Latest news with #ILC
Daily Mirror
27-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Breast cancer warning issued to all women as common sign won't always appear
More difficult to notice and poorly understood, lobular breast cancer is finally coming under the spotlight but it's not as easy to spot the signs, especially one common one woman look for Lobular breast cancer, also known as invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), is more common than ovarian and skin cancer yet there is little awareness of it. According to Cancer Research UK, one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and around 15% of those will have ILC. BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire, 56, was diagnosed with the disease in 2015. ILC is different to the most common form of ductal breast cancer. Instead of starting in the breast ducts, it starts in the lobules, the glands that produce milk, and grows in a spider's web pattern. Cancer cells infect the tissue around the glands and rarely show in lumps, so it is harder to spot and likely to be diagnosed later. At least a fifth of ILC cases return years later. When this happens, the cancer becomes even harder to treat. And yet it's an under-diagnosed subtype of breast cancer that is underfunded and poorly understood. Kate Ford, a campaigner from the Lobular MoonShot Project (LMSP), says, 'The basic biology of this disease has never been studied and it has no specific treatment. ILC needs a moon shot approach – a fast injection of cash – to research funding.' On 24 June, 22 women led by LMSP Founder Dr Susan Michaelis, who sadly passed away from ILC on 9 July, held a vigil outside 10 Downing Street and delivered a petition backed by more than 350 MPs to the Prime Minister, calling for urgent funding for ILC research. Symptoms to watch out for Lobular breast cancer rarely forms lumps. Instead, the things to look out for include an area of thickening or swelling around the breast, a change in the nipple, for example it becoming inverted, or a change in the skin, such as dimpling, puckering or even a small new mark. Don't ignore other changes Cancer Research UK suggests people should also look out for pain and itching, a new lump in your breast or armpit, a change in the size, shape or feel of your breast, skin changes in the breast such as a rash or redness of the skin, fluid leaking from the nipple in a woman who isn't pregnant or breastfeeding and/or changes in the position of the nipple. If you see any of these symptoms you're advised to visit your doctor. Get a diagnosis Your GP will refer you to a clinic if they believe you might have ILC. They will examine your breasts and check for swollen lymph nodes. They may use a mammogram, an ultrasound if you're under 35, a biopsy or an MRI scan. MRI and biopsy are the most effective detection tools for ILC. Mammograms and ultrasound often fail to show the presence of the disease. How ILC is treated ILC is currently treated with chemotherapy, surgery and drugs to reduce the level of oestrogen, which cancer cells need to grow. Chemo works best on fast-dividing cells, but lobular breast cancer is not fast dividing, so the efficacy of chemo on ILC is not entirely understood. Depending on the size and abnormality, whether cells have receptors for drugs, your general health and age, a doctor will consider the best treatment, but generally it is the same as for the more common types of breast cancer. Hope for the future The Lobular Moon Shot Project is campaigning to raise £20min government funding to carry out vital research on ILC in partnership with the Manchester Breast Centre and led by breast biology expert Professor Rob Clarke.'With this funding, we could potentially develop a drug and begin testing it on patients within the next five years,' he says. "The fear of recurrence is always with me" Lobular Moon Shot Project campaigner, teacher and mum-of-three Katie Swinburne, 49, was diagnosed with ILC in 2023. 'Prior to my diagnosis, I was extremely fit and healthy, and took care with the food I ate. I remember the morning I found a lump very clearly. It appeared overnight after two years of other symptoms including pain and itching. It was extremely large, but in my ignorance I thought it was a cyst. 'I went to see my GP and was sent to have a mammogram, the nan ultrasound. The sonographer felt the lump but was confident there was nothing to worry about. He performed a biopsy to try and establish what the lump was. 'At my next appointment, a consultant came in, followed by a nurse. I was soon to learn the nurse was a Macmillan nurse. I was smiling and chatting away to the consultant, expecting to be sent on my way, when he said, 'We have the results – you have an invasive lobular carcinoma.' 'Hearing the words 'you have cancer' is like nothing else. My life, my body and my future were no longer assured. At the time of my diagnosis, my children were 10, 12 and 14. The thought of leaving them left me breathless. 'A whirlwind of appointments followed, including CT, MRI and DEXA scans. I had a double mastectomy and dose-dense chemotherapy, then radiotherapy. The nurses are angels. They hold your hand through it all. You find reserves you never knew you had. 'The fear of recurrence is always with me. I'm two years on from diagnosis and still too young for screening. Had that lump not appeared, my story might be very different. I think we need to start education and screening at a much younger age.' The Macmillan Support Line offers free, confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Call for free within the UK on 0808 808 0000
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FDIC proposes inflation index, changes to ILC rules
This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. In a meeting of its board Tuesday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. made clear it was set on rolling back certain Biden-era regulations. A resolution approved Tuesday would withdraw a proposal from last August that would have required industrial loan company charter applicants to prove their independence from their parent firms and let the FDIC evaluate whether an ILC would meet its community's lending needs. The FDIC's now-acting chair, Travis Hill, dissented with the proposal last year, calling it an 'odd place to start' with regard to ILCs – a divisive setup that opponents argue would allow large corporations to provide banking services without oversight from the Federal Reserve. The FDIC did not approve any ILC charter applications for more than a decade before giving green lights to fintech Square (now Block) and student loan servicer Nelnet in 2020. And ILCs' approval prospects have been rocky since. Hill, however, has sought to embrace ways to encourage new bank formation, including ILCs. Since Hill became the FDIC's acting chair in January, carmaker Nissan has applied for an ILC charter and two previous applicants – GM and investment firm Edward Jones – have resubmitted their paperwork. For its part, the FDIC issued a request for information that gives interested parties 60 days to comment publicly on changes the agency could make to its ILC charter application evaluation process. 'Although many of the arguments related to ILCs are familiar, sustained interest in the charter by a diverse set of institutions suggests that a wide-ranging RFI would be a helpful step,' Hill said in a statement. 'As I have said previously, I believe our ultimate objective should be a policy statement or similar issuance that provides clarity on how the FDIC interprets the applicable statutory factors in the context of ILC filings.' ILCs are hardly the only space in which the FDIC moved Tuesday to reverse Biden-era policy. The agency also proposed rescinding a 2023 revision of the Community Reinvestment Act. The 2023 version takes into account banks' online presence, requiring banks to lend in lower-income communities where they have a concentration of mortgage and small-business loans, rather than just where their branches are. The rule also reclassifies banks by size, defining small banks as those with less than $600 million in assets, and subjecting banks with between $600 million and $2 billion in assets to a retail lending test. The 2023 rule, floated under Democratic leadership, came after the Republican-led Office of the Comptroller of the Currency proposed a CRA rewrite in 2020. That was later rescinded. Tuesday's proposal, teased in March, would revert the CRA to its 1995 standard. The FDIC on Tuesday also proposed a tweak in the way it handles the appeal of supervision recommendations and orders. The agency would create an independent Office of Supervisory Appeals, meant to increase transparency and consistency in the appeals process, and de-politicize it. This, too, marks a return to a Republican-led effort at the agency. The FDIC in 2020 proposed creating an independent, stand-alone office focused on reviewing and deciding supervisory appeals, Hill said. Though the office launched in 2021, it was disbanded before hearing any appeals, amid a change in leadership at the agency, he added. 'The rationale for instituting the new office four years ago remains the same today,' Hill said in a statement. The FDIC aims to recruit external, impartial candidates 'who are less likely to have established relationships with individuals involved in the supervisory process,' Hill said. Officials would also serve time-limited terms, so longer-term career goals wouldn't cloud judgment, he said. Also, limiting the office's scope to the resolution of appeals means officials will give 'each case the proper level of attention and diligence,' Hill said. Not every proposal Tuesday was meant to return the agency to its pre-Biden form. The FDIC proposed a rule to update certain regulatory thresholds to reflect inflation. The move would protect smaller banks from shouldering too heavy a burden if inflation – rather than a change in an institution's size, risk profile or complexity – were to push a bank over a threshold. Under the proposal, thresholds would be updated every two years based on changes to the Consumer Price Index – or more frequently if inflation increases by more than 8% in a year. Thresholds will not decrease, however, in times when prices fall. The proposal, which is open to public comment for 60 days, drew measured support from at least one trade group. The American Bankers Association called it a 'long-overdue step toward a more rational and modern bank regulatory framework.' 'For many years, ABA has argued that arbitrary asset thresholds impose unintended constraints and costs on banks while making it harder for regulators to focus on the largest sources of risk — effects that are compounded when thresholds remain static over years and even decades,' the group said. 'Just as important as indexing itself is ensuring that the chosen measure reflects structural changes in the banking sector and overall economic growth. We look forward to reviewing the proposal's use of CPI and intend to explore alternatives such as nominal [gross domestic product] or total bank assets.' The FDIC would apply the proposal to bank filing procedures, securities of nonmember banks and state savings associations, restrictions on asset sales from failed institutions, international banking, annual audits and reporting and orderly liquidation authority regulations. Recommended Reading FDIC's Hill: Regulatory agenda may be too packed Sign in to access your portfolio
Borneo Post
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Malaysia among 25 nations reviewed by ILO over labour rights concerns
Solomon says Malaysia faced criticism during the conference for refusing to include a full tripartite delegation, specifically by excluding a worker representative from the MTUC. – Bernama photo KUCHING (July 5): Malaysia was among 25 countries shortlisted for review by the Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) over violations of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 98, during the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva from June 2 to 13. This follows the ILO's supervisory process, in which ratified countries are periodically assessed to ensure their laws and practices align with the convention's requirement. Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Joint Special Committee chairman J Solomon said Malaysia faced criticism during the conference for refusing to include a full tripartite delegation, specifically by excluding a worker representative from the MTUC. 'Despite this, MTUC's presence made a strong impact, as the voices and struggles of Malaysian workers were heard loud and clear at the ILO,' he said in a statement yesterday. During the CAS discussion, Solomon noted that 12 out of 21 global speakers, including top International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) leaders, voiced strong support for MTUC. 'A representative for European Union (EU) Member States and even a minister urged Malaysia's Ministry of Human Resource (MoHR) to uphold ILO Convention No. 98,' he said. 'This should be a wakeup call for MoHR to correct its actions, which had violated the workers' rights, and ensure Malaysian workers enjoy dignity and fair livelihood.' As a result of the discussion on the complaints by six sectorial affiliates from MTUC, including on migrant workers, Solomon said the committee urged the Malaysian government, in consultation with the social partners, to take effective and time-bound measures to remove all the remaining legal and practical obstacles to collective bargaining and to promote its development. He added that the committee also called on the government to ensure effective protection against acts of anti-union discrimination with dissuasive sanctions. Victims of such discrimination must have the right to access justice and remedy. 'The committee further urged the government to review recognition procedures for collective bargaining, with reasonable and adequate safeguards to prevent interference, while also simplifying and expediting the administrative and judicial processes as well as to enable collective bargaining machinery for public servants who are not engaged in the administration of the state,' he said. Additionally, the committee requested the government to accept a technical advisory mission of the ILO before the next session of the conference and to report any progress to the Committee of Experts on the measures taken to implement the above recommendations in line with the convention by Sept 1, 2025. Solomon pointed out that the ILC serves as a platform where governments, employers, and workers jointly discuss convention violations and call on governments to take corrective action, while a panel of retired judges — known as the ILO Committee of Experts — reviews national laws and practices and reports on any gaps or violations. 'Unions also play a key role by submitting reports when governments fail to uphold workers' rights as required under international labour standards,' he added. Solomon further noted that the ITUC had informed MTUC that failure to participate in the 113th ILC would delay the hearing of Malaysia's Convention 98 case until 2028. This was why his committee, tasked by the court to prepare for the MTUC Special Delegates Conference (SDC) and oversee MTUC's interim administration, gathered names of affiliates interested in attending and submitted them to the MoHR. 'However, MoHR did not forward the list to the ILC despite repeated follow-ups. Nevertheless, 14 delegates from MTUC-affiliated unions, led by me, successfully attended the ILC with ITUC's support,' he said. Solomon also emphasised that the ILO's 'naming and shaming' system holds governments accountable for violating international labour standards. MTUC is set to host its Special Delegates Conference (SDC) on Aug 2-3 in Shah Alam. The Joint Special Committee was established through a Court Consent Order, resolving a dispute that had nullified the previously elected office bearers. Geneva International Labour Organisation J Solomon lead MTUC
The Guardian
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Countries should keep their statehood if land disappears under sea, experts say
States should be able to continue politically even if their land disappears underwater, legal experts have said. The conclusions come from a long-awaited report by the International Law Commission that examined what existing law means for continued statehood and access to key resources if sea levels continue to rise due to climate breakdown. Average sea levels could rise by as much as 90cm (3ft) by 2100 if climate scientists' worst-case scenarios come true, and recent research suggests they could even exceed projections. This is particularly important for small island developing states because many face an existential threat. But as well as the direct loss of land, rising sea levels cause flooding, threaten drinking water supplies and make farmland too salty to grow on. Having waded through international law and scholarship and analysed state views and practices, legal experts concluded that nothing prevents nations from maintaining their maritime boundaries even if the land on which they are drawn changes or disappears. These boundaries give countries navigation rights, access to resources such as fishing and minerals, and a degree of political control. There is also general agreement that affected nations should retain their statehood to avoid loss of nationality. Legal experts say these conclusions are essential for maintaining international peace and stability. Speaking at the UN Oceans conference in Nice, Penelope Ridings, an international lawyer and member of the ILC, said the commission's work was driven by the 'fundamental sense of injustice' that sea level rise would be felt worst by the most vulnerable states, which had also contributed the least to the problem. Research has found that a third of present-day sea level rise can be traced to emissions from the 122 largest fossil fuel producers and cement manufacturers. The Pacific nation of Tuvalu has been particularly vocal in its concerns. Sea levels on its nine islands and atolls have already risen by 4.8mm and are expected to get much higher over the coming decades. Australia was the first country to recognise the permanence of Tuvalu's boundaries despite rising sea levels. In 2023, it signed a legally binding treaty committing to help Tuvalu respond to major disasters and offering special visas to citizens who want or need to move. Nearly a third of citizens have entered a ballot for such a visa. Latvia followed with a similar pledge of recognition. At the oceans conference, the Tuvaluan prime minister, Feleti Teo, said his citizens were determined to stay on their land for as long as possible. The government has just finished the first phase of a coastal adaptation project, building concrete barriers to reduce flooding and dredging sand to create additional land. Teo noted that the US$40m scheme was 'very expensive' and it had taken years to secure money from the Green Climate Fund. He urged Tuvalu's development partners to be 'more forthcoming in terms of providing the necessary climate financing that we need to be able to adapt. And to give us more time to live in the land that we believe God has given us and we intend to remain on'. Ridings said it was now up to states to take the commission's work forward. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Bryce Rudyk, a professor of international environmental law at New York University and legal adviser to the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), said the ILC had been very responsive to small states, which have traditionally not had their voices heard in matters of international law but are increasingly at the forefront of legal advances on climate change and marine degradation. In recent years, Aosis and the Pacific Islands Forum have both declared that their statehood and sovereignty, as well as their membership of intergovernmental organisations such as the UN, will continue regardless of sea level rise. The international court of justice, which will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion on climate change in the coming months, was petitioned by Aosis to affirm this.
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Countries should keep their statehood if land disappears under sea, experts say
States should be able to continue politically even if their land disappears underwater, legal experts have said. The conclusions come from a long-awaited report by the International Law Commission that examined what existing law means for continued statehood and access to key resources if sea levels continue to rise due to climate breakdown. Average sea levels could rise by as much as 90cm (3ft) by 2100 if climate scientists' worst-case scenarios come true, and recent research suggests they could even exceed projections. This is particularly important for small island developing states because many face an existential threat. But as well as the direct loss of land, rising sea levels cause flooding, threaten drinking water supplies and make farmland too salty to grow on. Having waded through international law and scholarship and analysed state views and practices, legal experts concluded that nothing prevents nations from maintaining their maritime boundaries even if the land on which they are drawn changes or disappears. These boundaries give countries navigation rights, access to resources such as fishing and minerals, and a degree of political control. There is also general agreement that affected nations should retain their statehood to avoid loss of nationality. Legal experts say these conclusions are essential for maintaining international peace and stability. Speaking at the UN Oceans conference in Nice, Penelope Ridings, an international lawyer and member of the ILC, said the commission's work was driven by the 'fundamental sense of injustice' that sea level rise would be felt worst by the most vulnerable states, which had also contributed the least to the problem. Research has found that a third of present-day sea level rise can be traced to emissions from the 122 largest fossil fuel producers and cement manufacturers. The Pacific nation of Tuvalu has been particularly vocal in its concerns. Sea levels on its nine islands and atolls have already risen by 4.8mm and are expected to get much higher over the coming decades. Australia was the first country to recognise the permanence of Tuvalu's boundaries despite rising sea levels. In 2023, it signed a legally binding treaty committing to help Tuvalu respond to major disasters and offering special visas to citizens who want or need to move. Nearly a third of citizens have entered a ballot for such a visa. Latvia followed with a similar pledge of recognition. At the oceans conference, the Tuvaluan prime minister, Feleti Teo, said his citizens were determined to stay on their land for as long as possible. The government has just finished the first phase of a coastal adaptation project, building concrete barriers to reduce flooding and dredging sand to create additional land. Teo noted that the US$40m scheme was 'very expensive' and it had taken years to secure money from the Green Climate Fund. He urged Tuvalu's development partners to be 'more forthcoming in terms of providing the necessary climate financing that we need to be able to adapt. And to give us more time to live in the land that we believe God has given us and we intend to remain on'. Ridings said it was now up to states to take the commission's work forward. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Bryce Rudyk, a professor of international environmental law at New York University and legal adviser to the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), said the ILC had been very responsive to small states, which have traditionally not had their voices heard in matters of international law but are increasingly at the forefront of legal advances on climate change and marine degradation. In recent years, Aosis and the Pacific Islands Forum have both declared that their statehood and sovereignty, as well as their membership of intergovernmental organisations such as the UN, will continue regardless of sea level rise. The international court of justice, which will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion on climate change in the coming months, was petitioned by Aosis to affirm this.
