NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Horses lead the way in helping children heal from trauma

    Source:

    30 June 2025

    A new Australian study is shining a spotlight on the healing power of horses, revealing that equine-assisted therapy could help address the growing mental health crisis among children.

    As childhood mental illness rates spiral, compounded by lengthy waiting times for counsellors and the limitations of many conventional treatments, some social workers are turning to horses for the answers.

    University of South Australia researchers have captured the lived experiences of 10 social workers and mental health practitioners delivering equine-assisted interventions (EAI) to children. Their findings are published in the Journal of Social Work Practice.

    EAI is a type of on-ground therapy involving horses, offered by qualified health practitioners in conjunction with highly-skilled equine practitioners.

    The evidence in its favour is compelling, with practitioners describing how a child’s emotional world can be transformed through working with horses in a natural setting.

    UniSA Social Work graduate Morgyn Stacy, who led the study as part of her Honours project, says that many children don’t respond to sitting in a room with a therapist or clinician, which can be intimidating.

    “But give them the space to be outside, to connect with a horse, and something powerful happens. They begin to feel safe, calm, and ready to open up,” Morgyn says.

    The research shows that horses are highly sensitive to human emotions and body language, allowing them to mirror and respond to a child’s emotional state. They offer a natural, non-judgemental environment, helping to build trust and emotional safety.

    One practitioner described the experience as “being seen through the eyes of a horse,” a moment of emotional connection that can be life-changing.

    And it’s not just the horses that help. The natural, open-air setting – often in paddocks surrounded by trees and wildlife – helps children feel relaxed and grounded.

    Practitioners spoke of using sensory-rich activities like walking barefoot in sand, observing animal tracks, or simply standing quietly with a horse to promote mindfulness and connection.

    “The benefits go beyond mental health,” Morgyn says. “Children often gain confidence, improve communication skills, and build stronger emotional resilience.”

    Even children who were initially afraid of horses found strength in overcoming their fears, with therapists carefully matching each child to the right animal.

    Senior UniSA researcher and qualified social worker, Dr Fatin Shabbar, says equine-assisted therapy is particularly effective for children who have experienced trauma, including those in the child protection system.

    “Practitioners in the study described deeply moving examples of children bonding with horses in ways that sparked emotional breakthroughs where other therapies had failed,” Dr Shabbar says.

    But while this approach is gaining popularity, it’s not yet widely accessible. Sessions can be expensive due to the cost of caring for horses and maintaining rural properties. Unless families receive funding from bodies such as the NDIS and child protection agencies, many are forced to pay out of pocket, or miss out altogether.

    “Another concern is the lack of regulation in Australia,” Dr Shabbar says. “Without clear guidelines, unqualified practitioners may offer equine-assisted services without appropriate training, which puts both children and the animals at risk.”

    And those practitioners who are highly qualified still face an uphill battle to gain recognition of equine-assisted therapy as an evidence-based practice.”

    The researchers say the findings are a strong call to action for professional bodies like the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) to provide clearer guidance and ethical standards for working with animals in therapy.

    “This research shows that equine-assisted therapy can be a deeply healing experience. But for it to reach more children, we need formal recognition, ethical guidelines and proper funding.”

    “Healing in relationships, the power of equine-assisted mental health interventions” is published in the Journal of Social Work Practice. 10.1080/02650533.2025.2495741

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    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: AI chatbots could spread ‘fake news’ with serious health consequences

    Source:

    30 June 2025

    Trust your doctor, not a chatbot. That’s the stark lesson from a world-first study that demonstrates why we shouldn’t be taking health advice generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

    Chatbots can easily be programmed to deliver false medical and health information, according to an international team of researchers who have exposed some concerning weaknesses in machine learning systems.

    Researchers from the University of South Australia, Flinders University, Harvard Medical School, University College London, and the Warsaw University of Technology have combined their expertise to show just how easy it is to exploit AI systems.

    In the study, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers evaluated the five foundational and most advanced AI systems developed by OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Meta and X Corp to determine whether they could be programmed to operate as health disinformation chatbots.

    Using instructions available only to developers, the researchers programmed each AI system – designed to operate as chatbots when embedded in web pages – to produce incorrect responses to health queries and include fabricated references from highly reputable sources to sound more authoritative and credible.

    The ‘chatbots’ were then asked a series of health-related questions.

    According to UniSA researcher, Dr Natansh Modi, the results were disconcerting.

    “In total, 88% of all responses were false,” Dr Modi says, “and yet they were presented with scientific terminology, a formal tone and fabricated references that made the information appear legitimate.

    “The disinformation included claims about vaccines causing autism, cancer-curing diets, HIV being airborne and 5G causing infertility.”

    Out of the five chatbots that were evaluated, four generated disinformation in 100% of their responses, while the fifth generated disinformation in 40% of its responses, showing some degree of robustness. 

    As part of the study, Dr Modi and his team also explored the OpenAI GPT Store, a publicly accessible platform that allows users to easily create and share customised ChatGPT apps, to assess the ease with which the public could create disinformation tools.

    “We successfully created a disinformation chatbot prototype using the platform and we also identified existing public tools on the store that were actively producing health disinformation.

    “Our study is the first to systematically demonstrate that leading AI systems can be converted into disinformation chatbots using developers’ tools, but also tools available to the public.”

    Dr Modi says that these findings reveal a significant and previously under-explored risk in the health sector.

    “Artificial intelligence is now deeply embedded in the way health information is accessed and delivered,” he says.

    “Millions of people are turning to AI tools for guidance on health-related questions.

    “If these systems can be manipulated to covertly produce false or misleading advice then they can create a powerful new avenue for disinformation that is harder to detect, harder to regulate and more persuasive than anything seen before.

    “This is not a future risk. It is already possible, and it is already happening.”

    While the study has revealed deficiencies in these AI systems, Dr Modi says that the findings highlight a path forward, but it will require buy-in and collaboration from a range of stakeholders.

    “Some models showed partial resistance,” he says, “which proves the point that effective safeguards are technically achievable.

    “However, the current protections are inconsistent and insufficient. Developers, regulators and public health stakeholders must act decisively, and they must act now.

    “Without immediate action, these systems could be exploited by malicious actors to manipulate public health discourse at scale, particularly during crises such as pandemics or vaccine campaigns.”

    The research article, ‘Assessing the System-Instruction Vulnerabilities of Large Language Models to Malicious Conversion into Health Disinformation Chatbots’ is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the world’s most cited internal medicine journal. DOI:10.7326/ANNALS-24-03933

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    Contact for interview:  Dr Natansh Modi E: Natansh.Modi@unisa.edu.au

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill, The Marshall “Major” Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-01) and Jim Baird (R-IN-04) led 43 of their colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Marshall “Major” Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act. This legislation would posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor — America’s first Black sports star, recognizing his significance to the nation as a trailblazing athlete. 

    Taylor managed to become the first African American world champion in any sport and earned the title of “world’s fastest man” despite the extraordinary challenges of the Jim Crow era. He endured attempts by white promoters in both the North and South to exclude him from races. White riders, too, subjected Taylor to curses, insults, and even physical harm during competitions. Despite these adversities, Taylor’s exceptional talent and tenacity turned him into a sensation, drawing tens of thousands at races across the United States, Europe, and Australia.

    “It is without question that Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor was a man before his time, a stellar athlete, a leader in the field of cycling, and a trailblazer,” said Rep. Jackson. “I believe it is fitting that Congress award the ‘world’s fastest man’ one of our nation’s most prestigious honors.”

    “Even when compared to today’s athletes, Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor is among the greatest cyclists of all time,” said Rep. Baird. “His accomplishments are especially impressive considering the challenges he faced on his climb to cycling greatness. Marshall Taylor is one of the greatest athletes in Indiana history, and I can think of no one better suited to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.”

    “Marshall W. ‘Major’ Taylor challenged both the odds and the adversity of his time with dignity and determination, and he went on to ultimately triumph,” said Karen Brown Donovan, the great-granddaughter of Major Taylor. “The awarding of a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal would be a significant achievement towards honoring his life and legacy.”

    Supporting Individuals and Groups

    119th Congress

    Co-lead: Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Original Cosponsors (44 total): Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI-AL), Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), David Scott (D-GA-13), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02),  Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Sharice Davis (D-KS-03),  Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09),  Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04),  Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC),  Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07),  Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12),  Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Cleo Fields (D-LA-06),  Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY-26), Nanette Barragan (D-CA-44), Troy Carter (D-LA-02),  Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Shomari Figures (D-AL-02).

    Supporting Organizations: Washington Area Bicyclist Association, The League of American Bicyclists, Major Taylor Association, Bike to the Beach, and Black Girls Do Bike, Inc.

    118th Congress

    Co-lead: Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Original Cosponsors (32 total): Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), André Carson (D-IN-07), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA-04), Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Earl Blumenauer (D-WA-03), James McGovern (D-MA-02), David Scott (D-GA-13), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX-18), Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Al Green (D-TX-09), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Chuy Garcia (D-IL-04), David Trone (D-MD-06), Ann Kuster (D-NH-02), John Duarte (R-CA-13), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Joe Wilson (R-SC-02). 

    Supporting Organizations: Bronzeville Trail Task Force, Inc., Major Taylor Association, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, League of American Bicyclists, ADD Impact Network & Bike to the Beach, and Black Girls Do Bike, Inc. 

    About Major Taylor

    Taylor, the son of a veteran who fought in the Civil War, was born in 1878. Despite racial tension, Taylor was educated and viewed as an adopted son by an affluent white family from Indianapolis, Indiana, who also employed his father, Gilbert Taylor. Due to his relationship with the family, Taylor received gifts, including his first bicycle. Upon receiving the bicycle, Taylor displayed natural talent. 

    Taylor received the nickname “Major” as a child while performing bicycle tricks outside of his workplace at Hay & Willits Manufacturing, Indiana Bicycle Co., in Indianapolis. His employer was so impressed with his abilities that the company enrolled him in his first race, which he won at the age of eleven. Taylor moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, with his employer, mentor, and racing manager, Louis D. “Birdie” Munger, in 1895, because Munger was forced out of his Indianapolis-based firm due to his mentorship of Taylor. 

    In 1896, at the age of eighteen, Taylor received a professional racing license from the League of American Wheelmen, despite the league’s 1894 “white only” rule for amateur membership. This membership led to his eventual professional debut.  

    Later that year, Taylor gained notoriety in his first professional contest by competing in the “Six Day Race” at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This race was considered a test of endurance, where cyclists would test both their mental and physical ability in front of a packed house at the Garden. At the conclusion of day six, Taylor finished eighth out of twenty-six and cycled roughly 1,732 miles. 

    In 1899, Taylor would win the world one-mile sprint championship in Montréal, becoming the first Black American and the second Black athlete to win a world title. Taylor would go on to set seven cycling records and become the first Black world champion, which led to his being considered the first international superstar. Taylor would even revolutionize the sport by creating an innovative adjustable handlebar stem, which to date is called the “Major Taylor Stem.”

    While experiencing racial prejudice throughout his career, Taylor became one of the first Black athletes to secure corporate sponsorships. He represented bicycle brands such as Iver Johnson, Sager, Stearns, and Orient, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest Black men in America. Due to his devout commitment to his faith, Taylor refused to race on Sundays, which led to him turning down a significant number of lucrative offers to race in Europe. However, once he achieved international superstardom, Taylor was able to negotiate “no Sundays” provisions in his European racing contracts. 

    Taylor retired from racing in 1910 and started many business ventures. In 1928, he published his autobiography “The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World” with the intent of impacting justice, equal rights, and the ‘square deal’ for African Americans in sports. 

    About the Congressional Gold Medal

    Since the late 1700s, Congress has expressed public gratitude to individuals and groups by awarding medals and other similar decorations. The Continental Congress awarded the first Congressional Gold Medals. Since that time, Congress has awarded gold medals to express public gratitude for distinguished contributions, dramatize the virtues of patriotism, and perpetuate the remembrance of great events. Two-thirds of both the House and Senate must cosponsor the legislation to advance it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson on the Second Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Students for Fair Admissions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson issued the following statement on the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, which struck down the use of race in college admissions and reversed decades of precedent supporting affirmative action:

    “Two years ago today, the Supreme Court turned its back on a long-standing commitment to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education. The decision to eliminate affirmative action was a regressive step that erased hard-won progress in the fight for educational equity.

    Affirmative action was never about giving anyone an unfair advantage; it was about acknowledging the barriers students of color face and working to level the playing field. It reflects the teachings of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., serving to right the scales of justice. By banning even the consideration of race as one of many factors in admissions, the Court ignored the reality of systemic inequality that continues to shape educational access and outcomes.

    This ruling has already had a chilling effect. Data shows a sharp decline in Black, Latino, and Native student admissions at top universities. Without intentional efforts to foster inclusion, we risk resegregating our campuses and narrowing the pipeline of future leaders from historically underrepresented communities.

    I remain committed to ensuring students of all races and backgrounds have a fair shot at opportunity. Congress must explore legislative avenues to promote equity, including increased support for HBCUs, targeted outreach, and race-conscious strategies that comply with the Court’s ruling. We must not let this decision be the final word on diversity in higher education.”

    Since the Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling, data from 59 selective colleges show that the average share of Black freshmen dropped from 7% to 6%, while Hispanic enrollment fell from roughly 14% to 13%—the largest one-year declines for these groups since 2010. Asian and white student proportions remained largely steady, and the percentage of students not reporting race doubled from 2% to 4%. 

    In response to growing attacks on inclusive values, Congressman Jackson co-founded the Congressional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Caucus to protect workers’ rights, defend inclusive policies, and raise awareness among lawmakers about the urgent need to embrace diversity across every sector of society. Through the DEI Caucus and ongoing collaboration with colleagues, community leaders, and students, he continues to address the lasting impact of the Supreme Court’s decision and to advance equitable, inclusive policies throughout the education system.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The awkward places NZers admit to using their devices – and why scammers love it

    Source: BNZ Statements

    From the bathroom to the boardroom, New Zealanders are responding to notifications and messages in some pretty awkward places – and it reveals just how distracted and hurried we’ve become, a new survey from BNZ shows.

    The nationwide study found that most New Zealanders have responded to an email, text or notification while doing something else, with 35% admitting they’ve done so in the bathroom, 41% in the middle of a face-to-face conversation, and 28% while in a meeting or webinar.

    “And when we’re rushed or distracted like this, we make mistakes,” says BNZ Head of Fraud Operations, Margaret Miller.

    Nearly a quarter (24%) confess to clicking through to a “great deal” without checking if the link was legitimate, while 19% have hit a link in a text before reading it properly.

    “Scammers prey on the fact that when we’re rushed, distracted, or juggling multiple things we’re more likely to click first and think later,” Miller says.

    The study found that New Zealanders are generally aware of when they’re most vulnerable, with 78% recognising that being distracted, rushed, multitasking, stressed or on autopilot makes them more likely to be scammed or make a mistake with online banking.

    Yet scammers are still succeeding. According to the survey, while 61% of Kiwis spotted a scam in the past year and avoided it, 12% weren’t so lucky.

    Strategic design to slow scams down

    While individual vigilance remains the best defence and the banking sector continues to invest tens of millions in security each year, BNZ is also exploring a different approach through strategic design features that work with how people actually behave.

    “While we all expect seamless digital experiences, we’ve learned that introducing small elements of friction at critical moments helps with focus and ultimately, keeps customers and their money safer,” says BNZ Head of Design, Donal Devlin.

    “In practice, this means things like swapping button locations, adding brief pause notifications, or showing “pause and think” alerts to help customers stay focused when making higher risk transactions or actions in their accounts.

    “It’s about finding the right balance between convenience and security – adding just enough of a moment to think when the stakes are highest.”

    BNZ is also strengthening security in other ways, including being one of only two major banks to offer app-based authentication rather than text messages, which can be intercepted by scammers.

    The bank has also introduced online banking lock, which gives customers the ability to quickly disable all online banking activity and lock access to their online banking if they suspect a scammer has gained access to their accounts.

    It’s all about working with human nature, not against it, Miller says.

    “We know people are busy, we know they multi-task, and we know they sometimes rush.

    “So, while customers should remain vigilant, we’re also designing smart security features that give you a moment to double-check when it matters most.”

    Tips for improving your digital safety and security

    • Pause before clicking – especially if you’re doing something else at the same time
    • Never click on links or attachments sent by someone you don’t know or that seem out of character for someone you do know
    • Keep your computer and phone security software up to date
    • Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed

    Red flags to watch for – BNZ will never:

    • Email or text you links to online banking and ask you to log in
    • Send you a text message with a link to a website, or link to call us
    • Ask you for your PIN number or password
    • Ask you to share the authentication codes sent to you by text or email, even with a BNZ staff member
    • Ask you to transfer money to help catch a scammer or a bank employee who is scamming customers
    • Send you a text message about account issues with a link to log in
    • Ask you to download software to access your Internet Banking remotely
    • Use international phone numbers to call or send you notifications

    The BNZ Safe and Secure Survey was conducted by Insights HQ in May 2025, with sample sizes ranging from n=235 to n=478 depending on the question. Overall survey results were weighted to be nationally representative by age (15+ years), gender, and region based on Census 2020.

    The post The awkward places NZers admit to using their devices – and why scammers love it appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Corporate publications

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Last updated 30 June 2025
    Last updated 30 June 2025

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    We produce a range of publications, resources and reports for the tertiary sector to keep you abreast of important issues.
    We produce a range of publications, resources and reports for the tertiary sector to keep you abreast of important issues.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide investigation under way, Ōtāhuhu

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Ōtāhuhu last night.

    Emergency services were called to a Beatty Street property at about 8.30pm following a report of a person being seriously injured.

    Detective Inspector Karen Bright, Counties Manukau CIB, says upon arrival, Police found a man in a critical condition.

    He was transported to hospital, however he died of his injuries overnight.

    “Police are continuing to gather information from the scene and enquiries into the exact circumstances surrounding what happened remain ongoing.

    “We are also making enquiries to locate a person of interest.

    “Those involved are believed to be known to each other and we do not believe there is any ongoing risk to the wider community.”

    Detective Inspector Bright says a scene examination is under way at the address and there will be an increased Police presence in the area while the investigation continues.

    “Our teams are working hard to identify and locate the person responsible and are asking anyone who saw what happened, who has not yet spoken to us, to please get in touch.”

    If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please make a report via 105, using the file number 250629/6502 and quote ‘Operation Tell’.

    Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org(link is external)

    Further information will be provided when we are in a position to do so.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Log trailer lifting failure lead to important safety changes on and off ports

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Incidents where log trailers fell while being lifted, seriously endangering workers, have led to important safety changes on ports and at other sites where log trailers are lifted onto trucks.

    The Port Health and Safety Leadership Group identified working with suspended loads as one of the key risks on ports in its Port Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan.

    The incidents with log trailers were a call to action for everyone involved to create solutions that will be applied on and beyond ports. Transport and stevedoring companies, Maritime NZ, WorkSafe and industry organisations were all involved, and port operators and others were kept informed.

    The changes are:

    • The Log Transport Safety Council has issued a safety alert to transport operators to upgrade hammerlocks and chains to heavier gauges. The alert also advises that the Council is reviewing and updating its code for checking lifting chains and clarifying who the code defines as ‘competent persons’ to carry out inspections.
    • Prototype equipment and work practices for its use are being trialled at Picton and Nelson. These include a system of tethers, and truck lane and position indicators. The tethers stop log trailers moving when they’re lifted, removing the need for manual handling to try to control trailers while they’re off the ground. Lane and position indicators help drivers line trucks up correctly before trailers are lifted off the road and then again when trucks are reversed for the trailers to be loaded onto the trucks.

    The incident and follow up

    Maritime NZ was notified that lifting gear had failed while hoisting a log trailer at Picton. The trailer fell, narrowly missing workers.

    Maritime NZ inspected the work site and identified two related issues: the strength and inspection of the lifting equipment, and the work practices of drivers and stevedores working with suspended loads while lifting trailers.

    Collaboration with WorkSafe NZ confirmed that similar incidents had occurred outside ports, with log trailers falling when lifting equipment failed. The two agencies understood the solutions would be applicable to many work sites where logging trailers were lifted, not only on ports.

    Both the transport and stevedore company acknowledged the unsafe situation and demonstrated a strong commitment to correcting the issue.

    Maritime NZ accepted a voluntary agreement on the basis that it was confident the two companies involved would work together to develop solutions to manage the risk of working with suspended loads and lifting failure, in a way that included other transport companies.

    The Log Transport Safety Council, which is recognised as a trusted source of log transport research and industry knowledge, has been proactive with the findings and acknowledged this was an industry-wide issue. As a result, following this incident, the Council issued its safety alert.

    Both WorkSafe and Maritime NZ attended a recent Council meeting. They spoke about the incident, how all involved responded, and the prototype systems developed in collaboration by the transport and stevedore companies and being trialled at Port Nelson and Port Marlborough.

    Collaboration for a better outcome

    The Leadership Group says this is a very good example of the positive outcomes from a recommendation in its Action Plan. That is, that Maritime NZ be the regulator responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with health and safety legislation on ports, as well as on ships, and collaborate with WorkSafe to resolve issues, particularly where they have wider impact than solely on ports.

    The genuinely tripartite way the Leadership Group works together (industry, unions and regulators) has built trust and understanding.

    When these dangerous incidents occurred, those relationships helped all involved to collaborate, identify the risks and causes behind the incident, and then allowed industry-led, innovative solutions to be formulated.

    If you would like more information, please email [email protected].
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway going to 110km/h

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A new 110km/h speed limit on the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will come into effect first thing tomorrow morning, Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced today. 
    “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity, and with over 20,000 vehicles travelling this motorway every day, the new higher speed will help ensure people and freight can get to where they need to go, quickly and safely,” Mr Bishop says. 
    “Late last year, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) publicly consulted on increasing the speed limit from north of the Pūhoi interchange viaduct to south of the Warkworth roundabout to 110km/h. More than 7,900 submissions were received across Northland and Auckland. Responses were overwhelmingly positive, with 94% in support of the increasing the speed limit and 91% strongly in favour. 
    “The Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway has been designed and constructed with safety features that greatly reduce the risk of death and serious injury in a crash such as two lanes in each direction providing safe passing opportunities, flexible median barrier separation between opposing lanes, and a mostly straight, wide alignment. Since opening in 2023, no one has died in a crash.
    “Kiwis have had their say and NZTA has completed all required technical assessments, with the motorway being assessed as safe to increase the speed limit to 110km/h. Now, we’re getting on and delivering it.
    “Police will apply the same enforcement to 110km/h roads as any other part of the road network. Drivers can expect to see police patrols on New Zealand roads anywhere, at any time. Drivers should continue to drive to the conditions, free from impairment and distraction, and make sure everyone’s wearing their seatbelt. 
    “The Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway has vastly improved the safety, connectivity, and resilience of the network between Auckland and Northland, and has opened access to popular destinations between the two regions. As a critical route for road users, freight, and tourists, I look forward to the new 110km/h speed limit coming into effect from tomorrow.” 
    The new 110km/h speed limit on the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway comes into effect on Tuesday 1 July 2025 and will apply from 2.5km north of the Johnstones Hill Tunnels, to south of Warkworth roundabout.
    Notes to editor:
     

    The public consultation for increasing the speed limit to 110km/h on the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway took place from 3 September to 1 October 2024.
    7,911 submissions were received from across Northland and Auckland, including 158 submissions from businesses or organisations.
    The speed limit on SH1 through the Johnstones Hill Tunnels will remain 80km/h. While the SH1 Johnstones Hill Tunnels are built to high safety standards, the enclosed environment within a tunnel creates a different safety risk to that of the surrounding motorway. There are no current plans to review or change the speed limit for this section.
    There is a transition zone where the speed limit will be kept at 100km/h for a short length (2.5km) north of the Johnstones Hill Tunnel over two viaducts. This section is an area of weaving movements, where traffic is diverging and merging, exiting and egressing on short, narrow on and off ramps, with narrow lines of sight over the viaducts, and does not meet safety criteria for an increased speed.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide investigation underway, Ōtāhuhu

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Ōtāhuhu last night.

    Emergency services were called to a Beatty Street property at about 8.30pm following a report of a person being seriously injured.

    Detective Inspector Karen Bright, Counties Manukau CIB, says upon arrival, Police found a man in a critical condition.

    He was transported to hospital, however he died of his injuries overnight.

    “Police are continuing to gather information from the scene and enquiries into the exact circumstances surrounding what happened remain ongoing.

    “We are also making enquiries to locate a person of interest.

    “Those involved are believed to be known to each other and we do not believe there is any ongoing risk to the wider community.”

    Detective Inspector Bright says a scene examination is under way at the address and there will be an increased Police presence in the area while the investigation continues.

    “Our teams are working hard to identify and locate the person responsible and are asking anyone who saw what happened, who has not yet spoken to us, to please get in touch.”

    If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please make a report via 105, using the file number 250629/6502 and quote ‘Operation Tell’.

    Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org(link is external)

    Further information will be provided when we are in a position to do so.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China, Vietnam Hold Border Meeting on Justice Cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NANNING, June 29 (Xinhua) — Judicial and administrative organs of China and Vietnam held a border meeting from Saturday to Sunday in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

    This was the first meeting of its kind. It was attended by about 150 people from both countries, including representatives of justice departments and local judicial and administrative bodies, as well as legal professionals.

    During the talks, the parties reached broad consensus on issues such as the creation of diversified mechanisms for settling civil and commercial disputes at the border, expanding and deepening cooperation in the provision of legal services and joint training of highly qualified legal personnel.

    According to Chinese Justice Minister He Rong, relevant departments of the two countries should work together to strengthen exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields, including legislation, legal services, legal assistance, training of highly qualified specialists and the introduction of digital technologies.

    For his part, Vietnamese Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh pointed out that the meeting would contribute to building a peaceful and friendly border, deepening bilateral relations of comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership, and jointly promoting the construction of a Vietnamese-Chinese community of shared destiny, which is of strategic importance.

    The participants discussed in detail issues of advocacy, conciliation procedures, international cooperation, legal assistance in civil and commercial cases, and training of personnel in the field of jurisprudence.

    During the meeting, a number of cooperation agreements were signed. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name Release, Wai-iti death

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police can now release the name of the person who died in Wai-iti, Tasman, while clearing a fallen tree on Saturday.

    He was 67-year-old Peter Lines, of Wai-iti.

    Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

    His death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roberta Esbitt, Associate, RMIT University

    If you want to advertise a house online in Australia, you don’t have many options. Just two companies dominate the market.

    Australia’s largest property listings platform, realestate.com.au, belongs to digital media company REA Group, which is majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s US-based media conglomerate News Corporation (News Corp).

    REA claims average traffic of 11.9 million viewers per month, substantially more than that of its nearest rival, Domain.

    That’s led to widespread concern about REA’s dominant market power and the potential for price-gouging, which are currently subject to an ongoing probe by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    Meanwhile, my research has revealed that REA has expanded into mortgage lending, an important new direction which, until now, has escaped attention.

    The implications here are worth considering. News Corp, a foreign-owned media company, now has a direct stake in framing the Australian housing narrative and influencing policy, while profiting through its property platform from listings, data, and its own mortgages.

    It’s a shrewd business strategy. But Australia currently doesn’t have a regulator fit for overseeing such a hybrid entity, raising serious questions about who is keeping watch.

    ‘Good debt’

    Australian households have long accepted the prevailing narrative, promoted by the media, that housing investment is their “path to wealth”. Mortgages are endorsed as the way to manage the growing gap between flatlined wages and rising house prices.

    Primed for finance in this way, many households have come to embrace mortgages as an aspirational form of “good debt”, the mark of a savvy player rather than a long-term financial burden.

    This has helped fuel what could be described as a housing “frenzy”, a volatile situation in which escalating housing prices and indebtedness undermine household wellbeing. Younger generations and the disadvantaged, among others, are left out in the cold.

    From newspapers to platforms to finance

    As digitisation has forced legacy media players such as News Corp to seek new strategies to stay viable, so too has it disrupted the finance industry by opening it up to non-bank players.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, REA Group entered the mortgage market in 2016, starting with a partnership with National Australia Bank. It purchased mortgage brokerages the following year.

    The realestate.com.au platform was then redesigned to include a mortgage portal to direct millions of Australian homeseekers to lending through those channels. This provides REA with revenue from platform leads to the bank, as well as up-front and trailing mortgage commissions from their brokers.

    REA also harvests the extensive financial data supplied by millions of users via their financial profiles and the calculator tools embedded in the website.

    That data, an increasingly valuable asset, can be monetised through the platform’s advertiser and homebuyer markets, and News Corp’s extensive partnerships with data broker and analytics companies.

    Selling mortgages

    Most recently, REA Group has taken its finance strategy one step further. In October 2024, it purchased a 19.9% stake in digital non-bank lender Athena Home Loans.

    This allows REA to profit directly from its own mortgages offered to platform users through its current brokerage, Mortgage Choice.

    For REA Group (and its owner, News Corp), this move is both logical and strategically compelling in a challenging media environment. As well as influencing policy, REA Group and News Corp are proficient in crafting and cross-promoting a powerful message about housing and debt to the public.

    With their profit now even more directly tied to the housing mortgage market – and thereby customers’ debt – the Athena acquisition can only strengthen REA’s vested interest in the continued rise in house prices and household indebtedness. This has the potential to undermine policies to improve housing affordability.

    The law can’t keep up

    The power imbalance against consumers is stark. So which regulator is keeping an eye on it?

    Such an initiative combining housing, finance and media can slip through the cracks in Australia’s fragmented regulatory system with its narrowly-focused legislation.

    The legislation lags behind the technology as well. A platform’s persuasive design, with its algorithmic tools, predetermined paths and data harvesting, obscures its prioritisation of commercial interests over that of consumers.

    Players from different industries interacting through the “black box” of a platform appear to come under looser regulatory oversight than those from a single industry or operating outside a platform.

    As an ACCC representative admitted:

    the legislation isn’t updated in the way that […] keeps pace with the evolving technology, trends and emerging markets.

    In a landscape where such complex digital initiatives are becoming the norm, regulators urgently need to update their understanding and broaden their jurisdiction to include them.

    And not just in Australia. REA has confirmed that a successful trial of its initiative here will lead to its rollout across its broad global property platform network.

    Nor just REA. Other companies are eyeing this space. REA’s closest competitor, Domain, is currently under acquisition by CoStar, a major digital real estate player in the United States, with the aim to challenge REA.

    The rapid and major disruptions caused by such initiatives, such as Airbnb’s negative impact on housing affordability globally, can be difficult to redress retrospectively.

    Somebody needs to keep watch.

    REA Group declined to comment on this article.

    Roberta Esbitt 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. Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators? – https://theconversation.com/murdochs-news-corp-has-moved-into-the-mortgage-business-where-are-the-regulators-259039

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roberta Esbitt, Associate, RMIT University

    If you want to advertise a house online in Australia, you don’t have many options. Just two companies dominate the market.

    Australia’s largest property listings platform, realestate.com.au, belongs to digital media company REA Group, which is majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s US-based media conglomerate News Corporation (News Corp).

    REA claims average traffic of 11.9 million viewers per month, substantially more than that of its nearest rival, Domain.

    That’s led to widespread concern about REA’s dominant market power and the potential for price-gouging, which are currently subject to an ongoing probe by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    Meanwhile, my research has revealed that REA has expanded into mortgage lending, an important new direction which, until now, has escaped attention.

    The implications here are worth considering. News Corp, a foreign-owned media company, now has a direct stake in framing the Australian housing narrative and influencing policy, while profiting through its property platform from listings, data, and its own mortgages.

    It’s a shrewd business strategy. But Australia currently doesn’t have a regulator fit for overseeing such a hybrid entity, raising serious questions about who is keeping watch.

    ‘Good debt’

    Australian households have long accepted the prevailing narrative, promoted by the media, that housing investment is their “path to wealth”. Mortgages are endorsed as the way to manage the growing gap between flatlined wages and rising house prices.

    Primed for finance in this way, many households have come to embrace mortgages as an aspirational form of “good debt”, the mark of a savvy player rather than a long-term financial burden.

    This has helped fuel what could be described as a housing “frenzy”, a volatile situation in which escalating housing prices and indebtedness undermine household wellbeing. Younger generations and the disadvantaged, among others, are left out in the cold.

    From newspapers to platforms to finance

    As digitisation has forced legacy media players such as News Corp to seek new strategies to stay viable, so too has it disrupted the finance industry by opening it up to non-bank players.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, REA Group entered the mortgage market in 2016, starting with a partnership with National Australia Bank. It purchased mortgage brokerages the following year.

    The realestate.com.au platform was then redesigned to include a mortgage portal to direct millions of Australian homeseekers to lending through those channels. This provides REA with revenue from platform leads to the bank, as well as up-front and trailing mortgage commissions from their brokers.

    REA also harvests the extensive financial data supplied by millions of users via their financial profiles and the calculator tools embedded in the website.

    That data, an increasingly valuable asset, can be monetised through the platform’s advertiser and homebuyer markets, and News Corp’s extensive partnerships with data broker and analytics companies.

    Selling mortgages

    Most recently, REA Group has taken its finance strategy one step further. In October 2024, it purchased a 19.9% stake in digital non-bank lender Athena Home Loans.

    This allows REA to profit directly from its own mortgages offered to platform users through its current brokerage, Mortgage Choice.

    For REA Group (and its owner, News Corp), this move is both logical and strategically compelling in a challenging media environment. As well as influencing policy, REA Group and News Corp are proficient in crafting and cross-promoting a powerful message about housing and debt to the public.

    With their profit now even more directly tied to the housing mortgage market – and thereby customers’ debt – the Athena acquisition can only strengthen REA’s vested interest in the continued rise in house prices and household indebtedness. This has the potential to undermine policies to improve housing affordability.

    The law can’t keep up

    The power imbalance against consumers is stark. So which regulator is keeping an eye on it?

    Such an initiative combining housing, finance and media can slip through the cracks in Australia’s fragmented regulatory system with its narrowly-focused legislation.

    The legislation lags behind the technology as well. A platform’s persuasive design, with its algorithmic tools, predetermined paths and data harvesting, obscures its prioritisation of commercial interests over that of consumers.

    Players from different industries interacting through the “black box” of a platform appear to come under looser regulatory oversight than those from a single industry or operating outside a platform.

    As an ACCC representative admitted:

    the legislation isn’t updated in the way that […] keeps pace with the evolving technology, trends and emerging markets.

    In a landscape where such complex digital initiatives are becoming the norm, regulators urgently need to update their understanding and broaden their jurisdiction to include them.

    And not just in Australia. REA has confirmed that a successful trial of its initiative here will lead to its rollout across its broad global property platform network.

    Nor just REA. Other companies are eyeing this space. REA’s closest competitor, Domain, is currently under acquisition by CoStar, a major digital real estate player in the United States, with the aim to challenge REA.

    The rapid and major disruptions caused by such initiatives, such as Airbnb’s negative impact on housing affordability globally, can be difficult to redress retrospectively.

    Somebody needs to keep watch.

    REA Group declined to comment on this article.

    Roberta Esbitt 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. Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators? – https://theconversation.com/murdochs-news-corp-has-moved-into-the-mortgage-business-where-are-the-regulators-259039

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Stand on any car park on a sunny day in February and the heat will radiate through your shoes. At 30°C air temperature, that asphalt hits 50–55°C – hot enough to cause second-degree burns to skin in seconds.

    Right now, in the northern hemisphere summer, 100 million Americans are dealing with 38°C temperatures. Britain is preparing for hundreds of heat deaths. In New Zealand, of course, we’re still lighting fires and complaining about the cold.

    But that gives us time to prepare for our own heatwaves. Open-air car parks that sit empty for 20 hours a day could become cooling infrastructure instead. Transport routes can become cooling corridors.

    Replace asphalt with trees, grass and permeable surfaces, and you can drop surface temperatures by 12°C. It’s not complicated. It’s not even expensive.

    It’s getting hotter

    NIWA data shows New Zealand is already experiencing extreme temperatures five times more frequently than historical baselines. Wellington hit 30.3°C and Hamilton 32.9°C in January, both all-time records. Marine heatwaves are persisting around South Island coasts months longer than usual.

    Aucklanders will face 48 additional days above 25°C annually by 2099, as summer temperatures increase by 3.6°C. Auckland Council has already adopted the most severe warming scenario (3.8°C) for infrastructure planning, acknowledging previous models underestimated the pace of change.

    Even Wellington’s famously cool winds won’t offset the estimated 79% increase in residential cooling energy demand by 2090, driven by hotter, longer summers and more extreme-heat days.

    A quarter of New Zealand’s population will be over 65 by 2043, an age when heat regulation becomes harder and fixed incomes make cooling costs a real burden.

    Currently, 14 heat-related deaths occur annually among Auckland’s over-65 population when temperatures exceed just 20°C. As the mercury rises, our older population will be at a greater risk.

    Summer in the city: a vendor sells drinks and ice cream during a severe heat wave in Washington DC, June 23.
    Getty Images

    Greener is cooler

    While global average temperature increases of 1.5°C might appear modest, the actual temperatures we experience in our cities is far more extreme. The built environment – all that concrete and asphalt – traps heat like an oven.

    But converting car parks back to green space can knock the temperature down dramatically.

    Research from Osaka Prefecture in Japan recorded surface temperature reductions of up to 14.7°C when comparing asphalt to grass-covered parking during sunny summer conditions.

    Another study found temperature differences averaging 11.79°C between asphalt and grass surfaces, with air temperature differences of 7-8°C at human height.

    Trees are the heavy lifters here. Stand under a tree on a hot day, and it can feel 17°C cooler than standing in the sun. Add rain gardens (shallow, planted areas designed to capture and filter stormwater) and ground cover for another 2-4°C reduction. Layer these elements together, and you get cooling that works even on overcast days.

    Roads as cooling corridors

    Grassy and tree-covered car parks are just a starting point. Auckland’s 7,800 kilometres of roads could become the city’s cooling system. Every bus lane, cycleway and walking path is an opportunity for green infrastructure.

    If we stop thinking of transport corridors as merely a way to get from one place to another, and see them as multifunctional cooling networks, the possibilities multiply while the costs remain relatively low.

    Melbourne’s COVID-era parklet program proved this works: 594 small conversions created 15,000 square metres of public space at just A$300–900 per square metre.

    Converting even a small percentage of New Zealand’s parking infrastructure could create connected cooling corridors throughout our cities.

    Protecting cycleways with a tree canopy would encourage active transport while cooling neighbourhoods. Bus lanes with rain garden medians would improve service reliability while managing stormwater.

    5 things councils can do

    Summer is six months away – maybe not enough time to do all the work needed, but certainly enough to get a plan in place. Here are five things councils could do.

    1. Plant trees now: winter is planting season. Focus on car parks and heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods. Use fast-growing natives and protective rings to ensure survival. Trees planted now will provide shade by December.

    2. Install modular planters: test cooling locations with movable infrastructure before committing to permanent changes. Order now for spring placement when residents can see the benefits.

    3. Schedule paving replacements: when resurfacing is needed, switch to permeable options and get heat-reducing surfaces in place before summer.

    4. Design shade structures: plan and budget pop-up shade for the hottest areas. Having designs ready means quick installation when temperatures spike.

    5. Organise spring planting days: line up community groups now, source trees through winter nursery contracts, and hit the ground running in September. Small investments in coordination yield big cooling dividends.

    Auckland Council’s NZ$1 billion climate action package includes grants of $1,000 to $50,000 for climate projects. Wellington’s Climate and Sustainability Fund and Christchurch’s 50-year Urban Forest Plan provide similar frameworks.

    The Ministry for the Environment’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development creates opportunity by removing minimum parking requirements. This frees up land for trees, gardens and public spaces instead of underused asphalt, maximising climate co-benefits: cooler surfaces, better stormwater management and more pleasant streetscapes.

    By next February, we can either be thanking ourselves for planting trees and converting car parks, or feeling the heat from that 50°C asphalt.

    Timothy Welch 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. NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes – https://theconversation.com/nz-cities-are-getting-hotter-5-things-councils-can-do-now-to-keep-us-cooler-when-summer-comes-259885

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Mr Smith or Gary? Why some teachers ask students to call them by their first name

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Brownlie, Lecturer in Education, University of Southern Queensland

    Johnny Greig/ Getty Images

    When you went to school, did you call your teacher Mrs, Ms or Mr, followed by their surname? Perhaps you even called them Sir or Miss.

    The tradition of addressing teachers in a formal manner goes back centuries. For many of us, calling a teacher by their first name would have been unthinkable.

    But that’s not automatically the case anymore. Some teachers in mainstream schools now ask students to call them by their first name.

    Why is this? And what impact can teachers’ names have in the classroom?

    There’s no rule

    There’s no official rule in Australia on what students should call teachers.
    Naming is usually decided by schools or individual teachers. This is no official training on this topic before teachers start in classrooms.

    Some primary school teachers now use first names or a less formal name such as “Mr D”. Teachers say this helps break down barriers, especially for young students or those who are learning English as an additional language.

    High schools are more likely to stick with tradition, partly to maintain structure and boundaries, especially with teenagers. Using formal titles can also support early-career teachers or those from minority
    backgrounds     assert their authority in a classroom.

    But even so, some high school teachers are using their first names to foster a sense of trust and encourage students to see them as a partner in learning, rather than simply an authority figure.

    What does the research say?

    Research – which is mainly from the United States – suggests names have an impact on how students perceive their teachers and feel about school.

    In one study of US high school students, teenagers described teachers they addressed with formal titles as more distant and harder to connect with. Teachers who invited students to use their first name were seen as more supportive, approachable and trustworthy.

    A secondary school principal in the state of Maryland reported students felt more included and respected when they could use teachers’ first names. It made classrooms feel less hierarchical and more collaborative.

    A 2020 US study on teaching students doing practical placements found those who used their first name observed greater student engagement than those who did not. This came as a surprise to the student teachers who expected students would not respect them if they used their first names.

    These findings don’t necessarily mean titles are bad. Rather, they show first names can support stronger teacher-student relationships.

    It’s important to note society in general has become less formal in recent decades in terms of how we address and refer to each other.

    So, what should students call their teachers?

    What works in one school, or even one classroom, may not work in another.

    For example, for Indigenous students or students from non-English speaking households, name practices that show cultural respect and mutual choice can be vital. They help create a sense of safety and inclusion.

    But for other teachers, being called by their title may be a key part of their professional persona.

    That’s why it’s important for naming decisions to be thoughtful and based on the needs of the teacher, students and broader school community.

    The key is to treat naming as part of the broader relationship, not just a habit or automatic tradition. Whether students say “Mrs Lee” or “Jess” matters less than whether they feel safe, respected and included. It’s about the tone and relationship behind the name, not simply what someone is called.

    Nicole Brownlie 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. Mr Smith or Gary? Why some teachers ask students to call them by their first name – https://theconversation.com/mr-smith-or-gary-why-some-teachers-ask-students-to-call-them-by-their-first-name-259790

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How to reform the NDIS and better support disabled people who don’t qualify for it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute

    Australia is spending more than ever on disability services – and yet many people with disability still aren’t receiving the support they need.

    Since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) began in 2013, it has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of disabled Australians and their families.

    But the NDIS has grown too big, too fast.

    The scheme cost nearly A$42 billion in 2023-24 and is expected to cost more than $58 billion by 2028. This makes it one of the fastest-growing pressures on the federal budget.

    New “foundational supports” – disability-specific services outside individual NDIS packages – are part of the answer to reduce demand on the NDIS and make the scheme sustainable. They were supposed to be operational from July 1 2025. That’s tomorrow, but they are nowhere to be seen.

    A new Grattan Institute report shows how the government can fund these vital supports and save the NDIS – without spending more money.

    Spending is too concentrated in the NDIS

    All Australian governments are spending more on disability services than they were before the NDIS.

    Note: Includes all expenditure on direct disability service delivery by Australian governments.
    Sources: Productivity Commission Return on Government Services report 2025/Grattan Institute

    This is a good thing. But most of this expenditure is for individual NDIS funding packages. The NDIS funds packages for about 700,000 Australians.

    This leaves little support for the roughly 75% of disabled Australians who don’t qualify for the NDIS.

    Around 200,000 Australians with a severe mental illness, for example, aren’t receiving the psychosocial supports they need.

    Many other disabled Australians might only require occasional or low-intensity support such as peer support, supported decision-making, or self-advocacy – supports which are poorly funded and targeted under current arrangements.

    So there’s a huge incentive for people to get into the NDIS, regardless of whether an individualised funding package best meets their needs.

    The NDIS supports more people than intended

    We’re seeing this incentive play out in ballooning numbers of people entering the NDIS.

    In 2011, the Productivity Commission estimated a mature NDIS would serve 490,000 people.

    But in 2025, the NDIS is supporting more than 700,000 people. That number is projected to surpass one million by 2034.

    The number of adults in the scheme is only a little higher than originally expected, but the number of children is nearly double.

    Note: Productivity Commission estimates have been inflated based on population growth for 0-64 year-olds between the reference year (2009) and 2024, using Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population data.
    Sources: Productivity Commission Disability Care and Support 2011, National Disability Insurance Agency Explore Data 2024, Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population 2024/Grattan Institute

    About 10% of children aged five to seven are now in the NDIS, including 15% of six-year-old boys.

    The expectation was that many children would only require short-term early intervention supports. Instead, most children are staying in the scheme long term.

    Our research shows the current NDIS design is poorly suited to delivering early intervention, which works best for children when it is delivered in the places they live, learn and play. This includes in playgroups, libraries and early childhood education settings.

    An individualised funding model makes this difficult. Yet this is the only option available for most families, because the NDIS has led to reduced investment in services that could work far better for their children.

    Support more Australians with disability

    The problem isn’t the amount of funding in the system, but the way it is used.

    The original NDIS design was for a multi-tiered scheme with different levels of coverage. Getting back to this idea is what foundational supports is all about.

    Foundational supports are services and supports for people with disability that do not involve individualised funding from the NDIS.

    To meet the needs of more disabled Australians and take pressure off the NDIS, it is imperative that governments establish an ambitious program of these lower-intensity supports.

    These should include supports available to all disabled Australians who need them, such as information and advice, support with decision-making, and access to peer support or self-advocacy.

    Foundational supports are best delivered where people live, play and learn.
    Central City Library (Kids zone)/Shutterstock

    They should also include evidence-based early intervention supports for children with disability and/or developmental delay. And they should include psychosocial supports for people with severe mental illness who don’t meet the threshold for an individualised NDIS package.

    The current impasse in Commonwealth-state funding negotiations could be overcome by governments agreeing to repurpose a small portion – about 10% – of their existing NDIS contributions.

    Our report outlines a plan to fully fund foundational supports using this repurposed funding and better allocate individualised funding. This would ensure more people get the support they need within an affordable NDIS that grows more slowly.

    Don’t save money by delaying access

    NDIS growth has fallen in recent quarters and is on track to be 10.6% in 2024-25.

    This compares with an average growth rate of more than 24% a year over the past five years.

    But it is too early to attribute that reduction in growth to policy changes.

    A significant downturn in operational performance is very likely to be a contributing factor. The NDIS is groaning under the weight of unsustainable work volumes.

    Since September 2023, it has been taking longer to approve new applicants trying to get access to the NDIS, and to reassess the plans of people already on the scheme.

    Notes: Data is unavailable for December 2023 due to the NDIA upgrading to a new computer system.
    Sources: NDIA Quarterly reports, Q4 2021-22 to Q3 2024-25/Grattan Institute

    We know what drives growth in NDIS expenditure: more people joining the scheme, and existing NDIS participants’ plans increasing over time.

    At the moment, slowing down how fast the NDIS is growing is coming at the expense of the disabled people who need support from the NDIS and are waiting too long to get it.

    It is important that necessary growth moderation is achieved through measures that do not result in vital supports being delayed, or disabled peoples’ experience of, and results from, the NDIS being undermined.

    The NDIS is worth saving. Making necessary policy changes now to rebalance the NDIS will ensure it endures for future generations.

    Grattan Institute’s Disability Program has support from the Summer Foundation.

    – ref. How to reform the NDIS and better support disabled people who don’t qualify for it – https://theconversation.com/how-to-reform-the-ndis-and-better-support-disabled-people-who-dont-qualify-for-it-258799

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Zala, Senior Lecturer, Politics & International Relations, Monash University

    As the ceasefire between Israel and Iran seems to be holding for now, it is important to reflect on whether this whole episode was worth the risks.

    Wider escalation was (and remains) possible, and we do not know whether Iran will seek a nuclear weapon with renewed vigour in the future.

    So, could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran, if it does indeed continue to pursue a bomb?

    Is an Iranian bomb an existential threat?

    The conventional wisdom, at least in the Western world, is that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose an existential threat to Israel, and possibly the United States as well.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were aimed at rolling back “the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival”.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described an Iranian bomb as “an existential threat, not just to Israel, but to the United States, and to the entire world”.

    The same mantra has been repeated by leaders in Europe, at the G7 meeting, and in Australia.

    Iran, of course, did not yet possess a nuclear weapon when the strikes occurred, as the UN nuclear watchdog attested. The strikes were aimed at preventing Iran from being able to do so in the future – a prospect seen by Israel and the US as simply “unthinkable”.

    But if Iran had built a nuclear weapon before the Israeli and US strikes – or manages to do so in the future – would this pose an existential threat to Israel or the US?

    The answer is no. And for a very simple reason: nuclear deterrence works.

    Why deterrence works

    If Iran had a monopoly on nuclear weapons, it would be different. But it does not.

    Israel has maintained a robust nuclear arsenal for more than half a century. Every authoritative assessment of global nuclear weapons stockpiles includes Israel’s roughly 90 nuclear warheads.

    The Israeli government officially neither confirms nor denies the existence of its nuclear arsenal. But thanks to leaks from inside the Israeli nuclear program – as well as the best assessments from around the world – we can be quite sure they exist. It also explains why Israel has never signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty – it can’t without giving up this stockpile.

    The US, of course, has been nuclear-armed since 1945 and openly maintains an inventory of thousands of nuclear warheads. These provide a deterrent against nuclear attacks on the United States.

    Washington also provides extended nuclear deterrence guarantees to over 30 states, including members of NATO, Japan, South Korea and Australia. It does not need to provide this for Israel given the Israeli arsenal. But if there was ever any doubt about Israel’s stockpile, it certainly could.

    After 80 years of living with nuclear weapons, we know the deterrent effect of assured nuclear retaliation is very powerful. It deterred both the Soviets and Americans from using nuclear weapons against each other through multiple Cold War crises. It has deterred both India and Pakistan from using them in multiple standoffs, including quite recently. It has deterred both North Korea and the US from striking each other.

    Similarly, Iran would no doubt be deterred from using a nuclear weapon by a certain Israeli or American response.

    Iranian leaders have called for the destruction of Israel, and the chants of “death to Israel” and “death to America” are a common occurrence at rallies held by supporters of the regime.

    But beneath the fiery rhetoric lies a truism: no Iranian leader would destroy Israel with a nuclear weapon if it came at the expense of the destruction of Iran.

    In the history of the nation-state, not a single one has ever knowingly committed suicide. Not for any reason – ideological, religious, political or any other. All nations value survival over everything else because this allows for the achievement of other goals, such as power and prosperity.

    Further, Iran is ruled by a brutally authoritarian, theocratic regime. And for authoritarian regimes, staying in power is the number one priority. There is no staying in power the day after a nuclear exchange.

    Not a panacea

    This does not mean an Iranian nuclear weapon would be a welcome development. Far from it.

    Every new nuclear-armed state provides another opportunity for miscalculation or accident. It adds extra stress to an already fragile non-proliferation regime.

    In addition, nuclear deterrence is not just and can be considered ethically questionable. It may not even be sustainable over the longer term.

    There is no doubt the existence of over 12,000 nuclear weapons globally poses a potentially existential risk to all of humanity.

    But the idea that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a unique risk to Israel or the United States simply does not stand up to scrutiny. If we can live with a nuclear-armed North Korea, nuclear-armed Pakistan, and for that matter, a nuclear-armed Israel, we can live, however reluctantly, with a nuclear-armed Iran.

    Regardless of whether the current proposed ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds, the military operation initiated by Israel and bolstered by the United States was extremely dangerous and unnecessary, based on both countries’ justification.

    The regime in Tehran is brutal, authoritarian, openly antisemitic and worthy of our disdain. But there is no evidence it is suicidal.

    The claim an Iranian nuclear bomb would pose an existential threat to Israel or the United States and justifies unilateral, preventive military attacks makes no sense.

    It is time to stop repeating it.

    Benjamin Zala has received funding from the Stanton Foundation, a US philanthropic group that funds nuclear research. He is an honorary fellow at the University of Leicester on a project that is funded by the European Research Council.

    – ref. Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes – https://theconversation.com/could-we-live-with-a-nuclear-armed-iran-reluctantly-yes-259905

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR Government responds to media enquiries on relaxation of import control measures on Japanese food products by the Mainland

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    In response to media enquiries about the relaxation of import control measures on Japanese food products by the Mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government issued the following statement today (June 30):
     
    The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China issued on June 29, 2025 the “Notice on Conditional Resumption of the Import of Aquatic Products from Certain Regions in Japan” (the Notice), announcing that the import of some aquatic products of Japanese origin will be resumed with immediate effect, except for 10 metropolis/prefectures. According to the Notice, the import must comply with the relevant national laws and regulations, and food safety standards, and that the Japanese authority must effectively discharge its official regulatory responsibilities.
     
    In response to the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water from Fukushima into the sea by the Japanese government, the HKSAR Government has since August 24, 2023 banned the import of aquatic products from 10 higher-risk metropolis/prefectures, including Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, to safeguard food safety and protect public health in Hong Kong. 
     
    The duration and scale of the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station are unprecedented. Therefore, we must act in a prudent manner.
     
    The HKSAR Government has been maintaining communication with the Japanese authority on the relevant issues, including requesting Japan to provide information on the latest development and scientific evidence concerning the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water, to assess whether there are conditions for relaxing the current precautionary measures. The HKSAR Government will make a public announcement if there is any policy adjustment.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The 37th Harbin Summer Music Festival Opens in Harbin

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    HARBIN, June 29 (Xinhua) — The 37th Harbin Summer Music Festival, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Harbin Municipal People’s Government, opened in Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on Thursday.

    The festival will include three international music tournaments, namely the 2025 Alisa and Eleonora Shenfeld International String Competition, the 20th World Saxophone Congress and the 7th International Bayan and Accordion Art Week, which attracted more than 800 participants from 39 countries and regions of the world.

    Peter Paul Kainrath, President of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), said that Harbin has a century-long musical history, where Eastern and Western cultural traditions are synthesized. Music has given this city a special charm and uniqueness. By holding the annual assembly of the WFIMC in Harbin, the federation hopes to continue friendly and close contacts with Harbin and other Chinese cities, to develop dialogue and deepen cooperation in a wider range of areas.

    The current festival is held under the motto “Let the World Hear the Harbin Summer”. Its program is presented in seven blocks: performances at the opening ceremony, performances from all over China, the art week of the “Cultural Capital of East Asia”, etc. In addition to three international competitions, the festival, which will last until September, also includes 79 performances by Chinese and foreign groups and over 3 thousand mass cultural and artistic events.

    Harbin is one of the cradles of modern Chinese music, and the Harbin Summer Festival is a national music event with a long history. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: First special train with asbestos departs from Gansu Province to Central Asia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    LANZHOU, June 29 (Xinhua) — A train loaded with 36 containers of 980 tons of chrysotile asbestos departed from Dunhuang City in northwest China’s Gansu Province for Uzbekistan on Thursday.

    This is the first special train carrying asbestos from Gansu Province to Central Asia, and a new international corridor for asbestos export opened by Dunhuang City after the launch of trains on the China-Laos Railway, the Dunhuang-Qinzhou Port-Indonesia Western Land-Sea Corridor, and the Dunhuang-Ningbo-Thailand Railway-Sea Route.

    It is reported that the new special train operates under the “single document list” and “single window” scheme, and there is no need to repack containers en route. Dunhuang Airport Customs, in cooperation with several departments, provides comprehensive support in registration of qualification documents, packaging inspection, logistics support, customs declaration, etc.

    In the first five months of this year, China’s total import and export volume to the five Central Asian countries rose 10.4 percent year-on-year to more than 286.4 billion yuan (over $39.98 billion), hitting a new historical high for the same period, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.

    Gansu Province is a golden section of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, it has accelerated its opening up to the west and south. The province has now launched international freight train services on routes covering more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MoSPI celebrates 19th Statistics Day honouring Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis and 75 years of National Sample Survey

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Sunday celebrated the 19th Statistics Day at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, marking the 132nd birth anniversary of renowned statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis. The event also commemorated the 75th year of the National Sample Survey (NSS), with the theme ‘75 Years of National Sample Survey’ highlighting the transformative impact of the NSS on India’s statistical landscape.

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Rao Inderjit Singh, the Chief Guest, paid tribute to Prof. Mahalanobis and underlined the significance of robust statistical systems in policy planning. Emphasising reforms like digital transformation, integrated survey frameworks, and real-time data tools, he lauded MoSPI’s transparent and inclusive approach.

    In his welcome address, Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, reflected on the evolution of the NSS since 1950 and highlighted key reforms such as quicker data release, the use of digital tools like CAPI, the eSankhyiki portal, and adoption of administrative statistics.

    Dr. Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Chairman of the National Statistical Commission, emphasized the role of statistics in broader governance and urged the statistical community to explore uniform methodologies in areas like online assessments and e-voting.

    A commemorative coin, customized stamp, and several key publications, including the Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2025 and the NSS Report on Nutritional Intake in India 2022–24, were released. The GoIStat mobile app was also launched to enhance public access to official data.

    Dr. Prajamitra Bhuyan, Assistant Professor at IIM Calcutta, received the 2025 Prof. C.R. Rao National Award for his notable contributions to statistics. A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Shamika Ravi explored the impact of frontier technologies on official statistics, with insights from industry, academia, and public institutions.

    The event saw participation from over 700 delegates, including government officials, international agencies, academics, and industry leaders, reinforcing MoSPI’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking and a data-driven future.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Maldives: President extends Independence Day greetings to Seychelles

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has extended warm greetings to His Excellency President Wavel Ramkalawan, the government, and the people of Seychelles on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day.

    In a post shared via his official X account, President Dr Muizzu expressed hope that the festivities would be filled with joy and togetherness. He also reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to its stable bilateral partnership with Seychelles.

    In a message sent to President Ramkalawan, President Dr Muizzu underscored the longstanding friendship between the two nations and highlighted their continued cooperation in promoting peace, security, and sustainable development across the Indian Ocean.

    He further expressed hope that the occasion would serve as a moment of unity and progress for the people of Seychelles, and reiterated his commitment to strengthening the close ties between the two countries.

    – on behalf of Republic of Maldives: The President’s Office.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to ‘Healthy food revolution to tackle obesity epidemic’, as press released by DHSC

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Experts comment on a new press release sent out by the government entitled ‘Healthy food revolution to tackle obesity epidemic’.

    Prof Andrew Prentice, Professor of International Nutrition at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

    “I’m delighted to see government working hand in hand with food manufacturers and retailers. As industry is perceived by many as being part of the problem in creating an obesogenic environment, they must be part of the solution.’

    “The devil will be in the detail and it is a bit concerning to read that ‘large retailers including supermarkets will set a new standard’ but this may be careless wording in the press release. Elsewhere it is clear that the Food Strategy Advisory Board will lead the charge.

    “Mandatory reporting of healthy/unhealthy food sales is an important first step but will presumably only affect the largest outlets. Other initiatives will be required for the thousands of smaller food producers and outlets.’

    “The issue of government creating a level playing field is key. This will help companies reduce sugar and fat from products without fear of losing out to competitors who do not.”

    Prof Tom Sanders, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Dietetics, King’s College London, said:

    “The claim made in the Press Release that Public Health experts believe that reducing daily diet by just 50 calories would lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity is not a view that most experts in nutrition would share.

    “In theory, very small reductions in daily calorie intake (50 kcal) should stop unhealthy weight gain. But there is little evidence to support this because in practice individuals adapt to small reductions or increases in calorie intake by reducing or increasing energy expenditure. Put into perspective, 50 kcal is the energy expended by 10 minutes brisk walking.

    “There is very limited evidence from one randomised controlled trial in children showing that swapping a can of full sugar drink for a can of diet drink consumed five times a week for a year and a half reduced unhealthy weight gain by just over 1kg. The results of that study found the weight gain was far less than predicted.

    “Most randomised controlled trials show you need to reduce calories intake by at least 300 kcal for a sustained period time to lose weight. Weight gain also tends to occur during periods of excessive consumption (e.g. Christmas and festive periods) or when physical activity is low.

    “Discretionary foods consumed outside the home (crisps, morning goods, cakes, ice-cream) as well as alcoholic drinks are particularly fattening and recent reports suggest we need to focus on these and change eating behaviours, which continue to get worse.

    “Food manufacturers have already reduced portion sizes of foods by ‘shrinkflation’ (less food at higher prices) but so far this has had little impact on obesity.

    “Tackling obesity can only be effective if it changes the obesogenic environment which is characterised by sedentary behaviour and over-exposure to high calorie food.”

    * www.gov.uk/government/news/healthy-food-revolution-to-tackle-obesity-epidemic

    Declared interests

    Prof Tom Sanders: “I have received grant funding for research on vegans in the past. I have been retired for 10 years but during my career at King’s College London, I formerly acted as consultant for companies that made artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes.

    “I am a member of the Programme Advisory Committee of the Malaysia Palm Oil Board which involves the review of research projects proposed by the Malaysia government.

    “I also used to be a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Global Dairy Platform up until 2015.

    “I did do some consultancy work on GRAS affirmation of high oleic palm oil for Archer Daniel Midland more than ten years ago.

    “My research group received oils and fats free of charge from Unilever and Archer Daniel Midland for our Food Standards Agency Research.

    “I was a member of the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee that recommended that trans fatty acids be removed from the human food chain.

    “Member of the Science Committee British Nutrition Foundation.  Honorary Nutritional Director HEART UK.

    “Before my retirement from King’s College London in 2014, I acted as a consultant to many companies and organisations involved in the manufacture of what are now designated ultraprocessed foods.

    “I used to be a consultant to the Breakfast Cereals Advisory Board of the Food and Drink Federation.

    “I used to be a consultant for aspartame more than a decade ago.

    “When I was doing research at King’ College London, the following applied: Tom does not hold any grants or have any consultancies with companies involved in the production or marketing of sugar-sweetened drinks.  In reference to previous funding to Tom’s institution: £4.5 million was donated to King’s College London by Tate & Lyle in 2006; this funding finished in 2011. This money was given to the College and was in recognition of the discovery of the artificial sweetener sucralose by Prof Hough at the Queen Elizabeth College (QEC), which merged with King’s College London. The Tate & Lyle grant paid for the Clinical Research Centre at St Thomas’ that is run by the Guy’s & St Thomas’ Trust, it was not used to fund research on sugar. Tate & Lyle sold their sugar interests to American Sugar so the brand Tate & Lyle still exists but it is no longer linked to the company Tate & Lyle PLC, which gave the money to King’s College London in 2006.”

    Andrew Prentice: “I sit on the Global Nutrition Science Council for the Nestlé Nutrition Institute (NNI), an educational initiative, and create content for them (lectures, articles and podcasts for health care professionals).”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Over 1,000 Devotees Join 15th Rath Yatra Celebration by Odisha Samaj UAE in Dubai

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Marking a significant cultural milestone, Odisha Samaj UAE hosted its 15th annual Rath Yatra, drawing more than 1,000 devotees from across all seven emirates. The event has become one of the most prominent celebrations for the Odia diaspora in the region, bringing together families and faith communities in a shared expression of devotion.

    Hosted at Star International School in Dubai, the celebration honoured Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra through a sequence of traditional rituals. Among the highlights was the ceremonial Pahandi Bije, during which the deities were ceremoniously escorted to the grand chariot, drawing the attention and devotion of all present and setting the tone for the main procession.The much-awaited chariot pulling began with devotees joining in with deep reverence and enthusiasm. After the procession, Mahaprasad was distributed to all attendees, reflecting the festival’s spirit of inclusivity and collective devotion.

    Over 100 Odia families prepared the Chhappan Bhoga, a revered offering of 56 food items, continuing a custom rooted in Puri’s temple traditions. Cultural elements included Devadasi dance performances by children and collective chanting of the 108 Mahamantra, creating a spiritually immersive atmosphere. Evening sessions featured devotional singing and an Odissi dance performance, highlighting Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and maintaining the festive momentum.

    Amiya Mishra, President of Odisha Samaj UAE, said the event goes beyond religious observance. “For 15 years, this celebration has brought a sense of home to the Odia community here. It’s about preserving identity, building community, and passing on traditions to the next generation.”

    Now a key fixture in the Indian cultural calendar of the UAE, the Rath Yatra has grown into a platform of unity and cultural pride, connecting people across backgrounds and reaffirming ties to heritage while embracing life in a multicultural society.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: India monsoon rains leave 34 dead, 4 missing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NEW DELHI, June 29 (Xinhua) — At least 34 people have been killed, four are missing and 74 others have been injured due to monsoon rains in northern India’s Himachal Pradesh state over the past nine days, officials said on Sunday.

    According to a report released by the State Emergency Operations Centre, the total damage to infrastructure during the period is estimated at US$8.32 million.

    The center also confirmed that homes, livestock pens, government buildings, roads, water systems and power lines were damaged.

    The Himachal Pradesh state government has put emergency services on high alert.

    Officials said the rains had caused water levels in all major rivers and streams in the state to rise.

    Around 40 roads in the affected areas are reported to remain closed due to landslides.

    Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in the state over the next two days. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Monsoon reaches Delhi, covers entire country 9 days ahead of schedule: IMD

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Southwest Monsoon has covered the entire country on Sunday, June 29 – nine days ahead of its normal schedule of July 8, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). With its further advance into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and the entire Delhi region, the monsoon’s early arrival signals a robust spell of rain across India.

    The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across large swathes of Northwest, Central, East, and Northeast India over the next seven days. Jharkhand is expected to witness isolated extremely heavy rainfall on June 29 and 30, while Odisha is likely to experience similar conditions on June 29.

    The ongoing monsoon activity is anticipated to bring significant showers to Uttarakhand from June 29 to July 3, and to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana on June 29 and 30.

    Gangetic West Bengal will receive heavy rain on June 29, while Odisha is expected to see continued rainfall from June 30 to July 5. Jharkhand may see another intense spell on July 1.

    In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rainfall is likely to continue in the western parts from June 29 to July 2 and in the eastern parts on June 30 and July 1. Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are also forecast to receive heavy rainfall from June 30 to July 2. Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and East Rajasthan will also be affected, with East Rajasthan likely to receive intense rain on July 4 and 5.

    The Northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, is expected to witness heavy rainfall between July 2 and 5. Rain will also continue in Konkan & Goa, the ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra, and Gujarat state over the next week.

    Weather forecast for Delhi-NCR

    In the national capital region, Delhi is set to experience a spell of rainy and relatively cooler weather through early July.

    On June 29, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds ranging between 30–40 kmph during storms. The maximum temperature is forecast to stay between 31°C and 33°C, 4 to 6 degrees below normal, offering respite from the usual summer heat.

    On June 30, the sky will remain generally cloudy with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Temperatures are likely to range from 25°C to 27°C at night and 31°C to 33°C during the day, with both minimum and maximum temperatures remaining below seasonal norms. Winds will be relatively calm in the morning, picking up slightly during the afternoon and evening.

    Similar conditions are expected to prevail on July 1, with continued cloud cover and moderate rainfall. The temperature is likely to hover between 24°C and 26°C at night and 32°C to 34°C during the day, again remaining below normal levels. Light southwesterly winds in the morning are expected to shift to a northwesterly direction by afternoon, before settling again from the southwest in the evening.

    On July 2, Delhi will see a partly cloudy sky with light rain and possible thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures will slightly rise to a range of 33°C to 35°C, while nighttime temperatures will stay between 25°C and 27°C. While the temperature will still be below normal, a gradual warming trend is expected. Winds will vary through the day, becoming stronger in the afternoon before easing at night.

  • MoSPI releases key SDG publications on 19th Statistics Day

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    On the occasion of the 19th Statistics Day, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released three major publications related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing India’s progress toward achieving the global targets. The publications include the Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2025, Data Snapshot on SDGs – NIF Progress Report 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals – NIF 2025.

    Developed in consultation with concerned ministries, UN agencies, and other stakeholders, the SDG National Indicator Framework forms the backbone of India’s efforts to monitor and track SDG implementation at the national level. Each year, MoSPI releases these reports on June 29 to mark Statistics Day, providing critical insights and time-series data for policymakers, researchers, and the public.

    The 2025 Progress Report presents comprehensive data from various government sources, reflecting substantial advances in multiple sectors. Among the highlights, the report notes a significant rise in social protection coverage, with 64.3% of the population now covered under social security schemes—up from 22% in 2016. Agricultural productivity has improved, with Gross Value Added per worker rising to ₹94,110 in 2024–25 from ₹61,247 in 2015–16. Access to improved drinking water in rural areas has reached 99.62%, and renewable energy’s share in total electricity generation has grown to 22.13%.

    India’s waste management infrastructure has also seen a boost, with the number of recycling plants growing from 829 in 2019–20 to over 3,000 in 2024–25. The country’s entrepreneurial landscape is expanding rapidly, as reflected by the recognition of over 34,000 startups under the Start-up India initiative, up from just 453 in 2016.

    The report also records progress in environmental sustainability and digital access. Forest cover has inched up to 21.76% of the total geographical area, while internet subscriptions have tripled from 302 million in 2015 to 954 million in 2024. The emissions intensity of GDP has reduced by 36% compared to 2005 levels, indicating a strong move toward a low-carbon economy. Additionally, the Gini coefficient—a measure of income inequality—has declined in both rural and urban areas, signalling improved income distribution.

    These reports are publicly accessible on the MoSPI website and serve as valuable tools for tracking India’s commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

  • MIL-Evening Report: Clark warns in new Pacific book renewed nuclear tensions pose ‘existential threat to humanity’

    Asia Pacific Report

    Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has warned the country needs to maintain its nuclear-free policy as a “fundamental tenet” of its independent foreign policy in the face of gathering global storm clouds.

    Writing in a new book being published next week, she says “nuclear war is an existential threat to humanity. Far from receding, the threat of use of nuclear weapons is ever present.

    “The Doomsday Clock of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists now sits at 89 seconds to midnight,” she says in the prologue to journalist and media academic David Robie’s book Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior.

    Writing before the US surprise attack with B-2 stealth bombers and “bunker-buster” bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, Clark says “the Middle East is a tinder box with the failure of the Iran nuclear deal and with Israel widely believed to possess nuclear weapons”.

    The Doomsday Clock references the Ukraine war theatre where “use of nuclear weapons has been floated by Russia”.

    Also, the arms control architecture for Europe is unravelling, leaving the continent much less secure. India and Pakistan both have nuclear arsenals, she says.

    “North Korea continues to develop its nuclear weapons capacity.”

    ‘Serious ramifications’
    Clark, who was also United Nations Development Programme administrator from 2009 to 2017, a member of The Elders group of global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, and is an advocate for multilateralism and nuclear disarmament, says an outright military conflict between China and the United States “would be one between two nuclear powers with serious ramifications for East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and far beyond.”

    She advises New Zealand to be wary of Australia’s decision to enter a nuclear submarine purchase programme with the United States.

    “There has been much speculation about a potential Pillar Two of the AUKUS agreement which would see others in the region become partners in the development of advanced weaponry,” Clark says.

    “This is occurring in the context of rising tensions between the United States and China.

    “Many of us share the view that New Zealand should be a voice for de-escalation, not for enthusiastic expansion of nuclear submarine fleets in the Pacific and the development
    of more lethal weaponry.”

    Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . publication July 2025. Image: Little Island Press

    In the face of the “current global turbulence, New Zealand needs to reemphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.

    Clark says that the years 1985 – the Rainbow Warrior was bombed by French secret agents on 10 July 1985 — and 1986 were critical years in the lead up to New Zealand’s nuclear-free legislation in 1987.

    “New Zealanders were clear – we did not want to be defended by nuclear weapons. We wanted our country to be a force for diplomacy and for dialogue, not for warmongering.”

    Chronicles humanitarian voyage
    The book Eyes of Fire chronicles the humanitarian voyage by the Greenpeace flagship to the Marshall Islands to relocate 320 Rongelap Islanders who were suffering serious community health consequences from the US nuclear tests in the 1950s.

    The author, Dr David Robie, founder of the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland University of Technology, was the only journalist on board the Rainbow Warrior in the weeks leading up to the bombing.

    His book recounts the voyage and nuclear colonialism, and the transition to climate justice as the major challenge facing the Pacific, although the “Indo-Pacific” rivalries between the US, France and China mean that geopolitical tensions are recalling the Cold War era in the Pacific.

    Dr Robie is also critical of Indonesian colonialism in the Melanesian region of the Pacific, arguing that a just-outcome for Jakarta-ruled West Papua and also the French territories of Kanaky New Caledonia and “French” Polynesia are vital for peace and stability in the region.

    Eyes of Fire is being published by Little Island Press, which also produced one of his earlier books, Don’t Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Devotion has no limits: PM Modi recalls exposition of Lord Buddha relics in Vietnam

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep appreciation for the heartfelt messages he received from Vietnam, thanking India for enabling the ‘darshan’ of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha.

    He called the experience a “heartwarming feeling”, underlining the spiritual connection shared by the people of India and Vietnam through the teachings of the Buddha.

    Speaking during the 123rd episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’, the Prime Minister said, “During the last few days, many people from Vietnam sent me their messages through various mediums. There was reverence and affability in every line of these messages. Their feelings were heartwarming. They were expressing their gratitude to India for enabling the darshan of the holy relics of Bhagwan Buddha. The emotions in their words were more than any formal thanks.”

    The sacred relics, originally discovered at Nagarjunakonda in the Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh – a site with a deep-rooted connection to Buddhism – were taken to Vietnam on May 2 by an Indian delegation led by Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

    The delegation also included Andhra Pradesh Minister Kandula Durgesh, senior monks, and officials. Initially scheduled to remain in Vietnam until May 21, the enshrinement was extended by 12 more days following a formal request from the Vietnamese government and a recommendation from the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

    “Last month, these holy relics of Bhagwan Buddha were taken from India to Vietnam. They were kept for public darshan at nine different places there. In a way, this initiative of India became a national festival for Vietnam. You can imagine that in Vietnam, which has a population of about 10 crore people, more than 1.5 crore people had a darshan of the holy relics of Bhagwan Buddha,” PM Modi said.

    The relics were displayed at major sites including Thanh Tam Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh, Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi, Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh, Phuc Son Pagoda in Bac Giang, Truc Lam Yen Tu Monastery in Quang Ninh, Chuong Pagoda in Hung Yen, and Quan Am Ngu Hanh Son Pagoda in Da Nang.

    At each location, crowds gathered in massive numbers to pay their respects.

    “The pictures and videos that I saw on social media made me realise that devotion has no limits. Be it rain or the scorching sun, people stood in queues for hours. Children, the elderly, differently-abled people, everyone was overwhelmed,” the Prime Minister said.

    “The President of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister, senior ministers, everyone paid obeisance. The feeling of respect among the people there for this pilgrimage was so deep that the Vietnamese government requested to extend it for another 12 days, and India gladly accepted it,” he added.

    He also spoke about the power of Buddha’s teachings in uniting people across borders and cultures.

    “The thoughts of Bhagwan Buddha have the power to bind countries, cultures and people together,” he said, noting that India had previously shared the relics with Thailand and Mongolia, where they were received with similar reverence.

    Encouraging citizens to connect with their spiritual and cultural roots, he urged, “I urge all of you to definitely visit Buddhist sites in your state. It will be a spiritual experience, as well as a wonderful opportunity to connect with our cultural heritage.”

    (IANS)