PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Florida, Puerto Rico, were sentenced in federal court for their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and related charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 17 individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, indicted in March 2024 for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws by conspiring to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown (read the Indictment news release here).
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentences on Jean Sanchez Tulla, 38, of Puerto Rico, and Glenn Samuels, 33, of New Castle, sentencing Tulla to nine years of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering, and Samuels to 37 months of prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
According to information presented to the Court, Tulla was a leading member of the organized drug trafficking group that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico, often mailing drug parcels through the U.S. Postal Service to co-conspirators responsible for selling the cocaine in Western Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; and elsewhere. Specifically, Tulla was responsible for possessing with intent to distribute and distributing between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of and during the course of the conspiracy. He also traveled from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania—including at least 15 trips to Pittsburgh from 2023 to 2024—and elsewhere to facilitate and promote the drug trafficking enterprise, including to receive drug proceeds from other members of the organization.
Upon receipt of the shipped cocaine, leaders of the drug trafficking organization in Western Pennsylvania would distribute smaller quantities of the drugs to multiple co-conspirators, including Samuels, in order to maximize profits. Those co-conspirators then distributed the cocaine in New Castle, Ellwood City, and elsewhere in Lawrence County. At least 100 grams of cocaine was attributable to Samuels, who was found during the investigation to frequent the New Castle residence of the drug trafficking organization’s local leader for short durations, often multiple times a day.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as the New Castle Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tulla and Samuels.
Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Harris County, Georgia, resident who engaged in criminal sexual activity with a middle schooler and a former contractor at Fort Moore guilty of possessing hundreds of files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone were both sentenced to federal prison this week resulting from Project Safe Childhood investigations.
Patrick John Irvine, 22, of Shiloh, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release on Jan. 28. Irvine previously pleaded guilty to one count of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity on Oct. 15, 2024.
Terric Taylor, 28, of Fortson, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release on Jan. 28. Taylor previously pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography on Oct. 15, 2024.
Both defendants will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. U.S. District Judge Clay Land presided over the cases. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office has zero tolerance for people who prey on children, and we will use every resource at our disposal to investigate and prosecute Project Safe Childhood cases,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Both cases demonstrate how law enforcement and community partners are helping us hold child sex offenders accountable.”
“With a victim-centered approach, the FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold those who choose to prey on our most vulnerable citizens accountable,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke.
“These cases show how local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are working together to fight for the safety of our children,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Irvine case, sometime in mid-March 2024, Irvine met 12-year-old Jane Doe on Snapchat, and they continued to communicate through Snapchat, Facetime and text messages over the next several weeks. Irvine made plans with Jane Doe to travel approximately four hours from his home in Harris County to a meeting place near her home in Alabama. They met on the night of March 23, 2024, and on March 24, 2024, Irvine texted Jane Doe to, “start packing, I’ll get you next weekend.” Irvine returned to Jane Doe’s Alabama residence on the evening of Friday, March 29, 2024, and drove her to Georgia. Jane Doe’s family members reported her missing the next day. Jane Doe’s mother acquired her daughter’s cell phone records from AT&T and discovered a high frequency of calls between the victim and a number she did not recognize, which was Irvine’s phone number. She attempted to call and text Irvine’s number, and finally got a response:
• Defendant: “Sorry, I’m at work. Is everything okay?”
• Mom: “No I need to talk to you now. I’m [the victim’s] mother. Please answer.”
• Defendant: “[victim’s first name] who?”
• Mom: “Why is a 12-year-old calling the number multiple times late at night if you are old enough to be working? It’s all over my call AT&T call logs.”
• Defendant: “We were going to hang out then I found out how old she was, and I haven’t talked to her since. Is everything okay?”
• Mom: “You need to call me. The police will be calling soon.”
• Defendant: “Sorry I’m at work and I can’t call right now.”
After identifying the subscriber of this number as Irvine, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office was notified and dispatched to Irvine’s residence. Upon arrival, Irvine emerged shirtless from the house and initially denied Jane Doe was in the house, but then stated that she had just gotten out of the shower. Jane Doe escaped out of a window and was found hiding in the woods.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Taylor case, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a Cybertip on July 17, 2022, from the social media platform X concerning user “strayBreeders04” who had uploaded a file of child pornography on the platform. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) discovered Taylor was the user and was employed as a contractor at Fort Moore. Working with Fort Moore’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Taylor was located, and he admitted to agents that he uploaded images of child pornography to X. Agents found several files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone. Taylor estimated he had approximately 50 videos of children engaging in sexual acts on his device.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The Irvine case was investigated bythe FBI, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Walker County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office.
The Taylor case was investigated by the FBI, GBI and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted the cases for the Government
Defendant Allegedly Stashed Marijuana and Cigarettes Inside Government-Issued Protective Vest
Earlier today, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging former federal correctional officer Najee Jackson with attempting to smuggle contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC-Brooklyn). Jackson was arrested this morning and is scheduled for an initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), announced the arrest.
“As alleged, Najee Jackson violated his duty and abused his position of trust as a correctional officer by attempting to smuggle contraband into the very institution he was sworn to protect,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The smuggling of contraband into a jail endangers correctional officers and inmates. Disrupting corruption in any form at MDC-Brooklyn will continue to be a priority of my Office, working in tandem with our federal law enforcement partners.”
“Jackson’s alleged attempt to smuggle contraband into the Brooklyn prison compromised the safety and security of the institution,” stated DOJ-OIG Geach, “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to bringing to justice any Federal Bureau of Prisons employee who abuses their authority and attempts to smuggle illegal contraband into federal prisons.”
As alleged in the complaint, Jackson became a correctional officer at MDC-Brooklyn in November 2023. On January 21, 2025, Jackson arrived at the jail around 12:15 a.m. to begin working a night shift. Before entering MDC-Brooklyn, staff members are required to pass through a screening area consisting of a metal detector and a conveyor belt that passes through an x-ray machine. Staff members entering the facility are also required to place their personal belongings on the conveyor belt to pass through the x-ray machine, and to walk through the metal detector. Jackson placed various personal belongings into a bin on the conveyor belt, and then walked through the metal detector, triggering the alarm. After making several failed attempts to clear the metal detector, Jackson removed his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest, which was found to contain vacuum‑sealed bags of marijuana, cigarettes, two lighters and rolling papers. Two days later, Jackson resigned from the Bureau of Prisons.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Russell Noble is in charge of the prosecution.
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man who tried to persuade minors into engaging in sex acts online to 14 years in prison.
Judge Autrey also ordered Jason Michael Enke to pay a special assessment of $5,300 that will go to victims of child sexual abuse material. Once released from prison, he will be on supervised release for life.
From August to October of 2023, Enke sent a series of sexually explicit messages during online chat sessions and via social media to five people who identified themselves online as minors. He tried to persuade the minors to engage in sexual conduct and shared a video of himself and a 16-year-old engaging in sex acts.
In November of 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified the FBI’s St. Louis office that Enke had sent a video containing child pornography to an Instagram user who listed their age as 15. FBI agents performed a court-approved search of Enke’s home near Bourbon, Missouri and found videos containing child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.
“We thank the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for sharing tips in this case and others,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “As a result, FBI St. Louis, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri have taken another predator off the streets so he can no longer prey on children.”
Enke, 45, of Crawford County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
The FBI and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Coast Guard rescued two men approximately 103 miles east of Wilmington, N.C., Tuesday. The pair called for help when their 32-foot sailboat, Walrus, began sinking and they were unable to keep up with flooding.
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JESUS MALDONADO-LOPEZ (“MALDONADO-LOPEZ”), age 38, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty on January 16, 2025, to reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1).
According to court documents, MALDONADO-LOPEZ, an illegal alien with a prior felony conviction for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, was found in the New Orleans area on or around July 29, 2024. He had previously been deported to Mexico on May 29, 2008.
MALDONADO-LOPEZ faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey has set the sentencing for April 15, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame Exhibit at Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
The Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame was created in 1951 to recognize outstanding contributions in shaping the progress and prosperity of Alberta agriculture. Since 1951, 144 men and women have been named to the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame for their innovation and unwavering dedication to the ag industry.
On Jan. 29, the 41st induction ceremony took place at the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin, honouring three outstanding Albertans. In addition to the induction, a permanent exhibit at the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin has been opened, which will showcase both new and former inductees, as well as the rich history of agriculture in Alberta.
“I am honoured to welcome three new inductees to the Agriculture Hall of Fame. They have helped to raise awareness of the vital role of agriculture and were essential to the early development of our province. This year, I am thrilled to open the Ag Hall of Fame exhibit, a permanent space to celebrate the legacy and innovations that shape Alberta’s agricultural industry.”
The Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame inducts up to three Albertans every two years. The 2024 inductees are being honoured for their advocacy, leadership and pioneering spirit in advancing the province’s agriculture and food industry. The inductees are:
Dr. Kee Jim, from Okotoks, for his innovative, data-driven approach to feedlot cattle health, effective disease protocols and strengthening Alberta’s cattle industry.
Blair Roth, from Lethbridge, for his visionary role in developing pulse crops as a dryland farming option, shaping early agronomics, variety selection and marketing strategies.
Manfred Kanehl (posthumous induction), from Parkland County, for his outstanding contributions and advancements to animal welfare and food safety within the Canadian egg industry and for pioneering the Start Clean – Stay Clean on-farm food safety program launched nationally and still in use today.
Permanent exhibit: Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame and Century Farm and Ranch Award
Alberta’s government has proudly opened an exhibit to showcase the province’s proud ag history and honour the men and women who made agriculture innovation and growth possible. The permanent feature includes the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame and Century Farm and Ranch Award exhibit.
The exhibit will be permanently housed in the grain elevator at the Reynolds Museum and will preserve and celebrate the stories, milestones and legacy of Alberta’s agricultural history. The exhibit includes:
Two interactive displays that provide access to biographies, photos and videos of Hall of Fame inductees.
A large-scale display that includes banners and wall mounts combining text, imagery and design elements that showcase the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame and Alberta Century Farm and Ranch Award programs.
“I’m excited that the Reynolds Museum is celebrating Alberta’s agricultural history by showcasing the Albertans who shaped it and spurred the sector’s innovation and growth. I hope all Albertans have the chance to visit this exhibit and learn the inspiring stories of these outstanding individuals.”
Quick facts: Ag Hall of Fame
The Agriculture Hall of Fame is the Department of Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation’s oldest and most prestigious award.
The inductees were nominated by their peers through an open process and reviewed by a panel of judges from a cross-section of members from Alberta’s agriculture industry.
Quick facts: Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame and Century Farm and Ranch Award exhibit
The Ministries of Agriculture and Irrigation and Arts, Culture and Status of Women collaborated on the design and decision to install the Ag Hall of Fame at the Reynolds Museum.
The Alberta Century Farm and Ranch Award, established in 1993, recognizes families who have continuously owned and operated the same land for at least 100 years.
Alberta’s oldest farms and ranches trace back to 1884.
Premier David Eby is tasking a new cabinet committee with co-ordinating the whole-of-government approach to protect B.C.’s workers, businesses and economy against ongoing tariff threats from the United States.
Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, will chair the committee, which will act as a day-to-day war room, co-ordinating actions across government to fight back on behalf of British Columbians and grow the province’s economy.
“The proposed U.S. tariffs are a direct attack on B.C.’s families,” Premier Eby said. “This threat isn’t going away anytime soon – not while this president is in power. Every minister has an important role to play in fighting back. Minister Kahlon brings deep experience in government to the table and is uniquely positioned to co-ordinate this work across government ministries.”
The B.C. government has stepped up with a three-point strategy to fight back and protect British Columbians: respond to U.S. tariffs with tough counter-actions and outreach to American decision-makers; strengthen B.C.’s economy by expediting projects and supporting industry and workers; and diversify trade markets for products so British Columbia is less reliant on U.S. markets and customers.
“We didn’t ask for this fight, but B.C. will not be bullied,” Kahlon said. “My colleagues and I will work shoulder to shoulder with workers, business and community leaders to meet this moment.”
The new committee will ensure that B.C.’s response is fast, tough and fully focused on protecting British Columbians, while strengthening, growing and diversifying the province’s economy for the long-term.
Members of the new cabinet committee are:
Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs (chair)
Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance
Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions
Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food
Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade
Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests
Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals
Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois issued an order of default judgment against five offshore entities and three individuals, finding them liable for fraud and other violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations in connection with a global retail binary options fraud that victimized U.S. residents. The defendants executed their unlawful scheme through internet websites using fictitious trade names such as BigOption, BinaryBook, and BinaryOnline. The following foreign entities and Israeli citizens were found liable for, and enjoined from, fraud and other violations:
Yukom Communications Ltd., incorporated in Israel Linkopia Mauritius Ltd., incorporated in Mauritius Wirestech Limited d/b/a BigOption, incorporated in the Marshall Islands WSB Investments Ltd. d/b/a BinaryBook, incorporated in Anguilla, the United Kingdom, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Gibraltar Zolarex Ltd. d/b/a BinaryOnline, incorporated in the Marshall Islands Yossi Herzog Lee Elbaz Shalom Peretz
The order finds the defendants engaged in fraud and other violations and orders them to pay, jointly and severally, $112.9 million in restitution and a $338.7 million civil monetary penalty. The order also permanently enjoins them from engaging in conduct that violates the CEA, as charged, and permanently bans them from registering with the CFTC and from trading in any CFTC-regulated markets. The order stems from the CFTC’s complaint, filed Aug. 12, 2019, charging defendants with fraud and other violations. [See CFTC Press Release No. 7995-19] Case Background The order finds that from March 26, 2014, until the filing of the complaint on Aug. 12, 2019, the defendants made numerous fraudulent misrepresentations to customers on websites and through email and telephone solicitations, telling customers that binary option transactions were profitable, when in fact the substantial majority of their customers lost money, and individual brokers misrepresented their names, financial expertise, and physical location. The order finds the defendants misappropriated customer funds and made additional misrepresentations to thwart customers’ attempts to withdraw their funds, including failing to disclose material information about so-called “bonuses” and “risk-free trades.” The defendants also manipulated their trading platform’s risk settings to limit or prevent customers from being “in the money” with winning trades. Previous Settlement The court previously entered a consent order against another defendant involved in the fraud, Yakov Cohen, which resolved similar allegations against Cohen and required that he disgorge $7 million in ill-gotten gains received from his participation in the fraudulent binary options scheme. [See CFTC Press Release 8962-24] Parallel Criminal Actions On Aug. 7, 2019, Elbaz was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of criminal statutes based upon substantially the same underlying facts as alleged in the CFTC complaint, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and ordered to pay restitution of $28 million in United States v. Elbaz, No. 18-cr-00157 (D. Md.) Cohen pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud predicated on the same conduct charged in CFTC’s complaint. He was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison on Aug.15, 2024 and ordered to pay $7 million in restitution on January 22, 2025, in United States v. Yakov Cohen, No. 19 cr 77-1 PX (D. Md.). The CFTC thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland for their assistance in this matter. The Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this case are Heather Dasso, Elizabeth N. Pendleton, Elizabeth Streit, Scott R. Williamson, and Robert T. Howell. * * * * * * * Fraud Advisory The CFTC’s Office of Customer Education and Outreach and the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy have issued a joint investor alert to warn about fraudulent schemes involving binary options and their trading platforms. The alert warns customers the perpetrators of these unlawful schemes may refuse to credit customer accounts, deny fund reimbursement, commit identity theft, and manipulate software to generate losing trades. The CFTC also urges the public to verify a company’s registration at NFA BASIC before committing funds. Customers should be wary of providing funds to any unregistered entity. Suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, can be reported to the Division of Enforcement via a toll-free hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382) or file a tip or complaint online or contact the CFTC Whistleblower Office. Whistleblowers may be eligible to receive between 10 and 30 percent of the monetary sanctions collected, paid from the CFTC Customer Protection Fund financed through monetary sanctions paid to the CFTC by violators of the CEA.
Did you know that NASA conducts ground-breaking research in space on materials like metals, foams, and crystals? This research could lead to next-generation technology that both enables deep-space exploration and benefits humanity. Here are six studies scientists have conducted on the International Space Station that could have profound implications for future space travel and also improve products widely used on Earth:
This Oct. 29, 2018, image from the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures geysers of gas and dust that occur in springtime in the South Polar region of Mars. As the Sun rises higher in the sky, the thick coating of carbon dioxide ice that accumulated over the winter begins to warm and then turn to vapor. Sunlight penetrates through the transparent ice and is absorbed at the base of the ice layer. The gas that forms because of the warming escapes through weaknesses in the ice and erupts in the form of geysers. HiRISE, or the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, is a powerful camera that takes pictures covering vast areas of Martian terrain while being able to see features as small as a kitchen table. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Lee esta nota de prensa en español aquí. Studies of rock and dust from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security–Regolith Explorer) spacecraft have revealed molecules that, on our planet, are key to life, as well as a history of saltwater that could have served as the “broth” for these compounds to interact and combine. The findings do not show evidence for life itself, but they do suggest the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were widespread across the early solar system, increasing the odds life could have formed on other planets and moons. “NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission already is rewriting the textbook on what we understand about the beginnings of our solar system,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Asteroids provide a time capsule into our home planet’s history, and Bennu’s samples are pivotal in our understanding of what ingredients in our solar system existed before life started on Earth.” In research papers published Wednesday in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy, scientists from NASA and other institutions shared results of the first in-depth analyses of the minerals and molecules in the Bennu samples, which OSIRIS-REx delivered to Earth in 2023. Detailed in the Nature Astronomy paper, among the most compelling detections were amino acids – 14 of the 20 that life on Earth uses to make proteins – and all five nucleobases that life on Earth uses to store and transmit genetic instructions in more complex terrestrial biomolecules, such as DNA and RNA, including how to arrange amino acids into proteins. Scientists also described exceptionally high abundances of ammonia in the Bennu samples. Ammonia is important to biology because it can react with formaldehyde, which also was detected in the samples, to form complex molecules, such as amino acids – given the right conditions. When amino acids link up into long chains, they make proteins, which go on to power nearly every biological function. These building blocks for life detected in the Bennu samples have been found before in extraterrestrial rocks. However, identifying them in a pristine sample collected in space supports the idea that objects that formed far from the Sun could have been an important source of the raw precursor ingredients for life throughout the solar system. “The clues we’re looking for are so minuscule and so easily destroyed or altered from exposure to Earth’s environment,” said Danny Glavin, a senior sample scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and co-lead author of the Nature Astronomy paper. “That’s why some of these new discoveries would not be possible without a sample-return mission, meticulous contamination-control measures, and careful curation and storage of this precious material from Bennu.” While Glavin’s team analyzed the Bennu samples for hints of life-related compounds, their colleagues, led by Tim McCoy, curator of meteorites at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, and Sara Russell, cosmic mineralogist at the Natural History Museum in London, looked for clues to the environment these molecules would have formed. Reporting in the journal Nature, scientists further describe evidence of an ancient environment well-suited to kickstart the chemistry of life. Ranging from calcite to halite and sylvite, scientists identified traces of 11 minerals in the Bennu sample that form as water containing dissolved salts evaporates over long periods of time, leaving behind the salts as solid crystals. Similar brines have been detected or suggested across the solar system, including at the dwarf planet Ceres and Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Although scientists have previously detected several evaporites in meteorites that fall to Earth’s surface, they have never seen a complete set that preserves an evaporation process that could have lasted thousands of years or more. Some minerals found in Bennu, such as trona, were discovered for the first time in extraterrestrial samples. “These papers really go hand in hand in trying to explain how life’s ingredients actually came together to make what we see on this aqueously altered asteroid,” said McCoy. For all the answers the Bennu sample has provided, several questions remain. Many amino acids can be created in two mirror-image versions, like a pair of left and right hands. Life on Earth almost exclusively produces the left-handed variety, but the Bennu samples contain an equal mixture of both. This means that on early Earth, amino acids may have started out in an equal mixture, as well. The reason life “turned left” instead of right remains a mystery. “OSIRIS-REx has been a highly successful mission,” said Jason Dworkin, OSIRIS-REx project scientist at NASA Goddard and co-lead author on the Nature Astronomy paper. “Data from OSIRIS-REx adds major brushstrokes to a picture of a solar system teeming with the potential for life. Why we, so far, only see life on Earth and not elsewhere, that’s the truly tantalizing question.” NASA Goddard provided overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator. The university leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and provided flight operations. NASA Goddard and KinetX Aerospace were responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx takes place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. International partnerships on this mission include the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter instrument from CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and asteroid sample science collaboration with JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Hayabusa2 mission. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information on the OSIRIS-REx mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Rani GranGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland301-286-2483rani.c.gran@nasa.gov
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pulse Seismic Inc. (TSX:PSD) (OTCQX:PLSDF) (“Pulse” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the signing of a $10.0 million seismic data licensing sales contract for 3D seismic data located in West Central Alberta. Pulse’s data library provides extensive seismic coverage critical for today’s data focused exploration and development companies throughout Western Canada.
The Company is also pleased to provide a preliminary update on recent licensing revenue. Since October 1, 2024, the Company has licensed $21.7 million of data. Of this amount, $5.6 million was licensed in the fourth quarter of 2024, bringing expected total revenue for 2024 to $23.4 million. For 2025, including the deal announced today, total licensing revenue is $16.1 million.
“As owners of Canada’s largest licensable seismic data library, we value our client relationships and the role our subsurface data plays as a strategic risk mitigation tool for the energy industry,” stated Neal Coleman, the Company’s President and CEO. “We are very pleased to report this material data licensing agreement, helping our clients maximize the value of their projects, while also generating returns for Pulse. Significant sales such as this, produce material incremental free cashflow for the Company,” Coleman continued.
Pulse returned $9.5 million of capital to shareholders in 2024 through dividends and share buybacks. In the second quarter of 2024 the Company increased its regular quarterly dividend by 9%, to an annualized dividend of $0.06 per share. Additionally, a special dividend of $0.05 per share was paid in the third quarter of 2024. Dividends of $0.10875 per common share were declared and paid in 2024, representing a total of $5.6 million. The Company purchased and cancelled approximately 1.8 million shares under its normal course issuer bid in 2024, contributing $3.9 million of the $9.5 million in total capital returned in the year.
These figures are preliminary and have not yet been audited or reviewed by our auditors. The Company will release its 2024 annual and fourth quarter financial results on February 13, 2025, after markets close.
Significant quarterly and annual fluctuations in data sales are intrinsic to the seismic data library business. The Company remains focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet, a low-cost structure and providing excellent customer care.
CORPORATE PROFILE
Pulse is a market leader in the acquisition, marketing and licensing of 2D and 3D seismic data to the western Canadian energy sector. Pulse owns the largest licensable seismic data library in Canada, currently consisting of approximately 65,310 square kilometres of 3D seismic and 829,207 kilometres of 2D seismic. The library extensively covers the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin where most of Canada’s oil and natural gas exploration and development occur.
For further information, please contact:
Neal Coleman, President and CEO Or Pamela Wicks, VP Finance and CFO
Manhattan, KS, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Landmark Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: LARK) announced that it will release earnings for the fourth quarter of 2024 after the market closes on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. The Company will host a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, February 5, 2024 at 10:00 am (CT). Investors may listen to the Company’s earnings call via telephone by dialing (833) 470-1428 and using access code 296482. Investors are encouraged to call the dial-in number at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.
A replay of the earnings call will be available through February 12, 2025, by dialing (866) 813-9403 and using access code 817329.
About Landmark
Landmark Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Landmark National Bank, is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “LARK.” Headquartered in Manhattan, Kansas, Landmark National Bank is a community banking organization dedicated to providing quality financial and banking services. Landmark National Bank has 29 locations in 23 communities across Kansas: Manhattan (2), Auburn, Dodge City (2), Fort Scott (2), Garden City, Great Bend (2), Hoisington, Iola, Junction City, LaCrosse, Lawrence (2), Lenexa, Louisburg, Mound City, Osage City, Osawatomie, Overland Park, Paola, Pittsburg, Prairie Village, Topeka (2), Wamego and Wellsville, Kansas. Visit www.banklandmark.com for more information.
Contact: Mark A. Herpich Chief Financial Officer (785) 565-2000
What does it mean to tell the truth? And how do we, as consumers of media, differentiate truth from fabrication? Optics, a new comedy series from the ABC, asks these questions through the setting of a public relations firm.
The show expertly balances humour with quick-wit, social media vernacular, and a level of marketing wordsmithing that make you question if the news has ever told you a true story.
The show is based in the PR firm Fritz & Randell and opens with the death of its aging CEO Frank Fritz (Peter Carroll), in a men-only board meeting no less.
After Frank’s death, the son of the cofounder, Ian Randell (Charles Firth) makes a bid for top spot. But the owner of the firm, Bobby Bahl (Claude Jabbour) is concerned with “optics”, so he puts two young women in charge instead.
Each episode follows a PR scandal, and we watch as the new heads of the company – Greta Goldman (Vic Zerbst) and Nicole Kidman (Jenna Owen) – grapple with difficult clients and, occasionally, even more difficult coworkers.
Greta and Nicole are put in charge in every way, other than with the official promotion attached.
Their young, spunky attitude and social media prowess is seen as a massive advantage. And it is. But it soon becomes apparent this move is much more than a feminist fresh-take for the firm – and is rather a bid to push some skeletons further back in the closet.
With outrageous lines such as “is there an emoji for miscarriage”, you are guaranteed an entertaining watch.
A familar cast
You will probably recognise the show’s characters, either from your own office experiences, or your friend’s stories: the ageing CEO, people who act like they know more than they actually do, and young people talking about trends who may as well be speaking a different language.
Ian, who wants to appear as if he has all the answers, seems to have no idea how to say a politically correct sentence. Greta and Nicole have such a deep knowledge of social media trends and memes that their quick banter leaves Ian with whiplash.
The PR scandals that form the basis of each episode will feel relatable to a broad Australian audience. These characters – and the bizarre situations they find themselves in – effectively parody Australian contemporary media.
Perfect timing
It should be no surprise Vic Zerbst (playing Greta), Jenna Owen (playing Nicole) and Charles Firth (playing Ian) put on a consistently convincing and funny performance.
The release of the show is also poetically timed with global conversations around online censorship, content moderation, algorithms and reliable news sources.
While focusing on a variety of PR emergencies, Optics takes us on a riveting exploration of marketing and language. For instance, one crisis involving an AFL player who drunkenly punches a priest is flipped into him learning a lesson about toxic masculinity.
We see Greta and Nicole craft apology video scripts and find convenient medical explanations for workplace outbursts.
As a social media researcher and user, their approach to an apology video felt particularity familiar to me. Their redemption strategy is one I have seen used a thousand times by social media stars and celebrities.
Two sides to each story
The show’s writers balance ideas of truth and fabrication in a way that’s not only hilarious, but also very believable. When Greta and Nicole meet with Qualitus, an airline accused of scamming their customers, the Qualitus team presents them with an alternate story of clever marketing.
In the captain’s lounge, surrounding by celebrities and the elite, Greta and Nicole negotiate deals and flip the narrative on Qualitus’ scams, helping the airline evade public scrutiny.
Optics pays homage to the work PR professionals do everyday to save reputations and negotiate what information is shared with the public and what never sees the light of day.
The show will have you questioning the stories you yourself are presented through news outlets. Further still, it will make you wonder how many hands those stories passed through before they hit the papers and screens.
Optics is streaming now on ABC iView.
Edith Jennifer Hill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – In her latest fight to prioritize taxpayers in Washington, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is addressing growing concerns about mismanagement within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is supposed to help feed hungry families, but sloppy state administration of the program is costing taxpayers nearly $1 billion per month.
As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Ernst is introducing the Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act to strengthen the integrity of this important program by identifying all errors, recollecting overpayments, and holding states with high payment inaccuracies accountable.
“Bureaucratic blunders are leaving billions of dollars on the table as Americans are starved to keep up with the ever-growing $36 trillion debt,” said Ernst. “SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed families, that’s why we need to strengthen its integrity by holding states accountable for growing error rates, implementing a zero-tolerance policy, and snapping back overpayments.”
Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“The American people elected President Trump and Republican majorities in Congress to cut waste from government and get our budget under control. With over $36 trillion in debt and counting, we have no time to waste to pinpoint every possible area to save taxpayer dollars and hold bureaucrats accountable,” said Feenstra. “One sector that needs serious reform is the SNAP program. Every month, taxpayers shell out about $1 billion in SNAP overpayments, which is absolutely ridiculous and must change. That’s why Senator Ernst and I introduced legislation to strengthen the integrity of the SNAP program by establishing a zero-tolerance policy on benefit overpayments. As members of our respective DOGE caucuses, we will continue to fight for fiscal sanity, government efficiency, and a balanced budget.”
Most SNAP payment errors are made in the form of “overpayments,” or benefits paid either to ineligible recipients or to eligible households above what is allowed by law. In 2023, there were approximately $10.73 billion in overpayments. However, the true cost is unknown because errors totaling $54 or less are excluded.
Ernst’s Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act could reduce spending by nearly $91 billion over the next decade by:
Directing states to recollect SNAP overpayments, so each household only receives exactly what they are eligible for;
Requiring states to pay back what they owe;
Holding states accountable for payment error rates to incentivize better management of funds; and
Improving the accuracy of SNAP payment error rates by requiring all errors to be reported.
Background:
As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, Senator Ernst unveiled a $2 trillion plan, featuring the Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act, to cut down federal spending, save taxpayer dollars, and downsize the government – in addition to her telework report that exposed an absent federal workforce.
Her playbook has already racked up a win with the announcement of the sale of the Wilbur J. Cohen building, a 1.2 million square foot monument to waste, where just 72 of 3,341 workers were showing up to work.
In September 2023, Ernst highlighted that instead of giving billions in benefits to those who don’t qualify or doubling payments for others already being served, we should give a seat at the table to families who do qualify but are going without while they wait in line.
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
“Lee knows that innovation, not government intervention, is the best solution to lower prices, to grow the economy, and to protect our environment…He is the right nominee to lead the EPA.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate floor calling for the quick confirmation of Lee Zeldin, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“I strongly support Congressman Lee Zeldin to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We are blessed in America with enormous natural resources.
“I support using our resources responsibly. I support sensible environmental stewardship. Americans deserve clean water and clean air. They deserve good jobs and economic strength.
“Environmental protection and economic growth should go hand-in-hand. They are not mutually exclusive.
“As head of the EPA, Lee will return the agency to its original missionof protecting America’s air, water, and land – without, as he puts it, ‘suffocating the economy.’
“Nearly two weeks ago, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on Lee. As the former Chairman of the Committee, I was honored to introduce him.
“Lee is highly qualified. His support is bipartisan.
“Lee is a lifelong public servant. He is a seasoned lawyer with a sharp legal mind. He has over 20 years of military service. He currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves.
“Lee also served 8 years in Congress. As a representative from New York,he worked to strengthen our economy and protect his district’s unique ecosystem. He worked across party lines to do so.
“For the last four years, the so-called experts at the Environmental Protection Agency went on a reckless regulatory rampage.
“They saddled American families and businesses with higher costs and heavy-handed restrictions. They bowed to climate extremism and ignored common sense.
“In 2024, the EPA introduced one of the most expensive regulations in American history – the electric vehicle mandate.
“The EV Mandate was left-wing lunacy at its worst.
“According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, its total cost of compliance is $760 billion. To put that in perspective, the cost of this one regulation is nearly equal to the price tag of 8 years of regulations under President Barack Obama.
“The EV mandate would also cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“Americans rejected the EV Mandate and other costly climate policies in November. President Trump revoked the EV Mandate on his first day in office.
“Here in the Senate, repealing the Biden EV subsidies is one of my top priorities. These subsidies are estimated to cost more than $393 billion.
“Americans should not have their tax dollars pay for vehicles thatmost Americans don’t want, can’t afford, and don’t work for them or their families. Americans should not be dependent on Communist China like we are today with electric vehicles.
“Lee Zeldin will continue President Trump’s mission to roll back punishing, political regulations.
“The EPA does important work in states and local communities.
“Lee will be a fantastic partner to my home state of Wyoming.
“He will not impose one-size-fits-all mandates on American consumers and businesses. Instead, he will cut red tape. We will see a new wave of creativity and innovation.
“Lee knows that innovation, not government intervention, is the best solution to lower prices, to grow the economy, and to protect our environment.
“Many Americans are confident that Lee will right the ship and restore balance at the EPA.
“One of those organizations is the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.
“In a letter to the Committee, the Association said that Lee has ‘shown a willingness to engage with a broad spectrum of stakeholders to address pressing issues.’
“Lee also impressed our colleagues here in the Senate. This is what my Democrat colleague from Arizona said about Lee: ‘He’s a qualified candidate for this job.’
“I share America’s confidence in Lee.
“Through three hours of tough questions, Lee Zeldin proved he is well-qualified.
“He showed he is committed to strong environmental protection and energy production.
“He is the right nominee to lead the EPA. The Senate should confirm him quickly.”
Staff at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae, Papua New Guinea, celebrate the installation of the new brachytherapy machine used to treat gynaecological and other cancers. (Photo: Angau Memorial Hospital)
After nearly a decade of inactivity, Papua New Guinea’s only radiotherapy machine re-started operations six months ago with support from the IAEA, giving renewed hope to thousands of cancer patients in the country.
This month, radiation medicine services at Angau Memorial Hospital received a boost with the start of brachytherapy, a critical procedure in the treatment of cervical cancer.
“This milestone represents a significant advancement in our cervical cancer treatment capabilities, offering more precise and localized therapy options to improve patient outcomes,” said Athula Kumara, medical physics expert at Angau Memorial Hospital, the facility that received the IAEA support.
Located in the city of Lae, Papua New Guinea’s shipping hub in the north, Angau is the country’s second largest hospital, catering for 675 000 people in the Morobe Province and serving as a regional referral hospital for 1.9 million residents.
The improved service is important as cancer remains a major public health issue in the country, with a burden of over 12 000 new cases and more than 7000 deaths every year, according to 2022 IARC figures. Breast, cervix uteri, as well as lip and oral cancers are the most frequent among women.
Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiotherapy in which sealed radioactive sources are placed inside or near a tumour, delivering high doses of radiation directly to the cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissues. The procedure is a key component of radiation treatment for gynaecological cancers, but it can also be used to treat prostate, breast, soft tissue sarcomas, some head and neck tumours, and skin cancers.
The brachytherapy equipment was installed in late 2024 at Angau and started services this month. The first patient, a woman with cervical cancer, underwent external beam radiotherapy last year and is now receiving brachytherapy treatment as a boost.
The installation of the brachytherapy machine follows previous IAEA assistance in re-establishing radiotherapy at Angau. Services were discontinued in 2016, severely limiting options for cancer patients in the country. Many were referred abroad, but few could afford it. “Some travelled to Manila for treatment, but these cases were rare due to the high cost of travel and treatment,” Kumara said.
In 2023, an imPACT review carried out by the IAEA in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recommended to urgently reestablish radiotherapy services in the country.
Through its technical cooperation and human health programmes, the IAEA supported the hospital in replacing the radiotherapy machine’s radioactive source and provided advice on the acquisition of the new brachytherapy unit. Radiotherapy started again in mid-August 2024, and Angau has since been treating around 50 patients per month on average, with hundreds more registered for treatment. “Treatment has been very successful, and we have seen many patients recover significantly after undergoing therapy,” Kumara added.
A key pre-requisite for the upgrade in radiation medicine has been training medical physicists. “These highly specialized health professionals ensure optimal equipment performance and maintain high-quality, safe treatment procedures,” said Daniel Berger, medical physicist in the IAEA’s Division of Human Health who led recent technical missions to build local capacity in the country. “Their expertise enables precise dosimetry, planning and dose delivery while ensuring equipment and clinical processes meet international standards for effective patient care,” he explained.
Medical physicists also provide technical guidance for infrastructure improvements, collaborating closely with regulatory authorities to licence and deploy nuclear and radiation medicine equipment. “Their work ensures that radiotherapy services can meet the growing demand for cancer care, ultimately helping to improve patient outcomes and advance healthcare standards,” Berger added.
Radiotherapy is one of the main pillars of cancer treatment, along with surgery and chemotherapy. In 2022, the IAEA launched the Rays of Hope initiative to support countries in increasing access to this life-saving treatment. Since becoming a Member State in 2012, Papua New Guinea has received IAEA support to strengthen radiation safety, including for the management of radiation sources for medical use, and to build the required capacity to expand cancer diagnosis and treatment.
While progress has been made in advancing cancer care, Kumara highlights that early diagnosis and treatment provision remain a challenge. “Patients arrive at very late stages of their cancer, often with extensive masses. By the time they seek treatment, the cancer has already spread, making it more difficult to achieve optimal outcomes,” he said. “One of our key goals moving forward is to increase awareness, particularly in remote areas where access to healthcare is limited.”
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, with around 660 000 new cases in 2022. About 94 per cent of the 350 000 deaths caused by cervical cancer in the same year occurred in low- and middle-income countries, driven by inequalities in access to vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), responsible for 95 per cent of all cervical cancers, as well as screening and treatment services.
In many countries, January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, supporting efforts to promote HPV vaccination for prevention and early diagnosis and treatment of precancers, which greatly improve prospects for cure.
A key theme among the discussions was the need for increased investment in digital infrastructure and capacity building, and for the establishment of regulatory frameworks related to e-commerce. Members highlighted the challenges facing developing economies and least developed countries, such as limited broadband connectivity, digital skills gaps and outdated legislation.
Members stressed the need for resilient information and communications technology (ICT) and payment systems that enable e-commerce transactions. Members also underscored the importance of digital rules, such as the Information Technology Agreement and the e-commerce moratorium, in facilitating international investment and digital connectivity.
The role of the WTO was identified as crucial in providing opportunities for discussions and collaboration among members and external stakeholders. Members proposed organizing dedicated matchmaking sessions to connect developing economies and LDCs with available support. Additionally, members expressed interest in partnering with other international organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Trade Centre and the International Telecommunication Union to provide technical assistance and capacity-building programmes.
Members also saw value in organizing regional peer-to-peer learning events and thematic workshops involving external stakeholders as part of the work programme on the digital divide.
Members shared information on national efforts to close the digital divide. Initiatives include support for regional studies on the digital economy, and online systems to reduce business operational costs and to foster inclusive digital ecosystems. Other examples include programmes focused on developing digital skills and digital infrastructure, efforts to expand internet access in underserved regions, promoting secure internet access and digital literacy, improving internet and mobile networks, and developing digital literacy and skills among women and vulnerable groups.
Ambassador Richard Brown of Jamaica, the facilitator of the e-commerce work programme, said: “The matter of availability and access to digital infrastructure is very necessary, but not sufficient, to create the fundamental conditions for e-commerce to grow. We know there are other factors that we need to contemplate in that conversation.” The next dedicated discussion on 17 February will address the legal and regulatory frameworks needed, with a focus on consumer protection, privacy and data protection, as well as cyber security, he noted.
Headline: Thales partners with the State of Georgia Department of Driver Services to enhance citizen experience
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Thales Enrollment Kiosks for credential issuance help the U.S. Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) improve their customer experience by making common services more accessible and reducing wait times in their Customer Service Center (CSC).
Citizens in Georgia may currently access DDS services (licenses renewal, change of address etc.) at 30 kiosks in 23 locations, with more kiosks expected throughout 2025.
Featuring a user-friendly touch-screen interface and automatic height adjustment, these Kiosks provide a quick and easy experience for all citizens. Thales is the industry leader in this field, having implemented over 1,700 enrollment kiosks worldwide, applying a “security by design” approach.
Through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), Thales has successfully deployed inclusively designedenrollment kiosksfor credential issuance at Georgia DDS Customer Service Centers locations. This user-friendly solution is designed to enhance the customer experience and free up staff time, bringing a new level of efficiency and convenience to DDS centers across the state.
The Thales Enrollment Kiosks offer Georgia citizens a safe and convenient new option for a variety of DDS services, including license renewals, obtaining driving history reports, and change of address transactions. The 30 kiosks are strategically placed across the state at 23 high volume CSC locations, providing Georgians with a quick, easy, and hassle-free way to manage their licensing needs.
“The introduction of Thales Enrollment Kiosks for credential issuance has significantly enhanced the customer experience at the Georgia Department of Driver Services. The implementation of this technology has improved staffing efficiencies, enabling our team to focus on providing personalized assistance where it’s most needed. Overall, the Thales Kiosks have been a game-changer for both our customers and our staff.” – Spencer R. Moore, Commissioner for Georgia Department of Driver Services.
Georgia DDS has already seen improvements to their operational efficiency for driver services by using these new self-service kiosks, further enhancing the customer experience. With Thales Kiosk implementations, a single Georgia DDS staff member can simultaneously manage multiple kiosks, enabling DDS staff to provide customized support and manage more complex inquiries, ultimately providing a higher quality of service for their citizens.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Georgia Department of Driver Services to introduce our advanced Self-Service Kiosks,” says Tyson Moler, Vice President for Thales Identity and Biometric Solutions in North America. “These Kiosks represent a significant leap forward in delivering secure, fast, efficient, and convenient services to the citizens of Georgia. By streamlining routine transactions, we are also helping Georgia DDS optimize their resources and focus on delivering exceptional customer service.”
Headline: Eyedea’s AI-powered visual recognition software protected and monetized by Thales Sentinel Platform
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Thales Sentinel protects Eyedea technologies based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, assuring customers that software is secure, trusted and validated
Enables Eyedea to scale revenue streams and focus on technology innovation
Thalestoday announced a collaboration with the visual recognition technology company Eyedea, enabling the company to deploy and protect its AI-powered and machine learning visual recognition software for customers around the world using Thales Sentinel, the world’s leading software monetization and protection platform.
With high-profile, security-conscious customers including international and national police organisations such as Interpol, Europol and the Czech Police, Eyedea was originally established in 2006 by a research group from the Czech Technical University in Prague’s Centre for Machine Perception.
The company offers AI visual recognition software that can classify things such as vehicle make and models, number plates, train carriage numbers and more, from CCTV footage. From standard traffic cameras, their technology recognises activities such as distracted drivers, unfastened or fastened seatbelts, and counts passengers for use in environments like carpool lanes. In addition, Eyedea’s technology can make human factors and vehicle license plates unidentifiable in image data, ensuring compliance with GDPR and other local data protection laws.
“We’re very proud of the long-standing relationship we’ve built with Eyedea. Thales Sentinel has been able to offer IP protection and flexible packaging as their AI-based software has grown to support hundreds of public and private customers worldwide. We look forward to continuing to work together as Eyedea further innovates and evolves its AI technology,”commented Damien Bullot, Vice President Software Monetization at Thales.
“Thales Sentinel is essential for us to go-to-market in a secure and assured way. Our customers need to be able to trust that access to our software is safeguarded, while we need to protect our IP and manage the active deployments we have. Thales Sentinel does a fantastic job of handling both, and our long-standing partnership with them allows us to scale our revenue streams, and focus more of our time on technology innovation, as time goes on,” saidMartin Urban, CEO at Eyedea.
Eyedea’s customers use its AI recognition software by embedding it into existing hardware and software they’re using. This is delivered via software development kits (SDKs) supplied by Eyedea, alongside a Thales Sentinel license on a hardware key. The combination of the hardware key along with the SDK not only provides assurance to customers that their access to the software is safeguarded, but also that the team at Eyedea can be sure there’s no unauthorised use or tampering of their software.
The Sentinel Envelope secures the software from breaches, and the Sentinel Licensing further enables Eyedea to offer varying packaging tiers based on customer requirements. This includes the flexibility to offer customers a free three-month trial which expires based on time or volume of usage, which customers can then opt to purchase as a one-year license.
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Cyber & Digital.
It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.
The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.
Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.
Headline: U.S. Coast Guard awards Verizon Business $66 million Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions task order
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Verizon Business an 8-year Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) task order worth up to $66 million over the life of the contract. Under this agreement, Verizon will provide Wi-Fi, phone, data, and other services to the U.S. Coast Guard’s C5I (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Cyber, and Intelligence) office.
Verizon will be partnering with the Coast Guard to phase out end-of-life TDM services, implementing solutions like a cellular-based POTS replacement for essential voice communications. This includes offering Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), delivering secure IL-4 (Impact Level 4) software-based solutions for Coast Guard call centers.
“The U.S. Coast Guard task order is yet another example of the strong relationship Verizon enjoys with a number of federal agencies, to include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs and more” said Michael Adams, associate vice president for federal civilian services at Verizon. “The trust placed in Verizon by the federal government is indicative of the reliability and security of our enterprise solutions.”
While the base task order spans 12 months, it may extend up to an eight-year period of performance. Verizon will deliver EIS services, including internet protocol service (IPS), broadband internet service (BIS), internet protocol voice service (IPVS), toll-free service, managed network services, managed security services, contact center services, and related equipment.
Verizon has earned the trust of the U.S. Armed Forces through a number of contract wins, including a 10-year, $2.67 billion multiple award contract with the U.S. Navy, a $1 billion DoD engagement to overhaul the Pentagon’s network, and a $78 million digital modernization contract with Naval District Washington.
For more information on Verizon’s work across the public sector, visit our website.
The start of the school year means some parents will asking a big question: is it time for a child’s first phone?
Safety concerns, particularly around travel to and from school, or being home after school without a parent, often drive this decision. There can also be huge social pressure if many of a child’s friends have a phone.
But it doesn’t have to be inevitable. How can you tell if your child is ready for a smartphone? What are the alternatives? And how do you set achievable, healthy boundaries if your child does get a phone?
Why a phone is a big decision
Many parents will be aware of the concerns about children’s wellbeing around technology, including potential harms to mental health, if they are exposed to inappropriate content, bullying or simply use the phone too much.
Having a phone can pose risks to your child if they are not ready for it. Body Stock/ Shutterstock
How do you know if your child is ready for a phone?
Appropriate phone ownership does not necessarily depend on a child’s age but on a child’s readiness and family circumstances.
Recent studies show children who receive phones based on readiness rather than age show better long-term digital habits. These include managing the constant distraction of phones and good judgement around the content they regularly browse and engage with.
You can look at a child’s child’s readiness for a phone in several ways:
how responsible are they with the technology they already use?
do they follow family guidelines around screen time?
how willing are they to discuss their online experiences with you? Do they come to you if there is a problem or something they don’t understand?
do they have a basic understanding of digital privacy and security?
what’s their decision-making like offline? What are they like with family, friends and other responsibilities?
Non-phone options
If you decide yes, your child is ready, they don’t necessarily have to go straight to a smartphone with all the bells, whistles and apps.
For basic safety requirements, such as travel to school, a smartwatch or basic phone can allow your child to receive and make calls and texts, but without accessing the internet.
If you want to prioritise social connection (so a child isn’t left out with friends), you could might start with a shared family tablet featuring supervised messaging apps. This allows children to maintain friendships within set boundaries.
Instead of a smart phone for your child you could start with a smart watch. NADKI/ Shutterstock
How to manage the transition to a phone
As children demonstrate growing independence and digital maturity, they can progress to restricted smartphones with parental controls, gradually earning more privileges through demonstrated responsibility.
Or your child you have a smartphone with regular “check ins”. Here parents and the child discuss and review common challenges such as managing notifications, apps the child is permitted to use and where the phone can be used.
This approach acknowledges full smartphone access isn’t an immediate necessity but rather the final stage in a thoughtful digital progression.
Research indicates families who implement this graduated approach report fewer conflicts around technology as well as better long-term digital habits in their children.
The key lies in matching technology access to genuine needs rather than perceived social pressure, while maintaining clear boundaries and open communication.
3 vital ‘new phone’ conversations to have
Even though many schools now have phone restrictions during school hours, planning for healthy use outside of school is extremely important.
There are three vital “new phone” conversations to have with your child, to make sure things get off to the right start.
1. Friend requests: these can be over the top and often overwhelm children and parents. You do not have to say yes to all of them. Decide how to manage the continuous stream of requests and how to cull unnecessary contacts.
2. Screen time: there will likely be a “screentime spike” when your child gets their own device. This is exacerbated by the constant temptation to just zone out and browse content. Decide together on workable “no-tech” times and zones in the home. For example, no phones in the car and no phones after 9pm, or restrictions on browsable content such as YouTube or Tiktok. Parents can assist children to use in-built screentime features in the phone that shut down such apps during restriction times.
3. Notifications: because of multiple group chats and new friends, there will be never-ending pings and notifications. This will encourage even more screen time, sometimes well into the night. Go into the phone settings with your child and together decide which notifications to turn off (ideally, most of them). This will mean children have fewer distractions and more sleep, and the entire household will be more peaceful.
Joanne Orlando receives funding from eSafety Commissioner.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darcy Watchorn, Threatened Species Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science Department, Zoos Victoria, and Visiting Scholar, School of Life & Environmental Science, Deakin University
Darcy Watchorn
It’s a cold, drizzly night in a forest west of Melbourne. I’m sitting on a damp log, clutching a thermos of lukewarm tea and watching a koala snooze on a branch above me. Suddenly, it lifts its head. I sit up straight, pen poised to record what happens. But the koala simply yawns and resumes the blob position. I sigh and take another sip of tea.
Why am I doing this? To research the social behaviour of koalas and hopefully learn more about what they do at night, when they are most active.
After many nights, and many sips of tea, I witness something truly unexpected: male koalas engaging in affectionate behaviours with each other, such as play and grooming. I was shocked. Adult koalas are normally solitary, so observations such as this are exceedingly rare.
My new research paper presents these findings. It provides the most detailed account of these behaviours to date, and offers a unique glimpse into how social dynamics between koalas may change when they are forced to live in close quarters.
An adult female koala (right) and her very large joey (left) on a tree in Cape Otway, Victoria Darcy Watchorn
Why are these behaviours so surprising?
Most animals exhibit some type of social behaviour. These can include mating, vocalising to communicate, or defending their territory. But some highly social, group-living animals – such as wolves, primates and dolphins – will also display friendly and peaceful acts between individuals, such as grooming each other and playing.
These are known as “affiliative” behaviours, and they are key to social relationships between animals, and to maintaining complex social hierarchies.
Adult koalas, though, are generally solitary (except, obviously, when mating). They are usually widely spread over an area and rarely come face-to-face, instead interacting over long distances by vocalising and leaving their scent.
And when male koalas do physically interact, it is usually a violent affair. More than once, I’ve seen male koalas scratched and bloodied — missing chunks of fur and even a claw — after fighting with a rival male.
That’s why my observations of affection between young male koalas were so surprising.
What I saw after dark
Over three painstaking weeks, I studied a koala population in the woodlands of Cape Otway, southern Victoria. Each night, I went out between 9pm and 2am to track and observe the males. I used a red-light spotlight to avoid disturbing them. If I saw something interesting, I filmed it. You can watch the video below.
After two weeks, I observed three males engaging in unexpected “affiliative” behaviours. They were grooming each other, sniffing each other’s genitals and vocalising to each other in soft, high-pitched calls, similar to the sounds baby koalas make.
They also appeared to be playing. They would gently — but perhaps provocatively — bite one another on the arm and ear, a bit like cheeky puppies do.
These interactions weren’t brief, either. I watched the koalas for two hours before finally giving in to sleep. When I went back at lunchtime the next day, they were still at it.
What’s behind these affectionate behaviours?
This type of social interaction between wild koalas had only been observed once before, more than 30 years ago, in a high-density koala population on French Island off Victoria.
Like that earlier observation, the koalas I recorded were young adult males, roughly aged between three and five years. Hormonal activity can surge at this life stage, leading to an increase in social behaviours such as play and boldness.
But if the affectionate behaviours were solely the result of teenage hormones, you’d expect it to be observed more often in many koalas in this age group. But that’s not the case.
Instead, these behaviours are most likely a result of the large koala populations.
Typically, fewer than two koalas are found per hectare. At Cape Otway, there were 15 koalas per hectare. This number can reach up to 20 in parts of South Australia and Victoria.
This high density means the home ranges of koalas are more likely to overlap and their interactions will be more frequent. It also means competition for food, space and mates can be especially high.
So young males might use affectionate behaviours — such as grooming and playing — to reduce conflict and manage stress. It may help individuals become familiar with their neighbours, establish hierarchies and avoid aggressive encounters.
Genetics may also play a role. Like many high-density koala populations, this population had low genetic diversity, meaning there was a high degree of relatedness among individuals.
The causes of low genetic diversity in high-density koala populations are complex. The species was almost hunted to extinction. This meant a vastly reduced number of koalas could pass on their genes to the next generation. To make matters worse, habitat destruction can prevent koalas from dispersing over a wide area.
Koalas are listed as endangered in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT. But high-density koala populations, such as the one I observed in Cape Otway, also present major conservation challenges.
Too many koalas feeding in an area puts pressure on preferred tree species. This can result in mass tree death, and habitat loss for koalas and other species. In some cases, koalas can starve.
Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy solutions to this issue. Moving koalas from crowded areas to places where they are endangered often isn’t possible, due to differences in climate and the unique gut bacteria koalas need for their local food trees.
Other interventions, such as fertility control, can be effective. But this takes many years of intensive effort and significant funding, making it vulnerable to budget cuts and shifting priorities.
Some experts say culling could be used to control koala numbers and conserve the surrounding habitat, as it is for kangaroos. However, this is likely to draw widespread public opposition.
These complex challenges offer an unexpected silver lining, however. As my experience shows, high-density koala populations provide unique opportunities to observe rare social behaviours in this iconic species. All you need is curiosity, a big cup of tea, and patience.
Darcy Watchorn works for Zoos Victoria, a not-for-profit zoo-based conservation organisation. He is a member of the Ecological Society of Australia, the Australian Mammal Society, and the Society for Conservation Biology.
A golden bandicoot (_Isoodon auratus_)Colleen Sims/Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, CC BY-SA
Before species go extinct, their populations often shrink and become isolated. Healthy populations tend to have a large gene pool with many genetic variants circulating. But the path to extinction erodes genetic diversity, because a species’ gene pool shrinks as the population declines. Losing genetic diversity limits the ability of populations to adapt to threats such as disease and climate change.
So, what is the state of genetic diversity in animals, plants, fungi and algae worldwide? And how could focusing on this crucial level of biodiversity help build resilience in the face of global change? We explore these questions in our new study, published today in Nature.
Our team of 57 scientists from 20 countries trawled through more than 80,000 scientific articles across three decades to summarise evidence of genetic change in populations in 141 countries.
Alarmingly, we found genetic diversity is being lost globally across many species, especially birds and mammals. This loss was most severe in studies reporting changes in habitat, new diseases, natural disasters, and human activities such as hunting or logging.
But there’s hope. Our study suggests conservation strategies can help maintain or even increase genetic diversity.
Isolated populations of the endangered Scandinavian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) have become inbred. Jonatan Pie, Unsplash
What is genetic diversity and why does it matter?
At the core of every cell lies a copy of the instruction manual for living things. This is the genetic code, made up of DNA molecules. But its sequence varies enormously, separating a moth from a tree from a bacterium. Even within a species, we see distinct genetic differences between individuals. These genetic differences contribute to differences in their traits, which is why we get individuals who are taller or shorter, faster or slower, bolder or more cautious.
This genetic diversity stems from mutations. Often, these mutations are not helpful. But at times, they can enable populations to adapt to change.
For example, golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) likes colder water. But in a population, some individuals will have mutations suited for warm water. When a devastating marine heatwave hit the West Australian coast in 2011, individuals with warm-water mutations were more likely to survive and reproduce. This genetic diversity enabled the kelp population to adapt to the warmer conditions.
This is why genetic diversity is so important – it gives species more resilience in a rapidly changing world. This priority has been recognised in Australia’s Strategy for Nature, and in goals and targets discussed at the United Nations biodiversity summit COP16.
How can we safeguard or restore genetic diversity for threatened species?
To answer this question, we used a technique called meta-analysis to look for patterns. From more than 80,000 published articles, we identified 882 studies which measured changes in genetic diversity over time. These studies came from right around the globe and across the entire “tree of life”.
They show there are many ways to conserve genetic diversity. Here are five promising strategies to help keep species resilient.
Scientists from 20 countries came together to read thousands of papers and collect data on genetic diversity during in-person and online workshops. Robyn Shaw
Action 1: Adding individuals
Adding individuals to an existing population is known as supplementation. Our research found supplementation was the only action linked to a significant increase in genetic diversity, especially in birds.
Supplementation can help reduce the harmful effects of inbreeding, which is common in small, isolated populations. For example, conservationists working to safeguard New Zealand’s South Island robins (Petroica australis) moved female birds between isolated islands. The offspring of parents from different islands had stronger immune systems, higher survival rates, and improved reproductive health compared to their inbred counterparts.
Supplementation is key for boosting genetic diversity, improving population health and building resilience.
Action 2: Population control
Doing the opposite – removing individuals – can actually improve outcomes for the population as a whole in some circumstances, by, for instance, reducing competition.
But genetic diversity results varied a lot in studies using population control. So how can this strategy be used effectively?
In one case, conservationists in the United States used population control of coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in a hatchery to prevent any single family from breeding too much. This meant multiple genetic lineages were maintained, increasing genetic diversity.
Action 3: Restoration
Ecosystem restoration can include planting trees, rehabilitating wetlands or restoring natural patterns of fire and water. We found genetic diversity was often maintained over time when ecological restoration was used.
Restoration efforts, alongside supplementation, are important to the survival of the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), which had lost much habitat. Researchers report restoring and expanding suitable habitat is proving crucial to sustain genetic diversity and achieving long-term recovery.
Found in the US and Canada, greater prairie-chickens are known for their courtship dance. Danita Delimont/Shutterstock
Action 4: Control of other species
Feral, pest or overabundant species can outcompete, eat, or graze on species under threat. Controlling these species was linked to maintenance of genetic diversity in the studies we analysed overall.
For example, control of red fox numbers helped the Arctic fox(Vulpes lagopu) recover in Sweden. The technique reduced competition over resources such as food while new foxes from Norway were added to the wild population. Inbreeding was reduced, and survival improved.
Action 5: Conservation introductions and reintroductions
Establishing new populations at new sites is known as a conservation introduction, while a reintroduction means restoring populations where they previously existed.
We found mixed results for genetic diversity when these actions were reported. So, what factors contribute to success?
In Western Australia, a large number of golden bandicoots (Isoodon auratus) from a robust island population were reintroduced to three sites. After six generations, genetic diversity at these sites remained similar to the original source population. Success came from careful planning to ensure the new populations had a large gene pool to start from.
Overall, our study revealed many cases of genetic diversity loss. But we also found evidence that conservation action – especially supplementation – can improve the genetic health of a species.
Researchers, conservation managers and volunteers helped grow seedlings and establish new populations of the critically endangered feather-leaved banksia near Albany in Western Australia. David Coates
What can you do?
Supporting genetic diversity can be done at home.
If you have a garden, you can plant native species to support habitat connectivity.
Growing heirloom vegetables and rare fruit trees, or breeding heritage chooks can maintain genetic diversity in our food system.
Join community or botanic garden groups, or work with conservation groups to improve habitat or bolster numbers of threatened species.
While enjoying nature, avoid accidentally moving plants, seeds, or soil to new areas to reduce the spread of pests and diseases.
These small actions add up, helping to safeguard biodiversity at all levels – including genetic diversity.
Robyn Shaw was supported during the study by funding from the Australian Research Council. The project workshop was sponsored by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action ‘Genomic Biodiversity Knowledge for Resilient Ecosystems’. She is a member of the Coalition for Conservation Genetics and the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group.
Catherine Grueber’s research into the conservation genetics of threatened species receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the University of Sydney (Robinson Fellowship). She is a member of the Coalition for Conservation Genetics, and the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group.
Katherine Farquharson was supported during the study by funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science. She is affiliated with Koala Conservation Australia.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University
Every now and then we see media reports about celebrities in their mid 40s having surprise pregnancies. Or you might hear stories like these from friends or relatives, or see them on TV.
Menopause signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years and happens naturally between age 45 and 55 (the average is 51). After 12 months with no periods, a woman is considered postmenopausal.
While the chance of pregnancy is very low in the years leading up to menopause – the so called menopausal transition or perimenopause – the chance is not zero.
So, what do we know about the chance of conceiving naturally after age 45? And what are the risks?
Is there a spike in fertility before menopause?
The hormonal changes that accompany perimenopause cause changes to the menstrual cycle pattern, and some have suggested there can be a “surge” in fertility at perimenopause. But there’s no evidence this exists.
In the years leading up to menopause, a woman’s periods often become irregular, and she might have some of the common symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and night sweats.
This might lead women to think they have hit menopause and can’t get pregnant anymore. But while pregnancy in a woman in her mid 40s is significantly less likely compared to a woman in her 20s or 30s, it’s still possible.
The stats for natural pregnancies after age 45
Although women in their mid- to late 40s sometimes have “miracle babies”, the chance of pregnancy is minimal in the five to ten years leading up to menopause.
The monthly chance of pregnancy in a woman aged 30 is about 20%. By age 40 it’s less than 5% and by age 45 the chance is negligible.
We don’t know exactly how many women become pregnant in their mid to late 40s, as many pregnancies at this age miscarry. The risk of miscarriage increases from 10% in women in their 20s to more than 50% in women aged 45 years or older. Also, for personal or medical reasons some pregnancies are terminated.
According to a review of demographic data on age when women had their final birth across several countries, the median age was 38.6 years. But the range of ages reported for last birth in the reviewed studies showed a small proportion of women give birth after age 45.
Having had many children before seems to increase the odds of giving birth after age 45. A study of 209 women in Israel who had conceived spontaneously and given birth after age 45 found 81% had already had six or more deliveries and almost half had had 11 or more previous deliveries.
There’s no reliable data on how common births after age 45 are in Australia. The most recent report on births in Australia show that about 5% of babies are born to women aged 40 years or older.
However, most of those were likely born to women aged between 40 and 45. Also, the data includes women who conceive with assisted reproductive technologies, including with the use of donor eggs. For women in their 40s, using eggs donated by a younger woman significantly increases their chance of having a baby with IVF.
What to be aware of if you experience a late unexpected pregnancy
A surprise pregnancy late in life often comes as a shock and deciding what to do can be difficult.
Depending on their personal circumstances, some women decide to terminate the pregnancy. Contrary to the stereotype that abortions are most common among very young women, women aged 40–44 are more likely to have an abortion than women aged 15–19.
This may in part be explained by the fact older women are up to ten times more likely to have a fetus with chromosomal abnormalities.
There are some extra risks involved in pregnancy when the mother is older. More than half of pregnancies in women aged 45 and older end in miscarriage and some are terminated if prenatal testing shows the fetus has the wrong number of chromosomes.
This is because at that age, most eggs have chromosomal abnormalities. For example, the risk of having a pregnancy affected by Down syndrome is one in 86 at age 40 compared to one in 1,250 at age 20.
Apart from the increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, advanced maternal age also increases the risk of stillbirth, fetal growth restriction (when the unborn baby doesn’t grow properly), preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and caesarean section.
However, it’s important to remember that since the overall risk of all these things is small, even with an increase, the risk is still small and most babies born to older mothers are born healthy.
Multiple births are also more common in older women than in younger women. This is because older women are more likely to release more than one egg if and when they ovulate.
A study of all births in England and Wales found women aged 45 and over were the most likely to have a multiple birth.
The risks of babies being born prematurely and having health complications are higher in twin than singleton pregnancies, and the risks are highest in women of advanced maternal age.
What if you want to become pregnant in your 40s?
If you’re keen to avoid pregnancy during perimenopause, it’s recommended you use contraception.
But if you want to get pregnant in your 40s, there are some things you can do to boost your chance of conceiving and having a healthy baby.
If you get good news, talking to a doctor about what to expect and how to best manage a pregnancy in your 40s can help you be prepared and will allow you to get personalised advice based on your health and circumstances.
Karin Hammarberg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Democracies worldwide are suffering from legitimacy problems. This is reflected in low levels of public trust in key political institutions, the polarisation of politics, and the erosion of public confidence in the capacity of governments to address societal concerns.
According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 50% of people worldwide trust their government, and the tally is even lower in many developed countries such as the United States and United Kingdom. A study by the Pew Research Center found only 20% of Americans trust their national government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time”.
Citizens almost everywhere view their elected officials and public institutions with suspicion. They believe decisions are made to serve special interests rather than the common good. This culture of discontentment is leading to reduced civic engagement, increased polarisation, the rise of identity politics, and a general sense of disillusionment with the political process. It has also sparked an upsurge in speculation as to whether democracy is dying, in recession or crisis.
The findings of the New Democratic Audit of Australia have just been published. They provide a timely and comprehensive evaluation of the current state of Australian democratic life.
The audit promises to bridge significant gaps in our understanding of Australia’s democracy.
A team of leading academics from universities in every state and territory deploys an audit approach to assess the democratic performance of federal, state and territory-level political institutions. It then examines how they have enabled or undermined Australian political life.
For instance, the monopoly of Australian governance by Coalition and Labor parties has only just begun to adjust to growing disillusionment with the two-party system.
To date, Australia has successfully avoided both rancorous populist politics (as in the US) and serious governance decline (as in the UK). However, the Voice to Parliament referendum and continued pandering to regressive immigration policies suggests populism could well be on the rise.
So what did the New Democratic Audit find?
Democracy under stress
1. Declining public trust in government. Trust in Australian political institutions is in decline. Only 30% of Australians report trust in government officials, according to the Australian Election Study.
The main concerns driving the decline in trust are lack of transparency in decision-making, perceptions of public sector inefficiency, political corruption, and the disconnection between politicians and citizens. Australians also express concerns about poor communication of policies. Furthermore, they believe governments have failed to deliver solutions to pressing issues such as the cost of living, wage stagnation and climate action.
A significant proportion of the population believes the country has become more divided. Major sources of division are the perception of the rich and powerful as a major dividing force (72%), followed by hostile foreign governments (69%), journalists (51%), and government leaders (49%).
2. Strong public satisfaction with democracy. Despite low trust in government, the 2024 World Values Survey shows that support for democratic values in Australia — such as free and fair elections, the rule of law, and representative democracy — remains strong. There is also a growing emphasis post-pandemic on the need for governments to address long-term challenges such as climate change and income inequality.
3. Australia is viewed internationally as a leading liberal democracy. Despite the challenges, Australia is assessed in most global rankings as one of the leading liberal democracies, with continuous economic growth, a strong federal system, and competitive elections. Its institutions have generally performed well, even in the face of global challenges such as the COVID pandemic. Australia is classed as one of only 24 “full democracies”.
4. The “protective power of democracy” is under pressure. The audit emphasises economist Amartya Sen’s concept of the “protective power of democracy as critical to achieving high quality democratic governance”. This relies on four components: electoral integrity, participatory opportunities, liberal values and good democratic governance.
5. Electoral integrity. Australia’s elections are free and fair, thanks to an independent election commission. However, concerns about government advertising and political donations undermine the fairness of elections, giving incumbent governments an advantage.
6. Public participation. Australia performs poorly in facilitating citizen participation beyond voting. Opportunities for civil society engagement, through localism, citizen juries or assemblies, are limited. Parliaments at various levels are not adequately representative in terms of gender and ethnicity, and regional policy concerns are often ignored.
7. Liberal values. Australia has made improvements in protecting civil rights, especially concerning LGBTQ+ issues and gender equality. But there remain significant gaps in protecting the rights of the most vulnerable groups, including Indigenous communities, differently abled people, and refugees. Australia lacks a comprehensive charter of human rights, and there are ongoing issues with the erosion of civil liberties.
8. Good democratic governance. This component refers to the instrumental importance of governments being responsible and accountable, responsive to the needs of the citizenry in service terms, and free from corruption. This is where the performance or supply of government matters most.
The audit finds Australia’s institutions are generally effective and adaptive, as seen in responses to the bushfires and the COVID pandemic. However, the federal government wields disproportionate power, which undermines traditional checks and balances. Public perception of corruption in politics and the public sector is also a growing public concern.
Reimagining Australian democracy
The audit concludes that Australia remains a full democracy, but faces critical challenges that require reflection and reinvention.
To renew its democracy, Australia must make its system of government more representative, accountable and responsive to the needs of citizens. There is a need for a stronger focus on integrity in politics, ensuring governments act transparently, empathetically and in ways that deliver tangible outcomes for the public. Public dissatisfaction with political corruption, inefficiency and a lack of responsiveness must be addressed to restore trust in political institutions.
While Australia continues to be a leading democracy, it faces pressing challenges that could undermine the sustainability of its democratic institutions if not addressed. The audit calls for a period of democratic reinvention, with an emphasis on improving governance to better serve citizens and maintain public trust in democracy.
The New Democratic Audit is free for download at: https://press.lse.ac.uk/site/books/e/10.31389/lsepress.ada/
Mark Evans has received funding and in-kind support to complete democratic audits in the United Kingdom (Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust) and Australia (Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra).
In October 2020, a van-sized robotic spacecraft briefly touched down on the surface of Bennu, a 525-metre-wide asteroid 320 million kilometres from Earth.
As part of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, the spacecraft not only spent two years orbiting and imaging the asteroid, it also collected a precious sample of dust and small rocks from Bennu’s rubbly surface.
In September 2023, a capsule containing the pristine asteroid sample returned to Earth, landing in the Utah desert in the United States.
Since then, an international team of scientists – of which we are members – have been busy studying the roughly 120 grams of material collected from Bennu.
Our findings are revealed in two new papers published in Nature and Nature Astronomy today. They indicate that water may have once been present on Bennu’s parent body, and offer new insights into the chemistry of the early Solar System.
Pristine remnants of rocks from deep time
Asteroids are fragmentary remnants of pre-existing parent bodies from early in our Solar System’s history that have since been destroyed by collisions with other objects. They orbit the Sun and come in many different shapes, sizes and chemical compositions.
Asteroid Bennu was targeted for the OSIRIS-REx mission because remote sensing observations from Earth indicated it as a B-type asteroid. These asteroids are rich in carbon and hydrated clay minerals, possibly sharing similarities to the most primitive group of meteorites on Earth, known as carbonaceous chondrites.
Unlike meteorite samples, samples collected from asteroids have not been physically or chemically modified by Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere. This allows us to tackle key questions about the evolution of the early Solar System, planet formation, and the ingredients for life.
Another aim of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to link findings from samples in the laboratory to those from remote sensing techniques. This helps us corroborate astronomical observations of asteroids to improve our surveys of the Solar System.
Curation teams process the sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission in a cleanroom. Keegan Barber/NASA
Tiny crystals of salt minerals
To prevent contamination, the sealed capsule containing the sample was stored and handled in a huge glass box when it was returned to Earth. This tank had rubber gloves feeding into it from the side so scientists could handle the samples without directly touching them. It had also been purged with nitrogen to keep out moisture and oxygen from Earth’s atmosphere.
When we analysed the interior of Bennu’s dust particles, we were surprised to find tiny crystals of the salt minerals known as halite and sylvite.
This was a breakthrough discovery.
Halite is extremely rare in meteorites. It has only been found in three out of hundreds of thousands of known meteorites on Earth. We also know that halite is highly soluble. It can degrade quickly when exposed to air or water on Earth.
Other members of the OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team identified a variety of other salt minerals in the Bennu sample. These included sodium carbonates, phosphates, sulphates and fluorides.
These minerals can form by the evaporation of brines – similar to deposits that form in Earth’s salt lakes.
By comparing these results with the chemical makeup of salt lakes on Earth, a picture began to emerge of brines evaporating on the parent body of asteroid Bennu, leaving behind salts as evidence.
Tiny crystals of several minerals including sodium carbonate (pictured here) were found in samples of the asteroid Bennu. Timothy McCoy/Smithsonian
A variety of organic compounds
This discovery provides a new insight into water activity during the earliest times in our Solar System. But the presence of salt minerals is significant for another reason.
On Earth, these minerals are a catalyst for the formation of organic compounds such as nucleobases and nucleosides – the prebiotic building blocks of terrestrial biology.
And indeed, in a separate analysis of the Bennu sample, other colleagues on the OSIRIS-REx mission identified a wide variety of organic compounds present on the carbon- and nitrogen-rich asteroid.
These compounds include 14 of the 20 amino acids we also find in Earth’s biological processes. They also include several amino acids that are absent in known biology, ammonia, and all five nucleobases found in RNA and DNA.
Even though no life was detected on Bennu, the two new studies show that a briny, carbon-rich environment on Bennu’s parent body was suitable for assembling the building blocks of life.
In September 2023, a capsule containing the pristine sample from Bennu returned to Earth, landing in the Utah desert in the United States. Keegan Barber/NASA
Ongoing investigations
The findings from returned samples of asteroid Bennu may provide researchers insight into what happens on distant icy bodies in our Solar System.
Some of these bodies include Saturn’s moon Enceladus and the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Both Enceladus and Ceres have subsurface brine oceans. Could they possibly harbour life?
We are continuing to investigate Bennu using the pristine samples collected back in 2020. We are currently researching the timing of the Bennu parent body breakup event and looking for evidence of impacts recorded by various minerals in the samples.
The authors of this article acknowledge the contribution of the following people to the research at Curtin University: Fred Jourdan, Steven Reddy, David Saxey, Celia Mayers, and Xiao Sun, as well as the entire OSIRIS-REx team.
William Rickard receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Australia Government
Nick Timms and Phil Bland do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
300 protestors detained since November have alleged beatings and torture
‘We believe that Saba Skhvitaridze’s prosecution is politically motivated. He should be released, and his torture allegations must be effectively investigated’ – Denis Krivosheev
On 28 January, the Tbilisi City Court extended the pre-trial detention in a high-security prison of Saba Skhvitaridze, an activist accused by police of using violence against law enforcement during ongoing pro-European protests on 5 December 2024.
For several hours after his initial detention, Saba Skhvitaridze was denied access to his legal counsel and was allegedly subjected to torture to extract a confession. Independent medical examinations confirmed injuries consistent with his torture allegations, yet there has been no indication that the authorities have conducted an effective investigation into his claims. Saba Skhvitaridze faces a potential sentence of up to 11 years.
During his remand hearing, the court ordered members of public to leave the courtroom before delivering its decision – a measure largely unprecedented for protest-related trials in Georgia.
Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said:
“The Georgian authorities arrested and reportedly subjected Saba Skhvitaridze to torture and other ill-treatment for participation in anti-government protests and have now extended his detention in a hearing concluded behind closed doors.
“We believe that Saba Skhvitaridze’s prosecution is politically motivated. He should be released, and his torture allegations must be effectively investigated.
“If there is sufficient admissible evidence to prosecute him, he should receive a fair trial in an open court hearing. Saba Skhvitaridze’s case is just one of many – hundreds of others face injustice and reprisals in relation to the recent protests in Georgia.”
Police violence against protestors
Police have detained several hundred protesters in Georgia during the latest wave of protest ongoing since 29 November 2024, with more than 300 of those detained alleging beatings and torture and other ill-treatment in detention.
