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Category: Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Global: The year ahead in the Middle East: A weakened Iran has big implications for China

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daniel Lincoln, Policy Research Analyst, Geopolitics, The China Institute, University of Alberta

    Iran’s diminished status in the Middle East means China will likely be compelled to develop stronger ties with other nations in the region, including Saudi Arabia. (Shutterstock)

    The wheels of history have been turning rapidly in the Middle East over the last year.

    For a significant period of time, Iran’s status as a rising power within the region has been regarded as a consistent reality in assessing Middle Eastern geopolitics. But events since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel have seen Iran’s position in the region erode substantially. The balance of power in the Middle East has consequently been irreversibly altered.

    A key pillar supporting Iran’s previously powerful status in the Middle East has been its cultivation of the “Axis of Resistance,” a group of Iranian allies across the region that acted together against Israeli and American interests.

    The members of the axis, in addition to Iran itself, include Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite militias, the Houthis and Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.



    Read more:
    Assad’s fall in Syria will further weaken Hezbollah and curtails Tehran’s ‘Iranization’ of region

    Axis decimation

    Israel’s relentless war in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack has seen several of the most important members of the axis severely diminished, if not entirely decimated.

    Both Hezbollah and Hamas have been humiliated through the destruction of their respective leaderships, and their operational capacities have been reduced significantly.

    The largest blow to Iran’s proxy network was arguably the recent ousting of Syria’s Assad, ending a decades-long regime that was regarded by top Iranian strategists as Iran’s most important regional ally.

    The adverse consequences of these developments for Iran’s grand strategy raises questions of how a significantly weakened Iran will affect the world at large, especially in terms of its impact on great power politics in the Middle East.

    This undoubtedly represents a welcome development in the United States given the long-standing animosity towards post-1979 Iran among the American foreign policy establishment. But China is likely to have a more nuanced outlook predicated upon its commitment to pragmatic foreign policy maneuvering in accomplishing its top global objectives.

    China’s engagement with Iran

    As China has grown richer and more powerful in recent decades, it’s turned its attention to increasing its diplomatic clout and economic presence throughout the world. Every region of the planet has been affected by this development, but the Middle East achieved a spot of particular importance for China.

    The Chinese government’s motivation to deeply engage in the Middle East has been — and continues to be — driven by several key considerations: the Middle East’s status as a powerhouse of oil production, its strategic geographic location bridging east and west, and its status as a long-standing pillar of American foreign policy.

    China has fostered bilateral partnerships across the entire Middle East, but one of its longest regional relationships has been with Iran. In Iran, Chinese authorities saw a country that provided it with an opportunity to help it achieve China’s main objectives in the region.

    Post-1979, Iran was inherently anti-American, which meant that China was more likely to be warmly received by Tehran, especially when compared to other regional powers like Saudi Arabia that had relatively warm relations with the U.S.

    Perhaps most importantly, Iran could be depended on — to an extent — to stymie American interests in the Middle East given its status as a rising regional power.

    This is not to say that Iran became a Chinese client state, but rather that China could provide diplomatic and economic support to Iran as the Iranians used their power to act disruptively in a region of great strategic importance to the U.S.

    China’s future moves

    Given the motivations underlying deep Chinese-Iranian ties historically, it’s clear that the evaporation of Iran’s clout will likely greatly alter the character of their relationship moving forward.

    In a nutshell, a significant portion of Iran’s appeal to Chinese policymakers has disappeared with the near annihilation of its regional network. This will likely encourage China to seek deeper ties with other Middle Eastern heavyweights, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in accomplishing its goals in the Middle East — chief among them, increasing its regional influence at the expense of the U.S.

    But it’s also unlikely China will entirely abandon Iran. While it may focus its most concerted efforts on developing deeper ties with other Middle Eastern countries instead of Iran, China would likely be hesitant to see Iran become even further isolated and therefore more predisposed to behaving aggressively.

    China was one of the main behind-the-scenes mediators of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal because it wanted regional tensions to dissipate via Iran’s abandonment of its nuclear program.

    Now that Iran is weakened, it has essentially been boxed into a corner, and has two main options moving forward: either it achieves a rapprochement with the West, or it reinvigorates its nuclear program and acts more aggressively.

    While Iran’s ultra-conservative factions that control the levers of power in the country may be tempted to take a more aggressive path, it is very possible China will attempt to use its substantial economic leverage over Iran to encourage them to pursue the rapprochement option.

    That’s because the Chinese need the Middle East as a source of petroleum to fuel their economy, and because China doesn’t want to be viewed by the West as an implicit accomplice to a bellicose and destabilizing Iran.

    China a moderating influence?

    On the contrary, China is currently attempting to repair relations with many western countries given the importance of the West’s markets to China’s ailing economy.

    In fact, China may wish to play a role in inducing Iran to strike a deal with the West in the near future, given that it would show the incoming Donald Trump administration — which is notoriously hawkish on China — that it can be trusted and worked with constructively.

    At the end of the day, China will seek the path that minimizes the likelihood of full-blown conflict in the Middle East given the importance of the region to the Chinese economy. The country has a strategic opportunity to signal trustworthiness and dependability to the West by working to prevent Iran from choosing a more aggressive path.

    Daniel Lincoln 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.

    – ref. The year ahead in the Middle East: A weakened Iran has big implications for China – https://theconversation.com/the-year-ahead-in-the-middle-east-a-weakened-iran-has-big-implications-for-china-245649

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Businesses must stop caving to political pressure and abandoning their EDI commitments

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Simon Blanchette, Lecturer, Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University

    EDI is good for business and good business: it is both the ethical choice and the smart business decision.
     (Shutterstock)

    Over the past year, several major corporations have scaled back their equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives amid shifting political pressures. Walmart is one of the latest major corporations to reduce its EDI programs following conservative backlash and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s re-election.

    Ford Motor Company, Lowe’s and Nissan have all announced plans to change their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. In the entertainment sector, Hollywood’s commitment to EDI has waned, with several studios and networks reducing or eliminating diversity programs.

    This growing trend reflects a broader corporate retreat from EDI commitments, as businesses navigate the complexities of the current political landscape. So far, many have chosen to respond by negating their commitment to inclusion and diversity.

    Given the close economic and cultural ties between the United States and Canada, this troubling shift could spill over into Canada. It would undermine years of progress towards achieving genuine workplace equity. Ultimately, no one will benefit in the long run — not even the people opposed to it — as they will miss out on the benefits of a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

    Walmart: From EDI commitment to rollback

    As the largest private employer in the world with over two million employees, Walmart has long been at the centre of debates about labour practices, workplace diversity and corporate responsibility.

    For years, the company championed EDI principles. In 2019, Walmart made a public commitment to boost diversity, pledging to increase the percentage of women and racialized people in managerial roles.

    Walmart also introduced initiatives to support underrepresented groups in the workforce, including diversity and inclusion training, the Women’s Resource Community, the OneTen Coalition program and partnerships to recruit people with disabilities.



    Read more:
    Employers miss out on talent by overlooking workers living with disabilities

    Walmart also tracked workforce representation by gender and ethnicity. Its 2023 report revealed that 20 per cent of promotions from hourly to management position were Black and racialized women. Over 86,000 employees completed race and inclusion training, and nearly 800 participated in Walmart’s Culture, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Institute.

    However, amid a political climate marked by renewed attacks on corporate diversity initiatives and so-called “wokeness,” Walmart started rolling back its EDI policies and diversity training programs.

    For instance, the company has decided not to extend its racial equity centre, a five-year initiative that was launched in 2020. Additionally, it will discontinue the use of terms such as “LatinX” and “DEI” in official communications, opting instead to use the word “belonging.” But who truly belongs if, at the same time, they are cancelling EDI initiatives?

    Understand what EDI means

    This rollback of EDI initiatives reflects a growing trend within big business to selectively adopt social justice agendas when they are advantageous, then scale them back when the political climate changes. This “diversitywashing” mirrors greenwashing where companies claim to support social or environmental causes but retreat when faced with political or public pressure.

    At its core, EDI is about ensuring that all employees, customers and stakeholders have equitable access to work opportunities, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or socio-economic background.

    EDI policies and practices are essential for supporting equity-deserving groups — such as women, Black and racialized people, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ communities — who have historically faced systemic barriers to opportunity.

    Arguing for a meritocracy without first establishing equity is like trying to lift a sloped playing field instead of leveling it, while ignoring that one side is a mountain and the other is a canyon. It leaves existing barriers and inequities intact on the road to merit, telling people that hard work alone will lead to rewards, while ignoring that they need to work that much harder to achieve the same.

    The idea that we must create an even playing field first should not be controversial, and yet it is.

    The fear that EDI programs compromise competency is both common and unfounded; embracing diversity is about dismantling barriers that have unfairly limited opportunities for talented individuals, not lowering standards.

    EDI is about ensuring that all employees, customers and stakeholders have equitable access to work opportunities.
    (Shutterstock)

    Why corporations must commit to EDI

    EDI initiatives should never be reduced to political tools or marketing gimmicks. The true purpose of these policies is to foster an environment where people of all backgrounds can thrive.

    Organizations greatly benefit from the creativity, problem-solving and innovation that come with diversity.

    When corporations roll back these initiatives in response to political pressures, it signals to the world their commitment to EDI was merely a strategic move to improve their brand image during a period when social justice was a trending topic.

    This can damage a corporation’s reputation in the eyes of both employees and consumers, particularly those from equity-deserving groups who expect representation, as well as those who value diversity and inclusivity.



    Read more:
    How equity, diversity and inclusion policies are becoming a tool for capitalism

    It is essential for large corporations to recognize that adopting EDI policies is not just a moral imperative, but also a sound business strategy. The data is clear: diverse companies perform better, including from a profitability standpoint.

    Diversity related advantages create a competitive edge that drives growth. A McKinsey report revealed that companies with more diverse executive teams were 36 per cent more likely to have above-average profitability. Giving that up is simply bad business.

    As both a scholar and a practising strategy and organizational change consultant, I have never encountered a well-designed and effectively implemented EDI program that did not yield positive results for the organization.

    EDI is good for business and good business: it is both the ethical choice and the smart business decision.

    Walking the talk

    The way forward is clear: corporations, especially large ones, must make a genuine commitment to EDI — not just because it is the morally right thing to do, but because it is the key to long-term business success. Diversity fosters innovation, and innovation drives profitability.

    However, for employees of diverse backgrounds to truly thrive in their workplaces, organizations must go beyond surface-level representation and tokenism. They must build inclusive workplaces where diversity is genuinely respected, supported and embraced unconditionally and independent of political trends.

    By doing so, companies will not only contribute to a more equitable society, but also position themselves for success in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. Achieving this requires leaders who are courageous and prioritize long-term strategic goals over short-term political gains.

    Leading through fear is not leadership; it reflects a failure in strategic foresight. Talent is the defining competitive advantage of this century, and business leaders cannot afford to waste it.

    Simon Blanchette 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.

    – ref. Businesses must stop caving to political pressure and abandoning their EDI commitments – https://theconversation.com/businesses-must-stop-caving-to-political-pressure-and-abandoning-their-edi-commitments-245450

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Australia is banning social media for teens. Should Canada do the same?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Christopher Dietzel, Postdoctoral fellow, the DIGS Lab, Concordia University

    Australia is the first country to implement a nationwide ban of social media for teens, but other measures have been enacted or are being considered here in Canada. (Shutterstock)

    The Australian government recently passed legislation that bans social media for anyone under 16. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the legislation for putting “the onus on social media platforms — not young people or their parents” — for protecting youth from online harms.

    Australia is the first country in the world to pass a nationwide ban of social media for teens, set to take effect in a year. But other measures have been enacted or considered here in Canada and elsewhere.

    In the United States, it will be illegal for children under 14 in Florida to have social media accounts starting Jan. 1, 2025.

    Beginning in 2024, Québec began banning cellphones in classrooms. This fall, with the start of the 2024–2025 academic year, Ontario also began banning cell phones in schools. This follows a lawsuit filed by four school boards in Ontario against social media companies for disrupting youth learning.

    Québec is reportedly considering a social media ban — following Australia’s lead — that would limit social media use for teens under 16. Provincial governments recognize that social media and cellphones can be problematic for youth, and they’re not waiting on the federal government to take action.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that the proposed Online Harms Act (Bill C-63), originally introduced in February 2024, will be separated into two bills. The idea is to pass the part of the bill focused on child protection to address problems like sextortion, image-based sexual abuse, revenge porn and other forms of online sexual violence.

    Since the Online Harms Act is still being debated, MPs in Canada may look to other countries, like Australia, for guidance on protecting youth from these online harms.

    A CBC news report on Australia’s social media ban and the potential for a similar ban in Canada.

    Youth and online harms

    Some people in Canada approve of Australia’s social media ban and see it as a potential solution, including some teens. This idea has received a lot of traction in public discourse too, including with the book The Anxious Generation that argues social media should be banned until age 16.

    Many of us may recall the stories of Rehtaeh Parsons, Amanda Todd and more recently a boy in British Columbia who died by suicide after being cyberbullied and sextorted.

    Some studies have shown that social media use is related to anxiety and depression among adolescents. Bans or regulations raise important questions about how we, as a society, should respond to social media use among youth and deal with online harms.

    Challenges with bans

    We are a team of researchers who study technology-facilitated sexual violence among youth aged 13–18 in Canada. We have conducted 26 focus groups with 149 youth from across the country, and launched a nationally representative survey of around 1,000 youth to learn about their experiences with online harms, what they know about the law and which resources work — and which ones don’t.

    Our initial findings show that youth experience a range of harms as they use digital platforms and social media. We also found that algorithms are fueling harms. Youth have emphasized they want tailored supports and resources to help them have safe, healthy and enjoyable experiences with technology.

    A full ban of social media is not realistic, in part because social media companies have no idea how to implement it. Some ideas are to use facial recognition technology or check someone’s age using credit cards. Another idea is to upload government IDs to third-party platforms for age verification.

    However a ban is implemented, it will almost certainly gather more user data, which raises questions about youth data privacy and security. These measures may also drive youth towards other platforms that are less regulated, such as on the dark web. This could actually make it harder to protect youth from online harms.

    Bans also don’t actually solve the problem. For example, abstinence-based interventions don’t work when it comes to sex education. It is unlikely that an abstinence-based approach would work with social media.

    Technology is increasingly integrated into our daily lives, and youth need to learn how to have healthy and responsible online interactions.
    (Shutterstock)

    Furthermore, technology is increasingly integrated into our daily lives, and youth need to be taught about healthy and responsible online interactions.

    Youth are learning how to become digital citizens. Kicking the problem down the road until they’re 16 or older will postpone the consequences, not solve them. This could cause more harm than a ban intends to solve.

    A ban also frees social media companies, governments and parents from any accountability. Rather than meaningfully addressing the harmful content and their impacts, a ban removes any and all responsibility from the people and institutions whose job it is to protect youth.

    Holistic interventions

    Technology companies need to develop their products with kids in mind, rather than prioritizing their profits and putting child safety and health second. Kids need guidance and support, and a ban does nothing to remove harmful content or resolve its negative impacts.

    Rather than bans, we suggest implementing holistic interventions that emphasize digital citizenship and youth rights and responsibilities so people of all ages learn how to have safe and healthy interactions with technology. This requires a consolidated effort across various sectors of society, including schools, community organizations and, importantly, both tech companies and government agencies.

    While there are resources available for educators, parents and youth about how to have safe and healthy online interactions, we need to act now.

    Rather than resorting to blanket bans, we should prioritize comprehensive societal changes that address the root causes of these harms. By doing so, we can promote youth safety and help our communities confront online harms.

    Christopher Dietzel receives funding from Le Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC).

    Kaitlynn Mendes receives funding from SSHRC and the Canada Research Chairs Program.

    – ref. Australia is banning social media for teens. Should Canada do the same? – https://theconversation.com/australia-is-banning-social-media-for-teens-should-canada-do-the-same-245932

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Interactive: What Earth’s 4.54 billion-year history would look like in a single year

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania

    The Conversation

    As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as a geologist, I think one of the best ways to understand our planet’s history and evolution is by condensing the entire timeline into a single calendar year.

    It’s not a new concept, but it’s a powerful one.

    So, how do we go about this? If we consider Earth’s age as 4.54 billion years and divide it by 365 days, each day of the Gregorian calendar represents about 12.438 million years.

    Let’s say we want to calculate what “day” the Paleozoic started in our new Earth calendar. We just need to subtract 541 million years from the age of the planet and divide it by 12.438 million years. Simple, right?

    As I ran these equations, I noticed something amusing. Some of the most significant events in Earth’s history coincide with major holidays in the Western world. By this reckoning, the dinosaurs went extinct on Christmas Day.

    The Earth calendar

    View the events in the infographic above, or scroll down to read about the entire year in order.

    January 1

    4.54 billion years ago: Formation of proto-Earth as part of the Solar System

    Dust and gas in the early Solar System collide and combine under gravity. This process eventually leads to the formation of a molten planet, our proto-Earth.

    January 3

    4.5 billion years ago: Theia’s impact and the formation of the Moon

    A Mars-sized planet, Theia, collides with the proto-Earth, changing the composition of our planet forever. This massive impact ejects a significant amount of material into orbit around Earth, which eventually coalesces to form the Moon.

    February 4

    4.1 billion years ago: Beginning of the Late Heavy Bombardment

    Earth, the Moon and other inner bodies of our Solar System experience intense asteroid and comet impacts, which shape their surfaces. Unlike Earth, the Moon still retains these craters today because it lacks an atmosphere, water and tectonic activity. The bombardment continues until the very end of February – 3.8 billion years ago.

    February 14

    3.97 billion years ago: Beginning of the Archean Eon

    By Valentine’s Day, the hottest period in Earth’s history – the Hadean Eon – has finally come to an end. With these hostile conditions in the past, the stage is lovingly set for life to emerge as the Archean Eon begins.

    March 16

    3.6 billion years ago: Formation of the first supercontinent, maybe

    For a couple of weeks now, Earth has been cool enough to form stable continental crusts. Vaalbara is a theorised supercontinent consisting of two cratons (ancient, stable and thick blocks that form the cores of continents): Kaapvaal in eastern South Africa, and Pilbara in north-western Western Australia. While still under debate, this would make Vaalbara 3.6 to 2.7 billion years old, one of the oldest supercontinents we know of.

    March 26

    3.48 billion years ago: Earliest direct evidence of life

    Right before the end of the first quarter of the year, simple prokaryotic organisms appear during the Paleoarchean. These are the earliest direct evidence of life recorded as microfossils (stromatolites).

    May 27

    2.7 billion years ago: Cyanobacteria become the first oxygen producers

    Blue-green algae called cyanobacteria develop oxygenic photosynthesis. They use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. It’s a milestone for the development of our current atmosphere.

    June 16

    2.46 billion years ago: The Great Oxygenation Event

    A dramatic rise in oxygen levels occurs in shallow seas and in Earth’s atmosphere, driven by oxygenic photosynthesis from cyanobacteria. This event lasts approximately 400 million years, transforming Earth’s environment and paving the way for more complex life forms to thrive on a radically changed planet.

    September 17

    1.3 billion years ago: Formation of the supercontinent Rodinia

    One of the first supercontinents to form on Earth, Rodinia brings together most of the planet’s landmasses. During its 550 million years of existence, Earth is predominantly inhabited by simple life forms, including prokaryotes and early eukaryotes.

    October 31

    750 million years ago: Breakdown of Rodinia and Snowball Earth events

    By Halloween, Rodinia begins to crack apart just like candies in a kid’s trick-or-treat bag. The breakup of Rodinia dramatically influences the planet’s climate and ocean circulation, potentially triggering Snowball Earth events. These two major global glaciations, lasting approximately 70 million years, play a significant role in shaping Earth’s history.

    November 9

    635 million years ago: The Ediacaran Period begins

    Right before the start of the Paleozoic, the first large, complex, multi-cellular marine life forms appear. The Ediacaran biota includes diverse, soft-bodied organisms – early animals, algae and other complex life. Today, curious visitors to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia might be lucky enough to spot some Ediacaran fossils.

    November 17

    538.8 million years ago: The Cambrian Explosion

    The Cambrian Explosion lasts no more than two days (25 million years). During this time, sudden development of complex life occurs in the oceans. Almost all present-day animal phyla appear, and other groups diversify in major ways. Undoubtedly, this is a critical period for life on our planet.

    November 23

    470 million years ago: Plants first colonise Gondwanaland during the Ordovician Period

    Early land plants are simple, non-vascular organisms that colonise moist environments – much like moss today. Over time, plants evolve more complex structures, including vascular tissue specialised for transporting water, nutrients and food, allowing them to thrive in a wider range of terrestrial habitats.

    December 1

    370 million years ago: First vertebrates move onto land

    On the very first day of December, four-limbed animals called tetrapods are the first animals with backbones (vertebrates) to transition to a life on land during the Late Devonian period. These are the ancestors of all land-dwelling vertebrates, living and extinct.

    December 10

    252 million years ago: Permian-Triassic mass extinction

    Life is almost entirely obliterated after a series of massive Siberian volcanic eruptions trigger global warming and a lack of oxygen in the oceans. The Great Dying is the largest extinction in Earth’s history, wiping out more than 90% of marine species and about 70% of terrestrial species.

    December 12

    230 million years ago: The rise of dinosaurs

    The very first dinosaurs are small, bipedal reptiles that eventually evolve into the diverse group of animals that dominate Earth during the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs reign over our planet for 13 days, meaning their kingdom endures for an epic 165 million years.

    December 25

    66 million years ago: Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction

    Christmas Day is not a joyful day for dinosaurs: they go extinct. The current leading hypothesis for their demise is an asteroid impact in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. A massive space lump of coal from Santa, if you will.

    December 26

    56 million years ago: The rise of mammals

    Boxing Day is a good day for mammals. During the Palaeocene, right after the extinction event, mammals begin to grow in size and diversity. By noon, when the Eocene starts 56 million years ago, they have evolved into the first large herbivores and carnivores.

    December 31: midday

    ~7 to 6 million years ago: The planet of the apes

    The very first hominids, either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, appear by noon on December 31. These species represent some of the earliest common ancestors of humans and other great apes, such as gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees.

    December 31: 11:25pm

    300,000 years ago: Modern humans finally arrive

    The very first Homo sapiens emerge in Africa, marking the beginning of anatomically modern humans.

    The final ten minutes

    We’re almost at midnight, and nearly all of humanity’s history can be condensed into the last ten minutes of the year.

    11:50pm

    ~86,377 years ago: Homo sapiens migrate out of Africa into Eurasia. Thus begins a significant global colonisation by early modern humans.

    11:51pm

    ~77,740 years ago: The first symbolic art. Engraved ochre in South Africa’s Blombos Cave is considered one of the earliest symbolic artworks created by humans, indicating the development of cognitive and cultural sophistication.

    11:52pm

    ~69,102 years ago: The Last Glacial Period. An ongoing global cooling event intensifies, forcing humans to adapt to harsher climates.

    11:53pm

    ~60,464 years ago: Humans reach Australia. This marks the earliest known migration across sea, and settlement on a new isolated continent.

    11:54pm

    ~51,826 years ago: Upper Paleolithic Revolution. Humans arrive at a capacity for well-developed language, more complex social structures, and highly specialised tools.

    11:55pm

    ~43,119 years ago: The Neanderthals go extinct. Multiple factors cause their demise, including violence, diseases, natural catastrophes and being outcompeted by Homo sapiens, the only remaining hominid species on Earth.

    11:56pm

    ~34,551 years ago: Symbolic art flourishes and culture emerges globally among modern humans. This time is characterised by significant advancements in creativity and social organisation.

    11:57pm

    ~25,913 years ago: The Last Glacial Maximum. Ice sheets reach their greatest extent, covering large parts of North America, Europe and Asia. This is the peak of the most recent ice age, affecting both ecosystems and human migration.

    11:58pm

    ~17,275 years ago: Warming begins after the Last Glacial Maximum. Ice sheets gradually retreat, leading towards the end of the last ice age.

    11:59pm

    ~8,638 years ago: Significant events take place globally. The Agricultural Revolution has started, with humans cultivating crops and domesticating animals, leading to the first permanent settlements and village life.

    Midnight

    8,638 years ago to today: A great deal happens in the last few seconds of the year. From the Bronze and Iron Age, to the rise and fall of major empires, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, world wars, space exploration, the internet and artificial intelligence.

    Francisco Jose Testa 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.

    – ref. Interactive: What Earth’s 4.54 billion-year history would look like in a single year – https://theconversation.com/interactive-what-earths-4-54-billion-year-history-would-look-like-in-a-single-year-245373

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: I was asked to come up with my top 5 Aussie films of 2024. It was a difficult task

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia

    Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment

    Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the production budget to let people know about a film. But this is usually not the case with the local industry.

    Frequently, Australian films will do well enough on the festival circuit to be picked up by a theatrical distributor who spends virtually nothing on marketing – and then pulls the film when it doesn’t prove to be the next Muriel’s Wedding.

    This is painfully in the back of my mind as I try to compile a list of my top five Australian films of 2024. Top five? Did I even see five? It turns out I did. Did I miss many? A few, because they never crossed my radar – no posters, no advertising, no social media presence.

    Out of the, let’s say ten, Australian films I did manage to see in 2024, this is my top five (which isn’t to say they are, necessarily, five films that I would recommend).

    1. Late Night with the Devil

    Written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is a solid genre film.

    The narrative frames the film as found footage. We watch an episode of a late night talk show from Halloween 1977, in which a supposedly possessed girl becomes the centre of the show, unleashing (or not?) various demonic events.

    David Dastmalchian is commandingly goofy in the lead as ratings-hungry host Jack Delroy, and the supporting cast provide some nice character touches.

    The production design is first rate, with everything we love about 1970s horror cinema – and television culture – recreated in vivid strokes.

    Starved of unpretentious and non-didactic cinema, one is tempted to declaim the brilliance of this enjoyable romp. But, at the end of the day – and despite Stephen King’s comment it’s “absolutely brilliant” – it’s just a good horror film, sure to please fans of well-made cinema with a retro bent.

    2. Christmess

    Though released at select cinemas at the end of 2023, I’m including the well-made (and low budget) Christmess on the list, as it secured a mainstream release in 2024.

    The film follows a trio of recovering addicts in a halfway house during the holiday period, centred around once-famous actor Chris (beautifully played by Steve Le Marquand) as he successfully – and unsuccessfully – deals with his demons.

    Christmess is sentimental without being overly schmaltzy, the characters are rendered with nuance while still containing a recognisably mythical dimension, and it feels hopeful while still making sense.

    Writer-director-producer Heath Davis does exactly what is needed for a low budget film. It is economically but effectively shot in the Sydney suburbs, the writing is razor sharp, and the performances are (mostly) excellent. Films like Christmess give hope independent Australian cinema has life yet.

    3. Force of Nature: The Dry 2

    Now we’re getting into trickier territory for a top five list. Force of Nature is the sequel to The Dry from 2020, and treads similar ground, with Eric Bana returning as federal police detective Aaron Falk.

    This time it’s a mystery surrounding a hiking trip and a disappearing informant.

    As with the first film, Force of Nature is an engaging genre film with some arresting moments and effectively handled elements (the cinematography, music, performances are all fine). But it’s also totally forgettable and uninspired, pale in comparison to some of the great variations on the cop-mystery theme of the past.

    4. Birdeater

    Popular at SXSW, Birdeater makes the list by virtue of its style alone.

    What begins as an intriguing look at the horrors of group dynamics when a bunch of youngsters leave the city for a buck’s party quickly fizzles into nothing, the early gestures towards Ted Kotcheff’s masterful Wake in Fright proving little more than hot air.

    But it looks and sounds amazing, one of the most stunningly shot Australian films I’ve seen – actually warranting that haphazardly thrown about adjective “cinematic” – and is worth watching for this dimension alone.

    5. The Moogai

    Some may think writer-director Jon Bell’s The Moogai is an impressive horror film, cleverly integrating a critique of Australian colonisation into a possession story about motherhood and the anxieties of the parent-child relationship.

    I found its treatment of a potentially engaging story humdrum and forgettable, the critique of colonisation obvious and uninteresting, and the performances strained.

    Unlike Jennifer Kent’s excellent The Babadook, which anchors its allegorical dissection of parenthood to specific and weird horrific moments, The Moogai depends too much on the abstract, on the viewer’s knowledge of events and the world outside the film, and suffers as a work of art for this.

    The best of the rest (perhaps)

    Before you attack my evident myopia, there were a handful of Australian films released in 2024 I haven’t seen and that look like they might be worthwhile. Don’t blame me, blame the marketers!

    Sting, directed by Aussie genre maestro Kiah Roache-Turner, looks like a rousingly trashy monster film (there hasn’t been a good giant spider film for years).

    The Rooster, written and directed by actor Mark Leonard Winter, looks like a potentially solid character mystery (and has received great reviews).

    In the Room Where He Waits – which looks like a disturbing Repulsion-like thriller about a queer actor losing his marbles in a hotel room – has also received excellent reviews.

    And this isn’t to discount the potential mirth of a film like Runt, a sweet-looking kids’ film about a ten-year-old girl and her friendship with a dog.

    The biggest Australian film of the year was George Miller’s latest Mad Max endeavour, Furiosa. While some swear by Fury Road, as a long-time fan of the Mad Max films I found it shrill and incomprehensible, a senseless assault on the viewer with little payoff and no dynamism. Well, Furiosa is this, but a little worse.

    How can Screen Australia ensure 2025 (well, 2026 now) has a more robust offering of Australian films? Less money invested in American productions, more on Australian films with lower budgets – and more spent on marketing!

    Ari Mattes 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.

    – ref. I was asked to come up with my top 5 Aussie films of 2024. It was a difficult task – https://theconversation.com/i-was-asked-to-come-up-with-my-top-5-aussie-films-of-2024-it-was-a-difficult-task-243922

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: You could be stress eating these holidays – or eating your way to stress. 5 tips for the table

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia

    Dean Clarke/Shutterstock

    The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it can also be an emotional and stressful period.

    This stress can manifest in our eating habits, leading to what is known as emotional or stress eating.

    There are certain foods we tend to eat more of when we’re stressed, and these can affect our health. What’s more, our food choices can influence our stress levels and make us feel worse. Here’s how.

    Why we might eat more when stressed

    The human stress response is a complex signalling network across the body and brain. Our nervous system then responds to physical and psychological events to maintain our health. Our stress response – which can be subtle or trigger a fight-or-flight response – is essential and part of daily life.

    The stress response increases production of the hormones cortisol and insulin and the release of glucose (blood sugars) and brain chemicals to meet demand. Eating when we experience stress is a normal behaviour to meet a spike in energy needs.

    But sometimes our relationship with food becomes strained in response to different types of stress. We might attach shame or guilt to overeating. And anxiety or insecurity can mean some people under-eat in stressful times.

    Over time, people can start to associate eating with negative emotions – such as anger, sadness, fear or worry. This link can create behavioural cycles of emotional eating. “Emotional eaters” may go on to develop altered brain responses to the sight or smell of food.

    What stress eating can do to the body

    Stress eating can include binge eating, grazing, eating late at night, eating quickly or eating past the feeling of fullness. It can also involve craving or eating foods we don’t normally choose.
    For example, stressed people often reach for ultra-processed foods. While eating these foods is not necessarily a sign of stress, having them can activate the reward system in our brain to alleviate stress and create a pattern.

    Short-term stress eating, such as across the holiday period, can lead to symptoms such as acid reflux and poor sleep – particularly when combined with drinking alcohol.

    In the longer term, stress eating can lead to weight gain and obesity, increasing the risks of cancer, heart diseases and diabetes.

    While stress eating may help reduce stress in the moment, long-term stress eating is linked with an increase in depressive symptoms and poor mental health.

    If you do over eat at a big gathering, don’t try and compensate by eating very little the next day.
    Peopleimage.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    What we eat can make us more or less stressed

    The foods we choose can also influence our stress levels.

    Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar (such as sugary drinks, sweets, crackers, cakes and most chocolates) can make blood sugar levels spike and then crash.

    Diets high in unhealthy saturated and trans fats (processed foods, animal fats and commercially fried foods) can increase inflammatory responses.

    Rapid changes in blood sugar and inflammation can increase anxiety and can change our mood.

    Meanwhile, certain foods can improve the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate stress and mood.

    Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and flaxseeds, are known to reduce inflammation and support brain health. Magnesium, found in leafy greens and nuts, helps regulate cortisol levels and the body’s stress response.

    Vitamin Bs, found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and animal products (mostly B12), help maintain a healthy nervous system and energy metabolism, improving mood and cognitive performance.

    5 tips for the holiday table and beyond

    Food is a big part of the festive season, and treating yourself to delicious treats can be part of the fun. Here are some tips for enjoying festive foods, while avoiding stress eating:

    1. slow down: be mindful about the speed of your eating. Slow down, chew food well and put down your utensils after each bite

    2. watch the clock: even if you’re eating more food than you normally would, sticking to the same timing of eating can help maintain your body’s response to the food. If you normally have an eight-hour eating window (the time between your first meal and last meal of the day) then stick to this even if you’re eating more

    3. continue other health behaviours: even if we are eating more food or different food during the festive season, try to keep up other healthy behaviours, such as sleep and exercise

    4. stay hydrated: make sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially water. This helps our body function and can help with feelings of hunger. When our brain gets the message something has entered the stomach (what we drink) this can provide a temporary reduction in feelings of hunger

    5. don’t restrict: if we have a big day of eating, it can be tempting to restrict eating in the days before or after. But it is never a good idea to overly constrain food intake. It can lead to more overeating and worsen stress.

    Reaching for cookies late at night can be characteristic of stress eating.
    Stokkete/Shutterstock

    Plus 3 bonus tips to manage holiday stress

    1. shift your thinking: try reframing festive stress. Instead of viewing it as “something bad”, see it as “providing the energy” to reach your goals, such as a family gathering or present shopping

    2. be kind to yourself and others: practise an act of compassion for someone else or try talking to yourself as you would a friend. These actions can stimulate our brains and improve wellbeing

    3. do something enjoyable: being absorbed in enjoyable activities – such as crafting, movement or even breathing exercises – can help our brains and bodies to return to a more relaxed state, feel steady and connected.

    For support and more information about eating disorders, contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.

    Saman Khalesi was previously supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship (Award No. 102584) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

    Talitha Best is affiliated with Australian Psychological Society.

    Charlotte Gupta 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.

    – ref. You could be stress eating these holidays – or eating your way to stress. 5 tips for the table – https://theconversation.com/you-could-be-stress-eating-these-holidays-or-eating-your-way-to-stress-5-tips-for-the-table-244156

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hitting the beach? Here are some dangers to watch out for – plus 10 essentials for your first aid kit

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University

    FTiare/Shutterstock

    Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to grab a first aid kit?

    The vast majority of trips to the beach will be uneventful. However, if trouble strikes, being prepared can make a huge difference to you, a loved one or a stranger.

    So, what exactly should you be prepared for?

    Knowing the dangers

    The first step in being prepared for the beach is to learn about where you are going and associated levels of risk.

    In Broome, you are more likely to be bitten by a dog at the beach than stung by an Irukandji jellyfish.

    In Byron Bay, you are more likely to come across a brown snake than a shark.

    In the summer of 2023–24, Surf Life Saving Australia reported more than 14 million Australian adults visited beaches. Surf lifesavers, lifeguards and lifesaving services performed 49,331 first aid treatments across 117 local government areas around Australia. Surveys of beach goers found perceptions of common beach hazards include rips, tropical stingers, sun exposure, crocodiles, sharks, rocky platforms and waves.

    Sun and heat exposure are likely the most common beach hazard. The Cancer Council has reported that almost 1.5 million Australians surveyed during summer had experienced sunburn during the previous week. Without adequate fluid intake, heat stroke can also occur.

    Lacerations and abrasions are a further common hazard. While surfboards, rocks, shells and litter might seem more dangerous, the humble beach umbrella has been implicated in thousands of injuries.

    Sprains and fractures are also associated with beach activities. A 2022 study linked data from hospital, ambulance and Surf Life Saving cases on the Sunshine Coast over six years and found 79 of 574 (13.8%) cervical spine injuries occurred at the beach. Surfing, smaller wave heights and shallow water diving were the main risks.

    Rips and rough waves present a higher risk at areas of unpatrolled beach, including away from surf lifesaving flags. Out of 150 coastal drowning deaths around Australia in 2023–24, nearly half were during summer. Of those deaths:

    • 56% occurred at the beach
    • 31% were rip-related
    • 86% were male, and
    • 100% occurred away from patrolled areas.

    People who had lived in Australia for less than two years were more worried about the dangers, but also more likely to be caught in a rip.

    Safety Beach on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Still bring your first aid essentials though.
    Julia Kuleshova/Shutterstock



    Read more:
    Drugs and the sun – your daily medications could put you at greater risk of sunburn

    Knowing your DR ABCs

    So, beach accidents can vary by type, severity and impact. How you respond will depend on your level of first aid knowledge, ability and what’s in your first aid kit.

    A first aid training company survey of just over 1,000 Australians indicated 80% of people agree cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most important skill to learn, but nearly half reported feeling intimidated by the prospect.

    CPR training covers an established checklist for emergency situations. Using the acronym “DR ABC” means checking for:

    • Danger
    • Response
    • Airway
    • Breathing
    • Circulation

    A complete first aid course will provide a range of skills to build confidence and be accredited by the national regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority.



    Read more:
    Snakes are waking up. What should you do if you’re bitten? And what if you’re a long way from help?

    What to bring – 10 first aid essentials

    Whether you buy a first aid kit or put together you own, it should include ten essential items in a watertight, sealable container:

    1. Band-Aids for small cuts and abrasions
    2. sterile gauze pads
    3. bandages (one small one for children, one medium crepe to hold on a dressing or support strains or sprains, and one large compression bandage for a limb)
    4. large fabric for sling
    5. a tourniquet bandage or belt to restrict blood flow
    6. non-latex disposable gloves
    7. scissors and tweezers
    8. medical tape
    9. thermal or foil blanket
    10. CPR shield or breathing mask.

    Before you leave for the beach, check the expiry dates of any sunscreen, solutions or potions you choose to add.

    If you’re further from help

    If you are travelling to a remote or unpatrolled beach, your kit should also contain:

    • sterile saline solution to flush wounds or rinse eyes
    • hydrogel or sunburn gel
    • an instant cool pack
    • paracetamol and antihistamine medication
    • insect repellent.

    Make sure you carry any “as-required” medications, such as a Ventolin puffer for asthma or an EpiPen for severe allergy.

    Vinegar is no longer recommended for most jellyfish stings, including Blue Bottles. Hot water is advised instead.

    In remote areas, also look out for Emergency Response Beacons. Located in high-risk spots, these allow bystanders to instantly activate the surf emergency response system.

    If you have your mobile phone or a smart watch with GPS function, make sure it is charged and switched on and that you know how to use it to make emergency calls.

    First aid kits suitable for the beach range in price from $35 to over $120. Buy these from certified first aid organisations such as Surf Lifesaving Australia, Australian Red Cross, St John Ambulance or Royal Life Saving. Kits that come with a waterproof sealable bag are recommended.

    Be prepared this summer for your trip to the beach and pack your first aid kit. Take care and have fun in the sun.

    The authors 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.

    – ref. Hitting the beach? Here are some dangers to watch out for – plus 10 essentials for your first aid kit – https://theconversation.com/hitting-the-beach-here-are-some-dangers-to-watch-out-for-plus-10-essentials-for-your-first-aid-kit-243037

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From smaller homes to screen time, backyard cricket is facing challenges in modern Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University

    We are well and truly in cricket season.

    The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as is the Sheffield Shield.

    It is a packed summer schedule, with the Australian women’s cricket team competing in an Ashes series against England that will culminate in a historic Test at the MCG on January 30: the first women’s Test played at the venue since 1948–49.

    That match will also be the 90th anniversary of the first ever women’s Ashes series, when England toured Australia in the summer of 1934–35.

    It’s an exciting schedule for fans and one Cricket Australia will be looking to capitalise on.

    But is all this cricket driving participation?

    The changing face of cricket participation

    Like most sports, cricket faces a challenge to retain junior players in an oversaturated sports market. It is also competing with other entertainment offerings, increased screen time, financial pressures, and parent and guardian unavailability.



    Read more:
    No cash, no play? Have cost-of-living pressures impacted sports participation in Australia?

    Ahead of the 2024–25 summer, Cricket Australia released its annual report, which included 2023–24 participation numbers.

    On the whole, things are looking somewhat positive, with growth in junior cricket (ages 5-12) increasing 5%.

    For women and girls, the numbers are even more encouraging, with Cricket Australia reporting 18% growth for the 2023–24 season, attributed to a 44% rise in school competitions, 6% growth in social competitions and a record-breaking year of youth girls’ participation (ages 5–12).

    But Cricket Australia highlighted challenges in that next phase – the teenage years, with the governing body reporting an overall 5% drop in teenage participation.

    The death of backyard cricket?

    There has been reflection recently about the decline of junior participation in some demographics and a changing cricketing landscape.

    A query that often arises in these conversations is whether the sport’s traditional breeding ground, backyard cricket, is under threat.

    What is interesting is the nostalgia many cricket fans hold for the days of the iconic pastime and how it is central to a person’s, and maybe even our national, identity.

    Backyard cricket has long been a staple for many Australian families (and those in cricketing countries). It has attracted a certain rose-coloured nostalgia that fills the memories of generations – the sounds of a ball bouncing off a wheelie bin, the shouts of “car!” in quiet suburban streets and maybe sometimes, of smashed glass and the cries of angry parents to not play near the windows.

    Cricket fans can connect to stories of backyard cricket, reflecting on simpler times, mates made in the streets and maybe even how they perfected their action in narrow driveways, to avoid trees or to not lose the ball over the neighbour’s fence.

    Cricket lovers can not only recall their childhood and growing cricket fandom, but also imagine how their cricketing heroes were likely doing the exact same thing.

    In 2009, Steve Cannane wrote the book First Tests – Great Australian Cricketers and The Backyards That Made Them. The book is a testament to the romance of backyard cricket and how we can relate as fans to the icons of the game, who also experienced modest beginnings in similar streets. They were just like us.

    But recreation looks different to today’s teens, with the rise of technology and other entertainment options, as well as changing social patterns where organic interactions are less likely or not encouraged.

    This can make it hard to find fielders for those long cover drives down the driveway.

    I recently discussed this on ABC Radio’s The Conversation Hour. We discussed how children might be less likely to approach other children to play today, which might be a result of COVID restrictions or general concerns about children’s safety.

    Australia’s changing housing market is also affecting backyard cricket.

    Apartment living and smaller homes in urban areas with limited outdoor space make the activity not only very difficult but not visible to invite others in.

    Modern city planning appears focused on making cities more compact and experts note the loss of outdoor space could increase the risks of physical and mental health problems among city residents.

    It appears for many, the days of walking down a street, seeing kids playing a game and joining in until your parents called out “dinner” (or “tea” in the rural neighbourhood I grew up in) are long gone.

    Finding the fandom balance

    Kerry Packer’s 1977 World Series Cricket is what inspired CEO of Softball Australia Sarah Loh to pick up a cricket bat when her family migrated to Australia when she was six years old.

    She told ABC Radio Melbourne:

    There were those great characters, and that is when my love of sport and cricket came.

    While traditional cricket fans often bemoan new formats, flashy tournaments and increased commercialisation of cricket, for many, these innovations also offer entry points, drive interest and allow their fandom to grow.

    Cricket Australia’s chief of cricket James Allsopp has spoken of the need for more social forms of cricket to keep kids interested in the game and prevent the drop-off in teen years.

    A balance must be achieved in our rapidly changing society – the challenge for cricket’s administrators will now be to connect with kids, women, and diverse communities in ways that respond to their needs and bring them to the sport on their terms.

    They must also do this in a way that protects the history that has already brought so many people together every summer in front of televisions, in stadiums and in backyards across the country.

    Kasey Symons consults to and conducts research for a number of organisations across Australia. Her research has received funding from organisations including the Victorian Government, and national and state sport governing bodies including the Australian Football League and its clubs and the National Rugby League. Dr Symons is also one of the co-founders of Siren: A Women in Sport Collective.

    – ref. From smaller homes to screen time, backyard cricket is facing challenges in modern Australia – https://theconversation.com/from-smaller-homes-to-screen-time-backyard-cricket-is-facing-challenges-in-modern-australia-241351

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Switching off from work can be difficult but taking a proper break is good for your health

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ty Ferguson, Research associate in exercise, nutrition and activity, University of South Australia

    Peera_Stockfoto/Shutterstock

    It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we won’t check emails during our break. But we do.

    Being away from the workplace, and even in a new location, is often not enough to detach psychologically. We might still be thinking about a demanding project we raced to finish or even feel guilty about leaving others to cover for us.

    ‘Digital presenteeism’

    It mightn’t be spelt out by our employers but having phones and laptops can create an underlying expectation we are constantly available, even outside the usual work hours.

    This feeling of connection or “digital presenteeism”, can impact our health by making us stressed, anxious and burnt out.

    Switching off our work tools when we are out of the office or on leave can remove these problems as well as helping improve and enjoy our non-work activities and relationships.

    Right to disconnect

    While recently passed right to disconnect laws in Australia legally support workers to switch off, there’s another option already available to workers. Taking annual leave.

    Unfortunately, many workers don’t take advantage of this valuable resource, with an estimated 160 million annual leave days banked up by Australian workers. One in five have more than the typical yearly allocation of four weeks unused.

    The benefits of taking a break

    Taking a break doesn’t just feel good, it’s been shown to benefit your health.

    A 2017 meta-analysis of 86 studies revealed taking holidays can lead to reduced stress and less exhaustion during the holiday period.

    There is significant research showing taking a break improves wellbeing.
    Gladskikh Tatiana/Shutterstock

    So what do we do with all the extra time we have? Sleep more? Do more exercise? Studies show that’s exactly what happens when we are on holiday. We studied movement patterns of 375 adults during annual leave. We found people were more physically active, less sedentary and had more sleep each day – all of which are good for our health.

    Holidays can also be associated with changes in how our body functions. A study of 112 holiday makers who attended a wellness resort for six days in the United States had increased heart rate variability which indicates greater resilience to stress.

    Also, the odds of meeting metabolic syndrome criteria decreased with each break taken each year in a cohort of workers who took on average five holidays each year.

    If you’re male and still not convinced, there is evidence that taking holidays is linked with living longer. Men who take more frequent holidays and more leave days a year have lower mortality rates than those who don’t?

    The best type of break?

    Simply taking leave is beneficial. Longer breaks do not have increased benefits and where you go is also unimportant.

    A study of locations found those who took a short four day break in a hotel did not benefit more than those who took a break at home. Both groups showed positive changes to stress, recovery, strain and wellbeing.

    In our study, the largest favourable changes were experienced by people who took one to two weeks’ leave or those who spent time outdoors camping or hiking. However positive changes were observed for all types of holidays.

    People who spent time outdoors during their holidays experienced the biggest health benefits.
    Dimitry Molchanov/Shutterstock

    Ultimately, the best vacation is the one that fits your preferences and budget – there’s no such thing as a perfect holiday.

    How to make the most of your next break

    If you haven’t already, book some time off and get away from the workplace. Here are five ways to make the most of the time:

    1. Finish up your to-do list and clear out your inbox: returning to work after a summer holiday with fewer unfinished tasks allows the positive effects of the holiday to linger longer.

    2. Step away from the normal routine: try to limit work-like activities (such as shopping, cleaning, computer-based tasks) and find environments that feel removed from your typical routine and obligations.

    3. Engage in “soft fascination” activities: exploring nature is an example of an activity that gently holds your attention while leaving headspace for reflection. These types of activites have been shown to provide restorative mental benefits.

    4. Reduce the friction and chaos: avoid putting yourself in settings of conflict (such as visiting a difficult family member), confusion (busy, unfamiliar environments) or tension (excessive travel and/or tight timelines).

    5. Take more frequent breaks: aim for multiple short breaks throughout the year, rather than a single longer vacation. This spreads out the benefit with more lead-in time and longer comedown.

    The research is clear: vacations are essential for our health and wellbeing. So, if you haven’t already, book some time off and get away from the workplace.

    Carol Maher receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, the SA Department for Education, Preventive Health SA, the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, the South Australian Office for Sport, Recreation and Racing, Healthway, Hunter New England Local Health District, and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

    Rachel Curtis receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, National Health and Medical Research Council, SA Department for Education, SA Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Preventive Health SA, Healthway, Hunter New England Local Health District, and SA Department for Innovation and Skills, the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation.

    Ty Ferguson 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.

    – ref. Switching off from work can be difficult but taking a proper break is good for your health – https://theconversation.com/switching-off-from-work-can-be-difficult-but-taking-a-proper-break-is-good-for-your-health-244744

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Looking for a summer or longer-term job? Here’s how to find one and avoid being exploited

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grozdana Manalo, Career Services Manager (Education), University of Sydney

    hedgehog94/Shutterstock

    Getting casual work over summer, or a part-time job that you might continue once your tertiary course starts, can be a great way to get workplace experience and earn some extra money.

    But it’s important to be cautious and to ensure you don’t get caught up with an unscrupulous employer who might take advantage of a young, inexperienced job-seeker.

    The most common red flags to be aware of are unpaid or underpaid wages, unsafe working conditions or unfair treatment. But, before we get into that, where do you start?

    How to find a casual or summer job

    Recruitment agencies

    Register with recruitment agencies that specialise in temporary or seasonal work – they can match you with employers looking for short-term staff, ideal for summer jobs.

    It’s free to join, and all you need to do is submit your resume and contact details. A quick tip: a recruitment agent makes their income from matching prospective job seekers to roles, so make sure your resume is tailored to the industry you’re interested in.

    Local papers and community boards

    Despite the rise of social media, many summer jobs can be found in local newspapers or newsletters, or your community bulletin boards, especially for smaller companies and in regional areas.

    Check your local libraries, supermarkets and shopping centres. Some businesses will also place a notice in their front window.

    Social media

    Follow your favourite organisations and brands on social media, as many will use their sites to advertise vacancies. Studies have shown more than 90% of employers have used, or are planning to use, social media to find candidates.

    Job vacancies can by found on a company’s website or on the sites of specialist and general recruitment agencies.
    ronstik/Shutterstock

    Online job portals

    Employment websites such as SEEK, Indeed, GradConnection and Prosple allow you to filter roles by location, industry and job type. If you want to work for a particular company, go directly to its website and check the careers page.

    Personal networks

    Use your personal and professional networks. Let your friends, family and acquaintances know you are looking. People will often help or recommend you. Most job vacancies are filled via the hidden job market, without being advertised.

    Now you’ve found a job…

    Getting a job is the first step. Ensuring your wages, hours and other conditions are legal under the Fair Work Act is the next.

    Carefully read job descriptions

    If an advertisement is vague and offers a promise of earning a lot of money for very little effort, as in the case of some work-from-home or remote jobs, it’s probably too good to be true.

    Legitimate job ads provide detailed information about the role, responsibilities, required qualifications and experience, working hours and application process. Most importantly, an advertisement should include an email or phone number you can contact to get further information.

    Do your research

    Before you apply for a job, take the time to research the organisation. Look for reviews on websites such as Glassdoor – where former employees share their experiences.

    Take a look at the company’s website, if it has one, to get an idea of the culture and values. If you find negative information, be wary. Sometimes a simple Google search will produce articles on a businesses questionable behaviour.

    Ask for an employment contract

    A written contract is necessary to protect your rights. A contract must outline your pay, working hours, working conditions, work health and safety issues. Before starting a job, the contract should be signed by both parties.

    Read the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Guide to starting a new job.

    Once you start working, keep written records of your hours and tasks. Keep a notebook or spreadsheet and track your hours and tasks daily. Also, keep records of all your payslips in case there’s an issue with your pay.

    Safety and wellbeing

    Safety is very important, especially if you are doing physical labour. Look for signs that your workplace follows local regulations and provides a safe work environment.

    As well as physical safety, it is also important to protect your mental health. Watch for signs of bullying, intimidation or other inappropriate behaviour by bosses or colleagues.

    Trust your gut

    If something doesn’t feel right throughout the process, it probably isn’t. If a potential employer can’t answer simple questions, or is reluctant to give you written documentation, those are red flags.

    It’s better to walk away than risk being put in an uncomfortable situation. If in doubt, talk to someone you trust, such as family, friends or mentors.

    If you don’t have anyone you can talk to, you can always contact the office of the Fair Work Ombudsman.

    Grozdana Manalo is affiliated with the National Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (NAGCAS) as a professional member. NAGCAS is a not-for-profit professional association which aims to upskill and educate career service professionals.

    – ref. Looking for a summer or longer-term job? Here’s how to find one and avoid being exploited – https://theconversation.com/looking-for-a-summer-or-longer-term-job-heres-how-to-find-one-and-avoid-being-exploited-245754

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Yes, reindeer actually can have red noses – and other fascinating facts about this Christmas icon

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University

    Dmitry Chulov, Shutterstock

    At this time of year, images of reindeer are everywhere. I’ve had a soft spot for reindeer ever since I was a little girl. Doesn’t everyone?

    While I work on Australian mammals, especially marsupials such as wombats, I still find reindeer fascinating.

    I’ve spent a great deal of time reading up about reindeer. Some of the research may interest you too.

    So here’s everything you need to know about this iconic animal, including why they need antlers, why they really can have red noses and how their eyes change colour!

    Male reindeer lose their horns in winter.
    Tam and Trace Photography, Shutterstock

    What do reindeer eat?

    Reindeer (Rangifer tarandua) are herbivores, which means they eat plants. But because they live in the Arctic, where snow and ice covers the ground for most of the year, they can’t be too fussy.

    Their diet mostly consists of lichen, a plant-like organism that grows on rocks and trees. They also eat grass, moss and fungus when they can get it. I’m sure they’d love a carrot or two, but they’re more likely to find only tough “vascular” shrubs and bushes in the Arctic.

    Like rabbits and koalas, reindeer also eat droppings – specifically barnacle goose poo. Who knows, maybe eating goose droppings give reindeer special flying powers at Christmas time?

    How do they keep warm?

    We’ve all heard the Christmas song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Yet you may not realise reindeer really can have red noses!

    Blood flow in the nose can increase or decrease to control heat exchange. So when reindeer need to cool down, their nose looks red because blood is pumped closer to the skin. It’s a bit like when fair-skinned people get hot and flushed.

    Reindeer can also regulate the temperature of the skin on their legs by a similar mechanism, to conserve energy.

    They build up very large fat reserves over the warmer months. Around 25% of these reserves are then used for energy in winter.

    Reindeer can also break down their own protein for energy over winter.

    Specialised hair acts to minimise heat loss. Reindeer fur is thickest in winter with more dense woollen underfur.

    Hollow “guard hairs” stand out from the rest to provide both colour and insulation from the cold.

    As reindeer fur is broader than other deer fur, with a larger hollow cavity, it probably also supports buoyancy. Perhaps it helps keep reindeer afloat when they cross lakes and rivers during migration. Maybe it could even make them lighter, just as birds have hollow bones, and enable flight.

    But these cold climate specialists may suffer as the world warms. Last year researchers described how female reindeer responded to an extreme heatwave in Finland. The reindeer became less active as their body temperature increased and heart rate decreased, reducing the ability to build up their fat reserves.

    Glittering eyes and fancy feet

    Reindeer noses are not the only body part that changes colour. Part of the back of their eye shines a gold-turquoise colour in summer, and deep blue in winter.

    The colour change corresponds to changes in the spacing of collagen fibres and pressure within the eye itself. It all has to do with making the most of the light at different times of the year.

    In summer, reindeer have sponge-like footpads that help grip the soft ground. In winter, however, their footpads are smaller and the hoof rim is exposed, enabling reindeer to cut through snow and ice to find food.

    Reindeer toes on the front feet play a braking role – making for easy landings on roofs perhaps – while toes on the back feet are used for pushing.

    Antlers and herd dynamics

    Reindeer are unique among all deer in that both males and females have antlers. But only females have antlers all year around.

    The size of male reindeer (bull) antlers is second only to that of the moose. But relative to body size, reindeer antlers are the largest among living deer.

    Bulls use their antlers and body size to win over females. Older males have larger antlers with more spiky projections.

    Bull antler buds appear in March or April, become fully developed during summer then shed from August to September. Bulls also grow a mane and their neck thickens by this time.

    The older males shed their antlers earlier than younger (or weaker) bulls, with antlers dropping off sometime between November and May.

    Unlike bulls, cows need to keep their antlers throughout winter to compete for food and prevent unwanted attention from young bulls.

    Young cows develop antlers early to earn a higher rank among the herd, which can be maintained for life.

    The clicking sound from reindeer knees is a curious feature. It’s thought to come from the tendon within the knee when it slips over the bone.

    The sound is likely to be louder in bigger reindeer with longer tendons, as observed in eland (Taurotragus oryx). So knee clicking can provide an acoustic signal to rivals, allowing combatants to determine if they want to engage in battle or not.

    Survival of the species

    Reindeer are essential to the health of the Arctic grasslands and forests, and have great cultural significance to the many Indigenous peoples of the regions in which they live.

    Yet reindeer are vulnerable to extinction. The global population has declined from about 4.8 million to 2.9 million over a couple of decades.

    People are largely to blame. Farming, mining, forestry, hunting and now climate change threaten the survival of the species.

    Fortunately, Santa is not the only person to keep reindeer. Many are kept in captivity, ensuring this amazing species’ survival for a while yet.

    Julie Old 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.

    – ref. Yes, reindeer actually can have red noses – and other fascinating facts about this Christmas icon – https://theconversation.com/yes-reindeer-actually-can-have-red-noses-and-other-fascinating-facts-about-this-christmas-icon-242739

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ’s Z Energy renames stations with ‘correct’ kupu

    By Emma Andrews, Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern at RNZ News

    The New Zealand fuel company Z Energy is swapping out street names for “correct” kupu on service stops around the country, with the help of local hapū.

    When Z took over 226 fuel sites from Shell in 2010, the easy solution was to name the respective stations after the streets they were on, or near.

    But when it named the Kahikatea Drive station in Kirikiriroa Z — K Drive, the company’s Māori advisor questioned the abbreviation.

    “Kahikatea is the correct name. That led to a bigger conversation about where are we with our knowledge as we start to learn a bit more about te reo Māori and acknowledging interconnected-ness of all things, like, where else are there opportunities to do it,” Z Energy customer general manager Andy Baird said.

    After 12 months of whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building), the company was guided by Te Hā o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa on changing the name of Z Dinsdale to Z Tuhikaramea.

    That led to two other stations being renamed — New Plymouth’s Z Courtenay Street became Z Huatoki, while Hamilton’s Five Cross Roads station became Z Te Papanui.

    “This is not about ticking a box per se, this is about a bigger sort of commitment that we have to te reo Māori and obviously to the communities that we operate in, so it’s a much bigger broader long-term programme,” Baird said.

    Z Energy . . . an internal drive to incorporate more use of te reo Māori. Image: RNZ

    Internal te reo drive
    There had also been an internal drive to incorporate more use of te reo, kicking off each day with karakia, Baird said.

    It added more of a connection between the company and Māori traditions.

    “We’ve been adding bilingual language inside the sites but we have equally taken the time to make sure that we’re getting the right dialects as the regions as we go through it.

    “Part of the project this year was to sort of understand the process that we go through in terms of engagement with mana whenua and how they want things to happen and occur, and how we can come together to make that really a great outcome for local communities we operate in.”

    The company could have changed the station names off the bat, but Baird said consulting with local hapū and iwi was the right thing to do.

    “The opportunity to meet them, to start to engage with mana whenua and to build a relationship with them and to do something that they’re just as proud of as we are, was just as important as the actual name.”

    Each site’s name was gifted by the hapū, with careful consideration of the history of the whenua.

    Facebook community included
    Ngāti Te Whiti hapū in Ngāmotu was thrilled to play a big part in renaming the Courtenay Street petrol station and included its Facebook community in making the decision.

    It had a kete of three names that went to a vote — the name Huatoki was favoured.

    Julie Healey of Ngāti Te Whiti said it was only fitting to have the name Huatoki, as the awa flowed just around the corner from the petrol station.

    “Huatoki is probably all the life essence of New Plymouth at the beginning. We have the pā Puke Ariki at the front and then we have the other pā around, I think there’s about five or six different pā in that area.”

    The hapū was in its rebuilding phase and was working towards a Huatoki restoration plan with the New Plymouth District Council, so when Z approached it at the start of the year, the timing could not have been better, she said.

    “When we were approached, I just thought straight away ‘this is going to work brilliantly with our Huātoki’, and I was hoping whānau would vote that way, and they did. It just made sense, it was consistent.”

    A plaque on the left-hand side of entrance has a brief mihi and the meaning of the word. Image: RNZ/Emma Andrews

    She praised Z for taking the right steps to engage with locals.

    “One of our whānau, Damon Ritai, met the people outside Puke Ariki Museum, talked to them about the museum, the designs, the cultural expression on the museum, the meaning of the different things of whakapapa on the ceremonial doors, all the names that were in the foyer, and explained everything about those.”

    Cultural induction hīkoi
    The cultural induction hīkoi ended at Te Whare Honanga (Taranaki Cathedral) where they had refreshments.

    Then, the hapū worked on the dialect, something Healey triple-checked before giving the nod of approval.

    “This is about reclaiming our language and culture, not as a political act, but as a celebration.

    “It’s always a good opportunity for hapū to try and get those names, you know, renaming before the colonial names, taking things back to language and culture.”

    Z Energy aimed to rename more petrol stations but first, more whakawhanaungatanga, Baird said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rabuka reveals details of 1987 coup navy ‘secret weapons mission’

    By Litia Cava, FBC News multimedia journalist

    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has revealed how arms and ammunition used to conduct the 1987 military coup were secretly brought into Fiji on board a naval survey ship.

    Speaking at the commissioning of a new research vessel for the Lands and Mineral Resources Ministry on Friday, Rabuka described the strategic measures taken to ensure the weapons reached Fiji undetected.

    He recounted that during preparations for his coup against Dr Timoçi Bavadra’s Labour government of 1987, Fiji lacked sufficient arms and ammunition.

    “I realised that we didn’t have enough weapons and ammunition in Fiji to do what I wanted to do. So I sent a very quick message to the captain who was there to pick up the ship and surprised him by asking that, get that ship commissioned in Singapore before you sail back to Fiji.”

    Rabuka explained the decision, saying the commissioning had allowed the ship to fly a naval flag, ensuring it would avoid inspection at international ports.

    He said the ship’s captain was instructed to load arms and ammunition en route which were successfully brought back to Fiji.

    The Prime Minister said the measures were necessary at the time to achieve what needed to be done.

    Rare glimpse of tactics
    His remarks offered a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes tactics of 1987, highlighting the extent of planning and resourcefulness involved.

    Rabuka’s comments were made during the launch of a state-of-the-art research vessel which will serve as a floating laboratory for marine geological studies and coastal surveys.

    The vessel is equipped with advanced tools to map the ocean floor, study tectonic activity and support communities affected by climate change.

    The Prime Minister said the new vessel marked a significant step in understanding Fiji’s marine ecosystem.

    He also spoke about the importance of integrating scientific research with traditional knowledge to address critical issues such as climate change and sustainable resource management.

    The PM said there was a need for informed planning to prevent disasters, referencing the recent earthquake in Vanuatu.

    Rabuka said early geological surveys could have guided city planners and engineers in designing structures that mitigate damage from such events.

    The new vessel is expected to provide critical insights into the ocean’s mysteries while contributing to Fiji’s resilience against climate-related challenges.

    Fiji’s President celebrates birthday with military
    Meanwhile, earlier today members of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) gathered at State House to celebrate the 71st birthday of Fiji’s President and Commander-in-Chief, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.

    The celebration was led by the Commander of the Fiji Navy, Humphrey Tawake, with senior officers. It was marked by a march by officers and the RFMF band. adding a ceremonial and heartfelt touch to the happy occasion.

    On behalf of the commander of the RFMF who is away on official leave, Commander Tawake extended birthday wishes to the Head of State.

    President Lalabalavu praised the dedication of the RFMF in upholding law and order.

    “The strength of our nation lies in our collective efforts, and since assuming office, I have witnessed the vital role you play in ensuring peace and stability,” he said.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How global inequality hinders climate action

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Susan Ann Samuel, PhD Candidate, School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds

    Leaders from around the globe are meeting in Davos. Michael Derrer Fuchs/Shutterstock

    World leaders have gathered for the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. One of their main goals is to align their responses to geopolitical shocks such as floods and wildfires that hamper trade, investment and more.

    The meeting also supposedly aims to find ways to stimulate economic growth to improve living standards, foster a just and inclusive energy transition, achieve security and cooperation amidst conflicts, and accelerate the economic response to an “intelligent age” of AI.

    But, a new report from Oxfam International, published on the first day of the meeting in Davos, highlights how global inequality is more rampant than ever. The report, written by a team of policy campaigners and inequality research advisers outlines how billionaire wealth rose sharply in 2024 worldwide, with the pace of the increase three times faster than in 2023.

    The World Economic Forum lists extreme weather as one of the top global risks. But, as world leaders convene in Davos, the high-profile anti-climate stances of some of them stand in stark opposition to any meaningful progress for climate action.

    The Oxfam report highlights the exploitation involved in creating and sustaining wealth and outlines how, as inequalities deepen, vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected. The most vulnerable – overwhelmingly women, people of colour, Indigenous groups and low-wage workers – are caught in a cycle of insufficient wages, limited services and minimal political influence.

    The report also highlights how wealth inequality is often intertwined with historical processes of extraction — both within countries (for example, through weak labour protections that lowers wages) and between countries (through trade, finance, and resource exploitation).

    The climate connection

    Other research has also shown how inequality is deeply interwoven with climate breakdown. Each crisis exacerbates the other. Historically, the richest nations – and within them, the wealthiest people – have contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions.

    Meanwhile, lower-income countries that bear little responsibility for global heating suffer the most. These countries, already burdened by debt and systemic inequality, have fewer resources to protect communities from extreme weather, crop failures and infrastructure damage. This makes day-to-day survival a struggle for billions.

    When climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, marginalised communities are denied basic human rights. For instance, droughts reduce crop yields and deplete water sources, so more people — often women and children — have to ration supplies or go without. This directly infringes on their rights to food, safe drinking water and sanitation.

    In these ways, without climate action, the warming planet threatens to widen inequalities by affecting the poorest people most severely. A 2020 World Bank report estimated that an additional 68 to 135 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2030 because of climate change. French researchers identified that climate change also slows down the economic catch-up of poorer countries.



    Read more:
    Extreme weather has already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion – or about US$2,000 per person

    The reality on the ground is bleak. Floods in Pakistan displaced thousands and affected more than 33 million people in 2023. That’s ten times more than the total population of Los Angeles where, when the recent wildfires struck, 170,000 people had to be evacuated.

    Around the world, climate movements continue. Law suits that demand climate action are transforming governance. High-level negotiations like the UN’s annual climate summit carry on seeking progress, although the processes could be improved to accelerate change.

    What can Davos do? World leaders need to look at how wealth and power can be redistributed (reparations for climate damages is one way to do this) and low-income, climate-vulnerable nations can be better represented in global decision-making.

    Without this kind of change, there’s a risk climate action will perpetuate the same structural imbalances that first enabled environmental exploitation. Only by tackling both climate injustice and economic inequality together can the world prevent further climate disasters and ensure a more equitable future.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Susan Ann Samuel receives funding from the University of Leeds, for her PhD research.

    – ref. How global inequality hinders climate action – https://theconversation.com/how-global-inequality-hinders-climate-action-247841

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From pop songs to baby names: How Simeulue Island’s ‘smong’ narrative evolves post-tsunami

    Source: The Conversation – Indonesia – By Alfi Rahman, Lecturer at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Director of Research Center for Social and Cultural Studies (PRISB) Universitas Syiah Kuala, and Researcher at Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC), Universitas Syiah Kuala

    Simelulue men gather to perform ‘nandong,’ a traditional local song. (Jihad fii Sabilillah/Youtube), CC BY

    20 years have passed since the Aceh tsunami, leaving deep scars on Indonesia, especially for those directly affected. Aceh was also recovering from a three-decade armed conflict between the Free Aceh Movement and the national government

    Throughout December 2024, The Conversation Indonesia, in collaboration with academics, is publishing a special edition honouring the 20 years of efforts to rebuild Aceh. We hope this series of articles preserves our collective memory while inspiring reflection on the journey of recovery and peace in the land of ‘Serambi Makkah.’

    Off the southern coast of Aceh lies Simeulue, a small island with a powerful story of survival. When the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami killed hundreds of thousands across the region in 2004, only five people died on Simeulue — some say just three.

    This remarkable survival was credited to a local wisdom called smong — their term for tsunamis in the Simeulue language — that taught them to read nature’s warning signs and escape to safety.

    Passed down through generations since a previous tsunami struck in 1907, smong describes the signs of an upcoming ghostly wave: a strong earthquake and the receding of seawater. This knowledge becomes a survival guide that directs them to move away from the coast immediately or head to higher ground.

    Two decades after the 2004 disaster, our research shows that this life-saving knowledge is transforming, reflecting broader social shifts and information and communication technology development. It is no longer told only through nafi-nafi (oral storytelling) but adapting to new channels, from traditional songs to pop music and even into children’s names.

    From tradition to transformation

    Our study – spanning from 2016 to 2023 and involving interviews with 18 participants – captures how smong evolves over time. Smong, for instance, finds its way to nandong, Simeulue’s traditional songs that now incorporate lyrics about the life-saving local wisdom. A local artist said:

    After the 2004 tsunami, we adapted the smong story into nandong. This became a new way to convey the ‘smong’ message, ensuring it remains relevant and easy to remember.

    One popular nandong lyric goes:

    Linon uwak-uwakmo (The earthquake rocks you like a cradle)

    Elaik kedang-kedangmo (Thunder beats like a drum)

    Kilek suluh-suluhmo (Lightning flashes like your lamp)

    Smong dumek-dumekmo (The tsunami is your bathing water).

    Video containing song or ‘nandong’ about ‘smong’

    But even as Simeulue’s younger generation embraced modern influences, smong kept up. Local artists began creating pop songs in Devayan, one of the island’s local languages. The catchy tunes brought smong into classrooms, as a 23-year-old local testified:

    I first heard a ‘smong’ song at school. The lyrics were simple but clear. They told me exactly what to do if a tsunami came.

    A children’s tale telling a stort about ‘smong’

    Smong as a symbol of resilience

    Today, smong is more than a safety warning; it symbolises the island’s strength and identity. In some families, smong even lives on in names.

    One grandmother named her grandson “Putra Smong” (smong’s son) as a tribute, saying

    His name reminds us of the wisdom that saved our lives.

    The challenge of preservation

    Despite its transformation, preserving the smong narrative faces challenges that risk eroding this customary knowledge.

    The biggest challenge is the shift in lifestyle and culture among Simeulue’s youth. Today’s younger generation is more familiar with digital technology than oral traditions. A mother said:

    In the past, our elders would tell ‘smong’ stories every evening after Maghrib (dusk) prayers. Now, children are too busy with their gadgets.

    Globalisation also brings external cultural influences, diverting the attention of Simeulue’s youth from the local heritage. Many young people grow up with limited knowledge of traditions like nafi-nafi.

    Another major challenge is the declining use of local languages such as Devayan, Sigulai, and Lekon in daily conversations. Since smong originates from these languages, preserving it relies on their continued use.

    Our observation concludes that the transmission of smong narratives remains sporadic. Its spread often depends on individual or small group initiatives and sometimes awaits external interventions.

    Without concrete efforts, the smong narrative risks fading and being forgotten by future generations. A local activist stated:

    I once proposed building a ‘smong’ monument to remind the younger generation, but the idea has yet to be realised.

    Hope for continuity: Bridging tradition and modernity

    The elders of Simeulue firmly believe that smong is a heritage that must be safeguarded. An 80-year-old community elder expressed his hope for future generations to keep smong alive.

    As long as the ‘smong’ story exists, we will remain safe. But if this story is lost, we will lose our most precious wisdom and treasure.

    To keep smong alive, educators and community leaders are looking to the future. Some propose integrating smong into school curriculum, ensuring every child knows its lessons. A teacher said.

    ‘Smong’ isn’t just a story. It’s a life-saving guide that must be passed on to every generation.

    Technology can also be an important means of preserving the native understa. Digital videos, disaster simulations, and interactive storytelling could bring smong to a tech-savvy audience, making it relevant today.

    As we hope these approaches will bridge the old tradition with modern needs, smong transformation highlights that it is not just a relic from the past. Its narrative must evolve to adapt to the times, ensuring its treasured knowledge remains alive amid social changes.

    In the face of ongoing disaster threats, particularly in Indonesia’s Ring of Fire, smong offers a valuable lesson on how preserving local wisdom can form the foundation for disaster preparedness.

    Alfi Rahman receives funding from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia for this research (grant number 0168/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2023 and 094/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2024).

    Muzayin Nazaruddin tidak bekerja, menjadi konsultan, memiliki saham, atau menerima dana dari perusahaan atau organisasi mana pun yang akan mengambil untung dari artikel ini, dan telah mengungkapkan bahwa ia tidak memiliki afiliasi selain yang telah disebut di atas.

    – ref. From pop songs to baby names: How Simeulue Island’s ‘smong’ narrative evolves post-tsunami – https://theconversation.com/from-pop-songs-to-baby-names-how-simeulue-islands-smong-narrative-evolves-post-tsunami-246153

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: House of the Dragon and families fighting for power – it can happen in business too

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bingbing Ge, Lecturer in the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Lancaster University

    While most agree that HBO’s hit fantasy show House of the Dragon (HotD) might be an interesting dive into the chaos of the Middle Ages, less has been said about its lessons for the contemporary business world.

    Though modern laws make sibling rivalries much more civilised (siblings don’t usually kill each other, nor do they have dragons), there are still many similarities between throne-claiming and today’s family battles over business leadership – especially when multiple siblings are involved.

    As a lecturer in entrepreneurship and strategy, I use the show – a prequel to Game of Thrones that sees siblings fighting to inherit their father’s throne – to illustrate the complications in family business succession.

    When succession of leadership in a business becomes an issue, it is important for the family to be clear about their direction. Important, and often difficult, conversations around which legacy, as well as the methods to achieve it, need to be agreed by all family members.

    The issue of succession is known to contribute to tension in famous family businesses, as seen with the Murdoch family. As one of the most prevalent forms of business worldwide, family businesses could certainly try to avoid conflict – and, in HotD’s case, a kingdom dispute – if successions were handled more carefully.

    In the show, King Viserys I Targaryen, played by Paddy Considine, is not a bad ruler, but when it came to succession planning there was so much more he could have done. By the time he had announced his daughter Rhaenyra (played by Emma D’Arcy) as heir, it was perceived that this decision was taken out of desperation, due to there being no male heir.

    Succession planning.

    Family business leaders typically have a stronger sense of ownership of the firm than non-family employees, which sometimes leads them to keep hold of leadership. While this is human nature, it is important for family business leaders, like kings are to their kingdoms, to remember their responsibility to the businesses’ prosperity and stability and to have a clear Plan B.

    The accession of an heir in a family business often sparks wide discussions, like in the case of Alexandre Arnault of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. He was recently appointed at just 32 years old as deputy CEO of the group’s wines and spirits business Moët Hennessy. In the case of the heir Rhaenyra in HotD, her half-brother challenged her legitimacy to the throne, with strong support from stakeholders, (that is to say, the lords in the show) who believed that a son would make a more legitimate heir.

    In a family business, successors often need to legitimise their position and get the senior managers (like the lords in HotD), employees, and other stakeholders like customers (the “smallfolk” in the show), to accept the transition.

    While there are different stages of succession, research has shown that it extends far beyond the business arena to affect the lives of family members, with conflict spilling into other areas.

    In a family where everyone gets on, a succession can bind the next generations together – to the point where they might even quit jobs with other companies to carry on the family dream. But HotD portrays a dysfunctional family and intense sibling rivalry, as is also the case in another TV show, Succession.

    In HotD, the king’s first son Aegon (played by Tom Glynn-Carney) was groomed to be fearful and even hateful of his half-sister Rhaenyra and her children. The dysfunctional family life went on to haunt the children when succession discussions arose.

    The Targaryen family in HotD was divided by goals – with Viserys’ and Rheanyra’s side aiming to continue the Targaryen reign, and the king’s second wife Alicent (played by Olivia Cooke) and Aegon’s side trying to maintain primogeniture (where succession goes to the first-born child) and purity in the bloodline. Competing goals are often paradoxical and can be unsettling for stakeholders in family businesses.

    The role of women

    In the show, there are instances where the roles and desires of female characters are marginalised. The role of women in family businesses has also traditionally been overlooked.

    But female family business members are often more important than their titles in the business suggest, where their role in the family in maintaining traditions, values and harmony are sometimes more central.

    HotD demonstrates how the sometimes quieter female voices can influence the succession through the use of a variety of strong female characters. This is a helpful resource to illustrate how females might influence strategic decisions in family businesses.

    Women’s influence in the family and its business can sometimes go unrecognised. This could be particularly tricky in situations where multiple siblings (and even wives) are in competition, like the Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) retail and leisure empire, where ten family members had claims on the estate.

    Sibling rivalries and the challenge of female legitimacy in family business succession take centre-stage in HotD. The complex dynamics between heirs vying for power and the struggles faced by women in leadership roles echo the real-world tensions that often unfold in family-owned businesses.

    Viewers may be immersed in the sweeping political dramas of Westeros, but at the same time the series offers important contemporary lessons in managing family legacies, power struggles and succession planning.

    Bingbing Ge 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.

    – ref. House of the Dragon and families fighting for power – it can happen in business too – https://theconversation.com/house-of-the-dragon-and-families-fighting-for-power-it-can-happen-in-business-too-237377

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 4B: how South Korean women are leading a radical movement against misogyny

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Youngmi Kim, Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies, University of Edinburgh

    Tanawat Chantradilokrat / Shutterstock

    Donald Trump’s return to the White House has sparked fears about the future for women’s rights in the US. Trump has a long history of misogyny and has boasted about his role in shaping the court that overturned women’s constitutional right to an abortion in 2022. His victory thus, unsurprisingly, sparked a reaction.

    Following November’s election, some American women encouraged each other to delete dating apps, sign up for self-defence classes, and get on birth control. Others drew attention to 4B, a radical feminist movement founded in South Korea that has seen some women refuse to marry, have children, engage in romance, or participate in sexual relationships with men.

    The movement, which first came about in the 2010s as a response to the misogyny that is pervasive across South Korean society, went viral on social media in the aftermath of Trump’s election, especially in the US. It takes its name from its four defining tenets: bihon (no marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating), and bisex (no sex).

    Feminist activism in South Korea is not new, but it only gained wide popularity and support over the past decade. In 2016, a woman was killed at a public toilet near the Gangnam subway station in the country’s capital, Seoul, by a stranger who told the police he committed the crime because he had been “belittled by women” many times in the past. The tragic event sparked mass public mourning and prompted backlash against misogyny across the nation.

    The #MeToo movement, which has highlighted sexual harassment and abuse around the world, took hold in South Korea the following year. This started with allegations of rape, assault and sexually predatory behaviour against renowned Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyeon.

    Kim responded to South Korea’s state broadcaster MBC, where the accusations were first made, by saying, “I never tried to satisfy my personal desires using my status as a film director,” and claimed that he only engaged in “consensual sexual relationships”. Cho pledged his innocence, saying: “The things I see in news are so different from truth.” And, in January 2021, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in his favour.

    But allegations quickly spread to the political arena. Ahn Hee-jung, the governor of the western province of South Chungcheong resigned in 2018 after his secretary publicly accused him of repeatedly raping her. Ahn was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for sexual assault.

    The former mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, was then found dead in 2020 after an apparent suicide one day after his secretary filed a complaint against him with the police over sexual harassment. More than 500,000 people signed a petition calling on the government not to use public money for Park’s five-day state funeral.

    Sexual violence in South Korea is not exclusive to influential figures. Thousands of people in South Korea – the vast majority of whom are female – have fallen victim to illicit filming in public places over the past decade. Between 2011 and 2017, there was a fivefold increase in the number of people identified by the police for illicit filming, from 1,300 to 5,300. South Korea’s former president, Moon Jae-in, said in May 2024 that spy cams had become a “part of daily life”.

    Many of these clips are subsequently shared on adult websites. A report by international non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch in 2021 found that the anguish caused by this crime was so severe that it led to depression and suicidal thoughts among the affected women and girls. It was out of this deep-seated misogyny that South Korea’s 4B movement was born.

    #MeToo protest march in Seoul, South Korea in August 2018.
    Socialtruant / Shutterstock

    From hopelessness to resentment

    The 4B movement took root at a time when South Korea was undergoing its own reckoning with gender violence and inequality. But, in my position as a researcher of online political participation and activism, I see it as also entwined in a broader societal movement in which a generation of South Koreans in their 20s and 30s have given up on numerous things. This includes not only dating, marriage and childbearing, but also employment, home ownership, and, in general, hope for their future.

    This sense of hopelessness can be traced to the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, when economic reforms were implemented to increase the flexibility of the labour market. Since then, a growing number of South Korean citizens have found themselves unable to find secure employment, which has led a growing number of young people to give up entirely on searching for a job.

    These feelings of hopelessness have manifested in gender conflict online. Many young men see themselves as victims of the achievements of South Korea’s feminist movements over the past two decades, particularly the abolition of the country’s military service bonus point system in 1999. This system granted men who had completed their mandatory military service an additional 3% to 5% in public official recruitment exams.

    South Korean politicians have weaponised this growing resentment, and have used sexism and misogyny for electoral gain. South Korea’s now suspended current president, Yoon Suk Yeol, won the presidential election in 2022, in part thanks to his efforts to consolidate the support of aggrieved young male voters. During his campaign, Yoon promised to abolish the ministry of gender equality and family, accusing it of treating men like “potential sex criminals”.

    There are certainly aspects of this trend of giving up that are specific to South Korea. But it also resonates across many advanced industrialised societies that are becoming increasingly unequal. Societal conflicts are being compounded by growing economic divides in an increasingly polarised world.

    Youngmi Kim receives funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (‘Arts and culture-led mobilization in Leith and Gamcheon’) and the Academy of Korean Studies (‘Consolidating the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies at the University of Edinburgh’).

    – ref. 4B: how South Korean women are leading a radical movement against misogyny – https://theconversation.com/4b-how-south-korean-women-are-leading-a-radical-movement-against-misogyny-243296

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying across the world

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oscar Berglund, Senior Lecturer in International Public and Social Policy, University of Bristol

    Climate and environmental protest is being criminalised and repressed around the world. The criminalisation of such protest has received a lot of attention in certain countries, including the UK and Australia. But there have not been any attempts to capture the global trend – until now.

    We recently published a report, with three University of Bristol colleagues, which shows this repression is indeed a global trend – and that it is becoming more difficult around the world to stand up for climate justice.

    This criminalisation and repression spans the global north and south, and includes more and less democratic countries. It does, however, take different forms.

    Our report distinguishes between climate and environmental protest. The latter are campaigns against specific environmentally destructive projects – most commonly oil and gas extraction and pipelines, deforestation, dam building and mining. They take place all around the world.

    Climate protests are aimed at mitigating climate change by decreasing carbon emissions, and tend to make bigger policy or political demands (“cut global emissions now” rather than “don’t build this power plant”). They often take place in urban areas and are more common in the global north.

    Four ways to repress activism

    The intensifying criminalisation and repression is taking four main forms.

    1. Anti-protest laws are introduced

    Anti-protest laws may give the police more powers to stop protest, introduce new criminal offences, increase sentence lengths for existing offences, or give policy impunity when harming protesters. In the 14 countries we looked at, we found 22 such pieces of legislation introduced since 2019.

    2. Protest is criminalised through prosecution and courts

    This can mean using laws against climate and environmental activists that were designed to be used against terrorism or organised crime. In Germany, members of Letzte Generation (Last Generation), a direct action group in the mould of Just Stop Oil, were charged in May 2024 with “forming a criminal organisation”. This section of the law is typically used against mafia organisations and had never been applied to a non-violent group.

    In the Philippines, anti-terrorism laws have been used against environmentalists who have found themselves unable to return to their home islands.

    Criminalising protest can also mean lowering the threshold for prosecution, preventing climate activists from mentioning climate change in court, and changing other court processes to make guilty verdicts more likely. Another example is injunctions that can be taken out by corporations against activists who protest against them.

    3. Harsher policing

    This stretches from stopping and searching to surveillance, arrests, violence, infiltration and threatening activists. The policing of activists is carried out not just by state actors like police and armed forces, but also private actors including private security, organised crime and corporations.

    In Germany, regional police have been accused of collaborating with an energy giant (and its private fire brigade) to evict coal mine protesters, while private security was used extensively in policing anti-mining activists in Peru.

    4. Killings and disappearances

    Lastly, in the most extreme cases, environmental activists are murdered. This is an extension of the trend for harsher policing, as it typically follows threats by the same range of actors. We used data from the NGO Global Witness to show this is increasingly common in countries including Brazil, Philippines, Peru and India. In Brazil, most murders are carried out by organised crime groups while in Peru, it is the police force.

    Protests are increasing

    To look more closely at the global picture of climate and environmental protest – and the repression of it – we used the Armed Conflicts Location Event database. This showed us that climate protests increased dramatically in 2018-2019 and have not declined since. They make up on average about 4% of all protest in the 81 countries that had more than 1,000 protests recorded in the 2012-2023 period:

    Climate protests increased sharply in the late 2010s in the 14 countries studied. (Data is smoothed over five months; number of protests is per country per month.)
    Berglund et al; Data: ACLED, CC BY-SA

    This second graph shows that environmental protest has increased more gradually:

    Environmental protests in the same 14 countries.
    Data: ACLED, CC BY-SA

    We used this data to see what kind of repression activists face. By looking for keywords in the reporting of protest events, we found that on average 3% of climate and environmental protests face police violence, and 6.3% involve arrests. But behind these averages are large differences in the nature of protest and its policing.

    A combination of the presence of protest groups like Extinction Rebellion, who often actively seek arrests, and police forces that are more likely to make arrests, mean countries such as Australia and the UK have very high levels of arrest. Some 20% of Australian climate and environmental protests involve arrests, against 17% in the UK – with the highest in the world being Canada on 27%.

    Meanwhile, police violence is high in countries such as Peru (6.5%) and Uganda (4.4%). France stands out as a European country with relatively high levels of police violence (3.2%) and low levels of arrests (also 3.2%).

    In summary, while criminalisation and repression does not look the same across the world, there are remarkable similarities. It is increasing in a lot of countries, it involves both state and corporate actors, and it takes many forms.

    This repression is taking place in a context where states are not taking adequate action on climate change. By criminalising activists, states depoliticise them. This conceals the fact these activists are ultimately right about the state of the climate and environment – and the lack of positive government action in these areas.

    Oscar Berglund is a member of the Green Party. The report this article is based on was written with Christina Pantazis, Chris Rossdale and Roxana Pessoa Cavalcanti.

    Tie Franco Brotto 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.

    – ref. Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying across the world – https://theconversation.com/repression-of-climate-and-environmental-protest-is-intensifying-across-the-world-246379

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Eating red meat may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes – not a lot of people know that

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition & Exercise Science, University of Westminster

    Red meat has been a part of diets worldwide since early man. It is an excellent source of protein, vitamins (such as B vitamins) and minerals (such as iron and zinc).

    However, red meat has long been associated with increasing the risk of heart disease, cancer and early death. What may not be so well known is the link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes.

    A paper published in the Lancet in September 2024 highlighted this link to type 2 diabetes using data from the Americas, the Mediterranean, Europe, south-east Asia and the Western Pacific (20 countries included).

    This recent study, with nearly 2 million participants, found that high consumption of unprocessed red meat, such as beef, lamb and pork, and processed meat, such as bacon, salami and chorizo, increased the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

    The researchers also highlighted a link between the consumption of poultry and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, but the link was weaker and varied across the populations.

    Type 2 diabetes is a serious public health issue affecting 462 million people globally. It occurs when our bodies don’t make enough insulin or can’t use insulin well.

    Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a small leaf-shaped gland that sits behind the stomach and just in front of the spine. Insulin helps blood glucose enter cells, which stops levels from rising in the blood.

    In type 2 diabetes, due to our body not having enough insulin or inability to use the insulin (also referred to as “insulin resistance” or “impaired insulin sensitivity”), blood glucose reaches high levels, causing symptoms such as extreme thirst, increased need to pass urine and feelings of tiredness. Long-term health issues include nerve damage, foot problems and heart disease.

    The underlying mechanisms linking red meat intake with type 2 diabetes are unclear. Mechanisms could relate to the function of the pancreas, insulin sensitivity or a combination of the two.

    Possible mechanisms

    Red meat has high levels of saturated fat and is low in polyunsaturated fats, which could disrupt insulin sensitivity.

    Research has also shown that a high protein intake from animal sources (compared to vegetarian sources) can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly due to the high levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in animal protein.

    BCAA include the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. In a small study, short-term BCAA infusions increased insulin resistance in humans. Similar findings were shown in larger human studies.

    High levels of plasma BCAA can have various origins. These connections between red meat, BCAA, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are worth exploring further.

    Another potential mechanism involves gut microbiota, the collection of microbes in our gut.

    Our microbiota metabolises choline (a water-soluble essential nutrient) and L-carnitine (an amino acid found naturally in food), both of which are abundant in red meat, producing trimethylamine. Increased trimethylamine has been associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

    How we cook meat may also add to this conundrum. Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as grilling and barbecuing, can produce harmful compounds called “advanced glycation end products”.

    These compounds can damage cells due to oxidative stress (caused by unstable atoms called free radicals), lead to inflammation (which can be damaging if it occurs in healthy tissues or lasts too long) and insulin resistance.

    Red meat is a great source of iron. But some studies have shown long-term iron intake or iron overload, particularly haem iron (iron from animal-based sources), may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

    Eat less red meat

    According to a World Health Organization report, in the last 50 years, global consumption of all types of meat has increased. In some wealthy countries, such as the UK, red meat consumption appears to be stable or declining. Although there is a lot of variation in meat consumption between and within countries.

    In the UK, people are advised to consume no more than 70g (cooked weight) of red meat per day and to avoid eating processed meat. A similar recommendation is given across many countries.

    With the winter holidays around the corner and the festive gatherings in full swing, reducing red meat consumption will be difficult, especially for those who really like the taste. So enjoy these moments without worrying, and where possible, try to consume fibre-rich vegetables with red meat.

    Small steps can be taken to reduce your red meat intake by having smaller portions or choosing a day in the week that is meat free (meat-free Mondays, say), or substituting some (or all) of the meat in recipes with chicken, fish, beans, lentils or the like.

    And for those days you do eat red meat, try poaching, steaming or stewing it – it’s healthier than grilling or barbecuing.

    Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum 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.

    – ref. Eating red meat may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes – not a lot of people know that – https://theconversation.com/eating-red-meat-may-increase-your-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-not-a-lot-of-people-know-that-245495

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Europe’s microstates: the medieval monarchies that survive in our midst

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elisa Bertolini, Associate Professor of Comparative Public Law, Bocconi University

    San Marino is one of four microstates with very distinct constitutional arrangements. Shutterstock/kavalenkava

    Continental Europe is home to four microstates with populations of between 30,000 and 80,000 people: Andorra, on the border between France and Spain; Liechtenstein, nestled between Switzerland and Austria; Monaco, which sits on the French Riviera; and San Marino, which is surrounded by northern Italy.

    These states have existed since the medieval period and their tiny size has enabled them to develop and maintain singular constitutional arrangements. They have all developed original solutions to the problems of state architecture, many of which survive today.

    All four of these microstates participate in the Council of Europe (Europe’s human rights organisation) and have therefore had to modernise to meet international standards of governance. This includes the independence of the judiciary.

    However, all four have also implemented these reforms without altering their institutional identity. Their commitment to preserving their distinctiveness from other countries prevents wider reform to their institutions. For them, the protection of national tradition and identity is a form of self-preservation rather than a mere expression of ideology.

    The distinctiveness of the four microstates lies in the survival of institutional arrangements that can no longer to be found practically anywhere else in the world. In the principalities of Liechtenstein and Monaco, for example, the monarchy still has a central role in the constitution.

    Unlike in most European states with a monarchy, in Liechtenstein and Monaco, the royal head of state continues to exercise meaningful power. Andorra and San Marino, meanwhile, operate under a dual head of state arrangement. They effectively have two monarchs.

    The populations of Europe’s medieval microstates.
    World Bank/ Data Commons, CC BY-ND

    Institutional arrangements in these principalities has been shaped by their diminutive size, both in terms of territory and population, and their geographical location. And these arrangements have survived since the middle ages because they have become their identity. While national tradition is an ideological debate in other nations, in these, preserving the past is a survival mechanism.

    Liechtenstein and Monaco

    Liechtenstein and Monaco are constitutional monarchies of the kind that offer substantial power to the royal family. Everything is organised around a prince, who exercises the executive power. Contemporary monarchies in the western legal tradition generally have a ceremonial king or queen but the executive power is held by an elected government. Liechtenstein and Monaco have maintained their historical organisation of government, centred on a very powerful monarch.

    Although his powers are not unlimited, in Monaco, the prince is not even accountable to the parliament for the powers he does hold. Liechtenstein’s prince enjoys even more powers, including the right to appoint half of the members of the constitutional court.

    However, the prince of Liechtenstein’s sovereign power is held in partnership with the people of Liechtenstein. The institutional architecture is built as to allow a system of checks and balances between the prince and the people.

    Since a 2003 constitutional amendment, for example, the people can table a motion of no-confidence in the prince if more than 1,500 citizens are in agreement to do so, which triggers a referendum on confidence in him. The same number of citizens can mount an initiative to abolish the monarchy entirely, should they choose to do so.

    Andorra and San Marino

    The principality of Andorra should more properly be called co-principality, because of its co-princes arrangement. One of the princes is the bishop of Urgell – from Catalonia – and the other is the president of the French Republic (and previously the French king or emperor). So another Andorran peculiarity is that neither of the princes are Andorran nationals.

    Following a 1993 reform that established a fully fledged constitution, neither prince holds sovereign power. Their present constitutional role is almost entirely ceremonial. However, concerns remain over the fact that they are not nationals of the state and that the heads of state are selected neither by the Andorran people nor by their representatives. The historical reason for a foreign head of state is the geographical location of Andorra – wedged between Catalonia and France. Allowing itself to be put under this double sovereignty was a guarantee of survival.

    San Marino also has a two-headed state but both leaders, called the Captains Regent, are Sammarinese nationals. They are elected by the Grand and General Council (the Sammarinese legislative body) and their distinctive trait is that they serve only a six-month term of office.

    The reason for such a short tenure is that San Marino has a population of just under 34,000 people. Everyone knows everyone else, which is a situation that can be detrimental to the independence of elective offices.

    Captains Regent can’t shore up enough power in their short time in office to be able to overthrow the republic. The Captains Regent were first established in 1243, shortly before a number of Italian republics were overthrown by wealthy families. One of the reasons why San Marino has been able to survive is because it has prevented one family from being more powerful than the others for centuries.

    Microstates are, therefore, not like Europe’s regular-sized states. They have distinctive institutional architectures – and often for understandable reasons.

    Elisa Bertolini 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.

    – ref. Europe’s microstates: the medieval monarchies that survive in our midst – https://theconversation.com/europes-microstates-the-medieval-monarchies-that-survive-in-our-midst-245328

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five ways to beat loneliness this winter

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dorothy Yen, Professor in Marketing and Lead on the Happy to Chat project, Brunel University of London

    Tricky_Shark/Shutterstock

    For some people, loneliness can feel overwhelming, especially during winter, but small steps toward connection can make a significant difference. Research shows that micro conversations with strangers can help improve wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness.

    This explains why in the UK, the new charity Happy to Chat is trying to encourage people to talk to each other when out and about. In Sweden, a similar scheme – the Say Hi campaign – was also launched in winter 2023 to promote small talks among people in their neighbourhoods.

    Most studies on the benefits of talking to strangers have focused on younger people, leaving a big question mark over how older adults experience these everyday interactions. Yet, this is a group that could stand to benefit the most. The World Health Organization estimates that one in four older adults face social isolation, which can seriously affect their health, happiness, and even how long they live.

    Our research shows that most older people in the UK have a positive attitude towards the idea of small talk when out and about. They see it as being neighbourly, an act of kindness, a way to brighten someone else’s day. Popular spots for these chats include bright, public spaces, like shopping centres, garden centres, libraries, community events, university campuses, or even while waiting for public transport.

    Feeling confident is important; it’s not just about starting a conversation or keeping it going. It’s also about feeling safe and in control. That confidence isn’t the same for everyone, though. Older women, in particular, were more concerned about potential challenges such as personal safety or dealing with an awkward or uncomfortable chat.

    A safe and secure environment can make all the difference in their choice of whether to engage in small talk when out and about. So, it is important that we all make an effort in creating a friendly environment, combating loneliness together through small and meaningful conversations. With that in mind, here are five ways to beat loneliness this winter and build those much needed connections.

    1. Join the ‘happy to chat’ movement

    A simple conversation can go a long way in making both you and others feel more connected. The “happy to chat” initiative in the UK encourages people to sit at designated benches or wear ‘happy to chat’ badges that signal their openness to friendly talks with those passing by. Our research shows that these badges work wonders as ice breakers, making it easier to strike up a conversation. Whether you’re at a park, garden centre, café, or on public transport, a little small talk can brighten your day and build a sense of community.

    2. Volunteer for a local charity

    Giving back not only benefits others but can also create a sense of purpose and connection. Many organisations seek extra hands during the winter, especially for holiday drives, food banks or programmes supporting older people. Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people while spreading warmth and joy.

    3. Take part in community activities

    From Christmas carol singing to craft workshops and winter walks, your local area is probably buzzing with events this season. Joining in these activities is a natural way to socialise and meet new people. Have a look at your community centre or local general practitioners notice boards. Neighbourhood gatherings or shared hobbies make connecting with others feel effortless and fun.

    4. Stay active and embrace the outdoors

    Exercise has proven mental health benefits, including reducing feelings of loneliness. Bundle up and take a brisk walk in the park, or join a local fitness class or walking group, where you can enjoy the fresh air while having small talks with others. Outdoor winter activities like ice skating may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but having a visit to seasonal markets can also provide opportunities to interact with others.

    5. Reconnect with friends and family

    The holiday season is a perfect time to reach out to loved ones or people you may have lost in touch with. But don’t forget that loneliness can be all year around. Drop a postcard to say hello, schedule a call or meet-ups, even if it’s just for a quick coffee. If you can’t meet in person, virtual gatherings can still help you feel connected and cared for.

    What is not recommended?

    Although pets can provide companionship, they require long-term commitment, time and care. Getting a pet solely to combat loneliness during the winter isn’t a good idea.

    Pets are for life, not just for the holiday season, and taking on this responsibility without careful thought can lead to challenges for both you and the animal. Instead, consider alternative ways to connect, like volunteering at an animal shelter or spending time with friends who have pets.

    Loneliness can feel overwhelming, especially during winter, but small steps toward connection can make a significant difference. By reaching out to others and engaging in your community, you can transform this season into one of warmth, companionship and joy. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple smile or a friendly conversation to turn someone’s day around – including your own.

    Christina Victor receives funding from ESRC, Dunhill Medical Trust, Wellcome Trust, Alzheimer’s Society, NIHR

    Dorothy Yen 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.

    – ref. Five ways to beat loneliness this winter – https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-beat-loneliness-this-winter-245630

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In the age of AI, Wallace and Gromit’s claymation style remains a festive favourite

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christopher Holliday, Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts and Visual Cultures Education, Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities, King’s College London

    A new Wallace and Gromit adventure, Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), premieres on BBC One and Netflix this Christmas Day. It’s been nearly 20 years since the last feature film about Yorkshire’s favourite eccentric inventor and his above-intelligent pet dog, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).

    Aardman’s latest Christmas instalment marks the reappearance of Feathers McGraw, the mysterious and silent penguin villain from The Wrong Trousers (1993). It also represents the latest outing for the Bristol-based company’s signature stop-motion “claymation” style – which is both a symbol of the studio’s enduring relationship to craft, and a vital element of Aardman’s international identity as an animation powerhouse.

    A new era of artificial intelligence is threatening to transform the boundaries of what we understand as art. So it is significant that one of this year’s most highly anticipated festive films celebrates the skill and spirit of handmade animation.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Aardman was founded in 1972. Over the last 50 years, the studio has cultivated a durable and worldwide reputation as a pioneer of animation as a handmade, craft-based art form.

    Both before and after its feature-film debut, Chicken Run (2000), the studio’s stop-motion approach was refined across an extensive range of animated projects and commissions. These included short films like Creature Comforts (1990), the first Aardman production to win an Academy Award, as well as an array of television idents, music videos and advertising campaigns.

    Such has been Aardman’s longstanding connection to claymation that when the Newplast company shut down in March 2023, sparking rumours of a shortage of its famous modelling clay, the studio issued a statement denying it was running out of materials, while assuring fans it would find a new supplier for future projects.

    The trailer for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

    Aardman’s animated productions have been a staple of Christmas film and television since Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park’s 30-minute short The Wrong Trousers debuted on Boxing Day 1993.

    So much so, in fact, that Aardman proclaims that it is “proud to be synonymous with Christmas”. The many television specials featuring old and new Aardman characters include the 30-minute Netflix Christmas shorts Shaun The Sheep: A Flight Before Christmas (2021) and Robin Robin (2021), as well as multiple “cracking” Christmas advertising campaigns.

    This Christmas season, that’s included the decorating of London’s Battersea power station with Aardman characters, and a collection of specially commissioned Christmas idents exclusively for the BBC.

    Aardman goes digital

    Despite a defining investment in the creative potential of claymation, the studio has occasionally dipped a toe into the the world of digital technology. A brief foray into computer-animated filmmaking in the early 2000s with Flushed Away (2006) and Arthur Christmas (2011) marked an ultimately short-lived creative partnership with DreamWorks Animation and Sony Pictures.

    While Aardman’s involvement with these renowned Hollywood companies pushed the studio away from its house style and ushered in a new kind of big-screen humour, in design at least, these films retained their quintessential Aardman “look”. But though these characters appeared firmly from the Aardman stable (particularly in their recognisably exaggerated smiles), their animated perfection demonstrated the pristine visuals increasingly afforded by sophisticated computer graphics.

    Clearly, much like Wallace, Aardman animators aren’t immune to the thrill of technological innovation. But they have still largely maintained their claymation methods of production, to instil in audiences the many pleasures of doing things by hand.

    The glimpse of fingerprints accidentally pressed into the modelling clay, coupled with the jerky movements of their plasticine characters, emphasises that Aardman methods remain far removed from modern technology. Craft and the handmade are therefore as much business strategies as they are aesthetic choices, deployed to sell the Aardman brand around the world.

    After a hiatus of almost 20 years, the imminent return of Wallace and Gromit to British screens seems a pointed reflection on the virtues of the handmade, against the acceleration of AI within the film industry.

    With Vengeance Most Fowl telling the story of a rogue automatic garden gnome, Aardman is seemingly questioning a future built from computerised (and potentially dangerous) automation. By preserving the artisanal and anchoring its very British charm once again to the hand-crafted, slightly imperfect models that populate these stop-motion animated worlds, it seems that, for Aardman at least, computers are not always what they are cracked up to be.

    Christopher Holliday 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.

    – ref. In the age of AI, Wallace and Gromit’s claymation style remains a festive favourite – https://theconversation.com/in-the-age-of-ai-wallace-and-gromits-claymation-style-remains-a-festive-favourite-246070

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are we moral blank slates at birth? A new study offers some clues

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Madeline G. Reinecke, Postdoctoral Researcher, Collective Moral Development, University of Oxford

    Saulich Elena/Shutterstock

    What does a baby know about right and wrong? A foundational finding in moral psychology suggested that even infants have a moral sense, preferring “helpers” over “hinderers” before uttering their first word. Now, nearly 20 years later, a study that tried to replicate these findings calls this result into question.

    In the original study, Kiley Hamlin and her colleagues showed a puppet show to six- and ten-month-old babies. During the show, the babies would see a character — which was really just a shape with googly eyes — struggling to reach the top of a hill.

    Next, a new character would either help the struggling individual reach the top (acting as a “helper”) or push the character back down to the bottom of the hill (acting as a “hinderer”).

    By gauging babies’ behaviour — specifically, watching how their eyes moved during the show and whether they preferred to hold a specific character after the show ended — it seemed that the infants had basic moral preferences. Indeed, in the first study, 88% of the ten-month-olds – and 100% of the six-month-olds – chose to reach for the helper.

    Kiley Hamlin explains the helper-hinderer experiment.

    But psychology, and developmental psychology, in particular, is no stranger to replicability concerns (when it is difficult or impossible to reproduce the results of a scientific study). After all, the original study sampled only a few dozen infants.

    This isn’t the fault of the researchers; it’s just really hard to collect data from babies. But what if it was possible to run the same study again — with say, hundreds or even thousands of babies? Would researchers find the same result?

    This is the chief aim of ManyBabies, a consortium of developmental psychologists spread around the world. By combining resources across individual research labs, ManyBabies can robustly test findings in developmental science, like Hamlin’s original “helper-hinderer” effect. And as of last month, the results are in.

    With a final sample of 567 babies, tested in 37 research labs across five continents, babies did not show evidence of an early-emerging moral sense. Across the ages tested, babies showed no preference for the helpful character.

    Blank slate?

    John Locke, an English philosopher argued that the human mind is a “tabula rasa” or “blank slate”. Everything that we, as humans, know comes from our experiences in the world. So should people take the most recent ManyBabies result as evidence of this? My answer, however underwhelming, is “perhaps”.

    This is not the first attempted replication of the helper-hinderer effect (nor is it the first “failure to replicate”). In fact, there have been a number of successful replications. It can be hard to know what underlies differences in results. For example, a previous “failure” seemed to come from the characters’ “googly eyes” not being oriented the right way.

    The ManyBabies experiment also had an important change in how the “show” was presented to infants. Rather than a puppet show performed live to baby participants, researchers instead presented a video with digital versions of the characters. This approach has its strengths. For example, ensuring that the exact same presentation occurs across every trial, in every lab. But it could also shift how babies engage with the show and its characters.

    I appreciated the recent remarks made by Michael Frank, founder of the ManyBabies consortium, on social network BlueSky: “Some people will jump to the interpretation that [the results of ManyBabies] shows that the original finding was incorrect (and hence that the other replications were incorrect as well, and the earlier non-replications were right). This [is] one possibility – but we shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.”

    Rather, we can take this finding for exactly what it is: a well-executed large investigation (senior-authored by Kiley Hamlin herself) of the hypothesis that infants prefer helpers over hinderers. In this instance, the hypothesis was not supported.

    This could be because, underneath it all, Locke was right. Perhaps the babies tested hadn’t had enough time in the world to learn “right from wrong”, so they wouldn’t make any distinction between a helpful character and a harmful one. Or perhaps there’s something more complicated going on. Only more science, with many, many more babies, will tell us.

    At the very least, a question mark now hangs over one of the most famous experiments in developmental psychology.

    Madeline G. Reinecke 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.

    – ref. Are we moral blank slates at birth? A new study offers some clues – https://theconversation.com/are-we-moral-blank-slates-at-birth-a-new-study-offers-some-clues-245333

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why there’s no such thing as normal in child development

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samuel Forbes, Associate Professor in Psychology, Durham University

    Hasnuddin/Shutterstock

    For parents, carers and teachers, it’s often tempting to base our thinking on a child’s development around what we understand as “normal”. Much of the time we do this without thinking, describing a child as “doing well” in one subject and “behind” in another.

    Whenever we make this sort of comparison, we have some sort of mental benchmark or yardstick in our head: for example, a toddler should be able to climb on furniture by age two. Increasingly, child development researchers are arguing that the same thing happens in child development research — the study of how behaviours and abilities such as language develop.

    Many of the studies that claim to research child development either implicitly, or explicitly, claim that their findings are universal.

    There could be many reasons for this. Sometimes there’s a temptation to oversell conclusions, sometimes it might be the way findings are interpreted by readers or the media. The upshot is that what’s been found in one group of children is then taken as the standard — the yardstick against which future research is compared.

    Most of the research into how children develop comes from wealthier, western countries, in particular the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France. Chances are, if you’ve heard of milestones in child development, they were developed in one of these countries.

    This is so much so that it can be challenging to do basic research on child development in developing countries, as peers and reviewers will ask for or demand comparisons to western populations to put findings from these regions in context. Of course without realising it, these peers and reviewers have set up western children as a norm.

    Most of the existing academic research on child development comes from western countries.
    Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock

    But is it fair to make these comparisons? One of the tricky things about researching child development is that it occurs within a cultural and social context it can’t be removed from. But this context is often messy. Differences in physical environment, parenting styles, location, climate and so on all interact to shape how children grow.

    Besides these differences, there is individual variation as well. These could be, for instance, curiosity, shyness and neurodiversity, which can all frame how a child shapes their own learning environment.

    Take for example the field of motor development in infancy – the study of
    how children learn to move. Many parents in particular might be familiar with charts showing when they can expect their child to sit, crawl, stand and run. The existence of these charts make it seem pretty universal, and often a child’s motor development is judged accordingly.

    This makes sense. Early research was preoccupied with finding out what was normal, and it makes sense to try to support children who might be at risk of falling behind. The timing and order investigated back then led to the norms and scales we still use today.

    Is something like motor development timing universal? It’s easy to imagine that it might be. When there are no physical or cognitive barriers we all learn to sit and stand, so on the surface it seems fair to say this could be.

    But it turns out that the context that children develop in plays a huge role even
    in something as seemingly universal as this. In countries and
    cultures where babies routinely receive firm massages from caregivers, such as in Jamaica, motor development is accelerated. It’s clear that a norm developed in one culture might not translate well to another.

    Beyond norms

    It’s clear to see that the problems highlighted above are not unique to motor development. In areas like language development or social development the cultural component is even more compelling.

    There is simply no way of understanding these elements of child development without also understanding the context in which they take place. Every child is developing within a context and however normal our own culture feels to us, there is no objective context-free norm that we can compare other children to. That is, to say, we should embrace the mess.

    If we think of normal child development as being something that just happens, researchers miss out on understanding the dynamics of development itself. But worse, educators and caregivers might not realise development is something we can act upon, and miss an opportunity to enact change.

    An important part of seeing child development as being intertwined with culture is that it doesn’t just mean collecting data from other cultures, but involving local communities and research perspectives. Understanding communities means listening to them, empowering them and making space for them to have a voice.

    Moving beyond a western-centric understanding of child development won’t just benefit researchers and lead to more accurate science, but hopefully benefit everyone working with children around the world.

    The authors 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.

    – ref. Why there’s no such thing as normal in child development – https://theconversation.com/why-theres-no-such-thing-as-normal-in-child-development-244681

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Octopuses and their relatives are a new animal welfare frontier − here’s what scientists know about consciousness in these unique creatures

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rachel Blaser, Professor of Neuroscience, Cognition and Behavior, University of San Diego

    A common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) off Croatia in the Mediterranean Sea. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images

    We named him Squirt – not because he was the smallest of the 16 cuttlefish in the pool, but because anyone with the audacity to scoop him into a separate tank to study him was likely to get soaked. Squirt had notoriously accurate aim.

    As a comparative psychologist, I’m used to assaults from my experimental subjects. I’ve been stung by bees, pinched by crayfish and battered by indignant pigeons. But, somehow, with Squirt it felt different. As he eyed us with his W-shaped pupils, he seemed clearly to be plotting against us.

    A common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) in Portugal’s Arrábida Natural Park.
    Diego Delso/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA

    Of course, I’m being anthropomorphic. Science does not yet have the tools to confirm whether cuttlefish have emotional states, or whether they are capable of conscious experience, much less sinister plots. But there’s undeniably something special about cephalopods – the class of ocean-dwelling invertebrates that includes cuttlefish, squid and octopus.

    As researchers learn more about cehpalopods’ cognitive skills, there are calls to treat them in ways better aligned with their level of intelligence. California and Washington state both approved bans on octopus farming in 2024. Hawaii is considering similar action, and a ban on farming octopus or importing farmed octopus meat has been introduced in Congress. A planned octopus farm in Spain’s Canary Islands is attracting opposition from scientists and animal welfare advocates.

    Critics offer many arguments against raising octopuses for food, including possible releases of waste, antibiotics or pathogens from aquaculture facilities. But as a psychologist, I see intelligence as the most intriguing part of the equation. Just how smart are cephalopods, really? After all, it’s legal to farm chickens and cows. Is an octopus smarter than, say, a turkey?

    A deepwater octopus investigates the port manipulator arm of the ALVIN submersible research vessel.
    NOAA, CC BY

    A big, diverse group

    Cephalopods are a broad class of mollusks that includes the coleoids – cuttlefish, octopus and squid – as well as the chambered nautilus. Coleoids range in size from adult squid only a few millimeters long (Idiosepius) to the largest living invertebrates, the giant squid (Architeuthis) and colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis) which can grow to over 40 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds.

    Some of these species live alone in the nearly featureless darkness of the deep ocean; others live socially on active, sunny coral reefs. Many are skilled hunters, but some feed passively on floating debris. Because of this enormous diversity, the size and complexity of cephalopod brains and behaviors also varies tremendously.

    Almost everything that’s known about cephalopod cognition comes from intensive study of just a few species. When considering the welfare of a designated species of captive octopus, it’s important to be careful about using data collected from a distant evolutionary relative.

    Marine biologist Roger Hanlon explains the distributed structure of cephalopod brains and how they use that neural power.

    Can we even measure alien intelligence?

    Intelligence is fiendishly hard to define and measure, even in humans. The challenge grows exponentially in studying animals with sensory, motivational and problem-solving skills that differ profoundly from ours.

    Historically, researchers have tended to focus on whether animals think like humans, ignoring the abilities that animals may have that humans lack. To avoid this problem, scientists have tried to find more objective measures of cognitive abilities.

    One option is a relative measure of brain to body size. The best-studied species of octopus, Octopus vulgaris, has about 500 million neurons; that’s relatively large for its small body size and similar to a starling, rabbit or turkey.

    More accurate measures may include the size, neuron count or surface area of specific brain structures thought to be important for learning. While this is useful in mammals, the nervous system of an octopus is built completely differently.

    Over half of the neurons in Octopus vulgaris, about 300 million, are not in the brain at all, but distributed in “mini-brains,” or ganglia, in the arms. Within the central brain, most of the remaining neurons are dedicated to visual processing, leaving less than a quarter of its neurons for other processes such as learning and memory.

    In other species of octopus, the general structure is similar, but complexity varies. Wrinkles and folds in the brain increase its surface area and may enhance neural connections and communication. Some species of octopus, notably those living in reef habitats, have more wrinkled brains than those living in the deep sea, suggesting that these species may possess a higher degree of intelligence.

    Holding out for a better snack

    Because brain structure is not a foolproof measure of intelligence, behavioral tests may provide better evidence. One of the highly complex behaviors that many cephalopods show is visual camouflage. They can open and close tiny sacs just below their skin that contain colored pigments and reflectors, revealing specific colors. Octopus vulgaris has up to 150,000 chromatophores, or pigment sacs, in a single square inch of skin.

    Like many cephalopods, the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is thought to be colorblind. But it can use its excellent vision to produce a dizzying array of patterns across its body as camouflage. The Australian giant cuttlefish, Sepia apama, uses its chromatophores to communicate, creating patterns that attract mates and warn off aggressors. This ability can also come in handy for hunting; many cephalopods are ambush predators that blend into the background or even lure their prey.

    The hallmark of intelligent behavior, however, is learning and memory – and there is plenty of evidence that some octopuses and cuttlefish learn in a way that is comparable to learning in vertebrates. The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), as well as the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and the day octopus (Octopus cyanea), can all form simple associations, such as learning which image on a screen predicts that food will appear.

    Some cephalopods may be capable of more complicated forms of learning, such as reversal learning – learning to flexibly adjust behavior when different stimuli signal reward. They may also be able to inhibit impulsive responses. In a 2021 study that gave common cuttlefish a choice between a less desirable but immediate snack of crab and a preferred treat of live shrimp after a delay, many of the cuttlefish chose to wait for the shrimp.

    Cuttlefish perform in an experiment adapted from the Stanford “marshmallow test,” which was designed to see whether children could practice delayed gratification.

    A new frontier for animal welfare

    Considering what’s known about their brain structures, sensory systems and learning capacity, it appears that cephalopods as a group may be similar in intelligence to vertebrates as a group. Since many societies have animal welfare standards for mice, rats, chickens and other vertebrates, logic would suggest that there’s an equal case for regulations enforcing humane treatment of cephalopods.

    Such rules generally specify that when a species is held in captivity, its housing conditions should support the animal’s welfare and natural behavior. This view has led some U.S. states to outlaw confined cages for egg-laying hens and crates too narrow for pregnant sows to turn around.

    Animal welfare regulations say little about invertebrates, but guidelines for the care and use of captive cephalopods have started to appear over the past decade. In 2010, the European Union required considering ethical issues when using cephalopods for research. And in 2015, AAALAC International, an international accreditation organization for ethical animal research, and the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations promoted guidelines for the care and use of cephalopods in research. The U.S. National Institutes of Health is currently considering similar guidelines.

    The “alien” minds of octopuses and their relatives are fascinating, not the least because they provide a mirror through which we can reflect on more familiar forms of intelligence. Deciding which species deserve moral consideration requires selecting criteria, such as neuron count or learning capacity, to inform those choices.

    Once these criteria are set, it may be well to also consider how they apply to the rodents, birds and fish that occupy more familiar roles in our lives.

    Rachel Blaser does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Octopuses and their relatives are a new animal welfare frontier − here’s what scientists know about consciousness in these unique creatures – https://theconversation.com/octopuses-and-their-relatives-are-a-new-animal-welfare-frontier-heres-what-scientists-know-about-consciousness-in-these-unique-creatures-241978

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could trusting each other more unlock economic growth?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex

    Shutterstock/GoodStudio

    Trust in Britain’s institutions is in bad shape, according to recent data from the European Social Survey.

    Trust is important because a good deal of governing involves trying to persuade people to do things or convince them that things will get better in the future. This is increasingly difficult to do if trust is in decline. Trust in political institutions is particularly important when governments have to make unpopular decisions, such as raising taxes.

    Data covering a 20-year period shows a marked decline in trust in parliaments, political parties and politicians. The following question is asked in the European Social Surveys over time:

    Please tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the following institutions. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust in it.

    The decline in trust began around the time of the 2016 survey, when the lowest level of trust in politicians and political parties was recorded in 20 years of doing the survey. Parliament has done a bit better, but decline in trust for it is still quite marked. It is no coincidence that this decline started in 2016 – the year of Brexit.

    Average trust scores for British institutions, 2002-2022

    Trust on the slide.
    P Whiteley, CC BY-ND

    But the European Social Survey carries another important measure of trust – our trust in fellow citizens. A question in the surveys asks how trusting respondents felt about other people on an 11-point scale, with a high score indicating that people are trusting.

    Average trust scores in other people in Britain, 2002-2022

    Trust in other people.
    P Whiteley, CC BY-ND

    After a shaky start at the beginning of the millennium, trust in other people increased significantly in Britain in 2006, to over 5.35 on the 11-point scale. It then dropped in 2008, the year of the financial crisis. The recovery from this decline was in place by 2010. It is noticeable that the trust scores fell again in 2018, when the political consequences of Brexit were making themselves felt. Trust revived again in 2020 during the pandemic.

    So, our trust in each other is in healthier shape than our trust in institutions. This is important because trust in others is a key measure of social capital – the willingness of people to work together to solve social and economic problems in society. The importance of social capital in creating prosperity in the US was highlighted by the American political scientist Bob Putnam in his best-selling book, Bowling Alone.

    Trust is lacking in British politicians.
    Flickr/UK Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND

    There is now a large literature on social capital and trust, some of it focusing specifically on Britain. The findings are that trust promotes prosperity for a number of reasons. If people trust each other, they are more likely to volunteer. This free labour helps to provide a social safety net, which increases prosperity for all – even if it is not fully recognised in the national income statistics.

    High-trust countries like Denmark and Sweden also have low levels of corruption – and corruption is a blocker to growth. In a high-trust environment, the costs of doing business are lower because there is less need for elaborate contracts, expensive lawyers and lots of litigation to make other people behave properly. This is, in part, why high-trust countries are richer than low-trust countries.

    It’s well established that economic growth is driven by investment in innovation, skills and transport, extra manufacturing capacity and greater workplace productivity. However, it is also the case that social capital helps to create economic growth. In researching this across a variety of countries, I found that trust was very important in stimulating economic growth alongside these other factors.

    Government has limited direct influence on social capital, but it can encourage it by investing in voluntary organisations and increasing transparency in its dealings with the public.

    Britain has suffered from a lack of investment in capital spending and infrastructure, and has neglected investment in education over the past 15 years. Social capital seems to be in much better shape, and faced with the significant challenge of restoring growth, the UK government needs to pull every lever at its disposal. It can repair trust in politics with its own actions, and this is likely to help with sustaining social capital, which is part of the solution to restoring economic growth.

    Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.

    – ref. Could trusting each other more unlock economic growth? – https://theconversation.com/could-trusting-each-other-more-unlock-economic-growth-246302

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Prince Andrew and the British establishment’s ‘target-rich environment’ for spies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Philip Murphy, Director of History & Policy at the Institute of Historical Research and Professor of British and Commonwealth History, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    A ruling by the UK’s Special Immigration Appeals Commission has revealed that a Chinese businessman with links to King Charles’ younger brother, Prince Andrew, has been banned from Britain. The commission was upholding a decision originally taken in 2023 by the then home secretary, Suella Braverman, to exclude a man subsequently named as Yang Tengbo.

    Britain’s Security Service, MI5, had advised the commission that Yang posed “a risk to UK national security”. Reports have noted Yang’s visits to royal events at the request of the prince and his communications with one of Andrew’s senior advisers, Dominic Hampshire.

    That Andrew might have been cultivated by an agent of the Chinese government will come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the work of intelligence agencies. Their ideal target will not necessarily be someone who sympathises with the regime they serve. Indeed with the collapse of the ideological certainties of the cold war, this has become increasingly unlikely.

    Rather, a target will probably be someone who has particular weaknesses that can be exploited, often revolving around money or sex. They are seldom at the very pinnacle of power. But that, in itself, can leave them resentful and hungry for affirmation.

    An exaggerated sense of self-importance can render them even more pliable. This can make for a complex relationship between intelligence predator and their prey.

    In Andrew’s case, there are indications that members of his circle actually talked up the prince’s importance as a political contact. The commission’s ruling quoted a message from Hampshire to Yang in March 2020 after the latter had been invited to attend the Prince’s 60th birthday party.

    Hampshire told Yang: “I also hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal and indeed his family. You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship. …outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.”

    Those more familiar with the workings of the British government might be sceptical about the height of the branches Yang had reached. King Charles is, after all, a constitutional monarch with few formal powers. And Andrew has become an increasingly marginalised figure within the royal family.

    A steady stream of revelations about his relationship with sex-trafficker and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has left him increasingly out in the cold. He was stripped of his role as UK trade envoy in 2011 and was then forced to step down from public duties in 2019. So why bother trying to court him?

    Clues are provided in an important survey of the links between the royal family and the intelligence community published by international history specialists Richard Aldrich and Rory Cormac in 2021. As they note, before 2011, Andrew had enjoyed a long career in the royal navy and then as a British trade envoy, becoming closely involved in the sensitive and secretive world of UK arms sales.

    In 2010, the Wikileaks revelations suggested Andrew had been fiercely critical of the Serious Fraud Office for almost derailing a deal with Saudi Arabia and that his inside knowledge might have extended to some dark corners of the arms trade and its methods. There were also reports that the UK’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, was concerned that a former US deputy police chief close to the investigation into the Epstein affair might have leaked details to Russia, leaving Andrew open to blackmail.

    So Andrew probably was a tempting target, combining personal vulnerability with knowledge that could, at the very least, be embarrassing to the UK. But then, to borrow former US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s vivid phrase about Iraq, the British establishment has long provided foreign intelligence agencies with “a target-rich environment”. And the waters tend to be muddied by the ease with which legitimate contacts based on cultural and trade diplomacy can morph into something more sinister.

    Broader concerns

    The ruling of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission quoted from a statement by the director-general of MI5 from July 2022 which distinguished between legitimate diplomacy and “what we call interference activity – influencing that is clandestine, coercive or corruptive”. Yet, in practice, the distinction is often opaque.

    When darker forces are at work, it often only becomes apparent as a result of prolonged surveillance of those involved. And that, in turn, assumes Britain’s spies are actually doing their job. Various bodies have questioned whether they are.

    In a July 2020 report, the parliamentary intelligence and security committee criticised the intelligence community for not being more curious about certain aspects of Russian activity. The possibility of Kremlin interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum was a significant concern.

    The implication – that intelligence officials had been nervous about getting involved in such a sensitive political issue – was rather borne out by the fate of the committee’s report itself. It was delivered to then prime minister Boris Johnson in October 2019 but was not released to the public until well after his pro-Brexit government had won the general election of December that year.

    Nor is the Labour party without questions to answer. At the same time as the Prince Andrew scandal was unfolding, Christine Lee, who donated £584,177 to the office of the Labour MP Barry Gardiner, lost a claim against MI5 which had accused her of engaging in political interference on behalf of China. Gardiner has said in response that none of the donations “according to MI5, came from an illegal source” and that he has “ceased all contact” with Lee following the MI5 warning.

    Prince Andrew’s behaviour is part of a wider picture and speaks to the general need for higher standards in British public life. Stricter rules on political donations to prevent foreign interference in British politics are long overdue. And people of political influence, including members of both houses of parliament, should be far more closely scrutinised over their relationships with foreign officials and business people. National security, as the term implies, very much begins at home.

    Philip Murphy has received funding from the AHRC. He is a member of the European Movement UK.

    – ref. Prince Andrew and the British establishment’s ‘target-rich environment’ for spies – https://theconversation.com/prince-andrew-and-the-british-establishments-target-rich-environment-for-spies-246383

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Christmas can be stressful for many people – here’s what can help you get through the festive season

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jolel Miah, Senior Lecturer, Health Psychology, University of Westminster

    Stress during the holidays doesn’t have to be inevitable. Kaspars Grinvalds/ Shutterstock

    Christmas is a season of joy and togetherness. But for many, it’s also one of the most stressful times of the year.

    Stress arises from an imbalance between the demands placed on us and our ability to cope with those demands. Psychologically, stress is linked to how we cope in situations – and whether we view them as challenging, threatening or manageable. The more challenging or threatening we see a situation to be, the more likely we are to feel stressed out.

    It makes sense, then, that Christmas is such as stressful time of year for many.

    The pressure to make the holidays “perfect”, spending more money than we perhaps should to fulfil expectations, the struggle to balance work and study commitments with holiday shopping, decorating and socialising can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

    For others, Christmas highlights feelings of loneliness, grief or estrangement from loved ones. The season can be a painful reminder of lost relationships, financial hardships, or unmet life goals – and this can amplify feelings of inadequacy or sadness.

    Family visits can also bring tension as we’re forced to interact with relatives whose views or habits may clash – leading to conflicts or rehashing unresolved disputes.

    But while some stress during the holidays is inevitable, there are many things you can do to cope – and even prevent this stress in the first place.

    Plan ahead

    When our brains know what to expect, they require less energy to find solutions. This makes it easier to navigate any challenges we may face. And by planning or thinking ahead, it allows us to take control of our thoughts and minimise potential stressors.

    Before the holidays roll around, try spending time thinking about things which tend to be sources of stress to you – and make a plan for how you prevent this stress.

    For instance, if cooking Christmas dinner is a source of stress for you, perhaps making a list of specific tasks you can delegate to certain family members will help take some of the pressure off of you.

    Set boundaries

    It’s important to learn to say “no”, rather than agreeing to everything that might be asked of you. Understanding and respecting your own boundaries will help you allocate your time and resources more effectively – reducing stress.

    This skill takes time to develop but can significantly benefit your long-term wellbeing. The more confident we become in our abilities to manage the challenges we face, the better we become at setting boundaries – ultimately becoming better at managing stress.

    Some boundaries you might set at Christmas could include setting a budget limit for presents so you aren’t stressed about over-spending or limiting the number of social engagements you attend so you don’t get burnt out.

    Manage expectations

    It’s important to recognise that not everything is within your control. While there are many things you can plan and prepare for at Christmas, there are just as many things that are out of your hands. For example, you can’t control the way other people may behave at your Christmas dinner, or the way someone may react to a present you’ve bought them.

    Setting realistic expectations for the holidays and accepting there are things you just can’t control is key in managing stress levels.

    Take time to reflect

    Another helpful way to manage holiday stress is to pause and connect with your feelings.

    Writing down your thoughts may help alleviate stress.
    Ground Picture/ Shutterstock

    Write down your thoughts on a piece of paper. Then pause and really think about how your feel. Giving your brain a moment to process what’s happening can help you moderate your feelings. Keeping a journal can help improve your thoughts and mood, offering a constructive outlet for emotions.

    If you’re finding it difficult to get on with friends and family during the holidays, pause before reacting or saying something you might not mean. This will help you get your emotions under control and may help to reduce your stress.

    Coping after the holidays

    Some people may experience low mood after the holidays – often termed the “post-festive blues” or “post-holiday blues”.



    Read more:
    Why do we feel so ‘blah’ after Christmas?

    The holiday season often brings a mix of joy and stress, creating emotional highs that leave our bodies feeling drained and exhausted once it’s over. It’s important to recognise that these feelings are a natural response to the demands of the festive period – not a reflection of personal inadequacy. Taking the time to acknowledge and accept that our bodies and minds are simply recovering is a crucial step toward moving forward positively.

    There are many strategies you can use to manage these post-holiday blues. Activities such as regular exercise, setting realistic and achievable goals, and reconnecting with others can significantly improve our mood and boost “happy hormones” such as endorphins.

    By consciously planning ways to re-energise and stay connected, we can shift our focus from any lows we may have experienced over the holidays to a more balanced perspective as we step into the new year.

    Jolel Miah 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.

    – ref. Christmas can be stressful for many people – here’s what can help you get through the festive season – https://theconversation.com/christmas-can-be-stressful-for-many-people-heres-what-can-help-you-get-through-the-festive-season-246097

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nurses need care too – how curbing self-sacrifice can prevent burnouts

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ester Ellen Trees Bolt, Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Leeds

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Reflecting on my mother’s decade-long nursing career, I often wonder why so many nurses leave the profession after just a few years.

    In the UK, the shortage of nurses has reached alarming levels. Fewer students are enrolling in nursing programmes, and nearly half of newly registered nurses leave within five to ten years.

    Meanwhile, the demand for healthcare continues to grow, as outlined in England’s NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, which sets out how the NHS will ensure there are enough nurses and doctors to support patients.

    The problem is not confined to the UK: nursing faces a global crisis. The high turnover of skilled professionals has serious implications for healthcare systems worldwide.

    The Netherlands is also experiencing troubling trends, with predictions of a significant healthcare staffing shortfall in the coming decades.

    Burnout is one of the most pressing reasons behind this exodus of nurses from the profession.

    Culture of self-sacrifice

    I interviewed nurses in the Netherlands about their workplace experiences including burnout for my research.

    And I found that one of the main reasons nurses leave is because of the profession’s culture of self-sacrifice. While empathy, compassion, and dedication are hallmarks of nursing, these qualities can lead to them working too hard. Nurses often push themselves so hard to meet their patients’ needs that they neglect their own health. Nursing often reinforces the culture of self-sacrifice, with an unspoken expectation that nurses should prioritise patients’ needs.

    My research shows that nurses are actively seeking employment to avoid burnout, but this often involves changing employers – a decision that is personally and organisationally intense and costly. I argue that, to ensure they remain in the workforce long term, nurses should be trained in setting boundaries and prioritising self-care.

    Nurses, particularly in long-term care, frequently form strong emotional bonds with their patients, which makes it challenging to draw boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal attachment. Interviews with nurses highlight the emotional toll of this. Several nurses mentioned feeling guilt when calling in sick, knowing their patients and colleagues depend on them. Some described how increased workloads, due to colleagues’ absences, eventually left them too overworked to continue. Others reported being constantly contacted to work extra shifts, even on their days off, due to staffing shortages caused by absenteeism and turnover.

    These stories reflect the relentless pressure nurses face. For many, the instinct to help others is both a source of pride and a path to burnout. When nurses don’t to set boundaries, their bodies often force them to stop – through illness and exhaustion.

    How to change

    Although nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems, the profession is undervalued and often viewed as less professional compared to other medical roles. This perception disrespects the complexity of nursing and discourages young people from entering the field.

    To address these issues, nurses need more support from employers and colleagues, including doctors and HR teams. Public campaigns must celebrate nursing as a highly skilled and indispensable profession, challenging outdated stereotypes.

    Burnout prevention also requires systemic changes. Nursing education must teach self-care and boundary setting as essential skills. Research indicates that nurses often report improved mental health and job satisfaction after switching employers, suggesting that organisational culture is pivotal in retaining staff – and that some workplaces are already leading the way.

    Self-sacrifice culture is a double-edged sword. While it reflects the compassion and dedication that define nursing, it poses a serious threat to the sustainability of the profession. To retain nurses, they need to be viewed as true professionals and be acknowledged for the value they deliver to the overall care processes. By fostering a culture that values personal boundaries, supports wellbeing, and elevates the professional identity of nursing, we can ensure that nurses are cared for just as much as they care for others.

    Failure to act will have far reaching consequences not just for nurses but for patients and healthcare systems around the world.

    Ester Ellen Trees Bolt 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.

    – ref. Nurses need care too – how curbing self-sacrifice can prevent burnouts – https://theconversation.com/nurses-need-care-too-how-curbing-self-sacrifice-can-prevent-burnouts-244312

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Saudi Arabia is a controversial choice to host the World Cup, but the spotlight and scrutiny might spark change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Wasim Ahmed, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Hull

    The official announcement that Saudi Arabia would host the 2024 Fifa men’s World Cup came as a surprise to nobody. Hosting rights have been on the country’s geopolitical agenda for many years, and football’s international governing body was more than happy to oblige.

    Both parties have come in for heavy criticism as a result.

    A joint statement from 21 campaign groups, including Amnesty International, accused Fifa of making “empty human rights commitments”. The apparent lack of a competitive bidding process was ridiculed, and concerns were raised about the the potential environmental impact.

    So what was Fifa thinking?

    After all the controversy over the 2022 tournament in Qatar (and Russia in 2018) has it simply doubled down on being impervious to global criticism? Or is it genuinely trying to perform a balancing act which fairly distributes the geopolitical and economic power of football?

    Whatever the underlying reason, Fifa has become well practised at defending itself. It said that for the 2034 tournament, a “comprehensive consultation process” had taken place. Fifa president Gianni Infantino added that he expects Saudi Arabia to deliver “social improvements [and] positive human rights impacts” as “one of the responsibilities of hosting a World Cup”.

    And there is some evidence which actually backs up this stance. It has been suggested for example, that after the intense scrutiny around its hosting of the 2022 World Cup, Qatar’s approach to human rights and the treatment of migrant workers improved.

    It could also be argued that Fifa is opening up the sport to new regions, away from the traditional power bases of football. After all, since the 1930s, Europe has hosted 11 Word Cup tournaments, with five in Latin America. It took until 2002 for Asia to have a turn (in Japan and South Korea), while Africa did not have a host nation until 2010 (South Africa).

    Fifa also likes to position itself as a promoter of global peace and international unity. The appointment of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as chief of global football development was a positive move in this direction. Under his leadership, Fifa has established more consultation processes with fans and national confederations to shape the future of football. It still has a way to go though.

    The world is watching

    Fifa would probably argue that it is accountable and open. After all, it went to the trouble of publishing a bid evaluation report. This endorsed Saudi Arabia’s bid for being “innovative” and “forward looking”, showing strong financial and organisational capacity.

    You can understand the “innovative” element. One of the planned stadiums situated on top of a cliff, promises to be a modern marvel. Another will be built 350m above the ground, at the heart of a newly built city.

    The “forward looking” part may be a stretch for a country where the royal family remains omnipotent, the security services are powerful, and questioning the ruling elite is simply not tolerated.

    Yet sport could also provide an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to change. In recent years, the country has lifted a ban on women drivers, opened up job opportunities, and appointed women to some of the top jobs in government. Women attend football matches, there has been a surge in popularity of female-only gyms, and the country’s gay scene is becoming more visible.

    All of this does not match Saudi Arabia to the standards many in the west are used to, but at least it’s a start.

    Fifa certainly appears to see it this way. Justifying the country’s successful bid, it said: “This is about making decisions based on evidence of how effectively bidders intend to address human rights risks connected with a tournament. It is not about peremptorily excluding countries based on their general human rights context.”

    A league apart?

    And it’s perhaps worth noting that few potential host countries would get a completely clean bill of political or societal health. In 2018, when the US, Canada and Mexico were given joint hosting duties for the 2026 tournament, the first Trump presidency had banned travellers from some Muslim countries from entering the country and was sparking huge concerns over the treatment of migrant families at the Mexican border.

    Similarly, Canada continues to grapple with its long-term mistreatment of the country’s indigenous population.

    In 2024 (so far) across the US and Mexico, there have been more than 45,000 deaths linked to gun violence. That includes dozens of politicians in Mexico, where 163 journalists have been killed since 2000.

    The US, Mexico and Canada are also among the biggest oil and gas producing nations in the world. The US has the second biggest carbon footprint of any country, which will be exacerbated by the 78 matches due to be played there during the 2026 tournament.

    Few questioned the decision to award the three countries hosting rights. So perhaps the inconvenient truth for purists is that no nation is perfectly suited for this role.

    Competing to host major events has become something of a geopolitical tournament in itself, where the prizes on offer include power, prestige and the chance to try and change global perceptions. At the same time, football continues to seek ways to satisfy its hunger for commercial development and revenue growth.

    Amid all of this, the hope must be that the world’s favourite sport manages to be a force for social good – wherever it is played.

    The authors 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.

    – ref. Saudi Arabia is a controversial choice to host the World Cup, but the spotlight and scrutiny might spark change – https://theconversation.com/saudi-arabia-is-a-controversial-choice-to-host-the-world-cup-but-the-spotlight-and-scrutiny-might-spark-change-246366

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –