Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: deVere Group

November 13 2025 – The US government shutdown has ended but now all investors' eyes turn to critical data that has been missing, says the CEO of global financial advisory giant deVere Group.

The comments from Nigel Green come as federal agencies begin recovering after being inactive since October 1, with employees returning on Thursday and departments preparing for a slow return to full function after forty-three days offline.

President Donald Trump has signed the funding bill that reopens government operations following the narrow House vote. Services restart immediately, yet the federal bureaucracy now faces a substantial backlog.

Markets welcomed the end of the impasse, although the political resolution does not settle the market narrative.

Investors now confront the arrival of delayed reports that will determine whether the economy continues to cool at a measured pace or whether conditions deteriorated more than expected during the shutdown.

Nigel Green says: “The reopening matters for the country, but the meaning for investors is found in the information that returns from this week. We move into a stretch when multiple, critical delayed reports land in quick succession.

“Markets have been trading without the numbers that normally shape expectations, and this changes the dynamic.”

The labor market is central to this shift. Private-sector data produced during the shutdown showed job losses averaging more than eleven thousand a week through late October.

The Chicago Federal Reserve's real-time unemployment estimate suggested a slight rise from September. These indicators implied that the labor market may be losing momentum after a long stretch of resilience.

Yet these figures arrived without the usual confirmation from government releases, and investors now wait to see whether official data aligns with those signals.

Nigel Green says: “The labor market holds the key to the next stage. Evidence from private studies points to cooling conditions.

“Investors need official confirmation to judge whether this cooling is modest and manageable or something more serious. The next reports give the Federal Reserve the clarity it has lacked during the shutdown.”

Expectations for the December policy decision remain mixed. A large share of economists see room for a rate cut if upcoming releases confirm that hiring has slowed without collapsing and that inflation retains its downward direction. Others argue that the Fed may wait for more than one month of clean data before acting.

This debate gives the next set of labor and inflation reports considerable influence over broader sentiment.

Nigel Green says: “The possibility of a December reduction stays open. Before October, inflation was easing and the labor market was softening.

“If the data supports that pattern, the conversation moves toward a more supportive policy setting. Investors then find renewed interest in US equities, especially Big Tech and companies tied to demand and investment growth.”

Government operations resuming this week help restore confidence in the broader functioning of the economy, although the administrative restart will not be quick.

“Agencies need time to process the backlog of filings, payments and regulatory work that accumulated during the shutdown.

“For the markets, the operational detail matters less than the fact that statistical releases now return to the calendar with full federal oversight restored.

Nigel Green says: “The federal system can finally perform its role. Investors now receive the information that guides the final stretch of the year. The shutdown attracted headlines, but the real story begins with the flood of data that's about to be published.”

He concludes: “This is a decisive phase as investors want confirmation that the economy can support the momentum seen through November.

“With agencies coming back to life, the focus turns to the numbers that will show the true state of hiring, spending and prices.

“These will shape the remainder of the year and determine whether current investor positioning is justified or not.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: ONEKEY

ONEKEY IoT & OT Cybersecurity Report 2025: The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) poses new challenges for organizations, particularly when it comes to defining responsibilities across departments and functions.

Düsseldorf, 13 November 2025 – The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) requires industry players to take extensive measures starting this year to ensure the secure development and monitoring of products that can withstand hacker attacks. However, the question of who is responsible for complying with this EU regulation to strengthen product cybersecurity remains largely unresolved across the industrial sector. This is one of the findings of the latest IoT & OT Cybersecurity Report by Düsseldorf-based cybersecurity company ONEKEY. For the study, 300 organizations were surveyed about their CRA strategies for Operational Technology (OT), such as industrial control systems, and the Internet of Things (IoT), from smart buildings to industrial robots.

CRA Covers a Broad Range of Topics

According to the survey, the main responsibility for meeting CRA requirements lies with IT security in 46 percent of companies. In just over one-fifth (21 percent), the compliance department holds primary responsibility. In 18 percent of cases, top management is in charge, followed by the legal department in 16 percent, and product development in 15 percent of the organizations surveyed. “The responsibilities need to be more clearly defined and consolidated,” said Jan Wendenburg, CEO of ONEKEY, analyzing the results. “The wide range of CRA stakeholders within the industry reflects the fact that the regulation itself covers a broad spectrum of topics,” he explained.

Manufacturers of connected products must now design their devices, machines, and systems to be secure from the ground up (security by design) and ensure that they continue to meet CRA requirements throughout their entire lifecycle. “This is clearly an area where engineering and product development play a central role,” said Jan Wendenburg, CEO of ONEKEY. In addition, vendors are required to report any actively exploited vulnerabilities and serious incidents affecting the security of their products within 24 hours to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the relevant national Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). “That responsibility typically falls to the IT security department,” explained Jan Wendenburg.

Suppliers are also obligated to provide regular security updates to fix known vulnerabilities and maintain product safety. Equally important is maintaining comprehensive documentation for all products, including a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), which ensures full transparency and traceability of all software components used. “These tasks usually fall under the remit of development and production,” said Jan Wendenburg.

However, the related documentation proving compliance with CRA requirements is primarily the responsibility of product management, working closely with the compliance department, he added. Violations of the EU regulation can result in fines of up to €15 million or 2.5 percent of global annual turnover, whichever is higher—making this a critical issue for corporate legal teams. Finally, the risk of personal liability for executives and board members should not be underestimated, which explains why top management is increasingly becoming directly involved in the practical implementation of the Cyber Resilience Act.

Jan Wendenburg emphasized: “The Cyber Resilience Act is truly cross-departmental and cross-functional, which means responsibility within organizations is not immediately clear. What may first appear to be confusion over accountability is, on closer inspection, understandable. The challenge for industry lies in meeting the full scope of the EU regulation.”

Software Development Scarcely Involved—Despite the Critical Role of the SBOM

The study revealed a wide range of roles involved in CRA implementation across organizations. In 18 percent of organizations, product managers are responsible for CRA compliance, followed by compliance officers in 17 percent, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in 15 percent, and cybersecurity analysts in 11 percent. Surprisingly, heads of software development are responsible in only 8 percent of companies, even though the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) represents a crucial element for fulfilling CRA requirements. Under the regulation, all manufacturers delivering connected products to the EU are required to provide an SBOM as part of their technical documentation. This document must include detailed information about every individual software component, ensuring transparency, traceability, and accountability throughout the product's lifecycle.

“The SBOM is the weakest link in the compliance chain for the Cyber Resilience Act,” said Jan Wendenburg, CEO of ONEKEY. He explained: “The CRA requires a precise inventory of all components, libraries, frameworks, and dependencies — including exact version numbers, license information, and an overview of all known vulnerabilities. If even one of these components contains an exploitable vulnerability that has already been used in an attack, the affected product or software version may not be placed on the market. For existing products, authorities must be notified within 24 hours. Considering that more than 2,000 new software vulnerabilities emerge every month, this is no easy task — and without automated verification, it's practically impossible to manage.”

Over 40 Percent of Companies Now Have CRA-Specific Structures

To understand how organizations are addressing the cross-functional and interdisciplinary requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act, ONEKEY asked whether firms have created dedicated collaboration structures. The findings: 28 percent have set up working groups across departments, while 13 percent have even formed dedicated CRA teams. Nearly a third (32 percent) of respondents, however, have no specific team structure for handling CRA compliance.

Among the companies with dedicated structures, 18 percent said their CRA teams include four to ten people, and 15 percent said up to three people are involved. In nearly 8 percent of cases, more than ten employees work on CRA implementation — covering everything from product development and SBOM creation to vulnerability management and compliance processes.

“It's encouraging that more than 40 percent of organizations have established some form of internal structure to manage CRA implementation,” Jan Wendenburg noted. “Ultimately, cybersecurity isn't about ticking regulatory boxes — it's about protecting the company from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks with potentially dramatic consequences.”

ONEKEY offers a fully automated Product & Cybersecurity Compliance Platform that streamlines SBOM creation, vulnerability management, and compliance verification — saving organizations significant time, cost, and effort.

For companies just beginning their CRA journey, ONEKEY also provides a CRA Readiness Assessment Workshop, offering a hands-on introduction to the regulation. Participants learn how the CRA specifically impacts their organization and receive a personalized evaluation plan. Through a detailed process review, the workshop assesses key areas such as software development and vulnerability management, while a gap analysis identifies compliance weaknesses and provides practical steps for remediation. At the end of the workshop, each company receives a tailored roadmap showing how to structure and efficiently implement CRA requirements in a way that strengthens both compliance and cybersecurity resilience.

ONEKEY is the leading European specialist in Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Management and part of the investment portfolio of PricewaterhouseCoopers Germany (PwC). The unique combination of the automated ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) with expert knowledge and consulting services provides fast and comprehensive analysis, support, and management to improve product cybersecurity and compliance from product purchasing, design, development, production to end-of-life.

Critical vulnerabilities and compliance violations in device firmware are automatically identified in binary code by AI-based technology in minutes – without source code, device, or network access. Proactively audit software supply chains with integrated Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) generation. “Digital Cyber Twins” enable automated 24/7 post-release cybersecurity monitoring throughout the product lifecycle.

The patent-pending, integrated ONEKEY Compliance Wizard already covers the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and requirements according to IEC 62443-4-2, ETSI EN 303 645, UNECE R 155 and many others.

The Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is effectively supported by the integrated automatic prioritisation of vulnerabilities, significantly reducing the time to remediation.

Leading international companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas already benefit from the ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) and ONEKEY Cybersecurity Experts.

Source: deVere Group

November 13 2025 – UK recession concerns are rising sharply after the latest figures revealed a far weaker run of growth and a notable rise in unemployment ahead of the November 26 Budget, warns the CEO of a global financial advisory giant.

The warning from Nigel Green of deVere Group comes as new figures reveal that the UK economy expanded by only 0.1% in the third quarter while unemployment has climbed to 5%, its highest level in four years.

The combination of fading momentum and job-market stress is sharpening fears that the country is moving into a far more fragile period at the worst possible moment.

Nigel Green says: “A depressing 0.1% growth rate tells investors the economy is moving with barely any forward motion. When expansion slips to this level, confidence weakens, investment decisions slow and earnings pressure increases across the board.”

He continues: “The rise in unemployment adds another layer of concern. A shift from 4.8% to 5% may sound small, but direction always matters more than magnitude at this stage of the cycle. Once households experience income strain, the slowdown feeds through spending, borrowing and business expectations.”

Nigel Green also says: “Recession fears are rising because the signals are lining up at the same time. Weak output, higher unemployment and looming tax increases form a combination that investors cannot ignore. People are now asking whether the UK has enough underlying strength to withstand another policy squeeze.”

September's contraction, driven in part by the sharp fall in manufacturing output following the cyberattack that halted production at Jaguar Land Rover for several weeks, has underscored how vulnerable the economy is to shocks.

The drop in car and trailer output, down more than a quarter, was severe enough to reduce overall monthly GDP.

Nigel Green says: “Events like the JLR shutdown don't, typically, stay contained. They ripple across supply chains, contractors, logistics and local economies. When underlying growth is already thin, those ripples gain weight. Investors are reading this as a sign that the UK entered autumn with far less momentum than previously imagined.”

Attention now turns to the November 26 Budget, which is expected to deliver one of the tightest fiscal statements in recent years. Analysts widely expect significant tax increases at a moment when growth, confidence and employment are already under pressure.

The deVere CEO says: “The timing of this Budget could define the direction of the economy for much of next year. Investors are bracing for tax rises that will hit both households and companies. When fiscal tightening lands during a slowdown, the effects multiply. Businesses delay decisions, consumers pull back and capital waits for clarity.”

He adds: “The Chancellor faces an unenviable task. She must address fiscal pressures without tipping the country into contraction. But investors are already factoring in the likelihood of heavier tax burdens, and that is contributing to more cautious positioning.”

Fresh weakness in interest-rate-sensitive sectors, softer sterling and subdued business surveys reflect the growing sense that the country may be entering a delicate period. Markets are now questioning whether the UK has enough underlying strength to absorb tighter policy without slipping into recession.

“Markets are adjusting because the signals are pointing in the same direction. Slower growth, higher unemployment and the expectation of tax increases create a difficult backdrop. Investors understand how these forces interact, and they are preparing for a year shaped by caution rather than confidence,” comments Nigel Green.

For savers and investors, the environment demands preparation, not complacency.

Exposure to assets tied closely to domestic demand may require reassessment. Income-dependent strategies must account for employment softness. Long-term plans may need recalibration if tax policy becomes more restrictive.

Nigel Green says: “Savers and investors must not approach this phase on autopilot. They need portfolios built for resilience. They need to scrutinise how much of their wealth is linked to the UK's cycle, and whether that alignment still serves their goals. Acting early is always better than reacting late.”

He concludes: “The UK appears to be stepping into a period defined by slower growth and difficult fiscal choices. Investors must approach this moment with advice, discipline, and a clear understanding of the risks and opportunities this shift creates.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: Equinor

13 NOVEMBER 2025 – Camilla Salthe has been appointed executive vice president for Safety, Security, and Sustainability (SSU) with effect 1 January 2026.

Salthe come from the position as senior vice president for the UK and Ireland in Exploration and Production International (EPI) and succeeds Jannicke Nilsson who will assume the position of chief procurement officer and senior vice president procurement and supplier relations (PSR) in Projects Drilling and Procurement (PDP).

“I am very pleased to welcome Camilla to the corporate executive committee. She has a strong leadership background that no doubt will further shape and build our safety, security and sustainability area.Her broad experience will further bring valuable perspectives to the corporate executive committee. I also want to take the opportunity to thank Jannicke for her strong contributions to the CEC since 2016 and specifically for the valuable work done within safety, security and sustainability since 2021” says CEO Anders Opedal.

“I am highly motivated to contribute to further developing our strong safety culture, building an equally strong culture within security, and supporting a balanced approach to our energy transition” says Camilla Salthe.

Camilla Salthe has held several senior leadership positions across Equinor since she joined the company in 2003. She holds a master’s degree in reservoir engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Source: University of Sydney (UoS)

Liberal shadow ministers have opted to drop net zero by 2050 target.

Dr Niranjika Wijesooriya Gunarathne, School of Physics, Net Zero Institute – Expertise: net zero, climate finance, how private organisations, public institutions and developing nations finance their transition to net zero. She is currently building a new process to help organisations in developing nations access climate finance called Integrated NetZero Strategy valuation.

Dr Wijesooriya Gunarathne said:

“The Liberal Party’s decision to abandon Australia’s Net Zero commitment is not about removing an economic burden  it’s about walking away from one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time. The world is moving toward a $12 trillion transition economy by 2030, driven by clean energy, low-carbon technologies, and green innovation. While other nations are investing to secure their place in this new economy, Australia risks being left behind, clinging to an outdated model built on coal and mining industries that are rapidly becoming stranded national economy.

“We have world-class research capabilities in renewables, green hydrogen, and sustainable systems, yet we continue to lease our mines and return minimal value to the Australian people. Instead of leveraging our scientific strength and natural advantages to build a resilient, competitive economy, we are choosing to retreat.

“The real risk is not the cost of transition, but the cost of inaction. By turning away from Net Zero, we are turning away from innovation, investment, and the prosperity of future generations.  This is a failure to understand strategy in the context of  policy decisions as a political movement.”

Associate Professor Michele Barnes, Associate Professor and Head of the Social Dynamics and Environmental Change Lab, School of Project Management & Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney – Expertise: Climate adaptation and transformation for frontline communities, systems-aware climate planning, equity and justice in climate resilience.

A/ Prof Barnes said:

“Australians are already feeling the impacts of climate change, from rising insurance premiums to food price shocks, and these pressures compound the cost-of-living crisis.

“We’ve seen this firsthand: families in the Northern Rivers still rebuilding after multiple catastrophic floods, and communities across Queensland and Victoria hit by back-to-back disasters.

“Climate related disasters are estimated to cost Australia up to $94 billion a year by 2060 and our National Climate Risk Assessment, just released, warns climate impacts will escalate, with millions of people at risk from coastal hazards by 2090.

“Weakening our climate commitments won’t ease household bills; it will make them worse by undermining investment in clean energy and resilience.”

Source: Flinders University

As South Australia continues to feel the effects of drought, more citizen scientists are being called on to help measure whether urban development and habitat loss are affecting outer metropolitan koala populations.  

Koala populations in South Australia are under increasing pressure from drought, disease (including chlamydia), habitat loss and the lingering effects of bushfires – and this year’s Great Koala Count census, being conducted between November 15-23, will help measure their effect.  

The Great Koala Count – part of a larger program called the National Koala Monitoring Program (NKMP) – aims to establish a robust, long-lasting monitoring capability to accurately monitor trends in koala populations.

In particular, citizen scientists and residents in the Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges, Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, South-East, Riverland and Eyre Peninsula will be vital to collecting the latest numbers.  

“This year’s Annual Great Koala Count in South Australia is providing more than just a census of a species — it’s a call to action, to assist the local koala population,” says Flinders University’s Professor Karen Burke da Silva, who leads the SA National Koala Monitoring Program.

“We’re particularly concerned about how this year’s drought may be influencing koala numbers, so this count will help us understand the environmental stressors affecting these animals and guide future conservation efforts.”

These critical factors include monitoring the continuing effects of chlamydia on koala health, and understanding how koalas are adapting to major changes on Kangaroo Island, where recent plantation removals and bushfire recovery efforts have altered the landscape.

Professor Burke da Silva is pleased that last year’s survey set a high benchmark with 367 data submissions from participants— but aims to attract even more volunteer koala counters, to help improve the accuracy of data.

She is encouraging the public to download the Koala Spotter mobile phone app and record sightings around the state between Saturday 15 November and Sunday 23 November.

By recording koala sightings on their Koala Spotter app, participants will help identify zones of koala abundance, which can be used to inform successful conservation strategies in other areas. “The end goal is to ensure that koalas not only survive, but thrive in South Australia.”

This important South Australian initiative has now gained national attention, with the Flinders University research team driving the South Australian National Koala Monitoring Program recently winning a Eureka Prize for Scientific Engagement through this important wildlife monitoring.

• Download the Koala Spotter app here: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/koala-spotter/id6450281064 – or the Google Play Store (Android), or visit the Great Koala Count Website www.nkmp.org.au

Source: Amnesty International

• First-of-its-kind mapping exercise, paired with multi-country qualitative research, reveals depth and scale of potential harm by industry
• 520 million children live within 5km of fossil fuel infrastructure – including potential ‘sacrifice zones’ 
• Pollution and cultural pillage by coercion, intimidation and delegitimization of land and environmental human rights defenders.

Fossil fuel infrastructure poses risks for the health and livelihoods of at least 2 billion people globally, roughly a quarter of the world’s population, Amnesty International and Better Planet Laboratory said in a new report on the fossil fuel industry’s harms to climate, people and ecosystems across the world.

The report, Extraction Extinction: Why the lifecycle of fossil fuels threatens life, nature, and human rights, demonstrates that the full lifecycle of fossil fuels destroys irreplaceable natural ecosystems and undermines human rights, particularly of those living near fossil fuel infrastructure. Proximity to coal, oil and gas infrastructure has been proven to elevate risks of cancer, cardiovascular illness, adverse reproductive outcomes and other negative health outcomes. Amnesty International partnered with Better Planet Laboratory (BPL), at the University of Colorado Boulder, for a first-of-its-kind mapping exercise to estimate the potential scale of global harm from existing and future sites for the production of fossil fuels.

“The ever-expanding fossil fuel industry is endangering billions of lives and irreversibly altering the climate system. Until now, there had been no global estimate of the number of people who live in close proximity to fossil fuel infrastructure. Our work together with BPL reveals the scale of the massive risks posed by fossil fuels throughout their lifespan. Coal, oil and gas projects are driving climate chaos, harming people and nature,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

“This report provides yet more evidence of the imperative for states and corporate actors to ’defossilize’ the global economy to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis on human rights. The age of fossil fuels must end now.”

Leading on research and global calculations, BPL mapped the scale of exposure to fossil fuel infrastructure, by overlaying data on the known locations of fossil fuel infrastructure sites with gridded population data, datasets that are indicators of critical ecosystems, data on global gridded daily emissions, and data on Indigenous Peoples’ land tenure. BPL’s findings are likely to underestimate the true global scales due to discrepancies in documentation of fossil fuel projects and limited census data across countries.

The report is also based on in-depth qualitative research conducted in partnership with Columbia Law School’s Smith Family Human Rights Clinic and consisting of interviews of more than 90 people, including directly affected individuals from artisanal fishing communities in Brazil (Guanabara Bay), Indigenous land defenders in Canada (Wet’suwet’en territory) and coastal communities in Senegal (Saloum Delta), academics, journalists, CSOs and government officials. It also uses open-source data and remote sensing to corroborate and visualize findings. These were complemented by the results and conclusions of Amnesty International’s past research and ongoing campaigns against oil and gas giants in Ecuador, Colombia and Nigeria.

Staggering magnitudes of at-risk population

At least 2 billion people live within 5km of more than 18,000 operating fossil fuel infrastructure sites distributed across 170 countries around the world. Of these, more than 520 million are estimated to be children and at least 463 million are living within 1km of the sites exposing them to much higher environmental and health risks.  

Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately exposed, with over 16% of global fossil fuel infrastructure sited on Indigenous territories. At least 32% of the existing fossil fuel sites mapped out overlapped with one or more ‘critical ecosystems.’*

The fossil fuel industry continues to expand, with more than 3,500 fossil fuel infrastructure sites either proposed, in development, or under construction globally. BPL figures suggest that such expansion could put at least 135 million additional people at risk. Notably, the number of oil and gas projects is set to increase across all continents while the number of coal plants and mines is increasing mostly in China and India.

“Governments have pledged to phase out fossil fuels, but we now have clear evidence showing new fossil fuel projects continue to expand preferentially in our most critical ecosystems globally. This is a direct contradiction with stated climate goals,” said Ginni Braich, a Senior Data Scientist at BPL who led the paper underpinning the report’s global findings.

The human cost of fossil fuel production

“We’re experiencing intergenerational battle fatigue… We physically won’t survive [this]. We were never the instigators but we have taken the brunt of all the violence,” said Wet’suwet’en land defender Tsakë ze’ Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), while describing the imminent construction of new compressors set to increase the profitability of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline in Canada.

Extracting, processing and transporting fossil fuels undermines the human rights of neighbouring communities and causes severe environmental degradation, health risks, and loss of culture and livelihood.

Some of the groups interviewed described extraction as a form of economic or cultural pillage, perpetrated by corporate actors through intimidation and coercion. “We are not after money; we only want what is ours. We just want to fish in Guanabara Bay, it's our right. And they are taking our rights,” said Bruno Alves de Vega, an urban artisanal fisher from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

All environmental human rights and Indigenous land defenders interviewed by Amnesty International faced severe safety and security risks, often stemming from disputes with companies whose activities threaten traditional ways of life and ecosystem integrity.

Beyond physical and online threats, states and corporate actors have relied on lawfare, abusing legal action, including criminal proceedings, to silence, delegitimize and intimidate defenders. “When we rise up to defend the Yin’tah (Wet’suwet’en territory), we are criminalized. Civil injunctions are a colonial legal weapon that has become a mechanism for the militarization of our community, criminalization of our People, and for companies to carry out destructive extraction without Indigenous consent,” said other Wet’suwet’en land defenders.

Members of communities living in close proximity to fossil fuel infrastructure condemned the lack of direct and meaningful consultation and transparency from corporate actors. Many reported not fully understanding the scope of operators’ ongoing activities or expansion plans and stated that they had not consented to projects affecting their territory.

People interviewed by Amnesty International in the Saloum Delta in Senegal raised concerns regarding the poor dissemination of accessible information about the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Sangomar project by authorities and project operator Woodside, a major Australian fossil fuel company.

“These case studies are but a few examples of a globalized problem. Most affected groups condemned the power imbalance between their communities and corporate operators, as well as the lack of effective remedy. The fossil fuel era is inevitably coming to an end and states must stop criminalizing environmental human rights defenders fighting to protect their communities,” said Candy Ofime, Researcher and Legal Advisor on climate justice at Amnesty International.

“States must investigate physical and online threats defenders face and put in place robust protection programmes to ensure critical voices advocating for an urgent and equitable energy transition can safely and meaningfully shape climate action.”

Destruction of irreplaceable natural ecosystems

Most of the projects documented created pollution hotspots, turning nearby communities and critical ecosystems into ‘sacrifice zones’.** Exploration, processing, site development, transportation and decommissioning of fossil fuels caused or risked harm to people and wildlife, led to severe pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and damaged key biodiversity areas or carbon sinks.

Despite commitments made under international climate agreements and repeated calls by the UN to urgently phase out fossil fuels, government actions have been wholly inadequate. Fossil fuels still account for 80% of the global primary energy supply, while the industry is intensifying efforts to exert undue influence in climate policy forums to prevent their rapid phase out.

“States should be embarking on a full, fast, fair and funded phase out of fossil fuels, and a just transition to renewable energy produced in a manner consistent with human rights. Amnesty International urgently calls for the adoption and implementation of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty,” said Agnès Callamard.

“The climate crisis is a manifestation and catalyst of deep-rooted injustices. This report responds to the host nation Brazil’s vision for this year’s COP30 to be a forum for the meaningful participation of forest peoples, including Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities and civil society. Our report exposes the magnitude of climate and human rights harms associated with fossil fuel production across the world, illustrating the industry’s disparate impact on Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities and highlighting the resistance they are mounting.

“The fossil fuel industry and its state sponsors have argued for decades that human development requires fossil fuels. But we know that under the guise of economic growth, they have served instead greed and profits without red lines, violated rights with near-complete impunity and destroyed the atmosphere, biosphere and oceans. Against these continuing patterns, against the global fossil fuel political economy of repression, we must resist collectively and demand that world leaders deliver on their obligations and commitments. Humanity must win.”

*Critical ecosystems: natural environments that are rich in biodiversity, critical for carbon sequestration and/or where continued environmental degradation or disasters would trigger cascading ecosystem collapse.  

** Sacrifice zone: a heavily contaminated area where low-income and marginalized groups bear the disproportionate burden of exposure to pollution and toxic substances

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

One month into a fragile ceasefire that has taken effect in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians continue to face tremendous hardship, says Caroline Seguin, MSF Emergency Coordinator in Gaza.

“One month into this fragile ceasefire, the situation in Gaza remains desperate. Palestinians are still being killed and injured by Israeli forces almost every day in the areas close to the yellow line, behind which Israel maintains control. Palestinians often risk their lives by going back to look for their houses – as this line is still not always clearly marked. To make matters worse, some main hospitals are in areas controlled by Israeli forces, which means safe access to healthcare is reduced.

The Israeli authorities continue to impose significant restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza. MSF and other organisations are struggling to bring vital aid into Gaza, especially medical equipment, shelters, hygiene items, and spare parts for vital infrastructure.

The needs are tremendous; people are suffering and it’s entirely avoidable.

Living conditions in Gaza remain appalling. After being forcibly displaced repeatedly, many Palestinians are still living in makeshift tents and without access to running water and electricity, next to piles of rubbish and overflowing sewage. We see people’s health affected by these dire conditions, causing respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal infections. Winter is coming soon, with temperatures dropping and heavy rains and wind expected.

The Israeli authorities must immediately allow a massive scale up of unimpeded humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

Source: deVere Group

November 12 2025 – A reported leadership rift at the heart of the UK government has left the pound holding its ground for now, but investors are starting to question how long that calm can last, warns the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has denied claims that he is positioning himself to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, but the speculation has reignited talk of internal tension at a politically delicate moment. It comes ahead of a critical Budget on 26 November, with unease growing over potential tax rises to fill a £30 billion fiscal gap.

Nigel Green of deVere Group says: “Markets are watching Westminster closely.

“Government leadership rumors surfacing before a crucial Budget reinforce the sense that the government is under strain.

“Investors aren't yet pricing in political instability, but they're alert to the risk that this story could return in the new year.”

He continues: “We believe there's unlikely to be an immediate leadership challenge after the Budget — the priority will be getting through it cleanly, but this will be extremely tough after it looks like income tax rises are now almost inevitable.

“The greater risk in terms of a leadership threat comes in May, after the local elections.

“If Labour performs badly, the internal pressure will intensify, and at that point we would expect a full-on leadership contest.”

Nigel Green adds that the issue extends beyond Starmer personally.

“Prime Minister Starmer and [Finance Minister] Reeves are politically intertwined. Investors see them as one fiscal partnership, the team that restored a sense of economic discipline after years of turbulence. If one of them goes, both could fall, we believe. This scenario would unsettle markets instantly.”

Sterling trades around $1.315 against the dollar, slightly firmer against the euro, with gilt yields stable. “The pound is resilient for now,” says Nigel Green, “but this calm depends on confidence that the government will deliver a credible Budget and remain politically unified afterwards in the run up to next year's local election.

“If investors begin to get a whiff of a leadership shift in the middle of next year, that stability will fade.”

He notes that global investors have a short fuse for renewed uncertainty.

“Bond traders, in particular, remember the 2022 gilt turmoil vividly,” he says. “Any sign that the government's fiscal direction could change would push yields higher as markets demand a premium for political risk.

“The pound would soften as international investors move capital elsewhere.”

The months ahead will test whether the government can preserve stability while pursuing fiscal restraint.

“The Budget will be about numbers, but the market focus is credibility and continuity,” he says.

“They will not tolerate leadership upheaval.”

He continues: “If the Budget lands badly, and the party's polling deteriorates through spring, the leadership story will gather momentum.

“That's when you start to see the political risk premium widen — first in gilts, then in sterling. It can happen very quickly once confidence in leadership continuity is gone.”

Nigel Green concludes: “The pound's steadiness today could be temporary — it reflects hope that leadership rumours will stay quiet.

“Investors are watching carefully, aware that the calm can break without warning, especially in light of the upcoming critical Budget and nervousness around the local elections next year.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.