Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
Head of the Department for Coordination of Scientific Research at the State University of Management, Maxim Pletnev, joined the Public Council of the Ministry for Territory Maintenance and State Housing Supervision of the Moscow Region.
On February 5, 2024, the first meeting of the Public Council of the Ministry for Territory Maintenance and State Housing Supervision of the Moscow Region was held in the Government of the Moscow Region. It included 14 people – representatives of various spheres and industries. Among them was the head of the UKNI GUU Maxim Pletnev, who joined the working group of the Public Council for the Maintenance of Territories of Apartment Buildings in the Moscow Region.
During the first meeting, the participants voted to elect the Chairman of the Public Council — Hero of the Russian Federation, member of the cosmonaut corps Andrey Borisenko. The members of the Public Council defined the key goal of the joint work — to identify problem areas and find effective solutions for current issues in the field of housing supervision, improvement and maintenance of adjacent territories, taking into account the interests of civil society.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/07/2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Green MP and party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has urged the government to divert planned new subsidies for the privately owned wood-burning Drax power station to a national home insulation scheme.
Adrian Ramsay said:
“Drax is a green energy scam, burning trees – some imported from ancient forests from as far away as Canada – subsidised by the taxpayer.
“The billions of pounds worth of subsidies run out in 2027, but the government is expected to try to renew them next week, turning taxpayer money into profits for a private company, instead of using the money to fuel a green energy revolution.
“Drax has benefitted from over £6 billion in subsidies since 2012 and neither taxpayers nor the environment can afford a penny more.
“The money should be used to help fund a national scheme of home insulation that would cut people’s energy bills and help to reduce energy use.
“Green MPs and Peers will be pressing the government to end this subsidy scandal and invest people’s money where it will make a real difference to them.”
We are pleased to advise that the section of road on the A926 from Rattray to Alyth at Pictfield which was closed for emergency gas repairs has now reopened to traffic.
Temporary traffic signals will be in operation while SGN repair works are ongoing, so some delays should be expected.
Stagecoach East Scotland have confirmed that with the road reopening, they will resume normal operation of their bus services from 2pm today. School transport contracts will also revert to their normal arrangements.
Thank you for your patience while the repairs continue.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung today officiated at the opening ceremony of a series of activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN).
Co-organised with the Security Bureau, the activities include an interactive roving exhibition in education institutions and competitions to consolidate anti-drug awareness in the community.
Mr Tang said at the ceremony that the Government plans to gazette the listing of etomidate, the main ingredient of the “space oil drug”, as a dangerous drug with immediate effect on February 14.
Possession, vaping or drug trafficking will then be liable for very serious criminal punishment, he stressed, adding that the law enforcement agencies are well-prepared for anti-narcotics work.
One of the events commemorating ACAN’s 60th anniversary is a roving exhibition for people to learn about anti-drug work in the past, present and future.
The exhibition features a theme zone displaying anti-drug posters produced between 1960 and 2025. The poster collection not only provides a review of various publicity campaigns but also reflects the changes in communication strategies in response to society’s development over the years.
Precious historical photos, videos and TV announcements are displayed at the theme zone, reviewing the changes in Hong Kong’s anti-drug work as the times evolved.
Including the elements of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as multimedia, the roving exhibition also comprises games, digital panels and photo booths to provide information about criminal liability for drug offences and ways of seeking help.
The first stop of the roving exhibition is being staged until February 10, from 10am to 8pm at Hong Kong City Hall.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that, as part of New York State’s continued effort to combat the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) has issued a new Notice and Order for live bird markets that have not had a detection of HPAI in New York City and Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties. The order requires those markets to sell down all inventory, complete cleaning and disinfection procedures, and remain closed for a period of five days after cleaning and disinfection. In addition, the Notice and Order further outlines quarantine and depopulation procedures for markets that have confirmed detections of HPAI. This Notice and Order follows seven detections of HPAI in markets in Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn during routine surveillance conducted by AGM since January 31, 2025. The State reminds farmers to follow good biosecurity measures and emphasizes that the risk to humans remains low.
“Safeguarding public health is all about being proactive, and New York State is continuing our coordinated effort to monitor for the Avian Influenza,” Governor Hochul said. “My top priority will always be to keep New Yorkers safe, and I have directed our state agencies to use all available resources to ensure we are taking every measure necessary to keep the risk to the public low. We will continue to take these measured, common sense steps that will curb the spread of bird flu and ultimately protect our communities.”
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We’re continuing to work hard with our partners to combat the spread of HPAI in New York. Today, I signed a Notice and Order requiring that live bird markets in New York City and the surrounding areas close for cleaning and disinfection, even if they haven’t yet had a detection of HPAI in their market. Following seven detections of HPAI in live bird markets in the last week, this Notice and Order is a commonsense measure aimed at getting ahead of the virus, rather than chasing it. We’re working with USDA and other partners to make sure that we can minimize the economic impact to these markets, and we very much appreciate the markets’ cooperation and assistance in protecting public and animal health.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “While there is no immediate threat to public health and no known cases of HPAIin humans in New York State, we support the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ latest proactive measures to prevent the spread of the disease between animals and humans by temporarily closing live bird markets in New York City and surrounding counties. Those who have regular contact with livestock and wild birds should safeguard their health by wearing personal protective equipment when in contact with these animals. We will remain vigilant in working with our state and local partners to monitor for detections and reduce any potential risks to public health and safety.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Through Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State is acting aggressively to monitor for and advance actions to reduce the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. DEC remains committed to working comprehensively with our state and federal partners to respond to HPAI and encourages New Yorkers to use our new web-based tool to report suspected HPAI outbreaks in wildlife, and follow proper precautions when handling deceased wildlife. Visit DEC’s website for additional information on safe wildlife handling and proper disposal techniques.”
New York City Health Department Acting Commissioner Michelle Morse said, “The current risk to New Yorkers of bird flu (H5N1) remains low. Avian influenza viruses only present a wider risk if the virus develops the ability to transmit between people – which we have not seen. The NYC Health Department will continue to work closely with the NYS Department of Agriculture and NYS Department of Health to ensure that Live Bird Market staff receive essential information and, if symptoms present themselves, receive any treatment they may need. We are prepared to respond to any disease outbreak, including quickly ramping up testing and treatment, and working closely with providers and community partners to rapidly disseminate messaging.”
HPAI is a contagious viral disease that is known to be deadly to domestic poultry and has been transmitted within and between farms and live bird markets. The temporary shutdown mandated by the Notice and Order is necessary and essential to ensuring a break in HPAI virus transmission within the impacted markets. While AGM’s routine surveillance is effective, after finding seven detections of HPAI in live bird markets within the last week, the temporary shutdown ensures that the State can get ahead of any additional opportunities for transmission of the virus within the markets at the current time. A uniform market closure for a five-day period addresses the persistence and circulation of the virus within the markets by quickly reducing the virus prevalence to zero percent.
Effective immediately, the Notice and Order requires that:
No poultry shall be delivered to live bird markets or distributors covered by the Order from February 7, 2025 through February 14, 2025.
Any market that harbors birds exhibiting clinical signs of HPAI must contact the Department of Agriculture and Markets immediately to undergo investigation and testing.
Markets that test positive for HPAI shall be depopulated; undergo cleaning and disinfection and be empty of birds for five days, at a minimum; and shall remain closed until the market passes cleaning and disinfection inspection by an AGM animal health inspector.
All unaffected live bird markets in New York City and Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties must sell down all inventory for a period of three days beginning on February 7, 2025; complete cleaning and disinfection procedures; and subsequently close for a period of five days following cleaning and disinfection. These markets must pass a cleaning and disinfection inspection by an AGM animal health inspector before reopening.
Cleaning and disinfection includes the removal of all organic debris from all equipment, caging, flooring, etc.; and requires that all surfaces be cleaned with soap or detergent, rinsed with water, and saturated with a disinfectant appropriate for killing the avian influenza virus, in accordance with the manufacturer’s label.
USDA provides indemnity and compensation for losses incurred following a confirmed detection of HPAI on a premise.
State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “This proactive decision by NYS Agriculture and Markets to temporarily close at-risk poultry markets as a precaution against avian flu is a difficult yet necessary step to curb the spread of this highly contagious disease. New York benefits immensely from having one of the country’s top Animal Diagnostic Labs at Cornell University, which will play a critical role in limiting further spread and reducing disruptions for both farmers and businesses. We are committed to ensuring that the lab has the necessary resources to quickly respond to this and any other pathogen-based threats that may emerge.”
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “After detecting avian flu at seven live bird markets across NYS, the decision was made to temporarily close these markets. Proactive measures, while concerning to businesses and consumers alike, are necessary to help prevent the spread of a virus that has devastated poultry farms across the country. We are fortunate in NYS to have one of the country’s premier Animal Diagnostic Labs at Cornell University whose expertise will be invaluable as we navigate these waters.”
HPAI in Poultry
At Governor Hochul’s direction, AGM, DOH, and DEC continue to collaborate closely on proactive measures to prevent the spread of HPAI and facilitate early detection, as the risk to humans remains low. The New York State Department of Health is also reminding the public that the finding of HPAI in this market does not present an immediate public health concern. Individuals working in the markets will be assessed for potential high-risk exposure and be monitored for symptoms by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene accordingly. If any become ill, they will be evaluated for infection with avian influenza. Since the start of 2024, there have been 67 human cases of avian influenza in the United States, and none of these have been in New York State.
AGM encourages those involved in poultry production to take extra steps to prevent their flocks from becoming infected. All poultry producers, from small backyard to large commercial operations, should review their biosecurity plans and take precautions to protect their birds. Poultry biosecurity materials and checklists can be found on the USDA’s “Defend the Flock” website.
In addition to practicing good biosecurity, poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings. Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time, particularly as the State continues to see HPAI detections in wild bird populations.
To report sick birds, unexplained high number of deaths, or sudden drop in egg production, please contact AGM’s Division of Animal Industry at (518) 457-3502 or the USDA at (866) 536-7593.
HPAI in Dairy Cattle
In January, AGM announced that it is implementing new testing initiatives on dairy farms as part of its aggressive, proactive response to the outbreak of HPAI in livestock in other states. Working in close collaboration with federal partners, including USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, FDA, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and State partners, including DOH, this enhanced testing strategy is part of the State’s effort to protect animal and human health and prevent the transmission of HPAI in livestock in New York State. While there have been no detections of HPAI in livestock in New York to date, the State’s comprehensive approach is aimed at ensuring the state remains free of HPAI and facilitating early detection.
In addition to the new testing initiative, New York State has taken multiple preventative measures to prevent the spread of HPAI and protect animal and human health since the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas in March 2024. In April, June, and August 2024, the Department issued orders on import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York as well as testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions. These orders continue to remain in place until further notice.
USDA offers several producer support programs that are available to all dairy producers as well as certain programs only available to dairy producers with HPAI-positive herds. These programs include tools to support biosecurity planning and implementation as well as financial support programs to offset costs associated with HPAI testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment purchases, milk disposal, and milk losses.
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Hua Yao Ke (38), of Jacksonville has pleaded guilty to establishing a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading a provision of the immigration laws. Ke faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, Ke owned and operated the Kamiya 86 Sushi and Thai restaurant located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. At the restaurant, he employed workers who were unlawfully present in the United States. Contrary to federal law, Ke did not require the workers to provide documents to establish that they could legally work in the United States.
Ke also owned a residence at which he provided free housing to the undocumented workers, and he provided the workers with free transportation between the house and the restaurant. He also paid the workers in cash and did not withhold taxes and other payments from the workers’ wages.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Border Patrol, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. Haile must serve three years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Jason Peterson (29, Parrish) with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Peterson that the United States intends to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm, a Bauer firearm, and a Rossi firearm, used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, between on or about July 1, 2024, and on or about November 16, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Smith & Wesson firearm and a Bauer firearm. Additionally, on or about October 24, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Rossi firearm. Prior to his possession of each firearm, Peterson knew he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including resisting an officer with violence, delivery of a controlled substance, felony littering, and two separate convictions of battery on a law enforcement officer. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Marquis Windsor, age 33, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on February 5, 2025, to 34 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for wire fraud conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, between November 14, 2017 and October 12, 2022, Windsor and multiple co-conspirators defrauded nearly 60 businesses across 23 states and the District of Columbia via a fraudulent scheme in which they used fictious names, sham email addresses, and fake credit cards to rent sound production (or audio) equipment from businesses. Instead of returning the rented audio equipment, Windsor and his co-conspirators sold the merchandise using online marketplaces, such as eBay, Facebook, OfferUp, and Reverb. Windsor’s conduct caused a loss of $1,077,651.84.
Judge Wilson further ordered Windsor to pay restitution in the amount of $984,919.66.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lancaster Police, Lower Paxton Police, Cincinnati Police, Rockville (MD) Police, Detroit Police, Atlanta Police, Madison (Wisconsin) Police, and Falls Township (PA) Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Bobby Glenn Wall, Jr., age 46, of Parchman, Mississippi, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall, Jr. must serve fifteen years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on December 14, 2021, while using the Facebook Messenger application on a cell phone in the Wilkinson County Jail in Mississippi, Wall, Jr. knowingly transmitted five images of child pornography to his father, Bobby Glenn Wall, in Denham Springs Louisiana, with each image depicting a prepubescent female. Wall Jr. had access to, at a minimum, 100 images of child pornography that he sent to his own Facebook Messenger account, five of which he then sent to his father in Denham Springs via Facebook Messenger.
His father, Bobby Glenn Wall, age 68, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to 160 months in federal prison following his conviction for the same incident involving distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Wall knowingly received five images of child pornography on his Facebook Messenger application, from his son, Wall, Jr. Wall received one image of child pornography from his son, and, after telling his son “to keep them coming,” received 15 additional images of child pornography, to include images depicting masturbation and sex acts.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
SINGAPORE, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the price of bitcoin once again trading below $100,000, many analysts believe it will enter a long period of high volatility. Holding spot positions may not continue to generate profits in the short term. BexBack Exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and a 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled opportunities for investors.
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Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, released the latest weekly crypto derivatives report in collaboration with Block Scholes, providing a retrospective of the past week’s panic sell-off and analysis of options price movements.
The broad retreat mirrored equities markets, leaving an estimated $10 billion-sized hole in open interest after a high-flying Friday in the 24/7 crypto markets. BTC stood out in the bloodbath as the only mainstream token maintaining positive funding rates. Meanwhile, ETH endured heightened turbulence, with sustained options market inversion suggesting continued downward pressure ahead.
Key Insights:
Risk-off Monday: Trump’s tariff threats sparked a broad market sell-off on Monday, Feb. 3, hammering crypto alongside U.S. equities. The carnage wiped out $3.1B in perpetual swap open interest across BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL. Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, revealed $8-10B in total liquidations as leveraged positions crumbled, an estimate based on Bybit’s platform data. The turmoil drove trading volumes to a monthly high of $31B in perpetual swaps on Feb. 2 as traders rushed for the exits.
Altcoins Took a Hit: Bears dominated crypto markets in the aftermath of another Monday in the red. Perpetual swap funding rates spiraled downwards, likely caused by spooked traders liquidating long positons in droves. BTC faithfuls, however, managed to keep BTC funding rates afloat at neutral level.
ETH Readies for a Bumpy Ride: ETH has demonstrated less resilience than BTC in the latest turmoil. Its spot prices suffered and dipped below $2.5k, but open interest levels held reasonably steady thanks to less-than-expected volatility in ETH options market. Still, ETH realized volatility already surged to almost 140% in the price correction, with further risks evident in options term structure, suggesting the downside hasn’t been fully priced in.
Access the full report, including detailed analysis of volatility trends, funding rates, and options market dynamics.
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk /#BybitResearch
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
Rural America faces many challenges that Congress and the federal government could help alleviate under the new Trump administration.
Rural hospitals and their obstetrics wards have been closing at a rapid pace, leaving rural residents traveling farther for health care. Affordable housing is increasingly hard to find in rural communities, where pay is often lower and poverty higher than average. Land ownership is changing, leaving more communities with outsiders wielding influence over their local resources.
Here are some ways we believe the Trump administration could work with Congress to boost these communities’ health and economies.
1. Rural health care access
One of the greatest challenges to rural health care is its vulnerability to shifts in policy and funding cuts because of rural areas’ high rates of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Funding from those federal programs affects rural hospitals, and rural hospitals are struggling.
Nearly half of rural hospitals operate in the red today, and over 170 rural hospitals have closed since 2010. The low population density of rural areas can make it difficult for hospitals to cover operating costs when their patient volume is low. These hospital closures have left rural residents traveling an extra 20 miles (32 km) on average to receive inpatient health care services and an extra 40 miles (64 km) for specialty care services.
The government has created programs to try to help keep hospitals operating, but they all require funding that is at risk. For example:
The Low-volume Hospital Adjustment Act, first implemented in 2005, has helped numerous rural hospitals by boosting their Medicare payments per patient, but it faces regular threats of funding cuts. It and several other programs to support Medicare-dependent hospitals are set to expire on March 31, 2025, when the next federal budget is due.
The rural emergency hospital model, created in 2020, helps qualifying rural facilities to maintain access to essential emergency and outpatient hospital services, also by providing higher Medicare payments. Thus far, only 30 rural hospitals have transitioned to this model, in part because they would have to eliminate inpatient care services, which also limits outpatient surgery and other medical services that could require overnight care in the event of an emergency.
Rural emergency hospitals can get extra funding, but there’s a catch: They have no inpatient beds, so people in need of longer care must go farther. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
Services for pregnant women have also gotten harder to find in rural areas.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth – the ability to meet with your doctor over video – wasn’t widely used. It could be difficult for doctors to ensure reimbursement, and the logistics of meeting federal requirements and privacy rules could be challenging.
The pandemic changed that. Improving technology allowed telehealth to quickly expand, reducing people’s contact with sick patients, and the government issued waivers for Medicare and Medicaid to pay for telehealth treatment. That opened up new opportunities for rural patients to get health care and opportunities for providers to reach more patients.
However, the Medicare and Medicaid waivers for most telehealth services were only temporary. Only payments for mental and behavioral health teleheath services continued, and those are set to expire with the federal budget in March 2025, unless they are renewed.
Like their urban peers, rural communities face a shortage of affordable housing.
Unemployment in rural areas today exceeds levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. Job growth and median incomes lag behind urban areas, and rural poverty rates are higher.
Rural housing prices have been exacerbated by continued population growth over the past four years, lower incomes compared with their urban peers, limited employment opportunities and few high-quality homes available for rent or sale. Rural communities often have aging homes built upon outdated or inadequate infrastructure, such as deteriorating sewer and water lines.
Rental homes in older towns can become run down. Community maintenance of pipes and other services also requires funding. LawrenceSawyer/E+ via Getty Images
One proposal to help people looking for affordable rural housing is the bipartisan Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which calls for creating a new federal tax credit to spur the development and renovation of family housing in distressed urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods.
Similarly, the Section 502 Direct Loan Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which subsidizes mortgages for low-income applicants to obtain safe housing, could be expanded with additional funding to enable more people to receive subsidized mortgages.
3. Locally owned land benefits communities
Seniors age 65 and older own 40% of the agricultural land in the U.S., according to the American Farmland Trust. That means that more than 360 million acres of farmland could be transferred to new owners in the next few decades. If their heirs aren’t interested in farming, that land could be sold to large operations or real estate developers.
A farmer carries organic squash during harvest. Young farmers often struggle to find land to expand their operations. Thomas Barwick/Stone via Getty Images
Congress can take some steps to help communities keep more farmland locally owned.
The proposed Farm Transitions Act, for example, would establish a commission on farm transitions to study issues that affect locally owned farms and provide recommendations to help transition agricultural operations to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.
About 30% of farmers have been in business for less than 10 years, and many of them rent the land they farm. Programs such as USDA’s farm loan programs and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program help support local land purchases and could be improved to identify and eliminate barriers that communities face.
We believe that by addressing these issues, Congress and the new administration can help some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Efforts to build resilient and strong rural communities will benefit everyone.
Randolph Hubach receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Cody Mullen receives funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. He is affiliated with the National Rural Health Association.
During the meeting, experts will address issues such as:
support for independent living for people with disabilities,
social inclusion,
inclusiveness of social policies and
prevention of discrimination.
The conference entitled ‘Social inclusion and independent living for people with disabilities in the European Union’ is dedicated to the concerns of people with disabilities. The conference will be attended by counterparts of the Secretary of State and Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled Persons, Łukasz Krason – Secretaries of State from EU countries and representatives of the European Commission.
Thematic discussion blocks will focus on two main issues: raising public awareness of the lives of people with disabilities and the challenges faced by this group. Topics covered will include labour market and employment issues, image building, accessibility and independent living.
A new welfare facility has been opened at the Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright to support recruits undertaking their initial military training.
One of the communal areas in the new Soldiers’ Centre. (Crown Copyright)
Significant investment in Alexander Barracks, Pirbright, has provided a modern, sustainable facility that supports the welfare of recruits.
The new Soldiers’ Centre offers centralised welfare support for recruits who are completing the 13-week basic training course. Spread over 2 storeys, the £11 million purpose-built facility comprises retail and food outlets, a cinema and social areas. It also functions as a gathering space for families attending passing out parades.
The investment was joint-funded by the British Army and the Army Central Fund (ACF) which provided a £7 million grant – the single biggest donation ever made by the ACF. The project was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) contracting to Henry Brothers and WSP.
At the official opening of The Soldiers’ Centre on 31 January, Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure, said:
The Soldiers’ Centre is an outstanding facility that will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among recruits at ATC Pirbright as they start their life journey with the army. This project also demonstrates our extensive investment in modernising our estate, supporting future capability, and enhancing the environments where our soldiers live, work and train.
The ACF Chair, Major General Sam Humphris MBE, said:
The Army Central Fund provides grant funding to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of serving British Army personnel and their immediate families. We are extremely proud of the leadership gift we made to enable delivery of this modern, high-quality welfare facility, which will support the morale of recruits and provide enduring benefit to them and their families.
In addition to supporting the recruits, The Soldiers’ Centre will contribute to local efforts to reduce the army’s carbon footprint. Modern methods of construction were used for the Glulam structural frame, while photovoltaic panels have been installed to enable generation of on-site renewable energy.
I am delighted to see this hugely impressive welfare facility being used by army recruits. We’ve focused on providing a building that has been designed with sustainability at its heart to meet the needs of soldiers and their families. We look forward to many cohorts of recruits passing through on the way to the rest of their army careers.
Exterior of the new Soldiers’ Centre in Pirbright. (Copyright Henry Brothers)
David Henry, Managing Director of Henry Brothers, said:
We are delighted to have completed The Soldiers’ Centre – a facility that reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional builds for our clients and which will make a positive contribution to the experience of recruits as they embark on their army careers.
Ray Lovegrove, Public Sector Portfolio Lead, WSP, said:
It has been a privilege for WSP to be engaged on this project from the earliest concept through to completion of this fantastic facility. It is great to see the vision, input and expertise of many people from different organisations come together this way, and I hope that The Soldiers’ Centre will be at the heart of the Pirbright community for many years to come.
Following completion of The Soldiers’ Centre, the army is making further significant investment to support consolidation of basic training at Pirbright under the Defence Estate Optimisation (Army) Programme. The Alexander Barracks Project will provide enhanced living, working and training accommodation, including modern recruit accommodation, a swimming pool and gymnasium. Construction is due to start in 2026 with completion scheduled for 2032.
Lt Col Bysshe COLDM GDS, Commanding Officer, ATC (Pirbright), said:
The Soldiers’ Centre provides a 21st century welfare facility for ATC (Pirbright). Serving recruits, permanent staff and families, it significantly enhances the lived experience for all. As the first new building within wider plans to overhaul a sizeable proportion of the Pirbright estate, it provides a tangible example of high-quality modernised infrastructure and sets the standard moving forward.
Ashdod/Rome – Fifteen IVECO trucks donated by the Italian Government as part of the Food for Gaza initiative were handed over to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) today during a ceremony in the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The ceremony, in the port where the trucks arrived on February 2, was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, and WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau.
The 15 trucks will serve to strengthen the logistics capacity of the WFP in the Gaza Strip, which, after the ceasefire came into force, has seen a significant increase in food assistance. Since the 19 January ceasefire, WFP has transported over 13,500 tonnes of food into the Strip and is ready to send around 30,000 tons of food each month to reach 1.4 million people.
”These trucks are a much-needed addition to our fleet in Gaza,” said Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive Director. “They will boost our capacity to deliver at a crucial time as we scale up humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip. We thank the Government of Italy for its partnership and unwavering support.”
With greater logistics capacity, large volumes of supplies, such as food, medicine and shelter materials can be transported so that essential goods reach those who need them most. Needs can also be met quickly as they arise, ensuring greater optimization of aid.
The Italian Food For Gaza initiative was launched in March 2024, an idea of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, with the aim of facilitating access to food aid, alleviating the suffering of the population of the Strip and ensuring food security as much as possible thanks to the participation and commitment of various actors, such as the WFP.
The United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Brindisi, managed by WFP and funded annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italian Cooperation since its foundation in 2000, plays a crucial operational role in the implementation of the initiative. At the request of the Ministry, the base organized the shipment of 15 tons of relief goods, including blankets and emergency shelter materials, stored in its warehouses and arrived in Ashdod together with the trucks. In recent months, the base organized two air shipments to Amman, Jordan, for a total of 100 tons of aid, including hygiene and health kits, for the population of Gaza.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James E. Monroe Jr., 59, of Daniels, pleaded guilty today to money laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2022, Monroe filed a petition for personal bankruptcy. Monroe knew he was required to submit true and correct schedules listing his assets and a statement detailing his financial affairs as part of the bankruptcy process. Monroe admitted that he sold his collection of over 10,000 sports trading cards after filing for bankruptcy and without disclosing its existence or its post-petition sale in the bankruptcy filings as required. Monroe further admitted that he sold the collection to a friend online to convert the collection into cash and disguise the nature of the resulting proceeds.
Monroe admitted that his asset schedules and statement of financial affairs also did not disclose the December 2021 sale of his marital home in the Glade Springs residential development for $525,000, or the existence of a retirement account, two loans he obtained by using the equity associated with his whole-life insurance policy as collateral, and a storage unit he rented in the Shady Spring area that contained property belonging to the bankruptcy estate. Monroe further admitted that his schedules falsely stated that his then-minor daughter lived with him and was his dependent when neither was true.
Monroe is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-121.
The Nykredit Group has completed the auctions in connection with the refinancing of ARMs based on the “refinancing price” principle. The interest rates will be reset on 1 April 2025.
The interest rate reset results in the following cash rates:
ARMs funded by 1Y SDO (April 2026) DKK
ARMs funded by 3Y RO (April 2028) DKK
ARMs funded by 5Y RO (April 2030) DKK
Cash rate
2.42%
2.38%
2.52%
For detailed information on the auction results, please refer to nykredit.dk and totalkredit.dk. For information on the bond sales, please refer to nykredit.com/ir.
Enquiries may be addressed to Morten Søby Willendrup, Group Treasury, tel +45 44 55 19 62 or Corporate Communications, tel +45 44 55 14 50.
The Nykredit Group has completed the auctions in connection with the refinancing of ARMs based on the “refinancing price” principle. The interest rates will be reset on 1 April 2025.
The interest rate reset results in the following cash rates:
ARMs funded by 1Y SDO (April 2026) DKK
ARMs funded by 3Y RO (April 2028) DKK
ARMs funded by 5Y RO (April 2030) DKK
Cash rate
2.42%
2.38%
2.52%
For detailed information on the auction results, please refer to nykredit.dk and totalkredit.dk. For information on the bond sales, please refer to nykredit.com/ir.
Enquiries may be addressed to Morten Søby Willendrup, Group Treasury, tel +45 44 55 19 62 or Corporate Communications, tel +45 44 55 14 50.
NEW YORK, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Freedom Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FRHC), a U.S.-based financial services company, has announced its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The holding company reported a 57% increase in total revenue, with revenues reaching $655.2 million compared to $418.6 million in the same quarter of 2023. Total assets increased to $9.1 billion from $8.3 billion as of March 31, 2024.
The company’s revenue has surged due to the increase of net gain on trading securities, which has risen from a $5.1 million loss to a $89.6 million gain. Additionally, company’s performance was significantly bolstered by its insurance underwriting income, which surged by 125% to $177.5 million, reflecting the expansion of pension annuities and accident insurance operations. The banking segment also demonstrated robust growth, with a 47% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year.
“In the era of globalization, we are building the Freedom ecosystem as a unified platform where diverse business segments — ranging from banking and insurance to lifestyle services — seamlessly interact to serve over 7 million clients. Recently, the holding’s revenue has become significantly more diversified; while brokerage was once the primary income driver, revenue is now evenly distributed across the insurance and banking segments, creating a more stable and balanced ecosystem,” Timur Turlov, the founder of Freedom Holding, said.
Segment Performance
Brokerage: Revenue increased by 29% to $213.3 million, driven by an increase in net gains on trading securities and fee and commission income.
Banking: Revenue rose by 47% to $206.4 million, supported by net gains on trading securities and derivatives.
Insurance: Revenue doubled to $197.8 million, reflecting strategic growth in insurance underwriting income.
Other Segments: Revenue grew by 120% to $37.7 million, largely due to net gains on foreign exchange operations.
Despite strong revenue growth, the company’s net income declined by 19% to $78.1 million, compared to $96.1 million in the previous year’s quarter. This was due to increased fees and commission expenses, general and administrative expenses, payroll and bonuses, advertising costs and stock-based compensation expenses. Total expenses for the quarter amounted to $556.9 million, up from $307.0 million in Q3 2024 fiscal year.
During the same period, fee and commission income increased from $120.2 million to $143.4 million.
Freedom Holding Corp. remains committed to expanding its product portfolio, improving operational efficiencies, capitalizing on emerging market opportunities, and considering selective acquisitions. In October 2024, the company acquired EliteCom, a telecommunications services company, for $3 million. The acquired licenses and assets will be used to develop Freedom Holding’s own telecommunications business.
About Freedom Holding Corp.
Freedom Holding Corp. is an international financial and investment services group specializing in capital markets, asset management, and brokerage services.
Freedom Holding Corp.’s common shares are registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol FRHC. The Company has its principal market of operation in Kazakhstan and operates through its subsidiaries in 22 countries. With a strong presence in Central Asia, Europe, and the U.S., the company is committed to delivering innovative financial products to individual and institutional investors.
WASHINGTON, DC – The Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) increased 0.3 points in January to 73.4, bouncing back slightly after falling last month for the first time since July. Improvements in consumer optimism toward both homebuying and home-selling conditions, along with even greater expectations that home prices will rise over the next 12 months, drove the increase. However, after a surge in mortgage rate optimism in the second half of last year, January saw a 13-percentage-point decline in the net share of consumers who believe mortgage rates will go down in the next 12 months. In addition, the share of consumers who expect rental prices will go up increased 8 percentage points from last month to 65%. Year over year, the HPSI is up 2.7 points.
“Consumers seem increasingly pessimistic that housing affordability conditions will improve across the board, as a growing share expects home prices, rent prices, and mortgage rates will all go up,” said Kim Betancourt, Vice President of Multifamily Economics and Strategic Research. “The lower optimism toward the mortgage rate outlook was largely expected, as rates have continued to stay elevated and even crossed the 7% threshold in mid-January. As noted in our latest forecast, we currently expect mortgage rates to end 2025 around 6.5%, relatively little changed from where we are today, which will likely continue to hinder relief for housing affordability and home sales activity.”
Betancourt continued: “On the rental side, consumers have indicated a sharply growing expectation over the past two months that rent prices will increase. This mirrors our expectation that multifamily rents will grow between 2.0% and 2.5% this year — up from an estimated 1.0% last year. Even though it remains relatively cheaper for consumers to rent than buy in nearly every U.S. metro, we expect affordability issues will remain a real challenge for both renters and homeowners alike for the foreseeable future.”
Home Purchase Sentiment Index – Component Highlights Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased 0.3 points in January to 73.4. The HPSI is up 2.7 points compared to the same time last year. Read the full research report for additional information.
Good/Bad Time to Buy: The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to buy a home (22%) and the percentage who say it is a bad time to buy (78%) both stayed the same from last month. The net share of those who say it is a good time to buy increased 2 percentage points month over month to -55%.
Good/Bad Time to Sell: The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to sell a home (63%) and the percentage who say it’s a bad time to sell (36%) both remained unchanged month over month. The net share of those who say it is a good time to sell increased 1 percentage point month over month to 28%.
Home Price Expectations: The percentage of respondents who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months increased from 38% to 43%, while the percentage who say home prices will go down decreased from 27% to 22%. The share who think home prices will stay the same decreased from 35% to 34%. As a result, the net share of those who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months increased 9 percentage points month over month to 20%.
Mortgage Rate Expectations: The percentage of respondents who say mortgage rates will go down in the next 12 months decreased from 42% to 35%, while the percentage who expect mortgage rates to go up increased from 25% to 32%. The share who think mortgage rates will stay the same increased from 32% to 33%. As a result, the net share of those who say mortgage rates will go down over the next 12 months decreased 13 percentage points month over month to 3%.
Job Loss Concern: The percentage of employed respondents who say they are not concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months increased from 77% to 78%, while the percentage who say they are concerned stayed at 22%. As a result, the net share of those who say they are not concerned about losing their job increased 2 percentage points month over month to 56%.
Household Income: The percentage of respondents who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago remained at 17%, while the percentage who say their household income is significantly lower decreased from 11% to 9%. The percentage who say their household income is about the same increased from 70% to 73%, a new survey high. As a result, the net share of those who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago increased 2 percentage points month over month to 8%.
About Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index The Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) distills information about consumers’ home purchase sentiment from Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey® (NHS) into a single number. The HPSI reflects consumers’ current views and forward-looking expectations of housing market conditions and complements existing data sources to inform housing-related analysis and decision-making. The HPSI is constructed from answers to six NHS questions that solicit consumers’ evaluations of housing market conditions and address topics that are related to their home purchase decisions. The questions ask consumers whether they think that it is a good or bad time to buy or to sell a house, what direction they expect home prices and mortgage interest rates to move, how concerned they are about losing their jobs, and whether their incomes are higher or lower than they were a year earlier.
About Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey The National Housing Survey (NHS) is a monthly attitudinal survey, launched in 2010, which polls a representative sample of adult household financial decision makers in the United States, to assess their attitudes toward owning and renting a home, purchase and rental prices, household finances, and overall confidence in the economy. Each respondent is asked more than 100 questions, making the NHS one of the most detailed longitudinal surveys of its kind to track attitudinal shifts, six of which are used to construct the HPSI (findings are compared with the same survey conducted monthly beginning June 2010). For more information, please see the Technical Notes.
Fannie Mae conducts this survey and shares monthly and quarterly results so that we may help industry partners and market participants target our collective efforts to support the housing market. The January 2025 National Housing Survey was conducted between January 2, 2025, and January 21, 2025. Most of the data collection occurred during the first two weeks of this period. The latest NHS was fielded exclusively through AmeriSpeak®, NORC at the University of Chicago’s probability-based panel, in coordination with Fannie Mae and PSB Insights. Calculations are made using unrounded and weighted respondent-level data to help ensure precision in NHS results from wave to wave. As a result, minor differences in calculated data (summarized results, net calculations, etc.) of up to 1 percentage point may occur due to rounding.
Detailed HPSI & NHS Findings For detailed findings from the Home Purchase Sentiment Index and National Housing Survey, as well as a brief HPSI overview and detailed white paper, technical notes on the NHS methodology, and questions asked of respondents associated with each monthly indicator, please visit the Surveys page on fanniemae.com. Also available on the site are in-depth special topic studies, which provide a detailed assessment of combined data results from three monthly studies of NHS results.
To receive e-mail updates with other housing market research from Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group, please click here.
About the ESR Group Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group, led by Chief Economist Mark Palim, studies current data, analyzes historical and emerging trends, and conducts surveys of consumer and mortgage lender groups to provide forecasts and analyses on the economy, housing, and mortgage markets.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is expected to clear the final hurdles in his confirmation as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, and a host of health influencers have proclaimed that widely used cooking oils such as canola oil and soybean oil are toxic.
T-shirts sold by his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign now include the slogan, “make frying oil tallow again” – a reference to the traditional use of rendered beef fat for cooking.
Seed oils have become a mainstay of the American diet because unlike beef tallow, which is comprised of saturated fats that increase cholesterol levels, seed oils contain unsaturated fats that can decrease cholesterol levels. In theory, that means they should reduce the risk of heart disease.
But research shows that different seed oils have varying effects on risk for heart disease.
Furthermore, seed oils have also been shown to increase risk for migraines. This is likely due to their high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. These fats can increase inflammation, a heightened and potentially harmful state of system immune activation.
As a family physician with a Ph.D. in nutrition, I translate the latest nutrition science into dietary recommendations for my patients. When it comes to seed oils, the research shows that their health effects are more nuanced than headlines and social media posts suggest.
How seed oils infiltrated the American diet
Seed oils — often confusingly referred to as “vegetable oils” — are, as the name implies, oils extracted from the seeds of plants. This is unlike olive oil and coconut oil, which are derived from fruits. People decrying their widespread use often refer to the “hateful eight” top seed oil offenders: canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and rice bran oil.
These oils entered the human diet at unprecedented levels after the invention of the mechanical screw press in 1888 enabled the extraction of oil from seeds in quantities that were never before possible.
Evaluating the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio
Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that control inflammation. While omega-6s tend to produce molecules that boost it, omega-3s tend to produce molecules that tone it down. Until recently, people generally ate equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. However, over the past century, this ratio has changed. Today, people consume 15 times more omega-6s than omega-3s, partly due to increased consumption of seed oils.
In theory, seed oils can cause health problems because they contain a high absolute amount of omega-6 fatty acids, as well as a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Studies have linked an increased omega-6 to omega-3 ratio to a wide range of conditions, including mood disorders, knee pain, back pain, menstrual pain and even preterm birth. Omega-6 fatty acids have also been implicated in the processes that drive colon cancer.
However, the absolute omega-6 level and the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in different seed oils vary tremendously. For example, safflower oil and sunflower oil have ratios of 125:1 and 91:1. Corn oil’s ratio is 50:1. Meanwhile, soybean oil and canola oil have lower ratios, at 8:1 and 2:1, respectively.
Scientists have used genetic modification to create seed oils like high oleic acid canola oil that have a lower omega-6 to 3 ratio. However, the health benefit of these bioengineered oils is still being studied.
The upshot on inflammation and health risks
Part of the controversy surrounding seed oils is that studies investigating their inflammatory effect have yielded mixed results. One meta-analysis synthesizing the effects of seed oils on 11 inflammatory markers largely showed no effects – with the exception of one inflammatory signal, which was significantly elevated in people with the highest omega-6 intakes.
To complicate things further, genetics also plays a role in seed oils’ inflammatory potential. People of African, Indigenous and Latino descent tend to metabolize omega-6 fatty acids faster, which can increase the inflammatory effect of consuming seed oils. Scientists still don’t fully understand how genetics and other factors may influence the health effects of these oils.
The effect of different seed oils on cardiovascular risk
A review of seven randomized controlled trials showed that the effect of seed oils on risk of heart attacks varies depending on the type of seed oil.
This was corroborated by data resurrected from tapes dug up in the basement of a researcher who in the 1970s conducted the largest and most rigorously executed dietary trial to date investigating the replacement of saturated fat with seed oils. In that work, replacing saturated fats such as beef tallow with seed oils always lowers cholesterol, but it does not always lower risk of death from heart disease.
Taken together, these studies show that when saturated fats such as beef tallow are replaced with seed oils that have lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, such as soybean oil, the risk of heart attacks and death from heart disease falls. However, when saturated fats are replaced with seed oils with a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, such as corn oil, risk of death from heart disease rises.
However, seed oils with less favorable ratios, such as corn oil and safflower oil, can be found in countless processed foods, including potato chips, frozen dinners and packaged desserts. Nevertheless, other aspects of these foods, in addition to their seed oil content, also make them unhealthy.
The case for migraines – and beyond
A rigorous randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for clinical evidence – showed that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids, hence low in seed oils, significantly reduced the risk of migraines
In the study, people who stepped up their consumption of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish such as salmon experienced an average of two fewer migraines per month than usual, even if they did not change their omega-6 consumption. However, if they reduced their omega-6 intake by switching out corn oil for olive oil, while simultaneously increasing their omega-3 intake, they experienced four fewer migraines per month.
That’s a noteworthy difference, considering that the latest migraine medications reduce migraine frequency by approximately two days per month, compared to a placebo. Thus, for migraine sufferers — 1 in 6 Americans — decreasing seed oils, along with increasing omega-3 intake, may be even more effective than currently available medications.
Overall, the drastic way in which omega-6 fatty acids have entered the food supply and fundamentally changed our biological composition makes this an important area of study. But the question of whether seed oils are good or bad is not black and white. There is no basis to conclude that Americans would be healthier if we started frying everything in beef tallow again, but there is an argument for a more careful consideration of the nuance surrounding these oils and their potential effects.
Mary J. Scourboutakos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mark S. Chandler, Professor of Practice and Director, Government Relations – Intelligence and Security Studies Department, Coastal Carolina University
U.S. intelligence workers gather information from around the world to help guide leaders’ decisions.da-kuk/E+ via Getty Images
The United States’ security depends on leaders who make well-informed decisions, including matters ranging from diplomatic relations around the world to economic relations, threats to the U.S., up to the deployment of military force. The nation’s intelligence community – 18 federal agencies, some military and others civilian – has the responsibility of gathering information from all over the world and delivering it to the country’s leaders for their use.
As a nearly 40-year veteran of the intelligence community, both in and out of uniform, I know that regardless of what leaders do with the information, the American people need them to have as thorough, unbiased, fact-based and nonpoliticized intelligence assessments as possible.
That’s because reality matters. Those tasked with gathering, analyzing and assembling intelligence material work hard to assemble facts and information to give leaders an advantage over other nations in international relations, trade agreements and even warfare. Reality is so important that a key policy document for the intelligence community tells analysts that their top two priorities are to be “objective” and “independent of political consideration.”
But an investigation into the intelligence community found that during the first Trump administration, intelligence workers at many levels made political value judgments about the information they assembled, and did not report the truest picture possible to the nation’s leaders.
Tulsi Gabbard is President Donald Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence. AP Photo/John McDonnell
Analysts are a key defense against politicization
In general, each administration develops a national security strategy based on global events and issues, including threats to U.S. interests that are detailed and monitored by the intelligence community. Based on the administration’s priorities and interests, intelligence agencies collect and analyze data. Regular, often daily, briefings keep the president abreast of developments and warn of potential new challenges.
In a perfect world, the president and the national security team use that information to determine which policies and actions are in the nation’s best interests.
With the recent arrival of a new presidential administration, recent reports indicate that at least some workers in the intelligence community are feeling pressure to shift their priorities away from delivering facts and toward manipulating intelligence to achieve specific outcomes.
Current and former intelligence officials have publicly worried that President Donald Trump might be biased against the intelligence community and seek to overhaul it if analyses did not fit his policy objectives.
It happened in Trump’s first term. After Trump left office in 2021, Congress turned to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – which oversees the entire intelligence community – to investigate whether intelligence reports were politicized under Trump’s leadership.
The investigation determined that they were, up and down the intelligence system. The report found that some people who didn’t agree with the president’s policy views and objectives decided among themselves not to provide a full intelligence picture, while others tried to tailor what they showed the president to match his existing plans.
At times, individual analysts withheld information. And managers, even up to the most senior level, also edited analyses and assessments, seeking to make them more appealing to leaders.
For instance, the report found that top intelligence community officials, members of the National Intelligence Council, “consistently watered down conclusions during a drawn-out review process, boosting the threat from China and making the threat from Russia ‘not too controversial.’”
The ombudsman’s report pointed out that this type of event has happened before – specifically, in 2003 around questions of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction – which it was ultimately found not to. As the report describes, “politicians and political appointees had … made up their mind about an issue and spent considerable time pressuring analysts and managers to prove their thesis to the American public.” That biased, politically motivated intelligence led to a war that killed nearly 4,500 U.S. service members, wounded more than 30,000 more, and cost the lives of about 200,000 Iraqi civilians, as well as more than $700 billion in U.S. taxpayer funds.
Intelligence community leaders brief not only the president and others in the executive branch, but also members and committees in Congress. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Leaders don’t have to listen
At some point or other, almost every president makes decisions that run contrary to intelligence assessments. For instance, George H.W. Bush did not prioritize a crumbling Yugoslavia, and the challenges that presented, choosing to focus on Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the resulting U.S. military Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
President Bill Clinton inherited the Yugoslavia situation, in which a failing country was at risk of political implosion, and chose to ignore intelligence warnings until the ethnic cleansing in that country became too public to ignore, at which point he began a U.S.-led NATO air campaign to stop the fighting. Clinton also ignored several intelligence warnings about al-Qaida, even after its deadly attacks on two U.S. embassies in 1998, and in 2000 on the USS Cole, a U.S. Navy destroyer. He chose more limited responses than aides suggested, including passing up an opportunity to kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Elected officials are accountable to the American people, and to history, but I believe accountability is key to ensuring the intelligence community follows its own standards from top to bottom, from senior leaders to the most junior analysts. Failure to abide by those standards harms American national security, and the standards themselves say violations are meant to bring professional, and potentially personal, consequences.
A U.S. military helicopter flies above Kabul during the evacuation of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021. Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images
Perfection is elusive
It’s impossible for intelligence collection and analysis staff to get everything right – they don’t have a crystal ball. Leaders aren’t under any obligation to follow the intelligence community’s recommendations. But if intelligence officials and political leaders are to have effective relationships that safeguard the nation’s security, each must understand their role and trust that each is doing that work as best as possible.
Providing unvarnished truthful assessments is the job of the intelligence community. That means assessing what’s happening and what might happen as a result of a range of decisions the policymakers might choose. In my experience, putting aside my own views of leaders and their past decisions built trust with them and improved the likelihood that they would take my assessments seriously and make decisions based on the best available information.
It’s not that intelligence professionals can’t have opinions, political ideologies or particular perspectives on policy decisions. All Americans can, and should.
But as a second Trump administration begins, I think of what I told my colleagues and staff over the decades: National security requires us to keep those personal views out of intelligence analysis.
Mark S. Chandler does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Maps are ubiquitous – on phones, in-flight and car displays, and in textbooks the world over. While some maps delineate and name territories and boundaries, others show different voting blocs in elections, and GPS devices help drivers navigate to their destination.
But no matter the purpose, all maps have something in common: They are political. Making maps is about making decisions about what to omit and what to include. They are subject to selection, classification, abstractions and simplifications. And studying the choices that go into maps, as I do, can reveal different stories about land and the people who claim it as theirs.
Nowhere is this more true than in the contested regions that today include modern-day Israel and the Palestinian territories. Since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, different governmental and nongovernmental organizations and political interest groups have engaged in what can best be described as “map wars.”
Maps of the region use the naming of places, the position of borders and the inclusion or omission of certain territories to present contrasting geopolitical visions. To this day, Israel or the Palestinian territories may fall off some maps, depending on the politics of their makers.
This is not exclusive to the Middle East – “map wars” are underway across the globe. Some of the more well-known examples include disputes between Ukraine and Russia, Taiwan and China, and India and China. All are engaged in controversies over the territorial integrity of nation-states.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displays a map of Israel indicating the Golan Heights are inside the state’s borders. Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images
A short history of maps
Traditionally, maps have been used to represent cosmologies, cultures and belief systems. By the 17th century, maps that represented spatial relations within a given territory beaome important to the making of nation-states. Such official maps helped annex territories and determine property rights. Indeed, to map a territory meant to know and control it.
More recently, the tools for making maps have become more broadly accessible. Anyone with a computer and internet access can now make and share “alternative maps” that present different visions of a territory and make varied geopolitical claims.
And maps produced in a conflict region, such as Israel and the Palestinian territories, tell a rich story about the relationship between mapmaking and politics.
Mapping the Middle East
During the British Mandate of Palestine from 1917 to 1947, British surveyors mapped the territories to exercise their control over the land and its people. It was an attempt to supersede the more informal Ottoman land claims of the time.
A map shows the shaded areas of the Arab state recommended by the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine in 1947. The unshaded areas are parts of the proposed Jewish state. Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Maps also helped build the Israeli state. Surveyors and planners mapped the land to allocate land rights, and they helped build the state’s infrastructure, including roads and railroads.
But maps also helped create a sense of nationhood. Maps representing a nation’s shape by delineating its national borders are known as “logo” maps. They can enhance feelings of national unity and a sense of national belonging.
Once established, the Israeli state remade the maps of the region. An Israeli Governmental Names Commission came up with Hebrew names to replace formerly Arab and Christian names for different towns and villages on the official map of Israel. At the same time, formerly Palestinian topographies and places were omitted from the map.
Some Palestinian mapmakers, however, continue to make maps that include Palestinian named sites and depict pre-1948 historic Palestine – an area that stretches from River Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. Such maps are used to advocate for Palestinians’ right to land and foster a sense of national belonging.
A Palestinian woman holds up a map of the British Mandate of Palestine during a protest in Gaza City on Feb. 27, 2020. Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images
At the same time, Palestinian cartographers who work with the Palestinian Authority – the government body that administers partial civil control over Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank – make official maps of the West Bank and Gaza in the hope of establishing a future state of Palestine. They align their maps with United Nations efforts to map the territories according to international law by demarking the West Bank and Gaza as separate from and as occupied by Israel.
After the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza. As a result, map wars intensified, especially between different fractions within Israel. The left-wing “peace camp,” which was dedicated to territorial compromises with the Palestinians, was pitted against an Israeli right wing committed to reclaiming the “Promised Land” for ensuring Israeli security.
Such incompatible geopolitical visions continue to be reflected in the maps produced. “Peace camp” maps adhere to the delineation of the territories according to international law. For example, they include the Green Line – the internationally recognized armistice line between the West Bank and Israel. Official maps produced by the Israeli government, by contrast, stopped delineating the Green Line after 1967.
Broader and border disputes
Not only have different interest groups and political actors used maps of the region to put forth competing geopolitical claims, but maps have also played a central role in sporadic efforts to establish peace in the region.
The 1993 Oslo Accords, for example, relied on maps to provide the framework for Palestinian self-rule in return for security for Israel. The aim was that after a five-year interim period, a permanent peace settlement would be negotiated based on the borders laid out in these maps.
A map of the West Bank with proposed Palestinian-controlled areas in yellow, as per the Oslo II Accords. Wikimedia Commons
Consequently, Palestinian planners and surveyors mapped the territory allocated to a future state of Palestine. With the Oslo Accords promising only a future state – but with its borders and level of sovereignty still uncertain – Palestinian experts nevertheless continue to prepare for governing the territories by mapping them.
The Oslo maps are used to this day to delineate geopolitical visions of Israel and a future state of Palestine that are based on international law. But for many Israelis, the Oslo vision of a two-state solution has died – the attack by Hamas, the Palestinian nationalist political organization that governs Gaza, on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, was its last blow.
The subsequent war between Israel and Hamas, currently subject to a cease-fire, has from the outset involved maps.
In December 2023, the Israeli military posted an online “evacuation map” that divided the Gaza Strip into 623 zones. Palestinians could go online – provided they have access to electricity and internet in a territory plagued by blackouts – to find out whether their neighborhood was called upon to evacuate. Israeli military commanders used this map to decide where to launch airstrikes and conduct ground maneuvers.
Maps aren’t just for making sense of the past and present – they help people imagine the future, too. And different maps can reveal conflicting geopolitical visions.
In January 2024, for example, various Israeli right-wing and settler organizations organized the Conference for the Victory of Israel. The aim was to plan for resettling Gaza and increase Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Speakers advocated for transferring Palestinians from the Strip to the Sinai through “voluntary emigration.” With Jewish settlers planning for the return to Gaza, and speakers citing both the Bible and Israeli security for justifications, an oversized map showed the location of proposed Jewish settlements.
A man takes a photo with a map showing the Gaza Strip with Jewish settlements during a convention calling to resettle the Gaza Strip on Jan. 28, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Amir Levy/Getty Images
Such maps reveal the desire by some in Israel for a “Greater Israel” – an area described in 1904 by Theodor Herzl, considered the father of modern-day Zionism, as spanning from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.
Unsurprisingly, Palestinians make different maps for envisioning the future. Palestine Emerging – a Palestinian and international initiative that brings together various experts, organizations, and funders – uses maps that connect Gaza to the West Bank and the wider region.
A map shows the proposed Gaza-West Bank corridor transport link. Palestine Emerging
Their aim is to transform Gaza into a commercial hub for trade, tourism and innovation and to integrate it into the global economy. Accordingly, maps of urban projects, airports and seaports overlay the cartographic contours of Gaza; and a Gaza-West Bank corridor, which would be sealed for Israeli security, could connect the two geographically separate Palestinian territories.
Such maps reflect the efforts by Palestinian stakeholders to continue surveying the territories that, since the Oslo Accords, were to make up the future state of Palestine.
In a novel twist, U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 4, 2025, floated a plan for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza, moving its current inhabitants out and turning the enclave into “”the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Such a move would amount to another attempt to remake borders across the Middle East. It would not, however, end the “map wars” in Israel/Palestine.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through the Science and Technology Studies (STS) Program, award #1152322. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or any other entity.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University – Newark
On Feb. 4, 2025, Trump described his plans for Linda McMahon, his nominee for education secretary. “I want Linda to put herself out of a job,” Trump said, according to The Associated Press.
Education policies in the U.S. are largely carried out at the state and local levels. The Education Department is a relatively small government agency, with just over 4,000 employees and a US$268 billion annual budget. A large part of its work is overseeing $1.6 trillion in federal student loans as well as grants for K-12 schools.
And it ensures that public schools comply with federal laws that protect vulnerable students, like those with disabilities.
Why, then, does Trump want to eliminate the department?
A will to fight against so-called “wokeness” and a desire to shrink the government are among the four reasons I have found.
President Donald Trump waves to supporters at a Jan. 25, 2025, rally in Las Vegas. Ian Maule/Getty Images
First and foremost, Trump and his supporters believe that liberals are ruining public education by instituting what they call a
“radical woke agenda” that they say prioritizes identity politics and politically correct groupthink at the expense of the free speech of those, like many conservatives, who have different views.
Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives promoting social justice – and critical race theory, or the idea that racism is entrenched in social and legal institutions – are a particular focus of MAGA ire.
So, too, is what Trump supporters call “radical gender ideology,” which they contend promotes policies like letting transgender students play on school sports teams or use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity, not biological sex.
Trump supporters say that such policies – which the Education Department indirectly supported by expanding Title IX gender protections in 2024 to include discrimination based on gender identity – are at odds with parental school choice rights or, for some religious conservatives, the Bible.
For MAGA supporters, ”radical left“ wokeness is part of liberals’ long-standing attempt to ”brainwash“ others with their allegedly Marxist views that embrace communism.
Trump supporters also argue that “woke” federal public education policy infringes on people’s basic freedoms and rights.
This idea extends to what Trump supporters call “restoring parental rights,” including the right to decide whether a child undergoes a gender transition or learns about nonbinary gender identity at public schools.
Diversity, according to this argument, should include faith-based institutions and homeschooling. Project 2025 proposes that the government could support parents who choose to homeschool or put their kids in a religious primary school by providing Educational Savings Accounts and school vouchers. Vouchers give public funding for students to attend private schools and have been expanding in use in recent years.
For the MAGA faithful, the Education Department exemplifies government inefficiency and red tape.
Project 2025, for example, contends that from the time it was established by the Carter administration in 1979, the Education Department has ballooned in size, come under the sway of special interest groups and now serves as an inefficient “one-stop shop for the woke education cartel.”
To deal with the Education Department’s “bloat” and “suffocating bureaucratic red tape,” Project 2025 recommends shifting all of the department’s federal programs and money to other agencies and the states.
And Trump has taken actions, such as seeking to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development without the required congressional approval, which suggest he may try to act on his Education Department promises.
Abolishing the department, however, would legally require congressional approval and 60 votes to move forward in the Senate, which is unlikely since Republicans only have 53 seats.
Trump also made similar promises in 2016 that were unfulfilled. And Trump’s executive actions are likely to face legal challenges – like a DEI-focused higher education lawsuit filed on Feb. 3.
Regardless of such legal challenges, Trump’s executive orders related to education demonstrate that he is already attempting to “drain the swamp” – starting with the Education Department.
Alex Hinton receives funding from the Rutgers-Newark Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, Rutgers Research Council, and Henry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
The Young Trade Leaders Programme was established to connect young people with the work of the WTO. Nasubila Ng’ambi, from Malawi, is a 2024 participant. She earned her LLB with distinction from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa.
Nasubila shares what inspired her to join the programme and her aspirations as a Young Trade Leader.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Catriona Waitt, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Global Health, University of Liverpool
Breastfeeding is so important for child health that the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef recommend that babies should be breastfed within an hour of birth, be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and then continue breastfeeding in combination with other foods for two years or more.
Infectious disease emergencies can threaten breastfeeding and the lives of mothers and babies. Depending on the disease, there is a risk of passing infection to the baby by close contact or (rarely) through breastmilk. There is also the risk of harm to breastfed infants from medication or vaccination of their mothers.
But separating mothers and babies or stopping breastfeeding also poses risks.
Mothers need proper guidance on the best course of action during an Ebola outbreak.
Threat to mothers and babies
The symptoms of Ebola include fever, tiredness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and, later, bleeding from any part of the body.
Ebola viruses are extremely contagious and people who become infected are at very high risk of death. Pregnant women and infants are more vulnerable and at greater risk than others.
Ebola outbreaks most often occur in countries where breastfeeding is vital for child survival. They have occurred in several African countries and on 30 January 2025 Uganda declared an outbreak, the latest in several the country has endured.
Breastmilk contains many ingredients that help to prevent and fight infection and that strengthen the baby’s own immune system. Replacing breastmilk with other foods or liquids (including infant formula) removes this protection from babies and makes them more likely to become seriously ill.
It’s important to know which actions protect or harm babies and their mothers during outbreaks. Recommendations on infectious diseases must weigh up the risks related to the disease, medical treatments and the risks of not-breastfeeding.
The World Health Organization has published guidelines on how to care for breastfeeding mothers and their infants when one or both have Ebola, but these recommendations are based on “very low quality” evidence, they are mostly expert opinion rather than research-based knowledge.
Women and children have been largely neglected in Ebola research. More is known about Ebola and semen than Ebola and breastmilk.
In a paper just published in the Lancet Global Health, we have outlined a roadmap for research on Ebola and breastfeeding so that mothers and babies can be protected.
We don’t know if breastmilk can be infectious and, if it is, for how long.
We don’t know whether expressed breastmilk can be treated so that it is safe.
We don’t know whether, if both mother and baby are infected, it is better for the baby if the mother keeps breastfeeding, if she is able to.
We don’t know if vaccinating mothers against Ebola helps to protect their breastfed infants from the virus.
We don’t know if there are any risks for breastfed infants if their mothers are infected.
The result of this lack of knowledge is that decisions may be taken that increase risk and suffering for mothers and their babies.
For example, mothers may refuse vaccination because they are fearful that it is risky for their baby. But by refusing vaccination they’d be making themselves vulnerable to Ebola.
Alternatively, they may get vaccinated and stop breastfeeding, making their baby vulnerable to other serious infections.
If mothers and babies who both have Ebola are separated and breastfeeding is stopped, it could reduce the chances of survival.
Mothers and babies deserve better than this.
No more excuses
For many years people have called for more research on Ebola, breastmilk and breastfeeding, but this research has not been undertaken. It is not acceptable that women and children are deprived of breastfeeding because the needed research has not been done.
In our paper, we describe the different groups of breastfeeding women affected by Ebola who must be included in research:
vaccine recipients
mothers who are ill with Ebola
mothers recovering from Ebola
mothers who are infected with Ebola, but have no symptoms
the wider population of breastfeeding mothers in communities experiencing Ebola outbreaks.
The roadmap also includes the research questions that need answering and the study designs that would enable these questions to be answered.
It is up to governments, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, funders and health organisations to act.
Following the Ebola and breastfeeding research roadmap will not necessarily be easy. It is difficult to do research in the middle of an emergency.
But research on vaccination safety can be done outside outbreaks. Putting research plans in place and gaining approvals before outbreaks will also make things easier.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rebecca Ackermann, Professor, Department of Archaeology and Human Evolution Research Institute, University of Cape Town
Here’s how the story of the Taung Child is usually told:
In 1924 an Australian anthropologist and anatomist, Raymond Dart, acquired a block of calcified sediment from a limestone quarry in South Africa. He painstakingly removed a fossil skull from this material.
A year later, on 7 February 1925, he published his description of what he argued was a new hominin species, Australopithecus africanus, in the journal Nature. It was nicknamed the Taung Child, a reference to the discovery site and its young age.
The international scientific community rebuffed this hypothesis. They were looking outside Africa for human origins and argued that the skull more likely belonged to a non-human primate. Dart was vindicated decades later after subsequent similar fossil discoveries elsewhere in Africa.
Dart is portrayed as prescient in most retellings. He’s hailed for elevating the importance of Africa in the narrative of human origins.
But is this a biased and simplified narrative? The discovery played out during a period marked by colonialism, racism and racial segregation and apartheid in South Africa. The history of human origins research is, therefore, intertwined with inequality, exclusion and scientifically unsound ideas.
Viewed against this backdrop, and with a contemporary lens, the figure of Dart, and palaeoanthropology on the African continent more broadly, is complex and worthy of reflection.
The South African Journal of Science has published a special issue to mark the centenary of Dart’s original paper.
A group of African researchers and international collaborators, ourselves among them, contributed papers offering perspectives on the science, history and legacy of palaeoanthropology in South Africa and beyond.
We were particularly interested in exploring how the history of the discovery of early hominins in South Africa influenced the scientific field of palaeoanthropology. Did it promote or limit scientific enquiry? In what ways? What were its cultural effects? And how do they play out now, a century later?
The papers in the special issue unpack a number of issues and highlight ongoing debates in the field of human evolution research in Africa and beyond.
Our goal is to celebrate the remarkable science that the discovery of A. africanus enabled. At the same time we are probing disciplinary legacies through a critical lens that challenges researchers to do science better.
The marginalisation and erasure of voices
Several key themes run through the contributions in the special issue.
One is the unheard voices. The colonial framework in which most palaeoanthropological research in South Africa took place excluded all but a few groups. This is particularly true for Indigenous voices. As a legacy, few African researchers in palaeoanthropology are first authors on prominent research or leading international research teams.
Too often, African palaeoanthropological heritage is the domain of international teams that conduct research on the continent with little meaningful collaboration from local African researchers. This is “helicopter science”. More diverse teams will produce better future work and those of us in the discipline must actively drive this process.
The dominance of western male viewpoints is part of the colonial framework. This theme, too, threads through most of the work in the special issue.
In a bid to redress some of the imbalances, a majority of the authors in the special issue were women, especially African women, and Black Africans more broadly. Many of the papers call for a more considered and equitable approach to the inclusion of African researchers, technicians and excavators in the future: in workshops and seminars, on professional bodies, as collaborators and knowledge creators, and in authorship practices.
Community and practice
Colonial legacies also manifest in a lack of social responsiveness – the use of professional expertise for a public purpose or benefit. This is another theme in the special edition. For example, Gaokgatlhe Mirriam Tawane, Dipuo Kgotleng and Bando Baven consider the broader effects of the Taung Child discovery on the Taung community.
A map showing where the skull was discovered.HERI, Author provided (no reuse)
Tawane is a palaeoanthropologist and grew up in the Taung municipality. She and her co-authors argue that, a century after the discovery of the fossil, there is little (if any) reason for the local community to celebrate it. They argue that more must be done not only to give back to the community, which is beset by socio-economic struggles, but also to build trust in science and between communities and scientists.
Researchers need to understand that there is value in engaging with people beyond academia. This is not merely to disseminate scientific knowledge. It can also enrich communities and co-create a scholarship that is more nuanced, ethical and relevant. Researchers must become more socially responsive and institutions must hold researchers to higher standards of practice.
Resourcing
Another theme which emerges from this special issue is the value of and the need for excellent local laboratory facilities in which to undertake research based on the fossils and depositsassociated with them.
Increased investment in local laboratory facilities and capacity development can create a shift towards local work on the content being led by Africans. It can also increase pan-African collaboration, dismantling the currently common practice of African researchers being drawn into separate international networks.
It is important for international funding bodies to increase investment within African palaeoanthropology. This will facilitate internal growth and local collaborative networks. International and South African investment is also needed to grow local research capacity. Fossil heritage is a national asset.
This is an edited version of an article in the South African Journal of Science. Yonatan Sahle (Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, South Africa and Department of History and Heritage Management, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia) co-authored the academic article.
– The fossil skull that rocked the world – 100 years later scientists are grappling with the Taung find’s complex colonial legacy – https://theconversation.com/the-fossil-skull-that-rocked-the-world-100-years-later-scientists-are-grappling-with-the-taung-finds-complex-colonial-legacy-248605
Long-lost Iron Age artefacts discovered by Military personnel and veterans have been declared as treasure.
Parts of a Celtic chariot, thought to be around 2000 years old, were discovered underneath the airfield at RAF Valley in Anglesey during an excavation by military personnel and veterans.
The Senior Coroner for North Wales (West) has now declared these discoveries as treasure. They will be gifted to Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
The archaeological excavations took place in April 2024 and were led by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). The investigation also included personnel and veterans from Operation Nightingale, a DIO initiative which supports the health and wellbeing of military personnel and veterans.
“Operation Nightingale is an innovative and award-winning programme that consistently shows the benefits that archaeology can offer to military personnel and veterans.
Congratulations to those who carried out the excavation and made this exciting discovery. Through their hard work, we are uncovering and preserving our history for future generations.”
Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP Minister for Veterans and People
The award-winning scheme sees wounded, injured, and sick personnel and veterans taking part in archaeological investigations across the Defence estate, providing unique experiences within the field.
The finds are believed to form part of the famed Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard, originally uncovered in the 1940s during work to extend the airfield at RAF Valley for American bombers during the Allied war effort. The hoard is one of the most important collections of Iron Age artefacts discovered in the UK, comprising over 150 bronze and iron objects deposited between 300BC and 100AD.
Among the new finds was a terret ring which would have been used to guide the reins of a Celtic chariot, featuring a red decorative inlay. The ring, found by retired RAF Squadron Leader David Ulke, is one of just three found with this particular decoration in Wales.
A second discovery, a horse bridle-bit thought to date to c. 60AD, was found by serving RAF Flight Sergeant Moore. Similar to those from the Polden Hill hoard found in Somerset, the bridle-bit would have been worn by horses pulling Iron Age chariots.
“These finds at RAF Valley are extremely exciting for all involved; the Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard is of national importance for Wales, and the United Kingdom as a whole. These new discoveries have confirmed the suspicions of earlier archaeologists that there was more to be found from this particular hoard.”
Richard Osgood DIO’s Senior Archaeologist
Richard Osgood continued: “It’s great that the personnel and veterans who take part in Operation Nightingale continue to be rewarded with finds of such historical importance. I am proud that the initiative plays a part in supporting personnel and veterans in their recovery and it’s fantastic to see the wonderful impact of this project.”
The Operation Nightingale team was given special permissions to carry out the excavation by RAF Valley, ahead of refurbishment works on the site’s airfield. Construction for these improvements began in September 2024.
“We’d been briefed on the sort of things we could expect to find, so when I uncovered the piece, I was pretty sure it was an Iron Age terret ring. To say I was the over the moon is probably an understatement! I’ve been involved in archaeology for many years and this was by far the most significant recovery I have ever made.
The fact that Operation Nightingale can bring together service personnel through archaeological digs shows how healing and helpful archaeology can be. It’s by no means a silver bullet, but many have benefitted, and I for one am one of those grateful beneficiaries.”
Squadron Leader (Retired) David Ulke Finder of the terret ring
“The search for the lost hoard was hard work and we had a huge area to cover. It wasn’t until the final day – with just 10 minutes to go – that I discovered the horse bridle-bit. At first the team thought I was joking, but quickly realised I’d found something special. Words could not explain how I felt in that moment, but it was a wonderful experience.
I’ve been involved in lots of Operation Nightingale digs now, and the experience truly is priceless for the veterans and service personnel taking part.”
Group Captain Gez Currie OBE, said: “It is incredible that we are again reminded of the significance of the site on the doorstep of RAF Valley and the importance it has in Welsh history. It was the preparation of RAF Valley in the 1940s to help prevent invasion, that brought to light the significance of this location and its links to an earlier invasion by the Romans.”
“The importance of RAF Valley to UK Defence today is beyond question, but this is a reminder that we are part of a continuum spanning over 2,000 years and we must be responsible stewards of this land. We are immensely proud to be part of efforts to discover and conserve these important artefacts from Welsh history and equally delighted that our own service personnel have been so intimately involved in these efforts.”
Group Captain Gez Currie OBE Station Commander at RAF Valley
The finds will now be gifted to the National Museum of Wales, which is home to several items from the initial Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard.
Senior Curator of Prehistory at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Adam Gwilt, said: “It is amazing to think that these 2,000 year old artefacts have remained so complete and well-preserved within a shallow peat deposit, previously moved and dragged onto the airfield over 80 years ago from a nearby ancient lake!
The bridle-bit and terret are both of styles which are not represented amongst the original collection. They add important new information on the religious gifting of prized objects into the lake at the end of the Iron Age, a little before, or at around the time when the Roman Army invaded Anglesey.”
“It is great that these artefacts will be made accessible for display and public benefit at Oriel Môn. I look forward to working collaboratively in coming years with the museum, the heritage centre at RAF Valley and the Operation Nightingale team, so this great story can be celebrated and shared by all.”
Individual parts from retired fighter jets have been ground down and 3D printed into new components suitable for the UK’s next generation of military aircraft – a first of its kind initiative for the Royal Air Force.
The innovative recycling project has seen parts from old Tornado aircraft turned into powered metal and used to 3D print new components suitable for Tempest jets. This is a great example of UK-developed technology of the future, and demonstrates UK defence industry as an engine for growth and a key part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
The development could save taxpayer money, reduce the UK’s reliance on global supply chains of critical and high value metals and produce components that are lighter, stronger, and longer lasting than those made through traditional forging techniques.
Many of the Ministry of Defence’s surplus assets contain strategic metals, including high quality steel, aluminium, and titanium, and the Tornado 2 Tempest project team have been identifying whether some of these components could be atomised into powders – known as “feedstock” – for additive manufacturing to make new parts.
Tornado parts containing titanium, including jet engine compressor blades from a low-pressure air compressor, were selected. They were cleaned, successfully atomised and recycled into a 3D printed nose cone and compressor blades by Additive Manufacturing Solutions Limited (AMS) for Orpheus – Rolls-Royce’s small engine concept that is part of the MOD’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme delivering Tempest.
The nose cone was fitted onto an Orpheus test engine and passed suitability and safety checks – demonstrating the technique has potential use in the sixth-generation jet.
“The Tornado 2 Tempest project highlights the creativity, ingenuity and innovation defence employs in our approach to national security.
By working with key industry partners, we can deliver savings, reduce reliance on global supply chains and ensure our Armed Forces have the very best kit to keep our country safe.
Not only does this initiative have a positive impact on the environment and national security, it supports the domestic defence industry acting as an engine for growth, which is at the heart of Plan for Change.”
Maria Eagle Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry
The project was led by Defence Equipment and Support’s (DE&S) Defence Recycling & Disposals Team (DRDT) in partnership with the MOD FCAS team, Rolls-Royce and AMS based in Burscough, Lancashire.
The initiative also led to the creation of three jobs and sustained two at Small Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME), AMS. The business now expects to create 25 new jobs by offering the innovation to other suppliers.
A team of more than 80 people participated in the project, including DRDT’s commercial graduates and Rolls-Royce graduate apprentices, combining current skills and innovative technologies to deliver and maintain future capabilities.
Funded by UK Strategic Command’s Defence Support Organisation in relation to its Circular Economics for Defence Concept Note, the feat shows that turning old parts into new is viable and could bring huge benefits to the MOD and wider Defence, especially through increasing the accessibility of strategic metals to the UK Defence industry and suppliers.
The MOD’s Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) recently awarded the Tornado 2 Tempest Rolls-Royce Team a CDLS Commendation in recognition of their commitment and dedication to the delivery and improvement of support to the front line.
The team also demonstrated a Digital Product Passport (DPP) by capturing and recording material provenance and lifecycle data. This can potentially enable more informed decisions around material allocation and protect against the use of counterfeit materials.
“The Tornado 2 Tempest project exemplifies the forward-thinking sustainability principles embedded in the FCAS Sustainability Strategy and MoD Defence Support Strategy.
This project is bold, exciting and innovative, and a demonstration of exemplary collaboration between the MoD, industry and SME, furthering the drive for circular economy practices and innovative digital enablers in Defence.”
Andrew Eady Rolls-Royce
“At AMS our tagline is ‘Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future’ and we were confident our innovations and ideas would have a great bearing on the future of a resilient supply.
This project turned our proposed solutions into a reality, and we have been very humbled and grateful to the MOD and Rolls Royce, for allowing us to showcase our capability to deliver game-changing circular economy processes and parts in Defence.”
