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Category: Australia

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor and MTP Connect REDI Industry Fellow, University of Technology Sydney

    zefart/Shutterstock

    When scientists make important discoveries, both big and small, they typically publish their findings in scientific journals for others to read. This sharing of knowledge helps to advance science: it can, in turn, lead to more important discoveries.

    But published research papers can be retracted if there is an issue with their accuracy or integrity. And in recent years, the number of retractions has been rising sharply. For example, in 2023 more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally. This marked a new record.

    The huge number of retractions indicates a lot of government research funding is being wasted. More importantly, the publication of so much flawed research also misleads other researchers and undermines scientific integrity.

    Fuelling this troubling trend is a mentality known in academia as “publish or perish” which has existed for decades. The publication of research papers drives university rankings and career progression, yet the relentless pressure to publish has contributed to an increase in fraudulent data. Unless this changes, the entire research landscape may shift toward a less rigorous standard, hindering vital progress in fields such as medicine, technology and climate science.

    A ‘publish or perish’ environment

    Universities and research institutes commonly use the rate of publications as a key indicator of research productivity and reputation.

    The Times Higher Education Index, which ranks these institutions, assigns 60% of its score to research, and publications are fundamental to this score.

    Additionally, publications are closely tied to individual career advancement. They influence decisions on tenure, promotions and securing funding.

    These factors create a “publish or perish” environment, a term first coined in 1942 by sociologist Logan Wilson.

    A growing trend

    Recent evidence indicates the constant pressure to generate data and publish papers may be affecting the quality of research and fuelling retractions of research papers.

    Retraction Watch is one of the largest databases to monitor scientific retractions. Launched in 2010, it reveals a growing trend in the number of publications being retracted.

    In the past decade, there have been more than 39,000 retractions, and the annual number of retractions is growing by around 23% each year.

    Nearly half the retractions were due to issues related to the authenticity of the data. For example, in August the United States Office of Research Integrity found that Richard Eckert, a senior biochemist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, faked data in 13 published papers. Four of these papers have been corrected, one has been retracted and the remainder are still awaiting action.

    Plagiarism was the second most common reason research papers were retracted, accounting for 16% of retractions.

    Fake peer review was another reason why research papers were retracted.

    Typically, when a publication is submitted to a journal, it undergoes peer review by experts in the same field. These experts provide feedback to improve the quality of the work.

    However, the use of fake peer reviewers has increased tenfold over the past decade. There has also been an eightfold rise in publications linked to so-called “paper mills”, which are businesses that provide fake papers for a fee.

    In 2022, up to 2% of all publications were from paper mills.

    Genuine mistakes in the scientific process accounted for only roughly 6% of all retractions in the last decade.

    More pressure, more mistakes

    One reason for the surge in retractions over the last decade may be that we are getting better at finding and detecting suspicious data.

    Digital publishing has made it easier to detect potential fabrication, and more scientists are making a brave stand against these dubious practices. No doubt, the current number of retractions is an underestimate of a much larger pool.

    But the intensification of the “publish or perish” culture within universities also plays a major role.

    Nearly all academic staff are required to meet specific publication quotas for performance evaluations, while institutions themselves use publication output to boost their rankings. High publication counts and citations enhance a university’s position in global rankings, attracting more students and generating income from teaching.

    The prevailing reward system in academia often prioritises publication quantity over quality. When promotions, funding, and recognition are tied to the number of papers published, scientists may feel pressured to cut corners, rush experiments, or even fabricate data to meet these metrics.

    Changing the model

    Initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment are pushing for change. This initiative advocates for evaluating research based on its quality and societal impact rather than journal-based metrics such as impact factors or citation counts.

    A shift in journal policies to prioritise the sharing of all experimental data would enhance scientific integrity. It would ensure researchers could replicate experiments to verify others’ results.

    Academics face increasing pressure to publish journal articles to advance their careers.
    Protasov AN/Shutterstock

    Also, universities, research institutions and funding agencies need to improve their due diligence and hold those responsible for misconduct accountable.

    Including a simple question such as, “Have you ever had or been involved in a retracted paper?” on grant applications or academic promotions would improve the integrity of research by deterring unethical behaviour. Dishonest answers could be easily detected, thanks to the availability of online tools and databases such as Retraction Watch.

    Over the past 20 years, scientific research has significantly improved our quality of life. Career scientists must shoulder the responsibility of ensuring researchers uphold the values of truth and integrity that are fundamental to our profession. Protecting the integrity of our work is foremost to our mission, and we must remain vigilant in safeguarding these principles.

    Nham Tran receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science – https://theconversation.com/the-publish-or-perish-mentality-is-fuelling-research-paper-retractions-and-undermining-science-238983

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Collings, Senior Research Fellow, Transforming early Education and Child Health Research Centre, Western Sydney University

    Yiistocking/Shutterstock

    Caring for someone with disability is a complex and demanding task. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show this role is increasingly being undertaken by people who have disability themselves. There were 1.2 million primary carers in Australia in 2022, and of these, 43.8% have disability (up from 32.1% in 2018).

    Disability support and aged care are critical issues for the federal government right now. The new Aged Care Act will take effect in July next year and amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act roll out from early October.

    A National Carers Strategy, recognising the demands placed on informal carers and the need for better supports, is also being developed.

    What do this group of carers need? And are they getting the right kind of support?

    Invisible labour

    Three million Australians currently provide informal care for loved ones with disability, medical conditions, mental illness or frailty from ageing.

    In line with our ageing population, one in six carers are over 65 and most older Australians want to age “in place” at home. This means informal care needs are set to rise exponentially.

    Improved diagnosis, more disclosure of disability status and higher prevalence of health conditions leading to disability are increasing the numbers of and demands on informal carers.

    Who is doing the caring and why?

    While both women (12.8% of the population) and men (11.1%) provide informal care, women are more likely to be primary carers (6.1% are women, 3% are men.

    Primary carers are less likely to be in paid employment than non-carers (64.6% to 82%), and fewer than half of those caring for 40 hours or more a week are employed. Informal carers are more likely to have a disability or chronic health condition (38.6%) than the general population (21.4%), with even higher rates among primary carers (43.8%).

    The main reasons for becoming a carer are a sense of family responsibility and emotional obligation. Over a third of those caring for their child say they have no other choice.

    We analysed qualitative data from the 2022 National Carer Survey conducted by Carers NSW.

    Of 6,825 respondents from across Australia, over 80% were women and almost half (47.6%) identified as having disability or long-term health conditions, which the survey combines. Disability and poor health among carers are associated with higher levels of emotional distress and greater difficulty in accessing services.

    Most carers are women and their caring load may prevent them doing paid work.
    Desizned/Shutterstock

    ‘My prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak’

    Statistics tell us only part of the story. The voices of informal carers who report living with disability or chronic health conditions shed light on the layered demands they face. They reported that care is often invisible, undervalued and ceaseless. One woman, aged 73, described informal care as “hard and unappreciated work”.

    A lack of government support and financial uncertainty left many despairing. As one carer, aged 56, said:

    No government recognises us and in the end we are saving them billions/trillions of dollars […] I have been a carer for over 13 years and it will go on for many years, so my prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak.

    Caring can have profound health and wellbeing effects. As another woman, aged 56, said:

    Being close to retirement myself, and having elderly parents, puts so much strain on my own health, mentally and physically. I have had to deal with breast cancer and its treatments and ongoing side effects. This is really stressful. I oversee all the services, and manage ongoing issues. My care role is endless. I only work minimal hours myself due to my care role. Who looks after me?

    Caring for carers

    Carers with disability or chronic health conditions report a lack of appropriate, accessible and timely services. This makes it hard to meet their own health-care needs. Many struggle with arranging support across mainstream and NDIS providers on behalf of the person they care for and themselves.

    Our research about the needs of a specific group of disabled Australians with care-giving responsibilities – parents with intellectual disability – find they can fall between system gaps when mainstream services are not accessible or the NDIS fails to take a family-centred approach.

    A parent with intellectual disability may struggle to understand complex and shifting eligibility rules and might be able to use their NDIS funding to assist with meal preparation for themselves but not for their child. As one mother with intellectual disability said:

    No one explained to me, ‘Oh, the NDIS package can help you with a lot of different things’, like helping with my parenting capacity.

    Changes and opportunity

    A cornerstone of the NDIS reforms is the creation of foundational supports. That’s good news for the 86% of disabled Australians without an NDIS plan and their informal carers, who rely on mainstream services like schools, health services and public transport.

    Likewise, the National Carers Strategy is an opportunity to ease some of the burden shouldered by many informal carers. By consulting with carers directly, services designed to meet their diverse needs and circumstances can be made available. In the immediate term, often carers reach crisis point before receiving support. Early interventions in the form of practical, everyday, orientated supports – including respite together with peer support – can help.

    Proper support for carer wellbeing and economic and social participation, from all levels of government, recognises the complex role carers play and their own support and health-care needs. These are only going to increase in the future.

    The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of Sarah Judd-Lam and Lukas Hofstaetter from Carers NSW for their data and analysis contributions to this piece.

    Gabrielle Weidemann receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Defence. This funding is not for research on disability and/or care for those with disability.

    Elisabeth Duursma, Michelle O’Shea, and Susan Collings 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. ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support – https://theconversation.com/who-looks-after-me-more-than-40-of-disability-carers-have-disability-themselves-and-they-need-more-support-236786

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Local north west firefighters awarded National Emergency Medals

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Deputy Chief Officer Bill Johnstone AFSM, Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, Kyabram recipients Ashley Corrin, Wayne Peterson, Amana Roberts, Jodie Elvey, Brooke Giddings, Renae Flemming, CFA Board Member Peter Shaw AFSM

    140 local volunteer firefighters and CFA staff members have been honoured with National Emergency Medals for their efforts in the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire crisis.

    The National Emergency Medal is part of Australia’s Honours and Awards system and recognises significant or sustained service to others in a nationally significant Australian emergency.

    At ceremonies across two weekends, on Sunday, 15 September and Friday, 20 September, from across the Campaspe, Gannawarra and Loddon catchments became the latest of more than 5,500 CFA members to receive the honour for the 2019-2020 fires.

    CFA Board Member Peter Shaw AFSM presented the medals and said they were an important recognition of the valiant efforts of CFA members.

    “The National Emergency Medal is a formal recognition that Australia appreciates the efforts and contributions of CFA members during the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis,” Peter said.

    “It is a great honour to receive this medal and I hope it goes a small way to thanking our members for their service.”

    CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan spoke of his pride for the CFA members’ efforts.

    “The 2019/2020 fires devastated East Gippsland and the North East of Victoria,” Jason said.

    “But from that crisis arose the most remarkable human spirit of generosity and ‘lending a hand’.

    “Our medal recipients have exemplified that spirit, and I am extremely proud of all of them.

    “Whether they joined a firefighting strike team, worked in an Incident Control Centre or provided other assistance to affected communities – every contribution was valuable made a real difference.”

    Darrell Phillips, recipient and Captain of Echuca Village, said it was an honour to be formally recognised.

    “The 2019-2020 bushfires marked the beginning of a series of challenging events. In a short time, we faced fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, and then floods,” Darrell said.

    “Those fires remain etched in my memory.

    “As a recipient of the National Emergency Medal, I know this recognition wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible team effort of our volunteers and families.”

    • DCO Bill Johnstone, Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, Rochester Captain Luke Warren, Cade Kindness, Vaughan Thomas, Brent Sweeney, Board Member Peter Shaw AFSM. Front row: Heidi Warren, Hayley Ettershank, Tania Barkby, Raymond Liddicoat
    • DCO Bill Johnstone, Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, Christian Barkby , Board Member Peter Shaw AFSM
    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Dundee Corporation Announces Acquisition of Shares of Maritime Resources Corp.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In accordance with regulatory requirements, Dundee Corporation (TSX: DC.A) (“Dundee”) announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Dundee Resources Limited, has acquired by private agreement 47,000,000 common shares of Maritime Resources Corp. (TSXV – MAE) (the “Issuer”) at a price of $0.034 per share for aggregate consideration of C$1,598,000.

    Immediately prior to the acquisition of securities described in this news release, Dundee and its affiliates owned 312,967,123 common shares and 53,961,033 warrants of the Issuer representing an approximate 37.66% interest in the Issuer on an undiluted basis and a 41.46% interest in the Issuer on a partially diluted basis. Immediately following the transaction that triggered the requirement to file this news release, Dundee and its affiliates own or control an aggregate of 359,967,123 common shares and 53,961,033 warrants, representing an approximate 43.32% interest in the Issuer on an undiluted basis and a 46.77% interest in the Issuer on a partially diluted basis.  

    Dundee acquired the securities of the Issuer for investment purposes only. Dundee intends to review, on a continuous basis, various factors related to its investment, including (but not limited to) the price and availability of the securities of the Issuer, subsequent developments affecting the Issuer or its business, and the general market and economic conditions. Based upon these and other factors, Dundee may decide to purchase additional securities of the Issuer or may decide in the future to sell all or part of its investment.

    This news release is being issued in accordance with National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with the filing of an early warning report. The early warning report respecting the acquisition will be filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) at www.sedar.com under the Issuer’s profile. To obtain a copy of the early warning report filed by Dundee, please contact:

    Dundee Corporation
    Legal Department
    80 Richmond Street West, Suite 2000
    Toronto, Ontario M5H 2A4
    Tel: (416) 365-5172

    ABOUT DUNDEE CORPORATION

    Dundee Corporation is a public Canadian independent holding company, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “DC.A”. Through its operating subsidiaries, Dundee Corporation is an active investor focused on delivering long-term, sustainable value as a trusted partner in the mining sector with more than 30 years of experience making accretive mining investments.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    Investor and Media Relations
    T: (416) 864-3584
    E: ir@dundeecorporation.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Drug and firearm arrest in western suburbs

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man was arrested late last week for drug and firearm offences.

    On Friday 20 September, members of Serious and Organised Crime Branch attended a Rosewater address where they located drugs and firearms.

    A search of the address located approximately 7kg of methamphetamine, a trafficable quantity of cocaine, MDMA and GHB.  Two firearms were also located and seized.

    A 33-year-old man from the address was arrested and charged with four counts of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug, two counts of possessing a firearm without a licence, two counts of possessing an unregistered firearm and breach of bail.

    The man appeared in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday 23 September where he was remanded in custody to reappear in court on 5 December.

    Detective Superintendent Shane Addison, Officer in Charge of Serious and Organised Crime Branch said, “This is another significant drug seizure by organised crime detectives which has prevented supply of these harmful drugs to South Australians and illegal profits being netted by drug traffickers.  Our resolve to actively disrupt the trafficking of illicit drug is clear and will be sustained.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Major milestone reached in METRONET for WA

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Prime Minister, Premier of Western Australia and the Western Australian Transport Minister have today marked the completion of the entire elevated rail structure as part of the historic METRONET Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project.

    The Level Crossing Removal Project will improve safety, reduce congestion and improve travel times in the area, while also creating more than 4,300 jobs for Western Australians.

    The Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project represents the most significant upgrade ever undertaken on the 131-year-old Armadale Line and will ease congestion for road commuters, while creating six hectares of new public open space for the community.

    The project is already delivering positive outcomes for the community with six level crossings removed at intersections at Mint/Archer Street, Oats Street, Welshpool Road, Hamilton Street, Wharf Street and William Street.

    Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

    “We value Western Australia and want this beautiful city to have the world leading infrastructure it deserves.

    “As a heavy lifter of the nation’s economy, it is critical that we see benefits flowing back into Perth and Western Australia.

    “It’s great to be back in Perth to mark this important infrastructure milestone with the Premier that’s creating more than 4,300 jobs for Western Australians.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

    “METRONET is creating jobs, boosting safety and efficiency, and transforming Perth.

    “The Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal and the completion of elevated rail is another significant milestone in this exciting project.”

    Quotes attributable to Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook:

    “Everywhere you look across Perth, METRONET is transforming our suburbs.

    “Our elevated rail along the Armadale Line is changing the face of the south-eastern suburbs, delivering new public open space and the quality modern facilities local communities deserve.

    “This is what METRONET is all about – better public transport, affordable travel, and creating local jobs across the city.”

    Quotes attributable to Western Australian Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti:

    “It’s been incredible to see the speed at which this structure has been delivered, which is testament to the enormous amount of planning and preparation that has gone into delivering this project.

    “The community can see this elevated train line emerging before them, while the massive benefits are already being felt with a number of level crossings already removed along the Armadale Line.

    “People who live along the Armadale Line corridor will very soon have access to modern train stations, and new public open spaces and community facilities.

    “We know there is significant benefit on the horizon, and we thank the community for their continued patience as we complete the next critical steps for this game-changing project.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Swan Zaneta Mascarenhas:

    “The people of Swan, and Perth more broadly, will see the fruits of this massive investment in METRONET for generations.

    “The removal of these level crossings will improve commute times, while the addition of new stations will increase the take up in public transport, removing even more traffic from our roads.

    “It’s a win for everyone.”

    Quotes attributable to State Member for Cannington Bill Johnston:

    “This is a really exciting project for our community and it’s incredible to see the progress that has been made.

    “With elevated rail structure now in place, people can see how this project is going to deliver great outcomes in the years ahead with modern stations and new public open space.”

    Quotes attributable State Member for Victoria Park Hannah Beazley:

    “I am thrilled to see the entire elevated structure now in place, but more importantly, I am thrilled to see how much new space has been opened up for the community.

    “We’re planning to deliver some incredible facilities in the new public open space, which will create a more vibrant and active community for all to enjoy.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

    Shutterstock

    This piece is the final of a three part series on Australia’s defamation laws. You can read the other pieces here and here.

    Defamation laws exist to strike a balance between press freedom and the protection of people’s reputations from wrongful harm. In Australia, this balance has always been loaded against press freedom.

    This is due partly to the way the defamation laws have been framed and partly by the way the courts have interpreted them.

    Courts examine matters of journalism in the same way they examine matters of law: forensically, with strict rules and high standards of evidence and proof.

    While we rightly expect ethical and honest reporting from our media, even the best can prove insufficient under the piercing gaze of defamation law. And in a time when media companies are more cash-strapped than ever, this has a chilling effect on the stories that get told and press freedom more broadly.

    Ethics vs the law

    Until 2006, each Australian jurisdiction had its own defamation laws. This created a nightmare of complexity for publishers, especially of newspapers and broadcasts that crossed state boundaries, which meant all the main media organisations.

    They had to take into account the risks posed by litigation in the jurisdiction least favourable to press freedom.

    For many decades, that was New South Wales. It was one of the states where truth alone was not a sufficient defence; there also had to be a public interest in the material. In some other jurisdictions this was called public benefit.



    Read more:
    With all these defamation lawsuits, what ever happened to free speech?

    This was a major burden on press freedom and it was removed by the introduction of uniform defamation laws in 2006.

    Since then, it has been enough for publishers to prove the substantial truth of the meanings conveyed in an article in order for the defence of truth to succeed.

    It may sound straightforward, but proving substantial truth requires producing admissible evidence strong enough to satisfy the civil standard of proof: on the balance of probabilities. That usually means having documents and witnesses who are willing to be identified.

    If, as is often the case, the article has drawn on evidence from a confidential source, the publisher is unable to put that source in the witness box because to do so would breach the media’s fundamental ethical obligation to protect the identity of confidential sources.

    So unless the source is prepared in advance to be identified should the matter come to court, a story relying significantly on that person’s testimony may not see the light of day unless some other defence is available.

    In 2021, those defences were expanded, although quite how significant that expansion turns out to be remains to be seen.

    What appears on paper to be the most significant change was the introduction of a general public interest defence. This says that if publication of a story is in the public interest, and the publisher has a reasonable belief that it is, then publication can be defended on that ground.

    There has been only one major test of that new defence, and it went against the media.

    That case showed “reasonable belief” depended on the journalism being sound. In this case, the court found that the defendant, which was the ABC, had relied on shaky testimony that had not been sufficiently verified and had not given the subject of the story a fair opportunity to respond.

    At odds with practicalities

    This brings us to the question of how the courts interpret the law.

    One of the big disappointments in this respect has been the way the courts have interpreted what, at the time, was hoped to be a significant addition to Australia’s threadbare free-speech jurisprudence.

    In a case brought against the ABC by a late prime minister of New Zealand, David Lange, the High Court established the principle that freedom of speech on matters of government and politics trumped a person’s case for protection for their reputation.

    If a person wanted to sue for defamation, they had to do so in a way that did not burden freedom of speech on matters of government and politics.



    Read more:
    Politicians know defamation laws can silence women, but they won’t do anything about it

    However, the High Court attached a test of reasonableness to this freedom. In several ways, it’s similar to the “reasonable belief” test in the new public interest defence.

    Unfortunately, successive courts have applied the Lange reasonableness test in ways that are so strict they require journalists to meet standards demanding more powers of investigation than they possess or to exceed the usual journalistic standards of verification. Journalists can’t subpoena documents or compel people to speak to them.

    The result is that this defence has become more or less a dead letter for journalistic purposes.

    Is a story worth the cost?

    Those accused of defamation can also defend it by saying it was comment or honest opinion. The first requirement of this defence is that the material be a comment and not a statement of fact.

    But courts have interpreted this in different ways.

    This uncertainty was illustrated by a famous case that became known as “Leo the Lobster”. A restaurant and restaurateur in Sydney successfully sued the Sydney Morning Herald over a review of a lobster dinner written by one Leo Schofield.

    Schofield, who was a colourful writer, said the lobster had been overcooked:

    the carbonized claws contained only a kind of white powder which might have been albino walrus.

    Despite the amusing language, the court interpreted that as a literal factual description, not a statement of opinion.

    Courts have a limited sense of humour, which makes satirical writing a chancy business, since the sharper the satire, the closer it is to literal truth.

    Cartoons, which are satirical by definition, have more leeway but are not immune to defamation suits.

    Then there’s the costs of defamation, particularly for media outlets. They’ve become exorbitant.

    It has been estimated that the costs involved in the case brought by Ben Roberts-Smith against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times amounted to about $25 million. The newspapers won, although the matter has gone to appeal.

    But even if the verdict is upheld, experience shows it is unlikely they will recoup anything like their full costs.

    At a time when all major news media organisations are under acute financial pressure because of the inroads the internet has made on their revenue, there is a strong temptation not to risk publishing material the public has a right to know because of the financial impact an action for defamation would have.

    Denis Muller 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. Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom – https://theconversation.com/costly-defamation-action-looms-large-over-australian-newsrooms-its-diminishing-press-freedom-238072

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federal electoral divisions in Western Australia formalised [24 September 2024]

    Source: Australian Electoral Commission

    AECMedia

    Updated: 24 September 2024

    The next federal election will be conducted on new electoral division boundaries in Western Australia after a notice was published today in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

    While final names and boundaries for House of Representatives seats in Western Australia were announced on 5 September, today’s gazettal is the step that formally sets them in place. Today’s gazettal also provides people with further details about the boundaries.

    – Maps and geospatial data for the new electoral divisions now available.

    More detailed division maps and the final redistribution report will be available after the Minister has tabled material in both houses of Parliament.

    Editor’s notes:

    • People on the electoral roll who are affected by the redistribution will now be moved into their new federal electoral division in readiness for the election. No action is necessary.
    • While the new electoral divisions will be in place from Tuesday 24 September 2024, they will only apply from the next full federal election onwards. Any federal by-election conducted before that point must be conducted on existing divisions to avoid overlap in, or missing, representation.
    • Further information about the redistribution process.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash in the CBD

    Source: South Australia Police

    A woman has died following a crash in the city last week.

    Just after 12.15pm on Friday 20 September police were called to the intersection of South Terrace and Sir Lewis Cohen Avenue following reports of a crash between a Nissan Micra and a Ford Territory.

    The 93-year-old female driver of the Nissan was taken to hospital for treatment of her injuries, sadly today (Tuesday 24 September) she died in hospital.

    The occupant and passenger of the Ford were not injured.

    Major Crash Investigators are appealing to the public if they witnessed the crash or have dashcam footage and have not spoken to police to please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    The woman’s death is the 61st life lost on SA roads this year.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Beenleigh Aquatic Centre makes a splash

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    Swimmers in Queensland’s fastest-growing city are a step closer to having a second Olympic-sized pool to enjoy, with works now underway on the $23.1 million Beenleigh Aquatic Centre upgrade.

    The 50-metre, eight-lane swimming pool, is expected to open in mid-2025 and replaces the current thirty-three-yard pool which opened in 1964.

    As well as being a beacon for local swimming enthusiasts, the new Olympic-sized pool will enable Logan to support more training, competitions and community sporting events.

    Representatives from the Australian and Queensland governments and the Logan City Council met in Beenleigh today to celebrate the milestone.

    The upgrades also include an expanded children’s water play area, shaded seating areas, modern changeroom facilities, a kiosk, and accessible and family friendly amenities.

    Designed with sustainability in mind, the Beenleigh Aquatic Centre will feature solar panelling to generate clean energy, enable storm water harvesting and use of recycled materials.

    The project is funded through the $285.8 million SEQ Liveability Fund, one of 29 commitments being delivered under the SEQ City Deal, with the Logan City Council investing $13.4 million alongside contributions from the Australian and Queensland governments of $4.85 million each.

    The project will create an estimated 89 direct jobs and 78 indirect jobs for the local community.

    The indoor pool remains open to the public while works are completed and existing programs will continue uninterrupted.

    For more information visit:

    https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/beenleigh-aquatic-centre-upgrade 

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Cities Jenny McAllister:

    “The Logan community is right to be excited by works starting on these facilities.

    “As the temperature ramps up in summer, this will be a welcome retreat for families on weekends and school holidays.

    “It’s a very real possibility that some of our future Olympians will start honing their craft right here at the future Beenleigh Aquatic Centre.

    “That’s why investing in community sporting infrastructure like this is so important to the Australian Government.”

    Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace:

    “The new Beenleigh Aquatic Centre is a great example of a project that will help create a more liveable, sustainable and healthy community.

    “That is what the Liveability Fund is all about – projects that leave a lasting and positive legacy in the community.

    “The Beenleigh Aquatic Centre will support the region’s booming population and complement the work being done to deliver a successful Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.’’

    Quotes attributable to State Member for Macalister Melissa McMahon:

    “With less than 8 years until Brisbane 2032, we’re seeing the city’s newest Olympic sized swimming pool being build right here in Beenleigh.

    “A new Olympic pool may see our future swimming heroes develop their skills locally and deliver the goods in 2032.

    “And there is something for everyone with this upgrade with new areas for children and more family friendly amenities.

    “This is great news for Beenleigh and Logan City.”

    Quotes attributable to Mayor of Logan City Jon Raven:

    “It will be a modern venue to take our young and fast-growing city into the future as we head towards the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    “Council is proud to deliver community infrastructure that turns our suburbs into connected neighbourhoods especially as our population grows.

    “Last week we announced the nine court Logan Indoor Sports Centre for Logan Central, so we are well and truly starting our warm-up run for sporting success as the Olympics get closer.”

    Quotes attributable to Logan City Councillor Karen Murphy:

    “The old pool was more than 60 years old, so it is wonderful to see work begin full steam on this upgrade, which will complete stage two of the Dauth Park Masterplan endorsed by Council in 2018.

    “I can’t wait to see locals splashing around and swimming laps here in Beenleigh.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The Agtech Schools Immersion Program concludes with successful session in Wagga Wagga

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    24 Sep 2024

    Nearly 100 students from across regional NSW gathered at Wagga Wagga Agriculture Institute to take part in the final session of a NSW Government Agtech program immersing kids with cutting-edge agricultural technologies.

    The final event of the 2024 Agtech Schools Immersion Program took place today, with dozens of eager students participating in six workshop rotations covering everything from feed testing and livestock EID to field equipment including Swarmbot, handheld infrared sensors and drones.

    The Agtech Schools Immersion Program has provided students an opportunity to visit NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) research institutes and participate in hands-on learning at TAFE NSW where they design model smart farms, use drone mapping, and learn to use data and artificial intelligence to analyse weather patterns.

    The delivery of this program would not have been possible without the considerable support provided by the Charles Sturt University’s Global Digital Farm team over the course of the program at Wagga.

    This final event followed a series of excursions held in Tamworth and Orange throughout August, showcasing the program’s commitment to equipping students with essential skills and hands-on experience in using agricultural technology.

    NSW DPIRD Schools Program Coordinator Michelle Fifield said these sessions help spark interest, drive innovation and attract investment, contributing to the growth and development of the agricultural technology sector.

    “Giving students hands-on experience with Agtech helps provide them with the right tools and enables them to gain essential skills, opening the door for more opportunities for those looking to enter agricultural industries,” Ms. Fifield said.

    “This experience not only allowed these students to explore innovative tools but also deepened their understanding of how Agtech is shaping the future of farming and how this technology can be used practically.

    “The excitement and enthusiasm we’ve witnessed over the course of the program is a testament to the bright future of our agricultural industry and the willingness of the participants in furthering their skills with agricultural technologies.

    “By investing in our youth and their education in Agtech, we are ensuring a sustainable and innovative future for agriculture in NSW.”

    The Agtech Workforce Development Strategy is part of the NSW Government’s ongoing work to invest in skills and employment to future-proof the agriculture sector.

    This event is being delivered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Training Services NSW under the Targeted Workforce Development Scheme.

    Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minister Rishworth press conference in Ipswich

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    E&OE TRANSCRIPT

    Topics: Supporting adolescent boys and young men trial; Family, domestic and sexual violence.

    SHAYNE NEUMANN, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BLAIR: I’m Shayne Neumann, Federal Member for Blair. I’m here with my friend Amanda Rishworth, who’s the Minister for Social Services, and Aime Carrington, who’s the CEO of Domestic Violence Action Centre, commonly known as DVAC, west of Brisbane, a great service that provides a lot of assistance for women and children in particular. But I’m so pleased, Amanda, to have you here today with this announcement, and you have as a psychologist and I as a lawyer, who practiced in family law and child protection, have worked in this field before, in our professional lives, before in Parliament. But I know this announcement is very, very good for Ipswich and surrounds, and I know that DVAC will do a lot of good with the Federal Government funding and support that you’re providing. I’ll hand over to you, Amanda, to tell us about it.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: It’s so wonderful to be here today. Firstly, I’d like to thank Shayne, who’s been an amazing advocate for women and children in particular, who have experienced family, domestic and sexual violence. His advocacy has made sure that the attention, not just here in Ipswich, but right across the country, is really, really focused. I’d also like to thank Aime and the whole team at the Domestic Violence Action Centre, the frontline workforce that I met today. The Commonwealth Government, under the Albanese Labor Government, has really focused on family and domestic violence since we were elected. Our National Plan to End Family Domestic and Sexual Violence in a generation is something that we put in place very soon after we were elected, and we’ve now had a number of budget rounds that have put close to $4 billion on the table when it comes to frontline services and other programs. But it was wonderful to meet with Aime and the other frontline workers to hear how they’re actually working to spend this money. Whether it is through our frontline workforce, through the National Partnerships Agreement that we have, providing help to women and children really in crisis. Or whether it is the work that they complement their casework with, with keeping women safe in their homes, ensuring that there’s the right technical solution and support for women to stay where they want to live in their community, but don’t always feel certain to do so without this extra support. But most importantly, it was wonderful to hear about the enthusiasm for the new announcement today that we’ve made about supporting young men and boys break the cycle of family and domestic violence. We know that children, particularly men and boys, who have experienced family and domestic violence or other adverse childhood experiences, are more likely to choose to use violence, and therefore we know that if we are going to break the cycle, we must work with these boys and men to make sure that the cycle is not repeated. And that is what this trial I’m announcing today is. There’s 12 different organisations that will run support across the country. And it is wonderful that the Domestic Violence Action Centre will be one of those working in this new way. I have to say that one of the really key elements of the National Plan is to acknowledge the experience of children as domestic violence victim survivors and to make sure that they get the support that they need. That’s what these programs are all about. There’ll be both rural and regional areas that will have these trials, as well as metropolitan areas. And here in Ipswich, there is a there is a wonderful program that will be delivered. I’m going to ask Aime to speak about that soon. Services will begin to roll out, and support will begin to roll out from January this year, and will be over a three year period. But I’d just like to thank Aime and her team for the really wonderful application they’ve put in to work with these boys and young men and to make sure that we are really breaking the cycle when it comes to family and domestic violence. So I’m going to ask Aime to speak about her program in particular.

    AIME CARRINGTON, CEO OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACTION CENTRE: I’m Aime Carrington. I’m the CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Centre. DVAC has been operating for just under 30 years within the Ipswich region, and we’re really excited about the announcement today and to be a part of this new partnership with YFS to pilot a program called ‘Breaking the Cycle’. Breaking the Cycle will be working with young men and boys aged 12 to 18 years who have experienced domestic and sexual violence. We will be supporting them on their journey for healing and trauma and abuse that they’ve experienced, and we’ll be supporting them to build their own positive masculinities, behaviours, and ways of behaving within the family and with their own intimate partners. We’re really excited, because what this program will do is it will build a new evidence base through being evaluated to show what really works with breaking the cycle of domestic and sexual violence. I’m really proud of the team at DVAC, and really excited to see the positive gains that we’ll be able to achieve alongside our community, our community partners, young men and their families, with this work together.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Okay, we’ll hand over to you for some questions.

    JOURNALIST: Thank you. First question to the Minister. This kind of program for young boys is the first of its kind in Australia, is it? Why do you think it’s so important to have?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: What we know, and what the evidence shows us is that we must make sure that if we break the cycle, we have to intervene early. And of course, particularly boys and young men, if violence has been normalised in the home, if it has been shown that that’s the only way to respond, then we’re going to see that violence cycle continue. So we must intervene early to break the cycle, but also we must ensure that children, in particular that have experienced family and domestic violence carry their own scars, their own trauma, and we need to support them to heal. We need to make sure that they are over able to overcome what is often a very traumatic experience. So our National Plan has been very focused on that we need to elevate children. Children didn’t get the type of focus in the first National Plan around gender-based violence, but in this plan, we are elevating children, because that’s where we know we can make a real difference.

    JOURNALIST: And of course, it’s not just here in Ipswich, but it is across the country, 12 sites, but likely more to come next year. Is that right?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: There’s 12 sites that will be running over the next few years. There’s one, for example, in Rockhampton, being run by Centrecare Rockhampton. They’ll be run across rural and regional areas as well as metropolitan areas in most states and territories. And we will be gathering the evidence from these trials to look at how we put in best practice and expand this type of support across the country.

    JOURNALIST: And I have a question for Aime, sorry, how important is it to have these services funded by Government to, I guess, you know, get these kids to help they need?

    AIME CARRINGTON: Government funding is essential to the success of specialist domestic family and central violence services. And it’s really important to be doing innovative pilots like the Breaking the Cycle program, because we need to do more as a society to really make a difference and to change the trajectory. If we want to achieve ending gender-based violence in one generation, it’s services like this that are going to make a real difference alongside everything else that we’re doing. Ending gender-based violence is going to take a whole society, and so this is a really important step forward.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace occupies Straterra’s Wellington HQ in seabed mining protest

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace activists have occupied the Wellington offices of the mining lobby group Straterra to protest plans to Fast Track its client Trans-Tasman Resources’ seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight.
    Three activists have locked themselves inside the building, and two more have climbed onto an awning at the front of the building to deploy a large ‘No Seabed Mining’ banner.
    Greenpeace says this action is “a demonstration of the resistance promised” in a recently published open letter to all companies considering using the Fast Track Approvals process. More than 7,500 people have signed on to the letter so far.
    A second company seeking consent for seabed mining in the area has just confirmed they are voluntarily withdrawing, citing regulatory uncertainty as one of the reasons, along with the emergence of an offshore wind energy generation proposal that would be incompatible with the seabed mining industry.
    Greenpeace says that’s evidence that the pressure is working.
    Australian mining company TTR is vying to mine 50 million tons of iron sands in the South Taranaki Bight every year for 30 years. The company has made no secret of the fact it will use the much-maligned Fast Track Bill to get a green light after years of opposition by Taranaki hapū, environmentalists, the fishing industry and marine mammal experts.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee says, “We’re taking this action to highlight the danger that Trans-Tasman Resources may slip through the Fast Track process, despite years of community opposition and rejection by the courts.
    “We’re also highlighting the role played by the mining industry lobbyist Straterra, which has the ear of this government and is pushing this extractive, polluting project.
    “Straterra is a malignant force in New Zealand politics, operating in the shadows and backrooms to exert a pernicious influence over Government policies. Straterra’s stated objectives would shock all New Zealanders who value the natural world and a healthy democracy.
    “Today, we will drag Straterra’s dirty business into the sunlight and expose their malevolent intentions for all to see.
    “TTR has tried and failed for more than a decade to get approval to mine the seabed because it was never able to show that it wouldn’t cause substantial harm to the environment. If seabed mining is fast tracked, it will be in contempt of all expert advice and the wishes of local iwi, environmental groups, Taranaki communities and the 60,000 New Zealanders who have signed the petition calling for it to be banned.”
    Lee says it’s clear that even the coalition’s own supporters are against the Fast Track too.
    Recent Horizon Research polling shows that 55% of NZ First supporters do not support the Fast Track Bill, an increase from 36% of respondents in May 2024.
    “The Luxon coalition government needs to stop listening to Stratera and start listening to their constituency, and the broader public that are saying they do not want seabed mining, and they do not want seabed mining fast tracked.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – New species of NZ ghost shark discovered – NIWA

    Source: NIWA

    Scientists have found a new ghost shark that lives exclusively in the deep waters of Australia and New Zealand.
    The Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish was described by NIWA Fisheries Scientist Dr Brit Finucci.
    It was previously thought to be part of a single globally distributed species, until research revealed it is genetically and morphologically different to its cousins.
    Dr Finucci gave it the scientific name Harriotta avia in memory of her grandmother.
    “Avia means grandmother in Latin; I wanted to give this nod to her because she proudly supported me through my career as a scientist. Chimaeras are also rather ancient relatives – the grandmas and grandpas – of fish and I thought the name was well suited,” said Dr Finucci.
    Ghost sharks, or chimaeras, are a group of cartilaginous fish closely related to sharks and rays. Other names for these mysterious animals include ratfish, rabbitfish and elephant fish.
    They have smooth skin, free of scales, and feed off crustaceans such as shrimp and molluscs with their distinctive beak-like teeth.
    ” Harriotta avia is unique due to its elongated, narrow and depressed snout; long, slender trunk; large eyes; and very long, broad pectoral fins. It is a lovely chocolate brown colour.
    “Ghost sharks like this one are largely confined to the ocean floor, living in depths of up to 2,600m. Their habitat makes them hard to study and monitor, meaning we don’t know a lot about their biology or threat status, but it makes discoveries like this even more exciting,” said Dr Finucci.
    The specimens were collected in the Chatham Rise off New Zealand’s coast during research surveys for Fisheries New Zealand. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Defence News – Mortars and machine guns pack the punch in latest Fiji-New Zealand Army exercise – NZDF

    Source: New Zealand Defence Force

    Nearly 50 New Zealand Army personnel have returned from Fiji following a valuable week of mortar and machine gun tactical training exercises.

    Exercise Cartwheel involved soldiers from 16th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery and 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment delivering training courses to Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) personnel, to further build their 81mm mortar and sustained-fire machine gun capabilities.

    The exercise culminated with a live fire exercise in the Nausori Highlands, which was a prime opportunity for RFMF and NZ Army soldiers to not only put theory into practice, but also enhance the relationship between the two forces and their ability to work together in a jungle warfare environment.

    1 (NZ) Brigade Commander, Colonel Ben Bagley, was in Fiji for part of the exercise and says these opportunities are invaluable.

    “Purely on a tactical and technical level, any opportunity to get our soldiers into the field and put their skills into practice is fantastic, but Exercise Cartwheel is much more than just that. It allows us to spend some valuable time with one of our key Pacific partners in the RFMF and enhance our interoperability,” Colonel Bagley said.

    “The feedback we receive from the RFMF has always been positive around this exercise, and we equally value the opportunity to come and learn from our partners – it goes both ways.”

    Exercise Cartwheel is an annual RFMF-US Army Pacific bilateral exercise designed to train, assess and build light infantry and combat support warfighting capability. Fiji and the US are the main participants. Partner nations like Australia and the United Kingdom also regularly take part, with the NZ Army involved in the past three editions.

    “Getting the opportunity to link up with our partners for these exercises in the field is critical for our relationships in the region, because fundamentally we – Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the New Zealand Army – are from, and of the Pacific. What happens here is of huge significance to us all,” Colonel Bagley said.

    “We’d like to thank our friends and partners in the RFMF for their continued trust and support in us, and welcoming us back here every year. The camaraderie between our people is as strong as ever, and we look forward to the next opportunity to link up.”

    Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment (3FIR), Lieutenant Colonel Atunaisa Vakatale, says the exercise marks another milestone in the defence partnership of both nations, and reflects the understanding, trust and shared vision between both armies.

    “It also highlights the successful transfer of knowledge and skills, and the completion of training objectives that immensely contributes to the readiness and capabilities of both forces,” Lieutenant Colonel Vakatale said.

    “I am certain the training activities over the past three weeks have not only further enhanced our cooperation and interoperability, but it has also set the conditions for more people-to-people connections and networking amongst our troops.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace seabed mining protest extends to a second site

    Source: Greenpeace

    After five Greenpeace activists occupied the Wellington offices of mining lobby group Straterra to protest seabed mining by its client Trans Tasman Resources today, two more have scaled a tower near Parliament and deployed a 22-meter banner that reads No Seabed Mining.
    Greenpeace says today’s action is “a demonstration of the resistance promised” in a recently published open letterto all companies considering using the Fast Track Approvals process.
    Spokesperson Juressa Lee says that while today’s focus has been on Trans Tasman Resources and their plan to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight, it should also be a warning to any company considering using the Fast Track approvals process that they will face resistance.
    Earlier in the day, three Greenpeace activists gained entry to the Straterra HQ and locked it from the inside to prevent entry. They then proceeded to tweet images from a Straterra document outlining its intention to influence Government policy and clear the way for mining on the seabed and on conservation land.
    Meanwhile, two more activists climbed onto the awning outside the Straterra offices and firefighters and erected a large banner reading No Seabed Mining.
    All five activists at the Straterra building were eventually arrested by police.
    Australian mining company TTR is vying to mine 50 million tons of iron sands in the South Taranaki Bight every year for 30 years. The company has made no secret of the fact it will use the much-maligned Fast Track Bill to get a green light after years of opposition by Taranaki hapū, environmentalists, the fishing industry and marine mammal experts.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee said, “We’re taking this action to highlight the danger that Trans-Tasman Resources may slip through the Fast Track process, despite years of community opposition and rejection by the courts.
    “We’re also highlighting the role played by the mining industry lobbyist Straterra, which has the ear of this government and is pushing this extractive, polluting project.
    “Straterra is a malignant force in New Zealand politics, operating in the shadows and backrooms to exert a pernicious influence over Government policies. Straterra’s stated objectives would shock all New Zealanders who value the natural world and a healthy democracy.
    “Today, we have dragged Straterra’s dirty business into the sunlight and expose their malevolent intentions for all to see.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Carson, Jayapal, Schakowsky Introduce UNRWA Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andre Carson (7th District of INDIANA)

    WASHINGTON, DC—Representative André Carson (IN-07) has introduced H.R. 9649, the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024 with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09). This bill will end the congressionally and administratively mandated pause on funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA).

    The United States has historically been one of the largest financial supporters of UNRWA, which serves nearly 6 million Palestinian refugees across the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. In March of this year, the U.S. paused UNRWA funding after the Israeli government alleged that 12 agency employees had direct involvement in Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack.

    Following the UN’s investigation and proactive commitments made by UNRWA toward complete accountability and reform, all countries except the U.S. have resumed their UNRWA funding, including the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan, and Sweden.  Approximately 1.9 million people – 9 in 10 Gazans – have been displaced at least once, and an estimated 43,580 are pregnant women. UNRWA has served as the primary humanitarian aid organization operating in Gaza, and without funding, hundreds of thousands of Gaza civilians are left vulnerable. It is estimated that over 1 million Gazans will not have enough food this month, and availability of basic hygiene items has dropped to 15%. In addition to a polio outbreak, Gazans are suffering from malnutrition and treatable diseases due to “systematic dismantling of healthcare”from bombardments on civilians.

    “The scale of this devastating, man-made crisis in Gaza cannot be overstated,” said Congressman Carson. “Providing humanitarian aid to a starving nation – with funding Congress has appropriated year after year – should not be controversial. I urge my colleagues who care about basic human rights, the rights of pregnant women, and the wellbeing of innocent children to join our bill. UNRWA has taken appropriate and proactive steps towards accountability and transparency, conducting multiple independent reviews that continue to prove the organization is both in compliance and imperative to provide the region with lifesaving assistance.  It’s past time we restore funding and save lives.”

    “UNRWA has played a unique and integral role in supporting the welfare of Palestinian refugees for decades. Their on-the-ground understanding is invaluable to ensure that humanitarian aid makes it to the people who need it most — in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and critically in this moment in Gaza,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “There is no question in my mind that revoking funding for UNRWA will lead to more devastation and loss of life in Gaza. We must ensure that those acting in good faith to save civilian lives are not undermined by a lack of US funding.”

    “For decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been a lifeline for Palestinians, providing food, clean water, healthcare, shelter, education, and livelihoods. Today, UNRWA remains the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza as it endures ongoing war and a dire humanitarian crisis. UNRWA and the United Nations have taken swift and decisive actions to address the concerns raised by the U.S. government when it paused funding in January and our allies have all resumed funding for UNRWA. The U.S. must follow suit and resume funding for this critical humanitarian agency,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “I am proud to co-lead the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act to restore funding to UNRWA and help Gazans get the humanitarian assistance they need at a time of unprecedented crisis.”

    “J Street is proud to be supporting the UNRWA Emergency Restoration Act of 2024 introduced by Representatives Carson, Jayapal, and Schakowsky. We should restore funding, as all our major allies have, and stop playing politics with Palestinian welfare and Israel’s security,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “As UNRWA’s largest donor and Israel’s key security guarantor, the United States has a special obligation to address this crisis.”

    “Gaza isn’t starving. It’s being starved,” said Hassan El-Tayyab, legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. “Over two million Palestinian civilians are enduring a man-made humanitarian catastrophe, with famine and disease spreading due to blocked aid access. Meanwhile, the Biden administration and Congress continue to withhold all U.S. funding for the largest aid operation in Gaza—the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA is the backbone of aid delivery in Gaza, ensuring that millions receive desperately needed assistance. Blocking U.S. funding for UNRWA’s critical work is a cruel and unjustified decision that only deepens Gaza’s humanitarian suffering. Congress and the Administration must act swiftly to correct this wrong by supporting the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act and restoring this urgently needed aid.”

    “Restoring funding to UNRWA is a humanitarian imperative,” said Sharif Aly, President of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). “For over six decades, the United States has been one of the strongest supporters of UNRWA, which provides lifesaving aid and social services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. Those services are desperately needed in Gaza right now, and UNRWA is the only organization with the capacity and expertise necessary to provide them at scale. The United States must uphold its commitment to the human rights of the Palestinian people and pass this legislation to reinstate funding to the humanitarian agency immediately. Failing to do so would lead to further human suffering.”

    “In restoring funding for food, water, shelter, and medical care for Palestine refugees, the UNRWA Restoration Act honors this most basic and inalienable truth — that the people of Palestine are human beings, just like all of us, and all lives are sacred, not just some,” said Mara Kronenfeld, Executive Director UNRWA USA.

    “UNRWA is indispensable to providing Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria with the education, healthcare, and other critical services that are key to successful, productive livelihoods and citizenry, and a future of peace and prosperity, which should be in everyone’s interests. We support full restoration of funding to UNRWA,” said Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera.

    “We express our gratitude to Representatives André Carson, Pramila Jayapal, and Jan Schakowsky for introducing the UNRWA Emergency Restoration Act of 2024,” said James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute. “This lifesaving legislation aims to restore critical U.S. financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) by repealing previous funding restrictions and encouraging the Secretary of State to lift the temporary pause on federal funding. UNRWA plays a vital role in providing essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The ongoing genocide in Gaza has resulted in increased displacement, starvation, and death. It is both inhumane and unconscionable to continue withholding financial support from UNRWA. We recognize that the majority of Americans are horrified by the death and destruction they witness daily in Gaza and the West Bank. UNRWA’s humanitarian aid and services often mean the difference between life and death for these vulnerable populations. Restoring U.S. funding to UNRWA is urgent, just, and the only morally responsible option. We urge lawmakers to prioritize the passage of this crucial legislation and ensure that UNRWA can continue to provide life-saving assistance to Palestinian refugees in the region.”

    The UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024 has been endorsed by the following organizations as of 9/19/24: 

    18 Million Rising
    Action Against Hunger
    Action Corps
    ActionAid USA
    AFSC, American Friends Service Committee
    American Baptist Churches USA
    American Friends of Combatants for Peace
    American Friends Service Committee
    American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
    Americans for Justice in Palestine Action
    Americans for Peace Now
    Anera
    Avaaz
    Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
    Carolina Peace Center
    Center for American Progress
    Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
    Center for Constitutional Rights
    Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
    Center for International Policy
    Center for Jewish Nonviolence
    Center for Security, Race and Rights
    Center for Victims of Torture
    Charity&Security Network
    Christian Aid
    Church World Service
    Climate Refugees
    Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
    CODEPINK
    CommonDefense.us
    Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
    Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
    Danish Refugee Council
    DAWN
    Demand Progress
    Doctors Against Genocide
    Emgage Action
    FCNL
    Foreign Policy for America
    Friends of Sabeel North America
    Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ
    Health Advocacy International
    Hindus for Human Rights
    Historians for Peace and Democrcy
    Human Rights First
    Human Rights First
    Humanity & Inclusion
    IfNotNow Movement
    International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
    International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
    International Rescue Committee
    Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
    J Street
    Jewish Voice for Peace Action
    KinderUSA
    MADRE
    Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
    Middle East Children’s Alliance
    Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
    Migrant Roots Media
    MoveOn
    MPower Change Action Fund
    Muslim Advocates
    National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
    National Council of Churches
    National Iranian American Council Action
    National Partnership for New Americans
    Nonviolent Peaceforce
    Norwegian Peoples aid
    Norwegian Refugee Council USA
    Oxfam
    Partners for Progressive Israel
    Pax Christi USA
    Peace Action
    People’s Action
    Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
    Progressive Democrats of America
    Project HOPE
    Project South
    Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
    Rebuilding Alliance
    Refugee Congress
    Refugees International
    ReThinking Foreign Policy
    RootsAction.org
    Save the Children US
    Save the Children US
    Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team
    Terre des hommes – Lausanne
    The Episcopal Church
    The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
    The United Church of Christ
    UNRWA USA National Committee
    US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR Action)
    Veterans For Peace, Chapter #63 (Albuquerque)
    War Child Alliance
    We Are All America (WAAA)
    Welcoming America
    Win Without War
    Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US
    Working Families Party
    Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
    ACCESS of WNY
    Al Otro Lado (CA and Tijuana)
    Atlanta Multifaith Coalition for Palestine
    CAIR-Ohio
    Christian Jewish Allies for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine
    Church Women United in New York State
    Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York chapter (CAIR-NY)
    Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington DC
    Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque
    Minnesota Peace Project
    Muslim Justice League (MA)
    New York Progressive Action Network
    Oasis Legal Services (CA)
    OnceAForest.org (NM)
    Peace Action WI
    Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
    Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) Bay Area
    Veterans For Peace – Santa Fe NM Chapter
    Muslims United PAC (MUPAC)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Surrogacy is booming. But new research suggests these pregnancies could be higher risk for women and babies

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery, Associate Dean Research and HDR, Midwifery Discipline Leader, Western Sydney University

    Helena Lopes/Pexels

    A new study from Canada has found women who agree to carry and birth babies in surrogacy arrangements face a higher risk of complications than other pregnant women.

    These women were at two to three times the risk of health problems such as postpartum haemorrhages and pre-eclampsia. They were also more likely to give birth prematurely.

    With an increasing number of people in Australia and elsewhere having children via surrogacy arrangements, what can we make of these findings?

    First, what is surrogacy?

    Surrogacy is a situation where a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby (or babies) for another person or a couple in a planned arrangement.

    There are two types of surrogacy.

    The first is where the pregnant woman is the full biological mother, with the child conceived using her own egg (sometimes called “traditional” or “genetic” surrogacy).

    The second is where the pregnant woman is not the genetic mother and the child is conceived using the egg of a different woman (called “gestational surrogacy”).

    Gestational surrogacy involves the transfer of an embryo or embryos into the uterus of a woman who has agreed to carry and birth the child using in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Gestational surrogacy is now the most common form of surrogacy arrangement in Australia.

    The new study looked at gestational surrogacy specifically.

    What the researchers did

    The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, was retrospective. This means it used existing data that is gathered routinely on people using health services.

    It included 863,017 women who had a single baby between April 2012 and March 2021 (multiple births were excluded).

    The researchers compared outcomes for women and babies where the pregnancy was achieved naturally, those who got pregnant using IVF, and those who were pregnant in a gestational surrogacy arrangement where the woman had no genetic link to the baby.

    Most babies were conceived naturally, 16,087 were IVF pregnancies, and 806 women were pregnant in gestational surrogacy arrangements.

    The study looked at more than 860,000 women in Canada who had a baby over a nine-year period.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    The researchers found pregnant women in gestational surrogacy arrangements had a rate of severe maternal complications of 7.8%, more than three times the rate of those who became pregnant naturally (2.3%) and almost twice the rate among those who got pregnant through IVF (4.3%).

    These risks included postpartum haemorrhage (losing excessive amounts of blood following the birth), severe pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure associated with pregnancy) and serious postpartum infection (sepsis). There was also a higher risk of the baby being born preterm (before 37 weeks) in gestational surrogacy situations.

    The researchers attempted to take into account differences between the three groups like age, weight, health problems and socioeconomic status, which can all influence the risk of complications for pregnant women and their babies. Despite this, they still saw these concerning results.

    Why might the risk be higher?

    Previous research looking at outcomes with gestational surrogacy has had mixed results. But it is thought the reason risks could be greater for the woman and baby in gestational surrogacy arrangements may be because the baby is genetically unrelated to the woman.

    Pregnancy has a strong impact on the immune system. During pregnancy, women’s immune systems are altered so they do not reject the growing baby.

    An imbalanced or overactive immune response can contribute to pregnancy complications including preterm birth and pre-eclampsia. Having a baby with different genetic material may affect a woman’s immune response during pregnancy, and increase the risk of complications in this way.

    Some limitations

    Only women having a single baby were included in the study, so we don’t know the outcomes where a multiple pregnancy was involved. However, multiple birth is common in surrogacy, and there are increased risks associated with multiple births for women and babies.

    Multiple embryo transfer increases the risk of twins and triplets and is prohibited in the context of surrogacy in Australia (and discouraged in IVF treatments more broadly). But Australians engaging in overseas surrogacy commonly request it.

    Also, the study includes a relatively small number of women pregnant in a gestational surrogacy arrangement (806), meaning there’s an increased risk for statistical error and limited ability to detect rare outcomes.

    People may use a surrogate to have a baby for a range of reasons.
    Lopolo/Shutterstock

    Ethical questions

    An increasing number of Australians are having children via surrogacy arrangements. This is due to a combination of factors including a decline in adoption, women delaying motherhood, and increased social acceptability of male same-sex parenting.

    Australia only allows altruistic surrogacy, where the woman who agrees to have the baby for others is not paid.

    However, some other countries allow women to be paid to become pregnant for others (commercial surrogacy). Concern regarding the exploitation of women via commercial surrogacy is such that Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have made it illegal for residents to travel overseas to engage in commercial surrogacy.

    Even so, most Australia children born as a result of surrogacy arrangements are born through overseas commercial surrogacy.

    Despite some limitations, this research indicates increased risks for women becoming pregnant in gestational surrogacy arrangements, and the babies they carry. It seems important the potentially elevated risks should be made clear to women considering carrying and birthing a baby for someone else, and to the prospective parents.

    Considering the rise in surrogacy globally it’s important more research is undertaken on the potential health and other impacts of this practice on women and babies. Health, ethical and human rights implications should inform legislative frameworks, policy and practice.

    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. Surrogacy is booming. But new research suggests these pregnancies could be higher risk for women and babies – https://theconversation.com/surrogacy-is-booming-but-new-research-suggests-these-pregnancies-could-be-higher-risk-for-women-and-babies-239574

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Adam Steer, ABC Radio Darwin

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    ADAM STEER:

    Stephen Jones is the Assistant federal Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services. Minister, welcome to ABC Radio Darwin. These new laws, how are they going to work in terms of preventing scams? Because my understanding is you can’t force the banks to pay back anyone that’s been scammed, can you?

    STEPHEN JONES:

    Not quite true. Under the existing laws, we have a mandatory reimbursement scheme. If somebody has had money withdrawn from their account that wasn’t authorised and that’s done under the ePayments code. The problem we have is there’s so much grey area and the scams are becoming so incredibly sophisticated. They’ve been industrialised over the last decade; scam losses were doubling every year. They haven’t for the last year because of some corrective measures we’ve put in place. But it’s quite clear we just can’t leave the customers on their own –

    STEER:

    Yeah, well, that example –

    JONES:

    More needs to be done.

    STEER:

    That example I was using with Antonia there. So, the bank originally had said no because she had voluntarily handed her information over to the scammers who had provided – she’d looked up the banks themselves and they had provided her the information which she thought, as someone with English as a second language was okay enough that then she could give them the details, her banking details.

    JONES:

    In circumstances like that I mean, then it’s no answer to say banks never ask you to give over your passcodes. They never do that. In fact, they make it quite clear you shouldn’t give them over to anyone. But, you know, for all the reasons you’ve outlined, it’s quite clear that the existing arrangements and obligations aren’t strong enough. So, the laws that we’ll put in place look at the entire economy or the ecosystem in which these scams are operating in. So, they come to us via a phone or an SMS message, or they’re published on a social media platform, and the bank is the destination for the scammers at the end of the transaction. So, we’ve got to get all of those bodies lifting their protection again for their customers to keep their business and network safe, to prevent, to detect, disrupt, respond and report to scams. A failure to put in place the proper steps in this area will lead to fines of up to $50 million for the businesses who fail to do that. The reason we’re starting with banks, telcos and social media platforms is that’s where most of the damage is being done. But we’ll move beyond there once we get that locked down.

    STEER:

    Banks make, I think they made $32 billion worth of profit at the big 4 last year, but only repay between 4–7 per cent of scam victims. That doesn’t seem fair in itself. What exactly are you doing to ensure banks are helping their customers? So, you were saying, unless you do this, we will fine you $50 million for each individual scam? Am I correct that you’re –

    JONES:

    That’s correct, yeah, absolutely. And I want banks to be on the hook if they’ve done the wrong thing. But I don’t want telecommunications companies or social media platforms to be let off the hook as well. I’ve looked at some data up in Europe at the moment, about half the scam losses at the moment are coming from Meta platforms. That’s not a startup business. In Australia, it makes about $6 billion a year. So, that’s a large entity as well. It’s making more than most of our banks, actually. They need to be in the frame. Telcos need to be in the frame. Banks need to be in the frame if they’ve done the wrong thing. And stronger obligations, stronger obligations to protect customers must be in place. And like we’ve been discussing, fines if they, penalties in compensation if they don’t live up to those obligations.

    STEER:

    Six to 8 on 157, ABC Radio Darwin. Adam Steer is my name. Your guest is the federal Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones. A text coming in, Minister, why don’t we ever hear on news scammers getting caught or convicted? Is this because they’re not getting caught?

    JONES:

    Yeah, great question. When we put our policy together, we assumed that the vast majority of this stuff is operating outside of Australia, because it is, and largely in countries where traditional law enforcement can’t work because we don’t have the sorts of relations you need with the countries where they’re operating. In some we’ve got joint operations going in place, but often on the border of war torn countries or in areas where traditional law enforcement can’t get into. So, the traditional law enforcement approach of kicking down doors and dragging people before a court just won’t work. So, we’ve got to look at what will work with what we can do inside Australia.

    STEER:

    Well, let’s move to one of the other issues. I don’t know whether the 2 supermarkets, the 2 major supermarkets, are going to get painted as the villains of inflation, but the ACCC is alleging Woolies and Coles are now breaching consumer laws, rising prices by 15 per cent prior to some of their big promotional scale – sales. I mean, that’s a scam in itself. How the supermarkets going to get punished here?

    JONES:

    Well, strong action being taken by our regulator with the full support of the government. I have got to be careful because this matter is before the court. But if these matters are proved – and I have every reason to believe that the ACCC will have done due diligence before they took the matter before court – if these matters are proved, then it is an indictment on those businesses and they deserve the full force of the law. In instances where Australians are struggling and they’re ripping us off with bodgy sales and bodgy advertisements, jacking prices up before they drop them, that’s just not right.

    STEER:

    And inflationary as we wait to see whether the mortgage rates stay on hold or not for this year. I’ve got a text asking the ACCC themselves have said, good move from the federal government because they reinforced some laws which have allowed us to take this action. And as you say, it is above the courts – in front of the courts at the moment. If it’s successful and if it’s a very, very large fine which we consider it would have to be given the supermarkets are making $1000 million profit per year each. Where does that money go if they get a significant fine? What happens to that money?

    JONES:

    Yeah, good question. So, in this instance, the ACCC has sought unusual but not exceptional orders where a part of the fine would be diverted towards paying for meals and services to homelessness and low income people as a means of ensuring that some of that money goes towards the people who are hurt most by this sort of alleged pernicious behaviour.

    STEER:

    You know what? We’ll wait and see what happens. Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, thank you so much for your time this morning. Appreciate it.

    JONES:

    Great to talk.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 210-2024: Scheduled Service Disruption: Thursday 26 September 2024 – DAFF messaging, SeaPest

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    24 September 2024

    Who does this notice affect?

    All users of the Seasonal Pests (SeaPest) system.

    All clients submitting the below declarations:

    • Full Import Declaration (FID)
    • Long Form Self Assessed Clearance (LFSAC)
    • Short Form Self Assessed Clearance (SFSAC)
    • Cargo Report Self Assessed Clearance (CRSAC)
    • Cargo Report Personal Effects (PE)

    Information

    Due to scheduled infrastructure maintenance, there will a…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Announces Fee Reduction for Flagship ETPs, HODLX and BOLD

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, 24 September 2024 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of cryptocurrency exchange traded products (ETPs) and a subsidiary of 21.co, is pleased to announce a significant fee reduction for two of its flagship products: the 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 ETP (HODLX) and the 21Shares Bytetree BOLD ETP (BOLD). Effective immediately, the management fees for these ETPs have been lowered to 0.49% for HODLX and 0.65% for BOLD, making these innovative investment vehicles more accessible to a broader range of investors.

    The 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 ETP (HODLX) provides diversified exposure to the top ten digital assets by market capitalization, rebalanced quarterly to reflect the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market. With this fee reduction to 0.49%, investors can now benefit from a more cost-effective way to capture the growth potential of the digital asset space in a single, diversified ETP.

    The 21Shares Bytetree BOLD ETP (BOLD) offers a unique blend of Bitcoin and Gold, designed as a balanced approach to digital and traditional assets. BOLD’s risk-adjusted weighting scheme, rebalanced monthly, combines the security of gold with the growth opportunities of Bitcoin, offering a diversified hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. The new fee of 0.65% further enhances the appeal of this product for investors seeking strategic and cost-efficient exposure to these assets.

    “At 21Shares, our mission has always been to make investing in cryptocurrency more accessible, and this fee reduction is a reflection of our commitment to delivering value to our investors,” said Mandy Chiu, Head of Financial Product Development at 21Shares. “By lowering the fees on HODLX and BOLD, we are enabling more investors to participate in the future of finance at a lower cost.”

    These fee reductions underscore 21Shares’ dedication to providing innovative, low-cost investment solutions that meet the evolving needs of the global investor community. Both ETPs are 100% physically backed by their underlying assets, held securely in cold storage, ensuring the highest levels of trust for investors.

    For more information about 21Shares and its full range of ETPs, visit https://www.21shares.com/en-eu/product .

    Press Contacts:
    Audrey Belloff, Head of Communications, press@21.co

    About 21.co:
    21.co is the world’s leader in providing access to crypto through simple and easy to use products. 21.co is the parent company of 21Shares, one of the world’s largest issuer of cryptocurrency exchange traded products (ETPs) – which is powered by Onyx, a proprietary technology platform used to issue and operate cryptocurrency ETPs for 21Shares and third parties. The company was founded in 2018 by Hany Rashwan and Ophelia Snyder. 21Shares is registered in Zurich, Switzerland with offices in Zurich, London and New York. For more information, please visit 21Shares.

    Disclaimer:
    This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

    This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

    This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

    Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

    Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

    The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

    This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2023 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with SIX Exchange Regulation AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2023 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

    ###

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)
    Speech by CE at 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (English only)
    ******************************************************************************************

         Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum today (September 24): Honourable Commissioner Hu Jinglin (Commissioner of the State Taxation Administration), Deputy Commissioner Wang Daoshu (Deputy Commissioner of the State Taxation Administration and Executive Secretary of the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism Secretariat), Deputy Director Yin Zonghua (Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Deputy Commissioner Li Yongsheng (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR), honourable ministers and senior officials from Belt and Road economies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,      Good afternoon. Welcome to Hong Kong and the 5th Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum.      I am grateful to the organisers, the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism, or BRITACOM – this year celebrating its fifth anniversary – and to our Inland Revenue Department. BRITACOM was created, in 2019, to promote tax administration co-operation among the widespread jurisdictions of the Belt and Road Initiative.      The Belt and Road Initiative, as you are well aware, was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013. As the Initiative ushers in its next golden decade, so has BRITACOM, a key co-operation mechanism that has facilitated people-to-people exchanges and promoted mutual understanding along the Belt and Road.      Today, BRITACOM counts 37 Council Members and more than 30 observers – including tax administrations and international organisations.      And this Forum, the annual international forum of BRITACOM, is a must-attend event. This year’s three-day gathering has attracted some 400 high-level representatives from nearly 30 jurisdictions. You are officials of tax administrations, tax specialists, academics and professionals from around the world.      This year’s theme – “Deepening Tax Administration Cooperation for High-Quality Belt and Road Development” – speaks clearly of today’s complex world and the heightened need for connectivity among us.      Hong Kong, China is honoured to host this year’s Forum and connect Belt and Road economies together in our global community of shared future. I am grateful for the State Taxation Administration’s support in our efforts.      Hong Kong plays an active role in the Belt and Road. And we are committed to the good work of BRITACOM, as a member tax administration of the mechanism.      Under the unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong connects both the global advantage and the China advantage in a single city. As a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China, we are a separate customs territory and practise an independent taxation system. We are a founding member of the World Trade Organization and participate in international organisations and trade agreements using the name “Hong Kong, China”.      As the only common law jurisdiction within China, our legal system in the business realm resembles that of most major international financial centres. Our robust legal system is backed by such long-standing institutional strengths as the free flow of information, capital, goods and people, low and simple tax system, and highly open and internationalised market. Together, they ensure our strategic role as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” between the Mainland and the rest of the world.      It helps, and enormously, that Hong Kong is a trusted international centre for finance and trade. In the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Hong Kong placed fifth, up two positions over last year’s ranking.       According to the Yearbook, we came first in the Asia-Pacific region in “tax policy” and second worldwide. And we topped the world in “international trade” and “business legislation”.      Crucial to Hong Kong’s development is our talent. As the only city in Asia that has as many as five universities in the world’s top 100, Hong Kong boasts a strong pool of multi-talented and hard-working professionals. That’s why in the latest World Talent Ranking, published last week also by the IMD, we ranked number nine in the world, rising visibly from 16 last year. We were among the global top five in the availability of finance skills, effectiveness of management education, and remuneration of management. I am proud of the achievement of our talent, and our city.      Hong Kong is a pivotal player in such national strategies as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. Indeed, just two weeks ago, we hosted our annual Belt and Road Summit, drawing some 6 000 high-profile individuals from about 70 countries and regions. The Summit, which next year turns 10, has been recognised by the Central Government as a key global gathering for advancing economic, trade and investment co-operation along the Belt and Road.       Economic globalisation, digitalisation and evolving business models demand a co-operative approach. By deepening collaboration, we can, working together, create an equitable, efficient and sustainable system that benefits us all.       Indeed, tax administration plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainable development. Efficient tax systems provide the essential resources for the delivery of public services and infrastructure.       Hong Kong believes that transparent and fair tax policies could foster trust among investors, governments and taxpayers.      As a champion of free and multilateral trade, Hong Kong, I’m pleased to add, supports the co-ordinated efforts of the international tax community, actively engaging in initiatives designed to bring economies together.      We take pride in having signed 50 Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement since 2003. And more than 60 per cent of these agreements were signed with jurisdictions participating in the Belt and Road.       These agreements play a vital role in strengthening economic ties and promoting cross-border trade and investment. They enable closer tax co-operation between governments, aligning our practices with global standards.        We are, let me add, committed to expanding our tax treaty network, particularly with economies along the Belt and Road.       And I am pleased to announce that Hong Kong and Türkiye will sign a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement later at this Forum.      This milestone is another tangible illustration of Hong Kong’s determination to expand our tax treaty network. It also highlights our commitment to boosting ties and relations with Belt and Road economies.       Alongside our long-standing institutional strengths, we are increasingly employing technology to enhance taxpayer services and improve compliance.      And we are pleased to share our digital tax administration experience with Belt and Road jurisdictions – with each one of you. Much of tomorrow morning’s Forum, let me add, will focus on promoting the digitalisation of tax administration.       I am confident you will find this Forum instructive, inspiring and rewarding, whatever your sector, profession or interest.        I’m confident, too, that you will find Hong Kong equally rewarding over these next several days. This Forum is just one of more than 200 major events we’re hosting this year for visitors from around the world. I encourage you to make time to experience our dynamic culture and world-class entertainment, from daybreak deep into the night.      Hong Kong is fast rising as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. That becomes abundantly clear in a visit to
    our West Kowloon Cultural District. One of the largest developments of its kind in the world, it’s home to the Hong Kong Palace Museum and its priceless treasures from the Beijing’s Forbidden City. Home, too, to M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual art. You’ll also want to take in the breathtaking views from Victoria Harbour and Ngong Ping 360, the thrilling cable car that connects Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, which is just a stone’s throw away from our event venue here.      This venue, AsiaWorld-Expo, is one of our key exhibition and convention venues. Its close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest cargo airport, means you get to stay well-connected to our city while marvelling at the rapid development of the airport, whose Three-Runway System will be commissioned later this year.      More than a bustling airport, mountain vistas and stunning seaside villages, Hong Kong counts nearly 80 Michelin-star restaurants and neighbourhood pubs, diners and dim sum delights everywhere. We boast nine of Asia’s 50 best bars, including the top bar in the continent, and have two of the world’s 50 best hotels.      Wherever you look, there’s always something happening in Hong Kong, an energetic and welcoming world city.      Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the Forum and all that Hong Kong has to offer.       Thank you.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 16:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: No RBA rate cut yet, but Governor Bullock is about to find the pressure overwhelming

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

    Who’d want to be Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock? On Tuesday she had to do the almost impossible: defend a decision not to cut interest rates at a time when they were being cut in just about every other major industrial nation.

    On Thursday the US Federal Reserve joined the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and central banks in China, Sweden and the European Union in what its officials expect to be a series of cuts, kicking off with a double-header: a cut of 0.50 percentage points instead of the usual 0.25.

    In her press conference after Tuesday’s board meeting Governor Bullock said disinflation was “further advanced” in those countries than it was in Australia.

    Australian interest rates were “restrictive” (high enough to hurt) but were working “broadly as anticipated”.

    While household spending was weaker than had been expected, it would be

    some time yet before inflation is sustainably in the target range.

    But the problem with what she said, both after the meeting and in her statement, is inflation is probably already within the target range.

    Credibility gap

    The Reserve Bank’s target is 2-3%. Inflation hasn’t been there since it surged in 2021 as much of the world came out of lockdowns.

    On Wednesday, the day after Bullock’s announcement, the Bureau of Statistics will release the monthly consumer price index for August. It’s expected to be the first to show inflation back between 2% and 3%.

    Westpac is expecting an annual rate of 2.7%, comfortably back within the target band. When the more-comprehensive quarterly measure is released next month, Westpac is expecting 2.9%.

    If inflation is 2.7%, how can it be too high?

    Bullock squares her view that inflation is not yet moving sustainably towards the target with the reality that it is probably already there by saying she expects it to “pop back up again” when the temporary effect of electricity bill rebates wears off.

    The Commonwealth government announced $3.5 billion worth of rebates in the May budget. They will be applied automatically to electricity bills for each of the next four quarters, and topped by several of the states. In Queensland, they amount to $1,300 per household.

    A staged rollout means the rebates hit bills in only Queensland and West Australia in July and will hit other states in August. The Bureau of Statistics says they took 6.4% off the average national power price in July and Westpac expects them to take off a further 15% in August.

    A permanent 10% increase in the maximum rate of Commonwealth rent assistance delivered last week will put further downward pressure on inflation.

    It’s easy to see why Bullock thinks the temporary measures should be disregarded.

    The RBA says what matters is underlying inflation

    Bullock is directing attention to the Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of underlying inflation, a measure that excludes sharp movements and gives a better idea of where typical prices are heading.

    At 3.9% for the year to the June quarter, she says that measure is still too high. But it has been falling for each of the past six quarters and is on track to fall to 3.5% in the September quarter. By my way of thinking, that shows inflation is moving “sustainably towards the target range” in the way she says she wants.

    As in the US and the UK and New Zealand and all the other countries with which we compare ourselves, inflation doesn’t need to be actually back to the target before the authorities ease off on high interest rates. If they waited that long they would overshoot and push inflation too low.

    But headline inflation matters in its own right

    In any event, a low headline inflation rate is important in its own right, however it is achieved. It’s the rate the Reserve Bank prints at the top of its website, the rate that’s published in the media and the rate that people experience.

    If inflation is actually low, however that is brought about, shoppers become less tolerant of price rises (something the Reserve Bank says is happening) and less keen to demand high wage rises (something that is also happening).

    They also become less keen to rush out and buy things before their price goes up, something that can perpetuate high inflation.

    Right now we are doing everything but rushing out to push up prices.

    A briefing note prepared by the Australian Council of Social Service ahead of Tuesday’s Reserve Bank board meeting says real household disposable income per capita has fallen by almost 8% since inflation and interest rates began climbing, far more than in the US, the UK, Germany and Canada.

    Bullock is about to get more chances to cut

    There’s a chance the tax cuts that began in July will give spending a bit of a boost but much of whatever extra spending there is will be on imports, and the steadily climbing Australian dollar is making them cheaper by the day.

    The Australian dollar hit a new high for the year of 68.5 US cents on Tuesday on the back of a widening differential between US and Australian interest rates as the US cuts rates.

    Governor Bullock gets two more opportunities to cut rates this year, at the board meeting on Melbourne Cup Tuesday November 5 shortly after news of very low inflation in the September quarter, and on December 9 shortly after news of economic growth likely to show income per person going further backwards.

    There’s a fair chance she will take one of them.

    Peter Martin is Economics Editor of The Conversation.

    – ref. No RBA rate cut yet, but Governor Bullock is about to find the pressure overwhelming – https://theconversation.com/no-rba-rate-cut-yet-but-governor-bullock-is-about-to-find-the-pressure-overwhelming-239603

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Admiral Vandier takes command of Allied Command Transformation

    Source: NATO

    On 23 September 2024 in Norfolk, United States, Admiral Pierre Vandier succeeded General Philippe Lavigne as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, presided over the change of command ceremony.

    French Navy Admiral Vandier is the ninth Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. After joining the French Naval academy, he rapidly became a naval fighter pilot, performing numerous combat missions for almost two decades. He has commanded twice at sea, the frigate Surcouf and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Most recently he was Chief of the Naval Staff and then Vice Chief of defence.

    Admiral Bauer warmly welcomed Admiral Vandier and emphasised the importance of ACT in building the Alliance’s future: “ACT plays an invaluable role in ensuring that the Alliance safeguards the security and interests of its members against both the current threats and challenges we face today, as well as those that may arise in the future and beyond our present imagination. Allied Command Transformation is a symbol of NATO’s confident embrace of the future and its challenges.”

    Admiral Bauer highlighted the major successes of General Lavigne at the helm of ACT over the past three years. During his tenure at Allied Command Transformation, General Lavigne has overseen: 

    • the military integration of North Macedonia, Finland and Sweden;
    • the Multi Domain Operations concept, roadmap and implementation, supported by Digital Transformation and the continuum of experimentation & innovation;
    • the integration of the DDA family of Plans into the NATO Defence Planning Process;
    • the implementation of the Warfare Development Agenda;
    • and ACT’s work in developing all fields of innovation on which DIANA is able to grow.

    Admiral Bauer praised the leadership that General Lavigne has shown during this time: “With your keen intellect, strategic vision and infectious enthusiasm, you manage to make sure everybody who crosses your path wants to join your team. Nobody embodies the slogan “win as a team” like you do.”

    In his speech, Admiral Bauer stressed that in order to address modern defence challenges, Allies must rethink their approach to cooperation with the private sector. Moving away from a ‘just enough, just in time’ mindset, the Allies now need substantial stockpiles of weaponry and a decisive technological edge for deterrence. “In defending against near-peer adversaries, governments and the private sector must break the deadlock, fostering trust, long-term vision, and innovation. With our extensive reservoir of knowledge and creativity, I’m confident we can achieve this transformation”, stated Admiral Bauer.   

    At the ceremony, Admiral Vandier stated his vision for the command: “For all of us here, maintaining our military credibility calls for an extraordinary effort to modernize our training; aggregate new technologies; and invent new combat tactics that will give us operational superiority in a context of rapid global rearmament.” He continued by stressing that his “commitment, our collective commitment, is to provide the most efficient tools and procedures that will give them operational success in conflict and war.”
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Towards a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Ministers of Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia gave a joint statement on the protection of humanitarian personnel.

    Statement by Foreign Ministers of Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia:

    Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil and Colombia, today announced the formation of a Ministerial Group for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, dedicated to upholding and championing international humanitarian law and driving action to protect humanitarian personnel in conflict zones.

    International humanitarian law is the foundation for alleviating human suffering in wars. It limits the effects of armed conflict and regulates the conduct of hostilities. It provides for the protection of civilians, including the protection and respect of humanitarian personnel who assist and protect the victims of armed conflict, and notably provide the food, water and medical care that civilians in conflict zones need to survive.

    But respect for international humanitarian law is severely undermined, with consequences for current and future conflicts. Calls for compliance are not being heard.

    2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, with 280 killed and hundreds more wounded and kidnapped. 2024 is on track to be even worse.

    This year alone, we have seen humanitarian personnel killed in Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen and many other contexts. Gaza is the most dangerous place on earth to be an aid worker, with over 300 humanitarian personnel killed since the start of the war.

    In forming this Ministerial Group, and in partnership with humanitarian organisations, we rededicate ourselves to the protection of humanitarian personnel. We stand together, seizing the momentum created by the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2730 in May 2024, to strengthen international commitment and translate it into action, to reverse current trends.

    The Ministerial Group has decided to pursue a Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

    The Declaration will be developed over the coming months, and will demonstrate the unity of the international community’s commitment to protect humanitarian personnel and to channel that commitment into action in all current and future conflicts. All countries will be invited to join the Declaration.

    The Declaration will support the United Nations Secretary-General in his endeavours to improve the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, including in accordance with UNSCR 2730.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse calls for urgent action on countering gendered disinformation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The governments of Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, the UK and the USA gave this joint statement.

    Joint statement from the governments of Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America:

    The undersigned country members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse (Global Partnership) call attention to the urgent need to counter the spread of gendered disinformation and address all forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women in political and public life.  

    Gendered disinformation is a threat to societies defending peaceful, democratic values. False or misleading gender and sex-based narratives are being used in campaigns by malign actors to deter and discredit the participation of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons in political and public life. This not only causes deep harm to the individuals targeted, but also threatens electoral integrity, access to information and the exercise of freedom of expression. At the same time, new and emerging technologies are being used to enable harmful, violent rhetoric and attacks against women, girls and LGBTQI+ public figures across borders at a scale and speed previously unseen.

    In our 2023 Road Map, the Global Partnership committed to promoting the meaningful participation in public life for women and girls, in all their diversity, by countering TFGBV and gendered disinformation. 

    We welcome the work being done to shine a light on how and why gendered disinformation is conceived, who it targets and how it is spread. Last year, in a groundbreaking study, Canada, the European External Action Service, Germany, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States jointly assessed the tactics used by foreign state and non-state actors to sow gendered and other identity-based disinformation across the world.

    In March 2024 the Global Partnership and members of its Advisory Group co-hosted a multi-stakeholder conference convened by the National Democratic Institute on possible responses (PDF, 2.1 MB) to countering the spread of gendered disinformation in the context of electoral processes. Stakeholders affirmed the need for a comprehensive response to disrupt the spread of gendered disinformation and to support victims and survivors.

    The world is at a critical moment for upholding democracy. More than 100 countries have held, or are soon to be holding elections, many of them taking place under democratically challenging circumstances. The active participation of all people, including women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons, is essential for secure, healthy and prosperous democracies.   

    We call upon states to join us in recognising and taking action to counter the threat of gendered disinformation to democracies globally. We urge technology and other private companies to take appropriate action to respond to this threat, including a commitment to a Safety-by-Design approach to the development and deployment of platforms and technologies. We ask states and all stakeholders to defend and protect the ability of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons to participate in public life freely, safely and without fear.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: StartmeupHK Festival 2024 showcases Hong Kong’s thriving start-up ecosystem (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The annual StartmeupHK Festival is set to return to Hong Kong from October 21 to 25, 2024, following its previous successes. Curated by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and themed “A Future Unlimited”, this year’s Festival will delve into contemporary topics such as AI, web3, GameFi, responsible tech, healthtech, greentech, sustainability, and more. As Asia’s premier start-up event, the festival anticipates participation from over 12 000 start-ups, investors, and technology enthusiasts from around the world.

         Featuring five main events and a series of community events, what sets this year’s Festival apart is its inclusion of captivating activities in multiple locations across Hong Kong and beyond, with speakers ranging from global business leaders to some of the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs. The Festival will also host a lineup of interactive activities like conferences, debates, exhibitions, pitching competitions, and additional networking opportunities. The Startups team of InvestHK has been conducting roadshows across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to promote the Festival and position Hong Kong as an ideal location for start-ups to thrive in Asia.

         The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “I am thrilled to witness the triumphant return of this remarkable event, as it reaffirms Hong Kong’s leading position as a thriving hub for innovation and start-up success. Start-ups in Hong Kong enjoy a vibrant network of incubators and accelerators, a pool of experienced angels and venture capitalists, and a welcoming community of fellow entrepreneurs. This comprehensive ecosystem has fostered the growth of numerous unicorns and a rapidly expanding start-up landscape, covering diverse sectors such as fintech, retail tech, healthtech, and greentech.”
          
         She added, “The remarkable resilience and continued growth of Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem are a testament to its attractiveness. Our 2023 Startup Survey revealed record-high figures, with 4 257 start-ups employing a total of 16 453 staff. This encouraging result can be attributed to favourable factors such as our simple tax system, low tax rate, accessibility to international and regional markets, accessibility to funding, business opportunities in Mainland China, and the free flow of information. Our strong entrepreneurial culture further reinforces Hong Kong’s position as a launchpad for start-ups seeking to access the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the broader Asian market.”
          
         The Head of Startups at InvestHK, Ms Jayne Chan, said, “This year’s StartmeupHK Festival is promised to be more impactful than ever, fostering stronger connections and collaborations among participants, enabling international investors and other key stakeholders to engage the city’s thriving start-up community. This year, we have curated the StartmeupHK Festival to explore the most influential and forward-thinking topics around innovation and technology, igniting the exchange of ideas and inspiring new initiatives that can unlock limitless possibilities for positive change.”
          
         She continued, “The Festival will include community events to enhance connections in the start-up ecosystem, such as a unique event where regional venture capital (VC) investors pitch to start-up founders, as well as fun activities such as a harbour run and Peak hike with members of the tech community. Additionally, the Start-ups team is conducting global roadshows in cities like London and Shanghai to showcase Hong Kong’s advantages, including access to talent, markets, and funding. These efforts will continue until the festival begins to promote Hong Kong and the Festival to a wider global audience.”
          
    Main events

         Day 1 (October 21) – As the opening event of the StartmeupHK Festival 2024, JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala by Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund will be held at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. In addition to launching their JUMPSTARTER for One Earth global start-up competition to find companies committed to driving global positive change, the event will feature an AI theme with discussions on investments, trends and regional developments in this area.

         Day 2 (October 22) – Game On! 2024, hosted by MaGESpire, will celebrate the essence of gaming, art, music, and entertainment (GAME) industries at Soho House, Sheung Wan. If you are a hardcore gaming fan or art / music enthusiast or an entertainment aficionado keen to learn more about how new technologies are transforming this space, then you must join us!

         Day 3 (October 23) – LOUDER Connect, organised by LOUDER Global will be held at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum that will boasts a diverse network of global speakers, each brought together to collaborate and engage in meaningful conversations. The event will showcase a series of engaging Radical Debates, mentor-business matching, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities at the iconic Hong Kong Maritime Museum and Star Ferry.

         Day 4 (October 24) – Hosted by Brinc, the Asia Health Innovation Summit will be held at TOWER 535 in the vibrant district of Causeway Bay. This premier event will unite Asia’s health technology ecosystem, bringing together start-ups, professionals, investors and government to drive transformative innovation in healthcare. Key discussions include advancements in biotechnology, AI, MedTech, and wholistic well-being and more.

         Day 5 (October 25) – Organised by New World Development, 1.5°C Summit – The Defining Decade for Impact with Tech will be held at K11 Musea. This unique tech summit on climate change is dedicated to identifying and implementing the necessary actions to reduce emissions over the next decade. The event will convene leading experts, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders who are actively engaged in mitigating the effects of climate change. Participants will share their insights on how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future.

    Community events

         The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 will feature an engaging array of community events across Hong Kong, providing attendees with exceptional opportunities to discover innovative ideas and connect with a diverse network of people.

         October 20 – Led by Hong Kong’s experimental activity group, Rock & Run, join a group of like-minded individuals for the Victoria Peak Sunset Hike – a perfect way to end your day with stunning views!

         October 20 – With the support of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, tap into the regional VC investors with rev Hong Kong, for insights into the propositions, and personalities, of your future potential backers at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Connect with top VCs, spanning Pre-Seed to Series B, as they pitch their funds in just five minutes, followed by your questions.

         October 21 and 24 – Start your day with an exclusive small-group breakfast designed for people leaders in a Head role across business and HR, to connect, collaborate, and inspire one another. People Leaders’ Breakfast Roundtable is a unique opportunity to exchange insights around strategies for leadership and people development for the talent landscape in Hong Kong, in a relaxed and closed-door setting. A limited 10-guest experience will be curated for each day.

         October 23 – In partnership with the Hong Kong British Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Eaton Club, come check out the UK Tech Founders Showcase Event where leading tech founders from the UK will showcase their latest innovations and solutions. The evening features fireside chats with UK tech founders who will share their insights, providing a valuable opportunity to network with industry peers while enjoying drinks and light snacks.

         October 23 – To wrap up StartmeupHK Festival 2024, join Rock & Run for a Central Harbourfront Evening Run. It is going to be an amazing scenic run to see a different side of Hong Kong.

         October 24 – Join us for an evening of China PropTech Startup Expedition in partnership with UrbanLab and Hong Kong PropTech Association. This exclusive event will showcase Mainland China’s tech start-ups that have their sights set on global success through market development in Hong Kong and beyond.

    Road shows

         The Start-ups team has been going on road shows and will continue to promote Hong Kong and the Festival to a wider global audience.

         The London Startup Conference 2024 that was held on June 27 gathered start-up founders, investors, and industry experts for networking and workshops focused on business growth.

         Following this, IVS2024 KYOTO was held on July 5. Participants explored the intersection of Japan’s cultural heritage and modern technology, emphasising web2, web3, and AI advancements.

         On July 13, International Graduates & Returnees Entrepreneurship Sharing in Chengdu highlighted the entrepreneurial journeys of international students and returnees.

         The UrbanLab Global Expedition x Hong Kong 1.5°C Summit Briefing on August 16 witnessed discussions on the opportunities through Hong Kong, while the Georgian National Startup Competition on August 20 aimed to connect emerging market founders with investors.

         A series of Startup Nights in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou throughout September also helped provide networking platforms for scaling start-ups in Asia.

         The Game On! 2024 – Dubai Edition event was held on September 13 to celebrate the gaming and entertainment industries, and The Latin Kaleidoscope event in Hong Kong on September 20 and 21 showcased Latin American culture and innovation.

         Last but not least, The Barcelona Startup Conference 2024 on October 1 will bring together local start-up leaders and investors for collaboration and growth opportunities.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Ukraine: 30% increase in ambulance referrals shows ongoing devastation of war in Ukraine – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Kyiv, 3 September 2024. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) ambulances in Ukraine have transported more than 8,000 patients from hospitals near the frontline between January and July 2024, more than half with burn, blast and other injuries directly caused by the fighting. This represents a thirty per cent increase from the previous six months and shows the alarming and ongoing human impact of the war, warns the medical, humanitarian organisation.

    MSF’s 17 ambulances transport patients at the request of health facilities across areas near the frontlines in the east, south and northeast of the country to hospitals that are less overwhelmed or better equipped to treat their injuries. More than 15 per cent of patients transported so far this year were so ill that they needed to be referred in specially equipped intensive care unit (ICU) ambulances. Of those requiring ICU transportation, 38 were children, the youngest just three years old.

    “We need ICU ambulances to transport patients with severe injuries and breathing problems, such as head traumas, burns, multiple fractures, and damage to internal organs. They need equipment like ventilators and oxygen,” said MSF deputy medical coordinator Maksym Zharikov. “Sixty per cent of the patients we transport have war-related injuries such as head injuries, trunk and limb injuries, soft tissue injuries, and massive haemorrhages.”

    On 6 August, an MSF team in the east transported a 45-year-old man who had suffered burns to 90 per cent of his body, including his internal organs, as a result of shelling. Patients like this require specialised medical care, which is often only available in hospitals far from the conflict areas. MSF has been running an ambulance referral system since April 2022 and currently has 17 ambulances, including five ICU ambulances and three vehicles capable of transporting multiple patients at a time. Multi-patient ambulances can transport up to seven patients at a time, making it possible to transport several patients with varying degrees of severity. Additionally, during intense shelling, making one trip instead of several reduces the risk for patients and staff.

    The need for medical transportation by ambulance becomes especially acute during heavy missile attacks when hospitals are overwhelmed by mass casualties. It is difficult to predict how many intensive care or surgical beds will be needed in any given hospital from day to day. Shelling can occur at any moment, and our teams operate in a state of constant emergency. MSF paramedic Dmytro Bilous reports that when he asks civilians why they continue to live near the frontline despite the danger, the most common reply is that they just didn’t have time to evacuate.

    “We’re gravely alarmed by the devastating impacts of repeated attacks, including on civilian areas. We see the consequences every day. A recent attack in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, on 9 August left 14 dead and over 40 injured. MSF doctors helped to respond, and two severely injured patients were transferred to Dnipro,” said Christopher Stokes, MSF emergency coordinator in Ukraine. “With a constant influx of trauma patients needing referrals, MSF ambulance teams ensure that patients are transferred to hospitals where they can receive the specialised care they require. But as more and more health facilities are destroyed, damaged or closed, and attacks like this continue, the pressure on the remaining hospitals is only going to grow, leaving more and more people without any access to the healthcare they need.”

    Notes:

    The war in Ukraine, ongoing since 2014, escalated significantly in 2022, with intense fighting in the east, southeast, and northeast.
    Civilian casualties and significant damage to medical infrastructure, particularly in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions.
    MSF operates 17 ambulances near the frontline, including five ICU vehicles and three multi-patient transport vehicles.
    Ambulances are strategically based in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and other regions, covering the whole of Ukraine as per Ministry of Health requests.
    In 2024, patient transport increased by 30% compared to late 2023, with over 8,000 patients transported in the last six months.
    Ambulances cover up to 120,000 km monthly, with 40% of cases being non-traumatic and 60% war-related injuries.
    Among those transported, 136 were children, 38 of whom required ICU care. The youngest patient was three days old, and the oldest was 98.
    MSF first worked in Ukraine in 1999.

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – Blackstone Announces Agreement to Acquire AirTrunk in a A$24B Transaction

    Source: Blackstone

    SYDNEY – Funds managed by Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, and Blackstone’s private equity strategy for individual investors, along with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPP Investments”), have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AirTrunk, the leading Asia Pacific data center platform, from Macquarie Asset Management and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, for an implied enterprise value of over A$24 billion1. This represents Blackstone’s largest investment in the Asia Pacific region. The transaction is subject to approval from the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board.

    AirTrunk is the largest data center platform in the Asia Pacific region, with a sizeable presence in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It has more than 800MW of capacity committed to customers and owns land that can support over 1GW of future growth across the region.

    Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone, said: “This is Blackstone at its best – leveraging our global platform to capitalize on our highest conviction theme. AirTrunk is another vital step as Blackstone seeks to be the leading digital infrastructure investor in the world across the ecosystem, including data centers, power and related services.”

    Sean Klimczak, Global Head of Blackstone Infrastructure and Nadeem Meghji, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate, said: “Digital infrastructure is experiencing unprecedented demand driven by the AI revolution as well as the broader digitization of the economy. Prior to AirTrunk, Blackstone’s portfolio consisted of US$55 billion of data centers including facilities under construction, along with over US$70 billion in prospective pipeline development. We look forward to partnering with the outstanding AirTrunk management team to further accelerate its growth.”

    Robin Khuda, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AirTrunk, said: “This transaction evidences the strength of the AirTrunk platform in a strong performing sector as we capture the next wave of growth from cloud services and AI and support the energy transition in Asia Pacific. We look forward to working with Blackstone and CPP Investments and benefitting from their scale capital, sector expertise and valuable network across the various local markets, which will help support the continued expansion of AirTrunk.”

    It is expected that there will be approximately US$1 trillion of capital expenditures in the United States over the next five years to build and facilitate new data centers, with another US$1 trillion of capital expenditures outside the United States. Blackstone is capitalizing on this movement as a leading investor globally in data centers. Blackstone has invested in both the debt and equity of other data center companies, including as owner of QTS, the fastest growing data center company in the world, Coreweave and Digital Realty. Blackstone is also focused on addressing the sector’s power needs in many differentiated ways, including as an investor in power and utility companies, such as Invenergy, the largest independent renewables developer in the United States.

    About Blackstone
    Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which we invest. Our more than US$1 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, credit, real assets, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

    1 Including capital expenditure for committed projects

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Mental health suffers as small businesses grapple with economic climate and unexpected expenses – CBA

    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

    CommBank launches additional features and support as small to medium business owners face continued economic challenges.

    New research commissioned by CommBank has shown more than half of Australian small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are feeling the stress of navigating the cost-of-living crisis, with 52 per cent of business owners and senior managers reporting their mental health had been impacted in the last 12 months by the economic climate.

    The research revealed nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of surveyed businesses had to deal with unexpected expenses over the past year, totalling $7.3 billion in costs they didn’t see coming.

    The most common areas of unexpected expenses were equipment repairs and replacements (48 per cent), higher supplier costs (33 per cent) and increased utilities costs (32 per cent). On average, small to medium businesses have had to pay around $4,300 in unexpected expenses.

    CBA’s Executive General Manager Small Business Banking, Rebecca Warren, said Australian small businesses were showing incredible resilience in the face of tough economic conditions.

    “Running a small business is hard yakka and right now, it’s tough. Rising costs of doing business and unexpected expenses can have a big impact when money is already tight.

    “Our priority is to ensure those who need support understand what measures are available such as business overdrafts, invoice financing or flexible repayment plans.

    “We have been reaching out proactively to hundreds of thousands of our small business customers to check in on them, to make sure they are receiving the support they need, and that they are aware of some our tools that can help them to run their business.

    “We offer free comprehensive cash flow tracking capabilities via a Business Cash Flow tool in the CommBank app, which offers monthly summaries of incoming and outgoing cash flow, month-by-month breakdowns and real-time transaction history to help small businesses easily track their finances. We also have an app feature called Bill Sense that predicts future bills to help customers and a free business insights tool called Daily IQ.

    “From next week, we’re launching a partnership with Smiling Mind, a not-for-profit mental health organisation focused on building mental fitness skills, to provide small business owners with access to mental wellbeing programs, tools and preventative strategies in maintaining their mental health.”

    This Smiling Mind mental fitness program is specifically designed to promote mental wellbeing with a focus on businesses. It will be available in the Smiling Mind app from next month and will be accessible by anyone.

    Smiling Mind’s CEO, Sarah La Roche, said: “Amid the additional challenges of economic uncertainty and declining mental health, Smiling Mind is proud to partner with CommBank to provide Australian business owners, leaders and employees with practical support, freely accessible within the Smiling Mind app to promote mental fitness at work. These resources will be available anytime, anywhere, with no barriers to access.”

    With more than half of business owners and senior managers reporting their mental health had been impacted in the last 12 months by the economic climate, Ms Warren said CommBank recognised the scale of the impact.

    “Small business owners are extremely time-poor, they have multiple plates spinning at any given time, which makes prioritising their own mental health and well-being more challenging.”

    CBA has a range of products, services and assistance measures designed to back small businesses and help them through the challenging economic conditions. For more information, please visit: commbank.com.au/smallbusiness

    CBA also offers the Cyber Wardens program, in partnership with the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) and Telstra, to help small businesses build resilience and upskill in cyber safety.

    About YouGov research

    All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov. Total sample size was 510 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 1 – 7 August 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Australian small and medium business owners and decision makers (aged 18+).

    About Smiling Mind

    Smiling Mind has been at the forefront of mental wellbeing innovation for over 12 years, helping minds thrive with evidence-based tools and resources. Smiling Mind are proud to have impacted the lives of millions of people globally. Their mission is Lifelong Mental Fitness. They aim to create generational change in mental health, providing proactive tools and programs that help every mind thrive.

    About the Partnership

    Smiling Mind’s partnership with CommBank will deliver a campaign specifically targeted at Australian small business owners, leaders and employees. They will be able to freely access a new collection in the Smiling Mind App, designed specifically to build mental fitness and support people to thrive at work. This proactive resource, available 24/7, provides practical support and guided strategies to promote mental fitness and navigate challenges.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –