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Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – National Palliative Care Week 11 to 17 May 2025 What’s your plan? Making end of life healthcare choices matter

    Source: Advance Care Planning Australia

    During National Palliative Care Week, 11 to 17 May 2025, Advance Care Planning Australia is supporting the call for all Australians to consider – what’s your plan?

    Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager for Advance Care Planning Australia encourages Australians to start planning for their future health care to ensure good quality end of life care. Dr Joyce explains what advance care planning is and why it’s so important.  

    “Advance care planning involves planning for future health care. If you were seriously unwell and unable to communicate or make decisions about your own health care, who do you want to make them for you? What would you want them to do?”

    “It might seem like an uncomfortable topic. However, planning for your future health care has benefits for you and for your loved ones. It gives peace of mind, knowing that you are prepared and your voice will be heard. It eases the burden for loved ones faced with making decisions on your behalf, reducing confusion, stress, and anxiety by giving them confidence that they know what you would have wanted.”

    Advance Care Planning Australia, an Australian Government initiative, says the best place to start is a simple conversation.  

    “During National Palliative Care Week, our friends at Palliative Care Australia are asking a simple, yet powerful question – what’s your plan?” said Dr Joyce.

    “This is a timely reminder to make your future health care choices matter.  You can talk to your family, so they know what’s important to you. It may be the music that you love or the pet that you want by your side if you become critically ill and not able to communicate your preferences,” said Dr Joyce.  

    As well as talking with loved ones, people can talk to their GP or health provider. This can be very helpful for people with a serious health condition to understand what kind of health care decisions might need to be made in the future.  

    For free advice or to get a free starter pack, visit the Advance Care Planning Australia website or call the National Advance Care Planning Advisory Line on 1300 208 582 from 9am – 5pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday. 

    Advance Care Planning Australia is an Australian Government initiative administered by Metro South Health, Brisbane.

    What is advance care planning?

    Advance care planning involves planning for your future health care. If you become seriously unwell and unable to communicate or make decisions about your own health care, who do you want to make them for you? What would you want them to do?  

    About Advance Care Planning Australia

    Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is an Australian Government initiative administered by Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative, Metro South Health. ACPA is the national voice on advance care planning and supports individuals, health and aged care providers to ensure people’s preferences and wishes for future health care are known and respected. We promote a national collaborative approach by focussing on improving advance care planning policy and systems, community awareness, understanding and uptake, workforce capability and quality monitoring and evidence.

     Visit www.advancecareplanning.org.au

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Popes have been European for hundreds of years. Is it time for one from Africa or Asia?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University

    Catholicism did not begin as a “white” faith. Born on the eastern rim of the Mediterranean, it spread through the trading routes and legions of the Roman Empire into Africa, Asia and, only later, what we now call Europe.

    Three early bishops of Rome: Victor I (c. 189–199), Miltiades (311–314) and Gelasius I (492–496), were Africans whose teaching shaped the church’s developing doctrine.

    They are venerated as saints, a reminder the papal office has never been racially defined.

    However, that history sits uneasily with the unbroken run of European popes that stretches from the early Middle Ages to the death of Francis last month. Francis, an Argentine, was the first pope from Latin America, but he was the son of an Italian immigrant family.

    Why, in a global communion of 1.4 billion faithful, has the modern conclave not looked beyond Europeans for a new pope? And what would need to change for it to do so?

    Change has been gradual

    The explanation lies less in colour than in logistics and culture.

    Europe was the political and demographic centre of Catholicism for centuries. Until the 19th century, travel to Rome from beyond Europe was protracted, dangerous and expensive. An elector who missed the start of a conclave was simply excluded.

    Papal politics, therefore, became tightly entwined with Italian city factions and, after 1870, the diplomatic rivalries of European powers.

    Even after steamships and railways made travel easier, longstanding practice and patronage ensured most future cardinals were trained at Roman universities, served in the Curia (the bureaucracy of the Vatican), and moved within a Euro-centric network of friendships. The College of Cardinals became overwhelmingly European in composition and culture.

    The 20th-century popes began to chip away at this European dominance in internal church governance:

    • Pius X abolished the secular veto in 1903 (used by Catholic monarchs to veto papal candidates)
    • Pius XI named the first modern Chinese cardinal in 1946
    • Paul VI limited papal electors to those under the age of 80 and started appointing non-European bishops in greater numbers.

    John Paul II and Benedict XVI continued this trend, while Francis made a point of elevating pastors from places as varied as Tonga, Lesotho and Myanmar.

    While Europe still claims the single largest bloc of votes in the conclave, there has been a decline in its cardinal representation from almost 70% in 1963 to 39% in 2025. The representatives from Africa and Asia have steadily increased.

    Of the 135 electors who are eligible to enter the Sistine Chapel to cast ballots for the new pope on May 7, 53 are European. Africa has 18 electors, Asia 23, Latin America 21, North America 16, and Oceania four. (Two, however, are sick and will not attend – one from Europe and one from Africa).

    This representation is disproportionately European, reflecting the gradual nature of shifts in the church’s structures.

    Shifting demographics

    The demographics of the Catholic church, meanwhile, are changing rapidly.

    Between 1980 and 2023, the Catholic population of Europe fell from 286 million to just under 250 million. Weekly mass attendance declined even more steeply.

    Over the same period, the number of Catholics in Africa almost tripled to 255 million. Asia climbed to about 160 million. And Latin America, though no longer expanding, remains home to roughly 40% of all Catholics, at 425 million.

    Vocations follow the same curve: seminaries in France and Germany are closing for lack of students, while Nigeria, India and the Philippines are sending their priests abroad to ease shortages in Europe.

    Africa and Asia have also significantly increased their representation among Cardinals at the highest level of the Church, from less than 10% in 1963 to more than 30% in 2025.

    Ultimately, these numbers will expand even further, catching up with baptismal registers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

    What matters most during the conclave

    Observers often describe papal candidates as “progressive” or “conservative”, or speculate about a “Global South bloc” ready to storm the papal throne. Such language obscures what the electors actually consider when casting a ballot.

    Five practical questions tend to be important:

    1. Is the candidate known and trusted, and a man of faith and wisdom?

    Personal acquaintance still matters. Cardinals who have worked in Rome are well-placed because most electors have met them repeatedly.

    2. Can he govern the Curia?

    Leading the world’s oldest bureaucracy demands stamina, political tact, leadership acumen, relational skills and fluency in Italian, the everyday language of Vatican administration.

    There is also the ongoing issue of reform, particularly around the church’s sexual abuse crisis and financial matters.

    3. Will he be heard beyond Rome?

    A pope must travel, address parliaments and give press conferences. Because communication and symbolism are important, a command of English and comfort in front of the global media matter greatly.

    4. Is he a pastor?

    The ability to preach the Gospel compellingly, comfort the afflicted and speak credibly about the poor has been vital since John Paul II.

    5. Does he know and inhabit the tradition of the church?

    As part of this, a pope should also be able to represent and deepen the church’s teachings.

    Non-European papal candidates

    These criteria help explain why previous non-European hopefuls have fallen short.

    In 1978, for instance, Cardinal Aloísio Lorscheider of Brazil was judged too youthful and untested.

    In 2005, Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, though admired, was seen as a transition figure at the age of 72. He also lacked experience in the Curia.

    In 2013, Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Brazil was persuasive on pastoral questions but hampered by his limited English and Italian, and by concerns the Vatican Bank needed a strong financial reformer.

    Could it change this year? There are several non-European candidates in the current conclave:

    • Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines): the former archbishop of Manila, he is a gifted communicator in Italian and English. Some voters may fear he is not administratively capable and too closely identified with Francis, yet others see that continuity as an advantage.

    • Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Democratic Republic of the Congo): a leading African voice on ecology and conflict mediation, he is admired for his courage and leadership in strife-torn Congo. Sceptics point to his limited network outside Africa and France. He may also be too conservative for some cardinals.

    • Peter Turkson (Ghana): a long-time curial prefect and articulate champion of economic justice. Age counts against him (he is 76), yet he could emerge as a compromise if the conclave stalls, as he seen to be doctrinally solid, open and charismatic.

    Any one of them would break the post-medieval pattern. None, however, would (or should) campaign as a flag-bearer for his continent.

    The church neither keeps a scorecard by hemisphere nor anoints popes to gratify civil notions of representation.

    The most important thing is whether a candidate can carry forward the mission of the church and speak in an effective way in an era marked by war, the climate crisis and rapid secularisation.

    Would a non-European pope be seismic?

    Symbolically, yes.

    A Filipino or Congolese pope would signal that Catholicism’s demographic heart now beats in Manila and Kinshasa, rather than Milan and Cologne.

    Practically, though, the change might be less dramatic.

    Whoever is elected inherits the same threefold task:

    • to guard church unity while being a place for all nations and peoples
    • to preach convincingly in a sceptical age and serve the poor and marginalised
    • to lead the a very diverse institution and reform the Curia so it serves rather than stifles evangelisation.

    Those challenges transcend region and skin tone.

    If the next pope happens to be African, Asian or Latin American, history will have turned a page. The universal body will have recognised, in the face of its evolving demographics, the gifts of a shepherd able to speak to followers in Kinshasa, Manila, Sao Paulo and Munich with equal conviction.

    The mystery of the conclave is that when the doors close, regional and political calculations fade. What remains is prayerful discernment about who can carry Saint Peter’s keys into an uncertain future.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Popes have been European for hundreds of years. Is it time for one from Africa or Asia? – https://theconversation.com/popes-have-been-european-for-hundreds-of-years-is-it-time-for-one-from-africa-or-asia-255506

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Clare Johnson, Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology and Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy, Australian Catholic University

    For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope. “Conclave” means “with a key”, indicating the cardinal-electors are locked up with a key to conduct their deliberations.

    With no direct communication to the outside world, a key feature of the papal election process is the use of smoke to signal the result of ballots and to announce the election of a new pope.

    Black smoke means a new pope has not been elected. White smoke means there is a new pope.

    So where does this tradition come from – and how do they achieve the different coloured smoke?

    Sending messages with smoke

    Smoke signals are one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication between humans. For millennia, smoke signals have been used to indicate danger, to call for a gathering of tribes/nations, to transmit news and to warn of enemy invasions

    Many indigenous peoples (such as those of North America, South America, China and Australia) are known for their sophisticated use of smoke signalling techniques to indicate specific messages to those at a distance.

    These techniques can include changing the location of the fire (such as halfway up or at the top of a hill), adjusting the colour of smoke (using different types of foliage or damp/dry foliage) and the interruption or diversion of the smoke column at different intervals to produce particular patterns of smoke.

    Catholic incense

    Catholics utilise smoke in many rituals in the form of incense.

    Incense (from the Latin incendere, meaning “to burn”) signifies prayer, sacrifice and reverence for people and objects. This fragrant smoke symbolises the prayer of the assembly rising up to God. Psalm 141:2 asks “may prayer be set before you like incense”. In Revelations 8:3–5, an angel is “given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people”.

    Catholics use incense during entrance processions, as with these altar boys swinging the thurible.
    Bilderstoeckchen/Shutterstock

    Catholics inherited their use of incense from its use in Jewish temple rituals and Greek imperial court rituals.

    The smoke from the incense is used to show reverence toward the Gospel book, the presiding celebrant, the gifts of bread and wine offered at Mass, the altar, cross, the Easter Candle and the body of the deceased at a funeral.

    This holy smoke is a visual and olfactory signal of the congregation’s offerings of supplication and praise rising up to God.

    Crafting the smoke

    Once the conclave begins, the only form of communication between the cardinal-electors and the outside world will be smoke signals sent through the chimney of a stove specially installed in the Sistine Chapel for the duration of the conclave.

    The 1878 conclave was held at the Sistine Chapel. Smoke, depicted here, indicated there was no new pope.
    Wikimedia Commons

    The tradition of burning the ballots goes back to at least 1417, though it wasn’t until the 18th century that the first chimney was installed in the Sistine Chapel. At this time, the appearance of smoke at set times indicated no new pope had been elected; while the absence of smoke indicated there was a new pope.

    Prior to this it is likely that a new pope was simply announced from the loggia (central balcony) of St Peter’s Basilica and a written announcement was posted outside for people to read.

    Since 1914, white smoke has indicated the election of a new pope. A stereotypical association of the colour of the smoke – white (positive) and black (negative) – lies behind the use of the two contrasting smoke colours.

    In 1904, Pius X (who was pope from 1903–14) mandated that all notes taken by cardinals during the election were to be burned along with the ballots themselves. This burning of notes also increased the volume of smoke, making it clearly visible to the public outside when his successor Pope Benedict XV was elected in 1914.

    The use of chemicals to ensure either black or white smoke was introduced after the 1958 conclave when damp straw added to papers from an unsuccessful ballot did not ignite at first. White smoke appeared before eventually turning black, causing confusion among the crowd gathered outside.

    A crowd watches as black smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel at the 1922 conclave.
    Wikimedia Commons/Bibliothèque nationale de France

    In 2013, the Vatican Press Office released the chemical formulae used to create black and white smoke.

    To generate black smoke, potassium perchlorate and anthracene (a component of coal tar) fuelled with sulfur are electrically ignited. To generate white smoke, potassium chlorate, milk sugar and pine rosin are ignited.

    Using these smoke signals, the cardinals can communicate from within the conclave immediately and directly to the faithful awaiting the announcement of the Church’s 267th Pope.

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

    – ref. The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made? – https://theconversation.com/the-election-of-a-new-pope-is-announced-with-smoke-what-do-the-colours-mean-and-how-are-they-made-255595

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ian Hall, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University

    India conducted military strikes against Pakistan overnight, hitting numerous sites in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and deeper into Pakistan itself. Security officials say precision strike weapon systems, including drones, were used to carry out the strikes.

    Pakistan says at least eight civilians have been killed and many more injured.

    While there’s still much uncertainty around what’s happened, it is clear both sides are closer to a major conflict than they have been in years – perhaps decades.

    We’ve seen these kinds of crises before. India and Pakistan have fought full-scale wars many times over the years, in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999.

    There were also cross-border strikes between the two sides in 2016 and 2019 that did not lead to a larger war.

    These conflicts were limited because there was an understanding, given both sides possess nuclear weapons, that escalating to a full-scale war would be very dangerous. That imposed some control on both sides, or at least some caution.

    There was also external pressure from the United States and others on both occasions not to allow those conflicts to spiral out of control.

    While it’s possible both sides will exercise similar restraint now, there may be less pressure from other countries to compel them to do so.

    In this context, tensions can escalate quickly. And when they do, it’s difficult to get both sides to back down and return to where they were before.

    Why did India strike now?

    India says it was retaliating for a terror attack last month on mostly Indian tourists in heavily militarised Kashmir, which both sides claim. The attack left 26 dead.

    There was a claim of responsibility after the attack from a group called the Resistance Front, but it was subsequently withdrawn, so there’s some uncertainty about that.

    Indian sources suggest this group, which is relatively new, is an extension of a pre-existing militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been based in Pakistan for many years.

    Pakistan has denied any involvement in the tourist attack. However, there’s been good evidence in the past suggesting that even if the Pakistani government hasn’t officially sanctioned these groups operating on its territory, there are parts of the Pakistani establishment or military that do support them. This could be ideologically, financially, or through other types of assistance.

    In previous terror attacks in India, weapons and other equipment have been sourced from Pakistan. In the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, for instance, the Indian government produced evidence it claimed showed the gunmen were being directed by handlers in Pakistan by phone.

    But as yet, we have no such evidence demonstrating Pakistan is connected to the tourist attack in Kashmir.

    India has also repeatedly asked Pakistan to shut down these groups. While the leaders have occasionally been put in jail, they’ve later been released, including the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack.

    And madrassas (religious schools) that have long been accused of supplying recruits for militant groups are still permitted to operate in Pakistan, with little state control.

    Pakistan, meanwhile, claims that attacks in Kashmir are committed by local Kashmiris protesting against Indian “occupation” or Pakistanis spontaneously moved to take action.

    These two positions obviously don’t match up in any way, shape or form.

    A political cost to pay for not acting

    It remains to be seen what cost either side is willing to pay to escalate tensions further.

    From an economic standpoint, there’s very little cost to either side if a larger conflict breaks out. There’s practically no trade between India and Pakistan.

    New Delhi has likely calculated that its fast-growing economy will not be harmed by its strikes and others will continue to trade and invest in India. The conclusion of a trade deal with the United Kingdom, after three years of negotiations, will reinforce that impression. The deal was signed on May 6, just before the Pakistan strikes.

    And from the standpoint of international reputation, neither side has much to lose.

    In past crises, Western countries were quick to condemn and criticise military actions committed by either side. But these days, most take the view that the long-simmering conflict is a bilateral issue, which India and Pakistan need to settle themselves.

    The main concern for both sides, then, is the political cost they would suffer from not taking military action.

    Before the terrorist attack on April 22, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed the security situation in Kashmir was improving, and ordinary Indians could safely travel in the region. Those claims were undermined by what occurred that day, making it crucial for the government to respond.

    And now, if Pakistan doesn’t react to the Indian strikes, its government and especially its military would have a cost to pay, too.

    Despite a patchy record of success, Pakistan’s army has long justified its outsize role in national politics by claiming that it alone stands between the Pakistani people and Indian aggression. If it fails to act now, that claim might look hollow.

    Little external mediation to bank on

    So, how does this play out? The hope would be there’s limited military action, lasting a few days, and then things calm down rapidly, as they have in the past. But there are no guarantees.

    And there are few others willing to step in and help deescalate the dispute. US President Donald Trump is mired in other conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his administration’s diplomacy has so far been inept and ineffective.

    When asked about the Indian strike today, Trump replied it was a “shame” and he “hopes” it ends quickly.

    That’s very different from the strong rhetoric we’ve seen from US presidents in the past when India and Pakistan have come to blows.

    New Delhi and Islamabad will likely have to settle this round themselves. And for whoever decides to blink or back down first, there may be a substantial political cost to pay.

    Ian Hall receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is also an honorary academic fellow of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne.

    – ref. India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one? – https://theconversation.com/india-and-pakistan-have-fought-many-wars-in-the-past-are-we-on-the-precipice-of-a-new-one-256080

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Conversation Africa’s first 10 years: a story of new media powered by generosity

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Candice Bailey, Strategic Initiatives Editor

    Starting from scratch is daunting. And exhilarating. Your heart pounds, you can taste adrenaline, the sense of urgency and anticipation makes you high. I can recall each of these sensations 10 years after the thrilling moment when The Conversation Africa went live, and our first newsletter was sent out. Thanks to some nifty software, we were able to watch readers open their emails in real time in cities and towns in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Malawi, Zimbabwe as well as beyond in the US, the UK, India, France, Japan and Australia.

    We’d gone live. People were reading us. We’d launched and there was no going back.

    It was a tiny team that celebrated the moment: nine of us in an office in Johannesburg plus two colleagues from TC Australia who’d flown over to show us the ropes. Our promise when we launched was that we would “work with academics across Africa and internationally to bring informed expertise to a global audience”.

    It’s a promise we’ve kept. From a small team in an office in Johannesburg we’ve gone on to open offices in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. We’ve published 11,775 articles about African research, written by 7,540 academics, attracting over 180 million reads, helped by 935 republishers.

    It’s a model that works because of the generosity of donors, universities, academics and readers. And because we offer evidence-based insight you can trust.

    In retrospect the whole idea might have seemed mad. The impact of the 2008 financial crisis was still being felt. Nobody was in an expansive mood: governments were cutting budgets, economic growth was slow. At the time the media landscape was in bad shape as more titles hit the wall and those that elected to keep going were shrinking their operations.

    What tipped the balance to go for it was that The Conversation offered the opportunity of building – at scale – a partnership between academics and journalists anchored on the simple premise that researchers would be the writers, and the journalists would be the editors.

    The second factor was that the prototype had been built and was working extremely well. Four years prior to our launch The Conversation Australia (the mothership) had gone live. This was followed by editions in the UK, then in the US.

    All three were incredibly successful. It was clear to me that tapping into the vast world of academic research as the primary source of articles, and coupling this with the skills of journalists trained as editors, was a winning formula. Academics were keen to write (without being paid), there were journalists eager to apply their editing skills, and media outlets were hungry to pick up articles put out under a Creative Commons licence.

    The “why” all made sense. The “how” proved to be trickier.

    Money was a problem. The university sectors in other regions were the mainstay of the earlier editions. But universities on the continent were cash-strapped and hardly in a position to bankroll our endeavour. The answer was two-fold: find donors that were supporting the higher education sector in the hope that they would see the merits of the project; and secondly, ask universities for support, either in the form of money or by offering us rent-free accommodation.

    Both strategies worked. We raised enough cash to pay for the small team based in rent-free offices at the University of the Witwatersrand.

    The second tricky bit was fulfilling the promise of being The Conversation Africa. An office in Johannesburg wasn’t going to cut it. We set about finding more money so that we could expand our footprint. By 2017 our team could boast a colleague in Kenya working from an office gifted by the African Population and Health Research Centre. It took another two years to fulfil the promise with colleagues in Lagos (in an office at the Nigerian Academy of Sciences) and a colleague in Accra. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place with the launch of TC Afrique in 2023 with a team of two in Dakar.

    I put The Conversation Africa’s success down to generosity. The generosity of spirit of my colleagues. The generosity of donors. The generosity of universities. The generosity of academics who have volunteered to share their knowledge and approached the rigours of our editing with grace and forbearance. And finally the generosity of you, our readers, who express your appreciation in a host of different ways, not least by sharing articles you come across far and wide. Thank you.

    It’s been a remarkable and hugely fulfilling 10 years. The Conversation Africa has established itself as the source of articles you can trust. A rare commodity in these tricky times. Please continue to support us. We need you in our corner.

    – ref. The Conversation Africa’s first 10 years: a story of new media powered by generosity – https://theconversation.com/the-conversation-africas-first-10-years-a-story-of-new-media-powered-by-generosity-256011

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Radware Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Highlights

    • Revenue of $72.1 million, an increase of 11% year–over–year
    • Cloud ARR of $80 million, an increase of 19% year-over-year
    • Non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.27 vs. $0.16 in Q1 2024; GAAP diluted EPS of $0.10 vs. $(0.03) in Q1 2024
    • Cash flow from operations of $22.4 million in Q1 and $72.9 million over the trailing 12 months

    TEL AVIV, Israel, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, today announced its consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    “We had a strong start to 2025 with first quarter revenue rising 11% year-over-year, marking our third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. In addition, our strong non-GAAP EPS growth and cash flow from operations reflect the high leverage in our business model,” said Roy Zisapel, Radware’s president and CEO.

    Financial Highlights for the First Quarter 2025
    Revenue for the first quarter of 2025 totaled $72.1 million:

    • Revenue in the Americas region was $27.4 million for the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 1% from $27.1 million in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Revenue in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) region was $28.4 million for the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 25% from $22.7 million in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Revenue in the Asia-Pacific (“APAC”) region was $16.3 million for the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 7% from $15.3 million in the first quarter of 2024.

    GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2025 was $4.3 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net loss of $1.2 million, or $(0.03) per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024.

    Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2025 was $11.8 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $6.8 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term bank deposits, and marketable securities of $447.9 million. Cash flow from operations was $22.4 million in the first quarter of 2025.

    Non-GAAP results are calculated excluding, as applicable, the impact of stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax-related adjustments. A reconciliation of each of the Company’s non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is included at the end of this press release.

    Conference Call
    Radware management will host a call today, May 7, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT to discuss its first quarter 2025 results and second quarter 2025 outlook. To participate on the call, please use the following numbers:
    U.S. participants call toll free: 1-877-704-4453
    International participants call: 1-201-389-0920

    A replay will be available for seven days, starting two hours after the end of the call, on telephone number 1-844-512-2921 (US toll-free) or 1-412-317-6671. Access ID 13752770.

    The call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at: http://www.radware.com/IR/. The webcast will remain available for replay during the next 12 months.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information and Key Performance Indicators
    In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Radware uses non-GAAP measures of gross profit, research and development expense, selling and marketing expense, general and administrative expense, total operating expenses, operating income, financial income, net, income before taxes on income, taxes on income, net income and diluted earnings per share, which are adjustments from results based on GAAP to exclude, as applicable, stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax–related adjustments. Management believes that exclusion of these charges allows for meaningful comparisons of operating results across past, present, and future periods. Radware’s management believes the non-GAAP financial measures provided in this release are useful to investors for the purpose of understanding and assessing Radware’s ongoing operations. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included with the financial information contained in this press release. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating and operating the business and, as such, has determined that it is important to provide this information to investors.

    Annual recurring revenue (“ARR”) is a key performance indicator defined as the annualized value of booked orders for term-based cloud services, subscription licenses, and maintenance contracts that are in effect at the end of a reporting period. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. ARR is not a forecast of future revenue, which can be impacted by contract start and end dates and renewal rates and does not include revenue reported as perpetual license or professional services revenue in our consolidated statement of operations. We consider ARR a key performance indicator of the value of the recurring components of our business.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, tensions between China and Taiwan, financial and credit market fluctuations (including elevated interest rates), impacts from tariffs or other trade restrictions, inflation, and the potential for regional or global recessions; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cybersecurity and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, or if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors or by a critical system failure; our use of AI technologies that present regulatory, litigation, and reputational risks; risks related to the fact that our products must interoperate with operating systems, software applications and hardware that are developed by others; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns; our net losses in the past and the possibility that we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cybersecurity and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and third-party licenses; complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system; our reliance on information technology systems; our ESG disclosures and initiatives; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.

    About Radware
    Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.

    Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, and YouTube.

    ©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.

    Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.

    The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.

    CONTACTS
    Investor Relations:
    Yisca Erez, +972-72-3917211, ir@radware.com

    Media Contact:
    Gerri Dyrek, gerri.dyrek@radware.com

    Radware Ltd.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (U.S. Dollars in thousands)
           
      March 31,   December 31,
      2025   2024
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    Assets      
           
    Current assets      
    Cash and cash equivalents 114,239   98,714
    Marketable securities 55,118   72,994
    Short-term bank deposits 122,361   104,073
    Trade receivables, net 25,036   16,823
    Other receivables and prepaid expenses 9,627   14,242
    Inventories 13,511   14,030
      339,892   320,876
           
    Long-term investments      
    Marketable securities 31,229   29,523
    Long-term bank deposits 124,968   114,354
    Other assets 2,203   2,171
      158,400   146,048
           
           
    Property and equipment, net 14,584   15,632
    Intangible assets, net 10,758   11,750
    Other long-term assets 36,492   37,906
    Operating lease right-of-use assets 17,560   18,456
    Goodwill 68,008   68,008
    Total assets 645,694   618,676
           
    Liabilities and equity      
           
    Current liabilities      
    Trade payables 3,646   5,581
    Deferred revenues 119,329   106,303
    Operating lease liabilities 4,642   4,750
    Other payables and accrued expenses 55,678   51,836
      183,295   168,470
           
    Long-term liabilities      
    Deferred revenues 69,505   64,708
    Operating lease liabilities 12,497   13,519
    Other long-term liabilities 14,319   14,904
      96,321   93,131
           
    Equity      
    Radware Ltd. equity      
    Share capital 756   754
    Additional paid-in capital 560,833   555,154
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (140)   1,103
    Treasury stock, at cost (366,588)   (366,588)
    Retained earnings 130,194   125,850
    Total Radware Ltd. shareholder’s equity 325,055   316,273
           
    Non–controlling interest 41,023   40,802
           
    Total equity 366,078   357,075
           
    Total liabilities and equity 645,694   618,676
    Radware Ltd.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss)
    (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
             
        For the three months ended
        March 31,
        2025   2024
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
             
    Revenues   72,079   65,085
    Cost of revenues   13,990   12,812
    Gross profit   58,089   52,273
             
    Operating expenses, net:        
    Research and development, net   18,776   18,896
    Selling and marketing   31,281   29,701
    General and administrative   6,463   7,339
    Total operating expenses, net   56,520   55,936
             
    Operating income (loss)   1,569   (3,663)
    Financial income, net   4,875   3,608
    Income (loss) before taxes on income   6,444   (55)
    Taxes on income   2,100   1,167
    Net income (loss)   4,344   (1,222)
             
    Basic net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders   0.10   (0.03)
             
    Weighted average number of shares used to compute basic net income (loss) per share   42,663,787   41,750,203
             
    Diluted net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders   0.10   (0.03)
             
    Weighted average number of shares used to compute diluted net income (loss) per share   44,192,474   41,750,203
    Radware Ltd.
    Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Information
    (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
           
      For the three months ended
      March 31,
      2025   2024
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    GAAP gross profit 58,089   52,273
    Share-based compensation 120   79
    Amortization of intangible assets 992   992
    Non-GAAP gross profit 59,201   53,344
           
    GAAP research and development, net 18,776   18,896
    Share-based compensation 1,223   1,722
    Non-GAAP Research and development, net 17,553   17,174
           
    GAAP selling and marketing 31,281   29,701
    Share-based compensation 3,076   2,551
    Non-GAAP selling and marketing 28,205   27,150
           
    GAAP general and administrative 6,463   7,339
    Share-based compensation 1,479   2,395
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Non-GAAP general and administrative 4,831   4,724
           
    GAAP total operating expenses, net 56,520   55,936
    Share-based compensation 5,778   6,668
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Non-GAAP total operating expenses, net 50,589   49,048
           
    GAAP operating income (loss) 1,569   (3,663)
    Share-based compensation 5,898   6,747
    Amortization of intangible assets 992   992
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Non-GAAP operating income 8,612   4,296
           
    GAAP financial income, net 4,875   3,608
    Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 492   153
    Non-GAAP financial income, net 5,367   3,761
           
    GAAP income (loss) before taxes on income 6,444   (55)
    Share-based compensation 5,898   6,747
    Amortization of intangible assets 992   992
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 492   153
    Non-GAAP income before taxes on income 13,979   8,057
           
    GAAP taxes on income 2,100   1,167
    Tax related adjustments 62   62
    Non-GAAP taxes on income 2,162   1,229
           
    GAAP net income (loss) 4,344   (1,222)
    Share-based compensation 5,898   6,747
    Amortization of intangible assets 992   992
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 492   153
    Tax related adjustments (62)   (62)
    Non-GAAP net income 11,817   6,828
           
    GAAP diluted net income (loss) per share 0.10   (0.03)
    Share-based compensation 0.14   0.16
    Amortization of intangible assets 0.02   0.02
    Acquisition costs 0.00   0.01
    Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 0.01   0.00
    Tax related adjustments (0.00)   (0.00)
    Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share 0.27   0.16
           
           
    Weighted average number of shares used to compute non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share 44,192,474   42,875,058
    Radware Ltd.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
    (U.S. Dollars in thousands)
             
        For the three months ended
        March 31,
        2025   2024
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    Cash flow from operating activities:        
             
    Net income (loss)   4,344   (1,222)
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:        
    Depreciation and amortization   3,152   2,943
    Share-based compensation   5,898   6,747
    Amortization of premium, accretion of discounts and accrued interest on marketable securities, net   (161)   (73)
    Decrease in accrued interest on bank deposits   (1,790)   (9)
    Increase (decrease) in accrued severance pay, net   61   (58)
    Increase in trade receivables, net   (8,213)   (219)
    Decrease (increase) in other receivables and prepaid expenses and other long-term assets   (186)   605
    Decrease in inventories   519   1,004
    Increase (decrease) in trade payables   (1,935)   1,406
    Increase in deferred revenues   17,823   8,894
    Increase in other payables and accrued expenses   3,164   1,483
    Operating lease liabilities, net   (234)   (379)
    Net cash provided by operating activities   22,442   21,122
             
    Cash flows from investing activities:        
             
    Purchase of property and equipment   (1,112)   (1,774)
    Proceeds from (investment in) other long-term assets, net   109   (25)
    Investment in bank deposits, net   (27,112)   (17,898)
    Investment in, redemption of and purchase of marketable securities ,net   16,194   3,502
    Proceeds from other deposits   5,000   –
    Net cash used in investing activities   (6,921)   (16,195)
             
    Cash flows from financing activities:        
             
    Proceeds from exercise of share options   4   –
    Repurchase of shares   –   (839)
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   4   (839)
             
    Increase in cash and cash equivalents   15,525   4,088
    Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period   98,714   70,538
    Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period   114,239   74,626
    Radware Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME (LOSS) TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA (NON-GAAP)
    (U.S Dollars in thousands)
           
      For the three months ended
      March 31,
      2025   2024
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    GAAP net income (loss) 4,344   (1,222)
    Exclude: Financial income, net (4,875)   (3,608)
    Exclude: Depreciation and amortization expense 3,152   2,943
    Exclude: Taxes on income 2,100   1,167
    EBITDA 4,721   (720)
           
    Share-based compensation 5,898   6,747
    Acquisition costs 153   220
    Adjusted EBITDA 10,772   6,247
           
           
      For the three months ended
      March 31,
      2025   2024
           
    Amortization of intangible assets 992   992
    Depreciation 2,160   1,951
      3,152   2,943

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cheap overseas, ruinous in Australia: here’s how to make double-glazed windows the norm

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trivess Moore, Associate Professor in Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University

    New Africa/Shutterstock

    In Europe, double-glazed windows are standard. But in Australia, these energy-saving windows are remarkably uncommon.

    Correctly installed, the effect of double-glazing is remarkable. Instead of a house losing or gaining huge amounts of heat through its windows, double-glazed windows help keep the indoor temperature at a consistent temperature – reducing the need to crank up the air-con or heater.

    In hot parts of Australia, these windows would keep out heat. In cold, they would keep heat in. They also slash outside noise. Houses with double-glazing can add resale value and even improve occupant health.

    Why are they not standard? There are several reasons. But our research in Victoria found the main one is cost – double-glazing costs much more than a standard single-glazed window.

    Heat loss and gain through windows is responsible for about 1.5% of Australia’s total energy use. As climate change intensifies, making double-glazing standard in Australia would cut household energy bills and make life indoors more pleasant. Other countries are moving to even higher performance triple-glazed windows. But Australia is stuck.

    Why does double glazing work so well?

    Windows let light and often air into a home. But they can also be the main way heat enters or leaves. Double-glazing works by adding a gap between two panes, often filled with dense argon gas, which doesn’t transfer heat well. The window frame material is important, too, to reduce heat transfer.

    We measure the insulating quality of a window with a U-value – essentially, how much heat can be transferred through the glass. The lower this value, the more insulating the window.

    A basic single-glazed window has a U-value of about 6. On a typical Australian home, these windows mean significant air conditioning is often required to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors during summer and winter.

    Double-glazed windows with advanced design features common in North America and Europe typically have a U-value of 2.4 or less. When combined with wall and roof insulation, they can significantly reduce the need for heating or cooling. Triple-glazed are better still, with a U-value of 0.8 or less.

    Many countries with snowy winters have taken to double-glazed windows as a way to reduce heating costs.
    brizmaker/Shutterstock

    Standard overseas, rare in Australia

    In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, double-glazed windows have been the norm for several decades. Commonly, these windows use argon gas between the two sheets and improve insulation further with low emittance coatings, thin transparent layers of metal which block solar rays.

    In many of these countries, single-glazed windows have largely disappeared and retrofitting older houses with double-glazing is routine.

    Anyone embarking on a renovation in Australia will soon discover double-glazing tends to be seen as a specialist eco-retrofit measure rather than something done as standard.

    In 2016, only 6% of windows installed in new houses in Australia had U-values below 4. In 2024, that figure was 19%, indicating high performance windows are slowly becoming more common. But there’s still much to do to make them the norm.

    Why is progress slow? We spoke to stakeholders in window manufacturing and building in Australia.

    These industry experts explained why Australia is lagging:

    • historically low-cost energy means the typical response to heat or cold is to install air conditioning

    • single-glazed windows have long been the norm

    • Australians often haven’t heard of high-performance windows or understand why they matter

    • only a few companies make these windows in Australia, meaning competition is limited and costs remain high

    • at present, there’s no requirement to include double-glazed windows in new builds or renovations

    • housing affordability issues mean owners want to keep upfront construction costs as low as possible.

    Window manufacturers in Australia are interested in moving into double-glazing, but the demand isn’t there yet.
    Anatoliy Cherkas/Shutterstock

    What should be done?

    In our research, many windows industry insiders told us they were ready to scale up production of higher performance windows. The skills and technologies needed are here. What’s missing was the demand.

    When we interviewed builders, they told us the choice of windows wasn’t simple. They had to weigh up material costs, existing supplier relationships and industry practices. Some told us it was cheaper at times to import from Europe or Asia than to buy Australian-made.

    In part, this is a chicken and egg problem. Prices are high because there’s little demand and demand is limited because prices are high.

    So what should be done?

    Overseas experience has shown boosting demand is the key. If double-glazed windows become more common, more manufacturers will enter the Australian market and prices will drop.

    The quickest way to do this would be to require their use in new construction and renovation.

    At first, the industry might struggle to meet this demand. But that would create clear incentives for new players here or overseas to meet the demand.

    Government support could help window manufacturers upgrade machinery and processes to be able to meet new demand.

    Subsidies could help offset the costs to households, if designed to sunset after a set period. Any subsidies should target groups such as vulnerable older Australians affected by energy poverty as well as renters on low incomes.

    Making this a reality is doable. After all, New Zealand did exactly this. In 2007, policymakers introduced new minimum performance requirements for windows. It took about four years to shift the market from single-glazed to predominantly double-glazed. Australia could do the same.

    Trivess Moore has received funding from various organisations including the Australian Research Council, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Victorian government and various industry partners. He is a trustee of the Fuel Poverty Research Network.

    Lisa de Kleyn received funding from Sustainability Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3000, for a short-term research project on the high performance window industry in 2023.

    Ralph Horne has received funding from various sources including the Australian Research Council, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and the Victorian government to support research related to this topic.

    Tom Simko 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. Cheap overseas, ruinous in Australia: here’s how to make double-glazed windows the norm – https://theconversation.com/cheap-overseas-ruinous-in-australia-heres-how-to-make-double-glazed-windows-the-norm-250280

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: W&T Offshore Announces First Quarter 2025 Results and Declares Dividend for Second Quarter of 2025

    Source: W & T Offshore Inc

    Headline: W&T Offshore Announces First Quarter 2025 Results and Declares Dividend for Second Quarter of 2025

    HOUSTON, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — W&T Offshore, Inc. (NYSE: WTI) (“W&T,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”) today reported operational and financial results for the first quarter of 2025 and declared a second quarter 2025 dividend of $0.01 per share.

    This press release includes non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted Net Loss, Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow and Net Debt, which are described and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures in the accompanying tables to this press release under “Non-GAAP Information.”

    Key highlights for the first quarter of 2025 and through the date of this press release include:

    • Produced 30.5 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“MBoe/d”) (52% liquids), towards the high end of guidance;
      • Announced that the West Delta 73 and Main Pass 108/98 fields were placed into production towards the end of March/early April with production expected to ramp up over the course of the second quarter of 2025;
    • Incurred lease operating expenses (“LOE”) of $71.0 million, below the low end of guidance;
    • Reported net loss of $30.6 million, or $(0.21) per diluted share;
      • Adjusted Net Loss totaled $19.1 million, or $(0.13) per diluted share, which primarily excludes the loss on extinguishment of debt and net unrealized gain on outstanding derivative contracts and the related tax effects;
    • Generated Adjusted EBITDA of $32.2 million, an increase of 2% over the fourth quarter of 2024;
    • Produced Free Cash Flow of $10.5 million;
    • Successfully refinanced, in January 2025, the Company’s $275.0 million 11.75% Senior Second Lien Notes due 2026 (the “11.75% Notes”) and $114.2 million outstanding amount under the term loan provided by Munich Re Risk Financing, Inc., as lender (the “MRE Term Loan”) with proceeds from the issuance of $350.0 million of 10.75% Senior Second Lien Notes due 2029 (the “10.75% Notes”) and available cash on hand;
      • Paid down and effectively reduced gross debt by approximately $39.0 million;
      • Enhanced liquidity by eliminating principal payments under the MRE Term Loan of $27.6 million in 2025, $25.4 million in 2026, $22.9 million in 2027 and $38.3 million in 2028;
      • Lowered interest rate on the Senior Second Lien Notes by 100 basis points;
    • Entered into a new $50.0 million revolving credit facility which matures in July 2028, and is undrawn, and the previous credit facility provided by Calculus Lending, LLC was concurrently terminated, with all outstanding obligations paid in full in connection with the termination;
    • Sold a non-core interest in Garden Banks Blocks 385 and 386 in January 2025, which included latest net production of approximately 195 barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Boe/d”) (72% oil) for $11.9 million, or over $60,000 per flowing barrel, after customary closing adjustments;
    • Received $58.5 million in cash for an insurance settlement related to the Mobile Bay 78-1 well, which further bolstered W&T’s balance sheet;
    • Reported unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $105.9 million and Net Debt of $244.1 million at March 31, 2025;
    • Added natural gas costless collar hedges for 2025 including:
      • 50,000 million British Thermal Units per day (“MMBtu/d”) for March 2025, with a floor price of $3.88 per MMBtu and ceiling price of $5.13 per MMBtu;
      • 70,000 MMBtu/d for April to December 2025, with a volume-weighted average floor price and ceiling price of $4.02 per MMBtu and $5.32 per MMBtu, respectively;
    • Paid sixth consecutive quarterly dividend of $0.01 per common share in March 2025; and
      • Declared second quarter 2025 dividend of $0.01 per share, which will be payable on May 27, 2025 to stockholders of record on May 20, 2025.

    Tracy W. Krohn, W&T’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We continue to successfully execute our strategic vision and have delivered another quarter of strong results in line with or above our guidance. We reported production at the high end of our guidance range and, more importantly, we have brought online the remaining two fields from the Cox acquisition, which we expect will meaningfully increase production for the remainder of 2025, as you can see from our second quarter and full year guidance. Acquisitions remain a key component of our success, and it is our ability to integrate and enhance the assets that we acquire that has allowed us to successfully operate for over 40 years. We generated solid Free Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA and we recorded lease operating expenses below the low end of our guidance. We will continue to focus on increasing our production, particularly our oil production, and managing our operating costs.”

    “Our balance sheet was strengthened in the first quarter of 2025 due to several key accomplishments. We successfully closed the issuance of new 10.75% Notes, entered into a new revolving credit facility and added material cash through a non-core disposition and an insurance settlement. The new 10.75% Notes have an interest rate 100 basis points lower than our 11.75% Notes and received improved credit ratings from S&P and Moody’s. We also received a $58.5 million cash insurance settlement payment related to a well impairment event. Finally, we sold a non-core interest in Garden Banks 385 and 386 for $11.9 million, after customary closing adjustments, at a value of over $60,000 per flowing barrel, which is highly accretive to W&T. We have over $100 million in cash on our balance sheet and remain prepared to take advantage of potential acquisitions. With the change in administration and the White House’s directives to Unleash American Energy, we also see promising developments in the regulatory environment for oil and gas companies. We are well positioned to continue to enhance our portfolio through additional accretive acquisition opportunities and are committed to enhancing shareholder value while returning value to our shareholders through the quarterly dividend program.”

    Production, Prices and Revenue: Production for the first quarter of 2025 was 30.5 MBoe/d, towards the high end of the Company’s first quarter guidance but down compared with 32.1 MBoe/d for the fourth quarter of 2024 and 35.1 MBoe/d for the corresponding period in 2024. The first quarter 2025 production decrease was due to freezing conditions that caused shut-ins during January 2025; however production has since recovered. First quarter 2025 production was comprised of 13.7 thousand barrels per day (“MBbl/d”) of oil (45%), 2.2 MBbl/d of natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) (7%), and 87.6 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) of natural gas (48%).

    W&T’s average realized price per Boe before realized derivative settlements was $46.50 per Boe in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 17% from $39.86 per Boe in the fourth quarter of 2024 and an increase of 9% from $42.55 per Boe in the first quarter of 2024. First quarter 2025 oil, NGL and natural gas prices before realized derivative settlements were $71.31 per barrel of oil, $23.86 per barrel of NGL and $4.45 per Mcf of natural gas.

    Revenues for the first quarter of 2025 were $129.9 million, which was 8% higher than fourth quarter of 2024 revenues of $120.3 million due to higher realized prices, which was partially offset by lower production volumes. First quarter 2025 revenues were lower by 8% compared to $140.8 million of revenues in the first quarter of 2024 due to lower production volumes, partially offset by higher realized natural gas and NGL prices.

    Lease Operating Expenses: LOE, which includes base lease operating expenses, insurance premiums, workovers and facilities maintenance expenses, was $71.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, which was below the low end of the guidance range of $72.5 to $80.5 million. LOE came in lower than expected due to a combination of lower repair and maintenance costs, lower facility expenses and lower workover expense. LOE for the first quarter of 2025 was approximately 11% higher compared to $64.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. Lower LOE in the fourth quarter of 2024 was primarily driven by favorable audit adjustments and lower maintenance and repair work performed. LOE for the first quarter of 2025 was slightly higher than the $70.8 million for the corresponding period in 2024. On a component basis for the first quarter of 2025, base LOE and insurance premiums were $57.6 million, workovers were $2.0 million, and facilities maintenance and other expenses were $11.4 million. On a unit of production basis, LOE was $25.88 per Boe in the first quarter of 2025. This compares to $21.76 per Boe for the fourth quarter of 2024 and $22.14 per Boe for the corresponding period in 2024, reflecting a decrease in production in the period due to freezing conditions in January 2025.

    Gathering, Transportation Costs and Production Taxes: Gathering, transportation costs and production taxes totaled $5.7 million ($2.06 per Boe) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $5.9 million ($2.00 per Boe) in the fourth quarter of 2024 and $7.5 million ($2.36 per Boe) in the first quarter of 2024. Gathering, transportation costs and production taxes decreased in the first quarter of 2025 from the prior quarters due to lower production volumes.

    Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (“DD&A”): DD&A was $11.99 per Boe in the first quarter of 2025. This compares to $12.94 per Boe and $10.61 per Boe for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2024, respectively.

    Asset Retirement Obligations Accretion: Asset retirement obligations accretion was $3.06 per Boe in the first quarter of 2025. This compares to $2.76 per Boe and $2.49 per Boe for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2024, respectively.

    General & Administrative Expenses (“G&A”): G&A was $20.2 million for the first quarter of 2025, which decreased from $20.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 and $20.5 million in the first quarter of 2024 primarily due to decreases of share-based compensation and employee benefit costs partially offset by an increase in legal fees due to ongoing sureties litigation. On a unit of production basis, G&A was $7.35 per Boe in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $7.04 per Boe in the fourth quarter of 2024 and $6.41 per Boe in the corresponding period of 2024. These increases, on a per Boe basis, are related to lower production, as the absolute G&A costs were lower.

    Derivative Loss (Gain), net: In the first quarter of 2025, W&T recorded a net loss of $2.7 million with commodity derivative contracts comprised of $3.6 million of realized losses and $0.9 million of unrealized gains related to the increase in fair value of open contracts. W&T recognized a net loss of $2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 and a net gain of $4.9 million in the first quarter of 2024 related to commodity derivative activities.

    To take advantage of the recent uptick in natural gas prices, W&T added costless collar hedges for March 2025 of 50,000 MMBtu/d with a floor price of $3.88 per MMBtu and ceiling price of $5.13 per MMBtu. For April to December 2025, the Company added similar costless collar hedges of 70,000 MMBtu/d with a volume-weighted average floor price and ceiling price of $4.02 per MMBtu and $5.32 per MMBtu, respectively.

    A summary of the Company’s outstanding derivative positions is provided in the investor presentation posted on W&T’s website.

    Interest Expense: Net interest expense in the first quarter of 2025 was $9.5 million compared to $10.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 and $10.1 million in the first quarter of 2024. These decreases reflect the impact of the Company’s debt refinancing in January 2025, which lowered overall debt by around $39 million and reduced the Senior Second Lien Notes’ coupon rate by 100 basis points.

    Income Tax (Benefit) Expense: W&T recognized an income tax benefit of $4.6 million in the first quarter of 2025. This compares to the recognition of an income tax benefit of $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 and an income tax expense of $1.0 million in the first quarter of 2024.

    Capital Expenditures and Asset Retirement Settlements: Capital expenditures on an accrual basis in the first quarter of 2025 were $8.5 million, and asset retirement settlement costs totaled $3.8 million. The Company continues to expect its full year capital expenditure budget to be between $34 million and $42 million, which excludes potential acquisition opportunities.

    Balance Sheet and Liquidity: As of March 31, 2025, W&T had available liquidity of $155.9 million comprised of $105.9 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $50.0 million of borrowing availability under W&T’s new revolving credit facility. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had total debt of $350.0 million and Net Debt of $244.1 million. As of March 31, 2025, Net Debt to trailing twelve months (“TTM”) Adjusted EBITDA was 1.8x.

    Debt Refinance: On January 28, 2025 W&T closed an offering of the 10.75% Notes at par in a private offering that was exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the 10.75% Notes offering, along with cash on hand to (i) purchase for cash pursuant to a tender offer, such of the Company’s outstanding 11.75% Notes that were validly tendered pursuant to the terms thereof; (ii) repay $114.2 million outstanding under the MRE Term Loan; (iii) fund the full redemption amount for an August 1, 2025 redemption of the remaining 11.75% Notes not validly tendered and accepted for purchase in the tender offer; and (iv) pay premiums, fees and expenses related to these transactions. On the closing date of the offering of the 10.75% Notes, the Company completed all actions necessary to satisfy and discharge the indenture governing the 11.75% Notes.

    In conjunction with the issuance of the 10.75% Notes, the Company entered into a new credit agreement which provides the Company with a revolving credit and letter of credit facility, with initial lending commitments of $50 million and with a letter of credit sublimit of $10 million. The credit facility matures on July 28, 2028.

    Concurrently with the debt refinance, W&T recorded a $15.0 million loss on the extinguishment of debt in the first quarter of 2025.

    Non-Core Asset Disposition

    In early 2025, W&T closed the sale of a non-core interest in Garden Banks Blocks 385 and 386, which included net production of approximately 195 Boe/d, for $11.9 million after normal purchase price adjustments. The effective date of the sale was December 1, 2024, and the transaction closed in January 2025. The impact to W&T’s reserves for year-end 2024 were minimal at about 0.12 MMBoe.

    Regulatory Update

    The change of Presidential administration in the early part of 2025 saw promising developments in the oil and natural gas regulatory environment. On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy. Section 3 of that Order directed heads of agencies to review existing regulations to identify agency actions that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources. The Trump administration also issued Executive Order 14156, Declaring a National Energy Emergency, stating that the United States’ insufficient energy production, transportation, refining, and generation constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the nation’s economy, national security, and foreign policy. Furthermore, on February 3, 2025, Secretary Burgum issued Secretarial Order 3418, Unleashing American Energy. Section 4(b) of that Order directed agency officials to prepare an action plan that will include steps to suspend, revise, or rescind certain regulations.

    As it pertains to W&T, on April 8, 2025, pursuant to the above directives from the Trump administration, the Department of Interior, through a joint filing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (Case no. 2:24-cv-00820), indicated that it will not seek supplemental financial assurance in the Gulf of America except in the case of (a) sole liability properties and (b) certain non-sole liability properties that do not have a financially strong co-owner or predecessor in title and meet other conditions.

    In addition, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders aimed at streamlining regulations and reducing the regulatory burden on oil and natural gas companies, increasing federal oil and natural gas leasing, including in the Gulf of America, and expediting U.S. natural resource development.

    Cash Dividend Policy

    The Company paid its first quarter 2025 dividend of $0.01 per share on March 24, 2025 to stockholders of record on March 17, 2025.

    The Board of Directors declared a second quarter 2025 dividend of $0.01 per share which is to be paid on May 27, 2025 to stockholders of record on May 20, 2025.

    OPERATIONS UPDATE

    Well Recompletions and Workovers

    During the first quarter of 2025, the Company performed five workovers that positively impacted production for the quarter. W&T plans to continue performing these low cost and low risk short payout operations that impact both production and revenue.

    Second Quarter and Full Year 2025 Production and Expense Guidance

    The guidance for the second quarter and full year 2025 in the table below represents the Company’s current expectations. Please refer to the section entitled “Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements” below for risk factors that could impact guidance.

         
    Production Second Quarter 2025 Full Year 2025
    Oil (MBbl) 1,295 – 1,435 5,150 – 5,690
    NGLs (MBbl) 210 – 235 1,020 – 1,140
    Natural gas (MMcf) 8,830 – 9,750 34,880 – 38,560
    Total equivalents (MBoe) 2,977 – 3,295 11,983 – 13,257
    Average daily equivalents (MBoe/d) 32.7 – 36.2 32.8 – 36.3
    Expenses Second Quarter 2025 Full Year 2025
    Lease operating expense ($MM) 71.3 – 78.9 280.0 – 310.0
    Gathering, transportation & production taxes ($MM) 6.6 – 7.4 27.1 – 30.1
    General & administrative – cash ($MM) 14.5 – 16.1 62.0 – 69.0
    General & administrative – non-cash ($MM) 2.4 – 2.8 10.1 – 11.3
    DD&A ($ per Boe)   13.40 – 14.90

    W&T expects substantially all income taxes in 2025 to be deferred. 

    Conference Call Information: W&T will hold a conference call to discuss its financial and operational results on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time (12:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Interested parties may dial 1-844-739-3797. International parties may dial 1-412-317-5713. Participants should request to connect to the “W&T Offshore Conference Call.” This call will also be webcast and available on W&T’s website at www.wtoffshore.com under “Investors.” An audio replay will be available on the Company’s website following the call.

    About W&T Offshore

    W&T Offshore, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas producer with operations offshore in the Gulf of America and has grown through acquisitions, exploration and development. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had working interests in 52 fields in federal and state waters (which include 45 fields in federal waters and seven in state waters). The Company has under lease approximately 634,700 gross acres (496,900 net acres) spanning across the outer continental shelf off the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, with approximately 487,200 gross acres on the conventional shelf, approximately 141,900 gross acres in the deepwater and 5,600 gross acres in Alabama state waters. A majority of the Company’s daily production is derived from wells it operates. For more information on W&T, please visit the Company’s website at www.wtoffshore.com.

    Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release, including those regarding the Company’s financial position, operating and financial performance, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, projected costs, industry conditions, potential acquisitions, sustainability initiatives, the impact of and integration of acquired assets, and indebtedness are forward-looking statements. When used in this release, forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “target,” “could,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Items contemplating or making assumptions about actual or potential future production and sales, prices, market size, and trends or operating results also constitute such forward-looking statements.

    These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and speak only as of the date of this release. While management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as results actually achieved may differ materially from expected results described in these statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements, unless required by law.

    Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ including, among other things, the regulatory environment, including availability or timing of, and conditions imposed on, obtaining and/or maintaining permits and approvals, including those necessary for drilling and/or development projects; the impact of current, pending and/or future laws and regulations, and of legislative and regulatory changes and other government activities, including those related to permitting, drilling, completion, well stimulation, operation, maintenance or abandonment of wells or facilities, managing energy, water, land, greenhouse gases or other emissions, protection of health, safety and the environment, or transportation, marketing and sale of the Company’s products; inflation levels; global economic trends, geopolitical risks and general economic and industry conditions, such as the global supply chain disruptions and the government interventions into the financial markets and economy in response to inflation levels and world health events; volatility of oil, NGL and natural gas prices; the global energy future, including the factors and trends that are expected to shape it, such as concerns about climate change and other air quality issues, the transition to a low-emission economy and the expected role of different energy sources; supply of and demand for oil, NGLs and natural gas, including due to the actions of foreign producers, importantly including OPEC and other major oil producing companies (“OPEC+”) and change in OPEC+’s production levels; disruptions to, capacity constraints in, or other limitations on the pipeline systems that deliver the Company’s oil and natural gas and other processing and transportation considerations; inability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or to obtain adequate financing to fund capital expenditures, meet the Company’s working capital requirements or fund planned investments; price fluctuations and availability of natural gas and electricity; the Company’s ability to use derivative instruments to manage commodity price risk; the Company’s ability to meet the Company’s planned drilling schedule, including due to the Company’s ability to obtain permits on a timely basis or at all, and to successfully drill wells that produce oil and natural gas in commercially viable quantities; uncertainties associated with estimating proved reserves and related future cash flows; the Company’s ability to replace the Company’s reserves through exploration and development activities; drilling and production results, lower–than–expected production, reserves or resources from development projects or higher–than–expected decline rates; the Company’s ability to obtain timely and available drilling and completion equipment and crew availability and access to necessary resources for drilling, completing and operating wells; changes in tax laws; effects of competition; uncertainties and liabilities associated with acquired and divested assets; the Company’s ability to make acquisitions and successfully integrate any acquired businesses; asset impairments from commodity price declines; large or multiple customer defaults on contractual obligations, including defaults resulting from actual or potential insolvencies; geographical concentration of the Company’s operations; the creditworthiness and performance of the Company’s counterparties with respect to its hedges; impact of derivatives legislation affecting the Company’s ability to hedge; failure of risk management and ineffectiveness of internal controls; catastrophic events, including tropical storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, pandemics and other world health events; environmental risks and liabilities under U.S. federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations (including remedial actions); potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; the Company’s ability to recruit and/or retain key members of the Company’s senior management and key technical employees; information technology failures or cyberattacks; and governmental actions and political conditions, as well as the actions by other third parties that are beyond the Company’s control, and other factors discussed in W&T Offshore’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q found at www.sec.gov or at the Company’s website at www.wtoffshore.com under the Investor Relations section.

                       
    W&T OFFSHORE, INC.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (In thousands, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)
                       
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31, 
           2025        2024        2024  
    Revenues:                  
    Oil   $ 87,716     $ 86,778     $ 107,015  
    NGLs     4,772       6,713       7,469  
    Natural gas     35,109       24,203       21,616  
    Other     2,270       2,651       4,687  
    Total revenues     129,867       120,345       140,787  
                       
    Operating expenses:                  
    Lease operating expenses     71,012       64,259       70,830  
    Gathering, transportation and production taxes     5,659       5,912       7,540  
    Depreciation, depletion, and amortization     32,891       38,208       33,937  
    Asset retirement obligations accretion     8,392       8,157       7,969  
    General and administrative expenses     20,157       20,799       20,515  
    Total operating expenses     138,111       137,335       140,791  
                       
    Operating loss     (8,244 )     (16,990 )     (4 )
                       
    Interest expense, net     9,492       10,226       10,072  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     15,015       —       —  
    Derivative loss (gain), net     2,757       2,113       (4,877 )
    Other (income) expense, net     (316 )     (4,118 )     5,230  
    Loss before income taxes     (35,192 )     (25,211 )     (10,429 )
    Income tax (benefit) expense     (4,615 )     (1,849 )     1,045  
    Net loss   $ (30,577 )   $ (23,362 )   $ (11,474 )
                       
    Net loss per common share (basic and diluted)   $ (0.21 )   $ (0.16 )   $ (0.08 )
                       
    Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic and diluted)     147,598       147,365       146,857  
                             
    W&T OFFSHORE, INC.
    Condensed Operating Data
    (Unaudited)
                             
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31, 
        2025   2024   2024
    Net sales volumes:                        
    Oil (MBbls)     1,230       1,263       1,400  
    NGLs (MBbls)     200       273       343  
    Natural gas (MMcf)     7,884       8,505       8,733  
    Total oil and natural gas (MBoe) (1)     2,744       2,953       3,199  
                             
    Average daily equivalent sales (MBoe/d)     30.5       32.1       35.1  
                             
    Average realized sales prices (before the impact of derivative settlements):                        
    Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 71.31     $ 68.71     $ 76.44  
    NGLs ($/Bbl)     23.86       24.59       21.78  
    Natural gas ($/Mcf)     4.45       2.85       2.48  
    Barrel of oil equivalent ($/Boe)     46.50       39.86       42.55  
                             
    Average operating expenses per Boe ($/Boe):                        
    Lease operating expenses   $ 25.88     $ 21.76     $ 22.14  
    Gathering, transportation and production taxes     2.06       2.00       2.36  
    Depreciation, depletion, and amortization     11.99       12.94       10.61  
    Asset retirement obligations accretion     3.06       2.76       2.49  
    General and administrative expenses     7.35       7.04       6.41  
    (1) MBoe is determined using the ratio of six Mcf of natural gas to one Bbl of crude oil, condensate or NGLs (totals may not compute due to rounding). The conversion ratio does not assume price equivalency and the price on an equivalent basis for oil, NGLs and natural gas may differ significantly. The realized prices presented above are volume-weighted for production in the respective period.
                 
    W&T OFFSHORE, INC.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (In thousands)
    (Unaudited)
                 
           March 31,    December 31, 
        2025     2024  
    Assets            
    Current assets:            
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 105,933     $ 109,003  
    Restricted cash     1,552       1,552  
    Receivables:            
    Oil and natural gas sales     64,991       63,558  
    Joint interest, net     26,884       25,841  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets     22,570       18,504  
    Total current assets     221,930       218,458  
                 
    Oil and natural gas properties and other, net     691,788       777,741  
    Restricted deposits for asset retirement obligations     22,892       22,730  
    Deferred income taxes     54,332       48,808  
    Other assets     34,004       31,193  
    Total assets   $ 1,024,946     $ 1,098,930  
                 
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit            
    Current liabilities:            
    Accounts payable   $ 77,978     $ 83,625  
    Accrued liabilities     19,210       33,271  
    Undistributed oil and natural gas proceeds     58,647       53,131  
    Advances from joint interest partners     2,432       2,443  
    Current portion of asset retirement obligations     29,098       46,326  
    Current portion of long-term debt, net     566       27,288  
    Total current liabilities     187,931       246,084  
                 
    Asset retirement obligations     532,753       502,506  
    Long-term debt, net     349,481       365,935  
    Other liabilities     17,381       16,182  
                 
    Commitments and contingencies     20,196       20,800  
                 
    Shareholders’ deficit:            
    Preferred stock     —       —  
    Common stock     2       2  
    Additional paid-in capital     597,271       595,407  
    Retained deficit     (655,902 )     (623,819 )
    Treasury stock     (24,167 )     (24,167 )
    Total shareholders’ deficit     (82,796 )     (52,577 )
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit   $ 1,024,946     $ 1,098,930  
                       
    W&T OFFSHORE, INC.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (In thousands)
    (Unaudited)
                       
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31, 
        2025     2024     2024  
    Operating activities:                  
    Net loss   $ (30,577 )   $ (23,362 )   $ (11,474 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:                  
    Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion     41,283       46,365       41,906  
    Share-based compensation     2,087       3,818       3,032  
    Amortization and write off of debt issuance costs     1,099       1,117       1,292  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     15,015       —       —  
    Derivative loss (gain), net     2,757       2,113       (4,877 )
    Derivative cash (settlements) receipts, net     (5,326 )     (1,638 )     2,599  
    Deferred income (benefit) taxes     (5,517 )     (1,941 )     733  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                  
    Accounts receivable     (1,935 )     (17,064 )     (17,362 )
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     547       1,792       433  
    Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other     (18,858 )     3,831       (852 )
    Asset retirement obligation settlements     (3,771 )     (19,348 )     (3,788 )
    Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities     (3,196 )     (4,317 )     11,642  
                       
    Investing activities:                  
    Investment in oil and natural gas properties and equipment     (6,665 )     (14,124 )     (7,080 )
    Acquisition of property interests     (400 )     —       (80,515 )
    Proceeds from sale of oil and natural gas properties     11,935       —       —  
    Insurance proceeds     58,500       —       —  
    Purchases of furniture, fixtures and other     (103 )     (19 )     (24 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities     63,267       (14,143 )     (87,619 )
                       
    Financing activities:                  
    Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt     350,000       —       —  
    Repayments of long-term debt     (384,264 )     (275 )     (275 )
    Purchase of government securities in connection with legal defeasance of 11.75% Senior Second Lien Notes     (5,889 )     —       —  
    Premium and debt extinguishment costs     (10,230 )     —       —  
    Debt issuance costs     (11,042 )     (183 )     (312 )
    Payment of dividends     (1,493 )     (1,475 )     (1,469 )
    Other     (223 )     (13 )     (483 )
    Net cash used in financing activities     (63,141 )     (1,946 )     (2,539 )
    Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash     (3,070 )     (20,406 )     (78,516 )
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period     110,555       130,961       177,755  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period   $ 107,485     $ 110,555     $ 99,239  

    W&T OFFSHORE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Non-GAAP Information

    Certain financial information included in W&T’s financial results are not measures of financial performance recognized by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures are “Net Debt,” “Adjusted Net Loss,” “Adjusted EBITDA” and “Free Cash Flow” or are derivable from a combination of these measures. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in its analysis of performance. These disclosures may not be viewed as a substitute for results determined in accordance with GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures which may be reported by other companies. Prior period amounts have been conformed to the methodology and presentation of the current period.

    We calculate Net Debt as total debt (current and long-term portions), less cash and cash equivalents. Management uses Net Debt to evaluate the Company’s financial position, including its ability to service its debt obligations.

    Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted Net Loss

    Adjusted Net Loss adjusts for certain items that the Company believes affect comparability of operating results, including items that are generally non-recurring in nature or whose timing and/or amount cannot be reasonably estimated. These items include loss on extinguishment of debt, unrealized commodity derivative gain, net, allowance for credit losses, non-recurring legal and IT-related costs, non-ARO P&A costs, and other which are then tax effected using the Federal Statutory Rate. Company management believes that this presentation is relevant and useful because it helps investors to understand the net loss of the Company without the effects of certain non-recurring or unusual expenses and certain income or loss that is not realized by the Company.

                       
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31, 
        2025     2024     2024  
          (in thousands)
          (Unaudited)
    Net loss   $ (30,577 )   $ (23,362 )   $ (11,474 )
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     15,015       —       —  
    Unrealized commodity derivative gain, net     (882 )     (497 )     (1,122 )
    Allowance for credit losses     155       118       84  
    Non-recurring legal and IT-related costs     528       860       758  
    Non-ARO P&A costs     (197 )     (2,763 )     5,352  
    Other     (71 )     (1,302 )     (214 )
    Tax effect of selected items (1)     (3,055 )     753       (1,020 )
    Adjusted net loss   $ (19,084 )   $ (26,193 )   $ (7,636 )
                       
    Adjusted net loss per common share (basic and diluted)   $ (0.13 )   $ (0.18 )   $ (0.05 )
                       
    Weighted average shares outstanding (basic and diluted)     147,598       147,365       146,857  

    (1)   Selected items were tax effected with the Federal Statutory Rate of 21% for each respective period.

    W&T OFFSHORE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Non-GAAP Information

    Adjusted EBITDA/ Free Cash Flow Reconciliations

    The Company also presents non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net loss plus net interest expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, income tax (benefit) expense, depreciation, depletion and amortization, ARO accretion, excluding the unrealized commodity derivative gain, allowance for credit losses, non-cash incentive compensation, non-recurring legal and IT-related costs, non-ARO P&A costs, and other. Company management believes this presentation is relevant and useful because it helps investors understand W&T’s operating performance and makes it easier to compare its results with those of other companies that have different financing, capital and tax structures. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for net income, as an indication of operating performance or cash flows from operating activities or as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA, as W&T calculates it, may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA measures reported by other companies. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA does not represent funds available for discretionary use.

    The Company defines Free Cash Flow as Adjusted EBITDA (defined above), less capital expenditures, P&A costs and net interest expense (all on an accrual basis). For this purpose, the Company’s definition of capital expenditures includes costs incurred related to oil and natural gas properties (such as drilling and infrastructure costs and the lease maintenance costs) and equipment but excludes acquisition costs of oil and gas properties from third parties that are not included in the Company’s capital expenditures guidance provided to investors. Company management believes that Free Cash Flow is an important financial performance measure for use in evaluating the performance and efficiency of its current operating activities after the impact of accrued capital expenditures, P&A costs and net interest expense and without being impacted by items such as changes associated with working capital, which can vary substantially from one period to another. There is no commonly accepted definition of Free Cash Flow within the industry. Accordingly, Free Cash Flow, as defined and calculated by the Company, may not be comparable to Free Cash Flow or other similarly named non-GAAP measures reported by other companies. While the Company includes net interest expense in the calculation of Free Cash Flow, other mandatory debt service requirements of future payments of principal at maturity (if such debt is not refinanced) are excluded from the calculation of Free Cash Flow. These and other non-discretionary expenditures that are not deducted from Free Cash Flow would reduce cash available for other uses.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of the Company’s net loss income, a GAAP measure, to Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow, as such terms are defined by the Company:

                       
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31, 
        2025     2024     2024  
        (in thousands)
        (Unaudited)
    Net loss   $ (30,577 )   $ (23,362 )   $ (11,474 )
    Interest expense, net     9,492       10,226       10,072  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     15,015       —       —  
    Income tax (benefit) expense     (4,615 )     (1,849 )     1,045  
    Depreciation, depletion and amortization     32,891       38,208       33,937  
    Asset retirement obligations accretion     8,392       8,157       7,969  
    Unrealized commodity derivative gain, net     (882 )     (497 )     (1,122 )
    Allowance for credit losses     155       118       84  
    Non-cash incentive compensation     2,087       3,818       3,032  
    Non-recurring legal and IT-related costs     528       860       758  
    Non-ARO P&A costs     (197 )     (2,763 )     5,352  
    Other     (71 )     (1,302 )     (214 )
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 32,218     $ 31,614     $ 49,439  
                       
    Capital expenditures, accrual basis (1)   $ (8,472 )   $ (12,228 )   $ (3,156 )
    Asset retirement obligation settlements     (3,771 )     (19,348 )     (3,788 )
    Interest expense, net     (9,492 )     (10,226 )     (10,072 )
    Free Cash Flow   $ 10,483     $ (10,188 )   $ 32,423  


    (1)     A reconciliation of the adjustment used to calculate Free Cash Flow to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is included below:

                       
    Capital expenditures, accrual basis reconciliation                  
    Investment in oil and natural gas properties and equipment   $ (6,665 )   $ (14,124 )   $ (7,080 )
    Less: change in accrual for capital expenditures     1,807       (1,896 )     (3,924 )
    Capital expenditures, accrual basis   $ (8,472 )   $ (12,228 )   $ (3,156 )

    The following table presents a reconciliation of cash flow from operating activities, a GAAP measure, to Free Cash Flow, as defined by the Company:

                       
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,    December 31,    March 31,
        2025     2024     2024  
        (in thousands)
        (Unaudited)
    Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities   $ (3,196 )   $ (4,317 )   $ 11,642  
    Allowance for credit losses     155       118       84  
    Amortization of debt items     (1,099 )     (1,117 )     (1,292 )
    Non-recurring legal and IT-related costs     528       860       758  
    Current tax (benefit) expense (1)     902       92       312  
    Change in derivatives receivable (payable) (1)     1,687       (972 )     1,156  
    Non-ARO P&A costs     (197 )     (2,763 )     5,352  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding asset retirement obligation settlements     20,246       11,441       17,781  
    Capital expenditures, accrual basis     (8,472 )     (12,228 )     (3,156 )
    Other     (71 )     (1,302 )     (214 )
    Free Cash Flow   $ 10,483     $ (10,188 )   $ 32,423  


    (1)     A reconciliation of the adjustments used to calculate Free Cash Flow to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is included below:

                       
    Current tax (benefit) expense:                  
    Income tax (benefit) expense   $ (4,615 )   $ (1,849 )   $ 1,045  
    Less: Deferred income (benefit) taxes     (5,517 )     (1,941 )     733  
    Current tax expense   $ 902     $ 92     $ 312  
                       
    Changes in derivatives receivable (payable)                  
    Derivatives receivable (payable), end of period   $ 310     $ (1,377 )   $ 1,427  
    Derivatives payable (receivable), beginning of period     1,377       405       (271 )
    Change in derivatives receivable (payable)   $ 1,687     $ (972 )   $ 1,156  
         
    CONTACT: Al Petrie Sameer Parasnis
      Investor Relations Coordinator Executive VP and CFO
      investorrelations@wtoffshore.com sparasnis@wtoffshore.com
      713-297-8024 713-513-8654

    Source: W&T Offshore, Inc.

    Released May 6, 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taskforce Raven lays 482 charges in three months

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Taskforce Raven lays 482 charges in three months

    Wednesday, 7 May 2025 – 2:45 pm.

    Taskforce Raven members arrested 61 offenders, and charged them with 482 individual offences during their first three months of operation.
    The taskforce has cleared 142 offence reports through its work focusing on recidivist offenders and youth crime.
    Members have recovered $48,000 worth of stolen property including power tools, jewellery and groceries and seized 8 illegal firearms.
    Northern District Commander Marco Ghedini said since the taskforce was established on 3 February this year, the district had observed a downward trend in crime.  
    “Tasmania remains a safe place to live, and we know that a small number of people are responsible for the majority of crime in Tasmania,” he said.
    “Taskforce Raven will continue to focus on recidivist offenders, and in just three months, members have delivered strong results, with a significant number of arrests and prosecutions. We have concurrently observed general reduction in crime across the district”.
    “While the taskforce is just one of a range of strategies, we have certainly seen positive indications since its inception.”
    Taskforce Raven will continue indefinitely, working in conjunction with Northern CIB, Launceston Uniform and the Northern Drugs and Firearms Unit.
    “Through a combination of high visibility foot patrols and proactive investigations, members of the community can expect to continue to see taskforce members out on the streets,” Commander Ghedini said.
    “We know concerns about youth crime, and anti-social and unlawful behaviour, particularly within the CBD remain. I can re-assure the communities of Northern Tasmania that our strong focus will continue and ask for your ongoing support.   
    “We continue to encourage anyone with information that may assist Taskforce Raven to contact police.”
    Anyone with information can contact the taskforce on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 17-year-old charged over Rosny assault

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    17-year-old charged over Rosny assault

    Wednesday, 7 May 2025 – 4:07 pm.

    A 17-year-old boy has been charged with common assault and stealing following an incident in Rosny this afternoon.
    Police were called to the scene about 12.30pm following reports of a disturbance between two parties.
    Initial inquiries indicate a woman in her 40s was assaulted after engaging in an altercation with a group of youths.
    Three youths were arrested by police a short time later, the 17-year-old boy has since been charged with common assault and stealing and will appear in after hours court.
    The woman received medical attention for non-life threatening injuries.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION OF EUR 750,000,000 Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Notes issued on June 5, 2020 (ISIN: FR0013516184)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Montrouge, May 7, 2025

    CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION OF

    EUR 750,000,000 Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Notes issued on June 5, 2020 (ISIN: FR0013516184)*

    Crédit Agricole S.A. (the “Issuer”) announces today the redemption (the “Redemption”) with effect on June 5, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) of all of its outstanding EUR 750,000,000 Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Notes issued on June 5, 2020 (ISIN: FR0013516184) (the “Notes”) pursuant to Condition 6(e) (Redemption at the Option of the Issuer) of the terms and conditions of the Notes (the “Terms and Conditions”) included in the base prospectus dated April 9, 2020, which was granted the visa n°20-136 by the Autorité des marchés financiers on April 9, 2020 (as further amended and supplemented, the “Base Prospectus”) at the outstanding nominal amount thereof, together with any accrued interest thereon (the “Redemption Amount”).

    On the Redemption Date, the Redemption Amount shall become due and payable and, in accordance with Condition 5(h) (Accrual of Interest) of the Terms and Conditions, unless the Redemption Amount is improperly withheld or refused, each Note shall cease to bear interest on the Redemption Date.

    The terms and modalities of the Redemption are set out in the notice to the holders of the Notes appended to this press release.

    For further information on Crédit Agricole S.A., please see Crédit Agricole S.A.’s website: https://www.credit-agricole.com/en/finance. 

    DISCLAIMER

    This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes in the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan or in any other jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

    No communication or information relating to the redemption of the Notes may be distributed to the public in a country where a registration obligation or an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country where such action would be required. The redemption of the Notes may be subject to specific legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; Crédit Agricole S.A. accepts no liability in connection with a breach by any person of such restrictions.

    This press release is an advertisement; and none of this press release, any notice or any other document or material made public and/or delivered, or which may be made public and/or delivered to the holders of the Notes in connection with the redemption of the Notes is or is intended to be a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 14 June 2017 (as amended, the “Prospectus Regulation”). No prospectus will be published in connection with the redemption of the Notes for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation.

    This press release does not, and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an offer to the public of Notes by Crédit Agricole S.A. nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer in any jurisdiction, including France.

    * The ISIN number is included solely for the convenience of the holders of the Notes. No representation is being made as to the correctness or accuracy of the ISIN number as contained herein.

    CRÉDIT AGRICOLE S.A. PRESS CONTACT

    Alexandre Barat                             + 33 1 57 72 12 19                                      alexandre.barat@credit-agricole-sa.fr
    Olivier Tassain                               + 33 1 43 23 25 41                                      olivier.tassain@credit-agricole-sa.fr

    Find our press release on: www.credit-agricole.com – www.creditagricole.info

      Crédit_Agricole   Groupe Crédit Agricole   créditagricole_sa

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia

    The English Premier League (EPL) is one of the most prestigious and widely consumed soccer competitions in the world.

    Yet it is also manifestly lopsided when it comes to competitive balance. Only a handful of teams are title contenders each season.

    The rest mainly aim to avoid relegation to the second-tier Championship, or strive to qualify for lucrative Europe-wide competitions that run alongside the domestic season.

    Despite the dominance of a handful of teams, and this year’s title race already being decided in Liverpool’s favour, there is still major fan interest, even among neutrals.

    The reason why is prestige and the financial windfalls for the teams that qualify for European leagues.

    Soccer’s uneven playing field

    Competitiveness in the Premier League has significantly declined since 1997 due to growing overseas investments.

    Super-wealthy investors such as Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour have permanently changed the fortunes of Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively. Since foreign acquisitions, these clubs experienced meteoric rises and dominated the league, and in Manchester City’s case, have enjoyed a near-monopoly on the league title in recent years.

    Superior financial backing provides unfair advantages in the player transfer market, wage affordability, and modernising training facilities that domestically funded clubs can’t match.

    This is probably a major reason why in 33 years of the EPL’s existence, there have only ever been seven different winners.

    This isn’t a unique feature of the English competition.

    Among the major European leagues, Barcelona and Real Madrid have combined 18 Spanish La Liga titles since 2004, Bayern Munich has won 15 German Bundesliga championships, and in Italy’s Serie A, Juventus (nine), Inter Milan (seven) and AC Milan (two) have shared the vast majority of titles over the past two decades.

    This is an illustration of what economists call industrial concentration – market domination by a small number of organisations.

    Normally, a fundamental principle when designing a sports league is the idea that every team should have a chance of winning it.

    In US sports, such as the National Basketball Association, this is enshrined within the sport’s rules and governance.

    One can argue it has been a long time since there was any such equality in English football.

    Despite the criticism, there is still major interest in the Premier League, due mainly to the jostling for European qualification.

    Why it’s not all about the title

    Liverpool and its fans are still celebrating their title win, which they clinched with four games to spare. The victory, the club’s 20th in top-tier English soccer, equals their arch-rival Manchester United’s record.

    The league’s often thrilling relegation battle has also already been decided.

    But interest in the league’s final few games is still high because many clubs are jostling for European qualification.

    These European-wide competitions are, in descending order of prestige, the Champions League, Europa League and the recently launched Conference League.

    Organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), these competitions bring together the top teams from each major European soccer league to compete against each other.

    This year, the top five English clubs (instead of the usual top four) will be offered a confirmed Champions League position. This is due to the collective best performance of English clubs this season in the Champions League.

    At the time of writing, there is only a seven-point spread between the six teams still vying for a top-five finish, with three games left to play.

    The sixth team in the league table, and the FA Cup winner, also receives the opportunity to join Europe’s second-tier club league tournament, the Europa League.

    And the Carabao Cup winner secures a spot in the third-tier Conference League.

    With Newcastle United (Carabao Cup winner) and Manchester City (favourite for FA Cup final) likely to finish in the top five Premier League places, the race for Europe is getting more intense with mathematical permutations suggesting up to ten Premier League places may be open to European league qualification.

    This means 12 EPL teams are still fighting for every single point.

    European qualification delivers enormous financial incentives. For many of the smaller competing clubs, such as Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Fulham, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

    Money matters

    Champions League qualification offers the largest financial rewards, with a €2.467 billion prize pool (A$4.34 billion), and minimum €18.62 million (A$32.7 million) reward per club for participation.

    Each victory during the tournament’s league stage also attracts a further €2.1 million (A$3.69 million) performance bonus, and bonuses for qualifying for the knockout stage range from €1 million to €18.5 million (A$1.75 million to $32.4 million) per club, depending on how far they progress.

    For Europa League participation, the reward is €4.31 million (A$7.57 million) per team, and €3.17 million (A$5.57 million) for the Conference League.

    This money is vital for clubs’ survival, especially as player wages and the transfer market have skyrocketed in recent years.

    For example, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, the highest-paid Premier League player, earns £500,000 (A$1.028 million) per week.

    So, having the financial means to purchase top-quality players and sustain a strong team is becoming incredibly difficult for clubs with limited investments and earnings.

    For smaller clubs, qualifying for European competition can be a lifeline, which is why there’s still so much interest in the Premier League’s upper mid-table battles – despite Liverpool already being a week into the title celebrations.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money – https://theconversation.com/the-premier-league-champions-have-already-been-crowned-but-theres-still-a-lot-on-the-line-mainly-money-254700

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Bush, Senior Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne

    Ulverstone Planetarium, Hive Tasmania

    Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder – as many after them will do – what trickery has made the roof above their heads disappear?

    But this is a performance; the stars above an ingenious projection. For the first time a public audience has experienced the spectacle of the opto-mechanical planetarium. The location is the newly opened Deutsches Museum in Munich, built to celebrate science and technology. The date is May 7 1925.

    Visualising the heavens

    Throughout time, cultures around the world have used the stars to help make sense of the world, to understand where we come from and determine our place in the cosmos.

    People have tried to recreate the movements of the stars and planets since antiquity. In the 1700s, the orrery, a clockwork model of the Solar System, was developed. The word “planetarium” was invented to describe orreries that featured the planets.

    One room-sized orrery example was built by the self-taught Frisian astronomer Eise Eisinga. It’s still operational today in Franeker, Netherlands.

    No human has ever been to the edge of the Solar System to see this view. Orreries, and other mechanical models of the universe like celestial globes, present views from impossible, external perspectives.

    Eise Eisinga’s orrery was constructed on a scale of 1mm:1 million km with the pendulum clock that drives the mechanism located in the ceiling above.
    Erik Zachte, CC BY-SA

    The first planetariums

    The desire for a realistic view of the stars and planets, created from a perspective we actually see, gathered pace in the early 20th century as light pollution from growing cities diminished the view of the night sky.

    People like Oskar von Miller, first director of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, wanted to return this vision of the stars and planets to everyone. (Ironically, von Miller’s earlier career was as an electrical engineer, rolling out the city lighting that contributed to light pollution.)

    One early attempt to create this view of the night sky was the Atwood Sphere, installed in Chicago in 1913.

    Approximately five metres across, it was made of sheet metal perforated with a star map. When viewed from the inside, the light shining through 692 pinholes replicated the Chicago night sky. The whole structure could even be rotated to simulate the motion of the stars.

    A realistic display of the stars is one thing. Representing the planets, whose positions in the sky change from night to night, is a different one. Von Miller and others at the Deutsches Museum knew that fixed holes could not represent the complexity of a moving planet.

    What if the planets were displayed by projection? If so, couldn’t the stars be projected, as well? With this realisation, a new kind of planetarium was born, borrowing the name from earlier orreries but working in a completely different way.

    The task of building such a device was given to the German optical company Carl Zeiss AG. After many setbacks, their first planetarium projector was completed in 1923, with the first performance at the Deutsches Museum a century ago today.

    Planetariums were a hit with the public. Within decades, they had spread around the world – the first planetarium in the United States opened in Chicago in 1930, while the first one in Asia opened in Osaka, Japan in 1937. The popularity of planetariums particularly accelerated in the US during the space race of the 1960s.

    Australia’s oldest operating planetarium is the Melbourne Planetarium, managed by Museums Victoria since 1965. In Aotearoa New Zealand, Auckland’s Stardome Observatory has been in operation since 1997. The current longest-running planetarium in the southern hemisphere is in Montevideo, Uruguay, operational since 1955.

    Changing pace of technology

    The opto-mechanical planetarium projector remains a technological wonder of the modern world. Individual plates, perforated with pinholes, are illuminated by a bright central light. Separate lenses focus each projection from one of these star maps to fill the entire dome with about 5,000 stars.

    The Sun, Moon and planets have separate projectors driven by gears and rods that mechanically calculate the object’s position in the sky for any time or place.

    The Zeiss ZKP-1 star projector was installed at Adelaide Planetarium in 1972.
    Adelaide Planetarium

    By the 1990s, a digital revolution had begun. With the advent of computers, the positions of the planets could now be calculated digitally. The Melbourne Planetarium became the first digital planetarium in the southern hemisphere when it installed the Digistar II in 1999.

    This system, developed by computer graphics company Evans and Sutherland, replaced the multiple lenses of earlier projectors with a fisheye lens. A single beam of light swept across the whole dome so rapidly that it seemed to create a single image – albeit in a bizarre green colour, rendering a starfield of fuzzy green blobs.

    The first accurate fly-through of a star field was created by Evans and Sutherland and used as the opening credits of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982).

    The trade-off for a less crisp starfield was a 3D database with more than 9,000 stars. For the first time, planetarium audiences could fly through space, far beyond the edge of the Solar System.

    Planetarium technology continues to develop. Today, most planetariums operate through video projection. Known as fulldome, the output from multiple projectors is blended together to create a seamless video, transforming the planetarium into a sophisticated 360-degree theatre.

    A still fulldome frame from Melbourne Planetarium’s production Moonbase One, released in 2018.
    Museums Victoria

    A gateway to the stars

    Astronomy has also changed over the last century. Just as Zeiss was completing its first projector, astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that other galaxies exist beyond our Milky Way galaxy.

    The stars shown on the dome in Munich in 1925 turned out to be just a tiny part of the universe that we know today.

    Planetariums’ digital systems now incorporate data from telescopes and space agencies around the world. Audiences can fly off Earth, orbit the planets and moons of the Solar System, and explore the billions of known galaxies.

    In the planetarium, data from the GAIA spacecraft shows the little Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy dropping stars like breadcrumbs as it orbits the Milky Way.
    Museums Victoria, CC BY-SA

    Yet some things have not changed. From orreries and lantern slides to opto-mechanical and digital planetariums, the communication of astronomy has always been about more than just the latest results of science.

    The power of the planetarium over the last 100 years has been its ability to evoke wonder and awe. It taps into our enduring fascination with the vast mystery of the night sky.

    Tanya Hill works at the Melbourne Planetarium operated by Museums Victoria.

    Martin Bush 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. For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors – https://theconversation.com/for-100-years-we-have-marvelled-at-planetariums-heres-a-brief-history-of-how-humans-brought-the-stars-indoors-255228

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    With 80% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is giving Labor 87 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition 40, the Greens zero and all Others ten, with 13 seats remaining undecided.

    Based on votes realigned to a Greens vs Labor two candidate count in Melbourne, the ABC has Greens leader Adam Bandt trailing Labor by almost 4,400 votes (52.9–47.1). This would be a 9.4% swing to Labor from the Greens since the 2022 election. Analyst Kevin Bonham agrees with the ABC’s estimate. Primary votes are 40.3% Bandt (down 4.4%), 31.5% Labor (up 5.8%) and 19.1% Liberals (down 0.5%).

    Bandt had won Melbourne by 60.2–39.8 against Labor at the 2022 election, but his margin was reduced to 56.5–43.5 by an unfavourable redistribution. Bandt has become hated by the right, so it’s natural that their preferences would go to Labor ahead of Bandt.

    If this result is confirmed, the Greens will have lost three of their four House seats. In the fourth seat (Ryan), The Poll Bludger’s projections have the Greens just ahead of Labor when one of these parties is excluded, so they will probably beat the Liberal National Party on Labor preferences.

    Despite these losses, the Greens overall vote has held up, down 0.5% to 11.8%. It’s likely the Greens will improve when absent votes start being counted; these votes were cast outside a voter’s home electorate.

    The problem for the Greens is that their vote has become too dispersed and not concentrated enough to win single-member seats. In the proportional Senate, the Greens have performed far better, holding all their six seats that were last elected in 2019 (one from each state).

    Liberal Tim Wilson gains Goldstein

    The ABC has called a Liberal gain in Goldstein, with Teal independent incumbent Zoe Daniel defeated by a current margin of 684 votes. Daniel won on ordinary votes, which include election day and pre-poll votes cast within Goldstein, by 51.8–48.2. But the nearly 14,000 postals counted so far have favoured Wilson by a huge 64–36, and there’s still at least 6,000 postals to be counted.

    In other close Teal vs Liberal contests, an amendment to a pre-poll booth hurt the Teal in Liberal-held Bradfield, and she now trails by 178 votes. Postals that have heavily favoured the Liberal are almost finished, and the Teal may be able to regain the lead on other vote types.

    In Kooyong, incumbent Teal Monique Ryan leads the Liberals by 622 votes. Ryan won ordinary votes by 52.3–47.7, but she’s losing the 14,000 postals counted so far by 62–38, and there’s still at least 6,500 postals to be counted.

    Other close seats

    The electoral commission is still realigning the two candidate count in Bendigo, Bean and Fremantle. he ABC estimates Labor has an 1,183 vote lead over the Nationals in Bendigo, a 355 vote lead over a Teal independent in Fremantle, but Labor trails a Teal independent in Bean by 943 votes.

    In Liberal-held Menzies, Labor leads by almost 1,400 votes and should win, as the Liberal-favouring postals are nearly finished. In Labor-held Bullwinkel, Labor leads the Liberals by 50 votes and should extend their lead once vote types other than postals start being counted. In LNP-held Longman, the LNP leads Labor by 439 votes, but postals are nearly finished and Labor may regain the lead on other vote types.

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats – https://theconversation.com/greens-leader-adam-bandt-and-teal-zoe-daniel-likely-to-lose-their-seats-256067

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology

    While the official theme of the 2025 Met Gala was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, another trend emerged among those on the red carpet: no pants.

    While many might shudder at the thought of wearing their underwear in public, the no-pants trend has picked up steam in recent years, with celebrities such as Kristen Stewart, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Sydney Sweeney and many more rocking the look.

    Lisa’s outfit confuses the internet

    Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and K-pop star Lisa in particular rocked the internet with their pantless outfits at the Met Gala – although the latter has stirred up some controversy.

    Social media users were offended by Lisa’s underwear – part of a lacy bodysuit designed by Louis Vuitton – which seems to have an image of civil rights activist Rosa Parks embroidered onto it (although this hasn’t been confirmed), along with a number of other figures.

    It’s possible the look wouldn’t seem quite as offensive if the rest of the bodysuit wasn’t concealed by the blazer. Nonetheless, it’s a less successful attempt at marrying the gala’s theme of Black dandyism with one of the hottest trends in fashion right now.

    But where exactly does the no-pants trend come from? Is it as “new” as it seems? And do we have Bridget Jones herself to thank?

    The modern revival of no pants

    The revival of no pants, or mini shorts, marks a shift towards individualism in fashion, and is possibly also leveraging shock value. We’ve seen the trend slowly reemerge since 2022, with celebrity outfits and a series of runway adoptions.

    The latest runways have continued to deliver collections with hot pants, mini shorts and simply no pants, including Miu Miu Spring 2024 RTW, Alexander Wang Spring 2025 RTW and Louis Vuitton Spring 2025.

    The body positive movement may also be a factor in the way celebrities are expressing themselves. The no-pants trend is a moment to celebrate the legs. It’s also particularly useful for people who are shorter, as it creates the illusion of longer legs by pulling the focus to the torso.

    Sabrina Carpenter told Vogue she was specifically advised by Pharrell Williams – Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director – to not wear pants at the Met Gala due to her short stature.

    Back to the origins

    While fashion is often seen as frivolous, the way we dress is actually closely linked with cultural, economic and political movements.

    Pants for women have a long and complex history. Before the mid-19th century, it was considered unacceptable for women in Western societies to wear bloomers (pants), as this was seen as a threat to male power.

    This 1896 satirical cartoon by William H. Walker (1871-1938) shows a navy ship crewed by women.
    untitled; William H. Walker Cartoon Collection, MC068, Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

    The taboo continued up until the early 19th century, with one 1903 men’s magazine presenting a special issue of “bifurcated girls” – that is, women posing in trousers.

    And it was only in 2013 that France officially overturned a 200-year-old (unenforced) ban that said women could only wear trousers with permission from the police.

    If the no-pants trend seems overtly or subtly transgressive, it is because of the centuries women have spent trying to negotiate how much they can show of their bodies.

    Exoticism also has a big role to play in the way women adopted trends to expose their body. In the past, each time women revealed parts of their body they weren’t “supposed to”, they’ve been met with public shock.

    As for the no-pants trend, we can probably trace the first contemporary examples of this back to the rise of ballet clothing and dancewear, particularly the leotard, from the 1950s onward.

    The workout videos of the 1980s (hello, Jane Fonda) also boosted the popularity of the look.

    The fashion life cycle

    For women, pants provided practicality and freedom of movement, which was especially important as they took on men’s roles during the first and second world wars. So it’s no surprise womens’ pants became a fashion mainstay.

    Other trends, such as going pantless, will usually come into mainstream fashion in one of two ways. Either they trickle down from runways and celebrities, or bubble up from street style or social media.

    Trend cycles begin with “innovators” and “early adopters” – the bold among us who are ready to take the risk before others. Research into fashion trends suggests about 1% to 2.5% of the population are innovators who will adopt a style before it gains traction among the public.

    Trends will generally die when they hit a point of saturation and people become tired of them. While a trend that’s closer to classic fashion may last ten years, fashion “fads” tend to fizzle out after about one to two years.

    Given the Met Gala appearances, I think the no-pants look will be sticking around for at least another year. We can also expect it to dilute as it trickles down into mainstream fashion, which means we might see more mini shorts in stores instead.

    Jye Marshall is a member of the Australian Fashion Council and Ethical Clothing Australia Accreditation.

    – ref. How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend – https://theconversation.com/how-having-no-pants-in-public-went-from-a-nightmare-to-the-met-galas-hottest-fashion-trend-255952

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor has promised fast action to cut student debt, but arts students will have to wait for lower fees

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University

    Labor’s federal election win means university fees and costs are set to change. But some of these changes will not be immediate.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already said planned cuts to student debt will be a top priority for the the new parliament. A new student debt repayment system will follow soon after.

    But humanities students paying nearly A$17,000 a year for their studies – thanks to the Job-ready Graduates scheme introduced by the Morrison government – will probably have to wait until 2027 for lower fees.

    Reduction in student debt

    People with student debt will benefit from a 20% cut to how much they owe. As the Greens support wiping student debt entirely, Labor is likely to only need one or two other senators to pass the cut.

    With more Labor senators elected, Labor will be less reliant on crossbenchers to get legislation through parliament.

    Labor says the debt reduction will apply before 3.2% indexation is applied to HELP loan balances on June 1 this year. Given this deadline is mere weeks away, the necessary legislation will probably need to be retrospective.

    On average, the 20% reduction will save Australia’s 3 million student debtors about $5,500 each.

    A new student debt repayment system

    Another promised Labor change will deliver quick cash benefits to the about 1.2 million people making compulsory student debt repayments.

    If the Senate agrees, for the 2025-26 financial year, the income threshold to start repaying student loans will increase from $56,156 to $67,000. Anyone earning less than $67,000 in 2025-26 will repay nothing that financial year, compared to between $561 and $1,340 under current settings.

    Once the $67,000 income threshold is reached, student debtors will repay 15% of their income above this amount up to an income of $125,000, when the rate moves up to 17%. For example, a person earning $68,000 will be $1,000 above the new threshold – 15% of $1,000 equals a repayment of $150. Under the current system, somebody earning $68,000 would repay $1,360.

    Employers will deduct lower HELP repayments from their payroll, delivering extra cash to student debtor employees. Given the limited time before the thresholds are scheduled to change on July 1, employers may start with the old repayment system and transition to the new one after the necessary legislation passes.

    Understand the fine print

    During the election campaign, the Parliamentary Budget Office released work it did on HELP repayment scenarios for independent ACT Senator David Pocock, who was reelected on Saturday.

    This showed how under Labor’s proposed system, people with student debt will take longer to repay and incur higher indexation costs. If student debtors are concerned about this they can make voluntary repayments.

    What happens to the Job-ready Graduates scheme?

    A key to reducing repayment times is students accruing less debt in the first place. The Morrison government’s Job-ready Graduates policy increased student contributions for business, law and most arts subjects. Currently they pay $16,992 a year for their studies.

    The Coalition introduced this change in 2022 in a bid to encourage more university students to study “job-ready” teaching, nursing and STEM subjects.

    A new Australian Tertiary Education Commission, which Labor plans to legislate in the second half of 2025, will review student contribution levels as part of its broader role in managing the domestic student funding system.

    Last year, the Australian Universities Accord final report recommended student contributions should no longer be designed to steer course choices. Instead they should be based on expected future earnings.

    Using this principle, humanities students would pay the cheapest student contribution level. But this will not happen quickly.

    The new commission has a lot of work to do, with new student contributions forming part of a broader funding overhaul. The government then needs to accept any recommendations and legislate the new rates.

    Unfortunately for current students, this process means that student contributions are unlikely to change before 2027 at the earliest.

    International students

    While many domestic students are set to eventually pay less for their education, international students face early increases in costs. During the election campaign, Labor announced student visa application fees will increase from $1,600 to $2,000. As recently as June 2024 the visa application fee was only $710.

    This latest visa increase adds another item to an already long list of policies designed to discourage or block potential international students. It probably isn’t the last.

    Although student visa applications have trended down, the number of student visa holders in Australia at the end of March 2025 was higher than at the same time in 2023 or 2024.

    The government might try again to legislate formal caps on international student numbers. The Greens combined with the Liberals to block this in 2024.

    Commonwealth Prac Payments

    With Labor returned, eligible teaching, nursing and social work students will receive $331.65 a week when on mandatory work placements.

    While the “Commonwealth Prac Payments” policy is scheduled to start on July 1, the necessary legal instrument is not yet in place.

    Late in the election campaign the Coalition announced that, if elected, it would proceed with Prac Payments as a loan, rather than a grant.

    With the election result, Prac Payments can go ahead as originally planned. The minister can authorise the necessary delegated legislation before parliament sits. While the Senate could later “disallow” Prac Payments, the new Senate numbers make this very unlikely.

    Needs-based funding

    Labor’s election win should see another so far unlegislated program – needs-based funding for equity students – proceed as promised from January 1 2026.

    This will be a per student payment made to universities for each low socioeconomic status and First Nations student, along with each student enrolled at a regional campus. The idea is similar to needs-based funding for schools.

    Whether or not current education minister Jason Clare remains in the portfolio, Labor has a large higher education agenda to implement. In some areas the detail is already clear. But significant work remains to develop the new Australian Tertiary Education Commission and a new domestic student funding system.

    With several policy start dates due in the next eight weeks, the government will need to move quickly.

    Andrew Norton provided higher education policy advice to previous Liberal governments and served on the Universities Accord reference group during the first Albanese government.

    His current employer, Monash University, is significantly affected by policies on international students.

    – ref. Labor has promised fast action to cut student debt, but arts students will have to wait for lower fees – https://theconversation.com/labor-has-promised-fast-action-to-cut-student-debt-but-arts-students-will-have-to-wait-for-lower-fees-255872

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney

    With the election campaign now fading into the rear-view mirror, the parties, particularly the Liberals, will be reviewing their campaign strategies. A part of this will likely be the use of televised debates.

    Leaders’ debates have been part of Australian election campaigns since 1984, but the 2025 campaign set a record of four televised exchanges between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

    The increased frequency, ever-evolving formats and fragmenting audiences of these televised campaign rituals do not guarantee improved voter information.

    Debates are idealised in international academic research as a “public service event”.

    But the evolution of Australian debates over four decades suggests voter education tends to be compromised by considerations of electoral strategy and network marketing.

    Risk versus reward

    Back in the 1980s, debates were a more stately affair – one-off events hosted by the National Press Club and carried by the national broadcaster.

    1984 Great Debate: Bob Hawke and Andrew Peacock.
    National Library of Australia29.9 MB (download)

    This year, all four of the Albanese–Dutton exchanges were conducted in-house by the rival television networks.

    In total, the four debates reached nearly six million viewers – though “reach” only measures “the total amount of people who dipped in for at least 60 seconds on linear TV, and 15 seconds on streaming”, according to media publication Mumbrella.

    Even allowing for party officials, election nerds and political scientists who watched more than one debate, these are still significant numbers, if lower than in decades past. The Australian electorate, it seems, is not yet entirely jaded about politics and politicians.

    Notably, squeezing four debates into a five-week campaign meant the last two took place with pre-polling under way.

    For the networks, hosting a debate presents an opportunity to showcase their stars, generate “exclusives” and maximise audiences. Their interest lies in mistakes or conflict, not policy rundowns.

    By contrast, for the Labor and Liberal campaign professionals, debates are primarily about risk minimisation. Debates are high-risk verbal combat: any gaffe, “gotcha” moment, forgotten statistic or ill-disciplined response in front of a live television audience carries a potentially high cost.

    So leaders spend valuable campaign hours preparing for debates, rehearsing their talking points, workshopping zingers, probing ways of exploiting the other’s weaknesses and responding to their taunts and challenges.

    They are structured such that they are not debates at all. There is no exchange, no rebuttal, no counterargument. For the most part, they resemble press conferences or studio interviews: formats in which the leaders are well practised and journalists are elevated to equal prominence with the political leaders.

    What’s the appeal?

    The principal motivation for both incumbent and challenger is that debates offer direct and protracted opportunities to articulate their key messages.

    In an era of fragmented audiences and shortened attention spans, each network promoted and gathered the viewers for them.

    Opening and closing statements in which the leaders outline their contrasting visions and policy themes operate like paid advertisements – but without the payment.

    The parties can then repackage the highlights into snackable short videos for social media, giving it a long tail. Both parties did this in this election.

    Indeed, debates are all about whose voice is heard in an election campaign. Leaders’ debates reinforce the dominance of the major parties. Labor and Liberal strategists alike resist any suggestion that they should share the debate platform with minor parties.

    But while it remains true that only the major party leaders have a chance of forming a new government, the new reality of Australian elections is that the majors rely heavily on preference flows from minor parties and independents, who thus have a legitimate claim to be heard on a debate stage.

    Perhaps those in the live TV audiences who judged neither Albanese nor Dutton as winners of the debates were not “undecideds”, but minor party supporters.

    Do debates shift votes?

    Previous research suggests debates tend to assist challengers more than incumbents. Opposition leaders have the additional advantage of standing on an equal footing with the prime minister.

    The exceptions generally occur when incumbents look likely to lose the election and want to gain ground against their challenger. Think Paul Keating in 1996, Kevin Rudd in 2013 and Scott Morrison in 2019, who all agreed to multiple debates.

    In 2025, Albanese joins that list, given his poor poll standings before the campaign began.

    It is not possible to measure what, if any, effect the four debates had on Albanese’s turnaround during the campaign. Voter effects are notoriously difficult to measure.

    The Australian Electoral Study has identified only modest effects in previous campaigns. Perhaps thanks to confirmation bias, debates are more likely to reinforce than change opinions.

    But the 2025 campaign may suggest something more. The campaign certainly saw significant shifts in opinion, including in perceptions of the two leaders. In Newspoll, Albanese surged as preferred prime minister, and as more likely to make Australians better off over the next three years.

    With hindsight, it seems clear that voters warmed to Albanese’s confidence, consistency and plans for the future, and cooled on Dutton’s policy-light focus on grievance.

    My hunch is the extended exposure of the leaders over four debates, right through the campaign and into the early voting period, provided some fuel for that change in perception.

    Stephen Mills was a staff member (1986-91) for Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke and since 2015 has volunteered for local Labor election campaigns.

    – ref. In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter? – https://theconversation.com/in-an-election-that-played-out-on-social-media-as-much-as-tv-do-leaders-debates-still-matter-255771

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 7, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 7, 2025.

    In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney With the election campaign now fading into the rear-view mirror, the parties, particularly the Liberals, will be reviewing their campaign strategies. A part of this will likely be the use of televised debates.

    Labor has promised fast action to cut student debt, but arts students will have to wait for lower fees
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University Labor’s federal election win means university fees and costs are set to change. But some of these changes will not be immediate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already said planned cuts to student debt will be a top

    How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology While the official theme of the 2025 Met Gala was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, another trend emerged among those on the red carpet: no pants. While many might shudder at the thought of

    Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With 80% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is giving Labor 87 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition 40, the Greens zero and all

    For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Bush, Senior Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne Ulverstone Planetarium, Hive Tasmania Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder – as many after

    More than 50 years after trying to reach Venus, a failed Soviet spacecraft is about to return to Earth
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alice Gorman, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University A postage stamp from the Soviet Union celebrating its Venus space program from the 1960s and 1970s. Soviet Union/Wikipedia During the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s, the USSR launched 29 spacecraft

    The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia The English Premier League (EPL) is one of the most prestigious and widely consumed soccer competitions in the world. Yet it is also manifestly lopsided when it comes to competitive balance. Only a handful of

    Cheap overseas, ruinous in Australia: here’s how to make double-glazed windows the norm
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trivess Moore, Associate Professor in Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University New Africa/Shutterstock In Europe, double-glazed windows are standard. But in Australia, these energy-saving windows are remarkably uncommon. Correctly installed, the effect of double-glazing is remarkable. Instead of a house losing or gaining huge amounts of

    More Australians are overdosing on GHB. But there are ways to reduce your risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Freestone, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, UNSW Sydney Hendo Wang/Unsplash Gamma hydroxybutyrate – better known as GHB – is an increasingly popular illegal drug being used recreationally in Australia. While it can create feelings of euphoria, disinhibition and increased libido,

    The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Johnson, Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology and Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy, Australian Catholic University For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope. “Conclave” means “with a key”, indicating the cardinal-electors

    Avoiding AI is hard – but our freedom to opt out must be protected
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Jin Kang, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, RMIT University Vietnam Wachiwit Imagine applying for a job, only to find out that an algorithm powered by artificial intelligence (AI) rejected your resume before a human even saw it. Or imagine visiting a doctor where treatment options are

    Popes have been European for hundreds of years. Is it time for one from Africa or Asia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University Catholicism did not begin as a “white” faith. Born on the eastern rim of the Mediterranean, it spread through the trading routes and legions of the Roman Empire into Africa, Asia and, only later, what we now call Europe.

    Moving towns: 4 stories of communities facing relocation show the complex realities of managed retreat
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacy Vallis, Lecturer in Architecture and Emerging Technologies, Auckland University of Technology Shutterstock/Emagnetic With large parts of New Zealand having recently been pummelled by ex-tropical Cyclone Tam and ongoing bouts of heavy rain, it is important to remember that natural hazards have long shaped our cities. Two

    Indonesian postcard image ‘dangerous’ but Fiji a rising star in RSF press freedom index
    Pacific Media Watch To mark the release of the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) partnered with the agency The Good Company to launch a new awareness campaign that puts an ironic twist on the glossy advertising of the tourism industry. Three out of six countries featured in the exposé are from

    Gender quotas are the only way for the Liberals to go: Simon Birmingham
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Liberals’ former Senate Leader Simon Birmingham has urged the party to adopt quotas for its women in parliament, in an excoriating post-election critique. Birmingham, a leading moderate who retired from parliament in January, says given the Liberals’ parliamentary representation

    Why do some people get a curved back as they age and what can I do to avoid it?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jakub Mesinovic, Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University fran_kie/Shutterstock As we age, it’s common to notice posture changes: shoulders rounding, head leaning forward, back starting to curve. You might associate this with older adults and wonder: will this happen to me?

    As Warren Buffett prepares to retire, does his investing philosophy have a future?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Professor of Finance, RMIT University Warren Buffett, the 94-year-old investing legend and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, has announced plans to step down at the end of this year. His departure will mark the end of an era for value investing, an investment approach built

    Labor settled the ‘funding wars’ just before the election. Here are 4 big issues schools still face
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stewart Riddle, Professor, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland Days before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the federal election, the Labor government settled a long-running argument with the states over school funding. This locked in a new 25%–75% split on federal and state funding for schools.

    What’s the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E. Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Douglas Olivares/Shutterstock. Arthritis – an umbrella term for around 100 conditions that damage the joints – affects 4.1 million Australians. This is expected to rise by 31% to 5.4 million by 2040

    Office design isn’t keeping up with post-COVID work styles – here’s what workers really want
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ozgur Gocer, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney Flexible work has become the new norm, despite the best efforts of companies calling workers back to the office. Some employers assume that a return to the old ways of working is both possible and desirable. But for many workers,

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DCCA NEWS RELEASE: HAWAIʻI RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW INSURANCE POLICIES IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DCCA NEWS RELEASE: HAWAIʻI RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW INSURANCE POLICIES IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON

    Posted on May 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

    KA ʻOIHANA PILI KĀLEPA

    INSURANCE DIVISION

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    NADINE Y. ANDO

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

    JERRY BUMP

    ACTING INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

    HAWAIʻI RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW INSURANCE POLICIES IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    May 6, 2025

    HONOLULU — The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division reminds consumers to evaluate theirinsurance policies before hurricane season, which starts June 1.

    “Understanding what your insurance covers before a disaster hits is crucial,” said Acting Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump. “It ensures you have enough coverage to rebuild or replace what you’ve lost. For example, if you’ve recently renovated your home, that likely increased its value. And even without upgrades, rising costs for materials and labor can still affect your coverage needs.”

    Many consumers may not realize that standard homeowners and renters insurance policies typically do not cover hurricane andflood damage. Hurricane insurance must often be purchased separately or added as an endorsement onto the existing policy to ensure protection against hurricane-related damages. Additionally, once a tropical storm approaches the islands, insurancecompanies may issue a moratorium, temporarily halting the issuance of new policies.

    Damage caused by floods are also typically covered under a separate policy. Since flooding can occur anytime and anywhere, even outside high-risk areas, it is important for property owners to consider adding flood insurance coverage. Those planning to purchase a National Flood Insurance Program policy should plan ahead, as there is typically a 30-day waiting period for the policy to go into effect.

    Consumers should contact their agent or insurance company if they have any property updates or questions about their coverage.

    For more information on flood and hurricane insurance and other helpful resources, please visit the DCCA Insurance Division’s website at https://cca.hawaii.gov/ins/resources/

    ###

    Media Contact:

    Communications Office

    Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

    Phone: 808-586-2760

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: COVID is still around and a risk to vulnerable people. What are the symptoms in 2025? And how long does it last?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor and Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    Five years ago, COVID was all we could think about. Today, we’d rather forget about lockdowns, testing queues and social distancing. But the virus that sparked the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, is still circulating.

    Most people who get COVID today will experience only a mild illness. But some people are still at risk of severe illness and are more likely to be hospitalised with COVID. This includes older people, those who are immunocompromised by conditions such as cancer, and people with other health conditions such as diabetes.

    Outcomes also tend to be more severe in those who experience social inequities such as homelessness. In the United Kingdom, people living in the 20% most deprived areas have double chance of being hospitalised from infectious diseases than those in the least deprived areas.

    How many cases and hospitalisations?

    In Australia, 58,000 COVID cases have been reported so far in 2025. However, testing rates have declined and not all positive cases are reported to the government, so case numbers in the community are likely much higher.

    Latest data from FluCan, a network of 14 hospitals, found 781 people were hospitalised for COVID complications in the first three months of the year. This “sentinel surveillance” data gives a snapshot from a handful of hospitals, so the actual number of hospitalisations across Australia is expected to be much higher.

    While deaths are lower than previous years, 289 people died from COVID-related respiratory infections in the first two months of the year.

    What can we expect as we head into winter?

    We often see an increase in respiratory infections in winter.

    However, COVID peaks aren’t just necessarily seasonal. Over the past few years, peaks have tended to appear around every six months.

    What are the most common COVID symptoms?

    Typical early symptoms of COVID included fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and shortness of breath. These have remained the most common COVID symptoms across the multiple variant waves.

    Early in the pandemic, we realised COVID caused a unique symptom called anosmia – the changed sense of taste or smell. Anosmia lasts about a week and in some cases can last longer.
    Anosmia was more frequently reported from infections due to the ancestral, Gamma, and Delta variants but not for the Omicron variant, which emerged in 2021.

    However, loss of smell still seems to be associated with some newer variants. A recent French study found anosmia was more frequently reported in people with JN.1.

    But the researchers didn’t find any differences for other COVID symptoms between older and newer variants.

    Should you bother doing a test?

    Yes. Testing is particularly important if you experience COVID-like symptoms or were recently exposed to someone with COVID and are at high-risk of severe COVID. You might require timely treatment.

    If you are at risk of severe COVID, you can see a doctor or visit a clinic with point-of-care testing services to access confirmatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing.

    Rapid antigen tests (RATs) approved by Australia’s regulator are also still available for personal use.

    But a negative RAT doesn’t mean that you don’t have COVID – especially if you are symptomatic.



    Read more:
    COVID-19 rapid tests still work against new variants – researchers keep ‘testing the tests,’ and they pass

    If you do test positive, while you don’t have to isolate, it’s best to stay at home.

    If you do leave the house while experiencing COVID symptoms, minimise the spread to others by wearing a well-fitted mask, avoiding public places such as hospitals and avoiding contact with those at higher risk of severe COVID.

    How long does COVID last these days?

    In most people with mild to moderate COVID, it can last 7–10 days.

    Symptomatic people can spread the infection to others from about 48 hours before you develop symptoms to about ten days after developing symptoms. Few people are infectious beyond that.

    But symptoms can persist in more severe cases for longer.

    A UK study which tracked the persistence of symptoms in 5,000 health-care workers found symptoms were less likely to last for more than 12 weeks in subsequent infections.

    General fatigue, for example, was reported in 17.3% of people after the first infection compared with 12.8% after the second infection and 10.8% following the third infection.

    Unvaccinated people also had more persistent symptoms.



    Read more:
    How long are you infectious when you have coronavirus?

    Vaccinated people who catch COVID tend to present with milder disease and recover faster. This may be because vaccination prevents over-activation of the innate immune response.

    Vaccination remains the best way to prevent COVID

    Vaccination against COVID continues to be one of the most effective ways to prevent COVID and protect against it. Data from Europe’s most recent winter, which is yet to be peer reviewed, reports COVID vaccines were 66% effective at preventing symptomatic, confirmed COVID cases.

    Most people in Australia have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. But if you haven’t, people over 18 years of age are recommended to have a COVID vaccine.

    Boosters are available for adults over 18 years of age. If you don’t have any underlying immune issues, you’re eligible to receive a funded dose every 12 months.

    Boosters are recommended for adults 65–74 years every 12 months and for those over 75 years every six months.

    Adults over 18 years who are at higher risk because of weaker immune systems are recommended to get a COVID vaccine every 12 months and are eligible every six months.

    Check your status and eligibility using this booster eligibility tool and you can access your vaccine history here.

    A new review of more than 4,300 studies found full vaccination before a SARS-CoV-2 infection could reduce the risk of long COVID by 27% relative to no vaccination for the general adult population.

    With ongoing circulation of COVID, hybrid immunity from natural infection supplemented with booster vaccination can help prevent large-scale COVID waves.

    Meru Sheel receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She serves on WHO’s Immunization and Vaccines Related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC)

    – ref. COVID is still around and a risk to vulnerable people. What are the symptoms in 2025? And how long does it last? – https://theconversation.com/covid-is-still-around-and-a-risk-to-vulnerable-people-what-are-the-symptoms-in-2025-and-how-long-does-it-last-253840

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 10 reasons why banning social media for New Zealanders under 16 is a bad idea – and will affect adults too

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Beattie, Lecturer, Media and Communication, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    metamorworks/Getty Images

    Government coalition partners National and Act are at odds over proposed restrictions on social media use by New Zealanders aged 16 and under.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently announced a National Party private member’s bill that would require social media companies to verify someone is aged 16 or older. Luxon said social media was not “always a safe place for young people”.

    But ACT Party leader David Seymour has dismissed National’s proposal, saying it was “simple, neat and wrong”.

    Even if the member’s bill is not chosen out of the parliament biscuit tin, global interest in getting young people off social media is increasing.

    In late 2024, Australia passed a law banning children aged under 16 from social media platforms. Advocates, police and politicians in the United Kingdom, United States and elsewhere have all proposed similar laws.

    While there is merit in young people spending more time offline, and there are real concerns about the impact of social media on wider society, it’s not clear that outright prohibition will achieve what is hoped for. Here are ten reasons a blanket ban is not the answer.

    1. The addiction fallacy

    Lobby group Before 16 has compared social media to tobacco, saying the platforms should be treated as a public health harm. The implication is that young people could get addicted to social media.

    But the standard for diagnosing addiction is high. Most young people are not addicted to social media; they have a habitual relationship with it that is hard to change.

    Likewise, comparing digital experiences to food may not capture the full range of interactions and impacts. This often implies value judgements, suggesting online experiences are all about “dopamine hits” (similar to sweet treats) and inherently less valuable or “unhealthy” compared to offline experiences.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has introduced a members bill banning social media for people under 16 years old.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    2. People are not ‘exposed to’ social media

    The language of the ban seems to suggest the relationship between social media and users goes in one direction – that people are simply exposed to the good and bad of platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and X. But using social media is not like going outside and getting burnt by the sun.

    While social media affects people, it’s also a tool we use to actively shape and create meaning for ourselves. It provides social scaffolding for day-to-day lives, identity formation, communication with family overseas, community support, and even a place to complain about parents.

    3. Murky science

    One of most influential books behind the ban is Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation. Haidt claims a causal link between social media use and increased anxiety and depression in Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2012).

    But this claim is highly contentious and has been criticised for failing to consider other causes for the rise in anxiety in young people.

    At best, there may be a correlation between social media and poor mental health – they are happening at the same time. Young people are also grappling with the climate crisis, increasing inequality and global instability. These variables are difficult to isolate in a study, meaning social media becomes an easy target.

    4. A range of experiences

    Critics of social media also assume everyone has a negative experience online. And yes, if you tend to compare yourself to others on social media then you might end up feeling bad about your life.

    But not everyone thinks this way or uses social media to compare what they have (and don’t have) with others.

    5. The moral panic factor

    Moral panics can occur when emerging technologies challenge established social norms.

    Phenomena such as “phubbing” (using a phone to snub someone) challenge what is considered “socially acceptable” behaviour, triggering a deluge of think pieces about how they hurt society.

    While some skills may decline (such as reading and writing) with new technology, others like visual or oral storytelling practiced on social media are on the rise.

    Banning social media could mean young people miss out on valuable digital skills.

    ACT Party leader David Seymour has called the social media ban bill ‘simple, neat and wrong’.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    6. Marginalised groups lose out

    Getting young people off social media might not be a big deal for kids who fit within their community. But if you are young, gay and live in a small town, for example, social media may provide the only space where you can feel safe or celebrated for who you are.

    Social media is also a key means for immigrants to stay in touch with their families and culture.

    7. Enforcement challenges

    There are also problems with how the ban is supposed to work – something Australia is still grappling with despite already passing a ban into law (which comes into effect at the end of this year).

    Policymakers have yet to explain how age verification technologies would work without giving away more personal data to media platforms. And everyone would have to verify their age, regardless of whether they are under 16 years old or not.

    8. Losing innovation

    Young people are savvier with technology than older generations. They lead with innovations such as FINSTA (fake Instagram) accounts – fake profiles that allow people to post more privately on Instagram without the pressure of conforming to expectations or judgement of people who know you.

    Blanket bans could hurt this technological adeptness and creativity and stop young people from teaching us how to navigate our online and offline lives.

    9. Learning how to disconnect

    Media literacy is also a crucial skill in today’s media saturated age. The skill of unplugging could become part of that curriculum.

    Temporarily going offline is an excellent way to make students aware of their relationship with social media. Schools could have media-free classes or courses to build awareness, encourage new habits and support students to develop new routines.

    10. Better options than a ban

    No one is arguing that social media hasn’t had a negative effect on individuals and society as a whole. But instead of a ban, why not work to improve the platforms?

    We could focus regulatory efforts on creating safer spaces, like we do with physical buildings.

    Overseas advocacy work on children’s digital rights shows how we can protect children from algorithms, gamification and other predatory tactics used by social media platforms, rather than introducing an outright ban.

    Alex Beattie receives funding from The Royal Society of New Zealand. He has previously won a Marsden Fast Start Grant.

    – ref. 10 reasons why banning social media for New Zealanders under 16 is a bad idea – and will affect adults too – https://theconversation.com/10-reasons-why-banning-social-media-for-new-zealanders-under-16-is-a-bad-idea-and-will-affect-adults-too-256065

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Hall, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University

    India conducted military strikes against Pakistan overnight, hitting numerous sites in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and deeper into Pakistan itself. Security officials say precision strike weapon systems, including drones, were used to carry out the strikes.

    Pakistan says at least eight civilians have been killed and many more injured.

    While there’s still much uncertainty around what’s happened, it is clear both sides are closer to a major conflict than they have been in years – perhaps decades.

    We’ve seen these kinds of crises before. India and Pakistan have fought full-scale wars many times over the years, in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999.

    There were also cross-border strikes between the two sides in 2016 and 2019 that did not lead to a larger war.

    These conflicts were limited because there was an understanding, given both sides possess nuclear weapons, that escalating to a full-scale war would be very dangerous. That imposed some control on both sides, or at least some caution.

    There was also external pressure from the United States and others on both occasions not to allow those conflicts to spiral out of control.

    While it’s possible both sides will exercise similar restraint now, there may be less pressure from other countries to compel them to do so.

    In this context, tensions can escalate quickly. And when they do, it’s difficult to get both sides to back down and return to where they were before.

    Why did India strike now?

    India says it was retaliating for a terror attack last month on mostly Indian tourists in heavily militarised Kashmir, which both sides claim. The attack left 26 dead.

    There was a claim of responsibility after the attack from a group called the Resistance Front, but it was subsequently withdrawn, so there’s some uncertainty about that.

    Indian sources suggest this group, which is relatively new, is an extension of a pre-existing militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been based in Pakistan for many years.

    Pakistan has denied any involvement in the tourist attack. However, there’s been good evidence in the past suggesting that even if the Pakistani government hasn’t officially sanctioned these groups operating on its territory, there are parts of the Pakistani establishment or military that do support them. This could be ideologically, financially, or through other types of assistance.

    In previous terror attacks in India, weapons and other equipment have been sourced from Pakistan. In the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, for instance, the Indian government produced evidence it claimed showed the gunmen were being directed by handlers in Pakistan by phone.

    But as yet, we have no such evidence demonstrating Pakistan is connected to the tourist attack in Kashmir.

    India has also repeatedly asked Pakistan to shut down these groups. While the leaders have occasionally been put in jail, they’ve later been released, including the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack.

    And madrassas (religious schools) that have long been accused of supplying recruits for militant groups are still permitted to operate in Pakistan, with little state control.

    Pakistan, meanwhile, claims that attacks in Kashmir are committed by local Kashmiris protesting against Indian “occupation” or Pakistanis spontaneously moved to take action.

    These two positions obviously don’t match up in any way, shape or form.

    A political cost to pay for not acting

    It remains to be seen what cost either side is willing to pay to escalate tensions further.

    From an economic standpoint, there’s very little cost to either side if a larger conflict breaks out. There’s practically no trade between India and Pakistan.

    New Delhi has likely calculated that its fast-growing economy will not be harmed by its strikes and others will continue to trade and invest in India. The conclusion of a trade deal with the United Kingdom, after three years of negotiations, will reinforce that impression. The deal was signed on May 6, just before the Pakistan strikes.

    And from the standpoint of international reputation, neither side has much to lose.

    In past crises, Western countries were quick to condemn and criticise military actions committed by either side. But these days, most take the view that the long-simmering conflict is a bilateral issue, which India and Pakistan need to settle themselves.

    The main concern for both sides, then, is the political cost they would suffer from not taking military action.

    Before the terrorist attack on April 22, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed the security situation in Kashmir was improving, and ordinary Indians could safely travel in the region. Those claims were undermined by what occurred that day, making it crucial for the government to respond.

    And now, if Pakistan doesn’t react to the Indian strikes, its government and especially its military would have a cost to pay, too.

    Despite a patchy record of success, Pakistan’s army has long justified its outsize role in national politics by claiming that it alone stands between the Pakistani people and Indian aggression. If it fails to act now, that claim might look hollow.

    Little external mediation to bank on

    So, how does this play out? The hope would be there’s limited military action, lasting a few days, and then things calm down rapidly, as they have in the past. But there are no guarantees.

    And there are few others willing to step in and help deescalate the dispute. US President Donald Trump is mired in other conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his administration’s diplomacy has so far been inept and ineffective.

    When asked about the Indian strike today, Trump replied it was a “shame” and he “hopes” it ends quickly.

    That’s very different from the strong rhetoric we’ve seen from US presidents in the past when India and Pakistan have come to blows.

    New Delhi and Islamabad will likely have to settle this round themselves. And for whoever decides to blink or back down first, there may be a substantial political cost to pay.

    Ian Hall receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is also an honorary academic fellow of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne.

    – ref. India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one? – https://theconversation.com/india-and-pakistan-have-fought-many-wars-in-the-past-are-we-on-the-precipice-of-a-new-one-256080

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Meta’s new AI chatbot is yet another tool for harvesting data to potentially sell you stuff

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Tony Lam Hoang/Unsplash

    Last week, Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp – unveiled a new “personal artificial intelligence (AI)”.

    Powered by the Llama 4 language model, Meta AI is designed to assist, chat and engage in natural conversation. With its polished interface and fluid interactions, Meta AI might seem like just another entrant in the race to build smarter digital assistants.

    But beneath its inviting exterior lies a crucial distinction that transforms the chatbot into a sophisticated data harvesting tool.

    ‘Built to get to know you’

    “Meta AI is built to get to know you”, the company declared in its news announcement. Contrary to the friendly promise implied by the slogan, the reality is less reassuring.

    The Washington Post columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler found that by default, Meta AI “kept a copy of everything”, and it took some effort to delete the app’s memory. Meta responded that the app provides “transparency and control” throughout and is no different to their other apps.

    However, while competitors like Anthropic’s Claude operate on a subscription model that reflects a more careful approach to user privacy, Meta’s business model is firmly rooted in what it has always done best: collecting and monetising your personal data.

    This distinction creates a troubling paradox. Chatbots are rapidly becoming digital confidants with whom we share professional challenges, health concerns and emotional struggles.

    Recent research shows we are as likely to share intimate information with a chatbot as we are with fellow humans. The personal nature of these interactions makes them a gold mine for a company whose revenue depends on knowing everything about you.

    Consider this potential scenario: a recent university graduate confides in Meta AI about their struggle with anxiety during job interviews. Within days, their Instagram feed fills with advertisements for anxiety medications and self-help books – despite them having never publicly posted about these concerns.

    The cross-platform integration of Meta’s ecosystem of apps means your private conversations can seamlessly flow into their advertising machine to create user profiles with unprecedented detail and accuracy.

    This is not science fiction. Meta’s extensive history of data privacy scandals – from Cambridge Analytica to the revelation that Facebook tracks users across the internet without their knowledge – demonstrates the company’s consistent prioritisation of data collection over user privacy.

    What makes Meta AI particularly concerning is the depth and nature of what users might reveal in conversation compared to what they post publicly.

    Open to manipulation

    Rather than just a passive collector of information, a chatbot like Meta AI has the capability to become an active participant in manipulation. The implications extend beyond just seeing more relevant ads.

    Imagine mentioning to the chatbot that you are feeling tired today, only to have it respond with: “Have you tried Brand X energy drinks? I’ve heard they’re particularly effective for afternoon fatigue.” This seemingly helpful suggestion could actually be a product placement, delivered without any indication that it’s sponsored content.

    Such subtle nudges represent a new frontier in advertising that blurs the line between a helpful AI assistant and a corporate salesperson.

    Unlike overt ads, recommendations mentioned in conversation carry the weight of trusted advice. And that advice would come from what many users will increasingly view as a digital “friend”.

    A history of not prioritising safety

    Meta has demonstrated a willingness to prioritise growth over safety when releasing new technology features. Recent reports reveal internal concerns at Meta, where staff members warned that the company’s rush to popularise its chatbot had “crossed ethical lines” by allowing Meta AI to engage in explicit romantic role-play, even with test users who claimed to be underage.

    Such decisions reveal a reckless corporate culture, seemingly still driven by the original motto of moving fast and breaking things.

    Now, imagine those same values applied to an AI that knows your deepest insecurities, health concerns and personal challenges – all while having the ability to subtly influence your decisions through conversational manipulation.

    The potential for harm extends beyond individual consumers. While there’s no evidence that Meta AI is being used for manipulation, it has such capacity.

    For example, the chatbot could become a tool for pushing political content or shaping public discourse through the algorithmic amplification of certain viewpoints. Meta has played role in propagating misinformation in the past, and recently made the decision to discontinue fact-checking across its platforms.

    The risk of chatbot-driven manipulation is also increased now that AI safety regulations are being scaled back in the United States.

    Lack of privacy is a choice

    AI assistants are not inherently harmful. Other companies protect user privacy by choosing to generate revenue primarily through subscriptions rather than data harvesting. Responsible AI can and does exist without compromising user welfare for corporate profit.

    As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the choices companies make about business models and data practices will have profound implications.

    Meta’s decision to offer a free AI chatbot while reportedly lowering safety guardrails sets a low ethical standard. By embracing its advertising-based business model for something as intimate as an AI companion, Meta has created not just a product, but a surveillance system that can extract unprecedented levels of personal information.

    Before inviting Meta AI to become your digital confidant, consider the true cost of this “free” service. In an era where data has become the most valuable commodity, the price you pay might be far higher than you realise.

    As the old adage goes, if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product – and Meta’s new chatbot might be the most sophisticated product harvester yet created.

    When Meta AI says it is “built to get to know you”, we should take it at its word and proceed with appropriate caution.

    Uri Gal 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. Meta’s new AI chatbot is yet another tool for harvesting data to potentially sell you stuff – https://theconversation.com/metas-new-ai-chatbot-is-yet-another-tool-for-harvesting-data-to-potentially-sell-you-stuff-255966

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roy Green, Emeritus Professor of Innovation, University of Technology Sydney

    Summit Art Creations/Shutterstock

    In his victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted social policy as a major factor in Labor’s electoral success, particularly Medicare, housing and cost of living relief. He was justified in doing so.

    But looking forward, Treasurer Jim Chalmers named stalled productivity growth as a top priority for the next three years:

    The best way to think about the difference between our first term and the second term …[is] the first term was primarily inflation without forgetting productivity, the second term will be primarily productivity without forgetting inflation.

    The government asked the Productivity Commission in December to develop five pillars of its productivity agenda and come up with actionable reforms. And for the first time, the commission went out and sought “productivity pitches” from anyone in the community.

    Ahead of further reports due out later this year, those community “pitches” offer some clues about where the Albanese government might start to tackle productivity over the next three years and beyond.

    Why does productivity matter?

    Essentially, productivity is about working smarter, not harder. It’s about efficiency and innovation driving more output for an economy or company. Growth in productivity has been the driver of real wage growth and improved living standards since the Industrial Revolution.

    However, productivity performance has slumped across most advanced economies. In Australia, growth is the slowest in 60 years. This is despite the transformative impact of the internet and digital technologies.

    Explanations of the productivity slowdown are many and varied. Some have suggested the growth of the care economy and the services sector more broadly means productivity is reduced. Others wonder whether it can be measured at all in this context.

    The explanation that has gained most acceptance is that productivity has increased dramatically in “frontier firms” at the cutting edge of technological change and business innovation. The problem in Australia is that we have too few frontier firms and too many “laggard” companies. The rate of new technology adoption is too slow.

    This problem is made more acute by Australia’s trade and industrial structure, which is heavily weighted to resources exports rather than the knowledge-based industries of the future.

    What is the Productivity Commission looking at?

    This is the rationale for the Treasurer’s request in December for the Productivity Commission to identify priority reforms in five key areas. He asked for “actionable recommendations to assist governments to make meaningful and measurable productivity-enhancing reforms”.

    The five pillars are:

    • creating a more dynamic and resilient economy
    • building a skilled and adaptable workforce
    • harnessing data and digital technology
    • delivering quality care more efficiently
    • investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

    These are ambitious objectives, and the Productivity Commission is pursuing the review task in a different way from the past by seeking ideas directly from the community through crowd sourcing.

    This is a sensible move, especially given the commission’s role in presiding over Australia’s productivity decline. Perhaps they are finally learning from failed experiments in deregulation, privatisation and contracting out.

    The commission has published a selection of the 500 suggestions it received. These include research and development initatives; improving university collaboration with industry; improving management capabilities and building inclusive workplaces; and reforming skilled migration.

    In the technology area, suggestions included developing internal capability and processes in the public service; making more use of artificial intelligence; and improving digital infrastructure in regional areas.

    In the care economy, pharmacists could play an increased role, such as consulting on minor illnesses, while more could be invested in preventative health.

    The fifth area of focus, the energy transition, produced ideas on streamlining state and federal approval processes for net zero projects; increasing fossil fuel taxes; supporting electric vehicle uptake and vehicle-to-grid technology.

    The commission has said it plans to continue the consultation process and release interim reports mid-year.

    Will it be enough to shift the dial?

    The question remains, will these individual measures on their own, however meritorious, be sufficient to shift the dial on Australia’s productivity performance without a more comprehensive approach to innovation and industrial policy?

    The government set up a “strategic examination” of research and development (R&D) in February. An interim discussion paper found links between the decline of productivity growth, the decline of business spending on R&D, and the decline of manufacturing.

    In other words, reversing the productivity slowdown may not simply be a matter of boosting R&D. It will also require the revival and reinvention of manufacturing. It implies a complex sovereign capability and means for diversifying Australia’s export mix in global markets and value chains.

    This is the purpose of the government’s Future Made in Australia strategy, with its twin objectives of economic resilience and net zero transition. That success in turn depends on the development of a more effective and joined up research and innovation system.

    The chance was missed in the commodity boom to design and deliver overdue structural changes in the Australian economy. Instead, the productivity decline was masked by a terms-of-trade boost to our national income, thanks to higher commodity prices.

    The Albanese government’s second and possibly third term in office provides another opportunity to undertake the major structural changes required to secure Australia’s future as an inclusive and dynamic knowledge-based economy. Surely this one will not be missed.

    Roy Green 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. Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial – https://theconversation.com/labor-says-its-second-term-will-be-about-productivity-reform-these-ideas-could-help-shift-the-dial-255880

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How do you put a tariff on movies? Here’s what Trump’s plan could mean for Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark David Ryan, Professor, Film, Screen, Animation, Queensland University of Technology

    Kirk Wester/Shutterstock

    US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a plan to impose a 100% tariff on movies “produced in foreign lands” could have a massive impact on the global entertainment industry.

    Film and television production is increasingly part of an interconnected global system. Hollywood’s major studios and global streaming giants use a diverse range of locations around the world, sometimes working across multiple countries for a single project.

    Doing so allows them to leverage production incentives and tax shelters offered by different countries, take advantage of exchange rates to lower their production costs, and more.

    They also film offshore, for example in China, as strategic co-productions and feature iconic locations and local actors to appeal to audiences in that specific national market.

    Many countries have become important hubs in this global system of production. Australia is a significant player. So, how exactly might Trump’s tariffs work? And why is so much Hollywood film made internationally in the first place?

    ‘Movies made in America’

    Trump made the announcement in a post on the social media network Truth Social. But his original statement is vague and lacks crucial detail.

    Based on his post, this proposal could include any foreign movie imported into the United States. More likely, though, it refers to US movies filmed (in part or wholly) overseas.

    Trump’s statement only singles out movies. He doesn’t mention television series for broadcasters, or specifically film and television programs made for streaming platforms.

    This suggests a focus on movies made by Hollywood studios. It may or may not include content made by streamers such as Netflix.

    Tariffs on tickets?

    Movies are a kind of intellectual property. They’re intangible products or services, not physical goods. If a tariff was applied to movies, they’d become the first service in the current trade war to receive one.

    So what tariffs or regulations could be applied?

    One option would be a levy on distributors releasing US movies made overseas. Another option would be to adapt the French TSA model, which levies a tax on all cinema tickets. In France, this money is reinvested into the local industry. The US could impose such a tax on tickets for films with production components overseas.

    Both options would pass the costs on to consumers. A drop in already fragile cinema attendance or revenues could simply cause studios to reduce the number of movies made for theatrical release.

    Studios might instead concentrate on making movies and television series for their own streaming platforms, such as Disney+ and Paramount+.

    One option could be to impose a tax directly on tickets for US cinemagoers.
    bbernard/Shutterstock

    Taxing production

    Could the tax be imposed in other ways? Many US studio movies, and television programs, are at least partly, if not wholly, filmed internationally. But they are still US-controlled movies and still dominate the box office in many countries worldwide.

    Could the revenue of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), filmed on the Gold Coast in Australia, specifically be targeted and taxed for being made overseas, in contrast to a Hollywood movie made completely at home?

    Would there be a sliding scale based on how much of a film is shot overseas? Would the tax apply to post-production or only production? The process of reviewing and enforcing this would be complex.

    Another option may be taxing the portion of a movie’s production budget obtained from foreign tax incentives.

    Major blockbusters filming in Australia are eligible for tax rebates and incentives, which can equate to almost half, or more, of the money they spend in Australia. But exactly how the US would review and regulate such a tax is again unclear.

    Many of the major film studios now have their own dedicated streaming platforms.
    Tada Images/Shutterstock

    Australia’s film industry

    International film and television production expenditure in Australia now averages A$880 million each year. International movies alone account for about half of that figure.

    And the number of movies and television series being filmed in Australia has increased dramatically since the outbreak of COVID.

    Production expenditure here on both local and international productions jumped from just over $1 billion in 2019–20 to about $2.4 billion in 2022–23.

    There are numerous reasons for this. Australia became a more popular international production hub after serving as a “production bubble” during the pandemic, as restrictions forced filming to shut down in many other countries. Relationships were forged between local producers, crews, film agencies and studios.

    The reputation of places like the Gold Coast, known for talented crews and stunning filming locations, has also played an important role in continually luring studios back.

    The biggest draw card

    But the major reason is the strong pull of Australia’s tax incentives for filming content here.

    In Australia, international film and television programs are eligible for a 30% “location offset” on eligible production expenditures. If a project qualifies, producers will receive a provisional certificate, and they can claim a fixed 30% rebate for expenses in an income tax return for the relevant year.

    There’s also a 30% offset on eligible post-production and visual effects work. And these incentives can be “stacked” on top of an extra 10–15% in incentives from state screen agencies (such as Screen QLD).

    Some combined federal and state-based production offsets amount to rebates of 50%, or more, of a project’s production spend in Australia.

    Why Australia is worried

    International productions, which are quite different to local film and television programs, generate employment for many local actors and technical professionals. The loss of this film production would dramatically reduce employment for local professionals.

    If these levies are imposed only on movies that screen theatrically, then television series and streaming films and series could continue to film in Australia unaffected. That would lessen the impact on local industries. If the definition includes both, the impact could be dramatic.

    Mark David Ryan has received funding from the Gold Coast Film Commission. He is affiliated with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

    – ref. How do you put a tariff on movies? Here’s what Trump’s plan could mean for Australia – https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-put-a-tariff-on-movies-heres-what-trumps-plan-could-mean-for-australia-255948

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can what you eat during pregnancy and breastfeeding affect whether your child develops food allergies?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Koplin, Evidence and Translation Lead, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Chief Investigator, Centre of Food Allergy Research; Associate Professor and Group Leader, Childhood Allergy & Epidemiology Group, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland

    Maria Evseyeva/Shutterstock

    Many questions pop up when you’re growing or raising a new baby.

    Among them, women often wonder if what they eat during pregnancy or breastfeeding will affect whether or not their child will have a food allergy.

    Researchers have also been trying to answer this question for many years.

    A baby’s exposure to food allergens during pregnancy and via breast milk is thought to be important. Experts believe it could allow the child to start developing helpful immune responses so they tolerate food allergens in their diet in future.

    But to what degree this theory plays out, and whether a mother’s diet influences their child’s likelihood of developing food allergies, isn’t yet clear. Here’s what we know so far.

    The science of food allergies

    A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system responds to a particular food as if it was harmful to the body.

    In Australia, foods which commonly cause allergies include egg, cow’s milk, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, soy, wheat, fish and other seafood (this can vary a little in different countries). Although almost any food can cause an allergic reaction.

    For people with food allergies, symptoms can appear within minutes of eating the food. These symptoms can include a swollen face, lips or eyes, hives or welts on the skin, vomiting, trouble breathing, and persistent dizziness or collapse.

    In pregnancy, food allergens can cross the placenta and can be detected in amniotic fluid, from which they reach the baby’s gastrointestinal tract when the baby swallows.

    After birth this process continues when food allergens pass from breast milk to the baby’s gastrointestinal tract. Both of these pathways lead to early life exposure to different foods.

    This is thought to help the baby’s developing immune system to accept food allergens when they’re introduced once the child starts eating solids. In other words, the immune system may be more likely to see the food as harmless and not mount an allergic response against the food.

    Babies can be exposed to allergens in breast milk before they start eating solid foods.
    Nastyaofly/Shutterstock

    Along with food allergens, babies also receive beneficial antibodies in breast milk. Levels of food allergen-specific antibodies, which could offer protection against allergies, have been found to be higher in babies whose mothers ate more of foods including egg, peanut, cow’s milk and wheat during early breastfeeding.

    Lower levels of these beneficial antibodies in the blood have been linked with higher chances of babies developing food allergies.

    Research is trying to answer the question

    While there are scientific explanations for how a woman’s diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding could influence her child’s likelihood of developing a food allergy, we don’t have conclusive evidence to tell us exactly what the best diet is to prevent allergies.

    Some studies have tried to look at this, but results have been inconsistent because they have been done in different populations, diet has been assessed in different ways, and they have not always been able to account for other factors that might influence both diet and food allergy risk.

    Current research is trying to understand this further. A large Australian study, the PrEggNut Study, is testing whether the amount of egg and peanut mothers eat during pregnancy and breastfeeding affects their child’s risk of having an egg or peanut allergy.

    More than 2,100 mothers were randomly assigned to eat either higher or lower amounts of egg and peanut from mid-pregnancy until their baby was four months old. Results are expected next year.

    Another Australian study, the Nuts For Babies Study, is testing whether the amount of peanuts and cashew nuts mothers eat during breastfeeding can reduce the chances of their child developing a peanut or cashew nut allergy.

    This study has recently commenced and is looking for 4,000 pregnant women living in Western Australia or Victoria and who are planning to breastfeed their baby to participate.

    Ongoing research is trying to tell us how a mother’s diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding could affect her child’s risk of food allergies.
    Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

    So what’s the advice for now?

    There are many other things, such as genetic and environmental factors, that may also play a role in the development of a baby’s immune system, including how their immune cells respond to food allergens. And we still have a lot to learn about what causes allergies more broadly.

    While we wait for the results of the above studies, the current advice is for mothers not to avoid any common allergy-causing foods during pregnancy and breastfeeding (unless of course they’re allergic themselves).

    The science so far suggests that if anything, exposing the baby to allergens could reduce their risk of developing allergies, rather than increase it.

    Once the baby is ready to eat solid foods, we know introducing peanuts and eggs from around six months of age makes it less likely the child will develop an allergy to these foods.

    Introducing other common allergy-causing foods in the first year of life may also be helpful, although the evidence for this is not as strong compared with peanuts and eggs.

    Once these foods have been introduced, continuing to include them in your baby’s meals regularly, at least once a week, might also make it less likely they develop an allergy to these foods.

    Jennifer Koplin receives research funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. She is a member of the Executive Committee for the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, which is supported by funding from the Australian government. She has received a research award from the Stallergenes Greer Foundation, paid to her institution, for unrelated research. She is a co-investigator on the PrEggNut study mentioned in this article.

    Debbie Palmer receives research project funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and is supported by a Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Fellowship. Debbie is the lead chief investigator of both the PrEggNut Study and Nuts For Babies Study. She is the food allergy stream co-chair of the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, which is supported by funding from the Australian government.

    Desalegn Markos Shifti is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council-funded Centre for Food and Allergy Research postdoctoral funding.

    – ref. Can what you eat during pregnancy and breastfeeding affect whether your child develops food allergies? – https://theconversation.com/can-what-you-eat-during-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding-affect-whether-your-child-develops-food-allergies-255114

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How maximum security prison inmates and officers worked together to create a farm behind bars

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW Sydney

    Macquarie Correctional Centre Media Unit

    At Macquarie Correctional Centre in western New South Wales, a story of collaboration and persistence is unfolding. Inmates and prison officers are farming commercial quantities of fresh food in a purpose-built indoor facility.

    One of the 400 male offenders in maximum security at Macquarie contacted me with the idea about five years ago, proposing it would form the basis of a PhD. I agreed to supervise the project.

    Inmates at Macquarie Correctional Centre are encouraged to further their education and follow their interests. The approach is modelled on the Scandinavian prison system, which has the world’s lowest re-offending rates.

    The project shows food gardening provides a meaningful activity for inmates, some of whom never had the opportunity to learn how to plant and grow produce.

    The M Farm produces fresh produce for the on site café.
    Macquarie Correctional Centre Media Unit

    Why farm indoors?

    The project involved farming indoors because the environment can be more carefully controlled. Being isolated from the weather means there’s no need to worry about extremes such as frosts or heatwaves.

    This type of “controlled environment agriculture” is also more efficient. It requires less resources than traditional agriculture, mainly because there are fewer losses due to pests and diseases.

    By controlling the amount of light, water and nutrients each plant receives, it’s possible to optimise the growing system – making it more like a plant factory than a standard greenhouse.

    Inside M Farm, in the early days.
    PhD student

    From vision to reality

    Inmates studying in prison don’t have internet access. Emails are printed out or relayed. If information needs to be viewed online it is under supervision of an authorised officer.

    Despite the challenges, the student published his first conference paper in 2021 and his first academic journal article in 2023. A second article followed in 2024. The student also submitted his PhD 2024.

    The project began with a research plan. Then the PhD student ran focus groups with officers and inmates in mixed groups. A series of one-on-one interviews followed.

    Officers and inmates co-designed and developed the indoor farming facility. One group of inmates, trained in the in-house design office, used 3D computer aided design (CAD) software to produce technical drawings for the farm. Another group took these drawings and turned them into small-scale indoor farming prototypes.

    After extensive testing, the team selected the best prototype and developed the full-scale project, known as M Farm.

    The student won a competitive grant of A$50,000 from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice Innovation Fund. This funded construction of the farm.

    Another grant from the University of NSW supported a solar-powered food waste composting machine. The machine converts daily food waste from the entire prison into organic fertiliser. This means less food waste is sent to landfill, saving costs and reducing emissions.

    Produce from the farm is used in the prison café. Since November 2023, the farm has supplied about $3,500 worth of produce to the café.

    Last year, about 30 items were entered in the local agricultural show. M Farm won first place in the district for best fresh produce.

    M Farm has grown award-winning fresh produce.
    Macquarie Correctional Centre Media Unit

    Cooperation is key to success

    Inmates ran the project and enjoyed tangible benefits such as access to fresh produce and a sense of accomplishment and pride.

    The project proved inmates can be productive without constant oversight. Similar results were achieved in a community-based vegetable gardening initiative in Girona, Spain, where residents formed an intensive farming cooperative without local council administration.

    The prison officers also benefited from being part of the process and took pride in the results. They also shared the benefits in the on-site café, which is open to both inmates and prison staff.

    This experiment provides further evidence that engagement and collaboration through co-design can lead to social learning, or “informal mutual learning”.

    Empowering co-designers enables the development of solutions beyond initial expectations. The best approach is arming people with the skills they need to actively engage and co-lead in the decision-making processes.

    Tasty and nutritious leafy greens grow in the front garden at M Farm.
    Christian Tietz

    Make it grow

    The PhD thesis includes a co-design tool kit that other prisons worldwide can follow. Given the global prison population exceeds 11 million people, this presents an opportunity to develop a broad-scale sustainability initiative.

    Farming fresh produce in prisons has the potential to improve nutrition and wellbeing. It also offers environmental benefits such as producing compost, reducing waste and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

    Such projects also have the potential to give inmates confidence and hope, and provides them with skills and knowledge that can benefit the community after their release.

    Christian Tietz 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. How maximum security prison inmates and officers worked together to create a farm behind bars – https://theconversation.com/how-maximum-security-prison-inmates-and-officers-worked-together-to-create-a-farm-behind-bars-244962

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Samoa down in RSF media freedom world ranking due to ‘authoritarian pressure’

    Talamua Online News

    Samoa has dropped in its media and information freedom world ranking from 22 in 2024 to 44 in 2025 in the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled annually by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

    For the Pacific region, New Zealand is ranked highest at 16, Australia at 29, Fiji at 40, Samoa ranked 44 and Tonga at 46.

    And for some comfort, the United States is ranked 57 in media freedom.

    The 2025 World Press Freedom Index released in conjunction with the annual Media Freedom Day on May 3, says despite the vitality of some of its media groups, Samoa’s reputation as a regional model of press freedom has suffered in recent years due to “authoritarian pressure” from the previous prime minister and a political party that held power for four decades until 2021.

    Media landscape
    The report lists independent media outlets such as the Samoa Observer, “an independent daily founded in 1978, that has symbolised the fight for press freedom.”

    It also lists state-owned Savali newspaper “that focuses on providing positive coverage of the government’s activities.”

    TV1, is the product of the privatisation of the state-owned Samoa Broadcasting Corporation. The Talamua group operates Samoa FM and other media outlets, while the national radio station 2AP calls itself “the Voice of the Nation.”

    Political context
    Although Samoa is a parliamentary democracy with free elections, the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) held power for four decades until it was narrowly defeated in the April 2021 general election by Samoa United in Faith (Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi, or FAST).

    An Oceania quick check list on the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom rankings. While RSF surveys 180 countries each year, only Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga are included so far. Image: PMW from RSF

    The report says part of the reason for the HRPP’s defeat was its plan to overhaul Samoa’s constitutional and customary law framework, which would have threatened freedom of the press.

    Championing media freedom
    The Journalists Association of (Western) Samoa (JAWS) is the national media association and is press freedom’s leading champion. JAWS spearheaded a media journalism studies programme based at the National University of Samoa in the effort to train journalists and promote media freedom but the course is not producing the quality journalism students needed as its focus, time and resources have been given the course.

    Meanwhile, the media standards continue to slide and there is fear that the standards will drop further in the face of rapid technological changes and misinformation via social media.

    A new deal for journalism
     The 2025 World Press Freedom Index by RSF revealed the dire state of the news economy and how it severely threatens newsrooms’ editorial independence and media pluralism.

    In light of this alarming situation, RSF has called on public authorities, private actors and regional institutions to commit to a “New Deal for Journalism” by following 11 key recommendations.

    Strengthen media literacy and journalism training
    Part of this deal is “supporting reliable information means that everyone should be trained from an early age to recognise trustworthy information and be involved in media education initiatives. University and higher education programmes in journalism must also be supported, on the condition that they are independent.”

    Finland (5th) is recognised worldwide for its media education, with media literacy programmes starting in primary school, contributing to greater resilience against disinformation.

    Republished from Talamua Online News.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia doesn’t have a federal Human Rights Act – but the election clears the way for overdue reform

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Maguire, Professor in Human Rights and International Law, University of Newcastle

    Master1305/Shutterstock

    The Albanese government has achieved an historic re-election, substantially building its majority in the House of Representatives. Much has already been written about the potential for a more ambitious legislative program on the back of this result.

    That agenda should include substantive human rights reform. The government has the opportunity in its second term to enhance the protections we all deserve by legislating a national Human Rights Act.

    Australia’s human rights framework

    Australia presents itself – and is largely ranked – as a global leader in protecting civil and political rights.

    It has a strong history of commitment to the UN’s human rights agenda, including as a party to seven core human rights treaties. Australia is also an enthusiastic participant in international human rights monitoring processes, including the Universal Periodic Review.

    Yet Australia also receives persistent international criticism, notably in relation to the rights of Indigenous peoples, refugees and asylum seekers.

    Australia has a dualist legal system. The Australian government can consent to treaty obligations that are binding on state parties, but those obligations are not absorbed into domestic law. This limits Australia’s capacity to meet its human rights obligations, because many are unenforceable under domestic law.

    Instead, Australia has built a patchwork human rights system. The Constitution affords only minimal rights protections, including the right to vote and the right to a trial by jury for certain offences.

    Only Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland have passed human rights legislation. But state laws do not include comprehensive protection for all the human rights protected by the treaties Australia has signed.

    Recently in Queensland, the LNP government rejected the recommendations of a review into the state’s Human Rights Act that would have enhanced the right to adequate housing and the right to be free from gender-based violence.

    At the federal level, parliament has a process for human rights scrutiny of legislation, but has not passed a comprehensive national human rights law.

    The path forward

    Between 2019 and 2023, the Australian Human Rights Commission conducted a national inquiry, Free & Equal. Its final report recommended major reforms including the passage of a Human Rights Act.

    A separate inquiry by the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights also proposed national human rights laws. These inquiries provided model legislation for parliament’s consideration.

    A Human Rights Act would remedy gaps in Australia’s compliance with its international obligations. Importantly for Australians, an act would provide comprehensive and enforceable protection for the rights we are all entitled to.

    Where does the government stand?

    Labor’s national platform notes Australia is an outlier due to its lack of comprehensive human rights legislation. It commits a federal Labor government to:

    consider whether our commitment to the implementation of human rights standards could be enhanced through a statutory Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, or similar instrument.

    In its first term, the Albanese government acted quickly to ensure that the Australian Human Rights Commission retained global A-status accreditation. It also conducted the promised parliamentary review into Australia’s human rights framework. However, it is yet to respond to the recommendations of that review.

    The prospects of human rights law reform seemed slim in the immediate aftermath of the Voice referendum. The government appeared hesitant to make policy commitments in Indigenous affairs.

    Yet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss argued the referendum outcome highlighted the urgency of reform that would realise “even the most basic human rights” of Indigenous people.

    The time is right

    An argument can be made that the values expressed as central to the government’s second term agenda are tightly aligned with the values of the international human rights framework.

    In his speech on election night, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

    Today, the Australian people have voted for Australian values. For fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all. For the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need.

    He went on to highlight areas of need to ensure that every Australian has “the opportunity to be their best”, which included:

    • fair pay for workers and a right to disconnect
    • secure housing
    • equal pay and social equity for women
    • access to quality education for all students
    • the National Disability Insurance Scheme
    • protection for a healthy environment
    • equal rights for First Nations people
    • Medicare.

    These are all matters of central concern to the electorate. We may not talk about them all the time in human rights language, but they are also human rights issues.

    Australia is a party to human rights treaties that protect fair working conditions, an adequate standard of living and a right to health, women’s rights, the right to education, the rights of people with disabilities and Indigenous peoples, and the right to a healthy environment.

    The ground has been laid for comprehensive human rights reform in Australia. This project could unite “Australian values” of fairness and equity with protection of human rights in Australian law.

    We all stand to gain from opening our national conversation to human rights principles.

    Amy Maguire holds an Australian Research Council fellowship. Her industry partner is the Australian Human Rights Commission.

    – ref. Australia doesn’t have a federal Human Rights Act – but the election clears the way for overdue reform – https://theconversation.com/australia-doesnt-have-a-federal-human-rights-act-but-the-election-clears-the-way-for-overdue-reform-255863

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: David Attenborough’s Ocean sets the stage for new Labor Government to ratify Global Ocean Treaty

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Wednesday 7 May 2025 – Following the premiere of Sir David Attenborough’s latest documentary Ocean, Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling on the new Australian government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty within its first 100 days in power.

    Ocean exposes the brutal realities of the global ocean under threat from industrial and destructive fishing like longlining and bottom trawling. At the end of the film, Sir Attenborough encourages world leaders to propose global ocean sanctuaries at the UN Ocean Conference in June, which can only be done once 60 nations ratify the Global Ocean Treaty. Australia signed the treaty in 2023, but has yet to bring it into force.

    From the premiere in Sydney, Georgia Whitaker, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “It’s difficult to watch Ocean without feeling emotional about the state of the world’s ocean, but through the Global Ocean Treaty, there is hope. The film sets the stage for the new Labor government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty in the first 100 days in power.

    “Australians love the ocean, and the election showed Australians are voting for a nature-forward agenda for our country. With the UN Ocean Conference fast approaching, Australia has the opportunity to show leadership on the world stage and protect the open ocean by finally ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty, which they agreed to in 2023.

    “The ocean is under attack from all angles – from global heating, industrial fishing, and the Trump government opening the seabed to deep sea mining. Every day without protection, the open ocean and all the life it supports faces catastrophic collapse. But humanity can heal the ocean; world governments have the tools in the treaty, they just need to bring it into force.”

    In the Tasman Sea between Australia and Aotearoa-New Zealand, longlining is the most prevalent industrial fishing method; longliners come from around the world to plunder the abundant open ocean of the Tasman Sea, catching and killing countless innocent animals like sharks, turtles and seabirds each year.

    The premiere comes as the first Australian government-supported science symposium to understand the importance of the high seas of the South Tasman Sea and Lord Howe Rise area comes to a close.

    The South Tasman Sea and Lord Howe Rise of the Tasman Sea is an area of special biological significance identified by the UN – and must be one of the first places protected as part of 30 by 30, the move to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030.

    —ENDS—

    MIL OSI NGO –