It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Monday, October 21, 2024
Iran News: Iranian Saffron Industry Struggles as Foreign Competitors Rebrand It
Iran’s saffron industry, once a global leader in quality and production, is now facing significant challenges due to a combination of economic mismanagement, international sanctions, and aggressive competition from abroad. As foreign competitors repackage and sell Iranian saffron under their own brands, Iranian officials express concern over the future of this key export commodity.
According to statements from Mohammad-Hassan Didehvar, a member of the Iran-Spain Joint Chamber of Commerce, foreign entities, particularly Spain, have been purchasing Iranian saffron, repackaging it, and marketing it as a Spanish product. “Iran has been the main supplier of saffron exported from Spain, which is then sold globally as a Spanish product,” Didehvar told ILNA News Agency on October 19, 2024. He emphasized that while Spain has started cultivating saffron, its supply is still largely dependent on Iranian imports.
On October 15, PressTV, a mouthpiece of the Iranian regime often used to impress Tehran’s foreign audiences, claimed that “Iran produces over 90% of the world’s saffron, but sanctions and other obstacles have hindered its ability to capitalize on this market.”
The issue extends beyond Spain. Countries like Afghanistan and the UAE are also reportedly buying bulk Iranian saffron, rebranding it, and distributing it to markets worldwide. Didehvar explained that this practice, alongside banking restrictions caused by sanctions, has severely hampered Iran’s ability to profit from its own production. “Now, Afghan traders have more favorable banking conditions in Spain than Iranians, allowing them to outperform us in this market,” he added.
The situation has not only impacted international sales but also the domestic market. Farshid Manouchehri, Secretary of Iran’s National Saffron Council, expressed concerns over the declining consumption of saffron within Iran. “When the price per kilogram of saffron reaches 70 to 80 million tomans, domestic consumption sees a notable decline due to the lack of increase in people’s incomes,” Manouchehri stated in an interview with ILNA earlier this year. The reduction in domestic consumption reflects broader economic hardships within the country, compounded by inflation and stagnant incomes.
Despite efforts to navigate these challenges, Iranian traders are forced to rely on intermediaries and complex financial arrangements in African and Arab countries, adding to the cost and risk of trade. “Iranian traders must use unconventional routes to bypass sanctions, often through middlemen in other countries, which increases both expenses and risks,” Didehvar noted, highlighting how these methods are not sustainable solutions for long-term trade stability.
The struggles of the saffron industry mirror the difficulties faced by other traditional Iranian exports such as pistachios and carpets. Despite pledges by the Iranian government to boost non-oil exports, there has been limited success. The regime’s failure to establish proper branding for Iranian saffron has allowed competitors to dominate the market, leaving Iranian farmers and traders to bear the brunt of lost revenues.
The current state of the saffron industry, along with the larger economic crisis in Iran, reflects the consequences of the regime’s mismanagement and inability to adapt to global market changes.
The decline of Iran’s saffron industry reflects how the regime’s malign agendas have undermined the country’s traditional trade and economic strength. Aggressive regional policies, systemic corruption, and international sanctions have stifled growth, allowing foreign competitors to profit from Iran’s resources. Once-thriving industries are now struggling, as the regime prioritizes its hegemonic ambitions over the nation’s economic future.
Thousands Rally For Peace In Northwestern Pakistani City (Video)
Thousands of demonstrators held a peaceful protest in the troubled northwestern Pakistani city of Bannu. The October 20 rally, organized by civil society groups, called for an end to Pakistani Taliban attacks and a heavy-handed security crackdown in the region, which lies near the border with Afghanistan. Bannu has been the scene of several major Taliban attacks this year.
Gunmen kill 7 people working on a strategic tunnel project in Indian-controlled Kashmir
Villagers carry the body of Kashmiri doctor Shahnawaz who was among those killed when gunmen fired at people working on a strategic tunnel project in Indian-controlled Kashmir, during his funeral at Nadigam village, southwest of Srinagar, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024.
By Associated Press - Monday, October 21, 2024
SRINAGAR, India — Gunmen fatally shot at least seven people working on a strategic tunnel project in Indian-controlled Kashmir and injured at least five others, officials said on Monday.
Police blamed militants who have been fighting against Indian rule for decades for the “terror attack” at a camp for construction workers near the disputed region’s resort town of Sonamarg. No rebel group immediately claimed responsibility.
Police said at least two gunmen fired “indiscriminately” at officials and workers associated with the construction, leaving two dead on the spot. At least 10 others were taken to hospital, where five more died. The attack came shortly after workers returned to their lodgings on Sunday night. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the attack.
The dead included five non-local laborers and officials, one Kashmiri worker and a Kashmiri doctor.
Reinforcements of police and soldiers launched search operations in the area to nab the attackers.
Omar Abdullah, the region’s top elected official, condemned the attack in a post on social media platform X, calling it “dastardly & cowardly.”
A key Kashmiri resistance leader said he was “deeply saddened by the outrageous killings.”
“Another grim reminder of the unending cycle of violence and uncertainty we are suffering for decades,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X.
Hundreds of people, mostly non-local laborers, are working on the ambitious tunnel project that aims to connect the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh, a cold desert region that is isolated for half the year because of massive snowfalls. Experts say the tunnel project is important to the military, which will gain significantly improved capabilities to operate in Ladakh.
The strategically important region shares de facto borders with Pakistan and China, and Indian and Chinese soldiers have been engaged in a military standoff there since 2020. Both countries have stationed tens of thousands of soldiers there, backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets.
Sunday’s attack was the second attack on a non-local worker in the region since a largely powerless local government was sworn into office Wednesday, following the first local elections since India stripped the region of semi-autonomy five years ago.
On Friday, body of a worker from eastern Bihar state, riddled with bullet wounds, was recovered from a maize field in southern Shopian district, police said. They blamed militants for the killing.
Kashmir has witnessed a spate of killings, many targeting workers from other parts of India, since 2021. Police say the killings, which have also included local Muslim village councilors, police officials and civilians, have been carried out by anti-India rebels.
India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over the territory since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.
India insists that Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
NAKBA 2.0
Far-right Israelis gather for conference to rebuild settlements in Gaza
Conference held at Gaza border and attended by several government ministers, Knesset members
Abdelraouf Arnaout |21.10.2024 - TRT/AA
JERUSALEM
Hundreds of far-right Israeli settlers gathered at a conference near the border with the Gaza Strip to press for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian enclave.
The event, held in an area designated by the Israeli army as a closed military zone near the settlement of Be’eri at Gaza border, carries the slogan of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party along with the “Gaza is Ours, Forever” slogan and is centered on preparing for settlement efforts in the territory under the title of “Preparing to Resettle Gaza," which Israel evacuated in 2005.
Several government ministers and Knesset members attended the conference, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Minister of Equality May Golan, one of the conference organizers, called for the establishment of Jewish-only settlements in Gaza.
"We will hit them where it hurts - their land. Anyone who uses his land to plan another holocaust will receive another Nakba from us," she said.
The US has consistently opposed the idea of returning Israeli settlements to Gaza, a stance reiterated throughout the ongoing war, particularly after Israel dismantled its Gaza settlements nearly two decades ago.
According to the Israeli news site Walla, such initiatives could complicate Israel's defense in legal cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, given that international law deems settlements in occupied territories illegal.
South Africa has already filed a case against Israel at the ICJ in December 2023, accusing Tel Aviv of violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. The court held hearings in January 2024 regarding protective measures for Gaza.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More than 42,600 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 99,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli war on Gaza has displaced almost the territory’s entire population amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
This story was originally published by Barn Raiser, your independent source for rural and small town news.
“No one wants to have oil in their water”—Natali Segovia, Water Protector Legal Collective
It’s about the water.
I’m returning to Mni Sose, the Missouri River, eight years after the saga of Standing Rock, when thousands of Water Protectors came to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) from crossing under the river. In August 2016, I went to the river, summoned by Ladonna Brave Buffalo, Debra White Plume and others, both in this world and who have passed. I came for the water, because being a Water Protector is about life. Try drinking oil.
The cases grind on. Prosecutors have charged more than 800 people with crimes during the 11 months between the establishment of the first encampment, Sacred Stone, in April 2016, and the eviction of Oceti Sakowin Camp in February 2017. Some have had their charges reduced or dismissed. Others have been jailed as felons. North Dakota is still seeking to get the U.S. government to pay for the $38 million the state expended on police forces.
In November 2023 in Bismarck, federal regulators held their first public hearing on the draft of the court-ordered Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), yet in May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a final statement would not be ready until 2025. Just to say it again: the federally required EIS is still being reviewed seven years after the pipeline was installed under Lake Oahe and began operating. What’s more, the draft statement was developed by a company, Environmental Resources Management, which has ties to the petroleum industry. Meanwhile, DAPL continues to operate without the proper permits. That’s a bit backwards.
(Natural Resources Defense Council)
The legal system is not a fast one, and it’s backed up with all sorts of stuff, including the 500,000 pages of documents recently produced under seal—meaning they cannot be disclosed to the public—by Energy Transfer (ET), DAPL’s owner.
On August 28, Standing Rock Tribal Chairwoman Janet Alkire sent a letter calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to reopen public comment on the draft EIS, in light of a new document that came to light.
The story of how this document was uncovered is an interesting one. In 2017, ET filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace, the international environmental organization, for its participation in the opposition to the pipeline. ET is charging Greenpeace with a staggering $300 million in damages for “defamation” of the company.
How do you defame an oil pipeline company? You say mean things about them.
ET’s case against Greenpeace is part of a strategy known as a SLAPP suit, or strategic lawsuit against public participation, used by large corporations to censor, bully and push their critics toward bankruptcy with spiraling legal costs. But in a turn of events, Greenpeace is now trying new legal means to upend ET’s SLAPP suit, which could spell good things for nonprofits and activists whose dissent has been silenced by these suits.
As an international organization, Greenpeace is looking to use anti-SLAPP laws passed in April by the European Union that protect organizations based in the EU from SLAPP lawsuits outside the EU. In July, Greenpeace did just that, filing a countersuit against ET in a Dutch court to recover damages and costs related to the SLAPP suit, putting the legal theory to its first test. (In recent years, more than 30 states in the U.S. have adopted or amended anti-SLAPP laws.)
This spring the Water Protector Legal Collective raised the alarm on documents filed publicly as part of ET’s SLAPP lawsuit. One of them was a January 16 report, prepared for Greenpeace by an engineering firm, Exponent, that “determined there was a ‘relatively high’ probability that during [ET’s] drilling under the Missouri River at the Lake Oahe crossing, ‘1.4 million gallons of drilling fluids’ were lost in 700 events ending up in Lake Oahe.” That’s a lot of drilling fluid ending up in the Missouri River—water that recharges an aquifer providing drinking water to cities and towns along the river. Energy Transfer appears to have failed to report these spills to the federal agency that enforces pipeline construction
It’s going to be a problem for us all.
Now, what’s in drilling fluid? That’s the stuff that keeps the drill lubricated when it’s drilling deep under a river. The recipe is proprietary, but it is supposed to be basically bentonite, a clay-like substance.
The problem is that ET was already convicted of lacing drilling fluid with toxins. In 2022, Energy Transfer was federally debarred by the Environmental Protection Agency due to 48 criminal convictions in Pennsylvania for concealment and failure to report drilling fluid leaks and use of unapproved toxic additives resulting in water contamination at 21 sites during its construction of the Mariner East II, Rover and Revolution pipelines in 2017. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission also sought a penalty from ET and its Rover Pipeline LLC of $40 million for releasing 2 million gallons of drilling fluid containing toxic diesel fuel under the Tuscarawas River in Ohio in 2017. And that’s only the beginning.
The other documents produced in ET’s lawsuit against Greenpeace remain under seal—which means that even despite their highly public litigation efforts, ET is still maintaining its practice of concealing potentially damaging information. But that could change. On September 17, the Water Protector Legal Collective, which filed a motion this summer to intervene as a non-party in the ongoing legal battle between Greenpeace and ET, asked a North Dakota judge to lift a protective order that has guarded ET’s confidential documents related to pipeline safety and desecration of cultural sites. In the coming weeks, the judge could compel release of evidence relating to the spills of drilling fluid during the construction and operation of DAPL, along with a deposition of ET’s CEO Kelcy Warren, who is a close ally of Donald Trump.
The question for North Dakota is: Should you trust oil companies?
There’s a problem that most folks can see. North Dakota has 18 major petroleum pipelines and 9 major natural gas pipelines, which amounts to nearly 30,000 miles of pipeline, enough pipe to cross the state 88 times. A carbon pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions would add 333 more miles.
Who checks on pipeline safety? That’s the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the federal agency in charge, matched with some state inspectors. In 2023, PHMSA was 40 short of the required 247 pipeline inspectors on the job. There are at least 2.6 million miles of pipeline in the United States, so those folks are stretched thin. PHMSA has not yet written regulations for hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipelines, but there are hundreds of miles under construction or installed already. What kind of smart guys allow projects to proceed without any safeguards or regulations?
Then there are the state inspectors, or lack thereof. In North Dakota, online advertisements both offer services and seek more pipeline inspectors. One ad: “Looking for a fast pipeline inspection in North Dakota? FairLifts can help arrange a timely pipeline inspection and other helicopter services for you…”
Another issue: Who gets to ask oil companies about their pipelines? In one hearing, ET argued that it was not required to report loss of drilling fluids or other accidents to PHMSA while a pipeline is under construction. That’s a convenient argument—except it’s incorrect.
The lack of public knowledge about pipeline leaks, spills and other cases of groundwater degradation only incentivizes energy companies to criminally hide their messes. Part of that is a result of the state changing the designations of spill reporting. In 2019, the Associated Press reported that North Dakota’s Health Department logged more than 8,000 “reported releases” over the span of five years but did not make public updates on the severity of those spills or their cleanup status.
In 2014, 29 million gallons of oil-contaminated “produced water”—a waste product of hydraulic fracturing—was released into the environment by Summit Midstream Partners (no relation to Summit Carbon Solutions mentioned above). And in 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice fined the company $l5 million. As the DOJ reported, more than 700,000 barrels were discharged thereby contaminating Blacktail Creek and nearby land and groundwater, including 30 miles of tributaries of the Missouri River. The spill continued for five months before it was contained and reported as required by the Clean Water Act. By law, the federal fines in this case will go to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund used to respond and clean up future oil spills.
In March 2014, the Mid-Valley Pipeline, owned by Energy Transfer Partners, spilled 21,000 gallons of crude into the environment, including Ohio’s Oak Glen Nature Preserve. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
“Summit gave misleading and incomplete statements to the government about the duration and size of the spill,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, after Summit pleaded guilty in 2021. “Through the civil and criminal cases, Summit is being held responsible for its misconduct and must implement more rigorous environmental management to prevent and detect future spills as a condition of probation.” That’s just one company.
There’s definitely a disconnect in North Dakota regulations. Fundamentally, the question, asked by Natali Segovia, executive director of the Water Protector Legal Collective, remains for us all:
“Who is looking out for the health of the river, the fish and the 12 million people who live from Missouri River Water, including, 891 irrigation federal, state and tribal intakes from the Missouri? We cannot sit idly by and watch environmental regulations be rendered meaningless. They must count for something.”
It’s eight years after the Dakota Access Pipeline resistance at the river. The Standing Rock tribe is still seeking to close down the pipeline, the Environmental Impact Statement is in draft form and oil still runs North Dakota.
We might need more Water Protectors. You can’t drink oil.
Teaser image credit: In March 2014, the Mid-Valley Pipeline, owned by Energy Transfer Partners, spilled 21,000 gallons of crude into the environment, including Ohio’s Oak Glen Nature Preserve. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Winona LaDuke is a rural development economist working on issues of economic, food, and energy sovereignty. She lives and works on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, and leads several organizations including Honor the Earth, Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute, Akiing, and Winona’s Hemp. These organizations develop and model cultural-based sustainable development strategies utilizing renewable energy and sustainable food systems. She is an international thought leader in the areas of climate justice, renewable energy, and environmental justice. She is also a leader in the work of protecting Indigenous plants and heritage foods from patenting and genetic engineering. She has authored six books including; Recovering the Sacred, All our Relations, Last Standing Woman, and her newest work, The Winona LaDuke Chronicles.
New study highlights the dangers of handheld cellphone use among teen drivers
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
image:
Penn Nursing's Catherine C. McDonald, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Dr. Hildegarde Reynolds Endowed Term Chair of Primary Care Nursing; Professor of Nursing; Chair of Penn Nursing’s Department of Family and Community Health; and Co-director of the Penn Injury Science Center.
PHILADELPHIA (October 17, 2024) – A new study, conducted by a group of researchers led by Penn Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine and funded by the Centers for Disease Control, found a strong association between handheld cellphone use and risky driving behaviors among newly licensed teen drivers. The study, published online first in JAMA Open, used a smartphone telematics application to track the driving habits of hundreds of teens and identify potential safety risks.
The investigation found that teens who used their cellphones while driving were significantly more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as hard braking and rapid acceleration. These behaviors can increase the risk of accidents and injuries.
"This study provides further evidence of the dangers of handheld cellphone use while driving," said lead-author Catherine C. McDonald, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Dr. Hildegarde Reynolds Endowed Term Chair of Primary Care Nursing; Professor of Nursing; Chair of Penn Nursing’s Department of Family and Community Health; and Co-director of the Penn Injury Science Center. "It's crucial for teens and their parents to be aware of the risks and to take steps to avoid using their phones while driving."
The researchers used a smartphone telematics application to track the driving habits of 119 teen drivers over a period of 60 days. These teens were licensed for less than one year. They analyzed data on trip characteristics, speeding, handheld cellphone use, and risky driving events. The study found that over 1/3 of trips had handheld cellphones and speeding occurred in over 40% of trips. Handheld cellphone use and speeding was also associated with kinematic risky driving events.
"Smartphone telematics applications provide a valuable tool for studying driving behavior and for developing interventions to improve safety," said McDonald. "By identifying risky behaviors, we can develop targeted interventions to help teens become safer drivers."
The researchers recommend that teens and their parents develop strategies to avoid using cellphones while driving, such as putting their phones out of reach or using hands-free devices. They also encourage parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of distracted driving and to set a good example by avoiding cellphone use while driving themselves.
The research was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under award number: R49CE003083. Co-authors include: Kevin Rix, PhD, MPH, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Houston; Jeffrey P. Ebert, PhD, Penn Medicine Nudge Unit and the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Subhash Aryal, PhD, Department of Nursing Faculty, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing; Ruiying Xiong, MS, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Douglas J. Wiebe, PhD, University of Michigan; and M. Kit Delgado, MD, MS, Penn Medicine Nudge Unit and Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
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About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the ninth year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University. Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is among the top ranked programs in the nation according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. Our School also consistently ranks highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools and is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, & Instagram.
Kawasaki, Japan 16, October 16, 2024 – Fujitsu today announced that it has begun a project to develop a disinformation countermeasure platform alongside a consortium of leading academic and private sector organizations. Fujitsu was selected as a primary operator for this initiative in July 2024 through a public call for proposals by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (“NEDO”) (1). The effort is part of the Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration Program (“K Program”) (2), which was established with the collaboration of Japan’s Cabinet Office, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and other related Japanese ministries, to strengthen and drive Japan’s economic security. The consortium, assembled by Fujitsu, includes the National Institute of Informatics (NII), NEC Corporation, Keio Research Institute at SFC, Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Tech), The University of Tokyo, University of Aizu, Nagoya Institute of Technology, and Osaka University.
The project aims to develop the world’s first comprehensive disinformation countermeasure platform that can process false information from initial detection to evidence gathering, analysis, and evaluation, with development slated for completion by the end of fiscal year 2025.
Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Vice President, CTO, CPO, Fujitsu Limited, comments: “We are excited to be working on this initiative with a top-tier consortium of Japanese academic and private sector organizations that have a proven track record of combating disinformation. In addition to our consortium partners, Fujitsu will collaborate with relevant government agencies and other organizations to develop a robust countermeasure solution and contribute to solving this serious societal challenge.”
As prime operator of this project, Fujitsu will lead the R&D efforts, technology integration, and construction of the overall platform. Leveraging the latest trends in disinformation tactics and technologies, Fujitsu will also create use cases for public and private sector organizations, facilitating the practical application of the research findings.
Technology to be developed and consortium roles
１．Information analysis by media type and disinformation detection (Responsible parties: NII, NEC)
NII
Leveraging its track record in the field of fake media detection, NII will develop a technology to detect deepfakes of images, video and audio from social media posts and other content. The technology will identify how the media content has been created and any areas that have been manipulated and assign a confidence score which will be provided as supporting evidence.
NEC
NEC will develop media understanding technology that extracts content including images, video and audio as text and uses it to analyze matches with social media posts and to collect supporting information.
ï¼’．Evidence/endorsement management (Responsible parties: Keio Research Institute at SFC, Fujitsu, Osaka University)
Keio Research Institute at SFC and Fujitsu
Keio Research Institute at SFC which has a track record in the field of trusted internet architecture and Fujitsu develop technology to integrate evidence collected from the internet, including the analysis results from technology 1 above. This evidence will be structured and stored as an evidence/endorsement graph (3) to verify authenticity and assess impact.
Osaka University
Osaka University will leverage its expertise in IoT data analysis to develop technology to collect sensor data as a source of evidence. In cases where information for the target area is incomplete, the system will infer evidence based on available data from neighboring areas. This proactive, AI-driven evidence gathering, mimicking human information collection and inference, is a highly advanced initiative
３．Comprehensive authenticity determination (Responsible parties: Fujitsu, Nagoya Institute of Technology)
Fujitsu
Fujitsu will develop technology to analyze the consistency of evidence linked to target information using evidence/endorsement graphs from technology 2. This technology enables comprehensive information authenticity analysis, presenting the results and supporting evidence in a user-friendly manner.
Fujitsu will also develop a specialized Japanese LLM for disinformation countermeasures, utilizing its supercomputer (Fugaku) and LLM (Takane) expertise. This specialized LLM will enhance comprehension of news and social media data, improve logical reasoning capabilities, and enable high-speed, high-accuracy inference for authenticity verification while mitigating hallucinations.
Nagoya Institute of Technology
Fujitsu will collaborate with Nagoya Institute of Technology to develop a user interface and information provision technology based on cognitive science, considering factors related to human psychology (e.g., continued influence effect). This will help users to accurately judge the truthfulness of information and encourage appropriate actions, including making efforts to avoid the unintentional spread of false information.
ï¼”．Evaluation of disinformation impact (Responsible parties: Institute of Science Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, Aizu University)
Institute of Science Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, and University of Aizu, with their expertise in computational social science related to social media, will develop technology to assess the impact of disinformation. By extending LLMs to build an AI model for disinformation assessment, the three parties will analyze characteristics of disinformation, such as similarity to past disinformation and proliferation speed, focusing on the source, content, and social context of messages from social media data. This will allow for the evaluation of metrics such as proliferation scale and social impact. This development of technology to visualize and quantitatively assess the social impact of disinformation represents a highly advanced endeavor.
Future plans
In fiscal year 2024, the project will focus on analyzing use cases for private companies and public institutions, defining functional requirements, and initiating R&D of individual technologies, with the final system scheduled for development by the end of fiscal year 2025.
By developing this platform, Fujitsu and its consortium partners aim to contribute to economic stability in the face of increasing disinformation risk and with NEDO’s support aid in increasing new industry development, international competitiveness, and strengthening Japan’s global position.
Comments from partner academic-industrial organizations
Prof. Junichi Yamagishi, National Institute of Informatics, comments:
“Combating disinformation demands a sophisticated, integrated arsenal of technologies. Leveraging years of cutting-edge research in technology for detecting fake media, we are going to create a robust foundation for a powerful disinformation defense system.”
Motoo Nishihara, Corporate Executive Vice President and CTO, NEC Corporation, comments:
"We are excited to join this important initiative. As AI is linked to the production of increasingly sophisticated disinformation, AI-powered countermeasures are paramount. Leveraging NEC's cutting-edge AI technologies, we aim to contribute to the development of truly effective solutions."
Prof. Hiroyuki Kusumoto, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, and Project Professor Shigeya Suzuki, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, comment:
“Information on the internet nowadays is not only transmitted by individuals, but also by information systems utilizing LLMs. Leveraging cutting-edge digital identity technology, we will create a platform that meticulously tracks sender identity and information relationships, enabling multifaceted analysis for more informed and accurate end-user decision-making.”
Prof. Kazutoshi Sasahara, Institute of Science Tokyo, comments:
“The increasing scale and sophistication of disinformation pose a grave threat to our daily lives and democracy. With AI making truth increasingly indistinguishable from falsehood, developing technologies to assess the influence of disinformation is a critical, urgent task. We aim to spearhead the development of widely accessible tools to combat this escalating challenge.”
Prof. Masashi Toyoda, The University of Tokyo, comments:
"We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with experts from diverse fields in tackling the challenge of misinformation. We will leverage a wide range of expertise and technologies to build a foundational infrastructure for assessing the impact of disinformation."
Yasuhiro Hashimoto, Senior Associate Professor, Aizu University, comments:
“The generation and spread of disinformation pose a grave threat to societal stability and national security, demanding a multidisciplinary approach drawing on informatics, engineering, social sciences, and more. We will develop technologies to visualize the large-scale structures and complex relationships in which disinformation circulates, and build an environment where the dynamics of disinformation can be quickly viewed and analyzed.”
Prof. Yuko Tanaka, Nagoya Institute of Technology, comments:
"I am pleased to participate in this project that integrates cutting-edge technologies to address the increasingly sophisticated and serious circulation of disinformation. I am contributing to the development of interface design that effectively communicates the results—from disinformation detection to evaluation—by considering human cognitive characteristics."
Shin’ichi Arakawa, Associate Professor, Osaka University, comments:
"We are excited to be involved in R&D that addresses the growing problem of disinformation. Within the project, we will focus on practical research and development, and on delivering real-world impact, going beyond theoretical evaluation."
Notes
１．Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration Program Press Release regarding the Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration/Development of Disinformation Analysis Technology (K Program) (in Japanese):
Information added to the target information that serves as the basis for authenticity judgment, such as the sender (person or organization and its attributes), location, and date.
Fujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.7 trillion yen (US$26 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.
About National Institute of Informatics
NII is Japan's only academic research institute dedicated to the new discipline of informatics. Its mission is to "create future value" in informatics. NII conducts both long-term basic research and practical research aimed at solving social problems in a wide range of informatics research fields, from fundamental theories to the latest topics, such as artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, and information security.
As an inter-university research institute, NII builds and operates academic information infrastructure essential for the research and educational activities of the entire academic community (including the Science Information Network) as well as developing services such as those that enable the provision of academic content and service platforms.
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.
About Keio Research Institute at SFC
The Keio Research Institute at SFC was established in 1996. In its capacity as an academic entity and research institute affiliated with the Graduate School of Media and Governance, Graduate School of Health Management, Faculty of Policy Management, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, and Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, the institute serves as a platform for promoting advanced research activities and collaborative initiatives involving the community and local regions. By 2021, the institute had more than 40 laboratories (transdisciplinary research groups with advanced research missions) and more than 30 SFC research consortiums (joint research deployed by the Keio Research Institute at SFC in conjunction with a number of external organizations), and together with approximately 500 senior and guest researchers from various industries, government, and academia, aims to develop unique research to create a vital society. In this manner, the Keio Research Institute at SFC has an impressive wealth of experience and track record in the creation of pioneering knowledge through collaborations among industry, government, and academia.
Figure 2. Diagram of the disinformation countermeasure platform
About Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
The Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS) is one of the largest university-attached research institutes in Japan. UTokyo-IIS is comprised of over 120 research laboratories—each headed by a faculty member—and has over 1,200 members (approximately 400 staff and 800 students) actively engaged in education and research. Its activities cover almost all areas of engineering. Since its foundation in 1949, UTokyo-IIS has worked to bridge the huge gaps that exist between academic disciplines and real-world applications.
About University of Aizu
Nurtures talent who will exercise leadership in the knowledge-based society.Nurtures computer scientists and highly-skilled computer engineers who will create and exploit "knowledge" for the new era.Has first-class faculty members from almost twenty countries around the world.Provides an outstanding computer environment unparalleled by other universities.Established the graduate school open to the world, where English is used as the common language.Fosters students' latent limitless creativity by training critical thinking and appreciating their curiosity, free from preconceived ideas. https://u-aizu.ac.jp/en/
About Nagoya Institute of Technology
Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech) was founded as the first national institution of higher education in central Japan in order to develop the region as Japan’s center of industry. Maintaining a respect for this historic mission and acting as one of the leading engineering institutes in Japan, NITech shall therefore make its fundamental mission as follows: developing revolutionary science and technologies, fostering rich human resources, and contributing to peace and social welfare of the future by acting as a source to consistently produce and develop new industries and culture.
About Osaka University
Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of Japan’s imperial universities through strong demand from political and business circles in Osaka, as well as the people of Osaka City and Prefecture. The spiritual roots of Osaka University can be found in Kaitokudo and Tekijuku, educational institutions of the Edo period. After its merger with Osaka University of Foreign Studies in 2007, Osaka University became a comprehensive university with its own School of Foreign Studies. Boasting 11 undergraduate schools, 15 graduate schools, and 6 affiliated research institutes excelling in the fields of the humanities and social sciences, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, science, and engineering, Osaka University is one of Japan’s premier comprehensive research universities.
Osaka University will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2031. We will contribute to the creation of a society where each member feels worth living through co-creation with diverse stakeholders to solve local and global challenges in accordance with the university's motto of “Live Locally, Grow Globally.”
