locality not due to that specific environment that it's encountering there. And holding the knowledge and being able to observe the changes and then adapt to them is something that certainly a community-based approach has an advantage over something that would be a coming from a more centralized top down, a little bit more one-size-fits-all approach. And this can then imply little things like, for example, if the water temperature changes, we see a change in the fish behavior. Now we see how certain stocks start to move to different environments and others are coming in. So, the communities obviously need to adapt to that. And they do that automatically. Now, if it changes, they adapt their gear, they adapt to the new species that is there. So, in many cases, there are solutions that are already happening, and adaptations that are already happening that may not carry that label, that name. But if you look at it, it is really what is happening, no? Or you can see in some cases, that for example, there are initiatives that are coming also spontaneously from the communities to replant mangrove forests, where you can observe that there is a rising seawater level that is threatening the communities and where they have their houses, where they have their daily lives. Now, you can see that through NGOs and often there is support projects for that. But you can also see it happening more spontaneously when communities observe that change. So, the top-down approaches often they lack that more nuanced, site-specific considerations in their approaches and the consideration of that specific knowledge. On the other hand, it needs to be said though, that the top-down approaches can also play an important role. For example, countries develop their national adaptation plans. And those plans are usually, you know, developed at a higher level, at the central level. And often fisheries and aquaculture are not necessarily included in those plans. So that is something where the top-down level can play a very important role and really make a difference for small-scale fisheries by ensuring that fisheries and aquaculture are included in a sector. So, I guess that in the end, as always, it's not black and white. No, it's something that we need to take into account both of it and have any climate change adaptation approach to small-scale fisheries being grounded in both. And have a way to bridge the top down and the bottom-up approaches. Norbert - I really like this idea of bridging between the top down and the bottom-up approaches, understanding the local knowledge that's there. I would imagine that's also knowledge that when used to make decisions makes it easier for people to stick with those decisions, because it's a part of their voice. It's who they are. And then the other side, it's critical to make sure that those plans are a part of a larger national move, because if the government is not involved, if those higher-level decision makers are not involved, they can easily overlook the needs of those communities. I really appreciate hearing that. I think sometimes we hear this tension. It needs to be one or the other. And you're making a really compelling point about how it has to be integrated. John, I'm really intrigued to see from your perspective. How do you see this top down versus bottom-up approach working in the work you've done? John - I'll do what I typically do is echo and agree with Nicole, but just to give an example that I love. I teach this one in my classes. There's an old paper by Bob Johannes, a marine ecologist. And the standard practice in managing fisheries as government scientists is you count the fish, you then set limits for them, often from the top down. And his point was in the case of Indonesia, if you look at the reef fisheries that go through most of the communities, one tool to assess the fish stocks is to do a visual census. You swim transects along the reefs and you count the fish. So, he did a back of the envelope estimate and he said, well, if you're going to do that through all the reefs throughout Indonesia, it would probably be finished in about 400 years. And that would give you one snapshot. So, he's saying you can't do this. You have to rely on the local knowledge in these communities. I don't want to romanticize traditional knowledge too much, but I just can't imagine how policies would effectively support adaptation in these communities without building upon this traditional ecological knowledge. Kerilyn - John, since coming to Duke from the World Bank, you've regularly collaborated with non-academic partners like the FAO as well as the UN environmental program. Can you tell us more about how your partnership with the FAO and your work with Nicole more specifically began? John - Sure. I think more than anything, I got really lucky. But when I first came to Duke, I started working with a colleague, Professor Xavier Basurto at the Marine Lab, who I think is one of the world's leading scholars on how communities come together to manage common resources like fish stocks. We organized a workshop at Duke on small-scale fisheries. We got talking to Nicole, invited her and some of her colleagues at FAO to that workshop, together with others, to think about a way forward for small-scale fisheries for philanthropy. And I think from those conversations started to see the need to build a global evidence base on how important these fisheries are in society. And Nicole could probably say it better, but from there, she and colleagues said, you know, maybe you all could work with us. We're planning to do this study to build this evidence base and maybe we could collaborate. And I think we're very fortunate that Duke gives the space for that kind of engaged research and allows us to do it. I don't think we knew how long it would be when we started, Nicole. But over five years and 800 researchers later, we - Javier, Nicole, myself, and so many others - concluded with this global study that we hope does have a little bit clearer picture on the role of these fisheries in society. Kerilyn - Nicole, from your side, what does an academic partner bring to the table? What's your motivation for partnering with someone like John or Duke University more specifically. Well, I think as FAO, we like to call ourselves a knowledge organization, but we're not an academic institution. We don't conduct research ourselves, no? So, we need to partner around that. We work with the policy makers though. So, one of our roles, in a way, is to build that. To broker and improve the science policy interface. So, this is why collaboration with academia research for us is very important. And what we experienced in this particular collaboration with Duke University to produce this study called Illuminating Hidden Harvest, the Contributions of Small-scale Fisheries to Sustainable Development was really that first we realized we have a shared vision, shared objectives. And I think that's fundamental. Now, you need to make sure that you have the same values, how you approach these things. And in this case, it aligned very well that we really wanted to take in a way, a human-centered and multidimensional approach to look at small-scale fisheries. And then it was also very important to understand what every partner brings to the table, no? The different strengths that we have. And then based on that, define the roles and what everybody's doing in a project. And the added value for us was certainly the capacity from the Duke University side to help develop the method that we develop for the country case studies that we conducted in 58 countries. And not only to develop that method, but then we had a postdoc at Duke University for this project, who was actually then engaging with all of the people. People in these 58 countries. And, and she was. coaching them in that methodology, actually in three languages, which was quite amazing. It was very, very thorough. We could not have done that. And we had a lot of other students from Duke University that helped us once we had the data gathered. To then screen that data, harmonize that data, clean that data, obviously under the leadership of John, Xavier and other colleagues, no? So that was really something that was adding a lot of value and actually also helped us to get to know a lot of the students from Duke. And some of those then ended up also becoming consultants working with us more broadly on small-scale fisheries. So that was certainly great, great value for FAO as collaboration. BIOS Nicole Franz, Equitable Livelihoods Team Leader, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. Nicole is a development economist with 18 years of experience in intergovernmental organizations. She holds a Master in International Cooperation and Project Design from University La Sapienza, Rome and a Master in Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Human Rights in the Mediterranean Region. From 2003 to 2008 she was a consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In 2009-10 she was Fishery Planning Analyst at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, focusing on fisheries certification. Since 2011 she works for the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division where she coordinates the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) with a focus on inclusive policy processes and stakeholder empowerment. Since 2021 she leads the Equitable Livelihoods team. John Virdin is director of the Oceans Program at the Duke University Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. He has a total of over twenty years' experience in studying and advising government policies to regulate human use of the oceans, particularly marine conservation policies to reduce poverty throughout the tropics. His focus has been largely on managing fisheries for food and livelihoods, expanding to broader ocean-based economic development policies, coastal adaptation and more recently reducing ocean plastic pollution. He directs the Oceans Program at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, aiming to connect Duke University's science and ideas to help policymakers solve ocean sustainability problems. He has collaborated in this effort with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Environment Program, as well as regional organizations such as the Abidjan Convention secretariat, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission of West Africa and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement for tuna fisheries management in the Western Pacific. He co-created and teaches an introductory course for undergraduate students to understand the role of ocean policy in helping solve many of society's most pressing development challenges on land. His work has been published in books, edited volumes and a number of professional journals, including Nature Ecology and Evolution, Ecosystem Services, Environment International, Fish and Fisheries and Marine Policy, as well as contributing to China Dialogue, The Conversation, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and The Hill.
U.S. Global Investors CEO Frank Holmes joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce a significant development for the company's airlines-focused fund, the U.S. Global Jets ETF. This fund, which has gained considerable attention since its inception, has now secured a listing on the Colombian Securities Exchange, Bolsa de Valores de Colombia. This move marks a strategic expansion for the ETF, further solidifying its footprint across Latin America and providing Colombian investors with seamless access to the fund. Originally launched on the New York Stock Exchange in 2015, the U.S. Global Jets ETF has steadily increased its global presence. The fund first expanded into Latin America in 2020 with approval for trading on the Lima Stock Exchange in Peru. Following this, in 2021, the ETF made its entry into the Mexican market. Now, with the listing in Colombia, the ETF is poised to attract a new wave of investors in a region where the airline industry is increasingly recognized as a vital economic driver. During the interview, Holmes highlighted Colombia's impressive recovery and growth in the tourism sector, citing insights from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). According to the OECD, Colombia has emerged as the global leader in terms of the most positive percentage change in international tourist arrivals. Despite the global challenges posed by the pandemic, Colombia saw a 4% increase in tourist numbers between 2019 and 2022, a remarkable achievement at a time when most countries were still grappling with the impact of the health crisis. Holmes emphasized the Colombian government's commitment to making tourism a cornerstone of its economy, with ambitious plans to attract 7.5 million non-resident visitors by 2026. This focus on tourism aligns with broader global trends, as reported by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which noted that the travel sector contributed 9% to the global economy last year. This contribution represents a substantial 23.2% increase from 2022, underscoring the resilience and growing importance of the travel industry worldwide. #proactiveinvestors #usglobalinvestorsinc #nasdaq #grow #etf #jets #travel #colombia #FrankHolmes #JETSETF #ColombianStockExchange #LatinAmericanMarkets #DigitalNomads #AirlineInvesting #TourismGrowth #InvestmentStrategy #ProactiveInvestors#invest #investing #investment #investor #stockmarket #stocks #stock #stockmarketnews
Dr. Gemma Galdon-Clavell is a pioneer and global force in AI safety and auditing, on a mission to ensure that AI large language models and unsupervised machine learning tools truly serve society. She is the founder and CEO of Eticas.ai, a venture-backed organization that identifies, measures and corrects algorithmic vulnerabilities, bias and inefficiencies in predictive and LLM tools. Eticas' software, the ITACA platform, is the first solution to automate impact analysis and monitoring, ensuring that AI systems are high performing and safe, explainable, fair and trustworthy. Gemma was acknowledged by the BBC as one of the “people changing the world” and this year honored by Forbes Women as one of the “35 Leading Spanish Women in Technology” and praised as “a pioneer in algorithmic auditing software”. She also advises international and regional institutions such as the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the European Commission, among others.
With great power comes great responsibility and in healthcare, those words may have never held more meaning than they do with the advent of artificial intelligence. AI most certainly has the power to transform healthcare, and those in the industry working to develop and use it have an immense responsibility to shape principles that ensure these technologies help, not harm.The Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) was created with a mission to be the trusted source of responsible AI in health that serves all. CHAI was founded in early 2021 by a small group of industry stakeholders and has quickly grown to now encompass more than 2,500 participants representing health systems, technology providers, government agencies, advocacy groups and others.Dr. Brian Anderson is one of CHAI's co-founders and now serves as its first CEO. Before CHAI, Dr. Anderson was the Chief Digital Health Physician at MITRE, a nonprofit corporation that manages federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) supporting various U.S. government agencies. At MITRE he led research and development efforts across major strategic initiatives in digital health alongside industry partners and the U. S. Government.Prior to MITRE, Dr. Anderson led the Informatics and Network Medicine Division at athenahealth. He has also served on several national, and international, health information technology committees in partnership with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).In this episode of Healthcare is Hard, Keith Figlioli spoke with Dr. Anderson about the origins of CHAI, its intended role ensuring responsible use of AI in healthcare, and the complex issues already emerging as the industry navigates the early stages of AI adoption.Some of the topics they discussed include:Aligning AI with values. Dr. Anderson admits there's General agreement around principles like transparency, safety, privacy, and reliability when it comes to responsible use of AI. But says the industry needs a clearer definition for what that actually means at a technical level for the people and companies writing code. He says vendors fundamentally can't do this on their own, which is why independent entities with appropriate skills, tooling, technology, and data are needed.AI assurance. Nearly every other industry has independent organizations that test and evaluate products. From the star rating system for automotive safety, to the stickers validating consumer electronics, we take these rating systems and their existence for granted. Healthcare AI does not yet have a similar system, but that's what Dr. Anderson eventually wants CHAI to be known for.Giving everyone a voice. Being inclusive is fundamental to CHAI's mission and Dr. Anderson stresses that everyone's perspective is legitimate, especially since healthcare AI is such a new space where no one has definitive answers. He recognizes that listening to every perspective is critical in order to build AI that will serve everyone. For example, this includes ensuring that voices from the startup community are represented just as much, if not more than big tech.To hear Dr. Anderson and Keith discuss these topics and more, listen to this episode of Healthcare is Hard: A Podcast for Insiders.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis isn't receptive to calls for the establishment of an independent unit to check Treasury's forecasts and ensure Government spending is sustainable. The International Budget Partnership and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are among the organisations that believe New Zealand needs an institution that both costs policies and keeps tabs on the Government's finances. They argue it would provide more accountability and align New Zealand with the 80% of OECD countries that have such institutions. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why Nicola Willis has her doubts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Leah Ambler, then Director of Corruption Prevention at the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and previously Legal Analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), delves—in her personal capacity—into her excellent chapter on whistleblower protections, emphasizes their importance in reducing corruption and highlights the challenges posed by the lack of comprehensive, harmonized legislation. Originally posted on Jan. 12, 2022
Episode seven shines a spotlight on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an international institution created to foster economic cooperation. Nancy welcomes Pier Carlo Padoan, who is currently the Chairman of Unicredit, and who has served previously both as the Deputy Secretary-General and the Chief Economist of the OECD, as well as the Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy, to share his extensive institutional knowledge and insights.
AgendaFireside ChatThe Honorable Ted Budd (R-NC), United States SenatorAmy Kate Budd, Spouse of Sen. Ted BuddPanel I: The State of the FamilyPreston Brashers, Research Fellow, Tax Policy, The Heritage FoundationJay Richards, Ph.D., Director, DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family, and the William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow in American Principles and Public Policy, The Heritage FoundationRachel Sheffield, Research Fellow, Welfare and Family Policy, The Heritage FoundationDelano Squires, Research Fellow, DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family, The Heritage FoundationRoger Severino, Vice President, Domestic Policy, and the Joseph C. and Elizabeth A. Anderlik Fellow, The Heritage Foundation(Moderator)Panel II: What Pro-Family Solutions Might Look LikeLindsey Burke, Ph.D., Director, Center for Education Policy, and the Mark A. Kolokotrones Fellow in Education, The Heritage FoundationRachel Greszler, Senior Research Fellow, Workforce and Public Finance, The Heritage FoundationRobert Rector, Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage FoundationRichard Stern, Director, Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, The Heritage FoundationRoger Severino, Vice President, Domestic Policy and, the Joseph C. and Elizabeth A. Anderlik Fellow, The Heritage Foundation(Moderator)The demographic crisis in the United States is real and a threat to society as we know it. The U.S. and almost all developed countries are failing to replace their populations. In 2022, the total fertility rate (TFR) in the U.S. was 1.665 births per woman aged 15-44. This is well below the necessary replacement level of 2.1 births per woman. Among the 38 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), fertility was even lower.This trend is a threat to the future of every developed country, including our own, especially because it reflects a decline in stable married families headed by a father and a mother. To solve this growing crisis, we need a genuinely pro-family policy agenda. To do that, however, we first need to understand the problem and identify what caused it in the first place.Join Heritage experts, Senator Ted Budd, and Amy Kate Budd for an explanation of this issue and discussion of a policy path forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Day in Legal History: The Permanent Court of Arbitration is EstablishedOn this day, February 6, 1900, a pivotal moment in the realm of international law unfolded with the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), marking the inception of the first international tribunal dedicated to resolving disputes among nations. This historic event was precipitated by the ratification of the 1899 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, setting a cornerstone in The Hague, Netherlands. The PCA's creation underscored a global aspiration towards peaceful resolution of conflicts, departing from the traditional reliance on military force and diplomatic pressure.In the years that followed, the PCA's foundational principles and structure were further refined and strengthened by the 1907 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. These conventions collectively laid down the legal framework and procedural norms for international arbitration that continue to guide the PCA's operations.Now, more than a century later, the PCA stands as a testament to the enduring commitment of the international community to the principles of justice, peace, and cooperation. Housed in the iconic Peace Palace in The Hague, the PCA has grown to include 109 member countries, each pledging to resolve their disputes through arbitration rather than warfare.Throughout its history, the PCA has played a crucial role in mediating conflicts that span a wide range of issues, from territorial disputes to environmental concerns, and from maritime law to international investment. Its proceedings and rulings have not only resolved conflicts but have also contributed significantly to the development of international law.Today, as we commemorate the founding of the PCA, it serves as a reminder of the power of diplomacy and the potential for international law to foster a more peaceful and just world. The legacy of the PCA continues to influence contemporary legal thought and practice, reinforcing the importance of dialogue, understanding, and legal arbitration in the international arena.The federal government has notably refrained from commenting on Donald Trump's legal battle to remain on Colorado's 2024 primary ballot, despite previously engaging in Supreme Court cases concerning major political and legal issues. This silence, particularly from the Solicitor General's Office, seems to reflect a cautious approach to avoid involvement in disputes directly affecting presidential election outcomes. Trump's legal team is set to argue that the Colorado Supreme Court incorrectly ruled him disqualified from office due to his actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, a decision with significant implications for his eligibility in upcoming primaries.Historically, the federal government's stance in similar high-stakes election cases, such as Bush v. Gore, has been to abstain from taking a position, suggesting a consistent strategy to steer clear of cases with direct political ramifications. Observers and legal experts speculate that the decision to remain silent in Trump's case, like past instances, is driven by the political sensitivity of the matter and the desire to maintain the perception of impartiality in election-related legal challenges. The Solicitor General's role as an educator and policy explainer to the court, coupled with their selective involvement in cases, highlights the nuanced considerations behind the government's engagement in Supreme Court litigation.This careful positioning underscores the complexities of navigating legal disputes that intersect with political dynamics and the constitutional implications of election law. The absence of federal input in Trump's case reflects a broader trend of cautious engagement by the Solicitor General in politically charged cases, emphasizing the delicate balance between legal principles and political considerations in the administration's approach to Supreme Court litigation.US Silence on Trump Ballot Battle Signals Caution Over ElectionThe recent licensing dispute between Universal Music Group and TikTok Inc. highlights the growing complexities introduced by AI-generated music in the music and social media industries. Universal's decision to remove its artists' music from TikTok, citing concerns over AI-generated recordings diluting royalties for human artists, marks a significant standoff that could reshape future negotiations and the use of AI in content creation. This conflict reflects broader industry challenges with AI, mirroring disputes in other creative sectors over copyright infringement and the impact of technology on traditional revenue models.Both Universal and TikTok benefit from their partnership, with TikTok serving as a promotional platform for Universal's artists and music. However, the disagreement over AI-generated music's role and its potential to reduce reliance on licensed content brings to light the strategic and financial implications for both parties. Legal experts and industry observers are closely watching the dispute, recognizing its potential to set precedents for how AI-generated content is managed and compensated across platforms.The public nature of this dispute is unusual in an industry where such negotiations often occur behind closed doors, indicating the high stakes involved. Artists signed with Universal, such as Noah Kahan and Yungblud, have voiced their perspectives, highlighting the personal and professional impacts of the standoff. The debate extends to songwriters and music publishers, who advocate for fair compensation and protections against the devaluation of human creativity by AI.This standoff between Universal and TikTok underscores the ongoing negotiation between leveraging new technologies for innovation and ensuring artists and creators are fairly compensated. As AI continues to evolve, its integration into creative industries will necessitate careful consideration of legal, ethical, and economic factors to balance innovation with the rights and livelihoods of human creators.AI Fight Complicates TikTok, Universal Music Licensing StandoffThe 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that California can continue enforcing its law that mandates background checks for ammunition purchases, temporarily suspending a previous decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez that declared the law unconstitutional. This decision came from a divided panel, with a 2-1 vote in favor of maintaining the law while the state appeals Judge Benitez's ruling, which he argued violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Judges Richard Clifton and Holly Thomas, both Democratic appointees, supported the stay, whereas U.S. Circuit Judge Consuelo Callahan, a Republican appointee, dissented.California Attorney General Rob Bonta celebrated the decision, highlighting the importance of the state's ammunition laws in saving lives and ensuring they remain in effect during the ongoing legal defense. The law, which was challenged by individuals including Olympic gold medalist shooter Kim Rhode and the California Rifle & Pistol Association, requires gun owners to undergo background checks to buy ammunition and pay for a four-year ammunition permit. This measure, initially approved by California voters in 2016 and later amended by legislators to require background checks for each ammunition purchase starting in 2019, faces continued opposition from gun rights advocates.The legal battle reflects wider national debates on gun control, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's June 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which recognized an individual's right to carry a handgun in public for self-defense and set a new standard for evaluating firearm laws. Judge Benitez's rejection of California's ammunition background check law cited a lack of historical precedent for such regulations, a point of contention that underscores the ongoing struggle between state efforts to regulate firearms and ammunition and the constitutional protections of the Second Amendment.California ammunition background check law can remain in effect, court rules | ReutersThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is poised to implement a new rule requiring proprietary traders and firms frequently dealing in U.S. government bonds to register as broker-dealers, introducing them to a regime of enhanced scrutiny. This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing structural deficiencies in the $26 trillion Treasury market, which have been identified as contributing to liquidity issues. By mandating registration for entities trading over $25 billion in Treasuries across a majority of the past six months, the rule intends to impose capital, liquidity, and other regulatory requirements on a sector that has become increasingly vital for market liquidity.Scheduled for a vote by the SEC's commissioners, the rule targets up to 46 proprietary trading firms, seeking to integrate them more closely into the regulatory framework governing Treasury market dealers. Critics, including prominent investors and industry groups, have expressed concerns that the rule's broad criteria may inadvertently ensnare corporations, insurers, and pension funds, potentially exacerbating liquidity challenges rather than alleviating them. Despite these criticisms and calls for moderation in the rule's application, the SEC has highlighted the value of industry feedback without committing to specific adjustments.The adoption of this rule marks a significant step in what is described as the most substantial renovation of the Treasury market in decades, with the potential to alter trading behaviors and the operational landscape for a wide range of market participants. The outcome of the final rule's wording remains closely watched, as it could dictate a pivotal shift in how entities engage with the Treasury market, balancing the push for transparency and stability against the risk of unintended consequences on market liquidity.In other words, in plain English, this new rule is a big deal because it's part of the biggest changes to the Treasury market we've seen in years. It could really change how people trade and work within this market. Everyone is keeping an eye on the exact language of the rule because it will play a key role in shaping the future of trading in government securities. The goal is to make trading more open and stable, but there's a bit of worry about whether this might make it harder to buy and sell quickly, which could shake things up for everyone involved.US SEC set to adopt Treasury market dealer rule as part of market overhaul | ReutersIn my column this week, I explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in enhancing transfer pricing tax transparency. By way of very brief background, transfer pricing refers to the pricing of goods, services, and intellectual property when these are exchanged between divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliated companies within the same multinational enterprise. For example, if the Coca-Cola Company owns a subsidiary in Country A that develops the secret recipe for Coca-Cola and another subsidiary in Country B that manufactures the drink, the price set for transferring the recipe (an intangible asset) from Country A to Country B is subject to transfer pricing regulations. This practice is crucial for determining the income and expenses of each entity, thereby affecting the taxable income reported in different countries with different tax rates. Transfer pricing is closely regulated by tax authorities worldwide to prevent tax avoidance, ensuring that transactions between related parties are conducted at arm's length—that is, under conditions and prices that would apply if the entities were unrelated. The complexity of transfer pricing lies in its need for meticulous documentation and compliance with international guidelines, such as those set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to justify the prices set for these internal transactions. In other words, using the above Coca-Cola example, ideally acting as Coke I would want to shift income from a high-tax country to a lower-tax country. One way to do that would be to “charge” the subsidiary that manufactures the soda a very high cost for the recipe, assuming I want to move income out of the manufacturing country by way of expensing the cost of the recipe. There are myriad issues to be concerned about when related entities are setting prices for things like intangible assets which are very hard to place a real world market value on–there is always the risk of shenanigans. Transfer pricing, a critical yet contentious aspect of global taxation, is prone to manipulation as multinationals navigate the complexities of international tax law. I argue for the adoption of an open-source, public-facing AI model that can offer consistent and reliable valuations, providing a safe harbor for compliant taxpayers.AI's prowess lies in its ability to simulate market conditions and assign value to transfers between controlled entities, including intangible assets. This technology promises to bridge the gap where no market repository exists, offering a novel approach to assessing arm's-length transactions. The significance of precise valuation is underscored in transfer pricing, where the crux of compliance hinges on mutual understanding between taxpayers and regulators regarding valuation factors.By analyzing vast datasets and applying sophisticated algorithms, AI can deliver precise, consistent valuations with reduced administrative burdens. Such an approach not only fosters transparency but also mitigates the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties. As I emphasize, this is a critical juncture for regulators to incentivize adoption through the provision of benefits, alongside the traditional enforcement measures.The complexity of international transfer pricing regulations has escalated following initiatives like the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project. This backdrop makes the case for AI even stronger, as it aligns with efforts to combat tax avoidance and ensure that income correlates with the economic activities generating it. AI models, if properly developed and utilized, could revolutionize the practice by making compliance more manageable and equitable, particularly for developing countries.Looking ahead, the integration of AI into the tax domain appears inevitable. The challenge lies in who will dominate the development and application of these models. With strategic investment, AI tools could be made universally accessible, dramatically reducing compliance costs and promoting tax justice. This vision for the future leverages AI to encourage transparent compliance, potentially reshaping international trade and taxation for the better.Using AI Would Provide Greater Transfer Pricing Tax Transparency Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Every American has felt the effects of the staggering surge in inflation in the past few years. In the U.S. and other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the rise in inflation strongly relates to increases in transfer payments since 2020, the start of the COVID pandemic.Heritage Distinguished Fellow in Economic Thought Dr. Robert Barro has researched this significant inflation spike, and his conclusions may surprise you. Through a conceptual framework based on the government's intertemporal budget constraint, we can see that the inflation surge is a way to “pay for” part of added government spending by depreciating the real value of public debt. In this framework, more spending triggers more inflation, but higher initial debt and longer debt duration mean lower inflation. This can explain recent inflation rates in 21 economies (20 non-European countries and the Euro area considered as an aggregate). The U.S. is not an outlier, with inflation and the spending surge both moderately above average.The bottom line? Recent inflation surges were triggered by the surges in government spending – i.e., expanded government caused inflation. Learn more about how big government makes your everyday expenses more costly as Dr. Barro joins Heritage Executive Vice President Derrick Morgan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: International tax policy as a potential cause area, published by Tax Geek on January 24, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum. This is more of an exploratory post where I try to share some of my thoughts and experience working in international tax. Thanks in particular to David Nash for his encouragement and help in reviewing my drafts. Summary International tax rules govern how taxing rights are allocated between countries. International tax policy is likely to be an impactful cause area: Not only is there a significant amount of tax revenue at stake, there is a broader indirect impact as international tax rules can constrain domestic tax policies. International tax rules tend to be relatively sticky, persisting for decades. In recent years, as international tax has gotten increasingly political, there may also be broader foreign policy implications. Yet international tax seems to be relatively neglected. Domestic tax issues tend to be more politicised, possibly because they affect voters more directly. International tax can be highly technical and rather opaque. Tractability depends on how you identify the "problem": In my view, a problem is that the development of international tax policy is dominated by relatively wealthy countries (particularly the US), who focus too heavily on their own national interest. While I doubt this broad problem can ever be fully "solved", I believe individuals can still play a significant role in mitigating it. Problem International tax policy plays a key role in determining how much companies are taxed and where. This in turn affects the level of tax revenue different countries get. The development of international tax policy is dominated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which is made up of relatively wealthy countries. The US also plays a key role in international tax policy.[1] I believe that many people currently working in international tax policy focus too heavily on their national interest over the global interest. The problems here are not ones I think we can hope to fully "solve", as the problems stem from the underlying power dynamics between developed and developing countries and the natural incentives for government officials to prioritize their own country. However, international tax policy could still be a worthwhile area to consider working in, because it seems to be a relatively neglected space where individuals can have a surprisingly large impact in mitigating these problems. Background What is international tax policy? In broad terms, international tax policy governs how taxing rights are allocated between countries as well as matters of tax administration such as information sharing and dispute resolution. Countries enter into bilateral tax treaties that aim to prevent double taxation (i.e. when two or more countries try to tax the same income) without creating opportunities for tax avoidance or evasion. In recent years, there has also been a focus on multilateral tax projects, which may or may not result in a formal tax treaty. Bilateral DTAs A bilateral double tax agreement (DTA) is a tax treaty entered into by two countries. When a person/entity resident in one country earns income from another country, both countries may attempt to tax the same income. Such double taxation would inhibit cross-border investment and trade, so countries enter into bilateral DTAs to prevent this. Depending on the circumstances, DTAs will allocate taxing rights over the income to either: the residence country - where the person/entity earning the income lives or is managed; or the source country - where the income is earned. In very broad terms, in a treaty negotiation, developed countries generally want to increase the residence country's taxing rights, because they tend to have wealthy resident...
In this Wiley Connected podcast, hear from Wiley Partners Amb. David Gross, Duane Pozza, Joan Stewart, and Consulting Counsel Jacquelynn Ruff about the latest in international developments surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI). The topics discussed include the Biden Administration AI Executive Order (EO), the role of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN) regarding AI, and the EU's landmark AI Act.
Before we jump into today's show, I wanted to give listeners a heads up that today is the last AnthroDish episode for 2023, but we will be returning with more episodes this season on Tuesday, January 9th so be sure to tune back in this new year! Today we're exploring a topic that I personally find sometimes quite challenging to access and fully understand the nuances of: international food policy. Discussions about international food regimes are critical for understanding how broad choices trickle down to local economies, though often we default to looking at global issues in isolation, rather than thinking about how trade, intellectual property rights, human rights, and many other aspects inform food policy. What happens when we address them in tandem to address global problems around food – and which world trade rules are shaped by certain organizations for food security efforts? My guest this week is Dr. Matias Margulis, who is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. His research and teaching interests are in global governance, development, human rights, international law and food policy. In addition to his academic research, Matias has extensive professional experience in the field of international policymaking and is a former Canadian representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He has also advised the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and the Scottish Parliament and consulted for international NGOs and the Brookings Institution. Matias discusses his most recent book with me today, Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security, where he unpacks how UN organizations chose to intervene in trade law making due to concerns about how specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food securities. He unpacks the complexity of international organizations, their roles, and the limitations or exercises of power in their representations of international communities. Learn more about Dr. Matias: Shadow Negotiators Book: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=35559 Matias's Homepage: https://sppga.ubc.ca/profile/matias-margulis/
At a time when democracy is under threat in many places, what can design do to defend it? How can it help to reinvent our democractic systems and make them fit for purpose?In this episode, author and activist, Claudia Chwalisz tells Design Emergency's cofounder Alice Rawsthorn why and how she is leading a global campaign to redesign democracy as founder and CEO of the international non-profit research and action institute, DemocracyNext.Born in Canada to a Polish family, Claudia has devoted the last decade to re-imagining democracy, first through her work at the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris and, for the past year, with her colleagues and collaborators at DemocracyNext.Claudia explains how DemocracyNext is championing citizens assemblies as inclusive and deliberative forms of decision making, like those that debated the legalisation of abortion and same sex marriage in Ireland, and assisted dying in France. She discusses the role of sortition (randomly selecting decision-makers by lottery) to making our democratic systems fairer, and describes why design is a crucial tool in this process..Thank you for joining us. You can find images of Claudia and her work on our Instagram @design.emergency. Please join us for future episodes ofDesign Emergency when we will hear from other global design leaders who, like Claudia Chwalisz, are forging positive change..Design Emergency is supported by a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts..Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
เป็นเนื้อหาส่วนนึงที่ถือว่าน่าสนใจมาก ๆ จากหนังสือเล่มใหม่ของ Adam Grant อย่าง Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things ซึ่งเกี่ยวกับการออกแบบโรงเรียนเพื่อพัฒนาเด็กและดึงศักยภาพของพวกเขาออกมาให้ได้มากที่สุดของประเทศ Finland ในช่วงเริ่มต้นของสหัสวรรษใหม่ วัยรุ่นหลายพันคนเป็นตัวแทนของประเทศในการแข่งขันระดับนานาชาติ แม้ว่ามันจะส่งคลื่นกระแทกไปทั่วโลก แต่มันก็ดึงดูดความสนใจจากคนทั่วโลกได้เพียงเล็กน้อย ไม่มีการประลองบนเวที ไม่มีฝูงชนที่ส่งเสียงเชียร์ ไม่มีแม้กระทั่งเหรียญรางวัล มีเพียงงานแถลงข่าวเล็ก ๆ ในกรุงปารีสเพื่อประกาศผล นันเป็นครั้งแรกในประวัติศาสตร์ที่ผู้เชี่ยวชาญได้คิดค้นวิธีเปรียบเทียบความถนัดของหนุ่มสาวทั่วโลกโดยตรง เริ่มตั้งแต่ปี 2000 ทุก ๆ สามปี Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development (OECD) จะเชิญเด็กอายุ 15 ปีจากหลายสิบประเทศให้เข้าร่วมทดสอบ PISA ซึ่งเป็นแบบทดสอบมาตรฐานสำหรับทักษะทางคณิตศาสตร์ การอ่าน และวิทยาศาสตร์ คะแนนของพวกเขาจะเผยให้เห็นว่าประเทศใดมีเด็กที่มีความรู้มากที่สุด และเป็นโรงเรียนที่ดีที่สุดในโลกตัวจริงเสียงจริง เลือกฟังกันได้เลยนะครับ อย่าลืมกด Follow ติดตาม PodCast ช่อง Geek Forever's Podcast ของผมกันด้วยนะครับ ========================= ร่วมสนับสนุน ด.ดล Blog และ Geek Forever Podcast เพื่อให้เรามีกำลังใจในการผลิต Content ดี ๆ ให้กับท่าน https://www.tharadhol.com/become-a-supporter/ ——————————————– ติดตาม ด.ดล Blog ผ่าน Line OA เพียงคลิก : https://lin.ee/aMEkyNA ——————————————– ไม่พลาดข่าวสารผ่านทาง Email จาก ด.ดล Blog : https://www.getrevue.co/profile/tharadhol ——————————————– Geek Forever Club พื้นที่ของการแลกเปลี่ยนข้อมูลข่าวสาร ความรู้ ด้านธุรกิจ เทคโนโลยีและวิทยาศาสตร์ ใหม่ ๆ ที่น่าสนใจ https://www.facebook.com/groups/geek.forever.club/ ========================= ช่องทางติดตาม ด.ดล Blog เพิ่มเติมได้ที่ Fanpage : www.facebook.com/tharadhol.blog Blockdit : www.blockdit.com/tharadhol.blog Twitter : www.twitter.com/tharadhol Instragram : instragram.com/tharadhol TikTok : tiktok.com/@geek.forever Youtube : www.youtube.com/c/mrtharadhol Linkedin : www.linkedin.com/in/tharadhol Website : www.tharadhol.com
On today's show, researcher Lynne Taylor sounds the alarm on the frightening implications of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) - the resurrected version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - laying the framework for a future North American Union. Lynne also shares a stark warning about the rarely discussed global policy forum Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). GUEST OVERVIEW: Lynne Taylor is a retired private educator with over 20 years experience. Since 2002, she is a sought-after speaker, author, researcher, and activist. Specializing in education, Lynne's research has proven to expose politics, laws, policies, as well as the international ties among the nations. Her award-winning writing and her outspoken activism/advocacy are priceless to anyone seeking to navigate corrupt government policies and their impact on your family. Lynne's research has received praise for accuracy, truth, wit, wisdom, and documentation. https://www.commoncorediva.com/
GUEST:Benjamin Yablon is founder of Orbu.AI, a platform leveraging collective intelligence, web3 and AI for better financial predictions. He co-founded Salt Blockchain, the world's first crypto lending platform in 2016. He serves as Special Advisor to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) where he helps craft global regulatory policy specific to the sensible deployment of financial and other technologies including blockchain, distributed ledger, machine learning and AI. He has participated as an expert speaker at the OECD's headquarters in Paris dozens of times and has provided expert insights at global NGO events. In 2019, Benjamin was appointed by the OECD to serve on the Blockchain Expert Policy Advisory Board (BEPAB). The priority of this board is the development of a policy framework for governments and industry on viable innovation and adoption of distributed ledger technologies (DLT). Benjamin spent his early career as a practicing attorney focused on emerging financial technology platforms and regulatory compliance. THE EPISODE: Whomever solves self-sovereign, digital identities will have a trillion dollar company says Benjamin Yablon. However, innovation in some parts of the world is being stifled. Are countries that are slow to adopt clear blockchain and Ai policies at a disadvantage? Benjamin shares why the U.S. is losing innovative founders to more proactive nations. Where are regulators and policy makers thoughtfully leading the way? Should this matter to the general public? Yablon answers these questions and provides an overview of how these technologies are set to impact entire sectors such as healthcare - and outlines why promising advancements are not being explored by key stakeholders. Also, as fear and questions emerge around artificial intelligence, Benjamin suggests that blockchain will serve an integral role in providing trust and transparency. Plus - what about DLT and sustainability?GUEST QUOTE:“There are a number of ways that this tech will benefit humanity.” GUEST INFO, LINKS, RESOURCES:Visit our WEBSITE to find guest info, transcripts, links, and resources for today's show.HELP US GROW:Subscribe, review, and connect with From The BloSupport the showWANT TO SPONSOR the show? We'd love to hear from you!- INQUIRE HEREHAVE IDEAS for the show? Let us know!- Submission form coming soon.FROM THE BLOCKCHAIN - our links... website youtube NEW! linkedin tiktok instagram threads NEW! twitter HOST - Ashley Smith linkedin tiktok instagram threads twitter Music by: Spottie WiFiPresented by: Fame Lady Squad
Seth Kaplan is a Visiting Fellow with the Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange. He is also a Professorial Lecturer at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), USAID, and the U.S. Department of State. Seth is the author of three books: “Fixing Fragile States: A New Paradigm for Development” (2008); “Betrayed: Promoting Inclusive Development in Fragile States (2013); and “Human Rights in Thick and Thin Societies: Universality Without Uniformity” (2018). His new book, “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time,” was published on October 17, 2023. This was an incredibly interesting conversation and full of insights about the fragility present right now in one of the most prosperous countries in the world! We start by talking about how Seth's experience with fragility around the world helped him spot the fragility present in America's own neighborhoods and what motivated him to write the book. We then discuss what fragile neighborhoods look like, what makes a neighborhood fragile, and the role of norms and close relationships in the fragility of our communities. Seth makes the point that fragility is about relationships, whether those are found at the local community level, between communities, or at level of national institutions – and the nature of those relationships or their absence is what makes fragility emerge. We also talk about why we have fragile neighborhoods and what policies and factors have contributed the most to this problem. Our conversation touches upon the role of public service and on the “poverty-industrial-complex” & institutional obstacles to addressing fragility in neighborhoods. Seth also makes the case for the value of prevention in terms of saving social, human, and economic capital and highlights marriage as one of the institutions that can help prevent social decay. We wrap up our conversation by discussing the need for reviving the American Dream and bringing back into our neighborhoods the robust institutions and instincts for civil society that Alexis de Tocqueville observed two centuries ago. Listen to the episode and read Seth's book for so many more ideas on how we can help neighborhoods exit fragility! ***** Dr. Seth D. Kaplan Website: https://sethkaplan.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethkaplan28 Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University: https://sais.jhu.edu/users/skapla13 Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/seth-d-kaplan Institute for Integrated Transitions: https://ifit-transitions.org/experts/seth-d-kaplan/ Seth D. Kaplan. 2023. Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time. https://amzn.to/3la0FSG ***** Music: "Tornado" by Wintergatan. This track can be downloaded for free at www.wintergatan.net. Video editing by: Alex Mitran - Facebook (facebook.com/alexmmitran), X (twitter.com/alexmmitran), or LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/alexmmitran) TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:32 Seth's experience 00:04:00 What fragile neighborhoods look like? 00:10:21 Why Seth wrote this book? 00:16:48 The role of norms & closeness in relationships 00:24:30 Migration & social cohesion in neighborhoods 00:30:19 What's not working? 00:37:25 Problems in fragile neighborhoods 00:41:50 Homelessness 00:48:54 Why we have fragile neighborhoods? 00:57:34 The hero's journey: rethinking meritocracy 01:06:07 Placemaking & the role of jobs 01:12:44 The role of public service & elected politicians 01:17:38 The poverty industrial complex: obstacles to well being 01:26:50 Fragility prevention in neighborhoods 01:34:13 Lessons for international development 01:41:07 The case for reviving the American Dream 01:55:43 Wrap-up
Simi sits down with Ruchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix.In this role, Ruchi strategizes around the streaming giant's relationships with key stakeholders: regulators, non-governmental organizations, and elected leaders in the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Netflix, Ruchi was Global Vice Chair of Public Policy at EY, one of the big four accounting firms. There she was responsible for the firm's public policy operations in 150{ countries. As Global Vice Chair, Ruchi focused on shaping the firm's position on regulatory and public policy, with a focus on corporate reporting and ESG, artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the future of work. She previously served as the Senior Vice President for Global Public Policy and Government Affairs for PepsiCo. Between 2013 and 2017, she served as Chief of Staff to the Global CEO of EY with a focus on emerging markets and Inclusive Capitalism.Prior to entering the private sector, Ruchi served in multiple senior-level roles in the United States government, including serving as President Barack Obama's Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Special Assistant to the President for Policy in the Office of the Chief of Staff. She also served as Legislative Director and Legislative Counsel to Barack Obama when he was a Senator.Ruchi has served on numerous boards and commissions, including as a member of the Executive Consultation Group of the Blue Dot Network for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the G7 Impact Transparency Project, focused on transparency issues around environmental disclosures as part of COP26. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Global Affairs at New York University, the Board of the Center for International Private Enterprise, and the Board of the DC Public Library Foundation. She holds a B.A. in History from Yale University and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia. In this episode, we see how Ruchi's work bridges the public and private sectors -- from her early days as a staffer on the Hill to her work in corporate America as a pioneer in policy.For more episodes, visit us at southasiantrailblazers.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Youtube.
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On this episode of the Utterly Moderate Podcast we discuss both the pros and cons of nuclear power, especially as it pertains to combatting global climate change. The international community is attempting to keep the world from warming no more than 1.5-2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century. While there have been incredible efforts to achieve this—efforts that have likely taken the worst-case warming scenarios off the table—we are still on track for closer to 3.0 degrees warming by 2100 instead of 2.0 degrees. Some would argue that the expansion of nuclear power would go a long way toward closing that gap. Friend of this show and frequent guest, The Bulwark's Mona Charen, has written that: “The world's demand for energy is not going to diminish, but only increase in the coming century. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates world energy demand will increase 50% by 2050. . . The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] countries cannot in conscience deny development to the world's poorer nations. Nor can we delude ourselves that renewables, at the current state of technology, can take up all the slack created by giving up fossil fuels. Amazingly, there is an existing technology that can produce the energy the world needs without harming the climate. And yet we hesitate. Nuclear power is the key to limiting climate change and hobbling some of the world's worst aggressors. If we're serious about both problems, we'll clear the air of superstitions about nuclear power. Nuclear power plants cannot explode like nuclear bombs. They require much less land than solar or wind. Nuclear waste can be safely buried. The U.S. Navy has been powering ships with nuclear reactors since the late 1950s. According to the Naval Post: ‘U.S. Nuclear Powered Warships (NPWs) have safely operated for more than 50 years without experiencing any reactor accident or any release of radioactivity that hurt human health or had an adverse effect on marine life.' Nothing is perfect. One death from radiation exposure at the Fukushima power plant has been noted by the Japanese government: a worker who died of lung cancer in 2018, seven years after the tsunami and meltdowns. But if we are in a new hard-headed era, we will evaluate trade-offs like adults. Are we serious about choking off the source of Putin's power or not? Are we serious about combating climate change without illusions that wind and solar will do the job? Nuclear power can be a major part of the solution to both challenges.” Our guest on this episode, Robert Zubrin, has written a new book on this topic titled The Case for Nukes. We hope you enjoy this conversation about an important issue facing our world. And don't forget to subscribe to our FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER! The Connors Forum is an independent entity from the institutions that we partner with. The views expressed in our newsletters and podcasts are those of the individual contributors alone and not of our partner institutions. Episode Audio: “Please Listen Carefully” by Jahzzar (Free Music Archive) “Star Blessed Night” by Ketsa (Free Music Archive) “Draw the Sky” by Paul Keane (licensed through TakeTones) “Algorithms” by Chad Crouch (Free Music Archive) “Happy Trails (To You)” by the Riders in the Sky (used with artist's permission) Episode transcript Note: The following transcript was created by Headliner and may contain misspellings and other inaccuracies as it was generated automatically: On today's program, we discuss both pros and cons of nuclear power Speaker A: Utterly moderate is the official podcast of the Connors forum. Visit us at connorsforum.org and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter while you are there. Please listen carefully. Carefully, carefully. Hey. Speaker B: Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the program. This is the utterly moderate podcast. And I'm your host, Lawrence Eppard. On today's program, we are talking about both the pros and the cons of nuclear power, especially when it comes to tackling climate change. So if this isn't something that you pay a lot of attention to and you're not really familiar with what the international agreements are, basically what countries around the world are trying to do is by the end of this century. We are attempting to keep the world from warming no more than 1.5 to two degrees Celsius above where we were before the Industrial Revolution. And it's pretty amazing how much work has been done in the international community to tackle climate change. It's been pretty amazing. And the worst case scenarios, it looks like, are off the table because of international cooperation. But there's still a lot of work to be done. We're still closer to three degrees of warming rather than two degrees of warming, and we really need to close that gap. And there are many who would argue that nuclear power is one really important tool in our arsenal to help us close that gap. Mona Charon, who you probably know is a frequent guest on this show, and a friend of this podcast. She has written the following about nuclear power quote the world's demand for energy is not going to diminish, but only increase in the coming century. The US. Energy Information Administration estimates world energy demand will increase by 50% by 2050. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries cannot in conscience deny development to the world's poorer nations. Nor can we dilute ourselves that renewables at the current state of technology can take up all the slack created by giving up fossil fuels. Amazingly, there is an existing technology that can produce the energy the world needs without harming the environment. And yet we hesitate. Nuclear power is the key to limiting climate change and hobbling some of the world's worst Aggressors. If we're serious about both problems, we'll clear the air of superstitions about nuclear power. Nuclear power plants cannot explode like nuclear bombs. They require much less land than solar or wind. Nuclear waste can be safely buried. The US. Navy has been powering ships with nuclear reactors since the late 1950s. According to the naval Post us Nuclear powered warships have safely operated for more than 50 years without experiencing any reactor accident or any release of radioactivity that hurt human health or had an adverse effect on marine life. Nothing is perfect. One death from radiation exposure at the Fukushima power plant has been noted by the Japanese government, a worker who died of lung cancer in 2018, seven years after the tsunami and meltdowns. But if we are in a new, hard headed era. We will evaluate trade offs like adults. Are we serious about choking off the source of Putin's power or not? Are we serious about combating climate change without illusions that wind or solar will do the job? Nuclear, power can be a major part of the solution to both challenges. End quote. Robert Zubrin has written a new book on nuclear power Speaker B: Our guest today, Robert Zubrin, has written a new book on this topic titled The Case for Nukes, where he argues that, quote, the bottom line is this we are going to need to produce a lot more energy, and it will need to be carbon free. The only way to do that is with nuclear power. In my book, I go into great detail about how nuclear power is generated, new technologies coming online, and what all of this will mean for the future of humanity, including space exploration. End quote. Robert Zubrin, we are so happy to have you on the show today. Thank you so much for joining us. Speaker A: Thanks for inviting me. Speaker B: No problem. You have a new book called The Case for Nukes about global warming Speaker C: So you got a great new book out called The Case for Nukes how We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, open and magnificent Future. So let's start with what's your background? What's your training? What brought you to write this book? Speaker A: Well, I actually have a doctorate in nuclear engineering. I've only worked, a fraction of my career in the nuclear industry. Mostly I've worked aerospace. But, now we have this whole global warming alarm. There are people who are pushing solutions which are basically reactionary, essentially rigging up fuel prices to, deter people of limited income from using fuel or electricity. That's what it amounts to. And, I think that's unethical. And furthermore, it hasn't worked. We've doubled our carbon emissions in the past 30 years, just as we did in the 30 years between 1960 and 1990. We doubled it. We doubled it between 1930 and 1960, and we doubled it between 1990 and then 2020 because people don't want to be poor. And not using fuel essentially amounts to poverty. and the answer is straightforward. It's nuclear power. And, it's very unfortunate that the groups who are, making the greatest alarm about global warming are fighting against nuclear power. Speaker C: All right, so you, propose the answer, at least in terms of a bridge technology, until we do something like fusion or whatever in the future, might solve this problem. One of the disadvantages of nuclear power is it has been made expensive Speaker C: So let's talk about advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with disadvantages, and you can tell me what you make of it. So, one of the disadvantages is it has been expensive to build. Correct? Speaker A: It's been made expensive. the first nuclear power plant we built in this country took three years to build. Now, it takes 16. And, this has been the result of hostile regulation. and if you look at the numbers, and I present them in my book, the Cost to Build a nuclear power plant has gone up precisely in proportion to time squared. Okay? Construction time squared is the cost of the nuclear power plant. Anything can be made, prohibitively costly. If the FAA were run like the NRC, there would be no airlines. If a city government banned parking in the city, they would say it was impossible to park. Or they would say you can only park in places where it's $100 an hour to park. And they say, well, gee, parking costs $100 an hour. Well, you can make anything cost, excessive amounts through regulation. And that's what we've had with nuclear power. Nuclear power is the only power which has such a small amount of waste Speaker C: Another disadvantage people point to, and I want you to tell me if I'm making too much of it, not enough of it. You give us your take on the problem of nuclear waste. So what's the problem? And do you think it can be overcome? Speaker A: Well, it's ironic that they single out nuclear waste as a problem because nuclear power is the only power which has such a small amount of waste that you actually can store it. The idea of sequestering and storing the waste from coal fired power would be absurd. And of course, fossil fuel in any kind, it sends its waste right into the atmosphere. and the waste products from making photovoltaics are enormous in the way of, ah, fluorine compounds. It caused massive fish kills and damage to public health in China, where these things are made. nuclear power, on the other hand, the amount of waste is, minuscule, and we could reduce it still more by reprocessing the waste. Ah, but of course, the, anti nukes have been first in line to, prevent that. But there's no technical problem with disposing of nuclear waste. The French reprocess and then store their waste. The US. Military, the nuclear navy, stores its waste in salt caverns in New Mexico. the, anti nukes have had no effect on implementing that solution because the Navy needs nuclear submarines and they're just not willing to have their program sabotaged. So the anti nukes have focused on preventing any storage of civilian nuclear waste. And they claim they're interested in safety. How can that be when they are saying, we would prefer to have nuclear waste stored at nuclear power plants in the suburbs of major cities rather than under a mountain in the middle of the desert? Nevada. One of the fears about nuclear waste is the possibility of a meltdown Speaker C: All right, so you say nuclear waste can be solved. You say that, the cost can be brought down with changes to regulation. One of the fears, and I want you to talk about this fear and how we should contextualize it, is, of course, the danger of a meltdown. So tell us, is that a reasonable fear? How should we think about that danger? Speaker A: Okay, meltdowns are possible. That is, while a pressurized water reactor, which is pretty much all the reactors we have in the United States, cannot, have a runaway chain reaction because it needs the water in order to sustain the chain reaction. And if the water boils too much, the reaction shuts down. There is still waste heat left in the reactor, that is from radioactive, waste particles in the fuel. And they continue to give off heat whether the reactor is running or not. And so if the water is gone, you'll have heat and there's no cooling, the fuel will melt down. And the anti nukes said, well, gee, it will melt down. It'll melt down right through the steel pressure vessel, which is eight inches thick, and then through the concrete containment, vessel, which is 8ft thick. we actually had, ah, a meltdown at Three Mile Island. And what happened was the core did melt down and it hit the steel pressure vessel and it melted its way about one inch into the steel, and then it stopped. It didn't penetrate the steel pressure vessel. It never even reached the containment building, let alone China. So this is, a, greatly, overhyped, situation. it is an engineering concern. The Three Mile Island reactor was lost. It was a loss of investment, but there was no harm to the public. Speaker C: One of the examples, people point to is Chernobyl. But, that was very different technology and very different, political and leadership context, right? Speaker A: Correct. Chernobyl was not a pressurized water reactor, as I mentioned. you, see, to make the chain reaction work, you got to slow the neutrons down. It's called moderating the neutrons. They're going too fast. They go right by nuclei without splitting, okay? So you got to slow them down. So we use water to slow down the neutrons. And, the advantage of that is, if the reactor gets too hot, the water turns to steam, it can't slow the neutrons down anymore, and the reaction shuts down. So it's physically impossible to have a runaway chain reaction in a water moderated reactor. Chernobyl was not a water moderated reactor. It was a graphite moderated reactor. And graphite doesn't turn into vapor. it's solid. And so, it didn't have, this negative feedback. And in fact, the reactor operators did a crazy experiment in which they set off, a runway chain reaction. and then furthermore, another thing that Chernobyl reactor didn't have, which all, reactors in the civilized world have, is a containment building, okay? So all it had was an ordinary, building. And so when the reactor had a runaway chain reaction, it blew a hole in itself and a hole in the side of the building. And now you had the hot graphite exposed to air. And, so the graphite caught fire. And so this reactor was not only unstable, it was flammable, which is crazy. so you had the whole reactor literally go up in smoke and scattering, radioactive waste products, all over the landscape. the firefighters that were brought in to put the fire out were exposed directly to this cloud of radioactive material being, turned to radioactive smoke right at the reactor. And so about 80 of them were killed. then the fallout came down over a wide area. There's no documented, fatalities from that fallout. but a large area was evacuated and, has turned into an incredibly, flourishing wildlife reserve. but also, the response the Soviet authorities was completely incompetent. And, more could be said about that. But basically, the people who died at Chernobyl were not victims of nuclear power. They were victims of the Soviet Union. Speaker C: Now, this is, totally anecdotal. I don't have any data to back this up, but when I speak to environmentalists today, I do see their perspective on nuclear softening a bit. Do you see that happening in the US. Or am I overstating that? Speaker A: Well, you have a certain faction in the Democratic Party. It even has an organization called the Third Way. say, well, why aren't we going to nuclear? it's clean energy. It's the common sense answer. if you actually believe that global warming is an existential crisis that is, one that threatens the existence of the human race, it should take a lot of convincing to tell you that the hazard from nuclear power no nuclear power plant in the United States or, actually anywhere outside the Soviet Union has ever killed anyone. Not even at Fukushima, where, several nuclear power plants were destroyed by an earthquake and tidal wave. there was still no one, who got a harmful radiological dose outside of the plant gate. So here you have a situation where you've had over a thousand nuclear reactors on land or sea for the past. Speaker C: 60 years not harming anyone now, beyond the benefits. So, no pollution, no greenhouse gases. you write in your book that also, could help opening the space frontier. So tell us what your argument was there. Speaker A: Well, I mean, look, here's the thing. All the chemical elements that you need to make anything are on Mars, for example. But as is usually the case on Earth, with some exceptions, they're there in a useless form. In other words, you have iron, but it's in the form of iron oxide, silicon in the form of silicon dioxide and so forth. well, those can all be turned into useful resources if you have energy. Okay, now, what's the energy? Well, they don't have fossil fuels on Mars. You can make them, but it would take energy to do it. There's no waterfalls. the air is too thin for wind power to do much. You can do solar power on Mars, but it's only 40% as strong as it is on Earth. And on Earth, it's not terribly attractive. so it's significantly worse on Mars. So what are you going to do for power? Nuclear power. And if you look at the universe, the vast majority of it is far away from any star. so, the vast majority of the universe is dark. so whether you want to develop Mars or do interstellar travel or anything, you're, in general going to be operating out of range of effective solar power. It will take nuclear power to, develop space. Robert Zubrin says fusion is a doable thing Speaker C: Does, Robert Zubrin watch movies? Did you happen to see Oppenheimer by any chance? Speaker A: Yes, I did. And in fact, I wrote a review of Oppenheimer, favorable, for the, online magazine Quillette. they actually had two reviews, one by another person who focused on the artistic merit of the movie. I focused on, they asked me the question, is it, realistic? And, my answer was fundamentally yes. There's only one significant technical error in the film and that's its obsession over this question of whether people were worried that the first atom bomb would ignite the atmosphere. there was no such concern. I mean, Edward Teller did bring it up that we should do that calculation to make sure that that would not happen. But once the calculation was done, he was quite satisfied. and in fact, there was no chance whatsoever, that that could happen. fission of nitrogen would not release any energy at all. And fusion of nitrogen, occurs so slow that the various loss mechanisms would quench the reaction virtually immediately. what people were worried about at Trinity was whether it would work. Because you got to realize this is an incredibly complex thing and they're testing it for the first time. I ran an R and D company for 27 years and it's pretty rare that something new works the first time, but it did. Speaker C: before I let you go, the future, is it going to be fusion? Speaker A: Well, eventually, yes. I, think we will have improved, versions of fission. I think we'll have breeder reactors, I think loth thorium reactors. These things are on the way. but definitely fusion, is a doable thing. and right now, really, as a result of the success of SpaceX demonstrating, entrepreneurial approaches to reusable space launch vehicles, in other words, doing the impossible, so to speak investors have taken a look at advanced vision and fusion and said, maybe the reason why we don't have it is the wrong people are doing it. maybe the problem is institutional. And so you have both advanced fission and fusion entrepreneurial companies getting large amounts of funding from investors and these people are moving ahead on very fast timelines. So while, fission has stagnated, since its initial golden age of the think, we're going to have new kinds of fission reactors and we're going to have fusion as well. Speaker C: Robert Zubrin. He's got a new book. It's called The Case for Nukes how We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, open and magnificent Future. Robert, thank you so much for joining the program. Speaker A: You are most welcome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest episode of Weaver: Beyond the Numbers, host Vince Houk, Partner-in-Charge of International Tax Services at Weaver, sits down with guest Josh Finfrock, Director of Transfer Pricing Services at Weaver. The two examined the impacts and implications of Brazil's recent legislative change on businesses engaged in cross-border activities. Key Points: Brazil recently adopted the OECD principles for transfer pricing, aligning their regulations with international standards. The new transfer pricing rules in Brazil will be mandatory in 2024 but can be opted into for 2023 if companies choose to do so. The new rules will allow companies to have a uniform method for transfer pricing globally, eliminating mismatches and potential double taxation. The essential shift in international taxation has emerged with Brazil's adoption of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principles for transfer pricing. Historically, Brazil has stuck to a unique, formulaic approach to transfer pricing, often resulting in double taxation or exposure. However, with the adoption of OECD guidelines, the landscape is rapidly changing. This transition marks one of the most significant changes in the world of transfer pricing in years and holds the potential to reshape cross-border transaction dynamics. How does Brazil's alignment with OECD principles affect businesses? What should companies do to prepare for these changes and make the most of the new landscape? Some main points from the episode included: Understanding the switch from Brazil's unique formulaic approach to transfer pricing to the OECD's arm's length principle. The need for businesses to familiarize themselves with the new rules and implications for their tax preparations and economic analyses. The potential benefits of the new regulations, such as improved alignment with global transfer pricing arrangements and alleviation of double taxation. “The benefit of this is going to be companies can ideally have a uniform method with the rest of their global transfer pricing arrangements, right, where they may not have been able to deduct royalties or service expenses. These kinds of things had mismatches with customs and income tax in Brazil locally. Hopefully, this will allow them to align that better. Those are the kind of things that we need to be thinking about with our clients as well as the operational side of it,” said Finfrock. Josh Finfrock is a seasoned expert in Transfer Pricing, leading the practice at Weaver. His insights are grounded in years of experience navigating the complexities of international tax laws and regulations. Subscribe and listen to future episodes of Beyond the Numbers on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. ©2023
Listen as second-time Risky Benefits podcast guest, Jim Klein, President of the American Benefits Council – a Washington, D.C. based employee benefits public policy advocacy organization – discusses the remarkable amount of bipartisanship that occurs surrounding employee benefits issues, such as: mental healthcare, Telehealth provisions, site neutrality payment reform, demand for greater transparency among pharmacy benefit manufacturers, Roth Catch-Up provision, and paid leave.He explains the challenges of consistent movement on these issues beyond must-do legislation, i.e., the annual federal debt ceiling legislation. Often times, bipartisan issues get flushed out based on political timing and influence. Klein shares his insight on the lack of moderate viewpoints to help create balance and trust among parties – and its impact on actual policy changes.MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS:Jim Klein, Presidentamericanbenefitscouncil.comJim Klein is president of the American Benefits Council. He joined the Council in 1988 as Deputy Executive Director and has served as Executive Director/President since 1992. Previously, Jim was manager of pension and health care policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and, before that, practiced law for a Washington, D.C. firm specializing in employee benefits. He also worked as a Legislative Assistant for a member of Congress.Jim serves on the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plan's Government Liaison Committee and was the recipient of the 2018 Public Service Award from that organization. He is a fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel and a member of the editorial advisory board of Benefits Quarterly. In the global benefits arena, Jim serves as a private sector advisor to the Working Party on Private Pensions of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and the Council is actively engaged with several international organizations representing the interests of U.S.-based companies operating outside the United States. Jim graduated with a degree in bioethics from Tufts University and a law degree from the George Washington University School of Law.To listen in and subscribe to more episodes, visit our website: fbmc.com/podcast.
Two Zero Q: 20 Questions With Interesting People from the LGBT community and friends
Welcome to 2ZQ Hot takes, where we discuss issues both big and small; I am your host TVHTim Kirk and today I'll be talking about AI.2 More about Ai abnd the 'cusp' of global cultural change.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said the occupations at highest risk from AI-driven automation were highly skilled jobs and represented about 27% of employment across its 38 member countries, which include the UK, Japan, Germany, the US, Australia and Canada and that highly skilled occupations were most exposed to AI-powered automation, such as workers in the fields of law, culture, science, engineering and business.The OECD also outlined risks associated with the likelihood of AI's growing influence over the workplace. Oh. Goodie. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cutting Through the Matrix with Alan Watt Podcast (.xml Format)
--{ "Don't Drive - Behave - Beehive (or) Hitchhiker's Guide to Behaviour Modification"}-- Quick Update on a Busy Week - New Excerpt Series on CTTM, Experiments, "Obedience to Authority" - Book, Foundations: Their Power and Influence - Original Broadcast 10 May 2007 - Wilson Quarterly Magazine (Spring 2007) "The Climate Engineers" article by James R. Fleming - Global Warming, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, CO2, Reflecting Sunlight into Space with Reflective Particles and Mirrors, Ice Ages, Edward Teller - Aerial Spraying -Ancient Priesthoods use of Sun in Sky - Trust in Paid Expert Front-Men, Destroying Old Way of Living, Death of Individualism (for Commoners) - "Prepare to be Transitioned into Your New Habitat" - Crowded into Buses and Trains - UN Urban Habitats - Wireless Internet - Public-Private Partnerships, Supra-National Governments, "1000 Points of Light" - "E-Topia" book - Global Digital Network - Urban Design - Virtual Places - Electronic Meeting Places - CIA and Professors, Marketing the "Wonderful" Orwellian Cities - "The First Global Revolution" (Club of Rome) - Overseas Economic Corporation for Development (OECD), Think-Tanks, Foundations, "Raising Public Consciousness" - "Illumined Ones" to Guide Us - Social Darwinism, HAARP Waves - Aerial Spraying - Bringing Public into Sheep-Pens of City Slums - Spring Water from Plastic Bottles - Fluoride in Toothpaste - Giving Waste to Sheeple - Xenoestrogen - Altering Hormonal Levels - French Revolution - Planned Society - Eliminating Certain Aristocracy and Poor, H.G. Wells - Fabian Society and "Superior Genes", Allocation of Credits by Government - No Private Property, Cell-Phone Chatter - Training for Brain-Chip - Getting Interconnected by Thought - You Will be Programmed to Serve Your Betters. (Song: "Dirty Old Town" by The Dubliners)
Titus 3:1-2 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has 38 member countries. It regularly runs surveys to discover the level of trust that people have in their government. In the UK, that level is about 40 per cent, lower than in the majority of countries. This result is not that surprising. People are endlessly critical of our political leaders and deeply cynical about the political process. However, I am sure that when Paul wrote to Titus, the situation in Crete was a great deal worse. And, to add to that, Cretans were notoriously turbulent and quarrelsome, inclined to challenge every kind of authority. So Paul's words would have come as a huge challenge to them. In Romans 13:1-7, Paul gave his fundamental reason for encouraging obedience to the government. He believed that their authority came from God and, so, rebelling against the government was a form of rebellion against God himself. Paul reasoned that the authorities were feared by people who were doing wrong, not those who were doing right, so believers should have no reason to be afraid of them. Indeed, he argued that if the people did what was right, the authorities would honour them. The authorities, he said, were God's servants and sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do wrong. For all of these reasons, Paul was convinced Christians should live as good, responsible citizens and pay their taxes willingly. These challenging words should cause us to reflect on our own relationship with the authorities in our own society. Paul would certainly urge us to live as good citizens and to give thanks for those who give us security and an ordered society. I don't believe that Paul was suggesting we should simply accept everything the government does but, as good and responsible citizens, we should find ways of encouraging and supporting those who bear such heavy responsibilities. QUESTION In what ways should we show our support for our government? PRAYER Father God, I pray for those who govern our country. Grant them your wisdom and peace, and help me always to serve you well as a citizen. Amen
On this episode, Kellie and Belén chat with Johanna Hill, the TradeExperettes Outreach Director, about the TE “10 Quick Wins for Digital Trade” Report that is part of TE's Digital Trade Year and was launched in September 2022, in Geneva, during the WTO Public Forum. It also includes valuable inputs from some of the experts that contributed to the report: Marion Jensen, Director, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Eunice Huang, Head of Asia-Pacific Trade Policy at Google, and Anna Jankowska-Eriksson, Market Analyst at the International Trade Centre (ITC). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tradeexperettes/message
On this day, June 22nd, in legal history, the Supreme Court handed down their decision in Escobedo v. Illinois, which held that suspects have the right to an attorney when they are questioned by the police.The decision established that defendants have the right to counsel even before they are formally charged with a crime. The impact of the Escobedo decision was overshadowed by the subsequent Miranda decision two years later. Although later court decisions limited the application of Escobedo, the Supreme Court never directly overruled it.The case involved Danny Escobedo, who was initially arrested for the murder of his brother-in-law but released after consulting his lawyer. When he was rearrested ten days later, his repeated requests to contact his attorney were denied. Escobedo's lawyer arrived at the police station and requested to see him but was refused permission. The police informed Escobedo that his alleged co-conspirator had confessed and implicated him. Escobedo demanded to confront his co-conspirator and, in that confrontation, made an incriminating statement. Based on this admission, the police obtained a written confession, leading to Escobedo's conviction for murder.The Supreme Court's decision in Escobedo came shortly after the Massiah v. United States case, which ruled that the right to counsel attaches once an individual has been indicted. In Escobedo, the Court reached a similar result with a 5-4 decision. Justice Arthur Goldberg, writing for the majority, stated that Escobedo's right to counsel did not depend on a formal indictment. The Court overturned Escobedo's conviction, declaring that his right to counsel had been violated. Goldberg laid out several benchmarks for determining when a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel is violated.Many believed that the Escobedo decision would establish a broad right to counsel whenever a suspect is in police custody. However, two years later, the Supreme Court shifted direction in Miranda v. Arizona. The Miranda decision utilized the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and held that statements obtained during incommunicado interrogation without full warning of constitutional rights were inadmissible. Miranda focused on whether a defendant was in custody or significantly deprived of freedom, rather than the "focus of investigation" test used in Escobedo.Perkins Coie, a law firm based in Seattle, is postponing the start dates for some of its first-year associates to January 2024, following a trend among law firms facing a slowdown in demand. In a memo from managing partner Bill Malley, the firm explained that the move is a response to challenging market conditions affecting various areas of legal practice. The deferred associates, with the exception of those in the intellectual property practice, will now begin on January 16, 2024. Those joining the intellectual property group will start on September 18, 2023. To assist the deferred associates, Perkins Coie is providing a $15,000 stipend to cover their living expenses. Other law firms, such as Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Cooley LLP, and Fenwick & West, have also delayed the start dates for their incoming associates due to the sluggish demand for legal services. Some firms have implemented cost-cutting measures, including layoffs of attorneys and staff. The legal industry as a whole is navigating through the challenges posed by reduced dealmaking and a slowdown in the demand for legal work.Perkins Coie Delays Starts for Some First-Year Associates (1)A new analysis from the Joint Committee on Taxation suggests that the United States could face significant revenue losses if it does not enact a 15% global minimum tax alongside the rest of the world. A global minimum tax is a proposal aimed at imposing a minimum tax rate on corporate income worldwide through international agreement. In October 2021, 136 countries and jurisdictions endorsed a proposal by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for a two-pillar solution to address tax avoidance practices and the digitalization of the global economy. The first pillar would redistribute over $125 billion in corporate profits annually for taxation in jurisdictions where the profits were earned, while the second pillar would generate an estimated $150 billion by applying a 15% minimum tax rate to corporate income. Implementation of the global corporate minimum tax requires each country to incorporate the rate and rules into its tax system. The United States, as a party to the agreement, needs to adopt the two-pillar plan and impose a 15% minimum corporate tax that aligns with the OECD model. The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 in the US introduced a 15% alternative minimum corporate tax, which brings the US closer to the OECD tax structure. However, further amendments may be required to ensure conformity with the OECD tax rules. If the US corporate minimum tax does not meet the standards of the global corporate minimum tax, Congress would need to pass amendments to the Internal Revenue Code, and bilateral and international tax treaties would also require modifications. Treaties in the US necessitate approval by the Senate and the president.If the US fails to act while other countries implement the minimum tax in 2025, tax revenue in the US could decline by $122 billion over the next decade. On the other hand, if the US does enact the tax, its tax revenue could still decline by $56.5 billion. These estimates are based on a comparison with a baseline scenario where neither the US nor the rest of the world enacts the minimum tax. The analysis predicts that the US would lose revenue when other countries tax the foreign-source income of controlled foreign corporations and when other countries tax US income. However, depending on how companies respond to the new tax regimes and shift their profits, there are scenarios where the US could gain as much as $224 billion in revenue over the next decade. Conversely, the US could lose up to $174.5 billion if multinational corporations allocate their low-taxed profits to jurisdictions applying domestic minimum top-up taxes. The report emphasizes the level of uncertainty in predicting the outcomes and does not represent a likely outcome. The analysis was requested by Senate Finance Committee ranking member Mike Crapo and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, who criticized the Biden administration's handling of the global minimum tax negotiations. The report comes as Republicans remain skeptical of the international agreement signed by nearly 140 countries to establish a minimum tax rate of 15% for multinationals worldwide. In response, the Ways and Means Committee introduced a bill to impose retaliatory taxes on the US income of foreign investors and businesses in countries that impose minimum tax rules on US multinationals.US Could Lose Billions Under Global Minimum Tax, JCT Report SaysJCT: U.S. Stands to Lose Revenue Under OECD Tax DealLegislation that would ban employee noncompete agreements in New York is heading to Governor Kathy Hochul's desk for review. The measure, similar to a recent law enacted in Minnesota, would apply to contracts signed or modified after it becomes effective. Noncompete agreements, which currently cover about one-fifth of the US workforce, have faced criticism from federal and state policymakers. The Federal Trade Commission is in the process of finalizing a nationwide ban on such contracts, and the National Labor Relations Board's general counsel has stated that noncompetes violate federal labor law in most situations. While business groups argue that noncompetes are necessary to protect trade secrets, policymakers and worker rights advocates argue that they are often misused and hinder low-wage workers from seeking better job opportunities. The New York legislation would still allow employment contracts that protect trade secrets and confidential client information, as long as they don't unreasonably restrict competition. The bill has already passed the state Senate and Assembly.New York Ban on Employee Noncompetes Heads to Hochul's DeskThe U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to argue in federal court for a preliminary injunction to temporarily block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the videogame maker. The FTC wants the deal to be put on hold until its in-house court rules on whether the merger would harm competition in the video game industry. The agency is concerned that without intervention, the combined company could alter Activision's operations and give Microsoft access to sensitive business information. The administrative hearing within the FTC is scheduled to begin on August 2. Microsoft has asserted that a temporary block could jeopardize the deal, but courts typically do not consider real-world consequences in their decisions.FTC to argue Microsoft's deal to buy Activision should be paused | ReutersA group of Credit Suisse AT1 bondholders has filed a class action lawsuit accusing three former CEOs of the Swiss bank, Thomas Gottstein, Tidjane Thiam, and Brady Dougan, along with other executives, of being responsible for the bank's collapse. The lawsuit, filed in a New York court, alleges that the executives engaged in excessively risky trades to achieve short-term returns and bonuses, disregarding sound risk management and compliance with the law. The collapse of Credit Suisse led to the decision by Switzerland's regulator to render around $18 billion of the bank's Additional Tier 1 (AT1) debt worthless, which sparked numerous lawsuits. The class action suit highlights the loss of trust in the bank and the culture of prioritizing profits and self-dealing over responsible risk management.Three former Credit Suisse CEOs accused of excessive risk-taking -court filing | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
The global economy is showing signs of improvement, but progress is fragile. That's the latest outlook from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It forecasts headline inflation in the OECD to slow to 6.6% this year and 4.3% in 2024. That's thanks in part to tighter monetary policy and lower food and energy prices. Joining Julia to discuss is OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday. Environment reporter Sue Surkes and culture editor Jessica Steinberg join host Jacob Magid for Monday's podcast. Some 300,000 Israelis lost power Friday at the peak of a heatwave that reached over 40°C (104°F) in many parts of the country. Surkes discusses how the outages exposed Israel's ill-preparedness for extreme weather caused by climate change. Relatedly, she shares the bleak findings of a recent Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report that found Israel faired very poorly on a range of environmental issues compared to other countries in the 38-member bloc. Surkes discusses how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to close those gaps, comparing its performance to that of the previous unity government. Steinberg provides an update on the concert schedule for the summer in Israel while also recapping last week's performance from British pop star Robbie Williams. She shares which artists have come under pressure from the anti-Israel Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to cancel their scheduled appearances and why some have been unmoved by the noise. To close, Steinberg reviews “My Happy Ending,” an Israeli-written new film featuring Andie MacDowell. The Hollywood star plays actress Julia Roth, who strides into a small oncology day clinic outside London for chemotherapy, and while seeking privacy and anonymity given her familiar face, ends up meeting fellow patients who make her rethink her own life goals. Discussed articles include: Power outages spark heated accusations as grid fails to meet sweltering demand Government greenlights 2 gas-fired power stations to meet electricity demands OECD slaps Israel with poor marks on environmental performance in new report Robbie Williams at Tel Aviv show: ‘You have something incredibly f*cking special here' Robbie Williams bonds with Noga Erez ahead of Tel Aviv show Andie MacDowell stars in Israeli film about life choices, based on Cameri play Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: Firefighting trucks near the scene of a blaze in central Israel on June 2, 2023. (Fire and Rescue Service)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on The Learning Curve, Gerard and guest cohost Dr. Jay Greene interview Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, on understanding the links among education, skills, and innovation for students worldwide. Mr. Schleicher […]
This week on The Learning Curve, Gerard and guest cohost Dr. Jay Greene interview Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, on understanding the links among education, skills, and innovation for students worldwide. Mr. Source
This week on The Learning Curve, Gerard and guest cohost Dr. Jay Greene interview Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, on understanding the links among education, skills, and innovation for students worldwide. Mr. Source
It's a bit of a trope that the millennial generation has had a rough go of it, economically. After experiencing the Great Financial Crisis during their formative years, attending higher education during a massive debt-fueled student loan bubble, and entering adulthood while home prices were juiced higher and higher, the majority of millennials are now “behind pace,” financially speaking. In 2015, Pew Research conducted an interesting survey: It found that 89% of Americans considered themselves middle class. The survey then attempted to break down what middle class wealth actually looks like, landing on a median net worth of around $125,000 in today's dollars. I was curious how many millennials had surpassed that threshold, and as it turns out, the answer is…not many. This episode was inspired by headlines about the impending “Great Wealth Transfer,” often positioned as a solution to millennials' money woes. But will it be? Let's dig in. Learn more about our sponsor, TaxAct: https://www.taxact.com/moneywithkatie Transcripts can be found at podcast.moneywithkatie.com. — Mentioned in the Episode Fervent Finance satirical tweet: https://twitter.com/ferventfinance/status/1605581737651683330 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm 2019 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex.htm 2015 Pew Research Study on the American Middle Class: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/12/09/the-american-middle-class-is-losing-ground/ Are Rich People Better Than You? Why Everything We Think We Know About Good Economics Might be Backward, With Nick Hanauer: https://podcast.moneywithkatie.com/are-rich-people-better-than-you-why-everything-we-think-we-know-about-good-economics-might-be-backward-with-nick-hanauer/ Bridget Casey's "There Is No Such Thing as a Millennial Middle Class": https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/young-money/article-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-millennial-middle-class/ The Federal Reserve Analysis on intergenerational wealth: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/how-does-intergenerational-wealth-transmission-affect-wealth-concentration-20180601.html Will ‘the Great Wealth Transfer' Trigger a Millennial Civil War?: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/07/will-the-great-wealth-transfer-spark-a-millennial-civil-war.html Visuali Capitalist chart on upward mobility: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-decline-of-upward-mobility-in-one-chart/ Coldwell Banker Luxury Report: https://blog.coldwellbankerluxury.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CBGL-Millennial-Report_SEP19_FINAL-4a.1-1-1.pdf Not All Millennials | Generational Wealth and the New Inequality: https://www.thedriftmag.com/not-all-millennials/ — Follow Along at Money with Katie: https://moneywithkatie.com/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoneywithKatie Follow Money with Katie! - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneywithkatie/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/moneywithkatie Subscribe to The Money with Katie Newsletter - Sign up for free today: https://www.morningbrew.com/money-with-katie/subscribe/2 Follow the Brew! - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorningBrew - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Seth Kaplan is a Visiting Fellow with the Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange. He is also a Professorial Lecturer at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), USAID, and the U.S. Department of State. Seth is the author of three books: “Fixing Fragile States: A New Paradigm for Development” (2008); “Betrayed: Promoting Inclusive Development in Fragile States (2013); and “Human Rights in Thick and Thin Societies: Universality Without Uniformity” (2018). His new book, “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time,” will be published in 2023. This episode is a grand tour of Seth's core ideas about fragile and conflict-affected countries. We start by talking about Seth's professional journey, which began out of his passion for travel and insatiable curiosity about why some societies work better than others. We then shift to the concept of fragility. Seth argues that social dynamics shape the institutions, understood both as “the rules of the game,” as well as the state apparatus. The pathways in and out of fragility or conflict depend on the interplay between formal institutions and informal social rules which govern collective action. Fragility and conflict can be prevented if social groups can come together and chart a unifying course of action that leads them towards prosperity – in other words, if they can manage political and social transitions. We then explore how these factors interact with politics, economics, and security. Seth provides a sweeping overview of situations where countries and communities made “good enough” progress to avoid collapse and even prosper, from Nigeria and Somaliland to Guatemala, India, and Indonesia. In most cases, leaders and elites were able to rally around a common storyline that enabled them achieve unity of purpose and navigate through tough transitions. We also talk about the hard cases, from Libya to Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The conversation delves into many fascinating tangents. We discuss the work of the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and how it deploys its framework in Libya and Colombia. Seth also argues that multilateral organizations like the World Bank must create the conditions for brave leaders who can move their societies forward rather than focus on purely technical policy advice or project financing. We conclude with the reasons for hope in fragile states, and with a reflection on the skills needed to be an effective operator in the most complex societies (hint – it's about the human soul). *****Dr. Seth D. KaplanWebsite: https://sethkaplan.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethkaplan28Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University: https://sais.jhu.edu/users/skapla13Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/seth-d-kaplanInstitute for Integrated Transitions: https://ifit-transitions.org/experts/seth-d-kaplan/*****Mihaela Carstei, Paul M. Bisca, and Johan Bjurman Bergman co-host F-World: The Fragility Podcast. Twitter: https://twitter.com/fworldpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fworldpodcast/Website: https://f-world.orgMusic: "Tornado" by Wintergatan. Many thanks to Wintergartan for allowing us to use their wonderful music! This track can be downloaded for free at www.wintergatan.net. Video editing by: Alex Mitran - find Alex on Facebook (facebook.com/alexmmitran), Twitter (twitter.com/alexmmitran), or LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/alexmmitran)EPISODE RESOURCES:United Nations; World Bank. 2018. Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28337Seth D. Kaplan. 2023. Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time. https://amzn.to/3la0FSGSeth D. Kaplan. 2018. Human Rights in Thick and Thin Societies: Universality Without Uniformity. https://amzn.to/3RLAQ7YSeth D. Kaplan. 2013. Betrayed: Promoting Inclusive Development in Fragile States. https://amzn.to/3YwbH2ZSeth D. Kaplan. 2008. Fixing Fragile States: A New Paradigm for Development. https://amzn.to/3Yu9BkVSunil Khilnani. 1997. The Idea of India. https://bit.ly/3DOyfnFTIMESTAMPS:00:01:04 Seth's story – Wondering youth 00:04:29 Passion for societies in transition (Nigeria)00:08:04 Differences between people: Western and non-Western cultures00:10:21 What is fragility?00:12:49 Social cohesion & strong institutions (Somaliland & Syria) 00:15:20 Social cohesion & impact on politics & economics (Botswana) 00:20:16 Historical exceptions and what makes them special (India & Indonesia)00:24:37 Unifying leaders building on historical legacy (Nehru & Sukarno)00:27:21 Transitions unveiling social fractures (Libya vs. Tunisia)00:31:50 Shifting to a good equilibrium – decentralization (Nigeria), social cohesion (Libya), external anchors (Guatemala)00:39:29 Tough choices: corruption & violence or total country implosion?00:44:55 Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) approach01:00:33 Inclusiveness requires courage (Democrats & Republicans) 01:10:04 How to create a common identity? 01:14:51 Transitions for Ukraine, Afghanistan, & Syria 01:28:38 People in fragile states – reasons for hope 01:34:56 Skills, knowledge, & a new vision to help fragile states01:41:37 Wrap-up
Children aren't cheap. The cost of living crisis is pushing parents to the edge of their finances, worrying about paying for essentials like food, clothing and, for many, childcare. We'll take a look at Chile, which according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is one of the lowest ranking when it comes to public spending on early childhood education. Natalia Aránguiz lives in Chile and has two children- she speaks to Leanna Byrne about her rising costs. Ann Hedgepeth, chief of policy and advocacy at non-profit organisation Child Care Aware of America, says the national average price of childcare was around $10,600 per year. She says one of the main factors is getting the right staff. Seven thousand miles away in Kampala in Uganda, one childcare business owner is facing the same issues. Manuela Mulondo is chief executive and founder of Cradle, a childcare, lactation and education centre. She says people never think about childcare companies when they are talking about price rises, but says it's very expensive to look after children. Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne (Image: Child and parent. Credit: PA)
Valeria Arellano has a degree in Education, a Master's in Family Studies and a Master's in Economics and Business. She was associate director of Financial Education at BBVA in Mexico. And she is currently the founder of AfortunadaMente where she creates financial education tools and strategies such as the AfortunadaMente board game with which she has reached more than 50,000 families in Mexico and Latin America and has won 8 international awards for innovation in its methodology and content such as the People's Choice Award at the International Business Learning Games Competition. In February 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published her project as an Innovation in Public Policy in Mexico. She is currently working with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Secretary of Finance, and the Senate, to bring financial education to more Mexicans.
The current international tax landscape has been in place for decades. But now dramatic changes may be on the horizon. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), backed by countries around the world, has been pursuing a “Two-Pillar Solution” aimed at alleviating certain global tax challenges that it believes arose from the “digitalisation of the economy.”This OECD two-pillar framework will significantly alter many international tax practices we follow today with a related impact on reported earnings. In preparation, all companies should begin to assess what the OECD's proposed framework will mean to them. In this episode, Heather Horn, partner in PwC's National Office, brings you an audio version of our In the loop on the OECD framework. In this podcast, you'll hear:1:01 - The OECD's agenda and a description of the two-pillar proposal6:45 - How a US company could be scoped into Pillar 28:51 - Key requirements of the Pillar 2 Model Rules12:01 - How to account for “top-up taxes”13:04 - What's next in the implementation of the proposed rules15:05 - A description of the key terms used in the frameworkRefer also to the print version, The OECD minimum tax: What US companies need to know. Heather Horn is PwC's National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC's accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather's accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.
Welcome to episode 37 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. This time, the presenters, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and journalist Jo Confino, are joined in conversation by Tom Rivett-Carnac. Together, they discuss the power that deep spiritual grounding has to support change in the world, as well as how to bring presence and insight into our daily lives and the global challenges we face; how to cultivate inner peace; and taking steps to make mindfulness a tool for individual and collective awakening. Tom Rivett-Carnac is a political strategist, author, and podcaster who has spent more than 20 years working to address the climate and ecological crises. He is also a Founding Partner of Global Optimism, co-presenter of the well-known climate podcast Outrage + Optimism, and co-author of bestselling book The Future We Choose. Tom also talks about his early-life experience as a Buddhist monk; spiritual development; coming together without egoic attachment to find collective solutions; and integrating practice and activism. Brother Phap Huu talks about practices for collective awakening and how to not lose track of mindfulness in society's busyness; training for the hard times; communities as support for the practice; touching enlightenment in daily life; finding peace in silence; being the change we want to see; and how Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings can serve people in times of crises. Jo delves into the power of presence; letting go of views; and why ‘showing up fully at work' may not work. The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Tom Rivett-Carnachttps://www.globaloptimism.com/tom-rivett-carnac The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisishttps://www.globaloptimism.com/the-future-we-choose S.N. Goenkahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka Sagaing, Myanmar/Burmahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagaing Christiana Figuereshttp://christianafigueres.com/#/ The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation' (episode 18)https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-doors-of-liberation-episode-18/ The Way Out Is In: ‘Free from Views in a Polarized World' (episode 36)https://plumvillage.org/podcast/free-from-views-in-a-polarized-world-episode-36/ The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OECD Ajahn Chahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah Quotes “I’ve done things in the last two days that I haven’t done for 20 years. Like just sit on a log and watch the wind in the poplars for 15 minutes. And how deeply satisfying that present moment can be. I feel very grateful to find that again. And the strange thing, of course, is it was always there. I was allowing myself to develop this sense of melancholy and regret, like it was this difficult thing that I’d achieved and forgotten. And then, coming back here, it actually seemed simple.” “Spirituality, for us, is the refuge within that needs to always be cultivated.” “When we speak about coming back to oneself in Buddhism, it’s not about taking care of the ego but finding all of the beautiful conditions that we want to cultivate outside, inside of us. Then we will have the ingredients to offer to the world, to the workplace, to our families, to our loved ones.” “The necessary step that we all need to take is moving mindfulness away from being something that happens in isolation from the world, to something that happens while we are in the world and that the world can become a tool for.” “The only way in which we have a sense of collective purpose is in the unity of how we direct our attention towards the present moment, towards the world that we’re living in, that we’re all working to protect, but which the busyness of that activity is preventing us from seeing.” “I feel like I’ve spent half my adult life focusing primarily on presence and spiritual development, and the other half on raising a family, the problems of the world, and climate change – and now I feel like the interesting work is at the intersection of those two. I don’t feel like we can really advance unless we’re able to bring those two different elements together in ourselves, in our work, because we’re not really doing it at the moment.”“The systems and the institutions that we have relied upon to see us through this great crisis don’t look capable of delivering what we want. So where’s the edge that we need to dwell with in order to move forward? I believe it’s the integration of how we’re living our lives, how we’re bringing presence and insight to our moment, to the moments of our life and the great challenges of our generation.” “What we need is a collective awakening. Our teacher has said, ‘One Buddha is not enough anymore for our times, for our suffering, for the situations that we are facing. We need multitudes of bodhisattvas, of those who are selfless, those who know how to see the benefit of others as their own benefits, the well-being of the planet as their well-being.'” “Even though what is being shared is so painful, instead of drowning and being overwhelmed by the sorrow, my breathing becomes my foundation. I’m still present with the suffering, but I can guide the suffering. And this inner work, we believe [it] is so necessary for everyone today, because what we are facing will bring up a lot of emotions and feelings and even a sense of despair. And we all need a place of refuge and we need communities. I truly believe that community is the way forward; we cannot do it by ourselves. There’s no superman that can change the situation. We really need a collective movement, a collective awakening, a collective practice.” “It would be very easy to say, ‘I’ve spent ten years following my spiritual pursuits and 15 years working in the climate movement. Now I want to integrate them, I need to go away and think up a plan and come up with an ideology and a view that is one of integration.' But all we will have done is add to the number of ideologies and views out there. So it has to be about creating an intentionality and a presence and a space from which something can emerge. And that process can probably neither be hurried nor slowed down, but [it also] can’t be born unless it has space to breathe.” “The first thing that I feel will be important for me in returning to my life is the acceptance that normal life is different, and that I can’t expect perfection from myself. That in itself creates a relaxation. The best that we can do is bring more presence and more intentionality, and move in a direction that has that infused in it, and be able to let go of the things that distract us, the ideas that trap us – but that’s going to be a process.”
Welcome to episode 37 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. This time, the presenters, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and journalist Jo Confino, are joined in conversation by Tom Rivett-Carnac. Together, they discuss the power that deep spiritual grounding has to support change in the world, as well as how to bring presence and insight into our daily lives and the global challenges we face; how to cultivate inner peace; and taking steps to make mindfulness a tool for individual and collective awakening. Tom Rivett-Carnac is a political strategist, author, and podcaster who has spent more than 20 years working to address the climate and ecological crises. He is also a Founding Partner of Global Optimism, co-presenter of the well-known climate podcast Outrage + Optimism, and co-author of bestselling book The Future We Choose. Tom also talks about his early-life experience as a Buddhist monk; spiritual development; coming together without egoic attachment to find collective solutions; and integrating practice and activism. Brother Phap Huu talks about practices for collective awakening and how to not lose track of mindfulness in society's busyness; training for the hard times; communities as support for the practice; touching enlightenment in daily life; finding peace in silence; being the change we want to see; and how Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings can serve people in times of crises. Jo delves into the power of presence; letting go of views; and why ‘showing up fully at work' may not work. The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Tom Rivett-Carnachttps://www.globaloptimism.com/tom-rivett-carnac The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisishttps://www.globaloptimism.com/the-future-we-choose S.N. Goenkahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka Sagaing, Myanmar/Burmahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagaing Christiana Figuereshttp://christianafigueres.com/#/ The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation' (episode 18)https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-doors-of-liberation-episode-18/ The Way Out Is In: ‘Free from Views in a Polarized World' (episode 36)https://plumvillage.org/podcast/free-from-views-in-a-polarized-world-episode-36/ The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OECD Ajahn Chahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Chah Quotes “I’ve done things in the last two days that I haven’t done for 20 years. Like just sit on a log and watch the wind in the poplars for 15 minutes. And how deeply satisfying that present moment can be. I feel very grateful to find that again. And the strange thing, of course, is it was always there. I was allowing myself to develop this sense of melancholy and regret, like it was this difficult thing that I’d achieved and forgotten. And then, coming back here, it actually seemed simple.” “Spirituality, for us, is the refuge within that needs to always be cultivated.” “When we speak about coming back to oneself in Buddhism, it’s not about taking care of the ego but finding all of the beautiful conditions that we want to cultivate outside, inside of us. Then we will have the ingredients to offer to the world, to the workplace, to our families, to our loved ones.” “The necessary step that we all need to take is moving mindfulness away from being something that happens in isolation from the world, to something that happens while we are in the world and that the world can become a tool for.” “The only way in which we have a sense of collective purpose is in the unity of how we direct our attention towards the present moment, towards the world that we’re living in, that we’re all working to protect, but which the busyness of that activity is preventing us from seeing.” “I feel like I’ve spent half my adult life focusing primarily on presence and spiritual development, and the other half on raising a family, the problems of the world, and climate change – and now I feel like the interesting work is at the intersection of those two. I don’t feel like we can really advance unless we’re able to bring those two different elements together in ourselves, in our work, because we’re not really doing it at the moment.”“The systems and the institutions that we have relied upon to see us through this great crisis don’t look capable of delivering what we want. So where’s the edge that we need to dwell with in order to move forward? I believe it’s the integration of how we’re living our lives, how we’re bringing presence and insight to our moment, to the moments of our life and the great challenges of our generation.” “What we need is a collective awakening. Our teacher has said, ‘One Buddha is not enough anymore for our times, for our suffering, for the situations that we are facing. We need multitudes of bodhisattvas, of those who are selfless, those who know how to see the benefit of others as their own benefits, the well-being of the planet as their well-being.'” “Even though what is being shared is so painful, instead of drowning and being overwhelmed by the sorrow, my breathing becomes my foundation. I’m still present with the suffering, but I can guide the suffering. And this inner work, we believe [it] is so necessary for everyone today, because what we are facing will bring up a lot of emotions and feelings and even a sense of despair. And we all need a place of refuge and we need communities. I truly believe that community is the way forward; we cannot do it by ourselves. There’s no superman that can change the situation. We really need a collective movement, a collective awakening, a collective practice.” “It would be very easy to say, ‘I’ve spent ten years following my spiritual pursuits and 15 years working in the climate movement. Now I want to integrate them, I need to go away and think up a plan and come up with an ideology and a view that is one of integration.' But all we will have done is add to the number of ideologies and views out there. So it has to be about creating an intentionality and a presence and a space from which something can emerge. And that process can probably neither be hurried nor slowed down, but [it also] can’t be born unless it has space to breathe.” “The first thing that I feel will be important for me in returning to my life is the acceptance that normal life is different, and that I can’t expect perfection from myself. That in itself creates a relaxation. The best that we can do is bring more presence and more intentionality, and move in a direction that has that infused in it, and be able to let go of the things that distract us, the ideas that trap us – but that’s going to be a process.”
Biofuels are a way to make our cars, lorries and even planes run on renewable fuel. They're often made from food crops. Globally 7% of cereal crops and 15% of vegetable oil crops are used to make biofuel – according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). As pressure on food prices and supply chains increase, some people are questioning why we turn food into fuel. In this programme we'll be looking at the history of biofuels, why food crops have been used, and what alternatives may exist. Joining us are Daniel Kammen, Professor of Energy at University of California, Berkeley, who is currently serving as a senior advisor for energy and innovation in the Biden administration in the United States; Bernardo Gradin, the founder and CEO of Gran Bio, a company that produces biofuel made from sugar cane waste in Brazil; and Sailaja Nori, Chief Scientific Officer at Sea6 Energy, a company investigating the possibilities of biofuel made from seaweed in India and Indonesia. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Presented by Ruth Alexander. Produced by Beatrice Pickup. Additional reporting by Ashish Shama. (Image: Field of rapeseed crops behind picture of fuel nozzle. Rapeseed image credit: BBC. Fuel nozzle credit: Matthew Fearn/PA)